STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the value of Aspergillus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test performed on the BAL in diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). DESIGN Between January 1996 and 1997, we prospectively followed up 249 cancer patients with pulmonary infiltrates suggestive of pneumonia. Bronchoscopy with fungal stains, cultures, and PCR was performed on all patients. PCR was use...

INTRODUCTION The incidence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is increasing, and early diagnosis of the disease and treatment with antifungal drugs is critical for patient survival. Serum biomarker tests for IPA typically give false-negative results in non-neutropenic patients, and galactomannan (GM) detection, the preferred diagnostic test for IPA u...

The compatibility of a 2% chlorhexidine gluconate/70% isopropyl alcohol (CHG/IPA) skin preparation with a gum mastic liquid adhesive (GMLA) and liquid adhesive remover (LAR) was assessed in healthy volunteers. Twenty subjects completed test material combination with microbial sampling at 3- and 7-day time points. Mean log10 reductions from baseline for normal flora were assessed. There was no s...

BACKGROUND Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients is associated with a high mortality. But the clinical characteristics of and the risk factors for IPA among patients with ACLF remains unclear. This study was aimed at assessing clinical manifestation, the risk factors and antifungal medications for as well as the mortality due to IPA in ACLF pat...

We investigated the diagnostic utility of Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) in sputum for diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in haematologic patients and compared the results with those of bronchial lavage fluid (BLF) and serum. Patients were classified into 4 groups using modified European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer criteria: group A, proven IPA; group B, p...

BACKGROUND The clinical impact of the galactomannan (GM) test for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is controversial. Our study evaluated the incidence and trends of IPA and GM testing in patients with aspergillus infections. METHODS We conducted a nationwide inpatient population study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 346 IPA (62.1...

This study draws on Finkel and Eckhardt's (2013) I³ framework to examine the interactive effects of 2 emotion regulation strategies-anger rumination (an impellance factor) and reappraisal (an inhibition factor), and alcohol intoxication (a disinhibition factor)-on intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration as measured with an analogue aggression task. Participants were 69 couples recruited ...

Mycobacterium convolutum strain NPA-1 can utilize n-propylamine (NPA), isopropylamine (IPA), and 1,3-propane diamine (PD) as sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. Enzyme assays, fatty acid profiles, and 14CO2 incorporation experiments indicate that NPA is deaminated to propionate and further metabolized via the methylmalonyl succinate pathway, and IPA and PD were metabolized (after deami...

ChloraPrep (2% chlorhexidine gluconate + 70% isopropyl alcohol [CHG + IPA] in a 3.0-mL applicator) is a recently approved antiseptic for preoperative skin preparation. This controlled open-label trial assessed the immediate and persistent antimicrobial efficacy and safety of CHG + IPA compared with 70% IPA or a 2% CHG aqueous solution alone. Each antiseptic significantly reduced abdominal and i...

BACKGROUND Source reduction is important in minimizing bacterial-contaminated risk of blood products, but previous evaluation of chlorhexidine (CHX) was confounded by inability of Tween and lecithin to neutralize CHX. The study aims to address this limitation and also evaluates the effectiveness of two CHX–alcohol-based skin disinfectants in blood donation setting. METHODS A two-stage observa...