变形杆菌对β—内酰胺类和氨基糖苷类抗生素的敏感性取决于其种属和来源

文献中化学药物对变形杆菌代表性菌种,主要是部分吲哚阴性和吲哚阳性变形杆菌属的抗菌活性已有报道。在吲哚阴性变形杆菌中除奇异变形杆菌外,还有Proteus penner,在吲哚阳性变形杆菌中除普通变形杆菌外,还有摩氏变形杆菌和普罗威登斯菌。各种变形杆菌对化学药物的敏感性不同。然而,它们对化学药物敏感性取决于其来源的报道不多。因此,我们用分离自不同病理材料的变形杆菌培养物对β-内酰胺类和氨基糖苷类抗生素的敏感性进行了研究。对1985年分离自各种病理材料的130株变形杆菌菌株培养物进行了敏感性测定,其中分离自脓汁30株,分离自各种化脓炎症性疾病患者的尿和急性肠道感染患者的粪各50     

INHIBITION OF BRAIN RENIN–ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM IMPROVES DIASTOLIC CARDIAC FUNCTION FOLLOWING MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN RATS

• 1 Recently, we demonstrated that oral captopril treatment improved diastolic function and attenuated cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. Considering the feasible role of the brain renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in heart failure, in the present study we investigated the role of the captopril injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) on the progression of cardiac dysfunction.
• 2 Male Wistar rats underwent experimental MI or sham operation. Infarcted animals received daily i.c.v. injections of captopril (approximately 200 mg/kg; MI + Cap) or saline (MI) from 11 to 18 days after infarction. Electro‐ and echocardiogram assessments were performed before and after i.c.v. treatment (10 and 18 days after MI, respectively). Water and hypertonic saline ingestion were determined daily between 12 and 16 days after MI.
• 3 Electrocardiograms from the MI and MI + Cap groups showed signs that resembled large MI before and after i.c.v. treatment. However, despite similar systolic dysfunction observed in both groups, only captopril‐treated rats exhibited reduced left ventricular (LV) dilatation and improved LV filling, as assessed by echocardiograms, and low levels of water ingestion compared with the saline‐treated control group.
• 4 The results of the present study suggest that the brain RAS may participate in the development of cardiac dysfunction induced by ischaemia and that inhibition of the brain RAS may provide a new strategy for the prevention of diastolic dysfunction.

     

Melatonin and colon carcinogenesis: I. Inhibitory effect of melatonin on development of intestinal tumors induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rats

The effect of pineal indole hormone melatonin on colon carcinogenesis was firstly studied in rats. Two-month-old outbred female LIO rats were weekly exposed to 15 (experiment 1, groups 1 and 2) or to five (experiment 2, groups 1 and 2) s.c. injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) at a single dose of 21 mg/kg of body weight. From the day of the first injection of the carcinogen DMH, the rats from groups 2 (experiments 1 and 2) were given melatonin five days a week during the night-time (from 18:00 h to 8:00 h), dissolved in tap water at 20 mg/l. The experiment was finalized in 6 months after the first injection of DMH. In both experiments the majority of tumors were localized in the descending colon. Tumors of the small intestines developed only in rats from experiment 1. Total incidence of colon tumors as well as tumors in different parts of the colon and the mean number of tumors per rat were much higher in rats from both groups in experiment 1 than that in rats from experiment 2. In experiment 1 melatonin failed to influence the total incidence of colon tumors. However, incidence of carcinomas in the ascending colon was significantly reduced (P < 0.01). The multiplicity of total colon tumors per rat, as well as the mean number of tumors, ascending and descending colon per rat, was also decreased under the influence of melatonin (group 2 vs group 1, P < 0.01). In the same experiment, melatonin slightly decreased the depth of tumor invasion and increased number of highly differentiated colon carcinomas induced by DMH. The percentage of small tumours in the descending colon among rats from group 2 was higher than that of group 1. Treatment with melatonin was also followed by a decrease in the multiplicity of DMH- induced tumors of the duodenum (group 2 vs group 1, P < 0.05) and by a decrease in the incidence of jejunum and ileum tumors (group 2 vs group 1, P < 0.05). In experiment 2, the inhibitory effect of melatonin on DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis was much more expressed than that in experiment 1. Thus, in group 1 the incidence of total colon tumors, ascending and descending colon tumors, was significantly decreased in comparison with group 2; also melatonin reduced the number of tumors per rat in the ascending and descending colon. The number of colon tumors that invaded only mucosa was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1, P < 0.05. The ratio of highly differentiated tumors was increased (P < 0.05) and the ratio of low-differentiated tumors was decreased (P < 0.05) in rats exposed to melatonin (group 4) as compared with group 3. The number of large size tumors in the ascending and descending colon was decreased whereas the number of small size tumors (<10 mm2) was increased in those parts of the colon that were under the influence of melatonin in experiment 2. Thus, our results demonstrate the inhibitory effect of melatonin on intestinal carcinogenesis induced by DMH in rats.      

Promotion of high school blood donations: testing the efficacy of a videotaped intervention

"Life to Life," an 11-minute videotape based on social learning principles, was used by 10 blood centers in presentations to 4970 high school students one week before school blood drives. At each school, some students saw the videotape and others attended a blood center's customary presentation. Students also completed a brief questionnaire assessing donation attitudes, donation history, and intent to donate. The videotape accounted for a relative increase of 18.7 percent in donations even when other factors were not controlled for. Results were analyzed with logistic models and showed a consistently positive effect over all models used. For students who had never donated, the estimated odds ratio for actual donation (videotape:control) was 1.528. When the model included both type of presentation and ethnicity, the relative increase in donation over that after the blood centers' usual presentation was 69.8 percent for first-time donors. Among previous donors considered alone, the effect on donation was not significant. Whatever their donor history, students who viewed the videotape showed significantly more positive attitudes toward donation and had greater intention to donate than students who saw the blood centers' standard presentations. These results suggest that this videotape is a useful tool for recruitment of high school blood donors.     

Comparison of scholarly impact among surgical specialties: An examination of 2429 academic surgeons

Objectives/Hypothesis

The h‐index, a bibliometric indicator that objectively characterizes the impact of an author's scholarship, is an effective tool that may be considered by academic departments for decisions related to hiring and faculty advancement. Our objective was to characterize the scholarly productivity of academic surgeons from different specialties relative to otolaryngologists.

Study Design

Analysis of a bibliometric database.

Methods

The h‐indices of 2,429 faculty members within surgical specialties at 20 randomly selected academic institutions were calculated using the Scopus database and were examined to determine relationship with academic rank and comparison among surgical subspecialties.

Results

The h‐index statistically increased with academic rank. Mean h‐indices were as follows: assistant professor, 4.37 (range, 2.73–6.69); associate professor, 8.70 (6.53–11.02); professor, 16.44 (13.39–20.45); and chairperson, 20.79 (14.81–27.89). Mean increase between academic rank was 5.47, with the largest increase between the levels of associate professor and professor. Further examination demonstrated statistically significant increases through all academic ranks for most, but not all, individual specialties. Urologists, general surgeons, and neurosurgeons had the highest mean h‐indices.

Conclusions

h‐indices among the different surgical specialties vary and are potentially impacted by the number of practitioners as well as research emphasis within a field. The mean h‐index of academic otolaryngologists falls in the lower values for academic surgeons. Because this metric varies among different fields, it is most relevant for comparison when examining values within a field. H‐indices reliably increase with increasing academic rank through professor and offer a quantifiable and objective alternative to other metrics when evaluating faculty members for academic advancement.     

Esophageal Perforation and Rupture: a Comprehensive Medicolegal Examination of 59 Jury Verdicts and Settlements

Background

Consequences accompanying esophageal perforation make this complication a prime litigation target. We characterize factors in jury verdicts and settlements regarding esophageal perforation, including operative procedure, patient demographics, alleged cause(s) of malpractice, outcome, and other factors.

Methods

Pertinent court records were examined for the aforementioned factors.

Results

Gastroenterologists, general surgeons, and anesthesiologists were the most commonly named defendants. Two thirds of outcomes were for the defendant, and 11.9 % were settled (median—$650,000); 20.3 % resulted in awarded damages (median—$1.2 M). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was the most commonly litigated procedure, followed by intubation and Nissen fundoplication. Necessity of repair, delayed diagnosis, death, and inadequate consent were the most frequently cited factors in litigation.

Conclusions

An understanding of the factors important in determining legal responsibility is of great interest for practitioners in multiple specialties. The requirement of surgical repair and a delay in diagnosis are two of the most common factors present in litigated cases resulting in a payment. The importance of explicitly listing esophageal perforation in the informed consent for esophagogastroduodenoscopy, abdominal surgery, and any patients at risk of intubation injury needs to be emphasized.     

The study of the cytotoxic effect of anticancer drugs on human lung tumors transplanted to mice by use of diffusion chambers

The effect of chemotherapeutic drugs (adriamycin, rubomycin, nitrosomethylurea, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, methotrexate) on the proliferative activity of cells of 19 human lung cancer (adenocarcinoma--8, squamous cell carcinoma--10 and small cell cancer--1) transplanted to mice in diffusion chambers was studied. Rubomycin and adriamycin showed highest activity while methotrexate was least effective. The cyclophosphamide, vincristine and nitrosomethylurea had the moderate and similar activity. The tumors of different histological types hade close sensitivity to the tested drugs. The 3H-thymidine incorporation inhibitory effect of drugs differed for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma probably reflecting certain differences in cellular mechanisms of drug action in lung cancers of different histological types. The data on the cytotoxic activity of anticancer drugs against lung tumors were closed to known efficacy of these drugs in treatment of patients with lung cancer. The high activity of rubomycin in human lung tumors allow to hope for its high activity in patients. The results suggested that human lung tumors in diffusion chambers may be used in preclinical tests of antitumor drug activity against lung tumors.