Surgical bacterial infections and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns at Lilongwe Central Hospital

A cross sectional study was done between October 1999 and February 2000 to determine antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of consecutive bacterial isolates of 102 clinical samples among surgical in-patients at Lilongwe Central Hospital (LCH), Malawi. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using comparative disc diffusion techniques. 83 (81.4%) samples were culture positive for bacterial growth while 19 (18.6%) grew nothing. Of the 93 culture positive specimens, Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant organism 43(51.8%) followed by Proteus species 8(9.6%) and E. coli 7(8.4%). Overall, 98.6% of all isolates tested against ciprofloxacin were susceptible, and against gentamicin and flucloxacin were 84.8% and 66.7% respectively. 59.3% of isolates tested against chloramphenicol were resistant. We recommend a review on the use of chloramphenicol as first-line antimicrobial therapy among surgical in-patients at Lilongwe Central Hospital. We also recommend restricted use of antimicrobials so as to minimise development of drug resistance. Periodic susceptibility studies are necessary to guide judicious use of antibiotics.     

侵及眶部脑肿瘤的临床特征与显微手术处理

目的 研究侵及眶部的脑肿瘤临床特征与显微外科手术治疗效果。方法 对58例本病经临床分析与影像学检查而获诊断，采用不同手术入路及显微外科技术切除肿瘤。全组病例中，肿瘤位于前颅凹50例，中颅窝8例，均侵及眶腔。其中39例（67．2％）有头痛、头晕等颅内压增高表现，54例（93．1％）出现视器症状。结果 本组46例肿瘤（79．3％）获手术全切除，12例（20．7％）为次全切除，无死亡。对48例经信访或门诊随访6个月-9年（平均3．6年），39例（81.3％）恢复满意，余9例（18．7％）有不同程度后遗症。结论 脑肿瘤侵及眶部多以视器改变为主要临床表现。采取不同手术入路、以显微外科技术切除本类肿瘤，预后良好。     

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor versus placebo in addition to penicillin G in a randomized blinded study of gram-negative pneumonia sepsis: analysis of survival and multisystem organ failure

Sepsis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Neutrophils are the major defense against bacterial invasion, and granulocyte colony- stimulating factor (G-CSF) augments both neutrophil number and function. In our study, 160 rabbits were inoculated transtracheally with 0.5 mL of a solution containing 10(4) colony forming units per milliliter of Pasteurella multocida. Twenty-four hours later, chest x- rays and quantitative blood cultures demonstrated pneumonia and bacteremia. Therapy was then begun with penicillin G and either recombinant human G-CSF (rG-CSF; 5 to 8 micrograms/kg subcutaneously) or placebo every day for 5 days. Arterial blood gases and 23 other parameters of organ function were performed before inoculation and serially thereafter. All rabbits underwent histologic examination of organs at the time of septic death or when sacrificed on day 6. A total of 149 rabbits survived long enough to initiate therapy. A significant increase in leukocytes by day 4 was found in the rG-CSF-treated group. There was a trend towards improved survival in the rG-CSF group (77% v 67%; P = .13, n = 149). Analysis of pretreatment variables revealed sepsis-induced leukopenia (< or = 2,800/microL) as the only predictor of significantly improved survival with rG-CSF treatment (57% v 39%; P = .04, n = 73). The majority of the survival benefit occurred within the first 24 hours of treatment. This was before the time that a significant difference in mean white blood cell (WBC) count was observed between the study groups, making intravascular leukocytosis an unlikely explanation for the survival advantage in the rG-CSF group. No significant difference in laboratory variables reflecting organ function was demonstrated between the groups. Histologic grading of inflammation (0, normal, to 6, necrosis) in seven organs revealed that the surviving rabbits had mild but statistically significant increased inflammation in the liver, spleen, and noninoculated lung in the rG-CSF versus placebo groups (liver: 2.6 v 1.5, P < or = .0001; spleen: 3.2 v 2.3, P < or = .0001; and noninoculated lung: 2.9 v 2.5, P = .04). Administration of rG-CSF, in addition to penicillin G, in immune competent rabbits with gram-negative sepsis complicated by leukopenia significantly improved survival over antibiotics alone. The administration of rG-CSF in early sepsis for a short therapeutic duration was not associated with any clinically evident toxicity. Clinical trials using rG-CSF in septic patients with leukopenia are indicated.     

Lecturer practitioner: a concept analysis

Lecturer practitioner: a concept analysis ¶ The concept of the lecturer practitioner arose in one health authority in Britain in the late 1980s. Since its inception there, the concept has been widely adopted across the country suggesting that there is a perceived need for this role. However, there is much confusion over what a lecturer practitioner is, since each post is multifaceted, complex and unique. Rodgers' (1993) evolutionary concept analysis is used in an attempt to clarify and to identify those elements that are common to this concept. Through a review of all the available literature on this concept, the attributes, antecedents and consequences are identified and their implications discussed. Rodgers' evolutionary method is described and critiqued throughout the paper and is shown to be a suitable method for clarifying a complex concept.     

Locus assignment of two alpha-globin structural mutants from the Caribbean basin: alpha Fort de France (alpha 45 Arg) and alpha Spanish Town (alpha 27 Val)

Two alpha-globin structural mutants were mapped to their encoding loci by in vitro translation of hybrid-selected alpha 1- and alpha 2-globin mRNA. The more highly expressed mutant, alpha Spanish Town (alpha 27Val), is encoded at the alpha 2 locus and the less expressed mutant, alpha Fort de France (alpha 45Arg), is encoded at the alpha 1 locus. These results further define the distribution of alpha-globin structural mutations within the alpha-globin gene cluster and substantiate the dominant role of the alpha 2-globin locus in alpha- globin expression.     

Haemodynamic Studies During the Management of Severe Tetanus

Detailed invasive haemodynamic studies were performed in 27of 32 patients with severe tetanus. Nineteen had severe uncomplicatedtetanus and eight had associated major complications, chieflyinfection and pulmonary complications. The results were comparedwith those obtained from 15 healthy male volunteers who servedas controls. There were two deaths in 32 patients (mortality6.25 per cent). Severe tetanus without major complications wascharacterized by a high output hyperkinetic circulatory statewith tachycardia (heart rate 131 (19.2) beats/minute), increasedstroke volume index (43.1 (10.7) ml/m²), increased cardiac index(5.48 (0.94)1/min/m²) and a normal left ventricular stroke workindex (60.5 (15.9) g/m/m²). Volume loading demonstrated a significanthaemodynamic response and increased vascular capacitance. Evenso the maximum percent rise from baseline values of these indicesafter volume load was significantly higher in controls (p <0.001). Autonomic cardiovascular disturbances affected bothsympathetic and parasympathetic activity. Hypertension and tachycardiaalternating with hypotension and bradycardia were related tosudden fluctuations in systemic vascular resistance. Our studiessuggested some degree of myocardial dysfunction in patientswith severe uncomplicated tetanus. The haemodynamics of severetetanus were masked and altered by complicating infection, pneumonia,and atelectasis.     

d-生物素的立体专一性全合成研究

对confaione的d-生物素(1)全合成进行了改进,从半胱氨酸计算,总收率3.7%。5与4-溴代三苯膦丁酸甲酯进行Wittig-Schlosser缩合反应可立体专一性地转化成反式-烯(6)。以叠氮三甲基硅烷代替叠氮化锂亲核进攻9分子中C3-溴原子,可显著地提高顺式-叠氮内酰胺10的收率。