Resolution of persistent Pediococcus bacteremia with daptomycin treatment: case report and review of the literature

A case of bacteremia caused by Pediococcus acidilactici occurring in a patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder is described. The bacteremia persisted despite an antimicrobial regimen of vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, and caspofungin. Within 36 h of switching the vancomycin to daptomycin (6 mg/kg per day), the bacteremia resolved and the patient improved clinically. Previous reports of human pediococcal infection are also reviewed.     

Real-time evaluation of nitric oxide (NO) levels in cortical and hippocampal areas with a nanopore-based electrochemical NO sensor

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important biomolecule for regulating various brain functions, such as the control of neurovascular tone. NO, however, cannot be stored inside cells where NO is produced and immediately diffuses through the cellular membrane and decays rapidly, which makes the detection of NO extremely hard in an in vivo setting. We constructed an amperometric NO nanosensor and utilized it to directly measure NO release in the living brain. The NO nanosensor uses nanopores (pores with an opening radii <500 nm) in which NO is oxidized at the porous platinum surface. The nanopore-based sensor was inserted vertically into the brains of anesthetized mice up to the end of the hippocampal CA 3 region, or to a depth of about 3 mm. The sensor was slowly advanced in the brain in 0.5 μm increments and in 0.05 s temporal steps. Different levels of NO release were monitored by the nanopore NO sensor during the course of the penetration. The hippocampal CA3 region had the highest level of NO release, which was followed by CA2 and CA1 of the hippocampus and the cortex. The levels of NO release were not uniformly distributed within the cortical and hippocampal areas of living brain. In sum, the nanopore-based NO sensor was able to grossly measure NO contents within living brain in real time and with high sensitivity. This study may provide good insights about the relationship between the distributions of NOS-immunoreactive neurons and the directly measured levels of NO release in brain.     

Active immunization against de novo hepatitis B virus infection in pediatric patients after liver transplantation

The shortage of donor organs occasionally mandates the use of hepatic allografts from anti-HBc (+) donors. HBIG and/or lamivudine are recommended for the prevention of de novo HBV infection in naive patients, but there are attendant problems, such as mutant strain emergence and high cost. Active immunization presents a better alternative than the use of HBIG or lamivudine, if it can be proven to be effective. Accordingly, we investigated the outcome of HBV vaccination in pediatric hepatic transplant recipients. Between July 1999 and October 2001, 19 pediatric recipients were administered HBV vaccinations after liver transplantation at Seoul National University Hospital. Nine patients received a graft from anti-HBc (+) donors and 10 from anti-HBc (-) donors. When steroid was withdrawn, recombinant HBV vaccine was administered. The median follow-up period after vaccination was 10.0 +/- 5.2 months. Seventeen of the 19 patients showed a positive response to vaccination. In 9 patients who received grafts from anti-HBc (+) donors, 2 patients showed no response, 4 patients low response (peak HBsAb titer <1,000 IU/L), and 3 patients high response (peak HBsAb titer >/=1,000 IU/L). De novo HBV infection developed in 1 of 2 patients who showed no response to vaccination. In 10 patients who received grafts from anti-HBc (-) donors, 5 showed a low response and 5 a high response. In conclusion, HBV vaccination in pediatric patients after liver transplantation appeared to exhibit some effectiveness at protecting young children that received a graft from anti-HBc (+) donors from de novo HBV infection.     

Human burst-forming units-erythroid need direct interaction with stem cell factor for further development

To understand the factors that regulate the early growth and development of immature erythroid progenitor cells, the burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E), it is necessary to have both highly purified target cells and a medium free of serum. When highly purified human blood BFU-E were cultured in a serum-free medium adequate for the growth of later erythroid progenitors, BFU-E would not grow even with the addition of recombinant human interleukin-3 (rIL-3), known to be essential for these cells. However, the addition of recombinant human stem cell factor (rSCF), which supports germ cell and pluripotential stem cell growth, stimulated BFU-E to grow equally well in serum-free as in serum-containing medium. Limiting dilution studies showed that rSCF acts directly on the BFU-E that do not require accessory cells for growth. Furthermore, rSCF was necessary for BFU-E development during the initial 7 days of culture, until these cells reached the stage of the late progenitors, the colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-E). These studies indicate that early erythropoiesis is dependent on the direct action of SCF that not only affects early stem cells but is continually necessary for the further development of committed erythroid progenitor cells until the CFU-E stage of maturation.     

Effect of Sulfonylureas Administered Centrally on the Blood Glucose Level in Immobilization Stress Model

Sulfonylureas are widely used as an antidiabetic drug. In the present study, the effects of sulfonylurea administered supraspinally on immobilization stress-induced blood glucose level were studied in ICR mice. Mice were once enforced into immobilization stress for 30 min and returned to the cage. The blood glucose level was measured 30, 60, and 120 min after immobilization stress initiation. We found that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection with 30 µg of glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride or tolazamide attenuated the increased blood glucose level induced by immobilization stress. Immobilization stress causes an elevation of the blood corticosterone and insulin levels. Sulfonylureas pretreated i.c.v. caused a further elevation of the blood corticosterone level when mice were forced into the stress. In addition, sulfonylureas pretreated i.c.v. alone caused an elevation of the plasma insulin level. Furthermore, immobilization stress-induced insulin level was reduced by i.c.v. pretreated sulfonylureas. Our results suggest that lowering effect of sulfonylureas administered supraspinally against immobilization stress-induced increase of the blood glucose level appears to be primarily mediated via elevation of the plasma insulin level.     

Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor is associated with better prognosis in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma: Correlation with MET expression

The purpose of this study was to examine the prognostic significance of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R) expression alone and in relation to the expression of the MET‐ receptor and the MET‐homologous receptor RON, in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL). Tumour samples from patients with cHL (n = 202; median age 37.5 years) were analysed retrospectively for IGF‐R1, MET or RON expression by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays. The median follow‐up time was 3.7 years (range, 0.1–20 years). Twenty‐nine patients (14.3%) expressed IGF‐1R protein in Hodgkin/Reed–Sternberg (HRS) cells, which was associated with a better overall survival (OS) (P = 0.036). IGF‐1R expression was closely associated with MET receptor expression and low level of lactate dehydrogenase. In patients with cHL receiving doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine, those expressing IGF‐1R showed a trend towards better OS and event‐free survival than IGF‐1R‐negative patients (P = 0.129 and P = 0.115 respectively), but statistical significance was not reached. This study suggests that IGF‐1R expression could be associated with better clinical outcome in cHL but is significantly associated with the expression of MET receptor.     

Efficacy of Random-start Controlled Ovarian Stimulation in Cancer Patients

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of random-start controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in cancer patients for emergency fertility preservation. In this retrospective comparative study, 22 patients diagnosed with cancer and 44 infertile women undergoing conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) were included. In cancer patients, ovarian stimulation was started on the day of referral, irrespective of their menstrual cycle date. The control group was selected by age matching among women undergoing conventional IVF. COS outcomes were compared between groups. The number of total and mature oocytes retrieved and the oocyte maturity rate were higher in the random-start group than in the conventional-start group. However, duration of ovarian stimulation was longer in the random-start group (11.4 vs. 10.3 days, P = 0.004). The addition of letrozole to lower the estradiol level during COS did not adversely affect total oocytes retrieved. However, oocyte maturity rate was lower in cycles with letrozole than in cycles without letrozole (71.6% vs. 58.2%, P = 0.019). Our study confirms the feasibility and effectiveness of random-start COS in cancer patients.

Graphical Abstract

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Decreased Serum Epinephrine in Children With Positive Skin Prick Test

Objectives

To evaluate the association between catecholamine levels and skin prick test results among children.

Methods

Two hundred eight first grade children from one elementary school were invited to participate in this study. Skin prick test (SPT) for six allergens (2 house dust mites, cat, dog, mugwort, and pollen mixture) was performed, and patient demographic information was recorded. The parents were surveyed using questionnaires about rhinitis-related symptoms. Finally, venous blood sampling was done to measure catecholamine levels (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Results

Out of 208 children, 174 (106 boys and 68 girls) enrolled in this study. Ninety-six of the children (55%) had negative SPT (nonsensitization group), while 78 (45%) had a positive SPT to at least one of six allergens (sensitization group). The diagnosis of chronic rhinitis was more prevalent in the sensitization group (35.9%) than nonsensitization group (26.0%), however the finding was not significant (P=0.186). Epinephrine levels were decreased between the sensitization group compared to the nonsensitization group (P=0.004). There was no difference in norepinephrine and dopamine levels (P>0.05).

Conclusion

Epinephrine levels are lower in children with positive SPT compared to controls, however, the level of the catecholamine was not associated with the presence or absence of rhinitis symptoms.