Evaluation of Etest MBL for detection of blaIMP-1 and blaVIM-2 allele-positive clinical isolates of Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp

The Etest MBL (AB BIODISK, Solna, Sweden) correctly differentiated all 57 isolates of Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with the bla(IMP-1) allele and 135 of 137 (98.5%) Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp. isolates with the bla(VIM-2) allele. The Etest MBL was reliable for detecting the IMP-1- and VIM-2-producing Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates.     

白细胞介素—1对大鼠下丘脑室旁核Fos癌蛋白和CRF的诱导作用

将白细胞介素-1(IL)注入大鼠侧脑室,用Fos癌蛋白抗体免疫组化法检测了下丘脑室旁核的激活神经元:大量位于含促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子(CRF)相应区域的室旁核小细胞部神经元呈Fos免疫强阳性。Fos和CRF的免疫双染色显示了许多Fos免疫阳性神经元也呈CRF免疫阳性。此外,在IL-1注射动物中,CRF的免疫阳性显著加强,提示CRF合成增加。     

Study of severe hepatitis treated with a hybrid artificial liver support system

Artificial liver support system (ALSS) has been used to treat hepatic failure and has significantly decreased the mortality. TECA hybrid artificial liver support system (TECA-HALSS), which combines the hollow fiber bioreactor with a plasma exchange circuit, was used to assess the efficacy, safety and feasibility in treating severe hepatitis patients. The hybrid artificial liver support system (HALSS) consists of a bioreactor containing more than 5 x10(9) porcine hepatocytes and plasma exchange device. Fifteen patients with severe hepatitis were treated with this hybrid system. All patients experienced a reduction in symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal distention or ascites. After each treatment serum total bilirubin decreased markedly while prothrombin activity increased. There were ten patients whose progress of hepatocyte necrosis was stopped after HALSS treatment, and finally they recovered completely. One patient received liver transplantation after HALSS therapy and survived. No serious adverse events were noted in the fifteen patients.     

Spontaneous disruption of mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery

We report a case of ruptured mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery requiring an urgent surgical treatment. A 62-yr-old woman presented with fever and dyspnea. Previously, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and received right hemicolectomy and one cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy. On echocardiogram, pericardial effusion was noted and emergency pericardiocentesis was performed. CT scan revealed aortic aneurysm involving ascending aorta and innominate artery, and thrombi surrounding those structures. Patch repair of the defect in the ascending aorta and ringed Goretex graft to bypass the innominate and ascending aorta were performed. We believe that this is the first case of ruptured mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery.     

Use of tri-gas incubator for routine culture of Campylobacter species from fecal specimens.

We evaluated a tri-gas incubator for Campylobacter isolation to be used instead of an anaerobic jar. Fecal specimens were cultured in duplicate onto charcoal selective medium and incubated at 43 degrees C for 48 h in two different environments: a tri-gas incubator (Forma Scientific) adjusted to provide an atmosphere of 10% CO2, 10% O2, and the balance N2; and evacuated anaerobic jars with a replacement gas mixture of 10% CO2, 5% O2, and 85% N2. A total of 106 Campylobacter jejuni and 8 Campylobacter coli isolates were obtained from 2,348 stool specimens. Of the positive specimens, 113 isolates came from the incubator and 111 isolates came from the anaerobic jars. An additional 32 previously positive specimens were replated onto charcoal selective medium and retested by both methods. We recovered 27 C. jejuni isolates, 26 isolates by each method. The isolates from the incubator typically produced discrete colonies, while the isolates from the anaerobic jar showed some degree of swarming in colony formation. The tri-gas incubator provided a cost-effective method for culturing Campylobacter spp.     

Metabolic changes after revascularization in a patient with innominate artery occlusion by localized in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Localized in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) has been used to measure the metabolic status of the human brain in a non-invasive manner; thus, it is often called "a non-invasive biochemical assay". MRS is more sensitive than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting ischemic damage by measuring the metabolic changes that occur prior to the anatomic changes. We report a patient who presented with innominate artery occlusion and symptoms of posterior circulation insufficiency and showed favorable metabolic changes by (1)H-MRS after revascularization. He showed no visible lesion in brain MRI, but in (1)H-MRS, decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA) signal was noted in a resting state.After revascularization, both symptomatic improvement and recovery of NAA signal were observed. (1)H-MRS may provide valuable clinical information in diagnosis and management of cerebral hypoperfusion at a much earlier stage prior to the anatomic changes.     

IL-1β诱导体外培养的大鼠中脑黑质神经元c-jun表达

应用细胞原位杂交技术，观察经重组小鼠白细胞介素-19（IL-1β）处理后的体外培养的新生1d大鼠中脑黑质神经元c－jun基因的表达．结果显示，培养的黑质细胞多为酪氨酸羟化酶阳性神经元，IL-1β可诱导体外培养的黑质神经元c－junmRNA表达，高水平的表达出现在IL-1β处理后2～4h。说明IL－1β有兴奋黑质神经元的作用，并提示黑质神经元上可能存在IL－1β受体．     

The mast cell: distribution and maturation in the peritoneal cavity of the adult rat.

In the peritoneal cavity of the adult rat mast cells at the four stages of progressive maturation (and corresponding increase of sulphation of granules) are best demonstrated in free peritoneal fluid. Of the 0.1-0.2x10(6) cells in the free fluid, 26% are at stage 1 of maturation (all granules are stained by Alcian blue). 24% at stage 2 (majority of granules are stained by Alcian blue, minority by safranin), 20% at stage 3 (majority of granules are safranin-positive), and 30% at stage 4 (all granules are safranin-positive). Peritoneal washings yield a mean of about 1.3-1.8x10(6) mast cells of which 16% are at stage 1, 24% at stage 2, 34% at stage 3 and 26% at stage 4. The greater number recovered by washing, compared with the number in free peritoneal fluid, suggests that a substantial number of mast cells lie on the surface of the peritoneal membranes.