Effects of Emptying Function of Remaining Stomach on QOL in Postgastrectomy Patients

Background  

Attention has recently focused on decreased quality of life (QOL) that occurs in postgastrectomy patients. We verified how gastric emptying function affected QOL.     

A new method of total parenteral nutrition for surgical neonates: it is possible that cyclic TPN prevents intrahepatic cholestasis

Cholestasis associated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) has been reported to be an incidence of 15% to 50% in surgical neonates. This study was designed to prevent the liver dysfunction, especially intrahepatic cholestasis, caused by TPN for surgical neonates. In the last three years, 10 surgical neonates ranged from 1868g to 3500g of birth weight have been treated by cyclic TPN that infuses solutions of TPN and Non-TPN alternately every four hours, because cyclic TPN may reduce an overloading for the liver by the compulsive and continuous TPN. Consequently, no hyperbilirubinemia and abnormal values of the serum transaminases were revealed in these neonates, and good results of nutritional supports were obtained by cyclic TPN. These results suggest that cyclic TPN is useful and safe in nutritional support for neonates, and cyclic TPN is much better than continuous TPN in order to prevent the liver dysfunction.     

Clinical assessment of trough levels for monitoring of rejection in cyclosporine-treated kidney transplant recipients

We evaluated whether trough cyclosporine (CYA) level monitoring was useful in the diagnosis of rejection within 2 weeks after transplantation. Rejection occurred in 14 out of 17 patients (82.3%) treated with CYA, mizoribine (MZR) and prednisolone (Pred) when trough CYA levels dropped below 70 ng/ml, suggesting the importance of trough level monitoring. When anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) was added to the 3 above-mentioned drugs, however, rejection occurred in only 1 patient (6.7%) and 2 patients (13.3%), respectively, within 1 week and 1–2 weeks after transplantation, suggesting that through level monitoring isless important in patients treated with these 4 drugs.     

Comparative studies on activities of antimicrobial agents against causative organisms isolated from urinary tract infections (1988). I. Susceptibility distribution]

Isolation frequencies and sensitivities to antibacterial and antibiotic agents were investigated on 801 bacterial strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infections in 9 hospitals during the period of June to November 1988. Of the above total bacterial population, Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 29.3% and a majority of them were Enterococcus spp. Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 70.7% and most of them were Escherichia coli. 1. Enterococcus faecalis: Vancomycin was most active with its MIC90 < or = 0.78 microgram/ml. Ampicillin, piperacillin, ofloxacin (OFLX), ciprofloxacin (CPFX) and imipenem (IPM) were also active. 2. Staphylococcus aureus: Arbekacin and minocycline were most active with their MIC90s 0.39 microgram/ml and 1.56 micrograms/ml, respectively. Among penicillins, dicloxacillin was the most active. Activities of cephems were considerably lower. 3. E. coli: Most of the agents were tested active. Particularly the second and third generation cephems were active in a range of < or = 0.10-0.20 microgram/ml. Carumonam (CRMN), IPM, OFLX and CPFX were also active with MIC90s < or = 0.10 microgram/ml. 4. Klebsiella pneumoniae CRMN and IPM were highly active. Penicillins generally showed lower activities. Cephems and new quinolones had high activities with their MIC90s in a range of 0.39-0.78 microgram/ml. 5. Proteus mirabilis: The third generation cephems were active with their MIC90s in a range of < or = 0.10-0.20 microgram/ml. CRMN, OFLX and CPFX were also active with their MIC90s < or = 0.10 microgram/ml, 0.39 microgram/ml and 0.20 microgram/ml, respectively. 6. Pseudomonas aeruginosa: IPM and tobramycin were active with their MIC90s 1.56 micrograms/ml and 3.13 micrograms/ml, respectively. CRMN and new quinolones showed MIC80s of 25-100 micrograms/ml. Most of penicillins and cephems were not active. 7. Other Gram-negative rods: Against Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia marcescens, IPM, CPFX and OFLX were active. Penicillins and cephems were not so active. CRMN was active against S. marcescens with its MIC80 at 6.25 micrograms/ml.     

Complications of Central Venous Catheters in Patients on Home Parenteral Nutrition: An Analysis of 68 Patients over 16 Years

Purpose To determine the incidence of central venous catheter (CVC) complications and to analyze the potential risk factors for complications necessitating CVC removal in patients on home parenteral nutrition (HPN). Methods We studied 68 patients on HPN (44 men and 24 women), examining the incidence of CVC complications and CVC-related infections. The risk factors for CVC-related infection were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results the incidences of CVC complications were 0.29 episodes per CVC-year in 45 patients with an external tunneled CVC, and 0.66 episodes per CVC-year in 23 patients with an implanted port device. The incidences of CVC-related infections were 0.17 episodes per CVC-year for external tunneled CVCs and 0.17 episodes per CVC-year for implanted port devices. There were no significant differences in the incidences of CVC complications (P = 0.095), and CVC-related infections (P = 0.406). The incidences of CVC-related infections were 0.04 episodes per CVC-year in 54 patients with malignancies, and 0.68 episodes in 14 patients with benign diseases (P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the types of diseases that influenced the incidence of CVC-related infections (P < 0.05). Conclusions The incidence of CVC complications did not differ between the two groups. The type of disease was the most important predictive factor of CVC-related infections.     

Over-expression of Flt3 induces NF-kappaB pathway and increases the expression of IL-6

Activating mutations or over-expression of the Flt3 is prevalent in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), associated with activation of Ras/MAP kinase and other signaling pathways. In this study, we addressed the role of Flt3 in the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), which is a target molecule of these kinase pathways. In BaF3 cells stably expressing Flt3, a NF-kappaB-responsive reporter was upregulated and its target gene, IL-6, was increased by the involvement of Flt3-ERK/MAPK-NF-kappaB pathway. Furthermore, we found a modest positive correlation (r=0.35, p=0.096) between Flt3 and IL-6 mRNA expression in 24 AML specimens. These results suggest a role of Flt3 over-expression in NF-kappaB pathway.     

Neonatal iliopsoas abscess

Iliopsoas abscess (IPA) is rare in children, particularly in neonates. A male neonate was born at 38 weeks of gestation with a weight of 2915 g. On day 22 after birth, his family noticed that his right thigh was swollen. Abdominal computed tomography showed a mass extending to the right iliopsoas from the right thigh with thick septa. Puncture to the right groin yielded purulent fluid, and so a diagnosis of abscess was made. The puncture was followed by surgical drainage through a small inguinal incision, and the abscess cavity was irrigated thoroughly using normal saline. Culture of abscess fluid was positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae, so intravenous ABPC infusion was continued. The postoperative magnetic resonance imaging indicate that the IPA was derived from arthritis of the hip, and the patients received Riemenbügel for the incomplete hip dislocation. He is doing well at 2 years of age.