Acute hemorrhagic colitis induced by the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir]

A 23-year-old woman had lower abdominal pain, diarrhea and bloody stool was admitted and given a diagnosis of influenza B. Her home doctor had started treatment by neuraminidase inhibitor (oseltamivir) the previous day. Colonoscopic examination revealed an area of hemorrhage and erosion in the left transverse colon. After halting oseltamivir treatment these symptoms disappeared and her colonoscopic findings improved. A drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation test was positive for oseltamivir. This case is the first reported case of acute hemorrhagic colitis induced by oseltamivir.     

Serial diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) in a patient with sporadic Creuztfeldt-Jakob disease]

Serial DWIs were performed in a patient with CJD who developed symptoms acutely and progressed rapidly. DWI discloed an increased signal in the frontal and parietal inner cortical areas, and in the caudate nuclei and putamina 20 days after the onset of symptoms. T2-weighted images showed only signal abnormality in the caudate nuclei and putamina, but not in the cerebral cortex. In the CSF obtained 15 days after the onset of symptoms, total tau protein was markedly elevated and 14-3-3 protein was positive. Measurement of these proteins are highly specific and sensitive for the diagnosis of CJD, but not available as a rapid routine examination at present. DWI is not specific, but useful for making the diagnosis of CJD in the early stage of the disease.     

Antimicrobial susceptibility of respiratory Haemophilus influenzae strains isolated from pediatric respiratory tract infections

BACKGROUND: Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is the most frequent bacterial pathogen of respiratory tract infections in children. Detection of antimicrobial susceptibility of H. influenzae is necessary for institution of appropriate antibiotic treatments. METHODS: A total of 281 strains of H. influenzae isolated from sputum samples of 281 pediatric patients with respiratory tract infections were recruited for study. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by assessing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of antimicrobial agents. MIC were measured by utility of Agar dilution susceptibility test. RESULTS: Of the total, 38 (13.5%) strains produced beta-lactamase (BLP), 56 (19.9%) strains were beta-lactamase non-producing, ampicillin resistant (BLNAR). The overall resistant proportion to ampicillin was 33.4%. The data indicated that sulbactam/ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone and cefditoren are effective against BLP strains. In addition, a high prevalence of BLNAR H. influenzae strains was identified, with an overall isolation rate of 19.9%. Those strains mainly demonstrated intermediate level to ampicillin (ampicillin-MIC 相似文献   

Cerebellopontine angle ganglioneuroblastoma

Summary The CT, MR and histological features of a rare ganglioneuroblastoma of the cerebellopontine angle and cavernous sinus are reported.     

Substance P induces inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and intracellular free calcium increase in cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes

Abstract Substance P is a neuropeptide which is present in peripheral C nerve endings and released from them. Free nerve endings of C nerve are present in human epidermis. The effects of substance P on the transmembrane signaling system of pig epidermal sheets were previously reported. In these studies, a small amount of cells other than keratinocytes contaminated the epidermal sheets and the species difference from human was also noticed. Therefore we investigated the effects of substance P on cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Alteration of intracellular free calcium (Ca²⁺) in single living keratinocytes was studied using an inverted fluorescence microscope and Ca²⁺ -sensitive dye, Fura 2-AM. Treatment of normal human epidermal kertinocytes with substance P resulted in an increase in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and in intracellular Ca²⁺. Substance P inhibited DNA synthesis of the keratinocytes in a dose-dependent manner. These results are consistent with the view that substance P stimulates phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis of human keratinocytes, resulting in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-Ca²⁺ signal.     

Differential Effects of Etomidate and Midazolam on Vascular Adenosine Triphosphate-sensitive Potassium Channels: Isometric Tension and Patch Clamp Studies

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two imidazoline-derived intravenous anesthetics, etomidate and midazolam, on vascular adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel activity.

Methods: In isolated rat aorta, isometric tension was recorded to examine the anesthetic effects on vasodilator response to levcromakalim, a selective KATP channel opener. Using the patch clamp method, the anesthetic effects were also examined on the currents through (1) native vascular KATP channels, (2) recombinant KATP channels with different combinations of various types of inwardly rectifying potassium channel (Kir6.0 family: Kir6.1, 6.2) and sulfonylurea receptor (SUR1, 2A, 2B) subunits, (3) SUR-deficient channels derived from a truncated isoform of Kir6.2 subunit (Kir6.2[DELTA]C36 channels), and (4) mutant Kir6.2[DELTA]C36 channels with reduced sensitivity to adenosine triphosphate (Kir6.2[DELTA]C36-K185Q channels).

Results: Etomidate (>= 10-6 m), but not midazolam (up to 10-6 m), inhibited the levcromakalim-induced vasodilation, which was sensitive to glibenclamide (IC50: 7.21 x 10-8 m; maximum inhibitory concentration: 1.22 x 10-4 m). Etomidate (>= 3 x 10-6 m), but not midazolam (up to 10-4 m), inhibited the native KATP channel activity in both cell-attached and inside-out configurations with IC50 values of 1.68 x 10-5 m and 1.52 x 10-5 m, respectively. Etomidate (10-5 m) also inhibited the activity of various types of recombinant SUR/Kir6.0KATP channels, Kir6.2[DELTA]C36 channels, and Kir6.2[DELTA]C36-K185Q channels with equivalent potency.     

Effects of diet with or without exercise on leptin and anticoagulation proteins levels in obesity.

Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and thromboembolic events. We investigated the effects of weight reduction by a 12-week calorie-restricted diet with or without aerobic exercise (diet group and diet plus exercise group) on leptin and anticoagulation proteins levels. Forty-two obese nondiabetic individuals were evaluated for blood levels of leptin, protein C activity, free protein S antigen and for body fat area calculated on computerized tomography before and after intervention. Before intervention, serum levels of leptin and free protein S antigen correlated positively with several adiposity-related parameters. After the program, body weight and fat area were significantly decreased in both groups. Body mass index and leptin levels decreased in both groups, with a larger change in the diet plus exercise group than in the diet group. Although protein C activity levels did not change in both groups, free protein S antigen levels decreased significantly in the diet plus exercise group. In conclusion, the 12-week programs had significant effects on the initial weight reduction and body fat mass, decreasing lepin levels in obese nondiabetic individuals. To clarify whether aerobic exercise has additional or direct effects on the anticoagulation system, a study in a large number of individuals is needed.