Can one use probabilistic protocols for antibiotic therapy in intensive care units?]

Due to a large spectrum, empiric antibiotics treatments participate to the increase in bacterial resistance. In order to improve its indications, the implementation of therapeutic guidelines in an ICU was studied. Empiric therapy was administered in 30% of the 178 patients receiving antimicrobial agents. Large spectrum drugs were prescribed in 26% of empiric treatments. The mean duration of empiric antibiotics administration was 3.2 days. It was concluded that it was possible to use guidelines of empiric antibiotic in an intensive care unit.     

Vasoconstrictive agents commonly used in combination with local anesthetics: a literature review

A review of the current medical literature concerning the use of various vasoconstrictive agents with local anesthetics is presented. These agents are employed in podiatry primarily for the purpose of prolonging the duration of anesthesia and surgical hemostasis. Epinephrine, phenylephrine, levonordefrin, felypressin, and norepinephrine have all been utilized in conjunction with the local anesthetics by the various medical professions. Although controversy surrounds the use of these agents, this article should assist the podiatric physician in making an informed decision.     

The impact of a quadrivalent human papillomavirus (types 6, 11, 16, 18) virus-like particle vaccine in European women aged 16 to 24

Background  Quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV types 6/11/16/18) L1 VLP vaccine is highly effective in preventing HPV 6/11/16/18-related cervical and external genital disease. Herein, we evaluated the impact of the quadrivalent HPV 6/11/16/18 L1 VLP vaccine on prevention of HPV-associated cervico-genital lesions in a broad population of sexually active European women.
Methods  Female subjects ( N = 9265) aged 16–24 with four or fewer lifetime sexual partners were enrolled and randomized to quadrivalent HPV vaccine or placebo. Subjects underwent cervicovaginal sampling for HPV DNA detection. Papanicolaou testing and anti-HPV 6/11/16/18 serology testing was also performed.
Results  Vaccine efficacy against lesions representing immediate cervical cancer precursors (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2/3 or adenocarcinoma in situ ) related to HPV 6/11/16/18 in the per-protocol population was 100.0%[95% confidence interval (95% CI), 89.8–100.0]. Efficacy against external genital lesions (vulvar or vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia, condyloma, vulvar or vaginal cancer) related to vaccine HPV types in the per-protocol European population was 99.0% (95% CI, 94.4–100.0).
Conclusion  These data demonstrate that quadrivalent HPV 6/11/16/18 vaccination programs in 16- to 24-year-old European women can be beneficial.
NCT0009252, NCT00092534, NCT00092495     

Postradiation lower motor neuron syndrome presenting as monomelic amyotrophy.

Monomelic amyotrophy developed 16 months, nine and 12 years after irradiation of the lumbosacral spinal cord for seminoma in one patient and for Hodgkin's disease in two others. In two patients, involvement was clinically limited to one leg, with a subacute course followed by plateau in the first case and with progressive worsening in the second one. In the third patient, the course was progressive with involvement of the other lower limb occurring five years later. From clinical and electrophysiological data, it seems probable that the disease process was a result of a selective injury to the lower motor neuron in the lower spinal cord.     

Tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 serum levels during severe sepsis in humans

In a study of serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in patients developing sepsis in the ICU, high TNF alpha levels were found in patients with septic shock. Normal values are 75 +/- 15 pg/ml; in these patients, TNF alpha serum level ranged from 100 to 5000 pg/ml with a mean of 701 +/- 339 pg/ml and a median of 250 pg/ml. There was a correlation between TNF alpha level and sepsis severity score as well as with mortality. In contrast, IL-1 beta serum levels were only slightly increased and were not correlated with severity or mortality.     

Use of the measurement of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity in serum to determine the success of cures for alcohol detoxification (author's transl)]

44 patients were studied during a 2-year period following a cure for alcohol detoxification. 29 patients (group A) did not start drinking again while 15 relapsed less than one year after their cure (group R). The average gamma GT activity (m) in mU per ml serum was, in group A, 148 (standard deviation, S.D. 184) at the beginning of the cure, 21 (S.D. 14) after one year and 19 (S.D. 13) after 2 years. During the same period there was no significant decrease in group R (cure: m 140, S.D. 161: 1 year: m 166, S.D. 164; 2 years: m 162, S.D. 163). On the other hand, all the subjects of group A who had a high gamma GT activity (greater than 29 mU/ml) at the start of the cure showed a decrease after one year.     

大鼠成骨细胞增殖及护骨素蛋白含量与甲状旁腺激素的调节效应

目的:体外观察甲状旁腺激素对大鼠成骨细胞增殖和护骨素分泌的调节作用。方法:实验于2005-06/2006-05在四川大学华西医院生物治疗国家重点实验室干细胞与组织工程研究室完成。采用酶消化法和骨组织块法联合分离培养新生SD大鼠颅骨成骨细胞,间歇加药方法将不同浓度0,10-6,10-7,10-8,10-9mol/L甲状旁腺激素作用于大鼠成骨细胞(0mol/L作为空白对照组),经碱性磷酸酶染色及钙结节茜素红染色证实培养的成骨细胞后,采用四甲基偶氮唑盐比色法检测细胞增殖能力,蛋白免疫印迹测定护骨素的分泌量。结果:①成骨细胞的形态变化:倒置相差显微镜下可见培养的成骨细胞呈短梭形、三角形和多边形。碱性磷酸酶染色光镜下可见成骨细胞胞浆中分布特征性蓝紫色细颗粒;成骨细胞的钙结节在镜下可见部分细胞聚集一起呈"集落状"生长。②成骨细胞增殖率:10-6～10-9mol/L浓度甲状旁腺激素对成骨细胞增殖均显示刺激作用,与空白对照组相比,差异显著(P<0.05),增殖率以10-8mol/L甲状旁腺激素组最高。③成骨细胞护骨素的表达:甲状旁腺激素下调成骨细胞中护骨素的分泌,与空白对照组相比,10-6mol/L甲状旁腺激素组抑制作用最明显(P<0.01),无显著剂量依赖性。结论:甲状旁腺激素对体外培养成骨细胞的增殖具有明显促进作用,通过下调成骨细胞中护骨素的分泌,促进破骨细胞生成、活化,促进骨吸收。