Identification of a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain associated with nosocomial urinary tract infection.

To differentiate between relapse of infection and reinfection of the urinary tract due to Klebsiella pneumoniae, 33 K. pneumoniae isolates collected from 20 patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) over 2 years were typed by genomic fingerprinting by repetitive-element PCR. Clinical isolates obtained from the same patients with recurrent episodes of urinary tract infection (UTI) revealed identical genomic fingerprints indicating relapse of UTI due to K. pneumoniae, despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. Seventeen isolates obtained from 8 of the 20 SCI patients shared a common genotype, termed RD6. Among non-SCI patients residing in other nursing units, the RD6 genotype was found in 5 of 10 patients with K. pneumoniae UTI but in only 1 of 20 patients with K. pneumoniae infection that did not involve the urinary tract, suggesting a strong association of this genotype with UTI. All RD6 isolates exhibited strong adherence (> or =50 adherent bacteria per cell) to HEp-2 cells, whereas other K. pneumoniae isolates generally did not adhere to or adhered very weakly to HEp-2 cells (< or =5 adherent bacteria per cell). Adherence was inhibited either by 4% D-mannose or by anti-type 1 fimbrial rabbit serum. These results suggest that the capacity of K. pneumoniae RD6 isolates to cause UTI may be mediated by its striking adherence to mammalian cells.     

Magnetically-labeled sensitized splenocytes to identify glioma by MRI: a preliminary study.

This study investigated the feasibility of imaging the migration and incorporation of magnetically-labeled sensitized splenocytes in an experimental 9L glioma brain tumor model. Splenocytes collected from tumor-bearing (sensitized splenocytes) or control (nonsensitized splenocytes) host rats were analyzed to determine the population of different cells, labeled with ferumoxides-protamine sulfate (FePro) and injected intravenously to recipient rats (N=4, for each group) bearing intracranial 9L tumors. Day 3 postinjection of splenocytes multiecho T2*-weighted and three-dimensional (3D) gradient echo MRI were obtained using a 7 Tesla MR system. R2* (1/T2*) maps were created from the T2*-weighted images. Signal intensities (SIs) and R2* values in the tumors and contralateral brain were determined by hand drawn regions of interest (ROIs). Brain sections were stained for the evidence of administered cells. Both 3D and T2*-weighted MRI showed low signal intensity areas in and around the tumors in rats that received labeled sensitized splenocytes. Prussian blue (PB), CD45- and CD8-positive cells were present in areas at the corresponding sites of low signal intensities seen on MRI. Rats that received labeled nonsensitized splenocytes did not show low signal intensity areas or PB positive cells in or around the implanted tumors. In conclusion, the immunogenic reaction can be exploited to delineate recurrent glioma using MRI following systemically delivered magnetically labeled sensitized splenocytes or T-cells.     

Pseudo-angiomatous hyperplasia of mammary stroma: a case with gigantomastia

Pseudo-angiomatous hyperplasia of mammary stroma (PASH) is a histopathological entity which is a microscopic fortuitous finding in mammary biopsies performed for different reasons. It may be symptomatic and appears then as a palpable lump. The term pseudo-angiomatous emphasizes the characteristic aspect of the stroma simulating a vascular tumor. We report a case of PASH in a 71 year-old woman who presented a recurring breast mass with rapid swelling of the mammary gland (70 x 60 x 20 cm) treated by mastectomy. PASH must be distinguished from a well-differentiated angiosarcoma. It is ruled out by immunohistochemistry.     

Wheat allergy: clinical and laboratory findings

BACKGROUND: Food allergy affects 6-8% of infants and wheat allergy is one of the common food allergies among children. The clinical and laboratory manifestations of wheat allergy were evaluated in this study. METHODS: Thirty-two children (< or =12 years old) with suspected wheat allergy were evaluated for wheat allergy. The patients underwent wheat skin prick test (SPT), measurement of wheat-specific IgE and wheat challenge test. The patients with a convincing history of anaphylaxis following ingestion of wheat or with a positive challenge test, and those with a history of immediate hypersensitivity reaction following ingestion of wheat in addition to a positive wheat SPT and/or positive wheat-specific IgE were considered wheat allergic. Then, the laboratory and clinical manifestations of their disease were studied. RESULTS: Among patients with suspected wheat allergy, 24 patients with definite wheat allergy were identified. Anaphylaxis was a dominant clinical feature, accounting for 54.1% of acute symptoms. Chronic allergy symptoms like asthma and eczema were noted in 50% of the patients. Wheat-specific IgE was higher in patients with anaphylaxis (p<0.02) and the risk of anaphylaxis was 14.4 times more in patients with wheat-specific IgE equal to or more than 3+. CONCLUSIONS: Anaphylaxis had occurred in a remarkable number of patients repeatedly, which demonstrates the severity of the reactions, poor knowledge of the disease and probable existence of more patients with mild reactions. Regarding the higher level of wheat-specific IgE in patients with anaphylaxis, wheat-specific IgE could be used to predict the severity of symptoms.     

Determination of burn depth by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

An assessment of burn depth is a key step in guiding the treatment of patients who have sustained thermal injuries. Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) might eventually provide the physician with a quantitative estimate of actual burn depth. Burns of various depths were induced by contacting rat skin with a brass rod preheated to 75 degrees C for 5, 15, or 30 s. Thermal injury denatured the collagen in the skin, and PS-OCT imaged the resulting reduction of birefringence through the depth-resolved changes in the polarization state of light propagated and reflected from the sample. Stokes vectors were calculated for each point in the PS-OCT images and the reduction in the rate of phase retardation between two orthogonal polarizations of light (deg/microm) was found to show a consistent trend with burn exposure time. PS-OCT is a noninvasive technique with potential to give the physician the information needed to formulate an optimal treatment plan for burn patients.     

Efficacy of allogeneic cord blood platelet gel on wounds of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa patients after pseudosyndactyly surgery

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the formation of blisters and wounds in skin and mucous membranes; it is classified into four types and has various methods of treatment. Management of previous wounds and prevention of formation of new lesions are the most important strategies in the course of therapy to improve patient's quality of life; lack of wound management can lead to further complications such as infection. The current study investigated the therapeutic effects of allogeneic platelet gel (prepared from umbilical cord blood) in a group of children diagnosed with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) eligible for surgical correction of pseudosyndactyly in the hand. The post‐surgical clinical outcome in this group was compared with the clinical outcomes of DEB patients receiving the standard treatment (paraffin gauze wound dressing and topical antibiotics) after corrective surgery. The current study results showed an increase in the rate of recovery and promotion of tissue granulation, complete wound healing, and a decrease in pain level and treatment period. The application of cord blood platelet gel topical dressing was not a conventional method of treatment in patients with DEB wounds and blisters. However, the current study results demonstrated that this gel dressing could effectively accelerate epithelialization and healing of the wounds and decrease patients' pain and post‐surgical recovery period, which altogether leads to improvements in patients' overall quality of life.     

Primed-bursts induced long-term potentiation in rat visual cortex: effects of dark-rearing

Theta burst stimulation (TBS) and primed bursts (PBs) stimulation are among the effective tetanic stimulations for induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. Recent studies have indicated that TBS is effective in LTP induction of layer III synapses of neocortex, only if applied to layer IV. However, the possibility of neocortical LTP induction using PBs has not been investigated yet. Sensory deprivation greatly influences the development of neocortex. According to the effect of sensory deprivation on synaptic plasticity of developing neocortex, we studied the induction of LTP by PBs in visual cortical slices of control and dark-reared rats. The results showed that application of PBs to layer IV could effectively induce LTP of layer II/III field potentials. These potentials are consisted of two components: pEPSP1, (population excitatory postsynaptic potential 1) and pEPSP2. In control slices PBs led to selective potentiation of pEPSP2. Visual deprivation increased the incidence of LTP of pEPSP1 and decreased the amount of LTP of pEPSP2. These findings showed that PBs could be used as an effective tetanic stimulation to study the synaptic plasticity in neocortex. The effects of visual deprivation on PBs-induced LTP are consistent with its role in the development of excitatory system in neocortex.