Attentional selectivity,automaticity, and self-efficacy predict simulator-acquired skill transfer to the clinical environment

Introduction

Several studies demonstrated that simulator-acquired skill transfer to the operating room is incomplete. Our objective was to identify trainee characteristics that predict the transfer of simulator-acquired skill to the operating room.

Postoperative development of sarcopenia is a strong predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and upper gastric cancer

Background

There were few studies assessed the postoperative sarcopenia in patients with cancers. The objective of present study was to assess whether postoperative development of sarcopenia could predict a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, (AEG) and upper gastric cancer (UGC).

Influence of SNPs in cytokine-related genes on the severity of food allergy and atopic eczema in children

Although many single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) studies have reported an association of atopy, allergic diseases and total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, almost all of these studies sought risk factors for the onset of these allergic diseases. Furthermore, many studies have analyzed a single gene and hardly any have analyzed environmental factors. In these analyses, the results could be masked and the effects of other genes and environmental factors may be decreased. Here, we described the correlation between four genes [interleukin (IL)-4 (C-590T), IL-4 receptor (A1652G), FCER1B (G6842A) and STAT6 (G2964A)] in connection with IgE production; the role of IL-10 (C-627A) as a regulatory cytokine of allergy; and the severity of food allergy (FA) and atopic eczema (AE) in 220 Japanese allergic children. In addition to these SNPs, environmental factors, i.e., patient's attitude, indoor environment, and so on, were also investigated in this study. Our study was retrospective, and the correlation was analyzed by our defined clinical scores divided into three terms: worst symptoms, recent symptoms and general amelioration at the most recent examination during the disease course. Our results indicated that IL-10 AA, the genotype with lower IL-10 production, is associated with higher IgE levels in the serum (p < 0.0001, estimate; 0.912). Marginal liver abnormalities were observed in the subject group with both FA and AE (p < 0.1191, estimate; 0.1490). Our defined clinical scores enabled evaluation of various aspects of disease severity. Based on the scores, while no single SNP selected in this study determined severity, the combination of the SNP with laboratory data and environmental factors appeared to determine severity.     

A case report: Severe bone marrow suppression caused by 6-mercaptopurin in Crohn's disease patient]

A 23-year-old man was admitted for treatment of acute exacerbation of ileitis and perianal abscess caused by Crohn's disease. After incision and drainage of the abscess, coupled with antibiotic therapy, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) was commenced. His white blood cell (WBC) count on day 12 after initiation of 6-MP was not decreased. However, on day 24 he was re-admitted because of severe myelosuppression (WBC: 300/microl), which was complicated by the recurrence of the perianal abscess. Myelosuppression was prolonged and required the administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). G-CSF was continued for 17 days to achieve recovery of his WBC count to a normal level.     

A method for evaluating antianginal drugs in experimental animals: assessment of myocardial ischemia by myocardial pH

This paper describes a method by which antianginal drugs can be evaluated in the dog heart in situ. Myocardial pH was measured continuously by a micro glass pH electrode inserted in the left ventricular endocardial layers of the dog anesthetized with pentobarbital. Occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) decreased myocardial pH, and release of the LAD restored the pH. The myocardial acidosis induced by ischemia was metabolic in nature and accompanied by a decrease in the levels of adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate and an increase in the levels of lactate in the myocardium. Drugs were injected intravenously 30 min after incomplete (partial) occlusion ot the LAD, lasting until 60 min after drug injection. Propranolol, atenolol, and sotalol markedly attenuated the myocardial pH that had been decreased by LAD occlusion. Nitroglycerin, diltiazem, and nicorandil also attenuated the pH, but these drugs were less active in attenuating myocardial acidosis. Dipyridamole, nifedipine, and beta-2 adrenoceptor antagonists were least active in this regard. It is concluded that myocardial pH can be used as an indicator of myocardial regional ischemia and utilized for evaluation of antianginal drugs.     

Case of severe ulcerative colitis successfully treated with intravenous cyclosporine without high dose corticosteroid]

A 44-year-old women developed marked myopathy one year earlier, when she was treated with intravenous prednisolone for acute severe exacerbation of ulcerative colitis. When she was admitted to our hospital for another severe exacerbation, intravenous cyclosporine A was administered as monotherapy because she could not tolerate corticosteroid. The treatment was successful and she obtained complete remission. Cyclosporine A monotherapy is considered to be a valuable alternative to proctocolectomy for severe ulcerative colitis patients who cannot tolerate corticosteroid.     

Effects of Hemoglobin Concentration, Skull Thickness, and the Area of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Layer on Near-infrared Spectroscopy Measurements

Background: Previous studies documented that near-infrared spectroscopy values were affected by factors related to optical path length, such as hemoglobin concentration, the differential path length factor, skull thickness (t-skull), and the area of the cerebrospinal fluid layer (a-CSFL). Lately, the NIRO-100 (Hamamatsu Photonics, Hamamatsu, Japan) has provided a tissue oxygen index (TOI) that theoretically is not supposed to be affected by optical path length. Therefore, the authors hypothesized that TOI is not influenced by the above-described individual factors.

Methods: Cardiac surgical or neurosurgical 103 patients (65 men and 39 women; aged 63 +/- 14 yr) were studied. TOI and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) (INVOS 4100; Somanetics, Troy, MI) were measured sequentially on patients in a resting state. The t-skull and a-CSFL were calculated using computed tomographic image slices of the head corresponding with the position of near-infrared spectroscopy sensors. The effects of these two factors, hemoglobin concentration and mean arterial pressure, on TOI and rSO2 values were evaluated by linear regression analysis.

Results: Simple linear regression analysis showed that mean arterial pressure (r = 0.27, P = 0.008), t-skull (r = 0.22, P = 0.034), a-CSFL (0.26, P = 0.012), and hemoglobin concentration (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001) were significant determinants of rSO2. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that hemoglobin concentration (r = 0.34, P < 0.001), a-CSFL (r = -0.252, P = 0.012), and t-skull (r = 0.22, P = 0.037) were significant determinants of rSO2. On the other hand, simple and multiple linear regression analysis showed that there was no significant determinant of TOI.