The Effect of Perioperative Immunonutrition on the Phagocytic Activity of Blood Platelets in Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients

Background and Aims. Perioperative immunonutrition can influence the phagocytic activity of platelets in advanced gastric cancer. Methods. 51 patients with stage IV gastric cancer divided into four groups depending on the clinical status and 40 normal donors were analyzed. Patients of groups I and II underwent palliative gastrectomy. Patients of groups III and IV had exploratory laparotomy. Perioperative immunonutrition was administered as follows: group I—TPN, II—oral arginine, peripheral TPN, III—TPN preoperatively, and IV—without nutrition. The phagocytic activity of blood platelets was determined before and after nutritional therapy and was assessed by measuring the fraction of phagocytic thrombocytes (%phag) and the phagocytic index (Ixphag). Results. The percentage of phagocytizing platelets and the phagocytic index prior to and after the surgery amounted to the following: group I—1.136–1.237, P = NS, and 1.007–1.1, P = NS, respectively, II—1.111–1.25, P < 0.05, and 1.011–1.083, P < 0.05, III—1.112–1.186, P = NS, and 0.962–1.042, P = NS, and IV—1.085–0.96, P = NS, and 1.023–1.04, P = NS. Conclusions. The phagocytic activity of platelets in patients with advanced gastric cancer is significantly impaired. Perioperative immunonutrition with oral arginine-rich diet can partially improve the phagocytic activity of blood platelets. This trial is registred with Clinicaltrials.gov-NCT01704664

Plasmid Mediated mcr-1.1 Colistin-Resistance in Clinical Extraintestinal Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Poland

Objectives: The growing incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is an inexorable and fatal challenge in modern medicine. Colistin is a cationic polypeptide considered a “last-resort” antimicrobial for treating infections caused by MDR Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. Plasmid-borne mcr colistin resistance emerged recently, and could potentially lead to essentially untreatable infections, particularly in hospital and veterinary (livestock farming) settings. In this study, we sought to establish the molecular basis of colistin-resistance in six extraintestinal Escherichia coli strains. Methods: Molecular investigation of colistin-resistance was performed in six extraintestinal E. coli strains isolated from patients hospitalized in Medical University Hospital, Bialystok, Poland. Complete structures of bacterial chromosomes and plasmids were recovered with use of both short- and long-read sequencing technologies and Unicycler hybrid assembly. Moreover, an electrotransformation assay was performed in order to confirm IncX4 plasmid influence on colistin-resistance phenotype in clinical E. coli strains. Results: Here we report on the emergence of six mcr-1.1-producing extraintestinal E. coli isolates with a number of virulence factors. Mobile pEtN transferase-encoding gene, mcr-1.1, has been proved to be encoded within a type IV secretion system (T4SS)-containing 33.3 kbp IncX4 plasmid pMUB-MCR, next to the PAP2-like membrane-associated lipid phosphatase gene. Conclusion: IncX4 mcr-containing plasmids are reported as increasingly disseminated among E. coli isolates, making it an “epidemic” plasmid, responsible for (i) dissemination of colistin-resistance determinants between different E. coli clones, and (ii) circulation between environmental, industrial, and clinical settings. Great effort needs to be taken to avoid further dissemination of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance among clinically relevant Gram-negative bacterial pathogens