Clinical characteristics of children who visited the emergency department with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli urinary tract infection and its risk factors

Purpose To identify the differences in features between children with urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-positive and -negative Escherichia coli, and analyze risk factors for the former infection. Methods We reviewed medical records of children younger than 36 months with E. coli UTI who visited the emergency department from January 2012 through January 2019. Differences in variables regarding clinical, laboratory, and microbiologic (i.e., ESBL-positive E. coli on urine culture) features, and outcomes between the ESBL-positive and -negative groups were identified. Factors associated with ESBL-positive E. coli infection were analyzed by logistic regression. Results The children were classified into the ESBL-positive (n = 151) and -negative (n = 40) groups. The former group showed higher frequency of prior UTI (P = 0.038) without other differences between the groups. The median counts of white blood cells, absolute neutrophils, and absolute lymphocytes were higher in the ESBL-positive group than in the other group (P = 0.009, 0.022, and 0.027, respectively). The former group showed longer median hospital length of stay (11.0 days [interquartile range, 8.9-12.0] vs. 6.0 [5.0-7.0]; P < 0.001), and more frequent recurrence per child (3.0 [2.5-3.0] vs. 1.0 [1.0-1.8]; P = 0.047) and presence of vesicoureteral reflux (27.5% vs. 13.2%; P = 0.001). Logistic regression showed leukocytosis (odds ratio, 12.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-157.69) and vesicoureteral reflux (4.00; 1.19-13.43) as the factors for ESBL-positive E. coli infection. Conclusion The ESBL-positive group showed significantly higher leukocyte count and rate of vesicoureteral reflux than the ESBL-negative group. For children with these features, empirical antibiotics should be chosen in consideration of the resistant bacteria

Clean dry etching of Cu and Ni alloy metal thin film by reactive proton assisted etching

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The Correlation between Thermal and Noxious Gas Environments, Pig Productivity and Behavioral Responses of Growing Pigs

Correlations between environmental parameters (thermal range and noxious gas levels) and the status (productivity, physiological, and behavioral) of growing pigs were examined for the benefit of pig welfare and precision farming. The livestock experiment was conducted at a Seoul National University station in South Korea. Many variations were applied and the physiological and behavioral responses of the growing pigs were closely observed. Thermal and gas environment parameters were different during the summer and winter seasons, and the environments in the treatments were controlled in different manners. In the end, this study finds that factors such as Average Daily Gain (ADG), Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), stress, posture, and eating habits were all affected by the controlled environmental parameters and that appropriate control of the foregoing could contribute to the improvement of precision farming and pig welfare

Analysis of the Relationship between Cerebellar Volume and Psychological Parameters in 20s Male Adults

AbstractThis study measured the cerebellar volume of normal male adults in 20s with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and analysed the relationship between cerebellar volume and various psychological parameters. The cerebellar volume of 58 males (mean age, 24.0-2.8 years) was measured using MRI. The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and the Component of Type A Behavior tests were performed. Using linear regression analysis, the relationship between cerebellar volume and psychological parameters was analysed. As phobic anxiety and ambition increased, cerebellar volume of normal male subjects in 20s decreased. This study showed that for even normal male adults, there exists a possible relationship between various psychological parameters and cerebellar volume

A Role of Canonical Transient Receptor Potential 5 Channel in Neuronal Differentiation from A2B5 Neural Progenitor Cells

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) channels are the main pathway of Ca2+ entry in non-excitable cells such as neural progenitor cells (NPCs). However, the role of SOCE channels has not been defined in the neuronal differentiation from NPCs. Here, we show that canonical transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) as SOCE channel influences the induction of the neuronal differentiation of A2B5+ NPCs isolated from postnatal-12-day rat cerebrums. The amplitudes of SOCE were significantly higher in neural cells differentiated from proliferating A2B5+ NPCs and applications of SOCE blockers, 2-aminoethoxy-diphenylborane (2-APB), and ruthenium red (RR), inhibited their rise of SOCE. Among TRPC subtypes (TRPC1-7), marked expression of TRPC5 and TRPC6 with turned-off TRPC1 expression was observed in neuronal cells differentiated from proliferating A2B5+ NPCs. TRPC5 small interfering RNA (siRNA) blocked the neuronal differentiation from A2B5+ NPCs and reduced the rise of SOCE. In contrast, TRPC6 siRNA had no significant effect on the neuronal differentiation from A2B5+ NPCs. These results indicate that calcium regulation by TRPC5 would play a key role as a switch between proliferation and neuronal differentiation from NPCs

Evaluation of the pathogenicity of GJB3 and GJB6 variants associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss

AbstractA number of genes responsible for hearing loss are related to ion recycling and homeostasis in the inner ear. Connexins (Cx26 encoded by GJB2, Cx31 encoded by GJB3 and Cx30 encoded by GJB6) are core components of gap junctions in the inner ear. Gap junctions are intercellular communication channels and important factors that are associated with hearing loss. To date, a molecular genetics study of GJB3 and GJB6 as a causative gene for hearing loss has not been performed in Korea. This study was therefore performed to elucidate the genetic characteristics of Korean patients with nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss and to determine the pathological mechanism of hearing loss by analyzing the intercellular communication function of Cx30 and Cx31 variants. Sequencing analysis of the GJB3 and GJB6 genes in our population revealed a total of nine variants, including four novel variants in the two genes. Three of the novel variants (Cx31-p.V27M, Cx31-p.V43M and Cx-30-p.I248V) and two previously reported variants (Cx31-p.V84I and Cx30-p.A40V) were selected for functional studies using a pathogenicity prediction program and assessed for whether the mutations were located in a conserved region of the protein. The results of biochemical and ionic coupling tests showed that both the Cx31-p.V27M and Cx31-p.V84I variants did not function normally when each was expressed as a heterozygote with the wild-type Cx31. This study demonstrated that two variants of Cx31 were pathogenic mutations with deleterious effect. This information will be valuable in understanding the pathogenic role of GJB3 and GJB6 mutations associated with hearing loss

Lumbar Plexopathy Caused by Metastatic Tumor, Which Was Mistaken for Postoperative Femoral Neuropathy

Surgical excision was performed on a 30-years old woman with a painful mass on her left thigh. The pathologic findings on the mass indicated fibromatosis. After the operation, she complained of allodynia and spontaneous pain at the operation site and ipsilateral lower leg. We treated her based on postoperative femoral neuropathy, but symptom was aggravated. We found a large liposarcoma in her left iliopsoas muscle which compressed the lumbar plexus. In conclusion, the cause of pain was lumbar plexopathy related to a mass in the left iliopsoas muscle. Prompt diagnosis of acute neuropathic pain after an operation is important and management must be based on exact causes