Prevalent Multidrug-resistant Nonvaccine Serotypes in Pneumococcal Carriage of Healthy Korean Children Associated with the Low Coverage of the Seven-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

AbstractObjectivesOur previous longitudinal multicenter-based carriage study showed that the average carriage rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae was 16.8% in 582 healthy children attending kindergarten or elementary school in Seoul, Korea. We assessed serotype-specific prevalence and antimicrobial resistance among colonizing pneumococcal isolates from young children in the era of low use of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7).MethodsSerotypes were determined by an agglutination test with specific antisera or by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. An antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed with broth microdilution in Korean 96-well panels from Dade-MicroScan (Sacramento, CA, USA).ResultsPneumococcal colonization patterns were dynamic and longterm persistent carriage was rare, which indicated a sequential turnover of pneumococcal strains. Of the 369 pneumococci (except for 23 killed isolates), 129 (34.9%) isolates were PCV7 vaccine serotypes (VTs); 213 (57.8%) isolates were nonvaccine serotypes (NVTs); and the remaining 27 (7.2%) isolates were nontypable (NT). The highest rates of multidrug resistance (MDR) were observed in VTs (86.0%; 111/129 isolates) and NVTs (70.0%; 149/213 isolates).ConclusionThis study overall showed the frequent carriage of VTs and NVTs with MDR in healthy children attending kindergarten or elementary school. Efforts should be directed toward reducing the extensive prescription of antibiotics and using new broader vaccines to reduce the expansion of MDR strains of NVTs in our community

The Clinical Features and Risk Factors of Subglottic Cysts in Children: A Clinical Experience Using the Spontaneous Respiration Technique

Objectives Subglottic cysts (SGCs) are a rare cause of respiratory distress resulting from upper airway obstruction in infants and young children. Risk factors other than prematurity with a history of endotracheal intubation have not yet been well elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical features and analyze the risk factors of SGCs. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of pediatric patients who underwent marsupialization for SGCs between January 2017 and March 2022. These records were then compared with those of controls with a history of neonatal intubation, with a case-to-control ratio of 1:3. Results Eleven patients (eight boys and three girls) diagnosed with SGCs and 33 control patients (26 boys and seven girls) were included. All patients had a history of premature birth and neonatal intubation. Symptoms of SGCs appeared at a mean age of 8.2 months (range, 1–14 months) after extubation. The mean duration of intubation was 21.5 days (range, 2–90 days), and the intubation period was longer in patients with SGCs than in controls (21.5±24.8 days vs. 5.3±7.1 days; P<0.001). Furthermore, gestational age (28.3±4.2 weeks vs. 33.8±4.4 weeks; P=0.001) and birth weight (1,134.1±515.1 g vs. 2,178.2±910.1 g; P=0.001) were significantly lower in patients with SGCs than in controls. Multivariable analysis identified the intubation period as an independent risk factor. Conclusion This study showed that gestational age, birth weight, and the intubation period were significantly associated with the development of SGCs. Pediatric patients presenting with progressive dyspnea who have the corresponding risk factors should undergo early laryngoscopy for the differential diagnosis of SGC

Successful management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy with laparoscopic cornual resection

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the feasibility of laparoscopic cornual resection for the treatment of heterotopic cornual pregnancy.Study designWomen who underwent laparoscopic cornual resection for heterotopic cornual pregnancy at our hospital between January 2003 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. We evaluated significant parameters such as operative complications and postoperative pregnancy outcomes of concomitant pregnancy.ResultsThirteen patients with heterotopic cornual pregnancy were included in the study. All were pregnant through assisted reproductive technology, and the diagnosis was made at a median of 6+6 weeks (range 5+4–10+0). They were successfully treated with laparoscopic cornual resection and admitted for a median of 4 days (range, 2–7) postoperatively. The median operative time was 65min (range, 35–145min) and estimated blood loss was 200mL (range, 10–3000mL). There was a spontaneous abortion at 7+6 gestational weeks in a patient who received bilateral cornual resection. Seven patients delivered babies at term and 3 at preterm. All 10 women delivered without any maternal or neonatal complications. Two were lost to follow-up.ConclusionsLaparoscopic cornual resection is a feasible primary approach for the management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy

Capacitance of MnO2 Micro-Flowers Decorated CNFs in Alkaline Electrolyte and Its Bi-Functional Electrocatalytic Activity toward Hydrazine Oxidation

Well-dispersed MnO2 micro-flowers were grown directly on carbon nanofibers via a simple hydrothermal technique without any template. Structure and morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with rapid energy dispersive analysis X-ray (EDX). The appealed characterization techniques specified that the obtained material is carbon nanofibers decorated by MnO2 micro-flowers. Super capacitive performance of the MnO2 micro-flowers decorated CNFs as active electrode material was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in alkaline medium and yield a reasonable specific capacitance of 120 Fg−1 at 5 mV s−1. As an electrocatalyst for hydrazine oxidation, the MnO2 micro-flowers decorated CNFs showed high current density. The impressive bi-functional electrochemical activity of MnO2 micro-flowers decorated CNFs is mainly attributed to its unique architectural structure.This Research was financially supported by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korean Government (MSIP) (No. 2014R1A4A1008140

Gomisin A Suppresses Colorectal Lung Metastasis by Inducing AMPK/p38-Mediated Apoptosis and Decreasing Metastatic Abilities of Colorectal Cancer Cells

Gomisin A (G.A) is a dietary lignan compound from Schisandra chinensis. In this study, the effect of G.A on the proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells was investigated using several CRC cell lines and a lung metastasis mouse model. Both oral and intraperitoneal administration of G.A (50 mg/kg) inhibited lung metastasis of CT26 cells. Various concentrations of G.A were incubated with CRC cell lines and their viability was determined using a cell counting kit-8 assay. G.A significantly decreased the viability of various CRC cell lines, whereas it did not change the proliferation of normal colon cells. G.A induced G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis of CT26 and HT29 cells by regulating cyclin D1/cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) expression and apoptotic proteins such as caspases and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family proteins, respectively. G.A-induced apoptosis was mediated by AMPK/p38 activation in CRC cells. A non-cytotoxic concentration of G.A inhibited epithelial–mesenchymal transition of CRC cells by modulating E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression levels. Moreover, the migration and invasion of CRC cells were reduced by G.A treatment. Especially, G.A decreased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expressions and activities. G.A ameliorated lung metastasis of CRC cells by decreasing cell survival and metastatic abilities of CRC cells. Thus, G.A might be a potential novel therapeutic agent for metastatic CRC

Cross-species reactivity of antibodies against Plasmodium vivax blood-stage antigens to Plasmodium knowlesi

Funding: FM would like to thank Indonesia Government Fund for Education for the financial support of his scholarship. This study was supported by Indonesia Government Fund for Education (LPDP/20140812021475) (FM), by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (NRF-2017R1A2A2A05069562) (ETH), by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (2015R1A4A1038666) (ETH). RM is supported by a UK Medical Research Council Career Development Award Fellowship (MR/M021157/1).Malaria is caused by multiple different species of protozoan parasites, and interventions in the pre-elimination phase can lead to drastic changes in the proportion of each species causing malaria. In endemic areas, cross-reactivity may play an important role in the protection and blocking transmission. Thus, successful control of one species could lead to an increase in other parasite species. A few studies have reported cross-reactivity producing cross-immunity, but the extent of cross-reactive, particularly between closely related species, is poorly understood. P. vivax and P. knowlesi are particularly closely related species causing malaria infections in SE Asia, and whilst P. vivax cases are in decline, zoonotic P. knowlesi infections are rising in some areas. In this study, the cross-species reactivity and growth inhibition activity of P. vivax blood-stage antigen-specific antibodies against P. knowlesi parasites were investigated. Bioinformatics analysis, immunofluorescence assay, western blotting, protein microarray, and growth inhibition assay were performed to investigate the cross-reactivity. P. vivax blood-stage antigen-specific antibodies recognized the molecules located on the surface or released from apical organelles of P. knowlesi merozoites. Recombinant P. vivax and P. knowlesi proteins were also recognized by P. knowlesi- and P. vivax-infected patient antibodies, respectively. Immunoglobulin G against P. vivax antigens from both immune animals and human malaria patients inhibited the erythrocyte invasion by P. knowlesi. This study demonstrates that there is extensive cross-reactivity between antibodies against P. vivax to P. knowlesi in the blood stage, and these antibodies can potently inhibit in vitro invasion, highlighting the potential cross-protective immunity in endemic areas.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe