Inactivation of ESBL-E. coli

The prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli is increasing rapidly and spreading worldwide, particularly in Asia, compared to other regions. In the last ten years, in our hospital, in particular, there has been a < 30% increase. To prevent the spread of ESBL in hospitals and the community, the ultraviolet (UV) A-light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation device was used to inactivate ESBL-E. coli in human livestock and the environment. ESBL-E. coli and E. coli bacterial samples were collected from patients at Tokushima University Hospital (Tokushima City, Japan). The UVA-LED irradiation system had 365 nm single wavelength, and the current of the circuit was set to 0.23 or 0.50 A consistently. Results demonstrated that UVA-LED was useful for the inactivation of ESBL-E. coli and E. coli. The minimum energy dosage required to inactivate ESBL-E. coli and E. coli was 40.76 J/cm2 (45 min) in the first type of UVA-LED and 38.85 J/cm2 (5 min) in the second type. There were no significant differences between ESBL-E. coli and E. coli. The inactivation of ESBL-E. coli was dependent on energy. These findings suggest that UVA-LED with 365 nm single wavelength could be useful for surface decontamination in healthcare facilities

Relationship between respiratory function assessed by spirometry and mild cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults

Tachibana Y., Godai K., Kabayama M., et al. Relationship between respiratory function assessed by spirometry and mild cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults. Geriatrics and Gerontology International, (2024); https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.14962.Aim: Aging is a major cause of cognitive dysfunction. It has also been reported that respiratory function may influence cognitive dysfunction. However, few studies have examined the relationship between cognitive function and respiratory function among community-dwelling older adults. This study aims to determine the relationship between respiratory function, assessed using spirometry, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This study included 419 participants aged 73 ± 1 years and 348 participants aged 83 ± 1 years from the SONIC cohort study (Septuagenarians Octogenarians Nonagenarians Investigation with Centenarians Study). Respiratory function was evaluated using %Vital Capacity (%VC), Forced Expiratory Volume 1 s (FEV1)/Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and %Peak Expiratory Flow (%PEF). Airflow-limitation presence and stages were classified using FEV1/FVC. Cognitive function and MCI were assessed using the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J). Results: The MoCA-J score exhibited a declining trend as the airflow-limitation stage increased among study participants in the 83 ± 1 age group. The presence of airflow limitation was associated with MCI in the 83 ± 1 age group. Among the indicators of each respiratory function, low %PEF was found to be associated with an increased rate of MCI. Furthermore, low %VC has also been suggested to be associated with an increased rate of MCI in the 83 ± 1 age female group. Conclusions: Advanced airflow-limitation stages may exacerbate cognitive dysfunction in community-dwelling older adults. The presence of airflow limitation and low %VC may also be associated with cognitive dysfunction in older women. Consequently, reduced respiratory function may potentially be associated with MCI in community-dwelling older adults

sj-docx-1-inq-10.1177_00469580241248100 – Supplemental material for Disaster Preparedness for Children With Food Allergies During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake—Observational Study

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-inq-10.1177_00469580241248100 for Disaster Preparedness for Children With Food Allergies During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake—Observational Study by Mariko Nagayoshi, Mika Ogata, Nami Hirai and Jun Kido in INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing</p

sj-jpg-2-inq-10.1177_00469580241248100 – Supplemental material for Disaster Preparedness for Children With Food Allergies During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake—Observational Study

Supplemental material, sj-jpg-2-inq-10.1177_00469580241248100 for Disaster Preparedness for Children With Food Allergies During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake—Observational Study by Mariko Nagayoshi, Mika Ogata, Nami Hirai and Jun Kido in INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing</p

Disaster Preparedness for Children With Food Allergies During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake—Observational Study

A series of 3 direct-type earthquakes with magnitude ≥6 occurred in the Kumamoto Prefecture, located in the western area of Japan, between April 14 and 16, 2016. Children with food allergies (FA) had difficulty procuring allergen-free meals during this period due to the infrastructure shutdown. We investigated the status of children with FA during the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake and their behavioral changes after the disaster. We conducted a survey of the parents of 59 children with FA (median: 4 years and 1 month old) who were clinically followed up at our institution. They were questioned about their behavior change to allergen removal and using allergen-free foods during the disaster. Forty-seven (79.7%) children with FA were evacuated immediately after the earthquake and returned to their homes after the restoration of lifelines. Most stayed in their cars, while a few took shelter at public evacuation sites. Thirty-eight children (64.4%) had difficulty obtaining allergen-free food, and 29 children with FA (49.2%) did not have a stockpile at home. Thirty-three children with FA (55.9%) consumed allergen-free foods acquired primarily through relief supplies. Forty-seven guardians (79.7%) insisted that stockpiling allergy-friendly foods at home should be a part of future disaster planning. Stockpiles of allergen-free food were not sufficient in most households. Awareness of self-stockpiling allergen-free foods, reassessing public stockpiling, and establishing a system to provide information regarding relief supplies to evacuees outside evacuation centers are important for disaster planning in children with FA

Early Physiotherapy after Surgical Treatment for Proximal Femur Fractures

Klinika rehabilitačního lékařství 1. LF UK a VFN v PrazeDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine First Faculty of Medicine and General University HospitalFirst Faculty of Medicine1. lékařská fakult

Detection of Hyperdense Arterial Sign in Acute Ischemic Stroke with Dual-Energy Computed Tomography: Optimal Combination with X-ray Energy and Slice Thickness

Background: The hyperdense artery sign (HAS) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is considered an important marker of a thrombus on computed tomography (CT). An advantage of scanning with dual-energy CT (DECT) is its ability to reconstruct CT images with various energies using the virtual monochromatic imaging (VMI) technique. The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal combination of X-ray energy and slice thickness to detect HASs on DECT. Methods: A total of 32 patients with confirmed occlusion of the horizontal (M1) portion of the middle cerebral artery were included in this study. Modified contrast-to-noise ratio (modified CNR) analysis was used as a method for evaluating HASs in AIS. A region of interest (ROI) was set as an HAS, the M1 portion, and an approximately 2 cm diameter ROI was set as the background including the HAS and measured. CT images with X-ray energies from 40 to 190 keV, with increments of 10 keV, were reconstructed based on VMI with 1, 2, and 3 mm slice thicknesses. Results: The top five combinations of X-ray energy and slice thickness in descending order of the mean HAS-modified CNR were as follows: Rank 1, 60 keV-1 mm; Rank 2, 70 keV-1 mm; Rank 3, 60 keV-2 mm; Rank 4, 80 keV-2 mm; Rank 5, 60 keV-3 mm. Conclusions: Our study showed that the optimal combination to detect an HAS was 60 keV and a 1 mm slice thickness on DECT