Acute Bacterial Gastroenteritis as a Healthcare-Associated Infection in Pediatrics.

Despite the fact that acute gastroenteritis can be prevented, the disease still affects children, especially under the age of two. The increased levels of pediatric mortality in most developing regions make diarrheal diseases one of the most common causes of death in the children under the age of 5. The purpose of the study was to describe the cases of acute gastroenteritis reported as healthcare-associated infections in a pediatric hospital deserving the north-eastern urban and rural regions of Romania. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted on a group of 615 cases with acute bacterial gastroenteritis as healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), reported in "Sf. Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iași, between 2012 and 2016. RESULTS: Most cases of acute bacterial gastroenteritis were registered in 2015 (154 cases-25.04%), and the lowest in 2012 (12.84%). Male gender prevailed in almost all years of study, with no statistical significance (p≥0.05). Gastroenteritis with Campylobacter was most commonly reported in pediatric wards, especially in infants of 0-1 years old and children aged of 2-6 years. Cases of HAIs with Salmonella spp were also frequent. CONCLUSIONS: A competent management of HAIs especially as acute gastroenteritis in an emergency hospital for children from a region that includes developing rural areas, should be the most important issue for professionals involved in surveillance and control strategies, as well as clinicians, epidemiologist and microbiologist, in order to prevent HAIs burden occurrence and avoid antimicrobial resistance.

The effects of magnesium nanovesicle formulations on spatial memory performance in mice.

AIM: The study investigates the effects of magnesium nanovesicles on the memory processes performance in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: L-a-phosphatidylcholine was used to obtain nano formulations as lipid vesicles systems stabilized thereafter with chitosan. The experiment was carried out on white Swiss mice, divided into 3 groups of 7 animals each, treated orally 7 consecutive days: Group I (Control): 0.1 mL/10g distilled water; Group II (Mg): 1 mmol/kbw magnesium chloride; Group III (Mg-vesicles): 1 mmol/kbw magnesium nanovesicles. The spatial memory performance was assessed by recording spontaneous alternation behavior in Y-maze test. Each animal was placed at the end of one arm and allowed to move freely through the maze during a single 8 min session. Alternation was defined as a consecutive entry in three different arms. The alternation percentage was computed according to the formula: (number of alternations/total number of arm visits--2) x 100. Data were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software. Experimental protocols were implemented according to the recommendations of the University Committee for Research and Ethical Issues. RESULTS: New carrier formulations entrapping magnesium chloride were designed: their mean size was 129.56 nm and the mean Zeta potential was +36.1 mV, indicating a moderate stability of the solution. Oral administration of magnesium vesicles resulted in a significant increase of spontaneous alternation percent in Y-maze test (p < 0.01), which suggests an improvement of short-term memory. CONCLUSIONS: Using magnesium chloride entrapped in lipid vesicles induced an enhancement of cognitive functions in mice especially by facilitation of learning extinction.

Intestinal obstruction management in patients with advanced abdominal neoplasia.

BACKGROUND: The present study describes the difficulties encountered in the diagnostic process and treatment of intestinal obstruction developed by patients with advanced abdominal neoplasia. METHODS: This unicentric and retrospective study evaluates patients suffering from intestinal occlusion operated on at the First Surgical Clinic of the Oncology Institute in Bucharest, over a period of 4 years (2010 - 2013). Of these, 61 cases in which the occlusion occurred on the background of an advanced abdominal neoplasia were selected. We considered as advanced those cases of abdominal cancer where curative oncologic treatment is no longer possible due to the evolution stage. RESULTS: The random selection of the study period, the introduction of all the patients identified with this type of pathology, as well as the concentration of advanced abdominal neoplasia at the Oncology Institute in Bucharest are the elements that allow us to state that the results of this study are representative. Particularities related to the clinical aspects of the intestinal occlusion in these patients, as well as difficulties in establishing the correct diagnosis were encountered.Surgical cure of the occlusion, with palliative aim of course,was possible in only 47 cases (representing 77.05%). CONCLUSIONS: A standard treatment course cannot be devised for this type of patients. Palliative care, indispensable in cases of advanced neoplastic disease, remains the sole therapeutic method available for patients with no surgical cure for the obstruction. The main objective, for the entire study lot, was to ensure an as high as possible quality of life,a factor we must bear in mind as often as possible when choosing a surgical solution. Of course, when surgical treatment can be applied, overcoming the occlusive episode prolongs these patients' life and can even allow for other courses of complementary treatment to be undertaken.

The effects of two polymeric matrices for indomethacin in cutaneous nociceptive reactivity in mice.

AIM: This paper is focused on the investigation the effects of two polymeric matrices for indomethacin in cutaneous pain models in mice. There were used two different co-polymers polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate and undecan, polymerization reactions being conducted under nitrogen, at 80 degrees C. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experiments were carried out on white Swiss mice (20-25 g), divided into 6 groups of 7 animals each, treated orally. Biocompatibility properties of indomethacin-loaded copolymeric matrices ware evaluated by assessing the effects on the blood parameters, the serum biochemical tests of animals treated. The nociceptive somatic testing was performed using hot plate assay and tail immersion test. The latency (second) response to paw, respectively tail thermal noxious stimulation, was measured before the experiment and 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 hours after the substances administration. RESULTS: Laboratory analysis did not show significant differences of blood parameters, serum biochemical tests between control mice group (IND) and groups treated with 1 M, 1 IND, 3 M, 3 IND. In our experimental conditions IND determined a significant increasing of the latency period response, in hot plate and also in tail immersion tests. Using two different co-polymers for indomethacin incorporation we obtained an increasing of the latency time pain reaction in hot plate assay, respectively in tail immersion test, statistically significant (*p < 0.05) compared with the simple copolymers administration. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that indomethacin co-polymeric matrices 1 IND and 3 IND determined similar immune responses with indomethacin and simple co-polymers after oral administration in mice, indicative of good in vivo biocompatibility. Oral administration of both 1 IND and 3 IND resulted in prolonged antinociceptive effects in hot plate assay and also in tail immersion test in mice.

Palliative care--integration model into oncological assistance for the patients of Regional Institute of Oncology Iasi.

AIM: This paper aims to present a retrospective analysis of activity from Palliative Care Compartment of Regional Institute of Oncology Iasi during 12 months of activity and to propose a model of integration of the palliative care in oncology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from 415 patients hospitalized to the Palliative Care Compartment using the computerized database, records and books of existing appointments. RESULTS: Data analysis reveals that 170 cases (40%) were aged higher or equal to 70 years and a number of 142 patients (34%) were aged between 60-69 years. Results regarding the provenience of the patients shows that most of them are from urban areas. Gastrointestinal neoplasms were present at about one-third of the patients--133 cases (32%) and 95 (71%) of these cases had metastases. Most patients--114 cases (27%) required hospitalization for a period between 8 and 14 days. Palliative care has interdisciplinary relations with other specialties. In 2013 from other specialties were transferred to palliative care a number of 156 patients, most of them (87 cases) from Oncology Department. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating palliative care in oncology would increase the quality of life of patients, would relieve the other sections or hospitals by patients who need palliative care, would decrease hospitalization costs and would avoid performing aggressive maneuvers at the end of life.