The antimicrobial and tissue healing efficacy of the atmospheric pressure cold plasma on grade III infected pressure ulcer: randomized controlled in vivo experiment.

AIM: To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy and wound healing effect of atmospheric pressure cold plasma (APCP) on an infected pressure ulcer (IPUs) model that was created on rats. METHODS: A total of 18 rats was divided into APCP, silver sulfadiazine (AgS) and control groups to have six rats in each group. A third-grade pressure ulcer model was developed on the back of each of the rats, and pressure ulcers were infected by inoculation of multidrug resistance (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A portable dielectric barrier discharge device was used to generate cold air plasma. APCP, AgS and saline treatments were carried out once a day for 14 days. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated on days 5, 10 and 15. Surface area, depth, pressure ulcer healing scale (PUSH) and microbiological examination were used for evaluation. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that APCP was superior over AgS application and irrigation with saline by means of the reduction in surface area and depth of ulcers. Furthermore, PUSH score in plasma group was lower than other groups and histopathological examination showed a higher epithelization in APCP group. The average reductions of MDR P. aeruginosa for APCP, AgS and control groups were determined as 5·64 ± 1·87, 1·91 ± 0·90 and 1·22 ± 0·88 log10 CFU per gram tissue, respectively. CONCLUSION: Atmospheric pressure cold plasma healed IPUs better than AgS. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Portable cold plasma devices could be a potential novel treatment modality for the patients who have IPUs.

An unusual cause of necrosis and nasal septum perforation after septoplasty: Enterobacter cloacae.

A 20-year-old man with nasal obstruction underwent septoplasty due to nasal septal deviation. Nasal packs were inserted at the end of surgery and removed 48 hours after surgery. Twenty-four hours after removal of nasal packs, there was necrosis in both sides of septal mucosa and in bilateral inferior turbinates. Nasal swab culture was performed from both nasal cavities. Enterobacter cloacae was isolated from samples. Two weeks after surgery, nasal septum perforation was unavoidable. To our knowledge, this is the first case in literature describing septal mucosal necrosis caused by this pathogen after septoplasty. Mucosal necrosis and perforation as septoplasty complications should be kept in mind, the result of causes both common and, as in the present case, unusual.

Activity of amikacin, ertapenem, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin alone and in combination against resistant nosocomial pathogens by time-kill / Actividad letalidad-tiempo de la amicacina, la ertapenema, la ciprofloxacina y la levofloxacina, solas o en combinación, frente a los patógenos nosocomiales

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the synergistic activity of amikacin/ertapenem, fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin)/ertapenem and amikacin/fluoroquinolones combinations against resistant nosocomial pathogens. METHODS: Time-kill studies were performed over 24 hours using an inoculum of 5 x 106 - 1 x 107 cfu/mL. Antibiotics were tested at the 1 x MIC and 4 x MIC concentrations. RESULTS: At MIC and/or 4 x MIC concentrations, the antibiotic combinations showed additive or synergistic activity against Acinetobacter strains and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. In Escherichia coli strains, synergy was seen when amikacin was combined with ertapenem, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin; ertapenem in combination with fluoroquinolones demonstrated antagonism. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, synergistic effect was exhibited by ertapenem plus amikacin and ertapenem plus fluoroquinolones. The antibiotic combinations showed antagonistic interaction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis. CONCLUSION: The antibiotic combinations showed additive or synergistic activity against many gram-negative pathogens.

OBJETIVO: El propósito del presente estudio fue determinar la actividad sinérgica de la amicacina/ ertapenema/fluoroquinolonas (ciprofloxacina y levofloxacina)/ertapenema y amicacina/y combinaciones de fluoroquinolonas frente a patógenos nosocomiales resistentes. MÉTODOS: Se realizaron estudios de letalidad-tiempo por 24 horas, usando un inóculo de 5 x 106 - 1 x 107 cfu/mL. Se probaron antibióticos en concentraciones de 1xCIM y 4xCIM. RESULTADOS: En concentraciones de CIM y/o 4 x CIM, las combinaciones de antibióticos mostraron actividad aditiva o sinergésica frente a las cepas Acinetobacter y Klebsiella pneumoniae productoras de la beta-lactamasa de espectro extendido. En las cepas de Escherichia coli, se observó sinergia cuando se combinó la amicacina con la ertapenema, la ciprofloxacina y la levofloxacina; la ertapenema en combinación con las fluoroquinolonas demostró antagonismo. En las cepas de Pseudomonas aeruginosa, se puso de manifiesto un efecto sinergésico al sumar la ertapenema con amicacina y la ertapenema con fluoroquinolonas. Las combinaciones antibióticas mostraron interacción antagonística en Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina y Enterococcus faecalis resistente a la vancomicina. CONCLUSIÓN: Las combinaciones antibióticas mostraron actividad aditiva o sinergésica frente a muchos patógenos gram-negativos.

Activity of amikacin, ertapenem, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin alone and in combination against resistant nosocomial pathogens by time-kill.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the synergistic activity of amikacin/ertapenem, fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin)/ertapenem and amikacin/fluoroquinolones combinations against resistant nosocomial pathogens. METHODS: Time-kill studies were performed over 24 hours using an inoculum of 5 x 10(6) - 1 x 10(7) cfu/mL. Antibiotics were tested at the 1 x MIC and 4 x MIC concentrations. RESULTS: At MIC and/or 4 x MIC concentrations, the antibiotic combinations showed additive or synergistic activity against Acinetobacter strains and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. In Escherichia coli strains, synergy was seen when amikacin was combined with ertapenem, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin; ertapenem in combination with fluoroquinolones demonstrated antagonism. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, synergistic effect was exhibited by ertapenem plus amikacin and ertapenem plus fluoroquinolones. The antibiotic combinations showed antagonistic interaction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis. CONCLUSION: The antibiotic combinations showed additive or synergistic activity against many gram-negative pathogens.

Parkin expression in human skeletal muscle.

Parkin is known to be present in human neurons and peripheral nerves. Using an antibody against parkin protein we have now demonstrated that parkin is also expressed in the sarcoplasm and sarcolemmal region of human skeletal muscle fibres. We have also found different age-related patterns of expression with increase in intensity and organization of distribution at older ages. These findings suggest a change in the functional role of parkin in skeletal muscle with ageing and may contribute to understanding the mechanisms of muscle aging.

Parkin expression in muscle from three patients with autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease carrying parkin mutation.

Absence of parkin has been shown to cause the downturned wing phenotype and severe disruption of myofibrils and mitochondrial abnormalities in parkin null mutant drosophila. The present report refers to studies on 3 patients with autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease with mild histopathological changes in muscle and a 'G' deletion at the exon9/intron9 junction or exon 3 deletion in the parkin gene. Using an antibody against a peptide corresponding to sequence number 305-323 of the human parkin protein it was demonstrated that parkin was expressed in skeletal muscle of these patients and that its distribution was similar to that in normal muscles. The mild nature of the histopathological changes, especially in the young patients, in the presence of parkin mutations may be due to residual E3-ubiquitin ligase activity of the mutant protein, to existence of muscle-specific splice-variants or to the relative functional insignificance of parkin in human muscle fibres. Further investigation of parkin expression in skeletal muscle is warranted.

Microbial contamination of eye drops.

The microbial contamination of eye drops at the Eye Clinic was studied. In total, 92 eye drop bottles were examined. 43 bottles were opened and used and 49 were unopened and sealed. The contamination rate was found to be 10.2% in unopened bottles and 34.8% in opened bottles. The opened bottles had been used for two weeks. Six of the samples yielded coagulase-negative Staphylococci and nine samples yielded one or two different microorganisms. The contamination rate in bottles containing the preservative benzalkonium chloride was 34.4%. Among unopened eye drop bottles two samples yielded S. aureus, two coagulase-negative Staphylococci and one Bacillus spp.

Expression of P fimbriae of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains.

The occurrence of P fimbriae in a total of 222 uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains was investigated. Out of the total, 31 (14%) were P fimbriated. Of 24 pyelonephritogenic E. coli strains, three (13%) with P fimbriae occurred in children with clinical pyelonephritis, and of 198 E. coli strains 29 (15%) occurred in children with cystitis. Prevalence of P fimbriae of E. coli strains was found to be quite similar in patients with cystitis and pyelonephritis