To prevent accidental falls in medical facilities, various types of bed-sensors have been produced by the clinical engineering department of our hospital. In this study a newly developed bed-sensor using a pyroelectric type infrared sensor was evaluated. The features of this bed-sensor are that it costs only 4,000 yen and can be installed anywhere on beds. It was found that the pyroelectric type infrared sensor (AMN13112) made by Matsushita Electric Works served our purpose. We test used the new bed-sensor in the for three months in the patient's ward and in the health care facility for the elderly attached to our hospital, as the systems to monitor patients who are attempting to get up, to prevent patients from leaving the bed unattended, and to replace the conventional floor sensor. As a result, it was formed that the new sensor is very usable in these applications and is also excellent in safety. But when the bed-sensor was installed in a wrong position, it was activated as a typicel nurse call system. For practical use, some improvements are necessary in stabilizing detection distance and precise control of sensitivity.
Sensors ; seconds ; Type 1 ; New ; Hospitals

PURPOSE: Antimicrobial peptides have an important role in self-protection of the ocular surface. Human cationic antimicrobial protein (hCAP)-18 is a linear, alpha-helical peptide that consists of a conserved pro-sequence called a cathelin-like domain and a C-terminal peptide named LL-37. We investigated the in vitro anti-adenoviral activity of hCAP-18/LL-37 in several adenovirus types, inducing keratoconjunctivitis. METHODS: A549 cells were used for viral cell culture, and human adenovirus (HAdV) types 3 (HAdV3, species B), 4 (species E), 8, 19a, and 37 (species D) were used. The cytotoxicity of LL-37 was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay to obtain 50% cytotoxic concentration. After pretreatment of A549 cells with serial dilutions of LL-37 for 24 hours, adenovirus was cultured for seven days, and adenoviral DNA was quantitatively measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The 50% effective concentration of LL-37 obtained by real-time PCR ranged between 118 and 270 microM. LL-37 showed a significant inhibitory effect on adenoviral proliferation in all adenovirus types except HAdV4 in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: LL-37 has significant inhibitory activity against HAdV3, 8, and 19, which induce keratoconjunctivitis. These results indicate that hCAP-18/LL-37 may be a possible candidate for the treatment of HAdV keratoconjunctivitis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoviridae/*drug effects/*genetics ; Adenoviridae Infections/*drug therapy/virology ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/*pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA, Viral/genetics ; Humans ; Keratoconjunctivitis/*drug therapy/virology ; Lung Neoplasms ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods

A 56-year-old woman suffering from mitral stenosis had underwent PTMC (percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy) at age 46. After she developed congestive heart failure, mitral valve replacement (MVR) with Carbomedics 29M and tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) was carried out. Four hours after admission to the ICU, massive bleeding was noticed. Cardiopulmonary bypass was restarted in the operating room. Laceration and hematoma were found at the posterolateral wall of the left ventricle. Under cardiac arrest with removal of the prosthetic valve, an internal tear was detected about 2cm below the anterolateral commissure (Miller Type III). The tear was covered with a horse pericardial patch (2×3cm) using 6-0 running sutures with reinforcement with gelatin-resorcine-formaline (GRF) glue between the laceration and the patch. MVR sutures in the annulus above the ventricular tear were first passed through the annulus, the pericardial patch and then the prosthetic cuff. Additionally, an epicardial tear was covered and reinforced with the fibrin sheet, GRF glue and pericardial patch in turn. Cardiopulmonary bypass was weaned easily without bleeding. The patient was intentionally on respiratory support with sedation for 3 days. The subsequent postoperative course was uneventful.