Female ; Hemorrhage ; etiology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Orbital Diseases ; etiology ; Orbital Fractures ; surgery ; Prostheses and Implants ; adverse effects ; Silicones ; adverse effects ; Staphylococcal Infections ; etiology

Daptomycin, a lipopeptide antibiotic with similar action as vancomycin, is used to treat complicated skin and soft tissue infections caused by resistant Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, penicillin-resistant streptococci, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), characterized by acute onset of numerous sterile, nonfollicular pinhead sized pustules, is common secondary to drugs, in particular, antibiotics. We present the first case of AGEP following the use of daptomycin.
Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Daptomycin ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Vancomycin

INTRODUCTIONSinging in psychotic patients has received little attention in the psychiatric literature. In this preliminary study, we test the hypothesis that manic patients sing more than schizophrenic patients (SPs).

MATERIALS AND METHODSManic patients and SP inpatients and outpatients were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire which included questions on musical interests, and how much they felt like singing prior to their most recent admission to hospital. They were asked if they were willing to sing during the interview and responses were observed.

RESULTSOf the 69 manic patients and 68 SPs interviewed, manic patients were more likely to report singing than SPs (76% vs 24%) prior to their most recent admission to hospital. There was a trend for manic inpatients to be more willing to sing during the interview.

CONCLUSIONIncreased singing is suggested as a useful symptom and sign in patients suffering from a manic illness.

Objective:To observe the effect of pressure therapy on the formation of hypertrophic scars(HTS) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) / Sma and Mad homolog proteins (Smad) signaling pathway.Methods:Twelve adult healthy New Zealand white rabbits(provided by the Animal Experiment Center of the Air Force Military Medical University) were wounded with 1 cm round punch on 4 sites of the ventral side of each ear. Round scalpels were used to make incisions along the marked lines, dissect the skin and perichondrium. The remaining tissue was scraped off to expose the wound surface. Scar formation was observed on the 28th day after surgery. After the establishment of rabbit ear HTS models, the right ears were used as self-controls, while the left ears were set as the experimental group. Two hypertrophic scars were randomly selected from each rabbit ear, 24 per group. Experimental group: 4-0 nylon silk thread was used to sew the pressure pad on the circular NdFeB magnets pad with a diameter of 1.5 cm to the rabbit ear cartilage. Flexiforce pressure sensor was used to measure the pressure, and the pads were adjusted to maintain a pressure of 20-25 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) for more than 23 h per day. Control group: no treatment. On the 40th day of pressure therapy, the general morphology of rabbit ear scars were observed, and the tissues were harvested for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining for histological study. The scar elevation index (SEI), the number of fibroblasts, and the thickness of the stratum corneum were calculated. The relative mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, collagen type (Collagen )Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were measured with qPCR; Western blotting was used to detect the relative protein expression levels of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 (the ratio of p-Smad3 and Smad3 proteins). Statistical analysis was performed with Excel 2019 and GraphPad Prism 8.0. The measurement data conformed to normal distribution and was expressed as Mean±SD. Student’s t-test was used for the comparison between two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 96 wounds were formed in 12 rabbits, 27 wounds had no obvious hyperplasia, and the remaining 69 wounds formed hypertrophic scar tissue blocks with a prominent skin surface, firm texture, and dark red appearance. The scars formation rate was 71.9% (69/96). On the 40th day after the application of pressure, the scars in the experimental group were significantly reduced, softer, and the color was slightly lighter compared with the control group. The results of HE staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining showed that the thickness of the stratum corneum, SEI, and the number of fibroblasts were (69.33±6.03) μm, 1.30±0.08, and (236.30±14.64) cells/field, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(114.00±10.15) μm, 1.72±0.05, (320.30±14.57) cells/field] (all P<0.01). Abundance in capillaries, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts were not observed in the dermal layer. The collagen fibers were orderly arranged and sparse. The results of fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the relative expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, and α-SMA mRNA in the experimental group were 0.48±0.08, 0.58±0.05, 0.04±0.01, 0.15±0.02, 0.31±0.03, respectively, lower than those of the control group(1.00±0.07, 1.00±0.05, 1.00±0.08, 1.00±0.10, 1.00±0.06) (all P<0.01). The results of Western blotting showed that the relative protein expression of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 in the experimental group were 0.65±0.03, 0.07±0.01, 0.43±0.03, 0.53±0.03, 0.54±0.03, all lower than the control group’s 1.02±0.06, 0.93±0.05, 0.92±0.03, 0.82±0.03, 0.92±0.03 (all P<0.01). Conclusions:Pressure therapy can significantly inhibit the hyperplasia of scars, improve the structure of HTS tissue, facilitate the normal arrangement of collagen fiber, and reduce the excessive deposition of collagen. Pressure therapy may inhibit scar proliferation by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Objective:To observe the effect of pressure therapy on the formation of hypertrophic scars(HTS) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) / Sma and Mad homolog proteins (Smad) signaling pathway.Methods:Twelve adult healthy New Zealand white rabbits(provided by the Animal Experiment Center of the Air Force Military Medical University) were wounded with 1 cm round punch on 4 sites of the ventral side of each ear. Round scalpels were used to make incisions along the marked lines, dissect the skin and perichondrium. The remaining tissue was scraped off to expose the wound surface. Scar formation was observed on the 28th day after surgery. After the establishment of rabbit ear HTS models, the right ears were used as self-controls, while the left ears were set as the experimental group. Two hypertrophic scars were randomly selected from each rabbit ear, 24 per group. Experimental group: 4-0 nylon silk thread was used to sew the pressure pad on the circular NdFeB magnets pad with a diameter of 1.5 cm to the rabbit ear cartilage. Flexiforce pressure sensor was used to measure the pressure, and the pads were adjusted to maintain a pressure of 20-25 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) for more than 23 h per day. Control group: no treatment. On the 40th day of pressure therapy, the general morphology of rabbit ear scars were observed, and the tissues were harvested for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining for histological study. The scar elevation index (SEI), the number of fibroblasts, and the thickness of the stratum corneum were calculated. The relative mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, collagen type (Collagen )Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were measured with qPCR; Western blotting was used to detect the relative protein expression levels of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 (the ratio of p-Smad3 and Smad3 proteins). Statistical analysis was performed with Excel 2019 and GraphPad Prism 8.0. The measurement data conformed to normal distribution and was expressed as Mean±SD. Student’s t-test was used for the comparison between two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 96 wounds were formed in 12 rabbits, 27 wounds had no obvious hyperplasia, and the remaining 69 wounds formed hypertrophic scar tissue blocks with a prominent skin surface, firm texture, and dark red appearance. The scars formation rate was 71.9% (69/96). On the 40th day after the application of pressure, the scars in the experimental group were significantly reduced, softer, and the color was slightly lighter compared with the control group. The results of HE staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining showed that the thickness of the stratum corneum, SEI, and the number of fibroblasts were (69.33±6.03) μm, 1.30±0.08, and (236.30±14.64) cells/field, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(114.00±10.15) μm, 1.72±0.05, (320.30±14.57) cells/field] (all P<0.01). Abundance in capillaries, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts were not observed in the dermal layer. The collagen fibers were orderly arranged and sparse. The results of fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the relative expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, and α-SMA mRNA in the experimental group were 0.48±0.08, 0.58±0.05, 0.04±0.01, 0.15±0.02, 0.31±0.03, respectively, lower than those of the control group(1.00±0.07, 1.00±0.05, 1.00±0.08, 1.00±0.10, 1.00±0.06) (all P<0.01). The results of Western blotting showed that the relative protein expression of TGF-β1, Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA and the phosphorylation level of Smad3 in the experimental group were 0.65±0.03, 0.07±0.01, 0.43±0.03, 0.53±0.03, 0.54±0.03, all lower than the control group’s 1.02±0.06, 0.93±0.05, 0.92±0.03, 0.82±0.03, 0.92±0.03 (all P<0.01). Conclusions:Pressure therapy can significantly inhibit the hyperplasia of scars, improve the structure of HTS tissue, facilitate the normal arrangement of collagen fiber, and reduce the excessive deposition of collagen. Pressure therapy may inhibit scar proliferation by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; Case-Control Studies ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; methods ; Coronary Artery Disease ; surgery ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mammary Arteries ; physiology ; transplantation ; Middle Aged ; Pulsatile Flow ; Radial Artery ; physiology ; transplantation ; Rheology ; Saphenous Vein ; physiology ; transplantation ; Shear Strength ; Stress, Mechanical ; Vascular Patency ; physiology

A risk management plan (RMP) contains an overview of important safety concerns associated with the use of a therapeutic product (TP) and proposed pharmacovigilance activities to monitor and manage these safety concerns in the post-approval stage. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore has legislated its requirements for RMPs as part of its product life cycle approach in the management of safety concerns associated with TPs. Under the Health Product (Therapeutic Products) Regulations enacted in November 2016, companies may be required to implement RMPs under the direction of HSA to help ensure that the benefits of TPs outweigh their risks. In this commentary, we present a case study on the local RMP for Dengvaxia®, the world's first dengue vaccine, which has been approved for use in Singapore. We hope that this article raises awareness among healthcare professionals about the concept of RMPs and how RMPs are implemented locally.

INTRODUCTION: Despite reports suggesting an association between COVID-19 mRNA vaccination and pericarditis and myocarditis, detailed nationwide population-based data are sparsely available. We describe the incidence of pericarditis and myocarditis by age categories and sex after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination from a nationwide mass vaccination programme in Singapore. METHODS: The incidence of adjudicated cases of pericarditis and myocarditis following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination that were reported to the vaccine safety committee between January to July 2021 was compared with the background incidence of myocarditis in Singapore. RESULTS: As of end July 2021, a total of 34 cases were reported (9 pericarditis only, 14 myocarditis only, and 11 concomitant pericarditis and myocarditis) with 7,183,889 doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine administered. Of the 9 cases of pericarditis only, all were male except one. The highest incidence of pericarditis was in males aged 12-19 years with an incidence of 1.11 cases per 100,000 doses. Of the 25 cases of myocarditis, 80% (20 cases) were male and the median age was 23 years (range 12-55 years) with 16 cases after the second dose. A higher-than-expected number of cases were seen in males aged 12-19 and 20-29 years, with incidence rates of 3.72 and 0.98 case per 100,000 doses, respectively. CONCLUSION Data from the national registry in Singapore indicate an increased incidence of pericarditis and myocarditis in younger men after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.
Adolescent ; Adult ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects* ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocarditis/etiology* ; Pericarditis/etiology* ; RNA, Messenger ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Vaccination/adverse effects* ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; Young Adult ; mRNA Vaccines

Objective: To systematically map the stepwise events leading to deoxyelephantopin-induced cell death of HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells and evaluate the effectiveness of deoxyelephantopin in vivo. Methods: HCT116 cells were treated with deoxyelephantopin at various concentrations and time points. Autophagy was confirmed by the detection of autophagosomes and autophagosomal proteins by electron microscopy and Western blotting assays, respectively, and then validated by siRNA knockdown. In addition, apoptosis was confirmed by the detection of apoptosis-related proteins. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was measured using flow cytometry. The growth inhibitory effect of deoxyelephantopin was further evaluated in vivo using a mouse xenograft model. Results: Deoxyelephantopin firstly elevated ROS production, which then triggered autophagic flux with the accumulation of autophagosomal proteins including LC3A/B, ATG5, and ATG7, followed by the induction of apoptosis via the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Pre-treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a ROS inhibitor, reversed both apoptosis and autophagy. The knockdown of LC3 prevented apoptosis induction which confirmed that deoxyelephantopin induced autophagy-dependent apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Accumulation of ROS also activated apoptosis via the mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway. Furthermore, deoxyelephantopin also inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which then released the inhibition of autophagy. In vivo study further showed that deoxyelephantopin significantly suppressed the growth of HCT116 subcutaneous xenograft in nude mice. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that deoxyelephantopin elevates oxidative stress and induces ROS-dependent autophagy followed by apoptosis in HCT116 cells via the concerted modulation of multiple signaling pathways. These findings further support the development of deoxyelephantopin as a therapeutic agent for colorectal cancer.

【Objective】 To analyze the effect of sample hemolysis on ELISA test results in blood screening laboratory, so as to determine the acceptable tolerance of hemolysis specific to laboratory test items and detection system, and provide reference for the formulation of tolerance standard of sample hemolysis. 【Methods】 Negative and weakly positive (S/CO was about 2) samples with different hemolysis degrees were tested by several commonly used domestic reagents for HBsAg, HIV Ag/Ab, anti-HCV and anti-TP, respectively. The effects of various degrees of hemolysis on the test results of negative and weakly positive samples for each item were analyzed. 【Results】 1) Hemolysis had no effect on the test results (reactive/non-reactive) of negative and weakly positive samples for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-TP ELISA items; 2) Hemolysis affected the test results (reactive/non-reactive) of negative and weakly positive samples for HIV Ag/Ab ELISA item. A tolerance of Hb 2 g/L was taken as the acceptable hemolysis degree for HIV Ag/Ab ELISA item. 【Conclusion】 In this study, the acceptable tolerance of hemolytic samples for corresponding test items and detection system in our laboratory were determined. The influence of hemolysis on ELISA test result is related to the reagent, equipment, environment and other factors, therefore the acceptable tolerance of hemolysis should be determined scientifically and reasonably based on the specific evaluation of each laboratory.