Multidisciplinary management of disseminated Exophiala dermatitidis mycosis in an infant with mixed phenotype acute leukemia: a case report

Background

Exophiala dermatitidis is a dematiaceous fungus isolated from various environmental sources. Systemic E. dermatitidis infections can lead to fatal outcomes, and treatment has not yet been standardized. Although E. dermatitidis is also known to cause cutaneous infection, it has not been previously reported to appear as ecthyma gangrenosum (EG), an uncommon cutaneous lesion in neutropenic patients that is mainly caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Case presentation

A 2-month-old male infant with mixed-phenotype acute leukemia presented with prolonged fever unresponsive to antibacterial and antifungal agents during myelosuppression due to remission induction therapy. He also presented with skin lesions on the left wrist and left lower quadrant of the abdomen. The abdominal lesion gradually turned black and necrotic, which was consistent with the findings of the EG. E. dermatitidis was isolated from the blood, stool, wrist skin, and endotracheal aspirate. During hematopoietic recovery, consolidation in both lungs was evident. Multiagent antifungal treatment failed to eliminate E. dermatitidis from blood. In order to salvage the central venous catheter, ethanol lock therapy (ELT) was adopted, following which the blood culture became negative. The abdominal lesion that evolved as a necrotic mass connecting the small intestine and subcutaneous tissue adjacent to the skin was surgically resected. After these interventions, the general condition improved.

Conclusion

Disseminated E. dermatitidis mycosis in the neutropenic infant was successfully managed with a multidisciplinary treatment consisting of multiagent antifungal treatment, ELT, and surgery.

Deception in simulation-based education: a randomised controlled trial of the effect of deliberate deception on the performance of anaesthesia trainees

The use of deliberate deception in simulation allows for a level of realism that is not normally feasible. However, the use of deception is controversial, and carries the risk of psychological harm to learners. There are currently no quantitative data on the effect of deception on learner performance, making it difficult to judge its usefulness. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of deception on learners' performance during a life-threatening scenario. In this simulation study, second-year anaesthesia residents were randomly allocated into two groups: the non-deception group was told that the participating consultant was acting a part, while the deception group was told that the consultant was a subject in the study. Learners then participated in a simulated crisis that presented them with situational opportunities to challenge the consultant regarding clearly wrong decisions. Two independent raters scored the performances using the modified advocacy-inquiry scale. Forty-four participants were analysed. The median (IQR [range]) highest scoring modified advocacy-inquiry scale was 5.0 (4.5-5.1 [4.0-5.5]) for the non-deception group and 4.0 (3.0-4.0 [2.5-5.0]) for the deception group, (p < 0.001), and the median total number of challenges per participant was 26.8 (21.0-31.1 [16.5-35.5]) and 18.0 (14.3-23.3 [7.0-33.0]), respectively (p = 0.001). Trainees exposed to deliberate deception, who thought that the consultant anaesthetist was a subject, had a less-effective best challenge, likely mimicking real-life behaviour. Deliberate deception appears to modify behaviour, particularly relating to communication involving hierarchical relationships. This technique may improve authenticity, especially with a steep power gradient, and so has demonstrable value which must be balanced against the ethical considerations.

Campylobacter fetus bacteremia and meningitis in an acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient undergoing maintenance therapy: a case report

BACKGROUND

Campylobacter fetus is an uncommon Campylobacter species, and its infections mainly cause infective endocarditis, aortic aneurysm, and meningitis rather than enteritis. It is more likely to be detected in blood than Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli, specifically reported in 53% of patients. In our case, C. fetus was detected in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 33-year-old woman, who was on maintenance chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), presented to our clinic with chief complaints of severe headache and nausea. Blood and CSF cultures revealed C. fetus. We administrated meropenem 2 g intravenously (IV) every 8 h for 3 weeks, and she was discharged without neurological sequelae.

CONCLUSION

We encountered a case of C. fetus meningitis without gastrointestinal symptoms, neck stiffness or jolt accentuation in a patient with ALL. Undercooked beef was considered the source of C. fetus infection in this case, suggesting that the need for a neutropenic diet and safe food handling be considered.

Postoperative morphological changes over time of vascularized scapular bone used for mandibular reconstruction: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Currently, sequential morphological changes of vascularized scapular bone for mandibular reconstruction have remained unreported.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 18 patients with defects on the lateral segment of the mandible who underwent postoperative computed tomography (CT) scanning at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Using the cross-sectional coronal CT images during each assessment, we measured the height and thickness of the grafted scapular bone at points 10 and 30 mm away from the mesial segment and evaluated their differences over time. Then, the relationship between the morphological changes of the grafted scapular bone and the distance from the mesial bone segment, the number of occlusal supports on the contralateral side of the mandible, and the correlation of sex and age were evaluated.

RESULTS

The height of the grafted scapular bone decreased by approximately 11% and its thickness increased by 14% within 24 months postoperatively. The bone thickness increase was greater at point 30 mm from the mesial bone segment. Patients with two occlusal contacts (premolar and molar) on the contralateral side had a significantly higher rate of bone thickness increase. Furthermore, the graft morphology was not associated with age or sex.

CONCLUSION

A vascularized scapular bone thickens over time, which depends on the distance from the mesial bone segment and the occlusal contact regions on the contralateral side of the mandible.

In tube immunocytochemistry for fluorescence-activated cell sorting that prevents RNA degradation in sorted cells

Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) is a powerful tool for analyzing stem cells. When using fixed cells, however, it is sometimes difficult to analyze RNA extracted from sorted cells due to RNA degradation. We established a protocol for immunocytochemistry before FACS to prevent RNA degradation. Cells were fixed with a methanol-based fixative (UM-Fix), then subjected to immunocytochemistry. The addition of RNase inhibitor and dithiothreitol (DTT) to some buffers used for immunocytochemistry increased RNA integrity after cell recovery. We found increased copy numbers of mRNA in recovered cells using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. When RNase inhibitor and DTT were added, amplification of mRNA using T7 promoter was possible with RNA extracted from recovered cells after FACS. Our protocol ensures high quality RNA in cells recovered by FACS; therefore, gene expression analysis with a smaller number of cells is possible using pre-amplification of mRNAs. Our protocol for immunocytochemistry also might be applicable to RNA recovery after immunostaining.

Yellow Nail Syndrome Patients with Diffuse Panbronchiolitis-like Pulmonary Manifestation

Yellow nail syndrome (YNS) is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by a triad of yellow thick nail, lymphedema and respiratory diseases. We experienced 2 cases of YNS with diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB)-like pulmonary manifestation. Since YNS might be hidden to those who have been diagnosed with DPB, physicians should be alert to recognize nail signs of YNS in case of DPB refractory to macrolide therapy. We hereby review previous case reports of YNS and discuss its pulmonary manifestations.

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-danicalipin A

A convergent asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-danicalipin A is accomplished, in which two chlorinated fragments are stereoselectively joined by 1,3-dipolar coupling, leading to the confirmation of the absolute configuration of the natural product.