isolation-characterization-human-umbilical-cord-derived-mesenchymal

Isolation and Characterization of Human Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Preterm and Term Infants

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have considerable therapeutic potential and attract increasing interest in the biomedical field. MSCs are originally ...

Nihon University School of Medicine

Enteral feeding is critical for postnatal growth of very low birthweight infants (VLBWI); however, a standard feeding strategy has not been established in Japan. A 2- or 3-h feeding interval is generally used, but no clear evidence supports either approach. Additionally, there is no nationwide breast milk bank in Japan and no consensus exists on the use of donor breast milk (DBM). To clarify the current feeding strategies for VLBWI in Japan, we undertook a nationwide survey.

Feeding interval and use of donor breast milk for very low birthweight infants: A nationwide survey in Japan.

 was the main causative organism for acute epiglottitis in the pre- type b (Hib) vaccine era. However, with current widespread Hib vaccination, the causative organisms may have changed. Here, we report the case of a healthy infant with acute epiglottitis caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant  (MRSA). The patient was a healthy 17-day-old male infant without a family history of immunodeficiency syndrome. He had not been started on any vaccines. On the third day of illness, he was diagnosed with acute pharyngitis with exudation on the back of the larynx. Although treatment using cefotaxime was initiated, he showed stridor, difficulty in pronunciation, and cyanosis upon crying on the fourth day. On the fifth day, he was diagnosed with acute epiglottitis by laryngoscopy, which showed a downward spread of the exudation and laryngeal edema. He was intubated and started on artificial respiration. Due to the detection of MRSA from a pharyngeal swab culture, he was treated with vancomycin. His fever disappeared on the first day after admission, and he was extubated on the eighth day after admission. MRSA genome analysis of the patient sample revealed negative Panton-Valentine leukocidin, positive toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, and type IV clone of staphylococcal cassette chromosome . This is a first case of acute epiglottitis caused by MRSA with a Panton-Valentine leukocidin-negative and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1-positive staphylococcal cassette chromosome  type IV clone, which is known as a community-acquired MRSA in Japan. Community-acquired MRSA may be considered a causative organism for acute epiglottitis in the post-Hib vaccine era.

Acute epiglottitis caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant  in a healthy infant.

The clinical features and laboratory parameters of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) occasionally overlap. Therefore, serum levels of cytokine and ferritin are used as markers to distinguish between KD and sJIA. KD patients have a high level of interleukin (IL)-6, low level of IL-18, and no elevation of the level of serum ferritin. Conversely, sJIA patients have a low level of IL-6 and high levels of IL-18 and ferritin in the serum. However, to the best of our knowledge, no case report of KD with a low serum level of IL-6 and extremely high levels of IL-18 and ferritin is found.

Ichiro Morioka

Department of Pediatrics

Nihon University School of Medicine

Isolation and Characterization of Human Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Preterm and Term Infants