Antimicrobial consumption at Auckland City Hospital: 2006-2009.

Aims: We aimed to determine the level of antimicrobial consumption by adult inpatients at Auckland City Hospital (Auckland, New Zealand) and to compare our findings with those in other developed nations.

Methods: We used the computerised records of the central Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) pharmacy to measure the amount of antimicrobials dispensed to inpatients (excluding psychiatric units, day stay units and outpatient clinics) during 2006 to 2009. The total weight of each antimicrobial dispensed was used to determine the number of defined daily doses (DDDs) dispensed.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma: a key modulator in inflammation and allergy.

Chronic inflammation and allergy involve the activation of tissue-resident cells and, later on, the invasion of effector cells. We have previously shown that the loss of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) gamma impairs chemokine-dependent migration of neutrophils and macrophages both in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand, PI3K gamma is not required either during phagocytic processes or in the activation of bactericidal activities like granule secretion and particle-mediated respiratory burst in neutrophils.