Characteristics of snakebite patients due to Naja samarensis in the Philippines: a prospective hospital-based study.

Background: Little is known about snakebites by Naja samarensis, a species unique to the Philippines. The aim here is to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients bitten by this medically important cobra in the Eastern Visayas.

Methods: A hospital-based prospective study analysed the features of snakebite patients attending Eastern Visayas Medical Center between June 2022 and May 2023.

Attitude of Emergency Medical Technicians Toward Electrocardiogram - Needs of Electrocardiogram Training Courses and Other Learning Opportunities.

Background: Early intervention in prehospital settings is important for treating patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are the essential first responders who treat these patients, and their current attitudes towards electrocardiograms (ECGs) have not been identified. This study investigated the awareness of EMTs of ECGs to shorten hospital arrival time, improving patient prognosis.

Balance of the prooxidant and antioxidant system is associated with mortality in critically ill patients.

It is well known that oxidative stress causes certain diseases and organ damage. However, roles of oxidative stress in the acute phase of critical patients remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the balance of oxidative and antioxidative system and to clarify the association between oxidative stress and mortality in critically ill patients.

Current situation survey for establishing personally acceptable radiation dose limits for nuclear disaster responders.

When responding to disasters, emergency preparedness is essential to ensure that disaster activities are performed smoothly, safely and efficiently. Investigations on the Fukushima accident revealed that lack of preparedness, poor communication and unsuitable emergency measures contributed to an inadequate emergency response to the nuclear disaster. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey on the establishment of a personal radiation exposure dose among Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) members in Japan who might be involved in the initial response to a nuclear disaster.

Survey about Intention to Engage in Specific Disaster Activities among Disaster Medical Assistance Team Members.

Introduction: Different disaster activities should be performed smoothly. In relation to this, human resources for disaster activities must be secured. To achieve a stable supply of human resources, it is essential to improve the intentions of individuals responding to each type of disaster.

Impact of plasma 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, a serotonin metabolite, on clinical outcome in septic shock, and its effect on vascular permeability.

Septic shock is characterized by dysregulated vascular permeability. We hypothesized that the vascular permeability of endothelial cells (ECs) would be regulated by serotonin via serotonin-Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signaling. We aimed to determine the impact of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) on septic shock as a novel biomarker.

The expression of repulsive guidance molecule a after traumatic brain injury: Time-course changes in gene expression in a murine model of controlled cortical impact.

Introduction: Repulsive guidance molecule a (RGMa) is a key protein that negatively regulates neuronal regeneration as its inhibition enhances axonal growth and promotes functional recovery in animal models of spinal cord injury. However, the role of RGMa in traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains elusive. This study aimed to clarify TBI-responsive RGMa expression in a murine model.

Impact of fecal short-chain fatty acids on prognosis in critically ill patients.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between fecal organic acids and mortality in critically ill patients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 128 patients who fulfilled the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and had a serum C-reactive protein level of greater than 10 mg/dL. Patients were treated in the intensive care unit for more than 2 days.

Association of prophylactic synbiotics with reduction in diarrhea and pneumonia in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients: A propensity score analysis.

Introduction: The preventive association of synbiotics therapy has not been thoroughly clarified in mechanically ventilated patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether synbiotics therapy has preventive association against septic complications in ventilated critically ill patients.

Methods: Critically ill patients who were mechanically ventilated were included in this retrospective observational study.

The profile of Japanese Association for Acute Medicine - out-of-hospital cardiac arrest registry in 2014-2015.

Aim: To describe the registry design of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine - out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (JAAM-OHCA) Registry as well as its profile on hospital information, patient and emergency medical service characteristics, and in-hospital procedures and outcomes among patients with OHCA who were transported to the participating institutions.

Methods: The special committee aiming to improve the survival after OHCA by providing evidence-based therapeutic strategies and emergency medical systems from the JAAM has launched a multicenter, prospective registry that enrolled OHCA patients who were transported to critical care medical centers or hospitals with an emergency care department. The primary outcome was a favorable neurological status 1 month after OHCA.

Early diagnosis using canonical discriminant analysis of innate immune receptor gene expression profiles in a murine infectious or sterile systemic inflammation model.

Background: Infection in patients with systemic inflammation is difficult to diagnose with a single biomarker. We aimed to clarify the time course of change in the gene expression profile of innate immune receptors in infectious or sterile inflammation and to establish an early diagnostic method using canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) of the gene expression profile.

Methods: To compare infectious and sterile inflammation, we used cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and 20% full-thickness burn injury (Burn) models.

Delayed massive epistaxis from traumatic intracranial aneurysm after blunt facial injury.

Cases: Traumatic intracranial aneurysm following blunt head injury is uncommon but can be induced by extension of skull base fracture and causes unexpected hemorrhagic complications. We present two cases of traumatic intracranial aneurysm in the paraclinoid area that was revealed by delayed massive epistaxis. Lack of initial neurological deficits omitted screening for cerebrovascular injury.

Low total cholesterol and high total bilirubin are associated with prognosis in patients with prolonged sepsis.

Purpose: Nutritional biochemical indexes are generally used as markers for critically ill patients. However, they are easily influenced by acute phase changes after injury and are difficult to use as common and practical biomarkers. The objective of this study was to determine the most valuable prognostic markers among 15 common laboratory tests in patients with sepsis.

Active Surveillance of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Using a Fully Automated Molecular Test in an Emergency Medical Center.

The prevention and control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are important, particularly in emergency units. The active surveillance of MRSA was prospectively performed at the emergency medical center of Nagasaki University Hospital. After obtaining nasal swab specimens, a fully automated molecular test (FAMT) and a culture-screening method were utilized for MRSA detection.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation support application on a smartphone - randomized controlled trial.

Background: This simulation trial aimed to compare the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with and without the newly-developed CPR support application on smartphones.

Methods And Results: In this trial, participants were randomly assigned to either the CPR support application group or the control group, stratified by sex and previous CPR training. Participants' CPR skills were evaluated by a 2-min case-based scenario test using the Leardal Resusci Anne PC Skill reporting Manikin System(®).

Gut microbiota and environment in patients with major burns – a preliminary report.

Introduction: The gut is an important target organ after severe insult. Gut microbiota have an important role in immune response. However, the gut microbiota and environment have not been clarified in patients with burns.