[Effect of Xinfeng Capsule on Lipoprotein Metabolism of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Xinfeng Capsule (XC) on lipoprotein metabolism of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS: Totally 180 RA patients were assigned to the experimental group and the control group by random digit table, 90 in each group. Patients in the experimental group took XC (three pills each time, three times daily), while those in the control group took Methotrexate Tablet (four tablets each time, once per week). One month consisted of one therapeutic course and all patients were treated for two therapeutic courses. A healthy control group consisting of 60 patients was also set up. Changes of lipoprotein indices, clinical efficacy, lipid metabolism, joint symptoms and signs, activity indicators were observed, and correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy control group, expression levels of prealbumin (PA), globulin (GLO), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apolipoprotein Al (Apo-A1) were lowered in RA patients (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Correlation analyses showed that PA was negatively correlated with joint tenderness, morning stiffness time, disease activity score (DAS-28), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, respectively. Total protein (TP) was negatively correlated with joint tenderness. GLO was negatively correlated with joint tenderness and DAS-28. HDL was negatively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and endothelin (ET)-1. Apo-Al was negatively correlated with joint pain; Apo-B was negatively correlated with CRP; LDL was negatively correlated with morning stiffness time (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Compared with before treatment, expression levels of PA, HDL, Apo-A1 , Apo-B, and serum IL-10 contents increased, and expression levels of ESR, CRP, IL-6, ET-1 , joint pain, joint swelling, morning stiffness time, and DAS-28 decreased in the experimental group (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). PA increased more after treatment than before treatment in the control group (P <0. 01). There was statistical difference in joint symptoms (except joint tenderness) and activity indices (except ET-1) in the control group (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Compared with the control group after treatment, PA and HDL increased, ET-1 and duration of morning stiffness decreased in the experimental group (all P <0. 05). CONCLUSIONS: Lipoprotein metabolic disorder exists in RA patients, and it is associated with disease activity. XC could obviously improve lipoprotein metabolism and joint symptoms.

The Role and Therapeutic Potential of Non-coding RNAs in Resistance to EGFR-TKIs targeted therapy for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, of which non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type, and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are widely used for the treatment of NSCLC. EGFR-TKIs are known to develop a drug-resistant response after a certain number of cycles of dosing, and how to alleviate or even reverse EGFR-TKI resistance is an urgent problem at present. This review focuses on the role of ncRNAs in the resistance of NSCLC to EGFR-TKIs and the potential mechanisms underlying the development of NSCLC resistance to EGFR-TKIs. NcRNAs are involved in NSCLC resistance to EGFR-TKIs by mediating cellular drug efflux, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, apoptosis, autophagy, and EGFR mutation. ncRNAs play a crucial role in NSCLC resistance to EGFR-TKIs. Hopefully, the results will provide some guidance and help for the treatment and prognosis of NSCLC.

[Effects of diagnostic protocols on etiology and outcome in immunocompromised host with pulmonary infiltrate].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of diagnostic protocols on etiology and outcome in immunocompromised host (ICH) with pulmonary infiltrate. METHODS: For this historic control study, ICH with acute respiratory failure (ARF) were eligible as study group (n = 65) in 2009 while another ICH cohort was selected as control group (n = 45) in 2007. The protocol consisted of four parts: judgment possible site, determining probable etiology, checking and feedbacks on laboratory test in 12 hours and reassessment and adjustment treatment in 48-72 hours. The etiologies included infection, non-infection and unknown causes. RESULTS: Their average age was 45.3 years (range: 22 - 71). Causes of immune suppression were autoimmune disease (n = 69), hematological disorders (n = 21), solid cancers (n = 10) and others (n = 10). When two groups were compared, basic diseases, organ function and disease severity showed no significant difference, but etiologic diagnoses rate (73.8% vs 57.8%), time from ICU admission to diagnosis (4.0 vs 6.8 days) and 28-day mortality (38.5% vs 62.2%) had significant difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Implementation of clinical protocol in ICH with ARF is associated with improved etiologic diagnoses and decreased mortality.

Morphologic identification of clinically encountered moulds using a residual neural network.

The use of morphology to diagnose invasive mould infections in China still faces substantial challenges, which often leads to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. We developed a model called XMVision Fungus AI to identify mould infections by training, testing, and evaluating a ResNet-50 model. Our research achieved the rapid identification of nine common clinical moulds: Aspergillus fumigatus complex, Aspergillus flavus complex, Aspergillus niger complex, Aspergillus terreus complex, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus sydowii/Aspergillus versicolor, Syncephalastrum racemosum, Fusarium spp., and Penicillium spp. In our study, the adaptive image contrast enhancement enabling XMVision Fungus AI as a promising module by effectively improve the identification performance. The overall identification accuracy of XMVision Fungus AI was up to 93.00% (279/300), which was higher than that of human readers. XMVision Fungus AI shows intrinsic advantages in the identification of clinical moulds and can be applied to improve human identification efficiency through training. Moreover, it has great potential for clinical application because of its convenient operation and lower cost. This system will be suitable for primary hospitals in China and developing countries.

Antifungal susceptibility profiles and drug resistance mechanisms of clinical Candida duobushaemulonii isolates from China.

Candida duobushaemulonii, type II Candida haemulonii complex, is closely related to Candida auris and capable of causing invasive and non-invasive infections in humans. Eleven strains of C. duobushaemulonii were collected from China Hospital Invasive Fungal Surveillance Net (CHIF-NET) and identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), VITEK 2 Yeast Identification Card (YST), and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Whole genome sequencing of C. duobushaemulonii was done to determine their genotypes. Furthermore, C. duobushaemulonii strains were tested by Sensititre YeastOne™ and Clinical and Laboratory Institute (CLSI) broth microdilution panel for antifungal susceptibility. Three C. duobushaemulonii could not be identified by VITEK 2. All 11 isolates had high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to amphotericin B more than 2 µg/ml. One isolate showed a high MIC value of ≥64 µg/ml to 5-flucytosine. All isolates were wild type (WT) for triazoles and echinocandins. FUR1 variation may result in C. duobushaemulonii with high MIC to 5-flucytosine. Candida duobushaemulonii mainly infects patients with weakened immunity, and the amphotericin B resistance of these isolates might represent a challenge to clinical treatment.

Species distribution and antifungal susceptibilities of clinical isolates of Penicillium and Talaromyces species in China.

Morphologically identified Penicillium (n = 103) and Talaromyces marneffei (n = 8) isolates were collected from various clinical sources between 2016 and 2017 at a medical centre in Beijing, China. Identification to species level was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, ß-tubulin gene (benA) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene. Of the 111 isolates, 56 (50.5%) were identified as Penicillium spp. and 55 (49.5%) as Talaromyces spp. Eleven species of Penicillium were detected, of which Penicillium oxalicum was the commonest, accounting for 51.8% (29/56), followed by Penicillium rubens (10.7%; 6/56) and Penicillium citrinum (10.7%; 6/56). Among the 55 Talaromyces isolates, nine species were identified, with Talaromyces funiculosus (36.4%; 20/55), Talaromyces stollii (27.3%; 15/55) and Talaromyces marneffei (14.5%; 8/55) being the most common. Of note, 89.3% (50/56) of the Penicillium isolates and 98.2% (54/55) of the Talaromyces isolates exhibited growth at 37°C. The isolates were mainly recovered from patients with pulmonary disorders (56.8%; 63/111), autoimmune disease (12.6%; 14/111) and AIDS (5.4%; 6/111). The azoles and amphotericin B exhibited potent activity against T. marneffei, while various levels of activity were observed against Penicillium and other Talaromyces species The echinocandins had the lowest MECs (MEC90, ≤0.12 mg/L) against most Penicillium and Talaromyces species, with the exception of T. marneffei whose MEC90 (4 mg/L) was five or more dilutions higher than that of the other species tested. These data on the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility expand the current clinical knowledge of Penicillium and Talaromyces species.

[In vitro activity of daptomycin and other antimicrobial agents against 499 strains of gram-positive cocci causing bloodstream infection].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the in vitro activity of daptomycin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, tigecycline, ceftobiprole and linezolid against 499 strains of blood-isolated gram-positive cocci. METHODS: Determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MICs) of daptomycin with microbrothdilution method and the MICs of other 9 antimicrobial agents with agar dilution method against 499 strains of blood-isolated gram positive cocci was carried out. The data was analyzed with WHONET 5.4 software. RESULTS: The susceptibility rates of staphylococci to daptomycin, tigecycline, linezolid, ceftobiprole, vancomycin and teicoplanin were 100%. All staphylococcus strains were inhibited by daptomycin at a MIC of 1 mg/L. The MIC(50) and MIC(90) of daptomycin were both 0.5 mg/L against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus coagulase-negative (MRSCoN). Among Enterococcus spp, the highest MIC of daptomycin was 4 mg/L. The MIC(50) and MIC(90) of daptomycin were both 2 mg/L against E.faecalis, whereas they were 2 mg/L and 4 mg/L against E.faecium. One strains of linezolid-resistant E.faecalis (MIC: 8 mg/L) was susceptible to daptomycin (MIC: 1 mg/L). Three strains of E.faecium carrying vanA gene with vancomycin MICs above 32 mg/L and teicoplanin MICs also 32 mg/L were susceptible to daptomycin, tigecycline and linezolid. The MIC range of daptomycin against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus viridans was 0.032 - 0.25 mg/L and 0.125 - 1.000 mg/L separately. CONCLUSIONS: Daptomycin has excellent in vitro activity against common gram-positive pathogens isolated from blood. It may be a good choice for clinicians to treat drug-resistant gram-positive cocci.

[Resistance study of community respiratory pathogens isolated in China from 2005 to 2007].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antimicrobial resistance of community respiratory pathogens isolated in China. METHODS: The strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, S. pyogenes were isolated from patients with community-acquired respiratory tract infections at 14 Chinese hospitals from 2005 to 2007. Etest and disk diffusion methods were used to survey the susceptibility of 14 antibiotics against these strains. These antibiotics included penicillin G, ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefaclor, cefprozil, ceftriaxone, cefepime, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, clindamycin, erythromycin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT). RESULTS: A total of 1870 strains were collected including S. pneumoniae (n = 997), S. pyogenes (n = 176), H. influenzae (n = 499) and M. catarrhalis (n = 198). The 2005 - 2007 prevalence of penicillin-susceptible S. pneumoniae (PSSP) were 92.6%, 73.9%, 74.1% and penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae (PISP) 4.5%, 9.5%, 14.3% and penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) 2.9%, 16.6%, 11.6% respectively. 36.9% of S. pneumoniae strains isolated from or= 92.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial resistance in S. pneumoniae is rising. The prevalence of PNSSP isolated from children < or = 6 years old is higher than other age groups. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, cefepime, gatifloxacin and levofloxacin remain highly active against common community respiratory pathogens.

Evaluation of VITEK MS, Clin-ToF-II MS, Autof MS 1000 and VITEK 2 ANC card for identification of Bacteroides fragilis group isolates and antimicrobial susceptibilities of these isolates in a Chinese university hospital.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Bacteroides fragilis group isolates are most frequently isolated anaerobic pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of VITEK MS, Clin-ToF-II MS, Autof MS 1000 and VITEK 2 ANC card on the identification of clinical B. fragilis group isolates, as well as to determine their antimicrobial susceptibilities. METHODS: A total of 138 isolates of B. fragilis group isolates were identified with the three MALDI-TOF MS systems and VITEK 2 ANC cards. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used as the reference identification method for comparison. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by agar dilution method to 19 antimicrobial agents recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). RESULTS: Hundred thirty three isolates of Bacteroides spp. and 5 isolates of Parabacteroides spp. were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. The rates of accurate identification at species level of VITEK MS, Clin-ToF-II MS, Autof MS 1000 and VITEK 2 ANC card were 94.2%, 94.2%, 98.6% and 94.9%, respectively, while that at genus level were 99.3%, 100%, 100% and 97.8%, respectively. Metronidazole and chloramphenicol were the most susceptible agents (99.3% and 92.8%, respectively), followed by meropenem, ertapenem, imipenem and piperacillin/tazobactam to which the susceptible rates ranged from 76.8% to 79.0%. The susceptible rates to carbapenems decreased 12.4-15.3% from 2010-2013 to 2014-2017. CONCLUSION: All the four systems provided high accurate rate on the identification of B. fragilis group isolates. Metronidazole showed highest activity against these isolates. Attention should be paid to the higher resistant rates to carbapenems, clindamycin, moxifloxacin and tigecycline than the other countries.

[Molecular characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the homology and resistant mechanism of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) isolates. METHODS: A total of 9 VRE isolates were collected from 2006 to 2007 at PUMC hospital. The susceptibility of these isolates to 10 different antibiotics including vancomycin was tested by E-test. These strains were processed by brain heart infusion agar screening in the presence of vancomycin (6 microg/ml), and were analyzed for genotypic characteristics using the multiplex PCR. The homology of the isolates was determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). RESULTS: All the 9 VRE isolates were identified as Enterococci faecium. The visual analysis of PFGE patterns revealed 6 different PFGE types. The vanA gene was confirmed by PCR and sequencing in 9 VRE isolates, which were consistent between phenotype and genotype for glycopeptides resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Only vanA genotype was detected in PUMC hospital. Clonal dissemination, horizontal gene transfer, and the selective pressure of antimicrobial agents may contribute to the increase of VRE.

[Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance among nosocomial gram-negative pathogens from 15 teaching hospitals in China in 2005].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antimicrobial resistance among the nosocomial gram-negative pathogens from 15 teaching hospitals located in different areas in China in 2005. METHODS: A total of 1927 non-repetitive nosocomial gram-negative pathogens were collected from 15 teaching hospitals in different areas in China and sent to the central lab for reidentification and susceptibility testing. The levels of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 18 antimicrobial agents were determined by agar dilution method. WHONET 5.4 software was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteous mirabilis isolates that did not produce extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) showed high sensitivity to beta-lactams. The antibiotics with a susceptibility rates over 80% against the strains of Entorobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogene, Citrobacter spp, Serratia spp, and Proteous vulgaris producing AmpC enzyme included meropenem, imipenem, and piperacillin-tazobactam, and these 3 drugs showed a susceptibility rate of more than 80% against the ESBL-producing strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Other antimicrobial agents showing a relatively high activity against Enterobacter spp, Citrobacter spp, Serratia spp and Proteous vulgaris included cefepime (67.3% - 100%), amikacin (67.3% - 95.2%), ceftazidime (52.9% - 100%) and cefoperazone-sulbactam (51.9% - 100%). The susceptibility rate of fluoroquinolones was 34.8% - 36.1% against non-ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and was 13.4% - 17.1% against ESBL-producing isolates. The most active agent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was polymyxin B (95.6%). The agents with the activity rates of 70% - 80% included meropenem, imipenem, amikacin, and piperacillin-tazobactam. The antibiotic with a high susceptible rate against Acinetobacter baumannii was polymyxin B (98.3%), followed by imipenem (80.8%), meropenem (76.2%), and minocycline (67.4%). The susceptible rates of other agents were all below 60%. The agents with relatively high activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia included minocycline (85%), levofloxacin (82.5%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (77.5%). The agents with a relatively high activity against Burkholderia cepacia included minocycline (77.2%) and meropenem (61.4%). CONCLUSION: Carbapenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, amikacin and cefepime remained relatively high activity against nosocomial Enterobacteriaceae, Non-fermenting pathogens have lower susceptibility to the antimicrobial agents than before.

[Molecular mechanism of multiple-drug and pan-drug resistance among Acinetobacter species].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanism of multiple-drug and pan-drug resistance among Acinetobacter species. METHODS: Non-repetitive 90 carbapenem-resistant strains of Acinetobacter species were collected in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Fuzhou 1999-2004. The homology of the isolates was determined by both pulsed field gel electrophoresis and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA typing. Seven representative clones were selected from the 90 strains of Acinetobacter isolated from different hospitals to be used for further study. Analytical isoelectric focusing was used to measure the isoelectric point of the beta-lactamase. Plasmid DNA was extracted and purified Genes of different beta-lactamase, including bla(TEM--), bla(SHV-), bla(PER-), blaI(MP-), bla(VIM-), and bla(OXA-) genes, in these clone strains were amplified and sequenced. PCR was used to analyze the integrons. RESULTS: The P clone strain isolated during an outbreak of pan-drug-resistant Acinetobacter species in Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2004 was not susceptible to most common antimicrobial agents tested. The 7 representative clones produced multiple beta-lactamases: TEM-1, high-level AmpC, SHV-type, OXA-23 carbapenemase and IMP-8 and metalloenzyme respectively. One clone produced PER-1 enzyme. These 7 clone strains were resistant to most beta-lactams (including carbapenems), erythromycin, chloramphenicol, and rifampin. Two clone strains were susceptible to cefoperazone/sulbactam and amikacin while 4 clone strains susceptible to levofloxacin. All of the 7 clones were susceptible to minocycline and colistin. Five different integrons were found, harboring the genes mediating the resistance to aminoglycosides, rifampin, chloramphenicol, and carbapenems (bla(IMP-8)). CONCLUSION: The molecular bases of multiple-drug or pan-drug resistance in Acinetobacter species include production of OXA-23 carbapenemase or IMP type metalloenzyme and integrons with different resistance gene cassettes. Pan-drug-resistant Acinetobacter species are susceptible to old antimicrobials agents, such as colistin and minocycline.

Molecular Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Clostridium difficile Isolates from a University Teaching Hospital in China.

While the developed world has seen a significant increase in the number of scientific articles on Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), the developing world still lags behind on this subject due to limited laboratory capacity, low awareness, and limited surveillance of this problem. As such, CDI is considered a neglected but potentially huge problem in developing countries. The major aim of this study was to systemically evaluate the utility of several molecular typing tools for CDI, including their relevance in epidemiological studies in developing countries such as China. A total of 116 non-repetitive toxigenic C. difficile isolates from Chinese patients, were studied. The isolates comprised 83 (71.6%) A+B+CDT- isolates, 27 (23.3%) A-B+CDT- isolates, and 6 (5.1%) A+B+CDT+ isolates. Typing methods evaluated included multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis, PCR ribotyping, multilocus sequence typing, and sequencing of slpA and tcdC genes, which identified 113, 30, 22, 18, and 8 genotypes each and exhibited discriminatory powers of 0.999, 0.916, 0.907, 0.883, and 0.765, respectively. Compared to A+B+ strains, A-B+ strains exhibited higher prevalence of drug resistance to clindamycin, erythromycin, levofloxacin, rifampicin, rifaximin, and tetracycline. Furthermore, drug resistance rates of strains with different PCR ribotypes differed, supporting the importance of molecular typing in management and control of CDI. Based on our earlier suggestion to improve the diagnostic laboratory capacity of CDI in developing countries, setting up efficient surveillance programs complemented by relevant molecular typing methods is warranted.

Oral PSORI-CM01, a Chinese herbal formula, plus topical sequential therapy for moderate-to-severe psoriasis vulgaris: pilot study for a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To provide evidence that the Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) PSORI-CM01 combined with Western medicine reduces the relapse rate of psoriasis vulgaris (PV), we plan to conduct a large-scale randomized control trial (RCT). In order to improve and perfect the RCT, this pilot study was designed to determine the feasibility and the potential of a modified protocol for the full-scale RCT. METHODS: Eligible patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV) were enrolled into a randomized comparison in which all subjects received topical sequential therapy and PSORI-CM01 or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the relapse rate. Treatment response was computed from Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The secondary outcome measures included time to relapse, time to onset, rebound rate, PASI score, pruritus scores on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), BSA, DLQI and SF-36 (short form health survey), and incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs). RESULTS: Six of 7 (86 %) subjects reached the PASI-50 in the CHM group compared with nine of 10 (90 %) in the placebo group during the treatment period. Among the subjects who reached PASI-50, one out of six subjects (17 %) relapsed in the CHM group during the treatment period compared with six out of nine patients in the placebo group (67 %). No subjects met the rebound criteria. Changes to baseline in the PASI scores were not significantly different between the two groups (t = 1.764, P = 0.098). CONCLUSION: Oral PSORI-CM01 combined with topical sequential treatment showed a smaller recurrence rate (P = 0.118) than placebo combined with the same topical therapy for moderate-to-severe PV in this pilot study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchproj.aspx ) ChiCTR-TRC-13003233 ; date of registration: 15 April 2013.

Prevention and management of collagen copolymer phakic intraocular lens exchange: causes and surgical techniques.

PURPOSE: To analyze causes leading to explantation and exchange of Implantable Collamer Lens phakic intraocular lenses (pIOLs) and examine the surgical techniques of pIOL exchange. SETTING: Wuhan Aier Eye Hospital, Wuhan, China. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. METHODS: Different techniques were used to explant the pIOLs based on the amount of vaulting. Preoperative and postoperative data were collected to evaluate possible causes leading to pIOL exchange and the safety of pIOL exchange. RESULTS: Of 616 myopic eyes with previous pIOL implantation, 16 eyes of 15 patients having pIOL exchange were reviewed. Eight surgeries (50%) were performed because of low vaulting (≤100 µm) and another 8 (50%) because of too high vaulting (≥1000 µm). The causes leading to low vaulting included increased crystalline lens thickness (≥4.0 mm), low anterior chamber depth (ACD) (<3.1 mm), and a too-small pIOL (<12.0 mm). The high vaulting was primarily the result of oversized white-to-white (WTW) measurements with Scheimpflug pachymetry (Pentacam) or the use of a digital caliper by an unskilled examiner and of ciliary body cysts. Six months after pIOL exchange, the vaulting ranged from 162 to 715 µm. No anterior subcapsular cataracts or other complications occurred during the observation period. CONCLUSIONS: The main causes of abnormal vaulting and subsequent pIOL exchange included a thick crystalline lens, low ACD, too-small pIOL, WTW measurement error, and ciliary body cysts. Phakic IOL explantations were individually designed based on the vaulting to achieve proper safety and efficacy. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

[Infection of Penicillium marneffei].

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the etiology, pathohistology, clinical characteristic and differential diagnosis, reduce missed diagnosis and improve the early detection and treatment of Penicillium Marneffei infection, by means of this case report and literature review. METHODS: A patient hospitalized Penicillium Marneffei infection were presented here, together with 27 cases in the literature, among which 10 patients had complications of AIDS and 5 with other diseases. RESULTS: Penicillium Marneffei is a temperature-sensitive, two-phase fungus, which can infect healthy and immunocompromised subjects. The common symptoms are lymphadenopathy and infection of the lung. The infection may be local or diffuse, involving the intestinal tract, soft tissue, bone, liver, spleen and bone marrow etc. The lesion can be classified into the granuloma type, suppurative type and anergy/necrosis type histologically. The yeast-like fungus were mainly found in the cytoplasm of macrophages, which were demonstrated by PAS and Giemsa staining. The wine red color developed on the culture confirms the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of Penicillium Marneffei infection should be considered when tuberculosis is suspected but not confirmed, and if the patient has a history of having lived or traveled in Southeast Asia, is anemic or resistant to anti-tuberculosis treatment. The major differential diagnosis is histoplasmosis. Early administration of anti-fungus drugs is essential for recovery.

[Mechanism of carbapenems resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of carbapenems resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii. METHODS: WHONET-5 software was used to analyze the trend of carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii collected from 1999 to 2001 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Analytical isoelectric focusing was used to measure the pI of the beta-lactamase. Conjugation experiment was used to study the transfer of carbapenem resistance and plasmid DNA was extracted and purified with Qiagen Plasmid Mini Kit. The homology of the isolates was determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Integrase genes and blaIMP-, blaVIM-, blaOXA- genes for resistant isolates were amplified and sequenced. RESULTS: Imipenem resistance in A. baumannii was ranged from 1.8%-8.5%, but only 9 resistant isolates were viable. They were co-resistant to other carbapenems, ceftazidime, aztreonam, and gentamicin, and four isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Impipenem resistance could not be transferred to susceptible strains. No plasmid was extracted. Each isolate produced TEM-1, AmpC, and two enzymes (pI 6.7, 6.0), which can not be inhibited by cloxacillin and clavulanic acid. Each isolate had class I intergase gene. Nine isolates were all negative for PCR of blaIMP- and blaVIM- genes, but positive for blaOXA-23 specific PCR. Sequencing found 100% homology with blaOXA-23. PFGE found 3 clones (A type: 5 isolates; B type: 3 isolates; C type: 1 isolate). Control isolates (imipenem-susceptible, but ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin resistant) were also A clone. CONCLUSIONS: Production of OXA-23 carbapenemase in A. baumannii was one of the main mechanisms of carbapenems resistance at our hospital. It brings concern that imipenem-resistant clone has evoluted from nosocomial multiple-resistant strains.

A randomized controlled single-blind clinical trial on 84 outpatients with psoriasis vulgaris by auricular therapy combined with optimized Yinxieling Formula.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect of auricular therapy combined with optimized Yinxieling Formula on psoriasis vulgaris. METHODS: A randomized controlled single-blind clinical trial on 84 outpatients with psoriasis vulgaris was conducted. The patients were randomized to a treatment group (43 cases treated by auricular therapy combined with optimized Yinxieling Formula) and a control group (41 cases treated by optimized Yinxieling Formula alone) according to a random number generated by SPSS 17.0 software. The treatment duration for both groups was 8 weeks. The therapeutic effect was comprehensively measured by the primary outcome measure [Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) reduction rate] and the secondary outcome measure [PASI, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)]. The outcomes of both groups were obtained and compared before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The PASI reduction rate in the treatment group was 74.4% (32/43), which was higher than that in the control group (36.6%, 15/41, P<0.01). The PASI scores decreased in both groups after treatment and was lower in the treatment group compared with the control group P<0.01). With stratified analysis, there were significant differences between the PASI scores in the following subgroups: age 18-30, baseline PASI>10 and stable stage (P<0.05). DLQI decreased in both groups on some categories after treatment, but there were no significant differences between the two groups in SDS, SAS and VAS (P >0.05). No obvious adverse reactions were found in either group. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of auricular therapy combined with Optimized Yinxieling Formula was superior to Optimized Yinxieling Formula alone with no obvious adverse reaction.

Gene chip array for differentiation of mycobacterial species and detection of drug resistance.

BACKGROUND: Gene chip array can differentiate isolated mycobacterial strains using various mycobacterium specific probes simultaneously. Gene chip array can evaluate drug resistance to isoniazid and rifampin of tuberculosis strains by detecting drug resistance related gene mutation. This technique has great potential for clinical application. We performed a retrospective study to investigate the capability of gene chip array in the rapid differentiation of species and detection of drug resistance in mycobacterium, and to evaluate its clinical efficacy. METHODS: We selected 39 patients (54 clinical mycobacterium isolates), used gene chip array to identify the species of these isolates and detect drug resistance to isoniazid and rifampin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Meanwhile, these patients' clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among these 39 patients whose mycobacterium culture were positive, 32 patients' isolates were identified as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, all of them were clinical infection. Seven patients' isolates were identified as non-tuberculosis mycobacterium. Analyzed with their clinical data, only two patients were considered as clinical infection, both of them were diagnosed as hematogenous disseminated Mycobacterium introcellulare infection. The other five patients' isolates were of no clinical significance; their clinical samples were all respiratory specimens. Clinical manifestations of tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections were similar. Isoniazid resistance was detected in two tuberculosis patients, while rifampin resistance was detected in one tuberculosis patient; there was another patient whose Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate was resistant to both isoniazid and rifampin (belongs to multidrug resistance tuberculosis). The fact that this patient did not respond to routine anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy also confirmed this result. CONCLUSIONS: Gene chip array may be a simple, rapid, and reliable method for the identification of most mycobacterial species and detection of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is useful in diagnosis, treatment, and hospital infection control of mycobacterial infections, and it may have a great potential for clinical application.

[The correlative study on pulmonary function changes and Th1/Th2 cells & regulatory T cells in adjuvant arthritis rats].

AIM: To explore mechanism of the cytokines, Th1/Th2 cells and regulatory T cells (Treg), transcription factor Foxp3 in pulmonary function damage of the adjuvant arthritis (adjuvant arthritis, AA) rats. METHODS: 24 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC) group and model (Model) groups of 12 to the Model rats right rear paw intradermal injection of 0.1 mL Freund's complete adjuvant-induced inflammation, copied into the AA model. After 48 d inflammation were observed two groups of rat paw swelling degree (E) and the arthritis index (AI), HE staining of lung tissue pathological changes in the calculation factor of two groups of rat lung (LI), alveolitis points, the immune staining detection of Foxp3, TGF-ß1 protein expression. Through the small animal lung function detected by lung function, ELISA determination of cytokine changes in the expression of Treg by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Compared with the NC group, Model rats E, AI, LI, 1 seconds, average expiratory flow (FEV1/FVC%), pulmonary inflammation score, serum TNF-α, Th1/Th2, lung tissue TGF-ß1, CD4(+);CD25(-);T cells, the expression level was significantly higher, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01); forced vital capacity (FVC), 25% lung capacity, peak expiratory flow (FEF25), 50% vital capacity of the peak expiratory flow (FEF50), 75% lung capacity, peak expiratory flow (FEF75), maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMF), forced maximal expiratory flow (PEF), pulmonary dynamic compliance (Cldyn), serum IL-10, CD4(+);Treg, CD4(+);CD25(+);Treg, lung tissue levels of Foxp3 protein expression significantly decreased(P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis showed that, AA rats with pulmonary function parameters are E, AI, TNF-α, IL-10, Th1/Th2, and CD4(+);Treg, CD4(+);CD25(+);Treg, CD4(+);CD25(-);T cells, Foxp3, TGF-ß1 expression was relevant, and relevant statistical significance (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: After induced inflammation, antigen stimulation showed hypersensitivity reaction condition in rats, Th1/Th2 imbalance in the state, CD4(+);CD25(-);T cells into CD4(+);CD25(+);Treg blocked, the immune regulatory function of disorders, the release of a large number of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, leading to Local joint disease and lung tissue damage, which occurred AA reduced lung function.