[Investigation and analysis of airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City].

Objective: To investigate the species, concentration and seasonal trends of main airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City. Methods: The Department of allergy, Beijing Shijitan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University conducted a cross-sectional study about monitoring the airborne allergenic pollen from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022 by the gravitational method in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City, which include Yuquan District, Xincheng District, Huimin District, Saihan District, Tuoketuo County, Helingeer County, Tumotezuoqi County, Wuchuan County and Qingshuihe County. Daily pollens were counted and identified by optical microscopy, and the data were analyzed. Results: The airborne allergenic pollen was collected every month all year round in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot city. Through the whole year of the total quantity of pollens ranged from 24 850 to 50 154 grains per 1 000 mm2 and two peaks of pollen concentration in air were observed,which happened in spring (from March to May) and in summer and autumn (from July to September). In spring, the main pollens were tree pollens, which principally distributed in Populus pollen (18.29%), Ulmus pollen (8.36%), Pinus pollen (6.20%), Cupressaceae pollen (5.23%), Betulaceae pollen (2.73%), Salix pollen (1.80%) and Quercus pollen (1.16%). In summer and autumn, the main pollens were weed pollens, which mainly included Artemisia pollen (42.73%), Chenopodiaceae pollen or Amaranthaceae pollen (7.46%), Poaceae pollen (2.26%), Humulus pollen or Cannabis pollen (0.60%). Conclusion: There were two peaks of main airborne allergenic pollen in 4 districts and 5 counties of Hohhot City. In the spring peak of pollen, the main airborne pollens were tree pollens. In the summer and autumn peak of pollen, the main airborne pollens were weed pollens. The Artemisia pollen was the most major airborne pollen in this area.

[A multicentric study on clinical characteristics and antibiotic sensitivity in children with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of pediatric methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection and the antibiotic sensitivity of the isolates. Methods: The clinical data of children with MRSA infection and antibiotic sensitivity of the isolates from 11 children's hospitals in Infectious Diseases Surveillance of Paediatrics (ISPED) group of China between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 were collected retrospectively. The children's general condition, high-risk factors, antimicrobial therapy and prognosis, differences in clinical disease and laboratory test results between different age groups, and differences of antibiotic sensitivity between community-acquired (CA)-MRSA and hospital-acquired (HA)-MRSA were analyzed. The t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for statistical analysis of the quantitative data and Chi-square test were used for comparison of rates. Results: Among the 452 patients, 264 were males and 188 were females, aged from 2 days to 17 years. There were 233 cases (51.5%) in the ≤1 year old group, 79 cases (17.5%) in the>1-3 years old group, 29 cases (6.4%) in the >3-5 years old group, 65 cases (14.4%) in the >5-10 years old group, and 46 cases (10.2%) in the>10 years old group. The main distributions of onset seasons were 55 cases (12.2%) in December, 47 cases (10.4%) in February, 46 cases (10.2%) in November, 45 cases (10.0%) in January, 40 cases (8.8%) in March. There were 335 cases (74.1%) CA-MRSA and 117 (25.9%) cases HA-MRSA. Among all cases, 174 cases (38.5%) had basic diseases or long-term use of hormone and immunosuppressive drugs. During the period of hospitalization, 209 cases (46.2%) received medical interventions. There were 182 patients (40.3%) had used antibiotics (ß-lactams, glycopeptides, macrolides, carbapenems, oxazolones, sulfonamides etc) 3 months before admission. The most common clinical disease was pneumonia (203 cases), followed by skin soft-tissue infection (133 cases), sepsis (92 cases), deep tissue abscess (42 cases), osteomyelitis (40 cases), and septic arthritis (26 cases), suppurative meningitis (10 cases). The proportion of pneumonia in the ≤1 year old group was higher than the >1-3 years old group,>3-5 years old group,>5-10 years old group,>10 years old group (57.5% (134/233) vs. 30.4% (24/79), 31.0% (9/29), 38.5% (25/65), 23.9% (11/46), χ(2)=17.374, 7.293, 7.410, 17.373, all P<0.01) The proportion of skin and soft tissue infections caused by CA-MRSA infection was higher than HA-MRSA (33.4% (112/335) vs. 17.9% (21/117), χ(2)=10.010, P=0.002), and the proportion of pneumonia caused by HA-MRSA infection was higher than CA-MRSA (53.0% (62/117) vs. 42.1% (141/335), χ(2)=4.166, P=0.041). The first white blood cell count of the ≤1 year old group was higher than that children > 1 year old ((15±8)×10(9)/L vs. (13±7)×10(9)/L, t=2.697, P=0.007), while the C-reactive protein of the ≤1 year old group was lower than the 1-3 years old group,>5-10 years old group,>10 years old group (8.00 (0.04-194.00) vs.17.00 (0.50-316.00), 15.20 (0.23-312.00), 21.79(0.13-219.00) mg/L, Z=3.207, 2.044, 2.513, all P<0.05), there were no significant differences in procalcitonin (PCT) between different age groups (all P>0.05). After the treatment, 131 cases were cured, 278 cases were improved, 21 cases were not cured, 12 cases died, and 10 cases were abandoned. The 452 MRSA isolates were all sensitive to vancomycin (100.0%), linezolid (100.0%), 100.0% resistant to penicillin, highly resistant to erythromycin (85.0%, 375/441), clindamycin (67.7%, 294/434), less resistant to sulfonamides (5.9%, 23/391), levofloxacin (4.5%, 19/423), gentamicin (3.2%, 14/438), rifampicin (1.8%, 8/440), minocycline (1.1%, 1/91). The antimicrobial resistance rates were not significantly different between the CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The infection of MRSA is mainly found in infants under 3 years old. The prevalent seasons are winter and spring, and MRSA is mainly acquired in the community. The main clinical diseases are pneumonia, skin soft-tissue infection and sepsis. No MRSA isolate is resistant to vancomycin, linezolid. MRSA isolates are generally sensitive to sulfonamides, levofloxacin, gentamicin, rifampicin, minocycline, and were highly resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin. To achieve better prognosis. clinicians should initiate anti-infective treatment for children with MRSA infection according to the clinical characteristics of patients and drug sensitivity of the isolates timely and effectively.

Hypocholesterolemic effects of mixture Da Huai on experimental rats and treatment of a homozygous FH child.

This study observes the hypocholesterolemic effects of Mixture Da Huai--a drug of enhancing monocyte macrophage system--on experimental rats, and the treatment of a homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) child. The results show that TC, VLDL-C and LDL-C in Mixture Da Huai group were significantly reduced and HDL-C was significantly increased. Fractional clearance rates for 125I-GLC-LDL, and the 125I-GLD-LDL uptake of rat peritoneal macrophages were significantly increased. Excretions of total sterol and acidic sterol in feces were also increased. After treatment for 3 months, serum TC and LDL-C of a homozygous FH child were significantly decreased. Tendon and cutaneous xanthomas were limited. This study indicates that by promoting the monocyte macrophage system to degrade LDL, a promising prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis might be provided, especially in the treatment of homozygous FH.

[Use of amphotericin B-cells to detect inhibitors of cellular cholesterol biosynthesis].

A new method for detecting inhibitors of cellular cholesterol biosynthesis is reported. It was established according to the principle that amphotericin B binds sterols in the membranes of animal cells to form a complex which kills the cells. The method was simple, reliable and easy to handle. Moreover, the cost was low. Using this method, the authors had screened twenty Chinese herbs and found that Salvia miltiorrhiza and its extracts inhibit cellular cholesterol biosynthesis efficiently.