Uropathogens and clinical manifestations of pyuria-negative urinary tract infections in young infants: A single center cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Urine leukocyte count under microscopy is one of the most frequently used routine screening tests for urinary tract infection (UTI). Nevertheless, it is observed that pyuria is lacking in 10-25% of children with UTI. This study aims to determine the factors related to pyuria-negative UTI in young infants aged under four months old. METHOD: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 157 patients aged under 4 months old with UTI. All subjects had paired urinalysis and urine culture, which were collected via transurethral catheterization. According to the results of their urinalysis, the patients were then classified as UTI cases with pyuria and UTI cases without pyuria. The clinical characteristics and outcomes of both groups were analyzed. RESULT: Among the 157 UTI patients, the prevalence of pyuria-negative UTI was 44%. Significant risk factors associated with pyuria-negative UTI included non-E.coli pathogens, younger age, shorter duration of fever prior to hospital visit, lower white blood cell (WBC) count upon hospital visit, and absence of microscopic hematuria. CONCLUSIONS: We found that non-E.coli uropathogens were the strongest factor related to pyuria-negative UTI. The absence of pyuria cannot exclude the diagnosis of UTI in young infants, and it's reasonable to perform both urinalysis and urine culture as a part of the assessment of febrile or ill-looking young infants.

Neonatal outcomes in infants conceived using assisted reproductive technologies: A single medical center cohort study.

BACKGROUND: A significant rise in the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been observed, but concerns about its impact on neonatal outcomes have been considered. The aim of this retrospective cohort study is to determine the association between ART and the risk of neonatal complications and congenital anomalies within a recent time period. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled infants born after 20 weeks of gestation at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan between January 2019 and December 2021. The study population was divided into two groups: (1) ART pregnancy group and (2) natural pregnancy group. Maternal and neonatal characteristics, pregnancy complications, and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for maternal characteristics, preexisting maternal conditions, pregnancy complications, delivery methods, and infant characteristics. RESULTS: This study enrolled 1770 infants comprising 289 in the ART pregnancy group and 1481 in the natural pregnancy group. The ART pregnancy group showed higher rates of multiple births, preterm births, low birth weights, and longer hospitalization periods. In the stratified analyses that were conducted on singleton births, no significant difference was observed. In the case of multiple births, lower rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and respiratory support were observed in the ART pregnancy group. After adjusting for maternal and infant characteristics, ART was not considered a significant risk factor for adverse neonatal outcomes, including mortality, complications, and congenital anomalies. CONCLUSION: Although ART pregnancies were more likely to result in multiple births and furthermore adverse outcomes, ART itself was not associated with an increased risk of poor neonatal outcomes. By implementing measures to control the number of implanted embryos, ensuring appropriate prenatal screening, and providing comprehensive postnatal care, the risks associated with increased multiple pregnancies caused by ART may be reduced.

Risk factors for urinary tract infection in infants with unexplained hyperbilirubinemia: a single center case-control study.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a potential cause of neonatal jaundice. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of consensus regarding appropriate screening practices for UTI in infants with hyperbilirubinemia. This study aimed to analyze a group of jaundiced infants to assess the prevalence of UTI, explore potential risk factors, and examine the impact of UTI on the course and severity of neonatal jaundice. Methods: This retrospective case-control study was conducted on 150 jaundiced infants (aged < 8 weeks) without a known etiology in the hyperbilirubinemia work-up. All subjects underwent phototherapy treatment and UTI screening by catheterization. They were then classified into UTI and non-UTI groups based on urine culture results, with a positive urine culture indicating the growth of ≥10,000 colony-forming units. The clinical characteristics and jaundice-related parameters of both groups were analyzed. Results: Among the 150 jaundiced patients, the prevalence of UTI was 29%. There was a significantly higher male predominance in the UTI group, and patients with UTI also had a significantly longer duration of hospitalization compared to those without UTI. Significant risk factors associated with UTI in jaundiced infants included male gender and a peak total bilirubin level higher than 18 mg/dl during hospitalization. The most common pathogens identified in urine culture were Escherichia coli (41.9%) and Enterococcus faecalis (30.2%). Conclusion: In cases of neonatal jaundice where the underlying cause is not evident, screening for UTI should be performed, particularly when associated risk factors or inadequate response to phototherapy is present.

Harmonizing international quality standards for Andrographis paniculata: A comparative analysis of content determination methods across pharmacopeias.

The quality standards for Andrographis paniculata, a widely used medicinal herb, exhibited significant variations across different pharmacopeias. In this study, we compared the HPLC content determination methods and total lactone content of A. paniculata samples from different regions, as specified in the Chinese (CP), United States (USP), European (EP), Thai (TP), and Indian pharmacopeias (IP), as well as the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HK). We aimed to assess the differences and similarities among these pharmacopeias and harmonized international quality standards for A. paniculata. The analysis revealed variations in sample preparation, liquid chromatographic conditions, fingerprint profiles, and total lactone content among the different pharmacopeias. Specifically, the CP and HK methods exhibited superior sample preparation and chromatographic separation. Further comparing the content of 20 A. paniculata samples with the CP, USP, EP and HK methods showed consistent determinations for the same components, indicating similar detection capabilities. The discrepancies in total lactone content primarily stemmed from differences in the number and types of detected compounds. Moreover, the acceptance criteria exhibited a stringency in the order CP > HK > EP > USP. In conclusion, this comparison analysis of content determination in CP, USP, HK, EP, TP and IP provided a scientific foundation for the international standardization and trade regulations of A. paniculata. It also served as a valuable reference for the development of international quality standards for other medicinal herbs, facilitating the harmonization of global pharmaceutical standards.

Dynamic photoelectrical regulation of ECM protein and cellular behaviors.

Dynamic regulation of cell-extracellular matrix (ECM)-material interactions is crucial for various biomedical applications. In this study, a light-activated molecular switch for the modulation of cell attachment/detachment behaviors was established on monolayer graphene (Gr)/n-type Silicon substrates (Gr/Si). Initiated by light illumination at the Gr/Si interface, pre-adsorbed proteins (bovine serum albumin, ECM proteins collagen-1, and fibronectin) underwent protonation to achieve negative charge transfer to Gr films (n-doping) through π-π interactions. This n-doping process stimulated the conformational switches of ECM proteins. The structural alterations in these ECM interactors significantly reduced the specificity of the cell surface receptor-ligand interaction (e.g., integrin recognition), leading to dynamic regulation of cell adhesion and eventual cell detachment. RNA-sequencing results revealed that the detached bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cell sheets from the Gr/Si system manifested regulated immunoregulatory properties and enhanced osteogenic differentiation, implying their potential application in bone tissue regeneration. This work not only provides a fast and feasible method for controllable cells/cell sheets harvesting but also gives new insights into the understanding of cell-ECM-material communications.

Molecular docking assisted exploration on solubilization of poorly soluble drug remdesivir in sulfobutyl ether-tycyclodextrin.

Objective: To study structure-specific solubilization effect of Sulfobutyl ether-ß-cyclodextrin (SBE-ß-CD) on Remdesivir (RDV) and to understand the experimental clathration with the aid of quantum mechanics (QM), molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) calculations. Methods: The experiment was carried out by phase solubility method at various pH and temperatures, while the concentration of Remdesivir in the solution was determined by HPLC. The complexation mechanism and the pH dependence of drug loading were investigated following a novel procedure combining QM, MD and molecular docking, based on accurate pKa predictions. Results: The phase solubility and solubilization effect of RDV in SBE-ß-CD were explored kinetically and thermodynamically for each assessed condition. An optimal drug / SBE-ß-CD feeding molar ratio was determined stoichiometrically for RDV solubility in pH1.7 solution. The supersaturated solubility was examined over time after pH of the solution was adjusted from 1.7 to 3.5. A possible hypothesis was raised to elucidate the experimentally observed stabilization of supersaturation based on the proposed RDV Cation A /SBE-ß-CD pocket conformations. Conclusion: The computational explorations conformed to the experimentally determined phase solubilization and well elucidated the mechanism of macroscopic clathration between RDV and SBE-ß-CD from the perspective of microscopic molecular calculations.

Effect of socioeconomic status on survival in patients on the Diabetes Shared Care Program: Finding from a Taiwan nationwide cohort.

BACKGROUND: The Diabetes Shared Care Program (DSCP) is an integrated care model in Taiwan to improve the care quality of patients with diabetes. Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the important factors affecting health, and it is confirmed as a predictor of various diseases and deaths.This study aimed to determine the relationship between survival rate and SES among patients who participated in the DSCP. METHODS: A cohort population-based study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan from 2008 to 2013. The study subjects were type 2 diabetes. We defined individual SES and neighborhood SES by each patient's job category and household income, which were characterized as advantaged or disadvantaged. Then we compared the survival rates of SES groups by Cox proportional hazards model to adjust risk factors. RESULTS: This study included 16 614 patients with type 2 diabetes who participated in the DSCP program. The DSCP cohort showed a high hospitalization rate in low individual SES. In terms of 10-year overall survival, DSCP participants with high individual SES living in advantaged and disadvantaged neighborhoods had lower risk of mortality than those with low SES living in advantaged and disadvantaged neighborhoods, after adjustment for age and comorbidity. DSCP participants with low individual SES living in disadvantaged neighborhoods had no significant difference of mortality as those with low individual SES living in advantaged neighborhoods. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that low individual SES, but not neighborhood SES, was associated with an increased mortality rate among DSCP participants.

Rapid biosynthesis of fluorescent CdSe QDs in Bacillus licheniformis and correlative bacterial antibiotic change assess during the process.

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) were biosynthesized rapidly in 18 h in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 11946 (B. licheniformis); this process benefited from the cellular machinery of bacteria metal metabolism, in which inorganic Na2 SeO3 and CdCl2 were chosen as raw materials to produce high quality CdSe QDs by a designed two-step protocol. Research outcomes demonstrated that the purified CdSe QDs possessed maximum fluorescence intensities at weak alkalinity solutions and had good fluorescence stabilities at 4°C as well as at room temperature after standing for 1 week. Glutathione (GSH) concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) content, both of which were reported to be greatly related to biosynthetic activities in some bacterial matrices, were monitored during the biosynthetic process in B. licheniformis. Bacterial resistance research further showed that the change in rates in bacterial inhibition zone diameter to seven different antibiotics was less than 9% after B. licheniformis was used to manufacture CdSe QDs, showing a relative lower environmental risk in short-term heavy metal exposure.

Draft Genome Sequence of Serratia marcescens Strain ZZCCN01, Isolated from the Cardiac Blood of a Beef Cow.

Serratia marcescens strain ZZCCN01 was isolated from the cardiac blood of a dead beef cow with a lung infection and a foam-like secretion from the nostril. Here, we introduce the 5.1-Mb draft genome sequence, which comprises 105 scaffolds, and the corresponding annotation.

Seladelicatulasine A-G, C27 steroidal glycosides with cholinesterase inhibitory activities from Selaginella delicatula.

Seven undescribed C27 steroidal glycosides, Seladelicatulasine A-G, including six cholestanol glycosides and one spirostanol glycoside, were isolated from Selaginella delicatula. Their structures were elucidated by 1D/2D NMR spectra and HRESIMS analyses. The absolute configurations of the sugars were determined by enzymatic hydrolysis and GC/MS analyses. These cholestanol glycosides were isolated from the family Selaginellaceae for the first time. Seladelicatulasine F is characterized as a rare B-5,6-secosteroid. In addition, all the compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against cholinesterase (AChE/BChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO-A/MAO-B). These steroidal glycosides displayed selective inhibition activities on cholinesterase. Seladelicatulasine A, B and E inhibited the AChE activity with IC50 values of 0.31, 0.09, and 0.04 µM, respectively. Seladelicatulasine A and F showed the strongest inhibition activity on BChE with IC50 values of 0.37 and 0.65 µM, respectively.

Asymptomatic long-segmental type A aortic dissection diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography: A case report and literature review.

Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening disease. Patients usually experience severe pain in the chest, back, or abdomen, but some patients report a variety of other symptoms without pain. Completely asymptomatic AD is sporadic and probably under-recognized. The present study aimed to (a) report an extremely rare case of asymptomatic long-segmental type A AD, wherein exaggeratedly low diastolic blood pressure and broad pulse pressure were the primary signs, and (b) summarize the clinical characteristics of asymptomatic AD through the literature review.

[Current quality standards of Andrographis Herba of different countries and regions].

Andrographis Herba is a commonly used plant medicine, and has been recorded in pharmacopeias of different countries. However, there are some differences in the quality standards. Based on this, this paper compare the quality standards of Andrographis Herba between Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, United States Pharmacopoeia, European Pharmacopoeia and Indian Pharmacopoeia, including origin, botanical characteristics, identification(microscopic identification and chromatographic identification), content determination, specific test(such as impurities, loss on drying, extractives, pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and other items) and storage requirements, so as to provide a reference for studying international quality standards of Andrographis.

Binding, selectivity and sequence recognition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 to oligopeptides.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Pictalignans D-F, three new neolignan derivatives from Selaginella picta.

Three new neolignan derivatives (1-3), together with three known isolariciresinol derivatives (4-6) were isolated from Selaginella picta. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods (1D/2D NMR, HRESIMS and CD). All isolated compounds were assayed on the neuroprotective activity against the injury of HT-22 cells induced by L-Glutamate in vitro. All compounds displayed potent protective effect on HT-22 cells.

All-Factor Analysis and Correlations on the Transmembrane Process for Arginine-Rich Cell-Penetrating Peptides.

Currently, arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), due to their little cytotoxicity and high transmembrane efficiency, are considered as one of the important intracellular carriers. Although the mechanism of the transmembrane process for arginine-rich CPPs was proposed, the quantitative correlations and the key factors involved in this process still deserve further investigation. In this study, all-atom molecular dynamics and the umbrella sampling technique were employed to study the arginine-rich CPPs transmembrane process. In the adsorption process of CPPs from solution to the surface of the lipid bilayer, the adsorption free energy (ΔGA) is found to be linearly related to the interaction energy change (ΔEA): ΔGA = 0.0426ΔEA + 36.7, R2 = 0.92. In the CPPs transmembrane process, the transmembrane free energy barrier (ΔGB) is roughly correlated with the corresponding interaction energy change (ΔEB): ΔGB = 0.108ΔEB +135, R2 = 0.73. The multiple salt bridges of guanidinium-PO4 account for 65% of the overall interaction energy, so the increased negative charges of the lipid bilayer or more salt bridges would facilitate CPPs adsorption and transmembrane processes. Also, the increased negative charges of the lipid bilayer would reduce the amount of water to be carried into the pore and further reduce the ΔGB. The peptide backbone would not have a direct impact on transmembrane efficiency. The ΔGB is also found to be related to the length of the pore (L): ΔGB = 46.2L - 31.3, R2 = 0.92, which makes the transmembrane efficiency estimable. This work is expected to deliver an in-depth understanding and help the optimization of CPPs.

Periodic surface structures on dielectrics upon femtosecond laser pulses irradiation.

The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on two different dielectrics of K9 glass and fused silica upon irradiation in ambient conditions and in vacuum with multiple femtosecond (fs) laser pulse sequences at different pulse durations (35 fs, 260 fs, and 500 fs) was studied experimentally. Three types of LIPSS, so-called high-spatial-frequency LIPSS (HSFL), low-spatial-frequency LIPSS (LSFL), and supra-wavelength periodic surface structures (SWPSS) with different spatial periods and orientations were identified. The appearance was characterized with respect to the experimental parameters of laser fluence and number of laser pulses per spot. The crater morphologies - including nanoripples, periodic microgrooves, quasiperiodic microspikes, and central smooth zone - were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The supra-wavelength structures exhibit periodicities, which are markedly, even multiple times, higher than the laser excitation wavelength. The SWPSS were formed with a broader range of laser fluences, upon the longer laser pulse durations (260 fs and 500 fs) and/or on the lower band-gap dielectrics (K9 glass), due to the deeper effective light penetration depths and thicker viscous surface layers formation. The HSFL were observed on the higher band-gap dielectrics (fused silica) and within a certain narrow laser parameter window. The formation mechanisms of LIPSS were also discussed.

Inhibitory effects of CuInS2 and CdTe nanoparticles on macrophage cytokine production and phagocytosis in vitro.

Macrophages eliminate and destroy invading bacteria and contaminants by engulfing them or secreting cytokines that trigger downstream immune responses. Consequently, impairment of the phagocytic functions of macrophages and/or suppressing their cytokine secretion are dangerous to organisms that rely on immune protection. Accordingly, exposure to environmental nanoparticles (NPs) that display immunomodulatory properties are serious. In this work, two types of NPs, i.e., mild-toxicity CuInS2 NPs and high-toxicity CdTe NPs, were used to evaluate the effects of NP exposure for macrophages. Following incubation for 24 h, THP-1-derived macrophage viability was assessed using an MTT method after exposing the THP-1 cells to different concentrations of CuInS2 or CdTe NPs. Phagocytosis assays demonstrated that both CuInS2 and CdTe NPs impair phagocytic activity toward Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). After pretreatment with CuInS2 and CdTe NPs at 4 µmol/L, THP-1 macrophages exhibited decreases in phagocytic ratio from ca. 32.9% to ca. 18.5% and 18.7%, respectively. Since the zeta potentials of intact and weathered CuInS2 NPs were distributed over a wide range from positive to negative, large quantities of intact and weathered CuInS2 NPs bore sufficient positive charge on their surfaces to induce membrane depolarization, thus theoretically providing electrostatic forces between S. aureus and THP-1, which could induce downstream intracellular events that increase phagocytosis. However, real time polymerase chain reaction arrays revealed that transcription of the pro-inflammatory factors IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α decreased while that of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 increased after treatment with CuInS2 NPs. Furthermore, transcription of TNF-α decreased while IL-10 increased after treatment with CdTe NPs. Thus, both kinds of NPs inhibited phagocytosis of S. aureus by THP-1 to some extent, confirming that immunosuppression can occur when macrophages are exposed to environmental NPs.

Cytotoxic Prenylated Xanthones from the Leaves of Garcinia bracteata.

Six new prenylated xanthones (1: -6: ) and seventeen known xanthones were isolated from extracts of Garcinia bracteata leaves. Their structures were determined by extensive NMR and MS spectroscopic data analysis. The inhibitory activities of the isolates were assayed on HeLa, A549, PC-3, HT-29, and WPMY-1 cell lines. Compounds 1: and 15: -17: showed moderate inhibitory effects on tumor cell growth, with IC50s ranging from 3.7 to 14.7 µM.

CdSe quantum dots labeled Staphylococcus aureus for research studies of THP-1 derived macrophage phagocytic behavior.

A simple biological strategy to couple intracellular irrelated biochemical reactions of staphylococcus aureus CMCC 26003 (S. aureus) with inorganic metal ions to synthesize cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) was demonstrated. Correspondingly, S. aureus as living matrices are internally generated and labeled with fluorescent QDs by the smart strategy. Several key factors in the process of biosynthesis were systematically evaluated. At the same time, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), photo-luminescence (PL), inverted fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to study the characters of the as produced CdSe QDs. In addition, cytotoxicity and photostability of the QDs containing bacteria were also tested and evaluated as a whole. The results showed that intracellular CdSe nanocrystals had successfully formed in S. aureus living cells, which were less toxic, highly fluorescent and photostable. These fluorescent S. aureus bacteria were next applied as invading pathogens as well as fluorescent bioprobes for exploring the phagocytic behavior of THP-1-derived macrophage. Results proved that internal CdSe QDs labeling had no significantly adverse effects compared with the kind of infection reference, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) stained S. aureus pathogen. Assuredly, the methods presented here provide researchers with a useful option to analyze the behavior of S. aureus as a type of infectious pathogen, which would also help understand the complex interplay between host cells and the invading bacteria on molecular level.