Exploring the correlation of metabolites changes and microbial succession in solid-state fermentation of Sichuan Sun-dried vinegar.

BACKGROUND: The traditional Sichuan Sun-dried vinegar (SSV) with unique flavor and taste is believed to be generated by the solid-state fermentation craft. However, how microorganisms and their metabolites change along with fermentation has not yet been explored. RESULTS: In this study, our results demonstrated that the middle and late stages of SSV fermentation were the periods showing the largest accumulation of organic acids and amino acids. Furthermore, in the bacterial community, the highest average relative abundance was Lactobacillus (ranging from 37.55 to 92.50%) in all fermentation stages, while Acetobacters ranked second position (ranging from 20.15 to 0.55%). The number of culturable lactic acid bacteria is also increased during fermentation process (ranging from 3.93 to 8.31 CFU/g). In fungal community, Alternaria (29.42%), Issatchenkia (37.56%) and Zygosaccharomyces (69.24%) were most abundant in different fermentation stages, respectively. Interestingly, Zygosaccharomyces, Schwanniomyces and Issatchenkia were first noticed as the dominant yeast genera in vinegar fermentation process. Additionally, spearman correlation coefficients exhibited that Lactobacillus, Zygosaccharomyces and Schwanniomyces were significant correlation with most metabolites during the fermentation, implying that these microorganisms might make a significant contribution to the flavor formation of SSV. CONCLUSION: The unique flavor of SSV is mainly produced by the core microorganisms (Lactobacillus, Zygosaccharomyces and Schwanniomyces) during fermentation. This study will provide detailed information related to the structure of microorganism and correlation between changes in metabolites and microbial succession in SSV. And it will be very helpful for proposing a potential approach to monitor the traditional fermentation process.

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Osteoclastogenesis Activities of Different Kinds of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Seed Oil in Vitro.

Our previous study has exhibited that one kind of Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed oil (ZSO), extracted from Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed, had inhibitory effects on osteoclastogenesis. However, the anti-osteoclastogenesis activities of different kinds of ZSO are scarcely reported. Since inflammation is related to bone loss and osteoporosis, in this study, three kinds of ZSO, Zanthoxylum schinifolium Siebold et Zucc seed oil (ZSSO), Zanthoxylum armatum DC. seed oil (ZDSO) and Zanthoxylum bungeanum maximum seed oil (ZBSO), were obtained with Soxhlet extraction and their fatty acid constituents were detected by GC-FID. RAW264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to evaluate the inhibitory effects of three kinds of ZSO on inflammation via detecting the expression levels of inflammatory factors by RT-qPCR. Moreover, RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis was applied to demonstrate the anti-osteoclastogenesis activities of them through tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and RT-qPCR. The GC-FID results exhibited that the highest constituent in ZSSO and ZDSO was oleic acid (OA) and palmitoleic acid (PLA), respectively. While linoleic acid (LA) and α-Linolenic acid (ALA) in ZBSO were dominant. At the concentration of 0.5 µL/mL, all three kinds of ZSO could decrease the expression levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) in LPS-induced macrophages. At the concentration of 0.25 µL/mL, only ZSSO could decrease the expression levels of iNOS and COX-2, which implied the inhibitory effects of ZSSO were stronger than other ZSOs. The number of RANKL-induced osteoclasts and the expressions of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), TNF-α and IL-6 in the cells were decreased after being treated with ZSOs at the concentration of 0.5 µL/mL, while the number of RANKL-induced osteoclasts after treated with ZBSO were less than those treated with other ZSOs, this indicated that the anti-osteoclastogenesis effect of ZBSO were stronger than other ZSOs. In conclusion, the fatty acid compositions of three major kinds of ZSO were compared and the content of unsaturated fatty acids especially ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in ZBSO were the highest among them. All ZSOs tested had anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoclastogenesis activities. And their anti-osteoclastogenesis effects might be related to the suppression of the NF-κB pathway.

Drug resistance characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates obtained between 2018 and 2020 in Sichuan, China.

We investigated the drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, and those diagnosed with only TB in Sichuan, China. TB isolates were obtained from January 2018 to December 2020 and subjected to drug susceptibility testing (DST) to 11 anti-TB drugs and to GeneXpert MTB/RIF testing. The overall proportion of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) isolates was 32.1% (n = 10 946). HIV testing was not universally available for outpatient TB cases, only 29.5% (3227/10 946) cases had HIV testing results. The observed proportion of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) isolates was almost double than that of the national level, with approximately 1.5% and 0.1% of the isolates being extensively drug resistant and universally drug resistant, respectively. The proportions of resistant isolates were generally higher in 2018 and 2019 than in 2020. Furthermore, the sensitivities of GeneXpert during 2018-2020 demonstrated a downward trend (80.9, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 76.8-85.0; 80.2, 95% CI 76.4-84.1 and 75.4, 95% CI 70.7-80.2, respectively). Approximately 69.0% (7557/10 946) of the TB cases with DST results were subjected to GeneXpert detection. Overall, the DR-TB status and the use of GeneXpert in Sichuan have improved, but DR-TB challenges remain. HIV testing for all TB cases is recommended.

High-altitude exposure decreases bone mineral density and its relationship with gut microbiota: Results from the China multi-ethnic cohort (CMEC) study.

BACKGROUND: Geographic altitude is a potent environmental factor for human microbiota and bone mineral density. However, little evidence exists in population-based studies with altitude diversity ranges across more than 3000 m. This study assessed the associations between a wide range of altitudes and bone mineral density, as well as the potential mediating role of microbiota in this relationship. METHODS: A total of 99,556 participants from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study were enrolled. The altitude of each participant was extracted from global Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 4 data. Bone mineral density was measured by calcaneus quantitative ultrasound index (QUI). Stool samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing (n = 1384). The metabolites of gut microbiota, seven kinds of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS, n = 128). After screening, 73,974 participants were selected for the "altitude-QUI" analysis and they were placed into the low-altitude (LA) and high-altitude (HA) groups. Additionally, a subgroup (n = 1384) was further selected for the "altitude-microbiota-QUI" analysis. Multivariate linear regression models and mediation analyses were conducted among participants. RESULTS: A significant negative association between high-altitude and QUI was obtained (mean difference = -0.373 standard deviation [SD], 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.389, -0.358, n = 73,974). The same negative association was also observed in the population with microbiota data (mean difference = -0.185 SD, 95%CI: -0.360, -0.010, n = 1384), and a significant mediating effect of Catenibacteriumon on the association between altitude and QUI (proportion mediated = 25.2%, P = 0.038) was also noticed. Additionally, the acetic acid, butyric acid, and total amount of seven SCFAs of the low-altitude group were significantly higher than that of the high-altitude group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: High-altitude exposure may decrease bone mineral density in adults, thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis. The modulation of gut microbiota may be a potential strategy for alleviating the decrease of bone mineral density.

Distinct genetic subtypes of adiposity and glycemic changes in response to weight-loss diet intervention: the POUNDS Lost trial.

PURPOSE: Obesity is a heterogeneous condition and distinct adiposity subtypes may differentially affect type 2 diabetes risk. We assessed relations between genetically determined subtypes of adiposity and changes in glycemic traits in a dietary intervention trial. METHODS: The four genetic subtypes of adiposity including waist-hip ratio-increase only (WHRonly+), body mass index-increase only (BMIonly+), WHR-increase and BMI-increase (BMI+WHR+), and WHR-decrease and BMI-increase (BMI+WHR-) were assessed by polygenetic scores (PGSs), calculated based on 159 single nucleotide polymorphisms related to BMI and/or WHR. We examined the associations between the four PGSs and changes in fasting glucose, insulin, ß-cell function (HOMA-B) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in 692 overweight participants (84% white Americans) who were randomly assigned to one of four weight-loss diets in a 2-year intervention trial. RESULTS: Higher BMI+WHR-PGS was associated with a greater decrease in 2-year changes in waist circumference in white participants (P = 0.002). We also found significant interactions between WHRonly+PGS and dietary protein in 2-year changes in fasting glucose and HOMA-B (P = 0.0007 and < 0.0001, respectively). When consuming an average-protein diet, participants with higher WHRonly+PGS showed less increased fasting glucose (ß = - 0.46, P = 0.006) and less reduction in HOMA-B (ß = 0.02, P = 0.005) compared with lower WHRonly+PGS. Conversely, eating high-protein diet was associated with less decreased HOMA-B among individuals with lower than higher WHRonly+PGS (ß = - 0.02, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Distinct genetically determined adiposity subtypes may differentially modify the effects of weight-loss diets on improving glucose metabolism in white Americans. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00072995.

Comparative Study of Oral Bacteria and Fungi Microbiota in Tibetan and Chinese Han Living at Different Altitude.

Knowledge about the impact of altitude and ethnicity on human oral microbiota is currently limited. To obtain the baseline of normal salivary microbiota, we analyzed the bacteria and fungi composition in Tibetan (HY group) and Han population (CD group) living at different altitudes by using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology combined with PICRUSt and FUNGuild analyses. There were significant differences in oral microbiota composition between the two groups at phylum and genus levels. At the phylum level, the HY group had higher relative abundances of Firmicutes and Ascomycota, whereas the Bacteroidetes and Basidiomycota in the CD group were richer. These changes at the phylum level reflected different dominant genus compositions. Compared with the Han population, Candida, Fusarium, Zopfiella, Streptococcus, Veillonella and Rothia in Tibetan were higher. Surprisingly, the Zopfiella was found almost exclusively in the Tibetan. The PICRUSt and FUNGuild analysis also indicated that the function of the bacterial and fungal communities was altered between the two groups. In conclusion, our results suggest that there are significant differences in oral microbial structure and metabolic characteristics and trophic modes among Tibetan and Han population living at different altitudes. We first established the oral microbiota framework and represented a critical step for determining the diversity of oral microbiota in the Tibetan and Han population.

[Respiratory Tract Infection Pathogen Spectrum Study of 376 Pneumoconiosis Inpatients in Chengdu].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of infections caused by respiratory pathogens and the patterns of infections caused by pathogens in different seasons, age groups and stages of pneumoconiosis so as to explore the pathogen spectrum of respiratory tract infections in pneumoconiosis patients. METHODS: The sputum samples of 376 pneumoconiosis patients admitted to an occupational disease hospital in Chengdu between January, 2017 and October, 2019 were collected. Clinical information of the patients was collected and lab tests were conducted to check for 23 kinds of common respiratory viruses, bacteria and fungi in the sputum. The relationship between seasons, ages, and different stages of pneumoconiosis and the pathogen detection rate was analyzed. RESULTS: In the 376 sputum samples, the detection rates of pathogens, viruses, bacteria and fungi were 42.29% (159/376), 32.98% (124/376), 9.57% (36/376) and 6.12% (23/376), respectively. The six pathogens with the highest detection rates were parainfluenza virus, rhinovirus, influenza virus, Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida krousei. The severity of respiratory tract infection did not show significant difference in different seasons, age groups, and pneumoconiosis stages. CONCLUSION: The pathogen spectrum of respiratory tract infections in patients with pneumoconiosis is complicated and the proportion of viral infection is high. However, the severity of the infection is not associated with age, seasonal, or pneumoconiosis staging differences.

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Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most common pathogens in human beings and it is responsible for diseases such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and even gastric cancer. Studies in recent years have found that H. Pylori could transform from the normal spiral-shaped bacillary form into the coccoid form and enter a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, which may pose a potential threat to public health. In this state,the morphological structure and physiological characteristics of H. Pylori have changed. It can maintain the metabolic activity but protein expression is decreased. And the H. Pylori in this state cannot grow in the culture medium. Conditions such as environmental factors, antibiotics, and inhibitors can induce H. Pylori to enter the VBNC state, but it is still not known whether H. pylori in the VBNC state can reactivate or not. Based on the cell membrane integrity and metabolic activity of H. pylori in the VBNC state, it can be detected by classical methods including direct microscopy of live bacteria and molecular biological methods such as reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. H. pylori in the VBNC state has been detected in water source and biological media. It has been also found that H. pylori can enter the VBNC state in artificially contaminated food, which poses challenges to public health and food safety. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the change pattern and detection methods of H. pylori in the VBNC state for the prevention and control of H. pylori in the VBNC state. It is valuable to further study the underlying mechanisms of H. pylori in the VBNC state.

Dynamics of physicochemical factors and microbial communities during ripening fermentation of Pixian Doubanjiang, a typical condiment in Chinese cuisine.

As the spirit of Chinese Sichuan cuisine, Pixian Doubanjiang (DBJ) is an indispensable flavor condiment and has been widely used for centuries, which is made from red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), meju and brine after open ripening fermentation. In this study, the physicochemical factors including pH value, titratable acidity, moisture, organic acids, free amino acids and volatile components etc., were identified; the compositions of microbial communities and representative microbiota were investigated; the correlations between physicochemical factors and representative microbial taxa were analyzed, at different ripening stages. The results indicated that the organic acids were all relatively stable starting from the 12th month; most of the free amino acids (17/20) reached the peak concentrations at the 6th month and 28 volatile components were considered as major odorant flavors in DBJ. Zygosaccharomyces rouxii could be the key microorganism associated with 10 volatile components to the maturing of DBJ flavor. The comprehensive analysis on the physicochemical changes related to the succession of microbiota is expected to help us understand the maturing of the taste and flavor in DBJ production.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

The present study provides an overview of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak which has rapidly extended globally within a short period. COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2). SARS-CoV-2 is different from usual coronaviruses responsible for mild sickness such as common cold among human beings. It is crucial to understand the impact and outcome of this pandemic. We therefore overview the changes in the curves of COVID-19 confirmed cases and fatality rate in China and outside of China from 31st of December 2019 to 25th of March 2020. We also aimed to assess the temporal developments and death rate of COVID-19 in China and worldwide. More than 414,179 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 197 countries, including 81,848 cases in China and 332,331 outside of China. Furthermore, 18,440 infected patients died from COVID-19 infection; 3,287 cases were from China and 15,153 fatalities were reported worldwide. Among the worldwide infected cases, 113,802 patients have been recovered and discharged from different hospitals. Effective prevention and control measures should be taken to control the disease. The presented Chinese model (protocol) of disease prevention and control could be utilized in order to curb the pandemic situation.

Expression of the VP1 protein of FMDV integrated chromosomally with mutant Listeria monocytogenes strain induced both humoral and cellular immune responses.

Live vector-based vaccine is a modern approach to overcome the drawbacks of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines such as improper inactivation during manufacture. Listeria monocytogenes (LM), an intracellular microorganism with immune-stimulatory properties, is appropriate to be utilized as a live bacterial vaccine vector. FMDV-VP1 protein has the capability to induce both cellular and humoral immune responses since it is considered the most immunogenic part of FMDV capsid and has the most of antigenic sites for viral neutralization. The codon-optimized vp1 gene was ligated to the integrative pCW702 plasmid to construct the target cassette. The antigen cassette was integrated successfully into the chromosome of mutant LM strain via homologous recombination for more stability to generate a candidate vaccine strain LM△actAplcB-vp1. Safety evaluation of recombinant LM△actAplcB-vp1 revealed it could be eliminated from the internal organs within 3 days as a safe candidate vaccine. Mice groups were immunized I.V. twice with the recombinant LM△actAplcB-vp1 at an interval of 2 weeks. Antigen-specific IgG antibodies and the level of CD4+- and CD8+-specific secreted cytokines were estimated to evaluate the immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine. The rapid onset immune response was detected, strong IgG humoral immune response within 14 days post immunization and augmented again after the booster dose. Cellular immunity data after 9 days post the prime dose indicated elevation in CD4+ and CD8+ secreted cytokine level with another elevation after the booster dose. This is the first report to explain the ability of attenuated mutant LM to be a promising live vector for FMDV vaccine.

Prevalence of HIV-1 Drug Resistance among Patients with Antiretroviral Therapy Failure in Sichuan, China, 2010-2016.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been introduced recently and has significantly impacted morbidity and mortality, but can also engender drug resistance. To identify the prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) among patients with antiretroviral therapy failure in Sichuan during the period from 2010 to 2016, we carried out a longitudinal study in Sichuan, a province with the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in China. The data and blood samples were collected from HIV/AIDS patients who received ART for more than half a year. Overall 5,512 sequences were completed from 7,059 ART-failure patients, and 2,499 individuals were identified as drug resistant. Among those with HIVDR mutations identified, 25.37% were against non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and 1.60% was against nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). NRTI-resistant drugs were mainly lamivudine (3TC) (57.77%) and emtricitabine (FTC), while NNRTI-resistant drugs were mainly nevirapine (NVP) (91.13%) and efavirenz (EFV) (72.81%). The most common recombination subtypes of HIV-1 in sequenced samples were CRF07_BC (circulating recombinant form, CRF) (41.42%), followed by CRF01_AE (40.77%). Moreover, drug resistance rate increased with the prolongation of treatment time (χ2 = 14.758, P < 0.05). The overall prevalence of acquired drug resistance in HIV-1 infected patients in Sichuan was 5.47%, which has remained relatively stable from 2010 to 2016. HIV-1 CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC subtypes were the main epidemic strains, and the possibility of resistance was higher in CRF01_AE subtypes. The current study highlights the importance of acquired drug resistance surveillance over a long period.

[Identification of the Strain Which Highly Produces Protease and ß-D-glucosidase Isolated from Shuidouchi Produced in Sichuan and Evaluating Its Ability of Producing Protease].

OBJECTIVE: To select and identify the bacterium which highly produces protease and ß-D-glucosidase from 72 strains of Shuidouchi from Sichuan, and to provide evidence for further research on its nutritional value and fermentation strain exploiting. METHODS: Casein degradation test and pNPG chemical test were applied respectively to detect the capacity to produce protease and ß-D-glucosidase of each strain. Characteristics of morphology, biochemistry, 16S rRNA and MALDI-TOF-MS were used to identify the fermentation strain, which genetic stability, curves of growth and enzyme producing were also obtained. RESULTS: The strain with the highest enzyme activity of ß-D-glucosidase (0.084 U/L) among the top 10 strains for producing protease was selected as the fermentation strain and was identified as Bacillus subtilis, which curves of growth and enzyme producing conformed as well. The result of genetic stability showed that capacity of enzyme producing was stable until the 10th generation. CONCLUSIONS: The fermentation strain which highly produced protease and ß-D-glucosidase was selected from 72 strains of shuidouchi from Sichuan and was identified as Bacillus subtilis.

The drug tolerant persisters of Riemerella anatipestifer can be eradicated by a combination of two or three antibiotics.

BACKGROUND: Riemerella anatipestifer (RA), the causative agent of duck infectious serositis, leads to high mortality in duck flocks and great economic losses in duck industry. Previous studies on RA are largely focused on its detection, virulence factors, serology, epidemiology as well as antibiotic resistance. Neither drug tolerant persisters nor the persister level under the treatment of antibiotics has been revealed. The persisters are non-growing or dormant cells within an isogenic bacterial population; they play important roles in recurrent infection and formation of drug resistant mutants. The aim of this study is to detect the drug tolerant persisters from the exponentially grown population of RA reference strain (RA 11845) or RA clinical isolate (RA TQ3), and address whether a single antibiotic or a combination of two or three antimicrobials can eradicate the persisters at respective maximum serum/plasma concentration (Cmax). RESULT: With the concentration of a test antibiotic increased, a small fraction of cells in the exponentially grown culture of RA reference strain (RA 11845) or RA clinical isolate (RA TQ3) always survived, irrespective of treatment time, indicating the presence of drug tolerant presisters. A single antibiotic cannot eradicate the persisters of both RA strains at respective Cmax, except that the Cmax of ceftiofur wiped out the population of the reference strain (RA 11845). Besides, the clinical isolate RA TQ3 presented a higher tolerance to ceftiofur in comparison to that of the reference strain (RA 11845). Combination of any two or three antimicrobials eliminated the drug tolerant persisters of RA TQ3 completely at respective Cmax. CONCLUSION: A sub-community of drug tolerant persisters was present in RA population. Persisters of RA TQ3 are single drug tolerant and not multidrug tolerant persisters.

Prevalence and clinical profile of rotavirus A infection among diarrhoeal children and phylogenetic analysis with vaccine strains in Chengdu, West China, 2009-2014.

OBJECTIVES: Rotaviruses are the most common cause of severe diarrhoeal disease in young children. However, little is known about the epidemiological and clinical profile of rotavirus A (RVA) in diarrhoeal children or the efficacy of Lanzhou lamb rotavirus vaccine (LLR) in Chengdu, China. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical profile of RVA in diarrhoeal children and provide gene analysis information for RVA vaccination programmes. METHODS: A total of 1121 faecal samples were collected from outpatient children with diarrhoea between 2009 and 2014. RT-PCR was performed to detect RVA infection and other gastroenteritis viruses. VP4 and VP7 genes of 13 RVA strains were sequenced to compare their similarity with vaccine strains. RESULTS: The overall RVA infection rate was 17.48%. G1 (54.72%) and G3 (18.87%) were the predominant G genotypes; P[8] (72.36%) and P[4] (11.38%) were the main P genotypes. Sixteen genotypes were identified; G1P[8] (57.33%) and G9P[8] (12.00%) were the most prevalent. The proportion of coinfection with RVA and other gastroenteritis viruses was 18.88%. RVA was mostly detected in winter and in diarrhoeal children 1-2 years of age. The genotypes of Rotarix and RotaTeq vaccines were consistent with RVA strains prevalent in Sichuan and shared high identity. CONCLUSIONS: RVA was one of the major aetiological agents of diarrhoeal children in Chengdu. Genotype distribution differed within each year and the gene analysis implied low efficacy of LLR. Continuous epidemiological monitoring of RVA is essential for the national vaccination programme.

Ethanol promotes apoptosis in rat ovarian granulosa cells via the Bcl-2 family dependent intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Excessive and indulgent alcohol consumption causes tremendous public health issues worldwide. Not only is ethanol associated with a broad spectrum of critical chronic diseases, ethanol is also demonstrated to exert striking reproductive toxicity for both males and females. Epidemiological investigations suggested that ethanol is closely related to fertility decrease in women. Animal studies showed that ethanol intake obstructed ovulation and reduced ovarian weight during gestation. However, cellular mechanism for this inhibitory effect of ethanol on female fertility is yet to be explored. This study recruited rat ovarian granulosa cells, the primary effector of ovary, to investigate the effects of ethanol on cell apoptosis and explore potential mechanism. Ovarian granulosa cells treated with ethanol for three hours manifested observable reduction in cell viability and apparent apoptosis. In the presence of 200 and 300 mmol/l of ethanol, the percentages of apoptotic cells increased to 33% and 36%, respectively. In addition, apoptosis related caspase-3 activity was elevated with increasing concentrations of ethanol, suggesting a dose dependent effect. Furthermore, high concentrations of ethanol significantly disturbed the transcriptional and translational regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic Bax, which are the two key members of Bcl-2 family tightly involved in intrinsic apoptotic pathway. These results indicated that ethanol promotes apoptosis in rat ovarian granulosa cells, possibly via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of acute respiratory tract infections among hospitalized infants and young children in Chengdu, West China, 2009-2014.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients worldwide and imposes an intense pressure on health care facilities. Data on the epidemiology profiles of ARIs are scarce in the western and rural areas of China. The purpose of the current study is to provide data on the presence of potential pathogens of ARIs in hospitalized children in Chengdu, west China. METHODS: Respiratory specimens were obtained from hospitalized patients (under 6 years old) with ARIs in a local hospital in Chengdu. Eight respiratory viruses were identified by PCR and 6 respiratory bacteria by biochemical reactions and Analytical Profile Index (API). Pathogens profiles, clinical characteristics and seasonality were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of patients were identified with at least one respiratory pathogen. Human rhinovirus (HRV) (23%), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (22.7%) was the most commonly identified viruses, with Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.5%) the most commonly identified bacterium in the study. The presences of more than one pathogen were found, and multiple viral, bacterial, viral/bacterial combinations were identified in 14.9, 3.3 and 13.9% of patients respectively. Respiratory viruses were identified throughout the year with a seasonal peak in December-February. Pathogens profiles and clinical associations were different between infants (< 1 year of age) and older children (> 1 year of age). Infants with ARIs were more likely to have one or more viruses than older children. Infants identified with multiple pathogens had significantly higher proportions of tachypnea than infants that were not. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that viral agents were frequently found in hospitalized children with ARI in Chengdu during the study period. This study gives us better information on the pathogen profiles, clinical associations, co-infection combinations and seasonal features of ARIs in hospitalized children, which is important for diagnoses and treatment of ARIs, as well as implementation of vaccines in this area. Moreover, future efforts in reducing the impact of ARIs will depend on programs in which available vaccines, especially vaccines on RSV, HRV and S. pneumoniae could be employed in this region and new vaccines could be developed against common pathogens.

Prevalence of Opportunistic Infections and Causes of Death among Hospitalized HIV-Infected Patients in Sichuan, China.

Opportunistic infections (OIs) are the most significant complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The prevalence of OIs differs among various countries in part due to different climates and socio-economic conditions. We, therefore, carried out the retrospective study at the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Sichuan to comprehensively investigate the prevalence of OIs, predictors of OIs, and risk factors for in-hospital death among HIV-infected patients. Sichuan in West China is characterized by the largest population living with HIV/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) across China. In total, we reviewed 954 cases of HIV infection, admitted to the hospital during January 2014 to December 2015, and found that bacterial pneumonia (25.8%) was the most common OIs, followed by candida infection (18.3%), Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (11.9%), tuberculosis (11.5%), infectious diarrhoea (9.3%), cryptococcus infection (7.3%), cytomegalovirus infection (4.9%), toxoplasmosis (4.6%), hepatitis C (4.0%), nontuberculous mycobacteria desease (2.2%) and Penicillium marneffei infection (0.3%). We also found two strongest risk factors for in-hospital mortality: CD4+T cell counts of less than 100 cells/µL and not receiving antiretroviral therapy. Moreover, the study revealed the specific pathogens causing bacterial pneumonia and/or candida infection, the effect of tuberculosis on CD4+T cell counts, and the drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis among HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected patients. The present findings may aid in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HIV-infected patients, and could help developing efficient public health strategies in China.

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using cell-free extracts of Magnusiomyces ingens LH-F1 for nitrophenols reduction.

A green and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was developed using the cell-free extracts of a yeast strain Magnusiomyces ingens LH-F1. UV-vis spectra showed a distinct absorption band at ~ 540 nm, corresponding to the surface plasmon resonance of AuNPs. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the shapes of AuNPs were almost spherical and pseudo-spherical. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses suggested that some proteins containing amino- and carboxyl-groups in the cell-free extracts were absorbed on the surface of nanoparticles, which could act as reducing and capping agents for AuNPs synthesis. Furthermore, with the concentration of cell-free extracts increasing from 25 to 200 mg L-1, the average size of AuNPs decreased from 28.3 to 20.3 nm. Meanwhile, the morphology became more uniform with less irregular shapes. In addition, the as-synthesized AuNPs showed an excellent catalytic activity for nitrophenols reduction (i.e., 4-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol and 2-nitrophenol) in the presence of excess NaBH4. The catalytic rate constant of nitrophenols reduction was also dependent on cell-free extract concentration. The larger AuNPs synthesized by less cell-free extracts were covered with a thinner corona and showed better capacity for reducing nitrophenols. This study suggested that the as-synthesized AuNPs could be employed as efficient catalysts in reduction of organic contaminants.

Prevalence and clinical profile of human bocavirus in children with acute gastroenteritis in Chengdu, West China, 2012-2013.

Viral acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major cause of mortality in childhood and leads to hospitalization in developing countries. Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly described virus associated with gastroenteritis. However, little is known about the clinical and epidemiological profile of human bocavirus (HBoV) in pediatric population in Chengdu, China. Between January 2012 and December 2013, 346 fecal samples from children admitted to hospital with acute gastroenteritis were tested for the presence of HBoV as well as other gastroenteritis viruses. Additionally, laboratory test results, clinical features and epidemiological characters were also collected to assess the correlation between HBoV and acute gastroenteritis in pediatric patients in Chengdu, China. Of the 346 tested fecal samples, 60 (17.34%) were positive for HBoV. The rate of co-detection of HBoV with other gastroenteritis viruses was 43.33% (26/60). HBoV was most detected in the summer/early fall months. Sequence analysis of the VP1/VP2 gene showed that both HBoV1 and HBoV2 circulated in Chengdu, China. No obvious difference was found between the clinical features of the HBoV1 mono-detected patients and HBoV2 mono-detected patients. Besides, in diarrheic children, positive correlation was found between detection of HBoV and diagnose of respiratory disease. Furthermore, blood cells were detected more frequently in fecal samples of patients with HBoV mono-detected. Though HBoV was detected frequently in Children with diarrhea in Chengdu, no statistical association was found between HBoV and disease severity.