Combination effects of baicalin with linezolid against Staphylococcus aureus biofilm-related infections: in vivo animal model.

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacterium that can produce biofilm, and biofilm-associated infections are difficult to control. Biofilm prevents antibiotics from penetrating and killing the bacteria. Combined use of antimicrobials is a common strategy to treat S. aureus biofilm-related infections. In this in vivo study, the clinically isolated strain of S. aureus 17546 (t037) was selected to establish a biofilm-associated infection rat model, and baicalin and linezolid were used to treat the infection. CFU counting was used to determine the bacteria within the biofilm, the biofilm structure was viewed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), histopathology was performed, and inflammatory factors were analyzed by ELISA. Baicalin was efficient in destroying the biofilm and exerted a synergistic bactericidal effect when combined with linezolid. Based on these findings, baicalin combined with linezolid may be efficacious in controlling S. aureus biofilm-related infections.

Antibacterial synergy between linezolid and baicalein against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm in vivo.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can form biofilms, which prevents the penetration of antibiotics, decreasing their efficacy. This study investigated whether baicalein has synergistic antibacterial effects with linezolid in vivo. We cultivated MRSA 17546 biofilms on silicone implants and inserted them into the air pouches of rat models. The rats were treated with linezolid, baicalein, or a combination therapy for three consecutive days. All treatments reduced the number of colony-forming units (CFU) in the biofilms compared to the control (p < 0.05). However, by day two, the CFU counts were significantly lower in the combination group than in the individual treatment groups (p < 0.05). Histological analysis of the air pouches showed that the severity of the inflammatory cell infiltration was severe in the combination therapy group. In the combination group, the biofilm structure on the implant's surface was sparse and more free colonies could be seen by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); by day three, no obvious biofilm was observed. The serum levels of Staphylococcus enterotoxin A (SEA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) were the lowest in the group where rats were treated with the combination of baicalein and linezolid (p < 0.05) compared to other groups. The results suggest that baicalein may inhibit the accessory gene regulator system, reducing the expression of SEA, thus lowering CRP and PCT levels. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect was more pronounced when baicalein was combined with linezolid. These results provide an important basis for the development of a new combination regimen to treat patients with biofilm-associated MRSA infections.

Research on current situation of nurse-patient communication ability and training needs assessment of standardized training nurses in a hospital / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective@#To investigate current situation communication ability and training needs of standardized training nurses, in order to provide reference for improving the communication courses.@*Methods@#A cross-sectional study was conducted and randomized sampling method was used to choose 100 nurses who participated in standardized training in Chengdu Fifth People′s Hospital. Nurses' communication ability was evaluated by Nurse-Patient Communication Ability Scale, and whose training needs of communication were investigated.@*Results@#The average score of the Nurse-Patient Communication Ability Scale was 140.43±13.94. The educational background (t=-3.717, P<0.01), standardized training time (t=-2.812, P<0.01), and whether they had received communication training in the last year (t=2.231, P<0.05) had significant influence on nurse-patient communication ability. 88.00% (88/100) thought it necessary to carry out nurse-patient communication ability training during standardized training. Among them, 88.64% (78/88) hoped to carry out humanistic knowledge training, 65.91% (58/88) hoped that at least four training methods would be combined, and 44.32% (39/88) hoped that teachers from multiple disciplines would conduct training.@*Conclusions@#The nurse-patient communication ability of standardized training nurses needs to be improved. It is necessary to strengthen the theoretical research and curriculum design of training, pay attention to practical teaching, so that the training effect can be improved.

Research on current situation of nurse-patient communication ability and training needs assessment of standardized training nurses in a hospital / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To investigate current situation communication ability and training needs of standardized training nurses, in order to provide reference for improving the communication courses. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted and randomized sampling method was used to choose 100 nurses who participated in standardized training in Chengdu Fifth People′s Hospital. Nurses' communication ability was evaluated by Nurse-Patient Communication Ability Scale, and whose training needs of communication were investigated. Results The average score of the Nurse- Patient Communication Ability Scale was 140.43 ± 13.94. The educational background (t=-3.717,P﹤0.01), standardized training time (t=-2.812, P﹤0.01), and whether they had received communication training in the last year (t=2.231, P﹤0.05) had significant influence on nurse-patient communication ability. 88.00% (88/100) thought it necessary to carry out nurse-patient communication ability training during standardized training. Among them, 88.64% (78/88) hoped to carry out humanistic knowledge training, 65.91% (58/88) hoped that at least four training methods would be combined, and 44.32% (39/88) hoped that teachers from multiple disciplines would conduct training. Conclusions The nurse-patient communication ability of standardized training nurses needs to be improved. It is necessary to strengthen the theoretical research and curriculum design of training, pay attention to practical teaching, so that the training effect can be improved.

Generation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Infection in an Immunosuppressed Rat Model.

BACKGROUND Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common pathogen responsible for many related infections, and immunosuppressed individuals are more susceptible. Its pathogenicity is associated with its virulence factors, resistance to antibiotics, and ability to form biofilm (BF). MRSA-BF infections in immunosuppressed patients pose great difficulties to clinical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study aimed to establish a model of MRSA-BF infection in rats with cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression. For this, rats were administered CTX on days 1 and 4. White blood cells (WBC) were counted, then rats were inoculated with a clinical MRSA 17546 (t037) on day 5. Rats were sacrificed on days 6-10 and tissue samples were examined by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS Using the dose of CTX: 150 (mg/kg) + 100 (mg/kg) is better than the other 2 programs as the survival rates of the immunocompromised rats were higher than in the other 2 immunosuppressive groups. The survival rate was not different between rats in the clean environment and in the SPF environment. However, the survival rate was affected by the sample acquisitions. Importantly, WBC counts started to decline on day 4, and then started to rise on day 9. Moreover, MRSA-BFs were formed earlier in immunosuppressed rats compared to the normal rats, as shown by scanning electron microscopy. CONCLUSIONS The study successfully established an immunosuppressed rat model of MRSA-BF infection, which provides methodological and data support for establishment of such animal models and is useful reference for related research. Our results may help further investigation of MRSA-BF infection.

Antineoplastic effect of calycosin on osteosarcoma through inducing apoptosis showing in vitro and in vivo investigations.

Recently, increasing studies have documented that tumorigenesis closely relates to apoptotic processes. Thus, inducing apoptosis is an anti-cancer strategy against osteosarcoma. Here we investigated the anti-proliferative effect of calycosin on human osteosarcoma cell (143B) in vitro. The results showed that calycosin dose-dependently inhibited 143B cell proliferation as reflected in tetrazolium salt (MTT) assay (P<0.01). In addition, calycosin effectively down-regulated cellular mRNA expressions of IκBα, NF-κB p65 and cyclin D1 through RT-PCR assay (P<0.01). Next, calycosin-mediated inhibitory effect on 143B tumor-bearing nude mice and the underlying mechanism were evaluated and discussed. As a result, calycosin administration significantly blocked solid tumor growth in 143B-harbored nude mice (P<0.01). Furthermore, intracellular Bcl-2 protein expression was effectively reduced in 143B-harbored tumor tissue through western blotting analysis (P<0.01), while intratumoral Apaf-1 and cleaved Caspase-3 protein levels were up-regulated, respectively (P<0.01). Taken together, calycosin possesses the anti-osteosarcoma potential, in which the mechanism involved was associated with activation of apoptotic, thus inducing apoptosis.

Toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide to zebrafish embryos / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was aimed to investigate the toxic effects of 3 nanomaterials, i.e. multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), on zebrafish embryos.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The 2-h post-fertilization (hpf) zebrafish embryos were exposed to MWCNTs, GO, and RGO at different concentrations (1, 5, 10, 50, 100 mg/L) for 96 h. Afterwards, the effects of the 3 nanomateria on spontaneous movement, heart rate, hatching rate, length of larvae, mortality, and malformations ls were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Statistical analysis indicated that RGO significantly inhibited the hatching of zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, RGO and MWCNTs decreased the length of the hatched larvae at 96 hpf. No obvious morphological malformation or mortality was observed in the zebrafish embryos after exposure to the three nanomaterials.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MWCNTs, GO, and RGO were all toxic to zebrafish embryos to influence embryos hatching and larvae length. Although no obvious morphological malformation and mortality were observed in exposed zebrafish embryos, further studies on the toxicity of the three nanomaterials are still needed.</p>