[Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains causing foodborne disease outbreaks in Guangdong Province from 2017 to 2020].

Objective: To study the epidemiological and pathogenic characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from outbreaks cases in Guangdong Province, 2017-2020. Methods: Epidemiological characteristics of 87 outbreak events caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus were analyzed. Strains were serotyped, and then analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results: The food-borne disease outbreak caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus was found in 16 cities. 44.8% (39/87) and 37.9% (33/87) of the outbreaks occurred in hotels, restaurants and school canteens, respectively. Improper food processing and storage (40.2%, 35/87) and cross contamination caused by indiscriminate raw and cooked food (25.3%, 22/87) were the main causes of food-borne disease outbreaks of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The main serotypes of patient derived strains were O3:K6 (87.5%) and O4:KUT (22.5%). The similarity value between O3:K6 type isolates was 65.5%-100.0%, and the PFGE pattern similarity value of O4:KUT type isolates was 66.5%-100.0%. Conclusion: Outbreaks caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus are widely distributed in Guangdong province. It is necessary to strengthen the publicity and education on the correct handling of food in hotels, restaurants, schools, and unit canteens. O3:K6 and O4:KUT serotypes are the main serotypes of the outbreak. There is genetic diversity among the epidemic strains.

[Effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms of RS1799937 located in WT1 gene on the pathlogical complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients].

Objective: To evaluate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of RS1799937 located in WT1 gene with complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Methods: 171 breast cancer patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were investigated to detect the RS1799937 polymorphism by sequenom method. The relationship between RS1799937 polymorphism and pathologic complete response (pCR) were analyzed by χ2 test and Fisher's exact test analysis. Predictors of pCR were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The frequency of CC, TC and TT genetype of RS1799937 was 50.3%, 41.5% and 8.2%. Of the 171 patients, pCR was achieved in 53 cases(30.9%) with CC allele 23 cases(26.7%), TC allele 23 cases(32.4%) and TT allele 7 cases(50.0%), however no statistical significant difference was observed (χ2= 3.156, P=0.204). RS1799937 polymorphism was associated with pCR in EC-T neoadjuvant therapy (χ2=6.660, P=0.033) but not in PE neoadjuvant therapy (χ2=0.473, P=0.873) cohort. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that RS1799937 polymorphism, targeted therapy and clinical stage were independent predictors of pCR (P<0.05) in EC-T neoadjuvant therapy cohort. Conclusion: RS1799937 polymorphism was associated with pCR rate only in anthracycline and taxane-based neoadjuvant therapy, breast cancer patients with the rs1799937 TT allele were more likely to achieve pCR.

Flagellin-PAc fusion protein is a high-efficacy anti-caries mucosal vaccine.

We previously demonstrated that an anti-caries DNA vaccine intranasally administered with recombinant flagellin protein as a mucosal adjuvant enhanced salivary IgA response and conferred better protection against caries. However, the relatively weak immunogenicity of DNA vaccines and the necessity for a large quantity of antigens remain significant challenges. Here, we fused the flagellin derived from E. coli (KF) and target antigen PAc containing the A-P fragment of PAc from S. mutans (rPAc) to produce a single recombinant protein (KF-rPAc). The abilities of KF-rPAc to induce rPAc-specific mucosal and systemic responses and protective efficiency against caries following intranasal immunization were compared with those of rPAc alone or a mixture of rPAc and KF (KF + rPAc) in rats. Results showed that KF-rPAc promoted significantly higher rPAc-specific antibodies in serum as well as in saliva than did an equivalent dose of rPAc alone or a mixture of KF + rPAc. Intranasal immunization of 8.5 µg KF-rPAc could achieve 64.2% reduction of dental caries in rats. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that flagellin and PAc fusion strategy is promising for anti-caries vaccine development, and KF-rPAc could be used as an anti-caries mucosal vaccine.

Flagellin enhances saliva IgA response and protection of anti-caries DNA vaccine.

We and others have shown that anti-caries DNA vaccines, including pGJA-P/VAX, are promising for preventing dental caries. However, challenges remain because of the low immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. In this study, we used recombinant flagellin protein derived from Salmonella (FliC) as a mucosal adjuvant for anti-caries DNA vaccine (pGJA-P/VAX) and analyzed the effects of FliC protein on the serum PAc-specific IgG and saliva PAc-specific IgA antibody responses, the colonization of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) on rat teeth, and the formation of caries lesions. Our results showed that FliC promoted the production of PAc-specific IgG in serum and secretory IgA (S-IgA) in saliva of rats by intranasal immunization with pGJA-P/VAX plus FliC. Furthermore, we found that enhanced PAc-specific IgA responses in saliva were associated with the inhibition of S. mutans colonization of tooth surfaces and endowed better protection with significant fewer caries lesions. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that recombinant FliC could enhance specific IgA responses in saliva and protective ability of pGJA-P/VAX, providing an effective mucosal adjuvant candidate for intranasal immunization of an anti-caries DNA vaccine.

Quantitative determination of atorvastatin and ortho-hydroxy atorvastatin in human plasma by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and pharmacokinetic evaluation.

A specific, sensitive and simple method was developed to determine the levels of both atorvastatin and ortho-hydroxy atorvastatin in human plasma. The analytes and internal standard pitavastatin were extracted from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction, separated on a Zorbax SB-C18 column, eluted with a mobile phase of water:acetonitrile (45:55 v/v), both containing 5% methanol and 0.01% formic acid. Detection was performed with an electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring. The standard calibration curves of atorvastatin and ortho-hydroxy atorvastatin were linear in the concentration range of 0.2-20 and 0.1-20 ng/mL, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions were < 7.7% and the accuracy was within ± 5.9%. The method has been successfully used for the study of the pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin and ortho-hydroxy atorvastatin in Chinese patients with coronary heart disease after a single oral dose of 20 mg atorvastatin. The mean values for the area under the plasma concentration-time curve for atorvastatin and ortho-hydroxy atorvastatin were 63.1 and 46.9 ng.h/mL, respectively.

[Effects of lorsartan, fosinopril on myocardial fibrosis, angiotensin II and cardiac remolding in hypertensive rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of lorsartan, fosinopril on myocardial fibrosis, angiotensin II and cardiac remolding in the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: 16-week-old SHRs were divided randomly into 3 groups: SHR-L (treated with lorsartan), SHR-F (treated with fosinopril) and SHR-C (untreated), each group consisting of 10 rats. After 8 weeks' and 16 weeks' therapeutic period, collagen volume fraction (CVF), perivascular circumferential area (PVCA), plasma and myocardium angiotensin II concentrations were examined by pathological examination with computed processing and radioimmunoassay respectively. RESULTS: (1) Compared with SHR-C after 8 weeks' and 16 weeks' therapeutic period, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) was decreased similarly in both treatment groups. Heart and left ventricular weights, heart weight and eft ventricular mass indexes were lower significantly in both treatment groups than in SHR-C. Left ventricular mass index was reduced to a lower extent in SHR-F group than in SHR-L group after 16 weeks. (2) Compared with SHR-C, CVF, PVCA after 8 weeks and 16 weeks were reduced significantly in SHR-F and SHR-L. Meanwhile, CVF after 16 weeks in SHR-F than in SHR-L. (3) Compared with SHR-C after both therapeutic periods, plasma and myocardium angiotensin II concentrations were increased Significantly in SHR-L, but plasma angiotensin II concentrations were not altered significantly in SHR-F. However, myocardium angiotensin II concentrations were reduced significantly in SHR-F after 8 weeks and 16 weeks in SHR-F. CONCLUSION: Lorsartan, fosinopril inhibit myocardial fibrosis and reverse heart hypertrophy. Fosinopril may be more effective in these above effects than Lorsartan. The mechanism of the both drug's cardioprotective effects was related to inhibition of myocardium rennin-angiotension-aldsteron system.

[Anti-hyperlipemia and anti-oxidation effects of xue zhi ling].

92 cases with complete clinical data among 125 hyperlipemia patients were randomly divided into two groups: 51 cases in the Xue Zhi Ling treatment group and 41 cases in the control group with medication of panagin. The drugs were administered to all patients for 12 weeks and the blood lipid was then examined at the 4th, 8th, 12th week after medication respectively. In treatment group, there was the effect of lowering TC, TC-HDL/HDL and raising HDL at the 4th week (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant difference in above-mentioned parameters at the 4th, 8th and 12th week respectively. The experiment also showed that Xue Zhi Ling could reduce TG at the 8th and 12th week (P < 0.05). While there was no significant difference between that of the 8th and 12th weeks. The mean reduction of TC, TG and TC-HLD/HDL were 18.7%, 19.5% and 27.6% respectively, while the elevation of HDL in average was 17.4%. All of the lipid indexes in control group had no significant changes at any stage. In addition, it was shown that Xue Zhi Ling could decrease serum LPO at 12th week (P < 0.05). The results indicated that the Xue Zhi Ling has the effect of regulating the hyperlipemia and anti-oxidation.

Raccoon poxvirus rabies virus glycoprotein recombinant vaccine in sheep.

Twenty sheep were divided into groups and inoculated by various routes with recombinant raccoon poxvirus expressing the CVS rabies virus glycoprotein (rRCNV-G) or with raccoon poxvirus (RCNV). The apparent innocuous pathologic responses to each virus coupled with development of high levels of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies in animals vaccinated with rRCNV-G intradermally or intramuscularly suggested that the recombinant is effective and that RCNV would be a suitable substrate for further development of sheep vaccines. Poor antibody response to rRCNV-G given orally implied that it would be relatively harmless if inadvertently ingested by sheep. Virus transmission between vaccinated and sentinel sheep was not observed or detected serologically.