Molecular degree of perturbation of plasma inflammatory markers associated with tuberculosis reveals distinct disease profiles between Indian and Chinese populations.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection which causes tremendous morbidity and mortality worldwide. Clinical presentation of TB patients is very diverse and disease heterogeneity is associated with changes in biomarker signatures. Here, we compared at the molecular level the extent of individual inflammatory perturbation of plasma protein and lipid mediators associated with TB in patients in China versus India. We performed a cross-sectional study analyzing the overall degree of inflammatory perturbation in treatment-naïve pulmonary TB patients and uninfected individuals from India (TB: n = 97, healthy: n = 20) and China (TB: n = 100, healthy: n = 11). We employed the molecular degree of perturbation (MDP) adapted to plasma biomarkers to examine the overall changes in inflammation between these countries. M. tuberculosis infection caused a significant degree of molecular perturbation in patients from both countries, with higher perturbation detected in India. Interestingly, there were differences in biomarker perturbation patterns and the overall degree of inflammation. Patients with severe TB exhibited increased MDP values and Indian patients with this condition exhibited even higher degree of perturbation compared to Chinese patients. Network analyses identified IFN-α, IFN-ß, IL-1RI and TNF-α as combined biomarkers that account for the overall molecular perturbation in the entire study population. Our results delineate the magnitude of the systemic inflammatory perturbation in pulmonary TB and reveal qualitative changes in inflammatory profiles between two countries with high disease prevalence.

Effect of FOLFOX6 chemotherapy on serum VEGF expression in advanced colorectal cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of FOLFOX6 chemotherapy on serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in advanced colorectal cancer patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 81 patients with advanced colorectal cancer who visited our hospital from March 2014 to February 2016 was performed. All the patients were treated with FOLFOX6 chemotherapy. On day 1, patients received oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 ivgtt (2h), calcium folinate 200 mg/m2 ivgtt (2h), 5 fluorouracil 400 mg/m2 iv bolus and 5 fluorouracil 2500 mg/m2 ivgtt (5h). The treatment course was 2 weeks, and 4 treatment courses were required. The changes in the levels of VEGF and CRP and quality of life before and after 4 courses of chemotherapy were observed and therapeutic effects and adverse reactions after chemotherapy were evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the total efficiency of chemotherapy was 82.72% (67/81) with 24 cases in complete remission, 25 cases in partial response, 18 cases in stable disease and 14 cases in progressive disease. The levels of CRP and VEGF after the treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (5.69±0.77) mg/L vs. (7.99±1.36) mg/L; (443.26±21.55) pg/mL vs. (542.83±20.44) pg/mL] (P<0.05). The KPS grade after treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment (57.84±4.6) point vs. (50.99±3.73) point] (P<0.05). Among them, 3 cases developed a rash, 5 cases experienced hair loss, and 9 cases developed nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSION: FOLFOX6 chemotherapy can decrease serum VEGF expression in patients with advanced colorectal cancer and enhance the curative effect with high safety, which is good for the improvement of patients' survival.

Effect of FOLFOX6 chemotherapy on serum VEGF expression in advanced colorectal cancer patients

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of FOLFOX6 chemotherapy on serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in advanced colorectal cancer patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 81 patients with advanced colorectal cancer who visited our hospital from March 2014 to February 2016 was performed. All the patients were treated with FOLFOX6 chemotherapy. On day 1, patients received oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 ivgtt (2h), calcium folinate 200 mg/m2 ivgtt (2h), 5 fluorouracil 400 mg/m2 iv bolus and 5 fluorouracil 2500 mg/m2 ivgtt (5h). The treatment course was 2 weeks, and 4 treatment courses were required. The changes in the levels of VEGF and CRP and quality of life before and after 4 courses of chemotherapy were observed and therapeutic effects and adverse reactions after chemotherapy were evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the total efficiency of chemotherapy was 82.72% (67/81) with 24 cases in complete remission, 25 cases in partial response, 18 cases in stable disease and 14 cases in progressive disease. The levels of CRP and VEGF after the treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (5.69±0.77) mg/L vs. (7.99±1.36) mg/L; (443.26±21.55) pg/mL vs. (542.83±20.44) pg/mL] (P<0.05). The KPS grade after treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment (57.84±4.6) point vs. (50.99±3.73) point] (P<0.05). Among them, 3 cases developed a rash, 5 cases experienced hair loss, and 9 cases developed nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSION: FOLFOX6 chemotherapy can decrease serum VEGF expression in patients with advanced colorectal cancer and enhance the curative effect with high safety, which is good for the improvement of patients' survival.

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Explorar o efeito da quimioterapia Folfox6 na expressão do fator de crescimento endotelial vascular sérico (VEGF) em pacientes com câncer colorretal avançado. MÉTODOS: Uma análise retrospectiva de 81 pacientes com câncer colorretal avançado que visitaram nosso hospital de março de 2014 a fevereiro de 2016 foi realizada. Todos os pacientes foram tratados com quimioterapia Folfox6. No dia 1, os doentes receberam oxaliplatina 100 mg / m2 ivgtt (2h), folinato de cálcio 200 mg/m2 ivgtt (2h), 5 fluorouracil 400 mg/m2 iv bolus e 5 fluorouracil 2.500 mg/m2 ivgtt (5h). O curso de tratamento foi de duas semanas e foram necessários quatro cursos de tratamento. Foram observadas as alterações nos níveis de VEGF e CRP e qualidade de vida antes e após quatro cursos de quimioterapia e avaliados os efeitos terapêuticos e reações adversas após a quimioterapia. RESULTADOS: Após o tratamento, a eficácia total da quimioterapia foi de 82,72% (67/81), com 24 casos em remissão completa, 25 casos em resposta parcial, 18 casos em doença estável e 14 casos em doença progressiva. Os níveis de CRP e VEGF após o tratamento foram significativamente inferiores aos do tratamento (5,69 ± 0,77) mg / L vs. (7,99 ± 1,36) mg / L; (443,26 ± 21,55) pg / mL vs. (542,83 ± 20,44) pg / mL] (P < 0,05). O grau de KPS após o tratamento foi significativamente maior do que antes do tratamento (57,84 ± 4,6 pontos) vs. (50,99 ± 3,73 pontos)] (P < 0,05). Entre eles, três casos desenvolveram erupção cutânea, cinco casos sofreram perda de cabelo e nove casos desenvolveram náuseas e vômitos. CONCLUSÃO: A quimioterapia Folfox6 pode, obviamente, diminuir a expressão de VEGF no soro em pacientes com câncer colorretal avançado e melhorar o efeito curativo com alta segurança, o que é bom para a melhoria da sobrevivência dos pacientes.

Phylogenetic relationships between Bacillus species and related genera inferred from 16s rDNA sequences

Neigh-borjoining, maximum-parsimony, minimum-evolution, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian trees constructed based on 16S rDNA sequences of 181 type strains of Bacillus species and related taxa manifested nine phylogenetic groups. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Bacillus was not a monophyletic group. B. subtilis was in Group 1. Group 4, 6 and 8 respectively consisted of thermophiles, halophilic or halotolerant bacilli and alkaliphilic bacilli. Group 2, 4 and 8 consisting of Bacillus species and related genera demonstrated that the current taxonomic system did not agree well with the 16S rDNA evolutionary trees. The position of Caryophanaceae and Planococcaceae in Group 2 suggested that they might be transferred into Bacillaceae, and the heterogeneity of Group 2 implied that some Bacillus species in it might belong to several new genera. Group 9 was mainly comprised of the genera (excluding Bacillus) of Bacillaceae, so some Bacillus species in Group 9: B. salarius, B. qingdaonensis and B. thermcloacae might not belong to Bacillus. Four Bacillus species, B. schlegelii, B. tusciae, B. edaphicus and B. mucilaginosus were clearly placed outside the nine groups.

Árvores utilizando os métodos de neighbor-joining, máxima parcimônia, evolução mínima, máxima verossimilhança e bayesiana, construídas baseadas em seqüências de rDNA 16S de 181 linhagens-tipo de espécies de Bacillus e taxa relacionados, mostraram a formação de nove grupos filogenéticos. A análise filogenética mostrou que Bacillus não é um grupo monofilético. B. subtilis se colocou no Grupo 1. Grupos 4, 6 e 8, respectivamente, consistiram de bacilos termofílicos, halofílicos ou halotolerantes e alcalifílicos. Grupos 2, 4 e 8 consistindo de espécies de Bacillus e gêneros relacionados demonstraram que o sistema taxonômico corrente não concorda perfeitamente com as árvores evolucionárias por rDNA 16S. A posição de Caryophanaceae e Planococcaceae no Grupo 2 sugere que estes podem ser transferidos para Bacillaceae, e a heterogeneidade do Grupo 2 implica em que algumas espécies de Bacillus neste grupo podem pertencer a vários novos gêneros. O Grupo 9 foi principalmente composto de gêneros de Bacillaceae (excluindo Bacillus), portanto algumas espécies de Bacillus no Grupo 9: B. salarius, B. qingdaonensis e B. thermcloacae podem não pertencer a Bacillus. Quatro espécies de Bacillus, B. schlegelii, B. tusciae, B. edaphicus e B. mucilaginosus foram claramente colocadas fora dos nove grupos.

Phylogenetic relationships between Bacillus species and related genera inferred from 16s rDNA sequences / Relações filogenéticas entre espécies de Bacillus e gêneros relacionados baseadas em sequencias 16S rDNA

Neigh-borjoining, maximum-parsimony, minimum-evolution, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian trees constructed based on 16S rDNA sequences of 181 type strains of Bacillus species and related taxa manifested nine phylogenetic groups. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Bacillus was not a monophyletic group. B. subtilis was in Group 1. Group 4, 6 and 8 respectively consisted of thermophiles, halophilic or halotolerant bacilli and alkaliphilic bacilli. Group 2, 4 and 8 consisting of Bacillus species and related genera demonstrated that the current taxonomic system did not agree well with the 16S rDNA evolutionary trees. The position of Caryophanaceae and Planococcaceae in Group 2 suggested that they might be transferred into Bacillaceae, and the heterogeneity of Group 2 implied that some Bacillus species in it might belong to several new genera. Group 9 was mainly comprised of the genera (excluding Bacillus) of Bacillaceae, so some Bacillus species in Group 9: B. salarius, B. qingdaonensis and B. thermcloacae might not belong to Bacillus. Four Bacillus species, B. schlegelii, B. tusciae, B. edaphicus and B. mucilaginosus were clearly placed outside the nine groups.

Árvores utilizando os métodos de neighbor-joining, máxima parcimônia, evolução mínima, máxima verossimilhança e bayesiana, construídas baseadas em seqüências de rDNA 16S de 181 linhagens-tipo de espécies de Bacillus e taxa relacionados, mostraram a formação de nove grupos filogenéticos. A análise filogenética mostrou que Bacillus não é um grupo monofilético. B. subtilis se colocou no Grupo 1. Grupos 4, 6 e 8, respectivamente, consistiram de bacilos termofílicos, halofílicos ou halotolerantes e alcalifílicos. Grupos 2, 4 e 8 consistindo de espécies de Bacillus e gêneros relacionados demonstraram que o sistema taxonômico corrente não concorda perfeitamente com as árvores evolucionárias por rDNA 16S. A posição de Caryophanaceae e Planococcaceae no Grupo 2 sugere que estes podem ser transferidos para Bacillaceae, e a heterogeneidade do Grupo 2 implica em que algumas espécies de Bacillus neste grupo podem pertencer a vários novos gêneros. O Grupo 9 foi principalmente composto de gêneros de Bacillaceae (excluindo Bacillus), portanto algumas espécies de Bacillus no Grupo 9: B. salarius, B. qingdaonensis e B. thermcloacae podem não pertencer a Bacillus. Quatro espécies de Bacillus, B. schlegelii, B. tusciae, B. edaphicus e B. mucilaginosus foram claramente colocadas fora dos nove grupos.

Phylogenetic relationships between Bacillus species and related genera inferred from 16s rDNA sequences.

Neighbor-joining, maximum-parsimony, minimum-evolution, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian trees constructed based on 16S rDNA sequences of 181 type strains of Bacillus species and related taxa manifested nine phylogenetic groups. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Bacillus was not a monophyletic group. B. subtilis was in Group 1. Group 4, 6 and 8 respectively consisted of thermophiles, halophilic or halotolerant bacilli and alkaliphilic bacilli. Group 2, 4 and 8 consisting of Bacillus species and related genera demonstrated that the current taxonomic system did not agree well with the 16S rDNA evolutionary trees. The position of Caryophanaceae and Planococcaceae in Group 2 suggested that they might be transferred into Bacillaceae, and the heterogeneity of Group 2 implied that some Bacillus species in it might belong to several new genera. Group 9 was mainly comprised of the genera (excluding Bacillus) of Bacillaceae, so some Bacillus species in Group 9: B. salarius, B. qingdaonensis and B. thermcloacae might not belong to Bacillus. Four Bacillus species, B. schlegelii, B. tusciae, B. edaphicus and B. mucilaginosus were clearly placed outside the nine groups.

Phylogenetic relationships between Bacillus species and related genera inferred from 16s rDNA sequences

Neigh-borjoining, maximum-parsimony, minimum-evolution, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian trees constructed based on 16S rDNA sequences of 181 type strains of Bacillus species and related taxa manifested nine phylogenetic groups. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Bacillus was not a monophyletic group. B. subtilis was in Group 1. Group 4, 6 and 8 respectively consisted of thermophiles, halophilic or halotolerant bacilli and alkaliphilic bacilli. Group 2, 4 and 8 consisting of Bacillus species and related genera demonstrated that the current taxonomic system did not agree well with the 16S rDNA evolutionary trees. The position of Caryophanaceae and Planococcaceae in Group 2 suggested that they might be transferred into Bacillaceae, and the heterogeneity of Group 2 implied that some Bacillus species in it might belong to several new genera. Group 9 was mainly comprised of the genera (excluding Bacillus) of Bacillaceae, so some Bacillus species in Group 9: B. salarius, B. qingdaonensis and B. thermcloacae might not belong to Bacillus. Four Bacillus species, B. schlegelii, B. tusciae, B. edaphicus and B. mucilaginosus were clearly placed outside the nine groups.

Árvores utilizando os métodos de neighbor-joining, máxima parcimônia, evolução mínima, máxima verossimilhança e bayesiana, construídas baseadas em seqüências de rDNA 16S de 181 linhagens-tipo de espécies de Bacillus e taxa relacionados, mostraram a formação de nove grupos filogenéticos. A análise filogenética mostrou que Bacillus não é um grupo monofilético. B. subtilis se colocou no Grupo 1. Grupos 4, 6 e 8, respectivamente, consistiram de bacilos termofílicos, halofílicos ou halotolerantes e alcalifílicos. Grupos 2, 4 e 8 consistindo de espécies de Bacillus e gêneros relacionados demonstraram que o sistema taxonômico corrente não concorda perfeitamente com as árvores evolucionárias por rDNA 16S. A posição de Caryophanaceae e Planococcaceae no Grupo 2 sugere que estes podem ser transferidos para Bacillaceae, e a heterogeneidade do Grupo 2 implica em que algumas espécies de Bacillus neste grupo podem pertencer a vários novos gêneros. O Grupo 9 foi principalmente composto de gêneros de Bacillaceae (excluindo Bacillus), portanto algumas espécies de Bacillus no Grupo 9: B. salarius, B. qingdaonensis e B. thermcloacae podem não pertencer a Bacillus. Quatro espécies de Bacillus, B. schlegelii, B. tusciae, B. edaphicus e B. mucilaginosus foram claramente colocadas fora dos nove grupos.