Combined analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics provide insights into the antibacterial mechanism of bacteriocin XJS01 against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are widespread in the environment and pose a serious threat to public health. It has been shown that bacteriocins have a great potential in controlling MDR pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus. A previously reported Lactobacillus salivarius bacteriocin XJS01 exhibited good antibacterial activity against MDR S. aureus 2612:1606BL1486 (henceforth referred to as S. aureus_26), but its molecular mechanism remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the antibacterial mechanism of XJS01 on S. aureus_26 using an approach combining transcriptomics and metabolomics. The results showed that XJS01 induced significant changes at both transcriptional and metabolic levels in S. aureus_26. In total, 231 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 206 differentially abundance metabolites (DAMs) were identified in S. aureus_26 treated with 1 × MIC (minimum inhibition concentration) XJS01 compared with untreated (XJS01-free) cells (control). Functional analysis revealed that these DEGs and DAMs, alone with the related pathways and biological processes, were typically involved in stress response, being primarily related to metal uptake, cell virulence, self-help mechanism, amino acid and energy metabolism, bacterial stress response (e.g., two-component system), and membrane transport (e.g., phosphotransferase system). Overall, this study uncovered the multi-target effects of bacteriocins against MDR S. aureus at the genome-wide transcriptional and metabolic levels. These findings might be useful in the development of bacteriocins for the control of MDR S. aureus and other drug-resistant bacteria.

A randomized, sham-controlled trial of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation on the right orbital frontal cortex in children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Objective: This study aimed to find out the clinical and cognitive effects of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on the right orbital frontal cortex (OFC) in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: A total of 56 patients with ADHD were recruited as subjects and completely and randomly divided into the HD-tDCS group and the Sham group. A 1.0 mA anode current was applied to the right OFC. The HD-tDCS group received real stimulation, while the Sham group received sham stimulation in 10 sessions of treatment. ADHD symptom assessment (the SNAP-IV Rating Scale and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire) was carried out before treatment, after the 5th and 10th stimuli, and at the 6th week after the end of all stimulations, while the cognitive effect was assessed by the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA-CPT), the Stroop Color and Word Test (Stroop), and the Tower of Hanoi (TOH). Repeated-measure ANOVA was used to find out the results of both groups before and after treatment. Results: A total of 47 patients completed all sessions and evaluations. Their SNAP-IV score, their PSQ score, the mean visual and auditory reaction times by IVA-CPT, the interference RT of Stroop Color and Word, and the number of completed steps of TOH did not change with intervention time before and after treatment (P > 0.0031). However, the integrated visual and audiovisual commission errors and the TOH completion time results of the HD-tDCS group were significantly decreased after the 5th intervention, the 10th intervention, and the 6th week of intervention follow-up compared to the Sham group (P < 0.0031). Conclusion: This study draws cautious conclusions that HD-tDCS does not significantly alleviate the overall symptoms of patients with ADHD but leads to significant improvements in the cognitive measures of attention maintenance. The study also attempted to fill in the gaps in research studies on HD-tDCS stimulation of the right OFC. Clinical trial registration: ChiCTR2200062616.

Increased glycemic variability associated with a poor 30-day functional outcome in acute intracerebral hemorrhage.

The authors analyzed the association between the standard deviation or the coefficient of variation in the glucose value, strong independent indexes for determining glycemic variability, and the prognosis of intracerebral hemorrhage. They found that glycemic variability may be associated with a poor outcome in intracerebral hemorrhage.

Sleep duration, daytime napping, markers of obstructive sleep apnea and stroke in a population of southern China.

Sleep habits are associated with stroke in western populations, but this relation has been rarely investigated in China. Moreover, the differences among stroke subtypes remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the associations of total stroke, including ischemic and hemorrhagic type, with sleep habits of a population in southern China. We performed a case-control study in patients admitted to the hospital with first stroke and community control subjects. A total of 333 patients (n = 223, 67.0%, with ischemic stroke; n = 110, 23.0%, with hemorrhagic stroke) and 547 controls were enrolled in the study. Participants completed a structured questionnaire to identify sleep habits and other stroke risk factors. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and multiple logistic regression were performed to identify risk factors of disease. Incidence of stroke, and its subtypes, was significantly associated with snorting/gasping, snoring, sleep duration, and daytime napping. Snorting/gasping was identified as an important risk factor in the Lasso logistic regression model (Lasso' ß = 0.84), and the result was proven to be robust. This study showed the association between stroke and sleep habits in the southern Chinese population and might help in better detecting important sleep-related factors for stroke risk.

Effect of Shenfu injection on intestinal mucosal barrier in a rat model of sepsis.

PURPOSE: The effects of Shenfu injection on protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier were investigated in rats with sepsis. METHODS: Severe sepsis was established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in 30 healthy Sprague-Dawley rats. Twelve rats that received sham surgery received 10 mL/kg of normal saline. Rats with CLP were randomized to receive 10 mL/kg of normal saline (n = 12) and 5 mL/kg Shenfu (n = 12), and 10 received 10 mL/kg Shenfu injection (n = 12) by tail intravenous injection. Rats were killed after 8 hours. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-10, and ileal malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ileum tissue structures and pathological score were observed by microscopy. Ileal mucosal epithelial cell apoptosis index was calculated by TUNEL assay. Ileal proapoptotic protein Bax, antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, and tight junction transmembrane protein occludin were measured by immunohistochemistry and immunoblot. RESULTS: The level of tumor necrosis factor α, the ileal malondialdehyde level, ileum pathological score, apoptosis index of ileal mucosal epithelial cells, and Bax protein level were significantly higher, and serum level of interleukin-10, the ileal superoxide dismutase activity, Bcl-2 protein level, Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and occludin protein level were significantly lower in the CLP group than in the sham group (P < .01 or P < .05). Both low- and high-dose Shenfu significantly ameliorated these changes (P < .01 or P < .05), but high-dose injection achieved more significant improvements than did the low-dose injection (P < .01 or P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Shenfu injection might ameliorate the mucosal barrier function in a model of sepsis in rats in a dose-dependent manner.

[Protective effect of serum containing n-butanol fraction from Gynostemma pentaphyllum on NG108-15 cell apoptosis induced by Aß25.35 protein].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibition effect of serum containing n-butanol fractions from Gynostemma pentaphyllum on NG108-15 cell apoptosis induced by Aß25-35 protein in vitro. METHODS: The apoptosis of NG108-15 cells induced by Aß25-35 protein in vitro was evaluated by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry assay. The cellular Caspase-3 level during the apoptosis was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: The serum containing n-butanol fractions from Gynostemma pentaphyllum significantly inhibited the NG108-15 cells apoptosis induced by Aß25-35 protein in vitro,and decreased the cellular Caspase-3 level. CONCLUSION: The inhibition effect of n-butanol fractions from Gynostemma pentaphyllum on NG108-15 cell apoptosis induced by Aß25.35 protein is likely related to its potency on reducing of cellular Caspase-3 level.

[Preliminary study on sedative effect of electroacupuncture on patients after valve replacement].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the sedative effect of acupuncture on patients during mechanical ventilation after valve replacement. METHODS: Sixty patients during mechanical ventilation after valve replacement were randomly assigned to three groups. Intravenous injection of propofol (Pro I) was given to patients in group I; to patients in group II, Pro I was given also and acupuncture at Shenting (DU24) and Yintang (EX-HN3) with needle retention was applied simultaneously, and to those in group III, the same treatment as that for group II was applied but with electroacupuncture instead of simple acupuncture. The speed of Pro I was controlled through micro-pump to maintain the bispectral index (BIS) within 70 - 80. The dose of propofol used, the Ramsay score and adverse reaction, and so on in the three groups were observed and compared. RESULTS: Pro I dose used was insignificantly different between group I and group II (P > 0.05), but in group III it was more reduced than that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). No significant difference in BIS, Ramsay score, adverse reaction, etc. was found among the three groups. BIS measurements showed negative correlation with Ramsay scores (r = -0.85, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Electro acupuncture at Shenting and Yintang has a certain sedative effect on patients during mechanical ventilation after valve replacement.

[Intensive insulin therapy in critically ill patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of intensive insulin therapy on improving the condition of critically ill patients. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, controlled study involving adults receiving mechanical ventilation was performed. On admission, critically ill patients were randomly assigned to receive intensive insulin therapy (infusion of insulin only if the blood glucose level exceeded 6.1 mmol/L and maintenance of blood glucose at a level 4.4-6.1 mmol/L, IT group) and conventional treatment (infusion of insulin only if the blood glucose level exceeded 11.9 mmol/L and maintenance of blood glucose at a level 10.0-11.1 mmol/L, CT group). The blood glucose was detected every 4 hours. The days of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), time of the ventilatory support needed, the time for retention of tracheal intubation, the morning blood glucose level (6 am), the intake of nonprotein calories per day, the dosage of required insulin per day,therapeutic intervention scoring system-28 (TISS-28) score,human leukocyte antigen (locus) DR (HLA-DR), CD4+/CD8+, the mortality rate,acute renal failure (serum creatine >221 micromol/L), bilirubinemia (total bilirubin >34.2 micromol/L),the number of patients who received red-cell transfusions,fever (temperature in mouth >38.5 centigrade) and the rate of hypoglycemia were determined and registered. RESULTS: In a total of 116 patients enrolled, intensive insulin therapy reduced mortality rate (44.83 % with conventional treatment, compared with 12.07 % with intensive insulin therapy,P< 0.01). Intensive insulin therapy reduced the days of stay in ICU, TISS-28 score per day, time of the ventilatory support needed, time for retention of tracheal intubation, mean morning blood glucose levels (6 am) compared with those in CT group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and patients receiving intensive insulin therapy were less likely to require intensive care. Intensive insulin therapy also raised consumption of insulin per day, HLA-DR and CD4+/CD8+ obviously (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compare with the morbidity between two groups, the incidence of fever due to infection, acute renal failure and red-cell transfusions were higher in CT group (all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Intensive insulin therapy maintaining blood glucose at a level 4.4-6.1 mmol/L reduces mortality rate among critically ill patients.