[The effects of salidroside on the apoptosis pathway of myocardial cells in acute exhausted rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether salidroside (Sal) plays a part in protecting myocardial cell through reducing the myocardial ischemia and the apoptosis pathway of both death receptors and mitochondria in acute exhausted rats. METHODS: Male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=6): control group(Con), acute exhaustive swimming group (EE), low-dose and high-dose Sal pre-treatment exhaustive swimming group (SLE, SHE). Rats were treated with Sal solution (15 or 30 mg/(kg·d)) or 0.9%NaCl (3 ml/(kg·d)) by intraperitoneal injection for 15 d, respectively. The Con group did not carry out swimming training. The next day after the end of intraperitoneal administration, the rats in EE, SLE and SHE group were forced to swim until they were exhausted followed the standard of Thomas. After the end of exhaustive exercise, the rats were anesthetized and the blood samples and hearts were collected immediately. The myocardial ischemia and hypoxia area and myocardial apoptosis index (AI) were also observed. Serum ischemia modified albumin (IMA), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), brain natriuretic peptide(BNP) and myocardial cell Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were determined. The expressions of myocardial TNF receptor superfamily member 6 (Fas), cytochrome C (Cyto-c), aspartate proteolytic enzyme-3(Caspase-3), aspartate proteolytic enzyme-8(Caspase-8), and aspartate proteolytic enzyme-9(Caspase-9) were detected. RESULTS: Compared with the Con group, the myocardial ischemia and hypoxia area in EE group was increased significantly. The serum levels of IMA, cTnI and BNP, AI and Bax levels and cardiac Fas, Cyto-C, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 protein expressions of EE group were also increased significantly (P＜0.01), while the protein expression of Bcl-2 in cardiac tissues was decreased significantly (P＜0.01). Compared with the EE group, the myocardial ischemia and hypoxia area, serum levels of IMA, cTnI and BNP, AI and Bax levels, and the protein expressions of cardiac Fas, Cyto-C, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 in Sal group were all decreased significantly(P＜0.01). while the protein expression of cardiac Bcl-2 in Sal group were increased significantly (P＜0.01). CONCLUSION: Sal plays a role in protecting myocardial cell through reducing the myocardial ischemia and inhibiting myocardial cell apoptosis in exhaustive exercise rats. The mechanism of reducing myocardial cell apoptosis may be related to inhibiting the expressions of Fas, Cyto-C, Caspase-3, Caspase-8, Caspase-9 and increasing the expression of Bcl-2.

Epidemiological risk factors for nosocomial bloodstream infections: A four-year retrospective study in China.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to retrospectively research the clinical characteristics, pathogen distribution, prognosis of nosocomial bloodstream infection (nBSI), and the associated risk factors for nBSI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical and microbiological data of patients with nBSI were retrospectively studied. Patients were treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Hangzhou, China) between January 2013 and December 2016. RESULTS: Our study spanned a four-year period and included 704 episodes of nBSI. The incidence rate was 4.11 per 1000 admissions. Of these cases, 96.7% were monomicrobial: gram-negative bacteria (56.4%), gram-positive bacteria (33.4%), and fungal (7%). Of all the Escherichia coli isolates, 41.5% were extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing (ESBL)-positive. Of the Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, 50.9% were resistant to imipenem. Of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 42.1% were methicillin-resistant. The overall 28-day mortality rate in all patients with nBSI was 24.4%. Parenteral nutrition (PN) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores (≥5) were closely related to the 28-day mortality rate of nBSI, while removal of venous catheters and appropriate empirical therapy were protective factors of 28-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Gram-negative bacteria predominantly developed in nBSI. Timely removal of venous catheters (catheter retention time ≥ 7 days) and implementation of appropriate empirical therapy improved the nBSI outcomes.

Bicaudal-C plays a vital role in oogenesis in Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

Bicaudal-C (Bic-C) was originally identified in a Drosophila melanogaster mutagenesis screen and plays vital roles in embryogenesis. In this study, we characterized the Bic-C gene in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), an insect pest that undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. Our result showed that N. lugens Bic-C (NlBic-C) is a female-specific gene in this species. It is specifically expressed in developing oocytes and is not expressed in laid eggs. Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) of NlBic-C arrested the uptake of vitelline by oocytes, and resulted in undeveloped ovaries and the complete inhibition of oocyte growth in the ovarioles, suggesting that NlBic-C is required for oogenesis and oocyte maturation. NlBic-C is extremely highly sensitive to RNAi, suggesting that it may be a potential target in RNAi-based insect pest management.

Isolation and characterization of a chlorpyrifos and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol degrading bacterium.

A bacterium, isolated from contaminated soils around a chemical factory and named strain DSP3 was capable of biodegrading both chlorpyrifos and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol. Based on the results of phenotypic features, phylogenetic similarity of 16S rRNA gene sequences, DNA G+C content, and DNA homology between strain DSP3 and reference strains, strain DSP3 was identified as Alcaligenes faecalis. Chlorpyrifos was utilized as the sole source of carbon and phosphorus by strain DSP3. We examined the role of strain DSP3 in the degradation of chlorpyrifos and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol under different culture conditions. Parathion and diazinon could also be degraded by strain DSP3 when provided as the sole sources of carbon and phosphorus. An addition of strain DSP3 (10(8)cells g(-1)) to soil with chlorpyrifos (100 mg kg(-1)) resulted in a higher degradation rate than the one obtained from non-inoculated soils. Different degradation rates of chlorpyrifos in six types of treated soils suggested that soils used for cabbage growing in combination with inoculation of strain DSP3 showed enhanced microbial degradation of chlorpyrifos.

Survival of the biocontrol agents Brevibacillus brevis ZJY-1 and Bacillus subtilis ZJY-116 on the spikes of barley in the field.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum is a devastating disease that results in extensive yield losses to wheat and barley. A green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressing plasmid pRP22-GFP was constructed for monitoring the colonization of two biocontrol agents, Brevibacillus brevis ZJY-1 and Bacillus subtilis ZJY-116, on the spikes of barley and their effect on suppression of FHB. Survival and colonization of the Brevibacillus brevis ZJY-1 and Bacillus subtilis ZJY-116 strains on spikes of barley were observed by tracking the bacterial transformants with GFP expression. Our field study revealed that plasmid pRP22-GFP was stably maintained in the bacterial strains without selective pressure. The retrieved GFP-tagged strains showed that the bacterial population fluctuation accorded with that of the rain events. Furthermore, both biocontrol strains gave significant protection against FHB on spikes of barley in fields. The greater suppression of barley FHB disease was resulted from the treatment of barley spikes with biocontrol agents before inoculation with F. graminearum.

[Isolation and characterization of a chlorpyrifos degrading bacteria and its bioremediation application in the soil].

A strain DSP3 capable of utilizing chlorpyrifos as the sole carbon and energy sources was isolated. Based on the results of phenotypic features, phylogenetic of 16S rDNA sequence, DNA (G + C) mol% and DNA homology between strain DSP3 and reference strains, the strain DSP3 is identified as Alcaligenes faecalis. The degradation rate of chlorpyrifos was at 98.6% (100 mg/L) in liquid culture medium within 18 days and nearly 100% (100 mg/kg) in soil within 20 days respectively. An addition of strain DSP3 (10(8) cells/g) to soil resulted in a higher degradation rate than noninoculated soils. The different degrading rate of chlorpyrifos in four types of treated soils suggests that the dissipation is mediated by the activity of the soil microorganisms.