Maternal peripartum bacteremia caused by intrauterine infection with Comamonas kerstersii: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Comamonas kerstersii (C. kerstersii) infections have considered as non-pathogenic to humans, however due to new techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), more cases have been identified. CASE SUMMARY: This is the first report of a maternal patient with a C. kerstersii bacteremia following caesarean section. Due to the severity of the patient's condition; high fever and rapidly progressing organ damage, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit. C. kerstersii was detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing testing. Based on the drug sensitivity test, appropriate antibiotic treatment was given and the patient recovered fully. CONCLUSION: This case report confirms that the detection via MALDI-TOF-MS and metagenomic next-generation sequencing testing provides a reliable basis for the diagnosis of this rare bacterial infection.

[Interactive effects of irrigation regime and planting density on grain yield and water use efficiency in winter wheat]. / 灌水量与密度互作对冬小麦籽粒产量和水分利用效率的影响.

To get an optimal irrigation regime and planting density for simultaneous improvement of grain yield (GY) and water use efficiency (WUE) in winter wheat, we examined the responses of 'Tainong 18' (with bigger ears) and 'Shannong 22' (with medium-sized ears) under four irrigation regimes, including 0, 45, 60, and 75 mm. Those two cultivars were planted at four densities: Tainong 18 at 135×104, 270×104, 405×104, and 540×104 plants·hm-2 and Shannong 22 at 90×104, 180×104, 270×104, and 360×104 plants·hm-2. The interactive effects of irrigation regimes and plant densities on GY, water consumption characteristics, and WUE were investigated. The results showed that GY, evapotranspiration, soil water consumption, and WUE were significantly affected by irrigation regime, plant density, and their interaction. The optimal irrigation regime was 45 mm for both cultivars, while the optimal plant density was 405×104 plants·hm-2 for Tainong 18 and 270×104 plants·hm-2 for Shannong 22, as indicated by the highest GY, the lowest ratio of soil evaporation to evapotranspiration after jointing, and higher WUE and the ratio of soil water consumption below 1 m to total soil water consumption. The rational combination of plant density and irrigation could reduce unnecessary water consumption and improve WUE.

[Effects of wide-range planting on the yield and nitrogen use efficiency of winter wheat cultivar Tainong 18.] / å®½å¹ æ’­ç§å¯¹å†¬å°éº¦'泰农18'äº§é‡å’Œæ°®ç´ åˆ©ç”¨çŽ‡çš„å½±å“.

The effects of wide-range planting (WR) versus drilling-planting (DP) on grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and nitrogen uptake efficiency (UPE) were investigated using winter wheat cultivar Tainong 18 at experimental fields in Tai'an and Yanzhou during the growing seasons of 2015 and 2016. The results showed that planting pattern, experimental field location, and their interaction significantly affected the grain yield, NUE, and related indices of cultivar Tainong 18. Compared to DP, the WR pattern significantly increased grain yield by 22.5% and 15.4% at Tai'an and Yanzhou, respectively, by raising the number of spikes per unit area at maturity (originating from the greater numbers of tillers per plant and per unit area) and the number of spikes per plant. Compared to DP, the WR pattern significantly increased UPE by 27.7% and 17.5% at Tai'an and Yanzhou, respectively. NUE with the WR pattern at Tai'an and Yanzhou was also increased, respectively, by 22.5% and 15.4% by enhancing nitrogen accumulation and increasing the UPE. A stonger positive effect on yield was observed at Tai'an than at Yanzhou. Thus, the popularization and application of a WR pattern would synergistically improve grain yields and NUE in winter wheat.

Sprouting of dopamine terminals and altered dopamine release and uptake in Parkinsonian dyskinaesia.

Failed storage capacity, leading to pulsatile delivery of dopamine (DA) in the striatum, is used to explain the emergence of 'wearing off' and dyskinaesia in Parkinson's disease. In this study, we show that surviving DA neurons in 6-OHDA lesioned rats sprout to re-innervate the striatum, and maintain terminal density until approximately 60% of neurons are lost. We demonstrate that DA terminal density correlates with baseline striatal DA concentration ([DA]). Electrochemical and synaptosome studies in 6-OHDA lesioned rats and primates suggest that impaired striatal DA re-uptake and increased DA release from medial forebrain bundle fibres contribute to maintaining striatal DA levels. In lesioned rats where terminal density fell by 60% or more, L-DOPA administration increased striatal DA levels markedly. The striatal [DA] produced by L-DOPA directly correlated with the extent of dyskinaesia, suggesting that dyskinaesia was related to high striatal [DA]. While sprouting and decreased dopamine uptake transporter function would be expected to contribute to the marked increase in L-DOPA induced [DA], the increased [DA] was most marked when DAergic fibres were >60% denervated, suggesting that other release sites, such as serotonergic fibres might be contributing. In conclusion, the extent of dyskinaesia was directly proportional to the extent of DA terminal denervation and levels of extra-synaptic striatal DA. We propose that sprouting of DA terminals and decreased dopamine uptake transporter function prevent the appearance of Parkinsonian symptoms until about 60% loss of nigral neurons, but also contribute to dysregulated striatal DA release that is responsible for the emergence of dyskinaesia and 'wearing off'.

[Effect of batroxobin on K+ channel activated by Ca2+ in primary culture rat cortex neurons of rat].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of batroxobin on K+ channel activated by Ca2+ in primary cultured cortex neurons of fetal SD rat. METHODS: The patch clamp technique of single channel recordings including cell-attach and inside-out mode was used. RESULTS: Extracellular batroxobin activated the Kca. In Ca2+ bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp +30 mV, when the concentrations of batroxobin were 0.15, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0 mmol/L, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.013 +/- 0.002, 0.082 +/- 0.011, 0.131+/- 0.012, 0.211+/- 0.010 and 0.062 +/- 0.009 (P < 0.01), respectively. It appeared concentration-dependent within 0.75 mmol/ L. batroxobin. In Ca2+ free-bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp+50 mV, when the concentrations of batroxobin were 0.15, 0.40, 0.60 and 1.0 mmol/L, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.013 +/- 0.001, 0.112 +/- 0.007, 0.193 +/- 0.010 and 0.301 +/- 0.009 (P < 0.05), respectively. In the 6 cases of inside-out mode patch clamp, Vp +40 mV, when the concentrations of batroxobin were 0, 0.25 and 0.50 mmol/L, the open probabilities of the channel were 0. 012 +/- 0.007, 0.011 +/- 0.009 and 0.013 +/- 0.008 (P > 0.05), respectively. There was no significant difference in open probabilities, average open/close times and amplitudes at different intracellular batroxobin concentrations. CONCLUSION: Batroxobin can affect the activation of the Kca channel through regulating the concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+. It may have a protective effect on neurons.

[Effect of the Ca2+ -activated K+ channel in veratridine-induced cortex neurons damage].

AIM: To observe the effects of Ca2+ -activated K+ channel of primary cultured fetal SD rat cortex neurons in the veratridine triggered neuronal damage. METHODS: The patch clamp technique of cell-attach and inside-out mode for these two kinds of single channel recordings were used. RESULTS: Extracellular veratridine activated the Kca. In Ca2+ bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp + 30 mV, when the concentration (micromol/L) of veratridine were 15,25,50 and 75, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.014 +/- 0.003, 0.085 +/- 0.010, 0.132 +/- 0.016 and 0.059 +/- 0.006 (P < 0.01) respectively. It appeared concentration-dependent within 50 micromol/L veratridine. In Ca2+ free bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp = +50 mV, when the concentration (micromol/L) of veratridine were 15, 40,60 and 100, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.014 +/- 0.010, 0.113 +/- 0.006, 0.141 +/- 0.004 and 0.295 +/- 0.009 (P < 0.05) respectively. In the 6 cases of inside-out mode patch clamp, Vp = +40 mV, when the concentration of veratridine were 0, 25 micromol/L and 50 micromol/L, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.011 +/- 0.008, 0.010 +/- 0.010 and 0.012 +/- 0.007 (P > 0.05) respectively. There were no significant difference on open probabilities, average open/close times and amplitudes at different intracellular veratridine concentration. CONCLUSION: Veratridine can affect the activation of the Kca channel through regulating the concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+. The opening of Kca activated by increase of intracellular Ca2+ during the early stage of anoxia may be a protection reaction of ischemic neurons.