[Molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of six cases of CA-MRSA pneumonia after influenza].

Objective: To summarize and analyze the strains' molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of 6 strains of post-influenza community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) pneumonia. Methods: Six cases of CA-MRSA pneumonia after influenza from 2014 to 2022 were retrospectively collected and CA-MRSA strains from each patient were cultured. Then, SCCmec typing, MLST typing, and spa typing were performed on the samples, which also included the procedures for the detection of virulence factors. Antibiotic susceptibility test was then performed on all 6 strains. Results: ST59-t437-Ⅳ was the predominant type in all the strains of CA-MRSA(2/6). Leukocidin (PVL) was detected in 5 cases, and hemolysin α (HLAα) and phenol soluble regulatory protein α (PSMα) were detected in 6 cases. Five of the cases included in this study were diagnosed with severe pneumonia. In terms of treatment, 4 cases received antiviral therapy, and 5 patients with severe pneumonia received anti-infection treatment with vancomycin as the first choice and were discharged after improvement of their condition. Conclusions: The molecular types and virulence factors of CA-MRSA after influenza infection could vary considerably. Our experiments also showed that secondary CA-MRSA infection after influenza was more common in young people with no underlying diseases and could cause severe pneumonia. Vancomycin and linezolid were the first-line drugs for treating CA-MRSA infection and were highly effective in improving the condition of diagnosed patients. We highlighted the importance of referring patients with severe pneumonia after influenza for etiological tests to determine whether they had CA-MRSA infection, so that they could be properly treated with anti-influenza agents and receive appropriate anti-CA-MRSA infection treatment.

[Analysis on health status and influencing factors of 1353 mercury workers in Xinjiang].

Objective: To investigate the health status of workers exposed to occupational mercury, and to provide the theoretical basis for formulating reasonable health monitoring and targeted protection measures. Methods: In November 2021, 1353 mercury-exposed workers who underwent occupational health examination in a hospital in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from 2018 to 2021 were collected as research subjects. By analyzing their blood pressure, electrocardiogram, blood routine, liver function and urine ß2-microglobulin and urinary mercury in different gender, age, length of service, industry and enterprise scale, and the health status. And the influencing factors of urinary mercury were evaluated. Results: Among 1353 workers exposed to mercury, there were 1002 males (74.1%), the average age was (37.2±9.8) years old, and the length of service was 3.1 (2.0, 8.0) years. The abnormal rates of physical examination, blood pressure, electrocardiogram, blood routine, liver function, urinary ß2-microglobulin and urinary mercury were 73.9% (1000/1353), 12.3% (166/1353), 30.2% (408/1353), 59.9% (810/1353), 32.5% (440/1353), 15.2% (205/1353) and 2.2% (30/1353), respectively. The abnormal rates of blood pressure, blood routine, liver function, urinary ß2-microglobulin and urinary mercury in male workers were higher than those in female workers (P<0.05). The abnormal rates of workers' blood pressure and physical examination results increased with the increase of age and length of service, while the abnormal rate of electrocardiogram results were opposite (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the abnormal rates of blood pressure, blood routine, urinary ß2-microglobulin and physical examination results among workers of different enterprises and different industries (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the workers with age ≥30 years old, microminiature enterprises, abnormal physical examination results and urinary ß2-microglobulin were the susceptible population with abnormal urinary mercury (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The occupational health status of mercury workers in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is not optimistic, and the health monitoring of microminiature enterprises and older workers should be improved to effectively protect the physical and mental health of workers.

[Quantitative analysis of patellar tendon elasticity of amateur marathon runners after a competition based on shear wave elastography].

Objective: To analyze the changes of patellar tendon elasticity quantitatively of amateur marathon runners by shear wave elastography (SWE) in a half marathon. Methods: A total of 47 amateur marathon runners (31 males and 16 females, aged from 20 to 44 years) were enrolled as the marathon group, and divided into dominant side (47 patellar tendons) and non-dominant side (47 patellar tendons). Grey-scale ultrasound and SWE were performed on the bilateral patellar tendons before and after the half marathon within 2 h and after a period of 1 week. Thirty healthy volunteers (18 males and 12 females, aged from 22 to 39 years) were enrolled as the control group, the SWE-values derived from the patellar tendon were collected and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze the relationship between the changes of SWE-values and running age as well as weekly amount of running. Results: None of any runners showed knee pain and sports injury during the test. The dominant side had a higher SWE-values than non-dominant side in marathon group before running [(55.1±15.7) kPa vs (43.8±15.9) kPa, P<0.05]. The marathon group had higher SWE-values than the control group both in dominant side [(55.1±15.7) kPa vs (18.5±3.7) kPa] and non-dominant side [(43.8±15.9) kPa vs (17.4±3.2) kPa], respectively, before running (P<0.05). The SWE-values increased significantly both in dominant side [(80.2±23.2) kPa vs (55.1±15.7) kPa] and non-dominant side [(76.5±26.6) kPa vs (43.8±15.9) kPa] 2 h after running in marathon group. After a week, the SWE-values were not statistically different from those before running (P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that running age and weekly amount of running were related factors leading to the increase of SWE-values after running. Conclusions: The patellar tendon of amateur marathon runners has higher SWE-values. SWE can dynamically evaluate the changes of patellar tendon during exercise and is helpful for runners in scientific training and avoiding sports injury.

[The necessity and importance of standardized management of acromegaly: from the perspective of development of expert consensuses and clinical guidelines].

Acromegaly is a rare disease, and multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for its diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.In recent years, a series of novel findings have been echieved in clinical studies on acromegaly.Therefore, the China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist council has convened Chinese specialists in neurosurgery, endocrinology, radiology, and radiotherapy to release the Chinese Consensus for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acromegaly (2021), which aims to promote the standardized and individualized management of acromegaly.Looking back to the past, the consensuses and guidelines have played vital roles in establishing the widely recognized biochemical remission criteria, promoting new drugs and novel therapeutic strategies which are of significance for standardized treatment, and emphasizing the need to focus on the systemic complications of acromegaly and the long-term quality of life. In this editorial, we briefly reviewed the expert consensuses and clinical guidelines on acromegaly at home and abroad, and discussed their important roles in promoting standardized disease management from three aspects including biochemical remission standards, medical treatment, and the diagnosis and treatment of systemic complications.

[Differential circRNA expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells among mild and severe influenza-associated pneumonia patients].

Objective: To explore the difference in the expression profile of circular RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells between patients with mild and severe influenza pneumonia. Methods: From December 2018 to March 2019, 10 inpatients with mild and 10 inpatients with severe influenza pneumonia admitted to the Department of Infection and Clinical Microbiology of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were included. Clariom™ D gene chip was used to explore the circRNA expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from the patients. The absolute value of the fold change (FC value)>2 and P<0.05 were used as the criteria to screen the differentially expressed circRNA, and the gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome database (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, KEGG) signal pathway enrichment analysis were also performed. Results: The age of mild patients [M (P25, P75)] was 62.0 (34.5, 69.8) years old, including 4 males; the age of severe patients [M (P25, P75)] was 50.0 (37.0, 60.0) years old, all were males. A total of 137 differentially expressed circRNAs in PBMCs of mild and severe patients were screened. The numbers of up-regulated and down-regulated circRNAs in mild patients were 101 and 36, respectively. Among them, hsa_circ_0091073 (FC value=160.898, P<0.05) was the most significantly up-regulated circRNA and hsa_circ_0092219 (FC value =-17.630, P<0.05) was the most significantly down-regulated circRNA. GO enrichment analysis showed that a total of 111 secondary GO items were significantly associated with related differential expression of circRNA (P<0.05). The GO terms associated with upregulated circRNAs included DNA-templated transcription, regulation of DNA-templated transcription, regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase Ⅱ promoter, etc.; The GO terms associated with downregulated circRNAs included neutrophil degranulation, killing of cells of other organism, defense response to fungus, etc. KEGG signaling pathway analysis showed that there were 37 metabolic pathways related to differentially expressed circRNAs (P<0.05). Signaling pathways related to up-regulated circRNAs included nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, etc. Signaling pathways related to down-regulation of circRNAs included cancer transcription disorders, folate carbon pool, and other types of O-glycan biosynthesis. Conclusion: The expression of circRNA in PBMC of mild and severe influenza pneumonia patients is significantly different, and it may play a role in the pathogenic mechanism of influenza pneumonia through multiple signal pathways.

[Risk factors and clinical prognosis analysis of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales bacteria nosocomial infection].

Objective: To explore the risk factors for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infection and death. Methods: A case-control analysis of 482 inpatients in 18 secondary or tertiary hospitals in Beijing in 2018 was conducted. Patients infected by CRE were selected as the case group (n=247), and infected by carbapenem susceptible Enterobacterales (CSE) as the control group (n=235). The risk factors and clinical prognosis of CRE infection were analyzed by single factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: CRE were resistant to most antimicrobials, but were highly sensitive to colistin and tigecycline, with sensitivity of 94.0% and 99.5%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that prior 30-day tracheal intubation (OR=2.607, 95%CI: 1.655-4.108, P<0.001), empirical treatment using third or fourth generation cephalosporins (OR=2.339, 95%CI: 1.438-3.803, P=0.001), carbapenems (OR=2.468, 95%CI: 1.610-3.782, P<0.001) and quinolones (OR=2.042, 95%CI: 1.268-3.289, P=0.003) were independent risk factors for CRE infection. Mechanical ventilation (OR=3.390, 95%CI: 1.454-7.904, P=0.005), heart failure (OR=4.679, 95%CI: 1.975-11.083, P<0.001), moderate or severe liver disease (OR=3.057, 95%CI: 1.061-8.806, P=0.038), prior 30-day quinolones exposure (OR=2.882, 95%CI: 1.241-6.691, P=0.014) and septic shock (OR=7.772, 95%CI: 3.505-17.233, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for death after CRE infection. Conclusions: Reducing the use of antimicrobials and invasive procedures such as prior 30-day tracheal intubation may reduce the probability of CRE infection. Grading the severity of the underlying disease in patients with CRE infection, as well as predicting and preventing the occurrence of septic shock will help reduce the risk of death.

[Incidence of unintended pregnancy within 2 years after delivery and its influencing factors in China].

Objective: To investigate the present situation of unintended pregnancy within two years postpartum and its influencing factors in China. Methods: Participants who delivered a live birth at 60 hospitals in 15 provinces in the eastern, central and western regions of China during July 2015 to June 2016 were interviewed by using structured questionnaire. Information on occurrence of unintended pregnancy within 2 years after delivery, postpartum contraceptive use, sexual resumption, breastfeeding, and women's socio-demographic characteristics, and so on, were collected. Life-table analysis, cluster log-rank tests and a 2-level Cox regression model were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 18 045 postpartum women were investigated. The cumulative 1- and 2-year unintended pregnancy rates after delivery were 5.3% (95%CI: 4.5%－6.1%) and 13.1% (95%CI: 11.3%－14.8%), respectively. Cox regression model analysis showed that the risk of unintended pregnancy within 2 years postpartum were increased in younger women, ethnic minorities, women with abortion history, and those who had a vaginal delivery with short lactation time and late postpartum contraceptive initiation (all P<0.01). The risk of postpartum unintended pregnancy was not associated with geographic regions and hospitals where women gave a birth (all P>0.05). Conclusions: In China, the risk of unintended pregnancy within 2 years after delivery is relatively high. Service institutions and service providers should improve the quality of postpartum family planning services, promote the use of high effect contraceptive methods, and educate women to use a method at the time of their sexual resumption or even before.

[Analysis of spirometer data of 5272 coal dust-exposed miners].

Objective: To analyze the spirometer data of coal mine workers, explore the impact of coal dust on the lung function of coal mine workers. Methods: From June to December 2018, 5272 male coal mine dust-exposed workers who underwent occupational health examinations at the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment Hospital were selected as the research subjects. The basic information and spirometer data of the workers were collected and analyzed for different ages, years of service and the degree of lung function injury of workers exposed to dust and its influencing factors. Results: The total detection rate of lung function injury among dust-exposed workers was 33.9% (1785/5272) . The type of injury was mainly restrictive ventilatory dysfunction (66.7%, 1190/1785) , followed by mixed ventilatory dysfunction (31.4%, 561/1785) , obstructive ventilatory dysfunction (1.9%, 34/1785) . The detection rate of mild lung function impairment was 21.0% (1105/5272) , The detected rate of moderate or higher lung injury was 12.9% (680/5272) . The abnormal detection rate of chest radiography was 3.4% (179/5272) . The logistic regression analysis of the factors affecting lung function damage showed that employees aged 40-<50 were more likely to detect overall lung function injury and the moderate or higher lung injury (P<0.05) , and that they had been working for 35 to 45 years and excavators were more likely to detect overall function injury and different degree of lung injury (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The lung function injury of coal mine dust-exposed workers is related to their age, dust-exposed working years and type of work, mainly with mild injury and restrictive ventilation dysfunction.

[Analysis of the influencing factors of serum bilirubin in workers exposed to occupational hazards factors in a urban area].

Objective: To investigate the effect of exposure to occupational hazard factors on serum bilirubin in workers. Methods: In April 2019, using cluster sampling method 5 433 workers exposed to occupational hazard factors from July 2017 to March 2019 were screened out by questionnaire and laboratory test, the date of serum bilirubin were used by the logistic regression analysis of single factor card test and wilcoxon band symbol rank and test. Results: The bilirubin decreases with age, is higher in male than in female, the han is higher than the uygur, and the unmarried workers is higher than the married one, there was significant difference in the levels of bilirubin between different genders, ages, ethnic groups and marriages (P<0.01) . There were statistically significant differences in bilirubin among the occupational hazard factors (P<0.01) , the bilirubin level is highest in the exposure to physical factors, followed by chemical factors and dust. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the dust was the main factor affecting bilirubin (OR(dusr/TBIL)=2.080, 95%CI: 1.542~2.807, P<0.01) . Abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alanine aminotransferase (AST) are consistent with elevated bilirubin. Conclusion: Exposure to occupational hazard factors may lead to elevated serum bilirubin and abnormal liver function transaminase, the prevention and control of occupational hazards and cccupational health monitoring should be strengthened.

[Cost-effectiveness analysis of cervical cancer screening strategies in urban China].

Objective: To explore the most economically feasible cervical cancer screening strategies in urban China. Methods: A series of Markov models were constructed to evaluate health and economic outcomes of different screening strategies. There were 24 screening strategies including four screening methods: liquid-based cytology (LBC), human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA genotyping, HPV DNA genotyping with LBC triage (HPV DNA+ LBC), HPV DNA genotyping and LBC co-testing (HPV DNA-LBC), along with three intervals (every 1, 3 or 5 years) and two starting age for screening (30 or 35 years old) were compared. Models parameters were obtained from a cervical cancer screening study in urban China and literature reviews. Results: The cumulative incidence and mortality risk of cervical cancer declined over 69% and 82% respectively for each screening strategy as compared with the no screening scenario. LBC every five years starting from 35 years old strategy cost the least (RMB 690 per capita) and could save life years compared with no screening. The cost effectiveness ratios of 24 strategies ranged from -10 903 to 117 992 RMB per life year saved. All strategies were cost-effective compared to no screening. In the incremental cost-effectiveness analysis, LBC every 5 years starting from 30 strategy, HPV DNA genotyping every 3 years starting from 30 strategy, LBC every 3 years starting from 30 strategy and LBC every year starting from 30 strategy were dominant strategies. Conclusions: Screening can effectively prevent cervical cancer. In urban Chinese areas with insufficient socioeconomic resources, LBC every 5 years from 35 years old strategy is recommended. In relatively more affluent areas, LBC every 5 years from 30 years old strategy, LBC every 3 years from 30 years old strategy, HPV DNA genotyping every 3 years from 30 years old strategy, and LBC every year from 30 years old strategy are recommended successively.

[Economic evaluation of fifteen cervical cancer screening strategies in rural China].

Objective: To evaluate the feasible cervical cancer screening strategies in rural China. Methods: The study was based on the health industry scientific research project of National Health Commission in 2015, cervical cancer screening technology and demonstration research suitable for rural areas in China, we collected health economics and epidemiological parameters and established the unscreening model and screening model with Treeage Pro 2011 software. Combining with the data acquired from site investigation, including population screening, treatment-related clinical materials and cost data, we simulated the occurrence and the development of cervical cancer of rural women in China under different screening and intervention programs and predicted the screening effects [cumulative incidence, cumulative risk of disease, life years and quality adjusted life years (QALY) , gains] and costs after 20 years, and using health economic evaluation analysis (cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, cost-benefit analysis). Screening programs included five screening strategies [visual inspection with acetic acid/lugol's iodine (VIA/VILI), careHPV, ThinPrep cytology test (TCT), careHPV+TCT, careHPV+VIA/VILI] and three screening intervals (1-year, 3-year, 5-year), a total of fifteen screening programs. Results: Compared with no screening, fifteen screening programs reduced the cumulative incidence by 22.65%-51.76%. Compared with TCT or VIA/VILI, for the same screening interval, the reduced cumulative incidence, the amounts of life-year saved and QALY and benefits gained of careHPV were the highest. The cost-effectiveness ratios of these screening programs ranged (0.44-3.24)×10(4) Yuan per life-year saved, cost-utility ratios ranged (0.15- 1.01)×10(4) Yuan per QALY, benefit-cost ratios ranged 7.73-59.10. The results of incremental costeffectiveness ratios showed that VIA/VILI every five years, VIA/VILI every three years, careHPV every five years, careHPV every three years and careHPV every year were dominant programs. Conclusions: VIA/VILI screening is cost-effective, careHPV is slightly more expensive but more effective. In rural China, careHPV screening every five years could be recommended. This study provides a basis for the determination of cervical cancer screening methods feasible for rural areas in China.

[Effects and safety of quadratus lumborum block in analgesia after hip arthroplasty].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound guided quadratus lumborum block combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Methods: From January to June 2017, sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status Ⅰ to Ⅲ patients, aged 55-75 yr, scheduled for total hip arthroplasty, were randomly divided into control group(group N) and quadratus lumborum block (group R). Ultrasound guided quadratus lumborum block was implemented on the affected side at the end of operation.Then 30 ml 0.33% ropivacaine were administrated in group R, while the control group did not receive the same block. A sufentanil patient-controlled analgesia pump was connected to the patient. The rest visual analogue score (VAS) were recorded at 0 h(T(0)), 3 h(T(1)), 6 h (T(2)), 12 h(T(3)), 24 h (T(4)), 36 h (T(5)) and 48 h(T(6)) after sugery, the VAS scores on movement were evaluated at T(4), T(5) and T(6) time points.The consumption of sufentanil within each period time were recorded.The maximal flexion and abduction degrees of the hip joint were evaluated at 12, 24, 36 and 48 h after operation. The number of patients for rescue pain relief by intravenous analgesia pump during 24 h and 48 h after surgery were counted in both groups. The postoperative adverse effects and overall satisfaction in the two groups were recorded. Results: The VAS at rest in group R were 0.8±0.4, 1.0±0.3, 1.2±0.5, 2.0±0.5, 1.7±0.4 , 1.6±0.5 at T(1), T(2), T(3), T(4), T(5), T(6) respectively, and those in group N were 3.0±0.7, 3.5±0.9, 3.8±0.9, 3.3±1.1, 3.3±0.7, 3.0±0.7 at the same time points. The VAS at rest were lower in group R than those in control group at all time points (F=203.090, 216.354, 203.956, 35.548, 96.332, 80.577, all P<0.01). The VAS on movement in group R were 2.7±0.9, 2.9±0.7 , 2.0±0.6 at T(4), T(5), T(6) respectively , and those in group N were 6.0±1.5, 5.8±1.1, 4.5±1.0. The VAS on movement were also lower in group R than those in control group(F=154.561, 143.224, 141.479, all P<0.01). The maximum flexion degrees in group R were (61±12)degrees, (64±10)degrees, (69±15)degrees and(78±19)degrees at 12, 24, 36, 48 h after operation, and those were (45±11) degrees, (49±10)degrees, (52±12)degrees and(60±14)degrees at the same time points. The maximum flexion degrees in group R were increased more than control group at 12, 24, 36, 48 h after operation(F=34.981, 35.575, 52.106, 41.681, all P<0.01). The abduction degrees in group R were(22±6)degrees, (26±6)degrees, (27±8)degrees and(28±7)degrees at 12, 24, 36, 48 h after surgery, and those in group N were (14±5) degrees, (17±6)degrees, (20±6)degrees and(20±5)degrees. The abduction degrees in group R were increased more than those in group N(F=58.974, 33.402, 19.151, 20.575, all P<0.01). The rates of rescue analgesia for pain relief were 10% and 16.7% at 24 h and 48 h after operation respectively in group R, and those were 100% and 100% in group N. Compared to group N, the rates of rescue analgesia for pain relief in group R were significantly decreased (χ(2)=49.091, 42.857, all P<0.01). The incidences of postoperative nausea and vomiting, pruritus in group R were 3.3% and 3.3% respectively, and those in group N were 23.3% and 20.0%. The incidences of nausea and vomiting, pruritus in group R were lower than those in group N (χ(2)=5.192, 4.875, all P<0.01). The overall satisfaction scores in group R (3.7 ± 1.0 ) were higher than those (1.9±0.7) in the group N(t=7.841, P<0.01). Conclusion: The quadratus lumborum block combined with parecoxib sodium for multimodal analgesia after total hip arthroplasty is effective and provides satisfactory analgesia.

[Study on direct economic burden and influencing factors in patients with cervical cancer and precancerous lesions].

Objective: To account the direct cost of uterine cervix carcinoma treatment in China and to explore the related factors which influence the direct financial burden of the disease. Methods: Data was collected through the medical record system and telephone interviews in 14 county-level hospitals and 9 provincial and municipal hospitals from 14 provinces/municipalities enrolled in the Chinese National Health Industry Research Project in 2015. The direct financial burden of uterine cervix carcinoma treatment consisted of the direct medical cost and the direct non-medical cost of treatment in different pathological cervical cancer stages and precancerous lesions. Multiple liner regression method was used to analyze the factors affecting the costs. Results: The age of the 3 246 patients was (46.40±10.43) years, including 2 423 patients from provincial and municipal hospitals and 823 patients from county-level hospitals. The direct financial burden for one patient of pathological uterine cervix carcinoma stage or precancerous lesion ranged from 10 156.3 yuan to 75 716.4 yuan in provincial and municipal hospitals, and for patients from county-level hospitals, the cost was between 4 927.9 yuan and 47 524.8 yuan per person. There was a wide gap between the direct financial burden of patients in different disease stages. The direct financial burden of patients with precancerous lesions ranged from 4 927.9 yuan per person to 11 243.0 yuan per person, as for patients of pathological uterine cervix carcinoma stages, the direct financial burden was between 29 274.6 yuan and 75 716.4 yuan per person. The factors which influence direct financial burden would include: the levels of the hospital, pathological period, medicare reimbursement, days of treatment, and the methods of treatment (P<0.001). Conclusion: The direct financial burden of diseases in patients with pathological uterine cervix carcinoma stage or precancerous lesion differed in different levels of hospital and pathological periods. In addition, medicare reimbursement, days of treatment, and the methods of treatment all had impact on it.

Dexmedetomidine protects against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in mice through regulating apoptosis and inflammation.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has been widely used in the perioperative period of cancer surgery, which exacerbates the risk of renal injury. In this study, we examined whether dexmedetomidine (DEX), a commonly used anesthetic adjuvant, shows a protective effect against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. MATERIALS: Acute kidney injury in mice was induced by cisplatin. TREATMENTS: Mice were administered with DEX 25 µg/kg or atipamezole 250 µg/kg (once a day, for 3 days) after cisplatin treatment. METHODS: The renal function and tubular damage score were evaluated at 72 h following cisplatin administration. Apoptotic tubular cells were detected by TUNEL assay. Caspase-3, p53, Bax, F4/80+ macrophages, CD3+ T cells, and NF-κB were examined by immunohistochemistry staining or Western blot. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 in kidney were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: DEX treatment preserved renal function and reduced tubular damage score of mice after cisplatin administration. Mice treated with DEX exhibited less apoptotic tubular cells in response to cisplatin insult, which was associated with decreased Bax and reduced activation of p53 and caspase-3. DEX suppressed the infiltration of macrophages and T cells into the kidneys following cisplatin treatment, which was involved in the inhibition of NF-κB activation and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and MCP-1. Furthermore, we showed that the renoprotective effect conferred by DEX may be related to α2 adrenoceptor-dependent pathway. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that DEX protects the kidney against cisplatin-induced AKI by the regulation of apoptosis and inflammatory response.

Isolation, identification and characterization of lignin-degrading bacteria from Qinling, China.

AIMS: Lignin is an aromatic heteropolymer forming a physical barrier and it is a big challenge in biomass utilization. This paper first investigated lignin-degradation bacteria from rotten wood in Qinling Mountain. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nineteen potential strains were selected and ligninolytic enzyme activities were determined over 84 h. Strains that had higher enzyme activities were selected. Further, the biodegradation of wheat straw lignin and alkali lignin was evaluated indicating that Burkholderia sp. H1 had the highest capability. It was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography and field emission scanning electron microscope that alkali lignin was depolymerized into small fragments. The degraded products were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total ion chromatograph of products treated for 7 days showed the formation of aromatic compounds, an important intermediate from lignin degradation. Interestingly, they disappeared in 15 days while the aldehyde and ester compounds increased. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the lignin-degrading bacteria are abundant in rotten wood and strain H1 has high potential to break down lignin. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The diversity of lignin-degrading bacteria in Qinling Mountain is revealed. The study of Burkholderia sp. H1 expands the range of bacteria for lignin degradation and provides novel bacteria for application to lignocellulosic biomass.

Methods of RNA preparation affect mRNA abundance quantification of reference genes in pig maturing oocytes.

To ensure accurate normalization and quantification of target RNA transcripts using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), most studies focus on the identification of stably expressed gene(s) as internal reference. However, RNA preparation methods could also be an important factor, especially for test samples of limited quantity (e.g. oocytes). In this study, we aimed to select appropriate reference gene(s), and evaluate the effect of RNA preparation methods on gene expression quantification in porcine oocytes and cumulus cells during in vitro maturation. Expression profiles of seven genes (GAPDH, 18S, YWHAG, BACT, RPL4, HPRT1 and PPIA) were examined, on RNA samples extracted from cumulus cells (RNeasy Kit) and oocytes (RNeasy Kit and Lysis Kit) during in vitro maturation, respectively. Interestingly, different RNA preparation methods were found to potentially affect the quantification of reference gene expression in pig oocytes cultured in vitro. After geNorm analyses, the most suitable genes for normalization were identified, GAPDH/18S for cumulus cells and YWHAG/BACT for oocytes, respectively. Thus, our results provide useful data and information on the selection of better reference genes and RNA preparation method for related functional studies.

[The influence of lumbar sympathetic ganglion radiofrequency thermocoagulation on the activation of microglia in rats with diabetic neuropathic pain].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of lumbar sympathetic ganglion radiofrequency thermocoagulation on the activation of spinal microglia in rats with diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP). METHODS: Thirty-six painful diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats induced by 60 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection were randomly divided into diabetic neuropathic pain group (group DNP, n=12), Sham operation group (group Sham, n=12) and radiofrequency thermocoagulation group (group R, n=12). Meanwhile another 12 age-matched rats were allocated as normal control group (group N), rats in group N received intraperitoneal injection of equal volume of normal saline. Twenty-eight days after STZ injection, rats in group R received L3 lumbar sympathetic ganglia radiofrequency thermocoagulation on the left side under X-ray guideline after anesthesia with damage time 60 s and damage temperature 60 ℃. Rats in group Sham received puncture positioning, but not thermocoagulation therapy. The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) were performed before STZ injection, 7, 14, 21, 28 days after STZ injection and 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 days after radiofrequency thermocoagulation, respectively. Blood glucose were performed before STZ injection, 3, 28 days after STZ injection and 1, 14days after radiofrequency thermocoagulation. After the final behavioral testing, L3-L5 spinal cord tissues were removed to exam the expression of microglia marker OX42 by Western blotting and immunofluorescence technique, and the changes in the expression of inflammation factor IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α were detected by ELISA technique. RESULTS: Compared with group N, after 14, 21, 28 days of STZ injection and 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 days of radiofrequency thermocoagulation, the PWT of group DNP and group Sham decreased significantly (P<0.05); Before radiofrequency thermocoagulation, the PWT of rats in group DNP was (3.84±0.83) g, the PWT of rats in group R was (4.45±0.88) g, there was no statistically significant difference between group DNP and group R (t=1.514, P>0.05), but after radiofrequency thermocoagulation, compared with DNP group, the PWT of rats in group R increased significantly (P<0.05), and lasted to 14 d after radiofrequency thermocoagulation. The ratio of spinal microglia marker OX42 and GAPDH, the expression of inflammation factor IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α in group N were 0.074±0.023, (35.93±6.16) pg/ml, (92.11±13.23) pg/ml, and (169.50±22.64) pg/ml, respectively. The ratio of spinal microglia marker OX42 and GAPDH, the expression of inflammation factor IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α in group DNP were 1.023±0.185, (73.82±9.25) pg/ml, (155.33±21.82) pg/ml, and (298.30±33.21) pg/ml, respectively. The ratio of spinal microglia marker OX42 and GAPDH, the expression of inflammation factor IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α in group Sham were 0.951±0.103, (73.00±7.54) pg/ml, (151.02±24.26) pg/ml, and (294.01±36.37) pg/ml, respectively. The ratio of spinal microglia marker OX42 and GAPDH, the expression of inflammation factor IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α in group R were 0.563±0.019, (51.81±7.36) pg/ml, (123.24±16.13) pg/ml, and (229.23±29.16) pg/ml, respectively. Compared with group N, the expression of spinal microglia marker OX42 and inflammation factor IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α in group DNP, group Sham and group R increased significantly (F=7.501, 348.698, 568.021, 145.110, all P<0.05). Compared with DNP group, the expression of spinal microglia marker OX42 and inflammation factor IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α of group R reduced significantly (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The lumbar sympathetic ganglion radiofrequency thermocoagulation can alleviate diabetic neuropathic pain. The mechanism may relate with the inhibition of spinal microglia activation and the lower expression of inflammation factor.

[Predictive value of C-reactive protein in emerging non-alcoholic fatty liver disease].

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of C-reactive protein (CRP) in emerging non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed. A total of 101510 employees of Kailuan Group Company who underwent physical examination from July 2006 to October 2007 were enrolled as study subjects. The employees with a history of drinking, fatty liver disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and malignant tumors and incomplete data were excluded. Finally 25843 employees were enrolled in the cohort study. According to the baseline CRP level, these employees were divided into CRP < 1 mg/L group, CRP 1-3 mg/L group, and CRP > 3 mg/L group. The detection rate of emerging NAFLD was compared between groups, and the multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk of NAFLD in each group. Results: With the increasing CRP level, age, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, waist circumference, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, serum uric acid, and the proportion of male patients tended to increase (P< 0.01). The detection rate of emerging NAFLD was 24.6% in the CRP < 1 mg/L group, 29.6% in the CRP 1-3 mg/L group, and 30.6% in the CRP > 3 mg/L group (χ 2= 92.10,P< 0.01). The results of the logistic regression analysis showed that after the confounding factors such as age, sex, and waist circumference were corrected, the risk of NAFLD in the CRP 1-3 mg/L group and CRP > 3 mg/L group was 1.09 (95%CI1.01-1.17) and 1.24 (95%CI1.13-1.35) times that in the CRP < 1 mg/L group. Conclusion: CRP is the independent risk factor for the development of NAFLD.

Curcumin promotes the apoptosis of human endometrial carcinoma cells by downregulating the expression of androgen receptor through Wnt signal pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to explore the effect ofcurcumin on androgen receptor (AR) expression in endometrial carcinoma cells, as well as the underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endometrial carcinoma cells were treated with curcumin (10, 50, and 100 micromol/l) for 12, 24, and 48 hours. Their growth curves were drawn using MTT assays and their apoptotic rates were determined using flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expression of AR was detected using PCR and that of the Wnt signal related nucleopro- tein beta-cantenin was observed using western blot analysis. The influence of beta-cantenin on the action of curcumin was observed. RESULTS: Curcumin downregulated the proliferation and apoptosis of human endometrial carcinoma cells in concentration and time-dependent manners. It downregulated the expression of AR and beta-cantenin in the cells. rWnt3a partially cancelled the effects of curcumin on the proliferation and apoptosis of human endometrial carcinoma cells as well as the AR expression-downregulating effect of curcumin. CONCLUSION: Curcumin inhibits the proliferation and apoptosis of human endometrial carcinoma cells by downregulating their AR expression through the Wnt signal pathway.