Objective To observe the effect of ultrafiltrated components of three kinds of serum containing phlegm-resolving prescriptions (Huanglian Wendan Decoction, Gualou Xiebai Banxia Decoction, and Erchen Decoction, respectively) on viability of human leukemic monocytic cell line THP-1 derived macrophages and macrophage differentiation to foam cells. Methods THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate ( PMA) . And then the achieved macrophages were used for the establishment of the atherosclerotic foam cell model after co-incubation with oxidized low density lipoprotein ( ox-LDL ) . Three kinds of serum containing phlegm-resolving prescriptions and blank serum were prepared and ultrafiltered by 10 KD ultrafiltrator, and then were co-cultured with the foam cell model, respectively. The viability of macrophages and the macrophage differentiation to foam cells were tested by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium ( MTT) assay and oil red staining. Apoptotic rate of macrophages was determined by flow cytometry. Results After THP-1 cells were induced by PMA (100 nmol/L) for 20 hours and then were co-incubated with ox-LDL (50 μg/mL) for 24 hours, a typical atherosclerotic foam cell model was established successfully. The ultrafiltrated components of serum containing Huanglian Wendan Decoction had obvious effects on increasing the macrophage survival rate, decreasing macrophage apoptotic rate, and inhibiting macrophage differentiation to foam cells. The ultrafiltrated components of serum containing Gualou Xiebai Banxia Decoction or Erchen Decoction had an effect on enhancing the macrophage differentiation to foam cells but had no anti-apoptosis action. Conclusion Huanglian Wendan Decoction has anti-atherosclerosis action, which may be related to resisting macrophage apoptosis and decreasing macrophagic lipid-endocytosing function. Erchen Decoction and Gualou Xiebai Banxia Decoction are effective on increasing macrophagic lipid-endocytosing function.

Bacteria species belonging to the genus Leptospirillum are of great importance in bioleaching industry. This paper introduces the varieties and characteristics of Leptospirillum, its isolation and cultivation methods, as well as the advance of molecular biology and bioleaching mechanism researchs about Leptospirillum.

Objective To investigate if the 23 strains of highly-resistant P.aeruginosa isolated from different patients in the in- tensive care unit (ICU) have the same origin;and explore the related mechanisms of carbapenem resistance in these multidrug- resistant P.aeruginosa.MethOds Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using disk-diffusion technique.The strains were genotyped by rep-PCR with the primer ERIC2 followed by electrophoresis in agarose gel.We used a previously described imipenem-EDTA double-disk test for screening MBL-producing P.aeruginosa.Polymerase chain reaction for amplification of blaOprD, blaIMP, and bla VIM were performed to detect corresponding mutants.Results The result of antimicrobial suscepti- bility testing showed that 20 of the 23 P.aeruginosa isolates were muhidrug-resistant and highly resistant to imipenem and meropenem, and at least 5 antimicrobial agents tested in this study.The analysis of the rep-PCR products indicated that all the 19 carbapenem-resistant strains had an identical band pattern, which was different from that seen in the sensitive strains.Al- though imipenem-EDTA double-disk test identified 5 MBL-producing strains, PCR found that all the 23 strains were negative for bla VIM and blaIMP.Only one OprD-deficient mutant was identified.Conclusions The 19 highly-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa derive from a common origin.More researches are needed to clarify their mechanism of carbapenem resistance.

Animals ; Feeding Behavior ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Taste ; Viscera ; pathology

Objective To investigate the effect of probiotic supplement on the microbiology,bacterial translocation,and gut barrier function of the rats with abdominal infection. Methods After making the models of cecal ligation and perforation,the SD rats were divided into two groups.The rats in the control group were administrated with parenteral nutrition.The rats in the experimental group were administrated with parenteral nutrition and probiotics via the needle jejunostomy and neck vein for 5 d.The feces in the cecum were cultured by anaerobic bacterial growth.The vena cava blood and the homogenated tissues of the lives,hungs and mesenteric lymph nodes were cultured to determine bacterial translocation. Results The quantity of normal intestinal bacteria in the experimental group and the control group had significant difference except Enterobacteriaceae.The quantity of L.acidophilus and Bifidobacteria in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group.The quantity of C.perfrigens,the potential pathogenic germ in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group(P

There exist a number of mercury-resistant bacterial in environment, Mer operon is involved in the resistant mechanism, MerRTPA of Mer operon encodes the proteins related to the regulation, transport and reduction of mercury ion, respectively. The toxic mercury ion is transported by MerTP from medium to cytoplasmic mercuric reductase, MerA, and deoxidized to non-toxic and volatile element mercury, Hg(0). Bacterial mercury-resistant system originated from ancient times, and evolved into the Mer operon with diversity by gene integration and insertion. Mercury-resistant bacteria highly specifically absorb mercury ion, and can be used in recovering the mercury-polluted environment as well as the genetic selective marker.

Objective To study the relationship between biofilm-forming ability,distribution of quorum sensing related genes and antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Methods The biofilm-forming ability of 94 clinical isolates was analyzed semi-quantitatively by crystal violet staining.The antibiotic resistance of the isolates was determined by K-B method.Quorum sensing related genes,lasI,lasR,rhlR and rhlI,were detected by PCR.The diffe,rences of drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with different biofilm-forming ability and the effects of quorum sensing related genes on biofilm-forming ability were analyzed.Results Of the 94 isolates,89(94.7％) showed biofilm-forming ability.The 89 isolates consisted of 22(23.4％) isolates with weakly positive biofilm-forming ability,44 (46.8 ％) with positive biofilm-forming ability and 23 (24.5 ％) with strongly positive biofilm-forming ability.The strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with different biofilm-forming ability showed different drug resistance rates to amikacin,tobramycin and gentamicin (P ＜ 0.05).The drug resistance rate of the strains with strong positive biofilm-forming ability to amikacin was higher than that of the strains with positive and weakly positive biofilm-forming ability(P ＜ 0.05),and the drug resistance rates to tobramycin and gentamicin were higher than those of the strains with weakly positive biofilm-forming ability(P ＜ 0.05).Of the 94 isolates,91 strains carried lasI,lasR,rhlI and rhlR gene and 2 strains only lost lasR gene,and 1 strain lost all the 4 genes.The strains with only lasR gene deficiency or all the lasI,lasR,rhlI and rhlR gene deficiencies showed negative biofilm-forming ability,and were sensitive to conventional antimicrobial agents.Conclusion Most of the clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in this study showed strong ability of biofilm-forming ability which may correlate positively to partial antibiotic resistance.The quorum sensing related genes may affect biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T cell lymphoma ( SPTCL) in order to facilitate prompt identification and proper treatment of this rare and heterogeneous disease entity. Methods For 8 patients who had been misdiagnosed as rheumatic diseases but eventually confirmed as SPTCL though pathology and immunohistochemistry, a retrospective chart review was made with regard to their clinical symptoms, laboratory test results, pathological features, responses to therapy as well as outcomes. Results These 8 patients with a male to female ratio of 1: 1 were initially misdiagnosed as a variety of rheumatic diseases such as erythema nodosa, nodular panniculitis, systemic vasculitis,etc. The period from the onset of symptoms to the confirmation of diagnosis as SPTCL was 28. 6 months on average (range, 4-84 months). All the cases presented with multiple subcutaneous nodules, plaques or tumors which involved various anatomic sites including the head and neck, the trunk, and the extremities. Fever was the most frequently accompanying symptom (7/8) , followed by lymphadenopathy (4/8) , hepatomegaly (3/8), splenomegaly (3/8). Hemophagocytic phenomenon was seen in 3 cases.A total of 22 times of biopsy involving multiple anatomic sites were performed on these 8 cases with 2. 75 times on average (range, 1-5 times). All cases demonstrated a dense lymphoid infiltrate with significant cellular heteromorphism located in the subcutaneous tissue. CD_3 was positive in the majority of the cases.Immunostaining for γδTCR was positive in one case. The anti-rheumatic therapy including steroids and immunosuppressants administered before the identification of SPTCL attained minimal therapeutic effect. In contrast, 6 cases gained partial response after chemotherapy except that the other 2 cases died of fatal pulmonary infiltration and subsequent infection. Conclusions SPTCL is a rare and heterogeneous entity which is unseldomly misdiagnosed as rheumatic disease. The anti-rheumatic therapy including steroids and immunosuppressants can attain minimal therapeutic effect. Early identification by means of histology and immunohistochemistry as well as immunostaining for PCR is critical for proper treatment.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathological characteristics of papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis.

METHODSUsing routine pathology and immunohistochemistry, we observed the surgically obtained samples from 2 cases of papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis, analyzed their pathological features and clinical presentations, and reviewed the related literature.

RESULTSThe 2 patients were both adult males. The tumors typically manifested as painless swelling in the epididymis, with occasionally dull pain and tenesmus in 1 of the cases. Pathologically, the lesions exhibited three morphological features, i. e., dilated ducts and small cysts surrounded by fibrous connective tissue, adenoid papillary hyperplasia into the cysts embraced by fibrovascular stroma, and acidophil substance present in the cysts. Immunohistochemistry showed that the tumors were strongly positive for CK8/18, CK7, and EMA, but negative for CK20, CEA, MC, Calretenin, P53, P63, SMA, VHL, and CD10, with the positive rate of Ki-67 <1%. Follow-up visits revealed good prognosis in both cases.

CONCLUSIONPapillary cystadenoma of the epididymis is a rare benign tumor in the male urogenital system, which may be accompanied by the VHL syndrome. Surgery is the first choice for its treatment.

Adult ; Cystadenoma, Papillary ; chemistry ; pathology ; Epididymis ; Genital Neoplasms, Male ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between age and general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis and its forensic significance. METHODS: Eighty-six corpses' cartilago costalis from the routine postmortem examination were collected and the morphological features of their transverse section were observed. RESULTS: With the increased age, there were regular changes in the color, structure, and material of the general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis. But the changes were not affected by gender. CONCLUSION The good correlation between general morphology of transverse section of cartilago costalis and age can be used to estimate age of the deceased rapidly.
Age Factors ; Autopsy ; Cadaver ; Cartilage/pathology* ; Humans