Objective To explore the associations of depressive symptoms with functional status and frailty in elderly outpatients.Methods A total of 297 geriatric outpatients(aged 65 years and over) from Zhejiang Hospital were recruited in the cross-sectional study from January 2014 to December 2015.We gathered general information,and evaluated depressive symptoms by Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15),cognitive function by mini-mental state examination(M MSE),frailty by clinical frailty scale(CFS),activities of daily living (ADL)by Barthel index,instrumental activities of daily living (IADL),balance,POMA and gait by Tinetti-performance oriented mobility assessment (Tinetti-POMA),grip strength and 4m gait speed by 4-meter walk gait speed test.According to the GDS-15 scores,297 geriatric outpatients were divided into a depression symptom group(n=35,GDS-15 ≥6)and a nomdepressive symptom group(n=262,GDS-15＜6).The frailty and functional status were compared between two groups by SPSS 23.0.Results As compared with non-depressive symptoms,the depressive symptoms group had higher clinical frailty scale(CFS),lower body mass index(BMI),lower cognitive function and poorer grip strength and balance(all P＜0.05).There were significantly negative correlations of Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) with ADL,IADL,gait,balance,POMA and grip strength(r=-0.165、-0.154、-0.216、-0.291、-0.305、-0.314,All P＜ 0.05),while there were significantly positive correlations with CFS score,gait speed(r=0.256、0.198,both P＜0.05).The more severe the frailty was,the higher the risk of depressive symptoms was(OR=3.650,95％ CI 1.611-8.271).Conclusions The cognitive and physical functions in the elderly with depression symptoms are poorer as compared with the elderly without depression symptoms.Elderly outpatients with more severe frailty have a higher risk for depressive symptoms.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), by observing the effects of moxibustion at Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37) on microRNA-133b (miRNA-133b), pituitary homeobox family factor 3 (Pitx3)/tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and neurotransmitters in the brain tissue of IBS-D rats. Methods: Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a moxibustion group, and a Western medicine group, with 12 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the IBS-D rat model was established by mother-offspring separation and acetic acid enema combined with restraint stress stimulation in all the other groups. No intervention was performed in the normal and model groups. Mild moxibustion was applied to both Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37) in the moxibustion group. Rifaximin was given by gavage in the Western medicine group. The physical status of rats in each group was observed at different periods. After the intervention, hematoxylin- eosin staining was performed to observe the histopathological morphology of rat colon; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NE), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in plasma, colon, and midbrain tissue of rats; the relative expression levels of miRNA-133b, Pitx3 mRNA, and TH mRNA in the midbrain tissue were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the relative expression levels of Pitx3 and TH proteins in the midbrain tissue were measured by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Results: The body weights of rats among groups and at different time points were statistically different (P<0.01). The body weight of the normal group was higher than that of the other groups over time (P<0.01). After modeling, the minimum volume threshold of abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) was significantly lower (P<0.01) and the loose stool rate was significantly higher (P<0.01) in the model, moxibustion, and Western medicine groups compared with the normal group; the miRNA-133b expression in the midbrain tissue was significantly lower (P<0.01), the expression levels of Pitx3 and TH in the midbrain tissue were significantly higher (P<0.01), and the levels of DA, NE, and 5-HT in plasma, colon and midbrain tissue were significantly higher (P<0.01). After the intervention, the minimum volume threshold of AWR was significantly higher (P<0.01), the loose stool rate was significantly lower (P<0.01), the miRNA-133b expression was significantly increased (P<0.01 or P<0.05) and the expression levels of Pitx3 and TH were significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the midbrain tissue, the levels of DA, NE, and 5-HT in plasma, colon, and midbrain tissue were significantly reduced (P<0.01) in the moxibustion and Western medicine groups compared with the model group; the levels of 5-HT in the colon and midbrain tissue of the moxibustion group were significantly lower than those in the Western medicine group (P<0.05), and there was no statistical difference compared with the remaining groups (P>0.05). Linear correlation analysis showed that miRNA-133b was negatively correlated with Pitx3 (r<0, P<0.01); Pitx3 with TH, TH with DA, and NE with 5-HT were positively correlated (r>0, P<0.01).Conclusion: Moxibustion at Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37) improves diarrhea symptoms and visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D rats. The mechanism may be related to up-regulating miRNA-133b, inhibiting Pitx3/TH, and reducing neurotransmitter expression levels in the midbrain tissue.

OBJECTIVETo select and identify ssDNA aptamers specific to Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity isolated from clinical specimens.

METHODSSubtractive SELEX technology targeting the whole intact cells was used to screen for ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity. Radioactive isotope, flow cytometry, gene cloning and sequencing, MEME online software and RNA structure analysis software were employed to analyze the first and secondary structures of the aptamers and identify the screened aptamers.

RESULTSDetection by radioactive isotope showed sufficient pool enrichment after 9 rounds of subtractive SELEX. Flow cytometry showed that the selected aptamers H1, H16, H4, L1, L10 and H19 were capable of binding specifically with highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains but not with strains with a low cariogenicity. The aptamer H19 had the strongest binding capacity to highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains, with a dissociation constant of 69.45∓38.53 nmol/L.

CONCLUSIONWe have obtained the ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates of highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains.

Aptamers, Nucleotide ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA Primers ; Dental Caries ; microbiology ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; SELEX Aptamer Technique ; Species Specificity ; Streptococcus mutans ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo screen of high cariogenicity Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains isolated from clinical specimens preliminary.

METHODSAcidogenicity, aciduricity, extracellular polysaccharide production and adhesion of 41 strains of S. mutans isolated from clinical specimens were investigated to screen high cariogenicity S. mutans strains.

RESULTSThere were different cariogenicity among 41 strains of S. mutans, in which 3 strains of S. mutans had all high ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, produce acid and tolerate acid, indicated there were 3 strains with high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens. Another 3 strains of S. mutans with all low ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, produce acid and tolerate acid indicated they were low cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens.

CONCLUSIONWe may have obtained high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens.

Dental Caries ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Saliva ; Streptococcus mutans

OBJECTIVETo identify Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains from clinical samples.

METHODSPlaque samples from caries-active and caries-free sites on enamel surfaces were obtained and cultivated for S. mutans isolation. Morphology, biochemistry, automatic microorganism analysis system and polymerase chain reaction using primers homologous to surface protein antigen I/II (spaP), glucosyltransferase B (gtfB) and dextranase (dexA) were used to identify S. mutans. Genotype of isolated S. mutans was determined by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSForty-six strains of S. mutans were obtained from the 32 subjects and were identified as S. mutans by biochemistry, automatic microorganism analysis system and polymerase chain reaction. Five identical genotypes were found by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

CONCLUSIONForty-one strains of S. mutans with different genotype were obtained from clinical samples.

Dental Caries ; Dental Plaque ; Genotype ; Glucosyltransferases ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Streptococcus mutans

Objective To investigate the detection rate of motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR)and explore the possible risk factors.Methods A total of 429 elderly patients from geriatric department of Zhejiang Hospital from October 2014 to September 2018 were recruited in the crosssectional study.General information and functional assessment including fall history,self-reported visual impairment and hearing impairment,depressive symptom,cognitive function and gait speed were collected.Patients with MCR were screened out according to the MCR diagnostic criteria.Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the associated risk factors.Results Seventeen patients(4.0％)met the MCR diagnostic criteria.The proportions of obesity,polypharmacy,cerebral vascular diseases,self-reported hearing impairment,depressive symptoms and slow gait were higher in MCR patients than in non-MCR patients(P＜0.05).Compared with non-MCR patients,MCR patients had lower mini mental state examination (MMSE) scores (P ＜ 0.01).After adjusting for associated confounding factors,multiple logistic regression analysis showed obesity (OR =3.74,95 ％ CI:1.14-12.23,P ＜ 0.05) and depressive symptoms (OR =5.79,95％ CI:1.76-19.06,P ＜ 0.01) were risk factors for MCR.Conclusions MCR is not uncommon in elderly patients.Obesity and depressive symptoms are closely associated with an increased risk of MCR.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors of acute lung injury (ALI) caused by Staphylococcus aureus infection, and to construct a risk warning model. Methods:Patients with Staphylococcus aureus infection confirmed by sputum or blood culture admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University from January 1, 2020 to May 10, 2022 were enrolled and divided into ALI group and non-ALI group. The age, smoking status, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), albumin, oxygenation index and other clinical data were compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis was performed by using independent sample t test and chi-square test. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent risk factors of ALI caused by Staphylococcus aureus infection, and a risk warning model was constructed. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive ability of the model. Results:There were 96 cases of Staphylococcus aureus infection, including 68 cases (70.8%) in ALI group, of which 41 cases (60.3%) were positive in sputum culture and 27 cases (39.7%) were positive in blood culture. Compared with the non-ALI group, the proportion of patients aged ≥60 years in ALI group was lower (58.8%(40/68) vs 64.3%(18/28)), the proportion of smoking was higher (58.8%(40/68) vs 35.7%(10/28)), and the differences were both statistically significant ( χ2=0.76 and 0.03, respectively, both P<0.05). The levels of CRP, PCT and NLR in the ALI group were all higher than those in non-ALI group, while oxygenation index and albumin level were both lower, and the differences were all statistically significant ( t=-5.28, -3.46, -9.87, 12.83 and 3.08, respectively, all P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that CRP (odds ratio ( OR)=1.973, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.956 to 2.989), PCT ( OR=3.734, 95% CI 1.014 to 13.746), NLR ( OR=1.152, 95% CI 1.058 to 2.254) and albumin ( OR=1.527, 95% CI 1.110 to 2.102) were independent risk factors for ALI caused by Staphylococcus aureus infection. The areas under the ROC curve of CRP, PCT, NLR, albumin and the risk warning model constructed from the combination of four risk factors were 0.69, 0.81, 0.83, 0.78 and 0.93, respectively. The sensitivities were 65.14%, 89.91%, 84.40%, 56.88% and 98.17%, respectively. The specificities were 62.37%, 60.22%, 65.59%, 80.64% and 93.55%, respectively. The accuracy of the effectiveness test of the risk warning model was 84.97%. Conclusions:CRP, PCT, NLR and albumin are the independent risk factors for ALI caused by Staphylococcus aureus infection. The risk warning model based on the above factors has a good early warning effect on ALI caused by Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Tooth enamel is prone to be attacked by injurious factors, leading to a de/remineralization imbalance. To repair demineralized enamel and prevent pulp inflammation caused by biofilm accumulation, measures are needed to promote remineralization and inhibit bacterial adhesion on the tooth surface. An innovative material, poly (aspartic acid)-polyethylene glycol (PASP-PEG), was designed and synthesized to construct a mineralizing and anti-adhesive surface that could be applied to repair demineralized enamel. A cytotoxicity assay revealed the low cytotoxicity of synthesized PASP-PEG. Adsorption results demonstrated that PASP-PEG possesses a high binding affinity to the hydroxyapatite (HA)/tooth surface. In vitro experiments and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated a strong capacity of PASP-PEG to induce in situ remineralization and direct the oriented growth of apatite nanocrystals. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Vickers hardness tests demonstrated that minerals induced by PASP-PEG were consistent with healthy enamel in Ca/P ratio, crystal form and surface micro-hardness. Contact angle tests and bacterial adhesion experiments demonstrated that PASP-PEG yielded a strong anti-adhesive effect. In summary, PASP-PEG could achieve dual effects for enamel repair and anti-adhesion of bacteria, thereby widening its application in enamel repair.

Objective: To explore the effect of ambient fine particulate matters (PM_2.5) and temperature interaction on schizophrenia admission. Methods: All admission data were retrieved from the Psychiatric Hospital and Municipal Hospital of TongLing from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017. Daily air pollution and meteorological data were collected from the Tongling Environmental Protection Agency and Meteorological Bureau, respectively. A distributed lag non-linear model combined with the generalized additive model were applied to explore the effects of PM_2.5, multi-pollutants, and the interaction between temperature and PM_2.5 on schizophrenia admission. The stratification of temperature was divided by three criteria. The low temperature layer was defined as <P₅ or <P₁₀ or <P₂₀; P₅-P₉₅ or P₁₀-P₉₀ or P₂₀-P₈₀ was defined as the middle temperature layer; >P₉₅ or >P₉₀ or >P₈₀ was defined as the high temperature layer. Results: From 2014 to 2017, 6 642 patients were admitted for schizophrenia in Tongling, and the median of PM_2.5 and temperature were 47.0 μg/m³ and 17.5 ℃, respectively. The median concentration of PM_2.5 (P₅₀) was taken as a reference. When the exposure concentration of PM_2.5 was P₉₀, the lagged effect appeared in the first day with RR=1.03 (95%CI: 1.00-1.07) and reached the maximum in the fifth day with RR=1.16 (95%CI: 1.13-1.19). In the multi-pollutant models, it was found that the simultaneous inclusion of PM_2.5 and NO₂ had higher risk of schizophrenia admission, with the RR=1.18 (95%CI: 1.15-1.22), P<0.001. The risk of schizophrenia admission caused by PM_2.5 exposure at high temperature was greatest under the three temperature stratification standards, which were 12.1% (8.5%-15.7%), 9.7% (6.9%-12.6%) and 17.1% (11.6%-22.8%), all P values <0.001. Conclusion With the increase of PM_2.5 concentration, the risk of schizophrenia admission is increased, and the risk effect of PM_2.5 is stronger at high temperature.