Objective To investigate the therapy and influencing factors for prognosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP) caused by multidrug-resistant organisms(MDROs).Methods 169 patients with VAP who were admitted to a hospital between January 2012 and December 2013 were included in analysis, 125 were in MDRO infection group and 44 in non-MDRO infection group.MDRO infection group was subdivided into MDR-A group(n=78, resistant to selected antimicrobial agents) and MDR-B group (n=47, sensitive to at least one kind of selected antimicrobial agent).Antimicrobial choice and prognosis between each group were analyzed and compared.Results 242 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated from airway secretion of VAP patients, 173(71.49％) were MDROs.The major pathogens causing VAP were Klebsiella spp.(n=66), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(n=64), Acinetobacter spp.(n=60), Staphylococcus aureus(n=27), and Escherichia coli (n=17), the percentages of MDROs of above pathogens were 68.18％, 50.00％, 91.67％, 88.89％, and 76.47％ respectively.The prognosis of MDRO infection group was poorer than that of non-MDRO infection group, MDR-A group had the worst prognosis(P<0.001).Persistent fever, leukocytosis, and progress of pulmonary inflammation in VAP patients suggested poor prognosis(all P<0.001);antimicrobial use in patients with effective therapy was higher than those in a worsened condition before onset, at the beginning of onset, and after culture of specimens(all P<0.001), while coma, early-onset VAP and multiple bacterial infection had no prognostic significance in patients with VAP(all P>0.05).Conclusion There is high incidence of MDRO infection in patients with VAP, effective antimicrobial therapy can improve the prognosis.

Objective:This study aims to explore recent developments in DEA-based hospital efficiency studies in China, so as to provide reference for further research in DEA-based hospital efficiency. Methods:In this study, a 30-year retrospective systematic review is conducted for the classification of 85 hospital efficiency studies that have been published in China with DEA. The characteristics are summarized and compared with those of international liter-ature according to the selection of input and output indicators to evaluate the normalization of studies in China. Re-sults:The classification reveals several problems existing in DEA-based hospital efficiency studies in China, such as too few studies on hospital allocation efficiency, the application of simple classical models, imprecise selection of in-put-output indicators, inappropriate application of monetary variables as output indicators, etc. Conclusions and sug-gestions:The normalization and rationality of DEA methods applied in China’s hospital efficiency research need to be improved, so as to shorten the gap between China and the international world. Chinese researchers should pay more attention to studying the latest international research findings, so as to scientifically select input and output indicators. In depth analysis of methods and application conditions should be conducted so as to improve the normalization and science of China’s hospital efficiency research.

Objective Toexplore the expressions of interleukin-16 (IL-16), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), and CRP and their clinical significance in acute exacerbation chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by observing the changes in these factors in patients with AECOPD. Methods 103 patients with AECOPD and 20 healthy controls were collected. According to the 2013 GOLD guideline, all the patients with AECOPD were divided into4 groups(group A of 21 patients, B of 30, C of 27, andD of 25). Results As compared withthe control group, plasma concentrations of IL-16, IFN-γ, CXCR3. and CRP were significantly increased in the patients with AECOPD (P < 0.01), and as the severity of the disease was elevating, these expression levels were significantly increased.While the expression levels of IL-16, IFN-γ, CXCR3, and CRP levels were significantly reduced after treatment, but they were still higherthan those in the control group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of serum IL-16, IFN-γ, CXCR3, and CRP were significantly correlated in patients with AECOPD. Conclusions Expressions of IL-16, IFN-γ and CXCR3 are significantly increased in AECOPD, which is correlated with disease severity and decreased after treatment, suggesting that these three factors may be associated with the occurrence and development of COPD.

OBJECTIVEThis study aims to conduct a survey of the oral health status of disabled individuals in Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province. This study was also conducted to prepare caries prevention planning in the region.

METHODSOn the basis of the Oral Health Surveys: Basic Methods of WHO and the Third National Oral Health Epidemiological Sample Survey Scheme, we investigated caries infecting disabled individuals who live in one big city (Xichang city), three counties (Bhutto county, Muli Tibetan autonomous county, and Huili county), and 46 towns and villages of Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province, by multi-stage stratified and cluster sampling.

RESULTSAmong 3,439 disabled individuals, 2,085 were males and 1,354 were females; among these individuals, 815 live in the city and 2,624 live in rural areas. Furthermore, 2,177 were Han natives and 1,262 were Yi natives (ethnic). The caries prevalence rate and mean DMFT of disabled individuals in Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province were 87.1% and 9.53, respectively. In Yi, the caries prevalence rate and mean DMFT of disabled individuals in Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province were 85.8% and 9.93, respectively; in Han, the caries prevalence rate and mean DMFT of disabled individuals in Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province were 87.9% and 9.29, respectively. No significant difference was found in the two groups of native (P > 0.05). A very low filling rate of 0.2% was also recorded.

CONCLUSIONDisabled individuals from Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province exhibited a high prevalence of caries in permanent teeth. The oral health status of this special group of disabled individuals should be provided intensive care.

China ; Dental Caries ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Oral Health

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a slowly progressing hematopoietic cell disorder. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) plays established roles in tumor initiation, progression, and chemotherapy resistance in a wide range of cancers, including leukemia.However, small-molecule inhibitors targeting SPHK1 in CML still need to be developed. This study revealed the role of SPHK1 in CML and investigated the potential anti-leukemic activity of hirsuteine (HST), an indole alkaloid obtained from the oriental plant Uncaria rhynchophylla, in CML cells. These results suggest that SPHK1 is highly expressed in CML cells and that overexpression of SPHK1 represents poor clinical outcomes in CML patients. HST exposure led to G2/M phase arrest, cellular apoptosis, and downregulation of Cyclin B1 and CDC2 and cleavage of Caspase 3 and PARP in CML cells. HST shifted sphingolipid rheostat from sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) towards the ceramide coupled with a marked inhibition of SPHK1. Mechanistically, HST significantly blocked SPHK1/S1P/S1PR1 and BCR-ABL/PI3K/Akt pathways. In addition, HST can be docked with residues of SPHK1 and shifts the SPHK1 melting curve, indicating the potential protein-ligand interactions between SPHK1 and HST in both CML cells. SPHK1 overexpression impaired apoptosis and proliferation of CML cells induced by HST alone. These results suggest that HST, which may serve as a novel and specific SPHK1 inhibitor, exerts anti-leukemic activity by inhibiting the SPHK1/S1P/ S1PR1 and BCR-ABL/PI3K/Akt pathways in CML cells, thus conferring HST as a promising anti-leukemic drug for CML therapy in the future.