Objective To study community morbidity of gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC),and then establish its procedure of diagnosis. Methods For the patients with chronic cough, on the basis of inquiring medical history and physical examination, chest radiograph, induced sputum, pulmonary ventilation function and airway hyperresponsiveness, blood eosinophilic, IgE,allergens skin test, nose, throat examination,sinus X-ray or pharyngoscope etc was managed. On the basis of the results,patients suspecting GERC was screened out, and then RDQ was performed, extra-esophageal symptoms related performance was inquired and scores were recorded. The patients with scores ≥ 12 were diagnosed as GERC; the patients with scores ＜ 12 were performed diagnosing treatment with proton pump inhibitor (PPI),and patients with positive results were diagnosed as GERC. The materials was analyzed statistically. Results The patients with chronic cough were 430 cases,and the community morbidity of GERC was 22.79%(98/430). RDQ ≥12 scores was 68.37%(67/98),and RDQ ＜ 12 scores was 31.63%(31/98).There was significant difference in extra-esophagus manifestation (P ＜0.01);26 cases with RDQ ＜12 scores were diagnosed as GERC (83.87%),and the rate of GERC in chronic cough was 21.63% (93/430). Conclusions RDQ is a favourable screening test in diagnosing GERC. PPI diagnosing treatment has high sensibility in GERC. It is necessary to establish community diagnosis procedure.

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in biological behaviors of meningitis E. coli K1 strain E44 after deletion of polyphosphate kinase 1 (ppk1) gene and explore the role of ppk1 in the pathogenesis of E. coli K1-induced meningitis.

METHODSThe wild-type strain E. coli K1 and ppk1 deletion mutant were exposed to heat at 56 degrees celsius; for 6 min, and their survival rates were determined. The adhesion and invasion of the bacteria to human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) were observed using electron microscopy and quantitative tests. HBMECs were co-incubated with wild-type strain or ppk1 deletion mutant, and the cytoskeleton rearrangement was observed under laser scanning confocal microscope.

RESULTSThe survival rate of the ppk1 deletion mutant was significantly lower than that of the wild-type strain after heat exposure. The ppk1 deletion mutant also showed lowered cell adhesion and invasion abilities and weakened ability to induce cytoskeleton rearrangement in HBMECs.

CONCLUSIONSppk1 gene is important for E.coli K1 for heat resistance, cell adhesion and invasion, and for inducing cytoskeletal rearrangement in HBMECs.

Brain ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytoskeleton ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; microbiology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; physiology ; Escherichia coli Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; Phosphotransferases (Phosphate Group Acceptor) ; genetics

OBJECTIVE: To realize the risk factors, clinical features, and treatments of Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS).
 METHODS: The clinical features, laboratory findings, and treatment were retrospectively analyzed in 290 patients from Hunan Children's Hospital.
 RESULTS: Of the 290 patients, less than 3 years old children were 76.6%. One hundred and nine patients had induced factors, and 177 patients had elevated white blood cell count. There were 168 patients with SSSS accompanied with fever, 34 patients accompanied with diarrhea, and 58 patients associated with septicemia. Eighty-five patients performed the bacterial cultures of the skin secretions, 21 did the throat swab, and 13 did both of the skin secretions and throat swab. Bacterial culture results showed that 119 samples were positive for Staphylococci. All patients were cured after antimicrobial therapy. The skin lesions were improved in 3.26 d. The mean hospital stay was 6.55 d. Recovery time of the body temperature was 3.48 d in average.
 CONCLUSION SSSS predominates in infants and children under 3 years old, and has tendency to combine with multi-organ symptoms. The early diagnosis and active antimicrobial treatment are the keys of successful treatments.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Humans ; Infant ; Length of Stay ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis ; Skin ; microbiology ; Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology