Objective To evaluate the clinical application value of Xpert detection system of Clostridium difficile (C.difficile).Methods A total of 43 stool specimens from the patients with diarrhea were collected,and C.difficile in stool specimens were detected by the Xpert detection system,the toxigenic culture method,and the toxin detection method which detected the toxin of C.difficile by VⅥDAS automatic analyzer after anaerobic culture,respectively.The analytic performance of Xpert detection system was evaluted based on the toxigenic culture method as the gold standard.Meanwhile,the consistency of the results from different detection methods was compared.The ribotype 027 strain (ATCC BAA-1870) simulating the stool specimen was further used to verify the Xpert detection system.Results Based on the gold standard of the toxigenic culture method,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Xpert detection system were 90.9％,93.8％,83.3％ and 96.8％,respectively.The Kappa values for the consistency between the Xpert detection system and the toxigenic culture method or the toxin detection method were 0.822 (P ＜ 0.05) and 0.419 (P ＜ 0.05),respectively.Moreover,the ribotype 027 strain simulating the stool specimen was verified by the Xpert detection system successfully.Conclusion The Xpert detection system may rapidly and accurately detect the C.difficile in stool specimens,especially the ribotype 027 strain with high toxicity.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of AQP5, HIF-1alpha and VEGF in human nasal polyps, and to observe the relationship of AQP5 with HIF-1a and VEGF, and to investigate their role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps. METHOD: Using the techniques of Real-time Quantitative Polymerase chain Reaction and Western blot, the expressions of AQP5, HIF-1alpha, VEGF mRNA and protein were examined. The specimens were obtained from patients underwent endoscopic surgery at the same time, including eighteen nasal polyps and ten inferior turbinate tissues. RESULT: (1) The result of RT-PCR showed that the expressions of the AQP5 mRNA were lower in nasal polyps than those in inferior turbinate tissue (P < 0.01); there was no significant difference between the expression of HIF-1alpha mRNA or VEGF mRNA in nasal polyps and inferior turbinate tissues (P > 0.05); (2) According to the Western blot, there was no significant difference between the expression of AQP5 in nasal polyps and inferior turbinate tissues (P > 0.05); the expression of HIF-la or VEGF were higher in nasal polyps than those in inferior turbinate tissues (P < 0.05); (3) According to the Western blot, there was a positive correlation between the expression of AQP5 and that of HIF-1alpha (r = 0.633, P < 0.05), and the correlation was also existed between AQP5 and that of VEGF (r = 0.611, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION AQP5, HIF-1alpha, VEGF are all involved in the edema formation of nasal polyps. The changes of AQP5's distribution can cause accumulation of water in nasal polyps, HIF-1alpha, VEGF can induce new blood vessels and increase vasopermeability in nasal polyps; they have separate regulatory mechanism in edema formation, but might have some relationships in some ways.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aquaporin 5 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Polyps ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Objective Based on the endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)inositol-requiring enzyme-1α(IRE1α)/apoptosis signal-regulated kinase 1(ASK1)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK)pathway to investigate the intervention effect of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen(ZSS)-Albiziae Flos(AF)on the depression model of rats,which were prepared by solitary rearing combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS).Methods A total of 144 rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,high-,medium-and low-dose groups of ZSS-AF,and Venlafaxine group.In addition to the normal group,the rats in other groups were isolated for 21 days combined with CUMS to prepare the depression model.The behavioral changes of rats were observed by open field test and Morris water maze test.The ultrastructural changes of hippocampal neurons were observed by transmission electron microscope.TUNEL staining was used to observe the apoptosis of nerve cells in hippocampus.The protein expression levels of IRE1α,phosphorylated(P)-IRE1α,ASK1,P-ASK1,JNK,P-JNK,B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax)and cysteme aspartate specific protease-3(Caspase-3)in hippocampus were detected by Western Blot.The mRNA expression levels of IRE1α,ASK1,JNK,Bax,Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in hippocampus were detected by Real-Time PCR.Results Compared with the normal group,the scores of horizontal movement and vertical movement in the open field test of rats in the model group were decreased(P＜0.01).In the water maze test,the escape latency was increased and the number of crossing the original platform was decreased(P＜0.01).The number of hippocampal apoptosis was increased(P＜0.01).The protein expression levels of P-IRE1 α/IRE1 α,P-ASK1/ASK1,P-JNK/JNK,Bax,Caspase-3 and mRNA expressions of IRE1α,ASK1,JNK,Bax,Caspase-3 in hippocampus were increased,while the protein and mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2 were decreased(P＜0.01).Compared with model group,the scores of horizontal movement and vertical movement in the open field test of rats in each dose ZSS-AF groups and Venlafaxine group were increased(P＜0.01).In the water maze test,the escape latency was decreased and the times of crossing the original platform was increased(P＜0.01).The number of hippocampal apoptosis was decreased(P＜0.01).The mRNA expression levels of P-IRE1α/IRE1α,P-ASK1/ASK1,P-JNK/JNK,Bax,Caspase-3 protein and IRE1α,ASK1,JNK,Bax,Caspase-3 in hippocampus were decreased,while the protein and mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2 were increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The effect of medium-dose ZSS-AF group was better than that of high-and low-dose groups.Conclusion ZSS-AF may play an antidepressant role by regulating IRE1α/ASK1/JNK pathway of endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of acute herpes zoster. The treatment of PHN remains a challenge for clinical pain management. Despite the effectiveness of anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and lidocaine patches in reducing PHN, many patients still face intractable pain disorders.In this randomized controlled study, we evaluated whether hydromorphone through intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) was effective in relieving PHN. Methods: Patients with PHN were randomly divided into two groups, one group received oral pregabalin with IV normal saline, another group received oral pregabalin with additional IV PCA hydromorphone for two weeks. Efficacy was evaluated at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the end of the treatments. Results: Two hundred and one patients were followed up for 12 weeks. After treatment, numerical rating scale (NRS) score of patients in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference of NRS scores between the two groups was statistically significant at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. The frequency of breakthrough pain in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that in the control group 1 and 4 weeks after treatment.After treatment, the quality of sleep in the hydromorphone group was significantly improved compared with the control group. The most common adverse reactions in the hydromorphone group were dizziness and nausea, with no significant respiratory depression. Conclusions IV PCA hydromorphone combined with oral pregabalin provides superior pain relief in patients with PHN, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of acute herpes zoster. The treatment of PHN remains a challenge for clinical pain management. Despite the effectiveness of anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and lidocaine patches in reducing PHN, many patients still face intractable pain disorders.In this randomized controlled study, we evaluated whether hydromorphone through intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) was effective in relieving PHN. Methods: Patients with PHN were randomly divided into two groups, one group received oral pregabalin with IV normal saline, another group received oral pregabalin with additional IV PCA hydromorphone for two weeks. Efficacy was evaluated at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the end of the treatments. Results: Two hundred and one patients were followed up for 12 weeks. After treatment, numerical rating scale (NRS) score of patients in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference of NRS scores between the two groups was statistically significant at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. The frequency of breakthrough pain in the hydromorphone group was significantly lower than that in the control group 1 and 4 weeks after treatment.After treatment, the quality of sleep in the hydromorphone group was significantly improved compared with the control group. The most common adverse reactions in the hydromorphone group were dizziness and nausea, with no significant respiratory depression. Conclusions IV PCA hydromorphone combined with oral pregabalin provides superior pain relief in patients with PHN, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a lipid-driven chronic inflammatory disease occurring at the arterial subendothelial space. Macrophages play a critical role in the initiation and development of AS. Herein, targeted codelivery of anti-miR 155 and anti-inflammatory baicalein is exploited to polarize macrophages toward M2 phenotype, inhibit inflammation and treat AS. The codelivery system consists of a carrier-free strategy (drug-delivering-drug, DDD), fabricated by loading anti-miR155 on baicalein nanocrystals, named as baicalein nanorods (BNRs), followed by sialic acid coating to target macrophages. The codelivery system, with a diameter of 150 nm, enables efficient intracellular delivery of anti-miR155 and polarizes M1 to M2, while markedly lowers the level of inflammatory factors and . In particular, intracellular fate assay reveals that the codelivery system allows for sustained drug release over time after internalization. Moreover, due to prolonged blood circulation and improved accumulation at the AS plaque, the codelivery system significantly alleviates AS in animal model by increasing the artery lumen diameter, reducing blood pressure, promoting M2 polarization, inhibiting secretion of inflammatory factors and decreasing blood lipids. Taken together, the codelivery could potentially be used to treat vascular inflammation.

Co-delivery of chemotherapeutics and immunostimulant or chemoimmunotherapy is an emerging strategy in cancer therapy. The precise control of the targeting and release of agents is critical in this methodology. This article proposes the asynchronous release of the chemotherapeutic agents and immunostimulants to realize the synergistic effect between chemotherapy and immunotherapy. To obtain a proof-of-concept, a co-delivery system was prepared