Objective To investigate the effect of reserpine,an efflux pumps inhibitor,on the activities of fluoroquinolones (FQNs) against Enterococci,and the distribution of efflux pump genes emeA and its correlation with the resistance of Enterococci.To elucidate the relationship between FQN resistance in Enterococci and active efflux.Methods One hundred isolates of enterococci were identified by VITEK microbe automatic system.The antibacterial agent susceptibility tests were performed by the disc diffusion method (K-B) in accordance with the CLSI standards.The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each FQN was tested by the agar dilution method,and the MIC changes were detected after adding reserpine.The distribution of emeA in 100 isolates of Enterococci was determined by PCR.Thex2 test was used to compare the differences of statistical results.Results After reserpine was used,three-FQN resistance in Enterococci was reduced.Ciprofloxacin,gatifloxacin and levofloxacin resistance was reduced from 42％ (42/100) to 28％ (28/100),from 30％ (30/100) to 17％ (17/100),and from 33％ (33/100) to 23％ (23/100),respectively.The positive rate of emeA gene in 100 strains of Enterococci was 55％ (55/100).There were 45 positive strains(72.6％) in 62 E.faecalis and 10 positive strains (26.4％) in 38 E.faecium.The positive rate of emeA gene in the resistant strains against ciprofloxacin,gatifloxacin and levofloxacin was 73.8％ (31/42),76.7％ (23/30),75.8％ (25/33),respectively,and the positive rate of emeA gene in the susceptible strains against above 3 antibacterials were 41.4％ (24/58),45.7％ (32/70),44.8％ (30/67).Efflux pump genes emeA in resistant strains is higher than the sensitive strains,with the statistically significant difference(x2 =13.02,8.13 and 8.57,P ＜ 0.005).Conclusions Reserpine could inhibit the active efflux of in FON Enterococci and reduce the MIC for drug-resistant strains in vitro.Multidrug-resistant efflux pump gene emeA was relevant to antimicrobial drug resistance in Enterococci.

SUMMARY We analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of one patient with Rhupus syndrome as-sociated nephropathy in Peking University People ’s Hospital, and reviewed the related literature .The pa-tient was a middle aged female .She developed rheumatoid arthritis first , and then manifested mild sys-temic lupus erythematosus together with positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies ( ANCA ) and cryoglobulinemia several years later .The renal biopsy was performed and manifested as lupus nephritis . The transmission electron microscopy revealed cryoglobulinemia associated renal damage .This report shows that the clinicopathological characteristics in patients with Rhupus syndrome associated nephropathy are complicated .The renal pathology can be used as a diagnostic tool .

Objective To evaluate the correlation of the depths of detecting arteries vessel in transcranial dopplor(TCD) and child head circumference.Methods Five hundreds and eighty-eight health children were selected at random for the study. TCD ultrasonography was used to detect the optimal depths of arteries, middle and anterior and posterior cerebral arteries for each child, together with the head circumference.Results The data showed that the depths of detecting cerebral arteries significantly changed in different age groups, probably due to the growth of the head circumference.Conclusion There was close relationship between the depths of detecting cerebral arteries and child head circumference, which is of clinical significance.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of adriamycin in combination with hyperthermia on apoptosis and bcl-2 expression in the chronic leukemic cell line K562/AO2 in vitro.Methods The working con- centration of adriamycin against K562/AO2 determined by using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay was used to treat the chronic leukemic cell line K562/AO2 in vitro alone or in combination with hyperthermia induced using a hot water bath at 40,41 or 42℃.The inhibitory effect was evaluated by MTT assay.The apoptosis rates and bcl-2 ex- pression of K562/AO2 were determined by flow cytometry.Results The working concentration of adriamycin in the study was defined as its 50% inhibition concentration (IC50).A 60 min session of hyperthermia at 40℃,41℃or 42℃was associated with significant growth inhibition of the cell line K562/AO2.Adriamycin chemotherapy alone and with hyperthermia significantly inhibited the growth of K562/AO2.All treatments significantly increased apoptosis rates and down-regulated bcl-2 expression of the K562/AO2 cell line.Conclusion Adriamycin chemotherapy com- bined with 60 min sessions of hyperthermia showed significant suppression effect on K562/AO2 cell proliferation.The treatment can increase apoptosis rates and down-regulate bcl-2 expression.

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of spinal canal and dural sac dimensions for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation in MRI.

METHODSThe clinical data of 144 patients with single-level lumbar disc herniation underwent nonsurgical or surgical treatment from January 2010 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 91 patients in the nonsurgical group, including 55 males and 36 females, ranging in age from 20 to 68 years old with an average of (43.37±12.48) years; and there were 53 patients in the surgical group, including 28 males and 25 females, ranging in age from 20 to 64 years old with an average of (42.98±12.95) years. JOA scores (29 scores) were used to evaluate clinical manifestation (including subjective symptoms, objective findings, limitation of daily activities and bladder function) and outcomes. The parameters related to spinal canal and dural sac dimensions (including spinal canal midsagittal diameter and available diameter, lateral recess width, spinal canal and dural sac cross-sectional area) in the initial axial T2-weighted MRI were measured, and odds ratio of available diameter to midsagittal diameter, odds ratio of lateral recess width to midsagittal diameter and area ratio of dural sac to spinal canal were calculated. Then, the differences of all parameters between two groups, and the correlations with initial JOA scores were analyzed.

RESULTS(1) All patients were followed up from 1 to 3 years with an average of 2.1 years. JOA scores before treatment were 16.27±2.96 in nonsurgical group and 12.64±3.30 in surgical group, there was statistically significant difference (t=6.319, P<0.01). At final follow-up time, there was no statistically significant difference in JOA scores (25.41±2.22 vs 25.76±2.29), improvement rate [(72.95±12.54)% vs (76.80±9.45)%], and the excellent and good rate (84.91% vs 78.02%) between two groups (P>0.05). But, the relapse rate of nonsurgical group was higher than surgical group (14.29% vs 5.67%). (2) Spinal canal midsagittal diameter and available diameter, lateral recess width, spinal canal and dural sac area, the ratio of available diameter to midsagittal diameter, and the ratio of lateral recess width to midsagittal diameter in surgical group were smaller than that of nonsurgical group, but the area ratio of dural sac to spinal canal was larger, and there were statistically significant differences between two groups (P<0.01). (3) The initial JOA scores showed significantly positive correlation with spinal canal midsagittal diameter and available diameter, lateral recess width, and canal and dural sac area (P<0.01); also presented positive correlation with the ratio of available diameter to midsagittal diameter and the ratio of lateral recess width to midsagittal diameter (P<0.05); but there was a significantly negative correlation between initial JOA scores and the area ratio of dural sac to spinal canal.

CONCLUSIONBoth nonsurgical and surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation can obtain good effect, but the recurrence rate of non-surgical treatment is higher. Preoperative MRI measurement parameters of spinal canal and dural sac dimensions has certain value for the treatment selection of lumbar disc herniation, but further refinement and validation is still required.

Adult ; Aged ; Dura Mater ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; pathology ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Canal ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of low-dose exogenous estrogen nonylphenol (NP) on the proliferation of human prostate cancer cell lines DU-145 and the expression of the membrane estrogen receptor GPR30 in the DU-145 cells.

METHODSWe exposed DU-145 cells to different concentrations of NP for 24 hours, followed by measurement of the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the cells by cell proliferation assay and determination of the concentration of exposure to low-dose NP. We also observed the expressions of 3 estrogen receptors (ER), including ER-alpha, ER-beta and membrane estrogen receptor GPR30, in the DU-145 cells exposed to low-dose NP by RT-PCR.

RESULTSCell proliferation assay showed that within a certain range of doses, NP inhibited the proliferation of the DU-145 cells with an IC50 of 46 micromol/L, a much lower dose of NP than IC50, 0.01, 0.1.1 micromol/l NP, that can promote the proliferation of DU-145 cells. The results of RT-PCR indicated that the expressions of the three ERs in the DU-145 cells were similar to those in prostate epithelial cells, and that low-dose NP promoted the expression of GPR30.

CONCLUSIONMembrane estrogen receptor GPR30 may play a role in low-dose NP promoting the proliferation of DU-145 cells.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Estrogen Receptor beta ; metabolism ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Male ; Phenols ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Chlorogenic acid displays several important roles in the therapeutic properties of many herbs, such as antioxidant activity, antibacterial, antiviral, scavenging free radicals and exciting central nervous system. Only about one-third of chlorogenic acid was absorbed in its prototype, therefore, its gut metabolites play a more important role in the therapeutic properties of chlorogenic acid. It is necessary to consider not only the bioactivities of chlorogenic acid but also its gut metabolites. This review focuses on the potential activities and mechanisms of chlorogenic acid and its gut metabolites on central nervous system diseases.
Animals ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Chlorogenic Acid ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intestines ; drug effects ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the morphological changes of sural nerve in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by hyperfrequency ultrasound.Methods Fifty-six sural nerves of symptomatic group,64 sural nerves of asymptomatic group,and 60 sural nerves of control group were identified by 22 MHz Ultrasound.The thickness/width (T/W) ratio,cross-sectional areas (CSA) and the maximum thickness of neuronal fascicles (MT) of the sural nerve were calculated in transverse sonograms.Results ①Ultrasound can clearly show these structures of sural nerve such as epineurium,perineurium and nerve bundles and so on.②In symptomatic group,asymptomatic group and control group,T/W ratio and MT were gradually increased,and the differences among the three groups were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Whereas,there were no statistically significant differences in CSA among the three groups (P=0.257).Conclusions22 MHz ultrasound may be a valuable tool in evaluating the diabetic cutaneous nerve neuropathy

Objective To evaluate the effect of fractional Er:YAG laser therapy on collagen and elastic fibers in photoaged skin of ultraviolet-irradiated Guinea pigs.Methods Sixty Guinea pigs were randomly divided into the non-intervention group (n =10) and model group (n =50) by a random number table.To establish a model of photoaging,the 50 Guinea pigs were irradiated by ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) on the back every other day for two months.Subsequently,the 50 mice were equally classified into five groups:photoaging group receiving no laser therapy,as well as 2-week,4-week,8-week and 12-week group receiving one,one,two and three sessions of successive multi-pulsed fractional Er:YAG laser therapy,respectively,on the left side (treatment side) of the back,with the right side as the control side.The interval of laser therapy was four weeks.Skin biopsies were obtained from the right and left side of the back of Guinea pigs after the laser therapy,and subjected to haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining,Masson staining and Weigert-van Gieson staining.The content of hydroxyproline was measured by using an alkaline-hydrolysis method.Results The minimal erythema dose for UVA and UVB was 4224 mJ/cm2 and 504 mJ/cm2 respectively on Guinea pig skin.The model for photoaging was successfully established in 50 Guinea pigs after two months of irradiation with the cumulative dose of UVA and UVB being 459.36 J/cm2 and 54.81 J/cm2 respectively.HE staining revealed an obvious increase in newly-growing collagen and elastic fibers,which were arranged densely,in the treatment side compared with the control side of the back of Guinea pigs after laser therapy.The area ratio of collagen fibers stained positive for Masson's trichrome and content of hydroxyproline were significantly higher in the treatment side than in the control side of the 12-week group (0.70 ± 0.12 vs.0.63 ± 0.08,t =1.18,P ＜ 0.05;(4.73 ± 0.39) mg/g vs.(3.66 ± 0.85) mg/g,t =3.40,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Successive multi-pulsed fractional Er:YAG laser irradiation can result in an increase in collagen fibers and renewal of elastic fibers in superficial dermis of photoaged skin of Guinea pigs.