Head and Neck Neoplasms ; genetics ; MicroRNAs

Abstract: To report the diagnosis, treatment and outcome of 4 patients with hematological diseases complicated with Aeromonas hydrophila bloodstream infection in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, further clarify the importance of blood culture and deepen the clinical understanding of the disease. Four patients with hematological diseases complicated with Aeromonas hydrophila bloodstream infection treated in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from 2017 to 2021 were recruited as the study objects. The clinical manifestations, blood culture collection, detection time of Aeromonas hydrophila, laboratory examination, treatment and prognosis of the patients were retrospectively analyzed. In this study, 4 cases were male patients with hematological diseases, who were in myelosuppression after chemotherapy. After fever, blood culture was collected and Aeromonas hydrophila was detected. The positive time of blood culture in 4 cases ranged from 4 to 11 hours. The results of antibiotic sensitivity showed that it was highly sensitive to the second, third and fourth generation cephalosporins, quinolones and carbapenems. Four patients were treated with imipenem cilastatin sodium in the early stage, and one patient recovered after active anti infection and leukocyte raising treatment. One patient did not complete chemotherapy due to a request for discharged, and the follow-up was unknown. Two patients developed rapidly into necrotizing fasciitis and died later. Hematological diseases complicated with Aeromonas hydrophila bloodstream infection are rare, but the mortality rate is high. For patients with repeated fever and considering infection, blood culture should be carried out as soon as possible to confirm the pathogen and drug sensitivity test. During clinical treatment, the treatment should be adjusted in time in combination with the patient's situation. In addition to anti-infection treatment, the patient's immunity should be improved and the development of necrotizing fasciitis should be vigilant. Keywords: Aeromonas hydrophila; hematologic diseases; leukemia; bloodstream infection; blood culture; necrotizing fasciitis

Objective To investigate the effects of transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transfected with adrenomedullin (ADM) on cardiac function in heart failure rats and the mechanism.Methods BMSCs were isolated from femur and tibia marrow of 10 rats,20 days old,body weight 30-50 g,and in vitro cultured.The third passage of BMSCs were tuansfected with adenovirus containing ADM and labeled with green fluorescent protein(GFP).Before transplantation,BMSCs were labeled with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI).Eighty healthy male Wistar rats weighted 180-200 g were randomly divided into 2 groups according to body weight:control group (n =10) was injected with normal saline (NS); diffuse myocardial injury heart failure rat model(n =70) was established by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (ISO,170 mg/kg) every day for 4 consecutive days.Four weeks after administration of ISO,heart function was assessed by echocardiography,the 39 rats with left ventricle ejection fraction(LVEF) ＜ 70％ of global heart failure model were randomly divided into three groups in accordance with the level of heart function:untransfected group,transfected group and NS group.DAPI labeled untransfected BMSCs suspension,ADM gene transfected BMSC suspensions (3 × 106/150 μl) and equal volume of NS were injected into the left ventricular anterior wall in 4 places in each goup.Control group received thoracotomy only.Four weeks after transplantation,rats were examined by ultrasound echocardiography,then were sacrificed and left ventricular were dissected.The myocardium was stained with Massons trichrome to analyze myocardial tissue fibrosis.The transplanted cells were observed by fluorescence microscopy and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression of myocardial tissue was detected in each group by Western blotting.Results After in vitro culture for three days,the BMSCs began to grow adherently,tended to be fused about 10 days,in the fusiform shape.Four weeks after transplantation,ultrasound echocardiography results showed that rat cardiac left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVDs),LVEF,and left ventricular cardiac fractional shortening (LVFS) were different between groups,and the difference were statistically significant(F =5.838,32.983,51.714,P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01).Compared with the control group[(86.50 ± 1.54)％,(50.66 ± 1.87)％],the LVEF and LVFS of NS groups[(56.67 ± 6.86)％,(26.27 ± 4.01)％],the transfected group[(79.40 ± 1.70)％,(43.48 ±2.15)％] and untransfected group[(69.24 ± 7.30)％,(34.59 ± 5.13)％] were significantly lower(all P ＜ 0.05);compared with the NS group,the LVEF and LVFS of the transfected groups and the untransfected group were significantly increased(all P ＜ 0.05) ; compared with the untransfected group,the LVEF and LVFS of the transfected group were increased (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the control group [(3.16 ± 0.22)mm],the LVDs of the NS group[(5.35 ± 1.57)mm] was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01); compared with the NS group,the LVDs of the transfected group and the untransfected group[(3.95 ± 0.55),(4.24 ± 0.92)mm] were significantly decreased (all P ＜ 0.05).There was no statistically significant difference between the control group,the transfected group and the untransfected group in LVDs (P ＞ 0.05).It can clearly be seen that there was GFP and DAPI labeled transplanted cells under a fluorescence microscope in the myocardial tissue transplanted area.There was significant difference in myocardial fibrosis area and the myocardial tissue protein expression of MMP-2 between groups(F =533.75,32.777,all P ＜ 0.01).The area ratio of the NS group[(15.200 ± 0.356)％,0.584 ± 0.013],the transfected group[(8.530 ± 0.573)％,0.386 ± 0.017] and the untransfected group [(10.670 ± 0.369)％,0.438 ± 0.015] and the MMP-2 protein expression were significantly higher than that of the control group[(1.070 ± 0.113)％,0.319 ±0.013,all P ＜ 0.01)]; compared with the NS group,the two index of the transfected group and the untransfected group were decreased (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the untransfected group,the two index of the transfected group was decreased (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Transplantation of ADM gene transfected BMSCs can improve heart function of rats with heart failure significantly and reduce myocardial fibrosis.

This present work is to study the chemical constituents of Swertia angustifolia. The whole plants of air-dried Swertia angustifolia was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and nBuOH, successively. The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR). Fourteen compounds were isolated and characterized as 1, 8-dihydroxy-3, 7-dimethoxyxanthone (1), 1, 8-dihydroxy-3, 5, 7-trimethoxyxanthone (2), 7-hydroxy-3, 8-dimethoxyxanthone-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), 8-0-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-6) -β-D-glucopyranosyl] -1, 7-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (4), (+) -syringaresinol (5), ferulic acid (6), trans-coniferyl aldehyde (7), sinapaldehyde (8), trans-coniferyl alcohol (9), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (10), 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (11), isophthalic acid (12), 2-furoic acid (13), and 2-methyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone(14). Compounds 2-14 were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Swertia ; chemistry

This study is to investigate the chemical constituents of Swertia kouitchensis. The whole plants of air-dried Swertia kouitchensis was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H2O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH, successively. The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and their structures were identified based on spectral analyses (MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR). Twenty-eight compounds were obtained, and characterized as erythrocentaurin (1), erythrocentaurin dimethylacetal (2), swertiamarin (3), vogeloside (4), 2'-O- actylswertiamarin (5), swertianoside D (6), gentiocrucines A-B (7-8), gentiocrucine (9), 1-hydroxy-3, 7, 8-trimethoxyxanthone (10), 1-hydroxy-3, 5, 6-trimethoxyxanthone (11), 3-epitaraxerol (12), erythrodiol 3-O-palmitate (13), (+) -syringaresinol (14), caffeic acid (15), trans-coniferyl aldehyde (16), trans-coniferyl alcohol (17), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (18), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (19), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic aldehyde (20), 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (21), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (22), 3-acetoxybenzoic acid (23), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (24), 3-hydroxybenzoic alcohol (25), nicotinic acid (26), 2-furoic acid (27), and uracil (28). Compounds 1-4, 6-28 were obtained from S. kouitchensis for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Swertia ; chemistry

Paeoniflorin is the main active ingredient of Chinese herbaceous peony. This study is to investigate the protective effect of paeoniflorin (Pae) on acute brain damage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. The mice were randomly assigned to the normal control, model control (LPS), as well as groups of paeoniflorin and lipopolysaccharide (Pae + LPS). Then the mice were administered intraperitioneally with normal saline or Pae (10, 30 mg · kg(-1)) once daily for 6 d. One hour after intrapertioneally treatment on the seventh day, each group were injected LPS (5 mg · kg(-1)) to establish the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide inflammation model except the normal group. The mice were sacrificed after 6 h and the brain homogenates were prepared and measured. The malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), succinatedehydrogenase (SDH), Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase were dectected by the colorimetric method. The levels of HO-1 and Nrf2 protein in subcellular fractions of brain tissue were detected by Western blot. The results demonstrated that the administration with paeoniflorin reduced the levels of the MDA production; significantly increase the activities of antioxidant enzyme (SOD and GSH-PX). In addition, paeoniflorin could enhance the total antioxidant capacity, decrease the level of H2O2, and increase the activities of SDH, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase. Furthermore, paeoniflorin can increase the expression of HO-1 and activate the nuclear transfer of Nrf2. Taking together, these findings suggest that paeoniflorin alleviate the acute inflammation in mice brain damage induced by LPS, which is related with its antioxidant effect and improvement of energy metabolism.
Animals ; Energy Metabolism ; drug effects ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; genetics ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism

Chemical constituents of Swertia patens. The whole plant of air-dried Swertia patens was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H₂O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH, successively. The compounds were isola- ted and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C- NMR). Eighteen compounds were isolated and elucidated as 3, 4-dihydro-1H,6H,8H-naptho [1,2-c:4,5-c', d'dipyrano-1, 8-dione (1), angelone (2), gentiogenal (3), erythricin (4), erythrocentaurin (5), gentianine (6), swertiakoside B (7), swertiamarin (8), 2'-O-actylswertiamarin (9), amarogentin (10), 1, 3, 5-trihydroxyxanthone (11), 1, 3-dihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone (12), 1-hydroxy- 2, 3, 5-trimethoxyxanthone (13), gentiocrucine (14), 3-hydroxyphenylketone (15), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamate (16), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-cis-cinnamate (17), and cholest-4-en-3-one (18). Compounds 1-7, 9-18 were obtained from S. patens for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Swertia ; chemistry

Objective To construct a recombinant plasmid pGEX-TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 of Taenia solium,to obtain purified recombinant protein TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 and to prepare rabbit antiserum against the recombinant fusion protein.Methods TSO45W-4B and TSOL18 encoding genes were connected with hydrophobic (Gly4Ser)3 linker.TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 fusion gene was synthesized and cloned into an expression vector pGEX-1λT to construct a recombinant plasmid pGEX-TSO45W-4B-TSOL18.The positive recombinants were transformed into Escherichia(E.) coli ArcticExpress (DE3),and the expression of recombinant protein was induced with isopropylβ-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).The expressed recombinant fusion protein was purified through affinity chromatography.The purified recombinant protein was mixed with complete Freunds adjuvant at a dosage of 0.5 mg.Rabbit was intramuscularly and subcutaneously immunized in the hind leg and the back,respectively.After 2 weeks the rabbit was boosted with purified recombinant protein which was mixed with incomplete Freunds adjuvant at the same dosage.Rabbit can be boosted every 10 days until an adequate response was achieved.At the 6th day after the last immunization,blood was collected from the rabbit heart.Serum was separated to purify and prepare the antiserum.ELISA was applied to determine the titer of the antiserum and Western blot assay was used to determine the specificity of the antiserum.Results The size of the synthesized fusion gene TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 was 789 bp.The results of restriction enzyme digestion showed that the recombinant plasmid pGEX-TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 was successfully constructed.DNA sequencing showed that the size of the fusion gene TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 was 789 bp,which was consistent with expected result.As demonstrated by SDS-PAGE,relative molecular mass of the expressed recombinant fusion protein was approximately 55 × 103,and its purity was 85％ after purification with affinity chromatography.Titer of the antiserum against the recombinant protein was 1 ∶ 512 000 in ELISA assay and the specific rabbit antiserum against the purified recombinant protein TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 could specifically bind to the recombinant fusion protein in Western blot assay.The relative molecular mass of the specific band was about 55 × 103,which was consistent with expected size.Conclusions The recombinant plasmid pGEX-TSO45W-4BTSOL18 of Taenia solium is successfully constructed.High quality recombinant fusion protein TSO45W-4B-TSOL18 and high titer rabbit antiserum are successfully prepared.

OBJECTIVETo explore interaction proteins affect functions of connexin 30 (Cx30) by screening and identification interaction proteins of Cx30.

METHODSThe fusion expression vecto of CX30-C-terminal functional domain-pGEX-4T-2-GST was constructed, and then, fusion protein and GST were purified. They were incubated with the proteins of the foetus brain tissue disruption to pull down interaction proteins. The interaction proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE. Differential straps were cut to enzymolysis to prepare for mass chromatographic analysis, and then to index and screen interaction proteins in NCBInr database. The interaction proteins were identified by immunolocalization.

RESULTSThe four interaction proteins of Cx30 were screened in the foetus brain tissue, as follow, Keratin 16, Camk2b, Tubulin beta-3 and alpha-tubulin. Cx30 was proved to coexist with Keratin 16 and Tubulin beta-3.

CONCLUSIONSKeratin 16, Camk2b, Tubulin beta-3 and alpha-tubulin are the interaction proteins of Cx30. The interaction proteins affect the assembly, intracellular transport, and channel switch of Cx30.

Connexin 30 ; Connexins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Glutathione Transferase ; Humans ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Protein Interaction Mapping ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the epidemiology of viral infection in elderly patients to contract acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD)in Minhang district of Shanghai from 2010 to 2012,and to study the relationships between viral infection and clinical features.Methods The elderly patients (age >70 year old)with AECOPD admitted from September 2010 to November 2012 were enrolled for study.The patients who couldn't complete lung function test were excluded.The pharyngeal swabs (PS)were taken from each patient within the first 24 h after admission.Nine respiratory viruses and their subtypes from pharyngeal swabs were detected by the nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)method,including influenza virus A (FluA),2009 influenza A (H1N1 )virus (09FluH1 ), influenza virus B (FluB),respiratory syncytial virus A (RSVA)and B (RSVB),human coronavirus-229E (hCOV-229E),human coronavirus-NL63 (hCOV-NL63 ),human coronavirus-OC43 (hCOV-OC43 ), human coronavirus-HKU1 (hCOV-HKU1),human parainfluenza virus 1-4 (hPIV1-4),human adenovirus (hAdV),human boca virus (hBoV),human metapneumo-virus (hMPV)and human rhinovirus (hRV). According to the PCR results,all patients were divided into positive viral infection group and negative viral infection group.The relationships between viral infection and clinical features were analyzed.Results Sixty patients were eligible for study.Of them,14 patients were found to be positive for virus infection including a triple infected patient (FluB,hRV and hROV)and 46 patients were negative for virus infection.The viral pathogens detected in the positive viral group were:9 cases of hRV (15.00%),2 cases of hPIV (3.33%),2 cases of hCOV (3.33%),2 cases of FluB (3.33%)and 1 cases of RSV (1.67%).The mortality in the positive viral group was higher than that in the negative viral group.However,the other clinical characteristics between the two groups had no significant differences. Conclusions Human rhinovirus was the most common viral pathogen in elderly patients with AECOPD.Viral infection might be associated with the prognosis.However,the patients with viral infection are lack of specific clinical characteristics,therefore,the prompt diagnosis before careful study would be difficult.