BACKGROUNDDecreased platelet (PLT) count is one of the independent risk factors for mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This study was to investigate the relationship between PLT indices and illness severity and their performances in predicting hospital mortality.

METHODSAdult patients who admitted to ICU of Changzheng Hospital from January 2011 to September 2012 and met inclusion criteria were included in this study. Univariate analysis was used to identify potential independent risk factors for mortality. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratio for mortality in patients with normal or abnormal PLT indices. The relationship between PLT indices and illness severity were assessed by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores or sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores in patients with normal and abnormal PLT indices. The performances of PLT indices in predicting mortality were assessed by receiver operating curves and diagnostic parameters. The survival curves between patients with normal and abnormal PLT indices were compared using Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTSFrom January 2011 to September 2012, 261 of 361 patients (204 survivors and 57 nonsurvivors) met the inclusion criteria. After adjustment for clinical variables, PLT count <100 × 10 12 /L (P = 0.011), plateletcrit (PCT) <0.108 (P = 0.002), mean platelet volume (MPV) >11.3 fL (P = 0.023) and platelet distribution width (PDW) percentage >17% (P = 0.009) were identified as independent risk factors for mortality. The APACHE II and SOFA scores were 14.0 (9.0-20.0) and 7.0 (5.0-10.5) in the "low PLT" tertile, 13.0 (8.0-16.0) and 7.0 (4.0-11.0) in the "low PCT" tertile, 14.0 (9.3-19.0) and 7.0 (4.0-9.8) in the "high MPV" tertile, 14.0 (10.5-20.0) and 7.0 (5.0-11.0) in the "high PDW" tertile, all of which were higher than those in patients with normal indices. Patients with decreased PLT and PCT values (all P < 0.001), or increased MPV and PDW values (P = 0.007 and 0.003, respectively) had shortened length of survival than those with normal PLT indices.

CONCLUSIONSPatients with abnormally low PLT count, high MPV value, and high PDW value were associated with more severe illness and had higher risk of death as compared to patients with normal PLT indices.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Platelets ; physiology ; Critical Illness ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mean Platelet Volume ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Count ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of curcumin (Cur) on radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell CNE-2 and its mechanism.

METHODThe effect of curcumin on radiosensitivity was determined by the clone formation assay. The cell survival curve was fitted by Graph prism 6. 0. The changes in cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The differential expression of long non-coding RNA was detected by gene chip technology. Part of differentially expressed genes was verified by Real-time PCR.

RESULTAfter 10 micro mol L-1 Cur had worked for 24 h, its sensitization enhancement ratio was 1. 03, indicating that low concentration of curcumin could increase the radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells; FCM displayed a significant increase of G2 phase cells and significant decrease of S phase cells in the Cur combined radiation group. In the Cur group, the GUCY2GP, H2BFXP, LINC00623 IncRNA were significantly up-regulated and ZRANB2-AS2 LOC100506835, FLJ36000 IncRNA were significantly down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONCur has radiosensitizing effect on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells. Its mechanism may be related to the changes in the cell cycle distribution and the expression of long non-coding IncRNA.

Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; genetics ; Radiation Tolerance ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between Vibrio cholerae strains isolated from natural enviroment and fishery products and the source of infection during V. cholerae outbreaks.

METHODSCholera toxin gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to subtype the isolates. Results of PFGE were analyzed and clustered by BioNumerics software (Version 4.0).

RESULTSDuring the outbreaks, a total number of thirty O139 V. cholerae related serogroups were collected from patients, carriers, sewage and fishery products were identified and proved to be toxigenic. They could be clustered into four PFGE patterns when digested by Not I. These two V. cholerae outbreaks were caused by the same source of infection because of the following reasons: (1) PFGE patterns of the predominant strains isolated from two outbreaks were identical; (2) they were identical to the PFGE patterns of the strains isolated from the green turtle and rana catesbiana which were bought from the same wholesale store.

CONCLUSIONGreen turtle and rana catesbiana that were contaminated by toxigenic O139 V. cholerae strains seemed to be the source of infection causing the O139 V. cholerae outbreaks in Jiangxi province. Rapid laboratory surveillance and epidemiologic investigation were important in identifying the source of infection during the outbreaks of V. cholera.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholera ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Disease Outbreaks ; Disease Reservoirs ; microbiology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; methods ; Fisheries ; Humans ; Ranidae ; microbiology ; Sewage ; microbiology ; Turtles ; microbiology ; Vibrio cholerae O139 ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo discuss the characteristics of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with symptom aggravated caused by spinal manipulative therapy (SMT).

METHODSDetailed clinical profiles of a total number of 10 LDH patients with symptoms aggravated after SMT were reviewed including 5 males and 5 females with age from 46 to 68 years old, 7 patients of them were more than 50 years old. The clinical data of 10 patients were analyzed involving age, gender, clinical symptoms, signs, imaging findings, surgical treatment and prognosis. Laminectomy and discectomy were performed, and follow-up was carried out in all patients.

RESULTSThe duration of symptoms in all the patients before SMT was 4 to 15 years. After the therapy, an acute exacerbation of back and radicular pain was observed within 24 hours. MRI showed intervertebral disc herniation, 7 patients were observed in L4-L5. The time internal between the exacerbation of presentation and surgery was 23.1 days. No perioperative complications occurred. All the patients were relieved of radicular pain a few days after surgery. During postoperative follow-up, all patients regained the ability to walk; Eight patients reported a complete resolution of presentation and the rest two patients were significantly improved.

CONCLUSIONSSMT should be prohibited in some LDH patients to prevent neurological damages, in whom there are 5 possible risk factors.

Antibodies, Viral/immunology* ; COVID-19/immunology* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology* ; Immunoglobulin M/immunology* ; SARS-CoV-2/immunology*

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of ethyl acetate extract of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis on high-fat diet-induced apolipoprotein E gene knockout （ApoE^-/-） mice， and explore its mechanism of treating atherosclerosis by regulating intestinal flora. MethodThirty-two 8-week-old male ApoE^-/- mice were randomly divided into model group， rosuvastatin group （10 mg·kg^-1）， high-， low-dose groups of ethyl acetate extract of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis （75， 25 mg·kg^-1）， with 8 mice in each group. Eight C57BL/6 mice were used as blank group. After 8 weeks of continuous administration， blood was taken to determine the blood lipid level. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the contents of related indexes in serum of mice. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the formation of aortic plaque in mice. Cecal contents were collected and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to detect intestinal flora. ResultCompared with the blank group， the plaque area of the model group was significantly increased with inflammatory infiltration， the contents of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， inflammatory factors and inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） were increased， while the content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） was decreased. Compared with the model group， rosuvastatin group and high- and low-dose groups of ethyl acetate extract of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis could improve the deposition of aortic plaque， reduce the contents of TG， TC， LDL-C， inflammatory factors and iNOS， and increase the content of HDL-C. Compared with the blank group， the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in the model group increased， while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes decreased. Alpha and Beta diversity analysis showed that samples of each group could be significantly isolated， and the total number and abundance of intestinal flora species in the model group were low. Compared with the model group， ethyl acetate extract of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis could increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria and decrease the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria. ConclusionEthyl acetate extract of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis was mainly composed of flavonoids， which can treat atherosclerosis by regulating the intestinal flora and improve the pathological changes in the aorta of ApoE^-/- mice induced by high-fat diet. The mechanism may be related to its ability to reduce the level of inflammatory factors， improve antioxidant capacity and repair the disorder of intestinal flora structure.