The symbiotic bacterium exists in the intestines of entomopathogenic nematodes and is a potential biological agent.Systematic classification of these bacteria is scarce in China.In this paper,seven strains of symbiotic bacteria from local entomopathogenic nematodes were identified by both observation of mor-phology,physiological,biochemical characteristics and sequence analysis of 16S rDNA fragments.

Objective To evaluate the significance of contrast medium (CM) volume and estimated glomerular filtration rate (CM/eGFR) in predicting contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after PCI. Methods A total of 307 patients after PCI were enrolled from Nanfang Hospital from May 2014 to October 2015. The patients were divided into the CIN group(n = 29) and the non-CIN group(n = 278) according to whether CIN within 72 hours after PCI. The baseline renal function was assessed by the sCr and CyC, respectively. Results Twenty-nine patients (9.4%, 29/307) developed CIN. There were significant differences in Age, CM、NTpro-BNP、IABP、 Periprocedural Hypotension、Preprocedural sCr/CyC between two groups (P < 0.05, respectively). The result of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Age, Cardiac function ≥Ⅲ level, IABP, use CCB, CM/eGFRMDRD, CM/eGFRCyC were independent risk predictors for CIN, respectively. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of CM/eGFRMDRD(AUC = 0.838) was superior to CM/eGFRCyC (AUC = 0.805) without significant difference. The sensitivity and specificity were 79.3%and 76.3%(Cut-off Point = 2.094), respectively. Conclusion Both the CM/eGFRMDRD and CM/eGFRCyC may be good methods to determine maximum CM before PCI and to predict CIN after PCI currently, without significant differences between these two predictors.

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and relevant mechanism of shuxuening Injection (SI) in treating patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODSTotally 91 patients with active UC were randomly assigned to 2 groups, 44 in the control group and 47 in the treatment group. Patients in the control group received routine treatment, while patients in the treatment group additionally received intravenous injection of SI (15 mL), twice daily for 14 days in total. Colonoscopy was performed before and after treatment. The therapeutic effect was assessed by Mayo scoring system and the grading of activities evaluated by Baron endoscope. Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were detected by ELISA. The activity of SOD was detected by xanthine oxidase method. The content of MDA was detected by thiobarbituricacid (TBA). Besides, 20 healthy subjects were recruited as the healthy control group.

RESULTSTotally 82 patients completed the study (40 in the control group and 42 in the treatment group). There was no statistical difference in serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, SOD, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading between the two groups before treatment (P >0. 05). Compared with the healthy control group, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA significantly increased (P <0.01), and the serum SOD level decreased (P < 0. 05) in the treatment grup and the control group before treatment. Compared with before treatment in the same group, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading all decreased in the treatment group and the control group after treatment (P <0. 01, P <0. 05). Compared with the control group after treatment, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, the Mayo score and endoscope grading all decreased (P <0.01, P <0.05), the serum SOD level increased (P <0.05) in the treatment group after treatment. The serum SOD level was obviously negative correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-a, Mayo score, and endoscope score (r = -0. 621, -0.638, -0. 509, -0.787, P <0.01). The serum MDA level was obviously positive correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, Mayo score, and endoscope score (r =0.711, 0. 882, 0. 525, 0. 639, P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONSI could improve inflammatory injury and clinical symptoms of patients with active UC, and its mechanism might be associated with antioxidant and scavenging oxygen free radicals.

Colitis, Ulcerative ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical efficacy, safety and compliance of tianwang buxin decoction (TWBXD) combined with dormancy hygiene education (DHE) and TWBXD alone in treatment of sub-healthy insomnia patients of yin deficiency fire excess syndrome.

METHODSThe multi-centered, single blinded randomized clinical trial design was adopted. One hundred and one sub-healthy insomnia subjects of yin deficiency fire excess syndrome were randomly assigned to two groups. The 50 in the treatment group were treated by combined treatment with TWBXD and DHE, while the 51 in the control group were treated with TWBXD alone. The therapeutic efficacy, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score, clinical global impression-improvement (CGI) score, quality of life made by WHO (WHOQOL-BREF) score, and safety in the two groups were compared.

RESULTSThe effective rate in the treatment group was 68.08%, lower than that in the control group (75.00%), but the difference between them was statistically insignificant. The PSQI score in the treatment group were reduced from 12.00 +/- 2.25 to 7.55 +/- 2.91 (P < 0.01). It was reduced from 11.68 +/- 2.21 to 7.16 +/- 3.13 in the control group (P < 0.01). The improvement of CGI score and WHOQOL-BREF score was also shown in the two groups after treatment (P < 0.01). No significant difference was shown in each index between the two groups. There was no significant difference in CGI between two weeks after drug withdrawal and by the end of the therapeutic course in the same group (P > 0.05). There was no statistical significance in inter-group comparison (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSignificant effect was achieved by TWBXD combined with DHE and by TWBXD alone. Their efficacies were equivalent, with high compliance and safety.

Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Patient Education as Topic ; Single-Blind Method ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Yin Deficiency ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Qingfei Peiyuan Micro-pill (QPM) on HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection of phlegm heat obstructing lung syndrome (PHOLS).

METHODSTotally 141 HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection of PHOLS were randomly assigned to the treatment group (94 cases) and the control group (47cases). On the basis of Western medicine, patients in the treatment group took QPM. The therapeutic course for all was 28 days. The improvement of symptoms and signs was observed. The body temperature (BT), chest X ray, and white blood cells (WBCs) were detected.

RESULTSThe Chinese medical syndrome score was lower in the treatment group than in the control group at the 7th, 21st, and 28th day of treatment, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The efficacy was better in the treatment group than in the control group at the 7th, 21st, and 28th day of treatment, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The BT was lower in the treatment group than in the control group on the 7th day. There was no statistical difference in the patient number with normal WBCs on the 7th day (P > 0.05). But there was statistical difference in the patient number with normal WBCs on the 14th, 21st, and 28th day of treatment (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the patient number with normal chest X ray on the 7th and 28th day of treatment (P > 0.05). But there was statistical difference in the patient number with normal chest X ray on the 14th and 21 st day of treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONQPM had certain complementary effect on HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection of PHOLS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; complications ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; complications ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe changes in T cell subsets in children with sepsis and their prognosis, and to investigate the clinical significance of these changes in the occurrence and development of sepsis.

METHODSFifty children with severe sepsis and 150 children with general sepsis were enrolled as subjects, and 50 age-matched healthy children were included as controls. The percentages of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in peripheral blood and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio were measured by flow cytometry. The pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) was calculated within 24 hours of admission.

RESULTSThe children with severe sepsis showed significantly lower percentages of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio and PCIS than the controls and children with general sepsis (P<0.01). Among the 200 cases of sepsis, the percentages of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio and PCIS were significantly lower in the cured group than in the deceased group.

CONCLUSIONSChildren with sepsis have different degrees of cellular immunosuppression, and the degree of cellular immunosuppression is significantly correlated with the severity of the disease. Detection of T cell subsets in peripheral blood is of great significance for evaluating immune function and judging disease severity in children with sepsis.

CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Sepsis ; immunology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of continuous blood purification (CBP) on T-cell subsets and prognosis in children with severe sepsis.

METHODSA total of 42 children with severe sepsis were randomly divided into a control group (n=22) and a CBP group (n=20). The patients in the control group received conventional treatment, while those in the CBP group underwent continuous veno-venous hemofiltration daily 12-24 hours for 3 days besides conventional treatment. Changes in clinical variables and in peripheral blood regulatory T cell subsets were assessed 3 and 7 days after treatment.

RESULTSThe pediatric intensive care unit length of stay and duration of mechanical ventilation were significantly shortened and the 28-day mortality rate was significantly lower in the CPB treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). In the CBP treatment group, the percentage of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) T cell populations and PCIS scores were significantly higher at 3 and 7 days after treatment than before treatment (P<0.05). At 7 days after treatment, the percentage of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+) T cell populations, CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio and PCIS scores were significantly higher in the CBP group than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe CBP treatment may counteract the suppression of immune function and thus improve prognosis in children with severe sepsis.

CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hemofiltration ; Humans ; Male ; Sepsis ; immunology ; therapy ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of plasma tissue factor (TF) and tissue factor pathway inhibitor-1 (TFPI-1) level and to observe the effect of extrinsic TFPI-1 on no-reflow (NR) in a rabbit model of ischemia/reperfusion.

METHODSRabbits were randomized into four groups (n = 10 each): ischemic- reperfusion group (IR, subjected to 120 minutes of coronary artery occlusion and followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion); ischemic- reperfusion TFPI-1 group (100 ng/kg bolus and 1 ng x kg(-1) x min(-1) infusion during reperfusion); ischemic group (subjected to 180 minutes of coronary artery occlusion) and sham group. The NR area and ischemic area were determined by thioflavin S and Evan's blue staining in vivo. Plasma TF and TFPI-1 levels were measured before operation, before and at 120 minutes post coronary artery ligation, 10 and 60 minutes after reperfusion by ELISA.

RESULTSPlasma TF and TFPI-1 levels before and at 120 minutes post coronary artery ligation were similar among the four groups (all P > 0.05). At 10 and 60 minutes after reperfusion, the plasma TF levels in the IR group was significantly higher than those in ischemic group and sham group [10 minutes: (20.7 + or - 4.1) pg/ml vs. (13.9 + or - 2.2) pg/ml (P < 0.001), (20.7 + or - 4.1) pg/ml vs. (13.2 + or - 2.6) pg/ml (P < 0.001); 60 minutes: (15.8 + or - 2.6) pg/ml vs. (13.5 + or - 1.6) pg/ml (P < 0.05), (15.8 + or - 2.6) pg/ml vs. (12.1 + or - 0.7) pg/ml (P < 0.001)] while the plasma TFPI-1 levels were similar among IR, ischemic and sham groups at 10 minutes after reperfusion and at 60 minutes after reperfusion (all P > 0.05). TFPI-1 level [(9.7 + or - 1.6) ng/ml] was significantly lower in the IR group than in the ischemic group [(11.6 + or - 1.6) ng/ml, P < 0.05] and sham group [(10.1 + or - 1.3) ng/ml, P < 0.01]. TF mRNA expression in the NR area in IR group was significantly up-regulated compared to the ischemic group (P < 0.05) and sham group (P < 0.001) while TFPI-1 mRNA expression was similar between IR group and ischemic group (P > 0.05). NR severity in the ischemic-reperfusion TFPI-1 group was significantly attenuated compared to IR group (0.39 + or - 0.11 vs. 0.54 + or - 0.06, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONUpregulated TF mRNA expression in the NR area and increased plasma TF level during reperfusion period, reduced plasma TFPI-1 level during reperfusion period as well as attenuated NR severity by extrinsic application of human rTFPI-1 in this model suggested an important role in the pathogenesis of the NR phenomenon.

Animals ; Blood Proteins ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins ; blood ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; Rabbits ; Thromboplastin ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDThe transcription factor, repressor of GATA-3 (ROG), can simultaneously suppress the expression of T helper cells (Th1 and Th2) cytokines. Since the suppression of Th2 cytokines by GATA-3 is well understood, it is postulated that there are other molecular targets of ROG that can suppress the expression of the Th1 cytokines. We hypothesized that ROG might suppress the stimulators of T lymphocyte cytokines such as CD3, CD28, and inducible costimulator (ICOS), or indirectly enhance the expression of cytokine suppressors such as T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and CD45. The objective of this study was to clarify the molecular targets of ROG involved in suppressing Th1 or Th2 cytokines.

METHODSReal-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were performed to evaluate the mRNA and protein levels of CD3, CD28, ICOS, CTLA-4, and CD45 in Th1 and Th2 cells during various levels of ROG expression. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-4 in culture media of Th1 and Th2 cells.

RESULTSThe results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of ROG were relatively low in Th1 and Th2 cells (P < 0.01). After ROG-pcDNA3.1 transfection, the mRNA and protein level of ROG was significantly elevated, while the expression of ICOS, IFN-γ, and IL-4 was markedly down-regulated (P < 0.01). Conversely, transfection of ROG-siRNA led to inhibition of ROG expression and up-regulation of ICOS, IFN-γ and IL-4 (P < 0.01). However, the expression levels of CD3, CD28, CTLA-4 and CD45 did not change in either ROG-pcDNA3.1 or ROG-siRNA-transfected Th1 and Th2 cells (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIt is concluded that ROG can inhibit the expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines by down-regulating the expression of ICOS, which might be a potential molecular target for asthma treatment.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; CD28 Antigens ; metabolism ; CD3 Complex ; metabolism ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein ; metabolism ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Th1 Cells ; metabolism ; Th2 Cells ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo suppress the expression of CCR5 and CXCR4, the co-receptors for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 ( HIV-1), and thus inhibit HIV-1 from entering cells.

METHODSDNA fragments encoding either CCR5 or CXCR4 were amplified from healthy human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequencing was performed. Correct fragments were inserted into Shuttle plasmid inversely, which was recombined with backbone plasmid containing homologous adenoviral genome in E. coli BJ5183. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into 293 cells in which they were packaged and amplified. Recombinant adenoviruses containing antisense RNA of CCR5 or CXCR4 were obtained and identified by RT-PCR, and the titres of them were determined by cytopathic effect (CPE) method. The U937 and MT4 cells were infected by recombinant adenoviruses containing antisense RNA of CCR5 (multiplicity of infection, MOI = 100) and CXCR4 (MOI = 200), respectively. The expression of co-receptors on infected cell was measured by fluorescence activated cell sorter at 24, 48, 72 hours and 10 days after infection. In addition, the chemotactic activity and proliferation of infected cells were detected with Boyden chamber and 3H incorporation respectively.

RESULTSWe constructed the recombinant plasmids and obtained the recombinant adenoviruses which contained antisense RNA of CCR5 or CXCR4 and were designated as pAd-antiR5 and pAd-antiX4 respectively. The titers of recombinant adenoviruses pAd-antiR5 and pAd-antiX4 were 5 x 10" PFU/ml and 7 x 10(10) PFU/ml, respectively. The expression rate of CCR5 on U937 cells decreased from 82. 10% (blank control) to 1.12% (Ad-antiR5 infected) , and that of CXCR4 on MT4 cells decreased from 42% (blank control) to 1.03% (Ad-antiX4 infected) 24 hours later. The expression rates of CCR5 on Ad-antiR5 infected U937 cells were 1.02% , 1.26% , 1.23% at 48 hours, 72 hours, and 10 days later, respectively. The expression rates of CXCR4 on Ad-antiX4 infected MT4 cells were 1.13%, 1.17%, 1.22% at 48 hours, 72 hours, and 10 days later, respectively. Moreover, the recombinant adenovirus had no effects on chemotactic activity and proliferation of the cells.

CONCLUSIONThe recombinant adenovirus containing antisense CCR5 or CXCR4 can remarkably decrease the expression of co-receptors for HIV-1 on U937 or MT4 cells without affecting their chemotactic activities and proliferative abilities.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Proliferation ; Chemotaxis ; Down-Regulation ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; RNA, Antisense ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, CCR5 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection ; U937 Cells