Objective: To compare the pathogenicity of isolates of sequence type 7 (ST-7) ( ) belonging to four different serogroups (A, B, C, and X). Methods: Four ST-7 isolates serogrouped as A, B, C, and X and characterized by different capsule structures, were examined for their adhesion and invasion properties, and their ability to induce cytokine release and apoptosis in the host cell (the A549 cell line). Results: Among the four ST-7 isolates, the serogroup A isolate possessed the strongest adhesion and invasion ability. This isolate also induced the release of the highest levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and interferon, and the highest apoptosis rate in the host cells. However, there was no significant difference in interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion between the four isolates. Based on the findings, the serogroup X isolate had the weakest pathogenicity, whereas there was almost no difference in the pathogenicity of the isolates from serogroups B and C. Conclusions The differences in the capsular structure of the four isolates of ST-7 affected their pathogenic capacities. The findings also imply that the hyperinvasive ST-7 lineage may include hypoinvasive isolates.

AIM:To investigate the role of SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis in pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion.METHODS:The mRNA expression of CXCR4 in 4 pancreatic cancer cell lines was detected by RT-qPCR.The migration and invasion abilities of PANC-1 cells with the axis activated by exogenous SDF-1αor inhibited by CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 were detected by Transwell assays.The cell viability was measured by MTS assay.The protein expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) -related molecules in the cells treated with exogenous SDF-1αor AMD3100 was determined by Western blot.RESULTS:All of the 4 pancreatic cancer cell lines expressed CXCR4 mRNA, while the PANC-1 cell line expressed the most.Exogenous SDF-1αpromoted the migration and invasion abilities of PANC-1 cells, which was inhibited by AMD3100.The PANC-1 cells treated with exogenous SDF-1αfor 72 h grew faster, while SDF-1αcombined with AMD3100 made little significance to the viability of PANC-1 cells.Exogenous SDF-1αinduced EMT of PANC-1 cells by up-regulating the expression of SNAIL and TWIST, and AMD3100 reversed this effect.CONCLUSION:SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis enhances the migration and invasion abilities of pancreatic cancer cells through inducing EMT.

To understand the management level and international positioning of Chinese hospitals, we devel-oped a comprehensive survey instrument of chinese hospital management survey following the well-adapted methodolo-gy of world management survey which has been widely used internationally. The survey was conducted on 20 manage-ment practices covering four major management dimensions including operations management, performance manage-ment, target management and talent management respectively. Based on the CHMS structure and setting, the four-di-mension and twenty-item management model was analyzed with construct validity test. From the test, the middle level managers were recruited from more than 400 chinese national representative hospitals. The results showed that the chi-square/degree of freedom (CMIN/DF) is 2. 209, and RMSEA (root mean square error approximate) is 0. 039, indicating a good model fitting. The further indications of model fit such as GFI, IFI and CFI were all above 0. 9 which is the typical benchmark for model acceptance. This study provides evidence for correspondence between con-ceptual and empirical hospital management and the insight of model fitting on the current data. The results conclude that CHMS has satisfied validation in Chinese hospital management practices, and can be used as an effective sur-vey method to assess the level of Chinese hospital management and to provide a general platform for international comparison.

Aged ; China ; Forests ; Humans ; Life Style ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; therapy

Objective To explore the characteristics of gene sequence of mtDNA-COⅠof Culex pipiens pallens from differ-ent geographical regions in Shandong Province and different resistant strains from the lab and five common mosquito species, and analyze the genetic diversity of these mosquitoes.Methods Adult mosquitoes were collected from Jinan,Jining,Qingdao cities and other places in Shandong Province.The sensitive,dichlorvos-resistant,pyrethroid-resistant and propoxur-resistant strains were reared in the lab.Five species of mosquito(Cx.pipiens pallens,Cx.tritaeniorhynchus,Anopheles sinensis,Aedes al-bopictus,and Armigeres subalbatus)were collected from Jining City and identified in the lab.mtDNA-COⅠwas specifically am-plified by PCR and sequenced.The gene sequences were compared and analyzed by the biological information systems,and the phylogenetic tree was constructed.Results The amplified mtDNA-COⅠfragments of Cx.pipiens pallens from eight different cit-ies and four different resistant strains were 528 bp in length,with 67.4% A+T contents and two mutation sites.The nucleotide se-quence homology among the different geographic strains was 99.95% and the gene sequences of the four resistant strains were the same,showing a high homogeny.The amplified mtDNA-COⅠfragments of the five species of mosquitoes were 528 bp with 408 conserved sites,120 variable sites,42 parsimony informative sites and 78 singleton sites. The A+T contents were between 65.7% and 68.0%.The nucleotide sequence homology among the different mosquito species was between 86.17% and 92.05%,and the molecular identification was consistent with the traditional morphological identification. The molecular phylogenetic study showed that the different species were clustered at their own branch at the species and genus levels,while genera Armiger-es was distantly related to the others.Conclusion mtDNA-COⅠcould not serve as the molecular marker to analyze the popula-tion genetic variation and phylogenesis of Cx.pipiens pallens from different geographical regions and different resistant strains, but it has species and genus specificities,which could be used for the identification of the mosquito species and genus.

Aim To explore the mechanism of the protective effect of curcumin on advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction whether by elevating peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) or not.Methods The ratio of apoptotic cells was assayed by TUNEL;the mitochondrial membrane potential(△Ψm) was evaluated by Rhodamine-123 fluorescence.The ATP content was assayed by related kits.The activity of caspase-3 was detected by spectrophotometry.The expression of cytochrome C,Bax,and Bcl-2 was detected by Western blot.The PPARγ expression was determined by Western blot and real-time PCR;in addition,its activity was assayed by DNA-binding method.Results AGEs could induce chondrocyte apoptosis and up-regulate the levels of cytochrome C and caspase-3.Simultaneously,AGEs decreased the levels of △ Ψm and ATP production.Mitochondrial permeability conversion pore inhibitor cyclosporine A could significantly protect the cells from apoptosis.In addition,both PPARγ specific agonist pioglitazone and curcumin significantly inhibited AGEs-induced chondrocytes apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction.However,pretreatment with PPARγ specific inhibitor GW9662 (10 μ mol · L-1) could significantly antagonize the protective effect of curcumin on mitochondrial damage induced by AGEs.Curcumin could also significantly increase PPARγtranscriptional activity induced by AGEs,together with a significant induction of PPARγprotein and mRNA expression.Conclusion Curcumin could effectively protect AGEs-induced chondrocyte mitochondrial dysfunction by upregulating PPARγ,thus protecting chondrocytes from apoptosis.

Chronic heart failure (CHF), a clinical syndrome resulting from the consequences of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), is increasingly becoming a global cause of morbidity and mortality. We had earlier demonstrated that a 4-day forest bathing trip can provide an adjunctive therapeutic influence on patients with CHF. To further investigate the duration of the impact and the optimal frequency of forest bathing trips in patients with CHF, we recruited those subjects who had experienced the first forest bathing trip again after 4 weeks and randomly categorized them into two groups, namely, the urban control group (city) and the forest bathing group (forest). After a second 4-day forest bathing trip, we observed a steady decline in the brain natriuretic peptide levels, a biomarker of heart failure, and an attenuated inflammatory response as well as oxidative stress. Thus, this exploratory study demonstrated the additive benefits of twice forest bathing trips in elderly patients with CHF, which could further pave the way for analyzing the effects of such interventions in CVDs.
Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Complementary Therapies ; methods ; Forests ; Heart Failure ; blood ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Heart Function Tests ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Oxidative Stress ; Recreation ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of oxidative stress on periprosthetic osteolysis induced by TCP wear particles in mouse calvaria and its mechanism. METHODS: Thirty-six male ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups (=12):sham group, TCP wear particles (TCP) group and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) group. Aperiprosthetic osteolysis model in mouse was established by implanting 30 mg of TCP wear particles onto the surface of bilateral parietal bones following removal of the periosteum. On the 2nd day post-operation, NAC (1.0 mg/kg) was locally injected to the calvarium under the periosteum every other day for 2 weeks. Then, all the mice were sacrificed to obtain blood and the calvaria. Periprosthetic osteolysis in the mouse calvaria was observed by tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining; serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6); total anti-oxidation capacity (T-AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were examined by ELISA and chemical colorimetry, respectively; protein levels of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), phospho-PERK (p-PERK), eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) and phospho-eIF2α (p-eIF2α) in periprosthetic bone tissue were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with sham group, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and osteolysis area were increased obviously in TCP group (<0.05), and serum level of T-AOC and SOD activity were decreased significantly in TCP group (<0.05), GRP78 expression, the ratio of p-PERK and PERK, p-eIF2α and eIF2α in the mouse calvaria of TCP group were up-regulated markedly. Compared with TCP group, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and osteolysis area were decreased markedly in NAC group (<0.05), serum level of T-AOC and SOD activity were increased obviously in NAC group (<0.05), and GRP78 expression, the ratio of p-PERK/PERK and p-eIF2α/eIF2α were obviously down-regulated. CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of oxidative stress can prevent periprosthetic osteolysis induced by TCP wear particles, which may be mediated by inactivation of PERK/eIF2α signaling pathway.
Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Osteolysis ; Oxidative Stress ; Skull ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical efficacy of amphotericin B and voriconazole in the treatment of invasive fungal infection in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) during chemotherapy.

METHODSThe clinical data of 214 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia admitted in our hospital from March 2014 to February 2017 was retrospectively analyzed. Among them 65 patients had invasive fungal infection (IFI) during the chemotherapy period, out of them 35 patients treated with voriconazole were enrolled in group A; anather 30 patients treated with amphotericin B were enrolled in group B. The clinical factors that affected the incidence of IFI was statistically analyzed. And the efficacy and adverse reactions in children with ALL were compared after treatment for 8 weeks.

RESULTSThe incidence of IFI in children with ALL in this study was 30.37%, and was related with the duration of hospitalization and the level of neutrophil deficiency (P<0.05). The total effective rates of group A and group B were 72.28% and 43.33%, respectively, their difference was statistically significant between 2 group (P<0.05). The incidence of renal function impairment, digestive dysfunction and neurotoxicity were 8.57%, 5.71% and 5.71% in children with ALL treated with voriconazole respectively, which were lower than those in children treated with amphotericin B (P<0.05). The score index of Physical health, energy state, emotion control and overall health in group A were significantly higher than those in B group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe occurrence of IFI in children with ALL relats with the time of hospitalization and the level of neutrophils. The clinical effect of voriconazole is better, and the incidence of adverse reactions can be reduced, suggesting important clinical significance.