Objective:To investigate the changes of the distribution and drug resistance profile of bacteria from ICU children with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2017 to 2022.Methods:From January 2017 to December 2022, a cross-sectional observational study on the bacterial spectrum analysis among intensive care unit (ICU) children with LRTI was conducted in Children′s Hospital of Soochow University. The bacteria was cultivated by culture methods from sputum samples, and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Drug sensitivity tests were performed by the VITEK2 Compact fully automated analysis system and the paper slide method. The χ2 test or Fisher′s exact probability was used to analyze the changes of the distribution of sputum culture-positive bacteria and drug resistance in ICU children. Results:The overall detection rate of sputum culture was 42.06% (1 182/2 810). Staphylococcus aureus (25.63%,303/1 182), Acinetobacter baumannii (13.62%,161/1 182) and Haemaphilus influenzae (13.28%,157/1 182) were the top three. Proportions of Acinetobacter baumannii (17.90% vs. 11.02%, χ2=11.17, P=0.001), especially carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (43.70% vs. 23.50%, χ2=15.21, P<0.001) increased significantly from 2020 to 2022. However, the proportions of Haemophilus influenzae (8.50% vs. 16.19%, χ2=14.27, P<0.001), Streptococcus pneumoniae (8.50% vs. 15.92%, χ2=13.42, P<0.001) and extended-spectrum-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (8.89% vs. 18.00%, χ2=5.45, P=0.025) decreased. Drug resistant results showed that Acinetobacter baumannii was obviously more resistant to imipenem ( χ2=4.43, P=0.035) and levofloxacin ( χ2=12.53, P<0.001), while more sensitive to minocycline ( χ2=8.34, P=0.004). Escherichia coli showed a significant increase in resistance to piperacillin tazobactam ( χ2=8.29, P=0.008) and cefoperazone sulbactam ( χ2=5.07, P=0.024) from 2020 to 2022; Klebsiella pneumoniae consistently maintained a resistance rate of more than 60% to first and second-generation cephalosporins, and remain susceptible to quinolones and carbapenems. Staphylococcus aureus remained highly susceptible to levofloxacin (drug resistance rate: 2.31%,7/303) and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (drug resistance rate: 4.95%,15/303) from 2020 to 2022. Conclusion:Higher detection and resistance rates of Acinetobacter baumannii from sputum culture in ICU children from 2020 to 2022 were explored. Resistance of Escherichia coli to β-lactamase inhibitor combinations was more serious. Regular monitoring the changes of the etiology of respiratory tract infections in ICU Children is particularly important for the prevention and treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.

Objective:To investigate the changes of the distribution and drug resistance profile of bacteria from ICU children with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2017 to 2022.Methods:From January 2017 to December 2022, a cross-sectional observational study on the bacterial spectrum analysis among intensive care unit (ICU) children with LRTI was conducted in Children′s Hospital of Soochow University. The bacteria was cultivated by culture methods from sputum samples, and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Drug sensitivity tests were performed by the VITEK2 Compact fully automated analysis system and the paper slide method. The χ2 test or Fisher′s exact probability was used to analyze the changes of the distribution of sputum culture-positive bacteria and drug resistance in ICU children. Results:The overall detection rate of sputum culture was 42.06% (1 182/2 810). Staphylococcus aureus (25.63%,303/1 182), Acinetobacter baumannii (13.62%,161/1 182) and Haemaphilus influenzae (13.28%,157/1 182) were the top three. Proportions of Acinetobacter baumannii (17.90% vs. 11.02%, χ2=11.17, P=0.001), especially carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (43.70% vs. 23.50%, χ2=15.21, P<0.001) increased significantly from 2020 to 2022. However, the proportions of Haemophilus influenzae (8.50% vs. 16.19%, χ2=14.27, P<0.001), Streptococcus pneumoniae (8.50% vs. 15.92%, χ2=13.42, P<0.001) and extended-spectrum-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (8.89% vs. 18.00%, χ2=5.45, P=0.025) decreased. Drug resistant results showed that Acinetobacter baumannii was obviously more resistant to imipenem ( χ2=4.43, P=0.035) and levofloxacin ( χ2=12.53, P<0.001), while more sensitive to minocycline ( χ2=8.34, P=0.004). Escherichia coli showed a significant increase in resistance to piperacillin tazobactam ( χ2=8.29, P=0.008) and cefoperazone sulbactam ( χ2=5.07, P=0.024) from 2020 to 2022; Klebsiella pneumoniae consistently maintained a resistance rate of more than 60% to first and second-generation cephalosporins, and remain susceptible to quinolones and carbapenems. Staphylococcus aureus remained highly susceptible to levofloxacin (drug resistance rate: 2.31%,7/303) and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (drug resistance rate: 4.95%,15/303) from 2020 to 2022. Conclusion:Higher detection and resistance rates of Acinetobacter baumannii from sputum culture in ICU children from 2020 to 2022 were explored. Resistance of Escherichia coli to β-lactamase inhibitor combinations was more serious. Regular monitoring the changes of the etiology of respiratory tract infections in ICU Children is particularly important for the prevention and treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients treated with radical radiotherapy and to predict the prognosis of the patients using the SII combined with clinical staging.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for 248 patients with esophageal cancer who were admitted to the Department of Radiotherapy in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University between 2014 and 2016. These patients included 146 males and 102 females, with a median age of 67 years. Among them, 134 patients received concurrent chemotherapy and 114 patients received radiotherapy alone. The SII before radiotherapy was defined as platelet count × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count. The patients were divided into a low-SII group and a high-SII group according to the optimal cutoff value of pretreatment SII determined by the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. Survival analysis was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. For these patients, the prognosis effects and the predictive value for survival of different SII levels combined with TNM staging were compared.Results:According to the ROC curves, the optimal cutoff value of SII before radiotherapy was 740.80. Based on this number, the patients were divided into a low-SII group (< 740.80, 150 cases) and a high-SII group (≥ 740.80, 98 cases). The objective response rate of the low-SII group was significantly higher than that of the high-SII group (86.0% vs 75.5%, χ2=4.39, P=0.036). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of the low-SII group were 78.6%, 45.6%, and 32.3%, respectively. These rates were significantly higher than the corresponding rates of the high-SII group, which were 71.0%, 28.3%, and 16.4% ( χ2=11.22, P=0.001), respectively. Moreover, the 1-, 3- and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates of the low-SII group were 67.0%, 36.9%, and 32.0%, respectively. Again, these rates were significantly higher than those of the high-SII group, which were 45.5%, 17.5%, and 12.5% ( χ2=15.38, P < 0.001), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that TNM staging, treatment method, and SII were independent prognostic factors for OS and PFS ( HR=1.39-1.60, P<0.05). Patients with low SII and early clinical staging had a better prognosis than other subgroups ( χ2=13.68, 13.43, P=0.001). The area under curve (AUC) of SII combined with TNM staging (0.70) was higher than that of SII (0.63) and TNM staging (0.62) ( Z=2.48, 2.57, P < 0.05). Conclusions:Pretreatment SII has a high predictive value for the prognosis of esophageal cancer after radiotherapy, and higher SII indicates a worse prognosis. Thus, combining SII with TNM staging can improve the prediction accuracy of the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between Onodera′s prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after definitive chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy, aiming to provide a convenient, effective and accurate predictive indicator for evaluating the long-term survival of patients after treatment.Methods:Clinical data of 231 ESCC patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2013 to 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The PNI values of each patient at different radiotherapy periods were calculated and the ROC curve was used to determine the optimal cutoff value of PNI before radiotherapy, 231 patients were divided into the better-nourishment group ( n=86) and worse-nourishment group ( n=145). Kaplan- Meier method was used for survival analysis. Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to analyze the relationship between different nutritional status and prognosis. The short-term clinical efficacy and incidence of acute toxicities were statistically compared between two groups. Results:The mean values of PNI before, at week 3, week 6 and 1 month after radiotherapy were48.68±5.08, 39.68±4.87, 43.74±4.89 and48.31±4.92, respectively. The optimal cutoff value of pretreatment PNI was 49.25, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.655, the sensitivity and specificity were 68.6% and 60.9%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates in the better-nourishment group (PNI≥49.25) were 36.0% and 31.3%, significantly better than 19.3% and 18.6% in the worse-nourishment group (PNI<49.25)( P=0.001, P=0.039). Multivariate analysis showed PNI before the therapy was an independent prognostic factor for OS ( P=0.021). Stratified analysis demonstrated that Stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ and concurrent chemotherapy patients in the better-nourishment group all obtained significantly better OS than their counterparts in the worse-nourishment group ( P=0.007, P=0.004). In addition, the objective response rate in the better-nourishment group was significantly higher than that in the worse-nourishment group ( P=0.047), whereas the incidence of ≥3 grade radiation esophagitis was lower than that in the worse-nourishment group ( P=0.060). Conclusions:Pretreatment PNI is a convenient and reliable indicator for predicting the long-term survival of ESCC patients after definitive chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy. Patients with higher PNI have relatively better prognosis and radiotherapy tolerance, especially in those with early stage or concurrent chemotherapy.

Chronic ulcer of the lower extremities amounts for a grave and serious problem for public health. Western medicine focuses on controlling infection, improving blood circulation, surgical debridement, skin grafting, etc, but there are bottlenecks in the treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history and a legacy of sound clinical efficacy in this area. TCM has developed a unique, effective external theory, and a large number of topical prescriptions and external technology. Through this research, a safe and effective treatment protocol of TCM for chronic ulcer of the lower extremities can be formed. To this end, during China's "Eleventh Five-Year" Plan, special research committees and projects on TCM external treatments and external technologies were established. This study on ulcer of the lower extremities constitutes one of the major research topics.

Objective To evaluate non-hazardous treatment efficiency of night soil in the three-grille mode septic tanks so as to give the evidence to government for policy-making. Methods One hundred and thirty normally runningthree-grille mode septic tanks were surveyed in five cities of Jiangsu Province in 2009. The fecal samples from first chamber and wastewater samples from third chamber were collected and examined for fecal coliform (FC) , parasite eggs including Schistosoma japonicum eggs, As-caris eggs and hookworm eggs, chemical oxygen demand ( COD), five-day chemical oxygen demand (BOD_5) and ammonia nitrogen (NH,-N) in lab. The data were analyzed by statistical software SPSS 13.0. Results The mean qualified rates of FC in the first chamber and third chamber of septic tanks were 3.1% and 100% respectively, showing significant difference (P <0.001). Hookworm eggs and Ascaris eggs were found in the first chamber of one and four septic tanks respectively and the density was one or two eggs in one hundred milliliter. The mean removal rates of FC, COD, BOD_5 and NH_3 -N were (99.96 ± 0.03) % , (60.69 ± 21.77) % , (60.13 ± 23. 20 ) % and (44. 14 ± 24.61) % , respectively. For the value of FC, COD, BOD, and NH_3 -N, there were significant difference between the first chamber and the third chamber (P_(FC) =0.000 1, P_(COD) =0.000 1, P_(BOD5) =0.000 1, P_(NH3-N) = 0.000 1, P < 0.001). Conclusion The treatment efficiency of septic tank could meet the sanitary standard for non-hazardous treatment of night soil, and it could use as a useful primary facility for human feces and urine treatment in rural areas.

Objective To understand and analyse the epidemic status of human intestinal nematode infection in Jiangsu Province, so as to provide basis for making control measures. Methods The typical thirty-nine spots in thirteen counties among the sampling spots of National Investigation on Distribution of Human Parasites in 1990 were selected and investigated according to the Methods of National Investigation Scheme on Human Principal Parasites in 2004. Results The total prevalence was 3.88%, which decreased by 46.92% compared with the investigation in 2002 (7.31%). The infection rates of hookworm, Ascaris and Trichuris were 1.14%, 1.06% and 1.73%, respectively, and the proportion of light infection was 91.75%. The rate of multiple infections was 9.40%. The proportion of hookworm infection was 78.06% in Southern Jiangsu and the proportion of Ascaris or Trichuris was 89.03% in Northern Jiangsu. The infection rate of Enterobius was 3.72% among children aged less than 12 years. Conclusions The prevalence of intestinal nematodes has decreased to lower level in Jiangsu Province. The difference of prevalence in different regions has a relationship with the disease control and social-economic, culture and health levels. The principal control work should be still put in the northern part of Jiangsu Province. The preschool children and the middle and old age peasants are high-risk population. The different control measures should be taken in accordance with the situation of different regions in the future.