Objective To investigate the relationship between Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii) infection and metabolic syndrome (MS).Methods A total of 20 577 patients who received serum test of anti-T.gondii IgG antibody in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( NHANES) of the United States from 2009 to 2014 were collected to analyze the clinical features of anti-T.gondii IgG antibody positive patients , and to compare metabolic related indicators in the antibody IgG positive and negative groups .The independent sample t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis were used to explore the risk factors of MS . Results A total of 2 746 participants were positive for the T.gondii antibody (13.34%), with a higher prevalence of male (14.44%vs 12.27%, χ2 ＝15.99, P＜0.01).Meanwhile, the prevalence of T.gondii increased with age and body mass index (BMI) (χ2 ＝979.98 and 50.85,respectively, both P＜0.01).Among the 2 191 patients with MS, 449 (20.49%) patients were positive for T.gondii.While 2 297 (12.49%) patients were anti-T.gondii positive in 18 386 non-MS patients.The difference was statistically significant (χ2 ＝78.504, P＜0.01).Age (t＝-37.37), BMI (t＝-4.28), glycosylated hemoglobin (t＝-11.81), fasting blood glucose (t＝-9.38), triacylglycerol (t＝-6.32), cholesterol (t＝-7.16), serum uric acid (t＝-5.25) and serum creatinine (t＝-7.69) in the seropositive group were all higher than those in the seronegative group (all P＜0.01).After adjusting for age and gender , the prevalence of T.gondii was an independent risk factor for MS (odds ratio [OR]＝1.147,P＝0.023).Conclusions BMI, blood lipids, blood uric acid and blood glucose are significantly increased in patients with T.gondii infection.T.gondii infection is an independent risk factor for MS.

Objective: To study the efficacy, safety and long-term outcomes of integrated strategy of bortezomib-based induction regimens followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell (ASCT) and maintenance therapy in Chinese multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Methods: 200 MM patients receiving integrated strategy of bortezomib--based induction regimens followed by ASCT and maintenance therapy were retrospectively and prospectively analyzed from December 1. 2006 to April 30. 2018. Results: The complete remission rates (CR) and better than very good partial remission rates (VGPR) after induction therapy, transplantation and maintenance therapy were respectively 31% and 75.5%, 51.8% and 87.7%,73.6% and 93.4%. There was no difference between 4 cycles and more than 5 cycles induction chemotherapy. The negative rate of MRD detection by flow cytometry was 17.6% and 38.2% respectively after induction and 3 months after transplantation. The negative rate of MRD gradually increased during the maintenance therapy. The success rate of high dose CTX combined with G-CSF mobilization was 95.5% and transplantation related mortality (TRM) was zero. The median time to progress (TTP) was 75.3 months and the median overall survival (OS) was 99.5 months. TTP of patients obtaining CR and negative MRD after induction were longer that those of no CR and positive MRD. TTP and OS of patients receiving triple-drug induction and ASCT in early stage were longer than those of double-drug induction and ASCT in late stage. LDH≥240 U/L, high risk cytogenetics, ISS II+III stage and HBsAg positive were prognostic factors at diagnosis. However, only MRD and high risk cytogenetics were independent prognostic factors after transplantation and maintenance therapy. The clinical characteristics of patients of TTP ≥6 years were listed below: light-chain type M protein, ISS I stage, normal level of hemoglobin and platelet, normal LDH, HBsAg negative, chromosome 17p-negative, good response and sustained good response. Conclusions Integrated strategy of bortezomib-based induction regimens followed by ASCT and maintenance therapy can significantly improve the short-term and long-term efficacy. The prognostic factors of TTP in different disease stages were different. Response to treatment, especially MRD, played a more important role in prognostic factors.

Neuroplastin 65 (Np65) is an immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecule involved in synaptic formation and plasticity. Our recent study showed that Np65-knockout (KO) mice exhibit abnormal cognition and emotional disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we found 588 differentially-expressed genes in Np65-KO mice by microarray analysis. RT-PCR analysis also revealed the altered expression of genes associated with development and synaptic structure, such as Cdh1, Htr3a, and Kcnj9. In addition, the expression of Wnt-3, a Wnt protein involved in development, was decreased in Np65-KO mice as evidenced by western blotting. Surprisingly, MRI and DAPI staining showed a significant reduction in the lateral ventricular volume of Np65-KO mice. Together, these findings suggest that ablation of Np65 influences gene expression, which may contribute to abnormal brain development. These results provide clues to the mechanisms underlying the altered brain functions of Np65-deficient mice.
Affective Symptoms ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cognition Disorders ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; deficiency ; genetics ; physiology ; Mice, Knockout ; Microarray Analysis ; Organ Size ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Wnt3 Protein ; metabolism

Objective: To summarize and analyze the clinical data of hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and to explore the application value of HVPG in the diagnosis, evaluation and clinical treatment of portal hypertension in cirrhosis. Methods: The patient data of HVPG measurement performed in Shandong Provincial Hospital from April 2010 to November 2017 were collected. Results: A total of 633 patients with 833 times of HVPG measurements were included. There was significant difference in HVPG between patients with different etiologies, different Child-pugh grades and different degrees of decompensated cirrhosis. Conclusion The HVPG test is suitable for the diagnosis and evaluation of portal hypertension. The HVPG of patients with different severity of liver cirrhosis can guide the choice of the treatment plan, and the HVPG measurement should also be strictly standardized and quality control.

Objectives To access the bacteriology in patients with sepsis due to biliary tract infection to provide a basis for empirical selection of proper antibiotic treatment.Methods This is a single-center retrospective study on 214 patients with biliary tract infection admitted from August 2014 to July 2016 to the surgical intensive care units (ICU) of The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.To study the demographic information,sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA),usage of antibiotics before ICU and duration of ICU were analyzed.Bile,peritoneal drainage and blood samples were collected.Results 47 septic shock patients and 25 septic patients due to biliary tract infection were enrolled in the trial.The two groups (the shock group vs.the sepsis group) had a significant difference in the duration of ICU stay [(6.4 ± 4.6) d vs.(2.3 ± 1.8) d,P ＜ 0.05].48 strains of pathogens were isolated from the bile samples.The major pathogens were Escherichia coli (E.coli) (n =23,47.9％),Enterococcus faecalis (n =8,16.7％) and Enterococcus faecium (n =2,4.2％).80 strains of pathogens were isolated from the peritoneal drainage culture samples.E.coli,pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Klebsiella pneumoniae ranked the top 3 species,accounting for 26.3％,11.3％ and 7.5％,respectively.The sensitivity of E.coli isolated from bile to amikacin,imipenem and panipenem were all over 90.0％.Conclusions E.coli was the principal gram-negative bacterium in biliary infection induced sepsis.Early administration of carbapenemes may reduce the occurrence of septic shock in these patients.

Objective The molecular etiology of hearing impairment in Guangdong District has not been thor-oughly investigated.SCL26A4 gene mutation and relevant phenotype were analyzed in this study.Methods The coding exons of SLC26A4 were analyzed in 59 EVA cases.Those SLC26A4 gene mutations patients were examined by temporal bone CT.Results Fifty-nine cases were SLC26A4 mutations deafness patients,and 21 cases (35. 59%)and 38 cases (64.41%)patients with SLC26A4 biallelic allele (compound homozygous or heterozygous)and monoallelic gene mutation,including 16 cases of SLC26A4 gene IVS7-2 A> G homozygous mutations,2 cases of 2168A>G homozygous mutations and 3 cases of IVS7-2A>G,2168 A > G compound heterozygous mutations in children with CT showing bilateral enlarged vestibular aqueduct or other types of inner ear malformations.Thirty-one patients were IVS7-2A>G heterozygous for SLC26A4 mutation and seven 2168 A > G heterozygous muta-tion.Four patients with SLC26A4 gene mutations were confirmed to have enlarged vestibular aqueduct with Mondini dysplasia.Two patients with normal phenotype ,and others were enlarged vestibular aqueduct.Conclusion Muta-tions in the SLC26A4 gene with enlarged vestibular aqueduct patients were frequently found in Guangdong District.IVS7-2A>G mutations rate were highest,followed by 2168 A > G.We established the new strategy that detects SLC26A4 mutations prior to the temporal bone CT scan to find enlarged vestibular aqueduct and inner ear malforma-tion patients .

Objective To investigate the drug-resistance of Staphylococcus aureus induced by erythromycin in vitro and its changes in growth and susceptibility of antibiotics.Methods Erythromycin in vitro induction was conducted with the S.au-reus reference strain ATCC25923 on the serial of erythromycin agar plates.The growth of S.aureus,and the susceptibility a-gainst other antibiotics was compared after induced to the parent strain.Results Resistance to erythromycin was successful-ly,and themaximum MIC was over 256 mg/L.The Erythromycin-resistant S.aureus grew much slower than the susceptible parent,and the strains didn’t have cross-resistance to other antibiotics.Conclusion S.aureus could be induced resistance in vitro by erythromycin,and this resistance inherited stably.Some phenotype and biochemical characteristic features of the strain were changed after induced.

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of transient receptor potential canonical 1 (TRPC1) in a mouse model of ozone-induced lung inflammation and explore its role in lung inflammation.

METHODSIn a mouse model of lung inflammation established by ozone exposure, the expression of TRPC1 in the inflammatory lung tissues was detected by RT-PCR, Wstern blotting and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSCompared to the control mice, the mice exposed to ozone showed significantly increased expression level of TRPC1 mRNA and protein in the inflammatory lung tissues (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed increased TRPC1 protein expressions in the alveolar epithelial cells, bronchial epithelial cells, and inflammatory cells in the inflammatory lung tissues (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of TRPC1 were positively correlated with the counts of white blood cells, macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the exposed mice (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONTRPC1 may play a role in ozone-induced lung inflammation in mice.

Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression ; Inflammation ; pathology ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Ozone ; adverse effects ; Pneumonia ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; TRPC Cation Channels ; metabolism

ObjectiveTo assess the value of passive leg raising (PLR) test in predicting fluid responsiveness in patients with sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction.Methods A prospective observational cohort study was conducted. Thirty-eight patients under mechanical ventilation suffering from sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction admitted to Department of Surgical Intensive Care Unit of First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from September 2013 to July 2014 were enrolled. The patients were studied in four phases: before PLR (semi-recumbent position with the trunk in 45°), PLR (the lower limbs were raised to a 45° angle while the trunk was in a supine position), before volume expansion (VE, return to the semi-recumbent position), and VE with infusing of 250 mL 5% albumin within 30 minutes. Hemodynamic parameters were recorded in every phase. The patients were classified into two groups according to their response to VE: responders (at least a 15% increase in stroke volume,ΔSVVE≥15%), and non-responders. The correlations among all changes in hemodynamic parameters were analyzed by linear correlation analysis, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted to assess the value of hemodynamic parameters before and after PLR in predicting fluid responsiveness.Results Of 38 patients, 25 patients were responders, and 13 non-responders. There was no significant difference in the baseline and hemodynamic parameters at semi-recumbent position between the two groups. The changes in SV and cardiac output (CO) after PLR (ΔSVPLR andΔCOPLR) were significantly higher in responders than those of non-responders [ΔSVPLR: (14.7±5.7)%vs. (6.4±5.3)%,t = 4.304,P = 0.000;ΔCOPLR: (11.2±7.5)% vs. (3.4±2.3)%,t = 3.454,P = 0.001], but there was no significant difference in the changes in systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, and heart rate after PLR (ΔSBPPLR,ΔMAPPLR,ΔPPPLR andΔHRPLR) between two groups.ΔSVVE in responders was significantly higher than that of the non-responders [(20.8±5.5) % vs. (5.0±3.7) %,t = 8.347,P = 0.000]. It was shown by correlation analysis thatΔSVPLR was positively correlated withΔSVVE (r = 0.593,P = 0.000),ΔCOPLR was positively correlated withΔSVVE (r = 0.494,P = 0.002). The area under ROC curve (AUC) ofΔSVPLR≥8.1% for predicting fluid responsiveness was 0.860±0.062 (P = 0.000), with sensitivity of 92.0% and specificity of 70.0%; the AUC ofΔCOPLR≥5.6% for predicting fluid responsiveness was 0.840±0.070 (P = 0.000), with sensitivity of 84.0%and specificity of 76.9%; the AUC ofΔMAPPLR≥6.9% for predicting fluid responsiveness was 0.662±0.089, with sensitivity of 68.0% and specificity of 76.9%; the AUC ofΔSBPPLR≥6.4% for predicting fluid responsiveness was 0.628±0.098, with sensitivity of 76.0% and specificity of 61.5%; the AUC ofΔPPPLR≥6.2% for predicting fluid responsiveness was 0.502±0.094, with sensitivity of 56.0% and specificity of 53.8%; the AUC ofΔHRPLR≥-1.7%for predicting fluid responsiveness was 0.457±0.100, with sensitivity of 56.0% and specificity of 46.2%.Conclusion In patients with sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction, changes in SV and CO induced by PLR are accurate indices for predicting fluid responsiveness, but the changes in HR, MAP, SBP and PP cannot predict the fluid responsiveness.

Objective To investigate the interrelations of ALOX5AP SG13S114A/T , COX-2 765G/C , COX-1-50C/T polymorphisms and cerebral infarction. Methods The ALOX5AP SG13S114A/T, COX-2 765G/C and COX-1 50C/T polymorphisms in 411 cases with cerebral infarction and 411 controls were measured by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism method. The generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) method was employed to detect gene-gene interactions. Results Single-gene analysis showed that there were no significant differences in the genotype and allele frequency distributions of ALOX5AP SG13S114A/T, COX-2 765G/C and COX-1 50C/T between two groups. However, in those cases carrying ALOX5AP SG13S114AA as well as COX-2 765CC , the risk of cerebral infarction increased significantly by 2.842 times. Conclusions The combinational analysis among genes used in this study may be helpful in the elucidation of genetic risk factors for common and complex diseases.