Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of healthcare-associated urinary tract infection(HA-UTI)due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus(VRE),and provide basis for clinical prevention and control.Methods Patients with VRE HA-UTI in a tertiary first-class hospital in Guangdong Province from January 2021 to October 2023 were selected as the VRE group.A 1∶2 case-control study method was conducted to select pa-tients with vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus(VSE)UTI as the VSE group.Clinical characteristics of two groups of patients were compared and analyzed.Risk factors for VRE HA-UTI were analyzed using univariate regression and logistic multivariate regression.Results A total of 32 patients in the VRE group and 64 patients in the VSE group were included in the analysis.In VRE group,most patients were female(68.75％),aged≥60 years(71.88％),and from intensive care unit(ICU,56.25％).The main detected pathogen was vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium(VREfm,96.87％).The proportion of clinical symptoms such as fever and lumbago as well as the levels of procalcitonin(PCT)and C-reactive protein(CRP)in patients in the VRE group were all higher than those in the VSE group(all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis results showed that concomitant pulmonary infection(OR=6.890,95％CI:1.098-43.218,P=0.039),history of hypertension(OR=4.240,95％CJ:1.084-16.581,P=0.038),and cephalosporin antibiotic exposure before infection(OR=4.642,95％CI:1.270-16.967,P=0.020)were independent risk factors for VRE HA-UTI.There were 32 and 64 strains of Enterococcus detected from VRE group and VSE group,respectively.VRE had higher resistance rates to ciprofloxacin,amoxicillin,ampicillin,peni-cillin G,tetracycline,high concentration gentamicin,and levofloxacin than VSE(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Pa-tients with VRE HA-UTI often have multiple underlying diseases and poor nutritional status,and are highly resis-tant to multiple antimicrobial agents.Clinical attention should be focused on patients with concomitant pulmonary infection,history of hypertension,and exposure to cephalosporin antibiotics.

Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of healthcare-associated urinary tract infection(HA-UTI)due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus(VRE),and provide basis for clinical prevention and control.Methods Patients with VRE HA-UTI in a tertiary first-class hospital in Guangdong Province from January 2021 to October 2023 were selected as the VRE group.A 1∶2 case-control study method was conducted to select pa-tients with vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus(VSE)UTI as the VSE group.Clinical characteristics of two groups of patients were compared and analyzed.Risk factors for VRE HA-UTI were analyzed using univariate regression and logistic multivariate regression.Results A total of 32 patients in the VRE group and 64 patients in the VSE group were included in the analysis.In VRE group,most patients were female(68.75％),aged≥60 years(71.88％),and from intensive care unit(ICU,56.25％).The main detected pathogen was vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium(VREfm,96.87％).The proportion of clinical symptoms such as fever and lumbago as well as the levels of procalcitonin(PCT)and C-reactive protein(CRP)in patients in the VRE group were all higher than those in the VSE group(all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis results showed that concomitant pulmonary infection(OR=6.890,95％CI:1.098-43.218,P=0.039),history of hypertension(OR=4.240,95％CJ:1.084-16.581,P=0.038),and cephalosporin antibiotic exposure before infection(OR=4.642,95％CI:1.270-16.967,P=0.020)were independent risk factors for VRE HA-UTI.There were 32 and 64 strains of Enterococcus detected from VRE group and VSE group,respectively.VRE had higher resistance rates to ciprofloxacin,amoxicillin,ampicillin,peni-cillin G,tetracycline,high concentration gentamicin,and levofloxacin than VSE(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Pa-tients with VRE HA-UTI often have multiple underlying diseases and poor nutritional status,and are highly resis-tant to multiple antimicrobial agents.Clinical attention should be focused on patients with concomitant pulmonary infection,history of hypertension,and exposure to cephalosporin antibiotics.

BACKGROUND:To overcome the disadvantages of traditional mechanical analysis of specimens, and establish the finite element model of realistic foot, are the important basements for the finite element mechanical analysis on foot.
OBJECTIVE:To establish three-dimensional finite element model of foot and lay the foundation for the finite element analysis of normal foot and foot injury.
METHODS:A healthy female volunteer was involved in this study and was detected with spiral CT scanning on the feet. The resulting image was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional model by using Mimics software. Then entity model was generated in Geomagic software. Final y three-dimensional finite element model was established based on the digital main structure in Ansys. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The established finite element digital model of human foot included al bone, cartilage and ligament, skin and soft tissue. The three-dimensional finite element model of human foot was established based on CT data and using Mimics, Geomagic, Ansys softwares. The established model had similar size and shape with skeletal mode, and can rotate freely in any angle for a variety of measurement, the foot bones can be arbitrarily split or merge, which is suitable for biomechanical analysis.

BACKGROUND:The surface antigen CD80/CD86 on mature dendritic cells can activate helper T (Th) cells, reduce the differentiation of Th cells toward Th1 cells, and promote the differentiation of Th cells toward Th2 cells.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of smal interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibiting the expression of surface antigens CD80/CD86 from asthmatic murine mature dendritic cells on Th1/Th2 type cytokines, interferon-γand interleukin-4.
METHODS:Asthmatic model of mice was established;then bone marrow-derived mature dendritic cells were separated and cultured. The expression of CD11c, CD80 and CD86 on mature dendritic cells were examined by flow cytometry. The siRNA was transferred into mature dendritic cells of asthmatic mice, and the CD80/CD86 mRNA and protein expression before and after interference were determined by fluorescent quantitative PCR and flow cytometry. The mature dendritic cells in non-siRNA group, siRNA group and negative siRNA group were co-cultured with T cells. The interferon-γand interleukin-4 productions were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The expression of CD80/CD86 on the mature dendritic cells of asthmatic group was significantly higher than that in normal control group (al P<0.05). (2) After siRNA was transferred into mature dendritic cells, the expression level of CD80/CD86 mRNA and protein in siRNA group was significantly lower than other groups (al P<0.05). (3) After siRNA transfection, the level of interferon-γfrom the supernatant of mature dendritic cells and T cells co-culture system was significantly increased in the siRNA group compared with other groups (al P<0.05), while interleukin-4 production in the siRNA group was significantly decreased (al P<0.05). These findings suggest that high expression of CD80/CD86 on mature dendritic cells of asthmatic mice is observed, specific siRNA can effectively inhibit the expression of CD80/CD86, thus increasing interferon-γproduction and decreasing interleukin-4 production, which contributes to regulate the Th1/Th2 imbalance.

Objective To compare the efficacy of nystatin suspension and fluconazole in the treatment of oropharyngeal candidosis.Methods 40 patients were randomly assigned to nystatin suspension group or fluconazole group.Patients treated with nystatin suspension (n =20) were instructed to use 30ml of nystatin suspension for rinsing for 5 min,3 times daily.Patients treated with fluconazole(n =20) received capsules(150mg) each day.The clinical effect was assessed after treatment for 3 days.The recurrence was assessed 1 week after drug withdrawal.Results The effective rate in the nystatin suspension group and fluconazole group was 80.0％,85.0％,the recurrence rate in two groups was 18.8％,11.8％,respectively.There were no significant differences (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Nystatin suspension is a good therapeutic alternative in the treatment of oropharyngeal candidosis.

Objective To investigate the association between the HLA-DRB1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in North China. Methods A 1∶1 matched case-control study was adopted. Polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primers techniques (PCR-SSP) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to type polymorphisms (DR15, DR16, DR1, DR11). Information on environmental-related risk factors and pathological changes of tuberculosis was collected using a pre-tested standard questionnaire. Variance analysis, Chi-square, univariate and multivariate conditional Logistic analysis were conducted with SPSS 12.0 for Window. Results A sample of 124 pairs of cases and controls was studied. Univariate analysis demonstrated that DR15 mutant increased the risk of susceptibility of pulmonary tuberculosis (OR＝2.461, 95%CI: 1.363~4.444, P=0.002),and it would further increased if DR16 mutant occurred together (OR=4.904, 95%CI: 1.554~15.476). In multivariate analysis, DR15 mutant also associated with susceptibility of pulmonary tuberculosis (OR=2.996, 95%CI: 1.51~5.945). Conclusion Polymorphism of DR15 genotype might be a susceptible genotype of TB patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in North China.

Objective To investigate the effects of mannan-binding lectin(MBL) on TNF-α production induced by peptidoglycan (PGN) and its mechanism in human THP-1/CD14 monocytes.Methods The THP-1/CD14 cells were stimulated for 24 h with PGN at the indicated ratios after pretreated with human natural MBL at concentrations ranging from 1 to 20 mg/L for 2 h.The content of TNF-α and IL-6 in culture supernatants were detected by ELISA,and the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA expressions in these cells were determined by RT-PCR.FACS was used to investigate the interaction of MBL with THP-1/CD14 cells and the impact of MBL on PGN binding to THP-1/CD14 cells.Western blot was used to detect PGN-induced NF-κB translocation in THP-1/CD14 cells.Results ELISA showed that secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 from THP-1/CD14 cells could be induced by PGN ;The productions of TNF-α and IL-6 by THP-1/CD14 cells induced with PGN were profoundly inhibited by MBL at higher concentrations (10-20 mg/L) but not MBL at lower concentrations (1 mg/L).RT-PCR analysis also indicated that the mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-6 in THP-1/CD14 cells were decreased by MBL at higher concentration,compared to the corresponding THP-1/CD14 cells stimulated with PGN only.FACS showed that the binding of MBL to THP-1/CD14 cells was evident in a Ca2+-dependent manner.PGN could competitively inhibit the binding of MBL to THP-1/CD14 cells.MBL could competitively inhibit the binding of PGN to THP-1/CD14 cells by binding to THP-1/CD14 cells directly.Similarly,MBL at higher concentration (20 mg/L) decreased the NF-κB translocation in THP-1/CD14 cells.Conclusion MBL may inhibit TNF-α and IL-6 production induced by PGN in THP-1/CD14 cells through NF-κB signaling pathways,suggesting that MBL can play some roles in the regulation of PGN-induced inflammatory response.

Objective To analyze the clinical features of tsutsugamushi disease.Methods 113 cases of tsutsugamushi disease from 1991-2005 were reviewed.Results The symptoms of fever,eschar or ulcer,tetter and lymph node tu- mescence accounted for 100%,80.5% (91/113),6.2% (7/113) and 75.2% (85/113) respectively.Liver damage and pulmonary damage were observed in 75.2% (85/113) and 47.8% (54/113) cases.78.8% (89/113) cases were masculine in OX_K check.Conclusion Tsutsugamushi diseases showed complicated and multiple clinical manifestations and more attention should be paid to for avoiding misdiagnosis.

A simple and sensitive fluorimetric method is proposed for the determination of Cr(Ⅵ).The method is based on the oxidation of Cr(Ⅵ) to the pyronine in the sulfuric acid medium.The detection limit for Cr(Ⅵ) is 2.2μg/L,the linear range of the determination is 8.0～88μg/L.The method has been used to determine Cr(Ⅵ) in electroplating waste,electroplating solution and alloy steel samples with satisfactory results.

A rapid and simple flow-injection-catalytic spectrophotometric method using stopped-flow technique for determination of trace phenols is described. This methods is based on the catalytic effect of phenols on the reaction of rhodamine B and potassium bromate in sulfuric acid medium. The optimal experimental conditions are obtained by using the controlled and weighed centroid simplex method. The linear range of the determination is 0.60～4．00 mg/L for phenols, and the detection limit is 0.1 mg/L with the sample throughput of 34/h. The relative standard deviation of eleven replicate measurements is less than 2.0%. It has been applied for the determiantion of phenols in waste water with satisfactory results