Flagella are the main motility structure of Clostridioides difficile that affects the adhesion, colonization, and virulence of C. difficile in the human gastrointestinal tract. The FliL protein is a single transmembrane protein bound to the flagellar matrix. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the FliL encoding gene flagellar basal body-associated FliL family protein (fliL) on the phenotype of C. difficile. The fliL gene deletion mutant (ΔfliL) and its corresponding complementary strains (: : fliL) were constructed using allele-coupled exchange (ACE) and the standard molecular clone method. The differences in physiological properties such as growth profile, antibiotic sensitivity, pH resistance, motility, and spore production ability between the mutant and wild-type strains (CD630) were investigated. The ΔfliL mutant and the : : fliL complementary strain were successfully constructed. After comparing the phenotypes of strains CD630, ΔfliL, and : : fliL, the results showed that the growth rate and maximum biomass of ΔfliL mutant decreased than that of CD630. The ΔfliL mutant showed increased sensitivity to amoxicillin, ampicillin, and norfloxacin. Its sensitivity to kanamycin and tetracycline antibiotics decreased, and the antibiotic sensitivity partially returned to the level of CD630 strain in the : : fliL strain. Moreover, the motility was significantly reduced in the ΔfliL mutant. Interestingly, the motility of the : : fliL strain significantly increased even when compared to that of the CD630 strain. Furthermore, the pH tolerance of the ΔfliL mutant significantly increased or decreased at pH 5 or 9, respectively. Finally, the sporulation ability of ΔfliL mutant reduced considerably compared to the CD630 strain and recovered in the : : fliL strain. We conclude that the deletion of the fliL gene significantly reduced the swimming motility of C. difficile, suggesting that the fliL gene is essential for the motility of C. difficile. The fliL gene deletion significantly reduced spore production, cell growth rate, tolerance to different antibiotics, acidity, and alkalinity environments of C. difficile. These physiological characteristics are closely related to the survival advantage in the host intestine, which is correlated with its pathogenicity. Thus, we suggested that the function of the fliL gene is closely related to its motility, colonization, environmental tolerance, and spore production ability, which consequently affects the pathogenicity of C. difficile.
Humans ; Clostridioides/metabolism* ; Clostridioides difficile/metabolism* ; Bacterial Proteins/metabolism* ; Virulence ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/metabolism*

Objective To investigate the prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in some regions of China. Methods Serum samples were collected from 3 131 patients with chronic HBV infection in 10 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions of China from March 2021 to June 2022, and anti-HDV IgG ELISA was used for the detection of all serum samples. Nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR) was used to detect HDV RNA in anti-HDV IgG-positive samples, and the nRT-PCR amplification products of HDV RNA-positive samples were sequenced and analyzed to determine HDV genotype. The clinical features of anti-HDV IgG-positive patients were analyzed. The Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Results The positive rate of anti-HDV IgG in the 3 131 patients with chronic HBV infection was 0.70% (22/3 131), and that in the patients with chronic HBV infection in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Beijing, and Hunan Province was 1.81% (16/886), 0.88% (2/226), 0.28% (2/708), and 1.00% (2/200), respectively; the patients with chronic HBV infection in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region had a significantly higher positive rate of anti-HDV IgG than those in Beijing ( P =0.004), and there was no significant difference between the other regions ( P > 0.05). Clinical features of the patients with chronic HBV infection in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region showed that compared with the anti-HDV IgG-negative group, the anti-HDV IgG-positive group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with Mongol nationality ( P =0.001), abnormal alanine aminotransferase ( P =0.007), or antiviral treatment ( P =0.029), as well as a significantly lower median HBV DNA level ( P =0.030). A total of 19 HDV RNA-positive samples were identified, all of which had HDV genotype 1. Conclusion The prevalence rate of HDV varies greatly across different regions of China, with a higher prevalence rate of HDV in patients with chronic HBV infection from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. HDV genotype 1 is the predominant genotype in some provinces and cities of northern China.

Objective To study the effect of Snsong Yangxin capsule and metoprolol sustained release tablet on the curative effect and the levels of BNP and HR in the elderly coronary heart disease (CHD) arrhythmia patients. Methods It selects 108 patients with coronary heart disease and arrhythmia in elderly patients were divided into observation group (54 cases) and control group (54 cases). The control group was treated with metoprolol sustained-release tablets, and the observation group was treated with Shensong Yangxin capsule and metoprolol sustained-release tablets. The curative effect of two groups and the changes of BNP and HR levels before and after treatment were observed and compared. Results The treatment effect, times of contraction, frequency of cardiac fibrillation, frequency of defect, load, time, blood pressure and BNP of the observation group were significantly better than those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion For elderly patients with coronary heart disease arrhythmia, the treatment of Shensong Yangxin capsule combined with metoprolol sustained release tablets is effective. It can significantly improve the patient's heart rate, restore the blood supply to the heart, improve the blood pressure and BNP, with less adverse reactions, safe and reliable, and worthy of promotion.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and follow-up data of catheter ablation of recurrent atrial tachycardias (ATs) after Mini-Maze surgery,and to explore prognostic factors for recurrence.Methods 59 patients in Guangdong General Hospital with ATs post Mini-Maze and concomitant open-heart surgery from April.2010 to June.2015 were included.According to high density precise mapping,activation mapping,voltage mapping and entrainment mapping,they underwent electrophysiological study and ablation which was guided by three-dimensional mapping system.All patients were followed up regularly.We explored the prognostic factors for recurrence by the Cox regression analysis.Results There were 88 types of ATs being mappedwith mean (1.49 ± 0.75) types of ATs identified per case.Most ATs were macro-reentry ATs(67/88,76.1％)and focal ATs (20/88,22.7％),respectively.56 patients (94.9％) achieved immediate ablation success.In a mean follow-up of (30.8 ± 17.7) months,recurrences were observed in 12 patients after the first time catheter ablation.Recurrent time was 3.5 (1.3,12.0) months and the overall ablation success rate was 74.6％ (44/59).6 patients received second ablation and the achievement of freedom from arrhythmias reached 79.7％ (47/59).Multivariate analysis showed that the LA diameter was the independent predictor for recurrence (HR 1.108,95％ CI 1.002 to 1.226,P =0.045).Conclusion Catheter ablation of ATs post Mini-Maze with concomitant surgery is save and feasible.LA diameter is the independent predictor for recurrence.

Objective To compare effect of trichosanthin and methotrexate in the treatment of uterine scar pregnancy by a multi-center study. Methods 90 uterine scar pregnancy patients were selected from department of obstetrics and gynecology,in xinyang central hospital,the second affiliated hospital of zhengzhou university,zhumadian central hospital,using random number table divided into 2 groups.The control group of 45 cases were treated by methotrexate,gluteal muscle injection,50 mg one time,and took mifepristone 50 mg,two times a day,a week for a course of treatment;45 cases in the experimental group,were treated with trichosanthin,intramuscular injection of 1.2 mg/time,two times a day,and oral administration of bloven,0.6 g/d,a week for a course of treatment.The end of a course of treatment,2 groups of patients before and after treatment were compared of the serum progesterone level,β-HCG,side reactions after treatment.Results After treatment,progesterone levels were significantly reduced,and the experimental group levels were lower than the control group obviously,the difference has statistical significance(P<0.05).Serum -HCG level after the treatment significantly reduced,and the experimental group in serum -HCG levels were significantly lower,with statistical difference (P <0.05 ). Comparison of adverse reaction of the patients,the experimental group was obviously lower than control group,with statistically significant difference (P<0.05).Conclusion For the treatment of uterine scar pregnancy,trichosanthin and methotrexate have certain effect,but trichosanthin could lower serum progesterone,β-HCG levels more significantly than methotrexate,trichosanthin group side reaction rate is low.

Objective To observe efifcacy and safety of catheter ablation for atrial ifbrillation (AF) occurring after surgical valve replacement in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Methods A total of 23 RHD patients with atrial ifbrillation after surgical valve replacement were enrolled in this study from 2008 to 2013. The clinical characteristics, ablation strategies and successful rate were investigated. Results All the cases included 8 males and 15 females (age, 51.0 ± 9.2 years). Valves replaced were isolated mitral valves (13/23, 56.5%) and multiple valves (10/23, 43.5%). Postoperative AF after cardiac surgery was paroxysmal in 14 patients (60.9%) and nonparoxysmal in 9 cases. Nine patients (39.1%) was in sinus rhythm before cardiac surgery, 4 in paroxysmal AF and 10 in non-paroxysmal AF. The mean interval between the catheter ablation AF and the surgical intervention was (6.9±5.8) years. The postoperative AF duration was (3.1±3.2) years, left and right atrial diameters were (44.1±5.9) mm and (48.1±9.0) mm respectively, left ventricular ejection fraction was 64.0%±8.3%, the mean ablation procedure duration was (156.8±46.6) min, and lfuoroscopy exposure averaged (27.3±11.2) min. Standard pulmonary vein isolation was performed in all cases by using ipsilateral circumferential ablation technique. Additional ablation, including complex fractionated atrial electrograms, mitral and tricuspid isthmus, and left atrial roof, was applied in most of the cases. After a mean follow-up of (29.7±21.2) months (median, 24 months), 60.9%of the patients remained free of AF, 1 died, and 2 lost to follow-up. Conclusions Catheter ablation for AF is effective and safe in patients with RHD after surgical valve replacement. Stepwise ablation strategy may be better for these patients.

Objective To investigate the level and the source of inflammatory factors in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.Methods Thirty patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were selected as observation group,and 20 cases of patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia were selected as control group.The blood samples of coronary sinus,right atria,left atria and femoral vein were consecutively collected during the procedure of radiofrequency ablation.The level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (sTNFR1),and interleukin(IL)-6 was detected by ELISA separately and compared between two groups.Results The level of TNF-α and IL-6 of coronary sinus,right atria,left atria and femoral vein in observation group was significantly higher than that in control group [TNF-α:(4.45 ± 1.76) ng/L vs.(0.59 ± 0.36) ng/L,(6.67 ± 1.43) ng/L vs.(0.51 ± 0.30) ng/L,(8.35 ± 2.03) ng/L vs.(0.85 ± 0.50) ng/L,(9.97 ± 2.70) ng/L vs.(0.28 ± 0.29) ng/L,P=0.000;IL-6:(2.02 ± 0.87) ng/L vs.(1.04 ± 0.63) ng/L,(1.51 ± 0.68) ng/L vs.(0.74 ± 0.26) ng/L,(2.00 ± 0.51) ng/L vs.(0.88 ± 0.35) ng/L,(1.32 ±0.47) ng/L vs.(0.48 ±0.28) ng/L,P =0.000].The level of high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) in observation group was significantly higher than that in control group [(2.41 ± 1.35) mg/L vs.(1.10 ±0.53) mg/L,P =0.002].The level of TNF-αof left atrium in observation group was significantly higher than that of other three sites (P=0.000).The level of IL-6 in the coronary sinus and femoral vein was significantly increased,compared with that in the right atria and left atria (P ＜ 0.05).The level of sTNFR 1 in the femoral vein,right atria and coronary sinus difference was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05),but was significantly higher than that in the left atria(P ＜ 0.05).The level of TNF-α,IL-6 and hs-CRP was correlated with the diameter of left atrium (LAD) (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05).The level of sTNFR1 in left atria was positively correlated with LAD,and the level of sTNFR1 in right atria was negatively correlated with LAD (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions The level of TNF-α,IL-6 and hs-CRP is increased in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.TNF-α and IL-6 may come from the heart and is related with the enlargement of left atrium.

Objective To study the ultrasonographic clues and methods for fetal anomalies of the aorta arch and improve prenatal detection of anomalies of the aorta arch.Methods One thousand four hundred and seventy-two cases fetus who were carried out detailed scan and whose results were confirmed were chose as study objects.Every routine fetal echocardiography included four chamber and left and right outflow tract and three-vessel trachea view(3VT).The more views which included longitudinal and coronary view of the aorta arch and coronary view of the trachea and main bronchus were obtained when the abnormality of aorta arch was suspected.Results One hundred and forty-eight cases with anomalies of aorta arch were diagnosed by ultrasonography.One case was misdiagnosed.Ninety-two fetus with anomalies of aorta arch which included 28 aortic coarctation(CoA) and 10 interrupted aortic arch (IAA) and 52 right-side aortic arch and abnormal aortic branch and 2 double aortic arch were confirmed by postmortem or postnatal echocardiography and surgery.Of the 92 confirmed cases,24 had prenatally diagnosed additional complex intracardiac anomalies.All cases with CoA and IAA presented ventricular and/or great arterial disproportion with smaller left ventricle and aorta diameter on four chamber view and 3VT.Right aortic arch (RAA) and abnormal aortic branch(AAB) displayed aortic arch located on the right side of the trachea and increased distance between the aortic arch and arterial duct and abnormal aortic arch branch-subclavian artery originating from the beginning section of the descend aorta which coursed behind the trachea with U-shaped appearance on the 3VT plane.The display rate of the transverse and longitudinal and coronary view of the aorta arch was 98.4%,90.0%,81.9%,respectively.Conclusions Disproportional ventricular and /or great arterial with smaller left ventricle and aorta diameter are the clues for CoA and IAA.Increased distance between the aortic arch and arterial duct is the clue for RSA.The transverse view of the aortic arch 3VT is the most sensitive for detecting the anomalies of the aortic arch and the most easily be obtained.The longitudinal and coronary view of the aorta arch and coronary view of the trachea and main bronchus are helpful in differentiating the anomalies of the aortic arch.

Objective To investigate the significance of haman epididymis protein 4(HE4)as a tumor marker combined with CA125 in diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer.Methods Serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were examined by ELISA and electrochemiluminescence method in 31 patients with ovarian cancer,68 patients with benign pelvic masses(36 benign ovarian tumor,23 ovarian chocolate cyst and 9 pelvic abscess were included) and 40 normal women as controls.Results Serum levels of HE4 and CA125 in ovarian carcinoma group were significantly higher than those in the benign pelvic masses group and healthy women group(P<0.01), and the difference of these levels between benign pelvic masses and normal ones have no statistical meaning(P>0.05).The sensitivity and the specificity of HFA were 74.2% and 95.0% respectively,of CA125,were 80.6% and 87.5%.respectively,and if the two markers combined,were 93.5% and 82.5%.Conclusions HFA is an ideal tumor marker and it has certain values in accessory diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ovarian cancer.The clinical value call be improved by combined detection of HE4 and CA125.

Objective To assess the value of prenatal sonographic diagnosis on fetal agenesis of corpus callosum(ACC). Methods A retrospective study was on prenatal sonographic findings of 10 cases with ACC malformation and their abnormalities in central nervous system (CNS) or extra-CNS.Results The special sonographic findings established the diagnosis of ACC malformation in all 10 cases,with 7cases diagnosed absence agenesis. Among all patients with ACC,6 cases were accompanied with abnormalities in extra-CNS,8 in CNS and 5 in both. Conclusions Prenatal ultrasonography plays a vital role in accurate diagnosis on fetal ACC. Attentions should be paid to the indirect encephalic features and complicated abnormalities so as to make accurate and prompt diagnosis.