Characterization of Healthcare-Associated and Community-Associated Clostridioides difficile Infections among Adults,Canada, 2015–2019

We investigated epidemiologic and molecular characteristics of healthcare-associated (HA) and community-associated (CA) Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) among adult patients in Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program hospitals during 2015–2019. The study encompassed 18,455 CDI cases, 13,735 (74.4%) HA and 4,720 (25.6%) CA. During 2015–2019, HA CDI rates decreased by 23.8%, whereas CA decreased by 18.8%. HA CDI was significantly associated with increased 30-day all-cause mortality as compared with CA CDI (p<0.01). Of 2,506 isolates analyzed, the most common ribotypes (RTs) were RT027, RT106, RT014, and RT020. RT027 was more often associated with CDI-attributable death than was non-RT027, regardless of acquisition type. Overall resistance C. difficile rates were similar for all drugs tested except moxifloxacin. Adult HA and CA CDI rates have declined, coinciding with changes in prevalence of RT027 and RT106. Infection prevention and control and continued national surveillance are integral to clarifying CDI epidemiology, investigation, and control.     

Investigation of the in vitro and ex vivo acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant activities of traditionally used Lycopodium species from South America on alkaloid extracts

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The study was aimed at evaluating medicinal and therapeutic potentials of two Lycopodiaceae species, Lycopodium clavatum (L.) and Lycopodium thyoides (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd), both used in South American folk medicine for central nervous system conditions. Alkaloid extracts were evaluated for chemical characterization, acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant activities.

Materials and methods

The alkaloid extracts obtained by alkaline extraction were determined for each species by GC/MS examination. The evaluation of the anticholinesterase and the antioxidant activities of the extracts were tested by determining in vitro and ex vivo models. Effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were tested in vitro using rat brain homogenates and ex vivo after a single administration (25, 10 and 1 mg/kg i.p.) of the alkaloid extracts in mice. The in vitro antioxidant effects were tested for the 2-deoxyribose degradation, nitric oxide (NO) interaction, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP). After an acute administration (25 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) of the extracts in middle-aged (12 months) mice, the antioxidant effects were estimated through the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances test (TBARS), and the antioxidant enzymes activities for catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured.

Results

AChE activity was inhibited in vitro by the alkaloid-enriched extracts of both Lycopodium species in a dose and time-dependent manner in rat cortex, striatum and hippocampus. A significant inhibition was also observed in areas of the brain after acute administration of extracts, as well as decreased lipid peroxidation and increased CAT activity in the cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. A moderate antioxidant activity was observed in vitro for the extracts. Chemically, the main alkaloids found for the two species were lycopodine and acetyldihidrolycopodine.

Conclusion

This study showed that the biological properties of the folk medicinal plants Lycopodium clavatum and Lycopodium thyoides include AChE inhibitory activity and antioxidant effects, two possible mechanisms of action in Alzheimer's related processes.     

Development of a placental cell culture system for studying the control of mouse placental lactogen II secretion

Fetal placental tissue from 11 days pregnant mice was dissociated in collagenase and DNase solution and then separated on a 40 per cent Percoll gradient. Trophoblast cells banded at a density of 1.05 g/ml. When cultured on rat tail collagen, these cells formed colonies of mono- and binucleate cells varying in size from 40 to 70 microns. At the time of plating, about 13 per cent of the trophoblast cells secreted mouse placental lactogen II (mPL-II) as determined by reverse haemolytic plaque assay. The ratio of mPL-II-producing cells increased significantly in culture and reached 63 per cent after 48 h. The secretion of mPL-II increased continuously during six days of culture, whereas the total protein release was highest after the first day, declined the second day and then remained relatively constant for the last four days of culture. The DNA content of the cells did not change significantly during the six-day period. When the trophoblast cells were incubated with insulin (1 ng/ml to 5 micrograms/ml), a modest but significant reduction in mPL-II secretion was observed. No change in the mPL-II secretion was seen when epidermal growth factor was administered to the culture in concentrations from 1 ng/ml to 10 micrograms/ml. It is concluded that this in vitro culture system is suitable for studying both mPL-II secretion and the differentiation of mPL-II-producing cells.     

乳状液膜法提取青霉素非稳态传质数学模型的研究

在“渐进前沿模型”的基础上 ,建立并推导了乳状液膜法提取青霉素的非稳态传质数学模型。实验条件下乳状液膜法提取青霉素的过程属扩散控制 ,其阻力主要来源于膜相。青霉素在膜相中的扩散是提取过程的速控步骤     

Association of Pre-S/S and Polymerase Mutations with Acute and Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infections in Patients from Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Several hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related factors, including the viral load, genotype, and genomic mutations, have been linked to the development of liver diseases. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate the influence of HBV genetic variability during acute and chronic infection phases. A real-time nested PCR was used to detect HBV DNA in all samples (acute, n = 22; chronic, n = 49). All samples were sequenced for phylogenetic and mutation analyses. Genotype A, sub-genotype A1, was the most common genotype in the study population. A total of 190 mutations were found in the pre-S/S gene area and the acute profile revealed a greater number of nucleotide mutations (p < 0.05). However, both profiles contained nucleotide mutations linked to immune escape and an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinomas (acute, A7T; chronic, A7Q). Furthermore, 17 amino acid substitutions were identified in the viral polymerase region, including the drug resistance mutations lamivudine and entecavir (rtL180M), with statistically significant differences between the mutant and wild type strains. Owing to the natural occurrence of these mutations, it is important to screen for resistance mutations before beginning therapy.     

Rotor-Gene链融解曲线法甲基化标记筛选技术的建立

目的:建立基于Rotor-Gene的链融解曲线法的甲基化标记筛选技术,分析各种影响因素,评估其实用性.方法:克隆Hela细胞雄激素受体基因外显子-1的Bisulfite-PCR产物,挑出经测序证实的可以代表不同甲基化程度的一组质粒,并以之为模板,在Rotor-Gene 3 000实时定量PCR仪进行扩增和链融解,分析融链温度、链融解曲线与甲基化程度、甲基化模式的相关性及各种影响因素.结果:基于Rotor-Gene 的链融解曲线法,不仅可以区分甲基化与非甲基化,而且能够鉴别片段内细微的甲基化差异;主要的影响因素有升温幅度、缓冲液离子强度、产物浓度等.结论:基于Rotor-Gene 的链融解曲线法,可以集扩增和链融解于一体,是一种经济简便的甲基化分析技术,可用于样品的甲基化筛选.     

Integrinβ_3与鼻咽癌CNE细胞放疗敏感性的关系研究

目的探讨黏附分子integrinβ3对人鼻咽癌细胞系CNE的放疗敏感性的作用,进而初步探讨其可能机制。方法采用三维培养方法获得CNE细胞团簇(multicellular spheroids,MCS);血球计数器计数法比较阻断integrinβ3作用前后CNE MCS的放射敏感性;流式细胞术检测integrinβ3表达和细胞凋亡。结果 (1)成功建立CNE MCS;(2)在一定辐射剂量范围内,CNE MCS中integrinβ3表达量随着辐射剂量的增加而增加;(3)阻断integrinβ3的作用后,CNE MCS的放疗敏感性增加,细胞凋亡率上调。结论黏附分子integrinβ3的表达水平影响CNE MCS的放射敏感性,这可能与integrinβ3抑制凋亡相关。     

Spindle–slow oscillation coupling correlates with memory performance and connectivity changes in a hippocampal network after sleep

After experiences are encoded, post‐encoding reactivations during sleep have been proposed to mediate long‐term memory consolidation. Spindle–slow oscillation coupling during NREM sleep is a candidate mechanism through which a hippocampal‐cortical dialogue may strengthen a newly formed memory engram. Here, we investigated the role of fast spindle‐ and slow spindle–slow oscillation coupling in the consolidation of spatial memory in humans with a virtual watermaze task involving allocentric and egocentric learning strategies. Furthermore, we analyzed how resting‐state functional connectivity evolved across learning, consolidation, and retrieval of this task using a data‐driven approach. Our results show task‐related connectivity changes in the executive control network, the default mode network, and the hippocampal network at post‐task rest. The hippocampal network could further be divided into two subnetworks of which only one showed modulation by sleep. Decreased functional connectivity in this subnetwork was associated with higher spindle–slow oscillation coupling power, which was also related to better memory performance at test. Overall, this study contributes to a more holistic understanding of the functional resting‐state networks and the mechanisms during sleep associated to spatial memory consolidation.     

颈段气管袖状切除术的临床分析

目的：总结颈段气管袖状切除术的经验,以提高颈段气管肿瘤的治疗效果。方法：回顾性分析1985-01～2006—12颈段气管袖状切除术治疗的12例患者,其中腺样囊性癌6例,鳞状细胞癌4例,腺癌1例,颈段气管软化塌陷1例。气管切除长度3～6cm,其中气管切除长度≥5cm5例,喉体松解术7例,甲状腺次全切除术3例。用正常甲状腺组织包绕气管及吻合口9例,未包绕3例。结果：所有患者喉功能均得以保留,发声正常,吻合口生长良好,受到分离的气管段色泽红润。3年生存率为85．37％,5年生存率为56．61％。结论：颈段气管袖状切除术符合气管肿瘤的治疗原则。改进的术式有利于气管吻合口的愈合,有利于更干净、彻底地切除气管肿瘤。