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Abstract Background The increased resistance rate of Salmonella to third-generation cephalosporins represented by ceftriaxone (CRO) may result in the failure of the empirical use of third-generation cephalosporins for the treatment of Salmonella infection in children. The present study was conducted to evaluate a novel method for the rapid detection of CRO-resistant Salmonella (CRS). Methods We introduced the concept of the ratio of optical density (ROD) with and without CRO and combined it with matrix-assisted laser desorption–ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to establish a new protocol for the rapid detection of CRS. Results The optimal incubation time and CRO concentration determined by the model strain test were 2 h and 8 µg/ml, respectively. We then conducted confirmatory tests on 120 clinical strains. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the ROD cutoff value for distinguishing CRS and non-CRS strains was 0.818 [area under the curve: 1.000; 95% confidence interval: 0.970–1.000; sensitivity: 100.00%; specificity: 100%; P

Abstract Rice seeds of different varieties exhibited distinct metabolic profiles in our study. We analyzed the metabolites in seeds of six rice varieties (CH, HM, NX, YX, HY, and MX) using non-targeted GC–MS. Our findings revealed that amino acids, sugars, and organic acids were predominant in all varieties, with significant differences observed in CH compared to the others. Specifically phenylalanine and glycine content differed notably in NX and YX, respectively. Additionally, 1,5-anhydroglucitol content in NX, and glutamate, aspartate, and lactulose in NX, YX, HM, HY, and MX were up-regulated. Due to the biological functions of these amino acids and sugars, these indicated that compared to CH, rice of NX were more conducive to metabolism of carbohydrate and fat, and healthy growth maintenance in the human body, but mightThese variations suggest that NX rice may be more beneficial for carbohydrate and fat metabolism and overall health maintenance compared to CH. However, it may not be suitable for diabetic patients. YX rice may not be an ideal glycine supplement, rice ofwhile HM, HY, and MX rice could serve as potential lactulose sources. Furthermore, NX and YX rice exhibited higher levels of main storage proteins compared to CH. This study offers valuable insights into the metabolic differences among various rice varieties.

BackgroundObservational studies have demonstrated a correlation between thyroid dysfunction and osteoporosis (OP); however, the underlying causality has yet to be fully elucidated.MethodsThe necessary dataset was sourced from public databases. Initially, instrumental variables (IVs) were selected based on three primary hypotheses. Subsequently, Cochran’s Q test was employed to exclude IVs exhibiting heterogeneity. The MR-PRESSO test and the leave-one-out sensitivity test were further applied to detect potential pleiotropy. Inverse variance was utilized for the analysis. This study primarily utilized the inverse variance weighted (IVW) model for Mendelian analysis. Since Type 1 diabetes mellitus can also contribute to the development of osteoporosis, this study additionally employed multivariate Mendelian analysis. Furthermore, 249 circulating metabolites were selected for mediation analysis in the Mendelian randomization framework.ResultsIn this study, the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis primarily employed the random-effects IVW model and demonstrated a causal relationship between hypothyroidism (OR = 1.092, 95% CI: 1.049–1.137, p 0.05). The results of the multivariate Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis indicated that hyperthyroidism was no longer a risk factor for OP (OR = 0.984, 95% CI: 0.918–1.055, p = 0.657), whereas hypothyroidism persisted as a risk factor (OR = 1.082, 95% CI: 1.021–1.147, p = 0.008). The mediated Mendelian randomization analysis revealed that hypothyroidism may exert an indirect effect on OP via triglycerides in large VLDL, mediating approximately 2.47% of the effect.ConclusionThis study identifies a potential link between hypothyroidism and OP, possibly mediated indirectly via triglyceride levels in large VLDL. Further investigations are required to elucidate the direct or indirect causal mechanisms underlying this association.

Staphylococcus argenteus is a novel species within the Staphylococcus aureus complex and can cause serious bloodstream infections (BSIs) in humans, which have been mainly reported in adults, especially the elderly. In this study, we analyzed the molecular characterization of a strain of S. argenteus (22WJ8192) isolated from the peripheral vein blood sample of a seven-month-old female infant in Eastern China. The 22WJ8192 belonged to sequence type (ST)2250 and harbored six antibiotic-resistance genes and 53 virulence genes and was resistant to penicillin. Additionally, we conducted a comparative analysis of the molecular characteristics of S. argenteus sourced from various origins within the dataset, predominantly from the National Center for Biotechnology Information Collection (NCBI) genome database. Antibiotic-resistance genes blaR1, blaI_of_Z, blaZ, fosB-Saur, tet(L), aph(3”)-IIIa, mecA, and dfrG were more prevalent among the strains of human origin. Virulence genes lukF-PV, sak, sdrE, scn, sdrC, and sdrD were more prevalent among strains of human origin. The presence of antibiotic-resistance genes blaR1, blaI_of_Z, blaZ, fosB-Saur, and aph(3”)-IIIa in strain 22WJ8192 was also more common among strains of human origin in the dataset. Conversely, the antibiotic-resistance genes tet(L), mecA, and dfrG, typically found in strains of human origin, were not detected in 22WJ8192. Additionally, virulence genes lukF-PV, sak, sdrE, scn, sdrC, and sdrD present in 22WJ8192 exhibited a higher prevalence among strains of human origin in the dataset. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the potential of S. argenteus ST2250 to induce severe bloodstream infections in infants, shedding light on the molecular characteristics of this strain.

Abstract Background The prolonged β-lactam antibiotics infusion has been an attractive strategy in severe infections, because it provides a more stable free drug concentration and a longer duration of free drug concentration above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). We conducted this systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) to compare the effects of prolonged vs intermittent intravenous infusion of β-lactam antibiotics for patients with sepsis. Methods This study was prospectively registered on PROSPERO database (CRD42023447692). We searched EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library to identify eligible studies (up to July 6, 2023). Any study meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria would be included. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 30 days. Two authors independently screened studies and extracted data. When the I 2 values

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of polymyxin B in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria, and to analyze the effect of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on pharmacokinetics of polymyxin B. Methods: Thirty-five patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria admitted to our hospital from June 2021 to January 2022 were selected as the subjects. The patients were divided into the standard group (n = 20) and the non-standard group (n = 15) based on the factors affecting the compliance of polymyxin B plasma concentration. The patients received with polymyxin B and the plasma concentration was monitored. According to the monitoring results, they were divided into the standard group and the non-standard group, to analyze the influencing factors of polymyxin B on the blood concentration. Besides, the patients were then divided into the control group (n = 28) and the observation group (n = 7) according to whether the patients received CRRT treatment. Patients in the control group treated with polymyxin B alone, while patients in the observation group received with polymyxin B and CRRT. The general data of patients in the two groups were compared. The levels of plasma concentration of polymyxin B measured before the next administration (Cmin), peak plasma concentration of polymyxin B measured immediately after end of infusion (Cmax) and intermediate plasma concentration measured 6 h after administration (midpoint of the dosing interval) (C1/2t) were detected and compared between the two groups. Correlation between pharmacokinetics and efficacy was analyzed by Spearman correlation. The incidence of complications and the 28-day mortality rate of the two groups were recorded. Results: The age, body mass index (BMI) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores in the non-standard group were higher than these in the standard group (p 0.05). The levels of Cmin, Cmax, and C1/2t in the observation group were lower than these in the control group (p 0.05). The levels of Cmin, Cmax, and C1/2t in the observation group were no significant correlation with the clinical efficacy (p > 0.05), while these in the control group were positive correlation with the clinical efficacy (r = 0.485, p 0.05). Conclusion: In patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia not receiving multidrug-resistant bacteria, the rate of achieving blood drug concentration with the usual recommended dose of polymyxin B was satisfactory. However, the proportion of patients with a 6-h plasma concentration exceeding the maximum plasma concentration was high. BMI and APACHE II scores were important factors affecting the pharmacokinetics of polymyxin B. In patients undergoing CRRT, the plasma concentration of polymyxin B was significantly reduced, suggesting that in patients with severe disease, plasma concentration monitoring played an important role in drug efficacy and patient safety. In patients treated with CRRT, the dose of polymyxin B may need to be increased.

Archidendron clypearia (Jack) I. C. Nielsen is an important tree species for traditional medicine purposes such as anti-inflammatory, detoxification, uric acid control and neuro-protection. Here, a set of 15 microsatellite markers were used to fingerprint 248 elite genotypes from six origins of A. clypearia and investigate the genetic structure of these genotypes. A total of 170 alleles were amplified. The elite genotypes showed moderate genetic variability, with mean observed heterozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) being 0.651 and 0.699, respectively. Each of the elite genotypes could be fingerprinted uniquely. The cumulative probability of identity (PI) and the cumulative probability of paternity exclusion (PE) were 2.25 × 10−12 and 0.999992, respectively, demonstrating the extremely high power of the markers for genotype identification. In STRUCTURE and clustering analyses, the same origin of elite genotypes tended to be grouped in a sub-population and clustered closely, but some genotypes from different geographic origins were mixed, suggesting a low level of genetic differentiation between the origins. These results can contribute to the protection and management of the elite genotype resources of A. clypearia and the comprehensive understanding of its genetic structure.

Abstract Background Rectal colonisation with carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (CR-GNB) may cause CR-GNB infection in children with haematological malignancies (HMs) haematological. To date, information on its epidemiology is limited. This study aimed to assess the the risk factors for rectal colonisation with CR-GNB in children with HMs. Methods A case–control study in a tertiary children’s hospital in Hangzhou City, was conducted between July 2019, and September 2021. Based on the hospitalisation date, children in the CR-GNB colonisation group and control groups were matched at a ratio of 1:2. Conditional logistic regression models were used to compute the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the risk factors for CR-GNB rectal colonisation in children with HMs. Results A total of 85 non-duplicated CR-GNB isolates were collected from rectal swab samples of 69 children with HMs. The 30-day mortality rates were 5.8% in the CR-GNB colonisation group and 0% in the control group (P = 0.020).colonisation In the conditional logistic regression model, the aORs were 6.84 (95% CI 1.86–25.20) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 4.16 (95% CI 1.17–14.84) for prior concomitant infections within the last 1 month, 2.33 (95% CI 1.16–4.69) for prior carbapenems usage within the last 1 month and 7.46 (95% CI 1.81–30.67) for prior hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). Conclusion AML/ALL, prior concomitant infections within the last 1 month, prior carbapenems usage within the last 1 month, and prior HSCT are associated with an increased risk of rectal colonisation with CR-GNB in children with HMs.

Background More than half of the patients with locally advanced low rectal cancer exhibit no or minor response to nCRT. It is important to investigate the predictive and prognostic values of potential biomarkers in patients with locally advanced low rectal cancer receiving nCRT. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 162 patients with locally advanced low rectal cancer who underwent nCRT, followed by total mesorectal excision (TME) between 2016 and 2019. Cytokeratin 7 (CK7) expression and mismatch repair (MMR) status were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) curves were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier and Cox methods. Results There were predominance significant differences in distance from anus margin ( P < .0001) and circumferential extent of the tumor ( P < .0001).CK7 positive expression was detected in 21 of the 162 patients (13%). The univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that patients whose tumors had CK7 positive expression had significantly shorter OS (HR = 3.878, P = .038; HR = 1.677 , P = .035) and DFS (HR = 3.055, P = .027;HR = 3.569 , P = .038) than those with CK7 negative expression. While patients with CK7 positive expression had a higher proportion of worse TRG compared with CK7 negative patients ( P = .001). Patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) just occupied a small proportion (8.6%), but there was still a close connection between the MMR status and recurrence after TME ( P = .045). MMR status was an independent risk factor affecting the OS (HR = .307, P < .0001; HR = .123 , P < .0001) and DFS (HR = .288, P < .0001; HR = .286 , P < .0001) by univariate and multivariate analysis. But no significant difference in the proportion of TRG was observed between patients with dMMR and pMMR ( P = .920). Conclusions The result confirms negative prognostic role of CK7-positive and dMMR statuses, which have potential predictive value for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy response. This provides opportunity to modify individualized treatment strategies for patients with different CK7 expression levels and dMMR statuses.

BackgroundGenital inflammation is one of the most frequent clinical complaints among girls, which was easily overlooked by the general public. This study aimed to investigate the patterns and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric and adolescent female genital inflammation in China.MethodsA retrospective observational study (2011 to 2018) was conducted among all female patients under the age of 0–18 years at the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology of The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Data were collected from the electronic medical records. The abnormal vaginal discharge of patient was collected for microbiological investigation by bacterial and fungal culture. Descriptive analysis was conducted to evaluate the genital inflammation pattern and epidemiological characteristics, including age, season, and type of infected pathogens.ResultsA total of 49,175 patients met the eligibility criteria of genital inflammation and 16,320 patients later came to the hospital for follow-up over the study period. The number of first-visit increased gradually from 3,769 in 2011 to 10,155 in 2018. The peak age of the first visit was 0–6 years old. Non-specific vulvovaginitis, lichen sclerosis, and labial adhesion were the top three genital inflammation. Among the top five potential common pathogens of vaginal infection, the prevalence of Haemophilus influenzae cases was the highest (31.42%, 203/646), followed by Streptococcus pyogenes (27.74%, 176/646), Candida albicans (14.09%, 91/646), Escherichia coli (8.51%, 55/646), and Staphylococcus aureus (6.35%, 41/636). The specific disease categories and pathogens of genital inflammation vary by age groups and season.ConclusionOur study summarizes the pattern of pediatric and adolescent female genital inflammation over an 8-year period in China, emphasizing the need for more public awareness, healthcare services and research in this field.

Shikonin, the primary active compound found in the rhizome of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb known as “ZiCao”, exhibits a diverse range of pharmacological effects. This drug has a wide range of uses, including as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer agent. It is also effective in promoting wound healing and treating autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, asthma, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Although shikonin has a wide range of applications, its mechanisms are still not fully understood. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in the use of shikonin for the treatment of immune-related diseases. The article also delves into the anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory mechanisms of shikonin and offers insights into the inflammation and immunopathogenesis of related diseases. Overall, this article serves as a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians working in this field. These findings not only provide significant new information on the effects and mechanisms of shikonin but also establish a foundation for the development of clinical applications in treating autoimmune diseases.

Abstract Gap junctions (GJs), which are composed of connexins (Cxs), provide channels for direct information exchange between cells. Cx expression has a strong spatial specificity; however, its influence on cell behavior and information exchange between cells cannot be ignored. A variety of factors in organisms can modulate Cxs and subsequently trigger a series of responses that have important effects on cellular behavior. The expression and function of Cxs and the number and function of GJs are in dynamic change. Cxs have been characterized as tumor suppressors in the past, but recent studies have highlighted the critical roles of Cxs and GJs in cancer pathogenesis. The complex mechanism underlying Cx and GJ involvement in cancer development is a major obstacle to the evolution of therapy targeting Cxs. In this paper, we review the post-translational modifications of Cxs, the interactions of Cxs with several chaperone proteins, and the effects of Cxs and GJs on cancer. Video Abstract

From the perspective of enterprise life cycle, the impact of voluntary environmental regulation on enterprise green innovation was examined in this study based on the data of manufacturing enterprises listed on China’s A-share market from 2012 to 2021. The results indicate that: (1) voluntary environmental regulation has a significant positive impact on enterprise green innovation as a whole. (2) Among all stages of enterprise life cycle, voluntary environmental regulation has a significant impact on enterprise green innovation in the growth and maturity stages, but has a relatively small impact on enterprise green innovation in the formation and decline stages. (3) The results of a segmented sample study on this basis show that voluntary environmental regulation has heterogeneity in property rights and factor density in promoting enterprise green innovation. It significantly promotes green innovation by state-owned enterprises in the maturity stage, green innovation by non-state-owned enterprises in the maturity and decline stages, and green innovation by capital and technology intensive manufacturing enterprises, but have no significant impact on other types of enterprises. These research conclusions are expected to provide decision-making reference for improving the voluntary environmental regulation system and promoting the level of enterprise green innovation.

Abstract To compare the agreement of ocular biometric parameters measured by IOLMaster 500 and IOLMaster 700. This is a prospective study. IOLMaster 500 and IOLMaster 700 were used to measure the axial eye length (AL), corneal flat keratometry (Kf), corneal steep keratometry (Ks), mean keratometry (Km), corneal astigmatism(CA), J0, J45, anterior chamber depth (ACD) and corneal horizontal diameter (white-to-white distance, WTW) of 518 eyes (392 patients) with cataracts. Patients were enrolled unilaterally. Subgroup analyses were done according to the AL and Km. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman analysis were used to evaluate the agreement. A total of 275 eyes were analyzed. The 95% confidence interval of ICC of the mean AL, Ks, Kf, Km, J0, and ACD values measured by the two instruments are indicative of excellent reliability (P

The JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling pathways are two major inflammatory signaling pathways that are usually activated simultaneously in the body’s inflammatory response to bacterial or viral infections. Hyperactivation of these two prominent signaling pathways is associated with various immune-related diseases and mortality, pointing to an urgent need for drug development targeting JAK/STAT and/or NFκB signaling. In this study, we screened 18,840 compounds using our well-established dual STAT-NFκB driven luciferase reporter based high-throughput screening system and identified a bioactive compound C498-0670, which inhibits both JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling. C498-0670 inhibits the activation of STATs and p-IKKα/β in both the immortalized cell lines and primary peritoneal macrophages, while suppressing the expression of LPS-induced inflammatory mediators in vitro. In addition, the overall anti-inflammatory effects of C498-0670 were investigated using transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics approaches. C498-0670 was predicted to alleviate sepsis/septic shock by disease/function analysis using IPA software, which was further verified in the LPS-induced mouse sepsis model in vivo. C498 reduced LPS-induced liver and kidney damage, myeloid cell infiltration, and pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production in vivo. Furthermore, the SPR-HPLC-MS-based target fishing approach was used to identify the putative drug targets, and the high affinities of JAK2 (JAK/STAT signaling), NFKBIA (NFκB signaling), and IL-1β, NLRP1b (inflammasome signaling) for C498-0670 were verified by molecular docking approach. These results suggest that C498-0670 can be used as a dual-target inhibitor of JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling pathways for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases, especially septic shock.

Polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) are an important feature of cellular atypia, the detailed mechanisms of their formation and function remain unclear. PGCCs were previously thought to be derived from repeated mitosis/cytokinesis failure, with no intrinsic ability to proliferate and divide. However, recently, PGCCs have been confirmed to have cancer stem cell (CSC)-like characteristics, and generate progeny cells through asymmetric division, which express epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers to promote invasion and migration. The formation of PGCCs can be attributed to multiple stimulating factors, including hypoxia, chemotherapeutic reagents, and radiation, can induce the formation of PGCCs, by regulating the cell cycle and cell fusion-related protein expression. The properties of CSCs suggest that PGCCs can be induced to differentiate into non-tumor cells, and produce erythrocytes composed of embryonic hemoglobin, which have a high affinity for oxygen, and thereby allow PGCCs survival from the severe hypoxia. The number of PGCCs is associated with metastasis, chemoradiotherapy resistance, and recurrence of malignant tumors. Targeting relevant proteins or signaling pathways related with the formation and transdifferentiation of adipose tissue and cartilage in PGCCs may provide new strategies for solid tumor therapy.

The nature of the culture dish surface and the technique used to detach adherent cells could very likely influence the cell viability and cell membrane protein integrity of harvested macrophages. Several previous studies assessed the detachment efficacies of enzymatic and non-enzymatic methods for harvesting the single cell suspensions of macrophages, but a comprehensive study assessing different dissociation methods and culture conditions for detaching functionally different macrophage populations has not yet been reported. In this study, via the well-established GM-CSF and M-CSF differentiated bone marrow derived macrophage models (GM-BMDMs and M-BMDMs), we compared four commonly used enzymatic (trypsin and accutase) and non-enzymatic (PBS and EDTA) dissociation methods along with necessary mechanical detaching steps (scraping and pipetting) to evaluate the viable cell recovery and cell surface marker integrality of GM-BMDMs and M-BMDMs cultured on standard cell culture dish (TC dish), or on culture dish (noTC dish) that was not conditioned to enhance adherence. The data showed that accutase yielded a better recovery of viable cells comparing with PBS and EDTA, especially for tightly adherent GM-BMDMs on TC dishes, with a relatively higher level of detected cell membrane marker F4/80 than trypsin. An additional gradient centrifugation-based dead cell removal approach could increase the proportion of viable cells for TC cultured GM-BMDMs after accutase dissociation. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis was performed to evaluate the putative influence of culture dishes. At steady state, BMDMs cultured on noTC dishes exhibited more proinflammatory gene expression signatures (e.g. IL6, CXCL2 and ILlβ) and functions (e.g. TNF and IL17 signaling pathways). Similar inflammatory responses were observed upon LPS challenge regardless of culture conditions and differentiation factors. However, in LPS treated samples, the difference of gene expression patterns, signaling pathways and molecular functions between TC and noTC cultured BMDMs were largely dependent on the types of growth factors (M-CSF and GM-CSF). This observation might provide valuable information for in vitro macrophage studies.

ABSTRACTCarbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is emerging as a worldwide public health concern; however, the long-term molecular epidemiological surveillance of clinical CRKP in China is limited. We conducted a retrospective observational study (2008–2018) to assess the prevalence, susceptibility, risk factors and molecular epidemiology of clinical CRKP isolates. We found the prevalence of CRKP increased from 2.5%, 2008 to 15.8%, 2018. CRKP were significantly more frequent among hospitalized patients from ICU, and it was significantly more likely to be isolated from the capital city (Hangzhou) and the patients aged ≥60 years. Additionally, seasons and specimen types were associated with CRKP infections. The main CRKP sequence type (ST) was ST11, and blaKPC-2 was the most prevalent gene variant. Together these data reveal an increasing incidence and resistance trends among CRKP, especially the ST11-blaKPC-2-CRKP, in Zhejiang, during 2008–2018. Our findings are important for hospitals to limit its dissemination and optimize antibiotic administration.

This paper explores the change of enterprises’ investment following the financing system reform through the established stochastic investment model. In this constructed model, financing property, market-oriented reform, and government intervention are regarded as a stochastic process. Furthermore, the modern China’s economic situation is interpreted to analyze the enterprises’ investment by government intervention plan combined with he deduced proposition from the stochastic investment model. The results provide a depth understanding for characteristics of the enterprise in China that the steady capital of state-owned enterprises’ investment is higher than that of non-state-owned enterprises without government intervention before completing financing reform. Although government intervention can increase the investment level of state-owned enterprises, doing so increases the turbulence of the market economy. Additionally, the impact of government-led financing reform on enterprises’ investment is asymmetrical. Promoting market-oriented, clear-cut financing reform, and reducing government-led investment plans will improve enterprises’ investment efficiency and stabilize China’s economic development. The present paper provides a specific future orientation of China’s financing reform determining the level of enterprises’ investment.

The host–guest inclusion strategy has the potential to surpass the limitations of energy density and suboptimal performances of single explosives. The guest molecules can not only enhance the detonation performance of host explosives but also can enhance their stability. Therefore, a deep analysis of the role of guest influence on the pyrolysis decomposition of the host–guest explosive is necessary. The whole decomposition reaction stage of CL-20/H2O, CL-20/CO2, CL-20/N2O, CL-20/NH2OH was calculated by ReaxFF-MD. The incorporation of CO2, N2O and NH2OH significantly increase the energy levels of CL-20. However, different guests have little influence on the initial decomposition paths of CL-20. The Ea1 and Ea2 values of CL-20/CO2, CL-20/N2O, CL-20/NH2OH systems are higher than the CL-20/H2O system. Clearly, incorporation of CO2, N2O, NH2OH can inhibit the initial decomposition and intermediate decomposition stage of CL-20/H2O. Guest molecules become heavily involved in the reaction and influence on the reaction rates. k1 of CL-20/N2O and CL-20/NH2OH systems are significantly larger than that of CL-20/H2O at high temperatures. k1 of CL-20/CO2 system is very complex, which can be affected deeply by temperatures. k2 of the CL-20/CO2, CL-20/N2O systems is significantly smaller than that of CL-20/H2O at high temperatures. k2 of CL-20/NH2OH system shows little difference at high temperatures. For the CL-20/CO2 system, the k3 value of CO2 is slightly higher than that for CL-20/H2O, CL-20/N2O, CL-20/NH2OH systems, while the k3 values of N2 and H2O are slightly smaller than that for the CL-20/H2O, CL-20/N2O, CL-20/NH2OH systems. For the CL-20/N2O system, the k3 value of CO2 is slightly smaller than that for CL-20/H2O, CL-20/CO2, CL-20/NH2OH systems. For the CL-20/NH2OH system, the k3 value of H2O is slightly larger than that for CL-20/H2O, CL-20/CO2, CL-20/N2O systems. These mechanisms revealed that CO2, N2O and NH2OH molecules inhibit the early stages of the initial decomposition of CL-20 and play an important role for the decomposition subsequently.

Our objective was to identify the optimal method to assess reduced muscle mass (RMM) using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) approach and investigate the roles of the GLIM approach in nutrition assessment and survival prediction in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. During a median follow-up period of 4.2 (4.0, 4.4) years, a development cohort of 3612 CRC patients with a mean age of 64.09 ± 12.45 years was observed, as well as an external validation cohort of 875 CRC patients. Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression were adopted to analyze the association between GLIM-diagnosed malnutrition and the overall survival (OS) of CRC patients. A nomogram predicting individualized survival was constructed based on independent prognostic predictors. The concordance index, calibration curve, and decision curve were applied to appraise the discrimination, accuracy, and clinical efficacy of the nomogram, respectively. Patients diagnosed with severe malnutrition based on either the mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) or body weight-standardized hand grip strength (HGS/W) method had the highest mortality hazard ratio (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.34–1.70; p < 0.001). GLIM-defined malnutrition was diagnosed in 47.6% of patients. Severe malnutrition was an independent mortality risk factor for OS (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.10–1.42; p < 0.001). The GLIM nomogram showed good performance in predicting the survival of CRC patients and was clinically beneficial. Our findings support the effectiveness of GLIM in diagnosing malnutrition and predicting OS in CRC patients.

The non-Typhi Salmonella (NTS) infection is critical to children’s health, and the ceftriaxone is the important empirical treatment choice. With the increase resistance rate of ceftriaxone in Salmonella, the molecular epidemiology and resistance mechanism of ceftriaxone-resistant Salmonella needs to be studied. From July 2019 to July 2020, a total of 205 NTS isolates were collected, 195 of which (95.1%) were cultured from stool, but 10 isolates were isolated from an extraintestinal site. Serogroup B accounted for the vast majority (137/205) among the isolates. Fifty-three isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, and 50 were isolated from children younger than 4years of age. The resistance rates for ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin were significantly higher in younger children than the older children. The resistance genes in the ceftriaxone-susceptible isolates were detected by PCR, and ceftriaxone-resistant Salmonella were selected for further whole-genome sequencing. Whole-genome analysis showed that serotype Typhimurium and its monophasic variant was the most prevalent in ceftriaxone-resistant isolates (37/53), which comprised ST34 (33/53), ST19 (2/53), and ST99 (2/53), and they were close related in the phylogenetic tree. However, the other isolates were diverse, which included one Enteritidis (ST11), one Indiana (ST17), one Derby (ST40), four Kentucky (ST198), two Goldcoast (ST2529, ST358), one Muenster (ST321), one Virchow (ST359), one Rissen (ST469), one Kedougou (ST1543), two Uganda (ST684), and one Kottbus (ST8839). Moreover, CTX-M-55 ESBLs production (33/53) was found to be mainly responsible for ceftriaxone resistance, followed by blaCTX-M-65 (12/53), blaCTX-M-14 (4/53), blaCTX-M-9 (2/53), blaCTX-M-64 (1/53), blaCTX-M-130 (1/53), and blaCMY-2 (1/53). ISEcp1, IS903B, IS Kpn26, IS1F, and IS26 were connected to antimicrobial resistance genes transfer. In conclusion, the dissemination of ESBL-producing Salmonella isolates resulted in an increased prevalence of ceftriaxone resistance in young children. The high rate of multidrug resistance should be given additional attention.

Introduction: The rabbit brain model is commonly applied in neuroscience, including basic science, neuro medicine, and neural network, etc. The rabbit brain is more suitable than the mouse one for a microscopic neuroanatomy atlas study due to its suitable size and shape. Lateral ventricles are essential landmarks that enable a three-dimensional structure understanding of the rabbit cerebrum. Knowledge about how the nervous structures outside the neural tube amplify and contort around the lateral ventricles would help in the understanding of the rabbit cerebrum's three-dimensional organization. Materials & methods: Ten rabbits were used in this study. After fixation for at least two weeks, rabbits’ heads were dissected and micro-operative anatomy photographs were taken using the stereomicroscope camera. Results: All figures were divided into three parts: lateral ventricles body; choroid fissure and the thalamus-cerebrum space; partition and connection between the left and right lateral ventricles. Under the stereoscopic microscope, it can be observed that: rabbit cerebrum left and right lateral ventricles were wrapped by the grey and white matter layers; hippocampal formation, relatively older cortical structures in the cerebrum, coiled inward by newer cortex; the curly edges of the cortex made the choroid fissure, namely the potential opening between the lateral ventricles (left and right) and cerebrum surface. The three-dimensional structure atlas also showed cortex folding and coil and that cortex with the hippocampal formation was centered in the thalamus, while the thalamus was in a direct extension relationship with the cortex-hippocampus formation. Conclusion: The relationship between the thalamus and the cortex-hippocampus formation should be noticed in neural network research as it suggests that the thalamus may be at the core of the cerebrum network. If we could have a correct understanding of rabbit cerebrum three-dimensional structure via microscopic anatomical atlas under the microscope before the section research, we would be able to assembly the local neural network structures in the brain constructed by section research into a complete cerebrum network properly.

ObjectiveThis study aims to analyze the molecular epidemiology, resistance, and pathogenicity of Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae isolated from children.MethodsWhole genome sequencing was carried out, and molecular serotypes, sequence types, resistance genes, and virulence genes of S. enterica subsp. diarizonae isolates were analyzed. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was determined by commercialized microdilution method.ResultsA total of three isolates of S. enterica subsp. diarizonae were isolated during 2015 to 2020. The molecular serotypes of the three strains were 61:c:z35, 61:l,v:1,5,7:[z57], and 65:k:z, respectively, and the sequence types were ST1845, ST233, and ST1263. All the three isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefepime, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, piperacillin/tazobactam, ertapenem, imipenem, levofloxacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. No other resistant gene was detected except aac(6’)-Iaa. There were no resistant plasmids detected in all the three isolates. A total of 76 genes were present in all isolates, containing 49 genes of Type III Secretion System (T3SS) mediated by SPI-1and SPI-2, 13 genes of adherence (type 1 fimbriae, Agf, and MisL-related genes), 11 genes of iron uptake (Yersiniabactin), two genes of magnesium uptake, and one gene of typhoid toxin(cdtB).ConclusionThe serotypes and sequence types of S. enterica subsp. diarizonae isolates were rarely reported in children; all the S. enterica subsp. diarizonae isolates were susceptible to detected antibiotics; T3SS, adherence, iron uptake, magnesium uptake, and typhoid toxin were responsible for pathogenicity of the S. enterica subsp. diarizonae isolates in children.

For a better understanding of diabetic angiopathy (DA), the potential biomarkers in lacrimal DA and its potential mechanism, we evaluated the morphological and hemodynamic alterations of lacrimal glands (LGs) in patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy counterparts by color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI). We further established a type 2 diabetic mice model and performed hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescence staining of CD31, RNA-sequencing analysis, and connectivity map (CMap) analysis. We found atrophy and ischemia in patients with type 2 diabetes and mice models. Furthermore, we identified 846 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and vehicle mice by RNA-seq. The gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated significant enrichment of immune system process, regulation of blood circulation, apoptotic, regulation of secretion, regulation of blood vessel diameter, and so on. The molecular complex detection (MCODE) showed 17 genes were involved in the most significant module, and 6/17 genes were involved in vascular disorders. CytoHubba revealed the top 10 hub genes of DEGs, and four hub genes (App, F5, Fgg, and Gas6) related to vascular regulation were identified repeatedly by MCODE and cytoHubba. GeneMANIA analysis demonstrated functions of the four hub genes above and their associated molecules were primarily related to the regulation of circulation and coagulation. CMap analysis found several small molecular compounds to reverse the altered DEGs, including disulfiram, bumetanide, genistein, and so on. Our outputs could empower the novel potential targets to treat lacrimal angiopathy, diabetes dry eye, and other diabetes-related diseases.

The contradiction between energy and safety of explosives is better balanced by the host–guest inclusion strategy. To deeply analyze the role of small guest molecules in the host–guest system, we first investigated the intermolecular contacts of host and guest molecules through Hirshfeld surfaces, 2-D fingerprint plots and electrostatic interaction energy. We then examined the strength and nature of the intermolecular interactions between CL-20 and various small molecules in detail, using state-of-the-art quantum chemistry calculations and elaborate wavefunction analyses. Finally, we studied the effect of the small molecules on the properties of CL-20, using density functional theory (DFT). The results showed that the spatial arrangement of host and guest molecules and the interaction between host and guest molecules, such as repulsion or attraction, may depend on the properties of the guest molecules, such as polarity, oxidation, hydrogen content, etc. The insertion of H2O2, H2O, N2O, and CO2 had significant influence on the electrostatic potential (ESP), van der Waals (vdW) potential and chemical bonding of CL-20. The intermolecular interactions, electric density and crystal orbital Hamilton population (COHP) clarified and quantified the stabilization effect of different small molecules on CL-20. The insertion of the guest molecules improved the stability of CL-20 to different extents, of which H2O2 worked best.

Abstract Introduction Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). In present study, we aimed to assess the possible association between POCD and BDNF rs6265 polymorphisms. Methods 124 patients aged 60 years or older scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia and 25 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy volunteers were recruited. POCD was identified using a neuropsychological test battery administered preoperatively, 7 days, and 3 months after surgery. Genotyping of rs6265 was performed using polymerase chain reaction amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results 99 patients and 25 healthy controls were finally enrolled in the analysis. 29(29.3%) and 18(18.2%) of 99 patients had POCD at 7 days and 3 months after surgery, respectively. The patients carrying a G allele at the rs6265 locus showed a lower risk for POCD than an A allele carriers on postoperative 7 days, but not 3 months after surgery (OR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.47–0.96; p = .017; OR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.42–1.13; p = .14, respectively). The risk of POCD at 7 days following surgery was significantly lower in additive model (OR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.2–0.84; p = .015) and dominant model (OR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.13–0.96; p = .042). Conclusion We tentatively demonstrate that BDNF rs6265 polymorphisms might be associated with occurrence of POCD at 7 days after surgery and the A > G mutant at the rs6265 locus be likely a protective factor for early POCD in Chinese Han population.

Objective. To investigate the clinical characteristics of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO). Methods. The clinical data of six patients with TO from November 2016 to November 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of TO were summarized. Result. All six patients with TO were middle-aged males, confirmed by histopathological examination. The main clinical symptoms were cough, sputum, hemoptysis, chest pain, and repeated pulmonary infection. Some patients could make a preliminary diagnosis by chest CT, and bronchoscopy showed that TO mainly occurred in the trachea and the main bronchus and was more likely to invade the right bronchus. The treatment mainly includes anti-infection, phlegm-resolving, and other symptomatic treatment. Conclusion. TO is a benign disease predisposing to adults, and males are more likely to be affected. Its clinical manifestations are lack of specificity, and the cause may be related to chronic infection. Bronchoscopy combined with histopathological examination is the primary approach for the diagnosis of TO. There is no well-recognized treatment standard for TO, and the judgment of therapeutic effect is inconsistent. It is necessary to improve the understanding of this disease from a clinical perspective.

Despite the rising awareness that mobile technologies can be used as viable options for additional support for intercultural learning, few studies have been conducted to explore the feasibility of using mobile apps to develop intercultural competence (IC) from the perspectives of learners' acceptance and user experiences. This study applied a mixed-method approach to investigate factors affecting university students' acceptance of using mobile apps to develop their IC. Quantitative survey data were collected from 671 Chinese university students using measures developed based on the extended technology acceptance model. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that students' perceived usefulness (PU) of mobile apps supporting IC development positively influenced their mobile application efficacy, subjective norms, and perceived enjoyment. Additionally, their perceived ease of use (PEU) concerning the apps was positively associated with their mobile application efficacy, perceived enjoyment, and previous experiences, while being negatively associated with mobile application anxiety. PU and PEU were also found to be positively related to students' attitudes towards and behavioral intention to use apps for intercultural learning. Qualitative interviews were subsequently conducted with six students to investigate the underlying reasons for the predictors identified quantitatively following their actual use of three recommended apps over three consecutive weeks. The results of content analysis uncovered a range of categories that provided further insights into the statistical findings. Implications of the findings were discussed in the context of technology-enhancing intercultural education.

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja, as a woody tree species, has various health-promoting phytochemicals and is commonly used in tea production in China. A field trial for C. paliurus was conducted at two typical sites to evaluate genotype × environmental interaction (GEI) effects and identify the stability and adaptability of 13 families. The genotype main effects and genotype × environment interaction effects (GGE) were used to analyze the GEI effects for tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and leaf flavonoid and triterpenoid contents. Two-way analysis of variance indicated that the tree growth and leaf phytochemical contents were mainly affected by genotype and GEI. Based on the results of GGE, the JH1 family had high mean values and high stability in total flavonoid and total triterpenoid accumulations, while the KM4 family exhibited high means and high stability in tree height and DBH growth, as well as high means and medium stability in total triterpenoid content. Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated that the annual mean DBH was significantly and positively correlated with leaf phytochemical content in C. paliurus when all data for the 13 families at the two sites were used. Our results suggest that JH1 should be mainly extended as a superior genotype for the production of flavonoids and triterpenoids in the leaves, while KM4 could be spread for timber production or leaf triterpenoid production. This study provides useful information on the selection of C. paliurus genotypes in target sites and cultivation strategies for establishing oriented plantations.

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal) Iljinskaja is a multiple function tree species, but its main utilization is for the harvesting of its leaves as materials for tea production and recently as ingredients for the food industry. In this study aqueous extracts of C. paliurus leaves collected from 21 natural populations were evaluated for their phytochemical content and antioxidant activity. The content of water-soluble polysaccharide, total flavonoid and total polyphenol varied from 66.05 to 153.32 mg/g, 9.01 to 19.65 mg/g and 20.80 to 52.69 mg/g, respectively. Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, aemferol-3-O-glucuronide and 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid were the major phenolic components in aqueous extracts of C. paliurus leaves. Both redundancy analysis and Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that water-soluble polysaccharide, total polyphenol, total flavonoid, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid and 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid were significantly correlated with antioxidant activity, but total polyphenol showed the greatest contribution to antioxidant capacity. The antioxidant activity of the 21 populations was classified into six distinct groups based on the squared Euclidean distance. These results would provide a theoretical basis for obtaining the greatest yield of targeted antioxidant phytochemicals of C. paliurus leaves for tea and food ingredient production.

Intercultural competence (IC) is considered as an essential soft skill for successful functioning in the globalized society in the 21st century. However, there is still a lack of culturally appropriate framework and instrument to understand and assess Chinese university students' IC development. The purpose of this study was to design a valid and reliable scale for assessing Chinese students' IC. Based on the AAA (Approach-Analyze-Act)-Chinese framework, a 30-item Intercultural Competence Scale-Chinese Version (ICS-CHN) was developed and validated with confirmatory factor analysis. Subsequent multigroup confirmatory factor analysis model further proved the measurement invariance of ICS-CHN in different gender groups. Together with its adequate reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, it is reasonable to conclude that ICS-CHN is a reliable and valid scale, corroborating that IC is a combination of affective/attitudinal, cognitive and behavioral skills and characteristics applied in intercultural encounters.

Objective: The present study examined the relationships among students' participation in Residential College (RC) activities, their sense of belonging, academic engagement, and academic achievement. Participants: Two hundred and forty-six undergraduate students from a public university in Macau participated in this study. Methods: A set of survey questions were responded by each participant via an online link. Results: Participation in RC activities cultivated students' sense of belonging toward RC which in turn contributed to their sense of belonging toward the university. Students' academic engagement mediated the relationship between sense of belonging toward UM and academic achievement. Conclusions: These findings confirmed previous studies demonstrating the important role of RC participation in student learning and development, and shed lights on the optimization of RC system in the university as well as student development in higher education.

Light quality is a critical factor regulating photosynthetic capacity which directly affects the final yield of plants. Cyclocarya paliurus is a multiple function tree species and its leaves are widely used as tea production and ingredient in functional foods in China. However, the effects of varying light quality on photosynthetic process and the photoprotective mechanisms remains unexplored in-depth. In this study, the biomass accumulation, morphology changes, photosynthetic capacity, stomata ultrastructure, pigments content, PSII activity, reactive oxygen species production, antioxidant enzymes, and phenolic content of C. paliurus plants under different light-emitting diodes (LED) light treatments were investigated to test a hypothesis that the difference in photosynthetic efficiency of C. paliurus plants under differential light quality is related to the degree of photoinhibition and the activation of photoprotection. We found that C. paliurus plants performed better under the treatments of WL (white light, 445 and 560 nm) and BL (blue light, 456 nm) than the treatment of GL (green light, 514 nm) and RL (red light, 653 nm). The better performances were characterized by higher values of photosynthetic capacity, total biomass, pigments content, specific leaf mass per area, seeding height increment, leaf thickness and palisade length. In contrast, plants under the treatments of GL and RL suffered significant photoinhibition but effectively developed photoprotective mechanisms. Results of this study provide not only some insights of the response mechanisms of plant photosynthesis to light quality but also a scientific basis for improving the cultivation of C. paliurus plantations.

Post-translational modifications have been identified to be of great importance in cancers and lysine acetylation, which can attract the multifunctional transcription factor BRD4, has been identified as a potential therapeutic target. In this paper, we identify that BRD4 has an important role in colorectal cancer; and that its inhibition substantially wipes out tumor cells. Treatment with inhibitor MS417 potently affects cancer cells, although such effects were not always outright necrosis or apoptosis. We report that BRD4 inhibition also limits distal metastasis by regulating several key proteins in the progression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This effect of BRD4 inhibitor is demonstrated via liver metastasis in animal model as well as migration and invasion experiments in vitro. Together, our results demonstrate a new application of BRD4 inhibitor that may be of clinical use by virtue of its ability to limit metastasis while also being tumorcidal.

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja is an indigenous and multifunction tree species in China, but it is mainly used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical ingredients. To make a comprehensive evaluation on its bioactive metabolites, antioxidant and antitumor potentials of C. paliurus leaves, the leaf samples were collected from 15 geographic locations (natural populations) throughout its distribution areas. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and colorimetric methods were used to detect the contents of bioactive metabolites. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and reducing power assays. The antiproliferative activity on different cancer cell types was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Contents of bioactive metabolites, and antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in the extracts were significantly affected by solvent and population. In most cases, the contents of flavonoids and triterpenoids, and the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in the ethanol extracts were higher than the water extracts. The best scavenging capacity of DPPH (IC50 = 0.34 mg/mL) and ABTS (IC50 = 0.50 mg/mL) radical occurred in the ethanol extracts of S15 and S7 population respectively, while the strongest reducing power (EC50 = 0.71 mg/mL) was achieved in the ethanol extracts of S14 population. The antiproliferation effects of C. paliurus extracts on cancer cells varied with different cell types. The HeLa cell was the most sensitive to C. paliurus extracts, and their IC50 values of the ethanol extracts varied from 0.13 to 0.42 mg/mL among C. paliurus populations. Redundancy analysis showed that total polyphenol had the greatest contribution to the antioxidant activity, but total flavonoid was mostly responsible for the antiproliferation effects. These results would provide important scientific evidences not only for developing C. paliurus as a potent antioxidant and antitumor reagent, but also for obtaining the higher yield of bioactive compounds in the C. paliurus plantation.

Despite Allport's early call to study personality as a coordinated system of traits within individual rather than separate traits, researchers often assume personality variables are largely distinct, independent characteristics. In the current research, we examined the usual assumption that Dark Triad traits (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) are best studied using a variable-centered (dimensional), rather than a person-centered (taxonic), approach. Results showed that a variable-centered approach is appropriate in understanding the Dark Triad, and yet individuals scoring high on one Dark Triad dimension also tend to score high on other dimensions. Based on these results, we concluded that it is appropriate to study individual differences in the Dark Triad (inferences based on persons) by capturing the common variance among the three traits using a variable-centered approach, rather than treating these traits as independent or uncoordinated characteristics.

BACKGROUND AND AIM:The present study was aimed at assessing the characteristics of children with nosocomial multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii complex (MDR ABC) in a tertiary hospital of eastern China. MDR ABC poses a serious threat to public health. However, information on nosocomial MDR ABC in children is lacking. METHOD:This study retrospectively reviewed the cases in a tertiary hospital of eastern China between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2014 (excluding outpatients). RESULTS:A total of 377 non-duplicated nosocomial ABC isolates were collected from various samples including 200 (53.1%) MDR ABC isolates. Moreover, 158 of the 200 MDR ABC isolates were collected from intensive care units (ICUs; MDR constituent ratios, 62.5%), while 98 of the 200 MDR ABC isolates were collected from children older than 1 year (MDR constituent ratios, 62.8%). Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that being in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU), prolonged hospital stay, surgical intervention, and mechanical ventilation were independent risk factors for MDR acquisition among children with nosocomial ABC. The interleukin (IL)-6 level of children with nosocomial MDR ABC was significantly lower than that of the children with nosocomial non-MDR ABC. CONCLUSION:Nosocomial MDR ABC infection is a serious concern in pediatric patients. Being in the SICU, prolonged hospital stay, surgical intervention, and mechanical ventilation increased the risk of nosocomial MDR ABC. IL-6 might be involved in developing nosocomial MDR ABC among children.

Reliable and valid measures of children's and adolescents' social emotional competence (SEC) are necessary to develop in order to assess their social emotional development and provide appropriate intervention in child and adolescent development. A pool of 25 items was created for the Social Emotional Competence Questionnaire (SECQ) that represented five dimensions of SEC: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship management and responsible decision-making. A series of four studies are reported relating to the development and validation of the measure. Confirmatory factor analyses of the responses of 444 fourth-graders showed an acceptable fit of the model. The model was replicated with another 356 secondary school students. Additional studies revealed good internal consistency. The significant correlations among the five SEC components and academic performance provided evidence for the predictive validity of the instrument. With multiple samples, these results showed that the scale holds promise as a reliable, valid measure of SEC.

Cyclocarya paliurus has been widely used as an ingredient in functional foods in China. However, the antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds and the effect of the plant origin remain unclear. The present study evaluated the geographical variation of this plant in term of its phenolic composition and antioxidant activities based on leaf materials collected from five regions. high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that there are three major components, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, kaempferol-3-O-glucuronide, and kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, and their contents varied significantly among sampling locations. The investigated phenolic compounds showed substantial antioxidant activities, both in vitro and in vivo, with the highest capacity observed from Wufeng and Jinzhongshan. Correlation analysis revealed that quercetin and kaempferol glycosides might be responsible for the antioxidant activities. Our results indicate the importance of geographic origin, with sunny hours and temperature as the main drivers affecting the accumulation of C. paliurus phenolics and their antioxidant properties.

BACKGROUND: The development of multidrug resistance is a major problem in the treatment of pathogenic microorganisms by distinct antimicrobial agents. Characterizing the genetic variation among plasmids from different bacterial species or strains is a key step towards understanding the mechanism of virulence and their evolution. RESULTS: We applied a deep sequencing approach to 206 clinical strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae collected from 2002 to 2008 to understand the genetic variation of multidrug resistance plasmids, and to reveal the dynamic change of drug resistance over time. First, we sequenced three plasmids (70 Kb, 94 Kb, and 147 Kb) from a clonal strain of K. pneumoniae using Sanger sequencing. Using the Illumina sequencing technology, we obtained more than 17 million of short reads from two pooled plasmid samples. We mapped these short reads to the three reference plasmid sequences, and identified a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these pooled plasmids. Many of these SNPs are present in drug-resistance genes. We also found that a significant fraction of short reads could not be mapped to the reference sequences, indicating a high degree of genetic variation among the collection of K. pneumoniae isolates. Moreover, we identified that plasmid conjugative transfer genes and antibiotic resistance genes are more likely to suffer from positive selection, as indicated by the elevated rates of nonsynonymous substitution. CONCLUSION: These data represent the first large-scale study of genetic variation in multidrug resistance plasmids and provide insight into the mechanisms of plasmid diversification and the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance.

BACKGROUND: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a clinically significant species of bacterium which causes a variety of diseases. Clinical treatment of this bacterial infection is greatly hindered by the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. The resistance is largely due to the acquisition of plasmids carrying drug-resistant as well as pathogenic genes, and its conjugal transfer facilitates the spread of resistant phenotypes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The 70,057 bp plasmid pKF3-70, commonly found in Klebsiella pneumoniae, is composed of five main functional modules, including regions involved in replication, partition, conjugation, transfer leading, and variable regions. This plasmid is more similar to several Escherichia coli plasmids than any previously reported K. pneumoniae plasmids and pKF3-70 like plasmids share a common and conserved backbone sequence. The replication system of the pKF3-70 is 100% identical to that of RepFII plasmid R100 from E. coli. A beta-lactamase gene ctx-m-14 with its surrounding insertion elements (ISEcp1, truncated IS903 and a 20 bp inverted repeat sequence) may compose an active transposon which is directly bordered by two putative target repeats "ATTAC." CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The K. pneumoniae plasmid pKF3-70 carries an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase gene, ctx-m-14. The conjugative characteristic makes it a widespread plasmid among genetically relevant genera which poses significant threat to public health.