Sequential interactions of silver–silica nanocomposite (Ag–SiO2NC) with cell wall,metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa,a multiple antibiotic‐resistant bacterium

The study was carried out to understand the effect of silver–silica nanocomposite (Ag–SiO₂NC) on the cell wall integrity, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multiple drug‐resistant bacterium. Bacterial sensitivity towards antibiotics and Ag–SiO₂NC was studied using standard disc diffusion and death rate assay, respectively. The effect of Ag–SiO₂NC on cell wall integrity was monitored using SDS assay and fatty acid profile analysis, while the effect on metabolism and genetic stability was assayed microscopically, using CTC viability staining and comet assay, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be resistant to β‐lactamase, glycopeptidase, sulfonamide, quinolones, nitrofurantoin and macrolides classes of antibiotics. Complete mortality of the bacterium was achieved with 80 μg ml^?1 concentration of Ag–SiO₂NC. The cell wall integrity reduced with increasing time and reached a plateau of 70% in 110 min. Changes were also noticed in the proportion of fatty acids after the treatment. Inside the cytoplasm, a complete inhibition of electron transport system was achieved with 100 μg ml^?1 Ag–SiO₂NC, followed by DNA breakage. The study thus demonstrates that Ag–SiO₂NC invades the cytoplasm of the multiple drug‐resistant P. aeruginosa by impinging upon the cell wall integrity and kills the cells by interfering with electron transport chain and the genetic stability.

Significance and Impact of Study

Although the synthesis, structural characteristics and biofunction of silver nanoparticles are well understood, their application in antimicrobial therapy is still at its infancy as only a small number of microorganisms are tested to be sensitive to nanoparticles. A thorough knowledge of the mode of interaction of nanoparticles with bacteria at subcellular level is mandatory for any clinical application. The present study deals with the interactions of Ag–SiO2NC with the cell wall integrity, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which would contribute substantially in strengthening the therapeutic applications of silver nanoparticles.     

Comparison of Mineral Balances in Germfree and Conventional Mice When Sodium Phytate is Added to Purified Diet

A strain of Alcaligenes isolated from soil was a good producer of β-glucuronidase, and the enzyme was purified from the cell-free extract by sequential column chromatography on DEAE-Toyopearl, Toyopearl HW-55F, and Phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B. By these procedures, two β-glucuronidases designated as β-glucuronidases I and II were purified 240- and 508-fold, respectively. β-Glucuronidase I, with a molecular weight of 75,000, had an optimum pH at 7.5 and the enzyme II, with a molecular weight of 300,000, had maximum activity at pH 6.0. Both enzymes were strongly inhibited by saccharo-1,4-lactone, glucaro-δ-lactam, p-chloromercuribenzoate, Hg²⁺, and N-bromosuccinimide. β-Glucuronidase I was active toward estrogen-3-β-glucuronides and inert toward β-glucuronide conjugates of menthol, estrogen-17β-, estrogen-16α-, androsterone-3α-, testosterone-17β-, cortisol-17α-. β-Glucuronidase II hydrolyzed all of these substrates. β-Glucuronidase I was inhibited by phenolphthalein and its glucuronide.     

芪苈强心胶囊辅助治疗老年慢性心力衰竭的临床研究

目的：探讨芪苈强心胶囊辅助治疗老年慢性心力衰竭的临床疗效及其安全性。方法：选择我科2012年1月．6月收治的102例老年慢性心力衰竭患者为研究对象,并将其随机分为两组,对照组42例,给予西医常规治疗及地高辛0．125mg／d;观察组60例,在对照组基础上将地高辛用量改为O．0625mg／d,并予芪苈强心胶囊,每次4粒,每日3次12服,2个月为1个疗程,治疗3个疗程后观察和比较两组心功能的变化。结果：观察组和对照组的治疗总有效率分别为95．0．％和78．6％,观察组显著高于对照组,两组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;观察组的平均住院时间明显短于对照组（P〈0．05）。治疗后,两组心输出量（cO）、每搏输出量（SV）、左室射血分数（LVEF）舒张晚期与舒张早期充盈速度比（～E）均较治疗前明显升高（P〈0．05）,而脑钠肽（BNP）水平较治疗前显著降低（P〈O．05）,且观察组CO、SV水平均明显高于对照组（P〈0．05）,BNP水平明显低于对照组（P〈0．05）。治疗过程中,对照组发生洋地黄中毒3例,观察组无不良事件发生。结论：芪苈强心胶囊辅助治疗老年慢性心力衰竭可有效改善其心功能,并减少地高辛用量和洋地黄中毒的发生,值得临床推广应用。     

双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊联合营养支持治疗重症急性胰腺炎的临床研究

目的:探讨双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊联合营养支持治疗重症急性胰腺炎的临床疗效。方法:选择2014年1月至2015年6月我院收治的90例重症急性胰腺炎患者作为研究对象,按照随机数字表法分为治疗组和对照组,每组45例患者。对照组在常规治疗基础上采用营养支持治疗,治疗组在对照组的基础上采用双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊治疗。分别于治疗前后取患者静脉血进行C反应蛋白、白细胞介素-8、肿瘤坏死因子、白细胞计数、淀粉酶、脂肪酶、乳酸脱氢酶的检测,并对治疗效果和胃肠功能进行评分。结果:治疗组的总有效率95.56%显著高于对照组的80.00%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗14 d后,两组患者的C反应蛋白、白细胞介素-8、肿瘤坏死因子、白细胞计数、淀粉酶、脂肪酶、乳酸脱氢酶水平均降低,且治疗组的下降幅度显著大于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗后两组患者的胃肠功能评分均低于治疗前,且治疗组胃肠功能评分明显优于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊联合营养支持治疗重症急性胰腺炎可降低患者的血液指标,增强肠道功能,具有较好的临床疗效,临床可推广应用。     

凉血活血汤联合阿维A胶囊治疗银屑病的临床疗效及其机制研究

目的:探讨凉血活血汤联合阿维A胶囊治疗银屑病的临床疗效及其可能作用机制。方法:选择2012年7月~2015年11月于我院就诊的银屑病患者60例,按照就诊先后顺序分为实验组与对照组,每组各30例,实验组患者使用凉血活血汤联合阿维A胶囊进行治疗,对照组患者仅给予阿维A胶囊进行治疗。比较治疗前后两组患者血清白细胞介素17(IL-17)、白细胞介素22(IL-22)、白细胞介素23(IL-23)及血管内皮因子(VEGF)水平,同时比较两组患者的不良反应发生率及临床总有效率。结果:与治疗前相比,两组患者血清IL-17、IL-22、IL-23及VEGF水平均降低;治疗结束后与对照组相比,实验组患者血清IL-17、IL-22、IL-23及VEGF水平较低(P0.05);且与对照组相比,实验组患者的不良反应发生率较低(P0.05);临床总有效率较高(P0.05)。结论:凉血活血汤联合阿维A胶囊能明显提高银屑病患者的临床疗效,且安全性较高,可能与其降低血清IL-17、IL-22、IL-23及VEGF水平有关。     

微生态制剂改善非酒精性脂肪性肝病患者胰岛素抵抗的临床研究

目的:观察美常安对非酒精性脂肪性肝病(NAFLD)患者临床症状及胰岛素抵抗(IR)的作用。方法:选取2009年4月至2013年3月我院收治的88例NAFLD患者,随机分为治疗组和对照组。对照组给予基础治疗,治疗组在对照组的基础上,加用美常安胶囊进行治疗。比较两组疗效及治疗前后两组血清谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、甘油三酯(TG)及稳态胰岛素抵抗指数(HOMA-IR)水平,并分析血浆D乳酸、TNF-α、内毒素与HOMA-IR的相关性,观察两组不良反应情况。结果:治疗组治疗有效率为52.3%,明显高于对照组的29.5%(P0.05)。治疗后治疗组ALT、TG、HOMA-IR下降幅度,均明显优于对照组(P0.05)。治疗后治疗组患者血浆D乳酸、TNF-α、内毒素水平明显低于对照组(P0.05),且治疗组患者HOMA-IR与患者血浆D乳酸、血清TNF-α、内毒素水平呈正相关(r=0.352,0.44,0.48;均P0.05)。不良反应发生率低,且两组不良反应发生率无显著差异(P0.05)。结论:美常安治疗NAFLD疗效显著,可降低ALT、TG水平,降低肠道通透性,改善肠源性内毒素血症,改善IR,且安全性较高。     

Streptococcus pneumoniae capsule determines disease severity in experimental pneumococcal meningitis

Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria can be characterized into over 90 serotypes according to the composition of their polysaccharide capsules. Some serotypes are common in nasopharyngeal carriage whereas others are associated with invasive disease, but when carriage serotypes do invade disease is often particularly severe. It is unknown whether disease severity is due directly to the capsule type or to other virulence factors. Here, we used a clinical pneumococcal isolate and its capsule-switch mutants to determine the effect of capsule, in isolation from the genetic background, on severity of meningitis in an infant rat model. We found that possession of a capsule was essential for causing meningitis. Serotype 6B caused significantly more mortality than 7F and this correlated with increased capsule thickness in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a stronger inflammatory cytokine response in the CSF and ultimately more cortical brain damage. We conclude that capsule type has a direct effect on meningitis severity. This is an important consideration in the current era of vaccination targeting a subset of capsule types that causes serotype replacement.     

The formation of titan cells in Cryptococcus neoformans depends on the mouse strain and correlates with induction of Th2‐type responses

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic yeast that can form titan cells in the lungs, which are fungal cells of abnormal enlarged size. Little is known about the factors that trigger titan cells. In particular, it is not known how the host environment influences this transition. In this work, we describe the formation of titan cells in two mouse strains, CD1 and C57BL/6J. We found that the proportion of C. neoformans titan cells was significantly higher in C57BL/6J mice than in CD1. This higher proportion of titan cells was associated with a higher dissemination of the yeasts to the brain. Histology sections demonstrated eosinophilia in infected animals, although it was significantly lower in the CD1 mice which presented infiltration of lymphocytes. Both mouse strains presented infiltration of granulocytes, but the amount of eosinophils was higher in C57BL/6J. CD1 mice showed a significant accumulation of IFN‐γ, TNF‐α and IL17, while C57BL/BL mice had an increase in the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐4. IgM antibodies to the polysaccharide capsule and total IgE were more abundant in the sera from C57BL/6J, confirming that these animals present a Th2‐type response. We conclude that titan cell formation in C. neoformans depends, not only on microbe factors, but also on the host environment.     

三种药物联合治疗假丝酵母菌性阴道炎的临床疗效评价

目的:研究克霉唑阴道片、硝夫太尔制霉素阴道软胶囊联合定君生栓治疗复发性假丝酵母菌性阴道炎的临床疗效,为临床治疗提供依据。方法:选取2014年9月到2015年6月我院就诊的复发性假丝酵母菌性阴道炎患者60例,按照随机数字表法将患者分为实验组和对照组,每组30例,实验组给予克霉唑阴道片、硝夫太尔制霉素阴道软胶囊联合定君生栓治疗,对照组给予克霉唑阴道片和定君生栓治疗,治疗前检测所有患者病原菌分布情况,治疗后随访3个月,分析两组临床疗效和不良反应。结果:细菌培养结果共分离出158株假丝酵母菌,其中白色假丝酵母菌最多,占66.46%;实验组总有效率为93.33%,显著高于对照组的76.67%,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);两组不良反应发生率比较无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:克霉唑阴道片、硝夫太尔制霉素阴道软胶囊联合定君生栓治疗复发性假丝酵母菌性阴道炎具有较好的临床疗效,且无明显不良反应。