Wild chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) mouthwashes in methotrexate-induced oral mucositis

Oral mucositis is a known complication of methotrexate (MTX) therapy, but a single efficacious intervention or agent for prophylaxis or management of this side effect has not yet been identified. We report a case of MTX-induced oral mucositis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, who was successfully treated with Wild chamomile mouthwashes.     

Epithelial differentiation at the edentulous alveolar ridge in man

Summary The epithelial lining of the mucosa of the edentulous, maxillary alveolar ridge was subjected to an ultrastructural and stereological analysis. Four biopsies collected from the non-inflamed crest, i.e., the center over former tooth sockets, in non-denture-wearing female patients 30 to 55 years of age were processed for light and electron microscopy. At the light-microscopic level, epithelial thickness was determined histometrically. Electron micrographs were sampled at two levels of magnification, from five strata in regions of epithelial ridges and from three strata over connective tissue papillae. Standardized stereological pointcounting techniques were employed to analyze a total of 990 electron micrographs. Observations and data revealed that at the alveolar ridge the oral epithelium is truly keratinizing and comprises four strata including a 40±5 m-thick stratum corneum, which displays the oral keratin pattern. The histoand cytodifferentiation were peculiar: (1) Compared to the neighbouring gingival and hard palate epithelium, that of the alveolar crest was markedly thicker, with elongated rete ridges indicating acanthosis. (2) The cytoarchitecture was identical neither to the gingival nor to the hard palate epithelium but revealed a mixture of features typical for either of these two epithelia. Reasons for this are explained on the basis of factors, possible genetic, inherent in epithelial cells that are possibly derived from both the gingival and the palatal environment.     

The identification of dimethylphenylarsine as a microbial metabolite using a simple method of chemofocusing

Candida humicola acts on benzenearsonic acid to produce dimethylphenylarsine, which was identified by mass spectroscopy following the chemofocusing of the volatile metabolite onto a mercuric chloride impregnated filter. The same technique established that trimethylarsine is the volatile metabolic product obtained from C. humicola treated with 4-NH₂-2-OHC₆H₃AsO(OH)₂ and (CH₃)₃AsO. Arsanilic acid, 4-NH₂C₆H₄AsO(OH)₂, is not metabolized to a volatile arsine.     

Chemical separation of helper cell function and delayed hypersensitivity responses

Studies were performed to investigate the effects of the immunosuppressive chemical TCDD. Fetal and neonatal rats were exposed to TCDD through maternal dosing (5 μg/Kg) at Day 18 of gestation and on Days 0, 7, and 14 of postnatal life. Another group of neonatal rats were exposed to TCDD through maternal dosing on Days 0, 7, and 14 of postnatal life only. Parameters of cell-mediated and humoral immune function were investgiated. TCDD suppressed delayed hypersensitivity responses and responses to the mitogens Con A and PHA without affecting humoral immune function. Suppression of T-cell function was selective in that helper function was not suppressed. Transfer of primed T-lymphocytes from TCDD treated and non-treated animals into neonatally thymectomized animals confirmed this. Results indicate that delayed hypersensitivity function and helper function reside in distinct T-cell subsets.     

Wounding and pathogen infection induce a chloroplast-targeted lipoxygenase in the common bean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus vulgaris</Emphasis> L.)

Chloroplastic LOXs are implicated in the biosynthesis of oxylipins like jasmonic acid and C₆ volatiles among others. In this study, we isolated the cDNA of a novel chloroplast-targeted Phaseolus vulgaris LOX, (PvLOX6). This gene is highly induced after wounding, non-host pathogen infection, and by signaling molecules as H₂O₂, SA, ethylene and MeJA. The phylogenetic analysis of PvLOX6 showed that it is closely related to chloroplast-targeted LOX from potato (H1) and tomato (TomLOXC); both of them are implicated in the biosynthesis of C₆ volatiles. Induction of PvLOX6 mRNA by wounding ethylene and jasmonic acid on the one side, and non-host pathogen, salicylic acid on the other indicates that common bean uses the same LOX to synthesize oxylipins in response to different stresses. PvLOX6 accession number: EF196866.     

A New Approach to Undergraduate Biology

The use of a common pathogenic vegetable soft-rot bacterium Erwinia carotovora is recommended for school student investigations. Suggestions are made about simple ways in which quantitative data can be collected, as well as some suitable investigations that could be carried out by school pupils at Key Stage 4(15–16 years old) or Advanced level.     

Early responses of wild plant seedlings to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and pathogens

Many plants form associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) because they profit from improved phosphorus nutrition and from protection against pathogens. Whereas mycorrhiza-induced pathogen protection is well understood in agricultural plant species, it is rarely studied in wild plants. As many pathogens infest plants in the first days after germination, mycorrhiza-induced pathogen protection may be especially important in the first few weeks of plant establishment.Here, we investigated interacting effects of AMF and the seedling pathogen Pythium ultimum on the performance of six- to seven-week-old seedlings of six wild plant species of the family Asteraceae in a full factorial experiment.Plant species differed in their response to AMF, the pathogen and their interactions. AMF increased and the pathogen decreased plant biomass in one and three species, respectively. Two plant species were negatively affected by AMF in the absence, but positively or not affected in the presence of the pathogen, indicating protection by AMF. This mycorrhiza-induced pathogen protection is especially surprising as we could not detect mycorrhizal structure in the roots of any of the plants.Our results show that even seedlings without established intraradical hyphal network can profit from AMF, both in terms of growth promotion in the absence of a pathogen and pathogen protection. The function of AMF is highly species-specific, but tends to be similar for more closely related plant species, suggesting a phylogenetic component of mycorrhizal function. Further studies should test a wider range of plant species, as our study was restricted to one plant family, and investigate whether plants profit from early mycorrhizal benefits in the long term.     

ICU开放人工气道患者下呼吸道病原菌分布及耐药性分析

目的了解重症监护室（ICU）开放气道患者下呼吸道感染病原菌分布及耐药特点,为临床用药提供依据。方法回顾性分析2007年1月至2008年12月,重症监护室开放气道患者下呼吸道感染者的痰标本418株病原菌进行鉴定及药敏试验。结果革兰阴性杆菌占69．6％,其中铜绿假单胞菌27．02％,其次为鲍曼不动杆菌20．16％。革兰阳性球菌占20．16％,以金黄色葡萄球菌为主占12．5％,真菌10．24％。结论目前重症监护室下呼吸道致病菌以G^-杆菌为主,细菌的耐药性严重,应根据药敏试验选择抗生素。     

老年腰椎骨折术后深部切口感染患者病原菌和感染危险因素分析

分析老年腰椎骨折术后切口深部感染患者的病原菌分布特征及感染危险因素,为该类患者的治疗提供参考。

选择2018年2月至2021年2月于我院行腰椎手术治疗且符合纳入标准的患者589例,记录患者感染发生率,并对感染病原菌分布特征及感染的危险因素进行单因素和多因素分析,同时探讨相应对策。

589例腰椎骨折手术患者有41例（6.96%）出现切口深部感染。41例感染患者的渗出液或分泌物中鉴定分离出53株病原菌,其中30例患者为单菌株感染,占73.17%;11例患者为多菌株感染,占26.83%。53株病原菌中革兰阴性菌30株,革兰阳性菌22株,真菌1株。革兰阴性菌中,大肠埃希菌对哌拉西林的耐药率最高,为91.67%;对美罗培南、亚胺培南及厄他培南的耐药率相对较低,为16.67%;铜绿假单胞菌对头孢吡肟、头孢曲松、头孢唑林和复方磺胺甲噁唑的耐药率最高,为90.00%;对环丙沙星和阿米卡星的耐药率相对较低,为20.00%。革兰阳性菌中金黄色葡萄球菌对青霉素和红霉素的耐药率最高,为76.92%;对万古霉素、利奈唑胺的耐药率为0.00%。术后感染患者与非感染患者在年龄分布、BMI、是否合并糖尿病、手术持续时间、是否输血等方面的差异有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）;在性别、是否存在烟酒史、是否合并高血压或冠心病、术中失血量等方面差异无统计学意义（均P＞0.05）。Logistic回归分析显示,年龄≥60岁、BMI≥28 kg/m²、合并糖尿病、手术时间≥2 h及预防性应用抗生素为腰椎骨折术后患者切口深部感染的独立危险因素（均P＜0.05）。

腰椎骨折术后患者深部切口感染病原菌种类较多,以金黄色葡萄球菌和大肠埃希菌为主,且药敏性普遍较低。年龄≥60岁、BMI≥28 kg/m²、合并糖尿病、手术时间≥2 h及预防性应用抗生素为腰椎骨折术后患者切口深部感染的独立危险因素,临床应根据药敏情况合理选择抗菌药物以降低感染发生率。