Mycotic keratitis caused by concurrent infections of exserohilum mcginnisii and candida parapsilosis

BACKGROUND: Mycotic keratitis in human cornea has been rarely reported to be associated with a co-infection of filamentous fungi and yeast. This paper aims to report a case of mycotic keratitis concurrently infected by Exserohilum mcginnisii and Candida parapsilosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A Chinese female presented two superposed corneal infiltrates with different size and texture on her left eye. In vivo confocal microscopy showed hyper-reflective multiple linear with highly branching structures distributing in the anterior corneal stroma. Inoculations of the corneal lesion scrape concurrently grew two similar superposed colonies on Sabouraud dextrose and chocolate agar plate. The larger colony exhibited mould, cottony and floccose at the edge, while the smaller one showed creamy and shiny surface. Modified slide culture for mould revealed hyphae were septate, and conidia were brown, smooth-walled, cylindrical to slight clavate with 6 to 13 pseudosepta. Based on the morphology of microscopic and macroscopic characteristics, the mould was identified as Exserohilum mcginnisii. Smear of the non-mould colony showed ellipse or ovoid budding yeast-like cells with abundant pseudomycelium. Vitek Yeast Biochemical Card test identified the yeast as Candida parapsilosis. With treatment of combined oral itraconazole with topical amphotericin B, a complete resolution of the corneal infiltrate was achieved within 1.5 months. CONCLUSION: This is the first documented case of human corneal infection by Exserohilum mcginnisii, and also the first report providing evidence of mycotic keratitis in human cornea concurrently infected by filamentous fungi and yeast

The effect of personalized intervention on the cognitive function of elderly inpatients

目的  对住院老年患者进行早期认知功能护理干预，评价其效果。方法  2013年1月—2015年1月入院老年科病房的120名患者，运用MMSE量表对其认知功能进行评价，观察干预效果。结果  MMSE总分及MMSE量表中时间定向、短期记忆及插画条目干预后有改善（P＜0.05），地点定向、语言记忆、注意力、物品命名、语言复述、阅读能力、语言能力及语言表达条目改善不明显（P＞0.05）。 结论  个性化的认知干预能够延缓和改善患者认知功能障碍，提高老年患者的生活质量。Objectives: To assess the effect of the early cognitive function nursing intervention on the cognitive function of elderly inpatients. Methods: A total of 120 elderly inpatients in geriatrics ward were rolled from January 2013 to January 2015, and we evaluate the cognitive function of them and gave personalized intervention to them by MMSE scale. Results: The total score of MMSE was increased (P＜0.05); The entries of time orientation, short-term memory and illustration were improved significantly after three-month intervention (P＜0.05); The entries of place orientation, language, memory, attention, article name, repeat language, reading skills, language skills and language were not improved significantly. Conclusions:  Personalized cognitive intervention could improve the cognitive dysfunction and the quality of life of elderly patients

Shearing and Mixing Performance of Ultrahigh-Molecular-Weight Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide (HPAM) Solution in a Helixes Static Mixer

Static mixers have been widely used to dilute high viscosity, high-molecular-weight polymer mother liquor for polymer flooding, in which the mixing performance plays a critical role. In this work, a novel mixing configuration, named as Helixes static mixer, was proposed to reduce high viscosity degradation rate of polyacrylamide solution resulting from mechanical shear during mixing process. Computational fluid dynamics simulations along with experiments were performed to investigate the mixing process. Several criteria such as the intensity of segregation, mixing distance, pressure loss, and shear strain rate were used to evaluate the mixing and shear performance of static mixers. Compared to the SMX and Kenics static mixer, a longer mixing distance is needed for the Helixes static mixer to achieve an ideal mixture. A lower shear strain rate along with less viscosity degradation rate is obtained in flow field of Helixes static mixer. The spiral-lead and helical directions of mixing elements were optimized to improve mixing performance. Experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical simulations on the intensity of segregation. The viscosity degradation rate of HPAM solution which flows through Helixes static mixer is lower than that of SMX and Kenics static mixers

Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of fatty acid synthase in breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundAberrant expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) was demonstrated in various tumors including breast cancer. A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the role of FASN in breast cancer development and its potential prognostic significance.MethodsThe Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify studies that evaluated the relationship between FASN expression and overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) of breast cancer patients. To analyze the clinicopathological and prognostic values of FASN expression in breast cancer, pooled hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were clustered based on random-effects models. To confirm whether the findings were stable and impartial, a sensitivity analysis was performed, and publication bias was estimated. Data were analyzed using Engauge Digitizer version 5.4 and Stata version 15.0.ResultsFive studies involving 855 participants were included. Patients with higher FASN expression did not have a shorter survival period compared to those with lower FASN expression (summary HR: OS, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.41-1.32; P=0.300]; DFS/RFS, 1.65 [95% CI, 0.61-4.43; P=0.323]). However, increased FASN expression was correlated with large tumor size (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.04-4.00; P=0.038), higher human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.05-2.23; P=0.028). No significant associations were observed between FASN expression and histological grade (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.41-2.04; P=0.832), Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.49-2.53; P=0.795), nodal metastasis (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.84-2.38; P=0.183), Ki-67 labelling index (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.15-2.63; P=0.533), estrogen receptor (ER) status (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.61-1.32; P=0.586), or progesterone receptor (PR) status (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.29-1.56; P=0.354).ConclusionFASN is associated with HER2 expression and may contribute to tumor growth, but it has no significant impact on the overall prognosis of breast cancer

In vitro antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-tumor activities of total flavonoids from Elsholtzia densa Benth

Purpose: To investigate the in vitro antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-tumor activities of total flavonoids from Elsholtzia densa Benth of Sichuan Province, China. Methods: The total flavonoids of Elsholtzia densa Bent were extracted utilizing the ultrasonic extraction method, and purified by D101 macroporous adsorption resin. An in vitro antioxidant test, 3-(4,5dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and iCELLigence system were used to evaluate their antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-tumor activities. Results: The results showed that the total flavonoids exhibited good scavenging ability in hydroxyl radical (•OH), DPPH free radical (DPPH•), and super oxide anion radical (O2-•). Antioxidant activity was higher than for control (ascorbic acid). Their antibacterial activity was good with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2, 4 and 14 μg/mL against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, respectively. Anti-proliferation data from the iCELLigence system studies showed that the total flavonoids significantly inhibited the growth of five types of cells, including a normal human hepatocytes cell line (L02), two human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (SMMC-7721 and HepG-2), a human cervical cancer cell line (Hela) and a Baby Hamster Syrian Kidney cell line (BHK-21) (p < 0.05). AO/EB staining indicate that the total flavonoids might cause apoptosis of Hela cells. Conclusion: The results suggest that the total flavonoids from Elsholtzia densa Bent are potential natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agent, with anti-cancer properties. Keywords: Elsholtzia densa Benth., Total flavonoids, Antioxidant activity, Antibacterial activity, Antitumor activit