ObjectivesThe study aimed to investigate the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of bla NDM-1 (encoding New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1) in Enterobacteriaceae and the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex (ABC) in China from July 2011 to June 2012.MethodsPCR was used to screen for the presence of bla NDM-1 in all organisms studied. For bla NDM-1-positive strains, 16S rRNA analysis and Analytical Profile Index (API) strips were used to identify the bacterial genus and species. The ABCs were reconfirmed by PCR detection of bla OXA-51-like. Antibiotic susceptibilities of the bacteria were assessed by determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of them using two-fold agar dilution test, as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Molecular typing was performed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). S1 nuclease-pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (S1-PFGE) and Southern blot hybridization were conducted to ascertain the gene location of bla NDM-1. Conjugation experiments were conducted to determine the transmission of bla NDM-1-positive strains.ResultsAmong 2,170 Enterobacteriaceae and 600 ABCs, seven Enterobacteriaceae strains and two A. calcoaceticus isolates from five different cities carried the bla NDM-1 gene. The seven Enterobacteriaceae strains comprised four Klebsiella pneumoniae, one Enterobacter cloacae, one Enterobacter aerogen and one Citrobacter freundii. All seven were non-susceptible to imipenem, meropenem or ertapenem. Two A. calcoaceticus species were resistant to imipenem and meropenem. Three K. pneumoniae showed the same PFGE profiles. The bla NDM-1 genes of eight strains were localized on plasmids, while one was chromosomal.ConclusionsCompared with previous reports, the numbers and species containing the bla NDM-1 in Enterobacteriaceae have significantly increased in China. Most of them are able to disseminate the gene, which is cause for concern. Consecutive surveillance should be implemented and should also focus on the dissemination of bla NDM-1 among gram-negative clinical isolates.

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Transcription factors play multifaceted roles in embryonic development and diseases. PAX1, a paired-box transcription factor, has been elucidated to play key roles in multiple tissues during embryonic development by extensive studies. Recently, an emerging role of PAX1 in cancers was clarified. Herein, we summarize the expression and functions of PAX1 in skeletal system and thymus development, as well as cancer biology and outline its cellular and molecular modes of action and the association of PAX1 mutation or dysregulation with human diseases, thus providing insights for the molecular basis of congenital diseases and cancers.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of bla NDM-1 (encoding New Delhi metallo-b-lactamase 1) in Enterobacteriaceae and the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex

Background: The beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and tocopherols remain controversial. This study was conducted to examine the plasma levels of different analogues of omega-3 PUFAs and tocopherols, and to evaluate their relationships with aging-related diseases. Methods: 136 consecutive men with the median age of 70 (ranging from 50 to 97) years old were recruited. Plasma eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), α-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Results: Plasma omega-3 PUFAs were positively correlated with α- and γ-tocopherol (p<0.01), while the relationships between omega-3 PUFAs and δ-tocopherol were not significant (p>0.05). Increasing age was the most profound risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), carotid atherosclerosis (CAS), hypertension and these comorbidities (p<0.01). Age had positive associations with certain atherosclerotic parameters, including carotid intima-media thickness (p=0.046), carotid artery plague area (p<0.001) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (p<0.001). In these observed isoforms, only γ-tocopherol had a mild inverse correlation with age (p=0.002). High plasma α-tocopherol concentration served as a potential protective factor for CAD (odds ratio [OR] 0.65; 95% CI 0.48-0.89; p=0.006), and was inversely associated with maximum systolic internal carotid artery (ICA) velocity (p=0.011). Plasma DHA concentration was negatively associated with carotid artery plague area (p=0.028) and ICA velocity (p=0.006), while its correlations with atherosclerosis diseases, including CAD and CAS, were not significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: Age is positively correlated with atherosclerosis, hypertension and comorbidities. Alpha-tocopherol may be a protective factor for atherosclerosis, while the correlations between omega-3 PUFAs and atherosclerosis were not significant.