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The best screening method for detecting heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) remains unclear. Using population analysis profiling utilizing the area under the concentration-time curve (PAP-AUC) as the gold standard, we screened 458 consecutive methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bloodstream isolates to determine the most accurate and cost-effective testing strategy to detect the presence of heteroresistance. All isolates were also tested using the macromethod Etest (MET) and glycopeptide resistance detection (GRD) Etest. The MIC was determined by several methods, including standard vancomycin Etest, vancomycin broth microdilution (BMD), and Vitek2 testing. Fifty-five (12%) hVISA and 4 (1%) VISA isolates were detected by PAP-AUC. Compared to PAP-AUC, the sensitivities and specificities of MET, GRD Etest, BMD (using a MIC cutoff of >2 mg/liter), and standard vancomycin Etest (using a MIC cutoff of >2 mg/liter) were 89 and 55%, 71 and 94%, 82 and 97%, and 71 and 94%, respectively. Combination testing increased the overall testing accuracy by reducing the number of false-positive results. Cost was determined predominately by the number of PAP-AUC runs required following a screening assay. The most cost-effective strategy was BMD (using a MIC cutoff of >2 g/ml) as a standalone assay or in combination with PAP-AUC, provided that BMD testing was batched. GRD Etest remained an alternative, with 71% of hVISA isolates detected. Prevalence influenced both cost and test accuracy, with results remaining unchanged for hVISA prevalences of up to 25%. Implementation of any testing strategy would therefore be dependent on balancing cost with accuracy in a given population and clinical context.

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BackgroundLong non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (lncRNA GAS5) is a well-known tumor suppressor in the pathogenesis of a variety of human cancers. The precise role of GAS5 in pancreatic cancer (PC) progression is currently unknown, so the aim of this study was to explore the functional participation of GAS5 in PC metastasis.MethodsThe expression changes of GAS5, miR-32-5p and PTEN in human PC specimens and cell lines were compared by means of molecular biology methods. Transfection of the recombinant plasmid was applied to modulate the expression levels of the target genes. RIP and RNA pull-down assays were designed to investigate the interaction between GAS5 and miR-32-5p. The effect of GAS5 and miR-32-5p on PC progression was assessed with cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis in vitro.ResultsGAS5 and PTEN protein were decreased in human PC tissues and cells, but miR-32-5p was increased. GAS5 induction greatly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of PC cells PANC-1 and BxPC-3 in vitro and simultaneously induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, GAS5 positively regulated the expression of PTEN through miR-32-5p. Furthermore, GAS5 suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of PC cells through regulating miR-32-5p/PTEN axis. Additionally, this finding was further supported by the results of in vivo experiments.ConclusionGAS5 could positively regulate PTEN-induced tumor-suppressor pathway via miR-32-5p, thereby suppressing PC metastasis.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13578-017-0192-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective: The mechanism of action involved in how Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) 1 initiates the nasal allergic cascade is poorly understood. Methods: We detected proinflammatory cytokine production (GM-CSF, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) and associated signal molecules in primarily cultured nasal epithelial cells (NECs) from patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) after Der p1 stimulation, using ELISA, RT-PCR, and Western blot. We also evaluated the importance of protease-activated receptors (PAR)/phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/NFĸB signaling pathways in IL-6 and IL-8 production using glucocorticoids and specific inhibitors, LY294002 and PDTC. Results: We observed significantly elevated IL-6 and IL-8 production (both gene and protein) in NECs after Der p1 stimulation, and demonstrated that the expressions of PAR2, pAkt, and pp65 were upregulated afterDer p1 stimulation, which were associated with IL-6 and IL-8 production in NECs. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the PAR/PI3K/NFĸB signaling pathway is involved in the induction of IL-6 and IL-8 in Der-p1-stimulated NECs from AR patients, and may have potential implications for the prevention and treatment of AR and asthma.

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