Burkholderia thailandensis infection in humans is uncommon. We describe a case of B. thailandensis infection in a person in China, a location heretofore unknown for B. thailandensis. We identified the specific virulence factors of B. thailandensis, which may indicate a transition to a new virulent form.

Background: Pyelonephritis is a risk factor for renal tubular epithelial cell damage. Recent studies have shown that Escherichia coli and/or its toxins may stimulate apoptotic cell death in renal tubular cells, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Methods: Confluent LLC-PK₁ cells were exposed to E. coli toxins from overnight cultures of the uropathogenic O6K13H1 (O6) and the nonpathogenic W3110. The cell death was studied with morphological and biological assay. Results:E. coli soluble toxins from uropathogenic O6:K13:H1(O6) strain were found to induce apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner in LLC-PK1 cells. The expression of FasR and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 were significantly upregulated by O6 soluble toxins in a time-dependent manner. Cell death was completely inhibited by two specific ERK1/2 inhibitors, but not by a broad caspase inhibitor, zVAD-fmk, implicating a caspase-independent pathway via ERK. Moreover, we found that lysophosphatidic acid could trigger a survival signal through G-proteins and PI3K. Conclusion: We demonstrate that apoptosis induced by uropathogenic E. coli toxins is dependent on ERK1/2. Caspases, although being activated, are not necessary for cell death, and they act after the ERK signaling at which point cells become committed to cell death or can be rescued.

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) might have benefits in patients with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD), but there is a lack of high-quality evidence, especially in CKD4. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of Bupi Yishen Formula (BYF) vs. losartan in patients with non-diabetic CKD4. This trial was a multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy, randomized controlled trial that was carried out from 11-08-2011 to 07-20-2015. Patients were assigned (1:1) to receive either BYF or losartan for 48 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in the slope of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over 48 weeks. The secondary outcomes were the composite of end-stage kidney disease, death, doubling of serum creatinine, stroke, and cardiovascular events. A total of 567 patients were randomized to BYF (n = 283) or losartan (n = 284); of these, 549 (97%) patients were included in the final analysis. The BYF group had a slower renal function decline particularly prior to 12 weeks over the 48-week duration (between-group mean difference of eGFR slopes: −2.25 ml/min/1.73 m2/year, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −4.03,−0.47), and a lower risk of composite outcome of death from any cause, doubling of serum creatinine level, end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), stroke, or cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.44,0.85). No significant between-group differences were observed in the incidence of adverse events. We conclude that BYF might have renoprotective effects among non-diabetic patients with CKD4 in the first 12 weeks and over 48 weeks, but longer follow-up is required to evaluate the long-term effects.Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR-TRC-10001518.

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Two antimicrobial peptides (piceain 1 and 2) derived from sequences encoded Picea sitchensis are identified. Their amino acid sequences are KSLRPRCWIKIKFRCKSLKF and RPRCWIKIKFRCKSLKF, respectively. One intra-molecular disulfide bridge is formed by these two half-cysteines in both piceain 1 and 2. Antimicrobial activities of synthesized piceains against several kinds of microorganisms were tested. They showed antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and fungus Candida albicans but little antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis. The results of nematicidal test showed they exerted strong nematicidal activities against Caenorhabditis elegans, following exposure for 5 h at concentrations as low as 10 µg/ml. They had weak hemolytic abilities against human and rabbit red cells. At the concentration of 250 µg/ml, they induced red cell hemolysis of less than 5%. Circular dichroism spectra of the two antimicrobial peptides were investigated in several solutions. Their main secondary structure components are β-sheet and random. The current work provides a novel family of antimicrobial and nematicidal peptides with unique disulfided loop containing nine amino acid residues.