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Ethnopharmacological relevance Frankincense (FRA), Ruxiang, is the resin of Boswellia carterii Birdw and Boswellia bhaw-dajiana Birdw which has been used for centuries as formulas to improve the circulation and to relieve pain against carbuncles. Stir-fried Frankincense (SFF) and vinegar processed Frankincense (VPF) are two major processed Frankincense, and the processing procedures reportedly enhance the curative efficacy or reduce the side effects of FRA. This paper describes the comparisons in plasma pharmacokinetic behaviors of 11-keto-β-boswellic acid (KBA) and 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) in FRA and its processed products, and their effects on coagulation factors and blood clotting tetrachoric, using an acute cold blood-stasis animal model after oral administration of FRA, SFF, and VPF. Materials and methods For pharmacokinetic study, Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups, including group FRA, group SFF and group VPF. And the plasma samples were analyzed by HPLC. For study of anticoagulatory effect, SD rats were randomly divided into six groups, including control, acute cold blood-stasis model, Fu-fang-dan-shen tablet- (0.75 g/kg), FRA-, SFF-, and VPF-treated (2.7 g/kg) groups, respectively. The serum contents of thrombin–antithrombin complex (TAT), D-dimer (D-D), and prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) of each group were measured by ELISA. The values of prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and fibrinogen (FIB) were also assessed by hematology analyzer. Results Significantly increased levels of C max , AUC, T 1/2, and MRT were found in rats treated with the processed products. In addition, decreased levels of D-D and TAT and increased contents of PGI 2 were observed in rats given FRA and its processed products, compared with that of the model group. Moreover, VPF improved anticoagulation more than SFF in the animals. Conclusions The observed improvement of anticoagulation by processed FRA may result from the increased absorption and bioavailability of triterpenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first occurrence of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 5 (NDM-5) in carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from blood cultures of three leukemia patients in northern China. These patients had at some time been hospitalized in the hematology department of the same hospital. All isolates were ST167 with identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns, suggesting a likely hospital transmission., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

To evaluate the molecular mechanism of fluoroquinolones resistance in Mycoplasma hominis (MH) clinical strains isolated from urogenital specimens. 15 MH clinical isolates with different phenotypes of resistance to fluoroquinolones antibiotics were screened for mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of DNA gyrase (gyrA and gyrB) and topoisomerase IV (parC and parE) in comparison with the reference strain PG21, which is susceptible to fluoroquinolones antibiotics. 15 MH isolates with three kinds of quinolone resistance phenotypes were obtained. Thirteen out of these quinolone-resistant isolates were found to carry nucleotide substitutions in either gyrA or parC. There were no alterations in gyrB and no mutations were found in the isolates with a phenotype of resistance to Ofloxacin (OFX), intermediate resistant to Levofloxacin (LVX) and Sparfloxacin (SFX), and those susceptible to all three tested antibiotics. The molecular mechanism of fluoroquinolone resistance in clinical isolates of MH was reported in this study. The single amino acid mutation in ParC of MH may relate to the resistance to OFX and LVX and the high-level resistance to fluoroquinolones for MH is likely associated with mutations in both DNA gyrase and the ParC subunit of topoisomerase IV.

Objective: To investigate the development and dynamic changes of host immune response in DBA/2 mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17XL., Methods: Female DBA/2 mice were infected by intraperitoneal (i. p.) injection of 10(6) P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes (PRBC). Levels of IL-12, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10 and P. yoelii 17XL-specific antibody in sera were measured by ELISA. Concentrations of NO in cell supernatants were measured by the Griess reaction. Parasitemia, percentage of mononuclear-macrophages of individual mice were monitored daily, and phagocytosis of mononuclear macrophages was also observed., Results: Primary parasitemia in vein blood was developed on day 3 postinfection, which peaked with a level of 46. 9% on day 9. Most mice cleared the infection and survived by day 20 postinfection. From day 6 to day 16, the phagocytosis of PRBC by rodent macrophages was observed on the blood smear. Infected mice had a continuously increased level of IL-12 in serum from day 1 postinfection. Accordingly, high level of IFN-gamma was also detected in sera from day 1 postinfection, which peaked on day 6. Infected mice produced higher level of IL-4 and IL-10 in serum on day 6 postinfection, which peaked on day 9 and day 15 postinfection respectively. In addition, splenocytes from infected mice produced significantly higher level of NO on day 6 and 20 postinfection. Level of P. yoelii 17XL-specific IgG was determined in the sera of infected mice with a steadily increased trend after infection, which peaked on day 70 postinfection., Conclusions: Effective polarizing of Th1 cells is significant in inhibition of parasitemia and eventual clearance of the Plasmodium parasites. Activated mononuclear-macrophages play a key role in inhibiting parasitemia in the early phase of infection with P. yoelii 17XL.