0.05).Conclusion The significantly reduced serum IGFBP-3 level is helpful for the diagnosis of HCC,especially in patients without chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of downregulation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core gene (HBcAg) expression by RNA interference and magnetic nanoparticles on both HBV DNA replication and expression in vitro. Methods HepG2 2.2.15 cells were transfected with U6 promoter plasmids coding for small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting HBV core gene using magnetic nanoparticles. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to assess the mRNA and protein expression HBV core antigen. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate the suppression efficiency of HBV-DNA replication and expression; and radioimmunoassay was used for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), core antigen (HBcAg), and e antigen (HBeAg) detection. Results We successfully constructed nanoparticles with siRNA plasmid targeting HBV core antigen; HBcAg mRNA and HBV core antigen protein levels were significantly reduced in the transfected cells. HBV-DNA downregulation was estimated at 4-5 logs and the HBsAg and HBeAg levels were also reduced compared with the controls. Conclusion Downregulation of HBV core gene using RNAi technology and magnetic nanoparticles can potentially be used as a therapeutic strategy for Hepatitis B.

Objective To improve the diagnostic and therapeutic ability of Brucellosis by analyzing the epidemic and clinical characteristics.Methods A retrospective analysis was done on the data of Brucellosis patients treated in our hospital from 2007 to 2016.Results Since the first case was diagnosed in 2012,27 patients [19 male and 8 female,mean age (44.4 ± 16.9) years] were confirmed by clinical manifestations and positive bacterial cultures results.The annual number of cases from 2012 to 2016 was 1,1,6,4 and 15.Among them,10 cases (37.0％) had a history of close contact with goat,7 cases (25.9％)with raw mutton,1 case (3.7％) with raw beef and 1 case (3.7％) with suspicious laboratory contamination while 8 cases (29.6％) had no evident risk factors for Brucellosis.The common clinical manifestation included fever (81.5％),lumbago/joint pain (55.6％),fatigue (33.3％) and hyperhidrosis (22.2％).The white blood cell count was normal among 20 cases (74.1％) while 6 cases (22.2％) with leukopenia.Mild to moderate anemia in 20 cases (74.1％) and decreased platelet number in 4 case (14.8％).The percentage of elevated alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase was 32.0％,48.0％ and 100％,respectively.Decreased albumin level was found in 23 cases (92.0％).The percentage of elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),C-reactive protein and serum ferritin 75.0％,82.3％ and 77.8％,respectively,while 12 cases (85.7％) with procalcitonin level below 0.5 ng/L.According to follow-up for at least half year,all the cases were cured by active medical management.Conclusions The number of Brucellosis cases is rapidly increasing in our hospital.It's of great significance to know the epidemic and clinical characteristics of Brucellosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine features of the clinical manifestation in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and to provide a scientific basis for diagnosis of PBC.
 METHODS: A total of 102 patients with PBC treated in the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, from January 2013 to January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' general condition, clinical manifestations, serum biochemical and immunological parameters were detected.
 RESULTS: Of the 102 PBC patients, 91 (89.21%) patients were female. The main symptoms in these patients were fatigue, poor appetite, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, pruritus, stomachache, and abdominal distension. The major signs were jaundice, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, edema, and ascites. The main features of serum biochemical parameters in these patients included the increase of alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), especially the GGT. The anti-mitochondrial antibodies-M2 (AMA-M2) in 81 and 21 patients was positive and negative, respectively. The differences between the AMA-MA positive and negative groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05). According to clinical manifestation, 102 patients were classified into 2 groups: A non-cirrhosis group (n=56) and a cirrhosis group (n=46). The positive rates in these 2 groups, such as ANA, AMA-M2, anti-gp210, anti-Sp100, anti-Ro52, anti-PML, were 54.35%, 89.13%, 41.30%, 13.04%, 43.38% and 10.87% vs 57.14%, 71.43%, 42.86%, 12.5%, 51.79% and 3.71%, respectively, with no significant difference between them (P>0.05). However, there was significant difference in the positive rate of anti-3E-EPO between the above 2 groups (86.78% vs 58.93%, P<0.05). The positive rates of AMA-M2 and anti-3E-EPO in 30 patients diagnosed by hepatic histopathological examination were higher than those of other antibodies.
 CONCLUSION PBC mainly affects middle-aged women, and its clinical manifestation is various. The autoantibody tests play an important role in diagnosis of PBC. Checking for AMA-A2 and anti-3E-BPO can improve the positive rate of PBC. Liver histopathological examination may provide useful information on disease severity, which can determine the histological stage when the patient's serum autoantibodies are negative.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Mitochondria ; Retrospective Studies ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; metabolism