Objective To observe the protective effect of Xiaohuangdecotion against liver damage inα-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)- induced cholestasis in rats and probe the potential mechanisms.Methods Male Wistar rats (40) were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, aXiaohuangdecotion treatment group, and a UDCA control group (10 for each). Except for rats in the normal group, ANIT solution (6 ml/kg) was administered in other rats by gavages for cholestasis model. After ANIT treated 48 h, rats inXiaohuangdecotion group and UDCA group were treated withXiaohuangdecotion (1.73 g/kg) and UDCA (10 mg/kg) respectively for 1 week. And, rats in the normal group and the model group were given an equal volume of saline. At the end of the experiment, liver function rats were examined. Liver histology was examined by HE staining, and CD68 factor was tested by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.Results Compared with the model group, the content of ALT (164.6 ± 53.4 U/Lvs. 208.4 ± 28.5 U/L), AST (247.6 ± 76.1 U/Lvs. 341.8 ± 32.8 U/L), ALP (601.0 ± 101.1 U/Lvs. 720.6 ± 123.3 U/L), TBiL (96.5 ± 18.1μmol/Lvs. 149.6 ± 30.2μmol/L), DBiL (73.7 ± 16.6μmol/Lvs. 140.3 ± 28.6μmol/L) and TBA (93.4 ± 13.0μmol/Lvs. 146.5 ± 38.9μmol/L) were significantly reduced in the treatment group (P<0.01 orP<0.05). Compared with the model group, CD68 level (7.08 ± 0.19 vs. 17.42 ± 0.48)were significantly reduced by intervention ofXiaohuangdecotion (P<0.01).ConclusionsXiaohuangdecotion could improve liver functions and reduce CD68 expression, leading to a good hepatoprotective and jaundice-relieving effects.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between long non-coding RNAs (LncRNA) in tumor tissues and clinico-pathological features of hepatocllular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Using hepatocellular carcinoma gene database GSE36376,we conducted a study on eight LncRNAs which are associated with liver diseases and analyzed the correlation between these LncRNAs and HCC clinico-pathological characteristics.We also evaluated the potential effect of LncRNAs on HCC development.Results H19 was overexpressed in non-tumorous tissues of HCC (P ＜ 0.05),while MEG3,HOXA13,KCNQ1OT1 were all upregulated in tumorous tissues (all P ＜ 0.05).HULC level in HCC tumorous tissues was negatively correlated with AJCC staging,BCLC staging and tumor size (all P ＜ 0.05).UCA1 was positively correlated with BCLC staging (r =0.135,P ＜ 0.05).Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic analyses showed that UCA1 was a risk factor of intrahepatic metastasis of HCC (OR =6.054,95％ CI =1.429 ～ 25.642,P ＜ 0.05); in contrast,HULC overexpression in tumorous tissues played a positive role in HCC tumor size (OR=0.805,95％CI=0.678 ～0.956,P＜0.05).Conclusion HULC in tumorous tissues suppressed HCC proliferation,while UCA1 was a risk factor of HCC aggressiveness.

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Objective To evaluate the effects of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin on naive and retreated chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.Methods A total of 67 CHC patients were divided into naive group (n =35) and retreat group (n =32) based on their treatment history.And their virological responses [rapid virological response (RVR),early virological response (EVR),virological response to etravirine (ETR) and sustained virological response (SVR)] and risk factors were analyzed.Results ①RVR and EVR of naive group were 60％ (n =21) and 77％ (n =27),respectively,and the retreat group were 28％ (n =9),53％ (n =17).The differences between the two groups were significant (both P ＜ 0.05).On the contrary,CHC patients in both groups might achieve similar ETR and SVR rates (P ＞ 0.05) ; ② The relapse rate in the retreat group was higher than that in the naive group (22％ vs.10％).But the differences had no statistical significance (P ＞ 0.05) ; ③ CHC patients in the retreat group could achieve similar responses,including RVR,EVR,ETR and SVR (P ＞ 0.05) whether treated previously with standard interferon or pegylated interferon; ④ According to muhivariable logistic regression analysis,the retreated genotype 1 CHC patients has a lower SVR rate compared with naive genotype non-1 counterparts (OR =0.29 and 0.26,all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions CHC patients in the naive group could achieve higher virological responses and a lower relapse rate compared to those in the retreat group.The previous treatment regimeu has no significant effect on virological responses of CHC patients retreated with Peg-IFN plus ribavirin.Genotype 1 and retreatment are both risk factors of achieving SVR.

Objective To identify a suspected Klebsiella variicola strain isolated from a patient with severe septic shock. Methods Sequences of rpoB, gyrA, mdh, infB, phoE and nifH genes were obtained from the clinical isolated suspected Klebsiella variicola strain, and used for constructing phylogenectic trees. Characteristics of phylogenetic trees were used to distinguish Klebsiella variicola from Klebsiella pneumoniae. Results All target gene sequences from this clinical isolated strain constantly formed a cluster with their counterparts from other Klebsiella variicola strains. These clusters were readily differentiated from Klebsiella pneumoniae clusters. Conclusions The clinical isolated strain belongs to Klebsiella variicola class and can cause septic shock. From genetic perspective, Klebsiella variicola is distinctly different from Klebsiella pneumoniae, most of which can be isolated from normal healthy people.

The body mass index (BMI)is one of the important indexes to evaluate the nutrition / health status.BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in per square meter (unit of kg/m2).BMI is changing with age.However,there are no BMI guidelines for the elderly.It is really necessary to set up a proper BMI range for the elderly.This research analyzed the relationship of BMI with all-cause mortality,cardiovascular mortality and body composition change in the elderly.The result showed that an appropriate higher BMI could help to decrease the all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in the elderly and could also increase bone density and lean body mass,which could prevent the geriatric fracture and sarcopenia.Furthermore,underweight-related mortality was much higher than overweight-related mortality.

Objective To observe the changes of behavior,blood cortisol level,glucocorticoid receptors (Grs) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) in hippocampus area after four weeks of unpredictable chronic mild stress,and to investigate the probable role of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the pathogenesis of depression in aged people.Methods Aged male Wister rats were randomly assigned to control group and model group.The model group received unpredictable mild stress,including food and water deprivation,restrain,tail clipping,forced swimming,white noise,cage titling and cage rotating for 4 weeks,while the control group was undisturbed unless routine feeding and cage changing.After 4 weeks of procedure,the behavior changes were assessed by sucrose intake test,open-field test and state evaluation,serum cortisol level was measured by chemiluminescent assay,the qualitation and quantitation of GRs and MRs in hippocampus area were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting respectively.All data were analyzed by using t-test.Results Body weight,the grooming score,activities in openfield test,food intake and sucrose intake were decreased in model group as compared with control group after 2 weeks of chronic mild stress (all P＜0.01),suggesting the stress induced depressive-like behavior effects on aged rats.Serum cortisol level was elevated in model group as compared with control group after 4 weeks of chronic mild stress (P＜0.01).A decrease of the neurons was found in CA3 of hippocampus,but not in DG area.In CA3 area,GR positive neurons were decreased,but no significant decrease was found in MR positive neurons.Conclusions The chronic mild stress leading to depressive-like behavior effects in aged rats induces overall HPA axis dysfunction,elevation of serum cortisol level,impairment of hippocampus neurons and decrease of GR positive neurons.The HPA axis dysfunction induced by chronic mild stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of depression.

This report presents an 84 year-old patient admitted into our hospital for dizziness with a history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis,chronic gastritis and vitiligo.Physical examinations showed skin depigmentation.Laboratory tests revealed anemia,positive intrinsic factor antibodies and normal adrenal function.This patient was finally diagnosed with autoimmune polyglandular syndromes(APS) type Ⅲ B +C.Recurrent anemia was mainly attributed to malabsorption caused by autoimmune gastritis.This article reviews the common clinical manifestations of APS,in order to call for geriatricians' attention to APS.APS Ⅲ B+C should be considered if vitiligo combined with anemia occurs in elderly patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on intestinal microbiome and organism in patients with severe pneumonia during the convalescence period. METHODS: A prospective non-randomized controlled study was conducted. From December 2021 to May 2022, patients with severe pneumonia during the convalescence period who received FMT (FMT group) and patients with severe pneumonia during the convalescence period who did not receive FMT (non-FMT group) admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were enrolled. The differences of clinical indicators, gastrointestinal function and fecal traits between the two groups were compared 1 day before and 10 days after enrollment. The 16S rDNA gene sequencing technology was used to analyze the changes of intestinal flora diversity and different species in patients with FMT before and after enrollment, and metabolic pathways were analyzed and predicted by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database (KEGG). Pearson correlation method was used to analyze the correlation between intestinal flora and clinical indicators in FMT group. RESULTS: The level of triacylglycerol (TG) in FMT group was significantly decreased at 10 days after enrollment compared with before enrollment [mmol/L: 0.94 (0.71, 1.40) vs. 1.47 (0.78, 1.86), P < 0.05]. The level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in non-FMT group was significantly decreased at 10 days after enrollment compared with before enrollment (mmol/L: 0.68±0.27 vs. 0.80±0.31, P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in other clinical indexes, gastrointestinal function or fecal character scores between the two groups. Diversity analysis showed that the α diversity indexes of intestinal flora in FMT group at 10 days after enrollment were significantly higher than those in non-FMT group, and β diversity was also significantly different from that in non-FMT group. Differential species analysis showed that the relative abundance of Proteobacteria at the level of intestinal flora in FMT group at 10 days after enrollment was significantly lower than that in non-FMT group [8.554% (5.977%, 12.159%) vs. 19.285% (8.054%, 33.207%), P < 0.05], while the relative abundance of Fusobacteria was significantly higher than that in non-FMT group [6.801% (1.373%, 20.586%) vs. 0.003% (0%, 9.324%), P < 0.05], and the relative abundance of Butyricimonas, Fusobacterium and Bifidobacterium at the genus level of the intestinal flora was significantly higher than that in non-FMT group [Butyricimonas: 1.634% (0.813%, 2.387%) vs. 0% (0%, 0.061%), Fusobacterium: 6.801% (1.373%, 20.586%) vs. 0.002% (0%, 9.324%), Bifidobacterium: 0.037% (0%, 0.153%) vs. 0% (0%, 0%), all P < 0.05]. KEGG metabolic pathway analysis showed that the intestinal flora of FMT group was changed in bisphenol degradation, mineral absorption, phosphonate and phosphinate metabolism, cardiac muscle contraction, Parkinson disease and other metabolic pathways and diseases. Correlation analysis showed that Actinobacteria and prealbumin (PA) in intestinal flora of FMT group were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.53, P = 0.043), Bacteroidetes was positively correlated with blood urea nitrogen (BUN; r = 0.56, P = 0.029) and complement C3 (r = 0.57, P = 0.027), Firmicutes was positively correlated with BUN (r = 0.56, P = 0.029) and complement C3 (r = 0.57, P = 0.027), Fusobacteria was significantly positively correlated with immunoglobulin M (IgM; r = 0.71, P = 0.003), Proteobacteria was significantly positively correlated with procalcitonin (PCT; r = 0.63, P = 0.012) and complement C4 (r = 0.56, P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS FMT can reduce TG level, reconstruct intestinal microecological structure, change body metabolism and function, and alleviate inflammatory response by reducing the relative abundance of harmful bacteria in patients with severe pneumonia during the convalescence period.
Humans ; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation ; Complement C3 ; Convalescence ; Prospective Studies ; Feces