Objective To evaluate the value of transient elastography (FibroScan,FS)in predicting hepatic fibrosis in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB).Methods One hundred and four patients with HBeAg-negative CHB,who were diagnosed and treated in Hubei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 2011 to May 2013,were enrolled in this study.All patients underwent FS for liver stiffness measurement before liver biopsy.Statistical analysis was applied to compare liver stiffness (kPa)with fibrosis stage (de-termined by liver biopsy).The receiver operating characteristic (ROC)curve of FS was constructed,and the area under the ROC curve (AUC)was calculated to analyze the accuracy of live stiffness in predicting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis.Comparison between groups was made by Kruskal-Wallis H test,followed by Mann-Whitney U test for multiple comparisons.The correlation between two variables was an-alyzed by Spearman rank and Pearson correlation test.Results Liver stiffness gradually rose as the degree of hepatic fibrosis increased, with significant differences between groups (P<0.01 or P<0.05).Liver stiffness was positively correlated with the stage of hepatic fibrosis (r=0.810,P<0.01).The AUC of liver stiffness for detecting liver cirrhosis was 0.956;the cut-off value for diagnosing liver cirrhosis was 13.1 kPa;the sensitivity was 92.7%,and the specificity was 80%.Conclusion FS is a promising noninvasive method for the assessment of hepatic fibrosis in patients with HBeAg-negative CHB;particularly,it has high accuracy in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis.FS combined with direct or indirect markers may play an important role in differential diagnosis and efficacy evaluation in patients with hepatic fibrosis.

Objective To investigate the changes of hair amino acids contents in patients with chronic kidney disease at stage 1-4 (CKD 1-4) and the intervention effect of Hushen No.Ⅱ, thus to provide modern medical evidences for the theory of kidney having its manifestations in hair. Methods One hundred cases of patients suffering from CKD 1-4 were recruited and were randomly divided into control group and treatment group, 50 cases in each group. And twenty healthy volunteers were included in normal group. The treatment group and control group received conventional treatment, and the treatment group were additionally treated with Hushen No. Ⅱ orally, the treatment lasting 12 months. And then high performance liquid chromatography was used to test the changes of hair amino acids of the three groups before and after treatment. Results Compared with the normal group, 14 kinds of amino acids in the hair of the control group and the treatment group were significantly low ( P<0.05) before treatment. After treatment, 14 kinds of amino acids in the hair of the control group and the treatment group were significantly increased ( P<0.05) as compared with those before treatment, the increase of the treatment group being superior to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion The abnormal change of 14 kinds of amino acids in the hair of patients with abnormal renal function may contribute to the modern medical material basis of the theory of kidney having its manifestations in hair.

0.05), and the change of kidney tissue morphology of groups C, D, E was little. Conclusion Xiaojiyinzi, chief or adjuvant herbs in Xiaojiyinzi can reduce the nephrotoxicity of caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint application withBaoShen cataplasm in treating chronic kidney diseases (CKD) and its effect on the quality of life.MethodSixty CKD patients were randomized into a treatment group and control group, 30 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by conventional Western medicine, while the treatment group was by acupoint application withBaoshen cataplasm in addition to the same Western medicine treatment. The SF-36, symptom score and Chinese medicine, 24hupq, Scr, and GFR were observed before and after intervention.Result The total effective rate was 86.7% in the treatment group versus 66.7% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); in the treatment group, the effective rates for the kidney yang deficiency and kidney yin deficiency were respectively 88.2% and 84.6%, versus 68.8% and 64.3% in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05); the symptom score of Chinese medicine dropped significantly in both groups after intervention (P<0.05), while the change in the treatment group was more marked than that in the control group (P<0.05); after intervention, the Scr and 24hupq decreased and GFR increased significantly in both groups (P<0.05); the bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional role and mental health scored higher after intervention in both groups, and the scores in the treatment group were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionAcupoint Application withBaoshen cataplasm can significantly improve the renal function and symptoms of CKD patients, promote the quality of life, and it can produce a content therapeutic efficacy in treating CKD due to kidney yang deficiency and kidney yin deficiency based on the conventional treatment.

s:Professor SHAO Zhao-di is a famous old TCM doctor. She has been engaged in clinical of TCM for a long time, with extensive acquaintance and experiences. This article discussed three cases of her to treat allergic purpura nephritis.

Hydronephrosis is a common and frequent clinical disease. With the extensive application of minimally invasive techniques of Western medicine, it can quickly remove the obstruction and eliminate water. However, there may be problems of easy recurrence after surgery, causing more serious irreversible kidney damage. TCM has a unique advantage in the treatment of hydronephrosis, which can radically relieve the pain of patients, prevent recurrence, and protect the kidney function. Professor SHAO Zhao-di thinks that the cause of hydronephros is deficiency of kidney qi, which affects the function of gasification. Therefore, the treatment should be nourishing qi to invigorate spleen and reinforcing kidney for diuresis. In clinical practice, Bixie Fenqing Decoction can be used to treat hydronephrosis, which can obtain good efficacy.

Objective To investigate the function of JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway in pancreatic injury and systematic inflammatory response in rats with acute necrotizing pancreatitis ( ANP) . Methods SD rats were randomly divided into the ANP group (n=48), ANP+JAK2 inhibitor Ruxolitinib group (ANP+R group, n=48), ANP+STAT3 inhibitot Stattic group (ANP+S group, n=48), ANP+Ruxolitinib+Stattic group (ANP+R+S group, n=48), and sham operation group (SO group, n=48). 5％ sodium taurocholate injection via retrograde pancreatobiliary duct was used to establish ANP model. Blood samples from abdominal aorta and pancreatic tissue were collected after 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 18 h after modeling. Serum amylase (AMY) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were tested. JAK2 and STAT3 mRNA expression and protein expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in pancreas were examined by RT qPCR and western blot, respectively. Results AMY, TNF-α and IL-4 in plasma, and JAK2 mRNA, STAT3 mRNA, p-JAK2 protein and p-STAT3 protein at different time points in ANP group were all obviously higher than those in SO group(P<0. 05). Serum AMY, TNF-αand IL-4 in ANP+R group, ANP+S group and ANP+R+S group at different time points were lower than those in ANP group [12 h (5391 ± 1009),(6130 ± 1227),(4818 ± 992)U/L vs (8524 ± 1360) U/L;(147.25 ± 27.85),(156.25 ± 23.17),(127.87 ± 21.39) ng/L vs (187.58 ±20.09)ng/L;(45.89 ±16.95),(50.19 ±15.87),(38.87 ±14.03)ng/L vs (58.85 ±9.34)ng/L] . JAK2 mRNA and p-JAK2 protein,STAT3 mRNA and p-STAT3 protein in ANP+R group and ANP+R+S group at different time points were obviously lower than those in ANP group (12 h 0. 357 ± 0. 091 vs 0. 597 ± 0. 121,1. 115 ± 0. 203 vs 1. 217 ± 0. 213,0. 361 ± 0. 089 vs 0. 489 ± 0. 097,0. 965 ± 0. 189 vs 1. 128 ± 0. 217, 0. 362 ± 0. 092 vs 0. 597 ± 0. 121,1. 107 ± 0. 212 vs 1. 217 ± 0. 213,0. 297 ± 0. 087 vs 0. 489 ± 0. 097,0. 713 ± 0. 184 vs 1. 128 ± 0. 217). STAT3 mRNA and p-STAT3 protein in ANP+S group were obviously lower than those in ANP group(0. 319 ± 0. 107 vs 0. 489 ± 0. 097,0. 849 ± 0. 177 vs 1. 128 ± 0. 217), and the difference was statistically different (P<0.05). Conclusions The activation of JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway in pancreas may play a key role in the pathogenesis of systematic inflammatory response in ANP.

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is the most common thyroid dysfunction, and its relationship with blood pressure (BP) has been controversial. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between SCH and newly-diagnosed hypertension. Methods: Based on data from the Thyroid disease, Iodine nutrition and Diabetes Epidemiology (TIDE) study, 49,433 euthyroid individuals and 7,719 SCH patients aged ≥18 years were enrolled. Patients with a history of hypertension or thyroid disease were excluded. SCH was determined by manufacturer reference range. Overall hypertension and stage 1 and 2 hypertension were diagnosed according to the guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association in 2017. Results: The prevalence of overall hypertension (48.7%), including stage 1 (28.9%) and 2 (19.8%) hypertension, increased significantly in SCH patients compared with euthyroid subjects. With elevated serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, the hypertension prevalence also increased significantly from the euthyroid to different SCH subgroups, which was more profound in females or subjects aged <65 years. The age- and sex-specific regression analysis further demonstrated the same trends in the general population and in the 1:1 propensity matched population. Similarly, several BP components (i.e., systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP) were positively associated with TSH elevation, and regression analysis also confirmed that all BP components were closely related with SCH in female subjects aged <65 years. Conclusion The prevalence of hypertension increases for patients with SCH. SCH tends to be associated with hypertension and BP components in females younger than 65 years.

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is the most common thyroid dysfunction, and its relationship with blood pressure (BP) has been controversial. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between SCH and newly-diagnosed hypertension. Methods: Based on data from the Thyroid disease, Iodine nutrition and Diabetes Epidemiology (TIDE) study, 49,433 euthyroid individuals and 7,719 SCH patients aged ≥18 years were enrolled. Patients with a history of hypertension or thyroid disease were excluded. SCH was determined by manufacturer reference range. Overall hypertension and stage 1 and 2 hypertension were diagnosed according to the guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association in 2017. Results: The prevalence of overall hypertension (48.7%), including stage 1 (28.9%) and 2 (19.8%) hypertension, increased significantly in SCH patients compared with euthyroid subjects. With elevated serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level, the hypertension prevalence also increased significantly from the euthyroid to different SCH subgroups, which was more profound in females or subjects aged <65 years. The age- and sex-specific regression analysis further demonstrated the same trends in the general population and in the 1:1 propensity matched population. Similarly, several BP components (i.e., systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP) were positively associated with TSH elevation, and regression analysis also confirmed that all BP components were closely related with SCH in female subjects aged <65 years. Conclusion The prevalence of hypertension increases for patients with SCH. SCH tends to be associated with hypertension and BP components in females younger than 65 years.

OBJECTIVE To establish the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography （UPLC） fingerprint of Jingtian granule， and to evaluate its quality by chemical pattern recognition. METHODS Luna® Omega Polar C18 column （150 mm×2.1 mm， 1.6 μm） was used as the chromatographic column， and acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid solution was used as the mobile phase for gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.2 mL/min， the column temperature was 30 ℃， and the detection wavelength was 265 nm. With peak 16 as the reference peak， the UPLC fingerprint of Jingtian granule was established by the Similarity Evaluation System of Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine （2012 edition）. The common peaks were identified， the similarity evaluation was carried out， and the ownership of each common peak was confirmed. Hierarchical cluster analysis （HCA） and principal component analysis （PCA） in chemical pattern recognition methods were used to classify 13 batches of samples （S1- S13）， and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） was used to identify the key components of the differences between different batches of samples. RESULTS RSDs of precision， repeatability and stability of the UPLC method were not more than 4.4%. A total of 25 common peaks were identified in the fingerprints of 13 batches of Jingtian granules. By comparing with the reference substance fingerprint， 10 common peaks were identified， namely peak 3 （hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde）， peak 5 （salidroside）， peak 8（chlorogenic acid）， peak 15 （cinnamic acid）， peak 19 （aloe-emodin）， peak 20 （ammonium glycyrrhizinate）， peak 21 （rhein）， peak 23 （emodin）， peak 24 （glycyrrhetinic acid）， peak 25 （chrysophanol）. The similarities of fingerprints of 13 batches of samples were 0.955-0.996. The results of HCA showed that 13 batches of samples could be divided into three categories， among which samples S1， S5， S7， S11-S13 were clustered in one category， S4 and S6 were clustered in one category， S2， S3 and S8-S10 were clustered in one category. PCA results showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of principal components 1-7 was 92.666%. OPLS-DA further identified 13 differential components， which were mainly derived from Polygonati Rhizoma with wine steaming， Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix Et Rhizoma， prepared Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizome Praeparata Cum Melle. CONCLUSIONS The established UPLC fingerprint of Jingtian granule is simple， stable and reproducible. Combined with the chemical pattern recognition method， it can effectively reveal the overall quality difference between different batches of Jingtian granule. The quality of Polygonati Rhizoma with wine steaming， Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix Et Rhizoma， prepared Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma， Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma， Polyporus， Cinnamomi Ramulus， Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizome Praeparata Cum Melle is the key to the overall quality of Jingtian granule.