Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune-mediated chronic cholestatic liver disease. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a first-line drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of PBC. It can effectively improve serum biochemical indicators, delay histological progress, and prolong the survival of non-transplant patients. However, around 40% of patients with PBC have a poor response to UDCA with a poor outcome. Early identification of patients with poor biochemical responses and timely second-line treatment may alter the course of the disease. This article summarizes the risk factors for the poor response of UDCA in the PBC.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the quality of life and treatment of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) using the PBC-40 scale. MethodsThe PBC-40 scale was used to perform an investigation of 37 patients who were diagnosed with PBC and received continuous treatment in Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, from January 2017 to December 2018. With reference to patients’ baseline biochemical parameters and pathological staging, the scores of the six domains of the PBC-40 scale, i.e., “symptom”, “pruritus”, “weakness”, “cognitive function”, “social function”, and “emotional function”, were analyzed. The two-independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and an analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups; the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups. The paired-samples Wilcoxon signed rank sum test was used for comparison of pruritus score before and after treatment, and the paired samples t-test was used for comparison of weakness score before and after treatment. A Spearman analysis was used to investigate correlation. ResultsIn the PBC-40 scale, the scores of symptom, pruritus, weakness, cognitive function, social function, and emotional function were 16.5±4.3, 5.2±3.3, 26.4±8.3, 15.3±5.1, 25.4±8.4, and 8.1±2.7, respectively. A stratified analysis was performed for the patients aged ＜50 years, 50-60 years, and ＞60 years, and the results showed that there was a significant difference in the score of pruritus between the different age groups (χ2=8.290, P=0.016). The PBC patients with a body mass index of ≥24 kg/m2 had significantly lower scores of symptom and cognitive function than those with a body mass index of ＜24 kg/m2 (symptom: Z=-2.222, P=0025; cognitive function: t=2.255, P=0.030). The patients with positive anticentromere antibody had a significantly higher score of weakness than those with negative anticentromere antibody (t=3.453, P=0.001). The score of pruritus was positively correlated with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (R2=0.325, P=0.049) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) (R2=0.402, P=0.014). ConclusionThe PBC-40 scale can be used to evaluate the quality of life of Chinese patients with PBC. High levels of ALP and GGT may predict low quality of life.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the liver pathological changes and the clinical features of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in their immune tolerant phase and non-active status.

METHODSFifty-four patients with chronic HBV infection in their immune tolerant stage and another 47 patients with the same infection but in non-active status were involved in this study. Statistical analysis including the ages and sex of the patients, their serum levels of HBV DNA, hepatocytic expression of HBsAg and HBcAg and their liver pathology were studied and statistically analyzed. Histological grading of inflammation and staging of fibrosis in the livers were also compared and analysed in patients with different levels of serum ALT.

RESULTSThe sex ratio of the two groups was of no significant difference. The average age of the patients in the non-active status [(28.11+/-8.60) years.] was older than that of the patients in the immune tolerant stage [(24.93+/-7.21) years], showing a significant difference (P < 0.05). The serum levels of HBV DNA of the patients in the immune tolerant stage were high and 94% of them had a HBV DNA higher than 106 copies/ml. In the non-active status group, 89% of the patients were HBV DNA negative. Between the two groups of patients there were no significant differences in the histological grades of liver inflammation or in the hepatocytic expressions of HBsAg and HBcAg. The stage of fibrosis was higher in the non-active status group than in the immune tolerant stage group, showing a significant difference between these two groups (u = 2.004, P < 0.05). The fibrosis stages of the livers of patients of a higher but within normal ALT level were markedly higher than those of a lower but within normal ALT level patients (u = 3.274, P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPatients infected with HBV in non-active status may have experienced some occult courses of immune active stages; they are older in age and have higher levels of fibrosis. ALT sustained at a high level but within the normal range may indicate a higher degree of fibrosis, therefore liver pathological studies should be recommended for this kind of patient.

Adolescent ; Adult ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Virus Replication ; Young Adult

ZM-1 tissue microarrayer designed by our group is manufactured in stainless steel and brass. It features an easier and faster preparation for tissue microarrays. By means of it, a group of biopsy needles are used to punch the donor tissue specimens respectively, and all the needles with the punched specimen cylinders are arranged into the array-board, where small holes have been digged to fit the needles. All the specimen cylinders arraying and the tissue microarray block's shaping are finished simultaneously. ZM-1 tissue microarrayer with a lower cost of manufacture, is capable of preparing the tissue microarrays conveniently, efficiently and quality-controllably.
Equipment Design ; Tissue Array Analysis ; instrumentation

Reproductive toxicity research takes an important place in traditional Chinese medicine pre-clinical safety evaluation. Modern reproductive toxicity experiment includes drug-related miscarriage, fetal death, teratism, and adverse effects on fertility, genital system, embryonic development and fetus, which is different from contraindicated in pregnancy in traditional Chinese medicine theory. Now the three-phases reproductive toxicity study is the method mainly applied in traditional Chinese medicine reproductive toxicity evaluation. Besides that, alternative methods of whole embryos culture and embryonic stem cell test are also used in traditional Chinese medicine embryo toxicity evaluation. This article reviews research progress and pre-clinical evaluation on reproductive toxicity of traditional Chinese medicine.
Animals ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; toxicity ; Embryonic Development ; drug effects ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pregnancy ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Toxicity Tests

The ZM-1 tissue microarrayer designed by our groups is manufactured in stainless steel and brass and contains many features that make TMA (tissue microarray) paraffin blocks construction faster and more convenient. By means of ZM-1 tissue microarrayer, biopsy needles are used to punch the donor tissue specimens respectively. All the needles with the punched specimen cylinders are arrayed into the array-board, with an array of small holes dug to fit the needles. All the specimen cylinders arraying and the TMA paraffin block shaping are finished in only one step so that the specimen cylinders and the paraffin of the TMA block can very easily be incorporated and the recipient paraffin blocks need not be made in advance, and the paraffin used is the same as that for conventional pathology purpose. ZM-1 tissue microarrayer is easy to be manufactured, does not need any precision location system, and so is much cheaper than the currently used instrument. Our method's relatively cheap and simple ZM-1 tissue microarrayer technique of constructing TMA paraffin block may facilitate popularization of the TMA technology.
Biopsy, Needle ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Paraffin ; Tissue Array Analysis ; instrumentation

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of MICA/B in human esophageal cancer, and to analyze its correlation with clinicopathological features.

METHODSThe expression of MICA/B in 40 cases of esophagus carcinoma and corresponding normal esophageal mucosa tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe positive rate of expression of MICA/B protein in the esophageal carcinoma was 75.0% (30/40), and that in the corresponding normal esophageal mucosa was 0 (0/40). Up-regulation of MICA/B expression was found in the esophageal carcinomas. The expression of MICA/B was related with histological grade of the esophageal carcinoma (P = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONMICA/B protein plays an important role in the esophageal carcinogenesis, and my become a useful molecular marker for the diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Up-Regulation

A field trial was carried out to study the influence of different kinds of spring topdressing on growth, yield and quality of Ligusticum chuanxiong. The results showed that the spring topdressing had effects of improving root length, tiller numbers and plant height to some extent. At the same time the chlorophyll content and dry weight accumulation especially the dry weight of root increased significantly. It also showed that the yield increased and quality was improved significantly. The effect of different treatment with urea58.7 kg x hm(-2)(N 27 kg x hm(-2)) was the best and the treatment with N,P,K the second.
Alkaloids ; metabolism ; Coumaric Acids ; metabolism ; Fertilizers ; Ligusticum ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of fluoride on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts in sucking rats and the antagonism of vitamin Cin vitro.

METHODSThe enzyme digesting method was used to isolate the rat osteoblasts; the proliferative response was determined by the percents of reduced alamarBlue; the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was measured by ELISA method.

RESULTSThe proliferation of sucking rat osteoblasts was increased at 0.10 - 1.00 mmol/L of NaF, whereas inhibited at >or= 2.00 mmol/L. ALP activity was increased at 0.01 - 0.05 mmol/L of NaF, and decreased at >or= 0.10 mmol/L. The inhibition on proliferation and differentiation at 2 mmol/L NaF was antagonized by vitamin C.

CONCLUSIONFluoride had a two-phase effect on osteoblasts, vitamin C could antagonize the inhibitory effect of higher concentration of fluoride on proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; analysis ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorides ; pharmacology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar