Objective To evaluate the effects of tofacitinib on liver function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.Methods Literature search was performed in databases including PubMed,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang to identify randomized controlled trials about RA treated with tofacitinib.The retrieval time was up to August 2016.Meta-analysis was conducted by Revman 5.5 software.Results A total of 7 studies were included,involving 2 965 patients.The results of Meta-analysis revealed that the incidence of alanine transaminase (ALT)＞1 upper limit of normal (ULN) in patients receiving both 5 mg and 10 mg bid tofacitinib was significantly higher than placebo [5 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=1.48,95％CI (1.20,1.82),P=0.000 2;10 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=1.67,95％CI (1.37,2.05),P＜0.01];there was no significant difference in the incidence of ALT＞3 ULN [5 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=1.81,95％CI (0.57,5.79),P=0.32;10 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=1.36,95％CI (0.57,5.25),P=0.49];the incidence of aspartate transaminase (AST)＞1 ULN was significantly higher than placebo [5 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=1.59,95％CI (1.25,2.03),P=0.000 2;10 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=1.90,95％CI(1.50,2.40),P＜0.01],there was no significant difference in the incidence of AST＞3 ULN [5 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=1.17,95％CI (0.27,5.17),P=0.83;10 mg bid tofacitinib:RR=0.95,95％CI (0.26,3.44),P=0.94].Conclusion Tofacitinib slightly increases ALT and AST in patient with RA.Due to the limited sources and lack of domestic studies,more randomized controlled trials are still needed to verify the above conclusion.

Background: Disruption of tight junctions between intestinal epithelial cells followed by loss of barrier function is crucial for the pathogenesis and progression of a variety of gastrointestinal disorders.Aims: To investigate the protective effect of ulinastatin on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced intestinal epithelial barrier disruption.Methods: Model of intestinal epithelial monolayer barrier was established with Caco-2 cells in vitro,and then divided into four groups: blank control group (without any intervention),H2O2 group (500 μmol/L H2O2),low-dose (500 U/mL) and high-dose (3 000 U/mL) ulinastatin groups (ulinastatin + H2O2).Level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected;transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and flux of sodium fluorescein were measured to assess the barrier function;expression and localization of two tight junction proteins,ZO-1 and occludin were evaluated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence;ultrastructure of tight junctions was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Results: Compared with the blank control group,treatment of Caco-2 cell monolayers with H2O2 resulted in increase in level of MDA,flux of sodium fluorescein and decrease in activity of SOD,TEER and expressions of ZO-1 and occludin (P all ＜0.05).TEM and immunofluorescence showed that the brusher border of Caco-2 cells in H2O2 group was destroyed,the cell-cell junction was vague and the localization of ZO-1 and occludin was discontinuous and the fluorescence intensity was extremely low.While in ulinastatin groups,especially the high-dose group,all the indices above-mentioned were significantly improved (P all ＜0.05).Conclusions: Ulinastatin protects intestinal epithelial monolayer barrier against H2O2-induced disruption at least partially by its antioxidant activity and modulating expression and localization of tight junction proteins.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) has been nowadays recognized as a major agent causing postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in pigs worldwide. PMWS most commonly affects the weaned piglets, being of increasing importance to the pig industry in Korea. Seven commercial farms affected with PMWS and 2 farms free from PMWS, located in the southern part of Gyeonggi province, were selected for this study. The peripheral mononuclear cells were tested for the presence of ORF2 gene by PCR, and 54 (68.4%) of 79 samples were positive. All of 9 herds tested included the positive cases. The positive rates by herds were 50 to 100% in the PMWS-affected herds and 40 to 62.5% in the PMWS-free herd. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of ORF2 gene of 6 strains were characterized. Homologies among 6 strains revealed 92.1 to 100% in the nucleotide and 92.3 to 100% in the amino acid. The overall ranges of homologies for 25 strains comprised 2 Korean and 23 foreign strains were 91.1 to 100% in the nucleotide and 89.7 to 100% in the amino acid. Three regions of greater heterogeneity were found in immunorelevant epitopes of the capsid protein, and the sequences between 57 to 80 aa revealed higher mutation than other areas. In the phylogenetic tree analysis, KOR 71 strain was clustered together with Korean strains previously isolated in Korea. The remaining 5 strains were closely clustered with other European and Asian strains. The results will be valuable for improving our understanding of the molecular epidemiology of PCV-2 in Korea and development of preventive measures for PMWS.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Capsid Proteins ; Circovirus* ; Epitopes ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Korea* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Population Characteristics ; Swine* ; Wasting Syndrome

The concept of depressor orbicularis lateralis arises through anatomy of brow ptosis and innovations of its correction. This vertical muscle band is usually found running inferiorly from the lateral brow down along the lateral orbital rim, adjacent to the orbicularis oculi. The muscle segment is a powerful depressor of the brow and may lead to recurrent lateral eyebrow ptosis, if it is not addressed at the time of the facelift. In this review, the anatomical evidence, basic functions of depressor orbicularis lateralis, as well as its clinical relevance and the proper measures in handling this structure as part of brow ptosis and crow′s feet surgery will be discussed.

Recombinant DNA vaccines, based on plasmid vectors expressing an antigen under the control of a strong promotor, have several advantages over traditional vaccines. They have been shown to induce a full spectrum of immune responses for humoral and cellular systems and to secure the higher safety and the simplicity of administration. Thus, establishment of DNA vaccines against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in poultry has been widely investigated using various virus strains and vector systems. In this study, the F and HN genes of NDV CBP-1 strains isolated from diseased pheasants and attenuated by serial passages in egg embryos were cloned using pSLIA vector and constructed two recombinants of pSLIA-tsF and pSLIA-tsHN. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into COS-7 cell and the expression of HN and F proteins were verified by immunofluorescence, SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The recombinant plasmids were injected intramuscularly and intradermally into C57B/6 mouse and a significant increment of HN and F antibodies was detected by ELISA. According to the results, it was implicative that the recombinant DNA could be utilized for development of recombinant DNA vaccine for NDV.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Blotting, Western ; Clone Cells ; COS Cells ; DNA, Recombinant* ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Embryonic Structures ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Mice ; Newcastle disease virus* ; Newcastle Disease* ; Ovum ; Plasmids ; Poultry ; Serial Passage ; Vaccines ; Vaccines, DNA

Swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been reported as a new zoonotic agent due to its close genomic resemblance to the human HEV. Recently this virus is indicated as one of the important pathogens in xenotransplantation that uses pig as a donor animal. We carried out to investigate the prevalence of HEV infections among the pigs and human population in Chungnam region using a nested RT-PCR for detection of a part of HEV ORF2 gene. The sequences of the amplified DNA were analyzed and the genetical divergency were characterized. A total of 18 HEV strains, comprising 16 strains from pig and 2 strains from human, were genetically isolated from the fecal and serum samples. Among the isolates, 5 strains (2.5%) were detected from 200 swine sera and 2 strains (2.0%) from 100 human sera. All of the 16 swine strains were isolated from the pigs at 3 month of age, but none of age groups revealed the positive for swine HEV RNA. In comparison of the nucleotide sequence between 16 swine HEV and 2 human HEV isolates, the range of identities was 91.5% to 100%. Two human HEV isolates shared 99.7% homology. In phylogenetic analysis, all of the isolates were classified into genotype III, and the 18 isolates were also closely related to the prototype of swine HEV and human HEV strains isolated in the United States and others recently identified from swine in Japan and Netherland.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Chungcheongnam-do* ; DNA ; Genotype ; Hepatitis E virus* ; Hepatitis E* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans* ; Japan ; Korea* ; Prevalence ; RNA ; Swine* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; United States

Swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been reported as a new zoonotic agent due to its close genomic resemblance to the human HEV. Recently this virus is indicated as one of the important pathogens in xenotransplantation that uses pig as a donor animal. We carried out to investigate the prevalence of HEV infections among the pigs and human population in Chungnam region using a nested RT-PCR for detection of a part of HEV ORF2 gene. The sequences of the amplified DNA were analyzed and the genetical divergency were characterized. A total of 18 HEV strains, comprising 16 strains from pig and 2 strains from human, were genetically isolated from the fecal and serum samples. Among the isolates, 5 strains (2.5%) were detected from 200 swine sera and 2 strains (2.0%) from 100 human sera. All of the 16 swine strains were isolated from the pigs at 3 month of age, but none of age groups revealed the positive for swine HEV RNA. In comparison of the nucleotide sequence between 16 swine HEV and 2 human HEV isolates, the range of identities was 91.5% to 100%. Two human HEV isolates shared 99.7% homology. In phylogenetic analysis, all of the isolates were classified into genotype III, and the 18 isolates were also closely related to the prototype of swine HEV and human HEV strains isolated in the United States and others recently identified from swine in Japan and Netherland.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Chungcheongnam-do* ; DNA ; Genotype ; Hepatitis E virus* ; Hepatitis E* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans* ; Japan ; Korea* ; Prevalence ; RNA ; Swine* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; United States

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and a major contributor to disability worldwide. Since the majority of cardiovascular events are preventable, identification of modifiable CVD risk factors and implementation of primordial prevention strategies should be a public health priority. In this aspect, the American Heart Association declared a strategic goal to reduce total CVD mortality in the US by 20% within 10 years via eliminating 7 major CVD risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, and poor-quality diet) in 2010, and their strategy has been achieving. However, the applicability of similar metrics to prevent CVD among East Asians requires an in-depth investigation of the modifiable CVD risk factors based on national and regional evidence-based findings. Herein, this review article aims to discuss several modifiable risk factors for CVDs, using epidemiological evidence from cohort studies and nationally representative data of 2 East Asian countries: Korea and Japan.

Objective To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of established genital and extragenital lichen sclerosus(LS)and compare the differences between them. Method The clinicopathological data of 55 patients with established genital and extragenital LS diagnosed by pathological examination in the Department of Dermatology of Beijing Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results The 55 patients included 11 males and 44 females.Among them,38,15,and 2 patients had genital lesions,extragenital lesions,and both genital and extragenital lesions,respectively.Extragenital LS mainly involved the back(14.55%)and extremities(7.27%).Among the patients,28.30% were asymptomatic,and 73.58% and 24.53% felt itchy and painful,respectively.The asymptomatic patients had a higher proportion in extragenital cases(
Darier Disease ; Extremities ; Female ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus/epidemiology* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and a major contributor to disability worldwide. Since the majority of cardiovascular events are preventable, identification of modifiable CVD risk factors and implementation of primordial prevention strategies should be a public health priority. In this aspect, the American Heart Association declared a strategic goal to reduce total CVD mortality in the US by 20% within 10 years via eliminating 7 major CVD risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, and poor-quality diet) in 2010, and their strategy has been achieving. However, the applicability of similar metrics to prevent CVD among East Asians requires an in-depth investigation of the modifiable CVD risk factors based on national and regional evidence-based findings. Herein, this review article aims to discuss several modifiable risk factors for CVDs, using epidemiological evidence from cohort studies and nationally representative data of 2 East Asian countries: Korea and Japan.