Objective To explore the mucosal healing quality of hydrotalcite combined with esomeprazole in gastric ulcer.Methods Forty-two patients visiting from June 2014 to December 2015 and diagnosed with gastric ulcer were selected and divided into combination therapy group and single therapy group with 21 patients in each group.The patients of combination therapy group received esomeprazole combined with hydrotalcite,and the patients of single therapy group received esomeprazole alone.The total therapeutic course was eight weeks.At the same period,21 health check-up participants were enrolled as normal control group.The healing of gastric ulcer was observed under white light endoscopy.The morphological changes of gastric pits and microvessel of mucosal at peripheral mucosa around ulcer and normal gastric mucosal were observed under narrow band imaging magnifying endoscopy.The gastric mucosa tissues of the two groups before and after treatment,and normal gastric mucosa of healthy control group were taken.The amount of deposition and composition of collagen fibers,the expression level of factor Ⅷ,the level of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and the content of hydroxyproline were analyzed by Masson,immunofluorescent and immunohistochemistry staining as well as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Chi square test,one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA),least significant difference (LSD) method,Dunnett's T3 and Kruskal-Wallis test and other method were used for comparison.Results After treatment,18 patients of combination therapy group (21 patients) had regular microvessel nets (85.7％),which was significantly more than those of single therapy group (12 cases,57.1％) and healthy control group (10 cases,47.6 ％),and the differences were statistically significant (x2 =4.200,P=0.040).In the comparison of maturity of regenerative mucosa between combination therapy group and single therapy group after treatment,the ration between collagen type Ⅰ and Ⅱ,deposition of collagen fibers,the number of factor Ⅷ positive cells,the level of TGF-beta1 and the content of hydroxyproline were 36.05 and 23.14;269 375.63.± 171 608.63 and 137 693.14±98 330.93;34.91±8.40 and 28.24±6.93;104 498.71±40 487.96 and 70 757.11±19 323.95;(1 897.80±879.35) and (1 230.57±536.05) μg/L,respectively;while in healthy control group,the above parameters were 36.81,245 696.90 ± 224 687.00,23.10 ± 8.40,94 048.04 ±41 306.55 and 1 681.20 ± 423.61 μg/L,and the differences were statitically significant among these three groups (H=7.375,F=3.465,11.680,5.190,5.160;all P＜0.05).Those parameters of combination therapy group were significantly higher than those of single therapy group (H=2.416,LSD method;all P＜0.05).Conclusion Hydrotalcite combined with esomeprazole in the treatment of gastric ulcer could significantly improve microvessel morphology,maturity degree of regenerative mucosal structure and function,and the mucosal healing quality was also superior to single esomeprazole group.

OBJECTIVETo observe the pathological changes in rabbits with spinal cord injury induced by decompression sickness (DCS), and to investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in spinal cord injury induced by DCS.

METHODSRabbits were randomly divided into normal control group, DCS group, and safe decompression group. The rabbit model of DCS was established. Light microscopy, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemical method were used to observe the pathomorphological changes in the thoracolumbar spinal cord and the mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α, respectively. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to observe the apoptosis in the spinal cord.

RESULTSIn the DCS group, cavities formed in the white matter of spinal cord and gliosis occurred around necrotic areas. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α was significantly higher in the DCS group than in the normal control group and the safe decompression group (P<0.01). The results of TUNEL showed that the number of positive apoptotic cells was significantly larger in the DCS group than in the normal control group and the safe decompression group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONApoptosis plays an important role in spinal cord injury induced by DCS. In the early stage of DCS, the massive release of TNF-α initiates apoptosis and contributes to the pathological changes in spinal cord injury induced by DCS.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Decompression Sickness ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; RNA, Messenger ; Rabbits ; Spinal Cord ; pathology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Background/Aims: Studies of hepatic steatosis (HS) effect on COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity are lacking. We aimed to compare immunogenicity of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac among moderate/severe HS and control subjects. Methods: Two hundred ninety-five subjects who received BNT162b2 or CoronaVac vaccines from five vaccination centers were categorized into moderate/severe HS (controlled attenuation parameter ≥268 dB/m on transient elastography) (n=74) or control (n=221) groups. Primary outcomes were seroconversion rates of neutralising antibody by live virus Microneutralization (vMN) assay (titer ≥10) at day21 (BNT162b2) or day28 (CoronaVac) and day56 (both). Secondary outcome was highest-tier titer response (top 25% of vMN titer; cutoff: 160 [BNT162b2] and 20 [CoronaVac]) at day 56. Results: For BNT162b2 (n=228, 77.3%), there was no statistical differences in seroconversion rates (day21: 71.7% vs. 76.6%; day56: 100% vs. 100%) or vMN geometric mean titer (GMT) (day21: 13.2 vs. 13.3; day56: 91.9 vs. 101.4) among moderate/severe HS and control groups respectively. However, lower proportion of moderate/severe HS patients had highest-tier response (day56: 5.0% vs. 15.5%; P=0.037). For CoronaVac (n=67, 22.7%), there was no statistical differences in seroconversion rates (day21: 7.1% vs. 15.1%; day56: 64.3% vs. 83.0%) or vMN GMT (5.3 vs. 5.8,) at day28. However, moderate/severe HS patients had lower vMN GMT (9.1 vs. 14.8, P=0.021) at day 56 with lower proportion having highest-tier response (21.4% vs. 52.8%, P=0.036). Conclusions While there was no difference in seroconversion rate between moderate/severe HS and control groups after two doses of vaccine, a lower proportion of moderate/severe HS patients achieved highest-tier response for either BNT162b2 or CoronaVac.

Background/Aims: Data of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine immunogenicity among chronic liver disease (CLD) and liver transplant (LT) patients are conflicting. We performed meta-analysis to examine vaccine immunogenicity regarding etiology, cirrhosis status, vaccine platform and type of antibody. Methods: We collected data via three databases from inception to February 16, 2022, and reported pooled seroconversion rate, T cell response and safety data after two vaccine doses. Results: Twenty-eight (CLD only: 5; LT only: 18; both: 2; LT with third dose: 3) observational studies of 3,945 patients were included. For CLD patients, seroconversion rate ranged between 84% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76–90%) and 91% (95% CI, 83–95%), based predominantly on neutralizing antibody and anti-spike antibody, respectively. Seroconversion rate was 81% (95% CI, 76–86%) in chronic hepatitis B, 96% (95% CI, 93–97%) in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, 85% (95% CI, 75–91%) in cirrhosis and 85% (95% CI, 78–90%) in non-cirrhosis, 86% (95% CI, 78–92%) for inactivated vaccine and 89% (95% CI, 71–96%) for mRNA vaccine. The pooled seroconversion rate of anti-spike antibody was 66% (95% CI, 55–75%) after two doses of mRNA vaccines and 88% (95% CI, 58–98%) after third dose among LT recipients. T cell response rate was 65% (95% CI, 30–89%). Prevalence of adverse events was 27% (95% CI, 18–38%) and 63% (95% CI, 39–82%) among CLD and LT groups, respectively. Conclusions CLD patients had good humoral response to COVID-19 vaccine, while LT recipients had lower response.

Objective: To comprehensively evaluate the quality of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei based on gray correlationalanalysis and functional components, and to explore the difference of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei in different genuineproducing areas. Methods: HPLC was utilized to analyze 14 main compositions contained in the samples, includingemodin, rhein, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, physcion, rheinoside, physcion glucoside, chrysophan, aloe-emodinglucoside, emodin methyl glycoside, sennoside, sennoside B, catechin and gallic acid. Then python 2.7 software wasemployed for gray correlation analysis of functional components closely related to the traditional efficacy of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei. Results: The qualities of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei grow in different areas were different. Tanggute Radix et Rhizoma Rhei grew in Tianzhu Gansu had the best effects of "expelling water retention and attacking the accumulation", and that grew in Yajiang Sichuan had the best effects of "clearing heat and removing toxin". Zhangye Radix et Rhizoma Rhei grew in Lixian Gansu had the best effect of"expelling stasis and unblocking the channels". Conclusion: Patternrecognition has broad prospects in the field of quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. From the clinicalefficacy of traditional Chinese medicine, pattern recognition at the level of efficacy components can provide a new ideafor establishing a more complete and scientific quality evaluation system for traditional Chinese medicine.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in rabbits with decompression disease (DCS), and to investigate the functioning mechanism.

METHODSA total of 21 healthy adult rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group, DCS group, and safe relief group, with 7 rabbits in each group. A rabbit DCS model was established by quick decompression. The changes in pathological morphology and mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α and GFAP in the brain and spinal cord of rabbits with DCS were determined by light microscopy, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTSCavity formation was observed in the white matter of spinal cord in DCS group. The mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α and GFAP was significantly higher in the DCS group than in the normal control group and safe relief group (P < 0.01), while no significant differences were observed in the brain (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSpinal cord is the main part of central nervous system injury in DCS. Activation of TNF-α and GFAP genes accompanied by increase in their protein expression can be observed at the early stage of DCS. The astrocytes and TNF-α play important roles in the process of spinal cord injury in DCS.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Decompression Sickness ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Male ; Rabbits ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of immunohistochemistry (IHC) for detecting common epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to estimate the cost-effectiveness of IHC testing. METHODS: A total of 208 NSCLC patients were included in the trial, and the EGFR mutation status in the patients were detected by PCR and IHC. Two mutation-specific antibodies against the most common exon 19 deletion (clone SP111) and exon 21 L858R mutation (clone SP125) were tested by using automated immunostainer. A cost-effectiveness analysis model was built for the analysis of optimal detection scheme. RESULTS: With a cutoff value of IHC 1+, the overall sensitivity and specificity of the IHC-based method compared with the PCR-based method were 81.7% (95% CI 72.4% to 89.0%) and 94.7% (95% CI 92.6% to 99.5%), respectively. EGFR 19del mutation was detected by SP111 antibody with a sensitivity of 65.9% (95% CI 49.4% to 79.9%) and specificity of 98.8% (95% CI 95.7% to 99.9%). EGFR L858R mutation was detected by SP125 antibody with a sensitivity of 94.2% (95% CI 84.1% to 98.8%) and specificity of 99.4% (95% CI 96.5% to 100%). The IHC and PCR cost ratio needed to be 1-to-3 or more in our patients to economically justify before the use of IHC. CONCLUSIONS The study confirms an excellent specificity with fairly good sensitivity of IHC and mutation-specific antibodies for common EGFR mutations. It is cost-effective to use IHC method to detect EGFR mutation first when the IHC and PCR cost ratio is 1-to-3 or more in Chinese populations.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics* ; ErbB Receptors/genetics* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms/genetics* ; Mutation