OBJECTIVE:To prepare the inclusion compound of ?-carotene and study its stability. METHODS: Inclusion compound of ?-carotene with ?-CD was prepared by improved saturated water solution method. The stability of the inclusion compound was investigated by UV spectrophotometry and the content of ?-carotene was determined as well. RESULTS: In the inclusion compound, the content of ?-carotene was 5.54%. The stability of cyclodextrin complexed ?-carotene under heating, exposure to ultraviolet light and oxidizing agent was improved, and the remaining rate of ?-carotene increased by 34.4%, 1.8%, and 64.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The stability of ?-carotene was increased after encapsulation with ?-CD.

Objective To investigate the role of transmembrane protein C0-029 in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) cells.Methods RT-PCR and Western blot were conducted to detect the CO-029 expression in ICC cells and tissues.The effect of CO-029 silencing by lenti-virus on EMT induced by TNFα was investigated.Western blot and mass spectrometry after immunoprecipitation were used to confirm whether TNFαR1 can directly or indirectly bind with CO-029 to form complexes in ICC.Results Differential expression of CO-029 was observed in ICC cells and tissues.The expression of CO-029 was significantly reduced by lenti-viral interference in ICC cells,resulting in the failure of TNFα to induce EMT.TNFαR1 in ICC could directly or indirectly form complexes with CO-029.Conclusion CO-029 mediates TNFα/TNFαR1 induced EMT in ICC,which might play an important role in the invasion and metastasis.

Objective To investigate the expressions of tetraspanin CO-029 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and to find out their clinical significance.Methods RT-PCR and western blot were used to detect the expressions of CO-029 in ICC and their matched para-tumorous tissues from 20 patients with ICC,as well as in the HCCC-9810 cell lines.The expressions of CO-029 were further detected via tissue microarray (TMA) in the pathological specimens of 40 patients with ICC.Correlations between the expressions of CO-029 and the clinicopathologic features and prognosis were analyzed.Results A high level of CO-029 was detected in the 20 patients with ICC and the HCCC-9810 cell lines via western blot and RTPCR.Moreover,the expression levels of CO-029 in the ICC tissues were higher than the matched para-tumorous tissues (P ＜ 0.05).TMA detection revealed the positive expression rate of CO-029 to be 65％ (26/40).The expression level of CO-029 was much higher in the early recurrence group (Time to recurrence,TTR ＜ 1 year) than the non-recurrence group (TTR≥ 1 year).On analysis,the correlations were significant between the expressions of CO-029 and tumor encapsulation,hilar lymph node metastasis,TNM stage and prognosis (P ＜0.05).Conclusions CO-029 was highly expressed in ICC.It had close correlations with recurrence,metastasis and prognosis of patients with ICC.

Objective To evaluate desmopressin stimulated inferior petrosal sinus sampling in diagnosing Cushing′s disease.Methods Sixteen ACTH-dependent Cushing′s disease patients underwent bilateral desmopressin stimulated inferior petrosal sinus ( IPS ) sampling because of negative or equivocal magnetic resonance imaging.Cortisol response to high-dose dexamethasone suppression test was also evaluated.ACTH sampling was taken from a peripheral vein and bilateral IPS before and both 5 and 10 min after injection of desmopressin.Diagnosis was based on the ratio of ACTH level in between IPS to peripheral vein by desmopressin test.Diagnosis was confirmed after surgery.Results High-dose dexamethasone suppression test showed suppressible in 9 of 16 patients with Cushing′s disease.An IPS gradient ＞2 was found in 14 of the 16 cases (87.5％ )with Cushing′s disease after desmopressin injection,while before injection the respective figure was 12 of 16 (75.0％).No severe adverse effects were observed during or after the procedure.Conclusion Desmopressin test during bilateral IPS sampling is a safe and effective diagnostic procedure in Cushing′s disease.

AIM:To study the effect of astragalus polysaccharides(Aps)on cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells.METHODS:After exposed to Aps at different doses,cholesterol efflux and ABCA1 protein levels in cultured THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells were determined by a ? counter and flow cytometry,respectively.RESULTS:Aps increased cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells with dose dependent pattern and resulted in an increase in the expression of ABCA1 protein in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells.CONCLUSION:The increase in cholesterol efflux by Aps might be related to the up-regulation of ABCA1.

Objective To investigate the correlation between vibration perception thresholds test (VPT) and simple screening tests for peripheral neuropathy in the diabetes clinic in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods VPT and three simple screening tests including 10 g Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination (SWME), vibration test by 128 Hz tuning fork, and temperature sensation test by Tip-Therm were completed in 487 Chinese patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes aged over 30. The relationships between these simple screening tests and VPT were evaluated by Spearman correlation and observed agreement rate. Results Abnormal VPT was significantly associated with aging and fasting plasma glucose by binary logistic regression analysis. VPT was significantly correlated with SWME, temperature sensation test, vibration test by 128 Hz tuning fork, and the correlation coefficient was 0.176, 0.152 and 0.240, respectively (P<0.01);Observed agreement between VPT and three simple screening tests including SWME, temperature sensation test, vibration test by 128 Hz tuning fork was 49.5%, 59.8% and 51.1%, respectively. The percentage of abnormal results by SWME or vibration test by 128 Hz tuning fork with normal result by VPT was very low, only 2.7% and 1.2% respectively. Conclusions VPT should also be considered as a first-choice screening test for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Objective To raise the level of clinical diagnosis for the patients with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS). Methods Five patients (4 males) with PSIS were retrospectively analyzed with respects to the clinical features, endocrine status and image characteristics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was performed at hypothalamic-pituitary region. Results The clinical manifestations of all patients consisted of growth retardation and delayed puberty without polyuria. Deficiency of multiple anterior pituitary hormones was revealed in all patients by the evaluation of endocrine status. The features of MRI included a lack of visible pituitary stalk, absence of posterior lobe hypersignal in the sella turcica and a hyperintense spot in the region of the thalamus opticus. Conclusion The clinical characteristics of patients with PSIS are growth retardation and delayed puberty. The evaluation of anterior pituitary function is necessary. The detection of an anatomical abnormality around hypothalamic-pituitary region by MRI is important diagnostic evidence.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between interleukin-6 (IL-6) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and the occurrence and prognosis of hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods: Patients with chronic hepatic diseases diagnosed as HBV infection in the Hepatology Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from July 2012 to March 2018 were divided into HBV-ACLF and non-ACLF group. SNP genotyping of eight loci in IL-6 gene (rs1524107, rs1800795, rs1800797, rs2069827, rs2069830, rs2069837, rs2069840 and rs2069845) was determined by the improved multi-temperature ligase detection reaction (imLDRTM) technique. Simultaneously, case data were reviewed with the 3-months followed up survival condition of the ACLF group. Normally distributed data were expressed as arithmetic means and SDs, and t-test was adopted. Data with skewed distribution were expressed as medians with interquartile range, and were measured by non-parametric test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relative risk of genetic polymorphism and HBV-ACLF as well as the relationship between IL-6 SNPs with the occurrence and prognosis of HBV-ACLF. Results: Four hundred patients were included in the study, with 122 (30.5%) in the HBV-ACLF and 278 (69.5%) in the non-ACLF group. There were significant differences in total bilirubin, albumin, and white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, platelet count, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin time and international standardized ratio, creatinine and the model for end-stage liver disease score between the two groups (P < 0.001). The genotype of IL-6 genes (rs1800795, rs1800797, rs2069827, and rs2069830) of all subjects showed no mutation or the mutation rate under 1%. There was no significant difference in the genotype of IL-6 (rs1524107, rs2069837, rs2069840 and rs2069845) between the two groups (P > 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the SNPs in the above four loci of IL-6 gene was not associated with HBV-ACLF risk, nor had significant correlation with the 3-months prognosis. Conclusion The SNP genotyping of eight loci in IL-6 gene (rs1524107, rs1800795, rs1800797, rs2069827, rs2069830, rs2069837, rs2069840 and rs2069845) is unrelated to the occurrence and short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF.

Objective To investigate the association between interleukin-22 (IL-22) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the prognosis of hepatitis B virus related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).Methods The patients with HBV-ACLF from the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University were retrospectively studied.Seven SNP genotypes of IL-22 gene,including rs2227478,rs2227491,rs1179251,rs1179249,rs2227473,rs2227484,and rs11611206,were detected using imLDRTM multiple SNP typing kit and the distribution features of SNP genotypes were described.The relationship between the distribution of SNP genotypes and alleles and the prognosis of ACLF was analyzed.Comparison of genotypes and allele frequencies between groups were performed by chi-square test of R × C table or Fisher's exact tests.Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze whether IL-22 gene polymorphisms was an independent prognostic factor for patients with ACLF.Results A total of 122 patients with HBV-ACLF were included in this study.Ninety-two (75.1％) were male and 30 (24.59 ％) were female.Patients were stratified as survival group (90 cases) and non-survival group (32cases) according to the Results of three months follow-up.The genotype distribution of rs2227484 of IL-22 gene was significantly different between the two groups (x2=6.128,P=0.033).The A allele frequency in the non-survival group (15.6％) was significantly higher than that in the survival group (5.6％) with statistically significance (OR=0.318,95％ CI=0.126-0.804,P=0.012).There was no significant difference in the other six SNP genotypes of IL-22 gene between the two groups (all P＞0.05).However,binary logistic regression showed that rs2227484 of IL-22 gene was not an independent risk factor for the short-term mortality in HBV-ACLF patients (adjusted OR=3.102,95％ CI:0.939-10.250,P=0.063).Conclusions The A allele and AA genotype of rs2227484 of IL-22 gene may be associated with a short-term prognosis in patients with HBV-ACLF.

Objective:To study the predictive value of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and tumor diameter on microvascular invasion (MVI) in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with an aim to establish a preoperative prediction model.Methods:The clinical data of 283 patients who underwent hepatectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from September 2017 to September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. In the 283 patients with HCC who were included into this study, 249 were males and 34 were females, aged (53.7±11.0) years. Using postoperative pathology findings, these patients were divided into two groups: the MVI negative group ( n=140) and the MVI positive group ( n=143). Correlation between MVI and related indicators was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The prediction model of MVI was then established by selecting independent risk factors. Univariate and multivariate analysis of recurrence-free survival (RFS) were performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results:Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that AFP>400 ng/ml ( OR=2.304, 95% CI: 1.329-3.995, P=0.003), SII>376.30×10 9/L ( OR=2.249, 95% CI: 1.299-3.894, P=0.004) and tumor diameter>5 cm ( OR=2.728, 95% CI: 1.587-4.687, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for MVI. The Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that AFP ( HR=1.663, 95% CI: 1.063-2.602, P=0.026) and SII ( HR=1.851, 95% CI: 1.173-2.920, P=0.008) were independent risk factors for RFS in HCC patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the model based on SII, AFP and tumor diameter were 59.4% and 75.7%, respectively. Conclusions:SII, AFP and tumor diameter were closely related to occurrence of MVI in patients with HCC. AFP and SII were independent prognostic factors of RFS. This prediction model has certain predictive values for occurrence of MVI and prognosis of HCC patients.