BACKGROUNDThe domestic prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in China is 7.18% in 2006, imposing great societal healthcare burdens. Nucleot(s)ide analogues (NUCs) anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapies are widely applied despite the relatively low rate of seroconversion and high risk of drug-resistant mutation. More effective treatments for CHB deserve further explorations. Combined therapy of NUCs plus Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is widely accepted in China, which is recognized as a prospective alternative approach. The study was primarily designed to confirm the hypothesis that Tiaogan-Yipi Granule (, TGYP) or Tiaogan-Jianpi-Jiedu Granule (, TGJPJD) plus entecavir tablet (ETV) was superior over ETV monotherapy in enhancing HBeAg loss rate.

METHODSThe study was a nationwide, large-scale, multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with a designed duration of 108 weeks. A total of 16 hospitals and 596 eligible Chinese HBeAg positive CHB patients were enrolled from November 2012 to September 2013 and randomly allocated into 2 groups in 1:1 ratio via central randomization system: experimental group (EG) and control group (CG). Subjects in EG received CM formulae (TGYP or TGJPJD, 50 g per dose, twice daily) plus ETV tablet (or ETV placebo) 0.5 mg per day in the first 24 weeks (stage 1), and CHM granule plus ETV tablet (0.5 mg per day) from week 25 to 108 (stage 2). Subjects in CG received CHM Granule placebo plus ETV tablet (0.5 mg per day) for 108 weeks throughout the trial. The assessments of primary outcomes (HBV serum markers and HBV-DNA) were conducted by a third-party College of American Pathologists (CAP) qualified laboratory. Adverse effects were observed in the hospitals of recruitment.

DISCUSSIONThe study was designed to compare the curative effect of CM plus ETV and ETV monotherapy in respect of HBeAg loss, which is recognized by the European Association for the Study of the Liver as "a valuable endpoint". We believe this trial could provide a reliable status for patients' "journey" towards durable responses after treatment discontinuation. The trial was registered before recruitment on Chinese Clinical trial registry (No. ChiCTR-TRC-12002784, Version 1.0, 2015/12/23).

The aim of this paper was to study the curative effect of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo (HTJDTL) decoction on a rabbit model with early atherosclerosis (AS),and furtherly to explore whether it could inhibit the BH4/eNOS uncoupling ROS or not. Twenty-four Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, HTJDTL decoction group and atorvastatin group. Rabbit models with early atherosclerosis were established by high fat diet, nitrogen drying and carotid artery balloon injury. The rabbits were sacrificed at 7th days after balloon injury and several parameters were measured. The pathological morphology of the common carotid artery was observed by HE staining. The blood lipids were detected by peroxidase method. The ratio of vascular eNOS dimer and monomer was measured by Western blot. The ELISA and biochemical technology were respectively used for testing BH4 and ROS levels in serum. The results showed that compared with the sham operation group, the model group had mild stenosis of the common carotid artery lumen, uneven intimal hyperplasia, lipid deposition in the intima and media, and obvious hyperplasia of the adventitia with inflammatory cell infiltration. The HTJDTL decoction could significantly inhibit the intimal hyperplasia compared with the model group, meanwhile, reduce the lipid deposition of the media and the infiltration of the adventitial cells. Compared with the sham operation group, the blood lipids and ROS of the model animals significantly increased, but BH4 and the ratio of eNOS dimer/monomer decreased. Compared with the model group, HTJDTL decoction significantly reduced the TC, ox-LDL and ROS levels, and also up-regulated eNOS dimer/monomer ratio, but it increased BH4 trend without statistical difference. According to the results, it was found that HTJDTL decoction couldsignificantly prevent and improve the vascular remodeling of rabbits model with early atherosclerosis. The mechanism of decoction may largely be related to the inhibition of BH4/eNOS uncoupling and the reduction of oxidative stress.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Carotid Arteries ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

Fifteen pediatric cases of suspected Japanese encephalitis (JE) were reported in Beijing Children's Hospital during the late summer of 2013. The clinical manifestations in most cases included high fever, seizures, and abnormal magnetic resonance imaging findings. Twelve of 15 cases were laboratory-confirmed as JE cases by pathogen identification. Epidemiological investigations showed that five of the 12 laboratory-confirmed patients had an incomplete JE vaccination history. Follow-up investigations after discharge indicated that seven laboratory-confirmed JE patients without JE vaccinations had relatively poor prognoses, with an average Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) score of 2.6 when compared with the other five laboratory-confirmed, JE-vaccinated patients with an average MRS score of 0.5. The observation of pediatric JE cases among those with a history of JE vaccination warrants further attention.
Beijing ; epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese ; physiology ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Female ; Humans ; Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE To enrich the total alkaloids and total phenols from mulberry.METHODS Combined appling cat-ion exchange resin and macroporous absorption resin to enrich and purify the total alkaloids and total phenols,then verify and optimize the process.RESULTS The process contributed to enrich and purify the total alkaloids and total phenols from mul-berry.The content of DNJ,chlorogenic acid and rutin can achieve 0.17%,3.05% and 0.92%.CONCLUSION Using cation exchange resin and macroporous absorption resin to concentration of the total alkaloids and total phenols may be applied for the real bulk production.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cefaze-done injection ( CZD) compared with cefazolin injection ( CZL) in the treatment of acute bacterial respiratory infections.Methods Eligible subjects were divided randomly to receive 2.0 g cefazedone injection or cefazolin injection twice a day for 7 to 14 days.Efficacy and safety evaluation were done in accordance with the clinical trial protocol.Results Two hundred and sixty patients in 11 hospitals were en-rolled, 126 in CZD group( trial) and 134 in CZL group( control).There were no statistical differences in basic conditions between two groups( P >0.05 ).Cure rates of CZD group and CZL group were 95.5% and 94.9% in PPS ( P>0.05 ).Bacteria clearance rates of CZD group and CZL group were100% and 91.7% in BPPS and the total cure rates of CZD group and CZL group were 94.4% and 91.7% in BPPS, respectively ( P>0.05).Ten out off 126 patients in CZD group and 14 out off 134 in CZL group developed adverse events( AE ).Six and eleven events in CZD group and CZL group
were evaluated to be related with study drugs.One case in CZL group developed severe AE , which was considered not related with study drug.Conclusion Cefazedone injection is safe and effective in the treatment of respiratory infections.