In the context of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized by dysregulated lipid metabolism in hepatocytes, the quest for safe and effective therapeutics targeting lipid metabolism has gained paramount importance. Sanhuang Xiexin Tang (SXT) and Baihu Tang (BHT) have emerged as prominent candidates for treating metabolic disorders. SXT combined with BHT plus Cangzhu (SBC) has been used clinically for Weihuochisheng obese patients. This retrospective analysis focused on assessing the anti-obesity effects of SBC in Weihuochisheng obese patients. We observed significant reductions in body weight and hepatic lipid content among obese patients following SBC treatment. To gain further insights, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of SBC in HFD-fed mice. The results demonstrated that SBC treatment mitigated body weight gain and hepatic lipid accumulation in HFD-fed mice. Pharmacological network analysis suggested that SBC may affect lipid metabolism, mitochondria, inflammation, and apoptosis-a hypothesis supported by the hepatic transcriptomic analysis in HFD-fed mice treated with SBC. Notably, SBC treatment was associated with enhanced hepatic mitochondrial biogenesis and the inhibition of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/NF-κB pathways. In conclusion, SBC treatment alleviates NAFLD in both obese patients and mouse models by improving lipid metabolism, potentially through enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis. These effects, in turn, ameliorate inflammation in hepatocytes.
Humans ; Mice ; Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Organelle Biogenesis ; Retrospective Studies ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Obesity/metabolism* ; Liver ; Inflammation/metabolism* ; Body Weight ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipids ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects*

Objective: To investigate the value of initial CT quantitative analysis of ground-glass opacity (GGO), consolidation, and total lesion volume and its relationship with clinical features for assessing the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Materials and Methods: A total of 84 patients with COVID-19 were retrospectively reviewed from January 23, 2020 to February 19, 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: severe group (n = 23) and non-severe group (n = 61). Clinical symptoms, laboratory data, and CT findings on admission were analyzed. CT quantitative parameters, including GGO, consolidation, total lesion score, percentage GGO, and percentage consolidation (both relative to total lesion volume) were calculated. Relationships between the CT findings and laboratory data were estimated. Finally, a discrimination model was established to assess the severity of COVID-19. Results: Patients in the severe group had higher baseline neutrophil percentage, increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and procalcitonin levels, and lower baseline lymphocyte count and lymphocyte percentage (p < 0.001). The severe group also had higher GGO score (p < 0.001), consolidation score (p < 0.001), total lesion score (p < 0.001), and percentage consolidation (p = 0.002), but had a lower percentage GGO (p = 0.008). These CT quantitative parameters were significantly correlated with laboratory inflammatory marker levels, including neutrophil percentage, lymphocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, hs-CRP level, and procalcitonin level (p < 0.05). The total lesion score demonstrated the best performance when the data cut-off was 8.2%. Furthermore, the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity were 93.8% (confidence interval [CI]: 86.8–100%), 91.3% (CI: 69.6–100%), and 91.8% (CI: 23.0–98.4%), respectively. Conclusion CT quantitative parameters showed strong correlations with laboratory inflammatory markers, suggesting that CT quantitative analysis might be an effective and important method for assessing the severity of COVID-19, and may provide additional guidance for planning clinical treatment strategies.

Through summarizing and analyzing a large number of documents and reports of large academic conferences in China, the current situation and the prospect of individualized drug delivery model were analyzed based on folate metabolic gene in pharmaceutical care. Folate metabolic genemethylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) A66G were related with development of multiple diseases. Its polymorphism guidesindividualized drug administrationto increase the efficacy of drugs or decrease adverse effects.

Objective To observe the clinical characteristics of infants with pertussis syndrome and the influence of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) on pertussis syndrome in small infants, and provide experience for improving curative effect. Methods ① The clinical data of 807 infants with pertussis syndrome treated at Wuhan Children's Hospital from January 2015 to June 2017 were retrospectively analyzed, in which their clinical characteristics including symptoms, signs and related physical and chemical examinations were summarized. ② Prospective randomized controlled trials were performed at the Children's Hospital of Wuhan from June 2017 to June 2018, there were 120 infants with ages < 6 months diagnosed as pertussis syndrome and simultaneously accompanied by gastric volvulus (GV) and GER, and they were randomly divided into a study group and a control group according to the date sequence of definite diagnosis, 60 cases in each group. The control group was given conventional medical treatment, while in the study group, additionally the infants received massage to restore gastric proper position and anti-reflux therapy. The clinical efficacies of two groups were observed. Results ① Retrospective analysis showed that clinically, pertussis syndrome commonly occurred in infants of ages < 6 months, accounting for 88.30% (713 cases); all cases had spastic cough, and 60.00% (484 cases) infants' coughing was severer at night. In laboratory examinations, 83.27% (672 cases) of the infants had elevated platelets (PLT), 25.03% (202 cases) had abnormal myocardial zymograms, and 70.38% (568 cases) had elevated white blood cells (WBC). In the pathogen examination, only were pathogens found in 34.8% infants, mainly single pathogen infection, accounting for 86.12%. Chest radiographs suggested 71.50% of infants with pneumonia, and 73.00% of infants with GER, among which 77.92% of infants were accompanied by GV. ② The prospective study showed that in the treatment of infants with pertussis syndrome accompanied by GV and GER, manual massage should be used timely to correct GV and simultaneously anti-reflux therapy should be given, in the aspects of time required to improve cough symptoms (days: 5.36±1.40 vs. 6.59±1.56, P < 0.01) and shortening of the hospital stay (days: 6.50±1.41 vs. 8.09±1.63, P < 0.01) in the study group were superior to those in the control group; the case of respiratory failure in the study group was lower than that in the control group [2 cases vs. 8 cases, P < 0.05]. Conclusions In pertussis syndrome, lymphocytes occupy the main proportion of WBC elevation that is an important differential criterion between pertussis syndrome and infantile pneumonia with gastric volvulus and gastroesophageal reflux. PLT elevation in pertussis syndrome suggests that attention should be paid to the elevation as that might be related to the disease prognosis. It is necessary to further investigate whether the positive pathogen discovered in the course of pertussis syndrome is a pathogenic one, and attention should also be paid to the medical examination of GV and GER in the small infants with pertussis syndrome, since early proper intervention to correct GV and GER can significantly improve their clinical efficacies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anxiety and depression status of patients with nasal septum deviation before and after surgery, and explore the relationship between anxiety and depression and nasal symptoms. METHOD: By means of visual analogue scale (VAS) as the evaluation index of quality of life, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to analyze statuses before and after surgery. The 98 patients with nasal septum deviation were collected. RESULT: The preoperative SAS/SDS scores of the nasal septum deviation patients were higher than those of the national standards. The level of anxiety and depression were lower than the national norm after treatment. The patients of the normal and moderate SAS/SDS scores felt better after surgery. The patients of the severe SAS/SDS scores felt the symptoms improve poor. CONCLUSION Doctors should pay attention to the application of the SAS/SDS in patients of nasal septum deviation. Surgeon should actively communicate with severe patients in psychological problems, and strictly control the surgical indication of such patients.
Anxiety ; complications ; Depression ; complications ; Humans ; Nasal Septum ; abnormalities ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Quality of Life ; Self Report

OBJECTIVETo determine expression changes of major outer membrane protein(OMP) antigens of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar Lai strain Lai during infection of human macrophages and its mechanism.

METHODSOmpR encoding genes and OmpR-related histidine kinase (HK) encoding gene of L.interrogans strain Lai and their functional domains were predicted using bioinformatics technique. mRNA level changes of the leptospiral major OMP-encoding genes before and after infection of human THP-1 macrophages were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Effects of the OmpR-encoding genes and HK-encoding gene on the expression of leptospiral OMPs during infection were determined by HK-peptide antiserum block assay and closantel inhibitive assays.

RESULTSThe bioinformatics analysis indicated that LB015 and LB333 were referred to OmpR-encoding genes of the spirochete, while LB014 might act as a OmpR-related HK-encoding gene. After the spirochete infecting THP-1 cells, mRNA levels of leptospiral lipL21, lipL32 and lipL41 genes were rapidly and persistently down-regulated (P <0.01), whereas mRNA levels of leptospiral groEL, mce, loa22 and ligB genes were rapidly but transiently up-regulated (P<0.01). The treatment with closantel and HK-peptide antiserum partly reversed the infection-based down-regulated mRNA levels of lipL21 and lipL48 genes (P <0.01). Moreover, closantel caused a decrease of the infection-based up-regulated mRNA levels of groEL, mce, loa22 and ligB genes (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONExpression levels of L.interrogans strain Lai major OMP antigens present notable changes during infection of human macrophages. There is a group of OmpR-and HK-encoding genes which may play a major role in down-regulation of expression levels of partial OMP antigens during infection.

Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; metabolism ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Chaperonin 60 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leptospira interrogans ; genetics ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Lipoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; microbiology

Objective To investigate the effects of monocytes on phenotypic changes of human proximal tubular HK-2 cells and the mechanism.Methods Monocytes were co-cultured with HK-2 cells.Morphological changes of HK-2 cells were detected by inverted phase contrast microscope.Expressions of E-cadherin,α-SMA and fibronectin were assessed by RT-PCR,Western blotting and immunocytochemical staining.Flow cytometry techniques was applied to evaluate intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression on HK-2 cells.The intracellular signal was investigated by gene microarr ay.Results The typical epithelial cell morphology of HK-2 cells disappeared after co-culture with monocytes,accompanied by decreased E-cadherin expression and increased α-SMA and fibronectin expression (all P＜0.05).The expression of ICAM-1 on HK-2 cells was increased by monocytes stimulation.Interestingly,administration of CD18 antibody directly inhibited the phenotypic change of HK-2 cells.Furthermore,NF-κB signaling might be critical in mediating this process,and blockade of this signaling pathway could inhibit 1CAM-1 expression and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) formation.Conclusion Monocytes can directly induce EMT of HK-2 cells via up-regulating ICAM-1 through NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To build an antibody microarray based on direct labeling strategy for microalbnrninuria measurement, and evaluate it's technical potentiality for clinical application. Methods Urine samples of diabetic patients were collected. Antibody microarrays were constructed by preparation of array support, array fabrication, then protein assay and data analysis were performed. Procedure conditions for each step especially the labeling of samples were optimized. The set-ups were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility. Urinary albumin excretion in the samples was detected by fabricated protein array, which was compared to that detected with immunoturbidimetry. Results The signal intensity was best when protein quality ratio of pure albumin or urine sample against NHS-biotin was 2:1. A calibration curve with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995 was established. The lower limit of detection was 0.0617 mg/L. Interehip and intrachip variation studies conducted on patient urine demonstrated CVs as 6.78%-9.22% and 3.35%-7.59%, respectively. Compared with the immunoturbidimetry, the antibody microarray was able to detect the extremely lower grade albumin in urine samples. The correlation coefficient of the results obtained by the two methods was 0.9199 (P <0.01). Conclusion An antibody microarray based on direct labeling strategy for microalbuminuria measurement is successfully established, which is comparable to immunoturbidimctry in its accuracy and will have great potential for clinical use with its high throughput, sensitivity, specifity and reproducibility.

This study examined the effects of Bangdeyun on the expressions of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the endometrium of mice with embryo implantation dysfunction (EID) during the implantation time (namely on pregnancy day 5, 6, 7 and 8) and explored the local immune regulatory effects of Bangdeyun. The gestational mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group and Bangdeyun-treated group. EID models of mice were established by using indomethacin. The endometrial expression of NF-kappaB was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. IFN-gamma and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that in the normal group, NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma were weakly expressed and IL-10 was strongly expressed in the endometrium during the whole implantation period. In the model group, the expressions of NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma were increased on pregnancy day 5, 6 and 7, and IL-10 expression decreased during the whole implantation time when compared with those in the normal group (P<0.01 for all). In the Bangdeyun-treated group, little amount of NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma was expressed and IL-10 expression was strong, much the way they were expressed in the normal group (P>0.05). The expressions of NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma were much lower in the Bangdeyun-treated group than those in the model group on pregnancy day 5, 6 and 7 (P<0.01 for all), while the expression of IL-10 was much higher than in the model group during the whole implantation time (P<0.01). It was suggested Bangderun may favor a shift from Th1- to Th2-type immune response, therefore inhibiting the maternal immune rejection, inducing the immune tolerance and improving the fetal implantation.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*pharmacology ; Embryo Implantation, Delayed/*drug effects ; Embryo Implantation, Delayed/immunology ; Endometrium/*immunology ; Endometrium/metabolism ; Interferon-gamma/genetics ; Interferon-gamma/metabolism ; Interleukin-10/genetics ; Interleukin-10/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/genetics ; NF-kappa B/metabolism