ObjectiveThe natural history of chronic HBV infection often involves a histologically defined immune tolerance state， and once such immune tolerance state is broken， antiviral therapy should be initiated immediately. This study aims to investigate the correlation between immune-mediated liver injury and virological indicators for HBV and precisely identify the patients with a histologically defined immune tolerance state. MethodsThis study was conducted among 577 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B （CHB） patients with HBV DNA >2×10⁶ IU/mL who did not receive antiviral therapy in The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital， Tianjin Second People’s Hospital， Shanghai Ruijin Hospital， and Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2010 to December 2022. Liver biopsy was performed to determine the extent of liver injury， and the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and virological indicators were measured. The proportion of patients with a histologically defined immune tolerance state was analyzed based on the cut-off values of noninvasive indicators recommended in various guidelines， especially HBV load. In addition， a diagnostic model was established for the histologically defined immune tolerance state based on serum HBV DNA at the time when its correlation with liver immunopathological injury disappeared as the new threshold in combination with multiple indicators. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The Spearman method was used for correlation analysis. The binary Logistic regression analysis was used to establish a multivariate diagnostic model； the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve （AUC） was used to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of different models， and the Z test was used for comparison of AUC. ResultsAmong the patients with an immune tolerance state defined by the noninvasive indicators in the Chinese guidelines （2022 edition）， the EASL guidelines （2017 edition）， the AASLD guidelines （2018 edition）， and the APASL guidelines （2015 edition） for the prevention and treatment of CHB， the patients with a histologically defined immune tolerance state who met the definition in this article （HBV DNA>2×10⁶ IU/mL） accounted for 47.0%， 38.5%， 36.0%， and 44.6%， respectively， which did not exceed 50%. When the threshold of serum HBV DNA increased to >2×10⁸ IU/mL， although the correlation between immune-mediated liver injury and HBV DNA disappeared （r=-0.029， P=0.704）， the patients with a histologically defined immune tolerance state reached only 52.0%. In the cohort of 251 HBeAg-positive patients with serum HBV DNA >1×10⁸ IU/mL， there were significant differences in the levels of HBsAg， HBeAg， HBV DNA， ALT， and AST between the significant liver injury group with 140 children and the non-significant liver injury group with 111 patients （all P<0.05）， and the multivariate binary Logistic regression analysis showed that AST， HBV DNA， and HBeAg were influencing factors for histologically defined immune tolerance state in patients （all P<0.05）. Based on the above indicators and related clinical data， a predictive model was established as logit（P）=1.424－0.028×AST， with an AUC of 0.730， an optimal cut-off value of 30.5 U/L， a sensitivity of 52.8%， and a specificity of 84.1%. A total of 238 adult patients with chronic HBV infection who underwent liver biopsy in Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province were enrolled as the validation cohort， and the analysis showed that the predictive model established in this study had a better efficiency than AST/ALT， FIB-4， and APRI， with an AUC of 0.698， 0.555， 0.518， and 0.373， respectively （all P<0.05）. ConclusionFor HBeAg-positive patients with chronic HBV infection and HBV DNA>2×10⁸ IU/mL， an AST level of >30.5 U/L might indicate the “breakdown” of histologically defined immune tolerance state.

Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanism and identify potential drugs for subthreshold depression (SD), and elucidate the detalied mechanism of Danzhi Xiaoyao powder (DZXY) in SD. Methods: Using RNA-sequencing, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leukocytes of SD compared to healthy controls, deciphered their functions and pathways, and identified the hub genes of SD. We also assessed changes in leukocyte transcription factor activity in patients with SD using the TELiS platform. The Connectivity Map database was retrieved to screen candidate drugs for SD. Based on network pharmacology, we elucidated the “multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway” mechanism of DZXY in the treatment of SD. Results: We identified 1080 DEGs (padj <0.05 and |log2 (fold change)| ≥ 1 & protein coding) in the leukocytes of patients with SD. These DEGs, including hub genes, were primarily involved in immune and inflammatory response-related processes. Transcription factor activity analysis revealed similarities between the leukocyte transcriptome profile in SD and the conserved transcriptional response to adversities in immune cells. Connectivity Map analysis identified 28 potential drugs for SD treatment, particularly SB-202190 and TWS-119. Constructing the “Direct Compounds-Direct Targets-Pathways” network for DZXY and SD revealed the curative mechanisms of DZXY in SD, primarily including inflammatory response, lipid metabolism, immune response, and other processes. Conclusion These results provide new insights into the characteristics and functional changes of leukocytes in SD, partially illustrate the pathogenesis of SD, and suggest potential drugs for SD. The curative mechanisms of DZXY in SD are also partially elucidated.

Objectives:To explore the antitumor effects of redox-responsive nanoparticles containing platinum(Ⅳ)—NP@Pt(Ⅳ) in ovarian cancer.Methods:Redox-responsive polymer carriers were synthesized. Polymer carriers and platinum(Ⅳ)—Pt(Ⅳ) can self-assemble into NP@Pt(Ⅳ). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was performed to detect the platinum release from NP@Pt(Ⅳ) in reducing environment and the platinum content in ovarian cancer cells ES2 treated with cisplatin, Pt(Ⅳ) and NP@Pt(Ⅳ). The proliferation ability of the ovarian cancer cells were detected by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cellular apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Collection of primary ovarian cancer tissues from patients with primary high-grade serous ovarian cancer who were surgically treated at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from October to December 2022. The high-grade serous ovarian cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice were intravenously injected with Cy7.5 labeled NP@Pt(Ⅳ) followed by in vivo imaging system. Mice were treated with PBS, cisplatin and NP@Pt(Ⅳ). Tumor volume and weight were measured in each group. Necrosis, apoptosis and cell proliferation of tumor tissues were detected by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, TUNEL fluorescence staining and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry staining. Body weight and HE staining of heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney of mice in each group were measured.Results:The platinum release of NP@Pt(Ⅳ) after 48 hours in reducing environment was 76.29%, which was significantly higher than that of 26.82% in non-reducing environment ( P<0.001). The platinum content in ES2 cells after 4 hours and 7 hours of treatment with NP@Pt(Ⅳ) (308.59, 553.15 ng/million cells) were significantly higher than those of Pt(Ⅳ) (100.21, 180.31 ng/million cells) and cisplatin (43.36, 50.36 ng/million cells, P＜0.05). The half inhibitory concentrations of NP@Pt(Ⅳ) in ovarian cancer cells ES2, A2780, A2780DDP were 1.39, 1.42 and 4.62 μmol/L, respectively, which were lower than those of Pt(IV) (2.89, 7.27, and 16.74 μmol/L) and cisplatin (5.21, 11.85, and 71.98 μmol/L). The apoptosis rate of ES2 cells treated with NP@Pt(Ⅳ) was (33.91±3.80)%, which was significantly higher than that of Pt(Ⅳ) [(16.28±2.41)%] and cisplatin [(15.01±1.17)%, P＜0.05]. In high-grade serous ovarian cancer PDX model, targeted accumulation of Cy7.5 labeled NP@Pt(Ⅳ) at tumor tissue could be observed. After the treatment, the tumor volume of mice in NP@Pt(IV) group was (130±98) mm 3, which was significantly lower than those in control group [(1 349±161) mm 3, P<0.001] and cisplatin group [(715±293) mm 3, P=0.026]. The tumor weight of mice in NP@Pt(IV) group was (0.17±0.09)g, which was significantly lower than those in control group [(1.55±0.11)g, P<0.001] and cisplatin group [(0.82±0.38)g, P=0.029]. The areas of tumor necrosis and apoptosis in mice treated with NP@Pt(Ⅳ) were higher than those in mice treated with cisplatin. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that there were low expressions of Ki-67 at tumor tissues of mice treated with NP@Pt(Ⅳ) compared with cisplatin. The change in body weight of mice in NP@Pt(Ⅳ) group was not significantly different from that of the control group [(18.56±2.04)g vs.(20.87±0.79)g, P=0.063]. Moreover, the major organs of the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney were also normal by HE staining. Conclusion:Redox-responsive NP@Pt(Ⅳ), produced in this study can enhance the accumulation of cisplatin in ovarian cancer cells and improve the efficacy of ovarian cancer chemotherapy.

Objective:To investigate the factors related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children.Methods:Clinical data of 370 children who underwent 24h multi-channel impedance-pH monitoring (24h MII-pH) in Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2015 to December 2020 were enrolled in the study. The children were divided into GERD group ( n=202)and non-GERD group ( n=168) according to results of 24h MII-pH. The relationship of sex, age, body mass index (BMI), disease course, peripheral blood eosinophils count, IgE, Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, hiatus hernia of patients with GERD was analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results:In GERD group 124 were males and 78 were females with a mean age of (6.4±4.1) years (2 months to 16.75 years), and in non-GERD group 82 were males and 86 were females with a mean age of (8.0±3.5) years (10 months to 15.17 years). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that sex( OR=0.600,95% CI:0.396-0.908, P=0.016), age ( OR=0.537,95% CI:0.412-0.699, P<0.001)and hiatus hernia( OR=7.433,95% CI:2.567-21.520, P<0.001)were significantly associated with GERD of the children. Multivariate analysis showed that hiatus hernia ( OR=4.023,95% CI:1.298-12.470, P=0.016) was the independent risk factor, while male gender ( OR=0.567,95% CI:0.367-0.874, P=0.010) and younger age ( OR=0.613, 95%CI:0.459-0.819, P=0.001 ) were related factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children. Conclusion:Sex, age, and hiatal hernia are factors related to GERD in children.

Objective:To explore the relationship and dynamic changes between virological markers and hepatic pathological damage due to host anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunity in the natural course of disease in chronic HBV infected patients.Methods:Two hundred and thirty-eight adult chronic HBV-infected patients who underwent liver biopsy from January 2016 to June 2022 in Taizhou Hospital, Zhejiang Province, were retrospectively selected. General clinical data such as age, gender, platelets, ALT, AST, albumin, HBV DNA, qHBsAg, HBeAg, and liver pathology diagnostic indexes such as the grade of liver necroinflammation and liver fibrotic stages of the patients were collected. The patients were grouped according to HBeAg status, and subgrouped according to different grades of liver necroinflammation and different HBV DNA loads. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the differences in HBV virologic marker levels between the groups, and the correlation between them and the indicators of hepatic inflammatory injury, such as ALT,AST, and the grade of liver necroinflammation in the patients.Results:The levels of HBV virological markers in HBeAg-positive patients with moderate or higher liver necroinflammatory grade (G≥2) were significantly lower than those with mild (no) liver necroinflammatory grade (G < 2) ( P < 0.01); whereas the opposite trend was observed in HBeAg-negative patients, with the levels of HBV DNA, and qHBsAg in the G≥2 subgroup being significantly higher than those in the G < 2 subgroup ( P < 0.01). Correspondingly, HBV DNA level and qHBsAg showed weak to moderately strong negative correlation with liver necroinflammatory grade and AST which was an indicator of hepatic inflammatory injury in HBeAg-positive patients ( P < 0.05); whereas in HBeAg-negative patients, they showed weak to moderately strong positive correlation with hepatic inflammatory activity and ALT, AST ( P < 0.001), in which qHBsAg showed only a weak positive correlation with patients' liver necroinflammatory grade ( P = 0.003). Further subgroup analyses of HBeAg-positive patients according to whether the HBV DNA level was > 2×10 6 IU/ml showed weak to moderate negative correlations between HBV virological markers and liver necroinflammatory grade as well as ALT and AST in the subgroup of patients with HBV DNA > 2×10 6 IU/ml ( P < 0.05); however, the negative correlation disappeared in patients who were still HBeAg positive and had HBV DNA ≤ 2×10 6 IU/ml. Moreover, HBV DNA and ALT, HBeAg and AST showed moderate positive correlation ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:We speculate that the activation of host anti-HBV immunity can efficiently inhibit HBV replication by targeting the infected hepatocytes, but only in the early phase of disease progression in HBeAg positive patients with HBV DNA high (> 2×10 6 IU/ml).

Objective:To investigate the collateral circulation compensation model in patients with favorable prognosis of basilar artery occlusion/severe stenosis treated with drugs or endovascular therapy.Methods:Clinical data of patients with basilar artery occlusion/severe stenosis and good clinical outcome were retrospectively collected in the Department of Neurology, Sixth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2019 to January 2020. They were divided into intensive drug therapy group and combined endovascular therapy group. The number and ways of collateral compensation pathway described by digital substraction angiography (DSA) were analyzed, and the characteristics of the collateral compensation model were summarized. SPSS22.0 software was used for statistical analysis, and the constituent ratio (%) was used for statistical description of the enumeration data.Results:A total of 32 eligible patients were included, including 27 males and 5 females, with an average age 45-76 (59±10) years. The compensation model included posterior communicating artery-posterior cerebral artery (13 cases, 40.6%), posterior communicating artery-posterior cerebral artery-basilar artery (10 cases, 31.2%), cerebellar artery-anastomotic branches of superior cerebellar artery (8 cases, 25.0%), anterior choroid artery-anastomotic branches of posterior choroid artery (2 cases, 6.2%), collateral circulation not established (11 cases, 34.4%).In drug treatment group, collateral compensation was found in the majority (14/15), with mainly posterior communicating artery (10/14).Most patients in combined treatment group did not develop collateral compensation (10/17), anastomotic branches of PICA-SCA were the main routes (6/7).Conclusion:In patients with basilar artery occlusion/severe stenosis, favorable clinical outcome can be achieved in both groups of patients treated with intensive drug therapy or endovascular therapy.

The mitochondrial quality control system maintains mitochondrial homeostasis mainly through protein degradation, vesicle transport, and mitophagy. Mitochondrial biosynthesis, dynamics, and calcium ion play key regulative roles in mitochondrial quality control. Under normal conditions, the mitochondrial quality control system can work well. In recent years, studies have found that mitochondrial dysfunction is closely associated with the occurrence of heart failure. In order to understand mitochondrial function, this paper reviews mitochondrial quality control methods, regulatory factors and their potential therapeutic applications in heart failure.

Objective To investigate the role of real-time PCR(qPCR) assay for EBNA fragments in quantitative detection of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)DNA loads and the diagnose value of combining EBNA assay with common qPCR assay (designed on Bamh1-W fragments) in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) patients Methods EBV DNA loads of 234 blood samples(66 NPC samples included)were detected using two methods and DNA loads inside and outside cells were detected respectively. Positive rate obtained through different methods was compared. Regression analysis and t test were used to validate the methodology. Results Positive rate of EB-NA assay(53.42% in all samples and 51.52% in NPC samples)was lower than that of Bamh1-W assay(69.23%in all samples ,71.21% in NPC samples),however the combination of two methods could enhance the positive rate(70.94% in all samples,72.73% in NPC samples),especially in NPC samples. The correlation R2 of EBNA assay and Bamh1-W assay was 0.577(P < 0.05)and the difference was statistically significant. In NPC samples , R2 was 0.828 (P > 0.05) and it showed good correlation but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions The combination of EBNA assay and Bamh1-W assay can improve the positive rate in EBV DNA loads detection and its efficiency is more significant in NPC patients ,which shows significance in EBV DNA loads quantification and in the auxiliary diagnosis of NPC.

The growth of fibroblasts on the acellular dermal matrix (ADM) was studied. The fibroblasts isolated from the skin of an adult New Zealand Rabbit were cultured in vitro and identified subsequently. After the cells were inoculated on the ADM as seeds, the adhesion rate and the growth ability were examined, and cellular morphology was assayed with DAPI fluorescent staining and Scanning electron microscope (SEM). The possibilities of applying ADM as cells carrier or deliverer in the field of transplantation were evaluated. The result revealed that pure fibroblasts were isolated through the specific method. Skin fibroblasts could adhere to ADM easily, and the adhesion rate was 96.78%, displaying no significant difference (P > 0.05) when compared with that rate of the control holes. The cells on the scaffolds and those on the control holes showed similar growth tendencies, but the activity of the former was lower (P < 0.01). The integral nucleus with blue fluorescence could be observed on the ADM under fluorescence microscope. The number of fibroblasts scaled up with the cultured time, The results of SEM showed that the state of cell was good and the fibroblasts were fused into a layer after being cultured for 5-10d. So rabbit fibroblasts can attach, survive, grow and proliferate on the ADM in a healthy way. It is entirely possible to use ADM as an appropriate scaffold material for the culture of fibroblasts and as a material for transplantations.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dermis ; cytology ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Rabbits ; Skin ; cytology ; Skin, Artificial ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

Konjac glucomannan-collagen-chitosan blend films were prepared successfully by the solvent-casting method and were characterized by FT-IR,X-ray diffraction, SEM and optical transmittance. Moreover, tensile strength, breaking extension, water absorption, water vapor permeation coefficients, adsorbability and penetrating rates were measured. The results indicated that some strong interaction and good compatibility existed among Konjac glucomannan /collagen and chitosan in the blend films. Some properties of the KCCS films were improved markedly in comparison with binary blend films or Konjac glucomannan, collagen and chitosan film. The results of culturing vessel endothelial cells on CKCS-5 film showed that the blend films have good cell compatibility which indicates the potential for a scalfold material in tissue engineering.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Cells, Cultured ; Chitosan ; chemistry ; Collagen ; chemistry ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Mannans ; chemistry ; Materials Testing ; Membranes, Artificial ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Tensile Strength ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; X-Ray Diffraction