Changes in gut microbiota composition and diversity associated with post-cholecystectomy diarrhea.

Background: Post-cholecystectomy diarrhea (PCD) frequently occurs in patients following gallbladder removal. PCD is part of the post-cholecystectomy (PC) syndrome, and is difficult to treat. After cholecystectomy, bile enters the duodenum directly, independent of the timing of meals.

Urotensin II and urantide exert opposite effects on the cellular components of atherosclerotic plaque in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Increasing levels of plasma urotensin II (UII) are positively associated with atherosclerosis. In this study we investigated the role of macrophage-secreted UII in atherosclerosis progression, and evaluated the therapeutic value of urantide, a potent competitive UII receptor antagonist, in atherosclerosis treatment. Macrophage-specific human UII-transgenic rabbits and their nontransgenic littermates were fed a high cholesterol diet for 16 weeks to induce atherosclerosis.

Further evidence for the association of genetic variants of ZNF804A with schizophrenia and a meta-analysis for genome-wide significance variant rs1344706.

Recent accumulating evidence has indicated that ZNF804A (zinc finger protein 804A) may be one of the most robustly implicated genes in schizophrenia. In this report, we examined ZNF804A single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) encompassing exon 4 by performing an association study that used a Han Chinese sample comprised of 492 schizophrenia patients and 516 healthy control subjects. A meta-analysis based on previous studies was also performed.

Comparison of entecavir and adefovir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

The results of several new clinical trials that compared the effectiveness of entecavir (ETV) treatment with that of adefovir (ADV) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were published in recent years. However, the numbers of patients included in these clinical trials were too small to draw a clear conclusion as to whether ETV is more effective than ADV. Therefore, a new meta-analysis was needed to compare ETV with ADV for the treatment of CHB.

Association between TaqIB polymorphism of cholesteryl ester transfer protein and coronary artery disease in the Chinese population.

Objective: To assess whether the TaqIB polymorphism of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in Chinese population, we performed a meta-analysis in this paper.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Science Citation Index (SCI), the China Biological Medicine database (CBM), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Wanfang database for relevant articles. Data were extracted, and pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Resveratrol inhibits VEGF expression of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells through a NF-kappa B-mediated mechanism.

Background/aims: Resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytochemical present in berries, grapes, and wine, has emerged as a promising chemopreventive candidate. The aim of the present study was to determine the inhibitory effect of resveratrol on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to explore its mechanism.

Methodology: VEGF protein was detected by western blot, whereas VEGF mRNA expression was investigated by RT-PCR.

Matrine inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Matrine is the major active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Sophora flavescens, but the molecular mechanisms of matrine on tumor invasion inhibition remain unclear. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effects of matrine on invasion ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B expression. The expression activity of MMP-9 was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and gelatin zymography analysis.

[Meta analysis on acupuncture treatment of aphasia].

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture for the aphasia.

Methods: The publications of acupuncture for the treatment of aphasia are comprehensively searched from relevant domestic medical literature databases, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chinese BioMedical Literature Database. Meta analysis was conducted by using the publications.

[Bioinformatics analysis on CK8 full length coding sequence and eukaryotic expression in SMMC7721 cells].

Aim: To construct an eukaryotic expression vector containing the coding region of human full length cytokeratin 8 gene and to detect its expression in SMMC7721 cells.

Methods: CK8 cDNA was amplified by RT-PCR and cloned to pMD18-T simple vector. After confirming the sequence, the cDNA was inserted into pEGFP-C1 and the positive clone pEGFP-CK8 was obtained.

Treatment with peginterferon versus interferon in Chinese patients with hepatitis B.

Several new clinical trials to compare the efficiency of pegylated interferon (PEGIFN) treatment with IFN treatment in Chinese patients with hepatitis B were published in recent years. However, the numbers of patients included in these clinical trials are too small to draw a clear conclusion whether PEGIFN is more effective than INF in Chinese patients. Therefore, a new meta-analysis was needed to be performed to compare PEGIFN with IFN in the treatment of Chinese hepatitis B patients.

[Expression of keratin 8 in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury of mice].

Objective: To investigate the expression of keratin 8 (K8) in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver injury of mice.

Methods: Forty ICR mice were divided into four groups. CCl(4) 300 microl/kg body weight in olive oil was injected intraperitoneally for 0, 2, 4, 6 weeks in group A, B, C and D, respectively.

[Meta-analysis on peginterferon plus ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4 infection in HIV patients].

Objective: To perform a Meta-analysis on peginterferon with interferon in treatment of HIV patients coinfected with refractory genotype HCV.

Methods: A literature search of Medline was conducted to identify eligible randomized controlled trials. Meta analysis was conducted to evaluate peginterferon and interferon in treatment of coinfected HCV genotype 1 or 4 in HIV patients.

Anticancer activity of PDSS2, prenyl diphosphate synthase, subunit 2, in gastric cancer tissue and the SGC7901 cell line.

The aim of this study was to assess whether PDSS2 (prenyl diphosphate synthase, subunit 2), a candidate tumor suppressor protein, has a potential anticancer role in human gastric cancer tissue and the SGC7901 gastric cell line. A PDSS2 eukaryotic expression vector was constructed and introduced into SGC7901 cells. The relationship between PDSS2 expression and cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis in tumor cells was analyzed by RT-PCR, western blotting, the MTT colorimetric assay, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry.

[Differential expression of genes related to transcription in cultured hepatoma cells with intact genome of hepatitis C virus].

Objective: To investigate the effects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) on transcription regulation genes of host cells by gene chip assays in cultured cells with intact HCV genome.

Methods: Huh-7 hepatoma cells were cultured and infected with in vitro constructed HCV. The total RNAs, proteins and cell culture supernatants of HCV infected cells and control cells were isolated.

[Effects of resveratrol on matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in hepatoma cells].

Objective: To observe the effects of resveratrol on proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 cells and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in vitro.

Methods: SMMC-7721 cells were treated with different concentrations of resveratrol for 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. The effect of resveratrol on proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells was assessed with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT).

[Current status and perspective of hepatitis C virus models].

Lack of proper study models has brought difficulties in the study of the mechanism of viral infection, life cycle and pathogenic mechanism of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and also become the major obstacles in development of efficient vaccine and new drugs for hepatitis C. In recent years, the establishment of robust HCV cell culture infection system and HCV transgenic animal provide powerful tools for the analysis of host virus interactions, which facilitate the discovery of antiviral drugs and vaccines for this important human pathogen.