evaluation of liver function by multimodal imaging in an alcohol-induced liver injury model.

Background: Visually evaluating liver function is a hot topic in hepatology research. There are few reliable and practical visualization methods for evaluating the liver function in experimental studies. In this study, we established a multimodal imaging approach for liver function evaluation and compared healthy mice with chronic alcoholic liver injury (cALI) model mice to explore its potential applicability in experimental research.

Brain structure underlying the empathizing-systemizing difference in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Behavioral research has shown that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a higher empathizing-systemizing difference (D score) than normal children. However, there is no research about the neuroanatomical mechanisms of the empathizing-systemizing difference in children with ASD.

Methods: Participants comprised 41 children with ASD and 39 typically developing (TD) children aged 6‒12 years.

A predictive model for identifying secondary underlying diseases of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Background: Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, life-threatening disease of immune hyperactivation that arises in the context of infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic triggers. The aim of this study was to establish a predictive model for the timely differential diagnosis of the original disease resulting in HLH by validating clinical and laboratory findings to further improve the efficacy of therapeutics for HLH.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 175 secondary HLH patients in this study, including 92 patients with hematologic disease and 83 patients with rheumatic disease.

Role of intestinal flora in primary sclerosing cholangitis and its potential therapeutic value.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic cholestasis, a persistent inflammation of the bile ducts that leads to sclerotic occlusion and cholestasis. Gut microbes, consisting of microorganisms colonized in the human gut, play an important role in nutrient intake, metabolic homeostasis, immune regulation, and immune regulation; however, their presence might aid PSC development. Studies have found that gut-liver axis interactions also play an important role in the pathogenesis of PSC.

Effects of electroacupuncture on liver function in mice with chronic alcoholic liver injury: visual display by fluorescence imaging.

Objective: Acupuncture can improve the symptoms of alcohol-induced bodily injury and has been accepted by the World Health Organization. In this study, fluorescence imaging (IVFI) was applied to display and evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on liver function (LF) in mice with chronic alcoholic liver injury (cALI).

Methods: IVFI of the Cy5.

The gut microbiota-bile acid axis: A potential therapeutic target for liver fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis involves the proliferation and deposition of extracellular matrix on liver tissues owing to various etiologies (including viral, alcohol, immune, and metabolic factors), ultimately leading to structural and functional abnormalities in the liver. If not effectively treated, liver fibrosis, a pivotal stage in the path to chronic liver disease, can progress to cirrhosis and eventually liver cancer; unfortunately, no specific clinical treatment for liver fibrosis has been established to date. In liver fibrosis cases, both the gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism are disrupted.

[Sixty years of meridian-collateral exploration: a road of interdisciplinary research].

The theory of traditional Chinese medicine believes that meridian-collateral (jingluo) is an important system to maintain life and participates in the formation and cure of disease. Exploring the biological connotation of meridian-collateral is the key content in the modern research of traditional Chinese meridian. For more than 60 years, scholars at home and abroad have carried out the researches of meridian-collateral from the fields of biomedicine (e.

Changes in trabecular bone score and bone mineral density in Chinese HIV-Infected individuals after one year of antiretroviral therapy.

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been associated with reduced bone mineral density (BMD) in persons with HIV (PWH). BMD provides information only about bone mineral quantity. Trabecular bone score (TBS) is a noninvasive tool that estimates bone microarchitecture.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on the hemorheology and hepatic microcirculation in mice with chronic alcoholic liver injury].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the hemorheology and hepatic microcirculation in mice with chronic alcoholic liver injury (cALI), so as to explore the microcirculation mechanism of EA underlying regulating liver function in cALI mice.

Methods: Forty Kunming mice were randomly assigned to control, model, acupoint EA and non-acupoint EA groups, with 10 mice in each group. The cALI model was established by gavage with 50% ethanol (15 mL/kg，2 times per day with 8 hours' interval) for 28 d.

[Analysis on the defensive function of defensive in (')].

The defensive function of defensive in ( ') includes the effect of immune system of human body against the pathogen invasion. According to the basic research, it is believed that the circulation of defensive in meridian is interpreted as the flow of interstitial fluid in the low hydraulic resistance channel that is overlapped with lymphatic vessels, transporting the antigen information from interstitium to lymph nodes and generating adaptive immune response. Enhancing meridian circulation and promoting the flow of interstitial fluid may improve the immunity, which demonstrating the thought of traditional Chinese meridian as "pathogens failing to invade the body when the anti-pathogenic is strong enough inside".

hUCB-MSC derived exosomal miR-124 promotes rat liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy via downregulating Foxg1.

Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH) is a complex and well-orchestrated process involving multiple factors such as cytokines, growth factors, and signaling pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in various biological processes including liver regeneration after PH. In the current study, we investigated the expression and function of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cell (hUCB-MSC) derived exosomal miRNAs on liver regeneration using a rat PH model.

Very high baseline HIV viremia impairs efficacy of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based ART: a long-term observation in treatment-naïve patients.

Background: It is not completely clear whether a very high pre-therapy viral load (≥ 500 000 copies/ml) can impair the virological response. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of very high baseline HIV-RNA levels on long-term virological responses under one type of regimen.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed based on data from two multicenter cohorts in China from January to November 2009, and from May 2013 to December 2015.

[Display of low hydraulic resistance channels along Conception Vessel by in vivo fluorography in rats].

Objective: To display the low hydraulic resistance channel along the running course of the Conception Vessel (CV) by using in vivo fluorography, so as to provide evidence for the existence of meridians of traditional Chinese medicine from the aspect of interstitial fluid channel.

Methods: A total of 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely CV-low impedance spots (CV-LIS), CV-low hydraulic resistance points (CV-LHRP) and non-meridian points (NMP) groups (＝8 in each group). The CV-LIS (the imaged line between the xiphoid process and symphysis pubis), CV-LHRP (lateral and parallel to LIS) and NMP (lateral and parallel to CV-LHRP) were detected by using meridian detector and biofluid resistance meter, respectively.

The distribution of large floating seagrass (Zostera marina) aggregations in northern temperate zones of Bohai Bay in the Bohai Sea, China.

Seagrass meadows (Zostera marina) are important coastal ecosystems with high levels of productivity and biodiversity. They often have high biomass turnover and are susceptible to dislodgment, leading to export of biomass from seagrass beds. In September 2016, two cruises covering a total area of 52 km x 15 km (38°57'1.

Baseline Naive CD4+ T-cell Level Predicting Immune Reconstitution in Treated HIV-infected Late Presenters.

Background: Among HIV-infected patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART), early changes in CD4+ T-cell subsets are well described. However, HIV-infected late presenters initiating treatment present with a suboptimal CD4+ T-cell reconstitution and remain at a higher risk for AIDS and non-AIDS events. Therefore, factors associated with CD4+ T-cell reconstitution need to be determined in this population, which will allow designing effective immunotherapeutic strategies.

Analysis of the Spectral Characteristics of Pure Moxa Stick Burning by Hyperspectral Imaging and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.

The objective of this study was to investigate the spectra characteristics (SC) at wavelengths of 400~1000 nm and 2.5~15.5 m of pure moxa stick (MS) during its 25-minute burning process using new spectral imaging techniques.

Evaluation of liver function and electroacupuncture efficacy of animals with alcoholic liver injury by the novel imaging methods.

Imaging methods to evaluate hepatic microcirculation (HM) and liver function (LF) by directly monitoring overall liver tissue remain lacking. This study establish imaging methods for LF that combines Laser speckle perfusion imaging (LSPI) and in vivo optical imaging (IVOI) technologies to investigate changes of hepatic microcirculation and reserve function in the animals gavaged with 50% ethanol (15 ml/kg·bw) for a model of acute alcoholic liver injury (ALI), and for evaluation of electroacupuncture (EA) effect. The liver blood perfusion and indocyanine green (ICG) distribution were observe by LSPI and IVOI separately.

Effects of Electroacupuncture Stimulation at "Zusanli" Acupoint on Hepatic NO Release and Blood Perfusion in Mice.

The study is to observe the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation at "Zusanli" (ST36) on the release of nitric oxide (NO) and blood perfusion (BP) in the liver and further explore whether the hepatic blood perfusion (HBP) changes were regulated by EA ST36 induced NO in nitric oxide synthase inhibited mice. The HBP change of the mice was detected by laser speckle perfusion imaging (LSPI) before and after being given interventions, and the NO in liver tissue was detected by nitric acid reductase in each group. The NO levels and HBP in the L-NAME group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.

[Effects of electroacupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36) on the regional vascular intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 mRNA expression and mast cell activity in normal rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36) on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA expression and mast cell (MC) distribution in the stimulated subcutaneous tissues in nor- mal rats, so as to study the correlation between ICAM-1 mRNA expression and MC activity during EA.

Methods: Twenty Wistar rats were randomly assigned to normal group and EA group. EA(2 Hz/15 Hz, 0.

A pilot study on effects of acupuncture and moxibustion by hyperspectral imaging technique.

This study was to observe the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on spectrum features of acupoint using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique. HSI of the Neiguan (PC6) in the acupuncture groups, moxibustion groups, and control groups was scanned by the hyperspectral imager to analyze the spectrum features and the variations within the wavelength of 400-1000 nm and explore the relationship between the spectral characteristics and effects of acupuncture and moxibustion. The light absorption intensity was slightly reduced within the wave band of 540-590 nm after acupuncture.

Investigation of hepatic blood perfusion by laser speckle imaging and changes of hepatic vasoactive substances in mice after electroacupuncture.

The study was conducted to observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on hepatic blood perfusion (HBP) and vascular regulation. We investigated 60 male anesthetized mice under the following 3 conditions: without EA stimulation (control group); EA stimulation at Zusanli (ST36 group); EA stimulation at nonacupoint (NA group) during 30 min. The HBP was measured using the laser speckle perfusion imaging (LSPI).

[Blood perfusion in different facial acupoint areas and its changes after acupuncture stimulation of Hegu (LI 4) displayed by laser Doppler imager in healthy volunteers].

Objective: To observe the blood perfusion levels in different facial acupoint regions and changes after acupuncture stimulation of Hegu (LI 4).

Methods: Thirty healthy volunteer subjects were equally divided into control group and acupuncture group. Blood perfusion levels of different facial acupoint areas were detected using a Laser Doppler Imager.

[The influence of long-term nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors on lipids metabolism in HIV/AIDS patients].

Objective: To evaluate the influence of long-term nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) on lipids metabolism in HIV/AIDS patients and correlating clinical factors.

Methods: A total of 118 HIV/AIDS patients were divided into 3 groups: untreated group (40 patients), highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for 1 - 2 years group (37 patients) and HAART over 5 years group (41 patients), with 20 healthy individuals as the control group. Clinical lipodystrophy (LD) was defined as concordance between patient's report of change and physical examination.