[Study of diffusion weighted imaging in combination with conventional MRI signs for inflammation activity of chronic hepatitis B].

To study the correlation between ADC values of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and the pathological grading in inflammation activity of chronic hepatitis B, and combined with conventional MRI features to predict the diagnosis effectiveness. A total of 142 cases of patients with chronic hepatitis B were selected as inflammatory group in 302 Hospital of PLA from January 2014 to December 2015, while 20 cases of healthy subjects without history of liver disease were chosen as control group.All patients underwent MR plain scan and dynamic contrast enhancement and DWI examinations (b=0, 800 s/mm(2)) for liver, and were performed liver biopsy within two days.

Performance of pfHRP2 versus pLDH antigen rapid diagnostic tests for the detection of : a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: There have been many inconsistent reports about the performance of histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) antigens as rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for the diagnosis of past infections. This meta-analysis was performed to determine the performance of pfHRP2 versus pLDH antigen RDTs in the detection of .

Material And Methods: After a systematic review of related studies, Meta-DiSc 1.

Application Value of Mass Spectrometry in the Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Liver Tumors.

BACKGROUND Differentiation of malignant from benign liver tumors remains a challenging problem. In recent years, mass spectrometry (MS) technique has emerged as a promising strategy to diagnose a wide range of malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to establish classification models to distinguish benign and malignant liver tumors and identify the liver cancer-specific peptides by mass spectrometry.

Surveillance for respiratory infectious diseases caused by 6 common viruses in a recruit training site in the Northern region of China.

Background: Recruit training sites are places with a high incidence of respiratory infectious diseases. Effective surveillance for acute respiratory infectious diseases in a recruit training site is an important way to prevent disease outbreaks.

Methods: Eight hundred recruits (722 males and 78 females) enlisted in autumn 2015 received a background survey within 24 h of settlement at the recruit training site, including their general personal information, vaccination history, mental status and clinical symptoms.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 promotes growth of colorectal cancer via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) is the receptor for tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). TNFR2 differs from tumor necrosis factor 1 (TNFR1) in various ways and is mainly expressed in hematopoietic and endothelial cells. However, studies about its functions in tumors are limited.

Increased Natural Killer Cell Activation in HIV-Infected Immunologic Non-Responders Correlates with CD4+ T Cell Recovery after Antiretroviral Therapy and Viral Suppression.

The role of natural killer (NK) cell function in HIV disease especially in the setting of long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) and viral suppression is not fully understood. In the current study, we have investigated NK cell activation in healthy controls and aviremic ART-treated HIV+ subjects with different degrees of immune restoration. We performed a cross sectional study in 12 healthy controls and 24 aviremic ART-treated HIV-infected subjects including 13 HIV+ subjects with CD4+ T cells above 500 cells/μL defined as "immunologic responders" and 11 HIV+ subjects with CD4+ T cells below 350 cells/μL defined as "immunologic non-responders".

The induction of CD80 and apoptosis on B cells and CD40L in CD4+ T cells in response to seasonal influenza vaccination distinguishes responders versus non-responders in healthy controls and aviremic ART-treated HIV-infected individuals.

Background: Studies have shown that HIV infection is associated with an impaired influenza vaccine response. We examined the role of cellular phenotypes and function in influenza vaccine responsiveness in healthy controls and aviremic HIV-infected subjects on antiretroviral treatment (ART).

Methods: 16 healthy controls and 26 ART+ aviremic HIV+ subjects were enrolled in the current study.

Hypothalamic Astrocytes Respond to Gastric Mucosal Damage Induced by Restraint Water-Immersion Stress in Rat.

Restraint water-immersion stress (RWIS), a compound stress model, includes both psychological and physical stimulation. Studies have shown that neurons in the hypothalamus are involved in RWIS, but the role of astrocytes and the interactions between astrocytes and neurons in RWIS are not clear. Here, we tested our hypothesis that hypothalamus astrocytes are involved in RWIS and interact with neurons to regulate gastric mucosal damage induced by RWIS.

Epidemiologic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and risk factors of 139 patients with Ebola virus disease in western Sierra Leone.

Objective: We aimed to fully describe epidemiologic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and clinical outcomes of Ebola virus disease (EVD), as well as detect independent factors significantly associated with mortality of the disease.

Methods: One hundred thirty-nine confirmed EVD patients enrolled at the JUI Holding and Treatment Centre in western Sierra Leone between November 15, 2014, and January 18, 2015, and demographic and clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

Results: The median age of investigated patients was 29 years and 55.

A multicenter study of blood component transfusion in patients with liver cirrhosis in China: Patient characteristics, transfusion practice, and outcomes.

Background: Cirrhosis is a complex acquired disorder of hemostasis and patients frequently receive blood transfusions. But there is very limited data on patterns of blood use at a patient level.

Aims: To characterize blood use in cirrhotic patients in China and compare with recommendations to help identify areas where quality improvement strategies can be targeted.

Toll-like receptor-mediated immune responses in intestinal macrophages; implications for mucosal immunity and autoimmune diseases.

Monocytes are precursors of macrophages and key players during inflammation and pathogen challenge in the periphery, whereas intestinal resident macrophages act as innate effector cells to engulf and clear bacteria, secrete cytokines, and maintain intestinal immunity and homeostasis. However, perturbation of toll-like receptor signaling pathway in intestinal macrophages has been associated with tolerance breakdown in autoimmune diseases. In the present review, we have summarized and discussed the role of toll-like receptor signals in human intestinal macrophages, and the role of human intestinal macrophages in keeping human intestinal immunity, homeostasis, and autoimmune diseases.

Comparison of drain versus no-drain thyroidectomy: a meta-analysis.

Despite minimal evidence, thyroid drains are routinely used as a precaution against hematoma in thyroidectomy. We undertook the present meta-analysis to evaluate the patient outcomes associated with post-surgical drainage, and whether it offers any advantage over no drainage in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Randomized and two-arm studies comparing the efficacy of total or partial thyroidectomy with or without post-surgery drainage, in patients undergoing thyroid surgery were included.

Folate-Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with Ursolic Acid Confer Anti-Breast Cancer Activities in vitro and in vivo.

Ursolic acid (UA) has proved to have broad-spectrum anti-tumor effects, but its poor water solubility and incompetent targeting property largely limit its clinical application and efficiency. Here, we synthesized a nanoparticle-based drug carrier composed of chitosan, UA and folate (FA-CS-UA-NPs) and demonstrated that FA-CS-UA-NPs could effectively diminish off-target effects and increase local drug concentrations of UA. Using MCF-7 cells as in vitro model for anti-cancer mechanistic studies, we found that FA-CS-UA-NPs could be easily internalized by cancer cells through a folate receptor-mediated endocytic pathway.

Allelic Variation of the Capsule Promoter Diversifies Encapsulation and Virulence In Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The polysaccharide capsule is the major virulence factor of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), a major human pathogen. The sequences in the promoter and coding regions of the capsule gene locus undergo extensive variations through the natural transformation-mediated horizontal gene transfer. The sequence variations in the coding region have led to at least 97 capsular serotypes.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Matijin-Su Derivatives as Potential Antihepatitis B Virus and Anticancer Agents.

A series of Matijin-Su (MTS, (2S)-2-{[(2S)-2-benzamido-3-phenylpropanoyl]amino}-3-phenylpropyl acetate) derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-HBV and cytotoxic activities in vitro. Six compounds (4g, 4j, 5c, 5g, 5h and 5i) showed significant inhibition against HBV DNA replication with the IC values in range of 2.18 - 8.

Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Intervention Effects of Total Turmeric Extract in a Rat Model of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common forms of chronic liver disease. Currently, there are no recognized medical therapies effective for NAFLD. Previous studies have demonstrated the effects of total turmeric extract on rats with NAFLD induced by high-fat diet.

Rizatriptan overuse promotes hyperalgesia induced by dural inflammatory stimulation in rats by modulation of the serotonin system.

Clinical and preclinical studies have implicated serotonin (5-HT) and the 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) in the pathogenesis of medication-overuse headache (MOH). However, with no appropriate animal model to study this phenomenon it is difficult to differentiate the effects of chronic exposure to analgesics from the consequences of frequent headache attacks during the development of MOH. Therefore, this study used a novel animal model of MOH established by a combination of the overuse of rizatriptan (RIZ) and stimulation with dural inflammatory soup (IS) to investigate whether 5-HT and 5-HT2AR are involved in central plasticity and hyperalgesia.

Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Tissue Interstitial Fluid for Identification of Novel Serum Candidate Diagnostic Marker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignant cancer in the world. The sensitivity of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is still inadequate for HCC diagnosis. Tissue interstitial fluid (TIF), as the liquid microenvironment of cancer cells, was used for biomarker discovery in this study.

Detection of the mcr-1 Colistin Resistance Gene in Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae from Different Hospitals in China.

The spread of the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene, mcr-1, into carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) clinical isolates poses a significant threat to global health. Here we report the identification of three mcr-1-harboring carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli strains, collected from three patients in two provinces in China. Our results show that mcr-1-harboring CRE strains have started to spread in different hospitals in China.

Oxymatrine attenuates CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis via modulation of TLR4-dependent inflammatory and TGF-β1 signaling pathways.

Oxymatrine (OMT) is able to effectively protect against hepatic fibrosis because of its anti-inflammatory property, while the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. In this study, forty rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group (carbon tetrachloride, CCl4) and three OMT treatment groups (30, 60, 120mg/kg). After CCl4 alone, the fibrosis score was 20.

Addiction of Hypertransformable Pneumococcal Isolates to Natural Transformation for In Vivo Fitness and Virulence.

Natural genetic transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae, an important human pathogen, mediates horizontal gene transfer for the development of drug resistance, modulation of carriage and virulence traits, and evasion of host immunity. Transformation frequency differs greatly among pneumococcal clinical isolates, but the molecular basis and biological importance of this interstrain variability remain unclear. In this study, we characterized the transformation frequency and other associated phenotypes of 208 S.

Altered KATP Channel Subunits Expression and Vascular Reactivity in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats With Age.

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels link membrane excitability to metabolic state to regulate a series of biological activities including the vascular tone. However, their ability to influence hypertension is controversial. Here we aim to investigate possible alteration of KATP channel in vascular smooth muscles (VSMs) during hypertension development process.

Transarterial chemoembolization combination therapy vs monotherapy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: To perform a meta-analysis examining the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) alone or in combination with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), or high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched through May 31, 2014, using the following keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, transarterial chemoembolization, percutaneous ethanol ablation, percutaneous ethanol injection, radiofrequency ablation, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing 1- and 3-year mortality rates in patients with unresectable HCC receiving either TACE alone or TACE in combination with RFA, PEI, or HIFU were included.