Utility and safety of tolvaptan in cirrhotic patients with hyponatremia: A prospective cohort study.

Unlabelled: Introduction and aim. Hyponatremia is common in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and is associated with increased mortality. Tolvaptan, a vasopressor V2 receptor antagonist, can increase free water excretion, but its efficacy and safety in cirrhotic patients remain unclear.

[Chronic hepatitis C: from discovery to cure].

Chronic hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection is one of the leading causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In recent years, the treatment of HCV infection has undergone a revolutionary change. Chronic HCV infection has become a curable disease.

Acute viral hepatitis presenting as cytomegalovirus, hepatitis E and Epstein-Barr virus IgM antibody positive.

We report a case of acute cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with positive HEV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology. No patients have been reported positive for immunoglobulin (Ig)M antibodies to all three viruses. This patient had progressively increasing titres of IgM antibody for CMV, HEV and EBV.

Clinical and laboratory observation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin infections.

Objective: To study the clinical features of BCG infection in children.

Methods: 51 cases confirmed with BCG infection from all over China were enrolled and followed up for at least 6 months. All cases were treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Shifts in the Antibiotic Susceptibility, Serogroups, and Clonal Complexes of Neisseria meningitidis in Shanghai, China: A Time Trend Analysis of the Pre-Quinolone and Quinolone Eras.

Background: Fluoroquinolones have been used broadly since the end of the 1980s and have been recommended for Neisseria meningitidis prophylaxis since 2005 in China. The aim of this study was to determine whether and how N. meningitidis antimicrobial susceptibility, serogroup prevalence, and clonal complex (CC) prevalence shifted in association with the introduction and expanding use of quinolones in Shanghai, a region with a traditionally high incidence of invasive disease due to N.

The differential susceptibilities of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells to the cytotoxic effects of curcumin are associated with the PI3K/Akt-SKP2-Cip/Kips pathway.

Background: The mechanism underlying the differential cytotoxicity of curcumin in various cancer types, however, remains largely unclear. The aims of this study is to examine the concentration- and time-related effects of curcumin on two different breast cancer cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, and investigated the functional changes induced by curcumin treatment, as well as their relationship to the PI3K/Akt-SKP2-Cip/Kips pathway.

Methods: First, WST-1 and clonogenic assay were performed to determine the cytotoxicity of curcumin in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells.

Effects and tolerance of silymarin (milk thistle) in chronic hepatitis C virus infection patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of silymarin on chronic hepatitis C virus- (HCV-) infected patients.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of silymarin in chronic HCV-infected patients up to April 1, 2014 were systematically identified in PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases.

Results: A total of 222 and 167 patients in five RCTs were randomly treated with silymarin (or intravenous silibinin) and placebo, respectively.

Treatment of postoperative infectious complications in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Background: Antibiotics are widely given for surgical patients to prevent infection. Because of the lack of study on the rational use of antibiotics in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -infected during surgical procedures, we analyzed the risk factors affecting postoperative infectious complications in HlV-infected patients and explore the rational use of perioperative antibiotics.

Methods: This retrospective study consisted of 308 HlV-infected patients, 272 males and 36 females, who had undergone operation at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center from November 2008 to April 2012.

Metformin inhibits food intake and neuropeptide Y gene expression in the hypothalamus.

Metformin may reduce food intake and body weight, but the anorexigenic effects of metformin are still poorly understood. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a single intracere-broventricular dose of metformin and compound C, in a broader attempt to investigate the regula-tory effects of metformin on food intake and to explore the possible mechanism. Results showed that central administration of metformin significantly reduced food intake and body weight gain, par-ticularly after 4 hours.

Dose of incorporated immunodominant antigen in recombinant BCG impacts modestly on Th1 immune response and protective efficiency against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mice.

One approach for improving BCG efficacy is to utilize BCG as vehicle to develop recombinant BCG (rBCG) strains overexpressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) antigens. Also expression level of a candidate antigen should impact the final T cell responses conferred by rBCG.

Pulmonary cryptococcosis: comparison of CT findings in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis have been reported, however, many reports were limited by the small number of patients, and not taken into account the distinction between immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate thoracic CT findings in patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis whose immune status ranged from normal to severely compromised, and determine characteristic imaging features of pulmonary cryptococcosis between patients with different immune status.

Material And Methods: CT scan findings of 29 immunocompetent and 43 immunocompromised patients with clinically proven pulmonary cryptococcosis were reviewed retrospectively.

Cimetidine synergizes with Praziquantel to enhance the immune response of HBV DNA vaccine via activating cytotoxic CD8(+) T cell.

Previously, we have reported that either CIM or PZQ, 2 clinical drugs, could be used to develop as adjuvants on HBV DNA vaccine to elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses. Here, we demonstrate that combinations of CIM and PZQ as adjuvants for a HBV DNA vaccine, could induce much stronger antigen specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses compared either with CIM or PZQ alone. The synergistic effects of CIM plus PZQ to HBV DNA vaccine were observed on a higher IgG2a/IgG1 ratio, an increase of HBsAg-specific CD4(+) T cells capable of producing IFN-γ or IL-17A and a robust IFN-γ-, IL-17A-, or TNF-α-producing CD8(+) T cells to HBsAg.

[HIV-1 infection up-regulating expression of interferon-stimulated gene 15 in cell lines].

To investigate whether HIV-1 infection affects expression of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) and determine the antiviral effect of ISG15 in vitro, ISG15 expression at transcription and protein level and supernatant p24 of HIV-1 was detected in various HIV-1 infected or transfected cell lines, respec tively. HIV-1 molecular clone pNL4-3 was used to transfect 293T, TZM-bl and HeLa cells while HIV-1 pseudo-typed virus was used to infect Jurkat, MT-1 and THP-1 cells. After twenty-four hours post infection or transfection, cells were harvested for extraction of total RNAs and subsequently used in real time PCR for quantification of ISG15 transcriptional expression.

Genetic relatedness of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) strains in a 12-year-old daughter and her father in a household setting.

Modalities of intra-familial transmission of HIV-1 are not always clear. Here we describe an uncommon case of HIV transmission in a family setting, analyzed using clinical, epidemiological and nucleic-acid-based methods, and assess risk factors for intrafamilial transmission of HIV-1 infection. All sequences from the father and the daughter were grouped in the same cluster with a 100 % bootstrap value, which means that the father and his daughter were infected with highly homologous CRF01_AE.

TLR4 polymorphisms associated with developing gastric pre-cancer lesions in a Chinese Han population.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for gastric cancer. In addition, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a fundamental role in pathogen recognition and activation of innate immunity. This study investigated the association of TLR4 polymorphisms with a risk of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and intraepithelial neoplasia (IN) in a Chinese Han population.

Combat with emerging infectious diseases: clinicians should do better.

In the spring of 2013, an emerging infectious disease emerged in China, 132 cases of human were infected with the H7N9 avian influenza virus, 39 cases were resulted in death within 3 month, which sparked a global concern about public health. Many reports have been published about this disease, including clinical characteristics and genomic information. However, more emerging infectious disease may infect human in the future.

Efficacy and safety of peginterferon plus ribavirin for patients aged ≥ 65 years with chronic hepatitis C: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: Studies up to August 30, 2012 of the efficacy and safety of peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy in CHC patients aged≥65 years were systematically identified in PubMed, Ovid, Web of Knowledge and Cochrane Library databases. A meta-analysis was performed using both fixed- and random-effects models based on heterogeneity across studies.

Results: The overall sustained virological response (SVR) in CHC patients aged≥65 years was significantly lower than in patients aged<65 years on both intention-to-treat (ITT; 42.

The application of anti-ESAT-6 monoclonal antibody fluorescent probe in ex vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging in mice with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Here, we aimed to assess the feasibility of anti-ESAT-6 monoclonal antibody (mAb) coupling with IR783 and rhodamine fluorescent probe in the detection of ESAT-6 expression in tuberculosis tissue of mice using near-infrared fluorescence imaging. IR783 and rhodamine were conjugated to the anti-ESAT-6 mAb or IgG. Mice in the experimental group were injected with fluorescence-labeled mAb probe, and mice in the control group were injected with fluorescence-labeled non-specific IgG antibody.

Clinical features and factors associated with outcomes of patients infected with a Novel Influenza A (H7N9) virus: a preliminary study.

Objective: The present study aimed to analyze clinical features and factors associated with treatment outcomes of H7N9 influenza A virus infection.

Methods: The clinical progress in 18 H7N9-infected patients was monitored and recorded. The clinical features of H7N9 infection were noted and factors associated with treatment outcomes were analyzed by univariate analyses.

Clinical comparison of one recovered case and one fatal case of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center in China.

H7N9 avian influenza is the latest subtype of influenza virus to emerge in the world. By April 17, 2013 in Shanghai, a total of 31 confirmed cases were reported, and 11 of these patients died. The epidemiological characteristics and the clinical progress of this new human flu infection are still not clear.

[Epidemiological and clinical features of occult hepatitis B in HIV infection without antiretroviral treatment].

Objective: To investigate and analyze the differential prevalence, as well as the risk factors and clinical features, of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected population without antiretroviral therapy (ART) as compared to the general (non-HIV-infected) population.

Methods: Two-hundred-and-forty-eight individuals with confirmed HIV infection but ART naive (males: 220, females: 28; 15-82 years old) were enrolled in the study, along with 121 healthy individuals (confirmed HIV antibody-negative; males: 53, females: 68; 20-88 years old). HBV markers (hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg); anti-HBs, anti-HBe and anti-hepatitis B core (HBc) antibodies) were detected by microparticle enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (AxSYM immunology analyzer manufactured by Abbott Laboratories); all cases and controls were confirmed negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).

Efficacy and Tolerability of Peginterferon α -2a and Peginterferon α -2b, Both plus Ribavirin, for Chronic Hepatitis C: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background. The efficacy and tolerability of peginterferon α -2a and peginterferon α -2b in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients remain controversial. Methods.

Poor responses to oseltamivir treatment in a patient with influenza A (H7N9) virus infection.

In March 2013, the cases of human infection with influenza A of H7N9 subtype were first reported. Preliminary data suggested that the H7N9 isolates are sensitive to neuraminidase inhibitors, such as oseltamivir, which is the recommended choice of treatment. On April 2(nd), a 56-year-old male patient was presented with fever and cough to our hospital.

Rotavirus infection and its genetic characterization in non-hospitalized adults with acute gastroenteritis in Shanghai, China.

Rotavirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children, while its role as a pathogen in adults has long been underappreciated. In order to describe the epidemiological patterns and genetic characteristics of rotavirus causing sporadic acute gastroenteritis in adults, hospital-based surveillance of rotavirus infections was conducted in Shanghai, China, between June 2010 and May 2011. Stool specimens were collected from outpatients with acute gastroenteritis admitted to three local hospitals.