Prevalence and risk factors of covert hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients: A multicenter study in China.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) in cirrhotic patients in China and its risk factors.

Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted from January 2021 to March 2022 at 16 medical centers across China to investigate the risk factors of CHE and establish a prediction model for CHE episodes.

Results: A total of 528 patients were enrolled in the study.

MicroRNA-301a-3p promotes diabetic retinopathy via regulation of six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 4.

Objective And Design: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most serious microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been discovered to play a crucial role in DR, but the mechanisms underlying the effects of miR-301a-3p on DR are poorly understood. This paper was designed to explore the possible role of miR-301a-3p in DR.

Clinical characteristics and etiology of bacterial meningitis in Chinese children >28 days of age, January 2014-December 2016: A multicenter retrospective study.

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and etiology of bacterial meningitis (BM) in Chinese children.

Method: BM cases in children 28days to 18 years old were collected from January 2014-December 2016 and screened according to World Health Organization standards. Clinical features, pathogens, and resistance patterns were analyzed.

Cortisol is associated with low frequency of interleukin 10-producing B cells in patients with atherosclerosis.

It is accepted that inflammation plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis; the pathogenesis is not clear. B-cell-produced interleukin (IL) 10 is an immune regulatory cytokine that can inhibit immune inflammation. This study tests a hypothesis that a psychological stress hormone, cortisol, suppresses IL-10 expression in peripheral B cells of patients with atherosclerosis.

Optimization of high pressure machine decocting process for Dachengqi Tang using HPLC fingerprints combined with the Box-Behnken experimental design.

Using Dachengqi Tang (DCQT) as a model, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints were applied to optimize machine extracting process with the Box-Behnken experimental design. HPLC fingerprints were carried out to investigate the chemical ingredients of DCQT; synthetic weighing method based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) was performed to calculate synthetic scores of fingerprints; using the mark ingredients contents and synthetic scores as indicators, the Box-Behnken design was carried out to optimize the process parameters of machine decocting process under high pressure for DCQT. Results of optimal process showed that the herb materials were soaked for 45 min and extracted with 9 folds volume of water in the decocting machine under the temperature of 140 °C till the pressure arrived at 0.

miR-20a regulates adipocyte differentiation by targeting lysine-specific demethylase 6b and transforming growth factor-β signaling.

Background: Several types of microRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been defined as important regulators in adipocyte differentiation, the role of other miRNAs in the processes and the mechanisms involved remain to be explored.

Methods: miR-20a expression was quantified in primary cultured marrow stromal cells and adipogenic cell lines after adipogenic treatment. Effects of miR-20a on adipocyte differentiation were studied following supplementing or depleting miR-20a in murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, ST2 stromal cells and C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal cells.