Genetic manipulation of Escherichia coli central carbon metabolism for efficient production of fumaric acid.

Fumaric acid is one of the top 12-biomass building-block chemicals. In this study, we reported manipulation of E. coli central carbon metabolism with the aim to decrease the by-products and improve fumaric acid production.

Disruption of the gut-liver axis in the pathogenesis of acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is characterized by organ failure mediated by acute decompensation of cirrhosis. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of the gut-liver axis (GLS) and its association with ACLF pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms related to the alteration of the GLA and their involvement in ACLF pathogenesis and suggest some possible therapeutic options that could modulate the GLA dysfunction.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[Correlation between red blood cell count and liver function status].

Objective: To investigate the changes in red blood cell count in patients with different liver diseases and the correlation between red blood cell count and degree of liver damage.

Methods: The clinical data of 1427 patients with primary liver cancer, 172 patients with liver cirrhosis, and 185 patients with hepatitis were collected, and the Child-Pugh class was determined for all patients. The differences in red blood cell count between patients with different liver diseases were retrospectively analyzed, and the correlation between red blood cell count and liver function status was investigated.

Expression of arginase I and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the peripheral blood and lymph nodes of HIV‑positive patients.

Arginase I (Arg I) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are important in regulating immune functions through their metabolites. Previous studies have revealed that the expression of Arg I is increased and the expression of iNOS is reduced in the serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‑infected patients. As one of the most important immune organs and HIV replication sites, whether similar changes are present in the lymph nodes following HIV infection remains to be elucidated.

N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor siRNA improves cardiac function following myocardial infarction in rats.

This study examined the effects of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) small interfering RNA (siRNA) on cardiac function following myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. Thirty-six adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three equivalent groups. An acute MI model was established by ligating the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery and confirmed by electrocardiogram.

Blocking and reversing hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated by traditional Chinese medicine (tablets of biejia ruangan or RGT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) can progress to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and ultimately liver-related death. Although oral antiviral therapy for patients with CHB reduces the risk of such complications, once cirrhosis is established, the benefits of antiviral therapy are not robustly demonstrated. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), some Chinese herbal medicines promote blood circulation and soften hard masses, and therefore they may block and reverse hepatic fibrosis.

Comparison of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging and transient elastography for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

The aims of this study were to compare the performance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography and transient elastography (TE) in the assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B and to evaluate the impact of elevated alanine transaminase levels on liver stiffness assessment using ARFI elastography. One hundred eighty consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis B were enrolled in this study and evaluated with respect to histologic and biochemical features. All patients underwent ARFI elastography and TE.

Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography for non-invasive assessment of disease stage in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis: A preliminary study.

Aim: To investigate the diagnostic performance of the acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography for the assessment of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) stage.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-one patients with PBC in which liver biopsy and ARFI elastography measurements were performed in the same session were included in the study. The diagnostic performance of ARFI elastography for predicting the PBC stage was determined from the area under receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curve analysis.

Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with alcoholic liver disease using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography.

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic performance of the acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography for the assessment of the liver fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

Methods: We included 112 patients with ALD in whom liver biopsy, ARFI elastography, and aspartate-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) measurements were performed.

Results: ARFI elastography correlated significantly with histological fibrosis (r = 0.

[Clinical value of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for quantitative evaluation of degree of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients].

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging technology for the assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.

Methods: One-hundred-and-eight CHC patients were examined by real-time ultrasound elastography using the Acuson S2000 ARFI instrument (Siemens Healthcare) and underwent liver biopsy for pathohistological analysis. The correlation between liver fibrosis grades determined by the two approaches was analyzed.

[Alterations of NK cell frequency and function in HIV/HCV co-infected patients].

Objective: To study the impacts of HIV/HCV co-infection to NK cells by investigating the changes of frequencies and functions of NK cells in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.

Methods: Frequencies and counts of NK cells were measured in patients with HIV mono-infection, HCV monoinfection, HIV/HCV co-infection and health control (HC) group by flow cytometer (FCM). After stimulated with PMA and K562 cells, PBMCs were examined the proportion of IFN-gamma+ NK cells by FCM.

A randomized, multi-central, controlled study of patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B treated by adefovir dipivoxil or adefovir dipivoxil plus bicyclol.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) or ADV plus bicyclol, and to optimize the treatment strategy for CHB patients.

Patients And Methods: A total of 250 patients with HBeAg-positive CHB were randomized to ADV plus bicyclol combination group and ADV monotherapy group. The patients in the ADV plus bicyclol combination therapy group ( = 125) received ADV 10 mg orally q.

Differences in effects of Zuojin Pills and its similar formulas on Wei cold model in rats.

Objective: To explore the effects of Zuojin Pills and its similar formulas on the stomach cold syndrome in a Wei cold model in rats.

Methods: The rat Wei cold model was established by intragastric administration of glacial NaOH, and the gastric mucosa injury indices, together with the levels of motilin and gastrin in the stomach, were determined. The preventive and curative effects of Zuojin Pills and its similar formulas on gastric mucosa injury were investigated.

Effect of Radix isatidis polysaccharides on immunological function and expression of immune related cytokines in mice.

Objective: To investigate the effect of Radix Isatidis polysaccharides (RIP) on the immunological function and expression of immune related cytokines in mice.

Methods: Sixty mice were randomly divided into six groups, the normal group, cyclophosphamide (Cy) model group, Levamisole (positive control) group, RIP low, medium and high dose groups (0.08 g/kg, 0.

[Study of the subcellular location of the human gene 6 transactivated by nonstructeral protein 5a of hepatitis C virus].

Objective: To found the subcellular location of the human gene 6 transactivated by nonstructural protein 5A of hepatitis C virus (NS5ATP6).

Methods: Green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression vector pEGFP- NS5ATP6 was established. The pEGFP- NS5ATP6 was transfected into HepG2 cells, and analyze the subcellular location of the proteins expressed by NS5ATP6 through Green fluorescent microscopy after 24 hours.

[To re-evaluate the clinical classification criteria of liver failure].

Objective: To study the clinical feature and more reasonable diagnostic typing criteria for patients with liver failure.

Methods: 13/21 cases of ALF, SALF with no past liver disease, 49/72 cases of with chronic hepatitis, and 23/73 cases ALF, SALF with liver cirrhosis, were analyzed respectively.

Results: 1 ALF patients (1).