Value of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase combined with direct bilirubin in the diagnosis of biliary atresia in infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the value of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) combined with direct bilirubin (DB) in the diagnosis of biliary atresia.@*METHODS@#A total of 667 infants with cholestasis who were hospitalized and treated from July 2010 to December 2018 were enrolled as subjects. According to the results of intraoperative cholangiography and follow-up, they were divided into biliary atresia group with 234 infants and cholestasis group with 433 infants. The two groups were compared in terms of age of onset, sex, and serum levels of total bilirubin (TB), DB, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bile acid (TBA), and GGT. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for indices with statistical significance, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and the optimal cut-off value for diagnosis were calculated.@*RESULTS@#The biliary atresia group had a significantly younger age of onset than the cholestasis group (P0.05), while the biliary atresia group had significantly higher serum levels of TB, DB, TBA, and GGT than the cholestasis group (P<0.05). GGT combined with DB had the highest AUC of 0.892 (95% confidence interval: 0.868-0.916) in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. At the optimal cut-off values of 324.0 U/L for GGT and 115.1 μmmol/L for DB, GGT combined with DB had a sensitivity of 79.8% and a specificity of 83.2% in the diagnosis of biliary atresia.@*CONCLUSIONS@#GGT combined with DB has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of biliary atresia and can be used as an effective indicator for diagnosis of biliary atresia in infants.

Study on biomarker of Tripterygium wilfordii in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis based on PK/PD / 中国中药杂志

To observe the serum samples and the anti-inflammatory effect of Tripterygium wilfordii in treating RA by using the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model, make a correlation analysis on concentration-time and effect-time curves, and explore RORγt, IL-17, STAT3, IL-6 mRNA transcriptional levels in rats by PCR. Methotrexate, tripterine and high-dose T. wilfordii could down-regulate RORγt, IL-17, STAT3, IL-6 mRNA transcriptional levels in AA rat lymph nodes. The study on PK-PD model showed correlations between inflammatory factors and blood concentration of T. wilfordii. T. wilfordii and its main active constituent tripterine could show the inflammatory effect and treat RA by inhibiting IL-17 cytokine.

Observation of talc’s influence on the diffuse lamellar keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AlM: To observe the influence on the incidence of diffuse lamellar keratitis ( DLK ) after laser in situ keratomileusis ( LASlK ) whether or not wearing sterile gloves with talc during operation, and to confirm the role of residual talc in the occurrence of DLK. METHODS: Totally 563 patients ( 1 126 eyes ) accepted operation with the method of surgical hand antisepsis only were set as the experimental group, while 592 patients ( 1 184 eyes ) with the method of surgical hand antisepsis and sterile gloves as the control group. Each patient was rechecked to observe the occurrence of DLK on the first day and the seventh day after the operation. Then the data of DLK were statistically analyzed byχ2 test and rank sum test. RESULTS:On the first postoperative day, the incidence of DLK was 7. 4% (83 eyes) in experimental group and 12. 2% (144 eyes) in control group. ln the former group, stage Ⅰ of DLK accounted for 4. 6% (52 eyes) and stageⅡ for 2. 8% (31 eyes);while in the latter, stage l did for 7. 7% (91 eyes) and stageⅡfor 4. 5% (53 eyes). On the seventh day, all DLK were cured. The other 2 cases ( 3 eyes) occurred in stage Ⅳ DLK ( the first time recheck was on the eighth day after operation and fluorometholone ophthalmic solution was not used on time ) . The incidence and the severity were both significant lower in the experimental group than in the control (both P CONCLUSlON: Talc is one of the most important factors resulting in DLK after LASlK. The method of surgical hand antisepsis without wearing gloves could avoid the stimulation of talc and reduce the incidence of DLK obviously.

Protective effect of epigallocatechin gallate against sperm abnormality in mice / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on mouse sperm in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 64 six-week-old male Kuming mice were randomly divided into eight groups of equal number to be treated with normal saline (negative control), Cyclophosphamide (CP) at 30 mg/kg (positive control), and CP followed by EGCG (experimental) at 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg, respectively, given every other day for 10 days. At 4 and 5 weeks after treatment, the bilateral testes of the mice were harvested for examination of sperm abnormality.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EGCG did not increase the rate of CP-induced sperm abnormality in the mice, but reduced it instead with the prolonged time of treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EGCG protects mouse sperm in vivo.</p>

Characteristics of the plasma amino acid spectrum of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the plasma amino acid spectrum in infants more than 1-year-old with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) in order to identify potential diagnostic markers of NICCD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Infants less than 1 year of age who had been referred to our hospital for investigation of suspected conjugated hyperbilirubinemia between June 2003 and June 2009 were eligible for enrollment. A total of 182 infants were enrolled and divided into three groups: infants diagnosed with NICCD (n = 24), according to gene testing and/or western blotting results; infants diagnosed with biliary atresia (BA; n = 20), according to intra-operative cholangiography findings; and infants diagnosed with idiopathic neonatal intrahepatic hepatitis (INH; n = 138), according to exclusionary findings for diseases affecting the extrahepatic biliary system and no positive serology results to indicate infections with hepatitis B, C, A or E, toxoplasmosis, rubella, herpes simplex, human immunodeficiency virus-1, or syphilis. The plasma amino acid spectrum of each infant was analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The concentrations of 18 amino acids, as well as the ratio of each amino acid to total amino acids, were compared among the three groups. Selected ratios of amino acids were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the BA and INH groups, the NICCD group had significantly lower levels of alanine (Ala; 175.7 and 205.7 vs. 136.3 mumol/L, P = 0.0001), aspartic acid (Asp; 47.5 and 43.1 vs. 31.55 mumol/L, P = 0.0041), glutamic acid (Glu; 276.16 and 263.24 vs. 175.71 mumol/L, P = 0.0075) and tryptophan (Trp; 41.90 and 47.97 vs. 28.51 mumol/L, P = 0.0003), but significantly higher levels of methionine (Met; 28.24 and 29.35 vs. 71.40 mumol/L, P = 0.0390), tyrosine (Tyr; 55.8 and 57.02 vs. 116.81 mumol/L, P = 0.0072) and citrulline (Cit; 15.09 and 15.65 vs. 97.42 mumol/L, P = 0.0001). The ratio of each amino acid to total amino acids showed the same trends for the NICCD group. The calculated areas under the ROC curves of the ratios of Cit, Tyr, and Met to the total amino acids were 0.874 (95% CI: 0.752 - 0.996), 0.814 (95% CI: 0.706 - 0.923), and 0.705 (95% CI: 0.535 - 0.875) respectively. The calculated area under the ROC curve of the ratio of Cit to Ala was 0.893 (95% CI: 0.781 - 1.005), and when the cut-off value of the ratio of Cit to Ala was 0.14 for diagnosis of NICCD, the sensitivity and specificity were 75% and 95% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The plasma amino acid spectrum may represent a diagnostic indicator for NICCD, particularly the ratio of Cit to Ala.</p>

Association between lymphangiogenesis and clinicopathological features and prognosis in laryngeal carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect lymphangiogenesis by labeling the lymphatic endothelial marker, lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), and study the prognostic relevance of lymphangiogenesis in laryngeal squamous carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical files and specimens of 78 patients with histologically diagnosed laryngeal carcinoma were stained with LYVE-1 as a specific lymphatic endothelial marker. The lymphatic vessel density (LVD) was measured, and the correlation between LVD and clinicopathological features of the tumor cases was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean LVD in laryngeal carcinoma (13.24 ± 5.09) was significantly higher than that in adult laryngeal papilloma (5.54 ± 3.15) and squamous dysplasia (6.76 ± 4.45, P < 0.05). The LVD of poorly differentiated tumors (15.74 ± 5.24) was significantly higher than that in the moderately differentiated tumors (13.84 ± 6.20), and the LVD in the moderately differentiated tumors was significantly higher than that in the well-differentiated tumors (11.68 ± 6.34). The LVD in stage 0 to stage II group (10.66 ± 5.70) was significantly lower than that in the stage III to IV group (17.01 ± 6.35). The lymph node metastasis group (17.25 ± 7.37) was significantly higher than non-lymph node metastasis group (8.60 ± 5.23, P < 0.05). There was no significant association between LVD and age, sex, primary site and distant metastasis. The overall survival in the patients with a LVD higher than the mean value was 33.5 month, and that of cases with a LVD lower than the mean value was 81.6 month (P < 0.05). The multivariate survival analysis showed that the clinical stage and LVD were independent prognostic factors of laryngeal cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The LYVE-1 staining histochemistry demonstrates that the lymphangiogenesis occurrs mainly at the edge of the tumors, and lymphangiogenesis plays an important role in the carcinogenesis, cancer progression and lymph node metastasis in laryngeal cancer. LVD may be an independent indicator of poor prognosis of laryngeal cancer.</p>

Establishment and pathophysiological observation of an experimental animal model of traumatic optic neuropathy / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish an animal model of traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) that resemble to clinical state and study the mechanical principle and change of pathophysiology of its nerve injury for clinical diagnosis and treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>New Zealand white rabbits were used as the research objects. The method introduced by Wang Yi was repeated and improved. Mild and severe animal models of TON were established by reformed Wang Yi operation separately. After the spring gun struck, all animals were observed on pupils and direct light reflex and received the examinations of pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (PR-VEP). The pathophysiology of normal and injury optic nerve was observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After recovery from anesthesia, the mydriasis and disappearance or dullness of direct light reflex happened in all injured eyes. No brain contusion, infection, orbital fracture and death were found. One optic nerve was broken with complete tunica vaginalis. The latency and amplitude of injured eyes deteriorated gradually. In group B, the waves became flat rapidly. After injury, the optic nerve underwent 3 stages: edema, hyperplasia and atrophy. The pathomorphological changes of injured eyes in group B were more serious than that in group A in any time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The reformed operation can establish constant nerve injury with high success rate. In mildly injured eyes, the injury deteriorated gradually. However, part visual function remained. In severely injured eyes, the pathomorphological changes were irreversible sooner after struck, and the visual function lost completely. There is a good correlation between PR-VEP and pathomorphology. PR-VEP can guide the clinical diagnosis and treatment.</p>