Functions of T lymphocytes mediated by in vitro dendritic cells of chronic HBV infection patients in different immune states: a clinical research / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the improvement of dendritic cells' (DCs) functions in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients by two different drugs plasma, i.e., Shen supplementing and detoxification (SSD) and Pi invigorating and detoxification (PID), thus comparing which method was more effective to activate DCs to improve T lymphocyte functions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 30 CHB outpatients were recruited. They were assigned to the immune tolerant group and the immune clearance group, 15 in each group. Totally 60 mL peripheral blood was extracted to isolate and develop mature DCs. Chinese compound containing (Liuwei Ganlu Syrup for SSD) and (Sijun Ganlu Syrup for PID) plasma were added to promote the maturation of DCs on the 7th day. Besides, non-drug plasma was taken as the control. On the ninth day, HBV core 18-27 loaded core peptide and its own T lymphocyte were co-cultivated for 72 h. Then T lymphocytes were collected. The expression levels of CD3, CD28, CD4, and CD8, programmed death-1 (PD-1) were detected using flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with non-drug plasma, the expression levels of CD3, CD4, and CD28 could be improved, and the expression levels of CD8 and PD-1 could be reduced by the two methods, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). Besides, SSD containing plasma showed better effect in improving the molecular CD28 expression rate, and reducing the molecular PD-1 expression rate on the T cell surface, showing statistical difference when compared with that of PID containing plasma (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In vitro intervention of DCs by SSD and PID containing plasmas combined co-cultivation of its own T lymphocytes could promote the activation of DCs to improve the function of T cells and the expression of T cell surface molecules. Besides, SSD showed more significant effect on infection immune of HBV patients in the tolerance stage.</p>

Auxiliary treatment of HBV correlated hepatic failure by Chinese herbs: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbs as an adjuvant treatment for hepatitis virus B (HBV)-related hepatic failure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data were retrieved through the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, The Cochrane Library, PubMed, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Database, and ChiCTR by key words or free words such as hepatic failure, severe hepatitis, HBV, Chinese medicine, randomization, and control. Appendix references of related papers were taken as supplementary indices. According to requirement for Cochrane systematic evaluation, randomized clinical trials on assessing the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbs as main or adjuvant treatment in treating HBV-related hepatic failure were methodologically assessed, data extracted and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally 21 trials on Chinese herbal medicine therapy versus standard medical therapy (involving 1 881 patients) were included. Most trials had unclear risk bias. In 5 studies on the mortality, 3 trials showed that the mortality was lower in the test group than in the control group [RR 0.40, 95% CI (0.20, 0.79), P = 0.0002]. In 6 randomized control trials, totally 20 papers reported the control of complications. Eight results showed Chinese herbal medicine therapy had better effect in controlling complications. The recurrence rate and assessment of the survival quality were reported. Considering secondary indicators, four trials showed Chinese herbal medicine therapy had better effect in lowering the ineffective rate, decreasing total bilirubin (TBIL), and elevating prothrombin activity (PTA). Other prescriptive analyses found that the overall effect on secondary indicators was better in the test group than in the control group, but not all the indicators were statistically different. Adverse reactions were only reported in two papers, showing no severe adverse reaction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>According to present evidence, till now, we could not judge whether Chinese herbs, as an adjuvant treatment, could do any favor for lowering the incidence and recurrence of hepatic failure patients, and improving their survival qualities.</p>

Effects of Bushen Jiedu Recipe and Jianpi Jiedu Recipe containing plasma on dendritic cells of chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients under different immune states / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effects of Bushen Jiedu Recipe (BJR) and Jianpi Jiedu Recipe (JJR) containing plasma on dendritic cells (DCs) of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection patients under different immune states.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Recruited were 36 chronic HBV infection outpatients from First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from April 2010 to January 2011. They were assigned to the immune tolerance group (18 cases) and the immune clearance group (18 cases).Another 10 healthy subjects were recruited as the healthy control group. Their anticoagulated peripheral venous blood was respectively collected. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and further extracted for incubating DCs. The DCs were intervened by BJR and JJR containing plasma. The morphology of DCs was identified. The expressions of CD1alpha, CD80, CD86, and HLA-DR were detected. The level of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in the supernatant was observed by ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The CD80 expression level was lower in the immune clear group than in the healthy control group before intervention (P < 0.05). The expression levels of CD80, CD86, and HLA-DR were lower in the immune tolerance group than in the healthy control group before intervention (P < 0.05).The IFN-alpha expression level was lower in the immune tolerance group and the immune clearance group than in the healthy control group before intervention (P < 0.05). The expression levels of CD80, HLA-DR, and IFN-alpha were lower in the immune tolerance group than in the immune clearance group before intervention (P < 0.05). Compared with the same group before intervention, the CD80 expression significantly increased in each treatment group (P < 0.05). After intervention the expression levels of CD80 and HLA-DR were higher in the immune tolerance group than in the immune clearance group in the same time phase, and the CD86 expression level was higher in the BJR group than in the immune clearance group in the same time phase, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The middle dose BJR and the small dose JJR both could promote the recovery of DCs in chronic HBV infection patients. Besides, BJR showed more prominent effects on the function of DCs in chronic HBV infection patients in the immune tolerance stage.</p>

Effects of entecavir and Shenxian Yiganling combination therapy on patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B for 48 weeks / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate of the efficacy and safety of entecavir (ETV) combined with Shenxian Yiganling (SY) versus ETV therapy on patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) for 48 weeks.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixty-four CHB patients were assigned to two groups with the cohort study: the ETV combined with SY treatment group and the ETV control group. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT), the undetectable HBV DNA level, and HBeAg negative conversion rate, and HBeAg serological negative conversion rate were observed before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At week 48, there was no significant difference in the normalization of ALT levels (70.00% vs 67.61%, P > 0.05) and undetectable HBV DNA levels (72.50% vs 73.24%, P > 0.05) between the two groups. There was significant difference in the HBeAg negative conversion rate (39.44% vs 23.75%) and HBeAg serological negative conversion rate (32.39% vs 15.00%) (both P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ETV combined with SY promoted the HBeAg serological negative conversion rate possibly through the recovery of the immune functions.</p>

Study on the functions of peripheral dendritic cells in chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients of Gan-depression Pi-deficiency syndrome and Gan-Dan damp-heat syndrome under different immune states / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the functions of peripheral dendritic cells (DCs) in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection patients of Gan-depression Pi-deficiency syndrome (GPS) and Gan-Dan damp-heat syndrome (GDS) under different immune states, thus to study the features of the immune expressions of the two syndromes in chronic HBV infection, providing objective evidence for Chinese medicine syndrome typing.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The 40 chronic HBV patients were randomly assigned to two groups according to the immune state. Of them, there were 20 chronic HBV patients (under the condition of immune clearance; consisting of 10 patients of GPS and 10 of GDS) and 20 chronic HBV carriers (under the condition of immune tolerance; consisting of 10 patients of GPS and 10 of GDS). Besides, 10 healthy graduate volunteers of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were recruited as the healthy control group. Their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured in vitro. The exterior morphological features and ultrastructure were observed by inverted microscope and electron microscope. The expressions of HLA-DR, CD80, CD86, and CDIa of the DCs surface were detected. The secretory levels of IL-12 in the supernate of DCs were detected by ELISA reagent kit. The proliferation capacities of allogeneic mixed lymphocyte were detected using MTT. The function features of DCs in the chronic HBV patients of two syndrome types under different immune states were compared, thus analyzing the difference of each index between the two syndrome types.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the healthy control group, the expression rates of CD86, CD80, and HLA-DR decreased in the HBV carriers group (of the two syndrome types), showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The expression rate of CD80 decreased in the HBV group (of the two syndrome types), showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The expression rates of CD86 and HLA-DR were lower in the GPS group than in the GDS group. The expression rate of CD80 was lower in the GPS group than in the GDS group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The proliferation capacities of IL-12 and T lymphocytes were lower in the HBV patients group than in the healthy control group (P < 0.05). The proliferation capacities of IL-12 and T lymphocytes were lower in the GPS group than in the GDS group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The functions of peripheral DCs in chronic HBV infection of patients of the GPS and the GDS under different immune states were different. The phenotype and function tests of DCs provided objective evidence for Chinese syndrome typing of chronic hepatitis B, thus reflecting the features of immune expressions of the two syndrome types and the immunology connotation.</p>

Clinical observation on chronic severe hepatitis B treated by principles of cooling-blood and detoxicating combined with clearing-heat and resolving-damp or combined with strengthening-Pi and warming-yang / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic efficacy on chronic severe hepatitis B (CSH) patients of Yanghuang and Yinhuang syndrome type by principles of cooling-blood and detoxicating combined with clearing-heat and resolving dampness (PA) or with strengthening-Pi and warming-yang (PB), respectively.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-three patients with CSH were randomly divided into two groups, group A (22 cases) treated with PA and group B (21 cases) with PB. The therapeutic efficacy, laying stress on the effect in eliminating jaundice, was observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The efficacy in group B was effective in 19 cases (90.5%), and ineffective in 2 (9.5%), while in group A, effective in 16 (72.7%) and ineffective in 6 (27.3%). Levels of TBIL and ALT were significantly lower in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the descending extent was greater, the thrombinogen activity was higher in group B than that in group A after treatment (P < 0.05), no significant difference in ALT was found between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The efficacy of PB is better than that of PA on CSH with Yanghuang and Yinghuang syndrome.</p>

Influence of temperature fluctuation on thermophilic anaerobic digestion of municipal organic solid waste / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

A laboratory-scale experiment was carried out to assess the influence of temperature fluctuation on thermophilic anaerobic digestion of municipal organic solid waste (MOSW). Heating failure was simulated by decreasing temperature suddenly from 55 degrees C to 20 degrees C suddenly; 2 h time is needed for temperature decrease and recovery. Under the conditions of 8.0 g/(L.d) and 15 d respectively for MOSW load and retention time, following results were noted: (1) biogas production almost stopped and VFA (volatile fatty acid) accumulated rapidly, accompanied by pH decrease; (2) with low temperature (20 degrees C) duration of 1, 5, 12 and 24 h, it took 3, 11, 56 and 72 h for the thermophilic anaerobic digestion system to reproduce methane after temperature fluctuation; (3) the longer the low temperature interval lasted, the more the methanogenic bacteria would decay; hydrolysis, acidification and methanogenesis were all influenced by temperature fluctuation; (4) the thermophilic microorganisms were highly resilient to temperature fluctuation.