Diagnostic value of novel hepatic fibrosis markers in assessing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and the dynamic changes of CHI3L1 and GP73 after HCV clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The comparison of continuous variables of normal distribution were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and t-test. The comparison of continuous variables of non-normal distribution were statistically analyzed by rank sum test. The categorical variables were statistically analyzed by Fisher's exact test and χ(2) test. Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman correlation analysis. Methods: Data of 105 patients with CHC diagnosed from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to study the efficacy of serum CHI3L1 and GP73 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Friedman test was used to compare CHI3L1 and GP73 change characteristics. Results: The areas under the ROC curve for CHI3L1 and GP73 in the diagnosis of cirrhosis at baseline were 0.939 and 0.839, respectively. Serum levels of CHI3L1 and GP73 in the DAAs group decreased significantly at the end of treatment compared with baseline [123.79 (60.25, 178.80) ng/ml vs. 118.20 (47.68, 151.36) ng/ml, P = 0.001; 105.73 (85.05, 130.69) ng/ml vs. 95.52 (69.52, 118.97) ng/ml, P = 0.001]. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 in the pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin (PR) group were significantly lower at the end of 24 weeks of treatment than the baseline [89.15 (39.15, 149.74) ng/ml vs. 69.98 (20.52, 71.96) ng/ml, P < 0.05; 85.07 (60.07, 121) ng/ml vs. 54.17 (29.17, 78.65) ng/ml, P < 0.05]. Conclusion: CHI3L1 and GP73 are sensitive serological markers that can be used to monitor the fibrosis prognosis in CHC patients during treatment and after obtaining a sustained virological response. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 levels in the DAAs group decreased earlier than those in the PR group, and the serum CHI3L1 levels in the untreated group increased compared with the baseline at about two years of follow-up.

Effect of Huazhuo Jiedu Huoxue Tongluo Prescription on Brain-gut Axis of Rats with Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury Based on 16S rRNA Sequencing of Intestinal Flora / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Huazhuo Jiedu Huoxue Tongluo （HJHT） prescription on the intestinal flora in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury， and to explore the mechanism of Chinese medicinal prescription regulating intestinal flora to restore the balance of brain-gut axis. MethodFifty male SPF SD rats were randomly assigned into sham group， model group， high-dose HJHT group （25.0 g·kg-1）， medium-dose HJHT group （12.5 g·kg-1）， and low-dose HJHT group （6.25 g·kg-1）， with 10 rats in each group. The rat model of permanent middle cerebral artery infarction was established according to Longa method and previous research experience， and reperfusion was performed 2 h after ischemia. The recovery of neurological function deficit and the percentage of cerebral infarction area were detected 72 h after administration. Real-time PCR was performed to detect the mRNA levels of Occludin and zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1） in rat colon. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was conducted to reveal the intestinal damage. The feces of 6 rats in each group were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing. The expression of Treg and Th17 in intestinal tissue， peripheral blood， and brain tissue were detected. ResultCompared with the sham group， the model group showed obvious neurological deficit （P<0.05） and large cerebral infarction area （P<0.05）. High-dose and medium-doses HJHT alleviated the symptoms of neurological impairment （P<0.05） and reduce the cerebral infarction area （P<0.05） compared with the model group. Compared with the sham group， the model group showed destroyed structure of colonic mucosa and incomplete epithelial cells and goblet cells， while high-dose and medium-doses HJHT alleviated such changes. The mRNA levels of Occludin and ZO-1 in the model group were lower than those in the sham group （P<0.05），and the high-dose HJHT groups were higher than the model group （P<0.05）. The intestinal flora structure was significantly different between the model group and the sham group while similar between the high-dose HJHT group and sham group. Compared with the sham group， the model group showed down-regulated expression of Treg and up-regulated expression of Th17 in the intestinal tissue， peripheral blood， and brain tissue， and high-dose and medium-dose HJHT alleviated the changes in the expression of Treg and Th17 in the model group （P<0.05）. ConclusionHuazhuo Jiedu Huoxue Tongluo prescription may improve the permeability of intestinal wall by adjusting the abundance and diversity of intestinal microorganisms to reduce the migration of intestinal Th17 cells toward the ischemic lateral brain tissue， mitigate the inflammatory response， and thus alleviate the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Mechanism of Prunellae Spica Extracts on Lipid Metabolism in ZDF Rats Based on AMPK/ACC Signalling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To observe the effect of Prunellae Spica extracts (PS) on the lipid metabolism in Zuker Diabetes Fatty (ZDF) rats based on AMP-activated protein kinase/acetyl CoA carboxylase (AMPK/ACC) signaling pathway.Method: The 32 male ZDF (fa/fa) type 2 diabetic rats were randomly divided into model group,metformin group (180 mg·kg-1·d-1),and low and high-dose PS groups (12.25,24.5 mg·kg-1·d-1),with 8 in each group.8 male Zuker Lean (ZL) rats were selected as normal group.Body weight and fasting blood glucose were monitored at the 0th,4th and 8th weeks after administration.After 8 weeks,abdominal aorta blood was collected,serum was frozen at-20℃ by centrifugation,liver tissue was frozen at-80℃,fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and embedded in paraffin.Serum triglyceride (TG),cholesterol (CHO),low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and free fatty acid (FFA) levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.Fat droplets in hepatocytes were measured by oil red O staining.Gene expressions of AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha 2(AMPKα2),Acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) in liver were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR).Protein expressions of p-AMPKα were observed by immuno-histochemical (IHC) method.Result: Compared with the normal group,the T2DM model group showed significant increases in serum levels of TG,CHO,LDL-C,FFA and lipid droplets in hepatocytes.AMPKα2 mRNA expression was decreased,while ACC1 and ACC2 mRNA expressions were increased significantly.p-AMPKα protein expression in liver was decreased significantly (PPα2,down-regulation in mRNA expressions of ACC1 and ACC2,and up-regulation in protein expression of p-AMPKα(PPConclusion:PS can effectively improve liver lipid metabolism in ZDF rats.Its mechanism may be related to the regulation of AMPK/ACC signaling pathway in liver.

Exploration of Traditional Chinese Medical Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment for Dengue Fever：An Analysis of 257 Cases / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To explore the etiology, pathogenesis, syndrome differentiation and treatment for dengue fever according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM) . Methods A retrospective case analysis was carried out in 257 dengue fever patients admitted in 2013 by Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The clinical data of pathogenic features, TCM symptoms and signs, and therapeutic regimen were collected and analyzed. Results Six commonly-seen TCM syndrome patterns for dengue fever were classified into disease involving both defensive system and Qi system, excessive heat in defensive system, summer-heat and dampness stagnating the middle-jiao or attacking the exterior, excessive heat in both Qi system and blood system, pathogenic factors lodging between diaphragm and pleura, and mixture of blood stasis and toxicity, and the corresponding prescriptions were Yinqiao Powder, Chaige Jieji Decoction, Xinjia Xiangru Decoction, Qingwen Baidu Decoction, Dayuan Decoction, Xijiao Dihuang Decoction, respectively. Conclusion The TCM syndrome patterns of dengue fever in Guangzhou area are characterized as excessive heat in Qi system, complicated with nutrient and blood system syndrome, and mostly are blended with dampness. Correspondingly, the therapeutic principles should be clearing heat and removing toxicity in Qi system with cold-cool herbs, and assisting with cooling blood to clear heat in Qi system and removing dampness.

Rapid quantification of total nitrogen and end-point determination of hide melting in manufacturing of donkey-hide gelatin / 中国中药杂志

Hide melting presents itself as one of the most critical processes in the production of donkey-hide gelatin. Here a NIR-based method was established for the rapid analysis of in-process hide melting solutions as well as for end-point determination of this process. Near infrared (NIR) spectra of hide melting solutions were collected in transflective mode. With the contents of total nitrogen determined by the Kjeldahl method as reference values, partial least squares regression (PLSR) was employed to build calibration models between NIR spectra and total nitrogen. Model parameters including wavelength range and PLS factors were optimized to achieve best model performance. Based on the contents of total nitrogen predicted by calibration model, end point of hide melting was determined. The constructed PLS model gave a high correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.991 3 and a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.807 g x L(-1). With the predicted total nitrogen and predefined limit, decisions concerning the proper times of melting were made. This research demonstrated that NIR transflectance spectroscopy could be used to expeditiously determine the contents of total nitrogen which was subsequently chosen as the indictor for determining the end-point of hide melting. The proposed procedure may help avoid unnecessary raw material or energy consumption.

Rapid determination of total flavonoids, total saponins, and soluble solid content in Fufang Ejiao Syrup by NIRS / 中草药

Objective: To develop an expeditious method for the simultaneous determination of main active compounds in Fufang Ejiao Syrup (FES, compound Ejiao oral liquid) by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in transflective mode. Methods: The contents of total flavonoids and total saponins were determined by colorimetric assays, while the soluble solid content was determined using a moisture analyzer as reference value. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was employed for the calibration of regression models between NIRS and the indexes. Results: The correlation coefficients (R2) of the constructed models for total flavonoids, total saponins, and soluble solid content were 0.9798, 0.9660, and 0.9978, respectively, and the root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) were 69.6, 17.6 μg/mL, and 0.394%, respectively. Conclusion: The proposed method is fast and accurate, and facilitating the rapid analysis of main active components in FES.

ETIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS / 中国寄生虫学与寄生虫病杂志

l014 faecal specimens were collected from 4 hospitals in Nanjing to investigate the infection of Cryptosporidium. Each faecal specimen was smeared and screened by auramine-phenol staining method for oocyst, the positive and suspected specimens were identified by modified acid-fast staining method and safranin-methylene blue staining method. The result showed that 13 spccimens were positive by auramine-phenol staining method and confirmed by modified acid-fast staining method. 5 suspected specimens were negative as shown by the latter two methods.The best result could be obtained when auramine-phenol staining method was first used and folloWed by modified acid-fast staining method. This-technique is simple, sensitive and reliable. It is difficult to find oocysts by safranin methylene blue staining method when the oocysts are few (Figs. l-3).