Chitosan-Based Hydrogel Microparticles for Treatment of Carcinoma in a Rabbit VX2 Liver Tumor Model

Purpose

To investigate potential of chitosan hydrogel microparticles (CHI) for treatment of VX2 carcinoma.

急性髓系白血病患者血清腺苷脱氨酶测定的意义

目的 探讨血清腺苷脱氨酶(ADA)在急性髓系白血病(AML)的变化规律及其意义.方法 收集山东省立医院2012年1月至2013年12月75例治疗前急性髓系白血病患者(其中63例AML患者进行自身治疗前后比较)和86例健康对照者外周血血清.采用PNP-XTO-POD偶联连续监测法测定血清腺苷脱氨酶(ADA)水平,采用速率法测定谷草转氨酶(AST)、谷丙转氨酶(ALT)和谷氨酰转肽酶(GGT)水平.检测健康对照组与AML组血清ADA水平,比较AML治疗前后ADA水平变化,采用受试者工作特征曲线(ROC曲线)确定ADA最佳截点,并将AML治疗前患者分为低ADA组(ADA<13.50 U/L)和高ADA组(ADA≥13.50 U/L),分析两组间年龄、性别、AST、ALT和GGT差异.结果 AML组患者ADA水平[15.30(9.50,31.30)U/L]显著高于健康对照组[8.45(7.05,11.35)U/L],差异有统计学意义(P<0.001);AML组治疗后ADA水平[10.70(8.10,14.90)U/L]显著低于AML治疗前[14.70(9.60,26.70)U/L],差异有统计学意义(P<0.001);采用ROC曲线,将AML治疗前患者分为高ADA组(ADA≥13.50 U/L)和低ADA组(ADA<13.50 U/L),其中高ADA组中AST、ALT及GGT水平显著高于低ADA组(AST Z=-3.102,P=0.002;ALT Z=-2.046,P=0.041;GGT Z=-2.794,P=0.005).结论 ADA检测可以作为AML患者的一项常规辅助检查,对AML的疾病诊断及评估病情的发展具有一定的价值.     

Effect of sun exposure versus oral vitamin D supplementation on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in young adults: A randomized clinical trial

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Does a high intake of green leafy vegetables protect from NAFLD? Evidence from a large population study

Background and aimsResults of in vitro and in vivo studies showed that green leafy vegetables (GLV) could attenuate liver steatosis. However, little is known regarding the association between GLV intake and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in human. We examined the association of GLV intake with NAFLD in a large-scale adult population.Methods and resultsThis cross-sectional study investigated 26,891 adults in China who participated in health examinations from 2013 to 2017. Newly diagnosed NAFLD was detected by liver ultrasonography. Dietary intake was assessed by using a validated and standardized food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across categories of GLV intake. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and other dietary intakes, the OR (95% CI) for comparing the highest vs. lowest GLV intake categories (≥7 times/week vs. almost never) was 0.72 (0.59, 0.90) (P < 0.0001). In addition, a linear inverse association was demonstrated between GLV intake and NAFLD in women (P for trend = 0.04), but ORs for any intake category did not reach significance. Stratified analyses suggested a potential effect modification by obesity status; the ORs (95% CIs) for comparing the highest vs. lowest GLV intake categories was 0.72 (0.54, 0.97) in normal/overweight individuals and 1.04 (0.65, 1.65) in obese individuals (P-interaction < 0.0001).ConclusionThis large population-based study shows that high GLV intake is inversely associated with NAFLD, particularly in women and non-obese participants.     

A model incorporating serum C3 complement levels may be useful for diagnosing biliary atresia in infants

IntroductionCorrectly identifying patients with biliary atresia (BA), while avoiding invasive diagnostic methods is challenging. The purpose of this study was to determine the value of serum immune indicators for distinguishing BA from other causes of cholestasis in infants.Patients and methodsThe data of infants with a surgical/histological diagnosis of BA and those with other causes of cholestatic jaundice were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a BA group and a cholestasis control (CC) group. Biochemical parameters, major lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobin and C3 and C4 complement levels were compared between the groups.ResultsA total of 129 infants with BA and 63 with other causes of cholestasis (CC control group) with a median age of 2.2 months were included in the analysis. The levels of CD3⁺ T cells, CD3⁺CD4⁺ T cells, and premature T cells and the levels of C3 and C4 were all significantly higher in the BA group compared to the CC group (all P < 0.05). Pair-wise correlation analyses indicated that C3 and C4 had a significant positive correlation with γ-GT in the BA group, but not in the CC group. Five indices were found to be significantly associated with BA: stool color, globulin, γ-GT, C3 and C4. A model incorporating stool color, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase level, and C3 level exhibited an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.93, and a sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 83% for the diagnosis of BA.ConclusionsModels incorporating serum C3 levels may be useful for accurately diagnosing BA in infants.     

Receptor-interacting protein 2 (RIP2) gene polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis and clinical and metabolic parameters. The Genetics of Atherosclerotic Disease (GEA) Mexican study

The receptor-interacting protein 2 (Rip2) is a serine/threonine kinase involved in multiple nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) activation pathways and is a key regulator of cellular lipid metabolism and cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of RIP2 gene polymorphisms as susceptibility markers for subclinical atherosclerosis (SA). Using an informatics analysis, four RIP2 gene polymorphisms with predicted functional effects (rs2293808, rs43133, rs431264, and rs16900627) were selected. The polymorphisms were genotyped in 405 individuals with SA (calcium score > 0 assessed by computed tomography) and 1099 controls (calcium score = 0). Clinical, anthropometric, tomographic and biochemical traits were measured. The association between the RIP2 polymorphisms and SA was evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Pair wise linkage disequilibrium (LD, D′) estimations between polymorphisms and haplotype reconstruction were performed with Haploview version 4:1. Under different models adjusted by age, gender, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking habit, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels, rs43133 (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.05–1.94, P = 0.022), and rs16900627 (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.00–2.54, P_dom = 0.048 and OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.05–2.54, P_add = 0.028) were associated with increased risk of developing SA. Moreover, rs2293808, and rs431264 were associated with clinical or metabolic parameters in SA individuals and in healthy controls. The four polymorphisms were in high linkage disequilibrium and the GAAG haplotype was associated with increased risk of developing SA (OR = 1.47, P = 0.027). This study shows for the first time, that RIP2 polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of SA and with some clinical and metabolic parameters.     

γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase in Men and Alanine Aminotransferase in Women are the Most Suitable Parameters Among Liver Function Tests for the Prediction of Metabolic Syndrome in Nonviral Hepatitis and Nonfatty Liver in the Elderly

Background/Aims:

Nonalchoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been reported as a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS); it is common and accounts for 80% of the cases with abnormal liver function tests (LFTs). In addition, several studies have proved that there is a correlation between abnormal LFTs and MetS. Therefore, LFTs may represent the abnormal metabolic status of livers in the patients with MetS. To identify the early state of metabolic dysfunction, we investigate the value of LFTs for the future MetS development in the relatively healthy (non-NAFLD) elderly.

Patients and Methods:

A total of 16,912 subjects met the criteria for analysis. In the first stage of this study, subjects were enrolled in the cross-sectional study in order to find out the optimal cutoff value in different LFTs with higher chances to have MetS. In the second stage of the present study, subjects with MetS at baseline were excluded from the same study group, and a median 5.6-year longitudinal study was conducted on the rest of the group.

Results:

Among all LFTs, only aspartate aminotransferase in both genders and the α-fetal protein in women failed to show the significance in distinguishing subjects with MetS by the receiver operating characteristic curve. In the Kaplan–Meier plot, only γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) in men and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in women could be used to successfully separate subjects with higher risk of developing the MetS from those with lower risk. Finally, in the multivariant Cox regression model, similar results were identified. Still, the hazard ratio (HR) to have future MetS, γ-GT in men, and ALT in women showed significance (HR = 1.511 in men and 1.504 in women).

Conclusion:

Among all the different LFTs, γ-GT (>16 U/L) in male and ALT (>21 U/L) in female were the best predictors for the development of MetS in healthy elderly. These two liver markers could be an ancillary test in predicting future MetS development/diagnosis. Elevation of the LFTs without underlying liver diseases should be treated as a warning sign of the possible MetS development in the elderly.     

A novel non-invasive score for the prediction of advanced fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Introduction and objectivesEvaluation of liver fibrosis is important for treatment decisions, complications and to predict prognosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Our aim was to develop a new non-invasive fibrosis scoring method and prove its accuracy in the differentiation of no/low grade and advanced fibrosis in patients with CHB.Patients and methodsOur study included 273 chronic hepatitis B patients who underwent liver biopsy from February, 2007 to February, 2019 with medical records retrospectively reviewed. Preparations of these patients were divided into two groups as ≤ 3 no-low grade fibrosis (n=236) and ≥ 4 advanced fibrosis (n=37) according to histological ISHAK fibrosis scoring system.ResultsThe newly developed AGAP score and other non-invasive fibrosis scores; Fibrosis-4 index, Aspartate aminotransferase to platelets ratio, Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio, Goteborg University Cirrhosis Index, King's score, Albumin-bilirubin index, Fibrosis cirrhosis index, Fibrosis index, Fibrosis quotient, Lok score and mean and/or median values of Fibroindex were significantly higher in the advanced fibrosis group compared to the no/low grade fibrosis group (p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in AAR score among the groups (p=0.265). With cut-off value of 4.038, AUROC value of 0.803, sensitivity of 75.7%, specificity of 73.7% and accuracy of 0.740, AGAP score showed the best performance in advanced fibrosis differentiation compared to 12 other non-invasive fibrosis scoring methods.ConclusionsThe newly developed AGAP score showed better performance in patients with CHB compared to 12 other non-invasive fibrosis scores in differentiation of no/low grade fibrosis and advanced fibrosis.