bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Hepatitis B Virus Replication and Expression in Vitro and in Vivo by the Hammerhead Ribozymes Targeted Different Sites
Authors: Dai Wei , Zhou Rong , Yu Hong , Li Xiao-juan 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To develop an effective and specific medicine targeting hepatitis B virus (HBV) pregenome. Based on the identified accessible target sites for hammerhead ribozyme in our previous researches, a recombinant hepatitis delta virus (HDV) ribozyme was chosen and used to demonstrate the effective cleavage in vitro and in vivo.
Methods Three hammerhead ribozymes for potential target sites (S, X and C genes) and co-expression plasmid (pTr-dB, pTdδ-dB, pTrX-dB and pTrC-dB) as well as four HDV-ribozyme chimera constructs with HBV (pTdXX, pTdXC, pTdSX and pTdSC) were severally chosen to validate the inhibition of the replication and expression of HBV. The co-expression plasmids (pTdδ and pTr-Db) in physiological saline were hydrodynamically injected to mice by tail vein.
Results Compared with the group injected with pTr-dB in Huh-7 cell, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was reduced by 31% in the group injected with pTdδ-dB, by 54%, 26%, 72% and 97% in the group injected with recombinant-ribozymes pTdSX, pTdSC, pTdXC and pTdXX, respectively. The inhibiting effects of endogenous ribozymes RzX and RzC on the HBsAg expression were 66% and 57%, respectively. Compared with the positive control, the amount of HBsAg was decreased in mice injected with pTdXX through tail vein by 88% and 96% on the second day and the third day, respectively. HBsAg was undetectable on the 6th day and could not primitively be detected on the 9th day in the sera from all mice. HBV DNA was not detected in the sera of BALB/c mice injected with pTdXX-dB, pTrX-dB or replicating-defective plasmid pHBV, while HBV DNA replication in control group could be detected on the 6th day. While HBcAg could not be detected in liver tissues of mice injected with plasmid pTdXX-dB on the 3rd day.
Conclusions Encoding regions of HBV S, C and X gene were the effective cleavage sites for hammerhead ribozyme in vitro and in vivo, which provides basis for further construction of therapeutic recombinant HDV and the development of targeting antiviral gene therapy.
Infection Route Analysis of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia
Authors: Guo Wei , Zhang Jie , Li Jing-yun , Ma Yue , Cui Sheng-hui 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary care center to identify the risk factors of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) through phenotypic and molecular biological methods.
Methods The patients who were mechanically ventilated in the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) and the neurological internal intensive care unit (NICU) were enrolled in our study, and samples were collected from the lower respiratory tract, oropharynx and stomach. Other samples, including the environmental air, swabs of nurses’ hands, subglottic secretion and ventilator circuit, were also collected. Microorganisms in the collected samples were recovered and identified at species level by biochemical detection. Genetic relationship of dominant species was further characterized by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
Results Out of 48 enrolled patients, 22 cases developed VAP and bacterial cultures were recovered from the lower respiratory tract samples of 14 cases. The average hospitalization time with VAP was significantly longer than that of patients without VAP (P < 0.05). Among the recovered bacteria cultures, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were dominant. It was more likely that subglottic secretion and gastric juice samples contained the same isolates as recovered in the lower respiratory tract by PFGE analysis.
Conclusions Mechanical ventilation in RICU and NICU was a high risk factor for VAP development. Special emphasis of VAP prophylaxis should be paid on subglottic secretion and gastric juice reflux.
Characterization of Imipenem Unsusceptible Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Isolates from Inpatients without Carbapenem Treatment
Authors: Gu Yi-hai , Zhu Xiao , Li Jing-yun , Zhang Jun , Zhou Qing-yuan , Ma Yue , Hu Chang-qin , Jin Shao-hong , Cui Sheng-hui 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To identify the risk factors for imipenem resistance development and transmission of clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates.
Methods Thirty-seven imipenem unsusceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from patients in absence of carbapenem treatment were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility test, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and carbapenem resistant mechanism analysis.
Results Before the collection of imipenem unsusceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, the average time of patients treated with more than one antimicrobial (20.0 ± 9.5 days, n = 16) was significantly longer than those treated with only one antimicrobial (12.6 ± 4.4 days, n = 21; t-test, Welch, t = -2.9004, P < 0.01). And 32 isolates showed resistance to more than 3 classes of antimicrobials. Six PFGE clusters were identified and 26 isolates were grouped into one dominant cluster (C2). An ISpa1328 sequence insertion in oprD was detected in 33 isolates and the function of efflux was observed in all 37 isolates in the presence of a wide spectrum efflux inhibitor.
Conclusions Our data demonstrated that exposure to non-carbapenem drug classes, especially fluoroquinolones and β-lactams, may be important risk factors for the spread of carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Clinical Characteristics and Treatment for Patients with Occult Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Gao Qing-wei , Yuan De-sheng 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To observe the clinical manifestations and assess direct antiviral effect for patients with occult hepatitis B in China.
Methods The study includes 15 patients with occult hepatitis B and their medical history, family history, first-diagnosis time, confirmed-diagnosis time, laboratory report, anti-viral therapy and outcomes were analyzed.
Results The average age of the patients is 38.67-year old (6 males and 9 females), 2 with acute hepatitis B (2/15, 13.3%), 13 with no hepatitis history (13/15, 86.6%), 8 with family history (8/15, 53.3%), 6 with no family history (6/15, 40%), 1 with unknown family history (1/15, 6.6%). Eight patients were treated with entecavir (0.5 mg/day, taken orally), with effective results and steady conditions; 3 patients were treated with lamivudine (0.1 g/day, taken orally), 2 of them were prescribed to take adefovir dipivoxil additionally due to drug-resistance, the other one was treated with lamivudine continuously without drug-resistance; 4 cases refused anti-viral therapy. One patient’s condition remained steady, 1 patient died of cirrhosis with portal hypertension and liver failure 5 years after firstdiagnosis, 1 patient progressed to hepatocellular carcinoma and accepted surgery operation treatment 5 years after first-diagnosis, the other 1 patient progressed to compensatory cirrhosis 2 years after first-diagnosis and is steady from then, which indicates that occult chronic hepatitis B can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma without therapy in time.
Conclusions The clinical characteristics of 15 cases with occult chronic hepatitis B showed that these patients with short latency, younger age when being-struck, and light damage to liver function. The efficacy and drugresistance of nucleos(t)ide-analogue (entecavir, lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil) in treatment of patients with occult chronic hepatitis B are similar to chronic hepatitis B.
Inflammatory Cytokine Secretion Status of Bone Marrow Cells and Clinical Significance in Immunerelated Hematocytopenia
Authors: Sun Li-fei , Wu Qiang-qiang , Sun Zhi-hong , Han Bing , Hao Hong-feng , Wang Gui-chen , Li Ming , Zhang Jin-biao 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To observe the expression of inflammatory molecules in bone marrow immune cells of patients with immune-related hematocytopenia (IRH), and to investigate the immune mechanism and clinical significance of the disease.
Methods Total of 36 IRH patients were selected as observation group and 30 healthy people were taken as control group. Serum cytokines levels, activity of immunocytes and expression of HLA-DR were detected. Immune fluorescence was applied to observe the expression state of immunologic molecules and cytokines in IRH patients.
Results Serum cytokines were elevated in various degrees in observation group. Compared with the control group, the cytokines levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05). After treatement with immunosuppressive drugs, the serum levels of cytokines in observation group reduced to a level close to the control group. HLADR were upregulated in activated tissue basophils, eosinophils, dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages of bone marrow in IRH patients, and POX activity in these immunocytes of IRH was higher than that of the control group. Immune molecules were highly expressed in eosinophils, DC and macrophages.
Conclusions It is demonstrated that antibodies or self-reactive lymphocytes were produced in IRH marrow, which would cause lesions of hemocytes, and lead to pathological process finally. Structure of hematopoietic cells mutated and these cells might be acted as target cells of immunocytes in the pathological process. Immunocytes could secrete inflammatory factors and lead to immunologic injury of hemocyte.
Correlation between the Insertion/Deletion Mutations of Prion Protein Gene and BSE Susceptibility and Milk Performance in Dairy Cows
Authors: Hu Shen-rong , Huai Yong-tao , Pan Chuan-ying , Lei Chu-zhao , Chen Hong , Lan Xian-yong 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To investigate the 23 bp and 12 bp insertion/deletion (indel) mutations within the bovine prion protein (PRNP) gene in Chinese dairy cows, and to detect the associations of two indel mutations with BSE susceptibility and milk performance.
Methods Based on bovine PRNP gene sequence, two pairs of primers for testing the 23 bp and 12 bp indel mutations were designed. The PCR amplification and agarose electrophoresis were carried out to distinguish the different genotypes within the mutations. Moreover, based on previous data from other cattle breeds and present genotypic and allelic frequencies of two indels mutations in this study, the corrections between the two indel mutations and BSE susceptibility were tested, as well as the relationships between the mutations and milk performance traits were analyzed in this study based on the statistical analyses.
Results In the analyzed Chinese Holstein population, the frequencies of two “del” alleles in 23 bp and 12 bp indel muations were more frequent. The frequency of haplotype of 23del-12del was higher than those of 23del- 12ins and 23ins-12del. From the estimated r2 and D’ values, two indel polymorphisms were linked strongly in the Holstein population (D’ = 57.5%, r2 = 0.257). Compared with the BSE-affected cattle populations from the reported data, the significant differences of genotypic and allelic frequencies were found among present Holstein and some BSE-affected populations (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Similarly, there were significant frequency distribution differences of genotypes and alleles among Chinese Holstein and several previous reported healthy dairy cattle (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, association of genotype and combined genotypes of two indel polymorphisms with milk performance and resistant mastitis traits were analyzed in Holstein population, but no significant differences were found (P > 0.05).
Conclusions These observations revealed that the influence of two indel mutations within the bovine PRNP gene on BSE depended on the breed and they did not affect the milk production traits, which layed the foundation for future selection of resistant animals, and for improving health conditions for dairy breeding against BSE in China.
Identification of HIV-1 Genotypic Resistance in Patients on First-line Antiretroviral Therapy Using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Sequencing
Authors: Xiao Jiang , Li Yan-mei , Huang Ying-xiu , Zhang Wen , Su Wen-jing , Zhang Wei , Han Ning , Yang Di , Li Xin , Gao Gui-ju , Zhao Hong-xin 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate the characteristics of HIV drug-genotypic resistance among patients taking first-line ARV regimens using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, and guide to design optimal ARV regimens for these patients.
Methods HIV reverse transcriptase-encoded gene was amplified with RT-PCR and amplified PCR products were aligned and comparatively analyzed with HIV resistance database to find drug-resistance mutations.
Results Twenty-eight PCR products were amplified and sequenced successfully in 30 serum samples of recruited HIV-infected patients with virologic failure. The resistance rate was 96%, mutations in NRT region were found in 26 patients (93%), while mutations in NNRT region were found in 27 patients (96%). M184V was the most common mutation (86%), K65R was selected in 14% of recruited individuals and TAMs occurred in 50% of patients, which resulted in resistance to NRTIs. Y181C and V179D were the most common mutations in NNRTIs and prevalence was 43% (12/28) and 36% (10/28), respectively, which resulted in cross-resistance to NNRTIs due to low-genetic barrier.
Conclusions Virologic failure may occur in long-term administration of first-line ARV regimens, and drugresistance mutations can be found in these patients, which resulted in resistance to first-line ARV regimens. We emphasized that HIV viral load assay and resistance assay were important tools to guide healthcare workers to design an optimal second-line ARV regimens for HAART-experienced individuals with virologic failure.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms rs2227284, rs2243283 and rs2243288 in the IL-4 Gene Show no Association with Susceptibility to Chronic Hepatitis B in a Chinese Han Population
Authors: Zhou Qin , Gao Yu-feng , Zhao Xiao-miao , Pan Fa-ming , Li Xu 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) gene and outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a Chinese Han population.
Methods Total of 501 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and 301 controls with selflimiting HBV infection were studied. Three tag SNPs in the IL-4 gene (rs2227284G/T, rs2243283C/G and rs2243288A/G) were genotyped by the Multiplex snapshot technique. The genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and analyzed.
Results The three SNPs showed no significant genotype/allele associations with chronic HBV infection. Overall allele P values were: rs2227284, P = 0.655, odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.070 (0.793-1.445); rs2243283, P = 0.849, OR (95% CI) = 0.976 (0.758-1.257); rs2243288, P = 0.659, OR (95% CI) = 1.060 (0.818-1.375). Overall genotype P values were: rs2227284, P = 0.771; rs2243283, P = 0.571; rs2243288, P = 0.902. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with chronic HBV infection and controls. Haplotypes generated by these three SNPs also had no significant differences between the two groups.
Conclusions The three tag SNPs of IL-4 were not associated with the outcome of HBV infection in the Han Chinese population.
The Comparative Study on Two Models of Syndrome Differentiation of the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: An Investigation Analysis of the Signs and Symptoms on 2 325 Cases
Authors: Nie Fan , Hong Ke , Li Hui-juan , Li Xiu-hui , Li Shuang-jie , Zhang Wei , Zhu Qing-jing , Zhang Lukun , Nie Guang 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To realize the characteristics of “zheng” differentiation-treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), a new methodology of syndrome differentiation for different stages of HFMD has been explored.
Methods Total of 2 325 cases with HFMD were recorded by distributing them into exterior syndrome stage, interior syndrome stage, severe syndrome stage and recovered syndrome stage, respectively, and the main symptoms and subsidiary symptoms of different stages of HFMD have been observed. The major and minor pathogenesis of HFMD in different stages were obtained, and compared with the “2010 Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of HFMD”.
Results It was found that the major pathogenesis of exterior stage was defined as “the invation of the wenevil to the defender of the body with the collaterals got involved”, and the minor as “qi deficiency”; in interior stage, “the fury of Gan-Yang” was the main pathogenesis, and “qi in chaos and qi deficiency” was the minor; in severe syndrome stage, “the damage of heart, liver and lung” was the main pathogenesis, and “qi in chaos” was the minor; and the pathogenesis of recovered stage was “qi-yin deficiency”. Compared with the “2010 Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of HFMD”, it showed that “the obstruction of the fei-pi qi by the mixture of shi-re evil” and “the mixture of shi-re” in vivo was quite difficult to be explained in completely different context in the general situation; in the severe stage, the TCM clinical characteristics of syndrome differentiation might lose; in the early acute severe cases, the phenomenon that xin-yang and fei-qi almost ran out was difficult to be observed, then, the line between the severe and the acute severe became vague.
Conclusions The theory of syndrome differentiation by stages of HFMD was reasonable in the actual situation of clinical description on HFMD which was expected to be further tested and widely applied in the “zheng” differentiation-treatment of HFMD in the future.
Early Evolution of Hepatitis B Virus Quasispecies During IFN-α Treatment
Authors: Ren Yu-lian , Xie Yao 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To investigate the dynamic change of hepatitis B virus quasispecies within complete genome during the early stage of IFN-α treatment and its impact on virological response.
Methods Sixteen patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving IFN-α treatment were investigated. HBV DNA was extracted from serum sample at baseline and week 12. The complete genome of HBV was amplified, then cloned and sequenced. The quasispecies heterogeneity of HBV complete genome was depicted at baseline and week 12.
Results The quasispecies heterogeneity of the genome except for C-ORF were comparable in three groups at baseline and week 12. The quasispecies diversity at amino acid levels of responders within C-ORF were higher than that of non-responders at baseline. The quasispecies diversity within the C-ORF of partial responders was reduced in the early stage of IFN-α treatment. Furthermore, the mean genetic distance at amino acid levels of partial responders was significantly higher than that of the non-responders at week 12. The evolutionary rate was not different between non-responders and partial responders.
Conclusions In the immune clearance phase, the patients who had greater viral quasispecies diversity within C-ORF at amino acid level had more chance to obtain the early virological response during IFN-α treatment.
Research Progress on HIV/AIDS with Concomitant Hepatitis B Virus and/or Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Authors: Guo Fuying , Yang Lingzhou 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) involve similar transmission routes, namely, blood, sexual contact, and mother-baby contact. Therefore, HIV infection is usually accompanied by HBV and HCV infections. This observation poses a great challenge to the prevention and treatment of HIV/human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) accompanied by HBV and HCV infection. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been extensively applied. Hence, liverrelated diseases have become the main causes of complication and death in HIV-infected individuals. This paper summarizes the current epidemiology, mutual influence, and treatment of HIV/AIDS accompanied by HBV or HCV infection.
The Predictive Value of On-treatment Virological Response for Sustained Virological Response in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Receiving a Personalized Treatment Program
Authors: Li Ming-hui , Xie Yao , Lu Yao , Qiu Guo-hua , Zhang Lu , Shen Ge , Zhuang Li-wei , Hu Ju-long , Dong Jian-ping , Mu Cai-qin , Hu Lei-ping , Chen Li-jun , Li Xing-hong , Yang Min , Wu Yun-zhong , Zhao Hui , Song Shu-jing , Cheng Jun , Xu Dao-zhen 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Objective To investigate the effects of individualised treatment with peginterferon alpha-2a (40 kD) plus ribavirin in Chinese patients with CHC.
Methods Total of 297 consecutive Chinese patients were enrolled, including 250 naïve cases and 47 cases who were previously treated. Treatment duration was determined according to viral genotypes, prior treatment history and viral responses at week 4, 12 and 24.
Results Totally, 235 patients (79.1%) completed treatment and 186 (87.3%) achieved SVR. And 219 out of 289 (75.8%) patients achieved HCV RNA negative at week 4 (RVR) and 259 of 276 (93.8%) at week 12. Among the 164 patients with RVR who completed follow-up, 158 (96.3%) achieved SVR. Patients with RVR had lower baseline viral loads than patients without RVR (P = 0.034). The positive predictive value (PPV) of RVR for SVR was 90.7% (OR 2.10 vs. non-RVR, 95% CI: 0.50 - 8.7). Similar outcomes were observed among patients with HCV undetectable at week 12.
Conclusions Complete viral suppression by week 4 is associated with a high rate of treatment success in treatment naïve and experienced patients receiving individualized CHC therapy.
Effects of Arrhenius Activation Energy and Binary Chemical Reaction on Convective Flow of a Nanofluid over Frustum of a Cone with Convective Boundary Condition
Authors: Chetteti RamReddy , Rao Chukka Venkata 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
In this article, we investigate the effects of Arrhenius activation energy with binary chemical reaction and convective boundary condition on natural convective flow over vertical frustum of a cone in a Buongiorno nanofluid under the presence of thermal radiation. The zero nanoparticle flux condition is used at the surface of frustum of a cone rather than the uniform wall condition to execute physically applicable results. For this complex flow model, a suitable non-similarity transformations are used initially and then Bivariate pseudo-spectral local linearisation method is used to solve the non-similar, coupled partial differential equations. Further, the convergence test and error analysis are conducted to verify the accuracy of numerical method. The effects of flow influenced parameters on the non-dimensional velocity, temperature, nanoparticle volume fraction and regular concentration profiles as well as on the skin friction, heat transfer rate, nanoparticle and regular mass transfer rates are analyzed.
Modification of Konjac Glucomannan by Reduced-Pressure Radio-Frequency Air Plasma
Authors: Wang Shi-Qing , Huang Guo-Qing , Du Yan-Li , Xiao Jun-Xia 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
The potential of reduced-pressure radio-frequency air plasma (RFAP) in the modification of konjac glucomannan (KGM) was investigated. KGM film was exposed to 100 W RFAP for 50 s, 100 s, 150 s, 200 s, and 250 s, ground, and then subjected to various characterizations. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that RFAP treatment increased the content of –OH groups in KGM, with the lowest and highest rise occurring at the exposure durations 150 s and 250 s, respectively. RFAP radiation decreased the solubility of KGM at certain exposure durations, but slightly increased its thermal stability. Exposure to RFAP for 150 s and 250 s increased the hardness of the resultant KGM gel, but decreased the viscosity and elasticity of the KGM solution in a duration-dependent manner. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observation revealed that RFAP treatment led to rougher surfaces and XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) analysis indicated the destroyed crystallinity of KGM. Hence, RFAP has potential application in the modification of KGM.