Background For better understanding of the pathological changes of COVID‐19, benefiting clinical management of the disease and the preparation for future waves of similar pandemics. Methods Hematology parameters from a total of 52 cases of COVID‐19 admitted for treatment in a designated hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software. Results Pre‐treatment T‐cell subsets, total lymphocytes, red blood cell distribution width (RDW), eosinophils, and basophils were significantly lower than that of post‐treatment, while the inflammatory indexes neutrophils, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels, as well as red blood cell (RBC) and hemoglobin, were significantly reduced after treatment. The T‐cell subsets, total lymphocytes, and basophils in severely and critically ill patients were significantly lower than those in moderately ill patients. Neutrophils, NLR, eosinophils, procalcitonin (PCT), and CRP was significantly higher in severely and critically ill patients than in moderately ill patients. CD3+, CD8+, total lymphocytes, platelets, and basophils in patients older than 50 were lower than that of those younger than 50, while neutrophils, NLR, CRP, and RDW in patients older than 50 were higher than that of younger than 50. There was a positive correlation among prothrombin time (PT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in severely and critically ill patients. Conclusions T‐cell subsets, lymphocyte count, RDW, neutrophils, eosinophils, NLR, CRP, PT, ALT, and AST are important indicators in the management especially for severely and critically ill patients with COVID‐19.

We conducted a serologic investigation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in hybrid wild boar herds in China during 2008–2009. PRRSV isolates with novel genetic markers were recovered. Experimental infection of pigs indicated that hybrid wild boars are involved in the epidemiology of PRRSV.

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) has been implicated as a key proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pancreatic islet inflammation of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Excess IL-1β impairs islet function by inducing insulin resistance and β-cell apoptosis. Therefore, specifically reducing IL-1β activity provides a therapeutic improvement for T2DM by sustaining the inhibition of IL-1β-mediated islet inflammation. In this study, we developed an IL-1β-targeted epitope peptide vaccine adjuvanted with polylactic acid microparticles (1βEPP) and applied it to a diabetic KK-Ay mouse model. Results showed that the 1βEPP elicited high antibody responses, which neutralized the biological activity of IL-1β, and induced barely detectable inflammatory activity. 1βEPP immunization reduced body weight gain, protected KK-Ay mice from hyperglycemia, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and decreased the serum levels of free fatty acids, total cholesterol and triglyceride. Moreover, 1βEPP restored β-cell mass; inhibited β-cell apoptosis; decreased the expression of IL-1β; and interrupted NF-κB activation by reducing IKKβ and pRelA levels. These studies indicated that the IL-1β-targeted vaccine may be a promising immunotherapeutic for T2DM treatment.

Background Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a biomarker used in clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, approximately 40% of HCC patients do not present with elevated serum AFP levels. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and pathologic characteristics between AFP positive and negative HCC patients to allow for improved clinical management and prognostication of the disease. Methods This study observed a cohort of HCC patients from Eastern and Southern China with comparisons of the clinical and pathologic features between serum AFP positive and negative patient groups; patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis, those with chronic hepatitis B, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) asymptomatic carrier patients were used as controls. Data included the laboratory results, pathology diagnosis, clinical staging and scores were obtained from routine clinical diagnostic methods. Results Patients with HCC, larger tumor sizes, liver cancer with hepatic cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis, metastasis, high Child–Pugh score, high Barcelona-Clínic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, and advanced clinical stage had significantly higher serum AFP levels. Also, patients with HBsAg and HBeAg positive, high HBV DNA levels had significantly higher serum AFP levels. Patients with high serum AFP levels had higher protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alpha-l-fucosidase (AFU), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), γ-GT /ALT, direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IDBIL), fibrinogen, and D-dimer levels. Patients with AFP positive had higher white blood cells (WBC), neutrophil, monocyte, and platelet count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Conclusions The are significant differences in clinical pathologic characteristics between AFP positive and negative HCC patients which may be helpful for the management and prognostication of the disease.

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. Abstract Background: The association between vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH)D) with colorectal cancer (CRC) is still ambiguous. This study was to further investigate the relationship between serum VDBP, 25 (OH)D levels and the clinical and pathological features of patients with CRC.Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and chemiluminescence immunoassay were used to analyze the VDBP and 25(OH)D concentrations in serum.Pearson's correlation analysis was applied to evaluate the association between serum VDBP and 25(OH)D levels in CRC. Conditional logistic regression was performed to analyze the prediction value of serum VDBP or 25(OH)D as a risk factor for CRC. Results:The serological levels of 25(OH)D in patients were significantly lower than in healthy individuals, while VDBP levels were significantly higher than in healthy controls. The serum VDBP in pre-operative was significantly lower than in post-operative samples, while the serum 25(OH)D from pre-operative patients was significantly higher than post-operative patients. Patients with tumors with higher stage and increased lymph node involvement had lower serum post-operative VDBP levels. In addition, our results showed that the pre-operative VDBP level is a risk factor of CRC. Conclusions:The levels of serum 25(OH)D and VDBP were both associated with CRC.Thus, serum 25(OH)D and VDBP levels might be of value in evaluating the pathogenesis and risk of CRC in the future. Moreover, serum VDBP or 25(OH)D levels were associated with patient's clinical and pathological features providing data for risk and prognostic prediction.Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common type of cancer worldwide. 1 In China, the estimated new cases and deaths of CRC were 376 300 and 191 000, respectively, in 2015. 2 Benefited by the development of screening tools for early detection, more and more patients could be treated at an early stage; however, the incidence and mortality of CRC among adults aged under 50 years is increasing in the United States. 3Accumulating evidence indicates that high levels of circulating vitamin D is an anti-cancer factor, which may reduce the risk of CRC. [4][5][6] Vitamin D (VD) is photochemically synthesized in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation or ingested from food and/ or supplements. Once getting into blood circulation, VD is hydroxylated and forms 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in the liver, the well-known biomarker of VD status. Then, 25(OH)D is hydroxylated and forms 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] in the kidney and other organs, the bioactive form of VD. 7 Recent studies found that free 25(OH)D may be an independent CRC prognostic biomarker. 8 Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP), primarily vitamin D carrier ...

Wang HR, Meng FR, Chi XW, et al. Observation on therapeutic effects of acupuncture plus Chinese herbs for sudden deafness. J Acupunct Tuina Sci, 2015, 13 (4): [260][261][262][263][264] Abstract Objective: To observe the clinical effect of wind-expelling method of acupuncture and Chinese herbs for sudden deafness. Methods: A total of 90 cases with sudden deafness were randomly divided into three groups based upon their visit order and random digital table, an acupuncture plus Chinese herbs (APCH) group, an acupuncture group, and a Western medication (WM) group, 30 cases in each group. The APCH group was treated by puncturing Fengchi (GB 20), Fengfu (GV 16) and Fengmen (BL 12), without retaining the needles, and then by puncturing Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) and Tianshu (ST 25) with reinforcing technique after arrival of the needling sensation, and the needles were retained for 30 min, plus oral administration of wind-expelling Chinese herbs. The acupuncture group was treated with the acupoints selected by syndrome differentiation in reference to the textbook of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Science. The WM group was treated by intravenous infusion of Alprostadil injection, Adenosine Disodium Triphosphate and Coenzyme A and muscular injection of Vitamin B 12 and Vitamin B 1 . The decibel values of hearing loss before and after treatment were respectively recorded and analyzed comparatively. Results: In the intra-group comparison after treatment among the three groups, the decibel values of hearing loss all declined, with statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05). After treatment, the decibel value of hearing loss in the APCH group was better than those in the acupuncture group (P＜0.05) and the WM group (P＜0.05). The total effective rate was respectively 83.3% in the APCH group, 60.0% in the acupuncture group and 56.7% in the WM group. The total effective rate in the APCH group was better than those in other two groups (both P＜0.05). Conclusion: The therapeutic effect was better for sudden deafness by wind-expelling method of acupuncture and Chinese herbs than by acupuncture alone or by Western medication.

Background Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a biomarker used in clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, approximately 40% of HCC patients do not present with elevated serum AFP levels. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and pathologic characteristics between AFP positive and negative primary liver cancer (PLC) patients to allow for improved clinical management and prognostication of the disease. Methods This study observed a cohort of PLC patients from Eastern and Southern China with comparisons of the clinical and pathologic features between serum AFP positive and negative patient groups; patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis, those with chronic hepatitis B, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) asymptomatic carrier patients were used as controls. Data included the laboratory results, pathology diagnosis, clinical staging and scores were obtained from routine clinical diagnostic methods. Results Patients with HCC, larger tumor sizes, liver cancer with hepatic cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis, metastasis, high Child-Pugh score, high Barcelona-Clínic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, and advanced clinical stage had significantly higher serum AFP levels. Also, patients with HBsAg and HBeAg positive, high HBV DNA levels had significantly higher serum AFP levels. Patients with high serum AFP levels had higher protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alpha-l-fucosidase (AFU), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), γ-GT /ALT, direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IDBIL), fibrinogen, and D-dimer levels. Serum AFP status was inversely associated with serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Patients with AFP positive had higher white blood cells (WBC), neutrophil, monocyte, and platelet count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Conclusions The are significant differences in clinical pathologic characteristics between AFP positive and negative PLC patients which may be helpful for the management and prognostication of the disease.