Citrus maxima and tea regulate AMPK signaling pathway to retard the progress of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic metabolic disease that easily induces hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. The long-term use of NAFLD therapeutic drugs produces toxicity and drug resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to develop high efficiency and low-toxicity active ingredients to alleviate NAFLD. Objective: This study aimed to reveal the role and mechanism of a new functional food CMT in alleviating NAFLD. Results: In the ob/ob fatty liver mice models, the CMT extracts significantly inhibited the weight gain of the mice and reduced the accumulation of white fat. The anatomical and pathological results showed that CMT relieved fatty liver in mice and reduced excessive lipid deposition and inflammatory infiltration. Serological and liver biochemical indicators suggest that CMT reduced dyslipidemia and liver damage caused by fatty liver. CMT obviously activated the adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl-coA carboxylase (ACC) and AMPK/fatty acid synthase (FAS) signaling pathways, promoted fat oxidation, and inhibited synthesis. Moreover, CMT regulated the expression of inflammatory factors to relieve hepatitis caused by NAFLD. Conclusion: The study explained the role and mechanism of CMT in alleviating NAFLD and suggested that the active ingredients of CMT might be beneficial in NAFLD therapy.

Effect of fermentation bed on bacterial growth in the fermentation mattress material and cecum of ducks.

The composition of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract is closely related to the intestinal microenvironments and the exterior growth environments of host. In this study, 16S rDNA sequencing technology was adopted to investigate the influence of fermentation bed on the cecum microorganisms of ducks. Two feeding density treatment groups were set up, including group A (n = 4brids/m2) and group B (n = 6brids/m2). Samples were collected from the intermediate core fermentation layer (10-20 cm) of the fermented mattress materials and from the intestinal contents of ducks at 4, 6 and 8 weeks, respectively. Results showed that Bacteroidetes (20.12-27.17%) and Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 (2.97-10.1%) were the predominant microorganisms in duck cecum, while the Truepera (5.08-6.29%), Pricia (4.44-5.44%) and Luteimonas (3.62-4.99%) were the dominant microorganisms in fermentation mattress material. The cecum bacteria exhibited great difference among different growth periods of the ducks. Increasing the stocking density of ducks had a negative effect on the beneficial bacteria in the cecum. The microbial populations in fermentation mattress material were very different from that in the cecal. In summary, our findings can provide a scientific data for the rational use of fermentation bed feeding mode in poultry production.

Mixtures of Tea and Citrus maxima (pomelo) Alleviate Lipid Deposition in HepG2 Cells Through the AMPK/ACC Signaling Pathway.

Tea and citrus maxima are natural, medicinal homologous plants, typically used for making beverages, which have anticancer, antiobesity, and antioxidation properties. Green tea, yellow tea, and black tea were combined with citrus maxima to obtain green tea and Citrus maxima (GTCM), yellow tea and Citrus maxima (YTCM), and black tea and Citrus maxima (BTCM). The biochemical components of these mixtures were analyzed, and their possible effects and mechanisms on relieving liver lipid deposition were explored. The tea polyphenols, free amino acids, phenolamine ratio, and caffeine were comparable in YTCM and GTCM, being significantly higher than those in BTCM. In addition, the content of esterified catechins, nonesterified catechins, and total catechins in YTCM was significantly higher than those in GTCM and BTCM. All three mixtures of Citrus maxima tea significantly reduced lipid deposition in HepG2 cells, with GTCM and YTCM being slightly more effective than BTCM. Regarding the possible mechanism, Western blot analysis revealed that the three Citrus maxima tea mixtures could activate the AMPK/ACC signaling pathway, upregulate the expression of p-AMPK, p-ACC, and CPT-1 proteins, and downregulate the expression of SREBP1c and fatty acid synthase proteins to inhibit fat synthesis, thereby relieving lipid deposition in liver cells. In conclusion, as a novel and healthy beverage, Citrus maxima tea has the potential to alleviate liver lipid deposition, and further could be responsible for obesity treatment.

Molecular evolution of influenza B virus during 2011-2017 in Chaoyang, Beijing, suggesting the free influenza vaccine policy.

Two influenza B virus lineages, B/Victoria and B/Yamagata, are co-circulating in human population. While the two lineages are serologically distinct and TIV only contain one lineage. It is important to investigate the epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics of two influenza B virus lineages in Beijing after the free influenza vaccine policy from 2007. Here, we collected the nasopharyngeal swabs of 12657 outpatients of influenza-like illness and subtyped by real-time RT-PCR during 2011-2017. The HA and NA genes of influenza B were fully sequenced. The prevalence is the highest in the 6-17 years old group among people infected with influenza B. Yamagata-lineage virus evolved to two inter-clade from 2011-2014 to 2014-2017. The amino acids substitutions of HA1 region were R279K in strains of 2011-2014 and L173Q, M252V in strains of 2014-2017. Substitutions L58P, I146V were observed in HA1 region of Victoria-lineage virus in 2011-2012 and I117V, N129D were showed in 2015-2017. Phylogenetic analysis of NA showed Yamagata-Victoria inter-lineage reassortant occurred in 2013-2014. Influenza B mainly infect the school-aged children in Beijing and the free influenza vaccine inoculation does not seem to block school-age children from infection with influenza B. The antigen characteristics of circulating influenza B were different to the recommended vaccine strains. We concluded that the Victoria-lineage vaccine strain should been changed and the free influenza vaccine should be revalued.

Clinical study on carboplatin for treating pediatric patients with Wilms tumors.

UNLABELLED: This analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carboplatin based chemotherapy in treating pediatric patients with Wilms tumors. METHODS: Clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of carboplatin based regimens on response and safety for pediatric patients with Wilms tumors were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rates (RRs) of treatment were calculated. RESULTS: In carboplatin based regimens, 4 clinical studies which including 127 patients with advanced Wilms tumors were considered eligible for inclusion. With this carboplatin based chemotherapy, 2 clinical studies included carboplatin, ifosfamide and etoposide. Systemic analysis suggested that, in all patients, the pooled PR was 64.5% (82/127) in carboplatin based regimens. Thrombocytopenia and leukocytopenia were the main side effects. No grade III or IV renal or liver toxicity was observed. No treatment related death occurred with carboplatin based treatment. CONCLUSION: This systemic analysis suggests that carboplatin based regimens are associated with a reasonable response rate and accepted toxicities for treating pediatric patients with Wilms tumors.

[Observation on two kinds of recombinant hepatitis B vaccines used in populations with different immunity].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immunity status on different hepatitis B vaccines currently being used in Beijing. METHODS: College students who had not received hepatitis B vaccine and children who had received whole-course immunization at birth, were tested HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc. All the test-negative cases were served as research subjects. 3 doses recombinant hepatitis B vaccines were given to the college students, following the 0, 1, 6 months schedule. Among which, 140 cases received recombinant beer yeast hepatitis B vaccine (BY vaccine, 10 microg, 5 microg, 5 microg), and 140 cases with recombinant hansenula polymorpha hepatitis B vaccine (HP vaccine, 10 microg, 10 microg, 10 microg). 1 dose was given for boosting immunization to 98 children, in which 49 cases with BY vaccine (5 microg) and 49 cases with HP vaccine (10 microg). Anti-HBs was tested 1 month after. RESULTS: The total positive (> or = 10 mIU/ ml) rate was lower among BY vaccine group than HP vaccine group for the college students (93.5 %, 99.3% , P<0.05), but no statistical difference on GMT(81.2 mIU/ml, 94.6 mIU/ml, P>0.05) was found. For males, the positive rate and GMT were lower in BY vaccine group than in HP vaccine group (85.7% ,100.0%, P<0.01)(56.6 mIU/ml, 98.6 mIU/ml, P<0.01), but with no statistical difference for females (98.8%, 98.5%, P> 0.05) (103.4 mIU/ml, 90.3 mlU/ml, P> 0.05). For the same vaccine, the positive rate and GMT were lower in males than in females when using BY vaccine (85.7% , 98.8%, P<0.01)(56.6 mIU/ml,103.4 mIU/ml, P< 0.01), but no statistical difference was found on HP vaccine(100.0%, 98.5%, P>0.05)(98.6 mIU/ml, 90.3 mIU/ml, P>0.05). The positive rate of anti-HBs was decreasing along with age among the children who had received a whole-course immunization at birth (P <0.01). 98.6 % of the 70 negative cases appeared positive conversion after receiving 1 dose and the GMT raised significantly by 15 times. No statistical difference was found between the two kinds of vaccines(100.0%, 97.4%, P>0.05)(80.5 mIU/ml, 68.5 mIU/ml, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The type of vaccine and sex were related to the effects, better with HP vaccine than BY vaccine in males but was the same for females in adults receiving basic immunization according to the conventional doses. Both kinds of vaccines were ideal when children receiving boosting immunization. The immune memory was good for persons who had received primary immunization with recombinant vaccine but antibody appeared negative conversion. It was not necessary to boost immunization within 6 years after a whole-course immunization with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in infancy.