Association between serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study.

AIM: To investigate the association between serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and fatty liver disease (FLD) in a Chinese population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among subjects who presented for a health examination at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University in 2013. FLD was diagnosed based on an ultrasonography examination. Serum AFP levels were measured with a chemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS: Of the 9800 subjects enrolled, 2601 were diagnosed with FLD. Subjects with FLD had higher serum AFP levels than those without the disease. Subjects with high serum AFP levels had a higher prevalence of FLD, metabolic syndrome, and its components. Univariate logistic analysis showed that elevated serum AFP levels were associated with an increased risk of FLD (OR = 1.057, 95%CI: 1.031-1.084). However, after adjusting for covariates, AFP no longer remained significantly associated with the risk factors for FLD. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that serum AFP levels are significantly associated with FLD and that AFP acts as a cofactor, but not as an independent factor, for FLD.

Association of caveolin-3 and cholecystokinin A receptor with cholesterol gallstone disease in mice.

AIM: To investigate the role of caveolin-3 (CAV3) and cholecystokinin A receptor (CCKAR) in cholesterol gallstone disease (CGD). METHODS: To establish a mouse model of CGD, male C57BL/6 mice were fed with a lithogenic diet containing 1.0% cholic acid, 1.25% cholesterol and 15% fat; a similar control group was given a normal diet. The fresh liver weights and liver-to-body weight ratio were compared between the two groups after one month. Serum lipid profile and bile composition were determined with an autoanalyzer. The Cav3 and Cckar mRNA and CAV3 and CCKAR protein levels in the liver and gallbladder were determined via real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: Establishment of the mouse CGD model was verified by the presence of cholesterol gallstones in mice fed the lithogenic diet. Compared with mice maintained on a normal diet, those fed the lithogenic diet had significantly higher mean liver-to-body weight ratio (0.067 ± 0.007 vs 0.039 ± 0.007, P < 0.01), serum total cholesterol (4.22 ± 0.46 mmol/L vs 2.21 ± 0.11 mmol/L, P < 0.001), bile total cholesterol (1.33 ± 0.33 mmol/L vs 0.21 ± 0.11 mmol/L, P < 0.001), and bile phospholipid concentrations (3.55 ± 1.40 mmol/L vs 1.55 ± 0.63 mmol/L, P = 0.04), but lower total bile acid concentrations (726.48 ± 51.83 µmol/L vs 839.83 ± 23.74 µmol/L, P = 0.007). The lithogenic diet was also associated with significantly lower CAV3 in the liver and lower CAV3 and CCKAR in the gallbladder compared with the control mice (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: CAV3 and CCKAR may be involved in cholesterol gallstone disease.

Citric acid reduces the decline in P300 amplitude induced by acute alcohol consumption in healthy adults.

Event-related potential (ERP) is a reliable neuroelectric measure of brain activity that helps to confirm the assessment of mental status and cognitive impairment. Many studies have reported that alcoholics show a significantly lower ERP P300 amplitude than the norm. In the present study, ERP P300 waves were measured to evaluate the effect of citric acid on cognitive function during excessive alcohol consumption in healthy adults. Five volunteers were selected through clinical interview, physical examination, and psychiatric assessment for participation in this study. In a double-blind placebo-controlled before-after design, each subject was treated with 5 ml/kg body weight alcohol, 5 ml/kg body weight alcohol and 1 mg citric acid, or a placebo on three separate occasions, one week apart. ERP P300, blood biochemical indicators, blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) and acetaldehyde concentrations were assessed. Repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a within-subjects factor was used to evaluate differences in blood biochemical indicators, BACs, blood acetaldehyde concentrations, and ERP P300 in the three sessions of assessments. Several blood biochemical indicators showed significant differences between treatments, including the levels of cholinesterase (CHE), total bile acid (TBA), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), and glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (GPDA). BACs after consumption of alcohol alone or citric acid with alcohol were significantly higher compared to those after placebo treatment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in blood acetaldehyde concentrations between the treatments. The P300 amplitudes on the frontal (Fz), central (Cz), and parietal (Pz) regions of the scalp after consumption of alcohol were significantly lower than those after consumption of the placebo or citric acid with alcohol (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the latter two treatments. The results of this study suggest that citric acid could reduce the decline in ERP P300 amplitude and cognitive ability induced by acute alcohol consumption. It may also affect some blood biochemical indicators, but the specific mechanisms need further research.

[Application of a calling and queuing system in blood sampling in the clinical laboratory].

This paper introduces the application of a calling and queuing system for blood sample collection in a large hospital in China. Besides the basic function, it has following functions. (a) A real name system: get the number according to the laboratory application form to prevent the phenomena of buying a number and an empty number. (b) Two times waiting: the patient should wait at the main hall, then at the blood sampling window so as to improve the work efficiency. (c) The flowchart for an outpatient blood testing is as following: getting the number --> waiting --> blood sampling --> getting the test information report. This system is capable of not only optimizing the work flow, but also improving the clinical environment. It shortens the patient's waiting time and raises the laboratory quality as well.

Risk factors for alcohol-related liver injury in the island population of China: a population-based case-control study.

AIM: To investigate the association of alcohol dose, duration of drinking and obesity with abnormal alcohol-related liver injury indicators, the prevalence of alcohol-related liver injury in the island population of China. METHODS: Randomized multistage stratified cluster sampling from the island population of China was used in the population-based case-control study. Then interview, physical examination, laboratory assessments and ultrasonography were done. RESULTS: Daily alcohol intake > or = 20 g, duration of drinking > or = 5 years and obesity were closely related to alcohol-related liver injury (P < 0.05). The odds-ratio (OR) (95% CI) was 1.965 (1.122-3.442), 3.412 (1.789-6.507) and 1.887 (1.261-2.824), respectively. The prevalence rate of alcohol-related liver injury in > or = 20 g daily alcohol intake group and < 20 g daily alcohol intake group was 37.14% and 12.06%, respectively. The prevalence rate of alcohol-related liver injury in > or = 5 years drinking group and < 5 years drinking group was 34.44% and 8.53%, respectively. No significant dose-response relation was found between daily alcohol intake and abnormal alcohol-related liver injury indicators as well as between duration of drinking and abnormal alcohol-related liver injury indicators. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of alcohol-related liver injury between beer drinking group and yellow rice wine drinking group, hard liquor drinking group, multiple drinking group. CONCLUSION: The risk threshold of daily alcohol intake is 20 g and duration of drinking inducing alcohol-related liver injury 5 years in the island population of China. Liver injury induced by obesity should be concerned.

Research on the protection effect of pioglitazone for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has markedly increased. Insulin resistance has been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. This study was aimed at observing the relationship between insulin resistance and NAFLD, and evaluating the role of pioglitazone (PGZ) acting as insulin-sensitizing agents in the prevention and treatment of rat fatty liver induced by high fat feeding. METHODS: The rats were separated randomly into 6 groups: model group I were fed high fat diet for 8 weeks, PGZ prevention group were given PGZ 4 mg/(kg.d) simultaneously, while control group I were fed normal food for 8 weeks; model group II were fed high fat diet for 16 weeks, PGZ treatment group were given PGZ 4 mg/(kg.d) orally simultaneous with high fat diet for 8 weeks after high fat feeding for 8 weeks, control group II were fed normal food for 16 weeks. The rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks and 16 weeks respectively. Liver weight, body weight, serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting plasma insulin (FINS), HOMA (homeostasis model assessment) insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and the liver histology of rats of all groups were assayed. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, the liver in model group I showed typical steatosis, accompanied with mild to moderate lobular inflammatory cell infiltration, liver indexes and serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TNF-alpha were significantly increased (P<0.05) compared with control group I. Whereas, the degree of hepatic injury was attenuated in PGZ prevention group, liver indexes and serum levels of ALT, ALP were significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared with model group I. After 16 weeks, notable steatosis, and lobular inflammation were observed in model group II rat liver, while the degree of hepatic injury was attenuated in the PGZ treatment group. Liver index, serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, FINS and HOMA-IR were significantly increased (P<0.05) in model group II compared with control group II. Whereas, in PGZ treatment group, serum levels of AST and FINS showed decreasing tendency, liver indexes, serum levels of ALT, ALP, TNF-alpha and HOMA-IR were significantly decreased compared with model group II. CONCLUSION: Insulin resistance plays a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in rats. Pioglitazone can attenuate insulin resistance and biochemical and histological injury in high fat-induced fatty liver in rats.

Monitoring the level of serum paraoxonase 1 activity in liver transplantation patients.

BACKGROUND: Paraoxonase 1(PON1) is an ester hydrolase in serum and in the liver. Studies have suggested that PON1 measurement to the current battery of tests may improve the evaluation of chronic liver diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of monitoring the level of serum PON1 activity in liver transplantation patients. METHODS: A series of biochemical indexes were monitored in preoperative, operative and postoperative serum samples of 17 liver-transplanted patients. The change of serum PON1 level and its relations with other biochemical indexes were analyzed. RESULTS: PON1 was distributed normally in the healthy population and its reference value ranged from 45.5 to 265.8 U/mL. The PON1 level of all patients was lower than that of control group significantly (P<0.001); the level began to elevate continuously 5 minutes after opening of the portal vein and was higher than that 90 minutes after opening of the portal vein (P<0.05). Two days after operation it was still higher than the normal. The levels of serum ALT and AST elevated more significantly after opening of the portal vein than before operation and they were higher than the normal values till 2 days after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The level of PON1 in serum may be taken as one of the effective indexes to assess whether the implant is alive and to monitor liver function of the patient together with other tests.

[Research and development of a clinical laboratory information system].

A clinical laboratory information system consists of two parts--the information system and the management system. Its development is based on scientific and rational lab-workflow, consulting the international standard HL7 Protocol, and combined with barcode technique and instrument communication. The information system mainly manages the data which come from the whole lab testing process while the management system is dominating the lab office work and management decisions.

Correlation of polymorphism in the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene intron 2 with alcoholic liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) can inhibit the pro-inflammatory effects of IL-1, which recently has been thought to involve the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This study was undertaken to determine whether there is any association between IL-1ra gene polymorphism and ALD in a Chinese population. METHODS: The polymorphism of IL-1ra gene intron 2 (VNTR) was assessed in 165 alcoholics (43 alcohol-dependent subjects without liver diseases, 30 patients with alcoholic fatty liver, 61 patients with alcoholic hepatitis and 31 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis) and 65 healthy control subjects by PCR with DNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. RESULTS: The rate of IL-1RN*1 carriage was statistically higher in the alcoholics than in the control group (98.79% vs 93.85%, chi2=4.48, P<0.050). And the IL-1RN*1 allele frequency was more common in the alcoholics than in the control group (86.67% vs 76.92%, chi2=6.56, P<0.025). IL-1RN*1 heterozygote was significantly more frequent in the patients with alcoholic hepatitis or those with cirrhosis than in the alcohol-dependent subjects without liver diseases (32.79%, 29.03% vs 9.30%; chi2=7.84, chi2=4.84; P<0.010, P<0.050). The IL-1RN*2 allele frequency in the patients with alcoholic hepatitis and the patients with cirrhosis was also significantly higher than in those alcoholics without liver diseases (13.93%, 17.74% vs 4.65%; chi2=4.79, chi2=6.78; P<0.050, P<0.010). But the frequencies of IL-1RN*1 heterozygote and IL-1RN*2 allele appear to be not different between the patients with alcoholic fatty liver and the alcoholics without liver diseases. CONCLUSIONS: IL-1ra gene polymorphism is closely associated with race. IL-1RN*2 allele doesn't influence the susceptibility to ALD, but the gene carriers with ALD have additional risk for aggravation of the illness.

Typing and characterization of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex in a Chinese hospital.

This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex (Acb complex) and to type carbapenemases. The relatedness of 45 isolates of carbapenem-resistant Acb complex collected from a clinical setting was analysed by PFGE. The carbapenemases produced by these isolates were typed by IEF, a three-dimensional test, 2-mercaptopropanoic acid inhibition assay, PCR and DNA cloning and sequencing. Results showed that all 45 isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics including meropenem. The resistance rates to cefoperazone/sulbactam and ampicillin/sulbactam were 2.2 and 6.5%, respectively. About 71.7-78.3% of these isolates were intermediately resistant to cefepime, ceftazidime and cefotaxime. Forty-five isolates were classified into type A (98%) and B (2%) based on their PFGE patterns. Most of type A isolates were from the ICU. Type A was the dominant isolate, including subtypes A1 (22%), A2 (71%), A3 (2%) and A4 (2%). Only one isolate, from the haematology department, belonged to type B. Forty-three isolates (96%) were positive for carbapenemase. One isolate had two bands by IEF, the pIs of which were 6.64 and 7.17. The band with the pI of 6.64 was OXA-23. The other 42 isolates produced two bands with pIs of 6.40 and 7.01 which could not be inhibited by clavulanic acid, cloxacillin or 2-mercaptopropanoic acid. It can be concluded that the prevalent carbapenem-resistant Acb complex isolates from this hospital all had similar beta-lactamase patterns.

Effect of acute alcoholism on hepatic enzymes and oxidation/antioxidation in rats.

BACKGROUND: Around the world more and more people suffer from acute alcoholism. The purpose of this study was to determine hepatic enzymes and oxidation/antioxidation in rats with acute alcoholism. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, low-dose alcohol, and high-dose alcohol. Each alcohol group (n=12) was intravenously infused with ethanol at a dose of 0.3 or 0.7 g/kg body weight respectively. The control group (n=11) was intravenously infused with normal saline at a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight. Blood was collected for detection of hepatic enzymes and index of oxidation/antioxidation. RESULTS: The ratio of AST to ALT was 2.44+/-0.46, 2.57+/-0.60 and 3.03+/-0.46 in the three groups, and the difference was significant between the control and high-dose alcohol groups (P