Distributed parameter model for characterizing magnetic crosstalk in a fiber optic current sensor.

The effects of magnetic crosstalk on a fiber optic current sensor are studied using the distributed parameter model. A new method to enhance the immunity to magnetic crosstalk is proposed. The experimental results show that magnetic crosstalk changes periodically with the azimuth angle and decreases as the distance between the conductors increases. When the sensing coil is placed at the optimal azimuth angle, the ratio error from magnetic crosstalk decreases from -0.32% to -0.02%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Study of ZHENG differentiation in hepatitis B-caused cirrhosis: a transcriptional profiling analysis.

BACKGROUND: In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical practice, ZHENG (also known as TCM syndrome) helps to understand the human homeostasis and guide individualized treatment. However, the scientific basis of ZHENG remains unclear due to limitations of current reductionist approaches. METHODS: We collected the leukocyte samples of three hepatitis B-caused cirrhosis (HBC) patients with dampness-heat accumulation syndrome (DHAS) and three HBC patients with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome (LDSDS) for microarray analysis. We generated Gene-Regulatory-Networks (GeneRelNet) from the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of microarray date. Core genes were validated using anther independent cohort of 40 HBC patients (20 DHAS, 20 LDSDS) with RT-PCR. RESULTS: There were 2457 mapped genes were differentially expressed between DHAS and LDSDS (Fold change ≥ 2.0, P < 0.05). There were markedly different genes co-expression patterns in DHAS and LDSDS. Furthermore, three differential co-expression genes including purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP); aquaporin 7 (AQP7) and proteasome 26S subunit, non-ATPase 2 (PSMD2) were screened by GeneRelNets, and their mRNA expressions were further validated by real time RT-PCR. The results were consistent with microarray. The PNP (P = 0.007), AQP7 (P = 0.038) and PSMD2 (P = 0.009) mRNA expression is significant difference between DHAS and LDSDS using the non-parametric test. Furthermore, we constructed an mRNA panel of PNP, AQP7 and PSMD2 (PAP panel) by logistic regression model, and evaluated the PAP panel to distinguish DHAS from LDSDS by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis, which showed a higher accuracy (AUC = 0.835). Gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that the DHAS is most likely related to system process while the functions overrepresented by LDSDS most related to the response to stimulus. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that there are particular transcriptional profiles, genes co-expressions patterns and functional properties of DHAS and LDSDS, and PNP, AQP7, and PSMD2 may be involved in ZHENG differentiation of DHAS and LDSDS in HBC.

Interleukin-10 genotype correlated to deficiency syndrome in hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome is an important basis for TCM diagnosis and treatment. As Child-Pugh classification as well as compensation and decompensation phase in liver cirrhosis, it is also an underlying clinical classification. In this paper, we investigated the correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and TCM syndromes in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis (HBC). Samples were obtained from 343 HBC patients in China. Three SNPs of IL-10 (-592A/C, -819C/T, and -1082A/G) were detected with polymerase chain-reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR). The result showed the SNP-819C/T was significantly correlated with Deficiency syndrome (P = 0.031), but none of the 3 loci showed correlation either with Child-Pugh classification and phase in HBC patients. The logistic regression analysis showed that the Excess syndrome was associated with dizzy and spider nevus, and the Deficiency syndrome was associated with dry eyes, aversion to cold, IL-10-819C/T loci, and IL-10-1082A/G loci. The odds ratio (OR) value at IL-10-819C/T was 4.022. The research results suggested that IL-10-819C/T locus (TC plus CC genotype) is probably a risk factor in the occurrence of Deficiency syndrome in HBC patients.

Transcriptional profiling and co-expression network analysis identifies potential biomarkers to differentiate chronic hepatitis B and the caused cirrhosis.

Liver cirrhosis is one of the most common non-neoplastic causes of mortality worldwide. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a major cause of liver cirrhosis in China. To find biomarkers for the diagnosis of CHB caused cirrhosis (HBC), we examined the transcriptional profiling of CHB and HBC. The leukocyte samples of CHB (n = 5) and HBC (n = 5) were analyzed by microarray. The results showed that 2128 mapped genes were differentially expressed between CHB and HBC (fold change ≥ 2.0, p < 0.05). Gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that these 2128 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched for immune response and cell formation functions mostly. Moreover, co-expression networks using the k-core algorithm were established to determine the core genes, which may play important roles in the progression of CHB to HBC. There were markedly different gene co-expression patterns in CHB and HBC. We validated the five core genes, CASP1, TGFBI, IFI30, HLA-DMA and PAG1 in CHB (n = 60) and HBC (n = 60) by quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of the five genes were consistent with microarray, and there were statistically significant co-expression patterns of TGFß1, PAG1 and HLA-DMA mRNA (Pearson correlation coefficient >0.6). Furthermore, we constructed an mRNA panel of TGFBI, IFI30, HLA-DMA and PAG1 (TIPH HBCtest) by means of a logistic regression model, and evaluated the TIPH HBCtest for HBC diagnosis by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis, which showed a higher accuracy (AUC = 0.903). This study suggested that there are particular transcriptional profiles, gene co-expression patterns and core genes in CHB and HBC. The TIPH HBC test may be useful in the diagnosis of HBC from CHB.

Curative Effects of ZHENG-Based Fuzheng-Huayu Tablet on Hepatitis B Caused Cirrhosis Related to CYP1A2 Genetic Polymorphism.

Aim. To investigate the correlation of Fuzheng-Huayu tablet (FZHY) efficacy on chronic hepatitis B caused cirrhosis (HBC) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CYP1A2. Methods. After 111 cases of HBC with 69 excess, 21 deficiency-excess, and 21 deficiency ZHENGs (ZHENG, also called traditional Chinese medicine syndrome) were treated by FZHY for 6 months, clinical symptoms, Child-Pugh score, and ZHENG score were observed. Three of the SNPs in CYP1A2 gene were detected and analyzed using SNaPshot assay. Results. In ZHENG efficacy between effective and invalid groups, there was significant difference (P < 0.001). The ZHENG deficiency was significantly correlated with FZHY efficacy (P < 0.05). AA genotype of CYP1A2-G2964A was significantly different with GG genotype (P < 0.05) between CYP1A2 Genotypes and FZHY efficacy on ZHENG. More importantly, GA plus AA genotype of CYP1A2-G2964A was significantly different with deficiency ZHENG (P < 0.05) between CYP1A2 genotypes and FZHY efficacy on ZHENG. Conclusion. FZHY improved ZHENG score of HBC, and these efficacies may relate to CYP1A2-G2964A sites. It was suggested that CYP1A2-G2964A locus is probably a risk factor for ZHENG-based FZHY efficacy in HBC.

[Surveillance of endemic situation of schistosomiasis in Wuyi Village of Dongting Lake region, Hunan Province from 2002 to 2010].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemic trends of schistosomiasis in Wuyi Village of Muping Lake, so as to provide the references for making control strategy of schistosomiasis in embankment subtype in Dongting Lake region. METHODS: The data relating to the morbidity of schistosomiasis among human and domestic animals, the status of Oncomelania snails, the parameters of demographic and social economic development, and intervention measures were collected in Wuyi Village from 2002-2010. Based on this information, the changing trends of schistosomiasis were dynamically analyzed. RESULTS: The infection rate of schistosomiasis among human reduced from 11.44% in 2002 to 1.12% in 2010. The infection rate among male residents was higher than that of female ones. The fishermen had the highest infection rate among all the occupational groups. The positive rate of stool examination in cattle was stable at 10%. The density of snails outside embankment greatly decreased from 10.49 snails/0.1 m2 in Autumn of 2003 to 0.68 snails/0.1 m2 in Autumn of 2010. The mean density of infected snails outside embankment reached the peak of 0.026 snails/0.1 m2 in Spring of 2003, yet the figure reduced to zero from 2006 to now. CONCLUSION: The endemic situation of schistosomiasis in Wuyi Village has been greatly reduced, yet cattle and fishermen are still the targets of schistosomiasis control in the future.

Serum levels of microRNAs can specifically predict liver injury of chronic hepatitis B.

AIM: To investigate whether circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as molecular markers to predict liver injury resulted from chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: The profiles of serum miRNA expression were first generated with serum samples collected from 10 patients with CHB and 10 healthy donors (Ctrls) by microarray analysis. The levels of several miRNAs were further quantitated by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with serum samples from another 24 CHB patients and 24 Ctrls. Serum samples of 20 patients with nonalcohlic steatohepatitis (NASH) were also included for comparison. The comparison in the levels of miRNAs between groups (CHB, NASH and Ctrl) was analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test. The correlation between miRNAs and clinical pathoparameters was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis or canonical correlation analysis. The receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were also generated to determine the specificity and sensitivity of each individual miRNA in distinguishing patients with CHB from Ctrls. RESULTS: miRNA profile analysis showed that 34 miRNAs were differentially expressed between CHB and Ctrl subjects, in which 12 were up-regulated and 22 down-regulated in CHB subject (fold change > 2.0 and P < 0.01). The median levels of miR-122, -572, -575 and -638 were significantly higher (P < 1.00 × 10(-5)) while miR-744 significantly lower (P < 1.00 × 10(-6)) in CHB compared with the Ctrl. The levels of miR-122, -572 and -638 were also higher (P < 1.00 × 10(-3)) while the level of miR-744 lower in CHB (P < 0.05) than in NASH, although the difference between them was not as significant as that between CHB and Ctrl. ROC curve analysis revealed that the levels of miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 in serum were sensitive and specific enough to distinguish CHB, NASH and Ctrl. Multivariate analysis further showed that the levels of these miRNAs were correlated with the liver function parameters. Most significantly, it was the scatter plot of principal component with the levels of these miRNAs, but not the parameters of liver function, which clearly distinguished CHB, NASH and Ctrl subjects. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 are deregulated in patients with CHB or NASH. The levels of these miRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers for liver injury caused by CHB and NASH.