Centralized isolation of Helicobacter pylori from multiple centers and transport condition influences

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy of centralized culture and possible influencing factors.METHODS:From January 2010 to July 2012,66452 patients with suspected Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) infection from 26 hospitals in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces in China underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy.Gastric mucosal biopsies were taken from the antrum for culture.These biopsies were transported under natural environmental temperature to the central laboratory in Hangzhou city and divided into three groups based on their transport time:5,24 and 48 h.The culture results were reported after 72 h and the positive culture rates were analyzed by a χ2 test.An additional 5736 biopsies from H.pylori-positive patients(5646 rapid urease test-positive and 90 14C-urease breath test-positive) were also cultured for quality control in the central laboratory setting.RESULTS:The positive culture rate was 31.66%(21036/66452) for the patient samples and 71.72%(4114/5736) for the H.pylori-positive quality control specimens.In the 5 h transport group,the positiveculture rate was 30.99%(3865/12471),and 32.84%(14960/45553) in the 24 h transport group.In contrast,the positive culture rate declined significantly in the 48 h transport group(26.25%; P < 0.001).During transportation,the average natural temperature increased from 4.67 to 29.14℃,while the positive culture rate declined from 36.67%(1462/3987) to 24.12%(1799/7459).When the temperature exceeded 24℃,the positive culture rate decreased significantly,especially in the 48 h transport group(23.17%).CONCLUSION:Transportation of specimens within 24 h and below 24℃ is reasonable and acceptable for centralized culture of multicenter H.pylori samples.

Neuroprotective effects of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside

Monosialotetrahexosylganglioside（GM1）is a type of glycosphingolipid containing sialic acid that is closely related to cell-cell recognition,adhesion and signal conduction.GM1is mainly composed of ceramide and oligosaccharide chains,and it is the only ganglioside that can permeate the bloodbrain barrier.

Pattern of liver injury in adult patients with COVID-19: a retrospective analysis of 105 patients

Background: Recent studies reported that patients with coronavirus disease-2019(COVID-19) might have liver injury. However, few data on the combined analysis and change patterns of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and total bilirubin(TBil) have been shown.Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study. A total of 105 adult patients hospitalized for confirmed COVID-19 in Beijing Ditan Hospital between January 12, and March 17, 2020 were included, and divided into mild group(n=79) and severe group(n=26). We compared liver functional test results between the two groups. Category of ALT change during the disease course was also examined.Results: 56.2%(59/105) of the patients had unnormal ALT, AST, or total TBil throughout the course of the disease, but in 91.4%(96/105) cases the level of ALT, AST or TBil ≤3 fold of the upper limit of normal reference range(ULN). The overall distribution of ALT, AST, and TBil were all significantly difference between mild and severe group(P<0.05). The percentage of the patients with elevated both ALT and AST was 12.7%(10/79) in mild cases vs. 46.2%(12/26) in severe cases(P=0.001). 34.6%(9/26) severe group patients started to have abnormal ALT after admission, and 73.3%(77/105) of all patients had normal ALT before discharge.Conclusions: Elevated liver function index is very common in patients with COVID-19 infection, and the level were less than 3×ULN, but most are reversible. The abnormality of 2 or more indexes is low in the patients with COVID-19, but it is more likely to occur in the severe group.