Effects of Polybutylene Succinate Content on the Rheological Properties of Polylactic Acid/Polybutylene Succinate Blends and the Characteristics of Their Fibers.

Polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) are gaining prominence as environmentally friendly alternatives to petroleum-based polymers due to their inherent biodegradability. For their textile applications, this research is focused on exploring the effects of PBS content on the rheological properties of PLA/PBS blends and the characteristics of PLA/PBS blend fibers. PLA/PBS blends and fibers with varying PBS contents (0 to 10 wt.%) were prepared using melt-blending and spinning methods. Uniform morphologies of the PLA/PBS blends indicated that PBS was compatible with PLA, except at 10% PBS content, where phase separation occurred. The introduction of PBS reduced the complex viscosity of the blends, influencing fiber properties. Notably, PLA/PBS fibers with 7% PBS exhibited improved crystallinity, orientation factor, and elasticity (~16.58%), with a similar tensile strength to PLA fiber (~3.58 MPa). The results suggest that an optimal amount of PBS enhances alignment along the drawing direction and improves the molecular motion in PLA/PBS blend fiber. This study highlights the potential of strategically blending PBS to improve PLA fiber characteristics, promising advancement in textile applications.

Combination treatment with sofosbuvir and ribavirin for patients diagnosed with hepatitis C genotype 2: A real-world, single-center study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The demand for treatments for viral hepatitis using direct antiviral agents (DAAs) has increased; however, few real-world clinical studies are available. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir combined with ribavirin for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) genotype 2 (GT2). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 106 consecutive CHC GT2 patients treated with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin between May 2016 and August 2018 (median age: 52.5 years, male: 51 [48.1%], treatment-naïve patients: 98 [92.5%]) were analyzed. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR12). The secondary endpoint was the occurrence of side effects during treatment. RESULTS: Of a total of 106 patients with CHC GT2, 103 were genotype 2a (97.2%), and 3 were 2b (2.8%). SVR12 was confirmed in 105 of 106 patients (99.1%). The one patient with treatment failure had combined liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Twenty-five patients had liver cirrhosis in addition to hepatitis C virus (HCV) (Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP)-A, n = 24; C, n = 1), and SVR12 was confirmed in 24 of these patients (96.0%). The mean HCV RNA titer was 2,629,159 IU/ml. Reductions in haemoglobin levels occurred in 23 patients during treatment (3.0 mg/dL, mean), and consequently, ribavirin dose reduction was required (365.2 mg, mean). CONCLUSION: Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin was highly effective for the treatment of patients with CHC GT2 and had no serious, treatment-related adverse effects.

Predictors of mortality in patients with extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia receiving colistin therapy.

The ratio of the area under the free (unbound) concentration-time curve to minimum inhibitory concentration (fAUC/MIC) was proposed to be the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic index most strongly linked to the antibacterial effect of colistin against Acinetobacter baumannii. A retrospective study of patients who received colistin to treat pneumonia caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) A. baumannii over a 4-year period was performed to assess the impact of the colistin MIC on mortality. A total of 227 patients were included in the analysis. The 7-day and 14-day mortality rates of patients with XDR A. baumannii pneumonia receiving colistin therapy were 15.0% and 23.8%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, days from index culture to first dose of colistin, underlying tumour and septic shock at presentation were independent predictors of mortality in patients with XDR A. baumannii pneumonia receiving colistin therapy. In the univariate analysis, the colistin dose based on ideal body weight (IBW) correlated with patient outcome. Therefore, the use of IBW appeared to be more appropriate to calculate the colistin dosage. In addition, these results highlight the clinical significance of colistin MIC in patients with XDR A. baumannii pneumonia receiving colistin therapy. Although MICs were in the 'susceptible' range, patients infected with isolates with high colistin MICs showed a poorer clinical response rate than patients infected with isolates with low colistin MICs. Further clinical studies are needed to evaluate the roles of colistin MIC for predicting mortality in XDR A. baumannii pneumonia with a high colistin MIC.

Comparison of autofluorescence imaging endoscopic findings with pathologic findings after endoscopic submucosal dissection of gastric neoplasms.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: All epithelial cells emit autofluoresce, with tumor cells emitting weaker autofluorescence. We categorized patterns of autofluorescence imaging (AFI) and compared their clinical characteristics and pathology findings after endoscopic submucosal dissection. METHODS: Twenty patients were enrolled, comprising 4 adenomas and 16 early gastric cancers. AFI findings were classified as follows: G0 (well-defined pink lesion on a green background with a clear interface over >/=50% of its area), G1 (pink-green mottled lesion on a green background with a clear interface over <50% of its area), P1 (pink-green mottled lesion on a purple background with a clear interface over <50% of its area), and P2 (vague lesion on a purple background with a clear interface over

A phase II study of single-agent gemcitabine as a second-line treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the single-agent gemcitabine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as second-line chemotherapy. METHODS: Between February 2002 and November 2004, a total of 27 patients, who had previously been treated with paclitaxel and platinum as first line chemotherapy, were enrolled in the study. Patients were treated with gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2)) on days 1, 8 and 15 in a 28 day cycle. The response was assessed every two cycles. Toxicities were evaluated according to common toxicity criteria (CTC). RESULTS: The median age was 62 (range, 46-79) years old. Among the 27 patients, 26 were male. Twenty-three patients had an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 and four patients had a status of 2. Pathologically, 24 patients had squamous cell carcinoma and 3 had adenocarcinoma. Partial responses were observed in 15 patients. All patients were evaluated for response and toxicity. The overall response rate was 18.5% (95% confidence interval, 5-33%) and the median response duration was 17 (range, 7.4 to 49+) weeks. The median time to progression was 10 (range, 7 to 34+) weeks. The median overall survival for all patients was 38 (range, 10 to 122+) weeks. During a total of 87 cycles, granulocytopenia greater than CTC grade 2 occurred in 7%, thrombocytopenia in 1% and anemia in 24% of case. Non-hematologic toxicities were minor and easily controlled. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the activity and safety of the single-agent gemcitabine as a second-line therapy in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC.