Prognosis and incidence of immunological and oncological complications after direct-acting antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Background and study aims: The long-term comprehensive prognosis of chronic hepatitis C after direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prognosis and incidence of immunological and oncological complications after DAA therapy. Patients and methods: The study included a total of 1461 patients who received DAA therapy in our university hospital and affiliated hospitals between September 3, 2014 and September 30, 2018. Results: The incidence rates of total malignancies in overall or female patients after DAA therapy were significantly greater than expected in the corresponding general population. The same was true for lung malignancies. Predictive risk factors associated with the occurrence and recurrence of hepatic malignancies after DAA therapy in patients with sustained virological response were cirrhosis and insulin use, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II level, and albumin-bilirubin score, respectively. Eight (0.5%) patients were diagnosed with autoimmune diseases after starting DAA therapy. Importantly, the attending physician considered a possible causal relationship between DAA therapy and these autoimmune diseases in five cases (four rheumatoid arthritis and one membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis). The 5-year overall survival rate was 91.6%. The most frequent primary cause of death was malignancy in 41 (60.2%) patients, including 25 with hepatic malignancies. Lung and colorectal cancers were the next most common. Conclusions: Given that the incidence of total and lung cancers might increase and DAA-related autoimmune diseases might emerge after DAA therapy, we should be alert for the development of these diseases as well as hepatic malignancies.

Development of an X-ray photoemission electron microscopy system with multi-probes, and its application to surface imaging at static and dynamic states.

We have developed a new X-ray photoemission electron microscopy system combined with low energy electron microscopy, photoemission electron microscopy, mirror electron microscopy (MEM), secondary electron emission microscopy (SEEM) and Auger electron emission microscopy, which provides multi-angle information on the distribution and change of element, chemical state, structure, etc. at solid surfaces under the working conditions such as high temperature and gas atmosphere. The performance of each microscopical method was examined and typical images are presented. The dynamic behaviour of fabricated surfaces has been imaged in real time by SEEM and MEM.