Ascites affects the benefit of carvedilol on patients with liver cirrhosis and esophageal and gastric varices.

Esophageal and gastric varices (EGV) bleeding is a dangerous side effect of liver cirrhosis. Ascites may affect the effectiveness of carvedilol in preventing EGV rebleeding. A retrospective analysis was done on patients with EGV bleeding who visited our gastroenterology department between January 1, 2015, and October 29, 2020, and were given carvedilol therapy again. Patients were classified based on whether they had ascites. The primary outcome was EGV rebleeding. A total of 286 patients were included, with a median follow-up of 24.0 (19.0-42.0) months, comprising those without ascites (N = 155) and those with ascites (N = 131). The mean age of the patients was 55.15 ± 12.44 years, and 177 (61.9%) of them were men. There were 162 (56.6%) Child-Pugh A grades. The etiology of cirrhosis included 135 (47.2%) cases of hepatitis B. After carvedilol therapy, the patient's portal vein diameter (DPV) was widened (p < 0.05), velocity of portal vein (VPV) was slowed (p = 0.001). During the 1-year follow-up, patients with ascites had a substantially higher rebleeding rate than patients without ascites, with 24 (18.3%) versus 13 (8.4%), respectively (p = 0.013). On univariate analysis, ascites was a risk factor for rebleeding (p = 0.015). The multivariate analysis remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, etiology of cirrhosis, and previous endoscopic treatment, with OR of 2.37 (95% CI: 1.12-5.04; p = 0.025). Ascites was a risk factor for EGV rebleeding in patients undergoing carvedilol therapy. After carvedilol therapy, the patient's DPV was widened and VPV was slowed.

Positive consequences of splenectomy for patients with schistosomiasis-induced variceal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hepatic schistosomiasis are at high risk of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding, which is highly torrential and life threatening. This study aimed to assess the effects of splenectomy on patients with schistosomiasis-induced variceal bleeding, especially those influences related to overall survival (OS) rate. METHODS: From January 2005 to December 2018, 112 patients with schistosomiasis-induced varices were enrolled. In that period, all the patients with hepatic schistosomiasis who received endoscopic treatment for primary and secondary prophylaxis of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding were found eligible. The patients were divided into splenectomized group (n = 44, 39.3%) and control group (n = 68, 60.7%). RESULTS: Multivariate regression analysis of OS showed that splenectomy, hepatic carcinoma, and times of endoscopic treatment were independent prognostic factors for OS. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the 5-year OS rate was 82.7% in splenectomized group versus 53.2% in control group (P = 0.037). The rate of no recurrence of variceal bleeding during 5-year (56.8% vs. 47.7%, P = 0.449) indicated that there was no significant difference between the two groups. Patients who received splenectomy had increased risk of portal vein thrombosis (52.3% vs. 29.4%, P = 0.012) and decreased proportion of severe ascites (20.5% vs 50.0%, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Splenectomy prior to endoscopic treatment provides a superior long-term survival for patients with schistosomiasis-induced variceal bleeding.

Formulation and durability of a geopolymer based on metakaolin/tannery sludge.

In this study, tannery sludge was used as a partial replacement material for a geopolymer. The best raw material composition of the geopolymer and durability of the solidified product were studied. Solidification effect was analyzed via compressive strength and total concentration of chromium leached. Its durability in terms of high-temperature resistance, acid/base resistance property, and resistance to acid rain erosion was studied. Through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the compressive strength and total concentration of chromium leached in different environments were analyzed. The results show that the mechanical properties of the solidified product were optimal when the silica/alumina mole ratio and sodium oxide/silica mole ratio were 2.45 and 0.37, respectively. The optimal raw material ratio of the above-mentioned product was used to synthesize a geopolymer containing 20% tannery sludge, with the solidified product showing high durability, as indicated by its good high-temperature resistance, high resistance to acids and alkalis, and great resistance to acid rain erosion.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate enhances ER stress-induced cancer cell apoptosis by directly targeting PARP16 activity.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are ADP-ribosylating enzymes and play important roles in a variety of cellular processes. Most small-molecule PARP inhibitors developed to date have been against PARP1, a poly-ADP-ribose transferase, and suffer from poor selectivity. PARP16, a mono-ADP-ribose transferase, has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target, but its inhibitor development has trailed behind. Here we newly characterized epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a potential inhibitor of PARP16. We found that EGCG was associated with PARP16 and dramatically inhibited its activity in vitro. Moreover, EGCG suppressed the ER stress-induced phosphorylation of PERK and the transcription of unfolded protein response-related genes, leading to dramatically increase of cancer cells apoptosis under ER stress conditions, which was dependent on PARP16. These findings newly characterized EGCG as a potential inhibitor of PARP16, which can enhance the ER stress-induced cancer cell apoptosis, suggesting that a combination of EGCG and ER stress-induced agents might represent a novel approach for cancer therapy or chemoprevention.

Breeding and characterization of amino acid-analogue-resistant mutants of Arthrospira platensis.

To obtain amino acid-analogue-resistant mutants the wild strain A9 of Arthrospira platensis was mutated by ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS). Mutagenic effects of strain A9 by EMS were studied. The experimental results indicated that the survival rate curve of strain A9 took a typical "exponential shape" with lethal dosage of EMS being 1%. The survival of A9 strain was 13.2% when treated with 0.4% of EMS, and the resistant mutation rates to two amino acid analogues, ρ-fluorophenylalanine (FPA) and L-canavanine sulphate (CS), were greatly increased with the highest rates being at 4.9 × 10(-4) and 3.24 × 10(-4), respectively. By repeated screening, two stable mutants resistant to amino acid analogues, A9f resistant to FPA and A9c resistant to CS, were obtained. Resistances of the two mutants to corresponding amino acid-analogues were both significantly increased. Compared with their parent strain A9, A9f appeared larger than A9 performance in filament diameter, spiral diameter, spiral pitch, filament length and spiral number, and A9c showed much longer length and spiral pitch than those of the initial strain. Analysis results on amino acids compositions and contents showed that both two mutants accumulated quite higher concentration of amino acids in cells. The two mutants might be excellent high amino acids producing strain. By this means two useful mutants with stable genetic makers for further genetic study of A. platensis were obtained, which laid a good foundation for further study on the transformation of A. platensis.