Characterization of acute-on-chronic liver diseases: A multicenter prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute-on-chronic liver disease (AoCLD) accounts for the majority of patients hospitalized in the Department of Hepatology or Infectious Diseases. AIM: To explore the characterization of AoCLD to provide theoretical guidance for the accurate diagnosis and prognosis of AoCLD. METHODS: Patients with AoCLD from the Chinese Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) study cohort were included in this study. The clinical characteristics and outcomes, and the 90-d survival rate associated with each clinical type of AoCLD were analyzed, using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 3375 patients with AoCLD were enrolled, including 1679 (49.7%) patients with liver cirrhosis acute decompensation (LC-AD), 850 (25.2%) patients with ACLF, 577 (17.1%) patients with chronic hepatitis acute exacerbation (CHAE), and 269 (8.0%) patients with liver cirrhosis active phase (LC-A). The most common cause of chronic liver disease (CLD) was HBV infection (71.4%). The most common precipitants of AoCLD was bacterial infection (22.8%). The 90-d mortality rates of each clinical subtype of AoCLD were 43.4% (232/535) for type-C ACLF, 36.0% (36/100) for type-B ACLF, 27.0% (58/215) for type-A ACLF, 9.0% (151/1679) for LC-AD, 3.0% (8/269) for LC-A, and 1.2% (7/577) for CHAE. CONCLUSION: HBV infection is the main cause of CLD, and bacterial infection is the main precipitant of AoCLD. The most common clinical type of AoCLD is LC-AD. Early diagnosis and timely intervention are needed to reduce the mortality of patients with LC-AD or ACLF.

Perovskite Nanocrystals In Situ Encapsulated in TiO2 Microspheres for Stable CO2 Photoreduction in Water.

Photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into fuels presents a promising approach to mitigate global warming and energy crises. Halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with prominent optoelectronic properties have triggered substantial attention as photocatalysts but are limited by the charge recombination and instability. Here, we develop stable CsPbBr3/titania microspheres (TMs) by in situ growth of CsPbBr3 NCs inside mesoporous TMs through solid-state sintering, which significantly improves the stability of perovskite NCs, making them applicable in water with efficient CO2 photoreduction performance. Notably, the CsPbBr3/TMs demonstrates a 6.73- and 9.23-fold increase in the rate of CH4 production compared to TMs and CsPbBr3, respectively. The internal electric field facilitates S-scheme charge transfer, enhancing the separation of electron-hole pairs, as evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis, which is pivotal for the selective photoreduction of CO2. These insights pave the way for the design of CsPbBr3-based photocatalysts with superior efficiency and stability.

Evaluation of DNA extracted from residual blood clots after serological testing.

DNA quality is of paramount importance for molecular biology research. This study aimed to assess the DNA extracted from residual blood clots after serological testing, focusing on the impact of blood clot segments, extraction kits, temporary storage durations (TSDs), and thawing methods on DNA quality. We divided the residual blood clot column (BCC) from healthy donors into three segments and utilized two different extraction kits. The BCCs were subjected to four TSDs at 4°C (7 days, 10 days, 1 month, and 2 months) and three thawing methods (4°C, room temperature, and 37°C). We found that the TIANamp Blood Clot DNA Kit yielded consistently high-quality DNA from each segment with stable A260/280 and A260/230 ratios. The DNA yield showed a strong positive correlation with leukocyte concentration, and a satisfactory median DNA yield of 28.79 µg/g BCC was obtained across all segments. DNA integrity, as measured by the DNA integrity number and DNA fragment peak size, decreased with increasing TSD at 4°C, with a notable decrease after 10 days of storage. Thawing at 37°C resulted in the lowest DNA fragment peak size. In conclusion, BCC could be an ideal DNA source with satisfactory yield and purity. A prolonged TSD at 4°C leads to an obvious decrease in DNA integrity, and thawing the frozen BCC at 37°C decreases DNA fragment sizes. To maintain DNA integrity, BCCs should be cryopreserved as soon as possible after short TSDs at 4°C and thawed at 4°C.

Balloon Pressure and Clinical Effectiveness of Percutaneous Microballoon Compression in the Treatment of Primary Trigeminal Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) is a type of chronic neuropathic pain disorder caused by neurovascular compression. Percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) is a widely used method for the treatment of PTN. OBJECTIVES: To examine the correlation of balloon pressure (BP) during percutaneous microballoon compression (PBC) with postoperative pain relief and complications in the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN). STUDY DESIGN: Forty-five patients diagnosed with PTN and treated with PBC were recruited. The BP was recorded at 2 time points: when the balloon achieved the ideal pear shape (initial BP [IBP]) and when the pressure was maintained for 2 min (final BP [FBP]). SETTING: This study was conducted at the Department of Pain and Rehabilitation of the Second Affiliated Hospital at the University of South China in Hunan, China. METHODS: The patients' Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity score, BNI facial numbness score, masticatory muscle weakness score, and recurrence were recorded before and after surgery. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for the IBP to predict treatment effectiveness, severe facial numbness, and severe masticatory muscle weakness. RESULTS: The BNI pain intensity score, BNI facial numbness score, and masticatory muscle weakness score were significantly decreased after surgery (all P < 0.001). IBP was positively correlated with the difference between IBP and FBP (P < 0.01). Both IBP and the difference between IBP and FBP were negatively correlated with the BNI pain intensity score and positively correlated with the BNI facial numbness score and masticatory muscle weakness score (P < 0.01). The IBP and the difference between the IBP and FBP were significantly lower in patients experiencing recurrence than in the nonrecurrent group (P < 0.05). The areas under the ROC curves of the IBP for predicting effective pain relief, severe facial numbness, and severe masticatory muscle weakness were 0.875, 0.980, and 0.988, respectively. LIMITATIONS: The sample size was relatively small, and the follow-up time was short. The correlations between the BP and other factors, such as filling amount, Meckel's cavity, and the size of the foramen ovale, were not investigated. The impact of the BP on long-term postoperative outcomes was not explored. CONCLUSIONS: An intraoperative BP of 138.65-153.90 KPa can be maintained for effective PBC treatment without causing serious complications.

Intrathecal morphine delivery at prepontine cistern to control refractory cancer-related pain: a case report of extensive metastatic and refractory cancer pain.

BACKGROUND: Extensive metastatic and refractory cancer pain is common, and exhibits a dissatisfactory response to the conventional intrathecal infusion of opioid analgesics. CASE PRESENTATION: The present study reports a case of an extensive metastatic esophageal cancer patient with severe intractable pain, who underwent translumbar subarachnoid puncture with intrathecal catheterization to the prepontine cistern. After continuous infusion of low-dose morphine, the pain was well-controlled with a decrease in the numeric rating scale (NRS) of pain score from 9 to 0, and the few adverse reactions to the treatment disappeared at a low dose of morphine. CONCLUSIONS: The patient achieved a good quality of life during the one-month follow-up period.

Mechanical property of Ti6Al4V cylindrical porous structure for dental implants fabricated by selective laser melting.

The commonly used titanium alloy dental implants currently apply solid structures. However, issues such as stress shielding and stress concentration may arise due to the significant difference in elastic modulus between the implant and host. In order to address these problems, this paper proposes five porous structures based on the Gibson-Ashby theoretical model. We utilized selective laser melting technology to shape a porous structure using Ti-6Al-4V material precisely. The mechanical properties of the porous structure were verified through simulation and compression experiments. The optimal porous structure, which best matched the human bone, was a circular ring structure with a pillar diameter of 0.6 mm and a layer height of 2 mm. The stress and strain of the porous implant on the surrounding cortical and cancellous bone under different biting conditions were studied to verify the effectiveness of the optimal circular ring porous structure in alleviating stress shielding in both standard and osteoporotic bone conditions. The results confirm that the circular ring porous structure meets implant requirements and provides a theoretical basis for clinical dental implantation.

Effects of Freezing and Rewarming Methods on RNA Quality of Blood Samples.

Background: RNA extracted from human blood has been widely applied to biological, medical, and clinical research of numerous diseases. Previous studies have demonstrated that high-quality RNA is indispensable to guarantee the reliability of downstream assays. In this study, we investigated the effects of freezing procedures, rewarming methods, and blood components on RNA quality of blood samples. Methods: Rabbit blood samples were divided into two groups: (1) whole blood (WB) and (2) blood cell components (BCC) with plasma removed. Samples were frozen using four representative freezing procedures (snap freezing in liquid nitrogen, snap freezing at -80°C, traditional slow freezing, and programmable controlled rate freezing) and rewarmed by placing at 4°C or by vortexing. RNA was extracted using the phenol-chloroform RNA extraction method and measured by an Agilent bioanalyzer. Then, human blood was used to verify the best protocol obtained from the rabbit blood experiment. Results: For the four freezing procedures, there were no differences in RNA integrity. For different rewarming methods, RNA integrity number (RIN) values of RNA extracted from frozen WB and BCC samples in the vortex group were above 9, while RNA obtained from WB showed worse quality compared with BCC in the 4°C group. For verification using human blood, RIN values of frozen human WB rewarmed by vortexing ranged from 8.0 to 9.1. Conclusions: Blood components and rewarming methods could affect the RNA quality of blood samples. For scenarios where WB samples have already been cryopreserved, the vortex rewarming method is optimal for high-quality RNA. Otherwise, we would recommend centrifuging fresh WB and cryopreserving it in the form of BCC, which showed a tendency to obtain high-quality RNA by either of the two rewarming methods.

Synthetic Topological Vacua of Yang-Mills Fields in Bose-Einstein Condensates.

Topological vacua are a family of degenerate ground states of Yang-Mills fields with zero field strength but nontrivial topological structures. They play a fundamental role in particle physics and quantum field theory, but have not yet been experimentally observed. Here we report the first theoretical proposal and experimental realization of synthetic topological vacua with a cloud of atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. Our setup provides a promising platform to demonstrate the fundamental concept that a vacuum, rather than being empty, has rich spatial structures. The Hamiltonian for the vacuum of topological number n=1 is synthesized and the related Hopf index is measured. The vacuum of topological number n=2 is also realized, and we find that vacua with different topological numbers have distinctive spin textures and Hopf links. Our Letter opens up opportunities for exploring topological vacua and related long-sought-after instantons in tabletop experiments.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio represents a systemic inflammation marker and reflects the relationship with 90-day mortality in non-cirrhotic chronic severe hepatitis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between systemic inflammatory response and short-term mortality in patients with non-cirrhotic chronic severe hepatitis (CSH) by using several indicators of inflammation including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil (NEU), white blood cell (WBC), platelet-to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). METHODS: Data were collected from two prospectively enrolled CATCH-LIFE noncirrhotic cohorts. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the association between systemic inflammatory biomarkers and 90-day liver transplant (LT)-free mortality. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to illustrate the quantitative curve relationship between NLR and 90-day LT-free mortality. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the 90-year LT-free survival. RESULTS: The prevalence of CSH was 20.5% (226/1103). The 28-day and 90-day LT-free mortality rates were 17.7% and 26.1%, respectively, for patients with non-cirrhotic CSH. Patients with no infection accounted for 75.0% of all CSH patients, and NLR was independently associated with 90-day LT-free mortality. NLR of 2.9 might be related to disease deterioration in CSH patients without infection. CONCLUSIONS: NLR may be an independent risk factor for 90-day LT-free mortality in patients with non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease. A NLR of 2.9 as the cut-off value can be used to predict disease aggravation in CSH patients without infection.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of autoimmune liver disease in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and acute decompensation in China.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune liver disease (AILD) has been considered a relatively uncommon disease in China, epidemiological data for AILD in patients with cirrhosis and acute decompensation (AD) is sparse. AIM: To investigate the prevalence, outcome and risk factors for AILD in cirrhotic patients complicated with AD in China. METHODS: We collected data from patients with cirrhosis and AD from two prospective, multicenter cohorts in hepatitis B virus endemic areas. Patients were regularly followed up at the end of 28-d, 90-d and 365-d, or until death or liver transplantation (LT). The primary outcome in this study was 90-d LT-free mortality. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) was assessed on admission and during 28-d hospitalization, according to the diagnostic criteria of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL). Risk factors for death were analyzed with logistic regression model. RESULTS: In patients with cirrhosis and AD, the overall prevalence of AILD was 9.3% (242/2597). Prevalence of ACLF was significantly lower in AILD cases (14%) than those with all etiology groups with cirrhosis and AD (22.8%) (P < 0.001). Among 242 enrolled AILD patients, the prevalence rates of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and PBC-AIH overlap syndrome (PBC/AIH) were 50.8%, 28.5% and 12.0%, respectively. In ACLF patients, the proportions of PBC, AIH and PBC/AIH were 41.2%, 29.4% and 20.6%. 28-d and 90-d mortality were 43.8% and 80.0% in AILD-related ACLF. The etiology of AILD had no significant impact on 28-d, 90-d or 365-d LT-free mortality in patients with cirrhosis and AD in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Total bilirubin (TB), hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were independent risk factors for 90-d LT-free mortality in multivariate analysis. The development of ACLF during hospitalization only independently correlated to TB and international normalized ratio. CONCLUSION: AILD was not rare in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and AD in China, among which PBC was the most common etiology. 90-d LT-free mortality were independently associated with TB, HE and BUN.

Protective Effects of PPARγ on Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Regulating miR-21.

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) is a common pathological process that causes kidney injury. Previous studies have indicated that both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and microRNA-21 (miR-21) exert protective effects against RIRI. However, their relationship is not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the role of the PPARγ/miR-21/programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) axis in IRI, both in vivo and in vitro. In vitro cell hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and in vivo RIRI models were established, and cell viability, cell apoptosis, and key molecule expression profiles were analyzed. Our results showed that both PPARγ and miR-21 had protective effects against RIRI to varying degrees, and there was an interaction between PPARγ and miR-21. PPARγ could promote the expression of miR-21 and partially protect against RIRI by reducing the level of the miR-21 target protein (PDCD4). Our findings underscore the potential utility of future clinical investigations of PPARγ activation and targeting of the underlying miR-21/PDCD4/caspase-3 pathway, which may participate in the pathogenesis of human IRI.

Web-based transcriptome analysis determines a sixteen-gene signature and associated drugs on hearing loss patients: A bioinformatics approach.

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is becoming more and more general. It may occur at all age and affect the language learning ability of children and trigger serious social problems. METHODS: The hearing loss differentially expressed genes (HL-DEGs) were recognized through a comparison with healthy subjects. The Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was executed by DAVID. The reactome analysis of HL-DEGs was performed by Clue-GO. Next, we used STRING, an online website, to identify crucial protein-protein interactions among HL-DEGs. Cytoscape software was employed to construct a protein-protein interaction network. MCODE, a plug-in of the Cytoscape software, was used for module analysis. Finally, we used DGIdb database to ascertain the targeted drugs for MCODE genes. RESULTS: Four hundred four HL-DEGs were identified, among which the most up-regulated 10 genes were AL008707.1, SDR42E1P5, BX005040.1, AL671883.2, MT1XP1, AC016957.1, U2AF1L5, XIST, DAAM2, and ADAMTS2, and the most down-regulated 10 genes were ALOX15, PRSS33, IL5RA, SMPD3, IGHV1-2, IGLV3-9, RHOXF1P1, CACNG6, MYOM2, and RSAD2. Through STRING database and MCODE analysis, we finally got 16 MCODE genes. These genes can be regarded as hearing loss related genes. Through biological analysis, it is found that these genes are enriched in pathways related to apoptosis such as tumor necrosis factor. Among them, MMP8, LTF, ORM2, FOLR3, and TCN1 have corresponding targeted drugs. Foremost, MCODE genes should be investigated for its usefulness as a new biomarker for diagnosis and treatment. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study produced a sixteen-gene signature and associated drugs that could be diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss patients.

Autoencoder based underwater wireless optical communication with high data rate.

Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) has great potential to provide higher data rates and lower time delay communication compared to radio frequency and acoustic counterparts. However, UWOC systems with wide bandwidths are subject to photon absorption and scattering, which result in severe energy loss for optical beams and inter-symbol interference. To overcome these issues, this Letter interprets the UWOC system as an autoencoder (AE), named UWOC-AE, which takes advantage of the double Gamma function approximating channel impulse response of underwater optical links to learn the channel characteristics. Thus, within the AE framework, the encoder and decoder can be optimized jointly. Experiments indicate that the proposed UWOC-AE can achieve superior performance with high data rates compared to existing techniques.

Anti-nociceptive effect of Portulaca oleracea L. ethanol extracts attenuated zymosan-induced mouse joint inflammation via inhibition of Nrf2 expression.

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of ethanol extracts from Portulaca oleracea L. (ePO) on joint inflammation and to explain the underlying mechanisms. A joint inflammation mouse model was constructed by injecting zymosan, and the Von Frey method was employed and the joint thickness measured. The numbers of leukocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes were counted in the joint cavity and the infiltration of inflammatory cells was assessed by joint histopathological analysis. The mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines were determined by quantitative RT-PCR and their secretion levels were determined by specific ELISAs. Pre-treatment with ePO inhibited articular mechanical hyperalgesia and edema and ameliorated the recruitment of mononuclear neutrophils and leukocytes. In addition, pre-treatment with ePO improved pathological alternations in the joint tissues by reducing the number of inflammatory cells. Pre-treatment with ePO regulated the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-related proteins and thereby inhibited oxidative stress. In addition, ePO inhibited NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-related genes (NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1 and pro-IL-1ß), modulated inflammatory cytokines and the activation of NF-κB. ePO attenuated zymosan-induced joint inflammation by regulating oxidative stress, NLRP3 inflammasome, and NF-κB.

Effects of Warm Ischemia Time, Cryopreservation, and Grinding Methods on RNA Quality of Mouse Kidney Tissues.

Background: High-quality RNA extraction from tissue samples is of key importance for scientific research and translational medicine. Tissue collection and preparation may affect RNA quality. In this study, we investigated effects of warm ischemia time, cryopreservation, and grinding methods on RNA quality. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from mouse kidney tissues with warm ischemia times of 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Half of the tissues were used to extract RNA immediately, while the others were cryopreserved in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen for 6 months before RNA extraction. A mortar, homogenizer, and tissue lyser were used to grind tissues. RNA was extracted by TRIzol, and RNA integrity was assessed by the RNA integrity number (RIN) value. Results: For fresh tissues and frozen tissues with warm ischemia time within 60 minutes, RIN values were above 7.0 and remained above 6.0 with warm ischemia time within 120 minutes. For the same warm ischemia time, RIN values of frozen tissues were slightly lower than those of fresh tissues. No significant RIN value alterations were observed among grinding methods, but for RNA extraction efficiency, a mortar was much less efficient than the homogenizer or tissue lyser. For frozen tissues, RNA tended to degrade within 8 minutes at room temperature. Conclusions: Mouse kidney tissues with a warm ischemia time within 120 minutes are suitable for general RNA-related research. For tissues with a warm ischemia time within 60 minutes, cryopreservation may not affect RNA quality. The duration of frozen tissues held at room temperature before grinding affects the integrity of RNA, while grinding methods do not affect RNA integrity.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Osteopontin and Inflammation-Associated Cytokines in Patients With Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis.

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune neurological disorder. Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted multifunctional phosphorylated glycoprotein that regulates various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, but its diagnostic and prognostic values in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients remain elusive. This retrospective study aimed to determine the levels of OPN and related cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients and to assess their influence on disease severity so as to evaluate their efficacy as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. CSF samples from 33 anti-NMDAR encephalitis, 13 viral encephalitis, and 21 controls were collected. All CSF were tested for levels of OPN and inflammation-associated cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] via ELISA. In addition, 15 anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients without follow-up relapse were re-examined for these four parameters 3 months later. The clinical status was evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores. Results showed that the CSF levels of these cytokines were increased in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients compared to controls but not viral encephalitis patients. Their levels were decreased in remission compared with that in acute stage. Moreover, CSF OPN positively correlated with IL-6, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. However, no associations were found between OPN or related cytokines and mRS scores in acute stage in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. Overall, CSF OPN and related cytokines were increased when anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients are in acute stage and decreased in remission, suggesting the underlying neuro-inflammatory process in this disease. However, they are not qualified with diagnostic or prognostic value.

Erratum to: Kinetic Characterization of Tyrosinase-catalyzed Oxidation of Four Polyphenols.

The article "Kinetic Characterization of Tyrosinase-catalyzed Oxidation of Four Polyphenols", written by Wan-yu LIU, Congming ZOU, Jian-hua HU, Zi-jun XU, Lu-qin SI, Jun-jun LIU, Jian-geng HUANG, was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal on May 2020 without open access. With the author(s)' decision to opt for Open Choice, the copyright of the article is changed to © The Author(s) 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.The original article has been corrected.

A novel putative betapartitivirus isolated from the plant-pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani.

In this study, we describe the genome sequence of a novel double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus, designated as "Rhizoctonia solani partitivirus 15" (RsPV15), from the phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. RsPV15 consists of two genomic double-stranded RNA segments, dsRNA-1 and dsRNA-2, which are 2433 bp and 2350 bp long, respectively. Each of the dsRNA segments contains a single open reading frame, encoding the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and coat protein, respectively. Homology searches and phylogenetic analysis suggested that RsPV15 is a new member of the genus Betapartitivirus within the family Partitiviridae.

Kinetic Characterization of Tyrosinase-catalyzed Oxidation of Four Polyphenols.

Phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid and caffeic acid are widely distributed in fruits, vegetables and traditional Chinese medicines with a wide range of biological activities. Tyrosinase plays a critical role in the food industry, but recent studies have proposed unexplored aspects of clinical application. Tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of four polyphenols as well as its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the current work, we investigated the kinetic properties of tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of the four polyphenols of interest. To measure the unstable o-quinone products, an analytical method using 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH) was established. The optimal incubation time, buffer pH, temperature and enzyme concentration for the enzyme activity in the presence of each polyphenol of interest were investigated. Under the final optimized conditions, the kinetics and substrate specificity of four polyphenols were examined. Kinetic data showed that tyrosinase had the greatest substrate affnity to chlorogenic acid compared with its isomers and caffeic acid. The catalytic effciency with chlorogenic acid was 8- to 15-fold higher than that with the other 3 polyphenols. Molecular docking study demonstrated that the tight binding of chlorogenic acid at the peripheral site should be the major reason for the specifcity to chlorogenic acid. In light of this, the rational design of high-affnity inhibitors against tyrosinase may focus on the binding of both the Cu site and peripheral site. This study will supply a basis for the selection of phenolic acids in food industry and health care.

Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Portal Vein Thrombosis in Patients With Cirrhosis and Acute Decompensation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a common and serious complication in patients with cirrhosis. However, little is known about PVT in patients with cirrhosis and acute decompensation (AD). We investigated the prevalence and clinical significance of PVT in nonmalignant patients with cirrhosis and AD. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 2 cohorts of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic liver disease who participated in the Chinese AcuTe on CHronic LIver FailurE study, established by the Chinese Chronic Liver Failure Consortium, from January 2015 through December 2016 (n = 2600 patients) and July 2018 through January 2019 (n = 1370 patients). We analyzed data on the prevalence, clinical manifestations, and risk factors of PVT from 2826 patients with cirrhosis, with and without AD. RESULTS: The prevalence of PVT in patients with cirrhosis and AD was 9.36%, which was significantly higher than in patients with cirrhosis without AD (5.24%) (P = .04). Among patients with cirrhosis and AD, 63.37% developed PVT recently (the first detected PVT with no indication of chronic PVT). Compared with patients without PVT, a significantly higher proportion of patients with PVT had variceal bleeding (47.33% vs 19.63%; P < .001) and patients with PVT had a significantly higher median serum level of D-dimer (2.07 vs 1.25; P < .001). Splenectomy and endoscopic sclerotherapy were independent risk factors for PVT in patients with cirrhosis and AD. The 1-year mortality rate did not differ significantly between patients with vs without PVT. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of data from 2826 patients with cirrhosis, a significantly higher proportion of those with AD had PVT than those without AD. PVT was associated with increased variceal bleeding, which would increase the risk for AD. Strategies are needed to prevent PVT in patients with cirrhosis, through regular screening, to reduce portal hypertension. ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT02457637 and NCT03641872.