Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Universal 8-Week Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir for Treatment-Naïve Patients from a Nationwide HCV Registry in Taiwan.

INTRODUCTION: Eight-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) is indicated for treatment-naïve (TN) patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), with or without compensated cirrhosis. Given that the Taiwanese government is committed to eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2025, this study aimed to measure real-world evidence for TN patients using 8-week GLE/PIB in the Taiwan HCV Registry (TACR). METHODS: The data of patients with CHC treated with 8-week GLE/PIB were retrieved from TACR, a nationwide registry program organized by the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL). Treatment efficacy, defined as a sustained virologic response at posttreatment week 12 (SVR12), was assessed in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population, which excluded patients who were lost to follow-up or lacked SVR12 data. The safety profile of the ITT population was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 7246 (6897 without cirrhosis; 349 with cirrhosis) patients received at least one dose of GLE/PIB (ITT), 7204 of whom had SVR12 data available (mITT). The overall SVR12 rate was 98.9% (7122/7204) among all patients, 98.9% (6780/6856) and 98.3% (342/348) among patients without and with cirrhosis, respectively. For the selected subgroups, which included patients with genotype 3 infection, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, people who injected drugs, and those with human immunodeficiency virus coinfection, the SVR12 rates were 95.1% (272/286), 98.9% (1084/1096), 99.0% (1171/1183), 97.4% (566/581), and 96.1% (248/258), respectively. Overall, 14.1% (1021/7246) of the patients experienced adverse events (AEs). Twenty-two patients (0.3%) experienced serious AEs, and 15 events (0.2%) resulted in permanent drug discontinuation. Only one event was considered treatment drug related. CONCLUSION: Eight-week GLE/PIB therapy was effective and well tolerated in all TN patients, regardless of cirrhosis status.

An analysis of results of 392 times of CT quality control and room radiological protection testing in Guangdong Province, China / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To provide a theoretical basis for radiation health supervision through an analysis of the situation of computed tomography (CT) equipment quality control and CT room radiological protection in Guangdong Province, China in recent years. Methods We collected the data of 392 times of CT quality control and radiological protection testing by a third-party radiological health technical service institution in Guangdong Province from 2019 to 2021. We analyzed the levels of CT-owning hospitals, CT manufacturers, CT quality control test results, and the pass rate of radiation protection tests. Results The examined CT scanners were from different levels of hospitals in Guangdong Province, and were manufactured by nine major CT equipment manufacturers at home and abroad. The pass rate of CT room radiological protection was 99.88%, and the ambient dose equivalent rates of five monitoring points exceeded the limit, with four at the control room door and one at the shield wall of the room. The overall pass rate of CT equipment quality control was 99.49%, and the non-conforming parameters were the accuracy of positioning light and the deviation of reconstructed slice thickness. Conclusion In recent years, CT equipment quality control and room radiation protection in Guangdong Province have been at a high level.

Effectiveness and safety of 8-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in HCV treatment-naïve patients with compensated cirrhosis: real-world experience from Taiwan nationwide HCV registry.

BACKGROUND: Large-scale real-world data of the 8-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) therapy for treatment-naïve patients of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with compensated cirrhosis is scarce. METHODS: The TASL HCV Registry (TACR) is an ongoing nationwide registry program that aims to set up a database and biobank of patients with chronic HCV infection in Taiwan. In this study, data were analyzed as of 31 October 2021 for treatment-naïve HCV patients with compensated cirrhosis receiving 8-week GLE/PIB therapy. Effectiveness reported as sustained virologic response at off-therapy week 12 (SVR12) and safety profiles were assessed. Patient characteristics potentially related to SVR12 were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 301 patients enrolled, 275 had available SVR12 data. The SVR12 rate was 98.2% (270/275) in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population and 89.7% (270/301) in the ITT population. For those mITT patients with genotype 3, FibroScan > 20 kPa, platelet < 150,000/µl, and FibroScan > 20 kPa and platelet < 150,000/µl, the SVR12 rates were 100% (6/6), 100% (12/12), 98.0% (144/147), 100% (7/7), respectively. Overall, 24.9% (75/301) patients experienced adverse events (AEs). The most frequent AEs (> 5%) included fatigue (9.0%) and pruritus (7.0%). Seven (2.3%) patients experienced serious AEs and two (0.7%) resulted in permanent drug discontinuation. None of them were considered as GLE/PIB-related. CONCLUSIONS: In this large-scale real-world Taiwanese cohort, 8-week GLE/PIB therapy was efficacious and well tolerated for treatment-naïve compensated cirrhosis patients. SVR12 rates were similarly high as in the clinical trials, including those with characteristics of advanced liver disease.

Exploration and advance of key techniques in MALDI mass spectrometry imaging / 药学学报

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is a new imaging technique with label-free, rapid, and high throughput features. It has bloomed in the analysis on the spatial distribution of biomolecules such as drugs, metabolites, peptides and proteins on the tissue surface in virtue of providing high data throughput from non-targeted full analysis and high accuracy from targeted analysis. The acquisition of MSI signal response with high sensitivity, high spatial resolution, and good stability is directly depended on the appropriate sample preparation approaches, and flexible and various data processing tools will help the non-target data mining to meet the demands of visualization, spatial distribution and multiple index applications so as to reveal the scientific rules beneath the data. This review briefly summarizes the key advances in MALDI-MSI from aspects of sample preparation procedures, data processing and visualization. It also illustrates the characteristics, difficulties and probable solutions derived from these key techniques.

Research progress in prevention and treatment of radiation-induced intestinal injury by traditional Chinese medicine active components / 中国中药杂志

Radiation-induced intestinal injury(RIII), a common complication of radiotherapy for pelvic malignancies, affects the quality of life and the radiotherapy efficacy for cancer. Currently, the main clinical approaches for the prevention and treatment of RIII include drug therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and surgical treatment. Among these methods, drug therapy is cost-effective. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) containing a variety of active components demonstrates mild side effects and good efficacy in preventing and treating RIII. Studies have proven that TCM active components, such as flavonoids, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and alkaloids, can protect the intestine against RIII by inhibiting oxidative stress, regulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines, modulating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, adjusting intestinal flora, and suppressing cell apoptosis. These mechanisms can help alleviate the symptoms of RIII. The paper aims to provide a theoretical reference for the discovery of new drugs for the prevention and treatment of RIII by reviewing the literature on TCM active components in the last 10 years.

Differences in corneal thickness and corneal epithelial thickness measured by two kinds of frequency domain anterior segment OCT and the consistency between them / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To investigate the differences in corneal thickness and corneal epithelial thickness measurements by two kinds of high-resolution frequency domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT), RTVue XR-OCT and Cirrus 5000 HD-OCT, and to analyze the consistency between them.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted.Fifty-two patients (52 eyes) who were admitted to Henan Eye Hospital from July to September 2019 were enrolled.The corneal thickness and corneal epithelial thickness in various areas including the central area (C area) (2-mm diameter), and 8 concentric corneal areas of 2 to 5-mm diameter, which were the superior area (S area), the superior nasal (SN area), the nasal side area (N area), the inferior nasal area (IN area), the inferior area (I area), the inferior temporal area (IT area), the temporal area (T area) and the superior temporal area (ST area) above the temporal, were measured by the same examiner using RTVue XR-OCT and Cirrus 5000 HD-OCT.The corneal thickness and corneal epithelial thickness measurements were compared to analyze the difference, correlation and consistency between the two kinds of OCT.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee of Henan Eye Hospital (No.HNEECKY-2021[06]). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject prior to any medical examination.Results:The corneal thickness measured by RTVue XR-OCT in C, S, SN, N, IN, I, IT, T, ST areas were (521.73±29.85), (554.31±32.38), (553.54±33.30), (546.96±32.05), (537.54±32.10), (532.13±31.51), (528.42±30.38), (532.25±30.08), (544.85±30.70)μm, respectively, and the corneal thickness in the 9 areas measured by Cirrus 5000 HD-OCT were (526.77±30.62), (555.13±33.32), (558.08±32.57), (554.46±31.42), (548.29±31.84), (539.69±32.74), (536.19±32.40), (533.38±31.90), (543.83±32.02)μm, respectively.There was no significant difference in corneal thickness of various areas between the two kinds of OCT (all at P>0.05), and there were positive correlations between them ( r=0.99, 0.89, 0.95, 0.97, 0.95, 0.93, 0.96, 0.97, 0.92; all at P<0.01). Bland-Altman analysis showed that there was a good consistency of corneal thickness measurements by the two kinds of OCT.The corneal epithelial thickness in C, S, SN, N, IN, I, IT, T, ST areas measured by RTVue XR-OCT were (52.06±3.26), (52.58±3.48), (53.06±3.56), (53.75±3.49), (53.81±3.40), (53.48±3.35), (52.96±3.32), (52.67±3.19), (53.12±3.15) μm, respectively, and the corneal epithelial thickness in the 9 areas measured by Cirrus 5000 HD-OCT were (46.75±3.25), (47.40±3.36), (47.58±3.64), (48.85±4.48), (48.46±4.54), (48.40±4.96), (48.06±5.12), (47.46±3.91), (48.79±3.90)μm, respectively.There were statistically significant differences in the corneal epithelial thickness of various areas measured by the two kinds of OCT (all at P<0.05), and there was no significant correlation between them ( r=0.17, 0.08, 0.16, 0.28, 0.20, 0.24, 0.19, 0.21, 0.13; all at P>0.05). Bland-Altman analysis showed poor consistency of corneal epithelial thickness measurements between the two kinds of OCT. Conclusions:There is no significant difference in measuring corneal thickness between the two kinds of OCT and the consistency is high, which means that they can be replaced by each other.There are significant differences in corneal epithelial thickness measurement between them and the consistency is poor, so they are not interchangeable.

In silico genome wide identification and expression analysis of the WUSCHEL-related homeobox gene family in Medicago sativa

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is an important food and feed crop which rich in mineral sources. The WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene family plays important roles in plant development and identification of putative gene families, their structure, and potential functions is a primary step for not only understanding the genetic mechanisms behind various biological process but also for genetic improvement. A variety of computational tools, including MAFFT, HMMER, hidden Markov models, Pfam, SMART, MEGA, ProtTest, BLASTn, and BRAD, among others, were used. We identified 34 MsWOX genes based on a systematic analysis of the alfalfa plant genome spread in eight chromosomes. This is an expansion of the gene family which we attribute to observed chromosomal duplications. Sequence alignment analysis revealed 61 conserved proteins containing a homeodomain. Phylogenetic study sung reveal five evolutionary clades with 15 motif distributions. Gene structure analysis reveals various exon, intron, and untranslated structures which are consistent in genes from similar clades. Functional analysis prediction of promoter regions reveals various transcription binding sites containing key growth, development, and stress-responsive transcription factor families such as MYB, ERF, AP2, and NAC which are spread across the genes. Most of the genes are predicted to be in the nucleus. Also, there are duplication events in some genes which explain the expansion of the family. The present research provides a clue on the potential roles of MsWOX family genes that will be useful for further understanding their functional roles in alfalfa plants.

Nationwide registry of glecaprevir plus pibrentasvir in the treatment of HCV in Taiwan.

The study evaluated the real-world treatment outcomes of Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) including effectiveness, safety and healthcare resource utilization based on a nation-wide registry in Taiwan. The Taiwan HCV Registry (TACR) is a nation-wide platform organized and supervised by the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver. Data were analyzed for patients treated with GLE/PIB, including 3144 patients who had treatment outcome available. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response (SVR12, undetectable HCV RNA throughout 12 weeks of end-of-treatment). The overall SVR12 rate was 98.9% (3110/3144), with 98.8%, 99.4% and 100% in patients receiving 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks of GLE/PIB respectively. The SVR12 rate in the treatment-naïve cirrhotic patients receiving 8 weeks of GLE/PIB was 98.2% (108/110). The most common AEs were fatigue (7.5%), pruritus (6.7%) and dizziness (1.5%). The mean number of outpatient visits during the GLE/PIB was 5.94 visits for patients treated with 8 weeks, significantly different from the patients treated with 12 weeks of GLE/PIB (6.90 visits). The results support the effectiveness and safety of GLE/PIB treatment in real-world clinical practice, and provide further evidence that the shorter, 8-week GLE/PIB regimen is effective and cost-saving.

Molecular structures of nonvolatile components in the Haihong fruit wine and their free radical scavenging effect.

In order to investigate the correlation between free radical scavenging effect and the related molecular structures of active substances in the Haihong fruit (Malus Micromalus Makino) wine, sixteen kinds of components were isolated from the fruit wine. The structures of thirteen components were identified by UV, FTIR, LC-MS, 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR. The scavenging abilities of the fruit wine on DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1 -picrylhydrazyl radical), OH, O2- and the protective effects on red blood cell, SOD (Superoxide Dismutase), CAT(Catalase) and GPX(glutathione peroxidases) in aging mice tissues were studied. Results showed that the structures of o-diphenol and m-diphenol play an important role in scavenging free radicals. A larger conjugation system in functional molecule is conducive to getting a higher scavenging rate of free radicals. When the chemical shift of phenol hydrogen is lower, the anti-oxygenation ability is stronger. The fruit wine exhibits a strong scavenging ability on free radicals. It can inhibit the damage of red blood cells caused by OH radical.

Clinical effect of remote injection device assisted percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures / 国际外科学杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of remote injection device assisted percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.Methods:Using retrospective research and analysis methods, 168 patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures admitted to Heze Municipal Hospital from September 2019 to August 2020 were selected. A total of 139 cases were followed up, with a follow-up rate of 82.7%, including 22 males and 117 females, with an average age of 74.17 years. According to the different equipment used, they were divided into two groups. Seventy-two cases used remote injection device to assist percutaneous vertebroplasty (observation group), 67 cases used traditional puncture needle puncture percutaneous vertebroplasty (control group). All patients were completed follow-up at 3 months after surgery. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, bone cement injection volume, bone cement leakage rate, VAS score and ODI score of 1 day, 1 month and 3 months after operation were observed. Measurement data were expressed as ( Mean± SD), using t test, counting data were expressed as percentage [ n(%)], using χ2 test. Results:Both groups of patients successfully completed the operation without complications such as paraplegia, pulmonary embolism, or infection. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in operation time of two groups[(47.71±6.05) min vs (47.61±5.66) min, t=0.100, P=0.920]. The intraoperative blood loss of the two groups was no statistically significant difference [(7.08±3.00) mL vs (8.06±3.48) mL, t=1.782, P=0.079]. The difference between two groups of the amount of bone cement injected was statistically significant, [(6.44±1.03) mL vs (5.73±1.41) mL, t=3.369, P=0.001]. The bone cement leakage rate of the observation group was 27.78% (19/72), and the control group was 43.28% (29/67), and there was statistically significant( χ2=4.382, P=0.036). The preoperative VAS score of the observation group was (6.75±1.14) , and the control group was (6.64±1.08), and there was no significant difference between two groups( t=0.583, P=0.561) The VAS scores of the observation group and the control group were (1.28±0.75) and (1.21±0.77) respectively at 1 day after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups( t=0.583, P=0.588). The VAS scores of the observation group and the control group were (0.89±0.76) and (1.09±0.67) respectively at 1 month after operation. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups( t=1.641, P=0.103). The VAS scores of the observation group and the control group were (0.74±0.63) and (0.87±0.74) respectively at 3 months after operation. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups( t=1.118, P=0.266). The preoperative ODI scores of the observation group and the control group were (60.32±7.46) and (61.96±9.76) respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups( t=1.121, P=0.264). The ODI scores of the observation group and the control group were (14.93±6.01) and (15.10±6.43) respectively at 1 day after operation, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups( t=0.161, P=0.872). The ODI scores of the observation group and the control group were (10.54±4.24) and (11.31±3.71) respectively at 1 month after operation, and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups( t=1.136, P=0.258). The ODI scores of the observation group and the control group were (10.64±3.70) and (10.39±3.74) respectively at 3 months after operation, and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups( t=0.396, P=0.693). Conclusion:Compared with traditional puncture needle puncture percutaneous vertebroplasty, the remote injection device assisted percutaneous vertebroplasty has a definite clinical effect in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, and the bone cement leakage rate is low.

Computed Tomography Features of COVID-19 in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

ObjectivesTo systematically analyze the chest CT imaging features of children with COVID-19 and provide references for clinical practice. MethodsWe searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase; data published by Johns Hopkins University; and Chinese databases CNKI, Wanfang, and Chongqing Weipu. Reports on chest CT imaging features of children with COVID-19 from January 1, 2020, to August 10, 2020, were analyzed retrospectively and a meta-analysis carried out using Stata12.0 software. ResultsThirty-seven articles (1747 children) were included in this study. The overall rate of abnormal lung CT findings was 63.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 55.8-70.6%), with a rate of 61.0% (95% CI: 50.8-71.2%) in China and 67.8% (95% CI: 57.1-78.4%) in the rest of the world in the subgroup analysis. The incidence of ground-glass opacities was 39.5% (95% CI: 30.7-48.3%), multiple lung lobe lesions 65.1% (95% CI: 55.1-67.9%), and bilateral lung lesions 61.5% (95% CI: 58.8-72.2%). Other imaging features included nodules (25.7%), patchy shadows (36.8%), halo sign(24.8%), consolidation (24.1%), air bronchogram signs (11.2%), cord-like shadows (9.7%), crazy-paving pattern (6.1%), and pleural effusion (9.1%). Two articles reported three cases of white lung, another reported two cases of pneumothorax, and another one case of bullae. CONCLUSIONThe lung CT results of children with COVID-19 are usually normal or slightly atypica, with a low sensitivity and specificity compared with that in adults. The lung lesions of COVID-19 pediatric patients mostly involve both lungs or multiple lobes, and the common manifestations are patchy shadows, ground-glass opacities, consolidation, partial air bronchogram signs, nodules, and halo signs; white lung, pleural effusion, and paving stone signs are rare. CLINICAL IMPACTTherefore, chest CT has limited value as a screening tool for children with COVID-19 and can only be used as an auxiliary assessment tool. RegistrationThis systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in the Prospero International Prospective Register of Systemic Reviews (CRD42020196602). Strengths and limitations of this studyThe lung CT findings of children with COVID-19 are usually normal or slightly atypical, with a low sensitivity and specificity compared with that in adults. From a systematic review of current literature, the overall rate of abnormal lung CT findings in children was revealed to be 63.2%. Chest CT has limited value as a screening tool for children with COVID-19 and can only be used as an auxiliary assessment tool. The sample size of some included studies is small, which may affect the results.

Human H-ferritin presenting RBM of spike glycoprotein as potential vaccine of SARS-CoV-2

The outbreak of COVID-19 has so far inflicted millions of people all around the world and will have a long lasting effect on every aspect of everyones life. Yet there is no effective approved treatment for the disease. In an effort of utilizing human ferritin as nanoplatform for drug delivery, we engineered a fusion protein by presenting receptor-binding motif (RBM) of SARS-CoV-2 virus spike glycoprotein on the N-terminus of ferritin subunits. The designed fusion protein with a cage-like structure, similar to that of corona virus, is a potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. We hereby show the construction, preparation, and characterization of the fusion protein RBM-HFtn. Our initial affinity study confirmed its biological activity towards ACE2 receptor which suggests its mode of action against SARS-CoV-2 could be either through vaccine therapy or blocking the cellular entry of virus as antagonist of ACE2 receptor.

MiR-139-5p inhibits the proliferation of gastric cancer cells by targeting Regulation of Nuclear Pre-mRNA Domain Containing 1B.

Regulation of Nuclear Pre-mRNA Domain Containing 1B (RPRD1B) has been of great interest in the field of oncology in recent years. The relationship between miRNAs and RPRD1B in gastric cancer (GC) has not been adequately reported. This study was designed to screen RPRD1B-targeted miRNAs and investigate its regulatory mechanism in GC cells. Quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization were used to detect miRNA expression in GC tissues. Colony formation, EdU cell proliferation assay, and flow cytometry were used to analyze the cell cycle. Database-assisted gene expression analysis revealed that RPRD1B was targeted and regulated by miRNA-139-5p in GC. miRNA-139-5p expression was higher in GC tissue than in normal tissues and significantly correlated with tumor size, pathological stage, and disease-free survival of GC (p < 0.05). MiRNA-139-5p regulates GC cell proliferation and affects the transition from G1 to S phase. It binds explicitly to the 2013-2019 sites of the 3'UTR of RPRD1B and negatively regulates RPRD1B expression. We demonstrated that the ability of miR-139-5p to regulate GC cell proliferation depends on RPRD1B. This process is accompanied by changes in Cyclin D1 protein expression. We established a miR-139-5p/RPRD1B/tumor proliferation axis in GC, which may serve as novel biomarkers and drug targets for GC.

Clinicopathologic features and prognostic analysis of 240 patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective@#To investigate clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of gastric neuroendocrine tumors (G-NEN).@*Methods@#Clinical and pathological data of patients with G-NEN diagnosed by pathological examination in Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2000 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed in this case-control study. Patients with complicated visceral lesions, other visceral primary tumors, mental disorders and incomplete clinicopathological data were excluded. Finally, 240 hospitalized patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Physical examination information, tumor characteristics and pathological characteristics of patients were summarized. The Cox regression models were used to analyze the risk factors affecting G-NEN and the survival conditions were described by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test.@*Results@#In 240 patients with G-NEN, the mean age was (60.3±10.1) years; 181 were male (75.4%) and 59 females (24.6%); mean tumor diameter was (4.2±2.8) cm; 51 cases (21.2%) were neuroendocrine tumor (NET), 139 cases (57.9%) neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), 50 cases (20.8%) mixed neuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC); 28 cases (11.7%) were G1 low grades, 34 cases (14.2%) G2 medium grades, and 178 cases (74.2%) G3 high grades; tumor infiltration depth T1 to T4 were 44 cases (18.3%), 27 cases (11.2%), 60 cases (25.0%) and 109 cases (45.4%) respectively; 163 cases (67.9%) developed lymphatic metastasis and 46 patients (19.2%) distant metastasis; tumor stage from stage I to stage IV were 55 cases (22.9%), 42 cases (17.5%), 94 cases (39.2%) and 53 cases (22.1%) respectively. Of the 240 G-NEN patients, 223 cases (92.9%) were followed up. The median survival time of the patients was 39.2 (95% CI: 29.1 to 47.5) months. Univariate survival analysis showed that age ≥ 60 years, tumor diameter ≥ 4.2 cm, tumor grade G3, lymphatic metastasis, distant metastasis, and tumor stage III-IV were risk factors for G-NEN patients. Multivariate survival analysis revealed that lymphatic metastasis (HR=1.783, 95%CI: 1.007-3.155, P=0.047) and distant metastasis (HR=2.288, 95% CI: 1.307-4.008, P=0.004) were independent risk factors of the prognosis. Further analysis of the G3 subgroup of G-NEN showed that the 5-year survival rate of NET-G3 was 76.19%, which was significantly higher than that of NEC-G3 and MANEC-G3 (15.60% and 24.73%, P=0.012).@*Conclusions@#Most G-NEN patients are in advanced stage at diagnosis. Lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis indicate poor prognosis. The prognosis of high proliferation NET-G3 patients is better as compared to those of NEC-G3 and MANEC-G3. This classification is worth further attention.

APASL HCV guidelines of virus-eradicated patients by DAA on how to monitor HCC occurrence and HBV reactivation.

In the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, sustained virological response (SVR) is very high, but close attention must be paid to the possible occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients with co-infection who achieved SVR in short term. HCC occurrence was more often observed in patients with previous HCC history. We found occurrence of HCC in 178 (29.6%) of 602 patients with previous HCC history (15.4 months mean follow-up post-DAA initiation) but, in contrast, in only 604 (1.3%) of 45,870 patients without previous HCC history (18.2 months mean follow-up). Thus, in these guidelines, we recommend the following: in patients with previous HCC history, surveillance at 4-month intervals for HCC by ultrasonography (US) and tumor markers should be performed. In patients without previous HCC history, surveillance at 6- to 12-month intervals for HCC including US is recommended until the long-term DAA treatment effects, especially for the resolution of liver fibrosis, are confirmed. This guideline also includes recommendations on how to follow-up patients who have been infected with both HCV and HBV. When HCV was eradicated in these HBsAg-positive patients or patients with previous HBV infection (anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs-positive), it was shown that HBV reactivation or HBV DNA reappearance was observed in 67 (41.4%) of 162 or 12 (0.9%) of 1317, respectively. For these co-infected patients, careful attention should be paid to HBV reactivation for 24 weeks post-treatment.

Anti-oxidation and anti-aging activity of polysaccharide from Malus micromalus Makino fruit wine.

Malus micromalus Makino fruit wine was used as a raw material and a water soluble polysaccharide (MWP-2) was successfully separated from it by fractionated extraction, alcohol precipitation, macroporous resin purification, cellulose column purification, running water dialysis, and vacuum freeze drying. The structure of MWP-2 was preliminarily analyzed by high performance gel-permeation chromatography (HPGPC), ion chromatograph (IC) and FT-IR. The anti-oxidation and the anti-aging activity of MWP were studied. Results showed that the relative molecular mass of MWP-2 was 1 × 105 Da and it was composed of galactose, glucose, mannose and fructose in the mole ratio of 1:33.2:8.4:7.2. Antioxidant experiments in vitro showed that MWP had different degrees of scavenging effects on the hydroxyl radicals, DPPH (1,1-two phenyl-2-bitter hydrazine radical) free radical, and superoxide radicals, presenting a certain dose effect relationship. However, the anti-aging experiments in vivo showed that MWP could significantly inhibit the apoptosis of cerebral cortex cells and the formation of lipid peroxide in the cerebral cortex of aging model mice, improve the activity of the antioxidant enzyme system, and exert a certain anti-aging effect.

APASL clinical practice recommendation: how to treat HCV-infected patients with renal impairment?

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those on hemodialysis due to nosocomial infections and past blood transfusions. While a majority of HCV-infected patients with end-stage renal disease are asymptomatic, some may ultimately experience decompensated liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma. Administration of a combination of elbasvir/grazoprevir for 12 weeks leads to high sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in patients with HCV genotypes (GTs) 1a, 1b or 4 and stage 4 or 5 CKD. Furthermore, a combination of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for 8-16 weeks also results in high SVR rates in patients with all HCV GTs and stage 4 or 5 CKD. However, these regimens are contraindicated in the presence of advanced decompensated cirrhosis. Although sofosbuvir and/or ribavirin are not generally recommended for HCV-infected patients with severe renal impairment, sofosbuvir-based regimens may be appropriate for those with mild renal impairment. To eliminate HCV worldwide, HCV-infected patients with renal impairment should be treated with interferon-free therapies.

Dresden technique versus open surgery for acute Achilles tendon ruptures / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective To compare the outcomes of Dresden technique versus open surgery for acute Achilles tendon ruptures.Methods From January 2013 to June 2017,67 patients were operatively treated for acute Achilles tendon rupture at Department of Orthopaedics,China Japan Friendship Hospital.Of them,Dresden technique was used in 32(minimally invasive group) and open surgery in 35(open surgery group).The 2 groups were compared in terms of baseline characteristics,operation time,operative incision length,hospital stay,postoperative complications like incision infection and tendon re-rupture and the Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score(ATRS).Results The 2 groups were compatible due to insignificant differences in the baseline characteristics(P>0.05).They were followed up for 18 months.The minimally invasive group had significant shorter operation time(40.0min),incision length(3.0cm) and hospital stay(5 d) than the open surgery group(42.5 min,10.0 cm and 6 d)(P<0.05).No sural nerve lesion was observed in either group.The rate of wound complications was 0% for the minimally invasive group and 8.6% for the open surgery group;the rate of re-rupture was 3.1% for the former and 2.9% for the latter;the ATRS at the final follow-up was 98.0 for the former and 98.5 for the latter.There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the above comparisons(P>0.05).Conclusions Percutaneous suture of the Achilles tendon with the Dresden instruments is a safe,fast and standardized surgical procedure for acute Achilles tendon ruptures,leading to shorter operation time,incision length and hospital stay,better functional recovery and a tendency of decreased wound complications than the open surgery.

Expression and clinical significance of P-selectin and HPA in benign and malignant hydatidform mole tissues / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To investigate the expression characteristics and significance of P-selectin and HPA in benign and malignant hydatidform mole tissues. Methods By using immunohistochemical technique SP and RT-PCR, the expression of Pselectin and HPA was detected in 40 cases of benign hydatidiform mole tissues, and 12 malignant hydatidiform mole tissues.Meanwhile, 40 cases of normal placental villi tissues were observed. Results The protein positive rate and protein relative quantity expression and the mRNA relative quantity expression of P-selectin and HPA were gradually increasing in normal placenta villi tissues, benign hydatidiform mole tissues, and malignant hydatidiform mole tissues. The differences between groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The expression of P-selectin and HPA showed positive correlation (all P<0.05) in benign and malignant hydatidform mole tissues. Conclusion The over-expression of P-selectin and HPA promotes the occurrence and development of hydatidform mole. The detection of the expression levels of P-selectin and HPA is of great significance for the differential diagnosis and prognosis assessment of benign and malignant hydatidform mole. It could become a biological predictor of malignant development of hydatidform mole.

Influences of molding processes and different dispersants on the dispersion of chopped carbon fibers in cement matrix.

Chopped carbon fiber-reinforced cement composite (CFRC) has become one of the potential smart materials in recent years. The key process of preparing this kind of composite at the early stage is how to disperse carbon fibers evenly into the cement matrix to achieve CFRC composite with good properties. In this study, a three-step mixing process and a six-step mixing process for the preparation of CFRC were suggested, respectively. The fracture morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The influence of mass fractions of three common dispersants methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) on the dispersion of short carbon fibers in water under certain temperature was investigated prior to the manufacture of CFRC. The correlation between mass fraction and viscosity was discussed, and the dispersion effect was assessed from the structure of dispersants and molding process. A hypothetical capsule theory was proposed to reasonably explain the dispersion effect of MC, CMC, and HEC. The experiments showed that pre-dispersion by ultrasonic vibration improved the dispersion of carbon fibers greatly. The dispersivity of carbon fibers was closely related to the category and mass fractions of dispersants. With the same mass fraction of dispersants at a certain temperature, the dispersion effect was in order of HEC > CMC > MC. Meanwhile, when the mass fraction of HEC was between 0.6 and 0.8 wt% by weight of cement and the mass fraction in the aqueous solution was between 1.65 and 1.80 wt%, carbon fibers dispersed most ideally and distributed further uniformly in the cement matrix.