Search

We describe and model the evolution of a recent landslide, tsunami, outburst flood, and sediment plume in the southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia, Canada. On November 28, 2020, about 18 million m3 of rock descended 1,000 m from a steep valley wall and traveled across the toe of a glacier before entering a 0.6 km2 glacier lake and producing >100‐m high run‐up. Water overtopped the lake outlet and scoured a 10‐km long channel before depositing debris on a 2‐km2 fan below the lake outlet. Floodwater, organic debris, and fine sediment entered a fjord where it produced a 60+km long sediment plume and altered turbidity, water temperature, and water chemistry for weeks. The outburst flood destroyed forest and salmon spawning habitat. Physically based models of the landslide, tsunami, and flood provide real‐time simulations of the event and can improve understanding of similar hazard cascades and the risk they pose. Plain Language Summary: Glacier retreat exposes unstable slopes that can suddenly fail. We describe and model one such event with far‐reaching consequences. The landslide mass (50 million tonnes, equivalent to the combined mass of all Canadian automobiles) entered and suddenly drained a 0.6‐km2 alpine lake in the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia. Displaced water destroyed salmon‐spawning habitat over a distance of 8.5 km and created a plume of sediment and organic matter more than 60 km from the head of the fjord into which the floodwaters discharged. Physically based models are able to simulate the hazard cascade, and such models could be used to improve hazard and risk assessments of these events under future climate change. Key Points: Rapid glacier retreat created conditions that allowed a geohazard cascade to occur in a steep mountain valleyWe describe and model a recent landslide, tsunami, and outburst flood that typifies a deglacial geohazard cascadeFuture work should predict new glacial lakes and use physically based models to simulate the slope, tsunami, and outburst flood hazards [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous molybdenum sulfide (MoSx) is a promising alternative to Pt catalyst for the H2 evolution in water. However, it is suffered of an electrochemical corrosion. In this report, we present a strategy to tack this issue by embedding the MoSx catalyst within a porous poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) matrix. The PEDOT host is firstly grown onto a fluorine‐doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode by electrochemical polymerization of EDOT monomer in an acetonitrile solution to perform a porous structure. The MoSx catalyst is subsequently deposited onto the PEDOT by an electrochemical oxidation of [MoS4]2− monomer. In a 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte solution, the MoSx/PEDOT shows higher H2‐evolving catalytic activities (current density of 34.2 mA/cm2 at −0.4 V vs RHE) in comparison to a pristine MoSx grown on a planar FTO electrode having similar catalyst loading (24.2 mA/cm2). The PEDOT matrix contributes to enhance the stability of MoSx catalyst by a significant manner. As such, the MoSx/PEDOT retains 81 % of its best catalytic activity after 1000 potential scans from 0 to −0.4 V vs. RHE, whereas a planar MoSx catalyst is completely degraded after about 240 potential scans, due to its complete corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black carbon (BC) is a major light absorption material that acts as a climate change driver with high radiative forcing and as an air pollutant that reduces visibility and air quality. Thus, reducing the emission and ambient concentration of BC could help address climate change and improve air quality simultaneously. In this study, the mass concentration of atmospheric BC was continuously measured by an aethalometer in Shanghai in 2017. The annual BC concentration was 2.19 ± 1.28 μg/m3, with the highest loading in winter and the lowest loading in autumn. The BC concentrations varied with year and location when compared with previous studies in different locations in Shanghai. The hourly BC concentration had a bimodal distribution, with two peaks during the morning and evening traffic rush hours. Liquid fuels, biomass, and coal combustion contributed 65.7%, 21.5%, and 12.8%, respectively, of the total BC based on the advanced aethalometer model. The three sources varied in different seasons with a high contribution of liquid source in summer and more coal and biomass emissions in winter. High BC concentrations accumulated in the stable weather conditions in the four seasons and appeared when there were high wind speeds from the northwestern direction in winter. The Yangtze River Delta region was the most likely potential source region of high BC loading in the four seasons, and long‐range transport from North China in winter was another likely source region based on the results of cluster analysis and potential source contribution function analysis of backward trajectories. Key Points: One‐year continuous black carbon (BC) concentration was observed and compared with previous studies in different locations of ShanghaiHourly BC showed a bimodal distribution, with two peaks during the morning and evening rush hoursLiquid fuel was the domain source of BC, followed by biomass and coal emissions originating from local emissions and long‐range transport [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. It remains incompletely understood in the real world how anti‐viral therapy affects survival after HCC diagnosis. Methods: This was an international multicentre cohort study of 2518 HBV‐related HCC cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were utilised to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% (CI) for anti‐viral therapy and cirrhosis on patients' risk of death. Results: Approximately, 48% of patients received anti‐viral therapy at any time, but only 17% were on therapy at HCC diagnosis (38% at US centres, 11% at Asian centres). Anti‐viral therapy would have been indicated for >60% of the patients not on anti‐viral therapy based on American criteria. Patients with cirrhosis had lower 5‐year survival (34% vs 46%; P < 0.001) while patients receiving anti‐viral therapy had increased 5‐year survival compared to untreated patients (42% vs 25% with cirrhosis and 58% vs 36% without cirrhosis; P < 0.001 for both). Similar findings were seen for other patient subgroups by cancer stages and cancer treatment types. Anti‐viral therapy was associated with a decrease in risk of death, whether started before or after HCC diagnosis (adjusted HR 0.62 and 0.79, respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Anti‐viral therapy improved overall survival in patients with HBV‐related HCC across cancer stages and treatment types but was underutilised at both US and Asia centres. Expanded use of anti‐viral therapy in HBV‐related HCC and better linkage‐to‐care for HBV patients are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic fungi, which stimulate a variety of defence reactions in host plants without causing visible disease symptoms, have been isolated from almost every plant. However, beneficial interactions between fungal endophytes and pathogens from the same habitat remain largely unknown. An inoculation of Atractylodes lancea plantlets with Gilmaniella sp. AL12 ( AL12) prior to infection with Fusarium oxysporum prevented the necrotization of root tissues and plant growth retardation commonly associated with fusarium root rot. Quantification of F. oxysporum infections using real-time PCR revealed a correlation between root rot symptoms and the relative amount of fungal DNA. Pretreatment with AL12 reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species stimulated by F. oxysporum. An in vitro analysis of their interactions under axenic culture conditions showed AL12 could inhibit F. oxysporum growth. Additionally, F. oxysporum infections were shown to decrease salicylic acid ( SA) production compared with control plantlets. SA biosynthesis inhibitors, 2-aminoindan-2-phosphonic acid and paclobutrazol, abolished the inhibition of F. oxysporum growth in A. lancea even after inoculation with AL12. The results indicated that the fungal endophyte protected A. lancea not only by direct antibiosis, but also by reversing the F. oxysporum-mediated suppression of SA production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pioneering study showed that the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-globo series pathway genes ( FUT1, FUT2, ST3 GAL1, HEXA, HEXB, B3 GALNT1 and NAGA) may play an important regulatory role in resistance to Escherichia coli F18 in piglets. Therefore, we analysed differential gene expression in 11 tissues of two populations of piglets sensitive and resistant respectively to E. coli F18 and the correlation of differential gene expression in duodenal and jejunal tissues. We found that the mRNA expression of the seven genes was relatively high in spleen, liver, lung, kidney, stomach and intestinal tract; the levels in thymus and lymph nodes were lower, with the lowest levels in heart and muscle. FUT2 gene expression in the duodenum and jejunum of the resistant population was significantly lower than that in the sensitive group ( P < 0.01). ST3 GAL1 gene expression was also significantly lower in the duodenum of the resistant population than in the sensitive group ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed among the remaining genes. The expression level of FUT1 was extremely significantly positively correlated with FUT2 and B3 GALNT1 expression ( P < 0.01) and also had a significant positive correlation with NAGA expression ( P < 0.05). The expression level of FUT2 had extremely significant positive correlations with FUT1, ST3 GAL1 and B3 GALNT1 ( P < 0.01). These results suggest that FUT2 plays an important role in E. coli F18 resistance in piglets. FUT1, ST3 GAL1, B3 GALNT1 and NAGA may also participate in the mechanism of resistance to E. coli F18. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solidago canadensis is native to North America, but has become a noxious invasive plant in China. We know only a little about its invasion history and the effects of introductions on its genetic composition. Here, we investigated genetic variation and structure between 15 North American and 13 Chinese populations of S. canadensis using AFLP makers. Four AFLP loci suggested relatively high genetic diversity of this weed and similar genetic variation between the invasive range and the native range. Most genetic variation was within populations across two ranges, but the Chinese range had a higher degree of among-population variation than the North American range. Multiple tests, including Bayesian assignment, UPGMA analysis, PCoA and analysis of 'isolation by distance', showed that the Chinese populations originated from at least two distinct native sources and that secondary introduction or dispersal should be common in China. Also, North American populations were possibly a single genetic group. Overall, S. canadensis in China was probably founded from multiple introductions and then spread through long-distance dispersal associated with human activities. Genetic variability in the species in the invaded range appears to have favoured establishment and spread and may well provide a challenge to successful control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We read with interest the article by Eun Mi Song I et al i . comparing the outcomes of CsA and IFX as rescue therapy among patients with SR-ASUC in a large, well-defined cohort of Korean UC patients.1 The author found that the rates of treatment failure and colectomy at 3 months were not significantly different between the CsA and the IFX treatment groups among Korean patients with SR-ASUC. Eleven studies (two RCTs and nine non-randomized studies) reported therapeutic response rate and included 470 patients who received IFX and 536 patients who received CsA. Fourteen studies (three RCTs and 11 non-randomized studies) reported first year colectomy rates and included 797 patients who received IFX and 1091 patients who received CsA. [Extracted from the article]

Background and purpose Anosognosia and neglect may coexist in stroke patients. Neglect patients often report poor quality of life ( QOL), whereas patients suffering from other cognition disorders with poor insight report better QOL. This study investigates the relationship between anosognosia, neglect and QOL amongst stroke survivors. Methods Stroke survivors who met the criteria were used as a sampling pool. Sixty stroke patients were observed in this study, amongst whom 20 patients with anosognosia and neglect (A+N+), 20 patients with neglect but not anosognosia (A−N+) and 20 patients with neither anosognosia nor neglect (A−N−) were selected from the sampling pool based on demographic characteristics matched with the A+N+ group. A questionnaire ( SS- QOL) was used to collect the QOL perceived by the stroke survivors. Results The perceived QOL of the A+N+ group was significantly better than those of the other groups, including the subscales of self-care, mobility, work/productivity, upper extremity, mood, family role and social role. However, the A+N+ group had poor balance level and more fall incidents were reported. Conclusion The A+N+ group perceived better QOL but had more falls and poorer balance than the other groups. Health providers should work with caregivers aggressively in preventing accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In humans, the role of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α therapy in severe sepsis and septic shock is debatable. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of anti-TNF-α therapies against placebo in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.Methods: A structured literature search was undertaken to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock receiving anti-TNF-α therapy or placebo. A meta-analysis on relative risk (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was performed.Results: Seventeen studies with a total of 8971 patients were included. When all forms of anti-TNF-α therapy were pooled together, there was a significant reduction of 28-day all-cause mortality with respect to placebo (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.83-0.99; p = 0.04). Subgroup analysis showed that anti-TNF-α antibodies (monoclonal and polyclonal) reduced mortality (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81-0.99; p = 0.04). Monoclonal antibodies enhanced survival (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.82-1.00; p = 0.05), while polyclonal antibodies or receptor blockers did not enhance survival (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.39-1.28, p = 0.25; OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.78-1.17, p = 0.65). There was a trend towards better survival in patients with high levels of IL-6 (> 1000 pg/ml) and patients with shock if they were treated with anti-TNF-α therapy (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.72-1.00; OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.62-1.04). Publication bias and statistical heterogeneity (I(2)  < 50% and p > 0.1) were absent. Sensitivity analysis suggests that these results are highly stable.Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests that in patients with severe sepsis (before shock), immunotherapy with anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibodies reduces overall mortality. In patients with shock or high levels of IL-6 (> 1000 pg/ml), anti-TNF-α therapy may improve survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Deregulation of mammalian target of rapamycin ( mTOR) signalling is common in human hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC). Aim To determine the maximum tolerated dose ( MTD) of the oral mTOR inhibitor everolimus in advanced HCC patients. Methods Patients with locally advanced or metastatic HCC (Child-Pugh class A or B) were enrolled in an open-label phase 1 study and randomly assigned to daily (2.5-10 mg) or weekly (20-70 mg) everolimus in a standard 3 + 3 dose-escalation design. MTD was based on the rate of dose-limiting toxicities ( DLTs). Secondary endpoints included safety, pharmacokinetics and tumour response. In a post hoc analysis, serum hepatitis B virus ( HBV) DNA levels were quantified. Results Thirty-nine patients were enrolled. DLTs occurred in five of 21 patients in the daily and two of 19 patients in the weekly cohort. Daily and weekly MTDs were 7.5 mg and 70 mg respectively. Grade 3/4 adverse events with a ≥10% incidence were thrombocytopenia, hypophosphataemia and alanine transaminase ( ALT) elevation. In four hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-seropositive patients, grade 3/4 ALT elevations were accompanied by significant (>1 log) increases in serum HBV levels. The incidence of hepatitis flare (defined as ALT increase >100 IU/mL from baseline) in HBsAg-seropositive patients with and without detectable serum HBV DNA before treatment was 46.2% and 7.1% respectively ( P < 0.01, Fisher exact test). Disease control rates in the daily and weekly cohorts were 71.4% and 44.4% respectively. Conclusions The recommended everolimus dosing schedule for future hepatocellular carcinoma studies is 7.5 mg daily. Prophylactic anti-viral therapy should be mandatory for HBsAg-seropositive patients (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00390195). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the partial mtDNA 16s rRNA gene and the S7 nuclear intron were used to resolve the phylogenetic relationship of four morphologically similar members of Ostorhinchus, including two colour morphs of Ostorhinchus properuptus (lined and dotted types), Ostorhinchus cyanosoma and Ostorhinchus holotaenia. Two different tree-building methods, maximum likelihood (ML) and a Bayesian-based method, yielded trees with highly similar topologies and high bootstrap values and posterior probabilities on the main nodes. Two main clades were recovered, suggesting that O. properuptus dotted type is closely related to O. holotaenia, and O. properuptus lined type members with O. cyanosoma. In addition, the genetic distance between the dotted and lined types of O. properuptus (0·299) was 23-fold higher than that between the dotted type and O. holotaenia (0·013). The dotted type can be identified by genetics as slightly differentiated in Japanese waters. It is treated as a population of the widespread species O. holotaenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Peginterferon-α–based therapy frequently leads to neutropenia. It remains unclear whether neutropenia is associated with bacterial infection in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Aim To evaluate the risk of bacterial infection and neutropenia in patients with CHC treated with peginterferon-α/ribavirin. Methods In all, 207 patients with CHC with (group A, n = 30) and without (group B, n = 177) baseline neutropenia were treated with peginterferon-α/ribavirin. Results Group A had significantly higher rates of moderate (<750 cells/μL) and severe (<500 cells/μL) neutropenia than group B (70.0% and 26.7% vs. 20.3% and 8.5% respectively, both P < 0.0001). The sustained virological response rate was similar between patients with and without neutropenia, at baseline or during treatment. Bacterial infection occurred in 4.3% of patients. Group A and patients with lower baseline neutrophil counts had substantially higher rates of bacterial infection. Patients with cirrhosis had significantly higher rates of infection during combination therapy than those without cirrhosis (15%, 3 of 20 vs. 3.2%, 6 of 187, P = 0.045). Nadir neutrophil counts were not correlated to infection episodes. Conclusions Bacterial infection during peginterferon-based therapy for CHC was associated with comorbidity of cirrhosis, but not with neutropenia, whether at baseline or during treatment. Neutropenic CHC patients might be treated safely with close monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gemcitabine is the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas; however, chemoresistance to gemcitabine remains a major cause of failure for the clinical treatment of this disease. Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk-1) is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer cell lines and pancreatic tumour tissues, and is involved in a wide variety of cell cycle processes. Nevertheless, its biological role and implication for gemcitabine resistance are not clearly defined. In this study, we used RNA-interference (RNAi)-mediated depletion of Plk-1 to determine its potential for sensitizing pancreatic tumour cells to gemcitabine. We showed that the level of Plk-1 protein was correlated significantly with gemcitabine resistance in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells and that overexpression of Plk-1 reduced sensitivity to gemcitabine in these cells. In addition, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of Plk-1 caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M and the reduction of cellular proliferation. More importantly, the treatment of pancreatic cancer cells with Plk-1 siRNA followed by exposure to gemcitabine dramatically decreased cell viability and increased cellular apoptosis, as compared with treatment with either agent alone. These observations indicate that down-regulation of Plk-1 expression by RNAi enhances gemcitabine sensitivity and increases gemcitabine cytotoxicity in pancreatic tumour cells. This is the first demonstration that the combination of Plk-1 gene therapy and gemcitabine chemotherapy has synergistic anti-tumour activity against pancreatic carcinoma in vitro. This combination treatment warrants further investigation as an effective therapeutic regimen for patients with resistant pancreatic cancer and other tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The long-term benefits of interferon-based therapy on preventing cirrhosis at non-cirrhotic stage in chronic hepatitis C patients are not fully clarified. Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of interferon-based therapy regarding to cirrhosis prevention in non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C patients. Methods A total of 1386 biopsy-proven, non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C patients (892 received interferon-based therapy and 494 untreated) were enrolled. Results Fifty-six untreated and 51 treated (24 sustained virologic responders and 27 non-responders) patients developed cirrhosis during a mean follow-up period of 5.0 (1–16) and 5.1 (1–15.3) years, respectively. The annual incidences of cirrhosis in untreated and treated groups were 2.26 and 1.11% (non-responders: 1.99%, sustained responders: 0.74%), respectively. The 15-year cumulative incidence of cirrhosis was significantly lower in treated (9.9%) than untreated patients (39.8%, P = 0.0008, log-rank test). The 14.5-year cumulative incidence of cirrhosis was significantly lower in sustained responders (4.8%) compared with non-responders (21.6%, P = 0.0007) and untreated patients (36.6%, P < 0.0001). The difference was not significant between non-responders and untreated controls. Cox proportional hazards regression showed sustained virologic responders and younger age were independent negative factors for cirrhosis development. Conclusion A sustained virologic response secondary to IFN-based therapy could reduce cirrhosis development in chronic hepatitis C patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between G vs A transitions in the promoter region of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha at positions −308 (TNF308.2) and −238 (TNF238.2) and clinical features of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). These two promoter TNF-alpha variants were determined in 250 biopsy-proven CHC patients by polymerase chain reaction amplification, followed by the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) method. The distribution of −308 and −238 TNF-alpha promoter genotypes were TNF308.1/TNF308.1: 187 (74.8%), TNF308.1/TNF308.2: 57 (22.8%) and TNF308.2/TNF308.2: 6 (2.4%), respectively, and TNF238.1/TNF238.1: 247 (98.8%) and TNF238.1/TNF238.2: 3 (1.2%). The frequencies of the TNF308.2 and TNF238.2 promoter alleles were 13.8% and 0.6%. Increased TNF308.2 allele copy numbers were significantly associated with increased frequency of lower pretreatment hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels (<800 000 IU/mL; P = 0.031) and severe fibrosis stage (F3-F4; P = 0.006) and higher mean fibrosis score ( P = 0.007). The higher cytokine production (with one or two TNF308.2 alleles) was correlated significantly with lower pretreatment HCV RNA levels with a lower mean HCV RNA level ( P = 0.024) and increased frequency of lower pretreatment HCV RNA levels (<800 000 IU/mL; P = 0.017). Stepwise logistic regression showed that higher fibrosis score and low HCV RNA levels were independently related to the TNF308.2 allele [odds ratio (95% CI): 1.385 (1.127–1.702) and 0.698 (0.488–0.990)]. We conclude that inheritance of the TNF-alpha promoter genotype at the position −308 appears to be associated with variability in severity of fibrosis and viral load in chronic HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives. Virus hepatitis may lead to nephropathy as one of its multiple extrahepatic manifestations. Proteinuria by dipstick, a simple test in practice, is a useful and cardinal sign of underlying renal abnormalities. The aim of this study was to elucidate the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections on the occurrence of proteinuria amongst adults. Designandsetting. A prospective, cross-sectional, community-based study was conducted in an HBV/HCV endemic area of southern Taiwan. Eligible subjects aged 40–65 years ( n = 9934) underwent testing of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HCV antibody (anti-HCV) and other related biochemical profiles. Urinalysis with repeated dipstick for proteinuria detection was performed. Results. Anti-HCV-positive rate amongst proteinuria subjects was significantly higher than nonproteinuria subjects (9.6% vs. 6.2%, P < 0.001). By contrast, HBsAg-positive rate did not differ between subjects with and without proteinuria (13.0% vs. 13.8%, P = 0.57). Prevalence of proteinuria amongst anti-HCV-positive subjects (10.2%) was significantly higher than that in HBsAg-positive subjects (6.4%, P =0.004) and in HBsAg-negative or anti-HCV-negative subjects (7.0%, P = 0.004). The difference persisted even after excluding diabetics. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that diabetes was the most important significant factor associated with proteinuria, followed by hypertension, anti-HCV seropositivity, body mass index, age and triglyceride levels. Conclusion. We demonstrated the significant association between proteinuria and HCV, but not HBV, infection in this HBV/HCV-endemic area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of thyroid autoantibodies in the development of thyroid dysfunction among chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients receiving interferon-alpha (IFN-α) plus ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy, 95 Taiwanese naïve patients with baseline euthyroidism were enrolled. They were treated with IFN-α2b, 6 million units thrice weekly, plus RBV 1000–1200 mg daily for 24 weeks. Thyroid function, anti-thyroglobulin and antiperoxidase autoantibodies were tested at enrolment (M0), at the end-of-treatment (M6) and 6 months after end-of-treatment (M12). The percentages of thyroid autoantibodies were 8.4%, 11.6% and 9.5%, at M0, M6 and M12 respectively. Fourteen (14.7%) patients developed thyroid dysfunction at M6 or M12. Thyroid dysfunction occurred during treatment in five (62.5%) of the eight patients with baseline thyroid autoantibodies, which was significantly higher than nine (10.3%) of 87 patients without baseline thyroid autoantibodies ( P = 0.0001). Among 14 patients who developed thyroid dysfunction, four (80.0%) of five patients with baseline thyroid autoantibodies recovered at M12, in contrast to two (25%) of eight without baseline thyroid autoantibodies recovered at M12 ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, thyroid autoantibodies, either occurred before or during IFN- α plus RBV combination therapy, carry a high prediction of subsequent thyroid dysfunction. There also exists difference in the clinical manifestations of thyroid dysfunction in CHC patients treated with combination therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Gallstone disease has been regarded as an obesity-related disease. Therefore, we hypothesized that leptin and adiponectin, mainly produced by adipose tissue, may play roles in gallstone disease. Patients and methods The RIA method was used to analyze serum leptin and adiponectin levels of 90 gallstone patients and 91 healthy subjects. Results Our results showed that BMI, fasting glucose, serum AST and ALT, and leptin were significantly increased in the gallstone patients as compared with the healthy subjects ( P < 0·001, P < 0·001, P < 0·001, P < 0·001, P < 0·001, and P = 0·013, respectively). Intriguingly, serum adiponectin was the only variable to be significantly decreased in the gallstone patients ( P = 0·002). Furthermore, serum AST, leptin, and adiponectin were significantly associated with gallstone disease ( P < 0·001, P = 0·021, and P = 0·006, respectively). Overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg m−2), but not normal-weight, gallstone patients had an increased serum leptin and a decreased serum adiponectin level as compared with matched healthy subjects ( P < 0·001 and P = 0·024, respectively). In addition, serum leptin was positively correlated with BMI and serum cholesterol, while serum adiponectin was inversely correlated with serum triglyceride in the gallstone patients. Conclusions Our study indicated that hyperleptinaemia and hypoadiponectinaemia might be involved in the occurrence of gallstone disease. However, the causal relationship of hyperleptinaemia and hypoadiponectinaemia with gallstone disease might require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the importance of the microsurgical transfer of free tissue in reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Consideration of arteriosclerosis as one of the risk factors of microvascular anastomosis; Detection of severe arteriosclerosis; Determination of parameters used for evaluating arteriosclerosis preoperatively.

A Letter to the editor is presented wherein the authors discuss that treatment with Prednisone had significant symptomatic improvement in two middle aged patients with adefovir-induced Fanconi syndrome, however its effectiveness in long-term prognosis is still uncertain.

Linked Content This article is linked to Feathers et al and Swaminath et al papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14359 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14253. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor in response to the article "irritable bowel syndrome-type symptoms in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease" in the previous issue is presented.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Systematic review with meta-analysis: the effects of rifaximin in hepatic encephalopathy" by N. Kimer and colleagues in a previous issue.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article on the association between a functional polymorphism in gene encoding for the activity of the irritable bowel syndrome and the serotonin transporter protein.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Systematic review with meta-analysis: mucosal healing is associated with improved long-term outcomes in Crohn's disease," by S. C. Shah and colleagues in a 2016 issue.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Irritable bowel syndrome is significantly associated with somatisation."

This paper was to explore bullatacin-mediated multidrug-resistant cell apoptosis at extremely low concentration. To investigate its precise mechanisms, the pathway of cell apoptosis induced by bullatacin was examined. Bullatacin causes an upregulation of ROS and a downregulation of DeltaPsi(m) in a concentration-dependent manner in ABCB1-overexpressing KBv200 cells. In addition, cleavers of caspase-9, caspase-3, and PARP were observed following the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria after bullatacin treatment. However, neither cleavage of caspase-8 nor change of expression level of bcl-2, bax and Fas was observed by the same treatment. Pretreating KBv200 cells with N-acetylcysteine, an antioxidant modulator, resulted in a significant reduction of ROS generation and cell apoptosis induced by bullatacin. Bullatacin-induced apoptosis was antagonized by z-LEHD-fmk, a caspase-9 inhibitor, but not by z-IETD-fmk, a caspase-8 inhibitor. These implied that apoptosis of KBv200 cells induced by bullatacin was associated with the mitochondria-dependent pathway that was limited to activation of apical caspase-9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To define a novel classification of first branchial cleft anomalies (FBCAs) based on the relationship between lesions and the facial nerve in terms of radiographic imaging findings and to introduce the corresponding surgical managements., Methods: The clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. Novel classification was proposed according to the head-neck MRI findings and surgical records. FBCAs limited in the cartilaginous segment of external auditory canal (EAC) or superficial parotid gland capsule were classified as type A. Lesions close to the FN and(or) involved into the parotid gland with no scar formation and no previous parotidectomy were classified as type B. FBCAs adhered to the FN and(or) invaded the parotid gland with scar formation due to previous surgery were classified as type C. Appropriate surgery approaches was also described, which was correlated with classification., Results: Fifty-one patients were included, and one patient suffered from bilateral lesions. Thirty-one, twelve, and nine lesions were classified as type A, type B, and type C FBCAs, respectively. One type A patient (1.92%) suffered from recurrence during follow-up. Temporary facial palsy (House-Brackmann II) was identified in 2 type C patients (3.85%) after surgery and recovered to normal within 2 months. One type B patient (1.92%) suffered from facial paralysis due to the FN injury and underwent facial nerve graft simultaneously. No patients with type C complained of hearing loss postoperatively., Conclusion: This novel classification clearly illustrates definitely relationship between lesion and the facial nerve and appropriate surgical strategies were proposed based on the novel classification., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:4246-4251, 2024., (© 2024 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: To analyze the clinical features and surgical outcomes of patients with endolymphatic sac tumors (ELSTs)., Study Design: Single institution retrospective cohort study., Methods: The clinical data of 29 patients with 30 ELSTs who underwent surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Information on patient demographics, tumor size and grade, intraoperative blood loss volume, hearing and facial nerve outcomes, and follow-up data was collected and analyzed., Results: The main symptoms were hearing loss in 26 ELSTs (86.7%) and tinnitus in 17 (56.7%). Twenty-four (80%) ELSTs were in advanced stages (Grade III). The median tumor volume was 6.35 cm 3 . The median intraoperative blood loss volume was 300 mL. Facial nerve function was well preserved in 21 patients. Among all patients with Grade III tumors, 12 patients underwent tension-free anterior facial nerve rerouting, and 11 patients (91.7%) maintained good facial nerve function postoperatively (HB I and HB II). Only one patient exhibited permanent vocal cord paralysis, and no patients experienced cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage postoperatively. Gross total resection was achieved in 22 patients (73.3%), 5 patients (16.7%) experienced tumor recurrence, and 3 (10%) had residual tumors., Conclusions: Most ELSTs tend to be diagnosed in the advanced stage. Tension-free anterior facial nerve rerouting could maximally preserve facial nerve function. The intraoperative blood loss volume was associated with tumor size and stage. Tumor recurrence tends to occur at the posterior edge of the petrosal bone, internal auditory canal, and surface of the posterior fossa. Given the relatively high recurrence rate of ELSTs, long-term follow-up is recommended., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 135:339-344, 2025., (© 2024 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by pulmonary and systemic congestion resulting from left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and increased filling pressure. Currently, however, there is no evidence on effective pharmacotherapy for HFpEF. In this study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of total xanthones extracted from Gentianella acuta (TXG) on HFpEF by establishing an high-fat diet (HFD) + L-NAME-induced mouse model. Echocardiography was employed to assess the impact of TXG on the cardiac function in HFpEF mice. Haematoxylin and eosin staining, wheat germ agglutinin staining, and Masson's trichrome staining were utilized to observe the histopathological changes following TXG treatment. The results demonstrated that TXG alleviated HFpEF by reducing the expressions of genes associated with myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and apoptosis. Furthermore, TXG improved cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Mechanistic investigations revealed that TXG could activate the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α)/X-box-binding protein 1 (Xbp1s) signalling pathway, but the knockdown of IRE1α using the IRE1α inhibitor STF083010 or siRNA-IRE1α impaired the ability of TXG to ameliorate cardiac remodelling in HFpEF models. In conclusion, TXG alleviates myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and apoptosis through the activation of the IRE1α/Xbp1s signalling pathway, suggesting its potential beneficial effects on HFpEF patients., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the significance of parotid gland invasion in predicting distant metastasis of adenoid cystic carcinoma in the external auditory canal., Study Design: Single-institution retrospective cohort study., Methods: A retrospective review of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal who underwent surgery was performed. Information on patient demographics, parotid gland invasion, tumor stage, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and follow-up data were collected and analyzed., Results: One hundred twenty-nine patients were identified for review. Parotid gland invasion was noted in 45 patients (34.9%). Parotid gland invasion was significantly associated with tumor stage, perineural invasion, distant metastasis, and postoperative adjuvant therapy. Distant metastasis was noted in 30 patients (23.3%). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis identified parotid gland invasion as an independent risk factor for predicting distant metastasis. The 5-year distant metastasis-free survival rate was 83.6% for patients without parotid gland invasion and 61.8% for patients with parotid gland invasion (p = 0.010)., Conclusions: The parotid gland invasion rate is relatively high in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the external auditory canal and is significantly related to tumor stage. Parotid gland invasion is associated with worse distant metastasis-free survival., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:419-425, 2024., (© 2023 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Whitmania pigra is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, W. pigra is being threatened by an edema disease with unknown causes (WPE). In this study, a comprehensive exploration of virome, microbiome, and metabolome aberrations in the intestine of W. pigra was performed to address the aetiology of WPE. Virome analysis indicated that eukaryotic viruses did not contribute to WPE, whereas an expansion of Caudovirales was observed in WPE. Compared to the control, the microbial richness and diversity in diseased W. pigra decreased remarkably. Nine genera, including Aeromonas, Anaerotruncus, Vibrio, Proteocatella, Acinetobacter, and Brachyspira were overrepresented in WPE, whereas eleven genera, including Bifidobacterium, Phascolarctobacterium, Lactobacillus, Bacillus and AF12, were enriched in healthy individuals. Furthermore, certain metabolites, especially amino acids, short-chain fatty acids, and bile acids, were found to be linked to intestinal microbiota alterations in WPE. An integration of the microbiome and metabolome in WPE found that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota or metabolites caused WPE. Notably, W. pigra accepted intestinal microbiota transplantation from WPE donors developed WPE clinical signs eventually, and the dysbiotic intestinal microbiota can be recharacterized in this recipient W. pigra. Strikingly, pathological features of metanephridium and uraemic toxin enrichment in the gut indicated a putative interconnection between the gut and metanephridium in WPE, which represents the prototype of the gut-kidney axis in mammals. These finding exemplify the conservation of "microecological Koch's postulates" from annelids to insects and other vertebrates, which provides a direction of prevention and treatment for WPE and opens a new insight into the pathogenesis of aquatic animal diseases from an ecological perspective., (© 2023 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by Applied Microbiology International and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To develop a novel grading system and appropriate surgical approaches for patients with diffuse type tensosynovial giant cell tumor (D-TGCT) of the temporal bone., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 31 patients with temporal bone D-TGCT between June 2012 and July 2021. All patients underwent comprehensive clinical evaluations, including clinical presentations, hearing threshold, imaging studies, surgical approaches, and prognosis. A grading system was developed based on the tumor location and adjacent neurovascular structures involvement according to imaging and intraoperative findings., Results: In this study, grade II tumors were the most common (13/31), followed by grades I (7/31), III (7/31), and IV (4/31) tumors. Seven grade I patients received the subtemporal middle cranial fossa approach (SMCF) combined with the canal wall up mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty (CWUT). Nine grade II patients underwent SMCF combined with subtotal petrosectomy (SPTR), and four grade II patients underwent SMCF combined with CWUT. Seven grade III patients received SMCF combined with SPTR and dura mater reconstruction, and four grade IV patients underwent infratemporal fossa approach type B. Gross total resection was achieved in all patients, and the median follow-up time was 30.1 months (range, 4-96 months). Three patients (one grade II, one grade III, and one grade IV) had recurrence during follow-up, and the patient with grade III tumor had two recurrences., Conclusions: Gross total resection is the first-line treatment for patients with D-TGCT of the temporal bone. This novel grading system enables surgeons to select optimal surgical strategy. Long-term follow-up is mandatory postoperatively., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 132:1275-1284, 2022., (© 2021 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Background Myocardial dysfunction is a critical cause of post-cardiac arrest hemodynamic instability and circulatory failure that may lead to early mortality after resuscitation. Trimetazidine is a metabolic agent that has been demonstrated to provide protective effects in myocardial ischemia. However, whether trimetazidine protects against postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction is unknown. Methods and Results Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated after 8 minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were randomized to 4 groups immediately after resuscitation (n=15/group): (1) normothermia control (NTC); (2) targeted temperature management; (3) trimetazidine-normothermia; (4) trimetazidine-targeted temperature management. TMZ was administered at a single dose of 10 mg/kg in rats with trimetazidine. The body temperature was maintained at 34.0°C for 2 hours and then rewarmed to 37.5°C in rats with targeted temperature management. Postresuscitation hemodynamics, 96-hours survival, and pathological analysis were assessed. Heart tissues and blood samples of additional rats (n=6/group) undergoing the same experimental procedure were collected to measure myocardial injury, inflammation and oxidative stress-related biomarkers with ELISA-based quantification assays. Compared with normothermia control, tumor necrosis factor-α, and cardiac troponin-I were significantly reduced, whereas the left ventricular ejection fraction and 96-hours survival rates were significantly improved in the 3 experimental groups. Furthermore, inflammation and oxidative stress-related biomarkers together with collagen volume fraction were significantly decreased in rats undergoing postresuscitation interventions. Conclusions Trimetazidine significantly alleviates postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction and improves survival by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation in a ventricular fibrillation rat model. A single dose of trimetazidine administrated immediately after resuscitation can effectively improve cardiac function, whether used alone or combined with targeted temperature management.