Search

Summary: Background & Aims: The strategies of adding on or switching to peginterferon (PEG‐IFN) improved the serological response rates in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who had previously experienced treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues. However, robust data on which combination strategy is more effective remain lacking. Methods: In this multicentre, parallel, open‐label, randomised, controlled trial, patients with HBeAg‐positive CHB who were treated with entecavir ≥2 years, and had hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) <3000 IU/ml, HBeAg <200S/CO and HBV DNA <50 IU/ml were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to add on PEG‐IFN, switch to PEG‐IFN or continue entecavir monotherapy for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was HBeAg seroconversion at week 48. Results: A total of 153 patients were randomised into three treatment arms (50 in add‐on, 52 in switch‐to and 51 in monotherapy). Compared with continuous entecavir monotherapy, both add‐on and switch‐to strategies achieved higher rates of HBeAg seroconversion (18.0% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.007; 19.2% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.005, respectively), HBeAg loss (24.0% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.010; 23.1% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.013, respectively), HBsAg < 100 IU/ml (30.0% vs. 0%, p < 0.001; 34.6% vs. 0%, p < 0.001, respectively), and higher HBsAg reduction (−0.90 vs. −0.06 log10IU/ml, p < 0.001; −0.92 vs. −0.06 log10IU/ml, p < 0.001, respectively) at week 48. The efficacy was comparable between add‐on and switch‐to arms (p > 0.05). Adverse events were mainly related to PEG‐IFN but generally tolerable. Conclusion: In patients with CHB who achieved virological response with long‐term entecavir, both adding on and switching to PEG‐IFN are alternative strategies resulting in higher rates of HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg reduction than continuous entecavir. Clinical trials registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR‐IPR‐17012055). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-established method is highly desirable for growing topological insulator thin films with low carrier density on a wafer-level scale. Here, we present a simple, scalable method based on magnetron sputtering to obtain high-quality Bi2Te3 films with the carrier density down to 4.0 × 1013 cm−2. In contrast to the most-used method of high substrate temperature growth, we firstly sputtered Bi2Te3 thin films at room temperature and then applied post-annealing. It enables the growth of highly-oriented Bi2Te3 thin films with larger grain size and smoother interface. The results of electrical transport show that it has a lower carrier density as well as a larger coherent length (∼228 nm, 2 K). Our studies pave the way toward large-scale, cost-effective production of Bi2Te3 thin films to be integrated with other materials in wafer-level scale for electronic and spintronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrombosis plays an important role in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases that contribute to high mortality and morbidity in patients. L-(-)-Quebrachitol (QCT), a natural product, was first isolated from quebracho bark. It can inhibit PAF receptor and decrease gastric damage induced by indomethacin, as a drug against platelet aggregation. Here, five QCT derivatives were synthesized and investigated for their inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation. Among them, compound 3a showed anticoagulant effects comparable to aspirin, while compound 4b showed dose-independent inhibitory activities in rats that were stronger than aspirin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A potassium (K)-promoted Ru-based siliceous molecular sieve catalyst, K-nRu-MCM-41, was successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The combined analysis of XRD, FT-IR and XPS data revealed that Ru exists in the framework of the molecular sieves as RuO2 species, leading to structural alterations. SEM and TEM images demonstrated that Ru doping disrupts the morphology of the molecular sieves, while K addition effectively preserves the original morphology and further enhances particle dispersion. The ammonia decomposition performance test indicated that K promotes the activity of the molecular sieve catalysts. At 450 °C and 12 000 mL gcat−1 h−1, K-4Ru-MCM-41 achieved 82.7% ammonia conversion and 253.6 mmol gRu−1 min−1 hydrogen production, respectively, which was a 7.6% increase in ammonia conversion compared with 4Ru-MCM-41. Furthermore, the K-4Ru-MCM-41 catalyst exhibited excellent reusability, maintaining its stable catalytic activity performance after 30 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new, one-pot method for the synthesis of 4 H -3,1-benzoxazine derivatives has been developed. The Passerini-azide reactions of 2-azidobenzaldehydes, trimethylsilyl azide, and isocyanides produced azide intermediate without separation, which then reacted with isocyanides to give 4 H -3,1-benzoxazine derivatives via a tandem one-pot palladium-catalyzed azide–isocyanide coupling/cyclization reaction in moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Highly porous carbon nanofoams (CNFs) were synthesized by a vapor plasma process. • It has a 3D hierarchical morphology, continuous porosity, and high surface area. • Annealing and N doping enhanced electrical and electrochemical properties of CNFs. • The N doped CNFs showed high specific capacitance and excellent cycling stability. Abstract Highly porous carbon nanofoams (CNFs) could be massively synthesized at room temperature from acetylene gas precursor by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. The synthesized CNFs had a three-dimensional framework structure composed of aggregations of nano-sized spherical carbon particles, in which the open-connected micron- and nano-pores were hierarchically distributed. Afterwards, thermal treatment and nitrogen doping process were conducted to enhance both electrical conductivity and electrochemical properties of the CNFs. The nitrogen-doped CNFs (N-CNFs) exhibited very high specific surface area of up to 920.4 m2 g−1 and a pore volume of approximately 0.70 cm3 g−1. Due to their hierarchical porous structure, large ion-accessible surface area, and good conductivity for fast ion sorption and electron transfer, the N-CNFs exhibited excellent electrochemical performance for supercapacitor application, such as high specific capacitance of 362.6F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 and super stability in cycle life test. In addition, a symmetric supercapacitor assembled with N-CNFs could deliver a maximum energy density of 24.4 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 8.8 kW kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Polycrystalline and mesoporous bismuth oxide (Bi 2 O 3) micro-sponge-balls of 4–7 μm in diameter comprising of 58–65 (±2) nm upright standing petals, separated by 100–700 (±50) nm crevices, are synthesized directly onto 3D Ni-foam at room-temperature (27 °C) using Tritonx-100 surfactant-mediated soft wet chemical method. After knowing the phase purity, surface area, pore-size distribution, micro-sponge-ball-type surface morphology, elemental analysis and binding energy confirmations of Bi 2 O 3 , a material with quasi-faradaic redox reactions responsible for supercapattery type behavior, are measured and explored. At a low scan rate, the specific capacitance of Bi 2 O 3 sponge-ball electrode, measured from 0.4 to 1.80 A g−1 current density, decreases from 559 to 211 F g−1 which is equivalent to a capacity from 155 to 58 mAh.g−1. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device assembly of Bi 2 O 3 sponge-ball electrode with graphite i.e. Bi 2 O 3 //graphite demonstrates excellent electrochemical properties with 8 Wh kg−1 energy density at 2040 W kg−1 power density, and about 80% cycling retention over 5000 redox cycle operations. A demonstration of LED with full-bright intensity during discharge process of the Bi 2 O 3 //graphite ASC device suggests its practical potentiality and industrial viability. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the role of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase‑3 (TIMP‑3) in regulating the proliferation, migration, apoptosis and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑2 and ‑9, during the development of an atherosclerotic abdominal artery aneurysm (AAA). Experiments were conducted using rabbit AAA neck (NA) smooth muscle cells (SMCs), to investigate the potential for TIMP‑3 to be used as a novel stent coating in preventing aortic dilation adjacent to the AAA. The atherosclerotic AAA model was induced in New Zealand white rabbits via a 6‑week high‑cholesterol diet, followed by incubation of the targeted aortic region with elastase. SMCs were isolated from the aorta adjacent to the aneurysm 30 days after AAA model induction, and stimulated with 3, 10, 30 or 100 ng/ml TIMP‑3. Cell proliferation was investigated using Cell Counting Kit‑8 reagent, migration was examined using a Boyden chamber assay and apoptotic rate was analyzed using the Annexin V‑fluorescein isothiocyanate Apoptosis Detection kit. Gelatin zymography and ELISA were used to measure the activity of MMP‑2 and MMP‑9, and the expression of tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), respectively. Analysis of cell proliferation indicated that 10, 30 and 100 ng/ml TIMP‑3 reduced cell viability. Cell migration was decreased by 10, 30 and 100 ng/ml TIMP‑3. MMP‑2 activity was inhibited by 10, 30 and 100 ng/ml TIMP‑3, and MMP‑9 activity was suppressed by 30 and 100 ng/ml TIMP‑3. The protein levels of secreted TNF‑α were reduced by 10, 30 and 100 ng/ml TIMP‑3. The present study demonstrated the ability of 30 and 100 ng/ml TIMP‑3 to attenuate migration and proliferation, and to inhibit the activity of MMP‑2, MMP‑9 and TNF‑α secretion of NA SMCs. In conclusion, TIMP‑3 may be considered a potential therapeutic drug for use in a novel drug‑eluting stent, to attenuate the progressive dilation of the aortic NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excitation functions for the crossed beam reactions of Sr+CH3I, CD3I, and CH3Br have been investigated over the collisional energy (ET) range 0.1 to ∼1.0 eV. A highly sensitive single photon ionization technique has been developed to detect the reaction products (SrI and SrBr). The integrated total reaction cross sections (σR) exhibit very different behavior in reactions with CH3I vs CH3Br. In the reaction of Sr+CH3I, σR decreases sharply with increasing ET to a minimum near 0.35±0.05 eV and then gradually increases with increasing ET. In the isotopically substituted reactant, CH3I, no difference in the excitation function is seen within the resolution of the experiment. However, for the reaction Sr+CH3Br, σR exhibits a threshold around 0.12±0.05 eV and gradually increases with increasing ET. The present data for the Sr reactions with CH3I and CH3Br are compared with analogous alkali metal reactions and with several theoretical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tert-butyl bromide is photodissociated at 277.3 nm (in the tail of the first absorption continuum). Both fragments, i.e., the t-butyl radical and the Br(2P1/2) atom, are detected by laser MPI-TOF mass spectrometry. Seeded, supersonic beams of this pseudosymmetric top molecule are readily focusable and orientable (via its first-order Stark effect) using the electrostatic hexapole lens. The linearly polarized laser-induced photofragmentation technique reveals unusually high degrees of orientation, significantly greater than that for t-C4H9I, due to the less serious hyperfine disorientation effect for the Br- (vs I-) containing molecule. Thus t-C4H9Br is an excellent candidate reagent for reactive asymmetry scattering studies of the steric effect via the oriented molecule beam method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tert-butyl iodide molecule is readily focused with the electrostatic hexapole, via its first-order Stark effect as a pseudo-symmetric top. The pulsed, seeded supersonic focused beam, characterized by 〈cos θ〉=Vth/ V0 (where θ is the angle between the molecular dipole axis μ and the electric field E; ±V0 the hexapole ‘‘rod voltage,’’ and Vth the so-called threshold voltage), passes into a small homogeneous electric field in which it is oriented. The degree of laboratory orientation achieved is measured using the method of linearly polarized laser-induced photofragmentation [S. R. Gandhi, T. J. Curtiss, and R. B. Bernstein, Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 2951 (1987)], operating (at three laser wavelengths) on the I(2P3/2) and I(2P1/2) as well as the t-C4H9 radical photofragments. The results show that the oriented beam molecules of t-butyl iodide (at a rotational temperature near 15 K) have a higher degree of orientation than the prototype CH3I molecules (JKM state-selected and focused similarly), explainable by the greater importance of the so-called hyperfine disorientation effect for the prolate symmetric top (CH3I) than for the t-C4H9I. For the latter, orientations with photofragment up–down asymmetry ratios as large as a factor of 10 can be achieved, suggesting that t-C4H9I is an excellent candidate reagent for reactive asymmetry studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic and predictive significance of tumor length in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing radical resection.Methods: Tumor length and other clinicopathological variables were retrospectively evaluated in 1435 patients with squamous cell carcinoma treated with radical resection between 2003 and 2010. Tumor length was analyzed as categorical and continuous variable. Associations with overall survival were assessed with Cox proportional hazards models. Model-based nomograms were constructed. Predictive accuracy was measured with C-index. Decision curve analysis was used to evaluate clinical usefulness of prediction models.Results: Both categorically and continuously coded tumor length were independent prognostic factors in multivariable analysis. Adding categorically and continuously coded tumor length to TNM staging model increased predictive accuracy by 0.2 and 0.4 % respectively. Decision curve analysis revealed that the models built by the addition of categorically or continuously coded tumor length did not perform better than TNM staging model.Conclusions: Tumor length is an independent prognostic factor in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with radical resection. It increases predictive accuracy of TNM staging system for overall survival in these patients. But it does not increase clinical usefulness of TNM staging system as a prediction model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure and morphology of titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene, a new class of two dimensional (2D) materials, are investigated and reported. Ti3AlC2 MAX, treated with a hydrofluoric acid etching process, is used as a promising electrode material for electrochemical supercapacitor studies. The electrochemical supercapacitor performance of Ti3C2Tx as a negatrode in a natural seawater electrolyte solution, tested in a three-electrode system, demonstrated a specific capacitance of 67.7 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 which is in accordance with the volumetric specific capacitance of 121.8 F cm−3. A symmetric supercapacitor assembled with a Ti3C2Tx//Ti3C2Tx electrode configuration revealed a volumetric specific capacitance of 27.4 F cm−3 at 0.25 A g−1, and 96.6% capacitance retention even after 5000 cycles, which is superior to those reported previously in similar systems, suggesting the importance of abundant and cost-effective seawater as a natural electrolyte in developing energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interesting and multifunctional properties of alpha -manganese dioxide ( α -MnO 2 ) are considered to be highly sensitive and selective to nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) chemresistive gas sensors. The α -MnO 2 mesoporous interlocked micro-cubes composed of several interconnected nanocrystals synthesized by a facile and low-cost hydrothermal method on soda-lime glass substrate are envisaged as selective and sensitive NO 2 gas sensors. Phase-purity and surface area with pore-size distribution are initially screened. The three-dimensional α -MnO 2 mesoporous-cube-based gas sensors tested for NO 2 gas from room-temperature (27 °C) to 250 °C have demonstrated 33% response for 100 ppm NO 2 levels at 150 °C. The response and recovery time values of the α -MnO 2 sensor are found to be 26 s and recovery 91 s, respectively, with high selectivity, good sensitivity, and considerable chemical and environmental stabilities, confirming the gas sensor applications potentiality of α -MnO 2 morphology which is a combination of interlocked mesoporous micro-cubes and well-connected nanocrystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the discovery of two-dimensional (2D) graphene, a new class of 2D materials with excellent electrical conductivity has recently been attracting attention in studying promising electrode materials in energy storage applications. Herein, bismuth oxychloride nanosheets-immobilised Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene material (TCBOC) is synthesised by a facile and cost-effective chemical bath deposition (CBD) route. The bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) nanosheets are grown and immobilised on surfaces of Ti 3 C 2 T x -MXene flakes. An electrode based on the TCBOC nanocomposite exhibited a remarkably volumetric specific capacitance of 396.5 F cm -3  at 1 A g −1 and 228.0 F cm -3  at 15 A g −1 . Furthermore, a symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) assembled using TCBOC material proves to have a high energy density of 15.2 Wh kg −1 at a power density of 567.4 W kg −1 compared to SSCs using previously reported Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene materials. The SSC shows cycle life retention of 85.0% after 5000 cycles (at 5 A g −1 ). The enhanced capacitive performance is attributed to the increased surface area due to BiOCl nanosheets anchored on a 2D MXene surface, the activities of BiOCl sheets, and the excellent conductivity of a Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binder-free mesoporous NiCo(CO 3 )(OH) 2 nanowire arrays were grown using a facile hydrothermal technique. The Co 2 (CO 3 )(OH) 2 in NiCo(CO 3 )(OH) 2 nanowire arrays was well-decorated as nano-dot scale (a few nanometer). In addition, increasing cobalt content in nickel compound matrix, NiCo(CO 3 )(OH) 2 nanowire arrays were separately uniformly grown without agglomeration on Ni foam, providing a high specific surface area to help electrolyte access and ion transfer. The enticing composition and morphology of the NiCo(CO 3 )(OH) 2 nanowire exhibit a superior specific capacity of 1288.2 mAh g −1 at a current density of 3 A g −1 and excellent cycling stability with the capacity retention of 80.7% after 10,000 cycles. Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor composed of the NiCo(CO 3 )(OH) 2 composite as a positive electrode and the graphene as a negative electrode presented a high energy density of 35.5 W h kg −1 at a power density of 2555.6 W kg −1 and satisfactory cycling stability with 71.3% capacity retention after 10,000 cycles. The great combination of the active nano-dot Co 2 (CO 3 )(OH) 2 and the individually grown NiCo(CO 3 )(OH) 2 nanowires made it a promising electrode material for asymmetric supercapacitors. A well-developed nanoarchitecture of the nano-dot Co 2 (CO 3 )(OH) 2 decorated NiCo(CO 3 )(OH) 2 composite could pave the way for an excellent electrode design for high-performance supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous nickel and cobalt hydroxide composites are directly grown onto 3D macro-porous Ni foam as a binder-free electrode for supercapacitors by using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. This method is the cheapest and simplest among several deposition processes for supercapacitor applications. An as-obtained porous NiCo(OH) 2 electrode exhibits a remarkable specific capacity (1113.6 mAh g −1 at a current density of 3 A g −1 ) and excellent cycling stability (85.62% capacity retention after 5000 cycles). Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor assembled with NiCo(OH) 2 as a positive electrode and graphene as a negative electrode shows a high energy density of 20.07 W h kg −1 at a power density of 2302.73 W kg −1 and excellent cycling stability (76.46% retention after 5000 cycles). As a result, it shows that the NiCo(OH) 2 fabricated by the SILAR method can be a promising electrode towards energy-storage devices with high energy and power densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study involves the synthesis of a bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) electrode consisting of an arranged nano-platelets for evolving a flower-type surface appearance on nickel-foam (Bi2O3–Ni–F) by a simple, inexpensive, binder-free and one-step chemical bath deposition (CBD) method, popularly known as a wet chemical method. The as-prepared Bi2O3 on Ni-foam, as an electrode material, demonstrates 557 F g−1 specific capacitance (SC, at 1 mA cm−2), of which 85% is retained even after 2000 cycles. With specific power density of 500 kW kg−1, the Bi2O3–Ni–F electrode documents a specific energy density of 80 Wh kg−1. Furthermore, a portable asymmetric supercapacitor device, i.e. a pencil-type cell consisting of Bi2O3–Ni–F as an anode and graphite as a cathode in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte solution, confirms 11 Wh kg−1 and 720 kW kg−1 specific energy and specific power densities, respectively. An easy and a simple synthesis approach for manufacturing a portable laboratory scale pencil-type supercapacitor device is a major outcome of this study, which can also be applied for ternary and quaternary metal oxides for recording an enhanced performance. In addition, we presented a demonstration of lighting a light emitting diode (LED) using a home-made pencil-type supercapacitor device which, finally, has confirmed the scaling and technical potentiality of Bi2O3–Ni–F in energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a cubic architecture of a self-assembled nanograined manganese carbonate (cub-MnCO 3 ) on a three-dimensional (3D) macro-porous nickel-foam (NF) via a low-temperature (160 °C) hydrothermal process has been reported, which later is used as a binder-free supercapacitor electrode. The cub-MnCO 3 architecture provides large open channels by the interconnection of numerous nanograined MnCO 3 to enhance ion and electron diffusion pathways, facilitating the whole active electrode material by easier electrolyte penetration. The cub-MnCO 3 electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 476 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 in 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte solution, and excellent rate ability. The cycling performance of cub-MnCO 3 has revealed capacitance retention of 83.8% after 5000 cycles at a high current density of 10 A g −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For fast simultaneous localization and mapping (FastSLAM) problem, to solve the problems of particle degradation, the error introduced by linearization and inconsistency of traditional algorithm, an improved algorithm is described in the paper. In order to improve the accuracy and reliability of algorithm which is applied in the system with lower measurement frequency, a new decomposition strategy is adopted for a posteriori estimation. In proposed decomposition strategy, the problem of solving a 3-dimensional state vector and N 2-dimensional state vectors in traditional FastSLAM algorithm is transformed to the problem of solving N 5-dimensional state vectors. Furthermore, a nonlinear adaptive square root unscented Kalman filter (NASRUKF) is used to replace the particle filter and Kalman filter employed by traditional algorithm to reduce the model linearization error and avoid solving Jacobian matrices. Finally, the proposed algorithm is experimentally verified by vehicle in indoor environment. The results prove that the positioning accuracy of proposed FastSLAM algorithm is less than 1 cm and the azimuth angle error is 0.5 degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Thousands of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) studies have been published in China, and yet no one has explored its incidence or prevalence in the whole country. Methods. Three most commonly used Chinese language electronic databases were searched, and epidemiological data were extracted from the selected articles. Results. By the end of 2013, 20191 BCS cases were reported in China. The mean age of BCS patients was 36.29 ± 1.28 years, and ratio of male to female was 150/100. About 80% BCS patients were distributed in Henan, Shandong, Beijing, Jiangsu, and Anhui, and all of them except for Beijing were located in the downstream areas of Yellow River and the whole Huai River basin. The incidence and prevalence of BCS in China with and without the top 5 high-prevalence areas were estimated to be 0.88/million per year and 7.69/million and 0.28/million per year and 2.21/million, respectively. Conclusions. Most BCS patients in China are distributed in the downstream areas of Yellow River and the whole Huai River basin. The incidence and prevalence are comparable to those of Western countries without taking into account the top 5 high-prevalence areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we design and test a novel solar tracking generation system. Moreover, we show that this system could be successfully used as an advanced solar power source to generate power in greenhouses. The system was developed after taking into consideration the geography, climate, and other environmental factors of northeast China. The experimental design of this study included the following steps: (i) the novel solar tracking generation system was measured, and its performance was analyzed; (ii) the system configuration and operation principles were evaluated; (iii) the performance of this power generation system and the solar irradiance were measured according to local time and conditions; (iv) the main factors affecting system performance were analyzed; and (v) the amount of power generated by the solar tracking system was compared with the power generated by fixed solar panels. The experimental results indicated that compared to the power generated by fixed solar panels, the solar tracking system generated about 20% to 25% more power. In addition, the performance of this novel power generating system was found to be closely associated with solar irradiance. Therefore, the solar tracking system provides a new approach to power generation in greenhouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD), which is caused by atherosclerosis, results in progressive narrowing and occlusion of the peripheral arteries and inhibits blood flow to the lower extremities. Therapeutic angiogenesis is a promising strategy for treating ischemia caused by PAD. Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be a key mediator of angiogenesis. It has been demonstrated that β-cyclodextrincan stimulate vessel growth in rabbit corneas. In this study, we assessed the mechanism of action and therapeutic potential of a new angiogenic molecule, (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (2HP-β-CD). Methods and Results: 2HP-β-CD significantly increased vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) peptides in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and also increased basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) peptide in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). 2HP-β-CD stimulated both proliferation and migration of HUVECs in an endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)/NO-dependent manner, whereas NO was found to be involved in proliferation, but not migration, of HASMCs. In a unilateral hindlimb ischemia model in mice, 2HP-β-CD injections not only promoted blood flow recovery and increased microvessel densities in ischemic muscle, but also promoted coverage of the vessels with smooth muscle cells, thus stabilizing the vessels. Administration of 2HP-β-CD increased the expression of several angiogenic factors, including VEGF-A, PDGF-BB and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) in ischemic muscle. Injections of 2HP-β-CD also stimulated protein kinase B and extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), leading to an increase in phosphorylation of eNOS in ischemic muscle. Treatment with the NOS inhibitor, Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), showed that stimulation of blood flow induced by 2HP-β-CD was partially dependent on NO. Conclusions: Therapeutic angiogenesis by 2HP-β-CD may be beneficial to patients with PAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Trabeculectomy is the gold standard surgical option in managing glaucoma when intraocular pressure (IOP) is uncontrolled with topical anti‐hypertensive. Bleb failure is not uncommon in trabeculectomy. Bleb needling is a relatively straightforward procedure that can be conducted to re‐establish flow from the trabeculectomy.1,2 We aim to investigate treatment outcomes of MMC augmented needling of failing trabeculectomy blebs in NHS Tayside. Methods: Retrospective cohort study was performed by reviewing clinical notes of all MMC‐augmented bleb needling procedure after trabeculectomy performed in NHS Tayside from May 2012 to June 2016, patients were identified from surgical records. Data were analysed using IBM® SPSS software and R software (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Results: 111 patients were identified, 34 excluded as they were lost to follo‐ ups or did not have clinical notes.86 eyes (77 patients) were included in this study. Median number of months between index filtration surgery and the first needling was 23 months. Mean IOP was reduced by 32.6% by the end of Year 1 (23.94 vs 16.14) and 40.4% by the end of Year 3 (23.94 vs 14.28).This was statistically significant at the 0.05 level.28 eyes (32.6%) required further surgical procedures to control IOP (repeat trabeculectomy, glaucoma drainage device, cyclodiode). 9 eyes (10.5%) had complications related to needling with 3 hyphema, 2 post‐operative needling spike,and 1 each had bleb leak, aqueous misdirection, choroidal effusion and hypotony respectively. Conclusions: Bleb needling is a safe procedure that can be carried out re‐establish flow in failing trabeculectomy to achieve satisfactory control. Bibliography: 1. Lin S, Byles D, Smith M. Long‐term outcome of mitomycin C‐augmented needle revision of trabeculectomy blebs for late trabeculectomy failure. Eye. 2018;32(12):1893‐1899. 2. Panarelli J, Vinod K, Huang G, Sidoti P. Transconjunctival Revision With Mitomycin‐C Following Failed Trabeculectomy. Journal of Glaucoma. 2016;25(7):618‐622. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) is a tumor marker for gastric cancer however its role in esophageal cancer (EC) is still controversial. The aim of this study is to determine the prognostic value of CA72-4 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: From January 2006 to December 2007 we conducted a retrospective analysis of 192 consecutive patients with ESCC. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for survival prediction was plotted to verify the optimum cut-off point for CA72-4. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic parameters. Results: The positive rate for CA 72-4 in our study was 18.8% (36/192). The ROC curve for survival prediction showed the optimum cut-off point for CA 72-4 to be 3.95 U/mL. Patients with CA 72-4 ≤3.95 U/mL had a significantly better five-year overall survival (51.4% vs. 13.6%; P<0.001) and relapse-free survival (49.5% vs. 19.8%; P < 0.001) than those with CA72-4 levels >3.95 U/mL. Multivariate analyses showed that CA 72-4 was a significant predictor of both overall survival and relapse-free survival. CA 72-4 levels >3.95 U/mL had a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.129 [95% confidence interval (Cl): 1.436-3.155; P< 0.001] for overall survival and 2.151 (95% Cl: 1.449-3.192; P< 0.001) for relapse-free survival. Conclusion: CA 72-4 is an independent predictive factor for long-term survival in ESCC. We conclude that 3.95 U/mL may be the optimum cut-off point for CA72-4 in predicting survival in ESCC. Although CA 72-4 shows significant association with poorer prognosis, its low sensitivity limits clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to compare clinical outcomes between patients with solitary lymph node metastasis and node-negative (N0) patients in squamous cell carcinoma of the middle thoracic esophagus. Methods: A series of 135 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the middle thoracic esophagus were retrospectively investigated. There were 33 patients with solitary lymph node metastasis and 102 N0 patients. Skip metastasis in 33 patients with solitary lymph node metastasis was defined according to three criteria: Japanese Society for Esophageal Disease (JSED), American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC), and the anatomical compartment. Results: In 33 patients with solitary lymph node metastasis, skip metastasis was shown in 13, 23, and 8 patients according JSED, AJCC and anatomical compartment respectively. The 5-year survival rates for N0 patients and patients with solitary lymph node metastasis were 58% and 32% respectively (P =0.008). Multivariate analysis revealed that skip metastasis was not an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions: For patients with middle thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, solitary lymph node metastasis has a negative impact on survival compared with N0 disease; skip metastasis, however, is comparable to N0 diseases in predicting prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Therapeutic angiogenesis is a promising strategy for treating ischemia. The lysophospholipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) acts on vascular endothelial cells to stimulate migration and tube formation, and plays the critical role in developmental angiogenesis. We developed poly(lactic-co-glycolic-acid) (PLGA)-based S1P-containing microparticles (PLGA-S1P), which are biodegradable and continuously release S1P, and studied the effects of PLGA-S1P on neovascularization in murine ischemic hindlimbs. Intramuscular injections of PLGA-S1P stimulated blood flow in C57BL/6 mice dose-dependently, with repeated administrations at a 3-day interval, rather than a single bolus or 6-day interval, over 28days conferring the optimal stimulating effect. In Balb/c mice that exhibit limb necrosis and dysfunction due to retarded blood flow recovery, injections of PLGA-S1P stimulated blood flow with alleviation of limb necrosis and dysfunction. PLGA-S1P alone did not induce edema in ischemic limbs, and rather blocked vascular endothelial growth factor-induced edema. PLGA-S1P not only increased the microvessel densities in ischemic muscle, but promoted coverage of vessels with smooth muscle cells and pericytes, thus stabilizing vessels. PLGA-S1P stimulated Akt and ERK with increased phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in ischemic muscle. The effects of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, Nω-nitro-l-arginine methylester, showed that PLGA-S1P-induced blood flow stimulation was partially dependent on nitric oxide. Injections of PLGA-S1P also increased the expression of angiogenic factors and the recruitment of CD45-, CD11b- and Gr-1-positive myeloid cells, which are implicated in post-ischemic angiogenesis, into ischemic muscle. These results indicate that PLGA-based, sustained local delivery of S1P is a potentially useful therapeutic modality for stimulating post-ischemic angiogenesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The stellar atmospheric parameters Teff, , and [Fe/H] are important physical parameters. However, there are different ways to derive them using both spectroscopy and photometry. In this work, the extended MILES library has been convolved with the uvgri-band transmission of the Stellar Abundance and Galaxy Evolution Survey (SAGES), which aims to derive the stellar atmospheric parameters of 0.5 billion stars from observations. With the convolved SAGES magnitudes and MILES library, we examine the errors and stability of deep learning for deriving the stellar atmospheric parameters. The basic idea of our approach is to take photometric data such as images and train a deep neural network (DNN) with densely connected convolutional structure, which is widely used in the field of computer vision. Using this technique, stellar atmospheric parameters can be derived. Increasing the depth of the DNN makes it more difficult to train the DNN, but the dense connected convolutional structure can be a good solution to the gradient dispersion. Finally, we evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme with photometric data. Our method, trained by photometric data of only 483 stars, reduces the rms of Teff, and [Fe/H] to 74 K, 0.11 dex and 0.06 dex, respectively in training and 110 K, 0.289 dex and 0.211 dex, respectively, in testing. It is worth noting that our method can directly calculate Teff, and [Fe/H] continuously in range of ∼4000–7000 K, ∼2.0–5.0 dex and ∼−2.0–0.5 dex, respectively, rather than piecewise calculating the stellar atmospheric parameters in different stellar types and colors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adjuvant gefitinib provides favourable HRQoL in resected, early-stage, EGFR m + NSCLC. • Adjuvant gefitinib was associated with higher HRQoL scores than chemotherapy. • Adjuvant gefitinib delayed deterioration in HRQoL compared with chemotherapy. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data complement conventional clinical endpoints when comparing adjuvant gefitinib with chemotherapy in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. This study aimed to assess changes in HRQoL with adjuvant gefitinib vs chemotherapy in this patient group. In the phase III ADJUVANT trial, patients with completely resected, stage II–IIIA (N1–N2), EGFR -mutant NSCLC were randomized (1:1) to receive either gefitinib for 24 months or vinorelbine plus cisplatin (VP) every 3 weeks for four cycles. HRQoL was assessed as a secondary endpoint using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung Cancer (FACT-L), Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS) questionnaires, and Trial Outcome Index (TOI) composite score. HRQoL dynamics, improvements, and time to deterioration were compared between groups. At baseline, 104 of 106, and 80 of 87 patients receiving gefitinib and VP, respectively, completed two questionnaires (FACT-L and LCSS). Baseline scores were balanced between groups. Although HRQoL fluctuated and gradually improved in both groups, longitudinally higher scores were reported with gefitinib than VP (FACT-L, odds ratio 418.16, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 2.75–63509.05, p = 0.019; LCSS, 1.13, 1.04–1.22, p = 0.003; TOI, 88.39, 4.40–1775.05, p = 0.003). Time to deterioration in HRQoL was delayed with gefitinib compared with VP (FACT-L, median 69 vs 6 weeks, hazard ratio 0.62, 95 % CI 0.42–0.90, p = 0.013; LCSS, median 45 vs 6 weeks, 0.63, 0.43–0.93, p = 0.020; TOI, median 164 vs 9 weeks, 0.51, 0.33–0.77, p = 0.001). Adjuvant gefitinib is associated with improved HRQoL over VP, supporting its use in patients with stage II–IIIA (N1–N2), EGFR -mutant NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its therapeutic effects are hampered by the poor distribution of anticancer drugs in tumors. iRGD, a novel tumor-penetrating peptide, enhances the penetration distance and therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs. Herein, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of iRGD coupled with TACE in the rabbit VX2 liver tumor model.Subjects and Methods: This study had two stages: tumor permeability assay and anticancer efficacy evaluation. In the tumor permeability assay, we coadministered TACE with either iRGD + lipiodol-doxorubicin emulsion (LDE) or LDE in the rabbit VX2 liver tumor model. We evaluated the doxorubicin (DOX) distribution at predetermined times by immunofluorescence microscopy. To evaluate anticancer efficacy, we administered saline, LDE, or iRGD + LDE to tumor-grafted rabbits. We measured tumor volume using magnetic resonance scanning. We quantified the expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3 using Western blot (WB) analysis and determined the apoptosis rate in tumor cells using transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay.Results: The iRGD + LDE infusion significantly increased the DOX concentration and DOX penetration in tumors compared with the LDE infusion (P < 0.05). The antitumor efficacy of the iRGD + LDE in tumor inhibition was higher than that of the other treatments (P < 0.05). Besides, iRGD + LDE induced more apoptosis (P < 0.05).Conclusions: We demonstrated that iRGD coadministered with TACE is effective against HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we tailor the surface morphology of nickel–manganese-layered double hydroxide (NiMn-LDH) nanostructures on 3D nickel-foam via a step-wise cobalt (Co)-doping hydrothermal chemical process. At the 10% optimum level of Co-doping, we noticed a thriving tuned morphological pattern of NiMn-LDH nanostructures (NiCoMn-LDH (10%)) in terms of the porosity of the nanosheet (NS) arrays which not only improves the rate capability as well as cycling stability, but also demonstrates nearly two-fold specific capacitance enhancement compared to Co-free and other NiCoMn-LDH electrodes with a half-cell configuration in 3 M KOH, suggesting that Co-doping is indispensable for improving the electrochemical performance of NiMn-LDH electrodes. Moreover, when this high performing NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode is employed as a cathode material to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an anode material, excellent energy storage performance (57.4 Wh kg−1 at 749.9 W kg−1) and cycling stability (89.4% capacitive retention even after 2500 cycles) are corroborated. Additionally, we present a demonstration of illuminating a light emitting diode for 600 s with the NiCoMn-LDH (10%)//rGO ASC device, evidencing the potential of the NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode in fabricating energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no satisfactory standard for predicting HBeAg seroconversion during Pegylated interferon alpha (PegIFNα) treatment. Studies have shown that IFNα therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients could alter serum lipid profiles. However, there have been no studies on lipid changes that predict the outcome of PegIFNα monotherapy in treated‐naive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. This retrospective study included 130 treated‐naive HBeAg‐positive CHB patients receiving PegIFNα monotherapy. The relationship between serum lipid changes and HBeAg seroconversion was analysed. The TC‐ALT‐HBsAg‐HBeAg‐Genotype‐Age (CASEGA) model was established to predict HBeAg seroconversion after PegIFN‐α monotherapy. Among 130 patients, 33 achieved HBeAg seroconversion (SR) and 97 did not achieve HBeAg seroconversion (NR). The decrease in serum total cholesterol (TC) in the NR group was significantly higher than in the SR group at Week 24 (−9.59% vs. −0.31%, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the change in TC at Week 24 (odds ratio = 1.065, p = 0.009) was an independent predictor of HBeAg seroconversion. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the CASEGA model was 0.883. The model score at the maximum Youden index was 90, and the specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 0.727, 0.794, 0.546 and 0.895, respectively. The HBeAg seroconversion rate at Week 72 in patients with scores >90 was significantly higher than that in patients with scores <90 (54.55% vs. 10.47%, p < 0.001). This study indicated that the change in the TC level at 24 weeks in CHB patients treated with PegIFNα was associated with HBeAg seroconversion. The CASEGA prediction model based on the TC change rate of 24 weeks has good predictive efficiency for HBeAg seroconversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long‐term impact, incidence and risk factors of thyroid dysfunction in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving pegylated interferon (IFN) alpha (PegIFN‐alpha) therapy remain unclear. We aim to investigate the long‐term safety of thyroid dysfunction in CHB patients receiving PegIFN‐alpha. A retrospective observational study of 425 CHB patients with normal baseline thyroid function was carried out. Patients were followed up over 10 years to assess thyroid function after receiving IFN. At the end of the IFN therapy, 67 patients (15.8%) had developed thyroid dysfunction, 31 patients (46.3%) had hyperthyroidism and 64.4% presented with subclinical thyroid dysfunction. In follow‐up of thyroid dysfunction patients, 37 patients (74.0%) spontaneously regained normal thyroid function. Pretreatment thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) level, thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) positivity and free thyroxine (FT4) were independent risk factors associated with thyroid dysfunction incidence. High TSH level (OR = 9.866, 95%CI, 3.245–29.998) was associated with a greater likelihood of hypothyroidism. High FT4 levels (OR = 0.464, 95%CI, 0.248–0.868) indicate a low likelihood of thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid dysfunction is a common but acceptable side effect of IFN therapy for CHB. Most thyroid dysfunction is reversible. Pretreatment TSH level and TPOAb positivity are risk factors for thyroid dysfunction development during IFN therapy. A high TSH level predicts an increased incidence of hypothyroidism. Moreover, FT4 may be a protective factor for thyroid dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognostic value of inflammation indexes in esophageal cancer has not been established. Recent studies have shown that the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) is a useful predictive factor. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the ALI is useful for predicting long-term survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Patients and methods: A total of 293 patients who had undergone esophagectomy for ESCC were included. The ALI was calculated as body mass index × serum albumin/neutrophilto- lymphocyte ratio. Then, patients were divided into two groups: ALI ⩾18 and ALI <18. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cancer-specific survival (CSS), and the difference was assessed by the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic factors. Results: In our study, there were 120 patients with ALI <18 and 173 patients with ALI ⩾18. ALI was significantly higher in patients with large tumors (P=0.028), poor differentiation (P=0.010), deep invasion (P=0.009), and nodal metastasis (P=0.004). The 5-year CSS was 34.5% in our study. Patients with ALI ,18 had a significantly poorer 5-year CSS compared to ALI ⩾18 (21.7% versus 43.4%, P,0.001). On multivariate analysis, we showed that the ALI was a significant predictive factor of CSS (P=0.024). Conclusion: The ALI is still a useful predictive factor for long-term CSS in patients with ESCC. However, the prognostic value of the ALI is yet to be formally tested within randomized trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Recent studies have revealed that Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), an inflammation-based prognostic score , is inversely related to prognosis in a variety of cancers; high levels of GPS is associated with poor prognosis. However, few studies regarding GPS in esophageal cancer (EC) are available. The aim of this study was to determine whether the GPS is useful for predicting cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Patients and Methods: The GPS was calculated on the basis of admission data as follows: Patients with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level (>10 mg/L) and hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/L) were assigned to GPS2. Patients with one or no abnormal value were assigned to GPS1 or GPS0, respectively. Results: Our study showed that GPS was associated with tumor size, depth of invasion, and nodal metastasis (P < 0.001). In addition, there was a negative correlation between the serum CRP and albumin (r = -0.412, P < 0.001). The 5-year CSS in patients with GPS0, GPS1, and GPS2 were 60.8%, 34.7% and 10.7%, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that GPS was a significant predictor of CSS. GPS1-2 had a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.399 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.805-3.190] for 1-year CSS (P < 0.001) and 1.907 (95% CI: 1.608-2.262) for 5-year CSS (P < 0.001). Conclusion: High levels of GPS is associated with tumor progression. GPS can be considered as an independent prognostic factor in patients who underwent esophagectomy for ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The acylation reaction of anthracene with oxalyl chloride was investigated in the presence of [bmim]Cl/AlCl3 ([bmin]+ =1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium cation) ionic liquid. Pure 1,2-aceanthrylenedione was obtained by extraction and recrystallization of the reaction mixture. The structure of 1,2-aceanthrylenedione was identified by GC/MS, FTIR and 1H NMR spectra. The effects of various reaction parameters were investigated. The optimum synthesis conditions of the acylation reaction were given as follows: reacting at 45°C for 6h, the molar ratio of AlCl3 in [bmim]Cl/AlCl3 to [bmim]Cl/AlCl3 and [bmim]Cl/AlCl3 to anthracene equal to 0.67 and 2, respectively, and the molar ratio of oxalyl chloride to anthracene equals to 2. At the optimum conditions, the yield of 1,2-aceanthrylenedione is 88.2% and the selectivity is 98.2%. The reusing experiment shows that [bmim]Cl/AlCl3 can be used as both catalyst and solvent, and it is reusable and environmentally friendly for the preparation of 1,2-aceanthryenedione. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Main observation and conclusion: A simple one pot synthesis of polysubstituted pyrroles via ketenimine formation/Ag(I)‐catalyzed alkyne cycloisomerisation has been developed. The easily accessible phosphorane ylide derivatives reacted with isocyanates, producing highly active ketenimines that were then treated with amines, which afforded substituted pyrroles by a 5‐exo‐dig cyclization/isomerization in the presence of a Ag(I) catalyst in good overall yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of angular correction (ROAC) is very unpredictable and may be affected by various factors in the treatment of genu valgum and varum by means of guided growth. The purpose of this study was to assess the ROAC in cases from our institution and to identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of lower ROAC. We retrospectively reviewed the chart records of 68 patients undergoing guided growth with figure-eight plate for the correction of genu valgum and varum. Based on the data from these patients, the annual increment of physeal growth was calculated and compared with data from the Anderson chart. The associations between patient characteristics and ROAC were evaluated with the use of univariate logistic regression. The mean rate of femoral angular correction was 10.29 degrees/year, while the mean rate of tibial angular correction was 7.92 degrees/year. In a univariate logistic regression analysis, the variables associated with a higher risk of lower ROAC included non-idiopathic coronal deformity of the knee (odds ratio = 13.58, p < 0.001) and body weight at or above the 95th percentile for children (odds ratio = 2.69, p = 0.020). Obesity and non-idiopathic coronal deformity of the knee are risk factors for lower ROAC. It is still uncertain whether severity of deformity, race, and operative procedure have a substantial effect on the rate of correction. Level III evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is a dynamic but reversible disease. Aim: We aimed to clarify whether the change in Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B-ACLF (COSSH-ACLF) grade in HBV-ACLF patients can be used to predict prognosis, and to explore the appropriate conditions for performing urgent liver transplantation. Methods: We assessed the COSSH-ACLF grades of HBV-ACLF patients at different time points from June 2013 to May 2019 at Huashan Hospital in Shanghai, China, and analyzed the relationship between the change in grade and patient prognosis. Results: A total of 207 HBV-ACLF patients were enrolled, of which 79 underwent urgent liver transplantation. Their COSSH-ACLF grades were calculated at diagnosis, 3–7 days after diagnosis, and on the final day. Most of the final ACLF grades were consistent with their corresponding grades at days 3–7 after diagnosis (62.5%), while only 44.5% were in accordance with the initial grades at diagnosis. In patients who had a poor prognosis (initial ACLF-3 and ACLF-2 or -3 at days 3–7), the 28-day survival rate was 93.3% in those who underwent transplantation and 6.8% in those who did not (P < 0.0001). However, in patients who had a good prognosis (ACLF-0 or ACLF-1 at days 3–7), the 28-day survival rate was 100% in transplanted patients and 91.5% in non-transplanted patients (P = 0.236). Conclusions: Reevaluation of the COSSH-ACLF grade 3–7 days after diagnosis could potentially show an indication for urgent liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal wheel alignment improves fuel efficiency, safety, and driver comfort. An explicit formula for determining kingpin parameters, namely, caster and kingpin inclination angle (KIA), in four-wheel alignment is lacking. Currently, caster and KIA values are estimated by repetitive large-scale computing with a mathematical model aimed at obtaining values infinitely close to real solutions. In this study, a four-wheel aligner calibration device was used to collect large amounts of data for a variety of four-wheel aligner measurements with a short data interval. The data were subjected to the local fractal dimension analysis with fractional dimension-based blanket technology (BT) to optimize the number of measurement points. Dramatic changes in data were attributable to local areas with a large fractional number dimension. Appropriate increase in the number of calibration measuring points in areas with a relatively low fractional number dimension can reduce the overall quantity of measuring points. The results provide a scientific basis for the development of alignment calibration standards and demonstrate that these parameters can be assessed based on a small number of measurements. Our BT-based methodology can facilitate factory inspection and performance testing of four-wheel aligners and may improve the accuracy of wheel positioning parameter assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion represents an endpoint of treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. Methods: We have studied whether levels of serum hepatitis B virus ribonucleic acid (HBV RNA) during pegylated interferon alfa-2a treatment might be helpful for predicting HBeAg seroconversion. 61 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with pegylated interferon alfa-2a alone or in combination with adefovir (10 mg/day) for 48 weeks were included in this retrospective analysis. Response was defined as HBeAg seroconversion at 24 weeks posttreatment. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to identify baseline and on-treatment HBV RNA levels associated with response. Results: Twenty-two of 61 (36.1%) patients achieved a response. Baseline HBV RNA levels were lower in responders than in nonresponders (4.55 ± 1.19 and 5.90 ± 1.13 copies/mL, respectively, P = 0.001). Baseline HBV RNA cut off level (200,000 copies/mL) provided a positive predictive value (PPV) of 56.0% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 77.8%. HBV RNA level (3000 copies/mL) at week 12 provide a PPV of 75.0% and a NPV of 82.8%. Moreover, HBeAg seroconversion rates at 24 weeks posttreatment were significantly higher in patients with HBV RNA ≤ 200,000 copies/mL at baseline and HBV RNA ≤ 3000 copies/mL at week 12 (92.9%) versus others (12.5%) (All P < 0.05). Conclusions: In Conclusions, serum HBV RNA levels may serve as a novel tool for prediction of HBeAg seroconversion during therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2a in HBeAg-positive CHB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still vague for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with normal or mildly increasing alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level to undergo antiviral treatment or not. The purpose of our study was to establish a noninvasive model based on routine blood test to predict liver histopathology for antiviral therapy. This retrospective study enrolled 258 CHB patients with liver biopsy from the First Hospital of Quanzhou (training cohort, n=126) and Huashan Hospital (validation cohort, n=132). Histologic grading of necroinflammation (G) and liver fibrosis (S) was performed according to the Scheuer scoring system. A novel model, ATPI, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil), and platelets (PLT), was developed in training cohort. The area under ROC curves (AUC) of ATPI for predicting antiviral therapy indication was 0.83 in training cohort and was 0.88 in the validation cohort, respectively. Similarly, ATPI also displayed the highest AUC in predicting antiviral therapy indication in CHB patients with normal or mildly increasing ALT level. In conclusion, ATPI is a novel independent model to predict liver histopathology for antiviral therapy in CHB patients with normal and mildly increased ALT levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Various treatment combinations of peginterferon (PEG‐IFN) and nucleos(t)ide analogues have been evaluated for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but the optimal regimen remains unclear. Aims: To study whether PEG‐IFN add‐on increases response compared to entecavir (ETV) monotherapy, and whether the duration of ETV pretreatment influences response. Methods: Response was evaluated in HBeAg positive patients previously treated in two randomized controlled trials. Patients received ETV pretreatment for at least 24 weeks and were then allocated to 24‐48 weeks of ETV+PEG‐IFN add‐on, or continued ETV monotherapy. Response was defined as HBeAg loss combined with HBV DNA <200 IU/mL 48 weeks after discontinuing PEG‐IFN. Results: Of 234 patients, 118 were assigned PEG‐IFN add‐on and 116 continued ETV monotherapy. Response was observed in 38/118 (33%) patients treated with add‐on therapy and in 23/116 (20%) with monotherapy (P = 0.03). The highest response to add‐on therapy compared to monotherapy was observed in PEG‐IFN naive patients with HBsAg levels below 4000 IU/mL and HBV DNA levels below 50 IU/mL at randomization (70% vs 34%; P = 0.01). Above the cut‐off levels, response was low and not significantly different between treatment groups. Duration of ETV pretreatment was associated with HBsAg and HBV DNA levels (both P < 0.005), but not with response (P = 0.82). Conclusions: PEG‐IFN add‐on to ETV therapy was associated with higher response compared to ETV monotherapy in patients with HBeAg positive CHB. Response doubled in PEG‐IFN naive patients with HBsAg below 4000 IU/mL and HBV DNA below 50 IU/mL, and therefore identifies them as the best candidates for PEG‐IFN add‐on (Identifiers: NCT00877760, NCT01532843). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Addition of peginterferon alpha (PEG‐IFN add‐on) to entecavir (ETV) treatment after a short lead‐in phase results in more response than ETV monotherapy in HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB). This study is the first to assess long‐term efficacy of this treatment strategy. Patients who received ETV ± 24 weeks of PEG‐IFN add‐on in a global trial (ARES study) and completed follow‐up were eligible to participate in this observational LTFU study if they had at least one combined HBeAg and HBV DNA measurement beyond week 96 of the ARES study. The primary endpoint was combined response (HBeAg loss and HBV DNA <200 IU/mL) at LTFU. In total, 48 patients treated with PEG‐IFN add‐on and 48 patients treated with ETV monotherapy were included. The median follow‐up duration was 226 (IQR 51) weeks, and 86/96 (90%) patients were initial non‐responders. At LTFU, combined response was present in 13 (27%) vs 11 (23%) patients (P = 0.81), and 1 log10 HBsAg decline in 59% vs 28% (P = 0.02) for PEG‐IFN add‐on and ETV monotherapy, respectively. In 41 initial non‐responders who continued ETV therapy, combined response at LTFU was present in 9 patients (PEG‐IFN add‐on: 5/22 [23%]; ETV monotherapy: 4/19 [21%]). Beyond week 96 of follow‐up, rates of serological response became comparable between PEG‐IFN add‐on and ETV monotherapy. Although in this LTFU study initial non‐responders were overrepresented in the add‐on arm, PEG‐IFN add‐on possibly leads rather to accelerated HBeAg loss than to increased long‐term HBeAg loss rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background & Aims: To avoid liver biopsy, many noninvasive models comprised of serum markers for liver fibrosis assessment have been developed. Given that most of them were developed in hepatitis C cohorts and few of them have been validated in Chinese hepatitis B patients, we aim to conduct this validation and compare their diagnostic accuracies in such a population. Methods: A total of 937 HBV‐infected patients who underwent liver biopsy were included in this single‐centre retrospective study. The diagnostic accuracies of the 17 noninvasive models were assessed by areas under the receiver‐operating characteristic curves (AUROCs), using histologically evaluated fibrotic stages of the biopsy specimens as standards. To compare efficiencies of the models, a grading system based on AUROC levels was developed. Results: For discriminating significant fibrosis in all patients, the best three noninvasive models were King's score (AUROC = 0.756), Virahep‐C model (AUROC = 0.756) and GPR (AUROC = 0.744); and for diagnosing cirrhosis, Lok index (AUROC = 0.832), FI (AUROC = 0.820) and FIB‐4 (AUROC = 0.818) got the first three places. AUROCs in HBeAg‐positive group were generally higher than those in HBeAg‐negative group. In addition, based on the grading system, Virahep‐C and GPR outstood others in evaluating liver fibrosis in all patients. Conclusions: In Chinese HBV‐infected patients, Virahep‐C models and GPR had high accuracies in diagnosing liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, while the most discussed models like APRI and FIB‐4 did not outstand. Assessment should take into account the HBeAg sero‐status, since these noninvasive models were more appropriate for HBeAg‐positive patients than HBeAg‐negative ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acetone gas sensor and electrochemical supercapacitor applications of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanostructures, synthesised using a facile and cost-effective quaternary-beaker mediated successive ion transfer wet chemical method and deposited onto soda-lime-glass (SLG) and Ni-foam substrates, respectively, are explored. The as-deposited Bi2O3 nanostructures on these substrates exhibit polycrystalline nature and a slight change in their surface appearance (i.e. upright-standing nanoplates on SLG and a curvy nanosheet structure on Ni-foam), suggesting the importance of the deposition substrate in developing Bi2O3 morphologies. The Bi2O3 nanoplate gas sensor on the SGL demonstrated a room temperature sensitivity of 41%@100 ppm for acetone gas, whereas the nanosheet structure of Bi2O3 on the Ni-foam elucidated a specific capacitance of 402 F g−1 at 2 mA cm−2, long-term cyclability, and rate capability with moderate chemical and environmental stability in a 6 M KOH electrolyte solution. The Bi2O3//graphite pencil-type asymmetric supercapacitor device revealed a specific capacitance as high as 43 F g−1, and an energy density of 13 W h kg−1 at 793 W kg−1 power density, turning a light emitting diode ON, with considerable full-brightness light intensity, during the process of discharging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the links between CYP450 family genes in tumor tissues and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) outcomes. Methods. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases GSE14520 and GSE36376 were used to identify differential expressed CYP450 genes between tumor and nontumor tissues and related to HCC clinicopathological features and survivals. Results. Seven CYP450 genes including CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, and CYP4A11 were downregulated in tumor tissues, which were validated in both GSE14520 and GSE36376. HCC patients with CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 low levels in tumor tissues suffered from poorer overall survival (OS) compared to those with high CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 in GSE14520 profile (log ranks P = 0.01 and P = 0.006, respectively). In addition, HCC patients with lower CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 in tumors had worse recurrence-free survival (RFS) than those with higher CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 (log ranks P = 0.02 and P = 0.012, respectively). In GSE36376 validation dataset, HCC patients with lower CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 had worse OS and RFS than those with higher CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 (all P < 0.05), in line with results in GSE14520 dataset. Additionally, lower CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 are associated with advanced clinicopathological features including tumor staging, vascular invasion, intrahepatic metastasis, and high alpha fetoprotein (all P < 0.05). Conclusion. Downregulation of CYP2A6 and CYP2C8 in tumor tissues links to poorer OS and RFS in HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]