Herpes zoster infection after rituximab induction therapy in patient with myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: a case report.

Induction treatment with rituximab-an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody-may increase the risk of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation in patients with antineutrophil-cytoplasmic-antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Our case report shows VZV reactivation following rituximab treatment in AAV patients. The recombinant zoster vaccine should be recommended before the start of induction treatment with rituximab.

Observing quantum trapping on MoS2 through the lifetimes of resonant electrons: revealing the Pauli exclusion principle.

We demonstrate that the linewidth of the field emission resonance (FER) observed on the surface of MoS2 using scanning tunneling microscopy can vary by up to one order of magnitude with an increasing electric field. This phenomenon originates from quantum trapping, in which the electron relaxed from a resonant electron in the FER is momentarily trapped in a potential well on the MoS2 surface due to its wave nature. Because the relaxed electron and the resonant electron have the same spin, through the action of the Pauli exclusion principle, the lifetimes of the resonant electrons can be substantially prolonged when the relaxed electrons engage in resonance trapping. The linewidth of the FER is thus considerably reduced to as narrow as 12 meV. The coexistence of the resonant electron and the relaxed electron requires the emission of two electrons, which can occur through the exchange interaction.

Changes in serum α-fetoprotein level predicts treatment response and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy is an alternative systemic treatment for patients with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were refractory or intolerant to sorafenib. To date, there have been no biomarkers reported to monitor the therapeutic efficacy and to predict the outcomes of HCC patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. METHODS: Eighty-one HCC patients with elevated baseline α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and extrahepatic spreading who received oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Two AFP tests were performed, at baseline and 2-4 weeks after the initiation of chemotherapy. The change in AFP levels was calculated for survival analysis. RESULTS: In the AFP decline group (decreased compared to baseline), the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 7.0 months and 12.3 months, respectively. In the AFP nondecline group, the median PFS and OS were 2.3 months and 3.0 months, respectively. The difference in OS between the two groups was significant (p < 0.005). In the multivariate analysis for disease progression, the best response to chemotherapy and AFP decline were independent factors, with p values of 0.004 and 0.009, respectively. In the multivariate analysis for OS, the baseline Child-Pugh score, best response to chemotherapy, and AFP decline were independent prognostic factors, with p values of 0.01, 0.001, and 0.008, respectively. Additionally, the unit change in AFP level was predictive of PFS and OS with p values of 0.007 and 0.001, respectively. CONCLUSION: The change in AFP levels 2-4 weeks after initiating oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy is useful to predict treatment response and survival.