Association of hepatitis B virus DNA levels with efficacy and safety outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitor plus anti-PD-1 antibody: a multicenter propensity-matched study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) combined with anti-PD-1 antibodies (α-PD-1) in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with high hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels (>500 IU/mL) remain unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed patients from seven medical institutions diagnosed with HBV-related HCC, undergoing treatment with TKIs and α-PD-1 in conjunction with antiviral therapies. Based on HBV-DNA levels, patients were categorized into either high (HHBV-DNA, >500 IU/mL) or low HBV-DNA (LHBV-DNA, ≤500 IU/mL) cohorts Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize baseline imbalance between groups. RESULTS: 149 patients were included, with 66 patients exhibiting HBV-DNA > 500 IU/mL and 83 patients presenting HBV-DNA ≤ 500 IU/mL. Compared with the LHBV-DNA cohort, the HHBV-DNA cohort had a greater incidence of serum HBeAg positivity, tumor diameter ≥ 10 cm, and vascular invasion. Following PSM, 57 individuals were enrolled in each group. Oncological outcomes were comparable between HHBV-DNA and LHBV-DNA cohorts before and after PSM. Before PSM, the median PFS and OS were 6.1 months and 17.5 months in the HHBV-DNA cohort and 6.7 months and 19.3 months in the LHBV-DNA cohort (all P > 0.05). After PSM, the median PFS and OS were 6.0 months and 19.5 months in the HHBV-DNA cohort and 6.0 months and 17.1 months in the LHBV-DNA cohort, respectively (all P > 0.05). Safety profiles were equivalent across cohorts with no fatal incidents reported. Seven patients (4.7 %) had HBV reactivation. 1 (0.7 %) from HHBV-DNA and 6 (4.0 %) from LHBV-DNA (P = 0.134). Only one patient developed HBV-related hepatitis. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness and safety of TKIs plus α-PD-1 in advanced HCC with HBV-DNA > 500 IU/mL were not compromised in the context of concomitant antiviral therapy.

[Soil quality assessment of Robinia psedudoacia plantations with various ages in the Grain-for-Green Program in hilly area of North China].

Abstract: Four land use types of cropland, abandoned cropland, 10-year-old and 43-year-old Robinia psedudoacia plantations in the Grain-for-Green Program in hilly area of North China were studied to investigate the effects of returning cropland to forestland on soil quality by using integrated soil quality index. The results showed that the nutrients of topsoil increased significantly with increasing tree age, and soil properties in 0-5 cm soil layer improved. Compared with the cropland, soil physical and chemical properties of the two R. psedudoacia plantations improved, and the soil microbial biomass C and N increased significantly. The integrated soil quality index decreased in order of 43-year-old R. psedudoacia plantation (0.542) > 10-year-old R. psedudoacia plantation (0. 536)> the abandoned cropland (0.499) > the cropland (0.498), suggesting the soil quality was improved during the conversion from cropland to forestland.

[Th cell differentiation in chronic stage of viral myocarditis in mice and interference of Qingxin-II Recipe].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate part mechanisms of Th cell differentiation, and to observe the interference effect of Qingxin-II Recipe in the chronic stage of viral myocarditis (VMC), so as to provide some experimental evidences for illuminating the pathogenesis of VMC and treatment mechanisms of Qingxin-II Recipe. METHODS: According to 20%-40% death rate of experiment in advance, 100 BALB/c male mice (4 weeks old and weighing 12-15 g) were used. Twenty mice were randomly assigned to normal control group, and the other 80 mice were intraperitoneally injected with 0.1 ml normal saline containing coxsackie virus B3 at the 1st, 4th and 28th day (the virus densities were 1:2000, 1:1000 and 1:500 respectively) to induce chronic VMC. At the 42nd day, the surviving mice were randomly divided into untreated group and treatment group, with 20 mice in each group. Mice in the treatment group were orally administered with 0.2 ml Qingxin-II Recipe every day, while mice in the normal control group and the untreated group were administered with 0.2 ml normal saline. All the mice were sacrificed after 45 days, and the sera, heart and spleen cells were collected. Then the myocardial pathological changes were observed by using a light microscope, and the levels of IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-gamma in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And the Th cell differentiation was observed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: No obvious myocardial pathological changes were observed in mice of the normal control group. Myocardial pathological changes in the treatment group were slighter than those in the untreated group. The difference of serum IL-10 level between the normal control group and the untreated group showed no significance (P>0.05), and the levels of IFN-gamma and IL-4 of the untreated group were higher than those of the normal control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in IL-10 level between the treatment group and the untreated group (P>0.05), while the serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma of the treatment group were lower than those of the untreated group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was no significant difference of the Th1 cell responder between the treatment group and the untreated group (P>0.05), while the Th2 cell responder was inhibited significantly in the treatment group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Qingxin-II Recipe can restore the balance of Thl and Th2 cells through inhibiting the reaction of Th2.