PegIFN alpha-2a reduces relapse in HBeAg-negative patients after nucleo(s)tide analogue cessation: A randomized-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nucleo(s)tide analogue (NUC) cessation can lead to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance but also a high rate of virological relapse. However, the effect of pegylated interferon alpha-2a (PegIFN-α-2a) on virological relapse after NUC cessation is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of switching from NUC to PegIFN-α-2a treatment for 48 weeks on virological relapse up to week 96. METHODS: In this multicenter randomized-controlled clinical trial, 180 non-cirrhotic patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B on continuous NUC therapy for ≥2.5 years, with HBV DNA levels <60 IU/ml, were randomized to discontinue NUC therapy (n = 90) or receive 48 weeks of PegIFN-α-2a treatment (n = 90). Patients were followed up for up to 96 weeks. The primary endpoint was the virological relapse rate up to week 96. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis revealed patients in the interferon monotherapy group had significantly lower cumulative virological relapse rates than the NUC cessation group until week 96 (20.8% vs. 53.6%, p <0.0001). Consistently, a significantly lower proportion of patients in the interferon monotherapy group had virological relapse than those in the NUC cessation group at 48 weeks off treatment (17.8% vs. 36.7%, p = 0.007). The virological relapse rate positively correlated with HBsAg levels in the NUC cessation group. The interferon monotherapy group had a lower cumulative clinical relapse rate (7.8% vs. 20.9%, p = 0.008) and a higher HBsAg loss rate (21.5% vs. 9.0%, p = 0.03) than the NUC cessation group. CONCLUSIONS: Switching from NUC to PegIFN-α-2a treatment for 48 weeks significantly reduces virological relapse rates and leads to higher HBsAg loss rates than NUC treatment cessation alone in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Nucleo(s)tide analogue (NUC) cessation can lead to HBsAg clearance but also a high rate of virological relapse, but an optimized scheme to reduce the virological relapse rate after NUC withdrawal is yet to be reported. This randomized-controlled trial investigated the effect of switching from NUC to PegIFN-α-2a treatment for 48 weeks on virological relapse up to week 96 in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. The interferon monotherapy group had a significantly lower cumulative virological relapse rate (20.8% vs. 53.6%, p <0.0001) and higher HBsAg loss rate (21.5% vs. 9.0%, p = 0.03) than the NUC cessation group up to week 96. This provides an optimized strategy for NUC cessation in HBeAg-negative patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02594293.

A Novel Homozygous RHOH Variant Associated with T Cell Dysfunction and Recurrent Opportunistic Infections.

RHOH, an atypical small GTPase predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells, plays a vital role in immune function. A deficiency in RHOH has been linked to epidermodysplasia verruciformis, lung disease, Burkitt lymphoma and T cell defects. Here, we report a novel germline homozygous RHOH c.245G > A (p.Cys82Tyr) variant in a 21-year-old male suffering from recurrent, invasive, opportunistic infections affecting the lungs, eyes, and brain. His sister also succumbed to a lung infection during early adulthood. The patient exhibited a persistent decrease in CD4+ T, B, and NK cell counts, and hypoimmunoglobulinemia. The patient's T cell showed impaired activation upon in vitro TCR stimulation. In Jurkat T cells transduced with RHOHC82Y, a similar reduction in activation marker CD69 up-regulation was observed. Furthermore, the C82Y variant showed reduced RHOH protein expression and impaired interaction with the TCR signaling molecule ZAP70. Together, these data suggest that the newly identified autosomal-recessive RHOH variant is associated with T cell dysfunction and recurrent opportunistic infections, functioning as a hypomorph by disrupting ZAP70-mediated TCR signaling.

Isothiourea-Catalysed Acylative Dynamic Kinetic Resolution of Tetra-substituted Morpholinone and Benzoxazinone Lactols.

The development of methods to allow the selective acylative dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of tetra-substituted lactols is a recognised synthetic challenge. In this manuscript, a highly enantioselective isothiourea-catalysed acylative DKR of tetra-substituted morpholinone and benzoxazinone-derived lactols is reported. The scope and limitations of this methodology have been developed, with high enantioselectivity and good to excellent yields (up to 89 %, 99 : 1 er) observed across a broad range of substrate derivatives incorporating substitution at N(4) and C(2), di- and spirocyclic substitution at C(5) and C(6), as well as benzannulation (>35 examples in total). The DKR process is amenable to scale-up on a 1 g laboratory scale. The factors leading to high selectivity in this DKR process have been probed through computation, with an N-C=O⋅⋅⋅isothiouronium interaction identified as key to producing ester products in highly enantioenriched form.

Assembly and comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Viburnum chinshanense.

BACKGROUND: Viburnum chinshanense is an endemic species found exclusively in the North-Central and South-Central regions of China. This species is a lush garden ornamental tree and is extensively utilized for vegetation restoration in rocky desertification areas. RESULTS: In this study, we obtained 13.96 Gb of Oxford Nanopore data for the whole genome, and subsequently, by combining Illumina short-reads, we successfully assembled the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the V. chinshanense using a hybrid assembly strategy. The assembled genome can be described as a circular genome. The total length of the V. chinshanense mitogenome measures 643,971 bp, with a GC content of 46.18%. Our annotation efforts have revealed a total of 39 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 28 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes within the V. chinshanense mitogenome. The analysis of repeated elements has identified 212 SSRs, 19 long tandem repeat elements, and 325 pairs of dispersed repeats in the V. chinshanense mitogenome. Additionally, we have investigated mitochondrial plastid DNAs (MTPTs) and identified 21 MTPTs within the mitogenome and plastidial genome. These MTPTs collectively span a length of 9,902 bp, accounting for 1.54% of the mitogenome. Moreover, employing Deepred-mt, we have confidently predicted 623 C to U RNA editing sites across the 39 protein-coding genes. Furthermore, extensive genomic rearrangements have been observed between V. chinshanense and the mitogenomes of related species. Interestingly, we have also identified a bacterial-derived tRNA gene (trnC-GCA) in the V. chinshanense mitogenome. Lastly, we have inferred the phylogenetic relationships of V. chinshanense with other angiosperms based on mitochondrial PCGs. CONCLUSIONS: This study marks the first report of a mitogenome from the Viburnum genus, offering a valuable genomic resource for exploring the evolution of mitogenomes within the Dipsacales order.

Factors affecting prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection and development and validation of predictive nomograms.

Prolonged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has received much attention since it is associated with mortality and is hypothesized as the cause of long COVID-19 and the emergence of a new variant of concerns. However, a prediction model for the accurate prediction of prolonged infection is still lacking. A total of 2938 confirmed patients with COVID-19 diagnosed by positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction tests were recruited retrospectively. This study cohort was divided into a training set (70% of study patients; n = 2058) and a validation set (30% of study patients; n = 880). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized to identify predictors for prolonged infection. Model 1 included only preadmission variables, whereas Model 2 also included after-admission variables. Nomograms based on variables of Model 1 and Model 2 were built for clinical use. The efficiency of nomograms was evaluated by using the area under the curve, calibration curves, and concordance indexes (C-index). Independent predictors of prolonged infection included in Model 1 were: age ≥75 years, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, partially or fully vaccinated, and booster. Additional independent predictors in Model 2 were: treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir more than 5 days after diagnosis and glucocorticoid. The inclusion of after-admission variables in the model slightly improved the discriminatory power (C-index in the training cohort: 0.721 for Model 1 and 0.737 for Model 2; in the validation cohort: 0.699 for Model 1 and 0.719 for Model 2). In our study, we developed and validated predictive models based on readily available variables of preadmission and after-admission for predicting prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection of patients with COVID-19.

Incidence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, a multicenter cohort study in Shanghai, China.

During March 2022 to January 2023, two Omicron waves hit Shanghai and caused a massive number of reinfections. To better understand the incidence and clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in Shanghai, China, we conducted a multicenter cohort study. COVID-19 patients first infected with BA.2 (March 1, 2022-May 23, 2022) who were quarantined in Huashan Hospital, Renji Hospital, and Shanghai Jing'an Central Hospital were followed up for reinfection from June 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023. Of 897 primary infections, 148 (16.5%) experienced reinfection. Incidence rate of reinfection was 0.66 cases per 1000 person-days. Female gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]= 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-3.83) was a risk factor for reinfection. The four most common symptoms of reinfections during the circulation of BA.5 sublineages were cough (62.59%), sore throat (54.42%), fatigue (48.98%), and fever (42.57%). Having received a booster vaccination was not associated with reduced severity of reinfection in comparison with not having received booster vaccination. After matched 1:1 by age and sex, we found that reinfections with BA.5 sublineages had significantly lower occurrence and severity of fever, fatigue, sore throat, and cough, as compared to primary infections with BA.5 sublineages. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron reinfections were less severe than Omicron primary infections during the circulation of the same subvariant. Protection offered by both vaccination and previous infection was poor against SARS-CoV-2 reinfection.

Lower frequency of MDSCs was significantly related to functional cure in CHB patients treated with peginterferon.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) expand during chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and inhibit antiviral immunity. However, the relationship between antiviral effect and the frequencies of those immune suppressive cells after pegylated interferon α-2a (PegIFNα-2a) therapy is not clearly understood. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of monocytic MDSCs (mMDSCs) and CD4+ Tregs to functional cure (HBsAg seroclearance) after PegIFNα-2a therapy and evaluate the effect of PegIFNα-2a therapy on these cells. METHODS: Flow cytometry analysis was performed along with longitudinal immune monitoring of 97 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving PegIFNα-2a weekly for 48 weeks. RESULTS: The frequencies of mMDSCs and CD4+ Tregs increased in all HBV patients, and they were higher in the HBsAg persistence group than in the HBsAg seroclearance group. A significant decline in the frequency of mMDSCs was found in patients who realized functional cure after PegIFNα-2a treatment. In contrast, the frequency of CD4+ Tregs in both the HBsAg seroclearance and persistence groups significantly increased. Multivariate analyses indicated that the baseline serum HBsAg levels (p < .001) and mMDSCs frequency (p = .027) were independently associated with the HBsAg clearance, and the combined marker (HBsAg plus mMDSCs) displayed the highest specificity (93.1%) than any other markers in predicting HBsAg seroclearance. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a poor response to PegIFNα-2a treatment in CHB patients may be related to the frequencies of immune suppressive cells, while the therapeutic targeting of these cells might be effective in boosting anti-HBV immunity.

Quantitative comparison of different inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of asthma in children.

BACKGROUND: The GINA recommends inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) for the treatment of steps 2-3 of childhood asthma. However, the difference in efficacy between these drugs remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of different ICS drugs in the treatment of childhood asthma. METHODS: We searched PubMed and EMBASE for randomized controlled trials of ICSs in the treatment of childhood asthma. Using forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) as the primary outcome, a time-course model of ICSs was constructed. In addition, the symptom-free days% were analyzed as a secondary outcome. RESULTS: Six studies involving 2237 children that reported FEV1 were included. The results showed that the ET50 of ciclesonide (CIC) and budesonide (BUD) was 1.23 and 2.97 weeks, respectively. Compared with them, FP had a higher efficacy. In terms of symptom-free days%, we found that the efficacy of beclometasone dipropionate was lower than that of CIC and fluticasone propionate. CONCLUSION: In this study, the efficacy of three ICS drugs was quantitatively compared, providing necessary information for the implementation of medication guidelines for steps 2-3 of asthma in children. IMPACT: This study analyzed the entire time-course of the drug efficacy of Inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of asthma in children aged 5-12, which found that although the maximum efficacy of both ciclesonide and budesonide was the same, the onset speed of ciclesonide was faster than that of budesonide. The above information provides the necessary quantitative information for the implementation of medication guidelines for steps 2-3 asthma in children.

In-hospital adverse outcomes and risk factors among chronic kidney disease patients infected with the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2: a single-center retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has decreased virulence and pathogenicity, yet the number of Omicron infections worldwide is unprecedentedly high, with rather high mortality and severe disease rate. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are particularly vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and have unique clinical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from 2140 hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection from March 29, 2022, to May 17, 2022. Demographic characteristics, ancillary examination results, and clinical treatments were described. Occurrence of critical COVID-19 or death and time of positive-to-negative conversion was defined as primary outcomes. The presence of COVID-19 pneumonia and the usage of respiratory or circulatory support was defined as secondary outcomes. Univariate or multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for primary outcomes. RESULTS: 15.74% of CKD patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant ended up with critical COVID-19 or death. Pre-existing CKD was a risk factor for critical COVID-19 or death and prolonged time of positive-to-negative conversion of SARS-CoV-2. Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir facilitated viral clearance among COVID-19 patients with non-severe CKD. CONCLUSION: We found patients with CKD and COVID-19 due to Omicron experienced worse clinical outcomes and prolonged time of positive-to-negative conversion of SARS-CoV-2 compared to patients without CKD, which helps rationalize limited medical resources and offers guidance for appropriate clinical treatments.

Enantiomeric Separation and Degradation of Benoxacor Enantiomers in Horticultural Soil by Normal-Phase and Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography.

The separation of benoxacor enantiomers on six commercial chiral columns was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) under normal-phase and reversed-phase conditions. The mobile phases included hexane/ethanol, hexane/isopropanol, acetonitrile/water, and methanol/water. The effects of the chiral stationary phases (CSPs), temperature, and mobile phase composition and ratio on the separation of benoxacor enantiomers were examined. Under normal-phase conditions, the two benoxacor enantiomers were completely separated on Chiralpak AD, Chiralpak IC, Lux Cellulose-1, and Lux Cellulose-3 columns and partially separated on a Lux Cellulose-2 column. Under reversed-phase conditions, benoxacor enantiomers were completely separated on a Lux Cellulose-3 column and partially separated on Chiralpak IC and Lux Cellulose-1 columns. Normal-phase HPLC performed better than reversed-phase HPLC for the separation of benoxacor enantiomers. As the column temperature increased from 10 °C to 4 °C, the enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) results indicated that the resolution was strongly affected by the temperature and that the lowest temperature did not always produce the best resolution. An optimized separation method on the Lux Cellulose-3 column was used to investigate the stability of benoxacor enantiomers in solvents and the degradation of benoxacor enantiomers in three types of horticultural soil. Benoxacor enantiomers were stable, and degradation or racemization were not observed in methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, acetonitrile, hexane, or water (pH = 4.0, 7.0, and 9.0). In three horticultural soils, the degradation rate of S-benoxacor was faster than that of R-benoxacor, resulting in soil enrichment with R-benoxacor. The results of this study will help to improve the risk assessment of enantiomer levels of benoxacor in the environment.

Thyroid dysfunction incidence and risk factors in Chinese chronic hepatitis B patients treated with pegylated interferon alpha: A long-term follow-up study.

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.

STAT4 genetic polymorphism significantly affected HBeAg seroconversion in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients receiving Peginterferon-α therapy: A prospective cohort study in China.

A variant in signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) was reported to correlate with the response of interferon-α (IFN-α) in a retrospective study in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) patients. Here, we conducted a prospective study to analyze the effect of STAT4 genetic polymorphism on the response of pegylated interferon-α-2a (PegIFN-α-2a) in HBeAg-positive patients. A prospective, multicenter, open-label, parallel cohort study was performed. One hundred and fifty treatment-naïve and 156 nucleos(t)ide analog (NA)-experienced HBeAg-positive CHB patients were enrolled, respectively. All patients received PegIFN-α-2a treatment for 48 weeks and 24-week follow-up post PegIFN-α-2a treatment. Before treatment, STAT4 genetic polymorphism was determined by PCR and DNA sequencing. Serological markers, serum HBV DNA levels, and adverse events were collected at each visit. We observed a larger reduction of HBV DNA load and a significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate in the GT/TT group than in the GG group at week 72 (p = 0.002 and p = 0.023) in treatment-naïve patients. In NA-experienced patients, the HBeAg seroconversion rate in the GT/TT group was higher than that in the GG group at week 72 (p = 0.005). STAT4 rs7574865 gene polymorphism was the strongest independent predictor of HBeAg seroconversion in both paralleled cohorts. Also, patients in the GT/TT group had a higher hepatitis B surface antigen loss rate than in the GG group in the study. There was no significant difference in adverse events between GG and GT/TT groups. This prospective cohort study confirmed that STAT4 rs7574865 gene polymorphism is associated with HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg loss irrespective of naïve and NA-experienced HBeAg-positive CHB patients treated with PegIFN-α-2a.

Hepatitis B e antigen induces the expansion of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells to dampen T-cell function in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with functionally impaired virus-specific T cell responses. Although the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are known to play a critical role in impairing antiviral T cell responses, viral factors responsible for the expansion of MDSCs in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remain obscure. In order to elucidate the mechanism of monocytic MDSCs (mMDSCs) expansion and T cell function suppression during persistent HBV infection, we analyzed the circulation frequency of mMDSCs in 164 CHB patients and 70 healthy donors, and found that the proportion of mMDSCs in HBeAg (+) CHB patients was significantly increased compared to that in HBeAg (-) patients, which positively correlated with the level of HBeAg. Furthermore, exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from healthy donors to HBeAg led to mMDSCs expansion and significant upregulation of IL-1ß, IL-6 and indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO), and depletion of the cytokines abrogated HBeAg-induced mMDSCs expansion. Moreover, HBeAg-induced mMDSCs suppressed the autologous T-cell proliferation in vitro, and the purified mMDSCs from HBeAg (+) subjects markedly reduced the proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and IFN-γ production, which could be efficiently restored by inhibiting IDO. In summary, HBeAg-induced mMDSCs expansion impairs T cell function through IDO pathway and favors the establishment of a persistent HBV infection, suggesting a mechanism behind the development of HBeAg-induced immune tolerance.

A neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio-based prognostic model to predict mortality in patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Although the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) research consortium (AARC) ACLF score is easy to use in patients with hepatitis b virus-related ACLF (HBV-ACLF), serum lactate is not routinely tested in primary hospitals, and its value may be affected by some interference factors. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is used to assess the status of bacterial infection (BI) or outcomes in patients with various diseases. We developed an NLR-based AARC ACLF score and compared it with the existing model. METHODS: A total of 494 HBV-ACLF patients, enrolled in four tertiary academic hospitals in China with 90-day follow-up, were analysed. Prognostic performance of baseline NLR and lactate were compared between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic subgroups via the receiver operating curve and Kaplan-Meier analyses. A modified AARC ACLF (mAARC ACLF) score using NLR as a replacement for lactate was developed (n = 290) and validated (n = 204). RESULTS: There were significantly higher baseline values of NLR in non-survivors, patients with admission BI, and those with higher grades of ACLF compared with the control groups. Compared with lactate, NLR better reflected BI status in the cirrhotic subgroup, and was more significantly correlated with CTP, MELD, MELD-Na, and the AARC score. NLR was an independent predictor of 90-day mortality, and was categorized into three risk grades (< 3.10, 3.10-4.78, and > 4.78) with 90-day cumulative mortalities of 8%, 21.2%, and 77.5% in the derivation cohort, respectively. The mAARC ACLF score, using the three grades of NLR instead of corresponding levels of lactate, was superior to the other four scores in predicting 90-day mortality in the derivation (AUROC 0.906, 95% CI 0.872-0.940, average P < 0.001) and validation cohorts (AUROC 0.913, 95% CI 0.876-0.950, average P < 0.01), with a considerable performance in predicting 28-day mortality in the two cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic value of NLR is superior to that of lactate in predicting short-term mortality risk in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients with HBV-ACLF. NLR can be incorporated into the AARC ACLF scoring system for improving its prognostic accuracy and facilitating the management guidance in patients with HBV-ACLF in primary hospitals.

Platelet activation during chronic hepatitis B infection exacerbates liver inflammation and promotes fibrosis.

Recurrent hepatitis activity during chronic hepatitis B virus infection results in fibrosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. It is still unclear what causes acute exacerbation. As platelets have recently been identified as a significant role in inflammation, we here investigated the role of platelets in mediating liver damage in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Platelet aggregation testing and flow cytometry were carried out to evaluate platelet activation status in 121 patients chronically infected with hepatitis B across different phases of the condition. The correlation between platelet aggregation rate and liver inflammation or liver fibrosis index was evaluated. To investigate the genesis of platelet activation, several serum cytokines were also assessed by MILLIPLEX microsphere-based multiplex cytokine assay. Active hepatitis patients showed a higher aggregation rate than others. Levels of CD62p, a marker of platelet activation, were also increased in this group of patients. Positive correlations between platelet aggregation rate and liver inflammation or liver fibrosis were also noted, indicating a significant role of platelet in the progression of liver disease. The level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which is known to trigger platelet activation, was markedly higher in the active hepatitis group (P < .005). Based on the findings in our study, platelet activation plays a vital role in the progression of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Antiplatelet therapy may provide a new means of hepatitis B infection treatment.

Validation and comparison of seventeen noninvasive models for evaluating liver fibrosis in Chinese hepatitis B patients.

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.

Role of quantitative hepatitis B core antibody levels in predicting significant liver inflammation in chronic hepatitis B patients with normal or near-normal alanine aminotransferase levels.

AIM: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels are not free from significant hepatic lesions. Recently, there has been an improved understanding of the clinical significance of quantitative hepatitis B core antibody levels (qAnti-HBc) during CHB management. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the utility of qAnti-HBc in identifying significant liver inflammation in CHB patients. METHODS: A total of 469 patients (training set, n = 363; validation set, n = 106) who underwent liver biopsy (LB) were included. The qAnti-HBc levels were quantified and the relationship between histology and serum markers was systematically analyzed. RESULTS: In the training set, qAnti-HBc levels were found to have significant diagnostic value for moderate to severe liver inflammation (≥G2) in all patients (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC] = 0.768; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.721-0.810; P < 0.001) and in patients with normal or near-normal ALT levels (AUROC = 0.767; 95% CI, 0.697-0.828; P < 0.001). Our novel index (AC index) for the identification of ≥G2 inflammation, which combined the qAnti-HBc and ALT levels, significantly improved diagnostic performance (AUROC = 0.813; 95% CI, 0.768-0.852) compared to the use of ALT alone (AUROC = 0.779; 95% CI, 0.732-0.821) in all patients. In the validation set, the AC index showed an improved AUROC of 0.890 (95% CI, 0.814-0.942) and 0.867 (95% CI, 0.749-0.943) in all patients and patients with normal ALT levels, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The qAnti-HBc level predicts significant liver inflammation well, even in patients with normal or near-normal ALT levels. Compared with the conventional ALT level, the AC index is a more reliable non-invasive biomarker for significant liver inflammation in CHB patients.

Increased activity of the complement system in cerebrospinal fluid of the patients with Non-HIV Cryptococcal meningitis.

BACKGROUNDS: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) has been known to lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The relative contribution of the complement system in protection and pathogenesis during CM remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the baseline complement component profiles in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma from non-HIV patients with CM, and therefore to provide insights of possible roles of the complement system in CM. METHODS: CSF and blood samples from forty two CM patients not infected with HIV and thirteen non-CM control patients (Ctrl) were retrospectively selected and evaluated from the patients admitted to the hospital with a suspected diagnosis of CM. CSF and blood samples were collected at the admission. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for complement components, cytokine IL-12 and western blot for C3 activation were performed on CSF and plasma samples. The levels of complement C1q, factor B (FB), mannose binding lectin (MBL), C2, C3, C4, C5, C4 binding protein (C4BP), Factor I (FI), Factor H (FH), sC5b-9 in CSF and plasma samples were compared. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated on variables between complement components and the levels of total protein in the CSF samples. RESULTS: Our data demonstrated that the CSF levels of complement components of C1q, FB, MBL as well as complement pathway factors sC5b-9 and complement regulator FH were all elevated in patients with CM as compared to the controls, CSF C3 breakdown products iC3b were found in both CSF and plasma samples of the CM patients. A positive correlation was found between the levels of CSF protein and MBL, C1q or FB. CONCLUSIONS: The activity of the complement system in CSF was increased in non-HIV patients with CM. C1q, MBL and FB are the important participants in the complement activation in CM. The relative contribution of each of the specific complement pathways and complement cascades in protection and inflammation resolution against CM warrant further investigation.

IL-2-engineered nano-APC effectively activates viral antigen-mediated T cell responses from chronic hepatitis B virus-infected patients.

Impaired function of virus-specific T cells resulting from virus persistence is one of the major mechanisms underlying the development of chronic hepatitis B viral infection. Previously, we found that IL-2 can restore the effector function of T cells rendered tolerant by Ag persistence. However, systemic administration of IL-2 induces organ pathology and expansion of T regulatory cells. In this study, we show that nano-APC with engineered HLA alleles and IL-2 deliver peptide-MHC complexes, costimulatory molecules, and IL-2 to Ag-responding T cells, resulting in enhanced expression of CD25 and activation of TCR signaling pathways, while suppressing PD-1 expression on viral-responding CD8 T cells from chronic hepatitis B virus patients. The enhanced activation of CD4 and CD8 T cells induced by IL-2-nano-APC was Ag dependent and IL-2-nano-APC did not affect T regulatory cells. At a size of 500 nm, the nano-APC effectively induce immune synapse formation on Ag-specific T cells and accumulate as free particles in the lymphoid organs. These attributes of IL-2-nano-APC or other bioadjuvant-engineered nano-APC have profound implications for their use as a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection or other chronic viral diseases.

Does high body mass index affect short-term clinical and radiologic outcomes in robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether high BMI affect short-term clinical and radiologic outcomes of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by comparing the clinical outcomes, radiologic outcomes and complications between high BMI and normal patients. METHODS: We retrospectively compared the short-term clinical and radiological outcomes of 424 knees (408 patients). The patients were divided into four groups: BMI < 24.9 kg/m2 (normal); BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m2 (overweight); BMI between 30.0 and 34.9 kg/m2 (obese class I) and BMI between 35.0 and 39.9 kg/m2 (obese class II). Clinical and radiologic outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in radiologic outcomes between those groups (p > .05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in operation time, drainage volume, fall in hemoglobin, post-operative CRP and complications, including periprosthetic fracture and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), between those groups. CONCLUSION: High BMI does not affect short-term clinical and radiologic outcomes in robot-assisted TKA.