Comprehensive molecular analyses of a 7-m6A-related lncRNAs signature for prognosis, tumor immunity and therapeutic effect in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of liver tumor. m6A modification and noncoding RNA show indispensable roles in HCC. We sought to establish and verify an appropriate m6A-related long noncoding RNA prognostic tool for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma progression. We extracted the RNA expression levels and the clinicopathologic data from GTEx and TCGA databases. Multivariate Cox regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were performed to test the model's predictive ability. We further built a nomogram for overall survival according to the risk score and clinical features. A competing endogenous RNA network and Gene Ontology assessment were implemented to identify related biological mechanisms and processes. By bioinformatics analysis, a risk model comprising GABPB1-AS1, AC025580.1, LINC01358, AC026356.1, AC009005.1, HCG15, and AC026368.1 was built to offer a prognostic prediction for hepatocellular carcinoma independently. The prognostic tool could better prognosticate hepatocellular carcinoma patients' survival than other clinical characteristics. Then, a nomogram with risk score and clinical characteristics was created, which had strong power to calculate the survival probability in hepatocellular carcinoma. The immune-associated processes involving the differentially expressed genes between the two subgroups were displayed. Analyses of prognosis, clinicopathological characteristics, tumor mutation burden, immune checkpoint molecules, and drug response showed significant differences among the two risk subtypes, hinting that the model could appraise the efficacy of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. The tool can independently predict the prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, which benefits drug selection in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Clinical Analysis of Polyethylene Glycol Interferon-α Treatment in 155 Hepatitis B e Antigen (HBeAg)-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) Patients.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the antiviral effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-interferon α-2a and PEG-interferon α-2b treatment on hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) at the 48th week of treatment and the 24th and 48th week after withdrawal, in order to provide guidance on the antiviral treatment of HBeAg-positive CHB patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Antiviral treatment was performed on 155 HBeAg-positive CHB patients. Among these patients, 66 patients received PEG-interferon α-2a treatment and 89 patients received PEG-interferon α-2b treatment; and these treatments were administered by subcutaneous injection, once per week, which lasted for 48 weeks. Other antiviral and hepatoprotective drugs were not used during the treatment. RESULTS: At the 48th week of treatment, ALT recovery rate, HBsAg seroconversion rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate and HBV DNA titers dropped below 200 IU/mL rate were 69.7%, 6.1%, 27.3% and 50.0%, respectively, in the PEG-interferon α-2a group; and were 70.8%, 6.7%, 33.7% and 62.9%, respectively, in the PEG-interferon α-2b group. At the 24th and 48th week of follow-up after withdrawal, HBsAg seroconversion rate in these two groups did not change; and HBeAg seroconversion rate further increased. Furthermore, HBV DNA revealed a low recurrence rate. The difference between these two groups was not significantly significant. CONCLUSIONS: PEG-interferon α-2a and PEG-interferon α-2b are effective antiviral drugs for the treatment of HbeAgpositive CHB, which has a HBsAg seroconversion rate of more than 5%. Furthermore, this sustained response effect was maintained at the 24th and 48th week of follow-up after withdrawal.

Highly Stretchable Strain Sensors Using an Electrospun Polyurethane Nanofiber/Graphene Composite.

A highly flexible and stretchable strain sensor has been prepared by coating chemical reduction of graphene oxide on electrospun polyurethane nanofiber mats. The sensor exhibits an ohmic behavior regardless of applied strains and the current monotonically increases with the increase of the tensile strain. The morphology and stability of electrospun polyurethane nanocomposite mats were also studied. The flexible and stretchable strain sensor has great potential for practical application such as efficient human-motion detection. This cheap and simple process of graphene layer provides an effective fabrication for graphene stretchable electronic devices and strain sensors due to excellent stability and electrical proper.

[Indigenous and imported low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis with hepatitis B virus: a prospective randomized controlled clinical study].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of indigenous and imported low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis and hepatic cirrhosis aiming at seeking a safe and effective anti-fibrosis therapy. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled clinical study of the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B using indigenous and imported LMWH was performed. Seventy-five patients were randomly divided into three groups: conventional treatment group (n=15), conventional treatment plus imported LMWH treatment group (n=30) and conventional treatment plus indigenous LMWH treatment group (n=30). The clinical parameters and treatment results in three groups were compared. RESULTS: Three weeks after treatment, Child-Pugh scores in LMWH treatment groups were significantly lower than that in conventional treatment group (all P<0.05), hepatic function, serum PIII P and type IV collagen levels and portal vein blood flow velocity were much better (all P<0.05), levels of serum prealbumin were significantly elevated (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences between two groups with LMWH treatment. Subcutaneous hemorrhage, incidence of hematoma was lower (10.0% vs. 33.3%, P<0.05), area of ecchymosis was smaller [(0.004 2+/-0.012 7) cm(2) vs. (0.01 64+/-0.027 8) cm(2), P<0.05], and pain was released (8.3% vs. 81.0%, P<0.05) in conventional treatment plus indigenous LMWH treatment group than in conventional treatment plus imported LMWH treatment group. CONCLUSION: LMWH in combination with conventional treatment for patients with cirrhosis of liver, significantly improves the outcome, indigenous LMWH calcium is a safe and effective anti-fibrosis drug as imported LMWH, also the price is lower and pain is less intense during injection than the latter.