Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

AIDS Behav 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Health Services Research and Development, Seattle, WA, USA.

To quantify health care facility-level variation in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use in the Veteran's Health Administration (VHA); to identify facility characteristics associated with PrEP use. Retrospective analysis of the health care facility-level rate of PrEP initiation in VHA through June 30, 2017. Standardized PrEP initiation rates were used to rank facilities. Read More

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 2M9, Canada.

Interferons are cytokines that regulate the host's response to viral infection, particularly in the setting of the immunologic response to the hepatitis C virus (HCV). While the virus has the ability to evade the host's innate and specific immunity, exogenous interferon-α with combined ribavirin, treatments have been found to achieve a significant sustained viral response in subgroups of patients with chronic HCV. One of the major side effects of interferon-α is an ocular retinopathy characterized by flame-shaped hemorrhages and cotton wool spots visualized on funduscopic examination. Read More

Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2018 Dec 14;20(12):60. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 S First Ave., Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.

Oncotarget 2018 Nov 8;9(90):36057-36066. Epub 2017 Dec 8.

Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing, 100039, China.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common neoplasm and is a leading cause of cancer-related death. Despite advances in the diagnosis and management of HCC, its prognosis remain unfavorable. Accumulating evidence has shown that long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) play central roles in the development of HCC. Read More

Oncol Lett 2018 Dec 3;16(6):7123-7130. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110022, P.R. China.

Despite improved screening programs, the vast majority of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are diagnosed at an advanced stage. A lack of effective diagnosis methods for preclinical HCC has resulted in a low rate of early detection. Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) is associated with several cancer types. Read More

J Korean Med Sci 2018 Dec 22;33(51):e324. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase deficiency is a very rare liver disease categorized as inborn errors of bile acid synthesis, caused by mutations. As it may cause rapid progression to end-stage liver disease even in early infancy, a high index of suspicion is required to prevent fatal outcomes. We describe the case of a 3-month-old boy with progressive cholestatic hepatitis and severe hepatic fibrosis. Read More

J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Objectives: There is a dearth of literature on effects of nonadherence to hepatitis C virus (HCV) direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens; thus, the objective of our study was to assess the impact of adherence on sustained virologic response (SVR) and evaluate factors associated with nonadherence, such as race, psychiatric comorbidities, and therapy length.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients completing DAA treatment between January 2014 and May 2016 within an interdisciplinary hepatology clinic. Adherence was defined a priori as 95% or greater of DAA doses taken within the prescribed treatment period. Read More

J Adolesc Health 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

The British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Barnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address:

Purpose: We assessed differences in optimal adherence between youth (aged 15-29 years) and adults (aged ≥30 years) enrolled in the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Program from 2010 to 2016.

Methods: Population-level clinical data were used to compare optimal antiretroviral therapy adherence (≥95%), based on pharmacy refill data, among youth and adults. Unadjusted and adjusted generalized estimating estimates were performed to examine the independent relationship between time-dependent age categories and optimal adherence, adjusting for confounders. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2018 Dec 13;11(1):886. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Kigali University Teaching Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda.

Objective: We evaluated post-vaccination immunity status and describe potential risk factors associated with the lack of response among healthcare workers (HCWs) at a tertiary care hospital in Kigali, Rwanda.

Results: Of 373 HCWs, 291 (78.2%) were female and 81 (21. Read More

Viruses 2018 Dec 11;10(12). Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil.

Feline foamy virus (FFV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) belong to the family. While disease has not been reported for FFV infection, FeLV infection can cause anemia and immunosuppression (progressive infection). Co-infection with FFV/FeLV allows evaluation of the pathogenic potential and epidemiology of FFV infection in cats with FeLV pathology. Read More

Viruses 2018 Dec 9;10(12). Epub 2018 Dec 9.

Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has emerged as an important human viral pathogen, causing congenital malformation including microcephaly among infants born to mothers infected with the virus during pregnancy. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that ZIKV can be classified into African and Asian lineages. In this study, we have developed a stable plasmid-based reverse genetic system for robust production of both ZIKV prototype African-lineage MR766 and clinical Asian-lineage FSS13025 strains using a tetracycline (Tet)-controlled gene expression vector. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2018 Dec 7;19(12). Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process in which intracellular components are eliminated via lysosomal degradation to supply nutrients for organelle biogenesis and metabolic homeostasis. Flavivirus infections underlie multiple human diseases and thus exert an immense burden on public health worldwide. Mounting evidence indicates that host autophagy is subverted to modulate the life cycles of flaviviruses, such as hepatitis C virus, dengue virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus and Zika virus. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(49):e13482

Acupuncture and massage department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.

Background: Characterized by diffuse hepatic fibrosis and nodule formation, hepatitis B cirrhosis (HBC), an important result of chronic hepatitis B development, mainly contains compensated and decompensated stage. Compensated cirrhosis can further develop into decompensated stage and hepatocellular carcinoma with serious complications and high mortality. Antiviral therapy using interferon (IFN) or nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs) is essential for improving the prognosis of the disease but IFN has large side effects while NUCs often develop drug resistance. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(49):e13388

Department of Interventional Radiology, the First People's Hospital of Changzhou, 185# Juqian Street, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.

Rationale: Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have lost the chance of radical treatment at the time of their visit, and the prognosis of metastatic HCC is even worse. Sorafenib is currently regarded as a first-line systemic therapy in patients with advanced and metastatic HCC. Apatinib is a new inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 tyrosine kinase, which has been reported to be effective in some solid tumors. Read More

J Infect Dis 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, San Juan, PR.

Background: Little is known about the prevalence or incidence of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in settings affected by the 2015-16 Zika pandemic, and associated risk-factors. We assessed these factors among household contacts of patients with ZIKV disease enrolled in a cohort study in Puerto Rico during 2016-2017.

Methods: Household contacts of index case-patients completed a questionnaire and gave specimens for RT-PCR and IgM ELISA testing to detect ZIKV infection. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2018 Dec 10;110:641-645. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guo Xue Xiang, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. Electronic address:

TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potential antitumor protein known for its ability to selectively eliminate various types of tumor cells without exerting toxic effects in normal cells and tissues. TRAIL has recently been suggested as a potential therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) because it promotes apoptosis in cancer cells. Furthermore, studies on the role of TRAIL in liver injury have reported that TRAIL plays an essential role in viral hepatitis, fatty liver diseases, etc. Read More

J Hepatol 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, China; Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, 825 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China. Electronic address:

Background & Aims: Liver cancer is a common malignant neoplasm worldwide. The etiologies for liver cancer are diverse and the incidence trends of liver cancer caused by specific etiologies are rarely studied.

Methods: We collected detailed information on liver cancer etiology between 1990-2016, derived from the global burden of disease (GBD) in 2016. Read More

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Background: Staging of liver fibrosis is critical in guiding the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus. Many efforts have been made toward the research of noninvasive techniques, mostly focusing on hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-positive [HBeAg(+)] CHB patients, whereas HBeAg(+) and HBeA-negative [HBeAg(-)] represent different stages of hepatitis B virus infection. Thus, in this study, we aimed to search for routinely available clinical noninvasive liver fibrosis markers and separately analysed the markers in HBeAg(+) and HBeAg(-) CHB patients. Read More

J Invest Surg 2018 Dec 13:1-6. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

b Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery , Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , China.

Purpose: CD24 is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor tissues and in the highly metastatic HCC cell lines. However, plasma CD24 level in HCC patients and the correlation of plasma CD24 level with clinicopathological factors and prognosis of HCC patients still remain unclear.

Materials And Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect plasma CD24 level in 86 HCC patients, 35 healthy subjects, 26 patients with liver cirrhosis and 23 patients with chronic hepatitis. Read More

Indian J Gastroenterol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Gastroenterology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar, 190 011, India.

Background: Little is known about the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in Ladakh, a mountainous region with low population density. We, therefore, determined these and tried to identify risk factors associated with these infections.

Methods: Randomly selected residents of Ladakh region were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). Read More

Exp Ther Med 2018 Dec 18;16(6):4393-4400. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China.

Inexpensive and simple non-invasive indexes for predicting liver inflammation are urgently required, but have been poorly studied in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with alanine transaminase (ALT) ≤2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). A total of 356 CHB patients with ALT ≤2 ULN who presented at Huashan Hospital (n=181) and the First Hospital of Quanzhou (n=175) were enrolled and randomly divided into an experimental assessment cohort (n=238) and validation cohort (n=118) at a ratio of 2:1. Histological analysis of liver tissue was performed to determine the pathological stage according to the Scheuer scoring system. Read More

Front Microbiol 2018 27;9:2949. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Internal Medicine 1, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with alterations in host lipid and insulin signaling cascades, which are partially explained by a dependence of the HCV life cycle on key molecules in these metabolic pathways. Yet, little is known on the role in the HCV life cycle of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), one of the most important kinases in cellular metabolism. Therefore, the impact of GSK3 on the HCV life cycle was assessed in human hepatoma cell lines harboring subgenomic genotype 1b and 2a replicons or producing cell culture-derived HCV genotype 2a by exposure to synthetic GSK3 inhibitors, GSK3 gene silencing, overexpression of GSK3 constructs and immunofluorescence analyses. Read More

J Virol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY

Therapeutic vaccines may be an important component of a treatment regimen for curing chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We previously demonstrated that recombinant wild-type vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing the HBV middle surface glycoprotein (MHBs) elicits functional immune responses in mouse models of HBV replication. However, VSV has some undesirable pathogenic properties, and the use of this platform in humans requires further viral attenuation. Read More

J Virol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and its hepadnavirus relatives infect a wide range of vertebrates from fish to human. Hepadnaviruses and their hosts have a long history of acquiring adaptive mutations. However, there are no reports providing direct molecular evidence for such a coevolutionary "arms race" between hepadnaviruses and their hosts. Read More

J Virol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1; CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global health problem, affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. HBV-like viruses, named orthohepadnaviruses, also naturally infect non-human primates, rodents and bats, but their pathogenicity and evolutionary history are unclear. Here, we determined the evolutionary history of HBV receptors, NTCP and GPC5, over millions of years of primate, rodent and bat evolution. Read More

Turk J Gastroenterol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department Clinical Pathology, Al-Azhar University School of Medicine, New Damietta, Damietta, Egypt.

Background/aims: Insulin resistance (IR) is closely linked with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and its complications, particularly hepatic fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate some biochemical markers that are potentially related to IR as predictors of esophageal varices (EV) in patients with compensated HCV cirrhosis who do not have diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

Materials And Methods: One hundred subjects without diabetes with compensated HCV-related cirrhosis who did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome were subjected to clinical, laboratory, ultrasonographic, and endoscopic assessments. Read More

Turk J Gastroenterol 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Buhara Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.

Background/aims: The vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are essential public health problems. In this study, we aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of the aforementioned infections among pregnant women.

Materials And Methods: This study was done retrospectively on pregnant women who presented for antenatal follow-up and delivery between 2013 and 2016. Read More

Infect Dis Health 2018 Oct 26. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.

Background: Immunocompromised travelers (ICTs) are medically complex and challenging for travel medicine providers. Our study hypothesizes that ICTs have high-risk travel itineraries and do not have adequate immunity against vaccine-preventable infections.

Methods: This retrospective review of 321 ICTs from 2004 to 2015 included patients with solid organ transplant (SOT, n = 134), connective tissue disease (CTD, n = 121), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, n = 46), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, n = 20). Read More

Infect Dis Health 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

La Trobe University, Department of Public Health, Bundoora, Vic 3083, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: People who inject drugs are the group at greatest risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The advent of new direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment provides opportunities for increased uptake of therapy.

Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with thirty HCV positive participants from the SuperMIX cohort study. Read More

Harm Reduct J 2018 Dec 12;15(1):63. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Association ITHAQUE, 12 rue Kuhn, 67000, Strasbourg, France.

Background: To understand the limits of HCV screening programs to reach all drug users (DUs).

Method: The association of the recruitment of a representative sample of a population of DUs in a specific area with the use of a questionnaire that included 250 items allowed the use of uni- and multifactorial analysis to explore the relationship between HCV screening and dimensions until now restricted to qualitative studies.

Results: We recruited, in less than 2 months, 327 DUs representing about 6% of the total population of DUs. Read More

J Transl Med 2018 Dec 12;16(1):351. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Dental Life Science Research Institute/Clinical Translational Research Center for Dental Science, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, 101 Daehark-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea.

Background: Demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) is commonly used as a bone-graft substitute. This study measured and compared human hepatitis B viruses (HBV) DNA in fresh dentin to that of dentin processed into DDM extracted during dental treatment from HBV-infected patients. The hypothesis was that the processing procedure for DDM would inactivate or eliminate HBV in the dentin matrix obtained from infected patients. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 12;18(1):648. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Département de Virologie, Bactériologie-Hygiène, Parasitologie-Mycologie, DHU VIC, CHU Henri Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France.

Background: Liver transplant recipients are at high risk of developing invasive aspergillosis and in particular by Aspergillus fumigatus which is the most commonly encountered species in this population. Other non-fumigatus Aspergillus species with reduced susceptibility to antifungal drugs can also be involved. Accurate identification associated to antifungal susceptibility testing is essential for therapy adjustment. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2015 Oct-Dec;41(4):379-384. Epub 2015 Dec 22.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania.

Sarcoidosis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disorder of unknown etiology. It is known to be triggered by an autoimmune process, and is currently recognized as a rare adverse event to interferon therapy for Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Clinical presentation of interferon-triggered sarcoidosis is varied, but ocular manifestation as a first symptom was only once, previously reported. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2015 Oct-Dec;41(4):375-378. Epub 2015 Dec 22.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universitary Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon.

The statistics proved that approximately 25% of the patients with acute HCV present with jaundice, and only 10-20% develop gastrointestinal symptoms. We present the case of a 58 year-old woman, with prior antecedents of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus since 25 years old, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, psoriasis, epilepsy and depressive syndrome. She clinically presents asthenia, anorexia, itching, jaundice and choluria. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2015 Oct-Dec;41(4):361-367. Epub 2015 Dec 22.

Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova.

The study of chronic viral hepatitis represents a real challenge for modern medicine. If we also analyze this illness from the point of the mental changes involved, the complexity of the study increases. To the etiological, symptomatological polymorphism, alongside the paraclinical and conduct diagnosis, there may be easily added the multitude of mental disorders. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2015 Oct-Dec;41(4):317-324. Epub 2015 Dec 22.

First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical County Emergency Hospital of Craiova.

Fibrosis assessment is a necessary component of liver disease evaluation not only for prognosis but also for future therapeutic management. Our study objective was to evaluate the accuracy of quantitative assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B or C, relying on RTSE results, a method approved and acknowledged in Europe.

Material And Methods: Sixty-three consecutive patients diagnosed with chronic viral hepatitis B or C between January 2014 and December 2014 at the Emergency County Hospital of Craiova were enrolled in the study. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2015 Jul-Sep;41(3):227-232. Epub 2015 Mar 15.

Department of Nephrology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania.

Introduction: Chronic viral hepatitis represent major health problems worldwide, with an evolution that is sometimes marked by a series of extrahepatic manifestations. Among these, kidney disease may occur, either as glomerulonephritis, and/or renal dysfunction.

Material And Methods: The purpose of this study was to achieve a complete assessment of the liver and kidney function in a series of patients diagnosed with chronic viral hepatitis, in order to identify a possible kidney disease in this context. Read More

Liver Int 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

CRC "A. M. e A. Migliavacca", Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

Background & Aims: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is recommended for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment, but it may induce kidney dysfunction whose management is not yet known. This Italian, multicentre, retrospective study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of switching to entecavir (ETV) patients who developed TDF-associated glomerular and/or tubular dysfunction.

Methods: 103 TDF-treated patients were included: age 64 years, 83% male, 49% cirrhotics, 98% with undetectable HBV DNA, 47% with previous lamivudine resistance (LMV-R), and 71% previously treated with adefovir. Read More

Liver Int 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.

Introduction: Patients are not screened adequately for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Belgium. In the USA, the CDC recommends screening for patients born in the babyboom period (1945-1965). In Europe, the babyboom cohort was born between 1955-1974, but no screening policy has been targeted to this group. Read More

Iran J Public Health 2018 Oct;47(10):1575-1582

Pharmacoeconomy & Medical-Pharma Management Research Center, Tehran, Iran.

Background: One of the major causes of liver-related mortality and morbidity is Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection. It is also one of the reasons behinds of chronic liver disease and related complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This autoimmune liver disease imposes a high economic burden on individuals and the society. Read More

Oncoimmunology 2018 19;7(12):e1502129. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Toll-Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) stimulation selectively triggers the formation of a cell cluster termed intrahepatic myeloid aggregation for T cell expansion" (iMATE) in a mouse chronic viral hepatitis model. iMATE expands cytotoxic T cells and controls viral hepatitis infection. The liver-specific immune response prompted this investigation of whether the effect could control tumor growth in the murine hepatic tumor model. Read More

Oncoimmunology 2018 26;7(12):e1500673. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Hepatology Unit and Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typical inflammation-associated cancer. IL-21 regulates both innate and adaptive immune responses and has key roles in antitumor and antiviral responses. However, the role of IL-21 in HCC development is poorly defined. Read More

J Health Pollut 2018 Sep 10;8(19):180914. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Department of Environmental Health Science, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria.

Background: Scavengers, due to the nature of their work, are at risk of various occupational hazards while sorting for materials for recycling and sale. They are exposed to blood borne infections such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection from injuries from sharps and contact with discarded materials due to non-compliance with standard precautions.

Objective: The present study assessed the prevalence of HBV and compliance with safety precautions among scavengers in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Read More

Clin Kidney J 2018 Dec 20;11(6):788-790. Epub 2018 Mar 20.

Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, OH, USA.

Fibrillary glomerulonephritis (FGN) is a rare idiopathic condition linked to malignancy, autoimmune disorders, monoclonal gammopathies and hepatitis C virus. It usually has a poor prognosis, resulting in progression to end-stage renal disease within a few years, given the lack of standardized treatment. Repository corticotrophin (RC) injections are approved for use in a variety of nephrotic syndromes, but are not routinely considered for treatment of FGN. Read More

Dis Markers 2018 5;2018:8698263. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Front Immunol 2018 20;9:2634. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.

Current vaccine development disregards human immune ontogeny, relying on animal models to select vaccine candidates targeting human infants, who are at greatest risk of infection worldwide, and receive the largest number of vaccines. To help accelerate and de-risk development of early-life effective immunization, we engineered a human age-specific microphysiologic vascular-interstitial interphase, suitable for pre-clinical modeling of distinct age-targeted immunity . Our Tissue Constructs (TCs) enable autonomous extravasation of monocytes that undergo rapid self-directed differentiation into migratory Dendritic Cells (DCs) in response to adjuvants and licensed vaccines such as Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or Hepatitis B virus Vaccine (HBV). Read More

Curr Treat Options Infect Dis 2018 18;10(4):431-446. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

2Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, A2200 MCN, 1161 21st Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-2605 USA.

Purpose Of Review: An increasing number of specialists and non-specialists are developing clinical programs to treat and cure hepatitis C virus (HCV). The goal of this paper is to evaluate and describe optimal strategies to improve outcomes related to HCV care delivery.

Recent Findings: Screening and diagnosis of HCV should be guided by established recommendations. Read More

Med Arch 2018 Nov;72(5):325-329

Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical of Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Introduction: Patients with drug addiction have high risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Effective treatment response is essential to optimize treatment for drug abusers infected by hepatitis C virus.

Aim: The aim of this present study was to show that hepatitis C treatment in patients with drug addiction is effective like patients without drug addiction. Read More

Methods Appl Fluoresc 2018 Nov 14. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, CHINA.

A novel designed fluorescence molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) probe made from CdTe/CdS quantum dot (QD)-based silica nanoparticles (SiO2@MPS-CdTe/CdS) was successfully created via a sol-gel process. The target virus - hepatitis A virus (HAV) was selectively captured by imprinted polymer layer, resulting in the fluorescence quenching of the QDs within 20 min, which could be explained by the energy transfer mechanism. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection for the SiO2@MPS-CdTe/CdS MIP was as low as 88 pmol∙L-1, and excellent linearity was obtained from 0. Read More

Cancer Treat Res 2019 ;177:231-250

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.

Liver diseases that are caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), have become increasingly important in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as their life expectancy is getting longer with successful anti-HIV therapy. Due to their shared transmission routes, dual infection by HIV and HBV or HIV and HCV, and triple infection by all three viruses are fairly common and affect millions of people worldwide. Whereas the immunodeficiency caused by HIV enhances the likelihood of HBV and HCV persistence, hepatotoxicity associated with anti-HIV therapy can worsen the liver diseases associated with HBV or HCV persistence. Read More