Publications by authors named "A B Boonstra"
Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) represents a global health challenge, with rising incidence and mortality rates. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical course and practices of CCA in Latin America.
Methods: This observational cohort study investigated individuals diagnosed with CCA between 2010 and 2023 at five referral centres across Latin America.
Background: Severe flares (ALT ≥ 10×ULN) are a well-recognised adverse outcome after nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) cessation and may lead to liver failure. Thus, identification of patients at risk for these flares is of major importance.
Methods: Data were used from two prospective studies on NA cessation conducted in the Netherlands and Canada.
Article Synopsis
- Patients with chronic HBV infection and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) experience more severe liver disease than those with HBV alone, prompting research into the immune activity in these patients’ livers.
- A study using RNA sequencing compared liver biopsies from patients with only HBV, only MASH, both conditions, and healthy controls, focusing on those with minimal fibrosis to avoid confounding factors.
- The findings revealed that MASH significantly reduced critical immune activity markers, like interferon-stimulated genes and macrophage gene signatures, in HBV patients, suggesting a negative impact on antiviral responses and an increased risk of advanced fibrosis.
Nailfold capillary density is lower in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It is unclear whether this observation signifies a unique systemic manifestation of PAH, or reflects microcirculatory dysfunction secondary to pulmonary hypertension (PH). Capillary density and loop dimensions were measured by nailfold-capillaroscopy (NC) in 30 PAH (23 idiopathic, or iPAH, 7 hereditary, or hPAH), 17 chronic thromboembolic PH (CTEPH) patients and 48 controls.
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- - Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects 300 million people globally, leading to dysfunction in virus-specific CD8 T cells that struggle to eliminate HBV-infected liver cells due to mechanisms that aren't fully understood.
- - Research indicates a liver immune rheostat inhibits the activation of these CD8 T cells, particularly the CXCR6 subtype, leading to loss of their functionality, as shown by increased activity of the transcription factor cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) in both experimental models and chronic HBV patients.
- - Enhanced signaling pathways related to cAMP and protein kinase A (PKA) in these T cells contribute to their dysfunction, as they establish prolonged contacts with liver cells, impairing essential activation