Prospective Evaluation and Validation of the Laryngoscore and the mini-Laryngoscore.

Objective: The Laryngoscore was described in 2014 as a practical preoperative assessment tool to predict difficult laryngeal exposure (DLE) during transoral approaches to the larynx. In 2019 the authors proposed a version with a reduced number of variables, called the mini-Laryngoscore. We aim to critically appraise and externally validate these two tools and if needed and possible, to optimize these tools.

Hepatic immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against HCV-E2 to evaluate antiviral therapy and reinfection of liver grafts in hepatitis C viral infection.

Background/aims: A simple and reproducible hepatic immunohistochemical staining (IHS) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not available. We aimed to validate hepatic IHS with monoclonal antibody (Mab) IG222, directed against the HCV-envelope 2 (E2) protein.

Methods: A three-step indirect immunoperoxidase method was used for frozen sections and a two-step indirect EnVision technique was used for paraffin-embedded sections.

HVR1 quasispecies analysis from a long-term culture of hepatitis C virus in Hep G2 derived cells grown in a haemodialysis cartridge.

Studies on the in vitro hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are hampered by the lack of an appropriate system to culture permissive cells to be continuously infected with HCV. Trypsinization required for cell passage can lead to possible temporary loss of permissiveness for infection, whereas refreshment of the medium can result in loss of infectious particles necessary for perpetuation of the infection; it is therefore very difficult to maintain a continuous HCV infection in cell cultures. A new infection method was designed and evaluated in order to prevent these unfavourable circumstances.

Mycophenolic acid, an immunosuppressive agent, inhibits HBV replication in vitro.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), the morpholinoethyl ester of mycophenolic acid (MPA), is currently used as an immunosuppressive agent in kidney transplant recipients. After oral administration, MMF is hydrolysed to MPA, the active compound, which is a potent inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMP-DH). Inhibition of this enzyme results in a depletion of the intracellular GTP and dGTP pools.