HBcrAg values may predict virological and immunological responses to pegIFN-α in NUC-suppressed HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.

Objective: Selected populations of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) may benefit from a combined use of pegylated interferon-alpha (pegIFN-α) and nucleos(t)ides (NUCs). The aim of our study was to assess the immunomodulatory effect of pegIFN-α on T and natural killer (NK) cell responses in NUC-suppressed patients to identify cellular and/or serological parameters to predict better T cell-restoring effect and better control of infection in response to pegIFN-α for a tailored application of IFN-α add-on.

Design: 53 HBeAg-negative NUC-treated patients with CHB were randomised at a 1:1 ratio to receive pegIFN-α-2a for 48 weeks, or to continue NUC therapy and then followed up for at least 6 months maintaining NUCs.

Discovery of Novel Steroid-Based Histamine H Receptor Antagonists/Inverse Agonists.

Steroid-based histamine H receptor antagonists (d-homoazasteroids) were designed by combining distinct structural elements of HTS hit molecules. They were characterized, and several of them displayed remarkably high affinity for H receptors with antagonist/inverse agonist features. Especially, the 17a-aza-d-homolactam chemotype demonstrated excellent HR activity together with significant in vivo H antagonism.

A Novel Method for Primary Blood Cell Culturing and Selection in .

The blood cells of the fruit fly show many similarities to their vertebrate counterparts, both in their functions and their differentiation. In the past decades, a wide palette of immunological and transgenic tools and methods have been developed to study hematopoiesis in the larva. However, the in vivo observation of blood cells is technically restricted by the limited transparency of the body and the difficulty in keeping the organism alive during imaging.

What if Valve-in-Valve TAVR fails? Is surgical re-replacement still an option in high-risk patients? A case report.

Redo surgical aortic valve replacement has been the gold standard for the treatment of degenerated bioprostheses; however it carries an inherent risk associated with a reoperative open heart surgery. Valve-in-Valve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (ViV-TAVI) has emerged as an alternative approach. Few articles in literature review transcatheter aortic valve replacement's failure rates, complications (i.