Xalnesiran with or without an Immunomodulator in Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background: Xalnesiran, a small interfering RNA molecule that targets a conserved region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and silences multiple HBV transcripts, may have efficacy, with or without an immunomodulator, in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Methods: We conducted a phase 2, multicenter, randomized, controlled, adaptive, open-label platform trial that included the evaluation of 48 weeks of treatment with xalnesiran at a dose of 100 mg (group 1), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg (group 2), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 150 mg of ruzotolimod (group 3), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 180 μg of pegylated interferon alfa-2a (group 4), or a nucleoside or nucleotide analogue (NA) alone (group 5) in participants with chronic HBV infection who had virologic suppression with NA therapy. The primary efficacy end point was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss (HBsAg level, <0.

"Maintain Professionalism": Nurses' Experiences in Caring for Patients with Malignant Fungating Wounds in Taiwan.

Context: Malignant fungating wounds (MFWs) occur among 5%-15% of patients with terminal cancers, the uncontrollable symptoms result in serious psychosocial issues, thereby reducing the quality of life. Caring for MFWs impacts caregivers, including healthcare personnel. While existing studies are patient-focused, the impact of care experiences and associated support for nurses has not been examined.

Identification of an 85-kb Heterozygous 4p Microdeletion With Full Genome Analysis in Autosomal Dominant Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.

Background And Objectives: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a syndrome of a hereditary neurodegenerative condition affecting the peripheral nervous system and is a single gene disorder. Deep phenotyping coupled with advanced genetic techniques is critical in discovering new genetic defects of rare genetic disorders such as CMT.

Methods: We applied multidisciplinary investigations to examine the neurophysiology and nerve pathology in a family that fulfilled the diagnosis of CMT2.

Enhanced charge density wave with mobile superconducting vortices in LaSrCuO.

Superconductivity in the cuprates is found to be intertwined with charge and spin density waves. Determining the interactions between the different types of order is crucial for understanding these important materials. Here, we elucidate the role of the charge density wave (CDW) in the prototypical cuprate LaSrCuO, by studying the effects of large magnetic fields (H) up to 24 Tesla.

Synergistic interactions of repurposed drugs that inhibit Nsp1, a major virulence factor for COVID-19.

Nsp1 is one of the first proteins expressed from the SARS-CoV-2 genome and is a major virulence factor for COVID-19. A rapid multiplexed assay for detecting the action of Nsp1 was developed in cultured lung cells. The assay is based on the acute cytopathic effects induced by Nsp1.

Lightweight deep neural networks for cholelithiasis and cholecystitis detection by point-of-care ultrasound.

Background And Objective: Emergency physicians (EPs) frequently deal with abdominal pain, including that is caused by either gallstones or acute cholecystitis. Easy access and low cost justify point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) use as a first-line test to detect these diseases; yet, the detection performance of POCUS by EPs is unreliable, causing misdiagnoses with serious impacts. This study aimed to develop a machine learning system to detect and localize gallstones and to detect acute cholecystitis by ultrasound (US) still images taken by physicians or technicians for preliminary diagnoses.

Peritherapeutic Hemodynamic Changes of Carotid Stenting Evaluated with Quantitative DSA in Patients with Carotid Stenosis.

Background And Purpose: Quantitative data from DSA have become important tools for understanding hemodynamic changes of intracranial lesions. In this study, we evaluated 8 hemodynamic parameters in patients before and after carotid artery angioplasty.

Materials And Methods: DSA images of 34 patients with carotid stenosis who underwent angioplasty and stent placement were retrospectively analyzed.

Hepatitis C virus infection as a risk factor for Parkinson disease: A nationwide cohort study.

Objective: To determine whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a risk factor for developing Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: This nationwide population-based cohort study was based on data obtained from a dataset of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for the period 2000 to 2010. A total of 49,967 patients with viral hepatitis were included for analysis.

Intensive Periodontal Treatment Reduces Risk of Infection-Related Hospitalization in Hemodialysis Population: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Periodontal disease (PD) is prevalent and correlated with malnutrition and inflammation in patients on hemodialysis (HD). Periodontal therapy improves systemic inflammatory and nutritional markers in HD population. The relationship between intensive PD therapy and clinical infectious outcomes in patients on HD remains unclear.

A novel TFG mutation causes Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2 and impairs TFG function.

Objective: To describe a novel mutation in TRK-fused gene (TFG) as a new cause of dominant axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) identified by exome sequencing and further characterized by in vitro functional studies.

Methods: Exome sequencing and linkage analysis were utilized to investigate a large Taiwanese family with a dominantly inherited adult-onset motor and sensory axonal neuropathy in which mutations in common CMT2-implicated genes had been previously excluded. Functional effects of the mutant gene products were investigated in vitro.

Expression of osteocalcin in prostate cancer before and after hormonal therapy.

Background: Osteocalcin (OC), a noncollagenous bone matrix protein, is specifically produced by osteoblasts. Previously, we demonstrated that OC immunohistochemical staining was found in primary prostate cancer (PC) and PC metastasis to lymph node and bone. Advanced and metastatic PC is commonly treated by hormonal therapy (H/T).