A comparative study of magnetic sphincter augmentation and Nissen fundoplication in the management of GERD.

Introduction: Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) is a novel surgical technique investigated at many clinical institutes worldwide. In 2012, it received approval for treating Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) because of its superior benefits compared to drug therapies. This study aimed to explore the safety and efficacy of MSA compared with Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) for GERD treatment.

Expected 8-Week Prenatal vs 12-Week Perinatal Tenofovir Alafenamide Prophylaxis to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus: A Multicenter, Prospective, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: The course of maternal antiviral prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV-MTCT) varies greatly, and it has not been demonstrated in a randomized controlled study.

Methods: In this multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial, eligible pregnant women with HBV DNA of 5.3-9.

Causality between autoimmune diseases and breast cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study in a European population.

Background: The incidence of autoimmune diseases and breast cancer is significantly higher in women compared to men. Previous observational studies have not conclusively determined the relationship between these two conditions. This study utilizes the Mendelian randomization approach to investigate the genetic association between autoimmune diseases and breast cancer.

Exploring plastic biofilm formation and Escherichia coli colonisation in marine environments.

Microorganisms, including potential pathogens, can colonise plastic surfaces in aquatic environments. This study investigates the colonisation of plastic pellets by Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a proxy for faecal pathogens in aquatic environments.

The role and mechanism of hydrogen sulfide in liver fibrosis.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is the third new gas signaling molecule in the human body after the discovery of NO and CO. Similar to NO, it has the functions of vasodilation, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and regulation of cell formation. Enzymes that can produce endogenous HS, such as CSE, CSB, and 3-MST, are common in liver tissues and are important regulatory molecules in the liver.

OH* Chemiluminescence Characteristics of the RP-3 Fueled Dual-Swirl Direct-Mixing Combustor.

The flame structure characteristics of the RP-3 fueled dual-swirl direct-mixing combustor are studied experimentally. The flame shape is marked by the OH* radical, which is captured by a CMOS camera with an image intensifier. The flow fields and spray distributions are obtained by particle image velocimetry.

Influencing Factors of Recurrence of Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation after Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation and Construction of Clinical Nomogram Prediction Model.

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the predictive factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in patients after radiofrequency ablation (RFCA) and construct a nomogram prediction model for providing precious information of ablative strategies.

Methods: A total of 221 patients with AF who underwent RFCA were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to screen the predictors of recurrence.

Tenofovir Alafenamide for Pregnant Chinese Women With Active Chronic Hepatitis B: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

Background & Aims: Data on long-term tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) therapy for pregnant women with active chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (immune clearance and reactivation phases, currently and previously diagnosed) and their infants are lacking.

Methods: Pregnant women with active CHB treated with TAF and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) were enrolled in this multicenter prospective study, and infants received immunoprophylaxis. The primary outcomes were rates of adverse (safety) events in pregnant women and defects in infants and fetuses.

Synergistic Application of Molecular Markers and Community-Based Microbial Source Tracking Methods for Identification of Fecal Pollution in River Water During Dry and Wet Seasons.

It is important to track fecal sources from humans and animals that negatively influence the water quality of rural rivers and human health. In this study, microbial source tracking (MST) methods using molecular markers and the community-based FEAST (fast expectation-maximization microbial source tracking) program were synergistically applied to distinguish the fecal contributions of multiple sources in a rural river located in Beijing, China. The performance of eight markers were evaluated using 133 fecal samples based on real-time quantitative (qPCR) technique.

Oral Microbiome Characteristics in Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a common cause of liver cirrhosis. To identify the characteristics of the oral microbiome in patients with AIH, we collected 204 saliva samples including 68 AIH patients and 136 healthy controls and performed microbial MiSeq sequencing after screening. All samples were randomly divided into discovery cohorts (46 AIH and 92 HCs) and validation cohorts (22 AIH and 44 HCs).

Overexpressed Tumor Suppressor Exosomal miR-15a-5p in Cancer Cells Inhibits PD1 Expression in CD8+T Cells and Suppresses the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor, and the main reason is the unclear pathogenesis of HCC, which leads to a high fatality rate of HCC. Therefore, it is of great clinical significance to explore the molecular mechanism of HCC and find a targeted therapeutic approach from the molecular level.

Materials And Methods: MicroRNA-15a-5p (miR-15a-5p) expression level was measured by bioinformatics and qRT-PCR.

Tenofovir Alafenamide to Prevent Perinatal Hepatitis B Transmission: A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study.

Background: Few safety and effectiveness results have been published regarding the administration of tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) during pregnancy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Methods: In this multicenter prospective observational study, pregnant women with HBV DNA levels higher than 200 000 IU/mL who received TAF or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) from gestational weeks 24-35 to delivery were 1:1 enrolled and followed until postpartum month 6. Infants received immunoprophylaxis.

MicroRNA-638 induces apoptosis and autophagy in human liver cancer cells by targeting enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2).

Liver cancer is of the devastating human cancers and its incidence is increasing at an alarming rate. The clinical outcomes are far from descent due to lack of efficient therapeutic targets and chemotherapeutic agents. Studies have revealed the therapeutic implications of microRNAs in the management of different human cancers.

Characteristic of 523 COVID-19 in Henan Province and a Death Prediction Model.

Certain high-risk factors related to the death of COVID-19 have been reported, however, there were few studies on a death prediction model. This study was conducted to delineate the clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) of different degree and establish a death prediction model. In this multi-centered, retrospective, observational study, we enrolled 523 COVID-19 cases discharged before February 20, 2020 in Henan Province, China, compared clinical data, screened for high-risk fatal factors, built a death prediction model and validated the model in 429 mild cases, six fatal cases discharged after February 16, 2020 from Henan and 14 cases from Wuhan.

Production and characterization of surfactin-like biosurfactant produced by novel strain Bacillus nealsonii S2MT and it's potential for oil contaminated soil remediation.

Background: Biosurfactants, being highly biodegradable, ecofriendly and multifunctional compounds have wide applications in various industrial sectors including environmental bioremediation. Surfactin, a member of lipopeptide family, which is considered as one of the most powerful biosurfactants due to its excellent emulsifying activities as well as environmental and therapeutic applications. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the newly isolated bacterial strain S2MT for production of surfactin-like biosurfactants and their potential applications for oil-contaminated soil remediation.

Short-term Peginterferon-Induced High Functional Cure Rate in Inactive Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Carriers With Low Surface Antigen Levels.

Background: None of the current guidelines recommend antiviral therapy for inactive hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers (IHCs).

Methods: In this real-world, multicenter, nonrandomized study, 32 participants meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled 1:1 for treatment with peginterferon α-2b or monitoring without treatment based on participant preference. The expected treatment duration was 48 weeks.

An off-the-shelf artificial cardiac patch improves cardiac repair after myocardial infarction in rats and pigs.

Cell therapy has been a promising strategy for cardiac repair after injury or infarction; however, low retention and engraftment of transplanted cells limit potential therapeutic efficacy. Seeding scaffold material with cells to create cardiac patches that are transplanted onto the surface of the heart can overcome these limitations. However, because patches need to be freshly prepared to maintain cell viability, long-term storage is not feasible and limits clinical applicability.

Tumor cell-derived exosomes home to their cells of origin and can be used as Trojan horses to deliver cancer drugs.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide and patients are in urgent need of therapies that can effectively target cancer with minimal off-target side effects. Exosomes are extracellular nano-shuttles that facilitate intercellular communication between cells and organs. It has been established that tumor-derived exosomes contain a similar protein and lipid composition to that of the cells that secrete them, indicating that exosomes might be uniquely employed as carriers for anti-cancer therapeutics.

Circulating tumor cells exit circulation while maintaining multicellularity, augmenting metastatic potential.

Metastasis accounts for the majority of all cancer deaths, yet the process remains poorly understood. A pivotal step in the metastasis process is the exiting of tumor cells from the circulation, a process known as extravasation. However, it is unclear how tumor cells extravasate and whether multicellular clusters of tumor cells possess the ability to exit as a whole or must first disassociate.

Antibody-Armed Platelets for the Regenerative Targeting of Endogenous Stem Cells.

Stem cell therapies have shown promise in treating acute and chronic ischemic heart disease. However, current therapies are limited by the low retention and poor integration of injected cells in the injured tissue. Taking advantage of the natural infarct-homing ability of platelets, we engineered CD34 antibody-linked platelets (P-CD34) to capture circulating CD34-positive endogenous stem cells and direct them to the injured heart.

Platelet-Inspired Nanocells for Targeted Heart Repair After Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. While reperfusion therapy is vital for patient survival post-heart attack, it also causes further tissue injury, known as myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in clinical practice. Exploring ways to attenuate I/R injury is of clinical interest for improving post-ischemic recovery.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell/Red Blood Cell-Inspired Nanoparticle Therapy in Mice with Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Liver Failure.

Acute liver failure is a critical condition characterized by global hepatocyte death and often time needs a liver transplantation. Such treatment is largely limited by donor organ shortage. Stem cell therapy offers a promising option to patients with acute liver failure.