Leached Compounds from Smoked Cigarettes and Their Potential for Bioaccumulation in Rainbow Trout ().

Cigarette butts are one of the most prevalent forms of litter worldwide and may leach toxic compounds when deposited in aquatic environments. Previous studies demonstrated that smoked cigarette leachate is toxic toward aquatic organisms. However, the specific bioavailable chemicals from the leachate and the potential for human and wildlife exposure through the food chain were unknown.

Assessing Toxicity and Bioactivity of Smoked Cigarette Leachate Using Cell-Based Assays and Chemical Analysis.

Smoked cigarettes are the most prevalent form of litter worldwide, often finding their way into oceans and inland waterways. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 individual chemicals, some of them carcinogenic or otherwise toxic. We examined the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), estrogen receptor (ER), and p53 response pathways of smoked cigarette leachate .

Association Between Serum Level of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen at End of Entecavir Therapy and Risk of Relapse in E Antigen-Negative Patients.

Background & Aims: This study investigated whether serum level of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) at the end of entecavir treatment was associated with risk of relapse.

Methods: We performed a prospective multicenter study of 161 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis B in whom the hepatitis B virus was no longer detected after 3 years or more of entecavir therapy. Treatment ended between July 1, 2011 and July 1, 2015.

Levofloxacin Sequential Therapy vs Levofloxacin Triple Therapy in the Second-Line Treatment of Helicobacter pylori: A Randomized Trial.

Objectives: The efficacy of levofloxacin triple therapy has fallen below 80% in the second-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). We aimed to assess whether the levofloxacin sequential therapy is more effective than levofloxacin triple therapy in the second-line treatment.

Genotypic resistance in Helicobacter pylori strains correlates with susceptibility test and treatment outcomes after levofloxacin- and clarithromycin-based therapies.

The accuracy of genotypic resistance to levofloxacin (gyrA mutations) and its agreement with treatment outcomes after levofloxacin-based therapy have not been reported. We aimed to assess the correlation. Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from patients who received levofloxacin-based and clarithromycin-based triple therapies in a previous randomized trial were analyzed for point mutations in gyrA and 23S rRNA.