Detection technology and clinical applications of serum viral products of hepatitis B virus infection.

Viral hepatitis, caused by its etiology, hepatitis virus, is a public health problem globally. Among all infections caused by hepatitis-associated viruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains the most serious medical concern. HBV infection particularly affects people in East Asia and Africa, the Mediterranean region, and Eastern Europe, with a prevalence rate of > 2%.

Carvedilol Plus NUC for Patients With HBV-Compensated Cirrhosis Under Virological Suppression: A Randomized Open-Label Trial.

Introduction: Portal hypertension progression can be relieved after controlling the etiology of liver cirrhosis. Whether beta-blockers could additionally enhance the effects during treatment, particularly for small esophageal varices (EV), was unclear. This study aims to assess the efficacy of add-on carvedilol to delay EV progression during anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment in HBV-related cirrhosis.

Optimal allocation of agricultural water and land resources integrated with virtual water trade: A perspective on spatial virtual water coordination.

Agricultural production consumes the majority of global freshwater resources. The worsening water scarcity has imposed significant stress on agricultural production when regions seek food self-sufficiency. To seek optimal allocation of spatial agricultural water and land resources in each water function zone of the objective region, a multi-objective optimization model was developed to tackle the trade-offs between the water-saving objective and the economic benefit objective considering virtual water trade (VWT).

ATOH8 promotes HBV immune tolerance by inhibiting the pyroptotic pathway in hepatocytes.

The mechanism of hepatitis B virus (HBV) immune tolerance remains unclear. Our previous studies showed that ATOH8 plays an important role in the liver tumor immune microenvironment; however, the specific immune regulatory mechanism requires further studies. Studies have shown that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause hepatocyte pyroptosis; however, the relationship between HBV and pyroptosis is contested.

Development and validation of a machine learning-based model for varices screening in compensated cirrhosis (CHESS2001): an international multicenter study.

Background And Aims: The prevalence of high-risk varices (HRV) is low among compensated cirrhotic patients undergoing EGD. Our study aimed to identify a novel machine learning (ML)-based model, named ML EGD, for ruling out HRV and avoiding unnecessary EGDs in patients with compensated cirrhosis.

Methods: An international cohort from 17 institutions from China, Singapore, and India were enrolled (CHESS2001).

Elucidating nitrifying performance, nitrite accumulation and microbial community in a three-stage plug flow moving bed biofilm reactor (PF - MBBR).

A three-stage plug flow moving bed biofilm reactor (PF - MBBR, consisting of three identical chambers of N1, N2 and N3) was proposed for nitrifier enrichment using synthetic wastewater. During the stable operation, the average NH-N effluent was 0.67 mg/L and NH-N removal was as high as 97.

Health-related quality of life improves after entecavir treatment in patients with compensated HBV cirrhosis.

Background And Aim: Antiviral therapy is effective in decreasing disease progression in HBV cirrhosis. However, the long-term effect of antiviral therapy on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with compensated HBV cirrhosis is unknown.

Methods: The patients with compensated HBV cirrhosis enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of entecavir-based therapy were recruited in the present study, if they had HRQoL score at 5-year follow-up or who developed liver-related events (LRE) during follow-up were included.

Clinical features of sporadic hepatitis E virus infection in pregnant women in Shanghai, China.

Objectives: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection causes high mortality in pregnant women of developing regions during large outbreaks. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of HEV-infected pregnant women in Shanghai, China where the epidemiology of HEV has shifted from large outbreaks to the sporadic form.

Methods: Clinical data of 516 pregnant and nonpregnant child-bearing age women diagnosed with HEV infection during 2009-2020 was collected at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical center.

Transcription factor specificity protein 1-mediated Serine/threonine kinase 39 upregulation promotes the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activating the transforming growth factor-β1 /Smad2/3 pathway.

Bioinformatics analysis showed that Serine/threonine kinase 39 (STK39), which was testified to play an important role in human cancers, may be a hub gene in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to explore whether STK39 could be regulated by specificity protein 1 (SP1) to affect HCC cells malignant processes. Firstly, STK39 expression in tissues of HCC patients and several cell lines was analyzed.

Case report: histopathology and molecular pathology analysis on enteric tissue of a COVID-19 patient.

Aims: Patients with COVID-19 can also have enteric symptoms. Here we analyzed the histopathology of intestinal detachment tissue from a patient with COVID-19.

Methods: The enteric tissue was examined by hematoxylin & eosin stain, PAS (Periodic acid-Schiff) staining, Gram staining, Ziehl-Neelsen stain and Grocott's Methenamine Silver (GMS) Stain.

Prediction of liver-related events in patients with compensated HBV-induced cirrhosis receiving antiviral therapy.

Background And Aims: Many models have been developed to predict liver-related events (LRE) in chronic hepatitis B, few focused on compensated HBV-induced cirrhosis. We aimed to describe the incidence of LRE and to determine independent risk predictors of LRE in compensated HBV-induced cirrhosis patients receiving antiviral therapy using routinely available parameters.

Methods: Prospective cohorts of treatment-naïve adults with compensated HBV-induced cirrhosis were enrolled.

Screening varices in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis on antiviral therapy: Platelet alone or together with LSM.

Background & Aims: Non-invasive assessment criteria to rule out high-risk varices (HRV) in compensated hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis on antiviral therapy remains unclear.

Methods: HBV-related compensated cirrhotic patients who underwent screening endoscopy during antiviral therapy were enrolled and randomly divided into the derivation and validation sets. HRV were defined as medium to large varices or small varices with red signs.

ATOH8 overexpression inhibits the tumor progression and monocyte chemotaxis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: ATOH8 is reported to be associated with the progression of many tumors; however, there are remaining controversies. The aim of this study is to explore the role of ATOH8 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its effect on monocyte chemotaxis.

Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was performed based on the LIHC data in GEPIA and LinkedOmic.

The effects of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASI) in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with hypertension: A retrospective, single-center trial.

Introduction And Objective: A recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurs in the worldwide. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) can mediate coronavirus entry into host cells. Therefore, renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASI) were suspected of contributing to the increase of coronavirus infection.

The effects of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASI) in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with hypertension: A retrospective, single-center trial.

Introduction And Objective: A recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurs in the worldwide. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) can mediate coronavirus entry into host cells. Therefore, renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASI) were suspected of contributing to the increase of coronavirus infection.

MicroRNA-499 Suppresses the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Downregulating Astrocyte Elevated Gene-1.

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of microRNA-499 (miR-499) in hepatocellular carcinoma tumor growth and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The expression of miR-499 was significantly decreased in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, miR-499 overexpression in HEPG2 cell was related to the tumor growth in nude mice xenograft models.

Clinical characteristics in patients with SARS-CoV-2/HBV co-infection.

COVID-19 has become a global pandemic and garnered international attention. Although the clinical features of COVID-19-related liver injury have been investigated, there have been no reports and studies on the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). This study aimed to evaluate whether SARS-CoV-2/HBV co-infection could influence liver function and the disease outcome.

Entecavir add-on Peg-interferon therapy plays a positive role in reversing hepatic fibrosis in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients: a prospective and randomized controlled trial.

Background: The efficacy of entecavir (ETV) add-on peg-interferon therapy compared with ETV monotherapy in treatment-naïve hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients remains controversial. We investigated whether adding peg-interferon to ongoing ETV treatment leads to a better curative effect or not.

Methods: All patients have been recruited between August 2013 and January 2015 from the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Zhongshan Hospital (China).

Clinical Features of COVID-19-Related Liver Functional Abnormality.

Background & Aims: Some patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection have abnormal liver function. We aimed to clarify the features of COVID-19-related liver damage to provide references for clinical treatment.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, single-center study of 148 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 (73 female, 75 male; mean age, 50 years) at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center from January 20 through January 31, 2020.

A combination method for multicriteria uncertainty analysis and parameter estimation: a case study of Chaohu Lake in Eastern China.

Eutrophication models are of great importance and are valuable tools for the development of policy and legislation. However, the parameter uncertainty and substantial computational cost lead to difficulties in decision-making, especially for complex models with multiple indicators. A multicriteria uncertainty analysis and parameter estimation (MUAPE) method, which selected behavioral parameters combined with Pareto domination and simultaneously obtained acceptable values for modeling by the maximum likelihood concept and kernel density estimation, was shown.

Baseline Characteristics and Treatment Patterns of the Patients Recruited to the China Registry of Hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health problem globally. Here, we describe the baseline characteristics and treatment profiles of HBV-infected patients recruited to the China Registry of Hepatitis B. Inclusion criteria were patients with different stages of chronic HBV infection and complete key data.

Identifying the Driving Factors of Black Bloom in Lake Bay through Bayesian LASSO.

Black blooms are a serious and complex problem for lake bays, with far-reaching implications for water quality and drinking safety. While Fe(II) and S(-II) have been reported as the most important triggers of this phenomenon, little effort has been devoted in investigating the relationships between Fe(II) and S(-II) and the host of potentially important aquatic factors. However, a model involving many putative predictors and their interactions will be oversaturated and ill-defined, making ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation unfeasible.

Early steep decline of liver stiffness predicts histological reversal of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with entecavir.

It is unknown whether dynamic changes of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) can predict the reversibility of fibrosis. Therefore, we evaluated the utility of LSM changes in predicting histological changes of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) on antiviral therapy. In a prospective cohort of CHB patients treated with entecavir, virological measurement and biochemical measurement along with LSM were measured at baseline and every 6 months.