Efficacy and safety of telbivudine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus in middle- and late-stage pregnancy with high viral loads.

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of telbivudine on mother-infant blockade in pregnant women with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA.

Methods: A total of 141 pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation and chronic HBV carriers with HBV DNA ≥10  copies/mL were enrolled, 105 in the treatment group and 36 in the control group. The treatment group was given telbivudine 600 mg/d oral, and the control group did not use antiviral drugs.

The combination of decoy receptor 3 and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 for the diagnosis of nosocomial bacterial meningitis.

Background: Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic treatment can significantly reduce mortality of nosocomial bacterial meningitis. However, it is a challenge for clinicians to make an accurate and rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. This study aimed at determining whether combined biomarkers can provide a useful tool for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Hepatitis B virus infection and replication in a new cell culture system established by fusing HepG2 cells with primary human hepatocytes.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is strictly species and tissue specific, therefore none of the cell models established previously can reproduce the natural infection process of HBV in vitro. The aim of this study was to establish a new cell line that is susceptible to HBV and can support the replication of HBV.

Methods: A hybrid cell line was established by fusing primary human hepatocytes with HepG2 cells.

Predictive value of decoy receptor 3 in postoperative nosocomial bacterial meningitis.

Nosocomial bacterial meningitis requires timely treatment, but what is difficult is the prompt and accurate diagnosis of this disease. The aim of this study was to assess the potential role of decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) levels in the differentiation of bacterial meningitis from non-bacterial meningitis. A total of 123 patients were recruited in this study, among them 80 patients being with bacterial meningitis and 43 patients with non-bacterial meningitis.

Expression of hepatitis B virus 1.3-fold genome plasmid in an SV40 T-antigen-immortalized mouse hepatic cell line.

Aim: To investigate the expression of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) 1.3-fold genome plasmid (pHBV1.3) in an immortalized mouse hepatic cell line induced by SV40 T-antigen (SV40T) expression.

Type 2 diabetes and hepatocellular carcinoma: a case-control study in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Type 2 diabetes has been suggested as an independent risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of Type 2 diabetes on the development of HCC in the presence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains inconclusive. We conducted this hospital-based case-control study to evaluate the roles of Type 2 diabetes in HCC development in patients with CHB.

Optimization of adefovir therapy in chronic hepatitis B according to baseline predictors and on-treatment HBV DNA: a 5-year prospective study.

Background: Adefovir Dipivoxil (ADV) is an important agent to suppress hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication with suboptimal effect on virological and serological response. To optimize Adefovir therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive, we studied the baseline parameters and on-treatment HBV DNA for favorable outcomes.

Methods: 48 patients were enrolled in the study and followed up for 5 years prospectively.

[A sero-epidemiologiecal study on hepatitis B among general population in Beijing].

Objective: To explore the serological infection rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in general population aged over one year old in Beijing and to provide information for control and prevention of the disease.

Methods: A multistage randomized cluster sampling was carried out in general population of Beijing, aged over one year old. Every study subject's hepatitis B immunization history and main risk factors were investigated through questionnaire.

Influence of HLA-DRB1 alleles and HBV genotypes on interferon-alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: To investigate the influence of HLA-DRB(1) alleles and HBV genotypes on interferon-alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: HLA-DRB1*03, *07, *09, *12, *15 alleles were determined using polymerase chain reaction/sequence specific primer (PCR/SSP) technique in 126 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 76 normal control subjects in Shandong Province, and HBV genotypes were determined by nested-PCR analysis using type-specific primers in 126 patients.

Results: The positivity of HLA-DRB1*07 allele in chronic hepatitis B group was significantly higher than that in normal control group (chi(2) = 6.

[Quantitative detection of intrahepatic hepatitis B virus DNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

Objective: To study the relationships between intrahepatic HBV DNA level and serum HBV DNA level, between intrahepatic HBV DNA level and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) level in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and assess the valuation of pretreatment liver HBV DNA level in antivirus therapy.

Methods: Liver specimens taken from 41 HBeAg-positive CHB patients before antivirus treatment were divided into two parts, one for histological examination, and the other for intrahepatic HBV DNA quantified detection by PCR-fluorescence. At the same time, serum levels of HBV DNA and HBeAg were detected.