[Assessment and reversibility of liver fibrosis in viral hepatitis].

The evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic viral hepatitis is of paramount importance since secondary complications, including hepatocellular carcinoma, occur in patients with extensive fibrosis and cirrhosis. Clinical examination and some simple biological and morphological tests represent the first step to appraise liver fibrosis in viral hepatitis. Biochemical (Fibrotest, Hepascore, Fibrometre) or morphological (Fibroscan) methods have emerged over the past ten years to avoid--in more than half of patients--the systematic use of the liver biopsy to appraise liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Reversible decrease of portal venous flow in cirrhotic patients: a positive side effect of sorafenib.

Portal hypertension, the most important complication with cirrhosis of the liver, is a serious disease. Sorafenib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor is validated in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Because angiogenesis is a pathological hallmark of portal hypertension, the goal of our study was to determine the effect of sorafenib on portal venous flow and portosystemic collateral circulation in patients receiving sorafenib therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Efficacy of hepatitis B sero-vaccination in newborns of African HBsAg positive mothers.

Background: Maternal-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) during birth carries a high risk of chronic HBV infection in infants. Appropriate neonatal prophylaxis is effective in preventing perinatal transmission of HBV. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective efficacy of anti-HBV sero-vaccination in newborns of HBsAg positive mothers from Mayotte, French island in the Mozambican canal.

Low 25-OH vitamin D serum levels correlate with severe fibrosis in HIV-HCV co-infected patients with chronic hepatitis.

Background & Aims: Recent findings in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-monoinfected patients have shown a correlation between low serum levels of 25-OH vitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] and severe liver fibrosis and low sustained virologic response to therapy. Data are lacking in HIV-HCV coinfected patients.

Methods: One hundred and eighty nine HIV-HCV coinfected patients, who received ≥80% of interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin therapy, were analyzed for baseline serum 25(OH)D3 levels.

Viral hepatitis in solid organ transplantation other than liver.

Transplantation is the best treatment for end-stage organ failure. Hepatitis virus infections, mainly hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections still constitute a major problem because they are common in allograft recipients and are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after transplantation. Recently, hepatitis E virus infection has been added as an emergent cause of chronic hepatitis in organ transplantation.

The impact of human immunodeficiency virus on viral hepatitis.

The combination of antiretroviral (ARV) therapies introduced at the end of the 1990s profoundly changed the natural history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Liver diseases are one of the three primary causes of 'non-AIDS-related' death in people living with HIV for three reasons: the high prevalence of hepatotropic viral co-infections, the hepatotoxicity of ARV drugs and new emerging liver diseases, including nodular regenerative hyperplasia and hepatitis E virus infection. The impact of HIV infection on the natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV)/HIV co-infection has markedly changed in the past few decades with the progress made in ARV treatment and the improved definition of therapeutic strategies for HCV or HBV.

Evidence for an antagonist form of the chemokine CXCL10 in patients chronically infected with HCV.

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health problem, with nearly 170 million infected individuals worldwide. Current treatment for chronic infection is a combination of pegylated IFN-α2 and ribavirin (RBV); however, this treatment is effective in fewer than 50% of patients infected with HCV genotype 1 or 4. Recent studies identified the chemokine CXCL10 (also known as IP-10) as an important negative prognostic biomarker.

Adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporters mediate chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 secretion from reactive astrocytes: relevance to multiple sclerosis pathogenesis.

Adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette efflux transporters are highly expressed at the blood-brain barrier and actively hinder passage of harmful compounds, thereby maintaining brain homoeostasis. Since, adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporters drive cellular exclusion of potential neurotoxic compounds or inflammatory molecules, alterations in their expression and function at the blood-brain barrier may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. Therefore, we investigated the expression pattern of different adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette efflux transporters, including P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance-associated proteins-1 and -2 and breast cancer resistance protein in various well-characterized human multiple sclerosis lesions.

Potency, safety, and pharmacokinetics of the NS3/4A protease inhibitor BI201335 in patients with chronic HCV genotype-1 infection.

Background & Aims: BI201335 is a highly specific and potent HCV protease inhibitor. This multiple rising dose trial evaluated antiviral activity and safety in chronic HCV genotype-1 patients.

Methods: Thirty-four treatment-naïve patients were randomized to monotherapy with placebo or BI201335 at 20-240 mg once-daily for 14 days, followed by combination with pegylated interferon alfa/ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV) through Day 28.

Association of Parkinson disease-related protein PINK1 with Alzheimer disease and multiple sclerosis brain lesions.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are hallmarks of various neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer disease (AD), and Parkinson disease (PD). Mutations in PINK1, a mitochondrial kinase, have been linked to the occurrence of early onset parkinsonism. Currently, various studies support the notion of a neuroprotective role for PINK1, as it protects cells from stress-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

[Treatment of chronic hepatitis B: adherence and safety].

Second generation nucleos (t) idic analogues result in a complete viral suppression after 48 to 96 weeks of therapy in most patients, regardless of the virus (HBV genotype, wild type or pre-C mutant), the underlying liver disease (cirrhosis or not) or the immune status (mono- or HIV/HBV co-infection). This antiviral efficacy may result in HBe or HBs seroconversion. Its clinical impact is important since inactivation of necroinflammation allows, in the absence of liver comorbidities, a stabilisation then a reversal of fibrosis and cirrhosis, and consequently a decrease in the occurrence of carcinomatous or non-carcinomatous complications.

Treatment of acute hepatitis C in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients: the HEPAIG study.

Unlabelled: Acute hepatitis C continues to be a concern in men who have sex with men (MSM), and its optimal management has yet to be established. In this study, the clinical, biological, and therapeutic data of 53 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected MSM included in a multicenter prospective study on acute hepatitis C in 2006-2007 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The mean hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral load at diagnosis was 5.

Efficacy and pharmacokinetics of adefovir dipivoxil liquid suspension in patients with chronic hepatitis B and renal impairment.

The study evaluated whether a liquid suspension of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) is effective and safe when dose adjusted based on varying degrees of renal impairment in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Patients had stable mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease. Twenty-eight patients were enrolled: 10 (mild), 12 (moderate), and 6 severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease with hemodialysis.

High rate of adefovir-lamivudine combination therapy in nucleoside-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B in France: results of a national survey in 1730 patients.

Background/aims: This study describes the types of therapy used in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in France and patient characteristics according to therapy.

Methods: This was a descriptive, multicenter, retrospective study in 1730 patients (54 centers). We collected information about demographics, epidemiology, severity of hepatitis B virus-related liver disease, antiviral therapy, response (hepatitis B viral DNA and alanine aminotransferase normalization changes), dose modification, or treatment interruption.

Magnetic resonance imaging of monocytes labeled with ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide using magnetoelectroporation in an animal model of multiple sclerosis.

AbstractInfiltrated monocytes play a crucial role in the demyelination process during multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Still, methods to monitor their infiltration pattern over time are lacking. In this study, magnetoelectroporation (MEP) was used to label rat monocytes with the superparamagnetic iron oxide particles Sinerem, Endorem, and Supravist.

Dry autoclaving for the nanofabrication of sulfides, selenides, borides, phosphides, nitrides, carbides, and oxides.

This review compiles various nanostructures fabricated by a distinct "dry autoclaving" approach, where the chemical reactions are carried out without solvents; above the dissociation temperature of the chemical precursor(s) at elevated temperature in a closed reactor. The diversity to fabricate carbides (SiC, Mo(2) C, WC), oxides (VOx-C, ZnO, Eu(2) O(3) , Fe(3) O(4) , MoO(2) ), hexaborides (LaB(6) , CeB(6) , NdB(6) , SmB(6) , EuB(6) , GdB(6) ), nitrides (TiN, NbN, TaN), phosphides (PtP(2) , WP), sulfides (ZnS, FeS/C, SnS/C, WS(2) , WS(2) /C), and selenides (Zn(1-x) Mn(x) Se/C, Cd(1-x) Mn(x) Se/C), with various shapes and sizes is accounted with plausible applications. This unique single-step, solvent-free synthetic process opens up a new route in the growing nanomaterials science; owing to its considerable advantages on the existing approaches.

Management and treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in HIV positive and negative patients: the EPIB 2008 study.

Background & Aims: To compare the management and the virological and serological efficacy of treatments for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in HIV positive and negative patients.

Methods: Two hundred and forty-six HIV positive and 205 HIV negative consecutive patients with past or present CHB, seen in October 2008 in participating departments, were included in a multicenter study. All the data were retrospectively collected from the first visit to October 2008 through a standardized questionnaire.

Dynamics and fate of USPIO in the central nervous system in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Signal loss observed in the brain by MRI following the administration of ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO) has been correlated with immune cell activity in inflammatory areas during multiple sclerosis. Uptake of USPIO by circulating monocytes and their migration towards inflammatory areas have been considered as the most important mechanism for USPIO uptake by the brain parenchyma. However, the involvement of a damaged blood-brain barrier is also debated as a possible mechanism for cerebral USPIO uptake.

Tocilizumab: therapy and safety management.

Objectives: To develop fact sheets about tocilizumab, in order to assist physicians in the management of patients with inflammatory joint disease.

Methods: 1. selection by a committee of rheumatology experts of the main topics of interest for which fact sheets were desirable; 2.

Interferon gamma receptor 2 gene variants are associated with liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Background: Only a minority of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection develops severe liver fibrosis, a process that may be controlled by human genetic factors.

Objective: To investigate the role of 384 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in 36 candidate genes related to the fibrogenesis/fibrolysis process.

Methods: Patients with chronic HCV infection were gathered from two French cohorts (prospectively and retrospectively).

Brief communication: case reports of ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis E.

Background: There is currently no accepted treatment of chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection.

Objective: To report 2 patients in whom ribavirin therapy seemed to alter the natural history of chronic HEV infection.

Design: Case reports.

Care of hepatitis C virus infection in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients: modifications in three consecutive large surveys between 2004 and 2009.

Background & Aims: To analyze the care of HCV infection in HIV-HCV coinfected patients and its progression between 2004 and 2009.

Methods: Three hundred eighty HIV-HCV coinfected patients were prospectively included from November 22 to 29, 2004 (2004 survey), 416 patients from April 3 to 10, 2006 (2006 survey), and 419 patients from June 15 to 22, 2009 (2009 survey).

Results: The rate of liver biopsy decreased (14% vs.