Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Versus Entecavir: Effects on Lipid Profiles and Cardiovascular Outcomes in People Living With Chronic Hepatitis B.

While entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) effectively manage chronic hepatitis B, their long-term effects on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular outcomes remain unclear. This study compares the impact of ETV, TDF, and treatment-naïve (control group) on hyperlipidemia and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in people living with chronic hepatitis B (PLWHB). We used claim data from the South Korean National Health Insurance Service.

Lower incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma with tenofovir alafenamide in chronic hepatitis B: Evidence from a large-scale cohort.

Background & Aims: Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) lacks extensive research regarding its impact on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study evaluated and compared the effects of TAF, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), and entecavir (ETV) on HCC incidence using nationwide claim data.

Methods: In total, 75,816 patients with treatment-naïve HBV were included in the study and divided into TAF (n = 25,680), TDF (n = 26,954), and ETV (n = 23,182) groups after exclusions.

Standardization of the Agar Plate Method for Bacteriophage Production.

The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the urgent need for alternative treatments such as bacteriophage (phage) therapy. Phage therapy offers a targeted approach to combat bacterial infections, particularly those resistant to conventional antibiotics. This study aimed to standardize an agar plate method for high-mix, low-volume phage production, suitable for personalized phage therapy.

Aetiology of chronic liver disease is a valuable factor for stratifying adverse outcomes of acute decompensation: prospective observational study.

Background/aims: Acute decompensation (AD) is defined as the development of complications related to portal hypertension and liver dysfunction that affect the progression of chronic liver disease (CLD) or liver cirrhosis (LC). Variations exist in patient demographics and prognostic outcomes of AD based on the aetiology of CLD, encompassing LC. However, limited research has been conducted to analyse these discrepancies across aetiologies.

Impact of high body mass index on hepatocellular carcinoma risk in chronic liver disease: A population-based prospective cohort study.

Background And Aims: We investigated associations between body mass index (BMI) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis B (HBV) C (HCV) virus infection, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and liver cirrhosis (LC).

Methods: We followed 350,608 Korean patients with liver disease who underwent routine health examinations from 2003-2006 until December 2018 via national hospital discharge records. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) per 5-kg/m2 BMI increase (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) for HCC risk were calculated using Cox models.

Adverse impact of metabolic dysfunction on fibrosis regression following direct-acting antiviral therapy: A multicenter study for chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) effectively eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study investigated whether metabolic dysfunction influences the likelihood of fibrosis regression after DAA treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study included 8,819 patients diagnosed with CHC who were treated with DAAs and achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) between January 2014 and December 2022.

A disintegrin and metallopeptidase domain (ADAM) 12, ADAM 17 mRNA and ADAM10 protein hold potential as biomarkers for detection of early gastric cancer.

No biomarker can effectively screen for early gastric cancer (EGC). Players in the A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)-natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) receptor axis may have a role for that. As a proof-of-concept pilot study, the expression of ADAM8, ADAM9, ADAM10, ADAM12, ADAM17, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain-related sequence A (MICA), a ligand for NKG2D, in gastric cancer was investigated in silico using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Clinical Characteristics and Long-term Outcomes of Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Background/aims: Gastric neuroendocrine tumors (GNETs), once rare, have become more prevalent due to the increased use of endoscopy and increased physician awareness. The clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of GNET management were explored in this study.

Methods: The clinical data of 69 patients who treated at Seoul National University Hospital between January 2013 and October 2023 were retrospectively studied.

Tailoring formulation for enhanced phage therapy in canine otitis externa: a cocktail approach targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

Canine otitis externa, characterized by the involvement of diverse bacterial species, notably Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, necessitates antibiotic administration as the primary therapeutic approach; however, prolonged treatment often precipitates antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the application of bacteriophages as antimicrobial agents has been of interest recently. However, phage therapy has limitations; its efficacy depends on the lytic capacity of the phage and the emergence of phage resistance, which can be overcome by using phage cocktails.

Efficacy and safety of rebamipide/nizatidine in patients with erosive gastritis: A randomized, multicenter, phase 4 study.

Background: For the treatment of gastritis, rebamipide, a mucoprotective agent, and nizatidine, a gastric acid suppressant, are commonly employed individually.

Aim: To compare the efficacy of Mucotra SR (rebamipide 150 mg) and Axid (nizatidine 150 mg) combination therapy with the sole administration of Axid in managing erosive gastritis.

Methods: A total of 260 patients diagnosed with endoscopically confirmed erosive gastritis were enrolled in this open-label, multicenter, randomized, phase 4 clinical trial, allocating them into two groups: Rebamipide/nizatidine combination twice daily nizatidine twice daily for 2 weeks.

Optimization of the large-scale production for Erwinia amylovora bacteriophages.

Background: Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, poses a significant threat to global agriculture, with antibiotic-resistant strains necessitating alternative solutions such as phage therapy. Scaling phage therapy to an industrial level requires efficient mass-production methods, particularly in optimizing the seed culture process. In this study, we investigated large-scale E.

Risk of Bleeding in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Atezolizumab/Bevacizumab: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The combination of atezolizumab/bevacizumab has emerged as an effective first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, this therapy is potentially associated with bleeding complications, warranting a comprehensive analysis of their incidence and severity. This meta-analysis aims to synthesize available evidence from clinical trials and observational studies to quantify the prevalence of bleeding following atezolizumab/bevacizumab administration.

Randomized Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Fexuprazan According to the Timing of Dosing in Patients With Erosive Esophagitis.

Background/aims: Fexuprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, was developed for treating acid-related disorders. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of fexuprazan, unlike those of proton pump inhibitors, are independent of food effect. This study aims to evaluate differences in efficacy and safety of fexuprazan in patients with erosive esophagitis (EE) according to the timing of dosing.

Rifaximin treatment in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis: A multicenter, randomized controlled, open-label, pilot trial.

Introduction And Objectives: The short-term mortality of severe alcoholic hepatitis (SAH) is high, but there are no effective treatments to improve short-term mortality other than corticosteroids. This study investigated the effects of adding rifaximin to standard treatment in patients with SAH.

Material And Methods: In this randomized controlled open-label trial, patients with SAH (Maddrey's discriminant function≥32) were randomized to the rifaximin or control group.

Penfluridol suppresses MYC-driven ANLN expression and liver cancer progression by disrupting the KEAP1-NRF2 interaction.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comprises the majority of primary liver cancers and possesses a low 5-year survival rate when in the advanced stages. Anillin (ANLN), a key player in cell growth and cytokinesis, is implicated in HCC development. Currently, no treatment agents are known to suppress ANLN.

Chronic hyperglycemia induces hepatocyte pyroptosis via Gα/Gα-associated endoplasmic reticulum stress: Effect of pharmacological intervention.

Aims: Hyperglycemia induces pathophysiological changes. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress with Gα overexpression may promote hepatocyte death. This study investigated whether sustained hyperglycemia triggers ER stress-associated pyroptosis and fibrosis in the liver alongside an overexpression of Gα, and examined the potential link with VEGF-A levels.

Lower hepatotoxicity risk in Xelaglifam, a novel GPR40 agonist, compared to Fasiglifam for type 2 diabetes therapy.

Fasiglifam, a candidate targeting GPR40, showed efficacy in clinical trials for type 2 diabetes but exerted liver toxicity. This study investigated the drug-induced liver injury (DILI) risk of Xelaglifam, a new GPR40 agonist, based on the potential toxicity mechanism of Fasiglifam; transporter inhibition, mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive metabolite formation, and covalent binding to proteins. In the hepatobiliary transporter assay, Xelaglifam showed a broader safety margin (>10-fold) against bile acid transporters, suggesting its less likelihood to cause bile acids accumulation, unlike Fasiglifam (<10-fold safety margin).

A Potential Pneumothorax Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which target immune checkpoints in cancer cells, are increasingly used as a mainstay in anticancer treatment. The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab is also a first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, ICIs can cause immune-related adverse events (IrAEs) which range from mild to severe, potentially leading to the need for discontinuing immunotherapy.

Roles of X-box binding protein 1 in liver pathogenesis.

The prevalence of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and viral liver infections presents significant challenges in modern healthcare and contributes to considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. Concurrently, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has emerged as a major public health concern, reflecting the increasing rates of obesity and leading to more severe complications such as fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) is a distinct transcription factor with a basic-region leucine zipper structure, whose activity is regulated by alternative splicing in response to disruptions in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis and the unfolded protein response (UPR) activation.

Atezolizumab-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Patient with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Case Report and Literature Review.

Immune check inhibitor (ICI) colitis is one of most common and adverse side effects of ICI. However, there was no case report of ulcerative colitis (UC)-mimicking colitis after atezolizumab use in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to our knowledge. We would like to introduce the case of a patient with Stage IV HCC who complained of abdominal pain, diarrhea and rectal bleeding after two cycles of atezolizumab/bevacizumab chemotherapy and was then diagnosed with UC-mimicking colitis.

Biological and genomic characterization of the novel bacteriophage vB_VpM-pA2SJ1, which infects Vibrio parahaemolyticus associated with acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major seafood-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes gastroenteritis in humans and acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimp. In this study, we isolated and characterized Vibrio phage vB_VpM-pA2SJ1, which infects clinical and AHPND-associated strains of V. parahaemolyticus.