Efficacy and safety of tenofovir alafenamide in patients with chronic hepatitis B exhibiting suboptimal response to entecavir.

Background: Entecavir (ETV) is a potent and safe antiviral agent for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB); however, some patients may exhibit suboptimal response or resistance to ETV. Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) is a novel tenofovir prodrug with improved pharmacokinetics and reduced renal and bone toxicity compared with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of switching from ETV to TAF in patients with CHB exhibiting suboptimal response to ETV.

Facial Defects With Infraorbital and Zygomatic Area Reconstruction Using an Expanded Flap Based on the Orbicularis Oculi Muscle: A Long-Term Follow-up.

Objective: Reconstruction of facial soft-tissue defects may pose a dilemma for plastic surgeons, as the flaps must be reliable to obtain a natural appearance while minimizing donor site morbidities. This clinical study describes a reconstructive method for infraorbital and zygomatic defects using a pre-expanded rotation flap based on the orbicularis oculi muscle (OOM).

Methods: The surgeries were subdivided into 2 stages.

Congenital aphallia associated with congenital urethrorectal fistula: A rare case report.

Rationale: Aphallia is an extremely rare congenital malformation of unknown cause, with few reports in the literature. It is usually associated with other urogenital and gastrointestinal anomalies and is believed to be a result of either the absence of a genital tubercle or chromosome polymorphism. Herein, we describe an extremely rare case of congenital aphallia with congenital urethrorectal fistula and describe our treatment for this patient.

[Causes of failure in autologous sperm preservation in the human sperm bank and countermeasures].

Objective: To analyze the causes of failure in autologous sperm cryopreservation (ASCP) in the human sperm bank and propose some countermeasures to improve the success rate of ASCP and promote it in human sperm banks.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the reasons for and causes of failure in ASCP 1 156 males undergoing ASCP in the Human Sperm Bank of Guangdong Province from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019.

Results: Of the 1 156 cases of ASCP, 857 (74.

Studies on the phytochemical constituents of Gagnep.

Nine compounds were isolated and elucidated from this species, among which, two new compounds (, ) and seven known compounds (-). Their structures were determined by means of extensively spectroscopic analysis including HR-ESI-MS, H NMR, C NMR, HSQC and HMBC. The bioactivities evaluation was referred to the cytotoxic assay on four human tumor cell lines of the ethanol extract, different fractions and 6 compounds.

Scrotal septal flap and two-stage operation for complex hypospadias: A retrospective study.

Background: Complex hypospadias is a surgical challenge.

Aim: To present the long-term outcomes of two-stage repair of complex hypospadias using a scrotal septal flap.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with complex hypospadias who were operated on between January 1, 2001, and January 1, 2019, at a single hospital using a scrotal septal flap (two-stage surgery) or prepuce flap (one-stage surgery; control group).

Effect of alprostadil in the treatment of intensive care unit patients with acute renal injury.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden or rapid decline in the filtration function of the kidneys which is marked by increased serum creatinine or blood urea nitrogen.

Aim: To examine the value of alprostadil-assisted continuous venous-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) in the treatment of severe AKI in severely ill patients.

Methods: This was a retrospective study and the inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) Age of patients (≥ 18 years); (2) Admission to intensive care unit due to non-renal primary disease, APACHE II score (≥ 18 points); (3) The diagnostic criteria of AKI guidelines were formulated with reference to the Global Organization for the Improvement of Prognosis in Kidney Diseases, with AKI grades of II-III; (4) All patients were treated with CVVH; and (5) Complete basic data were obtained for all patients.

The inhibition of advanced glycation end-products by five fractions and three main flavonoids from Camellia nitidissima Chi flowers.

Camellia nitidissima Chi (CNC), belonging to Camellia genus (Theaceae family), is a medicinal and edible plant in China. Among the whole plant, the CNC flowers are especially precious, but the biological activities and the compositions of the CNC flowers are unknown. In this study, inhibiting effects on the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) of five CNC flowers fractions and three isolated compounds were investigated, these three compounds are two flavonoid glycosides and one flavanol, namely kaempferol 3-O-[2,3,4-Tri-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-2,4-di-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, kaempferol 3-O-[2,3,4-Tri-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-4-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside and catechin.

Risk Factors for Urethrocutaneous Fistula Repair After Hypospadias Surgery: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: We review our experience in urethrocutaneous fistula (UCF) repair after hypospadias surgery to investigate the risk factors for unsuccessful outcome.

Methods: Two hundred eleven patients had undergone UCF repair in our department from January 2005 to December 2015. This study included 185 patients who were followed up for more than 6 months.

Pre-Expanded Submental Island Flap for Resurfacing Middle and Lower Facial Defect.

Resurfacing large facial defect is a continuing challenge for plastic surgeons. Skin graft or free flap is hard to obtain satisfactory results or is beyond the skill of most surgeons. The authors performed 13 expended submental island flaps to resurface middle and lower facial defects and achieved satisfactory results.

Electroacupuncture improves cognitive deficits and activates PPAR-γ in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder that is associated with a progressive impairment of cognition. Acupuncture has protective effects, although the molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. The activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) has an impact on the pathogenesis of AD.

The extract, LXB-1, from the barks of Liriodendron × hybrid, induced apoptosis via Akt, JNK and ERK1/2 pathways in A549 lung cancer cells.

The effect of LXB-1, an extract from Liriodendron × hybrid, was determined on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Growth inhibition of LXB-1 was analyzed by MTT assay. Cancer cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry.

Anti-HIV-1 activities of extracts and phenolics from Smilax china L.

Four extracts (EtOH, CHCl3, EtOAc, and BuOH) and five phenolics (dihydrokaempferol (1), resveratrol (2), kaempferol-7-O-β-D-glucoside (3), dihydrokaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside (4), oxyresveratrol (5)) from Smilax china L. was evaluated for anti-HIV-1 activities and cytotoxicity activities in vitro. All these extracts and phenolics showed lower or no cytotoxicity at a concentration ranged from 0.

Clinicopathological significance of SLP-2 overexpression in human gallbladder cancer.

Several studies have indicated that overexpression of stomatin-like protein 2 (SLP-2) has been identified in several types of cancer. However, its role and clinical relevance in gallbladder cancer (GBC) is unknown. The purpose of this study was to reveal the prognostic significance of SLP-2 in GBC.

Tumoral cytotoxic and antioxidative phenylpropanoid glycosides in Smilax riparia A. DC.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Smilax riparia A. DC., known as "Niu-Wei-Cai" in China, is distributed through the south and middle of China.

Comparing the autoantibody levels and clinical efficacy of double filtration plasmapheresis, immunoadsorption, and intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of late-onset myasthenia gravis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP), immunoadsorption (IA) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the treatment of late-onset myasthenia gravis (MG). A total of 40 late-onset MG patients were randomly divided into three groups: 15 patients were treated with DFPP; 10 patients were treated with IA; and 15 patients received IVIg. The titers of titin antibodies (Titin-ab), acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChR-ab), presynaptic membrane antibody (Prsm-ab) were detected before and after the treatment, and the quantitative MG score (QMG score) was assessed by blinded examiners before and immediately after the entire course of treatment.

Glycocerebroside bearing a novel long-chain base from Sagina japonica (Caryophyllaceae).

A new glycocerebroside (1), along with one reported one (2), was isolated from the ethanol extract of Sagina japonica (Caryophyllaceae) and was fully characterized. The structures of two compounds were identified as (2S, 3S, 4R, 8E)-1-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3, 4-dihydroxy-2-[(R)-2'- hydroxypalmitoyl]amino-8-heptadecaene (1) and (2S, 3R, 8E)-1-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3-hydroxy-2-[(R)-2'-hydroxypalmitoyl]amino-8-octadecaene (2) by using spectroscopic methods ((1)H, (13)C, and 2D NMR, MS) and chemical degradation.

[GK-2 prosthetic heart valve: a 20-year clinical experience].

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze our 20-year clinical results with 413 GK-2 mechanical heart valves.

Methods: 123 men and 204 women with a mean age of 38.62 +/- 10.

[Effect of two different ring liner thickness on the precision of castings].

Objective: To investigate the effect of two different ring liner thickness on the deformation of resulted castings.

Methods: GC No.2 casting rings (50 mm in height and 39.