Xalnesiran with or without an Immunomodulator in Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background: Xalnesiran, a small interfering RNA molecule that targets a conserved region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and silences multiple HBV transcripts, may have efficacy, with or without an immunomodulator, in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Methods: We conducted a phase 2, multicenter, randomized, controlled, adaptive, open-label platform trial that included the evaluation of 48 weeks of treatment with xalnesiran at a dose of 100 mg (group 1), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg (group 2), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 150 mg of ruzotolimod (group 3), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 180 μg of pegylated interferon alfa-2a (group 4), or a nucleoside or nucleotide analogue (NA) alone (group 5) in participants with chronic HBV infection who had virologic suppression with NA therapy. The primary efficacy end point was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss (HBsAg level, <0.

Data-driven discovery of cell-type-directed network-correcting combination therapy for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder characterized by heterogeneous molecular changes across diverse cell types, posing significant challenges for treatment development. To address this, we introduced a cell-type-specific, multi-target drug discovery strategy grounded in human data and real-world evidence. This approach integrates single-cell transcriptomics, drug perturbation databases, and clinical records.

Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide 2 May Be Associated With Decreased M1 Macrophage Production and Increased Histologic and Biomechanical Tendon-Bone Healing Properties in a Rat Rotator Cuff Tear Model.

Purpose: To explore the potential of growth hormone-releasing peptide 2 (GHRP-2) for tendon-bone healing in a rat rotator cuff tear (RCT) model.

Methods: The impact of GHRP-2 on M1 macrophage polarization in vitro was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining. GHRP-2 was then applied in a rat RCT model, and the healing of the tendon-bone interface was systemically evaluated by histologic staining, radiologic assessments, gait analysis, and biomechanical tests.

Belimumab safety in adult and paediatric Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A Phase 4, multicentre, observational study.

Objective: Although belimumab has been widely used in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) globally, real-world safety data among Chinese patients are limited, particularly for children. This study assessed the safety and tolerability of belimumab in adult and paediatric patients with SLE in China in real-world clinical practice.

Methods: This Phase 4, multicentre, prospective, observational study enrolled patients prescribed intravenous belimumab by their physicians in tertiary hospitals, independent of a clinical study, during routine clinical visits between May 2021 and May 2022.

Vision Improvement in Keratoconus Patients Trained With Perceptual Learning: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness and maintenance of perceptional learning (PL) on vision improvement in keratoconus (KC) patients corrected with spectacles.

Design: Randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

Methods: Non-progressive KC patients 9 years of age or older who had best spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 0 to 1.

Aggregation-Induced Emission-Active Photosensitizer-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy for Anti-Psoriasis.

Hyperproliferative keratinocytes and subcutaneous inflammation contribute to the characteristic symptoms of psoriasis, including erythema, scales, or scaly plaques on the skin. These symptoms significantly affect patients' quality of life and cause severe physical and psychological distress. However, current treatment strategies have limited therapeutic effect and may lead to adverse side effects.

Hospital-Treated Infectious Diseases, Infection Burden, and Risk of Lung Cancer: An Observational and Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: Although infections play a role in the development of lung cancer, the longitudinal association between infection and the risk of lung cancer is disputed, and data relating to pathogen types and infection sites are sparse.

Research Question: How do infections affect subsequent lung cancer risk, and is the impact limited to specific microbes rather than infection burden?

Study Design And Methods: Data on > 900 infectious diseases were gathered from the UK Biobank study. Short- and long-term effects of infections were assessed by using time-varying Cox proportional hazards models.

Incidence and Outcomes of Cardiocerebral Infarction: A Cohort Study of 2 National Population-Based Registries.

Background: Cardiocerebral infarction (CCI), which is concomitant with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS), is a rare but severe presentation. However, there are few data on CCI, and the treatment options are uncertain. We investigated the characteristics and outcomes of CCI compared with AMI or AIS alone.

Lower Reoperation Rate and Superior Patient-Reported Outcome Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair With Concomitant Acromioplasty: An Updated Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Purpose: To systematically assess the postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs with or without concomitant acromioplasty through a rigorous systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: This systematic review, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, aimed to identify RCTs comparing clinical outcomes of patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty versus those without at a minimum 12-month follow-up. Databases searched included PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library.

Application of Electro-Activated Dissociation Fragmentation Technique to Identifying Glucuronidation and Oxidative Metabolism Sites of Vepdegestrant by Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Drug metabolite identification is an integrated part of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics studies in drug discovery and development. Definitive identification of metabolic modification sides of test compounds such as screening metabolic soft spots and supporting metabolite synthesis are often required. Currently, liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry is the dominant analytical platform for metabolite identification.

Intensive Ambulance-Delivered Blood-Pressure Reduction in Hyperacute Stroke.

Background: Treatment of acute stroke, before a distinction can be made between ischemic and hemorrhagic types, is challenging. Whether very early blood-pressure control in the ambulance improves outcomes among patients with undifferentiated acute stroke is uncertain.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients with suspected acute stroke that caused a motor deficit and with elevated systolic blood pressure (≥150 mm Hg), who were assessed in the ambulance within 2 hours after the onset of symptoms, to receive immediate treatment to lower the systolic blood pressure (target range, 130 to 140 mm Hg) (intervention group) or usual blood-pressure management (usual-care group).

2024 Chinese Expert Consensus Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in the Elderly, Endorsed by Geriatric Society of Chinese Medical Association (Cardiovascular Group) and Chinese Society of Geriatric Health Medicine (Cardiovascular Branch): Executive Summary.

The consensus guidelines of the Geriatric Society of Chinese Medical Association on the management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the elderly was first published in 2011 and updated in 2016, with endorsement by Chinese Society of Geriatric Health Medicine. Since then, many important studies regarding the screening and treatment in the elderly population have been reported, necessitating this updated expert consensus guideline. The writing committee members comprehensively reviewed updated evidence pertaining to elderly patients with AF, and formulated this 2024 update.

Addition of Preoperative Ultrasound-Guided Suprascapular Nerve Block and Axillary Nerve Block to Parecoxib Is More Effective in Early Postoperative Pain Control After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

Purpose: To prospectively compare pain intensity and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) between patients who received ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) and axillary nerve block (ANB) as well as preincisional parecoxib and patients who received preincisional parecoxib only.

Methods: Sixty-one patients receiving ARCR between March 2020 and March 2021 were prospectively enrolled. They were randomly assigned to the peripheral nerve block group (group N, n = 30) or control group (group C, n = 31).

[A multi-center epidemiological study on pneumococcal meningitis in children from 2019 to 2020].

Objectives: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis (PM), and drug sensitivity of (SP) isolates in Chinese children.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information, laboratory data, and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.

Results: Among the 160 children with PM, there were 103 males and 57 females.

Structuring Cu Membrane Electrode for Maximizing Ethylene Yield from CO Electroreduction.

Electrocatalytic ethylene (CH) evolution from CO reduction is an intriguing route to mitigate both the energy and environmental crises; however, to acquire industrially relevant high productivity and selectivity at low energy cost remains to be challenging. Membrane assembly electrode has shown great prospect and tailoring its architecture for maximizing CH yield at minimum voltage with long-term stability becomes critical. Here a freestanding Cu membrane cathode is designed and constructed by electrochemically depositing mesoporous Cu film on Cu foam to simultaneously manage CO, electron, water, and product transport, which shows an extraordinary CH Faradaic efficiency of 85.

S-Nitrosylation of Septin2 Exacerbates Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection by Coupling the TIAM1-RAC1 Axis in Macrophages.

Background: S-Nitrosylation (SNO), a prototypic redox-based posttranslational modification, is involved in cardiovascular disease. Aortic aneurysm and dissection are high-risk cardiovascular diseases without an effective cure. The aim of this study was to determine the role of SNO of Septin2 in macrophages in aortic aneurysm and dissection.

Comparing Low- or Standard-Dose Alteplase in Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From a Nationwide Registry.

Background: Timely intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy are the standard reperfusion treatments for large vessel occlusion stroke. Currently, it is unknown whether a low-dose thrombolytic agent (0.6 mg/kg alteplase) can offer similar efficacy to the standard dose (0.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Combined with Lenvatinib Plus Sequential Microwave Ablation for Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma Beyond Up-to-Seven Criteria: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Rationale And Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with Lenvatinib plus sequential microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) beyond up-to-seven criteria.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study assessed the medical records of patients with large HCC who underwent TACE combined with Lenvatinib plus sequential MWA (TLM) or TACE plus sequential MWA (TM). Lenvatinib was administered to patients within 3-5 days after TACE and sequential MWA was performed once they met the criteria for curative ablation after TACE or the combination therapy.