Protocol for screening and validating antibodies specific to protein phosphorylation sites using a set of yeast biopanning approaches.

Developing antibodies with high specificity against post-translationally modified epitopes remains a challenge. Yeast biopanning is well suited in screening for high-specificity binders. Here, we present a protocol for screening and validating antibodies specific to protein phosphorylation sites using a set of yeast biopanning approaches.

Mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with tenofovir or entecavir: A multinational study.

Background And Aim: The benefits of entecavir (ETV) versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in reducing the development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related hepatocellular carcinoma remain controversial. Whether mortality rates differ between patients with CHB treated with ETV and those treated with TDF is unclear.

Methods: A total of 2542 patients with CHB treated with either ETV or TDF were recruited from a multinational cohort.

Reduced Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Receiving Long-Term Besifovir Therapy.

No information is available regarding the influence of besifovir (BSV), a new nucleotide analogue, on the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study evaluated the reduced risk of HCC in patients undergoing BSV treatment. A total of 188 patients with CHB were treated with BSV for up to 8 years.

The efficacy of newly proposed gastric open peroral endoscopic myotomy (GO-POEM) in preventing post-endoscopic submucosal dissection stenosis: A comparison with non-GO-POEM group.

Extensive endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric adenoma or early cancer can lead to post-ESD stenosis. This may cause a decrease in quality of life and an increase in medical issues. Therefore, this study examined the safety and effectiveness of gastric open peroral endoscopic myotomy (GO-POEM) in preventing stenosis following ESD.

Sex Differences in Treatment Response to Nucleos(t)ide Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B: A Multicenter Longitudinal Study.

Background & Aims: It is unclear if there may be sex differences in response to nucleos(t)ide analogs including virologic response (VR), biochemical response (BR), complete response (CR), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence among hepatitis B patients. We compared nucleos(t)ide analog treatment outcomes by sex.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 3388 treatment-naïve adult hepatitis B patients (1250 female, 2138 male) from the Real-World Evidence from the Global Alliance for the Study of Hepatitis B Virus consortium who initiated therapy with either entecavir or tenofovir from 22 sites (Argentina, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States).

Yeast biopanning against site-specific phosphorylations in tau.

The detection of site-specific phosphorylation in the microtubule-associated protein tau is emerging as a means to diagnose and monitor the progression of Alzheimer's Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, there is a lack of phospho-specific monoclonal antibodies and limited validation of their binding specificity. Here, we report a novel approach using yeast biopanning against synthetic peptides containing site-specific phosphorylations.

Inner surface modification of polyurethane ureteral stents using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition to improve the resistance to encrustation in a pig model.

Purpose: We developed a ureteral stent with a non-fouling inner surface using plasma micro-surface modification technology. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this stent in animal model.

Materials And Methods: Ureteral stents were placed in five Yorkshire pigs.

Personalized Antiviral Drug Selection in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Using a Machine Learning Model: A Multinational Study.

Introduction: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is reportedly superior or at least comparable to entecavir (ETV) for the prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B; however, it has distinct long-term renal and bone toxicities. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning model (designated as Prediction of Liver cancer using Artificial intelligence-driven model for Network-antiviral Selection for hepatitis B [PLAN-S]) to predict an individualized risk of HCC during ETV or TDF therapy.

Methods: This multinational study included 13,970 patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Depth-multiplexed ptychographic microscopy for high-throughput imaging of stacked bio-specimens on a chip.

Imaging a large number of bio-specimens at high speed is essential for many biomedical applications. The common strategy is to place specimens at different lateral positions and image them sequentially. Here we report a new on-chip imaging strategy, termed depth-multiplexed ptychographic microscopy (DPM), for parallel imaging and sensing at high speed.

The effects of moderate alcohol consumption on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is accepted as a counterpart to alcohol-related liver disease because it is defined as hepatic steatosis without excessive use of alcohol. However, the definition of moderate alcohol consumption, as well as whether moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial or detrimental, remains controversial. In this review, the findings of clinical studies to date with high-quality evidence regarding the effects of moderate alcohol consumption in NAFLD patients were compared and summarized.

Non-Inferior Efficacy of Tenofovir Disoproxil to Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate in Virologically Suppressed Chronic Hepatitis B Patients.

Purpose: Tenofovir disoproxil (TD), modified from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), was developed as a salt-free formulation, removing fumarate to improve the ease of oral intake by reducing the tablet's size. We evaluated the maintenance of antiviral effects and overall safety profile of TD 245 mg after switching from TDF 300 mg in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Patients And Methods: CHB patients with HBV-DNA <69 IU/mL after ≥24 weeks of TDF therapy were enrolled.

Isolated Hepatitis B Core Antibody Positivity and Long-Term Liver-Related Mortality in Korea: A Cohort Study.

Introduction: Whether isolated hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) positivity is a risk factor for long-term liver-related outcomes in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-endemic areas remains unclear. We aimed to investigate liver-related and liver cancer mortality of isolated anti-HBc positivity in Korean adults.

Methods: A cohort study comprised 609,299 Korean adults who underwent hepatitis B serologic markers, as a part of health examination.

Effectiveness of entecavir vs tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for functional cure of chronic hepatitis B in an international cohort.

Introduction: Both entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) are first-line therapies for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but their comparative effectiveness with regards to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance remains unclear.

Methods: This international multicenter cohort study enrolled 7697 treatment-naïve CHB patients (median age 50 years; male 66.75%) initiated on either ETV (n = 5430) or TDF (n = 2267) without baseline malignancy or immunosuppression from 23 centers across 10 countries or regions.

Inner surface modification of ureteral stent polyurethane tubes based by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition to reduce encrustation and biofilm formation.

Encrustation and/or biofilm formation in ureteral stents are major causes of obstruction and reduce the lifetime of a ureteral stent. In this study, the inner surfaces of polyurethane (PU) tubes (inner and outer diameters of 1.2 and 2.

Degradation-driven protein level oscillation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Generating robust, predictable perturbations in cellular protein levels will advance our understanding of protein function and enable the control of physiological outcomes in biotechnology applications. Timed periodic changes in protein levels play a critical role in the cell division cycle, cellular stress response, and development. Here we report the generation of robust protein level oscillations by controlling the protein degradation rate in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Risk of liver fibrosis in patients with prediabetes and diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of liver fibrosis in those with no glucose intolerance, prediabetes, or diabetes. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on a cohort from a health examination program which included a magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). Participants were classified into three groups according to glucose tolerance: no glucose intolerance, prediabetes, and diabetes mellitus.

Effect of L-carnitine on quality of life in covert hepatic encephalopathy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background/aims: L-carnitine is potentially beneficial in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). We aimed to evaluate the impact of L-carnitine on the quality of life and liver function in patients with liver cirrhosis and covert HE.

Methods: We conducted an investigator-initiated, prospective, multi-center, double- blind, randomized phase III trial in patients with covert HE.

Safety and efficacy of prophylactic gastric open peroral endoscopic myotomy for prevention of post-ESD stenosis: A case series (with video).

Objective: Endoscopic resection of over 3/4 of the lumen of the antrum or pylorus is a known risk factor for post-endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) stenosis. Local or systemic steroids may reduce the risk of stenosis, but their overall role in stenosis prevention remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic gastric open peroral endoscopic myotomy (GO-POEM) in preventing post-ESD stenosis.

A Multi-Center, Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Phase III Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Antiviral Activity and Safety of DA-2802 (Tenofovir Disoproxil Orotate) and Viread (Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate) in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients.

Background: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF, Viread) had been used as a standard treatment option of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DA-2802 (tenofovir disoproxil orotate) compared to TDF.

Methods: The present study was a double blind randomized controlled trial.

Longitudinal renal changes in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with entecavir versus TDF: a REAL-B study.

Background And Aims: We aimed to compare the longitudinal changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with entecavir (ETV) vs. tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).

Methods: This is a retrospective study of 6189 adult treatment-naïve CHB patients initiated therapy with TDF (n = 2482) or ETV (n = 3707) at 25 international centers using multivariable generalized linear modeling (GLM) to determine mean eGFR (mL/min/1.

Relationship between gut microbiome diversity and hepatitis B viral load in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with a reduced risk of developing dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. Given that the gut microbiota plays a significant role in cholesterol metabolism, we compared the differences in gut microbial diversity and composition between HBV-infected and uninfected subjects.

Results: A prospective case-control study was designed comprising healthy controls (group A) and HBV-infected individuals (group B) in a 1:1 ratio (57 participants each; total = 114).

Incidence and risk of venous thromboembolism according to primary treatment type in women with endometrial cancer: a population-based study.

Background: Current prophylaxes and treatments for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in women with gynecologic cancer are mainly guided by studies on solid cancers because studies in gynecologic cancer did not provide sufficient data. Large-scale studies evaluating the incidence and risk of VTE according to therapeutic modality may guide prophylaxis and treatment of VTE in gynecologic cancer. This study was performed to determine the incidence and risk of VTE according to primary treatment type in Korean women with endometrial cancer.

On-treatment gamma-glutamyl transferase predicts the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background & Aims: Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) has been predictive of chronic hepatitis C-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Its role in the risk of HCC in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with nucleotide/nucleoside analogues (NAs) is elusive.

Methods: A total of 2172 CHB patients from East Asia were randomized into development and validation groups in a 1:2 ratio.