Detecting advanced liver fibrosis using ultrasound shear wave velocity measurement in the general population.

Background: Advanced fibrosis detection in the general population is an unmet need. Additionally, screening method for advanced fibrosis in the general population is not established. Thus, this study aimed to examine the use of shear wave measurement (SWM), which measures liver stiffness by ultrasound elastography as a screening tool for advanced fibrosis in health checkups that represents the general population.

Liver fibrosis and fatty liver as independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Background And Aim: The association between liver fibrosis, fatty liver, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is unknown. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the association of liver fibrosis and fatty liver with CVD risk independent of already known CVD risk comorbidities.

Methods: This is a prospective study registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network clinical trial registry (UMIN000036175).

Agglutinin-Positive Mac-2 Binding Protein as a Screening Tool for Significant Liver Fibrosis in Health Checkup.

Chronic liver disease is generally widespread, and a test for screening fibrotic subjects in a large population is needed. The ability of agglutinin-positive mac-2 binding protein (WFA-M2BP) to detect significant fibrosis was investigated in health checkup subjects in this research. Of 2021 health checkup subjects enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study, those with WFA-M2BP ≥ 1.

Resistance-Associated NS5A Variants of Hepatitis C Virus Are Susceptible to Interferon-Based Therapy.

Background & Aims: The presence of resistance-associated variants (RAVs) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) attenuates the efficacy of direct acting antivirals (DAAs). The objective of this study was to characterize the susceptibility of RAVs to interferon-based therapy.

Methods: Direct and deep sequencing were performed to detect Y93H RAV in the NS5A region.

Naturally occurring, resistance-associated hepatitis C virus NS5A variants are linked to interleukin-28B genotype and are sensitive to interferon-based therapy.

Aim: The presence of resistance-associated variants (RAV) may attenuate the efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) in combination therapy for hepatitis C. The aim of this study was to characterize the NS3 and NS5A regions of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in naturally occurring RAV.

Methods: The NS3 and NS5A regions of HCV were amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction and their nucleotide sequences were determined by direct sequencing in 493 genotype 1b patients naive to DAA-based therapies.

Reproducibility and usability of chronic virus infection model using agent-based simulation; comparing with a mathematical model.

We created agent-based models that visually simulate conditions of chronic viral infections using two software. The results from two models were consistent, when they have same parameters during the actual simulation. The simulation results comprise a transient phase and an equilibrium phase, and unlike the mathematical model, virus count transit smoothly to the equilibrium phase without overshooting which correlates with actual biology in vivo of certain viruses.

Targeting lipid metabolism in the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection.

Recently, microdomains of organelle membranes rich in sphingomyelin and cholesterol (called "lipid rafts") have been considered to act as a scaffold for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication complex. Using the HCV cell culture system, we investigated the effect of myriocin, a sphingomyelin synthesis inhibitor, on HCV replication. We also investigated the combined effect of myriocin with interferon (IFN) and myriocin with simvastatin.

Hepatitis C virus non-structural proteins responsible for suppression of the RIG-I/Cardif-induced interferon response.

Viral infections activate cellular expression of type I interferons (IFNs). These responses are partly triggered by RIG-I and mediated by Cardif, TBK1, IKKepsilon and IRF-3. This study analysed the mechanisms of dsRNA-induced IFN responses in various cell lines that supported subgenomic hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication.

Inhibition of 17alpha-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase (CYP17) from rat testis by green tea catechins and black tea theaflavins.

In the course of screening for 17alpha-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase inhibitors from food ingredients, the methanol soluble fraction of green tea and black tea, which were expected to be rich in catechin and theaflavin content, showed potent inhibitory activity. (-)-Epigallocathechin gallate and theaflavin 3-O-gallate with a pirogallol moiety significantly inhibited C17,20-lyase activity on IC50 values of 24.5 microM and 11.