Hepatitis B surface antigen levels after hepatitis B e-antigen seroclearance: a longitudinal follow-up study.

Background & Aims: The role of quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) after hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) seroclearance is not well defined. To determine the role of HBsAg levels in predicting significant viremia and hepatitis flares after HBeAg seroclearance.

Methods: A total of 228 chronic hepatitis B patients with spontaneous HBeAg seroclearance were included.

Treatment cessation of entecavir in Asian patients with hepatitis B e antigen negative chronic hepatitis B: a multicentre prospective study.

Background And Objective: The off-treatment durability of nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy in Asian hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and the role of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in predicting off-treatment durability has not been well investigated.

Methods: Following Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver guidelines, entecavir was stopped in Asian HBeAg negative patients treated for ≥ 2 years with undetectable HBV DNA levels on ≥ 3 separate occasions 6 months apart before treatment cessation. HBsAg and HBV DNA levels were prospectively monitored every 6-12 weeks for 48 weeks.

How the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) breached the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

The mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins), a major pine forest pest native to western North America, has extended its range north and eastward during an ongoing outbreak. Determining how the MPB has expanded its range to breach putative barriers, whether physical (nonforested prairie and high elevation of the Rocky Mountains) or climatic (extreme continental climate where temperatures can be below -40 °C), may contribute to our general understanding of range changes as well as management of the current epidemic. Here, we use a panel of 1,536 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess population genetic structure, connectivity, and signals of selection within this MPB range expansion.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of in-stent restenosis after bare metal stenting in native coronary arteries.

In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains the most common complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. Due to shared risk factors, it is postulated that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients have an increased risk of ISR. This study aimed to determine the association between NAFLD and ISR in patients after bare metal stenting.

Effect of hepatitis B virus reverse transcriptase variations on entecavir treatment response.

Background: Entecavir therapy often reduces hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA to an undetectable level, but HBV DNA remain detectable in some patients. We investigated whether baseline HBV reverse transcriptase (rt) polymorphism and quasispecies complexity and diversity were associated with treatment response.

Methods: Pretreatment HBV DNA levels, HBV rt sequence, serology, and quasispecies complexity and diversity from 305 entecavir-treated patients were determined.

New susceptibility and resistance HLA-DP alleles to HBV-related diseases identified by a trans-ethnic association study in Asia.

Previous studies have revealed the association between SNPs located on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genes, including HLA-DP and HLA-DQ, and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, mainly in Asian populations. HLA-DP alleles or haplotypes associated with chronic HBV infection or disease progression have not been fully identified in Asian populations. We performed trans-ethnic association analyses of HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1 alleles and haplotypes with hepatitis B virus infection and disease progression among Asian populations comprising Japanese, Korean, Hong Kong, and Thai subjects.

Increased risk of colorectal malignant neoplasm in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a large study.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been suggested to be a strong risk factor of colorectal benign adenomas and advanced neoplasms. The aim of this large cohort study was to further investigate the prevalence of colorectal malignant neoplasm (CRMN) in patients with NAFLD and determine whether association between NAFLD and CRMN exists. 2,315 community subjects (1,370 males and 945 females) who underwent a routine colonoscopy according to international colorectal cancer screening guideline were recruited.

Defining normal liver stiffness range in a normal healthy Chinese population without liver disease.

Background: For patients with chronic liver disease, different optimal liver stiffness cut-off values correspond to different stages of fibrosis, which are specific for the underlying liver disease and population.

Aims: To establish the normal ranges of liver stiffness in the healthy Chinese population without underlying liver disease.

Methods: This is a prospective cross sectional study of 2,528 healthy volunteers recruited from the general population and the Red Cross Transfusion Center in Hong Kong.

Prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic viral hepatitis B and C infection.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with the majority of cases associated with persistent infection from hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). Natural history studies have identified risk factors associated with HCC development among chronic HBV and HCV infection. High-risk infected individuals can now be identified by the usage of risk predictive scores.

Extrahepatic effects of nucleoside and nucleotide analogues in chronic hepatitis B treatment.

Oral nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) are the mainstay of therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B and are generally well tolerated. Despite this, the safety profile of NAs is of paramount importance since the majority of patients will require long-term treatment. All NAs can potentially affect human DNA polymerase with decrease in mitochondrial DNA, leading to manifestations of mitochondrial toxicity.

Changes of HBsAg and HBV DNA levels in Chinese chronic hepatitis B patients after 5 years of entecavir treatment.

Background And Aim: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) kinetics during long-term entecavir therapy has not been well investigated.

Methods: We described the cumulative serologic, virologic, and biochemical outcomes and the occurrence of signature entecavir mutations among 222 Chinese treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving entecavir for up to 5 years.

Results: The median rate of HBsAg reduction over 5 years was 0.

Disentangling detoxification: gene expression analysis of feeding mountain pine beetle illuminates molecular-level host chemical defense detoxification mechanisms.

The mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, is a native species of bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) that caused unprecedented damage to the pine forests of British Columbia and other parts of western North America and is currently expanding its range into the boreal forests of central and eastern Canada and the USA. We conducted a large-scale gene expression analysis (RNA-seq) of mountain pine beetle male and female adults either starved or fed in male-female pairs for 24 hours on lodgepole pine host tree tissues. Our aim was to uncover transcripts involved in coniferophagous mountain pine beetle detoxification systems during early host colonization.

Structure of UreG/UreF/UreH complex reveals how urease accessory proteins facilitate maturation of Helicobacter pylori urease.

Urease is a metalloenzyme essential for the survival of Helicobacter pylori in acidic gastric environment. Maturation of urease involves carbamylation of Lys219 and insertion of two nickel ions at its active site. This process requires GTP hydrolysis and the formation of a preactivation complex consisting of apo-urease and urease accessory proteins UreF, UreH, and UreG.

Characterization of pressure reduction in coil-filled aneurysm under flow of human blood with and without anti-coagulant.

Filling aneurysms with embolization coils is a widely used part of the treatment to stop intracranial aneurysm from rupturing. However, the effect of coiling on aneurysmal pressure has not been established. In this study, the effect of intra-aneurysmal coiling on pressure reduction was characterized.

Use of liver stiffness measurement for liver resection surgery: correlation with indocyanine green clearance testing and post-operative outcome.

Background: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using transient elastography has recently become available for the assessment of liver fibrosis. Whether LSM can predict the functional liver reserve in patients undergoing liver resection is not certain.

Aim: To correlate liver stiffness measurement (LSM) with indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test and liver biochemistry, and to determine its usefulness in predicting postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing liver resection.

HLA-DP and γ-interferon receptor-2 gene variants and their association with viral hepatitis activity in chronic hepatitis B infection.

Background And Aim: Studies show that polymorphisms in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DP loci and certain γ-interferon (IFN-γ) signaling pathway genes are related to persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and viral load in chronic HBV (CHB) infection respectively. Our study aims to determine whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to HLA-DP loci and IFN-γ signaling pathway are associated with HBV activities.

Methods: We compared the SNPs in the HLA-DPA1 gene (rs3077) and the IFN-γ receptor-2 gene (rs2284553 and rs9808753) of 100 treatment-naive hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative CHB patients with undetectable HBV DNA with 100 age- and sex-matched controls with HBV DNA > 2000 IU/mL.

Phase IIb multicentred randomised trial of besifovir (LB80380) versus entecavir in Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Besifovir (LB80380) is an acyclic nucleotide phosphonate effective in hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA suppression for both treatment-naive and lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in preliminary studies.

Design: We aimed to compare the safety and antiviral activity of two doses of besifovir (90 mg and 150 mg daily) with entecavir 0.5 mg daily in CHB patients.

Chinese Medicines as an Adjuvant Therapy for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma during Transarterial Chemoembolization: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective. To conduct a comprehensive PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicines (CMs) as an adjuvant therapy for unresectable HCC during transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Methods.

Factors for hepatitis B vaccination and abnormal liver function in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a single center experience.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic and past hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and to determine the risk factors associated with having received no vaccination for HBV and abnormal liver function among our patients.

Methods: The prevalence of chronic or past infection with HBV infection and effective HBV vaccination were determined in patients with IBD who attended the IBD Clinic of the Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, China. Risk factors associated with the absence of HBV vaccination and abnormal liver function were identified.

Role of HLA-DP polymorphisms on chronicity and disease activity of hepatitis B infection in Southern Chinese.

Background And Aims: The association between HLA-DP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection varies between different populations. We aimed to study the association between HLA-DP SNPs and HBV infection and disease activity in the Chinese population of Hong Kong.

Methods: We genotyped SNPs rs3077 (near HLA-DPA1) and rs9277378 and rs3128917 (both near HLA-DPB1) in 500 HBV carriers (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]-positive), 245 non-HBV infected controls (HBsAg- and antibody to hepatitis B core protein [anti-HBc]-negative), and 259 subjects with natural HBV clearance (HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive).

Patterns of hepatitis B surface antigen decline and HBV DNA suppression in Asian treatment-experienced chronic hepatitis B patients after three years of tenofovir treatment.

Background & Aims: Patterns of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) decline during nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy have not been well investigated.

Methods: We determined the cumulative serologic, virologic, and biochemical outcomes of 142 Asian CHB patients, with at least 6 months exposure to other NAs, receiving tenofovir with or without lamivudine for up to 3 years. Liver biochemistry, serum HBV DNA, and HBsAg levels were determined at baseline, 6 months and yearly from years 1 to 3.

Role of IL28B and inosine triphosphatase polymorphisms in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 6 infection.

IL28B and inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) polymorphisms are able to predict treatment response and degree of ribavirin-related anaemia, respectively, in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, their roles in the treatment of chronic HCV genotype 6 remain undetermined. Sixty patients who were infected with HCV genotype 6 were commenced on 48 weeks of combination pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy.

Assembling the 20 Gb white spruce (Picea glauca) genome from whole-genome shotgun sequencing data.

Unlabelled: White spruce (Picea glauca) is a dominant conifer of the boreal forests of North America, and providing genomics resources for this commercially valuable tree will help improve forest management and conservation efforts. Sequencing and assembling the large and highly repetitive spruce genome though pushes the boundaries of the current technology. Here, we describe a whole-genome shotgun sequencing strategy using two Illumina sequencing platforms and an assembly approach using the ABySS software.

Transcriptome resources and functional characterization of monoterpene synthases for two host species of the mountain pine beetle, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana).

Background: The mountain pine beetle (MPB, Dendroctonus ponderosae) epidemic has affected lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) across an area of more than 18 million hectares of pine forests in western Canada, and is a threat to the boreal jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forest. Defence of pines against MPB and associated fungal pathogens, as well as other pests, involves oleoresin monoterpenes, which are biosynthesized by families of terpene synthases (TPSs). Volatile monoterpenes also serve as host recognition cues for MPB and as precursors for MPB pheromones.