Combined bictegravir, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide for treating people with HIV: a plain language summary of the BICSTaR study up to 1 year.

What Is This Summary About?: This is a summary of an article about an ongoing study called the BICSTaR study.The BICSTaR study includes people with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) who are taking a medicine called bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (shortened to B/F/TAF). B/F/TAF is a single tablet that contains 3 different drugs for the treatment of HIV.

Positivity of high-sensitivity HBsAg test, not previous HBV infection, indicates poor prognosis in patients with non-HBV-related HCC.

Background And Aims: The prognostic impact of previous-HBV-infection (pHBV) in non-HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (non-HBV-related-HCC) and the prevalence, characteristics and significance of recently developed high-sensitivity HBs antigen positivity (hHBsAg+) in these patients remain unclear. We aimed to close these gaps.

Methods: We retrospectively screened patients with newly diagnosed non-HBV-related-HCC (standard HBsAg-test negative) at Hokkaido University.

The impact of alternate HPV vaccination and cervical screening strategies in Japan: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background: The Japanese 2020 cervical screening guidelines recommend conventional cervical cytology screening every 2-years for women aged 20-69 years. The nonavalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has also recently been approved in Japan. We therefore evaluated the cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening strategies alongside universal nonavalent HPV vaccination of girls (12-16 years).

HIV-1 Resistance to Islatravir/Tenofovir Combination Therapy in Wild-Type or NRTI-Resistant Strains of Diverse HIV-1 Subtypes.

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and islatravir (ISL, 4'-ethynyl-2-fluoro-2'-deoxyadensine, or MK-8591) are highly potent nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Resistance to TDF and ISL is conferred by K65R and M184V, respectively. Furthermore, K65R and M184V increase sensitivity to ISL and TDF, respectively.

Trends in the effect of COVID-19 on consultations for persons with clinical and subclinical eating disorders.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the risk of individuals developing eating disorders and has exacerbated existing eating disorders. This observational study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with clinical and subclinical eating disorders.

Methods: This study was conducted over a period of four years: two years before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Synthesis of novel entecavir analogues having 4'-cyano-6''-fluoromethylenecyclopentene skeletons as an aglycone moiety as highly potent and long-acting anti-hepatitis B virus agent.

Encouraged by our recent findings that 4'-cyano-deoxyguanosine (2), entecavir analogues 4 and 5 are highly potent anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) agents, we designed and synthesized 6 having a hybridized structure of 4 and 5. The chiral quaternary carbon portion at the 4'-position, which is substituted by cyano- and 5'-hydroxymethyl groups, was stereospecifically constructed by radical-mediated 5- mode cyclization of 10. The introduction of the fluorine atom into the 6''-position was achieved by radical-mediated stannylation of sulfide ()-11 and subsequent electrophilic fluorination of ()-12.

A multi-center, randomized, parallel-group study to compare the efficacy of enhanced cognitive behavior therapy (CBT-E) with treatment as usual (TAU) for anorexia nervosa: study protocol.

Background: The superiority of Enhanced Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT-E) with regard to weight gain and improvement of psychopathology of eating disorders for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) over other psychotherapies and treatment as usual (TAU) has not been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, a previous RCT showed that patients with AN whose baseline body mass index (BMI) was less than 17.5 kg/m gained more weight when treated with CBT-E than with other psychotherapies.

Validation of a drug-based score in advanced urothelial carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab.

To validate a 'drug score' that stratifies patients receiving immunotherapy based on concomitant medications (antibiotics/proton pump inhibitors/corticosteroids) in urothelial carcinoma (UC). We assessed oncological outcomes according to the drug score in 242 patients with advanced UC treated with pembrolizumab. The drug score classified patients into three risk groups with significantly different survivals.

Effects of a novel hepatitis B anti-viral drug E-CFCP in renal organic acid transporters.

Currently, the emergence of drug resistance is an important issue in the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Recently, our collaborating group developed a novel long-acting anti-HBV drug, E-CFCP. However, until this study, the effects of E-CFCP in the kidney have remained unclarified.

Genotype prevalence and age distribution of human papillomavirus from infection to cervical cancer in Japanese women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: National HPV vaccination coverage in Japan is less than one percent of the eligible population and cervical cancer incidence and mortality are increasing. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a comprehensive estimate of HPV genotype prevalence for Japan.

Methods: English and Japanese databases were searched to March 2021 for research reporting HPV genotypes in cytology and histology samples from Japanese women.

The importance of an eating disorder treatment support center in Japan: A survey from 2017 to 2020.

We investigated the impact of medical collaboration between the Chiba Eating Disorder (ED) Treatment Support Center (CSC) in Chiba Prefecture and the ED treatment center at Kohnodai Hospital. We calculated the number of consultations performed by the CSC and referral rate to other medical facilities from October 2017 to March 2020, as well as the clinical characteristics of the patients treated at our hospital from April 2016 to March 2020. Data on duration of hospitalization and increase in body mass index (BMI) during hospitalization were recorded.

Design, Synthesis and X-Ray Structural Studies of Potent HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors Containing C-4 Substituted Tricyclic Hexahydro-Furofuran Derivatives as P2 Ligands.

The design, synthesis, X-ray structural, and biological evaluation of a series of highly potent HIV-1 protease inhibitors are reported herein. These inhibitors incorporate novel cyclohexane-fused tricyclic bis-tetrahydrofuran as P2 ligands in combination with a variety of P1 and P2' ligands. The inhibitor with a difluoromethylphenyl P1 ligand and a cyclopropylaminobenzothiazole P2' ligand exhibited the most potent antiviral activity.

FGFR2 maintains cancer cell differentiation via AKT signaling in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) are important for signaling to maintain cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, which FGF receptor, 1, 2, 3, 4, and L1, is essential or whether FGFRs have distinct different roles in ESCC-CSCs is still in question. This study shows that FGFR2, particularly the IIIb isoform, is highly expressed in non-CSCs.

Genetic characterization of -acetyltransferase 2 variants in acquired multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Indonesia.

Owing to the high resistance rate of tuberculosis (TB) to isoniazid, which is metabolized by -acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), we investigated the associations between variants and multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB. The acetylator status based on haplotypes of 128 patients with MDR-TB in Indonesia were compared with our published data from patients with anti-TB drug-induced liver injury (AT-DILI), TB and the general population. was more frequent in the MDR-TB group than in the AT-DILI group, TB controls and general controls.

Identification of a novel long-acting 4'-modified nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor against HBV.

Background & Aims: While certain nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are efficacious in treating HBV infection, their effects are yet to be optimized and the emergence of NRTI-resistant HBV variants is an issue because of the requirement for lifelong treatment. The development of agents that more profoundly suppress wild-type and drug-resistant HBVs, and that have a long-acting effect, are crucial to improve patient outcomes.

Methods: Herein, we synthesized a novel long-acting 4'-modified NRTI termed E-CFCP.

Comparison of major definitions of sarcopenia based on the skeletal muscle index in patients with urothelial carcinoma.

For the past decade, sarcopenia has been actively investigated in various cancers, including urothelial carcinoma (UC). Although skeletal muscle index (SMI) is the main parameter used to evaluate sarcopenia in oncology, the optimal definition of SMI-based sarcopenia is not entirely standardized. We recently highlighted the potential limitations of current definitions of SMI-based sarcopenia in another journal.

Correction to: Very long chain fatty acids are an important marker of nutritional status in patients with anorexia nervosa: a case control study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13030-020-00186-8.].

Very long chain fatty acids are an important marker of nutritional status in patients with anorexia nervosa: a case control study.

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a disease resulting in extreme weight loss. It is caused by multiple factors, including psychosocial, environmental, and genetic factors. A genetic abnormality affecting lipid metabolism has been recently reported in patients with AN.

Lenvatinib suppresses cancer stem-like cells in HCC by inhibiting FGFR1-3 signaling, but not FGFR4 signaling.

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a subset of cells defined by high CD44 and CD133 expression has been reported to possess cancer stem-like cell (CSC) characteristics and to be associated with a poor prognosis. Since the approval of the multikinase inhibitor, lenvatinib, for patients with unresectable HCC, two such inhibitors (sorafenib and lenvatinib) have been employed as first-line systemic chemotherapeutics for these patients. Based on differences in the kinase-affinity profiles between these two drugs, evidence has suggested that both exert different effects on HCC, although these differences are not fully characterized.

Portal hypertension in prolonged anorexia nervosa with laxative abuse: a case report with liver and kidney biopsy data.

Purpose: We previously reported three cases of portal hypertension in patients with prolonged anorexia nervosa (AN) with laxative abuse and self-induced vomiting; we now report a fourth, similar case.

Methods: A 34-year-old woman with anorexia nervosa, binge-eating/purging type (AN-BP), presented to the Kohnodai Hospital National Center for Global Health and Medicine Psychosomatic Medicine Department for treatment of low body weight. We conducted hepatic and renal biopsies and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to evaluate her complicated liver disease, renal failure, and cardiac insufficiency, respectively.

7-Deaza-7-fluoro modification confers on 4'-cyano-nucleosides potent activity against entecavir/adefovir-resistant HBV variants and favorable safety.

We designed, synthesized and identified a novel nucleoside derivative, 4'-C-cyano-7-deaza-7-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine (CdFA), which exerts potent anti-HBV activity (IC ~26 nM) with favorable hepatocytotoxicity (CC ~56 μM). Southern blot analysis using wild-type HBV (HBV)-encoding-plasmid-transfected HepG2 cells revealed that CdFA efficiently suppresses the production of HBV (IC = 153.7 nM), entecavir (ETV)-resistant HBV carrying L180M/S202G/M204V substitutions (HBV; IC = 373.

NAT2 slow acetylator is associated with anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury severity in indonesian population.

We investigated the contribution of NAT2 variants and acetylator status to anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (AT-DILI) severity. 100 patients with clinically severe AT-DILI and 210 non-AT-DILI controls were subjected to NAT2 genotyping by direct DNA sequencing. NAT2 slow acetylator was significantly associated with AT-DILI risk (p = 2.

The role of the G20 economies in global health.

The Meetings of Health Ministers of the Group of Twenty (G20) that started at the G20 Summit in Berlin, Germany in 2017 have provided a platform for the discussion of global health matters such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), public health emergencies, and universal health coverage. Similar issues are also discussed at meetings of the G7 and the World Health Assembly (WHA). This article will examine recent data to explore the characteristics of the G20 and its potential for improving health outcomes.