Polydopamine Nanodots Ameliorate Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Restoring Redox Homeostasis and Intestinal Microenvironment.

Efficient elimination of intestinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and accelerated alleviation of proinflammatory microenvironment are considered as a direct approach for the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although promising, current treatments focusing on the intestinal inflammation resolution are still unsatisfactory and far from their practical applications. To address these limitations, novel polydopamine nanodots (PDA NDs) are rationally designed and developed as an efficient oral formulation for the targeted IBD treatment by regulating intestinal oxidative stress and proinflammatory microenvironment.

Clinical Value of Complement C3a, C5a, and sC5b-9 in Evaluating the Severity of Patients with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.

Purpose: Hyperactive immune responses in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is considered to associated with disease severity, prognosis and complications. This article aims to evaluate the validity of complement C3a, C5a, and sC5b-9 in predicting the severity and clinical outcomes in SFTS.

Patients And Methods: Patients diagnosed with SFTS at the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from March to November 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective analysis.

Near infrared light-enhanced peroxidase-like catalytic activity of copper tannic acid nanosheets for ultrasensitive detection of volatile sulfur compounds.

Monitoring the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) including HS in the oral cavity allows the assessment of severity for various periodontal disease. Rational design of dual-functional copper tannic acid nanosheets with tunable peroxidase-like catalytic activity and efficient photothermal property has enabled the development of a novel near infrared (NIR) light-enhanced colorimetric platform for the ultrasensitive detection of disease-related VSCs. The system achieves NIR light-enhanced sensing performance with a broad linear range (0.

Metabolic factors drive early increase in hepatic steatosis despite improvement in non-invasive fibrosis markers after hepatitis C eradication with direct-acting antivirals.

Background: While direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) achieve high sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in people with hepatitis C virus (HCV), their impact on hepatic steatosis (HS) remains unclear.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 108 HCV patients from McGill University and the University of Milan who achieved SVR following DAAs. Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were used to assess HS and liver fibrosis at baseline and 24 weeks post-SVR.

Dynamic alterations of circulating lymphocytes during the trajectory of Hantaan virus-induced hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

Introduction: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a zoonotic disease with high mortality. Almost 90% of global cases of HFRS are induced by Hantaan virus (HTNV) infection. Although lymphocyte dysfunction is a critical factor in HFRS progression, the specific immune dynamics of HTNV remain unexplored, and current analyses predominantly depend on single-time point sampling.

In Situ Valence Engineering of Copper Silicate Nanozymes with Enhanced Peroxidase-Like Catalytic Activity for Oral Disease Detection.

As a series of attractive nanomaterials, nanozymes with great catalytic activity and specificity are well developed in the field of biosensors. Although promising, the lack of appropriate structural design strategy and limitation of sensing performance in the clinical samples remain challenging for the practical application of nanozymes. Herein, a novel copper silicate nanozyme (CSHSs-Ar) with enhanced peroxidase-like catalytic activity is synthesized through a facile in situ valence-engineered approach.

Tuning the amphiphilicity of agarose by grafting phenolic acids: A versatile approach for developing lutein-loaded emulsion gels.

In this study, three phenolic acids, namely 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (DBA), 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DPA), and 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylpropanoic acid (DPPA), were grafted onto agarose molecules to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of agarose. DBA-grafted agarose (DBA-AG), DPA-grafted agarose (DPA-AG), and DPPA-grafted agarose (DPPA-AG) were prepared and used as encapsulation materials to construct a lutein-loaded emulsion gel delivery system. The results confirmed that phenolic acids were successfully grafted onto the agarose backbone via ester bonds, with a grafting degree of approximately 8 %.

Association of MASLD Phenotypes With Liver Fibrosis in Hepatitis C: The Role of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors.

Steatotic liver disease is prevalent among people with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The new definition of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) emphasises the metabolic drivers of steatosis and recognises its frequent coexistence with other chronic liver diseases, including HCV. We aimed to evaluate the association of coexisting MASLD and HCV with liver fibrosis.

Ultra-small quercetin-based nanotherapeutics ameliorate acute liver failure by combatting inflammation/cellular senescence cycle.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is marked by a substantial generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can induce both cellular senescence and a pronounced inflammatory response. Senescent cells secrete factors collectively termed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which exacerbate inflammation, while inflammation can reciprocally promote cellular senescence. Quercetin (Que), recognized for its ROS-scavenging capabilities, holds the potential for anti-inflammatory and anti-senescent effects.

Triple-mode sensing platform for acetylcholinesterase activity monitoring and anti-Alzheimer's drug screening based on a highly stable Cu (I) compound.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and AChE inhibitors play critical roles in the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Herein, a fluorescence/colorimetry/smartphone triple-mode sensing platform was constructed for both AChE activity monitoring and AChE inhibitor screening by exploring a Cu (I) compound, CuI (SR) (R = CHCHNH), as a fluorescent probe. In comparison of most other fluorescent probes, CuI (SR) presented exceptional stability against pH, temperature, UV irradiation, redox agents, and metal ions, as well as good recyclability due to its unique chemical structure.

A Pathological Diagnosis Method for Fever of Unknown Origin Based on Multipath Hierarchical Classification: Model Design and Validation.

Background: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a significant challenge for the medical community due to its association with a wide range of diseases, the complexity of diagnosis, and the likelihood of misdiagnosis. Machine learning can extract valuable information from the extensive data of patient indicators, aiding doctors in diagnosing the underlying cause of FUO.

Objective: The study aims to design a multipath hierarchical classification algorithm to diagnose FUO due to the hierarchical structure of the etiology of FUO.

Real-world clinical data-driven modelling on the initiation time of antiviral prophylaxis among pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Background & Aims: The risk of mother-to-child transmission for pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) still exists, especially for those with high HBV DNA levels. The guidelines for initiating prophylaxis for pregnant women with CHB vary across countries. We aimed to explore the latest prophylaxis initiation time for these women.

Tenofovir and Hepatitis B Virus Transmission During Pregnancy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Standard care for preventing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in highly viremic mothers consists of maternal antiviral prophylaxis beginning at gestational week 28 combined with an HBV vaccine series and HBV immune globulin (HBIG) at birth. However, HBIG is unavailable in some resource-limited areas.

Objective: To determine whether initiating tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) at gestational week 16 combined with HBV vaccinations for infants is noninferior to the standard care of TDF at gestational week 28 combined with HBV vaccinations and HBIG for infants in preventing MTCT in mothers with HBV and high levels of viremia.

Development and validation of a multivariable nomogram predictive of hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion after pregnancy in hepatitis B virus-infected mothers.

Background And Aims: Current guidelines are controversial regarding the continuation of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) therapy after delivery in Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected pregnant women. The postpartum period may be an opportune moment for achieving hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion earlier with constant NAs therapy due to the restoration of immune function after delivery. We investigated prenatal and pregnant factors associated with HBeAg seroconversion after pregnancy and developed a nomogram to predict HBeAg seroconversion rates, aiding decision-making for optimal management in women.

Biocompatible Metal-Organic Framework-Based Fabric Composite as an Efficient Personal Protective Equipment for Particulate Matter-Induced Pulmonary Injury.

Efficient personal protection has emerged as a crucial approach for reducing pulmonary injury induced by particulate matter (PM). However, current personal protective equipments usually lack essential biosafety concerns and fail to own adsorbing/antioxidant/antibacterial function together, making it a challenge to develop an integrated platform with the above characteristics. Herein, a facile oxygen-free hydrothermal strategy is proposed to synthesize new copper-based metal-organic frameworks, Cu-HHTPs, (HHTP: 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene), with great adsorbing/antioxidant/antibacterial activity and high biosafety.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives as emerging biomaterials for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

As a novel class of smart biomaterials with promising potentials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are widely utilized in the field of biomedicine. Current researches indicate that the therapeutic strategies for osteoarthritis (OA) are highly limited to achieving symptom improvement and reducing both pain and inflammation. Together, the introduction of MOFs into the treatment of OA holds the potential to offer significant benefits.

A high functional cure rate was induced by pegylated interferon alpha-2b treatment in postpartum hepatitis B e antigen-negative women with chronic hepatitis B virus infection: an exploratory study.

Background And Aims: Limited data have been reported on achieving functional cure using pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) alpha-2b treatment for postpartum hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative women with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of Peg-IFN alpha-2b in HBV postpartum women without HBeAg and identify factors linked to the functional cure.

Methods: A total of 150 HBeAg-negative postpartum women were retrospectively recruited.

Artificial Bacteriophages for Treating Oral Infectious Disease via Localized Bacterial Capture and Enhanced Catalytic Sterilization.

With the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, nanomaterial-assisted catalytic sterilization has been well developed to combat pathogenic bacteria by elevating the level of reactive oxygen species including hydroxyl radical (·OH). Although promising, the ultra-short lifetime and limited diffusion distance of ·OH severely limit their practical antibacterial usage. Herein, the rational design and preparation of novel virus-like copper silicate hollow spheres (CSHSs) are reported, as well as their applications as robust artificial bacteriophages for localized bacterial capture and enhanced catalytic sterilization in the treatment of oral infectious diseases.

Prehabilitation in patients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation: protocol of a feasibility study.

Introduction: Patients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation (LT) are often frail, and malnourished. The period of time on the waitlist provides an opportunity to improve their physical fitness. Prehabilitation appears to improve the physical fitness of patients before major surgery.

Association of HBeAg decline rate from mid-pregnancy to delivery with HBeAg seroconversion after delivery in hepatitis B virus-infected mothers.

There is still controversy about whether to continue antiviral therapy (AVT) after delivery, especially for pregnant women in the immune tolerance (IT) phase. In this study, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore the relationship between hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) decline rate (%) from mid-pregnancy to delivery and HBeAg seroconversion postpartum among patients using nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), with the goal of identifying the ideal candidates for postpartum AVT continuation. This retrospective cohort study included 151 postpartum women.

The Strategies Used to Balance Health and Work Across the Solid Organ Transplantation Trajectory.

Workers who undergo solid organ transplantation report frequent conflicts between the unpredictable demands of their health condition and the rigid requirements of their employer and of health services. The present study aimed to describe the self-management strategies adopted by workers while staying at work before transplantation and during sustainable return-to-work posttransplantation. Fifteen employed kidney, liver, and lung transplant recipients were recruited from 2 large urban university health centers in Montreal, Canada.

Treatment response and clinical event-free survival in autoimmune hepatitis: A Canadian multicentre cohort study.

Background & Aims: Treatment outcomes for people living with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are limited by a lack of specific therapies, as well as limited well-validated prognostic tools and clinical trial endpoints. We sought to identify predictors of outcome for people living with AIH.

Methods: We evaluated the clinical course of people with AIH across 11 Canadian centres.