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Background and Aim: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with impaired renal function. The aim of this study is to explore the risk of and factors associated with end‐stage renal diseases (ESRD) under maintenance dialysis among HCV patients after anti‐HCV therapy. Methods: A total of 12 696 HCV‐infected patients with interferon‐based therapy, including 9679 (76.2%) achieving sustained virological response (SVR), were enrolled from 23 hospitals in Taiwan. Results: During a mean follow‐up period of 5.3 years (67 554 person‐years), the annual incidence of 4.1/10 000 person‐years, 4.0/10 000 and 4.7/10 000 person‐years among SVR patients and non‐SVR patients, respectively. History of diabetes and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/m2, instead of SVR, were the significant risk factors for developing ESRD with maintenance dialysis after anti‐HCV therapy (adjusted hazard ratio 7.75 and 9.78). Conclusion: Diabetes and baseline impaired renal function were strongly associated with progression to ESRD with maintenance dialysis among chronic HCV‐infected patients after antiviral therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) 6 is uncommon in Taiwan, and reports of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) treatment for GT6 are few. This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of LDV/SOF in treating chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with GT6 infection. Methods: CHC patients that were infected with GT6 and treated for 12 weeks with LDV/SOF at two hospitals were enrolled. All patients were followed for an additional 12 weeks after the completion of LDV/SOF treatment. Demographics, HCV viral load, lipid and sugar profiles, and adverse events were recorded and reviewed. Results: A total of 127 patients were enrolled. Cirrhosis was found in 68.2% of them. Sustained virological response (SVR), determined by per‐protocol analysis, was 97.6%. The SVR rates for cirrhosis versus non‐cirrhosis (96.5% vs 100%, P = 0.229) and low versus high viral load (cutoff value: 106 IU/mL; 100% vs 95.6%, P = 0.108) were similar. Following HCV clearance, significantly lower glycosylated hemoglobin was present both in patients with or without diabetes mellitus. Twenty‐three (18.1%) patients exhibited adverse events, and each adverse event presented with an incidence of 0.8% to 3.1%. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were the most common. During treatment, 18 patients (14.2%) had alanine aminotransferase elevations consistent with more than grade 1 abnormalities, and none had signs of decompensation. Renal function remained unchanged. Conclusion: The high SVR and excellent safety of LDV/SOF treatment for GT6 CHC patients suggest that LDV/SOF is a favorable option for treating GT6 CHC patients in Taiwan and Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Persistent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) during hospitalization is thought to be associated with adverse pulmonary outcomes in very preterm infants. This observational study aimed to compare the lung function in very preterm infants with and without PDA at discharge.Methods: Very preterm infants, admitted to our neonatal intensive unit, who required respiratory support soon after birth and had undergone a lung function test at discharge, were enrolled. Infants with a need for positive-pressure support (either an invasive ventilator, or nasal continuous positive airway pressure without oxygen) or supplemental oxygen at a postmenstrual age of 36 weeks were defined as having bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Echocardiography was performed weekly for each of the very preterm infants with PDA to confirm closure of the PDA. The data were collected retrospectively.Results: Fifty-two very preterm infants received lung function tests before discharge during the study period, 28 of whom had PDA and received conservative management, and 20 who did not. The other 4 infants who were given active treatment for PDA were excluded. Gestational age was significantly smaller in the PDA group than in the no-PDA group (27.1 ± 2.0 vs. 28.6 ± 1.6 weeks, p = 0.009). Birth weight did not differ significantly in those with and those without PDA (0.98 ± 0.26 vs. 1.12 ± 0.26 kg, p = 0.074). Significantly more infants with PDA had BPD (p = 0.002) and required respiratory support for a longer period (p = 0.001) than those without PDA. However, functional residual capacity (ml/kg) at discharge was comparable between the two groups after adjusting for gestational age and postmenstrual age at testing (21.6 ± 8.4 vs. 21.5 ± 6.7 ml/kg, p = 0.894). Other lung function test parameters were also comparable.Conclusion: Under a definition of BPD (including infants needing CPAP but without oxygen) other than the conventional definition, the very preterm infants in our study who received conservative management for PDA had a higher percentage of BPD than the infants without PDA. The parameters of the lung function test and lung clearance index were comparable between these two groups at discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Flux method has been adopted for the synthesis of emerald crystals using PbO–V2O5 as a flux in order to study the crystallography of the synthetic crystals. In general, the hue of green color of emerald deepens with the addition of Cr3+. The molar volume of the synthesized crystals was found to increase with the incorporation of Cr2O3 dopant. The substitution of Cr3+ for Al3+ in the octahedral sites of beryl results in the expansion of a-axis, while c-axis remains nearly unchanged. The maximum Cr2O3-content allowed in the crystal lattice of emerald has been found to be about 3.5wt%. When the doping Cr2O3-content exceeds 3.5wt%, a significant anomaly in lattice parameters starts to take place, accompanying the precipitation of an unknown phase in the emerald matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To clarify the predictive factors of significant platelet count improvement in thrombocytopenic chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. CHC patients with baseline platelet counts of <150 × 103/μL receiving direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy with at least 12-weeks post-treatment follow-up (PTW12) were enrolled. Significant platelet count improvement was defined as a ≥10% increase in platelet counts at PTW12 from baseline. Platelet count evolution at treatment week 4, end-of-treatment, PTW12, and PTW48 was evaluated. This study included 4922 patients. Sustained virologic response after 12 weeks post-treatment was achieved in 98.7% of patients. Platelet counts from baseline, treatment week 4, and end-of-treatment to PTW12 were 108.8 ± 30.2, 121.9 ± 41.1, 123.1 ± 43.0, and 121.1 ± 40.8 × 103/μL, respectively. Overall, 2230 patients (45.3%) showed significant platelet count improvement. Multivariable analysis revealed that age (odds ratio (OR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99–1.00, p = 0.01), diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.06–1.38, p = 0.007), cirrhosis (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.58–0.75, p < 0.0001), baseline platelet counts (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98–0.99, p < 0.0001), and baseline total bilirubin level (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71–0.91, p = 0.0003) were independent predictive factors of significant platelet count improvement. Subgroup analyses showed that patients with significant platelet count improvement and sustained virologic responses, regardless of advanced fibrosis, had a significant increase in platelet counts from baseline to treatment week 4, end-of-treatment, PTW12, and PTW48. Young age, presence of DM, absence of cirrhosis, reduced baseline platelet counts, and reduced baseline total bilirubin levels were associated with significant platelet count improvement after DAA therapy in thrombocytopenic CHC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The supercritical CO2 desorption efficiencies of activated carbon loaded with toluene in a rotating packed bed were studied in a temperature range of 305–335K, a pressure range of 8.96–15.86MPa, a supercritical CO2 flow rate range of 0.57–4.5cm3/min, and a rotating speed range of 0–1600rpm for the particle sizes at 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0mm. The data show that desorption efficiency was enhanced with increasing rotating speed. For the operation at 315K, 11.72MPa, and 1.57cm3/min, a 100% desorption of toluene from activated carbon at 1600rpm was achieved at 50min, but only 68% desorption efficiency was achieved at 60min in the packed bed without rotation. The significant improvement in desorption was attributed to the presence of centrifugal force. The data also show that the desorption efficiency increased with increasing pressure and CO2 flow rate and decreased with decreasing activated carbon particle size. At low operating pressures, such as 8.96 and 11.72MPa, desorption at lower temperatures was suggested to achieve a better desorption efficiency. At high operating pressures, such as 15.86MPa, an optimal desorption temperature, at 315K, however, was found to exist. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: The 2023 ESC guidelines for acute coronary syndrome note that contemporary data are heterogenous regarding beta-blockers (BB) use post-myocardial infarction (MI) in patients without reduced ejection fraction (EF) or heart failure (HF). We aimed to address the heterogeneity in contemporary data around BB post-MI in this population., Methods: We searched 6 databases from Jan 1, 2000 to Sep 1, 2024 to identify contemporary studies enrolling MI patients without reduced EF (≤40%) or history of HF receiving BB at index MI, and comparing outcomes between BB users and non-users. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and cardiovascular (CV) mortality. Random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using the restricted maximum likelihood method., Results: There were 24 studies including 290,349 patients enrolled in the contemporary era. Overall, BB use was associated with a significant 11% reduction in all-cause mortality (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.97; I2 = 40%; Figure 1), however with moderate-to-high statistical heterogeneity. Prespecified subgroup analyses demonstrate comparable all-cause mortality (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.06; I2 = 0%), CV mortality (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.15; I2 = 0%), and MACCE (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.52; I2 = 0%) in patients with a 1-year event-free period, defined as no death, recurrent MI, or HF while on BB following index MI. In patients with no event-free period, meta-regression revealed that BB mortality benefits were modified by the study inclusion period (P = 0.01), reflecting a temporal trend of decreasing BB mortality benefits over time. Based on the temporal trend, in patients with preserved EF post-2010, BB exhibited no reduction in all-cause mortality (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.04; I2 = 0%), but a non-significant trend towards increased CV mortality (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.72; I2 = 0%) and a significant increase in MACCE (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.52; I2 = 0%)., Conclusion: In the contemporary reperfusion era, BB may not confer additional mortality benefits beyond a 1-year event-free period post-MI in patients without reduced EF. Moreover, post-MI BB use was associated with detrimental effects in patients with preserved EF., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)