Search

Objective This retrospective, single-center study assessed the effects of interferon (IFN)-free treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, which has been approved for seven years; calculated the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after achieving a sustained virologic response (SVR); and elucidated problems with follow-up for surveillance of post-SVR HCC, particularly the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods We summarized the SVR achievement rate of 286 HCV-infected patients who received 301 IFN-free treatments and analyzed the cumulative incidence of initial HCC and the cumulative continuation rate of follow-up after SVR in the 253 patients who achieved SVR and did not have a history of HCC. Results Among 286 patients who received IFN-free treatments, 14 dropped out, and the 272 remaining patients achieved an SVR after receiving up to third-line treatment. Post-SVR HCC occurred in 18 (7.1%) of the 253 patients without a history of HCC, with a cumulative incidence at 3 and 5 years after SVR of 6.6% and 10.0%, respectively; the incidence of cirrhosis at those time points was 18.2% and 24.6%, respectively.Of the 253 patients analyzed, 58 (22.9%) discontinued follow-up after SVR. Patients who had no experience with IFN-based therapy tended to drop out after SVR. Notably, the number of dropouts per month has increased since the start of the pandemic. Conclusion Currently, IFN-free treatment is showing great efficacy. However, the incidence of HCC after SVR should continue to be monitored. In this study, the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect treatment outcomes, but it may affect surveillance for post-SVR HCC.

Background: Kita-Kyushu lung cancer antigen-1 (KK-LC-1) is a cancer/testis antigen (CTA) and is an attractive target for immunotherapy. An earlier study from our group demonstrated frequent KK-LC-1 expression in gastric cancers (GC) and non-tumor sites of the stomach carrying a tumor. Additionally, there was a correlation to Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection. Currently it remains unclear whether KK-LC-1 is expressed in stomachs without gastric cancer.Methods: In the present study, we investigated differences in KK-LC-1 gene expression at non-tumor sites of stomachs with or without a tumor from 118 GC patients and 115 non-GC patients. Fisher’s exact test was used for the statistical analyses.Results: Our results show that KK-LC-1 gene expression was detected in 77% of non-tumor sites in stomachs with a tumor. Such findings were significantly higher than in stomachs without a tumor (7%, P Hp.Conclusions: KK-LC-1 appears to be detected in the stomach’s precancerous condition, but not in an atrophic stomach with Hp. KK-LC-1 may be a useful marker for gastric cancer prediction.

This report describes a case showing histologic features of acute cholangitis with an over-the-counter drug. A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with general malaise and progressive jaundice. A thorough review of her medical history revealed that the patient had taken an over-the-counter drug, Pabron Gold(®), which she had used previously, that may have caused liver injury. Laboratory investigations revealed jaundice and liver dysfunction. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography detected no extrahepatic biliary duct dilatation or stones. Liver biopsy indicated acute cholangitis involving neutrophils and eosinophils. Electron microscopy revealed fragmented nuclei, indicating that the degenerative bile duct-related epithelial cells were in an apoptotic process.

The oleoresin of the ponderosa pine,Pinus ponderosa (Pinaceae) exhibited broad antimicrobial activity. In order to identify the active compounds, the oleoresin was steam distilled to give a distillate and residue. The distillate contained mainly monoterpenes and some sesquiterpenes, while the residue consisted chiefly of four structurally related diterpene acids. An antimicrobial assay with the pure compounds indicated that the monoterpenes were active primarily against fungi, but there was also some activity against gram-positive bacteria. The diterpene acids, in contrast, only exhibited activity against gram-positive bacteria. Although not all of the identified sesquiterpenes could be tested, longifolene showed activity only against gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, it appears that the oleoresin ofP. ponderosa functions as a biochemical defense against microbial invasion.

Substituted guanyl-O-alkylisoureas (1), N1, N5-disubstituted biguanides (2) and substituted guanylurethanes (3) were synthesized. Subsituted dicyandiamides reacted with alcohols in presence of Cu salts to form Cu complex salts of (1), which were easily converted to salts of (1) by treatment of H2S in a neutral medium.Expectedly, salts of (1) readily reacted with amines at room temperature, giving corresponding salts of (2) in good yield.Salts of (3) were prepared by acid hydrolysis of salts of (1) or their Cu complex salts.Experimental results indicated that this process was useful for practical preparation of (2) (especially dialkyl derivative) or (3).