Epstein–Barr-virus-associated hepatitis with aplastic anemia: A case report

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia (HAAA) is a rare condition. Patients with HAAA usually present with acute hepatitis, jaundice and significantly increased transaminase. After 1–2 mo, hepatitis gradually improves, but progressive hemocytopenia, bone marrow hematopoietic failure, and severe or extremely severe aplastic anemia are manifest. Most cases of HAAA are fulminant and usually lethal if left untreated. The literature on Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated HAAA is sparse. CASE SUMMARY We report a 30-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital because of pale yellow urine and skin with a simultaneous decrease in peripheral blood ternary cells. We made a diagnosis of EBV-associated HAAA. The treatment strategy for this patient included eltrombopag, an immunosuppressive regimen of rabbit anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin, cyclosporine, and supportive care. The patient was discharged in normal physical condition after five months. A hemogram performed on follow-up revealed that he had achieved a complete response. CONCLUSION Eltrombopag plus anti-thymocyte globubin and cyclosporine may be a therapeutic option for EBV-associated HAAA.Larger studies are warranted to confirm.     

Interactions between human microbiome,liver diseases,and immunosuppression after liver transplant

In liver transplant patients, solid tumors and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders have emerged as significant long-term mortality causes. In addition, it is assumed that de novo malignancy after liver transplantation (LT) is the second-leading cause of death after cardiovascular complications. Well-established risk factors for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders and solid tumors are calcineurin inhibitors, tacrolimus, and cyclosporine, the cornerstones of all immunosuppressive therapies used after LT. The loss of immunocompetence facilitated by the host immune system due to prolonged immunosuppressive therapy leads to cancer development, including LT patients. Furthermore, various mechanisms such as bacterial dysbiosis, activation through microbe-associated molecular patterns, leaky gut, and bacterial metabolites can drive cancer-promoting liver inflammation, fibrosis, and genotoxicity. Therefore, changes in human microbiota composition may contribute further to de novo carcinogenesis associated with the severe immunosuppression after LT.     

Monolithic crowns fracture analysis: The effect of material properties,cusp angle and crown thickness

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the collective influence of material properties and design parameters on the fracture behavior of monolithic dental crowns.MethodsThree-dimensional (3D) models (N = 90) with different combinations of design parameters (thickness, cusp angle and occlusal notch geometry) and material type (lithium disilicate, feldspar ceramic, zirconia, hybrid resin ceramic and hybrid polymer-infiltrated ceramic) were developed for the failure analysis using extended finite element method (XFEM) to identify the stress distribution, crack initiation load, fracture surface area and fracture pattern. Analytical formulation, in vitro fracture tests and fractographic analysis of dedicated models were also performed to validate the findings of the XFEM simulation.ResultsFor all material types considered, crowns with a sharp occlusal notch design had a significantly lower fracture resistance against occlusal loading. In most of the models, greater crown thickness and cusp angle resulted in a higher crack initiation load. However, the effect of cusp angle was dominant when the angle was in the low range of 50° for which increasing thickness did not enhance the crack initiation load.SignificanceComparing the critical load of crack initiation for different models with the maximum biting force revealed that for the studied monolithic materials excluding zirconia, a design with a rounded occlusal notch, 70° cusp angle and medium thickness (1.5 mm occlusal) is an optimum combination of design parameters in terms of tooth conservation and fracture resistance. Zirconia crowns exhibited sufficient strength for a more conservative design with less thickness (1.05 mm occlusal) and sharper cusp angle (60°).     

移动协同办公在病区物资管理中的应用

目的利用智能手机软件辅助实现病区物资的移动智能化管理。方法将病区物资分类整理并制作成Excel工作表,通过智能手机和微信、WPS office手机软件功能进行工作表编辑、查询定时提醒、共享、权限设置,以实现病区物资移动智能化管理。结果通过该应用,病区建立了高效低耗的物资管理制度,物资管理缺陷率明显下降,实施前后差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论基于移动协同办公进行病区物资管理是可行的,获得院内临床护士一致认可,具有临床推广价值。     

基于物料性质表征技术的蒲地蓝消炎口服液 儿童用药顺应性改善研究

蒲地蓝消炎口服液安全有效,显效迅速,临床应用广泛,但在儿科用药领域,由于用药剂量不明确与口服顺应性差成为制约其发展的主要原因。基于此,本研究通过分析其问题产生的根源并深入探究其解决方案,通过物料性质表征技术、复合矫味技术、剂型优化技术以提升蒲地蓝消炎口服液的口服顺应性,同时探讨蒲地蓝消炎口服液的儿童精准用药策略,为儿童精准用药的临床前研究提供技术指导。     

Risk of child poverty and social exclusion in two Spanish regions: social and family determinants

ObjectiveDescribe the risk of poverty and social exclusion in children aged 8-11 years from Gipuzkoa and Valencia (Spain), through AROPE (At Risk Of Poverty or Social Exclusion) indicators, and evaluate their associated factors in the INMA Project (Childhood and Environment).MethodFamilies in Gipuzkoa and Valencia (394 and 382, respectively) completed a questionnaire in 2015-2016. Low work intensity (LWI), at risk of poverty (RP) and material deprivation (MD) were estimated. AROPE consisted in meeting any of the previous sub-indicators. Socio-demographic, family and parental characteristics were considered. Frequencies, Venn's diagrams, and chi-square and Fisher tests were used in bivariate analysis and logistic regression in multivariate analysis.ResultsFor LWI, RP, MD and AROPE, prevalence of 2.5%, 5.6%, 2.3% and 7.2% were obtained in Gipuzkoa, and 8.1%, 31.5%, 7.8% and 34.7% in Valencia, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the AROPE was associated in both areas with maternal social class and non-nuclear families. In Gipuzkoa, it was also related to maternal education. In Valencia, other factors were the mother's foreign origin, and paternal education and smoking.ConclusionThere is higher AROPE prevalence in Valencia. Social class and family type were shared factors, but a differential pattern is observed in other social determinants. It is essential to implement social policies to reduce this axis of inequalities in health, especially in childhood.     

Single-source dual energy CT to assess myocardial extracellular volume fraction in aortic stenosis before transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)

PurposeTo assess myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) measurement provided by a single-source dual-energy computed tomography (SSDE-CT) acquisition added at the end of a routine CT examination before transcatether aortic valve implantation (TAVI) compared to cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Materials and methodsTwenty-one patients (10 men, 11 women; mean age, 86 ± 4.9 years [SD]; age range: 71–92 years) with severe aortic stenosis underwent standard pre-TAVI CT with additional cardiac SSDE-CT acquisition 7 minutes after intravenous administration of iodinated contrast material and myocardial MRI including pre- and post-contrast T1-maps. Myocardial ECV and standard deviation (σECV) were calculated in the 16-segments model. ECV provided by SSDE-CT was compared to ECV provided by MRI, which served as the reference. Analyses were performed on a per-segment basis and on a per-patient involving the mean value of the 16-segments.ResultsECV was slightly overestimated by SSDE-CT (29.9 ± 4.6 [SD] %; range: 20.9%–48.3%) compared to MRI (29.1 ± 3.9 [SD] %; range: 22.0%–50.7%) (P < 0.0001) with a bias and limits of agreement of +2.3% (95%CI: −16.1%– + 20.6%) and +2.5% (95%CI: −2.1%– + 7.1%) for per-segment and per-patient-analyses, respectively. Good (r = 0.81 for per-segment-analysis) to excellent (r = 0.97 for per-patient-analysis) linear relationships (both P < 0.0001) were obtained. The σECV was significantly higher at SSDE-CT (P < 0.0001). Additional radiation dose from CT was 1.89 ± 0.38 (SD) mSv (range: 1.48–2.47 mSv).ConclusionA single additional SSDE-CT acquisition added at the end of a standard pre-TAVI CT protocol can provide ECV measurement with good to excellent linear relationship with MRI.     

Long-term efficacy and safety of anti-hyperglycaemic agents in new-onset diabetes after transplant: Results from outpatient-based 1-year follow-up and a brief review of treatment options

Background and aimsEvaluation of long-term efficacy and safety of various anti-hyperglycaemic agents (AHA) for glycaemic control in NODAT, in stable kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) during 1-year outpatient follow-up.MethodsWe collected FPG, PPG, HbA1c, serum creatinine, eGFR, blood tacrolimus level, hypoglycaemia and body weight values from an existing database of KTRs diagnosed to have NODAT. Those newly initiated on AHA over 3 months post-transplant; received standard triple immunosuppressive therapy; and followed up for 1-year after referral, were included.ResultsIn ninety-five patients’ (Male = 65), mean decrease at 1-year from baseline in FPG (185.01 ± 62.11 mg/dL), PPG (293.21 ± 85.23 mg/dL) and HbA1c (8.48 ± 1.08%) was 67.09, 126.11 and 1.4 respectively (p < 0.0001). At 1-year, mean HbA1c was 7.08 ± 0.38%, ninety-one patients achieving HbA1c ≤ 7.5%. Fifty-two patients received oral combination therapy based on linagliptin/metformin/repaglinide/gliclazide, 19 received insulin-based regimen, and 24 received linagliptin monotharapey. Thirty patients reported hypoglycaemia (10 with gliclazide and 15 with insulin) and fifty patients gained body-weight at 1-year. Mean serum creatinine and eGFR significantly improved by 0.29 and 15.77 from baseline of 1.56 ± 0.62 mg/dL and 53.95 ± 16.10 mL/min/1.73 m² respectively.ConclusionsSignificant proportion of NODAT patients achieved long-term glycemic control with improved renal function. Combination therapy was needed in most within 1-year. Linagliptin monotherapy was effective, without producing hypoglycaemia or weight gain.     

A review of the effects of the cell environment physicochemical nanoarchitecture on stem cell commitment

Physicochemical features of a cell nanoenvironment exert important influence on stem cell behavior and include the influence of matrix elasticity and topography on differentiation processes. The presence of growth factors such as TGF-β and BMPs on these matrices provides chemical cues and thus plays vital role in directing eventual stem cell fate. Engineering of functional biomimetic scaffolds that present programmed spatio-temporal physical and chemical signals to stem cells holds great promise in stem cell therapy. Progress in this field requires tacit understanding of the mechanistic aspects of cell-environment nanointeractions, so that they can be manipulated and exploited for the design of sophisticated next generation biomaterials. In this review, we report and discuss the evolution of these processes and pathways in the context of matrix adhesion as they might relate to stemness and stem cell differentiation. Super-resolution microscopy and single-molecule methods for in vitro nano-manipulation are helping to identify and characterize the molecules and mechanics of structural transitions within stem cells and matrices. All these advances facilitate research toward understanding of stem cell niche and consequently to developing new class of biomaterials helping the “used biomaterials” for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.