Background/Aims: Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is a common manifestation in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Metabolic alterations in CHC are associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). We aimed to elucidate whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication mitigates MASLD occurrence or resolution. Methods: We enrolled 5,840 CHC patients whose HCV was eradicated by direct-acting antivirals in a nationwide HCV registry. MASLD and the associated cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) were evaluated at baseline and 6 months after HCV cure. Results: There were 2,147 (36.8%) patients with SLD, and 1,986 (34.0%) of them met the MASLD criteria before treatment. After treatment, HbA1c (6.0% vs. 5.9%, p<0.001) and BMI (24.8 kg/m2 vs. 24.7 kg/m2, p<0.001) decreased, whereas HDL-C (49.1 mg/dL vs. 51.9 mg/dL, p<0.001) and triglycerides (102.8 mg/dL vs. 111.9 mg/dL, p<0.001) increased significantly. The proportion of patients with SLD was 37.5% after HCV eradication, which did not change significantly compared with the pretreatment status. The percentage of the patients who had post-treatment MASLD was 34.8%, which did not differ significantly from the pretreatment status (p=0.17). Body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR] 0.89; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.85–0.92; p<0.001) was the only factor associated with MASLD resolution. In contrast, unfavorable CMRFs, including BMI (OR 1.10; 95% CI 1.06–1.14; p<0.001) and HbA1c (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.04–1.35; p=0.01), were independently associated with MASLD development after HCV cure. Conclusions HCV eradication mitigates MASLD in CHC patients. CMRF surveillance is mandatory for CHC patients with metabolic alterations, which are altered after HCV eradication and predict the evolution of MASLD.

Hyperpolarized (HP) carbon-13 ( 13C) MRI represents an innovative approach for noninvasive, real-time assessment of dynamic metabolic flux, with potential integration into routine clinical MRI. The use of [1- 13C]pyruvate as a probe and its conversion to [1- 13C]lactate constitute an extensively explored metabolic pathway. This review comprehensively outlines the establishment of HP 13C-MRI, covering multidisciplinary team collaboration, hardware prerequisites, probe preparation, hyperpolarization techniques, imaging acquisition, and data analysis. This article discusses the clinical applications of HP 13C-MRI across various anatomical domains, including the brain, heart, skeletal muscle, breast, liver, kidney, pancreas, andprostate. Each section highlights the specific applications and findings pertinent to these regions, emphasizing the potential versatility of HP 13C-MRI in diverse clinical contexts. This review serves as a comprehensive update, bridging technical aspects with clinical applications and offering insights into the ongoing advancements in HP 13C-MRI.

Objective: To understand the occupational hazard and distribution of silica dust (free SiO₂≥10%) in the workplace environment of the enterprises in Fengxian District, and to provide scientific basis for improving the working environment and protecting the physical and mental health of the workers. Methods: Individual sampling monitoring and on-site labor hygiene investigation were conducted on 421 workers involved in 87 silicon dust enterprises in the jurisdiction from 2014 to 2018, and measured concentration-time weighted average (C_TWA) . Results: The results showed that the range of the C_TWA was (0.021~17.000) mg/m³, the median was 1.600 mg/m³, and the qualified rate of 30.88%. The difference of total dust concentration was statistically significant in different years (Z=38.831, P<0.05) . The qualified rate of small-scale enterprises is higher than that of medium-scale enterprises (χ²=9.472, P<0.05) . The qualified rate of other domestic enterprises is higher than that of private enterprises and foreign enterprises (χ²=10.089, P<0.05) . The acceptance rate of metal products manufacturing is lower than that of general equipment manufacturing and other manufacturing enterprises (χ²=64.626, P<0.05) . The qualification rate of natural ventilation is higher than that of mechanical ventilation (χ²=6.278, P<0.05) . Conclusion The enterprises involved in silicon production in Fengxian District need to further strengthen the production process reform and improve the ventilation and dust removal protection measures. Widely carry out the publicity of occupational disease prevention and control law, conduct targeted pre-job training, improve workers' awareness of self-protection, and protect the occupational health of workers in many ways.

Background: Self-efficacy (SE) is a person’s belief in his or her own capability to perform and accomplish a task that could produce a favourable outcome, despite facing obstacles. This study aimed to confirm the validity and reliability of an SE scale among undergraduate students at the Health Campus of the Universiti Sains Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the undergraduate students using a self-administered questionnaire. After using a purposive sampling method, 562 students completed the questionnaire. Mplus 8 was employed to conduct the confirmatory factor analysis on the psychometric properties of Bandura’s 18-item SE scale with three factors (internal feeling, competing demands and situational). Then, the composite reliability was calculated for each factor. Results: Most of the students were Malay (73.3%) females (79.0%) who exercised 2.62 times a week for an average of 43.37 min per session. The final measurement model was obtained after removing six problematic items, and the model was deemed fit based on several indices [Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.067, Standardised Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) = 0.004, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.924]. The composite reliability values of the three factors were acceptable (0.65 to 0.84). Conclusion: The simplified 12-item SE scale with three factors displayed good fit indices with regard to the data, and they were considered to be acceptable for the current sampl

BACKGROUNDIntermittent hypoxia (IH) is a key element of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that can lead to disorders in the liver. In this study, IH was established in a rat model to examine its effects on the expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) and CYP regulators, including nuclear receptors.

METHODSHematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted to analyze the general pathology of the liver of rats exposed to IH. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, CYPs, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and nuclear factors in the liver were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSWe found inflammatory infiltrates in the liver of rats exposed to IH. The mRNA expression level of interleukin-1beta was increased in the liver of the IH-exposed rats (0.005 ± 0.001 vs. 0.038 ± 0.008, P = 0.042), whereas the mRNA expression level of Cyp1a2 was downregulated (0.022 ± 0.002 vs. 0.0050 ± 0.0002, P = 0.029). The hepatic level of transcription factor NF-κB was also reduced in the IH group relative to that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant and was parallel to the expression of the pregnane X receptor and constitutive androstane receptor. However, the decreased expression of the glucocorticoid receptor upon IH treatment was statistically significant (0.056 ± 0.012 vs. 0.032 ± 0.005, P = 0.035).

CONCLUSIONSThese results indicate a decrease in expression of hepatic CYPs and their regulator GR in rats exposed to IH. Therefore, this should be noted for patients on medication, especially those on drugs metabolized via the hepatic system, and close attention should be paid to the liver function of patients with OSA-associated IH.

Background: Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a key element of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that can lead to disorders in the liver. In this study, IH was established in a rat model to examine its effects on the expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) and CYP regulators, including nuclear receptors. Methods: Hematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted to analyze the general pathology of the liver of rats exposed to IH. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, CYPs, nuclear factor?κB (NF?κB), and nuclear factors in the liver were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: We found inflammatory infiltrates in the liver of rats exposed to IH. The mRNA expression level of interleukin?1beta was increased in the liver of the IH?exposed rats (0.005 ± 0.001 vs. 0.038 ± 0.008, P = 0.042), whereas the mRNA expression level of Cyp1a2 was downregulated (0.022 ± 0.002 vs. 0.0050 ± 0.0002, P = 0.029). The hepatic level of transcription factor NF?κB was also reduced in the IH group relative to that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant and was parallel to the expression of the pregnane X receptor and constitutive androstane receptor. However, the decreased expression of the glucocorticoid receptor upon IH treatment was statistically significant (0.056 ± 0.012 vs. 0.032 ± 0.005, P = 0.035). Conclusions: These results indicate a decrease in expression of hepatic CYPs and their regulator GR in rats exposed to IH. Therefore, this should be noted for patients on medication, especially those on drugs metabolized via the hepatic system, and close attention should be paid to the liver function of patients with OSA?associated IH.

By studying the relationship between fingertip temperature changes and arterial function during vascular reactivity test, we established a new non-invasive method for detecting vascular function, in order to provide an assistance for early diagnosis and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. We customized three modules respectively for blood occlusion, measurement of finger temperature and blood oxygen acquisition, and then we established the hardware of data acquisition system. And the software was programmed with Labview. Healthy subjects [group A, n = 24, (44.6 ± 9.0) years] and subjects with cardiovascular diseases [group B, n = 33, (57.2 ± 9.9) years)] were chosen for the study. Subject's finger temperature, blood oxygen and occlusion pressure of block side during and after unilateral arm brachial artery occlusion were recorded, as well as some other regular physiological indexes. By time-domain analysis, we extracted 12 parameters from fingertip temperature signal, including the initial temperature (Ti), temperature rebound (TR), the time of the temperature recovering to initial status (RIt) and other parameters from the finger temperature signal. We in the experiment also measured other regular physiological body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastiolic blood pressure (DBP) and so on. Results showed that 8 parameters difference between the two group of data were significant. based on the statistical results. A discriminant function of vascular function status was established afterwards. We found in the study that the changes of finger temperature during unilateral arms brachial artery occlusion and open were closely related to vascular function. We hope that the method presented in this article could lay a foundation of early detection of vascular function.
Adult ; Aged ; Arteries ; physiopathology ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; diagnosis ; Fingers ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Skin Temperature

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on the expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell (TREM)l in ankle joint synovial tissue of acute gouty arthritis (AGA) rats.

METHODSForty male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal, AGA, medication and EA group, 10 rats in each group. AGA model was established by induced monosodium urate (MSU) method, except the normal group. Tow days before AGA model was established, normal and AGA groups were lavaged with normal saline (20 ml/kg), medication group was lavaged with colchicine solution (20 ml/kg), EA(1.5-2 Hz, D.-D.wave, 9v; 1-3 rnA) was applied to "Sanyinjiao" (SP6), "jiexi" (ST41) and "Kunlun" (BL60) for 20 min, once daily;continuously for 9 days. Then observed the changes in dysfunction, and the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ detected by ELISA, the expression of TREM-l detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot.

RESULTSCompared to the normal group, the AGA group of the dysfunction index increased significantly (P<0.01), the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ increased significantly (P<0.05), the expression of TREM-l in synovial tissue increased significantly (P<0.05); the medication and EA groups compared to the AGA group, the dysfunction index decreased significantly (P<0.01), the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ decreased significantly (P<0.05), the expression of TREM-l in synovial tissue decreased significantly (P<0.05); there were not statistically significant between the medication and EA group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA treating AGA may be through down-regulating the expression of TREM -1 in synovial tissue.

Animals ; Ankle Joint ; metabolism ; pathology ; Arthritis, Gouty ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Immunologic ; metabolism ; Synovial Membrane ; metabolism ; Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To discuss management of chylous leakage after retroperitoneoscopic upper-pole heminephrectomy for duplex kidney. METHODS: Between November 2004 and Februar y 2011, 39 patients underwent retroperitoneoscopic upper-pole heminephrectomy for duplex kidney, of these 5 patients had chylous leakage. The ages of the patients ranged from 32 to 60 years (mean 42). All the patients were treated conservatively, and the therapeutic effects were observed. RESULTS: Delayed chylous leakage in 5 patients occurred 5-31 days after surgery, and leakage occurred in 4 of the same 5 patients during the first 2 post-operative years. Chylous leakage after retroperitoneoscopic upper-pole heminephrectomy for duplex kidney preferentially occurred at the left side of duplex kidney. All the patients healed under conservative treatment. CONCLUSION Chylous leakage typically occurs after left retroperitoneoscopic upper-pole heminephrectomy for duplex kidney, and can be prevented by improving surgical technique; it can be completely relieved by conservative management with satisfactory results.
Adult ; Chylous Ascites ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Laparoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Retroperitoneal Space

Warfarin has its origin as a rat poison and has become one of the widely used anticoagulant drugs to prevent thrombosis and embolism. Many medications, foods and vegetables can interact with warfarin and affect its blood thinning effect in the body. The antibiotic, moxifloxacin official product monograph indicated no interaction with concomitant warfarin treatment as this fourth generation synthetic fluoroquinolone antibiotic does not share the same cytochrome P450 system metabolism pathway with warfarin. However, we report a case of increased anticoagulant activity in a patient treated with moxifloxacin and warfarin causing prolonged hospital stay.