Background/Aims: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1–3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy. Methods: We analyzed the Taiwan HCV Registry Program database to explore predictors of DAA failure in HCV patients. Fifty-five host and virological features were assessed using multivariate logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and artificial neural network. The primary outcome was undetectable HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: The training (n=23,955) and validation (n=10,346) datasets had similar baseline demographics, with an overall DAA failure rate of 1.6% (n=538). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, poor DAA adherence, and higher hemoglobin A1c were significantly associated with virological failure. XGBoost outperformed the other algorithms and logistic regression models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.000 in the training dataset and 0.803 in the validation dataset. The top five predictors of treatment failure were HCV RNA, body mass index, α-fetoprotein, platelets, and FIB-4 index. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the XGBoost model (cutoff value=0.5) were 99.5%, 69.7%, 99.9%, 97.4%, and 99.5%, respectively, for the entire dataset. Conclusions Machine learning algorithms effectively provide risk stratification for DAA failure and additional information on the factors associated with DAA failure.

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who failed antiviral therapy are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study assessed the potential role of metformin and statins, medications for diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia (HLP), in reducing HCC risk among these patients. Methods: We included CHC patients from the T-COACH study who failed antiviral therapy. We tracked the onset of HCC 1.5 years post-therapy by linking to Taiwan’s cancer registry data from 2003 to 2019. We accounted for death and liver transplantation as competing risks and employed Gray’s cumulative incidence and Cox subdistribution hazards models to analyze HCC development. Results: Out of 2,779 patients, 480 (17.3%) developed HCC post-therapy. DM patients not using metformin had a 51% increased risk of HCC compared to non-DM patients, while HLP patients on statins had a 50% reduced risk compared to those without HLP. The 5-year HCC incidence was significantly higher for metformin non-users (16.5%) versus non-DM patients (11.3%; adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio [aSHR]=1.51; P=0.007) and metformin users (3.1%; aSHR=1.59; P=0.022). Statin use in HLP patients correlated with a lower HCC risk (3.8%) compared to non-HLP patients (12.5%; aSHR=0.50; P<0.001). Notably, the increased HCC risk associated with non-use of metformin was primarily seen in non-cirrhotic patients, whereas statins decreased HCC risk in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients. Conclusions Metformin and statins may have a chemopreventive effect against HCC in CHC patients who failed antiviral therapy. These results support the need for personalized preventive strategies in managing HCC risk.

This study primarily concentrated on scientific problems of poor taste caused by unclear critical quality attributes of oral preparations manufactured by Chinese materia medica, successfully established an identification method for taste critical quality attribute and a taste improvement method combining electronic tongue with human senses, and determined the optimal taste formula, to improve patients' oral medication compliance. The study received ethical approval from the Review Committee of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The results showed that the proportion of bitterness of Xiaoer Qingrening Granule was 61.8%, and its bitterness grade was 3.70, it was determined that bitterness is the critical quality attribute that caused the poor taste of Xiaoer Qingrening Granule. Additionally, the optimal taste formula per milliliter of Xiaoer Qingrening sugar-free intermediate was determined with allowable daily intake, solubility, and sweetness as the limiting conditions, which was 40 mg hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin, 180 mg trehalose, and 1.5 mg acesulfame potassium. Compared with the Xiaoer Qingrening Granule, the sensory evaluation score of the optimal taste formula was increased by 37.5 points. In conclusion, this study achieved the taste improvement of Xiaoer Qingrening Granule and formed a set of taste improvement strategies including the identification of taste critical quality attribute, the selection of the type and dosage of corrigent, and the optimization of taste formula, which provided a thought reference for the taste improvement of other oral preparations and a new perspective for quality control of intelligent manufacturing of traditional Chinese medicines.

To identify the bitter compounds of real-world Xiaoer Ganmao Oral Liquid sugar-free intermediates, an integrated strategy has been developed by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MSⁿ) method and BitterX database prediction. The chromatographic operating conditions were as follows, chromatographic column: Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm), mobile phase: 0.1% formic acid-water solution (A)-acetonitrile (B) with gradient elution. The data were collected in positive and negative ion modes, respectively. The accurate molecular mass and structural information of the target compounds were obtained based on quasi-molecular ions and fragmentation ions provided by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The compounds were identified by combining retention time, reference substances, reports, and other relevant data, and a total of 57 constituents including flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids were finally identified. Further, the BitterX database was used to predict binding probability of compounds to bitter receptors and identify potential bitter critical quality attributes, finally 33 potential bitter compounds, including kukoamine A and linarin, were predicted. This study comprehensively characterized the material basis of Xiaoer Ganmao Oral Liquid sugar-free intermediates, it provides an effective method for bitter compound screening and a reference for further improving the undesirable taste of Xiaoer Ganmao Oral Liquid.

BACKGROUND: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and prior stroke history have a high risk of cardiovascular events despite anticoagulation therapy. It is unclear whether catheter ablation (CA) has further benefits in these patients. METHODS: AF patients with a previous history of stroke or systemic embolism (SE) from the prospective Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry study between August 2011 and December 2020 were included in the analysis. Patients were matched in a 1:1 ratio to CA or medical treatment (MT) based on propensity score. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death or ischemic stroke (IS)/SE. RESULTS: During a total of 4.1 ± 2.3 years of follow-up, the primary outcome occurred in 111 patients in the CA group (3.3 per 100 person-years) and in 229 patients in the MT group (5.7 per 100 person-years). The CA group had a lower risk of the primary outcome compared to the MT group [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.47-0.74, P < 0.001]. There was a significant decreasing risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.31-0.61, P < 0.001), IS/SE (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54-0.97, P = 0.033), cardiovascular mortality (HR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19-0.54, P < 0.001) and AF recurrence (HR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.30-0.37, P < 0.001) in the CA group compared to that in the MT group. Sensitivity analysis generated consistent results when adjusting for time-dependent usage of anticoagulants. CONCLUSIONS In AF patients with a prior stroke history, CA was associated with a lower combined risk of all-cause death or IS/SE. Further clinical trials are warranted to confirm the benefits of CA in these patients.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH）， a common disease in urology and andrology， is mainly manifested as enlarged prostate glands， bladder outlet obstruction， and lower urinary tract symptoms（LUTS）， which seriously affects the quality of life of middle-aged and elderly men. This disease falls into the categories of "retention of urine" and "prostatic hypertrophy" in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. In recent years，many doctors have put forward their understandings of BPH based on academic classics and their clinical experience. Clinical research on the treatment of BPH with TCM has become increasingly abundant. The basic pathogenesis of BPH lies in the disturbance of Qi transformation in the bladder and poor blood circulation due to kidney Qi deficiency in the aged. The disease is located in the kidney and the bladder and is related to the dysfunction of the lung and the kidney. It is basically characterized by deficiency in origin and excess in superficiality. A large number of clinical research reports have proved that TCM is efficient in alleviating the clinical symptoms of BPH patients， improving their quality of life， reducing the volume of the prostate， and decreasing postoperative complications. In addition， the external treatment methods of TCM， such as acupuncture therapy， moxibustion， hot water bathing， acupoint application， anal suppository， and enema therapy， are also widely used in clinical practice， demonstrating the diverse ways of TCM in treating BPH. TCM and western medicine complement each other's advantages in the treatment of BPH， thus enhancing the clinical efficacy and reducing the occurrence of long-term complications. This study reviewed the etiology， pathogenesis， and treatment progress of BPH with TCM in recent years， and summarized the current research status. From three aspects of producing high-quality clinical research， standardizing the clinical diagnosis and treatment of TCM， and combining cutting-edge research to explore the mechanism of TCM， it provided suggestions for clinical research on the treatment of BPH with TCM to promote the development and application of TCM in the treatment of this disease.

Objective: To investigate hypertriglyceridemia and hepatomegaly caused by Schisandrae Sphenantherae Fructus (FSS) and Schisandra chinensis Fructus (FSC) oils in mice. Methods: Mice were orally administered a single dose of Schisandrae Fructus oils. Serum and hepatic triglyceride (TG), triglyceride transfer protein (TTP), apolipoprotein B48 (Apo B48), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), alanine aminotransfease (ALT) and liver index were measured at 6-120 h post-dosing. Results: FSS and FSC oil caused time and dose-dependent increases in serum and hepatic TG levels, with maximum increases in the liver (by 297% and 340%) at 12 h post-dosing and serum (244% and 439%) at 24-h post-dosing, respectively. Schisandrae Fructus oil treatments also elevated the levels of serum TTP by 51% and 63%, Apo B48 by 152% and 425%, and VLDL by 67% and 38% in mice, respectively. FSS and FSC oil treatments also increased liver mass by 53% and 55% and HGF by 106% and 174%, but lowered serum ALT activity by 38% and 22%, respectively. Fenofibrate pre/ co-treatment attenuated the FSS and FSC oil-induced elevation in serum TG levels by 41% and 49% at 48 h post-dosing, respectively, but increased hepatic TG contents (by 38% and 33%, respectively) at 12 h post-dosing. Conclusions: Our findings provide evidence to support the establishment of a novel mouse model of hypertriglyceridemia by oral administration of FSS oil (mainly increasing endogenous TG) and FSC oil (mainly elevating exogenous TG).

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of IKZF1 gene deletion in patients with acute B lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) . Methods: The clinical data of 142 patients with B-ALL diagnosed in Nanfang Hospital between March 2016 and September 2019 were analyzed. Results: IKZF1 deletion was found in 36.0% of the 142 patients with B-ALL, whereas exon 4-7 deletion was found in 44.0% . White blood cell counts were higher in patients with the IKZF1 deletion (52.0% and 28.3% , P=0.005) ; these patients also experienced worse effects of mid-term induction therapy (40.0% and 70.7% , P<0.001) and had a higher proportion of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (52.0% and 21.7% , respectively, P<0.001) . Univariate analysis revealed that the 3-year overall survival rate (OS) and event-free survival rate (EFS) in the IKZF1 deletion group were significantly lower than the IKZF1 wild-type group [ (37.1±7.3) % vs (54.7±5.4) % , (51.8±7.9) % vs (73.9±4.7) % ; P=0.025, 0.013, respectively]. Multivariable analysis showed that harboring IKZF1 deletion was an adverse factor of EFS and OS (HR=1.744, 2.036; P=0.022, 0.020, respectively) . Furthermore, the IKZF1 deletion/chemotherapy group had significantly lower 3-year OS, EFS, and disease-free survival rates than other subgroups. In the IKZF1 deletion cohort, allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) significantly improved OS and EFS compared to non-allo-HSCT[ (67.9±10.4) % vs (31.9±11.0) % , (46.6±10.5) % vs (26.7±9.7) % ; P=0.005, 0.026, respectively]. Conclusion: Pediatric-inspired chemotherapy was unable to completely reverse the negative effect of IKZF1 deletion on prognosis. Pediatric-inspired regimen therapy combined with allo-HSCT, in contrast, significantly improved the overall prognosis of IKZF1 deletion B-ALL.
Acute Disease ; Burkitt Lymphoma ; Child ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; Ikaros Transcription Factor/genetics* ; Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/therapy* ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: To explore the main factors of platelet spreading and provide the foundation for related research. METHODS: Platelets (2×10⁷/ml) were draw from C57BL/6J mouse and kept at 22 ℃ for 1-2 hours. Platelets (2×10⁷/ml) were were allowed to adhere and spread on the fibrinogen-coated slides, after staining F-actin in platelets, the platelets were observed with the confocal microscopy. The effects of different concentrations of fibrinogen (10 μg/ml, 30 μg/ml, 100 μg/ml) and kinds of agonists ［thrombin(0.01,0.05,0.1 U/ml), ADP（5,10,20 μmol/L）, U46619（0.125,0.25,0.5 μmol/L）］ on platelets were analyzed. The platelet spreading was successful if the spreading rate was higher after treated with agonists. RESULTS: Compared to the group which coated with 10 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml fibrinogen, the platelet density is optimal when coated with 30 μg/ml fibrinogen. In addition, under the stimulation of thrombin, ADP and U46619, the spreading rate of platelets showed a certain concentration-dependent increasing. CONCLUSION The platelet spreading is easily influenced by various factors, the platelet spreading can be induced successfully at 0.1 U/ml thrombin, 20 μmol/L ADP and 0.5 μmol/L U46619 on the slide coated with 30 μg/ml fibrinogen.
15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid/pharmacology* ; Adenosine Diphosphate ; Animals ; Blood Platelets/physiology* ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Platelet Adhesiveness/physiology* ; Thrombin/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of zyxin on the distribution of platelet cytoskeleton. METHODS: Platelets were isolated from zyxin-knockout (Zyx RESULTS: After zyxin gene was knockout, the expressions of cytoskeleton proteins β-actin, α-actinin, filamin A, and myosin Ⅱ A in resting and Jas-induced platelets were significantly increased. In the platelet spreading on fibrinogen surface, F-actin was increased in Zyx CONCLUSION Zyxin significantly regulates the distribution of platelet cytoskeleton, which plays an important role in maintaining platelet cytoskeleton homeostasis.
Actinin ; Actins ; Animals ; Blood Platelets ; Cytoskeleton ; Mice ; Zyxin