Antihepatitis B therapy: a review of current medications and novel small molecule inhibitors

There are approximately 350 million hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers worldwide. Chronic HBV infection increases the risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. To date, two classes of antiviral drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of hepatitis B, immunomodulators (interferon [IFN]‐α and pegylated‐interferon [PEG‐IFN]‐α) and nucleos(t)ide analogs (lamivudine, telbivudine, adefovir, tenofovir [TDF], and entecavir [ETV]). Of these, ETV, TDF, and PEG‐IFN‐α are the most effective and are currently recommended for anti‐HBV therapy. However, these therapies are less than optimal because of their low rate of viral DNA and surface antigen clearance; thus, there exists a significant unmet medical need for safe and efficacious new anti‐HBV drugs. Covering diverse chemical structures and mechanisms of action, non‐nucleos(t)ide compounds offer great promise in the search for new anti‐HBV drugs. This review summarizes the currently approved anti‐HBV drugs and highlights advances in the identification and characterization of novel small molecule HBV inhibitors. We discuss the sources, structures, anti‐HBV effects, mechanisms of action, and potential toxicities of these novel inhibitors.     

Effects of Wenyang Zhenshuai Granules on the Expression of Key Mitochondrial Autophagy Proteins in the Doxorubicin-Induced Model of H9c2 Cardiomyocyte Injury

Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine - This study aimed to explore the effects of Wenyang Zhenshuai granules (WZG) on the morphology of cardiomyocytes, cell viability, and the expression...     

创伤骨科围术期深静脉血栓形成防治的临床探讨

目的 探讨创伤骨科围术期深静脉血栓形成的防治措施.方法 将38例骨科围术期深静脉血栓形成患者随机分为观察组和对照组,每组19例.观察组于围术期使用血塞通注射液,对照组不采用抗栓溶栓措施.治疗结束后比较2组患者临床疗效及住院时间.结果 观察组总有效率为84.2%高于对照组的15.8%,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).观察组住院时间为(27.26±10.55)d短于对照组的(32.66±10.55)d,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 深静脉血栓起病比较隐蔽,在骨科围术期应加强警惕.使用血塞通注射液防治深静脉血栓能获得良好的临床效果,在防治深静脉血栓的并发症方面具有重要意义.     

Nucleostemin deletion reveals an essential mechanism that maintains the genomic stability of stem and progenitor cells

Stem and progenitor cells maintain a robust DNA replication program during the tissue expansion phase of embryogenesis. The unique mechanism that protects them from the increased risk of replication-induced DNA damage, and hence permits self-renewal, remains unclear. To determine whether the genome integrity of stem/progenitor cells is safeguarded by mechanisms involving molecules beyond the core DNA repair machinery, we created a nucleostemin (a stem and cancer cell-enriched protein) conditional-null allele and showed that neural-specific knockout of nucleostemin predisposes embryos to spontaneous DNA damage that leads to severe brain defects in vivo. In cultured neural stem cells, depletion of nucleostemin triggers replication-dependent DNA damage and perturbs self-renewal, whereas overexpression of nucleostemin shows a protective effect against hydroxyurea-induced DNA damage. Mechanistic studies performed in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells showed that loss of nucleostemin triggers DNA damage and growth arrest independently of the p53 status or rRNA synthesis. Instead, nucleostemin is directly recruited to DNA damage sites and regulates the recruitment of the core repair protein, RAD51, to hydroxyurea-induced foci. This work establishes the primary function of nucleostemin in maintaining the genomic stability of actively dividing stem/progenitor cells by promoting the recruitment of RAD51 to stalled replication-induced DNA damage foci.     

间苯三酚联合缩宫素对需引产分娩的初产妇产程进展和分娩结局的影响

目的 探讨间苯三酚联合缩宫素应用对于需引产分娩的初产妇产程进展、产妇及新生儿分娩结局的影响.方法 选取2019年1月至2020年12月在合肥市第三人民医院需引产分娩的足月单胎初产妇60例,采用随机数字表法分为观察组与对照组,每组30例,对照组单用缩宫素治疗,观察组应用缩宫素联合间苯三酚治疗,收集产妇的产程进展、产后出血量、宫颈或阴道裂伤发生率、产时羊水Ⅲ度发生率、阴道分娩率和新生儿Apgar评分等,并对两组数据进行比较.结果 观察组第一产程、总产程时间分别为(407.9±125.4)min、(450.5±131.0)min,均显著短于对照组的(663.3±218.2)min、(722.1±223.4)min(P<0.05).两组阴道分娩率、产后出血量、宫颈或阴道裂伤发生率、产时羊水Ⅲ度发生率的差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).结论 间苯三酚联合缩宫素静滴,可缩短产程,且不影响母婴安全.     

How to distinguish between inconsistencies in CTA results and DSA findings

Renovascular hypertension (RVH) is a common cause of secondary hypertension. Noninvasive tests such as computed tomography angiography (CTA) or magnetic resonance angiography have a high specificity and sensitivity for the diagnosis. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is, however, the gold standard with which RVH can be reliably diagnosed. We report the case of a 30-year-old Chinese man with right ureter malformation and stenosis of the entire right renal artery. We discuss how to distinguish between inconsistencies in CTA results and DSA findings. Interobserver variability is an important factor that leads to such inconsistencies and cannot be ignored. Importantly, clinicians should combine imaging findings with the patient’s medical history and clinical manifestations rather than blindly believing the DSA results so as to avoid unnecessary medical disputes.