Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir plus ribavirin for Child-Pugh B and Child-Pugh C hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis

( Chen-hua Liu ),( Chi-yi Chen ),( Wei-wen Su ),( Chun-jen Liu ),( Ching-chu Lo ),( Ke-jhang Huang ),( Jyh-jou Chen ),( Kuo-chih Tseng ),( Chi-yang Chang ),( Cheng-yuan Peng ),( Yu-lueng Shih ),( Chia 대한간학회 2021 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.27 No.4

Background/Aims: Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) plus ribavirin (RBV) for Child-Pugh B/C hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis are limited. Methods: We included 107 patients with Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis receiving SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response rates at off-treatment week 12 (SVR₁₂) for the evaluable population (EP), modified EP, and per-protocol population (PP) were assessed. The safety profiles were reported. Results: The SVR₁₂ rates in the EP, modified EP and PP were 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.5-94.2%), 94.1% (95% CI, 87.8-97.3%), and 100% (95% CI, 96.2-100%). Number of patients who failed to achieve SVR₁₂ were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR₁₂ rates were comparable regardless of patient characteristics. One patient discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-four patients had serious AEs and six died, but none were related to SOF/VEL or RBV. Among the 96 patients achieving SVR₁₂, 84.4% and 64.6% had improved Child-Pugh and model for endstage liver disease (MELD) scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a baseline MELD score ≥15 was associated with an improved MELD score of ≥3 (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.16-14.71; P=0.02). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1 had more significant estimated glomerular filtration rate declines than patients with CKD stage 2 (-0.42 mL/min/1.73 ㎡/month; P=0.01) or stage 3 (-0.56 mL/min/1.73 ㎡/month; P<0.001). Conclusions: SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated for Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis. (Clin Mol Hepatol 2021;27:575-588)

Striatal Dopamine Transporter Availability is Associated with Sleep Disturbance among Patients with Bipolar I Disorder: A Single-photon Emission Computed Tomography Study Using [99mTc] TRODAT-1

Tsung-Hua Lu(Tsung-Hua Lu),Shih-Hsien Lin(Shih-Hsien Lin),Huai-Hsuan Tseng(Huai-Hsuan Tseng),Yen Kuang Yang(Yen Kuang Yang),Nan Tsing Chiu(Nan Tsing Chiu),Po See Chen(Po See Chen) 대한정신약물학회 2022 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.20 No.4

Objective: Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by the poor sleep quality. Whether the striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) availability is related to sleep quality among patients with BD is unclear. Methods: Fifty-three euthymic patients with BD (24 BD-I and 29 BD-II) and sixty-eight healthy controls were enrolled. The Chinese Version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used, and the availability of DAT was assessed by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using [99mTc] TRODAT-1. Results: The sleep disturbance component of the PSQI was significantly associated with the level of DAT availability among patients with BD. Conclusion: The striatal dopaminergic activity that contributes to resilience to adversity was associated with sleep pattern among patients with BD.

Harm Avoidance is Correlated with the Reward System in Adult Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Tsung-Hua Lu(Tsung-Hua Lu),Shih-Hsien Lin(Shih-Hsien Lin),Mei Hung Chi(Mei Hung Chi),Ching-Lin Chu(Ching-Lin Chu),Dong-Yu Yang(Dong-Yu Yang),Wei Hung Chang(Wei Hung Chang),Po See Chen(Po See Chen),Yen 대한정신약물학회 2023 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.21 No.1

Objective: Hypoactivity in the reward system among patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a well-known phenomenon. Whether the activity in the reward pathway is related to harm avoidance, such as in sensitivity to punishment, is unclear. Evidence regarding the potential difference between ADHD patients and controls in terms of this association is scarce. Methods: Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted on subjects performing the Iowa gambling test. Fourteen adults with ADHD and 14 controls were enrolled in the study. Results: Harm avoidance was found to be positively correlated with the activities of the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and right insula in individuals with ADHD. A group difference was also confirmed. Conclusion: Understanding the roles of harm avoidance and brain activation during risk tasks is important.

Dynamic characteristics of multiple inerter based dampers for suppressing harmonically forced oscillations

Hua-ting Chen,Shaomin Jia,Xuefeng He 국제구조공학회 2019 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.72 No.6

Based on the ball-screw mechanism, a tuned viscous mass damper (TVMD) has been proposed, which has functions of amplifying physical mass of the system and frequency tuning. Considering the sensitivity of a single TVMD’s effectiveness to frequency mistuning like that of the conventional tuned mass damper (TMD) and according to the concept of the conventional multiple tuned mass damper (MTMD), in the present paper, multiple tuned mass viscous dampers (MTVMD) consisting of many tuned mass dampers (TVMD) with a uniform distribution of natural frequencies are considered for attenuating undesirable vibration of a structure. The MTVMD is manufactured by keeping the stiffness and damping constant and varying the mass associated with the lead of the ball-screw type inerter element in the damper. The structure is represented by its mode-generalized system in a specific vibration mode controlled using the mode reduced-order method. Modal properties and fundamental characteristics of the MTVMD-structure system are investigated analytically with the parameters, i.e., the frequency band, the average damping ratio, the tuning frequency ratio, the total number of TVMD and the total mass ratio. It is found that there exists an optimum set of the parameters that makes the frequency response curve of the structure flattened with smaller amplitudes in a wider input frequency range. The effectiveness and robustness of the MTVMD are also discussed in comparison with those of the usual single TVMD (STVMD) and the results shows that the MTVMD is more effective and robust with the same level of total mass.

Associations of Plasma Glucagon Levels with Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, Albuminuria and Diabetic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Hua-Xing Huang,Liang-Lan Shen,Hai-Yan Huang,Li-Hua Zhao,Feng Xu,Dong-Mei Zhang,Xiu-Lin Zhang,Tong Chen,Xue-Qin Wang,Yan Xie,Jian-Bin Su 대한당뇨병학회 2021 Diabetes and Metabolism Journal Vol.45 No.6

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by elevated fasting glucagon and impaired suppression of postprandial glucagon secretion, which may participate in diabetic complications. Therefore, we investigated the associations of plasma glucagon with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albuminuria and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in T2DM patients.Methods: Fasting glucagon and postchallenge glucagon (assessed by area under the glucagon curve [AUCgla]) levels were determined during oral glucose tolerance tests. Patients with an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and/or a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥30 mg/g who presented with diabetic retinopathy were identified as having DKD.Results: Of the 2,436 recruited patients, fasting glucagon was correlated with eGFR and UACR (r=–0.112 and r=0.157, respectively; P<0.001), and AUCgla was also correlated with eGFR and UACR (r=–0.267 and r=0.234, respectively; P<0.001). Moreover, 31.7% (n=771) presented with DKD; the prevalence of DKD was 27.3%, 27.6%, 32.5%, and 39.2% in the first (Q1), second (Q2), third (Q3), and fourth quartile (Q4) of fasting glucagon, respectively; and the corresponding prevalence for AUCgla was 25.9%, 22.7%, 33.7%, and 44.4%, respectively. Furthermore, after adjusting for other clinical covariates, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs; 95% confidence intervals) for DKD in Q2, Q3, and Q4 versus Q1 of fasting glucagon were 0.946 (0.697 to 1.284), 1.209 (0.895 to 1.634), and 1.521 (1.129 to 2.049), respectively; the corresponding ORs of AUCgla were 0.825 (0.611 to 1.114), 1.323 (0.989 to 1.769), and 2.066 (1.546 to 2.760), respectively. Additionally, when we restricted our analysis in patients with glycosylated hemoglobin <7.0% (n=471), we found fasting glucagon and AUCgla were still independently associated with DKD.Conclusion: Both increased fasting and postchallenge glucagon levels were independently associated with DKD in T2DM patients.

Discovery of a couple of Foenobethylus (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) in copulation suggests a synonym under Parascleroderma

Chen Hua-yan,Azevedo Celso O. 한국응용곤충학회 2020 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.23 No.4

Foenobethylus Kieffer 1913 is a rare and small genus of Pristocerinae in the flat wasp family Bethylidae, with 10 described species worldwide, all of which are known only from males. In this study, we describe a new species, F. syndesis Chen & Azevedo, sp. nov., based on a couple in copulation and one additional male from China. An updated key to species of the genus is provided. In light of the first discovery of the female of Foenobethylus, the differences between Foenobethylus and Parascleroderma are discussed.

Effect of Tissue Engineering Small Vessel Scaffolds in Experimental Animals

( Hua Yong Chen ),( Shu Ling Bai ),( Ying Qing Chen ) 한국조직공학·재생의학회 2012 조직공학과 재생의학 Vol.9 No.3

Acellular xenogeneic small vessel scaffolds preliminarily eliminate the xenogeneic antigen that could induce an immune rejection. We transplanted the Wistar rat caudal artery scaffolds into Japanese white rabbit ear central arteries, and observed the changes of blood flow and vessel wall. We acquired 30 caudal arteries from 15 Wistar rats, some were directly assigned as caudal artery group, the others were disposed by 1% p-octyl polyethelene glycol phenyl ether, and were assigned as the group of tissue engineered small vessel scaffold. We collected 15 Japanese white rabbits, and utilized a pair of ear central arteries per rabbit as hosts. Through microscopic surgery, the proximal broken end of central artery was overlapped into the donor`s proximal vessel lumen by sleeve anastomosis, while the distal broken end was sutured by classical end-to-end anastomosis. The maximum patency time of small vessel scaffold was 46 hours and 47 minutes, and which of caudal vessel was 14 hours. The poor blood flow primarily was occurred in distal broken end, while proximal end was connected in pedicle graft structure. On the 10th day, tunica intima fibers in vessel scaffold were still arranged in cylindrical conformation regularly without cell adherence. On the 100th day, tunica intima fibers were still preserved completely in proximal end. The results showed that xenogeneic acellular small vessel scaffold can be transplanted into the host, and the sleeve anastomosis was significantly superior to the classical end-to-end anastomosis.

Retrospective Study of Adjuvant Chemotherapy Effects on Survival Rate after Three-Field Lymph Node Dissection for Stage IIA Esophageal Cancer

Chen, Hua-Xia,Wang, Zhou Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.13

To determine the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel plus cisplatin (Taxol + DDP, TP therapy) for stage IIA esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to investigate the expression of RUNX3 in lymph node metastasis-negative esophageal cancer and its relationship with medical prognosis, a retrospective summary of clinical treatment of 143 cases of stage IIA esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients was made. The patients were divided into two groups, a surgery alone control group (52 patients) and a chemotherapy group that received postoperative TP therapy (91 patients). The disease-free and 5 year survival rates were compared between the groups and a multivariate analysis of prognostic factors was performed. The same analysis was performed for cases classified as RUNX3 positive and negative, with post-operative specimens assessed by immunohistochemistry. Although the disease-free and 5 year survival rates in control and chemotherapy groups did not significantly differ and there was no significance in RUNX3 negative cases, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in the chemotherapy group was shown to improve disease-free and 5 year survival rate compared to the control group in RUNX3 positive cases. On Cox regression multivariate analysis, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (P<0.01) was an independent prognostic factor for RUNX3 positive cases, suggesting that postoperative TP may be effective as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IIA esophageal cancer patients with RUNX3 positive lesions.

China`s Pension Reform Process and the Future Options

( Chen Yin Hua ) 한국행정학회 2009 한국행정학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.2009 No.-

taken as soon as possible. China`s pension reform, Notional Refined-benefit, Individual Account, contribution rate, replacement rate, reform options, With the rapid demographic dynamic and economic development China have to face the old age problems. After several reform since 1986, especially the milestone reform in 1997, until now, China still apparently need reform in pension system. This paper analyzed the main problems about China`s current pension system and showed out the trade-off of different possible options. As regard to the finial selection, political and other factors will affect meantime. As the conclusion, the continuous pension reform in China should be

Modified Method of the Unified Jacobian-Torsor Model for Tolerance Analysis and Allocation

Hua Chen,Sun Jin,Zhimin Li,Xinmin Lai 한국정밀공학회 2015 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

The unified Jacobian-Torsor model uses the torsor model for tolerance representation and the Jacobian matrix for tolerance propagation. The torsor model is composed of six components, i.e., three translational vectors and three rotational vectors. However, previous studies about this model have only considered the constraint of individual component. In fact, this constraint is the scope of a single component. It is called variation. Relations between these components are constraints which reflect the interaction between them in a tolerance zone. Integrating all limited values of components of torsors into the unified Jacobian-Torsor model may lead to an inaccurate result. Meanwhile, the variations and constraints of torsor for a feature specified by more than one tolerance have been not illustrated clearly. In this paper, a modified method of the unified Jacobian-Torsor model considering constraints between components of torsor is presented. The variations and constraints of torsors for cylindrical and planar features are proposed. These constraints are calculated by means of a modified Monte Carlo method based on the previous work. Moreover, tolerance allocation of this modified method in a statistical way is also introduced. Two case studies have been performed to demonstrate the modified method.