Hepatitis C elimination in Africa: Seizing the moment for hepatitis-C free future

Background. We aimed to determine if an association exists between uncomplicated hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and depression or fatigue.Method. A review of the literature was undertaken.Results. There is an association between HCV infection and either depression or fatigue in certain circumstances – those who are aware they are HCV positive, those with advanced liver disease and those seen in specialist referral centres. All these studies are subject to important biases. There are only a few studies in which knowledge of HCV status and assessment of fatigue or depression is independent. These studies do not suggest an association. There is no association between conventional markers of liver disease and depression or fatigue.Conclusions. Despite anecdotal evidence to the contrary, at the moment there is no evidence that HCV infection per se is associated with fatigue or depression, and there is a suggestion that it is not. The same risk factors that exist for fatigue in other physical illnesses, such as metabolic disorder, mood disorder, demographics and lack of exercise, certainly exist for HCV. Although there are elegant theoretical mechanisms, there is no compelling epidemiological evidence for an additional HCV specific fatigue or depression factor.

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Optimization of tactics of management of patients with chronic hepatitis C

Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases (Russian Journal) ◽

10.17816/eid40700 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 24-27

Author(s):

O. V. Korochkina ◽

A. M. Ryumin

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Prognostic Significance ◽

Virologic Response ◽

Male Gender ◽

Natural Course ◽

Viral Kinetics ◽

Infectious Dose ◽

The Moment

The prognostic significance of characteristics of patients (gender, age, infectious dose, the presence of habitual intoxication) and of the virus (replicative activity, genotype, viral load, viral kinetics) in the natural course of HCV infection and the probability of achieving sustained virologic response (SVR) as a result of antiviral therapy (AVT ) were studied. The natural course of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection in 100 patients and the effectiveness of AVT in 68 CHC patients have been analyzed. The factors that determine the unfavorable course of CHC (male gender, age at the moment of infection older than 30 years, infection through a hemotransfusion or drug use, the presence of habitual intoxications, virus 3a genotype, and the presence of a/HCV NS3 and a/HCV NS5). The factors that determine a high probability of achieving SVR are detected. In this case the treatment by AVT, regardless of the prognosis of the natural course of HCV is recommended

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A Genome-Wide Association Study on Liver Stiffness Changes during Hepatitis C Virus Infection Cure

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11081501 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1501

Author(s):

Anaïs Corma-Gómez ◽

Juan Macías ◽

Antonio Rivero ◽

Antonio Rivero-Juarez ◽

Ignacio de los Santos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Genetic Factors ◽

Liver Stiffness ◽

Dna Conformation ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Hcv Therapy ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

The Moment

Liver stiffness (LS) at sustained virological response (SVR) after direct-acting antivirals (DAA)-based therapy is a predictor of liver events in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. The study aim was to identify genetic factors associated with LS changes from the moment of starting anti-HCV therapy to SVR. This prospective study included HCV-infected patients from the GEHEP-011 cohort who achieved SVR with DAA-based therapy, with LS pre-treatment ≥ 9.5 kPa and LS measurement available at SVR. Plink and Magma software were used to carry out genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based and gene-based association analyses, respectively. The ShinyGO application was used for exploring enrichment in Gene Ontology (GO) categories for biological processes. Overall, 242 patients were included. Median (quartile 1, quartile 3) LS values at pre-treatment and at SVR were 16.8 (12, 28) kPa and 12.0 (8.5, 19.3) kPa, respectively. Thirty-five SNPs and three genes reached suggestive association with LS changes from the moment of starting anti-HCV therapy to SVR. GO categories related to DNA packaging complex, DNA conformation change, chromosome organization and chromatin organization were significantly enriched. Our study reports possible genetic factors associated with LS changes during HCV-infection cure. In addition, our results suggest that processes related to DNA conformation are also involved in these changes.

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Anti-HCV antiviral therapies as an alternative for the treatment of Covid-19

Research Society and Development ◽

10.33448/rsd-v9i10.9406 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. e9489109406

Author(s):

Giuliene Rocha de Medeiros ◽

Isabela Cristina Cordeiro Farias ◽

João Victor Cordeiro Farias ◽

Penelopy Rodrigues de Macedo

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Clinical Results ◽

Antiviral Therapies ◽

The World ◽

Qualitative Nature ◽

Catalytic Mechanisms ◽

Type Studies ◽

The Moment ◽

Potential Inhibitors

The current pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread alarmingly around the world at a significantly faster speed than previous coronaviral outbreaks. Due to the lack of a vaccine at the moment, an early antiviral intervention can prevent the spread of the disease worldwide and improve the clinical results of infected patients. The SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a similar structure, replication, and catalytic mechanisms, therefore, several studies have considered the potential for antiviral activity of anti-HCV drugs such as remdesivir, simeprevir, sofosbuvir, and daclatasvir against SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate and discuss the antivirals already available against HCV, which have also been shown to be potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 replication. The study was based on a literature review, of a qualitative nature and an exploratory type. Studies with anti-HCV drugs are promising and are already considered to start clinical trials in patients infected with the new coronavirus, having been observed as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 viral replication. Thus, the present study brings a pharmaco-clinical review on antivirals remdesivir, simeprevir, sofosbuvir, and daclatasvir, considering the main studies carried out to date in the treatment for Covid-19.

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The High Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100051591 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 316-317

Author(s):

A. V. Crewe

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscope ◽

High Resolution ◽

High Vacuum ◽

Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽

Ultra High Vacuum ◽

Resolving Power ◽

Imaging Characteristics ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Scanning Transmission ◽

The Moment

The high resolution STEM is now a fact of life. I think that we have, in the last few years, demonstrated that this instrument is capable of the same resolving power as a CEM but is sufficiently different in its imaging characteristics to offer some real advantages.It seems possible to prove in a quite general way that only a field emission source can give adequate intensity for the highest resolution^ and at the moment this means operating at ultra high vacuum levels. Our experience, however, is that neither the source nor the vacuum are difficult to manage and indeed are simpler than many other systems and substantially trouble-free.

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Pinocytotic-Like Forms of Mitochondria From Rat Anterior Pituitary

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100100470 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 146-147

Author(s):

Burton B. Silver

Keyword(s):

Electron Micrographs ◽

Conformational Changes ◽

Anterior Pituitary ◽

Dynamic State ◽

Surrounding Cell ◽

The Matrix ◽

The Moment ◽

Cell Medium ◽

Sectioned Tissue ◽

State Of Activity

Sectioned tissue rarely indicates evidence of what is probably a highly dynamic state of activity in mitochondria which have been reported to undergo a variety of movements such as streaming, divisions and coalescence. Recently, mitochondria from the rat anterior pituitary have been fixed in a variety of configurations which suggest that conformational changes were occurring at the moment of fixation. Pinocytotic-like vacuoles which may be taking in or expelling materials from the surrounding cell medium, appear to be forming in some of the mitochondria. In some cases, pores extend into the matrix of the mitochondria. In other forms, the remains of what seems to be pinched off vacuoles are evident in the mitochondrial interior. Dense materials, resembling secretory droplets, appear at the junction of the pores and the cytoplasm. The droplets are similar to the secretory materials commonly identified in electron micrographs of the anterior pituitary.

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Advances in Stem Instrumentation for Biology

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100180562 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 362-363

Author(s):

J. S. Wall

Keyword(s):

Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽

Carbon Films ◽

Specimen Preparation ◽

Material Deposition ◽

Active User ◽

Percent Improvement ◽

Scanning Transmission ◽

The Moment ◽

Film Substrate ◽

High Level

The forte of the Scanning transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) is high resolution imaging with high contrast on thin specimens, as demonstrated by visualization of single heavy atoms. of equal importance for biology is the efficient utilization of all available signals, permitting low dose imaging of unstained single molecules such as DNA.Our work at Brookhaven has concentrated on: 1) design and construction of instruments optimized for a narrow range of biological applications and 2) use of such instruments in a very active user/collaborator program. Therefore our program is highly interactive with a strong emphasis on producing results which are interpretable with a high level of confidence.The major challenge we face at the moment is specimen preparation. The resolution of the STEM is better than 2.5 A, but measurements of resolution vs. dose level off at a resolution of 20 A at a dose of 10 el/A2 on a well-behaved biological specimen such as TMV (tobacco mosaic virus). To track down this problem we are examining all aspects of specimen preparation: purification of biological material, deposition on the thin film substrate, washing, fast freezing and freeze drying. As we attempt to improve our equipment/technique, we use image analysis of TMV internal controls included in all STEM samples as a monitor sensitive enough to detect even a few percent improvement. For delicate specimens, carbon films can be very harsh-leading to disruption of the sample. Therefore we are developing conducting polymer films as alternative substrates, as described elsewhere in these Proceedings. For specimen preparation studies, we have identified (from our user/collaborator program ) a variety of “canary” specimens, each uniquely sensitive to one particular aspect of sample preparation, so we can attempt to separate the variables involved.

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Traumatic Brain Injury: A Trauma Surgeon's Perspective

Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders ◽

10.1044/nnsld22.3.82 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 82-89

Author(s):

Oscar D. Guillamondegui

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Multidisciplinary Approach ◽

Trauma Team ◽

The United States ◽

Long Term Outcomes ◽

Term Care ◽

Injured Brain ◽

The Moment

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious epidemic in the United States. It affects patients of all ages, race, and socioeconomic status (SES). The current care of these patients typically manifests after sequelae have been identified after discharge from the hospital, long after the inciting event. The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of identification and management of the TBI patient from the moment of injury through long-term care as a multidisciplinary approach. By promoting an awareness of the issues that develop around the acutely injured brain and linking them to long-term outcomes, the trauma team can initiate care early to alter the effect on the patient, family, and community. Hopefully, by describing the care afforded at a trauma center and by a multidisciplinary team, we can bring a better understanding to the armamentarium of methods utilized to treat the difficult population of TBI patients.

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