The impact of 3D Printing Technology on the Supply Chain: Manufacturing and Legal Perspectives

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordAn earlier version of this paper entitled “Impact of 3D Printing Technology on Supply Chain in China” was presented at the 24th International Conference on Production Research (ICPR 2017), Poznan, Poland, 30 July–3 August 2017. It is available in ORE at: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/311773D Printing (3DP) technology has been receiving increased public attention. Many companies are seeking ways to develop new means of creating and disseminating 3DP content, in order to capture new business opportunities. However, to date the true business opportunities of 3DP have not been completely uncovered. This research explores the challenges posed in the development and deployment of 3DP and focuses on China, which is still the main manufacturing hub of the world. The main purpose of this research is to uncover the obstacles that resist mass-scale applications of 3DP. By means of empirical semi-structured interviews with 3DP companies in China, it is found that many companies can see the benefits of 3DP, but its potential has not been delivered as promised. One reason is due to the fact that 3DP has not been integrated well in the supply chain. The other reason concerns potential intellectual property issues that cannot effectively prevent counterfeiting. To tackle the above issues, several areas have been identified that could be improved further. In particular, the legal complications concerning 3D-printed content could be overcome by a licensing platform.The work is sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Newton Fund, for the project “A Technological Licensing Framework for 3D printed content: A Focus on China”

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus replication in patients receiving cytotoxic therapy: Report of a prospective study

One hundred Chinese patients who received induction cytotoxic therapy for malignant lymphoma were prospectively studied to determine the incidence, morbidity, mortality, and predisposing factors for reactivation of hepatitis B virus replication during cytotoxic therapy. In 18 (67%) hepatitis B surface antigen-positive and 10 (14%) hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patients, hepatitis developed during cytotoxic therapy (P < 0.0001). Hepatitis could be attributed to exacerbation or reactivation of chronic hepatitis B in 13 (72%) hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients but in only 2 (20%) hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patients (P < 0.0001). Sudden increase or reactivation of hepatitis B virus replication gave rise to icteric hepatitis, nonfatal hepatic failure, and death in 22.3%, 3.7%, and 3.7% of patients who were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen; in 2%, 2%, and 0% of those positive for hepatitis B antibodies; and in none of those who were seronegative. Among the hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients, male sex was the only factor that was associated with an increased risk of reactivation of hepatitis B virus replication. We recommend that hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients with malignancies receiving cytotoxic therapy be closely monitored.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Hepatitis B infection in patients with lymphomas

This paper reviewed the clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of 484 lymphoma patients with known hepatitis B status. Comparisons were made between the hepatitis B surface antigen positive and negative patients. Also, the effect of treatment for lymphomas, including cytotoxic chemotherapy, in the hepatitis B antigen positive patients were analysed. The hepatitis B status was determined in 484 Chinese lymphoma patients at the time of initial diagnosis. Hepatic complications occurring during therapy for lymphomas were analysed. Although our lymphoma patients had a similar prevalence of hepatitis B markers of 42 per cent, they had a strikingly higher positive rate of 22 per cent for hepatitis B surface antigen and a relatively lower positive rate of 20 per cent for antibody, as compared to the respective figures of 9.5 per cent and 33 per cent in the control population. The hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients were younger than the negative patients but their treatment outcomes were similar despite the higher incidence of hepatic complications (21 per cent) in the hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients during therapy for lymphomas. None of the clinical parameters analysed appeared to be useful in predicting the development of these complications which included fatal liver failure (5.7 per cent), icteric hepatitis (5.7 per cent) and anicteric hepatitis (9.5 per cent). The high prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in our lymphoma patients may be related to the immunosuppressive effect of lymphomas. There is no definite evidence to suggest that hepatitis B infection has an aetiological or promoting role in the pathogenesis of lymphomas. Hepatitis B infection has contributed to the high incidence of hepatic complications during therapy for lymphomas and possible ways of prevention need to be investigated.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Clearance of hepatitis B surface antigen after bone marrow transplantation: Role of adoptive immunity transfer

Adoptive immunity transfer has been reported to be effective in clearing chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Two hundred twenty-six patients who received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) between May 1990 and September 1995 were screened for hepatitis B markers. Twenty-one patients were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive before BMT. The median follow-up period was 20 months (range, 2-59 months). Two of these patients had sustained clearance of HBV infection after transplantation. Both patients were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative, hepatitis B e antibody (anti- HBe)-positive, and serum HBV DNA-negative (by dot-blot hybridization) before BMT. Both had a flare in the serum alanine transaminase (ALT) level around the time of HBsAg clearance. Sustained clearance of HBsAg was observed in 2 of the 5 patients who received hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs)- positive marrow but in none of the 16 patients who received anti-HBs-negative marrow (P < .05). One additional patient who received anti-HBs-positive marrow had transient HBsAg seroconversion. Among the 18 patients who remained persistently HBsAg-positive after BMT, 3 had HBeAg seroconversion and 3 had reversion to HBeAg positivity. In this study, we found a significant association between clearance of HBV infection and anti-HBs-positive bone marrow donors. Adoptive immunity transfer is effective in clearing HBV from patients with chronic HBV infection.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Antibody response to core, envelope and nonstructural hepatitis C virus antigens: Comparison of immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients

Some immunosuppressed patients with hepatitis C virus infection do not have detectable levels of antibody to hepatitis C virus on second-generation enzyme immunoassay. Antibodies to the envelope and nonstructural region 5 proteins have not been examined. Four groups of patients with hepatitis C virus infection were studied: (a) 20 immunocompetent patients, (b) 15 hemodialysis patients, (c) 17 kidney transplant recipients and (d) 3 acute leukemia patients who underwent bone marrow transplantation. Serum samples were tested for antibody to hepatitis C virus with a second-generation enzyme immunoassay and multiantigen enzyme immunoassays and for hepatitis C virus RNA with a nested polymerase chain reaction assay. All the immunocompetent patients reacted to C25, C22 and C33C; 90% reacted to nonstructural region 5 antigen and 80% reacted to C100-3. Only 55% reacted against yeast-derived e1 and e2 antigens, but all reacted against vaccinia virus-expressed N e1 and e2 antigens, indicating that the envelope epitopes are conformational and glycosylated. Sixty-five percent to 90% of dialysis and kidney transplant patients reacted to C25, C22 and N e1 and e2, but only 12% to 60% reacted to C100-3, C33C and nonstructural region 5 antigen. Diminution or loss of reactivity to hepatitis C virus antigens was observed after kidney and bone marrow transplantation, with C25 and N e1 and e2 less affected. Our data suggest that incorporation of C25 and N e1 and e2 antigens in the assay for antibody to hepatitis C virus would improve the detection of hepatitis C virus infection in immunosuppressed patients.link_to_subscribed_fulltex