Comparison of the efficacy of lamivudine and telbivudine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic viral hepatitis B remains a global public health concern. Currently, several drugs, such as lamivudine and telbivudine, are recommended for treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B. However, there are no conclusive results on the comparison of the efficacy of lamivudine (LAM) and telbivudine (LdT) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To evaluate the comparison of the efficacy of LAM and LdT in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B by a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials, we searched PUBMED (from 1990 to April 2010), Web of Science (from 1990 to April 2010), EMBASE (from 1990 to April 2010), CNKI (National Knowledge Infrastructure) (from 1990 to April 2010), VIP database (from 1990 to April 2010), WANFANG database (from 1990 to April 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review. At the end of one-year treatment, LdT was better than LAM at the biochemical response, virological response, HBeAg loss, therapeutic response, while less than at the viral breakthrough and viral resistance, but there was no significant difference in the HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg response. LdT was better than LAM at the HBeAg seroconversion with prolonged treatment to two years.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In summary, LdT was superior in inhibiting HBV replication and preventing drug resistance as compared to LAM for CHB patients. But LdT may cause more nonspecific adverse events and can lead to more CK elevation than LAM. It is thus recommended that the LdT could be used as an option for patients but adverse events, for example CK elevation, must be monitored.</p

Correction: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Detecting Galactomannan in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Diagnosing Invasive Aspergillosis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043347.]

Topology Universality and Dissimilarity in a Class of Scale-Free Networks

<div><p>We study the effect of subtle changes on the evolution in the scale-free (SF) networks. Three extended models are evolved based on competition and inner anti-preferential deletion in growth and preferential attachment processes. By nonlinear and dynamic controlling on randomness and determinacy, three models can self-organize into scale-free networks, and diverse scaling exponents appear. Moreover, the model with more determinacy has more stringent parameter control than randomness, especially in the edge deletion. Our results suggest that the nature of the topology universality and dissimilarity in SF networks may be the subtle changes of randomness and determinacy.</p></div

(a)—(c) With different conditions and parameters to compare the numerical simulation and the theoretical prediction of the degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>) for the model R.

<p>(a) With the condition <i>q</i> = <i>n</i> and after time <i>t</i> = 1000, three groups of the parameters are , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 3, <i>q</i> = <i>n</i> = 2; , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 3, <i>q</i> = <i>n</i> = 1; , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 3, <i>q</i> = <i>n</i> = 2. Blue, red and black solid lines stand for the theoretical degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>); red plus, black asterisk and blue diamond stand for the numerical simulation of degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>) of three groups respectively. (b) With the condition <i>q</i> < <i>n</i> and after time <i>t</i> = 1000, three groups of the parameters are , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 8, <i>n</i> = 2, <i>q</i> = 1; , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 4, <i>n</i> = 3, <i>q</i> = 1; , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 8, <i>n</i> = 4, <i>q</i> = 1. Blue, red and black solid lines stand for the theoretical degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>); red plus, black asterisk and blue diamond stand for the numerical simulation of degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>) of three groups respectively. (c) With the condition <i>q</i> > <i>n</i> and after time <i>t</i> = 1000, two groups of the parameters are , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 4, <i>n</i> = 1, <i>q</i> = 3; , <i>m</i>₀ = <i>m</i> = 3, <i>n</i> = 1, <i>q</i> = 3. Blue and red solid lines stand for the theoretical degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>); red plus and black asterisk stand for the numerical simulation of degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>) of two groups respectively. (d) The numerical simulations of degree distribution <i>P</i>(<i>k</i>) with different competition abilities <i>η</i> and the static parameters <i>C</i> = 2, <i>m</i> = 3, <i>n</i> = 2, <i>q</i> = 1.</p

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Detecting Galactomannan in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Diagnosing Invasive <em>Aspergillosis</em>

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) galactomannan (GM) assay has been used for diagnosing invasive <em>aspergillosis</em> (IA). We aimed to derive a definitive estimate of the overall accuracy of BAL-GM for diagnosing IA.</p> <h3>Methods and Results</h3><p>We undertook a systematic review of thirty diagnostic studies that evaluated the BAL-GM assay for diagnosing IA. PubMed and CBM (China Biological Medicine Database) databasees were searched for relevant studies published in all languages up until Feb 2012. The pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) were constructed for each cutoff value. Additionally, pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), and positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR, respectively) were calculated for summarizing overall test performance. Thirty studies were included in this meta-analysis. The summary estimates of pooled DOR, SEN, SPE, PLR, and NLR of the BAL-GM assay (cutoff value 0.5) for proven or probable IA were 52.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 31.8–87.3), 0.87 (95% CI 0.79–0.92), 0.89 (95% CI 0.85–0.92), 8.0 (95% CI 5.7–11.1) and 0.15 (95% CI 0.10–0.23) respectively. The SROC was 0.94 (95% CI 0.92–0.96). Compared with cutoff value of 0.5, it has higher DOR, SPE and PLR, and similar SEN and NLR with cutoff value of 1.0, which indicated the optimal cutoff value might be 1.0. Compared with BAL-GM, serum GM has a lower SEN and higher SPE, while PCR displays a lower SEN and a similar SPE.</p> <h3>Conclusion</h3><p>With the optimal cutoff value of 1.0, the BAL-GM assay has higher SEN compared to PCR and serum GM test. It is a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of proven and probable IA.</p> </div

miR-302b inhibits tumorigenesis by targeting EphA2 via Wnt/ β-catenin/EMT signaling cascade in gastric cancer

Abstract Background EphA2 is a crucial oncogene in gastric cancer (GC) development and metastasis, this study aims to identify microRNAs that target it and serve as key regulators of gastric carcinogenesis. Methods We identified several potential microRNAs targeting EphA2 by bioinformatics websites and then analyzed the role of miR-302b in modulating EphA2 in vitro and in vivo of GC, and it’s mechanism. Results Our analysis identified miR-302b, a novel regulator of EphA2, as one of the most significantly downregulated microRNA (miRNA) in GC tissues. Overexpression of miR-302b impaired GC cell migratory and invasive properties robustly and suppressed cell proliferation by arresting cells at G0–G1 phase in vitro. miR-302b exhibited anti-tumor activity by reversing EphA2 regulation, which relayed a signaling transduction cascade that attenuated the functions of N-cadherin, β-catenin, and Snail (markers of Wnt/β-catenin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT). This modulation of EphA2 also had distinct effects on cell proliferation and migration in GC in vivo. Conclusions miR-302b serves as a critical suppressor of GC cell tumorigenesis and metastasis by targeting the EphA2/Wnt/β-catenin/EMT pathway