Aim:To compare the efficacy and safety of edoxaban and warfarin for treatment of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) following danaparoid sodium in patients with liver cirrhosis.Methods: Fifty cirrhotic patients with PVT treated initially for 2 weeks with danaparoid sodium were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Treatment was later switched to either edoxaban (n = 20) or warfarin (n = 30). We compared the efficacy and safety of edoxaban and warfarin for up to 6 months. The PVT volume was measured by dynamic computed tomography before treatment, at 2 weeks, and at 1, 3, and 6 months.

The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development is reduced following viral elimination by interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients. However, the risk in patients treated with interferon-free direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) is unknown. We evaluated chronic hepatitis C patients who achieved viral eradication by pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV, n = 244) or daclatasvir plus asunaprevir (DCV/ASV, n = 154) therapy. None of the patients had prior history of HCC or antiviral therapy. The median observation period after the end of treatment for the PEG-IFN/RBV and DCV/ASV groups were 96 (range 10–196) and 23 (range 4–78) months, respectively. During the observation period, HCC developed in 13 (5.3%) and 7 (4.5%) patients in the PEG-IFN/RBV and DCV/ASV groups, respectively. The cumulative HCC development rate after 1-, 3- and 5-years (0.4%, 3% and 5% for the PEG-IFN/RBV group and 0.6%, 9% and 9% for the DAA group, respectively) were similar between the two groups. Propensity score matching analysis also showed no significant difference in HCC development rates between the two groups. Serum AFP levels decreased to similar levels between PEG-IFN/RBV and DCV/ASV groups following the achievement of viral eradication. The risk for HCC development following viral eradication by IFN-free DAA therapy may be similar to that in IFN-based therapy.

Older age and male sex (host factors), advanced fibrosis stage (pre-IFN treatment factor), and higher alpha-fetoprotein values (post-treatment factor) were significantly associated with HCC development after HCV eradication.

The relative influences of biotic and abiotic processes on travertine fabrics are still not well understood, despite increasing interest in the last decade to better understand the record of ancient microbial life and sedimentary fabrics in microbial hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study examines travertines at Satono‐yu hot spring in Japan (the temperature of water flowing over the travertine was ca 35°C), to better understand the interaction between depositional, hydrochemical and microbial parameters at different flow settings. Characteristics of the bulk hydrochemistry, mineralogy (exclusively aragonite) and the driving force for precipitation (primarily abiotic CO2 degassing with some photosynthetic microbial contribution) were similar among all of the flow settings. Conversely, the increase in flow velocity suppressed the influence of photosynthesis and enhanced the abiotic precipitation due to the thinner diffusive boundary layer at the travertine surface–water interface. Additionally, the increase in flow velocity changed the microbial composition and decreased the bacterial diversity by reflecting their adhesion efficiency on the travertine substrate. The acidity of the cyanobacterial sheaths controls the aragonite nucleation rate and the resulting calcification, even at significantly high equilibrium CO2 partial pressure (ca 22 to 28 matm), high dissolved inorganic carbon concentration (ca 35 to 38 mmol l−1), and elevated aragonite saturation state (ca 20‐fold to 34‐fold). Therefore, the increase in flow velocity suppresses the microbial influence with respect to the increase in the saturation state, the nucleation site supply and pore space generation. Overall, this results in the predominance of abiotic precipitation under high flow velocities. Consequently, a sparse‐micritic fabric with abundant interlamina porosity forms under lower flow velocity where the microbial influence is effective, while a dense‐sparitic fabric with little inter‐crystalline porosity forms under higher flow velocity where abiotic precipitation prevails. These findings provide an essential base for assessing the formation processes of ancient travertines and comparable deposits from petrological fabrics.

Recurrent HZ was associated with milder clinical symptoms than primary HZ, probably because of stronger varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated immunity in the patients with recurrence.

F-FDG PET-CT and AFP-L3 may be useful for predicting MVI in small HCC, and the combination of the 2 factors provided reliable assessment for selection of suitable hepatic resection and liver transplantation candidates.

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Background and Aim To examine the effect on recurrence and survival of treatment by interferon (IFN)‐free direct‐acting antivirals (DAA) for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent primary curative treatment. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of 250 patients with HCV who had received curative treatment for primary HCC. As anti‐HCV treatment after HCC treatment, 38 patients received IFN‐free DAA therapy (DAA patients) and 94 received IFN‐based therapy (IFN patients). The recurrence of HCC and overall survival of the patient groups were compared in a case‐control study. Results The cumulative HCC recurrence rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 5%, 39%, and 39% for DAA patients and 0%, 46%, and 62% for IFN patients, respectively (P = 0.370). Multivariate analysis of the HCC recurrence identified treatment responses (sustained virological response [SVR]: hazard ratio [HR] 2.237; P = 0.003) as an independent predictive factor. The cumulative overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 96%, 96% for DAA patients and 93%, 73% for IFN patients, respectively ( P = 0.163). Multivariate analysis identified treatment responses (SVR: HR 8.742; P < 0.001) as independent predictors of overall survival. Propensity score matching analysis showed no significant difference in HCC development rates and overall survival rates in the two groups. Conclusions We found that SVR obtained after curative treatment for primary HCC suppressed recurrence and improved overall survival. And, IFN‐free DAA therapy after curative treatment for primary HCC could predict improving overall survival and suppressed HCC recurrence.