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Minority patients are under-screened for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in the USA, and limited data exist for minority patients with advanced fibrosis.

In this cross-sectional study, CHC patients who were prescribed direct-acting antiviral agents were divided into White patients and minority patient groups. Primary measurements were the mean fibrosis scores and percentages of patients with stage III-IV fibrosis (late presenters) for the two groups.

Among the 1421 patients with self-reported ethnicity, 697 were White patients, and 724 were minority patients (484 Hispanic, 175 Black, 65 Asians). Compared to the White, minority patients had significantly higher mean fibrosis score (p < 0.001) and a higher percentage of late presenters (p < 0.001). In subgroup analyses, the mean fibrosis scores for Hispanic, Black and Asian patients were 2.58 ± 1.38, 2.28 ± 1.41 and 2.28 ± 1.40, respectively.

Minority populations with CHC in the USA experience disparities in access to treatment in the early stages of liver fibrosis. Public health strategies are necessitated to address the inequality, as late presenters are at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Minority populations with CHC in the USA experience disparities in access to treatment in the early stages of liver fibrosis. Public health strategies are necessitated to address the inequality, as late presenters are at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

To compare volume and shape changes of pulp chamber of maxillary posterior teeth between tooth-borne and bone-borne maxillary expansions in adolescents.

This study included 36 adolescents with bilateral maxillary crossbite who received tooth-borne rapid maxillary expansion (TB group, average age 14.4years) or bone-borne rapid maxillary expansion (BB group, average age 14.7years). Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was taken before treatment (T1) and after a 6-month retention period (T2). see more Volumetric and shape changes of pulp chamber of maxillary first molars and premolars were detected by referring to a specific 3D digital technology involving deviation analysis of T1/T2 CBCT-derived models of pulp chamber. Student's t tests were used to (1) compare T1 and T2 volumes of pulp chambers in TB and BB groups and (2) assess differences between the two groups in the post-treatment volumetric changes and in the percentage of matching of 3D pulp models.

All investigated teeth showed a reduction of pulp volume, being this difference significant in both TB (p < 0.0001) and BB (p < 0.0001) groups. The volumetric reduction was greater in the TB group; also, subjects in the TB group showed a lower percentage of matching between T1 and T2 pulp models (p < 0.0001). The area most affected by shape change was that of pulp horns.

TB expander could induce a higher volumetric reduction of pulp chamber of posterior teeth compared with BB expander, in the short term.

The present findings add new information concerning the effects of RME protocols on pulp tissue.

The present findings add new information concerning the effects of RME protocols on pulp tissue.

Despite the fact that the risk versus benefit of smoking cannabis has not been extensively studied, many individuals with multiple sclerosis are smoking cannabis to reduce their pain intensity and spasticity. The lack of information about inhaled cannabis might be attributed to the fact that most trials focus on orally administered cannabis. Given the fact that the administration of cannabis via inhalation is known to rapidly deliver cannabinoids with a higher total bioavailability than what can be achieved through oral or buccal routes, it is important to understand the clinical trials conducted using smoked cannabis on patients with multiple sclerosis.

We sought to discuss the relevant literature about the safety and efficacy of smoked cannabis in multiple sclerosis patients in order to further understand the risks and benefits of this potential therapy for this patient population.

The current knowledge about the potential effects of smoked cannabis on treating neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis is reviewed. In addition, we discuss the possible adverse effects associated with smoking cannabis and we suggest safer as well as new effective inhaled cannabis formulations for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis.

The current knowledge about the potential effects of smoked cannabis on treating neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis is reviewed. In addition, we discuss the possible adverse effects associated with smoking cannabis and we suggest safer as well as new effective inhaled cannabis formulations for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis.Anti-cancer T-cell responses are often halted due to the immune-suppressive micro-environment, in part related to tumor-associated macrophages. In the current study, we assessed indigestible β-glucans (oatβG, curdlan, grifolan, schizophyllan, lentinan, yeast whole glucan particles (yWGP), zymosan and two additional yeast-derived β-glucans a and b) for their physicochemical properties as well as their effects on the plasticity of human monocyte-derived macrophages that were polarized with IL-4 to immune-suppressive macrophages. Beta-glucans were LPS/LTA free, and tested for solubility, molecular masses, protein and monosaccharide contents. Curdlan, yeast-b and zymosan re-polarized M(IL-4) macrophages towards an M1-like phenotype, in particular showing enhanced gene expression of CCR7, ICAM1 and CD80, and secretion of TNF-α and IL-6. Notably, differential gene expression, pathway analysis as well as protein expressions demonstrated that M(IL-4) macrophages treated with curdlan, yeast-b or zymosan demonstrated enhanced production of chemo-attractants, such as CCL3, CCL4, and CXCL8, which contribute to recruitment of monocytes and neutrophils. The secretion of chemo-attractants was confirmed when using patient-derived melanoma-infiltrating immune cells. Taken together, the bacterial-derived curdlan as well as the yeast-derived β-glucans yeast-b and zymosan have the unique ability to preferentially skew macrophages towards a chemo-attractant-producing phenotype that may aid in anti-cancer immune responses.