Can DKI-MRI predict recurrence and invasion of peritumoral zone of hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization?

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been performed as a palliative treatment for patients with HCC. However, HCC is easy to recur after TACE. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has clinical potential in evaluating the TACE treatment effect for patients with liver cancer. However, traditional MRI has some limitations. AIM: To explore the clinical potential of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in predicting recurrence and cellular invasion of the peritumoral liver zone of HCC after TACE. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with 82 HCC nodules were recruited in this study and underwent DKI after TACE. According to pathological examinations or the overall modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) criterion, 48 and 34 nodules were divided into true progression and pseudo-progression groups, respectively. The TACE-treated area, peritumoral liver zone, and far-tumoral zone were evaluated on DKI-derived metric maps. Non-parametric U test and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis were used to evaluate the prediction performance of each DKI metric between the two groups. The independent t-test was used to compare each DKI metric between the peritumoral and far-tumoral zones of the true progression group. RESULTS: DKI metrics, including mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (DA), radial diffusivity (DR), axial kurtosis (KA), and anisotropy fraction of kurtosis (Fak), showed statistically different values between the true progression and pseudo-progression groups (P < 0.05). Among these, MD, DA, and DR values were higher in pseudo-progression lesions than in true progression lesions, whereas KA and FAk values were higher in true progression lesions than in pseudo-progression lesions. Moreover, for the true progression group, the peritumoral zone showed significantly different DA, DR, KA, and FAk values from the far-tumoral zone. Furthermore, MD values of the liver parenchyma (peritumoral and far-tumoral zones) were significantly lower in the true progression group than in the pseudo-progression group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: DKI has been demonstrated with robust performance in predicting the therapeutic response of HCC to TACE. Moreover, DKI might reveal cellular invasion of the peritumoral zone by molecular diffusion-restricted change.

Feed types affect the growth, nutrient utilization, digestive capabilities, and endocrine functions of Megalobrama amblycephala: a comparative study between pelleted and extruded feed.

Nowadays, both pelleted feed (PF) and extruded feed (EF) have been widely adopted in the aquaculture industry. However, limited information is available comparing their utilization efficiencies and meanwhile interpreting the underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to compare the utilization efficiencies of both PF and EF by blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) based on growth performance, digestive capacities, and endocrine functions. Two feeds with identical formulas were prepared and named PF and EF. Fish were randomly distributed into two groups, including one that fed the PF continuously, and one that offered the EF continuously. The whole feeding trail lasted 8 weeks. The results showed that the protein efficiency (PER), retention of nitrogen and energy (NRE and ERE), viscera index (VSI), apparent digestibility of dry matter, protein, carbohydrate, and gross energy, whole-body crude protein and energy contents, intestinal enzymatic activities of protease, amylase, and Na+,K+-ATPase, intestinal villi length, crypt depth, muscular layer thickness, and the transcriptions of leptin (LEP) and cholecystokinin (CCK) of the EF group were all significantly higher than those of the PF group, while the opposite was true for feed intake and feed conversion ratio. These findings suggested that compared with PF, EF could improve the feed utilization and nutrient retention of blunt snout bream by enhancing the intestinal digestive and absorptive functions but reduce the feed intake through the stimulation of both LEP and CCK.

Molecular characterization of farnesoid X receptor alpha in Megalobrama amblycephala and its potential roles in high-carbohydrate diet-induced alterations of bile acid metabolism.

Farnesoid X receptorα (FXRα) plays a central role in maintaining the bile acid homeostasis in mammals, while relevant processes are still poorly interpreted in aquatic species. This study was conducted to characterize the fxrα gene in a cyprinidae species: blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala), and investigate its potential roles in bile acid metabolism. The Fxrα protein contains one DNA binding domain, one ligand binding domain, one His-Try "switch" and two modifies residues. A high degree of conservation (53.18-100.00 %) was observed in the Fxrα protein among most aquatic species and higher vertebrates. The transcription of fxrα was mainly observed in intestine, liver and kidney. Then fish (35.0 ± 0.15 g) were fed two diets containing 33 % and 45 % carbohydrate levels for 12weeks. High-carbohydrate diet significantly elevated the total cholesterol concentrations in plasma, liver and hindgut as well as the triglyceride concentrations in both liver and hindgut, but decreased the total bile acid concentrations in plasma, liver and hindgut. High dietary carbohydrate levels also significantly enhanced hepatic transcriptions of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis), and those of fxrα (a bile acid receptor) and multidrug resistance associated protein 2 (a bile acid transporter) in hindgut. Furthermore, high dietary carbohydrate levels significantly decreased the transcriptions of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (the rate-limiting enzyme in bile acid synthesis) and organic anion-transporting polypeptides (a bile acid transporter) in liver as well as that of takeda G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor in hindgut. The results demonstrated that the fxrα gene of blunt snout bream is highly conserved compared with other vertebrates. Besides, high dietary carbohydrate levels increased total cholesterol concentrations, and up-regulated the transcription of fxrα, thus decreasing the biosynthesis and reabsorption of bile acids by mediating various target genes.

Carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone induced the imbalance of mitochondrial homeostasis in the liver of Megalobrama amblycephala: A dynamic study.

Carbonylcyanide-3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) is a protonophore, which causes uncoupling of proton gradient in the inner mitochondrial membrane, thus inhibiting the rate of ATP synthesis. However, this information is manly derived from mammals, while its effects on the mitochondrial homeostasis of aquatic animals are largely unknown. In this study, the mitochondrial homeostasis of a carp fish Megalobrama amblycephala was investigated systematically in a time-course manner by using CCCP. Fish was injected intraperitoneally with CCCP (1.8 mg/kg per body weight) and DMSO (control), respectively. The results showed that CCCP treatment induced hepatic mitochondrial oxidative stress, as was evidenced by the significantly increased MDA and PC contents coupled with the decreased SOD and MnSOD activities. Meanwhile, mitochondrial fission was up-regulated remarkably characterized by the increased transcriptions of Drp-1, Fis-1 and Mff. However, the opposite was true for mitochondrial fusion, as was indicative of the decreased transcriptions of Mfn-1, Mfn-2 and Opa-1. This consequently triggered mitophagy, as was supported by the accumulated mitochondrial autophagosomes and the increased protein levels of PINK1, Parkin, LC3-II and P62 accompanied by the increased LC3-II/LC3-I ratio. Mitochondrial biogenesis and function both decreased significantly addressed by the decreased activities of CS, SDH and complex I, IV and V, as well as the protein levels of PGC-1ß coupled with the decreased transcriptions of TFAM, COX-1, COX-2 and ATP-6. Unlikely, DMSO treatment exerted little influence. Overall, CCCP treatment resulted in the imbalance of mitochondrial homeostasis in Megalobrama amblycephala by promoting mitochondrial oxidative stress, fission and mitophagy, but depressing mitochondrial fusion, biogenesis and function.

Periodontitis and inflammatory bowel disease: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis was reported to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the association between them has not been firmly established in the existing literature. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between periodontitis and IBD. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for publications up to August 1, 2019 to include all eligible studies. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated to determine the association between periodontal disease and IBD using a random or fixed effects model according to heterogeneity. RESULTS: Six eligible studies involving 599 IBD patients and 448 controls were included. The pooled OR between periodontitis and IBD was 3.17 (95% CI: 2.09-4.8) with no heterogeneity observed (I2 = 0.00%). The pooled ORs were 3.64 (95% CI: 2.33-5.67) and 5.37 (95% CI: 3.30-8.74) for the associations between periodontitis and the two sub-categories of IBD, Crohn' s disease and ulcerative colitis, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that periodontitis was significantly associated with IBD. However, the mechanisms underlying periodontitis and IBD development are undetermined. Further studies are needed to elucidate this relationship.

[Protective effects of hirudin on acute experimental intracerebral hemorrhage].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effects of hirudin on acute experimental intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by observing the changes of histologic pathology and brain water content as well as GFAP-positive cells in the perihematomal brain regions. METHOD: The models of rat ICH were made with infusion of autologous blood into the right neucleus caudatus. The rats were divided randomly into control group, intracerebral hemorrhage group and treating group with hirudin. Brain water content was measured, and pathological and GFAP changes were observed. RESULT: The pathological impairation after ICH were gradually deteriorated and peaked at the third day. Brain water content after ICH was gradually increased and obviously after one day(P < 0.05) and peaked at the third day. GFAP-positive cells were gradually increased and peaked at the seventh day after ICH. In the treating groups, the pathological impairation and brain water content as well as the GFAP-positive cells were decreased as compared to those in the intracerebral hemorrhage group and the control group. And the positive correlation between GFAP-positive cell numbers and brain water content were shown by linear regression. CONCLUSION: The local administration of hirudin, a special inhibitor of thrombin, has protective effects within the first week after ICH.