Development and validation of a predictive scoring system for post-transarterial chemoembolization pain management in liver cancer patients.

Background: Patients experiencing severe postoperative pain often show lower adherence to prescribed treatments, highlighting the clinical need for effective pain prediction and management strategies. This study aims to address this gap by identifying key risk factors associated with post-transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) pain and developing a predictive scoring system. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from liver cancer patients who underwent their first TACE procedure at our institution between January 2019 and December 2020. Pain levels were assessed using an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS-11). Patients were randomly assigned to training and validation cohorts. In the training cohort, logistic regression was used to evaluate the correlation between various parameters and post-TACE pain, leading to the development of a risk prediction model. This model's performance was subsequently assessed in the validation cohort. Results: The study included 255 patients. Univariate analysis in the training cohort identified tumor number, size, microsphere volume, and operation time as factors associated with postoperative pain. These factors were included in a multivariate model, which demonstrated areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUCs) of 0.71 in the training cohort and 0.74 in the validation cohort for predicting moderate to severe pain. A nomogram was also developed for clinical application, categorizing patients with scores above 72.90 as high risk for moderate to severe pain. Conclusions: Our research successfully developed and validated a novel scoring system capable of predicting moderate to severe pain following initial TACE treatment. However, the study's predictive accuracy, as reflected by AUC values, suggests that further refinement and validation in larger, diverse cohorts are necessary to enhance its clinical utility. This work underscores the importance of predictive tools in improving postoperative pain management and patient outcomes.

Extended lymphadenectomy based on the TRIANGLE for pancreatic head cancer: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: This study was to compare the safety and efficacy of different lymphadenectomy methods in patients with pancreatic head cancer undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 150 patients were included in this study. Patients were divided into Group A (n = 79), Group B (n = 44), and Group C (n = 27) according to the different lymphadenectomy methods. The clinical endpoint was time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Postoperative complications of different lymphadenectomy methods were compared respectively. TTP and OS of the three groups were compared by Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the three groups in operative time (P = 0.300), death in the hospital (P = 0.253), postoperative hemorrhage (P = 0.863), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) B/C (P = 0.306), bile leakage (P = 0.215), intestinal fistula (P = 0.177), lymphatic leakage (P = 0.267), delayed gastric emptying [(DGE) (P = 0.283)], ICU stay (P = 0.506), and postoperative hospital stay [(PHS) (P = 0.810)]. Median TTP in Groups B and C was significantly longer than in Group A (log-rank test, A vs B: P = 0.0005, A vs C: P = 0.0001). Median OS between the three groups has no statistical difference (P = 0.1546). CONCLUSIONS: Extended lymphadenectomy methods based on the TRIANGLE do not increase perioperative complications significantly and can effectively delay tumor progression in patients with pancreatic head cancer.

Impact of preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on postoperative long-term survival in patients with nonsmall hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was to compare the effects of preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and non-TACE on the long-term survival of patients who undergo radical hepatectomy. METHODS: PSM analysis was performed for 387 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (single > 3 cm or multiple) who underwent radical resection of HCC at our centre from January 2011 to June 2018. The patients were allocated to a preoperative TACE group (n = 77) and a non-TACE group (n = 310). The main outcome measures were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) since the treatment date. RESULTS: After PSM, 67 patients were included in each of the TACE and non-TACE groups. The median PFS times in the preoperative TACE and non-TACE groups were 24.0 and 11.3 months, respectively (p = 0.0117). The median OS times in the preoperative TACE and non-TACE groups were 41.5 and 29.0 months, respectively (p = 0.0114). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that preoperative TACE (hazard ratio, 1.733; 95% CI, 1.168-2.570) and tumour thrombosis (hazard ratio, 0.323; 95% CI, 0.141-0.742) were independent risk factors significantly associated with OS. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative TACE is related to improving PFS and OS after resection of HCC. Preoperative TACE and tumour thrombus volume were also found to be independent risk factors associated with OS.

Photochemical Halogen-Bonding Promoted Synthesis of Vinyl Sulfones via Vinyl and Sulfonyl Radicals.

A photochemical halogen-bonding-assisted synthesis of vinyl sulfones via radical-radical cross-coupling of vinyl bromines and sodium sulfinates is developed. This methodology offers a facile and efficient approach to various vinyl sulfones with excellent functional group tolerance under metal-, photocatalyst-, base-, and oxidant-free conditions. The reaction is also applicable for the late-stage functionalization of drug molecules and the hectogram scale. Moreover, instead of sodium sulfites being prepared, these reactions could also be conducted using sulfonyl chlorides in a one-pot method.

Impact of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and treatment on IVF/ICSI outcomes.

STUDY QUESTION: Does treatment selection for cervical lesions affect the outcome of IVF/ICSI? SUMMARY ANSWER: There was no difference in pregnancy outcome between treated and untreated groups, or between different types of IVF/ICSI treatment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and HPV-induced cervical lesions are associated with decreased fertility, and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) treatment may increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Between 2018 and 2020, 190 women with infertility who had abnormal HPV screening or cytology results prior to IVF/ICSI, and were diagnosed with CIN2/CIN3 by colposcopy biopsy at a tertiary hospital, were enrolled in a retrospective cohort study with follow-up until 31 December 2021. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Patients with infertility who were diagnosed with CIN2/CIN3 by colposcopy biopsy were divided into the treatment and expectant management groups. The treatment group was divided into two intervention subgroups: the ablative therapy group and the surgical treatment group. The baseline data, number of oocytes retrieved, and rates of fertilization, high-quality embryos, positive serum HCG, clinical pregnancy, abortion, live birth, and cumulative pregnancy were compared among groups. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Among the 190 patients included in the study, 152 were diagnosed with CIN2, and 38 patients had CIN3. There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the treatment and expectant groups. The time from confirmed lesions to the onset of gonadotrophin administration in the surgical treatment group was significantly longer than in the ablative therapy group and the expectant group (P = 0.007 and P = 0.024, respectively). For the treatment and expectant groups, respectively, the average number of oocytes retrieved (12.95 ± 8.77; 13.32 ± 9.16), fertilization rate (71.01 ± 23.86; 64.84 ± 26.24), and high-quality embryo rate (48.93 ± 30.72; 55.17 ± 34.13) did not differ, and no differences were detected between the different treatment subgroups. There were no differences among groups in rates of HCG positivity, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, live birth, or cumulative pregnancy. The live birth rate in the surgical treatment group was slightly higher than that in the expectant groups (77.78% versus 66.67%), but the difference was not statistically significant. The 3-year cumulative pregnancy rates in the surgical treatment and expectant groups were 58.19% and 64.00%, respectively. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This is a retrospective study, which by nature can include selection bias, and the number of cases in the expectant group was <30, which may result in a false-negative result owing to the small sample size. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: For patients with CIN2/CIN3, the treatment of cervical lesions does not affect the outcome of IVF/ICSI. Patients with CIN2 can enroll for IVF/ICSI cycles, with close follow-up to prevent the progression of cervical lesions, in order to avoid further delay in starting ART. For patients with CIN3, ovulation induction and embryo cryopreservation can be initiated as soon as possible after cervical lesions are treated, and frozen-thawed embryo transfer can be carried out 9-12 months later. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was funded by the Key Clinical Projects of the Peking University Third Hospital (to Y.W., BYSYZD2021014). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Wrapping pancreaticojejunostomy using the ligamentum teres hepatis during laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: It is controversial whether wrapping around the pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) could reduce the rate of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), especially in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD). This study aims to summarize our single-center initial experience in wrapping around PJ using the ligamentum teres hepatis (LTH) and demonstrate the feasibility and safety of this method. METHODS: Patients who underwent LPD applying the procedure of wrapping around the PJ were identified. The cohort was compared to the cohort with standard non-wrapping PJ. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to compare the early postoperative outcomes of the two cohorts. Risk factors for POPF were determined by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 143 patients were analyzed (LPD without wrapping (n = 91) and LPD with wrapping (n = 52)). After 1:1 PSM, 48 patients in each cohort were selected for further analysis. Bile leakage, DGE, intra-abdominal infection, postoperative hospital stays, harvested lymph nodes, and R0 resection were comparable between the two cohorts. However, the wrapping cohort was associated with significantly less POPF B (1 vs 18, P = 0.003), POPF C (0 vs 8, P = 0.043), and Clavien-Dindo classification level III-V (5 vs 26, P = 0.010). No patients died due to the clinically relevant POPF in the two cohorts. No patients who underwent the LTH wrapping procedure developed complications directly related to the wrapping procedure. After PSM, whether wrapping was an independent risk factor for POPF (OR = 0.202; 95%CI:0.080-0.513; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Wrapping the LTH around the PJ technique for LPD was safe, efficient, and reproducible with favorable perioperative outcomes in selected patients. However, further validations using high-quality RCTs are still required to confirm the findings of this study.

Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy guided by real-time indocyanine green fluorescence imaging using the arantius-first approach.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Laparoscopic hepatectomy approaches, including major hepatectomy, were rapidly developed in the past decade. However, standard laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH) is still only performed in high-volume medical centres. In our series, we describe our technical details and surgical outcomes of LLH. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients who underwent LLH in our institute were enrolled in the study. Among these, 13 patients underwent LLH guided by real-time ICG fluorescence imaging using the Arantius-first approach (ICG-LLH group), and the other 26 underwent conventional LLH (conventional LLH group). Demographic characteristics and perioperative data were retrospectively collected and analysed. We compared the technical and postoperative short-term outcomes of the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the demographic or clinicopathological characteristics of the patients in the two groups. ICG-LLH required significantly fewer pringle manoeuvres (1 vs. 3 times, p < 0.0001), had a shorter parenchyma dissection time (26 vs. 78 min, p < 0.001), and required fewer vessel clips (18 vs. 28, p < 0.001). Although there was no significant difference, the ICG-LLH group had less bile leakage (0 vs. 5, p = 0.09) and less blood loss (120 vs. 165, p = 0.119). There were no significant differences in the overall complication or R0 resection rates between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy guided by real-time ICG fluorescence imaging using the Arantius-first approach is safe and feasible in selected patients, thus improving the fluency of the surgical procedure and postoperative short-term outcomes.

Dehalogenative Arylation of Unactivated Alkyl Halides via Electroreduction.

Herein, a facile and efficient dehalogenative arylation of unactivated alkyl halides enabled by electrochemical reductive coupling is developed, affording a series of C(sp2)-C(sp3) products in moderate to good yields. This protocol proceeds in the absence of transition metal catalysts and redox mediators. The reaction features mild conditions, broad substrate scope, and high tolerance of functional groups and is demonstrated to be applicable for gram-scale synthesis and late-stage functionalization of natural products.

Prevalence and clinical significance of the Sg6/Sg7 intersegmental veins based on re-evaluation of the Couinaud classification for the right posterior portal vein.

Although Segment 6(Sg6) and Segment 7(Sg7) are two independent units, there are currently no clear anatomical boundary markers between Sg6 and Sg7. This study aimed to identify intersegmental veins (ISV) in the intersegmental plane of Sg6 and Sg7, and evaluate the prevalence of ISV, and its clinical significance in anatomical hepatectomy. We analyzed data from 180 patients undergoing abdominal computed tomography (CT) examination, and simultaneously performed 3D reconstruction models of the liver for each patient. The right posterior portal vein was analyzed and re-typed. Furthermore, the existence of ISV was defined, and prevalence and confluence patterns of ISV were analyzed. The author attempted to apply ISV to laparoscopic S6/S7 segmentectomy. We sorted data from the right posterior portal vein and divided it into six types. The ISV could be identified in 82.2% (148/180) of the patients, which were derived from the right hepatic vein (RHV) (91.9%) and right posterior inferior vein (IRHV) (8.1%). Ten ISV-guided laparoscopic Sg6/Sg7 segmentectomy were successfully carried out, seven patients underwent Sg6 segmentectomy, and three patients underwent Sg7 segmentectomy. There was no perioperative mortality. The median operative time was 223 min (range 181-260 min). The median blood loss was 200 ml (range 150-310 ml). The R0 resection rate was 100%. The ISV may be a candidate vessel to distinguish the boundary of the right posterior sector; it is expected to be a landmark in the liver parenchyma of anatomical hepatectomy.

A novel nomogram based on the hematological prognosis risk scoring system can predict the overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish and validate a nomogram based on a hematological prognostic risk scoring system to predict the overall survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with unresectable HCC undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in 2012-2016 and 2017-2018 were included in the development set and validation set, respectively. The clinical outcome was overall survival (OS). The LASSO regression analysis was used to construct a hematological prognostic risk scoring system (HPR) by using the 18 hematological markers of patients in the development set. Combining the features of oncology on the basis of HPR to construct a nomogram for OS. In the development set and validation sets, the C-index, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the nomogram. RESULTS: Multiple markers of immunity, coagulation, liver function, and nutrition, including red blood cell distribution width-coefficient of variation (RDW-CV), platelet (PLT), aspartate transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and fibrinogen (Fib), construct the HPR. HPR was an independent risk factor for OS in patients with HCC. The C-index of the nomogram was 0.731 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.712-0.749) and 0.696 (95% CI 0.668-0.725) in the development set and the validation set, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HPR was a complement to the clinical features of patients with unresectable HCC. The nomogram based on HPR proved to be a practical and effective method for prognosticating HCC patients who undergo TACE.

Prognostic value of preoperative prealbumin levels in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation.

Background: This retrospective study analyzed the prognostic value of preoperative prealbumin (PAB) levels in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE). Methods: Four hundred and two patients diagnosed with unresectable HCC were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent their first TACE procedure. Based on PAB levels before the first TACE, 402 patients were classified as having low PAB levels and high PAB levels. Potential confounding factors between the two groups were eliminated using. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) analysis. The time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) of the two groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves before and after PSM. Risk factors for poor prognosis were determined using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Before PSM, the high PAB level group had a significantly longer median TTP and OS than the low PAB level group (all P values < 0.0001). After PSM, the high PAB level group still had a significantly longer median TTP and OS than the low PAB level group (all P values < 0.05). After PSM, low PAB level was found to be an independent predictor of shorter OS (HR = 0.656; 95% CI:0.448-0.961; P = 0.03). The subgroup analysis before PSM showed that low PAB levels increased the risk of poor prognosis in most subgroups. Conclusions: Low preoperative PAB levels are associated with poor prognosis in patients with unresectable HCC after TACE.

Ankylosing spondylitis PET imaging and quantifications via P2X7 receptor-targeting radioligand [18F]GSK1482160.

PURPOSE: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial spine; however, the quantitative detection of inflammation in AS remains a challenge in clinical settings. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of using a specific P2X7R-targeting 18F-labeled tracer [18F]GSK1482160 for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and the quantification of AS. METHODS: The radioligand [18F]GSK1482160 was obtained based on nucleophilic aliphatic substitution. Dynamic [18F]GSK1482160 and [18F]FDG micro-PET/CT imaging were performed on AS mice (n = 8) and age-matched controls (n = 8). Tracer kinetics modeling was performed using Logan's graphical arterial input function analysis to quantify the in vivo expression of P2X7R. The post-PET tissues were collected for hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), immunohistochemical (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. RESULTS: [18F]GSK1482160 PET/CT imaging revealed that the specific binding in the ankle joint and sacroiliac joint (SIJ) of the AS at 8 weeks group (BPNDankle-AS-8W (non-displaceable binding potential of the ankle) 3.931 ± 0.74; BPND SIJ-AS-8W (BPBD of the SIJ) 4.225 ± 0.84) were significantly higher than the controls at 8 weeks group (BPNDankle-Ctr-8W 0.325 ± 0.15, BPNDSJJ-Ctr-8W 0.319 ± 0.17) respectively, and the AS at 14 weeks group (BPNDankle-AS-14W 12.212 ± 2.25; BPNDSJJ-AS-14W 13.389 ± 3.60) were significantly higher than the controls at 14 weeks group (BPNDankle-Ctr-14W 0.204 ± 0.16, BPNDSJJ-Ctr-14W 0.655 ± 0.35) respectively. The four groups had no significant difference in the [18F]FDG uptake of ankle and SIJ. IHC and IF staining revealed that the overexpression of P2X7R was colocalized with activated macrophages from the ankle synovium and spinal endplate in mice with AS, indicating that quantification of P2X7R may contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of inflammation in human AS. CONCLUSION: This study developed a novel P2X7R-targeting PET tracer [18F]GSK1482160 to detect the expression of P2X7R in AS mouse models and provided powerful non-invasive PET imaging and quantification for AS.

Strategic Approach to Aberrant Hepatic Arterial Anatomy during Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Technique with Video.

BACKGROUND: It is critical for every pancreatic surgeon to determine how to protect the aberrant hepatic artery intraoperatively in order to safely implement laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD). "Artery-first" approaches to LPD are ideal procedures in selected patients with pancreatic head tumors. Here, we described our surgical procedure and experience of aberrant hepatic arterial anatomy-LPD (AHAA-LPD) in a retrospective case series. In this study, we also sought to confirm the implications of the combined SMA-first approach on the perioperative and oncologic outcomes of AHAA-LPD. METHODS: From January 2021 to April 2022, the authors completed a total of 106 LPDs, of which 24 patients underwent AHAA-LPD. We evaluated the courses of the hepatic artery via preoperative multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) and classified several meaningful AHAAs. The clinical data of 106 patients who underwent AHAA-LPD and standard LPD were retrospectively analyzed. We compared the technical and oncological outcomes of the combined SMA-first approach, AHAA-LPD, and the concurrent standard LPD. RESULTS: All the operations were successful. The combined SMA-first approaches were used by the authors to manage 24 resectable AHAA-LPD patients. The mean age of the patients was 58.1 ± 12.1 years; the mean operation time was 362 ± 60.43 min (325-510 min); blood loss was 256 ± 55.72 mL (210-350 mL); the postoperation ALT and AST were 235 ± 25.65 IU/L (184-276 IU/L) and 180 ± 34.43 IU/L (133-245 IU/L); the median postoperative length of stay was 17 days (13.0-26.0 days); the R0 resection rate was 100%. There were no cases of open conversion. The pathology showed free surgical margins. The mean number of dissected lymph nodes was 18 ± 3.5 (14-25); the number of tumor-free margins was 3.43 ± 0.78 mm (2.7-4.3 mm). There were no Clavien-Dindo III-IV classifications or C-grade pancreatic fistulas. The number of lymph node resections was greater in the AHAA-LPD group (18 vs. 15, p < 0.001). Surgical variables (OT) or postoperative complications (POPF, DGE, BL, and PH) showed no significant statistical differences in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In performing AHAA-LPD, the combined SMA-first approach for the periadventitial dissection of the distinct aberrant hepatic artery to avoid hepatic artery injury is feasible and safe when performed by a team experienced in minimally invasive pancreatic surgery. The safety and efficacy of this technique need to be confirmed in large-scale-sized, multicenter, prospective randomized controlled studies in the future.

PNI-Based Nomograms to Predict Tumor Progression and Survival for Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and the prognosis of malignancy has been increasingly mentioned in recent research. This study aimed to construct nomograms based on the PNI to predict tumor progression and survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The development set included 785 patients who underwent their first TACE between 2012 and 2016, and the validation set included 336 patients who underwent their first TACE between 2017 and 2018. The clinical outcomes included the time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Cox regression was applied to screen for independent risk factors of TTP and OS in the development set, and PNI-based nomograms were constructed for TTP and OS. The predictive performance of nomograms was conducted through the C-index, calibration curves, and decision analysis curves in the development set and validation set. RESULTS: After multivariate analysis, the prognostic predictors of both TTP and OS included portal vessel invasion, extrahepatic metastasis, tumor number, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, longest tumor diameter, and PNI. Furthermore, the Child-Pugh classification and platelets (PLTs) were independent risk factors for OS only. Nomograms for predicting TTP and OS were constructed using TTP and OS prognostic factors. In the development set and the validation set, the C-index of the TTP nomograms was 0.699 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.680-0.718) and 0.670 (95%CI: 0.638-0.702), and the C-index of the OS nomograms was 0.730 (95%CI: 0.712-0.748) and 0.700 (95%CI: 0.665-0.723), respectively. CONCLUSION: Nomograms based on the PNI can effectively predict tumor progression and survival in patients with unresectable HCC undergoing TACE.

Transradial versus transfemoral approach for TACE: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been widely applied in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our study aimed to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of transradial access as an alternative to transfemoral access for TACE. METHODS: Patients undergoing TACE were divided into the radial artery (RA) route group or the femoral artery (FA) route group according to the operation approach, namely, transradial or transfemoral access. We retrospectively analysed the clinical characteristics, technical outcomes, clinical efficacy and incidence of adverse events to compare the two technologies for intervention for HCC. RESULTS: Transradial access was found to achieve superior technical outcomes and clinical efficacy, as the patients in the RA group had a lower rate of hepatic arterial spasm, a higher partial response rate and a lower progression rate than the patients in the FA group according to the mRECIST evaluations. In contrast, the liver function indices and VAS (visual analogue scale) pain scores were consistent across the two groups. Moreover, patients in the RA group had a shorter length of stay than those in the FA group, despite similar hospitalization expenses. The total adverse events were significantly reduced by transradial access for TACE (72.5% vs. 84.1%, P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that transradial access is an effective and feasible alternative to transfemoral access for TACE. Large-scale prospective randomized controlled studies are expected.

RBM47 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression by targeting UPF1 as a DNA/RNA regulator.

The mechanisms by which the tumor behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) support growth and metastasis remain largely unknown, and it has become increasingly apparent that molecular dysregulation is of considerable importance for cellular signaling pathways. Recently, RNA-binding motif protein 47 (RBM47) has been suggested to function as a tumor regulator by acting as an RNA binding protein (RBP), but its role in HCC remains ambiguous. Here, in HCC, we identified that RBM47 had an inhibitory influence on tumor behaviors in vitro and accordingly suppressed the growth and metastasis of xenograft tumors in vivo. Additionally, RBM47 was verified to positively regulate Upframeshift 1 (UPF1), which is a crucial protein involved in the nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) process and was previously determined to be an HCC suppressor. Mechanistically, the stability of UPF1 mRNA was demonstrated to be enhanced with its 3'UTR bound by RBM47, which acted as an RNA binding protein. Meanwhile, RBM47 was also proven to promote the transcription of UPF1 as a transcription factor. Taken together, we concluded that RBM47 functioned as a tumor suppressor by upregulating UPF1, acting as a DNA/RNA binding protein at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels.

Automatic Grading of Disc Herniation, Central Canal Stenosis and Nerve Roots Compression in Lumbar Magnetic Resonance Image Diagnosis.

Aim: Accurate severity grading of lumbar spine disease by magnetic resonance images (MRIs) plays an important role in selecting appropriate treatment for the disease. However, interpreting these complex MRIs is a repetitive and time-consuming workload for clinicians, especially radiologists. Here, we aim to develop a multi-task classification model based on artificial intelligence for automated grading of lumbar disc herniation (LDH), lumbar central canal stenosis (LCCS) and lumbar nerve roots compression (LNRC) at lumbar axial MRIs. Methods: Total 15254 lumbar axial T2W MRIs as the internal dataset obtained from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2015 to May 2019 and 1273 axial T2W MRIs as the external test dataset obtained from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University from June 2016 to December 2017 were analyzed in this retrospective study. Two clinicians annotated and graded all MRIs using the three international classification systems. In agreement, these results served as the reference standard; In disagreement, outcomes were adjudicated by an expert surgeon to establish the reference standard. The internal dataset was randomly split into an internal training set (70%), validation set (15%) and test set (15%). The multi-task classification model based on ResNet-50 consists of a backbone network for feature extraction and three fully-connected (FC) networks for classification and performs the classification tasks of LDH, LCCS, and LNRC at lumbar MRIs. Precision, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1 scores, confusion matrices, receiver-operating characteristics and interrater agreement (Gwet k) were utilized to assess the model's performance on the internal test dataset and external test datasets. Results: A total of 1115 patients, including 1015 patients from the internal dataset and 100 patients from the external test dataset [mean age, 49 years ± 15 (standard deviation); 543 women], were evaluated in this study. The overall accuracies of grading for LDH, LCCS and LNRC were 84.17% (74.16%), 86.99% (79.65%) and 81.21% (74.16%) respectively on the internal (external) test dataset. Internal and external testing of three spinal diseases showed substantial to the almost perfect agreement (k, 0.67 - 0.85) for the multi-task classification model. Conclusion: The multi-task classification model has achieved promising performance in the automated grading of LDH, LCCS and LNRC at lumbar axial T2W MRIs.

New Pyroptosis -Associated Gene Signature for Overall Survival Forecast among Patients Suffering from Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Due to the heterogeneity of tumors, we do not understand the given effect of pyroptosis on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) fully, particularly its influences on prognosis. The paper aims at exploring the prognostic value of pyroptosis-associated genes and its role in immune status in HCC. A multigene prognostic signature is set up by utilizing the least absolute shrinkage and choosing operator Cox exploration. The comparison of survival between different risk groups is made with the Kaplan-Meier exploration and Cox regression. LASSO Cox regression analysis is adopted to set up a pyroptosis-associated gene signature (CEP55 and MMP1). By comparing with the group at low risks, the high-risk group displayed greatly decreased OS. The fatidic ability of the prognostic gene signature is confirmed by the receiver-running feature curve analysis. According to multivariate Cox exploration, the risk mark is an independent predicting agent for OS. A new signature established with two pyroptosis-associated genes can be adopted for prognostic forecast and influence the immune situation in HCC.

Relationship between Gut Microbiota and Bone Health.

Gut Microbiota (GM) are microorganisms that live in the host gastrointestinal tract, and their abundance varies throughout the host's life. With the development of sequencing technology, the role of GM in various diseases has been increasingly elucidated. Unlike earlier studies on orthopedic diseases, this review elucidates the correlation between GM health and bone health and discusses the potential mechanism of GM effects on host metabolism, inflammation, and ability to induce or aggravate some common orthopedic diseases, such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. Finally, the prospective methods of GM manipulation and evaluation of potential GM-targeting strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic diseases are reviewed.

Indole-3-Acetic Acid Alters Intestinal Microbiota and Alleviates Ankylosing Spondylitis in Mice.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic, chronic, and inflammatory autoimmune disease associated with the disorder of intestinal microbiota. Unfortunately, effective therapies for AS are lacking. Recent evidence has indicated that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), an important microbial tryptophan metabolite, can modulate intestinal homeostasis and suppress inflammatory responses. However, reports have not examined the in vivo protective effects of IAA against AS. In this study, we investigated the protective effects and underlying mechanisms through which IAA acts against AS. We constructed a proteoglycan (PG)-induced AS mouse model and administered IAA (50 mg/kg body weight) by intraperitoneal injection daily for 4 weeks. The effects of IAA on AS mice were evaluated by examining disease severity, intestinal barrier function, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway, T-helper 17 (Th17)/T regulatory (Treg) balance, and inflammatory cytokine levels. The intestinal microbiota compositions were profiled through whole-genome sequencing. We observed that IAA decreased the incidence and severity of AS in mice, inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-6, IL-17A, and IL-23), promoted the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and reduced the ratios of pro-/anti- inflammatory cytokines. IAA ameliorated pathological changes in the ileum and improved intestinal mucosal barrier function. IAA also activated the AhR pathway, upregulated the transcription factor forehead box protein P3 (FoxP3) and increased Treg cells, and downregulated the transcription factors retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and decreased Th17 cells. Furthermore, IAA altered the composition of the intestinal microbiota composition by increasing Bacteroides and decreasing Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, in addition to increasing the abundances of Bifidobacterium pseudolongum and Mucispirillum schaedleri. In conclusion, IAA exerted several protective effects against PG-induced AS in mice, which was mediated by the restoration of balance among the intestinal microbial community, activating the AhR pathway, and inhibiting inflammation. IAA might represent a novel therapeutic approach for AS.