Predicting hepatocellular carcinoma: A new non-invasive model based on shear wave elastography.

BACKGROUND: Integrating conventional ultrasound features with 2D shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) can potentially enhance preoperative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) predictions. AIM: To develop a 2D-SWE-based predictive model for preoperative identification of HCC. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 884 patients who underwent liver resection and pathology evaluation from February 2021 to August 2023 was conducted at the Oriental Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital. The patients were divided into the modeling group (n = 720) and the control group (n = 164). The study included conventional ultrasound, 2D-SWE, and preoperative laboratory tests. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify independent predictive factors for malignant liver lesions, which were then depicted as nomograms. RESULTS: In the modeling group analysis, maximal elasticity (Emax) of tumors and their peripheries, platelet count, cirrhosis, and blood flow were independent risk indicators for malignancies. These factors yielded an area under the curve of 0.77 (95% confidence interval: 0.73-0.81) with 84% sensitivity and 61% specificity. The model demonstrated good calibration in both the construction and validation cohorts, as shown by the calibration graph and Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = 0.683 and P = 0.658, respectively). Additionally, the mean elasticity (Emean) of the tumor periphery was identified as a risk factor for microvascular invasion (MVI) in malignant liver tumors (P = 0.003). Patients receiving antiviral treatment differed significantly in platelet count (P = 0.002), Emax of tumors (P = 0.033), Emean of tumors (P = 0.042), Emax at tumor periphery (P < 0.001), and Emean at tumor periphery (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: 2D-SWE's hardness value serves as a valuable marker for enhancing the preoperative diagnosis of malignant liver lesions, correlating significantly with MVI and antiviral treatment efficacy.

Clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound versus conventional ultrasound in biopsy of focal liver lesions.

BACKGROUND: Focal liver lesions (FLLs) are a common form of liver disease, and identifying accurate pathological types is required to guide treatment and evaluate prognosis. PURPOSE: To compare and analyze the application effect of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and conventional ultrasound (US) in the clinical diagnosis of focal liver lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 682 patients with space-occupying liver lesions admitted to our hospital between December 2015 and August 2021. Of these, 280 underwent CEUS-guided biopsies and 402 underwent conventional US biopsies, with the results of each biopsy subsequently compared between the two groups. The success rate and accuracy of the biopsies and their relationship with different pathological features were also analyzed. RESULTS: The success rate, sensitivity, diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the CEUS group were significantly higher than those of the US group (P < 0.05). Lesion size accuracy in the CEUS group was significantly higher than that in the US group (89.29% vs. 40.55%; P < 0.05). Lesion type accuracy in the CEUS group was significantly higher than that in the US group (86.49% vs. 43.59%), and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The logistic regression analysis indicated that malignant lesions, lesions ≥5 cm, and lesions ≤1 cm were independent factors affecting the success rate of the puncture procedure (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of lesion size and type in the CEUS group were higher than those in the US group.

Maternal intervention with a combination of galacto-oligosaccharides and hyocholic acids during late gestation and lactation increased the reproductive performance, colostrum composition, antioxidant and altered intestinal microflora in sows.

Introduction: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and hyocholic acids (HCA) during late gestation and lactation on reproductive performance, colostrum quality, antioxidant capacity and gut microbiota in multiparous sows. Methods: A total of 60 healthy multiparous cross-bred sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly fed 4 groups diets as follows: the basal diets (CTRL group), or the basal diets containing only 600 mg/kg GOS (GOS group), 600 mg/kg GOS + 100 mg/kg HCA (GOS + Low HCA group), and 600 mg/kg + 200 mg/kg HCA (GOS + High HCA group) from d 85 of gestation to weaning. Multiple parameters of sows were determined. Results: There was a trend of shortening the labor process of sows (p = 0.07) in the GOS group and GOS + Low/High HCA group. Compared with the CTRL group, the GOS + Low/High HCA group increased the average piglets weight at birth (p < 0.05), and increased the IgA concentration of colostrum (p < 0.05). In addition, serum triglyceride (TG) concentration was lower (p < 0.05), and serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) was higher (p < 0.05) in the GOS and GOS + Low/High HCA groups than in the CTRL group at farrowing. Serum catalase (CAT) activities was higher in the GOS and GOS + High HCA groups than in the CTRL group at farrowing. The 16S rRNA analysis showed that GOS combination with high-dose HCA shaped the composition of gut microbiota in different reproductive stages (d 107 of gestation, G107; d 0 of lactation, L0; d 7 of lactation, L7). At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Desulfobacterota in G107, Bacteroidota, and Proteobacteria in L0, and Planctomycetota in L7 was increased in GOS + High HCA group (p < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that Streptococcus was positively correlated with the serum TG but negatively correlated with the average piglets weight at birth (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This investigation demonstrated that the administration of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) in conjunction with hyocholic acids (HCA), to sows with nutrient restrictions during late gestation and lactation, further improved their antioxidant capacity and milk quality. The observed beneficial effects of GOS + HCA supplementation could potentially be linked to an improvement in gut microbiota disorders of the sows.

Comparative analysis of two digestive tract reconstruction methods in total laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of gastric cancer has significantly increased in recent years. Surgical resection is the main treatment, but the method of digestive tract reconstruction after gastric cancer surgery remains controversial. In the current study, we sought to explore a reasonable method of digestive tract reconstruction and improve the quality of life and nutritional status of patients after surgery. To this end, we statistically analyzed the clinical results of patients with gastric cancer who underwent jejunal interposition double-tract reconstruction (DTR) and esophageal jejunum Roux-en-Y reconstruction (RY). AIM: To explore the application effect of DTR in total laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy (TLTG) and evaluate its safety and efficacy. METHODS: We collected the relevant data of 77 patients who underwent TLTG at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from October 2021 to January 2023. Among them, 35 cases were treated with DTR, and the remaining 42 cases were treated with traditional RY. After 1:1 propensity score matching, the cases were grouped into 31 cases per group, with evenly distributed data. The clinical characteristics and short- and long-term clinical outcomes of the two groups were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The two groups showed no significant differences in basic data, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph node dissections, first defecation time after operation, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, and laboratory examination results on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th days after operation. The operation time of the DTR group was longer than that of the RY group [(307.58 ± 65.14) min vs (272.45 ± 62.09) min, P = 0.016], but the first intake of liquid food in the DTR group was shorter than that in the RY group [(4.45 ± 1.18) d vs (6.0 ± 5.18) d, P = 0.028]. The incidence of reflux heartburn (Visick grade) and postoperative gallbladder disease in the DTR group was lower than that in the RY group (P = 0.033 and P = 0.038). Although there was no significant difference in body weight, hemoglobin, prealbumin, and albumin between the two groups at 1,3 and 6 months after surgery, the diet of patients in the DTR group was better than that in the RY group (P = 0.031). CONCLUSION: The clinical effect of DTR in TLTG is better than that of RY, indicating that it is a more valuable digestive tract reconstruction method in laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery.

Dietary Methionine Restriction Improves Gut Health and Alters the Plasma Metabolomic Profile in Rats by Modulating the Composition of the Gut Microbiota.

Dietary methionine restriction (MetR) offers an integrated set of beneficial health effects, including delaying aging, extending health span, preventing fat accumulation, and reducing oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate whether MetR exerts entero-protective effects by modulating intestinal flora, and the effect of MetR on plasma metabolites in rats. Rats were fed diets containing 0.86% methionine (CON group) and 0.17% methionine (MetR group) for 6 weeks. Several indicators of inflammation, gut microbiota, plasma metabolites, and intestinal barrier function were measured. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the cecal microbiota. The MetR diet reduced the plasma and colonic inflammatory factor levels. The MetR diet significantly improved intestinal barrier function by increasing the mRNA expression of tight junction proteins, such as zonula occludens (ZO)-1, claudin-3, and claudin-5. In addition, MetR significantly increased the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by increasing the abundance of SCFAs-producing Erysipclotxichaceae and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and decreasing the abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria Proteobacteria and Escherichia-Shigella. Furthermore, MetR reduced the plasma levels of taurochenodeoxycholate-7-sulfate, taurocholic acid, and tauro-ursodeoxycholic acid. Correlation analysis identified that colonic acetate, total colonic SCFAs, 8-acetylegelolide, collettiside I, 6-methyladenine, and cholic acid glucuronide showed a significant positive correlation with Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 abundance but a significant negative correlation with Escherichia-Shigella and Enterococcus abundance. MetR improved gut health and altered the plasma metabolic profile by regulating the gut microbiota in rats.

The Roles of Polyamines in Intestinal Development and Function in Piglets.

The gastrointestinal tract plays crucial roles in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, as well as in maintenance of a functional barrier. The development and maturation of the intestine is important for piglets to maintain optimal growth and health. Polyamines are necessary for the proliferation and growth of enterocytes, which play a key role in differentiation, migration, remodeling and integrity of the intestinal mucosa after injury. This review elaborates the development of the structure and function of the intestine of piglets during embryonic, suckling and weaning periods, the utilization and metabolism of polyamines in the intestine, as well as the role of polyamines in intestinal development and mucosal repair. The nutritional intervention to improve intestinal development and functions by modulating polyamine metabolism in piglets is also put forward. These results may help to promote the adaption to weaning in pigs and provide useful information for the development and health of piglets.

CALD1 facilitates epithelial-mesenchymal transition progression in gastric cancer cells by modulating the PI3K-Akt pathway.

BACKGROUND: CALD1 has been discovered to be abnormally expressed in a variety of malignant tumors, including gastric cancer (GC), and is associated with tumor progression and immune infiltration; however, the roles and mechanisms of CALD1 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in GC are unknown. AIM: To investigate the role and mechanism of CALD1 in GC progression, invasion, and migration. METHODS: In this study, the relationship between CALD1 and GC, as well as the possible network regulatory mechanisms of CALD1, was investigated by bioinformatics and validated by experiments. CALD1-siRNA was synthesized and used to transfect GC cells. Cell activity was measured using the CCK-8 method, cell migration and invasive ability were measured using wound healing assay and Transwell assay, and the expression levels of relevant genes and proteins in each group of cells were measured using qRT-PCR and Western blot. A GC cell xenograft model was established to verify the results of in vitro experiments. RESULTS: Bioinformatics results showed that CALD1 was highly expressed in GC tissues, and CALD1 was significantly higher in EMT-type GC tissues than in tissues of other types of GC. The prognosis of patients with high expression of CALD1 was worse than that of patients with low expression, and a prognostic model was constructed and evaluated. The experimental results were consistent with the results of the bioinformatics analysis. The expression level of CALD1 in GC cell lines was all higher than that in gastric epithelial cell line GES-1, with the strongest expression found in AGS and MKN45 cells. Cell activity was significantly reduced after CALD1-siRNA transfection of AGS and MKN45 cells. The ability of AGS and MKN45 cells to migrate and invade was reduced after CALD1-siRNA transfection, and the related mRNA and protein expression was altered. According to bioinformatics findings in GC samples, the CALD1 gene was significantly associated with the expression of members of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway as well as the EMT signaling pathway, and was closely related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Experimental validation revealed that upregulation of CALD1 increased the expression of PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR, members of the PI3K-Akt pathway,while decreasing the expression of PTEN; PI3K-Akt inhibitor treatment decreased the expression of PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR in cells overexpressing CALD1 (still higher than that in the normal group), but increased the expression of PTEN (still lower than that in the normal group). CCK-8 results revealed that the effect of CALD1 on tumor cell activity was decreased by the addition of the inhibitor. Scratch and Transwell experiments showed that the effect of CALD1 on tumor cell migration and invasion was weakened by the addition of the PI3K-Akt inhibitor. The mRNA and protein levels of EMT-related genes in AGS and MKN45 cells were greatly altered by the overexpression of CALD1, whereas the effect of overexpression of CALD1 was significantly weakened by the addition of the PI3K-Akt inhibitor. Animal experiments showed that tumour growth was slow after inhibition of CALD1, and the expression of some PI3K-Akt and EMT pathway proteins was altered. CONCLUSION: Increased expression of CALD1 is a key factor in the progression, invasion, and metastasis of GC, which may be associated with regulating the PI3K-Akt pathway to promote EMT.

Nomogram model including LATS2 expression was constructed to predict the prognosis of advanced gastric cancer after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Prognostic assessments are typically based on the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system, which does not account for the molecular heterogeneity of this disease. LATS2, a tumor suppressor gene involved in the Hippo signaling pathway, has been identified as a potential prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer. AIM: To construct and validate a nomogram model that includes LATS2 expression to predict the survival prognosis of advanced gastric cancer patients following radical surgery, and compare its predictive performance with traditional TNM staging. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 245 advanced gastric cancer patients from the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University was conducted. The patients were divided into a training group (171 patients) and a validation group (74 patients) to develop and test our prognostic model. The performance of the model was determined using C-indices, receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration plots, and decision curves. RESULTS: The model demonstrated a high predictive accuracy with C-indices of 0.829 in the training set and 0.862 in the validation set. Area under the curve values for three-year and five-year survival prediction were significantly robust, suggesting an excellent discrimination ability. Calibration plots confirmed the high concordance between the predictions and actual survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: We developed a nomogram model incorporating LATS2 expression, which significantly outperformed conventional TNM staging in predicting the prognosis of advanced gastric cancer patients postsurgery. This model may serve as a valuable tool for individualized patient management, allowing for more accurate stratification and improved clinical outcomes. Further validation in larger patient cohorts will be necessary to establish its generalizability and clinical utility.

Persistent PKA activation redistributes NaV1.5 to the cell surface of adult rat ventricular myocytes.

During chronic stress, persistent activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) occurs, which can contribute to protective or maladaptive changes in the heart. We sought to understand the effect of persistent PKA activation on NaV1.5 channel distribution and function in cardiomyocytes using adult rat ventricular myocytes as the main model. PKA activation with 8CPT-cAMP and okadaic acid (phosphatase inhibitor) caused an increase in Na+ current amplitude without altering the total NaV1.5 protein level, suggesting a redistribution of NaV1.5 to the myocytes' surface. Biotinylation experiments in HEK293 cells showed that inhibiting protein trafficking from intracellular compartments to the plasma membrane prevented the PKA-induced increase in cell surface NaV1.5. Additionally, PKA activation induced a time-dependent increase in microtubule plus-end binding protein 1 (EB1) and clustering of EB1 at myocytes' peripheral surface and intercalated discs (ICDs). This was accompanied by a decrease in stable interfibrillar microtubules but an increase in dynamic microtubules along the myocyte surface. Imaging and coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that NaV1.5 interacted with EB1 and ß-tubulin, and both interactions were enhanced by PKA activation. We propose that persistent PKA activation promotes NaV1.5 trafficking to the peripheral surface of myocytes and ICDs by providing dynamic microtubule tracks and enhanced guidance by EB1. Our proposal is consistent with an increase in the correlative distribution of NaV1.5, EB1, and ß-tubulin at these subcellular domains in PKA-activated myocytes. Our study suggests that persistent PKA activation, at least during the initial phase, can protect impulse propagation in a chronically stressed heart by increasing NaV1.5 at ICDs.

Intestinal tryptophan metabolism in disease prevention and swine production.

Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential amino acid that cannot be synthesized by animals. It has been characterized into two different isomers, levorotation-Trp (L-Trp) and dextrorotation-Trp (D-Trp), based on their distinct molecule orientation. Intestinal epithelial cells and gut microbiota are involved in metabolizing L-Trp in the gut via the activation of the kynurenine, serotonin, and indole pathways. However, knowledge regarding D-Trp metabolism in the gut remains unclear. In this review, we briefly update the current understanding of intestinal L/D-Trp metabolism and the function of their metabolites in modulating the gut physiology and diseases. Finally, we summarize the effects of Trp nutrition on swine production at different stages, including growth performance in weaned piglets and growing pigs, as well as the reproduction performance in sows.

Preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma using ultrasound features including elasticity.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular invasion (MVI) is an important predictor of poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Accurate preoperative prediction of MVI in HCC would provide useful information to guide the choice of therapeutic strategy. Shear wave elastography (SWE) plays an important role in hepatic imaging, but its value in the preoperative prediction of MVI in HCC has not yet been proven. AIM: To explore the value of conventional ultrasound features and SWE in the preoperative prediction of MVI in HCC. METHODS: Patients with a postoperative pathological diagnosis of HCC and a definite diagnosis of MVI were enrolled in this study. Conventional ultrasound features and SWE features such as maximal elasticity (Emax) of HCCs and Emax of the periphery of HCCs were acquired before surgery. These features were compared between MVI-positive HCCs and MVI-negative HCCs and between mild MVI HCCs and severe MVI HCCs. RESULTS: This study included 86 MVI-negative HCCs and 102 MVI-positive HCCs, including 54 with mild MVI and 48 with severe MVI. Maximal tumor diameters, surrounding liver tissue, color Doppler flow, Emax of HCCs, and Emax of the periphery of HCCs were significantly different between MVI-positive HCCs and MVI-negative HCCs. In addition, Emax of the periphery of HCCs was significantly different between mild MVI HCCs and severe MVI HCCs. Higher Emax of the periphery of HCCs and larger maximal diameters were independent risk factors for MVI, with odds ratios of 2.820 and 1.021, respectively. CONCLUSION: HCC size and stiffness of the periphery of HCC are useful ultrasound criteria for predicting positive MVI. Preoperative ultrasound and SWE can provide useful information for the prediction of MVI in HCCs.

Effect of pre-harvest sanitizer treatments on Listeria survival, sensory quality and bacterial community dynamics on leafy green vegetables grown under commercial conditions.

Leafy green vegetables (LGVs) have large surface areas and can be colonized by various microorganisms including pathogens. In this study, we investigated the effect of pre-harvest sanitizer treatments on the survival of inoculated proxy pathogen Listeria innocua ATCC 33090 and the natural microbial community of mizuna, rocket (arugula), red chard and spinach grown under commercial conditions. Electrolyzed water (e-water), peracetic acid (PAA), and 1-bromo-3-chloro-5-dimethylhydantoin (BCDMH) were tested against water controls. We also observed the subsequent sensorial changes of harvested, bagged LGV leaves over a period of 12 days within chill storage alongside the growth, diversity and structure of bacterial populations determined using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and total viable counts (TVC). Treatment with PAA resulted in the highest reductions of L. innocua (2.4-5.5 log units) compared to the other treatments (0.25-2.5 log units). On day 0 (24 h after sanitizer application), the TVC on sanitizer treated LGVs were significantly reduced compared to water controls, except for rocket. During storage at 4.5 (±0.5)°C sanitisers only hindered microbial growth on LGVs initially and did not influence final bacterial population levels, growth rates or changes in LGV sample colour, decay, odour and texture compared to water controls. Shelf-life was not extended nor was it reduced. The community structure on LGV types differed though a core set of bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASV) were present across all samples. No significant differences were observed in bacterial diversity between sanitizer treatments, however sanitizer treated LGV samples had initially reduced diversity compared to water treated samples. The bacterial compositions observed at the end point of storage considerably differed from what was observed at initial point owing to the increase in abundance of specific bacterial taxa, mainly Pseudomonas spp., the abundance and growth responses differing between LGV types studied. This study provides a better understanding on the microbiology and sensory impact of pre-harvest applied sanitiser treatments on different LGVs destined for commercial food use.

Effects of glutamine, glutamate, and aspartate on intestinal barrier integrity and amino acid pool of the small intestine in piglets with normal or low energy diet.

Aspartate (asp), glutamate (glu), and glutamine (gln) are the major energy fuels for the small intestine, and it had been indicated in our previous study that the mix of these three amino acid supplementations could maintain intestinal energy homeostasis. This study aimed to further investigate whether the treatment of gln, glu, and asp in low energy diet affects the intestinal barrier integrity and amino acid pool in weaning piglets. A total of 198 weaned piglets were assigned to 3 treatments: control (basal diet + 1.59% L-Ala); T1 (basal diet + 1% L-Gln + 0.5% L-Glu + 0.1% L-Asp); and T2 (low energy diet + 1% L-Gln + 0.5% L-Glu + 0.1% L-Asp). The blood, jejunum, and ileum were obtained on day 5 or on day 21 post-weaning, respectively. Our results showed that T1 and T2 treatments increased the abundances of occludin, claudin-1, and claudin-3 in the small intestine while decreasing the serum diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate levels in weaning piglets. Meanwhile, T1 and T2 treatments significantly increased the positive rate of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) of the small intestine, promoting intestinal cell proliferation. We also found that supplementation with glu, gln, and asp improved the serum amino acid pool and promoted ileal amino acid transporter gene expression of slc3a2, slc6a14, and slc7a11 in weaned piglets. Additionally, on day 21 post-weaning, T1 and T2 treatments stimulated the phosphorylation of the mTOR-S6K1-4EBP1 signaling pathway in the small intestine, which may implicate the enhanced protein synthesis rate. In summary, dietary supplementation of gln, glu, and asp was beneficial to the intestinal barrier function and amino acid pool regulation, while the benefits of gln, glu, and asp treatment might be diminished by the low-energy diet. The results demonstrated that the supplementation of gln, glu, and asp under low energy levels was preferentially supplied as the energy fuel to restore the gut barrier function in piglets on day 5 post-weaning. With the increase in age and intestinal maturation (on day 21 post-weaning), gln, glu, and asp supplementation could also show an effect on the regulation of the amino acid pool and protein synthesis.

Clinical implications of micro lymph node metastasis for patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node size is considered as a criterion for possible lymph node metastasis in imageology. Micro lymph nodes are easily overlooked by surgeons and pathologists. This study investigated the influencing factors and prognosis of micro lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. METHODS: 191 eligible gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 lymphadenectomy from June 2016 to June 2017 in the Third Surgery Department at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Specimens were resected en bloc and the postoperative retrieval of micro lymph nodes was carried out by the operating surgeon for each lymph node station. Micro lymph nodes were submitted for pathological examination separately. According to the results of pathological results, patients were divided into the "micro-LNM (micro lymph node metastasis)" group (N = 85) and the "non micro-LNM" group (N = 106). RESULTS: The total number of lymph nodes retrieved was 10,954, of which 2998 (27.37%) were micro lymph nodes. A total of 85 (44.50%) gastric cancer patients had been proven to have micro lymph node metastasis. The mean number of micro lymph nodes retrieved was 15.7. The rate of micro lymph node metastasis was 8.1% (242/2998). Undifferentiated carcinoma (90.6% vs. 56.6%, P = 0.034) and more advanced Pathological N category (P < 0.001) were significantly related to micro lymph node metastasis. The patients with micro lymph node metastasis had a poor prognosis (HR for OS of 2.199, 95% CI = 1.335-3.622, P = 0.002). For the stage III patients, micro lymph node metastasis was associated with shorter 5-year OS (15.6% vs. 43.6%, P = 0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: Micro lymph node metastasis is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients. Micro lymph node metastasis appears to be a supplement to N category in order to obtain more accurate pathological staging.

Conjugated cross-linked phosphine as broadband light or sunlight-driven photocatalyst for large-scale atom transfer radical polymerization.

The use of light to regulate photocatalyzed reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) under mild conditions, especially driven by broadband light or sunlight directly, is highly desired. But the development of a suitable photocatalyzed polymerization system for large-scale production of polymers, especially block copolymers, has remained a big challenge. Herein, we report the development of a phosphine-based conjugated hypercrosslinked polymer (PPh3-CHCP) photocatalyst for an efficient large-scale photoinduced copper-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (Cu-ATRP). Monomers including acrylates and methyl acrylates can achieve near-quantitative conversions under a wide range (450-940 nm) of radiations or sunlight directly. The photocatalyst could be easily recycled and reused. The sunlight-driven Cu-ATRP allowed the synthesis of homopolymers at 200 mL from various monomers, and monomer conversions approached 99% in clouds intermittency with good control over polydispersity. In addition, block copolymers at 400 mL scale can also be obtained, which demonstrates its great potential for industrial applications.

Prognostic Analysis of Single Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Radical Resection: A Single-Center Study.

Objective: To investigate the survival and independent prognostic factors for single large hepatocellular carcinoma (SLHCC) after surgical resection. Methods: Patients with SLHCC who underwent radical resection from January 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the overall survival (OS) rate and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates. Cox forward stepwise regression was performed to analyze the independent prognostic factors. Results: A total of 485 cases were included. The average age was 51.2±11.2 years, 88.9% had a history of hepatitis B virus infection, and most patients had normal liver function. The average tumor diameter was 8.8±3.0 cm. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and RFS rates were 76.8%, 56.7%, and 45.7%, and 61.0%, 46.2%, and 34.7%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that liver cirrhosis (HR=1.456, P=0.004), total bilirubin (TB) ≥17.1 µmol/L (HR=1.437, P=0.011), glutamyl transferase (GGT) >60 U/L (HR=1.438, P=0.020), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) >225 U/L (HR=1.442, P=0.007), blood loss ≥400 mL (HR=1.339, P=0.027), microvascular invasion (MVI) (HR=1.492, P=0.004), satellite lesions (HR=1.859, P<0.0001) and Edmondson-Steiner grade III+IV (HR=1.740, P=0.018) were independent risk factors for reduced OS in SLHCC patients. Sex (HR=1.763, P=0.003), liver cirrhosis (HR=1.382, P=0.007), GGT >60 U/L (HR=1.512, P=0.003), LDH >225 U/L (HR=1.480, P=0.002), MVI (HR=1.545, P=0.001), and satellite lesions (HR=1.564, P=0.001) were independent risk factors for reduced RFS. OS and RFS nomograms were constructed using risk factors with C-index values of 0.692 (95% CI: 0.659-0.724) and 0.659 (95% CI: 0.623-0.693), respectively. The Hosmer-Leme test demonstrated the good fit of both nomograms. Conclusion: Surgical resection is the standard and effective treatment for SLHCC patients. Sex, liver cirrhosis, TB≥17.1 µmol/L, GGT>60 U/L, LDH>225 U/L, blood loss≥400 mL, MVI, Edmondson-Steiner grade III+IV, and satellite lesions were found to be independent prognostic factors in SLHCC patients following radical resection. The OS and RFS nomograms accurately predicted the prognosis of SLHCC patients.

LncRNA CASC11 upregulation promotes HDAC4 to alleviate oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced injury of cardiac microvascular endothelial cells.

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) are essential to regulate the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). This study was conducted to analyze the functionality of long noncoding RNA cancer susceptibility candidate 11 (lncRNA CASC11) in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced injury of cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs). CMECs were treated with ox-LDL to induce the CAD cell model. The cellular expression levels of CASC11 and histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction or Western blot assay. Cell absorbance, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and inflammation were evaluated by cell counting kit-8, flow cytometry, tube formation, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The subcellular localization of CASC11 was examined by the nuclear/cytoplasmic fractionation assay. The binding of human antigen R (HuR) to CASC11 and HDAC4 was analyzed by RNA immunoprecipitation. HDAC4 stability was determined after actinomycin D treatment. CASC11 was found to be decreased in the CAD cell model. CASC11 upregulation increased cell viability and angiogenesis and reduced apoptosis and inflammation. CASC11 bound to HuR and improved HDAC4 expression. HDAC4 downregulation counteracted the protective role of CASC11 overexpression in CMECs. In summary, CASC11 alleviated ox-LDL-induced injury of CMECs by binding to HuR and stabilizing HDAC4.

Tuning crystal orientation and chiral spin order in Mn3Ge by annealing process and ion implantation.

The non-collinear antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetal Mn3X (X = Ga, Ge, Sn) system has attracted a lot of attentions owing to its robust anomalous Hall effect (AHE), large spin Hall angle and small net magnetization at room temperature. The high spin-charge interconversion efficiency makes it a super candidate in topological antiferromagnetic spintronic devices, which could facilitate ultra-fast operation of high-density devices with low energy consumption. In this work, we have realized to obtain different chiral spin structures in Heusler alloy Mn3Ge thin films, which originate from different crystalline orientations. The high-quality (0002)- and (202¯0)-oriented single phase hexagonal Mn3Ge films are achieved by controllable growth, annealing process and ion implantation. The various magnetic properties and AHE behaviors are observed alongaandccrystal axes, equivalent to magnetic field in and out of the inverse triangular spin plane. The observation demonstrates the manipulation of crystal structure accompanied with chiral spin order in a non-collinear antiferromagnetic Mn3Ge film, which is induced by energy conversion and defect introduction. Thein situthermal treatment induces crystal phase rotation up to 90° and robust AHE modulation, which is significantly important and highly desirable for flexible spin memory device applications.

Analysis of transcriptome differences between subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissue of Ningxiang pigs.

To compare and analyze the molecular mechanisms of adipose deposition in subcutaneous fat (SAF)and intramuscular fat (IMF) tissues in Ningxiang pigs, differential gene expression profiles in SAF and IMF tissues of Ningxiang pigs were identified and analysed using RNA-seq technology. Six healthy 250-day-old male Ningxiang pigs with similar body weights (approximately 85 kg) of intraspecific individuals were selected as experimental material and samples of SAF and IMF tissues were collected. Differential genes associated with fat deposition and lipid metabolism were obtained by sequencing two adipose tissue transcriptomes and performing GO (Gene Ontology) functional annotation and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway enrichment analysis. To verify the reliability of the sequencing results, six differential genes were randomly selected to validate using qRT-PCR. The results showed that we identified 2406 DEGs, with 1422 up-regulated and 984 down-regulated genes in two tissues. GO functional annotation analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in lipid metabolism related pathways, such as steroid biosynthesis, unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism and autophagy pathway. KEGG pathway enrichment showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the biological processes related to lipid binding, fatty acid metabolism, glycol ester metabolism, lipid biosynthesis and other biological processes related to lipid metabolism. Genes related to lipid metabolism, such as TCAP, NR4A1, ACACA, LPL, ELOVL6, DGAT1, PRKAA1, ATG101, TP53INP2, FDFT1, ACOX1 and SCD were identified by bioinformatic analyses and verified by qRT-PCR. Our results indicated that these genes may play important roles in the regulation of fat deposition and metabolism in the SAF and IMF tissue, providing the further mechanistic investigation of fat deposition in Ningxiang pigs.

Exploring the Metal-Insulator Transition in (Ga,Mn)As by Molecular Absorption.

The metal-insulator transition (MIT) is normally assisted by certain external power input, such as temperature, pressure, strain, or doping. However, these may increase the disorder of the crystal or cause other effects, which makes device fabrication complicated and/or hinders large-scale application. Here, we adopt a new approach to obtain robust modulation of physical properties in magnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As by surface molecular modification. We have probed both sides of the MIT with n- and p-type molecular doping. Density functional theory calculations are carried out to determine the stable absorption configuration and charge transfer mechanism of electron acceptor and donor molecules on the semiconductor surface. Both experimental and theoretical results confirm a remarkable modulation in carrier concentrations without introducing impurities or defects. This work points out the possibility of effectively tuning physical properties of solid-state materials by functional molecules, which is clean, flexible, nondestructive, and easily achieved.