Oxidation-induced superelasticity in metallic glass nanotubes.

Although metallic nanostructures have been attracting tremendous research interest in nanoscience and nanotechnologies, it is known that environmental attacks, such as surface oxidation, can easily initiate cracking on the surface of metals, thus deteriorating their overall functional/structural properties1-3. In sharp contrast, here we report that severely oxidized metallic glass nanotubes can attain an ultrahigh recoverable elastic strain of up to ~14% at room temperature, which outperform bulk metallic glasses, metallic glass nanowires and many other superelastic metals hitherto reported. Through in situ experiments and atomistic simulations, we reveal that the physical mechanisms underpinning the observed superelasticity can be attributed to the formation of a percolating oxide network in metallic glass nanotubes, which not only restricts atomic-scale plastic events during loading but also leads to the recovery of elastic rigidity on unloading. Our discovery implies that oxidation in low-dimensional metallic glasses can result in unique properties for applications in nanodevices.

Optimization of Mechanical and Thermoelectric Properties of SnTe-Based Semiconductors by Mn Alloying Modulated Precipitation Evolution.

Multiscale defects engineering offers a promising strategy for synergistically enhancing the thermoelectric and mechanical properties of thermoelectric semiconductors. However, the specific impact of individual defects, in particular precipitation, on mechanical properties remains ambiguous. In this work, the mechanical and thermoelectric properties of Sn1.03- xMnxTe (x = 0-0.30) semiconductors are systematically studied. Mn-alloying induces dense dislocations and Mn nano-precipitates, resulting in an enhanced compressive strength with x increased to 0.15. Quantitative calculations are performed to assess the strengthening contributions including grain boundary, solid solution, dislocation, and precipitation strengthening. Due to the dominant contribution of precipitation strengthening, the yield strength of the x = 0.10 sample is improved by ≈74.5% in comparison to the Mn-free Sn1.03Te. For x ≥ 0.15, numerous MnTe precipitates lead to a synergistic enhancement of strength-ductility. In addition, multiscale defects induced by Mn alloying can scatter phonons over a wide frequency spectrum. The peak figure of merit ZT of ≈1.3 and an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity of ≈0.35 Wm-1 K-1 are obtained at 873 K for x = 0.10 and x = 0.30 samples respectively. This work reveals tha precipitation evolution optimizes the mechanical and thermoelectric properties of Sn1.03- xMnxTe semiconductors, which may hold potential implications for other thermoelectric systems.

Toughening Thermoelectric Materials: From Mechanisms to Applications.

With the tendency of thermoelectric semiconductor devices towards miniaturization, integration, and flexibility, there is an urgent need to develop high-performance thermoelectric materials. Compared with the continuously enhanced thermoelectric properties of thermoelectric materials, the understanding of toughening mechanisms lags behind. Recent advances in thermoelectric materials with novel crystal structures show intrinsic ductility. In addition, some promising toughening strategies provide new opportunities for further improving the mechanical strength and ductility of thermoelectric materials. The synergistic mechanisms between microstructure-mechanical performances are expected to show a large set of potential applications in flexible thermoelectric devices. This review explores enlightening research into recent intrinsically ductile thermoelectric materials and promising toughening strategies of thermoelectric materials to elucidate their applications in the field of flexible thermoelectric devices.

Unsupervised multi-granular Chinese word segmentation and term discovery via graph partition.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at realizing unsupervised term discovery in Chinese electronic health records (EHRs) by using the word segmentation technique. The existing supervised algorithms do not perform satisfactorily in the case of EHRs, as annotated medical data are scarce. We propose an unsupervised segmentation method (GTS) based on the graph partition principle, whose multi-granular segmentation capability can help realize efficient term discovery. METHODS: A sentence is converted to an undirected graph, with the edge weights based on n-gram statistics, and ratio cut is used to split the sentence into words. The graph partition is solved efficiently via dynamic programming, and multi-granularity is realized by setting different partition numbers. A BERT-based discriminator is trained using generated samples to verify the correctness of the word boundaries. The words that are not recorded in existing dictionaries are retained as potential medical terms. RESULTS: We compared the GTS approach with mature segmentation systems for both word segmentation and term discovery. MD students manually segmented Chinese EHRs at fine and coarse granularity levels and reviewed the term discovery results. The proposed unsupervised method outperformed all the competing algorithms in the word segmentation task. In term discovery, GTS outperformed the best baseline by 17 percentage points (a 47% relative percentage of increment) on F1-score. CONCLUSION: In the absence of annotated training data, the graph partition technique can effectively use the corpus statistics and even expert knowledge to realize unsupervised word segmentation of EHRs. Multi-granular segmentation can be used to provide potential medical terms of various lengths with high accuracy.

Serum microcystin levels positively linked with risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: A case-control study in southwest China.

Microcystins have been reported to be carcinogenic by animal and cell experimentation, but there are no data on the linkage between serum microcystins and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in humans. We conducted a clinical case-control study to investigate the association between serum microcystins and HCC risk after controlling several known risk factors, such as hepatitis B virus, alcohol, and aflatoxin. From December 2013 to May 2016, 214 patients newly diagnosed with HCC along with 214 controls (frequency-matched by age and sex) were recruited from three hospitals in Chongqing, southwest China. Basic information on lifestyle and history of disease was obtained by questionnaire. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for serum microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and aflatoxin-albumin adduct by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and for hepatitis B surface antigen status by chemiluminescence assay. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the independent effects of MC-LR and its joint effects with other factors on HCC risk. The adjusted odds ratio for HCC risk by serum MC-LR was 2.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-5.5) in all patients. Notably, a clear relationship between increased MC-LR level (Q2, Q3, and Q4) and HCC risk was observed with elevated adjusted odds ratios (1.3, 2.6, and 4.0, respectively). Positive interactions with the additive model were investigated between MC-LR and hepatitis B virus infection (synergism index = 3.0; 95% CI, 2.0-4.5) and between MC-LR and alcohol (synergism index = 4.0; 95% CI, 1.7-9.5), while a negative interaction was found between MC-LR and aflatoxin (synergism index = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.7). Additionally, serum MC-LR was significantly associated with tumor differentiation (r = -0.228, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We provide evidence that serum MC-LR was an independent risk factor for HCC in humans, with an obvious positive interaction with hepatitis B virus and alcohol but a negative interaction with aflatoxin. (Hepatology 2017;66:1519-1528).

Environmental Microcystin Exposure Increases Liver Injury Risk Induced by Hepatitis B Virus Combined with Aflatoxin: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southwest China.

Three liver hazards, two confirmed-hepatitis B virus (HBV) and aflatoxin (AFB), and one rarely studied in populations-microcystin (MC), simultaneously exist in tropical and humid areas; however, there are no epidemiological data on their risks in the same population. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey among 5493 adults in two rural towns and statistically analyzed the comparative and combinative effects of the three factors after detecting HBsAg and HBV DNA titers, determining estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of AFB1 and MC-LR and testing serum AST and ALT as liver injury markers for each participant. We observed a HBsAg(+) rate of 7.6%, a relatively high AFB1 exposure level (mean EDIAFB1 = 471.30 ng/d), and a relatively low MC-LR exposure level (mean EDIMC-LR = 228.25 ng/d). ORs for abnormal AST (2.42, 95%CI = 1.69-3.45) and ALT (2.87, 95%CI = 1.91-4.29) increased in HBV infections compared with HBV-unexposed participants but did not increase in participants with separate or combined exposure to AFB1 and MC-LR (EDIs ≥ mean). Meanwhile, after adjustment for confounding factors, means of AST and ALT and ORs of abnormal AST and ALT were successively elevated after exposure to HBV, HBV&AFB1 (or HBV&MC-LR), and HBV&AFB1&MC-LR, especially in the group with detectable HBV DNA (AST: OR = 11.38, 95%CI = 3.91-33.17; ALT: OR = 17.09, 95%CI = 5.36-54.53). Notably, ORs for abnormal AST and ALT in the HBV exposed group were not significantly different from those in HBV&AFB1 or in the HBV&MC-LR exposed group but were significantly higher in the HBV&AFB1&MC-LR exposed group (P = 0.029 and P = 0.037, respectively). Our study indicated that microcystin may have the potential to increase the risk of liver injury induced by combined exposure to HBV and aflatoxin. However, in consideration of the uncertainties in the detection of the toxins and evaluation of the EDIs, more epidemiological data are expected to determine the increasing toxic effects of microcystins.

Safety and efficacy of radiofrequency-assisted ALPPS (RALPPS) in patients with cirrhosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has high morbidity and mortality. In this study, the safety and efficacy of a modification of ALPPS (radiofrequency-assisted ALPPS, RALPPS) were assessed in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with HCC and were considered to have an insufficient future liver remnant (FLR) were enrolled. In stage I, a radiofrequency ablation (RFA) device was used to cauterise along the planned transection plane to form a coagulum avascular area. When the FLR reached above 40%, hepatectomy was performed in stage II along the coagulum area established previously. After two stages, operative morbidity, mortality, per cent increase in FLR, operative time and blood loss were evaluated. RESULTS: Between July 2014 and September 2015, 10 patients with HCC (9 with hepatitis-related cirrhosis) were treated with the RALPPS procedure. The incidence of severe complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIb) was 20% (2/10). One patient died. No biliary leakage, intraperitoneal infection or post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) occurred after both stages. The median FLR before stage I was 31% (364 ml). This increased to 47% (632 ml) before stage II after a median interval of 28 days. The median percentage increase in FLR was 53% (210 ml). Additionally, the median operative time during the first and second stages was 214 and 281 min, respectively. The corresponding median blood loss was 200 and 550 ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: RALPPS has a potential advantage in eliminating serious complications of biliary leakage and PHLF associated with classic ALPPS. On the basis of rigorous patient selection criteria, RALPPS may achieve the same effect of promoting significant growth of the FLR in patients with cirrhosis-related HCC and insufficient FLR volume, albeit at the cost of a longer interval time.

A double blinded prospective randomized trial comparing the effect of anatomic versus non-anatomic resection on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anatomic resection (AR) versus non-anatomic resection (NAR) on recurrence rates in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Eligible patients were randomized to AR or NAR from January 2006 to July 2007 at a single center. The primary outcome was the 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, time to first recurrence, 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS, and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Fifty-three (51%) and 52 (50%) patients underwent NAR and AR, respectively. A larger proportion of patients achieved margins ≥20 mm in the AR group (52% vs. 30%; P = 0.023). Complications (blood loss, transfusion requirement, and hospital stay) were similar between the two groups. Median follow-up was 33 (range, 2-77) months. Incidence of local recurrence at 2 years was 30% and 59% in the AR and NAR groups, respectively. Median time to first local recurrence in the AR group was significantly longer than in the NAR group (53 vs. 10 months, P = 0.010). There was no difference in overall RFS between the two groups (P = 0.290). DISCUSSION: AR decreased the 2-year local recurrence rate and increased the time to first local recurrence compared to NAR in patients with HCC.

miR-4299 mediates the invasive properties and tumorigenicity of human follicular thyroid carcinoma by targeting ST6GALNAC4.

Altered sialylation is closely associated with tumor progression and invasiveness. Micro-RNAs endogenous regulators of gene expression have been implicated in human thyroid carcinoma invasiveness. The objective of this study is to examine the alterations of miR-4299 and ST6GALNAC family in human follicular thyroid carcinoma during metastatic process. qRT-PCR showed the differential expressional profiles of miR-4299 and ST6GALNAC family in three kinds of thyroid cell lines (FTC-133,FTC-238, Nthy-ori 3-1) and clinical tissue specimens(malignant and borderline). The altered expression levels of ST6GALNAC4 were corresponding to invasive phenotypes of FTC-133 and FTC-238 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further date indicated that miR-4299 regulated tumor progression and invasiveness by directly targeting ST6GALNAC4. This study implies the potential therapeutic application of miR-4299 and ST6GALNAC4 in modulating the invasion and tumorigenicity of follicular thyroid carcinoma cell.

Determination of Environmental Exposure to Microcystin and Aflatoxin as a Risk for Renal Function Based on 5493 Rural People in Southwest China.

Although the nephrotoxicity of microcystin and aflatoxin has been observed in animal and clinical cases, few population data are available. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Southwest China to investigate the association of renal function indicators (RFIs, including BUN, SCr, and eGFR) with exposure to microcystin and aflatoxin in 5493 members of the general population. Microcystin-LR levels in water and aquatic products and aflatoxin B1 levels in daily foods were measured by ELISA, and individual estimated daily intake (EDI) was assessed on the basis of the measurement and questionnaire. We found that participants with abnormal RFIs had a much higher mean level of microcystin-LR EDI than those with normal RFIs and that there was a significant increasing trend for abnormal rates and odds ratios of RFIs with increasing microcystin-LR EDI quartiles (p for trend = 0.000). Compared with the lowest quartile of microcystin-LR exposure, those in the highest quartile had significantly higher risks of abnormal BUN (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.34-2.42), SCr (OR = 4.58, 95% CI = 2.92-7.21), and eGFR (OR = 4.41, 95% CI = 2.55-7.63), respectively, but no higher risk was found in subjects with higher AFB1 exposure. After adjustment for confounding factors, risk associations with microcystin-LR persisted. Consequently, our results suggest that microcystin, rather than aflatoxin, might be one important risk of renal-function impairment.

Yes-Associated Protein in Hepatocellular Carcinoma is Associated with Tumor Differentiation and Patient Age at Diagnosis, but not Markers of HBV Infection.

BACKGROUND: It was necessary to assess the relationship between Yes-associated protein (YAP) and some clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially hepatitis B virus (HBV) correlation factors as they relate to tumorigenesis. METHODS: A tissue microarray including 84 HCC samples was retrospectively analyzed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: This study showed that YAP expression was associated with HCC differentiation and the patient age at diagnosis of HCC. The mean age at diagnosis of YAP(+) HCC patients was 46.19 ± 9.45 years old, which is youn- ger than 51.40 ± 12.51 years old found for YAP(-) HCC patients (< 0.048). There was no significant correlation between YAP expression and HBV correlation factors (HBsAg, HBV DNA, and the duration of hepatitis B infec- tion). CONCLUSIONS: YAP(+) HCC patients had a younger mean age at diagnosis and more poor-differentiation charac- teristics of HCC. However, there were no independent HBV correlation factors.

Des-γ-Carboxyprothrombin Plasma Level in Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Chinese Population Undergoing Surgery.

BACKGROUND The usefulness of Des-g-carboxyprothrombin (DCP) has been indicated in areas where hepatitis C virus is prevalent. DCP has yet to be used in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of DCP in Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) predominantly caused by hepatitis B. MATERIAL AND METHODS 329 subjects with HCC and 371 subjects without HCC that all underwent surgery were consecutively enrolled. Serum AFP and plasma DCP levels in all subjects and 153 healthy volunteers were measured and analyzed. RESULTS Of 329 subjects with HCC, 258 (78.4%) were HBsAg positive. The median level of plasma DCP was 853.72 mAU/mL in subjects with HCC, 26.43 mAU/mL in subjects without HCC, and 29.91 m AU/mL in healthy volunteers. A cut-off DCP value of 87 mAU/mL yielded the optimal sensitivity of 74.80% and a specificity of 83.33% for differentiating subjects with HCC from subjects without HCC. The combination of AFP of 21.33 ng/mL and DCP of 87 mAU/mL had a sensitivity of 82.60% for tumors no larger than 2 cm, as well as a sensitivity of 90% for tumors larger than 5 cm. CONCLUSIONS The combination of DCP and AFP yielded great improvement in sensitivity in differentiating subjects with HCC from subjects without HCC. These two markers may be incorporated in the protocol for surveillance and diagnosis of HCC in the high-risk Chinese population.

Combination therapy with sorafenib and radiofrequency ablation for BCLC Stage 0-B1 hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy using Sorafenib and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with curative intent for all detectable lesions in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Stage 0-B1 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: One hundred and twenty-eight patients with HCC from 12 centers were enrolled in this retrospective study; 64 patients who received Sorafenib plus RFA (Sorafenib-RFA) were compared with a control group treated with RFA alone. The two patient groups were selected with a predefined criterion and matched in terms of their clinical and tumor characteristics at baseline. The primary end point of the study was the incidence of post-RFA HCC recurrence. Secondary end points were overall survival (OS) and treatment toxicity. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 134.1 weeks, 49 patients died and 79 survived. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative incidences of post-RFA recurrence were 40.5%, 62.9%, and 74.5%, respectively, in the Sorafenib-RFA group, and 62.8%, 85.4%, and 92.7%, respectively, in the RFA group. The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year OS rates were 85.6%, 64.0%, 58.7%, and 50.3%, respectively, in the Sorafenib-RFA group, and 80.7%, 47.2%, 30.9%, and 30.9%, respectively, in the RFA group. Thus, the Sorafenib-RFA group exhibited better survival than the RFA alone group. CONCLUSIONS: Combined therapy with Sorafenib-RFA was associated with a lower incidence of post-RFA recurrence and better OS than RFA alone in patients with BCLC Stage 0-B1 HCC. Although these findings suggest that Sorafenib and RFA is safe and effective for the treatment of early HCC, prospective and randomized controlled trials are needed to validate them.

Predictive value of indocyanine green retention rate with respect to complications of radiofrequency ablation in 878 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It may produce complications. The indocyanine green (ICG) retention rate at 15 min (ICGR15) has been used to predict complications after hepatectomy. In this study, the prediction of the value of ICGR15 for complications of RFA to the patients with HCC was evaluated. METHODS: Some 878 cases of HCC treated between June 2009 and June 2013 were evaluated. All patients were treated by percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. Patients were divided into two groups: a complication group (85 cases) and a complication-free group (793 cases). ICGR15 and other baseline characteristics of the two groups were compared. A logistic regression model was used to analyse the merits of assessing liver reserve to predict complications post-RFA. RESULTS: Complications such as intra-abdominal haemorrhage and pleural effusion occurred in 85 (9.68%) patients after RFA. Patients in the two groups did not differ with regard to baseline parameters. Patients in the two groups did differ significantly in ICGR15 and tumour site (p < 0.05). Tumour site was found to have a significant impact on the rate of complications post-RFA. There was no significant difference in ICGR15 values among patients with the same Child-Pugh scores or in the same tumour site. CONCLUSIONS: The present results demonstrated that RFA is minimally invasive and suitable for the treatment of HCC. They also showed that ICGR15 did not independently predict for liklihood of post-RFA complications, after controlling for tumour site. Patients with tumours located subcapsularly or near the porta hepatis were found to have significantly higher rates of post-operative complications after RFA than to patients with tumours in the liver parenchyma.

Dynapenic abdominal obesity and incident functional disability: Results from a nationwide longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults in China.

BACKGROUND: There is little epidemiological evidence on the relationship of dynapenic abdominal obesity (DAO) and the development of functional disability, particularly in Asian populations. We aimed to investigate the association of DAO with new-onset functional disability in Chinese adults. METHODS: A total of 7881 participants aged ≥45 years from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011 and 2015 were included in the study. Dynapenia and abdominal obesity were respectively defined based on handgrip strength (<28 kg for male and <18 kg for female) and waist circumference (≥ 90 cm for male and ≥85 cm for female). The sample was divided into four groups: non-dynapenic/non-abdominal obesity (ND/NAO), non-dynapenic/abdominal obesity (ND/AO), dynapenic/non-abdominal obesity (D/NAO) and dynapenic/abdominal obesity (D/AO). Functional status was assessed by basic activities of daily living (BADL) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Logistic regression model was used to explore the longitudinal association between dynapenic abdominal obesity and incident functional disability. RESULTS: After a 4-year follow-up, 1153 (14.6 %) developed BADL disability and 1335 (16.9 %) developed IADL disability. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (95 % CIs) for the D/AO versus ND/NAO were 2.21 (1.61-3.03) for BADL disability, and 1.68 (1.23-2.30) for IADL disability. In addition, DAO was associated with an increased risk for functional dependency severity (odds ratio, 2.08 [95 % CI, 1.57-2.75]). CONCLUSIONS: DAO was significantly associated with greater risk of functional disability among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Our findings indicated that interventions targeted DAO might be effective in the primary prevention of functional disability.

Dynapenic abdominal obesity and the risk of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: Evidence from a national cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Population-based evidence on the relationship between dynapenic abdominal obesity and depressive symptoms is rare. We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between dynapenic abdominal obesity and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Chinese adults. METHODS: A total of 9322 participants free of depressive symptoms in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included. The participants were divided into four groups: non-dynapenic/non-abdominal obesity (ND/NAO), non-dynapenic/abdominal obesity (ND/AO), dynapenic/non-abdominal obesity (D/NAO) and dynapenic/abdominal obesity (D/AO) according to the sex-specific grip strength (<28 kg for men and <18 kg for women) and waist circumference (≥85 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women) that in line with the Chinese criteria. Depressive symptoms was defined as a score of ≥12 for the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Logistic regression model was used to explore the association between dynapenic abdominal obesity and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: After an approximately 3-year of follow-up, 1810 participants (19.4 %) developed depressive symptoms. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for the D/AO versus ND/NAO was 1.61 (95 % CI: 1.31-1.98) for depressive symptoms. In addition, this relationship was more profound in participants aged<60 years (OR = 2.27, 95 % CI: 1.60-3.22) than participants aged ≥60 (OR = 1.36, 95 % CI: 1.05-1.77; P-interaction = 0.04). However, dynapenic obesity (defined by body mass index) was not linked to depressive symptoms. LIMITATIONS: Causal link and residual confounding were not addressed because of the observational study design. CONCLUSIONS: Dynapenic abdominal obesity was associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms, especially among those aged<60 years.

Temporal dynamics of lignin degradation in Quercus acutissima sawdust during Ganoderma lucidum cultivation.

Despite a fair amount of lignin conversion during mycelial growth, previous structural analyses have not yet revealed how lignin changes continuously and what the relationship is between lignin and ligninolytic enzymes. To clarify these aspects, Quercus acutissima sawdust attaching Ganoderma lucidum mycelium collected from different growth stage was subjected to analysis of lignin structure and ligninolytic enzyme activity. Two key periods of lignin degradation are found during the cultivation of G. lucidum: hypha rapid growth period and primordium formation period. In the first stage, laccase activity is associated with the opening of structures such as methoxyls, ß-O-4' substructures and guaiacyl units in lignin, as well as the shortening of lignin chains. Manganese peroxidases and lignin peroxidases are more suitable for degrading short chain lignin. The structure of phenylcoumarans and syringyl changes greatly in the second stage. The results from sawdust attaching mycelium provide new insights to help improve the cultivation substrate formulation of G. lucidum and understand biomass valorization better.

Selective internal radiation therapy with yttrium-90 resin microspheres followed by anatomical hepatectomy: A potential curative strategy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

About 80% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients are in advanced stages and ineligible for curative surgery. Palliative treatments just maintained limited survival, thus an effective downstaging therapy is badly needed. Here we report an initially unresectable patient who underwent radical hepatectomy after successful downstaging with selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). A 34-year-old man was diagnosed with China Liver Cancer Staging (CNLC) IIIa HCC. Due to insufficient future liver remnant and vascular involvement, the patient was suggested to be unresectable. SIRT with yttrium-90 resin microspheres was given. At three months post-SIRT, a complete response was achieved. The tumor was downstaged to CNLC Ia stage. The patient underwent anatomical hepatectomy 5 months after SIRT. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen showed 4% viable tumor cells inside a necrotic mass. To our knowledge, this is the first case who underwent SIRT with yttrium-90 resin microspheres in China mainland. The success of the downstaging in this case renders a possible cure to be achieved in an initially unresectable patient. In addition, the nearly complete tumor necrosis in the resected specimen indicates a good prognosis post-surgery. This is the first case who underwent SIRT with yttrium-90 resin microspheres in China mainland. SIRT followed by anatomical hepatectomy is a potentially curative strategy for unresectable HCC, which deserves a confirmative trial in the future.

Hypoxia induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition via activation of SNAI1 by hypoxia-inducible factor -1α in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: High invasion and metastasis are the primary factors causing poor prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these biological behaviors have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we investigate the molecular mechanism by which hypoxia promotes HCC invasion and metastasis through inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). METHODS: The expression of EMT markers was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Effect of hypoxia on induction of EMT and ability of cell migration and invasion were performed. Luciferase reporter system was used for evaluation of Snail regulation by hypoxia-inducible factor -1α (HIF-1α). RESULTS: We found that overexpression of HIF-1α was observed in HCC liver tissues and was related to poor prognosis of HCC patients. HIF-1α expression profile was correlated with the expression levels of SNAI1, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin. Hypoxia was able to induce EMT and enhance ability of invasion and migration in HCC cells. The same phenomena were also observed in CoCl2-treated cells. The shRNA-mediated HIF-1α suppression abrogated CoCl2-induced EMT and reduced ability of migration and invasion in HCC cells. Luciferase assay showed that HIF-1α transcriptional regulated the expression of SNAI1 based on two hypoxia response elements (HREs) in SNAI1 promoter. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that hypoxia-stabilized HIF1α promoted EMT through increasing SNAI1 transcription in HCC cells. This data provided a potential therapeutic target for HCC treatment.