MTM-HCC at Previous Liver Resection as a Predictor of Overall Survival in Salvage Liver Transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: Salvage liver transplantation (sLT) is considered an effective method to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence. This multicenter research aimed to identify the prognostic factors associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after sLT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 114 patients who had undergone sLT for recurrent HCC between February 2012 and September 2020 was performed. The baseline and clinicopathological data of the patients were collected. RESULTS: The 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS rates after sLT were 88.9%, 75.2%, and 69.2%, respectively, and the OS rates were 96.4%, 78.3%, and 70.8%. A time from liver resection (LR) to recurrence < 1 year, disease beyond the Milan criteria at sLT and macrotrabecular massive (MTM)-HCC were identified as risk factors for RFS and were further identified as independent risk factors. A time from LR to recurrence < 1 year, disease beyond the Milan criteria at sLT and MTM-HCC were also risk factors for OS and were further identified as independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with primary liver transplantation (pLT), more prognostic factors are available from patients who had undergone LR. We suggest that in cases of HCC recurrence within 1 year after LR, disease beyond the Milan criteria at sLT and MTM-HCC patients, sLT should be used with caution.

Options for the treatment of intrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: Salvage liver transplantation or rehepatectomy?

OBJECTIVE: To explore prognostic factors by comparing the efficacy of salvage liver transplantation (sLT) and rehepatectomy (RH) for the treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy. METHODS: Clinical data were collected for 124 patients treated at our center from January 2012 to August 2018. The median follow-up time for the patients was 39 months. By analyzing the clinical data between the sLT group (46 cases) and RH group (78 cases), the factors affecting the prognosis of patients were compared. RESULTS: The proportion of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥ 100 µg/L in the recurrence group was significantly higher than that in the recurrence-free group (70.0% vs 22.2%, P = .014). The postoperative overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were better in the sLT group than in the RH group (81.2% vs 36.9%, P < .01; 77.1% vs 55.6%, P = .019). In the sLT group, the OS and RFS in the AFP < 100 µg/L group were superior to those in the AFP ≥ 100 µg/L group (P = .046 and P = .002). CONCLUSION: The sLT group had achieved better efficacy than RH group, but when AFP ≥ 100 µg/L, sLT did not achieve better efficacy than RH.

Surgical Treatment of Postoperative Abdominal Metastases of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: 10-Year Experience in a Single Center.

OBJECTIVE: The significance of surgical treatment was analyzed by retrospectively collecting data on the re-resection of intra-abdominal metastases after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surgery in our center over the past 10 years. METHODS: The clinical and pathological data of 15 patients who developed intra-abdominal metastases after HCC resection and underwent re-resection from January 2010 to January 2020 were collected to analyze the patients' characteristics and prognosis. RESULTS: Of the 15 cases of abdominal metastasis, the majority (8 cases) had greater omental metastasis. There were 4 cases of mesenteric metastases, 1 case of abdominal wall metastasis, 1 case of mesenteric plus rectal wall metastasis, and 1 case of colon and mesenteric metastasis. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 31.1%, 23.3%, and 11.7%, respectively. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival rates were 93.3%, 28.7%, and 19.1%, respectively. Three patients are currently surviving disease-free, with survival times of 130.4 months, 43.3 months, and 9.4 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the current guidelines do not recommend surgical resection as the preferred treatment for postoperative abdominal metastases of HCC, surgical resection is recommended for patients with limited or solitary metastasis in the abdominal cavity.

Elemental contents in organs and tissues of Chinese adult men.

OBJECTIVE: To provide basis of reference values for relevant parameters of Chinese Reference Man. METHODS: Eighteen kinds of major organ or tissue samples, including muscle, rib, liver, and so on, were obtained from 4 areas (Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, and Sichuan provinces) with different dietary patterns in China in autopsy of 16 healthy adult men, who had just encountered sudden deaths. At the same time, whole blood samples were collected from 10 volunteers living in each of these areas. The concentrations of 56 elements in these samples were detected by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GF-AAS) techniques. Based on obtained concentrations and reference values of these organ or tissue weights for Chinese Reference Man, the relative elemental burdens in these organs or tissues as well whole body were also estimated. RESULTS: The concentrations of 56 elements in 18 main organs or tissues were determined all together and their elemental organ or tissue and whole body burdens were estimated. Furthermore, the distributions of important elements for radiation protection in these organs or tissues were emphatically discussed. CONCLUSION: By summing with past related results, the total results obtained from the series of research may provide more reliable and better representative basis of these reference values for Chinese Reference Man than before.

[Preparation of sinomenine microemulsion and its transdermal absorption].

OBJECTIVE: To screen the optimum formulation and prepare O/W sinomenine microemulsion and investigate its in vitro transdermal delivery ability. METHOD: The microemulsions were prepared with the formulation containing oleic acid-tween 80-dehydrated alcohol-water by the pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The permeation flux of sinomenine was determined in vitro by Franz diffusion cell fitted with rat skin. The sinomenine was determined by HPLC. The transdermal characteristics of sinomenine microemulsion were compared with that of sinomenine gels. RESULT: The steady state flux of sinomenine microemulsion was significantly higher than that of sinomenine gels. The average permeation rate of sinomenine microemulsion was 116. 44 microg x cm(-2) x h(-1) in vitro. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that the studied microemulsion system with high permeation rate may be a potential vehicle for the transdermal delivery of sinomenine.

Role and mechanism of rosiglitazone on the impairment of insulin secretion induced by free fatty acids on isolated rat islets.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged exposure of pancreatic beta-cells to fatty acids increases basal insulin secretion but inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Rosiglitazone is a new antidiabetic agent of the thiazolidinediones. However, the relationship between thiazolidinediones and insulin secretion is highly controversial. The aim of this study is to explore the effect and mechanism of rosiglitazone on insulin secretion of islets under chronic exposure to free fatty acids (FFA). METHODS: Pancreatic islets were isolated from the pancreata of male Sprague-Dawley rats by the collagenase digestion and by the dextran gradient centrifugation method. The purified islets were cultured in the presence or absence of rosiglitazone and palmitate for 48 hours. The insulin secretion was measured by radioimmunoassay. The mRNA level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, uncoupling protein 2 (UCP-2) and insulin were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The cell cytotoxicity assay was measured by cell counting kit-8. RESULTS: Islets exposed to elevated palmitate for 48 hours showed an increased basal and a decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (P < 0.01). The mRNA level of UCP-2 was increased by 3.7 fold in the 0.5 mmol/L concentration of palmitate. When islets were cultured with palmitate (0.5 mmol/L) in the presence of rosiglitazone (1.0 micromol/L), both basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion reversed to a pattern of control islets (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The addition of rosiglitazone in the culture medium decreased the mRNA level of UCP-2 by 2.2 fold, having a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) as compared with islets cultured with palmitate alone. The cell viability was not affected. CONCLUSION: The protective effects of rosiglitazone on insulin secretion of isolated pancreatic islets under chronic exposure to palmitate might be mediated through the downregulation of UCP-2 expression.

[Determination of trace Cs, Th and U in ten kinds of human autopsy tissues by ICP-MS].

This paper studied the trace elements Cs, Th and U in ten kinds of human autopsy tissues by ICP-MS. The instrumental operating conditions were optimized for the measurement of Cs, Th and U. Rhodium (Rh) was used as an internal standard element to compensate matrix effect. Detection limits for Th, U and Cs were 5.7-17.8 pg x mL(-1). The recoveries for spiking liver samples were 96%-107%, and their RSDs were 4.8%-8.9%. Reference materials of NIST SRM 8414 Bovine and NIST SRM 1486 Bone Meal were analyzed by the described method, and the analytical results agreed well with the reference values. Human autopsy tissues samples were digested by mixed acid (HNO3 + HClO4). The determination of Cs, Th and U in lung, liver, bone, heart, stomach, spleen, muscle, kidney, thyroid gland and intestinum tenue was performed by ICP-MS without separation and enrichment procedures. The obtained results indicated that this method is rapid, sensitive and accurate; the distribution of the three elements is different from one to another human organ sample; the main organ targets for Th and U are lungs and kidneys; and a coordinated variation of Cs, Th and U concentration in lungs was found in the samples collected from Hebei and Sichuan provinces.

Minimal invasive trans-eyelid approach to anterior and middle skull base meningioma: a preliminary study of Shanghai Huashan hospital.

Transpalpebral or trans-eyelid approach is a modified trans-orbital access to lesions of anterior cranial fossa and sellar region. But whether this approach is also suitable for tumors extending laterally to the temporal lobe or middle cranial fossa is not clarified. We would like to share our experiences from the cadaveric anatomy study to clinical operations. We used 5 cadavers to study trans-eyelid approaches in a step-by-step fashion. And then assisted by an experienced ophthalmologist for incisions, we treated 3 female patients via this approach: One with spheno-orbital meningioma, one with sellar tuberculum meningioma, and the other with medial sphenoidal wing meningioma. After studying the cadavers, we made several revisions to the previously reported approach: 1) move the incision close to the edge of the eyelid, which resembled the double-eyelid incision. 2) A vascularized periosteum flap was dissected for repairing the opened frontal sinus and reconstruction of the skull base. 3) The dura was sutured up with a slice of temporalis muscle. Then we treated 3 patients by this approach. All tumors were totally resected as Simpson Grade I. Complications included orbital apex syndrome and transient oculomotor paralysis because of tumor invasion into orbit and cavernous sinus. No cerebrospinal fluid leakage. We find that trans-eyelid approach is suitable for lesions not only at anterior cranial base or sellar region, but also extending to middle cranial base, especially around sphenoidal wings within 2 cm range or spheno-orbital region. Thus, we propose whether it appropriate to nominate this approach as 'trans-eyelid pterional approach', since it may treat some anterior and middle cranial fossa lesions with a mini-craniotomy around pterion.

Lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma: our experience with 19 cases and a systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis, pathology, and differential diagnosis of LPM by analyzing our experience and reviewed relevant literature. We also postulated the necessity of postoperative adjuvant therapy. METHODS: 19 patients with LPM underwent surgical treatment from 2007 through 2010 in our department. The clinical charts of the patients, including surgical, histological, and follow-up records, as well as imaging studies, were analyzed retrospectively. Other 43 cases searched from the literature were also included, so that 62 LPM cases were summarized and reviewed together. RESULTS: The summarized 62 patients comprised 30 males and 31 females aged 9 years to 79 years (40.7±18.3 years). The most common locations were convexity, skull base, para-sagittal and cervical canal. Multiple or diffuse lesions were found in 8 cases. There were 13 patients had peripheral blood abnormalities (21%). One-third of the cases had moderate to severe peritumoral brain edema. Thirty-eight patients had total resection, 12 patients not specified while 12 received subtotal resection or only biopsy. MIB-1 was available in 24 cases and a third of them were higher than 3%. Follow-up more than 3 year was only completed in 19/62 cases. Seven cases suffered recurrence and two of them died after 2 years of operation. CONCLUSION: LPM is a very rare benign variant of intracranial meningioma. Both lesions and hematological abnormalities have a predilection for younger individuals. Preoperative diagnosis of this subtype of meningioma is still difficult. Surgical resection is the primary treatment option, and supportive care for those not totally removed is very important, because the recurrence rate for this subtype is rather low. However, the massive infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells in LPMs are still controversial and the long-term follow-ups are needed. Radiotherapy is not recommended, and hormonal or immune-inhibitor therapy might be helpful.

Secretory meningiomas: clinical, radiological and pathological findings in 70 consecutive cases at one institution.

Secretory meningioma (SM) is a rare, benign subtype of meningioma. Between January 2005 and December 2010, 70 SMs were operated on at the Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data, radiological and immunohistochemical findings, and patient outcome to discuss the specific features of SMs. Cranial base preference, hyper-signal in T2 weighted MR image, "xenon light" gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) enhancement were frequently observed in the 70 cases. Non-skull base SMs, which received more complete resection (p<0.01) and had better short-term and long-term outcome, were observed with more severe peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) (p<0.001). In follow-up, only 1 cranial base SM case showed tumor progression. 3 cases died after operation, all with cranial base SMs. As for the 10 cases given Simpson grade 3 or 4 resection who were available at follow-up, 3 died, 5 received gamma-knife therapy, and the other 2 cases received no treatment at all. Only one of the 2 residual SMs without postoperative radiation presented minor progression at a median of 48 months follow-up. In conclusion, cranial base preference, hyper-signal T2 weighted MR image and "xenon light" GD-DTPA enhancement are specific for SMs. Prognosis of SMs is related with operation completeness and surgical risks, rather than the extent of PTBE. Residual SM grows slowly and reacts well to gamma-knife therapy.

Histopathological classification and location of consecutively operated meningiomas at a single institution in China from 2001 to 2010.

BACKGROUND: Meningioma is one of the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system, but there are not many detailed studies on the sex, age, subtypes and locations of large series. This study was a retrospective analysis of the characteristics of meningioma cases consecutively operated on at a single institution in China from 2001 to 2010. METHODS: This study investigated the demographic background of 7084 meningioma cases, and the subtypes and locations of the tumors. Sex and age distributions were analyzed, and the pathological subtypes were classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. The location of the meningiomas was also categorized. RESULTS: The female:male ratio of the 7084 cases was 2.34:1. The mean age was 51.4 years (range, 11 months-86 years). The mean age of cases of WHO grade I meningioma was significantly older than that of grade II or III meningiomas (P < 0.001, Fisher's Least Significant Digit test). There was a significantly higher female:male ratio in WHO grade I meningiomas than in grade II or grade III meningiomas (2.57, 1.03 and 0.76, respectively; P < 0.001, χ(2) test). Meningothelial (n = 2061) and fibrous meningiomas (n = 3556) were the most common subtypes, comprising 79.3% of all meningiomas. All meningioma cases were classified into 23 locations in this study, with the cerebral convexity the most common site (38.33%, n = 2722). Cases with uncommon locations such as extra-cranial and sylvian fissure meningiomas were also present in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Female predominance was found for benign meningiomas, while malignant subtypes showed male predominance. The mean age of patients with WHO grade I meningiomas was older than that of patients with higher-grade tumors. Meningothelial and fibrous meningiomas were the most common subtypes. The cerebral convexity was the most common meningioma location.

Papillary meningioma: clinical and histopathological observations.

Papillary meningioma is a rare subtype of malignant meningiomas, which is classified by the World Health Organization as Grade III. Because of lack of large sample size case studies, many of the specific characteristics of papillary meningioma are unclear. This study investigated by retrospective analysis the clinical, radiological and histopathological findings of 17 papillary meningioma patients who underwent surgical resection or biopsy, to assess the characteristics of papillary meningioma. Eight female and nine male patients were included, with a mean age of 40 (range: 6 to 55) years. Tumors were mostly located in the cerebral convexity and showed irregular margins, absence of a peritumoral rim, heterogeneous enhancement and severe peritumoral brain edema on preoperative images. Brain invasion was often confirmed during the operations, with abundant to exceedingly abundant blood supply. Intratumoral necrosis and mitosis was frequently observed on routinely stained sections. The average MIB-1 labeling index was 6.9%. Seven cases experienced tumor recurrence or progression, while seven patients died 6 to 29 months after operation. Radiation therapy was given in 52.9% of all cases. Univariate analysis showed that only the existence of intratumoral necrosis and incomplete resection correlated with tumor recurrence. The 3-year progression free survival was 66.7% after gross total resection and 63.6% for other cases. The 3-year mortality rate was 50% after gross total resection and 63.6% for other cases. Papillary meningioma has specific clinical and histopathological characteristics. Tumor recurrence (or progression) and mortality are common. Gross total tumor resection resulted in less recurrence and mortality.

Preoperative surgical planning for intracranial meningioma resection by virtual reality.

BACKGROUND: The Dextroscope system by Volume Interactions (Singapore) had been applied to minimally invasive neurosurgery in many units. This system enables the neurosurgeon to interact intuitively with the three-dimensional graphics in a direct manner resembling the way one communicates with the real objects. In the paper, we explored its values in pre-operation surgical planning for intracranial meningiomas resection. METHODS: Brain computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance venography (MRV) were performed on 10 patients with parasagittal and falcine meningiomas located on central groove area; brain CT, MRI and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) were performed on 10 patients with anterior skull base meningiomas and 10 patients with sphenoid ridge meningiomas. All these data were transferred to Dextroscope virtual reality system, and reconstructed. Then meningiomas, skull base, brain tissue, drainage vein and cerebral arteries were displayed within the system, and their anatomic relationships were evaluated. Also, the simulation operations were performed. RESULTS: For parasagittal and falcine meningiomas, the relationships of tumor with drainage vein and superior sagittal sinus were clearly displayed in the Dextroscope system. For anterior skull base and sphenoid ridge meningiomas, the relationships of tumor with bilateral internal carotid arteries, anterior cerebral arteries, middle cerebral arteries and skull base were vividly displayed within the virtual reality system. Surgical planning and simulation operation of all cases were performed as well. The real operations of all patients were conducted according to the simulation with well outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: According to the virtual reality planning, neurosurgeons could get more anatomic information about meningioma and its surrounding structures, especially important vessels, and choose the best approach for tumor resection, which would lead to better prognosis for patients.

Elemental transfer from Chinese soil via the diet to the whole human body.

Based on results from recent studies of elemental dietary intake and organ or tissue content for adult Chinese men, quoted nationwide elemental concentrations in Chinese soil and newly published national average consumption of dietary foods, values of both transfer coefficients and discrimination factor (DF) for transfer from soil via the diet to both critical organs and the whole body have been calculated for important elements in radiation protection, including alkaline earths, alkali metals, rare earths and other related elements. These calculations have used both the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) model and the DF method. In the UNSCEAR model, the basic parameters used to describe the transport of radionuclides are the transfer coefficients P(ij), which describe the relationship of concentrations or other amounts between compartment i and the following compartment j, whereas the DF is the ratio between the transfer coefficients for one element and a chemically similar element. From a comparison of the transfer coefficients of different elements for a particular transport pathway, those for alkaline earths are generally speaking higher than those for halogen elements and alkali metals, whereas those for rare earth elements, U and Th are lower. Relative to Ca, the DFs of transfer from soil to diet and from diet to critical organs or the whole body for the other alkaline earth elements and Pb are all less than 1, the DFs for the other elements decrease with increasing or decreasing atomic number. For alkali metals, the DFs of transfer from diet to critical organs and the whole body seem to increase with increasing atomic number, but those from soil to diet decrease with increasing atomic number.

Effect of environmental exposure to cadmium on pregnancy outcome and fetal growth: a study on healthy pregnant women in China.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential effect of environmental exposure to cadmium on pregnancy outcome and fetal growth. Normal pregnant women were selected from Da-ye city of Hubei province, a cadmium-polluted area, from November 2002 through January 2003. Whole blood of pregnant women, cord blood, and placenta were collected and cadmium levels were determined by inductively coupled plasma emission mass spectroscopy. Incidence rate of preterm labor (gestational age < or = 37 weeks) and neonatal asphyxia, neonatal birth height, and birth weight were compared between lower and higher cadmium exposure level groups. Whole blood cadmium of 44 mothers ranged from 0.80 to 25.20 microg/L. Cadmium concentration in maternal blood was significantly higher than that in cord blood (t = 11.44, P < 0.01). Placenta cadmium ranged from 0.084 to 3.97 microg/g dry weight. After adjustment for maternal age, history of gestation, abortion and lactation, Logistic regression analysis showed that there was no significant association between cadmium exposure levels and pregnancy outcome (premature labor or neonatal asphyxia). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that, cord blood cadmium level, but not maternal blood cadmium and placenta cadmium, was significantly negatively associated with neonatal birth height (t= -2.33, P < 0.05). Compared with lower cord blood cadmium level (< or = 0.40 microg/L), higher level of cord blood cadmium (>0.40 microg/L) was associated with 2.24cm decrease in neonatal birth height. There was no significant association between cadmium exposure and birth weight. It was concluded that environmental exposure to cadmium significantly lower neonatal birth height.