A radiomics signature derived from CT imaging to predict MSI status and immunotherapy outcomes in gastric cancer: a multi-cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Accurate microsatellite instability (MSI) testing is essential for identifying gastric cancer (GC) patients eligible for immunotherapy. We aimed to develop and validate a CT-based radiomics signature to predict MSI and immunotherapy outcomes in GC. METHODS: This retrospective multicohort study included a total of 457 GC patients from two independent medical centers in China and The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) databases. The primary cohort (n = 201, center 1, 2017-2022), was used for signature development via Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and logistic regression analysis. Two independent immunotherapy cohorts, one from center 1 (n = 184, 2018-2021) and another from center 2 (n = 43, 2020-2021), were utilized to assess the signature's association with immunotherapy response and survival. Diagnostic efficiency was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and survival outcomes were analyzed via the Kaplan-Meier method. The TCIA cohort (n = 29) was included to evaluate the immune infiltration landscape of the radiomics signature subgroups using both CT images and mRNA sequencing data. RESULTS: Nine radiomics features were identified for signature development, exhibiting excellent discriminative performance in both the training (AUC: 0.851, 95%CI: 0.782, 0.919) and validation cohorts (AUC: 0.816, 95%CI: 0.706, 0.926). The radscore, calculated using the signature, demonstrated strong predictive abilities for objective response in immunotherapy cohorts (AUC: 0.734, 95%CI: 0.662, 0.806; AUC: 0.724, 95%CI: 0.572, 0.877). Additionally, the radscore showed a significant association with PFS and OS, with GC patients with a low radscore experiencing a significant survival benefit from immunotherapy. Immune infiltration analysis revealed significantly higher levels of CD8 + T cells, activated CD4 + B cells, and TNFRSF18 expression in the low radscore group, while the high radscore group exhibited higher levels of T cells regulatory and HHLA2 expression. CONCLUSION: This study developed a robust radiomics signature with the potential to serve as a non-invasive biomarker for GC's MSI status and immunotherapy response, demonstrating notable links to post-immunotherapy PFS and OS. Additionally, distinct immune profiles were observed between low and high radscore groups, highlighting their potential clinical implications.

In silico evidence implicating novel mechanisms of Prunella vulgaris L. as a potential botanical drug against COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury.

COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury (COVID-19 AKI) is an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality and has the potential to progress to chronic kidney disease. Prunella vulgaris L., a traditional Chinese herb that has been used for the treatment of a variety of kidney diseases for centuries, could have the potential to treat this complication. In this study, we studied the potential protective role of Prunella vulgaris in COVID-19 AKI and explored its specific mechanisms applied by network pharmacology and bioinformatics methods. The combination of the protein-protein interaction network and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment -target gene network revealed eight key target genes (VEGFA, ICAM1, IL6, CXCL8, IL1B, CCL2, IL10 and RELA). Molecular docking showed that all these eight gene-encoded proteins could be effectively bound to three major active compounds (quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol), thus becoming potential therapeutic targets. Molecular dynamics simulation also supports the binding stability of RELA-encoded protein with quercetin and luteolin. Together, our data suggest that IL6, VEGFA, and RELA could be the potential drug targets by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. Our in silico studies shed new insights into P. vulgaris and its ingredients, e.g., quercetin, as potential botanical drugs against COVID-19 AKI, and warrant further studies on efficacy and mechanisms.

Comprehensive Analysis of the Expression, Prognostic Value, and Immune Infiltration Activities of GABRD in Colon Adenocarcinoma.

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is one of the tumors with the highest mortality rates. It is of the utmost significance to make an accurate prognostic assessment and to tailor one's treatment to the specific needs of the patient. Multiple lines of evidence point to the possibility that genetic variables and clinicopathological traits are connected to the onset and development of cancer. In the past, a number of studies have revealed that gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor subunit delta (GABRD) plays a role in the advancement of a number of different cancers. However, its function in COAD was rarely reported. In this study, we analyzed TCGA datasets and identified 29 survival-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in COAD patients. In particular, GABRD expression was noticeably elevated in COAD specimens. There was a correlation between high GABRD expression and an advanced clinical stage. According to the results of the survival tests, patients whose GABRD expression was high had a lower overall survival time and progression-free survival time than those whose GABRD expression was low. GABRD expression was found to be an independent predictive predictor for overall survival, as determined by multivariate COX regression analysis. Additionally, the predictive nomogram model can accurately predict the fate of individuals with COAD. In addition, we observed that GABRD expressions were positively associated with the expression of T cells regulatory (Tregs), macrophages M0, while negatively associated with the expression of T cells CD8, T cells follicular helper, macrophages M1, dendritic cells activated, eosinophils, and T cells CD4 memory activated. The IC50 of BI-2536, bleomycin, embelin, FR-180204, GW843682X, LY317615, NSC-207895, rTRAIL, and VX-11e was higher in the GABRD high-expression group. In conclusion, we have shown evidence that GABRD is a novel biomarker that is connected with immune cell infiltration in COAD and may be utilized to predict the prognosis of COAD patients.

Collectin-11 promotes cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth.

Collectin-11 (CL-11) is a recently described soluble C-type lectin that has distinct roles in embryonic development, host defence, autoimmunity, and fibrosis. Here we report that CL-11 also plays an important role in cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. Melanoma growth was found to be suppressed in Colec11-/- mice in a s.c. B16 melanoma model. Cellular and molecular analyses revealed that CL-11 is essential for melanoma cell proliferation, angiogenesis, establishment of more immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and the reprogramming of macrophages to M2 phenotype within melanomas. In vitro analysis revealed that CL-11 can activate tyrosine kinase receptors (EGFR, HER3) and ERK, JNK, and AKT signaling pathways and has a direct stimulatory effect on murine melanoma cell proliferation. Furthermore, blockade of CL-11 (treatment with L-fucose) inhibited melanoma growth in mice. Analysis of open data sets revealed that COLEC11 gene expression is upregulated in human melanomas and that high COLEC11 expression has a trend toward poor survival. CL-11 also had direct stimulatory effects on human tumor cell proliferation in melanoma and several other types of cancer cells in vitro. Overall, our findings provide the first evidence to our knowledge that CL-11 is a key tumor growth-promoting protein and a promising therapeutic target in tumor growth.

Five Mesoporous Lanthanide Metal-Organic Frameworks: Syntheses, Structures, and Fluorescence Sensing of Fe3+, Cr2O72-, and H2O2 and Electrochemical Sensing of Trinitrophenol.

When a multicarboxylate aromatic ligand, 3,5-di(2',4'-dicarboxylphenyl)benzoic acid (H5L), was employed, five structurally similar lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), {[Pr10L6(OH)3Cl(H2O)6]·4C2H8N}n (1), {[Nd10L6(OH)4 (H2O)9]·4C2H8N}n (2), {[Gd10L6(OH)4(H2O)3]·4C2H8N}n (3), {[Ho10L6(OH)4 (H2O)3]·4C2H8N}n (4) and {[Er10L6(OH)4(H2O)6]·4C2H8N}n (5), were synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray structural analyses disclosed that all five Ln-MOFs crystallize in the trigonal R3 space group. They have three-dimensional mesoporous structure featuring the coexistence of binuclear and tetranuclear species as inorganic building units. The mesoporous structure of 3 was verified by the gas adsorption experiment of N2. Fluorescence analysis showed that 3 can selectively detect Fe3+, Cr2O72-, and H2O2; furthermore, it can be used for the electrochemical detection of trinitrophenol. With the merit of an excellent highly sensitive detection performance, 3 has unpredictable application prospects in future research fields.

[Differential Expression of Long Non-coding RNA Cancer Susceptibility Candidate 2 and Imprinted Gene H19 in Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma].

Objective To investigate the expression and the potential roles of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)cancer susceptibility candidate 2(CASC2)and imprinted gene H19 in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ECC). Methods Four samples from patients with ECC were collected for high-throughput sequencing which was conducted to reveal the transcriptomic profiles of lncRNA CASC2 and H19.Bioinformatics tools were employed to predict the potential roles of the two genes.Another 22 ECC tissue samples and the cholangiocarcinoma cell lines(RBE,QBC939,HuH-28,and HuCCT1)with different degrees of differentiation were selected for validation.The para-carcinoma tissue and normal human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cell(HIBEC)were used as the control groups.The expression levels of lncRNA CASC2 and H19 in carcinoma tissue,para-carcinoma tissue,and cell lines were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).The correlation analysis was carried out for the clinical indicators of patients with the expression levels of the target genes. Results The two target genes showed significantly different expression between carcinoma tissue and para-carcinoma tissue(all P<0.05).Specifically,CASC2 had higher expression level in the carcinoma tissue than in the para-carcinoma tissue(t=1.262,P=0.025),whereas the expression of H19 showed an opposite trend(t=1.285,P=0.005).The expression levels of CASC2 in QBC939(t=8.114,P=0.015)and HuH-28(t=9.202,P=0.012)cells were significantly higher than that in the control group.The expression levels of H19 were significantly lower in RBE(t=-10.244,P<0.001),QBC939(t=-10.476,P<0.001),HuH-28(t=-19.798,P<0.001),and HuCCT1(t=-16.193,P=0.004)cells than in the control group.Bioinformatics analysis showed that CASC2 was mainly involved in the metabolic process and H19 in the development of multicellular organisms.Both CASC2 and H19 were related to catalytic activity.The expression level of lncRNA CASC2 was correlated with pathological differentiation(χ 2=6.222,P=0.022)and lymph node metastasis(χ2=5.455,P=0.020),and that of lncRNA H19 with pathological differentiation(χ2=1.174,P=0.029)and tumor size(χ2=-0.507,P=0.037). Conclusions In the case of ECC,lncRNA CASC2 and H19 have transcription disorders.lncRNA CASC2 is generally up-regulated in the carcinoma tissue,while H19 is down-regulated.Both genes have the potential to become new molecular markers for ECC.

Hospital sewage treatment facilities witness the fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Real-time evaluation of the fighting activities during a sudden unknown disaster like the COVID-19 pandemic is a critical challenge for control. This study demonstrates that the temporal variations of effluents from hospital sewage treatment facilities can be used as an effective indicator for such evaluation. Taking a typical infection-suffering city in China as an example, we found that there was an obvious decrease in effluent ammonia and COD concentrations in line with the start of city lockdown, and its temporal variations well indicated the major events happened during the pandemic control. Notably, the lagging period between the change point of effluent residual chlorine and the change points of COD and ammonia concentration coincided with a period in which there was a deficiency in local medical resources. In addition, the diurnal behavior of effluents from designated hospitals has varied significantly at different stages of the pandemic development. The effluent ammonia peaks shifted from daytime to nighttime after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting a high workload of the designated hospitals in fighting the rapidly emerging pandemic. This work well demonstrates the necessary for data integration at the wastewater-medical service nexus and highlights an unusual role of the effluents from hospital sewage treatment facilities in revealing the status of fighting the pandemic, which helps to control the pandemic.

Protective Role of Collectin 11 in a Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Collectin 11 (CL-11) is a soluble C-type lectin, a mediator of innate immunity. Its role in autoimmune disorders is unknown. We undertook this study to determine the role of CL-11 in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model was used and combined two approaches, including gene deletion of Colec11 and treatment with recombinant CL-11 (rCL-11). Joint inflammation and tissue destruction, circulating levels of inflammatory cytokines, and adaptive immune responses were assessed in mice with CIA. Splenic CD11c+ cells were used to examine the influence of CL-11 on antigen-presenting cell (APC) function. Serum CL-11 levels in RA patients were also examined. RESULTS: Colec11-/- mice developed more severe arthritis than wild-type mice, as determined by disease incidence, clinical arthritis scores, and histopathology (P < 0.05). Disease severity was associated with significantly enhanced APC activation, Th1/Th17 responses, pathogenic IgG2a production and joint inflammation, as well as elevated circulating levels of inflammatory cytokines. In vitro analysis of CD11c+ cells revealed that CL-11 is critical for suppression of APC activation and function. Pharmacologic treatment of mice with rCL-11 reduced the severity of CIA in mice. Analysis of human blood samples revealed that serum CL-11 levels were lower in RA patients (n = 51) compared to healthy controls (n = 53). Reduction in serum CL-11 was inversely associated with the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein level (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate a novel role of CL-11 in protection against RA, suggesting that the underlying mechanism involves suppression of APC activation and subsequent T cell responses.

The influence of the novel composite material LiNbO3@Fe3O4 on the denitrification efficiency of bacterium Achromobacter sp. A14.

The effect of the novel composite material LiNbO3@Fe3O4 on the nitrate removal, and Mn2+ oxidation efficiency by autotrophic denitrification strain Achromobacter sp. A14 was investigated in this study. The optimum conditions were tested by using five levels of initial Mn2+ concentrations (40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 mg/L), initial pH (5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0) and temperature (20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C). A maximal nitrate removal ratio of nearly 100% and a maximal Mn2+ oxidation ratio of 71.59% were simultaneously achieved at pH 7.0, 80 mg/L Mn2+ and 30°C by bacteria A14 with 300 mg/L LiNbO3@Fe3O4 as catalytic material. Biomaterial cycle testing indicated that the denitrification efficiency of bacteria A14 with LiNbO3@Fe3O4 remained steady after 10 batches.

Establishment of a Canine Training Model for Digestive Tract Reconstruction after Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

PURPOSE: Practical training models can be a viable and effective educational tool that allows surgeons to acquire specific surgical techniques or skills. However, a suitable animal training model for reconstruction after a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has not yet been reported. Therefore, we explored the feasibility and safety of establishing an animal training model for digestive tract reconstruction after a simulated PD using mongrel dogs. METHODS: We used the anatomical similarity between the canine and human digestive tract to simulate the digestive tract reconstruction after pancreatoduodenectomy. A hepatobiliary surgeon performed simulated PD digestive reconstructions on 6 mongrel canines. Pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ), biliary-enteric anastomosis (BEA), and jejuno-jejunal anastomosis (JJ) were performed sequentially. The survival rate, surgical operation time, complications, body weight changes, gross specimen, and pathological examination of the anastomotic region were observed 30 days after surgery. RESULTS: The survival rate 30 days after surgery was 100%. Total mean operative time was 230.5 ± 39.7 min. The operative time for PJ, BEA, and JJ was calculated as 21.5 ± 7 min, 21.7 ± 8.7 min, and 13.2 ± 1.8 min, respectively. An incision infection occurred in 1 case (16.7%); there was 1 case of ascites (16.7%), and 1 case of vomiting (16.7%). The total protein and total bilirubin indicators of the 6 dogs and the serum amylase index of 5 dogs 30 days postoperatively were within the normal range. The 6th dog's serum amylase was approximately double the normal value, possibly due to pancreatitis. Observing the gross specimen, the mucosa of the anastomosis was intact and smooth. Masson staining showed that the bile duct and jejunum anastomosis, the pancreas, and jejunum of the 6 canines were all integrated with rich collagen. CONCLUSION: Establishing an animal model for digestive tract reconstruction after a simulated PD in canines is feasible and safe.

Long non-coding RNA MCF2L-AS1 promotes the aggressiveness of colorectal cancer by sponging miR-874-3p and thereby up-regulating CCNE1.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have drawn growing attention because of the role which they play in various diseases, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the potential functions of lncRNA MCF2L antisense RNA 1 (MCF2L-AS1) in tumors remained largely unclear. The present study aimed to explore the clinical significance and the biological effects of lncRNA MCF2L antisense RNA 1 (MCF2L-AS1) in CRC. METHODS: Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the expression of MCF2L-AS1 in CRC. The clinical significance of MCF2L-AS1 in CRC patients was analyzed statistically. In vitro experiments were performed to determine the effects of MCF2L-AS1 on the cellular progression of CRC cells. Bioinformatic assays, luciferase reporter assays and RNA-pulldown assays were performed to predict for potential microRNAs that can interact with MCF2L-AS1 and mRNAs that can interact with miR-874-3p. RESULTS: We identified a novel CRC-related lncRNA, MCF2L-AS1, which is distinctly highly expressed in CRC. Its diagnostic value for CRC patients was also demonstrated. Clinical assays revealed that high MCF2L-AS1 expression is associated with advanced stages, positive metastasis and the poor prognosis of CRC patients. Multivariate assays confirmed that MCF2L-AS1 expression is an independent poor prognostic factor for both 5-year overall survival and 5-year disease-free survival of CRC patients. Functionally, we confirmed that knockdown of MCF2L-AS1 distinctly suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells and also promotes apoptosis. Mechanistic investigation showed that MCF2L-AS1 functions as an endogenous sponge for miR-874-3p to increase the expression of CCNE1. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings identified a novel CRC-related lncRNA, MCF2L-AS1, which may be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for CRC patients. In addition, the newly identified MCF2L-AS1/miR-874-3p/CCNE1 axis can modulate the initiation and progression of CRC.

Effects of congenital ptosis on the refractive development of eye and vision in children.

AIM: To investigate the influence of unilateral congenital ptosis on the development of the eye and vision in children. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 41 patients with unilateral congenital ptosis were enrolled (age range 3-15y). The blepharoptosis was divided into 3 subgroups according to the margin reflex distance-1 (MRD-1), including mild group (MRD-1≥2 mm), moderate group (0≤MRD-1<2 mm), and severe group (MRD-1<0 mm). The fellow eyes served as controls. All subjects underwent ocular examinations, including axial length, keratometry, and refractive error. RESULTS: The incidence of astigmatism (ptotic eyes: 58.5% vs fellow eyes: 24.4%, P=0.002) and magnitude of cylindrical power (ptotic eyes: -0.86±0.79 D vs fellow eyes: -0.43±0.63 D, P=0.003) differed significantly between the ptotic eyes and the fellow eyes. The spherical equivalent refraction (P=0.006), spherical power (P=0.01), cylindrical power (P=0.011), axial length-corneal radius (AL/CR) ratio (P=0.009), frequency of hyperopia (P=0.002) and astigmatism (P=0.004) were significantly different among the ptotic eye subgroups and the fellow eye group. In addition, in patients with congenital ptosis, the incidence of amblyopia is 43.9% and the incidence of anisometropia is 24.4%. More importantly, the ratio of AL/CR showed significantly positive correlation with the severity of ptosis (P=0.002). CONCLUSION: Congenital ptosis may lead to a delayed eyeball development in the aspect of AL/CR. The risk of amblyopia is also increased due to visual deprivation and aggravated anisometropia, particularly in severe ptosis case.

The factors related to failure of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) in colon cancer surgery.

PURPOSE: Enhanced Recovery after Surgery has been proven effective for patients with gastrointestinal cancer. But radical enhanced recovery could also lead to adverse clinical outcomes. Compared with reports on the estimation of successful implementation of enhanced recovery, studies on risk factors of enhanced recovery failure are still lacking. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 102 patients in ERAS who underwent elective colon cancer surgery. This study included 102 patients with colon cancer between 2015 and 2019, defining enhanced recovery failure as postoperative length of stay over 10 days, stay in ICU over 24 h after surgery, reoperation, death, or unplanned readmission within 30 days after surgery. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore potential risk factors of failure. RESULTS: Aged ≥ 75, open operation, number of drainage tube over 1, re-urethral catheterization, and Clavien-Dindo grade over 2 were associated with ERAS failure, according to univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥ 75 [OR 7.231; P = 0.009]; open operation (OR 3.599; P = 0.021); and number of drainage tube over 1 (OR 3.202; P = 0.020) were independent risk factors for ERAS failure. CONCLUSIONS: We found age ≥ 75, open operation, and number of drainage tube over 1 are independent risk factors associated with ERAS failure after colon cancer surgery.

Protective Role of C3aR (C3a Anaphylatoxin Receptor) Against Atherosclerosis in Atherosclerosis-Prone Mice.

OBJECTIVE: Emerging evidence suggests that C3aR (C3a anaphylatoxin receptor) signaling has protective roles in various inflammatory-related diseases. However, its role in atherosclerosis has been unknown. The purpose of the study was to investigate the possible protective role of C3aR in aortic atherosclerosis and explore molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the protection. Approach and Results: C3ar-/-/Apoe-/- mice were generated by cross-breeding of atherosclerosis-prone Apoe-/- mice and C3ar-/- mice. C3ar-/-/Apoe-/- mice and Apoe-/- mice (as a control) underwent high-fat diet for 16 weeks were assessed for (1) atherosclerotic plaque burden, (2) aortic tissue inflammation, (3) recruitment of CD11b+ leukocytes into atherosclerotic lesions, and (4) systemic inflammatory responses. Compared with Apoe-/- mice, C3ar-/-/Apoe-/- mice developed more severe atherosclerosis. In addition, C3ar-/-/Apoe-/- mice have increased local production of proinflammatory mediators (eg, CCL2 [chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2], TNF [tumor necrosis factor]-α) and infiltration of monocyte/macrophage in aortic tissue, and their lesional macrophages displayed an M1-like phenotype. Local pathological changes were associated with enhanced systemic inflammatory responses (ie, elevated plasma levels of CCL2 and TNF-α, increased circulating inflammatory cells). In vitro analyses using peritoneal macrophages showed that C3a stimulation resulted in upregulation of M2-associated signaling and molecules, but suppression of M1-associated signaling and molecules, supporting the roles of C3a/C3aR axis in mediating anti-inflammatory response and promoting M2 macrophage polarization. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate a protective role for C3aR in the development of atherosclerosis and suggest that C3aR confers the protection through C3a/C3aR axis-mediated negative regulation of proinflammatory responses and modulation of macrophage toward the anti-inflammatory phenotype.

Failure of enhanced recovery after surgery in laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Enhanced recovery after surgery programs has been applied extensively in laparoscopic colorectal surgery. However, several studies have found that some patients fail from ERAS programs. It is important to identify these patients so that remedial action can be taken in a timely manner. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of ERAS failure and related risk factors following laparoscopic colorectal surgery. METHODS: A literature search of the PubMed, EMBASE, OVID, and Cochrane databases was performed. The search strategy involved terms related to ERAS, failure, and colorectal surgery. The main outcomes were definitions of ERAS failure and related risk factors. RESULTS: Seven studies including 1463 patients were analyzed. The definition of ERAS failure was mostly associated with a prolonged postoperative length-of-stay (poLOS). Twenty-four kinds of identified risk factors were divided into three parts, the operative part, the pathophysiological part, and the ERAS elements, of which operative factors including more intraoperative blood loss and longer operative duration were the most frequently identified. CONCLUSIONS: ERAS failure was mostly related to a prolonged poLOS, and operative factors were the most frequently identified risk factors for ERAS failure following laparoscopic colorectal surgery. These findings will help physicians to take remedial action in a timely manner. Nonetheless, high-quality randomized controlled trials following a standardized framework for evaluating ERAS programs are needed in the future.

Comparison of Single-Incision and Conventional Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Morbid Obesity: a Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SILSG) has been proposed as an alternative to conventional laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (CLSG) in obese patients. This study aims to compare the surgical outcomes of these two techniques. METHODS: A meta-analysis of existing literature obtained through a systematic literature search in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library CENTRAL databases from 2009 to 2019 was conducted. RESULTS: Eleven articles including 1168 patients were analyzed. Patients in the SILSG group reported greater satisfaction with cosmetic scar outcomes than those in the CLSG group (SMD = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.10 to 3.83, P = 0.00). There was no significant difference between the SILSG group and the CLSG group regarding operative time, intraoperative estimated blood loss, conversion rate, intraoperative complications, length of hospital stay, postoperative analgesia, postoperative complications, excess weight loss (EWL), and improvements in comorbidities (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to CLSG, SILSG resulted in improved cosmetic satisfaction and showed no disadvantages in terms of surgical outcomes; thus, SILSG can serve as an alternative to CLSG for obese patients. Nonetheless, high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with large study populations and long follow-up periods are needed.

Frequency and Risk Factors for Neovascular Glaucoma After Vitrectomy in Eyes with Diabetic Retinopathy: An Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Vitrectomy is one of the main treatments for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Postoperative neovascular glaucoma, in which it is difficult to obtain satisfactory results using conventional filtering surgery, is one of the most serious complications of vitrectomy. It often requires destructive surgery, such as ciliary body photocoagulation or freezing, and the outcome with regard to visual acuity (VA) is extremely poor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) after modern vitrectomy techniques and investigate how variables assessed before and after vitrectomy are associated with patients who develop NVG after PDR surgery. METHODS: This was an observational study including the medical records of patients who underwent vitrectomy for PDR at Tianjin Eye Hospital from June 2014 to July 2016, were followed for at least 24 months postoperatively, and NVG developed within 2 years after surgery was recorded. Each patient underwent complete preoperative ophthalmic examinations in both preoperative and follow-up appointments. Factors associated with survival were determined using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis to calculate the incidence of NVG after vitrectomy for PDR. Multivariable analysis was performed with the Cox regression proportional hazards model to verify the results of the analysis and eliminate interference factors between variables. All statistical analyses were performed using R statistical software ( http://www.r-project.org ) for Windows. RESULTS: In all, 238 patients (238 eyes) fulfilled the study criteria. NVG occurred in 11 of 238 eyes (4.6%). The percentages of NVG development after vitrectomy at 6, 12, and 24 months were 0.42%, 3.3%, and 4.6%, respectively. After step analysis, multivariable regression identified preoperative high intraocular pressure (IOP) combined with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), severe PDR, no postoperative intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (IVR), and higher HbA1c levels as significant predictors of NVG. CONCLUSION: Preoperative high IOP combined with RVO, severe PDR, no postoperative intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (IVR), and higher HbA1c levels are significant predictors of NVG after vitrectomy.

An imbalance between stellate cells and γδT cells contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma aggressiveness and recurrence.

PURPOSE: The diagnostic potential of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and γδT cells for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their synergistic contributions to the prognosis of these patients have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic value of these cells in HCC. METHODS: The prognostic significance of the ratio of HSCs to γδT cells (SGR) was assessed in a total of 339 HCC patients undergoing resection. The correlation between the circulating tumor cell (CTC) level and SGR in 71 HCC patients was determined using the CellSearch system. In vitro experiments were performed to validate the synergistic effects of HSCs and γδT cells on hepatoma cells. RESULTS: Peritumoral SGR was closely associated with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of HCC patients after resection. In the testing cohort, two nomograms incorporating the SGR were constructed for the prediction of OS and RFS. The predictive accuracy of the two nomograms was verified by the validation cohort. CTC levels were positively correlated with SGR (r = 0.479, p < 0.001). Among the patients with CTCs > 2/7.5 ml, those with a high SGR exhibited higher early recurrence rates than those with a low SGR. In vitro experiments revealed that the secretion of INF-γ, IL-17, and TNF-α from γδT cells was increased after culture with HSC-conditioned medium. In addition, γδT cells cultured with HSC-conditioned medium decreased the proliferative and invasive abilities of hepatoma cells. CONCLUSIONS: The peritumoral SGR is related to aggressive tumor behavior and has a powerful predictive value in HCC. Early recurrence in patients with a high peritumoral SGR might be associated with high CTC levels.

The C3a/C3aR axis mediates anti-inflammatory activity and protects against uropathogenic E coli-induced kidney injury in mice.

Both the C3a/C3aR and C5a/C5aR1 axes are regarded as important pathways for inducing and regulating inflammatory responses. It is well documented that the C5a/C5aR1 axis is a potent inflammatory mediator in the pathogenesis of many clinic disorders. However, our understanding of the role of the C3a/C3aR axis in renal disorders remains limited. Contrary to the C5a/C5aR axis, we now show that the C3a/C3aR axis has a protective role in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)-induced renal injury. C3aR-/- mice were found to develop severe renal pathology compared to wild type mice, a pathology characterized by intense tissue damage and an increased bacterial load within the kidney. This was associated with an overwhelming production of pro-inflammatory mediators and increased neutrophil infiltration in the kidney. Bone marrow chimera experiments found that tissue damage and bacterial load were significantly reduced in C3aR-/- mice that received bone marrow from wild type mice, compared with that in mice re-populated with bone marrow from C3aR-/- mice. This supports a critical role for C3aR on myeloid cells in the pathological process. Pharmacological treatment of mice with a C3aR agonist reduced both the extent of tissue injury and bacterial load. Mechanistic analyses indicated that the C3a/C3aR axis downregulates the lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages and facilitates the phagocytosis of UPEC by phagocytes. Thus, our findings clearly demonstrate a protective role of the C3a/C3aR axis in UPEC-induced renal injury, conferred by the suppression of pro-inflammatory responses and enhanced phagocytosis by macrophages.

Kinetic analysis of denitrification coupled with Cd(II) removal by Cupriavidus sp. CC1 and its removal mechanism.

A simultaneous denitrification and Cd (II) removal of strain CC1 was isolated from Li Jiahe oligotrophic reservoir of Xi'an (China). Strain CC1 was identified as Cupriavidus sp. The first-order reaction kinetics equation was to model kinetic processes of mixotrophic anaerobic denitrification and Cd(II) removal, which showed an optimal NO3--N removal rate was obtained at the C/N ratio of 5.0, temperature of 30.0 °C and Fe(II) concentration of 15.0 mg L-1. A highest Cd(II) removal rate was achieved at the C/N ratio of 4.0, temperature of 30.0 °C and Fe(II) concentration of 15.0 mg L-1. Moreover, the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and biological precipitation on Cd(II) removal were investigated using a group of adsorption experiments. Additionally, XPS and XRD analysis demonstrated the possible mechanisms of biological precipitation for the removal of Cd(II). The experiment showed that strain CC1 had the ability to remove nitrate and Cd (II) simultaneously, which makes it possible to treat complex polluted water.