Sast1-mediated manifold effects inhibit Plutella xylostella fertility.

BACKGROUND: Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) is a destructive pest of cruciferous crops due to its strong reproductive capacity and extensive resistance to pesticides. Seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) are the main effective factors that determine the reproductive physiology and behaviour of both sexes. Although an increasing number of SFPs have been identified, the effects of astacins in SFPs on agricultural pests have not yet been reported. Here, we elucidated the mechanisms by which Sast1 (seminal astacin 1) regulates the fertility of Plutella xylostella (L.). RESULTS: PxSast1 was specifically expressed in the testis and accesssory gland. CRISPR/Cas9-induced PxSast1 knockout successfully constructed two homozygous mutant strains. Sast1 impaired the fertility of P. xylostella by separately regulating the reproductive capacity of males and females. Loss of PxSast1, on the one hand, significantly decreased the ability of males to mate and fertilize, mainly manifested as shortened mating duration, reduced mating competitiveness and decreased eupyrene sperm production; on the other hand, it significantly inhibited the expression of chorion genes in females, resulting in oogenesis deficits. Simultaneously, for mated females, the differentially expressed genes in signalling pathways related to oogenesis and chorion formation were significantly enriched after PxSast1 knockout. CONCLUSION: These analyses of the functions of PxSast1 as the regulator of spermatogenesis and oogenesis establish its importance in the fertility process of P. xylostella, as well as its potential as a promising target for genetic regulation-based pest control. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Peripheral blood circular RNA circ-0008102 may serve as a novel clinical biomarker in beta-thalassemia patients.

Circular RNA circ-0008102 has previously been found dysregulated in ß-thalassemia (ß-thal) in circRNAs microarray (GSE196682 and GSE241141). Our study is aimed at identifying whether circ-0008102 could be a novel biomarker in ß-thal. The peripheral blood of pediatric ß-thal patients with (n = 39) or without (n = 20) blood transfusion and healthy controls (n = 30) was selected. qRT-PCR, ROC curve analysis, Spearman correlation analysis, and FISH were used to analyze clinical value of circ-0008102. qRT-PCR confirmed that circ-0008102 expression in pediatric ß-thal patients without blood transfusion was significantly higher. ROC curves analysis showed that the AUC of circ-0008102 for differentiating patients without blood transfusion from patients with blood transfusion and healthy controls with an AUC of 0.733 and 0.711. Furthermore, circ-0008102 expression was positively correlated with the levels of RBC, HbF, ß-globin, and γ-globin mRNA, but was negatively corrected with the levels of HbA and Cr. circ-0008102 was mainly located in the cytoplasm. circ-0008102 could induce the activation of γ-globin and negatively regulate the expression of the five highest-ranking candidate miRNAs (miR-372-3p, miR-329-5p, miR-198, miR-152-5p, and miR-627-3p) in K562 cells. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that peripheral blood upregulated circ-0008102 may serve as a novel clinical biomarker for pediatric ß-thal without blood transfusion. WHAT IS KNOWN: • CircRNAs are known to be involved in various human diseases, and several circRNAs are regarded as a class of promising blood-based biomarkers for detection of ß-thal. • CircRNAs exert biological functions by epigenetic modification and gene expression regulation, and dysregulated circRNAs in ß-thal might be involved in the induction of HbF in ß-thal. WHAT IS NEW: • Peripheral blood circ-0008102 maybe serve as a novel clinical biomarker for detection of pediatric ß-thal without blood transfusion. • Circ-0008102 participates in the pathogenesis of ß-thal through regulating γ-globin expression, and negatively regulates the expression of miR-372-3p, miR-329-5p, miR-198, miR-152-5p and miR-627-3p.

First Report of Filipino ß0-Thalassemia/ß-Thalassemia in a Chinese Family.

A pregnant woman living in Fujian Province, southeastern China, presented due to a risk of having a baby with ß-thalassemia major, during her second pregnancy, since she and her husband were suspected as ß-thalassemia carriers and their affected daughter was a transfusion-dependent patient. Using the common α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia genotypes test, the pregnant woman was diagnosed as a ß-thalassemia carrier with ßIVS-2 - 654 (C→T)/ßN genotype and her daughter had a homozygosity for IVS - 2 - 654 (C→T) mutation, however, no abnormalities were detected in her husband. SMRT identified a Filipino ß0-deletion in her husband, and MLPA also revealed an unknown deletion in the HBB gene. Electrophoresis showed approximately 350 bp of the PCR product, and the ß-Filipino genotype presented novel fracture fragments ranging from 5,112,884 to 5,231,358 bp, and lacked a 118,475 bp fragment relative to the wild-type sequence. The daughter was therefore diagnosed with the ßIVS-2 - 654 (C→T)/ßFilipino genotype. Prenatal diagnosis with umbilical cord blood at 27th week of gestation showed heteroztgosity for IVS - 2 - 654 (C→T) mutation in the fetus and continued pregnancy was recommended. In conclusion, we identified the Filipino ß0-deletion in a Chinese family, from Fujian area, for the first time, during prenatal screening.

Risk factor analysis of conversion in laparoscopic liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The risk factors of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) requiring conversion to open surgery have not been adequately studied. This study aimed to determine the risk factors and postoperative outcomes of conversion in patients with ICC. METHODS: From May 2014 to September 2022, Unplanned conversions were compared with successful LLRs. RESULTS: 153 patients with ICC initially underwent LLR, of which 41 (26.8%) required conversion to open surgery. Multivariate analysis for those factors that were statistically significant or confirmed by clinical studies, tumor proximity to the major vessels (OR 6.643, P < 0.001), and previous upper abdominal surgery (OR 3.140, P = 0.040) were independent predictors of unplanned conversions. Compared to successful LLRs, unplanned conversions showed longer operative times (300.0 vs. 225.0 min, P < 0.001), more blood loss (500.0 vs. 200.0 mL, P < 0.001), higher transfusion rates (46.3% vs. 11.6%, P < 0.001), longer length of stays (13.0 vs. 8.0 days, P < 0.001), and higher rates of major morbidity (39.0% vs. 11.6%, P < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in 30-day or 90-day mortality between the conversion group and the laparoscopic group. CONCLUSION: Conversion during LLR should be anticipated in ICC patients with prior upper abdominal surgery or tumor proximity to major vessels as features.

Activation of IGFBP4 via unconventional mechanism of miRNA attenuates metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary liver malignancy. Although its incidence is lower than that of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ICC has a worse prognosis, and it is more prone to recur and metastasize, resulting in a far greater level of malignancy. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis and qRT-PCR were applied to assess the level of miR-122-5p and IGFBP4. Western blot, transwell assays, wound-healing assays, real-time cellular invasion monitoring, in vivo study were applied to explore the function of miR-122-5p and IGFBP4. Dual luciferase reporter assays and chromatin isolation by RNA purification (ChiRP) were applied to explore the regulation of IGFBP4 by miR-122-5p. RESULTS: Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set, Sir Run Run Shaw hospital data set and bioinformatics analyses, we identified miR-122-5p as a potential tumor suppressor in ICC and validated its suppressive effect in metastasis and invasion of ICC. Transcriptome sequencing, rescue and complement experiments were used to identify insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 (IGFBP4) as a target of miR-122-5p. The mechanism by which miR-122-5p regulates IGFBP4 was clarified by chromatin separation RNA purification technology, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. We discovered a rare novel mechanism by which miR-122-5p promotes IGFBP4 mRNA transcription by binding to its promoter region. Furthermore, in mouse orthotopic metastasis model, miR-122-5p inhibited the invasion of ICC. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study revealed a novel mechanism of miR-122-5p and function of the miR-122-5p/IGFBP4 axis in the metastasis of ICC. We also highlighted the clinical value of miR-122-5p and IGFBP4 in inhibiting ICC invasion and metastasis.

Impact of liver cirrhosis, severity of cirrhosis and portal hypertension on the difficulty of laparoscopic and robotic minor liver resections for primary liver malignancies in the anterolateral segments.

INTRODUCTION: We performed this study in order to investigate the impact of liver cirrhosis (LC) on the difficulty of minimally invasive liver resection (MILR), focusing on minor resections in anterolateral (AL) segments for primary liver malignancies. METHODS: This was an international multicenter retrospective study of 3675 patients who underwent MILR across 60 centers from 2004 to 2021. RESULTS: 1312 (35.7%) patients had no cirrhosis, 2118 (57.9%) had Child A cirrhosis and 245 (6.7%) had Child B cirrhosis. After propensity score matching (PSM), patients in Child A cirrhosis group had higher rates of open conversion (p = 0.024), blood loss >500 mls (p = 0.001), blood transfusion (p < 0.001), postoperative morbidity (p = 0.004), and in-hospital mortality (p = 0.041). After coarsened exact matching (CEM), Child A cirrhotic patients had higher open conversion rate (p = 0.05), greater median blood loss (p = 0.014) and increased postoperative morbidity (p = 0.001). Compared to Child A cirrhosis, Child B cirrhosis group had longer postoperative stay (p = 0.001) and greater major morbidity (p = 0.012) after PSM, and higher blood transfusion rates (p = 0.002), longer postoperative stay (p < 0.001), and greater major morbidity (p = 0.006) after CEM. After PSM, patients with portal hypertension experienced higher rates of blood loss >500 mls (p = 0.003) and intraoperative blood transfusion (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: The presence and severity of LC affect and compound the difficulty of MILR for minor resections in the AL segments. These factors should be considered for inclusion into future difficulty scoring systems for MILR.

Exploration of a screening model for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients prone to cuproptosis and mechanisms of the susceptibility of CD274-knockdown intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells to cuproptosis.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a form of liver cancer with poor long-term survival rates that requires novel therapeutic methods. Our team's previous research found that ICC patients prone to cuproptosis possessed a more satisfactory long-term prognosis and a more sensitive response to copper carrier Elesclomol. Thus, we aimed to identify new diagnostic and treatment strategies for ICC patients prone to cuproptosis and further explore the associated intracellular and extracellular mechanisms of ICC cells prone to cuproptosis. We employed FU-ICC (n = 255) as the training dataset, and validated our findings using SRRSH-ICC (from our center, n = 65), GSE26566 (n = 104), E-MTAB-6389 (n = 78), and scRNA-seq (n = 14) datasets. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis and subsequent unsupervised cluster analysis was conducted on the training dataset for the pan-programmed cell death gene set (including apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and cuproptosis) to define and screen ICC patients prone to cuproptosis. We constructed a nomogram model using weighted gene co-expression network analysis and machine learning algorithms to predict ICC patients prone to cuproptosis, then explored its clinical value with multi-center transcriptome profiling. Furthermore, we validated the hub genes with in vitro and animal experiments to define ICC cells prone to cuproptosis. Ultimately, bulk and single-cell transcriptome profiling were utilized to explore the immune microenvironment of ICC cells prone to cuproptosis. Our nomogram model could help predict ICC patients prone to cuproptosis and possessed excellent prediction efficiency and clinical significance via internal and external verification. In vitro experiments demonstrated that ICC cells with siRNA-mediated knockdown of CD274 (PD-L1) and stimulation with elescomol-CuCl2 were prone to cuproptosis, and CD274-negative ICC cells could be defined as ICC cells prone to cuproptosis. The safety and feasibility of lenti-sh CD274+Elesclomol-CuCl2 as a therapeutic approach for ICC were verified using bioinformatics analysis and animal experiments. Bulk and single-cell transcriptome profiling indicated that the interactions between ICC cells prone to cuproptosis and monocytes/macrophages were particularly relevant. In conclusion, this study systematically and comprehensively explored cuproptosis in ICC for the first time. We constructed precise diagnostic and treatment strategies for ICC patients prone to cuproptosis and further explored the intracellular and extracellular mechanisms of ICC cells prone to cuproptosis. Further work with large prospective cohorts will help verify these conclusions.

Migration of spent grain-modified colloidal ferrihydrite: Implications for the in situ stabilization of arsenic, lead, and cadmium in co-contaminated soil.

The increase of metal mining, processing, and smelting activities has precipitated a substantial escalation in the contamination of soil by heavy metals. Ferrihydrite (FH) has been commonly used as an amendment for the immobilization of heavy metals in contaminated soil. However, FH suffers from drawbacks such as agglomeration and nonmigratory characteristics, which limit its practical application in soil remediation. Herein, a novel spent grain-modified ferrihydrite (FH-SG) colloidal system was developed, and the FH-SG transport mechanisms in the soil medium were fully studied, focusing in particular on the simultaneous in situ stabilization of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in co-contaminated soil. The results showed that the stabilization rates of the FH-SG material reached 94.66%, 96.12%, and 95.52% for water-soluble As, Pb, and Cd, respectively, and 72.22%, 49.39%, and 25.30% for bioavailable As, Pb, and Cd, respectively. The FH-SG material demonstrates notable migration properties in porous media. Theoretical calculation results of a single collector show that the migration deposition of FH-SG material in media is primarily governed by its inherent diffusion characteristics with minimal influence by gravitational forces and media interception. It is noteworthy that the maximum migration distance in quartz sand and soil media with different particle sizes can reach 2.07-2.92 m and 0.78-1.08 m, respectively. Altogether, our findings clearly demonstrate that FH-SG exhibits better stabilization and migration than those of FH alone and most proposed FH colloidal systems. The FH-SG colloidal system holds significant promise for the remediation of various kinds of complex polluted soil.

Circ-RAPGEF5 promotes intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma progression by stabilizing SAE1 to facilitate SUMOylation.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. The underlying functions and mechanisms of circular RNA and SUMOylation in the development of ICC remain poorly understood. METHODS: Circular RNA hsa_circ_0001681 (termed Circ-RAPGEF5 hereafter) was identified by circular RNA sequencing from 19 pairs of ICC and adjacent tissue samples. The biological function of Circ-RAPGEF5 in tumor proliferation and metastasis was examined by a series of in vitro assays. A preclinical model was used to validate the therapeutic effect of targeting Circ-RAPGEF5. RNA pull-down and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to access the RNA interactions. Western blot and Co-IP assays were used to detect SUMOylation levels. RESULTS: Circ-RAPGEF5, which is generated from exons 2 to 6 of the host gene RAPGEF5, was upregulated in ICC. In vitro and in vivo assays showed that Circ-RAPGEF5 promoted ICC tumor proliferation and metastasis, and inhibited apoptosis. Additionally, high Circ-RAPGEF5 expression was significantly correlated with a poor prognosis. Further investigation showed that SAE1, a potential target of Circ-RAPGEF5, was also associated with poor oncological outcomes. RNA pull-down and dual-luciferase reporter assays showed an interaction of miR-3185 with Circ-RAPGEF5 and SAE1. Co-IP and western blot assays showed that Circ-RAPGEF5 is capable of regulating SUMOylation. CONCLUSION: Circ-RAPGEF5 promotes ICC tumor progression and SUMOylation by acting as a sponge for miR-3185 to stabilize SAE1. Targeting Circ-RAPGEF5 or SAE1 might be a novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in ICC.

Identification of a novel 91.5 kb-deletion (αα)FJ in the α-globin gene cluster using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing.

OBJECTIVES: To present a novel 91.5-kb deletion of the α-globin gene cluster (αα)FJ identified by genetic assay and prenatal diagnosis in a Chinese family. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The proband was a 34-year-old G3P1 (Gravida 3, Para 1) female at the gestational age of 21+ weeks with a history of an edematous fetus. A routine genetic assay (reverse dot blot hybridization, RDB) was performed to detect common thalassemia mutations. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and single-molecule real-time technology (SMRT) were used to detect rare thalassemia mutations. RESULTS: The hematological phenotypes of the proband, her mother, elder sister, husband, daughter, and nephew were consistent with the phenotype of α-thalassemia trait. No mutations were found in these family members by RDB, except for the proband's husband who carried an α-globin gene deletion --SEA/αα. MLPA results showed that the proband and other α-thalassemia-suspected relatives had heterozygous deletions around the POLR3K-3-463nt, HS40-178nt, and HBA-HS40-382nt probes. The 5'-breakpoint was out of probe scope and could not be determined. SMRT was performed and a 91.5-kb deletion (NC_000016.10: g.39268_130758del) in the α-globin gene cluster (αα)FJ was identified in the proband and other suspected relatives, which could explain their phenotypes. At the proband's gestational age of 22+ weeks, an amniotic fluid sample was collected and analyzed. As only the 91.5-kb deletion (αα)FJ was identified in the fetus with RDB, MLPA, and SMRT. The proband was suggested to continue the pregnancy. CONCLUSION: We first reported a 91.5-kb deletion (NC_000016.10: g.hg38-chr16:39268-_130758del) of the HS-40 region in the α-globin gene cluster (αα)FJ identified in a Chinese family. Since the HS-40 loss of heterozygosity in combination with the heterozygous deletion --SEA might result in Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis, routine genetic assay, and SMRT were recommended to individuals at risk for prenatal diagnosis.

Safety and feasibility of laparoscopic liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is controversial in treating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of LLR for the treatment of ICC and explored the independent factors affecting the long-term prognosis of ICC. METHODS: We included 170 patients undergoing hepatectomy for ICC from December 2010 to December 2021 and divided them into LLR group and open liver resection (OLR) group. We used propensity score matching (PSM) analysis to reduce the impact of data bias and confounding variables and then compared the short-term and long-term prognosis of LLR and OLR in treating ICC; Cox proportional hazards regression model was adopted to explore the independent factors affecting the long-term prognosis of ICC. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients (70 in the LLR group and 35 in the OLR group) were included after 2:1 PSM analysis. There was no difference in demographic characteristics and preoperative indexes between the two groups. The perioperative results of the OLR group were worse than those of the LLR group, that is, the intraoperative blood transfusion rate (24 (68.6) vs 21 (30.0)), blood loss (500 (200-1500) vs 200 (100-525)), and the morbidity of major postoperative complications (9 (25.7) vs 6 (8.5)) in the OLR group were worse than those in LLR group. LLR could enable patients to obtain an equivalent long-term prognosis compared to OLR. The Cox proportional hazards regression model exhibited that no matter before or after PSM, preoperative serum CA12-5 and postoperative hospital stay were independent factors affecting overall survival, while only lymph node metastasis independently influenced recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with ICC treated by OLR, the LLR group obtained superior perioperative period outcomes. In the long run, LLR could enable ICC patients to receive an equivalent long-term prognosis compared to OLR. In addition, ICC patients with preoperative abnormal CA12-5, lymph node metastasis, and more extended postoperative hospital stay might suffer from a worse long-term prognosis. However, these conclusions still need multicenter extensive sample prospective research to demonstrate.

Efficacy of laparoscopic repeat hepatectomy compared with open repeat hepatectomy: a single-center, propensity score matching study.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic repeat hepatectomy (LRH) is considered to be a technically challenging procedure which has not been widely applied. This study aimed to assess the accessibility and security of LRH for patients with hepatic tumor recurrence. METHODS: Between January 2010 and October 2020, we performed 48 LRHs and 31 open repeat hepatectomies (ORHs) for recurrent liver cancer. LRHs were matched to ORHs (1:1) using propensity score matching (PSM) created by comparing preoperative factors. The perioperative data of patients were retrospectively analyzed, including baseline data, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, pathology, days of postoperative stay, complication morbidity, and mortality within 30 days. Overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates with appropriate follow-up were obtained to evaluate the long-term outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with the ORH, LRH was related with shorter operative duration (169.9 versus 232.9 ml, p < 0.01), less intraoperative bleeding (100.0 versus 500.0 ml, p < 0.01), lower rate of blood transfusion (8.3% versus 58.1%, p < 0.01), and shorter hospitalization (5.0 versus 11.0 days, p < 0.01). The median follow-up was 31 months. The LRH 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival were 77.1%, 61.6%, and 46.2% versus 82.3%, 66.5%, and 29.5% for ORH (p = 0.77). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival rates of the two groups were 73.4%, 62.0%, and 44.3% versus 66.1%, 44.1%, and 14.7%, respectively (p = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic repeated hepatectomy is safe and practicable with great short-term results for selected patients.

Laparoscopic Orthotopic Right Hemihepatectomy by Anterior Approach Combined with Inferior Vena Cava Thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignant disease with a high rate of vascular invasion. (Bruix et al. in Gastroenterology 150:835-853, 2016; Xia et al. in Oncol Lett 20:101, 2020) The conventional surgical strategy for HCC with inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus is open major surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, combined with large trauma. (Liu et al. in Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 24:186-194, 2012; Bai et al. in J Oncol 2020:3264079, 2020) We report a video of laparoscopic hemihepatectomy and thrombectomy without bypass. As far as we are aware, this is the first report on IVC thrombectomy using a minimally invasive surgical technique. PATIENT: A 52-year-old male was admitted to our institution for a giant hepatic mass in the right liver combined with IVC tumor thrombosis. After 2 months of preoperative systemic treatment, the tumor had reduced to 8 cm and the enhancement of tumor thrombosis in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was significantly reduced. METHODS: We used laparoscopy combined with thoracoscopy to perform the surgery, with the patient placed in the supine position. The abdominal trocar position is shown in Fig. 1b. First, we set the blocking band of the suprahepatic IVC in the thoracoscopy. Infrahepatic IVC occlusion and the Pringle maneuver device were prepared for laparoscopy. After fully exposing the retrohepatic IVC, we performed a thrombectomy and IVC suture completely in laparoscopy. Finally, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) for observation. Fig. 1 a Three-dimensional reconstruction model of the patient (a giant hepatic mass and tumor thrombosis extending to the suprahepatic IVC). b Trocar position for the laparoscopic surgery. The patient was placed in the supine position, and the 5, 6, and 7 intercostal axillary fronts were set for the thoracoscopic trocar, while the remaining five abdominal trocars were set for laparoscopic operation. c Retrohepatic IVC before being cut open. The fullness indicates the position of the tumor thrombosis. d Thrombectomy and suture of the IVC. IVC inferior vena cava, TT tumor thrombus RESULTS: Operation time was 495 mins and estimated blood loss was 1000 mL. The patient was discharged on the thirteenth day after the surgery. HCC was confirmed in histopathology. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic hepatectomy with IVC thrombectomy is a possible operation for HCC combined with IVC tumor thrombus, offering hope for minimally invasive treatment of such cases; however, it is still a highly challenging procedure.

Co-Co3O4 encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes for capacitive desalination: Effects of nano-confinement and cobalt speciation.

Capacitive deionization (CDI) has gained increasing attention as an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technology for brackish water desalination. However, traditional CDI electrodes still suffer from low salt adsorption capacity and unsatisfactory reusability, which inhibit its application for long-term operations. Herein, we present a facile and effective approach to prepare Co and Co3O4 nanoparticles co-incorporating nitrogen-doped (N-doped) carbon nanotubes (Co-Co3O4/N-CNTs) via a pyrolysis route. The Co-Co3O4 nanoparticles were homogeneously in-situ encapsulated in the inner channels of the conductive CNTs to form a novel and efficient CDI electrode for the first time. The encapsulation of Co-Co3O4 nanoparticles in CNTs not only inhibits the Co leaching but also significantly enhances the desalination capacity. The morphology, structure, and capacitive desalination properties of the Co-Co3O4/N-CNTs were thoroughly characterized to illuminate the nano-confinement effects and the key roles of the interaction between cobalt species in the CDI performance. The co-existing metallic cobalt and cobalt oxides act as the roles of effective active sites in the CDI performance. As a consequence, the optimum Co-Co3O4/N-CNTs electrode displays an outstanding desalination capacity of 66.91 mg NaCl g-1 at 1.4 V. This work provides insights for understanding the nano-confinement effects and the key roles of the interaction between cobalt species on the CDI performance.

Safety and effectiveness evaluation of a two-handed technique combining harmonic scalpel and laparoscopic Peng's multifunction operative dissector in laparoscopic hemihepatectomy.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a two-hand technique combining harmonic scalpel (HS) and laparoscopic Peng's multifunction operative dissector (LPMOD) in patients who underwent laparoscopic hemihepatectomy (LHH). METHODS: We designed and conducted a case-control study nested in a prospectively collected laparoscopic liver surgery database. Patients who underwent LHH for liver parenchyma transection using HS + LPMOD were defined as cases (n = 98) and LPMOD only as controls (n = 47) from January 2016 to May 2018. Propensity score matching (1:1) between the case and control groups was used in the analyses. RESULTS: The case group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss in milliliters (169.4 ± 133.5 vs. 221.5 ± 176.3, P = 0.03) and shorter operative time in minutes (210.5 ± 56.1 vs. 265.7 ± 67.1, P = 0.02) comparing to the control group. The conversion to laparotomy, postoperative hospital stay, resection margin, the mean peak level of postoperative liver function parameters, bile leakage rate, and others were comparable between the two groups. There was no perioperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that the two-handed technique combing HS and LPMOD in LHH is safe and effective which is associated with shorter operative time and less intraoperative blood loss compared with LPMOD alone. The technique facilitates laparoscopic liver resection and is recommended for use.

UBQLN1 mediates sorafenib resistance through regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and ROS homeostasis by targeting PGC1ß in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is promising in recent years, but still facing critical challenges. The first targeted therapy, sorafenib, prolonged the overall survival by months. However, resistance often occurs, largely limits its efficacy. Sorafenib was found to target the electron transport chain complexes, which results in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To maintain sorafenib resistance and further facilitate tumor progression, cancer cells develop strategies to overcome excessive ROS production and obtain resistance to oxidative stress-induced cell death. In the present study, we investigated the roles of ROS in sorafenib resistance, and found suppressed ROS levels and reductive redox states in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Mitochondria in sorafenib-resistant cells maintained greater functional and morphological integrity under the treatment of sorafenib. However, cellular oxygen consumption rate and mitochondria DNA content analyses revealed fewer numbers of mitochondria in sorafenib-resistant cells. Further investigation attributed this finding to decreased mitochondrial biogenesis, likely caused by the accelerated degradation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1ß (PGC1ß). Mechanistic dissection showed that upregulated UBQLN1 induced PGC1ß degradation in a ubiquitination-independent manner to attenuate mitochondrial biogenesis and ROS production in sorafenib-resistant cells under sorafenib treatment. Furthermore, clinical investigations further indicated that the patients with higher UBQLN1 levels experienced worse recurrence-free survival. In conclusion, we propose a novel mechanism involving mitochondrial biogenesis and ROS homeostasis in sorafenib resistance, which may offer new therapeutic targets and strategies for HCC patients.

Differentiation and management of hepatobiliary mucinous cystic neoplasms: a single centre experience for 8 years.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary mucinous cystic neoplasms (H-MCNs) are relatively rare cystic neoplasms in the liver. The differential diagnosis of H-MCNs remains big challenging, and the management and prognosis between the hepatic simple cyst (HSC) and H-MCNs are quite different. This study aimed to present our experience in the management of H-MCNs and provide a preoperative H-MCNs risk prediction nomogram to differentiating H-MCNs from liver cystic lesions. METHODS: 29 patients diagnosed with H-MCNs and 75 patients diagnosed with HSC between June 2011 and June 2019 at Zhejiang University School of medicine, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital were reviewed in this study. We analyzed the demographic and clinicopathological variables. RESULTS: US, CT, and MRI could accurately diagnose only 3.4%, 46.1%, and 57.1% of H-MCNs, respectively. After univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis, the variables significantly associated with H-MCNs were enhancement after contrast (p = 0.009), tumour located in the left lobe (p = 0.02) and biliary ductal dilation (p = 0.027). An H-MCNs risk predictive nomogram was constructed, which showed excellent discrimination (areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.940) and consistent calibration between the predicted probability and actual probability. CONCLUSION: Among patients with H-MCNs, the location of the tumour, enhancement in CT scan, and biliary duct dilation are significantly independent risk factors. The appropriate treatment of H-MCNs is radical resection. Using our Nomogram could facilitate screening and identification of patients with liver cystic lesions.

Laparoscopic anatomical portal territory hepatectomy using Glissonean pedicle approach (Takasaki approach) with indocyanine green fluorescence negative staining: how I do it.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic anatomical resection (LAR) is a highly challenging procedure. This study aimed to describe our experience of the LAR with an indocyanine green fluorescence negative staining (ICGNS) by the Glissonean pedicle transection (Takasaki) approach. METHODS: From April 2017 to December 2019, 43 consecutive patients underwent LAR with ICGNS strategy in our medical team. The details of the ICGNS strategy were described. The demographic and clinicopathological data of the included patients were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The extent of resections included right hemihepatectomy (n = 12), left hemihepatectom (n = 4), left lateral sectionectomy (n = 3), Right anterior sectionectomy (n = 3), Right posterior sectionectomy (n = 6), central hepatectomy (n = 2), single anterolateral segmentectomy (n = 5), single posterosuperior segmentectomy (n = 6), and bisegmentectomy (n = 2). The mean operation time was 212 ± 53 min, and the median estimated blood loss was 200 (100-300) ml. The overall complication rate was 30.2% (grade I, 14%; grade II, 14%; grade III, 2.3%). The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 6 (4-7) days. CONCLUSION: ICGNS is a safe and feasible LAR strategy that greatly facilitates selecting the liver transection plane, although its benefits need to be verified by large-sample comparative studies.

Laparoscopic Portal Territory Hepatectomy (Extended Segment 5) by an Indocyanine Green Fluorescent Dual Staining Technique (Video).

BACKGROUND: Anatomical liver resections (ALR), which both remove the tumor and the corresponding segments, meet more with the surgical oncology's radical nature as reported by Makuuchi.1 Nevertheless, laparoscopic ALR remains a highly specialized procedure due to technical difficulty in the selection of the transection plane. This video aimed to present a novel laparoscopic ALR strategy of tumor-bearing portal territory hepatectomy with an indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent dual staining technique. Video: A 42-year-old man admitted to our center for a single hepatic mass at the end of segment 5. To test liver reserve function and locate the tumor, we intravenously administrated ICG (0.5 mg/kg) 5 days before the operation. The ICG-R15 of the patient was 4.1%. The Glissonian pedicles of target portal territory were approached and temporally clamped with Takasaki's Glissonian method as discussed by Takasaki.2 Then, we intravenously administered ICG (1 mL, 5 mg/L) to negative stain the portal territory of segment 5 and expose biliary leak from the cut surface. Fusion ICG imaging of the tumor and positive fluorescent region were obtained using the PINPOINT image system (Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI). Liver parenchyma transection was performed alongside the boundary of negative fluorescence region using an ultrasonic scalpel and L-PMOD as reported by Cai et al..3 Since the tumor located at the junction of segments 5 and 8, we did some extended resection. RESULTS: Operative time was 195 min, and the estimated intraoperative blood loss was 100 mL. The patient was discharged on the seventh day, without any complications. HCC was confirmed in histopathology with a free margin (over 1.3 cm). No recurrence was noted in the follow-up period for 6 months after the operation. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic anatomical S5 segmentectomy using portal territory hepatectomy strategy in a dual staining method was technically feasible and safe for patients with HCC located in segment 5.