Chiral Brønsted Base Activation of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes toward Diastereo- and Enantioselective [3 + 2] Cycloaddition with Isatin-Derived Ketimines.

Organocatalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of donor-acceptor (D-A) cyclopropanes with isatin-derived ketimines are presented. Different from well-developed Lewis acid activation protocols which promote the reactivity of D-A cyclopropanes through coordinating to the acceptor group, in this reaction, dicyanocyclopropylmethyl ketones can be activated through nucleophilic activation of the donor group by using dihydroquinine-derived squaramide as Brønsted base catalyst. The reaction affords functionalized spiro[oxindole-3,2'-pyrrolidines] with two nonadjacent tetra- and tri-substituted stereocenters in 83-99% yields, moderate to excellent diastereoselectivities (up to >20:1 diastereomeric ratio (dr)), and excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% enantiomeric excess (ee)) under mild conditions.

Optimization of Decoction Technology and Establishment of Quality Standard for Moringa oleifera Leaf Standard Decoction / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveBased on response surface methodology combined with principal component analysis（PCA）， the optimal decocting process of Moringa oleifera leaf standard decoction was optimized， and its multi-index quality evaluation system was established， in order to provide scientific basis for the quality control of this standard decoction. MethodResponse surface methodology and PCA were used to optimize the decoction process by taking the relative peak areas of 8 characteristic peaks and dry extract yield as indexes. Based on this， the quality of 15 batches of the standard decoction was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） characteristic chromatogram， determination of major components（neochlorogenic acid， L-tryptophan， cryptochlorogenic acid， vicenin-2， isoquercetin， astragalin）， determination of active parts（total flavonoids， total organic acids， total polysaccharides， total α-amino acids， total sinapine）， dry extract yield， specific gravity and pH. ResultThe optimal decocting process was to soak M. oleifera leaves（100.00 g） for 30 min and decoct twice with the first decoction of 12 times the amount of water for 30 min and the second decoction of 10 times the amount of water for 20 min. Standard decoction containing 0.2 g·mL-1 of crude drug was defined by x¯±30%， the specific gravity was 0.722-1.340， pH was 3.86-7.16， dry extract yield was 23.1%-42.9%， and the alcohol-soluble extract content was 8.26%-15.34%. Calculated according to the dried products of the standard decoction， the contents of neochlorogenic acid， L-tryptophan， cryptochlorogenic acid， vicenin-2， isoquercetin and astragalin were 1.99-3.69， 1.20-2.22， 1.44-2.67， 0.53-0.99， 2.45-4.55， 1.22-2.26 mg·g-1， the relative transfer rates relative to the herbs were 34.37%-63.83%， 62.43%-115.94%， 64.65%-120.06%， 56.98%-105.82%， 37.46%-69.57%， 41.81%-77.64%， respectively. The contents of total flavonoids， total organic acids， total polysaccharides， total α-amino acids， total sinapine were 10.19-18.92， 11.82-21.96， 94.07-174.71， 42.69-79.27， 9.55-17.73 mg·g-1， the relative transfer rates for herbs were 25.72%-47.77%， 41.78%-77.59%， 64.90%-120.54%， 42.30%-78.57%， 34.99%-64.99%， respectively. ConclusionThe optimized decocting technology of M. oleifera leaf standard decoction is stable and feasible， and the established multi-indicator quality evaluation system can lay the foundation for the quality control of this standard decoction.

Laparoscopic ultrasound combined with CT three-dimensional reconstruction for guiding laparoscopic hepatectomy / 中国医学影像技术

Objective To observe the value of laparoscopic ultrasound(LUS)combined with CT three-dimensional reconstruction for guiding laparoscopic hepatectomy(LH).Methods Data of 78 hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients who underwent LH were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into observation group(n=46)or control group(n=32)based on whether underwent preoperative CT three-dimensional reconstruction and LUS.Clinical data,perioperative data and prognosis were compared between groups.Results No significant difference of clinical data was found(all P＞0.05),whereas significant differences of tumor body mainly location,resection method,tumor resection margin,surgical operation time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative hospital stay,postoperative complication grading and incidence were found between groups(all P＜0.05).During follow-up period,15 patients died in observation group and 14 died in control group.Significant difference of disease-free survival rate was detected between groups(x2=4.210,P=0.040).Conclusion LUS combined with CT three-dimensional reconstruction for guiding LH could reduce intraoperative injury and complication incidence,improving disease-free survival rate of HCC patients.

Processing of Yuhuanglian： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Yuhuanglian is one of the representative processed products to change the medicinal properties of Coptidis Rhizoma， which was first published in Hanshi Yitong. Its processing method is to mix Evodiae Fructus juice with Coptidis Rhizoma with stir-frying for drying， that is， Coptidis Rhizoma processed with Evodiae Fructus juice can reduce the bitterness and cold properties on the basis of retaining the effect of purging fire and detoxification， so that Yuhuanglian is cold but not stagnant， which can clear dampness-heat in Qifen， and is effective in treating the liver-qi invading stomach， vomiting and swallowing acid. As a representative variety of processing with medicine juice， Yuhuanglian is included in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia and local processing standards， and its processing technology research and optimization has been attracting much attention. Modern studies have shown that Yuhuanglian not only contains berberine， jatrorrhizine， palmatine and other components， but also contains evodiamine， rutaecarpine， limonin and other components from Evodiae Fructus， which have anti-inflammatory， antibacterial， anti-tumor and other pharmacological activities. This paper collated and summarized the related research reports of Yuhuanglian in the past 20 years from the perspectives of processing history， efficacy and medicinal properties， quality evaluation and clinical application， and found that the processing methods and standards of Yuhuanglian were quite different in different provinces and cities， mainly involving the preparation and dosage of Evodiae Fructus juice and the criteria for the processing end point. In addition， the changes in the major components of Yuhuanglian before and after processing varied greatly among different studies， presumably related to the different processes and quality standards， this paper summarized the processing history， technology， pharmacodynamics， quality evaluation and clinical application of Yuhuanglian， in order to provide reference for improving its quality evaluation system.

The potential role of reprogrammed glucose metabolism: an emerging actionable codependent target in thyroid cancer.

Although the incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing year by year, most patients, especially those with differentiated thyroid cancer, can usually be cured with surgery, radioactive iodine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression. However, treatment options for patients with poorly differentiated thyroid cancers or radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer have historically been limited. Altered energy metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer and a well-documented feature in thyroid cancer. In a hypoxic environment with extreme nutrient deficiencies resulting from uncontrolled growth, thyroid cancer cells utilize "metabolic reprogramming" to satisfy their energy demand and support malignant behaviors such as metastasis. This review summarizes past and recent advances in our understanding of the reprogramming of glucose metabolism in thyroid cancer cells, which we expect will yield new therapeutic approaches for patients with special pathological types of thyroid cancer by targeting reprogrammed glucose metabolism.

Emerging role of exosome-derived non-coding RNAs in tumor-associated angiogenesis of tumor microenvironment.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is an intricate ecosystem that is actively involved in various stages of cancer occurrence and development. Some characteristics of tumor biological behavior, such as proliferation, migration, invasion, inhibition of apoptosis, immune escape, angiogenesis, and metabolic reprogramming, are affected by TME. Studies have shown that non-coding RNAs, especially long-chain non-coding RNAs and microRNAs in cancer-derived exosomes, facilitate intercellular communication as a mechanism for regulating angiogenesis. They stimulate tumor growth, as well as angiogenesis, metastasis, and reprogramming of the TME. Exploring the relationship between exogenous non-coding RNAs and tumor-associated endothelial cells, as well as their role in angiogenesis, clinicians will gain new insights into treatment as a result.

Analysis of risk factors causing early postoperative portal vein thrombosis after salvage devascularization for failed endoscopic therapy / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To study the risk factors of early postoperative portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after salvage devascularization for failed endoscopic therapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 525 cirrhotic patients who underwent pericardial devascularization for portal hypertension and esophagogastric variceal bleeding at the Department of General Surgery, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2012 to January 2022. There were 435 males and 90 females, aged 47(37, 58) years old. These patients were divided into two groups based on whether PVT occurred after devascularization: the PVT group ( n=225) and the non-PVT group ( n=300). Clinical data including gender, age, portal vein diameter and postoperative platelet elevation level (PPEL) were studied and the related factors of PVT were analyzed by univariate analysis. Factors with statistically significant differences were included in logistic regression analysis. Results:Univariate analysis showed that the significant risk factors of PVT were the scores of the model of end-stage liver disease, platelets, portal vein diameter, endoscopic therapy, operation duration, surgical bleeding volume, intraoperative blood transfusion and PPEL on the first and third postoperative days (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that portal vein diameter ≥13 mm ( OR=6.000, 95% CI: 3.418-10.533), endoscopic injection ( OR=1.894, 95% CI: 1.196-2.998), operation duration ≥ 180 min ( OR=8.520, 95% CI: 5.333-13.554), PPEL ≥ 20×10 9/L on the first postoperative day ( OR=2.125, 95% CI: 1.306-3.456) and PPEL≥50×10 9/L on the third postoperative day ( OR=1.925, 95% CI: 1.192-3.109) increased the risk of PVT (all P<0.05). Conclusion:The diameter of portal vein, endoscopic treatment, operation duration and PPEL on the first and third days after operation were independent risk factors of early postoperative PVT development.

Risk factors for pulmonary infection after laparoscopic surgery in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the incidence rate of pulmonary infection after laparoscopic surgery and related risk factors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comorbid with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension (PHT). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 105 HCC patients with liver cirrhosis and PHT who underwent laparoscopic surgery in Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2017 to February 2022. A total of 30 factors that might cause pulmonary infection were recorded, including general information, disease factors, surgical factors, and postoperative factors. Postoperative recovery was observed and the occurrence of pulmonary infection was recorded. The chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups, and the multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent risk factors for pulmonary infection. Results Among the 105 patients, 66 underwent laparoscopic devascularization combined with hepatectomy and 39 underwent laparoscopic devascularization combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The surgery was successful for all patients, with no case of conversion to laparotomy or unscheduled reoperation. No death was observed within 30 days after surgery and during hospitalization, with a median length of hospital stay of 20 days (range 14-25 days). The incidence rate of pulmonary infection was 25.71% (27/105). Smoking (odds ratio [ OR ]=3.362, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.282-8.817, P =0.014), MELD score ( OR =3.801, 95% CI : 1.007-14.351, P =0.049), tumor location ( OR =1.937, 95% CI : 1.169-3.211, P =0.010), surgical procedure ( OR =0.006, 95% CI : 0.001-0.064, P =0.000), intraoperative infusion volume ( OR =4.871, 95% CI : 1.211-19.597, P =0.026), and postoperative pleural effusion ( OR =9.790, 95% CI : 1.826-52.480, P =0.008) were independent risk factors for pulmonary infection. Conclusion There is a relatively high risk of pulmonary infection in HCC patients with liver cirrhosis and PHT undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Postoperative pleural effusion is the high risk factor for pulmonary infection, and devascularization combined with RFA can significantly reduce the risk of pulmonary infection. It is recommended to strengthen preoperative rehabilitation, perioperative liver function maintenance, intraoperative damage control, and goal-oriented fluid therapy and reduce postoperative fluid accumulation in the third space, so as to reduce the incidence rate of pulmonary infection.

Quality Evaluation of Mori Cortex from Different Producing Areas Based on Entropy Weight-TOPSIS Method / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the quality of Mori Cortex from different producing areas by the entropy weight-technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution（TOPSIS）， and to provide a new evaluation method for the quality control of Mori Cortex. MethodAccording to the five key indexes of color， thickness， texture， powdery and cortex remain， a subjective scoring table was designed to evaluate the appearance of Mori Cortex. High performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） was used to determine the fingerprint and the contents of multiple components（mulberroside A， chlorogenic acid， oxyresveratrol， mulberroside C， sanggenone D， sanggenone C， morusin）， and chemometrics was used to explore the differential components of Mori Cortex from different habitats. On this basis， TOPSIS was used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Mori Cortex from different habitats， and SPSS 22.0 software was used to carry out bivariate correlation analysis between thickness and appearance color with contents of seven components of Mori Cortex. ResultThose with lighter color， thicker root bark， tougher texture， sufficient powder and less cortex remain scored higher， and the top five were all from Anhui. The established fingerprint and determination methods were stable and reliable. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） screened three components with the variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1（mulberroside A， sanggenone D， sanggenone C）， which made an important contribution to the difference in the origin of Mori Cortex. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significantly positive correlation between mulberroside C with lightness value（L*） and total chromaticity value（E*ab） and mulberroside A with yellow-blue value（b*）（P<0.05， P<0.01）， a significantly negative correlation between sanggenone C with b* and between morusin with L*（P<0.05， P<0.01）. And there was a significantly negative correlation between mulberroside A， chlorogenic acid， and morusin with thickness（P<0.01）， a clearly negative correlation between sanggenone D with thickness（P<0.05）， a significantly positive correlation between sanggenone C with thickness（P<0.01）. TOPSIS comprehensive scores showed that the samples from Anhui had a good score and ranked high. ConclusionThere are great differences in the quality of Mori Cortex from different habitats， and those with the close habitats show similar characteristics in appearance and component content， and lighter color and less cortex were positively correlated with the quality. Among them， the quality of Mori Cortex from Anhui is relatively good.

Guiding role of three-dimensional simulation modeling technology in laparoscopic-assisted radical resection of rectal cancer / 国际外科学杂志

Objective:Three-dimensional simulation modeling technology was used to conduct three-dimensional reconstruction, classification and measurement for the anatomic structures of colorectal canal, tumor and key blood vessels in patients with rectal cancer before operation. And the accuracy of the data and information obtained for the prediction of anastomotic tension, important types of vascular variant, positioning of anatomical landmarks, etc. in laparoscopic-assisted radical resection of rectal cancer, and the guiding effect of operation was evaluated.Methods:The clinical data of 50 patients with laparoscopic-assisted radical resection of rectal cancer treated in the General Surgery Department, Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University from January 2019 to February 2021 were analyzed retrospectively, including 31 males and 19 females, aged from 42 to 83 years old, with an average age of (62.72 ±15.21) years. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the patients underwent three-dimensional simulation reconstruction before operation. The patients who underwent abdomen pelvic enhancement CT and further three-dimensional reconstruction before surgery were taken as reconstruction group ( n=24), and the patients who were only routinely performed abdomen pelvic enhancement CT before operation were taken as control group ( n=26). For the patients in the reconstruction group, the CT images were modeled by Mimics software before operation, and the key data such as the length of colorectal and tumor, the correlation length of rigid structure of pelvic wall, the length of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) from the bifurcation point of left and right arteria iliaca communis, the type and proportion of IMA variation, the length of left colonic artery (LCA) from the beginning of IMA and the distance between LCA and IMV were measured, and the consistency correlation coefficient (CCC) was analyzed with the actual data obtained during operation. And then the accuracy of three-dimensional simulation modeling technology for surgical guidance was evaluated. MedCalc 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results:In the reconstruction group, regarding the data of each dimension of the model (intestinal tract, pelvic cavity, blood vessels) and the corresponding structural measurements during the operation, the consistent correlation coefficient (CCC) evaluation was more than 0.9. One case was predicted to have free splenic flexure of colon and one case actually had free splenic flexure of colon. The prediction accuracy was 100%. The IMA variants in the reconstruction group were divided into 4 types, all of which were verified by operation. Compared with the control group, the operation time ( P=0.011) and the location time (IMA, P=0.043; LCA, P=0.007; IMV, P=0.034) of each vessel in the reconstruction group were shorter, and the amount of intraoperative blood loss was less ( P=0.017). Conclusion:The application of three-dimensional simulation modeling technology before operation is helpful for the operator to accurately predict the intraoperative anastomotic tension, the type of IMA variation and the related diameter length, based on which the accurate operation plan can be made to guide the operation.

Analysis of risk factors of intraperitoneal infection after laparoscopic surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis and portal hypertension / 临床外科杂志

Objective To analyze the incidence and risk factors of intraperitoneal infection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma combined with cirrhosis and portal hypertension undergoing laparoscopic surgery.Methods The clinical data of 105 consecutive cases of laparoscopic devascularization combined with hepatectomy or radiofrequency ablation were retrospectively analyzed.The factors that may cause intraperitoneal infection were recorded.The postoperative recovery was observed and the incidence of intraperitoneal infection was recorded.Single factor and logistic regression multivariate analysis were used to screen independent risk factors for intraperitoneal infection.Results The incidence of intraperitoneal infection was 17.14％.Diabetes,MELD score,intraoperative bleeding and postoperative ascites were independent risk factors for intraperitoneal infection(P＜0.05).Conclusion It is necessary to strengthen liver function maintenance,intraoperative bleeding control,reduce the third space effusion and blood sugar management of patients with diabetes to reduce intraperitoneal infection.

Comprehensive analysis of the effect of Hashimoto's thyroiditis on the diagnostic efficacy of preoperative ultrasonography on cervical lymph node lesions in papillary thyroid cancer.

Purpose: Hashimoto's thyroiditis often leads to reactive hyperplasia of the central compartment lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. However, the effect and clinical significance of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) on ultrasonography evaluation for cervical lymph node (LN) lesions remain unknown. This study aims to investigate the effect of Hashimoto's thyroiditis on the diagnostic efficacy of preoperative ultrasonography on cervical lymph node lesions in PTC patients. Patients and methods: This study consecutively enrolled 1,874 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and radical cervical lymph node dissection between January 2010 and December 2021. Eligible patients were categorized as with HT and without HT. The diagnostic performance of preoperative ultrasonography for cervical LN lesions (including central LNs and lateral LNs) was evaluated between PTC patients with HT and those without HT, respectively. Results: Among the 1,874 PTC patients, 790 (42.1%) had central cN+ and 1,610 (85.9%) had lateral cN+. Compared with PTC patients without HT, the preoperative US for central LNs displays a higher false-positive rate (27.9% vs. 12.2%, p <0.001) and a lower specificity (72.1% vs. 87.8%, p < 0.001) in PTC patients with HT. Moreover, in PTC patients with HT, the ratio of the absence of fatty hilum in central LNs without metastasis was higher than in PTC patients without HT (13.02% vs. 7.46%, p = 0.013). However, no such differences were observed in lateral LNs. Conclusion: HT will interfere with the preoperative US evaluation for central LNs and increase the incidence of the absence of fatty hilum in central benign LNs. When PTC patients have concomitant HT, clinicians should thoroughly evaluate the central LNs, thereby decreasing the incidence of misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgery.

A feasibility study of combining hepatectomy with splenectomy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with severe thrombocytopenia / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To study the feasibility of combining hepatectomy with splenectomy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count ≤30×10 9/L). Methods:The data of 46 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma with thrombocytopenia treated at Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2016 to January 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 32 males and 14 females, aged (55.0±7.9) years. According to the platelet count one day before operation, the patients were divided into the study group (20×10 9/L < platelet count ≤30×10 9/L, n=20) and the control group (30×10 9/L<platelet count <100×10 9/L, n=26). All patients underwent hepatectomy combined with splenectomy or hepatectomy combined with splenectomy and pericardial devascularization. The liver function (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin), platelet count, daily abdominal drainage within 3 days after operation, drop in hemoglobin (the difference between hemoglobin on the day after operation versus 1 day before operation) and hospital stay were compared between the two groups. Rebleeding and portal vein thrombosis were studied. Results:There was no significant difference in liver function between the two groups 2 weeks after operation (all P>0.05). The platelet count on the 1st, 3rd and 5th day after operation in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (all P<0.05). The platelet count in the study group and the control group returned to the normal range on the 5th and 3rd day after operation, respectively. The daily abdominal drainage volume, drop in hemoglobin and hospital stay in the control group were (407.3±124.2) ml, (31.1±8.6) g and (13.7±3.3) d, respectively, which were significantly better than those in the study group (647.5±209.5) ml, (38.3±12.8) g, (16.9±3.7) d. There were 3 patients (15.0%) who developed esophageal and gastric fundus vein rebleeding and 10 patients (50.0%) with portal vein thrombosis in the study group, versus 2 patients (7.7%) and 12 patients (46.2%) respectively in the control group. There were no significant differences between the two groups (both P>0.05). Conclusion:Severe thrombocytopenia was not an absolute contraindication of combining hepatectomy and splenectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. After sufficient and reasonable preoperative adjustment and evaluation, the operation was still safe and feasible.

Application of the three-dimensional visualization ablation planning system in radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the significance of the three-dimensional visualization ablation planning system in radiofrequency ablation for liver cancer. Methods A total of 71 patients who received radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma in Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University from July 2017 to December 2020 were enrolled as subjects. The 34 patients in the three-dimensional group used the three-dimensional visualization ablation planning system for radiofrequency protocol planning before surgery and the 37 patients in the two-dimensional group used the two-dimensional image for radiofrequency protocol planning before surgery. The two groups were compared in terms of the indices such as the first-attempt success rate of puncture, complete tumor ablation rate, and tumor-free survival. The Fisher's exact test, the chi-square test of continuous correction, or the Pearson chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups; the t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and the Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test was used for comparison of tumor recurrence and survival; the Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for tumor-free survival. Results Compared with the two-dimensional group, the three-dimensional group had a significantly higher first-attempt success rate of puncture (94.12% vs 75.68%, Pearson χ 2 =4.183, P =0.041) and a significantly shorter median time of puncture (5 minutes vs 7 minutes, Z =-2.407, P =0.013). There was no significant difference in complete ablation rate between the three-dimensional group and the two-dimensional group (97.06% vs 91.89%, continuous correction χ 2 =0.183, P =0.669). There were significant differences in the 1-, 2-, and 4-year cumulative tumor-free survival rates between the three-dimensional group and the two-dimensional group (90.8%/78.8%/72.8% vs 61.5%/55.9%/44.7%, χ 2 =5.073, P =0.024). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that preoperative planning method, complete or incomplete ablation, and alpha-fetoprotein at 1 month after surgery were independent influencing factors for the tumor-free survival of patients with liver cancer after radiofrequency ablation (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Radiofrequency ablation planning via the three-dimensional visualization ablation planning system can ensure the therapeutic effect of radiofrequency ablation, reduce the recurrence rate of liver cancer, and prolong the tumor-free survival of patients.

Water pathways through the ages: Integrated laundry wastewater treatment for pollution prevention.

Rapid urbanization and the rising global population have led to the generation of substantial volumes of laundry wastewater. Accordingly, treatment of laundry wastewater has been advocated to curb water pollution and achieve water sustainability. However, technological limitations in treating (specifically) laundry wastewater and the lack of regulations governing the levels of contaminants for such discharges have been perennial problems. This review bridges the knowledge gap by delineating the feasibility of current technologies in laundry wastewater treatment and the experiences of various countries in adopting different approaches. Besides, the feasible methods for collecting laundry wastewater are elaborated. The development of the treatment technologies is highlighted, in which the integrated-treatment processes (physicochemical, biological, and combination of both) are critically discussed based on their functions and methods. A judicious selection of the technologies not only improves the energy efficiency and quality of the treated wastewater, but also mitigates capitals and operational costs. This is projected to enhance public acceptance towards the reuse of laundry wastewater. Thus, the comprehensive assessment herein is envisioned to insightfully guide national policymakers in exploring the viability of the technologies and water-recycling projects. Future research should focus on the techno-economic aspects of the treatment processes, especially their industrial scale-up.

A retrospective comparative study on Hassab operation combined with either RFA or liver resection in treatment of liver cancer associated with portal hypertension / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To study the efficacy and safety of Hassab operation combined with either radiofrequency ablation(RFA) or liver resection in treatment of liver cancer associated with portal hypertension.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with primary liver cancer associated with portal hypertension operated at the Department of General Surgery of Beijing Ditan Hospital from June 2013 to June 2015. These patients were divided into the RFA combined with Hassab operation group and the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group according to the surgical procedures. The general patient information, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications and the 1-, 3-, and 5-years cumulative survival rates and recurrence-free survival rates were compared.Results:Of 53 patients who were included in the study, 30 patients were in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group (including 28 males and 2 females, average age 46.3 (27.0~64.0) years, and 23 patients in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group (including 20 males and 3 females), average age 44.7(33.0~59.0) years. There were no significant differences in the general patient information including age, gender, maximum tumor diameter, preoperative laboratory tests (including blood routine, liver function, tumor markers), and Child-Pugh classification between the two groups (all P>0.05). Intraoperative blood loss in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group was significantly less than those in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group [(401.67±183.12) ml vs (552.17±333.88) ml, P<0.05]. There were also no significant differences between the two groups in operation time, blood transfusion during operation, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications ( P>0.05). The incidence of severe postoperative complications (Clavein-Dindo grade ≥ IIIb) in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group was 47.8% (11/23), which was significantly higher than the 20.0% (6/30) in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group ( P<0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative survival rates of patients in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group were 82.8%, 49.9%, and 33.2%, respectively, while the corresponding survival rates of patients in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group were 81.0%, 58.2%, 43.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). The recurrence-free survival rates of patients in the RFA combined with Hassab operation group at 1-, 3-, and 5-years after surgery were 79.2%, 38.8%, and 21.6%, respectively. The corresponding recurrence-free survival rates of patients in the liver resection combined with Hassab operation group were 76.4%, 41.7%, and 27.8%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:RFA combined with Hassab operation was safe and efficacious to treat primary liver cancer associated with portal hypertension.

Study on liver diseases with zebrafish as an important tool / 中国中药杂志

With the increasing incidence of hepatobiliary diseases, it is particularly important to understand the role of molecular, cellular and physiological factors in the clinical diagnosis and treatment with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in the development of liver disease. Appropriate animal models can help us identify the possible mechanisms of relevant diseases. Danio rerio(zebrafish) model was traditionally used to study embryonic development, and has been gradually used in screening and evaluation of liver diseases and relevant drug in recent years. Zebrafish embryos develop rapidly and the digestive organs of 5-day-old juvenile fish are all mature. At this stage, they may develop hepatobiliary diseases induced by developmental defects or compounds. Zebrafish liver is similar to human liver in cell composition, function, signal transduction, response to injury and cell process mediating liver disease. Furthermore, due to the high conservation of genes and proteins between humans and zebrafish, zebrafish becomes an alternative system for studying basic mechanisms of liver disease. Therefore, genetic screening could be performed to identify new genes involving specific disease processes, and chemical screening could be made for drugs in specific processes. This paper briefly introduced the experimental properties of zebrafish as model system, emphasized the study progress of zebrafish models for pathological mechanism of liver diseases, especially fatty liver, and drug screening and evaluation, so as to provide ideas and techniques for the future liver toxicity assessment of TCM.

A review of lignans from genus Kadsura and their spectrum characteristics / 中草药·英文版

Kadsura belongs to the Schisandroideae subfamily of Magnoliaceae. Plants from genus Kadsura are widely distributed in the South and Southwest of China. The plants of the genus are widely used as folk medicine for a long time in history, with the functions of relieving pain, promoting ‘qi’ circulation, activating blood resolve stasis, and applications in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and gastroenteric disorders. Lignans are the primary characteristic constituents with various biological activities of plants from genus Kadsura. This paper summarized 81 lignans isolated from the plants of genus Kadsura over the past eight years (from 2014 to 2021), which belong to five types: dibenzocyclooctadienes, spirobenzofuranoid dibenzocyclooctadienes, aryltetralins, diarylbutanes and tetrahydrofurans. Each type of these lignans possess typical characteristics in proton magnetic resonance (

MicroRNA-574-5p directly targets FOXN3 to mediate thyroid cancer progression via Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine tumor. A large number of thyroid cancer-related miRNAs have been studied and identified. However, the detailed roles of miR-574-5p in thyroid cancer remain poorly understood. This work mainly aimed to investigate the role of miR-574-5p/FOXN3 axis and its mechanism in the thyroid cancer progression. METHODS: MiR-574-5p, FOXN3, Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, and apoptosis-related markers were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting analysis, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay was employed to validate the direct targeting of FOXN3 by miR-574-5p. MTT, flow cytometry, wound healing and transwell experiments were applied to analyze the functions of FOXN3 and miR-574-5p in thyroid cancer cells. RESULTS: Knockdown of miR-574-5p up-regulated FOXN3 expression and miR-574-5p directly targeted FOXN3 in thyroid cancer cells. Biological function experiments showed that knockdown of miR-574-5p inhibited proliferation, migration, invasion and promoted apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells. The activation of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway was suppressed by MiR-574-5p silencing. FOXN3 silencing reversed the effects of miR-574-5p inhibitor on FOXN3 level and Wnt/ß-catenin singling pathway, also reversed the effects on cell migration, proliferation, invasion and apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The miR-574-5p/FOXN3 axis is a novel molecular mechanism that promotes thyroid cancer progression, suggesting their potential for clinical therapy of thyroid cancer.

NF-κB-Activated miR-574 Promotes Multiple Malignant and Metastatic Phenotypes by Targeting BNIP3 in Thyroid Carcinoma.

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, and miR-574 is significantly upregulated in thyroid cancer. However, the role and underlying mechanism of miR-574 in thyroid cancer development are poorly understood. In this study, we showed that NF-κB/p65 signaling pathway was activated and miR-574 was upregulated in thyroid cancer cells. p65 directly bound to the promoter of miR-574 and activated miR-574 transcription. Functionally, miR-574 inhibited apoptosis, promoted proliferation and migration of thyroid cancer cells, and stimulated thyroid cancer-induced tube formation of endothelial cells. On the molecular level, miR-574 inhibited the expression of BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa protein-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) by binding to 3'-UTR of BNIP3. miR-574 also downregulated the expression of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), while elevated the levels of MMP2, MMP9, and VEGFA. In vivo, miR-574 promoted xenograft growth, which was associated with reduced apoptosis and enhanced angiogenesis. NF-κB/miR-574 signaling presents multiple oncogenic activities on thyroid cancer development by directly regulating the BNIP3/AIF pathway. Therefore, targeting NF-κB/miR-574 signaling may reduce the aggressiveness of thyroid cancer. IMPLICATIONS: miR-574, directly regulated by NF-κB/p65, promotes tumorigenesis of thyroid cancer via inhibiting BNIP3/AIF pathway.