CcPTGS2a-like gene-mediated NF-κB/ERK signaling regulation in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), a common biological macromolecule, is pivotal for innate immunity and pathogen recognition. In this study, we identified and characterized a CcPTGS2a-like gene in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1821 bp and epidermal growth factor and peroxidase domains. Our multiple sequence analysis revealed high homology between the amino acid sequence of CcPTGS2a-like and those of its homologs in other fish. CcPTGS2a-like mRNA and protein expressions were significantly upregulated in the spleen, head kidney, liver, and gill tissues upon exposure to Aeromonas hydrophila stimulation. CcPTGS2a-like protein recognized the conserved bacterial surface components and exhibited detectable bacterial binding activity. CcPTGS2a-like overexpression before exposure to A. hydrophila notably enhanced the survival rate of common carp, concomitant with decreased bacterial burden. The NF-κB/ERK signaling pathway initiated the immune response in common carp upon infection with A. hydrophila. CcPTGS2a-like overexpression or interference in the head kidney and Epithelioma papulosum cyprinid cells could modulate the p-NF-κB (p-p-65), p-IκBα, and p-ERK1/2 levels as well as the IL-1ß and IL-6 mRNA expression. These results indicated potential CcPTGS2a-like involvement in the immune response of the common carp to bacterial infections through the NF-κB/ERK signaling pathway.

Selective autophagy receptor p62 promotes antibacterial and antiviral immunity in common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1/p62) is a selective autophagy adapter protein that participates in antiviral and bacterial immune responses and plays an important regulatory role in clearing the proteins to be degraded and maintaining intracellular protein homeostasis. In this study, two p62 genes were cloned from common carp (Cyprinus carpio), namely Ccp62-1 and Ccp62-2, and conducted bioinformatics analysis on them. The results showed that Ccp62s had the same structural domain (Phox and Bem1 domain, ZZ-type zinc finger domain, and ubiquitin-associated domain) as p62 from other species. Ccp62s were widely expressed in various tissues of fish, and highly expressed in immune organs such as gills, spleen, head kidney, etc. Subcellular localization study showed that they were mainly distributed in punctate aggregates in the cytoplasm. After stimulation with Aeromonas hydrophila and spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV), the expression level of Ccp62s was generally up-regulated. Overexpression of Ccp62s in EPC cells could inhibit SVCV replication. Upon A. hydrophila challenge, the bacterial load in Ccp62s-overexpressing group was significantly reduced, the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferon factors were increased, and the survival rate of the fish was improved. These results indicated that Ccp62s were involved in the immune response of common carp to bacterial and viral infections.

PCBP1 protects bladder cancer cells from mitochondria injury and ferroptosis by inducing LACTB mRNA degradation.

Although Poly C Binding Protein 1 (PCBP1) affects cellular ferroptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction, the mechanisms by which PCBP1 regulates bladder cancer (BC) cell functions are unknown. In this study, two BC cell lines (T24 and UMUC3) were treated with different doses of ferroptosis inducer erastin to analyze the effect of PCBP1. Online databases (RPISeq and CatRAPID) were used to predict the possible direct interaction between PCBP1 protein and serine ß-lactamase-like protein (LACTB) mRNA, which was further validated via RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assays. Mitochondria injury and ferroptosis were evaluated using CCK-8 assay, TUNEL staining, flow cytometry, corresponding kits, and JC-1 staining. In vivo experiments were conducted using tumor xenograft models. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect transcript expression levels, while protein levels were analyzed using western blot and immunohistochemistry. PCBP1 expression was significantly upregulated in BC tissues and cell lines. Also, PCBP1 knockdown increased erastin-mediated ferroptosis in T24 and UMUC3 cells, while PCBP1 overexpression decreased erastin-mediated ferroptosis in T24 and UMUC3 cells. Mechanistic results showed that LACTB mRNA is a novel PCBP1-binding transcript. LACTB upregulation promoted erastin-induced ferroptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, LACTB overexpression reversed PCBP1-mediated ferroptosis protection, including decreased ROS and enhanced mitochondrial function, which were further alleviated after phosphatidylserine decarboxylase (PISD) overexpression. Moreover, PCBP1 silencing significantly enhanced tumor inhibition effect of sulfasalazine in xenograft mice transplanted with T24 and UMUC3 cells, leading to LACTB upregulation and PISD downregulation. In conclusion, PCBP1 protects BC cells against mitochondria injury and ferroptosis via LACTB/PISD axis.

Growth differentiation factor 15 is required for triple-negative breast cancer cell growth and chemoresistance.

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a pleiotropic cytokine, which is involved in the cellular stress response following acute damage. However, the functional role of GDF15 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has not been fully elucidated. ELISA, Western blot, and PCR assays as well as bioinformatics analyses were conducted to observe the expression of GDF15. Cell Counting Kit-8, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and crystal violet staining assays were conducted to evaluate paclitaxel resistance and cell viability. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by Western blotting. Murine xenograft model assay was employed to evaluate tumor growth in vivo . Our data indicate that GDF15 is markedly elevated in paclitaxel-resistant TNBC cells, which is significantly associated with unfavorable prognosis. Silencing of GDF15 robustly inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells and increases their sensitivity to paclitaxel in vitro and in vivo , whereas the treatment of purified GDF15 protein confers breast cancer cells with chemoresistance ability. Moreover, GDF15 activates protein kinase B (AKT) /mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, inhibition of AKT or mTOR reverses the prosurvival effect of GDF15 and enhances the antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel in TNBC cells. Altogether, our study uncovers the role of GDF15 in tumor growth and paclitaxel resistance, implicating a potential therapeutic target for TNBC.

Self-Consistent Quantum Mechanics/Embedded Charge Study on Aggregation-Enhanced Delayed Fluorescence of Cu(I) Complexes: Luminescence Mechanism and Molecular Design Strategy.

To elucidate the luminescence mechanism of highly efficient blue Cu(N^N)(POP)+-type thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials, we have selected Cu(pytfmpz)(POP)+ (1) and Cu(pympz)(POP)+ (2) as targets to investigate the photophysical properties in both solution and solid phases. The self-consistent electrostatic potential (ESP) embedded charge within the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method demonstrates a greater advantage over the charge equilibrium (QEQ) in accurately calculating atomic charges and reasonably describing the polarization effect, ultimately resulting in a favorable consistency between simulation and experimental measurements. After systematic and quantitative simulation, it has been found that complex 2, with an electron-donating group of -CH3, exhibits a much more blue-shifted spectrum and a significantly enhanced efficiency in comparison to complex 1 with -CF3. This is due to the widened HOMO-LUMO gap as well as the narrowed energy gap between the lowest singlet and triplet excited states (ΔEST), respectively. Then, the designed complex 3 is introduced with a stronger electron donor and larger tert-butyl group, which plays a key role in simultaneously suppressing the structural distortion and reducing the ΔEST. This leads to a faster reverse intersystem crossing process than that of the two experimental complexes in solution, turning out to be a new deep-blue-emitting material with excellent TADF performance.

QUantitative and Automatic Atmospheric Correction (QUAAC): Application and Validation.

The difficulty of atmospheric correction based on a radiative transfer model lies in the acquisition of synchronized atmospheric parameters, especially the aerosol optical depth (AOD). At the moment, there is no fully automatic and high-efficiency atmospheric correction method to make full use of the advantages of geostationary meteorological satellites in large-scale and efficient atmospheric monitoring. Therefore, a QUantitative and Automatic Atmospheric Correction (QUAAC) method is proposed which can efficiently correct high-spatial-resolution (HSR) satellite images. QUAAC uses the atmospheric aerosol products of geostationary satellites to match the synchronized AOD according to the temporal and spatial information of HSR satellite images. This method solves the problem that the AOD is difficult to obtain or the accuracy is not high enough to meet the demand of atmospheric correction. By using the obtained atmospheric parameters, atmospheric correction is performed to obtain the surface reflectance (SR). The whole process can achieve fully automatic operation without manual intervention. After QUAAC applied to Gaofen-2 (GF-2) HSR satellite and Himawari-8 (H-8) geostationary satellite, the results show that the effect of QUAAC correction is slightly better than that of the Fast Line-of-sight Atmospheric Analysis of Spectral Hypercubes (FLAASH) correction, and the QUAAC-corrected surface spectral curves have good coherence to that of the synchronously measured by field experiments.

Adjuvant albumin-bound paclitaxel combined with S-1 vs. oxaliplatin combined with capecitabine after D2 gastrectomy in patients with stage III gastric adenocarcinoma: a phase III multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Surgery is the only treatment option for operable gastric cancer. The CLASSIC and ACTS-GC studies showed that the 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with stage III gastric cancer undergoing D2 gastrectomy is still very low. Whether adjuvant nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) combined chemotherapy is more effective than the XELOX standard adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage III gastric cancer has not been confirmed. METHODS: This is a multicenter, open-label, phase III clinical study. In this trial, 616 patients with locally advanced stage III gastric cancer that underwent curative D2 radical surgery and achieved R0 are planned to be included. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to nab-paclitaxel combined with S-1 (AS) vs. oxaliplatin combined with capecitabine (XELOX). XELOX group: Patients assigned to the XELOX group received eight 3-week cycles of oral capecitabine (1000 mg/m2) twice daily on days 1-14 of each cycle plus intravenous oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 on day 1 of each cycle. AS group: AS group received eight 3-week cycles of oral S-1 (80-120 mg) (< 1.25 m2, 40 mg; 1.25 to < 1.5 m2, 50 mg; and > 1.5 m2, 60 mg) twice daily on days 1-14 plus intravenous nab-paclitaxel 120 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of each cycle. The primary endpoint was the 3-year disease-free survival (3-year-DFS) defined as the time from randomisation to the time of recurrence of the original gastric cancer, development of a new gastric cancer, or death from any cause. The secondary endpoints were the overall survival, (defined as the time from the date of randomisation to date of death from any cause) and safety (any adverse event). DISCUSSION: Compared with previous studies, this study includes nab-paclitaxel based on S-1 adjuvant chemotherapy, which is expected to achieve better efficacy and lower toxicity than the standard treatment. This study is the first clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nab-paclitaxel combined with S-1 in patients with stage III gastric cancer after D2 radical resection. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial has been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number: NCT04135781 , on October 20th, 2019.

From luminescence quenching to high-efficiency phosphorescence: a theoretical study on the monomeric and dimeric forms of platinum(II) complexes with both 2-pyridylimidazol-2-ylidene and bipyrazolate chelates.

To develop solid-state light-emitting materials with high luminescence efficiency, determining the potential photophysics and luminescence mechanisms of the aggregation state remains a challenge and a priority. Here, we apply density functional theory to study the photophysical properties of a series of square planar Pt(ii) complexes in both monomeric and dimeric forms. We reveal that four monomeric Pt(ii) complexes are dominated by triplet ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer, and the lack of the triplet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer feature results in weak spin-orbit coupling (SOC), which leads to limited radiative rates; moreover, calculated nonradiative transition rates are one or two orders of magnitude higher than those radiative rates because a large amount of reorganization energy caused by the vibration of the bipyrazolate (bipz) ligand cannot be readily suppressed in the monomeric form. Therefore, four monomers exhibit photoluminescence quenching in CH2Cl2 solution in both theoretical calculations and experiments. However, in the solid state, the intense luminescence phenomenon indicates obviously distinct properties between the monomer and aggregation. We carried out a dimer model to interpret that the interaction of PtPt induces a metal-metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excimeric state, which leads more metal components to participate in the charge transfer and enhance the SOC effect. At the same time, the ligand vibration can be significantly reduced by the shortened distance, and there is a strong π-π packing interaction in the dimer; thus, an excellent quantum yield can be achieved in aggregation. In addition, we disclose that introducing bulky substituents bearing electron-donating groups at R' and R'' positions have little effect on the properties of the monomers; however, there is a benefit of restricting the internal reorganization energy through the intermolecular interaction when packing in the solid state. Therefore, substitutions can be tuned to improve the properties of monomers (such as emission energy and reorganization energy). We hope that our work will shine some light on Pt(ii) emitters in the fabrication of efficient OLEDs.

Epidemiological investigation and antimicrobial susceptibility analysis of Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma hominis in a teaching hospital in Shenyang, China.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis in a comprehensive teaching hospital Shenyang, China over the past 4 years. METHODS: A total of 1448 individuals with urogenital symptoms underwent mycoplasma testing between April 2016 and March 2020. Detection, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were carried out using Mycoplasma ID/AST kits. RESULTS: The total infection rate of genital mycoplasmas was 37.5% (543/1448 cases) with an observed increase over the past 4 years. The positive rates of all three detected infections, as well as overall infection rate, were significantly higher in females than in males (P < 0.05). A higher positive rate of infection was observed in females aged 25-29 (60.5%), and in the 15-19 years age group (57.7%). The changes observed among all age groups of females were statistically significantly different (P < 0.001). The positive rates of U. urealyticum and M. hominis co-infection among the four seasons during which the survey was carried out were also observed to be statistically different (P = 0.01). More than 70% of U. urealyticum isolates were found to be resistant to ciprofloxacin, and more than 80% of M. hominis isolates were resistant to erythromycin, roxithromycin, azithromycin and clarithromycin. Josamycin, doxycycline and minocycline were most effective against U. urealyticum and M. hominis. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study found increasing rates of U. urealyticum and M. hominis infection over the past 4 years, particularly among younger age groups. U. urealyticum/Mycoplasma hominis screening among younger age cohorts are therefore strongly recommend to preventing the spread of pathogens. Monitoring antimicrobial resistance is important for preventing transmission of resistant strains of infection and for the management of antibiotics.

Common cytokine polymorphisms and predisposition to polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis.

The results of studies on the relationship between cytokine polymorphisms and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have been controversial. This meta-analysis was thus designed to more precisely assess the relationship between TNF-α/IL-1/IL-6/IL-10 polymorphisms and PCOS by pooling the results of published studies. A search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI databases turned up 23 studies that were pooled and analyzed in this meta-analysis. The overall results showed that the distributions of TNF-α -238 G/A, TNF-α -857 C/T, and IL-1B -51 C/T polymorphisms among patients and controls differed significantly. Additionally, the distributions of TNF-α -308 G/A and IL-1B -51 C/T polymorphisms among patients and controls from Asian populations differed significantly, whereas the distributions of IL-6 -174 G/C and IL-1A -889 C/T polymorphisms among patients and controls from Caucasian populations also differed significantly. In conclusion, our meta-analysis demonstrated that TNF-α -238 G/A, TNF-α -857 C/T, and IL-1B -51 C/T polymorphisms might influence susceptibility to PCOS in the overall pooled population. Moreover, TNF-α -308 G/A and IL-1B -51 C/T polymorphisms might influence susceptibility to PCOS in Asians, whereas IL-6 -174 G/C and IL-1A -889 C/T polymorphisms might influence susceptibility to PCOS in Caucasians.

MitoQ Modulates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction via Regulating Nrf2 Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Gut barrier dysfunction with alterant mucosal permeability during sepsis is a challenge problem in clinical practice. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are strongly involved in mucosal oxidative stress and inflammatory response. The current study aimed at investigating the effect of MitoQ, a mitochondrial targeted antioxidant, in the treatment of intestinal injury and its potential mechanism during sepsis. METHODS: 30 minutes before sepsis induction by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, mice were treated with MitoQ. Intestinal histopathology, mucosal permeability, inflammatory cytokines, and mucosal barrier proteins were evaluated in the present study. RESULTS: MitoQ pretreatment significantly decreased the levels of plasma diamine oxidase, D-lactate, and intestinal histological damage and markedly restored the levels of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin) following LPS challenge. Furthermore, MitoQ inhibited the LPS-induced intestinal oxidative stress and inflammatory response, evidenced by increased levels of intestinal superoxide dismutase and glutathione, and decreased levels of intestinal IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and nitric oxide levels. Mechanically, we found that MitoQ inhibited the oxidative stress via activating nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway and its downstream antioxidant genes, including HO-1, NQO-1, and GCLM. CONCLUSIONS: MitoQ exerts antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects against sepsis-associated gut barrier injury by promoting Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Correlation of PMN elastase and PMN elastase-to-neutrophil ratio with disease activity in patients with myositis.

BACKGROUND: Polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase plays an important role in a variety of inflammatory disorders. Our aim was to analyse PMN elastase in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) and its association with disease activity. METHODS: PMN elastase levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum samples obtained from 74 patients with myositis (58 with dermatomyositis [DM] and 16 with polymyositis [PM]) and 22 healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the discriminant capacity of PMN elastase level and PMN elastase-to-neutrophil ratio (ENR) in patients with active and remission myositis. The association of serum PMN elastase level and ENR with disease variables was evaluated in patients with IIMs. The disease specificity of PMN elastase level and ENR was further examined in 60 patients with other systemic autoimmune diseases. RESULTS: PMN elastase level and ENR were significantly higher in patients with active IIMs, DM, and PM than in patients with remission. ROC curve analysis revealed that PMN elastase level and ENR both outperformed creatine kinase (CK), the currently used laboratory marker, and strongly discriminated patients with active disease and those with remission of IIMs, DM, and PM (area under the ROC curve [AUC] 0.9, 0.9, and 0.88 for PMN elastase; AUC 0.96, 0.96, and 1.0 for ENR; AUC 0.72, 0.70, and 0.80 for CK, respectively). PMN elastase level and ENR were positively correlated with myositis disease activity assessment, CK, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. PMN elastase level and ENR were higher in the anti-PM-Scl positive myositis group than those in the anti-PM-Scl negative myositis group. Nevertheless, PMN elastase was not a specific disease marker for IIMs when compared with other autoimmune diseases. CONCLUSIONS: PMN elastase, particularly ENR, were significantly correlated with disease activity and could serve as useful biochemical markers for evaluating the disease activity of patients with IIMs. Thus, they are potentially helpful in monitoring disease progression and guiding treatment.

The signaling mechanisms of hippocampal endoplasmic reticulum stress affecting neuronal plasticity-related protein levels in high fat diet-induced obese rats and the regulation of aerobic exercise.

High fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity has been shown to reduce the levels of neuronal plasticity-related proteins, specifically brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and synaptophysin (SYN), in the hippocampus. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully clear. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been reported to play a key role in regulating gene expression and protein production by affecting stress signaling pathways and ER functions of protein folding and post-translational modification in peripheral tissues of obese rodent models. Additionally, HFD that is associated with hyperglycemia could induce hippocampal ERS, thus impairing insulin signaling and cognitive health in HFD mice. One goal of this study was to determine whether hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia could cause hippocampal ERS in HFD-induced obese SD rats, and explore the potential mechanisms of ERS regulating hippocampal BDNF and SYN proteins production. Additionally, although regular aerobic exercise could reduce central inflammation and elevate hippocampal BDNF and SYN levels in obese rats, the regulated mechanisms are poorly understood. Nrf2-HO-1 pathways play roles in anti-ERS, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis in peripheral tissues. Therefore, the other goal of this study was to determine whether aerobic exercise could activate Nrf2-HO-1 in hippocampus to alleviate obesity-induced hippocampal ERS, which would lead to increased BDNF and SYN levels. Male SD rats were fed on HFD for 8weeks to establish the obese model. Then, 8weeks of aerobic exercise treadmill intervention was arranged for the obese rats. Results showed that HFD-induced obesity caused hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, and significantly promoted hippocampal glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) and fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1) protein expression. These results were associated with the activation of hippocampal ERS and ERS-mediated apoptosis. At the same time, we found that excessive hippocampal ERS not only significantly decreased proBDNF-the precursor of mature BDNF, but also attenuated p38/ERK-CREB signaling pathways and activated NLRP3-IL-1ß pathways in obese rats. These results were associated with reduced BDNF and SYN protein production. However, these adverse changes were obviously reversed by aerobic exercise intervention through activating the Nrf2-HO-1 pathways. These results suggest that dietary obesity could induce hippocampal ERS in male SD rats, and excessive hippocampal ERS plays a critical role in decreasing the levels of BDNF and SYN. Moreover, aerobic exercise could activate hippocampal Nrf2 and HO-1 to relieve ERS and heighten BDNF and SYN production in obese rats.

[Relationships of glucose transporter 4 with cognitive changes induced by high fat diet and glucose metabolism in hippocampus].

The hippocampus not only plays a role in appetite and energy balance, but also is particularly important in learning and memory. Figuring out the relationships of hippocampal glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) with hippocampal glucose metabolism and hippocampus-dependent cognitive function is very important to clearly understand the pathophysiological basis of nutritional obesity and diabetes-related diseases, and treat obesity and cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, this study reviewed recent researches conducted on hippocampal GLUT4, hippocampal glucose metabolism, and hippocampus-dependent cognitive function. In this review, we mainly discussed: (1) The structure of GLUT4 and the distribution and function of GLUT4 in the hippocampus; (2) The translocation of GLUT4 in the hippocampus; (3) The relationships of the PI3K-Akt-GLUT4 signaling pathway with the high fat diet-induced changes of cognitive function and the glucose metabolism in the hippocampus; (4) The associations of the PI3K-Akt-GLUT4 signaling pathway with the diabetes-related cognitive dysfunction in the hippocampus; (5) The potential mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction induced by glucose metabolic disorder.

Surgical treatment of huge hepatocarcinoma with invasion or severe adhesion of diaphragm using the technique of orthotopic liver resection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To explore the clinical application and significance of the technique of orthotopic liver resection. METHODOLOGY: From January 2004 to December 2011, five patients with huge hepatocellular carcinoma with invasion or severe adhesion of diaphragm were undergone right semi-liver resection using the technique of orthotopic liver resection. The right hemi-liver was isolated from the first liver portal, second liver portal and third liver portal, then isolated from the normal liver, finally the tumor and the invaded diaphragm were resected or removed from the severe adhesion. The approach to hepatic resection involved routine use of Peng's multifunctional operative dissector, selective control of in and out-flow of liver, control of inferior vena cava (IVC) and liver hanging maneuver, anterior approach, etc. RESULTS: The operations were successfully performed in 5 patients. Operative time was 120, 180, 150, 150 and 160 min, respectively. The amount of blood loss were 350, 350, 400, 450, 600 ml, respectively. Postoperative complications were pleural effusion in 3 cases, and other 2 cases recovered without complications. CONCLUSIONS: Although the technique of orthotopic liver resection has a high technical requirement for surgeons, it provides a surgical method and operative opportunity for the patients whose tumor has invaded diaphragm or has been severe adhesion with diaphragm and conventional liver resection cannot be performed.

Increased rates of indeterminate results in QuantiFERON-TB gold in-tube during the COVID-19 epidemic in Hunan province, China.

Increased rates of indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) results have been reported since the COVID-19 epidemic in Hunan Province, China. The indeterminate result (ITR) rate of QFT increased from an average of 5.2% to 12.4%, paralleling the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in the region. QFT-GIT results of 243 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 from January 2022 to April 2023 at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were analyzed. Of the 243 patients, 71 (29.2%) had ITRs due to reduced interferon-gamma production in the positive control. Multiple factors are associated with ITRs, such as disease severity, respiratory failure incidence, immunosuppressant use, and prognosis. Additionally, interferon-gamma (Mitogen-Nil) levels differed significantly depending upon disease severity, prognosis, immunosuppressant use, sepsis symptoms, respiratory failure, or hyperlipidemia. An abnormal increase in the ITR rate in the QFT was observed after the COVID-19 pandemic, and an optimal machine learning predictive model for indeterminate QFT results was established.

Is surgery necessary for patients with hepatic angiomyolipoma? Retrospective analysis from eight Chinese cases.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hepatic angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare, hepatic mesenchymal neoplasm. Its preoperative diagnosis is very difficult, and the treatment is still controversial. The aim is to summarize experience in diagnosis and management of hepatic AML from a cancer center. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical presentation, histopathological, features and treatment of the tumors encountered at our institute from January 2000 to December 2012. RESULTS: The patients included six females and two males, with female preponderance. Six patients are asymptomatic. Laboratory tests lack specificity. Combining imaging modality, only one patient obtained the accurate diagnosis of hepatic AML and was confirmed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy combined with homatropine methylbromide-45 staining. All other patients received hepatic resection. There was no tumor recurrence or increase of tumor size within the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: We suggest fine-needle aspiration combined with homatropine methylbromide-45 staining should be performed in all patients who are asymptomatic and without serological abnormalities. Surgical resection might be considered only if the malignant potential of the lesion cannot be ruled out or the tumor size is increasing during observation.

Molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. from XiangYa Hospital, in Hunan Province, China.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has been known as an opportunistic pathogen that causes a variety of illness worldwide. In this study, we characterize the molecular epidemiology of 174 non-repetitive clinical isolates of A. baumannii collected from January to June 2009 from Xiangya Hospital, in Hunan Province, China, including an outbreak period of A. baumannii. These 174 isolates harbored A. baumannii intrinsic gene OXA-51. They were resistant to multiple antibiotics with resistance rates as 49.4% to imipenem, 48.3% to meropenem, 46.6% to ampicillin-sulbactam, 6.9% to cefoperazone-sulbactam, and 6.3% to minocycline. 74 out of 174 isolates were identified as carbapenemase-producing strains, among which bla(OXA-23) gene was found in 71 isolates. These 74 carbapenemase expression strains could be divided into four genotypes by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR, with 19, 17, 33 and 5 clones in each group. We also found four imipenem resistant isolates carrying OXA-23 gene without showing carbapenemase phenotype. Our findings show that the bla(OXA-23) gene is the common carbapenemase gene among carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolates, suggesting that clonal spread of carbapenemase-producing isolates may be one important factor which results in the high carbapenem resistance rate in the local hospital in Hunan Province, China.

Endovascular treatment versus medical management for mild stroke with acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with mild stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤5) and acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (AACLVO) remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of EVT in patients with mild stroke and AACLVO. METHODS: EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched until October 2022. Both retrospective and prospective studies which compared the clinical outcomes between EVT and medical treatment were included. ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for excellent and favorable functional outcomes, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and mortality were pooled using a random-effects model. A propensity score (PS)-based methods adjusted analysis was also performed. RESULTS: 4335 patients from 14 studies were included. In patients with mild stroke and AACLVO, EVT presented no marked differences in excellent and favorable functional outcomes and mortality compared with medical treatment. A higher risk of symptomatic ICH (OR=2.79; 95% CI 1.49 to 5.24; P=0.001) was observed with EVT. Subgroup analysis revealed that EVT had potential benefit for proximal occlusions with excellent functional outcomes (OR=1.68; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.82; P=0.05). Similar results were observed when PS-based methods adjusted analysis was used. CONCLUSION: EVT did not significantly benefit clinical functional outcomes in comparison with medical treatment in patients with mild stroke and AACLVO. However, it may improve functional outcomes when treating patients with proximal occlusion, despite being associated with an increased risk of symptomatic ICH. Stronger evidence from ongoing randomized controlled trials is required.

Characteristics of Poor Prognosis in Patients with Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Purpose: The present study aimed to identify the characteristics, predictors, and imaging features of poor recovery in cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Patients and Methods: A total of 290 consecutive adult patients with CVST were enrolled from January 2017 to December 2021 from five hospitals in Nanning, Guangxi. According to the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at hospital discharge, the patients were classified into good prognosis (GP, mRS ≤2) groups and poor prognosis (PP, mRS>2) groups. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with clinical outcomes. Results: Of the 290 patients, 35 were assigned to the PP group and 255 to the GP group. No significant difference in sex was observed between the two groups. Headache (76.21%) was the most frequent symptom of CVST, and local head and neck infection was the major comorbidity (26.21%). Approximately half of the patients (48.62%) had brain injury lesions <1 cm, and the most commonly affected sinus was the lateral sinus (81.03%). Less-common headaches (odds ratio [OR]: 2.769, p=0.046), altered mental status (OR: 0.122, p<0.001), hematologic disorder (OR: 0.191, p=0.045), and injury to multiple lobes (OR: 0.166, p=0.041) were associated with poor clinical outcomes. Conclusion: Headache was the most common and protective manifestation of CVST, and disturbances in consciousness were an important indication of poor clinical prognosis. Patients with hematologic diseases also tended to have poor outcomes. No significant correlation was found between the number and location of venous sinus thromboses and clinical prognosis; however, intracranial injury involving multiple lobes was often associated with poor prognosis.