Despite breakthroughs in immunotherapy for solid tumors, significant variations in treatment efficacy persist. Up to 80% of cancer patients suffer from malnutrition, which leads to: lymphoid atrophy and reduced T-cell reserves; deficiency of substrates required for T-cell activation and expansion; concurrent inflammation hindering T-cell infiltration into tumors; and cachexia accelerating PD-1 antibody clearance. Clinical studies confirm that severe malnutrition significantly impairs immune responses and increases the risk of treatment toxicity. Therefore, implementing standardized nutritional therapy is crucial for optimizing the reserve, activation, expansion, and infiltration capacity of immune cells, thereby providing a sound immune system foundation for immunotherapy. Immunonutrition therapy, by enhancing immunonutrients such as arginine, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and nucleotides, reduces the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and promotes T-cell activation and proliferation. This enhances anti-tumor immune responses, prolongs survival, and advances cancer treatment towards multimodal combination and precision approaches.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery has been a common practice for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, but the response rate varies among patients. This study aimed to develop a ResNet-Vision Transformer based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-endoscopy fusion model to precisely predict treatment response and provide personalized treatment. METHODS: In this multicenter study, 366 eligible patients who had undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery at eight Chinese tertiary hospitals between January 2017 and June 2024 were recruited, with 2928 pretreatment colonic endoscopic images and 366 pelvic MRI images. An MRI-endoscopy fusion model was constructed based on the ResNet backbone and Transformer network using pretreatment MRI and endoscopic images. Treatment response was defined as good response or non-good response based on the tumor regression grade. The Delong test and the Hanley-McNeil test were utilized to compare prediction performance among different models and different subgroups, respectively. The predictive performance of the MRI-endoscopy fusion model was comprehensively validated in the test sets and was further compared to that of the single-modal MRI model and single-modal endoscopy model. RESULTS: The MRI-endoscopy fusion model demonstrated favorable prediction performance. In the internal validation set, the area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy were 0.852 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.744-0.940) and 0.737 (95% CI: 0.712-0.844), respectively. Moreover, the AUC and accuracy reached 0.769 (95% CI: 0.678-0.861) and 0.729 (95% CI: 0.628-0.821), respectively, in the external test set. In addition, the MRI-endoscopy fusion model outperformed the single-modal MRI model (AUC: 0.692 [95% CI: 0.609-0.783], accuracy: 0.659 [95% CI: 0.565-0.775]) and the single-modal endoscopy model (AUC: 0.720 [95% CI: 0.617-0.823], accuracy: 0.713 [95% CI: 0.612-0.809]) in the external test set. CONCLUSION The MRI-endoscopy fusion model based on ResNet-Vision Transformer achieved favorable performance in predicting treatment response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and holds tremendous potential for enabling personalized treatment regimens for locally advanced rectal cancer patients.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods* ; Aged ; Adult ; Chemoradiotherapy/methods* ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome

The clinical data of 10 patients with pathologically confirmed primary hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PHNENs) were retrospectively analyzed. The cohort included 8 males and 2 females, with a median age of 63 years. None presented with carcinoid syndrome. Three cases were detected incidentally during health check-ups, 2 presented with painless jaundice, and 5 reported abdominal distension or pain (1 with concurrent jaundice). Elevated tumor markers included carbohydrate antigen 19-9 in 4 cases, alpha-fetoprotein in 2 cases, and neuron-specific enolase in 1 case. All patients underwent surgical resection, including hepatectomy and hilar cholangiocarcinoma resection, combining with resection and reconstruction of right hepatic artery, resection of liver metastases and pancreaticoduodenectomy according to the extent of tumor invasion.Preoperative imaging failed to diagnose neuroendocrine neoplasms in all cases. Final pathological diagnoses were neuroendocrine tumor (NET) G2 in 5 cases, NET G3 in 1 case, and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) in 4 cases. During the follow-up, 4 patients died and 6 survived. The study demonstrates that PHNENs lack specific clinical or imaging features, and the diagnosis relies on pathological examination after excluding metastatic disease. Radical resection remains the primary treatment, with prognosis varying significantly by tumor grade.
Humans ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Neuroendocrine Tumors/pathology* ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged ; Adult

Objective To investigate the protective effects of butyrate on sepsis-related myocardial dys-function.Methods Thirty healthy 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups:sham operation group(SH,n=10),sepsis group(CL,n=10),and butyrate group(BU,n=10).The CL and BU groups underwent cecal ligation and puncture(CLP)to establish sepsis models,while the SH group received the same surgical procedure without cecal ligation or puncture.Within 30 minutes post-opera-tion,the SH and CL groups received 5 mL normal saline via gavage,whereas the BU group was administered 5 mL sodium butyrate solution(500 mg/kg)in normal saline.Cardiac output(CO)and ejection fraction(EF)were compared among the three groups.Myocardial histopathological injury was assessed by HE staining,and mitochondrial ultrastructural damage was observed by electron microscopy.Serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide(BNP),cardiac troponin Ⅰ(cTnⅠ),and butyrate were compared among groups.Western blot analysis was performed to detect and compare the expression levels of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 4(ACSL4)and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)in myocardial tissues.Results After intervention,the BNP and cTnⅠ levels in the CL group were higher than those in the SH group,while CO and EF were lower than those in the SH group(P＜0.05).The BNP and cTnⅠ levels in the BU group were lower than those in the CL group,whereas CO and EF levels were higher than those in the CL group(P＜0.05).HE staining of myocardial tissues re-vealed more severe inflammatory cell infiltration and myocardial cell edema in the CL group compared with the SH group,while the BU group showed reduced inflammatory cell infiltration.Mitochondrial membrane in-tegrity was impaired in the CL group manifested by unclear cristae,swelling,vacuolar degeneration and rup-ture,whereas mitochondrial damage was attenuated in the BU group.Serum butyrate levels were measured as(61.7±21.6)μg/mL,(95.3±16.6)μg/mL and(302.2±49.7)μg/mL in the CL,SH and BU groups respec-tively(P＜0.05).The ACSL4 expression in the CL group was higher than that in the SH group,while GPX4 protein expression was lower than that in the SH group(P＜0.05).The BU group exhibited lower ACSL4 expression and higher GPX4 protein expression compared with the CL group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Buty-rate can ameliorate myocardial injury in septic rats,and its protective effect may be associated with the inhibi-tion of myocardial ferroptosis.

Objective:To investigate the application value of indocyanine green videoangiography (ICG-VA) in microsurgical clipping of ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms (PCoAA).Methods:Patients with ruptured PCoAA underwent microsurgical clipping and intraoperative ICG-VA at the Department of Neurosurgery, Lianyungang First People's Hospital from January 2020 to July 2022 were included retrospectively. Head CT was reviewed 3 days after operation to determine perioperative complications. CT angiography (CTA) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were used to evaluate the monitoring effect of ICG-VA. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to evaluate the clinical outcomes.Results:Thirty-two patients with ruptured PCoAA (a total of 38 aneurysms) were enrolled, including 7 males (21.9%), aged 57.97±8.91 years (range, 40~73). Twenty-seven patients (84.4%) had single aneurysm and 5 (15.6%) had multiple aneurysms (4 patients with 2 aneurysms and 1 with 3 aneurysms). Twenty-four patients (75.0%) had no or mild consciousness disorder, and 8 (25.0%) had moderate to severe consciousness disorder. The aneurysms of all patients were successfully clipped and ICG-VA was performed for a total of 40 times. Five patients with multiple aneurysms underwent precise localization of the parent artery and aneurysmal body using ICG-VA before clipping. After initial clipping, ICG-VA found 3 cases of residual aneurysms. After adjusting or adding aneurismal clips, ICG-VA showed that the residues were eliminated. Three days after the surgery, CT scan showed that 1 patient had right subdural effusion with periventricular infarction, and 1 had subdural effusion. At the final follow-up, CTA or DSA showed no residual aneurysms; the GOS score of 18 patients (56.3%) were 5, 5 patients (15.6%) were 4, and 9 (28.1%) were 3. There were no cases of vegetative state or death.Conclusion:ICG-VA assisted microsurgical clipping of ruptured PCoAA can effectively avoid residual aneurysms and the clinical application value is significant.

Objective : To investigate the role of early inhibition of Toll⁃like receptor 4 (TLR4) in regulating hippampal neuroimmune responseto adolescent ratsafter neonatal hypoxic⁃ischemic brain damage(HIBD) . Methods: Postnatal day 7 rats were randomized into controlgroup , hypoxic ischemia (HI) group , and HI + TAK⁃242( the specific inhibitor of TLR4)(TAK⁃242) group. The expression of TLR4 in rat hippocampus was detected by immunohistochemistry at 3 days after HI. Immunofluorescence were used to determine the number of Iba⁃1 + , GFAP + , CD161 + , MPO + and CD3 + cells in the hippocampus at 21 days after HI. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect ICAM⁃1 and C3a expression in the hippocampal CA1 region ; and Western blot was used to detect tumor necrosis factor interleukin IL⁃1β , TNF⁃α and IL⁃10 expression. Results : Compared with control group , significantly raised TLR4 expression was observed in the left hippocampal CA1 , CA3 and DG regions(P < 0. 01 or P < 0. 05) , while the expression in the TAK⁃242 group lowered compared to the HI group (P < 0. 05) . The number of GFAP + cells in the CA1 area of the hippocampus in the TAK⁃242 group of neonatal rats decreased compared to which in the HI group at 21 days after HI(P < 0. 05) , but the number of CD3 + T lymphocytes in the hippocampal CA1 area of new born rats in the HI group increased compared to which in the Control group (P < 0. 05) , but the difference between TAK⁃242 and the Control group was not statistically significant. The number of Iba⁃1 + cells , MPO + cells , CD161 + cells , the expression of ICAM⁃1 and C3a in hippocampal CA1 region , and the expression of TNF⁃α , IL⁃1β and IL⁃10 in hippocampus of rats were not different among groups at 21 days after HIBD. Conclusion Early inhibition of TLR4 may ameliorate adolescent neuroimmune disorders by reducing the increase of hippocampal astrocytesafter neonatal HIBD.

Studies have confirmed that homocysteine is associated with ischemic stroke. This article reviews the correlation between homocysteine and ischemic stroke risk, etiological type, severity, outcome, as well as the research progress of reducing homocysteine to prevent ischemic stroke.

Background::As a non-invasive and effective diagnostic method for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), wild-use of breath test (BT) has demonstrated a high comorbidity rate in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) and SIBO. Patients overlapping with SIBO respond better to rifaximin therapy than those with IBS-D only. Gut microbiota plays a critical role in both of these two diseases. We aimed to determine the microbial difference between IBS-D overlapping with/without SIBO, and to study the underlying mechanism of its sensitivity to rifaximin.Methods::Patients with IBS-D were categorized as BT-negative (IBSN) and BT-positive (IBSP). Healthy volunteers (BT-negative) were enrolled as healthy control. The patients were clinically evaluated before and after rifaximin treatment (0.4 g bid, 4 weeks). Blood, intestine, and stool samples were collected for cytokine assessment and gut microbial analyses.Results::Clinical complaints and microbial abundance were significantly higher in IBSP than in IBSN. In contrast, severe systemic inflammation and more active bacterial invasion function that were associated with enrichment of opportunistic pathogens were seen in IBSN. The symptoms of IBSP patients were relieved in different degrees after therapy, but the symptoms of IBSN rarely changed. We also found that the presence of IBSN-enriched genera ( Enterobacter and Enterococcus) are unaffected by rifaximin therapy. Conclusions::IBS-D patients overlapping with SIBO showed noticeably different fecal microbial composition and function compared with IBS-D only. The better response to rifaximin in those comorbid patients might associate with their different gut microbiota, which suggests that BT is necessary before IBS-D diagnosis and use of rifaximin.Registration::Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800017911.

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of levosimendan on acute kidney injury after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in rats.Methods:Twenty-five healthy adult male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group ( n=5), levosimendan group ( n=10) and experimental group ( n=10). A cardiac arrest-cardiopulmonary resuscitation model was established using smothering method in the experimental group and levosimendan group. The levosimendan group was treated with levosimandan during and after resuscitation, while the experimental group was given equivalent volume of saline solution during and after resuscitation, and the control group was only given equivalent volume of saline without performance of CPR. The rats in the three groups were sacrificed at 6 h after resuscitation. The serum and kidney tissue samples were collected. Serum biochemical indicators [serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (Bun), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] were measured. HE staining and Paller score were used to identify the degree of kidney damage. Apoptosis was estimated by TUNEL staining. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK). One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the mean values of normally distributed measurement data between groups. Comparisons between groups were performed using the least significant difference t-test. Results:Scr (85.02±1.31) μmol/L, Bun (7.36±0.13) mmol/L, Paller score (7.3±0.2), IL-1β (302.20±17.35) pg/mL, IL-6 (564.60±23.24) pg/mL and TNF-α (1346±83.73) pg/mL in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group [(15.94±0.96) μmol/L, (2.95±0.18) mmol/L, (0.7±0.2), (7.27±0.44) pg/mL, (51.30±2.87) pg/mL, and (10.39±0.52) pg/mL] (all P<0.01). Compared with the experimental group, Scr (63.88±2.01) μmol/L, Bun (5.45±0.47) mmol/L, paller score (4.8±0.2), IL-1β (78.61±3.66) pg/mL, IL-6 (297.90±13.64) pg/mL and TNF-α (276.2±20.18) pg/mL were significantly decreased in the levosimendan group (all P<0.01). TUNEL staining showed that levosimendan could improve the apoptosis of renal cells ( P<0.01). The expression of p-ERK protein in the levosimendan group was significantly higher than that in the experimental group ( P<0.01). Conclusions:Lovosimendan could attenuate acute kidney injury following cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation via suppression apoptosis. The mechanism of levosimendan protective effect might be associated with activation of ERK signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between different serum uric acid (SUA) levels and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in adults.Methods:From March 2019 to February 2020, 5006 adults in Wuxi area of Taihu Sanatorium in Jiangsu Province were selected as subjects. Quintile method was divided into the following five groups: Q1: SUA<270 μmol/L, Q2: 270 μmol/L SUA 318 μmol/L or less, Q3: 319 μmol/L ≤SUA≤360 μmol/L, Q4: 361 μmol/L SUA 410 μmol/L or less, and Q5: SUA>410 μmol/L. Correlation was analyzed by logistic analysis, with IFG as the outcome index, five SUA groups as the observation index, and gender, age, body mass index (BMI), blood lipid, and blood pressure as confounding factors. Three logistic regression analysis models were constructed to explore the relationship between different SUA level groups and IFG risk, as well as the influence of BMI on the risk correlation between SUA and IFG.Results:The BMI, DBP, FPG, TC, TG, and LDL-C all increased with the increase in SUA level; however, HDL-C gradually decreased with the increase in SUA level (P<0.01). The SUA levels among the five groups were positively correlated with fasting blood glucose level in the IFG group ( r=0.589, P<0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, SUA level was strongly associated with fasting glucose in the IFG group ( r=0.534, P<0.001). After further adjustment for blood lipid and blood pressure, the correlation persisted ( r=0.523, P<0.001). With Q1 as the control group, the calculated OR values of IFG risk were 1.199, 2.660, 2.784 and 3.629, respectively. After further adjustment for various confounding factors, the calculated OR values of each group were 1.130, 2.389, 2.350 and 2.895, respectively. The IFG risk in the group with SUA level in the corresponding Q2 and Q5 groups was 1.13 times and 2.90 times higher, respectively, than that in the normal group, indicating that with the increase in SUA level, the IFG risk in the population increased. With the increase in BMI and SUA levels after BMI stratification, the mean fasting glucose level increased ( P<0.001). Conclusion:The SUA level and IFG risk are closely related. Increased SUA level increases IFG risk, and SUA and IFG are associated with weight gain, which should be paid attention to.