Background and aims:Inflammatory factors play significant roles in the development and occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the tumor-protective functions of growth differentiation factors(GDFs)in HCC are yet to be clarified.In this study,we aimed to evaluate the expression levels of 10 GDFs in tumor and paratumor tissues from patients with HCC and perform in vitro and in vivo ex-periments to elucidate the role of GDF7 in regulating the proliferation and metastasis of HCC.Methods:The gene expression of 10 GDFs was compared between HCC and paratumors using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and patient-derived tissues.A tumor microarray containing 108 HCC tissue samples was used to explore the prognostic value of GDF7 expression.Loss-of-function experiments were also performed in vitro and in vivo to investigate the role of GDF7 in HCC.Results:The mRNA and protein levels of GDF7 were significantly lower in HCC tumors than in para-tumors(P＜0.001).Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that decreased GDF7 expression in HCC was asso-ciated with worse overall survival(5-year rate:61.8％vs.27.5％,P＜0.001)and increased recurrence risk(P＜0.001).Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that low GDF7 expression,the presence of microvascular invasion,and elevated alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)levels were independent risk factors for tumor recurrence and poor survival.Downregulation of GDF7 also increased the tumor growth in HCC cells and in an HCC xenograft model.GDF7 knockdown promoted migration and invasion via epithelial-mesenchymal transition.Meanwhile,a negative correlation between JunB proto-oncogene(JUNB)and GDF7 was observed in HCC tissues.Modulating JUNB levels altered GDF7 protein expression.Conclusions:GDF7 is a potential biomarker for predicting superior outcomes in patients with HCC.GDF7 amplification is a potential therapeutic option for HCC.

Liver cancer patients scheduled for liver transplantation (LT) are frequently accompanied by liver cirrhosis.Within a state of long-term malnutrition and inflammatory stress, they are prone to sarcopenia with a poor efficacy of LT.Influenced by such multiple factors as surgery, infections and metabolic disorders, there is an elevated risk of exacerbation or a new onset of sarcopenia after LT.Therefore meticulous managements of sarcopenia are required throughout all aspects and periods of LT.A refined recipient stratification system of sarcopenia can accurately predict the efficacy of LT and its evaluating system has been becoming more precise, diverse and intelligent.Currently basic researches of sarcopenia have remained in infancy and its interactions with the related organs have become a novel research field.Sarcopenia has become an emerging challenge of LT for liver cancer.Further mechanistic explorations of sarcopenia are warranted and clinical precision managements should be further optimized.

Tumor recurrence is one of the major life-threatening complications after liver transplantation for liver cancer. In addition to the common mechanisms underlying tumor recurrence, another unavoidable problem is that the immunosuppressive therapeutic regimen after transplantation could promote tumor recurrence and metastasis. Transplant oncology is an emerging field that addresses oncological challenges in transplantation. In this context, a comprehensive therapeutic management approach is required to balance the anti-tumor treatment and immunosuppressive status of recipients. Double-negative T cells (DNTs) are a cluster of heterogeneous cells mainly consisting of two subsets stratified by T cell receptor (TCR) type. Among them, TCRαβ⁺ DNTs are considered to induce immune suppression in immune-mediated diseases, while TCRγδ⁺ DNTs are widely recognized as tumor killers. As a composite cell therapy, healthy donor-derived DNTs can be propagated to therapeutic numbers in vitro and applied for the treatment of several malignancies without impairing normal tissues or being rejected by the host. In this work, we summarized the biological characteristics and functions of DNTs in oncology, immunology, and transplantation. Based on the multiple roles of DNTs, we propose that a new balance could be achieved in liver transplant oncology using them as an off-the-shelf adoptive cell therapy (ACT).
Humans ; T-Lymphocytes ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy

Objective To analyze the educational characteristics of physical therapy in universities of United States, and provide reference for the international development of rehabilitation therapy education in China.Methods Based on the data collected from the official websites of three universities in the United States and the databases at home and abroad, combined with the author's learning experience, the characteristics of physical therapy education in universities of United States in detail was analyzed.Results Characteristics of physical therapy education in universities of United States had strict accreditation system, course objectives oriented by practicing competence, comprehensive curriculum plan, educational concept of student-centered, high level of teaching informatization, diversified teaching and learning evaluation system, which conformed to the goal of rehabilitation competency of World Health Organization.Conclusion Physical therapy education in United States has remarkable characteristics and a well-developed system, which has certain reference value for China.

Objective To investigate the clinical effectiveness of foam sclerotherapy for lower extremity varicose vein with deep venous valve incompetence.Methods A retrospective study was carried out in 124 patients (185 limbs) receiving foam sclerotherapy in our department.Sixty-one limbs diagnosed as deep venous valve incompetence were categorized as the observation group,while 124 limbs without that were the control group.The main outcome were success rate,remission rate of various symptoms and signs,the scores of CEAP and CIVIQ.Results The follow up rate was 69.3％,and the follow-up period ranged from one to nine months.There was no statistical difference in the success rate between the observation group (93.4％) and control group (94.4％)(P＞0.05).However,the symptom of heaviness and oedema and the CIVIQ scores in observation group be inferior to the control group,and the difference of them were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion Deep venous valve incompetence could not decrease the success rate of foam sclerotherapy,but may influence the remission of some symptoms.It should be supplemented with medical elastic stockings or ringing of femoral veins.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride on extubation stress response in elderly pa-tients during general anesthesia recovery period. METHODS:80 patients underwent general anesthesia of abdominal surgery were randomly divided into observation group and control group,with 40 cases in each group. Both groups received routine anesthesia before surgery and during surgery. 10 min before the end of surgery,observation group was given intravenous pump of dexmedeto-midine hydrochloride diluted to 10 ml 0.5 μg/kg,and control group was given constant volume of 10 ml 0.9% Sodium chloride so-lution. HR,MAP and SaO2 levels of 2 groups were compared before the induction of anesthesia (T0),at the moment of intrave-nous injection of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride or 0.9%Sodium chloride solution(T1),at the moment immediately before extuba-tion(T2),at the moment of extubation(T3),1 min after extubation(T4),5 min after extubation(T5)and 10 min after extubation (T6). Ramsay sedation score of 2 groups were compared at T0,T2,T4,T5 and T6;cough score,restlessness score,awake time(t1) and extubation time(t2)were also compared between 2 groups. RESULTS:Compared with at T0,the fluctuation of HR and MAR in 2 groups decreased significantly and became stable gradually at T4,T5 and T6,and HR and MAP of observation group at T1-T6 were significartly lower than those of control group,with statistical significance(P<0.05);but there was no statistical significance in SaO2 (P>0.05). There was statistical significance in Ramsay sedation score between 2 groups at T2,T4,T5 and T6 (P<0.05). The cough score and restlessness score of observation group were significantly lower than those of control group,and t1 and t2 were significantly shorter than those of control group,with statistical significance(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Dexmedetomidine hydro-chloride can relieve extubation stress reaction in elderly patients during general anesthesia recovery period with good safety.