OBJECTIVES: To investigate the inhibitory effect of multimerin-2 (MMRN2) overexpression on growth and metastasis of cutaneous melanoma cells. METHODS: Clinical data of patients with cutaneous melanoma were obtained from the GEO database to compare MMRN2 expressions between normal and tumor tissues. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database, and the intersecting genes from GEPIA2.0 were subjected to GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. The prognostic relevance of MMRN2 expression level was assessed using Cox regression and "timeROC". The correlations of MMRN2 expression level with immune infiltration and angiogenesis-related genes were analyzed using GSCA database and the ssGSEA algorithm. Colony-forming assay, Transwell assay, and wound healing assay were used to examine the changes in proliferation and migration of cultured cutaneous melanoma cells following MMRN2 knockdown. In a mouse model bearing cutaneous melanoma xenograft, the effect of MMRN2 knockdown on vital organ pathologies, survival of the mice and GM-CSF, CXCL9, and TGF‑β1 protein expressions were analyzed. RESULTS: MMRN2 was significantly upregulated in metastatic cutaneous melanoma (P<0.001). Protein interaction network analysis identified 15 intersecting genes, which were enriched in endothelium development and cell-cell junctions. In patients with cutaneous melanoma, a high MMRN2 expression was correlated with a poor prognosis, an advanced T stage, a greater Breslow depth, and ulceration (P<0.05). MMRN2 expression level was strongly correlated with 24 immune cell types (P<0.001), fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and expressions of the pro-angiogenic genes (KCNJ8, SLCO2A1, NRP1, and COL3A1; P<0.001). In cultured B16F10 cells, MMRN2 knockdown significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion and caused remo-deling of the immunosuppressive microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS MMRN2 overexpression drives progression of cutaneous melanoma by enhancing tumor metastasis, angiogenesis and immune evasion, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for melanomas.
Humans ; Melanoma/metabolism* ; Animals ; Cell Movement ; Prognosis ; Skin Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Mice ; Cell Proliferation ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Protein Interaction Maps

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

In recent years, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the fastest growing pathogenic factor of primary liver cancer (PLC). Compared with virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), HCC associated with NAFLD has a unique immune microenvironment, and combined treatment with corresponding targets can improve the immunetherapeutic efficacy. However, prospective studies are still needed for the immunotherapy response of different causes of PLC is different and the therapeutic efficacy has not reached consensus. The high-level evidence of etiology stratification, personalized precision immunotherapy and combinational therapy may be the future milestones in this area. We hereby reviews the epidemiology, tumor microenvironment, and immunotherapy of NAFLD-related HCC.

Objective To investigate the value of adjusting antiplatelet treatment regimens guided by thromboelastography(TEG)in predicting cerebral ischemic events after stent-assisted embolization of intracranial aneurysms.Methods This study retrospectively and consecutively enrolled patients with intracranial aneurysms who underwent stent-assisted coil embolization admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery of the General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command,from March 2022 to May 2024.Baseline and clinical data of the patients,including gender,age,hypertension,diabetes,dyslipidemia,smoking history,drinking history,and intraoperative use of tirofiban were collected.Antiplatelet therapy(conventional dose aspirin[100 mg once daily]+clopidogrel[75 mg once daily])was initiated immediately after the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysm,and TEG was performed 3 days later.According to the platelet inhibition rate in TEG parameters(platelet inhibition rate induced by arachidonic acid[AA]pathway[AA inhibition rate]or adenosine diphosphate[ADP]pathway[ADP inhibition rate],AA inhibition rate ≥ 50％indicated aspirin effectiveness,AA inhibition rate＜50％indicated aspirin resistance;ADP inhibition rate ≥ 30％indicated clopidogrel effectiveness,ADP inhibition rate＜30％indicated clopidogrel resistance),the patients were divided into the control group(TEG test results met the criteria,i.e.,AA inhibition rate ≥ 50％and ADP inhibition rate ≥ 30％),the conventional dual antiplatelet therapy group(TEG test results did not meet the criteria but were not adjusted for antiplatelet therapy,i.e.,AA inhibition rate＜50％and/or ADP inhibition rate＜30％,but with complex aneurysm morphology[such as irregular shape,daughter sac formation]or high bleeding risk,continuing conventional dual antiplatelet therapy),and the intensified group(TEG test results did not meet the criteria and the antiplatelet therapy regimen was adjusted,i.e.,AA inhibition rate＜50％and/or ADP inhibition rate＜30％,adjusting the antiplatelet therapy regimen).All patients underwent stent-assisted coil embolization after TEG testing.From 0 to 3 months after the operation,all three groups maintained the above antiplatelet therapy.At 3 months after the operation,routine head MRI,CT and other examinations were performed.If no cerebral ischemic events occurred and the imaging results were satisfactory(good stent position,no aneurysm occlusion residual or slight residual at the neck[neck width of the aneurysm 2mm]),the treatment could be adjusted to single antiplatelet therapy(aspirin 100 mg once daily).If a patient experienced a cerebral ischemic event during the follow-up period,regardless of the stage after the operation,dual antiplatelet therapy(aspirin[100mg once daily]+clopidogrel[75 mg once daily])was immediately restarted or maintained and continued for at least 6 months.The primary endpoint was intraoperative and 6-months postoperative cerebral ischemic events(including DSA-confirmed intraoperative acute thrombosis and infarction foci confirmed by head CT or MRI).Baseline and clinical data of the three groups were compared.All patients were divided into groups with ischemic stroke event and without according to the primary endpoint,univariate Logistic regression analysis was then performed on both groups.Variables with P＜0.1 in the univariate Logistic regression analysis were included in the multivariate Logistic regression analysis to explore the influencing factors of cerebral ischemic events after stent-assisted coil embolization for intracranial aneurysms.Results A total of 499 patients were included,including 178 males and 321 females,with a median age of 59(53,68)years.Among them,there were 341 patients in the control group,42 in the conventional dual antiplatelet therapy group,and 116 in the intensified group.There were 47 cases of cerebral ischemic events and 452 cases without cerebral ischemic events.There was a statistically significant difference in the intraoperative use rate of tirofiban across the control group,the conventional dual antiplatelet therapy group,and the intensified group(20.2％[69/341]vs.26.2％[11/42]vs.42.2％[49/116],P＜0.01);no statistically significant differences were observed among the three groups in terms of age,gender composition,the proportion of patients with hypertension,diabetes,dyslipidemia,smoking history,drinking history,and the incidence of cerebral ischemic events(all P＞0.05).The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension(OR,2.924,95％CI 1.416-6.037,P=0.004)and intraoperative use of tirofiban(OR,3.638,95％CI 1.892-6.996,P＜0.01)were independent risk factors for intraoperative and 6-months postoperative cerebral ischemic events after stent-assisted coil embolization in patients with intracranial aneurysms.In comparison with the control group,the intensified group has reduced the risk of cerebral ischemic events(OR,0.238,95％CI 0.088-0.646,P=0.005),while there was no statistically significant difference between the conventional dual antiplatelet therapy group and the control group(OR,0.521,95％CI 0.149-1.826,P=0.308).Conclusions This study demonstrates that adjusting the antiplatelet therapy regimens in patients with intracranial aneurysms who did not meet the platelet inhibition rate based on TEG results can significantly reduce the risk of intraoperative and 6-months postoperative cerebral ischemic events.These finding may require validation through further,large-scaled,prospective studies.

Objective:To explore the application value of real-time virtual sonography (RVS) combined with intraductal biliary contrast-enhanced ultrasound (IB-CEUS) in percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD).Methods:This retrospective cohort study included data from 71 patients who underwent PTCD at the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between May 2021 and August 2022. There were 36 male and 35 female patients,aged 35 to 94 years. Based on the guidance modality used,patients were divided into two groups: the RVS combined with IB-CEUS group ( n=36) and the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) group ( n=35). PTCD was performed under the guidance of RVS combined with IB-CEUS in the RVS+IB-CEUS group,and under conventional DSA fluoroscopic guidance in the DSA group. Two clinicians classified the biliary conditions as either simple or complex based on preoperative ultrasound and CT (or MRI) imaging. Statistical analyses were conducted using independent sample t-tests,rank-sum tests, χ2 tests,or Fisher′s exact tests,as appropriate. Results:Significant differences were observed between the RVS+IB-CEUS group and the DSA group in terms of the number of punctures (1.0±0.2 vs. 2.2±1.4, t=-5.148, P<0.01) and postoperative complication rate(2.8% (1/35) vs. 17.1% (6/36), P=0.049). There were 9 patients with complex biliary conditions in the DSA group and 12 in the RVS+IB-CEUS group. The number of punctures in both the simple and complex subgroups of the RVS+IB-CEUS group(1.0±0.2 and 1.0±0.0) remained lower than that in the corresponding DSA subgroups(2.2±1.6 and 2.4±0.4) ( t=-3.606, P<0.01; t=-3.959, P=0.002). Moreover,the complication rate in the simple biliary subgroup of the RVS+IB-CEUS group was significantly lower than that of the DSA group(0 (0/24) vs. 19.2% (5/26), P=0.031),whereas no significant difference was found in the complex biliary subgroup (1/12 vs. 1/9, P=0.686). Conclusion:Guided by RVS and IB-CEUS, PTCD can help reduce the number of punctures during surgery and postoperative complications, and patients with complex bile duct conditions can still benefit from PTCD.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Objective To observe the value of whole-brain CT perfusion(CTP)parameters at different time and clinical data for predicting delayed cerebral ischemia(DCI)and 3-month poor prognosis in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(aSAH).Methods Totally 127 aSAH patients were retrospectively enrolled.Clinical and CTP data within 24 h of symptom onset and during DCI time window(DCITW)were collected.The patients were divided into DCI group(n=34)and non-DCI group(n=93)based on DCI occurred or not during hospitalization,also into poor outcome group(modified Rankin scale[mRS]≥3,n=36)and good outcome group(mRS≤2)based on 3-month's follow-up.Multivariate logistic regression was performed to select independent predictive factors among variates being significantly different between groups.Then receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn,and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated to evaluate the predictive performance of logistic regression model.Results Patients'age,modified Fisher score(mFS),subarachnoid hemorrhage early brain edema score(SEBES)and mean flow extraction product(mFEP)within 24 h of onset were all identified as independent predictive factors of DCI,and the AUC of their combination for predicting DCI during hospitalization was 0.817.Patients' age and mFS within 24 h of onset,alternatively,World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies(WFNS)grade and mFEP during DCITW were all independent predictive predictors of 3 months' prognosis,and the combination of the latter two showed better predictive performance(AUC=0.922)tahn the former two(AUC=0.822,P＜0.05).Conclusion Whole-brain CTP parameters combined with clinical data within 24 h of onset of aSAH could be used to predict the occurrence of DCI during hospitalization,whole-brain CTP parameters during DCITW could be used to predict 3 months'poor prognosis.