Objective:To investigate the survival outcomes and prognostic factors in patients undergoing radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted on 992 patients who underwent radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer at the Pancreatic Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2016 to June 2024. In this study, 577 (58.2%) were male and 415 (41.8%) were female,with an age of (65±9) years (range: 26 to 86 years). Follow-up continued until June 2024. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method,and prognostic factors were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.Results:Among 992 patients,open surgery was the predominant approach (89.1%, 884/992), and radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) was performed in 317 patients (32.0%). Combined organ resection,venous resection,and arterial resection were performed in 23.5%, 9.3%,and 11.2% of patients,respectively. The rates of R0, R1-1 mm, and R1-direct resections were 49.8% (494/992),41.5% (412/992), and 8.7% (86/992),respectively. Stage ⅡB was the most common TNM stage (32.2%,319/992). A total of 801 patients (80.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 32.0(8.8) months(range:3.2 to 105.3 months),during which 508 patients (51.2%) died. The overall median survival (OS) was 26.4 months,with 1-,3-, and 5-year survival rates of 79.0%,40.0%, and 29.0%, respectively. In the recent five years (from 2020 to 2024), the median OS improved significantly to 34.1 months compared to 20.0 months from 2016 to 2019 ( P<0.01). Histological subtype analysis showed that the median OS time was 26.7 months for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, n=855),58.9 months for invasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC, n=32),and 15.7 months for adenosquamous carcinoma of pancreas (ASCP, n=73) ( P=0.001). Among PDAC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy significantly improved survival (29.1 months vs. 14.4 months, P<0.01);in IPMC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy also extended survival (65.7 months vs. 58.9 months, P=0.047). Although ASCP patients receiving chemotherapy had a longer median OS time than those without (18.8 months vs. 8.9 months),the difference was not statistically significant ( P=0.151). Multivariate Cox regression analysis in PDAC patients indicated that adjuvant chemotherapy, R0 resection, T stage,N stage,and tumor differentiation were independent prognostic factors ( P<0.01). The median OS time by TNM stage was:not reached for stage ⅠA, 51.6 months for ⅠB, 25.5 months for ⅡA, 23.7 months for ⅡB, 23.0 months for Ⅲ, and 14.4 months for Ⅳ. The median OS time for R0,R1-1 mm,and R1-direct resections was 34.1,24.7,and 15.7 months,respectively ( P<0.01). Conclusion:Adjuvant chemotherapy,R0 resection,tumor stage,and differentiation are independent prognostic factors for pancreatic body and tail cancer.

Objective:To investigate the survival outcomes and prognostic factors in patients undergoing radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted on 992 patients who underwent radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer at the Pancreatic Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2016 to June 2024. In this study, 577 (58.2%) were male and 415 (41.8%) were female,with an age of (65±9) years (range: 26 to 86 years). Follow-up continued until June 2024. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method,and prognostic factors were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.Results:Among 992 patients,open surgery was the predominant approach (89.1%, 884/992), and radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) was performed in 317 patients (32.0%). Combined organ resection,venous resection,and arterial resection were performed in 23.5%, 9.3%,and 11.2% of patients,respectively. The rates of R0, R1-1 mm, and R1-direct resections were 49.8% (494/992),41.5% (412/992), and 8.7% (86/992),respectively. Stage ⅡB was the most common TNM stage (32.2%,319/992). A total of 801 patients (80.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 32.0(8.8) months(range:3.2 to 105.3 months),during which 508 patients (51.2%) died. The overall median survival (OS) was 26.4 months,with 1-,3-, and 5-year survival rates of 79.0%,40.0%, and 29.0%, respectively. In the recent five years (from 2020 to 2024), the median OS improved significantly to 34.1 months compared to 20.0 months from 2016 to 2019 ( P<0.01). Histological subtype analysis showed that the median OS time was 26.7 months for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, n=855),58.9 months for invasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC, n=32),and 15.7 months for adenosquamous carcinoma of pancreas (ASCP, n=73) ( P=0.001). Among PDAC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy significantly improved survival (29.1 months vs. 14.4 months, P<0.01);in IPMC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy also extended survival (65.7 months vs. 58.9 months, P=0.047). Although ASCP patients receiving chemotherapy had a longer median OS time than those without (18.8 months vs. 8.9 months),the difference was not statistically significant ( P=0.151). Multivariate Cox regression analysis in PDAC patients indicated that adjuvant chemotherapy, R0 resection, T stage,N stage,and tumor differentiation were independent prognostic factors ( P<0.01). The median OS time by TNM stage was:not reached for stage ⅠA, 51.6 months for ⅠB, 25.5 months for ⅡA, 23.7 months for ⅡB, 23.0 months for Ⅲ, and 14.4 months for Ⅳ. The median OS time for R0,R1-1 mm,and R1-direct resections was 34.1,24.7,and 15.7 months,respectively ( P<0.01). Conclusion:Adjuvant chemotherapy,R0 resection,tumor stage,and differentiation are independent prognostic factors for pancreatic body and tail cancer.

AIM:This study aims to investigate whether triiodothyronine(T3)can enhance skin wound heal-ing by activating the the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase(cGAS)-stimulator of inter-feron genes(STING)signaling pathway to modulate the inflammatory phase.METHODS:Mice were randomly assigned to five groups:normal,control,T3,RU.521+T3,and RU.521(a cGAS inhibitor).With the exception of the normal group,a full-thickness skin defect model was established in the other groups.Wound healing was observed daily.Mice were euthanized on post-injury days 1,2,4,7,and 10,with five mice per group.Pathological changes and collagen fiber formation were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and Masson staining,respectively.Immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate the expression of cGAS,STING,mouse EGF-like module-containing mucin-like hormone recep-tor-like 1(EMR1 or F4/80),C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8(CXCL-8),and CXCL-10.Western blotting was conducted to measure protein levels of cGAS,STING,C-C motif chemokine ligand-2(CCL-2),and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB).En-zyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was utilized to quantify the levels of interferon-β(IFN-β),interleukin-6(IL-6),and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α).RESULTS:From days 1 to 4 post-injury,the wound healing rate and collagen fiber formation in the T3 group were significantly greater than those in the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups(P＜0.05).Additionally,the T3 group displayed more favorable pathological changes compared to the other groups.No ex-pression of cGAS and STING was observed in the normal group,while low levels were found in the RU.521+T3 and RU.521 groups.The T3 and control groups exhibited higher expression levels,with the T3 group showing significantly ele-vated expression on days 1 to 4 post-injury(P＜0.05)but lower expression on day 7 compared to the control group(P＜0.05).The expression of the macrophage marker F4/80 was higher in the T3 group compared to the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups on days 1 to 7 post-injury(P＜0.05).Furthermore,chemokines CXCL-8,CXCL-10,and CCL-2 showed increased levels in the T3 group on days 1 to 2 or 1 to 4 post-injury(P＜0.05)but were lower at other time points(P＜0.05)compared with the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups.Additionally,the levels of pro-inflammatory fac-tors IFN-β,IL-6,TNF-α,and NF-κB in the T3 group were significantly higher on day 1 post-injury(P＜0.05),while lev-els on days 2 to 7 were lower compared to the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:T3 accelerates the healing of impaired skin wounds,potentially through the enhanced activation of the cGAS-STING signal-ing pathway.This process increases the expression of chemokines and pro-inflammatory factors and promotes macrophage recruitment during the early post-injury phase,ultimately regulating the inflammatory response.

Objective To investigate the effect of midazolam on neuronal damage in ischemic stroke （IS） rats and its regulatory effect on PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 （PINK1）/E3 ubiquitin ligase （PARKIN） signaling pathway. Methods An IS rat model was established using arterial occlusion method. The rats with successful model were randomly divided into IS group, drug-low, medium, high-dose （drug-L, M, H, 30, 60, 90 mg/kg midazolam） groups, drug-H+autophagy inhibitor 3-MA group （90 mg/kg midazolam+30 mg/kg 3-MA）, and rats with only isolated blood vessels were used as sham surgery groups. Each group received corresponding doses of drugs or physiological saline intervention, and the neurological function scoring, brain histopathology, neuronal apoptosis, ultrastructure, and expression of PINK1, PARKIN, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）, and P62 protein in mitochondria were detected. Results Compared with the IS group, the pathological damage of the drug-L group, drug-M group, and drug-H group was improved, and autophagosomes showed an increasing trend, the expression of PINK1, PARKIN, and LC3 proteins increased, the neurological function score, neuronal apoptosis rate, and P62 protein obviously decreased in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.01 or P<0.001）; compared with the drug-H group, the pathological damage in the drug-H+3-MA group increased and autophagosomes decreased, the expression of PINK1, PARKIN, and LC3 proteins decreased, the neurological function score, neuronal apoptosis rate, and P62 protein obviously increased （P<0.001）. Conclusion Midazolam induced mitochondrial autophagy in IS rats by activating the PINK1/PARKIN signaling pathway, neuronal apoptosis was reduced and neuronal damage were improved in IS rats.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of pancreatic cancer surgery with arterial resection.Methods:The clinicopathological and follow-up data of 135 patients undergoing pancreatectomies with arterial resection in Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from Sep 2013 to Dec 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:There were 77 males and 58 females, with age [ M( IQR)] of 63 (14) years old. Among the 135 patients, 122 (90.4%) were distal pancreatectomies, 8 (5.9%) were pancreaticoduodenectomies, 4 (3.0%) were total pancreatectomies and 1 (0.7%) was resection for local recurrence after distal pancreatectomy. There were 120 (88.9%) celiac axis resections, 11 (8.1%) hepatic artery resections, 1 (0.7%) superior mesenteric artery resection and 3 (2.2%) other artery resections. Simultaneous portal vein-superior mesenteric vein or organ resection accounted for 26.7% (36/135) and 29.6% (40/135),respectively. The median blood loss was 300 (300) ml and the median operation time was 275 (105) minutes. The 90-day mortality rate was 7.4% (10/135). The overall morbidity rate was 70.4% (95/135) while the major morbidity rate was 18.5% (25/135). Postoperative hemorrhage occurred in 8.9% (12/135), clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula in 57.0% (77/135), bile leak in 0.74% (1/135), delayed gastric emptying in 9.6% (13/135), liver failure in 3.7% (5/135) and transient liver enzyme elevation in 44.4% (60/135). All of the 135 cases were confirmed as pancreatic cancer histologically, including 54.6% (71/130) moderately differentiated, 45.4% (59/130) poorly differentiated and no for well differentiated. The median tumor size was 4.5 (2.3) cm. The median number of harvested lymph nodes was 14 (13) and the percentage of N0, N1 and N2 according to AJCC 8th staging system was 27.1% (36/133), 52.6% (70/133) and 20.3% (27/133), respectively. The R 0 resection was achieved in 40 of 123 cases (32.5%), whose margins of specimens were assessed circumferentially based on the 1mm rule. The median overall survival time (MST) after surgery was 22.5 months, and the median progress-free survival time was 16.1 months. The overall survival rate at 1-, 2- and 5-year was 71.5%, 45.1% and 11.3%, respectively. The MST of patients who received no adjuvant therapy, chemotherapy after surgery was 8.4 months, 25.3 months, respectively. Conclusions:Pancreatectomy with arterial resection is generally safe and feasible. Survival outcome improves significantly when combined with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective:To assess the safety and efficacy of thiotepa, busulfan, and etoposide (TBE) conditioning followed by autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (TBE auto-HSCT) in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) patients.Methods:Clinical data from 27 PCNSL patients who received TBE auto-HSCT at the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital between November 1, 2021, and April 30, 2024, were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Twenty-seven patients [16 males, 11 females; median age 57 (23–72) years] were included, with 12 (44.4%, 12/27) over 60. Twenty-five had newly diagnosed PCNSL and 2 were relapsed. Median time from diagnosis to transplantation was 6.9 (5.0–10.0) months. TBE auto-HSCT increased complete remission (CR) rate from 63.0 to 96.3% ( P= 0.005), and 9 of 10 patients in partial remission achieving CR post-transplant. Median follow-up was 24.5 months (range 2.0–36.0). Two-year progress-free and OS rates were (87.2±6.9) % and (88.6±6.2) %, respectively. Common grade 3 nonhematologic adverse events were diarrhea (18.5%, 5/27) and bacterial infections (14.8%, 4/27). One patient (64 years old) died from carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection within 2 months post-transplant, yielding a 100-day treatment-related mortality of 3.7% (1/27) . Conclusion:TBE-conditioned high-dose chemotherapy with auto-HSCT is effective, safe, and well-tolerated in PCNSL patients, including the elderly.

AIM:This study aims to investigate whether triiodothyronine(T3)can enhance skin wound heal-ing by activating the the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase(cGAS)-stimulator of inter-feron genes(STING)signaling pathway to modulate the inflammatory phase.METHODS:Mice were randomly assigned to five groups:normal,control,T3,RU.521+T3,and RU.521(a cGAS inhibitor).With the exception of the normal group,a full-thickness skin defect model was established in the other groups.Wound healing was observed daily.Mice were euthanized on post-injury days 1,2,4,7,and 10,with five mice per group.Pathological changes and collagen fiber formation were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and Masson staining,respectively.Immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate the expression of cGAS,STING,mouse EGF-like module-containing mucin-like hormone recep-tor-like 1(EMR1 or F4/80),C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8(CXCL-8),and CXCL-10.Western blotting was conducted to measure protein levels of cGAS,STING,C-C motif chemokine ligand-2(CCL-2),and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB).En-zyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was utilized to quantify the levels of interferon-β(IFN-β),interleukin-6(IL-6),and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α).RESULTS:From days 1 to 4 post-injury,the wound healing rate and collagen fiber formation in the T3 group were significantly greater than those in the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups(P＜0.05).Additionally,the T3 group displayed more favorable pathological changes compared to the other groups.No ex-pression of cGAS and STING was observed in the normal group,while low levels were found in the RU.521+T3 and RU.521 groups.The T3 and control groups exhibited higher expression levels,with the T3 group showing significantly ele-vated expression on days 1 to 4 post-injury(P＜0.05)but lower expression on day 7 compared to the control group(P＜0.05).The expression of the macrophage marker F4/80 was higher in the T3 group compared to the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups on days 1 to 7 post-injury(P＜0.05).Furthermore,chemokines CXCL-8,CXCL-10,and CCL-2 showed increased levels in the T3 group on days 1 to 2 or 1 to 4 post-injury(P＜0.05)but were lower at other time points(P＜0.05)compared with the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups.Additionally,the levels of pro-inflammatory fac-tors IFN-β,IL-6,TNF-α,and NF-κB in the T3 group were significantly higher on day 1 post-injury(P＜0.05),while lev-els on days 2 to 7 were lower compared to the control,RU.521+T3,and RU.521 groups(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:T3 accelerates the healing of impaired skin wounds,potentially through the enhanced activation of the cGAS-STING signal-ing pathway.This process increases the expression of chemokines and pro-inflammatory factors and promotes macrophage recruitment during the early post-injury phase,ultimately regulating the inflammatory response.

Objective:To assess the safety and efficacy of thiotepa, busulfan, and etoposide (TBE) conditioning followed by autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (TBE auto-HSCT) in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) patients.Methods:Clinical data from 27 PCNSL patients who received TBE auto-HSCT at the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital between November 1, 2021, and April 30, 2024, were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Twenty-seven patients [16 males, 11 females; median age 57 (23–72) years] were included, with 12 (44.4%, 12/27) over 60. Twenty-five had newly diagnosed PCNSL and 2 were relapsed. Median time from diagnosis to transplantation was 6.9 (5.0–10.0) months. TBE auto-HSCT increased complete remission (CR) rate from 63.0 to 96.3% ( P= 0.005), and 9 of 10 patients in partial remission achieving CR post-transplant. Median follow-up was 24.5 months (range 2.0–36.0). Two-year progress-free and OS rates were (87.2±6.9) % and (88.6±6.2) %, respectively. Common grade 3 nonhematologic adverse events were diarrhea (18.5%, 5/27) and bacterial infections (14.8%, 4/27). One patient (64 years old) died from carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection within 2 months post-transplant, yielding a 100-day treatment-related mortality of 3.7% (1/27) . Conclusion:TBE-conditioned high-dose chemotherapy with auto-HSCT is effective, safe, and well-tolerated in PCNSL patients, including the elderly.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of pancreatic cancer surgery with arterial resection.Methods:The clinicopathological and follow-up data of 135 patients undergoing pancreatectomies with arterial resection in Pancreas Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from Sep 2013 to Dec 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:There were 77 males and 58 females, with age [ M( IQR)] of 63 (14) years old. Among the 135 patients, 122 (90.4%) were distal pancreatectomies, 8 (5.9%) were pancreaticoduodenectomies, 4 (3.0%) were total pancreatectomies and 1 (0.7%) was resection for local recurrence after distal pancreatectomy. There were 120 (88.9%) celiac axis resections, 11 (8.1%) hepatic artery resections, 1 (0.7%) superior mesenteric artery resection and 3 (2.2%) other artery resections. Simultaneous portal vein-superior mesenteric vein or organ resection accounted for 26.7% (36/135) and 29.6% (40/135),respectively. The median blood loss was 300 (300) ml and the median operation time was 275 (105) minutes. The 90-day mortality rate was 7.4% (10/135). The overall morbidity rate was 70.4% (95/135) while the major morbidity rate was 18.5% (25/135). Postoperative hemorrhage occurred in 8.9% (12/135), clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula in 57.0% (77/135), bile leak in 0.74% (1/135), delayed gastric emptying in 9.6% (13/135), liver failure in 3.7% (5/135) and transient liver enzyme elevation in 44.4% (60/135). All of the 135 cases were confirmed as pancreatic cancer histologically, including 54.6% (71/130) moderately differentiated, 45.4% (59/130) poorly differentiated and no for well differentiated. The median tumor size was 4.5 (2.3) cm. The median number of harvested lymph nodes was 14 (13) and the percentage of N0, N1 and N2 according to AJCC 8th staging system was 27.1% (36/133), 52.6% (70/133) and 20.3% (27/133), respectively. The R 0 resection was achieved in 40 of 123 cases (32.5%), whose margins of specimens were assessed circumferentially based on the 1mm rule. The median overall survival time (MST) after surgery was 22.5 months, and the median progress-free survival time was 16.1 months. The overall survival rate at 1-, 2- and 5-year was 71.5%, 45.1% and 11.3%, respectively. The MST of patients who received no adjuvant therapy, chemotherapy after surgery was 8.4 months, 25.3 months, respectively. Conclusions:Pancreatectomy with arterial resection is generally safe and feasible. Survival outcome improves significantly when combined with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: Achieving high-quality immune reconstitution (IR) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is directly associated with the patient’s ability to resist infections, prevent tumor relapses, and suppress graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The status of CD4 + T cells is critical for reconstituting adaptive immunity after transplantation; however, the patterns of reconstitution and their influencing factors remain unclear. Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved 164 patients who underwent myeloablative allo-HSCT from April 2016 to May 2023. Based on the early post-transplantation CD4 + T cell counts, the cohort was divided into two groups: 73 patients with high-quality IR (HIR) and 34 patients with low-quality IR (LIR). LIR was associated with an increased risk of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) reactivation following transplantation. Plasma EBV viral load was monitored weekly using quantitative PCR for the first 100 days post-transplantation. Results: The LIR group had a higher viral load at the time of the first EBV reactivation and a significantly earlier first reactivation compared to the HIR group. No significant differences were observed in overall survival, GVHD incidence, or relapse rates between the groups. A CD4 + T cell count of < 60 cells/μL within 30 days post-transplantation was associated with a higher incidence of EBV viremia compared to the control group. Conclusion These findings suggest that early CD4 + T cell counts may serve as a predictive marker for post-transplant EBV infection.