Malignant proliferating liver cancer cells possess the ability to detect and respond to various body signals, thereby facilitating tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. One crucial mechanism through which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells interpret these signals is crosstalk. Within liver cancer tissues, cancer cells engage in communication with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and immune cells. This interaction plays a pivotal role in regulating the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of HCC cells. Crosstalk occurs in multiple ways, each characterized by distinct functions. Its molecular mechanisms primarily involve regulating immune cell functions through the expression of specific receptors, such as CD24 and CD47, modulating cell functions by secreting cytokines like transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and mediating cell growth and proliferation by activating pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin and Hedgehog. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and interactions within crosstalk is essential for unraveling the pathogenesis of HCC. It also opens up new avenues for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. This article reviews the relationship between crosstalk and the progression of HCC, offering insights and inspiration for future research.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism* ; Liver Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Hepatic Stellate Cells/physiology* ; Disease Progression ; Signal Transduction/physiology* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation ; Hedgehog Proteins/metabolism* ; Tumor-Associated Macrophages ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor/metabolism* ; Cell Communication/physiology*

Objective To investigate the effects of meropenem and amikacin on gut microbiota diversity and composition in a neonatal rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC).Methods Neonatal SD rats(1～2 d,weighing 5～10 g,both sexes)were subjected to establish a NEC model through artificial formula feeding,hypoxic-cold stress,and lipopolysaccharide(LPS)gavage.The rats were randomly divided into normal control group(Group C,n=12),NEC group(Group N,n=20),meropenem intervention group(Group M,n=20),and amikacin intervention group(Group A,n=20).Following modeling,Group M and Group A received intraperitoneal injections of meropenem(125 mg/kg)or amikacin(468 mg/kg),twice daily for 3 consecutive days.Groups C and N were administered an equal volume of normal saline.At the end of the intervention,colonic contents or fecal samples were collected.The gut microbiota structure was analyzed using 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing.Bioinformatics analysis was performed using the QIIME2 platform.Alpha diversity was evaluated using Chao1,Shannon,and Simpson indices.Beta diversity was assessed based on Bray-Curtis distance through principal coordinate analysis(PCoA)and non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS).Venn and UpSet plots were generated to visualize the composition and overlap of operational taxonomic units(OTUs).Linear discriminant analysis effect size(LEfSe)was applied to identify differentially abundant taxa across groups.Results High-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing showed that the N group had significantly lower 3 indices of α diversity than the C group(P<0.01),that is,a Chao1 index from 230 to 40,a Shannon index from 1.65 to 0.85,and a Simpson index from 0.65 to 0.42.After antibiotic intervention,both the M group and A group obtained obvious increases in the Chao1 index than the N group(P<0.001),with a greater increase observed in the M group than in the A group(P<0.05).However,neither antibiotic group exhibited notable improvements in the Shannon index or Simpson index compared with the N group(P>0.05).Venn and UpSet analyses revealed that the M group had the highest number of unique OTUs(283),while the A group shared the most OTUs(63)with the C group.PCoA and NMDS analyses indicated that the microbial structure of the A group was closer to that of the C group,with better clustering.Taxonomic composition and LEfSe analysis demonstrated that the N group was enriched with potentially pathogenic taxa such as Escherichia coli B2 and Klebsiella under the phylum Proteobacteria,while beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae(phylum Firmicutes)were significantly reduced,indicating severe dysbiosis.In contrast,the A group exhibited a significant increase in beneficial bacteria and a structural tendency toward ecological recovery.The M group,however,was enriched with various conditionally pathogenic and environmentally associated genera,displaying a microbial configuration notably deviating from a healthy state.Conclusion Meropenem and amikacin exhibit differential regulatory effects on the intestinal microbiota in the context of NEC.Amikacin demonstrates superior efficacy in restoring microbial stability and levels of beneficial bacteria,whereas meropenem,although effective for early infection control,warrants caution due to its potential long-term impact on the gut microbiome.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel intravascular lithotripsy(IVL)balloon—Vesscrack shockwave balloon—for vascular preparation before stent implantation in patients with severe coronary artery calcification(CAC).Methods This was a prospective,single-arm,multicenter study conducted in China from June 2022 to October 2022.Patients with severe CAC were treated with the Vesscrack shockwave balloon for lesion preparation,followed by drug-eluting stent(DES)implantation.Of these,33 patients underwent optical coherence tomography(OCT).The primary endpoint was procedural success,defined as successful stent implantation with residual stenosis≤30％and the absence of in-hospital major adverse events,including cardiac death,target vessel-related myocardial infarction,or target lesion revascularization.Results A total of 170 patients[mean age:(65.9±7.9)years,116 males]were enrolled.After treatment with IVL and DES,the minimum lumen diameter increased significantly compared to baseline[(2.34±0.40)mm vs.(0.95±0.33)mm,P＜0.001],the degree of stenosis was significantly reduced[(13.24±6.60)％vs.(65.18±10.59)％,P＜0.001].Procedural success was achieved in 100％of cases,and device success was 98.8％.The 30-day patient-related cardiovascular clinical composite endpoint(POCE)rate was 0.0,with no target lesion failure,no confirmed or potential thrombotic events were observed.The shockwave energy generator demonstrated excellent stability and ease of use.Among the 33 patients assessed with OCT,after IVL intervention,the maximum calcified area of the lumen[(3.51±1.51)mm2 vs.(2.85±1.80)mm2,P＜0.001],and the minimum lumen area within the target lesion[(3.08±1.04)mm2 vs.(2.02±0.75)mm2,P＜0.001],and after DES intervention,the luminal area of the largest calcified site[(6.59±1.64)mm2 vs.(2.85±1.80)mm2,P＜0.001]and the minimum luminal area within the target lesion[(6.19±1.45)mm2 vs.(2.02±0.75)mm2,P＜0.001]were significantly increased,and the differences were statistically significant.Conclusions The Vesscrack shockwave balloon is effective and safe for vascular preparation in patients with severe CAC prior to stent implantation.It achieves significant calcified plaque modification,high procedural success rates,and minimal complications.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel intravascular lithotripsy(IVL)balloon—Vesscrack shockwave balloon—for vascular preparation before stent implantation in patients with severe coronary artery calcification(CAC).Methods This was a prospective,single-arm,multicenter study conducted in China from June 2022 to October 2022.Patients with severe CAC were treated with the Vesscrack shockwave balloon for lesion preparation,followed by drug-eluting stent(DES)implantation.Of these,33 patients underwent optical coherence tomography(OCT).The primary endpoint was procedural success,defined as successful stent implantation with residual stenosis≤30％and the absence of in-hospital major adverse events,including cardiac death,target vessel-related myocardial infarction,or target lesion revascularization.Results A total of 170 patients[mean age:(65.9±7.9)years,116 males]were enrolled.After treatment with IVL and DES,the minimum lumen diameter increased significantly compared to baseline[(2.34±0.40)mm vs.(0.95±0.33)mm,P＜0.001],the degree of stenosis was significantly reduced[(13.24±6.60)％vs.(65.18±10.59)％,P＜0.001].Procedural success was achieved in 100％of cases,and device success was 98.8％.The 30-day patient-related cardiovascular clinical composite endpoint(POCE)rate was 0.0,with no target lesion failure,no confirmed or potential thrombotic events were observed.The shockwave energy generator demonstrated excellent stability and ease of use.Among the 33 patients assessed with OCT,after IVL intervention,the maximum calcified area of the lumen[(3.51±1.51)mm2 vs.(2.85±1.80)mm2,P＜0.001],and the minimum lumen area within the target lesion[(3.08±1.04)mm2 vs.(2.02±0.75)mm2,P＜0.001],and after DES intervention,the luminal area of the largest calcified site[(6.59±1.64)mm2 vs.(2.85±1.80)mm2,P＜0.001]and the minimum luminal area within the target lesion[(6.19±1.45)mm2 vs.(2.02±0.75)mm2,P＜0.001]were significantly increased,and the differences were statistically significant.Conclusions The Vesscrack shockwave balloon is effective and safe for vascular preparation in patients with severe CAC prior to stent implantation.It achieves significant calcified plaque modification,high procedural success rates,and minimal complications.

Background/Aims: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1–3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy. Methods: We analyzed the Taiwan HCV Registry Program database to explore predictors of DAA failure in HCV patients. Fifty-five host and virological features were assessed using multivariate logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and artificial neural network. The primary outcome was undetectable HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: The training (n=23,955) and validation (n=10,346) datasets had similar baseline demographics, with an overall DAA failure rate of 1.6% (n=538). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, poor DAA adherence, and higher hemoglobin A1c were significantly associated with virological failure. XGBoost outperformed the other algorithms and logistic regression models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.000 in the training dataset and 0.803 in the validation dataset. The top five predictors of treatment failure were HCV RNA, body mass index, α-fetoprotein, platelets, and FIB-4 index. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the XGBoost model (cutoff value=0.5) were 99.5%, 69.7%, 99.9%, 97.4%, and 99.5%, respectively, for the entire dataset. Conclusions Machine learning algorithms effectively provide risk stratification for DAA failure and additional information on the factors associated with DAA failure.

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who failed antiviral therapy are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study assessed the potential role of metformin and statins, medications for diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia (HLP), in reducing HCC risk among these patients. Methods: We included CHC patients from the T-COACH study who failed antiviral therapy. We tracked the onset of HCC 1.5 years post-therapy by linking to Taiwan’s cancer registry data from 2003 to 2019. We accounted for death and liver transplantation as competing risks and employed Gray’s cumulative incidence and Cox subdistribution hazards models to analyze HCC development. Results: Out of 2,779 patients, 480 (17.3%) developed HCC post-therapy. DM patients not using metformin had a 51% increased risk of HCC compared to non-DM patients, while HLP patients on statins had a 50% reduced risk compared to those without HLP. The 5-year HCC incidence was significantly higher for metformin non-users (16.5%) versus non-DM patients (11.3%; adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio [aSHR]=1.51; P=0.007) and metformin users (3.1%; aSHR=1.59; P=0.022). Statin use in HLP patients correlated with a lower HCC risk (3.8%) compared to non-HLP patients (12.5%; aSHR=0.50; P<0.001). Notably, the increased HCC risk associated with non-use of metformin was primarily seen in non-cirrhotic patients, whereas statins decreased HCC risk in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients. Conclusions Metformin and statins may have a chemopreventive effect against HCC in CHC patients who failed antiviral therapy. These results support the need for personalized preventive strategies in managing HCC risk.

Objective To explore the anatomical basis and clinical effect of radical styloid process bone(membrance)flap pedicled with the recurrent branch of radial artery to styloid process for repairing carpal scaphoid fracture.Methods The equal lengths of the radial styloid process in 25 adult radial specimens were measured.A latex-perfused male adult upper limb specimen was dissected to observe the course and distribution of the recurrent branch of radial artery to styloid process.The clinical data of 15 patients with carpal scaphoid fracture repaired by transposition and implantation of radical styloid process bone(membrance)flap pedicled with the recurrent branch of radial artery to styloid process were retrospectively analyzed,and the therapeutic effect was analyzed.Results The length of the radial styloid process measured on 25 radial specimens was 11 to 16 mm.Dissection of the latex-perfused male adult upper limb specimens revealed:the radial artery in the snuffbox emitted a thicker dorsal carpal branch to the ulnar side at(1.2±0.2)cm below the styloid process,and then sent a branch proximally back to the styloid process.The fracture line of 15 patients disappeared after surgery,with a fracture healing rate of 100%,and a mean healing time of 12 weeks;the Krimmer wrist joint function score showed that 6 cases were excellent,7 cases were good,and 2 cases were acceptable,with excellent and good rate of 86.7%;patients had lower postoperative pain visual analogue scale scores compared with those before surgery,the difference was significant(P<0.05).Conclusion Measuring the radial styloid process of the physical specimen and observing the course and distribution of the recurrent branch of radial artery to styloid process in adult upper limb specimens can guide the formulation of surgical plan for the treatment of carpal scaphoid fractures in clinic.The transposition and implantation of radical styloid process bone(membrance)flap pedicled with the recurrent branch of radial artery to styloid process can effectively promote fracture healing,and reduce the risk of delayed healing,which has good postoperative recovery of wrist joint function and definite clinical effect in the treatment of carpal scaphoid fractures.

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of bortezomib or thalidomide combined with recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO)in the treatment of multiple myeloma(MM).Methods:A total of 80 patients with MM who were treated in the Second People's Hospital ofWuhu from January 2013 to December 2018 were selected as the research subjects,and they were divided into bortezomib group(n=40)and thalidomide group(n=40)by the simple randomization method.The bortezomib group received bortezomib regimen combined with rhEPO therapy,and the thalidomide group was given thalidomide regimen combined with rhEPO therapy,and all patients were treated for 3 courses with every 3 weeks as a course of treatment.The clinical efficacy after 3 courses of treatment,and tumor-related biochemical indicators[lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),β 2-microglobulin([3 2-MG),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),apoptosis inhibitory protein Survivin],bone marrow-related indicators[serum M-protein,bone marrow plasma cells,hemoglobin(Hb)]and coagulation function indicators[activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT),prothrombin time(PT),plasminogen activator inhibitor(PAI),total circulating microparticles(TMPs)]before treatment and after 3 courses of treatment were compared between the two groups of patients.The occurrence of adverse reactions during the treatment in the two groups of patients was recorded.Results:After 3 courses of treatment,the ORR rate of 92.5％in bortezomib group was higher than 90.0％in thalidomide group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).The levels of LDH,[3 2-MG,VEGF,Survivin,serum M-protein,bone marrow plasma cells,APTT,PT,PAI and TMPs in the two groups after 3 courses of treatment were significantly lower or shorter than those before treatment,and the above indicators in bortezomib group were significantly lower or shorter than those in thalidomide group(P＜0.05).After 3 courses of treatment,the expression level of Hb in the two groups was significantly higher than that before treatment,and the Hb level in bortezomib group was significantly higher than that in thalidomide group(P＜0.05).During the treatment process,the incidence rates of adverse reactions in bortezomib group were significantly lower than those in thalidomide group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Thalidomide regimen or bortezomib regimen combined with rhEPO has similar clinical efficacy on MM,but bortezomib regimen combined with rhEPO is more prominent and safer on improving tumor-related biochemical indicators,bone marrow-related indicators and coagulation status in patients with MM.

Objective To compare the perioperative efficacy and safety of da Vinci robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors through subxiphoid versus lateral thoracic approaches under the laryngeal mask anesthesia. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 102 patients with anterior-mediastinal tumors treated by RATS under laryngeal mask anesthesia completed by the same operator. Forty-five patients underwent the subxiphoid approach (subxiphoid group), and 57 patients were treated with the lateral thoracic approach (lateral thoracic group). The operating time, intraoperative bleeding, and total postoperative drainage volume in the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results All patients successfully completed resection of the anterior mediastinal tumor without the occurrence of perioperative death. In terms of total postoperative drainage volume, postoperative drainage time, postoperative hospital stay, and VAS pain on postoperative days 2 and 3, the subxiphoid group was more advantages (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of operative time, docking time, total operative time, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative day 1 VAS pain score, or postoperative complications (P > 0.05). Conclusion The subxiphoid approach of RATS is safe and feasible for resection of anterior mediastinal tumors. Compared with the lateral thoracic approach, the subxiphoid approach has advantages in terms of rapid postoperative recovery and postoperative pain.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic systemic autoimmune disease, is characterized by synovitis and progressive damage to the bone and cartilage of the joints, leading to disability and reduced quality of life. This study was a randomized clinical trial comparing the outcomes between withdrawal and dose reduction of tofacitinib in patients with RA who achieved sustained disease control. METHODS: The study was designed as a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients who were taking tofacitinib (5 mg twice daily) and had achieved sustained RA remission or low disease activity (disease activity score in 28 joints [DAS28] ≤3.2) for at least 3 months were enrolled at six centers in Shanghai, China. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to one of three treatment groups: continuation of tofacitinib (5 mg twice daily); reduction in tofacitinib dose (5 mg daily); and withdrawal of tofacitinib. Efficacy and safety were assessed up to 6 months. RESULTS: Overall, 122 eligible patients were enrolled, with 41 in the continuation group, 42 in the dose-reduction group, and 39 in the withdrawal group. After 6 months, the percentage of patients with a DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of <3.2 was significantly lower in the withdrawal group than that in the reduction and continuation groups (20.5%, 64.3%, and 95.1%, respectively; P  < 0.0001 for both comparisons). The average flare-free time was 5.8 months for the continuation group, 4.7 months for the dose reduction group, and 2.4 months for the withdrawal group. CONCLUSION: Withdrawal of tofacitinib in patients with RA with stable disease control resulted in a rapid and significant loss of efficacy, while standard or reduced doses of tofacitinib maintained a favorable state. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chictr.org, ChiCTR2000039799.
Humans ; Quality of Life ; China ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Piperidines/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Pyrroles/therapeutic use*