Objective To explore the technical process and clinical application of laparoscopic combined upper midline incision minimally invasive liver transplantation. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 30 cases of laparoscopic combined upper midline incision minimally invasive liver transplantation. The cases were divided into cirrhosis group (15 cases) and liver failure group (15 cases) based on the primary disease. The surgical and postoperative conditions of the two groups were compared. Results All patients successfully underwent laparoscopic "clockwise" liver resection, with no cases of passive conversion to open surgery or intolerance to pneumoperitoneum. In 6 cases, the right lobe was relatively large, and the right hepatic ligaments could not be completely mobilized. One case required an additional reverse "L" incision during open surgery. All patients successfully completed the liver transplantation, with no major intraoperative bleeding, cardiovascular events, or other occurrences in the 30 patients. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in the cirrhosis group was lower than that in the liver failure group (P<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, surgical time, blood loss, anhepatic phase, or cold ischemia time (all P>0.05). During the perioperative period, there was 1 case of hepatic artery embolism, 1 case of portal vein anastomotic stenosis, no complications of hepatic vein and inferior vena cava, and 3 cases of biliary anastomotic stenosis, all of which occurred in the liver failure group. Conclusions In strictly selected cases, the minimally invasive liver transplantation technique combining laparoscopic hepatectomy with upper midline incision for graft implantation has the advantages of smaller incisions, less bleeding, relatively easier operation, and faster postoperative recovery, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Objective:To investigate the anatomic classification and reconstruction of right intrahepatic bile duct in the donor liver of split liver transplantation (SLT).Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was constructed. The clinical data of 85 patients who underwent SLT in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to January 2022 were collected. There were 65 males and 20 females, aged 45(range, 1-82)years. Observation indicators: (1) surgical conditions; (2) anatomy of right intrahepatic bile duct; (3) bile duct reconstruction; (4) postoperative biliary complications; (5) follow-up. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range) or M( Q1, Q3).Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Results:(1) Surgical conditions. Of the 85 donor livers, 11 donor livers were split between the left and right hemilivers, and 74 donor livers were split between the classic right trilobe and left lateral lobe. The cold ischemia time of 85 donor livers was 291(273, 354)minutes, and the operation time, anhepatic phase time and volume of intraoperative blood transfusion of 85 recipients were (497±97)minutes, 51(40, 80)minutes and 8(7, 12)U. (2) Anatomy of right intrahepatic bile duct. Of the 85 donor livers, there were 47 donor livers with classic bile duct anatomical model (type 1), of the ratio as 55.3%(47/85), and 38 donor livers with anatomical variants, of the ratio as 44.7%(38/85). Of the 38 donor livers with anatomical variants, 7 donor livers were type 2, 16 donor livers were type 3a, 2 donor livers were type 3b, 2 donor livers were type 3c, 1 donor liver was type 4, 3 donor livers were type 5a, 4 donor livers were type 5b, 3 donor livers were type 6. For bile duct splitting patterns of the 85 donor livers, 84 donor livers were split with the main trunk of common hepatic duct preserving in the right hemiliver or right trilobe, and 1 donor liver were treated with complete left and right hemiliver splitting to preserve the main trunk of the common hepatic duct in the left hemiliver and the right hemiliver in the right hepatic duct (type 1 bile duct anatomical model). There were 84 donor livers with only one bile duct opening, and 1 donor liver with two bile duct openings (type 3c bile duct anatomical model). (3) Bile duct reconstruction. Of the 85 recipients, there were 69 recipients with common bile duct end-to-end anastomosis to common bile duct of donor liver (38 donor livers with type 1 bile duct anatomical model, 5 donor livers with type 2 bile duct anatomical model, 14 donor livers with type 3a bile duct anatomical model, 2 donor livers with type 3b bile duct anatomical model, 1 donor liver with type 4 bile duct anatomical model, 3 donor livers with type 5a bile duct anatomical model, 4 donor livers with type 5b bile duct anatomical model, 2 donor livers with type 6 bile duct anatomical model), 11 recipients with jejunum anastomosis to common bile duct of donor liver (7 donor livers with type 1 bile duct anatomical model, 2 donor livers with type 2 bile duct anatomical model, 1 donor liver with type 3c bile duct anatomical model, 1 donor liver with type 6 bile duct anatomical model), 3 recipients with jejunum anastomosis to common hepatic duct of donor liver (1 donor liver with type 1 bile duct anatomical model, 2 donor livers with type 3a bile duct anatomical model), 1 recipient with jejunum anastomosis to right hepatic duct of donor liver (type 1 bile duct anatomical model), 1 recipient with common hepatic duct end-to-end anastomosis to right posterior branch of donor liver combined with jejunum of the recipient Roux-en-y anastomosis to common hepatic duct of donor liver (type 3c bile duct anatomical model). (4) Postoperative biliary complications. Of the 85 recipients, 6 cases had postoperative biliary complications, with an incidence of 7.1% (6/85). Of the 6 recipients with postoperative biliary complications, there were 5 recipients with donor liver with type 1 bile duct anatomical model, including 3 cases undergoing postoperative biliary stricture with biliary leakage and 2 cases undergoing postoperative biliary anastomotic stricture, 1 recipient with donor liver with type 3b bile duct anatomical model and undergoing postoperative biliary anastomotic stricture and bile leakage in the liver section. Cases with biliary complications were 5 in the 47 recipients with donor liver with classic bile duct anatomical model and 1 in the 38 recipients with donor liver with anato-mical variants, showing no significant difference between them ( P>0.05). (5) Follow-up. There were 83 recipients receiving followed up for 52(12,96)months. During the follow-up period, 2 recipients died due to non-biliary complication factors (1 donor liver with type 1 bile duct anatomical model and 1 donor liver with 3a bile duct anatomical model). Conclusion:The anatomical classification of right intrahepatic bile duct of donor liver in SLT is mainly classical bile duct anatomical model, and the bile duct reconstruction scheme is mainly common bile duct of donor liver end-to-end anasto-mosis to common bile duct of recipient.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.

Background and purpose:Amplification of the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor(uPAR)gene is closely associated with poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients.uPAR regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer cells through the mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPK)signaling pathway,though the specific mechanisms remain unclear.This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which uPAR promotes proliferation,invasion,and chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer cells by inhibiting autophagy.Methods:Pancreatic cancer tissue samples were collected from patients who underwent surgical resection and biopsy at the Changsha Central Hospital,Affiliated to University of South China(Changsha Central Hospital),between December 2021 and Jun 2022.The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Changsha Central Hospital(Approval No.:2021-S0182,2022-S0084).Patient-derived organoids(PDOs)from pancreatic cancer samples were cultured in vitro.Six pancreatic cancer cell lines(AsPC-1,PANC-1,CAPAN-1,CAPAN-2,MIA PaCa-2 and PaTu8988T)were used in this study.uPAR-deficient models were constructed using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)Cas9 technology.Cell proliferation and invasion abilities were measured using confocal microscopy,Western blot,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and MTS assays.Changes in MAPK and autophagy signaling pathways and gemcitabine-induced cell death were analyzed.The synergistic effects of combined treatments were evaluated using gene silencing(siRNA)or autophagy inhibitors.Results:In AsPC-1 cells,uPAR knockout significantly reduced the proliferation and migration abilities of clone cells compared to wild-type cells,as shown by MTS assays and wound healing experiments,and decreased sensitivity to gemcitabine(P＜0.05).Re-expression of uPAR restored the proliferation and invasion abilities of clone cells and partially restored sensitivity to gemcitabine(P＜0.05).Confocal microscopy revealed reduced F-actin and a rounded morphology in clone cells.Western blot analysis showed increased expressions of E-cadherin and Slug,decreased expression of vimentin,and increased expressions of phospho-focal adhesion kinase(p-FAK),p-p38MAPK,and the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B(LC3B)in clone cells compared to wild-type cells.siRNA results indicated that silencing FAK or p38MAPK or combining autophagy inhibition could resensitize clone cells to gemcitabine(P＜0.05),with p38MAPK silencing reducing LC3B expression.Organoid studies showed varying responses to gemcitabine among 8 organoids,all expressing uPAR.uPAR expression levels were negatively correlated with gemcitabine IC50(r2=0.66,P＜0.05).Three organoids responded well to the combination of gemcitabine and autophagy inhibitors(P＜0.05).Conclusion:uPAR promotes pancreatic cancer cell activity through the p38MAPK signaling pathway,preventing FAK-mediated resistance and cell dormancy.The study suggests that pancreatic cancer patients with high uPAR expression respond better to gemcitabine,while tumors with low uPAR and high p38MAPK expressions may benefit from combined treatment with autophagy inhibitors and cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Aim To construct a diabetic atherosclerosis mouse model and study the pathological characteristics of diabetic atherosclerosis.Methods Fifty 8-week-old male LDLR-/-mice were fed with standard diet for 2 weeks and then changed to high-fat diet,they were randomly divided into two groups.The diabetic atherosclerosis group was given intraperitoneal injection of low dose streptozotocin(STZ)for 5 days continuouly to establish the model,and the atheroscle-rosis group was given citrate buffer injection at the same time.The body mass,blood glucose and blood lipids of the mice in the two groups were detected for many times.At the age of 23 weeks,the mice were euthanized after glucose tolerance test.HE staining and oil red O staining were used to detect the gross and aortic root atherosclerosis,immunohistochemical staining was used to detect CD4,α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),EGF-like module-containing mucin-like hormone re-ceptor-like 1(EMR1),monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1),NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1),matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1),Western blot was used to detect α-SMA,CD4,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),NLPR3,intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),and type Ⅰ and Ⅲ collagen.Results Compared with the atherosclerosis group,the body mass decreased,the levels of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDLC)increased,and the levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDLC)decreased(P＜0.05)in the diabetic atherosclerosis group.Compared with the atherosclerosis group,the distribution of atherosclerotic plaques was diffuse and the area was increased in the diabetic atherosclerosis group,and the contents of lipids,T cells,macrophages,smooth muscle cells,type Ⅰ and Ⅲ colla-gen were increased(P＜0.05);the protein levels of TNF-α,MCP-1,MMP-2,NLRP3,ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in vascular tissues were increased,while the content of TIMP-1 were decreased and MMP2/TIMP-1 were increased(P＜0.05).Conclusions LDLR-mouse model of diabetic atherosclerosis can be successfully established by STZ induction combined with high-fat diet,which can reflect the plaque composition and inflammatory characteristics of diabetes promoting atheroscle-rosis.It can be used as a relatively ideal pathological model for the study of diabetic macroangiopathy.

Objective:To investigate the similarities and differences of Doppler echocardiographic parameters in healthy adults among Chinese (EMINCA study), Japanese (JAMP study) and Europeans (NORRE study).Methods:Based on the published Doppler echocardiographic data of JAMP and NORRE studies, the corresponding Doppler parameters were selected from the original database of EMINCA study and stratified by sex and age groups accordingly. Independent-samples t-test, summary t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to test the differences between groups. Results:①Common Doppler parameters in three studies included: peak velocities of early diastolic (E) and late diastolic waves (A) of mitral valve inflow, E/A ratio, deceleration time (DT) of E wave, tissue velocities of early diastole (e′ ) and late diastole (a′ ) at both septal and lateral sites of the mitral annulus and the average value of e′ at both sites (average-e′), ratios of E to septal e′ (septal-E/e′), E to lateral e′ (lateral-E/e′), and E to average e′ (average-E/e′). ②Differences between genders: There existed significant gender differences for 5/10 of parameters in EMINCA study, 8/10 in JAMP study and 3/12 in NORRE study (all P<0.05). ③Stratification by sex and age groups: Except for DT for men in EMINCA study, significant differences were found in all 12 Doppler parameters both for men and women in all three studies (all P<0.05). ④Comparison between EMINCA and JAMP studies: There were statistically significant differences in 8/10 and 9/10 of parameters for men and women, respectively (all P<0.05). ⑤Comparison between EMINCA and NORRE studies: 7/12 of parameters both in men and women were significantly different between the two studies (all P<0.05). ⑥For the three studies, 6/10 of parameters both in men and women correlated positively with age ( r=0.12-0.66, all P<0.001), while 4/10 correlated negatively with age ( r=-0.27--0.72, all P<0.001). Conclusions:Doppler echocardiographic measurements in healthy adults are significantly different with genders, ages and races/nationalities. Therefore, gender, age and race/nationality-specific reference values of Doppler echocardiography parameters should be encouraged in clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate the factors for serious complications within 30 days after surgery in elderly patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC)who undertook primary debulking surgery(PDS).Methods:The clinical data of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO)stage ⅢC/Ⅳ EOC patients aged≥60 years who received PDS in gynecological department of National Cancer Center and National Center of Gerontology between January 2014 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.Clavien-Dindo scoring system was applied to grade the complications within 30 days after surgery.The serious early postoperative complications were those of grade Ⅲ or above occurred within 30 days after surgery.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent risk factors of serious complications within 30 days after surgery.Results:A total of 133 patients were included in this study and serious complications rated 11.3%(15/133). The mean age of patients in severe complication group was significantly higher than that in the control group[(69.80±6.56) vs.(65.87±5.14), t=2.699, P=0.008]. The proportion of patients with preoperative ECOG score≥2 was significantly higher in the severe complication group than that in the control group[26.7%(4/15) vs.5.9%(7/118), χ2=4.985, P=0.026], and the proportion of preoperative hypoalbuminemia(<35 g/L)was significantly higher in the severe complication group[20.0%(3/15) vs.3.4%(4/118), χ2=4.897, P=0.027]. However, there was no significant difference in intraoperative bleeding, R0 resection rate as well as surgical complexity( χ2=1.964, 0.330, 4.637, all P>0.05)between the two groups.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the independent factors for serious early postoperative complications were age≥70 years( OR=4.345, P=0.028), ECOG score≥2( OR=25.619, P=0.008)and preoperative albumin <35 g/L( OR=6.733, P=0.040). Conclusions:In the elderly ovarian cancer patients, individualized perioperative management should be strengthened for the patients with factors associated with serious early postoperative complications, in order to reduce severe complications and improve the prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect and safety of pomadomide combined with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (PCD) in the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM).Methods:The clinical data of 20 relapsed/refractory MM patients receiving PCD regimen in the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College from March 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed; and 29 relapsed/refractory MM patients receiving other regimens including DECP (dexamethasone+etoposide+cyclophosphamide+cisplatin, 13 cases) and VCD (bortezomib+ cyclophosphamide+ dexamethasone, 16 cases) during the same period were treated as the control group. The efficacy and adverse effects of both groups were compared after 4 cycles of treatment.Results:After 4 cycles of treatment, the overall response rate (ORR) and the clinical benefit rate (CBR) of 20 cases in PCD group was 70.0% (14/20) and 85.0% (17/20), respectively; among 20 cases, there were 5 cases of complete response (CR), 4 cases of very good partial remission (VGPR), 5 cases of partial remission (PR), 3 cases of minimal remission (MR), 2 cases of stable disease (SD), 1 case of the progression of the disease (PD). ORR and CBR of 29 cases in the control group was 41.4% (12/29) and 65.5% (19/29), respectively; among 29 cases, there were 2 cases of CR, 3 cases of VGPR, 7 cases of PR, 7 cases of MR, 5 cases of SD, 5 cases of PD. There was a statistically significant difference in ORR of both group ( χ2 = 3.89, P = 0.048), while the difference in CBR of both group was not statistically significant ( χ2 = 2.30, P = 0.129). There were 2 patients with renal impairment achieving CR in PCD group and 1 patient with renal impairment achieving CR in the control group ( P = 0.152); 1 genetically high-risk patient achieved CR in PCD group and none of patients in the control group achieved CR, and the difference was statistically significant ( P>0.05). The common hematological adverse effects of two groups were anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia; the common non-hematological adverse effects were malaise, infection and fatigue, and the differences were statistically significant (all P>0.05). The incidence of grade 3-4 infection was 25.0% (5/20) in PCD group and the disease was under the control after anti-infective therapy, and the incidence of grade 3-4 infection was 24.1% (7/29) in the control group; and the difference was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:PCD regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety in treatment of relapsed/refractory MM.

Objective To introduce the simplified "All in one" hepatic vein reconstruction in right split liver transplantation, and to investigate the clinical indications, surgical procedures and clinical prognosis of this technique. Methods Clinical data of 2 recipients undergoing right split liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed, and the simplified "All in one" hepatic vein reconstruction of right liver lobe was summarized and analyzed. In 2 cases, the right liver lobe was split in vivo. In case 1, the liver parenchyma was split until the first and second porta hepatis, and then the liver was obtained by whole-liver perfusion after cutting off the right hepatic duct, and the hepatic blood vessels were isolated ex vivo. In case 2, the left liver lobe was obtained during splitting in vivo and the right liver lobe was obtained after perfusion in vivo. During donor liver splitting in two cases, the common trunk of the middle hepatic vein was maintained in the left liver lobe, the S5 and S8 hepatic veins of the right liver lobe were reconstructed by the same donor iliac artery, and directly anastomosed with the gap between the left and middle hepatic veins of the inferior vena cava, thus reconstructing the integrity of the posterior inferior vena cava. Results The simplified "All in one" right hepatic vein reconstruction was adopted. The anhepatic phase of two recipients undergoing liver transplantation was 41 and 36 min. After the liver was incised open, the blood flow of the donor liver was normal, the iliac artery bypass was fully filled, liver congestion or swelling was not observed, and liver function was properly recovered after surgery. Two recipients were subject to postoperative follow-up for 23 and 10 months, respectively, No complications related to hepatic venous outflow tracts were noted, such as hepatic vein and inferior vena cava. Conclusions "All in one" hepatic vein reconstruction may simplify the procedures of hepatic venous outflow tract reconstruction, shorten the anhepatic phase and reduce the incidence of postoperative hepatic vein complications in complete right liver split transplantation.