The latest research progress on minimally invasive treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.Due to the high prevalence of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection in China,the incidence of HCC in China is high,and liver cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis also brings great challenges to treatment.This paper reviewed the latest research progress on minimally invasive treatments for HCC,including percutaneous thermal ablation and new nonthermal ablation techniques,and introduced the principles,advantages,and clinical applications of various therapeutic methods in detail.Data sources:The data of treatments for HCC were systematically collected from the Pub Med,Science Direct,American Chemical Society and Web of Science databases published in English,using“minimally invasive”and“hepatocellular carcinoma”or“liver cancer”as the keywords.Results:Percutaneous thermal ablation is still a first-line strategy for the minimally invasive treatment of HCC.The effect of microwave ablation(MWA)on downgrading treatment before liver transplantation is better than that of radiofrequency ablation(RFA),while RFA is more widely used in the clinical practice.High-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU)is mainly used for the palliative treatment of advanced liver cancer.Electrochemotherapy(ECT)delivers chemotherapeutic drugs to the target cells while reducing the blood supply around HCC.Irreversible electroporation(IRE)uses a microsecond-pulsed electric field that induces apoptosis and necrosis and triggers a systemic immune response.The nanosecond pulsed electric field(ns PEF)has achieved a good response in the ablation of mice with HCC,but it has not been reported in China for the treatment of human HCC.Conclusions:A variety of minimally invasive treatments provide a sufficient survival advantage for HCC patients.Nonthermal ablation will lead to a new wave with its unique advantage of antitumor recurrence and metastasis.

Characterization of oral and gut microbiome and plasma metabolomics in COVID-19 patients after 1-year follow-up

Background:Due to the outbreak and rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),more than 160 million patients have become convalescents worldwide to date.Significant alterations have occurred in the gut and oral microbiome and metabonomics of patients with COVID-19.However,it is unknown whether their characteristics return to normal after the 1-year recovery.Methods:We recruited 35 confirmed patients to provide specimens at discharge and 1 year later,as well as 160healthy controls.A total of 497 samples were prospectively collected,including 219 tongue-coating,129 stool and 149 plasma samples.Tongue-coating and stool samples were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing,and plasma samples were subjected to untargeted metabolomics testing.Results:The oral and gut microbiome and metabolomics characteristics of the 1-year convalescents were restored to a large extent but did not completely return to normal.In the recovery process,the microbial diversity gradually increased.Butyric acid-producing microbes and Bifidobacterium gradually increased,whereas lipopolysaccharideproducing microbes gradually decreased.In addition,sphingosine-1-phosphate,which is closely related to the inflammatory factor storm of COVID-19,increased significantly during the recovery process.Moreover,the predictive models established based on the microbiome and metabolites of patients at the time of discharge reached high efficacy in predicting their neutralizing antibody levels one year later.Conclusions:This study is the first to characterize the oral and gut microbiome and metabonomics in 1-year convalescents of COVID-19.The key microbiome and metabolites in the process of recovery were identified,and provided new treatment ideas for accelerating recovery.And the predictive models based on the microbiome and metabolomics afford new insights for predicting the recovery situation which benefited affected individuals and healthcare.

Inhibitory effects of saikosaponin-d on CCl_4-induced hepatic fibrogenesis in rats

AIM: To investigate the suppressive effect of saikosaponin-d (SSd) on hepatic fibrosis in rats induced by CCl4 injections in combination with alcohol and high fat, low protein feeding and its relationship with the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins-6 (IL-6). METHODS: Hepatic fibrosis models were induced by subcutaneous injection of CCl4 at a dosage of 3 mL/kg in rats. At the same time, rats in treatment groups were injected intraperitoneally with SSd at different doses (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg) once daily for 6 wk in combination with CCl4, while the control group received olive oil instead of CCl4. At the end of the experiment, rats were anesthetized and killed (except for 8 rats which died during the experiment; 2 from the model group, 3 in high-dose group, 1 in medium-dose group and 2 in low- dose group). Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Van Gieson staining were used to examine the changes in liver pathology. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglyeride (TG), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), hyaluronic acid (HA) and laminin (LN) in serum and the content of hydroxyproline (HYP) in liver were measured by biochemical examinations and radioimmuneoassay, respectively. In addition, the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in liver homogenate was evaluated by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the levels of NF-κBp65 and I-κBα in liver tissue were analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Both histological examination and Van Gieson staining demonstrated that SSd could attenuate the area and extent of necrosis and reduce the scores of liver fibrosis. Similarly, the levels of ALT, TG, GLB, HA, andLN in serum, and the contents of HYP, TNF-α and IL-6 in liver were all significantly increased in model group in comparison with those in control group. Whereas, the treatment with SSd markedly reduced all the above parameters compared with the model group, especially in the medium group (ALT: 412 ± 94.5 IU/L vs 113.76 ± 14.91 IU/L, TG: 0.95 ± 0.16 mmol/L vs 0.51 ± 0.06 mmol/L, GLB: 35.62 ± 3.28 g/L vs 24.82 ± 2.73 g/L, HA: 42.15 ± 8.25 ng/mL vs 19.83 ± 3.12 ng/mL, LN: 27.56 ± 4.21 ng/mL vs 13.78 ± 2.57 ng/mL, HYP: 27.32 ± 4.32 μg/mg vs 16.20 ± 3.12 μg/mg, TNF-α: 4.38 ± 0.76 ng/L vs 1.94 ± 0.27 ng/L, IL-6: 28.24 ± 6.37 pg/g vs 12.72 ± 5.26 pg/g, respectively, P < 0.01). SSd also decreased ALB in serum (28.49 ± 4.93 g/L vs 37.51 ± 3.17 g/L, P < 0.05). Moreover, the expression of NF-κB p65 in the liver of treated groups was lower than that in model groups while the expression of I-κBα was higher in treated group than in model group (P < 0.01). The expression of NF-κBp65 and TNF-α had a positive correlation with the level of HA in serum of rats after treatment with CCl4 (r = 0.862, P < 0.01; r = 0.928, P < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: SSd attenuates CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats, which may be related to its effects of hepato-protective and anti-inflammation properties, the down-regulation of liver TNF-α, IL-6 and NF-κBp65 expression and the increased I-κBα activity in liver.

Recent progress in pulsed electric field ablation for liver cancer

The number of liver cancer patients is likely to continue to increase in the coming decades due to the aging of the population and changing risk factors.Traditional treatments cannot meet the needs of all patients.New treatment methods evolved from pulsed electric field ablation are expected to lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of liver cancer.This paper reviews the safety and efficacy of irreversible electroporation in clinical studies,the methods to detect and evaluate its ablation effect,the improvements in equipment and its antitumor effect,and animal and clinical trials on electrochemotherapy.We also summarize studies on the most novel nanosecond pulsed electric field ablation techniques in vitro and in vivo.These research results are certain to promote the progress of pulsed electric field in the treatment of liver cancer.

The predictive value of serum S1P and STIM1 levels after PCI for in-stent restenosis and their correlation with angiogenesis and inflammatory response

Objective:To study the predictive value of serum S1P and STIM1 levels after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for in-stent restenosis and their correlation with angiogenesis and inflammatory response.Methods:130 patients who received PCI in our hospital between June 2013 and December 2016 were selected and divided into restenosis group and non-restenosis group according to the coronary angiography results 6-24 months after PCI. The serum levels of S1P, STIM1, angiogenesis molecules and inflammation molecules were detected 24 hours after PCI.Results:Serum S1P, NO, VEGF, Angptl2 and Angptl4 levels of restenosis group were significantly lower than those of non-restenosis group while STIM1, IFN-γ, IL-18, VCAM-1, P-selectin and L-selectin levels were significantly higher than those of non-restenosis group;serum NO, VEGF, Angptl2 and Angptl4 levels of restenosis group with lower STIM1 were significantly higher those of restenosis group with normal STIM1;serum IFN-γ, IL-18, VCAM-1, P-selectin and L-selectin levels of restenosis group with lower S1P were significantly higher than those of restenosis group with normal S1P.Conclusion:The decreased serum S1P and increased STIM1 after PCI have prediction value for in-stent restenosis and are closely related to the angiogenesis disorder and inflammation activation.

Corrosion resistance of Zn-AI layered double hydroxide/ poly（lactic acid） composite coating on magnesium alloy AZ31

A Zn-AI layered double hydroxide （ZnAI-LDH） coating consisted of uniform hexagonal nano-plates was firstly synthesized by co-precipitation and hydrothermal treatment on the AZ31 alloy, and then a poly（lactic acid） （PLA） coating was sealed on the top layer of the ZnAI-LDH coating using vacuum freeze-drying. The characteristics of the ZnAI-LDH/PLA composite coatings were investigated by means of XRD, SEM, FTIR and EDS. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was assessed by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS）. The results showed that the ZnAI-LDH coating contained a compact inner layer and a porous outer layer, and the PLA coating with a strong adhesion to the porous outer layer can prolong the service life of the ZnAI-LDH coating. The excellent corrosion resistance of this composite coating can be attributable to its barrier function, ion-exchange and self-healing ability.

Prevalence of wearing-off and dyskinesia among the patients with Parkinson’s disease on levodopa therapy: a multi-center registry survey in China's Mainland

Objective:Chronic levodopa(L-dopa)treatment in Parkinson’s disease(PD)is often associated with the development of motor complications,but the corresponding epidemiological data is rare in Chinese PD patients.The present survey was to investigate the prevalence rate of wearing-off(WO)and dyskinesia among the patients with PD in China.Methods:From May 2012 to October 2012,a 3-step registry survey for wearing off(WO)and dyskinesia patients with PD receiving levodopa therapy was performed simultaneously at 28 movement disorders clinics in China.Results:There were 1,558 PD patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria.Among them,1,051 had at least one positive response of 9-item wearing off questionnaire(WOQ-9),724 and 160 patients were finally diagnosed with WO and dyskinesia by movement disorders specialists,respectively.The overall prevalence rates of WO and dyskinesia were 46.5%(95%CI 44.0%-48.9%)and 10.3%(95%CI 8.8%-11.8%),respectively.The mean score of WOQ-9 for those with WO was 3.8(SD=1.8),with movement slowness being the most common motor symptoms and pain/aching being the most common non-motor symptoms.Better improvement of motor symptoms(n=354,87.8%)and long-term disease control and drug selection(n=288,71.5%)were the two most frequently considered factors when movement disorders specialists adjusted therapeutic strategies for patients with WO.Conclusions:This survey provided the first multi-center epidemiological data of motor complications among PD patients on L-dopa therapy from China's Mainland.WO prevalence rate among Chinese PD patients was in line with,while dyskinesia prevalence rate was lower than previous reports from other Countries.

Stretchable and self-healable spoof plasmonic meta-waveguide for wearable wireless communication system

Microwave transmission lines in wearable systems are easily damaged after frequent mechanical deformation,posing a severe threat to wireless communication.Here,we report a new strategy to achieve stretchable microwave transmission lines with superior reliability and durability by integrating a self-healable elastomer with serpentine-geometry plasmonic meta-waveguide to support the spoof surface plasmon polariton(SSPP).After mechanical damage,the self-healable elastomer can autonomously repair itself to maintain the electromagnetic performance and mechanical strength.Meanwhile,the specially designed SSPP structure exhibits excellent stability and damage resistance.Even if the self-healing process has not been completed or the eventual repair effect is not ideal,the spoof plasmonic meta-waveguide Can still maintain reliable performance.Self-healing material enhances strength and durability,while the SSPP improves stability and gives more tolerance to the self-healing process.Our design coordinates the structural design with material synthesis to maximize the advantages of the SSPP and self-healing material,signifcantly improving the relability and durability of stretchable microwave transmission lines.We also perform communication quality experiments to demonstrate the potential of the proposed meta-waveguide as interconnects in future body area network systems.

Review:Research progress on Fabry-Perot resonator antenna

The Fabry-Perot resonator (FPR) antenna has found wide applications in microwave and millimeter waves and recently attracted considerable interest. In this paper, a summary of planar and cylindrical structures, analytic models and research development is presented, and a comparison between these structures and analytic models is made, showing that such analytic models as the FP cavity mode, electromagnetic band gap (EBG) defect mode, transmission line mode, and leaky-wave mode are consistent when applied to analyze this type of resonator antenna. Some interesting topics under recent research, including dual or multi-band, improvement of gain bandwidth, low profile and beam control, are surveyed.

Methionine as a methyl donor regulates caste differentiation in the European honey bee(Apis mellifera)

Nutrition contributes to honey bee caste differentiation,but the role of individual nutrients is still unclear.Most essential amino acid contents,except that of methionine(Met),are greater in royal jelly than worker jelly.After〜3.5 i the Met content in the latter was slightly greater than in the former.Met is the major raw material used in the synthesis of S-adenosyl-L-methionine,an active methyl donor for DNA methylation,which is an epigenetic driver of caste differentiation.Here,we tested whether Met regulates caste differentiation in honey bees by determining its effects on the caste development of bees receiving four diets:the basic,basic+0.2%Met,basic+0.2%Met+20 mg/kg 5-azacytidine,and basic+20 mg/kg 5-azacytidine.The presence of Met decreased the adult bee body length and the numbers of ovarioles,indicating that Met may direct the development of female larvae toward worker bees.The upregulated expression of SAMS,Dnmtl,and Dnmt3 caused by Met exposure in 4-d-old larvae indicated that the worker-inductive effects of Met may occur through the promotion of DNA methylation.We investigated the co-effects of Met and glucose on bee development,and found that the effects of an increased glucose level on the number of ovarioles and body length did not strengthen the worker-inductive effects caused by Met.Our results contribute to caste development theory and suggest that Met-as a methyl donor一plays a regulatory,but not decisive,role in caste differentiation.

A New Adaptive Tracking Control Approach for Uncertain Flexible Joint Robot System

The adaptive tracking problem for uncertain flexible joint robot system is studied in this paper. By utilizing the adaptive backstepping method, an adaptive controller is constructed at the beginning. By utilizing the modified adaptive dynamic surface control technique, a new adaptive controller is presented afterwards to avoid the overparametrization problem and the explosion of complexity problem existing in the adaptive backstepping method. All the signals of the closed-loop system are rendered globally/semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded, and the tracking error can be made arbitrarily small by tuning the designed parameters. A simulation example is given to show the validity of the control algorithm.