Exploring impedance spectrum for lithium-ion batteries diagnosis and prognosis:A comprehensive review

Lithium-ion batteries have extensive usage in various energy storage needs,owing to their notable benefits of high energy density and long lifespan.The monitoring of battery states and failure identification are indispensable for guaranteeing the secure and optimal functionality of the batteries.The impedance spectrum has garnered growing interest due to its ability to provide a valuable understanding of material characteristics and electrochemical processes.To inspire further progress in the investigation and application of the battery impedance spectrum,this paper provides a comprehensive review of the determination and utilization of the impedance spectrum.The sources of impedance inaccuracies are systematically analyzed in terms of frequency response characteristics.The applicability of utilizing diverse impedance features for the diagnosis and prognosis of batteries is further elaborated.Finally,challenges and prospects for future research are discussed.

Soluble ST2:A Novel Biomarker for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Cardiovascular Disease

The increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease(CVD)is a significant global health concern,affecting millions of individuals each year.Accurate diagnosis of acute CVD poses a formidable challenge,as misdiagnosis can significantly decrease patient survival rates.Traditional biomarkers have played a vital role in the diagnosis and prognosis of CVDs,but they can be influenced by various factors,such as age,sex,and renal function.Soluble ST2(sST2)is a novel biomarker that is closely associated with different CVDs.Its low reference change value makes it suitable for continuous measurement,unaffected by age,kidney function,and other confounding factors,facilitating risk stratification of CVDs.Furthermore,the combination of sST2 with other biomarkers can enhance diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value.This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of sST2,focusing on its diagnostic and prognostic value as a myocardial marker for different types of CVDs and discussing the current limitations of sST2.

Marker Ki-67 is a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer based on two cohorts

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer(PCa)is a widespread malignancy,predominantly affecting elderly males,and current methods for diagnosis and treatment of this disease continue to fall short.The marker Ki-67(MKI67)has been previously demonstrated to correlate with the proliferation and metastasis of various cancer cells,including those of PCa.Hence,verifying the association between MKI67 and the diagnosis and prognosis of PCa,using bioinformatics databases and clinical data analysis,carries significant clinical implications.AIM To explore the diagnostic and prognostic efficacy of antigens identified by MKI67 expression in PCa.METHODS For cohort 1,the efficacy of MKI67 diagnosis was evaluated using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)and Genotype-Tissue Expression(GTEx)databases.For cohort 2,the diagnostic and prognostic power of MKI67 expression was further validated using data from 271 patients with clinical PCa.RESULTS In cohort 1,MKI67 expression was correlated with prostate-specific antigen(PSA),Gleason Score,T stage,and N stage.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve showed a strong diagnostic ability,and the Kaplan-Meier method demonstrated that MKI67 expression was negatively associated with the progression-free interval(PFI).The time-ROC curve displayed a weak prognostic capability for MKI67 expression in PCa.In cohort 2,MKI67 expression was significantly related to the Gleason Score,T stage,and N stage;however,it was negatively associated with the PFI.The time-ROC curve revealed the stronger prognostic capability of MKI67 in patients with PCa.Multivariate COX regression analysis was performed to select risk factors,including PSA level,N stage,and MKI67 expression.A nomogram was established to predict the 3-year PFI.CONCLUSION MKI67 expression was positively associated with the Gleason Score,T stage,and N stage and showed a strong diagnostic and prognostic ability in PCa.

Digital pathology-based artificial intelligence models for differential diagnosis and prognosis of sporadic odontogenic keratocysts

Odontogenic keratocyst(OKC)is a common jaw cyst with a high recurrence rate.OKC combined with basal cell carcinoma as well as skeletal and other developmental abnormalities is thought to be associated with Gorlin syndrome.Moreover,OKC needs to be differentiated from orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst and other jaw cysts.Because of the different prognosis,differential diagnosis of several cysts can contribute to clinical management.We collected 519 cases,comprising a total of 2157 hematoxylin and eosinstained images,to develop digital pathology-based artificial intelligence(AI)models for the diagnosis and prognosis of OKC.The Inception_v3 neural network was utilized to train and test models developed from patch-level images.Finally,whole slide imagelevel AI models were developed by integrating deep learning-generated pathology features with several machine learning algorithms.The AI models showed great performance in the diagnosis(AUC=0.935,95%CI:0.898–0.973)and prognosis(AUC=0.840,95%CI:0.751–0.930)of OKC.The advantages of multiple slides model for integrating of histopathological information are demonstrated through a comparison with the single slide model.Furthermore,the study investigates the correlation between AI features generated by deep learning and pathological findings,highlighting the interpretative potential of AI models in the pathology.Here,we have developed the robust diagnostic and prognostic models for OKC.The AI model that is based on digital pathology shows promise potential for applications in odontogenic diseases of the jaw.

Combining systemic inflammatory response index and albumin fibrinogen ratio to predict early serious complications and prognosis after resectable gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer has a high incidence and fatality rate,and surgery is the preferred course of treatment.Nonetheless,patient survival rates are still low,and the incidence of major postoperative complications cannot be disregarded.The systemic inflammatory response,nutritional level,and coagulation status are key factors affecting the postoperative recovery and prognosis of gastric cancer patients.The systemic inflammatory response index(SIRI)and the albumin fibrinogen ratio(AFR)are two valuable comprehensive indicators of the severity and prognosis of systemic inflammation in various medical conditions.AIM To assess the clinical importance and prognostic significance of the SIRI scores and the AFR on early postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing radical gastric cancer surgery.METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinicopathological characteristics and relevant laboratory indices of 568 gastric cancer patients from January 2018 to December 2019.We calculated and compared two indicators of inflammation and then examined the diagnostic ability of combined SIRI and AFR values for serious early postoperative complications.We scored the patients and categorized them into three groups based on their SIRI and AFR levels.COX analysis was used to compare the three groups of patients the prognostic value of various preoperative SIRI-AFR scores for 5-year overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS).RESULTS SIRI-AFR scores were an independent risk factor for prognosis[OS:P=0.004;hazards ratio(HR)=3.134;DFS:P<0.001;HR=3.543]and had the highest diagnostic power(area under the curve:0.779;95%confidence interval:0.737-0.820)for early serious complications in patients with gastric cancer.The tumor-node-metastasis stage(P=0.001),perioperative transfusion(P=0.044),positive carcinoembryonic antigen(P=0.014)findings,and major postoperative complications(P=0.011)were factors associated with prognosis.CONCLUSION Preoperative SIRI and AFR values were significantly associated with early postoperative survival and the occurrence of severe complications in gastric cancer patients.

Identification of a novel inflammatory-related gene signature to evaluate the prognosis of gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is a highly aggressive malignancy with a heterogeneous nature,which makes prognosis prediction and treatment determination difficult.Inflammation is now recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer and plays an important role in the aetiology and continued growth of tumours.Inflammation also affects the prognosis of GC patients.Recent reports suggest that a number of inflammatory-related biomarkers are useful for predicting tumour prognosis.However,the importance of inflammatory-related biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of GC patients is still unclear.AIM To investigate inflammatory-related biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of GC patients.was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression model based on the GEO database.GC patients from the GSE26253 cohort were used for validation.Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to determine the independent prognostic factors,and a prognostic nomogram was established.The calibration curve and the area under the curve based on receiver operating characteristic analysis were utilized to evaluate the predictive value of the nomogram.The decision curve analysis results were plotted to quantify and assess the clinical value of the nomogram.Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to explore the potential regulatory pathways involved.The relationship between tumour immune infiltration status and risk score was analysed via Tumour Immune Estimation Resource and CIBERSORT.Finally,we analysed the association between risk score and patient sensitivity to commonly used chemotherapy and targeted therapy agents.RESULTS A prognostic model consisting of three inflammatory-related genes(MRPS17,GUF1,and PDK4)was constructed.Independent prognostic analysis revealed that the risk score was a separate prognostic factor in GC patients.According to the risk score,GC patients were stratified into high-and low-risk groups,and patients in the high-risk group had significantly worse prognoses according to age,sex,TNM stage and Lauren type.Consensus clustering identified three subtypes of inflammation that could predict GC prognosis more accurately than traditional grading and staging.Finally,the study revealed that patients in the low-risk group were more sensitive to certain drugs than were those in the high-risk group,indicating a link between inflammation-related genes and drug sensitivity.CONCLUSION In conclusion,we established a novel three-gene prognostic signature that may be useful for predicting the prognosis and personalizing treatment decisions of GC patients.

Dysregulated microRNAs as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a malignancy with a high incidence and fatality rate worldwide.Hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is one of the most important risk factors for its occurrence and development.Early detection of HBV-associated HCC(HBV-HCC)can improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.Biomarkers are extremely helpful,not only for early diagnosis,but also for the development of therapeutics.MicroRNAs(miRNAs),a subset of non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides in length,have increasingly attracted scientists’attention due to their potential utility as biomarkers for cancer detection and therapy.HBV profoundly impacts the expression of miRNAs potentially involved in the development of hepatocarcinogenesis.In this review,we summarize the current progress on the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HBV-HCC.From a molecular standpoint,we discuss the mechanism by which HBV regulates miRNAs and investigate the exact effect of miRNAs on the promotion of HCC.In the near future,miRNA-based diagnostic,prognostic,and therapeutic applications will make their way into the clinical routine.

Correlation between preoperative systemic immune inflammation index, nutritional risk index, and prognosis of radical resection of liver cancer

BACKGROUND Radical surgery is the most commonly used treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the surgical effect remains not ideal,and prognostic evaluation is insufficient.Furthermore,clinical intervention is rife with uncertainty and not conducive to prolonging patient survival.AIM To explore correlations between the systemic immune inflammatory index(SII)and geriatric nutritional risk index(GNRI)and HCC operation prognosis.METHODS This retrospective study included and collected follow up data from 100 HCC.Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to analyze the correlation between SII and GNRI scores and survival.SII and GNRI were calculated as follows:SII=neutrophil count×platelet count/lymphocyte count;GNRI=[1.489×albumin(g/L)+41.7×actual weight/ideal weight].We analyzed the predictive efficacy of the SII and GNRI in HCC patients using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,and the relationships between the SII,GNRI,and survival rate using Kaplan–Meier survival curves.Cox regression analysis was utilized to analyze independent risk factors influencing prognosis.RESULTS After 1 year of follow-up,24 patients died and 76 survived.The area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,specificity,and the optimal cutoff value of SII were 0.728(95%confidence interval:0.600-0.856),79.2%,63.2%,and 309.14,respectively.According to ROC curve analysis results for predicting postoperative death in HCC patients,the AUC of SII and GNRI combination was higher than that of SII or GNRI alone,and SII was higher than that of GNRI(P<0.05).The proportion of advanced differentiated tumors,tumor maximum diameter(5–10 cm,>10 cm),lymph node metastasis,and TNM stage III-IV in patients with SII>309.14 was higher than that in patients with SII≤309.14(P<0.05).The proportion of patients aged>70 years was higher in patients with GNRI≤98 than that in patients with GNRI>98(P<0.05).The 1-year survival rate of the SII>309.14 group(compared with the SII≤309.14 group)and GNRI≤98 group(compared with the GNRI>98 group)was lower(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The prognosis after radical resection of HCC is related to the SII and GNRI and poor in high SII or low GNRI patients.

Small intestinal angiosarcoma on clinical presentation, diagnosis, management and prognosis: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Angiosarcoma is a highly malignant soft-tissue sarcoma derived from vascular endothelial cells that mainly occurs in the skin and subcutaneous tissues.Smallintestinal angiosarcomas are rare,and the prognosis is poor.CASE SUMMARY We reported a case of primary multifocal ileal angiosarcoma and analyze previously reported cases to improve our understanding of small intestinal angiosarcoma.Small intestinal angiosarcoma is more common in elderly and male patients.Gastrointestinal bleeding,anemia,abdominal pain,weakness,and weight loss were the common symptoms.CD31,CD34,factor VIII-related antigen,ETS-related gene,friend leukemia integration 1,and von Willebrand factor are valuable immunohistochemical markers for the diagnosis of small-intestinal angiosarcoma.Small-intestinal angiosarcoma most commonly occurs in the jejunum,followed by the ileum and duodenum.Radiation and toxicant exposure are risk factors for angiosarcoma.After a definite diagnosis,the mean and median survival time was 8 mo and 3 mo,respectively.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that age,infiltration depth,chemotherapy,and the number of small intestinal segments invaded by tumor lesions were prognostic factors for small intestinal angiosarcoma.Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that chemotherapy and surgery significantly improved patient prognosis.CONCLUSION Angiosarcoma should be considered for unexplained melena and abdominal pain,especially in older men and patients with a history of radiation exposure.Prompt treatment,including surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy,is essential to prolonging patient survival.

Gallbladder carcinosarcoma with a poor prognosis: A case report

BACKGROUND Carcinosarcoma of the gallbladder is a rare malignant tumor with a very poor prognosis.To date,only approximately 100 patients have been reported in the English literature.The prognosis of this tumor type is poor,the preoperative diagnosis is difficult,and there is a possibility of a misdiagnosis.We present an unsuccessful case of carcinosarcoma of the gallbladder with a preoperative misdiagnosis and rapid early postoperative recurrence.Therefore,we have a deeper understanding of the poor prognosis of gallbladder carcinosarcoma(GBC)patients.CASE SUMMARY The patient is a 65-year-old male.He was admitted to the hospital because of right upper abdomen distending pain and discomfort for half a month.Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging revealed a polycystic mass in the right lobe of the liver and the fossa of the gallbladder.After admission,the patient was diagnosed with a liver abscess,which was treated by abscess puncture drainage.Obviously,this treatment was unsuccessful.Hepatectomy and cholecystectomy were performed one month after the puncture.Postoperative pathologic examination revealed carcinosarcoma of the gallbladder,and the resected specimen contained two tumor components.One month after surgery,the patient's tumor recurred in situ and started to compress the duodenum,resulting in duodenal obstruction and bleeding.The treatment was not effective.The patient died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock.CONCLUSION Carcinosarcoma of the gallbladder is a rare malignant tumor that is easily misdiagnosed preoperatively and has a poor prognosis.

Construction and validation of somatic mutation-derived long noncoding RNAs signatures of genomic instability to predict prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Long non-coding RNAs(LncRNAs)have been found to be a potential prognostic factor for cancers,including hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Some LncRNAs have been confirmed as potential indicators to quantify genomic instability(GI).Nevertheless,GI-LncRNAs remain largely unexplored.This study established a GI-derived LncRNA signature(GILncSig)that can predict the prognosis of HCC patients.AIM To establish a GILncSig that can predict the prognosis of HCC patients.METHODS Identification of GI-LncRNAs was conducted by combining LncRNA expression and somatic mutation profiles.The GI-LncRNAs were then analyzed for functional enrichment.The GILncSig was established in the training set by Cox regression analysis,and its predictive ability was verified in the testing set and TCGA set.In addition,we explored the effects of the GILncSig and TP53 on prognosis.RESULTS A total of 88 GI-LncRNAs were found,and functional enrichment analysis showed that their functions were mainly involved in small molecule metabolism and GI.The GILncSig was constructed by 5 LncRNAs(miR210HG,AC016735.1,AC116351.1,AC010643.1,LUCAT1).In the training set,the prognosis of high-risk patients was significantly worse than that of low-risk patients,and similar results were verified in the testing set and TCGA set.Multivariate Cox regression analysis and stratified analysis confirmed that the GILncSig could be used as an independent prognostic factor.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the GILncSig showed that the area under the curve(0.773)was higher than the two LncRNA signatures published recently.Furthermore,the GILncSig may have a better predictive performance than TP53 mutation status alone.CONCLUSION We established a GILncSig that can predict the prognosis of HCC patients,which will help to guide prognostic evaluation and treatment decisions.

Circulating tumor DNA and its role in detection, prognosis and therapeutics of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is considered the fifth most prevalent cancer among all types of cancers and has the third most morbidity value. It has the most frequent duplication time and a high recurrence rate. Recently, the most unique technique used is liquid biopsies, which carry many markers;the most prominent is circulating tumor DNA(ctDNA). Varied methods are used to investigate ctDNA, including various forms of polymerase chain reaction(PCR) [emulsion PCR(ePCR), digital PCR(dPCR), and bead, emulsion, amplification, magnetic(BEAMing) PCR]. Hence ctDNA is being recognized as a potential biomarker that permits early cancer detection,treatment monitoring, and predictive data on tumor burden are subjective to therapy or surgery. Numerous ctDNA biomarkers have been investigated based on their alterations such as 1) single nucleotide variations(either insertion or deletion of a nucleotide) markers including TP53, KRAS, and CCND1;2) copy number variations which include markers such as CDK6, EFGR, MYC and BRAF;3) DNA methylation(RASSF1A, SEPT9, KMT2C and CCNA2);4) homozygous mutation includes ctDNA markers as CDKN2A, AXIN1;and 5) gain or loss of function of the genes, particularly for HCC. Various researchers have conducted many studies and gotten fruitful results.Still, there are some drawbacks to ctDNA namely low quantity, fragment heterogeneity, less stability, limited mutant copies and standards, and differential sensitivity. However, plenty of investigations demonstrate ctDNA's significance as a polyvalent biomarker for cancer and can be viewed as a future diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic agent. This article overviews many conditions in genetic changes linked to the onset and development of HCC, such as dysregulated signaling pathways, somatic mutations, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and genomic instability. Additionally, efforts are also made to develop treatments for HCC that are molecularly targeted and to unravel some of the genetic pathways that facilitate its early identification.

Metastatic Spinal Tumors: Diagnostic Methods, Management and Prognosis at the Yaounde Central Hospital and Yaounde General Hospital

Introduction: Metastatic spinal tumors (MST) refer to secondary involvement of the vertebral column by hematogenously-disseminated metastatic cells. They could affect either the bony structures or the spinal cords. Mechanical instability and neurologic deficits resulting from spinal cord compression are the most common manifestations. Surgical intervention remains the most effective treatment for about 20% of patients who present with spinal cord compression. The prognosis is relatively poor. This work has as objectives to describe: the diagnostic tools, the different modalities of management and the prognostic elements of spine metastasis. Methodology: We conducted an ambispective cross-sectional descriptive study;with retrospective data collection from January 2015 to December 2021 and prospective collection from January to April 2022 in the “Neurosurgery” unit of the Yaounde Central Hospital and the “Oncology and Neurosurgery” units of Yaounde General Hospital. Result: We included 101 patients. The M/F sex ratio was 1.66. The average age of the participants was 56.44 years (±14.19 SD) with a median of 58 years. Metastatic spinal tumors were discovered in 61.39% of patients with a previously known primary tumor and 21.78% of patients had newly discovered tumors. The neurologic examination revealed a vertebral syndrome in 79.21% of cases, radicular syndrome in 60.40% and sub-lesional syndrome in 59.89%. Sensory disorders accounted for 39.60% and sphincter disorders accounted for 34.65%. According to the degree of severity, the lesions were classified as Frankel E (37.62%) followed by Frankel D (21.78%). Metastatic lesions were mostly found at the thoracic vertebrae (68.25%) and lumbar vertebrae (22.22%). The most represented primary tumors were: prostate tumors (41.58%) and breast tumors (23.76%);followed by malignant hemopathies (15.84%). Computed-tomography scan (CT-scan) was the most frequent diagnostic imaging technique used (71.28%). Analgesic treatment mostly involved level II analgesia (64.36%). High dose steroid therapy (greater than 80mg/24h) was used in more than half of the patients. Radiation therapy was performed in 24.75% of the patients, chemotherapy in 55.44% and specific surgical interventions performed in 20.79%. The most frequent surgical indication was complete motor deficit according to the Frankel classification (47.21%). One patient in four (23.76%) experienced improvement in functional prognosis with increased muscle strength after a period of 2 weeks to 5 months of treatment. About 1 in 10 patients (8.8%) rather had worsening of their neurologic status. We observed that there was a correlation between spine surgery and improvement in muscle strength (P-value less than 0.05). Patients (12) who had better recovery or preserved gait were those with partial compression (P-value = 0.0143). Four out of five patients (81.18%) of our series had an estimated survival of less than one year according to the Tokuhashi score. Conclusion: MSTs are frequent in our context. Most patients sought consultation late after the first symptoms appeared (principally back pain). The clinical examination revealed a high proportion of patients with spinal cord compression syndrome. Medical treatment was first-line for the management of pain and most patients who underwent surgical treatment had complete neurologic deficits. The functional prognosis was found to be improved by surgery and the vital prognosis depended on the Tokuhashi score, with better accuracy when the prediction is more than 12 months.

Inflammation-related factors predicting prognosis of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer(GC),which is mainly induced by Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection,is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the developing world.Active inflammation initiated by H.pylori infection and maintained by inherent immune disorders promotes carcinogenesis and postoperative recurrence.However,the presence with H.pylori in tumors has been linked to a better prognosis,possibly due to the induction of antitumor immunity.Tumor infiltrations of tumorassociated macrophages,myeloid-derived suppressor cells,neutrophils,Foxp3+regulatory T cells are correlated with poor prognosis.Tumor infiltrating CD8+cytotoxic T lymphocytes,dendritic cells,and CD45RO T cells are generally associated with good prognosis of GC,although some subsets of these immune cells have inverse prognosis prediction values.High ratios of Foxp3+/CD4+and Foxp3+/CD8+in tumors are associated with a poor prognosis;whereas high Th1/Th2ratio in tumors predicts a good prognosis.High levels of interleukin(IL)-6,IL-10,IL-32,and chemokine C-C motif ligands(CCL)7 and CCL21 in circulation,high expression of CXC chemokine receptor 4,chemokine C-C motif receptor(CCR)3,CCR4,CCR5,CCR7,hypoxiainducible factor-1α,signal transducer activator of transcription-3,cyclooxygenase-2,and orphan nuclear receptor 4A2 in tumors are associated with an unfavorable prognosis.Increased serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases(MMP)-3,MMP-7,and MMP-11 and increased levels of MMP-9,MMP-12,and MMP-21 in tumors are consistently associated with poor survival of GC.Further emphasis should be put on the integration of these biomarkers and validation in large cohorts for personalized prediction of GC postoperative prognosis.

Noninvasive imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma: From diagnosis to prognosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and a major public health problem worldwide. Hepatocarcinogenesis is a complex multistep process at molecular, cellular, and histologic levels with key alterations that can be revealed by noninvasive imaging modalities. Therefore, imaging techniques play pivotal roles in the detection, characterization, staging, surveillance, and prognosis evaluation of HCC. Currently, ultrasound is the first-line imaging modality for screening and surveillance purposes. While based on conclusive enhancement patterns comprising arterial phase hyperenhancement and portal venous and/or delayed phase wash-out, contrast enhanced dynamic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) are the diagnostic tools for HCC without requirements for histopathologic confirmation. Functional MRI techniques, including diffusion-weighted imaging, MRI with hepatobiliary contrast agents, perfusion imaging, and magnetic resonance elastography, show promise in providing further important information regarding tumor biological behaviors. In addition, evaluation of tumor imaging characteristics, including nodule size, margin, number, vascular invasion, and growth patterns, allows preoperative prediction of tumor microvascular invasion and patient prognosis. Therefore, the aim of this article is to review the current state-of-the-art and recent advances in the comprehensive noninvasive imaging evaluation of HCC. We also provide the basic key concepts of HCC development and an overview of the current practice guidelines.

Current biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma: Surveillance, diagnosis and prediction of prognosis

Biomarkers for surveillance, diagnosis and prediction of prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) are currently not ready for introduction into clinical practice because of limited sensitivity and specificity. Especially for the early detection of small HCC novel biomarkers are needed to improve the current effectiveness of screening performed byultrasound. The use of high-throughput technologies in hepatocellular research allows to identify molecules involved in the complex pathways in hepatocarcinogenesis. Several invasive and non-invasive biomarkers have been identified already and have been evaluated in different clinical settings. Gene signatures with prognostic potential have been identified by gene expression profiling from tumor tissue. However, a single "all-in-one" biomarker that fits all-surveillance, diagnosis, prediction of prognosis-has not been found so far. The future of biomarkers most probably lies in a combination of non-invasive biomarkers, imaging and clinical parameters in a surveillance setting. Molecular profiling of tumorous and non-tumorous liver tissue may allow a prediction of prognosis for the individual patient and hopefully clear the way for individual treatment approaches. This article gives an overview on current developments in biomarker research in HCC with a focus on currently available and novel biomarkers, in particular on micro RNA.

FDG-PET in diagnosis, staging and prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma: A meta-analysis

AIM: To investigate the potential role of positron emission tomography (PET) in the diagnosis, staging and prognosis predicting of pancreatic carcinoma (PC). METHODS: A systematic review of relevant literatures in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library was performed. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic and staging studies, and HRs for prognosis predicting studies were pooled. The bivariate model was used for diagnostic studies and the random-effect model for prognostic studies. Heterogeneity between included studies was tested using χ 2 test, and subgroup analysis was performed to explain the heterogeneities. All of the calculations were performed using Stata version 11.0.RESULTS: A total of 39 studies were included. The pooled sensitivity of PET in diagnosing PC (30 studies, 1582 patients), evaluating N stating (4 studies, 101 patients) and liver metastasis (7 studies, 316 patients) were 0.91 (95%CI: 0.88-0.93), 0.64 (95%CI: 0.50-0.76), and 0.67 (95%CI: 0.52-0.79), respectively; and the corresponding specificity was 0.81 (95%CI: 0.75-0.85), 0.81 (95%CI: 0.25-0.85), and 0.96 (95%CI: 0.89-0.98), respectively. In prognosis analysis (6 studies, 198 patients), significant difference of overall survival was observed between high and low standardized uptake value groups (HR = 2.39, 95%CI: 1.57-3.63). Subgroup analysis showed that PET/CT was more sensitive than PET alone in evaluating liver metastasis of PC, 0.82 (95%CI: 0.48-0.98) and 0.67 (95%CI: 0.52-0.79), respectively. CONCLUSION: PET can be used as a valuable diagnostic and predictive tool for PC, but its effect in the staging of PC remains indeterminate.

Combined detection tumor markers for diagnosis and prognosis of gallbladder cancer

AIM: To clarify the value of combined use of markers for the diagnosis of gallbladder cancer and prediction of its prognosis. METHODS: Serum cancer antigens (CA) 199, CA242, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and CA125 levels were measured in 78 patients with gallbladder cancer (GBC), 78 patients with benign gallbladder diseases, and 78 healthy controls using electrochemiluminescence. CA199, CA242, CEA, and CA125 levels and positive rates were analyzed and evaluated pre-and post-operatively. Receiver operator characteristic curves were used to determine diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of GBC. Survival time analysis, including survival curves, and multivariate survival analysis of a Cox proportional hazards model was performed to evaluate independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: Serum CA242, CA125, and CA199 levels in the GBC group were significantly higher when compared with those in the benign gallbladder disease and healthy control groups (P < 0.01). With a single tumor marker for GBC diagnosis, the sensitivity of CA199 was the highest (71.7%), with the highest specificity being in CA242 (98.7%). Diagnostic accuracy was highest with a combination of CA199, CA242, and CA125 (69.2%). CA242 could be regarded as a tumor marker of GBC infiltration in the early stage. The sensitivity of CA199 and CA242 increased with progression of GBC and advanced lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). The 78 GBC patients were followed up for 6-12 mo (mean: 8 mo), during which time serum CA199, CA125, and CA242 levels in the recurrence group were significantly higher than in patients without recurrence (P < 0.01). The post-operative serum CA199, CA125, and CA242 levels in the non- recurrence group were significantly lower than those in the GBC group (P < 0.01). Multivariate survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model showed that cancer of the gallbladder neck and CA199 expression level were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: CA242 is a marker of GBC infiltration in the early stage. CA199 and cancer of the gallbladder neck are therapeutic and prognostic markers. (C) 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.

Challenges and Opportunities of AI-Enabled Monitoring, Diagnosis & Prognosis: A Review

Prognostics and Health Management(PHM),including monitoring,diagnosis,prognosis,and health management,occupies an increasingly important position in reducing costly breakdowns and avoiding catastrophic accidents in modern industry.With the development of artificial intelligence(AI),especially deep learning(DL)approaches,the application of AI-enabled methods to monitor,diagnose and predict potential equipment malfunctions has gone through tremendous progress with verified success in both academia and industry.However,there is still a gap to cover monitoring,diagnosis,and prognosis based on AI-enabled methods,simultaneously,and the importance of an open source community,including open source datasets and codes,has not been fully emphasized.To fill this gap,this paper provides a systematic overview of the current development,common technologies,open source datasets,codes,and challenges of AI-enabled PHM methods from three aspects of monitoring,diagnosis,and prognosis.

Role of genetics in the diagnosis and prognosis of Crohn's disease

Considering the epidemiological, genetic and immunological data, we can conclude that the inflammatory bowel diseases are heterogeneous disorders of multifactorial etiology in which hereditability and environment interact to produce the disease. It is probable that patients have a genetic predisposition for the development of the disease coupled with disturbances in immunoregulation. Several genes have so far been related to the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. These genes are related to innate pattern recognition receptors, to epithelial barrier homeostasis and maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity, to autophagy and to lymphocyte differentiation. So far, the strongest and most replicated associations with Crohn's disease have been demonstrated with NOD2 , IL23R and ATG16L1 genes. Many genes have so far been implicated in the prognosis of Crohn's disease and many attempts have been made for classification of genetic profiles in Crohn's disease.CARD15 seems to be not only a susceptibility gene, but also a disease-modifier gene for Crohn's disease. Enriching our understanding of Crohn's disease genetics is of value, but when combining genetic data with functional data the outcome could be of major importance to clinicians.