G-CSF rescue of FOLFIRINOX-induced neutropenia leads to systemic immune suppression in mice and humans

BACKGROUND

Recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is routinely administered for prophylaxis or treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Chronic myelopoiesis and granulopoiesis in patients with cancer has been shown to induce immature monocytes and neutrophils that contribute to both systemic and local immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. The effect of recombinant G-CSF (pegfilgrastim or filgrastim) on the production of myeloid-derived suppressive cells is unknown. Here we examined patients with pancreatic cancer, a disease known to induce myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and for which pegfilgrastim is routinely administered concurrently with FOLFIRINOX but not with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy regimens.

METHODS

Serial blood was collected from patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma newly starting on FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine/n(ab)paclitaxel combination chemotherapy regimens. Neutrophil and monocyte frequencies were determined by flow cytometry from whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cell fractions. Serum cytokines were evaluated pretreatment and on-treatment. Patient serum was used in vitro to differentiate healthy donor monocytes to MDSCs as measured by downregulation of major histocompatibility complex II (HLA-DR) and the ability to suppress T-cell proliferation in vitro. C57BL/6 female mice with pancreatic tumors were treated with FOLFIRINOX with or without recombinant G-CSF to directly assess the role of G-CSF on induction of immunosuppressive neutrophils.

RESULTS

Patients receiving FOLFIRINOX with pegfilgrastim had increased serum G-CSF that correlated with an induction of granulocytic MDSCs. This increase was not observed in patients receiving gemcitabine/n(ab)paclitaxel without pegfilgrastim. Interleukin-18 also significantly increased in serum on FOLFIRINOX treatment. Patient serum could induce MDSCs as determined by in vitro functional assays, and this suppressive effect increased with on-treatment serum. Induction of MDSCs in vitro could be recapitulated by addition of recombinant G-CSF to healthy serum, indicating that G-CSF is sufficient for MDSC differentiation. In mice, neutrophils isolated from spleen of G-CSF-treated mice were significantly more capable of suppressing T-cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

Pegfilgrastim use contributes to immune suppression in both humans and mice with pancreatic cancer. These results suggest that use of recombinant G-CSF as supportive care, while critically important for mitigating neutropenia, may complicate efforts to induce antitumor immunity.

Indonesian market demand patterns for food commodity sources of carbohydrates in facing the global food crisis

Global food consumption tends to rise more quickly than supply. This has to do with important global issues like population growth. Additionally, global conflicts are going to hinder the distribution of food. Indonesia has an enormous opportunity of anticipating these circumstances considering its promise as one of the largest supplies of food worldwide. Rice is still the staple food in Indonesia, but the dynamics of society are under threat from wheat food. It is possible to create strategy plans to deal with potential food scarcity by understanding the behavior of food demand trends for big carbohydrate sources like corn, cassava, sweet potatoes (as a substitution), and the development of wheat as a beneficial food. The results of the study indicate that rice, corn, cassava, and sweet potatoes-food commodities that are major sources of carbohydrates-are inelastic, which means that their prices are not affected by variations in demand. The community still relies on rice as the primary food source. Cross elasticity >0 in these non-wheat food commodities indicates mutually beneficial replacement among the foods that are sources of carbohydrates. That is, with the dynamics of an increase in income, for example, it will also increase consumption. The results of the study also demonstrate that wheat food items are only a complementary, not a staple food needed, thus concerns about wheat's dominance as a food component in industrial products actually have no impact on local food. The availability of high-yielding varieties of rice, corn, cassava, and sweet potatoes, the implementation of food reserves by the Indonesian National Logistics Agency (Bulog) from the government center to the regions, food diversification, changing preferences, and creating an awareness of local food pride with massive education are some of the anticipatory steps taken in response to the global food crisis.

Spontaneous pneumothorax with isolated pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis in an adult case: A common manifestation of rare disease

Key Clinical Message

Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis should be evaluated even in adults with no previous medical history and no history of cigarette smoking who have spontaneous pneumothorax and evidence of multiple lung cystic lesions, and other organs should also be checked for multi organ Langerhans cell histiocytosis involvement.

Abstract

A 30-year-old man presented with sudden chest pain and evidence of multiple cystic lesions in both upper and lower lobes of lungs, as well as left-sided pneumothorax in high resolution computed tomography. In lung samples, hematoxylin and eosin- stained sections and IHC for CD1a, S100, and BRAF V600 were positive. The patient was diagnosed with isolated pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis and was treated accordingly.

Prognostic and Predictive Markers for Patients With Anal Cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma of the anus and anal canal is a rare malignancy with an increasing incidence in the United States. In the past 2 decades, the proportion of Americans diagnosed with incurable, metastatic anal cancer at the time of initial presentation has increased. Most cases are linked to prior infection with HPV. Although concurrent chemoradiotherapy has been the accepted standard treatment for patients with localized anal cancer over the past half century, therapeutic advances have increased options for patients with unresectable or incurable anal cancer over the past 5 years. Specifically, combination chemotherapy and immunotherapy with anti-PD-(L)1 antibodies has demonstrated efficacy in this setting. Greater understanding of molecular drivers of this viral-associated malignancy has provided critical insight into evolving biomarkers for the clinical management of anal cancer. The pervasiveness of HPV across cases of anal cancer has been leveraged for the development of HPV-specific circulating tumor DNA assays as a sensitive biomarker for prognosticating recurrence in patients with localized anal cancer who complete chemoradiation. For patients with metastatic disease, somatic mutations, well-characterized for anal cancer, have not shown utility in identifying patients who benefit from systemic treatments. Although the overall response rate to immune checkpoint blockade therapies is low for metastatic anal cancer, high immune activation within the tumor and PD-L1 expression may identify patients more likely to experience response. These biomarkers should be incorporated into the design of future clinical trials to personalize further treatment approaches in the evolving management of anal cancer.

COVID-19 diagnosis: A comprehensive review of pre-trained deep learning models based on feature extraction algorithm

Due to the augmented rise of COVID-19, clinical specialists are looking for fast faultless diagnosis strategies to restrict Covid spread while attempting to lessen the computational complexity. In this way, swift diagnosis techniques for COVID-19 with high precision can offer valuable aid to clinical specialists. RT- PCR test is an expensive and tedious COVID diagnosis technique in practice. Medical imaging is feasible to diagnose COVID-19 by X-ray chest radiography to get around the shortcomings of RT-PCR. Through a variety of Deep Transfer-learning models, this research investigates the potential of Artificial Intelligence -based early diagnosis of COVID-19 via X-ray chest radiographs. With 10,192 normal and 3616 Covid X-ray chest radiographs, the deep transfer-learning models are optimized to further the accurate diagnosis. The x-ray chest radiographs undergo a data augmentation phase before developing a modified dataset to train the Deep Transfer-learning models. The Deep Transfer-learning architectures are trained using the extracted features from the Feature Extraction stage. During training, the classification of X-ray Chest radiographs based on feature extraction algorithm values is converted into a feature label set containing the classified image data with a feature string value representing the number of edges detected after edge detection. The feature label set is further tested with the SVM, KNN, NN, Naive Bayes and Logistic Regression classifiers to audit the quality metrics of the proposed model. The quality metrics include accuracy, precision, F1 score, recall and AUC. The Inception-V3 dominates the six Deep Transfer-learning models, according to the assessment results, with a training accuracy of 84.79% and a loss function of 2.4%. The performance of Cubic SVM was superior to that of the other SVM classifiers, with an AUC score of 0.99, precision of 0.983, recall of 0.8977, accuracy of 95.8%, and F1 score of 0.9384. Cosine KNN fared better than the other KNN classifiers with an AUC score of 0.95, precision of 0.974, recall of 0.777, accuracy of 90.8%, and F1 score of 0.864. Wide NN fared better than the other NN classifiers with an AUC score of 0.98, precision of 0.975, recall of 0.907, accuracy of 95.5%, and F1 score of 0.939. According to the findings, SVM classifiers topped other classifiers in terms of performance indicators like accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUC. The SVM classifiers reported better mean optimal scores compared to other classifiers. The performance assessment metrics uncover that the proposed methodology can aid in preliminary COVID diagnosis.

Deciphering the Cardiovascular Potential of Human CD34+ Stem Cells

Ex vivo monitored human CD34⁺ stem cells (SCs) injected into myocardium scar tissue have shown real benefits for the recovery of patients with myocardial infarctions. They have been used previously in clinical trials with hopeful results and are expected to be promising for cardiac regenerative medicine following severe acute myocardial infarctions. However, some debates on their potential efficacy in cardiac regenerative therapies remain to be clarified. To elucidate the levels of CD34⁺ SC implication and contribution in cardiac regeneration, better identification of the main regulators, pathways, and genes involved in their potential cardiovascular differentiation and paracrine secretion needs to be determined. We first developed a protocol thought to commit human CD34⁺ SCs purified from cord blood toward an early cardiovascular lineage. Then, by using a microarray-based approach, we followed their gene expression during differentiation. We compared the transcriptome of undifferentiated CD34⁺ cells to those induced at two stages of differentiation (i.e., day three and day fourteen), with human cardiomyocyte progenitor cells (CMPCs), as well as cardiomyocytes as controls. Interestingly, in the treated cells, we observed an increase in the expressions of the main regulators usually present in cardiovascular cells. We identified cell surface markers of the cardiac mesoderm, such as kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) and the cardiogenic surface receptor Frizzled 4 (FZD4), induced in the differentiated cells in comparison to undifferentiated CD34⁺ cells. The Wnt and TGF-β pathways appeared to be involved in this activation. This study underlined the real capacity of effectively stimulated CD34⁺ SCs to express cardiac markers and, once induced, allowed the identification of markers that are known to be involved in vascular and early cardiogenesis, demonstrating their potential priming towards cardiovascular cells. These findings could complement their paracrine positive effects known in cell therapy for heart disease and may help improve the efficacy and safety of using ex vivo expanded CD34⁺ SCs.

Acute myocardial infarction after inactivated COVID-19 vaccination: a case report and literature review

A number of vaccines have been developed and deployed globally to restrain the spreading of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The adverse effect following vaccination is an important consideration. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a kind of rare adverse event after COVID-19 vaccination. Herein, we present a case of an 83-year-old male who suffered cold sweat ten minutes after the first inactivated COVID-19 vaccination and AMI one day later. The emergency coronary angiography showed coronary thrombosis and underlying stenosis in his coronary artery. Type II Kounis syndrome might be a potential mechanism, which is manifested as coronary thrombosis secondary to allergic reactions in patients with underlying asymptomatic coronary heart disease. We also summarize the reported AMI cases post COVID-19 vaccination, as well as overview and discuss the proposed mechanisms of AMI after COVID-19 vaccination, thus providing insights for clinicians to be aware of the possibility of AMI following COVID-19 vaccination and potential underlying mechanisms.

Predicting Hospitalization, Organ Dysfunction, and Mortality in Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Acute Pancreatitis: Are SIRS and qSOFA Reliable Tools?

Background: Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) has shown constant incidence throughout time, despite advances in endoscopic technology, devices, or personal skills of the operating endoscopists, with prevention and prediction of severity in PEP being constant concerns. Several prospective studies have investigated the role of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria or the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score in the PEP severity assessment. However, there are no clearly defined tools for the prediction of PEP severity. Methods: A total of 403 patients were prospectively monitored 60 days after ERCP for the detection of PEP development. Consequently, we evaluated the lengths of stay, incidence of organic dysfunction, and mortality rates of these patients. The predictive power of the univariate model was evaluated by using the receiver operating characteristic curve and analyzing the area under the curve (AUC). Results: Incidence of PEP was similar to that reported in the majority of trials. The 60-day survival rate of PEP patients reached 82.8%. A qSOFA score ≥ 1 is a very good predictor for organ dysfunction (AUC 0.993, p < 0.0001). SIRS can also be considered a significant predictor for organic dysfunctions in PEP patients (AUC 0.926, p < 0.0001). However, only qSOFA was found to significantly predict mortality in PEP patients (AUC 0.885, p = 0.003), with SIRS criteria showing a much lower predictive power. Neither SIRS nor qSOFA showed any predictive value for the length of stay of PEP patients. Conclusion: Our study offers novel information about severity prediction in PEP patients. Both SIRS criteria and qSOFA showed good predictive value for organic dysfunction, mortality, and hospitalization.

Bullous lesions following phototherapy in a newborn

A male infant presented with progressive jaundice immediately after birth. Fecal acholia and choluria associated with extensive bullous skin lesions in his trunk, abdomen, and upper and lower limbs developed during phototherapy. Several diagnostic hypotheses were presented, including neonatal porphyria, hemochromatosis, Alagille syndrome, and neonatal lupus. A 24-hour urine sample for the dosage of urinary porphyrins was collected, showing high results (1823.6µg in 100mL). At 50 days of life, fluorescence spectroscopy using a Wood's lamp revealed simultaneous bright red fluorescence of urine-stained diapers and sample blood. A definitive diagnosis of congenital erythropoietic porphyria was made following identification of a mutation of the uroporphyrinogen synthetases III gene on genetic testing. The patient was subsequently maintained in a low light environment since then, resulting in improvement of the lesions. Congenital erythropoietic porphyria is a disease of the group of porphyrias that presents shortly after birth with blistering occurring in regions exposed to the sun or other ultraviolet light. Atrophic scars, mutilated fingers, and bright red fluorescence of the urine and teeth may also be observed. There is no specific treatment, and prophylaxis comprising a total avoidance of sunlight is generally recommended. A high degree of suspicion is required for diagnosis. An early diagnosis can lead to less damage. Here, we present the case of a newborn with congenital erythropoietic porphyria diagnosed after presenting with bullous lesions secondary to phototherapy.

Chronic Inflammation's Transformation to Cancer: A Nanotherapeutic Paradigm

The body's normal immune response against any invading pathogen that causes infection in the body results in inflammation. The sudden transformation in inflammation leads to the rise of inflammatory diseases such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disorders, and colorectal cancer (different types of cancer develop at the site of chronic infection and inflammation). Inflammation results in two ways: short-term inflammation i.e., non-specific, involves the action of various immune cells; the other results in long-term reactions lasting for months or years. It is specific and causes angiogenesis, fibrosis, tissue destruction, and cancer progression at the site of inflammation. Cancer progression relies on the interaction between the host microenvironment and tumor cells along with the inflammatory responses, fibroblast, and vascular cells. The two pathways that have been identified connecting inflammation and cancer are the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. Both have their own specific role in linking inflammation to cancer, involving various transcription factors such as Nuclear factor kappa B, Activator of transcription, Single transducer, and Hypoxia-inducible factor, which in turn regulates the inflammatory responses via Soluble mediators cytokines (such as Interleukin-6, Hematopoietin-1/Erythropoietin, and tumor necrosis factor), chemokines (such as Cyclooxygenase-2, C-X-C Motif chemokines ligand-8, and IL-8), inflammatory cells, cellular components (such as suppressor cells derived from myeloid, tumor-associated macrophage, and acidophils), and promotes tumorigenesis. The treatment of these chronic inflammatory diseases is challenging and needs early detection and diagnosis. Nanotechnology is a booming field nowadays for its rapid action and easy penetration inside the infected destined cells. Nanoparticles are widely classified into different categories based on their different factors and properties such as size, shape, cytotoxicity, and others. Nanoparticles emerged as excellent with highly progressive medical inventions to cure diseases such as cancer, inflammatory diseases, and others. Nanoparticles have shown higher binding capacity with the biomolecules in inflammation reduction and lowers the oxidative stress inside tissue/cells. In this review, we have overall discussed inflammatory pathways that link inflammation to cancer, major inflammatory diseases, and the potent action of nanoparticles in chronic inflammation-related diseases.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is associated with a loss of total lung volume on computed tomography

BACKGROUND

Although lung volumes are usually normal in individuals with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), approximately 20%-29% of patients exhibit a restrictive pattern on pulmonary function testing.

AIM

To quantify longitudinal changes in lung volume and cardiac cross-sectional area (CSA) in patients with CTEPH.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort study of patients seen in our hospital between January 2012 and December 2019, we evaluated 15 patients with CTEPH who had chest computed tomography (CT) performed at baseline and after at least 6 mo of therapy. We matched the CTEPH cohort with 45 control patients by age, sex, and observation period. CT-based lung volumes and maximum cardiac CSAs were measured and compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney u test.

RESULTS

Total, right lung, and right lower lobe volumes were significantly reduced in the CTEPH cohort at follow-up vs baseline (total, P = 0.004; right lung, P = 0.003; right lower lobe; P = 0.01). In the CTEPH group, the reduction in lung volume and cardiac CSA was significantly greater than the corresponding changes in the control group (total, P = 0.01; right lung, P = 0.007; right lower lobe, P = 0.01; CSA, P = 0.0002). There was a negative correlation between lung volume change and cardiac CSA change in the control group but not in the CTEPH cohort.

CONCLUSION

After at least 6 mo of treatment, CT showed an unexpected loss of total lung volume in patients with CTEPH that may reflect continued parenchymal remodeling.

Global dissemination of minimally invasive living donor hepatectomy: What are the barriers?

Minimally invasive donor hepatectomy (MIDH) is a relatively novel procedure that can potentially increase donor safety and contribute to faster rehabilitation of donors. After an initial period in which donor safety was not effectively validated, MIDH currently seems to provide improved results, provided that it is conducted by experienced surgeons. Appropriate selection criteria are crucial to achieve better outcomes in terms of complications, blood loss, operative time, and hospital stay. Beyond a pure laparoscopic technique, various approaches have been recommended such as hand-assisted, laparoscopic-assisted, and robotic donation. The latter has shown equal outcomes compared to open and laparoscopic approaches. A steep learning curve seems to exist in MIDH, mainly due to the fragility of the liver parenchyma and the experience needed for adequate control of bleeding. This review investigated the challenges and the opportunities of MIDH and the barriers to its global dissemination. Surgeons need expertise in liver transplantation, hepatobiliary surgery, and minimally invasive techniques to perform MIDH. Barriers can be categorized into surgeon-related, institutional-related, and accessibility. More robust data and the creation of international registries are needed for further evaluation of the technique and the acceptance from more centers worldwide.

Precise mapping of hilar cholangiocarcinoma with a skip lesion by SpyGlass cholangioscopy: A case report

BACKGROUND

Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is a very aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. As surgery is the only curative therapy, preoperative evaluation of the tumor extent is essential for surgical planning. Although high-quality image modalities such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have been used extensively in preoperative evaluation, the accuracy is low. To obtain precise localization of tumor spread arising from the hilar region preoperatively, the development of an acceptable imaging modality is still an unmet need.

CASE SUMMARY

A 52-year-old female presented to our emergency department with jaundice, abdominal pain, and fever. Initially, she was treated for cholangitis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with the cholangiogram showed long segment filling defect in the common hepatic duct with dilatation of bilateral intrahepatic ducts. Transpapillary biopsy was performed, and the pathology suggested intraductal papillary neoplasm with high-grade dysplasia. After treatment of cholangitis, contrasted-enhanced computed tomography revealed a hilar lesion with undetermined Bismuth-Corlette classification. SpyGlass cholangioscopy showed that the lesion involved the confluence of the common hepatic duct with one skip lesion in the posterior branch of the right intrahepatic duct, which was not detected by previous image modalities. The surgical plan was modified from extended left hepatectomy to extended right hepatectomy. The final diagnosis was hilar CC, pT2aN0M0. The patient has remained disease-free for more than 3 years.

CONCLUSION

SpyGlass cholangioscopy may have a role in precision localization of hilar CC to provide surgeons with more information before the operation.

Preservation of left colic artery in laparoscopic colorectal operation: The benefit challenge

BACKGROUND

During laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer, there is controversy regarding whether the left colic artery (LCA) should be preserved at its origin.

AIM

To investigate the prognostic significance of preservation of the LCA in colorectal cancer surgery.

METHODS

Patients were divided into two groups. The high ligation (H-L) technique (refers to ligation performed 1 cm from the beginning of the inferior mesenteric artery) group consisted of 46 patients, and the low ligation (L-L) technique (refers to ligation performed below the initiation of the LCA) group consisted of 148 patients. Operative time, blood loss, lymph nodes with tumor invasion, postoperative complications and recovery time, recurrence rate, and 5-year survival rate were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The average number of lymph nodes detected in postoperative pathological specimens was 17.4/person in the H-L group and 15.9/person in the L-L group. There were 20 patients (43%) with positive lymph nodes (lymph node metastasis) in the H-L group and 60 patients (41%) in the L-L group. No statistical differences were found between the groups. Complications occurred in 12 cases (26%) in the H-L group and in 26 cases (18%) in the L-L group. The incidences of postoperative anastomotic complications and functional urinary complications were significantly lower in the L-L group. The 5-year survival rates in H-L and L-L groups were 81.7% and 81.6%, respectively, and relapse-free survival rates were 74.3% and 77.1%, respectively. The two groups were similar statistically.

CONCLUSION

Complete mesenteric resection combined with lymph node dissection around the inferior mesenteric artery root while preserving the LCA is a beneficial surgical approach during laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer.

Liver steatosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate is associated with body mass index

BACKGROUND

Methotrexate (MTX) is the usual first-line treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Long-term use of MTX has been associated with liver steatosis (LS) and liver fibrosis (LF).

AIM

To determine if LS in patients treated with MTX for RA is associated with MTX cumulative dose (MTX-CD), metabolic syndrome (MtS), body mass index (BMI), the male sex, or LF.

METHODS

A single-center, prospective study of patients receiving MTX for RA was performed from February 2019 to February 2020. The inclusion criteria were patients aged 18 years or older diagnosed with RA by a rheumatologist and being treated with MTX (without limitation on the duration of treatment). The exclusion criteria were previous diagnosis of liver disease (hepatitis B or C virus infection, known nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), alcohol consumption greater than 60 g/d in males or 40 g/d in females, human immunodeficiency virus infection on antiretroviral therapy, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, congestive heart failure, or BMI greater than 30 kg/m². Patients receiving leflunomide in the 3 years prior to the study were also excluded. Transient elastography (FibroScan, Echosens^®, Paris, France) was used for fibrosis determination (LF > 7 KpA) and computer attenuation parameter (CAP) for LS (CAP > 248 dB/m). Demographic variables, laboratory data, MTX-CD (> 4000 mg), MtS criteria, BMI (> 25), transient elastography, and CAP scores were collected from all patients.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine patients were included. Forty-three were female (72.88%), and the mean age was 61.52 years (standard deviation: 11.73). When we compared MTX-CD ≤ 4000 mg (26 patients; 14 with LS and 12 without) with > 4000 mg (33 patients; 12 with LS and 21 without), no statistical differences were found (P = 0.179). We compared CAP scores stratified by MtS, BMI, sex, and LF. There were no significant differences in CAP scores based on the presence of MtS [CAP/MtS: 50 no MtS (84.75%); 9 MtS (15.25%); P = 0.138], the male sex (CAP/sex: 8 male/18 female LS; 8 male/25 female no LS; P = 0.576), or LF [CAP/fibrosis: 53 no LF (89.83%); 6 LF (10.17%); P = 0.239]. LS determined by CAP was significantly associated with BMI > 25 (CAP/BMI: 22 BMI ≤ 25 (37.29%); 37 BMI > 25 (62.71%); P = 0.002].

CONCLUSION

LS in patients with RA treated with MTX was not associated with MTX-CD, LF, the male sex, or MtS. However, BMI was significantly related to LS in these patients.

Surgical management of hydatid cyst disease of the liver: An improvement from our previous experience?

BACKGROUND

Hydatid liver disease remains an important issue in endemic areas, which may require immediate surgery. Although laparoscopic surgery is on the rise, the presence of certain complications may require conversion to the open approach.

AIM

To compare the results of laparoscopic treatment and the open approach in the context of a 12-year single institution experience, and to perform a further comparison between results from the current study and those from a previous study.

METHODS

Between January 2009 and December 2020, 247 patients underwent surgery for hydatic disease of the liver in our department. Of the 247 patients, 70 underwent laparoscopic treatment. A retrospective analysis between the two groups was performed, as well as a comparison between current and previous laparoscopic experience (1999-2008).

RESULTS

There were statistically significant differences between the laparoscopic and open approaches regarding the cyst dimension, location, and presence of cystobiliary fistula. There were no intraoperative complications in the laparoscopic group. The cutoff value for the cyst size regarding the presence of cystobiliary fistula was 6.85 cm (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic surgery still plays an important role in the treatment of hydatid disease of the liver, with an increase in its usage over the course of years that has shown benefits regarding the postoperative recovery with a decreased rate of intraoperative complications. Although experienced surgeons can perform laparoscopic surgery in the most difficult conditions, there are some selection criteria that need to be maintained for higher quality results.

Mallory-Weiss syndrome from giant gastric trichobezoar: A case report

BACKGROUND

Mallory-Weiss syndrome (MWS), representing a linear mucosal laceration at the gastroesophageal junction, is a quite frequent cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, usually induced by habitual vomiting. The subsequent cardiac ulceration in this condition is likely due to the concomitance of increased intragastric pressure and inappropriate closure of the gastroesophageal sphincter, collectively inducing ischemic mucosal damage. Usually, MWS is associated with all vomiting conditions, but it has also been described as a complication of prolonged endoscopic procedures or ingested foreign bodies.

CASE SUMMARY

We described herein a case of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a 16-year-old girl with MWS and chronic psychiatric distress, the latter of which deteriorated following her parents’ divorce. The patient, who was residing on a small island during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic lockdown period, presented with a 2-mo history of habitual vomiting, hematemesis, and a slight depressive mood. Ultimately, a huge intragastric obstructive trichobezoar was detected and discovered to be due to a hidden habit of continuously eating her own hair; this habit had persisted for the past 5 years until a drastic reduction in food intake and corresponding weight loss occurred. The relative isolation in her living status without school attendance had worsened her compulsory habit. The hair agglomeration had reached such enormous dimensions and its firmness was so hard that its potential for endoscopic treatment was judged to be impossible. The patient underwent surgical intervention instead, which culminated in complete removal of the mass.

CONCLUSION

According to our knowledge, this is the first-ever described case of MWS due to an excessively large trichobezoar.

KRAS-Dependency in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Mechanisms of Escaping in Resistance to KRAS Inhibitors and Perspectives of Therapy

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still one of the deadliest cancers in oncology because of its increasing incidence and poor survival rate. More than 90% of PDAC patients are KRAS mutated (KRASmu), with KRASG12D and KRASG12V being the most common mutations. Despite this critical role, its characteristics have made direct targeting of the RAS protein extremely difficult. KRAS regulates development, cell growth, epigenetically dysregulated differentiation, and survival in PDAC through activation of key downstream pathways, such as MAPK-ERK and PI3K-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, in a KRAS-dependent manner. KRASmu induces the occurrence of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and leads to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). In this context, the oncogenic mutation of KRAS induces an epigenetic program that leads to the initiation of PDAC. Several studies have identified multiple direct and indirect inhibitors of KRAS signaling. Therefore, KRAS dependency is so essential in KRASmu PDAC that cancer cells have secured several compensatory escape mechanisms to counteract the efficacy of KRAS inhibitors, such as activation of MEK/ERK signaling or YAP1 upregulation. This review will provide insights into KRAS dependency in PDAC and analyze recent data on inhibitors of KRAS signaling, focusing on how cancer cells establish compensatory escape mechanisms.

Monoclonal antibody for COVID-19: Unveiling the recipe of a new cocktail

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a tremendous adverse impact on the global health system, public sector, and social aspects. It is unarguably the worst pandemic of the century. However, COVID-19 management is a mystery in front of us, and an authentic treatment is urgently needed. Various repurposed drugs, like ivermectin, remdesivir, tocilizumab, baricitinib, etc., have been used to treat COVID-19, but none are promising. Antibody therapy and their combinations are emerging modalities for treating moderate COVID-19, and they have shown the potential to reduce hospitalisations. One antibody monotherapy, bamlanivimab, and two cocktails, casirivimab/imdevimab and bamlanivimab/ esterivimab, have received authorization for emergency use by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mild COVID-19 in high risk individuals. The European Emergency has made similar recommendations for use of the drug in COVID-19 patients without oxygen therapy. This brief review will focus on monoclonal antibodies and their combination cocktail therapy in managing COVID-19 infection.

Atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease: An integrative review focusing on therapeutic implications of this relationship

The incidence of both atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease (CAD) increases with advancing age. They share common risk factors and very often coexist. Evidence points to an intricate relationship between atrial tissue excitability and neuronal remodeling with ischemia at the microcirculatory level. In this review, we delineated this complex relationship, identified a common theme between the two, and discussed how the knowledge of this relationship translates into a positive and meaningful impact in patient management. Recent research indicates a high prevalence of CAD among AF patients undergoing coronary angiography. Further, the incidence of AF is much higher in those suffering from CAD compared to age-matched adults without CAD underlying this reciprocal relationship. CAD adversely affects AF by promoting progression via re-entry and increasing excitability of atrial tissue as a result of ischemia and electrical inhomogeneity. AF in turn accelerates atherosclerosis via endothelial dysfunctional and inflammation and together with enhanced thrombogenicity and hypercoagulability contribute to micro and macrothrombi throughout cardiovascular system. In a nutshell, the two form a vicious cycle wherein one disease promotes the other. Most AF recommendations focuses on rate/rhythm control and prevention of thromboembolism. Very few studies have discussed the importance of unmasking coexistent CAD and how the treatment of underlying ischemia will impact the burden of AF in these patients. Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction remain central to both disease processes and form a handsome therapeutic target in the management of the two diseases. The relationship between AF and CAD is complex and much more than mere coincidence. The two diseases share common risk factor and pathophysiology. Hence, it is impractical to treat them in isolation. Accordingly, we share the implications of managing underlying ischemia and inflammation to positively impact and improve quality of life among AF patients.

Stromal cell-derived factor-1α regulates chondrogenic differentiation via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in mesenchymal stem cells

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been applied to treat degenerative articular diseases, and stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) may enhance their therapeutic efficacy. However, the regulatory effects of SDF-1α on cartilage differentiation remain largely unknown. Identifying the specific regulatory effects of SDF-1α on MSCs will provide a useful target for the treatment of degenerative articular diseases.

AIM

To explore the role and mechanism of SDF-1α in cartilage differentiation of MSCs and primary chondrocytes.

METHODS

The expression level of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in MSCs was assessed by immunofluorescence. MSCs treated with SDF-1α were stained for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and with Alcian blue to observe differentiation. Western blot analysis was used to examine the expression of SRY-box transcription factor 9, aggrecan, collagen II, runt-related transcription factor 2, collagen X, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)13 in untreated MSCs, of aggrecan, collagen II, collagen X, and MMP13 in SDF-1α-treated primary chondrocytes, of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) p-GSK3β and β-catenin expression in SDF-1α-treated MSCs, and of aggrecan, collagen X, and MMP13 in SDF-1α-treated MSCs in the presence or absence of ICG-001 (SDF-1α inhibitor).

RESULTS

Immunofluorescence showed CXCR4 expression in the membranes of MSCs. ALP stain was intensified in MSCs treated with SDF-1α for 14 d. The SDF-1α treatment promoted expression of collagen X and MMP13 during cartilage differentiation, whereas it had no effect on the expression of collagen II or aggrecan nor on the formation of cartilage matrix in MSCs. Further, those SDF-1α-mediated effects on MSCs were validated in primary chondrocytes. SDF-1α promoted the expression of p-GSK3β and β-catenin in MSCs. And, finally, inhibition of this pathway by ICG-001 (5 µmol/L) neutralized the SDF-1α-mediated up-regulation of collagen X and MMP13 expression in MSCs.

CONCLUSION

SDF-1α may promote hypertrophic cartilage differentiation in MSCs by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These findings provide further evidence for the use of MSCs and SDF-1α in the treatment of cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis.

Single-cell RNA sequencing in cornea research: Insights into limbal stem cells and their niche regulation

The corneal epithelium is composed of stratified squamous epithelial cells on the outer surface of the eye, which acts as a protective barrier and is critical for clear and stable vision. Its continuous renewal or wound healing depends on the proliferation and differentiation of limbal stem cells (LSCs), a cell population that resides at the limbus in a highly regulated niche. Dysfunction of LSCs or their niche can cause limbal stem cell deficiency, a disease that is manifested by failed epithelial wound healing or even blindness. Nevertheless, compared to stem cells in other tissues, little is known about the LSCs and their niche. With the advent of single-cell RNA sequencing, our understanding of LSC characteristics and their microenvironment has grown considerably. In this review, we summarized the current findings from single-cell studies in the field of cornea research and focused on important advancements driven by this technology, including the heterogeneity of the LSC population, novel LSC markers and regulation of the LSC niche, which will provide a reference for clinical issues such as corneal epithelial wound healing, ocular surface reconstruction and interventions for related diseases.

New native tissue repair for pelvic organ prolapse: Medium-term outcomes of laparoscopic vaginal stump–round ligament fixation

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a new and widely used approach; however, ever since the United States Food and Drug Administration warned against the use of surgical mesh, repairs performed using patients’ tissues [i.e. native tissue repair (NTR)] instead of mesh have attracted much attention. At our hospital, laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (the Shull method) was introduced in 2017. However, patients with more severe POP who have a long vaginal canal and overextended uterosacral ligaments may not be candidates for this procedure.

AIM

To validate a new NTR treatment for POP, we examined patients undergoing laparoscopic vaginal stump–round ligament fixation (the Kakinuma method).

METHODS

The study patients were 30 individuals with POP who underwent surgery using the Kakinuma method between January 2020 and December 2021 and who were followed up for > 12 mo after surgery. We retrospectively examined surgical outcomes for surgery duration, blood loss, intraoperative complications, and incidence of recurrence. The Kakinuma method involves round ligament suturing and fixation on both sides, effectively lifting the vaginal stump after laparoscopic hysterectomy.

RESULTS

The patients’ mean age was 66.5 ± 9.1 (45-82) years, gravidity was 3.1 ± 1.4 (2-7), parity was 2.5 ± 0.6 (2-4) times, and body mass index was 24.5 ± 3.3 (20.9-32.8) kg/m². According to the POP quantification stage classification, there were 8 patients with stage II, 11 with stage III, and 11 with stage IV. The mean surgery duration was 113.4 ± 22.6 (88-148) min, and the mean blood loss was 26.5 ± 39.7 (10-150) mL. There were no perioperative complications. None of the patients exhibited reduced activities of daily living or cognitive impairment after hospital discharge. No cases of POP recurrence were observed 12 mo after the operation.

CONCLUSION

The Kakinuma method, similar to conventional NTR, may be an effective treatment for POP.

Impact of erythropoietin therapy on cardiorenal syndrome: A systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Heart and kidney dysfunction frequently coexist in patients with acute heart failure due to the overlap between these two organ systems. Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) results from pathology occurring in the heart and kidneys along with the consequences of dysfunction in one organ contributing to dysfunction in the other and vice versa.

AIM

To evaluate the use of erythropoietin (EPO) in patients with CRS and its effects on hemoglobin (Hb), major cardiovascular (CV) events, and hospitalization rates.

METHODS

On February 24, 2022, searches were conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, and 148 articles were identified. A total of nine studies were considered in this systematic review. We assessed the included articles based on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute quality assessment tools for controlled intervention and observational cohort or cross-sectional studies. An assessment of bias risk was conducted on the chosen studies, and data relevant to our review was extracted.

RESULTS

The systematic review of these studies concluded that most existing literature indicates that EPO improves baseline Hb levels and decreases myocardial remodeling and left ventricular dysfunction without reducing CV mortality. In addition, the effect of EPO on the hospitalization rate of patients with CRS needs to be further studied since this relationship is unknown. Future studies, such as randomized controlled clinical trials and prospective cohort studies, should be conducted to enhance the literature on the potential of EPO therapy in patients with CRS.

CONCLUSION

Our systematic review suggests that EPO therapy may have a significant role in managing CRS. The review highlights the potential benefits of EPO in improving baseline Hb levels, reducing the risk of major CV events, improving cardiac remodeling, myocardial function, New York Heart Association class, and B-type natriuretic peptide levels. However, the effect of EPO treatment on hospitalization remains unclear and needs further exploration.

A Review of Risk Scores within Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common medical emergency. Thorough initial assessment and appropriate resuscitation are essential to stabilise the patient. Risk scores provide an important tool to discriminate between lower- and higher-risk patients. Very low-risk patients can be safely discharged for out-patient management, while higher-risk patients can receive appropriate in-patient care. The Glasgow Blatchford Score, with a score of 0-1, performs best in the identification of very low-risk patients who will not require hospital based intervention or die, and is recommended by most guidelines to facilitate safe out-patient management. The performance of risk scores in the identification of specific adverse events to define high-risk patients is less accurate, with no individual score performing consistently well. Ongoing developments in the use of machine learning models and artificial intelligence in predicting poor outcomes in UGIB appear promising and will likely form the basis of dynamic risk assessment in the future.

Non-Invasive Imaging Methods to Evaluate Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Fat Quantification: A Review

Hepatic steatosis without specific causes (e.g., viral infection, alcohol abuse, etc.) is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which ranges from non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and NASH-related cirrhosis. Despite the usefulness of the standard grading system, liver biopsy has several limitations. In addition, patient acceptability and intra- and inter-observer reproducibility are also concerns. Due to the prevalence of NAFLD and limitations of liver biopsies, non-invasive imaging methods such as ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that can reliably diagnose hepatic steatosis have developed rapidly. US is widely available and radiation-free but cannot examine the entire liver. CT is readily available and helpful for detection and risk classification, significantly when analyzed using artificial intelligence; however, it exposes users to radiation. Although expensive and time-consuming, MRI can measure liver fat percentage with magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). Specifically, chemical shift-encoded (CSE)-MRI is the best imaging indicator for early liver fat detection. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of each imaging modality with an emphasis on the recent progress and current status of liver fat quantification.

Glioblastoma Metabolism: Insights and Therapeutic Strategies

Tumor metabolism is emerging as a potential target for cancer therapies. This new approach holds particular promise for the treatment of glioblastoma, a highly lethal brain tumor that is resistant to conventional treatments, for which improving therapeutic strategies is a major challenge. The presence of glioma stem cells is a critical factor in therapy resistance, thus making it essential to eliminate these cells for the long-term survival of cancer patients. Recent advancements in our understanding of cancer metabolism have shown that glioblastoma metabolism is highly heterogeneous, and that cancer stem cells exhibit specific metabolic traits that support their unique functionality. The objective of this review is to examine the metabolic changes in glioblastoma and investigate the role of specific metabolic processes in tumorigenesis, as well as associated therapeutic approaches, with a particular focus on glioma stem cell populations.

Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcomas of the Genitourinary Tract

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in the pediatric and adolescent population, with 350 new cases diagnosed each year. While they can develop anywhere in the body, the genitourinary tract is the second most common primary location for an RMS to develop. Overall survival has improved through the increased use of protocols and multidisciplinary approaches. However, the guidelines for management continue to change as systemic and radiation therapeutics advance. Given the relative rarity of this disease compared to other non-solid childhood malignancies, healthcare providers not directly managing RMS may not be familiar with their presentation and updated management. This review aims to provide foundational knowledge of the management of RMSs with an emphasis on specific management paradigms for those arising from the genitourinary tract. The genitourinary tract is the second most common location for an RMS to develop but varies greatly in symptomology and survival depending on the organ of origin. As the clinical understanding of these tumors advances, treatment paradigms have evolved. Herein, we describe the breadth of presentations for genitourinary RMSs with diagnostic and treatment management considerations, incorporating the most recently available guidelines and societal consensus recommendations.

Application of infraorbital rim augmentation with pocket fat filling to correct tear trough deformity

Background

Tear trough deformity is one of the most common complaints in clinical settings. The correction of this groove is challenging in facial rejuvenation. The lower eyelid blepharoplasty varies with different conditions. A novel approach of using orbital fat in the lower eyelid to increase the volume of the infraorbital rim with granule fat injection has been applied in our institution for more than 5 years.

Objectives

This article aims to describe the detailed steps of our technique and verify its effectiveness by a cadaveric head dissection after surgical simulation.

Methods

In this study, a total of 172 patients with tear trough deformity underwent lower eyelid orbital rim augmentation with fat filling in the sub-periosteum pocket. According to Barton's grades, 152 patients underwent lower eyelid orbital rim augmentation with orbital fat filling, 12 patients had it combined with autologous granule fat from other body parts, and 8 patients received only transconjunctival fat removal to correct tear trough.

Results

The modified Goldberg score system was used to compare preoperative and postoperative photographs. Patients were satisfied with the cosmetic results. Excessive protruding fat was released, and the tear trough groove was flattened by using autologous orbital fat transplantation. The lower eyelid sulcus deformities were well-corrected. To further illustrate the anatomical structure of the lower eyelid area and injection layers, six cadaveric heads were used for surgical simulation and demonstrated the effectiveness of our technique.

Conclusions

This study indicated that the infraorbital rim could be increased by transplanting orbital fat to the pocket, which was dissected under the periosteum, and the procedure has been verified as reliable and effective.

Evidence-based medicine EBM level

Level II.

Laparoscopic Right Hemihepatectomy after Future Liver Remnant Modulation: A Single Surgeon's Experience

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic right hemihepatectomy (L-RHH) is still considered a technically complex procedure, which should only be performed by experienced surgeons in specialized centers. Future liver remnant modulation (FLRM) strategies, including portal vein embolization (PVE), and associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS), might increase the surgical difficulty of L-RHH, due to the distortion of hepatic anatomy, periportal inflammation, and fibrosis. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the safety and feasibility of L-RHH after FLRM, when compared with ex novo L-RHH.

METHODS

All consecutive right hemihepatectomies performed by a single surgeon in the period between October 2007 and March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patient characteristics and perioperative outcomes of L-RHH after FLRM and ex novo L-RHH were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 59 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 33 underwent FLRM. Patients undergoing FLRM prior to L-RHH were most often male (93.9% vs. 42.3%, p < 0.001), had an ASA-score >2 (45.5% vs. 9.5%, p = 0.006), and underwent a two-stage hepatectomy (45.5% vs. 3.8% p < 0.001). L-RHH after FLRM was associated with longer operative time (median 360 vs. 300 min, p = 0.008) and Pringle duration (31 vs. 24 min, p = 0.011). Intraoperative blood loss, unfavorable intraoperative incidents, and conversion rates were similar in both groups. There were no significant differences in length of hospital stay and 30-day overall and severe morbidity rates. Radical resection margin (R0) and textbook outcome rates were equal. One patient who underwent an extended RHH in the FLRM group deceased within 90 days of surgery, due to post-hepatectomy liver failure.

CONCLUSION

L-RHH after FLRM is more technically complex than L-RHH ex novo, as objectified by longer operative time and Pringle duration. Nevertheless, this procedure appears safe and feasible in experienced hands.

Machine learning model for prediction of low anterior resection syndrome following laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal cancer: A multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) severely impairs patient postoperative quality of life, especially major LARS. However, there are few tools that can accurately predict major LARS in clinical practice.

AIM

To develop a machine learning model using preoperative and intraoperative factors for predicting major LARS following laparoscopic surgery of rectal cancer in Chinese populations.

METHODS

Clinical data and follow-up information of patients who received laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer from two medical centers (one discovery cohort and one external validation cohort) were included in this retrospective study. For the discovery cohort, the machine learning prediction algorithms were developed and internally validated. In the external validation cohort, we evaluated the trained model using various performance metrics. Further, the clinical utility of the model was tested by decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 1651 patients were included in the present study. Anastomotic height, neoadjuvant therapy, diverting stoma, body mass index, clinical stage, specimen length, tumor size, and age were the risk factors associated with major LARS. They were used to construct the machine learning model to predict major LARS. The trained random forest (RF) model performed with an area under the curve of 0.852 and a sensitivity of 0.795 (95%CI: 0.681-0.877), a specificity of 0.758 (95%CI: 0.671-0.828), and Brier score of 0.166 in the external validation set. Compared to the previous preoperative LARS score model, the current model exhibited superior predictive performance in predicting major LARS in our cohort (accuracy of 0.772 for the RF model vs 0.355 for the preoperative LARS score model).

CONCLUSION

We developed and validated a robust tool for predicting major LARS. This model could potentially be used in the clinic to identify patients with a high risk of developing major LARS and then improve the quality of life.

Susceptibility patterns and virulence genotypes of Helicobacter pylori affecting eradication therapy outcomes among Egyptian patients with gastroduodenal diseases

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a significant human pathogen that is responsible for a variety of illnesses, including mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, gastric cancer, peptic ulcers, and gastritis.

AIM

To investigate the frequency of H. pylori infection and its resistance patterns among Egyptian patients and to determine the influence of H. pylori virulence genetic determinants on the eradication success of 14-d triple therapy regimen.

METHODS

H. pylori infections were investigated in 72 patients with gastroduodenal complications suggestive of H. pylori infection. The cagA and vacA genotypes of cultured strains were studied using polymerase chain reaction. The patients underwent 14 d of triple-therapy treatment. The treatment response was examined using histology and a rapid urease test 6 wk after therapy discontinuation.

RESULTS

The intention-to-treat eradication rate was 59.2% (95%CI: 48.2%–70.3%). Rates of H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and metronidazole were 52.8%, 81.9%, and 100%, respectively. Successful eradication of H. pylori was more significantly associated with vacA s1-positive strains [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.507, 95%CI: 0.175–0.822]. A significant association was found between failed eradication rate and H. pylori strains resistant to clarithromycin (aOR = 0.204, 95%CI: –0.005 to 0.412) and amoxicillin (aOR = 0.223, 95%CI: 0.026–0.537).

CONCLUSION

This study’s low H. pylori eradication rate following 14-d triple therapy is concerning and worrying. H. pylori pan-resistance to metronidazole followed by the high resistance to ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin in this research is challenging and of great concern.

TATA-box-binding protein-associated factor 15 is a novel biomarker that promotes cell proliferation and migration in gastrointestinal stromal tumor

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a common neoplasm with high rates of recurrence and metastasis, and its therapeutic efficacy is still not ideal. There is an unmet need to find new molecular therapeutic targets for GIST. TATA-box-binding protein-associated factor 15 (TAF15) contributes to the progress of various tumors, while the role and molecular mechanism of TAF15 in GIST progression are still unknown.

AIM

To explore new molecular therapeutic targets for GIST and understand the biological role and underlying mechanisms of TAF15 in GIST progression.

METHODS

Proteomic analysis was performed to explore the differentially expressed proteins in GIST. Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis were used to verify the expression level of TAF15 in GIST tissues and cell lines. Cell counting kit-8, colony formation, wound-healing and transwell assay were executed to detect the ability of TAF15 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. A xenograft mouse model was applied to explore the role of TAF15 in the progression of GIST. Western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation level and total level of RAF1, MEK and ERK1/2.

RESULTS

A total of 1669 proteins were identified as differentially expressed proteins with 762 upregulated and 907 downregulated in GIST. TAF15 was selected for the further study because of its important role in cell proliferation and migration. TAF15 was significantly over expressed in GIST tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of TAF15 was associated with larger tumor size and higher risk stage of GIST. TAF15 knockdown significantly inhibited the cell proliferation and migration of GIST in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, the inhibition of TAF15 expression significantly decreased the phosphorylation level of RAF1, MEK and ERK1/2 in GIST cells and xenograft tissues, while the total RAF1, MEK and ERK1/2 had no significant change.

CONCLUSION

TAF15 is over expressed in GIST tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of TAF15 was associated with a poor prognosis of GIST patients. TAF15 promotes cell proliferation and migration in GIST via the activation of the RAF1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Thus, TAF15 is expected to be a novel latent molecular biomarker or therapeutic target of GIST.

Overlap of disorders of gut-brain interaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Rome criteria differentiate distinct types of disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI); also known as functional gastrointestinal disorders. Overlap of symptom categories frequently occurs. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to define the prevalence of DGBI overlap and compare overlap in population-based, primary care or tertiary care health settings. Furthermore, we aimed to compare symptom severity of psychological comorbidities in DGBI with and without overlap.

METHODS

For this systematic review and meta-analysis we searched MEDLINE (PubMed) and Embase electronic databases from inception until March 1, 2022, for original articles and conference abstracts of observational cross-sectional, case-controlled, or cohort design studies that reported the prevalence of DGBI overlap in adult participants (aged ≥18 years). We included only those studies where the diagnosis of DGBI was based on clinical assessment, questionnaire data, or specific symptom-based criteria. Studies were excluded if reporting on mixed populations of DGBI and organic diseases. Aggregate patient data were extracted from eligible published studies. The prevalence of DGBI overlap in all studies was pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random effects model, and further analysis stratified by subgroups (care setting, diagnostic criteria, geographic region, and gross domestic product per capita). We also assessed the relationship between DGBI overlap with anxiety, depression, and quality of life symptom scores. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022311101).

FINDINGS

46 of 1268 screened studies, reporting on 75 682 adult DGBI participants, were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Overall, 24 424 (pooled prevalence 36·5% [95% CI 30·7 to 42·6]) participants had a DGBI overlap, with considerable between-study heterogeneity (I²=99·51, p=0·0001). In the tertiary health-care setting, overlap among participants with DGBI was more prevalent (8373 of 22 617, pooled prevalence 47·3% [95% CI 33·2 to 61·7]) compared with population-based cohorts (11 332 of 39 749, pooled prevalence 26·5% [95% CI 20·5 to 33·4]; odds ratio 2·50 [95% CI 1·28 to 4·87]; p=0·0084). Quality of life physical component scores were significantly lower in participants with DGBI overlap compared with participants without overlap (standardised mean difference -0·47 [95% CI -0·80 to -0·14]; p=0·025). Participants with DGBI overlap had both increased symptom scores for anxiety (0·39 [95% CI 0·24 to 0·54]; p=0·0001) and depression (0·41 [0·30 to 0·51]; p=0·0001).

INTERPRETATION

Overlap of DGBI subtypes is frequent, and is more prevalent in tertiary care settings and associated with more severe symptom manifestations or psychological comorbidities. Despite the large sample size, the comparative analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity, and the results should be interpreted with caution.

FUNDING

National Health and Medical Research Council and Centre for Research Excellence.

Exploring the role of pyroptosis in shaping the tumor microenvironment of colorectal cancer by bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing

BACKGROUND

Emerging studies have shown that pyroptosis plays a non-negligible role in the development and treatment of tumors. However, the mechanism of pyroptosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains still unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the role of pyroptosis in CRC.

METHODS

A pyroptosis-related risk model was developed using univariate Cox regression and LASSO Cox regression analyses. Based on this model, pyroptosis-related risk scores (PRS) of CRC samples with OS time > 0 from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were calculated. The abundance of immune cells in CRC tumor microenvironment (TME) was predicted by single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Then, the responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy were predicted by pRRophetic algorithm, the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) and SubMap algorithms, respectively. Moreover, the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP) and PRISM Repurposing dataset (PRISM) were used to explore novel drug treatment strategies of CRC. Finally, we investigated pyroptosis-related genes in the level of single-cell and validated the expression levels of these genes between normal and CRC cell lines by RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

Survival analysis showed that CRC samples with low PRS had better overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). CRC samples with low PRS had higher immune-related gene expression and immune cell infiltration than those with high PRS. Besides, CRC samples with low PRS were more likely to benefit from 5-fluorouracil based chemotherapy and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. In novel drug prediction, some compounds such as C6-ceramide and noretynodrel, were inferred as potential drugs for CRC with different PRS. Single-cell analysis revealed pyroptosis-related genes were highly expressed in tumor cells. RT-qPCR also demonstrated different expression levels of these genes between normal and CRC cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, this study provides a comprehensive investigation of the role of pyroptosis in CRC at the bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) levels, advances our understanding of CRC characteristics, and guides more effective treatment regimens.

Violence against healthcare workers in the middle of a global health crisis: what is it about policy and what to learn from international comparison?

Introduction

Violence against healthcare workers is a global health problem threatening healthcare workforce retention and health system resilience in a fragile post-COVID 'normalisation' period. In this perspective article, we argue that violence against healthcare workers must be made a greater priority. Our novel contribution to the debate is a comparative health system and policy approach.

Methods

We have chosen a most different systems comparative approach concerning the epidemiological, political, and geographic contexts. Brazil (under the Bolsonaro government) and the United Kingdom (under the Johnson government) serve as examples of countries that were strongly hit by the pandemic in epidemiological terms while also displaying policy failures. New Zealand and Germany represent the opposite. A rapid assessment was undertaken based on secondary sources and country expertise.

Results

We found similar problems across countries. A global crisis makes healthcare workers vulnerable to violence. Furthermore, insufficient data and monitoring hamper effective prevention, and lack of attention may threaten women, the nursing profession, and migrant/minority groups the most. There were also relevant differences. No clear health system pattern can be identified. At the same time, professional associations and partly the media are strong policy actors against violence.

Conclusion

In all countries, muchmore involvement from political leadership is needed. In addition, attention to the political dimension and all forms of violence are essential.

Engineered extracellular vesicles mediated CRISPR-induced deficiency of IQGAP1/FOXM1 reverses sorafenib resistance in HCC by suppressing cancer stem cells

BACKGROUND

Sorafenib resistance poses therapeutic challenges in HCC treatment, in which cancer stem cells (CSCs) plays a crucial role. CRISPR/Cas9 can be utilized as a potential technique to overcome the drug resistance. However, a safe, efficient and target specific delivery of this platform remains challenging. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), the active components of cell to cell communication, hold promising benefits as delivery platform.

RESULTS

Herein we report the normal epithelial cell -derived EVs engineered with HN3(HLC9-EVs) show competing tumor targeting ability. Anchoring HN3 to the membrane of the EVs through LAMP2, drastically increased the specific homing of HLC9-EVs to GPC3⁺Huh-7 cancer cells rather than co-cultured GPC3^-LO2 cells. Combination therapy of HCC with sorafenib and HLC9-EVs containing sgIF to silence IQGAP1 (protein responsible for reactivation of Akt/PI3K signaling in sorafenib resistance) and FOXM1 (self-renewal transcription factor in CSCs attributed to sorafenib resistance), exhibited effective synergistic anti-cancer effect both in vitro and in vivo. Our results also showed that disruption of IQGAP1/FOXM1 resulted in the reduction of CD133⁺ population that contribute to the stemness of liver cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

By reversing sorafenib resistance using combination therapeutic approach with engineered EVs encapsulated CRISPR/Cas9 and sorafenib, our study foreshadows a path for a better, accurate, reliable and successful anti-cancer therapy in the future.

Skin gluten-related disorders: new and old cutaneous manifestations to be considered

The term gluten-related disorders (GRD) refer to a spectrum of different clinical manifestations triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals, including coeliac disease (CD), wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). GRD are characterized by a large variety of clinical presentations with both intestinal and extra-intestinal manifestations. The latter may affect almost every organ of the body, including the skin. Besides the well-known association between CD and dermatitis herpetiformis, considered as the cutaneous specific manifestation of CD, many other muco-cutaneous disorders have been associated to GRD. In this review, we analyzed the main features of dermatological diseases with a proven association with GRD and those that improve after a gluten-free diet, focusing on the newly described cutaneous manifestations associated with NCGS. Our main hypothesis is that a "cutaneous-gluten sensitivity," as specific cutaneous manifestation of NCGS, may exist and could represent a diagnostic marker of NCGS.

Intragastric fish bones migrate into the liver: A case report

BACKGROUND

A foreign body in the digestive tract is a common disease in the clinic. However, it is rare for a foreign body to migrate into the liver. Most patients are diagnosed before or after perforation of the digestive tract. Laparoscopic removal of intrahepatic foreign bodies is an effective treatment method.

CASE SUMMARY

A 55-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital due to fever for 3 d, in addition to pain and discomfort in the right side of his waist. After admission, abdominal computed tomography showed a foreign body in the liver, and gastroscopy did not indicate obvious erosion or ulcers. The patient then underwent laparoscopic surgery. During the operation, an abscess was seen near the gastric antrum and between the caudate lobes of the liver. It was approximately 30 mm × 31 mm × 23 mm in size. The abscess was cut open, and a fish bone was found inside. The fish bone had penetrated the liver and was successfully removed. It was confirmed that the fish bone migrated from the stomach to the liver.

CONCLUSION

Although intrahepatic foreign bodies are rare, they should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible to avoid serious complications such as intrahepatic abscess, which may lead to liver resection and even life-threatening events.

Burden of disability in type 2 diabetes mellitus and the moderating effects of physical activity

The growing diabetic epidemic has created a substantial burden, not only on the people with diabetes but also on society at large. This mini-review discussed the limitations and patterns of disability in type 2 diabetes mellitus and put forward a case for the moderating effects of physical activity (PA) in the management of diabetes. The limitations and impairments associated with diabetes include vascular, neurological, cardiac, and renal impairments. Moreover, individuals participate less in their daily lives and in their instrumental activities of daily living, which negatively impacts the quality of life of individuals with diabetes. This often leads to a loss of quality of life due to disabilities, resulting in an increased rate of disability-adjusted life years among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, there are psychosocial sequelae of diabetes mellitus. This necessitates looking for moderating factors that may reduce the burden of the disease. PA has been shown to be one of the factors that can mitigate these burdens. PA does this in several ways, including through the benefits it confers, such as a reduction of hemoglobin A1c, a reduction of excess fat in the liver and pancreas, and the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors, all of which favorably affect glycemic parameters. Specifically, PA regulates or moderates diabetes disability through two mechanisms: The regulation of glucolipid metabolism disorders and the optimization of body mass index and systemic conditions. Therefore, efforts should be directed at PA uptake through identified strategies. This will not only prevent diabetes or diabetes complications but will reduce its burden.

Late-onset mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes syndrome with mitochondrial DNA 3243A>G mutation masquerading as autoimmune encephalitis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Here, we present a unique case of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome, which initially appeared to be autoimmune encephalitis and was ultimately confirmed as MELAS with the mitochondrial DNA 3243A>G mutation.

CASE SUMMARY

A 58-year-old female presented with acute-onset speech impediment and auditory hallucinations, symmetrical bitemporal lobe abnormalities, clinical and laboratory findings, and a lack of relevant prodromal history, which suggested diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis. Further work-up, in conjunction with the patient’s medical history, family history, and lactate peak on brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging, suggested a mitochondrial disorder. Mitochondrial genome analysis revealed the m.3243A>G variant in the MT-TL1 gene, which led to a diagnosis of MELAS syndrome.

CONCLUSION

This case underscores the importance of considering MELAS as a potential cause of autoimmune encephalitis even if patients are over 40 years of age, as the symptoms and signs are atypical for MELAS syndrome.

The Bidirectional Link between Nutritional Factors and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Dietary Deficits, Habits, and Recommended Interventions-A Narrative Review

Inflammatory bowel diseases comprise Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two chronic inflammatory disorders of the digestive tract that develop in adolescence and early adulthood and show a rising pattern in industrialized societies, as well as in developing countries, being strongly influenced by environmental pressures such as nutrition, pollution and lifestyle behaviors. Here, we provide a narrative review of the bidirectional link between nutritional factors and IBD, of dietary deficits observed in IBD patients due to both the disease itself and dietary habits, and of the suggested nutritional interventions. Research of the literature was conducted. Clinical and basic research studies consistently demonstrate that diet could alter the risk of developing IBD in predisposed individuals. On the other hand, dietary interventions represent a valid tool in support of conventional therapies to control IBD symptoms, rebalance states of malnutrition, promote/maintain clinical remission and improve patients' quality of life. Although there are no official dietary guidelines for patients with IBD, they should receive nutritional advice and undergo oral, enteral, or parenteral nutritional supplementation if needed. However, the dietary management of malnutrition in IBD patients is complex; future clinical studies are required to standardize its management.

Paediatric gastrointestinal endoscopy in the Asian-Pacific region: Recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques

There has been a rapid expansion in the knowledge of paediatric gastroenterology over the recent decade, with a fast-growing repertoire of diagnostic techniques and management strategies for a wide spectrum of childhood gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. Paediatric GI endoscopy is a core competency every paediatric gastroenterologist should possess, and represents one of the most common procedures performed in children for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Yet there remains a dearth of literature on the utility and outcomes of paediatric GI endoscopy in the Asia-Pacific region. Data on the diagnostic value of paediatric GI endoscopy would be an important aspect of discussion, with the emergence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and eosinophilic GI disease as increasingly common endoscopic diagnoses. Time-based trends in paediatric GI endoscopy do point towards more IBD and gastroesophageal reflux disease-related complications being diagnosed, with a declining incidence of GI bleeding. However, the real-world diagnostic value of endoscopy in Asia must be contextualised to the region-specific prevalence of paediatric GI diseases. Helicobacter pylori infection, particularly that of multidrug-resistant strains, remains a highly prevalent problem in specific regions. Paediatric functional GI disorders still account for the majority of childhood GI complaints in most centres, hence the diagnostic yield of endoscopy should be critically evaluated in the absence of alarm symptoms. GI therapeutic endoscopy is also occasionally required for children with ingested foreign bodies, intestinal polyposis or oesophageal strictures requiring dilation. Endoscopic haemostasis is a potentially life-saving skill in cases of massive GI bleeding typically from varices or peptic ulcers. Advanced endoscopic techniques such as capsule endoscopy and balloon-assisted enteroscopy have found traction, particularly in East Asian centres, as invaluable diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the management of IBD, obscure GI bleeding and intestinal polyposis. State of the art endoscopic diagnostics and therapeutics, including the use of artificial intelligence-aided endoscopy algorithms, real-time confocal laser endomicroscopy and peroral endoscopic myotomy, are expected to gain more utility in paediatrics. As paediatric gastroenterology matures as a subspecialty in Asia, it is essential current paediatric endoscopists and future trainees adhere to minimum practice standards, and keep abreast of the evolving trends in the diagnostic and therapeutic value of endoscopy. This review discusses the available published literature on the utility of paediatric GI endoscopy in Asia Pacific, with the relevant clinical outcomes.

Primary hepatic lymphoma of MALT type mimicking hepatic adenoma treated by hepatectomy: a case report and literature review

Background

Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is a rare malignant tumor. Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is an indolent lymphoma occurring at extranodal sites. The stomach is the most common organ affected by MALT lymphoma, whereas liver-related lymphoma is rarely reported. Its atypical clinical presentation often delays the diagnosis. Owing to the rarity of PHL, identifying its optimal treatment still remains a challenge. Herein, we report a case of PHL of the MALT type mimicking hepatic adenoma that was treated by hepatectomy without chemotherapy and review the scarce literature. Our findings suggest that surgery is an alternative approach to cure patients with localized hepatic lymphoma.

Case summary

A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of upper abdominal discomfort, and a liver lesion was detected by computed tomography. She did not have nausea, fever, fatigue, jaundice, weakness, night sweats, or weight loss before admission. And her previous medical history was unremarkable. There were no positive signs on physical examination. Based on her preoperative examination including magnetic resonance imaging, the liver lesion was suspected to be a hepatic adenoma; however, the possibility of it being a malignancy like hepatocellular carcinoma was not excluded. Therefore, a decision of resection of the lesion was made. During the operation, hepatectomy of segment 4b and cholecystectomy were performed. The patient recovered well; however, after postoperative pathological examination, the lesion was diagnosed as a hepatic lymphoma of MALT type. The patient was reluctant to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy. At 18-month follow-up, no significant recurrence was observed, indicating that the treatment had a curative effect.

Conclusion

Notably, primary hepatic lymphoma of MALT type is a rare, low-grade B-cell malignancy. Making an accurate preoperative diagnosis of this disease is usually difficult, and liver biopsy is an appropriate avenue to improve the diagnostic accuracy. In patients with a localized tumor lesion, hepatectomy followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy should be considered to achieve better outcomes. Although this study describes an unusual type of hepatic lymphoma mimicking a benign tumor, it has its inherent limitations. More clinical studies are required to establish guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of this rare disease.

Hypertrophic pachymeningitis due to IgG4-related disease (RD-IgG4). A case report

INTRODUCTION

Hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP) is a clinico-radiological entity characterized by a thickening of the dura mater that may be focal or diffuse and manifested by a variety of neurological syndromes. Aetiologically, it is classified as infectious, neoplastic, autoimmune, and idiopathic. Many of these formerly idiopathic cases have been shown to fall into the spectrum of IgG4-related disease.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the case of a patient attended for neurological involvement due to hypertrophic pachymeningitis with initial diagnosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour and final diagnosis of IgG4-related disease.

CASE

A 25-year-old woman with neurological symptoms of 3 years' evolution characterized initially by right hypoacusis, evolving with headache and diplopia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the encephalon showed pachymeningeal thickening with involvement of vasculo-nervous structures in the tip of the cerebellum, cavernous sinus, ragged foramen, and optic chiasm. The patient presented for consultation with the result of an incisional biopsy that reported a proliferative lesion combining fibrous elements of fascicular or swirling arrangement with collagenized streaks with dense, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and some macrophages, with negative staining for ALK 1, with a diagnosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour. Due to suspicion of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) the biopsy was sent for review and pertinent complementary studies were requested.

BIOPSY REVIEW

Non storiform fibrosis, predominantly lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, histiocytes, and polymorphonuclear infiltrate in sectors, without granulomas or atypia. Staining for germs negative. Immunohistochemistry with 50-60 IgG4+/HPF cells and range of 15%-20%, CD68⁺ in histiocytes, CD1a^-, S100^-. The patient presented deterioration of visual acuity due to ophthalmic nerve involvement, so glucocorticoid treatment was started in pulses and rituximab with regression of symptoms and imaging improvement of the lesions.

CONCLUSION

HP is a clinical imaging syndrome with variable symptoms and aetiologies that poses a diagnostic challenge. In this case the initial diagnosis was inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour, which is a neoplasm of variable behaviour, locally aggressive, and can metastasize; it is one of the main differential diagnoses of IgG4-related disease because they share anatomopathological features, including storiform fibrosis. IgG4-RD is an immune-mediated condition that can have single or multiple involvement. Its diagnosis is complex when it presents with single organ involvement or in non-typical organs (CNS, meninges) in which data are scarce, as in the case of our patient with single organ involvement of the CNS. Although there are classification criteria to guide non-specialists in the diagnosis, the sum of the clinical picture, imaging, laboratory, pathological anatomy, and immunohistochemistry will always be evaluated together for a definitive diagnosis.

Challenges of Pituitary Apoplexy in Pregnancy

Our purpose is to provide new insights concerning the challenges of pituitary apoplexy in pregnancy (PAP) and the postpartum period (PAPP). This is a narrative review of the English literature using a PubMed search. The inclusion criteria were clinically relevant original studies (January 2012-December 2022). Overall, we included 35 original studies: 7 observational studies (selected cases on PA) and 28 case reports, including 4 case series (N = 49; PAP/PAPP = 43/6). The characteristics of PAP patients (N = 43) are as follows: maternal age between 21 and 41 (mean of 27.76) years; 21/43 subjects with a presentation during the third trimester (only one case during first trimester); average weak of gestation of 26.38; most females were prim gravidae; 19 (out of 30 patients with available data on delivery) underwent a cesarean section. Headache remains the main clinical feature and is potentially associated with a heterogeneous panel (including visual anomalies, nausea, vomiting, cranial nerve palsies, diabetes insipidus, photophobia, and neck stiffness). Pre-pregnancy medication included dopamine agonists (15/43) and terguride (1/43) in addition to subsequent insulin therapy for gestational diabetes (N = 2) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (N = 1). Overall, 29/43 females received the conservative approach, and 22/43 women had trans-sphenoidal surgery (TSS) (and 10/22 had the initial approach). Furthermore, 18/43 patients had a pituitary adenoma undiagnosed before pregnancy. Most PA-associated tumors were prolactinomas (N = 26/43), with the majority of them (N = 16/26) being larger than 1 cm. A maternal-fetal deadly outcome is reported in a single case. The characteristics of PAPP patients (N = 6) are as follows: mean age at diagnosis of 33 years; 3/6 subjects had PA during their second pregnancy; the timing of PA varied between 5 min and 12 days after delivery; headache was the main clinical element; 5/6 had no underlying pituitary adenoma; 5/6 patients were managed conservatively and 1/6 underwent TSS; pituitary function recovered (N = 3) or led to persistent hypopituitarism (N = 3). In conclusion, PAP represents a rare, life-threatening condition. Headache is the most frequent presentation, and its prompt distinction from other conditions associated with headache, such as preeclampsia and meningitis, is essential. The index of suspicion should be high, especially in patients with additional risk factors such as pre-gestation treatment with dopamine agonists, diabetes mellitus, anticoagulation therapy, or large pituitary tumors. The management is conservative in most cases, and it mainly includes corticosteroid substitution and dopamine agonists. The most frequent surgical indication is neuro-ophthalmological deterioration, although the actual risk of pituitary surgery during pregnancy remains unknown. PAPP is exceptionally reported. To our knowledge, this sample-case series study is the largest of its kind that is meant to increase the awareness to the benefit of the maternal-fetal outcomes from multidisciplinary insights.

Role of Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Their Disease Progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the third leading and common lethal cancers worldwide. Early detection of tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma is through ultrasonography, computerized tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans; however, these methods are not up to the mark, so a search for an efficient biomarker for early diagnosis and treatment of hepatocarcinogenesis is important. Proteomic and genomic approaches aid to develop new promising biomarkers for the diagnosis of HCC at the early stages. These biomarkers not only help in prognosis but also provide better therapeutic intervention against HCC. Among the different biomarker candidates, liquid biopsy [including circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)] has recently emerged as a noninvasive detection technique for the characterization of circulating cells, providing a strong basis and early diagnosis for the individualized treatment of patients. This review provides the current understanding of HCC biomarkers that predict the risk of HCC recurrence.

Robotic versus laparoscopic approach for minimally invasive lateral pelvic lymph node dissection of advanced lower rectal cancer: a retrospective study comparing short-term outcomes

PURPOSE

The importance of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LLND) for advanced low rectal cancer is gradually being recognized in Europe and the USA, where some patients were affected by uncontrolled lateral pelvic lymph node (LLNs) metastasis, even after total mesorectal excision (TME) with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The purpose of this study was thus to compare robotic LLND (R-LLND) with laparoscopic (L-LLND) to clarify the safety and advantages of R-LLND.

METHODS

Sixty patients were included in this single-institution retrospective study between January 2013 and July 2022. We compared the short-term outcomes of 27 patients who underwent R-LLND and 33 patients who underwent L-LLND.

RESULTS

En bloc LLND was performed in significantly more patients in the R-LLND than in the L-LLND group (48.1% vs. 15.2%; p = 0.006). The numbers of LLNs on the distal side of the internal iliac region (LN 263D) harvested were significantly higher in the R-LLND than in the L-LLND group (2 [0-9] vs. 1 [0-6]; p = 0.023). The total operative time was significantly longer in the R-LLND than in the L-LLND group (587 [460-876] vs. 544 [398-859]; p = 0.003); however, the LLND time was not significantly different between groups (p = 0.718). Postoperative complications were not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The present study clarified the safety and technical feasibility of R-LLND with respect to L-LLND. Our findings suggest that the robotic approach offers a key advantage, allowing significantly more LLNs to be harvested from the distal side of the internal iliac region (LN 263D). Prospective clinical trials examining the oncological superiority of R-LLND are thus necessary in the near future.

Targeting ER stress/PKA/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway as a potential novel strategy for hepatitis C virus-infected patients

BACKGROUND

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC risk, while decreased compared with active HCV infection, persists in HCV-cured patients by direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA). We previously demonstrated that Wnt/β-catenin signaling remained activated after DAA-mediated HCV eradication. Developing therapeutic strategies to both eradicate HCV and reverse Wnt/β-catenin signaling is needed.

METHODS

Cell-based HCV long term infection was established. Chronically HCV infected cells were treated with DAA, protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89 and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA). Western blotting analysis and fluorescence microscopy were performed to determine HCV levels and component levels involved in ER stress/PKA/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin pathway. Meanwhile, the effects of H89 and TUDCA were determined on HCV infection.

RESULTS

Both chronic HCV infection and replicon-induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling remained activated after HCV and replicon eradication by DAA. HCV infection activated PKA activity and PKA/GSK-3β-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Inhibition of PKA with H89 both repressed HCV and replicon replication and reversed PKA/GSK-3β-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in both chronic HCV infection and replicon. Both chronic HCV infection and replicon induced ER stress. Inhibition of ER stress with TUDCA both repressed HCV and replicon replication and reversed ER stress/PKA/GSK-3β-dependent Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Inhibition of either PKA or ER stress both inhibited extracellular HCV infection.

CONCLUSION

Targeting ER stress/PKA/GSK-3β-dependent Wnt/β-catenin signaling with PKA inhibitor could be a novel therapeutic strategy for HCV-infected patients to overcomes the issue of remaining activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling by DAA treatment. Video Abstract.