Clinical study of standard residual liver volume and transient elastography in predicting poor prognosis of patients after hemihepatectomy

BACKGROUND

Liver cancer resection, especially in patients with hemihepatectomy or extended hemihepatectomy, often leads to poor prognosis, such as liver insufficiency and even liver failure and death, because the standard residual liver volume (SRLV) cannot be fully compensated after surgery.

AIM

To explore the risk factors of poor prognosis after hemihepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma and evaluate the application value of related prognostic approaches.

METHODS

The clinical data of 35 patients with primary liver cancer in Nantong Third People's Hospital from February 2016 to July 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic curve was created using medcac19.0.4 to compare the critical values of the SRLV in different stages of liver fibrosis after hemihepatectomy with those of liver dysfunction after hemihepatectomy. It was constructed by combining the Child-Pugh score to evaluate its application value in predicting liver function compensation.

RESULTS

The liver stiffness measure (LSM) value and SRLV were associated with liver dysfunction after hemihepatectomy. Logistic regression analysis showed that an LSM value ≥ 25 kPa [odds ratio (OR) = 6.254, P < 0.05] and SRLV ≤ 0.290 L/m2 (OR = 5.686, P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for postoperative liver dysfunction. The accuracy of the new liver reserve evaluation model for predicting postoperative liver function was higher than that of the Child-Pugh score (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

SRLV and LSM values can be used to evaluate the safety of hemihepatectomy. The new liver reserve evaluation model has good application potential in the evaluation of liver reserve function after hemihepatectomy.

Digitalization of hydraulic rotary drilling process for continuously mechanical profiling of siliciclastic sedimentary rocks

Hydraulic rotary drilling can offer the essential information and core samplesa for the researches on solid earth. Recording the factual field drilling data and analyzing the hydraulic rotary coring process are challenging yet promising to utilize the massive drilling information in geophysics and geology. This paper adopts the drilling process monitoring (DPM) technique and records the four parameters of displacement, thrust pressure, upward pressure, and rotation speed in real-time series for profiling the siliciclastic sedimentary rocks along 108 m deep drillhole. The digitalization results with 107 linear zones represent the spatial distribution of drilled geomaterials including superficial deposits (fill, loess, gravelly soil), mudstone, silty mudstone, gritstone, and fine sandstone. The constant drilling speeds varying from 0.018 to 1.905 m/min present the in-situ coring resistance of drilled geomaterials. Furthermore, the constant drilling speeds can identify the strength quality of soils to hard rocks. The thickness distributions of the six basic strength quality grades are presented for all the sedimentary rocks and each individual type of the seven soil and rocks. The in-situ strength profile determined in this paper can be used to assess and evaluate the in-situ mechanical behavior of geomaterial along the drillhole and can provide a new mechanical-based assessment for determining the spatial distribution of geological strata and structures in subsurface. They are important since the same stratum at different depths can have different mechanical behavior. The results provide a novel quantitative measurement for continuously in-situ mechanical profiling by digital drilling data. The findings of the paper can offer a new and effective method for refinement and upgrading of in-situ ground investigation, and can provide researchers and engineers with a novel tool and valuable reference to digitize and utilize factual data of current drilling projects.

[Feasibility of device closure for multiple atrial septal defects using 3D printing and ultrasound-guided intervention technique]

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of trans-catheter closure of multiple atrial septal defects (ASD) monitored by trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) under the guidance of 3D printing heart model. Methods: Between April and August 2016, a total of 21 patients (8 male and 13 female) with multiple ASD in Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences underwent CT scan and 3-dimensional echocardiography for heart disease model produced by 3D printing technique. The best occlusion program was determined through the simulation test on the model. Percutaneous device closure of multiple ASD was performed follow the predetermined program guided by TTE. Clinical follow-up including electrocardiogram and TTE was arranged at 1 month after the procedure. Results: The trans-catheter procedure was successful in all 21 patients using a single atrial septal occluder. Mild residual shunt was found in 5 patient in the immediate postoperative period, 3 of them were disappeared during postoperative follow-up. There was no death, vascular damage, arrhythmia, device migration, thromboembolism, valvular dysfunction during the follow-up period. Conclusion: The use of 3D printing heart model provides a useful reference for transcatheter device closure of multiple ASD achieving through ultrasound-guided intervention technique, which appears to be safe and feasible with good outcomes of short-term follow-up.

Investigation of an InP-based image converter with optical excitation

An image converter based on an indium phosphide has been developed to measure the two-dimensional spatial profile of the incident photon flux by probing the rapid change of the refractive index in the semiconductor. The spatial resolution, dynamic range, and temporal response of this image converter have been investigated with optical methods. The results show that the spatial resolution is ∼15 cycles/mm at the percent modulation transfer function of 0.5, the dynamic range is about 100, and the time response is in the order of 600 ps. This scheme can provide an alternative choice as an imaging diagnostic for experiments in the area of high-energy density physics.

Pleiotropic effects of herbs characterized with blood-activating and stasis-resolving functions on angiogenesis

Accumulative evidences have underpinned the nature candidates from Chinese medicine (CM), particularly CM served as blood activating and stasis resolving (BASR, Huoxue Huayu in Chinese) by targeting tumor-associated angiogenesis. However, recent experiment research on the therapeutic angiogenesis by BASR-CM attracts wide attention and discussion. This opinion review focused on the underlying link between two indications and anticipated that (1) BASR-CM might emphasize on a balanced multi-cytokines network interaction; (2) BASR-CM might address on the nature of diseases prior to differently affecting physiological and pathological angiogenesis; (3) BASR-CM might mainly act on perivascular cells, either promotes arteriogenesis by increasing arteriogenic factors in ischemic diseases, or simultaneously keep a quiescent vasculature to impede angiogenesis in tumor context.

[Immunoexpression of apollon in breast cancer tissues before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and its clinical significance]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether apollon immunoexpression in breast cancer tissues helps to predict pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

METHODS

The expressions of Apollon, Her-2, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were detected immunohistochemically in biopsy tissues from 124 breast cancer patients. The clinical responses to NAC were evaluated in line with the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST). The pCR rate was analyzed for different types of breast cancer. The correlations between Apollon status with Her-2, ER, PR, lymph node status and tumor size were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry was used to compared the changes in Apollon expression in the breast cancer tissues before and after NAC.

RESULTS

The pCR rate was 18.5% (23/124) in these patients. Negative expressions of apollon, ER and PR were all associated with a higher pCR rate after NAC. Apollon was significantly correlated with Her-2, ER, PR and lymph node involvement. Chemotherapy significantly down-regulated apollon expression in the tumor cells.

CONCLUSION

A negative apollon expression might be a predictor of pCR in patients with breast cancer.