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Background and aims: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitors (triple therapy) exhibits promising efficacy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). We aimed to evaluate the prognosis of patients with uHCC who received triple therapy and develop a prognostic scoring model to identify patients who benefit the most from triple therapy. Methods: A total of 246 patients with uHCC who received triple therapy at eight centers were included and assigned to the training and validation cohorts. Prognosis was evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier curves. The prognostic model was developed by utilizing predictors of overall survival (OS), which were identified through the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: In the training cohort, the 3-year OS was 52.0%, with a corresponding progression-free survival (PFS) of 30.6%. The median PFS was 13.2 months [95% confidence interval, 9.7–16.7]. Three variables (total bilirubin ≥ 17 μmol/L, alpha-fetoprotein ≥ 400 ng/mL, and extrahepatic metastasis) were predictors of poor survival and were used for developing a prognostic model (TAE score). The 2-year OS rates in the favorable (0 points), intermediate (1 point), and dismal groups (2–3 points) were 96.9%, 61.4%, and 11.4%, respectively (p < 0.001). The PFS was also stratified according to the TAE score. These findings were confirmed in an external validation cohort. Conclusions: Triple therapy showed encouraging clinical outcomes, and the TAE score aids in identifying patients who would benefit the most from triple therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To assess the perioperative safety, oncological outcomes, and determinants influencing the oncological outcomes of salvage liver resection for initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rendered resectable through transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and anti-PD-1 antibodies (α-PD-1). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 83 consecutive patients across six tertiary hospitals who underwent salvage liver resection for initially unresectable HCC following conversion by TACE combined with TKIs and α-PD-1, emphasizing perioperative and oncological outcomes. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was employed to discern independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results: The median operative duration was 200 min, with a median blood loss of 400 ml. Intraoperative blood transfusions were necessitated for 27 patients. The overall perioperative complication rate was 48.2%, with a major complication rate of 16.9%. One patient died during the perioperative period due to postoperative liver failure. During the median follow-up period of 15.1 months, 24 patients experienced recurrence, with early and intrahepatic recurrence being the most common. Seven patients died during follow-up. Median RFS was 25.4 months, with 1- and 2-year RFS rates of 68.2% and 61.8%, respectively. Median overall survival was not reached, with 1- and 2-year overall survival rates of 92.2% and 87.3%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that pathological complete response (pCR) and intraoperative blood transfusion served as independent prognostic determinants for postoperative RFS. Conclusions: Our study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that salvage liver resection may be an effective and feasible treatment option for patients with unresectable HCC who achieve resectability after conversion therapy with TACE, TKIs, and α-PD-1. The perioperative safety of salvage liver resection for these patients was manageable and acceptable. However, further research, particularly prospective comparative studies, is needed to better evaluate the potential benefits of salvage liver resection in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 Clinical response and adverse events of the avapritinib regimen. a Adverse events of avapritinib regimen. b Shown is the clinical outcome for the 4 CBF-AML patients with KIT mutation who were treated with an avapritinib regimen. In conclusion, we report four patients on our initial experience of using avapritinib for CBF-AML with I KIT i mutations who received avapritinib monotherapy or combination with other agents. RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene and I KIT i D816V-mutation were detectable by Q-RT-PCR and targeted whole-exome sequencing in this AML patient. Although the combination of dasatinib with chemotherapy appeared to improve the outcome of CBF-AML patients with the I KIT i mutation, a confirmatory randomized phase III trial needs to be conducted [[4]]. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Hepatectomy with tumor thrombectomy is the preferred treatment option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT); however, the impact of BDTT on their prognosis is unclear. Objective: We aimed to investigate the long-term surgical outcomes of HCC patients with BDTT. Methods: The data of HCC patients with and without BDTT who underwent hepatectomy were retrospectively reviewed and the long-term outcomes were compared. For propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, patients were matched in a 1:1 ratio. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. Results: Before PSM, HCC patients with BDTT had more advanced tumor stages and adverse clinicopathological features. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly higher in the non-BDTT group before PSM (RFS, p < 0.001; OS, p < 0.001), while after PSM, the BDTT group had significantly poorer RFS (p = 0.025). There was no difference in OS between the groups (p = 0.588). Subgroup analysis showed that RFS and OS in AJCC stage I–II patients were significantly poorer in the BDTT group; no differences were found in the AJCC stage III group before or after PSM. When the presence of BDTT was recommended to increase the AJCC staging system by one stage in AJCC stage I–II patients, the predictive ability for RFS and OS was higher. Conclusions: BDTT was associated with significantly poorer long-term surgical outcomes in AJCC stage I–II patients. A modified AJCC staging system including BDTT status in stage I–II might have a better prognostic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anatomic resection (AR) of the liver is generally recommended in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the benefits of AR and nonanatomic resection (NAR) in HCC patients with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) are unknown. This study aimed to compare long-term outcomes of AR and NAR in HCC patients with BDTT after curative resection. Patients and Methods: A total of 175 consecutive HCC patients with BDTT after curative resection between April 2009 and December 2017 were included. One-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to minimize the influence of potential confounders. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the cohorts. Results: After PSM, 120 patients were analyzed. The AR group had better RFS than the NAR group (P = 0.010). Even though there was no statistically significant difference in OS (P = 0.140, power = 0.33), the 3- and 5-year OS rates in the AR group (52.4% and 44.2%, respectively) were obviously higher than those in the NAR group (35.4% and 30.4%, respectively). When patients were further stratified according to tumor size, better RFS and OS were observed in patients with small (≤ 5 cm) tumors after AR (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). Multivariate analysis identified AR (P = 0.024) as an independent favorable prognostic factor for RFS in HCC patients with BDTT. Conclusions: AR is recommended for HCC patients with BDTT, especially in patients with small (≤ 5 cm) tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Solid phosphoric acid (SPA) catalysts with different carriers were prepared and used for catalytic fast pyrolysis of poplar wood to produce levoglucosenone (LGO), a valuable anhydrosugar derivative that can be used in various organic synthesis applications. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) experiments were performed to evaluate the catalytic capabilities of these catalysts under different reaction conditions. The results indicated that SPA catalyst prepared with the SBA-15 carrier exhibited the best catalytic capability for selectively producing LGO. Both the catalytic pyrolysis temperature and catalyst-to-biomass ratio affected the pyrolytic products greatly. The maximal LGO yield reached as high as 8.2 wt% from poplar wood, obtained at the pyrolysis temperature of 300 °C and the catalyst-to-biomass ratio of 1. The by-products during the catalytic pyrolysis process were mainly acetic acid (AA) and furfural (FF). In addition, the SPA catalyst possessed better catalytic capability than the liquid phosphoric acid (HPO) catalyst to produce LGO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) and Potato virus Y (PVY) on vegetative growth, physiological metabolism and microtuber production were investigated using in vitro shoot cultures. The results showed that parameters of shoot growth including bud break percentage, shoot length, and node number and length were markedly reduced in the diseased shoots. These negative effects were much more pronounced in shoots co-infected with PLRV and PVY than in those singly infected with either PLRV or PVY. The inhibitive effects on root developments measured by root number and length were observed only in shoots co-infected with PLRV and PVY. Significantly lower contents of chl-a, chl-b and total chl were found in virus infected shoots than in healthy ones. There were striking differences in contents of total soluble protein observed between healthy shoots and PLVR and PVY co-infected ones. The content of total soluble sugar was highest in shoots co-infected with PLRV and PVY, and lowest in healthy shoots. Furthermore, there were no significant differences found in the level of endogenous indole-acetic acid among healthy shoots verses virus infected shoots. However, the level of zeatin-ribosome was much higher in healthy shoots than in virus infected ones. Yet, both healthy and single PLRV infected shoots produced similar levels of gibberillic acid 3, which were much higher than those of PVY single-infected shoots and PLRV and PVY co-infected shoots. Also, there were no significant differences in the number of microtubers among healthy shoots, PLVR single or PVY single infected shoots, but shoots co-infected with PLRV and PVY produced the lowest number of microtubers. Overall, the healthy shoots produced the largest size of microtubers and the highest percentage of microtubers ≥5 mm in diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: To detect the frequency and types of chromosomal anomalies with non-obstructive azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia in Northeast China, and to compare the frequencies with other regions of China and the world. To investigate the general characteristics of this population. Methods: Eighty-one men with non-obstructive azoospermia and 54 men with severe oligozoospermia were recruited. Karyotype analyses were performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes using standard G-banding. Measurements of follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, prolactin, and inhibin B were obtained. Results: The frequency of chromosomal anomalies for patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (17.28%) was comparable with studies from Europe, Africa, Asia, and other regions of China. However, the frequency for patients with severe oligozoospermia (9.26%) was slightly higher than reported from other Asian countries. The infertile men were more likely than the fertile to smoke and consume alcohol, and to have significantly lower levels of inhibin B. Conclusions: For infertile men in Northeast China, chromosome analysis is a necessary part of routine genetic testing, and the contributing effects of high smoking and alcohol consumption rates of this population should be discussed during genetic counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]