Liver Cancer Etiology: Old Issues and New Perspectives.

Purpose Of Review: This review aims to synthesize the old issues and current understandings of the etiology of liver cancer, focusing on the diverse causative factors influenced by geographical, socioeconomic, and lifestyle variations across different regions.

Recent Findings: We highlight significant geographic disparities in liver cancer risk factors. While hepatitis B and C viruses, aflatoxin exposure, and alcohol consumption remain globally established contributors; metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and metabolic syndromes are increasingly prominent in the West.

Profound primary prevention of liver cancer following a natural experiment in China: A 50-year perspective and public health implications.

Liver cancer causes upwards of 1 million cancer deaths annually and is projected to rise by at least 55% over the next 15 years. Two of the major risk factors contributing to liver cancer have been well documented by multiple epidemiologic studies and the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and aflatoxin show a synergy that increases by more than 8-fold the risk of liver cancer relative to HBV alone. Using the population-based cancer registry established by the Qidong Liver Cancer Institute in 1972 and aflatoxin-specific biomarkers, we document that reduction of aflatoxin exposure has likely contributed to a nearly 70% decline in age-standardized liver cancer incidence over the past 30 years despite an unchanging prevalence of HBV infection in cases.

Comparison of Autolumo A2000 Plus and Architect i2000 for detection of hepatitis B virus serological markers.

Serological detection of hepatitis B virus markers plays a vital role in the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and therapeutic surveillance of hepatitis B. To compare the diagnostic performance of Autolumo A2000Plus and Abbott Architect i2000 systems in the detection of hepatitis B infection markers. A total of 6 HBV seroconversion panels and 743 participants were enrolled in this study, including 383 HBV-infected patients and 360 healthy adults.

Features of synchronous and metachronous dual primary gastric and colorectal cancer.

Background: Studies evaluating the characteristics of dual primary gastric and colorectal cancer (CRC) (DPGCC) are limited.

Aim: To analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of synchronous and metachronous cancers in patients with DPGCC.

Methods: From October 2010 to August 2021, patients with DPGCC were retrospectively reviewed.

Ameliorating parkinsonian motor dysfunction by targeting histamine receptors in entopeduncular nucleus-thalamus circuitry.

In Parkinson's disease (PD), reduced dopamine levels in the basal ganglia have been associated with altered neuronal firing and motor dysfunction. It remains unclear whether the altered firing rate or pattern of basal ganglia neurons leads to parkinsonism-associated motor dysfunction. In the present study, we show that increased histaminergic innervation of the entopeduncular nucleus (EPN) in the mouse model of PD leads to activation of EPN parvalbumin (PV) neurons projecting to the thalamic motor nucleus via hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels coupled to postsynaptic HR.

Activation of β2-adrenergic Receptor Alleviates Collagen-induced Arthritis by Ameliorating Th17/Treg Imbalance.

Background: Recent research in our laboratory shows that CD4+ T cells express the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2-AR), and the sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine regulates the function of T cells via β2-AR signaling. However, the immunoregulatory effect of β2-AR and its related mechanisms on rheumatoid arthritis is unknown.

Objective: To explore the effects of β2-AR in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) on the imbalance of T helper (Th) 17/ regulatory T (Treg) cells.

Histamine bidirectionally regulates the intrinsic excitability of parvalbumin-positive neurons in the lateral globus pallidus and promotes motor behaviour.

Background And Purpose: Parvalbumin (PV)-positive neurons are a type of neuron in the lateral globus pallidus (LGP) which plays an important role in motor control. The present study investigated the effect of histamine on LGP neurons and motor behaviour.

Experimental Approach: Histamine levels in LGP as well as its histaminergic innervation were determined through brain stimulation, microdialysis, anterograde tracing and immunostaining.

Receptor and Ionic Mechanism of Histamine on Mouse Dorsolateral Striatal Neurons.

The dorsolateral striatum (DLS) is the critical neural substrate that plays a role in motor control and motor learning. Our past study revealed a direct histaminergic projection from the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) of the hypothalamus to the rat striatum. However, the afferent of histaminergic fibers in the mouse DLS, the effect of histamine on DLS neurons, and the underlying receptor and ionic mechanisms remain unclear.

Effects of osthole on osteoporotic rats: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: Cusson (Apiaceae) has been used in traditional Asian medicine for thousands of years. Recent studies showed its active compound, osthole, had a good effect on osteoporosis. But there was no comprehensive analysis.

[VOCs Emission Inventory and Uncertainty Analysis of Industry in Qingdao Based on Latin Hypercube Sampling and Monte Carlo Method].

In recent years, fine particulate matter(PM) and ozone(O) have become the main air pollutants in cities in China. Volatile organic compounds(VOCs) are one of the important precursors of PM, O, and secondary organic aerosols. The establishment of VOCs emission inventory is therefore of great significance for controlling the amount of PM and O.

Single-cell immune profiling reveals distinct immune response in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

While some individuals infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) present mild-to-severe disease, many SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals are asymptomatic. We sought to identify the distinction of immune response between asymptomatic and moderate patients. We performed single-cell transcriptome and T-cell/B-cell receptor (TCR/BCR) sequencing in 37 longitudinal collected peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples from asymptomatic, moderate, and severe patients with healthy controls.

ABO blood groups and liver cancer: prospective results from an HBsAg cohort study.

Objective: The association between ABO blood group and risk of liver cancer is unclear, although few studies have reported positive results. This study examined the relationship between ABO blood group and liver cancer in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals.

Design: A high-risk population-based cohort study.

Serum IP-10 and IL-7 levels are associated with disease severity of coronavirus disease 2019.

We quantified the serum levels of 34 cytokines/chemokines in 30 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Elevated levels of IP-10 and IL-7 were detected in the acute and convalescent stages of the infection and were highly associated with disease severity.

Liver cancer mortality over six decades in an epidemic area: what we have learned.

Background And Aims: Liver cancer is one of the most dominant malignant tumors in the world. The trends of liver cancer mortality over the past six decades have been tracked in the epidemic region of Qidong, China. Using epidemiological tools, we explore the dynamic changes in age-standardized rates to characterize important aspects of liver cancer etiology and prevention.

Promotion of Bone Formation by Red Yeast Rice in Experimental Animals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the effects of red yeast rice (RYR) and its extract on bone formation in experimental animals and to provide reference data for clinical research on the treatment of osteoporosis.

Methods: Chinese and English language databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Elsevier, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Weipu Chinese Sci-tech periodical full-text database (VIP), and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform (Wanfang), were searched from their establishment to February 2020 using the following terms: "hongqu," "red yeast rice," "-fermented rice," "bone mineral density," "osteoblast," "osteoporosis," and "animal models." After excluding nonrelevant articles, Review Manager 5.

Clinical features of hepatitis B patients at immune-tolerance phase with basal core promoter and/or precore mutations.

Little data exist on basal core promoter/precore (BCP/PC) mutations in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients at the immune-tolerance (IT) phase. We studied consecutive treatment-naïve, CHBe-antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients who had undergone liver biopsy and genotyping. Those in the IT phase or immune-clearance (IC) phase were enrolled for comparison of the frequency of BCP/PC mutations and their clinical presentations.

Propyl isothiocyanate induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by oxidative stress via glutathione depletion.

Isothiocyanates are a group of compounds that exist in the majority of cruciferous plants. A number of isothiocyanates have been demonstrated to exhibit anticancer effects; however, antitumor properties of propyl isothiocyanate (PITC) have not been evaluated previously. In this study, the possible effects of PITC on gastric cancer (GC) cells were investigated, and the potential underlying mechanisms were explored.

The effect of acclimation on heat tolerance of Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae).

Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) is an important economic insect of various stored products worldwide. With the restricted use of methyl bromide and the increasing negative effects of repeated use of phosphine fumigation, heat treatment becomes the main approach to control stored-product insects. We investigated effect of the acclimation to sublethal high temperature of 36°C and 42°C for different times on heat tolerance of L.

Casticin induces apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in gallbladder cancer cells.

Background: Casticin, the flavonoid extracted from L, exerts various biological effects, including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of casticin in human gallbladder cancer cells.

Methods: Human NOZ and SGC996 cells were used to perform the experiments.

Serum hepatitis B core antibody titer use in screening for significant fibrosis in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Previous studies have revealed that hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) levels vary throughout the different phases of treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and can be used as a predictor of treatment response in both interferon-α and nucleoside analogue therapies. However, few data have been published regarding the relationship between quantitative anti-HBc (qAnti-HBc) levels and liver fibrosis in patients with CHB.

Results: A total of 489 HBeAg-positive (HBeAg (+)) and 135 HBeAg-negative (HBeAg (-)) patients were recruited.

Quantitative hepatitis B core antibody level is associated with inflammatory activity in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients.

Previous studies have shown that hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) levels vary during different phases of disease in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and can be used as a predictor of both interferon-α and nucleoside analogue therapy response. However, there is no information on the association between the quantitative serum anti-HBc (qAnti-HBc) level and liver inflammation in CHB patients. Therefore, we investigated these relationships in a large cohort of treatment-naïve CHB patients.