A long-term clinical comparative study of left bundle branch pacing versus biventricular pacing in patients with heart failure and complete left bundle branch block.

Left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) is an emerging physiological pacing technique characterized by stable pacing parameters and a narrower QRS duration. This study aims to compare the long-term efficacy and safety of biventricular pacing (BIVP) and LBBP in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB). A retrospective analysis was conducted on 35 patients with chronic HFrEF accompanied by CLBBB treated at our center from April 2018 to October 2022.

Digital subtraction angiography-guided pancreatic arterial infusion of GEMOX chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a phase II, open-label, randomized controlled trial comparing with intravenous chemotherapy.

Background: Advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma lacks effective treatment options, and systemic gemcitabine-based chemotherapy offers only marginal survival benefits at the cost of significant toxicities and adverse events. New therapeutic options with better drug availability are warranted. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of digital subtraction angiography (DSA)-guided pancreatic arterial infusion (PAI) versus intravenous chemotherapy (IVC) using the gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) regimen in unresectable locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer (PC) patients.

Transarterial chemoembolization plus lenvatinib with or without a PD-1 inhibitor for advanced and metastatic intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a retrospective real-world study.

Objectives: Most patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) present with locally advanced or metastatic disease. We report the combined potency of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), lenvatinib and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors in patients with advanced and metastatic ICC.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 32 patients with advanced or metastatic ICC between January 2017 and August 2021.

RUNX1 and CCL3 in Diabetes Mellitus-Related Coronary Artery Disease: A Bioinformatics Analysis.

Background: Cardiovascular complications are a major cause of death and disability in patients with diabetes mellitus, but how such complications arise is unclear.

Methods: Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed on gene expression profiles from healthy controls, individuals with diabetes mellitus, and individuals with diabetes mellitus-associated coronary artery disease (DMCAD). Phenotypically related module genes were analyzed for enrichment in Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) pathways.

Effect and Mechanism of the Lenvatinib@H-MnO-FA Drug Delivery System in Targeting Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: To investigate the effects of the Lenvatinib@H-MnO-FA administration system on the proliferation and apoptosis of Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and the underlying molecular mechanism.

Materials And Methods: In this research, hollow MnO (H-MnO) was synthesized via the modified Stöber method, and H-MnO was modified with polyethylene glycol-bis (Amine) (NH2-PEG-NH) and folic acid (FA) to obtain H-MnO-PEG-FA (H-MnO-FA). Lenvatinib was coated in the hollow cavity of H-MnO-PEG-FA to further form a nanometre drug-carrying system (Lenvatinib@H-MnO-PEG-FA).

Classifiers for Predicting Coronary Artery Disease Based on Gene Expression Profiles in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Objective: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a serious global health concern. Current diagnostic methods for CAD involve risk to the patient and are costly, so better diagnostic tools are needed. We defined four classifiers based on gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and determined their potential for CAD detection.

Overexpression of a Long Non-Coding RNA BC037916 is Associated with Pancreatic Tumorigenesis and Poor Prognosis.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies. Accumulating evidence supports for the critical contribution of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) to the cancer development and progression. We tried to identify novel lncRNAs involved in the pancreatic carcinogenesis.

Sublethal irradiation promotes the metastatic potential of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Radiotherapy (RT) represents one of the major treatment methods for cancers. However, many studies have observed that in descendant surviving tumor cells, sublethal irradiation can promote metastatic ability, which is closely related to the tumor microenvironment. We therefore investigated the functions and mechanisms of sublethal irradiated liver nonparenchymal cells (NPCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

ARHGAP4 mediates the Warburg effect in pancreatic cancer through the mTOR and HIF-1α signaling pathways.

Objective: The phenomenon that cancer cells avidly exhibit glycolysis with lactate secretion and decrease in mitochondrial activity under aerobic conditions is known historically as the Warburg effect. Rho GTPase-activating protein 4 (ARHGAP4) is an important negative regulator of the Rho signaling pathway that was associated with the tumorigenesis. Our study aims to determine the function of ARHGAP4 in controlling the glycolytic process of pancreatic cancer in vitro and possible molecular mechanism involved.

ARHGAP4 regulates the cell migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer by the HDAC2/β-catenin signaling pathway.

β-catenin is a subunit of the cadherin protein complex and acts as an intracellular signal transducer in the Wnt signaling pathway that mediates multiple cellular processes, such as cell migration and invasion. HDAC2 (histone deacetylase 2), a deacetylase that maintains histone H3 in a deacetylated state in the promoter region of Wnt-targeted genes where β-catenin is bound, negatively regulating β-catenin activation. However, the regulation of HDAC2/β-catenin pathway remains unclear.

Role of monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting sorafenib response in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Sorafenib is the first-line treatment for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its clinical response rate is only about 10%. In clinical practice, some HCC patients obtain favorable overall survival (OS) to the treatment of sorafenib while some patients do not demonstrate a sensitive response to sorafenib. Therefore, it is valuable to determine the subgroups of patients who respond well as well as poorly to sorafenib.

Radiofrequency ablation for hepatic oligometastatic pancreatic cancer: An analysis of safety and efficacy.

Objectives: This study was to evaluate the value of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of pancreatic cancer with synchronous liver oligometastasis.

Methods: 102 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with synchronous liver oligometastasis undergoing RFA were recruited in this retrospective study between January 2012 and December 2015. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging 1 month later.

Systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) predicts prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

The systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) is a useful tool for predicting prognosis in some types of cancer. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the efficacy of SIRI in predicting overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients following local or systemic therapy. A cutoff value of 1.

Is chronic hepatitis B infection a protective factor for the progression of advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma? An analysis from a large multicenter cohort study.

Purpose: Whether the progression of advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients could be affected by HBV exposure remains to be determined. Therefore, we conducted this study to assess the effect of HBV infection on PDAC progression among a large cohort in China.

Methods: A multicenter cohort study was conducted to explore whether liver metastasis and overall survival in locally advanced and metastatic PDAC could be affected by HBV infection.

Jian Pi Li Qi Decoction Alleviated Postembolization Syndrome Following Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Jian Pi Li Qi (JPLQ) decoction in improving quality of life of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. A total of 150 patients with HCC were randomly assigned into 3 groups.

High intensity focused ultrasound ablation for patients with inoperable liver cancer.

Background/aims: To analyses the feasibility and efficacy of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment in patients with inoperable liver cancer.

Methodology: 187 patients were treated with HIFU, of all these patients 116 cases were Primary Liver Cancer (PLC) and 71 cases were Metastatic Liver Cancer (MLC). According to some parameters, such as clinical symptoms, the basis of main organs functional tests, imaging examinations, and progression-free survival (PFS) time to assess the safety and efficacy of HIFU in the treatment of liver cancer.

Effectiveness and complications of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration for primary liver cancer in a Chinese population with serum α-fetoprotein levels ≤200 ng/ml--a study based on 4,312 patients.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be diagnosed by noninvasive approaches with serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels >200 ng/ml and/or a radiological imaging study of tumor mass >2 cm in patients with chronic liver disease. Percutaneous fine needle aspiration (FNA) under ultrasound (US) guidance has a diagnostic specificity of 95% and is superior to radiological imaging studies.

Aim: The aim of this study is to elucidate the effectiveness and complications of fine needle aspiration in a Chinese population with primary liver cancer and AFP levels ≤200 ng/ml.

High intensity focused ultrasound treatment for patients with local advanced pancreatic cancer.

Background/aims: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy in patients with local advanced pancreatic cancer.

Methodology: 39 patients with local advanced pancreatic cancer were treated with HIFU, including 26 male and 13 female patients. The locations of the tumours were as follows: head of pancreas in 7 patients, body and/or tail of pancreas in 32 patients.

Safety evaluation of high-intensity focused ultrasound in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Introduction: This study was performed to analyze the safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for treating pancreatic cancer.

Methods: 224 cases with advanced pancreatic cancer were enrolled into this study. Real-time sonographic images were taken, and vital signs, liver and kidney function, skin burns, local reactions, and systemic effects were monitored and recorded before, during, and after HIFU.

High intensity focused ultrasound treatment for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: a preliminary dosimetric analysis.

Objective: To analyse the clinical dosimetry of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of inoperable pancreatic cancer in humans.

Methods: 136 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were treated with HIFU, including 89 male and 47 female patients. The median targeted volume (V(t)) was 31.

Elevated serum chemerin levels are associated with the presence of coronary artery disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major vascular complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and reveals high mortality. Serum levels of chemerin have been suggested to be involved in glucose and lipid metabolism and associated with several cardiovascular factors. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of serum chemerin levels with the presence of CAD in patients with T2DM.

RNA interference against MDM2 suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in pancreatic carcinoma SW1990HM cells.

In our previous study, the mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) was identified as one of the leading genes that promote the metastasis of pancreatic cancer (PC). However, the mechanism by which MDM2 promotes metastasis of PC is not understood. In this study, we show that down-regulation of MDM2 through lentivirus-mediated RNA interference could also suppress in vitro proliferation and in vivo tumor growth, and led to an obvious inhibition of both in vitro invasion and in vivo live metastases of SW1990HM cells which had an over-expression of MDM2 and a higher metastatic potential.

Effects of exercise of different intensities on the angiogenesis, infarct healing, and function of the left ventricle in postmyocardial infarction rats.

Background: Lifestyle interventions, including physical exercise, are feasible options for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, the effects of exercise of different intensities on the infarct region, function, and angiogenesis of the left ventricle (LV) in postmyocardial infarction (MI) rats were investigated and the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins in the LV and plasma were examined.

Materials And Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to six groups.

Promoted cancer growth by stimulating cell proliferation and decreasing apoptosis using a lentivirus-based EphB2 RNAi in pancreatic carcinoma CFPAC-1 cells.

Several studies have reported the change of EphB2 in a variety of carcinomas and suggested a functional relation between EphB2 and tumor progression. However, its role in human pancreatic carcinoma has not been described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of EphB2 in human pancreatic carcinoma CFPAC-1 cells.

Analgesic effect of high intensity focused ultrasound therapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the pain-alleviating action, feasibility and efficacy of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for palliation of inoperable pancreatic cancer in humans.

Methods: Forty patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were treated with HIFU. There were 13 patients with stage III, and 27 patients with stage IV disease.