A six-microRNA set as prognostic indicators for bile duct cancer.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in cancer progression by altering transcriptional control. The purpose of this study is to identify and explore specific miRNAs as prognostic and predictive biomarkers for bile duct cancer (BDC) by analyzing Next-generation data. miRNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of BDC samples were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

Bisphosphonates enhance EGFR-TKIs efficacy in advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR activating mutation: A retrospective study.

Background: Bisphosphonates have exhibited anti-tumor activity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to evaluate whether the combination of bisphosphonates with tyrosine kinase inhibitors of EGFR (EGFR-TKIs) could obtain a synergistic effect on advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations.

Methods: Between January 2008 and October 2013, 114 advanced EGFR mutations NSCLC patients who received EGFR-TKIs as first-line therapy were recruited from two cancer centers.

Prognostic value of the platelet to lymphocyte ratio change in liver cancer.

Background: There is limited evidence concerning the postoperative platelet to lymphocyte ratio change (ΔPLR) in relation to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic value of ΔPLR in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related small HCC who underwent liver resection.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 219 patients with HBV-related small HCC who underwent liver resection between February 2007 and April 2013.

Child-Pugh A hepatitis B-related cirrhotic patients with a single hepatocellular carcinoma up to 5 cm: liver transplantation vs. resection.

Objective: This study aims to analyze the outcomes of patients with Child-Pugh A class cirrhosis and a single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) up to 5 cm in diameter who underwent liver transplantation vs. resection.

Methods: During 2007 to 2012, 282 Child-Pugh A cirrhotic patients with a single HCC up to 5 cm in diameter either underwent liver resection (N = 243) or received liver transplantation (N = 39) at our center.

Portal hemodynamics before and after liver resection and its correlation with post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients with Child-Pugh class A: analysis of 151 consecutive cases.

Background/aims: Low portal velocity (PV) was found in cirrhotic patients, which was thought to be a risk factor for post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). This study attempted to find out whether a correlation existed between portal hemodynamics and PHLF.

Methodology: From December 2010 to December 2012, all consecutive patients with Child-Pugh class A underwent liver resection were included.

Predictive Value of Alpha-fetoprotein in the Survival of Living Donor Liver Transplantation Recipients for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background/aims: Preoperative alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level seems to be correlated with the outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of AFP in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients who met different selection criteria for HCC.

Methodology: We used a database of LDLT performed at our institution for HCC between January 2001 and January 2012, and evaluate the influence of AFP (400 ng/mL) on posttransplant survival among different criteria: group M (within Milan criteria), group U (exceeding Milan but within UCSF criteria) and group E (exceeding UCSF criteria).

Influence of clinically significant portal hypertension on hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Background: Clinically significant portal hypertension (PHT) is considered as a contraindication for hepatectomy according to the guidelines of the European Association for Study of Liver and the American Association for Study of Liver Diseases. However, this issue remains controversial. Here we performed a meta- analysis to evaluate the impact of PHT on the results of hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Risk factors for early recurrence of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma meeting milan criteria after curative resection.

Background: The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative resection varies greatly. Few studies had investigated the risk factors for early recurrence (recurrence-free time ≤ 1 year) of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCCs meeting Milan criteria.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the 224 patients with HCC meeting Milan criteria who underwent curative liver resection in our center between February 2007 and March 2012.

Using biological performance similarity to inform disaccharide library design.

Designing better small-molecule discovery libraries requires having methods to assess the consequences of different synthesis decisions on the biological performance of resulting library members. Since we are particularly interested in how stereochemistry affects performance in biological assays, we prepared a disaccharide library containing systematic stereochemical variations, assayed the library for different biological effects, and developed methods to assess the similarity of performance between members across multiple assays. These methods allow us to ask which subsets of stereochemical features best predict similarity in patterns of biological performance between individual members and which features produce the greatest variation of outcomes.

The total synthesis of moenomycin A.

Moenomycin A is the only known natural antibiotic that inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to the transglycosylases that catalyze formation of the carbohydrate chains of peptidoglycan. We report here the total synthesis of moenomycin A using the sulfoxide glycosylation method. A newly discovered byproduct of sulfoxide reactions was isolated that resulted in substantial loss of the glycosyl acceptor.