Regulator of nonsense transcripts 3B is a prognostic biomarker and associated with immune cell infiltration in lung squamous cell and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: The characteristic of RENT3B in cancer remains ambiguous. We aimed to study the relationship between RENT3B and immune infiltration in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).

Patients And Methods: We investigated the expression levels of RENT3B using ONCOMINE and TIMER databases, and assessed the interrelationship between RENT3B expression and survival using PrognoScan, GEPIA, and Kaplan-Meier plotter.

TGF-β downstream of Smad3 and MAPK signaling antagonistically regulate the viability and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition of liver progenitor cells.

Background: Liver progenitor cells (LPCs) are a subpopulation of cells that contribute to liver regeneration, fibrosis and liver cancer initiation under different circumstances.

Results: By performing adenoviral-mediated transfection, CCK-8 analyses, F-actin staining, transwell analyses, luciferase reporter analyses and Western blotting, we observed that TGF-β promoted cytostasis and partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in LPCs. In addition, we confirmed that TGF-β activated the Smad and MAPK pathways, including the Erk, JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, and revealed that TGFβ-Smad signaling induced growth inhibition and partial EMT, whereas TGFβ-MAPK signaling had the opposite effects on LPCs.

Targeting MMP9 in CTNNB1 mutant hepatocellular carcinoma restores CD8 T cell-mediated antitumour immunity and improves anti-PD-1 efficacy.

Objective: The gain of function (GOF) CTNNB1 mutations (CTNNB1 ) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cause significant immune escape and resistance to anti-PD-1. Here, we aimed to investigate the mechanism of CTNNB1 HCC-mediated immune escape and raise a new therapeutic strategy to enhance anti-PD-1 efficacy in HCC.

Design: RNA sequencing was performed to identify the key downstream genes of CTNNB1 associated with immune escape.

Case Report: Durable complete response of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma with asymptomatic hyperamylasemia to combined immunotherapy of anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 plus anti-programmed cell death-1 antibodies.

Background: Combined immunotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of advanced HCC, whereas the priority population that would respond to the combined immunotherapy is still elusive. In addition, HCC with asymptomatic hyperamylasemia was not reported previously.

Case Presentation: An aged patient was diagnosed as HCC with BCLC stage C (bone metastasis).

A Deep Learning Framework for Soft Robots with Synthetic Data.

Data-driven methods with deep neural networks demonstrate promising results for accurate modeling in soft robots. However, deep neural network models rely on voluminous data in discovering the complex and nonlinear representations inherent in soft robots. Consequently, while it is not always possible, a substantial amount of effort is required for data acquisition, labeling, and annotation.

Tubular cell transcriptional intermediary factor 1γ deficiency exacerbates kidney injury-induced tubular cell polyploidy and fibrosis.

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is considered the final convergent pathway of progressive chronic kidney diseases (CKD) regardless of etiology. However, mechanisms underlying kidney injury-induced fibrosis largely remain unknown. Recent studies have indicated that transcriptional intermediary factor 1γ (TIF1γ) inhibits the progression of fibrosis in other organs.

A novel lonidamine derivative targeting mitochondria to eliminate cancer stem cells by blocking glutamine metabolism.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been blamed as the main culprit of tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, chemoresistance, and recurrence. However, few anti-CSCs agents have achieved clinical success so far. Here we report a novel derivative of lonidamine (LND), namely HYL001, which selectively and potently inhibits CSCs by targeting mitochondria, with 380-fold and 340-fold lower IC values against breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) and hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells (HCSCs), respectively, compared to LND.

Hydroxyethyl starch stabilized copper-diethyldithiocarbamate nanocrystals for cancer therapy.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been recognized as the culprit for tumor progression, treatment resistance, metastasis, and recurrence while redox homeostasis represents the Achilles' Heel of CSCs. However, few drugs or formulations that are capable of elevating oxidative stress have achieved clinical success for eliminating CSCs. Here, we report hydroxyethyl starch stabilized copper-diethyldithiocarbamate nanoparticles (CuET@HES NPs), which conspicuously suppress CSCs not only in vitro but also in numerous tumor models in vivo.

TRIM proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The tripartite motif (TRIM) protein family is a highly conserved group of E3 ligases with 77 members known in the human, most of which consist of a RING-finger domain, one or two B-box domains, and a coiled-coil domain. Generally, TRIM proteins function as E3 ligases to facilitate specific proteasomal degradation of target proteins. In addition, E3 ligase independent functions of TRIM protein were also reported.

GRAMD4 inhibits tumour metastasis by recruiting the E3 ligase ITCH to target TAK1 for degradation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Aberrant TAK1 (transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1) activity is known to be involved in a variety of malignancies, but the regulatory mechanisms of TAK1 remain poorly understood. GRAMD4 (glucosyltransferase Rab-like GTPase activator and myotubularin domain containing 4) is a newly discovered p53-independent proapoptotic protein with an unclear role in HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma).

Results: In this research, we found that GRAMD4 expression was lower in HCC samples, and its downregulation predicted worse prognosis for patients after surgical resection.

Robust Multimodal Indirect Sensing for Soft Robots Via Neural Network-Aided Filter-Based Estimation.

Sensory data are critical for soft robot perception. However, integrating sensors to soft robots remains challenging due to their inherent softness. An alternative approach is indirect sensing through an estimation scheme, which uses robot dynamics and available measurements to estimate variables that would have been measured by sensors.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Boosts PD-1 Antibody Delivery and T Cell Infiltration for Augmented Immune Responses Against Solid Tumors.

Aberrant mechanical properties and immunosuppression are the two key factors that limit the antitumor efficacy of T cell immune checkpoint blockade inhibitors, e.g., programmed cell death-1 antibody (PD-1 Ab), against solid tumors in the clinic.

Clinical course of patients on maintenance hemodialysis and COVID-19: a retrospective longitudinal study.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerges as a global pandemic and there is a lack of evidence about the clinical course and outcome of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Here we conducted a retrospective longitudinal study aimed to analyze the clinical features and outcome of MHD patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Of 3126 inpatients with COVID-19 at 3 Branches of Wuhan Tongji Hospital from Jan 18th to Mar 9th, 2020, 19 patients were undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

Targeting transforming growth factor-β signaling for enhanced cancer chemotherapy.

During the past decades, drugs targeting transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling have received tremendous attention for late-stage cancer treatment since TGFβ signaling has been recognized as a prime driver for tumor progression and metastasis. Nonetheless, in healthy and pre-malignant tissues, TGFβ functions as a potent tumor suppressor. Furthermore, TGFβ signaling plays a key role in normal development and homeostasis by regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, apoptosis, and immune evasion, and by suppressing tumor-associated inflammation.

Association of liver abnormalities with in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19.

Background & Aims: The evolution and clinical significance of abnormal liver chemistries and the impact of hepatitis B infection on outcome in patients with COVID-19 is not well characterized. This study aimed to explore these issues.

Methods: This large retrospective cohort study included 2,073 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and definite outcomes in Wuhan, China.

Significant response to anti-PD-1 based immunotherapy plus lenvatinib for recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with bone metastasis: A case report and literature review.

Introduction: The prognosis for recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with bone metastasis remains dismal and its treatment poses a challenge for oncologists. To date, only 2 cases were reported in which pembrolizumab, an agent against programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), combined with chemotherapy led to a complete response. The safety and efficacy of nivolumab-based immunotherapy combined with lenvatinibin intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is unknown.

Integrative analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression identify a six epigenetic driver signature for predicting prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

DNA methylation is a crucial regulator of gene transcription in the etiology and pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, it is reasonable to identify DNA methylation-related prognostic markers. Currently, we aimed to make an integrative epigenetic analysis of HCC to identify the effectiveness of epigenetic drivers in predicting prognosis for HCC patients.

Learning Curve in Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Liver Resection.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the learning curve effect on the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted liver resection (RALR).

Methods: In 140 consecutive cases, all data about demographic, surgical procedure, postoperative course were collected prospectively and analyzed. Risk-adjusted cumulative sum model was used for determining the learning curve based on the need for conversion.

Taurocholate Induces Connective Tissue Growth Factor Expression in Hepatocytes Through ERK-YAP Signaling.

Background/aims: Cholestasis is characterized by intrahepatic accumulation of cytotoxic bile acids (BAs), ultimately leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis, but the precise role of BAs in cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis remains largely elusive. In this study, we investigated the role and the potential mechanisms of BAs during cholestasis in vivo and in vitro.

Methods: The effect of BAs during cholestasis was studied in bile duct ligation (BDL) rat models in vivo.

IDH1 mutation correlates with a beneficial prognosis and suppresses tumor growth in IHCC.

Background: Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2) mutations have been reported in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC). However, the prognosis of a single IDH1 mutation and impact of mutant IDH1 on IHCC tumor growth remain unclear.

Methods: A total of 85 IHCC tumor samples were sequenced.

Intraoperative ultrasonography of robot-assisted laparoscopic hepatectomy: initial experiences from 110 consecutive cases.

Background: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of IOUS in robotic liver surgery and propose a standard protocol of IOUS for safe robot-assisted hepatectomy.

Methods: Between February 2015 and December 2016, liver resection was performed in 110 patients with robotic approach in Tongji Hospital. In these patients, IOUS was routinely performed.