Utility of Differential White Cell Count and Cell Population Data for Ruling Out COVID-19 Infection in Patients With Community-Acquired Pneumonia

IntroductionThe main aim of this study was to assess the utility of differential white cell count and cell population data (CPD) for the detection of COVID-19 in patients admitted for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) of different etiologies.MethodsThis was a multicenter, observational, prospective study of adults aged ≥18 years admitted to three teaching hospitals in Spain from November 2019 to November 2021 with a diagnosis of CAP. At baseline, a Sysmex XN-20 analyzer was used to obtain detailed information related to the activation status and functional activity of white cells.ResultsThe sample was split into derivation and validation cohorts of 1065 and 717 patients, respectively. In the derivation cohort, COVID-19 was confirmed in 791 patients and ruled out in 274 patients, with mean ages of 62.13 (14.37) and 65.42 (16.62) years, respectively (p < 0.001). There were significant differences in all CPD parameters except MO-Y. The multivariate prediction model showed that lower NE-X, NE-WY, LY-Z, LY-WY, MO-WX, MO-WY, and MO-Z values and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were related to COVID-19 etiology with an AUC of 0.819 (0.790, 0.846). No significant differences were found comparing this model to another including biomarkers (p = 0.18).ConclusionsAbnormalities in white blood cell morphology based on a few cell population data values as well as NLR were able to accurately identify COVID-19 etiology. Moreover, systemic inflammation biomarkers currently used were unable to improve the predictive ability. We conclude that new peripheral blood biomarkers can help determine the etiology of CAP fast and inexpensively.     

Future directions in managing aniridia-associated keratopathy

Congenital aniridia is a panocular disorder that is typically characterized by iris hypoplasia and aniridia-associated keratopathy (AAK). AAK results in the progressive loss of corneal transparency and thereby loss of vision. Currently, there is no approved therapy to delay or prevent its progression, and clinical management is challenging because of phenotypic variability and high risk of complications after interventions; however, new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of AAK may help improve its management. Here, we review the current understanding about the pathogenesis and management of AAK. We highlight the biological mechanisms involved in AAK development with the aim to develop future treatment options, including surgical, pharmacological, cell therapies, and gene therapies.     

新化合物Elixir-X对肝切及辐射所致衰老小鼠的抗衰老作用

目的 探讨蜂巢提取物Elixir-X对自然衰老及辐射衰老小鼠的影响，为Elixir-X的进一步研发提供药理学基础。方法 采用小鼠肝脏切除术建立自然衰老小鼠模型，将其分为空白对照组、Elixir-X组、白藜芦醇组及模型组，连续给药7 d后，检测小鼠70%肝脏切除后的再生过程中，衰老细胞、肝脏功能恢复与肝脏再生的变化，观察Elixir-X对自然衰老的影响；采用60CO辐射法建立辐射衰老小鼠模型，将其分为模型组、空白对照组、白藜芦醇组、Elixir-X高、低剂量组，通过检测小鼠肠隐窝干细胞再生、小肠绒毛结构以及衰老细胞的变化，对比不同剂量Elixir-X对辐射后衰老的影响。结果 在肝脏切除术的小鼠模型中，Elixir-X组的肝功能水平明显低于模型组的肝脏自然再生小鼠，显著促进了肝功能恢复（P＜0.05）；同时与模型组相比，Elixir-X组清除了肝脏切除后再生过程中产生的衰老细胞（P＜0.05），Ki-67的着色斑块明显增加，促进肝脏的再生，且肝血窦的扫描电镜影像结果中Elixir-X组肝血窦再生加快。60CO辐照小鼠模型中，与模型组相比，Elixir-X组有效促进辐照后肝脏功能恢复（P＜0.05），Elixir-X高剂量组体重也恢复到正常水平，与空白对照组无显著差异；与模型组相比，Elixir-X低剂量组小肠的β-Gal着色细胞减少，Elixir-X高剂量组甚至能更有效地减少衰老细胞（P＜0.05）；小肠HE染色的结果中，Elixir-X组小肠绒毛结构得到恢复；Ki-67的IHC染色中，与模型组相比，Elixir-X组着色板块更多，且着色区域都在肠隐窝干细胞位置。结论 Elixir-X能有效清除肝脏切除术引起的自然衰老与辐射引起的损伤性衰老细胞，对衰老具有显著地抑制作用。     

肾透明细胞癌不同CT影像学征象对患者术后康复情况的影响

目的探究肾透明细胞癌不同CT影像学征象对患者术后康复情况的影响。方法选取2010年1月到2014年4月我院收治的50例肾透明细胞癌患者的CT征象,进行T分期,并分析不同CT征象与患者预后关系。结果利用CT征象进行T分期区别主要在T3a期,T3a期分为T3a-CT(10例)和T3a-仅病理(6例),T3a-仅病理CT分期可分为T1期2例,T2期4例;单因素分析显示,肿瘤大小、肿瘤是否侵及肾被膜外、是否侵及肾窦集合系统、是否侵及肾静脉及分支、是否侵及下腔静脉、有无广泛性坏死、是否存在囊性改变、瘤周是否受侵、瘤周是否存在新生血管与5年生存率具有一定相关性(P<0.05);多因素回归分析显示,肿瘤≥7cm、肿瘤穿透肾被膜、肾静脉及分支受侵、下腔静脉受侵、肿瘤无囊变、瘤周受侵及瘤周新生血管是影响肾透明细胞癌预后的独立危险因素(P<0.05)。结论肾透明细胞瘤患者肿瘤大于7cm、肿瘤穿透肾被膜、肾静脉及分支受侵、下腔静脉受侵、肿瘤无囊变、瘤周受侵及瘤周新生血管是影响肾透明细胞癌预后的独立危险因素,肿瘤周围受侵及瘤周新生血管形成可降低患者5年生存率,而肿瘤囊变可作为预测术后康复情况较好的标志之一。     

Deep learning radiomics based on contrast enhanced computed tomography predicts microvascular invasion and survival outcome in early stage hepatocellular carcinoma

ObjectiveTo evaluate the performance of a deep learning (DL)-based radiomics strategy on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) to predict microvascular invasion (MVI) status and clinical outcomes, recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving surgical resection.MethodsAll 283 eligible patients were included retrospectively between January 2008 and December 2015, and assigned into the training cohort (n = 198) and the testing cohort (n = 85). We extracted radiomics features via handcrafted radiomics analysis manually and DL analysis of pretrained convolutional neural networks via transfer learning automatically. Support vector machine was adopted as the classifier. A clinical-radiological model for MVI status integrated significant clinical features and the radiological signature generated from the radiological model with the optimal area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) in the testing cohort. Otherwise, DL-based prognostic models were constructed in prediction of recurrence and mortality via Cox proportional hazard analysis.ResultsThe clinical-radiological model for MVI represented an AUC of 0.909, accuracy of 96.47%, sensitivity of 90.91%, specificity of 97.30%, positive predictive value of 83.33%, and negative predictive value of 98.63% in the testing cohort. The clinical-radiological models for identification of RFS and OS outperformed prediction performance of the clinical model or the DL signature alone. The DL-based integrated model for prognostication showed great predictive value with significant classification and discrimination abilities after validation.ConclusionsThe integrated DL-based radiomics models achieved accurate preoperative prediction of MVI status, and might facilitate predicting tumor recurrence and mortality in order to optimize clinical decisions for patients with early stage HCC.     

Update on pediatric corneal diseases and keratoplasty

Managing pediatric corneal disorders is challenging as the prognosis of pediatric keratoplasty depends on several factors. Advancements in the genetic basis of congenital corneal diseases and investigations in congenital corneal conditions provide a better understanding of pediatric corneal conditions. Surgeons performing keratoplasty in children now have a choice of various techniques. Evolving surgical techniques of anterior lamellar and endothelial keratoplasties have expanded the management interventions in these pediatric corneal morbidity conditions; however, considerable concerns still exist in association with corneal transplantation in infants and children. Outcomes in pediatric keratoplasty depend upon the preoperative indications, the timing of surgical intervention, intraoperative and postoperative factors including the patient/care givers’ compliance. Factors such as low scleral rigidity, higher rate of graft failure, need for frequent examinations under anesthesia, and difficulty in optimal visual acuity assessment still remain a considerable challenge in pediatric scenarios. In children, deprivation amblyopia as a result of the corneal opacification can adversely affect visual development, causing dense amblyopia. Outcomes to surgical interventions for management of corneal opacification in children are further compromised by the preexisting amblyopia apart from the concerns of refractive outcome of the graft. Graft rejection, graft infection, amblyopia, and glaucoma continue to be serious concerns. In recent years both anterior and posterior lamellar keratoplasty techniques are being increasingly performed in pediatric eyes, which offer advantages in the form of lower risk of graft rejection. The timing of surgery, careful case selection, cautious intraoperative approach, and optimal postoperative management can improve the anatomical and functional outcome in difficult cases.     

C反应蛋白和白蛋白比值预测单发小肝癌患者微血管侵犯的价值研究

背景 既往对肝癌微血管侵犯病理诊断的重要性重视不够，目前国内外缺乏对微血管侵犯统一的病理诊断标准，也未将微血管侵犯列为病理常规诊断指标。C反应蛋白/白蛋白比值（CAR）作为新型系统性炎性因子，与肝癌的增殖、侵袭转移等恶性生物学行为密切相关。 目的 探讨CAR预测单发小肝癌患者微血管侵犯的价值。 方法 选择2017年6月至2021年6月在新疆医科大学第一附属医院行肝切除术的单个、肿瘤直径≤5 cm的术后病理检查证实为肝癌的患者346例为研究对象。收集患者一般资料，并计算CAR。绘制CAR预测单发小肝癌患者微血管侵犯的受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线，并计算CAR的最佳诊断截点，根据CAR最佳诊断截点将患者进行分组，采用1∶1最近邻居倾向性评分匹配（PSM）法将Logistic模型估计的倾向性评分相近患者进行配对，得到两组间各临床特征比较均衡性较高的样本。比较匹配后两组患者微血管侵犯率，采用Logistic回归分析评估匹配前、后CAR对单发小肝癌患者微血管侵犯的预测价值。 结果 346例患者中微血管侵犯阳性131例（37.9%），微血管侵犯阴性215例（62.1%）。ROC曲线分析结果显示，CAR预测单发小肝癌患者微血管侵犯的灵敏度为82.9%，特异度为76.4%，ROC曲线下面积为0.787〔95%CI（0.697，0.877）〕，最佳诊断截点为0.03。根据CAR最佳诊断截点，将患者分为CAR<0.03组（A组，n=145）和CAR≥0.03组（B组，n=201）。采用1∶1最近邻居PSM法，共92对匹配成功，匹配后两组临床资料均衡。匹配后，B组患者微血管侵犯发生率〔43.5%（40/92）〕高于A组〔13.0%（12/92）〕（χ2=6.314，P=0.013）。采用3种Logistic回归分析结果显示，匹配前、后CAR均为单发小肝癌患者微血管侵犯的独立影响因素（P<0.05）。 结论 CAR作为新型系统性炎症指标，可用于预测单发小肝癌微血管侵犯，当CAR≥0.03时提示单发小肝癌微血管侵犯发生率较高。     

The impact of additional margin coagulation with radiofrequency in liver resections with subcentimetric margin: can we improve the oncological results? A propensity score matching study

BackgroundWhereas the usefulness of radiofrequency (RF) energy as haemostatic method in liver surgery has become well established in the last decades, its intentional application on resection margins with the aim of reducing local recurrence is still debatable. Our goal was to compare the impact of an additional application of RF energy on the top of the resection surface, namely additional margin coagulation (AMC), on local recurrence (LR) when subjected to a subcentimeter margin.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 185 patients out of a whole cohort of 283 patients who underwent radical hepatic resection with subcentimetric margin. After propensity score adjustment, patients were classified into two balanced groups according to whether RF was applied or not.ResultsNo significant differences were observed within groups in baseline characteristics after PSM adjustment. The LR rate was significantly higher in the Control than AMC Group: 12 patients (14.5%) vs. 4 patients (4.8%) (p = 0.039). The estimated 1, 3, and 5-year LR-free survival rates of patients in the Control and AMC Group were: 93.5%, 86.0%, 81.0% and 98.8%, 97.2%, 91.9%, respectively (p = 0.049). Univariate Cox analyses indicated that the use of the RF applicator was significantly associated with lower LR (HR = 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.093–0.906, p = 0.033). The Control Group showed smaller coagulation widths than the AMC group (p < 0.001).ConclusionsAn additional application of RF on the top of the resection surface is associated with less local hepatic recurrence than the use of conventional techniques.