China special issue on gastrointestinal tumors-Radiological features of pathological complete response in mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer after neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade: A post hoc analysis of the PICC phase II trial

Neoadjuvant programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade exhibits promising efficacy in patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC). However, discrepancies between radiological and histological findings have been reported in the PICC phase II trial (NCT 03926338). Therefore, we strived to discern radiological features associated with pathological complete response (pCR) based on computed tomography (CT) images. Data were obtained from the PICC trial that included 36 tumors from 34 locally advanced dMMR CRC patients, who received neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade for 3 months. Among the 36 tumors, 28 (77.8%) tumors achieved pCR. There were no statistically significant differences in tumor longitudinal diameter, the percentage change in tumor longitudinal diameter from baseline, primary tumor sidedness, clinical stage, extramural venous invasion status, intratumoral calcification, peritumoral fat infiltration, intestinal fistula and tumor necrosis between the pCR and non-pCR tumors. Otherwise, tumors with pCR had smaller posttreatment tumor maximum thickness (median: 10 mm vs 13 mm, P = .004) and higher percentage decrease in tumor maximum thickness from baseline (52.9% vs 21.6%, P = .005) compared to non-pCR tumors. Additionally, a higher proportion of the absence of vascular sign (P = .003, odds ratio [OR] = 25.870 [95% CI, 1.357-493.110]), nodular sign (P < .001, OR = 189.000 [95% CI, 10.464-3413.803]) and extramural enhancement sign (P = .003, OR = 21.667 [2.848-164.830]) was observed in tumors with pCR. In conclusion, these CT-defined radiological features may have the potential to serve as valuable tools for clinicians in identifying patients who have achieved pCR after neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade, particularly in individuals who are willing to adopt a watch-and-wait strategy.     

寰枢椎后路柔性固定的生物力学研究

目的分析细棒、PEEK棒固定对寰枢关节稳定性的影响。方法采用6具新鲜成人枕骨(occipital bone,Oc)~颈椎C4节段进行测试,模拟以下手术及固定状态:①完整状态;②损伤状态:枢椎齿状突II型骨折;③坚强固定:寰枢椎均采用普通椎弓根螺钉固定,直径3.5 mm钛棒连接;④PEEK棒:直径3.5 mm的PEEK棒连接;⑤细棒:直径2.0 mm钛棒连接。采用重复测量实验设计,在完整、损伤和不同的固定状态下,通过脊柱试验机对标本分别施加1.5 N·m的前屈/后伸、左/右侧弯和左/右轴向旋转的纯力偶矩。采用Optotrak三维运动测量系统连续采集标本运动,分析寰枢椎之间角度运动范围和中性区。结果采用直径3.5 mm的钛棒,2.0 mm的细棒以及3.5 mm的PEEK棒固定后,在前屈、后伸、侧弯和旋转方向上均显著减小了固定节段的运动范围(P<0.05)。直径3.5 mm和2.0 mm的棒固定后的运动范围,在各个方向上无显著性差异。PEEK棒固定的运动范围仅在侧弯方向上大于坚强固定(P=0.005),其他方向无显著性差异。3种固定方式在屈伸、侧弯和旋转方向上均显著减小了固定节段的中性区(P<0.05)。各种固定方式之间相比较,无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论在寰枢关节采用直径2.0 mm的细棒固定,与坚强固定的稳定性相当。采用直径3.5 mm的PEEK棒固定,在前屈、后伸、旋转方向上与坚强固定的稳定性相当,在侧弯方向上弱于坚强固定。     

Resiniferatoxin reduces cardiac sympathetic nerve activation to exert a cardioprotective effect during myocardial infarction

Background and objective: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common critical disease of the cardiovascular system. The process of MI is often accompanied by the excessive activation of cardiac sympathetic nerves, which leads to arrhythmia. Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is a transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), involved in the cardiac sympathetic afferent reflex. However, whether RTX can reduce the occurrence of arrhythmia and exert a cardioprotective effect by inhibiting the sympathetic reflex during MI is still unknown. Methods: The left anterior descending artery of cardiac was clamped to construct a model of MI. RTX (50 μg/ml) was used by epicardial application in MI rats. Ventricular electrophysiologic properties were continuously monitored by a body surface ECG. Yrosine hydroxylase (TH) and growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) were detected by Immunofluorescence staining. Connexin43 and transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGF-β1) were detected by western blot. Norepinephrine (NE) and BNP levels in blood and tissue were determined by ELISA. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. Results: The ERP, APD90, QRS, QT and the Tend-Tpeak intervals in MI rats were all prolonged, but decreased after RTX treatment (n = 3, P<0.05). In contrast, the RR interval was shortened in the MI group, but prolonged in the MI+RTX group (n = 3, P<0.05). RTX treatment significantly reduced ventricular arrhythmias after MI. TH- and GAP43-positive nerve densities and TGF-β1, and cx-43 protein expression were up-regulated in the MI group compared to the sham group, and they were decreased in the MI+RTX group compared to the MI group (n = 3, P<0.05). RTX can decrease serum and tissue NE and BNP levels (n = 3, P<0.05). RTX pretreatment significantly decreased heart rate, HW/BW ratio and LVIDS, and increased LVEF andLVFS values (n = 3, P<0.05). Conclusion: RTX improved cardiac dysfunction, ventricular electrophysiologic properties, and sympathetic nerve remodeling in rats with MI by inhibiting the excessive cardiac sympathetic drive.     

Diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by Raman spectroscopy provides high efficiency: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:We aim to evaluate the efficiency of Raman spectroscopy (RS) in diagnosing suspected patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), manifested by diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.Methods:We will research widely the articles concerning the use of RS in ICC through authenticated database including PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Ovid, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library, and CNKI between January 2012 and November 2020, retrieving at least 1500 spectra with strict criteria. This study will be carried out in accordance to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We are going to summarize the test performance using random effects models.Results:Based on the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy, we intend to provide the relative diagnostic efficiency in ICC through RS.Conclusion:Through this systematic review and meta-analysis, we intend to provide the pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of RS in the diagnosis of suspected ICC. Other parameters like positive likelihood ratios (LR), negative LR, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operating characteristics (SROC) curve will also be calculated and related figures will be drawn to help illustrate the efficacy of RS in the diagnosis of ICC.     

The clinical dilemma of JAK inhibitor failure in myelofibrosis: Predictive characteristics and outcomes

Two Janus-associated kinase inhibitors (JAKi) (initially ruxolitinib and, more recently, fedratinib) have been approved as treatment options for patients who have intermediate-risk and high-risk myelofibrosis (MF), with pivotal trials demonstrating improvements in spleen volume, disease symptoms, and quality of life. At the same time, however, clinical trial experiences with JAKi agents in MF have demonstrated a high frequency of discontinuations because of adverse events or progressive disease. In addition, overall survival benefits and clinical and molecular predictors of response have not been established in this population, for which the disease burden is high and treatment options are limited. Consistently poor outcomes have been documented after JAKi discontinuation, with survival durations after ruxolitinib ranging from 11 to 16 months across several studies. To address such a high unmet therapeutic need, various non-JAKi agents are being actively explored (in combination with ruxolitinib in first-line or salvage settings and/or as monotherapy in JAKi-pretreated patients) in phase 3 clinical trials, including pelabresib (a bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibitor), navitoclax (a B-cell lymphoma 2/B-cell lymphoma 2-xL inhibitor), parsaclisib (a phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor), navtemadlin (formerly KRT-232; a murine double-minute chromosome 2 inhibitor), and imetelstat (a telomerase inhibitor). The breadth of data expected from these trials will provide insight into the ability of non-JAKi treatments to modify the natural history of MF.