BCAT1 plays a pathogenic role in HCC by causing cell proliferation and chemoresistance. The MYC transcription factor is involved in regulating the transcriptional activity of BCAT1. BCAT1 expression has prognostic significance for the survival of patients with HCC.

BackgroundFor patients with esophagogastric varices secondary to portal hypertension due to liver cirrhosis, portosystemic shunts and devascularization have become the most commonly used treatment methods. We have developed a novel surgical approach for the treatment of patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension, selective decongestive devascularization, and shunt of the gastrosplenic region (SDDS-GSR). This aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of SDDS-GSR with splenectomy with pericardial devascularization (SPD).Material/MethodsA retrospective study was undertaken between 2006 and 2013 and included 110 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension, 34 of whom underwent SDDS-GSR; 76 patients underwent SPD. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate clinical outcomes, mortality, the incidence of re-bleeding, encephalopathy, and portal venous system thrombosis (PVST).ResultsPostoperatively portal venous pressure decreased by 20% in both groups. The long-term incidence of re-bleeding and PVST was significantly lower in the SDDS-GSR group compared with the SPD group (P=0.018 and P=0.039, respectively).ConclusionsThis preliminary retrospective study has shown that SDDS-GSR was an effective treatment for patients with esophagogastric varices secondary to portal hypertension that may be used as a first-line treatment to prevent variceal bleeding and lower the incidence of PVST.

Background: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) ratio is an excellent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, previous studies linking LDL-C/HDL-C ratio to mortality have been inconsistent and limited by short follow-up. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine whether LDL-C/HDL-C ratio could be an effective predictor of all-cause mortality in elderly hypertensive patients.Methods: We selected 6,941 hypertensive patients aged 65 years or older and untreated with lipid-lowering drugs from the Chinese Hypertension Registry for analysis. The endpoint of the study was all-cause mortality. The relationship between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and all-cause mortality by using multivariate cox proportional hazards regression, smoothing curve fitting (penalized spline method), subgroup analysis and Kaplan–Meier survival curve to address.Results: During a median follow-up of 1.72 years, 157 all-cause deaths occurred. A U-shaped association was found between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and all-cause mortality. The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was divided into five groups according to quintiles. Compared to the reference group (Q3: 1.67-2.10), both lower (Q1 and Q2) and higher (Q4 and Q5) LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were associated with higher all-cause mortality (<1.67: HR 1.81, 95% CI: 1.08-3.03; ≥2.10: HR 2.00, 95% CI: 1.18-3.39). Compare with lower and higher LDL-C/HDL-C ratio groups, patients with LDL-C/HDL-C ratio of 1.67-2.10 had a significant higher survival probability (log-rank P = 0.038).Conclusion: Our results suggested that there was a U-shaped association between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and all-cause mortality. Both lower and higher LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were associated with increased all-cause mortality in elderly hypertensive patients.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between Ob-R and TILs and subsequent with pCR in early BC patients who have received neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST).Methods: A total of 87 women with BC receiving NST followed by surgery were retrospectively evaluated. Based on the IHC results, tumors were categorized using the St Gallen criteria, as luminal A and B, HER2+, or triple-negative subtypes. Ob-R expression was routinely measured in the diagnostic biopsy using the BOND RX Research Platform (Leica Biosystems). The Ob-R was classified as over-expressed if there were more than 50% positive cells with weak or strong staining. TILs were scored centrally in pre-treatment biopsy and considered as continuous variable. Associations with pCR (ypT0/isN0) were assessed using logistic regression.Results: Over-expression of Ob-R was found in 52% of tumors and there was a significantly higher incidence in the HER2+ and TNBC than luminal subgroups. High TILs levels were significant associated with pCR (23.5% vs non responders 15.7%; p¼0-034). The mean percentage of TILs were 21.1% in Ob-R positive tumors and 15% in Ob-R negative tumors (p¼0.104); this association was significant in HER2+ subtype (21.5% vs. 9%; P¼0.015). In patients with pCR, mean percentage of TILs were significantly higher with Ob-R over-expressed tumors compared with negative Ob-R tumors (26.6% vs 12.5%; p¼0.005). This difference was not observed in non-responders where mean percentage of TILs was not statistically different between tumors with and without Ob-R over-expression.Conclusions: High levels of TILs are associated with Ob-R overexpression particularly in HER2+. Leptin-Ob-R axis could be modifying the effect of TILs in those tumours achieving a pCR.