Rubber-like materials that are commonly used in structural applications are modelled using hyperelastic material models.Most of the hyperelastic materials are nearly incompressible,which poses challenges,i.e.,volumetr...Rubber-like materials that are commonly used in structural applications are modelled using hyperelastic material models.Most of the hyperelastic materials are nearly incompressible,which poses challenges,i.e.,volumetric locking during numerical modelling.There exist many formulations in the context of the finite element method,among which the mixed displacementpressure formulation is robust.However,such a displacement-pressure formulation is less explored in meshfree methods,which mitigates the problem associated with mesh distortion during large deformation.This work addresses this issue of alleviating volumetric locking in the element-free Galerkin method(EFGM),which is one of the popular meshfree methods.A two-field mixed variational formulation using the perturbed Lagrangian approach within the EFGM framework is proposed for modelling nearly incompressible hyperelastic material models,such as Neo-Hookean and Mooney-Rivlin.Taking advantage of the meshless nature of the EFGM,this work introduces a unique approach by randomly distributing pressure nodes across the geometry,following specific guidelines.A wide spectrum of problems involving bending,tension,compression,and contact is solved using two approaches of the proposed displacement-pressure node formulation involving regular and irregular pressure node distribution.It is observed that both approaches give accurate results compared to the reference results,though the latter offers flexibility in the pressure nodal distribution.展开更多
The metastatic pattern of colon cancer is typically well characterized,with initial dissemination occurring through regional lymphatics,followed by hematogenous spread.The most frequent sites of metastasis in colorect...The metastatic pattern of colon cancer is typically well characterized,with initial dissemination occurring through regional lymphatics,followed by hematogenous spread.The most frequent sites of metastasis in colorectal cancer(CRC)include regional lymph nodes(50%–70%),liver(35%–50%),lungs(21%),peritoneum(15%),and ovaries(13%).1 Isolated distant lymph node metastasis,particularly in the absence of concurrent systemic disease,is exceedingly rare in CRC.To date,only six cases of isolated axillary lymph node metastasis(ALNM)from colorectal primaries have been documented in the literature.1–6 Even more uncommon is the incidental discovery of malignant cells in anastomotic doughnuts following stoma reversal procedures.Herein,we report a rare case involving both the incidental histopathological detection of tumor cells within doughnuts during stoma closure and the subsequent development of isolated ALNM after curative resection of sigmoid colon carcinoma.展开更多
Objectives:PSMA PET/CT(Prostate-Specific MembraneAntigen Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography)offers improved accuracy in detecting lymph node invasion(LNI)in prostate cancer(PC)patients,potentially reduci...Objectives:PSMA PET/CT(Prostate-Specific MembraneAntigen Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography)offers improved accuracy in detecting lymph node invasion(LNI)in prostate cancer(PC)patients,potentially reducing the need for extended pelvic lymph node dissection(ePLND).This study aims to evaluate a patient-tailored care pathway in which ePLND is performed only in patients with unfavorable intermediate-or high-risk PC who are deemed at risk for LNI based on PSMA PET/CT findings.Methods:In this interventional cohort study,81 patients were managed according to the new care pathway.ePLND was omitted in cases of negative PSMA PET/CT findings(N0M0),while those with positive PSMA PET/CT findings(N1M0)underwent ePLND.A comparator group of 81 patients was selected from a prospectively generated database for comparison.Results:The intervention group experienced a 75% reduction in the number of ePLNDs performed compared to the comparator group(p<0.001).ePLND-related complications were significantly lower in the intervention group(p=0.008).No significant difference was observed in 3-year biochemical-recurrence free survival(BRFS)between the two groups(p=0.958).Conclusion:Omitting ePLND in patients with negative PSMA PET/CT findings(N0M0)leads to a substantial reduction in the number of ePLNDs performed,resulting in a decrease in morbidity,without compromising early oncological outcomes.展开更多
BACKGROUND The accurate prediction of lymph node metastasis(LNM)is crucial for managing locally advanced(T3/T4)colorectal cancer(CRC).However,both traditional histopathology and standard slide-level deep learning ofte...BACKGROUND The accurate prediction of lymph node metastasis(LNM)is crucial for managing locally advanced(T3/T4)colorectal cancer(CRC).However,both traditional histopathology and standard slide-level deep learning often fail to capture the sparse and diagnostically critical features of metastatic potential.AIM To develop and validate a case-level multiple-instance learning(MIL)framework mimicking a pathologist's comprehensive review and improve T3/T4 CRC LNM prediction.METHODS The whole-slide images of 130 patients with T3/T4 CRC were retrospectively collected.A case-level MIL framework utilising the CONCH v1.5 and UNI2-h deep learning models was trained on features from all haematoxylin and eosinstained primary tumour slides for each patient.These pathological features were subsequently integrated with clinical data,and model performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC).RESULTS The case-level framework demonstrated superior LNM prediction over slide-level training,with the CONCH v1.5 model achieving a mean AUC(±SD)of 0.899±0.033 vs 0.814±0.083,respectively.Integrating pathology features with clinical data further enhanced performance,yielding a top model with a mean AUC of 0.904±0.047,in sharp contrast to a clinical-only model(mean AUC 0.584±0.084).Crucially,a pathologist’s review confirmed that the model-identified high-attention regions correspond to known high-risk histopathological features.CONCLUSION A case-level MIL framework provides a superior approach for predicting LNM in advanced CRC.This method shows promise for risk stratification and therapy decisions,requiring further validation.展开更多
Graph neural networks(GNN)have shown strong performance in node classification tasks,yet most existing models rely on uniform or shared weight aggregation,lacking flexibility in modeling the varying strength of relati...Graph neural networks(GNN)have shown strong performance in node classification tasks,yet most existing models rely on uniform or shared weight aggregation,lacking flexibility in modeling the varying strength of relationships among nodes.This paper proposes a novel graph coupling convolutional model that introduces an adaptive weighting mechanism to assign distinct importance to neighboring nodes based on their similarity to the central node.Unlike traditional methods,the proposed coupling strategy enhances the interpretability of node interactions while maintaining competitive classification performance.The model operates in the spatial domain,utilizing adjacency list structures for efficient convolution and addressing the limitations of weight sharing through a coupling-based similarity computation.Extensive experiments are conducted on five graph-structured datasets,including Cora,Citeseer,PubMed,Reddit,and BlogCatalog,as well as a custom topology dataset constructed from the Open University Learning Analytics Dataset(OULAD)educational platform.Results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves good classification accuracy,while significantly reducing training time through direct second-order neighbor fusion and data preprocessing.Moreover,analysis of neighborhood order reveals that considering third-order neighbors offers limited accuracy gains but introduces considerable computational overhead,confirming the efficiency of first-and second-order convolution in practical applications.Overall,the proposed graph coupling model offers a lightweight,interpretable,and effective framework for multi-label node classification in complex networks.展开更多
BACKGROUND Early screening,preoperative staging,and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis are crucial for improving the prognosis of gastric cancer(GC).AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of combined multidetector compu...BACKGROUND Early screening,preoperative staging,and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis are crucial for improving the prognosis of gastric cancer(GC).AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of combined multidetector computed tomography(MDCT)and gastrointestinal endoscopy for GC screening,preoperative staging,and lymph node metastasis detection,thereby providing a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.METHODS In this retrospective study clinical and imaging data of 134 patients with suspected GC who were admitted between January 2023 and October 2024 were initially reviewed.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,102 patients were finally enrolled in the analysis.All enrolled patients had undergone both MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy examinations prior to surgical intervention.Preoperative clinical staging and lymph node metastasis findings were compared with pathological results.RESULTS The combined use of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.53%,specificity of 97.06%,accuracy of 98.04%,positive predictive value of 98.53%,and negative predictive value of 97.06%for diagnosing GC.These factors were all significantly higher than those of MDCT or endoscopy alone(P<0.05).The accuracy rates of the combined approach for detecting clinical T and N stages were 97.06%and 92.65%,respectively,outperforming MDCT alone(86.76% and 79.41%)and endoscopy alone(85.29% and 70.59%)(P<0.05).Among 68 patients with confirmed GC,50(73.53%)were pathologically diagnosed with lymph node metastasis.The accuracy for detecting lymph node metastasis was 66.00%with endoscopy,76.00%with MDCT,and 92.00% with the combined approach,all with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The combined application of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy enhanced diagnostic accuracy for GC,provided greater consistency in preoperative staging,and improved the detection of lymph node metastasis,thereby demonstrating significant clinical utility.展开更多
Lightweight nodes are crucial for blockchain scalability,but verifying the availability of complete block data puts significant strain on bandwidth and latency.Existing data availability sampling(DAS)schemes either re...Lightweight nodes are crucial for blockchain scalability,but verifying the availability of complete block data puts significant strain on bandwidth and latency.Existing data availability sampling(DAS)schemes either require trusted setups or suffer from high communication overhead and low verification efficiency.This paper presents ISTIRDA,a DAS scheme that lets light clients certify availability by sampling small random codeword symbols.Built on ISTIR,an improved Reed–Solomon interactive oracle proof of proximity,ISTIRDA combines adaptive folding with dynamic code rate adjustment to preserve soundness while lowering communication.This paper formalizes opening consistency and prove security with bounded error in the random oracle model,giving polylogarithmic verifier queries and no trusted setup.In a prototype compared with FRIDA under equal soundness,ISTIRDA reduces communication by 40.65%to 80%.For data larger than 16 MB,ISTIRDA verifies faster and the advantage widens;at 128 MB,proofs are about 60%smaller and verification time is roughly 25%shorter,while prover overhead remains modest.In peer-to-peer emulation under injected latency and loss,ISTIRDA reaches confidence more quickly and is less sensitive to packet loss and load.These results indicate that ISTIRDA is a scalable and provably secure DAS scheme suitable for high-throughput,large-block public blockchains,substantially easing bandwidth and latency pressure on lightweight nodes.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the long-term prognosis and postoperative cosmetic outcomes of breast-conserving surgery combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with early-stage breast cancer,providing a referen...Objective:To investigate the long-term prognosis and postoperative cosmetic outcomes of breast-conserving surgery combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with early-stage breast cancer,providing a reference for the selection of clinical treatment plans.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 68 patients with early-stage breast cancer admitted from January 2022 to December 2025.Based on the surgical approach,patients were divided into an observation group(breast-conserving surgery+sentinel lymph node biopsy)and a control group(other surgical methods such as modified radical mastectomy/total mastectomy).Clinical and pathological characteristics,incidence of postoperative complications,follow-up prognosis,and satisfaction with cosmetic outcomes were compared between the two groups.Results:Among the 68 patients,41 were in the observation group and 27 in the control group.The average age of patients in the observation group was(54.32±8.15)years,while that in the control group was(62.45±9.76)years.The average tumor size in the observation group was(1.86±0.72)cm,compared to(3.21±1.45)cm in the control group.The incidence of postoperative complications in the observation group was 9.76%,significantly lower than that in the control group at 33.33%(P<0.05).The 6-month disease-free survival rate was 95.12%in the observation group and 88.89%in the control group,with no statistically significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).The excellent and good rate of cosmetic outcomes in the observation group was 87.80%,significantly higher than that in the control group at 29.63%(P<0.05).Conclusion:Breast-conserving surgery combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy for early-stage breast cancer can achieve long-term prognostic outcomes comparable to those of traditional radical surgery,with the advantages of fewer postoperative complications and superior cosmetic results.This approach is worthy of clinical promotion and application,particularly for early-stage breast cancer patients who have a demand for preserving breast morphology.展开更多
Objective:Open retroperitoneal lymph node dissection(RPLND)is the gold-standard surgical approach for the management of metastatic testicular cancer,but robotic RPLND is becoming increasingly popular.There is limited ...Objective:Open retroperitoneal lymph node dissection(RPLND)is the gold-standard surgical approach for the management of metastatic testicular cancer,but robotic RPLND is becoming increasingly popular.There is limited research directly comparing open and robotic RPLND.The objective of this systematic review is to identify all the literature with direct comparisons between the open and robotic techniques for RPLND and to compare the two techniques.The primary outcome was peri-operative outcomes,and the secondary outcomes included oncological outcomes and patient demographics.Methods:This systematic review was prospectively registered and was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement.The PubMed,Embase and MEDLINE databases were searched for relevant publication from January 2006 to August 2024.Results:Eight studies,totaling 3995 patients,are included in this systematic review,with 3521 patients who underwent open RPLND and 474 who underwent robotic RPLND.For open RPLND,the mean operative duration,blood loss and length of stay were 267.8 min,475 mL and 7.3 d,respectively.For robotic RPLND,the mean operative duration,blood loss and length of stay were 334.5 min,94.6 mL and 3.7 d,respectively.Teratoma was the most common RPLND specimen pathology from both open and robotic surgeries.For open RPLND,the specimens have 13–23 nodes(26–32 mm),whereas the robotic RPLND specimens have 13–28 nodes(18–20 mm).Conclusion:This systematic review suggests that the benefitsof robotic RPLND may be associated with reduced blood loss,shorter hospitalisation and an overall lower risk of minor and major complications while maintaining oncological safety.展开更多
Modular truss space deployable antennas are key for future large aperture,high precision antennas,already proven in various in-orbit applications globally.This paper introduces a design method for a tetrahedral basic ...Modular truss space deployable antennas are key for future large aperture,high precision antennas,already proven in various in-orbit applications globally.This paper introduces a design method for a tetrahedral basic unit mechanism with dual height positioning nodes.A parametric model is established,and its DOF are analyzed to confirm the mechanism's validity.The new tetrahedral basic unit mechanism constructed by this method is a single DOF mechanism and can locate different parabolic node heights.In order to further adapt to the parabolic and large aperture requirements of the deployable antenna of the truss,a combination unit and modular unit mechanism are developed based on this tetrahedral unit.The DOF and deployment characteristics of the modular unit mechanism are analyzed and validated through simulations.Various networking methods for the modular units are proposed,followed by a comprehensive performance comparison of different modular truss deployable antenna mechanisms.A prototype model of the modular unit mechanism is also developed,with deployment experiments demonstrating the mechanism's simplicity,low DOF,and large deployment ratio.The findings of this study provide a theoretical and technical basis for the future design and development of truss deployable antenna mechanisms.展开更多
Early-stage gastric cancer;Extent of lymph node dissection;D1 dissection;D2 dissection;Recurrence rate;Survival rateObjective:To investigate the impact of different lymph node dissection scopes on postoperative recurr...Early-stage gastric cancer;Extent of lymph node dissection;D1 dissection;D2 dissection;Recurrence rate;Survival rateObjective:To investigate the impact of different lymph node dissection scopes on postoperative recurrence and survival rates in patients with early gastric cancer,providing evidence-based support for optimizing clinical surgical plans.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 100 patients with early gastric cancer who underwent surgical treatment at our hospital from October 2021 to October 2023.Patients were divided into Group D1(n=50)and Group D2(n=50)based on the extent of lymph node dissection.Group D1 underwent limited lymph node dissection(dissection of the first station of lymph nodes around the stomach),while Group D2 underwent standard lymph node dissection(dissection of the first and second stations of lymph nodes around the stomach).Surgical-related indicators,the incidence of postoperative complications,the 2-year recurrence rate,and the 2-year survival rate were compared between the two groups of patients.Results:The operative time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative hospital stay,and the number of lymph nodes dissected were significantly higher in the D2 group than in the D1 group(all P<0.001).The overall incidence of postoperative complications was higher in the D1 group than in the D2 group,but the difference was not statistically significant(χ^(2)=0.884,P=0.766).After a 2-year follow-up,the recurrence rate was significantly higher in the D1 group than in the D2 group(χ^(2)=4.000,P=0.046).The 2-year survival rate was significantly lower in the D1 group than in the D2 group(χ^(2)=5.005,P=0.025).A total of 100 patients with early-stage gastric cancer were grouped according to the depth of invasion,degree of differentiation,and lymph node metastasis status,and the recurrence rates of different subgroups were compared.The results showed that the recurrence rate was higher in patients with T1b stage than in those with T1a stage(χ^(2)=5.005,P=0.025),higher in poorly differentiated patients than in moderately and well-differentiated patients(χ^(2)=4.155,P=0.042),and higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis(χ^(2)=4.512,P=0.034).Conclusion:Compared with D1 limited lymph node dissection,D2 standard lymph node dissection can significantly reduce the postoperative recurrence rate and improve the 2-year survival rate in patients with early-stage gastric cancer without significantly increasing the risk of postoperative complications.Although the surgical trauma is slightly greater,the overall prognosis is better,making it a preferred surgical treatment option for patients with early-stage gastric cancer.展开更多
Background: According to the 7 th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC) staging system, over50% of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) have N1 disease at initial diagnosis. However, patients ...Background: According to the 7 th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC) staging system, over50% of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) have N1 disease at initial diagnosis. However, patients with N1 NPC are relatively under-researched, and the metastasis risk of this group is not well-stratified. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic values of gross tumor volume of metastatic regional lymph node(GTVnd) and pretreatment serum copy number of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) DNA in predicting distant metastasis of patients with N1 NPC, and to develop an integrated prognostic model that incorporates GTVnd and EBV DNA copy number for this group of patients.Methods: The medical records of 787 newly diagnosed patients with nonmetastatic, histologically proven N1 NPC who were treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between November 2009 and February 2012 were analyzed. Computed tomography-derived GTVnd was measured using the summation-of-area technique. Blood samples were collected before treatment to quantify plasma EBV DNA. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the cut-off point for GTVnd, and the area under the ROC curve was used to assess the predicted validity of GTVnd. The survival rates were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and the survival curves were compared using a log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.Results: The 5-year distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS) rates for patients with GTVnd > 18.9 vs.≤ 18.9 mL were82.2% vs. 93.2%(P < 0.001), and for patients with EBV DNA copy number > 4000 vs. < 4000 copies/mL were 83.5% vs.93.9%(P < 0.001). After adjusting for GTVnd, EBV DNA copy number, and T category in the Cox regression model, both GTVnd > 18.9 mL and EBV DNA copy number > 4000 copies/mL were significantly associated with poor prognosis(both P < 0.05). According to combination of GTVnd and EBV DNA copy number, all patients were divided into low-,moderate-, and high-risk groups, with the 5-year DMFS rates of 96.1,87.4, and 73.8%, respectively(P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed the prognostic value of this model for distant metastatic risk stratification(hazard ratio [HR],4.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.34-7.59; P < 0.001).Conclusions: GTVnd and serum EBV DNA copy number are independent prognostic factors for predicting distant metastasis in NPC patients with N1 disease. The prognostic model incorporating GTVnd and EBV DNA copy number may improve metastatic risk stratification for this group of patients.展开更多
AIM： To determine the distance between the branching point of the left colic artery （LCA） and the inferior mesenteric artery （IMA） by computed tomography （CT） scanning, for preoperative evaluation before laparo...AIM： To determine the distance between the branching point of the left colic artery （LCA） and the inferior mesenteric artery （IMA） by computed tomography （CT） scanning, for preoperative evaluation before laparoscopic colorectal operation. METHODS： From February 2004 to May 2005, 100 patients （63 men, 37 women） underwent angiography performed with a 16-scanner multi-detector row CT unit （Toshiba, Aquilion 16）. All images were analyzed on a workstation （AZE Ltd, Virtual Place Advance 300）. The distance from the root of the IMA to the bifurcation of the LCA was measured by curved multi-planar reconstruction on a workstation. RESULTS： The IMA could be visualized in all the cases, but the LCA was missing in two patients. The mean distance from the root of the IMA to the root of the LCA was 42.0 mm （range, 23.2-75.0 mm）. There were no differences in gender, arterial branching types, body weight, height, and body mass index. CONCLUSION： Volume-rendered 3D-CT is helpful to assess the vascular branching anatomy for laparoscopic surgery.展开更多
BACKGROUND One of the main characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is that it metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes frequently with a high degree of local invasiveness.A primary feature of malignant tumors...BACKGROUND One of the main characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is that it metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes frequently with a high degree of local invasiveness.A primary feature of malignant tumors is their penetration of neighboring tissues,such as lymphatic and blood arteries,due to the tumor cells'capacity to break down the extracellular matrix(ECM).Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)constitute a family of proteolytic enzymes that facilitate tissue remodeling and the degradation of the ECM.MMP-9 and MMP-13 belong to the group of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes and their expression has been studied in OSCC because of their specific functions.MMP-13,a collagenase family member,is thought to play an essential role in the MMP activation cascade by breaking down the fibrillar collagens,whereas MMP-9 is thought to accelerate the growth of tumors.Elevated MMP-13 expression has been associated with tumor behavior and patient prognosis in a number of malignant cases.AIM To assess the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13 in OSCC.METHODS A total of 40 cases with histologically confirmed OSCC by incisional biopsy were included in this cross-sectional retrospective study.The protocols for both MMP-9 and MMP-13 immunohistochemical staining were performed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations along with the normal gingival epithelium as a positive control.All the observations were recorded and Pearson’sχ²test with Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis.RESULTS Our study showed no significant correlation between MMP-9 and MMP-13 staining intensity and tumor size.The majority of the patients were in advanced TNM stages(III and IV),and showed intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13.CONCLUSION The present study suggests that both MMP-9 and MMP-13 play an important and independent role in OSCC progression and invasiveness.Intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13,irrespective of histological grade of OSCC,correlates well with TNM stage.Consequently,it is evident that MMP-9 and MMP-13 are important for the invasiveness and progression of tumors.The findings may facilitate the development of new approaches for evaluating lymph node metastases and interventional therapy techniques,hence enhancing the prognosis of patients diagnosed with OSCC.展开更多
The principal breast cancer treatment approach has long been surgical removal of the primary breast lesions and regional lymph nodes,particularly the axillary lymph nodes.However,the advent of minimally invasive diagn...The principal breast cancer treatment approach has long been surgical removal of the primary breast lesions and regional lymph nodes,particularly the axillary lymph nodes.However,the advent of minimally invasive diagnostic techniques,such as sentinel lymph node biopsy(SLNB),has markedly diminished the extent of surgery required for regional lymph nodes.展开更多
Identifying key nodes in complex networks is crucial for understanding and controlling their dynamics. Traditional centrality measures often fall short in capturing the multifaceted roles of nodes within these network...Identifying key nodes in complex networks is crucial for understanding and controlling their dynamics. Traditional centrality measures often fall short in capturing the multifaceted roles of nodes within these networks. The Page Rank algorithm, widely recognized for ranking web pages, offers a more nuanced approach by considering the importance of connected nodes. However, existing methods generally overlook the geometric properties of networks, which can provide additional insights into their structure and functionality. In this paper, we propose a novel method named Curv-Page Rank(C-PR), which integrates network curvature and Page Rank to identify influential nodes in complex networks. By leveraging the geometric insights provided by curvature alongside structural properties, C-PR offers a more comprehensive measure of a node's influence. Our approach is particularly effective in networks with community structures, where it excels at pinpointing bridge nodes critical for maintaining connectivity and facilitating information flow. We validate the effectiveness of C-PR through extensive experiments. The results demonstrate that C-PR outperforms traditional centrality-based and Page Rank methods in identifying critical nodes. Our findings offer fresh insights into the structural importance of nodes across diverse network configurations, highlighting the potential of incorporating geometric properties into network analysis.展开更多
Objective:The neglect of occult lymph nodes metastasis(OLNM)is one of the pivotal causes of early non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)recurrence after local treatments such as stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)or surge...Objective:The neglect of occult lymph nodes metastasis(OLNM)is one of the pivotal causes of early non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)recurrence after local treatments such as stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)or surgery.This study aimed to develop and validate a computed tomography(CT)-based radiomics and deep learning(DL)fusion model for predicting non-invasive OLNM.Methods:Patients with radiologically node-negative lung adenocarcinoma from two centers were retrospectively analyzed.We developed clinical,radiomics,and radiomics-clinical models using logistic regression.A DL model was established using a three-dimensional squeeze-and-excitation residual network-34(3D SE-ResNet34)and a fusion model was created by integrating seleted clinical,radiomics features and DL features.Model performance was assessed using the area under the curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curves,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Five predictive models were compared;SHapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP)and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping(Grad-CAM)were employed for visualization and interpretation.Results:Overall,358 patients were included:186 in the training cohort,48 in the internal validation cohort,and 124 in the external testing cohort.The DL fusion model incorporating 3D SE-Resnet34 achieved the highest AUC of 0.947 in the training dataset,with strong performance in internal and external cohorts(AUCs of 0.903 and 0.907,respectively),outperforming single-modal DL models,clinical models,radiomics models,and radiomicsclinical combined models(DeLong test:P<0.05).DCA confirmed its clinical utility,and calibration curves demonstrated excellent agreement between predicted and observed OLNM probabilities.Features interpretation highlighted the importance of textural characteristics and the surrounding tumor regions in stratifying OLNM risk.Conclusions:The DL fusion model reliably and accurately predicts OLNM in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma,offering a non-invasive tool to refine staging and guide personalized treatment decisions.These results may aid clinicians in optimizing surgical and radiotherapy strategies.展开更多
BACKGROUND The number of tumor deposits(TDs)does not play a part in the current tumor node metastasis staging.Negative lymph node(NLN)status is associated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer(CRC),but its clear rol...BACKGROUND The number of tumor deposits(TDs)does not play a part in the current tumor node metastasis staging.Negative lymph node(NLN)status is associated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer(CRC),but its clear role in N1c stage remains to be defined.AIM To evaluate the combination of TDs and NLNs as potential prognostic indicators in N1c CRC.METHODS We retrospectively identified 107 consecutive patients who had N1c CRC radically resected at China-Japan Friendship Hospital.The combination of TDs and NLNs was calculated by the formula NLNTD=NLN/(TD+1).Cutoff values of NLNs and NLNTD were determined using the R package“survminer”.Disease-free survival(DFS),overall survival(OS)and cancer-specific survival(CSS)were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method to assess the impact of NLNTD on prognosis.Results were compared using the log-rank test.RESULTS The median follow-up time was 63.17(45.33-81.37)months for DFS,with 33.64%(36/107)of patients experiencing recurrence during follow-up.Five-year DFS was 66.0%(57.3%-76.0%).There was no significant difference in prognosis between patients with>12 and≤12 NLNs(P=0.058)for DFS.Similar results were seen according to the number of TDs.The definition of NLNTD=NLN/(TD+1)with a cutoff value of 6 divided patients into two groups with different DFS(P=0.005).Five-year DFS for patients with NLNTD>6 was 73.5%(63.6%-85.0%),compared with 50.0%(35.7%-70.0%)for those with NLNTD≤6.These two groups had different prognosis without perineural invasion(P=0.012)or lymphovascular invasion(P=0.002)even neither(P=0.053).Similar results were seen for OS and CSS.CONCLUSION NLNTD could serve as important prognostic factor for outcomes in N1c CRC patients.These patients could be stratified for prognosis through NLNTD and the high-risk should be given more attention during treatment.展开更多
基金supported by the DST-SERB and VSSC,ISRO of the project titled“Functionality Enhancement through Design and Development of Advanced Finite Element Algorithms for STR tools”under IMPRINT.IIC(IMP/2019/000276)scheme.
文摘Rubber-like materials that are commonly used in structural applications are modelled using hyperelastic material models.Most of the hyperelastic materials are nearly incompressible,which poses challenges,i.e.,volumetric locking during numerical modelling.There exist many formulations in the context of the finite element method,among which the mixed displacementpressure formulation is robust.However,such a displacement-pressure formulation is less explored in meshfree methods,which mitigates the problem associated with mesh distortion during large deformation.This work addresses this issue of alleviating volumetric locking in the element-free Galerkin method(EFGM),which is one of the popular meshfree methods.A two-field mixed variational formulation using the perturbed Lagrangian approach within the EFGM framework is proposed for modelling nearly incompressible hyperelastic material models,such as Neo-Hookean and Mooney-Rivlin.Taking advantage of the meshless nature of the EFGM,this work introduces a unique approach by randomly distributing pressure nodes across the geometry,following specific guidelines.A wide spectrum of problems involving bending,tension,compression,and contact is solved using two approaches of the proposed displacement-pressure node formulation involving regular and irregular pressure node distribution.It is observed that both approaches give accurate results compared to the reference results,though the latter offers flexibility in the pressure nodal distribution.
文摘The metastatic pattern of colon cancer is typically well characterized,with initial dissemination occurring through regional lymphatics,followed by hematogenous spread.The most frequent sites of metastasis in colorectal cancer(CRC)include regional lymph nodes(50%–70%),liver(35%–50%),lungs(21%),peritoneum(15%),and ovaries(13%).1 Isolated distant lymph node metastasis,particularly in the absence of concurrent systemic disease,is exceedingly rare in CRC.To date,only six cases of isolated axillary lymph node metastasis(ALNM)from colorectal primaries have been documented in the literature.1–6 Even more uncommon is the incidental discovery of malignant cells in anastomotic doughnuts following stoma reversal procedures.Herein,we report a rare case involving both the incidental histopathological detection of tumor cells within doughnuts during stoma closure and the subsequent development of isolated ALNM after curative resection of sigmoid colon carcinoma.
基金supported by a grant from Kom op tegen Kanker(Stand Up to Cancer,Belgium).
文摘Objectives:PSMA PET/CT(Prostate-Specific MembraneAntigen Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography)offers improved accuracy in detecting lymph node invasion(LNI)in prostate cancer(PC)patients,potentially reducing the need for extended pelvic lymph node dissection(ePLND).This study aims to evaluate a patient-tailored care pathway in which ePLND is performed only in patients with unfavorable intermediate-or high-risk PC who are deemed at risk for LNI based on PSMA PET/CT findings.Methods:In this interventional cohort study,81 patients were managed according to the new care pathway.ePLND was omitted in cases of negative PSMA PET/CT findings(N0M0),while those with positive PSMA PET/CT findings(N1M0)underwent ePLND.A comparator group of 81 patients was selected from a prospectively generated database for comparison.Results:The intervention group experienced a 75% reduction in the number of ePLNDs performed compared to the comparator group(p<0.001).ePLND-related complications were significantly lower in the intervention group(p=0.008).No significant difference was observed in 3-year biochemical-recurrence free survival(BRFS)between the two groups(p=0.958).Conclusion:Omitting ePLND in patients with negative PSMA PET/CT findings(N0M0)leads to a substantial reduction in the number of ePLNDs performed,resulting in a decrease in morbidity,without compromising early oncological outcomes.
基金Supported by Chongqing Medical Scientific Research Project(Joint Project of Chongqing Health Commission and Science and Technology Bureau),No.2023MSXM060.
文摘BACKGROUND The accurate prediction of lymph node metastasis(LNM)is crucial for managing locally advanced(T3/T4)colorectal cancer(CRC).However,both traditional histopathology and standard slide-level deep learning often fail to capture the sparse and diagnostically critical features of metastatic potential.AIM To develop and validate a case-level multiple-instance learning(MIL)framework mimicking a pathologist's comprehensive review and improve T3/T4 CRC LNM prediction.METHODS The whole-slide images of 130 patients with T3/T4 CRC were retrospectively collected.A case-level MIL framework utilising the CONCH v1.5 and UNI2-h deep learning models was trained on features from all haematoxylin and eosinstained primary tumour slides for each patient.These pathological features were subsequently integrated with clinical data,and model performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC).RESULTS The case-level framework demonstrated superior LNM prediction over slide-level training,with the CONCH v1.5 model achieving a mean AUC(±SD)of 0.899±0.033 vs 0.814±0.083,respectively.Integrating pathology features with clinical data further enhanced performance,yielding a top model with a mean AUC of 0.904±0.047,in sharp contrast to a clinical-only model(mean AUC 0.584±0.084).Crucially,a pathologist’s review confirmed that the model-identified high-attention regions correspond to known high-risk histopathological features.CONCLUSION A case-level MIL framework provides a superior approach for predicting LNM in advanced CRC.This method shows promise for risk stratification and therapy decisions,requiring further validation.
基金Support by Sichuan Science and Technology Program[2023YFSY0026,2023YFH0004]Guangzhou Huashang University[2024HSZD01,HS2023JYSZH01].
文摘Graph neural networks(GNN)have shown strong performance in node classification tasks,yet most existing models rely on uniform or shared weight aggregation,lacking flexibility in modeling the varying strength of relationships among nodes.This paper proposes a novel graph coupling convolutional model that introduces an adaptive weighting mechanism to assign distinct importance to neighboring nodes based on their similarity to the central node.Unlike traditional methods,the proposed coupling strategy enhances the interpretability of node interactions while maintaining competitive classification performance.The model operates in the spatial domain,utilizing adjacency list structures for efficient convolution and addressing the limitations of weight sharing through a coupling-based similarity computation.Extensive experiments are conducted on five graph-structured datasets,including Cora,Citeseer,PubMed,Reddit,and BlogCatalog,as well as a custom topology dataset constructed from the Open University Learning Analytics Dataset(OULAD)educational platform.Results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves good classification accuracy,while significantly reducing training time through direct second-order neighbor fusion and data preprocessing.Moreover,analysis of neighborhood order reveals that considering third-order neighbors offers limited accuracy gains but introduces considerable computational overhead,confirming the efficiency of first-and second-order convolution in practical applications.Overall,the proposed graph coupling model offers a lightweight,interpretable,and effective framework for multi-label node classification in complex networks.
文摘BACKGROUND Early screening,preoperative staging,and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis are crucial for improving the prognosis of gastric cancer(GC).AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of combined multidetector computed tomography(MDCT)and gastrointestinal endoscopy for GC screening,preoperative staging,and lymph node metastasis detection,thereby providing a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.METHODS In this retrospective study clinical and imaging data of 134 patients with suspected GC who were admitted between January 2023 and October 2024 were initially reviewed.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,102 patients were finally enrolled in the analysis.All enrolled patients had undergone both MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy examinations prior to surgical intervention.Preoperative clinical staging and lymph node metastasis findings were compared with pathological results.RESULTS The combined use of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.53%,specificity of 97.06%,accuracy of 98.04%,positive predictive value of 98.53%,and negative predictive value of 97.06%for diagnosing GC.These factors were all significantly higher than those of MDCT or endoscopy alone(P<0.05).The accuracy rates of the combined approach for detecting clinical T and N stages were 97.06%and 92.65%,respectively,outperforming MDCT alone(86.76% and 79.41%)and endoscopy alone(85.29% and 70.59%)(P<0.05).Among 68 patients with confirmed GC,50(73.53%)were pathologically diagnosed with lymph node metastasis.The accuracy for detecting lymph node metastasis was 66.00%with endoscopy,76.00%with MDCT,and 92.00% with the combined approach,all with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The combined application of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy enhanced diagnostic accuracy for GC,provided greater consistency in preoperative staging,and improved the detection of lymph node metastasis,thereby demonstrating significant clinical utility.
基金supported in part by the Research Fund of Key Lab of Education Blockchain and Intelligent Technology,Ministry of Education(EBME25-F-08).
文摘Lightweight nodes are crucial for blockchain scalability,but verifying the availability of complete block data puts significant strain on bandwidth and latency.Existing data availability sampling(DAS)schemes either require trusted setups or suffer from high communication overhead and low verification efficiency.This paper presents ISTIRDA,a DAS scheme that lets light clients certify availability by sampling small random codeword symbols.Built on ISTIR,an improved Reed–Solomon interactive oracle proof of proximity,ISTIRDA combines adaptive folding with dynamic code rate adjustment to preserve soundness while lowering communication.This paper formalizes opening consistency and prove security with bounded error in the random oracle model,giving polylogarithmic verifier queries and no trusted setup.In a prototype compared with FRIDA under equal soundness,ISTIRDA reduces communication by 40.65%to 80%.For data larger than 16 MB,ISTIRDA verifies faster and the advantage widens;at 128 MB,proofs are about 60%smaller and verification time is roughly 25%shorter,while prover overhead remains modest.In peer-to-peer emulation under injected latency and loss,ISTIRDA reaches confidence more quickly and is less sensitive to packet loss and load.These results indicate that ISTIRDA is a scalable and provably secure DAS scheme suitable for high-throughput,large-block public blockchains,substantially easing bandwidth and latency pressure on lightweight nodes.
文摘Objective:To investigate the long-term prognosis and postoperative cosmetic outcomes of breast-conserving surgery combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with early-stage breast cancer,providing a reference for the selection of clinical treatment plans.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 68 patients with early-stage breast cancer admitted from January 2022 to December 2025.Based on the surgical approach,patients were divided into an observation group(breast-conserving surgery+sentinel lymph node biopsy)and a control group(other surgical methods such as modified radical mastectomy/total mastectomy).Clinical and pathological characteristics,incidence of postoperative complications,follow-up prognosis,and satisfaction with cosmetic outcomes were compared between the two groups.Results:Among the 68 patients,41 were in the observation group and 27 in the control group.The average age of patients in the observation group was(54.32±8.15)years,while that in the control group was(62.45±9.76)years.The average tumor size in the observation group was(1.86±0.72)cm,compared to(3.21±1.45)cm in the control group.The incidence of postoperative complications in the observation group was 9.76%,significantly lower than that in the control group at 33.33%(P<0.05).The 6-month disease-free survival rate was 95.12%in the observation group and 88.89%in the control group,with no statistically significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).The excellent and good rate of cosmetic outcomes in the observation group was 87.80%,significantly higher than that in the control group at 29.63%(P<0.05).Conclusion:Breast-conserving surgery combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy for early-stage breast cancer can achieve long-term prognostic outcomes comparable to those of traditional radical surgery,with the advantages of fewer postoperative complications and superior cosmetic results.This approach is worthy of clinical promotion and application,particularly for early-stage breast cancer patients who have a demand for preserving breast morphology.
文摘Objective:Open retroperitoneal lymph node dissection(RPLND)is the gold-standard surgical approach for the management of metastatic testicular cancer,but robotic RPLND is becoming increasingly popular.There is limited research directly comparing open and robotic RPLND.The objective of this systematic review is to identify all the literature with direct comparisons between the open and robotic techniques for RPLND and to compare the two techniques.The primary outcome was peri-operative outcomes,and the secondary outcomes included oncological outcomes and patient demographics.Methods:This systematic review was prospectively registered and was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement.The PubMed,Embase and MEDLINE databases were searched for relevant publication from January 2006 to August 2024.Results:Eight studies,totaling 3995 patients,are included in this systematic review,with 3521 patients who underwent open RPLND and 474 who underwent robotic RPLND.For open RPLND,the mean operative duration,blood loss and length of stay were 267.8 min,475 mL and 7.3 d,respectively.For robotic RPLND,the mean operative duration,blood loss and length of stay were 334.5 min,94.6 mL and 3.7 d,respectively.Teratoma was the most common RPLND specimen pathology from both open and robotic surgeries.For open RPLND,the specimens have 13–23 nodes(26–32 mm),whereas the robotic RPLND specimens have 13–28 nodes(18–20 mm).Conclusion:This systematic review suggests that the benefitsof robotic RPLND may be associated with reduced blood loss,shorter hospitalisation and an overall lower risk of minor and major complications while maintaining oncological safety.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52075467)Hebei Province Fund Outstanding Youth Fund Project,China(No.E2024203107)。
文摘Modular truss space deployable antennas are key for future large aperture,high precision antennas,already proven in various in-orbit applications globally.This paper introduces a design method for a tetrahedral basic unit mechanism with dual height positioning nodes.A parametric model is established,and its DOF are analyzed to confirm the mechanism's validity.The new tetrahedral basic unit mechanism constructed by this method is a single DOF mechanism and can locate different parabolic node heights.In order to further adapt to the parabolic and large aperture requirements of the deployable antenna of the truss,a combination unit and modular unit mechanism are developed based on this tetrahedral unit.The DOF and deployment characteristics of the modular unit mechanism are analyzed and validated through simulations.Various networking methods for the modular units are proposed,followed by a comprehensive performance comparison of different modular truss deployable antenna mechanisms.A prototype model of the modular unit mechanism is also developed,with deployment experiments demonstrating the mechanism's simplicity,low DOF,and large deployment ratio.The findings of this study provide a theoretical and technical basis for the future design and development of truss deployable antenna mechanisms.
基金Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital Science and Technology Development Incubation Fund,“Research on the Role and Mechanism of PIGU in Regulating MUC-1 in Gastric Cancer Immune Escape”(Project No.:2023YJY-29)Shaanxi Provincial Natural Science Basic Research Program,“Research on the Mechanism and Clinical Significance of miR-140-5p Related to Gastric Cancer Recurrence and Metastasis”(Project No.:2023-JC-YB-639)。
文摘Early-stage gastric cancer;Extent of lymph node dissection;D1 dissection;D2 dissection;Recurrence rate;Survival rateObjective:To investigate the impact of different lymph node dissection scopes on postoperative recurrence and survival rates in patients with early gastric cancer,providing evidence-based support for optimizing clinical surgical plans.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 100 patients with early gastric cancer who underwent surgical treatment at our hospital from October 2021 to October 2023.Patients were divided into Group D1(n=50)and Group D2(n=50)based on the extent of lymph node dissection.Group D1 underwent limited lymph node dissection(dissection of the first station of lymph nodes around the stomach),while Group D2 underwent standard lymph node dissection(dissection of the first and second stations of lymph nodes around the stomach).Surgical-related indicators,the incidence of postoperative complications,the 2-year recurrence rate,and the 2-year survival rate were compared between the two groups of patients.Results:The operative time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative hospital stay,and the number of lymph nodes dissected were significantly higher in the D2 group than in the D1 group(all P<0.001).The overall incidence of postoperative complications was higher in the D1 group than in the D2 group,but the difference was not statistically significant(χ^(2)=0.884,P=0.766).After a 2-year follow-up,the recurrence rate was significantly higher in the D1 group than in the D2 group(χ^(2)=4.000,P=0.046).The 2-year survival rate was significantly lower in the D1 group than in the D2 group(χ^(2)=5.005,P=0.025).A total of 100 patients with early-stage gastric cancer were grouped according to the depth of invasion,degree of differentiation,and lymph node metastasis status,and the recurrence rates of different subgroups were compared.The results showed that the recurrence rate was higher in patients with T1b stage than in those with T1a stage(χ^(2)=5.005,P=0.025),higher in poorly differentiated patients than in moderately and well-differentiated patients(χ^(2)=4.155,P=0.042),and higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis(χ^(2)=4.512,P=0.034).Conclusion:Compared with D1 limited lymph node dissection,D2 standard lymph node dissection can significantly reduce the postoperative recurrence rate and improve the 2-year survival rate in patients with early-stage gastric cancer without significantly increasing the risk of postoperative complications.Although the surgical trauma is slightly greater,the overall prognosis is better,making it a preferred surgical treatment option for patients with early-stage gastric cancer.
基金supported by Grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81372409,81402532)the Sun Yat-sen University Clinical Research 5010 Program(No.2012011)
文摘Background: According to the 7 th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC) staging system, over50% of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) have N1 disease at initial diagnosis. However, patients with N1 NPC are relatively under-researched, and the metastasis risk of this group is not well-stratified. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic values of gross tumor volume of metastatic regional lymph node(GTVnd) and pretreatment serum copy number of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) DNA in predicting distant metastasis of patients with N1 NPC, and to develop an integrated prognostic model that incorporates GTVnd and EBV DNA copy number for this group of patients.Methods: The medical records of 787 newly diagnosed patients with nonmetastatic, histologically proven N1 NPC who were treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between November 2009 and February 2012 were analyzed. Computed tomography-derived GTVnd was measured using the summation-of-area technique. Blood samples were collected before treatment to quantify plasma EBV DNA. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the cut-off point for GTVnd, and the area under the ROC curve was used to assess the predicted validity of GTVnd. The survival rates were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and the survival curves were compared using a log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.Results: The 5-year distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS) rates for patients with GTVnd > 18.9 vs.≤ 18.9 mL were82.2% vs. 93.2%(P < 0.001), and for patients with EBV DNA copy number > 4000 vs. < 4000 copies/mL were 83.5% vs.93.9%(P < 0.001). After adjusting for GTVnd, EBV DNA copy number, and T category in the Cox regression model, both GTVnd > 18.9 mL and EBV DNA copy number > 4000 copies/mL were significantly associated with poor prognosis(both P < 0.05). According to combination of GTVnd and EBV DNA copy number, all patients were divided into low-,moderate-, and high-risk groups, with the 5-year DMFS rates of 96.1,87.4, and 73.8%, respectively(P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed the prognostic value of this model for distant metastatic risk stratification(hazard ratio [HR],4.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.34-7.59; P < 0.001).Conclusions: GTVnd and serum EBV DNA copy number are independent prognostic factors for predicting distant metastasis in NPC patients with N1 disease. The prognostic model incorporating GTVnd and EBV DNA copy number may improve metastatic risk stratification for this group of patients.
基金Supported by Kobayashi Magobe Memorial Medical Foundation
文摘AIM： To determine the distance between the branching point of the left colic artery （LCA） and the inferior mesenteric artery （IMA） by computed tomography （CT） scanning, for preoperative evaluation before laparoscopic colorectal operation. METHODS： From February 2004 to May 2005, 100 patients （63 men, 37 women） underwent angiography performed with a 16-scanner multi-detector row CT unit （Toshiba, Aquilion 16）. All images were analyzed on a workstation （AZE Ltd, Virtual Place Advance 300）. The distance from the root of the IMA to the bifurcation of the LCA was measured by curved multi-planar reconstruction on a workstation. RESULTS： The IMA could be visualized in all the cases, but the LCA was missing in two patients. The mean distance from the root of the IMA to the root of the LCA was 42.0 mm （range, 23.2-75.0 mm）. There were no differences in gender, arterial branching types, body weight, height, and body mass index. CONCLUSION： Volume-rendered 3D-CT is helpful to assess the vascular branching anatomy for laparoscopic surgery.
文摘BACKGROUND One of the main characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is that it metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes frequently with a high degree of local invasiveness.A primary feature of malignant tumors is their penetration of neighboring tissues,such as lymphatic and blood arteries,due to the tumor cells'capacity to break down the extracellular matrix(ECM).Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)constitute a family of proteolytic enzymes that facilitate tissue remodeling and the degradation of the ECM.MMP-9 and MMP-13 belong to the group of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes and their expression has been studied in OSCC because of their specific functions.MMP-13,a collagenase family member,is thought to play an essential role in the MMP activation cascade by breaking down the fibrillar collagens,whereas MMP-9 is thought to accelerate the growth of tumors.Elevated MMP-13 expression has been associated with tumor behavior and patient prognosis in a number of malignant cases.AIM To assess the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13 in OSCC.METHODS A total of 40 cases with histologically confirmed OSCC by incisional biopsy were included in this cross-sectional retrospective study.The protocols for both MMP-9 and MMP-13 immunohistochemical staining were performed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations along with the normal gingival epithelium as a positive control.All the observations were recorded and Pearson’sχ²test with Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis.RESULTS Our study showed no significant correlation between MMP-9 and MMP-13 staining intensity and tumor size.The majority of the patients were in advanced TNM stages(III and IV),and showed intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13.CONCLUSION The present study suggests that both MMP-9 and MMP-13 play an important and independent role in OSCC progression and invasiveness.Intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13,irrespective of histological grade of OSCC,correlates well with TNM stage.Consequently,it is evident that MMP-9 and MMP-13 are important for the invasiveness and progression of tumors.The findings may facilitate the development of new approaches for evaluating lymph node metastases and interventional therapy techniques,hence enhancing the prognosis of patients diagnosed with OSCC.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.81672638 and W2421095)National Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(Grant No.ZR2024LMB011)Collaborative Academic Innovation Project of Shandong Cancer Hospital(Grant No.GF003)。
文摘The principal breast cancer treatment approach has long been surgical removal of the primary breast lesions and regional lymph nodes,particularly the axillary lymph nodes.However,the advent of minimally invasive diagnostic techniques,such as sentinel lymph node biopsy(SLNB),has markedly diminished the extent of surgery required for regional lymph nodes.
基金Project partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61672298 and 62373197)the Major Project of Philosophy and Social Science Research in Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province,China (Grant No. 2018SJZDI142)the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province,China (Grant No. KYCX23 1045)。
文摘Identifying key nodes in complex networks is crucial for understanding and controlling their dynamics. Traditional centrality measures often fall short in capturing the multifaceted roles of nodes within these networks. The Page Rank algorithm, widely recognized for ranking web pages, offers a more nuanced approach by considering the importance of connected nodes. However, existing methods generally overlook the geometric properties of networks, which can provide additional insights into their structure and functionality. In this paper, we propose a novel method named Curv-Page Rank(C-PR), which integrates network curvature and Page Rank to identify influential nodes in complex networks. By leveraging the geometric insights provided by curvature alongside structural properties, C-PR offers a more comprehensive measure of a node's influence. Our approach is particularly effective in networks with community structures, where it excels at pinpointing bridge nodes critical for maintaining connectivity and facilitating information flow. We validate the effectiveness of C-PR through extensive experiments. The results demonstrate that C-PR outperforms traditional centrality-based and Page Rank methods in identifying critical nodes. Our findings offer fresh insights into the structural importance of nodes across diverse network configurations, highlighting the potential of incorporating geometric properties into network analysis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82272845)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong(No.ZR2023ZD26).
文摘Objective:The neglect of occult lymph nodes metastasis(OLNM)is one of the pivotal causes of early non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)recurrence after local treatments such as stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)or surgery.This study aimed to develop and validate a computed tomography(CT)-based radiomics and deep learning(DL)fusion model for predicting non-invasive OLNM.Methods:Patients with radiologically node-negative lung adenocarcinoma from two centers were retrospectively analyzed.We developed clinical,radiomics,and radiomics-clinical models using logistic regression.A DL model was established using a three-dimensional squeeze-and-excitation residual network-34(3D SE-ResNet34)and a fusion model was created by integrating seleted clinical,radiomics features and DL features.Model performance was assessed using the area under the curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curves,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Five predictive models were compared;SHapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP)and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping(Grad-CAM)were employed for visualization and interpretation.Results:Overall,358 patients were included:186 in the training cohort,48 in the internal validation cohort,and 124 in the external testing cohort.The DL fusion model incorporating 3D SE-Resnet34 achieved the highest AUC of 0.947 in the training dataset,with strong performance in internal and external cohorts(AUCs of 0.903 and 0.907,respectively),outperforming single-modal DL models,clinical models,radiomics models,and radiomicsclinical combined models(DeLong test:P<0.05).DCA confirmed its clinical utility,and calibration curves demonstrated excellent agreement between predicted and observed OLNM probabilities.Features interpretation highlighted the importance of textural characteristics and the surrounding tumor regions in stratifying OLNM risk.Conclusions:The DL fusion model reliably and accurately predicts OLNM in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma,offering a non-invasive tool to refine staging and guide personalized treatment decisions.These results may aid clinicians in optimizing surgical and radiotherapy strategies.
基金Supported by the National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding,No.2023-NHLHCRF-BQ-32 and No.2023-NHLHCRFYYPPLC-ZR-13National Key Research and Development Program of China,No.2024YFE0198300Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation,No.7222316.
文摘BACKGROUND The number of tumor deposits(TDs)does not play a part in the current tumor node metastasis staging.Negative lymph node(NLN)status is associated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer(CRC),but its clear role in N1c stage remains to be defined.AIM To evaluate the combination of TDs and NLNs as potential prognostic indicators in N1c CRC.METHODS We retrospectively identified 107 consecutive patients who had N1c CRC radically resected at China-Japan Friendship Hospital.The combination of TDs and NLNs was calculated by the formula NLNTD=NLN/(TD+1).Cutoff values of NLNs and NLNTD were determined using the R package“survminer”.Disease-free survival(DFS),overall survival(OS)and cancer-specific survival(CSS)were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method to assess the impact of NLNTD on prognosis.Results were compared using the log-rank test.RESULTS The median follow-up time was 63.17(45.33-81.37)months for DFS,with 33.64%(36/107)of patients experiencing recurrence during follow-up.Five-year DFS was 66.0%(57.3%-76.0%).There was no significant difference in prognosis between patients with>12 and≤12 NLNs(P=0.058)for DFS.Similar results were seen according to the number of TDs.The definition of NLNTD=NLN/(TD+1)with a cutoff value of 6 divided patients into two groups with different DFS(P=0.005).Five-year DFS for patients with NLNTD>6 was 73.5%(63.6%-85.0%),compared with 50.0%(35.7%-70.0%)for those with NLNTD≤6.These two groups had different prognosis without perineural invasion(P=0.012)or lymphovascular invasion(P=0.002)even neither(P=0.053).Similar results were seen for OS and CSS.CONCLUSION NLNTD could serve as important prognostic factor for outcomes in N1c CRC patients.These patients could be stratified for prognosis through NLNTD and the high-risk should be given more attention during treatment.
