[en] To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of post-treatment intracranial hemorrhage of brain metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Medical records of 81 patients who have been diagnosed of brain metastases from HCC and underwent surgery, radiosurgery and/or whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) between January 2000 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Intracranial hemorrhage was present in 64 patients (79%) at the time of diagnosis. Median value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was 1,700 ng/mL. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status for 20 patients was greater than 2. Fifty-seven patients underwent WBRT and the others were treated with surgery and/or radiosurgery without WBRT. During follow-up, 12 events of intracranial hemorrhage after treatment were identified. Three-month post-treatment hemorrhage rate was 16.1%. Multivariate analyses revealed that ECOG performance status, AFP, and WBRT were associated with post-treatment hemorrhage (p = 0.013, 0.013, and 0.003, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that 3-month post-treatment hemorrhage rate of new lesion was higher in patients treated without WBRT, although statistical significance was not reached. (18.6% vs. 4.6%; p = 0.104). Ten of 12 patients with post-treatment hemorrhage died with neurologic cause. WBRT should be considered to prevent post-treatment hemorrhage in the treatment of brain metastases from HCC.

[en] To prospectively evaluate the safety and therapeutic effectiveness of dual-switching monopolar (DSM) radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to retrospectively compare the results with those of single-switching monopolar (SSM) RFA in a historical control group. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, with informed consent obtained from all patients. Fifty-two HCC patients who underwent DSM-RFA using a separable clustered electrode and dual-generators were prospectively enrolled. Technical parameters, complications, technical success, technical effectiveness, and local tumor progression (LTP) rates were evaluated by means of post-procedural and follow-up imaging. Thereafter, the outcome of DSM-RFA was compared with those of 249 retrospectively included HCC patients treated with SSM-RFA.There were two major complications (3.8%, 2/52) including pleural and pericardial effusion in the DSM-RFA group. The DSM-RFA yielded a 100% technical success rate, a 98.1% technical effectiveness rate, and a 4.3% 2-year LTP rate. In a retrospective comparison between the two groups, DSM-RFA created significantly larger ablation volume (4.20 ± 2.07 cm"3/min vs. 3.03 ± 1.99 cm"3/min, p < 0.01), and delivered higher energy (1.43 ± 0.37 kcal/min vs. 1.25 ± 0.50 kcal/min, p < 0.01) per given time, than SSM-RFA. There was no significant difference in major procedure-related complications (3.8% vs. 4.4%) and technical effectiveness rate (98.1% vs. 96.4%) between the two groups (p = 1.00). In addition, the 2-year LTP rate of DSM-RFA and SSM-RFA were 4.3% and 10.1%, respectively (p = 0.15). DSM-RFA using a separable clustered electrode is safe and provides high local tumor control and good preliminary clinical outcome for small HCCs, which are at least comparable to those of SSM-RFA

[en] This work investigated the high temperature low cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of ACI HB20-type, cast ferritic stainless steel. In addition to the preliminary results from tension test, isothermal strain controlled fatigue tests were carried out at 600 °C and 800 °C. The total strain amplitudes applied to the samples were from ±0.25% to ±0.65% with a strain rate of 10⁻³/s. The fatigue lifetime curves at each temperature were obtained based on Basquin and Coffin–Manson equations. Also, these temperature dependent plots were re-constructed into a general superposition curve and compared to other heat resistant stainless steels. Additionally, microstructure and fractured surface after LCF test were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopy suggesting that the crack initiated at the grain boundary of the surface and propagated intergranularly as well as transgranularly. This is attributed by the formation of Cr and Nb carbide along the grain boundaries.

[en] PurposeTo assess the safety and effectiveness of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) of patients who have hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with central bile duct invasion.Materials and MethodsThe institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waived informed consent. Fifty-three patients, initially treated with TACE for HCCs with central bile duct invasion from January 1999 to September 2012, were included. Clinical, laboratory, and survival data were reviewed. Complications and hospitalization length were evaluated using the χ"2 test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression analysis. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model.ResultsSeven patients experienced TACE-related major complications (severe post-embolization syndrome in 3, non-fatal sepsis in 3, and secondary bacterial peritonitis in 1). The overall major complication rate was 13.2 %, but there were no permanent adverse sequelae or deaths within 30 days. Serum total bilirubin ≥3.0 mg/dL was the only significant risk factor for long hospitalization [hazard ratio (HR) = 4.341, p = .022]. The median survival was 12.2 months. Extrahepatic metastasis (HR = 6.145, p < .001), international normalized ratio (PT-INR) ≥1.20 (HR = 4.564, p < .001), vascular invasion (HR = 3.484, p = .001), and intermediate tumor enhancement (HR = 2.417, p = .019) were significantly associated with shorter survival.ConclusionTACE can be a safe and effective treatment for patients who have HCCs with central bile duct invasion. In particular, long-term survival can be expected if patients have strongly enhancing tumors without poor prognostic factors such as extrahepatic metastasis, PT-INR prolongation, and vascular invasion

[en] Some polycrystalline forms of the K- and Co-doped BaFe₂As₂ and SrFe₂As₂ superconductors now have a critical current density (J_c) within a factor of ∼5 of that required for real applications, even though it is known that some grain boundaries (GBs) block current, thus, raising the question of whether this blocking is intrinsic or extrinsically limited by artefacts amenable to improvement by better processing. Herein, we utilize atom-probe tomography (APT) to study the grain and GB composition in high J_c K- and Co-doped BaFe₂As₂ polycrystals. We find that all GBs studied show significant compositional variations on the scale of a few coherence lengths (ξ), as well as strong segregation of oxygen impurities, which we believe are largely introduced in the starting materials. Importantly, these findings demonstrate that APT enables quantitative analysis of the highest J_c K-doped BaFe₂As₂ samples, where analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) fails because of the great reactivity of thin TEM samples. The observations of major chemical perturbations at GBs make us cautiously optimistic that there is a large extrinsic component to the GB current blocking, which will be ameliorated by better processing, for which APT will likely be a crucial instrument.

[en] To retrospectively evaluate the prognostic role of liver stiffness (LS) measurement using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in patients with compensated chronic liver disease (cCLD). We enrolled 217 patients with cCLD who underwent MRE. After mean follow-up of 45.0 ± 17.6 months, cumulative incidence (CI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence, development of decompensation and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were evaluated using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. During the follow-up period, HCC occurred in 33 patients, and 1-, 3- and 5-year CIs of HCC occurrence were 3.8%, 14.8% and 18.9%, respectively. The LS value was a significant predictive factor for HCC occurrence [p < 0.001, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.59 per unit (1.25-2.03)]. Eighteen patients experienced hepatic decompensation, and 1-, 3- and 5-year CIs of decompensation were 2.8%, 7.3% and 11.3%, respectively. The LS value was also significantly associated with decompensation development [p < 0.001, HR = 2.02 per unit (1.37-2.98)]. Fourteen patients died, and 1-, 3- and 5-year OSs were 99.1%, 98.0% and 89.8%, respectively. The LS value was demonstrated to be a significant affecting factor for OS [p = 0.008, HR = 1.39 per unit (1.10-1.78)]. LS obtained from MRE was a significant predictive factor for the development of decompensation, HCC occurrence and OS in cCLD patients. (orig.)

[en] Purpose: The positive role of radiotherapy for patients with lymph node (LN) metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma has recently been reported. The outcome and prognostic factors for these patients were analyzed. Methods and Materials: Between May 2004 and October 2007, 38 patients with LN metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma underwent radiotherapy. The median age was 59 years (range, 42-81). The radiation dose was 35-56 Gy with a fraction size of 1.8-3 Gy, for a biologically effective dose of 43.75-67.2 Gy₁₀ (median, 59.0). The median follow-up period was 8 months. Results: The median survival time was 10 months. On univariate analysis, Child-Pugh class B (p = .0006), distant metastasis (p = .0095), symptoms related to metastatic LNs (p <.0001), and a biologically effective dose <60 Gy₁₀ (p = .0042) were significant prognostic factors predicting for poor overall survival. On multivariate analysis after adjustment using the Benjamini and Hochberg (false discovery rate) method, Child-Pugh class B (p = .04095) and the presence of symptoms (p = .04095) were associated with inferior overall survival. When patients were divided into three groups according to these two risk factors, the median survival for patients with no, either, or both risk factors was 20, 7, and 4 months, respectively (p <.0001). Conclusion: Patients with intact liver function and without related symptoms had the best prognosis when undergoing radiotherapy for LN metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma.

[en] 

Purpose

To address the feasibility of prophylactic temporary occlusion of the cystic artery using a detachable coil during ⁹⁰Y radioembolization.

Materials and Methods

From January 2012 to October 2016, nine patients underwent temporary occlusion of the cystic artery during ⁹⁰Y radioembolization. Based on the planning hepatic angiography, a detachable coil was deployed into the cystic artery, which arose from a more distal level (e.g., right anterior hepatic artery) than its usual origin, but the proximal 1 cm was left inside the microcatheter. ⁹⁰Y microspheres were infused proximal to the cystic artery where the 99mTc-MAA had been infused, and then the coil was retrieved. Afterward, the patients underwent PET/CT imaging. Medical records were reviewed, and the differences in the uptake of 99mTc-MAA and ⁹⁰Y microspheres in the gallbladder were evaluated using Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test.

Results

Temporary placement of a detachable coil was feasible in all cases. On the angiograms obtained after detachable coil placement, the distal cystic artery and gallbladder were partially identifiable in eight of the nine (88.8%) patients, but fully restored after the removal of the coils in all cases. The proportional uptake of 99mTc-MAA (mean, 4.35%) and ⁹⁰Y (mean, 0.90%) in the gallbladder was significantly different due to the temporary occlusion of the cystic artery (p = 0.004). No clinical complications were identified for three months after the procedure.

Conclusion

Temporary occlusion of the cystic artery using a detachable coil appeared to be feasible and effective in reducing ⁹⁰Y uptake in the gallbladder.

[en] Clinicians often experience extrahepatic metastases associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), even if no evidence of intrahepatic recurrence after treatment is observed. We investigated the pretreatment predictors of extrahepatic metastases in HCC patients. Patients diagnosed with HCC without evidence of extrahepatic metastases were prospectively enrolled. We evaluated the correlation between extrahepatic metastases and pretreatment clinical variables, including serum tumor markers. A total of 354 patients were included. Seventy-six patients (21%) had extrahepatic metastases during the observation period (median, 25.3 months; range, 0.6-51.3 months). Cox regression multivariate analysis showed that serum protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) production levels, the intrahepatic tumor stage, platelet count, and portal vein thrombosis were independent risk factors for extrahepatic metastases. Patients with a PIVKA-II production ≥ 300 mAU/mL had a 2.7-fold (95% confidence interval; 1.5-4.8; P < 0.001) and 3.7-fold (95% confidence interval; 2.0-6.6; P < 0.001) increased risk for extrahepatic metastases after adjustment for stage, platelet count, alpha-fetoprotein ≥ 400 ng/mL, and portal vein thrombosis according to the AJCC and BCLC staging systems, respectively. PIVKA-II production levels might be a good candidate predictive marker for extrahepatic HCC metastases, especially in patients with smaller and/or fewer tumors in the liver with in stages regardless of serum alpha-fetoprotein

[en] The influence of heat treatment on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear behaviors of stainless steel 316L (SS316L) produced via selective laser melting (SLM) was investigated. The fabricated SLM samples were subjected to two different heat treatments: a typical furnace-type heat treatment conducted at 1100 °C for 0.5 h and hot isostatic pressing performed at 1100 °C and 100 MPa for 1.5 h. High-density SLM samples with low porosities were obtained by increasing the laser power and decreasing the scan speed. The heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples induced the removal of porosity, cellular microstructure, and dense dislocation structures with a slight increase in grain size. In terms of mechanical properties, the fabricated SLM samples exhibited similar hardness and tensile strength properties to those of the conventional SS316L, while a significantly lower elongation was evident. The heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples improved elongation, while the surface hardness and tensile strength decreased owing to microstructural evolution. During the pin-on-disk test, the conventional SS316L and fabricated SLM sample exhibited similar wear resistance values, which decreased after the heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples owing to the heat treatment-induced surface softening.