A Mode-Sum Prescription for Vacuum Polarization in Even Dimensions

We present a mode-sum regularization prescription for computing the vacuum polarization of a scalar field in static spherically-symmetric black hole spacetimes in even dimensions. This is the first general and systematic approach to regularized vacuum polarization in higher even dimensions, building upon a previous scheme we developed for odd dimensions. Things are more complicated here since the even-dimensional propagator possesses logarithmic singularities which must be regularized. However, in spite of this complication, the regularization parameters can be computed in closed form in arbitrary even dimensions and for arbitrary metric function $f(r)$. As an explicit example of our method, we show plots for vacuum polarization of a massless scalar field in the Schwarzschild-Tangherlini spacetime for even $d=4,...,10$. However, the method presented applies straightforwardly to massive fields or to nonvacuum spacetimes.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1609.0816

DataSheet_1_Neoadjuvant Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis and systematic review.zip

BackgroundNeoadjuvant immunotherapy has demonstrated beneficial outcomes in various cancer types; however, standardized protocols for neoadjuvant immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are currently lacking. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the reliability of neoadjuvant immunotherapy’s efficacy and safety in the context of HCC.MethodsA systematic search was conducted across PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, the Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and conference proceedings to identify clinical trials involving resectable HCC and neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Single-arm meta-analyses were employed to compute odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity analysis, data quality assessment, and subgroup analyses based on the type of immunotherapy drugs and combination therapies were performed. This meta-analysis is registered in PROSPERO (identifier CRD42023474276).ResultsThis meta-analysis included 255 patients from 11 studies. Among resectable HCC patients, neoadjuvant immunotherapy exhibited an overall major pathological response (MPR) rate of 0.47 (95% CI 0.31-0.70) and a pathological complete response (pCR) rate of 0.22 (95% CI 0.14-0.36). The overall objective response rate (ORR) was 0.37 (95% CI 0.20-0.69), with a grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse event (TRAE) incidence rate of 0.35 (95% CI 0.24-0.51). Furthermore, the combined surgical resection rate was 3.08 (95% CI 1.66-5.72). Subgroup analysis shows no significant differences in the efficacy and safety of different single-agent immunotherapies; the efficacy of dual ICIs (Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors) combination therapy is superior to targeted combined immunotherapy and monotherapy, while the reverse is observed in terms of safety.DiscussionNeoadjuvant immunotherapy presents beneficial outcomes in the treatment of resectable HCC. However, large-scale, high-quality experiments are warranted in the future to provide robust data support.</p

Relationship between <b>c</b>linicopathological characteristics and survival or recurrence among 411 patients with stage I–IV gastric cancer.

<p>Relationship between <b>c</b>linicopathological characteristics and survival or recurrence among 411 patients with stage I–IV gastric cancer.</p

Survival curves for patients with gastric cancer (GC) at the Nanfang Hospital with clinicopathological factors.

<p>The figures are labeled as follows: cumulative survival of patients with GC with (<b>a</b>) Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)≤5 µg/L or >5 µg/L, (<b>b</b>) different differential (dif.) degree, (<b>c</b>) with (M₁) or without (M₀) metastasis, (<b>d</b>) with or without ascites, (<b>e</b>) with or without chemotherapy.</p

XB130 protein or mRNA expression in gastric tissues.

<p>(<b>a</b>) The XB130 gene is expressed in the human liver, spleen, colon and stomach. (<b>b</b>) Representative images of XB130 protein immunostaining in GC tissue and the adjacent non-tumor tissue. (<b>c</b>) Incidence of XB130-negative and XB130-positive GC in stages I–III (n = 263) and stage IV (n = 148). (<b>d</b>) In stage I–III GC after radical resection, XB130 mRNA expression was significantly lower in tumor tissue than in the corresponding adjacent non-tumor tissue quantified by fluorescence PCR <i>(p</i><0.01, n = 9 per group<i>)</i>. (<b>e</b>) Expression of XB130 protein by stage I–III GC (T) is significantly reduced compared with that by normal gastric tissue (N) on western blotting (<i>p</i><0.01, n = 6 per group). Samples in (a), (d) and (e) were fresh tissues from patients with stage I–III GC who received radical resection surgery, while samples in (b) and (c) were from patients with stage I–IV GC as described in the method section.</p

XB130-negative immunostaining predicts a poor prognosis in patients with GC.

<p>(<b>a</b>) In all 411 patients with GC (stages I–IV), the cumulative survival rate of the XB130-negative group was significantly lower than that of the positive group (<i>p</i><0.0001). (<b>b</b>) In 148 patients with stage IV GC, the XB130-negative group had a significantly lower cumulative survival rate than the positive group (<i>p</i> = 0.01). (<b>c</b>) In patients with stage I–III GC treated by radical resection, the cumulative disease-free survival was significantly lower for the XB130-negative group than the positive group (<i>p</i> = 0.019).</p

Multivariate analysis for overall survival or recurrence.

<p>Stepwise regression, Wald method. HR: Hazard ratio, CI: confidence.</p><p>interval, CEA: carcino-embryonic antigen, IHC: immunohistochemistry.</p

Additional file 1: of Opioid doses required for pain management in lung cancer patients with different cholesterol levels: negative correlation between opioid doses and cholesterol levels

A list of current patients’ information. The records of 282 patients were listed after removing primary information. ID was the reference number provided by the authors for easier accession. “Chol level” represented the serum cholesterol level measured and recorded. “Year” represented when the initial diagnosis of cancer was made. “Initial dose”, “stable dose” and “converted dose” represented the initial dose opioid administration, the final dose of opioids used for analysis and the dose when converted to equivalent oxycodone hydrochloride, respectively. The “increased” column, “1” or “0” were used to represented that “stable dose” was higher than “initial dose”. If the patient has one or multiple additional measurement of cholesterol during the first month after opioid administration, the cholesterol level with largest difference from initial cholesterol level was selected, recorded in “Chol level with largest difference” column, and normalized to the initial cholesterol level. (XLSX 43 kb