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Background and Objectives: Cigarette smoking is a potential risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) initiation, partially through interaction with hepatitis B virus (HBV). We examined the hypothesis that cigarette smoking might be associated with HBV-related HCC recurrence and patient survival after curative surgery. Patients and Methods: Data of 302 patients with HBV infection who had undergone curative resection for HCC were prospectively collected from 2008 to 2011. Smoking status and smoking quantity (pack-years, PY) were asked at admission. Factors affecting recurrence-free survival (RFS) were examined. RFS and liver-specific mortality (LSM) stratified by risk factors were compared with log-rank test. Results: 109 were current smokers. Current smokers were not different from non-smokers in tumor burden and surgical procedure. Univariate and multivariate analysis identified that heavy smoking (PY ≥20) was the most significant factor associated with HBV-related HCC recurrence after curative surgical resection (p = 0.001), followed by anti-HBV treatment (p<0.01), current smoking (p = 0.028), surgical margin <1 cm (p = 0.048) and blood transfusion >600 ml (p = 0.028). The median RFS in non-smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers was 34 months, 24 months and 26 months, respectively (p = 0.033). Current smokers had significantly worse RFS rate and increased 5-year cumulative LSM than non-smokers (p = 0.024, and p<0.001, respectively). Heavy smokers had significantly worse RFS than non- and light smokers (0

In order to improve the position high-precision synchronization performance of multi-motor synchronous control, a multi-motor position synchronization control method based on non-singular fast terminal sliding mode control (NFTSMC) combined with an improved deviation coupling control structure (Improved Deviation Coupling Control(IDCC), NFTSMC+IDCC). Firstly, this paper designs a sliding mode controller using a non-singular fast terminal sliding mode surface with a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) as the control object. Secondly, the deviation coupling is improved to enhance the coupling between multiple motors and achieve position synchronization. Finally, the simulation results show that the total error of multi-motor position synchronization under NFTSMC control is 0.553r in the simulation of multi-motor synchronization control under the same working conditions, which is 2.873r and 1.772r less than that of SMC and FTSMC in terms of speed error, and the anti-disturbance performance is 83.68% and 76.22% higher than that of both of them, respectively. In the subsequent simulation of the improved multi-motor position synchronization structure, the total error of the multi-motor position is in the range of 0.56r-0.58r at three speeds, which is much smaller than the synchronization error under the Ring Coupling Control (RCC) structure and Deviation Coupling Control (DCC) structure, showing a better The synchronization error is much smaller than that of the RCC structure and DCC structure, which shows better position synchronization performance. Therefore, the multi-motor position synchronization control method proposed in this paper has a good position synchronization effect and achieves the control effect of small displacement error and fast convergence of the multi-motor position synchronization control system after being disturbed, the control performance is significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of elderly patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is expected to increase. The present study aims to evaluate the role of age on treatments and outcome of HCC patients. 1530 patients firstly diagnosed with HCC were retrospectively included and classified as older (≥65 years, n = 318, 21%) and younger patients (<65 years, n = 1212, 79%). The two groups were compared with clinical characteristics, tumor burden, Barcelona Clinics Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, treatments and long-term prognosis. Elderly patients were more HCV infected, had more diabetes, poorer performance status, and were less aggressively treated. The proportion of HCC within BCLC stage 0-A, B or C was similar between the two groups, but elderly patients were more presented with BCLC stage D. The overall survival of older patients was poorer compared to younger patients before and after propensity score matching. However, elderly patients were less often effectively treated with surgery and loco-regional therapies across different BCLC stages. After stratified by BCLC stages or treatments, older patients showed comparable long-term outcome to younger patients. Performance status, BCLC stages and effective treatments, rather than age, was independent factors determining prognosis in the whole cohort and only elderly patients by multivariate analysis. In conclusion, older could have comparable survival to younger patients within the same tumor stage or after similar treatments. Thus, equally active treatments should be encouraged to elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]