OPTN/UNOS policy mandates a 6-month waiting period before exception scores are granted to liver transplant candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to evaluate waitlist and post-transplant outcomes, in HCC patients, before and after implementation of the 6-month waiting rule. We examined two groups from the UNOS registry; Group 1 (pre 6-month rule) comprised patients registered as transplant candidates with HCC from Jan. 1, 2013 to Oct. 7, 2015 (n=4,814). Group 2 (post 6-month rule) comprised patients registered from Oct. 8, 2015 to Jun. 30, 2018 (n=3,287). As expected, the transplant probability was higher in the first six months after listing in Group 1 than Group 2 at 42.0% vs 6.3% (P less then 0.001). However, the 6-month waitlist mortality/dropout rate was lower in Group 2 at 1.2% than Group 1 at 4.1% (P less then 0.001). To assess regional parity of transplant, UNOS-regions were categorized into three groups based on MELD score at transplant; lower-score (regions 3,10&11), mid-score (1,2,6,8&9), and higher-score region groups (4,5&7). Outcomes were compared from the time exception points were given which we defined as conditional waitlist outcomes. Conditional waitlist mortality/dropout decreased, and transplant probability increased in all region groups, but the benefits of the policy were more pronounced in the higher and mid-score groups, compared to the lower-score group. The decline in waitlist mortality/dropout was only significant in the high MELD group (P less then 0.001). No effect was observed on post-transplant mortality or percent of patients within Milan criteria on explant. CONCLUSION The HCC policy change was associated with decreased waitlist mortality/dropout and increased transplant probability. The policy helped decrease but did not eliminate regional disparities in transplant opportunity without an effect on post-transplant outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Obesity is an established risk factor for many cancers and has recently been found to alter the efficacy of T cell-based immunotherapies. Currently, however, the effects of obesity on immunometabolism remain unclear. Understanding these associations is critical, given the fact that T cell metabolism is tightly linked to effector function. Thus, any obesity-associated changes in T cell bioenergetics are likely to drive functional changes at the cellular level, alter the metabolome and cytokine/chemokine milieu, and impact cancer immunotherapy outcomes. Here, we provide a brief overview of T cell metabolism in the presence and absence of solid tumor growth and summarize current literature regarding obesity-associated changes in T cell function and bioenergetics. We also discuss recent findings related to the impact of host obesity on cancer immunotherapy outcomes and present potential mechanisms by which T cell metabolism may influence therapeutic efficacy. Finally, we describe promising pharmaceutical therapies that are being investigated for their ability to improve CD8 T cell metabolism and enhance cancer immunotherapy outcomes in patients, regardless of their obesity status. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.In recent years, assistive technologies have gained acceptance as tools for supporting chronically ill patients in achieving improvements in physical activity. However, various healthcare and sociological studies show contradicting results regarding the physical and social impact of using such devices. This paper explores real-time user appropriation of an assistive monitoring/tracking device, the pedometer, in a healthcare intervention, with a particular focus on the technology identities users attribute to the pedometer. The study site was a rehabilitation programme at a local Danish health centre supporting patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. As part of this empirical study, six focus-group interviews were conducted with patients before and after they used pedometers. The analysis of respondents' accounts shows that monitoring devices become part of users' complex socio-technical ensembles in which the use of the device and its tracking of activity is constantly negotiated through experimentation with type and frequency of use; interpretation of knowledge and experience gained via the device; and negotiation of expectations, wellbeing, and the value of quantified knowledge for the management of chronic illness. On the basis of these findings the paper brings together and advances sociological scholarship on chronic illness, embodiment, the quantified self and technology adoption.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/congo-red.html  © 2020 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.While the research is clear on the risks for distress associated with on-again, off-again romantic relationships (i.e., cyclical relationships), little is known about the change mechanisms experienced by partners in cyclical relationships or how helping professionals can assist young adults stably continue or end these relationships. Young adults (N = 21) in different stages of cyclical relationships (renewed, ended, or contemplating renewal) attended focus groups and articulated specific mechanisms that influenced their ability to make distress-reducing decisions. Main themes for professionals working with partners in cyclical relationships centered on promoting "decision-making resilience," which included addressing issues around identity development, communication, power/control dynamics, and intentionality. These results inform assessments and interventions to bolster resilience and reduce distress for cyclical couples. © 2020 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00899 is one kind cytoplasmic lncRNA, however, there is rarely little information about its function in physiological process. Here, we demonstrated that lncRNA LINC00899 was upregulated in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells and was quite correlated with poor prognosis of AML patients. High expression of LINC00899 in AML cells could promote cell proliferation and inhibit cell apoptosis, and facilitate the progression of AML consequently both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, LINC00899 acted as a molecular sponge of miR-744-3p. Furthermore, we characterized YY1 as the direct target of miR-744-3p, and LINC00899/miR-744-3p interaction modulated YY1 expression in AML cells. Finally, we verified LINC00899 modulated AML cell proliferation and apoptosis via regulating YY1. Our study revealed novel mechanism about how did lncRNA LINC00899 execute function in AML and thus provided potential therapeutic interventions for AML. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY LncRNA LINC00899 is upregulated in AML cells and is correlated with poor prognosis of AML patients.