JerMa88/BMC_Gastroenterology_Peer_Reviews huggingface dataset:
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03871-6 (2025)

Title: Association between the Red Blood Cell Distribution Width-to-Albumin Ratio and Risk
of Colorectal and Gastric Cancers: A Cross-Sectional Study Using NHANES 2005–2018
Version: 6 Date: 02 Apr 2025
Reviewer's report:
After rewiev the manuscript get better. Congratulations
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03884-1 (2025)

Title: Artificial Intelligence Networks for Assessing the Prognosis of Gastrointestinal Cancer to
Immunotherapy Based on Genetic Mutation Features: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Version: 2 Date: 02 Mar 2025
Reviewer:  Genlin Lu
Reviewer's report:
This article is not well-documented as follows.
1.Gastrointestinal cancers represent a major global health concern, accounting for 26% of
all cancer diagnoses and contributing to 35% of cancer-related deaths (1). gastrointestinal
cancers (GICs) represent the most common types of malignancies worldwide, characterized by
significant mortality rates.
2.In addition, there were 837,360 deaths from these cancers in the region, representing 41.7%
of all cancer-related deaths related to gastrointestinal cancers.
There are some grammatical errors as belows.
1.According to World Cancer Observatory estimates in 2022, East Asia will report 1,469,225
new cases of gastrointestinal cancer, accounting for 43.1% of the global prevalence.
Some mistakens should be modified before this atrticle can be allowed for publication.
1.A total of 45 studies, published between 2024 and 2024, with 14,047 participants in training
sets and 10,885 in test sets, were included..
2.Reference 12. Joanna Briggs Institute  [Available from: https://jbi.global/]
Given the obvious heterogeneity among parameters such as specificity, accuracy, and sensitivity,
is it necessary to search for the reason?
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03884-1 (2025)

Title: Artificial Intelligence Networks for Assessing the Prognosis of Gastrointestinal Cancer to
Immunotherapy Based on Genetic Mutation Features: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Version: 2 Date: 03 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The manuscript presents a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the use of
artificial intelligence (AI) networks in predicting immunotherapy response in gastrointestinal
cancers based on genetic mutation features. The study adheres to PRISMA guidelines, employs
a well-defined methodology, and provides insightful discussions on AI’s role in precision
oncology. The statistical analysis is robust, and the manuscript is generally well-structured.
However, several issues need to be addressed before publication.
1. In the statement, “gastrointestinal cancers (GICs) represent the most common types
of malignancies worldwide, characterized by significant mortality rates.”, the term
"Gastrointestinal" should be capitalized
2. The manuscript states that regression models and multiple imputation methods were applied
but does not specify which regression models were implemented.
Please briefly mention whether logistic regression, random forest imputation, or another method
was used to handle missing data.
3. The manuscript reports pooled AUC values for different cancer types (e.g., gastric cancer:
AUC = 0.87, pancreatic cancer: AUC = 0.52), but it does not adequately discuss why AI
models performed poorly for pancreatic cancer. Please expand on possible reasons, such as
pancreatic cancer being an immunologically "cold" tumor with a highly immunosuppressive
tumor microenvironment, low TMB, and minimal PD-L1 expression, all of which reduce its
responsiveness to immunotherapy.
4. Some statements in the limitations section require citations, particularly those discussing
the lack of external validation for AI models in clinical practice. For example, the statement
“Validation and Benchmarking: External validation of AI models is often lacking.” should be
supported by a reference. Please ensure appropriate citations are included to strengthen these
claims.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03884-1 (2025)

Title: Artificial Intelligence Networks for Assessing the Prognosis of Gastrointestinal Cancer to
Immunotherapy Based on Genetic Mutation Features: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Version: 2 Date: 04 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
This paper explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) models based on genetic
mutation signatures for prognostic prediction in immunotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers
through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The study design adheres to PRISMA
guidelines, and the data analysis methods demonstrate rigor. The results highlight the potential
clinical value of AI models. However, certain methodological details, data interpretation aspects,
and adherence to writing standards require further refinement. Specific comments are as follows:
1. The author is required to supplement the PRISMA checklist, typically in the form of an
appendix.
2. Although the study employed random-effects models and regression analyses to address
heterogeneity, certain subgroup analysis results (e.g., pancreatic cancer AUC=0.52) were
notably lower than those of other cancer types. Further discussion is warranted to explore
potential underlying reasons, such as small sample sizes, distinct genetic mutation profiles, or
biological heterogeneity specific to pancreatic cancer.
3. The text mentions the use of regression models and multiple imputation to handle missing
values, but does not specify the implementation details of the imputation method (such as the
number of imputations, the basis for variable selection). It is recommended to supplement the
methodological description to enhance transparency and reproducibility.
4. There is a discrepancy in the gender ratio between the training and test sets: the test set
comprises 46.7% males and 38.2% females, totaling 84.9%, whereas the training set consists
of 27.4% males and 25.7% females, summing up to 53.1%. It is essential to confirm the
completeness of the data or provide an explanation for the remaining unreported proportion,
such as any missing data.
5. Some figures are blurry, please improve the clarity of the pictures in the paper.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03884-1 (2025)

Title: Artificial Intelligence Networks for Assessing the Prognosis of Gastrointestinal Cancer to
Immunotherapy Based on Genetic Mutation Features: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Version: 4 Date: 01 Apr 2025
Reviewer:  Anwar Ashraf Abouelnasr
Reviewer's report:
The responses are satisfactory
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03884-1 (2025)

Title: Artificial Intelligence Networks for Assessing the Prognosis of Gastrointestinal Cancer to
Immunotherapy Based on Genetic Mutation Features: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Version: 4 Date: 01 Apr 2025
Reviewer:  Genlin Lu
Reviewer's report:
perfect work!
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03922-y (2025)

Title: Effect of active wound dressing on postoperative pain and wound healing in patients
undergoing anorectal surgery
Version: 0 Date: 29 Jan 2025
Reviewer's report:
I have read the article by Qie and colleagues with great interest. It is a retrospective study
examining the effect of active wound dressings on postoperative pain and wound healing in
patients undergoing anorectal surgery. Below are my suggestions for the article:
Preoperative and Postoperative Factors: I believe the rationale for assessing growth factors and
inflammatory markers in the preoperative and postoperative periods, particularly in the control
group of patients, should be explained in the manuscript. These parameters are not routine
markers assessed in anorectal surgical practices. Therefore, I think it would be important to
provide a transparent explanation of how these data were obtained for the control group in this
retrospective study.
Wound Dressing Frequency and Duration: The frequency of daily dressings and the duration for
which these dressings were maintained in both groups should be clarified.
Presentation of Results: Presenting the results both in tables and figures continuously leads to
repetition and could become monotonous for the reader. I believe it would be more effective to
choose either tables or figures, but not both, for presenting the data.
Discussion of Limitations and Strengths: A paragraph discussing the study’s limitations (with
reasons) and strengths should be added to the conclusion section. The limitations mentioned in
the conclusion could be elaborated further in this section.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03922-y (2025)

Title: Effect of active wound dressing on postoperative pain and wound healing in patients
undergoing anorectal surgery
Version: 0 Date: 01 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
Although authors have described the effect of active wound dressing after anorectal surgery, the
following needs to be clarified:
1) In most western countries, anorectal surgery is perfomed on a day-surgery protocol, and as
such such acive dressing wound not be possible, and considering the cost, such active dressing
is not feasible.
2) There is no detailed mention on what diseases were included in the study, this need to be
clarified. And also there is no description on what kind of surgery was peformed on these
patients.
3) There should be a figure describing how the wound healing rate was measured, because this
is hard to understand, and the character of the wound should differ according to the original
disease on which operation was peformed.
4) Authors
4) Although the study is very interesting and deliberately performed, I do not find it practical
for routine practice in the western atmosphere.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03922-y (2025)

Title: Effect of active wound dressing on postoperative pain and wound healing in patients
undergoing anorectal surgery
Version: 1 Date: 13 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The authors' responses to the previous suggestions and the revisions made in the manuscript are
satisfactory from my perspective. I believe the manuscript is now in a publishable state. Thank
you.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03922-y (2025)

Title: Effect of active wound dressing on postoperative pain and wound healing in patients
undergoing anorectal surgery
Version: 1 Date: 18 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
Dear authors,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to provide my review comments on the
manuscript submitted for consideration, which focuses on Anorectal surgery.
Firstly, I would like to highlight a significant concern regarding the lack of mention of the
types of surgical procedures performed on the patients. It is well-established that the specific
surgical approach can significantly influence postoperative pain and wound healing outcomes,
particularly in cases of fistulas and fissures. This omission may limit the reader's understanding
of the results and their applicability to different surgical contexts.
Additionally, it is crucial to note that surgeries for prolapse and hemorrhoids typically do not
result in external wounds, rendering the use of dressings in these cases somewhat irrelevant.
This point should be addressed to clarify the rationale behind the choice of dressings used in
the study.
I appreciate the effort put into this research and look forward to seeing how these points can be
addressed to enhance the manuscript's clarity and impact.
Thank you for considering my feedback.
Best regards
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03901-3 (2025)

Title: Clinical analysis of acute pancreatitis after renal transplantation: a single-center
retrospective observational study
Version: 4 Date: 25 Jan 2025
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting study. some concerns:
(1) How other causes of AP like viral infections e.g. which may occur in post-transplant setting
were excluded?
(2) Gall bladder sludge, microlithiaisis may also be the cause of AP
(3) Sepsis, TB, hypercalcemia are also likely causes of AP
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03901-3 (2025)

Title: Clinical analysis of acute pancreatitis after renal transplantation: a single-center
retrospective observational study
Version: 4 Date: 26 Jan 2025
Reviewer:  Ahmed Akl
Reviewer's report:
I have minor comments. It would be better to add more detailed demographic data of the patients
in Table 1. There are some typos need to be corrected
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03901-3 (2025)

Title: Clinical analysis of acute pancreatitis after renal transplantation: a single-center
retrospective observational study
Version: 4 Date: 30 Jan 2025
Reviewer's report:
1.The article has big practical value.
2.In the “materials and methods” section serum amylase at onset, abdominal CT, serum amylase
before discharge were collected. However, these indicators are not fully reflected in the article
or the table.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03901-3 (2025)

Title: Clinical analysis of acute pancreatitis after renal transplantation: a single-center
retrospective observational study
Version: 4 Date: 20 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
Dear Author;
First of all, thank you for this intriguing study.
1- The study should be conducted with more patients.
2- How other etiologies are excluded in transplant patients with drug-related pancreatitis should
be mentioned in the article.
3- Which patients developed necrotizing pancreatitis should be specified, and the effectiveness
of the treatment should be evaluated by classifying patients according to the severity of
pancreatitis.
4- I recommend that the patients included in the study should be classified etiologically and
differences according to etiology be determined after treatment. For this reason, when the
etiological reasons are evaluated, I think that the number of patients is not sufficient. For this
reason, I recommend that the study be expanded by increasing the number of patients.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03900-4 (2025)

Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Version: 1 Date: 14 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
Authors of the manuscript presents    results of interesting and significant study,  in particular
from methodical point  of view . On the other hand , considering the multifactor impact on
human microbiome,   evaluation of the results   and  the conclusion should be balanced if
group of patient from one hospital only is analysed. Authors  state that bacteria other than Hp
cause the inflammation  but they should consider also  that inflammation may facilitate bacterial
colonisation  due  to reduction release of H+ ions
Anyway,  the concept,    methodology  and structure of manuscript  is correct and I only address
some minor remarks listed below
• Line 170: the phrase “bacterial variation”  is as not clear enough and as the result confusing
• Or line 190  the phrase “ bacterial  correlation”  is confusing as well .   What is corelated?  -
in my opinion “coincidence „should be used instead
• Line  200, 203 “We observed alterations in the metabolism and signal transduction of gastric”
this attitude not mentioned in the description of methods
• Information  from introduction (line 50-52) is repeated in discussion (line 214)
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03900-4 (2025)

Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Version: 1 Date: 18 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
1. when you introduced aber. use that e.g HP
2. Keywords should not be repeated in the title
3. which test are used to check the normality
4. The phyla should be written in italics
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03900-4 (2025)

Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Version: 1 Date: 25 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Summary: While Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is a substantial risk factor for gastric
cancer development its eradication does not necessarily lead to a reduction in the incidence of
gastric cancer. Non-HP bacteria in the stomach are involved in the transformation of gastritis
carcinoma. The aim of the study was to characterize the gastric mucosa's bacterial population
and its in non-Hp patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and chronic nonatrophic
gastritis (CNAG). To that end, fourteen CNAG samples and twenty-three CAG samples were
collected and analyzed with 16S and bioinformatic assessment. Both groups had the same
most abundant bacterial phyla. Pathways related to xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism,
metabolism, signal transduction, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, cancer, infectious
disease and digestive system were enriched in the CAG group, while functions associated with
amino acid metabolism, translation, replication and repair, and metabolism of terpenoids and
polyketides were enriched in the CNAG group. The researchers conclude that Changes in gastric
mucosal microorganisms and their functions are correlated with chronic atrophic gastritis. These
differences might become biomarkers or combined therapies for CAG.
Reference to previous reviewers' comments:
1. The information regarding informed consent was indeed added to the manuscript.
2. I checked and PRJNA1113136 is indeed active.
Major comments:
• The presence of the Acinetobacter phylum, a known group of nosocomial pathogens, is
intriguing. I would have expected to see more reference to this in the discussion.
• Line 226-227 " it is important to identify specific bacteria" – I would argue that you are not
actually identifying specific bacteria as you only have genus and phylum level data.
Minor comments:
• You use many different terms for non-helicobacter pylori bacteria – nonhp, non-Hp, H.pylori-
negative… it would be better to choose one form of abbreviation and keep that throughout the
paper.
• Line 43-44: "Conclusion. Changes in gastric mucosal microorganisms and their functions are
correlated a correlation with chronic atrophic" – correlated/correlation? I think something is
wrong with the sentence.
• There are some minor editing issues that can be easily corrected.
• Figure 3 and 5 – the letters are too small – please use a bigger font.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03900-4 (2025)

Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Version: 2 Date: 14 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
Dear Authors,
thank you for improving the manusript.
In this form the manuscript is sustainable for publication.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03900-4 (2025)

Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Version: 2 Date: 17 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
Review of revision: "Dysregulated Gastric Microbial Communities and Functional Shifts in
Chronic Atrophic versus Non-atrophic Gastritis: A Helicobacter pylori-Negative Observational
Study"
I see that all my comments were addressed. There are some minor language issue, for example
line 18 "…and the eradication of H. pylori…" 'and' seems like the wrong connecting word. But
this is but a minor issue that should not interfere with the paper's acceptance.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03900-4 (2025)

Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Version: 2 Date: 22 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The authors have revised the manuscript, but I have not found  all of the corrections to be
satisfactory.
Ad. 1: The authors state that 'the analysis focused on identifying statistically significant
differences in microbial composition'. I am unclear whether they mean microbiome composition
or bacterial structure.
Ad. 3: The authors state that 'functional pathway predictions were performed using PICRUSt2
(Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) with the
KEGG database', but this has nothing to do with the evaluation of bacterial metabolism, e.g.
glucose uptake. Considering this, the statement 'We observed alterations in the metabolism and
signal transduction of gastric' should be removed.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03900-4 (2025)

Title: Variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome and its predictive functions between
chronic atrophic gastritis and chronic nonatrophic gastritis patients based on Helicobacter pylori
negativity (A study of variations in the gastric mucosal microbiome)
Version: 2 Date: 24 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The authors investigated the differences of the composition and function of the gastric
microbiome between chronic atrophic and non-atrophic gastritis, focusing on Helicobacter
pylori negative patients. The study provided important insights into the progression of gastric
carcinogenesis, excluding the influence of H. pylori. The authors responded appropriately to
the reviewers’ comments and made necessary revisions. I made some comments to improve the
quality of their work.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03892-1 (2025)

Title: Prevalence of H. Pylori in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients and its Association with
Severity
Version: 3 Date: 05 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
It is a decent observational study, although there has been enough data on this aspect.
The following are suggested to enhance the manuscript:
1. STROBE guidelines to be followed and the same be mentioned in the methods section
2. The results need a better description
3. The discussion needs to be augmented. The following maybe discussed and referenced:
a. Bretto E, Frara S, Armandi A, Caviglia GP, Saracco GM, Bugianesi E, Pitoni D, Ribaldone
DG. Helicobacter pylori in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Active Protagonist or Innocent
Bystander? Antibiotics (Basel). 2024 Mar 17;13(3):267. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13030267.
PMID: 38534702; PMCID: PMC10967592.
b. Ding ZH, Xu XP, Wang TR, Liang X, Ran ZH, Lu H. The prevalence of Helicobacter
pylori infection in inflammatory bowel disease in China: A case-control study. PLoS One.
2021 Mar 12;16(3):e0248427. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248427. PMID: 33711050; PMCID:
PMC7954320.
c. Ali I, Abdo Q, Al-Hihi SM, Shawabkeh A. Association between ulcerative colitis and
Helicobacter pylori infection: A case-control study. Heliyon. 2022 Feb 9;8(2):e08930. doi:
10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08930. PMID: 35198786; PMCID: PMC8841358.
d. Imawana RA, Smith DR, Goodson ML. The relationship between inflammatory bowel disease
and Helicobacter pylori across East Asian, European and Mediterranean countries: a meta-
analysis. Ann Gastroenterol. 2020 Sep-Oct;33(5):485-494. doi: 10.20524/aog.2020.0507. Epub
2020 Jun 6. PMID: 32879595; PMCID: PMC7406810.
4. The limitations of the study have not been mentioned. They are required as it is an
observational study
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03919-7 (2025)

Title: The interaction effect between childhood trauma and negative events during adulthood
on development and severity of irritable bowel syndrome
Version: 1 Date: 26 Nov 2024
Reviewer's report:
Irritable bowel syndrome is a pressing issue in modern medicine. It is widely recognized that
IBS has a negative impact on patients' quality of life and has a significant socioeconomic burden
of the disease. Therefore it is important to study the factors that contribute to the development
and persistence of symptoms of the disease. It is well known that psychological factors such as
stress and adverse events in early life are often associated with IBS. However  this issue remains
incompletely understood. This article is of high scientific interest and practical significance. The
design of the work is well planned, the methods allow solving all the problems. The goal of the
study has been achieved, the conclusions are logical and justified. I recommend accepting the
article for publication.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03919-7 (2025)

Title: The interaction effect between childhood trauma and negative events during adulthood
on development and severity of irritable bowel syndrome
Version: 1 Date: 22 Jan 2025
Reviewer's report:
The study is interesting and a valuable addition to present data on IBS .
Comments / Suggestions:
1. in methodology, recheck the source for the Life event scale (LES) as upon review the source
did not lead to the questionnaire; is the tool or questionnaire validated in your region
2. in discussion, recommend defining emotional trauma, neglect and abuse based on your tool
3. in both control and IBS groups, where there any patients diagnosed with a known mental
health condition or being treated for 1
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03919-7 (2025)

Title: The interaction effect between childhood trauma and negative events during adulthood
on development and severity of irritable bowel syndrome
Version: 2 Date: 09 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
CTQ  is now better stated - recommend to give a few examples of the types of events included
to give  a clearer picture in the discussion
Suggest to clearly state the cut-off values used to define childhood trauma based on the CTQ.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03919-7 (2025)

Title: The interaction effect between childhood trauma and negative events during adulthood
on development and severity of irritable bowel syndrome
Version: 2 Date: 09 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The authors have substantially revised the manuscript in accordance with the wishes of the
reviewers. I believe that the article can be published in its current form.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03919-7 (2025)

Title: The interaction effect between childhood trauma and negative events during adulthood
on development and severity of irritable bowel syndrome
Version: 3 Date: 02 Apr 2025
Reviewer's report:
Just minor sentence/grammar suggestions for improvement:
1. Abstract
Background - "However, the interaction effect of these negative events on IBS remains poorly
understood."
Results - female sex rather than gender
2. Introduction
Paragraph 3 - suggest "Chronic stress during adulthood also represents a significant risk factor
for IBS." or "Chronic stressful events during adulthood also appear to be significant risk factors
of IBS."
Otherwise, agree with acceptance.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03919-7 (2025)

Title: The interaction effect between childhood trauma and negative events during adulthood
on development and severity of irritable bowel syndrome
Version: 3 Date: 13 Apr 2025
Reviewer's report:
The authors have substantially revised the manuscript in accordance with the wishes of the
reviewers. I believe that the article can be published in its current form.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03815-0 (2025)

Title: The Predictive Value of PIV, PLR, LMR, NPR, and NLR for the Prognosis of
Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Combined with
Liver Cirrhosis
Version: 1 Date: 09 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
In this single-centre retrospective study, the authors aimed  to assess the prognostic
value of different inflammatory markers such as pan-immunological value (PIV), platelet-
lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil-platelet ratio (NPR),
and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC) patients with underlying cirrhosis undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).
Overall, 216 HCC patients underwent TACE were studied. According to the inclusion criteria,
patients' liver function had to be classified as Child-Pugh grade A and also B class.
Exclusion criteria included acute or chronic inflammatory diseases, evidence of infections,
ongoing medications like aspirin or clopidogrel, hematologic disorders or immunological
diseases. They found that patients in the poor prognosis group had significantly higher PIV,
PLR, NLR, and NPR, and lower LMR. After multivariate analysis, PIV and NPR showed the
strongest independent predictors of poor prognosis and ROC analysis demonstrated that PIV had
the greatest predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.803). The authors concluded that PIV, PLR, LMR,
NPR, and NLR are significant prognostic markers for cirrhotic patients with HCC receving
TACE .
Comments:
-To this referee is not clear the HCC stage of patients underwent TACE. To better analyze the
study design and results, the authors should report the HCC stage according to the more widely
used BCLC staging system. This would allow to better understand the tumor burden and other
important patients features such as liver function and performance status.
-Could the authors report in detail the TACE procedure ?
-How many HCC treatment(s) and type of treatment(s), if any, had received the enrolled
patients? This might impact the laboratory parameters, the residual liver function,  and thus the
study results.
-The authors should expand the literature data on previous studies assessing the prgnostic
markers and scores in HCC patients receiving TACE, such as TACE Predict (Hepatology 2019),
ASAR (BMC Cancer 2020). as well as post-TACE transient hypertrasanminasemia that showed
significant correlation withe radiological objective response, as recently demonstrated (J Pers
Med. 2021;11:1041. doi: 10.3390/jpm11101041. ). The authors could suggest how to combine
their prognostic markers with these previously reported laboratory prognostic markers.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03815-0 (2025)

Title: The Predictive Value of PIV, PLR, LMR, NPR, and NLR for the Prognosis of
Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Combined with
Liver Cirrhosis
Version: 1 Date: 27 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
This study tried to find in 216 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis underwent
TACE a prognostic laboratory marker able to predict the post-TACE outcome
They considered the following systemic inflammatory markers such as the pan-Immunological
Value, Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio, Lymphocyte-Monocyte Ratio, Neutrophil-Platelet Ratio,
and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte ratio. They stratified patients into good (n=92) and poor prognosis
groups (n = 124) based on one-year post-operative outcomes using the RECIST criteria. The
results demonstrated that in the poor prognosis patient  group there were significantly higher
PIV, PLR, NLR, and NPR, and lower LMR. Multivariate analysis identified PIV and NPR as
the strongest independent predictors of poor prognosis and ROC analysis demonstrated that PIV
had the greatest predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.803).  Thus PIV, PLR, LMR, NPR, and NLR
demonstrated significant prognostic value for cirrhotic HCC patients treated with TACE.
The study explores whether laboratory markers may assist the management and treatment of
HCC receiving TACE and has therefore clinical interest. However, since in cirrhotic patients
there are several potential variables affecting the clinical and laboratory features, the authors
should add the following data:
1) previous HCC treatment such as surgical resection, percutaneous ablation, as any previous
treatment might affect laboratory value and the optimal liver function to perform TACE
in more fragile patients in cirrhotic patients, as recently recommended (DOI: 10.1016/
j.jhep.2021.11.013);
2) TACE technique: selective? superselective?; how many nodules for each TACE session could
be treated?
3) Portal hypertension status: this condition may be associated with higher intestinal
permeability and higher risk of bacterial translocation that, in turn, might impact inflammatory
laboratory variables. Was some portal hypertension sign (varices, liver/spleen stiffness,
ultrasound) assessed before performing TACE?.
4) discussing previous literature data, many other laboratory value and scores have been
proposed as prognostic markers for clinical practice, and very simple laboratory assessment such
as the transient post-TACE serum transaminase elevation. Can the authors discuss and compare
their results with the other?
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03815-0 (2025)

Title: The Predictive Value of PIV, PLR, LMR, NPR, and NLR for the Prognosis of
Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Combined with
Liver Cirrhosis
Version: 2 Date: 17 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The revised manuscript contains the necessary informations and addressed the requested issues.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03815-0 (2025)

Title: The Predictive Value of PIV, PLR, LMR, NPR, and NLR for the Prognosis of
Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Combined with
Liver Cirrhosis
Version: 2 Date: 18 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The authors have properly modified the manuscript as requested.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03814-1 (2025)

Title: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Metabolic Alcohol-Related
Liver Disease, and Incident Dementia: a nationwide cohort study MASLD, MetALD, and
dementia risk
Version: 2 Date: 21 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
I read with interest this carefully conducted study on MASLD and MetALD and the risk
for dementia during  a follow-up of approximately 10 years. The study evaluates if there
is an increased risk for Alzheimer´s disease and/ or vascular dementia or both associated
with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic alcohol-
associated liver disease (MetALD). The statistical methods used to study these associations are
sophisticated and robust  since they include the traditional Cox proportional Hazards model as
well as the  Fine-Gray competing risk model . Covariates are taken into account by inverse
probability of treatment weighting .
The manuscript is clearly written and relevant previous studies are cited appropriately. The
Tables and the figures are informative and all the relevant data needed to interpret the validity
of  the analyses and the results  is presented in the supplement. Sensitivity analyses are included
and especially adding analyses with  increasing latent periods (excluding individuals who were
diagnosed with dementia 1, 2 or 3 years after the initial assessment of MASLD/MetALD)
contributes to the results, since the association between MetALD and AD was reversed after
the 3-years latent period.
I have only very minor comments on the manuscript.
1. Please define the abbreviation FLI when it its first mentioned for readers not familiar with it.
2. In the introduction you point out that recent studies (The Rotterdam study and a study on
the UK biobank data)  found no association between NAFLD and dementia. It would be useful
to try to hypothesize why these studies yielded different results when compared to the present
study. Different statistical methods/ smaller study populations/ European vs. Asian cohort?
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03814-1 (2025)

Title: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Metabolic Alcohol-Related
Liver Disease, and Incident Dementia: a nationwide cohort study MASLD, MetALD, and
dementia risk
Version: 2 Date: 21 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
This study explores the association of MASLD and MetALD with dementia risk through data
from a large Korean cohort, which is complementary to studies in Asian populations. I have the
following comments:
1. It is recommended that a clear definition of MetALD be added to the preface section.
The current literature review mainly focuses on MASLD and dementia association, but lacks
background elaboration on MetALD as one of the core study variables.
2. The phrase “had existing liver diseases” in the exclusion criteria on page 4, line 105, needs
further clarification. Since MASLD and MetALD are liver diseases themselves, other specific
liver diseases (e.g., viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, etc.) should
be excluded here.
3. In the Diagnosis of non-SLD, MASLD, and MetALD section on page 4, the FLI is only
a predictor of the risk of fatty liver and does not confirm that a patient has been diagnosed
with fatty liver. Since fatty liver is the focus of this study, there are obvious limitations to the
FLI as a surrogate for fatty liver. The accuracy of the diagnosis of fatty liver is particularly
important#therefore, the authors are advised to use liver ultrasound or CT to more accurately
diagnose fatty liver.
4. The diagnostic criteria for MetALD need to be clearly referenced to the literature basis.
5. The basis for the selection of covariates.
6. In the section “Diagnosis of dementia, AD and VaD” on page 5, terminological consistency
needs to be clarified. dementia and “all dementia” in the results section are the same. Is dementia
the same as “overall dementia” in the outcomes section? Does Overall dementia include all types
(e.g., mixed dementia, AD, VaD)? Are AD and VaD mutually exclusive (i.e., the same patient
may be categorized as both).
7. In the Statistical analysis section on page 5, MASLD/MetALD is an exposure for which
body mass index (BMI) is one of the diagnostic criteria; therefore, the authors' variable-adjusted
modeling of BMI as a confounder is inappropriate and may introduce an overcorrection bias.
It is recommended to reanalyze the main model with BMI excluded and compare the risk ratio
changes.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03814-1 (2025)

Title: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Metabolic Alcohol-Related
Liver Disease, and Incident Dementia: a nationwide cohort study MASLD, MetALD, and
dementia risk
Version: 3 Date: 10 Mar 2025
Reviewer:  Anwar Ashraf Abouelnasr
Reviewer's report:
The responses are satisfactory
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03814-1 (2025)

Title: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Metabolic Alcohol-Related
Liver Disease, and Incident Dementia: a nationwide cohort study MASLD, MetALD, and
dementia risk
Version: 3 Date: 12 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
I thank the authors for a thorough revision. I have no further comments.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03814-1 (2025)

Title: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Metabolic Alcohol-Related
Liver Disease, and Incident Dementia: a nationwide cohort study MASLD, MetALD, and
dementia risk
Version: 3 Date: 17 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
All previously raised concerns have been properly resolved in the updated manuscript version.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03895-y (2025)

Title: Association between Estimated Plasma Volume Status and the Risk of 30-day Mortality
in Patients with Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study Based on the MIMIC-IV
Database
Version: 0 Date: 18 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
Dear authors,
I have now completed the review of the manuscript titled "Association between Estimated
Plasma Volume Status and the Risk of 30-day Mortality in Patients with Severe Acute
Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study Based on the MIMIC-IV Database."
The manuscript is interesting and, in general, fairly well-written. I think it is accpetable,
however, if authors would like to make an improvement, I would like to suggest them to breifly
mentioning more recent research. For example, Recent Deep Learning-Based Brain Tumor
Segmentation Models Using Multi-Modality Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Prospective
Survey would be relevant because similar to how the study used LASSO regression and
statistical analysis to evaluate ePVS, this article discusses advanced analytical methods that
could provide insights into medical image analysis and statistical modeling approaches.
Also, research like Feature Preserving Mesh Network for Semantic Segmentation of Retinal
Vasculature to Support ophthalmic Disease Analysis, discusses analysis of medical data using
advanced computational methods, which aligns with how the SAP study used complex statistical
analyses like restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis and Cox regression models.
Thank you for your valuable contributions to our field of research. I look forward to receiving
the revised manuscript.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03895-y (2025)

Title: Association between Estimated Plasma Volume Status and the Risk of 30-day Mortality
in Patients with Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study Based on the MIMIC-IV
Database
Version: 0 Date: 24 Feb 2025
Reviewer's report:
Acceptance of this peer review is a mistake.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03895-y (2025)

Title: Association between Estimated Plasma Volume Status and the Risk of 30-day Mortality
in Patients with Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study Based on the MIMIC-IV
Database
Version: 1 Date: 24 Mar 2025
Reviewer:  Anwar Ashraf Abouelnasr
Reviewer's report:
The responses are satisfactory
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03920-0 (2025)

Title: Unveiling the heterogeneity and immunotherapy potency of tumor-associated neutrophils
in the tumor microenvironment of Gastric cancer
Version: 1 Date: 20 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
Major Points
1. Figure Accessibility and Clarity:
- The manuscript references multiple figures (e.g., UMAP plots, heatmaps, pseudotime
trajectories) critical for interpreting results. However, these figures are not included in the
provided document. A thorough review of data visualization quality (resolution, labeling, legend
clarity) is necessary to ensure they effectively support the findings.
2. Outdated References:
- Key areas, such as immunotherapy and single-cell genomics, cite older studies (e.g., Reference
19: Ooi et al., 2009). Updating references to include recent advancements (e.g., 2022–2024
studies on neutrophil plasticity or gastric cancer subtyping) would strengthen the context and
relevance of the work.
3. Methods :
- While the methods are generally comprehensive, specific parameters are missing (e.g.,
thresholds for DEGs, resolution settings for clustering, or software configurations). Including
these details is crucial for reproducibility. For example:
- Exact criteria for GO/KEGG enrichment (e.g., adjusted p-value thresholds).
- Specific settings for `FindAllMarkers` (e.g., test used, minimum percentage of cells expressing
a gene).
4. Discussion Depth:
- The discussion could better emphasize how the identification of RGS2 in N4 TANs advances
the field. For instance:
- Contrast findings with prior studies on RGS2 in other cancers or neutrophil subsets.
- Elaborate on why targeting RGS2 might disrupt pro-tumor TAN functions compared to existing
targets (e.g., CD300ld).
Minor Points
1. Reference Formatting Inconsistencies
- Fix spacing issues (e.g., "1023- 1075" # "1023–1075").
- Standardize journal abbreviations (e.g., "Nucleic Acids Re.s2006" # "Nucleic Acids Res.
2006").
2. Grammar and Syntax
- Correct minor errors (e.g., "patients response to ICBs therapy are" # "patients’ responses to
ICB therapy are").
- Simplify overly long sentences (e.g., in the Abstract: "Tumor-associated neutrophils
predominantly interacted with epithelial cells via the LGALS9/CD45 and CD46/JAG1 signaling
pathways").
3. Technical Terminology
- Define niche terms (e.g., "pseudotime trajectory," "CNV score") briefly for broader
accessibility.
4. Conclusion Emphasis
- Highlight clinical implications (e.g., how RGS2 inhibition could synergize with existing
immunotherapies like PD-1/PD-L1 blockers).
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03920-0 (2025)

Title: Unveiling the heterogeneity and immunotherapy potency of tumor-associated neutrophils
in the tumor microenvironment of Gastric cancer
Version: 2 Date: 12 Apr 2025
Reviewer:  Anwar Ashraf Abouelnasr
Reviewer's report:
The responses are satisfactory
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03860-9 (2025)

Title: Platelet-to-High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio (PHR) as a Predictive Biomarker for
Gastrointestinal Cancers: Evidence from NHANES
Version: 1 Date: 28 Feb 2025
Reviewer:  Yasmin Guerreiro Nagashima
Reviewer's report:
I have reviewed this study and offer the following observations:
Methods Section:
It was not specified whether the use of medications was considered, nor whether such use could
affect platelet counts or HDL levels.
Results Section (Education Levels):
When reporting that there were 28 participants with less than a 9th grade education and 41
participants with a 9th–11th grade education, the use of ‘OR’ remains unclear—specifically, it is
not evident whether this value represents a combined total, given that the number of participants
classified as ‘college graduate or above’ was 34.
Results Section (PIR):
Regarding the PIR, it is unclear how the finding that PIR<= 1 was observed in 39 cancer patients
is interpreted as more prevalent than the 116 cancer patients with PIR values in the 1–3 range.
Discussion Section (Fourth Paragraph–Healthy Fats):
“Similarly, strategies to improve HDL-C levels, such as increased physical activity,
consumption of healthy fats, and the use of lipid-lowering therapies, may offer additional
protective benefits.”
It is recommended that when referring to ‘healthy fats’, the authors either provide specific
examples (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids) or clarify the terminology to enhance reader understanding.
Discussion Section (Fifth Paragraph–Detailed Tumor Characteristics):
“The study also did not account for potential confounders such as dietary patterns,
genetic predispositions, or detailed tumor characteristics, which could influence the observed
associations.”
Here, “detailed tumor characteristics” may imply that information regarding tumor staging was
not accessible, a factor that could significantly impact the results.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03860-9 (2025)

Title: Platelet-to-High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio (PHR) as a Predictive Biomarker for
Gastrointestinal Cancers: Evidence from NHANES
Version: 2 Date: 21 Mar 2025
Reviewer's report:
The revised manuscript addresses all major concerns raised in the initial review and significantly
improves the clarity, scientific rigor, and transparency of the study. The authors have
thoughtfully incorporated feedback, particularly regarding potential confounders, subgroup
interpretation, and limitations. The manuscript now provides a robust analysis of PHR
as a biomarker for gastrointestinal (GI) cancer risk, aligning with current literature and
clinical relevance. The study's strengths include its large, nationally representative dataset,
comprehensive covariate adjustments, and novel insights into systemic inflammation and lipid
metabolism. While minor limitations persist (e.g., cross-sectional design, lack of subtype-
specific analysis), these are appropriately acknowledged, and the findings remain compelling.
Overall, the manuscript is now ready for publication. The authors have addressed all reviewer
concerns effectively, and the revised work meets the journal's standards for scientific quality
and originality.
Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-03860-9 (2025)

Title: Platelet-to-High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio (PHR) as a Predictive Biomarker for
Gastrointestinal Cancers: Evidence from NHANES
Version: 2 Date: 28 Mar 2025
Reviewer:  Yasmin Guerreiro Nagashima
Reviewer's report:
Dear Editor,
The observations have been considered and addressed.
No further comments.
Sincerely,
Yasmin.