Search

Objective: To explore the operioperative and long-term outcomes of inflatable mediastinoscopic resection of esophageal carcinoma (IVMTE) and minimally invasive Mckeown resection of esophageal carcinoma (MIME) in early esophageal cancer. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. A retrospectively analysis was conducted on 176 patients with cT1N0M0 esophageal cancer who underwent IVMTE or MIME at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University from April 2017 to April 2019. There were 128 males and 48 females, aged (66.4±7.7) years (range: 45 to 87 years). General data, perioperative outcomes, pathological data of the tumors, and complications were recorded. Independent sample t -test, χ ² test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the data between the two groups. Propensity score matching was performed with gender, age, tumor location, differentiation degree, pT stage, pN stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, smoking history, and alcohol history were considered as covariates. The IVMTE group and MIME group were matched in a 1∶2 ratio using nearest neighbor match method with a caliper value of 0.02. Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, with Log-rank test for univariate survival analysis. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to analyze prognostic factors for overall survival, and subgroup stratification analysis was performed for pT stage. Results: After matching, the MIME group consisted of 54 cases, and the IVMTE group consisted of 27 cases. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender, age, smoking history, alcohol history, ASA classification, tumor location, and other factors. The IVMTE group had shorter surgery time ( M (IQR), 220 (45) minutes vs. 245 (56) minutes, Z =2.950, P =0.003) and less intraoperative blood loss (100 (50) ml vs. 125 (100) ml, Z =2.193, P =0.028) compared to the MIME group. There were no differences between the two groups in the number and quantity of lymph node stations dissected, and the IVMTE group was not at a disadvantage in terms of the number of lymph nodes dissected around the recurrent laryngeal nerve (all P >0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were not significantly different between the two groups (all P >0.05). Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in OS and RFS rates between the pT1 and pT2 subgroups (all P >0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that ASA classification ( HR =2.516, 95% CI : 1.126 to 5.624, P =0.025), pN stage ( HR =2.485, 95% CI : 0.984 to 6.274, P =0.046), and whether adjuvant therapy was given postoperatively ( HR =2.915, 95% CI : 1.304 to 6.515, P =0.009) were independent risk factors affecting 5-year OS rate. For 5-year RFS, pT stage ( HR =0.403, 95% CI : 0.194 to 0.838, P =0.011), pN stage ( HR =5.219, 95% CI : 2.401 to 11.346, P <0.01), and whether adjuvant therapy was given postoperatively ( HR =5.644, 95% CI : 2.691 to 11.838, P <0.01) were independent risk factors, while the surgical approach was not an independent risk factor affecting patient prognosis. Conclusion: The short-term and long-term effect of IVMTE in the treatment of early esophageal cancer is good, and it can achieve effects comparable to MIME.

The organoid is a kind of distinctive micro-organ formed by stem cells with the ability of self-renewal, which can be cultured in three-dimensional scaffold in vitro . With the development of cell culture system, organoids have been gradually applied in researches such as in vitro organ model establishment, drug testing and even the repairing or replacing damage organs. It shows significantly promising prospects. This review article aims to summarize the latest research progress and provide the theoretical foundation and prospects for the development of organoids in stomatology.

Objective: To characterize a species of the genus Tricula and parasitized trematodes in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province using a molecular analysis, so as to understand their taxonomic positions., Methods: Tricula spp. and Oncomelania snails were collected from Xiangyun County, Yunnan Province, and cercaria parasitizing snails were observed using crushing followed by microscopy. Cercaria parasitizing Tricula snails at various morphologies were sampled using a shedding method. Genomic DNA was extracted from snail soft tissues and cercariae, and the 16S rRNA , COI , 28S rDNA genes in snails and the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes in cercariae were amplified using a PCR assay and sequenced. The species of Tricula snails and their parasitized trematodes was characterized using sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis., Results: Among 382 Tricula snails detected, there were three types of trematode cercariae found, including the non-forked (20.94%, 80/382), double-forked (3.40%, 13/382) and swallow shapes (7.07%, 27/382). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the 16S rRNA , COI and 28S rDNA gene sequences of this species of Tricula had high homology to those in Delavaya dianchiensis , and were clustered in a branch. Sequencing analysis of the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes revealed that the non-forked cercariae belonged to the family Pleu- rogenidae, the swallow-shaped cercariae belonged to the family Opecoelidae, and the double-forked cercariae belonged to another species of the genus Schistosoma that was different from S. sinensium and S. ovuncatum ., Conclusions: The species and taxonomy of Triculla spp. and their parasitized trematodes are preliminarily determined in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province; however, further studies are required to investigate the more definite taxonomy and pathogenicity.

Objective: To investigate the survival period of Yunnan Province-derived smooth-shelled Oncomelania snails bred in laboratory., Methods: Oncomelania snails were sampled from Heqing and Yongsheng counties where schistosomiasis is endemic, and uninfected adult snails were collected and bred in laboratory. The survival period of snails sampled from these two counties was compared., Results: The 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rates of laboratory-bred smooth-shelled snails sampled from Yunnan Province were 72.36%, 29.11%, 13.08% and 0.21%, respectively, and were 74.66%, 38.91%, 19.46% and 0.45% for snails derived from Heqing County, and 70.36%, 20.55%, 7.51% and 0 for snails sampled from Yongsheng County, respectively. The mean and median survival period of Yunnan Province-derived adult snails was 20.90 and 20.67 months, and there were significant differences between the snails sampled from Heqing and Yongsheng counties in terms of the mean (22.94 vs. 19.13 months, P < 0.05) and median survival period (21.63 vs. 19.81 months, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The mean survival period of Yunnan Province-derived smooth-shelled adult snails is approximately 20 months in laboratory, and the survival varies in geographical areas.

Objective: To explore the proliferation property of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the stable CMKLR1 gene knock-down mouse VSMCs line and explore related mechanism., Methods: The short hairpin RNA sequence targeting to knockdown the coding regions of mouse CMKLR1 mRNA was synthesized and subsequently employed to construct recombinant lentivirus vector.Mouse VSMCs were cultured and infected with the recombinant lentivirus (knockdown VSMCs). mRNA and protein CMKLR1 expression in Knockdown VSMCs was measured by real-time PCR and Western blot and compared with those in normal VSMCs (vehicle VSMCs) and lentivirus control VSMCs (control VSMCs). The proliferation of normal, knockdown and control VSMCs was induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF VSMCs) and measured by cell number counting and BrdU.The phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) protein was investigated by Western blot., Results: The relative level of CMKLR1 mRNA in knockdown VSMCs (0.23±0.04) was significantly downregulated compared with which in vehicle VSMCs (1.05±0.05) as well as control VSMCs (0.99±0.04) (P<0.01). The relative level of CMKLR1 protein in knockdown VSMCs (0.29±0.04) was also significantly decreased, compared with which in vehicle VSMCs (1.06±0.04) as well as control VSMCs (0.95±0.02) (P<0.01). The VSMCs number ((50.33±1.20)×10(3)/cm(2)) and BrdU A450 nm value (1.80±0.05) in PDGF VSMCs were significantly increased in vehicle VSMCs ((42.02±1.53)×10(3)/cm(2,) 1.55±0.04) (both P<0.05). Compared with those in vehicle VSMCs, the VSMCs number ((23.33±2.03)×10(3)/cm(2)) and BrdU A450 nm value (1.32±0.02) in knockdown VSMCs were significantly decreased.The proliferation property between PDGF VSMCs and control VSMCs was similar(P>0.05). Compared with the relative level of p-JNK protein (1.03±0.03) in vehicle VSMCs, the p-JNK protein level was significantly increased in PDGF VSMCs (1.36±0.02, P<0.05) and significantly downregulated in knockdown VSMCs (0.79±0.05, P<0.05)., Conclusion: Knockdowning CMKLR1 gene can reduce the proliferation of mouse vascular smooth muscle cells, which was related with the down-regulation of p-JNK expression.

The study of gastric cancer is important in clinical medicine as well as in public health. Environmental factors play an important role in gastric carcinogenesis and thus primary prevention is feasible after improvement of these factors. The 5-year survival rate of resected early gastric cancer is over 90% and this provides an excellent paradigm for secondary prevention. Though its mortality rate has declined since 1970, gastric cancer remains common and carries a high mortality in Taiwan where about 2,000 patients die of gastric cancer annually. The age-adjusted mortality is 16.54 and 8.16/100,000 for male and female, ranking the third and fourth cancer death respectively. Epidemiologic data disclose a positive association between gastric cancer and some dietary factors in Taiwan. However, the role of Helicobacter pylori infection and hereditary susceptibility should be elucidated in the future. Endoscopy with biopsy is an excellent method of the diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, its invasiveness makes it impractical as a screening tool and thus the proportion of early gastric cancer to gastric cancer remains as low as 30% in most reports. The value of lymph node dissection remains controversial although surgery is one of the most effective methods of eradicating gastric cancer. Overall, the 5 year survival rate is 24.5% to 54%. Laser therapy is usually reserved for patients with high operative risk and specific types of gastric cancer. To improve the survival results, development of a simple and economic screening program based on the epidemiologic results and utilization of noninvasive examinations such as serologic markers to diagnose and treat gastric cancer at its earliest stage deserves further study.

The antihypertensive and metabolic responses to delapril and captopril in hypertensive patients were studied. Forty-six hypertensive patients entered the study and were divided into two groups. The delapril group included 21 essential hypertensive and five renoparenchymal hypertensive patients; while the captopril group included 11 essential hypertensive and nine renoparenchymal hypertensive patients. The patients in the delapril group took delapril 7.5 mg twice a day for 2 weeks. If the antihypertensive effect was inadequate, the dose was increased to 15mg twice a day, and then to 30mg twice a day. The period of delapril treatment was 12 weeks. The patients in the captopril group took captopril 25 mg twice a day or three times a day for 12 weeks. After delapril treatment, there were significant decreases in the systolic (from 163 +/- 17 to 141 +/- 15 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (from 105 +/- 13 to 91 +/- 10 mmHg). There were also significant decreases in the systolic (from 161 +/- 18 to 141 +/- 24 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (from 100 +/- 10 to 90 +/- 12 mmHg) after captopril treatment (p < 0.001). The pulse rates in both groups showed no significant changes after treatment. The laboratory data in both groups showed few changes after treatment. Plasma renin activity increased after delapril treatment. A cough was the side effect most commonly seen. We conclude that hypertensive patients have the same blood pressure and metabolic responses to delapril as captopril.