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Management of brainstem metastatic tumor is challenging. This study aimed to evaluate overall survival and quality-of-life in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) brainstem metastases who were treated with the Cyberknife stereotactic radiosurgery. From August 2007 through August 2016, a total of 32 patients with 34 brainstem metastases of NSCLC were consecutively enrolled and treated with the Cyberknife radiosurgery (CKRS) at The Huashan Hospital. The study was limited to patients with NSCLC, which was confirmed by postoperative pathological examination. Patients were treated by CKRS as an initial treatment or a second treatment after whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Quality of life was assessed by the SF-12 score and neurological examination. Four out of the 32 (12.5%) patients received WBRT before or concurrent with CKRS treatment. The mean survival time after CKRS was 10.0 (95%CI: 6.0–14.0) months. Karnofsky performance score was not the independent predictor of survival after radiosurgery as analyzed by log-rank test (p = 0.392). Age, however, was a significant predictor of improved survival as analyzed by multivariate analysis (p = 0.024). SF-12 physical component scores demonstrated no significant change after treatment. The CKSR is a non-invasive, safe, and effective modality in the treatment of patients with brainstem metastases of NSCLC. Better therapeutic outcomes of CKSR for brainstem metastasis might be achieved in the patients older than 65 years old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite of persistent anti-drug regulations and policies, China has encountered a large boom in narcotic drug addicts. Drug addicts can be found in distinct social groups, from the rich to the poor. Classic drug research theories have paid less attention to drug addiction issues in transitional China's context. This study introduces a socio-structural transition perspective to explore the increasing and wide-spreading drug addiction problems in contemporary China. Based on in-depth interviews with drug addicts, social workers, and local policemen in Fujian, we collected 13 addict cases with detailed life experiences. Two structurally distinct groups were identified among the addicts. The impoverished descender addicts, struggling with much frustration in the disadvantaged situations, are associated with the class-based drug initiation patterns. Meanwhile, the affluent upstart addicts, gaining easy money with the traditional moral commitment left behind, are related to the consumer-based pathways to drug abuse. Moreover, these distinct addicts have commonalities in contemporary Chinese contexts. At the macro level, they fail to adapt themselves to the rapid structural transition process in both the material and spiritual ways, and thus are lost into the drug-related deviant social positions with weakening social controls and exposure to deviant peers. These findings further indicate the complex associations among deviant social consequences, social classes, and socio-structural changes in historical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesangiopathies produced by glomerulopathic monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains (GLCs) acting on the glomerular mesangium produce two characteristic lesions: AL-amyloidosis (AL-Am) and light chain deposition disease (LCDD). In both cases, the pathology is centered in the mesangium, where initial and progressive damage occurs. In AL-Am the mesangial matrix is destroyed and replaced by amyloid fibrils and in LCDD, the mesangial matrix is increased and remodeled. The collagen IV rich matrix is replaced by tenascin. In both conditions, mesangial cells (MCs) become apoptotic as a direct effect of the GLCs. MCs were incubated in-vitro with GLCs and animal kidneys were perfused ex-vivo via the renal artery with GLCs, producing expected lesions, and then mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were added to both platforms. Each of the two platforms provided unique information that when put together created a comprehensive evaluation of the processes involved. A “cocktail” with growth and differentiating factors was used to study its effect on mesangial repair. MSCs displayed remarkable phenotypic plasticity during the repair process. The first role of the MSCs after migrating to the affected areas was to dispose of the amyloid fibrils (in AL-Am), the altered mesangial matrix (in LCDD) and apoptotic MCs/debris. To accomplish this task, MSCs transformed into facultative macrophages acquiring an abundance of lysosomes and endocytotic capabilities required to engage in phagocytic functions. Once the mesangial cleaning was completed, MSCs transformed into functional MCs restoring the mesangium to normal. “Cocktail” made the repair process more efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare-earth elements (REEs) have been widely used in agriculture for the growth of crops in China since the 1980s. As a secondary messenger, calcium ion (Ca2+) participates in physiological and biochemical reactions in plants via cellular or intercellular signal transduction networks. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of trivalent lanthanum (La3+) on the change of Ca2+ in the root cells of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Shengdao 16) with laser-scanning confocal microscopy. The results indicated that Ca2+ level in the root cells was affected by the concentrations of La3+. The level of Ca2+ slightly decreased in the root of rice treated with 0.2 mmol L–1 La3+, and Ca2+ oscillation was induced in the root of rice treated with 1.0 mmol L–1 La3+. However, Ca2+ level increased in the root of rice treated with 2.0 mmol L–1 La3+. In addition, the results indicated that Ca2+ level in the rice roots slightly decreased after Ca2+ inhibitors verapamil (VP), ruthenium red (RR), trifluperazine (TFP), and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) were added. Moreover, the effects of 2.0 mmol L–1 La3+ on Ca2+ level in the root cells of rice were investigated after Ca2+ was inhibited with VP, TFP, RR, and EGTA. Inhibited with VP, TFP, RR, and EGTA, Ca2+ level slightly decreased or was not affected in the rice roots treated with 2.0 mmol L–1 La3+. The results showed that La3+ participated in the signal transduction networks via calmodulin (CaM) and that La3+ might enter into the root cells via the membrane and intracellular Ca2+ channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review of the Chinese literature was conducted from 1956 to 2005. The survey included both online and manual searching, as well as expert discussions aimed at providing insight into factors affecting benzene exposure levels in paint/coatings industries. Data extracted from 204 papers included: (1) year of occurrence, (2) type of paint/coatings products, (3) type of industries where the products were used or produced, (4) job titles and work activities, (5) type of literature searched, (6) working conditions whenever data were available, and (7) exposure levels. Most benzene measurements were short-term samples for comparison with the Chinese maximum allowable concentration standard. The accuracy and precision of the sampling and analytical methods were not reported. The distribution of benzene concentrations was tested and found to fit neither normal nor lognormal distributions. Analysis of variance (comparison for more than two groups) and t-test (comparison for two groups) were conducted on Blom-transformed benzene concentration data. The overall median benzene exposure levels were 215, 82, 31, and 6 mg/m3 during the periods 1956-1978, 1979-1989, 1990-2001, and 2002-2005, respectively. Mean benzene exposure was significantly lower for paint manufacturing than paint spraying. No significant difference was found among paint types and benzene exposure for paint application. Benzene exposure was significantly higher in workplaces judged to have poor ventilation. No significant differences were found in benzene exposure as a function of industry type. Even though substantially lower when compared with levels in the past, recent benzene exposure measurements suggested that many facilities in the paint/coatings industries in China still have benzene concentrations that are above the current China occupational exposure limit for benzene (6 mg/m3 as a time-weighted average). Benzene concentrations from the present exercise, while not directly supporting quantitative retrospective exposure estimating, provide insight on relative benzene exposure for painting tasks in the reported industries over time. [Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene for the following free supplemental resource: tables detailing benzene concentration for different types of painting and other tasks in Chinese industry.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]