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Abstract Background Tiller number is a factor determining panicle number and grain yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Auxin plays an important role in the regulation of branch production. PIN-FORMED 1 (PIN1), an auxin efflux carrier, plays a role in the regulation of tiller number in rice (Oryza sativa); however, little is known on the roles of PIN1 in wheat. Results Nine homologs of TaPIN1 genes were identified in wheat, of which TaPIN1-6 genes showed higher expression in the stem apex and young leaf in wheat, and the TaPIN1-6a protein was localized in the plasma membrane. The down-expression of TaPIN1s increased the tiller number in TaPIN1-RNA interference (TaPIN1-RNAi) transgenic wheat plants, indicating that auxin might mediate the axillary bud production. By contrast, the spikelet number, grain number per panicle, and the 1000-grain weight were decreased in the TaPIN1-RNAi transgenic wheat plants compared with those in the wild type. In summary, a reduction of TaPIN1s expression increased the tiller number and grain yield per plant of wheat. Conclusions Phylogenetic analysis and protein structure of nine TaPIN1 proteins were analyzed, and subcellular localization of TaPIN1-6a was located in the plasma membrane. Knock-down expression of TaPIN1 genes increased the tiller number of transgenic wheat lines. Our study suggests that TaPIN1s is required for the regulation of grain yield in wheat.

Objective: To investigate the distribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of LTC4S A-444C in children with Kawasaki disease in northern China and determine whether LTC4S A-444C SNP is associated with aspirin-induced urticaria (AIU).Methods: The clinical data of children with Kawasaki disease hospitalized in our center from April 2015 to November 2017 were collected, and fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to detect the LTC4S A-444C. According to the genotype, the subjects were divided into three groups: AA genotypes, AC genotypes, and CC genotypes. The incidence of AIU in the three groups was calculated and the relationship between LTC4S A-444C SNP and AIU was analyzed.Results: (1) A total of 574 children with Kawasaki disease were enrolled in the study. The allele frequencies for A, C were 980 (85.4%), 168 (14.6%). (2) Twenty-five cases of AIU in AA genotypes, with a positive rate of 6%, 11 cases of AIU in AC genotypes, with a positive rate of 7.5%, 2 cases of AIU in CC genotypes, with a positive rate of 18.2%. CC genotypes had higher incidence of AIU than that of AA and AC genotypes. However, there was no significant difference among the three groups (P > 0.05).Conclusion: The proportion of CC genotypes of LTC4S A-444C in children with Kawasaki disease in northern China is lower than that of AA genotypes and AC genotypes, and the incidence of AIU of CC genotypes is higher than that of AC genotypes and AA genotypes.

Abstract Background Echocardiography-based ultrasomics analysis aids Kawasaki disease (KD) diagnosis but its role in predicting coronary artery lesions (CALs) progression remains unknown. We aimed to develop and validate a predictive model combining echocardiogram-based ultrasomics with clinical parameters for CALs progression in KD. Methods Total 371 KD patients with CALs at baseline were enrolled from a retrospective cohort (cohort 1, n = 316) and a prospective cohort (cohort 2, n = 55). CALs progression was defined by increased Z scores in any coronary artery branch at the 1-month follow-up. Patients in cohort 1 were split randomly into training and validation set 1 at the ratio of 6:4, while cohort 2 comprised validation set 2. Clinical parameters and ultrasomics features at baseline were analyzed and selected for models construction. Model performance was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) and decision curve analysis (DCA) in the training and two validation sets. Results At the 1-month follow-ups, 65 patients presented with CALs progression. Three clinical parameters and six ultrasomics features were selected to construct the model. The clinical-ultrasomics model exhibited a good predictive capability in the training, validation set 1 and set 2, achieving AUROCs of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75–0.90), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.74–0.94), and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.40–0.86), respectively. Moreover, the AUPRC values and DCA of three model demonstrated that the clinical-ultrasomics model consistently outperformed both the clinical model and the ultrasomics model across all three sets, including the training set and the two validation sets. Conclusions Our study demonstrated the effective predictive capacity of a prediction model combining echocardiogram-based ultrasomics features and clinical parameters in predicting CALs progression in KD.

INTRODUCTION:Core decompression is an efficient treatment for early stage ischemic necrosis of the femoral head. In conventional procedures, the pre-operative X-ray only shows one plane of the ischemic area, which often results in inaccurate drilling. This paper introduces a new method that uses computer-assisted technology and rapid prototyping to enhance drilling accuracy during core decompression surgeries and presents a validation study of cadaveric tests. METHODS:Twelve cadaveric human femurs were used to simulate early-stage ischemic necrosis. The core decompression target at the anterolateral femoral head was simulated using an embedded glass ball (target). Three positioning Kirschner wires were drilled into the top and bottom of the large rotor. The specimen was then subjected to computed tomography (CT). A CT image of the specimen was imported into the Mimics software to construct a three-dimensional model including the target. The best core decompression channel was then designed using the 3D model. A navigational template for the specimen was designed using the Pro/E software and manufactured by rapid prototyping technology to guide the drilling channel. The specimen-specific navigation template was installed on the specimen using positioning Kirschner wires. Drilling was performed using a guide needle through the guiding hole on the templates. The distance between the end point of the guide needle and the target was measured to validate the patient-specific surgical accuracy. RESULTS:The average distance between the tip of the guide needle drilled through the guiding template and the target was 1.92±0.071 mm. CONCLUSIONS:Core decompression using a computer-rapid prototyping template is a reliable and accurate technique that could provide a new method of precision decompression for early-stage ischemic necrosis.

Abstract Objective In the treatment of resectable pancreatic cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy is viewed as essential. However, it is yet unclear how well adjuvant chemotherapy works at different illness stages. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in various pancreatic cancer stages. Materials and methods Patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent surgical intervention at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2018 and January 2021 were included in this retrospective analysis. Results 168 patients were divided into two groups: the group receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) and the group receiving independent surgery (no-AC). Survival analysis reveals that among stage I patients, the AC group demonstrates significant superiority over the no-AC group in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) (P = 0.0028; P = 0.022). While there was no discernible difference in RFS between the AC and no-AC groups for patients with stage II illness (P = 0.69), the AC group significantly outperformed the no-AC group in terms of OS (P = 0.047). There was no discernible difference in RFS or OS between the AC and no-AC groups for patients with stage III pancreatic cancer (P = 0.40 and P = 0.20, respectively). Conclusions The administration of adjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to improve the prognosis of patients diagnosed with stage I and II pancreatic cancer. However, its efficacy is limited in individuals with stage III pancreatic cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate and develop more effective therapeutic options for patients in the advanced stage.

Abstract Background The malignancy of cholangiocarcinoma is highly pronounced, and it exhibits a propensity for recurrence and metastasis even in the presence of standard chemotherapy. The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy in patients with resected cholangiocarcinoma needs to be substantiated. Methods Data from 101 patients with cholangiocarcinoma treated at the Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center between 2015 and 2020 were studied. Results After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between patients in the combined adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy group (AC + IM group) and the adjuvant chemotherapy alone group (AC group) (all p > 0.05). The AC + IM group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in relapse‐free survival (RFS) compared to the AC group (p = 0.032). Likewise, the AC + IM group exhibited a significantly superior overall survival (OS) outcome when compared to the AC group (p = 0.044). Multivariate Cox analysis unveiled perineural invasion (p = 0.041), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.006), and postoperative immunotherapy (p = 0.008) as independent prognostic factors exerting a significant impact on the OS of patients. In the cohort of patients with perineural invasion, the AC + IM group exhibited significantly improved OS compared to the AC group (p = 0.0077). Similarly, within the subset of patients with lymph node metastasis, the AC + IM group exhibited a significantly superior OS outcome when compared to the AC group (p = 0.023). Conclusion Combining postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with immunotherapy extends the RFS and OS of patients with cholangiocarcinoma following radical resection.

Abstract Objective Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with high mortality, and cancer cell stemness and related drug resistance are considered important contributors to its poor prognosis. The objective of this study was to identify regulatory targets associated with the maintenance of pancreatic cancer stemness. Materials and Methods Pancreatic tumor samples were collected from patients at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, followed by immunofluorescence analysis. Pancreatic cancer cell lines with Interleukin-20 receptor subunit beta (IL20RB) overexpression and knockdown were established, and clonal formation, spheroid formation and side population cell analysis were conducted. The effects of IL20RB knockdown on the tumor-forming ability of pancreatic cancer cells and chemotherapy resistance in vivo were explored. Results IL20RB expression was significantly upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues, and was correlated with unfavorable prognosis. The IL20RB receptor promotes stemness and chemoresistance in both in vitro and in vivo models of pancreatic cancer. Mechanistically, IL20RB enhances the stemness and chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer by promoting STAT3 phosphorylation, an effect that can be counteracted by a STAT3 phosphorylation inhibitors. Additionally, Interleukin-19 derived from the microenvironment is identified as the primary ligand for IL20RB in mediating these effects. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that IL20RB plays a crucial role in promoting stemness in pancreatic cancer. This discovery provides a potential therapeutic target for this lethal disease. Graphical abstract

The design and synthesis of a bifunctional catalyst to tackle environmental pollution caused by 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) and phenolic compounds is meaningful. In this study, a new three-dimensional (3D) polyoxovanadate (POV)-based metal–organic framework, [Co(L)(V4O12)0.5(H2O)]·2H2O (1; L = N,N’-bis(3-methylpyridin-3-yl)-2,6-naphthalenediamide), was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. 1 was characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. Structural analysis shows that the [V4O12]4– clusters and pairs of Co2+ cations are alternately connected to form a one-dimensional inorganic chain, eventually generating a 3D (4,4)-connected framework through the expansion of L, which exhibits a two fold interpenetration array. As a bifunctional catalyst, 1 exhibits satisfactory catalytic properties for the selective oxidation of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide to the corresponding sulfoxide, with an effective conversion of > 99% and selectivity of 97%. Furthermore, 1 exhibits excellent photocatalytic degradation activity toward phenol, 2-chlorophenol, and m-cresol under visible light. The degradation efficiencies were above 92.6% for 140 min. The photocatalytic reaction kinetics, mechanisms of photodegradation, and recycling capability of phenol were also investigated in detail.

We study theoretically the nonlinear optical response of disordered electrons in the regime of weak (anti)localization. Our analytical and numerical calculations reveal that in orthogonal/symplectic class systems, two consecutive, phase-coherent optical pulses generate an electric current echo that appears after the second pulse, and at a time equal to the pulse delay time. The current echo reflects the quantum interference between a self-intersecting electron path and its time-reversal partner, and, therefore, provides a time-domain interferometry of weak (anti)localization. Our results can be potentially tested on disordered metal films by using terahertz two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy or ultrafast transport measurements.

Reasonable nitrogen fertilizer application is an important strategy to maintain optimal growth of grasslands, thereby enabling them to better fulfil their ecological functions while reducing environmental pollution caused by high nitrogen fertilizer production and application. Optimizing the ammonium (NH4+):nitrate (NO3-) ratio is a common approach for growth promotion in crops and vegetables, but research on this topic in grass plants has not received sufficient attention. Centipedegrass, which is widely used in landscaping and ecological protection, was used as the experimental material. Different NH4+:NO3- ratios (0: 100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, 100:0) were used as the experimental treatments under hydroponic conditions. By monitoring the physiological and morphological changes under each treatment, the appropriate NH4+:NO3- ratio for growth and its underlying mechanism were determined. As the proportion of ammonium increased, the growth showed a “bell-shaped” response, with the maximum biomass and total carbon and nitrogen accumulation achieved with the NH4+:NO3- ratio of 50:50 treatment. Compared with the situation where nitrate was supplied alone, increasing the ammonium proportion increased the whole plant biomass by 93.2%, 139.7%, 59.0%, and 30.5%, the whole plant nitrogen accumulation by 44.9%, 94.6%, 32.8%, and 54.8%, and the whole plant carbon accumulation by 90.4%, 139.9%, 58.7%, and 26.6% in order. As a gateway for nitrogen input, the roots treated with an NH4+:NO3- ratio of 50:50 exhibited the highest ammonium and nitrate uptake rate, which may be related to the maximum total root length, root surface area, average root diameter, root volume, and largest root xylem vessel. As a gateway for carbon input, leaves treated with an NH4+:NO3- ratio of 50:50 exhibited the highest stomatal aperture, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and photosynthetic products. The NH4+:NO3- ratio of 50:50 treatment had the largest stem xylem vessel area. This structure and force caused by transpiration may synergistically facilitate root-to-shoot nutrient translocation. Notably, the change in stomatal opening occurred in the early stage (4 hours) of the NH4+:NO3- ratio treatments, indicating that stomates are structures that are involved in the response to changes in the root NH4+:NO3- ratio. In summary, we recommend 50:50 as the appropriate NH4+:NO3- ratio for the growth of centipedegrass, which not only improves the nitrogen use efficiency but also enhances the carbon sequestration capacity.

High-speed long-range unmanned undersea vehicles can expand various new combat modes. However, the power system is one of its bottlenecks. Nuclear power is an effective solution to address this problem. The miniaturization of the nuclear reactor power system is technically difficult. In this study, we simplified the system architecture, optimized the equipment layout scheme, and proposed a conceptual scheme of a nuclear reactor power system with an outer diameter of less than 533 mm, a length of no more than 3 m, a weight of no more than 750 kg, and the ability to output 100 kW of electric power based on the combination of a water-cooled thermal neutron reactor and thermoelectric power generation technology. Therefore, it is expected to enable the nuclear-powered unmanned undersea vehicle to be carried by a universal warship and launched from the 533 mm torpedo tube, increasing the mission flexibility. The cost of the nuclear power system can be significantly reduced and has the potential for mass production by adopting a reactor configuration with low fuel loading and using mature technology as much as possible. After estimating the key parameters of nuclear physics, thermal engineering, fluids, and mechanics, the feasibility of the scheme is preliminarily proved.

Antrodin C, a bioactive component of Taiwanofungus camphoratus, exhibits good immunophysiological and antitumour activities, including a broad spectrum of anticancer effects. Exogenous additives can bind to metabolites during the submerged culture of T. camphoratus and affect secondary metabolite yields. However, the lack of molecular genetic studies on T. camphoratus has hindered the study of the antrodin C biosynthetic pathway. In this study, we conducted a ribonucleic acid-sequencing-based transcriptional analysis to identify the differentially expressed genes involved in the synthesis of antrodin C by T. camphoratus, using inositol and maleic acid (MAC) as exogenous additives. The addition of inositol significantly upregulated carbohydrate and sugar metabolism pathway genes (E3.2.1.14, UGDH, and IVD). When MAC was used, amino and nucleotide sugar metabolism and starch and sucrose metabolism pathways were significantly inhibited, and the associated genes (E3.2.1.14 and E3.2.1.58) were also significantly downregulated. The biosynthesis pathway genes for ubiquinone and other terpene quinones (COQ2, ARO8, and wrbA), which may play an important role in antrodin C synthesis, were significantly downregulated. This study advances our understanding of how the additives inositol and MAC affect metabolite biosynthesis in T. camphorates. This could be beneficial in proposing potential strategies for improving antrodin C production using a genetic approach.

With the development of the steel industry, the use of high-grade and easy-to-handle iron ore is gradually decreasing. At present, the effective utilization of low-grade and refractory iron ore, particularly high-phosphorus oolitic iron ore, has gradually become a research hotspot and a worldwide problem. This type of ore is mainly distributed in the USA, France, Germany, Russia, and China and often has an oolitic structure, where the intercalation relationship between iron minerals and gangue minerals is complicated and the phosphorus content is high. Therefore, this type of ore has not yet been developed and utilized. Studies have shown that the use of coal-based direct reduction–magnetic separation to process high-phosphorus oolitic iron ore is one of the methods to achieve efficient utilization of its iron resources. Researchers have conducted in-depth studies on process optimization, dephosphorization mechanism, and iron and phosphorus reduction kinetics. To determine the parameters for the industrial test of the rotary kiln, based on the best result of the small-scale test, a pilot-scale experiment on iron recovery and dephosphorization from high-phosphorus oolitic iron ore was conducted using coal-based direct reduction, followed by magnetic separation. Results showed that under the optimum conditions, the grade and recovery of iron and phosphorus contents in the powdered reduced iron concentrate were 94.17%, 77.47%, and 0.08%, respectively. Limestone dosage of 28%, anthracite dosage of 16%, reduction temperature of 1300 °C and reduction time of 3 h were recommended as the initial conditions for the industrial test of the rotary kiln. The mechanisms of anthracite were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results showed that with the increase in anthracite dosage, the reduction of wustite and pleonaste and the growth of iron particles are promoted, thereby improving the recovery effect of iron. However, a high anthracite dosage enhanced the reducing atmosphere and its ash content consumed limestone, causing phosphorus in iron minerals and apatite to be reduced to elemental phosphorus and iron particles to form the iron–phosphorus alloy.

Abstract Background Crop productivity is challenged by abiotic stresses, among which drought stress is the most common. NF-Y genes, especially NF-YA genes, regulate tolerance to abiotic stress. Results Soybean NF-Y gene GmNFYA5 was identified to have the highest transcript level among all 21 NF-YA genes in soybean (Glycine max L.) under drought stress. Drought-induced transcript of GmNFYA5 was suppressed by the ABA synthesis inhibitor naproxen (NAP). GmNFYA5 transcript was detected in various tissues at vegetative and reproductive growth stages with higher levels in roots and leaves than in other tissues, which was consist with the GmNFYA5 promoter: GUS fusion assay. Overexpression of GmNFYA5 in transgenic Arabidopsis plants caused enhanced drought tolerance in seedlings by decreasing stomatal aperture and water loss from leaves. Overexpression and suppression of GmNFYA5 in soybean resulted in increased and decreased drought tolerance, respectively, relative to plants with an empty vector (EV). Transcript levels of ABA-dependent genes (ABI2, ABI3, NCED3, LEA3, RD29A, P5CS1, GmWRKY46, GmNCED2 and GmbZIP1) and ABA-independent genes (DREB1A, DREB2A, DREB2B, GmDREB1, GmDREB2 and GmDREB3) in transgenic plants overexpressing GmNFYA5 were higher than those of wild-type plants under drought stress; suppression of GmNFYA5 transcript produced opposite results. GmNFYA5 probably regulated the transcript abundance of GmDREB2 and GmbZIP1 by binding to the promoters in vivo. Conclusions Our results suggested that overexpression of GmNFYA5 improved drought tolerance in soybean via both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways.

The ubiquitin system is crucial for the development and fitness of higher plants. De-etiolation, during which green plants initiate photomorphogenesis and establish autotrophy, is a dramatic and complicated process that is tightly regulated by a massive number of ubiquitylation/de-ubiquitylation events. Here we present site-specific quantitative proteomic data for the ubiquitylomes of de-etiolating seedling leaves of Zea mays L. (exposed to light for 1, 6, or 12 h) achieved through immunoprecipitation-based high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS). Through the integrated analysis of multiple ubiquitylomes, we identified and quantified 1926 unique ubiquitylation sites corresponding to 1053 proteins. We analyzed these sites and found five potential ubiquitylation motifs, KA, AXK, KXG, AK, and TK. Time-course studies revealed that the ubiquitylation levels of 214 sites corresponding to 173 proteins were highly correlated across two replicate MS experiments, and significant alterations in the ubiquitylation levels of 78 sites (fold change >1.5) were detected after de-etiolation for 12 h. The majority of the ubiquitylated sites we identified corresponded to substrates involved in protein and DNA metabolism, such as ribosomes and histones. Meanwhile, multiple ubiquitylation sites were detected in proteins whose functions reflect the major physiological changes that occur during plant de-etiolation, such as hormone synthesis/signaling proteins, key C4 photosynthetic enzymes, and light signaling proteins. This study on the ubiquitylome of the maize seedling leaf is the first attempt ever to study the ubiquitylome of a C4 plant and provides the proteomic basis for elucidating the role of ubiquitylation during plant de-etiolation.

Background and Aim: Primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE) is a rarely aggressive disease characterized by rapid progression, widespread metastasis, and poor prognosis. This study was aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of serum lipids for overall survival (OS) in SCCE patients.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed SCCE patients in a training cohort (61 patients) and validated them in a validation cohort (27 patients). These cases were collected from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from 2006 to 2017. Univariate and multivariate Cox survival analyses were performed to determine serum lipids as prognostic factors associated with the patient's OS. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were used to compare predictive power of independent prognostic factors. The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the prognostic factors were measured by the concordance index (C-index) and decision curve, and were compared with the TNM stage system.Results: On multivariate analysis of the training cohort, independent factors for survival were gender, BAR (ApoB/ApoA-1) and TNM stage. The area under the curve (AUC) of BAR+TNM stage in the training cohort was higher than that of TNM stage for OS, and similar result was observed in the validation cohort. The c-index of BAR+TNM stage for predicting the OS was 0.655 (95% CI = 0.571–0.740), which was higher than that of TNM stage [0.614 (95% CI = 0.530–0.698)] in the training cohort. In the validation cohort, the C-index of the BAR+TNM stage for predicting OS was also higher than that of the TNM stage [0.688 (95% CI: 0.570~0.806) vs. (0.512; 95% CI: 0.392~0.632)]. In addition, decision curve analysis also showed that the predictive accuracy of BAR+TNM stage for OS was higher than TNM stage both in the training and the validation cohorts.Conclusions: BAR represents a promising prognostic indicator that might complement TNM stage in the prognosis of SCCE, and that warrant further assessment in large SCCE patient cohort.

Abstract. Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. It mainly consists of 2 histological types: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, including squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma). The present study aimed to assess the role of serum progastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and their combinations in the histological diagnosis of lung cancer (specially SCLC), which is of great importance for the initiation of treatment and prognostic implications. Serum ProGRP, NSE, and CEA were determined by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) in 66 patients with SCLC, 73 with adenocarcinoma, 44 with squamous cell carcinoma, 45 with non-malignant pulmonary diseases, and 50 healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to compare the predictive ability of each biochemical marker and their combined detection models to discriminate among the patients with lung cancers of different histological groups, benign pulmonary diseases and healthy individuals. In the ECLIA detection system, ProGRP showed the sensitivity and specificity for SCLC diagnosis were 71.2% and 91.1% to 93.2%, respectively. Among the markers, the largest area under the ROCs was for ProGRP in discriminating SCLC from benign pulmonary diseases, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma (0.815, 0.859, and 0.835, respectively), which indicated that ProGRP was the most efficient marker for identifying SCLC. Besides, ProGRP and NSE exhibited almost equivalent diagnostic performance in discriminating SCLC from benign diseases. As for squamous cell carcinoma, we recommended proGRP, while for adenocarcinoma, the combination of proGRP and CEA was preferred. Remarkably, when ProGRP ≤ 66 pg/mL, CEA was of great value in diagnosing SCLC and adenocarcinoma. If CEA ≤ 5 ng/mL, the patient was at higher risk for SCLC, whereas the patient was more likely to be diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. Our study provided promising information about the diagnostic values of serum ProGRP, NSE, CEA in distinguishing SCLC from benign pulmonary diseases and NSCLC, which was of crucial clinical significance in the early diagnosis and therapy of SCLC.

Abstract Background The levels of liver function tests (LFTs) are often used to assess liver injury and non-liver disease-related mortality. In our study, the relationship between pretreatment serum LFTs and overall survival (OS) was evaluated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients. Methods Our purpose was to investigate the prognostic value of the preoperative alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) ratio and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) in ESCC patients. A retrospective study was performed in 447 patients with ESCC, and follow-up period was at least 60 months until death. The prognostic significance of serum LFTs were determined by univariate and multivariate Cox hazard models. Results LFTs including ALT, AST, LSR, GGT, TBA and LDH were analyzed. Serum LSR (HR: 0.592, 95% CI = 0.457–0.768, p

Abstract Background With the improved overall survival (OS) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients, the importance of quality of life (QoL) is increasingly being recognized. For some radiosensitive NPC patients, whether low-dose radiotherapy can improve the QoL without affecting clinical efficacy is unknown. This study aimed to assess the survival rates and QoL of NPC patients treated with 50 Gy radiotherapy plus hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD). Methods Forty-six newly diagnosed NPC patients treated with 50 Gy radiotherapy plus HPD between June 1988 and July 1992 were analyzed. All patients were restaged according to the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system. The radiotherapy plan was designed on the basis of pretreatment computed tomography. The OS, local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. QoL was assessed using the Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring Criteria of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. Results The 5-year OS, LRFS, DMFS, and DFS rates were 74.3%, 72.6%, 82.1%, and 61.2%, respectively. The corresponding 10-year rates were 38.4%, 62.9%, 78.5%, and 49.8%, respectively, and the 20-year rates were 27.7%, 51.4%, 78.5%, and 40.7%, respectively. None of the patients developed severe radiation-related complications, such as radiation-induced temporal lobe necrosis, hearing loss, trismus, and dysphagia. Conclusion Some NPC patients were sensitive to 50 Gy radiotherapy plus HPD, and this sensitivity was characterized by long-term survival without significant late treatment morbidities.

AIM: To analyze the clinical effect and security of phacoemulsification combining goniosynechialysis to treat cataract accompanied with acute angle-closure glaucoma. METHODS: The clinical data of totally 45 patients(48 eyes)with cataract and acute angle-closure glaucoma was retrospectively analyzed, including 28 patients(30 eyes)treated with phacoemulsification with goniosynechialysis(the study group)and 17 patients(18 eyes)treated with phacoemulsification with trabeculectomy(the control group). The visual acuity, intraocular pressure, iridocornealis, central anterior chamber depth and complications were compared between groups. RESULTS: Before surgery, there was no significant difference in best corrected visual acuity and iridocornealis angle between groups(P>0.05). At 7d, 1mo, 3mo, 6mo and 1a after surgery, the best corrected visual acuity of both groups increased, and the study group was higher than the control group; the iridocornealis angle close degree of both groups decreased, and the study group was lower than the control group(PPP>0.05). Compare in groups: 7d, 1mo, 3mo, 6mo and 1a after surgery, the intraocular pressure of both groups decreased, and at 3mo, 6mo and 1a after surgery, the study group was lower than that at 7d after surgery(PP>0.05). At 7d, 1, 3, 6mo and 1a after surgery, the chamber depth of both groups were higher than 1d before surgery, 3, 6mo and 1a after surgery, the study group was similar to that at 7d after surgery(P>0.05), the control group after 12mo was lower than that at 7d after surgery(P<0.05). Compare between groups: Before treatment, 7d, 1, 3 and 6mo after treatment, there was no significant difference between groups in intraocular pressure(P>0.05); at 1a after surgery, IOP of the study group was lower than the control(PP>0.05); at 3, 6mo and 1a after surgery, the study group was higher than the control group(PCONCLUSION: Phacoemulsification combined with goniosynechialysis is effective to treat acute angle-closure glaucoma, with prominent long-term efficacy and the risk is not increased.