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This study aims to compare the biological characteristics of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) isolated from different-aged populations and examine the effects of Biodentine on proliferation and odonto/osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs isolated from the elderly in vitro. hDPSCs were isolated from three different-aged populations: group A (≤18 years old), group B (19–59 years old), and group C (≥60 years old). The adhesion, proliferation, odonto/osteogenesis, and senescence were compared. The optimal concentration of aqueous Biodentine extract was determined by CCK-8 assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alizarin red staining (ARS). The effect of Biodentine on odonto/osteogenic gene and protein expression of hDPSCs in each group was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) and Western blot. hDPSCs were successfully isolated from three different-aged populations. Flow cytometry revealed that all isolated hDPSCs were positive for CD73 (>90%), CD90 (>90%), CD146 (<30%), and negative for CD45 (<1%). There existed an age-related decline in proliferation, odonto/osteogenic gene expression, and S-phase fraction (p < 0.05), an increase in senescence genes and p21 and p16 expression, and time needed for cell adhesion. Biodentine promoted hDPSC proliferation and mineralization in each group, particularly at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL. Biodentine markedly enhanced odonto/osteogenesis-related gene and protein expression in each group (p < 0.05). hDPSCs can be obtained from populations of all ages. Though there is an age-related decline in their biological properties, hDPSCs from the elderly still maintain certain proliferation and multidirectional differentiation abilities. Biodentine can significantly promote the proliferation and odonto/osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs isolated from the elderly over 60 years old, which could be considered a pulp capping material for vital pulp therapy in the elderly. Nevertheless, the efficacy of Biodentine in clinical application has to be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cushing disease is a potentially fatal endocrine disorder caused by adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)‐secreting microadenomas in the pituitary gland. Accurate detection and localization of the adenomas is the key to clinical treatment. This study analysed the value of contrast‐enhanced Sampling Perfection with Application‐optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolutions (SPACE) sequence in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. Design and Patients: We carried out a retrospective study in which 45 patients with ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas were enrolled. Dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) coronal T1‐SE sequence was performed. A contrast‐enhanced coronal SPACE sequence was added immediately after DCE MRI finished. Two independent observers assessed the tumour existence and location, then the results were compared with surgical findings. Results: Twenty‐four lesions (53.3%) were detected by the DCE T1‐SE sequence alone, while 35 lesions (80.0%) were detected with the addition of contrast‐enhanced SPACE sequence. The sensitivity (58.5% vs. 85.3%; p <.05) and best diagnostic accuracy (62.0% vs. 84.4%; p <.05) were significantly better for addition with SPACE sequence than DCE‐SE images alone in detection of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. For lesions <5 mm, the detected numbers were 4 (16.6%) versus 10 (27.8%) by DCE T1‐SE sequence and combined DCE T1‐SE with SPACE sequence. Conclusions: A combination of contrast‐enhanced SPACE with DCE T1‐SE sequence could improve the detection of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. Contrast‐enhanced SPACE sequence could be a supplementary sequence for imaging of ACTH‐secreting pituitary adenomas when T1‐SE sequence provides negative or equivocal findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) RMRP and heat shock protein (HSP) 70 have been known to play crucial roles in inflammation. The present study investigated the roles of lncRNA RMRP and HSP70 protein 4 (HSPA4) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis. The C57BL/6 mice were treated with LPS, following which the cardiomyocytes were isolated for in vitro experiments. Further, a cardiac muscle cell line, HL-1 was transfected with plasmids expressing RMRP and HSPA4, si-NC, si-HSPA4, miR-1-5p mimic, and controls in vitro. Cell apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mRNAs, and proteins were detected in the transfected mice tissues and cells. The LPS treatment significantly reduced the expression levels of RMRP, MMP, and mitochondrial cytochrome C. Moreover, it enhanced the cardiomyocyte apoptosis, intracellular ROS levels, cytoplasm cytochrome C levels, and the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65 subunit. The predicted RMRP-miR-1-5p-HSPA4 network was validated by co-transfection experiments in vitro in HL-1 cells. The transfection of miR-1-5p-treated cells with pcDNA-RMRP enhanced the levels of the protein HSPA4; however, no change at the mRNA level was observed. Moreover, miR-1-5p mimic attenuated the protective effect of pcDNA-HSPA4 against LPS-induced mitochondrial damage and apoptosis. In addition, we observed that silencing of HSPA4 increased the expression of nuclear p65; however, this effect could be reversed by co-transfection with pcDNA-RMRP. The lncRNA RMRP axis acts as a sponge for miR-1-5p. RMRP inhibits LPS-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and mitochondrial damage by suppressing the post-transcriptional regulatory function of miR-1-5p on HSPA4. We believe that RMRP exhibits therapeutic potential for LPS-induced myocardial dysfunction both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A waste material, bagasse, recovered from the sugarcane industry, was used for designing a high-efficiency phosphate adsorbent. Eutrophication is one of the most serious problems afflicting people throughout the world, so the adsorption of low-concentration phosphate from water by the innovation of a bagasse-based adsorbent is important for a greener environment. In this work, the bagasse was esterified with nitric acid and then Fe3+ was chelated to design Fe(iii)-complexed bagasse. FTIR, XPS, ζ potential analysis and SEM were used to characterize this adsorbent. The analyzed results showed that the binding site for phosphate adsorption is the iron atom. SEM pictures explained that the adsorbent had a stable structure during the adsorption. The kinetic and isotherm adsorption experiments followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir model, respectively. The results of both the characterizations and the adsorption experiments demonstrated that the phosphate was adsorbed onto Fe(iii)-complexed bagasse by the coordinate linkage between phosphate and the iron element on Fe-CB. This study suggested that bagasse waste could be designed as high value-added adsorbent materials to adsorb eutrophic ions such as phosphate in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the development of the uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) technique, the use of uniportal VATS has become increasingly popular for the surgical resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study is to introduce a novel modularly designed surgical pattern for uniportal VATS for lung cancer resection and to investigate the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of this novel method.Materials and Methods: The clinical data of NSCLC patients who underwent a curative uniportal VATS lobectomy between March 2015 and April 2016, including via the modular pattern (MP) and the conventional pattern (CP), were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Perioperative and postoperative parameters, including the operation duration, estimated intraoperative blood loss, rate of conversion to thoracotomy, lymph node dissection number, and postoperative complications, were compared between the two groups.Results: A total of 321 patients were identified, among whom 221 underwent MP uniportal VATS lobectomy and 100 were treated via CP uniportal VATS lobectomy. Patients in the MP group experienced a shorter operation duration (135.58 ± 47.16 minutes versus 148.86 ± 42.53 minutes, P = .017) and less estimated intraoperative blood loss (75.20 ± 37.99 mL versus 89.50 ± 41.11 mL, P = .003) than patients in the CP group. No significant difference was observed in the intraoperative conversion rate (2.7% versus 5.0%, P = .477), total number of lymph nodes dissected (24.67 ± 7.73 versus 25.34 ± 7.62, P = .471), postoperative drainage duration (4.86 ± 1.96 days versus 4.78 ± 2.10 days, P = .755), length of stay (9.60 ± 2.93 days versus 9.97 ± 2.80 days, P = .286), or incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups. No postoperative deaths occurred.Conclusions: MP uniportal VATS lobectomy combined with mediastinal lymphadenectomy appears to be a safe and feasible technique for the treatment of NSCLC. The use of this technique can reduce the operation duration and intraoperative blood loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling and simulation are important tools in the study of power distribution faults due to the limited amount of actual data and the high cost of experimentation. Although a number of software packages are available to simulate the electrical signals, approaches for simulating fault events in different environments have not been well developed. In this paper, we propose a framework for modeling and simulating fault events in power distribution systems based on environmental factors and the cause-effect relationships among them. The spatial and temporal aspects of significant environmental factors leading to various faults are modeled as raster maps and probability functions, respectively. The cause-effect relationships are expressed as fuzzy rules and a hierarchical fuzzy inference system is built to infer the probability of faults in the simulated environments. A test case simulating a part of a typical city's power distribution systems demonstrates the effectiveness of the framework in generating realistic distribution faults. This work is helpful in fault diagnosis for different local systems and provides a configurable data source to other researchers and engineers in similar areas as well. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Adsorption and desorption behaviors of tetracycline hydrochloride by activated carbon-based adsorbents derived from sugar cane bagasse modified with ZnCl2 were investigated. The activated carbon was tested by SEM, EDX, BET, XRD, FTIR, and XPS. This activated carbon exhibited a high BET surface area of 831 m2 g−1 with the average pore diameter and pore volume reaching 2.52 nm and 0.45 m3 g−1, respectively. The batch experimental results can be described by Freundlich equation, pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the intraparticle diffusion model, while the maximum adsorption capacity reached 239.6 mg g−1 under 318 K. The effects of flow rate, bed height, initial concentration, and temperature were studied in fixed bed adsorption experiments, and adsorption data were fitted with six dynamic adsorption models. The results of characterizations and the batch experiments were analyzed to study the adsorption and desorption mechanisms. Tetracycline hydrochloride and activated carbon were bonded together by π–π interactions and cation–π bonds. Ethanol was used as an eluent which bonded with 10 hydrogen bond acceptors on tetracycline hydrochloride to form a complex by hydrogen bonding to achieve recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophageal cancer (ESCA) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and has a very poor prognosis. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1) signaling pathway plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and is therefore considered a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of many cancers. Activating transcription factor 5 (ATF5) facilitates the expression of various genes and has been extensively studied for its potential role in cancer treatment. Methods: The expression level of ATF5 in clinic sample was detected by quantitative real time PCR and immunohistochemistry. ATF5 biological function was investigated by western blot, cell cycle analysis, cell viability assay, luciferase reporter assays, colony formation assay, transwell assay, wound healing assay, tube formation assay, and ELISA assay. CHIP and Re-CHIP assay, GST-pulldown, and RNA-sequencing were used to study the cross-talks between ATF5 and HIF1 complex. Mouse xenograft study was utilized to study the correlation of ATF5 and tumor growth in vivo. Student's t-test or Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Here, we first found ATF5 was dramatically upregulated in ESCA cancer and related with poor survival time. Next, we found that the expression level of ATF5 had a positive relationship with the proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of ESCA cells. Besides, we innovatively found that ATF5 functions as a novel coactivator in HIF1 transcription complex by binding to HIF1α. Further, we demonstrated that silencing ATF5 phenocopies HIF1α knockdown in tumorigenic properties in vitro and inhibited ESCA tumor angiogenesis and proliferation in vivo. Conclusion: Herein, we found ATF5 as a novel component of the HIF1 transcription complex. The findings of the present study may provide new insights into the development of a novel and more efficient therapeutic strategy against ESCA. AdnowYwCvGQPELyR7fEPbo Video abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ground glass opacity featured lung adenocarcinomas (GGO-LUAD) display more indolent biological behavior than solid nodule featured lung adenocarcinomas (SN-LUAD) and have an excellent prognosis. However, the cellular immune characteristics of GGO-LUAD remain poorly understood. Methods: Immunohistochemistry technique was performed to stain related immune markers (CD8, CD103, CD20, CD138, CD4, FOXP3, CD68, CD163, PD-1 and PD-L1) and TGF-β from 15 patients with pure GGO-LUAD and 15 patients with SN-LUAD tissue sections (Paired cohort), and then, the related markers with significant differences were verified on 10 patients (Verified cohort) with both pure GGO-LUAD and SN-LUAD. For localization analysis of CD68 + tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and FOXP3 + Terg cells in tumor areas, pure GGO-LUAD and SN-LUAD were also stained for simultaneous detection of pan-CK, CD68 and FOXP3 by multiplex immunofluorescence. Results: In the Paired cohort, compared with SN-LUAD, only the infiltration of TAMs and Treg cells was significantly lower in GGO-LUAD. The infiltration of the remaining immune cells including CD8 + T cells, CD4 + T cells, CD103 + T cells, CD20 + B cells and CD138 + Plasma cells in GGO-LUAD, although relatively low, was not significantly different. Meanwhile, the expression of TGF-β was significantly higher in SN-LUAD. And the above results have also been confirmed in the Verified cohort. Moreover, there was no significantly difference in PD-L1 expression in GGO-LUAD compared to SN-LUAD both in the Paired cohort and Verified cohort. Conclusions: GGO-LUAD demonstrates an overall less active immune landscape as compared with SN-LUAD. TAMs and TGF-β may play an important role in the progression of GGO-LUAD. More importantly, PD-L1 expression in GGO-LUAD is comparable to that in SN-LUAD, indicating that there may be other reasons for the insensitivity of GGO-LUAD to immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new way to synthesize hybrid cathode materials was proposed. • Self-reconstruction of metal ions on the cathode surface was observed. • The electrochemical reaction activity and stability of BSCF-based materials were improved. • The cell performance was boosted with the modified cathode. Developing new strategies to synthesize cathode materials with improved performances is very valuable to, but remains a huge challenge in the research of protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs). Herein, we proposed a new pathway for the syntheses of hybrid cathode, and experimentally verify its applicability in the modification of Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3−δ (BSCF)-based cathode in PCFCs. The strategy is characteristic by successfully achieving sufficient interfacial metal ion diffusion, which strongly strengthens the combination intensity between different type of grains. Consequently, the electrochemical reactions of the hybrid are expected to be boosted, indicating a promising cathode material for PCFCs. Experimentally, the button cell on BaZr 0.4 Ce 0.4 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3-δ (BZCYYb4411) electrolyte showed a peak power density (PPD) as high as 632 mW/cm2 at 650 °C, compared to the value of 372 mW/cm2 of the cell with the cathode obtained through traditional ball-milling method under the same conditions. The new strategy proposed in this work might be rewarding for in-depth design of hybrid cathode that are suitable for PCFCs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Here we report a case of patients with mixed ground glass opacity in the left lung combined with congenital right aortic arch, which is only present in 0.01–0.1% of adults. Case presentation: A 60-year-old woman was referred to our department with a mixed ground-glass opacity (GGO) in the upper lobe of her left lung. She had congenital right aortic arch, and the left pulmonary artery was absent. Enhanced chest computed tomography, pulmonary perfusion imaging, and three-dimensional reconstruction were performed to confirm the blood supply in the left lung and the exact location of the GGO. Because of the unusual left pulmonary vascular structure, wedge resection was performed to prevent massive hemorrhage. The final pathological examination revealed that the mixed GGO was a well-differentiated pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Conclusion: The surgical options should be evaluated carefully in view of the complications and the prognosis of the patient, when ground glass opacity is combined with congenital cardiovascular anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB)-guided microwave ablation is a minimally invasive technology for treating pulmonary lesions. This study analysed the short-term safety and efficacy of ENB-guided microwave ablation in multiple pulmonary nodules (MPNs). METHODS This retrospective study reports a single-centre experience with ENB-guided microwave ablation for MPNs. Clinical, surgical and pathological data were obtained for patients who underwent ENB-guided microwave ablation from 23 December 2019 to 23 June 2021. The primary end points were technical safety and efficiency. RESULTS The study assessed 65 patients who underwent ENB-guided microwave ablation, 57 of whom simultaneously underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery. In total, 216 nodules were treated. Of 96 nodules treated by ENB-guided microwave ablation, 94 nodules had ground-glass opacity. Ablation efficiency was confirmed by hybrid cone-beam computed tomography. Of 120 nodules surgically removed, 106 nodules had ground-glass opacity. The mean nodule size was 7.9 mm in ablated nodules and 10.2 mm in resected nodules. Distance between nodules and pleura or fissure was 17.45 mm in ablated nodules and 7.29 mm in resected nodules. The overall malignancy rate was 47.7% (103/216); the complication rate was low (65 patients). At short-term follow-up, the post-ablation target zone shrank by 1 week and stabilized after 4–6 months. No local recurrence or enlargement of other pulmonary nodules was noted. CONCLUSIONS To treat MPNs, ENB-guided microwave ablation is safe and efficient. The combination of this treatment and video-assisted thoracic surgery is a potential application, which can preserve as much pulmonary function as possible and treat MPNs to the maximum extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymph node (LN) dissection along left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is challenging in esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, and double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT) impedes the exposure of this area. The aim of this study was to determine whether bronchial blockers (BB) could be a better choice for this procedure. Methods: The clinical characteristics of patients who received McKeown esophagectomy with radical lymph node dissection in Wuhan Tongji Hospital between August 2017 and July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The 1:1 propensity score match analysis was performed to compare the short-term effectiveness, the numbers of lymph nodes dissected, and the patterns of recurrence and survival between the two groups. Results: A total of 294 patients (192 and 102 in the DLT and BB group, respectively) were enrolled in the study. After matching, 204 patients (102 pairs) who underwent one-lung ventilation with DLT or BB displayed no significant variance in baseline characteristics. The BB group had higher number of LNs resected along left RLN (1.8 ± 2.3 vs. 2.5 ± 2.5, P = 0.001). For patients with metastatic left RLN LN, the BB group had longer medium survival time (15 vs. 32 months, P = 0.045), and tended to have longer medium recurrence-free survival time (6 vs. 15 months, P = 0.079), and lower rate of upper mediastinal and cervical LN recurrence (30.00% vs. 66.67%, P = 0.198). The postoperative complications were similar in both groups. Conclusions: Compared with DLT, using BB in esophagectomy may allow more radical lymphadenectomy along left RLN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Oesophagogastric anastomosis is a core part of oesophagectomy, and anastomotic leakage is among its main concerns. We used the oversewing technique to reinforce the anastomosis created with a circular stapler. This study investigated the use of oversewing to reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage without increasing morbidity. METHODS This study enrolled 1734 patients who underwent oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer between April 2012 and December 2019. Using propensity score-matched analysis, the clinical results of postoperative complications were compared between anastomotic-oversewn and -unsewn oesophagectomies. RESULTS Of the 1734 patients, 661 were included in the anastomotic-unsewn group and 661 in the anastomotic-oversewn group after propensity score matching. The clinical characteristics did not differ between the 2 groups, but the frequency of anastomotic leakage was significantly higher in the anastomotic-unsewn group than in the anastomotic-oversewn group (10.3% vs 4.7%, P  < 0.001). Multivariable logistic analysis showed oversewn anastomosis and smoking history as the independent factors associated with anastomotic leakage (odds ratios, 0.399 and 2.383; P  < 0.001 and P  = 0.012, respectively). On the sub-group analysis, the relative risk for anastomotic leakage was significantly higher with unsewn than with oversewn anastomosis in patients <65 years old, those with American Association of Anesthesiologists score II, those who had middle segment oesophageal cancer and those who have undergone the McKeown approach and cervical anastomosis. CONCLUSIONS Anastomosis oversewing technique may be a practical method to reduce anastomotic leakage, especially in younger patients and those who have undergone the McKeown approach and cervical anastomosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Abramson technique for the correction of pectus carinatum (PC) is commonly performed worldwide. However, the postoperative complications of this technique related to bar fixation, including wire breakage and bar displacement, are relatively high. In this study, a new minimally invasive technique for correction of PC is described, in which the pectus bar is secured by bilateral selected ribs, and for which no special fixation to the rib is needed.Methods: The procedure was performed by placing the pectus bar subcutaneously over the sternum with both ends of the bar passing through the intercostal space of the selected rib at the anterior axillary line. The protruding sternum was depressed by the bar positioned in this 2 intra- and 2 extra-thorax manners. Between October 2011 and September 2019, 42 patients with PC underwent this procedure.Results: Satisfactory cosmetic results were obtained in all the patients. The mean operation time was 87.14 min, and the mean postoperative stay was 4.05 days. Wound infection occurred in 3 patients, 2 were cured by antibiotics, and 1 received bar removal 4 months after the initial operation due to the exposure of the implant resulting from uncontrolled infection. Mild pneumothorax was found in 3 patients and cured by conservative treatment. One patient suffered from hydropneumothorax, which was treated with chest drainage. The bars were removed at a mean duration of 24.4 months since primary repair in 20 patients without recurrence.Conclusions: This new technique for minimally invasive correction of PC deformity is a safe and feasible procedure yielding good results and minimal complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Membrane PD-L1 expression was rarely observed in the presence of ALK rearrangements. • Tumor bed infiltration CD8 + T cell more frequent in tumors with ALK mutations. • CD8+ T cells infiltrating ALK+ tumors were unable to express IFNG. Several lines of evidence have demonstrated that programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors as monotherapies for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer have little clinical activity. The underlying mechanisms remain not understood. In this study, using immunohistochemistry and in situ RT-PCR assays, we examined the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), PD-1, CD8, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in tumors. Both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive tumors were associated with low or absent membrane PD-L1 expression. Interestingly, unlike EGFR-mutant tumors with few tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, a significant number of PD-1-positive CD8+ T cells infiltrated the ALK-positive tumor bed; however, these cells did not express IFNG mRNA. These results demonstrate that the ALK-positive tumor microenvironment suppresses the immune function of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells through a PD-1/PD-L1-independent mechanism, which might lead to the inability of ALK-positive tumors to respond to PD-1/PD-L1-based immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to present the clinical and surgical results in patients who underwent segmental bronchial sleeve reconstruction. Methods: The clinical and pathological data of 16 patients with central non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent segmental bronchial sleeve resection from April 2015 to May 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: According to the type of segmental bronchial reconstruction, procedures were divided into four types: right upper S6 sleeve lobectomy in three cases (type A); left lower lingular sleeve lobectomy in 10 cases (type B); left upper S6 sleeve lobectomy in two cases (type C); and left lower propriolateral superior sleeve lobectomy in one case (type D). A total of three patients (18.75%) experienced anastomotic complications, including two with anastomotic stenosis and one with anastomotic fistula. All patients achieved R0 resection. Apart from one patient who died of acute lung infection after surgery, the rest were successfully discharged. The average follow‐up time was 28 months, and the overall survival rates of patients at one, two, and three years were 80.0%, 53.3%, and 40.0%, respectively. Conclusions: Segmental bronchial sleeve resection is complex in technique and may have an increased risk of complications compared to a standard sleeve resection, but it is an effective and safe procedure, especially for selected patients with central lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging to prepare polyurethane bioplastics from renewable resources in a sustainable world. In this work, polyurethane nanocomposite bioplastics are fabricated by blending up to 80 wt % of soy-based polyol and petrochemical polyol with hydroxyl-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH). The scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses reveal homogeneous dispersion of the MWCNTs-OH in the matrix, as well as interaction or reaction of MWCNTs-OH with the matrix or polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) in forming the organic–inorganic hybrid bioplastic with a three-dimensional (3D) macromolecule network structure. Mechanical properties and electrical conductivity are remarkably enhanced with the increase of the multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) loading. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results show that the bioplastics with MWCNTs-OH have a better thermal stability compared with the bioplastics without MWCNTs-OH. The composition of the nanocomposites, which defines the characteristics of the material and its thermal and electrical conductivity properties, can be precisely controlled by simply varying the concentration of MWCNTs-OH in the polyol mixture solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Combined cellulose, chitosan and filler to create the efficient adsorbents. • The CCM-AC displayed high adsorption efficiency and capacity of tylosin from water. • The adsorption rate of tylosin on CCM-AC was affected by the size-exclusion effect. • The adsorption effect was best under neutral conditions. • Three possible mechanisms were suggested to describe tylosin adsorption. Abstract Antibiotic pollution in tap water, surface water, and effluent needs to be controlled in China. Adsorption is an economical and eco-friendly way to solve the antibiotic contamination problem, such as tylosin. In this study, the chitosan/cellulose nanocomposite adsorbents entrapped with activated carbon are prepared by a sol-gel phase inversion method. Structures and properties of the adsorbents are characterized by SEM, EDXS, BET, XRD, FTIR XPS and Zeta potentials. The adsorption behavior of CCM-AC on tylosin is determined by batch and fixed-bed adsorption experiments, while their adsorption mechanism is also studied. The maximum adsorption capacity is 59.26 mg g−1, while the adsorption behavior is in accordance with the Langmuir equation and pseudo-second-order kinetics. These results confirm that the tylosin adsorption process is affected by chemical and physical interactions, and the adsorbent can be captured by tylosin with H-bond, electrostatic and π-π electron-donor-acceptor interaction. Adsorption experiments are significantly affected by pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: UGT1A1*28/*6 as predictors of severe irinotecan-related diarrhea (SIRD) were duplicated by many studies. However, some patients of lower risk genotype ( UGT1A1*1/*1) still suffered SIRD and the extremely low frequency of UGT1A1*6/*6 limited its clinical usage. Previous studies proved that the transforming growth factor (TGFB) family may have some effect on MTX-induced mucositis. However, the associations between TGFB gene variants and SIRD have never been reported so far. Our aim was to improve the predictive value of UGT1A1 gene variants on SIRD. Methods: Six SNPs ( TGFB1 rs1800469; TGFBR1 rs10733710, rs334354 and rs6478974; TGFBR2 rs3087465; UGT1A1*6) and UGT1A1*28 were selected for genotyping in 160 metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with irinotecan in a prospective multicenter trial (NCT01282658). Results: UGT1A1*6, UGT1A1*28, rs1800469 and rs3087465 were all associated with SIRD ( p = 0.026, 0.014, 0.047 and 0.045 respectively). A novel genetic score model (with a cut off value of 1.5) based on them was created to predict SIRD (OR = 11.718; 95 % CI 2.489-55.157, p = 0.002). In patients of gene score > 1.5, the risk of SIRD was much higher (23.5 vs. 2.8 %, p = 2.24E−04) and continued in the first 6 cycles of chemotherapy, while in patients with gene score ≤1.5, the risk was much lower and none of them suffered SIRD after the first cycle of chemotherapy ( p = 0.0003). Conclusions: The novel genetic score model improved the predictive value of UGT1A1 on SIRD. If validated, it will provide valuable information for clinical use of irinotecan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polymorphisms in 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of cancer-related genes might affect their regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs) and thereby contribute to carcinogenesis. In this study, we screened single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 3′ UTR of cancer-related genes and investigated their effects on risk of lung cancer. First, we genotyped seven SNPs in a Chinese Han population with 600 lung cancer patients and 600 matched healthy controls and found that compared with the TT genotype of rs2239680 in 3′ UTR of baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5), C allele was associated with a significantly increased risk of lung cancer and advanced pathologic stage, with the odds ratio for participants carrying the CT or CC genotype being 1.50 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–1.89, P <0.01] and 2.29 (95% CI 1.64–3.18, P <0.01), respectively. These results were further replicated and confirmed in another independent population with 1000 lung cancer cases and 1000 matched healthy controls. In support of the postulation that the 3′ UTR SNP may directly affect miRNA-binding site, reporter gene assays indicated BIRC5 was a direct target of miR-335, and the rs2239680 T>C change resulted in altered regulation of BIRC5 expression. Moreover, BIRC5 was over expressed in lung cancer tissues compared with the normal lung tissues, and the protein levels of BIRC5 correlated with SNP genotypes in normal lung tissues. Our findings defined a 3′ UTR SNP in human BIRC5 oncogene that may increase individual susceptibility to lung cancer probably by attenuating the interaction between miR-335 and BIRC5. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]