Thoracic perfusion of lobaplatin combined with endostar for treating malignant pleural effusions: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Lobaplatin is a new platinum-based cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent. Endostar is an endogenous angiogenic inhibitor with implicated anti-tumor activity. This study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of thoracic perfusion of lobaplatin combined with endostar in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions (MPE). METHODS: We searched the databases of Pubmed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, WanFang Data, and CNKI to select the studies regarding the efficacy and safety of lobaplatin combined with endostar to treat MPE. A total of 10[3-12] randomized controlled trials with 651 patients were included. RESULTS: The objective response rate (P < .001, odds ratio = 4.08) and disease control rate (P < .001, odds ratio = 3.69) of lobaplatin combined with endostar were significantly higher than lobaplatin alone. In addition, lobaplatin combined with endostar remarkably promoted the quality of life of patients (P < .001, odds ratio = 3.93) compared with lobaplatin alone. Lobaplatin combined with endostar also promoted the quality of life of patients (P < .05, odds ratio = 2.56) compared with cisplatin combined with endostar. At the same time, the leukopenia rate (P < .05, odds ratio = .40) and the incidence of nausea and vomiting (P < .05, odds ratio = .38) of lobaplatin combined with endostar were significantly lower than that of cisplatin combined with endostar. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of lobaplatin combined with endostar was superior to lobaplatin alone. The safety was higher than cisplatin combined with endostar through thoracic perfusion in treating MPE, which indicated that lobaplatin combined with endostar could be the effective agent for controlling MPE.

Robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery vs. sternotomy for thymectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Surgeons have widely regarded sternotomy (ST) as the standard surgical method for thymectomy. Minimally invasive methods for thymectomy, including video-assisted and robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS), have been explored. There are some studies have researched and compared the outcomes of patients after robotic and sternotomy procedure. Methods: We searched the databases of Pubmed, the Cochrane Library, Embase and selected the studies on the efficacy and safety of RATS or ST for thymectomy. Meta-analysis was performed for operation time, operation blood loss, postoperative drainage time, operative complications and hospitalization time. Results: A total of 16 cohort studies with 1,089 patients were included. Compared to ST, RATS is an appropriate alternative for thymectomy which reduced operation blood loss [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -1.82, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): (-2.64, -0.99), p = 0.000], postoperative drainage time [SMD = -2.47, 95% Cl: (-3.45, -1.48), p = 0.000], operative complications [odds ratio (OR) = 0.31, 95% Cl: (0.18, 0.51), p = 0.000] and hospitalization time [SMD = -1.62, 95% Cl: (-2.16, -1.07), p = 0.000]. Conclusions: This meta-analysis based on cohort studies shows that RATS has more advantages over ST. Therefore, RATS is a more advanced and suitable surgical method for thymectomy.

Simultaneous Immobilization of Soil Cd(II) and As(V) by Fe-Modified Biochar.

Remediation of soil heavy metal by biochar has been extensively studied. However, few studies focused on the role of biochar on the co-immobilization of cadmium (Cd(II)) and arsenate (As(V)) and related soil nutrient availability. Remediation tests were conducted with three types of pristine and ferric trichloride (FeCl3) modified biochar (rice, wheat, and corn straw biochar) in Cd-As co-contaminated soil, with application rates of 1, 5, and 10% (w/w) and the incubation of 1, 7, 10, and 15 days. Using TCLP (Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure) method, 10% of FeCl3 modified corn-straw derived biochar (FCB) had the highest immobilization efficiency of Cd(II) (63.21%) and As(V) (95.10%) after 10 days of the incubation. Iron-modified biochar immobilized higher fractions of water-soluble (F1) and surface-absorbed (F2) metal fractions than pristine biochar. For FCB amendment, Cd was mostly presented in the organic matter (OM) and sulfides associated (F4) and residual (F5) fractions (88.52%), as was found in the Fe-Al (oxides and hydroxides) (F3), F4, and F5 fractions (75.87%). FCB amendment increased soil pH values and available iron contents (p < 0.05), while no changes in soil available phosphorus content (p > 0.05). This study showed that FCB application reduces the environmental mobility of metals in Cd-As contaminated soil, while it also increases soil pH and available nutrient mobility, improving soil environmental quality and reducing remediation costs.

Construction of 3,6-anhydrohexosides via intramolecular cyclization of triflates and its application to the synthesis of natural product isolated from leaves of Sauropus rostratus.

A novel synthetic approach to construct various 3,6-anhydrohexosides via an intramolecular cyclization of corresponding triflates is described. The nucleophilic attack from C3 p-methoxybenzylated hydroxyl to C6 trifluoromethanesulfonate on triflate structures triggered the cyclization reaction to provide 3,6-anhydrohexosides in excellent yields, making the strategy more efficient with respect to the reported protocols. By applying this methodology, a concise first total synthesis of natural product isolated from leaves of Sauropus rostratus was accomplished.