Circ_0020123 regulates autophagy, glycolysis, and malignancy by upregulating IRF4 through eliminating miR-193a-3p-mediated suppression of IRF4 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Circular RNA is related to the tumorigenesis of various cancers. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0020123 (circ_0020123) has been uncovered to promote non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. However, the regulatory mechanism of circ_0020123 in NSCLC is unclear. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to detect the levels of circ_0020123, microRNA (miR)-193a-3p, and IRF4 interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) in NSCLC tissues and cells. Loss-of-function experiments were performed to analyze the impacts of circ_0020123 silencing on NSCLC cell malignancy, autophagy, and glycolysis. Protein levels were detected using western blotting. The regulatory mechanism of circ_0020123 was analyzed by bioinformatics analysis and validated by the dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation assay, and RNA pull-down assay. Xenograft assay was performed to verify the biological function of circ_0020123. We observed an overt elevation in circ_0020123 expression in NSCLC samples and cells, and NSCLC patients with high circ_0020123 expression had a poor prognosis. Circ_0020123 knockdown constrained xenograft tumor growth in vivo and curbed cell proliferation, migration, and glycolysis, and accelerated cell apoptosis and autophagy in NSCLC cells in vitro. Circ_0020123 could absorb miR-193a-3p to regulate IRF4 expression. miR-193a-3p silencing overturned circ_0020123 knockdown-mediated impacts on NSCLC cell malignancy, autophagy, and glycolysis. And IRF4 overexpression reversed miR-193a-3p mimic-mediated effects on NSCLC cell malignancy, autophagy, and glycolysis. Circ_0020123 promoted glycolysis and tumor growth by upregulating IRF4 through sequestering miR-193a-3p in NSCLC, offering a novel mechanism by which circ_0020123 is responsible for the malignancy, autophagy, and glycolysis of NSCLC cells.

Long non-coding RNA MEG3 mediates the miR-149-3p/FOXP3 axis by reducing p53 ubiquitination to exert a suppressive effect on regulatory T cell differentiation and immune escape in esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) has been implicated in the progression of esophageal cancer (EC). However, the specific mechanism of the involvement of MEG3 in EC development in relation to the regulation of immune escape remains uncertain. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of MEG3 on EC via microRNA-149-3p (miR-149-3p). METHODS: Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were initially performed in EC cells in addition to the establishment of a 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide-induced EC mouse model aimed at evaluating the respective roles of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), MEG3, miR-149-3p, mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) and p53 in T cell differentiation and immune escape observed in EC. RESULTS: EC tissues were found to exhibit upregulated FOXP3 and MDM2 while MEG3, p53 and miR-149-3p were all downregulated. FOXP3 was confirmed to be a target gene of miR-149-3p with our data suggesting it reduced p53 ubiquitination and degradation by means of inhibiting MDM2. P53 was enriched in the promoter of miR-149-3p to upregulate miR-149-3p. The overexpression of MEG3, p53 or miR-149-3p or silencing FOXP3 was associated with a decline in CD25+FOXP3+CD4+ T cells, IL-10+CD4+ T cells and IL-4+CD4+ T cells in spleen tissues, IL-4, and IL-10 levels as well as C-myc, N-myc and Ki-67 expression in EC mice. CONCLUSION: Collectively, MEG3 decreased FOXP3 expression and resulted in repressed regulatory T cell differentiation and immune escape in EC mice by upregulating miR-149-3p via MDM2-mediated p53.

Impact of Examined Lymph Node Count for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Patients who Underwent Right Transthoracic Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the number of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) on stage correction and prognostication in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent right transthoracic esophagectomy is still unclear. METHODS: Patients with ESCC who underwent right transthoracic esophagectomy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 1997 and December 2013 were retrospectively enrolled. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the effect of ELN count on overall survival. The impact of ELN count on stage correction was evaluated using the hypergeometric distribution and Bayes theorem and ß-binomial distribution estimation, respectively. The threshold of ELNs was determined using the LOWESS smoother and piecewise linear regression. RESULTS: Among the 875 included patients, greater ELNs were associated with a higher rate of nodal metastasis. Significant association between staging bias and the number of ELNs is only observed through the Bayes method. The ELN count did not impact 90-day mortality but significantly impacted long-term survival (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.986), especially in those patients with node-negative disease (aHR 0.972). In patients with node-negative disease, cut-point analysis showed a threshold ELN count of 21. CONCLUSIONS: A greater number of ELNs is associated with more accurate node staging and better long-term survival in resected ESCC patients. We recommended harvesting at least 21 LNs to acquire accurate staging and long-term survival information for patients with declared node-negative disease using the right thoracic approach.

Managing esophageal fistulae by endoscopic transluminal drainage in esophageal cancer patients with superior mediastinal sepsis after esophagectomy.

The management of postoperative leaks into the mediastinum after esophagectomy remains a challenge. We describe our clinical management of this complication through endoscopic transluminal drainage. Between 2008 and 2011, 4 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent McKeown-type esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy experienced complicated anastomotic fistulae in the presence of superior mediastinal sepsis. All 4 patients underwent endoscopic transluminal drainage, and all survived. The mean healing period was 50 days (range, 31 to 58 days), the mean stay in the intensive care unit was 7.3 days (range, 1 to 18 days), and the mean hospital stay was 64.5 days (range, 49 to 70 days). Endoscopically guided transluminal drainage should be considered for ESCC patients with superior mediastinal fistulae after esophagectomy.

Elevated levels of serum amyloid A indicate poor prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Increase of Serum amyloid A (SAA) level has been observed in patients with a variety of cancers. The objective of this study was to determined whether SAA level could be used as a prognostic parameter in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: SAA levels were measured by rate nephelometry immunoassay in 167 healthy controls and 167 ESCC patients prior to surgical resection. Statistical associations between clinicopathological observations and SAA levels were determined using the Mann-Whitney U test. The clinical value of SAA level as a prognostic parameter was evaluated using the Cox's proportional hazards model. RESULTS: SAA levels were significantly higher in patients with ESCC compared to levels in healthy controls (13.88 ± 15.19 mg/L vs. 2.26 ± 1.66 mg/L, P < 0.001). Elevation of SAA levels (≥ 8.0 mg/L) was observed in 54.5% (91/167) of patients with ESCC but not in healthy controls. SAA levels were associated with tumor size (P < 0.001), histological differentiation (P = 0.015), T classification (P < 0.001), clinical stage (P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001) and distant metastasis (P < 0.001), but not with the age and gender of the patients or tumor location. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with an elevated level of SAA (≥ 8.0 mg/L) had significantly lower 5-year survival rate than those with non-elevated SAA (< 8.0 mg/L, log-rank P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated level of preoperative SAA was found to associate with tumor progression and poor survival in patients with ESCC.

Establishing a TNM-like risk classification for metachronous second pulmonary adenocarcinoma in patients with previously resected pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Background: For metachronous second pulmonary adenocarcinoma (msPAD) in patients with resected PAD, the method to distinguish tumour clonality has not yet been well established, which makes it difficult to determine accurate staging and predict prognosis. Methods: Patients received surgery for the primary and encountered msPAD were recruited into the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. We extracted overall survival 1 (OS1) for the primary, overall survival 2 (OS2) for the msPAD, and defined interval survival as the interval time between the first and second PAD. Based on the nomogram and recursive partitioning analysis, a tumor, node, metastasis staging system (TNM)-like risk stratification system was established for OS2 on the premise of suspending the dispute of tumor clonality. Results: A total of 1,045 patients were identified. There is no significant association between interval survival and OS2. A TNM-like risk stratification system was established based on the independent pathological factors for prognosis, including tumor diameter (2nd), node metastasis (2nd), grade (2nd), and extrapulmonary metastasis (2nd). The proposed risk stratification system present well capacity in predicting and stratifying prognosis. Compared with the TNM stage system, the proposed risk stratification system presents a smaller Akaike information criterion (AIC) but larger c-index, and generates higher accuracy to predict prognosis at 160 months of follow-up according to the time-dependent receiver operating curve (ROC) curve. Conclusions: In conclusion, the TNM-like risk stratification appears to be suitable for prognostic prediction and risk stratification for msPAD patients with former PAD resection. This model validates and refines the known classification rules based on the easily collected variables, and highlights potentially clinical implications.

Establishing a prognostic model for metachronous second squamous cell lung cancer in patients with resected squamous cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: For metachronous second pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (msPSC) in patients with resected PSC, the method to distinguish tumour clonality has not yet been well established, which makes it difficult to determine accurate staging and predict prognosis. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgery for first PSC and encountered msPSC were recruited from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We extracted overall survival 1 (OS1) for the first PSC, overall survival 2 (OS2) for msPSC, and interval survival for the time interval between the first and second PSC. The nomogram was calibrated for OS2, and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was performed for risk stratification. RESULTS: A total of 617 patients were identified. Several independent prognostic factors were identified and integrated into the nomogram for OS2, including gender, age (2nd), nodal status (1st), node metastasis (2nd), and extrapulmonary metastasis (2nd). The calibration curves showed optimal agreement between the predictions and actual observations, and the c-index was 0.678. Surgery was associated with longer survival for msPSC patients. The prognosis of sublobectomy was comparable and inferior to that of lobectomy in the low- and moderate-risk groups, respectively. Radiotherapy was associated with better outcomes in patients who did not undergo surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The RPA-based clinical nomogram appears to be suitable for the prognostic prediction and risk stratification of OS2 in msPSC. This practical system may help clinicians make decisions and design clinical studies.

Establishment of a novel risk score for in-hospital mortality in adult sepsis patients.

Background: Existing scoring systems have limitations in predicting the in-hospital mortality of adult sepsis patients. We aimed to develop and validate a novel risk score for predicting the in-hospital mortality of adult sepsis patients. Methods: The clinical data of 1,335 adult sepsis inpatients were retrospectively analyzed. Enrolled patients were randomly divided into a modeling group and a validation group at a 3:2 ratio. The modeling group (n=801) was used to develop the risk score by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The score's performance was validated in the validation group (n=534). We classified patients into four risk levels according to the novel risk score. Results: Age, central vein catheterization, mechanical ventilation, vasopressin, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, platelet (PLT), hematocrit (HCT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and activated partial thrombin time (APTT) were independent risk factors for in-hospital death in adult sepsis patients. Continuous variables were converted into classified variables to develop the risk score, with a total score of 39 points. Adult sepsis patients with low, lower medium, higher medium, and high risk levels had in-hospital mortality rates of 9.8%, 24.7%, 55.8%, and 83.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Compared with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scoring system (APACHE II) and the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), the novel risk score showed good predictive performance for in-hospital mortality in adult sepsis patients.

Progression-free survival at 3 years is a reliable surrogate for 5-year overall survival for patients suffering from locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Despite 3-year survival being used as a primary endpoint in some randomized controlled trials (RCTs), limited evidence supports the use of intermediate endpoints to evaluate the effect of new therapies in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). This study aimed to systematically evaluate progression-free survival at 3 years (3-year PFS) and overall survival (OS) among patients with ESCC. METHODS: We identified 528 patients newly diagnosed with locally advanced ESCC who received definitive radiotherapy. OS was compared with an age- and sex-matched general Chinese population using the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). Regression analysis was used to validate the correlation between PFS and OS using published data. RESULTS: The annual risk of progression decreased to 11.5% after 3 years. Patients who did not achieve 3-year PFS had a median postprogression survival (PPS) of 7.3 months, with a 5-year OS rate of 9.6% and a SMR of 15.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.9-17.5). Conversely, the SMR for patients who achieved 3-year PFS was 0.9 (95% CI, 0.6-1.3). We observed a significant correlation between log hazard ratio (HR) (PFS) and log HR (OS) at the trial level (r = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.88-0.90). The strongest correlation was observed between 3-year PFS and 5-year OS in RCTs and retrospective studies. CONCLUSIONS: Patients exhibiting progression within 3 years experienced poor survival, whereas patients achieving 3-year PFS had excellent outcomes. Our study supports 3-year PFS as a reliable primary endpoint for study design and risk stratification in locally advanced ESCC.

A clinical nomogram and heat map for assessing survival in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer after complete resection.

BACKGROUND: Assessing the prognosis of patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has become a major clinical issue. This study aimed to devise an effective clinical nomogram and heat map for assessing the survival of patients with stage I NSCLC receiving complete resection. METHODS: Nomograms were established based on a retrospective study of 654 patients with stage I NSCLC who underwent radical resection at Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center between January 2009 and December 2014. The concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve were used to measure the accuracy and discriminative ability of the final nomogram. Heat maps were constructed with prognostic factors and survival probabilities. Survival curves were depicted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to determine significance. Patients were classified into low- and high-risk subgroups using recursive partitioning analysis based on nomogram scores. RESULTS: In univariate and multivariate analyses, the independent factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were age, sex, tumor size, and visceral pleural invasion, which were all selected in the nomogram. The C-indices of the nomogram for predicting OS and DFS were 0.694 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.651-0.737] and 0.653 (95% CI 0.61-0.696), respectively. The calibration curves for OS and DFS probabilities showed a good agreement between the nomogram prediction and actual observation. A heat map was generated using the above independent factors for OS and DFS. High-risk patients had shorter OS [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.535, 95% CI 2.444-5.113, p < 0.001] and DFS (HR = 2.607, 95% CI 1.922-3.537, p < 0.001) than low-risk patients. CONCLUSION: We established a prognostic nomogram and heat map that can be useful for evaluating survival in patients with stage I NSCLC after complete resection. The tools resulted in more accurate prediction and may guide clinicians in making treatment decisions.

Oncologic outcomes of lobectomy vs. segmentectomy in non-small cell lung cancer with clinical T1N0M0 stage: a literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lobectomy has long been regarded as the standard treatment for operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent studies suggested that segmentectomy could achieve a good prognosis for early-stage NSCLC and might be an alternative to lobectomy in this cohort. Until now, on the issue of comparison between lobectomy and segmentectomy, there remains no published randomized controlled trial (RCT), and all existing evidence is low. Recently, a categorization of lower-level evidence has been proposed, namely, the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the oncologic outcome between lobectomy and segmentectomy in NSCLC with the clinical T1N0M0 stage according to the GRADE system. METHODS: PubMed, the PMC database, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library were searched prior to May 2019 to identify studies that compared the prognosis between lobectomy and segmentectomy for clinical T1N0M0 NSCLC. The evidence level of the included studies was assessed according to the GRADE system, including level IIA, probably not confounded nonrandomized comparison; level IIB, possibly confounded nonrandomized comparison; and level IIC, probably confounded nonrandomized comparison. The predefined outcomes included overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Univariable and multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were pooled using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Twelve nonrandomized studies involving 8,072 participants were included. Of these studies, two were classified as IIA level (16.7%), six as IIB level (50.0%), and four as IIC level (33.3%). When crude HRs were included, compared with lobectomy, segmentectomy was associated with shorter OS but comparable DFS in the entire cohort (OS, pooled HR =1.45, 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.67; DFS, pooled HR =1.03, 95% CI, 0.65 to 1.82) and in patients with nodules ≤2 cm (OS, pooled HR =1.55, 95% CI, 1.33 to 1.80; DFS, pooled HR =0.98, 95% CI, 0.55 to 1.77). When adjusted HRs were included, the impact of segmentectomy on OS and DFS was comparable to that of lobectomy in the entire cohort (OS, pooled HR =1.39, 95% CI, 0.92 to 2.10; DFS, pooled HR =0.83, 95% CI, 0.66 to 1.03) and in patients with nodules ≤2 cm (OS, pooled HR =1.61, 95% CI, 0.87 to 3.00; DFS, pooled HR =0.90, 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.27). CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, although shorter OS is observed in patients received segmentectomy, it is necessary to wait for more results from RCT to draw a valid conclusion.

Impact of examined lymph node count for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in patients who underwent left transthoracic oesophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the number of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) on stage correction and prognostication in patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent left transthoracic oesophagectomy is still unclear. METHODS: Patients with ESCC who underwent left transthoracic oesophagectomy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 1997 and December 2013 were retrospectively enrolled. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the effect of ELN count on overall survival (OS). The association between ELN count and nodal status was investigated through scatter plot and binary logistic regression analyses. The impact of ELN count on stage correction was evaluated using the hypergeometric distribution and Bayes theorem. The threshold of ELNs was determined using the LOWESS smoother and piecewise linear regression. RESULTS: Among the 1826 included patients, greater ELNs were associated with a higher rate of nodal metastasis (adjusted OR = 1.018). When the ELN count increased, the omission rate of positive lymph nodes (LNs) decreased. The ELN count did not impact 90-day mortality but significantly impacted long-term survival (adjusted HR = 0.983), especially in those with node-negative disease (adjust HR = 0.972). In patients with node-negative disease, cut point analysis showed a threshold ELN count of 18. CONCLUSIONS: A greater number of ELNs is associated with more accurate node staging and better long-term survival in resected ESCC patients. We recommended harvesting at least 18 LNs to acquire accurate staging and long-term survival information for patients with declared node-negative disease in the left thoracic approach.

Impact of treatment modality on long-term survival of stage IA small-cell lung cancer patients: a cohort study of the U.S. SEER database.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment modality for patients with stage IA (T1N0M0) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is still unclear. METHODS: Patients who received surgical resection or chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) between January 2004 and December 2014 were identified from The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Surgical resection included lobectomy, wedge resection, segmentectomy with lymphadenectomy [examined lymph node (ELN) ≥1]. Propensity score match analysis was utilized to balance the baseline characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 686 stage IA SCLC cases were included: 337 patients underwent surgery and 349 patients were treated by CRT alone. Surgery achieved a better outcome than CRT alone, with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 0.495. Patients who underwent lobectomy demonstrated a longer overall survival (OS), compared to those who received sublobectomy (crude cohort, median OS, 69 vs. 38 months; match cohort, median OS, 67 vs. 38 months). Patients with ELN >7 presented with longer OS than those with ELN ≤7 (crude cohort, median OS, 91 vs. 49 months; matched cohort, median OS, 91 vs. 54 months). The additional efficacy of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in patients receiving lobectomy was observed. The best prognosis was achieved in the lobectomy plus CRT cohort, with a 5-year survival rate of 73.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The prolonged survival associated with lobectomy and chemotherapy or radiotherapy presents a viable treatment option in the management of patients with stage IA SCLC.

Association of serum leptin with breast cancer: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that leptin is associated to the tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer (BC). However, these studies remain inconsistent. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the role of leptin in the patients with BC. METHOD: A systematic search in PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Science, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases was conducted up to September 1, 2017. The standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to pool the effect size. A funnel plot and Egger test were used to evaluate publication bias. RESULTS: Finally, 43 eligible studies were included in the current meta-analysis. Overall, serum leptin levels in BC cases were significantly higher compared with the controls (SMD = 0.61, P <.0001). When subgroup analyses were restricted to ethnicity and menstrual status, higher serum leptin concentration was also detected in patients with BC. Moreover, BC cases with body mass index (BMI) >25 indicated significantly higher serum leptin levels (SMD = 1.48, P = .034). Furthermore, the BC cases with lymph node metastases showed significantly higher serum leptin concentration (SMD = 0.53, P = .015). CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis suggests that the serum leptin may profiles as a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and metastasis of BC. In addition, leptin will provide useful information for a therapeutic target to treat BC.

Resectable left lower lobe non-small cell lung cancer with lymph node metastasis is related to unfavorable outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Despite numerous previous studies, the consideration of tumor location as a prognostic factor in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. The present study analyzed the association between tumor location and clinical outcome in patients with resectable NSCLC who had undergone lobectomy with systematic lymphadenectomy and who had presented with varying nodal statuses. METHODS: The data from a cohort of 627 eligible patients treated in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2000 and December 2008 were retrospectively collected, and the nodal statuses of patients with different tumor locations were compared. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the independent factors related to cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: Multivariate analysis demonstrated that left lower lobe (LLL) tumors [hazard ratio (HR): 1.465, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.090-1.969, P = 0.011], lymph node metastasis (HR: 2.742, 95% CI 2.145-3.507, P < 0.001), and a tumor size of >4 cm (HR: 1.474, 95% CI 1.151-1.888, P = 0.002) were three independent prognosticators in patients with resectable NSCLC. However, LLL tumors were associated only with CSS in node-positive patients (HR: 1.528, 95% CI 1.015-2.301, P = 0.042), and a tumor size of >4 cm was the only independent risk predictor in the node-negative subgroup (HR: 1.889, 95% CI 1.324-2.696, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor location is related to the long-term CSS of NSCLC patients with lymph node metastasis. LLL tumors may be upstaged in node-positive patients to facilitate an optimal treatment strategy.

Broadband photodetector based on carbon nanotube thin film/single layer graphene Schottky junction.

In this study, we present a broadband nano-photodetector based on single-layer graphene (SLG)-carbon nanotube thin film (CNTF) Schottky junction. It was found that the as-fabricated device exhibited obvious sensitivity to a wide range of illumination, with peak sensitivity at 600 and 920 nm. In addition, the SLG-CNTF device had a fast response speed (τr = 68 µs, τf = 78 µs) and good reproducibility in a wide range of switching frequencies (50-5400 Hz). The on-off ratio, responsivity, and detectivity of the device were estimated to be 1 × 102, 209 mAW-1 and 4.87 × 1010 cm Hz1/2 W-1, respectively. What is more, other device parameters including linear performance θ and linear dynamic range (LDR) were calculated to be 0.99 and 58.8 dB, respectively, which were relatively better than other carbon nanotube based devices. The totality of the above study signifies that the present SLG-CNTF Schottky junction broadband nano-photodetector may have promising application in future nano-optoelectronic devices and systems.

Decreased mRNA expression of transcription factor forkhead box F2 is an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The transcription factor forkhead box F2 (FOXF2) is an evolutionarily conserved DNA-binding protein involved in embryogenesis and metabolism. Although recent studies prove that FOXF2 is a tumor suppressor in various human cancers, the role of FOXF2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unknown. Therefore, samples were collected from 188 ESCC patients, including 33 pairs of tumor and non-tumor tissues, and FOXF2 mRNA expression was investigated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrated that FOXF2 mRNA is downregulated in tumor tissues compared to paired non-tumor tissues (P=0.048). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated 1.2 as a cut-off point and, thus, 125 and 63 tumors were classified as low- and high-level FOXF2 mRNA expression, respectively. We observed that low-level FOXF2 mRNA expression in the tumors was associated with a higher frequency of lymph node metastasis (P=0.044), an effect further suggested by the multivariate logistic regression analysis (P=0.060). According to the univariate Cox analysis, patients harboring tumors with low-level FOXF2 mRNA expression had a significantly increased mortality risk compared to those with high-level expression (hazard ratio=1.700, 95% confidence interval, 1.077-2.681), with 5-year survival rates of 41.1 and 61.9%, respectively. This negative prognostic effect of low-level FOXF2 mRNA expression was further validated in the multivariate Cox analysis (P=0.021). The subgroup analysis demonstrated that the effect of FOX2 mRNA expression was limited to male patients and those with advanced-stage disease. Taken together, these findings suggest that FOXF2 may be an anti-oncogene for ESCC and decreased FOXF2 mRNA expression is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with ESCC.

Aggressive surgical resection does not improve survival in operable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with N2-3 status.

AIM: To investigate the influence of nodal status on response and clarify the optimal treatment for operable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 1490 OSCC patients who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy between December 1996 and December 2009 at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. The surgical approach and the number of resected lymph nodes (LNs) were considered in the assessment of surgery. Patients were classified according to their nodal statuses (N0 vs N1 vs N2-3). Overall survival was defined as the time from the date of death or final follow-up. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and differences between curves were assessed by the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with prognosis. Statistical significance was assumed at a P < 0.05. RESULTS: With a median time from surgery to the last censoring date for the entire cohort of 72.2 mo, a total of 631 patients were still alive at the last follow-up and the median survival time was 35.5 mo. The surgical approach (left transthoracic vs Ivor-Lewis/tri-incisional) was verified as independent prognostic significance in patients with N0 or N1 status, but not in those with N2-3 status. Similar results were also observed with the number of resected LNs (≤ 14 vs ≥ 15). Compared with surgery alone, combined therapy achieved better outcomes in patients with N1 or N2-3 status, but not in those with N0 status. For those with N2-3 status, neither the surgical approach nor the number of resected LNs reached significance by univariate analysis, with unadjusted HRs of 0.826 (95%CI: 0.644-1.058) and 0.849 (95%CI: 0.668-1.078), respectively, and aggressiveness of surgery did not influence the outcome; the longest survival was observed in those patients who received the combined therapy. CONCLUSION: Combined therapy has a positive role in OSCC with LN metastasis, and aggressive surgical resection does not improve survival in patients with N2-3 status.