Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for resectable esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for advanced esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma are still in question, and the prognosis of these patients is poor. METHODS: We systematically searched electronic databases from January 1990 to July 2014. The primary outcome was overall survival. The secondary outcomes were a R0 resection rate, positive rate of lymph node metastasis, postoperative recurrence rate, pathological complete response (pCR) rate and perioperative mortality. Overall survival was measured with a hazard ratio (HR), while other secondary outcomes were measured with an odds ratio (OR). RESULTS: Seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including 1085 patients were searched and, of these, 869 had adenocarcinoma. Patients receiving preoperative CRT had a longer overall survival (HR 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63-0.88), higher likelihood of R0 resection and greater chance of pCR, while they had a lower likelihood of lymph node metastasis and postoperative recurrence. The difference of perioperative mortality was non-significant. In addition, the result of the comparison between preoperative CRT and preoperative chemotherapy (CT) in two RCTs was non-significant. CONCLUSION: Patients with resectable esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma can gain a survival advantage from preoperative CRT. However, limited to the number of RCTs, the effect of adding radiotherapy to preoperative CT separately is still uncertain and more high-quality prospective trials are needed.

Dual pH and Temperature-Sensitive Nanogels Loaded with Eugenol for Regulating Central Nervous System.

Fragrances have many biological activities such as anti-anxiety, anti-depression, and improving cognitive memory. However, most fragrances are so volatile that the useful lifespan of the fragrances is very short and excessive fragrance concentration makes us uncomfortable. In this study, dual pH and temperature-sensitive nanogels named EG@CPMONGs were prepared to encapsulate eugenol. This nano-fragrance was then applied to silk. In the following, the effects of EG@CPMO-NGs on the regulation of central nervous systems were evaluated. Open-field tests showed that EG@CPMONGs had an obvious effect on stress relief. Elevated plus-maze tests proved the significant effect of EG@CPMO-NGs on anti-anxiety. Morris water maze tests demonstrated the positive impact of nano-fragrance on spatial learning and memory. Therefore, these dual pH and temperature-sensitive nanogels loaded with eugenol had significant and positive effects on the central nervous system.