Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment + chemotherapy (vs. chemotherapy alone) for locally advanced non­small cell lung cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment + chemotherapy has been used for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, evidence regarding the efficacy of this treatment is insufficient, particularly in Chinese patients. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant ICI treatment + chemotherapy compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone for locally advanced NSCLC. For this, 50 patients with locally advanced NSCLC were retrospectively analyzed; of these, 23 patients received pre-operative camrelizumab or sintilimab + chemotherapy (ICI + chemo group) and 27 patients received pre-operative chemotherapy alone (chemo group). The objective response rate (73.9 vs. 44.4%, P=0.035) was superior in the ICI + chemo group compared with the chemo group. Nevertheless, surgical resection rate (100.0 vs. 88.9%, P=0.240), major pathological response (60.9 vs. 41.7%, P=0.188) and complete pathological response (CPR; 30.4 vs. 8.3%, P=0.072) were not significantly different in the ICI + chemo group compared with the chemo group. Following adjustment, ICI + chemo was independently associated with an elevated CPR (P=0.029). Disease-free survival (DFS) was prolonged in the ICI + chemo group compared with the chemo group (1-year DFS, 94.1 vs. 81.6%; 2-year DFS, 80.7 vs. 42.9%; P=0.047), while no significant differences were observed in overall survival (OS; 1-year OS, 100.0 vs. 95.7%; 2-year OS, 90.0 vs. 64.9%; P=0.187). Additionally, the majority of adverse event incidences (apart from leukopenia) did not differ significantly between the ICI + chemo and chemo groups (all P>0.050). On the whole, the present study demonstrated that neoadjuvant ICI treatment + chemotherapy exhibited adequate efficacy and acceptable toxicity compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

Bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy can assist to identify the parathyroid gland during thyroid surgery.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy in the identification of parathyroid glands during thyroid surgeries. Method: All patients who received thyroid surgeries at our department from January 2018 to February 2020 were recruited for this study. The bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy analyzer was applied to analyze on following tissues: thyroid tissues, lymph nodes, adipose tissues, and the tissues suspected to be parathyroid glands. Postoperative pathological reports were obtained as the golden standard to compare with the characteristic parameters obtained from bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic value and the selection of the optimal threshold of these parameters from bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy. Results: A total of 512 patients were enrolled in the study and 1898 specimens were measured by the bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy analyzer. There were significant differences in the parameter of f c among parathyroid glands, thyroid tissues, lymph nodes, and adipose tissues (252.2 ± 45.8 vs 144.7 ± 26.1, 491.7 ± 87.4, 602.3 ± 57.3; P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves was 0.993 (95%CI: 0.989-0.996) for f c. When the diagnostic criterion of f c was set at 188.85 kHz~342.55 kHz, the sensitivity and specificity to identify parathyroid glands from lymph nodes and adipose tissues were both 100%. At this f c, the sensitivity and specificity to identify parathyroid glands from thyroid tissues were 91.1% and 99.0%, respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy could assist to differentiate parathyroid glands from peripheral tissues during thyroid surgeries.

Sorting Out the Genetic Background of the Last Surviving South China Tigers.

The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) is endemic to China and also the most critically endangered subspecies of living tigers. It is considered extinct in the wild and only about 150 individuals survive in captivity to date, whose genetic heritage, however, is ambiguous and controversial. Here, we conducted an explicit genetic assessment of 92 studbook-registered South China tigers from 14 captive facilities using a subspecies-diagnostic system in the context of comparison with other voucher specimens to evaluate the genetic ancestry and level of distinctiveness of the last surviving P. t. amoyensis. Three mtDNA haplotypes were identified from South China tigers sampled in this study, including a unique P. t. amoyensis AMO1 haplotype not found in other subspecies, a COR1 haplotype that is widespread in Indochinese tigers (P. t. corbetti), and an ALT haplotype that is characteristic of Amur tigers (P. t. altaica). Bayesian STRUCTURE analysis and parentage verification confirmed the verified subspecies ancestry (VSA) as the South China tiger in 74 individuals. Genetic introgression from other tigers was detected in 18 tigers, and subsequent exclusion of these and their offspring from the breeding program is recommended. Both STRUCTURE clustering and microsatellite-based phylogenetic analyses demonstrated a close genetic association of the VSA South China tigers to Indochinese tigers, an issue that could only be elucidated by analysis of historical South China tiger specimens with wild origin. Our results also indicated a moderate level of genetic diversity in the captive South China tiger population, suggesting a potential for genetic restoration.