The role of apical lymph node metastasis in right colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of apical lymph node (APN) metastasis in colorectal cancer remains controversial. The main purpose of this study is to explore the prognostic value of APN metastasis in patients with right colon cancer. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of patients with stage III right colon cancer between April 2007 and December 2016. Patients who underwent resection of right colon cancers with D3 lymph node dissection were divided into APN-positive (APN+) and APN-negative (APN-) groups according to the postoperative pathological presence or absence of APN metastasis. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) between groups were compared after Cox regression analysis and 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: A total of 254 patients were included in this study: 28 (11.0%) were APN+ and 226 (89.0%) were APN-. Before matching, the rates of elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), T3-4 tumor invasion, and N2 lymph node metastasis were significantly higher in the APN+ group (CEA ≥ 5 ng/mL, 53.6% vs. 37.6%, p < 0.001; T3-4, 92.9% vs. 85.4%, p < 0.001; N2 metastasis, 57.1% vs. 20.4%, p < 0.001), and APN+ tumors were associated with significantly higher postoperative relapse rates (39.3% vs. 21.2%; p = 0.03), especially with lung metastases (14.3% vs. 4.0%; p = 0.019), which conferred worse RFS (p = 0.013), although OS was similar (p = 0.078). However, after PSM, there were no apparent between-group differences in RFS (p = 0.29) or overall survival rate (p = 0.637). The Cox regression analysis indicated that lymphatic vessel infiltration and depth of invasion were independent risk factors for OS, while APN+ status was not a significant predictor for RFS or OS. CONCLUSIONS: APN metastasis was not a prognostic indicator for RFS or OS in right colon cancer. However, APN+ patients with elevated CEA levels and deeper tumor invasion should be closely monitored for lung metastasis during postoperative follow-up.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic analysis of N6-benzylaminopurine residue quantity in sprouts with gold nanoparticles.

A rapid and quantitative method for the determination of N6-Benzylademine (N6-BA) was established through the application of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The Raman peak intensities of N6-BA at 1002 cm-1 positively correlated to N6-BA concentrations in sprout extracts. The R2 reached 0.99, and RSDs calculated below 10% at the concentration range of 0.1 ∼5µg mL-1. The average recoveries were 80.0% ∼ 98.2% for blank samples intentionally contaminated at differing levels of 0.04, 0.4, and 1 µg g-1. The whole procedure, including sample preparation and SERS detection, did not exceed 30 min for a set of 6 samples. This study indicates that SERS is a promising technique for rapid tracing analysis and on-site testing of N6-BA.

Corrigendum: Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome: Pathogenesis and Clinical Picture.

[This corrects the article on p. 1 in vol. 6, PMID: 26870699.].

Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome: Pathogenesis and Clinical Picture.

Hantaan virus (HTNV) causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which is a zoonosis endemic in eastern Asia, especially in China. The reservoir host of HTNV is field mouse (Apodemus agraricus). The main manifestation of HFRS, including acute kidney injury, increases vascular permeability, and coagulation abnormalities. In this paper, we review the current knowledge of the pathogenesis of HFRS including virus factor, immunity factor and host genetic factors. Furthermore, the treatment and prevention will be discussed.

Electrochemical hydrogen storage in Ti(1.6)V(0.4)Ni(1-x)Co(x) icosahedral quasicrystalline alloys.

The discovery of the icosahedral phase (i-phase) in rapidly quenched Ti(1.6)V(0.4)Ni(1-x)Co(x) (x=0.02-0.1) alloys is described herein. The i-phase occurs in a similar amount relative to the coexisting beta-Ti phase. The electron diffraction patterns show the distinct spot anisotropy, indicating that the i-phase is metastable. The electrochemical hydrogen storage performances of these five alloy electrodes are also reported herein. The hydrogen desorption of nonelectrochemical recombination in the cyclic voltammetric (CV) response exhibits the demand for electrocatalytic activity improvement. A discharge capacity of 261.5 mA h g(-1) was measured in a Ti(1.6)V(0.4)Ni(0.96)Co(0.04) alloy electrode at 30 mA g(-1) and 303 K and it is shown that an appropriate amount of Co element addition would enhance the cycling stability at the expense of high-rate discharging ability.