An Organodiphosphate-Containing Polyoxoniobate Ring and Its Assembly into a Three-Dimensional Framework through Hydrogen Bonding.

In this work, a novel organodiphosphate-containing inorganic-organic hybrid polyoxoniobate (PONb) ring {(PO3CH2CH2PO3H)4Nb8O16}4- (Nb8P8) has been achieved by a one-pot hydrothermal method. The ring is constructed from a tetragonal {Nb8O36} motif and four {PO3CH2CH2PO3H} ligands. Interestingly, Nb8P8 can be joined together via K-H2O clusters {K2(H2O)4(OH)2} to form one-dimensional chains {[K2(H2O)4(OH)2]Nb8P8}n and further linked by {Cu(en)2}2+ (en = ethylenediamine) complexes, resulting in a three-dimensional supramolecular framework {[Cu(en)2]2[K2(H2O)4(OH)2]Nb8P8}·3en·H2O (1). 1 exhibits good chemical and thermal stability and has a high water vapor adsorption capacity of ≤224 cm3 g-1 (22.71 mol·mol-1) at 298 K, outperforming most of the known polyoxometalate-based materials. Impedance measurements prove that 1 can transfer protons with moderate conductivity. This study not only contributes to the structural diversity of organodiphosphate-containing PONbs and PONb rings but also provides a reference for the development of PONb-based materials with unique performance.

Development of Stable Water-Soluble Supratomic Silver Clusters Utilizing A Polyoxoniobate-Protected Strategy: Giant Core-Shell-Type Ag8@Nb162 Fluorescent Nanocluster.

Atomically precise low-nuclearity (n<10) silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) have garnered significant interest due to their size-dependent optical properties and diverse applications. However, their synthesis has remained challenging, primarily due to their inherent instability. The present study introduces a new feasible approach for clustering silver ions utilizing highly negative and redox-inert polyoxoniobates (PONbs) as all-inorganic ligands. This strategy not only enables the creation of novel Ag-PONb composite nanoclusters but also facilitates the synthesis of stable low-nuclearity AgNCs. Using this method, we have successfully synthesized a small octanuclear rhombic [Ag8]6+ AgNC stabilized by six highly negative [LiNb27O75]14- polyoxoanions. This marks the first PONb-protected superatomic AgNC, designated as {Ag8@(LiNb27O75)6} (Ag8@Nb162), with an aesthetically spherical core-shell structure. The crystalline Ag8@Nb162 is stable under ambient conditions, What's more, it is water-soluble and able to maintain its molecular cluster structure intact in water. Further, the stable small [Ag8]6+ AgNC has interesting temperature- and pH-dependent reversible fluorescence response, based on which a multiple optical encryption mode for anti-counterfeit technology was demonstrated. This work offers a promising avenue for the synthesis of fascinating and stable PONb-protected AgNCs and sheds light on the development of new-type optical functional materials.

Synthesis and Application of a Novel Multi-Branched Block Polyether Low-Temperature Demulsifier.

In this paper, a low-temperature thick oil demulsifier with high polarity was prepared by introducing ethylene oxide, propylene oxide block, and butylene oxide using m-diphenol as a starting agent. The main reasons for the difficulty involved in the low-temperature emulsification of extractive fluids were explained by analyzing the synthetic influencing factors and infrared spectra of the star comb polymer (PR-D2) and by analyzing the four fractions, interfacial energies, and zeta potentials of crude oils from the Chun and Gao fields. The effects of PR-D2 surfactant on the emulsification performance of crude oil recovery fluids were investigated via indoor and field experiments. The experimental results indicate that the optimal synthesis conditions for this emulsion breaker are as follows: a quality ratio of ionic reaction intermediates and meso-diphenol of R = 10:1; 1 g of the initiator; a polymerization temperature of 80 °C; and a reaction time of 8 h. Colloidal asphaltenes in the crude oil were the main factor hindering the low-temperature demulsification of the Gao oilfield's extractive fluids, and the reason for the demulsification difficulty of the extractive fluids in the Chun oilfield is that the temperature of demulsification is lower than the wax precipitation point. The demulsification rate of the Chun oilfield's extractive fluids reached more than 98% when the PR-D2 concentration reached 150 mg/L at 43 °C. The demulsification rate of the Gao oilfield's extractive fluids reached more than 98% at a PR-D2 concentration of 150 mg/L at 65 °C. The field experiments show that the Chun oilfield's extractive fluids can still demulsify after the temperature is reduced to 43 °C in winter. The emulsification temperature of the Gao oilfield's extractive fluids was reduced from 73 °C to 68 °C, with an excellent demulsification effect.

Photo-Activating Biomimetic Polyoxomolybdate for Boosting Oxygen Evolution in Neutral Electrolytes.

Inspired by the metal-oxo cluster structural feature and charge separation behaviour of the oxygen evolving center (OEC) in photosystem II (PS-II) under photoirradiation, a new crystalline photochromic polyoxomolybdate, MV2 [ß-Mo8 O26 ] (1, MV=methyl viologen cation), is designed as a biomimetic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst in neutral electrolytes. After photoinduced electron transfer (PIET) with colour change from colourless to grey, it remains in an ultra-stable charge-separated state over a year under ambient conditions. The observed overpotential at 10 mA ⋅ cm-2 and Tafel slope decrease by 49 mV and 62.8 mV ⋅ dec-1 after coloration, respectively. The outstanding OER performance of the coloured state in neutral electrolytes even outperforms the commercial RuO2 benchmark. Experimental and theoretical studies show that oxygen holes within polyanions after irradiation serve as sites for enhancing direct O-O coupling, thus effectively promoting OER. This is the first successful application of electron-transfer photochromism to realize OER activity gain.

Adhesional Omental Hernia With Small Bowel Obstruction in an Elderly Patient With a Virgin Abdomen: A Case Report.

Small bowel obstruction is a frequently encountered surgical condition in adults. Its most prevalent causes include adhesions resulting from prior abdominal surgery or peritoneal infection. However, cases of small bowel obstruction caused by omental bands in elderly individuals with no prior abdominal surgeries are exceedingly rare, with only a few reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of an elderly patient with small bowel obstruction caused by internal herniation through an omental band, without prior abdominal surgery or trauma. The initial impression was mesenteric ischemia, which posed a diagnostic dilemma as the patient did not exhibit any clinical risk factors for mesenteric ischemia with absent history of previous trauma or abdominal surgery. A computed tomography (CT) scan was performed, revealing clustering of small bowel loops in the right hemiabdomen with mild dilatation and a close loop configuration indicative of an internal hernia. Internal hernias are rare and challenging to diagnose clinically as they lack specific signs and symptoms. In this case, CT played a crucial role in enabling preoperative diagnosis of an internal hernia and guiding early management.

Development of a New Heteropolyoxotantalate Cluster for Multidimensional Polyoxotantalate Materials.

A unique heteropolyoxotantalate (hetero-POTa) cluster [P2O7Ta5O14]7- (P2Ta5) was first developed using pyrophosphate as a key to open the ultrastable skeleton of the classical Lindqvist-type [Ta6O19]8- precursor. The P2Ta5 cluster can serve as a general and flexible secondary building unit to create a family of brand-new multidimensional POTa architectures. This work not only promotes the limited structural diversity of hetero-POTa but also provides a practical strategy for new extended POTa architectures.

Behaviors of AlGaN Strain Relaxation on a GaN Porous Structure Studied with d-Spacing Crystal Lattice Analysis.

The high porosity of a GaN porous structure (PS) makes it mechanically semi-flexible and can shield against the stress from the thick growth template on an overgrown layer to control the lattice structure or composition within the overgrown layer. To understand this stress shield effect, we investigated the lattice constant variations among different growth layers in various samples of overgrown Al0.3Ga0.7N on GaN templates under different strain-relaxation conditions based on d-spacing crystal lattice analysis. The fabrication of a strain-damping PS in a GaN template shields against the stress from the thick GaN template on the GaN interlayer, which lies between the PS and the overgrown AlGaN layer, such that the stress counteraction of the AlGaN layer against the GaN interlayer can reduce the tensile strain in AlGaN and increase its critical thickness. If the GaN interlayer is thin, such that a strong AlGaN counteraction occurs, the increased critical thickness can become larger than the overgrown AlGaN thickness. In this situation, crack-free, thick AlGaN overgrowth is feasible.

Construction of pain prediction model for patients undergoing hepatic arterial chemoembolization.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a predictive model for pain in patients undergoing hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in interventional operating room. METHODS: Through literature review and expert interviews, a questionnaire was prepared for the assessment of pain factors in patients with hepatic arterial chemoembolization. A prospective cohort study was used to select 228 patients with hepatic arterial chemoembolization in a tertiary and first-class hospital. The data of the patients in the pain group and the non-pain group were compared, and a rapid screening prediction model was constructed by univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis, and its prediction effect was tested. RESULTS: Tumor size, liver cancer stage, and chemoembolization with drug-loaded microspheres and pirarubicin hydrochloride (THP) mixed with lipiodol were independent predictors of pain in patients after hepatic arterial chemoembolization. Finally, the pain prediction model after TACE was obtained. The results of Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the model fit was good (χ2 = 13.540, p = 0.095). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.798, p < 0.001. CONCLUSION: The rapid screening and prediction model of pain in patients undergoing hepatic arterial chemoembolization has certain efficacy, which is helpful for clinical screening of patients with high risk of pain, and can provide reference for predictive pain management decision-making.

Perioperative optimization of Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract. With the increased availability of modalities in the last two decades, the treatment of CD has advanced remarkably. Although medical treatment is the mainstay of therapy, most patients require surgery during the course of their illness, especially those who experience complications. Nutritional optimization and ERAS implementation are crucial for patients with CD who require surgical intervention to reduce postoperative complications. The increased surgical risk was found to be associated with the use of corticosteroids, but the association of surgical risk with immunomodulators, biologic therapy, such as anti-TNF mediations, anti-integrin medications, and anti-IL 12/23 was low in certainty. Decisions about preoperative medication must be made on an individual case-dependent basis. Preoperative imaging studies can assist in the planning of appropriate surgical strategies and approaches. However, patients must be informed of any alterations to their treatment. In summary, the management of perioperative medications and surgery-related decision-making should be individualized and patient-centered based on a multidisciplinary approach.

Design and application of auxiliary system for drug distribution in outpatient pharmacy / 药学实践杂志

Objective To construct the auxiliary system of outpatient drug distribution, reduce errors and improve the quality of outpatient pharmaceutical service. Methods The bar code technology was used to independently develop outpatient pharmacy dispensing assistant system. The system design and function are introduced. The practical application effect of the system was evaluated on dispensing errors, efficiency and pharmacist evaluation. Results Based on the special network environment of the hospital, the system integrated the functions of drug check, prescription right management, expiration date management and medication instruction. After using the system, the number of dispensing errors decreased from 84 to 25. The waiting time for patients to receive medicine decreased by 151 seconds. All pharmacists surveyed agreed that auxiliary system was helpful to pharmacists’ work. Conclusion The system reduced the medication dispensing error in outpatient pharmacy, improved work efficiency and the quality of pharmaceutical care.

Profiles and differences of submucosal microbial in peri-implantitis and health implants: A cross-sectional study / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To describe the submucosal microbial profiles of peri-implantitis and healthy implants, and to explore bacteria that might be correlated with clinical parameters.@*METHODS@#In the present cross-sectional study, 49 patients were recruited. Each patient contributed with one implant, submucosal biofilms were collected from 20 healthy implants and 29 implants with peri-implantitis. DNA was extracted and bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) genes were amplified. Submucosal biofilms were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing at Illumina MiSeq platform. Differences between the groups were determined by analyzing α diversity, microbial component and microbial structure. The potential correlation between the bacteria with pocket probing depth (PPD) of peri-implant calculated by Spearman correlation analysis.@*RESULTS@#The α diversity of submucosal microbial of health group was significantly lower than that in peri-implantitis group (Chao1 index: 236.85±66.13 vs. 150.54±57.43, P < 0.001; Shannon index: 3.42±0.48 vs. 3.02±0.65, P=0.032). Principal coordinated analysis showed that the submucosal microbial structure had significant difference between healthy and peri-implantitis groups [R2=0.243, P=0.001, analysis of similarities (ANOSIM)]. Compared with healthy implants, relative abundance of periodontal pathogens were higher in peri-implantitis, including members of the red complex (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola) and some members of orange complex (Precotella intermedia, Eubacterium nodatum, Parvimonas micra), as well as some new periodontal pathogens, such as Fillifactor alocis, Fretibacterium fastidiosum, Desulfobulbus sp._HMT_041, and Porphyromonas endodontalis. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the relative abundance of Treponema denticola (r=0.686, P < 0.001), Tannerella forsythia (r=0.675, P < 0.001), Fretibacterium sp. (r=0.671, P < 0.001), Desulfobulbus sp._HMT_041 (r=0.664, P < 0.001), Filifactor alocis (r=0.642, P < 0.001), Fretibacterium fastidiosum (r=0.604, P < 0.001), Porphyromonas gingivalis (r=0.597, P < 0.001), Porphyromonas endodontalis (r=0.573, P < 0.001) were positive correlated with PPD. While the relative abundance of Rothia aeria (r=-0.615, P < 0.001) showed negatively correlation with PPD.@*CONCLUSION@#Marked differences were observed in the microbial profiles of healthy implants and peri-implantitis. The members of red and orange complex as well as some new periodontal pathogens seem to play an important role in peri-implant disease. Compared with healthy implants, the submucosal microbial of peri-implantitis were characterized by high species richness and diversity.

Chemical constituents in Dolomiaea plants and their pharmacological activities: a review / 中国中药杂志

Dolomiaea plants are perennial herbs in the Asteraceae family with a long medicinal history. They are rich in chemical constituents, mainly including sesquiterpenes, phenylpropanoids, triterpenes, and steroids. The extracts and chemical constituents of Dolomiaea plants have various pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antitumor, anti-gastric ulcer, hepatoprotective and choleretic effects. However, there are few reports on Dolomiaea plants. This study systematically reviewed the research progress on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Dolomiaea plants to provide references for the further development and research of Dolomiaea plants.

Yigong Powder regulates CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling to reduce glutamate release and prevent cognitive decline in mouse model of aging / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore the effect of preventive administration of Yigong Powder on the learning and memory abilities of the mouse model of aging induced by D-galactose and decipher the underlying mechanism, so as to provide a basis for the application of Yigong Powder in the prevention and treatment of cognitive decline. Forty KM mice were randomized into control, model, donepezil(1.5 mg·kg~(-1)), and high-dose(7.5 g·kg~(-1)) and low-dose(3.75 g·kg~(-1)) Yigong Powder groups. The mice in other groups except the control group were injected with D-galactose(200 g·kg~(-1)) at the back of the neck for the modeling of aging. At the same time, the mice were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage for one month. Morris water maze was used to examine the learning and memory abilities of the mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the pathological and morphological changes of the hippocampus. The immunofluorescence assay was employed to detect the expression of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1(IBA1), glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), chemokine C-X-C-motif ligand 12(CXCL12), chemokine C-X-C-motif receptor 4(CXCR4) in the hippocampus and observe the positional relationship between IBA1, GFAP, and CXCR4. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of extracellular regulated kinase(ERK), p-ERK, and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1(TNFR1). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of glutamate and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α) in the brain tissue and the level of TNF-α in the serum and spleen. Yigong Powder significantly shortened the escape latency, increased the times crossing platforms, and prolonged the cumulative time in quadrants of the aging mice. It alleviated the nerve cell disarrangement, increased intercellular space, and cell degeneration or death in the hippocampus and reduced the pathology score of the damaged nerve. Moreover, Yigong Powder reduced the positive area of IBA1 and GFAP, reduced the levels of TNF-α in the brain tissue, serum, and spleen, and decreased spleen index. Furthermore, Yigong Powder decreased the average fluorescence intensity of CXCL12 and CXCR4, reduced CXCR4-positive astrocytes and microglia, down-regulated the protein levels of p-ERK/ERK and TNFR1, and lowered the level of glutamate in the brain tissue. This study showed that the preventive administration of Yigong Powder can ameliorate the learning and memory decline of the D-galactose-induced aging mice by regulating the immune function of the spleen and the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling in the brain to reduce glutamate release. However, the mechanism of Yigong San in preventing and treating dementia via regulating spleen and stomach function remains to be studied.

Effects of Combination of 1,25(OH) 2D 3 and TLR-4 Inhibitor on the Damage to HaCaT Cells Caused by UVB Irradiation.

Objective: Vitamin D and Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) inhibition are involved in the protection of keratinocytes. The effects of combination of 1,25(OH) 2D 3 and TLR-4 inhibitor on the protection of keratinocytes against ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) irradiation remain unclear. This study was undertaken to explore the effects of combination of 1,25(OH) 2D 3 and TAK-242 (TLR-4 inhibitor) on the damage to HaCaT cells caused by UVB irradiation. Methods: In vitro, HaCaT cells were treated with 1,25(OH) 2D 3 or/and TAK-242 prior to UVB irradiation at the intensity of 20 mJ/cm 2, then the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell migration, apoptosis of cells, and the expression of oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis related proteins were determined. Results: Compared with the HaCaT cells treated with 1,25(OH) 2D 3 or TAK-242, the cells treated with both 1,25(OH) 2D 3 and TAK-242 showed, 1) significantly lower production of ROS ( P < 0.05); 2) significantly less apoptosis of HaCaT cells ( P < 0.05); 3) significantly lower expression of NF- κB, Caspase-8, Cyto-C, Caspase-3 ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of 1,25(OH) 2D 3 and TAK-242 could produce a better protection for HaCaT cells via inhibiting the oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis than 1,25(OH) 2D 3 or TAK-242 alone.

The roles of CPSF6 in proliferation, apoptosis and tumorigenicity of lung adenocarcinoma.

Cleavage and polyadenylation specific factor 6 (CPSF6), a member of serine/arginine-rich protein family, is implicated in HIV-1-infection and replication. Overexpression of CPSF6 predicts poor prognostic outcomes of breast cancer. However, the expression and possible function of CPSF6 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) still needs to be explored. Here, we found that CPSF6 is significantly higher expressed in tumor tissues than normal tissues in multiple cancer types. Besides, CPSF6 plays a significant risky role in LUAD that is associated with overall survival (HR=1.337, P=0.051) and disease-specific survival (HR=1.4739, P=0.042). CPSF6 mRNA was up-regulated in LUAD tissues by analyzing publicly available datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Further survival analysis on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset suggested a close correlation between CPSF6 expression and overall survival, and disease-free survival of LUAD patients. Inhibition of CPSF6 expression by lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) in two LUAD cell lines (A549 and NCH-H1299) caused a significant reduction in cell proliferation, colony formation and a notable induction in apoptotic rate. CPSF6 knockdown in xenograft tumors inhibited LUAD cell growth in vivo. Moreover, we identified differentially expressed genes with CPSF6 inhibition by Microarray analysis, and pathway analyses revealed that CPSF6 knockdown resulted in the dysregulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway. Collectively, our results are the first to demonstrate that CPSF6 functions as an oncoprotein by regulating cancer-related pathways in LUAD.

Clinical features and surgical outcomes of young patients with lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as ground glass opacity.

Background: More and more ground glass opacity associated lung adenocarcinoma (GGO-LUAD) have been diagnosed in young patients nowadays. Our study aims to investigate the clinical features and surgical outcomes of young patients with GGO-LUAD. Methods: Patients aged ≤ 40 years who were diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma and who underwent video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) were retrospectively reviewed from January 2017 to December 2018. According to radiological appearance of the patient's lesions, they were divided into a solid nodule (SN) group and GGO group. The pathological subtypes, surgical procedures and nodules size were analyzed, and the clinical features and prognosis were evaluated between these patients. Results: A total of 165 patients were included, of which 133 were in the GGO group and 32 in the SN group. Both the GGO group and the SN group had a higher proportion of females and non-smokers. Compared with patients (15.63%) in the SN group, there are more patients (27.8%) under the age of 30 in the GGO group. Pathological findings showed 83.5% of lesions were pre-invasive lesions in the GGO group, although 16.5% of lesions were invasive adenocarcinoma, whereas in the SN group, 96.9% were invasive adenocarcinoma. The GGO group had significantly better histological characteristics and prognosis than the SN group. Perioperative complications occurred in only 6 patients, including pneumonia in one patient, pneumothorax in two patients, and prolonged air leak in three patients. No other serious complications or deaths occurred. After a median follow-up time of 41.2 ± 7.2 months (32-56), the 3-year recurrence free survival (RFS) (100%) and overall survival (OS) (100%) of the GGO group were significantly higher than those (93.42% and 96.88%) in the SN group. Conclusions: Young patients with GGO-LUAD are mainly non-smokers and female. Most of these patients were early-stage with good prognosis after surgery.

Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis of Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) in Pan-Cancer.

Background: To conduct a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis on the transcriptome signatures of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in pan-cancer. Materials and methods. A total of 11,057 tissues consisting of 33 types of carcinoma in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were retrieved, and then we further explored the correlation between TLRs' expression with tumorigenesis, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity. We conducted a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis on TLR1 to 10 in pan-cancer, including differential expression analysis between normal and tumor tissues, differential immune subtype correlation, survival analysis, tumor immune infiltration estimating, stemness indices correlation, and drug responses correlation. Results: TLR2 was highly expressed in most types of tumors. TLR9 was hardly expressed compared to other TLR genes, which lead to TLR9 showing less correlation with both immune-estimate scores and stromal-estimate scores. All the TLRs were related with immune subtype of tumor samples that all of them were differentially expressed in differential immune subtype samples. The expression of TLRs was positively related with immune-estimate scores and stromal-estimate scores in almost all types of tumor. The expression of TLRs was negatively correlated with mRNA expression-based stemness scores (RNAss) in nearly almost type of tumors except kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) and also negatively correlated with DNA methylation-based stemness scores (DNAss) in many types of tumors except adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL), KIRC, acute myeloid leukemia (LAML), low-grade glioma (LGG), testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), thyroid carcinoma (THCA), thymoma (THYM), and uveal melanoma (UVM). The expression of TLR9 was significantly positively correlated with the drug sensitivity of fluphenazine, alectinib, carmustine, and 7-hydroxystaurosporine. TLR7 was significantly positively correlated with the drug sensitivity of alectinib. Conclusions: Our study reveals the significant role of TLRs family in pan-cancer and provides potential therapeutic strategies of cancer.

Simultaneous resection of coexisting pulmonary and mediastinal lesions by video-assisted thoracic surgery: a case-series study.

BACKGROUND: With the growing number of patients with coexisting pulmonary and mediastinal lesions detected, reports about simultaneous video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for these concurrent diseases are still rare. To further explore the safety and effectiveness of simultaneous resection of pulmonary and mediastinal lesions by uniportal or biportal VATS, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of the largest series of cases to date. METHODS: From July 2018 to July 2021, all patients whose pulmonary lesions and mediastinal tumors were resected simultaneously in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Their demographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were enrolled, of whom 44 underwent unilateral uniportal VATS, 3 underwent bilateral uniportal VATS and 7 underwent unilateral biportal VATS. Seven cases were converted to thoracotomy during surgery. For the remaining 47 patients with various demographic and clinical characteristics, most of the operations were completed within 3 h (n = 33, 70.2%) with blood loss of no more than 100 mL (n = 43, 91.5%). The duration of chest tube drainage was 5.66 ± 3.34 days, and the average daily volume was 196.90 ± 122.31 mL. Four cases of postoperative complications occurred during hospitalization. The length of postoperative hospital stay was 8.60 ± 3.63 days. No severe complications or deaths were observed during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Uniportal and biportal VATS are safe and effective for simultaneous resection of selected coexisting pulmonary and mediastinal lesions, but the indications and operational details need more evaluation.

DEPDC1B collaborates with GABRD to regulate ESCC progression.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide with a poor prognosis. Given that DEPDC1B plays a key role in multiple cancers, the role of this molecule in ESCC was explored to identify potential targets for ESCC patients. METHOD: The expression level of DEPDC1B in ESCC was revealed based on the TCGA database and immunohistochemical experiments on clinical tissues. The correlation between DEPDC1B and survival of ESCC patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated silencing of DEPDC1B expression in ESCC cells and performed a series of in vitro and in vivo functional validations. RESULT: DEPDC1B was overexpressed in ESCC. High expression of DEPDC1B was significantly negatively correlated with overall survival in patients with ESCC. Moreover, knockdown of DEPDC1B inhibited ESCC cell proliferation, clone formation, migration, tumor formation and promoted apoptosis. Furthermore, knockdown of DEPDC1B leaded to significant downregulation of GABRD in ESCC cells. Meanwhile, GABRD expression was upregulated in ESCC, and its silencing can inhibit the proliferation and migration of the tumor cells. Interestingly, there was a protein interaction between DEPDC1B and GABRD. Functionally, GABRD knockdown partially reversed the contribution of DEPDC1B to ESCC progression. In addition, GABRD regulated ESCC progression may depend on PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: DEPDC1B collaborated with GABRD to regulate ESCC progression, and inhibition of this signaling axis may be a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

Double-lumen tube versus bronchial blocker in lymphadenectomy along the left recurrent laryngeal nerve for esophageal cancer: a propensity-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node (LN) dissection along left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is challenging in esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, and double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT) impedes the exposure of this area. The aim of this study was to determine whether bronchial blockers (BB) could be a better choice for this procedure. METHODS: The clinical characteristics of patients who received McKeown esophagectomy with radical lymph node dissection in Wuhan Tongji Hospital between August 2017 and July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The 1:1 propensity score match analysis was performed to compare the short-term effectiveness, the numbers of lymph nodes dissected, and the patterns of recurrence and survival between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 294 patients (192 and 102 in the DLT and BB group, respectively) were enrolled in the study. After matching, 204 patients (102 pairs) who underwent one-lung ventilation with DLT or BB displayed no significant variance in baseline characteristics. The BB group had higher number of LNs resected along left RLN (1.8 ± 2.3 vs. 2.5 ± 2.5, P = 0.001). For patients with metastatic left RLN LN, the BB group had longer medium survival time (15 vs. 32 months, P = 0.045), and tended to have longer medium recurrence-free survival time (6 vs. 15 months, P = 0.079), and lower rate of upper mediastinal and cervical LN recurrence (30.00% vs. 66.67%, P = 0.198). The postoperative complications were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with DLT, using BB in esophagectomy may allow more radical lymphadenectomy along left RLN.