Methyl radical chemistry in non-oxidative methane activation over metal single sites.

Molybdenum supported on zeolites has been extensively studied as a catalyst for methane dehydroaromatization. Despite significant progress, the actual intermediates and particularly the first C-C bond formation have not yet been elucidated. Herein we report evolution of methyl radicals during non-oxidative methane activation over molybdenum single sites, which leads selectively to value-added chemicals. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and online synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectroscopy in combination with electron microscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal the essential role of molybdenum single sites in the generation of methyl radicals and that the formation rate of methyl radicals is linearly correlated with the number of molybdenum single sites. Methyl radicals transform to ethane in the gas phase, which readily dehydrogenates to ethylene in the absence of zeolites. This is essentially similar to the reaction pathway over the previously reported SiO2 lattice-confined single site iron catalyst. However, the availability of a zeolite, either in a physical mixture or as a support, directs the subsequent reaction pathway towards aromatization within the zeolite confined pores, resulting in benzene as the dominant hydrocarbon product. The findings reveal that methyl radical chemistry could be a general feature for metal single site catalysis regardless of the support (either zeolites MCM-22 and ZSM-5 or SiO2) whereas the reaction over aggregated molybdenum carbide nanoparticles likely facilitates carbon deposition through surface C-C coupling. These findings allow furthering the fundamental insights into non-oxidative methane conversion to value-added chemicals.

Free of choice on anterior and posterior chest tube position after lung cancer resection.

OBJECTIVES: The optimal location to insert a chest tube for postoperative drainage has not been identified. We performed a retrospective equivalence study to identify whether the efficiency is similar regarding anterior or posterior position of chest tube in thoracic cavity after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for non-small-cell lung cancer. METHODS: A retrospective review of 4263 patients undergoing non-small-cell lung cancer resection from October 2009 to August 2019 in the Western China Lung Cancer Database was conducted. Propensity score matching was performed to balance baseline characteristics between anterior and posterior groups. Chest tube duration, drainage volume, postoperative complications and hospitalization cost were compared. Equivalence margin was defined as (-1, 1) in 95% confidence interval of the mean difference of chest tube duration. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, we investigated 2912 patients with anterior or posterior (1456 vs 1456) chest tube location following lung cancer resection. The mean time to chest tube removal was 3.39 days in the anterior group and 3.38 days in the posterior group (P = 0.52), while the mean difference and 95% confidence interval were 0.02 (-0.17, 0.20). The mean postoperative hospital stays in 2 groups were 5.47 vs 5.24 days (anterior vs posterior, P = 0.02). No significant differences were identified regarding the drainage volume during the first 3 postoperative days, postoperative complications and hospitalization cost. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of clinical outcomes between anterior and posterior location of chest tube met the criteria for equivalence. For lung cancer patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery resection, it was free choice on anterior or posterior single-tube insertion.

Risk factors for acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease following lung cancer resection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for acute exacerbation (AE) of interstitial lung disease (ILD) following lung cancer resection. METHODS: We performed a literature screening on the databases including PubMed, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE® and the Web of Science for related studies published up to January 2021. Eligible studies were included and data on risk factors related to postoperative AE were extracted. All analyses were performed with random-effect model. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies of 2655 lung cancer patients with ILD were included in this article. The meta-analysis indicated that male [odds ratios (ORs) = 1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-3.11, P = 0.041], usually interstitial pneumonia pattern on CT (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.06-2.17, P = 0.021), Krebs von den Lungen-6 [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.06-0.94, P = 0.027], white blood cell (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.12-0.93, P = 0.010), lactate dehydrogenase (SMD = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.04-0.90, P = 0.032), partial pressure of oxygen (weighted mean difference = -3.09, 95% CI: -5.99 to -0.19, P = 0.037), surgery procedure (OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.42-3.77, P < 0.001) and operation time (weighted mean difference = 28.26, 95% CI: 1.13-55.39, P = 0.041) were risk factors for AE of ILD following lung cancer resection. CONCLUSIONS: We found that males, usually interstitial pneumonia pattern on CT, higher levels of Krebs von den Lungen-6, lactate dehydrogenase, white blood cell, lower partial pressure of oxygen, greater scope of operation and longer operation time were risk factors for AE of ILD following lung cancer resection. Patients with these risk factors should be more prudently selected for surgical treatment and be monitored more carefully after surgery.

Beta-Blocker Landiolol Hydrochloride in Preventing Atrial Fibrillation Following Cardiothoracic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article was to assess the benefit of perioperative administration of the intravenous beta-blocker landiolol hydrochloride in preventing atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiothoracic surgery. METHODS: We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and OVID to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohorts up to January 2021. Data regarding postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) and safety outcomes were extracted. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined using the Mantel-Haenszel method. Meanwhile, subgroup analyses were conducted according to surgery type including lung cancer surgery, esophageal cancer surgery, and cardiac surgery. RESULTS: Seventeen eligible articles involving 1349 patients within 13 RCTs and four cohorts were included in our meta-analysis. Compared with control group, landiolol administration was associated with a significant reduction of the occurrence of AF after cardiothoracic surgery (OR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.23-0.43, P <0.00001). In addition, the results demonstrated that perioperative administration of landiolol hydrochloride minimized the occurrence of postoperative complications (OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.33-0.70, P = 0.0002). Funnel plots indicated no obvious publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: Considering this analysis, landiolol was effective in the prevention of AF after cardiothoracic surgery and did not increase the risk of major postoperative complications.

Clinicopathological features and prognostic analysis of metastatic pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma: a SEER analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Metastases are often detected at the first diagnosis. Despite high rates of distant metastasis, there is insufficient data describing the characteristics of PSC metastasis. METHODS: We performed a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database-based analysis of clinicopathological features and prognosis of distant metastasis in PSC patients. Data queried for this analysis included PSC patients in the database between 2010 and 2016. RESULTS: A total of 934 patients met the criteria for inclusion in the analysis and included, at the time of diagnosis, 512 (54.8%) patients with metastasis, including bone (n=152; 16.3%), brain (n=108; 11.6%), liver (n=70; 7.5%), lung (n=142; 15.2%) metastases. Binary logistic regression showed that patients with giant cell carcinoma [odds ratio (OR) 4.023, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.113-7.661, P<0.001] and spindle cell carcinoma (OR 3.151, 95% CI: 1.699-5.843, P<0.001) were associated with metastasis. Log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier plots indicated poor prognosis in metastatic patients [the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 14.1%, 5.5%, and 4.8%, respectively]. Multivariable analysis showed younger and chemotherapy as improved prognostic factors of PSC patients with single metastasis site. CONCLUSIONS: The SEER database-based analysis revealed the clinical features of distant metastasis of PSC and showed that different histological types posed distinct metastasis potential. Besides, age and chemotherapy were the independent prognostic factors of PSC patients with single metastasis site.

Diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by Raman spectroscopy provides high efficiency: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We aim to evaluate the efficiency of Raman spectroscopy (RS) in diagnosing suspected patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), manifested by diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. METHODS: We will research widely the articles concerning the use of RS in ICC through authenticated database including PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Ovid, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library, and CNKI between January 2012 and November 2020, retrieving at least 1500 spectra with strict criteria. This study will be carried out in accordance to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We are going to summarize the test performance using random effects models. RESULTS: Based on the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy, we intend to provide the relative diagnostic efficiency in ICC through RS. CONCLUSION: Through this systematic review and meta-analysis, we intend to provide the pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of RS in the diagnosis of suspected ICC. Other parameters like positive likelihood ratios (LR), negative LR, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operating characteristics (SROC) curve will also be calculated and related figures will be drawn to help illustrate the efficacy of RS in the diagnosis of ICC.

The accuracy of Raman spectroscopy in the diagnosis of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the overall performance of Raman Spectroscopy (RS) in the diagnosis of lung cancer. METHODS: We systematic searched databases including PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI and Web of science for studies up to May 2020 with no start date limited. Then we extracted data of true positives, true negatives, false positives and false negatives from the included studies to calculate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), with 95% confidence intervals to evaluate the diagnostic value of Raman spectroscopy. We plotted the summary receiver operator characteristics (SROC) and the area under the curve (AUC) to evaluate the overall performance of Raman spectroscopy. Quality assessments and Publication bias were evaluated by QUADAS-2 checklist and Stata software version 12.0. RESULTS: Totally, 12 studies were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of Raman Spectroscopy in lung cancer were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.87-0.92, P<0.05) and 0.76 (95% CI, 0.72-0.79, P<0.05). The pooled PLR and NLR were 5.87 (95% CI, 3.45-9.97) and 0.14 (95% CI, 0.10-0.22) respectively. And the AUC of SROC curve was 0.9453. DISCUSSION: Raman spectroscopy had excellent accuracy with high sensitivity and considerable specificity in the diagnosis of lung cancer.

Contrast-Enhanced CT-based Textural Parameters as Potential Prognostic Factors of Survival for Colorectal Cancer Patients Receiving Targeted Therapy.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to estimate the clinical significance of the contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) textural features for prediction of survival in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients receiving targeted therapy (bevacizumab and cetuximab). PROCEDURES: The LifeX software was used to extract the textural parameters of the tumor lesions in the contrast-enhanced CT. We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression and random forest method to screen the non-redundant radiomic features and constructed the CT imaging score. Univariate and multivariate analyses through the Cox proportional hazards model were performed to assess the prognostic clinical factor. Based on the result of multivariate analysis and CT imaging score, combined nomogram model was constructed to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients. Decision curves analysis was employed to evaluate the performance of the combined model and clinical model. RESULTS: After comparative analysis of the area under curve of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we chose the result of random forest model as CT imaging score. Considering the clinical practice and the result of analysis, age, surgery, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level have been introduced into clinical model. Based on the result of analysis and the CT imaging score, we constructed the nomogram combined model. C-index and calibration curve verified the goodness of fit and discrimination of the combined model. Decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated that the combined model showed the better net benefit for a 3-year OS than clinical model. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the study provides preliminary evidences that several radiomic parameters of tumor lesions derived from CT images were prognostic factors and predictive markers for CRC patients who are candidates for targeted therapy (bevacizumab and cetuximab).

The clinicopathological features and prognosis of primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (PPLELC) was a sparse subtype of unclassified lung cancer. The clinicopathologic features, prognostic factors and multimodality treatment regimens of LELC remain inconclusive. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to address this deficit in current knowledge. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to filtrate studies investigating on clinical features and prognostic factors of LELC up to Sep 9th, 2020. Fixed and random effect models were generated to present the incorporated hazard ratios (HR) and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The quality and heterogeneity of the included studies were also evaluated carefully. RESULTS: This systematic review and meta-analysis included 13 retrospective studies with a total of 1294 patients. The incidence of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in PPLELC varied from 63.3% to 75.8%. Positive PD-L1 expression was more likely to be found in patients under 60 years old (OR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.19-3.89, P = 0.01) and was associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS) compared with negative PD-L1 expression (HR = 2.99, 95%CI: 1.23-7.28, P = 0.02). The pooled results showed that stage was the prognostic factor for both overall survival (OS) and DFS. Moreover, a significantly better outcome of PPLELC was observed in men (HR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.33-0.95, P = 0.03) and patients who received radiation (HR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.22-0.96, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: PD-L1 expression was high in PPLELC patients. It was significantly associated with age under 60 and the unfavorable DFS. Stage and gender could be the prognostic factor for OS. Radiation could be the effective therapy for PPLELC.

Chylothorax after Lung Cancer Surgery: A Key Factor Influencing Prognosis and Quality of Life.

Chylothorax is caused by the accumulation of chylous fluid in the pleural cavity due to the injury of the thoracic duct or its tributaries. Chylothorax following lung cancer surgery, especially pulmonary resection and mediastinal lymph node dissection, is a raw potential postoperative complication as previously reported. Chylothorax might lead to a high mortality rate if not addressed in a timely fashion. This article reviews the anatomy of the thoracic duct, risk factors of postoperative chylothorax, diagnoses and management with chylothorax, and intraoperative prevention of chylothorax. With the development of researches on postoperative chylothorax, more effective treatment and prevention measures need to be proposed to better solve this clinical problem.

Prognostic Value of Pre-Treatment Prognostic Nutritional Index in Esophageal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Prognostic nutritional index (PNI), combining albumin and lymphocyte counts, which represent the nutritional and immune status, was considered as an effective predictor for the patient's prognosis after surgery. To comprehensively analyze the relative effectiveness of prognostic performance of pretreatment PNI in esophageal cancer (EC), we performed this meta-analysis. Methods: We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and Web of Science. The hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted to explore the correlation between PNI and the post-operative survival of patients with EC, including overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and post-operative complications. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied to estimate the quality of the included studies. The Begg's test was applied to assess the publication bias. Results: A total of 13 articles with 3,543 patients, were included in our meta-analysis, and nine studies reported OS in 2,731 EC patients. The pooled results of the nine studies suggested that EC patients with a low PNI would have a worse overall survival (HR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.99-1.31, p < 0.05). The integrated results also indicated that the PNI was a negative predictor for RFS. Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicated a high correlation between PNI and post-operative survival of EC. EC patients with low PNI values tend to have worse OS and may be at a higher risk of EC recurrence. However, more relevant researches are needed to confirm the association between PNI and post-operative complications of EC.

Efficacy of raman spectroscopy in the diagnosis of kidney cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively analyze the relative effectiveness of Raman spectroscopy (RS) in the diagnosis of suspected kidney cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a complete systematic review based on studies from PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Ovid, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. We identified 2413 spectra with strict criteria in 6 individual studies published between January 2008 and November 2018 in accordance to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. We summarized the test performance using random effects models. RESULTS: General pooled diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of RS to kidney cancer were 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95-0.97) and 0.91 (95% CI 0.89-0.92). The pooled positive likelihood ratio (LR) was 9.57 (95% CI 5.73-15.46) while the negative LR was 0.04 (95% CI 0.02-0.11). The pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 238.06 (95% CI 77.79-728.54). The area under curve of summary receiver operator characteristics was 0.9466. CONCLUSION: Through this meta-analysis, we found a promisingly high sensitivity and specificity of RS in the diagnosis of suspected kidney masses and tumors. Other parameters like positive LR, negative LR, diagnostic odds ratio and area under curve of the summary receiver operator characteristics curve all helped to illustrate the high efficacy of RS in the diagnosis of kidney cancer.

Diagnostic performance of various liquid biopsy methods in detecting colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis.

Liquid biopsy is a promising method in detecting colorectal cancer (CRC). However, previous meta-analyses only focused on the diagnostic performance of cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Therefore, we firstly evaluated the overall performance of all liquid biopsy methods. The pooled sensitivities, specificities, diagnostic odds ratios, and area under curve (AUC) of summary receiver operating characteristic curve for all liquid biopsy methods, exosomes, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and cfDNA were calculated, respectively. A total of 62 articles involving 18 739 individuals were included. Fifty-one articles were about cfDNA, five articles were about CTCs, and six articles were about exosomes. The overall performance of all liquid biopsy methods had a pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-0.78), 0.89 (95% CI 0.88-0.90), and 0.9004, respectively. The sensitivities were 0.82 (95% CI 0.79-0.85), 0.76 (95% CI 0.72-0.80), and 0.76 (95% CI 0.75-0.77) for CTCs, exosomes, and cfDNA, respectively. The specificities were 0.97 (95% CI95% CI 0.95-0.99), 0.92 (95% CI 0.89-0.94), and 0.88 (95% CI 0.87-0.89) for CTCs, exosomes, and cfDNA, respectively. The AUC were 0.9772, 0.9037, and 0.8963 for CTCs, exosomes, and cfDNA, respectively. The overall performance of all liquid biopsy methods had great diagnostic value in detecting CRC, regardless of subtypes. Among all liquid biopsy methods, CTCs showed the best diagnostic performance.

Diagnostic value of various liquid biopsy methods for pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Liquid biopsy is a novel method for cancer diagnosis, which has been applied in lung and breast cancers, demonstrating high diagnostic value. However, clinical value of it in pancreatic cancer (PC) remains to be verified. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate overall diagnostic value of various liquid biopsy methods (circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cells and exosomes) in detecting PC. METHODS: We comprehensively searched relevant studies in PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science without time limitation according to PRISMA. Data necessary for reconstructing a 2 × 2 table was calculated from the original articles. The methodological quality of included studies was evaluated by QUADAS-2. Statistical analysis including was performed by the software Meta-Disc version 1.4, and STATA 14.2. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies including 1872 individuals were included in this meta-analysis. In which, 7 were studies about ctDNA, 7 were on CTCs and 6 were about exosomes (Sefrioui D, studied diagnostic accuracy of both ctDNA and CTCs, with no common patients in these 2 groups). The pooled sensitivity estimates for ctDNA, CTCs and exosomes in detecting PC with their 95% confidential intervals (95% CI) were 0.64 (95%CI 0.58-0.70), 0.74 (95%CI 0.68-0.79) and 0.93 (95%CI 0.90-0.95), respectively. The pooled specificity estimates were 0.92(95%CI 0.88-0.95), 0.83 (95%CI 0.78-0.88) and 0.92 (95%CI 0.88-0.95), respectively. The area under curve (AUC) of the sROC for ctDNA, CTCs and exosomes in detecting PC were 0.9478, 0.8166, and 0.9819, respectively. The overall sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the sROC curve for overall liquid biopsy in detecting PC were 0.80 (95%CI 0.77-0.82), 0.89 (95%CI 0.87-0.91) and 0.9478, respectively. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis confirmed that liquid biopsy had high diagnostic value in detecting PC. In ctDNA, CTCs and exosomes these 3 subgroups, exosomes showed highest sensitivity and specificity.

The efficacy of Raman spectroscopy in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is characterized by its high occurrence rate and difficulty to treat successfully, therefore early diagnosis is extremely important. Our article is aimed to comprehensively analyze the relative effectiveness of Raman spectroscopy (RS) in the diagnosis of suspected esophageal cancer. METHODS: We performed a systemic search in PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI and Web of science from 2007 to 2020. We used the diagnostic data of true positive (TP), false positive (FP), true negative (TN) and false negative (FN) to estimate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), with 95% confidence intervals (CI), based on random effects models. The SROC curve analysis and AUC were performed to estimate the overall performance of Raman spectroscopy. QUADAS-2 guidelines were used to evaluate the quality of each study. RESULTS: Nine articles were included according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria. General pooled diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of RS to esophageal cancer were 0.91 (95% CI, 0.89-0.93) and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.91-0.94). The pooled PLR and NLR were 18.98 (95% CI, 6.61-54.49) and 0.09 (95% CI, 0.05-0.16), respectively. The DOR was 217.21 (95% CI, 68.32-690.53) indicating high accuracy. And the AUC of SROC curve was 0.9779. CONCLUSIONS: We found a promisingly high sensitivity and specificity of RS in the diagnosis of suspected esophageal mass.

Prognostic value of lymph node ratio in non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic value of lymph node ratio in non-small-cell lung cancer. METHODS: We searched systematically for eligible studies in PubMed, Web of Science, Medline (via Ovid) and Cochrane library through 6 November 2018. The primary outcome was overall survival. Disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival were considered as secondary outcomes. Hazard ratio with corresponding 95% confidence interval were pooled. Quality assessment of included studies was conducted. Subgroup analyses were performed based on N descriptors, types of tumor resection, types of lymphadenectomy and study areas. Sensitivity analysis and evaluation of publication bias were also performed. RESULTS: Altogether, 20 cohorts enrolling 76 929 patients were included. Mean Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was 7.65 ± 0.59, indicating the studies' quality was high. The overall result showed non-small-cell lung cancer patients with lower lymph node ratio was associated with better overall survival (HR: 1.946; 95% CI: 1.746-2.169; P < 0.001), disease-free survival (HR: 2.058; 95% CI: 1.717-2.467; P < 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (HR: 2.149; 95% CI: 1.864-2.477; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis prompted types of lymphadenectomy and the station of positive lymph node have an important effect on the prognosis. No significant discovery was found in sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSION: Patients with lower lymph node ratio was associated with better survival, indicating that lymph node ratio may be a promising prognostic predictor in non-small-cell lung cancer. The type of lymphadenectomy, an adequate examined number and the removed stations should be considered for more accurate prognosis assessment.

Efficacy of Raman spectroscopy in the diagnosis of bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer is one of the severest human malignancies which are hardly detected at an early stage. Raman spectroscopy is reported to maintain a high diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity in some tumors. METHODS: We carried out a complete systematic review based on articles from PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Ovid, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library and CNKI. We identified 2341 spectra with strict criteria in 9 individual studies between 2004 and 2018 in accordance to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We summarized the test performance using random effects models. RESULTS: General pooled diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of RS to kidney cancer were 94% (95% CI 0.93-0.95) and 92% (95% CI 0.90-0.93). The pooled positive LR was 10.00 (95%CI 5.66-17.65) while the negative LR was 0.09 (95%CI 0.06-0.14). The pooled DOR was 139.53 (95% CI 54.60-356.58). The AUC of SROC was 0.9717. CONCLUSION: Through this meta-analysis, we found a promisingly high sensitivity and specificity of RS in the diagnosis of suspected bladder masses and tumors. Other parameters like positive, negative LR, DOR, and AUC of the SROC curve all helped to illustrate the high efficacy of RS in bladder cancer diagnosis.

Efficacy and safety of perioperative appliance of sunitinib in patients with metastatic or advanced renal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of the perioperative use of sunitinib in patients with metastatic and advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched authenticated databases for related clinical studies. The baseline characteristics, parameters concerning the efficacy and safety of the perioperative use of sunitinib were extracted for subsequent comprehensive analysis. The parameters which reflected the efficacy and safety as overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), occurrence rate of all-grade and grade ≥3 adverse effects (AEs) were carefully pooled using comprehensive meta-analysis. RESULTS: We finally recruited 411 patients from 14 eligible studies. We found proteinuria (75.0%, 95% CI 62.1%-84.6%), anemia (71.6%, 95% CI 60.9%-80.3%), athesia (60.0%, 95% CI 40.3%-77.0%), pause symptoms (59.2%, 95% CI 49.2%-68.4%), arterial hypertension (53.1%, 95% CI 43.2%-62.7%), and thrombocytopenia (52.5%, 95% CI 44.8%-60.0%) to be the most common all-grade AEs. And arterial hypertension, athesia, cutaneous toxicity, hypophosphatemia, leukopenia, pain, pause syndrome, renal dysfunction, and thrombocytopenia were the most common types of grade ≥3 AEs. In addition, objective response rate (ORR) of sunitinib to both the original and metastatic tumor sites increased with the use of sunitinib, so did the OS and PFS. CONCLUSION: Common all-grade and grade ≥3 AEs were carefully monitored. The perioperative use of sunitinib showed superior ORR, OS, and PFS rates. Nevertheless, more studies are required to further verify these findings.

Tea polyphenols: application in the control of oral microorganism infectious diseases.

One of the most popular drinks worldwide, tea is rich in polyphenols and is beneficial to our health because it contributes to the prevention of many diseases. In the human oral cavity, there are more than 750 different species of bacteria living together within dental plaque. Some of the bacteria are pathogens that contribute to the development of oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis, pulpitis, mucosal disease, or halitosis through their virulence factors and their metabolites. Until now, many studies have reported that tea polyphenols (TPs) have evident inhibitory effects on some oral pathogenic microorganisms by suppressing pivotal steps of their pathogenic processes. The aim of this review is to summarize the effectiveness and mechanisms of TPs in inhibiting microorganisms, so as to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of oral diseases, and to contribute to the global dental public health.

The Prognostic Value of Blood-Based Biomarkers in Patients With Testicular Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Objectives: Previous studies have reported the prognostic value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). However, the prognostic performance of these indices in patients with testicular lymphoma has not yet been studied. This study was to systematically evaluate the role of NLR, PLR, LMR, and SII in predicting survival for patients with testicular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Methods: In this study, 28 patients with testicular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were enrolled. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to assess associations of indices incorporating blood cell counts with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: The results of univariate analysis revealed that International Prognostic Index (IPI) score (p = 0.010, p = 0.034, respectively), NLR (p = 0.003, p = 0.025, respectively), and LMR (p = 0.004, p = 0.010, respectively) were significantly associated with PFS and OS. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) (p = 0.017), absolute neutrophil counts (p = 0.018), absolute monocyte counts (p = 0.001), and SII (p = 0.005) were significantly associated with the risk of disease progression, while ECOG performance status (p = 0.016) was shown to be related to the risk of death. In the multivariate analysis, NLR (HR 9.069, p = 0.001) and absolute monocyte counts (HR 37.076, p = 0.001) were shown to be independently associated with risk for disease progression, while LMR (HR 0.077, p = 0.028), and ECOG performance status (HR 20.013, p = 0.026) were proved to be independent predictors of OS. Conclusions: In conclusion, high absolute monocyte counts, high NLR and low LMR may indicate unfavorable prognosis in testicular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. Since indices incorporating blood cell counts are low cost parameters, they may provide additional prognostic value beyond standard clinicopathological parameters. However, further studies are needed to confirm our findings.