Screening of biomarkers for lung cancer with gene expression profiling data.

OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, but the etiology is not yet clear. Our study aims to deepen the understandings about the mechanisms of lung cancer via screening relevant key genes and functional pathways. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microarray data set was collected and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected out. KEGG pathway analysis and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis were performed for the DEGs. Interaction networks were constructed for the lung cancer-related DEGs with information from Human Protein Reference Database (HRPD) to screen out potential biomarkers. RESULTS: Functional annotation revealed that cell cycle, DNA replication, immune system, and signal molecules and interactions were significantly over-represented in all the DEGs, suggesting their close involvement in the development of lung cancer. 40 genes with high degree, betweenness and clustering coefficient were identified from the interaction network. 26 out of them are known cancer genes according to the database F-census. Besides, 4 biomarkers were revealed through analyzing their interactions with oncogenes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study not only advances the understandings about the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer, but also provides several potential biomarkers for clinical use.

Visceral pleural invasion impacts the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the 7th tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) classification, T1 tumors with visceral pleural invasion (VPI) are upgraded to T2a. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of VPI among patients with NSCLC and to propose a method of incorporating VPI into T-status classification in future staging systems. METHODS: A systematic electronic search was conducted from each database's date of inception to October 2015. The included studies were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria. The hazard ratio (HR) was used as the outcome measure for data combining. RESULTS: A total of 22 studies, published from 2003 to 2015, were included in this meta-analysis. In the subgroup analysis, we identified that VPI was a poor prognostic factor for tumor size ≤2 cm (2.34 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.55-3.54; P < 0.0001]), 2-3 cm (1.81 [95% CI 1.56-2.10; P < 0.0001]), 3-5 cm (1.61 [95% CI 1.38-1.87; P < 0.0001]) and 5-7 cm (1.50 [95% CI 1.24-1.82; P < 0.0001]). In addition, we also found that there were no significant differences for the following comparisons of OS: tumor size ≤2 cm with VPI versus 3-5 cm without VPI (1.04 [95% CI 0.83-1.31; P = 0.34]); 2-3 cm with VPI versus 3-5 cm without VPI (1.04 [95% CI 0.96-1.13; P = 0.30]); 3-5 cm with VPI versus 5-7 cm without VPI (0.95 [95% CI 0.78-1.17; P = 0.66]); and 5-7 cm with VPI versus T3 status (1.03 [95% CI 0.93-1.14; P = 0.57]). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the current TNM classification recommendations, consideration should be given to classifying the T2a tumors with VPI as T2b and classifying T2b with VPI as T3 in the next edition of the TNM Classification for Lung cancer.

ABH and Lewis immunohistochemistry of the human eye.

ABH and Lewis antigens are detected by immunohistochemistry exclusively in the anterior cornea epithelium and in the conjunctiva bulbi, but not in the ciliary body, in the retina, or in the vitreous body of the eye. The ABH antigens found in the vitreous humor by the absorption elution technique (Rordorf et al., Forensic Sci. Int. 41, 1989, 111-116) are probably glycosphingolipids, which are not detected by immunohistochemistry. They may come from the plasma of uveal blood vessels, or be produced by local cells.

Correlation of trauma and cause of death to accident reconstruction: a case of a flight accident report.

This paper reports on the disaster that occurred after a flight was hijacked at Baiyuen International Airport in Guangzhou, China, on Tuesday, 2 Oct. 1990. The authors show the results of analyses for the causes of death and trauma and compare the disaster with several previous flight accidents that have occurred in China. The authors show, with the analysis on this accident, the possibility and reliability of reconstructing a disaster by medicolegal investigation.

Use of oesophageal flap valvuloplasty and wrapping suturing technique in preventing postoperative complications after oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Esophagogastrostomy for oesophageal cancer is the standard surgical treatment. However, traditional techniques have been associated with high frequency of anastomotic complications. The purpose of this study is to clarify the superiority of the oesophageal flap valvuloplasty and wrapping suturing technique in preventing postoperative complications after oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer. METHODS: A prospective, randomised study was performed on 394 patients treated for esophageal cancer between January 2006 and December 2010. The trial registry number is ChiCTR-TRC-13003817 in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. RESULTS: Anastomotic leaks occurred in four patients in group A (2.1%) and in twelve patients in group B (6.2%) with statistically significant (P = 0.038). During the evaluation of benign stricture seven patients were excluded for hospital mortality. Thirty three patients in group A (6.9%) and 25 patients in group B (13.2%) occurred anastomotic stricture respectively (P = 0.044). Furthermore, reflux oesophagitis and Barrett's epithelium were found in 105 patients (55.3%) of group B, and 54 (28.7%) patients in group A (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The oesophageal flap valvuloplasty and wrapping suturing technique decreased anastomotic leakage incidence and stricture rate thereby decreasing the morbidity and mortality. This procedure also prevented the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux after esophagectomy.