Efficacy and Safety of Huachansu as an Adjuvant Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this overview is to assess systematic reviews (SRs)/ meta-analyses (MAs) of Huachansu (HCS) combination chemotherapy for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and provide summarized evidence for clinical decision making. METHODS: From the creation of the database to JUNE 2023, 8 databases in English and Chinese were searched. SRs/MAs that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included. Two reviewers independently screened research, extracted data and assessed methodological quality, risk of bias, report quality and evidence quality by using relevant criteria from AMSTAR-2, ROBIS scale, PRISMA, and GRADE system. RESULTS: The short-term effect, long-term effect, quality of life improvement, safety and pain relief effect in 8 included SRs/MAs were assessed in this overview according to quantitative synthesis. Results assessed by AMSTAR-2, PRISMA, and ROBIS were generally unsatisfactory, with the results of the AMSTAR-2 assessment showing that all of them were of low or critically low quality; the number of items in the included research that were fully reported (compliance was 100%) by the PRISMA checklist was only 50%, while there were 38.10% of the research reporting less than 60% completeness; the ROBIS assessment showed a small number of systems to be low risk of bias. In addition, 26 items were rated as moderate quality, while 50.94% of items were rated as low or critically low quality by GRADE. CONCLUSION: HCS may be a promising adjuvant therapy for NSCLC. However, high-quality SRs/MAs and randomized control trials (RCTs) should be conducted to provide sufficient evidence so as to draw a definitive conclusion.

Results of Arthroscopic Treatment of Acute Posterior Cruciate Ligament Avulsion Fractures With Suspensory Fixation.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes for arthroscopic treatment for acute posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) avulsion fractures with a suspensory technique. METHODS: A total of 30 acute (<3 weeks) isolated PCL tibial avulsion fractures were fixed under arthroscopy using the Endobutton device. After arthroscopic exploration and reduction of the bony fragment, a single tibia tunnel was established; then, the titanium button was guided through the tunnel and flipped onto the bony fragment to stabilize the fracture. Finally, an interference screw was squeezed into the tunnel to fix the end of the loop. Clinical and functional outcomes were evaluated using the Lysholm score, the 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score, and the IKDC examination form. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 32 months (range, 24-47 months). The mean age of the patients was 41 years (range, 21-65 years). All patients achieved bony union and regained satisfactory knee function. No popliteal neurovascular complications or implant loosening was observed. The mean Lysholm score increased from 20.9 ± 7.0 before operation to 97.1 ± 2.7 at the final follow-up. The mean 2000 IKDC subjective score improved from 17.2 ± 5.2 to 96.8 ± 2.6. The IKDC examination grade also improved significantly. CONCLUSIONS: This suspensory technique under arthroscopy is a simple, safe, and minimally invasive treatment for PCL tibial avulsion fracture. Suspensory fixation resulted in satisfactory outcomes, including good knee stability and fracture union; this technique can be a reliable alternative to various surgical methods. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic study.

Automated Determination of Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus at Nanomolar to Micromolar Levels in Natural Waters Using a Portable Flow Analyzer.

Automated in-field methods for measuring dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) over a large concentration range are in high demand for the purpose of better understanding the biogeochemistry of phosphorus in the river-estuary-coast continuum to the open ocean. Here, an automated portable and robust analyzer was described for the determination of nanomolar to micromolar levels of DRP in natural waters. The quantification of DRP was based on classic phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB) chemistry. All the components of the analyzer were computer-controlled using LabVIEW-based laboratory-programmed software. When equipped with a 3 cm Z-type flow cell, the system demonstrated linearity with concentrations up to 12 µmol L-1, a sampling rate of 20 h-1, a limit of detection of 0.11 µmol L-1, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.4-4.6% (n = 11-576). When a solid-phase extraction cartridge was combined with the analyzer, the PMB formed from the sample was automatically concentrated on the hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced sorbent. The concentrated PMB compound was eluted with NaOH solution and measured in the spectrophotometric system. Under optimal conditions, the nanomolar-level mode afforded a sampling rate of 8 h-1, a limit of detection of 1.7 nmol L-1, and RSDs of 3.0-5.7% (n = 11-120). The system exhibited advantages that included a wide linear range, high sensitivity and reproducibility, low reagent consumption, and insignificant interference from salinity, silicate, arsenate, and other P-containing compounds. The system was successfully applied for discrete sample analysis, fixed site online monitoring, and the real-time underway measurement of DRP in riverine-estuarine-coastal waters.

Simultaneous underway analysis of nitrate and nitrite in estuarine and coastal waters using an automated integrated syringe-pump-based environmental-water analyzer.

Methods for determining nitrate and nitrite have been comprehensively developed. However, there are few studies of simultaneous shipboard high-frequency monitoring of these two nutrients in estuarine and coastal area. In this study, a multipurpose integrated syringe-pump-based environmental-water analyzer (iSEA) was combined with an on-line filtration system for underway analysis of nitrate and nitrite in saline samples. Vanadium chloride was used instead of a toxic cadmium column to reduce nitrate to nitrite, which was measured on the basis of the classic Griess reaction. This fully automated analyzer had a limit of detection of 0.02 µmol L-1 for nitrite and 0.14 µmol L-1 for nitrate. The sample throughput was 12 h-1 for simultaneous measurement of nitrite and nitrate. With automated dilution, the calibration curve for nitrate was linear up to a concentration of 400 µmol L-1 (R2 > 0.999). The relative standard deviation of 24-h measurement (n = 288) of nitrite is 0.92% and that of nitrate is 1.4%. Both the reference solutions and samples of different salinities (range of 0-35) were measured (n = 85). According to the statistical t-test (P = 0.95), the results were insignificantly different from the results obtained using the reference method. After several cruise tests, the analyzer showed excellent spatial resolution for underway analysis of nitrite and nitrate in estuarine and coastal waters.

AgI loading BiOI composites with enhanced photodegradation efficiency for bisphenol A under simulated solar light.

Bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) is a narrow band gap semiconductor which can be driven by visible irradiation. In order to efficiently separate photo-generated carriers and utilization of visible light, a facile solvothermal approach was used to synthesize a novel AgI loading BiOI 3D hierarchical composite (AgI-BiOI). The AgI-BiOI with Ag and Bi molar ratio of 1:8 (AgI-BiOI (1-8)) showed great enhancement for photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) with pseudo-first degradation rate constant about 3.7 or 14.5 times than that of pristine BiOI or AgI under simulated solar light. This synergistic enhancement for BPA degradation on AgI-BiOI(1-8) is mainly ascribed to enhancing the light absorption intensity and accelerating photo-generated carriers separation due to the formation of AgI-BiOI heterojunction. Free radical quenching experiments proved that positive holes (h+) and superoxide (O2•-) radicals were dominantly responsible for the degradation of BPA rather than singlet oxygen (1O2) or hydroxyl radicals (•OH). The AgI-BiOI(1-8) hardly showed any ecotoxicity to C. elegans through lethal experiments. The luminance bacteria acute toxicity of degradation intermediates of BPA increased before 30 min then reduced significantly with reaction. The good durability and environmental-friendly characteristics make AgI-BiOI(1-8) catalyst to be a good solar light-driven candidate.

An automatic reserve flow injection method using vanadium (III) reduction for simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in estuarine and coastal waters.

An automatic reserve flow injection method using vanadium (III) as a reducing agent for the simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in estuarine and coastal waters was reported for the first time. Vanadium (III) chloride was used as an environmentally friendly substitute to toxic cadmium for reducing nitrate to nitrite. The experimental parameters were optimized based on a univariate experimental design. The salinity effect of estuarine and coastal waters was carefully investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limit of the proposed method was 0.06 µmol L-1 and 0.13 µmol L-1, and the linearity was up to 20 µmol L-1 and 80 µmol L-1 for nitrite and nitrate detection, respectively. The relative standard deviations were below 1.5% (n = 7). The recovery of spiked estuarine and coastal water samples varied from 100.0 ±â€¯2.5% to 107.5 ±â€¯2.5% for nitrite and 90.7 ±â€¯0.3% to 98.0 ±â€¯1.0% for nitrate. The sample throughput was approximately 15 h-1. The analytical results obtained with the proposed method displayed good agreement with the classic copperized cadmium column reduction method. The automatic reserve flow injection method has been successfully applied to analyze the nitrite and nitrate in estuarine and coastal water samples.

High-frequency underway analysis of ammonium in coastal waters using an integrated syringe-pump-based environmental-water analyzer (iSEA).

Accurate methods and related robust analytical instruments for sensitive shipboard determination of ammonium in coastal waters are highly desirable for both oceanographers and environmental scientists. In this study, a multipurpose integrated syringe-pump-based environmental-water analyzer (iSEA) was combined with an on-line filtration system for underway analysis of ammonium in coastal areas. The chemistry is based on a modified indophenol method using o-phenylphenol. The effects of reagent concentrations and sample temperatures were evaluated. The detection limit was 0.15 µM with a 3-cm Z-flow cell, and the linearity was as high as 200 µM. The relative standard deviations at different concentrations (2, 10, and 20 µM) were 2.2%, 0.33%, 0.32% (n = 11). For n = 288 and without any stoppage during repeated analysis for 24 h, the relative standard deviation was 0.85%. The sample throughput was 12 h-1. The effects of salinity and five organic nitrogen compounds were evaluated and showed no interference using the proposed protocol for ammonium analysis. Between results obtained by reference and the present methods, there were no significant differences in the measurements of reference materials and different aqueous samples (n = 51). The analyzers worked well in the transect of 420 km during 7 cruises. A total of 716 analyses were performed automatically on board, demonstrating the capability of iSEA in automated real-time mapping of ammonium distribution in a shipboard laboratory.

Simultaneous determination of total dissolved nitrogen and total dissolved phosphorus in natural waters with an on-line UV and thermal digestion.

A flow injection method combined with an on-line UV and thermal digestion for simultaneous determination of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) in natural waters was established in this study. A novel flow manifold made the proposed system compact and automatic. The conversion rates of various nitrogen and phosphorus compounds to their nitrate and phosphate forms with different digestion models and different concentrations were well investigated using the flow injection technique. The reagent concentrations for colorimetric analysis were optimized based on a univariate experimental design. The detection limits were 0.8 µmol L-1 and 0.2 µmol L-1, and linear analytical ranges were up to 300 µmol L-1 and 25 µmol L-1 for TDN and TDP, respectively. The sample throughput was ~ 5 h-1. The recovery of spiked natural water samples varied from 86.8% to 102.6% for TDN and 88.0% to 102.0% for TDP. The present approach was successfully applied for the determination of TDN and TDP in natural water samples and was found to have good agreement with reference methods. The outcomes of present study indicated that the proposed method is suitable for routine analysis as well as for potential on-line monitoring.

Development of an Integrated Syringe-Pump-Based Environmental-Water Analyzer ( iSEA) and Application of It for Fully Automated Real-Time Determination of Ammonium in Fresh Water.

The development of a multipurpose integrated syringe-pump-based environmental-water analyzer ( iSEA) and its application for spectrophotometric determination of ammonium is presented. The iSEA consists of a mini-syringe pump equipped with a selection valve and laboratory-programmed software written by LabVIEW. The chemistry is based on a modified indophenol method using o-phenylphenol. The effect of reagent concentrations and sample temperatures was evaluated. This fully automated analyzer had a detection limit of 0.12 µM with sample throughput of 12 h-1. Relative standard deviations at different concentrations (0-20 µM) were 0.23-3.36% ( n = 3-11) and 1.0% ( n = 144, in 24 h of continuous measurement, ∼5 µM). Calibration curves were linear ( R2 = 0.9998) over the range of 0-20 and 0-70 µM for the detection at 700 and 600 nm, respectively. The iSEA was applied in continuous real-time monitoring of ammonium variations in a river for 24 h and 14 days. A total of 1802 samples were measured, and only 0.4% was outlier data (≥3 sigma residuals). Measurements of reference materials and different aqueous samples ( n = 26) showed no significant difference between results obtained by reference and present methods. The system is compact (18 cm × 22 cm × 24 cm), portable (4.8 kg), and robust (high-resolution real-time monitoring in harsh environments) and consumes a small amount of chemicals (20-30 µL/run) and sample/standards (2.9 mL/run).

Optimization of a salinity-interference-free indophenol method for the determination of ammonium in natural waters using o-phenylphenol.

The indophenol blue (IPB) method based on Berthelot's reaction is one of the most widely used methods for the determination of ammonium in natural waters. This study comprehensively optimized the kinetics of the IPB reaction under different reagent concentrations, temperature and salinity. The normally used toxic and odorous phenol was replaced by the less toxic, stable flaky crystalline compound, o-phenylphenol. With the application of nitroprusside as the catalyst, the reaction can be finished within 20min at room temperature and the formed color compound is stable for 24h. Under the optimized conditions, the method shows high reproducibility (relative standard deviations of 0.64-1.71%, n = 11), highly linear calibration up to 100µM (R2 = 0.9995, n = 165, 17 days) and a low detection limit of 0.2µM. This method was successfully applied to measure ammonium in estuarine and coastal surface water (n = 63). The results showed insignificant differences with the results obtained using both the standard AutoAnalyzer method and a fluorometric o-phthaldialdehyde method at the 95% confidence level. Compared with previous studies, this method shows the advantages of relatively fast reaction, low toxicity and easy reagent preparation. It is salinity-interference-free and robust (no temperature control is required, reagents can be stored up to 10 days), and suitable for routine analysis under harsh field conditions.