The mediating effect of perceived social support between family resilience and meaning in life in breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The beneficial effects of family resilience and meaning in life on patients are established, but limited is known for the effect of perceived social support. We aim to investigate the impact of family resilience on the meaning of life among Chinese patients with breast cancer (BC) and to further detect whether perceived social support mediated this association. METHODS: From February to June 2022, we conducted this cross-sectional study with 276 women who were diagnosed with BC in a tertial hospital in Guangdong province, China. The Chinese version of Meaning in Life Scale (C-MiLS) was used to measure the meaning in life. The Chinese version of the family resilience assessment scale (C-FRAS) and the perceived social support scale (PSSS) were adopted to obtain the family resilience and perceived social support, respectively. The mediating effect of perceived spousal support was estimated using the bootstrapped confidence interval (CI) via IBM SPSS AMOS 22.0. RESULTS: The mean scores were 60.79 ± 11.63 for meaning in life, 82.08 ± 11.48 for family resilience, and 62.72 ± 12.19 for perceived social support, respectively. Our results indicated the positive correlations of meaning in life with family resilience (ß = 0.822, P < 0.05) and perceived social support (ß = 0.886, P < 0.05). The perceived social support exerted the mediating effect in the relationship between family resilience and meaning in life (ß = 0.368 [95%CI, 0.274, 0.450], P < 0.001), accounting for 54.6% of the variance in meaning in life. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that family resilience and perceived social support should be enhanced for BC patients to improve their meaning in life. In particular, the association between family resilience and meaning in life was positively mediated by perceived social support. Thus, interventions for improving family resilience and perceived social support might be useful in easing psychological distress and improving meaning in life in individuals with BC.

The prognostic value of preoperative laboratory data indicators in patients with esophageal carcinoma: An observational study.

Preoperative laboratory data indicators significantly affect the prognosis of a variety of tumors. Nevertheless, the combined effect of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on overall survival (OS) in patients with esophageal carcinoma remains unclear. Thus, we examined these associations among patients with postoperative staged T3N0M0 esophageal carcinoma. The data of 246 patients with postoperative staged T3N0M0 esophageal carcinoma from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. OS was measured from the date of pathological diagnosis until either death or the last follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox regression model were used to analyze the relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (LMR), SII, PNI, and OS. The predictive value of SII and PNI as a combined index was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). A total of 246 patients aged 65.5 ±â€…7.4 years were included in this study and 181 (73.6%) were male. The univariate analysis revealed that differentiation, vessel involvement, postoperative treatment, NLR, SII, PLR, LMR, PNI were predictors of OS (P < .05). After adjusted for potential confounds, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the differentiation, SII, PNI, and postoperative treatment were independent prognostic factors correlated with OS in patients with postoperative staged T3N0M0 esophageal carcinoma (P < .05). SII and PNI, as a combined indicator, have a higher predictive value for OS. The NLR, SII, PLR, LMR, and PNI could all be used as independent predictors of OS in patients with postoperative staged T3N0M0 esophageal carcinoma. The combination of SII and PNI can significantly improve the accuracy of prediction.

Predictive potential of preoperative Naples prognostic score-based nomogram model for the prognosis in surgical resected thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients: A retrospective cohort study.

The present study aimed to establish an effective prognostic nomogram model based on the Naples prognostic score (NPS) for resectable thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A total of 277 patients with ESCC, who underwent standard curative esophagectomy and designated as study cohort, were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into different groups, including NPS 0, NPS 1, NPS 2, and NPS 3 or 4 groups, for further analysis, and the results were validated in an external cohort of 122 ESCC patients, who underwent surgery at another cancer center. In our multivariate analysis of the study cohort showed that the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, systemic inflammation score, and NPS were the independent prognostic factors for the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) durations. In addition, the differential grade was also an independent prognostic factor for the OS in the patients with ESCC after surgery (all P < .05). The area under the curve of receiver operator characteristics for the PFS and OS prediction with systemic inflammation score and NPS were 0.735 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.676-0.795, P < .001) and 0.835 (95% CI 0.786-0.884, P < .001), and 0.734 (95% CI 0.675-0.793, P < .001) and 0.851 (95% CI 0.805-0.896, P < .001), respectively. The above independent predictors for OS or PFS were all selected in the nomogram model. The concordance indices (C-indices) of the nomogram models for predicting OS and PFS were 0.718 (95% CI 0.681-0.755) and 0.669 (95% CI 0.633-0.705), respectively, which were higher than that of the 7th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system [C-index 0.598 (95% CI 0.558-0.638) for OS and 0.586 (95% CI 0.546-0.626) for PFS]. The calibration curves for predicting the 5-year OS or PFS showed a good agreement between the prediction by nomogram and actual observation. In the external validation cohort, the nomogram discrimination for OS was better than that of the 7th edition of TNM staging systems [C-index: 0.697 (95% CI 0.639-0.755) vs 0.644 (95% CI 0.589-0.699)]. The calibration curves showed good consistency in predicting the 5-year survival between the actual observation and nomogram predictions. The decision curve also showed a higher potential of the clinical application of predicting the 5-years OS of the proposed nomogram model as compared to that of the 7th edition of TNM staging systems. The preoperative NPS-based nomogram model had a certain potential role for predicting the prognosis of ESCC patients.

Prognostic impact of metastatic patterns and treatment modalities on overall survival in lung squamous cell carcinoma: A population-based study.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of distinct metastasis patterns on the overall survival (OS) of individuals diagnosed with organ metastatic lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). OS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to further assess prognostic factors. A total of 36,025 cases meeting the specified criteria were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Among these patients, 30.60% (11,023/36,025) were initially diagnosed at stage IV, and 22.03% (7936/36,025) of these individuals exhibited metastasis in at least 1 organ, including the liver, bone, lung, and brain. Among the 4 types of single metastasis, patients with bone metastasis had the lowest mean OS, at 9.438 months (95% CI: 8.684-10.192). Furthermore, among patients with dual-organ metastases, those with both brain and liver metastases had the shortest mean OS, at 5.523 months (95% CI: 3.762-7.285). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that metastatic site is an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with single and dual-organ metastases. Chemotherapy was beneficial for patients with single and multiple-organ metastases; although surgery was advantageous for those with single and dual-organ metastases, it did not affect the long-term prognosis of patients with triple organ metastases. Radiotherapy only conferred benefits to patients with single-organ metastasis. LUSC patients exhibit a high incidence of metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis, with significant differences in long-term survival among patients with different patterns of metastasis. Among single-organ metastasis cases, lung metastasis is the most frequent and is associated with the longest mean OS. Regarding treatment options, patients with single-organ metastasis can benefit from chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, and those with metastasis in 2 organs can benefit from chemotherapy and surgery. Patients with metastasis in more than 2 organs, however, can only benefit from chemotherapy. Understanding the variations in metastasis patterns assists in guiding pretreatment assessments and in determining appropriate therapeutic interventions for LUSC.

Development and validation of a prognostic nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival in lymph node-negative elderly esophageal cancer patients: A SEER-based study.

In this study, we explored the prognostic risk factors of elderly patients (≥65 years old) with lymph node-negative esophageal cancer (EC) and established a nomogram to evaluate the cancer-specific survival of patients. The surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database was used to collect data on patients diagnosed with EC. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to determine independent prognostic factors, and the nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival of EC patients was constructed based on the independent prognostic factors obtained from the multivariate Cox analysis. To evaluate the predictive ability of the nomogram, calibration curves, concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic curves, and decision curve analysis were conducted. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the long-term outcomes of EC patients with different risk stratifications. A total of 3050 cases with lymph node-negative EC were randomized into the training cohort (1525) and the validation cohort (1525). Cancer-specific mortality at 1, 3, and 5 years in the entire cohort was 30.7%, 41.8%, and 59.2%, respectively. In multivariate Cox analysis, age (P < .001), marital status (P < .001), tumor size (P < .001), Tumor-node-metastasis stage (P < .001), chemotherapy (P = .011), radiotherapy (P < .001), and surgery (P < .001) were independent prognostic factors. The C-index for the training cohort was 0.740 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.722-0.758), and the C-index for the validation cohort was 0.738 (95% CI: 0.722-0.754). The calibration curve demonstrated the great calibration ability of the nomogram. Based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, the nomogram demonstrated a higher sensitivity than the tumor-node-metastasis stage. Decision curve analysis showed the good clinical utility of the nomogram. The risk stratification system was established using the Kaplan-Meier curve and verified by the log-rank test (P < .001). The nomogram and risk stratification system can improve the accuracy of prediction to help clinicians identify high-risk patients and make treatment decisions.

Clinical and multimodal imaging features of acute macular neuroretinopathy lesions following recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

AIM: To describe the clinical characteristics of eyes using multimodal imaging features with acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) lesions following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. METHODS: Retrospective case series study. From December 18, 2022 to February 14, 2023, previously healthy cases within 1-week infection with SARS-CoV-2 and examined at Tianjin Eye Hospital to confirm the diagnosis of AMN were included in the study. Totally 5 males and 9 females [mean age: 29.93±10.32 (16-49)y] were presented for reduced vision, with or without blurred vision. All patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, slit lamp microscopy, indirect fundoscopy. Simultaneously, multimodal imagings fundus photography (45° or 200° field of view) was performed in 7 cases (14 eyes). Near infrared (NIR) fundus photography was performed in 9 cases (18 eyes), optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 5 cases (10 eyes), optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in 9 cases (18 eyes), and fundus fluorescence angiography (FFA) in 3 cases (6 eyes). Visual field was performed in 1 case (2 eyes). RESULTS: Multimodal imaging findings data from 14 patients with AMN were reviewed. All eyes demonstrated different extent hyperreflective lesions at the level of the inner nuclear layer and/or outer plexus layer on OCT or OCTA. Fundus photography (45° or 200° field of view) showed irregular hypo-reflective lesion around the fovea in 7 cases (14 eyes). OCTA demonstrated that the superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP) vascular density, deep capillary plexus (DCP) vascular density and choriocapillaris (CC) vascular density was reduced in 9 case (18 eyes). Among the follow-up cases (2 cases), vascular density increased in 1 case with elevated BCVA; another case has vascular density decrease in one eye and basically unchanged in other eye. En face images of the ellipsoidal zone and interdigitation zone injury showed a low wedge-shaped reflection contour appearance. NIR image mainly show the absence of the outer retinal interdigitation zone in AMN. No abnormal fluorescence was observed in FFA. Corresponding partial defect of the visual field were visualized via perimeter in one case. CONCLUSION: The morbidity of SARS-CoV-2 infection with AMN is increased. Ophthalmologists should be aware of the possible, albeit rare, AMN after SARS-CoV-2 infection and focus on multimodal imaging features. OCT, OCTA, and infrared fundus phase are proved to be valuable tools for detection of AMN in patients with SARS-CoV-2.

Detection of macular ganglion cell complex loss and correlation with choroidal thickness in chronic and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy.

AIM: To investigate the association of ganglion cell complex thickness (GCCt), global loss volume percentage (GLV%), and focal loss volume percentage (FLV%) with structural and functional findings among patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CCSC) and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy (RCSC) by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: Among 29 patients with monocular affected central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), 15 had CCSC, and 14 had RCSC. The GCCt, FLV%, GLV%, and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and sublesional choroidal thickness (SLCT) values were determined using OCT, and the association of these characteristics with neural structure parameters, choroidal morphology, features and functional alterations were estimated for the CCSC and RCSC patients. RESULTS: In CCSC, the affected eyes had significantly lower GCCt values than the fellow eyes in the macular regions (all P<0.05), with the highest GCCt observed in the inferior area. A significant association was found between the GCCt in different regions and the change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA; r=-0.696; -0.695; -0.694, P<0.05) in CCSC patients. A statistically significant moderate negative correlation indicated that long-term CCSC was associated with greater differences in the GCCt in different regions between affected and fellow eyes (r=-0.562; r=-0.556; r=0.525, P<0.05). Additionally, observation of thickened SFCT was associated with a worse FLV% (r=0.599; r=0.546, P<0.05) in both groups. Similarly, thickened SLCT was associated with FLV% in RCSC patients (r=0.544, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The distribution and GCCt are associated with the duration and visual outcomes of CCSC, whereas there is no correlation among RCSC patients. FLV% may be instrumental in differentiating the various outer choroidal vessels (pachyvessels) in long-term CSC. These results suggest that neural structure parameters may aid in estimating and predicting the recovery of altered morphology and function in CCSC and RCSC patients.

A nomogram model of postoperative prognosis for metastatic lung adenocarcinoma: A study based on the SEER database.

We have observed that patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma can obtain survival benefits from surgical resection of the primary tumor. A model was developed to evaluate the prognosis of patients. The patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and divided into surgery group and non-surgical group. Through Kaplan-Meier analysis, the survival rate of the non-surgical group was found to be significantly lower no matter before or after propensity score matching. One thousand one hundred and seventy surgical patients were divided into a training group and a verification group. In the training group, univariate and multivariate Cox models were used to explore the prognostic factors, and logistic regression was used to establish a nomogram based on significant predictors. In total, 12,228 patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma were recognized; primary tumor surgery accounted for 9.5%. After propensity score matching, the median survival time of 2 groups was significantly different. For the training group, univariate and multivariate COX analysis was conducted, and a nomogram was constructed. Acceptable agreement has been achieved between the predicted and observed survival rates, and the nomogram can divide patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma into different risk groups and predict their prognostic survival rate.

Overall Structural Alteration of Gut Microbiota and Relationships with Risk Factors in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome Treated with Inulin Alone and with Other Agents: An Open-Label Pilot Study.

Objective: The relative contribution of some products with prebiotic effects, such as inulin, together with medications specific to the human gut microbiome has not been comprehensively studied. The present study determined the potential for manipulating populations in the gut microbiome using inulin alone and combined with other agents in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The study also assessed whether there is relationship variability in multiple clinical parameters in response to intervention with the changes in the gut milieu. Participants/Methods. This single-centre, single-blinded, randomised community-based pilot trial randomly assigned 60 patients (mean age, 46.3 y and male, 43%) with MetS to receive either inulin, inulin+traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), or inulin+metformin for 6 months. Lipid profiles, blood glucose, and uric acid (UA) levels were analysed in venous blood samples collected after overnight fast of 8 h at baseline and at the end of the follow-up period. Microbiota from stool samples were taxonomically analysed using 16S RNA amplicon sequencing, and an integrative analysis was conducted on microbiome and responsiveness data at 6 months. Results: The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that inulin resulted in a higher proportion of Bacteroides at the endpoint compared with inulin+TCM and inulin+metformin (p = 0.024). More Romboutsia (p = 0.043), Streptococcus (p < 0.001), and Holdemanella (p = 0.011) were found in inulin+TCM and inulin+metformin samples. We further identified gut microbiota relationships with lipids, UA, and glucose that impact the development of MetS. Conclusion: Among the groups, inulin alone or combined with metformin or TCM altered specific gut microbiota taxa but not the general diversity. Accordingly, we analysed metabolites associated with microbiota that might provide more information about intrinsic differences. Consequently, a reliable method could be developed for treating metabolic syndrome in the future.

Effectiveness of Aromatherapy on Ameliorating Fatigue in Adults: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom in adults that may cause physical and psychological problems and reduce quality of life. Aromatherapy could possibly provide relief for those suffering from fatigue. Here, we evaluated the effect of aromatherapy on fatigue in adults. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature, SinoMed, Wanfang, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database databases for randomized controlled trials of aromatherapy treatment for fatigue in adults from their inception to June 2021. Two reviewers searched independently, extracted the characteristics of the studies, and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and Stata v. 14.0. Results: Nineteen studies were included in this systematic review. Aromatherapy had a significant effect on fatigue (standardized mean difference -0.64, 95% confidence interval-1.14, -0.15, I2 94.4%, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis according to aromatic type, substance, frequency, treatment duration, intervention, outcomes measurement, and population type showed that aromatherapy had a significantly greater effect in the intervention group, compared to the control group. Funnel plots and Egger's test indicated no significant publication bias. Conclusion: Our results suggest that aromatherapy ameliorates fatigue in adults who suffer from chronic diseases. A rigorous intervention program and larger randomized controlled trials are needed.

Computed tomography-based radiomic analysis for prediction of treatment response to salvage chemoradiotherapy for locoregional lymph node recurrence after curative esophagectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the capability of computed tomography (CT) radiomic features to predict the therapeutic response and local control of the locoregional recurrence lymph node (LN) after curative esophagectomy by chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: This retrospective study included 129 LN from 77 patients (training cohort: 102 LN from 59 patients; validation cohort: 27 LN from 18 patients) with postoperative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The region of the tumor was contoured in pretreatment contrast-enhanced CT images. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator with logistic regression was used to identify radiomic predictors in the training cohort. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine the local recurrence time of cancer. RESULTS: The radiomic model suggested seven features that could be used to predict treatment response. The AUCs in training and validated cohorts were 0.777 (95% CI: 0.667-0.878) and 0.765 (95% CI: 0.556-0.975), respectively. A significant difference in the radiomic scores (Rad-scores) between response and nonresponse was observed in the two cohorts (p < 0.001, 0.034, respectively). Two features were identified for classifying whether there will be relapse in 2 years. AUC was 0.857 (95% CI: 0.780-0.935) in the training cohort. The local control time of the high Rad-score group was higher than the low group in both cohorts (p < 0.001 and 0.025, respectively). As inferred from the Cox regression analysis, the low Rad-score was a high-risk factor for local recurrence within 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: The radiomic approach can be used as a potential imaging biomarker to predict treatment response and local control of recurrence LN in ESCC patients.

Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Salvage Treatment for Local Lymph Node Recurrence After Radical Resection of Oesophageal Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: There are no standard therapeutic strategies for local lymph node (LN) recurrence after radical resection of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and prognostic risk factors remain controversial. We assessed clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or radiotherapy (RT) for LN recurrence of ESCC after curative resection. METHODS: A total of 117 ESCC patients with LN recurrence after radical resection receiving salvage treatment at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed from 2014 to 2017. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method; clinical characteristics were assessed using the Log rank test in the univariate analysis. Multivariate prognostic analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 19 months, the 1-, 2- and 3-year OS rates were 75.2%, 40.2% and 27.4%, respectively. The median survival time (MST) was 19.0 months. On univariate analysis for OS, pathological TNM stage, number of LN metastasis, LN maximum (Max) diameter, salvage treatment mode and tumor response were significantly associated with OS (P = 0.0074, P = 0.015, P = 0.0011, P = 0.028, P < 0.000, respectively). On multivariate analysis, tumor response [Response vs No-response hazard ratio (HR), 2.43; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.53-3.90, P < 0.000] and LN Max diameter (≤28 mm vs >28 mm HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.33-3.32, P = 0.012) were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Salvage CRT or RT was safe and effective for treating LN recurrence after radical resection in ESCC. Patients with the small LN Max diameter (≤28 mm) and obtained response after salvage therapy appeared to achieve long-term OS.

The Beneficial Role of Auricular Point Pressure in Insomnia and Anxiety in Isolated COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes psychological distress and can have a negative impact on the general mental health and rehabilitation in affected patients under currently implemented isolation guidelines. Auricular point pressure (APP) as well-established technique in traditional Chinese medicine may help to relieve sleep disturbance and anxiety in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: During the early phase of the epidemic/pandemic, patients were enrolled in this study (02/2020 until 03/2020 n = 84). They were strictly isolated on specific wards at the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine in Hubei. The retrospective cohort study design included two groups. Group A patients were treated with an auricular point pressure (APP) in addition to standard intensive care medicine while Group B participants (No-APP) received routine nursing measures alone. Treatment outcome was measured using the St. Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMH) Score and the 7-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Both scores were measured in each patient at baseline and on the discharge day. RESULTS: The SMH score and sleep status changed in APP patients at the end of the treatment period when compared with No-APP patients (P < 0.01). APP-treated patients demonstrated lower GAD-7 scores than No-APP controls (P < 0.01). Further, no significant differences in safety or adverse events between the APP and No-APP groups were observed. CONCLUSION: The results from our snapshot study during the early phase of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic/pandemic suggest that auricular point pressure could be a simple and effective tool to relieve insomnia and situational anxiety in hospitalized patients suffering from COVID-19 and kept under disconcerting conditions of isolation.

Value of Nomogram Incorporated Preoperative Tumor Volume and the Number of Postoperative Pathologically Lymph Node Metastasis Regions on Predicting the Prognosis of Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of preoperative tumor volume, length, maximum diameter and the number of postoperative pathologically lymph node metastasis (LNM) regions on survival prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients. METHODS: A total of 296 patients with ESCC treated by standard curative esophagectomy were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were grouped for further analysis according to the optimal threshold of preoperative tumor volume, length, maximum diameter and the number of postoperative pathologically LNM regions. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rate and survival comparison was performed by Log rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to carry out univariate and multivariate analyses. Nomogram model was established by integrating statistically significant clinicopathological parameters, and the predictive value was further verified by calibration curve, concordance index (C-index) and decision curve. RESULTS: The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis all showed that differentiation grade, TNM stage, adjuvant therapy, preoperative tumor volume and the number of post operative pathologically LNM regions were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS (all P<0.05). The C-indexes of PFS and OS by nomograms were predicted to be 0.747 (95% CI: 0.717-0.777) and 0.732 (95% CI: 0.697-0.767), respectively, which were significantly higher than the 7th AJCC TNM stage, the C-indexes 0.612 (95% CI: 0.574-0.650) and 0.633 (95% CI: 0.595-0.671), separately. In addition, the calibration curves of nomogram models were highly consistent with actual observation for the five-year PFS and OS rate, and the decision curve analysis also showed that nomogram models had higher clinical application potentials than TNM staging model in predicting survival prognosis of thoracic ESCC after surgery. CONCLUSION: The nomograms incorporated preoperative tumor volume and the number of postoperative pathologically LNM areas are of great value in predicting survival prognosis of patients with thoracic ESCC.

Co-existence of myopia and amblyopia in a guinea pig model with monocular form deprivation.

BACKGROUND: Form deprivation myopia is a type of ametropia, with identifiable causes in humans, that has been induced in many animals. The age of onset of myopia induced by monocular form deprivation coincides with the period of visual development in guinea pigs. However, visual acuity of form-deprived eyes in guinea pigs is not understood yet. In this study, we investigated whether monocular form deprivation would affect visual acuity in infant guinea pigs by evaluating the development of myopia and amblyopia after monocular form deprivation, and whether form deprivation myopia and amblyopia occurred simultaneously or successively. METHODS: Twenty pigmented guinea pigs (2 weeks old) were randomly assigned to two groups: monocularly form-deprived (n=10), in which facemasks modified from latex balloons covered the right eye, and normal controls (n=10). Refraction, axial length, and visual acuity were measured at 4 intervals (after 0, 1, 4, and 8 weeks of form deprivation), using cycloplegic streak retinoscopy, A-scan ultrasonography (with an oscillation frequency of 10 MHz), and sweep visual evoked potentials (sweep VEPs), respectively. Sweep VEPs were performed with correction of the induced myopic refractive error. RESULTS: Longer deprivation periods resulted in significant refractive errors in form-deprived eyes compared with those in contralateral and normal control eyes; the axial lengths of form-deprived eyes increased significantly after 4 and 8 weeks of form deprivation. These results revealed that myopia was established at 4 weeks. The acuity of form-deprived eyes was unchanged compared to that at the pretreatment time point, while that of contralateral eyes and eyes in normal control guinea pigs improved; there were significant differences between the deprived eyes and the other two open eyes from 1 to 8 weeks of form deprivation, showing that amblyopia was possibly established during 1 week of form deprivation. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the feasibility of using sweep VEPs to estimate the visual acuity of guinea pigs. Further, our results revealed that amblyopia likely occurred earlier than myopia; amblyopia and myopia coexisted after a long duration of monocular form deprivation in guinea pigs. Understanding this relationship may help provide insights into failures of treatment of amblyopia associated with myopic anisometropia.

Effect of amblyopia treatment on macular microvasculature in children with anisometropic amblyopia using optical coherence tomographic angiography.

To measure the retinal microvascular density in patients with anisometropic amblyopia using optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) and to evaluate the effects of successful amblyopia treatment on microvasculature in retina. 59 children (5-12 years old) including 22 newly diagnosed unilateral anisometropic amblyopia, 16 recovered unilateral anisometropic amblyopia, and 21 control children were imaged with OCTA using 6 × 6-mm macular scan pattern. Vessel densities of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), the deep capillary plexus (DCP), and the overall macular thickness were acquired and compared among the three groups. After adjustment for axial length, the amblyopia group showed lower macular vessel density in the SCP (P = 0.005) and in the DCP (P = 0.004) compared with that of the control group. However, for the recovered amblyopia group, no difference of vessel density was found when compared with the control group in both the SCP (P = 0.548) and the DCP (P = 0.124). No difference of the mean macular thickness was found among three groups (P ≥ 0.15). Children with anisometropic amblyopia have reduced macular vessel density in OCTA, while no difference of macular vessel density was found between the recovered amblyopic and control eyes. Macular thickness showed no difference in anisometropic amblyopia and remained unchanged after amblyopic treatment.

The molecular mechanisms of the long noncoding RNA SBF2-AS1 in regulating the proliferation of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The long noncoding RNASBF2-AS1 can promote the occurrence and development of many kinds of tumours, but its role in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unknown. We found that SBF2-AS1 was up-regulated in ESCC, and its expression was positively correlated with tumor size (P = 0.0001), but was not related to gender, age, TNM stage, histological grade, and lymphnode metastasis (P > 0.05). It was further found that the higher the expression of SBF2-AS1, the lower the survival rate. COX multivariate analysis showed that the expression of SBF2-AS1 was an independent prognostic factor. Functional experiments show that inhibition of SBF2-AS1 can inhibit the proliferation of ESCC through in vivo and in vitro, and overexpression of SBF2-AS1 can promote the proliferation of ESCC and inhibit its apoptosis. In mechanism, SBF2-AS1/miR-338-3P, miR-362-3P/E2F1 axis are involved in the regulation of ESCC growth. In general, SBF2-AS1 may be used as ceRNA to combine with miR-338-3P and miR-362-3P to up-regulate the expression ofE2F1, and ultimately play a role in promoting cancer. It may be used as a therapeutic target and a biomarker for prognosis.

The Combination of Preoperative Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio is a Useful Prognostic Marker in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic values of a novel evaluated system, named the CONN (combination of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 [NRS-2002] and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR]), in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by curative esophagectomy. A total of 278 patients with ESCC receiving standard curative esophagectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The CONN was calculated by combined NRS-2002 and NLR according to the corresponding cutoff values: patients with both elevated NRS-2002 (≥3.0) and NLR (≥3.0) were allocated a score of 2, and patients showing one or neither were allocated a score of 1 or 0, respectively. In our univariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with poor PFS and OS: T stage, N stage, TNM stage, NLR, NRS-2002 and CONN (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that N stage (P = 0.039), NRS-2002 (P = 0.041) and CONN (P = 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for PFS. While T stage (P = 0.017), N stage (P = 0.048), NLR (P = 0.021), NRS-2002 (P = 0.001) and CONN (P = 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for OS. In conclusion, CONN was an independent prognostic marker for survival prediction in patients with ESCC receiving surgery.

Topical therapy with rhubarb navel plasters in patients with chronic constipation: Results from a prospective randomized multicenter study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Constipation is a functional gastrointestinal disorder and one of the most prevalent conditions encountered in primary care settings. Rhubarb navel dressings have been used for more than 2,000 years in Chinese medicine to treat constipation. However, the effect of topical rhubarb administration has still not been well recognized and this strategy is not yet established as an evidence-based approach. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we performed a prospective multicentric randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rhubarb navel plasters for patients with chronic constipation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 374 patients from six teaching hospitals were prospectively included between 09/2016 and 10/2017 in the study based on Rome III criteria. All participants were randomly assigned (1:1) into verum/placebo group and given either Rheum officinale rhubarb powder or a placebo flour stick on the navel for 6 h/day/8 days. Primary outcome measures were the Cleveland Constipation Score (CCS) for the feces condition and Bristol Stool Scale (BSS) for stool consistency and 24 h defecation frequency. RESULTS: The groups demonstrated no statistical differences in demographic data, clinical diagnoses and concomitant medication at baseline. In patients treated with the verum CCS was 5.61 (day 8, 95% CI 5.15-6.07) compared to 8.62 (95% CI 8.07-9.18) in placebo-treated controls (P < 0.001). The mean change of CCS at the end of treatment (day 8 versus [vs] day 0) was 6.04 in verum-treated vs 2.73 in placebo-treated controls (P < 0.001). Also 24 h defecation frequency (BSS) showed superior results (day 5: 0.84 vs 0.62, 95% CI 0.67-0.80, P < 0.001; day 6: 0.82 vs 0.60, 95% CI 0.64-0.78, P < 0.01 and day 8: 0.82 vs 0.60, 95% CI 0.64-0.78, P < 0.01) and better BSS type classification during treatment than controls (P < 0.05). No significant differences in adverse events between both groups became obvious. CONCLUSION: Rhubarb navel plaster administration over an 8-day-treatment period resulted in significantly improved bowel function as demonstrated by the CCS, 24 h defecating frequency and BSS. Our results suggest that rhubarb navel plasters represent a feasible, safe and efficient application route for the treatment of patients suffering from chronic constipation.

Circular RNA circ-Foxo3 inhibits esophageal squamous cell cancer progression via the miR-23a/PTEN axis.

Circ-Foxo3 is a circRNA encoded by the human FOXO3 gene and works as a sponge for potential microRNAs (miRNAs) to regulate cancer progression. However, the role of circ-Foxo3 in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) is not clear. In this study, circ-Foxo3 was lowly expressed in cell lines and ESCC tissues. Meanwhile, overexpression of circ-Foxo3 inhibited cell growth, migration, and invasion, whether in vivo or in vitro. Mechanically, we found a potential miRNA target, miR-23a, which negatively correlated with circ-Foxo3 in ESCC. Then, a luciferase assay confirmed the relationship between the circ-Foxo3 and miRNA. Moreover, circ-Foxo3 upregulation of PTEN occurred through "sponging" miR-23a. Taken together, these results indicated that the circ-Foxo3/miR-23a/PTEN pathway was critical for inhibiting the ESCC progression. This may provide a promising target for treat ESCC.