Preoperative localization for pulmonary nodules: a meta-analysis of coil and liquid materials.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to conduct pooled comparisons of the relative clinical efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided localization for pulmonary nodules (PNs) using either coil- or liquid material-based approaches. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Relevant articles published as of July 2023 were identified in the Web of Science, PubMed, and Wanfang databases, and pooled analyses of relevant endpoints were then conducted. RESULTS: Six articles that enrolled 287 patients (341 PNs) and 247 patients (301 PNs) that had respectively undergone CT-guided localization procedures using coil- and liquid material-based approaches prior to video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) were included in this meta-analysis. The liquid material group exhibited a significantly higher pooled successful localization rate as compared to the coil group (p = 0.01), together with significantly lower pooled total complication rates (p = 0.0008) and pneumothorax rates (p = 0.01). Both groups exhibited similar rates of pulmonary hemorrhage (p = 0.44) and successful wedge resection (p = 0.26). Liquid-based localization was also associated with significant reductions in pooled localization and VATS procedure durations (p = 0.004 and 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: These data are consistent with CT-guided localization procedures performed using liquid materials being safer and more efficacious than coil-based localization in patients with PNs prior to VATS resection.

Identification of anti-gastric cancer effects and molecular mechanisms of resveratrol: From network pharmacology and bioinformatics to experimental validation.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies with limited therapeutic options and a poor prognosis. Resveratrol, a non-flavonoid polyphenolic compound found in a variety of Chinese medicinal materials, has shown excellent anti-GC effect. However, its exact mechanisms of action in GC have not been clarified. AIM: To identify the effects of resveratrol on GC progression and explore the related molecular mechanisms. METHODS: Action targets of resveratrol and GC-related targets were screened from public databases. The overlapping targets between the two were confirmed using a Venn diagram, and a "Resveratrol-Target-GC" network was constructed using Cytoscape software version 3.9.1. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING database and core targets were identified by PPI network analysis. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery database was used for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. A "Target-Pathway" network was created by using Cytoscape 3.9.1. The RNA and protein expression levels of core target genes were observed using the Cancer Genome Atlas and the Human Protein Atlas databases. DriverDBv3 and Timer2.0 databases were used for survival and immune infiltration analysis. Subsequently, the findings were further verified by molecular docking technology and in vitro experiments. RESULTS: A total of 378 resveratrol action targets and 2154 GC disease targets were obtained from public databases, and 181 intersection targets between the two were screened by Venn diagram. The top 20 core targets were identified by PPI network analysis of the overlapping targets. GO function analysis mainly involved protein binding, identical protein binding, cytoplasm, nucleus, negative regulation of apoptotic process and response to xenobiotic stimulus. KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that the involved signaling pathways mainly included PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, etc. FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog (FOS) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) were selected by differential expression analysis, and they were closely associated with immune infiltration. Molecular docking results showed that resveratrol docked well with these two targets. Resveratrol treatment arrested the cell cycle at the S phase, induced apoptosis, and weakened viability, migration and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, resveratrol could exhibit anti-GC effect by regulating FOS and MMP9 expression. CONCLUSION: The anti-GC effects of resveratrol are related to the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, invasion and induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by targeting FOS and MMP9.

The Physical Vapor Transport Method for Bulk AlN Crystal Growth.

In this report, the development of physical vapor transport (PVT) methods for bulk aluminum nitride (AlN) crystal growth is reviewed. Three modified PVT methods with different features including selected growth at a conical zone, freestanding growth on a perforated sheet, and nucleation control with an inverse temperature gradient are discussed and compared in terms of the size and quality of the bulk AlN crystals they can produce as well as the process complexity. The PVT method with an inverse temperature gradient is able to significantly reduce the nucleation rate and realize the dominant growth of only one bulk AlN single crystal, and thus grow centimeter-sized bulk AlN single crystals. X-ray rocking curve (XRC) and Raman spectroscopy measurements showed a high crystalline quality of the prepared AlN crystals. The inverse temperature gradient provides an efficient and relatively low-cost method for the preparation of large-sized and high-quality AlN seed crystals used for seeded growth, devoted to the diameter enlargement and quality improvement of bulk AlN single crystals.

Association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase with treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis B patients.

AIM: To investigate the association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels with chronic hepatitis B infection and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on clinical data collected from patients who had been positive for hepatitis B surface antigen for > 6 mo and who were antiviral-treatment naïve (n = 215) attending the Hepatitis Clinic at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between August 2010 and December 2013. Healthy individuals without liver disease (n = 83) were included as controls. Patients were categorized into four groups based on disease status as recommended by the European Association for the Study of the Liver: immune tolerance (IT; n = 47), HBeAg-positive hepatitis (EPH; n = 93), HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH; n = 20), and inactive carrier (IC; n = 55). Prediction of complete response (CR) based on serum GGT was also examined in EPH patients (n = 33) treated for 48 wk with nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy, including lamivudine plus adefovir combination therapy (n = 20) or entecavir monotherapy (n = 13). CR was defined as a serum hepatitis B virus DNA level < 500 copies/mL and HBeAg seroconversion by 48 wk of treatment. RESULTS: Serum GGT levels were significantly increased in EPH and ENH patients relative to the IT, IC, and healthy control groups (P < 0.01 for all). However, no significant difference in serum GGT levels was found between the EPH and ENH groups. Baseline serum GGT levels were significantly higher in patients who achieved CR (7/33; 21.2%) compared to patients in the non-CR group (26/33; 78.8%; P = 0.011). In addition, the decline in serum GGT was greater in CR patients compared to non-CR patients after 24 wk and 48 wk of treatment (P = 0.012 and P = 0.008, respectively). The receiver operating characteristic curve yielded a sensitivity of 85.71% and a specificity of 61.54% at a threshold value of 0.89 times the upper limit of normal for baseline serum GGT in the prediction of CR following NA therapy. CONCLUSION: Serum GGT is significantly elevated in EPH and ENH patients and is a potential biomarker for the prediction of HBeAg seroconversion following NA therapy.

Downregulation of phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 is involved in the inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis induced by emodin in the SGC-7901 human gastric carcinoma cell line.

Emodin, an anthraquinone derivative isolated mainly from the root and rhizome of the medicinal plant Rheum palmatum L., was found to exert anticancer effects on various cultured cancer cells. Phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 (PRL-3), a novel gene, has been known to play an important role in the promotion of cellular proliferation as well as inhibition of apoptosis in cancer cells. However, there is relatively little information in the published literature with regard to the anticancer mechanism of emodin, and whether emodin is involved in the regulation of PRL-3 in human gastric carcinoma cells is not known. In the present study, we investigated the effects of emodin on SGC-7901 cell proliferation, apoptosis and regulation of PRL-3. The results showed that the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells was inhibited by emodin in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The results also showed that early apoptosis rates increased in a concentration-dependent manner after emodin treatment. Furthermore, real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that PRL-3 mRNA was significantly decreased by treatment with emodin. Western blotting showed that PRL-3 protein expression was also downregulated significantly. Overall, the present study demonstrated that emodin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptotic cell death in the SGC-7901 human gastric carcinoma cell line. Downregulation of PRL-3 is involved in the inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis induced by emodin. PRL-3 may be a new potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer using emodin.

The application of highly doped single-layer graphene as the top electrodes of semitransparent organic solar cells.

A single-layer graphene film with high conductance and transparency was realized by effective chemical doping. The conductance of single-layer graphene was increased for more than 400% when it was doped with Au nanoparticles and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonic acid). Then semitransparent organic solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were fabricated with single-layer graphene and indium tin oxide (ITO) as the top and bottom electrodes, respectively. The performance of the devices was optimized by tuning the active layer thickness and doping the single-layer graphene electrodes. The maximum efficiency of 2.7% was observed in the devices with the area of 20 mm(2) illuminated from graphene electrode under the AM1.5 solar simulator. It is notable that all of the devices showed higher efficiency from the graphene than ITO side, which was attributed to the better transmittance of the graphene electrodes. In addition, the influence of the active area of the organic solar cell on its photovoltaic performance was studied. We found that, when the active areas increased from 6 to 50 mm(2), the power conversion efficiencies decreased from 3% to 2.3% because of the increased series resistances and the decreased edge effect of the devices.

[Effects of non-sufficient irrigation with saline water on soil water-salt distribution and spring corn yield].

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of sufficient and non-sufficient irrigation with saline water on the soil water-salt distribution and spring corn yield in the middle reach of Shiyanghe River Basin. The results showed that under both sufficient and non-sufficient irrigation, the peak value of soil water content all appeared during irrigation period, and the variation range of the water content was higher under sufficient than under non-sufficient irrigation. Soil salinity was positively correlated with the salinity of irrigation water. At the same salinity of irrigation water, the soil salinity under non-sufficient irrigation was lower than that under sufficient irrigation. Under non-sufficient irrigation, the soil layer with salt accumulation was moved up, but the water and salt contents in 80-100 cm soil layer were less affected by the amount and salinity of irrigation water. Comparing with that under fresh water irrigation, the spring corn yield under saline water irrigation was decreased by 15%-22%. Under non-sufficient irrigation with 9 g x L(-1), 6 g x L(-1), and 3 g x L(-1) of saline water, the average salt content in 1 m soil layer after harvest was decreased by 8.1%, 12.4%, and 18.4%, and the corn yield was only decreased by 3.4%, 6.8%, and 3.0%, respectively, compared with those under sufficient irrigation.

Experience of congenital choledochal cyst in adults:treatment, surgical procedures and clinical outcome in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.

This study was undertaken to analyze and evaluate the diagnosis and principal treatment methods for congenital choledochal cyst, focusing on various surgical procedures and clinical outcome. A comprehensive, retrospective study was conducted on 72 adult patients who presented with choledochal cyst from 1985 to 2002. Surgical procedures were cyst excision with hepaticojejunostomy in 25 cases for type I or type IV-B, extrahepatic cyst excision with hepaticojejunostomy in 8 cases for type IV-A, extrahepatic cyst excision with modified hepaticojejunostomy in 2 cases for type IV-B, non-cyst excision with or without hepaticojejunostomy in 27 cases for types I, II, IV-A, IV-B. The early postoperative morbidity and mortality rate were 16.1% (9/62) and 6.5% (4/62) respectively, and the complication rate related to surgical procedure was 30.6% (19/62). The incidence of cholangiocarcinoma with non-cyst excision or non-operated congenital choledochal cyst was 10.8% (4/37). One patient died of primary hepatocellular carcinoma after cyst excision with hepatojejunostomy. In conclusion, our results showed that complete excision of choledochal cyst for types I, II, and IV-B and complete excision of extrahepatic choledochal cyst from the hepatic hilum in type IV-A with hepaticojejunostomy or modified hepaticojejunostomy are the treatment of choice for choledochal cyst in adult patients.