Efficacy of totally laparoscopic compared with laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy for gastric cancer: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy is currently the most common surgical approach for gastric cancer. The main difference between totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) and laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) is the route of digestive tract reconstruction. However, TLTG is currently not widespread as the safety and feasibility of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy is uncertain. AIM: To compare the short-term efficacy of TLTG and LATG for radical gastrectomy of gastric cancer, and to determine the safety and feasibility of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were searched for all relevant articles regarding TLTG vs LATG for gastric cancer published up to October 1, 2019. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established. All the basic conditions of patients and important clinical data related to surgery were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: Eight studies involving a total of 1883 cases (869 cases in the TLTG group and 1014 cases in the LATG group) were included. Compared with the LATG group, reduced intraoperative blood loss (weighted mean difference = -35.37, 95%CI: -61.69 - -9.06, P = 0.008) and a larger number of retrieved lymph nodes (weighted mean difference = 3.11, 95%CI: -2.60 - 12.00, P = 0.01) were found in the TLTG group. There were no significant differences in operating time, anastomotic time, tumor size, proximal resection margin length, postoperative pain score, time to first flatus, time to first oral intake, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative anastomosis-related complication rate and overall complication rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy is safe and feasible. TLTG has the advantages of being minimally invasive, reduced intraoperative blood loss and easier access to lymph nodes compared with LATG. Totally laparoscopic gastrectomy is likely to be the surgical trend for gastric cancer in the future.

Tracing the geographical origin of rice by stable isotopic analyses combined with chemometrics.

Multivariate stable isotope analysis combined with chemometrics was used to investigate and discriminate rice samples from six rice producing provinces in China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan and Guizhou) and four other Asian rice producing countries (Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, and Pakistan). The stable isotope characteristics were analyzed for rice of different species cultivated with varied farming methods at different altitudes and latitudes/longitudes. The index groups of δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, 207/206Pb and 208/207Pb were screened and established for the selected samples with different geographical features by means of principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA), which would provide a sound technical solution for rice traceability and serve as a template for further research on the traceability of other agricultural products, especially plant-derived products.

Improved Discrimination for Brassica Vegetables Treated with Agricultural Fertilizers Using a Combined Chemometric Approach.

Multielement and stable isotope (δ(13)C, δ(15)N, δ(2)H, δ(18)O, (207)Pb/(206)Pb, and (208)Pb/(206)Pb) analyses were combined to provide a new chemometric approach to improve the discrimination between organic and conventional Brassica vegetable production. Different combinations of organic and conventional fertilizer treatments were used to demonstrate this authentication approach using Brassica chinensis planted in experimental test pots. Stable isotope analyses (δ(15)N and δ(13)C) of B. chinensis using elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometry easily distinguished organic and chemical fertilizer treatments. However, for low-level application fertilizer treatments, this dual isotope approach became indistinguishable over time. Using a chemometric approach (combined isotope and elemental approach), organic and chemical fertilizer mixes and low-level applications of synthetic and organic fertilizers were detectable in B. chinensis and their associated soils, improving the detection limit beyond the capacity of individual isotopes or elemental characterization. LDA shows strong promise as an improved method to discriminate genuine organic Brassica vegetables from produce treated with chemical fertilizers and could be used as a robust test for organic produce authentication.

Variation of the light stable isotopes in the superior and inferior grains of rice (Oryza sativa L.) with different geographical origins.

Trying to explore a new research angle to increase the resolution and accessibility of isotopic based traceability technique, light stable isotopes (δ(13)C, δ(15)N, δD and δ(18)O) in the superior (SS) and inferior (IS) grains of a rice cultivar Daohuaxiang were analyzed with relatively limited sample numbers and adjacent sites in Fujin and Wuchang, Heilongjiang Province, PR China. Distribution of δ(13)C, δ(15)N and δ(18)O in the SS and IS grains were found to be different. δ(18)O and δD can discriminate rice cultivation areas. However, δ(13)C and δ(15)N values in Fujin and Wuchang overlapped when the differences between SS and IS were considered, thus δ(13)C and δ(15)N cannot be used to discriminate cultivation areas. This exploratory study indicate the variation of the light stable isotopes in the grains located on different panicle positions could be used to discriminate the geographical origin but still need further systematic consideration and verification.

The combination of blue dye and radioisotope versus radioisotope alone during sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The combination of blue dye and radioisotope is most widely used to identify sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in patients with breast cancer. However, some individual studies suggested that dual tracers did not have an advantage over radioisotope alone in detecting SLNs. We performed a systematic review to investigate the added value of blue dye in addition to radioisotope. METHODS: We searched Pubmed and Embase. Prospective studies that compared the combination of radioisotope and blue dye with radioisotope alone were selected. The identification rate of SLNs and the false-negative rate were the main outcomes of interest. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidential intervals (CIs) were calculated by using random-effects model. RESULTS: Twenty-four studies were included. The combination of radioisotope and blue dye showed higher identification rate than radioisotope alone (OR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.53-2.69, P < 0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was revealed for patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR = 1.64, 95% CI 0.82-3.27, P > 0.05), or for studies with high proportion of patients with positive lymphoscintigraphy (OR = 1.41, 95% CI 0.83-2.39, P > 0.05). Dual tracers did not significantly lower the false-negative rate compared with radioisotope alone (OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.44-1.29, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although the combination of blue dye and radioisotope outperformed radioisotope alone in SLN detection, the superiority for dual tracers may be limited for patients with positive lymphoscintigraphy or for those after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Besides, the combined modality did not help lower the false-negative rate.

Concentrations of Inorganic Arsenic in Milled Rice from China and Associated Dietary Exposure Assessment.

Total arsenic (As) and inorganic As (Asi) in milled rice (n = 1653) collected from China were studied to evaluate the contamination level, distribution, and health risks. The mean concentrations of the total As and Asi were 116.5 and 90.9 µg/kg, respectively. There were significant differences (P < 0.01) between the 11 provinces, and 1.1% of samples exceeded the maximum contaminant level established by Chinese legislation. According to the exposure assessment method of probabilistic simulation, all values of the target hazard quotients (THQs) for chronic noncarcinogenic risks (skin lesions as the point of departure) were below 1, suggesting that the Chinese population will not encounter a significant noncarcinogenic risk. However, the mean values of margin of exposure (MOE) for lung cancer risks ranging from 3.86 to 8.54 were under 100 for all age groups and genders of the Chinese population; moreover, MOE values for some major rice-producing and -consuming countries, such as Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh, and the United States, were all also below 100. More attention should be paid to carcinogenic risks from rice Asi intake, and some control measures to reduce rice Asi intake should be taken.

Variations in the natural ¹5N abundance of Brassica chinensis grown in uncultivated soil affected by different nitrogen fertilizers.

To further investigate the method of using δ(15)N as a marker for organic vegetable discrimination, the effects of different fertilizers on the δ(15)N in different growing stages of Brassica chinensis (B. chinensis) grown in uncultivated soil were investigated with a pot experiment. B. chinensis was planted with uncultivated soil and different fertilizer treatments and then harvested three times in three seasons consecutively. For the spring experiments in the years of 2011 and 2012, the δ(15)N value of B. chinensis, which increased due to organic manure application and decreased due to chemical fertilizer application, was significantly different (p < 0.05) with manure treatment and chemical treatment. The δ(15)N value of vegetables varied among three growing stages and ranged from +8.6‰ to +11.5‰ for the control, from +8.6‰ to +12.8‰ for the compost chicken manure treatment, from +2.8‰ to +7.7‰ for the chemical fertilizer urea treatment, and from +7.7‰ to +10.9‰ for the compost-chemical fertilizer treatment. However, the δ(15)N values observed in the autumn experiment of 2011 without any fertilizer application increased ranging from +13.4‰ to +15.4‰, + 11.2‰ to +17.7‰, +10.7‰ to +17.1‰, and +10.6‰ to +19.1‰, respectively, for the same treatments mentioned above. This result was not significantly different between manure treatment and chemical treatment. The δ(15)N values of soil obtained in the spring of 2011 during three growing stages were slightly affected by fertilizers and varied in the range of +1.6‰ to +2.5‰ for CK, +4.7‰ to +6.5‰ for compost treatment, +2.1‰ to +2.4‰ for chemical treatment, and +2.7‰ to +4.6‰ for chemical-compost treatment, respectively. High δ(15)N values of B. chinensis were observed in these experiments, which would be useful to supplement a δ(15)N database for discriminating organic vegetables. Although there was a significant difference between manure treatment and chemical treatment, it was still difficult to discriminate whether a labeled organic vegetable was really grown without chemical fertilizer just with a fixed high δ(15)N value, especially for the vegetables planted simultaneously with chemical and compost fertilizer.

Direct enantioseparation of nitrogen-heterocyclic pesticides on amylose-tris-(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate) by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

In this study, 11 nitrogen-heterocyclic pesticides were stereoselectively separated on amylose-tris-(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phase, using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector and optical rotation detector at 426 nm. The effects of mobile phase composition and column temperature (5-40 °C) on separation were investigated. When acetonitrile and water were used as mobile phase, satisfactory separations were obtained on amylose-tris-(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate) for four pesticides with elution orders of (+)/(-)-simeconazole (1), (-)/(+)-nuarimol (3), (-)/(+)-carfentrazone-ethyl (4), and (-)/(+)/(-)/(+)-bromuconazole (9) and part separations for three with elution orders of (-)/(+)-famoxadone (6), (+)/(-)-fenbuconazole (10), and (-)/(+)-triapenthenol (11). Only two chromatographic peaks on diode array detector were obtained for diclobutrazol (2), cyproconazole (5), etaconazole (7), and metconazole (8), although they should have four stereoisomers in theory because of presences of two chiral centers in molecules. The stereoisomeric optical signals of all pesticides did not reverse with temperature changes but would reverse with different solvent types for some pesticides. These results will be useful to prepare and analyze individual enantiomers of chiral pesticides.

Effect of different fertilizers on nitrogen isotope composition and nitrate content of Brassica campestris.

The effect of different fertilizers on the δ(15)N value, nitrate concentration, and nitrate reductase activity of Brassica campestris and the δ(15)N value of soil has been investigated through a pot experiment. The δ(15)N mean value of B. campestris at the seedling stage observed in the composted chicken treatment (+8.65‰) was higher than that of chemical fertilizer treatment (+5.73‰), compost-chemical fertilizer (+7.53‰), and control check treatment (+7.86‰). There were significantly different δ(15)N values (p < 0.05) between B. campestris cultivated with composted chicken manure treatment and with chemical fertilizer treatment. The similar results were also found at the middle stage and the terminal stage. The variation of δ(15)N value in soil for different treatments was smaller than that of B. campestris, which was +6.71-+8.12‰, +6.83-+8.24‰, and +6.85-8.4‰, respectively, at seedling stage, middle stage, and terminal stage. With the growth of B. campestris, the nitrate content decreased in all treatments, and the nitrate reductase activity in B. campestris increased except for the CK. Results suggested that the δ(15)N values of B. campestris and soil were more effected by the fertilizer than by the dose level, and the δ(15)N value analysis could be used as a tool to discriminate the B. campestris cultivated with composted manure or chemical fertilizer.