Higher specific capacitance and compressibility nanocellulose based supercapacitor hydrogel electrode assembled by efficient impregnation.

The rational and effective combination of different electrochemical substances to prepare high-performance supercapacitor electrodes has been widely studied by researchers. Currently, most work focuses on polymerizing conductive polymers onto the surface of nanocellulose and carbon materials, and then preparing them into supercapacitor electrodes. This method is effective, but the process is cumbersome. Therefore, we propose a simpler and more effective method. A hydrogel was prepared by using TEMPO oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNF)/multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), and then immersed in aniline and FeCI3 solutions for 24 h to obtain a hydrogel electrode. At a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2, it exhibits an area specific capacitance of 1028 mF cm-2, with a maximum strain of 58 % and a compressive stress of 150 KPa. The assembled symmetrical supercapacitor exhibits a high specific capacitance of 303 mF cm-2 at a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2. The research results indicate that the proposed method is a new feasible approach for developing supercapacitors.

Causal relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus and primary liver cirrhosis based on two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization and transcriptome overlap analysis.

BACKGROUND: Overlapping cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are rare and have not yet been fully proven to be accidental or have a common genetic basis. METHODS: Two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was applied to explore the potential causal relationship between SLE and PBC. The heterogeneity and reliability of MR analysis were evaluated through Cochran's Q-test and sensitivity test, respectively. Next, transcriptome overlap analysis of SLE and PBC was performed using the Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify the potential mechanism of hub genes. Finally, based on MR analysis, the potential causal relationship between hub genes and SLE or PBC was validated again. RESULTS: The MR analysis results indicated that SLE and PBC were both high-risk factors for the occurrence and development of the other party. On the one hand, MR analysis had heterogeneity, and on the other hand, it also had robustness. Nine hub genes were identified through transcriptome overlap analysis, and machine learning algorithms were used to verify their high recognition efficiency for SLE patients. Finally, based on MR analysis, it was verified that there was no potential causal relationship between the central gene SOCS3 and SLE, but it was a high-risk factor for the potential risk of PBC. CONCLUSION: The two-sample bidirectional MR analysis revealed that SLE and PBC were high-risk factors for each other, indicating that they had similar genetic bases, which could to some extent overcome the limitation of insufficient overlap in case samples of SLE and PBC. The analysis of transcriptome overlapping hub genes provided a theoretical basis for the potential mechanisms and therapeutic targets of SLE with PBC overlapping cases.

Visualized adsorption and enhanced photocatalytic removal of Cr6+ by carbon dots-incorporated fluorescent nanocellulose aerogels.

In this study, carbon dots (CDs) and titanate nanofibers (TNs) were mixed with TEMPO-oxidized nanocellulose (TOCNC) to prepare fluorescent nanocellulose aerogels (FNAs) by a Schiff base reaction. The resulting FNA can detect the adsorption of Cr6+ through the fluorescence quenching in CDs and promote the removal of Cr6+ through the synergistic effect of CDs in photocatalysis. The optimized FNA has a maximum adsorption capacity of 543.38 mg/g, higher than most reported Cr6+ adsorbents. This excellent performance is due to the porous structure of the aerogel, which gives it a high specific surface area of 20.53 m2/g and provides abundant adsorption sites. Simultaneously, CDs can enhance the amino-induced Cr6+ adsorption, improve the photocatalytic performance of TNs, and expose more adsorption sites through electrostatic adsorption of amino-induced reduction products (Cr3+). This study explores the preparation of visualized nanosorbents with enhanced photocatalytic removal of Cr6+ and provides a new direction for nanoscale photocatalysts.

Wound Dressing Double-Crosslinked Quick Self-Healing Hydrogel Based on Carboxymethyl Chitosan and Modified Nanocellulose.

The use of hydrogels in wound dressings, which is pivotal for effective wound treatment, has been widely applied to diverse medical wound conditions. However, formulating natural hydrogels that combine robust strength and self-healing capabilities is a significant challenge. To overcome this, we successfully designed a natural nanocellulose self-healing hydrogel that can quickly self-heal and restore the complete hydrogel structure after injury to fill the injured area and protect the wound from external damage. Our study utilized modified natural polymer carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), hydrazide-modified carboxymethyl cellulose nanofibers (HCNF), and cellulose nanocrystals modified by dialdehyde (DACNC) to fabricate the hydrogel. The amides containing more amino groups and HCNF in CMC can be used as cross-linking nodes, and the high aspect ratio and specific surface area of DACNC are favorable for the connection of many active hydrogels. The hydrogel is crosslinked by the dynamic imide bond and hydrazone bond between the amino group of CMC, the amide of HCNF, and the aldehyde of DACNC and has a double network structure. These connections can be readily reassembled when disrupted, enabling fast self-healing of hydrogels within five minutes. Moreover, HCNF and DACNC were incorporated as nano-reinforced fillers to bolster the hydrogel's strength while preserving its high liquid absorption capacity (381% equilibrium swelling rate).

Thermal/Redox-triggered release of pyrazinic functional molecules by coordination polymers with luminescence monitoring ability.

Storage of volatile active molecules, along with the prolongation of their specific functions, requires the use of regulatable carriers. Pyrazine derivatives are highly volatile compounds with a broad application owing to their flavoring, pharmaceutical, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and insecticidal properties. In this study, pyrazines were stored by coordinating them with cuprous iodide to easily generate a series of luminescent coordination polymer (CP)-based carriers. The CPs could respond to thermal-redox stimuli and manipulate pyrazine release by breaking the labile Cu-N bonds when triggered by the two stimuli. Moreover, the release process could be visualized by decreased luminescence caused by the gradual decomposition of CP structures. The loading efficiencies ranged from 31% to 38%, and the controlled release behaviors accord with the zero-order kinetics. This work is the first to prove that CPs could function as dual stimuli-mediated delivery systems, which hold the potential to control the release and strengthen the usability of functional molecules.

Facile preparation of nanocellulose/multi-walled carbon nanotube/polyaniline composite aerogel electrodes with high area-specific capacitance for supercapacitors.

As a natural biological macromolecule, nanocellulose is a promising substrate for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. However, it shows that a low area-specific capacitance can limit its use. To strengthen the area-specific capacitance of nanocellulose-based composite aerogel electrodes to obtain high-performance supercapacitors, we combined the addition of conductive materials and physical cross-linking. After physical cross-linking and polyaniline embedding in the original conductive framework, a nanocellulose-based composite aerogel with a conductive network and outstanding electrochemical performance was obtained. The good electrochemical performance of the composite aerogel film electrode can be attributed to the high specific surface area of 46.32 m2·g-1, mesoporous structure, and uniform growth of polyaniline. The electrode exhibited the highest area-specific capacitance of 2176.3 mF·cm-2 at a current density of 1 mA·cm-2. Even at a current density of 10 mA·cm-2, the capacitance was retained at 1071.67 mF·cm-2, thereby showing good rate performance. Furthermore, the as-prepared aerogel film electrode exhibited electrochemical stability with a capacitance retention of 64 % at a current density of 10 mA·cm-2 after 1050 cycles. The as-assembled all-solid-state supercapacitor showed the highest area-specific capacitance of 968.94 mF·cm-2 at a current density of 0.5 mA·cm-2 and considerable energy and power density of 86.1 µWh·cm-2 and 200 µW·cm-2, respectively. In this study, we demonstrated that the proper construction of conductive networks by conductive polymers could maximize electrochemical performance.

Probing the evolutionary mechanism of the hydrogen bond network of cellulose nanofibrils using three DESs.

Complex interactions between cellulose molecules and small molecules in Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) systems can lead to dramatic changes in the structure of the hydrogen bond network in cellulose. However, the mechanism of interaction between cellulose and solvent molecules and the mechanism of evolution of hydrogen bond network are still unclear. In this study, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were treated with DESs based on oxalic acid as hydrogen bond donors (HBD), and choline chloride, betaine, and N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) as hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA). The changes in the properties and microstructure of CNFs during treatment with the three types of solvents were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the crystal structures of CNFs were not changed during the process, but the hydrogen bond network evolved, increasing the crystallinity and crystallite size. Further analysis of the fitted peaks of FTIR and generalized two-dimensional correlation spectra (2DCOS) revealed that all three hydrogen bonds were disrupted to different degrees, the relative content changed, and evolved strictly in a certain order. These findings indicate that the evolution of hydrogen bond networks in nanocellulose has certain regularity.

Copper(I)-Iodide Clusters as Carriers for Regulating and Visualizing Release of Aroma Molecules.

Achieving the controlled release of functional substances is indispensable in many aspects of life. Especially for the aroma molecules, their effective delivery of flavor and fragrance is challenging. Here, selected pyridines, as highly volatile odorants, were individually coordinated with copper(I) iodide (CuII) via a straightforward one-pot synthesis method, rapidly forming pure or even crystalline CuII cluster-based profragrances at room temperature. The obtained profragrances enabled the stable and high loading of volatile fragrances under ambient conditions and guaranteed their long-lasting release during heating. Furthermore, the intrinsic emission luminescence of these solid-state profragrances decayed along with the aroma release, which can serve as an additional indicator for monitoring the delivery process. This research sets a precedent for using CuII clusters as dual-purpose release agents and greatly expands their potential applications.

Efficient visual adsorption of Pb2+ by nanocellulose/sodium alginate microspheres with fluorescence sensitivity.

In this study, carbon dots (CDs) were prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal method using tempo-oxidized cellulose nanocrystals (TOCNC) and polyethylenimine (PEI). The CDs were self-assembled with a microsphere adsorbent prepared using TOCNC and sodium alginate (SA). CDs-TOCNC/SA-an environmentally friendly, fluorescent-sensitive, and recyclable microsphere adsorbent-was obtained. FTIR analysis showed that PEI successfully modified the CDs. In addition, the fluorescence quenching of CDs was observed when the concentration of Pb2+ was 0.0001-100 mg/L, indicating that CDs can dynamically monitor Pb2+. CDs-TOCNC/SA can produce blue fluorescence under 365 nm UV light and selectively and efficiently adsorb Pb2+. When the concentration of Pb2+ was 0.0001-100 mg/L, fluorescence quenching of the adsorbent was observed, indicating that CDs-TOCNC/SA could visually adsorb Pb2+. The adsorption isotherm and kinetic parameters show that the adsorption process conforms to the Langmuir isotherm model at 298 K, and the maximum adsorption capacity of Pb2+ was 190.1 mg/g at pH = 5. Moreover, CDs-TOCNC/SA could still obtain 78.99 % Pb2+ after five sorption-desorption cycles. The adsorption mechanism may involve ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, intra-particle diffusion, and chemical complexation.

Nanocellulose-Based Adsorbents for Heavy Metal Ion.

Heavy metal ions in industrial sewage constitute a serious threat to human health. Nanocellulose-based adsorbents are emerging as an environmentally friendly material platform for heavy metal ion removal based on their unique properties, which include high specific surface area, excellent mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. In this review, we cover the most recent works on nanocellulose-based adsorbents for heavy metal ion removal and present an in-depth discussion of the modification technologies for nanocellulose in the process of assembling high-performance heavy ion adsorbents. By introducing functional groups, such as amino, carboxyl, aldehyde, and thiol, the assembled nanocellulose-based adsorbents both remove single heavy metal ions and can selectively adsorb multiple heavy ions in water. Finally, the remaining challenges of nanocellulose-based adsorbents are pointed out. We anticipate that this review will provide indispensable guidance on the application of nanocellulose-based adsorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions.

Dual-Modified Lignin-Assembled Multilayer Microsphere with Excellent Pb2+ Capture.

With the continuous research on lignin-based sorbents, there are still limitations in the research of spherical sorbents with a high adsorption capacity for Pb2+. In order to solve the problem of low adsorption effect, alkali lignin (AL) was modified and assembled to increase the adsorption active sites. In this work, we used dual-modified lignin (DML) as a raw material to assemble a singular lignin-based multilayer microsphere (LMM) with sodium alginate (SA) and dopamine. The prepared adsorbent had various active functional groups and spherical structures; the specific surface area was 2.14 m2/g and the average pore size was 8.32 nm. The adsorption process followed the Freundlich isotherm and the second-order kinetic model. Therefore, the LMM adsorbed Pb2+ ascribed by the electrostatic attraction and surface complexation; the adsorption capacity was 250 mg/g. The LMM showed a selective adsorption performance for Pb2+ and the adsorption capacity followed the order Pb2+ (187.4 mg/g) > Cu2+(168.0 mg/g) > Mn2+(166.5 mg/g). After three cycles, the removal efficiency of Pb2+ by the LMM was 69.34%, indicating the reproducibility of LMM.

Nanoarchitectonics for High Adsorption Capacity Carboxymethyl Cellulose Nanofibrils-Based Adsorbents for Efficient Cu2+ Removal.

In the present study, carboxymethyl cellulose nanofibrils (CMCNFs) with different carboxyl content (0.99-2.01 mmol/g) were prepared via controlling the ratio of monochloroacetic acid (MCA) and sodium hydroxide to Eucalyptus bleached pulp (EBP). CMCFs-PEI aerogels were obtained using the crosslinking reaction of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and CMCNFs with the aid of glutaraldehyde (GA). The effects of pH, contact time, temperature, and initial Cu2+ concentration on the Cu2+ removal performance of CMCNFs-PEI aerogels was highlighted. Experimental data showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of CMCNF30-PEI for Cu2+ was 380.03 ± 23 mg/g, and the adsorption results were consistent with Langmuir isotherm (R2 > 0.99). The theoretical maximum adsorption capacity was 616.48 mg/g. After being treated with 0.05 M EDTA solution, the aerogel retained an 85% removal performance after three adsorption-desorption cycles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results demonstrated that complexation was the main Cu2+ adsorption mechanism. The excellent Cu2+ adsorption capacity of CMCNFs-PEI aerogels provided another avenue for the utilization of cellulose nanofibrils in the wastewater treatment field.

Effect of PRM1201 Combined With Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Preventing Recurrence and Metastasis of Stage III Colon Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy is the standard adjuvant treatment for colon cancer. Chinese herbal formula PRM1201 improves the efficacy of chemotherapy when used in combination with Cetuximab or Bevacizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. This study aims to explore the benefits of treatment with chemotherapy plus PRM1201 in the postoperative adjuvant setting. METHODS: In this parallel-group study, patients who had undergone curative resection for stage III colon cancer were randomly assigned to receive adjuvant chemotherapy (FOLFOX q2w for 6 months, or CapeOx q3w for 6 months) plus PRM1201 (chemo+PRM1201 group) or adjuvant chemotherapy plus placebo (chemo+placebo group). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS), and the secondary endpoints were quality of life (QOL) and toxicity. RESULTS: A total of 370 patients were randomly assigned to chemotherapy plus PRM1201 group (n = 184) and chemotherapy plus placebo group (n = 186). Up to October 30, 2019, 96 events of recurrence, metastasis, or death had been reported, of which 38 events were in the group of chemotherapy plus PRM1201 and 58 events in the chemo+placebo group. The 3-year DFS rate was 77.1 and 68.6% in the chemo+PRM1201 and chemo+placebo group, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.94). The QOL of patients in the chemo+PRM1201 group were significantly improved in terms of global quality of life, physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, fatigue, and appetite loss. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse event (TRAEs) were similar between the two arms. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy in combination with PRM1201 improved the adjuvant treatment of colon cancer. PRM1201 can be recommended as an effective option in clinical practice. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, identifier ChiCTR-IOR-16007719.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined With Chemotherapy and Cetuximab or Bevacizumab for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Huangci Granule is a traditional Chinese medicine for treating metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huangci Granule combination with chemotherapy and cetuximab (CET) or bevacizumab (BV) for treating mCRC. METHODS: We performed a randomized, controlled, and double-blind trial and recruited patients with mCRC who were planned to undergo chemotherapy combined with CET or BV. The treatment group was treated with Huangci Granule, while the control group was treated with placebo. Continuous treatment until disease progression, death, intolerable toxicity or up to 6 months. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoint was quality of life and safety. RESULT: 320 patients were randomly assigned to receive treatment, including 200 first-line patients and 120 second-line patients. In the first-line treatment, the median PFS was 9.59 months (95% CI, 6.94-13.25) vs 6.89 months (95% CI, 4.99-9.52) in treatment group and control group (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.50-0.97; P = 0.027). Chinese medicine was an independent factor affecting the PFS. In the second-line treatment, the median PFS was 6.51 months (95% CI, 4.49-9.44) vs 4.53 months (95% CI, 3.12-6.57) in the treatment group and control group (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.95; P = 0.020). Compared with the control group, "role function," "social function," "fatigue," and "appetite loss" were significantly improved in the treatment (P < 0.05) and drug related grades 3 to 4 adverse events were less. CONCLUSION: Huangci Granule combined with chemotherapy and CET or BV can prolong the PFS of mCRC, improve the quality of life, reduce adverse reactions, and have good safety.

Preparation of dummy molecularly imprinted polymers for extraction of Zearalenone in grain samples.

Surface molecularly imprinted polymers (MIL-101@MIPs) were prepared using MIL-101 as supporting core, imprinted polymers as selective shell synthesized with coumarin-3-carboxylic acid as dummy template of Zearalenone (ZEN), methacrylic acid as functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate hydroxyethyl methacrylate as cross-linker. The polymers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and particle-size distribution analyses. MIL-101@MIPs were used as the sorbent to compose the self-made cartridge. The cartridge was used to purify and enrich ZEN from real samples. Under optimized SPE conditions, a self-made cartridge can be reused for at least seven cycles. Elution was monitored with a high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection system. The linearity of the method ranged within 6.25-250 ng kg-1. The limits of detection ranged within 2.09 - 4.16 ng kg-1, and the limits of quantification ranged within 6.25 -12.50 ng kg-1, respectively. The matrix effects of four real samples were discussed. The spiking recoveries of ZEN ranged within 81.70%-90.10% with relative standard deviations lower than 5.56%. The performance of the self-made cartridge and immunoaffinity column was compared by chromatography.

Solid-phase extraction of aflatoxins using a nanosorbent consisting of a magnetized nanoporous carbon core coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer.

A core consisting of nanoporous carbon (MNPC) and magnetized with Co3O4 was coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) by atom transfer radical precipitation polymerization. Ethyl 3-coumarincarboxylate was used as a pseudo-template to give a MIP that has a fairly specific recognition capability for aflatoxins. Batch rebinding studies were carried out to determine the specific adsorption equilibrium and specific recognition. Extraction is achieved in a single step by mixing and vortexing the sample extract with the Co-MNPC@MIP. The loaded nanosorbent was then magnetically separated and eluted with acetonitrile/water (6/4, v/v). The aflatoxins were then quantified by HPLC. Under optimal conditions, the detection limits for aflatoxins typically are 0.05-0.07 ng mL-1, recoveries from spiked corn are found to be 75.1 to 99.4%, and relative standard deviations range from 1.7 to 5.1 (n = 6). Graphical abstract Poly(methacrylic acid) was imprinted with the pseudo-template ethyl 3-coumarincarboxylate by atom transfer radical precipitation polymerization on the surface of cobalt-derived magnetic nanoporous carbon (Co-MNPC). This nanosorbent was used for the magnetic solid phase extraction of aflatoxins, followed by HPLC analysis.

Synthesis of cobalt-based magnetic nanoporous carbon core-shell molecularly imprinted polymers for the solid-phase extraction of phthalate plasticizers in edible oil.

In this work, cobalt magnetic nanoporous carbon (Co-MNPC) is employed as an alternative to intensively used Fe3O4 cores for the preparation of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (Co-MNPC@MIPs) for the first time. Co-MNPC was prepared by one-step carbonization of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-67 (ZIF-67). Compared with the traditional Fe3O4 core, Co-MNPC showed a high specific surface area and large pore volumes. The prepared adsorbents, which could be rapidly collected from a matrix by external magnetic field, were applied for solid-phase extraction of phthalate plasticizers in edible oil. Several requisite extraction parameters were optimized to achieve desired extraction performance. Under the optimum extraction conditions, Co-MNPC@MIPs displayed better performance than commercialized columns. An analysis method based on Co-MNPC@MIPs coupled with gas chromatography (GC) was established. The linear range was 1-150 µg mL-1, and the detection limit range was 0.010-0.025 µg mL-1. The spiked recovery rate of the five phthalate plasticizers was 81.6-102.2%, with a relative standard deviation of 3.25-12.02%. Finally, the proposed method showed good feasibility for phthalate plasticizer extraction from edible oil.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of serum interleukin­16 in patients with gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the major leading causes of cancer­associated mortality worldwide. Serum biomarkers have a vital role in diagnosis and prognosis of GC, and interleukin (IL)­16 may serve as a useful biomarker with prognostic value for human cancers. The current study aimed to evaluate the expression level of serum IL­16 in patients with GC, and evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of IL­16. ELISA was performed determine the serum IL­16 levels in patients with GC and healthy controls. Receiver operator curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic potential value of serum IL­16 in GC diagnosis. Migration and invasion assays were performed using cells with IL­16 small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown. The results demonstrated that serum IL­16 levels were significantly higher in GC samples than in healthy controls, and increased serum IL­16 levels were significantly associated with tumor recurrence and poor prognosis. Knockdown of IL­16 significantly suppressed the migration and invasion of GC cells. In conclusion, the current results indicate that serum IL­16 levels may have diagnostic and prognostic value for patient with GC.

Long Non-Coding RNA Expression Signature Hallmarks Promising Efficacy in Identification of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: a Meta-Analysis Study.

BACKGROUND: The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are significantly altered in an expanding list of malignant neoplasms, suggesting that they might be popularized as potential biomarkers for cancer detection. This study sought to validate the diagnostic efficacy of lncRNA expression signature(s) as potential biomarker(s) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis. METHODS: We conducted the online databases search for all eligible studies. A quantitative meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 and Meta-Disc 1.4 statistical programs. Sensitivity analysis and a meta-regression test were applied to deeply trace the underlying heterogeneity sources. RESULTS: Eight cohorts comprised 775 NSCLC patients and 630 matched controls were included. Our data manifested that lncRNA expression profiling harbored a pooled sensitivity of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.71 - 0.82) and specificity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.80 - 0.90) in discriminating NSCLC cases from cancer-free individuals, along with an AUC (area under the curve) value of 0.88. Further subgroup analysis revealed that paralleled testing of lncRNAs (sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.90, 0.80 and 0.96, respectively) substantially strengthened the diagnostic efficacy as compared with the single testing pattern (sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.71, 0.77 and 0.82, respectively). Other stratified analysis of ethnicity, histology type, and test matrix also presented robust results. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, our results indicate that lncRNA expression signature(s) might be applicable as complementary biomarker(s) for the identification of NSCLC.

Effects of acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting-a systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Acupressure has been used as an effective way in treating with stomach upset. However the efficacy of acupressure in preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of acupressure on three categories of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. DATA SOURCES: Databases had been retrieved from inception through February 2016 for the randomized controlled trials in accordance with the inclusion criteria, including PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, EMBASE, Science Direct, CINAHL, China Biology Medicine, Chinese National Knowledge infrastructure, Wan Fang and Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals. Additional studies were identified through hand searches of bibliographies and Internet searches. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials. REVIEW METHODS: Two reviewers selected relevant eligible articles, critical appraisal of the methodological quality was conducted on the basis of using Cochrane Handbook. A standardized Excel form was used to extract information. Meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis was performed using software RevMan 5.3 and TSA 0.9. RESULTS: Twelve studies with 1419 patients were included. Only three studies were assessed as high quality, one study was evaluated as moderate, and eight studies were evaluated as poor. The meta-analysis showed that acupressure reduced the severity of acute (SMD=-0.18, 95% CI -0.31 to -0.05, p<0.01) and delayed (SMD=-0.33, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.01, p=0.04) nausea. However, there was no benefit effect on the incidence or frequency of vomiting. No definitive conclusions were drawn from the trial sequential analysis. CONCLUSION: This systematic review suggested a protective effect of acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, while more well-designed clinical trials with larger sample size were needed to draw a definitive conclusion.