Time-dependent redistribution of soil arsenic induced by transformation of iron species during zero-valent iron biochar composites amendment: Effects on the bioaccessibility of As in soils.

Zero-valent iron biochar composites (ZVI/BC) are considered as effective amendments for arsenic (As)-contaminated soils. However, the mechanisms of transformation of various soil As species during ZVI/BC amendments remain unclear. This study investigated As transformation in four soils (namely, GX, ZJ, HB, and HN) treated with ZVI/BC for 65 days under two soil moisture conditions, unsaturated and oversaturated.

Marine microplastics enhance release of arsenic in coastal aquifer during seawater intrusion process.

Microplastics (MPs), omnipresent contaminants in the ocean, could be carried by seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers, which might affect the fate of heavy metals existing in aquifers. Herein, we investigated the release behavior of arsenic (As) in coastal aquifers during MPs-containing seawater intrusion by applying laboratory experiment and numerical simulation. We found that seawater with marine MPs enhanced the release of As in aquifers, especially for dissolved As(V) and colloidal As.

An investigative meta-analysis on the effectiveness and safety of integrating VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in cases with R/M HNSCC.

Objectives: Exploration into the use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors alongside programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors has been undertaken for treating recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC). We conducted a meta-analysis to provide a more precise assessment of the efficacy and safety of this integrated approach in managing R/M HNSCC.

Methods: A systematic exploration encompassing PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases was undertaken to figure out relevant studies.

EGFR Oncogenic Mutations in NSCLC Impair Macrophage Phagocytosis and Mediate Innate Immune Evasion Through Up-Regulation of CD47.

Introduction: EGFR-mutated NSCLC is characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment that confers limited clinical effectiveness to anti-PD-1 or PD-L1 antibodies. Despite the discouraging outcomes of immunotherapy, novel immune checkpoints are constantly emerging, among which the specific vulnerability for therapeutic intervention in the context of EGFR-mutated NSCLC remains unresolved.

Methods: Data sets of patient- and cell line-levels were used for screening and mutual validation of association between EGFR mutation and a panel of immune checkpoint-related genes.

Immobilization of arsenic in different contaminated soils by zero-valent iron-embedded biochar: Effect of soil characteristics and treatment conditions.

Although zero-valent iron-embedded biochar (ZVI-BC) has been proposed as an effective amendment for arsenic (As)-contaminated soils, the impacts of soil characteristics and treatment conditions on the remediation process remained poorly understood. Herein, the immobilization of As in four As-contaminated soils (i.e.

Clinical observation of pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

Background: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) of the lung is a rare type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and researches of it are still not enough.

Methods: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed 36 patients with LELC diagnosed in the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Zhaoqing First People's Hospital from January 2014 to June 2021, to investigate the clinical manifestations, tumor markers, treatment, and prognosis of LELC. Clinical data including age, gender, smoking history, family history of cancers, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encoding RNA (EBER) status, gene mutations, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, treatment, and prognosis.

Transcription factor CDX2 up-regulates proto-oncogenic miR-744 via a promoter activation mechanism in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: The role of caudal-related homeobox 2 (CDX2) in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mRNA (message RNA) expression of CDX2 in NSCLC, and to determine its relationship with miR-744 (microRNA744) and its potential as a biomarker of NSCLC.

Methods: MiR-744 is overexpressed in A549, H460, and H1299 cell lines.

Unraveling nonlinear and interaction effects of various determinants on bus gaseous emissions.

Urban transit buses equipped with large-displacement engines operate on circular routes several times throughout the day, emitting large amounts of environmentally hazardous exhaust. Hence, understanding the intricate associations between bus emissions and multiple contributors is beneficial for creating sustainable transportation systems, while previous studies focusing on statistical methods fail to unravel them. This paper innovatively leverages the bagged decision tree approach to delineate such complex relationships based on the data collected from CNG-fueled and diesel-powered buses.

Estimating gaseous pollutants from bus emissions: A hybrid model based on GRU and XGBoost.

In urban areas, traffic-related contamination is one of the main contributors to environmental deterioration, and the pollution from public transit buses is a major component. To mitigate these impacts, it is essential to estimate bus emissions and analyze their characteristics. This paper proposes a hybrid model based on gated recurrent unit (GRU) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), termed GRU-XGB, to predict gaseous pollutants from bus emissions (CO, CO, HC, NO) under real conditions.

Treatment Patterns and Survival of Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Guided by Comprehensive Genomic Profiling: Real-World Single-Institute Study in China.

Although the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines recommend comprehensive genomic profiling of lung adenocarcinoma, it has not been widely applied in Chinese hospitals. This observational study aimed to determine real-world evidence of whether comprehensive genomic profiling can benefit the survival of patients with lung cancer. We investigated the frequency of genomic alterations, treatment strategies, and clinical outcomes in 233 patients with advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma who were routinely screened using a 508-gene panel.

Strong sorption of two fungicides onto biodegradable microplastics with emphasis on the negligible role of environmental factors.

Microplastics have attracted much attention in recent years because they are able to interact with other pollutants including pesticides, with implications for the potential risks to biota. However, the sorption behavior of pesticides on microplastics, especially on biodegradable microplastics which are promising alternatives to conventional polymers, has been insufficiently studied. In this study, triadimefon and difenoconazole were selected as model triazole fungicides, and their sorption behavior on a typical biodegradable microplastics (PBS: polybutylene succinate) and two conventional polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics was investigated with batch experiments in an aqueous solution.

Clinical observation of Pemetrexed first-line treatment in advanced non-squamous lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer without driver-mutations: a phase 2, single-arm trial.

Background: Non-dominant population, which means patients with advanced non-squamous lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without driver-mutations, who are excluded from clinical studies because of specific baseline conditions refractory to multiple treatments, have poor outcomes. We assessed the activity of pemetrexed first-line treatment for a non-dominant population, explore the safety and efficacy of pemetrexed therapy.

Methods: We did this two-phased, single-arm trial at two sites at the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Guangxi medical university cancer hospital.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer patients.

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) poses an unprecedented challenge to health and epidemic prevention system, especially the healthcare of patients with cancer. We sought to study the impact of COVID-19 on lung cancer patients in our center.

Methods: We initiated a retrospectively study to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on lung cancer patients in our center, who were accepted for routine anticancer treatment before the epidemic and planned to return to hospital in January and February of 2020.

Electro-enhanced leaching method for the mobilization of Cr(VI) in contaminated groundwater aquifer.

Removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from soils and water has been widely studied for its high toxicity. Although leaching method is viewed as an effective approach to eliminate Cr(VI) and some studies attempted to enhance leaching performance via the external electric field, there is little knowledge about the influential factor in electro-leaching system on Cr(VI) removal performance. In this study, an electro-leaching technology was developed for removing Cr(VI) from groundwater aquifer to comprehensively discuss the correlation between the operational parameters and Cr(VI) removal efficiency.

Cr(VI) removal from soils and groundwater using an integrated adsorption and microbial fuel cell (A-MFC) technology.

Remediation of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] has been widely studied for its high mobility and toxicity. As Cr(VI) migrates in natural environment, both soils and groundwater are contaminated simultaneously. In the present study, a novel reactor combining adsorption and microbial fuel cell (A-MFC) using Platanus acerifolia leaves was developed for removing Cr(VI) from groundwater and soils.

Diagnostic value of circulating microRNAs for liver cirrhosis: a meta-analysis.

Circulating microRNAs are potential biomarkers for various diseases including liver cirrhosis. We designed a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic value of circulating microRNAs for liver cirrhosis patients. Eligible studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to July 1, 2017.

Transient Elastography (FibroScan) Performs Better Than Non-Invasive Markers in Assessing Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis in Autoimmune Hepatitis Patients.

BACKGROUND Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune-mediated chronic liver disease that can lead to severe fibrosis and cirrhosis. Transient elastography (TE, FibroScan) can assess the fibrotic stages of chronic liver diseases by liver stiffness measurement (LSM). Studies on the diagnostic accuracy of FibroScan for the detection of fibrosis in AIH patients are still limited.

The Effect of Prophylactic Lamivudine plus Adefovir Therapy Compared with Lamivudine Alone in Preventing Hepatitis B Reactivation in Lymphoma Patients with High Baseline HBV DNA during Chemotherapy.

Prophylactic antiviral therapy is essential for lymphoma patients with high baseline HBV DNA who undergo cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, there are limited data on the optimal options. The present study was designed to compare the efficacy of prophylactic lamivudine (LAM) with lamivudine plus adefovir dipivoxil (LAM+ADV) in preventing hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in lymphoma with, pre-chemotherapy HBV DNA load ≥2000 IU/ml.

New risk factors and new tendency for central nervous system relapse in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a retrospective study.

Background: In patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), central nervous system (CNS) relapse is uncommon but is nearly always fatal. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for CNS relapse in DLBCL patients and to evaluate the efficacy of rituximab and intrathecal chemotherapy prophylaxis for CNS relapse reduction.

Methods: A total of 511 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL treated at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2003 and December 2012 were included in the study.

Serum apolipoprotein A-I is a novel prognostic indicator for non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: We investigated the value of pretreatment serum apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) in complementing TNM staging in the prognosis of non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 1196 newly diagnosed patients with non-metastatic NPC. Disease-specific survival (DSS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rates were compared according to serum ApoA-I level.

Hepatitis B virus reactivation and hepatitis in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients with resolved hepatitis B receiving rituximab-containing chemotherapy: risk factors and survival.

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has been reported in B-cell lymphoma patients with resolved hepatitis B (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]-negative and hepatitis B core antibody [HBcAb]-positive). This study aimed to assess HBV reactivation and hepatitis occurrence in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with resolved hepatitis B receiving rituximab-containing chemotherapy compared with HBsAg-negative/HBcAb-negative patients to identify risk factors for HBV reactivation and hepatitis occurrence and to analyze whether HBV reactivation and hepatitis affect the survival of DLBCL patients with resolved hepatitis B.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical data of 278 patients with DLBCL treated with rituximab-containing therapy between January 2004 and May 2008 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, China.