Optimal extent of lymphadenectomy improves prognosis and guides adjuvant chemotherapy in esophageal cancer: A propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: The optimal extent of lymphadenectomy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients remained debatable.

Aim: To explore the ideal number of cleared lymph nodes in ESCC patients undergoing upfront surgery.

Methods: In this retrospective, propensity score-matched study, we included 1042 ESCC patients who underwent esophagectomy from November 2008 and October 2019.

Pathological Responses of the Primary Tumor and Locoregional Lymph Nodes After Neoadjuvant Immunochemotherapy in Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer.

Background: The current study attempted to describe the specific patterns of pathological tumor response and locoregional node metastases from surgically resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NAIC), as well as to explore the association between clinicopathological characteristics and such oncological patterns.

Methods: Fifty-one patients with cT3 or deeper esophageal squamous cell cancer underwent subtotal esophagectomy after NAIC. The NAIC regimen included intravenous administration of platinum-based and docetaxel- and taxane-based chemotherapeutics along with a 200 mg fixed dose of one programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor, given every 3 weeks.

Mean Corpuscular Volume as a Prognostic Factor for Patients With Habitual Alcohol or Tobacco Use After Esophagectomy.

Background: The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent surgical resection.

Methods: A total of 615 patients with ESCC who underwent esophagectomy were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the standard MCV: the high MCV group (>100 fl) and the low MCV group (≤100 fl).

Prognostic value of occult lymph node metastases in patients with completely resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

To investigate the prognostic value of occult lymph node metastases (OLNMs) in patients with pathologically lymph node negative (pN0) esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). OLNMs were detected in 516 pN0 ESCC patients by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between the clinicopathological features and OLNM, and the prognostic value of OLNM was explored.

Electronic cigarette: A recent update of its toxic effects on humans.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), battery-powered and liquid-vaporizing devices, were invented to replace the conventional cigarette (c-cigarette) smoking for the sake of reducing the adverse effects on multiple organ systems that c-cigarettes have induced. Although some of the identified harmful components in e-cigarettes were alleged to be measured in lower quantity than those in c-cigarettes, researchers unveiled that the toxic effects of e-cigarettes should not be understated. This review is sought for an attempt to throw light on several typical types of e-cigarette components (tobacco-specific nitrosamines, carbonyl compounds, and volatile organic compounds) by revealing their possible impacts on human bodies through different action mechanisms characterized by alteration of specific biomarkers on cellular and molecular levels.

Effects of sulfur on lead partitioning during sludge incineration based on experiments and thermodynamic calculations.

Experiments in a tubular furnace reactor and thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were conducted to investigate the impact of sulfur compounds on the migration of lead (Pb) during sludge incineration. Representative samples of typical sludge with and without the addition of sulfur compounds were combusted at 850 °C, and the partitioning of Pb in the solid phase (bottom ash) and gas phase (fly ash and flue gas) was quantified. The results indicate that three types of sulfur compounds (S, Na2S and Na2SO4) added to the sludge could facilitate the volatilization of Pb in the gas phase (fly ash and flue gas) into metal sulfates displacing its sulfides and some of its oxides.

A dual point-of-care test shows good performance in simultaneously detecting nontreponemal and treponemal antibodies in patients with syphilis: a multisite evaluation study in China.

Background: Rapid point-of-care (POC) syphilis tests based on simultaneous detection of treponemal and nontreponemal antibodies (dual POC tests) offer the opportunity to increase coverage of syphilis screening and treatment. This study aimed to conduct a multisite performance evaluation of a dual POC syphilis test in China.

Methods: Participants were recruited from patients at sexually transmitted infection clinics and high-risk groups in outreach settings in 6 sites in China.

Prior HIV testing among STD patients in Guangdong Province, China: opportunities for expanding detection of sexually transmitted HIV infection.

Background: Expanding HIV testing is important among individuals at increased risk for sexual HIV transmission in China, but little is known about prior HIV testing experiences among sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients.

Methods: This cross-sectional study of 1792 outpatients from 6 public STD clinics in Guangdong Province recorded detailed information about ever having been tested for HIV infection in addition to sociodemographic variables, health seeking, clinical STD history, and HIV stigma using a validated survey instrument.

Results: A total of 456 (25.

Molecular typing of Treponema pallidum causing early syphilis in China: a cross-sectional study.

Background: There have been limited data on molecular epidemiology of syphilis in China. This study aimed to analyze strain type distribution of Treponema pallidum causing early syphilis across geographic areas in China using an enhanced method.

Methods: Genital samples were collected from patients in East, South, and North China.

[DNA sequence polymorphism of Chlamydia trachomatis omp1 gene].

A method for detection and genotyping of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections based on omp1 gene amplification and sequencing was developed, and the character of omp1 gene of Chlamydia trachomatis was analysed. Urethral or endocervical specimens were collected from 323 patients attending STD clinics in Hengyang, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Jiangmen from November, 2003 to May, 2004. DNA was extracted by usual method, and an approximately 980bp fragment from the major outer membrane protein (omp1) gene of Chlamydia trachomatis was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR).