Combination atezolizumab, bevacizumab, pemetrexed and carboplatin for metastatic EGFR mutated NSCLC after TKI failure.

Introduction: Acquired resistance to TKI is an important unmet need in the management of EGFR mutated lung cancer. Recent clinical trial IMPower150 suggested that combination approach with VEGF inhibitor, check point inhibitor immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy was effective in oncogene driven lung cancer. The current trial examined the efficacy of a modified regimen in an EGFR mutated cohort.

Impact of effective dose to immune cells (EDIC) on lymphocyte nadir and survival in limited-stage SCLC.

Background: Effective dose to immune cell (EDIC), an estimated radiation dose to the circulating lymphocytes, is of significance for overall survival (OS) in non-small cell lung cancer. This study aimed to validate the EDIC's OS effect on limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC).

Method And Materials: This study included LS-SCLC patients received definitive chemo-radiation in one single center from 2012 to 2017.

Investigating the SPECT Dose-Function Metrics Associated With Radiation-Induced Lung Toxicity Risk in Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: Dose to normal lung has commonly been linked with radiation-induced lung toxicity (RILT) risk, but incorporating functional lung metrics in treatment planning may help further optimize dose delivery and reduce RILT incidence. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the dose delivered to functional lung regions by analyzing perfusion (Q), ventilation (V), and combined V/Q single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) dose-function metrics with regard to RILT risk in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received radiation therapy (RT).

Methods And Materials: SPECT images acquired from 88 patients with locally advanced NSCLC before undergoing conventionally fractionated RT were retrospectively analyzed.

Modulation of transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway mediates the effects of Kangxian Formula on cardiac remodeling.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Kangxian formula (KXF) is a traditional Chinese medicine which shows effective outcomes in treating cardiac remodeling induced by hypertension. However, the exact effects and the mechanisms involved remain obscure.

Aim Of The Study: In this study, we aimed to identify the therapeutic role of KXF in vivo and in vitro, and investigate the mechanism of KXF on hypertension induced cardiac remodeling.

Radiation-induced lung damage in patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy after EGFR-TKIs: is there any difference from stereotactic body radiotherapy alone?

Background: To quantitatively evaluate lung damage after treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and compare that of SBRT only treatment.

Methods: Eligible patients from an IRB-approved prospective clinical trial had one month of EGFRTKIs treatment followed by SBRT (TKI + SBRT) and with 3-month follow-up high resolution CT. NSCLC patients treated with SBRT alone during the same time period without EGFR-TKIs or other systemic therapies were identified as controls.

CRISPR-Cas13-Mediated Knockdown of lncRNA-GACAT3 Inhibited Cell Proliferation and Motility, and Induced Apoptosis by Increasing p21, Bax, and E-Cadherin Expression in Bladder Cancer.

The current study is to investigate the expression pattern and biological function of long non-coding RNA Focally gastric cancer-associated transcript3 (GACAT3) in bladder cancer. Real-time quantitative qPCR was used to detect the expression level of GACAT-3 in tumor tissues and paired normal tissues. Human bladder cancer T24 and 5637 cell lines were transiently transfected with specific CRISPR-Cas13 or negative control CRISPR-Cas13.

Pre-radiotherapy lymphocyte count and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio may improve survival prediction beyond clinical factors in limited stage small cell lung cancer: model development and validation.

Background: Few small sample size studies have reported lymphocyte count was prognostic for survival in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). This study aimed to validate this finding, to build prediction model for overall survival (OS) and to study whether novel models that combine lymphocyte-related variables can predict OS more accurately than a conventional model using clinical factors alone in a large cohort of limited-stage SCLC patients.

Methods: This study enrolled 544 limited-stage SCLC patients receiving definitive chemo-radiation with pre-radiotherapy lymphocyte-related variables including absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (P/L ratio), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (N/L ratio), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (L/M ratio).

Utility of somatosensory and motor-evoked potentials in reflecting gross and fine motor functions after unilateral cervical spinal cord contusion injury.

Fine motor skills are thought to rely on the integrity of ascending sensory pathways in the spinal dorsal column as well as descending motor pathways that have a neocortical origin. However, the neurophysiological processes underlying communication between the somatosensory and motor pathways that regulate fine motor skills during spontaneous recovery after spinal cord contusion injury remain unclear. Here, we established a rat model of cervical hemicontusive injury using C5 laminectomy followed by contusional displacement of 1.

[Targeted therapy of pyogenic sterile arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne syndrome (PAPA): a case report and literature review].

To analyze the clinical course and targeted therapy of pyogenic sterile arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne (PAPA) syndrome. The clinical history of a 6-year-old boy with PAPA syndrome, who was admitted to Hong Kong University Shenzhen Hospital in September 2017, was reviewed. His genetic diagnosis was confirmed by whole exome sequencing.

Intermediate Dose-Volume Parameters, Not Low-Dose Bath, Is Superior to Predict Radiation Pneumonitis for Lung Cancer Treated With Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy.

Purpose: Although intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is now a preferred option for conventionally fractionated RT in lung cancer, the commonly used cutoff values of the dosimetric constraints are still mainly derived from the data using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). We aimed to compare the prediction performance among different dosimetric parameters for acute radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients with lung cancer received IMRT.

Methods: A total of 236 patients treated with IMRT were retrospectively reviewed in two independent groups of lung cancer from January 2014 to August 2018.

Genotypes versus phenotypes: The potential paradigm shift in the diagnosis and management of pediatric neoplasms.

The gold standard of cancer diagnosis has long been based on histological characteristics. With the rapid advancement of genetic medicine, such standard algorithm of diagnostic approach is facing a challenge. The genetic findings have been changed from being a "supporting character" into the role of a "main character".

Patient expectations predict outcomes following distal radius fracture: a prospective cohort study using the TEFTOM questionnaire.

Introduction: The relationship between patient expectations and clinical outcomes has recently been of increasing interest in the field of orthopaedics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between (1) patient pre-treatment expectations and post-treatment clinical outcomes, and (2) fulfillment of expectations and patient satisfaction, following distal radius fracture.

Methods: This was a prospective multicenter cohort study conducted across three hospitals.

Risk factors for symptomatic radiation pneumonitis after stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background And Purpose: Radiation pneumonitis (RP) can be a potential fatal toxicity of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for medically inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to examine the risk factors that predict RP and explore dosimetric tolerance for safe practice in a large institutional series of NSCLC patients.

Materials And Methods: Patients with early-stage and locally recurrent NSCLC who received lung SBRT between 2002 and 2015 formed the study population.

The safety, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy for patients with mild acute biliary pancreatitis: A meta-analysis.

Background: It remains controversial on the optimal timing of cholecystectomy for patients with mild acute biliary pancreatitis. This study aimed at comparing the safety, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC, within 72 h after admission) versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy (DLC, beyond 72 h after admission) for patients with mild acute biliary pancreatitis.

Methods: We performed a systematic search in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane library.

Central Airway Toxicity After High Dose Radiation: A Combined Analysis of Prospective Clinical Trials for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: To study the dosimetric risk factors for radiation-induced proximal bronchial tree (PBT) toxicity in patients treated with radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods And Materials: Patients with medically inoperable or unresectable NSCLC treated with conventionally fractionated 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) in prospective clinical trials were eligible for this study. Proximal bronchial tree (PBT) and PBT wall were contoured consistently per RTOG 1106 OAR-Atlas.

Ultra-high dose rate effect on circulating immune cells: A potential mechanism for FLASH effect?

Purpose: "FLASH" radiotherapy (RT) is a potential paradigm-changing RT technology with marked tumor killing and normal tissue sparing. However, the mechanism of the FLASH effect is not well understood. We hypothesize that the ultra-high dose rate FLASH-RT significantly reduces the killing of circulating immune cells which may partially contribute to the reported FLASH effect.

A Case Report of an Early Response to Definitive Chemoradiation for Esophageal Carcinoma Cuniculatum.

This case report describes a 63-year-old female with a locally advanced esophageal carcinoma cuniculatum treated with definitive chemoradiation who had a rapid and early response. This case is illustrative of an aggressive behavior with rapid response and rapid recurrence. The cases of esophageal carcinoma cuniculatum as well as the closely related clinical entity of verrucous carcinoma are reviewed suggesting good clinical outcomes after definitive therapy with chemoradiation and/or surgery.

Comparing the Quality of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Performed at the Over-the-Head Position and Lateral Position of Neonatal Manikin.

Recent neonatal resuscitation guidelines suggest to perform chest compression (CC) at over-the-head (OTH) position instead of lateral position when further interventions including umbilical venous access are needed. Little information is available regarding the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation at different positions. Our study compared the quality of CC and ventilation at OTH position vs.

Danshenol A Alleviates Hypertension-Induced Cardiac Remodeling by Ameliorating Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Suppressing Reactive Oxygen Species Production.

Current therapeutic approaches have a limited effect on cardiac remodeling, which is characteristic of cardiac fibrosis and myocardial hypertrophy. In this study, we examined whether Danshenol A (DA), an active ingredient extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine , can attenuate cardiac remodeling and clarified the underlying mechanisms. Using the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) as a cardiac remodeling model, DA ameliorated blood pressure, cardiac injury, and myocardial collagen volume and improved cardiac function.

A Validation Study on IDO Immune Biomarkers for Survival Prediction in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Radiation Dose Fractionation Effect in Early-Stage Disease.

Purpose: We recently reported that indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity is significantly correlated with more distant metastasis and worse survival. The present study examined whether radiotherapy (RT) dose fractionation correlates with IDO-mediated immune activity in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Patients with newly diagnosed stage I-II NSCLC treated with either conventionally fractionated 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) were analyzed.

Improved performance of lateral flow immunoassays for alpha-fetoprotein and vanillin by using silica shell-stabilized gold nanoparticles.

The sensitivity of lateral flow assays (LFA) was increased 30-fold by making use of spherical core-shell gold-silica nanoparticles (AuNP@SiO NPs). They can be prepared by silylation of surfactant stabilized AuNPs. The AuNP@SiO NPs are highly stable and can be used to label antibodies at virtually any concentration.

Patients with Primary Immunodeficiencies Are a Reservoir of Poliovirus and a Risk to Polio Eradication.

Immunodeficiency-associated vaccine-derived polioviruses (iVDPVs) have been isolated from primary immunodeficiency (PID) patients exposed to oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). Patients may excrete poliovirus strains for months or years; the excreted viruses are frequently highly divergent from the parental OPV and have been shown to be as neurovirulent as wild virus. Thus, these patients represent a potential reservoir for transmission of neurovirulent polioviruses in the post-eradication era.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis for monogenic diseases.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was first reported in 1990. Thereafter, more and more indications for PGD, including monogenic diseases (MGD) and translocations, are presently available, and the list of indications of PGD is expanding from early-onset and serious conditions to late-onset diseases. Polymerase chain reaction has been used for PGD of MGD, while newer techniques, including karyomapping and next-generation sequencing, emerge in recent decade.

Impact of Changing Clinical Practices on Early Blood Gas Analyses in Very Preterm Infants and Their Associated Inpatient Outcomes.

Background: Early studies suggest an association of abnormal carbon dioxide (PCO) or oxygen (PO) levels with adverse inpatient outcomes in very preterm babies. Recent resuscitation practice changes, such as targeted oxygen therapy, end-expiratory pressure, and rescue surfactant may influence these associations.

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the range of the initial partial pressures of PCO and PO in preterm neonates <33 weeks gestational age after birth and their correlation to inpatient neonatal outcomes.