Associations between serum concentration of flavonoids and breast cancer risk among Chinese women.

Purpose: In vitro and in vivo studies suggested that flavonols, flavones, flavanones and flavan-3-ols have preventive effects on breast carcinogenesis. Epidemiological evidence about the associations between these flavonoid biomarkers and breast cancer risk is limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum concentration of these flavonoids and breast cancer risk among Chinese women.

Age of Acquisition of Mandarin Modulates Cortical Thickness in High-Proficient Cantonese-Mandarin Bidialectals.

Previous studies showed that the onset age of second language acquisition (AoA-L2) can modulate brain structure of bilinguals. However, the underlying mechanism of anatomical plasticity induced by AoA-L2 is still a question in debate. In order to explore the issue, we recruited two groups of native Cantonese-Mandarin speakers, the early group began to speak in Mandarin at about 3.

Genome-wide association study identifies genetic susceptibility loci and pathways of radiation-induced acute oral mucositis.

Background: Radiation-induced oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most common acute complications for head and neck cancer. Severe OM is associated with radiation treatment breaks, which harms successful tumor management. Radiogenomics studies have indicated that genetic variants are associated with adverse effects of radiotherapy.

Different administration routes of recombinant human endostatin combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy might lead to different efficacy and safety profile in unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer: Updated follow-up results from two phase II trials.

Background: There are two main choices of administration route of recombinant human endostatin (Endostar) available and the treatment options of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) have changed over time. The aim of this study was to observe the long-term efficacy and safety of different administration routes of Endostar combined with CCRT.

Methods: Patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from two phase II trials were included as two cohorts.

Diagnostic accuracy of photodynamic diagnosis with 5-aminolevulinic acid, hexaminolevulinate and narrow band imaging for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

To assess the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of photodynamic diagnosis with 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA), hexylaminolevulinate (HAL) and narrow band imaging (NBI) for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), with white light-guided cystoscopy (WLC) as reference standard. A systematic review and narrative synthesis was performed in accordance with PRISMA. Major electronic databases were searched until 20 May 2019.

Single-cell RNA-seq analysis identifies meniscus progenitors and reveals the progression of meniscus degeneration.

Objectives: The heterogeneity of meniscus cells and the mechanism of meniscus degeneration is not well understood. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to identify various meniscus cell subsets and investigate the mechanism of meniscus degeneration.

Methods: scRNA-seq was used to identify cell subsets and their gene signatures in healthy human and degenerated meniscus cells to determine their differentiation relationships and characterise the diversity within specific cell types.

The Inhibitory Effects of Pentacyclic Triterpenes from Loquat Leaf against Th17 Differentiation.

Background: Loquat leaf is an herb that is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for its anti-inflammatory properties. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Th17 cells play a fundamental role in mediating SLE pathological deterioration. In our study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of pentacyclic triterpenes from loquat leaf on T helper 17 (Th17) cells and the therapeutic efficacy of OA in Lupus nephritis (LN) development.

Influence of guide wire removal on tip location in peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs): a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) malposition and the influence of guide wire removal on tip location in PICCs and determine whether related factors, including age, sex, side of insertion and brand of catheter, influence the PICC tip location.

Setting: Single-centre research institute in China recruiting patients from the hospital.

Participants: A total of 837 adult patients with inserted PICCs were recruited from October 2016 to May 2017.

Visualising reactive oxygen species in live mammals and revealing of ROS-related system.

Of all the aerobic respiration by-products, cytotoxic superoxide derived from mitochondrial-leaked electrons, is the only one known to be disposed of intracellularly. Is this fate the only destiny for mitochondrial-leaked electrons? When monkeys were injected intravenously with reactive oxygen species (ROS) indicators, the connective tissues of dura mater, facial fascia, pericardium, linea alba, dorsa fascia and other body parts, emitted specific and intense fluorescent signals. Moreover, the fluorescent signals along the linea alba of SD rats, did not result from the local presence of ROS but from the interaction of ROS indicators with electrons flowing through this tissue.

Designing a castor oil-based polyurethane as bioadhesive.

Based on the stealth behavior of castor oil and poly(ethylene glycol), we selected a polyurethane system to obtain an ideal surgical adhesive. The polyurethane adhesives with varying concentrations of castor oil were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, goniometer, and universal testing machine. Curing results show that a 7-min to 25-min room temperature curing can be achieved, providing one possibility of shortening the surgery time.

Thirty-Day Outcomes of the Enterprise Stent in Treating Hypoperfusion of Symptomatic Intracranial Stenosis.

Objective: To evaluate the 30-day outcomes of using the Enterprise stent to treat patients with hypoperfusion of symptomatic severe intracranial stenosis.

Methods: Patients with symptomatic severe intracranial stenosis (70%-99%) who underwent Enterprise stent intervention between August 2014 and November 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The 30-day primary outcomes included the success rate of stenting and the incidence of complications, including ischemic stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, and death.

Different prognoses in patients with profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Inner ear hemorrhage is increasingly recognized as a cochlear lesion that can cause profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). To investigate changes of cochlear and vestibular function and to compare therapeutic recovery from profound SSNHL induced by different etiologies. Eighty patients with profound SSNHL (≥90 dB) were divided into an inner ear hemorrhage group and a non-inner ear hemorrhage group by MRI.

Molecular characterization of clinical responses to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: Predictive value of multidimensional immunomarker detection for the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in Chinese patients.

According to multiple studies, the objective response rate of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the second-line treatment of unscreened non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is only approximately 20%. Predictive biomarkers of treatment efficacies are still under investigation. In selected NSCLC patients with PD-L1 expression ≥ 50%, the response rate of pembrolizumab in first-line treatment can reach 44.

Application of magnetic resonance diffusion kurtosis imaging for distinguishing histopathologic subtypes and grades of rectal carcinoma.

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) for distinguishing different histopathological subtypes and grades of rectal carcinoma and to compare DKI with conventional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Methods: This prospective study involved 132 patients with rectal carcinoma, comprising 116 with adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (AC) and 16 with mucinous carcinoma (MC). High spatial resolution magnetic resonance (MR) and DKI sequences (b values of 0, 600, 1000, 1500 and 2000 s/mm) were performed for pretreatment evaluation.

Enteral nutrition feeding in Chinese intensive care units: a cross-sectional study involving 116 hospitals.

Background: There is a lack of large-scale epidemiological data on the clinical practice of enteral nutrition (EN) feeding in China. This study aimed to provide such data on Chinese hospitals and to investigate factors associated with EN delivery.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was launched in 118 intensive care units (ICUs) of 116 mainland hospitals and conducted on April 26, 2017.

LNMAT1 promotes lymphatic metastasis of bladder cancer via CCL2 dependent macrophage recruitment.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most abundant inflammatory infiltrates in the tumor microenvironment and contribute to lymph node (LN) metastasis. However, the precise mechanisms of TAMs-induced LN metastasis remain largely unknown. Herein, we identify a long noncoding RNA, termed Lymph Node Metastasis Associated Transcript 1 (LNMAT1), which is upregulated in LN-positive bladder cancer and associated with LN metastasis and prognosis.

Berberine Protects Secondary Injury in Mice with Traumatic Brain Injury Through Anti-oxidative and Anti-inflammatory Modulation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of death and disability worldwide. Novel and effective therapy is needed to prevent the secondary spread of damage beyond the initial injury. The aim of this study was to investigate whether berberine has a neuroprotective effect on secondary injury post-TBI, and to explore its potential mechanism in this protection.

The Long-To-Short-Axis Ratio and Multifocality are Associated With TP53 Mutation Status in Surgically Resected Hepatocellular Carcinomas.

Rationale And Objectives: In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the tumor protein 53 (TP53) gene is frequently mutated and the mutations have been associated with poor prognosis. We aim to retrospectively identify the relationship between TP53 mutation status, tumor size (long-axis diameter, short-axis diameter, and long-to-short-axis ratio [L/S ratio]), margin and multifocality in surgically resected HCC.

Materials And Methods: The image features and TP53 mutation data from 78 patients generated with National Cancer Institute's multi-institutional The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)/The Cancer Imaging Archive databases were assessed.

Recombinant human thrombopoietin (rh-TPO) for the prevention of severe thrombocytopenia induced by high-dose cytarabine: a prospective, randomized, self-controlled study.

The aim of this randomized phase II study was to investigate the optimal timing of the administration of thrombopoietin to prevent cytarabine-induced thrombocytopenia. Fifty-two patients who were scheduled for high-dose cytarabine treatment were randomly assigned to receive either the standard prophylactic mode (starting thrombopoietin, 15,000 units/day on days 2-11) or the pre-chemo mode (starting thrombopoietin, 15,000 units/day on days -4, -2, and 2-9) during the first cycle of chemotherapy with a switch to the other mode in the second cycle. The thrombocytopenia rate in the standard mode and the pre-chemo mode were PLT < 50 × 10/L, 67.

Increasing radiofrequency ablation volumes with the use of internally cooled electrodes and injected hydrochloric acid in ex vivo bovine livers.

Purpose: We used an impedance-controlled generator with an internally cooled electrode to perform radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in ex vivo bovine livers, with a single injection of either 38.5% sodium chloride (NaCl) or 10% hydrochloric acid (HCl), to determine the relative effects of these two solutions on tissue impedance, temperature and ablation volume.

Materials And Methods: We performed 10 ablations each with injections of NaCl (NaCl-RFA), HCl (HCl-RFA) or nothing (RFA-alone), with a power setting of 200 W for 15 minutes.

Fat-suppressed gadolinium-enhanced isotropic high-resolution 3D-GRE-T1WI for predicting small node metastases in patients with rectal cancer.

Background: To investigate the application value of fat-suppressed gadolinium-enhanced isotropic high-resolution 3D-GRE-T1WI in regional nodes with different short-axis diameter ranges in rectal cancer, especially in nodes ≤5 mm.

Methods: Patients with rectal adenocarcinoma confirmed by postoperative histopathology were included, and all the patients underwent preoperative 3.0 T rectal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and total mesorectal excision (TME) within 2 weeks after an MR scan.

[Value of sepsis single-disease manage system in predicting mortality in patients with sepsis].

To observe the effect of sepsis single-disease manage system on the improvement of sepsis treatment and the value in predicting mortality in patients with sepsis. A retrospective study was conducted. Patients with sepsis admitted to the Department of Surgical Intensive Care Unit of Sun Yat-Sen University First Affiliated Hospital from September 22, 2013 to May 5, 2015 were enrolled in this study.

Early pregnancy following multidrug regimen chemotherapy in a gestational trophoblastic neoplasia patient: A case report.

Rationale: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia is a group of rare tumors that can be cured using chemotherapy. The use of artificial contraception for at least 1 year is recommended not only due to the high recurrence rate in the first year after treatment, but also because of the unclear genetic toxic effects of multidrug regimen chemotherapy on reproductive cells. There is no consensus about the contraception duration, but most patients want to have children.

Development and Validation of a Serum Biomarker Panel for the Detection of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma through RNA Transcriptome Sequencing.

Serum tumor markers for the diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have low sensitivity. This study aims to identify new serum markers for ESCC diagnosis from RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data. RNA-seq was performed using six pairs of ESCC and matched normal tissues.