Objective To establish a model of malignant transformation of human cells in vitro to study the lung cancer induced by radon and cigarette smoke. Methods The immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells BEAS-2B were divided into control group( C ), radon group ( Rn), cigarette smoke group (Sm) and combined group (Rn-Sm). Cells were planted onto transwell membrane one day before exposure and were directly exposed to radon and cigarette smoke pumped in a gas inhalation box. After the exposure cells were trypsinized into dishes for further growth and malignancy transformation phenotype was detected in order to compare the effects due to radon and cigarette smoke exposure. Results BEAS-2B cells showed malignantly transformed phenotype by exposure to radon and cigarette smoke. A series of sequential steps emerged among transformed cells, including altered growth kinetics, resistance to serum has changed from 0. 31 ± 0. 18 to 1.92 ± 0. 27,2. 03 ± 0. 14,2.95 ± 0. 60, and anchorage-independence growth increased from (0.01 ±0.02)% to (4.89 ±0.30)%,(8.36 ±0.50)%,(11.74 ±0.69)%.After being subculture for 20 generations, cell apoptosis of the fifth generation cells exposed to radon,cigarette smoke and both was significant decreased from ( 11.76 ± 0. 17 ) % to (4. 62 ± 0. 42 ) %、 ( 8.63 ±0. 15 )%、 (3.68 ± 0. 33 )%. Conclusions BEAS-2B cells could be malignancy transformed by radon and cigarette smokein vitro, which could be used as a cell model in lung bronchial carcinogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of positive lymph node ratio (LNR) in predicting the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer. METHODS: We retrieved the data of a total of 862 patients with esophageal cancer with complete clinical pathology data archived in SEER database in 2010 to 2015. The best cutoff point of LNR was selected using X-tile software. Univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazard models were used to assess the value of LNR in predicting the prognosis of patients after propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: The best cut-off point of LNR determined using X-tile 3.6.1 software was 0.16. The patients with LNR < 0.16 and those with LNR≥0.16 showed significant differences in the number of positive lymph nodes, pathological type, T stage and M stage. After 1:1 propensity score matching, the two groups showed no significant difference in the clinical data or pathological parameters. Matched univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses showed that LNR, primary tumor site and M staging were all independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients, and among them LNR had the most significant predictive value (LNR < 0.16 LNR≥0.16: HR=1.827, 95% : 1.140-2.929; =0.000). The median survival time of patients with LNR < 0.16 was 31 months (95%: 22.556-39.444 months), as compared with 16 months (95%: 12.989-19.011) in patient with LNR≥0.16 (Log Rank χ=27.392, < 0.0001). LNR had a better accuracy than N stage for assessing the patients' prognosis with an area under the ROC curve of 0.617 (95%: 0.567-0.666), as compared with 0.515 (95%: 0.463-0.565) of N stage (=3.008, =0.0026). CONCLUSIONS LNR≥0.16 is an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer and has better prognostic value than N stage.
Esophageal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Node Ratio ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

【Objective】 To explore the relationship between chronic comorbidity and the physical and mental health of relatives of elderly people during the nursing home confinement, and to analyze the mediating effects of perceived stress and intolerance of uncertainty in this context. 【Methods】 A total of 568 family members of elderly people in nine elderly institutions in Shaanxi Province were selected. The survey included the short version of the Perceived Stress Scale, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and The World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index. The data were analyzed with Stata for correlation and mediation effects. 【Results】 ① The comorbidities of chronic diseases was positively correlated with the perceived stress (r=0.16, P<0.001) and intolerance of uncertainty (r=0.11, P=0.006) of the family members, but negatively correlated with the physical and mental health of the family members (r=-0.13, P=0.002). ② The mediating effect of perceived stress between chronic disease co-morbidity and physical and mental health of family members in older adults was -0.023, accounting for 18.8% of the total effect; the mediating effect of intolerance of uncertainty between chronic disease co-morbidity and physical and mental health of family members in older adults was -0.041, accounting for 33.5% of the total effect. 【Conclusion】 During closed management in a nursing facility, the physical and mental health of family members of older adults with chronic co-morbidities is poorer than that of family members of non-chronic co-morbidities. And it can lead to a decline in physical and mental health of family members through increased perceived stress and intolerance of uncertainty.