Objective To investigate the prognostic value of preoperative plasma fibrinogen (FIB) combined with lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in predicting the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on ESCC patients who underwent esophagectomy in the Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University from 2015 to 2018. Based on the cut-off values of preoperative FIB and LMR, the F-LMR scoring system was constructed, and patients were divided into three groups according to the F-LMR score. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year progression free survival (PFS), and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. Results Finally 260 patients were collected, including 237 males and 23 females, with a median age of 64 years (IQR: 59-70). The 5-year OS rates for patients with F-LMR score of 0, 1, and 2 were 24.44%, 51.69%, and 67.31%, respectively, and the 5-year PFS rates were 15.56%, 42.37%, and 57.62%, respectively. Lower preoperative F-LMR scores were associated with worse prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that deeper tumor invasion, presence of lymph node metastasis, larger tumor maximum diameter, and lower preoperative F-LMR score were independent risk factors for OS. Conclusion The F-LMR scoring system based on the preoperative FIB and LMR may serve as an effective tool for predicting the prognosis of patients with ESCC.

Background and objective Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma(IMA)was a rare and specific type of lung adenocarcinoma,which was often characterized by fewer lymphatic metastases.Therefore,it was difficult to evaluate the prognosis of these tumors based on the existing tumor-node-metastasis(TNM)staging.So,this study aimed to develop Nomo-grams to predict outcomes of patients with pathologic N0 in resected IMA.Methods According to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria,IMA patients with pathologic N0 in The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University(training cohort,n=78)and Ningbo No.2 Hospital(validation cohort,n=66)were reviewed between July 2012 and May 2017.The prognostic value of the clinicopathological features in the training cohort was analyzed and prognostic prediction models were established,and the performances of models were evaluated.Finally,the validation cohort data was put in for external validation.Results Univariate analysis showed that pneumonic type,larger tumor size,mixed mucinous/non-mucinous component,and higher overall stage were significant influence factors of 5-year progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS).Multivariate analysis further indicated that type of imaging,tumor size,mucinous component were the independent prognostic factors for poor 5-year PFS and OS.Moreover,the 5-year PFS and OS rates were 62.82％and 75.64％,respectively.In subgroups,the sur-vival analysis also showed that the pneumonic type and mixed mucinous/non-mucinous patients had significantly poorer 5-year PFS and OS compared with solitary type and pure mucinous patients,respectively.The C-index of Nomograms with 5-year PFS and OS were 0.815(95％CI:0.741-0.889)and 0.767(95％CI:0.669-0.865).The calibration curve and decision curve analysis(DCA)of both models showed good predictive performances in both cohorts.Conclusion The Nomograms based on clinicopathological characteristics in a certain extent,can be used as an effective prognostic tool for patients with pathologic N0 after IMA resection.

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a kind of RNA with a circular structure. The unique structure of circRNA endows it with various cell biological functions and characteristics. It has become a research hotspot recently. CircRNA can play a role via mechanisms, such as microRNA (miRNA) sponge, RNA binding protein, peptide translation and regulation of gene transcription. CircRNA was found to be associated with disc degeneration, spinal cord injury, scoliosis, and facet arthritis. Some techniques, including bioinformatics and molecular biology techniques, microarray and high-throughput sequencing, can be used to predict and to discover disease-related circRNA, aiming to evaluate whether circRNA can be used as a molecular biomarker for spinal and spinal cord diseases. Based on the current role of circRNA, the corresponding therapeutic strategies have been carried out in experimental animals, which can provide theoretical basis for gene therapy. At present, the researches in circRNA for spinal and spinal cord diseases are still insufficient compared with those in other fields. Currently, the main direction focuses on the miRNA sponge mechanism of circRNA. Due to the variety of diseases in spinal surgery, the research progress of circRNA is also varied. In addition, the development of microarray and high-throughput sequencing technology have greatly promoted the researches in circRNA. The availability of public database is of great significance in the study. The present review summarized the current researches status of circRNA in spinal and spinal cord diseases, aiming to deepen understanding of circRNA in spinal and spinal cord diseases.

Objective To explore the efficacy ofTiaogan-Bushen-Xiaoji recipe (TGBSXJ Recipe) on overall survival and progression free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced breast cancer.Methods A total of 105 patients with advanced breast cancer, who received the first-line treatment, were divided into two groups, 56 cases in the control group and 49 in the experimental group. The control group received standard therapy according to guidelines, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, endocrine therapy and treatment of bisphosphonates.The experimental group received the treatment of TGBSXJ Recipe besides the standard therapy. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and Karnofsky (KPS) of the patients in two groups were observed and compared. The treatment ended with the sighs of the observation ending, the second progress for the disease or death.Results The overall survival of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group [OS: 58.2(50.7-65.8)/monthsvs. 43.8(30.6-51.6)/months,P=0.040]. The PFS of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group [PFS: 30.7(23.8-37.7)/monthsvs. 15.2(11.3-19.1)/months,P=0.001]. The KPS of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group (88.6 ± 10.0vs. 80.5 ± 19.0,t=2.654). The PFS of the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in the experimental group was significantly higher than control group [(25.1(12.1-38.0)/monthsvs. 9.9(4.7-15.0)/months,P=0.038].Conclusions The TGBSXJ recipe could extend the OS and PFS and improve the life quality of the patients with advanced breast cancer. In this study, no severe adverse effects had been found in the experimental group.

Objective:To assess the changing trends in Gleason score (GS)of Chinese prostate carci-noma (PCa)from January 1995 to December 2014.Methods:In the study,875 patients admitted to hospital from January 1995 to December 2004 (1995 -2004)and from January 2005 to December 2014 (2005 -2014)were divided into two groups.The mean levels and proportions of GS,primary and se-condary grades were studied.The patients were divided into four groups according to age: <60,60 -69,70 -79 and ≥80 years.Types of specimen included needle biopsy (NB),transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)and radical prostatectomy (RP).Histological types were made up by acinar carci-noma and other types (including atrophic,pseudohyperplastic,foam,signet ring cell and ductal carcino-ma,and so on).The total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA)involved groups of <20.0 μg/L and ≥20.0 μg/L.We observed the mean levels and proportions of GS in age,types of specimen,histological types and total prostate-specific antigen in different periods,and used SPSS 17.0 software for statistical analysis.Results:Compared with 1995 -2004,the mean levels of GS,primary and secondary grades decreased 0.32 (P =0.003),0.19 (P =0.001)and 0.12 (P =0.016)in 2005 -2014,respectively. The proportions of ≤6 in GS increased 10.9% (P =0.003),and ≥8 decreased 14.0% (P <0.001). The difference of GS 7 was not statistically significant.In the primary grade,the ratio of grades≤3 in-creased 12.8% (P =0.001 ),and grade 4 decreased 7.4% (P =0.037),grade 5 decreased 5.5%(P =0.007).The ratio of secondary grades≤3 increased 7.6% (P =0.037).The difference of grades 4 and 5 was not statistically significant.Conclusion:GS in Chinese patients with PCa showed a down-ward trend,which is one of the notable features in the past 20 years in China.The types of specimen and age are important factors in GS,while the histological types and tPSA have less impact on the GS.

Objective The main objective of this study is to explore the effect of liver function on the awake BIS value.Methods According to the Child-Pugh classification,65 patients were divid-ed into three groups.Group A (n=27):patients with normal liver function;group B (n=21):pa-tients with Child-Pugh A;group C (n=1 7):patients with Child-Pugh B-C.The awake BIS value at rest was measured.Results Total bilirubin (TBIL),direct bilirubin (DBIL),indirect bilirubin (IBIL),alanine aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST),albumin (ALB)of group B and C were significantly poorer than group A (P <0.05 or P <0.01).The coagulation func-tion of group C was poorer than group A and B (P <0.01).Compared with group A (96.2 ± 1.7) and group B (95.6±0.8),the awake BIS value of group C (94.1±3.0)was significantly reduced (P<0.01).The awake BIS value was negatively correlated with the TBIL value (r = - 0.26,P =0.039).Conclusion The awake BIS value in end-stage liver disease patients was significantly lower than that in patients with normal liver function and mild liver dysfunction.The awake BIS value may be related with the amount of total bilirubin in the blood.