Lung cancer is currently the malignant tumor with the highest morbidity and mortality in the world, thoracoscopic segmentectomy is one of the main surgical procedures for the treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In recent years, three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography (3D-CTBA) technology has developed rapidly with advantages of stereoscopic presentation of lung anatomy, accurate localization of lung lesions and design of surgical safety margin model, it provides a reliable method for thoracoscopic segmentectomy. This article reviews the current applications of 3D-CTBA in thoracoscopic segmentectomy for stage T 1a-1bN 0M 0 NSCLC.

Objective:To preliminarily observe the feasibility of different immobilization techniques for total skin irradiation (TSI) using helical tomotherapy.Methods:Three eczema scrophuloderma patients treated with TSI in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were immobilized with low-temperature thermoplastic in a prone position, diving suit combined with negative pressure vacuum bag in a supine position, low-temperature thermoplastic combined with vacuum bag in a supine position, respectively. Different immobilization effects were observed. The conformity index (CI) of the target area, heterogeneity index (HI) of the target area, and the mean dose (D mean) of the target area were calculated. Results:Three immobilization methods could achieve satisfactory immobilization effects, and all the dosimetric parameters of radiation treatment plans met the clinical requirements. The average set-up errors in the left and right, head and foot, and abdomen and back directions of three patients were (0.26±3.40) mm, (-2.63±4.63) mm and (6.13±4.86) mm, respectively. The CI, HI andD mean were0.56±0.09, 1.186±0.059 and (2586.56±63.28) cGy. Conclusions:Low-temperature thermoplastic or diving suits can be combined with vacuum bags for immobilization in TSI. The epidermal dose can be increased with bolus through the dose-building effect, which can provide a safe and reliable method for TSI in helical tomotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence and risk factors of benign liver space-occupying mass in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and the ultrasound features that differentiate these masses from small hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the color Doppler and clinical data of 17 721 patients with CHB treated in the Hepatology Unit of Nanfang Hospital between January, 2016 and December, 2017. The data were compared with those of 21629 healthy control subjects undergoing routine physical examination in the Center of Heath Management of Nanfang Hospital during the same period. RESULTS: Compared with the control subjects, the patients with CHB had significantly higher incidences of hepatic cysts (11.8% 8.7%, < 0.05), hepatic hemangioma (8.2% 1.6%, < 0.05) and hepatic cirrhosis nodules (20.6% 2.4%, < 0.05). The incidences of hepatic cysts and cirrhosis nodules increased with age and was significantly higher in male than in female patients ( < 0.001). The highest incidence of hepatic hemangioma was found in CHB patients aged 30-49 years without a gender difference (>0.05). Sonographically, the benign liver masses commonly showed homogeneous echo within the lesion with clear boundaries and regular shape. Hepatic hemangioma was distinctively hyperechoic in 83.32% (1579/1895) of the patients, while small hepatocellular carcinoma presented with weaker peripheral and internal blood flow signals with a lower flow velocity in the arteries and a higher flow velocity in the portal vein. Liver cirrhosis nodules mostly showed a mixture of strong and weak echoes (79.60%; 7637/9595) without blood flow signal within or around the nodule; an increased volume of the nodule accompanied by heterogeneous echoes within the nodule indicated an increased probability of malignant lesion. Hepatic cysts often displayed no echo within the lesion, but the echo could be enhanced posteriorly. CONCLUSIONS The patients with CHB are at a significantly higher risk of developing hepatic cysts, hepatic hemangiomas and hepatic cirrhosis nodules than the control population, and an older age and the male gender are associated with a higher incidence of hepatic cysts or cirrhosis. The differences in the sonographic and hemodynamic features can help to differentiate hepatic benign mass from malignant lesions, and kinetic changes in sonography can be used to monitor potential malignant transformation of the cirrhotic lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of different antiviral and antifibrotic regimens in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatic fibrosis and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with these therapies. METHODS: A total of 840 patients with CHB and concurrent hepatic fibrosis, who received antiviral therapy in Nanfang Hospital between June, 2010 and June, 2018, were enrolled in this follow-up cohort study. The patients were assigned to 3 cohorts matched for gender, age (difference≤5 years), HBeAg status and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for treatment with one of the 3 antiviral drugs, namely entecavir, tenofovir dipivoxil and adefovir dipivoxil; each cohort was divided into 2 groups, with one of the groups having a combined treatment with Fufang Biejiaruangan tablet. The cumulative negative conversion rate of HBV DNA, normalization rate of ALT, hepatic fibrosis regression and the incidence of HCC were compared among the 3 cohorts and across the 6 groups at 144 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 749 patients were available to follow-up at 144 weeks. Compared with the baseline data, the cumulative negative conversion rate of HBV DNA increased gradually and the abnormal rate of ALT decreased significantly over time during the treatment in all the 6 groups (all < 0.001). Compared with the any of the antiviral drugs used alone, the combined treatments all resulted in significantly better antifibrotic effects (χ=11.345, χ=10.160, χ=6.358; all < 0.05). At 144 weeks, the incidence of HCC were 2.2%, 1.7%, 1.7% and 3.3% in enecavir group, enecavir with Biejiaruangan tablet group, adefovir group, and adefovir with Biejiaruangan tablet group, respectively, showing no significant difference between the two cohorts (4 groups; χ=6.813, =0.138). None of the patients in the 2 groups with tenofovir treatment had HCC by the end of the observation. CONCLUSIONS Antiviral therapy combined with antifibrotic therapy can effectively reverse hepatic fibrosis and reduce the incidence of HCC in patients with CHB; among the 3 antiviral drugs, tenofovir dipivoxil can be a better option for reducing the incidence of HCC in these patients.
Antiviral Agents ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; etiology ; DNA, Viral ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; Liver Neoplasms ; etiology ; Prospective Studies

The hyphal development of Candida albicans (C. albicans) has been considered as an essential virulent factor for host cell damage. However, the missing link between hyphae and virulence of C. albicans is also been discovered. Here, we identified that the null mutants of ERG3 and ERG11, two key genes in ergosterol biosynthesis pathway, can form typical hyphae but failed to cause the oral mucosal infection in vitro and in vivo for the first time. In particular, the erg3Δ/Δ and erg11Δ/Δ strains co-cultured with epithelial cells significantly reduced the adhesion, damage, and cytokine (interleukin-1α (IL-1α)) production, whereas the invasion was not affected in vitro. Importantly, they were incapable of extensive hyphal invasion, formation of micro-abscesses, and tongue epithelium damage compared to wild type due to the decrease of the colonization and epithelial infection area in a murine oropharyngeal candidiasis model. The fluconazole (FLC), an antifungal targeted at ergosterol biosynthesis, relieved the epithelial infection of C. albicansin vitro and in vivo even under non-growth inhibitory dosage confirming the virulent contribution of ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. The erg3Δ/Δ and erg11Δ/Δ strains were cleared by macrophages similar to wild type, whereas their virulence factors including agglutinin-like sequence 1 (Als1), secreted aspartyl proteinase 6 (Sap6), and hyphal wall protein-1 (Hwp1) were significantly reduced indicated that the non-toxicity might not result from the change on immune tolerance but the defective virulence. The incapacity of erg3Δ/Δ and erg11Δ/Δ in epithelial infection highlights the contribution of ergosterol biosynthesis pathway to C. albicans pathogenesis and fluconazole can not only eliminate the fungal pathogens but also reduced their virulence even at low dosage.
Animals ; Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Candidiasis, Oral ; drug therapy ; genetics ; microbiology ; Fluconazole ; pharmacology ; Genes, Fungal ; genetics ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Potassium Channels ; genetics ; Virulence

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of single utility port and multiple utility ports thoracoscopic lobectomy in the treatment of peripheral lung cancer, and to study the operation skills, relative merit and feasibility of the single utility port thoracoscopic lobectomy. Methods The clinical data was analyzed retrospectively for 223 cases with stage Ⅰ orⅡ of peripheral lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy from July 2011 to November 2014 in Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital. Among 223 cases, 78 cases received single utility port thoracoscopic lobectomy (single utility port group), 145 cases received 2 or 3 utility ports thoracoscopic lobectomy (multiple utility ports group). The clinical outcomes involved time of operation, intraoperative blood loss,chest drainage, postoperative hospital stay, stations of lymph node dissection, numbers of lymph node dissection, rate of turn to open, postoperative complications, 2-year survival rate and disease free survival rate. Results No perioperative death occurred in both groups. There was no statistical difference between single utility port group and multiple utility ports group in operation time [(157.4 ±13.6) min vs. (151.3 ±23.2) min], intraoperative blood loss [(180.77 ±59.97) ml vs.(171.31 ±77.51) ml],chest drainage [(370.26 ±146.09) ml vs. (351.17 ±159.07) ml], lymph node dissection stations (4.29±0.65 vs. 4.21±0.73), lymph node dissection number (11.50±2.30 vs. 11.04±2.29), rate of turn to open [(5.13 ％ (4/78) vs. 4.83 ％ (7/145)], incidence of postoperative complications [17.95 ％ (14/78) vs. 15.86％(23/145)], postoperative hospital stay [(8.74±0.51) d vs. (9.48±0.63) d], 2-year survival rate [96.15 ％(75/78) vs. 93.79％(136/145)] and 2-year disease free survival rate [80.77 ％ (63/78) vs. 82.07 ％ (119/145)] (all P>0.05). Conclusions The single utility port thoracoscopic lobectomy could achieve the same clinical results as the multiple utility ports. The single utility port thoracoscopic lobectomy is a safe, effective and feasible surgical procedure.

Objective To develop a MOSAIQ Integration PlatformCHN (MIP) based on the workflow of radiotherapy (RT) and to meet the actual requirements in China and the special needs for the radiotherapy department.Methods MIP used C/S (client-server) structure mode running on the local network in the hospital and its database was based on the Treatment Planning System (TPS) and MOSAIQ database.Five network servers,as the core hardware,supplied data storage and network service based on cloud services.The core software was developed based on Microsoft Visual Studio Platform using C# network programming language.The MIP server could simultaneously offer network service for about 200 workstations,including entry,query,statistics,and print of data.Results MIP had 15 core function modules,such as Notice,Appointment,Billing,Document Management (application/execution),and System Management,which almost covered the whole workflow of radiotherapy.Up to June 2016,the recorded data in the MIP were as follows:13546 patients,13533 plan application forms,15475 RT records,14656 RT summaries,567048 billing records,and 506612 workload records.Conclusions The MIP based on the RT workflow has been successfully developed and used in clinical practice.It is an important part of radiotherapy information system construction with the advantages of intuitive operation,real-time performance,data security,and stable operation.It is digital,paperless,user-friendly,and convenient for the retrieval and statistics of data as well as information sharing and department management,and can significantly improve the efficiency of the department.More functions can be added or modified to enhance its potentials in research and clinical practice.

Objective To investigate and analyze clinical obstetrics and gynecology clinicians' mastery of basic skills, and then find the way to help clinicians master basic clinical skills. Methods A self-designed questionnaire survey was conducted among 310 clinicians working in 1-3 grade hospital from Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan provinces anonymously by spot field investigation and letter-investigations from February 1, 2015 and to March 31, 2015. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, using SPSS 19.0 software package for rank sum test analysis. Result Among 310 valid questionnaires, 31.6% (98) clinicians considered having inadequate clinical skills, 26% (81) average and 42.3%(131) expert. All the basic skills obtained had a relationship with the number of operations, working years and professional title. Most of the basic clinical skills were from working in hospitals 85% (270), journal 82% (254), academic conference 58% (174); 94.2% (293) willing to participate in training classes like clinical teaching and training in moulds. Conclusion The gynecology and obstet-rics basic clinical skills have a great relationship with basic skills training. Providing opportunities for the basic clinical skill trainings, academic conferences, in-service education and establishing regional medical source sharing platform can enhance their clinical skills.

Objective To investigate the relation between the expression of MICA/B in lung cancer cells and the mediastinum lymph node metastasis. Methods The samples of the lung cancer tissue as test group and the healthy tissue beside lung cancer as control group from 30 cases of patients with lung cancer were collected, and the expression of MICA/B on lung cancer cells surface were detected by flow cytometry.All patients were divided into three groups(N0, N1, N2) according to the state of lymph node metastasis, and the expression of MICA/B was analyzed among the three groups. Results The expression level of MICA/B in test group was significantly higher than that in control group[(0.3788±0.2398) %, (0.1908±0.1760) %] (P ＜0.01),however the MICA/B expression level between N0 and N1 or between N1 and N2 was not statistically different (P＞0.05), while that between N0 and N2 had statistical difference (P＜0.05). Conclusion The expression level of MICA/B on surface of lung cancer cells is high, and the MICA/B as ligand of NKG2D may play an important role in the tumor immune response. The expression of MICA/B in mediastinum metastatic lymph node from lung cancer is remarkably increased and the prognosis of patients with lymph node metastasis is poor. MICA/B could be considered as a marker of mediastinum lymph node metastasis.