Prognostic significance of tumor spread through air spaces and lymphovascular invasion in stage I non-small cell lung cancer: implications for adjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective: Tumor spread through air spaces (STAS) and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) have been associated with poor prognosis in stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of STAS and LVI, and to investigate the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) on survival outcomes in this patient population.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including 392 patients with pathological stage I NSCLC who underwent surgical resection at two Kaohsiung Medical University-affiliated hospitals between 2016 and 2019.

Impact of Environmental and Seasonal Factors on Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum With and Without Pneumorrhachis.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) with pneumorrhachis is rare but generally benign and self-limiting. However, the impact of environmental and seasonal factors on SPM remains unclear. This study investigated their association with SPM onset and clinical outcomes.

The Current Consensus on Salvage Surgery after Targeted Therapy for Advanced EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Salvage surgery is an emerging option for carefully selected patients with advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease remains controlled on tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Fourteen retrospective series report median progression-free survival (PFS) of 14-52 months and overall survival (OS) often exceeding 3 years, suggesting better disease control than continued TKI therapy alone. Although PFS generally improves, some cohorts show no OS advantage, probably because effective post-progression treatments dilute survival differences.

Impact of Spread Through Air Spaces (STAS) on Recurrence and Surgical Trends in Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Real-World Cohort Study.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, which remains a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Early detection, particularly at Stage I, is critical for improving survival outcomes. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has increased the detection of small asymptomatic tumors, resulting in an earlier diagnosis and facilitating less invasive surgical approaches such as segmentectomy and wedge resection, which preserve lung function while offering survival outcomes comparable to lobectomy.

Effect of Dinalbuphine sebacate on postoperative multimodal analgesic strategy in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Multimodal analgesia (MMA) combines different analgesic methods, such as non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, and regional anesthesia techniques, to optimize pain control while minimizing opioid use. Dinalbuphine sebacate (DS), a long-acting prodrug of nalbuphine, was chosen due to its potential to enhance MMA strategies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of DS in MMA for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Effect of environmental factors on postoperative recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax: a case-crossover study.

Objective: Surgery is one of the preferred primary treatments for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP); however, postoperative recurrent pneumothorax (PORP), defined as recurrence on the same side, occurs in 3-13% of cases. While environmental factors have been implicated in PSP occurrence, their role in PORP remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of environmental factors on the onset of PSP and PORP in the same patient population.

Approaching the refinement limit of nano laminated structures in cubic metals by severe plastic deformation.

Grain size refinement stagnates at the balance between refinement by dislocation accumulation and coarsening by thermal recovery for generally equiaxed structures upon increase of plastic strain. It is curious if this stagnation occurs also for laminated structures. In this paper, three kinds of metal with nanolamellar (NL) structure were successfully prepared by the method of equal channel angular processing (ECAP) followed by liquid nitrogen rolling (LNR).

Profile and clinical significance of SPARCL1 and its prognostic significance in breast cancer.

Secreted protein acidic and cysteine-rich like 1 (SPARCL1; also known as MAST9) exhibits low expression levels in several malignant tumors and is positively associated with tumor growth and poor prognosis. Furthermore, there may be an association between SPARCL1 and breast cancer; however, further comprehensive research is necessary. The present study assessed the relationship between SPARCL1 expression and breast cancer using RNA sequencing and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database (including tumor mutations, immune infiltration and prognosis data), cell experiments and clinical samples.

Spread through air spaces may predict early progression after salvage surgery for EGFR-mutant advanced lung adenocarcinoma treated with targeted therapy.

Objective: Salvage resection for residual lung cancer harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations following EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment is gaining traction for its survival benefits. However, the impact of pathological factors on survival remains unclear.

Methods: Between 2013 and 2023, we retrospectively reviewed 34 patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who received EGFR-TKI therapy.

Capricious Radiographic Presentations of Pulmonary Benign Metastasizing Leiomyoma Raise Diagnostic Challenges.

Pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma (PBML) cases are often asymptomatic and exhibit various imaging patterns, posing diagnostic challenges and frequently mimicking malignancies or other atypical histologies. Herein, we present three cases of PBML in women, each with distinct radiographic features, all managed through surgical interventions. These cases underscore the importance of early detection for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

[Tanshinone Ⅱ_A exerts anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects by inhibiting oxidative stress via PI3K/Akt and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway].

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of tanshinone Ⅱ_A(Tan Ⅱ_A) in protecting mice from diethylinitrosamine(DEN)/carbon tetrachloride(CCl_4)/ethanol(C_2H_5OH)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and HepG2 cells from hydrogen peroxide(H_2O_2)-induced oxidative damage via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt) and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase 1(HO-1) signaling pathways. Sixty male C57BL/6J mice were grouped as follows: control, model, low, medium, and high-dose(10, 20, 40 mg·kg~(-1), respectively) Tan Ⅱ_A, and colchicine(0.2 mg·kg~(-1)), with 10 mice in each group.

Changes in Staging and Management of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Patients Following the Implementation of Low-Dose Chest Computed Tomography (LDCT) Screening at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital.

Background: Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been widely adopted for lung cancer screening due to its proven ability to reduce lung cancer mortality, especially among high-risk populations.

Methods: This retrospective study aims to evaluate the impact of LDCT screening on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) staging at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital (KMUH) from 2011 to 2020, following the introduction of LDCT in 2013. The study examines the correlation between LDCT screening volume and changes in the distribution of NSCLC stages, particularly early-stage (stages 0 and I) and late-stage (stage IV) diagnoses.

Mitigating intubation stress, mucosa injury, and inflammatory response in nasogastric tube intubation suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway by engineering a hydration lubrication coating.

Nasogastric tube (NGT) intubation is a common yet critical clinical procedure. However, complications arising from tube friction result in awful pain and morbidity. Here, we report a straightforward surface modification of slender NGT utilizing highly hydrated micelles that were composed of hyaluronic acid and Pluronic.

Risk factors of stent migration in esophageal cancer patients who underwent fully-covered self-expanding metal stents for malignant dysphagia or tracheoesophageal fistula.

Background: More than 50% of esophageal cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced diseases and commonly experience dysphagia, some of whom even have tracheoesophageal fistula. Self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) is one of the recommended palliative methods, although complications such as chest pain and stent migration are not uncommon. The goal of this study was to examine the predictors of stent migration.

Next-Generation Sequencing in Lung Cancers-A Single-Center Experience in Taiwan.

: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in Taiwan. With rapid advancement of targeted therapeutics in non-small cell lung cancers, next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming an important tool for biomarker testing. In this study, we describe institutional experience of NGS analysis in non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC).

Design of Photothermal "Ion Pumps" for Achieving Energy-Efficient, Augmented, and Durable Lithium Extraction from Seawater.

Extracting lithium from seawater has emerged as a disruptive platform to resolve the issue of an ever-growing lithium shortage. However, achieving highly efficient and durable lithium extraction from seawater in an energy-efficient manner is challenging, as imposed by the low concentration of lithium ions (Li) and high concentration of interfering ions in seawater. Here, we report a facile and universal strategy to develop photothermal "ion pumps" (PIPs) that allow achieving energy-efficient, augmented, and durable lithium extraction from seawater under sunlight.

Ameliorated chest drain wound closure in patients undergoing uniportal thoracoscopic pulmonary resection.

Background: Although uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been performed for a wide array of thoracic diseases, unsightliness and poor wound healing often occur, particularly when a chest drain is placed postoperatively. Different chest drain wound closure (CWC) methods have been introduced with the benefits of cosmesis and patient satisfaction. We aimed to describe our improved CWC technique in this setting and assess its efficacy.

Organocatalytic aromatization-promoted umpolung reaction of imines.

The umpolung functionalization of imines bears vast synthetic potential, but polarity inversion is less efficient compared with the carbonyl counterparts. Strong nucleophiles are often required to react with the N-electrophiles without catalytic and stereochemical control. Here we show an effective strategy to realize umpolung of imines promoted by organocatalytic aromatization.

Oral Administration of Protease-Soluble Chicken Type II Collagen Ameliorates Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection-Induced Osteoarthritis in Rats.

This study investigated whether oral supplementation with protease-soluble chicken type II collagen (PSCC-II) mitigates the progression of anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)-induced osteoarthritis (OA) in rats. Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: control, sham, ACLT, group A (ACLT + pepsin-soluble collagen type II collagen (C-II) with type I collagen), group B (ACLT + Amano M-soluble C-II with type I collagen), group C (ACLT + high-dose Amano M-soluble C-II with type I collagen), and group D (ACLT + unproteolyzed C-II). Various methods were employed to analyze the knee joint: nociceptive tests, microcomputed tomography, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry.

Intra-Articular Lactate Dehydrogenase A Inhibitor Oxamate Reduces Experimental Osteoarthritis and Nociception in Rats via Possible Alteration of Glycolysis-Related Protein Expression in Cartilage Tissue.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and joint disorder worldwide. Metabolic reprogramming of osteoarthritic chondrocytes from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis results in the accumulation of lactate from glycolytic metabolite pyruvate by lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), leading to cartilage degeneration. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of the intra-articular administration of oxamate (LDHA inhibitor) against OA development and glycolysis-related protein expression in experimental OA rats.