The emerging outcome of postoperative radiotherapy for stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer patients: based on the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy technique and institutional standard clinical target volume.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT), administered using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and our institutional standard clinical target volume (CTV) delineation, for completely resected stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: From 2005 to 2012, consecutive patients with pT1-3N2 NSCLC who were treated with PORT employing our institutional CTV delineation after complete surgery or who underwent complete resection in our hospital but without PORT were identified. We excluded patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy (RT).

Revealing the charge-transfer interactions in self-assembled organic cocrystals: two-dimensional photonic applications.

A new crystal of a charge-transfer (CT) complex was prepared through supramolecular assembly and it has unique two-dimensional (2D) morphology. The CT nature of the ground and excited states of this new Bpe-TCNB cocrystal (BTC) were confirmed by electron spin resonance measurements, spectroscopic studies, and theoretical calculations, thus providing a comprehensive understanding of the CT interactions in organic donor-acceptor systems. And the lowest CT1 excitons are responsible for the efficient photoluminescence (Φ(PL)=19%), which can actively propagate in individual 2D BTCs without anisotropy, thus implying that the optical waveguide property of the crystal is not related to the molecular stacking structure.

Solution-Processed Large-Area Nanocrystal Arrays of Metal-Organic Frameworks as Wearable, Ultrasensitive, Electronic Skin for Health Monitoring.

Pressure sensors based on solution-processed metal-organic frameworks nanowire arrays are fabricated with very low cost, flexibility, high sensitivity, and ease of integration into sensor arrays. Furthermore, the pressure sensors are suitable for monitoring and diagnosing biomedical signals such as radial artery pressure waveforms in real time.

Full-dose pemetrexed plus cisplatin combined with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy for previously untreated advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Compared with other platinum-based doublet chemotherapy, pemetrexed plus platinum is more effective and tolerable as the first-line treatment for nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thus, we examined the feasibility of using thoracic radiotherapy combined with concurrent full-dose pemetrexed as the first-line treatment for advanced nonsquamous NSCLC patients. From January 2009 to July 2012, 41 patients with stage IIIB or IV nonsquamous NSCLC were treated with full-dose pemetrexed plus cisplatin as the first-line chemotherapy combined with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy, with or without radiotherapy for metastases.

Proposed revision of CT-based cervical and thoracic lymph node levels for esophageal cancer in UICC 7th version.

Background And Purpose: To propose revisions of CT-based cervical and thoracic lymph node levels for esophageal cancer in UICC 7th version.

Material And Methods: One hundred and forty-nine patients who underwent surgery were analyzed retrospectively for hypothesis validation, 338 patients who underwent definitive radiotherapy to evaluate the feasibility in clinical work, and 121 patients from another independent cohort for external evaluation. We redefined Level VI in the RTOG consensus guideline of CT-based cervical lymph node levels, and established a new Level 1 in the IASLC guideline of CT-based thoracic lymph node levels.

Safety of dose escalation by simultaneous integrated boosting radiation dose within the primary tumor guided by (18)FDG-PET/CT for esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To observe the safety of selective dose boost to the pre-treatment high (18)F-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake areas of the esophageal GTV.

Methods: Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were treated with escalating radiation dose of 4 levels, with a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to the pre-treatment 50% SUVmax area of the primary tumor. Patients received 4 monthly cycles of cisplatin and fluorouracil.

Tuning the crystal polymorphs of alkyl thienoacene via solution self-assembly toward air-stable and high-performance organic field-effect transistors.

The first example for thienoacene derivatives with selective growth of different crystal polymorphs is simply achieved by solution-phase self-assembly. Compared with platelet-shaped α-phase crystals, organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on microribbon-shaped β-phase crystals show a hole mobility up to 18.9 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), which is one of the highest values for p-type organic semiconductors measured under ambient conditions.

A novel method for photolithographic polymer shadow masking: toward high-resolution high-performance top-contact organic field effect transistors.

A novel and universal method, based on water-soluble poly(4-styrene sulfonate), was introduced into the preparation of a polymer mask. Using this mask, high-resolution, high-performance, bottom-gate, top-contact OFETs can be achieved. There is no solvent intervention in the process of manufacturing these OFETs and the mask can be recycled.

Patterns of failure after radical surgery among patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: implications for the clinical target volume design of postoperative radiotherapy.

Background: This study evaluated patterns of treatment failure (especially locoregional failure; LRF) after radical esophagectomy and proposes a clinical target volume (CTV) for postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) among patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: All patients who were followed up in our center after radical esophagectomy between 2007 and 2011 were retrospectively enrolled. The patterns of first discovered failure were assessed, and LRFs (including anastomotic and regional lymph node recurrences) were evaluated to determine whether our proposed PORT CTV encompassed these areas.

Number of negative lymph nodes is associated with survival in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing three-field lymphadenectomy.

Background: The number of negative lymph nodes (NLNs) can be used for predicting clinical outcomes for patients with esophageal carcinoma as it is believed to reflect the extent of lymphadenectomy. However, when patients are treated with the same surgical procedure, its prognostic value is not clear.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 332 patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent three-field lymphadenectomy (3FLND) and had at least 15 lymph nodes removed.

Simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy in esophageal carcinoma: early results of a phase II study.

Purpose: The safety and efficacy of using simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were evaluated in a single-institution phase II setting.

Methods And Materials: Between June 2007 and October 2009, 45 patients underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (n = 27) or radiotherapy alone (n = 18). Two planning target volumes (PTV) were defined for the SIB: PTVC and PTVG, with prescribed doses of 50.

Patterns of local-regional failure in completely resected stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer cases: implications for postoperative radiation therapy clinical target volume design.

Purpose: To analyze patterns of local-regional failure (LRF) for completely resected stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated in our hospital and to propose a clinical target volume (CTV) for postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) in these patients.

Methods And Materials: From 2005 to 2011, consecutive patients with pT1-3N2 NSCLC who underwent complete resection in our hospital but who did not receive PORT were identified. The patterns of first LRF were assessed and evaluated as to whether these areas would be encompassed by our proposed PORT CTV.

[Expression of Six1 and Six4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their correlation with clinical prognosis].

Objective: Six1 and Six4 are expressed in several tumors, and associated with tumor progress and poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Six1 and Six4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and to evaluate their correlation with the clinicopathological factors and prognosis.

Methods: Tissue microarray technology and immunohistochemical method (EnVision) were used to detect the expression of Six1 and Six4 in the tumor tissues and corresponding adjacent normal epithelium of esophagus from 292 ESCC patients.

Microelectrode electrochemistry with semiconducting microelectrode chips.

Well-defined semiconducting microelectrodes on silicon chips are prepared for new insights into microelectrode electrochemistry. Unique voltammetric features are observed due to a combined effect of enhanced mass transport from microelectrodes and rectifying nature of the semiconductor-electrolyte interface. The "diffusional independence" of single elements in certain arrays is also carefully studied.

Influence of nanostructures on the biological properties of Ti implants after anodic oxidation.

Anodic oxidation was applied to produce nanostructures on the surface of titanium (Ti) implants. The bioactivity of the Ti implants was evaluated by simulated body fluid soaking test. The biocompatibility was investigated by in vitro cell culture test.

25th anniversary article: key points for high-mobility organic field-effect transistors.

Remarkable progress has been made in developing high performance organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and the mobility of OFETs has been approaching the values of polycrystalline silicon, meeting the requirements of various electronic applications from electronic papers to integrated circuits. In this review, the key points for development of high mobility OFETs are highlighted from aspects of molecular engineering, process engineering and interface engineering. The importance of other factors, such as impurities and testing conditions is also addressed.

Sequential chemoradiotherapy with accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy compared to concurrent chemoradiotherapy with standard radiotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

To compare the outcomes and treatment-related toxicities of two chemoradiotherapy schedules given to the patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): sequential chemotherapy with accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy (SCRT), and concurrent chemotherapy with standard radiotherapy (CCRT), 68 patients from two prospective clinical trials were included. Thirty-four patients were treated with SCRT using an accelerated hypofractionated radiation schedule, 34 patients received CCRT with standard radiation. Between the two treatment groups there were no significant differences in terms of overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional-PFS or distant metastasis-PFS.

Quantitative analysis of tumor shrinkage due to chemotherapy and its implication for radiation treatment planning in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer.

Background: The optimal timing of chemoradiotherapy in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) hasn't been established, although evidence from studies supported that patients can benefit from early radiation therapy. The purpose of this study was to quantify tumor shrinkage in response to induction chemotherapy (IC), evaluate the impact of tumor shrinkage on radiation dosimetric parameters and determine its implication for the timing of radiation therapy for patients with LS-SCLC.

Methods: Twenty patients with LS-SCLC who were treated with IC followed by concomitant radiation therapy were investigated retrospectively.

A NEIL1 single nucleotide polymorphism (rs4462560) predicts the risk of radiation-induced toxicities in esophageal cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy.

Background: To assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of base-excision repair genes and clinical outcomes, the roles of genetic variants of 3 selected genes-flap structure-specific endonuclease 1 (FEN1), 8-hydroxyguanine DNA glycosylase (hOGG1), and nei endonuclease VIII-like 1 (NEIL1)--were investigated in radiation-induced esophageal toxicity (RIET), radiation pneumonitis (RP), and overall survival (OS) after radio(chemo)therapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: NEIL1 reference SNP 4462560 (rs4462560) and rs7402844, hOGG1 rs1052133 and rs293795, and FEN1 rs4246215 and rs174538 were genotyped in 187 patients with ESCC who received definitive radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Kaplan-Meier cumulative probabilities and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the effect of the genotypes on the risk of RIET, RP, and OS.

Safety and efficacy of nimotuzumab in combination with radiotherapy for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Background: We investigated nimotuzumab (h-R3), a humanized monoclonal antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor, when combined with irradiation or chemoradiation for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus. The aim of this study was to evaluate its safety and efficacy.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 66 patients with esophageal SCC treated with a combination of h-R3 and radiation or chemoradiation between December 2008 and September 2011 at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center.

Nodal skip metastasis is not a predictor of survival in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The presence of nodal skip metastasis (NSM) has been found to be of clinical importance in non-small cell lung cancer, but the study of this phenomenon in esophageal carcinoma is relatively rare. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors influencing NSM and to assess its prognostic value in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: A total of 207 patients with thoracic ESCC who underwent three-field lymphadenectomy and who had lymph node metastasis were reviewed.

Risk factors for predicting the occult nodal metastasis in T1-2N0M0 NSCLC patients staged by PET/CT: potential value in the clinic.

Background And Objective: The aims of our study were to evaluate the occult nodal metastasis in clinical stage I patients by PET/CT, further investigate the potential risk factors for nodal involvement, since a successful prediction could be helpful in selection appropriate candidates for SABR or limited surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 189 patients who diagnosed as clinical stage I NSCLC by (18)F-FDG PET/CT from January 2004 to July 2011. All patients underwent lobectomy and systematic lymph node dissection and preoperative (18)F-FDG PET/CT scanning.

Simultaneous integrated boost in breast conserving radiotherapy: is replanning necessary following tumor bed change?

Tumor bed (TB) change is often seen during the whole breast irradiation (WBI) in early breast cancer patients. The aims of this study were to evaluate change in seroma volume on repeat CTs and to explore whether replanning is necessary in breast conserving radiotherapy (RT) using the intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB). Thirty patients underwent WBI with 84 CT scans (24 with 3 CTs (CT1, CT2 and CT3) and 6 without CT3) during the 6 weeks of RT were reviewed.