Analysis of the influencing factors in the long-term survival of esophageal cancer

Background

To analyze the prognosis and diagnostic value of relevant hematological indexes on the survival status of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after radical surgery.

Methods

This study included 206 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent surgical R0 resection. The data, including the basic information, preoperative blood routine, albumin, fibrinogen, surgery-related information, postoperative pathology, and overall survival, of the patients were compared.

Results

The survival and death groups showed a significant difference in overall survival (OS), the degree of differentiation, depth of infiltration, pathological stage, vascular infiltration, nerve infiltration, fibrinogen, white blood cell, neutrophils, platelet, and platelet hematocrit (P<0.05). Tumor located in the middle thorax, larger lesion length, deeper invasion, later pathological stage, vascular infiltration, nerve infiltration, lymph node metastasis, cardiovascular disease, and higher smoking grade were risk factors for poor prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (P<0.05). Cardiovascular disease, lower differentiation, tumor located in the middle thorax, and nerve infiltration were independent risk factors for the reduction of survival time of patients with ESCC (P<0.05).

Conclusions

History of cardiovascular disease, tumor located in the middle chest, poorly differentiated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, visible nerve cancer invasion, hematocrit (HCT), mean erythrocyte hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and hemoglobin (HB) are independent risk factors for the long-term survival of patients with ESCC.

Different Effects of Lard and Vegetable Blend Oil on Intestinal Microorganisms, Enzyme Activity and Blood Routine in Mice

The intake of moderate oils and fats is necessary to maintain the body's energy balance, and the fatty acid composition of different oils and fats varies in their nutrition and function. The study aimed to investigate the effects of lard and vegetable blend oil on gut microbiota, intestinal enzyme activities, and blood routine. Kunming mice were assigned to the three groups: (1) Control group (CK) was gavage administration with distilled water, (2) Plant oil group (ZWY) was gavage administration with edible vegetable blend oil, (3) Lard group (DWY) was gavage administration with lard. After 42 days, microbiological, digestive enzymes, and blood routine were performed. Compared with the CK group, Escherichia coli, Lactobacilli, and Bifidobacteria were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), the activities of protease, cellulase, amylase, and xylanase were markedly reduced (p < 0.05), the hemoglobin was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the ZWY group and DWY groups, and the hematocrit was increased in the ZWY group (p < 0.05), while other routine blood indices were increased (p > 0.05). Compared to the ZWY group, the activity of cellulase and amylase were significantly increased (p < 0.05), the intestinal microorganism and the routine blood indexes had no significant difference in the DWY group. Lard and vegetable blend oil diet affected the composition of the intestinal microorganisms, and the functions of digestive enzymes. Meanwhile, the levels of digestive enzymes may be correlated with the intestinal microbiota.

Trends in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Hospitalization and Prognosis: Gender Effect

We here aimed to investigate the impact of gender on the clinical characteristics and laboratory results of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and provide clues to the pathological mechanisms underlying COVID-19. A retrospective study was performed. Clinical characteristics, severity of lung infection, laboratory results, and prognoses of patients of different gender were analyzed. A total of 242 patients were finally included. The median age was 58 years (IQR: 40–68), including 54 (22.3%) hospital staffs. Ninety-four (38.8%) were male and 148 (61.1%) were female. The proportion of patients with diabetes was significantly higher in the male group than in the female group (P=0.034). Male patients had a significantly larger proportion of severe lung infection, higher leukocyte count, neutrophil count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin than female. Furthermore, male patients had worse liver, cardiac, and coagulation function than their female counterparts. Male patients with COVID-19 showed more severe inflammation reaction and coagulation dysfunction than female patients. In conclusion, gender is associated with host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Superparamagnetic α-Fe2O3/Fe3O4 Heterogeneous Nanoparticles with Enhanced Biocompatibility

A novel type of magnetic α-Fe₂O₃/Fe₃O₄ heterogeneous nanoparticles was prepared via a facile solution combustion process with ferric nitrate and urea as raw materials, and they were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, and VSM techniques. The effects of the calcination temperature, the calcination time, the ratio of ferric nitrate and urea, and the heating rate on the relative content of Fe₃O₄ in the heterogeneous nanoparticles were investigated. The toxicity of α-Fe₂O₃/Fe₃O₄ heterogeneous nanoparticles to human hepatocytes L-02, the blood routine, and the histopathological section observation of mice were explored. The results showed that the ratio of ferric nitrate and urea was a key factor to affect the relative content of Fe₃O₄ in the heterogeneous nanoparticles. The calcination temperature and the calcination time had similar influences, and the corresponding calcination temperature and the calcination time were selected according to their own needs. The CCK8 results initially revealed that α-Fe₂O₃/Fe₃O₄ heterogeneous nanoparticles had no effect on cell viability when the concentration of the heterogeneous nanoparticles was less than 100 ng/mL, which suggested their excellent biocompatibility. At the same time, the tail vein administration concentration of 0.9 mg/kg had good biological safety.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in peripheral blood and pathological tissue in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of neutrophils-to-lymphocyte ratio in peripheral blood (NLR) and in cancer nest (iNLR) in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Totally 103 patients with ESCC treated with surgical radical surgery in the Shuyang People's Hospital from February 2010 to November 2014 were collected retrospectively. Peripheral blood routine test and immunohistochemistry examination of carcinoma nest were mainly performed. Survival rates were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier curves. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were also performed to explore potential prognostic factors of ESCC.The median survival time after surgery of low NLR group and high NLR group were 48 months and 30 months, respectively. The difference of overall survival between the 2 groups was statistically significant (χ = 7.435, P = .006). The median survival time after surgery of low iNLR group and high iNLR group were 37 months and 24.5 months, respectively. The difference between the 2 groups was also statistically significant (χ = 33.640, P = .000). Univariate analysis showed influence factors of postoperative survival in patients with ESCC included tumor-node-metastasis staging, NLR, iNLR, and grade of NLR score + iNLR score (P ≤ .05). Multivariate analysis confirmed NLR, iNLR, and tumor-node-metastasis staging were independent influence factors of postoperative survival in patients with ESCC (P ≤ .05).High level of NLR and iNLR implies a poor prognosis of ESCC. The application of both NLR and iNLR could guide clinicians to take aggressive treatments for high risk population.

[Analysis of electrocardiogram and blood related indicators in workers occupationally exposed to mercury in Jiangsu Province from 2016 to 2018]

Objective: To investigate the health status of occupational mercury workers and reveal the effects of mercury exposure on the cardiovascular system. Methods: In June 2019, a total of 2651 mercury workers participated in the occupational health examination between 2016-2018 from a thermometer manufacturing plant and a fluorescent lamp manufacturing plant were included in this study. Then, they were divided into a high-level mercury exposure group (425 workers whose urine mercury concentration >35 μg/g creatinine) and a low-mercury mercury exposure group (2226 workers whose urinary mercury concentration <35 μg/g creatinine) . Mercury concentration in the workplace was also detected. Finally, the results of electrocardiogram (ECG) , blood routine, blood biochemistry and other physical examinations were analyzed. The measurement data of age and exposure years were analyzed by test. Urinary mercury and blood parameters were analyzed by Mann-Whitney nonparametric test. Chi-square test was used for the analyses of gender, ECG abnormality rate and other categorical data. Results: The 8-hour weighted average allowable concentration (CTWA) of mercury in the workplace of high-exposure group was 0.002 2-0.152 mg/m(3). The abnormal rate of ECG in the high-exposed group (29.6%) was higher than that in the low-exposure group (10.1%) in 2018 (P<0.01) . Compared with the low-exposure group, the WBC of the high-exposure group from 2016 to 2018 was increased, with statistically significance (P<0.05) ; the RBC of the high-exposure group in 2016 and 2017 was decreased, with statistically significance (P<0.01) ; the total bilirubin concentration in the high-exposure group was decreased from 2016 to 2018, with statistically significance (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Long-term exposure to high concentration of mercury in the workplace may influence cardiovascular system. Therefore, engineering protection and individual protection should be implemented well.

Predictive Value of Routine Peripheral Blood Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease

Background

Biomarker screening is of major significance for the early diagnosis and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Routine peripheral blood parameters are easy to collect and detect, making them ideal potential biomarkers. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the parameters from routine blood as potential biomarkers for AD.

Methods

We enrolled 56 AD patients, 57 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, and 59 healthy elderly controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the diagnostic values of routine blood biomarkers in patients with cognitive impairment.

Results

There were significant differences in eight parameters between the groups. Logistic regression revealed that the neutrophil% (odds ratio (OR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.75, p = 0.031) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR; OR 6.27, 95% CI 3.98–9.82, p = 0.003) differentiated AD patients and controls (areas under the curve [AUCs], 0.728 and 0.721) and that the NLR (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.07–3.47, p = 0.028) and mean platelet volume (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.04–2.70, p = 0.036) differentiated MCI patients and controls (AUCs, 0.60 and 0.638). There were no effective diagnostic biomarkers to distinguish AD from MCI.

Conclusion

Some routine blood biomarkers may correlate with cognitive impairment. Analysis of these biomarkers, such as the NLR, may be useful for the identification of patients with cognitive impairment.

Effects of arterial blood on the venous blood vessel wall and differences in percentages of lymphocytes and neutrophils between arterial and venous blood

Vascular sclerosis mostly occurs in arteries and is mainly related to anatomic structure and hemodynamics of artery. This study aimed to investigate effects of arterial blood on vein wall and explore differences of composition between arterial and venous blood.Ultrasound was used to examine the distal venous structure of arteriovenous fistula in uremia patients. Immunohistochemistry was used to study the pathology of the distal vein. Twelve patients were divided into control group and trial group. Patients received an arteriovenous fistula within 1 month in control group. Patients had undergone this surgery ≥2 years before in the trial group. Blood samples were collected from the aortic, arterial, and venous vessels of 51 patients who had taken coronary angiography and analyzed with blood routine rest, biochemical, and immunological measures to compare the differences of blood composition between artery and vein. This study was registered with the China Clinical Trial Center website under registration number ChiCTR-OOC-16008085.In the trial group, the vascular wall of distal veins of fistula were thickened and hardened. No significant differences of blood composition were found between the aortic and radial arterial blood. However, the differences in the percentages of lymphocytes and neutrophils between arterial and venous blood were significant (Pa = .0095, Pb = .01).Under smooth hemodynamic conditions, arterial blood caused hardening of the venous wall. Arterial and venous blood differed in the percentage of lymphocyte and neutrophils. This may contribute to the vascular sclerosis that is observed in arteries more often than veins.

Influence of excessive exercise on immunity, metabolism, and gut microbial diversity in an overtraining mice model

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the negative influence of excessive exercise on immunity, substance and energy metabolism as well as gut microbiota in mice. Firstly, an overtraining model of Male Kunming mice was established by high-intensity swimming exercise for 4 weeks. Then, a series of evaluation indicators, including the routine blood analysis, immune organ coefficient, digestive enzymes, and aquaporins expression levels of small intestine and colon tissue, histological examinations of liver, spleen, small intestine, and colon, were determined based on this model. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was also employed to measure the microbial composition in gut. The results found that immune parameters, substance and energy metabolism of all mice was altered and disturbed after high-intensity swimming for 4 weeks, led to an atrophy of thymus and spleen as well as abnormal structural changes in liver when compared to non-swimming mice. Besides, excessive swimming mice had lower microbial diversity compared to non-swimming mice. However, there was no significant difference in gut microbial taxa between the two groups. The data indicated that excessive exercise exhibits negative impacts on immunity, substance and energy metabolism as well as gut microbial diversity.