Prognostic value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer: A meta-analysis

Recently, a series of studies explored the correlation between the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and the prognosis of lung cancer. However, the current opinion regarding the prognostic role of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer is inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis of published articles to investigate the prognostic value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer. The hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. An elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predicted worse overall survival, with a pooled HR of 1.243 (95%CI: 1.106-1.397; Pheterogeneity=0.001) from multivariate studies and 1.867 (95%CI: 1.487-2.344; Pheterogeneity=0.047) from univariate studies. Subgroup analysis showed that a high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio yielded worse overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HR=1.192, 95%CI: 1.061-1.399; Pheterogeneity=0.003) as well as small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (HR=1.550, 95% CI: 1.156-2.077; Pheterogeneity=0.625) in multivariate studies. The synthesized evidence from this meta-analysis of published articles demonstrated that an elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was a predictor of poor overall survival in patients with lung cancer

LSM-YSZ nano-composite cathode with YSZ interlayer for solid oxide fuel cells

Low temperature prepared (La-0.8 Sr-0.2)(0.9) MnO3-delta-Y-0.15 Zr-0.85 O-1.93 (LSM-YSZ) nano-composite cathode has high three-phase boundary (TPB) density and shows higher oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity than traditional LSM-YSZ cathode at reduced temperatures. But the weak connection between cathode and electrolyte due to low sintering temperature restrains the performance of LSM-YSZ nano-composite cathode. A YSZ interlayer, consisted of nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm, is introduced by spinning coating hydrolyzed YSZ sol solution on electrolyte and sintering at 800 degrees C. The thickness of the interlayer is about 150 nm. The YSZ interlayer intimately adheres to the electrolyte and shows obvious agglomeration with LSM-YSZ nano-composite cathode. The power densities of the cell with interlayer are 0.83, 0.46 and 0.21 W/cm 2 under 0.7 V at 80 0, 70 0 and 600 degrees C, respectively, which are 36%, 48% and 50% improved than that of original cell. The interlayer introduction slightly increases the ohmic resistance but significantly decreases the polarization resistance. The depressed high frequency arcs of impedance spectra suggest that the oxygen incorporation kinetics are enhanced at the boundary of YSZ interlayer and LSM-YSZ nanocomposite cathode, contributing to improved electrochemical performance of the cell with interlayer. (C) 2016Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B. V. and Science Press. All rights reserved

Role of reservoir regulation and groundwater feedback in a simulated ground‐soil‐vegetation continuum: a long‐term regional scale analysis

The regional terrestrial water cycle is strongly altered by human activities. Among them, reservoir regulation is a way to spatially and temporally allocate water resources in a basin for multi‐purposes. However, it is still not sufficiently understood how reservoir regulation modifies the regional terrestrial‐ and subsequently, the atmospheric water cycle. To address this question, the representation of reservoir regulation into the terrestrial component of fully coupled regional Earth system models is required. In this study, an existing process‐based reservoir network module is implemented into NOAH‐HMS, that is, the terrestrial component of an atmospheric–hydrologic modelling system, namely, the WRF‐HMS. It allows to quantitatively differentiate role of reservoir regulation and of groundwater feedback in a simulated ground‐soil‐vegetation continuum. Our study focuses on the Poyang Lake basin, where the largest freshwater lake of China and reservoirs of different sizes are located. As compared to streamflow observations, the newly extended NOAH‐HMS slightly improves the streamflow and streamflow duration curves simulation for the Poyang Lake basin for the period 1979–1986. The inclusion of reservoir regulation leads to major changes in the simulated groundwater recharges and evaporation from reservoirs at local scale, but has minor effects on the simulated soil moisture and surface runoff at basin scale. The performed groundwater feedback sensitivity analysis shows that the strength of the groundwater feedback is not altered by the consideration of reservoir regulation. Furthermore, both reservoir regulation and groundwater feedback modify the partitioning of the simulated evapotranspiration, thus affecting the atmospheric water cycle in the Poyang Lake region. This finding motivates future research with our extended fully coupled atmospheric–hydrologic modelling system by the community.An existing process‐based reservoir network module is implemented into the terrestrial component NOAH‐HMS of the atmospheric–hydrologic modelling system WRF‐HMS. The inclusion of reservoir regulation leads to major changes in the simulated groundwater recharges and evaporation from reservoirs at local scale, but does not alter the strength of the groundwater feedback. Reservoir regulation and groundwater feedback play different roles in modifying the regional terrestrial water cycle for the Poyang Lake basin, particularly with respect to the partitioning of the simulated evapotranspiration.German Federal Ministry of Science and EducationGerman Research Foundation http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659National Key R&D Program of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of China http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/50110000180

Prognostic value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer: A meta-analysis

Recently, a series of studies explored the correlation between the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and the prognosis of lung cancer. However, the current opinion regarding the prognostic role of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer is inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis of published articles to investigate the prognostic value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer. The hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. An elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predicted worse overall survival, with a pooled HR of 1.243 (95%CI: 1.106-1.397; Pheterogeneity=0.001) from multivariate studies and 1.867 (95%CI: 1.487-2.344; Pheterogeneity=0.047) from univariate studies. Subgroup analysis showed that a high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio yielded worse overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HR=1.192, 95%CI: 1.061-1.399; Pheterogeneity=0.003) as well as small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (HR=1.550, 95% CI: 1.156-2.077; Pheterogeneity=0.625) in multivariate studies. The synthesized evidence from this meta-analysis of published articles demonstrated that an elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was a predictor of poor overall survival in patients with lung cancer

Prognostic value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer: A meta-analysis

Recently, a series of studies explored the correlation between the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and the prognosis of lung cancer. However, the current opinion regarding the prognostic role of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer is inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis of published articles to investigate the prognostic value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in lung cancer. The hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. An elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predicted worse overall survival, with a pooled HR of 1.243 (95%CI: 1.106-1.397; Pheterogeneity=0.001) from multivariate studies and 1.867 (95%CI: 1.487-2.344; Pheterogeneity=0.047) from univariate studies. Subgroup analysis showed that a high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio yielded worse overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HR=1.192, 95%CI: 1.061-1.399; Pheterogeneity=0.003) as well as small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (HR=1.550, 95% CI: 1.156-2.077; Pheterogeneity=0.625) in multivariate studies. The synthesized evidence from this meta-analysis of published articles demonstrated that an elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was a predictor of poor overall survival in patients with lung cancer

LiCoO2/Graphite Cells with Localized High Concentration Carbonate Electrolytes for Higher Energy Density

Widening the working voltage of lithium-ion batteries is considered as an effective strategy to improve their energy density. However, the decomposition of conventional aprotic electrolytes at high voltage greatly impedes the success until the presence of high concentration electrolytes (HCEs) and the resultant localized HCEs (LHCEs). The unique solvated structure of HCEs/LHCEs endows the involved solvent with enhanced endurance toward high voltage while the LHCEs can simultaneously possess the decent viscosity for sufficient wettability to porous electrodes and separator. Nowadays, most LHCEs use LiFSI/LiTFSI as the salts and β-hydrofluoroethers as the counter solvents due to their good compatibility, yet the LHCE formula of cheap LiPF6 and high antioxidant α-hydrofluoroethers is seldom investigated. Here, we report a unique formula with 3 mol L−1 LiPF6 in mixed carbonate solvents and a counter solvent α-substituted fluorine compound (1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropylether). Compared to a conventional electrolyte, this formula enables dramatic improvement in the cycling performance of LiCoO2//graphite cells from approximately 150 cycles to 1000 cycles within the range of 2.9 to 4.5 V at 0.5 C. This work provides a new choice and scope to design functional LHCEs for high voltage systems