70 mL (range, 5-200 mL). The mean postoperative days before chest tubes were removed was 3.91 (range, 2-18), and the mean postoperative days before patients were discharged was 5.34 (range, 2-20). The median number of lymph node stations dissected was 5 (range, 1-9). The mean number of nodes resected was 12 (range, 1-35), and postoperative complications were observed in 12 patients (7.84%). Conclusions Three-incision robotic-assisted pulmonary resection is practicable, safe, and ideal for novices experienced in video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) surgery. It also appears to be oncologically acceptable for lung cancer; however, more studies on a large population are necessary to confirm these conclusions. 2020 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.Background Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is a relatively rare but fatal infection. However, detailed surgery data have been lacking. We summarized the characteristics of this rare disease and clarified the experiences of surgical resection. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective study of seven patients with PM who underwent surgical resection at China-Japan Friendship Hospital from May 2011 to May 2018. Results Patient ages ranged from 18 to 70 years, with a median age of 47 years. Manual workers (85.7%) were the most common occupation and their educational level was also below high school. Diabetes was the most common underlying condition. The most common radiographic finding was lobar consolidation. Three patients directly underwent open thoracotomy, one patient underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and three patients converted from VATS to thoracotomy. The median operation time was 240 min [interquartile range (IQR), 150-390 min], the median intraoperative blood loss was 500 mL (IQR, 100-1,200 mL) and the median intraoperative blood transfusion was 600 mL (IQR, 0-1,600 mL). In-hospital, 90-day, 1-year and 5-year mortality were 14.3%, 14.3%, 28.8% and 42.9%, respectively. Conclusions PM is a rare but fatal infection. Due to chest adhesion and vascular invasion, the proportion of massive bleeding and long operation time has increased sharply.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/rin1.html  2020 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.Background Many techniques in mitral valve repair (MVR) have been reported with successful long-term results. The aim of this study is to present our simplified technique in artificial chordae replacement for MVR, and reporting its short-term outcomes. Methods We present a prospective single-surgeon experience. A new simplified artificial chordae implantation technique has been used to repair mitral valves. Postoperative echocardiography at 0, 6, then every 12 months is used to control the results. Endpoints involved freedom from mitral regurgitation (MR), reoperation and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Results Between 01/2016 and 01/2018, 57 consecutive patients undergo MVR using this technique are evaluated. Mean age was 63.6±10.1 years and 68.4% were male. Mitral valve pathology was mainly degenerative (52, 91.2%) or healed endocarditis (5, 8.8%). Besides chordae replacement (3.6±1.1 per patient), annuloplasty was used in all patients to correct annulus dilation and stabilize the repair. Mean cross-clamping time was 53±13.4 minutes in isolated MVR and 69.4±31.1 minutes in concomitant procedures. Postoperative outcomes reported two mortalities. Discharge echocardiography reported mild MR in 4 patients and the rest of patients had non-to trace regurgitation. Follow-up results within a mean of 19.3±8.5 months reported no significant MR or need for reoperation and three more (non-valve related) mortalities. Conclusions Our simplified technique allows to reduce the number of used chordae and re-correction if needed, which consequently reduces cross-clamping and bypass time especially in endoscopic MVR. Good intraoperative and short-term results are reported. These results are still under investigation to prove long-term stability of the repair. 2020 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.Background Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as gefitinib, are widely used as standard treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. However, the subsequent inevitable drug resistance has become a major challenge in clinical treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of tissue-type plasminogen activator (PLAT) in gefitinib resistance in NSCLC. Methods The function of PLAT was determined using gefitinib-resistant cells and a nude mouse model. The gene knockdown was achieved by Lentivirus based RNA silence technique. Expression of relevant genes and proteins, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, reactive oxygen species levels, mitochondrial membrane potential and differential gene expression was detected by RT-qPCR, western blot, cell counting kit-8 assay, EdU incorporation, flow cytometry, JC-1 dye assay and complementary DNA arrays. The effects of PLAT knockdown on tumorigenesis was analyzed in vivo. Results Gefitinib-resistant cells expressed higher levels of PLAT and that knockdown of PLAT in resistant cells restored gefitinib sensitivity. Tumor proliferation was limited in vivo following PLAT knockdown. Moreover, PLAT knockdown affected mitochondrial function, caused caspase activation and cell cycle arrest, and activated TNF-α signaling, leading to apoptosis of gefitinib-resistant PC9 cells. Conclusions Our results suggest that PLAT reduces apoptosis of NSCLC cells and knockdown of PLAT enhances anticancer effect of gefitinib by upregulating TNF-α signaling. 2020 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.Background The lack of depth perception is a significant challenge in two-dimensional (2D) video-assisted/directed minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). Accordingly, restoration of stereoscopic vision is potentially beneficial, and we present a single center experience of a three-dimensional (3D) endoscope system in cardiac surgery without robotic assistance. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the initial 40 consecutive patients who received totally endoscopic mitral valve (MV) repair using a 3D endoscope system between September 2017 and April 2019. The preoperative characteristics, operative data, and immediate postoperative outcomes, including echocardiographic results, were investigated. Results In all the patients (n=40, 100%), successful MV repair using the standard repair techniques was achieved regardless of the location of the MV lesion as follows anterior leaflet (n=8, 20.0%), posterior leaflet (n=15, 37.5%), and both leaflets (n=17, 42.5%). Concomitant tricuspid ring annuloplasty (n=9, 22.5%) and atrial fibrillation ablation (n=7, 17.