Optimal Timing of Radiotherapy with Alternating/Sequential Radio-Chemotherapy for Limited-stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Wang, Li-Jie,Liu, Xiu-Ju,Guan, Yan,Zhang, Chu-Feng,Wang, Peng,Li, Yan,Guo, Qi-Sen Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.14

Objective: To investigate the optimal timing of radiotherapy with alternating/sequential radio-chemotherapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). Methods: 91 patients with LS-SCLC were retrospectively analyzed and divided into two groups according to the number of chemotherapy cycles before radiotherapy. If the patient received radiotherapy after 3 cycles or fewer cycles of chemotherapy, classification was into the early group, if not, into the late group. All patients received 6 cycles of standard chemotherapy (EP/EC) and conventional radiotherapy (56 gy~ 60 gy/28 f ~30 f). Results: The response rate (RR) of the early and late groups were 85.7% and 81.6%, respectively, with no significant difference (p>0.05). In contrast, the progression-free survival (PFS) in the early group was better than that in the late group (11.8 months vs 9.86 months), and the difference was significant (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups in adverse reactions, which gastrointestinal irritation and bone marrow suppression being the most common (p>0.05). Conclusions: Radiotherapy after 3 cycles or fewer cycles of chemotherapy does not bring significant benefits for RR of patients with LS-SCLC, but it could significantly prolong their PFS without increase in adverse reactions.

Fluid Mud Dynamics and Its Correlation to Hydrodynamics in Jiaojiang River Estuary, China

Li Li,Wang Jiachen,Zheng Yiqun,Yao Yanming,Guan Weibing 한국해양과학기술원 2023 Ocean science journal Vol.58 No.1

The Jiaojiang Estuary is a macro-tidal estuary with high turbidity and funnel-shaped geomorphology. Estuarine geomorphology and shipping are highly afected by sediments and heavy coastal engineering. Based on observed data and numerical simulation results, we studied the characteristics of the suspended sediments and fuid mud in the estuary. By considering two-way coupling of water–sediment density and the process of fne sediment focculation, a three-dimensional sediment model of the Jiaojiang Estuary was established and efectively calibrated using the measured data on tides, currents, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC). Field data analysis indicated that SSC and sediment transport rate in both the main tidal channel and shoals were positively correlated with the fow velocity in the low-frequency part during both the spring and neap tides. The model results revealed that the net sediment fux is controlled by advection and moves landward upstream of the main tidal channel. Fluid mud is formed near Haimen station, with tides infuencing the spatial and temporal variations in its thickness and speed. Sediment is actively exchanged among fuid mud-water-seabed, with sink and source processes dominating near the bay mouth and the Haimen station, respectively. Sediments weaken the seaward residual currents slightly by changing their viscosity and the von Karman constant, and the stratifcation process is afected by changes in water density. The fndings of this study provide a foundation for the study of material transportation in an estuarine ecosystem.

Modulating the thermophysical properties of diamond/SiC composites via controlling the diamond graphitization

Wang Xulei,Li Yikang,Huang Yabo,Zhang Yalong,Wang Pei,Guan Li,He Xinbo,Liu Rongjun,Qu Xuanhui,Wu Xiaoge 한국탄소학회 2024 Carbon Letters Vol.34 No.6

Diamond/SiC composites were prepared by vacuum silica vapor-phase infiltration of in situ silicon–carbon reaction, and the thermophysical properties of the composites were modulated by controlling diamond graphitizing. The effects of diamond surface state and vacuum silicon infiltration temperature on diamond graphitization were investigated, and the micro-morphology, phase composition, and properties of the composites were observed and characterized. The results show that diamond pretreatment can reduce the probability of graphitizing; when the penetration temperature is greater than 1600 °C, the diamond undergoes a graphitizing phase transition and the micro-morphology presents a lamellar shape. The thermal conductivity, density, and flexural strength of the composites increased and then decreased with the increase of penetration temperature in the experimentally designed range of penetration temperature. The variation of thermal expansion coefficients of composites prepared with different penetration temperatures ranged from 0.8 to 3.0 ppm/K when the temperature was between 50 and 400 °C.

Prognostic Value of Serum AFP, AFP-L3, and GP73 in Monitoring Short-term Treatment Response and Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Radiofrequency Ablation

Wang, Nan-Ya,Wang, Cong,Li, Wei,Wang, Guan-Jun,Cui, Guo-Zhen,He, Hua,Zhao, Heng-Jun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.4

Purpose: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of AFP (AFP-L3), and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) levels have been widely used as tumor markers for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate whether these tumor markers could be used to monitor short-term treatment response and recurrence of HCC in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: Between July 2012 and July 2013, 53 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed HCC were prospectively enrolled in this study. Among these, 32 patients underwent RFA, after which they were followed up prospectively at the First Hospital of Jilin University in China. Results: AFP, AFP-L3, and GP-73 values pre-RFA were not associated with tumor size, whereas AFP and GP-73 levels tended to be associated with tumor number, the presence of vascular invasion, deterioration of liver function, advanced-stage disease, and a poor performance status. GP-73 levels were dramatically elevated in the patients with hepatitis C-associated HCC. Neither pre-RFA nor 1-month post-RFA tumor marker values were associated with short-term outcome. The short-term recurrence rate of AFP-positive patients measured 1 month post-RFA was obviously higher than that of AFP-negative patients. Conclusions: AFP and GP-73 values were associated with clinical variables representing tumor growth and invasiveness, and the AFP value measured 1 month post-RFA was a strong predictor of short-term recurrence in patients with HCC.

Enhancing the Robustness and Efficiency of Scale-free Network with Limited Link Addition

( Li Li ),( Qing-shan Jia ),( Xiaohong Guan ),( Hengtao Wang ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2012 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.6 No.5

The robustness of a network is usually measured by error tolerance and attack vulnerability. Significant research effort has been devoted to determining the network design with optimal robustness. However, little attention has been paid to the problem of how to improve the robustness of existing networks. In this paper, we investigate how to optimize attack tolerance and communication efficiency of an existing network under the limited link addition. A survival fitness metric is defined to measure both the attack tolerance and the communication efficiency of the network. We show that network topology reconfiguration optimization with limited link addition (NTRLA) problem is NP-hard. Two approximate solution methods are developed. First, we present a degree-fitness parameter to guide degree-based link addition method. Second, a preferential configuration node-protecting cycle (PCNC) method is developed to do trade-off between network robustness and efficiency. The performance of PCNC method is demonstrated by numerical experiments.

Oxygen tank for synergistic hypoxia relief to enhance mitochondria-targeted photodynamic therapy

Xianghui Li,Haoran Wang,Zhiyan Li,Dandan Li,Xiaofeng Lu,Shichao Ai,Yuxiang Dong,Song Liu,Jinhui Wu,Wenxian Guan 한국생체재료학회 2022 생체재료학회지 Vol.26 No.4

Background: Mitochondria play an essential role in cellular redox homeostasis maintenance and meanwhile serve as an important target for organelle targeted therapy. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising strategy for organelle targeted therapy with noninvasive nature and highly spatiotemporal selectivity. However, the efficacy of PDT is not fully achieved due to tumor hypoxia. Moreover, aerobic respiration constantly consumes oxygen and leads to a lower oxygen concentration in mitochondria, which continuously limited the therapeutic effects of PDT. The lack of organelle specific oxygen delivery method remains a main challenge. Methods: Herein, an Oxygen Tank is developed to achieve the organelle targeted synergistic hypoxia reversal strategy, which not only act as an oxygen storage tank to open sources and reduce expenditure, but also coated with red blood cell membrane like the tank with stealth coating. Within the oxygen tank, a mitochondrion targeted photosensitizer (IR780) and a mitochondria respiration inhibitor (atovaquone, ATO) are co-loaded in the RBC membrane (RBCm) coated perfluorocarbon (PFC) liposome core. Results: Inside these bio-mimic nanoparticles, ATO effectively inhibits mitochondrial respiration and economized endogenous oxygen consumption, while PFC supplied high-capacity exogenous oxygen. These Oxygen modulators reverse the hypoxia status in vitro and in vivo, and exhibited a superior anti-tumor activity by mitochondria targeted PDT via IR780. Ultimately, the anti-tumor effects towards gastric cancer and colon cancer are elicited in vivo. Conclusions: This oxygen tank both increases exogeneous oxygen supply and decreases endogenous oxygen consumption, may offer a novel solution for organelle targeted therapies.

Identification of Dominant Microbial Community and Diversity in Continuously Cropped Pepper Fields

Hui Wang,Li Liu,Shuyi Yu,Tianshu Guan,Baihong Li,Qi Wang,Changyuan Liu 한국원예학회 2021 원예과학기술지 Vol.39 No.4

Pepper blight is the most significant soil-borne disease affecting the continuous cropping of peppers. To identify the effect of Phytophthora capsici infection on microbial flora, we isolated and counted the microorganisms collected from the rhizosphere soil of P. capsici-affected farms that continuously cropped pepper for 3, 6, and 9 years in Liaoning Province, China. The colony and cell morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and 16S rDNA sequence of bacteria and actinomycetes were documented. In addition, colony and microscopic morphology of fungi and the rDNA-ITS sequence were analysed for classification. We observed that healthy and diseased peppers had the largest number of bacteria in the rhizosphere followed by actinomycetes and fungi. After infection, the number of bacteria and actinomycetes decreased with a corresponding increase in the number of fungi, leading to a reduction in the ratio of bacteria/fungi to actinomycetes/fungi. We identified 15 dominant bacterial strains, of which Bacillus represented the most abundant genus consisting of 7 strains followed by Flavobacterium and Staphylococcus. Furthermore, 15 of the 17 actinomycetes strains belonged to the genus Streptomyces. Among the six fungal strains, we found P. infestans, Fusarium, and Penicillium consisting of two strains each. This study elucidated the impact of pathogenic P. capsici on the composition of soil microbes over time and characterized several cultivatable dominant bacterial groups, which can provide a basis for practical intervention strategies to improve soil conditions for continuous cropping.

Excellent microwave absorption of FeCo/ZnO composites with defects in ZnO for regulating the impedance matching

Bao, Xiukun,Wang, Xiaolei,Zhou, Xinao,Shi, Guimei,Xu, Ge,Yu, Jin,Guan, Yinyan,Zhang, Yajing,Li, Da,Choi, Chuijin Elsevier 2018 JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS Vol.769 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>FeCo/ZnO composites have been successfully prepared through liquid-phase reduction process for the formation of FeCo polyhedrons and sequentially thermal decomposition of colloidal mixture of FeCo and Zn(Ac)<SUB>2</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O under nitrogen atmospheres. ZnO nanoparticles are homogeneously deposited on the surface of FeCo polyhedrons and the level of oxygen-vacancy defects in ZnO can be elevated with the increase of ZnO content. By comparison with FeCo polyhedrons, FeCo/ZnO composites exhibit excellent microwave absorption. The optimal RL value can reach −34.8 dB at 14.8 GHz and effective bandwidth (RL < −10 dB) is 5.1 GHz in the frequency range of 12.4–17.5 GHz with a matching thickness of 1.5 mm. The integrated bandwidth with RL < −10 dB can reach 14.1 GHz covering 3.4–17.5 GHz. Theory analysis demonstrates the interfacial polarization, dipole polarization and high conductivity due to oxygen-vacancy defects in FeCo/ZnO composites contribute to enhancement of dielectric loss capacity, which is more favorable for impedance matching.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> The preferable impedance matching of FeCo/ZnO composites can be achieved by regulating the ZnO content. </LI> <LI> The optimal reflection loss (RL) can reach −34.8 dB with a matching thickness of 1.5 mm. </LI> <LI> The effective bandwidth with RL < −10 dB achieve 14.1 GHz covering 3.4–17.5 GHz with integrated thickness of 1.5–5 mm. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Optimized Medium Improves Expression and Secretion of Extremely Thermostable Bacterial Xylanase, XynB, in Kluyveromyces Lactis

( Yin Tie ),( Li Li Miao ),( Fei Fei Guan ),( Gui Li Wang ),( Qing Peng ),( Bing Xue Li ),( Guo Hua Guan ),( Ying Li ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2010 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.20 No.11

An extremely thermostable xylanase gene, xynB, from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima MSB8 was successful expressed in Kluyveromyces lactis. The response surface methodology (RSM) was also applied to optimize the medium components for the production of XynB secreted by the recombinant K. lactis. The secretion level (102 mg/l) and enzyme activity (49 U/ml) of XynB in the optimized medium (yeast extract, lactose, and urea; YLU) were much higher than those (56 mg/l, 16 U/ml) in the original medium (yeast extract, lactose, and peptone; YLP). The secretory efficiency of mature XynB was also improved when using the YLU medium. When the mRNA levels of 13 characterized secretion-related genes in the K. lactis cultured in YLP and YLU were detected using a semiquantitative RT-PCR method, the unfolded protein response (UPR)-related genes, including ero1, hac1, and kar2, were found to be up-regulated in the K. lactis cultured in YLU. Therefore, the nutrient ingredients, especially the nitrogen source, were shown to have a significant influence on the XynB secretory efficiency of the host K. lactis.

Association Study of Polymorphisms in Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunit Genes With Schizophrenia in the Han Chinese Population

Yuan-yuan Li,Rui-jie Geng,Shun-ying Yu,Guan-jun Li,Zhou-ye Wang,Hua-fang Li 대한신경정신의학회 2021 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.18 No.10

Objective To investigate the relation between nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit (nAChR) genes and schizophrenia, and the relation between tag single nucleotide polymorphism (rs1317286, rs1044396, rs6494212, rs16969968, and rs684513) and schizophrenia in Han Chinese people. Methods The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network among nAChR protein and 350 proteins encoded by schizophrenia-related susceptibility genes was constructed through the String database to explore whether nAChR genes were associated with schizophrenia in these known databases. Then, five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CHRNA3 (rs1317286), CHRNA4 (rs1044396), CHRNA7 (rs6494212), and CHRNA5 (rs16969968, rs684513) were analyzed in a sample of 1,035 schizophrenic patients and 816 healthy controls. The interaction between the markers was analyzed using multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) software. Power analysis was performed using the Quanto program. Results There are no significant differences in genotype or allele distribution were identified between the patients and controls (p>0.05). The haplotypes constructed by four markers rs1317286, rs6494212, rs16969968, and rs684513 were not associated with schizophrenia either. However, a significant association between models made of rs1317286, rs1044396, rs6494212, and rs684513 and schizophrenia was revealed in interaction analysis (p<0.05). Conclusion The nAChR protein may have effects on the development of schizophrenia through the interaction with proteins encoded by schizophrenia-related susceptibility genes, but no relation was found between selected polymorphisms and schizophrenia in the collected Han Chinese people. However, interaction analysis suggested four-SNP model has an important effect on schizophrenia.