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Background: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients initially diagnosed with brain metastases (BMs) in real-world practice. Methods: We enrolled NSCLC patients initially diagnosed with BMs between Jan 2004 and Jan 2018 in our institution. Patient demographics, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were then analyzed. Brain localized treatment (BLT) included early brain radiotherapy (EBR), deferred brain radiotherapy (DBR), and surgery. Results: A total of 954 patients were identified. Concerning initial treatment, 525 patients (55.0%) received systemic medication (SM)+BLT, 400 patients (41.9%) received SM only, and 29 patients received BLT only (3.0%). SM+BLT cohort was associated with longer median overall survival (mOS) than the SM only and the BLT only cohorts both in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative/unknown patients (15.3 months, 95% confidence interval [CI], 14.2–16.4; 11.1 months, 9.0–13.2; 7.0 months, 5.4–8.6; p<0.001) and in EGFR/ALK-positive patients (33.7 months, 28.5–38.9; 22.1 months, 17.8–26.4; 4.0 months, 3.6–4.4; p < 0.001). As for timing of radiotherapy, SM+EBR (14.1 months, 12.7–15.5) was associated with inferior mOS than SM+DBR (19.4 months, 14.2–24.6) in EGFR/ALK-negative/unknown patients. No significant difference was found in EGFR/ALK-positive patients (28.3 months, 19.1–37.5; 33.3 months, 28.1–38.5). Patients in the EGFR/ALK-negative/unknown cohort treated with first-line pemetrexed with platinum (PP) (15.8 months, 14.0–17.6, p<0.001) had longer mOS than those received non-PP regimens (13.1 months, 11.6–14.6). However, no difference was observed among EGFR/ALK-positive patients who were treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (29.5 months, 21.1–37.9; p = 0.140), PP (27.2 months, 21.6–32.8) and non-PP regimens (25.0 months, 16.0–34.0). Conclusions: Our study confirmed that the use of SM+BLT is associated with superior mOS than those treated with SM only and BLT only. SM+DBR might be a better radiotherapeutic strategy for this patient population. EGFR/ALK-negative/unknown patients showed a survival benefit with PP treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ideally, orthognathic surgery is indicated to treat skeletal Class III malocclusion with severe open bite in adults. In this borderline case, however, camouflage treatment without any skeletal anchorage was chosen. This report describes the orthodontic treatment of a 23-year-old man who presented with multiple orthodontic problems including severe open bite of the anterior and posterior teeth up to the first molars, bilateral posterior crossbite, bilateral Class III molar relationship, severe crowding, increased vertical dimension, and dental and facial midline deviation. The treatment included the extraction of four wisdom teeth, uprighting and distalisation of the mandibular arch with molar intrusion using curved NiTi wires with intermaxillary elastics. After 36 months of treatment, satisfactory improvements in the vertical overlap, horizontal overlap and sagittal malocclusion were achieved. The design of the mechanical system used in this case confirmed stable results at the 4-year follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new glycoalkaloids, N-formyl-asimilobine-2- O- β- d-glucoside ( 1), (−)-1- O- β- d-glucoside-8-oxotetrahydropalmatine ( 2), and 1- N-monomethylcarbamate-argentinine-3- O- β- d-glucoside ( 3) were isolated from tubers of Stephania succifera. The structures were established based on spectroscopic analysis, and the antimicrobial activities of the three glycoalkaloids are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( ALK) gene has refined the classification of non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) and promoted research on molecularly targeted drugs such as crizotinib, an ALK inhibitor with good efficacy, in ALK-rearranged NSCLC. At present, few studies have reported the efficacy of crizotinib in patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC with brain metastases. In a patient with NSCLC harboring ALK-rearrangement who had brain metastases and poor performance status ( PS), we obtained a durable response with crizotinib administered following multi-line chemotherapy regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for limitedstage small-cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC). However, the efficacy of consolidation chemotherapy (CCT) in LD-SCLC remains controversial despite several studies that were performed in the early years of CCT use. The aim of this study was to reevaluate the effectiveness and toxicities associated with CCT. Methods: This retrospective analysis evaluated 177 patients with stage IIIA and IIIB small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) who underwent CCRT from January 2001 to December 2013 at Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC). Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to analyze patient prognosis factors. Results: Among the 177 patients, 72 (41%) received CCT and 105 (59%) did not receive CCT. PFS was significantly better for patients in the CCT group compared to that for patients in the non-CCT group (median PFS: 17.0 vs 12.9 months, respectively, P=0.031), whereas the differences in OS were not statistically significant (median OS: 31.6 vs 24.8 months, respectively, P=0.118). The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 33.3% and 20.8% for patients in the CCT group and 27.6% and 6.7% for patients in the non-CCT group, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that having a pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen level <5 ng/mL (P=0.035), having undergone prophylactic cranial irradiation (P<0.001), and having received CCT (P=0.002) could serve as favorable independent prognostic factors for PFS. Multivariate analysis for OS also showed that having undergone PCI (P<0.001) and having received CCT (P=0.006) were independent significant prognostic factors. Conclusion: CCT can improve PFS for patients with stage IIIA and IIIB SCLC following CCRT without significantly increasing treatment-related toxicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of dispersing methods is very important for testing particle size by using laser diffraction analyzer, which has great effects on the testing results. When testing particle size under the wet process, due to the diferent difusion effects in diferent dispersants and disperse mediums for the same particle, the actual particle distribution is diferent. As a professional worker, it should take the accuracy of experiment, the simple and easy of operation and the lower cost of experiment into consideration. From this angle, this article selects three kinds of dispersing mediums, including water, absolute ethyl alcohol and petrol, to test various particle samples for comparison. The results show that on the promise of ensuring the validity of tests, water is the first choice as dispersing medium, absolute ethyl alcohol is the following and petrol is the last choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical analysis of the high quality Chinese agarwood ‘Qi-Nan’ originating fromAquilaria sinensis(Lour.) Glig led to the isolation of a new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivative, qinanones G (1), and four known 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones (2–5). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR) and MS analyses. The NMR data of chromones1–3were first reported, and chromones2and3showed weak inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical analysis of the high quality Chinese agarwood ‘Qi-Nan’ originating fromAquilaria sinensis(Lour.) Glig led to the isolation of a new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivative, qinanones G (1), and four known 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones (2–5). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR) and MS analyses. The NMR data of chromones1–3were first reported, and chromones2and3showed weak inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Loess Plateau is a typical rain-fed farming region, facing the threat of drought. Irrigation method is among the most important factors affecting jujube quality. This study investigated the response of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Lizao quality to three different irrigation methods (drip-, pipe- and surge spring root irrigation) combining two water levels (20 m3/hm2 and 120 m3/hm2). The effects of the trials were evaluated by taking into account the physical-chemical characteristics of jujubes and the antioxidant activity. Concomitant to this, the concentration of some taste-related (viz. glucose, fructose, TSS and malic acid) and health-related compounds/parameters (viz. catechin and epicatechin) were generally much greater in jujube fruit treated with drip irrigation (120 m3/hm2). Different irrigation treatments had no significant effects on antioxidant capacity, total phenolics and proanthocyanidins (except for pipe irrigation 20 m3/hm2). The best compromise between quality and irrigation of jujube fruit was achieved with drip irrigation (120 m3/hm2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agarwood is the fragrant resinous heartwood obtained from certain trees in the genus Aquilaria belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae. 2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromones and characteristic sesquiterpenes are the main classes of aromatic compounds isolated from agarwood. Although there are many sesquiterpenes, relatively few 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones have been determined in agarwood by GC-MS. After analysis of the MS spectra of eighteen 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivatives isolated from agarwood and identified by NMR spectroscopy, together with the reported MS data and characteristic of structures of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, the MS characterization, fragmentation patterns and characteristic fragment peaks for the compounds were deduced and a table summarizing MS characterization of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in agarwood is presented. All the 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones previously reported in agarwood are substituted by methoxy or/and hydroxy groups, except for one compound. Due to the fact they all possess the same basic skeleton (molecular weight: 250) and similar substituent groups (methoxy or hydroxy groups), a formula (30m + 16n = MW - 250) is provided to calculate the number of methoxy (m) or hydroxy (n) groups according to molecular ion peak or molecular weight (MW). We deduced that the characteristic fragmentation behaviors of the 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones are the cleavages of the CH2-CH2 bond between chromone moiety and phenyl moiety. Thus, characteristic fragment ions, such as m/z 91 [C7H7], 107 [C7H6+OH], 121 [C7H6+OCH3], 137 [C7H5+OH+OCH3] are formed by different substituted benzyl moieties, while characteristic fragment ions such as m/z 160 [C10H8O2], 176 [C10H7O2+OH], 190 [C10H7O2+OCH3], 220 [C10H6O2+OCH3×2] are formed by different substituted chromone moieties. Furthermore, rules regarding to the relationship between the positions of hydroxy or methoxy groups and the relative abundances of benzyl and chromone fragment ions have been deduced. Elucidation of how the positions of hydroxy or methoxy groups affect the relative abundances of benzyl and chromone fragment peaks is also provided. Fifteen unidentified compounds of an artificial agarwood sample analyzed by GC-MS, were preliminary determined as 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones by analysis of their MS characterization and by comparison of their MS spectra with those of 18 standard compounds or 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones reported in literature according to the above-mentioned methods and rules. This report will be helpful for the analysis and structural elucidation of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in agarwood by GC-MS, and provides fast and reliable characterization of the quality of agarwood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new denitroaristolochic acid, demethylaristofolin C (1), together with six known alkaloids, crebanine N-oxide (2), (–)-sukhodianine-β-N-oxide (3), palmatine (4), corydalmine (5), dehydrocorydalmine (6), and corynoxidine (7), was isolated from the tubers of Stephania succifera. The structure of demethylaristofolin C was elucidated by spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D, and 2D NMR) and HR-ESI-MS analyses. These compounds exhibited antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains in different degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a questionnaire survey administered to 509 Chinese college freshman (108 males, 401 females), in Chongqing and Shanghai. The response rate was 100%. Questions were constructed to elicit information which would allow identification of those respondents who would meet domestic (Chinese), DSM-III and DSM-III-R requirements for anorexia nervosa and bulimia. 1.1% of the student population (1.1% of females) met domestic and DSM-III-R for bulimia and 1.3% of the student population (1.8% of males 1.2% of females) met DSM-III criteria for bulimia; however, none were binge eating and purging on a regular basis and none met diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interleukin-17 (IL-17), the characteristic cytokine secreted by T helper 17 lymphocytes (Th17 cells), plays a pivotal role in host defense and many inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to obtain purified protein caprine IL-17A (cIL-17A) as an antigen for preparing an IL-17A-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb). Results: The coding sequence (CDS) region of cIL-17A was cloned from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of dairy goats and then inserted into the expression vector PET 32a and transformed into competent TransB (DE3) cells. Recombinant fusion protein obtained under optimized conditions was used to immunize BALB/c mice for preparing monoclonal antibodies. Finally, the supernatants of two hybridoma cell lines showing positive reaction with the recombinant fusion protein and negative reaction with fusion tags of PET 32a were collected for western blot, immunofluorescence (IF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Our results showed that the maximum amount of soluble protein could be obtained directly in the supernatant when the recombinant expression cells were induced by isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG) at a concentration of 0.3 mmol/L at 16 °C for 42 h. Western blot analysis showed that the mAb H8 could recognize the eukaryotically expressed cIL-17A in the supernatant of transfected HEK293T cells. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry assays showed that mAb H8 could strongly recognize both the eukaryotically expressed and natural cIL-17A. Conclusions: The monoclonal antibody mAb H8 prepared in this study may be a potential tool for the detection of cIL-17A and beneficial for investigating the pathogenesis of various IL-17-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]