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Background/Aims: Although it has been widely accepted that protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is a cancer-promoting gene in various cancers, the mechanism of PRMT1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) requires more exploration. This study aimed to investigate the role of PRMT1 in HCC growth and metastasis. Methods: We compared PRMT1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics using paired HCC and adjacent noncancerous liver tissues from 210 patients and immunohistochemistry analyses. Cell proliferation, colony formation and migration were determined in HCC cell lines with PRMT1 overexpression or downregulation through MTT, crystal violet and Boyden chamber assays. Tumour growth was monitored in a xenograft model, and intrahepatic metastasis models were established. Results: PRMT1 expression was greatly increased in clinical HCC samples and strongly associated with poor prognosis and recurrence; PRMT1 expression was also positively correlated with microvascular invasion (P = 0.024), tumour differentiation (P = 0.014), tumour size (P = 0.002), and portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) (P = 0.028). Cell proliferation, colony formation and migration in vitro were enhanced by PRMT1 upregulation and decreased by PRMT1 downregulation in HCC cell lines. Moreover, low PRMT1 expression resulted in slow tumour growth and decreased tumour weight in vivo, as well as tumour metastasis. These phenotypes were associated with STAT3 signalling pathway activation. Cryptotanshinone, a STAT3 inhibitor, inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation and reversed the HCC phenotype of PRMT1 expression. Conclusions: We revealed a significant role for PRMT1 in HCC progression and metastasis in vitro and in vivo via STAT3 signalling pathway activation. PRMT1 may be a potential novel prognostic biomarker and new therapeutic target for HCC.

Background No consensus treatment has been reached for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). Hepatic resection (HR) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) have been recommended as effective options, but which is better remains unclear. This meta-analysis is to compare the effectiveness of HR and TACE for HCC with PVTT patients. Methods The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, VIP, Wan Fang, and Sino Med databases were systematically searched for comparing HR and TACE treating PVTT. Results Twelve retrospective studies with 3129 patients were included. A meta-analysis of 11 studies suggested that the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.41–0.57, I2 = 37%, P

Crack-healing behavior and strength recovery of ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3 )–Al 2 O 3 –MoSi 2 (TZ3Y20A–MoSi 2 ) ceramics have been investigated. Heat treatment in air enhances distinctly the flexural strength of TZ3Y20A–MoSi 2 ceramics. Si–O oxide and ZrSiO 4 are found after heat treatment, in which the former heals the cracks and recovers the strength, however, the latter is one kind of brittle materials that reduces mechanical performance of ceramics. The TZ3Y20A–10 vol% MoSi 2 ceramic has a complete crack-healing effect and strength recovery by suitable heat treatment at 1373 K for 3 h in air, however, the strength does not recover completely under other heat treatment conditions. With further increasing the MoSi 2 contents to 20 vol%, the flexural strength of as heat-treated TZ3Y20A–MoSi 2 ceramics is higher than that of pre-cracked specimens, but remains lower than that of smooth specimens. Crack closure and rebonding of the crack walls are due to the formation of Si–O glassy phase by oxidation reaction.

Gallium–Indium co-substituted yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Yb,Tm) phosphors were synthesized by co-precipitation method. It can be seen that gallium and indium ions co-substitution didn’t change the phase of YAG. The upconversion luminescence (UCL) properties of the Gallium–Indium co-substituted (YAG:Yb,Tm) samples were measured under 980 nm excitation. The effects of different In3+concentration on the luminescence properties of Gallium–Indium co-substituted (YAG:Yb,Tm) were also investigated. The fluorescence-lifetime investigation shows that the substitution of Ga3+ and In3+ has a significant influence on energy transfer between Yb3+ and Tm3+ in the YAG samples.

In the present work, ZrO2-Al2O3 ceramics incorporated with and without β-SiC were prepared by hot pressing. ZrO2-Al2O3 ceramic powder used in this study is a mixture of 71 vol.% YSZ (3 mol.% Y2O3 partially stabilized zirconia) and 29 vol.% α-Al2O3. β-SiC powders with different volume fractions are added into the ZrO2-Al2O3 powder to form the composite powder. The microstructure and high-temperature mechanical properties of ZrO2-Al2O3-SiC ceramics were investigated by tailoring the compositions and sintering parameters to optimize the strengthening mechanisms. For a comparative study, the TZ3Y20A powder was also hot-pressed under identical sintering condition to form dense bulk ceramic. ZrO2-Al2O3-SiC ceramics consist mainly of t-ZrO2, α-Al2O3, and β-SiC phases. SiC particles in the ZrO2-Al2O3 ceramic restrain the grain growth of the oxide matrix. The incorporation of SiC into ZrO2-Al2O3 ceramic enhances high-temperature flexural strength at 1273 K. ZrO2-Al2O3 ceramic incorporated with 15 vol.% SiC has a flexural strength of 518 MPa at 1273 K, much higher than that (201 MPa) of unmodified ZrO2-Al2O3 ceramic.

Crack-healing ability and strength recovery of different ZrO2(Y2O3)–Al2O3–SiC (TZ3Y20A–SiC) ceramics have been investigated by tailoring heat treatment temperature, heat treatment time, SiC content and crack size. Heat treatment in air enhances distinctly the flexural strength of TZ3Y20A–SiC ceramics. A complete crack-healing of TZ3Y20A–10 vol%SiC ceramic can be realized by optional heat treatments at 1073 K for 30 h, 1273 K for 10 h or 1373 K for 5 h, respectively. With increasing the content of nanosize SiC particles from 10 to 20 vol%, the crack-healing process of TZ3Y20A–SiC ceramics speeds up at identical temperature levels. The pre-existing cracks with a width up to 0.45 μm are healed completely under the optimum heat treatment conditions, and the flexural strengths of crack-healed TZ3Y20A–SiC ceramics are completely recovered to the value of smooth specimens. Crack closure and rebonding of crack wall due to the formation of SiO2 glassy phase by oxidation reaction between SiC and the oxidizing atmosphere are dominant healing mechanisms in TZ3Y20A–SiC ceramics.

Sesquiterpene lactones are considered as the major active compounds in Kudiezi injection in virtue of their special structures and activities. Herein, an analytical method was developed for rapid screening and identification of sesquiterpene lactones in Kudiezi injection using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometry (HPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap) in negative ion mode. First, two sesquiterpene lactone reference standards were analyzed to obtain their characteristic ESI-MS/MS fragmentation patterns. Second, based on extracted ion chromatography (EIC) data-mining method and characteristic fragmentation pathways analysis, sesquiterpene lactones in Kudiezi injection were rapidly screened and identified. Finally, an important parameter Clog P was adopted to discriminate the isomers of sesquiterpene lactones. As a result, 50 sesquiterpene lactones were characterized, including 9 sesquiterpene lactone aglycones, 39 sesquiterpene lactone glycosides, and 2 amino acid-sesquiterpene lactone conjugates. Among them, 13 compounds were tentatively identified as new compounds. The results demonstrated that the established method would be a rapid, effective analytical tool for screening and identification of sesquiterpene lactones in the complex system of natural medicines.

Kudiezi injection has been used extensively in the treatment of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. However, its therapeutic effects and underlying mechanism of action are not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to clarify the protective mechanisms of Kudiezi injection on cerebral ischemic injury, using metabolomics methods. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was introduced in rats to build the cerebral ischemic damage. UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-based analytical method was established for analysis of the metabolites. The raw mass data of all samples were normalized with Sieve 2.2 software and then introduced to orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model. Finally, 23 metabolites in plasma (15 were tentatively identified) were chosen as potential biomarkers, according to accurate mass measurements (< 5 ppm), MS/MS fragmentation patterns, and diagnostic product ions. Furthermore, on the basis of metabolic pathway analysis via metabolomics pathway analysis (MetPA), we first discovered that the protection mechanism in anti-ischemic cerebral reperfusion damage of Kudiezi injection was possibly related to the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. The present study provided a useful approach for exploring the mechanism of ischemic stroke and evaluating the efficacy of Kudiezi injection or other traditional medicines.

Two isoforms of human Polycomb-like protein 3 (hPCL3) have been reported as components of the nuclear Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), with the short isoform (hPCL3s) showing a dominant cytoplasmic localization. The function of cytoplasmic hPCL3s has, however, not been addressed. In this study, we report that hPCL3s is upregulated in clinical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples and its expression correlated with HCC clinical features. hPCL3s positively regulated the migration, invasion, and metastasis of HCC cells. hPCL3s interacted with components of the cytoplasmic β-catenin destruction complex, inhibited β-catenin degradation, and activated β-catenin/T-cell factor signaling. Downstream of the β-catenin cascade, IL6 mediated the motility-promoting functions of hPCL3s. Forced expression of hPCL3s in the liver of a HCC mouse model promoted tumorigenesis and metastasis. Taken together, these data show that hPCL3s promotes the metastasis of HCC by activating the β-catenin/IL6 pathway. Significance: hPCL3s has an oncogenic role in hepatocellular carcinoma by activating the β-catenin/IL6 signaling axis to promote metastasis. Cancer Res; 78(10); 2536–49. ©2018 AACR.

Crack healing behavior of hot-pressed TZ3Y20A-SiC ceramics has been investigated by high-temperature oxidation. Semi-elliptical surface cracks with a length of 100 μm have been set on the tensile side of each specimen using a Vickers hardness indenter. Based on flexural strength and observations of crack appearance, the effect of crack healing is finally judged. Cracks on ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3 )–Al 2 O 3 (TZ3Y20A) ceramics cannot be healed by heat treatment. However, for TZ3Y20A-SiC ceramics, complete crack-healing has been realized by heat treatment at 800 °C, 1000 °C and 1100 °C for 30 h, 10 h and 5 h, respectively. The crack-healing mechanism is attributed to the formation of SiO 2 caused by high temperature oxidation during heat treatment.

e14707 Background: There is an unmet need for the postoperative adjuvant therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with microvascular invasion (MVI), which is associated with early recurrence after curative resection. This study aimed to investigate the role of Sorafenib as a postoperative adjuvant therapy in HCC patients with MVI after R0 liver resection (LR). Methods: Consecutive HCC patients with pathologically confirmed MVI who underwent R0 LR between January 2009 and December 2016 at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients in the LR+sorafenib group (n = 581) received oral sorafenib (400 mg/d) at 1 weeks after R0 LR, while patients in the LR group (n = 147) only underwent R0 LR. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were followed up, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed. Results: After PSM, there were 113 patients in each group. The LR+sorafenib group demonstrated improved OS (median, 43.3 vs. 34.9 months; 1-year, 85% vs. 65%; 3-year, 66% vs. 51%; 5-year, 57% vs. 37%; log-rank P = 0.007) and RFS (median, 32.0 vs. 15.0 months; 1-year, 72% vs. 55%; 3-year, 47% vs. 36%; 5-year, 39% vs. 19%; log-rank P = 0.001) compared with the LR group after PSM. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that R0 LR with postoperative sorafenib therapy was associated with better OS and PFS ( P < 0.001). On subgroup analysis, similar survival benefits were observed for sorafenib in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) 0-A, BCLC B and Child-Pugh A stages of disease. Conclusions: Sorafenib used as a postoperative adjuvant therapy in HCC patients with MVI after R0 LR was associated with significantly better survival outcomes than LR alone.

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pretreatment nutritional status and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Pretreatment nutritional status was evaluated by ideal body weight percentile (IBW%) and serum albumin for 512 patients with NPC who underwent radical radiotherapy. Kaplan–Meier methods, log-rank test, and a Cox model were applied for survival analysis. Results Before radiotherapy, IBW%

Based on multistage theory and NSCT, a new feature-based image watermarking scheme is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the multistage Harris detector is utilized to extract steady feature points from the host image; then, the local feature regions (LFR) are ascertained adaptively according to the feature scale theory, and they are scaled to a standard size; finally, the digital watermark are embedded into no subsample contour let low frequency area, in the low frequency regions made pseudo-Zernike moment calculation. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme is not only invisible and robust against common signals processing such as median filtering, sharpening, noise adding and JPEG compression et al, but also robust against the unclassified geometric attacks such as rotation, translation, scaling, row or column removal, shearing, local geometric distortion and combination attacks et al.

The aim of this in vivo study was to evaluate the feasibility of ^{99m} Tc-labeled cartilage link protein (CLP) probe for the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of lung cancer. Xenograft mouse model were established from a luciferase expressing cell line derived from a human lung cancer. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was carried out prior to ^{99m} Tc-CLP and ^{99m} Tc-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) SPECT scans. The image quality of ^{99m} Tc-CLP scan was validated with BLI and compared with well established ^{99m} Tc-MIBI scan. Results of multimodal imaging analyses suggested that ^{99m} Tc-CLP was a sensitive and reliable SPECT agent for lung cancer imaging.

Gallium and Indium co-substituted Yb, Er:YAG was fabricated through the chemical co-precipitation method. The formation process and structure of the Ga3+ and In3+ substituted phosphor powders were characterized by the X-ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetry analyzer, infrared spectra, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the effects of Ga3+ and In3+ concentration on the luminescence properties were investigated by spectrum. The results showed that the blue shift occurred after the substitution of Ga3+ and In3+ for Al3+ in matrix, and the intensity of emission spectrum was affected by the concentration of Ga3+ and In3+.

Background The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of NACT followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus CCRT alone in locoregionally advanced NPC. Methods Patients with stage III–IVB (excluding T3N0-1) NPC were randomly assigned to receive NACT followed by CCRT (investigational arm) or CCRT alone (control arm). Both arms were treated with 80 mg/m2 cisplatin every 3 weeks concurrently with radiotherapy. The investigational arm received cisplatin (80 mg/m2 d1) and fluorouracil (800 mg/m2 civ d1–5) every 3 weeks for two cycles before CCRT. The primary end-point was disease-free survival (DFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Secondary end-point was overall survival (OS). Survival curves for the time-to-event endpoints were analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. The P value was calculated using the 5-year endpoints. Results Four hundred seventy six patients were randomly assigned to the investigational (n = 238) and control arms (n = 238). The investigational arm achieved higher 3-year DFS rate (82.0%, 95% CI = 0.77–0.87) than the control arm (74.1%, 95% CI = 0.68–0.80, P = 0.028). The 3-year DMFS rate was 86.0% for the investigational arm versus 82.0% for the control arm, with marginal statistical significance (P = 0.056). However, there were no statistically significant differences in OS or locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) rates between two arms (OS: 88.2% versus 88.5%, P = 0.815; LRRFS: 94.3% versus 90.8%, P = 0.430). The most common grade 3–4 toxicity during NACT was neutropenia (16.0%). During CCRT, the investigational arm experienced statistically significantly more grade 3–4 toxicities (P Conclusion NACT improved tumour control compared with CCRT alone in locoregionally advanced NPC, particularly at distant sites. However, there was no early gain in OS. Longer follow-up is needed to determine the eventual therapeutic efficacy.

A rapid and sensitive UHPLC-HR-MSn method was used for the identification of Kudiezi injection and its main metabolites in rat plasma. After the tail intravenous injection of Kudiezi, ACQUITY UHPLC BEH C₁₈ (2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm) was used, with 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile solution as the mobile phase for gradient elution. Kudiezi injection and plasma were detected by ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap equipped with an ESI ion source in a negative mode. Based on the accurate mass measurements, the retention time and the mass fragmentation patterns, a total of 53 compounds were tentatively identified and characterized. Furthermore, metabolites in rat plasma after the intravenous administration of Kudiezi injection were also analyzed. A total of 38 compounds were identified, including 27 prototypes and 11 metabolites through metabolic pathways of methylation, glucuronide conjugation, sulfate conjugation and hydrolysis. As a result, UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap technique was applied to comprehensively expound Kudiezi injection's chemical components and constituents migrating to rat plasma, and provide scientific basis for further studies on Kudiezi injection's in vivo metabolic process and effective material base.

The functions, principles as well as the research and system configuration of the PLC control system for Type GKD3B locomotive which runs at a constant low speed are introduced. And the application of the locomotive, which employs this system, in coaling station of Shenhua Western Railway Co. Ltd. is also presented.

This Article based on the new board microcomputer control system structure and function, described in detail the new board microcomputer control system Exported Sudan SDD1 type diesel locomotive. After microcomputer control system is applied in locomotive, not only the performance of locomotive can be improved, and also the reliability of locomotive can be increased.

To investigate the precise locations of the blood vessels and nerves surrounding the seminal vesicles (SV) in men and provide some anatomical evidence for SV-related minimally invasive surgery.We observed the courses and distribution of the blood vessels and nerves surrounding SVs and obtained the data for positioning the SV neuroplexes in 20 male pelvises.One branch of the neuroplexes was distributed to the SVs bilaterally with the neurovascular bundles, (2.85 ± 0.18) cm from the median sulcus of the prostate (MSP), while another branch ran through the Denonvillier fascia behind the SV, (0.81 ± 0.06) cm from the MSP. The arterial SVs (ASV) originated from the inferior vesical artery and fell into 4 types, 55% going directly to the SVs as one branch, 15% running between the SV and the ampulla of the deferent duct as another branch, 25% downward as 2 branches to the SV and between the SV and the ampulla of the deferent duct respectively, and 5% as the other ASVs. The shortest distance from the ASV through the prostatic neuroplexus to the posterior SV was (1.08 ± 0.09) cm.In SV resection, neuroplexus injury can be reduced with a bilateral distance of2.85 cm and a posterior distance of0.81 cm from the MSP, and so can bleeding by vascular ligation between the SV and the ampulla of the deferent duct.

Purpose : To extract, purify black ginseng polysaccharides, and study their compositional analysis and antioxidant properties. Methods : Crude polysaccharides from black ginseng were prepared by hot water extraction and subjected to chromatographic purification on Sephadex G-75 and DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-75 columns to yield 4 polysaccharide components: BGP-60, BGP-65, BGP-70 and BGP-80. The BGPs were characterized by chemical analysis, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS), and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Finally, the in vitro antioxidant activities of the BGPs were determined through their capacities to scavenge superoxide anion, as well as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals. Results : The four fractions designated BGP-60, BGP-65, BGP-70 and BGP-80 were polysaccharides with glucose as the main component. They were acidic in nature, with estimated molecular weights (MWs) of 28.6, 26.7, 11.4 and 3.05 kDa, respectively. Fractions BGP-60, BGP-65 and BGP-80 had α- type glycosidic linkage, whereas BGP-70 had β-type glycosidic linkage. Compared with vitamin C (vit C), it was found that BGP-60, BGP-65, BGP-70 and BGP-80 had strong potential antioxidant activities; BGP-60 exhibited a stronger antioxidant activity than BGP-65, BGP-70 or BGP-80 against DPPH and superoxide anion radicals, while BGP-65 had the highest antioxidant activity against hydroxyl radical. Conclusion : These results suggest that BGPs may be beneficial in the development and manufacture as potential therapeutic agents and functional foods. Keywords : Black ginseng, Polysaccharides, Purification, Antioxidant activity, Functional foods

Dy-Bi co-doped yttrium tungstate crystal materials were synthesized by high temperature solid-state method. To reveal the photoluminescence features and properties of the samples, some measurements have been taken. It turned out that different Bi[Formula: see text] concentrations play obvious influence in emission performance, and show visible light emission under ultraviolet light excitation. Besides, the effect of temperature on phase structure of samples has also been studied here. Superhigh X-ray luminescence of the phosphors exhibited the promising application in the field of high energy detection. The X-ray irradiation crystal resistance stability of the phosphors has also been investigated through the subsequent testing of XRD and spectra.

6005 Background: The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of NACT followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus CCRT alone in locoregionally advanced NPC. Methods: Patients with stage III-IVB (excluding T3N0-1) NPC were randomly assigned to receive NACT followed by CCRT (investigational arm) or CCRT alone (control arm). Both arms were treated with 80 mg/m² cisplatin every three weeks concurrently with radiotherapy. The investigational arm received cisplatin (80 mg/m² d1) and fluorouracil (800 mg/m² civ d1-5) every three weeks for two cycles before CCRT. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Secondary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Results: 476 patients were randomly assigned to the investigational (n = 238) and control arms (n = 238). The investigational arm achieved higher 3-year DFS rate (82.0%, 95% CI = 0.77-0.87) than the control arm (74.1%, 95% CI = 0.68-0.80, P = 0.028). The 3-year DMFS rate was 86.0% for the investigational arm versus 82.0% for the control arm, with marginal statistical significance (P = 0.056). However, there were no statistically significant differences in OS or locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) rates between two arms (OS: 88.2% vs 88.5%, P = 0.815; LRRFS: 94.3% vs 90.8%, P = 0.430). The most common grade 3–4 toxicity during NACT was neutropenia (16.0%). During CCRT, the investigational arm experienced statistically significantly more grade 3–4 toxicities (P < 0.001). Conclusions: NACT improved tumor control compared with CCRT alone in locoregionally advanced NPC, particularly at distant sites. However, there was no early gain in overall survival. Longer follow-up is needed to determine the eventual therapeutic efficacy. Clinical trial information: NCT00705627.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of γ irradiation on β-adrenergic receptors of the lung. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were used as an animal model. Cell membrane proteins of lung tissue were harvested after the whole lung received 20 Gy of 60Co γ irradiation. 125I-labeled iodopindolol (125I-IPIN) was used as a ligand of β-adrenergic receptors. The numbers of the β-adrenergic receptors were determined by radioligand-receptor binding assay (RBA). Data were compared with irreversible blockage using antagonist bromoacetylalprenololmenthan (BAAM). RESULTS: The post-radiation RBA assay showed that the number of β-adrenergic receptors in lung tissue decreased at a steady rate. It decreased to 48% of the normal level at the 15th day after irradiation. At 40 days after radiation the level of β-adrenergic receptors started to increase at a steady rate and reached to the normal level around 70 days after radiation. There were significant differences in receptor synthesis, degradation and regeneration rates between irradiation group and BAMM group. CONCLUSIONS: The whole lung irradiation could severely affect the levels of β-adrenergic receptors. The potential clinical implications of radiation-induced changes of β-adrenergic receptors warrant further investigation.

To study the optimal waist circumference (WC) cut-off values for identifying metabolic risk factors in middle-aged and elderly subjects in Shandong Province of China.A total of 2,873 men and 5,559 women were included in this cross-sectional study. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was diagnosed according to the definition of Chinese Diabetes Society in 2004. The relation between WC and MetS was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The optimal WC cut-off values were identified using the area under the ROC curve and the different diagnostic criteria for central obesity were compared.The WC was the risk factor for MetS independent of BMI, blood glucose, blood lipid, and blood pressure. The optimal WC cut-off value was 83.8 cm and 91.1 cm for identifying MetS in women and men, respectively. Compared with 80 cm and 85 cm for women and men, 85 cm and 90 cm had a higher Youden index for identifying all metabolic risk factors and MetS in women and men.The appropriate WC cut-off value is 85 cm and 90 cm for identifying central obesity and MetS in women and men in Shandong Province of China.

To evaluate the effects of the Chinese herbal formula Wuzi Yanzong Pill (, WYP) on the spermatogenesis and specific secretory functions of Sertoli cells in rat model and to investigate the underlying mechanism.Five groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats including the control group, the model group, the low-dose WYP group, the medium-dose WYP group and the high-dose WYP group (5 in each group) were treated daily with vehicle, multiglycosides of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f (GTW) either alone (20 mg/kg) or followed by WYP (0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg daily), respectively for 30 days. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), inhibin B (INHB) and testosterone (T) were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Androgen-binding protein (ABP) gene expression and transferrin (TF) protein expression in testis tissue specimens of all rats were determined using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analysis, respectively. Histopathological alterations in the testis were determined using Johnsen's score.The toxicity of GTW towards Sertoli cell secretory functions and spermatogenesis was accompanied by increased serum FSH concentrations and decreased INHB and T concentrations. Upregulated ABP mRNA levels, and decreased TF protein expression and Johnsen's scores were detected in the model group compared with the control group P0.05 or P0.01). Oral high-dose WYP administrations to GTW-treated rats effectively alleviated all of the GTW-induced changes in specific secretory functions of Sertoli cells (ABP, INHB and TF). Furthermore, serum T level and Johnsen's score of the testis increased greatly compared with the model group (P0.01).WYP has the ability to improve the spermatogenesis, possibly through modulating the secretory proteins expression of Sertoli cells.

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of erlotinib combined with radiation on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) radiosensitivity using the CNE1 and CNE2 cell lines. Human NPC cells were treated with erlotinib and/or radiation. The effect of erlotinib on the radiosensitivity of the cells was detected using a clonogenic cell survival assay. The rate of apoptosis and the cell cycle were evaluated using flow cytometry. An NPC xenograft model in NOD-SCID mice was used to evaluate the efficacy of the combination therapy of erlotinib with radiation. Erlotinib enhanced the sensitivity of the CNE1 and CNE2 cells to radiation, with sensitization enhancement ratios (SERs) of 1.076 and 1.109, respectively. Erlotinib combined with radiation induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in the two cell lines. The mouse tumor model demonstrated a significant reduction in NPC tumor volume in mice treated with erlotinib in combination with radiation when compared with that in mice treated with radiation alone. Erlotinib combined with radiation provoked G2-M phase cell cycle arrest, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of the NPC cells to radiation.

The aim of this in vivo study was to evaluate the feasibility offormula^{99m}/formulaTc-labeled cartilage link protein (CLP) probe for the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of lung cancer. Xenograft mouse model were established from a luciferase expressing cell line derived from a human lung cancer. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was carried out prior toformula^{99m}/formulaTc-CLP andformula^{99m}/formulaTc-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) SPECT scans. The image quality offormula^{99m}/formulaTc-CLP scan was validated with BLI and compared with well establishedformula^{99m}/formulaTc-MIBI scan. Results of multimodal imaging analyses suggested thatformula^{99m}/formulaTc-CLP was a sensitive and reliable SPECT agent for lung cancer imaging.

Background Several node staging schemes have been proposed for gastric cancer. The optimal system remains controversial. Methods Patients with gastric cancer were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, and a Chinese patient cohort was used for independent validation. The prognostic performance of three node staging schemes was compared, involving a number-based scheme (pN), ratio-based scheme (rN) and log odds of positive lymph nodes scheme (LODDS). Results There were 12 443 patients in the SEER database and 866 in the Chinese cohort. LODDS provided better discriminatory capacity and higher predictive accuracy than either pN or rN, for patients with gastric cancer in both the SEER database and the Chinese cohort. The multivariable model using the LODDS classification was significantly more predictive than the pN classification. LODDS suffered much less from stage migration and was able efficiently to discriminate the heterogeneity for patients with no nodes involved or all nodes involved, whereas the pN and rN schemes could not. Conclusion LODDS showed a clear prognostic superiority over both pN and rN schemes. It could serve as an important reference for the tumour node metastasis (TNM) node classification.

Post-disaster reconstruction includes two aspects: material reconstruction and psychological reconstruction. We all know that people's behavior is controlled by their mental forces. So in a sense, we can consider the psychological reconstruction as a basic foundation of the material reconstruction. But the reality in the process of post-disaster reconstruction is that many people emphasize on the material reconstruction more often than psychological reconstruction. And psychological reconstruction does not receive a proper attention. This paper points out the importance of the psychological reconstruction in post-disaster reconstruction, and applies terror management theory to the psychological reconstruction. The article also introduces the development and application of the terror management theory in China, points out the limitations of terror management theory at present, and suggests its future development.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pretreatment nutritional status and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Pretreatment nutritional status was evaluated by ideal body weight percentile (IBW%) and serum albumin for 512 patients with NPC who underwent radical radiotherapy. Kaplan-Meier methods, log-rank test, and a Cox model were applied for survival analysis.Before radiotherapy, IBW%90% was related to poorer overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS; p = .031 and p = .012, respectively); albumin ≤43.0 g/L was related to poorer OS and DMFS (p .001 and p = .042, respectively); both IBW% and albumin were independent prognostic factors for OS; those patients with IBW%90% and albumin ≤43.0 g/L simultaneously had the worst OS and DMFS.Decrease of pretreatment IBW% and albumin was related to poorer survival of NPC.

To investigate the correlation of prolactin receptor (PRL-R) expression to estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expressions in primary breast cancer.For 130 female patients with breast cancer (median age 46 years), PRL-R expression in the primary tumor was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the correlation between PRL-R and ER/PR expressions was analyzed statistically.PRL-R positivity in the primary tumor was found in 89 of the patients (68.5%), and the positivity rate for PRL-R was positively correlated to ER expression (P0.05). Further stratification of the patients according to the CerbB-2 status revealed such a correlation only in CerbB-2-positive patients (P0.05). In the patient cohort, no significant correlation was found in the positivity rate between PRL-R and PR expressions (P0.05), but in CerbB-2-positive patients, the positivity rate of PRL-R showed a positive correlation to PR expression (P0.05).The positive correlations in positivity rate between the PRL-R and ER/PR expressions are found only in CerbB-2 positive patients with breast cancer, and the expressional status of CerbB-2 affects the correlation between PRL-R and ER/PR expression in breast cancer.

To evaluate the weight-centric effect of tea or tea extract in participants with metabolic syndrome (MetS), we performed electronic searches in PubMed, EmBase and the Cochrane Library to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing tea or tea extract vs a control group. A direct meta-analysis using random-effects model was conducted to pool the standardized mean difference regarding body mass index (BMI), body weight and waist circumference. Study quality was assessed by using the Jadad scale. Pre-specified subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore potential heterogeneity. A total of five RCTs involving 338 adult individuals were included. Given the high heterogeneity observed in the overall pooled analysis, we separated the included subjects into two subgroups. Ingestion of tea or tea extract significantly reduced BMI (subgroup 1: −1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI), −2.05 to −1.14; subgroup 2: −0.40, 95% CI, −0.69 to −0.12) and body weight (subgroup 1: −4.14, 95% CI, −4.85 to −3.43; subgroup 2: −0.35, 95% CI, −0.68 to −0.02). This meta-analysis suggests that tea or tea extract has favorable weight-centric effects in MetS patients. Additional large RCTs specifically designed to evaluate the effect on anthropometric measurements are needed to further confirm these findings.

Background Despite the advancement and increasing use of breast-conserving surgery, mastectomies, including nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM), are still carried out in a portion of breast cancer patients. However, the role of NSM is still controversial, mainly owing to the oncological safety of the nipple-areola complex (NAC). Intrabeam (Carl Zeiss, Germany) is the most widely used mobile intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) device to date. This pilot study aims to broaden the application of Intrabeam system for breast cancer, investigating the feasibility of Intrabeam IORT in NSM with breast reconstruction. Methods From December 2012 to June 2013, seven female patients with breast cancer were enrolled in the study. NSM with or without axillary dissection was performed first. After confirming the presence of a negative retroareolar frozen section and that there was no local bleeding of the NAC, Intrabeam IORT was carried out, with a single dose of 16 Gy, followed by breast reconstruction. The complications and short-term outcomes were assessed. Findings The median radiation time was 13 min 14 s. One patient complained of mild pain in the radiation field on the skin in the first 2 weeks. All seven patients were followed up for a median of 7 months. No acute radiation injury with symptoms (heart, lung, or haematological system), NAC necrosis, local recurrence, or metastasis was observed. Although every patient had reduction in NAC sensitivity, the contours of the breasts (including the NAC) were satisfactory. Interpretation Intrabeam IORT may be a feasible and convenient approach for NSM with breast reconstruction in patients with breast cancer.

7097 Background: Recently, two studies by Paez and Lynch show that somatic mutations in EGFR tyrosine kinase(TK) domain are associated with sensitivity of NSCLC to gefitinib. The mutations were clu...