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PurposeTumor regression grade (TRG) has been widely used in gastrointestinal carcinoma to assess pathological responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT). There are various standards without a consensus, and it is still unclear which kind of system has better predictive value. This study aims to investigate and compare the predictive ability of the Mandard and Becker TRGs in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Materials and MethodsA total of 290 patients with locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent NCT and curative surgery were studied. Survival analysis for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were based on the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards method. Predictive values of TRGs and models were assessed by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the area under the ROC curve (AUC), nomogram, and calibration curve. ResultsIn multivariable analysis, the Mandard TRG was associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.806; p=0.026) and DFS (HR, 1.792; p=0.017). The Becker TRG was also related to OS (HR, 1.880; p=0.014) and DFS (HR, 1.919; p=0.006). The Mandard and Becker TRG AUCs for 5-year survival were 0.72 and 0.71, respectively. The whole models showed an increased predictive value, with AUCs of 0.85 and 0.86, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two TRGs and two models.ConclusionTRG was an independent predictor for survival, and there was no significant difference between these two systems.

Purpose: Tumor regression grade (TRG) is widely used to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) and it is related to many clinicopathological factors. However, whether TRG can be predicted by clinical characteristics is unknown. Methods: 141 locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) patients who underwent NCT and curative operation were retrospectively analyzed. TRG is reevaluated according to the CAP guideline. The values of CA199, CA125 and CA724 before NCT (pre-) and after NCT (post-) were extracted from our database. Survival curves on overall survival (OS) were obtained by Kaplan-Meier method, and differences were analyzed by log-rank test. Associations between categorical variables were explored by chi-square test or Fisher's exact method. Univariable and multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression model or Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: TRG was related to OS (P < 0.001), especially when divided into responders (TRG 0-1) and non-responders (TRG 2-3). Pre-CA724 (p = 0.029) and post-CA199 (p = 0.038) were related to OS. In multivariable analysis, pre-CA724 (p = 0.015) and post-CA199 (p = 0.007) were independent prognostic factors for OS, respectively. The changes (diff-) of all tumor markers were not related to OS. Among the clinical characteristics, pre-CA724 (P = 0.047) and tumor size (P = 0.012) were related to TRG, while pre-CA199 (P = 0.377) and pre-CA125 (P = 0.856) were not. In logistics analysis, pre-CA724 (P = 0.032), tumor size (P = 0.011) and tumor location (P = 0.047) were independent risk factors to pathological response. Conclusion: CA724 was an independent prognostic factor for OS and could be used to predict pathological response.

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is the most common gastrointestinal tumor, and the rates of recurrence and metastasis are high. Research results on molecular biomarkers used for prognosis of gastric cancer remain inconclusive. This study aimed to explore the gene expression module of gastric cancer and to determine potential prognostic biomarkers. MATERIAL AND METHODS Three microarray datasets (GSE13911, GSE79973, and GSE29272) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including 206 pairs of gastric tumors and adjacent normal samples, were used for analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The 3 microarray datasets yielded 144 genes associated with the progression and prognosis of gastric cancer. After this, a risk score model was developed for result validation using an independent dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas. RESULTS The validation of the independent dataset showed significantly increased NID2, SPARC, and MFAP2 expression in gastric tumor tissues, which were associated with poor outcomes in gastric cancer patients. Moreover, the high risk score obtained was associated with poor overall survival (HR: 1.787; 1.069-2.986; P=0.027). Subgroup analyses revealed that these significant prognostic values were detected in patients aged

Additional file 1. Number of patients with different tumor markers.

Background: Serum tumor markers including AFU, AFP, CEA, CA199, CA125 and CA724, are of great importance in the diagnosis, prognostic prediction and recurrence monitoring of gastrointestinal malignancies. However, their significance in gastric cancer (GC) patients with neoadjuvant therapy (NCT) is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of these six tumor markers in locally advanced GC patients who underwent NCT and curative surgery. Methods: In total, 290 locally advanced GC patients who underwent NCT and D2 radical gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Data on their tumor markers before (pre-) and after (post-) NCT and pathological characteristics were extracted from the database of our hospital. The optimal cutoff values of the six tumor markers were calculated by the ROC curve and Youden index. Their predictive significance was analyzed and survival curves for overall survival (OS) were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method. Associations between categorical variables were explored by the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Multivariate analyses were performed by the Cox regression model. Results: Pre- and post-CA199, -CA125 and -CA724 could predict overall survival (all P < 0.05), but only the change (diff-) of CA199 was related to prognosis (P = 0.05). In the multivariable analysis, pre- (P = 0.014) and post-CA724 (P = 0.036) remained significant, though diff-CA724 was not an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.581). In addition, pre- and post-CA199, -CA125 and -CA724 were associated with lymph node metastasis (N- vs N+) and pathological stage (Ⅰ-Ⅱ vs Ⅲ) (all P < 0.05). Moreover, post-CA724 was related to the vascular or lymphatic invasion (P = 0.019), while pre-CA724 was not (P = 0.082). However, AFU, AFP and CEA showed no association with survival (P > 0.05). Conclusions: CA724 is an independent factor for prognosis and could be used to predict ypN and ypTNM stage in locally advanced GC patients undergoing NCT and curative resection.

Background Serum tumor markers including AFU, AFP, CEA, CA199, CA125 and CA724, are of great importance in the diagnosis, prognostic prediction and recurrence monitoring of gastrointestinal malignancies. However, their significance in gastric cancer (GC) patients with neoadjuvant therapy (NCT) is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of these six tumor markers in locally advanced GC patients who underwent NCT and curative surgery. Methods In total, 290 locally advanced GC patients who underwent NCT and D2 radical gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Data on their tumor markers before (pre-) and after (post-) NCT and pathological characteristics were extracted from the database of our hospital. The optimal cutoff values of the six tumor markers were calculated by the ROC curve and Youden index. Their predictive significance was analyzed and survival curves for overall survival (OS) were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method. Associations between categorical variables were explored by the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Multivariate analyses were performed by the Cox regression model. Results Pre- and post-CA199, −CA125 and -CA724 could predict overall survival (all P P = 0.05). In the multivariable analysis, pre- (P = 0.014) and post-CA724 (P = 0.036) remained significant, though diff-CA724 was not an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.581). In addition, pre- and post-CA199, −CA125 and -CA724 were associated with lymph node metastasis (N- vs N+) and pathological stage (I-II vs III) (all P P = 0.019), while pre-CA724 was not (P = 0.082). However, AFU, AFP and CEA showed no association with survival (P > 0.05). Conclusions CA724 is an independent factor for prognosis and could be used to predict ypN and ypTNM stage in locally advanced GC patients undergoing NCT and curative resection.

In the present work, a simple and efficient method for distillation and simultaneous extraction of essential oils from white tea, called simultaneous nitrogen-blow distillation extraction (SNDE), was developed using nitrogen-blow extraction equipment. The effect of SNDE on compounds and characteristic of white tea extract were investigated in comparison with simultaneous distillation and extraction (SDE), and the extraction conditions of SNDE were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Volatile compounds of white teas were extracted using SNDE and SDE, and analyzed with gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Quantitative descriptive analysis of white tea extract aroma showed that in SNDE, sweet, roasted and woody aroma were significantly declined compared with SDE; whereas grassy green and pekoe aroma were more similar to the sensory profile based on sensory evaluation method. Aroma metabolites analysis showed that alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, heterocyclics and alkanes exhibited significant variations. The present work demonstrated that SNDE is an effective tool for the extraction and analysis of white tea volatile, which could truly reflect the quality characteristics of sensory aroma.

Objectives As the neoadjuvant therapy has been successfully introduced in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies, the evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness is becoming increasingly important. Tumor-node-metastasis system has been widely applied. However, this system is mainly based on the location of residual tumor, but does not consider the amount of residual tumor. Tumor regression grading system, a quantitative method to assess the reaction of tumor to neoadjuvant treatment, could be used as a supplement to tumor-node-metastasis system and provide additional information on prognosis. To date, numerous gastrointestinal grading systems have been used in esophageal/esophagogastric junction carcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, and most of them were considered to associate with clinical outcomes. Materials and methods In this review, firstly, we expounded the importance of tumor regression grading systems, and summarized the histopathological changes after neoadjuvant therapy. Secondly, we introduced some commonly used gastrointestinal systems, as well as the relationships and nuance. Finally, we discussed pivotal issues about these systems. In this part, we explained the calculation methods based on grid points and square measures, discussed several factors leading to observer bias, containing the slice number and the grading tier number, and analyzed the factors that might affect clinical significance, covering anatomical location, the selection of survival index, and the tumor type. Results Tumor regression grade systems could be divided into two main classifications, the relative amount of fibrosis and residual tumor, and the proportion of residual tumor in the tumor bed. However, the definitions of these systems were still need to be improved. Conclusions The tumor regression grading system is useful in evaluating tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy, but more work is needed to refine and unify the system.

A new fiber optic sensor based on the oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) catalyzed by iron(II) phthalocyanine (Fe(II)Pc) was developed for the determination of DCP. The optical oxygen sensing film containing fluorescence indicator Ru(bpy)3Cl2 was used to detect the consumption of oxygen in solution. Moreover, a lock-in amplifier was used to determine the lifetime of the sensor head by detecting its phase delay change. The results reveal that the sensor has a linear detection range of 1.0×10-6 - 9.0×10-5 mol/L and a response time of 5 min. The sensor also has high selectivity, good repeatability and stability. It can be used effectively to determine DCP concentration in real samples.

A chemical system for facile and accurate detection of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) via iron (II) phthalocyanine (Fe(II)Pc) catalyzed chromogenic reaction is reported for the first time. In this system, DCP could be oxidized by dioxygen with the catalysis of Fe(II)Pc and then coupled with 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AAP) to generate pink antipyrilquinoneimine dye. Control experiments showed that the addition of ethanol could obviously enhance the catalytic activity of heterogeneous Fe(II)Pc catalysts because of the partial dissolution of Fe(II)Pc nanocubes, which was confirmed by the SEM analysis. On the basis of the detection results of DCP in the range from 2×10−5 to 9×10−4 mol/L, we obtained a regression equation (A = 0.187 5 + 0.01 209C (R 2=0.995 6)) with the detection limit (3σ) of 3.26×10−6 mol/L, which could be successfully used in detecting the real samples.

The novel water-soluble and sterically hindered phthalocyanine complexes, i.e. iron(III) tetra-(4-carboxyphenoxy)phthalocyanine (3) and iron(III) tetra-(8-quinolineoxy-5-sulfonicacid)phthalocyanine (4) were synthesized for fast detection of phenolic pollutants. These two FePc complexes exhibited the high catalytic activity in the chromogenic reactions of phenolic pollutants. Five phenolic substrates, including phenol, 2-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol and 1-naphthol could be efficiently oxidized by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of these selected FePc catalyst. UV–Vis spectroscopy and HPLC technique were used to monitor the catalyzed oxidation of phenolic substrates. Compared with catalytic methods by other reported phthalocyanines, this system has the obvious advantages of fast oxidation and high-yield conversion of phenolic substrates. Under the optimal conditions, the chromogenic process of 2-chlorophenol could be completed just within 10 min with more than 90 % of conversion. Potentially, this system is promising for the application of fast chromogenic identification of phenolic pollutants. .

A new fiber optical sensor was developed for the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP). The sensor was based on DCP oxidation by oxygen with the catalysis of iron(III) tetrasulfophthalocyanine (Fe(III)PcTs). The optical oxygen sensing film with as the fluorescence indicator was used to determine the consumption of oxygen in solution. A lock-in amplifier was used for detecting the lifetime of the oxygen sensing film by measuring the phase delay change of the sensor head. The different variables affecting the sensor performance were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimal conditions (i.e. pH 6.0, , Fe(III)PcTs concentration of 0.62 mg/mL), the linear detection range and response time of the sensor are mol/L and 250 s, respectively. The sensor displays high selectivity, good repeatability and stability, and can be used as an effective tool in analyzing DCP concentration in practical samples.

Inverted focometer is a transformation of the traditional focomete, and optical lens focal length is an important technical indicators of optical system.The inverted focometer was used to measure the optical lens focal length, an expression between the ruling span of poroo-plate glass and the focal length of measured optical system was deduced according to inverted focometer design, the S-F figure graphic representation was developed , the S-F graph which could express relation of data was obtained, and steps of designing poroo-plate glass were analyzed .The S-F figure graphic representation is simple, intuitive and easy to design.

Optical system focal length is usually based on the magnification method with focal length measurement， poroo-plate glass is used as base element measuring focal length of focometer. On the basis of using analysis of magnification method to measure the accuracy of optical lens focal length, an expression between the ruling span of poroo-plate glass and the focal length of measured optical system was deduced, an efficient method to work out S-F graph with AUTOCAD was developed, the selecting principle of focometer parameter was analyzed, and Applied examples for designing poroo-plate glass in S-F figure was obtained.

A novel system for catalytic oxidation of phenol and chlorophenol pollutant in water by tetranitro iron (II) phthalocyanine (TNFe(II)Pc) is reported for the first time. In this system, several phenolic substrates (phenol, 2-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol) could be easily oxidized by naturally dissolved oxygen in the presence of TNFe(II)Pc, and then rapidly combined with 4-aminoantipyrine to generate the pink dye. The catalytic oxidation process and resulting products were monitored by UV–Vis spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (HPLC–MS) technique. Control experiments demonstrated that the generation of superoxide anion radical was crucial for the dye formation, and a possible mechanism involved a successive single electron transfer from phenolic substrates to O2 via the axis of TNFe(II)Pc was proposed. Potentially, this system is promising for application in chromogenic identification of phenolic pollutant.

Magnetic fields (MF) have been reported widely as pre-sowing seeds treatment to increase their vigour, seedling growth and the plants’ yield. Although, it has been shown that MF could affect seed germination and the seedling root growth, still their further effect on plant’s life has been found to be inconsistent, especially under field conditions. Commercial seed lots of onion (Allium cepa L.) of the cultivars ‘Octavia’ and ‘Eureka’ were soaked for 12 hours in the distilled water at 20 °C. Next, they were exposed to low frequency magnetic field (LFMF) of magnetic induction B=20 mT, for 10, 30 and 60 minutes. The LFMF was generated using a standard medical device for magnetostimulation VIOFOR JPS. Next, the seeds were evaluated for germination and received bulbs were analysed for the selected useful characters including the root length, maximal diameters, dry matter and quercetin content. For the LFMF treatment of 60 minutes, for the cultivars ‘Octavia’ and ‘Eureka’, the energy of germination increased from 75.8% and 65% (control) to 88.3% and 87.5%, respectively. For the LFMF treatment of 60 minutes, the germination capacity, for the same cultivars, increased from 85% and 76.3% (control) to 92% and 90%, respectively, Treated for 60 minutes with LFMF onion seeds had longer seedlings than the ones from the control seeds. These values, for both cultivars, increased from 5.3 cm and 4.2 cm (control) to 8.4 cm and 5.7 cm, respectively. LFMF used for 60 minutes on the ‘Octavia’ onion seeds, increased their emergences in the field and length of the roots on the bulbs. LFMF used had no effect on the dry matter of bulbs grown out from the seeds when exposing them for 10 and 30 minutes. However, when exposing them for 60 minutes, LFMF decreased the dry matter and increased the amount of quercetin.

Fiber optic biosensors have many advantages over traditional sensors. For an enzyme based fiber optic biosensor, the sensing performance can be improved by improving the enzymatic activity of the sensing materials. Metallophthalocyanines (MPc) are effective biomimetic enzymes for the catalytic oxidation of pollutants such as phenols and their chlorinated compounds by oxygen. The study on the catalysis of MPc to the oxidation of chlorophenol will be very important to the development of fiber optic chlorophenol sensor. In this paper, Fe(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) was used as a catalyst for the oxidation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP). The best solution pH for the 2-CP oxidation is pH6.0, and O 2 is oxidant. The oxidation of 2-CP caused the consumption of O 2 and result in a quantitative relationship between the concentration of 2-CP and O 2 . A fiber optic 2-CP sensor based on oxygen sensing and mimic enzyme catalysis was prepared and its properties were studied. There is a good linear relationship between the phase delay φ and 2-CP concentration, which was defined by the equation of y = 0.00119x - 0.03267 and R 2 = 0.997. It has good repeatability and its response time is 16 min.