Clinical Study on Safety and Efficacy of Qinin^® (Cantharidin Sodium) Injection Combined with Chemotherapy in Treating Patients with Gastric Cancer

Zhan, Yi-Ping,Huang, Xin-En,Cao, Jie,Lu, Yan-Yan,Wu, Xue-Yan,Liu, Jin,Xu, Xia,Xu, Lin,Xiang, Jin,Ye, Li-Hong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.9

Objectives: To assess the efficacy, side effects, and the impact on quality of life with $Qinin^{(R)}$ (Cantharidin sodium) injection combined with chemotherapy for gastric cancer patients. Method: A consecutive cohort of 70 patients were divided into two groups: experimental group with cantharidin sodium injection combined with chemotherapy, while the control group received chemotherapy alone. After more than two courses of treatment, efficacy, quality of life and side effects were evaluated. Results: The response rate of experimental group was not significantly different from that of the control group (P>0.05), but differences were significant in clinical benefit response and KPS score. In addition, gastrointestinal reactions and the incidence of leukopenia were lower than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions: $Qinin^{(R)}$ (Cantharidin sodium) injection combined with chemotherapy enhances clinical benefit response, improving quality of life of gastric cancer patients and reducing side effects of chemotherapy. Thus $Qinin^{(R)}$ (Cantharidin sodium) injection deserves to be further investigated in randomized control clinical trails.

Diagnostic Value of Human Epididymis Protein 4 Compared with Mesothelin for Ovarian Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Lin, Jia-Ying,Qin, Jin-Bao,Li, Xiao-Yan,Dong, Ping,Yin, Bing-De Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.11

Background and Purpose: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecologic cancers because of the lack of effective early detection methods. Accuracies of the human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and mesothelin in detecting ovarian cancer have never been systematically assessed. The current systematic review aimed to tackle this issue. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched (September 1995-November 2011) for studies on the diagnostic performances of HE4 and mesothelin in differentiating ovarian cancer from other benign gynecologic diseases. QUADAS items were used to evaluate the qualities of the studies. Meta-DiSc software was used to handle data from the included studies and to examine heterogeneity. All included studies for diagnostic performance were combined with sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves, and areas under the SROC curves (AUC). Results: A total of 18 studies and 3,865 patients were eligible for the final analysis. The pooled sensitivity estimates for HE4 (74.4%) were significantly higher than those for mesothelin (49.3%). The pooled specificity estimates for mesothelin (94.5%) were higher than those for HE4 (85.8%). The pooled DOR estimates for HE4 (26.22) were higher than those for mesothelin (24.01). The SROC curve for HE4 showed better diagnostic accuracy than that for mesothelin. The PLR and NLR of HE4 were 6.33 (95% CI: 3.58 to 11.18) and 0.27 (95% CI: 0.21 to 0.34), respectively. The PLR and NLR for mesothelin were 11.0 (95% CI: 6.21 to 19.59) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.42 to 0.62), respectively. The combination of the two tumor markers or their combination with CA-125 increased sensitivity and specificity to different extents. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of HE4 in differentiating ovarian cancer from other benign gynecologic diseases is better than that of soluble mesothelin-related protein. Combinations of two or more tumor markers show more sensitivity and specificity.

High Refractive Index and Transparent Nanocomposites as Encapsulant for High Brightness LED Packaging

Yan Liu,Ziyin Lin,Xueying Zhao,Chia-Chi Tuan,Kyoung-Sik Moon,Sehoon Yoo,Myoung-Gi Jang,Ching-ping Wong IEEE 2014 IEEE transactions on components, packaging, and ma Vol.4 No.7

<P>A high refractive index (RI) and transparent encapsulant material is in great demand for light emitting diode (LED) packaging to lower the RI contrasts between a LED chip and an encapsulant, and therefore improve the light extraction efficiency. In this paper, we prepared TiO<SUB>2</SUB>/silicone nanocomposites and studied the effects of the crystalline phases of TiO<SUB>2</SUB>, and the TiO<SUB>2</SUB> surface modifications on their optical properties. The rutile TiO<SUB>2</SUB> was found to be more effective to increase the RI of the nanocomposite than the anatase phase TiO<SUB>2</SUB>. At a 5 wt.% loading of TiO<SUB>2</SUB>, the RI was as high as 1.62 at the wavelength of 589 nm, which represents a significant improvement from 1.54 for silicone resin. In addition, surface modification was carried out using vinyl-terminated silane to improve the dispersion of nanoparticles in a silicone matrix, leading to a high relative transmittance of 84%. We also demonstrated that the optical property degradation of the nanocomposites in this paper was negligible after the accelerated reliability test.</P>

EGF Reverses Multi-drug Resistance via the p-ERK Pathway in HepG2/ADM and SMMC7721/ADM Hepatocellular Carcinoma Models

Yan, Feng,Bai, Li-Ping,Gao, Hua,Zhu, Chang-Ming,Lin, Li,Kang, Xiang-Peng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.6

Aim: To investigate signaling pathways for reversal of EGF-mediated multi-drug resistance (MDR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) models. Materials and Methods: HCC MDR cell strain HepG2/adriamycin (ADM) and SMMC7721/ADM models were established using a method of exposure to medium with ADM between low and high concentration with gradually increasing concentration. Drug sensitivity and reversal of multi-drug resistance by EGF were determined and the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Phosphorylation of ERK1, ERK2, ERK5 and expression of Bim were detected by Western blotting. Results: The results showed that HepG2/ADM and SMMC7721/ADM cells were resistant not only to ADM, but also to multiple anticancer drugs. When used alone, EGF had no anti-tumor activity in HepG2/ADM and SMMC7721/ADM cells in vitro, while it increased the cytotoxicity of ADM. EGF induced cell apoptosis and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in HepG2/ADM And SMMC7721/ADM cells, while enhancing activity of p-ERKs and up-regulated expression of BimEL. Conclusions: EGF might enhance the chemosensitivity of HepG2/ADM and SMMC7721/ADM cells via up-regulating p-ERKs and BimEL protein.

Phylogenetic Diversity and Antifungal Activity of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Tephrosia purpurea

( Ze Ping Luo ),( Hai Yan Lin ),( Wen Bing Ding ),( Hua Liang He ),( You Zhi Li ) 한국균학회 2015 Mycobiology Vol.43 No.4

Sixty-one endophytic fungus strains with different colony morphologies were isolated from the leaves, stems and roots of Tephrosia purpurea with colonization rates of 66.95%, 37.50%, and 26.92%, respectively. Based on internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis, 61 isolates were classified into 16 genera belonging to 3 classes under the phylum Ascomycota. Of the 61 isolates, 6 (9.84%) exhibited antifungal activity against one or more indicator plant pathogenic fungi according to the dual culture test. Isolate TPL25 had the broadest antifungal spectrum of activity, and isolate TPL35 was active against 5 plant pathogenic fungi. Furthermore, culture filtrates of TPL25 and TPL35 exhibited greater than 80% growth inhibition against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. We conclude that the endophytic fungal strains TPL25 and TPL35 are promising sources of bioactive compounds.

Diversity, distribution, and antagonistic activities of rhizobacteria of Panax notoginseng

Ze-Yan Fan,Cui-Ping Miao,Xin-Guo Qiao,You-Kun Zheng,Hua-Hong Chen,You-Wei Chen,Li-Hua Xu,Li-Xing Zhao,Hui-Lin Guan 고려인삼학회 2016 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.40 No.2

Background: Rhizobacteria play an important role in plant defense and could be promising sources of biocontrol agents. This study aimed to screen antagonistic bacteria and develop a biocontrol system for root rot complex of Panax notoginseng. Methods: Pure-culture methods were used to isolate bacteria from the rhizosphere soil of notoginseng plants. The identification of isolates was based on the analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences. Results: A total of 279 bacteria were obtained from rhizosphere soils of healthy and root-rot notoginseng plants, and uncultivated soil. Among all the isolates, 88 showed antagonistic activity to at least one of three phytopathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, and Phoma herbarum mainly causing root rot disease of P. notoginseng. Based on the 16S rRNA sequencing, the antagonistic bacteria were characterized into four clusters, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetesi. The genus Bacillus was the most frequently isolated, and Bacillus siamensis (Hs02), Bacillus atrophaeus (Hs09) showed strong antagonistic activity to the three pathogens. The distribution pattern differed in soil types, genera Achromobacter, Acidovorax, Brevibacterium, Brevundimonas, Flavimonas, and Streptomyces were only found in rhizosphere of healthy plants, while Delftia, Leclercia, Brevibacillus, Microbacterium, Pantoea, Rhizobium, and Stenotrophomonas only exist in soil of diseased plant, and Acinetobacter only exist in uncultivated soil. Conclusion: The results suggest that diverse bacteria exist in the P. notoginseng rhizosphere soil, with differences in community in the same field, and antagonistic isolates may be good potential biological control agent for the notoginseng root-rot diseases caused by F. oxysporum, Fusarium solani, and Panax herbarum.

A Clinical Database of Breast Cancer Patients Reveals Distinctive Clinico-pathological Characteristics: a Study From Central China

Wang, Lin-Wei,Yang, Gui-Fang,Chen, Jia-Mei,Yang, Fang,Yuan, Jing-Ping,Sun, Sheng-Rong,Chen, Chuang,Hu, Ming-Bai,Li, Yan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.4

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in females worldwide. Many differences exist in clinico-pathological characteristics of breast cancer patients between China and Western countries. This study aimed to analyze clinico-pathological characteristics of breast cancer from central China. Methods: Clinico-pathological information on breast cancer from three hospitals in central China was collected and analyzed. Results: From 1994 to 2012, 2,525 patients with a median age 50 years were included in this study. The 45-49-year age group and invasive ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified accounted for the highest proportions (19.1%, 480/2,525 and 81.0%, 1,982/2,446). Stages 0-I, II and III accounted for 28.0% (682/2,441), 48.4% (1,180/2,441), and 23.7% (578/2,441), respectively. Distribution of N stage showed that N0 accounted for 53.2% (1,344/2,525), and proportion of N0 rose from 51.1% (157/307) in 30-39-year age group to 64.3% (110/171) in ${\geq}$ 70-year age group, with an average increase of 2.1% in each age group. Modified radical mastectomy, radical mastectomy, breast-conserving surgery and simple mastectomy were performed for 71.8% (1,812/2,525), 18.0% (454/2,525), 5.2% (131/2,525) and 2.6% (66/2,525), respectively. Proportions of breast-conserving surgery in age ${\leq}$ 44-year group (68/132, 51.5%) and simple mastectomy in age ${\geq}$ 60-year group (57/89, 64.0%) were higher than in the other age groups. Breast cancers positive for estrogen receptor accounted for 53.0% (1,107/ 2,112). The comparisons among this study and other reports showed higher proportion of younger patients, lower proportion of breast-conserving surgery and positive estrogen receptor patients in China than western countries. Conclusions: Clinico-pathological characteristics in this study demonstrated clear differences between the center of China than Western countries. Additional classification systems should be developed to guide grading of early breast cancer more accurately, especially for N0 patients. Invasive ductal carcinoma is a focus for intensive research.

Controlled Synthesis of Branched Polystyrene via Free Radical Polymerization of Novel Chain Transfer Monomer

Cui-Ping Li,Jia-Qiang Wang,Jun Lin,Yan Shi,Zhi-Feng Fu 한국고분자학회 2011 Macromolecular Research Vol.19 No.8

The free radical polymerization of styrene was carried out in the presence of a new found chain transfer monomer, p-vinyl benzene sulfonyl chloride (VBSC), which possesses both a chain transfer group and a polymerizable double bond. Branched polystyrene was formed during the polymerization, as indicated by multi-peaks gel permeation chromatography (GPC) curves of the products, the increase in the number-average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution along with monomer conversions. The structure of the obtained polystyrene was analyzed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results showed that with increasing VBSC in the feed, the degree of branching and VBSC unit in the copolymer increased and a shortest polystyrene arm arose from the highest VBSC content in the feed, suggesting that the composition and structure of the branched polystyrenes could be tuned by the amount of VBSC in the feed. By tracing the structure change in the copolymer at various stages of polymerization, the main polymerization process can be regarded as the copolymerization of VBSC with styrene first and then chain transfer to polymeric radical to form branched polystyrene. This strategy is facile and less expensive than the other method.

Controlled Synthesis of Branched Polystyrene via RAFT Technique in the Presence of Chain Transfer Monomer p-Vinyl Benzene Sulfonyl Chloride

Cui-Ping Li,Jia-Qiang Wang,Yan Shi,Zan Liu,Jun Lin,Zhi-Feng Fu 한국고분자학회 2012 Macromolecular Research Vol.20 No.8

Branched polystyrene was first obtained via a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)process in the presence of chain transfer monomer p-vinyl benzene sulfonyl chloride (VBSC) in benzene at 60 oC with 2-(ethoxycarbonyl)prop-2-yl dithiobenzoate as the RAFT agent and 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. During the RAFT polymerization, VBSC played the role of branching agent. It could not only copolymerized but also acted as a chain transfer agent due to the polymerizable vinyl group and sulfonyl chloride chain transfer group in the VBSC. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) traces demonstrated that the number-average molecular weights and molecular weight distributions increased along with monomer conversion. Compared with the RAFT process without VBSC, the resulting polymers had broad molecular weight distributions and the sulfonyl functionality of the resultant polymer at the branching point, indicating the formation of branched polystyrene. The structure of the obtained polystyrene was further analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The findings indicated that the branched polystyrene was mainly formed via the RAFT copolymerization of VBSC and styrene firstly to form polystyrene bearing pendant sulfonyl chloride group, and then the pendant sulfonyl chloride group acted as the chain transfer agent to generate the branched structure. In addition, the degree of branching and VBSC unit in copolymer increased along with the VBSC in the feed, implying that composition and structure of the branched polystyrenes could be tuned by the amount of VBSC in the feed.

Effects of Ginsenosides Rg1 on Osteoblasts Cultured with Ti Particles

( Yu Lin ),( Yin Sheng Wu ),( Jia Cheng He ),( Yun Mei Huang ),( Yan Ping Lin ) 한국응용약물학회 2012 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.20 No.1

The aim of this study was to explore the role and effect of ginsenosides Rg1 on osteoblasts cultured with Ti particles. Osteoblasts from neonatal rats were cultured with particles and different doses of Rg1, the main active ingredient in ginsenosides Rg1. We found that the COX-2, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-1, and IL -6 concentrations in the medium of cells cultured with Ti particles significantly increased as compared with that of the control cells (p<0.05 or p<0.01). In addition, cells cultured with Ti particles alone exhibited the highest concentrations of these molecules. The PGE2, TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 levels in the medium of cells cultured with Rg1 were in between those of the control cells and the cells cultured with Ti particles alone. The IL-1ra level in the group cultured with Ti and medium-dose Rg1 was the highest followed by the cells cultured with Ti and high-dose Rg1 and those cultured with Ti and low-dose Rg1 (p<0.05). In conclusion, ginsenosides can reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines produced by osteoblasts on induction with Ti particles and can prevent prosthesis loosening.