Clinical Determinants of Weight Loss in Patients with Esophageal Carcinoma During Radiotherapy: a Prospective Longitudinal View

Jiang, Nan,Zhao, Jin-Zhi,Chen, Xiao-Cen,Li, Li-Ya,Zhang, Li-Juan,Zhao, Yue Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.5

Purpose: The prevalence of weight loss in esophageal carcinoma patients is high and associated with impairment of physical function, increased psychological distress and low quality of life. It is not known which factors may contribute to weight loss in patients with esophageal carcinoma during radiotherapy in China. The objective of this study was to identify the associated demographic and clinical factors influencing weight loss. Methods: We evaluated 159 esophageal carcinoma patients between August 2010 and August 2013 in a crosssectional, descriptive study. Patient characteristics, tumor and treatment details, psychological status, adverse effects, and dietary intake were evaluated at baseline and during radiotherapy. A multivariate logistic regression analyss was performed to identify the potential factors leading to weight loss. Results: 64 (40.3%) patients had weight loss ${\geq}5%$ during radiotherapy. According to logistic regression analysis, depression, esophagitis, and loss of appetite were adverse factors linked to weight loss. Dietary counseling, early stage disease and total energy intake ${\geq}1441.3$ (kcal/d) were protective factors. Conclusions It was found that dietary counseling, TNM stage, total energy intake, depression, esophagitis, and loss of appetite were the most important factors for weight loss. The results underline the importance of maintaining energy intake and providing dietary advice in EC patients during RT. At the same time, by identifying associated factors, medical staff can provide appropriate medical care to reduce weight loss. Further studies should determine the effect of these factors on weight loss and propose a predictive model.

Improvement of Pristinamycin Production by Genome Shuffling and Medium Optimization for Streptomyces Pristinaespiralis

Bo Xu,Zhihua Jin,Qingchao Jin,Ninghui Li,Peilin Cen 한국생물공학회 2009 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.14 No.2

To isolate an improved pristinamycin producing strain of Streptomyces pristinaespiralis, the technique of Genome shuffling was used which resulted in a high-yield recombinant G 3-56 strain. Strain G 3-56 yielded 322 ± 17 mg/L of pristinamycin which was 11.4-fold higher than that of the initial strain and 3.7-fold higher than strain UN-78 which previously had the highest yield of pristinamycin. The genetic characteristics of the recombinant G 3-56 strain was stable as revealed by our subculture experiments. The optimal production medium was determined using the orthogonal matrix method. Under the optimal medium conditions, the maximum yield of pristinamycin was 412 mg/L with about 1.24-fold higher than the original medium. To isolate an improved pristinamycin producing strain of Streptomyces pristinaespiralis, the technique of Genome shuffling was used which resulted in a high-yield recombinant G 3-56 strain. Strain G 3-56 yielded 322 ± 17 mg/L of pristinamycin which was 11.4-fold higher than that of the initial strain and 3.7-fold higher than strain UN-78 which previously had the highest yield of pristinamycin. The genetic characteristics of the recombinant G 3-56 strain was stable as revealed by our subculture experiments. The optimal production medium was determined using the orthogonal matrix method. Under the optimal medium conditions, the maximum yield of pristinamycin was 412 mg/L with about 1.24-fold higher than the original medium.

Improved AP Deployment Optimization Scheme Based on Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

( Zhengyu Kong ),( Duanpo Wu ),( Xinyu Jin ),( Shuwei Cen ),( Fang Dong ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2021 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.15 No.4

Deployment of access point (AP) is a problem that must be considered in network planning. However, this problem is usually a NP-hard problem which is difficult to directly reach optimal solution. Thus, improved AP deployment optimization scheme based on swarm intelligence algorithm is proposed to research on this problem. First, the scheme estimates the number of APs. Second, the multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is used to optimize the location and transmit power of APs. Finally, the greedy algorithm is used to remove the redundant APs. Comparing with multi-objective whale swarm optimization algorithm (MOWOA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and grey wolf optimization (GWO), the proposed deployment scheme can reduce AP's transmit power and improves energy efficiency under different numbers of users. From the experimental results, the proposed deployment scheme can reduce transmit power about 2%-7% and increase energy efficiency about 2%-25%, comparing with MOWOA. In addition, the proposed deployment scheme can reduce transmit power at most 50% and increase energy efficiency at most 200%, comparing with PSO and GWO.

Research on UAV access deployment algorithm based on improved virtual force model

Shuchang Zhang,Duanpo Wu,Lurong Jiang,Xinyu Jin,Shuwei Cen 한국인터넷정보학회 2022 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.16 No.8

In this paper, a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) access deployment algorithm is proposed, which is based on an improved virtual force model to solve the poor coverage quality of UAVs caused by limited number of UAVs and random mobility of users in the deployment process of UAV base station. First, the UAV-adapted Harris Hawks optimization (U-AHHO) algorithm is proposed to maximize the coverage of users in a given hotspot. Then, a virtual force improvement model based on user perception (UP-VFIM) is constructed to sense the mobile trend of mobile users. Finally, a UAV motion algorithm based on multi-virtual force sharing (U-MVFS) is proposed to improve the ability of UAVs to perceive the moving trend of user equipments (UEs). The UAV independently controls its movement and provides follow-up services for mobile UEs in the hotspot by computing the virtual force it receives over a specific period. Simulation results show that compared with the greedy-grid algorithm with different spacing, the average service rate of UEs of the U-AHHO algorithm is increased by 2.6% to 35.3% on average. Compared with the baseline scheme, using UP-VFIM and U-MVFS algorithms at the same time increases the average of 34.5% to 67.9% and 9.82% to 43.62% under different UE numbers and moving speeds, respectively.

Backhaul transmission scheme for UAV based on improved Nash equilibrium strategy

Lishan Liu,Duanpo Wu,Xinyu Jin,Shuwei Cen,Fang Dong 한국인터넷정보학회 2022 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.16 No.8

As a new alternative communication scheme in 5G, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is used as a relay in the remote base station (BS) for assistant communication. In order to ameliorate the quality of the backhaul link, a UAV backhaul transmission scheme based on improved Nash equilibrium (NE) strategy is proposed. First, the capacity of air-to-ground (A2G) channel by the link preprocess is maximized. Then, the maximum utility function of each UAV is used as the basis of obtaining NE point according to the backhaul channel and the backhaul congestion. Finally, the improved NE strategy is applied in multiple iterations until maximum utility functions of all the UAVs are reached, and the UAVs which are rejected by air-to-air (A2A) link during the process would participate in the source recovery process to construct a multi-hop backhaul network. Simulation results show that average effective backhaul rate, minimum effective backhaul rate increases by 10%, 28.5% respectively in ideal A2G channel, and 11.8%, 42.3% respectively in fading channel, comparing to pure NE strategy. And the average number of iterations is decreased by 5%.

Lineage conversion of mouse fibroblasts to pancreatic α-cells

Lijian Hui,Liangliang Sun,Beige Jiang,Limei Li,Jin Cen,Xiaotao Chen,Zhaoyun Zhang,Qinghua Wang,Xin Cheng,Yongquan Shi,Lijian Hui 생화학분자생물학회 2017 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.49 No.-

α-cells, which synthesize glucagon, also support β-cell survival and have the capacity to transdifferentiate into β-cells. However, the role of α-cells in pathological conditions and their putative clinical applications remain elusive due in large part to the lack of mature α-cells. Here, we present a new technique to generate functional α-like cells. α-like cells (iAlpha cells) were generated from mouse fibroblasts by transduction of transcription factors, including Hhex, Foxa3, Gata4, Pdx1 and Pax4, which induce α-cell-specific gene expression and glucagon secretion in response to KCl and Arg stimulation. The cell functions in vivo and in vitro were evaluated. Lineage-specific and functional-related gene expression was tested by realtime PCR, insulin tolerance test (ITT), glucose tolerance test (GTT), Ki67 and glucagon immunohistochemistry analysis were done in iAlpha cells transplanted nude mice. iAlpha cells possess α-cell function in vitro and alter blood glucose levels in vivo. Transplantation of iAlpha cells into nude mice resulted in insulin resistance and increased β-cell proliferation. Taken together, we present a novel strategy to generate functional α-like cells for the purposes of disease modeling and regenerative medicine.

Kinetics and optimization of L-tryptophan separation with ion-exchange chromatography

Wei Luo,Limei Fan,Peilian Wei,Hao Chen,Limei Fang,Jin Huang,Zhinan Xu,Peilin Cen 한국화학공학회 2011 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.28 No.5

Adsorption and desorption of L-tryptophan (L-trp) on strong acid cation exchange resin were investigated in a fixed-bed column. L-trp was effectively adsorbed onto the resin HZ-001, with the loading capacity and breakthrough time determined. Four kinetic models, including Adams-Bohard, Wolborska, Thomas, and Yoon-Nelson models,were adopted to determine the kinetic parameters of adsorption and to predict the breakthrough curves. The results showed that the models used described the breakthrough well. Desorption of L-trp from the column bed was performed using aqueous ammonia as the eluant. Optimum procedure was obtained with 2.0M aqueous ammonia at the elution velocity of 6 BV/h. Five cycles of adsorption-elution-regeneration were conducted to evaluate the column reutilization.

Adsorption behavior of L_tryptophan on ion exchange resin

Wei Luo,Lei Huang,Hao Chen,Limei Fang,Jin Huang,Zhinan Xu,Peilin Cen 한국화학공학회 2011 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.28 No.5

A batch method was applied to investigate the adsorption behavior and mechanisms of L_tryptophan (Ltrp)on ion exchange resins. HZ-001 and JK006 were proved to be ideal adsorbents due to their large loading capacity and favorable selective adsorption for L-trp. Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich equations were applied to simulate the experimental data to describe the adsorption process of L_trp onto HZ_001 and JK006. The maximum loading capacity (at pH 5.0, 30 ℃), determined by the Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich models, was close to each other (833 mg/g vs. 874 mg/g) for HZ_001, while discrepant (833 mg/g vs. 935 mg/g) for JK006. Three diffusion-controlled kinetic models were utilized to analyze the results in order to identify the adsorption mechanism. The adsorption kinetics of L_trp onto cation exchange resins was investigated under different experimental conditions, including initial solution pH, temperature, initial L-trp concentration, and adsorbent dosage. Moreover, the diffusion process of L_trp onto HZ_001 and JK006 was evaluated at different initial adsorbate concentrations. The thermodynamic parameters,obtained from the kinetic data, demonstrated that L-trp could be adsorbed spontaneously onto both resins.