Selective Radiotherapy after Distant Metastasis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated with Dose-Dense Cisplatin plus Fluorouracil

Liang, Yong,Bu, Jun-Guo,Cheng, Jin-ling,Gao, Wei-Wei,Xu, Yao-Can,Feng, Jian,Chen, Bo-Yu,Liang, Wei-Chao,Chen, Ke-Quan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.14

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy and safety of selective radiotherapy after distant metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with dose-dense cisplatin plus fluorouracil. Materials and Methods: Eligible patients were randomly assigned to a study group treated with dose-dense cisplatin plus fluorouracil following selective radiotherapy and a control group receiving traditional cisplatin plus fluorouracil following selective radiotherapy according to a 1:1 distribution using a digital random table method. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate, relapse or progression rate in the radiation field and treatment toxicity. Results: Of 52 patients in the study group, 20 cases underwent radiotherapy., while in the control group of 51 patients, 16 underwent radiotherapy. The median PFS, median OS, survival rates in 1, 2 and 3 years in study and control group were 20.9 vs 12.7months, 28.3 vs 18.8months, 85.2%vs 65.9%, 62.2% vs 18.3%, and 36.6%vs 5.2% (p values of 0.00, 0.00, 0.04, 0.00 and 0.00, respectively). Subgroup analysis showed that the median OS and survival rates of 1, 2, 3 years for patients undergoing radiotherapy in the study group better than that in control group( 43.2vs24.1 months, 94.1% vs 86.7%, 82.4% vs 43.3%, 64.7% vs 17.3%, (p=0.00, 0.57, 0.04 and 0.01, respectively). The complete response rate, objective response rate after chemotherapy and three months after radiotherapy, relapse or progression rate in radiation field in study group and in control group were 19.2% vs 3.9%, 86.5% vs 56.9%, 85% vs 50%, 95% vs 81.3% and 41.3% vs 66.7% (p =0.03, 0.00, 0.03,0.30, 0.01 respectively). The grade 3-4 acute adverse reactions in the study group were significantly higher than in the control group (53.8% vs 9.8%, p=0.00). Conclusions: The survival of patients benefits from selective radiotherapy after distant metastasis of NPC treated with dose-dense cisplatin plus fluorouracil.

Effect of moisture content on dense-phase conveying of pulverized coal at high pressure

Xu Pan,Chen Xiaoping,Liang Cai,Xu Guiling,Liu Daoyin,Zhao Changsui 한국화학공학회 2011 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.28 No.10

In dense-phase pneumatic conveying, the solid moisture content can significantly influence the conveying process, but there are very few studies in the open literature. In this study, the conveying experiments of two pulverized coals with various moisture contents were carried out at a 4MPa high pressure and dense-phase pneumatic conveying facility. Results show that the whole conveying system can be stably and controllably operated under the condition that moisture content below ~8%. With the increase of moisture content up to ~8%, the mass flow rate of 280 μm pulverized coal increases at first and then decreases, while that of 55 μm pulverized coal decreases continuously. The method of solid friction factor correlation is used to investigate pressure drop of the horizontal pipe, and non-dimensional parameters--Fr number, moisture content M and solid loading ratio μ--are investigated. The pressure drop predictions by this correlation are in good agreement with the experimental data. The solid friction factor correlations indicate that the fine coal is more sensitive to M, and μ plays a more important role for the coarse coal.

Clinical Implications of p57^KIP2 Expression in Breast Cancer

Xu, Xiao-Yin,Wang, Wen-Qian,Zhang, Lei,Li, Yi-Ming,Tang, Miao,Jiang, Nan,Cai, Shou-Liang,Wei, Liang,Jin, Feng,Chen, Bo Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.10

Objective: To study the relationship between expression of $p57^{KIP2}$ and prognosis and other clinicopathological parameters in invasive breast cancers. Methods: We assessed the expression of $p57^{KIP2}$ in 89 cases of invasive breast cancer and 20 cases of normal breast tissue by immunohistochemical methods and analyzed the results with SPSS software (ver. 16.0). Result: The positive expression rates of $p57^{KIP2}$ protein in the invasive breast cancers and surrounding normal tissue were 30.3% (27/89) and 65% (13/20), respectively. Cases with no $p57^{KIP2}$ expression exhibited a significantly higher post-operative distant metastasis rate than those with $p57^{KIP2}$ expression (37.9% vs. 14.8%; P = 0.01). DFS analysis showed that $p57^{KIP2}$-/C-erbB-2+ tumors also exhibited a significantly higher post-operative distant metastasis rate than the other groups (66.7% vs. 29.2%; P = 0.007), as did $p57^{KIP2}$-/p53+ tumors (64.3% vs. 22.7%; P = 0.001). Survival analysis revealed that $p57^{KIP2}$ was associated with breast cancer-specific survival overall (P = 0.045, log-rank test). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that individuals with $p57^{KIP2}$-/C-erbB-2+tumors experienced significantly worse post-operative survival than those with $p57^{KIP2}$-/C-erbB-2- or other tumors (P = 0.006, log-rank test). $p57^{KIP2}$-/p53+ tumors were associated with significantly worse post-operative survival than $p57^{KIP2}$-/p53- or other tumors (P = 0.001, log-rank test). Cox regression analysis showed that $p57^{KIP2}$ was a non-independent prognostic factor for breast cancer (P = 0.303). Conclusions: $p57^{KIP2}$ is expressed at low levels in invasive breast cancer and is associated with better overall survival rate and disease-free survival in breast cancer patients, but it was a non-independent prognostic factor for breast cancer. Thus, the connection between $p57^{KIP2}$/p53 and $p57^{KIP2}$/C-erbB-2 may provide biomarkers for breast cancer.

Experimental investigation and stability analysis on dense-phase pneumatic conveying of coal and biomass at high pressure

Liang Cai,Cai Jiaying,Xu Guiling,Xu Pan,Chen Xiaoping,Zhao Changsui 한국화학공학회 2013 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.30 No.2

Conveying characteristics and flow stability are very important for design and control of a conveying system at high pressure. The influences of operating parameters and material properties on conveying characteristics were investigated in an experimental test facility with a conveying pressure up to 4MPa. Wavelet transform and Shannon entropy analysis were applied to analyzing pressure drops through horizontal pipe in order to obtain the stability criterion. Results indicated that the mass flow rate of biomass decreased, while the mass flow rate of pulverized coal increased at first and then decreased with the increase in fluidization velocity. Solid loading ratios for four kinds of powders decreased with the increase in fluidization velocity. Conveying phase diagrams and pressure drops through different test sections of pulverized coal and biomass at high pressure were obtained and analyzed. The influences of coal category,fracture characteristics and particle size on conveying characteristics were determined.

Fabrication and Cell Culturing on Carbon Nanofibers/Nanoparticles Reinforced Membranes for Bone-Tissue Regeneration

Xu Liang Deng,Xiao Ping Yang 한국탄소학회 2012 Carbon Letters Vol.13 No.3

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), PLLA/hydroxyapatite (HA), PLLA/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)/HA, PLLA/trifluoroethanol (TFE), PLLA/gelatin, and carbon nanofibers (CNFs)/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composite membranes (scaffolds) were fabricated by electrospinning and their morphologies, and mechanical properties were characterized for use in bone tissue regeneration/guided tissue regeneration. MWNTs and HA nanoparticles were well distributed in the membranes and the degradation characteristics were improved. PLLA/MWNTs/HA membranes enhanced the adhesion and proliferation of periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) by 30% and inhibited the adhesion of gingival epithelial cells by 30%. Osteoblast-like MG-63 cells on the randomly fiber oriented PLLA/TEF membrane showed irregular forms, while the cells exhibited shuttle-like shapes on the parallel fiber oriented membrane. Classical supersaturated simulated body fluids were modified by CO2 bubbling and applied to promote the biomineralization of the PLLA/gelatin membrane; this resulted in predictions of bone bonding bioactivity of the substrates. The β-TCP membranes exhibit good biocompatibility, have an effect on PDLC growth comparable to that of pure CNF membrane, and can be applied as scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration.

Dynamic characteristics and experimental study on a wind turbine gearbox

Liang Xu,Caichao Zhu,Hua iju Liu,Guo Chen,Wei Long 대한기계학회 2019 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.33 No.1

A gearbox is part of the transmission chain of wind turbine, which can increase rotational speed and reduce torque. Dynamic characteristics of the gearbox directly influence the vibration and the service life of the wind turbine system. In this paper, dynamic behaviors of a megawatt level wind turbine gearbox are studied theoretically and experimentally by dividing the gearbox into a transmission sub-system and a body sub-system. The transmission sub-system, i.e., the gear-shaft-bearing sub-system, is coupled with the gearbox body using bearings which are simulated as mass-less springs. The theoretical study applies a finite element model for the gearbox, where the internal excitations are caused by time-varying stiffness, transmission errors and mesh impacts. The time-varying wind load is considered as the external excitation, collected by a remote real-time online test and transformed into load spectrums through the rain-flow counting method. With boundary conditions and working conditions being defined in the finite element model, the natural characteristic analysis and the dynamic response analysis are conducted. Results show that the operating frequencies of the gearbox are far away from the main natural frequencies of the system, thus avoiding resonances. The main vibration components of the gearbox are with meshing frequencies of the second and third gear stage and their multiplication counterparts. Moreover, the greatest vibration occurs at the bearing housing of the high-speed shaft with the root-mean-square value of its vibration speed less than 3.5 mm/s. A test rig is developed and the experimental vibration conditions are monitored by acceleration sensors. The experimental results are in accordance well with the theoretical results. In this way, the theoretical model is validated. The methodology reported in this paper can provide valuable guidance for practical industrial engineers.

Simultaneous roasting and extraction of green coffee beans by pressurized liquid extraction

Xu, Jiu Liang,Kim, Tae Jin,Kim, Jae-Kwang,Choi, Yongsoo Elsevier 2019 Food chemistry Vol.281 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Green coffee extracted by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was found to undergo a roasting process similar to traditional roasting. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to investigate the chlorogenic acid (CGA) composition and profiling changes by PLE under different extraction conditions and showed almost identical generation and degradation of CGAs occurring during traditional coffee roasting. Compared with the traditional extraction of roasted coffee, optimized PLE coffee showed three- and two-fold higher antioxidant activity and total CGA contents, respectively.</P> <P>Composition diversity and the content of volatile compounds in PLE coffee were found to increase as the PLE temperature increased but were lower than those of traditionally roasted coffee. The sensory attributes of PLE coffee were also evaluated to have be associated with a profile change in the volatile compounds and non-volatile CGA compounds.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Green coffee beans were found to undergo a roasting process by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). </LI> <LI> Optimized PLE conditions showed almost identical compositions of CGAs occurring during traditional coffee roasting. </LI> <LI> PLE roasting process showed three-fold higher antioxidant activity than traditional extraction of roasted coffee. </LI> <LI> PLE roasting and extraction can be utilized for the development of functional coffee products. </LI> </UL> </P>

Erratum to: Experimental Study and Numerical Analysis on Mechanical Behavior of T-shape Stiffened Orthotropic Steelconcrete Composite Bridge Decks

Xu Jiang,Qing-Tian Su,Xu Han,Changyu Shao,Liang Chen 한국강구조학회 2017 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.17 No.4

Influence of para-orientating Methoxyl Units on the Electronic Structures and Light Absorption Properties of the Triphenylamine-based dyes by DFT Study

Liang, Guijie,Xu, Jie,Xu, Weilin,Wang, Luoxin,Shen, Xiaolin,Yao, Mu Korean Chemical Society 2011 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.32 No.7

The geometries, electronic structures and absorption spectra of the two organic triphenylamine-based dyes TA-St-CA and TA-DM-CA, containing identical electron donors and acceptors but the different conjugated bridges, were studied by density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP and PBE1PBE levels, respectively. The influence of para-orientating methoxyl units on the electronic structures and light absorption properties of the dyes and the consequent photovoltaic performance of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were investigated in detail. The results indicate that the introduction of the para-orientating methoxyl units into the conjugated bridge induces the increased absorption wavelength as well as the more negative EHOMO corresponding to the bigger driving force $(E_{I^-/I^-_3}-E_{HOMO})$ for dye reduction, which together improve the photovoltaic performance of TA-DM-CA, although there is a decline of the open circuit voltage caused by the more negative $E_{LUMO}$.

Seismic resistant design of highway bridge with multiple-variable frequency pendulum isolator

Xu Liang,Jianian Wen,Qiang Han,Xiuli Du 국제구조공학회 2021 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.28 No.2

Multiple variable frequency pendulum isolator (MVFPI) has been recently developed as a superior alternative to the traditional friction pendulum bearing (FPB) especially for the seismic isolation in near-fault regions. The MVFPI is characterized by its variable frequency and self-adaptability, which are achieved by piecewise function of sliding surface and shape memory alloy (SMA). The objective of this study is to propose the design algorithm of the MVFPIs in highway bridge as an extension of the direct displacement-based design (DDBD) framework. The nonlinearities of the structural components are taken into account in the design procedure, and the corresponding damage states satisfy the two-stage design philosophy. The accuracy and robustness of the design procedure are verified by an isolated four-span highway bridge through nonlinear time history (NLTH) analyses. The analytical results indicate that the proposed design procedure can predict the profile of deck displacement and amplitude, as well as the damage states of the piers. From statistic aspect, the fragility analyses illustrate that the bridge isolated by MVFPIs exhibits better seismic performance than that of the bridge isolated by FPBs.