Soluble Axl Is a Novel Diagnostic Biomarker of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chinese Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Xiaoting Song,Ailu Wu,Zhixiao Ding,Shixiong Liang,Chunyan Zhang 대한암학회 2020 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.52 No.3

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of soluble Axl (sAxl) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in comparison with serum "-fetoprotein (AFP). Materials and Methods Eighty HCC patients, 80 liver cirrhosis patients (LC), 80 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and 80 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. sAxl levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, serum AFP levels were measured by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate diagnostic performances. Results The results show that levels of sAxl were high expression in patients with HCC (p < 0.05), varied with disease state as follows: HCC > LC > HC > HBV. Logistic regression and ROC curve analysis identified the optimal cut-off for sAxl in differentiating all HCC and non-HCC patients was 1,202 pg/mL (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUC], 0.888; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.852 to 0.924) with sensitivity 95.0%, specificity 73.3%. Furthermore, differential diagnosis of early HCC with non-HCC patients for sAxl showed the optimal cut-off was 1,202 pg/mL (AUC, 0.881; 95% CI, 0.831 to 0.931; sensitivity, 94.1%; specificity, 73.3%). Among AFP-negative HCC patients with non-HCC patients, the cut-off was 1,301 pg/mL (AUC, 0.898; 95% CI, 0.854 to 0.942) with a sensitivity of 84.6%, a specificity of 76.3%. The optimal cut-off for sAxl in differentiating all HCC and chronic liver disease patients was 1,243 pg/mL (AUC, 0.840; 95% CI, 0.791 to 0.888) with sensitivity 93.8%, specificity 61.9%. The combination of AFP and sAxl increased diagnostic value for HCC. Conclusion sAxl outperforms AFP in detecting HCC, especially in early HCC and in AFP-negative HCC. Combination sAxl with AFP improved the specificity for early HCC diagnosis. In summary, sAxl is a candidate serum marker for diagnosing HCC.

Water-Dispersible Hydrothermal Aramid Nanofibers Reinforced Styrene-Butadiene Rubber with Enhanced Mechanical Behaviour and Solvent Resistance

Jianpeng Wu,Xumin Zhang,Kuan Jiang,Hongbing Jia,Xiaoting Rui,Fufeng Yang 한국섬유공학회 2020 Fibers and polymers Vol.21 No.8

In this work, a distinguished hydrothermal treatment succeeded in modifying aramid nanofibers (ANFs) with thehelp of mixed acid, and the hydrothermal-treated ANFs (hANFs) were regarded as a reinforcement agent to be introducedinto styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) via latex co-agglutination treatment. The enhanced comprehensive behaviour of SBR/hANFs composites induced by π-π stacking interaction between hANFs and polymer chains were investigated in details. With respect to virgin SBR, it was found that the temperature at maximum rate of degradation, tear strength and tensilestrength of composites with adding 7 phr (parts per hundred rubber) hANFs significantly improved by 14 oC, 148 % and215 %, respectively. The incorporation of hANFs also endowed SBR with greatly enhanced solvent resistance.

Effects of Matching Conditions Between Crocheted Mesh Tube and Metal Tube on Crushing Behaviour and Energy Absorption of Interlayer Tubes

Fei Wu,Xiaoting Xiao,Qian Liu,Jianghuai Tong 한국강구조학회 2020 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.20 No.4

This paper focuses on comparing the quasi-static crushing mechanical behaviour and energy absorption characteristics of four types of interlayer tubes formed by combining mesh tube and 304 tube with two diff erent interface matching methods (tight fi t and metallurgical bonding). The deformations and energy absorptions of interlayer tubes are still dominated by 304 tube. The mesh tube and metallurgical points are able to induce and improve the deformation of 304 tube by changing its axial crushing stress state, thus, aff ecting the shapes and quantities of its folds, changing its deformation behaviours and modes, and fi nally forming interlayer tubes with diff erent mechanical behaviours and energy absorption characteristics. The tight fi t interlayer tubes exhibit better mechanical behaviour and energy absorption compared with the hollow 304 tube. The sintering interlayer tubes matching by metallurgical bonding can further improve the mechanical behaviours and energy absorptions of interlayer tubes and present more stable crushing deformations and stronger bearing capacities. It is an eff ective method to improve the mechanical behaviours and energy absorption characteristics of interlayer tubes by changing interface matching modes.

An Effective Zeta Potential Fitting Model for Sphere-Plate Interaction Force in Nanoparticle Suspensions

Hong, Xiaoting,Mo, Mingyue,Wu, Xiaohui,Willing, Gerold,Hui, K. S.,Hui, K. N. Taylor Francis 2014 Journal of dispersion science and technology Vol.35 No.3

Diagnosing Balamuthia mandrillaris amebic meningoencephalitis in a 64-year-old woman from the Southwest of China

Yao Suhua,Chen Xiaoting,Qian Lian,Sun Shizheng,Zhao Chunjing,Bai Zongkai,Chen Zhaofang,Wu Youcong 대한기생충학ㆍ열대의학회 2023 The Korean Journal of Parasitology Vol.61 No.2

Balamuthia mandrillaris amebic encephalitis (BAE) can cause a fatal condition if diagnosis is delayed or effective treatment is lacking. Patients with BAE have been previously reported in 12 provinces of China, with skin lesions being the primary symptom and encephalitis developing after several years. However, a significantly lower number of cases has been reported in Southwest China. Here we report an aggressive BAE case of a 64-year-old woman farmer with a history of skin lesions on her left hand. She was admitted to our hospital due to symptoms of dizziness, headache, cough, vomiting, and gait instability. She was initially diagnosed with syphilitic meningoencephalitis and received a variety of empirical treatment that failed to improve her symptoms. Finally, she was diagnosed with BAE combined with amebic pneumonia using next-generation sequencing (NGS), qRT-PCR, sequence analysis, and imaging studies. She died approximately 3 weeks after the onset. This case highlights that the rapid development of encephalitis can be a prominent clinical manifestation of Balamuthia mandrillaris infection.

Intercropping garlic at different planting times and densities for insect pest or crop yield and value management in tobacco fields

Rongquan LAI,Chaozhi ZHU,Jingjing BAI,Xiaoting WU,Gang GU,Jianbao BAI,Ting ZHOU,Dingfeng WANG,Hanqing HU,Tianran LIN 한국곤충학회 2020 Entomological Research Vol.50 No.3

Although the densities of tobacco pests have been decreased in garlic-tobacco fields, further studies are needed to judge the effects of garlic transplanting densities or times on tobacco pests in tobacco fields. Therefore, field experiments were conducted in Liancheng County in Longyan City, Fujian Province, in China in 2014 and 2015. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) abundance, the species or abundance ratios of enemies and pests, the intercropping effects and the tobacco yield and crop value showed that the effects of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter on pests were stronger than those of other treatments. Aphid abundance was significantly lower in transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter than in the other treatments. The ratio between enemies and pests in transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter was higher than those in the other treatments. The intercropping effects of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter on Myzus persicae, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius), Heliothis assulta Guenee and Nezara viridula Linnaeus were significantly stronger than those of the other treatments, whereas the effects of transplanting tobacco 15 days after garlic transplantation at a garlic density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter on Agrotis ypsilon (Rottemberg) were significantly stronger. Additionally, the yield and crop value of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic was transplanted at a density of 5.85 individual plants m ̅2 were higher than those of the other treatments. Therefore, our study demonstrated that the model of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic was transplanted at a density of 5.85 individual plants m ̅2 is an optimal management strategy to control flue-cured tobacco pests and to acquire higher crop yield in garlic-tobacco fields.

Disease burden of prostate cancer from 2014 to 2019 in the United States: estimation from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Shen Lin,Dong Lin,Yiyuan Li,Lixian Zhong,Wei Zhou,Yajing Wu,Chen Xie,Shaohong Luo,Xiaoting Huang,Xiongwei Xu,Xiuhua Weng 한국역학회 2023 Epidemiology and Health Vol.45 No.-

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the disease burden of prostate cancer (PC) and assess key influencing factors associated with the disease expenditures of PC in the United States. METHODS: The total deaths, incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years of PC were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey was used to estimate healthcare expenditures and productivity loss and to investigate patterns of payment and use of healthcare resources in the United States. A multivariable logistic regression model was conducted to identify key factors influencing expenditures. RESULTS: For patients aged 50 and older, the burden for all age groups showed a modest increase over the 6-year period. Annual medical expenditures were estimated to range from US$24.8 billion to US$39.2 billion from 2014 to 2019. The annual loss in productivity for patients was approximately US$1,200. The top 3 major components of medical costs were hospital inpatient stays, prescription medicines, and office-based visits. Medicare was the largest source of payments for survivors. In terms of drug consumption, genitourinary tract agents (57.0%) and antineoplastics (18.6%) were the main therapeutic drugs. High medical expenditures were positively associated with age (p=0.005), having private health insurance (p=0.016), more comorbidities, not currently smoking (p=0.001), and patient self-perception of fair/poor health status (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: From 2014 to 2019, the national real-world data of PC revealed that the disease burden in the United States continued to increase, which was partly related to patient characteristics.