Spine Metastasis Practice Patterns among Korean, Chinese, and Japanese Radiation Oncologists: A Multinational Online Survey Study

Yu, Jeong Il,Park, Hee Chul,Ahn, Yong Chan,Gao, Xian-Shu,Wang, Jun-Jie,Zeng, Zhao-Chong,Ito, Yoshinori,Ohno, Tatsuya,Nishimura, Yasumasa Oxford University Press 2017 Journal of radiation research Vol.58 No.1

<P>This online survey of practising radiation oncologists from Korea, China and Japan was conducted to investigate the current practices in radiotherapy (RT) for spine metastasis and to compare these practices across the three countries. The questionnaire included nine general information questions and two clinical scenarios (representing ‘typical’ and ‘good’ prognosis spine metastasis), with seven questions for each scenario. An anonymous web-based survey using Google Docs® was undertaken from 2 September 2014 to 9 April 2015. A total of 54 Korean, 107 Chinese and 104 Japanese radiation oncologists participated in the study. The first scenario involved a typical case of spine metastasis (~25% expected 1-year survival rate), and the preferred fractionation scheme was 10 fractions of 3 Gy, though the pattern was slightly different in each country. The second scenario involved a good prognosis case (>50% expected 1-year survival rate), and 10 fractions of 3 Gy was the preferred practice in all three countries (however, use of a larger fraction dose with a smaller fraction number was more common in Korea). A more conformal RT technique was more prominent in China and Korea, especially for patients with a good prognosis. Avoidance of reirradiation was notable in China. In summary, a preference for multiple fractionation in RT for spine metastasis was observed in the majority of Korean, Chinese and Japanese radiation oncologists, although there were slight differences in practice preferences, especially for patients with a favorable prognosis.</P>

Overexpression of NPC1L1 in the livers of transgenic Bama miniature pigs accelerates lipid peroxidation

Chongli Xu,Yu Liu,Yuchen Gong,Xinping Duan,Xiaochun Tang,Mingjun Zhang,Daxin Pang,Liqing Yu,Hongwei Zhao,Hongsheng Ouyang 한국유전학회 2015 Genes & Genomics Vol.37 No.2

Although Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1)plays a key role in intestinal cholesterol absorption, regulatingcholesterol metabolism and maintaining cholesterolmetabolic homeostasis, the molecular mechanism ofNPC1L1 in lipid-metabolism disorders leading to liverdisease remains largely unknown. Previous studies haveshown that NPC1L1 is related with the development offatty liver. Therefore, we hypothesized that NPC1L1 playsan important role in lipid-metabolism disorders and liverdisease by affecting the transcription of certain genesinvolved in lipid synthesis. To further elucidate the functionof NPC1L1, especially in the liver, we used somaticcellnuclear transfer to establish transgenic pigs thatexpressed human NPC1L1 in their livers. We investigatedsuperoxide dismutase activities and the levels of free fattyacids and malondialdehyde, a biomarker of lipid peroxidation. Superoxide dismutase activities significantlydecreased, and free fatty acid and malondialdehyde levelssignificantly increased in the NPC1L1 transgenic pigs,indicating that the overexpression of NPC1L1 in the liverresulted in severe lipid peroxidation. Our findings suggestthat NPC1L1 plays an important role in lipid-metabolismdisorders and liver disease.

Code development on steady-state thermal-hydraulic for small modular natural circulation lead-based fast reactor

Zhao, Pengcheng,Liu, Zijing,Yu, Tao,Xie, Jinsen,Chen, Zhenping,Shen, Chong Korean Nuclear Society 2020 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.52 No.12

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are attracting wide attention due to their outstanding performance, extensive studies have been carried out for lead-based fast reactors (LFRs) that cooled with Lead or Lead-bismuth (LBE), and small modular natural circulation LFR is one of the promising candidates for SMRs and LFRs development. One of the challenges for the design small modular natural circulation LFR is to master the natural circulation thermal-hydraulic performance in the reactor primary circuit, while the natural circulation characteristics is a coupled thermal-hydraulic problem of the core thermal power, the primary loop layout and the operating state of secondary cooling system etc. Thus, accurate predicting the natural circulation LFRs thermal-hydraulic features are highly required for conducting reactor operating condition evaluate and Thermal hydraulic design optimization. In this study, a thermal-hydraulic analysis code is developed for small modular natural circulation LFRs, which is based on several mathematical models for natural circulation originally. A small modular natural circulation LBE cooled fast reactor named URANUS developed by Korea is chosen to assess the code's capability. Comparisons are performed to demonstrate the accuracy of the code by the calculation results of MARS, and the key thermal-hydraulic parameters agree fairly well with the MARS ones. As a typical application case, steady-state analyses were conducted to have an assessment of thermal-hydraulic behavior under nominal condition, and several parameters affecting natural circulation were evaluated. What's more, two characteristics parameters that used to analyze natural circulation LFRs natural circulation capacity were established. The analyses show that the core thermal power, thermal center difference and flow resistance is the main factors affecting the reactor natural circulation. Improving the core thermal power, increasing the thermal center difference and decreasing the flow resistance can significantly increase the reactor mass flow rate. Characteristics parameters can be used to quickly evaluate the natural circulation capacity of natural circulation LFR under normal operating conditions.

Driving shaft fatigue optimization design of W type profile twin-screw pumps

Zhi-Jie Liu,Yu-Chong Zhao,Zhi-Qiang Gan,Dong-Lin Hui 대한기계학회 2018 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.32 No.11

Under changeable pumped medium and working environment, the twin-screw pump is prone to be broken by fatigue failures. A structure optimization design model and method of the driving shaft are presented based on response surface methodology and finite element analysis. In this model, the shaft diameter, chamfering degree and the shaft extension of the power end are selected as optimization variables, the limit values of the variables and maximal normal deformation of the spindle are considered as the constraint conditions, and the minimization of the equivalent alternating stress on the dangerous shaft section is taken as the optimization objective so as to improve the shaft fatigue reliability. The optimization results of a case show that the equivalent alternating stress on the dangerous spindle section reduces by 26.2 %, and the maximal normal deformation decreases by 25.2 % compared with the original design. In addition, the infinite life reliability and fatigue safety factors both meet the design requirements.

Associations of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in miR-146a, miR-196a, miR-149 and miR-499 with Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility

Du, Wei,Ma, Xue-Lei,Zhao, Chong,Liu, Tao,Du, Yu-Liang,Kong, Wei-Qi,Wei, Ben-Ling,Yu, Jia-Yun,Li, Yan-Yan,Huang, Jing-Wen,Li, Zi-Kang,Liu, Lei Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.2

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of endogenous small non-coding RNAs of 20-25 nucleotides in length that function as negative gene regulators. MiRNAs play roles in most biological processes, as well as diverse human diseases including cancer. Recently, many studies investigated the association between SNPs in miR-146a rs2910164, miR-196a2 rs11614913, miR-149 rs229283, miR-499 rs3746444 and colorectal cancer (CRC), which results have been inconclusive. Methodology/Principal Findings: PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI databases were searched with the last search updated on November 5, 2013. For miR-196a2 rs11614913, a significantly decreased risk of CRC development was observed under three genetic models (dominant model: OR = 0.848, 95%CI: 0.735-0.979, P = 0.025; recessive model: OR = 0.838, 95%CI: 0.721-0.974, P = 0.021; homozygous model: OR = 0.754, 95%CI: 0.627-0.907, P = 0.003). In the subgroup analyses, miR-$196a2^*T$ variant was associated with a significantly decreased susceptibility of CRC (allele model: OR = 0.839, 95%CI: 0.749-0.940, P = 0.000; dominant model: OR = 0.770, 95%CI: 0.653-0.980, P = 0.002; recessive model: OR = 0.802, 95%CI: 0.685-0.939, P = 0.006; homozygous model: OR = 0.695, 95%CI: 0.570-0.847, P = 0.000). As for miR-149 rs2292832, the two genetic models (recessive model: OR = 1.199, 95% CI 1.028-1.398, P = 0.021; heterozygous model: OR = 1.226, 95% CI 1.039-1.447, P = 0.013) demonstrated increased susceptibility to CRC. On subgroup analysis, significantly increased susceptibility of CRC was found in the genetic models (recessive model: OR = 1.180, 95% CI 1.008-1.382, P = 0.040; heterozygous model: OR = 1.202, 95% CI 1.013-1.425, P = 0.013) in the Asian group. Conclusions: These findings supported that the miR-196a2 rs11614913 and miR-149 rs2292832 polymorphisms may contribute to susceptibility to CRC.

Induction Chemotherapy Plus Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy versus Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Alone in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Children and Adolescents: A Matched Cohort Analysis

Yang Li,Lin-Quan Tang,Li-Ting Liu,Shan-Shan Guo,Yu-Jing Liang,Xue-Song Sun,Qing-Nan Tang,Jin-Xin Bei,Jing Tan,Shuai Chen,Jun Ma,Chong Zhao,Qiu-Yan Chen,Hai-Qiang Mai 대한암학회 2018 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.50 No.4

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcome and toxicity of induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) compared with CCRT alone for the treatment of children and adolescent locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LACANPC). Materials and Methods A total of 194 locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients younger than 21 years who received CCRT with or without IC before were included in the study population. Overall survival (OS) rate, progression-free survival (PFS) rate, locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rate, and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rate were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and a log-rank test. Treatment toxicities were clarified and compared between two groups. Results One hundred and thiry of 194 patients received IC+CCRT. Patients who were younger and with more advanced TNM stage were more likely to receive IC+CCRT and intensive modulated radiotherapy. The addition of IC before CCRT failed to improve survival significantly. The matched analysis identified 43 well-balanced patients in both two groups. With a median follow-up of 51.5 months, no differences were found between the IC+CCRT group and the CCRT group in 5-year OS (83.7% vs. 74.6%, p=0.153), PFS (79.2% vs. 73.4%, p=0.355), LRFS (97.7% vs. 88.2%, p=0.083), and DMFS (81.6% vs. 81.6%, p=0.860). N3 was an independent prognostic factor predicting poorer OS, PFS, and DMFS. The addition of IC was associated with increased rates of grade 3 to 4 neutropenia. Conclusion This study failed to demonstrate that adding IC before CCRT could provide a significant additional survival benefit for LACANPC patients. Further investigations are warranted.