Neutrophil Count and the Inflammation-based Glasgow Prognostic Score Predict Survival in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer Receiving First-line Chemotherapy

Li, Qing-Qing,Lu, Zhi-Hao,Yang, Li,Lu, Ming,Zhang, Xiao-Tian,Li, Jian,Zhou, Jun,Wang, Xi-Cheng,Gong, Ji-Fang,Gao, Jing,Li, Jie,Li, Yan,Shen, Lin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.2

Purpose: To explore the value of systemic inflammatory markers as independent prognostic factors and the extent these markers improve prognostic classification for patients with inoperable advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC) receiving palliative chemotherapy. Methods: We studied the prognostic value of systemic inflammatory factors such as circulating white blood cell count and its components as well as that combined to form inflammation-based prognostic scores (Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Prognostic Index (PI) and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI)) in 384 patients with inoperable advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC) receiving first-line chemotherapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the impact of inflammatory markers on overall survival (OS). Results: Univariate analysis revealed that an elevated white blood cell, neutrophil and/or platelet count, a decreased lymphocyte count, a low serum albumin concentration, and high CRP concentration, as well as elevated NLR/PLR, GPS, PI, PNI were significant predictors of shorter OS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only elevated neutrophil count (HR 3.696, p=0.003) and higher GPS (HR 1.621, p=0.01) were independent predictors of poor OS. Conclusion: This study demonstrated elevated pretreatment neutrophil count and high GPS to be independent predictors of shorter OS in inoperable advanced or metastatic GC patients treated with first-line chemotherapy. Upon validation of these data in independent studies, stratification of patients using these markers in future clinical trials is recommended.

Control Strategy and Characteristic Analysis of Hybrid Active Power Filters with the Resonant Impedance Principle

Fang, Lu,Xu, Xian-Yong,Luo, An,Li, Yan,Tu, Chun-Ming,Fang, Hou-Hui The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2012 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.12 No.6

A new kind of resonant impedance type hybrid active filter (RITHAF) is proposed for dynamic harmonic current suppression and high capacity reactive compensation in medium and high voltage systems. This paper analyzed the different performance of the RITHAF when the active part of the RITHAF is controlled as a current source and as a voltage source, respectively. The harmonic suppression function is defined in this paper. The influences of the changes caused by the grid impedance and the detuning of the passive power filter on the compensating characteristics of the RITHAF are studied by analyzing the suppression function. Simulation and industrial application results show that the RITHAF has excellent performances in harmonic suppression and reactive compensation, which is suitable for medium and high voltage systems.

Weight Loss Correlates with Macrophage Inhibitory Cytokine-1 Expression and Might Influence Outcome in Patients with Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Lu, Zhi-Hao,Yang, Li,Yu, Jing-Wei,Lu, Ming,Li, Jian,Zhou, Jun,Wang, Xi-Cheng,Gong, Ji-Fang,Gao, Jing,Zhang, Xiao-Tian,Li, Jie,Li, Yan,Shen, Lin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.15

Background: Weight loss during chemotherapy has not been exclusively investigated. Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1) might play a role in its etiology. Here, we investigated the prognostic value of weight loss before chemotherapy and its relationship with MIC-1 concentration and its occurrence during chemotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Materials and Methods: We analyzed 157 inoperable locally advanced or metastatic ESCC patients receiving first-line chemotherapy. Serum MIC-1 concentrations were assessed before chemotherapy. Patients were assigned into two groups according to their weight loss before or during chemotherapy:>5% weight loss group and ${\leq}5%$ weight loss group. Results: Patients with weight loss>5% before chemotherapy had shorter progression-free survival period (5.8 months vs. 8.7 months; p=0.027) and overall survival (10.8 months vs. 20.0 months; p=0.010). Patients with weight loss >5% during chemotherapy tended to have shorter progression-free survival (6.0 months vs. 8.1 months; p=0.062) and overall survival (8.6 months vs. 18.0 months; p=0.022), and if weight loss was reversed during chemotherapy, survival rates improved. Furthermore, serum MIC-1 concentration was closely related to weight loss before chemotherapy (p=0.001) Conclusions: Weight loss both before and during chemotherapy predicted poor outcome in advanced ESCC patients, and MIC-1 might be involved in the development of weight loss in such patients.

Potassium Acetate Blocks Clostridium difficile Toxin A-Induced Microtubule Disassembly by Directly Inhibiting Histone Deacetylase 6, Thereby Ameliorating Inflammatory Responses in the Gut

( Li Fang Lu ),( Dae Hong Kim ),( Ik Hwan Lee ),( Ji Hong ),( Peng Zhang ),( I Na Yoon ),( Jae Sam Hwang ),( Ho Kim ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.4

Clostridium difficile toxin A is known to cause deacetylation of tubulin proteins, which blocks microtubule formation and triggers barrier dysfunction in the gut. Based on our previous finding that the Clostridium difficile toxin A-dependent activation of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC-6) is responsible for tubulin deacetylation and subsequent microtubule disassembly, we herein examined the possible effect of potassium acetate (PA; whose acetyl group prevents the binding of tubulin to HDAC-6) as a competitive/false substrate. Our results revealed that PA inhibited toxin A-induced deacetylation of tubulin and recovered toxin A-induced microtubule disassembly. In addition, PA treatment significantly decreased the production of IL-6 (a marker of inflamed tissue) in the toxin A-induced mouse enteritis model. An in vitro HDAC assay revealed that PA directly inhibited HDAC-6-mediated tubulin deacetylation, indicating that PA acted as a false substrate for HDAC-6. These results collectively indicate that PA treatment inhibits HDAC-6, thereby reducing the cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses caused by C. difficile toxin A.

Chemical and bioactive comparison of flowers of Panax ginseng Meyer, Panax quinquefolius L., and Panax notoginseng Burk

Fang Li,Chongning Lv,Qiao Li,Jing Wang,Dan Song,Pengpeng Liu,Dandan Zhang,Jincai Lu 고려인삼학회 2017 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.41 No.4

Background: Although flowers of Panax ginseng Meyer (FPG), Panax quinquefolius L. (FPQ), and Panax notoginseng Burk. (FPN) have been historically used as bothmedicine and food, each is used differently in practice. Methods: To investigate the connection between components and enhancing immunity activity of FPG, FPQ, and FPN, a method based on a rapid LC coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight MS and immunomodulatory activity study evaluated by a carbon clearance test were combined. Results: According to quantitative results, the ratio of the total content of protopanaxatiol-type ginsenosides to protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides in FPN was 0, but ranged from 1.10 to 1.32 and from 0.23 to 0.35 in FPG and FPQ, respectively. The ratio of the total content of neutral ginsenosides to the corresponding malonyl-ginsenosides in FPN (5.52 1.33%) was higher than FPG (3.2 0.64%) and FPQ(2.39 0.57%). The colorimetric analysis showed the content of total ginsenosides in FPQ, FPG, and FPN to be 13.75 0.60%, 17.45 0.42%, and 12.45 1.77%, respectively. The carbon clearance assay indicated that the phagocytic activity of FPG and FPQ was higher than that of FPN. A clear discrimination among FPG, FPQ, and FPN was observed in the principal component analysis score plots. Seven compounds were confirmed to contribute strongly by loading plots, which may be the cause of differences in efficacy. Conclusion: This study provides basic information about the chemical and bioactive comparison of FPG, FPQ, and FPN, indicating that protopanaxtriol-type ginsenosides and malonyl-ginsenosides may play a key role in their enhancing immunity properties.

Chemical and bioactive comparison of flowers of Panax ginseng Meyer, Panax quinquefolius L., and Panax notoginseng Burk.

Li, Fang,Lv, Chongning,Li, Qiao,Wang, Jing,Song, Dan,Liu, Pengpeng,Zhang, Dandan,Lu, Jincai The Korean Society of Ginseng 2017 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.41 No.4

Background: Although flowers of Panax ginseng Meyer (FPG), Panax quinquefolius L. (FPQ), and Panax notoginseng Burk. (FPN) have been historically used as both medicine and food, each is used differently in practice. Methods: To investigate the connection between components and enhancing immunity activity of FPG, FPQ, and FPN, a method based on a rapid LC coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight MS and immunomodulatory activity study evaluated by a carbon clearance test were combined. Results: According to quantitative results, the ratio of the total content of protopanaxatiol-type ginsenosides to protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides in FPN was 0, but ranged from 1.10 to 1.32 and from 0.23 to 0.35 in FPG and FPQ, respectively. The ratio of the total content of neutral ginsenosides to the corresponding malonyl-ginsenosides in FPN ($5.52{\pm}1.33%$) was higher than FPG ($3.2{\pm}0.64%$) and FPQ ($2.39{\pm}0.57%$). The colorimetric analysis showed the content of total ginsenosides in FPQ, FPG, and FPN to be $13.75{\pm}0.60%$, $17.45{\pm}0.42%$, and $12.45{\pm}1.77%$, respectively. The carbon clearance assay indicated that the phagocytic activity of FPG and FPQ was higher than that of FPN. A clear discrimination among FPG, FPQ, and FPN was observed in the principal component analysis score plots. Seven compounds were confirmed to contribute strongly by loading plots, which may be the cause of differences in efficacy. Conclusion: This study provides basic information about the chemical and bioactive comparison of FPG, FPQ, and FPN, indicating that protopanaxtriol-type ginsenosides and malonyl-ginsenosides may play a key role in their enhancing immunity properties.

Development of a Molecular Marker for Fruiting Body Pattern in Auricularia auricula-judae

( Fang-jie Yao ),( Li-xin Lu ),( Peng Wang ),( Ming Fang ),( You-min Zhang ),( Ying Chen ),( Wei-tong Zhang ),( Xiang-hui Kong ),( Jia Lu ),( Yoichi Honda ) 한국균학회 2018 Mycobiology Vol.46 No.1

The fruiting body pattern is an important agronomic trait of the edible fungus Auricularia auricula-judae, and an important breeding target. There are two types of fruiting body pattern: the cluster type and the chrysanthemum type. We identified the fruiting body pattern of 26 test strains, and then constructed two different near-isogenic pools. Then, we developed sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) molecular markers associated with the fruiting body pattern based on sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Ten different bands (189-522 bp) were amplified using 153 pairs of SRAP primers. The SCAR marker “SCL-18” consisted of a single 522-bp band amplified from the cluster-type strains, but not the chrysanthemum strains. This SCAR marker was closely associated with the cluster- type fruiting body trait of A. auricula-judae. These results lay the foundation for further research to locate and clone genes controlling the fruiting body pattern of A. auricula-judae.

Construction of a genetic linkage map and QTL mapping of agronomic traits in Auricularia auricula-judae

Li-Xin Lu,Fang-Jie Yao,Peng Wang,Ming Fang,You-Min Zhang,Wei-Tong Zhang,Xiang-Hui Kong,Jia Lu 한국미생물학회 2017 The journal of microbiology Vol.55 No.10

Auricularia auricula-judae is a traditional edible fungus that is cultivated widely in China. In this study, a genetic linkage map for A. auricula-judae was constructed using a mapping population consisting of 138 monokaryons derived from a hybrid strain (A119-5). The monokaryotic parent strains A14-5 and A18-119 were derived from two cultivated varieties, A14 (Qihei No. 1) and A18 (Qihei No. 2), respectively. In total, 130 simple sequence repeat markers were mapped. These markers were developed using the whole genome sequence of A. auricula-judae and amplified in A14-5, A18- 119, and the mapping population. The map consisted of 11 linkage groups (LGs) spanning 854 cM, with an average interval length of 6.57 cM. A testcross population was derived from crossing between the monokaryon A184-57 (from the wild strain A184 as a tester strain) and the mapping population. Important agronomic trait-related QTLs, including mycelium growth rate on potato dextrose agar for the mapping population, mycelium growth rate on potato dextrose agar and sawdust for the testcross population, growth period (days from inoculation to fruiting body harvesting), and yield for the testcross population, were identified using the composite interval mapping method. Six mycelium growth raterelated QTLs were identified on LG1 and LG4, two growth period-related QTLs were identified on LG2, and three yieldrelated QTLs were identified on LG2 and LG6. The results showed no linkage relationship between mycelium growth rate and growth period. The present study provides a foundation for locating genes for important agronomic characteristics in A. auricula-judae in the future.

Control Strategy and Characteristic Analysis of Hybrid Active Power Filters with the Resonant Impedance Principle

Lu Fang,Xian-yong Xu,An Luo,Yan Li,Chun-ming Tu,Hou-hui Fang 전력전자학회 2012 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.12 No.6

A new kind of resonant impedance type hybrid active filter (RITHAF) is proposed for dynamic harmonic current suppression and high capacity reactive compensation in medium and high voltage systems. This paper analyzed the different performance of the RITHAF when the active part of the RITHAF is controlled as a current source and as a voltage source, respectively. The harmonic suppression function is defined in this paper. The influences of the changes caused by the grid impedance and the detuning of the passive power filter on the compensating characteristics of the RITHAF are studied by analyzing the suppression function. Simulation and industrial application results show that the RITHAF has excellent performances in harmonic suppression and reactive compensation, which is suitable for medium and high voltage systems.

Microwave-assisted Approach for the Rapid Enzymatic Digestion of Rapeseed Meal

Ju-Fang Li,Fang Wei,Lu-Lu Guo,Gang-You Yuan,Feng-Hong Huang,Mu-Lan Jiang,Yuan-Di Zhao,Xu-Yan Dong,Guang-Ming Li,Hong Chen 한국식품과학회 2010 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.19 No.2

This study demonstrates the use of a new microwave-assisted approach for accelerating the enzymatic digestion of rapeseed meal. The effects of different microwave parameters, such as the time, temperature, and power level, on the degree of hydrolysis (DH) were investigated by using response surface methodology (RSM). The maximum predicted DH value (10.2%) was in good agreement with the value obtained experimentally using an alkaline protease, which was 12.57% under optimal conditions. In only 7 min, the microwave-assisted method achieved a DH value similar to that obtained by the conventional enzymatic digestion method (4 hr). Therefore,this new technique for rapid enzymatic digestion will improve the application of rapeseed meal in the preparation of protein hydrolysates for use in food and feed.