Lymph Node Ratio is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Node Positive Rectal Cancer Patients Treated with Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Curative Resection

Zeng, Wei-Gen,Zhou, Zhi-Xiang,Wang, Zheng,Liang, Jian-Wei,Hou, Hui-Rong,Zhou, Hai-Tao,Zhang, Xing-Mao,Hu, Jun-Jie Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.13

Background: The lymph node ratio (LNR) has been shown to be an important prognostic factor for colorectal cancer. However, studies focusing on the prognostic impact of LNR in rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by curative resection have been limited. The aim of this study was to investigate LNR in rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by curative resection. Materials and Methods: A total of 131 consecutive rectal cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant CRT and total mesorectal excision were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the LNR (${\leq}0.2$ [n=86], >0.2 [n=45]) to evaluate the prognostic effect on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results: The median number of retrieved and metastatic lymph node (LN) was 14 (range 1-48) and 2 (range 1-10), respectively. The median LNR was 0.154 (range 0.04-1.0). In multivariate analysis, LNR was shown to be an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival (hazard ratio[HR]=3.778; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.741-8.198; p=0.001) and disease-free survival (HR=3.637; 95%CI 1.838-7.195; p<0.001). Increased LNR was significantly associated with worse OS and DFS in patients with <12 harvested LNs, and as well as in those ${\geq}12$ harvested LNs (p<0.05). In addition, LNR had a prognostic impact on both OS and DFS in patients with N1 staging (p<0.001). Conclusions: LNR is an independent prognostic factor in ypN-positive rectal cancer patients, both in patients with <12 harvested LNs, and as well as in those ${\geq}12$ harvested LNs. LNR provides better prognostic value than pN staging. Therefore, it should be used as an additional prognostic indicator in ypN-positive rectal cancer patients.

A Two-stage State Transition Algorithm for Constrained Engineering Optimization Problems

Jie Han,Chun-hua Yang,Xiaojun Zhou,Wei-Hua Gui 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2018 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.16 No.2

In this study, a state transition algorithm (STA) is investigated into constrained engineering design optimization problems. After an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of two well-known constraint-handling techniques, penalty function method and feasibility preference method, a two-stage strategy is incorporated into STA, in which, the feasibility preference method is adopted in the early stage of an iteration process whilst it is changed to the penalty function method in the later stage. Then, the proposed STA is used to solve three benchmark problems in engineering design and an optimization problem in power-dispatching control system for the electrochemical process of zinc. The experimental results have shown that the optimal solutions obtained by the proposed method are all superior to those by typical approaches in the literature in terms of both convergency and precision.

Quantitative Investigation into the Relation between Force Chains and Stress Transmission During High-Velocity Compaction of Powder

Wei Zhang,Jian Zhou,Xue-Jie Zhang,Kun Liu 한국물리학회 2019 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.74 No.7

High-velocity compaction (HVC), an innovative approach to obtain green compacts with high and uniform density, is widely used in the powder metallurgy industry. In this study, meso force chains, macro stress transmission, and their relation were investigated using the discrete element method. The simulation details of HVC and the quantitative characterization of force chains and stress transmission were shown. Then, the relation between force chains and stress was investigated. The evolution of force chains showed the same change tendency as the stress distribution. They evolved from top to bottom and then reflected backwards in HVC while they did not show this trend in conventional compaction. The strength of the force chains maintained good consistency with the stress magnitude. Meanwhile, the length of the force chains presented a negative correlation with the stress magnitude, and high stress may cause new force chains to shorten. The average collimation coefficient was affected by the transmission of stress, and the short force chains had better straightness. Furthermore, force chains parallel to the direction of gravity were observed in the region with no stress concentration. The directional coefficient of force chains also had the same fluctuation trend as the variation in the principal stress angle.

Prognostic Values of Various Clinical Factors and Genetic Subtypes for Diffuse Large B-cell lymphoma Patients: A Retrospective Analysis of 227 Cases

Zhou, De,Xie, Wan-Zhuo,Hu, Ke-Yue,Huang, Wei-Jia,Wei, Guo-Qing,He, Jing-Song,Shi, Ji-Min,Luo, Yi,Li, Li,Zhu, Jing-Jing,Zhang, Jie,Lin, Mao-Fang,Ye, Xiu-Jin,Cai, Zhen,Huang, He Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.2

Aim: To analyze the significance of different clinical factors for prognostic prediction in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-seven DLBCL patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were managed with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) regimen or rituximab plus the CHOP (RCHOP) regimen. Results: Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ${\beta}2$-microglobulin (${\beta}2$-M), B symptoms, Ann Arbor stage and genetic subtypes were statistically relevant in predicting the prognosis of the overall survival (OS). In the CHOP group, the OS in patients with germinal center B-cell-like (GCB)(76.2%) was significantly higher than that of the non-GCB group (51.9%, P=0.032). With RCHOP management, there was no statistical difference in OS between the GCB (88.4%) and non-GCB groups (81.9%, P=0.288). Conclusion: Elevated LDH and ${\beta}2$-M levels, positive B symptoms, Ann Arbor stage III/IV, and primary nodal lymphoma indicate an unfavorable prognosis of DLBCL patients. Patients with GCB-like DLBCL have a better prognosis than those with non-GCB when treated with the CHOP regimen. The RCHOP treatment with the addition of rituximab can improve the prognosis of patients with DLBCL.

Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Urapidil for Older Hypertensive Patients with Acute Heart Failure: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Wei Yang,Qi Hua,Yu-Jie Zhou,Yan Fu,Jian Qin,Shu Qin,Xiao-Min Chen,Jin-Cheng Guo,De-Zhao Wang,Hong Zhan,Jing Li,Jing-Yu He 연세대학교의과대학 2017 Yonsei medical journal Vol.58 No.1

Purpose: Urapidil is putatively effective for patients with hypertension and acute heart failure, although randomized controlled trials thereon are lacking. We investigated the efficacy and safety of intravenous urapidil relative to that of nitroglycerin in older patients with hypertension and heart failure in a randomized controlled trial. Materials and Methods: Patients (>60 y) with hypertension and heart failure were randomly assigned to receive intravenous urapidil (n=89) or nitroglycerin (n=91) for 7 days. Hemodynamic parameters, cardiac function, and safety outcomes were compared. Results: Patients in the urapidil group had significantly lower mean systolic blood pressure (110.1±6.5 mm Hg) than those given nitroglycerin (126.4±8.1 mm Hg, p=0.022), without changes in heart rate. Urapidil was associated with improved cardiac function as reflected by lower N terminal-pro B type natriuretic peptide after 7 days (3311.4±546.1 ng/mL vs. 4879.1±325.7 ng/mL, p=0.027) and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (62.2±3.4% vs. 51.0±2.4%, p=0.032). Patients given urapidil had fewer associatedadverse events, specifically headache (p=0.025) and tachycardia (p=0.004). The one-month rehospitalization and all-cause mortality rates were similar. Conclusion: Intravenous administration of urapidil, compared with nitroglycerin, was associated with better control of blood pressure and preserved cardiac function, as well as fewer adverse events, for elderly patients with hypertension and acute heart failure.

The Intrinsic Relation between the Hydrogel Structure and In Vivo Performance of Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers: A Comparative Study of Four Typical Dermal Fillers

Zhou Weiwei,Hou Shuai,Deng Shu,Peng Yang,Fu Wei,Zhou Yang,Yang Jie,Peng Cheng 한국조직공학과 재생의학회 2023 조직공학과 재생의학 Vol.20 No.3

BACKGROUND: Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are composed of cross-linked viscoelastic particles with high biocompatibility. The performance of the fillers is determined by the viscoelastic properties of particles and the connecting force between particles. However, the relationships among the properties of fillers, the interaction of the gels and the surrounding tissue are not clear enough. METHOD: Four kinds of typical dermal filler were selected in this research to reveal the interaction between the gels and cells. A series of analytical tools was applied to characterize the structure and physicochemical properties of the gel, as well as observing their interaction with the surrounding tissues in vivo and discussing their internal mechanism. RESULT: The large particles internal the gel and the high rheological properties endow the Restylane2 with excellent support. However, these large-size particles have a significant impact on the metabolism of the local tissue surrounding the gel. Juve´derm3 present gel integrity with the high cohesiveness and superior support. The rational matching of large and small particles provides the Juve´derm3 with supporting capacity and excellent biological performance. Ifresh is characterized by small-size particles, moderate cohesiveness, good integrity, lower viscoelasticity and the superior cellular activity located the surrounding tissues. Cryohyaluron has high cohesion and medium particle size and it is prominent in cell behaviors involving localized tissues. Specific macroporous structure in the gel may facilitate the nutrients delivering and removing the waste. CONCLUSION: It’s necessary to make the filler both sufficient support and biocompatibility through the rational matching of particle sizes and rheological properties. Gels with macroporous structured particle showed an advantage in this area by providing a space inside the particle.

INTERFERENCE ANALYSIS OF MACRO/MICROCELLULAR CDMA WITH TILT ANTENNA IN SHADOW FADING CHANNELS

Wei Zhao,Jie Zhou,Jian Meng 대한전자공학회 2006 ITC-CSCC :International Technical Conference on Ci Vol.2006 No.2

A transcription factor TaTCP20 regulates the expression of Ppd-D1b in common wheat

Wei Fan,Song Tianqi,Zhou Jianfei,Cheng Jie,Li Ruibo,Yu Ming,Zhang Yunrui,Yu-Yang Song,Zhang Bo,Zhang Xiaoke 한국식물생명공학회 2021 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.15 No.3

Photoperiod (Ppd) genes play an important role in the adaptation of wheat to the ecological environment. However, the transcriptional regulation mechanism of photoperiodic genes has remained elusive. This study isolated a full-length promoter of Ppd-D1b (2518 bp) from the common wheat genome. Several essential core cis-acting elements and numerous light-responsive cis-acting regulatory elements were identifed in Ppd-D1b promoter by the in-silico analysis. Ten 5’-deleted length fragments of the Ppd-D1b promoter fused with GUS were constructed and named D0 ~D9, then transferred them into Arabidopsis thaliana. GUS gene driven by full-length (D0) in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana showed the same rhythm with Ppd-D1b in wheat under short-day conditions (SDs, 8-h light/16-h dark). The expression of GUS gene in D0 reached its peak at 3 h after dawn, then decreased to the lowest and remained stable. Analysis of the series of 5’-deleted fragments showed that at 3 h after dawn, GUS gene expression activity decreased signifcantly in D7a due to removal of CHEBS (CCA1 HIKING EXPEDITION binding site). Moreover, yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase (dual-LUC) assays revealed that TaTCP20 could bind to the Ppd-D1b promoter to increase its transcriptional activity. This study revealed a transcription factor, TaTCP20, which activated Ppd-D1b by binding to CHEBS, provided a foundation for the theoretical research on wheat’s photoperiodic response mechanism.

Biosafety assessments of hexafluoropropylene trimer derivative as a fluorinated cooling fluid for electronics

Zhou Yi-Tong,Zhang Pei-Jie,Wang Shu-Ping,Li Chang-Hao,Zhang Jia-Qing,Zhang Wei-Xin,Zhao Yuan-Di,Cao Yuan-Cheng,Fan Jin-Xuan 한국독성학회 2024 Toxicological Research Vol.40 No.3

The Internet Data Center (IDC) is one of the most important infrastructures in the field of information technology. The cooling system for heat dissipation of IDC is indispensable due to it generates a large amount of heat during its calculation process, which may potentially harm its normal operation. Electronic fluorinated fluids have been widely used in cooling systems of IDC with stable physical and chemical properties. However, the biological toxicity of electronic fluorinated fluids has not been fully evaluated and there is a lack of unified safety standards, which may pose potential risks to the environment and human health. Here, hexafluoropropylene terpolymer (HFPT) as an example has been systematically studied, fully considering the application scenarios of data centers. Also, the emergency effects of fluorinated coolants in mammalian models from the perspectives of inhalation, skin contact, accidental entry into eyes, accidental ingestion, and chronic toxicity, are evaluated. Multiple in vivo experiments have proven that HFPT not only has stable physical and chemical properties, that can maintain the safe operation of IDC, but also has low physiological toxicity to mammals and can provide health benefits to data center staff and the assurance of surrounding environment. This study proves the good biological safety of electronic fluorinated fluids and provides a reference for environmental assessment and risk management of liquid cooling technology in IDC.

Comprehensive Assessment of Associations between ERCC2 Lys751Gln/Asp312Asn Polymorphisms and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Zhou, Jue-Yu,He, Li-Wen,Liu, Jie,Yu, Hai-Lang,Wei, Min,Ma, Wen-Li,Shi, Rong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.21

Background: Excision repair crossing-complementing group 2 (ERCC2), also called xeroderma pigmentosum complementary group D (XPD), plays a crucial role in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. Previous epidemiological studies have reported associations between ERCC2 polymorphisms and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) risk, but the results have remained controversial. Materials and Methods: We conducted this meta-analysis based on eligible case-control studies to investigate the role of two ERCC2 polymorphisms (Lys751Gln and Asp312Asn) in determining susceptibility to NHL. Ten case-control studies from several electronic databases were included in our study up to August 14, 2014. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using fixed- or random-effects models to estimate the association strength. Results: The combined results based on all studies did not show any association between Lys751Gln/Asp312Asn polymorphisms and NHL risk for all genetic models. Stratified analyses by histological subtype and ethnicity did not indicate any significant association between Lys751Gln polymorphism and NHL risk. However, a significant reduced risk of NHL was found among population-based studies (Lys/Gln versus Lys/Lys: OR=0.87, 95% CI=0.77-0.99, P=0.037) but not hospital-based studies. As for Asp312Asn polymorphism, there was no evidence for the association between this polymorphism and the risk of NHL in all subgroup analyses. Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests that there may be no association between Lys751Gln/Asp312Asn polymorphism and the risk of NHL and its two subtypes, whereas ERCC2 Lys751Gln heterozygote genotype may provide protective effects against the risk of NHL in population-based studies. Therefore, large-scale and well-designed studies are needed to clarify the effects of haplotypes, gene-gene, and gene-environment interactions on these polymorphisms and the risk of NHL and its different histological subtypes in an ethnicity specific population.