Objective: To observe the effect of needling Hegu (LI 4) on functions of the prefrontal cortex using the functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: A total of 12 healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to an acupuncture group (n=6) and a control group (n=6). The control group received no intervention. The acupuncture group received needling Hegu (LI 4) on the right side. The real-time concentration changes of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2), deoxygenated hemoglobin (d-Hb) and total hemoglobin (t-Hb) in the prefrontal cortex were recorded using the fNIRS, allowing for effect analysis of needling Hegu (LI 4) on the functions of the prefrontal cortex. Results: Compared with the control group, the HbO2 and t-Hb concentrations were increased in the acupuncture group and there were between-group statistical significances (bothP<0.05). There was no between-group statistical significance in d-Hb concentration (P>0.05). Conclusion: Needling Hegu (LI 4) can extensively activate the prefrontal cortex and therefore has significant effect on the functions of the brain's prefrontal cortex.

OBJECTIVETo establish an immunological method for detecting antibodies of Penicillium marneffei.

METHODSThe recombinant Mp1p protein of Penicillium marneffei was expressed in Pichia pastoris and labeled with HRP (Mp1p-HRP) with a modified sodium periodate method. A double-antigen sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was established by determining the optimal coating concentration of Mp1p protein and the concentration of the detecting protein Mp1p-HRP. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay was evaluated by detecting Mp1p antibodies in 100 serum samples from healthy donors, 15 samples from culture-confirmed penicilliosis patients, and 21 samples from patients with culture-confirmed other fungal infections.

RESULTSA double-antigen sandwich ELISA was successfully established for detecting Mp1p-specific antibody. The specificity of the assay was 100% (121/121) for detecting Mp1p-specific antibody in the sera from healthy donors and patients with other fungal infection. The detection results of the 15 serum samples from patients with culture-confirmed penicilliosis showed positivity for Mp1p antibody in 2 samples and Mp1p antigen positivity in 12 samples; combining the detection results of Mp1p antigen and antibody obviously increased the diagnostic sensitivity to 93.3% (14/15).

CONCLUSIONThe double-antigen sandwich ELISA shows a high specificity in detecting Mp1p-specific antibody, and simultaneous detection of Mp1p antigen and antibody can increase the diagnostic sensitivity for penicilliosis.

Antibodies, Fungal ; blood ; immunology ; Antigens, Fungal ; blood ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Humans ; Mycoses ; blood ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Penicillium ; immunology ; Pichia ; immunology ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE： To establish a method for content determination of N-（E）-p-coumaroyltyrosine in leaves of Abrus cantoniensis， and to optimize its purification technology. METHODS： HPLC method was adopted for the content determination of N-（E）-p-coumaroyltyrosine in A. cantoniensis. The determination was performed on Hypersil BDS C18 column with mobile phase consisted of 0.1％ formic acid water （A）-methanol （B） （gradient elution） at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was set at 25 ℃. The detection wavelength was set at 300 nm， and sample size was 10 μL. Using polyamide resin as material， the yield of N-（E）-p-coumaroyltyrosine as indicators， single factor test was used to optimize the purification technology of N-（E）-p-coumaroyltyrosine， such as concentration， sample size， stationary adsorption time. RESULTS： The linear range was 2.575-51.50 μg （r＝0.999 9） for N-（E）-p-coumaroyl-tyrosine. The limit of quantification was 0.000 618 μg， and the detection limit was 0.000 129 μg. RSDs of precision， stability and reproducibility tests were all lower than 3％. The recoveries were 97.04％-102.43％ （RSD＝2.06％， n＝6）. The optimal purification technology was as follows： the concentration of the sample solution was 0.04 g /mL （by the leaves of A. cantoniensis）； sample capacity 50 mL； the sample flow rate was 1.0 mL/min； the stationary adsorption time was 20 min； the eluting solvents were ammonia containing water （containing 0.1％ acetic acid）， 20％ ethanol （containing 0.1％ acetic acid） and ammonia（pH 10）. Average yield was 98.94％，average dry paste content was 61.17 mg/g， and average dry paste purity was 19.73％ by optimal purification technology. CONCLUSIONS： Established method is simple， accurate and stable. The optimized technology is stable and feasible.

Objective To investigate the value of preoperative platelet count (Plt) in predicting prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy. Methods Clinical data of 399 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC in Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 1987 to December 1994 were analyzed retrospectively. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the ethics committee approval was received. Of the 399 patients, 356 cases were male, and 43 cases were female with age ranging from 21 to 78 years old and a median age of 48 years old. The relations between preoperative Plt and patients' gender, age, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), alpha fetal protein (AFP), cirrhosis, tumor encapsulation, tumor diameter, tumor number, vascular invasion and histological differentiation were observed. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the level of preoperative Plt:group 1 (<100×109/L, n=41), group 2 (100×109/L-300×109/L, n=321), group 3 (>300×109/L, n=37). Survival analysis of patients in 3 groups was conducted. The relations between preoperative Plt and clinicopathological parameters were compared using t test. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test. Survival prognosis was analyzed using Cox's proportional hazard model. Results Preoperative Plt was associated with HBsAg, AFP, and tumor diameter (t=2.069, 2.222,-3.911;P<0.05). The 5-, 10-, 15-year cumulative survival rates were 41.2%, 25.2%, 11.8%in group 1, 33.7%, 23.0%, 18.1%in group 2, and 11.4%, 8.6%, 5.7%in group 3 respectively. The survival rate in group 3 was signiifcantly lower than those in group 1 and group 2 (χ2=5.706, 11.361;P<0.05). Increasing preoperative Plt was an independent risk factor for postoperative prognosis. The prognosis in group 3 was poorer than those in group 1 and group 2 (HR=1.761, 1.845;P<0.05). Conclusions Increasing preoperative Plt is an independent risk factor for postoperative prognosis of patients with HCC after hepatectomy. Patients with increasing preoperative Plt have poor prognosis.

Objective To investigate the influence of portal hypertension (PHT) on the postoperative complications after hepatectomy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Clinical data of 152 HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from March 2003 to October 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the PHT and non-PHT groups. There were 76 patients in the PHT group including 62 males and 14 females, with a mean age of (49±11) years. There were 76 patients in the non-PHT group including 66 males and 10 females, with a mean age of (49±12) years. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval had been received. After hospitalization, all patients received routine examination. The incidence of postoperative complications in two groups was observed and the independent risk factors for postoperative complications were evaluated. Normally distributed data were compared using t test. Non-normally distributed data were compared using Z test. The comparison of rate was conducted using Chi-square test. Independent risk factors for the incidence of postoperative complications were analyzed by Logistic multivariate regression test. Results The incidence of postoperative complications was 42%(32/76) and the liver function-related complications was 36% (27/76) in the PHT group, and were 20% (15/76), 16% (12/76) respectively in the non-PHT group, significant difference was observed between two groups (χ2=8.901, 7.760;P<0.05). No signiifcant difference was observed in the percentage of patients with grade I-II complications between PHT group [75%(24/32)] and non-PHT group [73%(11/15)] (χ2=0.015, P>0.05). No significant difference was observed in the 90-day mortality between PHT group [7%(5/76)] and non-PHT group [3%(2/76)] (χ2=0.599, P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that PHT complication (OR=3.376, 95%CI:1.564-7.287, P<0.05) and number of tumors>2 (OR=1.984, 95%CI:1.248-3.154, P<0.05) were the independent risk factors for postoperative complications. PHT complication (OR=3.231, 95%CI:1.431-7.298, P<0.05), number of tumors>2 (OR=1.832, 95%CI:1.137-2.952, P<0.05) and intraoperative transfusion > 400 ml (OR=2.776, 95%CI: 1.123-6.864, P<0.05) were the independent risk factors for liver function-related complications. Conclusions PHT can increase the incidences of postoperative complications and liver function-related complications after hepatectomy in HCC patients and is the independent risk factor for both complications. However, PHT will not increase the severity of postoperative complications or postoperative mortality.

Objective To compare the therapeutic effects between three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ esophageal cancer and investigate the prognostic factors.Methods Medical record of 2 132 patients with stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ esophageal cancer who underwent definitive radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy in 10 hospitals from January 2002 to December 2016 from were retrospectively analyzed.Among these patients,37.9％ of them were aged ≥ 70 years,33.9％ with neck and upper esophageal tumors and 66.1％ with middle and lower esophageal and borderline tumors.The median gross tumor volume (GTV) and lymph node gross tumor volume (GTVnd) was 41.6 cm3.Among them,32％ were stage Ⅱ] and 68％ were stage Ⅲ.A total of 723 patients received 3DCRT and 1 409 cases received IMRT.Patients received an equivalent dose in 2 Gy (EQD2) ≥ 60 Gy accounted for 86.1％,and 41.1％ of them received concurrent chemoradiotherapy.Results The median follow-up time was 60.8 months.The 1-,3-and 5-year overall survival (OS) of all patients was 73.9％,41.7％ and 32.6％,and the 1-,3-and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 62.2％,37.3％ and 32％,respectively.Multivariate analysis demonstrated that age,primary tumor location,clinical stage,tumor target volume,EQD2 and concurrent chemoradiotherapy were the independent prognostic factors for OS.Age,primary tumor location,clinical stage,tumor target volume and EQD2 were the independent prognostic factors for PFS.The OS and PFS did not significantly differ among the low-risk,low-/moderate-risk,moderate-/high-risk and high-risk groups according to age≥70 years,tumor diameter＞5 cm,tumor volume ≥41.6 cm3 and stage Ⅲ (P＜0.001).After the propensity score matching (PSM) method,neither 3DCRT nor IMRT yielded significant advantages in OS or PFS (P=0.971;P=0.658).However,IMRT tended to yield survival benefits in low-risk patients (P=0.125).Conclusions Both 3DCRT and IMRT yield relatively high OS rate in patients with stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ esophageal cancer.The prognosis model established in this investigation can properly predict the survival of patients.Low-risk patients tend to obtain survival benefits from IMRT.

Objective To retrospectively analyze the effect of tumor length on the prognosis in stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients treated with definitive radiotherapy and to evaluate the role of tumor length in clinical stage for non-operative ESCC patients.Methods The data of 2 086 ESCC patients who were treated with definitive radiotherapy from 2002 to 2016 in 10 hospitals (3JECROG) were analyzed.The effect of tumor length on overall survival (OS) was analyzed and stratified analysis of tumor length was done in different stages of ESCC.Results The median OS and median progression-free survival (PFS) time of the whole group were 25.6 months and 18.2 months respectively.The Cox multivariate analysis showed that treatment moda,aga,alinical stage and tumor length were independent prognostic factors.The median,1-,3-,and 5-year OS were 28.9 months,77.3％,45.0％,and 36.3％ versus 21.9 months,69.9％,37.9％,and 28.1％ for patients with ≤ 5 cm and patients ＞ 5 cm respectively (P＜0.05).For stage Ⅱ patienta,abe median OS were 42.1 and 38.9 months respectively in ≤ 5 cm group and＞5 cm group (P=0.303).And for stage Ⅲ patienta,abe median OS were 23.9 and 19.3 months respectively in ≤5 cm group and＞5 cm group (P＜0.001).The median OS with N1was 24.1 and 18.4 montha,aespectively in ≤5 cm group and＞5 cm group (P＜0.001).Conclusions The tumor length was an independent prognostic factor for stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ patients treated definitive radiotherapy.The tumor length may be helpful in clinical staging of ESCa,aspecially for stage Ⅲ and N1.

Objective:To evaluate the survival and prognostic factors of radiotherapy in patient with Ⅳ stage esophageal squamous carcinoma treated with radiation or chemoradiation.Methods:The medical records of 608 patients with stage Ⅳ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who met the inclusion criteria in 10 medical centers in China from 2002 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The overall survival and prognostic factors of all patients at 1, 3 and 5 years were analyzed.Results:The 1-, 3-, 5- year overall survival (OS) rates was 66.7%, 29.5% and 24.3% in stage ⅣA patients, and 58.8%, 29.0% and 23.5% in stage ⅣB patients. There was no statistical difference between the two groups ( P=0.255). Univariate analysis demonstrated that the length of lesion, treatment plan, planned tumor target volume (PGTV) dose, subsequent chemotherapy, and degrees of anemia, radiation esophagitis, radiation pneumonia were related to the prognoses of patients with Ⅳ stage esophageal carcinomas after radiotherapy and chemotherapy ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PGTV dose ( OR=0.693, P=0.004), radiation esophagitis ( OR=0.867, P=0.038), and radiation pneumonia ( OR=1.181, P=0.004) were independent prognostic factors for OS. Conclusions:For patients with stage Ⅳ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, chemoradiotherapy followed by sequential chemotherapy is recommended, which can extend the total survival and improve the prognosis of the patients. PGTV dose more than 60 Gy has better efficacy.

Objective:To analyze the survival benefits and treatment related toxic effects of simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB-RT) for non-operative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients.Methods:The data of 2 132 ESCC patients who were not suitable for surgery or rejected operation, and underwent radical radiotherapy from 2002 to 2016 in 10 hospitals of Jing-Jin-Ji Esophageal and Esophagogastric Cancer Radiotherapy Oncology Group (3JECROG) were analyzed. Among them, 518 (24.3%) cases underwent SIB (SIB group) and 1 614 (75.7%) cases did not receive SIB (No-SIB group). The two groups were matched with 1∶2 according to propensity score matching (PSM) method (caliper value=0.02). After PSM, 515 patients in SIB group and 977 patients in No-SIB group were enrolled. Prognosis and treatment related adverse effects of these two groups were compared and the independent prognostic factor were analyzed.Results:The median follow-up time was 61.7 months. Prior to PSM, the 1-, 3-, and 5-years overall survival (OS) rates of SIB group were 72.2%, 42.8%, 35.5%, while of No-SIB group were 74.3%, 41.4%, 31.9%, respectively ( P=0.549). After PSM, the 1-, 3-, and 5-years OS rates of the two groups were 72.5%, 43.4%, 36.4% and 75.3%, 41.7%, 31.6%, respectively ( P=0.690). The univariate survival analysis of samples after PSM showed that the lesion location, length, T stage, N stage, TNM stage, simultaneous chemoradiotherapy, gross tumor volume (GTV) and underwent SIB-RT or not were significantly associated with the prognosis of advanced esophageal carcinoma patients who underwent radical radiotherapy ( P<0.05). Cox model multivariate regression analysis showed lesion location, TNM stage, GTV and simultaneous chemoradiotherapy were independent prognostic factors of advanced esophageal carcinoma patients who underwent radical radiotherapy ( P<0.05). Stratified analysis showed that, in the patients whose GTV volume≤50 cm 3, the median survival time of SIB and No-SIB group was 34.7 and 30.3 months ( P=0.155), respectively. In the patients whose GTV volume>50 cm 3, the median survival time of SIB and No-SIB group was 16.1 and 20.1 months ( P=0.218). The incidence of radiation esophagitis and radiation pneumonitis above Grade 3 in SIB group were 4.3% and 2.5%, significantly lower than 13.1% and 11% of No-SIB group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:The survival benefit of SIB-RT in patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma is not inferior to non-SIB-RT, but without more adverse reactions, and shortens the treatment time. SIB-RT can be used as one option of the radical radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between-590C/T polymorphisms of interleukin-4 gene and periodontitis by meta-analysis. Methods: Databases including PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP, were searched from their establishment to December 31, 2016. Only case-control studies on the association between -590C/ T polymorphisms of interleukin-4 gene and periodontitis were selected, and the references of those selected studies were searched by hand. Assessment and data extraction were conducted by 2 reviewers independently, and the meta-analysis was performed with the R 3.3.1 software. Results : The meta-analysis showed that there was no association between the IL-4-590C/T polymorphism and periodontitis susceptibility (T vs C: OR=1.19, 95%CI=0.81~1.76, P =0.37). Subgroup analysis showed that the IL-4 -590 TT was associated with periodontitis in Caucasians (TT vs CT: OR=1.75, 95%CI=1.10 ~ 2.78, P = 0.02), but no significant association in Asians (P =0.63). Meanwhile, IL-4 gene polymorphisms were not significantly associated with the susceptibility of chronic periodontitis (CP) or aggressive periodontitis (AgP) ( e. g. T vs C, CP: P=0.45; AgP: P =0.45). Conclusion Based on current evidence, the polymorphisms of IL-4-590C/T are associated with the increased risk of periodontitis in Caucasians.