ObjectiveTo establish a UHPLC-MS/MS quantitative method for the determination of glucuronic acid， tartaric acid， glycolic acid， malic acid， lactic acid， citric acid， DL-2-hydroxybutyric acid sodium， mandelic acid， benzilic acid， hydroxycaprylic acid， lactobionic acid， gluconic acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid in cosmetics. MethodsSamples were prepared by ultrasonic extraction， cleansed by precipitating reagent and followed by high-speed centrifugation of the extraction solution. The supernatant was filtered by 0.22 μm Millipore filter. The continued filtrate was taken for analysis. A reversed phase column， Poroshell 120 EC-C₁₈ （2.7 μm， 4.6 mm×1 000 mm） was used with 0.1% formic acid buffer and acetonitrile as the mobile phase under the condition of gradient elution. The analytes were detected with electrospray ionization source in negative ion mode （ESI^-） and multiple reactions monitoring （MRM）， and quantified by external standard curve. ResultsThe method showed a good linearity of glucuronic acid， tartaric acid， malic acid， DL-2-hydroxybutyric acid sodium， benzilic acid， hydroxycaprylic acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid within the concentration range of 50.0‒2 000.0 μg·L^-1 （r>0.995）. The method showed a good linearity of glycolic acid， lactic acid， citric acid and mandelic acid within the concentration range of 100.0‒5 000.0 μg·L^-1 （r>0.995）. The method showed a good linearity of lactobionic acid and gluconic acid within the concentration range of 50.0‒5 000.0 μg·L^-1 （r>0.995）. The recoveries were in the range of 92.3%‒114.1%； the relative standard deviations （RSD） were in the range of 0.9%‒6.0% （n=3）. The detection limits of glucuronic acid， tartaric acid， malic acid， citric acid， DL-2-hydroxybutyric acid sodium， mandelic acid， benzilic acid， hydroxycaprylic acid， lactobionic acid， gluconic acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid were 0.003% while the detection limits of glycolic acid， lactic acid and mandelic acid were 0.006%. In 10 batches of commercially available cosmetics， eight batches showed positive result. ConclusionThe UHPLC-MS/MS method is efficient， sensitive and accurate and is applicable to the determination of 13 α-hydroxy acidic components in cosmetics.

We conducted a prospective study to assess the non-inferiority of adjuvant chemotherapy alone versus adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) as an alternative strategy for patients with early-stage (FIGO 2009 stage IB-IIA) cervical cancer having risk factors after surgery. The condition was assessed in terms of prognosis, adverse effects, and quality of life. This randomized trial involved nine centers across China. Eligible patients were randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy or CCRT after surgery. The primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS). From December 2012 to December 2014, 337 patients were subjected to randomization. Final analysis included 329 patients, including 165 in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 164 in the adjuvant CCRT group. The median follow-up was 72.1 months. The three-year PFS rates were both 91.9%, and the five-year OS was 90.6% versus 90.0% in adjuvant chemotherapy and CCRT groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the PFS or OS between groups. The adjusted HR for PFS was 0.854 (95% confidence interval 0.415-1.757; P = 0.667) favoring adjuvant chemotherapy, excluding the predefined non-inferiority boundary of 1.9. The chemotherapy group showed a tendency toward good quality of life. In comparison with post-operative adjuvant CCRT, adjuvant chemotherapy treatment showed non-inferior efficacy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer having pathological risk factors. Adjuvant chemotherapy alone is a favorable alternative post-operative treatment.
Female ; Humans ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Neoplasm Staging ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant/adverse effects* ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a malignant digestive tract tumor with poor prognosis. Most of patients with PC are insensitive to traditional strategies of chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. PC with microsatellite instability-high/deficient mismatch repair (MSI-H/dMMR) is rare in clinic, which has distinctive clinicopathological characteristics and better prognosis from conventional PC. Reasonable acquisition of pancreatic tumor biopsy and accurate assessment of MSI-H/dMMR status are helpful for accurate diagnosis of such patients. Individualized treatment strategy based on immunotherapy can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with MSI-H/dMMR PC. Based on relevant literatures of domestic and foreign, the authors discuss the current status and research hotspots of diagnosis and treatment for MSI-H/dMMR PC.

The facultative anaerobic and strict anaerobic microorganisms enriched and acclimated during the anaerobic digestion process are crucial for the efficiency of the anaerobic digestion system. Most of the problems encountered during running anaerobic digestion processes could be effectively improved via stimulation of microbial metabolic activity. Benefited from the rapid development of microbiome techniques, deeper insights into the microbial diversity in anaerobic digestion systems, e.g. the microbe-microbe interactions and microbe-environment interactions, have been gained. A complex and intricate metabolic network exists in the anaerobic digestion system of solid organic wastes. However, little is known about these interactions and the underlying mechanisms. This review briefly summarized the representative interactions between microbial communities during anaerobic digestion process discovered to date. In addition, typical issues encountered during the anaerobic digestion of solid organic wastes and how microbes can tackle and alleviate these issues were discussed. Finally, future priorities on microbiome research were proposed based on present contribution of microbiome analysis in anaerobic digestion system.
Anaerobiosis ; Bioreactors ; Methane ; Microbial Interactions ; Microbiota ; Solid Waste

Objective To investigate the risk factors and MRA manifests in the patients with cortical wa-tershed infarcts(CWSI)or internal watershed infarcts(IWSI).Methods We collected the patients with acute wa-tershed infarcts in our hospital from January 2013 to April 2016.According to the Bogousslavsky classification stan-dard,the patients were divided into two groups:CWSI and IWSI. The two groups were compared in terms of risk factors and MRA manifests. Results We included 36 CWSI and 11 IWSI patients in the study.There were signifi-cant differences in smoke,diabetes mellitus,fasting blood glucose levels and carotid atherosclerotic plaque be-tween the two groups,and so it was with the stenosis of ICA,MCA,ACA,PCA,VA and BA:The stenosis of ICA in the CWSI group was more serious than in the IWSI group,but the stenosis of MCA,ACA,PCA,VA and BA in the IWSI group was more serious than in the CWSI group. Conclusions The pathogenesis of CWSI may be related to the formation of carotid atherosclerotic plaques,carotid stenosis and arterial artery embolism,or plaque shedding and micro emboli removal.The pathogenesis of IWSI may be related to the decrease of the perfusion pres-sure at the end of the intracranial artery.The ratio of IWSI to diabetes mellitus is higher than that of CWSI,suggest-ing that the damage of diabetes to intracranial arteriole is earlier than that of intracranial and extracranial arteries.

BACKGROUND:When the intervertebral disc is under stress, the hydraulic pressure generated inside the nucleus pulposus makes the annulus fibrosus extend outward and expand, and the annulus colagen fibers are stretched so that the extracelular matrix of annulus fibrosus cels is also under the pressure. In the intervertebral disc, aggrecan is the main component of proteoglycans, matrix metaloproteinase-2 is a major enzyme for extracelular matrix degradation, and tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase is a multifunctional specific inhibition factor for matrix metaloproteinase activity. There is a mutual regulation between the latter two to keep the homeostasis between them.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of cyclic tensile strain in the metabolism of intervertebral disc annulus matrix.
METHODS:Rat anulus fibrosus cels were subjected to 2% or 10% cyclic tensile strain at 1.0 Hz for 2 and 12 hours using Flexcel4000 tension system. Then cels were colected and cultured in conditioned medium for gene and protein detection. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of aggrecan, matrix metaloproteinases-2 and tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase-2. Gelatin zymography was used to detect matrix metaloproteinases-2 activity.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The use of 2% cyclic tensile strain had no obvious effect on the stress fiber of actin cytoskeleton, whereas actin cytoskeleton was depolymerized in response to 10% cyclic tensile strain. The 2% cyclic tensile strain raised the expression of Aggrecan at 12 hours; whereas raised the matrix metaloproteinases-2 and tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase-2 at 2 hours, both of which were in homeostasis; matrix metaloproteinases-2 activity had no significant changes. 10% cyclic tensile strain had no effect on the mRNA expression of Aggrecan. No matter stretching 2 or 12 hours, the matrix metaloproteinases-2 was up-regulated, and the tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase-2 was down-regulated, both of which were not in balance. Moreover, the matrix metaloproteinases-2 activity was not significantly changed. These findings indicate that the mRNA expressions of Aggrecan, matrix metaloproteinases-2 and tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase-2 alter in response to cyclic tensile strain in rat anulus fibrosus cels, and the tensile strain induces different mechano-responses in the actin cytoskeleton.

Background and objective Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody directed against epidermal growth fac-tor receptor. Emerging evidence showed improved effcacy with the addition of cetuximab to chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the data in oriental population are limited. hTe aim of this study is to investigate the eff-cacy of cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC.Methods NSCLC patients receiving cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College were enrolled and retrospectively analyzed. Clinical characteristic, effcacy, outcome and toxicity data were analyzed.Results A total of 40 patients were enrolled into this study in which 29 were male, 36 with adenocarcinoma. In the 23 patients who had received palliative chemotherapy previously (with a median of 2 prior chemotherapy regimens), the median progression-free survival (PFS) atfer the last prior chemotherapy regimen was 2.3 months. For the overall population, 13 (32.5%) patients achieved partial response atfer cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy. Response rate were 52.9% (9/17) and 17.4% (4/23) in chemotherapy-naive patients and chemotherapy-treated patients, respectively (P=0.018). hTe median PFS was 4.8 months for the overall population. In chemotherapy-naive patients and chemotherapy-treated patients, the median PFS was 8.4 months and 4.1 months, respectively (P=0.062). hTe estimated median overall survival was 17.1 months. Toxicities were generally manageable and no treatment-related deaths occurred.Conclusion Cetuximab in addition to che-motherapy appears to be associated with promising effcacy and acceptable toxicity proifle in Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC. Further validation is needed.

Objective To assess the effect of hybrid debranching technique in treatment of patients with traumatic aortic arch rupture combined with pseudoaneurysm.Methods Clinical data of 3 patients with traumatic aortic arch rupture combined with pseudoaneurysm repaired using debranching technique from June 2011 to June 2013 were analyzed to determine their clinical features and treatment options.Hypersound or computed tomography angiography (CTA) was performed to confirm the therapeutic effects at postoperative 1 week,3,6,and 12 months as well as annually thereafter.Results All patients underwent operation uneventfully.Operation time was 6.8-10.5 hours (mean,7.6 hours) and intraoperative blood loss was 250-450 ml (mean,310 ml).Length of stay was 26-45 days (mean,32 days).There were no deaths at the 0.5-2 years of follow-up.Hypersound or CTA revealed no leakage of contrast medium after operation.Conclusion Hybrid debranching technique greatly reduces surgical trauma and provides satisfactory outcome and good function recovery.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the microsurgical tchniques and effects for the resection of anterior clinoid meningioma (ACM).

METHODSBetween January 2003 and March 2013, a total of 46 ACM patients were operated on via the pterion approach or lateral subfrontal approach. There were 16 male patients and 30 female patients, their mean age was 48.5 (16-69) years. Symptoms lasted from 1 month to 9 years(average 24.7 months). Preoperative CT and MRI examination showed that the tumors were located in the anterior clinoid process (25 cases on the right side, 21 cases on the left side). The average maximal tumor diameter was 4.4 cm (1.9-7.4 cm). The patients were peroidly followed-up on outpatient on 3 months to 6 months, then every year postoperativelly. The clinical data, radiological findings, surgical records and outcome of patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the prognostic factors were ananlyzed by using of the unpaired data χ(2) test with continuity correction.

RESULTSOf fourty-six patients operated on, apparently complete removal was achieved in 36 patients (78.3%), 10 patients (21.7%) had minimal residual tumors, 5 of which had gamma knife radiosurgery. Preexisting visual deficit improved in 21 of 41 patients (51.2%), unchanged in 16(35.6%), and worsened in 9(20.0%). At 3-6 months after discharge, 37(80.4%) patients had a good recovery, 7(15.6%) patients were moderately disabled, 1(2.2%) presented with severe disability, and 1 (2.2%) patient died of surgery-related causes. The tumor wrapping blood vessels (χ(2) = 4.676, P = 0.031) and violating cavernous sinus(χ(2) = 4.973, P = 0.026) were causes of unfavorable prognosis. During the mean follow-up of 35.1 months (range, 4-107 months) for 40 patients, the average Karnofsky score was 83.2. Tumor recurred in 4 cases: 2 of which required reoperation, and 2 had gamma knife radiosurgery.

CONCLUSIONSTumor wrapped vessels and invasion of the cavernous sinus are important unfavorable prognostic factors for ACM resection. By using appropriate surgical strategies and techniques, ACM can be removed safely via the pterion approach or lateral subfrontal approach with relatively low morbidity and mortality.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Meningioma ; surgery ; Microsurgery ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult