Efficacy of induction chemotherapy in lymph node-positive stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma and identification of beneficiaries based on clinical features: A propensity score matching analysis.

Purpose: To investigate the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in lymph node-positive (LN-positive) stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Methods: In total, 627 patients with newly diagnosed LN-positive stage III NPC receiving CCRT or IC plus CCRT were included. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

[Wavelength Variable Selection Method in Near Infrared Spectroscopy Based on Discrete Firefly Algorithm].

Taking into consideration of the large size of near-infrared spectral data, the spectral data has to be compressed to reduce the computational complexity of the established spectral calibration model and improve accuracy and robustness of the model. Near Infrared Spectroscopy wavelength variable selection method based on discrete firefly algorithm is presented. First, the Monte Carlo method was used to exclude outliers, and Kennard-Stone method was chosen for the selection of calibration set and prediction set.

Selective Radiotherapy after Distant Metastasis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated with Dose-Dense Cisplatin plus Fluorouracil.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy and safety of selective radiotherapy after distant metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with dose-dense cisplatin plus fluorouracil.

Materials And Methods: Eligible patients were randomly assigned to a study group treated with dose-dense cisplatin plus fluorouracil following selective radiotherapy and a control group receiving traditional cisplatin plus fluorouracil following selective radiotherapy according to a 1:1 distribution using a digital random table method. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).

Ultrasonic pretreatment and acid hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse for succinic acid production using Actinobacillus succinogenes.

Immense interest has been devoted to the production of bulk chemicals from lignocellulose biomass. Diluted sulfuric acid treatment is currently one of the main pretreatment methods. However, the low total sugar concentration obtained via such pretreatment limits industrial fermentation systems that use lignocellulosic hydrolysate.

Succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113 using corn steep liquor powder as nitrogen source.

In this study, corn steep liquor powder (CSL) was used as nitrogen source to replace the relatively costly yeast extract typically used for the production of succinic acid with Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113. Moreover, when heme was added to the fermentation medium and the culture was agitated at a low speed, a maximum succinic acid concentration of 37.9 g/l was obtained from a glucose concentration of 50 g/l, and a productivity of 0.

Succinic acid production from cellobiose by Actinobacillus succinogenes.

In this study, cellobiose, a reducing disaccharide was used to produce succinic acid by Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113. A final succinic acid concentration of 30.3g/l with a yield of 67.

Anti-fibrotic effects via regulation of transcription factor Sp1 on hepatic stellate cells.

Background: Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the central cells in hepatic fibrosis, are characterized by sustaining activation, a process that consists in increased proliferation and over-expression of fibrotic genes. Transcription factor Sp1 mediates the expression of a variety of fibrotic genes expression and thereby play an important role in fibrosis. In addition, previous reports have indicated that Sp1 binding activity is greatly increased in activated HSCs.

Increased production of succinic acid in Escherichia coli by overexpression of malate dehydrogenase.

Escherichia coli NZN111 is a double mutant with inactivated lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate formate-lyase. It cannot utilize glucose anaerobically because of its unusually high intracellular NADH/NAD(+) ratio. We have now constructed a recombinant strain, E.

A complete industrial system for economical succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes.

An industrial fermentation system using lignocellulosic hydrolysate, waste yeast hydrolysate, and mixed alkali to achieve high-yield, economical succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes was developed. Lignocellulosic hydrolysate and waste yeast hydrolysate were used efficiently as carbon sources and nitrogen source instead of the expensive glucose and yeast extract. Moreover, as a novel method for regulating pH mixed alkalis (Mg(OH)(2) and NaOH) were first used to replace the expensive MgCO(3) for succinic acid production.

Optimization of culture conditions in CO2 fixation for succinic acid production using Actinobacillus succinogenes.

The culture conditions in CO(2) fixation by Actinobacillus succinogenes for succinic acid production were investigated by a model of available CO(2) in a 3-l fermentor. The results from the model analysis showed that the available CO(2) for succinic acid production in the fermentation broth is the sum of HCO(3) (-), CO(3) (2-), and CO(2) influenced by external culture conditions such as medium components, CO(2) partial pressures, and temperature. The optimized conditions for CO(2) supply in a 3-l fermentor were determined as follows: CO(2) partial pressure and stirring speed were maintained at 0.

Strategies for efficient repetitive production of succinate using metabolically engineered Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli AFP111, a pflB, ldhA, ptsG triple mutant of E. coli W1485, can be recovered for additional succinate production in fresh medium after two-stage fermentation (an aerobic growth stage followed by an anaerobic production stage). However, the specific productivity is lower than that of two-stage fermentation.

Succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes using hydrolysates of spent yeast cells and corn fiber.

The enzymatic hydrolysate of spent yeast cells was evaluated as a nitrogen source for succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113, using corn fiber hydrolysate as a carbon source. When spent yeast cell hydrolysate was used directly as a nitrogen source, a maximum succinic acid concentration of 35.5 g/l was obtained from a glucose concentration of 50 g/l, with a glucose utilization of 95.

Isolation of NH₄+-tolerant mutants of Actinobacillus succinogenes for succinic acid production by continuous selection.

Actinobacillus succinogenes, a typical succinic acid producing microorganism, was inhibited seriously by ammonium ion, which hampered industrialization of A. succinogenes with ammonium ion based material as the pH controller. In this study, we have isolated an ammonium ion-tolerant mutant of A.

Succinic acid production with metabolically engineered E. coli recovered from two-stage fermentation.

Escherichia coli AFP111 cells recovered from spent two-stage fermentation broth were investigated for additional production of succinic acid under anaerobic conditions. Recovered cells produced succinic acid in an aqueous environment with no nutrient supplementation except for glucose and MgCO(3). In addition, initial glucose concentration and cell density had a significant influence on succinic acid mass yield and productivity.

Effect of redox potential regulation on succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes.

The effects of redox potential used as a control parameter on the process of succinic acid production in batch cultures of Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113 have been investigated. In batch fermentation, cell growth and metabolite distribution were changed with redox potential levels in the range of -100 to -450 mV. From the results, the ORP level of -350 mV was preferable, which resulted in high succinic acid yield (1.

Effect of growth phase feeding strategies on succinate production by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli.

Aerobic growth conditions significantly influenced anaerobic succinate production in two-stage fermentation by Escherichia coli AFP111 with knockouts in rpoS, pflAB, ldhA, and ptsG genes. At a low cell growth rate limited by glucose, enzymes involved in the reductive arm of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the glyoxylate shunt showed elevated activities, providing AFP111 with intracellular redox balance and increased succinic acid yield and productivity.

[Effects of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 ASODN on transforming growth beta-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 of rat hepatic stellate cells].

Objective: To study the effects of nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B p65 ASODN on transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF beta 1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and the mechanisms of NF-kappa B p65 ASODN in treating liver fibrosis.

Methods: Type IV collagen enzyme digestion and density centrifugation methods were used to separate rat hepatic stellate cells. NF-kappa B p65 ASODN was manually synthesized and completely phosphorothioate-modified.