[Clinical efficacy of Matrine and Sodium Chloride Injection in treatment of 40 cases of COVID-19].

In this paper, we analyzed medical records of 40 patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), in order to explore the clinical efficacy of Matrine and Sodium Chloride Injection in the treatment of COVID-19. The investigation was based on the results of a previous animal test, which was aimed to investigate and confirme the clinical efficacy of Matrine and Sodium Chloride Injection in the treatment of COVID-19. The animal test demonstrated that Matrine and Sodium Chloride Injection has a significant therapeutic effect on the human coronavirus pneumonia for the model mice.

The Role of Pretreatment Serum Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Hypopharyngeal Cancer Treated with Definitive Chemoradiotherapy: A Pilot Study.

Serum neutrophil-to-lymphocytes ratio (NLR) is a potential predictive and prognostic marker in head and neck cancers. This study aimed to determine the role of pretreatment serum NLR in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. We retrospectively investigated the correlation between clinicopathological parameters and NLR status and analysed its impact on therapeutic response and survival.

Targeting Purinergic Receptor P2Y2 Prevents the Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Inhibiting Cancer Cell Glycolysis.

Purpose: Extensive research has reported that the tumor microenvironment components play crucial roles in tumor progression. Thus, blocking the supports of tumor microenvironment is a promising approach to prevent cancer progression. We aimed to determine whether blocking extracellular ATP-P2RY2 axis could be a potential therapeutic approach for PDAC treatment.

Role of microRNAs in the resistance of colorectal cancer to chemoradiotherapy.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the main tumor-related causes of death worldwide. The fact that the majority of the patients develop resistance to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is a major obstacle for the treatment of CRC. In order to develop more effective treatment strategies, it is crucial to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the development of resistance to CRT.

Regular recreational physical activity and risk of head and neck cancer.

Background: Although substantial evidence supports a 20-30% risk reduction of colon cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer by physical activity (PA), the evidence for head and neck cancer (HNC) is limited. Three published studies on the association between PA and HNC have generated inconsistent results. The current study examined the association between recreational PA (RPA) and HNC risk with a more detailed assessment on the intensity, frequency, duration, and total years of RPA.

A Comprehensive Analysis on the Association between Tobacco-Free Betel Quid and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer in Taiwanese Men.

Objectives: Although betel quid (BQ) is an established risk factor of head and neck cancer (HNC), insufficiencies exist in the literature regarding the dose-response, BQ types, HNC sites, and BQ cessation. The current study was conducted to fill these insufficiencies.

Materials And Methods: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted to evaluate the association between BQ and HNC.

Allergy symptoms, serum total immunoglobulin E, and risk of head and neck cancer.

Purpose: Allergy symptoms have been associated with a reduced head and neck cancer (HNC) risk, while elevated blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels have been associated with an increased HNC risk. According to the "prophylaxis hypothesis," allergic reaction is the body's way of expelling carcinogens. IgE level may be increased by exposure to environmental carcinogens, including alcohol and cigarette smoke.

Alcohol Drinking Obliterates the Inverse Association Between Serum Retinol and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer.

This analysis evaluated the association between serum retinol levels and risk of head and neck cancer (HNC) and whether the association is modulated by the use of alcohol, betel quid, or cigarette. In addition, we also examined the association between HNC risk and 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms, TTR rs1667255 and RBP4 rs10882272, that have been associated with serum retinol levels. Unconditional logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between serum retinol levels and HNC risk among 160 HNC cases and 198 controls.

Comparison of concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiation in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma in endemic area: experience of 128 consecutive cases with 5 year follow-up.

Background: Combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy is considered the standard of care for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) in Epstein-Barr virus infection endemic area. This study compared the long-term outcomes between LA-NPC patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (NACT) and those treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Methods: From 2003 to 2007, a total of 128 histopathologically proven LA-NPC patients receiving either NACT or CCRT were consecutively enrolled at the National Cheng Kung University Hospital in Taiwan.

Tea consumption and risk of head and neck cancer.

Background: The current study evaluated the association between tea consumption and head and neck cancer (HNC) in Taiwan, where tea is a major agricultural product and a popular beverage.

Methods: Interviews regarding tea consumption (frequency, duration, and types) were conducted with 396 HNC cases and 413 controls. Unconditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of HNC risk associated with tea drinking, adjusted for sex, age, education, cigarette smoking, betel quid chewing, and alcohol drinking.

The interplay between alcohol consumption, oral hygiene, ALDH2 and ADH1B in the risk of head and neck cancer.

Alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC). The major carcinogen from alcohol is acetaldehyde, which may be produced by humans or by oral microorganisms through the metabolism of ethanol. To account for the different sources of acetaldehyde production, the current study examined the interplay between alcohol consumption, oral hygiene (as a proxy measure for the growth of oral microorganisms), and alcohol-metabolizing genes (ADH1B and ALDH2) in the risk of HNC.

Ultra-sensitive quantification of lysozyme based on element chelate labeling and capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

In this study, an ultra-sensitive method for the quantification of lysozyme based on the Gd(3+) diethylenetriamine-N,N,N',N″,N″-pentaacetic acid labeling and capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS) was described. The Gd(3+)-tagged lysozyme was effectively separated by capillary electrophoresis (CE) and sensitively determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Based on the gadolinium-tagging and CE-ICP-MS, the lysozyme was determined within 12 min with an extremely low detection limit of 3.

[Theoretical research on a high Q factor elliptical differential photoacoustic resonator].

The sensitivity of photoacoustic (PA) sensors strongly depends on the characteristic of PA cell. In the present paper, a novel elliptical differential PA cell was proposed to enhance the signal noise ratio of PA system. An acoustic characteristic mathematic model was built and the acoustic characteristic of PA cell was simulated with COMSOL software.

Investigating the association between oral hygiene and head and neck cancer.

Objectives: This analysis examined the association between oral hygiene and head and neck cancer (HNC) and whether this association differed by the consumption of alcohol, betel quid, or cigarette and by the genetic polymorphisms of inflammation-related genes.

Materials And Methods: Interviews regarding dental care and oral health were conducted with 317 HNC cases and 296 controls. Genotyping was performed for 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL6, IL10 and PTGS2.

Allergies and risk of head and neck cancer: an original study plus meta-analysis.

Background: Although the relationship between allergy and cancer has been investigated extensively, the role of allergy in head and neck cancer (HNC) appears less consistent. It is not clear whether allergies can independently influence the risk of HNC in the presence of known strong environmental risk factors, including consumption of alcohol, betel quid, and cigarette.

Methods: THE CURRENT PAPER REPORTS RESULTS FROM: 1) an original hospital-based case-control study, which included 252 incident cases of HNC and 236 controls frequency-matched to cases on sex and age; and 2) a meta-analysis combining the results of the current case-control study and 13 previously published studies (9 cohort studies with 727,569 subjects and 550 HNC outcomes and 5 case-control studies with 4,017 HNC cases and 10,928 controls).

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy improves outcomes in postoperative patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

Objectives: We compared the outcomes and survival rates of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma receiving postoperative conventional radiotherapy (RT) or intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Materials And Methods: From January 2005 to September 2008, medical records of 131 consecutive patients with oral cancer receiving postoperative radiotherapy in the Department of Radiation Oncology of National Cheng Kung University Hospital were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the administration of postoperative conventional RT or IMRT.

Quantitative determination of rhein in human plasma by liquid chromatography-negative electrospray ionization tandem mass/mass spectrometry and the application in a pharmacokinetic study.

To investigate the pharmacokinetics of rhein in human, a liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass/mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for the determination of rhein in human plasma is established in this study. Indomethacin is used as the internal standard (I.S.

Human papilloma virus detection in neoplastic and non-neoplastic nasopharyngeal tissues in Taiwan.

Background: Human papilloma virus (HPV) has been implicated in the carcinogenesis and prognosis of certain head and neck cancers. Whether it also has a role in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Taiwan is unclear.

Methods: Detection and genotyping of HPVs were performed in 43 primary NPCs (one WHO-I and 42 WHO-II/III) and 40 nasopharyngeal controls using PCR-based HPV genotyping arrays.

Speciation analysis of selenium in rice samples by using capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

An enzyme-assisted extraction used to extract all species of selenium in rice sample and a sensitive analytical method for the determination of ultratrace Se(VI), Se(IV), SeCys(2) (selenocystine) and SeMet (selenomethionine) with capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were firstly described in this study. The extraction method is simple, effective and can be used to extract trace selenium compounds in rice with high extraction efficiency and no altering its species. The analytical method has a detection limit of 0.

Outcome of surgical management of persistent or recurrent neck mass in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients may have persistent or recurrent neck masses following radiotherapy. The clinicopathological features for these two subgroups are not fully characterized, however. In this study, we reviewed our experiences in patients with neck masses underwent either local excision or neck dissection.

[Effect of Rhizoma coptidis and Radix rehmanniae with different ratio on pharmacokinetics of berberine in rats].

Objective: To study the effect of Rhizoma Coptidis and Radix Rehmanniae with the different ratio on the pharmacokinetics of berberine in rats.

Method: 24 rats were grouped to 4 groups randomly. Decoction, in which the proportion of Rhizoma Coptidis to Radix Rehmanniae is 1:0, 1:1, 1:4, 1:8 differently, was intragastrically given to the 4 groups.

A theoretical study on surfactant adsorption kinetics: effect of bubble shape on dynamic surface tension.

A planar or spherical fluid-liquid interface was commonly assumed on studying the surfactant adsorption kinetics for a pendant bubble in surfactant solutions. However, the shape of a pendant bubble deviates from a sphere unless the bubble's capillary constant is close to zero. Up to date, the literature has no report about the shape effect on the relaxation of surface tension due to the shape difference between a pendant bubble and a sphere.

Relative calcium-binding strengths of amino acids determined using the kinetic method.

We have measured the relative calcium-binding energies of amino acids using tandem mass spectrometry of Ca(2+)-bound trimeric amino acids. Although calcium-bound dimeric amino acid complexes coordinated too strongly to allow observation of the two competing dissociation products (calcium-bound monomeric ions) required for analysis of their metal binding affinities using the conventional kinetic method, the Ca(2+)-bound trimeric cluster ions dissociated readily to form dimeric cluster ions through simple ligand losses. The calcium-binding energies were obtained by comparing the ratio of the [Ca(2+)(A(1))(2) - H(+)](+) and [Ca(2+) (A(1))(A(2)) - H(+)](+) ions that dissociated from the [Ca(2+) (A(1))(2)(A(2)) - H(+)](+) ion and the ratio of the [Ca(2+)(A(2))(2) - H(+)](+) and [Ca(2+)(A(1)) (A(2)) - H(+)](+) ions that dissociated from the [Ca(2+)(A(1))(A(2))(2) - H(+)](+) ion, where A(1) and A(2) represent two amino acids.

Experience in fractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy boost for newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: Radiotherapy is the most effective treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of fractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) boost for NPC.

Methods And Materials: Sixty-four patients with newly diagnosed, nonmetastatic NPC were treated with conventional radiotherapy 64.