Synthesis and characterization of carboxymethyl xylan-g-poly(propylene oxide) and its application in films.

Carboxymethyl xylan-g-poly(propylene oxide) (CMX-g-PPO) was successfully synthesized by grafting poly(propylene oxide) chains onto xylan from bamboo using the Al(Oi-Pr)3 initiated ring-opening polymerization of propylene oxides, followed by carboxymethylation with sodium chloroacetate under microwave irradiation. The synthesized CMX-g-PPO was well characterized by FT-IR, (13)C NMR, and AFM. The AFM imaging showed that the average sizes of xylan were 422.

Kidney-sparing Management Versus Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate and update evidence for prognostic effects of kidney-sparing (KS) management and nephroureterectomy (NU) for upper tract urothelial carcinomas.

Materials And Methods: Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were retrieved for the identification of comparative studies of kidney-sparing procedure and nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma prior to December 2014. The data were extracted independently by 2 reviewers and the quality of the included studies was assessed.

Diagnostic Value of Liquid-Based Cytology in Urothelial Carcinoma Diagnosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the value of liquid-based cytology (LBC) in the diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma.

Method: Diagnostic studies were searched for the diagnostic value of LBC in urothelial carcinoma in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CBM and CNKI. The latest retrieval date was September 2014.

Efficacy and safety of tralokinumab in patients with severe uncontrolled asthma: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial.

Background: Interleukin 13 is a central mediator of asthma. Tralokinumab is a human interleukin-13 neutralising monoclonal antibody. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of two dosing regimens of tralokinumab in patients with severe uncontrolled asthma.

Pharmacokinetics of tralokinumab in adolescents with asthma: implications for future dosing.

Aims: Tralokinumab, an investigational human immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody, potently and specifically neutralizes interleukin-13, a central mediator of asthma. Tralokinumab has shown improvements in clinical endpoints in adults with uncontrolled asthma. The present study explored the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of a single tralokinumab dose, and utilized a population PK modelling and simulation approach to evaluate the optimal dosing strategy for adolescents.

Preoperative C-reactive protein as a prognostic predictor for upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a relatively rare and highly aggressive tumor. However, the prognosis of UTUC is rarely predicted accurately due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. C-reactive protein (CRP) has been found to be correlated with several types of cancer.

[The effect of pneumoconiosis observation object and coal workers' pneumoconiosis in one stage again in the dust exposure work after whole lung lavage].

Objective: To investigate the effects of secondary dust exposure after whole-lung lavage (WLL) on the clinical symptoms, arterial blood gas parameters, and pulmonary function in subjects with pneumoconiosis and patients with stage I coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP).

Methods: The subjects with pneumoconiosis and patients with stage I CWP who underwent WLL in our hospital during the study period were selected. All patients were divided into postoperative dust exposure group (n = 86) and lavage control group (n = 86) according to whether they were exposed to dust after conventional operation.

NRF2 Pathway Activation and Adjuvant Chemotherapy Benefit in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: Genomic profiling of lung squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) has identified NRF2 pathway alterations, which activate oxidative response pathways, in one third of tumors. Preclinical data suggest these tumors may be resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy. We evaluated the clinical relevance of these findings and assessed whether NRF2 activation predicts benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in SCC.

Differentiation of hemangioblastomas from pilocytic astrocytomas using 3-T magnetic resonance perfusion-weighted imaging and MR spectroscopy.

Introduction: Hemangioblastomas and pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) present similar imaging features on conventional MR imaging, making differential diagnosis a challenge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced perfusion-weighted imaging (DSC-PWI) and proton MR spectroscopic imaging in the differentiation of hemangioblastomas and PAs.

Methods: A 3.

Life history trait differentiation and local adaptation in invasive populations of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in China.

Local adaptation has been suggested to play an important role in range expansion, particularly among invasive species. However, the extent to which local adaptation affects the success of an invasive species and the factors that contribute to local adaptation are still unclear. This study aimed to investigate a case of population divergence that may have contributed to the local adaptation of invasive populations of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in China.

[Bibliometric analysis of bacterial quantitative proteomics in English literatures].

Objective: To analyze the worldwide advances on bacterial quantitative proteomics over the past fifteen years with bibliometric approach.

Methods: Literature retrieval was conducted throughout the databases of Pubmed, Embase and Science citation index (SCI), using "bacterium" and "quantitative proteomics" as the key words. The deadline is July 2013.

[Vertical distribution of soil active carbon and soil organic carbon storage under different forest types in the Qinling Mountains].

Adopting field investigation and indoor analysis methods, the distribution patterns of soil active carbon and soil carbon storage in the soil profiles of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata (Matoutan Forest, I), Pinus tabuliformis (II), Pinus armandii (III), pine-oak mixed forest (IV), Picea asperata (V), and Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata (Xinjiashan Forest, VI) of Qinling Mountains were studied in August 2013.

Benralizumab for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sputum eosinophilia: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2a study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with eosinophilic airway inflammation in 10-20% of patients. Benralizumab, an anti-interleukin-5 receptor α monoclonal antibody, depletes blood and sputum eosinophils. We aimed to establish whether benralizumab reduces acute exacerbations of COPD in patients with eosinophilia and COPD.

Predicted infiltration for sodic/saline soils from reclaimed coastal areas: sensitivity to model parameters.

This study was conducted to assess the influences of soil surface conditions and initial soil water content on water movement in unsaturated sodic soils of reclaimed coastal areas. Data was collected from column experiments in which two soils from a Chinese coastal area reclaimed in 2007 (Soil A, saline) and 1960 (Soil B, nonsaline) were used, with bulk densities of 1.4 or 1.

Isolation, structural characterization, and potential applications of hemicelluloses from bamboo: a review.

Bamboo is one of the mostly fast growing natural resources and has great potential to be used as a valuable feedstock for biorefinery. The hemicelluloses, next to cellulose, represent a diverse group of polysaccharides in plant cell wall. Elucidation and understanding of the hemicelluloses from bamboo play an important role in the efficient conversion of bamboo into biofuels and bioproducts.

Community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus producing Panton-Valentine leukocidin in a Chinese teenager: case report and literature review.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has now been established as an important community-acquired pathogen. Although necrotizing pneumonia caused by community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) strains producing Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) has been reported with increasing frequency in many countries, it has been reported in only a few children younger than 1 year of age in Mainland China.

Methods: We describe a case of life-threatening necrotizing pneumonia due to PVL-positive CA-MRSA in a 15-year-old previously healthy female who presented with high fever, shivering, a dry cough, and dyspnea.

Mass spectrometry-based tag and its application to high efficient peptide analysis - A review.

Chemical derivatization is a very promising technique for improving analysis of peptides by mass spectrometry (MS). Thereinto, development of novel tags compatible with MS and/or MS/MS has always been the focus point of study. In this review, the recent reported tags for derivatization of thiol groups of cysteine, carboxyl groups, and amino groups on peptides as well as peptides with post-translational modifications (PTMs) are summarized.

Safety and efficacy assessment of two new leprosy skin test antigens: randomized double blind clinical study.

Background: New tools are required for the diagnosis of pre-symptomatic leprosy towards further reduction of disease burden and its associated reactions. To address this need, two new skin test antigens were developed to assess safety and efficacy in human trials.

Methods: A Phase I safety trial was first conducted in a non-endemic region for leprosy (U.

Nonenhanced renal MR angiography using steady-state free precession (SSFP) and time-spatial labeling inversion pulse (Time-SLIP): repeatability and comparison of different tagging location.

Purpose: To prospectively determine the repeatability of noncontrast-enhanced renal arterial angiography with steady-state free precession (SSFP) and time-spatial labeling inversion pulse (Time-SLIP), and to compare the visibility of renal artery and its branches when different locations of tagging pulse were placed.

Methods: Thirty-six young healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study and were twice examined by noncontrast-enhanced renal arterial angiography with SSFP and Time-SLIP in 1.5T MR scanner.

Immediate and long-term results of bronchial artery embolization for hemoptysis due to benign versus malignant pulmonary diseases.

Background: Bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is widely used for the treatment of hemoptysis. The immediate and long-term results of BAE for hemoptysis in patients with benign and malignant pulmonary diseases were inconsistent in previous studies and were thus investigated.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of the clinical records of 154 patients (108 with benign disease and 46 with malignant disease) who received BAE for hemoptysis from January 2005 to June 2011 at the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital.

Comparative evaluation of thrombocytopenia in adult patients receiving linezolid or glycopeptides in a respiratory intensive care unit.

Linezolid is an oxazolidinone antibiotic agent, active against gram-positive bacteria that are resistant to traditional antibiotics, including glycopeptides. Linezolid is generally well tolerated, but has been associated with hematologic adverse effects such as thrombocytopenia. The primary objective of this study was to compare the incidence of thrombocytopenia between patients receiving linezolid or glycopeptides in different age groups.

Prognosis and weaning of elderly multiple organ dysfunction syndrome patients with invasive mechanical ventilation.

Background: Elderly multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation have poor prognosis in intensive care units (ICUs). We studied the usefulness of four commonly used severity scores and extrapulmonary factors that affected weaning to predict outcome of such patients.

Methods: Clinical data of 197 patients on admission to ICUs (from January 2009 to June 2012) were used retrospectively.