Residual rotational error of X-ray volume imaging system and its dosimetric effect in spinal tumor radiation therapy.

This study was designed to investigate the residual rotational error (RRE) of an X-ray volume imaging (XVI) system and evaluate the dosimetric impact of this error on spinal tumor radiation therapy. Various rotational displacements (set rotations) were applied to an anthropomorphic phantom placed on a HexaPod evo RT CouchTop (HexaPod couch). To detect these set rotations, a series of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of the phantom were acquired and registered to the planning CT in the XVI system.

Circulating adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein levels are independently associated with heart failure.

A-FABP (adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein), one of the most abundant proteins in adipocytes, plays a key role in obesity-related insulin resistance, inflammation and atherosclerosis in animals. In the present study, we sought to investigate the association of A-FABP with HF (heart failure) in Chinese subjects. Serum A-FABP levels were measured in 252 HF patients and 261 age-, gender- and BMI (body mass index)-matched non-HF subjects.

Heteroplasmy levels of mtDNA1555A>G mutation is positively associated with diverse phenotypes and mutation transmission in a Chinese family.

The mtDNA 1555A>G mutation was considered to be one of the most common causes of aminoglycoside-induced and non-syndromic hearing loss. However, this mutation was always found in homoplasmy with high phenotypic heterogeneity. Recently this mutation in heteroplasmy has been reported in several studies.

Use of combined maximum and minimum intensity projections to determine internal target volume in 4-dimensional CT scans for hepatic malignancies.

Background: To evaluate the accuracy of the combined maximum and minimum intensity projection-based internal target volume (ITV) delineation in 4-dimensional (4D) CT scans for liver malignancies.

Methods: 4D CT with synchronized IV contrast data were acquired from 15 liver cancer patients (4 hepatocellular carcinomas; 11 hepatic metastases). We used five approaches to determine ITVs: (1).

[Genetic analysis and prenatal diagnosis for a family with megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy and subcortical cysts].

Objective: To identify potential mutation in the MLC1 gene in a Chinese family affected with megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy and subcortical cysts (MLC), and to provide prenatal diagnosis.

Methods: Genomic DNA of the patients, their parents and younger sister were extracted from peripheral blood. That of the fetus was extracted from an amniotic fluid sample.

[Clinical significance of large-scale screening of A1555G mutation of mitochondria DNA for neonates].

Objective: To explore the necessity of large-scale screening of mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) A1555G mutation for prevention of aminoglycoside antibiotic induced deafness in newborns.

Methods: One thousand blood filter samples were collected from neonates born in July 2008 in Shenzhen. DNA was extracted with Chelex-100 Resin and amplified by PCR.

Effect of leukemia inhibitory factor on corneal nerve regeneration of rabbit eyes after laser in situ keratomileusis.

To explore the effect of leukemia inhibitory factor on corneal nerve regeneration in a rabbit model after laser in situ keratomileusis. Thirty five healthy New Zealand rabbits were divided into three groups for a 6-month observation, the blank control group, the control group, and the treatment group respectively. Laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia was performed on 30 rabbits (60 eyes in total) and then 1 μg/ml LIF eye drops were used four times a day on the left eyes as the treatment group, and the balanced salt solution (BSS) was used on the right eyes as the control group.

[Molecular and prenatal diagnosis for a Chinese pregnant woman with a novel mutation of β thalassemia].

Objective: To conduct molecular and prenatal diagnosis for a couple with β thalassemia.

Methods: Blood routine examination and hemoglobin analysis were used for screening of thalassemia. Seventeen common Chinese mutations of β thalassemia were detected for the carriers with β thalassemia using PCR/RDB.

Gray solitary-wave solutions in nonlinear negative-index materials.

We predict the existence of gray (dark) solitary waves in negative-index materials on the basis of a derived higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The conditions for the formation of three cases of gray solitary waves and exact analytical expressions are presented. Furthermore, we investigate the properties of these gray solitary waves in negative-index materials.

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in Gelao ethnic group residing in Southwest China.

Gelao ethnic group, an aboriginal population residing in southwest China, has undergone a long and complex evolutionary process. To investigate the genetic structure of this ancient ethnic group, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphisms of 102 Gelao individuals were collected and analyzed in this study. With the aid of the information extracted from control-region hypervariable segments (HVSs) I and II as well as some necessary coding-region segments, phylogenetic status of all mtDNAs under study were determined by means of classifying into various defined haplogroups.

[Expression, purification and renaturation of Pol P51 antigen of HIV-1 strain CN54 and its application in antibody detection].

To obtain the pure and soluble P51 antigen of HIV-1 strain CN54, we transformed the Escherichia. coli strain BL21 codonplus-RIL with recombinant plasmid pTHioHisA51 which carries a gene encoding the Polymerase (Pol) P51 antigen of HIV-1 CN54 formerly, and induced protein expression by IPTG. We purified the recombinant protein with Chelating Sepharose FF-Ni and DEAE-Sepharose FF column chromatography, then renatured the recombinant protein by dialyzation.

Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: an irradiation dose escalation study.

Purpose: To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT)/intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods And Materials: Patients were assigned to two subgroups based on tumor diameter: Group 1 had tumors <10 cm; Group II had tumors ≥10 cm. Escalation was achieved by increments of 4.

Maintenance of Sorafenib following combined therapy of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy/intensity-modulated radiation therapy and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a phase I/II study.

Background: Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT)/intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with or without transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has shown favorable outcomes in local control and survival of locally advanced HCC. However, intra-hepatic spreading and metastasis are still the predominant treatment failure patterns. Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor with effects against tumor proliferation and angiogenesis.

[Analysis of responses and prognostic factors in different chemotherapy regimens for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a report of 171 cases].

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the results of different combined chemotherapy regimens and to find the best regimen for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and determine its prognostic factors.

Methods: The clinical data of 171 patients with pathologically proven metastatic NPC were retrospectively analyzed. Of them, 26 were treated with best support care (BSC group), 92 with platinum-based regimen of two drugs (FP group: 5-Fu and cisplatin; TP group: paclitaxel and cisplatin; DP group: docetaxel and cisplatin), and 53 with platinum-based regimen of three-drugs (TFP group: FP plus paclitaxel, DFP group: FP plus doxtale).

A simple and rapid method for detection of Goose Parvovirus in the field by loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

Background: Goose parvovirus (GPV) is a Dependovirus associated with latent infection and mortality in geese. Currently, in a worldwide scale, GPV severely affects geese production. The objective of this study is to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the sensitive, rapid, and inexpensive detection of GPV in the field.

Placement of the Univent tube without fiberoptic bronchoscope assistance.

Background: In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of Univent tube (Fuji Systems, Tokyo, Japan) placement with the aid of auscultation (AUS) or as guided by a lighted stylet (LS) compared with placement guided by the fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) or the blind intubation technique as recommended by the manufacturer's guidelines.

Methods: Eighty ASA physical status I-II adult patients requiring single-lung ventilation for elective thoracic surgery were randomly allocated into 4 groups according to the method used for Univent tube positioning: manufacturer-recommended (MR) group (n = 20); FOB group (n = 20); AUS group (n = 20); and LS group (n = 20). Tracheal placement of the Univent tube was accomplished with direct rigid laryngoscopy after anesthetic induction and was positioned by the same anesthesiologist using 1 of the above-described methods.

Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus: a prospective phase I/II study.

Purpose: A prospective phase I-II study was conducted to determine the tolerance and local control rate of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3-DCRT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods And Materials: Thirty patients underwent 3-DCRT for thoracic esophageal SCC. PTV1 composed of a 1.

Sonodynamic and photodynamic therapy in advanced breast carcinoma: a report of 3 cases.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an established therapeutic method, first approved by the FDA for certain kinds of cancer in 1998. There are also increasing data to show that a related procedure, sonodynamic therapy (SDT), is a promising new modality for cancer treatment. Here, the authors report clinical results in 3 advanced refractory breast cancer patients who were treated using a combination of sonodynamic and photodynamic therapy (SPDT), along with conventional therapies.

Observation of nonlinear surface waves in modulated waveguide arrays.

We describe theoretically and study experimentally nonlinear surface waves at the edge of a modulated waveguide array with a surface defect and a self-defocusing nonlinearity. We fabricate such structures in a LiNbO(3) crystal and demonstrate the beam switching to different output waveguides with a change of the light intensity due to nonlinear coupling between the linear surface modes supported by the array.

A comparative study of three CT and MRI registration algorithms in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the image registration accuracy and efficiency of CT and MRI fusion using three algorithms in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods And Materials: Twelve sets of CT and MRI scans of 12 NPC patients were fused using three image registration algorithms, respectively: Mark-and-link, Interactive, and Normalized Mutual Information (NMI). Registration accuracy was evaluated by performing statistical analysis of the coordinate differences between CT and MR anatomical landmarks along the x-, y- and z-axes.

Vector vortex solitons in nematic liquid crystals.

We analyze the existence and stability of two-component vector solitons in nematic liquid crystals for which one of the components carries angular momentum and describes a vortex beam. We demonstrate that the nonlocal, nonlinear response can dramatically enhance the field coupling leading to the stabilization of the vortex beam when the amplitude of the second beam exceeds some threshold value. We develop a variational approach to describe this effect analytically.

Spatial-spectral vortex solitons in quadratic lattices.

We predict the existence of spatial-spectral vortex solitons in one-dimensional periodic waveguide arrays with quadratic nonlinear response. In such vortices the energy flow forms a closed loop through the simultaneous effects of phase gradients at the fundamental frequency and second-harmonic fields and the parametric frequency conversion between the spectral components. The linear stability analysis shows that such modes are stable in a broad parameter region.

[GJB2 gene mutation in deaf patients].

Objective: To detect the GJB2 gene mutation in patients with autosomal-recessive deafness, and analyze the relationship between clinical phenotype and gene mutation.

Methods: Forty-two patients were examined clinically by pure tone audiometry, acoustic impedance and auditory brainstem response. The complete coding region of the GJB2 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the PCR products were subjected to automatic DNA sequencing.

[The retrospective analysis of different therapies on 150 elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.].

Background: There is still no standard regiment for the treatment of advanced elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to explore the best method for the advanced elderly NSCLC patients by analyzing the efficacy and toxicity of cisplatin combined chemotherapy, docetaxel chemotherapy and the best support care (BSC).

Methods: One hundred and fifty elderly NSCLC patients (>=65 years) with different treatments from March 2003 to March 2007 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.

Two-color surface lattice solitons.

We study the properties of surface solitons generated at the edge of a semi-infinite photonic lattice in nonlinear quadratic media, namely two-color surface lattice solitons. We analyze the impact of phase mismatch on the existence and stability of nonlinear surface modes and find novel classes of two-color twisted surface solitons, which are stable in a large domain of their existence.