A Retrospective Paired Study: Efficacy and Safety of Nimotuzumab Combined with Radiochemotherapy in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nimotuzumab in combination with radiochemotherapy as the primary treatment in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma from September 2012 to December 2016. 188 newly diagnosed patients with stage III–IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with at least 1-2 cycles of chemotherapy concurrently with planned IMRT. 88 patients received nimotuzumab 200 mg/week. Acute and late radiation-related toxicities were graded according to the Acute and Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring Criteria of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. Results: After 3 months of treatment, the complete response rates of nasopharyngeal tumors in the study group and the control group were 78.4% and 65.5%, respectively (?2=4.070, P=0.044). The total complete response rates of cervical lymph nodes in the study group and the control group were 80.7% and 67.6% respectively (?2=4.022, P=0.045).The median cycle for nimotuzumab addition was 6.3 weeks. With a median follow-up of 36.3 months (range, 12–72 months), the estimated 3-year progression failure-free survival and overall survival rates for the study group and the control group were 85.24% vs 81.97% and 96.67% vs 90.0%, respectively. The 3-year local recurrence-free survival rates for the study group and the control group were 96.67% vs 83.60%, respectively (P=0.047). Grade 3 radiation-induced mucositis accounted for 36.4% of treated patients. No skin rash and infusion reaction were observed, distinctly from what is reported in control patients. Conclusion: Nimotuzumab plus chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma showed promising outcomes in terms of locoregional control, without increasing the incidence of radiation-related toxicities for patients

Effect of carbon fiber tow structure on ablative properties of carbon fiber/phenolic composites

Carbon fiber reinforced carbon/phenolic composites were prepared by using phenolic resin as matrix, plain carbon cloth and short carbon fiber as reinforcing agent. The ablation resistance of the composite was studied by oxygen/acetylene ablation test. The bending property of the composite was characterized by electronic tensile testing machine. The ablation surface of the composite was observed by scanning electron microscope. The ablation performance of the composite was verified by solid rocket motor. The results show that the mass ablation rate of oxyacetylene in carbon/phenolic composites prepared with these two structural forms of carbon fibers as reinforcements has a positive correlation with the size of carbon fiber tow. The smaller the carbon fiber tow, the lower the mass ablation rate of carbon fiber. When the carbon fiber reinforcer is in the single filament state, the oxyacetylene mass ablation rate of the composite is the lowest, which is 0.046 g/s, and the influence of carbon fiber type and specification on the mass ablation rate of oxyacetylene becomes smaller. The experimental results of solid rocket motor show that the ablation erosion resistance of carbon fiber/phenolic composites in monofilament state is obviously better than that of bundle carbon fiber/phenolic composites

Safety and efficiency of a novel argus optical coherence tomography: A preclinical experiment

Aims: This study investigated the application of the domestic Argus Insight-100 optical coherence tomography (OCT) system in porcine arteries and to evaluate the efficiency and safety of Insight-100°CT immediately after implantation and at 4-week follow-up. Subjects and Methods: Eight porcine arteries were implanted with HELIOS drug-eluting stents. Scans were performed with Insight-100 and C7-XR OCT immediately after implantation and at 4-week follow-up, respectively, to obtain lumen images and measured data. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS v22 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Both the Insight-100 and C7-XR scans were successfully performed during the implantation and follow-up. Parameters at 4-week postoperatively showed no significant difference between these two groups. No differences were observed in the reference vessel minimal lumen diameters between Insight-100 and C7-XR in the same frame (2.59 ± 0.18 mm vs. 2.60 ± 0.23 mm, respectively, P = 0.91 and 2.83 ± 0.27 mm vs. 2.98 ± 0.27 mm, respectively, P = 0.19). Moreover, the values of mean lumen diameter in the stent segment are comparable between Insight-100 and C7-XR (2.91 ± 0.11 mm vs. 2.97 ± 0.16 mm, P = 0.50). At 4-week follow-up, the mean lumen diameter of Insight-100 was 2.54 ± 0.28 mm, while that of C7-XR was 2.55 ± 0.32 mm, without difference between two groups (P = 0.92). Conclusions: The Argus OCT system appears to be safe during implantation and follow-up. The efficacy and measurement accuracy of Argus OCT is equivalent to that of the C7-XR

Relationships between changes in plasma lipid transfer proteins and apolipoprotein B-100 kinetics during fenofibrate treatment in the metabolic syndrome

A B S T R A C T The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between changes in apoB (apolipoprotein B-100) kinetics and plasma PLTP (phospholipid transfer protein) and CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein) activities in men with MetS (the metabolic syndrome) treated with fenofibrate. Eleven men with MetS underwent a double-blind cross-over treatment with fenofibrate (200 mg/day) or placebo for 5 weeks. Compared with placebo, fenofibrate significantly increased the FCRs (fractional catabolic rates) of apoB in VLDL (very-low-density lipoprotein), IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) (all P < 0.01), with no significant reduction (− 8 %; P = 0.131) in VLDL-apoB PR (production rate), but an almost significant increase (+ 15 %, P = 0.061) in LDL-apoB PR. Fenofibrate significantly lowered plasma TG [triacylglycerol (triglyceride); P < 0.001], the VLDL-TG/apoB ratio (P = 0.003) and CETP activity (P = 0.004), but increased plasma HDL (high-density lipoprotein)-cholesterol concentration (P < 0.001) and PLTP activity (P = 0.03). The increase in PLTP activity was positively associated with the increase in both LDL-apoB FCR (r = 0.641, P = 0.034) and PR (r = 0.625, P = 0.040), and this was independent of the fall in plasma CETP activity and lathosterol level. The decrease in CETP activity was positively associated with the decrease in VLDL-apoB PR (r = 0.615, P = 0.044), but this association was not robust and not independent of changes in PLTP activity and lathosterol levels. Hence, in MetS, the effects of fenofibrate on plasma lipid transfer protein activities, especially PLTP activity, may partially explain the associated changes in apoB kinetics. Key words: apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB), cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), fenofibrate, fractional catabolic rate, metabolic syndrome, peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α), plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP)