Characteristics of patients with initially unresectable colorectal cancer with or without skeletal muscle loss (>5%) during chemotherapy.

<p>Abbreviations: CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor.</p><p>*16 patients did not require 2nd line chemotherapy and 5 patients had missing information.</p><p>^†22 patients did not require 3rd line chemotherapy and 7 patients had missing information.</p><p>Values given as median value (range) for age and BMI, or number (%).</p><p>Characteristics of patients with initially unresectable colorectal cancer with or without skeletal muscle loss (>5%) during chemotherapy.</p

Univariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with overall survival in patients with skeletal muscle analysis.

<p>Abbreviations: CEA: carcinoembryonic antigen; HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval.</p><p>Univariate and multivariate analyses of factors associated with overall survival in patients with skeletal muscle analysis.</p

Skeletal muscle index and clinical and tumour features in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer.

<p>Abbreviations: CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor.</p><p>Values given as mean ± standard deviation or number (%).</p><p>Skeletal muscle index and clinical and tumour features in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer.</p

Kaplan–Meier curves of progression-free survival (A) and overall survival (B) in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer according to quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on skeletal muscle index before chemotherapy.

<p>Kaplan–Meier curves of progression-free survival (A) and overall survival (B) in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer according to quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on skeletal muscle index before chemotherapy.</p

Association between rate of skeletal muscle loss and mortality in patients with colorectal cancer.

<p>Abbreviations: HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval.</p><p>Association between rate of skeletal muscle loss and mortality in patients with colorectal cancer.</p

Effect of Functional Group on the Monolayer Structures of Biodegradable Quaternary Ammonium Surfactants

The monolayer structures and conformational ordering of cationic surfactants including the biodegradable quaternary ammonium molecules have been systematically characterized by π–<i>A</i> isotherm, surface potential, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy. It was found that the monolayer of the typical dialkyl dimethylammonium on the water surface was less densely packed along with many conformational <i>gauche</i> defects. The packing density and ordering of these monolayers were improved as halide ions were added to the subphase. A similar condensation effect was also observed when amide or ester groups are present in the alkyl tails of the surfactant. These results are discussed on the basis of the repulsive electrostatic interactions between the terminal ammonium moieties, the hydrogen bonding between the functional groups in the alkyl chains, as well as the flexibility of the alkyl chains in these surfactants. The present study is crucial to understanding the relationship between the interfacial structures and the functionalities of the biodegradable quaternary ammonium surfactants

Flow chart representing the study selection process.

<p>Flow chart representing the study selection process.</p

Rate of skeletal muscle change after chemotherapy and clinical and tumour features in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer.

<p>Abbreviations: CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor.</p><p>Values given as mean ± standard deviation or number (%).</p><p>Rate of skeletal muscle change after chemotherapy and clinical and tumour features in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer.</p