REG3A overexpression functions as a negative predictive and prognostic biomarker in rectal cancer patients receiving CCRT

Background. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is suggested before resection surgery in the control of rectal cancer. Unfortunately, treatment outcomes are widely variable and highly patientspecific. Notably, rectal cancer patients with distant metastasis generally have a much lower survival rate. Accordingly, a better understanding of the genetic background of patient cohorts can aid in predicting CCRT efficacy and clinical outcomes for rectal cancer before distant metastasis. Methods. A published transcriptome dataset (GSE35452) (n=46) was utilized to distinguish prospective genes concerning the response to CCRT. We recruited 172 rectal cancer patients, and the samples were collected during surgical resection after CCRT. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed to evaluate the expression level of regenerating family member 3 alpha (REG3A). Pearson's chi-squared test appraised the relevance of REG3A protein expression to clinicopathological parameters. The Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to generate survival curves, and the log-rank test was performed to compare the survival distributions between two given groups. Results. Employing a transcriptome dataset (GSE35452) and focusing on the inflammatory response (GO: 0006954), we recognized that REG3A is the most significantly upregulated gene among CCRT nonresponders (log2 ratio=1.2472, p=0.0079). Following IHC validation, high immunoexpression of REG3A was considerably linked to advanced post-CCRT tumor status (p<0.001), post-CCRT lymph node metastasis (p=0.042), vascular invasion (p=0.028), and low-grade tumor regression (p=0.009). In the multivariate analysis, high immunoexpression of REG3A was independently correlated with poor disease-specific survival (DSS) (p=0.004) and metastasis-free survival (MeFS) (p=0.045). The results of the bioinformatic analysis also supported the idea that REG3A overexpression is implicated in rectal carcinogenesis. Conclusion. In the current study, we demonstrated that REG3A overexpression is correlated with poor CCRT effectiveness and inferior patient survival in rectal cancer. The predictive and prognostic utility of REG3A expression may direct patient stratification and decisionmaking more accurately for those patients

Cosmetics, beauty, and gender in China. An analysis of the press and the advertisements (From the end of the Qing dynasty to 1930)

Cette recherche porte sur une analyse historique au sujet des cosmétiques et de la beauté en Chine depuis la fin de la dynastie Qing jusqu’au début des années 1930. Cette étude va traiter les différentes conceptions en rapport avec les cosmétiques et la beauté de l’apparence des femmes, ainsi que leur évolution. Par rapport aux approches pour expliquer ces différentes manières, cette étude se base sur la presse et les publicités, alors que ces deux types de sources se chargent de la transformation de la culture chinoise à l’époque de la « modernisation ». La première partie de mon travail décrit l’émergence des « cosmétiques » occidentaux, et le développement de l’industrie des cosmétiques en Chine. A travers cette partie, la perception chinoise sera dévoilée. La deuxième partie analyse le déroulement du concept de la beauté de l’apparence, et sa relation avec l’utilisation de cosmétiques. Dans ces deux parties, une culture de la féminité de consommation voit le jour. Par conséquent, nous verrons également quelles classes de femmes consomment des cosmétiques, ou sont représentées pour promouvoir leur utilisation.This study explores the related issues of cosmetics, the female body, and consumption in Chinese urban culture from the end of nineteenth century to 1930. I propose to examine the subjects as follows: the definition and the use of cosmetics, the difference between cosmetics and makeup products, shaping the culture of female consumption, and the discursive construction of the "beautiful body". The first chapter studies the transformation of the word “cosmetic”, from the traditional definition to its modern-day meaning. The participation of the media, notably the newspapers, will be introduced with the emergence of the Western-style pharmacy. The next two chapters address how cosmetics became an industry. This part will offer an explanation of how the consumer was created by the Chinese cosmetic companies. Finally, the last three chapters examine: 1) the concept of a woman’s (or women’s) beauty; 2) the concept of the beauty of women. How does this issue belong to women? And what kind of women are part of this reflection? By probing these questions, the difference between cosmetics and makeup products will be examined, and will reveal the extent of “women’s” participation. Today, the culture of using cosmetics is a manifestation of women’s common sense. Further, this study illustrates that the culture of “beauty” not only embraces a personal dimension, but also a national and international dimension

Improvements of Alkyl Gallates on the Anti-mildew Property of Paper

本研究目的為評估三種沒食子酸烷基酯化合物，沒食子酸丙酯、沒食子酸辛酯、沒食子酸月桂酯，以及丁基化羥基甲苯等抗氧化劑對於紙張防黴性的改善效果以及紙張性質的保護效果，其中以沒食子酸辛酯之改善效果最佳，當濃度為200 μg/cm2時，對Aspergillus terreus 和A. niger 生長面積的抑制率為85~90%，對於Chaetomiun globosum、Myrothecium verrucaria 和 Penicillium citrinum之抑制效果最為顯著，當濃度降低至25 μg/cm2時，仍可完全抑制黴菌之生長，且以沒食子酸辛酯處理紙張不會改變紙張原有性質。當沒食子酸辛酯處理濃度為100 μg/cm2時，即可有效改善黴菌對纖維素之降解，維持紙張之結晶度與熱穩定性等性質，避免紙張纖維素聚合度下降導致紙張物理性質降低，仍可維持原有的引張強度、撕裂強度與耐折度；且可預防黴菌於紙張表面留下難以修復的黴斑，對於紙張表面顏色、化學性質與物理性質皆具良好的保護效果。結合沒食子酸辛酯與百里香酚處理可使紙張的防黴活性大幅提升，當沒食子酸辛酯與百里香酚加乘處理濃度各為50 μg/cm2時，即可完全抑制C. globosum，對於A.niger與A.terreus亦有95%以上的抑制效果，比起單一藥劑處理濃度為100 μg/cm2時之抑制效果更佳。經過加速老化試驗後發現，沒食子酸辛酯處理濾紙仍保有優異的抗黴菌效果，百里香酚處理濾紙則普遍失去活性，顯示沒食子酸辛酯處理濾紙之耐久性較為良好。綜合上述結果可知，沒食子酸辛酯處理濾紙擁有優良的耐久性，在不影響紙張性質之前提下，能有效改善紙張之防黴性，抑制紙張黴害後的性質變化，以預防之觀點來說，相當符合理想防黴藥劑應具備有的條件，是非常值得後續研究與開發應用的防黴劑。In this study, the inhibitory effects of three alkyl gallates, including propyl gallate, octyl galate, dodecyl gallate and butylated hydroxytoluene against mildew and the protective effects of paper properties were evaluated. In aspect of inhibitory effect against mildew, octyl gallate possessed the best anti-mildew activity and butylated hydroxytoluene couldn’t inhibit any mildew. At a concentration of 200 μg/cm2, the inhibition percentage of octyl gallate against Aspergillus terreus and A. niger were 85~90%, and octyl gallate could completely inhibit Chaetomiun globosum, Myrothecium verrucaria and Penicillium citrinum at a concentration of 25 μg/cm2. At a concentration of 100 μg/cm2, octyl gallate could maintain original crystallinity, thermal stability, degree of polymerization, tensile strength, tearing strength and folding endurance of paper materials. In addition, octyl gallate effectively prevents surface color, chemical and mechanical properties of paper from changing by mildew. Furthermore, the synergistic effect of octyl gallate and thymol against mildew was outstandingly enhanced. C. globosum was completely inhibited when combined octyl gallate and thymol at each concentration of 50 μg/cm2. And the inhibition percentage of treatment combined octyl gallate and thymol against A. niger and A. terreus were above 95%, which is much better than those of treating alone at a concentration of 100 μg/cm2. After accelerating aging, octyl gallate still owned excellent anti-mildew activity, but thymol lost the activity completely. The durability of octyl gallate is much better than thymol. Overall, octyl gallate could inhibit the growth of mildew and protect the paper properties from changing by mildew without affecting the original paper properties. Therefore, octyl gallate is an ideal environmentally benign anti-mildew reagent that is worthy of further research and application

Much Ado About Mother- A Neglected Incubator of the Chinese Renaissance Man, Dr. Shih Hu

本文主旨在重塑胡適母親馮順弟的形象。多人聯想胡適母親的第一句話是中學課文的「娘什麼」，但翻開其《四十自述》，卻赫然發現馮順弟女士竟是這本胡適「自傳」的首篇主角。筆者認為，馮順弟是影響胡適一生的重要人物，然而她卻一直只是胡適研究中的配角。因此唯有重塑馮順弟的形象，方能說明這段寡母孤子的故事，也才有可能、開啟探討近代中國像馮順弟這種未受過正式教育的母親的研究大門。馮順弟本身未留下任何記載可供研究的情況下，本文主要借助下述史料：她與兒子胡適的通信內容（她的部分，多半由她口述、族人胡近仁代筆）、胡適的日記和關於母親的記載、家族親友的回憶錄和信件、及胡適對婦女議題的相關論述。同時，透過筆者在論文中提出的「母親秩序」意涵串起這些史料，讓她所面臨的問題和其應對方式具有時代特徵。二章從她的婚姻始末講起，藉由探討她的夫家、娘家，推論開啟她秩序觀的淵源。第三章起討論她是如何維持其「母親秩序」，第三章主要重心放在她與繼子女、繼媳婦的關係，以及她與娘家的聯繫。第四、五章則放在她與唯一親生兒子胡適間的關係。胡適是她秩序觀的重要根基，但受了正式教育、甚至出國留學的兒子，在價值觀上與她漸行漸遠。這兩章將分析她是如何維持這段母子關係，並讓兒子成為她秩序觀的繼承者。同時筆者也析述兒子對她的回應。六章以馮順弟的死亡作為其母親秩序的結束。惟其同時也是個開始，本章將以胡適在母親去世後所發表的相關婦女論述為主進行對話，並於此章末尾指出未來研究方向。適的「娘什麼」雖然是一句輕薄話，其背後卻蘊藏了如此豐富的母親故事。而在近代中國，默默無聞的那群母親，較諸胡適的母親，是更有可能遭到忽略的。探索她們、重現晚清時代背景將是接下來的課題，因其每一位都可能是曾被忽視的新文明孕育者。This is not only a story of Dr. Shih Hu (胡適) and his mother, but also a motherhood study in Modern China. Hardly anyone would doubt Dr. Shih Hu’s contribution to the development of the Renaissance China. However, few people realize that his almost illiterate and widowed mother, Shun-Di Feng (馮順弟), is the most important person to make who he is. If we want to do research about Shih Hu, we need to unveil his mother’s life story first. o reproduce the mother-son relationship is the goal of this thesis because Shun-Di Feng has been neglected by Hu’s researchers for decades. In the following chapters, I will show why the situation for a widowed mother was difficult at that time. The tricky part is, the widow identity empowered her to manage the Hu’s family and her originated one. Besides, the hardship also enhanced her kinship with her son. She insisted to give Shih Hu the best education, which is different to her value in various aspects. Constant conflicts are inevitable, but in the end we found that the Columbia University Ph.D. inherited her tradition value. try to rethink the motherhood concept in Modern China and embodied it as the noun “Mu Qin Zhi Xu” (「母親秩序」). It illustrates how a mother manages her family and the social network to form and maintain her “Motherhood.” In Hu’s story and in many contemporaries’ stories, “fortunately” having a son is the foundation of doing it. hrough this path, we can find that there is much to do about mother!緒言 I一章 故事前的開始 1一節 胡適情感研究回顧 1二節 胡適母親的無所不在 8三節 「母親」的問題 12二章 她的婚姻 18一節 緣起 18二節 她的夫家 20三節 離開本家，進入夫家 28四節 婚姻生活：「這幾年的生活是很快樂的」（1889-1896） 33三章 一家之母 38一節 胡家「寡母」 38二節 眾子女的繼母 42三節 諸媳之姑 46四節 未忘本家 49四章 親情—唯一的依靠「穈兒」 53一節 關係的建立 53二節 是慈母也是嚴父 57三節 慈母的一面 62四節 必須的選擇 68五章 母親危機的出現與處理 73一節 兒子的挑戰 73二節 母親的危機 78三節 母親危機的解決 85四節 母子同一 88六章 餘論 91一節 死亡是結束也是開始 91二節 難言苦痛的反思 95考文獻 9

Roundabout Guidance Receptor 1 Is an Emerging Prognostic Biomarker for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor originating from the nasopharynx with high morbidity and mortality in Southeast Asia and south of China. Roundabout guidance receptor 1 (ROBO1) can regulate axonogenesis (axon-like protrusion), which may play an important role in migration. However, the roles of ROBO1 in NPC have not been clarified. Methods: A comparative analysis employing the NPC transcriptome (GSE12452) and the axonogenesis-related genes (GO: 0050772) was performed. In total, 124 tissue blocks from patients primarily diagnosed as NPC (1993-2002) were examined using immunohistochemical staining. The connections between clinicopathological variables and protein immunoexpression were analyzed by Pearson’s chi-square test. The Kaplan–Meier method with a log-rank test was employed to plot survival curves. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model to identify independent prognostic biomarker. Results: According to transcriptome analysis, we found that ROBO1 is significantly highly expressed in NPC tissues compared with normal tissues. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining showed that high expression of ROBO1 was significantly related to primary tumor (T1T2 and T3T4) ( P  = .024), nodal metastasis status (N0N1 and N2N3) ( P  = .030), stage (I-II and III-IV) ( P  = .019), and histological grade (keratinizing, non-keratinizing, and undifferentiated) ( P  = .065). Importantly, NPC patients with high ROBO1 expression had poorer disease-specific survival (DSS) ( P  = .0001), distal metastasis-free survival (DMeFS) ( P  < .0001), and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) ( P  = .0001) compared with NPC patients with low ROBO1 expression through the uni-/multivariate and the Kaplan–Meier survival analyses. Conclusion: Our report indicates that ROBO1 might be a potential prognostic biomarker for NPC

Performance of Scoring Systems in Predicting Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Bacteremia of Listeria monocytogenes: A 9-Year Hospital-Based Study

Background: Listeria monocytogenes (LM) is a facultative anaerobe, Gram-positive bacillus which is widely distributed in nature, and can be separated from soil, water, and rotten vegetables. Immunocompetent people are less likely to suffer from LM infection or may only show gastrointestinal symptoms. However, immunocompromised elderly people, pregnant women, and newborns may develop life-threatening invasive infections. The mortality rate of LM infection is as high as 25–30%. The aim of this study is to investigate clinical scores of patients with bacteremia of LM confirmed by one or more blood cultures. We analyzed their demographics and laboratory findings in relation to their clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective study on patients with bacteremia of LM. Data were collected from the electronic clinical database of Taichung Veterans General Hospital between January 2012 and December 2020. Bacteremia of LM was confirmed by at least one blood culture. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and laboratory data were collected for analysis. A variety of clinical scoring systems were used to predict the clinical outcome. Results: A total of 39 patients had confirmed bacteremia of LM. Among them, 1 neonatal patient was excluded. The remaining 38 patients were studied. They included 16 males (42.1%) and 22 females (57.9%), with a mean age of 59.9 ± 19.6 years. Their hospital stay averaged 23.3 ± 20.9 days. The in-hospital mortality rate was 36.8%. Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) Score was 6.6 ± 4.0 for survivors and 12.4 ± 4.4 for non-survivors (P &lt; 0.001). The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) was 3.9 ± 2.8 for survivors and 7.8 ± 3.1 for non-survivors (P = 0.001). Regarding the prediction of mortality risk, the AUC of ROC was 0.829 for MEDS and 0.815 for NEWS. Conclusions: MEDS and NEWS were both good predictors of the clinical outcome in LM bacteremic patients. In those with higher scores of MEDS (≥10) and NEWS (≥8), we recommended an early goal-directed therapy and appropriate antibiotic treatment as early as possible to reduce mortality. Further large-scale studies are required to gain a deeper understanding of this disease and to ensure patient safety

NLRX1 Facilitates Histoplasma capsulatum-Induced LC3-Associated Phagocytosis for Cytokine Production in Macrophages

LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) is an emerging non-canonical autophagy process that bridges signaling from pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) to autophagic machinery. LAP formation results in incorporation of lipidated LC3 into phagosomal membrane (termed LAPosome). Increasing evidence reveals that LAP functions as an innate defense mechanism against fungal pathogens. However, the molecular mechanism involved and the consequence of LAP in regulating anti-fungal immune response remain largely unexplored. Here we show that Histoplasma capsulatum is taken into LAPosome upon phagocytosis by macrophages. Interaction of H. capsulatum with Dectin-1 activates Syk and triggers subsequent NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) response that is involved in LAP induction. Inhibiting LAP induction by silencing LC3α/β or treatment with ROS inhibitor impairs the activation of MAPKs-AP-1 pathway, thereby reduces macrophage proinflammatory cytokine response to H. capsulatum. Additionally, we unravel the importance of NLRX1 in fungus-induced LAP. NLRX1 facilitates LAP by interacting with TUFM which associates with autophagic proteins ATG5-ATG12 for LAPosome formation. Macrophages from Nlrx1−/− mice or TUFM-silenced cells exhibit reduced LAP induction and LAP-mediated MAPKs-AP-1 activation for cytokine response to H. capsulatum. Furthermore, inhibiting ROS production in Nlrx1−/− macrophages almost completely abolishes H. capsulatum-induced LC3 conversion, indicating that both Dectin-1/Syk/ROS-dependent pathway and NLRX1-TUFM complex-dependent pathway collaboratively contribute to LAP induction. Our findings reveal new pathways underlying LAP induction by H. capsulatum for macrophage cytokine response