Real-world impact of chemotherapy on overall survival in craniomaxillofacial osteosarcoma.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to identify the survival benefit of chemotherapy in craniomaxillofacial osteosarcoma (CMFO) patients based on a US population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to select patients with CMFO from 1988 to 2016. Age and tumor size were grouped by X-tail. Cox analysis were used to estimate hazards ratios (HR) among patients. All of patients were divided into two cohorts by using Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy. All prognostic factors were included in the nomograms which predict the median survival time. RESULTS: 410 patients were included in our study. The results of survival rate, Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were showed no significant difference between the group of chemotherapy performed and the group without chemotherapy. PSM analysis also demonstrated the limited survival advantage of chemotherapy. Moreover, all factors were further incorporated to construct the novel nomograms and its concordance indices (C-index) for internal validation of OS prediction were 0.749 (95 %CI:0.731-0.767). CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not show the advantage of chemotherapy on the overall survival outcome of CMFO. Although neoadjuvant chemotherapy was currently recommended in clinical treatment, more rigorous randomized controlled trials are still needed. Nomograms would assist clinicians in making more accurate survival evaluation and choosing the optimal medical treatment.

[Thinking from Horqin Grassland to Horqin Sandy Land]. / 从科尔沁草原到科尔沁沙地的思考.

We systematically elaborated and compared the spatial scope and landscape changes of Horqin Grassland and Horqin Sand Land from their definitions and ranges. Horqin Grassland is an area with geographical units named after Mongolian tribes, but the boundary is unclear. Horqin Sand Land is also an area that borrows tribal names, but has independent topographic and geomorphic units, and clear boundaries. Horqin Grassland and Horqin Sand Land belong to two spatial regions that are both cross and different. The area and range of Horqin Grassland are larger than that of Horqin Sand Land which has obvious regional characteristics, and is a typical and research object area to study the development and restoration of aeolian desertification. Based on those cognition, we summarized the technologies and example models of comprehensive land management and desertification controlling over the years, and finally sorted out what should be focused on in the future to serve the annihilation war against desertification for Horqin Sand Land.

Osteogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on strontium-substituted nano-hydroxyapatite coated roughened titanium surfaces.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate osteogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on strontium-substituted nano-hydroxyapatite (Sr-HA) coated roughened titanium surfaces. METHODS: Sr-HA coating and HA coating were fabricated on roughened titanium surfaces by electrochemical deposition technique and characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESM). BMSCs were cultured on Sr-HA coating, HA coating and roughened titanium surfaces respectively. Cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralized nodules formation and cell osteocalcin (OC) secretion were measured. RESULTS: Electrochemically deposited Sr-HA coating and HA coating had no effect on the proliferation of BMSCs and demonstrated that the materials have a good biocompatibility. BMSCs cultured on Sr-HA coating showed increased alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralized nodules formation, and cell OC secretion compared with the other two groups. Cells cultured on HA coating also showed increased biological activity compared with the roughened group. CONCLUSION: Sr-HA coated titanium surfaces by electrochemical deposition can promote osteogenesis of BMSCs in vitro and have the potential to shorten bone healing period and enhance implant osseointegration.

Decreased plasma decorin levels following acute ischemic stroke: correlation with MMP-2 and differential expression in TOAST subtypes.

Accumulating evidence suggests that extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling plays a significant role following acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Decorin (DCN) is a well-recognized molecule present in the ECM; however, the role of DCN in AIS remains unknown. The present study aimed to investigate whether plasma concentrations of DCN are altered in patients following an AIS and whether they are correlated with matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) levels and other laboratory and clinical variables. Plasma concentrations of DCN were assessed in 102 patients with AIS (less than 7 days) and 120 control subjects using ELISA assays. The correlation between DCN concentrations and MMP-2 levels, Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) subtypes, stroke severity and risk factors were evaluated. The expression of DCN was significantly decreased in patients with AIS (P<0.001), particularly in the large-artery atherosclerosis (LAAS) group. The levels of DCN were positively correlated with MMP-2 (R=0.332; P<0.001), thus MMP-2 is an independent predictor of DCN concentration (P<0.001). DCN levels below 8,500 pg/ml had sensitivity and specificity values of AIS of 79.4 and 62.8%, respectively and DCN below 8,500 pg/ml was associated with AIS (OR=4.8; 95% CI: 2.1-11.1; P<0.001) following adjustment for potential confounders. In conclusion, for the first time, a reduction in DCN was detected in patients following AIS and these altered plasma concentrations were correlated with MMP-2. Larger studies are required to further investigate whether DCN is involved in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke.

Dynamic reduction of plasma decorin following ischemic stroke: a pilot study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamic changes in plasma decorin concentration after acute ischemic stroke and to study its relationship with clinical stroke subtypes. We collected three plasma samples from patients with acute ischemic stroke (n = 35) and controls (n = 30): upon admission (1-3 days) between 3 days and 1 week (3-7 days), and between 7 days and 2 weeks (7-14 days). The relationship between Decorin concentration and Trial of ORG10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) subtypes and outcomes were evaluated. The concentration of decorin gradually decreased following the onset of stroke at all different time-points (<3 days, p < 0.05; 3-7 days, p < 0.01; and 7-14 days, p < 0.01) compared to controls. The level of decorin at 7-14 days is significantly lower than that at <3 days (p < 0.01) in the stroke patients. Decorin levels were lower in the Large-artery atherosclerosis group than the rest of the TOAST subgroups (p = 0.024). Decorin levels decreased more in the patients with poor outcome (mRS 3-6) than those with favorable outcome (mRS 0-2, p < 0.05) at a time-point of 3-7 days. There is a dynamic reduction in Decorin level the days following ischemic stroke, and the decrement persists at least the first 2 weeks. The dynamic reduction of decorin might indicate that decorin is concomitantly involved in the pathophysiological processes of stroke. Larger studies are needed to confirm whether decorin is a useful marker of stroke and a prognostic indicator of outcome.

[Reliability of three dimensional resin model by rapid prototyping manufacturing and digital modeling].

PURPOSE: To describe a new technique for fabricating an 3D resin model by 3D reconstruction and rapid prototyping, and to analyze the precision of this method. METHODS: An optical grating scanner was used to acquire the data of silastic cavity block , digital dental cast was reconstructed with the data through Geomagic Studio image processing software. The final 3D reconstruction was saved in the pattern of Stl. The 3D resin model was fabricated by fuse deposition modeling, and was compared with the digital model and gypsum model. The data of three groups were statistically analyzed using SPSS 16.0 software package. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in gypsum model,digital dental cast and 3D resin model (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rapid prototyping manufacturing and digital modeling would be helpful for dental information acquisition, treatment design, appliance manufacturing, and can improve the communications between patients and doctors.

[Meta-analysis of surgical techniques for preventing Frey syndrome and a concave facial deformity after parotidectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the curative effects on surgical methods for the prevention of Frey syndrome and a concave facial deformity after parotidectomy. METHODS: A literature search was performed using the Wianfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Disk Database, Chinese Digital Hospital Library and Chinese Scientific Journals Database of VIP from January 1989 to December 2008. Twenty-six Chinese language controlled studies involving surgical techniques for prevention of Frey syndrome and the concave facial deformity after parotidectomy were identified. Review manager 4.2 software was applied for Meta analysis. RESULTS: Meta-analysis for surgical techniques to prevent symptomatic Frey syndrome, a positive starch-iodine test, and contour deformity, favored intervention with a cumulative odds ratio (OR) of 0.14 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.07-0.25]; OR, 0.21 (95% CI, 0.17-0.26); and OR, 0.09 (95% CI, 0.04-0.19), respectively. There was a significant difference in the incidence of these complications between surgical treatment groups and control groups (Z = 6.42, Z = 13.70, Z = 6.43, all P < 0.05). The application of a sternocleidomastoid muscle flap decreased the incidence of symptomatic Frey syndrome (Z = 2.33, P < 0.05), positive starch-iodine test (Z = 7.48, P < 0.05) and contour deformity (Z = 7.78, P < 0.05). The application of acellular dermal matrix decreased the incidence of symptomatic Frey syndrome (Z = 6.02, P < 0.05) and positive starch-iodine test (Z = 5.72, P < 0.05) but did not decrease the incidence of contour deformity (Z = 1.27, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Meta-analysis of operative techniques to prevent symptomatic Frey syndrome, a positive starch-iodine test, and facial asymmetry suggests that such methods are likely to reduce the incidence of these complications and improve the quality of life after parotidectomy.

Study on the thermal decomposition kinetics of nano-sized calcium carbonate.

This study of the thermal decomposition kinetics of various average diameter nano-particles of calcium carbonate by means of TG-DTA ( thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis) showed that the thermal decomposition kinetic mechanisms of the same crystal type of calcium carbonate samples do not vary with decreasing of their average diameters; their pseudo-active energy (a); and that the top-temperature of decomposition T(p) decreases gently in the scope of micron-sized diameter, but decreases sharply when the average diameter decreases from micron region to nanometer region. The extraordinary properties of nano-particles were explored by comparing the varying regularity of the mechanisms and kinetic parameters of the solid-phase reactions as well as their structural characterization with the variation of average diameters of particles. These show that the aggregation, surface effect as well as internal aberrance and stress of the nano-particles are the main reason causing both E(a) and T(p) to decline sharply with the decrease of the average diameter of nano-particles.

(R)-mandelic acid (S)-alanine hemihydrate.

Crystals of the title complex, C(3)H(7)NO(2).C(8)H(8)O(3).0.5H(2)O, were obtained from an aqueous solution containing racemic mandelic acid and (S)-alanine. The unit cell includes two independent molecular complexes and one water molecule. The structure formed by (R)-mandelic acid and (S)-alanine in a 1:1 molar ratio shows the successful optical separation of racemic mandelic acid. Strong hydrogen bonding, with a rather short O...O separation of 2.494 (3) A, is observed between the carboxyl and carboxylate groups. A structural comparison suggests that the strong hydrogen bonding affects the neighbouring covalent bond.

(1R,3S)-Camphoramic acid.

The title chiral compound, 3-aminocarbonyl-1,2,2-trimethylcyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid, C(10)H(17)NO(3), was prepared from (1R,3S)-camphoric acid. The five-membered ring adopts a conformation which is intermediate between a twist and an envelope. Elongations of the C-C bonds and contractions of the C-C-C bond angles are observed within the five-membered ring. A (1)H NMR spectrum was recorded to assist in distinguishing the amide group from the carboxyl group.