Efficacy after preoperative capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) versus docetaxel, oxaliplatin and S1 (DOS) in patients with locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of the XELOX and DOS regimens as preoperative chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: All cases of locally advanced gastric cancer treated with the XELOX or DOS regimen were reviewed retrospectively. Propensity score matching (PSM) was carried out to reduce selection bias based on age, gender, location, Lauren type, carcinoembryonic antigen level, clinical tumor stage, and clinical node stage. RESULTS: From January 2010 to December 2016, 248 patients were matched; 159 of them received the XELOX regimen and 89 the DOS regimen. The response rates in the XELOX and DOS groups were 34.5 and 38.1%, respectively (P = 0.823). After four cycles of chemotherapy, 111 patients (69.8%) in the XELOX group and 65 patients (73.0%) in the DOS group underwent radical surgery (P = 0.485). The median progression-free survival (33.0 months vs. 18.7 months, P = 0.0356) and the median overall survival (43.8 months vs. 29.1 months, P = 0.0003) were longer for patients who received the DOS regimen than for those who received the XELOX regimen. The occurrence of grade 3 to 4 toxicity was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: For locally advanced gastric cancer patients, the DOS regimen showed more benefit than the XELOX regimen as preoperative chemotherapy, without any added toxicity effects.

[Optimation the extracting technology of Angelica sinensis by central composite design and response surface methodology].

OBJECTIVE: To optimize the extracting technology from Angelica sinensis by central composite design-response surface methodology. METHODS: On the basis of the single factor,independent variables were ethanol concentrations, solvent ratio and ultrasonic time, while dependent variable was the OD value of extraction rates of ferulic acid and liqustilide. A two-order polynomial equation was fitted to estimate the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Response surface method was used to optimize the extracting process. RESULTS: The optimum extraction conditions for Angelica sinesis were obtained as follows: the extracting solvent was methanol concentrations of 70%, 30 fold solvent, extracting for once and for 40 minutes. The deviation between observed and predicted values was 1.23%. CONCLUSION: The result indicates that the central composite design and response surface methodology is simple, convenient and reliable for optimizing the extraction process of Angelica sinesis with higher precision.

[Influences of different initial processing methods on Rheum palmatum].

OBJECTIVE: To choose the optimum initial processing methods of Rheum palmatum. METHODS: Fresh crude Rheum palmatum was sliced and dealt with the different drying methods such as sun drying, shady drying, microwave heating and various temperatures drying. The content of the Anthraquinones derivatives, slicing colors and dried rates were used as evaluation indexes. The sliced Rheum palmatum was compared with the traditional processing. RESULTS: Sliced fresh crude Rheum palmatum had the low content of the Anthraquinones derivatives and dry rates, slicing colours had obviously changes. For various drying methods, smoking drying was superior to sun drying, shady drying, microwave heating and various temperatures drying methods. CONCLUSION: Fresh crude Rheum palmatum is not suitable for slicing processing. The best drying method is smoking drying.