A meta analysis of cetuximab plus oxaliplatin based chemotherapy regimen for metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Oxaliplatin based chemotherapy regimen was one of the most used chemotherapy modality for metastatic colorectal cancer. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the clinical activity and toxicities of cetuximab plus oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen for metastatic colorectal Cancer.

METHODS

We searched the clinical studies about the cetuximab plus oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen versus oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy alone for metastatic colorectal cancer in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochran, and CNKI. The data of response and toxicities were extracted and pooled by random or fixed effects model. And publication bias was evaluated by begg's funnel plot and egger's regression test.

RESULTS

Seven papers were included in this study. Adding cetuximab to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regime can significant increase response rate in K-RAS mutation metastatic colorectal patients (odds ratio [OR]: 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-1.80, Z = 3.38, P = 0.001) and metastatic colorectal patients without knowing the K-RAS status (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.11-1.65, Z = 1.89, P = 0.003). But for patients with mutated K-RAS, the improvement for objective response rate was not statistical significant (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.49-1.01, Z = 3.00, P = 0.058) when adding cetuximab to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regime. The pooled results indicating the rash and diarrhea risk was significantly increased in the combined treatment group (P < 0.05). The toxicity of peripheral neuritis was decreased by adding the cetuximab (P < 0.05). And other toxicities were not statistical different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Significant publication bias was found in toxicities evaluation.

CONCLUSION

Cetuximab plus oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen significant increase the response rate for metastatic colorectal cancer. But the some toxicities such rash and diarrhea risk was also increased.

Effect of different time phases of radionuclide hepatobiliary scintigraphy on the differential diagnosis of congenital biliary atresia

To investigate the value and essentiality of 6- and 24-h delay hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the differential diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA), we retrospectively analyzed 197 infants (121 boys/76 girls; age range, 3-205 days; average age, 63.9 days) admitted to Jiangxi Children's Hospital for persistent jaundice (> 2 weeks), hepatosplenomegaly, and abnormal liver function. After receiving anti-inflammatory treatment and cholagogic pre-treatment for 7-10 days without a clear diagnosis, the children underwent 99mTc-labeled diethylacetanilide-iminodiacetic acid hepatobiliary scintigraphy. BA and infant hepatitis syndrome were diagnosed in 107 and 90 infants, respectively after laparoscopic cholangiography, surgical pathology, or 6-month clinical follow-up. The diagnostic efficiencies of hepatobiliary scintigraphy for BA were evaluated within 50 min and at 6 and 24 h. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves within 50 min, at 6 and 24 h were 0.696, 0.829 , and 0.779 , suggesting poor diagnostic value within 50 min, but improvement at 6 and 24 h. The compliance rate of 6- and 24-h imaging for BA diagnosis was 89.34% (176/197; paired chi-square test Kappa value, 0.77; P > 0.05), signifying high consistency. The diagnostic efficiency values of 6-/24-h imaging for BA diagnosis were sensitivity (90.65/89.72%), specificity (74.44/78.89%), accuracy (83.25/84.77%), positive and negative predictive values (80.83/83.48% and 87.01/86.59%), with no significant difference (P > 0.05). To provide optimal treatment in early BA, the- 6-h hepatobiliary scintigraphy had practical value, especially when combined with tomographic or dynamic imaging; 24-h delay imaging was deemed unnecessary because it was not significantly superior.

On-chip lithium cells for electrical and structural characterization of single nanowire electrodes

We present a transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-compatible, hybrid nanomachined, on-chip construct for probing the structural and electrical changes in individual nanowire electrodes during lithium insertion. We have assembled arrays of individual β-phase manganese dioxide (β-MnO2) nanowires (NWs), which are employed as a model material system, into functional electrochemical cells through a combination of bottom-up (dielectrophoresis) and top-down (silicon nanomachining) unit processes. The on-chip NWs are electrochemically lithiated inside a helium-filled glovebox and their electrical conductivity is studied as a function of incremental lithium loading during initial lithiation. We observe a dramatic reduction in NW conductivity (on the order of two to three orders in magnitude), which is not reversed when the lithium is extracted from the nanoelectrode. This conductivity change is attributed to an increase in lattice disorder within the material, which is observed from TEM images of the lithiated NWs. Furthermore, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) was employed to confirm the reduction in valence state of manganese, which occurs due to the transformation of MnO2 to LixMnO2.

Quantitative analysis of the temperature dependency in Raman active vibrational modes of molybdenum disulfide atomic layers

Raman spectroscopy is utilized to quantify the temperature dependency of the vibrational modes in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) atomic layers. These analyses are essential for understanding the structural properties and phononic behaviors of this two-dimensional (2D) material. We quantitatively analyze the temperature dependent shifts of the Raman peak positions in the temperature range from 300 to 550 K, and find that both planar and out-of-plane characteristic modes are highly sensitive to temperature variations. This temperature dependency is linear and can be fully explained by the first-order temperature coefficient. Using a semi-quantitative model, we evaluate the contributions of the material's thermal expansion and intrinsic temperature effects to this dependency. We reveal that the dominating source of shift in the peak position of planar mode E2g(1) for samples of all thicknesses investigated is the four-phonon process. In addition to the four-phonon process, thermal expansion plays a significant role in the temperature dependency of the out-of-plane mode, A1g. The thickness dependency of the temperature coefficient for MoS2 and a drastic change in behaviors of samples from bi- to single-layered are also demonstrated. We further explore the role of defects in the thermal properties of MoS2 by examining the temperature dependency of Raman modes in CVD-grown samples.

Humidity effects on anisotropic nanofriction behaviors of aligned carbon nanotube carpets

We evaluated the interfacial properties of vertically and transversely aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) carpets using atomic force microscopy (AFM) under ambient (26%-52% relative humidity (RH)), mild (10% RH), and dry conditions (<3.3% RH). The frictional forces on a transversely aligned CNT (TAMWCNT) surface are lower than those on a vertically aligned CNT (VAMWCNT) surface, and they decrease as the relative humidity decreases for both TAMWCNT and VAMWCNT surfaces. Similar trends are found for adhesion forces on both surfaces. Contact mechanics theories are applied and compared in an attempt to better understand these results. The tribological behavior of CNT carpets unveiled in this paper is expected to inspire tunable friction surface engineering strategies.

Microwave frequency performance and high magnetic anisotropy of nanocrystalline Fe70Co30-B films prepared by composition gradient sputtering

The fabrication and high-frequency ferromagnetic performances of nanocrystalline Fe70Co30-B soft magnetic films were investigated. It is revealed that the composition gradient sputtering method dramatically improves the high-frequency soft magnetic properties of the as-prepared films. This method gives rise to almost a linearly-increased distribution of compositions and residual stress. As a result, a very high ferromagnetic resonance frequency up to 6.7 GHz, high uniaxial magnetic anisotropic field up to 450 Oe, and low magnetic loss were obtained in as-deposited samples, which are particularly in favor of the integration between magnetic films and microwave components.

Tunable microwave frequency performance of nanocomposite Co2MnSi/PZN-PT magnetoelectric coupling structure

Nanocrystalline Co2MnSi Heusler alloy films were deposited on the PZN-PT substrates by a composition gradient sputtering method. It is revealed that this multiferroic heterostructure shows very strong magnetoelectric coupling, leading to continuously tunable microwave frequency characteristics by electric field. With the increase of electric field intensity from 0 to 6 kV/cm, the magnetic anisotropy field H(K) increases from 90 Oe to 182 Oe with an increment of 102%, corresponding to a ME coefficient of 15.3 Oe cm/kV; the ferromagnetic resonance frequency f(FMR) shifts from 3.38 to 4.82 GHz with an increment of deltaf(FMR) = 1440 MHz or deltaf(FMR)/f(FMR) = 43%; moreover, the damping constant alpha dramatically decreases from 0.035 to 0.018. These merits demonstrate that this nanocomposite multiferroic structure is promising in fabrication of tunable microwave components.

Neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies binding multiple serotypes of botulinum neurotoxin

Botulism, a disease of humans characterized by prolonged paralysis, is caused by botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), the most poisonous substances known. There are seven serotypes of BoNT (A-G) which differ from each other by 34-64% at the amino acid level. Each serotype is uniquely recognized by polyclonal antibodies, which originally were used to classify serotypes. To determine if there existed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) capable of binding two or more serotypes, we evaluated the ability of 35 yeast-displayed single-chain variable fragment antibodies generated from vaccinated humans or mice for their ability to bind multiple BoNT serotypes. Two such clonally related human mAbs (1B18 and 4E17) were identified that bound BoNT serotype A (BoNT/A) and B or BoNT/A, B, E and F, respectively, with high affinity. Using molecular evolution techniques, it proved possible to both increase affinity and maintain cross-serotype reactivity for the 4E17 mAb. Both 1B18 and 4E17 bound to a relatively conserved epitope at the tip of the BoNT translocation domain. Immunoglobulin G constructed from affinity matured variants of 1B18 and 4E17 were evaluated for their ability to neutralize BoNT/B and E, respectively, in vivo. Both antibodies potently neutralized BoNT in vivo demonstrating that this epitope is functionally important in the intoxication pathway. Such cross-serotype binding and neutralizing mAbs should simplify the development of antibody-based BoNT diagnostics and therapeutics.

Glycogen Formation by the Ruminal Bacterium Prevotella ruminicola

Prevotella ruminicola is an important ruminal bacteria. In maltose-grown cells, nearly 60% of cell dry weight consisted of high-molecular-weight (>2 x 10(sup6)) glycogen. The ratio of glycogen to protein (grams per gram) was relatively low (1.3) during exponential growth, but when cell growth slowed during the transition to the stationary phase, the ratio increased to 1.8. As much as 40% of the maltose was converted to glycogen during cell growth. Glycogen accumulation in glucose-grown cells was threefold lower than that in maltose-grown cells. In continuous cultures provided with maltose, much less glycogen was synthesized at high (>0.2 per h) than at low dilution rates, where maltose was limiting (28 versus 60% of dry weight, respectively). These results indicated that glycogen synthesis was stimulated at low growth rates and was also influenced by the growth substrate. In permeabilized cells, glycogen was synthesized from [(sup14)C]glucose-1-phosphate but not radiolabelled glucose, indicating that glucose-1-phosphate is the initial precursor of glycogen formation. Glycogen accumulation may provide a survival mechanism for P. ruminicola during periods of carbon starvation and may have a role in controlling starch fermentation in the rumen.

Affinity maturation of human botulinum neurotoxin antibodies by light chain shuffling via yeast mating

Botulism is caused by the botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), the most poisonous substance known. Because of the high potency of BoNT, development of diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies for botulism requires antibodies of very high affinity. Here we report the use of yeast mating to affinity mature BoNT antibodies by light chain shuffling. A library of immunoglobulin light chains was generated in a yeast vector where the light chain is secreted. The heavy chain variable region and the first domain of the constant region (V(H)-C(H)1) from a monoclonal antibody was cloned into a different yeast vector for surface display as a fusion to the Aga2 protein. Through yeast mating of the two haploid yeasts, a library of light chain-shuffled Fab was created. Using this approach, the affinities of one BoNT/A and two BoNT/B scFv antibody fragments were increased from 9- to more than 77-fold. Subcloning the V-genes from the affinity-matured Fab yielded fully human IgG1 with equilibrium binding constants for BoNT/A and BoNT/B of 2.51 x 10(-11) M or lower for all three monoclonal antibodies. This technique provides a rapid route to antibody affinity maturation.