Comparison of induction chemotherapy combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone in Lymph-Node-Stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma based on propensity score-matching.

PURPOSE: To explore the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus CCRT alone in patients diagnosed with N3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 787 patients with newly diagnosed N3 NPC treated with IC + CCRT or CCRT alone were included. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint. We balanced variables using propensity score matching (PSM). Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank tests were applied to evaluate the survival condition of each group. Independent prognostic factors were identified using the Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: PSM assigned 228 patients to IC + CCRT and CCRT alone groups. Survival analysis for the matched data set showed that IC + CCRT achieved better survival outcomes compared with CCRT alone, and significant difference was observed in 5-year PFS [74.8% (95%CI 69.2 âˆ¼ 80.9%) vs 65.4% (95%CI 59.4 âˆ¼ 72.0%), P = 0.008], 5-year OS [(77.4%(95%CI 71.9 âˆ¼ 83.3%) vs66.3%(95%CI 60.3 âˆ¼ 72.9%), P = 0.005)] and 5-year distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS)[(81.8%(95%CI 76.7 âˆ¼ 87.2%) vs72.4%(95%CI 66.7 âˆ¼ 78.7%), P = 0.007)] between the two treatment groups. In multivariate analysis, IC + CCRT remained an independent protective factor for PFS (adjusted HR, 0.603; 95% CI, 0.433-0.841; P = 0.003), OS (adjusted HR, 0.568; 95% CI, 0.406-0.793; P < 0.001), and DMFS (adjusted HR, 0.541; 95% CI, 0.364-0.805; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: More chemotherapy should be considered in patients with N3 NPC because of its ability to improve survival time. This could be from the use of IC or adjuvant metronomic chemotherapy.

Marinobacter shengliensis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from oil-contaminated saline soil.

Two moderately halophilic strains, designated SL013A34A2(T) and SL013A24A, were isolated from oil-contaminated saline soil from Shengli Oilfield, eastern China. Cells were found to be Gram-staining negative, aerobic, rod-shaped with a single polar flagellum. The isolates were found to grow at 10-40 °C (optimum 35 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum pH 8.0), and NaCl concentrations of 0.5-18.0 % (w/v) (optimum 3.0-6.0 NaCl). The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolates belong to the genus Marinobacter. Strain SL013A34A2(T) shares the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with strain SL013A24A (99.3 %), followed by M. hydrocarbonoclasticus CGMCC 1.7683(T) (97.8 %), M. vinifirmus CGMCC 1.7265(T) (97.8 %), and M. excellens KMM 3809(T) (97.4 %), respectively, but low similarities (93.8-96.4 %) with type strains of the other numbers of genus Marinobacter. DNA-DNA relatedness values of strain SL013A34A2(T) with strains SL013A24A, M. hydrocarbonoclasticus CGMCC 1.7683(T), M. vinifirmus CGMCC 1.7265(T) and M. excellens KMM 3809(T) were 88.7, 29.2, 33.4 and 29.4 %, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain SL013A34A2(T) were identified as C18:1 ω9c, C16:0, C12:03-OH, C12:0, C16:1 ω9c and 10-methyl C18:0. The major respiratory quinone of strain SL013A34A2(T) was found to be ubiquinone-9, and its predominant polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and unidentified glycolipid. The genomic DNA G + C content was found to be 56.1 mol %. Based on the phenotypic, genetic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, these two isolates are representatives of a novel species of the genus Marinobacter, for which the name Marinobacter shengliensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SL013A34A2(T)(=LMG 27740(T) = CGMCC 1.12758(T)).

Bacterial community diversity in a low-permeability oil reservoir and its potential for enhancing oil recovery.

The diversity of indigenous bacterial community and the functional species in the water samples from three production wells of a low permeability oil reservoir was investigated by high-throughput sequencing technology. The potential of application of indigenous bacteria for enhancing oil recovery was evaluated by examination of the effect of bacterial stimulation on the formation water-oil-rock surface interactions and micromodel test. The results showed that production well 88-122 had the most diverse bacterial community and functional species. The broth of indigenous bacteria stimulated by an organic nutrient activator at aerobic condition changed the wettability of the rock surface from oil-wet to water-wet. Micromodel test results showed that flooding using stimulated indigenous bacteria following water flooding improved oil recovery by 6.9% and 7.7% in fractured and unfractured micromodels, respectively. Therefore, the zone of low permeability reservoir has a great potential for indigenous microbial enhanced oil recovery.

Effect of microbial treatment on the prevention and removal of paraffin deposits on stainless steel surfaces.

In this study, biosurfactant-producing strain N2 and non-biosurfactant producing stain KB18 were used to investigate the effects of microbial treatment on the prevention and removal of paraffin deposits on stainless steel surfaces. Strain N2, with a biosurfactant production capacity, reduced the contact angle of stainless steel to 40.04°, and the corresponding adhesion work of aqueous phase was decreased by 26.5 mJ/m(2). By contrast, KB18 could only reduce the contact angle to 50.83°, with a corresponding 7.6 mJ/m(2) decrease in the aqueous phase work adhesion. The paraffin removal test showed that the paraffin removal efficiencies of strain N2 and KB18 were 79.0% and 61.2%, respectively. Interestingly, the N2 cells could attach on the surface of the oil droplets to inhibit droplets coalescence. These results indicate that biosurfactant-producing strains can alter the wettability of stainless steel and thus eliminate paraffin deposition.

Evaluation of PCDD/Fs emissions during ceramic production: a laboratory study.

Because of the ubiquity of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in kaolinitic clays, the ceramic industry is considered to be a potential source of PCDD/Fs. However, studies on the emission of PCDD/Fs from ceramic production are still very scarce. In this study, PCDD/Fs emissions during ceramic production were investigated in an electric laboratory batch kiln. The results showed that the PCDD/Fs were completely removed from the ceramic pieces after 30 min of firing at the peak temperature of 1200°C. Nevertheless, on the mass and international toxic equivalent basis, 27.5% and 46.2% of the total PCDD/Fs amount in the raw clay were released into the atmosphere during firing, respectively. These PCDD/Fs were emitted into the air before the temperature was elevated to a level high enough for their destruction. Dechlorination reactions generated a broad distribution within the PCDD/Fs congeners including a variety of non-2,3,7,8-substituted ones. The emission of PCDD/Fs was decreased to 16.3 wt.% of the total PCDD/Fs amount in the raw clay, when the initial kiln temperature was enhanced to 600°C. The emission of PCDD/Fs could be reduced significantly in the presence of a glaze coating on the ceramic test piece. These results indicated that ceramic production is an un-neglectable source of PCDD/Fs in the environment.