Comparison of paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin versus paclitaxel combined with carboplatin in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel combined with carboplatin in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer and assess their effects on serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), CA125, CA199, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), MMP-7, and MMP-9 levels. METHODS: In this observational study, 102 patients with advanced ovarian cancer were assigned to receive paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin (Group A) or paclitaxel combined with carboplatin (Group B). Clinical efficacy; serum HE4, CA125, CA199, MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 levels; and the occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The overall response rate was significantly higher in Group A than in Group B. After chemotherapy, serum HE4, CA125, CA199, MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 levels were lower in Group A than in Group B. The incidence of myalgia, dyspnea, nausea and vomiting, facial flushing, peripheral neuropathy, and skin rash was lower in Group A than in Group B. CONCLUSION: Paclitaxel liposomes combined with carboplatin displayed better efficacy in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer than paclitaxel combined with carboplatin, which might be attributable to reductions in serum marker levels and the occurrence of adverse events.

Highly Stretchable and Sensitive Flexible Strain Sensor Based on Fe NWs/Graphene/PEDOT:PSS with a Porous Structure.

With the rapid development of wearable smart electronic products, high-performance wearable flexible strain sensors are urgently needed. In this paper, a flexible strain sensor device with Fe NWs/Graphene/PEDOT:PSS material added under a porous structure was designed and prepared. The effects of adding different sensing materials and a different number of dips with PEDOT:PSS on the device performance were investigated. The experiments show that the flexible strain sensor obtained by using Fe NWs, graphene, and PEDOT:PSS composite is dipped in polyurethane foam once and vacuum dried in turn with a local linearity of 98.8%, and the device was stable up to 3500 times at 80% strain. The high linearity and good stability are based on the three-dimensional network structure of polyurethane foam, combined with the excellent electrical conductivity of Fe NWs, the bridging and passivation effects of graphene, and the stabilization effect of PEDOT:PSS, which force the graphene-coated Fe NWs to adhere to the porous skeleton under the action of PEDOT:PSS to form a stable three-dimensional conductive network. Flexible strain sensor devices can be applied to smart robots and other fields and show broad application prospects in intelligent wearable devices.

[A comparative study of Gd-DTPA and HSA-Gd-DTPA in magnetic resonance lymphography].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of two contrast agents, Gd-DTPA and HSA-Gd-DTPA, in magnetic resonance (MR) lymphography. METHODS: Twelve New-Zealand rabbits were randomized into Gd-DTPA and HSA-Gd-DTPA groups with subcutaneous (interdigital skin fold) injection of the two contrast agents (0.2 ml of 0.5 mmol/L Gd(3+)) for MR lymphography of the popliteal lymph nodes examined in the axial and sagital orientation. T(1)-weighted, T1-weighted fat suppressed, and T(2)-weighted spin-echo (SE) images of the lymph nodes were obtained in plain scans. The post-contrast scanning started at 30 min, 1 h and 3 h after Gd-DTPA administration and at 10 min, 30 min and 60 min after HSA-Gd-DTPA injection to obtain T(1)-weighted images with identical imaging parameters. The signal intensity of popliteal lymph node was measured and the enhancement rate calculated. RESULTS: After subcutaneous injection, Gd-DTPA quickly entered blood circulation to result in obvious enhancement of the anterior-tibial vein and the urine and also in heterogeneous enhancement of the popliteal lymph nodes. HSA-Gd-DTPA did not enter the blood, causing obvious homogeneous enhancement of the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes. HSA-Gd-DTPA resulted in higher enhancement rate than Gd-DTPA, and the enhancement rate in Gd-DTPA group decreased with time as opposed to that of the HSA-Gd-DTPA group. CONCLUSION: HSA-Gd-DTPA has better performance than Gd-DTPA in MR lymphography after subcutaneous administration.

[Magnetic resonance imaging findings of liver injury induced by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of radiation-induced liver injury following three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. METHODS: A retrospective review of the MRI data was conducted in 20 patients treated between September 2000 and October 2005, who suffered liver injuries induced by 1 or 2 three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy sessions for liver neoplasm. The patients underwent MR scans with T2-weighted sequences and T1-weighted sequences in both plain and Gd-DTPA enhanced MRI. Four patients with suspected tumor relapse suggested by MRI were pathologically confirmed to have radiation-induced liver injury. RESULTS: Acute radiation-induced liver injury was represented by large patches of liver edema consistent with the irradiation volume, showing low signal intensity on T1-weighted images (T1WI) and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images (T2WI) without arterial phase enhancement after Gd-DTPA injection. Delayed radiation-induced liver injury was manifested by slightly low-intensity signal on plain T1WI and slightly high-intensity signal on T2WI without obvious arterial phase enhancement following Gd-DTPA injection but with marked enhancement during the portal-venous and delayed phases. CONCLUSION: Radiation-induced liver injury presents characteristic MRI features, and plain and dynamic enhanced MRI can be of great value for its diagnosis.