PurposeTaxane-containing induction chemotherapy (IC) regimens in combination with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) have been compared with non-taxane-containing IC combined with CCRT in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Chinese patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate their clinical efficacy and safety profiling in this ethnic population.MethodsThe electronic databases, PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and Chinese Biomedical Database, were searched for eligible studies. The outcomes included overall response rate (ORR), 1-year survival rate, and different types of adverse events. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the strength of the associations.ResultsA total of 12 RCTs (representing 835 patients) were identified. The pooled analysis showed that taxane-containing regimens had a significant improvement in ORR for nasopharyngeal lesion (OR =4.57, 95% CI =1.14–18.30, P=0.032, z=2.15) but not in cervical lymph nodes (OR =1.23, 95% CI =0.65–2.36, P=0.532, z=0.64) and in 1-year survival rates (OR =1.19, 95% CI =0.10–14.82, P=0.893, z=0.13) compared with non-taxane-containing regimens. Regarding the adverse events and toxicities, grade 3–4 leukopenia and neutropenia were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.001) in favor of the non-taxane-containing regimens, but grade 3–4 vomiting was significantly different between the two groups (P<0.005) in favor of the taxane-containing regimens.ConclusionWhen combined with CCRT, taxane-containing IC regimens may be more efficient for short-term local control in Chinese patients with locally advanced NPC than the non-taxane-containing IC regimens. Moreover, the major toxic effects, which were bone marrow suppression, could be tolerated by majority of patients. More long-term follow-up and high-quality trials of NPC are needed to validate our findings.

Edge distance is the main factor inducing edge chipping. An edge chipping experiment is designed to study the relationships between edge distance and the edge chipping from the aspect of fracture process, the load-displacement curves and AE signals are documented. The results show that the fracture processes of edge chipping at different edge distances are similar and could be divided into four stages, AE signals could reflect the fracture process features of edge chipping. As edge distance increases, the displacements of indenter and critical loads would increase correspondingly, while the peak values of count and duration would decrease. The critical edge distance for Al2O3 is about 0.75mm; the displacements of indenter would keep invariable, while the peak values of count and duration would get to the minimum.

Based on the comprehensive summary of latest research achievements of Laser and EDM technologies in home and abroad, the other advanced machining technologies is summarized briefly, such as Ultrasonic Wave, Microwave machining techniques and their composite machining technologies, as well as High-speed (Super High-speed) Grinding, ELID Grinding and Interface Thermal Chemistry Reaction Aided Machining technologies developed on the basis of traditional grinding technology. At last, it is forecasted that the necessary direction of advanced technologies used for ceramics is combinatorial machining technologies of two or more kinds of advanced technologies.

Fracture strength is one of the key mechanics performances for engineering ceramics products, greatly influenced by the microscopic topography and residual stress field of ground surface. In this work, several testing equipments, such as the metallurgical microscope, surface profiler and X ray residual stress tester were introduced to investigate the relationships between microscopic topography, surface roughness, residual stress and fracture strength of ground ceramics, after the surface grinding and mechanical polishing. The experimental results show that a smoother machined surface with low roughness and residual stress is obtained through polishing with absolute alcohol for 20 minutes; the fracture strength of Si3N4SiC and Al2O3 are increased by 6.64%8.18% and 6.58% respectively, comparing to the ceramics without polishing; the surface stress concentration and residual tensile stress of polished ceramics are both reduced after an appropriate time of polishing process, which causes a certain improvement of ground fracture strength.

The effects of Y2O3, La2O3 and Nd2O3 on the sintering, microstructure and mechanical properties of magnesia refractories were investigated. Addition of rare earth oxide (ReO) to magnesia refractories increases the bulk density, decreases the porosity and improves the mechanical strength of the refractories. The improved sinterability was attributable to the vacancies generation associated with the solid-solution reactions between MgO and ReO. In the samples with ReO, rare earth silicate phases form at magnesia grain boundaries, providing additional bonding between magnesia grains and between magnesia grains and matrix. Consequently, the samples with ReO showed much higher high temperature strengths than those without ReO.