BackgroundThis study was designed to mainly evaluate the activity and safety of olanzapine compared with 5-hydroxytryptamine3(5-HT3) receptor antagonists for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting(CINV) in patients receiving highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC or MEC). The second goal was to evaluate the impact of olanzapine on quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients during the period of chemotherapy.Methods229 patients receiving highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy were randomly assigned to the test group [olanzapine(O) 10 mg p.o. plus azasetron (A) 10 mg i.v. and dexamethasone (D) 10 mg i.v. on day 1; O 10 mg once a day on days 2-5] or the control group (A 10 mg i.v. and D 10 mg i.v. on day 1; D 10 mg i.v. once a day on days 2-5). All the patients filled the observation table of CINV once a day on days 1-5, patients were instructed to fill the EORTC QLQ-C30 QoL observation table on day 0 and day 6. The primary endpoint was the complete response (CR) (without nausea and vomiting, no rescue therapy) for the acute period (24 h postchemotherapy), delayed period (days 2-5 poschemotherapy), the whole period (days 1-5 postchemotherapy). The second endpoint was QoL during chemotherapy administration, drug safety and toxicity.Results229 patients were evaluable for efficacy. Compared with control group, complete response for acute nausea and vomiting in test group had no difference (p > 0.05), complete response for delayed nausea and vomiting in patients with highly emetogenic chemotherapy respectively improved 39.21% (69.64% versus 30.43%, p < 0.05), 22.05% (78.57% versus 56.52%, p < 0.05), complete response for delayed nausea and vomiting in patients with moderately emetogenic chemotherapy respectively improved 25.01% (83.07% versus 58.06%, p < 0.05), 13.43% (89.23% versus 75.80%, p < 0.05), complete response for the whole period of nausea and vomiting in patients with highly emetogenic chemotherapy respectively improved 41.38% (69.64% versus 28.26%, p < 0.05), 22.05% (78.57% versus 56.52%, p < 0.05), complete response for the whole period of nausea and vomiting in patients with moderately emetogenic chemotherapy respectively improved 26.62% (83.07% versus 56.45%, p < 0.05), 13.43% (89.23% versus 75.80%, p < 0.05). 214 of 299 patients were evaluable for QoL. Comparing test group with control group in QoL evolution, significant differences were seen in global health status, emotional functioning, social functioning, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, insomnia and appetite loss evolution in favour of the test group (p < 0.01). Both treatments were well tolerated.ConclusionOlanzapine can improve the complete response of delayed nausea and vomiting in patients receiving the highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy comparing with the standard therapy of antiemesis, as well as improve the QoL of the cancer patients during chemotherapy administration. Olanzapine is a safe and efficient drug for prevention of CINV.

BackgroundBefore tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy can be administered in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), EGFR mutation testing is required. However, few studies have evaluated the extent of EGFR testing in real‐world practice in China.MethodsA multicenter, observational study of EGFR testing in NSCLC patients in North China was conducted. Treatment‐naïve patients or those with postoperative recurrent stage IIIB/IV NSCLC were enrolled. The primary objective was EGFR testing rate. Secondary objectives included EGFR mutation status, EGFR testing methods and specimens, factors associated with EGFR testing, and overall survival with or without EGFR testing.ResultsOverall, 2809 patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC were enrolled; 90.78% had adenocarcinoma. The EGFR screening rate was 42.54%. EGFR testing rates were higher in tumor samples obtained by lymph node puncture, and in patients with urban medical insurance, adenocarcinoma, non‐smokers, or those located in developed cities (all P < 0.001). The EGFR mutation rate was 46.44%. The most commonly used specimens for EGFR testing were biopsy tumor samples (67.53%). PCR‐based methods (72.05%), Sanger sequencing (5.36%), and Luminex liquid chip (5.10%) were the most frequently used testing platforms. Similar positive EGFR mutation rates were achieved with different platforms. TKI therapy was the first‐line treatment administered to most EGFR‐positive patients (56.22%), and chemotherapy in EGFR‐negative patients (84.88%). Overall survival was higher in EGFR‐tested than in untested patients (27.50 vs. 19.73 months; P = 0.007).ConclusionReal‐world EGFR testing rates for NSCLC in North China were relatively low because of clinical and social factors, including medical insurance coverage.

Many research studies have focused on fire evacuation planning. However, because of the uncertainties in fire development, there is no perfect solution. This research proposes a fire evacuation management framework which takes advantage of an information-rich building information modeling (BIM) model and a Bluetooth low energy (BLE)-based indoor real-time location system (RTLS) to dynamically push personalized evacuation route recommendations and turn-by-turn guidance to the smartphone of a building occupant. The risk score (RS) for each possible route is evaluated as a weighted summation of risk level index values of all risk factors for all segments along the route, and the route with the lowest RS is recommended to the evacuee. The system will automatically re-evaluate all routes every 2 s based on the most updated information, and the evacuee will be notified if a new and safer route becomes available. A case study with two testing scenarios was conducted for a commercial office building in Tianjin, China, in order to verify this framework.

Valosin-containing protein (VCP) was previously shown to exhibit high expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues as compared with that in normal tissues; however, the role of VCP in human CRC cells has remained to be elucidated. Two colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and RKO were used in the experiment. We introduced lentiviral constructs expressing VCP to infect RKO cells and lenti-shRNA targeting VCP into HCT116 cells, respectively. Cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest were subsequently examined by MTT assay, transwell chamber assay, flow cytometry, and western blot analysis, respectively. Furthermore, a subcutaneous tumor mouse model and lung metastasis model was used to investigate the effects of VCP on the growth and metastasis of CRC cells in vivo. VCP knockdown was shown to inhibit cell proliferation, chemoresistance and invasion, and induce apoptosis in the HCT116 CRC cells, whereas VCP over-expression suppressed apoptosis and chemoresponse, promoted proliferation and invasion of the RKO CRC cells. In addition, in the subcutaneous tumor and lung metastasis mouse model, VCP knockdown in HCT116 cells suppressed carcinogenesis and metastasis in vivo. The findings of the present study indicated that VCP is very important for the proliferation and metastasis of CRC; therefore, targeting VCP and its downstream targets may represent novel therapies for the treatment of CRC.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11010-016-2746-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

An investigation into a novel in-vivo PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) plastic fiber-optic dosimeter for monitoring low doses of ionizing radiotherapy radiation in real time and for integrating measurements is presented. The fabricated optical fiber tip possessed an embedded structure. A scintillation material, terbium-doped gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb), capable of emitting visible light at around 545 nm which is ideal for transmission through the PMMA when exposed to ionizing radiation was embedded in the PMMA plastic fiber. The dose rate of incident ionizing radiation is measured by analyzing the signal intensity emitted from the scintillation material which propagates through the fiber to a distal MPPC (multi-pixel photon counter). The dosimeter exhibits good repeatability with an excellent linear relationship between the fiber-optic dosimeter output and the absorbed radiation dose with an outstanding isotropic response in its radial angular dependence. "Characterization of a fiber-optic-coupled radioluminescent detector for application in the mammography energy range," Med. Phys. 34(6), 2220-2227 (2007). 7. T. Aoyama, S. Koyama, and C. Kawaura, "An in-phantom dosimetry system using pin silicon photodiode radiation sensors for measuring organ doses in x-ray CT and other diagnostic radiology," Med. Phys. 29(7), 1504-1510 (2002). 8. A. S. Beddar, T. R. Mackie, and F. H. Attix, "Water-equivalent plastic scintillation detectors for high-energy beam dosimetry: I. physical characteristics and theoretical consideration," Phys. Med. Biol. 37(10), 1883-1900 (1992). 9. A. S. Beddar, T. R. Mackie, and F. H. Attix, "Water-equivalent plastic scintillation detectors for high-energy beam dosimetry: II. properties and measurements," Phys. Med. Biol. 37(10), 1901-1913 (1992). 10. M. A. Clift, R. A. Sutton, and D. V. Webb, "Dealing with Cerenkov radiation generated in organic scintillator dosimeters by bremsstrahlung beams," Phys. Med. Biol. 45(5), 1165-1182 (2000). #254911Received 2