Thirty-seven glass beads excavated from the Han Dynasty tombs in Hepu county, Guangxi, China, were analyzed using a portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometer. Reference sample Corning glass D is used to check precision and accuracy of the equipment for major and minor components. The results of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and PXRF are compared to evaluate the quality of equipment for trace elements. Combined with the contents of Al 2 O 3 and CaO, a new criterion of subgroup division for potash glass based on the levels of trace elements (Rb and Sr) is proposed. The correlations of Rb and K, Rb and Al, and Sr and Ca are discussed. It is thought that saltpeter was the main flux used to produce potash glasses of different groups. The positive correlation between Rb and Al, and Rb and K indicates that potassium aluminosilicate minerals may be used as raw minerals for potash glasses of group II. The results indicate that the levels of Rb and Sr can be very helpful in subgroup definition and provide useful clues to the raw materials used for glassmaking and provenance study of the potash glass found in Guangxi, China.

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Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein serve as a critical pillar in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but resistance is universal. Identifying the potential key factors of drug resistance to EGFR-TKIs is essential to treat patients with EGFR mutant lung cancer. Our research here shows that bruceine H suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells; inhibited the growth of human NSCLC cell xenografts; and enhanced the therapeutic effects of gefitinib in the PC-9/GR xenograft models, possibly by inhibiting Notch3. In order to analyze the potential targets of the combination of Notch3 and EGFR-TKIs on resistance to EGFR, we analyzed the differences of gene expression between NSCLC tissues and EGFR-driven gefitinib-resistant tumoral groups and then identify through the WGCNA key genes that may provide therapeutic targets for TKI-resistant lung cancer xenograft models. We confirmed that EGFR-TKI in combination with Notch3 inhibitor can inhibit the expression of β-catenin and enhance the level of FOXO3a, leading to improved recurrence-free survival and overall survival of the xenotransplantation model. These results support that the combination of gefitinib and bruceine H may provide a promising alternative strategy for treating acquired EGFR-TKI resistance in patients with NSCLC.

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