Hemogram-derived ratios as prognostic markers for major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction(NSTEMI)poses significant challenges in clinical management due to its diverse outcomes.Understanding the prognostic role of hematological parameters and derived ratios in NSTEMI patients could aid in risk stratification and improve patient care.AIM To evaluate the predictive value of hemogram-derived ratios for major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in NSTEMI patients,potentially improving clinical outcomes.METHODS A prospective,observational cohort study was conducted in 2021 at the Internal Medicine Clinic of the University Hospital in Tuzla,Bosnia and Herzegovina.The study included 170 patients with NSTEMI,who were divided into a group with MACE and a control group without MACE.Furthermore,the MACE group was subdivided into lethal and non-lethal groups for prognostic analysis.Alongside hematological parameters,an additional 13 hematological-derived ratios(HDRs)were monitored,and their prognostic role was investigated.RESULTS Hematological parameters did not significantly differ between non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction(NSTEMI)patients with MACE and a control group at T1 and T2.However,significant disparities emerged in HDRs among NSTEMI patients with lethal and non-lethal outcomes post-MACE.Notably,neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)were elevated in lethal outcomes.Furthermore,C-reactive protein-to-lymphocyte ratio(CRP/Ly)at T1(>4.737)demonstrated predictive value[odds ratio(OR):3.690,P=0.024].Both NLR at T1(>4.076)and T2(>4.667)emerged as significant predictors,with NLR at T2 exhibiting the highest diagnostic performance,as indicated by an area under the curve of 0.811(95%CI:0.727-0.859)and OR of 4.915(95%CI:1.917-12.602,P=0.001),emphasizing its important role as a prognostic marker.CONCLUSION This study highlights the significant prognostic value of hemogram-derived indexes in predicting MACE among NSTEMI patients.During follow-up,NLR,PLR,and CRP/Ly offer important insights into the inflammatory processes underlying cardiovascular events.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of early veno-venous hemofiltration for severe acute pancreatitis in China

AIM： To determine the most cost-effective hemofiltration modality for early management of severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） in China. METHODS： We carried out a search of Pub-Medline and Chinese Biomedical Disk database. Controlled clinical trials on Chinese population were included in the analysis. The four decision branches that were analyzed were： continuous or long-term veno-venous hemofiltration （CVVH/LVVH）, short-term veno-venous hemofiltration （SVVH）, SVVH plus peritoneal dialysis （PD）, and non-hemofiltration control group. The effectiveness of the technique was determined by survival rate, complications prevention and surgery preservation. The total cost of hospitalization was also assessed. RESULTS： The SVVH only technique was the least costly modality, $5809 （44449 RMB）, and was selected as the baseline treatment modality. SVVH only arm achieved the lowest C/E ratio in terms of overall survival, complications prevention and surgery preservation. In incremental cost-effectiveness analysis, the CWH/ LVVH only and the control arms were inferior to other techniques. Sensitivity analysis showed SVVH only and SVVH plus PD arms overlapped in C/survival ratio. CONCLUSION： The role of early veno-venous hemofiltration as an alternative therapy for SAP remains controversial. However, we propose that early use of short-term high-volume veno-venous hemofiltration would have a beneficial impact on the management of SAP.

Experimental Study of Local Scour Around Four Piles Under Different Attack Angles and Gap Ratios

In an effort to investigate and quantify the patterns of local scour,researchers embarked on an in-depth study using a systematic experimental approach.The research focused on the effects of local scour around a set of four piles,each subjected to different hydromechanical conditions.In particular,this study aimed to determine how different attack angles—the angles at which the water flow impinges on the piles,and gap ratios—the ratios of the spacing between the piles to their diameters,influence the extent and nature of scour.A comprehensive series of 35 carefully designed experiments were orchestrated,each designed to dissect the nuances in how the gap ratio and attack angle might contribute to changes in the local scour observed at the base of pile groups.During these experimental trials,a wealth of local scour data were collected to support the analysis.These data included precise topographic profiles of the sediment bed around the pile groups,as well as detailed scour time histories showing the evolution of scour at strategic feature points throughout the test procedure.The analysis of the experimental data provided interesting insights.The study revealed that the interplay between the gap ratio and the attack angle had a pronounced influence on the scouring dynamics of the pile groups.One of the key observations was that the initial phases of scour,particularly within the first hour of water flow exposure,were characterized by a sharp increase in the scour depth occurring immediately in front of the piles.After this initial rapid development,the scour depth transitioned to a more gradual change rate.In contrast,the scour topography around the piles continuously evolved.This suggests that sediment displacement and the associated sculpting of the seabed around pile foundations are sustained and progressive processes,altering the underwater landscape over time.The results of this empirical investigation have significant implications for the design and construction of offshore multi-pile foundations,providing a critical reference for engineers and designers to estimate the expected scour depth around such structures,which is an integral part of decisions regarding foundation design,selection of structural materials,and implementation of scour protection measures.

Meta Analysis and Cost-effectiveness of Yangxin Dingji Capsule in the Treatment of Tachyarrhythmia

[Objectives] To compare the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Yangxin Dingji capsule in conjunction with conventional Western medicine therapy against the use of conventional Western medicine therapy alone in the treatment of tachyarrhythmia.[Methods] A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Yangxin Dingji capsule in conjunction with conventional Western medicine therapy for the treatment of tachyarrhythmia, compared to conventional Western medicine therapy alone. A decision tree model was developed to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis from the perspective of the healthcare system. The effect parameter was the clinical effectiveness rate obtained from a meta-analysis of clinical literature. The cost parameter was represented by the drug treatment cost. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was subsequently calculated, and the robustness of the primary analysis results was assessed through one-way sensitivity analysis.[Results] The results of the meta-analysis indicated that, over an 8-week treatment period, the clinical efficacy of Yangxin Dingji capsule in conjunction with conventional Western medicine for the treatment of tachyarrhythmia was superior to that of conventional Western medicine therapy alone, and the difference was found to be statistically significant [ OR =3.32, 95% CI (2.22-4.96), P <0.000 01]. The clinical efficacy of Yangxin Dingji capsule in conjunction with conventional Western medicine for the treatment of tachyarrhythmia was found to be superior when the treatment duration was 4 weeks, and the difference was found to be statistically significant [ OR =2.39, 95% CI (1.45-3.96), P =0.000 7]. The cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that with an 8-week treatment regimen, each 1% increase in the clinical effectiveness rate of Yangxin Dingji capsule in conjunction with conventional Western medical therapy for the treatment of arrhythmia, as compared to conventional Western medical therapy alone, resulted in an increase in cost of 91.78 yuan. Conversely, when the treatment duration was 4 weeks, each 1% increase in the clinical effectiveness rate of the Yangxin Dingji capsule combined with conventional Western medical therapy led to a cost increase of 70.84 yuan.[Conclusions] In the management of tachyarrhythmia, the clinical efficacy of Yangxin Dingji capsule in conjunction with conventional Western medicine therapy is superior to that of conventional Western medicine therapy alone. When the willingness-to-pay value exceeds the corresponding ICER, the combination of Yangxin Dingji capsule with conventional Western medicine therapy is deemed more cost-effective than the use of conventional Western medicine therapy alone.

Isotopic dependence of the yield ratios of light fragments from different projectiles and their unified neutron skin thicknesses

The yield ratios of neutron-proton(R(n/p))and^(3)H-^(3)He(R(^(3)H∕^(3)He))with reduced rapidity from 0 to 0.5 were simulated at 50 MeV/u even-even ^(36−56)Ca+^(40)Ca,even-even ^(48−78)Ni+^(58)Ni,and ^(100−139)Sn(every third isotopes)+112 Sn for full reduced impact parameters using the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics(IQMD)model.The neutron and proton density distributions and root-mean-square radii of the reaction systems were obtained using the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock model,which was used for the phase space initialization of the projectile and target in IQMD.We defined the unified neutron skin thickness asΔRnp=<r^(2)>^(1∕2) n−<r^(2)>^(1∕2)p,which was negative for neutron-deficient nuclei.The unifiedΔRnp values for nuclei with the same relative neutron excess from different isotopic chains were nearly equal,except for extreme neutron-rich isotopes,which is a type of scaling behavior.The yield ratios of the three isotopic chain-induced reactions,which depended on the reduced impact parameter and unified neutron skin thickness,were studied.The results showed that both R(n/p)and R(^(3)H∕^(3)He)decreased with a reduced impact parameter for extreme neutron-deficient isotopes;however,they increased with reduced impact parameters for extreme neutron-rich isotopes,and increased with theΔRnp of the projectiles for all reduced impact parameters.In addition,a scaling phenomenon was observed betweenΔR np and the yield ratios in peripheral colli-sions from different isotopic chain projectiles(except for extreme neutron-rich isotopes).Thus,R(n/p)and R(^(3)H∕^(3)He)from peripheral collisions were suggested as experimental probes for extracting the neutron or proton skin thicknesses of non-extreme neutron-rich nuclei from different isotopic chains.

Using Pearson’s System of Curves to Approximate the Distributions of the Difference between Two Correlated Estimates of Signal-to-Noise Ratios: The Cases of Bivariate Normal and Bivariate Lognormal Distributions

Background: The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is recognized as an index of measurements reproducibility. We derive the maximum likelihood estimators of SNR and discuss confidence interval construction on the difference between two correlated SNRs when the readings are from bivariate normal and bivariate lognormal distribution. We use the Pearsons system of curves to approximate the difference between the two estimates and use the bootstrap methods to validate the approximate distributions of the statistic of interest. Methods: The paper uses the delta method to find the first four central moments, and hence the skewness and kurtosis which are important in the determination of the parameters of the Pearsons distribution. Results: The approach is illustrated in two examples;one from veterinary microbiology and food safety data and the other on data from clinical medicine. We derived the four central moments of the target statistics, together with the bootstrap method to evaluate the parameters of Pearsons distribution. The fitted Pearsons curves of Types I and II were recommended based on the available data. The R-codes are also provided to be readily used by the readers.

Cost-Effective Monitoring of the Fuel Air Equivalence-Ratio with a Lambda Sensor and a Microcontroller in a Downdraft Biomass Gasifier

The operation of biomass treatment devices such as gasifiers is based on the control of key parameters that play an important role in product formation. These include: temperature, excess oxygen, relative humidity and biomass composition. This work focuses on excess oxygen and temperature. Unfortunately, flue gas oxygen analyzers are expensive and not accessible to small industries. However, the equivalence ratio is linked to excess oxygen and has the advantage of not depending on biomass composition. This study therefore focuses on the design and development of a device for controlling this equivalence ratio by measuring oxygen concentration using a self-propelled Lambda probe, and a system for monitoring this equivalence ratio using an Arduino Uno 3 microcontroller. The temperature is recorded with an accuracy of ±1.5°C. For a heating time of 10 minutes, the response time to temperature change is around 3 seconds, which is sufficient for the device to function properly. This simple device is an efficient and cost-effective means of checking the equivalence ratio.

An Experimental and Numerical Thermal Flow Analysis in a Solar Air Collector with Different Delta Wing Height Ratios

This study conducts both numerical and empirical assessments of thermal transfer and fluid flow characteristics in a Solar Air Collector(SAC)using a Delta Wing Vortex Generator(DWVG),and the effects of different height ratios(Rh=0.6,0.8,1,1.2 and 1.4)in delta wing vortex generators,which were not considered in the earlier studies,are investigated.Energy and exergy analyses are performed to gain maximum efficiency.The Reynolds number based on the outlet velocity and hydraulic diameter falls between 4400 and 22000,corresponding to the volume flow rate of 5.21–26.07 m^(3)/h.It is observed that the delta wing vortex generators with a higher height ratio yield maximum heat transfer enhancement and overall enhancement ratio.The empirical and numerical findings demonstrate that the exergy and thermal efficiencies decline in a specific range.TheNusselt number,pressure drop,energy,and exergy efficiencies enhance with rising Reynolds number,although the friction coefficient diminishes.The maximum heat transfer enhancement is 57%.According to the evaluation of exergy efficiency,the greatest efficiency of 31.2%is obtained at Rh=1.4 and Reynolds number 22000.

Humic Acid Effects on Reducing Corn Leaf Burn Caused by Foliar Spray of Urea-Ammonium Nitrate at Different Humic Acid/Urea-Ammonium Nitrate Ratios

Technologies for reducing corn leaf burn caused by foliar spray of urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) during the early growing season are limited. A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of humic acid on corn leaf burn caused by foliar spray of undiluted UAN solution on corn canopy at Jackson, TN in 2018. Thirteen treatments of the mixtures of UAN and humic acid were evaluated at V6 of corn with different UAN application rates and different UAN/humic acid ratios. Leaf burn during 1 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 14 days after UAN foliar spray significantly differed between with or without humic acid addition. The addition of humic acid to UAN significantly reduced leaf burn at each UAN application rate (15, 25, and 35 gal/acre). The reduction of leaf burn was enhanced as the humic acid/UAN ratio went up from 10% to 30%. Leaf burn due to foliar application of UAN became severer with higher UAN rates. The linear regression of leaf burn 14 days after application with humic acid/UAN ratio was highly significant and negative. However, the linear regression of leaf burn 14 days after application with the UAN application rate was highly significant and positive. In conclusion, adding humic acid to foliar-applied UAN is beneficial for reducing corn leaf burn during the early growing season.

Binary Phase Shaping and SHG Contrast Ratios

Finding binary sequences with Large SHG ratios is very important in the field of ultrafast science, biomedical optics, high-resolution microscopy and label-free imaging. In this paper, we have demonstrated the relation between the SHG contrast ratio and the traditional Merit Factor values. And in the light from known results in Merit Factor Problems, we have shown that Legendre Sequences or Jacobi Sequences, are still the best candidates to obtain binary sequences with large SHG contrast ratios. The authors also discussed the SHG behaviors on some sequences obtained from cyclotomic classes over the finite field GF (2l) .

Calcium-Magnesium Ca/Mg Ratios and Their Agronomic Implications for the Optimization of Phosphate Fertilization in Rainfed Rice Farming on Acidic Ferralsol in the Forest Zone of Ivory Coast

This study is a contribution to improving rice productivity on acidic plateau soils of the tropical rainforest zone. It is based on taking into account the cationic balances of the soil in order to optimize the phosphorus (P) nutrition of rice on these acidic soils, where this nutrient constitutes a limiting factor for agricultural production. Three (3) pot trials were conducted in Adiopodoumé in the forested south of Côte d’Ivoire. The interactive effects of calcium carbonate (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg Ca ha−1) and magnesium sulfate (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg Mg ha−1) were evaluated on the response of NERICA 5 rice at doses 0, 25, 50 and 75 kg P ha−1 of natural phosphate from Togo, applied only once at the start of the experiment. Additional fertilizers of nitrogen (N) (100 kg N ha−1) and potassium (K) (50 kg KCl ha−1) were added to each of the tests in a split-plot device. The test results revealed a paddy production potential of approximately 3 to 5 t⋅ha−1 for NERICA 5 on an acidic soil, under the effect of the interaction of P, Ca and Mg. The quadratic response of rice yield to the doses of these fertilizers would be more dependent on their balance, itself influenced by Ca nutrition. For the sustainability and maintenance of rice production in agro-ecology studied, it was recommended doses of 38 kg Ca ha−1, 34 kg Mg ha−1 in a Ca/Mg ratio (1/1) with intakes of 41 kg P ha−1, overall in a ratio 1/1/1 (P/Ca/Mg) more favorable to the availability of free iron considered a guiding element of mineral nutrition. Thus, these promising results should be confirmed in a real environment for better management of the fertilization of rice cultivated on acidic plateau soils in Côte d’Ivoire.

Trends of alkaline phosphatase to prealbumin ratio in patients with hepatitis B linked to hepatocellular carcinoma development

BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis B often progresses silently toward hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),a leading cause of mortality worldwide.Early detection of HCC is crucial,yet challenging.AIM To investigate the role of dynamic changes in alkaline phosphatase to prealbumin ratio(APR)in hepatitis B progression to HCC.METHODS Data from 4843 patients with hepatitis B(January 2015 to January 2024)were analyzed.HCC incidence rates in males and females were compared using the log-rank test.Data were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis.The Linear Mixed-Effects Model was applied to track the fluctuation of APR levels over time.Furthermore,Joint Modeling of Longitudinal and Survival data was employed to investigate the temporal relationship between APR and HCC risk.RESULTS The incidence of HCC was higher in males.To ensure the model’s normality assumption,this study applied a logarithmic transformation to APR,yielding ratio.Ratio levels were higher in females(t=5.26,P<0.01).A 1-unit increase in ratio correlated with a 2.005-fold higher risk of HCC in males(95%CI:1.653-2.431)and a 2.273-fold higher risk in females(95%CI:1.620-3.190).CONCLUSION Males are more prone to HCC,while females have higher APR levels.Despite no baseline APR link,rising APR indicates a higher HCC risk.

Investigation of cost-effectiveness of highway asphalt pavement maintenance treatments based on rutting development analysis

To investigate the cost-effectiveness of different maintenance treatments of highways in Jiangsu Province, the historical pavement maintenance records, traffic load information and pavement performance data in the pavement management system （PMS） are recorded and analyzed. Compared with the growth model, the linear model, the logarithm model and the exponential model, the cubic model has higher regression accuracy R2 and it can capture the sigmoid shape of the deterioration curve. So it is selected to simulate the pavement rotting development. The benefit over cost ratio is calculated to quantify the treatment cost- effectiveness. The analysis results show that thin hot mix asphalt （HMA） overlays and micro surfacing are more cost- effective than the. other two treatments on light and moderate traffic roads. Hot in-place recycling and thick HMA overlays have much longer service lives and greater cost-effectiveness under heavy or extra heavy traffic.

OPTIMUM OF PRESSURE RATIOS OF MULTI-STAGE RECIPROCATING COMPRESSOR WITH PRACTICAL INTER-COOLING

The optimum pressure ratio distribution of a multistage reciprocating compressor is presented based on the assumption, i.e. the inter stage cooling is perfect and there are no pressure losses. The optimization of the two or three stage pressure ratio is analyzed in two cases of constant heat transfer rate for the inter cooler or constant inter stage inlet temperature, based on the minimum of the sum of theoretical compression power at each stage about a multi stage reciprocating compressor. Furthermore, with an example of two stage compressor the influence on the sum of the power of each stage is analyzed when practical pressure ratio deviates from the optimum value. It is obtained that under different cooling conditions the optimum pressure ratio distribution of the multi stage compression is various, and the change of the optimum pressure ratio within a small range has little influence on the sum of the power each stage. For the two stage compression, this range can be represented as ε 1=(0 96～1 06)ε 1j .

The Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Percutaneous Transhepatic Metal Versus Plastic Biliary Stent Implantation for Treating Malignant Biliary Obstruction (Multiple Center Investigation)

Objective: To compare metal versus plastic biliary stent implantation for treatment of malignant biliary obstruction in cost-effectiveness ratio (CER). Methods: Percutaneous transhepatic self-expandable metal stent (MS, n=61) or 10F plastic stent (PS, n=34) implantation was performed in 95 patients with malignant biliary obstruction in three hospitals of Guangdong province. All patients were followed up until death or at least one year after the procedure. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the survival and stent patency rates of the patients in the two groups. CERs of two groups were calculated. The main indexes were CERsurvival period (total cost/median survival period), CERpatency period (total cost/median patency period). Results: The total costs of treatment were 53177±3139 yuan (RMB) in MS group and 42564±4950 yuan (RMB) in PS group respectively (P>0.05). CER in MS group was superior to that in PS group (CERsurvival period was 237.4 yuan /d vs 452.6 yuan /d, respectively; CERpatency period was 231.2 yuan /d vs 472.9 yuan /d, respectively). Conclusion: The metal stent implantation is superior to the plastic stent in the CER for treatment of malignant biliary obstruction.

基于改进Ratio统计量的重尾AR(p)时间序列均值变点检验

文章提出两个改进的Ratio统计量来研究重尾AR(p)时间序列均值变点检验问题,在原假设下推导了统计量的渐近分布,且在备择假设下证明了其一致性。由于重尾指数未知且难以估计,因此结合Wild Bootstrap重抽样方法来确定渐近分布的临界值;在均值变点存在的情形下,给出了变点位置的一致估计量。数值模拟结果表明:统计量的临界值均不受重尾指数和自回归系数的影响,其经验水平和经验势均取得满意的效果;尤其在原假设下,积分型Ratio统计量的经验水平表现出更好的稳健性,而在备择假设下,最值型Ratio统计量则具备更好的显著性。最后,基于一组股票数据,从实际应用角度进一步阐明所提方法的有效性和可行性。

Changes of nutrient concentrations and N:P:Si ratios and their possible impacts on the Huanghai Sea ecosystem

To investigate the impacts of nutrient concentrations and N：P：Si ratios on the ecosystem of the Huanghai Sea （Yellow Sea）, the current status and long-term variation of nutrients concentrations and ratios as well as phytoplankton community structure in the Huanghai Sea were collected and analyzed. The results reveal great annual and seasonal fluctuations in the nutrient concentrations and N：P：Si ratios during 1998-2008 with no clear pattern observed in the whole region. Yet on a seasonal scale of spring and in the coastal regions such as the Jiaozhou Bay and Sanggou Bay, the increase of DIN concentration and N：P ratio as well as the decrease of phosphate and sili- cate concentrations and Si：N ratios were relatively significant. Many pelagic ecosystem changes have occurred concurrent with these changes of the nutrient regime, such as the recent increase of primary production, changes of phytoplankton chlorophyll a biomass and abundance, an increase of eutrophication, and occurrence of HABs. In addition, new trends in the variation of nutrients seem to be developing in some particular transect such as 36N, which suggests that long-term and systematic ecosystem monitoring in the Huanghai Sea is necessary.

Effects of porosity on seismic velocities, elastic moduli and Poisson's ratios of solid materials and rocks

The generalized mixture rule(GMR) is used to provide a unified framework for describing Young’s(E),shear(G) and bulk(K) moduli, Lame parameter(l), and P- and S-wave velocities(Vpand Vs) as a function of porosity in various isotropic materials such as metals, ceramics and rocks. The characteristic J values of the GMR for E, G, K and l of each material are systematically different and display consistent correlations with the Poisson’s ratio of the nonporous material(v0). For the materials dominated by corner-shaped pores, the fixed point at which the effective Poisson’s ratio(n) remains constant is at v0=0.2, and J(G) > J(E) > J(K) > J(l) and J(G) < J(E) < J(K) < J(l) for materials with v0> 0.2 and v0< 0.2, respectively.J(Vs) > J(Vp) and J(Vs) < J(Vp) for the materials with v0> 0.2 and v0< 0.2, respectively. The effective n increases, decreases and remains unchanged with increasing porosity for the materials with v0< 0.2,v0> 0.2 and v0=0.2, respectively. For natural rocks containing thin-disk-shaped pores parallel to mineral cleavages, grain boundaries and foliation, however, the n fixed point decreases nonlinearly with decreasing pore aspect ratio(a: width/length). With increasing depth or pressure, cracks with smaller a values are progressively closed, making the n fixed point rise and finally reach to the point at v0=0.2.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of chemotherapy for advancedgastric cancer in China

AIM： To assess the economics of various chemotherapeutic regimens for advanced gastric cancer （AGC）, and to select the best cost-effective regimen for the common Chinese patients. METHODS： Data source used in this study was the Chinese Biomedical Disk Database. Patients were diagnosed as AGC and any regimen was eligible. Outcome measures included median survival time （MST） and percentage of complete and partial response （CR＋PR）. Economic statistics was per capita direct medical cost （DMC） of a single cycle. TreeAge Pro Healthcare 2007 software was used to carry out costeffectiveness and incremental cost-effectiveness analysis. Sensitivity analyses were applied by altering willingness- to-pay and annual discount rate, and also re-analyzed by excluding the studies with apparent heterogeneity. RESULTS： Seven retrospective economics studies on 760 patients were included. S-fluorouracil-based regimens were universal, and also some new agents were involved, such as docetaxel, paclitaxel, andoxaliplatin. By processing analysis, we could recommend etoposide, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil （ELF） regimen as preference, with a DMC/MST ratio of 2543 RBM/11.7 mo and a DMC/CR＋PR ratio of 2543 RMB/53.3%. Uraciltegafur, etoposide and cisplatin （FEP） or 5-fluorouracil, adrimycin/epirubin and mitomycin （FAM） regimens could be regarded as optional first-line chemotherapy for AGC in common Chinese patients. With no regard for willingness-to-pay, the docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil （DCF） regimen could be chosen as either a first- or a second-line chemotherapy, with a DMC/CR＋PR ratio of 9979 RMB/56.3%. CONCLUSION： 5-fluorouracial regimens are still considered the mainstream for AGC, while new agents such as taxanes are optional. More randomized clinical trials are required before any mandatory recommendation of certain regimens for patients with AGC in China is made.

Monomer reactivity ratios for fluoroacrylate and butyl methacrylate in miniemulsion copolymerizations initiated by potassium persulphate

Miniemulsion copolymerization of butyl mathacrylate （BMA） with fluoroacrylate （HFMA, TFMA） was carried out at 70 ℃ by employing potassium persulphate （KPS） as initiator. Copolymer compositions at low conversion levels were determined by ^1H NMR spectra techniques. The reactivity ratios were evaluated by employing Kellen-Tudos （K-T） methods, which yields the apparent reactivity ratios, rBMA = 0.74, rHFMA = 0.87 and rBMA = 0.73, rTFMA = 0.75, respectively, and Q- and e-values of HFMA and TFMA were calculated by the Alfrey-Price method. The results show that HFMA and TFMA are more active than BMA, and the cross-propagation rate constant is greater than the self-propagation one in these two copolymerizations.