Effects of effective population size on the F_2 growth and survival of bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians (Lamarck)

In 2002, six cohorts ofbroodstock bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians （Ne=1, 2, 10, 30, 50 and control） were randomly chosen from a population of bay scallop to produce offspring. After one year rearing, with the progeny matured, the similar experiment was done to produce the F2 generation. To determine the magnitude of Ne effects, the growth and survival rates in larvae and adult of six F2 groups were compared. Results showed that inbreeding depression existed not only in the Ne=1 group but also in the Ne=2 group. The growth and survival rates of the two groups were significantly lower than those of the other groups （Ne=10, 30, 50, control）, and there were no significant differences among the latter （P〉0.05）. At the same time, the amount of depression in the Ne=1 group was significantly higher than that of the Ne=2 group （P〈0.05）. These results indicated that the low effective population size （Ne）, which increases the possibility of inbreeding, could lead to some harmful effects on the offspring. So it is essential to maintain a high level of Ne in commercial seed production. Fta＇thermore, as the high fecundity of bay scallop might lead to increased inbreeding, selecting broodstock from different growout sites is recommended.

“Survival of the Fittest” in The Call of the Wild

Jack London(1876-1916) is known as an American novelist in the early 20 th century. He lived in the gilded times that were full of different kinds of trend of thought in literature and art. His experiences made his life more colorful. He saw the cruelty of Capitalism and spoke for Socialism with his words. His novels, The Call of the Wild, The leading character, in their own way, witnessed the survival of the fittest in their life. Jack London told the unchanged truth — the survival of the fittest in his brilliant words. It is difficult to change the world, but easy to change oneself. One adjusts to his life space with his"evolution",and one goes in a new environment where every cloud has a silver lining.

The Survival of the Fittest,the Market Philosophy Works

Chinese cotton textile regime that houses 2.5 million employees, 26.5% of the total employment of the entire textile industry in China, will progress to produce 17 million tons of cotton yarn and 72 billion meters of cotton cloth by the end of the next five-year- plan period, consuming 10 million tons of cotton. "A marvelous & quality-led growth to arrive at this destination, the technologi- cal improvement and industrial restructur- ing & upgrading will play the leading role in the strategic scenario." emphasized by Xu Wenying, President of China Cotton Tex- tile Association.

Experimental study of the effect of adipose stromal vascular fraction cells on the survival rate of fat transplantation

Objective To investigate the effect of adipose stromal vascular fraction cells(SVFs)on the survival rate of fat ransplantation.Methods 0.5mL autologous fat tissue was mixed with: ① DiI-labeled autologous SVFs (Group A);②

Percutaneous microwave ablation and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for serum tumor markers and prognostics of middle-late primary hepatic carcinoma

BACKGROUND Primary hepatic carcinoma(PHC)has an insidious onset and is usually diagnosed in the middle and late stages.Although transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)is the preferred option for treating middle-and advanced-stage PHC,it has limited efficacy in killing tumor cells and poor long-term efficacy.TACE plus percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy(PMCT)is more effective than interventional therapy alone and can improve survival time.However,there are few reports on the effects of TACE and PMCT on serum marker levels and the prognosis of patients with advanced PHC.AIM To investigate the effect of PMCT+TACE on serum tumor markers and the prognosis of middle-late PHC.METHODS This retrospective study included 150 patients with middle-late PHC admitted to Zhongshan People’s Hospital between March 2018 and February 2021.Patients were divided into a single group(treated with TACE,n=75)and a combined group(treated with TACE+PMCT,n=75).Before and after treatment,the clinical efficacy and serum tumor marker levels[carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9),alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),and carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)]of both groups were observed.The 1-year survival rates and prognostic factors of the two groups were analyzed.RESULTS The combined group had 21 and 35 cases of complete remission(CR)and partial remission(PR),respectively.The single group had 13 and 25 cases of CR and PR,decreased,with the decrease in the combined group being more significant(P<0.05).The 1-year survival rate of the combined group(80.00%)was higher than that of the single group(60.00%)(P<0.05).The average survival time within 1 year in the combined group was 299.38±61.13 d,longer than that in the single group(214.41±72.97 d,P<0.05).COX analysis revealed that tumor diameter,tumor number,and the treatment method were prognostic factors for patients with middle-late PHC(P<0.05).CONCLUSION TACE+PMCT is effective in treating patients with mid-late PHC.It reduces the levels of tumor markers,prolongs survival,and improves prognosis.

Dose Effects of Ion Beam Exposure on Deinococcus Radiodurans: Survival and Dose Response

To explore the survival and dose response of organism for different radiation sources is of great importance in the research of radiobiology. In this study, the survival-dose response of Deinococcus radiodurans (E.coli, as the control) for ultra-violet (UV), γ-rays radiation and ion beam exposure was investigated. The shoulder type of survival curves were found for both UV and γ-ray ionizing radiation, but the saddle type of survival curves were shown for H+、 N+( 20keV and 30keV) and Ar+ beam exposure. This dose effect of the survival initially decreased with the increase in dose and then increased in the high dose range and finally decreased again in the higher dose range. Our experimental results suggest that D. radiodurans, which is considerably radio-resistant to UV and x-ray and γ-ray ionizing radiation, do not resist ion beam exposure.

The Effects of World War Ⅱ:Analysis of Kensuke's Kingdom

Kensuke's Kingdom is a highly readable British survival novel written by Michael Morourgo. It is not only a survival novel, but also a realistic novel for the children. By the two disparate characters, the writer wants to discuss the effects of the war, which is the deeper meaning of this novel. Writing war and the effects of the war is a heavy but necessary topic for children's literature. Books like Kensuke's Kingdom can be woven into young readers' developing senses of themselves, extending their imaginations and helping them to understand the world from unaccustomed points of view.

Systematic literature review of the antitumor effect of octreotide in neuroendocrine tumors

AIM To provide a comprehensive examination of the existing evidence of the antitumor effect of long-acting octreotide in neuroendocrine tumors(NETs).METHODS A systematic literature review of clinical trials and observational studies was conducted in PubM ed, EMBASE, and Cochrane through January 18, 2017. Conference abstracts for 2015 and 2016 from 5 scientific meetings were also searched.RESULTS Of 41 articles/abstracts identified, 13 unique studies compared octreotide with active or no treatment. Two of the 13 studies were clinical trials; the remaining were observational studies. The phase 3 Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Prospective, Randomized Study of the Effect of Octreotide long-acting repeatable(LAR) in the Control of Tumor Growth in Patients with MetastaticNeuroendocrine Midgut Tumors clinical trial showed that long-acting octreotide significantly prolonged time to tumor progression compared with placebo in patients with functionally active and inactive metastatic midgut NETs; no statistically significant difference in overall survival(OS) was observed, possibly due to the crossover of placebo patients to octreotide. Retrospective observational studies found that long-acting octreotide use was associated with significantly longer OS than no octreotide use for patients with distant metastases although not for those with local/regional disease. CONCLUSION The clinical trial and observational studies with informative evidence support long-acting octreotide's antitumor effect on time to tumor progression and OS. This review showed the rarity of existing studies assessing octreotide's antitumor effect and recommends that future research is warranted.

A Measure for Assessing Functions of Time-Varying Effects in Survival Analysis

A standard approach for analyses of survival data is the Cox proportional hazards model. It assumes that covariate effects are constant over time, i.e. that the hazards are proportional. With longer follow-up times, though, the effect of a variable often gets weaker and the proportional hazards (PH) assumption is violated. In the last years, several approaches have been proposed to detect and model such time-varying effects. However, comparison and evaluation of the various approaches is difficult. A suitable measure is needed that quantifies the difference between time-varying effects and enables judgement about which method is best, i.e. which estimate is closest to the true effect. In this paper we adapt a measure proposed for the area between smoothed curves of exposure to time-varying effects. This measure is based on the weighted area between curves of time-varying effects relative to the area under a reference function that represents the true effect. We introduce several weighting schemes and demonstrate the application and performance of this new measure in a real-life data set and a simulation study.

Effect of RDP1258 on survival of rat cardiac allograft

To investigate the effects of RDP1258 on survival of rat cardiac allograft.Methods RDP1258 was synthesized and the model of rat heart abdominal transplantation was established.Animals were divided into four groups.Group 1 received no immunosuppression.Group 2 received CsA alone.Group 3 received RDP1258 alone.Group 4 received RDP1258 and subtherapeutic CsA.In all cases RDP1258 was administrated intraperitoneally and CsA was gavaged.Light and electron microscopic examinations were taken.Transplanted hearts were monitored daily by direct palpation.Results The purity of synthesized RDP1258 was over 95% and the molecular weight was in accord with theoretical value.The histology and the ultrastructure changed little in grafts in group 3 and group 4.Survival of rat cardiac allograft was significantly prolonged in group 4.Conclusion RDP1258 can suppress acute rejection.Perioperative administration of RDP1258 in combination with CsA can significantly prolong survival of rat cardiac allograft.15 refs.

On the Description of Naturalism in The Call of the Wild

自然主义最早由法国的小说家左拉提出 ,美国小说家弗兰克·诺里斯将其介绍入美国 ,而杰克·伦敦则被认为是美国最伟大的自然主义小说家之一 ,他的自然主义观点在《野性的呼唤》中得到了最充分的体现。达尔文的“大鱼吃小鱼 ,适者生存”的自然主义观点在书中由巴克的形象充分地体现了出来。本文试图探讨自然主义在《野性的呼唤》中的表现 。

A FAMILY OF SUMMARY CHISQUARE TESTS FOR COMPARING SURVIVAL RATES RATHER THAN CONDITIONAL PROBABILITIES DYING

Objective This paper propses a family of summary chi square tests for comparing survival rates at all points of time between two groups. Methods They are respectively derived from the Peto et al. expression for the log rank test, the Mantel Haenszel expression for the log rank test, and the generalized Wilcoxon test by means of using the homogenetic effective sample size in place of the number at risk and using the corresponding numerator of the conditional probability surviving in place of the death number. Results After such derivations they become clearer in clinical significance, more powerful, and free from the assumption of proportional hazard. Conclusion These tests can be employed in analyzing the clinical data of cancer. A worked example illustrates the methodology.

A retrospective analysis of the safety and efficacy of low dose tacrolimus (FK506) for living donor liver transplant recipients

We sought to evaluate the efficacy and effects of low-dose tacrolimus （FK506） to recipients with living donor liver transplantation （LDLT）. A total of 66 patients who underwent LDLT between 2001 and 2007 were enrolled in this study. According to different doses of tacrolimus, the recipients were randomly divided into two groups： the low-dose tacrolimus group （group A） and the normal-dose tacrolimus group （group B）. The blood concentration of tacrolimus and its side effects including infection, hyperglycemia, hypertension, high blood creatinine and jaundice were monitored once a week at the perioperative period, and once a month thereafter. Besides, the survival rates of the recipients were analyzed at the 1and 3-year time point after operation. Among these patients, no significant acute rejection was detected after LDLT. The incidences of infection, hyperglycemia, liver dysfunction and renal impairment in group A were markedly lower than those in group B. However, no significant differences were detected in the incidence of hypertension between the two groups. Moreover, the recipients in each group had a similar survival rate according to the results of 1and 3-year follow-up. The incidence of side effects that associated with tacrolimus positively correlated with tacrolimus blood concentration. In conclusion, long-term and low-dose administration of tacrolimus is a safe and effective treatment for LDLT recipients.

Analysis of Influencing Factors on Survival Time of Patients with Heart Failure

To explore the influencing factors of survival time of patients with heart failure, a total of 1789 patients with heart failure were collected from Shanghai Shuguang Hospital. The Cox proportional hazards model and the mixed effects Cox model were used to analyze the factors on survival time of patients. The results of Cox proportional hazards model showed that age (RR = 1.32), hypertension (RR = 0.67), ARB (RR = 0.55), diuretic (RR = 1.48) and antiplatelet (RR = 0.53) have significant impacts on the survival time of patients. The results of mixed effects Cox model showed that age (RR = 1.16), hypertension (RR = 0.61), lung infection (RR = 1.43), ARB (RR = 0.64), β-blockers (RR = 0.77) and antiplatelet (RR = 0.69) have a significant impact on the survival time of patients. The results are consistent with the covariates age, hypertension, ARB and antiplatelet but inconsistent with the covariates lung infection and β-blockers.

On the Causes of Scarlet's Character in Gone with the Wind

Gone With the Wind is a historical fiction novel with vivid descriptions of the Old South,the Civil War and the Recon struction.This is an incredibly well written book about the death of old civilization and the struggles to survive in the new era.It is ultimately the story of one person,Scarlet O'Hara.Scarlet is keeping on changing during the three periods of the novel—her girlhood,the period of the Civil War and the Reconstruction.Through the analysis of the formation and changing of Scarlet’s characters,this paper will make a further elaboration on the Darwinian concept of"survival of the fittest"and feminism.

Is There a Future for 74 Gy Radiation Treatment of NSCLC after RTOG 0617?A Comparison of the RTOG Study Results with Our Own Department’s 74 Gy NSCLC Cohort

Background and Purpose: There have been a number of different efforts trying to improve the outcome of NSCLC patients treated with radiotherapy (RT). Contrary to most expectations, the long awaiting results of the RTOG 0617 trial didn’t show any benefit of dose escalation to 74 Gy. In this unicentric retrospective analysis we compare the RTOG 0617 result with the outcome of our own 74-Gy-NSCLC cohort. Methods and Material: Since October 2009, 80 patients with NSCLC were treated with 74 Gy in 37 fractions, of which 69 patients were eligible for a retrospective analysis of local and distant failure, survival time and treatment related toxicity. A subgroup analysis was done for patients with a possible follow-up of at least 18 month. Results: Complete local remission could be achieved in 18 patients (26.1%);26 patients (37.7%) had a partial remission and 3 patients (4.4%) a stable local disease. Local failure occurred in 12 patients (17.3%). Distant failure occurred in 27 patients (39.1%). The median survival time was 43.7 weeks (95% CI: 25.2 - 62.3 weeks). 5 patients (6.3%) developed RT induced side effects. As for the analyzed subgroup, a complete or partial local remission could be achieved in 29 patients (61.7%). Local failure occurred in 11 patients (23.4%) and 20 patients (42.6%) developed distant metastases. The 18-month overall survival was 38.3% and the median survival time was 51.7 weeks (95% CI: 27.2 - 76.3 weeks). Conclusion: The results of this retrospective analysis indicate that 74 Gy total radiation dose might not lead to results as bad as indicated by the RTOG 0617 trial. It might therefore be a suitable treatment concept for people with NSCLC.

The Construction of Social Darwinism in Sister Carrie

Social Darwinism is an important theory reflected in Sister Carrie. This thesis is to interpret the characters' fates with Social Darwinism."Survival of the fittest"is an important theme. Carrie is the winner of life and Hurtwood is the loser. Their adjustability to the environment determines their future. It is hoped to help the readers construct a better understanding on this theory.

Estimation of the Piecewise Exponential Model by Bayesian P-Splines via Gibbs Sampling: Robustness and Reliability of Posterior Estimates

In the investigation of disease dynamics, the effect of covariates on the hazard function is a major topic. Some recent smoothed estimation methods have been proposed, both frequentist and Bayesian, based on the relationship between penalized splines and mixed models theory. These approaches are also motivated by the possibility of using automatic procedures for determining the optimal amount of smoothing. However, estimation algorithms involve an analytically intractable hazard function, and thus require ad-hoc software routines. We propose a more user-friendly alternative, consisting in regularized estimation of piecewise exponential models by Bayesian P-splines. A further facilitation is that widespread Bayesian software, such as WinBUGS, can be used. The aim is assessing the robustness of this approach with respect to different prior functions and penalties. A large dataset from breast cancer patients, where results from validated clinical studies are available, is used as a benchmark to evaluate the reliability of the estimates. A second dataset from a small case series of sarcoma patients is used for evaluating the performances of the PE model as a tool for exploratory analysis. Concerning breast cancer data, the estimates are robust with respect to priors and penalties, and consistent with clinical knowledge. Concerning soft tissue sarcoma data, the estimates of the hazard function are sensitive with respect to the prior for the smoothing parameter, whereas the estimates of regression coefficients are robust. In conclusion, Gibbs sampling results an efficient computational strategy. The issue of the sensitivity with respect to the priors concerns only the estimates of the hazard function, and seems more likely to occur when non-large case series are investigated, calling for tailored solutions.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Atezolizumab plus Pemetrexed and Platinum in First-Line Treatment of Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in China

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of atezolizumab plus pemetrexed and platinum-based (APP) in the first-line treatment of non-squamous non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: A partitioned survival model (PSM) was constructed based on the IMpower132 clinical trial. Total cost, quality- adjusted life years (QALY), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were the main outputs of the model. Deterministic sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were adopted to test the uncertainty of the parameters. Results: The results of the base-case analysis illustrated that compared with PP, the incremental cost of APP was CNY 591040.94, the incremental utility was 0.46 QALY, and the ICER was CNY 1291414.83/QALY. Deterministic sensitivity analysis results illustrated that atezolizumab and other parameters have a greater impact on ICER. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis results show that no matter how each parameter changes, under the willingness to pay threshold of 3-times Chinese per capita GDP, the probability of APP has cost-effectiveness is 0. Conclusion: From the perspective of the Chinese health system, APP is not cost-effective for first-line treatment of non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer without sensitizing EGFR or ALK genetic alterations.

Short-term outcomes of radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma using cone-beam computed tomography for planning and image guidance

BACKGROUND Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation(RFA)is an effective treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and a minimally invasive alternative to hepatectomy for treating tumour recurrence.RFA is often performed using contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CECT)and/or ultrasonography.In recent years,angiographic systems with flat panel image detectors and advanced image reconstruction algorithms have broadened the clinical applications of cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT),including RFA.Several studies have shown the effectiveness of using CBCT for immediate treatment assessments and follow-ups.AIM To assess the treatment response to RFA for HCC using CBCT.METHODS Forty-eight patients(44 men;aged 37-89 years)with solitary HCC[median size:3.2(1.2-6.6)cm]underwent RFA and were followed for 25.6(median;13.5-35.2)mo.Image fusion of CBCT and pre-operative CECT or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)was used for tumour segmentation and needle path and ablation zone planning.Real-time image guidance was provided by overlaying the threedimensional image of the tumour and needle path on the fluoroscopy image.Treatment response was categorized as complete response(CR),partial response(PR),stable disease(SD),or progressive disease(PD).Disease progression,death,time to progression(TTP),and overall survival(OS)were recorded.Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed.RESULTS Initial post-RFA CECT/MRI showed 38 cases of CR(79.2%),10 of PR(20.8%),0 of SD,and 0 of PD,which strongly correlated with the planning estimation(42 CR,87.5%;6 PR,12.5%;0 SD;and 0 PD;accuracy:91.7%,P<0.01).Ten(20.8%)patients died,and disease progression occurred in 31(35.4%,median TTP:12.8 mo)patients,resulting in 12-,24-,and 35-mo OS rates of 100%,81.2%,and 72.2%,respectively,and progression-free survival(PFS)rates of 54.2%,37.1%,and 37.1%,respectively.The median dose-area product of the procedures was 79.05 Gy*cm2(range 40.95-146.24 Gy*cm2),and the median effective dose was 10.27 mSv(range 5.32-19.01 mSv).Tumour size<2 cm(P=0.008)was a significant factor for OS,while age(P=0.001),tumour size<2 cm(P<0.001),tumour stage(P=0.010),and initial treatment response(P=0.003)were significant factors for PFS.CONCLUSION Reliable RFA treatment planning and satisfactory outcomes can be achieved with CBCT.