ObjectiveTo compare the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture at Diji (SP8) versus acupuncture at Dijiand Guanyuan (CV4) in treating primary dysmenorrhea, for exploring the combination relation of the commonly-used acupoints in acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.MethodForty patients with primary dysmenorrhea were randomized into a single acupoint group and a double acupoint group, 20 in each group. The single acupoint group was intervened by acupuncture at Diji, while the double acupoint group was by acupuncture at Diji and Guanyuan. The change of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was observed and compared between the two groups.ResultThe changes of VAS score in the double acupoint group were more significant than that in the single acupoint group at each different time point.ConclusionAcupuncture at Diji alone and acupuncture at Diji and Guanyuan both can effectively treat primary dysmenorrhea; however, acupuncture at Diji and Guanyuan tends to produce a more significant effect than acupuncture at Diji alone; Diji and Guanyuan may work synergistically in acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of protective effects of 17-β estradiol on the experimental model of spinal cord injury (SCI) rats.Methods First,the primary astrocytes were cultured and identified.When the third generation astrocytes were cultured,they were induced by H202 whose concentrations were established by the method of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT).The cells were randomly divided into five groups:control group; the group of treatment with 400 μmol/L H2O2 for 24 hours; the group of treatment with 20 nmol/L estrogen for 2 hours prior to exposure to 400 μmol/L H2O2 for 24 hours; the group of treatment with 20 nmol/L estrogen for 26 hours and the group of treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide for 26 hours.The proteins which were extracted from these cells after treatments with H2O2 for 24 hours were detected by Western blotting.Results The absorbances of the astrocytes of treatments with H2O2 were reduced( q' =-11.45,P =0.001 ).But exposure to estrogen prior to exposure to H2O2 provided partial restoration of the absorbances (q' =7.025,P =0.0025 ).The absorbances of the astrocytes among different groups showed significant differences( F =69.69,P =0.0025 ).The results suggested that estrogen might increase the cell viability in astrocytes.Compared with the group of treatment cells with H2O2,treatment cells with 17-β estradiol prior to H2O2 exposure down-regulated the expressions of both phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 ( PTEN ) ( F =290.003,P =0.001 ) and caspase-3 ( F =46.158,P =0.023 ).And,17-β estradiol treatment of cells increased the levels of p-Akt ( F =49.173,P =0.033 ) and Bcl-2 ( F =115.916,P =0.001 ) when compared with the group of treatment astrocytes with H2O2.Conclusion These findings suggest that the attenuation of PTEN expression mediated by estrogen is associated with an increase in phosphorylation/activation of the Akt and the Bel-2 expressions.These results suggest that the protective effects of 17-β estradiol on the experimental model of SCI rats may depend on the estrogen protection to the astrocytes which may be mediated by decreasing the PTEN expression.

Objective:To analyze the prognosis and influencing factors of patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with different doses of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT).Methods:A total of 244 NSCLC patients with brain metastases who underwent WBRT in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2013 to 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. According to different doses of WBRT (EQD 2Gy), they were divided into the 30-39 Gy group ( n= 104) and ≥40 Gy group ( n= 140). The intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared betweentwo groups. According to the number of brain metastases, GPA score, KPS score, chemotherapy and targeted therapy, the prognosis of different doses of WBRT was further analyzed. Results:The median iPFS and OS of all patients were 6.9 months and 11.8 months, respectively. Univariate survival analysis: the 1-year iPFS and 1-year OS between two groups were 22.5% and 25.4%( P=0.430) and 41.1% and 46.4%( P=0.068), respectively. Multivariate survival analysis: different doses of WBRT were not associated with the improvement of iPFS and OS; independent factors influencing iPFS included local boost, gender, number of brain metastases, chemotherapy and targeted therapy; independent factors influencing OS included gender, number of brain metastases, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Subgroup analysis: in patients with KPS≥90, the 1-year iPFS and OS of patients with WBRT ≥ 40 Gy were seemingly better than those of their counterparts with 30-39 Gy, but the difference was statistically significant only in OS ( P=0.047), the difference was not statistically significant in iPFS ( P=0.068); in patients with chemotherapy, the 1-year iPFS and OS of patients with WBRT≥40 Gy were better than those of their counterparts with 30-39 Gy ( P=0.017, P=0.012); in patients with targeted therapy, the 1-year iPFS and OS in the WBRT≥40 Gy group were better than those in the 30-39 Gy group ( P=0.012, P=0.045). Conclusions:The 30-39 Gy may be the appropriate dose of WBRT for NSCLC patients with brain metastases. WBRT≥40 Gy does not bring more benefits. WBRT≥40 Gy may benefit NSCLC patients with brain metastases with high KPS score or active systemic therapy.

Objective:To analyze the prognosis and influencing factors of different radiotherapy modes in patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to explore the best benefit population with radiotherapy boost under different prognostic scores.Methods:634 patients with brain metastasis from NSCLC admitted to the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2013 to 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. According to different radiotherapy modes, they were divided into three groups: no radiotherapy group ( n=330), whole-brain radiotherapy group (WBRT)( n=127) and whole-brain radiotherapy combined with boost group (WBRT+ boost)( n=177). The intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. The multivariate prognostic factors were analyzed by the Cox models. Results:The median iPFS and OS of all patients were 6.9 months and 9.0 months, respectively. In the no radiotherapy, WBRT and WBRT+ boost groups, the 1-year iPFS was 15.1%, 16.3% and 40.2%( P=0.002), and the 1-year OS was 33.7%, 38.2% and 48.1%( P<0.001), respectively. Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated that different radiotherapy modes were the independent factors affecting iPFS and OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that for patients with 1-3 brain metastases, the 1-year OS and iPFS in the WBRT+ boost group were better than those of WBRT alone ( P=0.026, P=0.044) when GPA score was 2.5-4.0; the 1-year OS and iPFSin the WBRT+ boost group were better than those of WBRT alone ( P=0.036, P=0.049) when there was no targeted therapy; for patients with ≥4 brain metastases, the 1-year iPFS in the WBRT+ boost group was better than that of WBRT alone ( P=0.019, P=0.012) when GPA score was 2.5-4.0 and there was no targeted therapy. When the GPA score was 0-2 or there was targeted therapy, the 1-year OS and iPFS in the WBRT+ boost group were better than those of WBRT alone, but the difference was not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Radiotherapy can significantly improve the iPFS and OS of NSCLC patients with brain metastases. When the number of brain metastases is 1-3, GPA score is 2.5-4.0 or no targeted therapy, boost may improve the iPFS and OS; when the number of brain metastases is more than 4, GPA score is 2.5-4.0 or no targeted therapy, boost may only bring iPFS benefit; when GPA score is 0-2 or targeted therapy, boost may not benefit significantly.