Kidney theory is an important figure in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it proposes that the kidney is the root of life, in which stores congenital essence and energy of human body that promotes reproduction, growth and development. The facts that body development begins from oosperm have long been elucidated in modern medicine and life science. Furthermore, oosperm is a totipotent stem cell. The totipotent stem cell with its derived embryonic stem cell (ESC) and stem cell constitute the source of growth, development and tissue regeneration. It is rational to comprehend ESC by means of the Kidney theory of TCM, investigate the effect of Kidney-nourishing on the activities of ESC, such as proliferation, aging and apoptosis, and on its related genes regarding transcription, expression and functional regulation. Our works have suggested that classical Kidney-yin-nourishing herb formula Zuo-gui-wan could inhibit the ESC differentiation and apoptosis, stimulate proliferation, and promote the process of cell cycle. These observations coincide with up-regulate expression of Wnt and Oct3/4, and down-regulate expression of P16INK4a. At the same time, classical Kidney-yang-nourishing herb formula You-gui-wan could inhibit ESC apoptosis induced by H2O2, up-regulate Notch expression and down-regulate P16INK4a expression. In addition, there have been some evidences indicated Kidney-nourishing could promote mesenchymal stem cells proliferate. These observations strongly suggest that, Kidney theory of TCM, as the root of the life, is associated with ESC and stem cell; it may provide insight into Kidney theory of TCM and stem cell research.

Malignant lymphoma is a common malignancy. From the perspective of the traditional Chinese medi-cine (TCM), the etiology and pathogenesis of malignant lymphoma are related to dampness, phlegm, toxicity, stasis and deficiency. Basic TCM principles for lymphoma syndrome differentiation and treatment are to strengthen the body resistance and eliminate pathogenic factors. Eliminating dampness, dissolving phlegm, detoxification, dissolv-ing stasis and strengthening body resistance are the principal TCM therapeutic methods for lymphoma treatment. Contemporary TCM physicians have developed Yi-Hua decoction, Zi-Niu powder, Ke-Liu capsule, Wu's Xiao-Liu powder and other herbal formulas, and 37 patents based on Chinese herbs and or herbal components. The effective mechanisms of TCM treatment for lymphoma are involved in inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis, and regulating immune function. There is a great need to study anti-cancer herbs for lymphoma treat-ment.

Objective To study the effects of tonifying kidney-yin on activities of embryo stem cell. Methods Embryonic stem cell line CRL-1825 was choosed as model cell in present study, and tonifying kidney-yin herb serum was added to CRL-1825 cell. The influence of tonifying kidney-yin on stem cell differentiation, cell cycle, apotosis and express of key genes were observed. Results Tonifying kidney-yin can inhibit stem cell differentiation and apotosis, promote stem cell proliferation and progression of cell cycle. In addition, tonifying kidney-yin can up-regulate Wnt, Oct4 gene expression, and down-regulation P16INK4a expression. Conclusions Tonifying kidney-yin can promote stem cell proliferation and maintain the state of stem cell.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and side effects of cyclopnosphamide, adriamycin, cisplatin (CAP) or CAP combined with verapamil(VPL) in chemotherapy of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods A total of 56 patients(male: 27, female: 29, average age: 48 years old, age range: 32-78 years old) with stage Ⅲb/Ⅳ lung adenocarcinoma confirmed pathologically from April 1998 to December 2001 were divided into two groups: group A(30 patients), treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX, 600 mg?m -2 ?d -1 ) on days 1 and 8, adriamycin (ADM, 40 mg/m 2) on day 1, and cisplatin (CDDP, 30 mg?m -2 ?d -1 ) on days 1, 2 and 3 and group B(26 patients), treated with the same dose of CTX, ADM and CDDP and an additional oral VPL treatment (60 mg t.i.d . on days 1-7). Each of the 3 cycles was repeated every 21 days. Results The patients in group A had a lower response rate (26.7% vs 38.5%, P

Cell senescence is an important anti-cancer mechanism and may contribute to cancer therapeutic outcome. The present study observed the effects of Tenglong Buzhong Decoction (TLBZD), a Chinese herbal formula, on senescence in human colon carcinoma LS-174-T cells.

Objective: To observe the effects of Tenglong Buzhong Decoction (TLBZD), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on proliferation and apoptosis of colon carcinoma cell line LS174T in vitro. Methods: Human colon carcinoma cell line LS174T and human colon epithelial cell line CRL-1790 were treated with different doses of TLBZD. Cell proliferation was detected with cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and clone formation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities in LS174T cells were detected by colorimetric assay. Results: TLBZD had no obvious cytotoxicity in normal CRL-1790 cells. After 72-hour treatment of 1 mg/mL TLBZD, or 48- and 72-hour of 2 mg/mL TLBZD, or 24-, 48- and 72-hour of 5-20 mg/mL TLBZD, proliferation of LS174T cells was significantly inhibited. Clone formation of LS174T cells was significantly inhibited by 1 to 20 mg/mL TLBZD treatment. TLBZD at doses of 5 to 20 mg/mL also induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G(0)/G(1) phase in LS174T cells. In addition, caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities were significantly elevated after 5 to 20 mg/mL TLBZD treatment. Conclusion: TLBZD can inhibit cell proliferation, arrest cell cycle at G(0)/G(1) phase, and induce apoptosis in LS174T cells, which may be related to activating of caspase-3, -8 and -9.

Objective To investigate the role of RhoA/Rho associated kinase-2 (RhoA/ROCK-2) in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OS-AHS). Methods Thirty patients diagnosed as OSAHS by polysomnograshy(PSG) test in our sleep laberatoty were recruited as the observation group, and fifteen healthy subjects matched in gender, age and body mass index (BMI) were recruited as the controls. Pulmonary arterial pressure was measured by echocardiography. Serum RhoA/ROCK-2 levels were measured. Results The level of PAP was (47.30±12.85)mm Hg in OSAHA patients complicated with PH, (22.31±3.07)mm Hg in OSAHA patients without PH, which were significantly higher than that in the controls (19.47±1.92) mm Hg (W=175.50, P < 0.05). The serum RhoA and ROCK-2 in OSAHA patients with-out PH (10.43±3.10 and 22.31±16.10 μ/L, respectively) were significantly higher those in the controls (2.94±1.20)μg/L and (6.04±0.28)μg/L, respectively) (W=120.00, W= 121.00, respectively, P<0.05), whereas significantly lower than that in OSAHA patients complicated with PH(14.85±8.49)μg/L, (36.81±12.69) μg/L, respectively) (H =29.172, H =30.242, respectively, P <0.05). There was a positive correlation between PAP and AHI in patients with OSAHS, whether complicated with PH or not(r_s=0.793, r_s=0.887,P <0.05), and there was a negative correlation between PAP and LSaO2 in patients with OSAHS (r_s=-0. 562,r_s = -0.751, P <0.05). There were positive correlations between the level of RboA/ROCK-2 and PAP in patients with OSAHS(r_s = 0.793,r_s = 0.887,P < 0.05). Finally, there was a positive correlation between the level of RhoA and ROCK-2 in patients with OSAHS (r_s = 1.000,r_s = 1.000,P < 0.05). Conclusions OSAHS is an inde-pendent risk factor for pulmonary hypertension. The levels of serum RhoA/ROCK-2 in OSAHS patients with PH were increased in the development of the disease. It may play an important role in the process of pulmonary hyper-tension in patients with OSAHS.

Purpose:To compare chemoradiotherapy against radiotherapy alone in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods:From September 1995 to July 1997,eighty-six patients with histologically proven NPC who were staged according to the Fuzhou stage classification to be N 2-3 were entered. Eighty-four patients were evaluable for tumor response and survival. The patients were randomized to receive two cycles of cisplatin (DDP) 20 mg/m 2 on Days 1-3,fluorouracil (5-Fu) 500 mg/m 2 on Days 1-3,before radical radiotherapy (RT),and three cycles of postradiotherapy chemotherapy (39 patients) or radiotherapy alone (45 patients). For chemoradiotherapy (CT-RT) group,the second cycle was given on Day 14 and the radiotherapy was given on Day 27. All patients received radical radiotherapy to the nasopharynx and neck. Radiation therapy consisted of delivering 65.1-70.3 Gy in 35-37 fractions of 1.85-1.9 Gy each over 7-7.5 weeks to the primary site with external beam 60 Co in both groups. The lymph nodes of the neck were given 56.6-65.5 Gy in 7-7.5 weeks. Boost radiotherapy was given to any residual disease. The rates of radiotherapy for boosting primary site or residual lymph nodes were not significantly different in the two arms. Results:The median follow up was 5.04 years. The 5-year actuarial survival rate (ASR) was 72.3% in CT-RT arm and 58.4% in RT arm ( P =0.154). The 5-year disease free survival rate (DFS) was 59.9% in CT-RT arm and 47.7% in RT arm ( P =0.207). The 5-year free from local failure rate (FLF) in nasopharynx was 89.5% in CT-RT arm and 81.4% in RT arm respectively ( P =0.151). The 5-year FLF in neck was 88.3% in CT-RT arm and 75.2% in RT arm respectively ( P =0.134). The 5-year free from distant metastasis rate (FDM) was 76.3% in CT-RT arm and 60.3% in RT arm ( P =0.181). The median time to first distant metastasis was 1.08 years in CT-RT arm and 0.88 year in RT arm. Although the differences did not reach statistical significance,there was some benefit from adjunctive chemotherapy to radiotherapy in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Toxicities in CT-RT arm were mainly myelosuppression and nausea and vomiting. There was no significant difference in the incidence and severity of acute mucositis between the two arms during radiotherapy. There was no treatment-related death. Conclusions:This prospective randomized trial demonstrated some benefit in DFS,FLF,FDM from adjunctive chemotherapy to radiotherapy in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. But the differences were not significant. The chemoradiotherapy increased neither the incidence and severity of acute mucositis nor the late reaction.

Objective To understand the situation of medication treatment in out-patients with hypertension.Method 1 210 out-patients with hypertension were investigated by ourselves-made questionnaire on their medication treatment at home.Results In all of the patients,there was only 30.74% of them persisting in taking regular medication.The control rate on blood pressure was 70.96% in patients with regular taking medication and 28.99% in patients with irregular taking medication.The rates of regular taking medication in goverment staff,teachers and retirees were higher.The compliance with medication treatment was increased with the age.There was 79.83% of patients discontinued to take medication after 3-6 months of medication treatment.Conclusion The situation of medication treatment in outpatients is less optimistic.We should strengthen the blood pressure controll in outpatients of the young aged,workers and peasants.