Objective To assess and analyze the efficacy and safety of Tegafur Gimeracil Oteracil Potassium capsule plus paclitaxel against advanced gastric cancer. Methods Totally 61 patients with advanced gastric cancer were randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group(32 cases) and the control group(29 cases). Patients in the treatment group were treated with Tegafur Gimeracil Oteracil Potassium capsule (80mg /m2 ) orally, for 14 days continuously, and paclitaxel (175mg/m2 ) on the first day. Patients in the control group were applied with oxaliplatin (130mg/m2 ) on the first day, and the same dose of Tegafur Gimeracil Oteracil Potassium capsule. The two groups both used three weeks as a cycle. Results All 61 patients were included for analysis. No complete response was ob-served. The overall disease control rate was 84. 4%, 79. 3%, respectively. The median progression free survival time was respectively 5. 6 months and 4. 9 months. The median survival time was respectively 13. 1 months and 13. 6 months. There's no significant difference between the two groups. The adverse effects were mostly tolerable, big part of which grade 1/2, mainly included hematological adverse effects, digestive system adverse effect, fatigue and so on. The incidence of neurotoxic effect of control group was higher than treatment group. Conclusion Tri-weekly paclitaxel combined Tegafur Gimeracil Oteracil Potassium Capsule is safe and effective in patients with advanced gastric cancer, which is worthy further study.

Objective To explore whether pioglitazone can ameliorate radiation-induced fibrosis in rat heart.Methods A total of 46 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups (control group, pioglitazone (Pio) 10 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 group, Pio 20 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 group, 18 Gy irradiation + placebo group;18 Gy irradiation + Pio 10 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 , and 18 Gy irradiation + Pio 20 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 group).Experimental animals were exposed to radiation at the chest, then administered Pio or placebo for one month.At 3 months later, the rats were killed and their heart tissues were collected for Masson staining, Western blot analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction assay (real-time PCR).Results Masson staining revealed significant myocardial fibrosis in rats exposed to radiation, while these changes were reduced when the rats were given Pio.Western blot analysis showed that the PPAR-γ protein expression in the heart tissue of irradiated rats were higher than in the non-irradiated group (F =12.435, P ＜ 0.05).Real-time PCR assay showed that PPAR-γ mRNA expression in the irradiation + Pio 20 mg· kg-1· d-1 group was higher than that in the Pio 20 mg· kg-1 ·d-1 group (F =2.333, P ＜ 0.05).The expression of TGF-β1 protein in the irradiation + placebo group were higher than those in the other five groups (F =17.578 ,P ＜0.05), and the CDK5 protein expression had a high level in the three irradiated groups while only the irradiation + placebo group was statistically higher than controls (F =3.651, P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Pioglitazone may ameliorate radiation fibrosis in the rat heart through its anti-fibrotic activity, perhaps via inhibiting Cdk5-mediated PPAR-γ phosphorylation.

BACKGROUND:There are many positive effects by activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) signal pathway in cardiovascular system. Angiotensin II is closely related with myocardial fibrosis, however, there are few articles demonstrating that the activation of PPARγsignal pathway can weaken the expression of angiotensin II to improve the radiation-induced heart injury. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effect of angiotensin II type 1 receptor in the rat model of radiation-induced heart injury after PPARγsignal pathway is activated. METHODS:Sixty rats were randomly and equal y divided into five groups:control, pioglitazone, model, radiation+low-dose pioglitazone, radiation+high-dose pioglitazone. In the model, radiation+low-dose pioglitazone, radiation+high-dose pioglitazone groups, rats received 6 MV high energy X-ray irradiation at the range of 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm and the irradiation dose of 300 cGy/min, for 6 hours. Furthermore, rats in the radiation+low-dose pioglitazone and radiation+high-dose pioglitazone groups were given 10 and 20 mg/kg pioglitazone by lavage, for 30 days;rats in the model group were given 2 mL distil ed water. In the pioglitazone group, rats were treated with 10 mg/kg pioglitazone by lavage. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After rats were treated with pioglitazone, the heart injury and the heart fibrosis in the irradiated rats were decreased. The expressions of angiotensin II type 1 receptor mRNA and protein in the heart tissue were down-regulated. Experimental findings indicate that, pioglitazone intervention downregulates the expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor in the rat models of radiation-induced heart injury and activation of PPARγsignal pathway al eviates the radiation-induced heart injury.