The evaluation of quality of life after stroke primarily includes body,psychology, society,and the ability of activities of daily living,and they can be mainly obtained from self rating quality of life by the patients,The commonly used evaluation methods include six generic measurement scales and four updated Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scales.The latter includes the Stroke Adapted Sickness Impact Profile,the Stroke Impact Scale,Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scales,and Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale.This article reviews the generic meas- urement scales,Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scales and the various factors that influencing quality of life after stroke.

Adult ; Biopsy, Needle ; instrumentation ; methods ; Breast Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mammography ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Vacuum

Syringin, chlorogenic acid and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid are three main bioactive ingredients in herbs of Saussurea involucrata with various pharmacological properties, while their contents are very low. In this study, the biosynthesis of syringin, chlorogenic acid and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid in the cell suspension cultures of S. involucrata were regulated by feeding carbon sources and precursors, which resulted in a great increase of the contents and yields of the above three bioactive ingredients. After 16 days of fermentation, the yields of syringin, chlorogenic acid and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid reached 339.0, 225.3, 512.7 mg x L(-1), respectively. Meanwhile, their contents increased up to 67.9, 1.9, 10.6 times of wild medicinal material, respectively. The results provided a solid basis for further studies on application of cell suspension cultures of S. involucrata for large-scale production of bioactive compounds syringin, chlorogenic acid and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Cells, Cultured ; Chlorogenic Acid ; analysis ; metabolism ; Cinnamates ; analysis ; metabolism ; Glucosides ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; Phenylpropionates ; analysis ; Saussurea ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the antitumor therapeutic effect of combined therapy of magnetic induction heating by nano-magnetic particles, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene(HSV-tk suicide gene) and internal radiation in mice bearing MCF-7 breast carcinoma. Methods The transfection reagents, plasmids heat shock protein-HSV-tk (pHSP-HSV-tk), ferroso-ferric oxide nano-magnetic fluid flow and 188Re-ganciclovir-bovine serum albumin-nanopaticles (GCV-BSA-NP) were prepared. The heating experiments in vivo were carried out using ferroso-ferric oxide nano-magnetic fluid flow. Sixty mice tumor models bearing MCF-7 breast carcinoma were established and randomly divided into six groups. Group A was the control group, B was gene transfection therapy group, C was hyperthermia group, D was gene transfection therapy combined with radionuclide brachytherapy group, E was gene therapy combined with hyperthermia group, and F was gene therapy, hyperthermia combined with radionuclide brachytherapy group. The tumor growth, tumor mass and histopathological changes were evaluated. The expression of HSV-tk in the groups of B, D, E and F was detected by RT-PCR. Poisson distribution and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for statistical analysis by SPSS 10.0 software. Results In the animal heating experiments, the temperature of tumor increased up to 39.6 ℃, 43.2 ℃, and 48.1 ℃ quickly with different injected doses (2, 4 and 6 mg respectively) of nano-magnetic particles and maintained for 40 min. The temperature of tumor tissue reduced to 36.8 ℃, 37.5 ℃ and 37.8 ℃ in 10 min when alternating magnetic field (AMF) stopped. The tumor mass in Groups C ((452.50 ±30.29) mg), D ((240.98 ±35.32)mg), E((231.87 ±27.41) mg) and F ((141.55 ±23.78) mg) were much lower than that in Group A ((719.12±22.65) mg) (F=800.07, P＜0. 01), with the most significant treatment effect in Group F.The tumor mass in Group B((684.05 ±24.02) mg) was higher than that in Group D (t =32. 805, P ＜0. 05). Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of HSV-tk in Groups B and D (0.33 ±0. 13 and 0. 46 ±0.12) was significantly different from that in Groups E and F (0.66 ±0.13 and 0.74 ±0. 11)(F = 21. 573, P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Combined use of hyperthermia, gene therapy and radionuclide brachytherapy could effectively depress the growth of MCF-7 breast carcinoma, thus possessing treatment potential for this tumor.

Objective To investigate the relationship between polymorphism of NAD (P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1)and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) and their correlation with smoking on the susceptibility to gastric cancer. Methods A 1:1 case-control study of 334 patients with primary gastric cancer, with non-cancer or alimentary inpatients as control group (matched for ages ± 5 years, sex and reqion) in Anhui province was conducted to analyze theNQO1C609T and XRCC1G28152A. Gene types by PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. Interaction index (γ) was calculated to determine the type of gene- environment interaction. Results The average age of 334 cases of gastric cancer patients was 57 years, with 65.3% of them were male. Smoking rate in the case group (55.09%) was significantly higher than in the control group (36.53%). The consequence showing that it carried the heterozygous variant (CT)or homozygous variant (TT) of NQO1 could enhance the risk of gastric cancer(OR= 1.507,3.050),but not the XRCC1G28152A gene polymorphism or the susceptibility to gastric cancer. At the same time,individuals that carrying XRCC1AG and NQO1TT could increase 2.789 times the incidence of gastric cancer than those who carrying the XRCC1AG or NQO1CC. The gastric cancer risk of XRCC1GG individuals that carrying NQO1TT was 4.448 times higher than those who carrying XRCC1GG or NQO1 CC. The positive interactions of NQO1 homozygous variant (TT) , XRCC1 homozygous variant (GG) and smoking were revealed in the occurrence rates of gastric cancer (OR=3.094,γ =2.070). Conclusion Our research findings showed that the significant interactions between genetic polymorphisms of NQO1, XRCC1 and smoking added the risk of gastric cancer, while genetic and environmental hazardous factors co-effecting the development of gastric cancer.

Seven meroterpenoids and five small-molecular precursors were isolated from Penicillium sp., an endophytic fungus from Dysosma versipellis. The structures of new compounds, 11beta-acetoxyisoaustinone (1) and isoberkedienolactone (2) were elucidated based on analysis of the spectral data, and the absolute configuration of 2 was established by TDDFT ECD calculation with satisfactory match to its experimental ECD data. Meroterpenoids originated tetraketide and pentaketide precursors, resepectively, were found to be simultaneously produced in specific fungus of Penicillium species. These compounds showed weak cytotoxicity in vitro against HCT-116, HepG2, BGC-823, NCI-H1650, and A2780 cell lines with IC 50 > 10 micromol x L(-1).
Berberidaceae ; microbiology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Lactones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Monoterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Penicillium ; chemistry

To investigate the secondary metabolites of endophytic fungi Pericinia sp. F-31. Column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC were used to separate and purify the compounds. Two compounds were isolated from the fermentation broth of Periconia sp. Their structures were identified as 5-(1-hydroxyhexyl) -6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (1) and 2-(3-hydroxy-4-methylphenyl) -propanoic acid (2). Compound 1 was a new lactone compound, compound 2 was new natural product, and the NMR data of compound 2 was reported for the first time.
Annona ; microbiology ; Ascomycota ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Lactones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure

From original concept and literature of acupoint, the concept and clinical significance of ashi method is discussed, which clarifies that the essence of ashi method is to locate the acupoints by patients' sensitivity on force. The clinical application of heat-sensitive moxibustion has illustrated that positioning method of this therapy is based on the appearance of heat-sensitive moxibustion sensation. Although both types are based on patients' feeling, positioning method of heat-sensitive moxibustion stands on a new angle and uses a new method to locate acupoint. Therefore, it is believed that the positioning method of heat-sensitive moxibustion is the inheritance and development of ashi method.
Acupuncture Points ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Moxibustion ; history ; methods ; Sensation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serotype on the interferon (IFN) treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHODSNinety-eight patients with chronic hepatitis C were divided into two groups: patients in group 1 (n=53) were treated with Pegasys, 180 ug injected subcutaneously once a week for 24 weeks, and those in group 2 (n=45) were injected with Roferon-A 3 MU three times a week for 24 weeks and then patients in both groups were followed up for another 24 weeks. The virological response at the end of follow up was the primary endpoint for evaluating the effects of IFN treatment. The HCV RNA levels of the chronic hepatitis C patients were determined with COBAS AMPLICOR MONITOR Test, version 2.0, and the HCV serotypes were examined by the means of ELISA using Murex HCV Serotyping 1-6 Assay.

RESULTSOf the 98 cases, HCV in 44 cases was serotype 1, in 23 was serotype 2, in 10 was serotype 3, in 1 was serotype 4, 1 was serotype 5 and in 2 was serotype 6; HCV serotypes in the remaining 17 patients could not determined. In Pegasys treatment group, the biochemical and virological response was not significantly different at the end of treatment between the patients with serotype 1 and non serotype 1 or serotype undetermined patients, but the sustained virological response rate of HCV serotype undetermined group (66.7 percent) was significantly higher than that of serotype 1 patients (27.3 percent) (p=0.035). In Roferon-A treatment group, the virological response rate at 24 weeks and sustained viral response rate at the end of follow-up was not significantly different between serotype 1 and non serotype 1 patients or serotype undetermined patients.

CONCLUSIONAfter the six months treatment course, the HCV serotype had some effects on the treatment response to Pegasys treatment for chronic hepatitic C.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Hepatitis C Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferons ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Zhangjiagang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as a collaborative unit of the project, participated in the clinical consistency evaluation in project of TCM Practice guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Biqiu (allergic rhinitis) organized by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The evaluation results showed that the guideline met the clinical practice requirements. This article summarized the clinical evaluation experience from the three aspects: The diagnosis in TCM and Western medicine is clear and definite, but the English translation needs to be considered; The definition of remission phase of Biqiu (allergic rhinitis) is difficult, to interfere by identifying the constitution is innovative; The advantages of "preventive treatment of diseases" in TCM should be fully played in role, improving the satisfaction of patients.