Reactive oxygen species(ROS) in the cardiac muscle are increased in cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension,coronary heart disease and heart failure.Oxidative stress mediates myocyte hypertrophy,myocyte apoptosis and interstitial fibrosis.And these changes are particularly pronounced in elderly patients or senescent animal disease models.The major sources of ROS in myocardium are mitochondria and the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH) oxidase.Specific ROS such as hydrogen peroxide play an important role in myocardial remodeling in heart failure.Oxidative modifications of calcium handling proteins result in reduction of their activities,leading to decreased myocardial contractility.Reduction of oxidant levels and inhibition of oxidative modifications of specific proteins through inhibiting ROS sources may provide new strategies for the treatment of myocardial remodeling.

Objective:To understand the levels of selenium and T-2 toxin in the historical critical disease area of Kashin-Beck disease in Aba State of Sichuan Province.Methods:From July 2018 to February 2019, in five cities (counties) of historical critical Kashin-Beck disease areas, namely, Ma'erkang, Rangtang, Aba, Ruo'ergai and Hongyuan, one township was selected, respectively, and then one village in the historical critical disease area and one village in non-disease area were selected from the selected townships. Hair samples from 30 children aged 6 to 12 years old were collected to test selenium content in each village. Staple food samples of 10 households were collected to test the selenium and T-2 toxin contents in each village. Ten soil samples were collected from each village to test the selenium content.Results:The medians selenium of children's hair in the diseased and non-diseased villages ( n= 180, 120) were 0.260 0 and 0.330 0 mg/kg, respectively, and the diseased village was lower than non-diseased village ( Z = - 6.319, P < 0.01). In Ma'erkang and Hongyuan, the medians selenium in the diseased villages were lower than those in non-diseased villages ( Z = - 3.327, - 4.939, P < 0.01), and there were no statistically significant differences between the diseased villages and non-diseased villages in Rangtang and Ruo'ergai ( P > 0.05). The medians selenium of staple food in the diseased and non-diseased villages ( n = 110, 70) were 0.005 8 and 0.018 0 mg/kg, respectively, and the diseased village was lower than non-diseased village ( Z = - 2.263, P < 0.05). In Ruo'ergai, the median selenium in the diseased village was lower than that in non-diseased village ( Z = - 2.306, P < 0.05), and there were no statistically significant differences between the diseased villages and non-diseased villages in Ma'erkang, Rangtang and Hongyuan ( P > 0.05). The T-2 toxin contents in staple food were all less than detection limit (1 μg/kg) in the diseased and non-diseased villages ( n = 103, 65). The soil selenium contents in the diseased and non-diseased villages ( n = 60, 40) were (0.045 3 ± 0.021 5) and (0.065 8 ± 0.045 4) mg/kg, respectively, and the diseased village was lower than non-diseased village ( t = 2.672, P < 0.05). The soil selenium content in the diseased village was lower than that in non-diseased village in Hongyuan ( t = 14.838, P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the soil selenium content between the diseased villages and non-diseased villages in Ma'erkang, Rangtang and Ruo'ergai ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:The overall selenium level of children's hair is at a medium level (0.25 - < 0.50 mg/kg) in the historical critical disease area of Aba State of Sichuan Province, the selenium levels of staple food and soil are at a deficiency level (< 0.025, < 0.125 mg/kg), and the diseased villages are lower than non-diseased villages. No T-2 toxin is detected in staple food.

Objective To compare the efficacy and toxicity of different cycles of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer. Methods Seventy-five patients with locally advanced breast cancer were treated with epirubicin (Epi) plus paclitaxel (TAX, ET regimen). Two cycles were used in 39 patients (2 cycles group) and 4 cycles were used in 36 patients (4 cycles group). Results The overall response rate (RR) was 74% (29/39) in 2 cycles group and 94% (34/36) in 4 cycles group. One patient got clinically complete response (CR), 28 cases had partial response (PR),10 with no change (NC) in 2 cycles group, while 21 patients showed CR including 11 patients with pathologically complete response, 13 with PR, and 2 with NC in 4 cycles group. There was no progression to advanced stage in either groups. Axillary lymph nodes were palpable in all 75 patients before ET regimen, lymph nodes became non-palpable in 46% (18/39) cases in 2 cycles group and in 75% (27/36) cases in 4 cycles group. Toxicities including leukopenia, gastroenteric reactions were similar in the 2 groups, though arthralgia, myalgia, and neurotoxicity were more common in 4 cycles group than 2 cycles group. Conclusion Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with ET regimen for 4 cycles were more effective than 2 cycles to down staging locally advanced breast cancer. Toxicities including arthralgia, myalgia, and neurotoxicity were more common in 4 cycles group than 2 cycles group.

OBJECTIVETo explore the regulation and clinical significance of intestinal dripping of Jianpi Tongli (JPTL) Chinese herbs on levels of serum cytokines, such as interleukin-2 (IL-2), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) in treating patients with gastric cancer (GC) at early post-operational stage.

METHODSSixty patients with GC were randomly divided into two groups, i. e. the studied group (n = 30), treated with JPTL Chinese herbs, and the control group (n = 30) treated with normal saline. The medication was started from the 1st day after operation by intestinal dripping daily, 7 days as one course. Levels of IL-2, sIL-2R and IL-12 were observed before and after operation.

RESULTSSignificant difference was seen on the 7th day post-operation between the studied and the control group, mainly in aspects of obvious increase of IL-2 and decrease of sIL-2R (P <0.05), no significant difference in IL-12 was found (P >0.05) though there was certain improvement. Compared with pre-operation of the same group, significant difference was found in the studied group in the increased IL-2 and IL-12 and decreased sIL-2R on the 7th day post-operation, while no significant difference in these indexes was found in the control group (P >0.05), though certain improvement was shown.

CONCLUSIONEarly intestinal dripping of JPTL Chinese herbs to post-operational patients with GC could improve their immune function, which was of important significance in early preventing the severe complications, improving the prognosis, and elevating the survival rate.

Adenocarcinoma ; blood ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Intestine, Small ; Intubation, Gastrointestinal ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Postoperative Period ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Stomach Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy and toxicity of two different regimens as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

METHODSForty-eight patients with stage II, III breast cancer as proved by cytology biopsy, were treated with either 5-Fu, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (FEC) or epirubicin, paclitaxel (ET) regimens for 2 cycles every 3 - 4 weeks. Clinical responses in the breast and lymph nodes were assessed after 2 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients in FEC arm received combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) 500 mg/m(2) by 4-hour continuous infusion on D1 and D8, epirubicin (EPI) 50 mg/m(2) by intravenous injection on D1, and cyclophosphamide (CTX) 500 mg/m(2) by intravenous injection on D1 and D8. Patients assigned to the ET arm received EPI 60 mg/m(2) by intravenous injection on D1, paclitaxel (TAX) 150 mg/m(2) by 3-hour continuous infusion on D2. All patients were treated by operation 2 weeks later and radiotherapy was added to some.

RESULTSFor primary tumor in the breast, the overall response rate (RR) was 50.0% (12/24) in FEC arm and 79.2% (19/24) in ET arm. One patient showed clinical complete response (cCR), 11 partial response (PR), 12 no change (NC) after the FEC therapy, while 1 patient showed CR, 18 PR, 5 NC after ET therapy. There was no pathologic complete response or progressive disease, though a higher proportion of RR was observed in stage II than stage III patients in these two groups. Clinically palpable axillary lymph nodes which had been found in all 48 patients before 2 cycles of treatment, 50.0% (12/24) in the FEC patients and 66.7% (16/24) in the ET patients became in-palpable. The major toxicity, including leukopenia, gastroenteric reactions, were similar in both groups, but alopecia was more severe and arthralgia, myalgia, neurotoxicity and flushing of face were the unique features of the ET regimen.

CONCLUSIONNeoadjuvant chemotherapy with two different regimens were effective to the primary tumor and axillary metastatic lymph nodes of breast cancer, and the side effects were tolerable. Higher efficacy and more side effects are observed in ET than in FEC regimen.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Cyclophosphamide ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Epirubicin ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paclitaxel ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Taxoids ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the effect of Mediterranean diet on blood glucose control and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods:As to December 2021, the PubMed, Cochrance Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrance Database, Cochranc Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Medical Network system were searched for clinical randomized controlled trials(RCTs) of Mediterranean diet in patients with type 2 diabetes to conduct Meta-analysis The main observation index were cardiovascular risk factors, and the mean difference and its 95% confidence interval were used to estimate the effect size.Results:There were six RCTs, and 1181 patients met the inclusion criteria and entered the Meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, the intervention group can significantly reduce the level of systolic blood pressure ( MD=-1.20, 95% CI-2.21 to -0.19) and diastolic blood pressure ( MD=-4.17, 95% CI-7.12 to -1.22) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, but there were no significant difference in the level of TC ( MD=2.92, 95% CI-0.84 to-6.67), HDL ( MD=2.33, 95% CI-0.27 to -4.92) and LDL ( MD=-2.34, 95% CI-5.67 to -0.99) between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:The meta-analysis provided evidence the Mediterranean diet showed the beneficial improvements in blood pressure glycemic control, but the effect of Mediterranean diet on lipid profile was not significant, which needed further verification.

Objective: To describe the mortality trend of major malignant tumors in Shandong province, from 1970 to 2013. Methods: Data related to cancer mortality were obtained from the Shandong Death Registration System and three nationwide retrospective cause-of-death surveys. Trends of overall mortality and major causes of death were described using the indicators as: mortality rates and age-standardized mortality rates, through comparing the three large-scale mortality surveys in Shandong province. Difference decomposing method was applied to estimate the contribution of demographic and non-demographic factors for the change of mortality. Results: From 1970 to 2013, the crude mortality rate of malignant tumors in Shandong was increasing. The age standard mortality rate was increasing and then decreasing. The composition of cancer deaths in the all-cause-deaths was seen increasing and then decreasing as well. Both demographic and non-demographic factors contributed to the increase of crude cancer mortality rate. With the gradual increase of the proportion of population, its role exceeded the non-demographic factors. The age-standardized mortality rate of malignant tumors in 2011-2013 was lower than that in 2004-2005. Lung cancer mortality rose from the fifth to the first place, with an increase of 6.81 times from 1970-1974 to 2011-2013. Ranking of gastric cancer mortality dropped from first to the third place, with esophageal cancer dropped from second to the fourth. After adjusted by China’s standard population in 1964, the mortality rate of lung cancer was still rapidly increasing, but the age-standardized mortality rates of esophageal cancer was gradually decreasing. The crude and age-standardized mortality rates of cervical cancer showed a rapid downward trend, reduced 87.00% and 93.00% respectively from 1970-1974 to 2011-2013. Conclusions Malignant tumors were still major threats to the residents of Shandong province. The changing trend of different malignant tumors presented an inconsistent nature which called for different intervention strategies be carried out, accordingly.