Objective To observe the clinical efficacy ofZhibai Dihuang Decoction combined with endocrine therapy for kidney-yin deficiency type of advanced prostate cancer and its influence on patient symptoms of hot flashes.Methods Totally 72 cases of advanced prostate cancer patients were randomly divided into the combined group (36 cases) and the control group (36 cases). Patients in the control group were treated with endocrine therapy, while patients in the combined group were additionally treated byZhibai Dihuang Decoction. After 12 weeks of treatment, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), the international prostate symptom score (I-PSS), the clinical symptoms score, the number of cases of hot flashes and safety index before and after treatment were observed. Results In the course of treatment, the control group and the combined group each had 1 case lost to follow up. PSA and I-PSS in the two groups significantly decreased after treatment (P<0.01). The total efficiency rate of TCM syndrome was 94.3% (33/35) in the combined group, while it was 57.1% (20/35) in the control group, with significant difference (P<0.01). After treatment, the incidence of hot flushes was reduced after treatment in the combined group, but the control group increased, with significant difference (P<0.01). No adverse reaction was found in the two groups.ConclusionZhibai Dihuang Decoction combined with endocrine therapy is more effective than endocrine therapy alone, which can reduce the symptoms of hot flashes.

To explore the expressional information of PIWIL4 in human ovarian cancer, semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(semi-qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression level of PIWIL1, PIWIL2, PIWIL3 and PIWIL4 in human ovarian clear cell carcinoma ES-2 cells.Meanwhile, in human ovarian cancer and adjacent normal tissues, the mRNA expression of PIWIL4 was determined.Then, PIWIL4-siRNA, which was designed to target PIWIL4 and chemical synthesized, was transfected into ES-2 cells with lipofectamine.MTT assay and clone formation assay were used to investigate the effects of PIWIL4-siRNA on the cell growth activity and proliferation capacity of ES-2 cells.Experimental results showed that the mRNA expression level of PIWIL4 was the highest compared to PIWIL1, PIWIL2 and PIWIL3 in ES-2 cells(P

Objective To assess the effect and safety of lanthanum carbonate vs conventional phosphate binders for hyperphosphatemia in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.Methods According to the collaborative search strategy,MEDLINE (1996 to 2012.12),EBCO (1996 to 2012.12),the clinical control test database of Cochrane Library and Chinese Wanfang database (1996to 2012.12) were searched.Related literature,whether Published or not and meeting summary included,were searched by hand.Quality assessment and data extraction were conducted by two independent investigators.Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.0.The following outcomes were assessed:serum phosphorus levels,serum iPTH levels,serum calcium levels and adverse events.Results were expressed as OR with 95％ confidence interval for dichotomous outcomes and WMD with 95％ confidence interval for continuous outcomes.Results A total of 10 reports were identified which met the inclusion criteria.The meta-analysis showed that the efficacy of treating hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis patients was similar between lanthanum carbonate and conventional phosphate binders (WMD =-0.06,95％ CI-0.27 to 0.15,P =0.57) and the incidences of discontinuing due to adverse events were also similar.However,there were fewer hypercalcemic episodes and lower serum calcium levels in the lanthanum carbonate group compared to calcium-based phosphorus binders group.Conclusion Lanthanum carbonate is effective and well tolerated in treating hyperphosphatemia in hemodialysis patients with fewer hypercalcemia and lower serum calcium levels compared to calciumbased phosphate binders.

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between liver stiffness and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in chronic heptatitis B patients with negative α-fetoprotein (AFP) tests. MethodsFrom September 2012 to August 2014, this study enrolled a total of 82 HBV-relative native HCC patients as the case group. During the same period, a total of 253 chronic hepatitis B patients were also include in this study as the control group. These 253 patients were followed up for six months. All of the two groups were AFP-negative. Liver stiffness was measured in all patients by transient elastography device Fibroscan?. Logistic regression was applied to assess the risk of HCC incidence, and stratum-specific likelihood ratios (SSLR) was calculated.ResultsThe age, liver stiffness measurements and plasma albumin of patients in case group were 53 years old (44-61), 12.00 kPa (7.50-20.75), 43.14 g/L (39.50-46.75) respectively. The age, liver stiffness measurements and plasma albumin of patients in control group were 45 years old (38-56), 8.40 kPa (5.40-13.50), 46.40 g/L (43.75-48.50) respectively. The variables were compared between two groups with unpaired studentt test, and the results were statistically significant (t=4.33, 3.56,
-4.48,P=0.00, 0.00, 0.00). The patients in case group were older, and had higher liver stiffness measurements and lower plasma albumin than that of the patients in control group. Logistic regression analysis showed that HCC incidence was associated with age,male-gender and liver stiffness, and the odds ratios (OR) was 1.053, 2.432, 6.803 respectively. When liver stiffness was<10 kPa, 10.1-15 kPa, 15.1-25 kPa,>25 kPa, SSLR for HCC presence was 0.67, 1.02,1.44, 3.98 respectively.ConclusionsLiver stiffness measured by transient elastography is useful in predicting the risk of HCC incidence in AFP-negative chronic heptatitis B patients. Clinicians needed to carry out close follow-up and appropriate intervention for these patients.

ObjectiveTo study the mechanisms and related factors and preventive managements of the stress ulcer complicating with acute cervical spinal cord injury. MethodsThe clinical findings of eight cases of the acute cervical spinal cord injury with stress ulcer were reviewed retrospectively.ResultsFive cases were cured by conservative treatment, one case was cured after operations, two cases died of breath and circulation failure.ConclusionStress ulcer is a critical complication of acute cervical spinal cord injury. It should be prevented actively.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA ; analysis ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Fluorescence ; G1 Phase ; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle

Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of dual-source computed tomography(DSCT) in the evaluation of coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods:Fifty-two patients(44 male,8 female,mean age 70.59) with a high pre-test probability of CAD underwent DSCT coronary angiography and selective coronary angiography(SCA).Two physicians independently assessed the images of all coronary segments.Results:The overall sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive value for evaluating CAD were 92.31%,99.82%,90.57%,and 99.32%,respectively.Conclusion:The result indicates that DSCT coronary angiography provides high diagnostic accuracy for assessment of CAD.And it is a better choice for CAD evaluation.

AIM:To investigate the changes of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the process of cardiomyo-cyte hypertrophy induced by high glucose , and to explore its potential mechanisms .METHODS: The rat cardiomyocytes (H9c2 cells) were divided into normal glucose group , high glucose group, DMSO group and resveratrol (an AhR antago-nist) group.The content and distribution of AhR were observed with immunofluorescence staining .The myocardial cells were stained with rhodamine-labeled phalloidin to visualize cytoskeleton , and the cell surface area were determined after im-aging by fluorescence microscopy .The generation of reactive oxygen species ( ROS) in the cardiomyocytes was measured u-sing a fluorescent probe DCFH-DA.The mRNA expression of AhR , CYP1A1, atrial natriuretic peptide ( ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide ( BNP) were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR ( RT-qPCR).The protein levels of AhR, CYP1A1, ANP and BNP were assessed by Western blot .RESULTS:AhR was constitutively presented in the cytosol un-der normal-glucose condition and was translocated to the nuclei under high-glucose condition .High glucose induced cardiac hypertrophy , and increased ROS generation .Significant reductions in the cell size and ROS generation were observed after treated with resveratrol.The expression of AhR, CYP1A1, ANP and BNP at mRNA and protein levels in high glucose group was increased as compared with normal glucose group and resveratrol group , and the above-mentioned indexes signifi-cantly decreased in resveratrol group as compared with DMSO group .CONCLUSION: High glucose-induced cardiac hy-pertrophy increases AhR expression , which may be involved in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis in the cardiomyo-cytes.AhR translocation to the nucleus induced by high glucose results in the increases in CYP 1A1 expression and ROS generation, which may be an important mechanism of high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy .

Objective To investigate the effects of modafinil,a new wake-promoting agent,on simulated flight performance during 48 h sleep deprivation(SD).Method Six male healthy young volunteers were exposed to two periods of 48 h continuous wakefulness during the crossover experiment.In one period,three 200 mg doses of modafinil were given and in the other,separated by two weeks,matching placebos were administered.The SD time started from 8:00 of the first day to 8:00 of the third day.Drug was given at 0:00,16:00 of the second day and 0:00 of the third day.Flight performance in J7-E flight simulator was tested at 21:00 of the first day and 1,3,5,7 h after each drug administration.Result The scores of simulated flight performance in the placebo group decreased with time during SD and became significant at 1:00～7:00 of the third day.Numbers of errors increased with time during SD,especially in the left ascending turn stage and the descending & landing stages.Compared with the placebo,flight performance was significantly increased after the third administration of modafinil.Numbers of errors during 48 h SD and at 1:00～7:00 of the third day in modafinil group was 19% and 40% lower than those in placebo group respectively.Conclusion Simulated flight performance during 48 h SD is significantly improved after repeated administration of modafinil,especially when the impacts of SD and the circadian trough are combined.

The PET tracer 5-([11C]methyloxy)-L-tryptophan (5-(11)CMTP) was prepared by nucleophilic fluorination and alkylation reaction via a two-step procedure in order to develop specific tumor probe. The biodistribution and microPET imaging of 5-(11)CMTP were executed. The results unveiled that the overall radiochemical yield with no decay correction was (14.6 ±7.2) %, the radiochemical purity was more than 95% and high uptake and long retention time of 5-(11)CMTP in liver, kidney and blood were observed but low uptake in brain and muscle were found, furthermore, high uptake of 5-(11)CMTP in tumor tissue was observed. It seems that 5-(11)CMTP will be a potential amino acid tracer for tumors imaging with PET.
Amino Acids ; Animals ; Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radioactive Tracers ; Tissue Distribution ; Tryptophan ; analogs & derivatives