OBJECTIVE: To study the inhibitory effect of Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for supplementing blood, on tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice after inoculation of EL-4 cells, and its immune mechanism as well as its synergic effect in reducing toxicity of cytoxan (CTX). METHODS: Experiment was carried out in tumor-bearing mice after inoculation of EL-4 cells. The mice were randomly divided into four groups after 7 days of the inoculation: untreated group, DBT-treated group [24 g/(kg x d)], CTX-treated group [7.5 mg/(kg x d)] and DBT plus CTX-treated group, with another ten normal mice as control. Inhibitory rate of tumor growth, survival time, immune function and variability of blood cells were measured in the mice during the experiment. RESULTS: After treatment of relevant interventions for 15 days, the tumor in the DBT-treated group, CTX-treated group and DBT plus CTX-treated group grew slower than the untreated group (P<0.05). Murine survival time in the DBT-treated group, CTX-treated group and DBT plus CTX-treated group was lengthened as compared with that in the untreated group (P<0.05). Compared with the untreated group, all kinds of immune indexes in the DBT-treated group and DBT plus CTX-treated group were significantly improved (P<0.05), while the immune indexes in the CTX-treated group were decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the CTX-treated group, all kinds of immune indexes in the DBT plus CTX-treated group were significantly improved (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DBT can enhance the immune function in tumor-bearing mice and the inhibitory effect of DBT on tumor growth is related to the enhanced immune response. DBT can also increase the therapeutic effects and reduce the side effects of CTX.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum PTX3 in HCC patients. Methods We selected 78 HCC patients as the liver cancer group, and 78 cases of healthy subjects as the healthy control group. The PTX3 levels were detected and compared between the two groups. The differences of PTX3 levels in patients with different pathological characteristics were analyzed. ROC curve was used to analyze the auxiliary diagnostic value of serum PTX3 in HCC. Results PTX3 level in HCC patients was higher than that in healthy control group (P < 0.05). PTX3 level in stage Ⅰ group was higher than those in the stage Ⅱ group and Ⅲ group (P < 0.05). PTX3 level in patients with tumor ≥5cm was significantly lower than that with tumor diameter < 5cm (P < 0.05). In addition, PTX3 level in patients with HBV infection was significantly higher than that without HBV infection (P < 0.05). The AUC was 0.938. Conclusion The serum PTX3 level is significantly increased in patients with HCC. It has auxiliary diagnostic value for HCC.

From 1999 to 2015, there were 6 186 cases of leukemia deaths in tianjin residents, the males accounted for 58.28% (3 605) and 52.31% (3 236) deaths lived in urban areas; the crude mortality rate of Leukemia increased from 3.47/100 000 to 4.28/100 000 [t=7.09, P<0.001, annual percent change (APC)=1.30%] and the standardized mortality rate decreased from 3.15/100 000 to 3.01/100 000 (t=-2.95, P=0.006, APC=-0.65%). Special attention should be focused on children, the elderly, males and rural residents.

Objective: To investigate the mortality of colorectal cancer and its trend from 1999 to 2015 in Tianjin, China, and to explore the mortality features in different populations in order to provide data for prevention and control strategies of colorectal cancer. Methods: Colorectal cancer mortality data between 1999 and 2015 were collected from Tianjin population - based mortality surveillance system maintained by the Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Population data of permanent residents were collected from Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau. The number of new cases and deaths, incidence [including crude incidence, age-adjusted standardized incidence and 95% confidence interval (95% CI)], and mortality (including crude mortality, age-adjusted standardized mortality and 95% CI) of colorectal cancer were calculated. Standardized incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer were calculated using the Segi′s world standard population, adjusted with age and gender. JoinPoint regression and Cochran-Armitage trend test were used to determine the statistical significance of differences in mortality trend. Results: A total of 31 376 new onset cases and 14 893 death cases of colorectal cancer were observed in Tianjin from 1999 to 2015. Colorectal cancer incidence increased from 1999 to 2015 with a standardized rate from 9.66/100 000 to 15.36/100 000 [annual percent change(APC)=3.48%, Z=23.21, P<0.001]. Colorectal cancer mortality increased from 1999 to 2015 with a standardized rate from 5.18/100 000 to 6.11/100 000 (APC=1.24%, Z=5.69, P<0.001). Both showed an increasing trend. The death proportion of colon cancer increased (39.67% in 1999 and 50.33% in 2015), while the death proportion of rectal caner decreased (60.33% in 1999 and 48.57% in 2015). The median age of colorectal cancer onset fluctuated steadily around 66 years old (APC=0.16, T=1.75, P=0.100); the median age of death increased from 69 to 73 years old (APC=0.43, T=8.81, P<0.001). From 1999 to 2015, the mortality of colorectal cancer showed a downward trend (all P<0.05) in the age groups of <35 and 35-44 years, while an upward trend (all P<0.05) in the age groups of 45-54 years, 55-64 years and ≥ 65 years. Colorectal cancer mortality in males increased with a standardized rate of 5.53/100 000 in 1999 to 7.33/100 000 in 2015(APC=2.29%, Z=7.86, P<0.001), while colorectal cancer mortality in females flatted with a standardized rate of 4.83/100 000 in 1999 to 4.89/100 000 in 2015 (APC=0.10%, Z=-0.30, P=0.752). Colorectal cancer mortality increased with a standardized rate of 6.75/100 000 in 1999 to 7.33/100 000 in 2015 (APC=0.54%, Z=1.98, P=0.048) in urban areas and of 3.18/100 000 in 1999 to 4.38/100 000 in 2015 (APC=2.47, Z=6.46, P<0.001) in rural areas, whose differences were significant. Standardized mortality rate in rural area was lower but the rising velocity was faster as compared to urban area. Conclusions Crude mortality and standardized mortality of colorectal cancer increase from 1999 to 2015 in Tianjin population. The people of elder, male and urban area have higher mortality. The mortality in people of male and rural area presents a faster rising state. Further efforts to reduce colorectal cancer mortality in Tianjin are needed to prevention and control of colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVETo explore the heritability of body mass index (BMI) in twins across different regions and genders in China.

METHODSA total of 11 122 adult twin pairs from the Chinese National Twin Registry were interviewed. A structural equation model was used to estimate the heritability of BMI.

RESULTSThis study included 6 226 monozygotic twin pairs and 4 896 dizygotic twin pairs, with the age range as 25-85 (39.0 ± 10.8) years. Under stratified analysis by region, results showed that the highest and lowest rates on heritability of BMI in men were seen in Tianjin and Zhejiang, as 67.8% (95% CI: 50.1%-85.8%) and 42.1% (95% CI: 27.2%-60.9%), while in women were seen in Sichuan and Heilongjiang as 56.2% (95% CI: 47.5%-70.0%) and 11.2% (95% CI: 0.0%-31.7%), respectively. Results from the stratified analysis showed that, by gender, the heritability of BMI in men was higher than that in women from the same region. The biggest differences of heritability of BMI between men and women were seen in Heilongjiang as 55.3% (95% CI: 35.5%-80.0%) and 11.2% (95% CI: 0-31.7%), while the smallest differences were seen in Sichuan as 61.5% (95% CI: 40.7%-86.4%) and 56.2% (95% CI: 47.5%-70.0%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe heritability of BMI across different regions and genders showed certain differences in the Chinese twins.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Body Mass Index ; China ; Cities ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Registries ; Twins, Dizygotic ; genetics ; statistics & numerical data ; Twins, Monozygotic ; genetics ; statistics & numerical data

Objective: To analyze the heritability of diabetes among the Chinese twin adults. Methods: A total of 10 253 same-sex twin pairs aged 25 years and older, were selected from the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) program. Heritability of diabetes was calculated by using the structural equation model. Results: After adjusted for age and gender, the overall heritability rates of diabetes were 0.41 (0.15-0.75), 0.83 (0.72-0.91) and 0.34 (0.04-0.73) in the <45 and ≥45 years twin pairs, respectively. After adjusted for age, rates of heritability appeared as 0.37 (0.05-0.78) and 0.88 (0.79-0.94) in men and women, respectively. Conclusions Diabetes is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. The genetic effect of diabetes seemed stronger on female than that on male twins but was dying down along with ageing.