Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of letrozole for postmenopausal breast cancer patients with bone raetastases. Methods: Thity-six breast cancer patients with bone metstases received 2. 5 mg tablet letrozole every day. for at least two months. Results: In the 36 patients who were evaluable for efficacy and toxicity, the complete response rate (CR) , partial response rate ( PR) , disease stabilization rate ( SD) and progressive disease rate ( PD) were respectively 5.5% , 22. 2% , 55. 5% and 16. 6% . The clinical benefit rate ( CR + PR + SD ≥ 6 months ) was 58. 3% (21/36) with 11 patients (30. 5%) having SD for at least 6 months . Conclusions: Letrozole is a well tolerated agent with reasonable efficacy but low toxicity for postmenopausal breast cancer patients with bone metastases.

OBJECTIVETo observe the impacts on the muscle strength in the patients of stroke-induced acroparalysis treated with Xunjingcuiqi needling technique.

METHODSOne hundred patients were randomized into a Xunjingcuiqi group and a routine acupuncture group, 50 cases in each group. In the routine acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture technique was adopted at the main acupoints, such as Shangxing (GV 23), Baihui (GV 20), Dicang (ST 4), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30) and Zusanli (ST 36), etc. In Xunjingcuiqi group, on the basis of the routine acupuncture technique, Xunjingcuiqi needling technique (pricking technique was quickly applied with the filiform needle along the running course of meridian to promote the conduction of meridian qi) was added. For the patients being hard to feel the needling sensation and with the muscle strength of 0 to 1 degree, Dongzhencuiqi technique was supplemented at shu-stream points of yang meridians (after qi arrival, the needling manipulation with limb movement was given to promote the conduction of meridian qi). The treatment was given once every day in the two groups. Ten treatments made one session. Three sessions of treatment were required. At the end of each session treatment, the muscle strength and clinical efficacy were assessed.

RESULTSIn the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment, 20, 24 and 36 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and 6, 10 and 15 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in the routine acupuncture group. The differences were significant statistically in comparison of the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The markably effective rates were 60.0% (30/50), 64.0% (32/50) and 70.0% (35/50) after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and those were 38.0% (19/50), 44.0% (22/50) and 46.0% (23/50) in the routine acupuncture group, respectively. The differences were significant in the 1st and 3rd sessions of treatment between the two groups (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONXunjingcuiqi needling technique combined with routine acupuncture achieves the apparent superior efficacy on acroparalysis induced by ischemic stroke as compared with the simple routine acupuncture. Xunjingcuiqi needling technique obviously improves muscle strength and shortens the duration of sickness.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paralysis ; etiology ; therapy ; Qi ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

Lycii Cortex, a popular herb medicine in traditional Chinese medicine, is used to treat different inflammation-related diseases. The aim of our work is to find the key constituents inhibiting NF-kappaB, a key regulator of inflammation. In the investigations of cell-based in vitro assays of extracts, we found that both ethyl acetate extract and methanol extract of Lycii Cortex inhibited the TNF-alpha-induced activation of NF-kappaB. Through bioassay-guided fractionation, we identified 4 phenolic amides including trans-N-(p-coumaroyl) tyramine (1), trans-N-feruloyltyramine (2), trans-N-caffeoyltyramine (3), and dihydro-N-caffeoyltyramine (4). Four phenolic amides showed differently inhibitory activities on TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation. Trans-N-caffeoyltyramine (3) was identified as the key component with an IC50 of 18.41 micromol x L(-1). It was suggested that the hydroxyl group at C-3 in trans-N-caffeoyltyramine might be a key binding site and its C-7,8-double bond might play an important role on NF-kappaB inhibitory activities as the link of the conjugation of pi electrons leading to a partial planar conformation. It might be inferred that the biological activity of compound 3 is attributed to the structure of Michael reaction acceptor containing alpha, beta-unsaturated ketones and benzene along with hydroxyl group in o-diphenol.
Biological Assay ; Cell Line ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; antagonists & inhibitors ; immunology ; Lycium ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; NF-kappa B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; immunology

Objective To discuss the value of moving darkroom and accompanying X-rays protective shield in endemic fluorosis areas.Methods Using moving and fixed darkrooms,the X-rays photos of the forearms and shanks of the 320 persons were developed in the endemic fluorosis areas,while the time for development and installing-uninstalling films was documented.The films develpoed in the darkroom were evaluated for the quality.Results Among the 320 films develpoed in the moving darkroom,the 268 had fingerprints,47 had scratches,298 were in good quality(93.13%),while in the fixed darkroom,the figure was correspondingly 735,384,227(70.93%);The moving darkroom increased excellent film rate significantly than fixed darkroom(χ2=53.43,P＜0.01),The detectable rate of skelelal fluorosis and degree Ⅰ skelelal fluorosis were highter than that in the fixed darkroom did (χ2=10.34,χ2=9.56,P＜0.01).Conclusions The films developed in moving darkroom have superior quality and higher diagnostic value,so it is important to use moving X-rays photographing in ecdemic fluorosis areas.

Objective To study the risk factors of hyperthyroid heart diseases(HHD) by analyzing clinical features of patients in order to provide a scientific basis for prevention and treatment of HHD. Methods Nine hundred and eighty two cases were selected as objective from in-patient data of Thyroid Disease Treatment Centre of Shandong Province. The cases were divided into hyperthyroidism group and HHD group. The variables of etiology,sex, age, duration of disease, TSH, FT3, FT4 and TRAb were analyzed by comparative analysis. The risk factors were analyzed by logistic regression. Results The prevalence of hyperthyroidism complicated hyperthyroid heart disease was 7.7%(76/982), age, duration of diseases, FT3, TRAb in the HHD group were [(51.4 ± 11.5), (6.3 ±2.1) years, 21.6 pmol/L, 71.6 U/L], in hyperthyroidism group were [(37.9 ± 9.8), (2.6 ± 1.3) years, 14.9pmol/L, 49.6 U/L]. The differences were statistically significant(u = 9.93,15.23, T = 44954,48792.5, P ＜ 0.05)between the two groups. The factors of the older, higher FT3 and TRAb, longer duration, Graves disease (OR =1.751,1.470,1.483,1.445,1.234) increased the risk of HHD. Conclusions Graves disease, longer duration, old age, higher FT3 and TRAb are the risk factors of HHD. Timely prevention and control of risk factors is necessary to reduce the incidence of HHD.

Objective To investigated the effect of TangNaiKang (TNK) on VEGF protein expression of GK rats Thoracic aorta. Methods 51 male GK rats were divided into five groups randomly: model group, pioglitazone group, and TNK treatment group (low, immediate and high dose). Another 10 male Wistar rats were served as normal control group. GK rats were fed with high-grease forage, while normal control group was fed with a standard diet. Fasting blood glucose, general HE staining and VEGF protein expression were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results The fasting glucose had a significant decline in TNK treatment groups. HE staining showing TNK can ameliorate intima thickness, reduce hyperplasia of shallow vascular smooth muscle cell, and improve wavy and plexiform arrangement of elastic lamina. Immunohistochemistry also showed that TNK decreased VEGF protein expression of great vessels. Conclusion TangNaiKang can prevent and cure diabetic vascular complication of GK rats.

Objective To study the relationship between coronary arteriographic and fluorescence fundus angiographic characteristics in type 2 diabetic patients with coronary heart disease.Methods The study was carried out by the analysis of the data from coronary arteriography and fluorescence fundus angiography in 203 type 2 diabetic patients with coronary heart disease in different groups divided according to age or total cholesterol level. Logisitic regression analysis was applied to explore various risk factors to angiographic characteristics.Results With advancing age,there were more involvement of 3 coronary vessels or the left main branch along with stageⅢretinopathy,but less single vessel diseases in the coronary arteries and less stageⅠretinopathy.The difference in coronary angiographic and fluorescence fundus angiographic characteristics between groups with different total cholesterol levels was not significant.Logistic regression analysis suggested that coronary artery diaease was related to age,sex and blood glucose and triglyceride levels while diabetic retinopathy was related to blood glucose level and age.Conclusion There is great difference in coronary arteriography and fluorescence fundus angiography among different age groups.Aging may aggravate the lesions both in the coronary arteries and fundal vessels in type 2 diabetic patients with coronary heart diseease.

Artemisnin is a novel sesquiterpene lactone with an internal peroxide bridge structure, which is extracted from traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. (Qinghao). Recommended by World Health Organization, artemisinin is the first-line drug in the treatment of encephalic and chloroquine-resistant malaria. In the present study, transgenic A. annua plants were developed by overexpressing the key enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of artemisinin. Based on Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods, transgenic plants of A. annua with overexpression of both HDR and ADS were obtained through hygromycin screening. The genomic PCR analysis confirmed six transgenic lines in which both HDR and ADS were integrated into genome. The gene expression analysis given by real-time quantitative PCR showed that all the transgenic lines had higher expression levels of HDR and ADS than the non-transgenic control (except ah3 in which the expression level of ADS showed no significant difference compared with control); and the HPLC analysis of artemisinin demonstrated that transgenic A. annua plants produced artemisinin at significantly higher level than non-transgenic plants. Especially, the highest content of artemisinin was found in transgenic line ah70, in which the artemisinin content was 3.48 times compared with that in non-transgenic lines. In summary, overexpression of HDR and ADS facilitated artemisinin biosynthesis and this method could be applied to develop transgenic plants of A. annua with higher yield of artemisinin.
Artemisia annua ; genetics ; metabolism ; Artemisinins ; metabolism ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Mixed Function Oxygenases ; genetics ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective:To study the efficacy of paroxetine and psychotherapy in patients with poststroke de- pression and anxiety.Methods:81 patients who met the CCMD-3 criteria of depression and anxiety after acute brain stroke were recruited and randomized into 3 groups.Group A was treated with routine antistroke medication and paroxetine;Group B was treated with routine antistroke medications,paroxetine plus psychotherapy;Group C(con- trol)was treated with routine antistroke medication.All patients were treated for 6 weeks and evaluated with SSS, HAMD,HAMA as measures of efficacy and side effects.Results:The comorbidity rate of poststroke depression and anxiety was 65.9%.According to the reduction of SSS,HAMD and HAMA scores,and increase of BI score,signifi- cant improvement has been showed in all patients.There was significant difference among group A,B and the control group(P

Objective To compare the efficacy of proton radiotherapy and photon radiotherapy for chordomas in the skull base. Methods A retrospective study was performed on the clinical data of 57 patients underwent stereotactic radiotherapy of their chordomas in the skull base; these patients were divided into proton radiotherapy group (n=31,treated with proton) and photon radiotherapy group (n=26,underwent photon radiation therapy).The efficacy was reviewed comparatively. Results Fifty-seven patients were followed up for 6-76 months in clinical symptoms and 6-72 months in imaging.The clinical symptom relief rate at 6 and 12 months after the treatment showed no significant difference between the 2 groups (x2=0.057,P=0.812; x2.144,P=0.143),while the progression-free survival and the overall survival showed significant difference between the 2 groups (x2=15.571,P=0.000; x20.232,P=-0.000).The proton radiotherapy group was superior to the photon radiotherapy group in total survival rate and relapse-free survival rate at 3 and 5 years after treatment (P＜0.05). Conclusion Proton radiotherapy is better than photon radiotherapy in the treatment of chordomas in the skull base; furthermore, proton radiotherapy has its obvious advantage for patients having relapsed chordomas after radiation therapy.