Malignant pleural effusions and ascites are common complications in various cancers, which are difficulties in clinical treatment. Elemene injection, with the main ingredient ofβ-elemene, extracted from Chinese herbal medicine Curcumae Rhizoma, has broad-spectrum antitumor activity by inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in several types of solid tumor cells. This article reviewed the clinical experience of Chinese scholars in treating malignant pleural effusions and ascites with elemene injection.

BACKGROUND:The hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)plays a key role in the development of liver fibrosis.Studies have shown that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell(BMSCs)transplantation can be used to treat liver fibrosis,but the mechanism for reversal of liver fibrosis remains unknown.OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to regulate the proliferation of HSCs under co-culture in vitro.METHODS:Rat BMSCs and HSCs in the experimental group were cultured in the plastic culture plate(6 holes)to establish the upper and lower double-cell co-culture system.Rat normal fibroblast cell lines were seeded as control group;HSCs were cultured alone as blank group.Cell proliferation was determined by WST8 and cell cycle was determined by flow cytometry.The Cyclin D1 and P27 mRNA expression in HSC was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and the level of Cyclin D1 and P27 protein by Western blot.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:HSCs co-cultured with BMSCs significantly inhibited HSC proliferation compared with the blank and control groups at 24,48,and 72 hours(P ＜ 0.01);Flow cytometry showed that the percentage of G_0/G_1 phase cells of co-culture group was increased but the S phase cells reduced(P ＜ 0.01)compared with the other groups at 72 hours,and BMSCs blocked HSC to convert from G_0/G_1 period to S phase.After HSCs co-cultured with BMSCs for 24 hours,the expression of Cyclin D1 mRNA and protein was reduced,and significantly less than the blank and control groups at 72 hours(P ＜ 0.01);no differences were detected in P27 mRNA expression in each group during the co-culture(P ＞ 0.05).After co-culture of 24 hours,the p27 protein expression was significantly increased compared with the blank and control groups(P ＜ 0.01).BMSCs inhibited the proliferation of HSCs,possibly through inhibiting CydinDI expression,increasing the p27 protein expression to cause cell cyde arresting in G_0/G_1 phase.

The occurrence of liver cancer is a multi-phase and multi-factor process, while Chinese medicine used for antitumor is all-round with multiple approaches. This summary is a literature review which elaborates the prevention and treatment of Chinese medicine to the molecular mechanism of liver cancer in eight aspects, such as inhibiting the proliferation of hepatoma cell, inducing their differentiation, affecting the activity of telomerase, resisting the invasion and metastasis of hepatoma cell, inhibiting the formation of tumor vessel, adjusting the immunity function, and reversing the multidrug resistance, etc.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Telomerase ; drug effects ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the anti-fatigue activity of fermented grain-containing blueberry anthocyanins ( LANHE,LH) in mice.Methods Experiments were conducted in two phases .In the first phase , forty mice were randomly divided into four groups:control group(distilled water,dw) and three LH administration groups (8.75,17.5 and 35.08 ml/kg body mass).In the second phase, mice were randomly divided into two groups:high-dose LH group (35.08 ml/kg body mass) and control group (dw 35.08 ml/kg body mass).After four weeks, a forced swimming test was performed and the biochemical parameters related to fatigue were examined .Results and Conclusion The administration groups showed a significant increase of swimming time to exhaustion compared with the control group , especially the high-dose group ( P<0.001).There was no significant change in the blood lactate between the two groups , but at 20 min after swimming, the lactic acid(LA) contents of the high-dose group were lower than in the control group (P>0.05).LH could significantly increase the liver glycogen contents and decrease the serum contents (P<0.05).These data indicate that LH has anti-fatigue activity and can elevate the exercise tolerance in mice .

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical characteristics of the inpatients suffering from dengue fever in order to provide references for better diagnosis and treatment.Methods The clinical data of 158 dengue fever patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from July 23rd to October 31st, 2014 during the 2014 epidemic in Guangzhou area were retrospectively analyzed, including general clinical manifestations, conventional examinations, pathogenesis, and prognosis.Results The mean age of the 158 patients was (56±20) years, with half of them over 60 years old (79 cases). Among them, 94 (59.49%) were male.① The common manifestations included fever (100%), headache (70.89%), myalgia/bone soreness (62.03%), and skin rash (54.43%). Bleeding and plasma leakage were found in 25.95% and 14.56% of the patients respectively.② Laboratory examination:leucopenia (75.32%) and thrombocytopenia (77.85%) were found, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were elevated in 57.59% and 77.85% of the patients respectively. However, elevation of blood hematocrit was rare (1.27%).③ It was found that in the acute phase (0 - 5 days of the onset), serum dengue virus antibody IgM (DF-IgM) was positive in 63.54% of the patients (61/96), and 92.62% (113/122) of patients were dengue virus RNA (DENA-RNA) positive.④ The rate of comorbidity in this study was 55.06% (87/158), including hypertension (27.22%) and type 2 diabetes (15.82%), which were the two most common co-morbidities.⑤ All the patients were given supportive therapy to prevent complications. They were also isolated for more than 5 days after onset, and at least for 24 hours after subsidence of fever in addition.⑥ The criteria for the diagnosis of severe dengue were fulfilled in 18 patients (11.39%). One patient died of massive hemorrhage from gastro-intestinal tract, and 1 patient voluntarily left hospital with untreated multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Another 2 patients of dengue fever died from primary cardio-cerebrovascular disease, and the remaining 154 patients (97.47%) fully recovered with supportive therapy and complication prevention measures.Conclusions The clinical manifestations of inpatients with dengue fever in this study were typical, and they manifested a higher incidence of severe illness. DENA-RNA could be a sensitive indicator for early pathogenic diagnosis. With symptomatic and supportive therapy, most patients had a good outcome. However, early diagnosis and clinical interventions of severe dengue still need further studies.

The aim of this study was to compare the pain experience among orthodontic patients treated with self-ligating brackets SmartClip® (3M Unitek, Monrovia, California, USA) and conventional brackets Victory series® (3M Unitek, Monrovia, California, USA). We used a controlled clinical trial study design to compare 69 patients treated with self-ligating to 70 patients treated by conventional brackets. The nickel-titanium archwires 0.012-in were engaged after bonding both arches on the first day; and the visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain experience of subjects for the first seven treatment days. The pre-treatment dental study models were assessed by the Little’s irregularity index to quantify the groups’ malalignment characteristics. The self-ligating brackets reported lower pain experience than the conventional group on the first five treatment days. However, the sixth day showed 1.75 mm higher visual analogue score than conventional brackets, with almost equal pain level on the seventh day. The group differences throughout the first week were neither clinically nor statistically significant. The pain experiences in both groups decreased steadily from the third treatment day to the end of the first week of treatment. Based on the study findings, the pain experience during initial alignment is not influenced by the brackets’ ligation type. The pain experience tends to decrease steadily from the third treatment day to the end of the first week of treatment irrespective of the bracket type used.
Orthodontic Brackets, Orthodontic Appliances

Objective To develop a new isotope dilution gas chromatography mass spectrometry method (ID/GC/MS) for the measurement of serum cholesterol.Methods Serum was mixed with an isotope labeled internal standard ([3,4-~(13)C]-cholesterol) and treated with alcoholic sodium hydroxide to hydrolyze cholesterol ester to cholesterol.Cholesterol and internal standard was extracted and derived by N, O-Bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide to trimethylsilyl ethers.The derivation products were analyzed by capillary column GC combined with electron impact MS using scan and selected ion monitor (SIM) modes. Signals of cholesterol internal standard were corrected for the contributions from cholesterol and the signal ratio of cholesterol to internal standard for the calibrators were linearly regressed against cholesterol concentrations.The resulted regression equation was used for the calculation of serum cholesterol concentrations.Results The new ID/GC/MS method showed a mean within-run coefficient variance (CV) of 0.04%-0.81%.Comparison with two levels of standard reference material (SRM1951a) of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) displayed a bias of 0.19% and 0.90% respectively.Conclusion A time-gaining ID/MS method has been established that is highly precise and accurate and can be used for the measurement of serum cholesterol.

Objective:To investigate the role of TcpC, a virulence factor of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), in immune evasion, and analyze its related pathogenic mechanism. Methods:C57BL/6 mice were injected with 10 9 colony-forming unit of wild-type (CFT073 wt) or tcpc gene-knockout (CFT073 Δ tcpc) UPEC CFT073 strains from urethra into bladder to construct a mouse model of pyelonephritis. These mice were sacrificed 5 d after infection and their kidneys were taken to observe the gross pathological changes. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe histopathological changes in kidney tissues and immunohistochemistry was performed to locate TcpC in kidney tissues. The bacterial loads in urine samples of UPEC infected-mice were counted by ten-fold dilution method, and the presence of tcpc gene in the genomic DNA of bacteria from CFT073-infected mouse kidney or urine samples was measured by PCR. The expression of TcpC at mRNA level was detected by qRT-PCR after infecting dendritic cells with CFT073 wt strains. The influences of UPEC infection on the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway and the secretion of proinflammatory factors by dendritic cells were analyzed by Western blot and ELISA, respectively. The viability of UPEC strains in dendritic cells were observed by laser confocal microscope. Results:Compared with the CFT073 Δ tcpc group, the mice in the CFT073 wt group had obvious abscess in the kidneys as well as massive neutrophil infiltration and abundant TcpC in kidney tissues. The bacterial loads in the urine of CFT073 wt-infected mice were significantly higher than those in the urine of CFT073 Δ tcpc mice. PCR results showed that tcpc gene was successfully amplified from mouse kidney and urine samples. Increased expression of TcpC at both mRNA and protein levels was detected in CFT073 wt-infected dendritic cells. CFT073 wt infection inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB p50 and the production of proinflammatory factors in dendritic cells. TcpC promoted the survival of CFT073 wt in dendritic cells. Conclusions:TcpC expression increases significantly during CFT073 wt infection or in mice with CFT073 wt-induced pyelonephritis. It promotes the survival of CFT073 wt in dendritic cells by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. TcpC is involved in the pathogenesis of UPEC and immune evasion.

Objective:To explore the effect of "Internet plus" exercise prescription intervention on upper limb dysfunction and quality of life of breast cancer patients at home after surgery, so as to provide reference for health management of breast cancer patients after surgery.Methods:Adopting a prospective randomized controlled trial research method. From November 2021 to January 2023, 124 breast cancer patients in the breast and thyroid surgery department of Xiang′an Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University were selected for the study. According to the random number table method, they were randomly divided into an intervention group (62 cases) and a control group (62 cases). The control group patients were given routine training, and the intervention group patients received routine training in the first four weeks after operation, and "Internet plus" exercise prescription intervention in the fifth week after operation. The upper limb dysfunction, quality of life before and after the intervention and motor compliance after the intervention between the two groups were compared.Results:A total of 117 patients were ultimately included, and they were all female, with 58 patients in the intervention group aged (51.01 ± 9.77) years old and 59 patients in the control group aged (51.47 ± 9.85) years old. There was no statistically significant difference in upper limb dysfunction and quality of life between the two groups of patients before intervention ( P>0.05). After the intervention, the degree of upper limb dysfunction in the intervention group was (63.55 ± 7.02) points, which were lower than that in the control group (67.13 ± 7.25) points, and the difference was statistically significant ( t = 2.71, P<0.01). After the intervention, the total score of quality of life and the scores of physiological status, social/family status, emotional status, functional status and additional attention of breast cancer patients in the intervention group were (115.27 ± 17.35), (22.65 ± 4.53), (22.79 ± 4.36), (20.96 ± 3.95), (19.56 ± 4.22), (29.31 ± 5.24) points, which were higher than those in the control group (104.28 ± 17.04), (20.57 ± 4.48), (20.85 ± 4.23), (18.75 ± 4.04), (17.18 ± 4.06), (26.93 ± 5.21) points, the differences were statistically significant ( t values were 2.44-3.46, all P<0.05). In terms of exercise compliance of breast cancer patients in the intervention group, the aerobic exercise completion rate was 91.38% (53/58), muscle strength training completion rate was 77.59% (45/58), stretching exercise completion rate was 86.21% (50/58), exercise frequency was (3.96 ± 1.13) times/week, exercise duration was (29.51 ± 7.64) min/time, which was superior to 77.97% (46/59), 57.63% (34/59), 69.49% (41/59), (3.38 ± 0.94) times/week, (23.96 ± 7.33) min/time in the control group, the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 4.04, 5.31, 4.73, t = 3.02, 4.01, all P<0.05). Conclusions:"Internet plus" exercise prescription intervention has the characteristics of convenience, intuition and strong operability, which is conducive to improving the upper limb dysfunction, quality of life and exercise compliance of breast cancer patients at home after surgery. It is recommended to be popularized and applied clinically.

Objective:To analyze the feasibility of developing clinical pediatrics curriculum for pediatric students at the pre-clinical stage, and to provide a basis for the subsequent curriculum construction.Methods:A total of 90 pediatric medical students were enrolled, including pre-clinical group (G1, third semester of the second year, n=47) and the clinical clerkship group (G2, seventh semester of the fourth year, n=43). A questionnaire survey was conducted to compare the two groups from three aspects: clinical interest, learning methods and learning ability. And 24 and 20 students were randomly selected from the two groups to participate a clinical course respectively. Both of the formative evaluation and in-class test were carried out to compare the learning performance and learning effect between G1 and G2. SPSS 22.0 was used for data analysis. The counting data were described by case number and rate, and the frequency between groups was compared by chi-square test. When the chi-square test condition is not met, Fisher's exact test was performed. Normal distribution test was carried out for measurement data. Two independent sample t test was conducted for the comparison between groups of normal distribution data and Mann-Whitney U test for the comparison between groups of skewed distribution respectively. Results:There was no significant difference in clinical interest and pre-clinical interest between the two groups (Fisher's exact probability method, P=0.252, 1.000). There were partial differences in learning methods: G1 spent more time learning after class ( Z=-2.36, P=0.018), learned more in spare time ( Z=2.53, P=0.011), learned more on the homework ( P=0.020), and had a higher preview rate ( Z=-5.07, P < 0.001). There were also partial differences in learning ability: G2 had better literature retrieval ability ( χ2=10.57, P=0.001); G2 had higher scores on class and extended class performance ( t=-3.18, P=0.004; t=-10.14, P<0.001). In terms of learning effect, G2 scored higher scores on only one multiple choice question ( t=-2.46, P=0.022). Conclusion:The pediatrics students at the pre-clinical stage have certain interest and ability to receive clinical pediatrics courses. Sufficient pre-class preparation and appropriate curriculum design are helpful to the early cultivation of student's clinical thinking.