Objective To explore the characteristics of surface electromyogram (sEMG) of the forearm muscles of Parkinson's disease patients with or without load. Methods 26 Parkinson's disease patients and 28 healthy individuals participated in this study. All the subjects performed isometric contraction for elbow flexion without load or with a load of 1.5 kg. The sEMG signals were collected by surface elec-trodes and processed by linear time and frequency domain method. Results The values of median frequency (MF) and mean power frequen-cy (MPF) were higher in the patients than in the healthy controls without load (P<0.05). The value of average EMG (AEMG) was lower in the patients than in the healthy controls with a load of 1.5 kg (P<0.001). For the patients, the values of MF and MPF were higher without load than with a load of 1.5 kg (P<0.001), and the value of AEMG was lower without load than with a load of 1.5 kg (P<0.001). For the healthy controls, only the value of AEMG was lower without load than with a load of 1.5 kg (P<0.001). Conclusion The values of MF and MPF are higher in Parkinson's disease patients than in the healthy controls without load while the value of AEMG is lower in Parkinson's dis-ease patients than in the healthy controls with load.

BACKGROUNDPaclitaxel plus cisplatin is an effective regimen in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but it has severe adverse toxicities. The aim of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effect and safety of paclitaxel plus oxaliplatin compared with paclitaxel plus cisplatin in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.

METHODSFrom January, 2002 to October, 2004, 83 initially treated patients with advanced NSCLC were randomized into two groups: the trial group was treated with paclitaxel 175mg/m², and oxaliplatin 130mg/m² on day 1;and the control group was treated with paclitaxel 175mg/m² and cisplatin 80mg/m² on day 1. Both of them were repeated every 21 days and 2-6 cycles were given to patients. The evaluation of efficacy and safety was performed after chemotherapy regularly.

RESULTSAll patients were evaluable and received 2 cycles chemotherapy at least. The response rate of the trial group and control group was 34.1% (14/41) and 33.3% (14/42) respectively, median time to progression of them was 6.0 months and 5.5 months, median survival time was 10.7 months and 10.5 months, 1-year survival was 39.0% (16/41) and 40.5% (17/42) respectively. The following adverse effects of the two groups were different: the incidence rate of III+IV leukopenia was 4.9% and 28.6% in the trial group and the control group respectively, III+IV thrombocytopemia was 0 and 14.3%, III+IV nausea and vomiting was 7.3% and 26.2%. The difference of the incidence rate of III+IV nerve abnormality (9.8% and 9.5%), imparied renal function (0 and 7.1%), myalgia and anthralgia (0 and 2.4%) was insignificant.

CONCLUSIONSThe regimen of paclitaxel plus oxaliplatin have the similar efficacy and less adverse toxicities as compared to Paclitaxel plus Cisplatin in treatment of advanced NSCLC.