OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Xinwei Granule (XG) on signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) and tyrosine phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) signal pathway in rats with precancerous lesions of gastric carcinoma (PLGC).

METHODSTotally 96 Wistar rats were randomly divided into the blank control group (abbreviated as the blank group, n = 16) and the model group (n = 80). The PLGC rat model was established by complex pathogenic factors, in which methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) was mainly used. After successful modeling, 75 rats randomly selected were divided into the model group, the Vitacoenzyme group, the low dose XG group, the middle dose XG group, and the high dose XG group, 15 in each group. Fifteen rats were randomly selected from the blank group, and fed with ordinary standard forage and administered with 10 mL/kg 0.9% sodium chloride by gastrogavage. XG at 1.254 g/kg, 2.508 g/kg, and 5.016 g/kg was respectively administered to rats in the three XG groups by gastrogavage. Rats in the model group were administered with 10 mL/kg 0.9% sodium chloride by gastrogavage. Vitacoenzyme was administered to rats in the Vitacoenzyme group. Vitacoenzyme Tablet was pulverized to prepare 0.1 g/mL 0.9% sodium chloride suspension and administered by gastrogavage. All the medication was performed once daily and continued for 12 weeks. The general conditions (including rats' fur, activity, food and water, excrement, body weight, and survival), the pathological changes in the gastric mucosa, as well as the expressions of STAT3 and p-STAT3 were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group,the expression levels of STAT3 and p-STAT3 increased in the model group (P < 0.05). The general conditions, such as the activity, food and water intake, and body weight were improved in each XG group. Compared with the model group, the expressions of STAT3 and p-STAT3 decreased in each XG group with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The occurrence of PLGC, i.e., intestinal metaplasia (IM) and dysplasia (DYS) significantly decreased with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Compared with the Vitacoenzyme group, the occurrence of IM and DYS significantly decreased in the middle and high dose XG groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). The expressions of STAT3 and p-STAT3 decreased more significantly in the middle and high dose XG groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSXG could obviously improve the pathological conditions of gastric mucosa in rats with PLGC. It could fight against the progress of PLGC by down-regulating the expressions of STAT3 mRNA and p-STAT3.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gastric Mucosa ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Precancerous Conditions ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

AIM To study the chemical constituents from Peristrophe baphica (Spreng) Bremek.METHODS The petroleum ether,ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of 95％ ethanol extract from P.baphica were isolated and purified by silica,Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative RP-HPLC column,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by spectral data.RESULTS Seven compounds were isolated and identified as β-sitosterol (1),stigmasterol (2),coumarin (3),trans-o-coumaric acid (4),5-hydroxycoumarin (5),cis-melilotoside (6),trans-melilotoside (7).CONCLUSION Compounds 4-7 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

BACKGROUNDConventional treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) brain metastases (BM) is whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). The efficacy is limited. It might be increased by a potent radiosensitizer such as gemcitabine, which is believed to cross the disrupted blood-brain barrier. The primary objective of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of weekly gemcitabine given concurrently with WBRT.

METHODSPatients with BM from NSCLC were included. The dose of WBRT was 3750 cGy (total 15 times, 3 weeks). Gemcitabine was given concurrently with WBRT on days 1, 8 and 15. The starting dose was 400 mg/m(2), escalated by 100 mg/m(2) increments. At least three patients were included per level. Dose limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as grade 4 hematological or grade 2 neurological toxicity. When two or more patients experience DLT, the MTD was reached.

RESULTSA total of 16 patients were included; 69% had a performance status (PS) 1 (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, ECOG). A total of 69% had concurrent active extra cranial diseases. All had more than 3 BM. Up to 600 mg/m(2) (level 3) no neurology toxicity was observed. At 600 mg/m(2) two out of 9 patients developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia. One of the two patients' thrombocytopenia was confused with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). At 700 mg/m(2) two out of 4 patients developed neurotoxicities. One developed grade 3 seizure and cognitive disorder. Another patient developed suspected grade 2 muscle weakness.

CONCLUSIONSThe MTD was reached at a dose of 700 mg/m(2). The dose of 600 mg/m(2) would be considered for further study.

Aged ; Brain Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; pathology ; Cranial Irradiation ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Maximum Tolerated Dose ; Middle Aged ; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between postpartum depression (PPD) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) concentrations in human colostrum. METHODS: Participants were recruited from a maternal and infant cohort established in a tertiary general hospital in Guangdong Province between December, 2020 and September, 2021. In the afternoon of the second postpartum day, the women were evaluated with Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for screening PPD (defined as a score of 10 or higher). The women with PPD were matched at a 1:1 ratio with women without PPD with maternal age difference within 5 years and the same mode of delivery. Colostrum samples were collected in morning on the third postpartum day for measurement of TGF-β concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the association between EPDS scores and TGF-β concentrations was analyzed in the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 90 women were included in the final analysis. The mean concentrations of TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 in the colostrum were 684.03 (321.22-859.25) pg/mL, 5116.50±1747.04 pg/mL and 147.84±48.68 pg/mL in women with PPD, respectively, as compared with 745.67 (596.00-964.22) pg/mL, 4912.40±1516.80 pg/mL, and 168.21±48.15 pg/mL in women without PPD, respectively. Compared with women without PPD, the women with PPD had significantly lower concentrations of TGF-β1 (P=0.026) and TGF-β3 (P=0.049) in the colostrum. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the EPDS scores were negatively associated with the concentrations of TGF-β1 (r=-0.23, P=0.03) and TGF-β3 (r=-0.25, P=0.02) in the colostrum. CONCLUSION PPD is associated with decreased concentrations of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 in human colostrum, suggesting the need of early PPD screening and interventions during pregnancy and the perinatal period to minimize the impact of PPD on human milk compositions.
Child, Preschool ; Cohort Studies ; Colostrum ; Depression, Postpartum/diagnosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Transforming Growth Factor beta2 ; Transforming Growth Factor beta3 ; Transforming Growth Factors

Collecting different commodity grade Gardenia jasminoides of wild and cultivated varieties all over the country, obtaining color information from each batch of G. jasminoides by the standard D65 light source and image acquisition system, quantifing the gardenia plumpness information by the digital display vernier caliper, determinating 6 kinds of effective components of G. jasminoides by HPLC, classifing from ten indicators by two step clustering analysis and correspondence analysis method of statistics, clearing the importance of the traditional identification indexes, establishing multiple corresponding relation between the skin color and commercial specification of G. jasminoides,exploring the correlation of the skin color and chemical composition, to provide the reference for the reasonable division of commercial specifications and grades of G. jasminoides. Medicine is divided into two classes and has obvious distinguish meaning, The importance of the skin color is greater than the plumpness in traditional identification characteristics, it can accurately distinguish the specifications of G. jasminoides. We improve and rebuild the standard of commodity specifications and grades of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis and establish the rapid evaluation method by the study, it provide a new way and idea for the comprehensive evaluation of G. jasminoides quality.