The incidence of malignant melanoma, a highly fatal skin tumor, is on the rise worldwide. Melanomas are highly aggressive and have strong metastatic capability that leads to lethality. Recurrence occurs in patients with distant metastases, even with the latest treatments, and median survival is only a few months. At present, the prevention and treatment of melanoma includes surgical resection, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. However, these strategies can lead to drug resistance and adverse effects. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have found that natural products have effective anti-melanoma activities, including inhibition of tumor growth, induction of cell apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis and toxicity to tumor stem cells. In addition, several studies have reported that the combination of natural products and traditional anti-melanoma drugs can enhance the therapeutic efficacy. In this review we summarize the prevention and treatment of melanoma with natural products.

Objective:To investigate the mediating roles of perceived social support and relative deprivation in the relationships between life events and Internet addiction among Chinese college students.Methods:Totally 413 college students (200 males and 213 females,aged 16-21 years),completed the Relative Deprivation Questionnaire,Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List,Perceived Social Support Scale and Chinese Internet Addiction Scale Revised to measure the level of relative deprivation,life events,perceived social support and Internet addiction.The Bollen-Stine of structural equation modeling and Bootstrap were used to test the mediating effect of perceived social support and relative deprivation on the relationship between life events and Internet addiction.Results:The scores of PSSS were negatively correlated with the scores of ASLEC,RDQ,and CIAS-R (r=0.11-0.36,Ps ＜0.05).The scores of ASLEC,RDQ,and CIAS-R were positively correlated with each other (r=0.14-0.23,Ps ＜ 0.01).Path analyses showed that the ASLEC scores were not associated with the CIAS-R scores directly (β =0.11,P ＞0.05),but indirectly through the mediating roles of the scores of PSSS and RDQ and the chain mediating effect of them among Chinese college students.The structural equation model could be accepted by Bollen-Stine Bootstrap (P ＜0.01).The confidence interval from Bootstrap output of the mediating effects of the scores of PSSS and RDQ and the chain mediating effect of them were (0.010,0.103),(0.002,0.032) and (0.005,0.061) respectively.Conclusion:It suggests that life events could not directly affect Internet addiction,but indirectly lead to Internet addiction through reducing perceived social support and increasing relative deprivation.

Aortic Aneurysm ; etiology ; Bacteremia ; complications ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Male ; Staphylococcal Infections ; complications

Female ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; blood ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Thrombelastography ; Whole Blood Coagulation Time

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics of patients with inherited hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

METHODSThe clinical characteristics, electrocardiogram, serum chemistry and diagnostic methods were retrospectively investigated in 5 patients with inherited hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

RESULTSThe electrocardiograms of all patients were abnormal, with prominent left ventricular voltage and ST-T changes. One male patient with clinicopathological features of early onset, muscle weakness, ventricular preexcitation, elevations of two serum proteins and intracytoplasmic vacuoles containing autophagic material and glycogen in biceps brachial muscle cells was diagnosed Danon's disease. Mitochondrial cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in one male patient with early onset, short PR interval and biopsy findings of ragged-red fibers in biceps brachial muscle. Three patients were diagnosed as Fabry's disease with clinical characteristics including pain and acroparesthesias, angiokeratoma and decrease of alpha-galactosidase A activity.

CONCLUSIONSome of the rare inherited hypertrophic cardiomyopathy might easily be clinically misdiagnosed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, systemic and careful case history inquiring and specific relevant examinations would help to make the right diagnosis in these patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic, Familial ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate level and clinical characteristics and outcome in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with normal serum creatinine.

METHODA total of 548 hospitalized and angiographic CAD patients with normal fasting serum creatinine were enrolled. The kidney function was estimated by using the abbreviated modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) study equation. Patients were divided into three groups according to eGFR tertiles: high eGFR group (eGFR > 88.15 ml×min(-1)×1.73 m(-2), n = 184); intermediate group ZU(70.30 ml× min(-1)×1.73 m(-2) < eGFR ≤ 88.15 ml×min(-1)×1.73 m(-2), n = 187); low eGFR group (eGFR ≤ 70.30 ml × min(-1)×1.73 m(-2), n = 177). Clinical data and cardiovascular risk factors were recorded after admission and during (14.02 ± 8.31) months follow up. The primary end point was combined major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE) including death, targeted vascular revascularization, non-fatal myocardial infarction, rehospitalization due to unstable angina and heart failure, and transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke.

RESULTSPatients in intermediate and low eGFR groups were older, more males, had more severe coronary artery disease, higher level of hsCRP, higher incidence of hypertension, and lower smoking rate than those in high eGFR group (all P < 0.05). A total of 89 MACCE were recorded during follow up. The level of eGFR was significantly lower in patients with MACCE than patients without MACCE [(73.76 ± 19.81) ml×min(-1)×1.73 m(-2) vs. (84.97 ± 23.42) ml×min(-1)×1.73 m(-2), P < 0.05]. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that eGFR was an independent predictor of MACCE in patients with CAD (univariate analysis: RR = 0.99, 95%CI:0.973-0.997, P < 0.05; multivariate analysis: RR = 0.98, 95%CI:0.976-0.998, P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis suggested that patients with low eGFR was linked with a decreased event free survival ratio (log-rank χ(2) = 7.271, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSeGFR level in CAD patients with normal serum creatinine is associated with coronary artery severity, inflammation level and serves as an independent predictor for MACCE in this patient cohort.

Aged ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Creatinine ; blood ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis

Objective:To compare the long-term prognosis of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with ostial/shaft lesions of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA).Methods:A total of 259 patients with isolated ostial/midshaft lesions of ULMCA who received PCI or CABG in our hospital from 2003-01 to 2009-07 were enrolled.The patients were divided into 2 groups:PCI group,n=149 patients who received drug-eluting stents (DES) implantation and CABG group,n=110.The end points were all cause death,myocardial infarction (MI) and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) which included cardiac death,non-fetal MI,stroke,repeated revascularization and the composite events death.Results:The median follow-up period was 7.1 years (inter quartile range 5.3-8.2 years) in all patients.Before multivariate adjusting,the following parameters were similar between PCI group and CABG group:all cause death (12.7％ vs 29.7％),P=-0.096;non-fatal MI (14.8％ vs 8.5％),P=0.844;stroke (9.3％ vs 6.3％),P=0.904;repeated revascularization (26.8％ vs 19.0％),P=0.234;composite events of cardiac death/stroke/MI (18.9％ vs 20.3％),P=0.224 and MACCE occurrence (37.5％ vs 34.2％),P=0.946.With adjusted variations,the trend was similar to pre-adjustment.Conclusion:During the maximum 8.2 years follow-up period,PCI and CABG had the similar efficacy and safety in patients with ostial/shaft lesions of ULMCA.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of compound Puerarin on collagen IV of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

METHODSDiabetic nephropathy rats were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Rats were allocated randomly to control group (10), diabetes model group (10), Vitamin C group (10), Puerarin group (10), vitamin C plus Puerarin group (10). The study period lasted for 12 weeks. During and after the treatment, the general state, blood glucose levels, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen, serum collagen IV, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, urinary albumin excretion rate of the 24-hour, and clearance rate of creatinine collagen IV protein were determined by immunohistochemistoche analysis as well as type the gene expression of collagen IV alpha 1 mRNA were determined by in situ hybridization analysis in the kidney tissue of different groups.

RESULTS(1) Diabetes mellitus and renal function lesion occurred in the four groups. (2) Vitamin C and Puerarin could improve the general conditions of diabetic Rats, decrease blood urea nitrogen [(8.68 +/- 0.43), (7.98 +/- 0.47) and (5.76 +/- 0.82) micromol/L, serum creatinine [(74.68 +/- 8.20), (75.52 +/- 7.98) and (58.66 +/- 6.65) mmol/L], and urinary albumin excretion rate of the 24-hour [(18.40 +/- 0.37), (17.24 +/- 0.30) and (9.97 +/- 1.27) mg/24 h x 10(-3)]; increase clearance rate of creatinine [(0.59 +/- 0.21), (0.61 +/- 0.14) and (0.69 +/- 0.32) ml/min], the expression of collage IV absorbance [(111.56 +/- 14.61), (110.78 +/- 9.69) and (95.44 +/- 9.97) ] in the diabetic Rats were significantly inhibited at the same time.

CONCLUSIONThe compound Puerarin might have some functions on preventing ren by inhibiting expression of type IV collagen.

Animals ; Collagen Type IV ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: This study differentiates patient and care delays of breast cancer and explores the related factors as well as the associations with the prognosis in Guangzhou, a southern city of China. METHODS: A cohort of female incident breast cancer patients (n=1,551) was recruited from October 2008 to March 2012 and followed up until January 1, 2016 (n=1,374) in the affiliated hospitals of Sun Yat-sen University. The factors associated with patient and care delays were analyzed with multivariable logistic models. Cox proportional hazards regression models were constructed to estimate the impacts of the delays on the prognosis. RESULTS: There were 40.4% patient delay (≥3 months) and 15.5% care delay (≥1 month). The patient delay, but not the care delay, was significantly related to the clinical stage and consequently worsened the prognosis of breast cancer (hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 1.91 for progression-free survival). The factors related to an increased patient delay included premenopausal status, history of benign breast disease, and less physical examination. CONCLUSION: Patient delay was the main type of delay in Guangzhou and resulted in higher clinical stage and poor prognosis of breast cancer. Screening for breast cancer among premenopausal women may be an effective way to reduce this delay.
Breast Diseases ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Solar System

OBJECTIVETo determine the incidence and risk factors of HCV infection among heroin addicts who were receiving methadone maintenance treatment(MMT)in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province.

METHODSAll heroin addicts who were HCV negative at the initiation of MMT in June 2005 through March 2012, in Dehong prefecture, were included in this cohort analysis. HCV incidence was calculated and related risk factors determined by using Cox proportional hazard regression model.

RESULTSA total of 2390 MMT clinic attendants were qualified for this cohort study by March 2012. 731(30.6%) of them had never received any follow-up HCV testing so were recognized as loss to follow-up. The other 1659 (69.4%) participants had received at least one follow-up HCV testing and were observed for a total of 3509.12 person-years(py). During this period 99 new HCV infections or HCV sero-converters were identified. The overall HCV incidence was 2.82/100 py and was 3.62/100 py for 2006, 5.36/100 py for 2007, 6.71/100 py for 2008, 2.56/100 py for 2009, 1.90/100 py for 2010, and 0.44/100 py for 2011, respectively. Results from multiple regression analysis, using Cox proportional hazard model, indicated that after controlling for confounding variables, those who were unemployed, being injecting drug users(IDUs)or HIV positive at entry into the MMT program were more likely to be newly infected with HCV or HCV sero-converted during the follow-up period than those who were peasants, non-IDUs or HIV negative at entry into the MMT program(HR = 2.02, 95% CI:1.18-3.48; HR = 9.05, 95% CI:5.49-14.93; HR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.37-3.56), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of HCV infection among MMT clinic attendants was decreasing since 2009 in Dehong prefecture. Those who were unemployed, injecting drug users and HIV positive were at higher risk of HCV infection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Cohort Studies ; Drug Users ; Female ; Hepatitis C ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Methadone ; therapeutic use ; Risk Factors ; Substance-Related Disorders ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; virology