OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion for pancreatic cancer with liver metastases (PCLM).

METHODSWe retrospectively selected 292 patients with PCLM who were treated by Chinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2001 to December 2010. All patients were assigned to the Western medicine treatment group (157 cases) and the integrative medicine treatment group (135 cases). Patients in the Western medicine treatment group were treated with gemcitabine (GEM)-based chemotherapy, and partial of them received regional arterial perfusion. Those in the integrative medicine treatment group additionally took Chinese herbs of clearing heat and eliminating mass for at least 4 weeks. The median survival time (MST) , adverse reactions and the incidence of complications were observed.

RESULTSThere was no statistical significance in general data between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was statistical difference in MST between the two groups (4.8 months vs 5.5 months, P < 0.05). No death occurred during chemotherapy or regional arterial perfusion. All toxic or adverse reactions were tolerable.

CONCLUSIONChinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion was effective and safe, and it could be optimally selected as palliative therapy for PCLM.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Complementary Therapies ; methods ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; secondary ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To assess the diagnostic value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody(an- ti-CCP),rheumatoid factor,anti-perinuclear factor(APF)and anti-keratin antibody(AKA)for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis(JRA)and compare it with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).Methods Anti-CCP was determined by ELISA in 54 serum samples of JRA patients,31 from patients with other rheumatic diseases and 116 RA patients.RF was determined in the same samples by latex agglutination test.APF and AKA were determined by indirect immunofluorescent assay.Results The sensitivity of anti-CCP,RF,APF and AKA was 61.1%, 57.4%,37.0% and 18.5% and their specificity was 96.8%,93.6%,96.8% and 100%,respectively for the diag- nosis of JRA.The sensitivity of anti-CCP resembleed that of RF,Anti-CCP was more sensitivity than APF and AKA in JRA.The sensitivity of anti-CCP,RF,APF and AKA was 82.3%,78.3%,48.7% and 25.4% and their specificity was 95.7%,73.7%,91.6%,94.0% respectively,for the diagnosis of RA.Anti-CCP,RF,APF and AKA were less sensitive in JRA than in RA.There was no statistical significance in specificity of these anti- bodies for the diagnosis of JRA and RA.Conclusion The detection of anti-CCP,RF,APF and AKA are use- ful for the diagnosis of JRA,but are less sensitive than in adults RA.

Objective To explore the neuroprotective effects of orientin in rats after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion and its possible mechanisms.Methods SD male rats were randomly divided into five groups,with 15 rats in each group:sham group,model group,control group,experimental Ⅰ group,experimental Ⅱ group.Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established by suture method in each group except sham group.For sham group,separate the carotid artery only.The 2.9 mg · mL-1 of orientin was administrated at 0 h and 12 h of reperfusion in control group and two experimental groups.At 0.5,24 h before the operation,autophagy inducer (rapamycin 2.24 mg · mL-1) and autophagy inhibitor [3-methyladenine (3-MA) 3.0 mg · mL-1] were administrated in experimental Ⅰ group and experimental Ⅱ group,respectively.The same dosage of normal saline was administrated to other groups.The neurological deficit scores were evaluated and brain infarct volume was determined by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining after 24 h of reperfusion.Moreover,protein immunoblotting was used to observe the protein levels of Beclin1 and microtubule-associated protein1 light chain3 (LC3).Results The brain infarct volume in model group was (36.63 ±2.06)％,which was higher than sham group (0.67 ±0.12)％,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0.01).The brain infarct volume in control group,experimental Ⅰ and Ⅱ group were (14.71 ± 1.63)％,(25.22 ± 1.58) ％ and (6.45 ± 1.07) ％,respectively;compared with model group and three drugs groups,the difference were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).The expression of autophagy protein Beclin1 (APB) in model group,sham group were 3.16 ±0.17,(1.00 ±0.06) while control group,experimental Ⅰ and Ⅱ groups were,1.67 ±0.15,2.24 ±0.13 and 1.21 ±0.09,respectively.For the protein expression of LC3 in model group,sham group,control group,experimental Ⅰ and Ⅱ groups were 2.98 ± 0.12,1.00 ± 0.05,1.54 ± 0.13,2.24 ± 0.12,1.49 ± 0.17.Compared with sham group and model group,the difference were statistically significant (all P ＜0.01).Compared with model group and three drugs groups,the difference were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with control group and experimental Ⅰ group,the difference of the protein expression were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The neuroprotective effects of orientin in rats after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion may be mediated through inhibition of autophagy.

Objective To explore the antivirus function in vitro of earthworm coelomic fluid(ECF) by researching its effect on inhibiting respiratory syncytial virus(RSV).Methods By the method of Hep-2 cell culture and using ribavirin as a positive control,the anti-RSV effect of ECF was investigated by observing cytopathic effect (CPE) with MTT colorimetric assay.Results In Hep-2 cells,the CC50 of ECF and ribavirin were 3.11 mg/ml and 1.35 mg/ml separately.In the experiment of ECF directly killing RSV,the IC50 of ECF was 184.1 μg/ml,SI was 16.87;In the experiment of ECF preventing RSV invasion,no antiviral function of ECF within the experimental concentration range was observed;In the experiment of ECF inhibiting RSV replication,the IC50 of ECF was 1555.8 μg/ml,SI was 1.99.Conclusion ECF couldn't prevent virus from invading into host cell,but showed direct killing-virus function and inhibition of the virus replication.

OBJECTIVETo investigate genetic etiology of fetal urinary abnormalities with array-based comparative genomic hycridization(array-CGH).

METHODSThirty-two fetuses with variable urinary abnormalities but normal karyotyping by conventional cytogenetic technique were selected. DNA from the fetuses and their parents samples were prepared and hybridization with Affymetrix cytogenetic 2.7M arrays by follwing the manufacture's standard protocol. The data were analyzed by special CHAS software packages.

RESULTSBy using array-CGH detection, genomic imbalanced copy number variations (CNVs) were identified in night fetuses(28%), four out of night CNVs were inherited from parental samples; two were indicated to be benign variants(6%) in the database; and the other three CNVs (9%) were all de novo adjacent microdeletions and microduplication mapping on to common chromosome 1q21.1 region, within which was genitourinaty system function associated gene PDZK1.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of genomic unbalanced variations in fetuses with congenital urinary malformations is approximately 28%, including about 9% pathogenic variations. Copy number variations (CNVs) of chromosome 1q21.1 region are associated with congenital urinary malformations which may be due to haploinsufficiency or overexpression of PDZK1 gene.

Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; abnormalities ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis

Animals ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Protein Kinase C ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in phosphorylated JAK2 and STAT3 protein expression of and cell apoptosis following focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

METHODSA rat models of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion using modified filament method. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of P-JAK2 and P-STAT3 proteins, and TUNEL assay was employed to examine the cell apoptosis.

RESULTSP-JAK2 and P-STAT3 protein expression increased significantly after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. The immunoreactivity was prominent in the peripheral of the ischemic region and reached the peak level at 24 h of reperfusion, followed by slight decrement. The apoptotic cells increased obviously after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, also reaching the peak level at 24 h of reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of phosphorylated JAK2 and STAT3 may be involved in the ischemic cellular events including apoptosis. JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway plays a role in the pathophysiological process of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion cell injury and repair.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; physiopathology ; Janus Kinase 2 ; metabolism ; Male ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; genetics ; physiopathology ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism

Objective To explore the effect of edaravone (ED) on the neurological functionaldeficits, apoptosis and expression of caspase-3 protein following focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)injury in rats. Methods A total of 24 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated intothe sham-operation group, cerebral I/R group, normal saline treatment group and ED treatment group, 6rats in each group. Rat models with focal cerebral I/R injury induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) were established using a modified suture method. ED (3mg/kg) or equal volume of normalsaline was injected intraperitoneally immediately after cerebral ischemia and 12 h after reperfusion in thetreatment groups;the rats in sham-operation group underwent the same modeling procedure withoutischemia by nylon suture. The neurological behavioral deficits were evaluated 24 h after I/R injury;,immunohistochemical staining and Western blot assay were applied to detect the change in the expressionof caspase-3 protein; in situ TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used tostudy the change in neuronal apoptosis. Results The scores of neurological behavioral deficit scale,the positive cells and expression of caspase-3 protein, and the apoptotic cells in the ED treatment groupwere significantly decreased, compared with that of the I/R group and normal saline treatment group(P<0.05 for each comparison). Conclusion ED may effectively reduce neuronal apuptosis andneurological functional deficits after cerebral I/R injury, which might be related with the inhibition of thecaspase-3 protein expression.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common type of neoplasm. This study examined the spatio-temporal distribution of the CRC incidence in Guangzhou during 2010–2014. Methods: Colorectal cancer incidence data were obtained from the Guangzhou Cancer Registry System. Spatial autocorrelation analysis and a retrospective spatio-temporal scan were used to assess the spatio-temporal cluster distribution of CRC cases. Results: A total of 14,618 CRC cases were registered in Guangzhou during 2010–2014, with a crude incidence of 35.56/100,000 and an age-standardized rate of incidence by the world standard population (ASRIW) of 23.58/100,000. The crude incidence increased by 19.70% from 2010 (32.88/100,000) to 2014 (39.36/100,000) with an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of 4.33%. The AAPC of ASRIW was not statistically significant. The spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed a CRC incidence hot spot in central urban areas in Guangzhou City, which included 25 streets in southwestern Baiyun District, northwestern Haizhu District, and the border region between Liwan and Yuexiu Dis-tricts. Three high- and five low-incidence clusters were identified according to spatio-temporal scan of CRC incidence clusters. The high-incidence clusters were located in central urban areas including the border regions between Bai-yun, Haizhu, Liwan, and Yuexiu Districts. Conclusions: This study revealed the spatio-temporal cluster pattern of the incidence of CRC in Guangzhou. This information can inform allocation of health resources for CRC screening.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of ganoderma lucidum spores (GLS) on mitochondrial calcium ion and cytochrome C in the epididymal cells of type 2 diabetes rats.

METHODSFifty adolescent rats were randomly divided into a model group (n=20), a GLS group (n=20) and a control group (n=10). The animals of the former two groups were injected with 2% STZ via vena caudalis for one time to induce type 2 diabetes. Then the model group was given high-fat-sugar diet, the GLS group high-fat-sugar diet + GLS (250 mg/kg x d), and the control group normal diet + CA-citrate sodium buffer. The bilateral epididymides were obtained 10 weeks later and the contents of mitochondrial calcium and cytochrome C detected.

RESULTSType 2 diabetes models were successfully constructed. The content of mitochondrial calcium in the epididymal cells was significantly higher in the model group ([3.279 +/- 0.502] mg/L) than in the control group ([2.606 +/- 0.048] mg/L, P < 0.01), with no significant difference between the GLS group ([2.693 +/- 0. 196] mg/L) and the control (P > 0.05). In the model group, the content of mitochondrial cytochrome C ([3.213 +/- 1.511] micromol/L) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) while that of cytoplasm cytochrome C ([2.484 +/- 0.661] micromol/L) significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in the control ([5.688 +/- 1.679] micromol/L and [1.574 +/- 0.329] micromol/L, respectively). In the GLS group, the content of mitochondrial cytochrome C ([5.258 +/- 1.560] micromol/L) was higher, with no significant difference (P > 0.05), and that of cytoplasm cytochrome C ([1.727 +/- 0.396] micromol/L) significantly lower than in the model group (P < 0.05), but the difference between the GLS and the control group was not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWith disequilibrium of calcium homeostasis and damage to mitochondria, there might be excessive apoptosis in the epididymal cells of type 2 diabetes rats. Ganoderma lucidum spores could protect epididymal cells and counteract their apoptosis in diabetic condition.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; therapy ; Epididymis ; cytology ; pathology ; Male ; Mitochondria ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reishi ; physiology ; Spores, Fungal