Objective To evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of low doses gemcitabine chemotherapy combined with synchronous high-low oxygen radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.Methods Fifty-six patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer were randomly divided into two groups by envelop method:radio-chemotherapy group or chemotherapy group.Patients in radio-chmotherapy group were treated with low doses of gemcitabine chemotherapy ( 600 mg/m2 ) combined with high-low oxygen radiotherapy synchronously,paients in chmotherapy group were treated with full doses of gemcitabine chemotherapy ( 1000 mg/m2).The short-term effect,distant metastasis rate,clinical benefit rate,survival rate and adverse events of two groups were observed.Results There was one patient achievedcomplete relief and 15 patients achieved partial relief in radio-chemotherapy group with an overall effective rate of 66.7％ (16/24) ; there were 9 patients achieved partial relief in chemotherapy group with an overall effective rate of 36.0％ (9/25),the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (X2 =4.6082,P =0.0318 ).The clinical benefit rates were 83.3 ％ ( 20/24 ) and 60％ ( 15/25 ),respectively,the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P =0.070).The distant metastasis rates were 66.7％(16/24) and 72％ (18/25),respectively,the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P =0.6855).The 12,24 months survival rates were 62.5％ vs 32％,37.5％ vs 12％,the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( P =0.0325,0.0380).The incidence of serious adverse events was 45.8％ and 4 0 ％ without statistical difference.Conclusions Low doses of gemcitabine chemotherapy combined with high-low oxygen radiotherapy synchronously is better than full doses of gemcitabine chemotherapy with regard to total effective rates and 12,24 months survival rates,with no obvious increase in the incidence of serious adverse events.

Aim: To evaluate the safety of glufosfamide in Beagle dogs. Methods: The safety of glufosfamide in Beagle dogs following single iv and multiple iv administration for 3 months was observed. Results: The minimum lethal dose of glufosfamide was 100 mg/kg. The maximum non-lethal dose of glufosfamide was 50 mg/kg. The approximate lethal dose of glufosfamide was 75-100 mg/kg. No serious adverse reactions was observed in Beagle dogs following multiple iv administration once a week for 3 months at the dose of 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, and 60 mg/kg. However, organ injury was observed extensively in the high dose-group and mediumt-dose group. The low-dose group showed a light change in individual organs. Conclusion: Under the experimental conditions, 40 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg iv administration once a week for 3 months can lead to extensive organ injury in Beagle dogs, so the dose shouldn't be higher than 20 mg/kg.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of S-1 chemotherapy plus high-low oxygen radiotherapy synchronously in treatment of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods Sixty-four patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer in Rizhao People's Hospital and the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2013 to October 2015 were randomly divided into study group and control group by using envelope method, in which the study group was treated with oral administration of S-1 plus high-low oxygen radiation synchronously and the control group with intravenous gemcitabine chemotherapy. The efficiency, disease control rate, clinical benefit rate, distant metastasis rate, survival rate and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared. Results The effective rates of the study group and the control group were 70.4 %(19/27)and 32.1 %(9/28),the difference was statistically significant (χ2=8.04,P<0.01), and the disease control rates were 88.9 % (24/27) and 67.9 % (19/28) (χ2= 3.56, P >0.05). The clinical benefit rates of the study group and the control group were 77.8 % (21/27) and 57.1 % (16/28) (χ2=2.66,P >0.05), and the distant metastasis rates were 63.0 %(17/27) and 71.4 %(20/28) (χ2=0.45, P > 0.05). The 1-year survival rates of the study group and the control group were 63.0 % (17/27) and 32.1 % (9/28), and the 2-year survival rates were 37.0 % (10/27) and 10.7 % (3/28), the differences were statistically significant (χ2= 5.24, P < 0.05; χ2= 5.28, P< 0.05). While there were no significant difference in the incidence of serious adverse reactions between the two groups (P> 0.05). Conclusion The treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer with S-1 plus high-low oxygen radiotherapy synchronously is better than that with intravenous gemcitabine chemotherapy in terms of effective rate, 1-year survival rate and 2-year survival rate,with no increase of adverse reactions.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to investigate the blood lead level of 3 - 5 year old children living in the cities in China and to provide scientific data for making policy on environmental lead pollution for children health protection.

METHODSSix thousand five hundred and two vein blood samples from 3 - 5 year old children in nineteen cities of nine provinces were sampled. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were employed to determine lead level in whole blood after microwave digestion for sample preparation and questionnaire survey was also performed. Data were analyzed with multiple regression on factors which affecting blood lead levels.

RESULTSResults showed that mean blood lead level was 88.3 micro g/L for 3 - 5 year old children living in the cities in China and mean blood lead level of boys (91.1 micro g/L) was higher than that of girls (87.3 micro g/L). Twenty-nine point nine one per cent of the children's blood lead level exceeded 100 micro g/L. The research finding showed: (1) higher blood lead levels had negative effects on children's physical growth, language ability etc. (2) behavior of parents had certain effects on children's blood lead levels. (3) blood lead levels of children were affected by unhealthy habits.

CONCLUSIONSProblem of childhood lead poisoning in China has become more serious. During the past ten years, blood lead levels of children has been increased in China while decreasing in developed countries. Blood lead levels of children in China are higher than that of developed countries, which called for special concern by government and society.

Child, Preschool ; China ; Environmental Pollutants ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Sex Factors ; Urban Health ; Urban Population

Liver fibrosis is a pathological condition characterized by replacement of normal liver tissue with scar tissue, and also the leading cause of liver-related death worldwide. During the treatment of liver fibrosis, in addition to antiviral therapy or removal of inducers, there remains a lack of specific and effective treatment strategies. For thousands of years, Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) have been widely used to treat liver fibrosis in clinical setting. CHMs are effective for liver fibrosis, though its mechanisms of action are unclear. In recent years, many studies have attempted to determine the possible mechanisms of action of CHMs in treating liver fibrosis. There have been substantial improvements in the experimental investigation of CHMs which have greatly promoted the understanding of anti-liver fibrosis mechanisms. In this review, the role of CHMs in the treatment of liver fibrosis is described, based on studies over the past decade, which has addressed the various mechanisms and signaling pathways that mediate therapeutic efficacy. Among them, inhibition of stellate cell activation is identified as the most common mechanism. This article provides insights into the research direction of CHMs, in order to expand its clinical application range and improve its effectiveness.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Fibrosis ; Liver Diseases/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Liver Cirrhosis/drug therapy*

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of ketogenic diet (KD) and antiepileptic drugs(AEDs) in the children with drug refractory Dravet syndrome (DS). Methods: Thirty-two cases of drug refractory DS were enrolled into the Department of Neurology, Shenzhen Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Shantou University Medical School from July 2016 to December 2017, and they were divided into 2 groups: KD group and AEDs group (16 cases for each group), respectively.KD was added to as an additional therapy for KD group, and oral AEDs were administered only in AEDs group.In KD group, oral AEDs were not adjusted for the first 3 months.AEDs could be adjusted within a limited range in 2 groups after 3 months.The clinical efficacy, improvement of cognitive function, retention rate and side effects were observed and compared after 3, 6, 12 months of treatment.The average monthly seizure frequency within 3 months before enrollment was recorded as the baseline.The clinical efficacy was assessed by comparing the seizure frequency of each observation period with the baseline. Results: In KD group, after 3, 6, 12 months′ follow-up, KD the-rapy was maintained in 15, 14, 12 patients.The number of patients whose seizure reduction over 50% was 10, 12, 11 cases, respectively.The number of patients whose seizure reduction over 90% was 7, 9, 10 cases, respectively.The number of patients who were seizure free was 3, 6, 8 cases, respectively.In AEDs group, after 3, 6, 12 months′ therapy, the number of patients whose seizure reduction over 50% was 6, 7, 8 cases, respectively, the number of patients whose seizure reduction over 90% was 3, 3, 4 cases, respectively.The number of patients who were seizure-free was 2, 1, 2 cases, respectively.There was a significant difference in the seizure reduction between 2 groups after 6, 12 months (P<0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of status epilepticus (SE) was significantly reduced in KD group, and non-fever related status epilepticus (NFSE) was preferentially improved.There was a significant difference in the incidence of SE between before and after treatment in the KD group (P<0.05). After 12 months, there was a significant difference in the incidence of SE between 2 groups (P<0.05). After 6, 12 months of treatment, the patients in KD group had significant improvements in adaption, gross motor and language quotients by Gesell Developmental Scale compared to the AEDs group (all P<0.05). Eleven of 12 children who adhered to the therapy for 1 year in KD group had improvement of developmental quotient ≥ 1 grade, however, 7 cases of 16 children in AEDs group had this improvement.The incidence of adverse effect in the KD group and the AEDs group was 37.5%(6/16 cases) and 56.3%(9/16 cases), respectively, and the difference was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusions KD can not only reduce seizure frequency and relieve SE, but also improve the cognitive function of drug refractory DS.The adverse reaction ratio of KD does not increase significantly compared to AEDs.Therefore, KD is effective and safe therapy for children with drug-resistant DS.