To point out the current problems on the water extraction process in the preparation of patent medicine or single medicine recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010, and to provide the references for the next Chinese Pharmacopoeia and the water extraction technology of traditional Chinese patent medicine (CPM) industry. According to Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010 and literature at home and abroad, the four basic stages of extraction were analyzed and the problems on the low transfer rate of active constituents by water extraction were discussed. In the four stages of water extraction process, any stage that was limited led to the low transfer rate of active constituents or even influenced the drug's efficacy directly. Not only the poor permeability of water, but also the high oil and macromolecular components in Chinese herbs could limit the infiltration with water as solvent. In desorption and dissolution stages, the poor solubility of nonpolar and medium polarity components with a low affinity for water was difficult to dissolve completely. In diffusion stage, the active constituents in Chinese materia medica were difficult to penetrate the cellular barrier and spread to the water due to the larger molecular weight. In substitution stage, coexisting macromolecular substances affect the other mass exchanges on both sides of cell biological membrane in the process of material mutual exchanges. It is the common problem that water extraction ratio of CPM is low. It is also the urgent problem of Chinese Pharmacopoeia to be solved, or it will definitely hinder the development of industrial CPM. Insiders should pay more attention to this problem and take new ideas to solve it.

OBJECTIVETo assess the relationship between the XRCC1 polymorphism and susceptibility to lung cancer in non-smoking female on the basis of a hospital-based case-control study.

METHODSGenotypes were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 50 patients with lung cancer and 50 controls. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression model to study the relationship between different genotypes and risk of lung cancer in non-smoking women. Furthermore, a multiplicative interaction between exposure to cooking oil smoke and the variant XRCC1 399Gln allele on risk of lung adenocarcinoma was evaluated.

RESULTSIndividuals carrying Gln/Gln genotype were at an increased risk to suffer from lung adenocarcinoma as compared with those with the Arg/Arg genotype (OR: 14.12; 95% CI: 2.14 approximately 92.95, adjusted for age and cooking oil smoke). The OR of lung adenocarcinoma for the variant XRCC1 399Gln allele with exposure to cooking oil smoke was 6.29 (95% CI 1.99 approximately 19.85).

CONCLUSIONThe above described findings indicate that Arg 399Gln polymorphism in the XRCC1 is associated with risk of lung adenocarcinoma but not with risk of squamous-cell carcinoma of the lung in non-smoking women.

Adenocarcinoma ; etiology ; genetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; adverse effects ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Cooking ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; etiology ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Assessment ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1

Adolescent ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; therapy ; Equipment and Supplies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Video Recording

Objective To explore whether metformin preconditioning can protect brain injury after cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CA/CPR)and its possible mechanisms and signaling pathways.Methods Constructed a CA model by using electrical stimulation.Rats were randomly divided into the sham group(0.9％NaCl gavage daily for 14 days,without inducing CA),model group(CA model was induced after 0.9％NaCl gavage daily for 14 days),experimental group(CA model was induced after 200 mg·kg-1 Met+0.9％NaCl gavage daily for 14 days),Cc group[200 mg·kg-1 Met+0.9％NaCl gavage daily for 14 days,adenosine 5'-monophosphate kinase-activated protein(AMPK)inhibitor Compoud C(Cc)was injected intraperitoneally at 1 hour before modeling],chloroquine(CQ)group(daily 200 mg·kg-1 Met+0.9％NaCl gavage for 14 days,intraperitoneal injection of autophagy inhibitor CQ at 1 hour before modeling)and AICAR group(continuous daily 200 mg·kg-1 Met+0.9％NaCl gavage for 14 days,intraperitoneal injection of AMPK agonist AICAR at 1 hour before modeling).The 7-day survival rate after CA/CPR via using survival curves was recorded;the neurological function 7-days after CA/CPR was scored by using the neurological disability scale;the protein malondialdehyde(MDA)level were measured using the Coomassie Brilliant Blue method;detection of reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels in brain tissue by using ROS fluorescent probe DHE;Western blotting was used to determine the expression levels of related proteins such as AMPK,p-AMPK,microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 Ⅰ(LC3 Ⅰ),LC3 Ⅱ,and p62 in brain tissue.Results The 7-day survival rates of sham,model,experimental,Cc,CQ and AICAR groups rats were 100％,40％,70％,40％,40％and 65％,respectively;the 7-day neurological function scores were 78.35±1.65,46.50±4.41,67.93±4.64,49.50±3.53,52.00±2.83 and 68.33±1.53,respectively;the ROS levels were(417.60±8.37),(748.60±36.05),(575.80±10.73),(713.80±18.85),(668.20±9.58)and(566.00±24.48)U·mg-1,respectively;the MDA levels were(4.38±0.33),(8.06±0.76),(5.50±0.48),(7.18±0.29),(6.82±0.31)and(5.20±0.34)nmol·mg-1,respectively;the brain tissue p-AMPK/AMPK were 0.74±0.04,0.87±0.01,1.61±0.01,0.55±0.05,1.09±0.09 and 1.27±0.07,respectively;the p62 values were 0.42±0.02,0.86±0.05,0.61±0.04,0.98±0.04 and 0.78±0.03,respectively;the LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 1 were 0.29±0.32,0.37±0.26,0.96±0.78,0.58±0.26,0.43±0.03 and 1.40±0.10,respectively.Compared with the model group,the differences of above indexes in the experimental group,AICAR group were statistically significant(all P＜0.05);compared with the experimental group,the differences of above indexes in the Cc group,CQ group were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Metformin preconditioning can play a protective role in brain injury after cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitationin in rats by activating the AMPK signaling pathway,regulating mitochondrial energy metabolism and promoting autophagy.

Objective To investigate the expression feature of peroxiredoxin Ⅲ in cervical lesions and to further understand the mechanism for cervical cancer development/progression.Methods Expression of peroxiredoxin Ⅲ was immunohistochemically detected in cervical cancer.In addition.cervical epithelia were transfected with recombinant adeno-associated virus vector containing human papillomavirus 16 E6/E7 and pemxiredoxin Ⅲ expression was detected by quantitative real time PCR and Westem blotting.Results Peroxiredoxin Ⅲ was significantly up-regulated in cervical cancer tissues.Nevertheless,expression of peroxiredoxin Ⅲ remained unchanged in cervical epitllelial cells after transfection.Conclusion It seems that Prx Ⅲ is not related to cervical cancer initiation. Up-regulation of peroxiredoxin Ⅲ in cervical cancer might be an active response to oxidative stress in malignant cells,which protects against oxidatiton-induced apoptosis.

The study was aimed to investigate the potential immunotherapeutical values of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) on patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). UC-MSC was cocultured in vitro with splenocytes isolated from ITP patients who experienced splenectomy. The level of IgG antiplatelet antibody (PAIgG) was determined by a competitive micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The proliferation of platelet-reactive CD4+ T lymphocytes was also measured in the presence of UC-MSCs. The results showed that UC-MSCs could stimulate the spontaneous secretion of PAIgG in supernatants; In the platelet-inducing condition, UC-MSC inhibited the production of PAIgG at a low ratio of 1 UC-MSC to 100 splenocytes, but promoted at a high proportion of 1 UC-MSC to 10 splenocytes. Moreover, UC-MSC exerted a suppressive effect on proliferation of platelet-reactive T helper cells in a dose-dependent manner. It is concluded that the UC-MSCs can regulate secretion of antiplatelet antibodies in vitro. Its concrete regulation mechanism and potential immunotherapeutical value are need to further study.
Antibodies ; metabolism ; Blood Platelets ; immunology ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; physiology ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; metabolism ; Spleen ; cytology ; Umbilical Cord ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the implications of erythroblasts periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) dyserythropoiesis, diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

METHODSPAS stain of bone marrow (BM) erythroblasts in 406 MDS patients, 207 non-severe aplastic anemia (NSAA), 144 immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), 67 megaloblastic anemia (MegA), 76 iron deficiency anemia (IDA), 50 paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), and 50 acute erythroid leukemia (AEL) as well as some related laboratory parameters in MDS patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSPAS-positive detection rate was significantly higher in MDS (53.0%) than in NSAA (14.5%), ITP (27.1%) and PNH (16.0%), but was significantly lower in MDS than in AEL (84.0%) (all P = 0.000). There was no significant difference in PAS-positive detection between MDS and MegA (46.3%), or MDS and IDA (40.8%) (P = 0.310, 0.052, respectively). Erythroblasts PAS-positive rate (Median, M = 1%) and PAS-positive scores (M' = 2) was significantly lower in MDS than in AEL (M = 8%; M' = 17), and significantly higher than in NSAA (M = 0%; M' = 0), ITP (M = 0%; M' = 0), PNH (M = 0%; M' = 0), MegA (M = 0%; M' = 0), and IDA (M = 0%; M' = 0) (all P < 0.05). The cut-off value of PAS-positive rate and score for distinguishing MDS from the other groups except AEL were 0.5% and 0.5, with a sensitivity and specificity of 60.8% and 74.4%, respectively. For MDS patients, the percentage of BM erythroid cells was significantly higher in PAS-positive group than in PAS-negative group (P < 0.05), and so were megakaryocyte count, lymphocyte-like micromegakaryocytes count and percentage of micromegakaryocyte (P = 0.002, 0.000, 0.000, respectively). HGB, MCV, MCH and MCHC were significantly lower in PAS-positive group (all P < 0.05), and so was the neutrophil alkaling phosphatase (NALP) (P = 0.000). PAS-positive detection rate, positive rate and score were higher in MDS patients with abnormal karyotype than with normal karyotype, and were also higher in IPSS high/intermediate-risk 2 group than in low/intermidiate-risk 1 group.

CONCLUSIONThe positive reaction of erythroblasts PAS stain is an indicator of dyserythropoiesis. It is helpful to the diagnosis of MDS patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythroblasts ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; diagnosis ; Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Staining and Labeling ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy and side-effects of low-dose melphalan for the treatment of intermediate- to high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients.

METHODSThirty patients with intermediate- to high-risk MDS received oral melphalan at a daily dose of 2 mg. The melphalan therapy was continued until marrow blasts increased or severe cytopenia attributed to melphalan. Patients achieved complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR) were still maintained with melphalan until disease relapse.

RESULTSAmong the 30 patients, 9 (30.0%) achieved CR, 3 (10.0%) PR, 3 (10.0%) bone marrow complete remission and hematology improvement (MCR + HI), 1 (3.3%) MCR, 4 (13.3%) stable disease and 10 (33.3%) no response, the overall response rate being 66.7% according to the Modified International Working Group Response Criteria for MDS. The CR plus PR rate (60.0%) and total response rate (80.0%) in patients with normocellular or hypocellular bone marrow were significantly higher than in those with hypercellular bone marrow (0.0%, 40%, respectively) (P = 0.002 and 0.045, respectively). Median overall survival (OS) and median relapse-free survival (RFS) were 18 (95% CI 14-22) and 11 (95% CI 3-19) months, respectively. There was no side-effect except for slight marrow suppression in 3 patients and one patient died from brain hemorrhage on inefficacy of platelet transfusion.

CONCLUSIONSLow-dose melphalan therapy for intermediate- to high-risk MDS patients is safe and effective, especially suitable for elderly patients with hypocellular marrow.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Melphalan ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) on patients with extensive stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-four patients with extensive stage SCLC treated in our department between January 2003 and December 2006 were enrolled in this study. Eighty nine patients received chemotherapy and thoracic radiation therapy (ChT/TRT), and 65 patients were treated with chemotherapy alone (ChT without TRT). The chemotherapy was CE (carboplatin and etoposide), PE (cisplatin and etoposide) or CAO (CTX, ADM and VCR) regimens. The total dose of thoracic irradiation was 40-60 Gy with 1.8 - 2.0 Gy per fraction.

RESULTSFor the whole group, the median survival time (MST) was 13.7 months, the 2-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 27.9% and 8.1%, respectively. The MST, overall survival rates at 2 years and 5 years in the ChT/TRT group and ChT without TRT group were 17.2 months, 36.0%, 10.1% and 9.3 months, 16.9%, 4.6%, respectively (P = 0.001). The median progression-free survival (PFS) for all patients was 8.0 months, the 2-year and 5-year PFS were 13.6% and 8.2%, respectively. The median PFS, 2-year and 5-year PFS in the ChT/TRT group and ChT without TRT group were 10.0 months, 17.4%, 10.5% and 6.2 months, 9.8%, 4.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). The incidence of intra-thoracic local failure was 29.6% in the ChT/TRT group and 70.0% in the ChT/without TRT group (P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONSChemotherapy plus thoracic radiation therapy can improve the overall survival, progress free survival and reduce local regional failure rate in patients with extensive stage SCLC compared with that by chemotherapy alone.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carboplatin ; therapeutic use ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Etoposide ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Prognosis ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Survival Rate

Up to now, no consensus has been reached on the standard salvage regimen for patients with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study was purposed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination chemotherapy composing of cyclophosphamide (Cy), cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) and topotecan (CAT regimen) for 37 refractory or relapsed AML patients. The dosing regimen was as follows: Cy 300 mg/m2 by intravenous infusion, every 12 hours on days 1-3, topotecan 1.25 mg/m2 by intravenous continuous infusion over 6 hours daily on days 2 to 6, Ara-C 500 mg/m2 by intravenous infusion over 2 hours daily for 5 days on days 2-6. The results showed that all patients completed one cycle of chemotherapy. 12 patients (32.4%) achieved complete remission (CR), 2 (5.4%) achieved partial remission (PR), and the 23 remaining patients achieved no remission (NR). The overall response rate (RR) was 37.8%. Among 18 relapsed cases, 6 cases had CR (33.3%), 2 cases achieved PR (11.1%), and 10 cases were with NR (55.6%). Among 19 refractory cases, 6 had CR (31.6%), and 13 (68.4%) were with NR. There was no statistically significant difference in RR between refractory and relapsed groups (31.6% and 44.4%, respectively) (p=0.42). Myelosuppression was universal. Mild non-hematologic toxicities were mainly gastrointestinal, as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. The incidence of severe (grade III-IV) non-hematologic toxicity, such as oral mucositis and infection was 37.8% and 86.5% respectively. Only one patient died of severe infection during the observation (within 28 days from start of chemotherapy). The time of median follow-up was 4 (0-33) months, the median overall survival (OS) was 4 (1.8-6.2) months. The median OS for responders was longer than that for non-responders (9 vs 2 months respectively, p=0.00). In conclusion, the CAT regimen of lower dose is well tolerated and has certain anti-leukemia effect, and worthy to be further investigated.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Cytarabine ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Topotecan ; administration & dosage ; Young Adult