Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Translations

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of Yanshu injection (a compound Chinese traditional medicine from Sophora flauescens Ait) combined with concomitant radiochemotherapy in patients with stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

METHODSSixty patients with stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma were randomized into Yanshu group and control group (n = 30, each). Patients in the Yanshu group received Yanshu injection in addition to intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and concomitant chemotherapy, and those in the control group were treated with IMRT and concurrent chemotherapy.

RESULTSThe 1-year, 2-year, 3-year and 4-year overall survival rates were 100%, 93.3%, 86.7%, 80.0% for Yanshu group, and 96.7%, 90.0%, 83.3%, 76.7% for the control group, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.565). The 1-year, 2-year, 3-year and 4-year progression-free survival rates were 96.7%, 90.0%, 83.3%, 70.0% for Yanshu group, and 90.0%, 86.7%, 76.7%, 66.7% for control group, respectively, with no significant difference (P = 0.554). However, the reaction of mucosa of oral cavity, myelosuppression and thrombocytopenia in the Yanshu group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The quality of life of the patients in the Yanshu group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSYanshu injection combined with radiochemotherapy in patients with stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma show a good efficacy and can reduce the side effects of radiochemotherapy of nasopharygeal carcinoma, and improve the quality of life of the patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; drug therapy ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemoradiotherapy ; methods ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; etiology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mucositis ; chemically induced ; etiology ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality of Life ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; adverse effects ; Sophora ; chemistry ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia ; chemically induced ; etiology

AIMTo evaluate the best individualized prostate biopsy strategies for Chinese patients with suspected prostate cancer.

METHODSThe present study included 221 Chinese patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsies for the first time. All patients underwent the same 10-core biopsy protocol. In addition to the Hodge sextant technique, four more biopsies were obtained from the base and middle regions of bilateral peripheral zones. The differences between 10-core and sextant strategies in cancer detection among patients with different prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels were evaluated. The relationship between PSA level, number of positive biopsy cores and organ-confined cancer rate in prostate cancer patients was also analyzed.

RESULTSThe overall prostate cancer detection rate was 40.7% in the 221 patients. The 10-core strategy increased cancer detection by 6.67% (6/90) in our patients (P < 0.05). The increased cancer detection rates decreased significantly when the patient PSA level increased from 0-20 ng/mL to 20.1-50 ng/mL and > 50 ng/mL (P < 0.01). The number of positive biopsy cores in prostate cancer patients increased significantly with increasing patient PSA level (P < 0.01). The rate of organ-confined prostate cancer decreased significantly with increasing patient PSA level (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe extended 10-core strategy is recommended for Chinese patients with PSA = or < 20 ng/mL and the sextant strategy is recommended for those with PSA > 50 ng/mL. For patients with PSA ranging from 20.1 ng/mL to 50 ng/mL, the 10-core strategy should be applied in patients with life expectancy = or > 10 years and the sextant strategy should be applied in those with life expectancy < 10 years.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Needle ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology

OBJECTIVERotavirus is the single most common cause of severe dehydrating diarrhea in young children worldwide, but the pathogenesis and immunity against this disease are not completely understood. A prospective study was conducted to assess gene expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) in children with acute rotavirus diarrhea.

METHODSSeventy-five children with acute rotavirus diarrhea and 38 control children were enrolled in this study from Sep. 2004 to Jan. 2005. All the 75 patients had detailed records of clinical characteristics. Rotavirus antigen was detected by ELISA from stools. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated by Ficoll reagent and RNA was extracted by Trizol. The levels of mRNA for five TLRs in PBMC were examined by fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSPatients with acute rotavirus infection had elevated mean levels of TLR 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 mRNA expressions in PBMC within 3 days since onset of the disease, P less than 0.05. But only TLR 2, 3, 8 mRNA levels remained increased in patients within 7 or 14 days since onset (P less than 0.05). Mean levels of mRNA for TLR 4 in PBMC was higher in patients with more severe diarrhea including longer duration of diarrhea, more episodes of diarrhea per day and higher severity scores (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONManifold TLR may play roles in the start-up and regulation of immune responses in children with acute rotavirus diarrhea. These findings will be helpful to further recognize immune response in Chinese children with rotavirus diarrhea and, consequently, may provide directions and insights that could prove critical to the prevention or treatment of this important disease.

Acute Disease ; Antigens, Viral ; analysis ; Child, Preschool ; Diarrhea ; genetics ; virology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Feces ; virology ; Gene Expression ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rotavirus ; immunology ; physiology ; Rotavirus Infections ; genetics ; virology ; Toll-Like Receptors ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study influence of fungal elicitors on the biomass and ginseng saponin biosynthesis of hairy roots of Panax ginseng (HRPG).

METHODFungal elicitors were extracted from Colletorichum lagnarinm, Phoma filtrate, Fusarium oxysponum, Asperillus niger and culture with HRPG. The total ginseng sponin and four kinds of monomeric sponins were analysed by UV-spectrophotometry and RP-HPLC.

RESULTFungal elicitors coula not only can influence on HRPG biomass and total ginseng sponin, but also improve or decrease some monomeric sponin. The total ginseng sponin could be increased to 3.649% but Rg1 and Re could not be detected when A. niger elicitors wss 20 mg x L(-1) in the culture fluid.

CONCLUSIONFungal elicitor has specificity influence on secondary metabolite of HRPG. HRPG can biosynthesize specially active component by using specific fungal elicitor is used.

Aspergillus niger ; chemistry ; physiology ; Coculture Techniques ; Fusarium ; chemistry ; physiology ; Ginsenosides ; biosynthesis ; Panax ; growth & development ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo realize quadratic formula optimization of Renshen Jianxin Capsule (RJC) by screening Chinese herbs with major anti-myocardial ischemia effect in RJC and optimize their optimal dosages.

METHODSBy following "uniform design-pharmacodynamic experiment-mathematical modeling-formula optimization", authors employed U10(10(8)) uniform design in the experiment. Eight Chinese herbs contained in RJC were taken as observatory factors. Electrocardiograph (ECG) changes of myocardial ischemia induced by isoproterenol were taken as pharmacodynamic indices. The mathematical model between herbal factors and pharmacodynamic indices was established using stepwise regression analysis to screen Chinese herbs with major anti-myocardial ischemia effect. Their optimal dosages were optimized using the grid algorithm.

RESULTSThe regression equation was y =1. 7889 -0. 3247 Ginseng xSalvia Miltiorrhiza -0. 0663 Astragalus membranaceus xOriental Waterplantain tuber. Forecasting factors included were Ginseng, Salvia Miltiorrhiza, Astragalus membranaceus, and Oriental Waterplantain tuber. The optimal formula dosage calculated by the grid algorithm was Ginseng 1. 62 g, Astragalus membranaceus 4. 62 g, Salvia Miltiorrhiza 2. 43 g, and Oriental Waterplantain tuber 1. 66 g.

CONCLUSIONUniform design combined with stepwise regression analysis and grid algorithm were able to realize quadratic formula optimization of RJC.

Astragalus membranaceus ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; standards ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Isoproterenol ; Myocardial Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Panax ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of opening point method of ziwu liuzhu on myocardial ischemia in the patient of stroke.

METHODSThirty cases of stroke with myocardial ischemia were treated with opening acupoint according to time of the combination of reinforcing mother point and reducing son point of the heart channel in nazi method of ziwu liuzhu, and 30 cases in the control group were treated with acupuncture at Guangming (GB 37). Changes of electrocardiogram before and after treatment were recorded.

RESULTSST-T segment raised significantly 30 min after treatment with ziwu liuzhu needling method as compared with the control group (P < 0.05), the treatment group being better than the control group.

CONCLUSIONExcessive and deficient changes of the qi and blood in the meridians and collaterals are correlated with time rhythm, and ziwu liuzhu needling method can increase clinical therapeutic effect.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Meridians ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Stroke ; therapy

OBJECTIVEA perspective study was conducted to describe the epidemiologic profile of nosocomial infection in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODSThe newborn infants who were admitted in the NICU for more than 48 hrs were enrolled from February 2006 to January 2007. The clinical data were collected. The rate of nosocomial infection was calculated according to the CDC surveillance system. The risk factors of nosocomial infection were investigated by multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTSA total of 1 159 neonates were recruited. A total of 169 nosocomial infections occurred, with a cumulative rate for nosocomial infection of 14.58%. The incidence of nosocomial infection was 19.52 per 1 000 patient-days. Ninety-two cases of pneumonia, including 38 cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), were reported, with a nosocomial infection rate of 7.94%, which was the most common nosocomial infection in the NICU. Among these infants the rate of VAP was 48.8 per 1 000 ventilator days. The major microorganisms isolated from the infected patients were Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Coagulase negative staphylococcus, and aeruginosus Bacillus. Birth weight (OR 2.130, 95%CI 1.466-3.094), mechanical ventilation (OR 7.038, 95%CI 3.901-12.698), chest tube drainage (OR 7.004, 95%CI 1.841-26.653) and ibuprofen therapy (OR 2.907, 95% CI 1.303-6.487) were the risk factors for the development of nosocomial infection.

CONCLUSIONSPulmonary infection is the most common nosocomial infection in the NICU, and the Gram-negative bacillus is the main pathogen. Low birth weight, mechanical ventilation, chest tube drainage and ibuprofen therapy are independent risk factors for nosocomial infection in the NICU.

Birth Weight ; Chest Tubes ; adverse effects ; Cross Infection ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Ibuprofen ; adverse effects ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Male ; Respiration, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Yangxue Qingnao granule (YXQNG) in treating chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency (CCI) and its possible mechanism.

METHODSEighty-three patients with CCI were randomly divided into YXQNG and nimodipine (ND) groups, the score of vertigo and the change in cerebral blood velocity before and after treatment were observed. And in the animal experiment, the authors adopted bilateral ligation of cervical carotid communis artery to establish CCI rat models in order to observe the effect of YXQNG and ND on incubation period of vertigo in rats and on memory performance.

RESULTSAfter clinical treatment, the vertigo score of YXQNG group was 2.34, and that of the ND group was 4.18, the comparison between the two groups showed that the difference was significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, the middle cerebral artery mean velocity (MCA Vm) of YXQNG group was 64.78 cm/s, vertebral artery mean velocity (VA Vm) was 29.78 cm/s, while that of ND group was 60.34 cm/s and 23.23 cm/s respectively, the comparison between these two groups showing statistical significance and the difference being obvious (P < 0.05). Experimental study showed that the rats in the model group after 12 weeks learning and memory were markedly lowered, the vertigo incubation period significantly lengthened, and compared with that of the model group, learning and memory of the YXQNG group was markedly improved and vertigo incubation period shortened, with the difference from that of the ND group insignificant, P > 0.05.

CONCLUSIONYXQNG could effectively improve CCI patients' vertigo and other clinical symptoms and increase the cerebral blood flow, lessen the vertigo incubation of model group rats, elevate model group rats' memory performance.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; drug effects ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; drug effects ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; complications ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Middle Aged ; Nimodipine ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasodilator Agents ; therapeutic use ; Vertigo ; etiology ; physiopathology

AIMTo investigate human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) protein expression and gene amplification in Chinese metastatic prostate cancer patients and their potential value as prognostic factors.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to investigate HER2 protein expression in prostate biopsy specimens from 104 Chinese metastatic prostate cancer patients. After 3-11 months of hormonal therapy, 12 patients underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). HER2 protein expression of TURP specimens was compared with that of the original biopsy specimens. Of these, 10 biopsy and 4 TURP specimens with HER2 IHC staining scores >or=2+ were investigated for HER2 gene amplification status by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).

RESULTSOf the 104 prostate biopsy specimens, HER2 protein expression was 0, 1+, 2+ and 3+ in 49 (47.1%), 45 (43.3%), 8 (7.7%) and 2 (1.9%) cases, respectively. There was a significant association between HER2 expression and Gleason score (P = 0.026). HER2 protein expression of prostate cancer tissues increased in 33.3% of patients after hormonal therapy. None of the 14 specimens with HER2 IHC scores >or= 2+ showed HER2 gene amplification. Patients with HER2 scores >or= 2+ had a significantly higher chance of dying from prostate cancer than those with HER2 scores of 0 (P = 0.004) and 1+ (P = 0.034). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that HER2 protein expression intensity was an independent predictor of cancer-related death (P = 0.039).

CONCLUSIONAn HER2 IHC score >or= 2+ should be defined as HER2 protein overexpression in prostate cancer. Overexpression of HER2 protein in cancer tissue might suggest an increased risk of dying from prostate cancer. HER2 protein expression increases in some individual patients after hormonal therapy.

Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; therapeutic use ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; statistics & numerical data ; Biopsy ; China ; epidemiology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; mortality ; secondary ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Risk Factors