Rubi Fructus has a long history of medicinal and edible use in China. It contains chemical components such as terpenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, fatty acids, and alkaloids, and possesses various pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, anti-tumor, anti-osteoporosis, and liver-protective effects. Rubi Fructus is widely applied in medical, health, and food fields. The quality of Rubi Fructus can directly affect the safety and effectiveness of clinical medication. Therefore, this article reviews the research progress on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Rubi Fructus. Based on the concept of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) quality markers(Q-markers), the article explores the screening and determination of Q-markers for Rubi Fructus from various aspects, including plant kinship, traditional efficacy, medicinal properties, measurability of chemical composition, different processing methods, producing areas, harvesting periods, and planting conditions. The components ellagic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, rutin, astragalin, tiliroside, and hyperoside are preliminarily proposed as Q-markers for Rubi Fructus, providing a reference for the quality control of Rubi Fructus.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Rubus/chemistry* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Animals

BACKGROUNDRecrossing the compromised side branch (SB) with a balloon is sometimes technically challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether in-stent anchoring (ISA) is safe and effective to facilitate SB balloon delivery for final kissing.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-nine consecutive patients were included (166 bifurcation lesions) in this prospective, single-center registry. ISA was used as a bailout method after unsuccessful SB crossing using conventional techniques, including low-profile balloons. Technique success was defined as SB balloon delivery and final kissing.

RESULTSKissing-balloon delivery was successfully performed with conventional strategies in 149 of 166 lesions (89.8%). In the remaining 17 lesions (10.2%), recrossing of the main vessel stent strut was not successful; therefore, ISA was attempted. The balloon successfully crossed the stent struts, and final kissing was achieved in 15 of 17 lesions (88.2%). Total final kissing was achieved in 164 of 166 lesions (98.8%), with success rates of 100% in the single-stent group and 97.6% in the two-stent group. Two cases without balloon delivery had complex bifurcation lesions with severe calcification. There was no vessel dissection in the anchoring zone.

CONCLUSIONSISA is safe and effective for recrossing stent struts when conventional low-profile balloons have failed. However, large-scale trials are warranted for further evaluation.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; methods ; Coronary Angiography ; methods ; Coronary Artery Disease ; therapy ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Registries ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVESTo compare the sensitivity of mammogram and breast dedicated MRI in detecting ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvaion (DCIS-MI) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions, and to further investigate the independent predictive factors of mammogram and MRI sensitivity.

METHODSFrom August 2009 to November 2011, 122 consecutive confirmed breast cancer patients who had received operations were recruited for this clinical research. These patients were divided into two groups including DCIS (72 cases) and DCIS-MI (50 cases) based on pathologic reports. All the patients were female, with mean ages of 52.6 years and 54.4 years. Preoperative bilateral breast mammogram, breast dedicated MRI depictions and reports as well as histopathological reports were collected.

RESULTSSensitivity of MRI outstood mammogram in each subgroups: 84.7% vs. 42.4% in DCIS (χ(2) = 27.028, P = 0.000), 94.0% vs. 80.0% in DCIS-MI group (χ(2) = 4.540, P = 0.040). And further analysis showed that MRI was more sensitive to high nuclear grade DCIS and DCIS-MI lesions than low nuclear grade ones (OR = 3.471, P = 0.031).

RESULTSof logistic regression analysis proved microcalcification was an independent predictive factor of mammogram sensitivity (OR = 11.287, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSSensitivity of breast dedicated MRI is superior to mammogram in detecting DCIS and DCIS-MI groups. Lesions with microcalcifiation is an independent predictive marker which meant that mammogram would achieve high detection rate in cancers presented calcification on mammogram image when compared with non-calcification. Diagnostic performance of breast MRI is less affected by clinical and pathological characteristics of the early stage breast cancer patients but further increased detection rate is observed in DCIS and DCIS-MI with high nuclear grade lesions which indicated that MRI could detect more early stage cancers with relative more aggression biological behaviour and provide these patients with early surgical interventions before possible progression to invasive breast cancers.

Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Calcinosis ; diagnosis ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; diagnosis ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mammography ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of Rab5a and APPL1 in breast cancer and fibroma, and analyze their correlation with HER-2 expression, metastasis and development of breast cancer.

METHODSRab5a and APPL1 in paraffin embedded tissues of 74 breast carcinomas and 40 breast fibromas were detected by immunohistochemistry. Their relationship with metastasis, pathological grade, and HER-2 expression in breast cancer was determined by statistical analysis.

RESULTSThere was no expression or low expression of Rab5a and APPL1 in the breast fibroma, but the positive expression rate of Rab5a and APPL1 in the breast carcinomas were 91.9% and 83.8%, respectively. No significant difference in expression of Rab5a and APPL1 was found between metastatic and non-metastatic groups, and pathological grade I/II and grade III groups. But Rab5a was overexpressed in HER-2-positive group compared with that in the HER-2-negative group.

CONCLUSIONSRab5a and APPL1 are overexpressed in breast cancer, and are positively correlated with the HER-2 expression. These proteins may influence the growth and proliferation of breast cancer cells by HER-2 signal transduction.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Fibroma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Paraffin Embedding ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Young Adult ; rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDAccurate evaluation of response following chemotherapy treatment is essential for surgical decision making in patients with breast cancer. Modalities that have been used to monitor response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) include physical examination (PE), ultrasound (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of PE, US, and MRI in predicting the response to NAC in patients with breast cancer.

METHODSAccording to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors guidelines, the largest unidimensional measurement of the tumor diameter evaluated by PE, US, and MRI before and after NAC was classified into four grades, including clinical complete response, clinical partial response, clinical progressive disease, clinical stable disease, and compared with the final histopathological examination.

RESULTSOf the 64 patients who received NAC, the pathologic complete response (pCR) was shown in 13 of 64 patients (20%). The sensitivity of PE, US, and MRI in predicting the major pathologic response was 73%, 75%, and 80%, respectively, and the specificity was 45%, 50%, and 50% respectively. For predicting a pCR, the sensitivity of PE, US, and MRI was 46%, 46%, and 39%, respectively, and the specificity was 65%, 98%, and 92% respectively.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with final pathologic findings, all these three clinical and imaging modalities tended to obviously underestimate the pCR rate. A more appropriate, universal, and practical standard by clinical and imaging modalities in predicting the response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in vivo is essential.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Physical Examination ; Ultrasonography

Background Accurate evaluation of response following chemotherapy treatment is essential for surgical decision making in patients with breast cancer.Modalities that have been used to monitor response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) include physical examination (PE),ultrasound (US),and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of PE,US,and MRI in predicting the response to NAC in patients with breast cancer.Methods According to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors guidelines,the largest unidimensional measurement of the tumor diameter evaluated by PE,US,and MRI before and after NAC was classified into four grades,including clinical complete response,clinical partial response,clinical progressive disease,clinical stable disease,and compared with the final histopathological examination.Results Of the 64 patients who received NAC,the pathologic complete response (pCR) was shown in 13 of 64 patients (20％).The sensitivity of PE,US,and MRI in predicting the major pathologic response was 73％,75％,and 80％,respectively,and the specificity was 45％,50％,and 50％ respectively.For predicting a pCR,the sensitivity of PE,US,and MRI was 46％,46％,and 39％,respectively,and the specificity was 65％,98％,and 92％ respectively.Conclusions Compared with final pathologic findings,all these three clinical and imaging modalities tended to obviously underestimate the pCR rate.A more appropriate,universal,and practical standard by clinical and imaging modalities in predicting the response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in vivo is essential.

Objective To investigate the effects of carboxymethyl-chitosan in the prevention of postoperative abdominal adhesion and its possible mechanism of action. Methods Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group 1 (open & close model) n=20, control group 2 (intestinal adhesion model) n=20 and experimental group (use of carboxymethyl-chitosan model) n=20. The degree and incidence of adhesion by the 7th day and 14th day after operation were compared respectively. The pathologic reaction of the peritoneum was observed under microscope. Results Conceming the incidence and the degree of adhesion. the control group 2 was higher than the others; in contrast the control groupl manifested the lowest degree. Conclusion Carboxymethyl-chitosan can significantly reduce the degree of postoperative adhesion in the abdomen.

This study was purpose to examine the effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and Tween 80 on the growth and viability of stromal cells (BMSC), colony-forming units for granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) and bone marrow endothelial cell line (BMEC) from murine bone marrow in vitro, and to analyze the concentration-effect relationship. The colony yields of colony-forming units fibroblastic (CFU-F) and CFU-GM were assessed in the murine bone marrow cell cultures at various concentrations of DMSO or Tween 80 and in the control groups. The MTT assay and trypan blue exclusion were used to determine the cell viability and percentage of survival in BMSC and BMEC cultures with or without either of these organic solvents. The results showed that the colony yields of both CFU-F and CFU-GM were decreased significantly (p<0.05 or <0.01) at the concentrations (v/v final) of 2% DMSO or 0.005%-0.01% Tween 80 respectively, as compared with control. The cell viability and percentage of survival of BMSC and BMEC cultures were significantly reduced (p<0.05 or <0.01) at 0.5%-1.0% DMSO or 0.002%-0.005% Tween 80, as compared with control. With the increase of volume fractions of these solvents, the decreased percentages of corresponding measurements were increased by degrees. It is concluded that when the concentration of DMSO or Tween 80 goes to a certain level in cell culture medium, either of the organic solvents has an inhibitory action or/and cytotoxicity on the growth and viability of BMSCs, CFU-GM and BMECs. The growth inhibition and cytotoxic response are more significant at higher concentrations of these solvents.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; cytology ; Male ; Mice ; Polysorbates ; pharmacology ; Solvents ; pharmacology ; Stromal Cells ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo assess the polymorphism of UGT1A gene in Chinese, and to investigate the correlation between UGT1A polymorphism and irinotecan toxicity in colorectal cancer patients.

METHODS70 patients with advanced colorectal cancer were treated with irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil. Polymorphism analysis was performed in all those patients and 100 healthy subjects. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing.

RESULTS14 patients exhibiting grade 3 - 4 neutropenia (20.0%), 16 patients experienced grade 2 - 4 diarrhea (22.9%), including only 4 patients with grade 3 - 4 diarrhea (5.7%). Compared with TA6/7 and TA7/7, UGT1 A1 * 28 wild genotype TA6/6 was significantly associated with reduced toxicity (42.1% vs. 15.7%, P = 0.027). There was no significant difference in the distribution of UGT1A genotypes between colorectal cancer patients and healthy subjects.

CONCLUSIONChinese patients exhibit less irinotecan-related diarrhea due to higher frequence of UGT1A A1 * 28 wild genotype TA6/6.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Camptothecin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Glucuronosyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Young Adult

Abdominal multivisceral transplantation is a new and proved effective therapeutic methods for two or more terminal abdominal organs. Upper abdominal exenteration(resection of the liver,stomach,spleen,pancreaticoduodenal complex,and part of the colon) for the treatment of otherwise unresectable tumors is one of the more radical operations in oncology.Some new surgical methods such as liver-intestinal,liver-kidney,pancreas-kidney and multivisceral cluster transplantation have emerged recently.These new advance surgical approache improve the curative effect of abdominal organ transplantation.