OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of comprehensive therapy based on Chinese medicine (CM) patterns on self-efficacy and satisfaction with its effectiveness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: A total of 216 patients were randomly divided into the trial group (n =108) and the control group (n=108) based on the stratified and block randomization design. Patients in the trial group were treated with conventional Western medicine combined with Bufei Jianpi Granules (), Bufei Yishen Granules (), and Yiqi Zishen Granules () according to the CM patterns respectively, and patients in the control group were treated with conventional Western medicine. The COPD Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES) and the Effectiveness Satisfaction Questionnaire for COPD (ESQ-COPD) were employed in a 6-month treatment and in further 6 month follow-up visit. RESULTS: Among the 216 patients, 191 patients (97 in the trial group and 94 in the control group) fully completed the study. After 12-month treatment and follow-up, the mean scores of the trial group all continued to increase over time, which were significantly higher than those of the control group (P <0.05), and the improvement in the following trial group domain: negative affect domain (12.13%), intense emotional arousal domain (12.21%), physical exertion domain (11.72%), weather/environmental domain (13.77%), behavioral risk domain (7.67%) and total score (10.65%). The trial group also exhibited significantly higher mean scores in the ESQ-COPD (P <0.05) and the improvement in the following domain: capacity for life and work domain (30.59%), clinical symptoms domain (53.52%), effect of therapy domain (35.95%), convenience of therapy domain (35.54%), and whole effect domain (52.47%). CONCLUSIONS Bufei Jianpi Granules, Bufei Yishen Granules and Yiqi Zishen Granules can improve the self-efficacy and satisfaction of COPD patients.

This article reviewed the application of virtual reality in motor functional training,management of pain,psychological therapy,and so on,and discussed the further development in China.

A sensitive and rapid method using liquid chromatography-hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HPLC-HG-AFS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven arsenic species As3+, As5+,MMA, DMA, p-ASA, 4-OH and ROX in feeds. The isolation of the analytes from feed samples was accomplished using methanol water (1:1, V/V). The target compounds were separated on a PRP-X100 anion exchange column and then analyzed by HG-AFS. The mobile phase was 15 mmol/L (NH4)2HPO4and 10 mmol/L potassium acid phthalate. Good linearity was obtained for all of the seven arsenic species, with linear coefficients higher than 0.9964. The LODs of the seven arsenic species were between 5 and 30 μg/kg. Average recoveries for the seven analytes were in the ranges of 76.3%-108.1%, with intra- and inter-day repeatability lower than 7.7% and 17.4%,respectively. This validated method was successively applied to the determination of arsenic species in feed. This method was sensitive,simple,cheap and low operation cost,and could be used for the determination of the arsenicspecies in feeds.

In order to improve the teaching quality of clinical epidemiology for medical students engaged in eight-year curriculum of Peking Union Medical College, and foster the practice of evidence-based medicine and clinical research in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), the Clinical Epidemiology Unit of PUMCH(PUMCH-CEU) utilized successful experience from institutions abroad and conducted a teaching reform. In addition to theory teaching, PUMCH-CEU incorporated literature case study and assignments into the course, so as to improve students' understanding about the design, measurement, and evaluation of clinical research. The execution of a well-designed reformation plan has led to a great success of this course, as well as fruitful achievements.

Objective To investigate the relations of absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) to the therapeutic responses in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) after the first course of decitabine (DAC) treatment.Methods Clinical data of 35 patients with MDS and MDS-derived secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were admitted in the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from Jan.2014 to Dec.2016 and treated with DAC were included in the present study.The patients were grouped into high lymphocyte group (H-Lym,ALC ≥ 1.2 × 109/L) and low lymphocyte group (L-Lym,ALC＜1.2 × 109/L) based on the ALC in days 28-35 after the first course of DAC treatment.The baseline data of both groups were compared with Pearson x2 analysis,while t test was used to analyze the changes of lymphocyte number before and after the first course of DAC treatment.Progressionfree survival (PFS) was estimated with Kaplan-Meier method,and the cumulative survival (CS) was compared between the two groups using log-rank test.Results Of the 35 patients,15 were in H-Lym group and 20 in L-Lym group.No significant difference existed in the baseline lymphocyte levels between the two groups (P＞0.05).The statistically significant differences (P＜0.05) existed only in the patients of the two groups who were with the proportion of bone marrow blasts ≥ 10％.The ALC in H-Lym group were slightly higher after the first course of DAC treatment than that at the time of diagnosis,but with no statistically significant (P＞0.05).However,the ALC in L-Lym group were significantly lower after the first course of DAC treatment than that at the time of diagnosis (P＜0.05).Patients had higher overall response rate (ORR) in H-Lym group than in L-Lym group (80％ vs.40％,P＜0.05).The median PFS was 10 months in H-Lym group and 7.6 months in L-Lym group (P＜0.05).Univariate analysis showed that the low ALC was a poor prognostic factor for the progression ofMDS (P＜0.05).Conclusion Patients with ALC ≥ 1.2 × 109/L after the first course of DAC treatment will have better ORR and longer PFS.

OBJECTIVETo detect the JAK2, CALR and MPL gene mutations in patients with BCR/ABL1 negative chronic myeloproliferative diseases（BCR/ABL1-CMPD）and to evaluate their diagnostic value.

METHODSTwo hundred and eight cases of BCR/ABL1-CMPD comprising of 146 cases of essential thrombocythemia（ET）, 37 cases of polycythemia vera（PV）and 25 cases of primary myelofibrosis（PMF）from March 2012 to December 2015 were enrolled in the BCR/ABL1-CMPD, while 124 cases of secondary thrombocythemia and 73 cases of secondary polycythemia were enrolled in the control group. The genomic DNA and total RNA Were isolated from bone marrow or peripheral blood, then the exons 12 to 20 of JAK2 gene, exon 10 of MPL gene and exons 3 to 9 of CALR gene were analyzed by using DNA sequencing.

RESULTSamong 146 ET patients, the JAK2, CALR or MPL mutations were found in: 138 cases（94.5%）including 86 cases with JAK2V617F mutation（58.9%）and 2 cases（1.4%）with exon 12 of JAK2 mutations. CALR mutations were detected in 41 cases（28.1%）, among them type 1（c.1092_1143del）in 22 cases, type 2（c.1154_1155insTTGTC）in 11 cases, and type 5（c. 1091_1142del）, type 8（c.1104_1137del）, type 41(c.1107_1137del）, type 42(c.1125_1125del）in one case respectively. In addition, 4 cases were detected withother mutations of the CALR gene（c.1107_1115del, c.1111_1144 del, c.1101 A>C, c.1112_1117del）. Moreover, 9 cases harbored MPL mutations（6.2%）. Secondly, 31 patients were detected with JAK2V617F mutation（83.8%）in 37 cases of PV, and JAK2 exon 12 mutations were found in 2 cases（5.4%）. Besides, CALR mutations were detected in 2 cases（5.4%）, including 1 case of type I, the other of novel mutation of CALR. Thirdly, 19 in 25 cases of PMF were detected with JAK2V617F mutation（76%）, 2 cases with CALR mutations（8%）. 4 patients（16%）, JAK2, CALR or MPL mutations were not detected, but among them 3 cases were found harboring other genetic abnormalities. Fourthly, no mutations of JAK2, MPL and CALR genes were detected in 124 patients with secondary thrombocytosis and 73 cases with secondary polycythemia.

CONCLUSIONCombined detection of JAK2, CALR and MPL gene mutations can cover the vast majority of patients with BCR/ABL1-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms. For higher frequencies of the mutations of CALR in ET patients, CALR mutation can be used as a new diagnostic marker in ET patients with JAK2 and MPL wild type.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of absolute lymphocyte count(ALC) before start of the first cycle of consolidation chemotherapy(CC) on the relapse free survival in the patients with acute myeloid leukemia(AML), so as to explore a simple and easy method for predicting AML relapse.

METHODSThe clinical data of 132 patients with newly diagnosed AML (all non-acute promyelotic leukemia) from 2011 to 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. The 132 AML patients were treated with standard induction chemotherapy (IC) and consolidation chemotherapy (CC). According to lymphocyte count of patients before start of the first cycle of CC, the AML patients were divided into 2 group: high lymphocyte count group (H-Lym≥1.2×10/L) and low lymphocyte count group (L-Lym<1.2×10/L). The differences in ralapse rate and relapse-free survival between 2 groups were analyzed.

RESULTSAmong 132 patients with AML, patients who could be valuated and were elicible for the study accounted for 65 (49.24%). The absolute leukocyte count, age, chromosome karyotypes before IC of patients did not show statistical difference between H-Lym group (40 cases) and L-Lym group (25 cases). Unvarvate analysis showed that the Low lymphocyte count and unfavorable chromosome karyotypes were poor prognostic factors for the relapse-free survival time, and there was significant difference between 2 groups (P<0.01). The relapse risk in patients of L-Lym group increased, the hazard ratio (HR)=3.01 (95% CI=1.55-4.98) (P<0.01). In multivariate analysis containing unfavorable prognostic karyotypes, this trend still existed (HR=2.52, 95% CI 1.28-9.98)(P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe AML patients with high lymphocyte count before the first CC have more long relapse free survival time suggesting that the lymphocyte count before the first CC may be prognostic factor for relapse free survival of AML patients.

Hypomethylating agents(HMA) currently are widely used in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), provide a significant improvement in the treatment of MDS. However, resistance to HMA is an almost universal phenomenon. This review was focused on immune effects related to DNA methylation, and to explore the mechanism underlying HMA resistance involved in immune checkpoint pathways. However, the optimal role of checkpoint blockade therapy (CBT) and immune checkpoint pathways remain in HMA failure questionable. The better understanding of immune checkpoint pathways in resistance of HMA offers a compelling rationale to introduce CBT in patients as a novel treatment option. CBT is an established strategy in solid tumors with potential as an adjunctive therapy in hematologic malignancies, therefore, may alter the treatment landscape in MDS. The suitability and effectiveness of combining HMA with CBT need to be confirmed by the results of ongoing clinical trials, so as to find novel strategies to improve outcome after failure of HMA.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of exendin-4 against diabetic cardiomyopathy in mice and explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODSC57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control group with normal diet and diabetic group with high-fat diet for 4 weeks before streptozotocin injection. The successfully established diabetic mouse models were divided into diabetic group with exendin-4 treatment and diabetic control group for daily treatment with intraperitoneal injection of 1 nmol/kg exendin-4 and saline of equivalent volume for 8 weeks, respectively. The physiological parameters such as blood glucose and body weight were recorded. RT-PCR was used to examine the transcription levels of genes related with myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis and the genes related with mitochondrial functions including PGC1α, NRF and CytoC. The expressions of oxidative stress markers and Sirt1/PGC1 proteins were measured using Western blotting. and HE staining was used to observe the myocardial structural changes in the mice.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control mice, the mice in diabetic control group showed significantly increased blood glucose and blood lipid levels (P<0.001), which were obviously improved by Exendin-4 treatment. The expressions of ANP, BNP, TGFβ1, CytoC1 and NOX1 were significantly increased (P<0.05) while Sirt1, PGC1α, NRF and SOD1 expression were markedly decreased in the myocardial tissue of the diabetic mice (P<0.05). Exendin-4 treatment resulted in obviously reduced expressions of ANP, BNP, TGFβ1, CytoC1 and NOX1 (P<0.05) and increased expressions of Sirt1, PGC1α, NRF and SOD1 (P<0.05) in the diabetic mice.

CONCLUSIONSExendin-4 protects against myocardial injury in diabetic mice by improving mitochondrial function and inhibiting oxidative stress through the Sirt1/PGC1α signaling pathway.

AIM To investigate the effect and mechanism of Qigui Yishen Decoction (QGYS,Astragali Radix,Angelicae sinensis Radix,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Achyranthis bidentatae Radix) on regulating the expression of miR-141 in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice with renal fibrosis.METHODS Thirty Balb/c male mice randomly divided into sham-operated group (n =6),UUO group (n =6),Lotensin (50 g/kg) group (n =6),QGYS high dose (50 g/kg) group (n =6),and QGYS low dose (10 g/kg) group (n =6) were conducted UUO surgery to promote kidney fibrosis except the six mice in the sham operation group.After a successive 10-day medication of QGYS and Lotensin to mice by oral gavage on daily basis,all mice were killed to procure renal tissue to observe its morphology and pathology changes by HE staining.The expressions of TGF-β1,ColⅣ,and MMP-9 were analyzed by immunohistochemical method,and the expressions of miR141,TGF-β1 were measured by real-time PCR.RESULTS The obviously pathological injuries including renal interstitial fibrosis were identified by HE staining among the groups intervened with UUO,but the variance in the extent due to different administrations of QGYS and Lotensin was noticed as well (P ＜ 0.05).As compared to the UUO group,high and low dose QGYS groups and Lotensin group achieved an up-regulated expression of TGF-β1 and ColⅣ,and a down-regulated expression of MMP-9 by immunohistochemistry (P ＜ 0.05),and significantly increased Mrna expression of miR-141,and decreased Mrna expression of TGF-β1 by real-time PCR (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION In UUO mouse models,QGYS gives influence to TGF-β1and MMP-9 through inducing miR-141 expression change to decrease abnormal accumulation of ECM,and thus inhibits the progression of renal fibrosis.