Analysis on FANG Ding-ya's Clinical Experience in Applying Sini Powder / 中国中医药信息杂志

Sini Powder was used to treat the symptoms of cold limbs caused by yang-qi depression. Nowadays it is used to sooth the liver and relieve depression as well as regulate the function of liver and spleen. On the basis of syndrome differentiation of TCM combined with modern pharmacological research, Professor FANG Ding-ya uses Sini Powder in a variety of diseases, such as mental disease, lower abdomen disease, and digestive system diseases, and modifies according to different clinical symptoms, with good efficacy.

Clinical effect analysis of ankylosing spondylitis treated by Chinese medical syndrome differentiation / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the curative effect and safety of Bushen Qiangji Decoction (BQD) and Qingre Qiangji Decoction (QQD) in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, and to verify the clinical utility of AS syndrome differentiation and treatment scheme [Shen-deficiency induced stasis obstruction syndrome (SDISOS) and dampness-heat obstruction syndrome (DHOS) being two basic syndrome types, Shen invigorating blood activating method (SIBAM) and heat clearing dampness resolving method (HCDRM) being two basic treatment methods].</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 354 AS patients of SDISOS and DHOS were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group using a multi-center randomized, positive drug parallel-controlled clinical trail. Patients in treatment group were treated by BQD or QQD according to syndrome typing, while those in the control group took Sulfasalazine enteric-coated tablet (SECT), 24 weeks as one therapeutic course. After treatment, the clinical efficacy was evaluated by using ASAS20 standard (set by Asessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis working group), Chinese medical efficacy evaluation standards, and BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI, night-pain index, spinal pain index, PGA, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 24 weeks of treatment by BQD or QQD, ASAS20 standard rate was 86.75% in the treatment group, and the total effective rate of Chinese medical syndrome was 85.47%. They could significantly reduce patients' integrals of Chinese medical syndrome, BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI, night-pain index, spinal pain index, and PGA (all P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>QQD and BQD got confirmable clinical effects in treating AS, providing strong evidence of evidence-based medicine for syndrome differentiation and treatment of AS.</p>

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis arthralgia by xiaoyan zhitong paste: a clinical observation / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To formulate a comprehensive treatment program for rheumatoid arthritis arthralgia by clinical observing the efficacy of Xiaoyan Zhitong Paste (XZP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adopted was stratified, block randomized, double-blinded, placebo parallel controlled method. Subjects were assigned to the treatment group and the placebo group. Those in the treatment group were treated by external application of XZP, one to two pastes each time, covering the painful area, exchange once per 24 h, with one-day interval during a 7-day consecutive medication, two 7-days of treatment consisting of one therapeutic course. XZP placebos were applied for those in the placebo group in the same medication way. Joint pain and VAS were taken as main indices for observing the clinical efficacy of XZP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The improvement of the analgesic effect and the Chinese medical syndrome efficacy of XZP were superior to that of the placebo.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>XZP showed obvious effect in treating rheumatoid arthritis arthralgia with no obvious adverse reaction.</p>

Expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 and caspase-3 in endometriosis and their correlation / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling(SOCS)-3 and caspase-3 and their correlative significance in endometriosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunohistochemical EnVision method was used to detect the SOCS-3 and caspase-3 protein expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium (n = 32) of patients with endometriosis, as well as normal endometrium (n = 30) of women without endometriosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SOCS-3 and caspase-3 proteins were expressed in all three groups and not affected by the menstrual cycles. The expression of SOCS-3 in ectopic endometrium (5.54 ± 2.12) was significantly lower than that in eutopic (7.39 ± 1.09, P = 0.001) and control group (7.48 ± 1.26, P < 0.01), but without difference between the eutopic and control group (P = 0.756). SOCS-3 expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium was significantly lower in III/IV stages than that in I/II stages of endometriosis (P < 0.05). Significantly lower expression of caspase-3 protein was found in ectopic (3.20 ± 1.24) and eutopic endometrium (3.88 ± 1.93) as compared with the control group (6.49 ± 1.85, P < 0.01), however ectopic and eutopic endometrium showed no significant difference (t = 1.66, P = 0.10). There was no significant difference of the expression of caspase-3 in ectopic and eutopic endometrium at different disease stages (P > 0.05). Positive correlation was found between the expression of SOCS-3 and caspase-3 proteins in ectopic endometrium (r = 0.655, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SOCS-3 may be involved in the development of endometriosis through inhibition of apoptosis of ectopic endometrial cells.</p>

Value of P16 expression in the triage of liquid-based cervical cytology with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The management of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance/low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASCUS/LSIL) is still controversial and it is advisable to make a triage for these two cytological abnormalities. P16(INK4) (P16) has been shown to be a potential biomarker for predicting high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer. The aim of the study was to determine the value of P16 expression by immunostaining method compared with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) DNA test in the triage of ASCUS/LSIL women.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 86 eligible residual liquid-based cytological specimens with ASCUS and 45 with LSIL were obtained. All specimens were submitted to HR-HPV DNA test (HC2) and P16 immunocytochemical staining simultaneously. And all women underwent colposcopy and biopsy after cytology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of P16 staining was 32.6% in ASCUS and 42.2% in LSIL, which was significantly lower than that of HR-HPV test in both ASCUS (P < 0.05) and LSIL (P < 0.05). Moreover, the positive rate of P16 staining was 12.7% in normal histology, 61.5% in CIN 1, 87.0% in CIN 2-3, and 100.0% in cancer, in which P16 positive rate was significantly lower than HR-HPV positive rate in normal group. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of P16 staining for predicting CIN 2 or more were 87.5%, 68.6%, 38.9%, 96.0%, and 72.1%, respectively in the ASCUS; while 90.0%, 71.4%, 47.4%, 96.2% and 54.7%, respectively in the LSIL, in which the specificity and accuracy of P16 staining were significantly higher than those of HR-HPV test in both ASCUS and LSIL (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>P16 immunostaining had significantly higher specificity and accuracy than HR-HPV DNA test for predicting for high-grade CIN and cervical cancer in ASCUS and LSIL and can be used for the triage of women with ASCUS/LSIL cytological abnormality.</p>

Clinical study on active rheumatoid arthritis treated with simiao xiaobi decoction / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Simiao Xiaobi Decoction (SXD) in treating active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of humid pyretic toxic Bi-Zheng (HPTB) syndrome type.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty RA patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups, 60 in the treatment group receiving SXD, and 60 in the control group receiving methotrexate, all were treated for 12 weeks. Clinical efficacy in patients was evaluated, referring to the criteria recommended by European League Against Rheumatoism (EULAR), in terms of effective rate, main symptoms, signs, scoring on symptom/sign by Chinese medicine scale and DAS28, physical and chemical indices, long-term outcome of patients and the average therapeutic effect initiating time. Meantime, the adverse reaction was recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The study was completed in 103 patients, 52 in the treated group and 51 in the control group. According to a per-protocol analysis, the effective rate was better in the treatment group than in the control group with marked difference in terms of Chinese and Western medicine respectively (92.3% vs 70.6% and 86.5% vs 62.7%, P<0.05). Superiorities in the treatment group were also seen in the improvements of main symptoms and signs, symptom/sign scores, DAS28 scores, and long-term outcome. Moreover, the average therapeutic effect initiating time was shorter (5.31 +/- 0.36 weeks vs 8.28 +/- 0.45 weeks), while the incidence of adverse reaction was less in the treatment group than in the control group (6.7% vs 43.3%, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SXD can improve the joint symptoms and general condition of RA patients of HPTB type with shorter initiating time and less adverse reaction.</p>

Controlled clinical trials of external using of Cheezheng Qingpeng ointment on reliving analgesia and swelling for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy on analgesia and detumescence of Cheezheng Qingpeng ointment in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From December 2004 to May 2006, 78 patients were divided into the treatment group and the control group randomly using PROC PLAN from SAS software. There were 40 patients in the treatment group, 30 patients were male and 10 patients were female, with an average age of (48.2+/-9.7) years, who were treated with Cheezheng Qingpeng ointment external treatment. Thirty-eight patients were in the control group, 30 patients were male and 8 patients were female, with an average age of (47.7+/-13.7) years, and were treated with Diclofenac diethylamine emugel. All the patients were treated for 2 weeks. The metacarpophalangeal joint with most severe pain and swelling was observed. The indexes including joint pain, tenderness, swelling, joint motion and morning stiffness were detected and the VAS scores were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients completed the trial, 35 patients in the treatment group and 33 patients in the control group. At the end of 2 weeks, 1 patient in the treatment group obtained an excellent result, 27 good and 7 bad; in the control group, 2 patients got an excellent result, 20 good and 11 bad. There were no statistically difference of therapeutic effects between the two groups. At the 1st week after treatment, the joint swelling score of the treatment group was (4.0+/-1.4), which was lower than the (5.5+/-1.9) in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is no obvious difference of therapeutic effects between Cheezheng Qingpeng ointment and diclofenac diethylamine emugel for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but the relieving of swelling of Cheezheng Qingpeng ointment is better than that of Diclofenac Diethylamine Emugel.</p>

Expression profile of aquaporin 1 in patients with menorrhagia / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) in endometrium of patients with menorrhagia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were carried out in twenty women with normal menstrual cycle to confirm the expression of AQP1 in endometrium and locate it. Then 51 women with menorrhagia and 40 women with normal menstrual cycle were included in the study. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to examine the expression of AQP1.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>AQP1 mRNA was expressed in the human endometrium throughout menstruation cycle, which was mainly located in the endothelia of the capillaries and small blood vessels. Quantification of the immunostaining revealed higher density during secretary phase than that in proliferative phase (P<0.01). The staining intensity and density of AQP1-positive microvessel decreased significantly in simple hyperplasia group (P<0.01) and then gradually increased in complex hyperplasia and atypical hyperplasia groups (P<0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Decreased expression of AQP1 may lead to disturbed endometrial vascular remodeling and may be involved in the occurrence of menorrhagia.</p>

Mast cells in cellular leiomyoma and endometrial stromal sarcoma of the uterus / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the role of mast cells in the differential diagnosis of cellular leiomyoma and endometrial stromal sarcoma of uterus and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using SP immunohistochemical technique, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and mast cells in 25 cellular leiomyoma (CL) and 26 endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) of uterus were examined. The expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and CD44v3 in cellular leiomyoma was also studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of PCNA was not significantly different from CL or ESS (P > 0.05), while mast cell count was statistically different between them (P < 0.01). Using a value of less than 7 mast cells per high power field was useful for the diagnosis of ESS, yielding 100% sensitivity and 92.0% specificity. There was a positive correlation between the mast cell count and CD44v3 in CL (r(s) = 0.589, P < 0.01), though no correlation was observed between mast cell count and PCNA or ER.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Number of mast cells is valuable for the discrimination of CL from ESS in the uterus. The mechanism and the role of higher quantity of mast cells in CL need further study.</p>

Establishment of methotrexate-resistant human choriocarcinoma cell line and its biological characteristics / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a methotrexate (MTX)-resistant choriocarcinoma cell line and to determine its biologic characteristics.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MTX-resistant cell line (JAR/MTX) was derived from human choriocarcinoma cell line JAR by exposed to intermittently and progressively increasing concentration of MTX. Drug sensitivity was detected by MTT; P-gp GST-Pi and PCNA expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) with PI/Annexin V stain. Growth rates and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) production were also measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>JAR/MTX cell line was established with stable MTX-resistance (resistance index to MTX was 7.3) and cross-resistant to TAX and VCR. Growthrate of JAR/MTX was lower than that of parent cell line JAR. Expression level of PCNA in JAR/MTX was lower than that in JAR (3.09+/-0.42 compared with 3.72+/-0.35, P<0.05), while GST-pi expression was higher. No statistical difference of P-gp expression existed between two cell lines. JAR/MTX secreted more HCG than JAR every 10(5) cells secreted (95.7+/-5.4 compared with 41.3+/-2.8)mIU after 48 h(P<0.01). The flow cytometry showed that the spontaneous and MTX induced apoptosis in JAR/MTX was significantly lower than that in JAR P<0.05.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>JAR/MTX cell line presented stable resistant to MTX and cross-resistant to TAX and VCR, which might sever as a model in study of drug resistance in choriocarcinoma.</p>

Clinical Observation on 30 Cases of Acute Osteoarthritis of Knee Joint Treated by Sishen Jian / 中医杂志

Objective To observe the clinical effect of herbal decoction Sishen Jian on acute osteoarthritis of knee joint.Methods The 60 osteoarthritis cases in the attack stage were randomized into treatment group(30 cases)and control group(30 cases).The treatment group was given the decoction Sishen Jian and Diclofenac Sodium Sustained Release Capsules and the control group was given the capsules only.Two weeks made one course of treatment.Before and after treatment,the symptoms such as pain and morning stiff- ness,the signs including joint swelling and tenderness,and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)and C reactive protein were ob- served for comparison.Results The total effective rate of the treatment group and control group was 96.66% and 53.26% respec- tively.The difference of two groups was significant(P