Clinical Research Progress in TCM Non-medicine Therapies for Stable Period of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease / 中国中医药信息杂志

TCM non-medicine therapies include acupuncture, moxibustion, point-application, point injection, acupuncture point thread implanting, etc, which have been widely used in the clinical treatment for stable period of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). TCM non-medicine therapies can significantly control the progress of the disease and improve the life quality of patients. This article reviewed the clinical study on TCM non-medicine therapies for stable period of COPD in recent 5 years, in order to provide some references for the treatment of COPD.

Effect of treadmill training on the fitness and activation of cerebral cortex in older adults and youth / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Aging process is associated with declines in physical fitness and cognitive function, and proper exercise can improve the body function. Treadmill training has advantages of non-full weight-bearing and adjustable trampling resistance, so it has been widely used in clinical rehabilitation training, but whether treadmill training can enhance the cognitive function of individual brain needs an in-depth study. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether the effect of treadmill training on older adults and youth is the same. METHODS: Forty-three healthy volunteer college teachers in universities were recruited, and divided into older adult group (n=18, aged 60-75 years) and youth group (n=25, aged 25-45 years) according to the age characteristics. Each person was trained for 4 consecutive weeks of treadmill training. The 6-minute walking, 10-m walking, muscle strength of lower limbs and transcranial magnetic stimulation test were performed before training, at 4 weeks of training and 1 month after training. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Before training, the amount of physical activity in the older adult group was higher than that in the youth group, but the functional walking, muscle strength of lower limbs and degree of cerebral cortex activation were worse than those in the youth group. After 4 weeks of treadmill training, there was a significant improvement in the functional walking and muscle strength of lower limbs in both groups, the improvement rate of 6-minute walking and leg muscle strength showed no significant difference between groups, but the improvement rate of 10-m walking in the youth group was significantly higher than that in the older adult group. At 1 month after training, 4-week treadmill training exerted a continued effect on the 6-minute walking and leg muscle strength in youth, and 4-week treadmill training exerted a continued effect on the 10-m walking in older adults. The action threshold, motor evoked potentials and cerebral cortex movement area of either brains in older adults were poorer than those in youth. Four-week treadmill training showed no significant effect on the cerebral cortex activation in older adults and youth. In summary, 4-week treadmill training can effectively enhance the ability of functional walking and muscle strength of lower limbs in older adults and youth, and the treadmill training can achieve almost the same improvement and continuation effect between older adults and youth. However, whether treadmill exercise can improve the cerebral cortex activation in older adults and youth needs an in-depth study.

Influence of Guiqiyiyuan Ointment on the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in rat lung tissues injured by heavy ion radiation-induced bystander effect / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To explore the influence of Guiqiyiyuan Ointment on the expressions of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in the lung and kidney of the rats damaged by heavy ion (12C6+) radiation-induced bystander effect.Methods The Wistar male rats were equally and randomly divided into seven groups,normal control group (NCG),radiation alone group (RAG) and Chinese medicine group (CMG),with the latter two groups being redivided into 6,12 and 24h groups according to the executing time.The Chinese medicine groups were given Guiqiyiyuan Ointment by gavage for two weeks in advance.The normal control group and the radiation alone groups were given the equal normal saline.Afterwards,the right lung of the rats in the radiation alone groups and Chinese medicine groups were radiated by 2Gy 12C6+ ion once.The rats in normal control group were not radiated.All groups of rats were executed 6,12,and 24h after radiation.The protein and mRNA expressions of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in the right lung,left lung and left kidney were examined with immunohistochemistry and Q-PCR.Results Compared with the normal control group,the mRNA expressions of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in the right lung,left lung and left kidney in the radiation alone groups obviously increased 6 and 24h after radiation.While the protein expressions of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in the radiation alone group obviously increased only 24h after radiation (P＜0.01).Compared with the radiation alone groups,the expressions of protein and mRNA ofcaspase-3 and caspase-9 were obviously down-regulated in the Chinese medicine groups (P＜0.01).Conclusion By controlling the up-regulation of the expression ofcaspase-3 and caspase-9,Guiqiyiyuan Ointment can prevent the lung and kidney cell apoptosis and alleviate the damage caused by heavy ion radiation-induced bystander effect in vivo.

Relationship between seedling grade of Codonopsis pilosula and yield and quality of medicinal materials / 中国中药杂志

The study is aimed to research the relationship between the seedling grade of Codonopsis pilosula and yield and quality of medicinal materials, so as to provide basis for establishing seedling standard. Thirty seedlings of C. pilosula were collected from the main production areas in Gansu province, such as Weiyuan, Minxian, Zhangxian, Dangchang and Longxi, root length and diameter and weight of all the samples were measured. According to the clustering results, seedlings were divided into 3 levels, and field experiments were conducted with three levels seedling, yield and quality were tested in laboratory. Results have showed that emergence of grades 1 was faster than that of grades 2 and 3. Yield of grades 1 was significantly higher than that of grades 2 and 3 (P<0.05). Propargyl glycoside content of grades 1 was the highest, and significantly higher than that of grades 3. Polysaccharide content of grades 3 was the highest and significantly higher than that of grades 1 and 2 (P<0.05). So considering yield, quality and investment cost of C. pilosula, planting seedlings of C. pilosula should select that root length>15.6 cm, root diameter>2.7 mm, root weight>0.56 g.

Mismatch repair gene hMLH1 A655G/A polymorphism and colorectal cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the etiological role of hMLH1 gene A655 polymorphism in colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study was carried out, including 115 colorectal cancer patients and 135 healthy people as control. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral white blood cell from all the subjects. Polymorphism was detected by PCR-based DHPLC analysis and verified by DNA sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The hMLH1 gene A655G polymorphism was detected in 3.0% of healthy people and 11.3% of colorectal cancer patients (P<0.01), and the difference was significant (P<0.01). The hMLH1 gene A655G polymorphism was detected in 8.2% of tubular adenocarcinoma or tubular-papillary adenocarcinoma and 27.8% of mucinous adenocarcinoma, which was also significant (P<0.05).Meanwhile, hMLH1 gene A655G polymorphism was not associated with age, gender and lymphatic metastasis (all P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The hMLH1 gene A655G polymorphism may play a role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Determination of the polymorphism may be a potential marker to predict the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.</p>

Influence of level-Ib lymphadenopathy on the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>The level-Ib lymph node metastasis is rare in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). When and how this level should be irradiated with precise radiotherapy remains controversial. This study evaluated the prevalence and prognostic significance of level-Ib lymphadenopathy on the prognosis of NPC patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From January 1990 and December 1999, 933 newly diagnosed patients with NPC treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were randomly selected, examined with computed tomography (CT) imagining for evidence of level-Ib lymphadenopathy before treatment. All patients received radical radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. The relationship between level-Ib lymphadenopathy and post-treatment outcomes including overall survival (OS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to adjust for other prognostic factors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 933 patients, 55 (5.9%) were found to have level-Ib lymphadenopathy, which was associated with carotid sheath involvement, oropharynx involvement and levels, and lateral cervical lymph node involvement. In the subgroup with carotid sheath involvement, with multivariate analysis accounting for all previously known prognostic factors, level-Ib lymphadenopathy was still associated with a risk of decreased OS (RR, 2.124; P<0.001), DMFS (RR, 2.168; P<0.001), and LRFS (RR, 1.989; P=0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Level-Ib lymphadenopathy in the patients with carotid sheath involvement is an independent prognostic factor.</p>

Promoter hypermethylation and loss of heterozygosity of the APC gene in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the status of hypermethylation in the promoter 1A region of the adenomatus polyposis coli (APC) gene in 3 familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) pedigrees and to screen large fragment deletions in the APC gene.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DNA from tumor tissues and corresponding normal tissues of 5 FAP patients was modified by sodium bisulfite. Then the methylation status of the APC gene was analyzed by methylation specific-PCR (MSP) and DNA sequencing. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used to screen aberrations involving large fragments from all the 15 exons and promoter region of APC gene.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No methylation was present in normal tissues. Hypermethylation was found in tumor tissues of one proband and her son. Loss of heterozygosity was observed in another patient from the same FAP family.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Aberrant methylation of the APC promoter region provides an important mechanism for impairing APC function and may occur early during colon neoplasia progression. Loss of heterozygosity may play a role in patients with classical polyposis.</p>

Professor Zheng Kui-Shan the father of modern study of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion and needling methods / 中国针灸

Professor ZHENG Kui-shan is a famous specialist of acupuncture and moxibustion sciences, and he has obtained a lot of achievements in about 70 years' clinical treatment, scientific studies and teaching. He has advocated and devoted himself to the studies of traditional needling methods of acupuncture and moxibustion, with outstanding contributions to the development of Chinese and world's acupuncture and moxibustion. He participated in the scientific studies, clinical treatment and teaching of acupuncture and moxibustion at the early stage of founding of the China Academy of TCM. He first advocated and led "the study on channel essence", established Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Gansu College of TCM and Gansu Society of Zheng's Needling Methods. Professor Zheng's opinions and practice which emphasize on the studies of Chinese traditional acupuncture, moxibustion and needling methods indicate the direct of acupuncture and moxibustion studies in both China and world.

A novel APC gene germline mutation in a familial adenomatous polyposis pedigree / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene germline mutation in the proband and her family members with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The diagnosis of a patient with FAP was validated by colonoscopy, pathology and the family history. The systematic screening with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and DNA sequencing were carried out to detect APC gene germline mutations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A novel mutation c.1999 C >T (Q667X) of APC, which leads to premature termination of the protein, was identified in this family. This mutation manifested an aggressive form of FAP with early onset of colorectal adenocarcinoma and colonic adenoma.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The mutation of APC Q667X is the cause of clinical phenotype of this family with FAP, and the prophylactic colectomy for the affected family members should be considered.</p>

The analysis for identifying large DNA fragment aberrations of MSH2 and MLH1 genes from familial colorectal cancer in China / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the frequency of large fragment aberrations of MSH2 and MLH1 genes from Chinese colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with family history.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixteen exons of MSH2, nineteen exons of MLH1 and seven DNA sequences from the other genes of the samples were screened and checked by multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification (MLPA). First, the methodology was confirmed by testing the positive and negative control samples. Then, 32 CRC or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) patients with family history and 20 cases of sporadic CRC were applied to investigate for the large fragment aberrations of MSH2 and MLH1 genes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The genomic DNA fragment deletions of all positive controls were identified and verified by MLPA. Three cases of 32 familial (hereditary) CRC/HNPCC were detected and identified to be the germline heterozygous deletions of MSH2 gene, of which exons 1-7 were deleted from patient No.3, exon 11 from No.25 and exons 2-6 from No.11. However, no genomic DNA fragment aberration of either MSH2 or MLH1 gene was uncovered from 20 sporadic CRC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Large DNA fragment aberrations of MSH2 gene was a frequent cause of Chinese HNPCC and CRC patients with family history, and the identification of those aberrations should be included in the regular genetic analysis for CRC/HNPCC patients.</p>

Study on the relationship between genetic polymorphism Val384Asp in hMLH1 gene and the risk of four different carcinomas / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of genetic polymorphism Val384Asp in hMLH1 gene with the risk of colorectal, gastric, esophageal and breast carcinomas.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study was taken to investigate the role of Val384Asp in hMLH1 gene in developing these four carcinomas. 233 colorectal, 273 gastric, 90 esophageal and 111 breast cancer patients were included, as well as 268 healthy individual served as controls. Peripheral white blood cell DNA was obtained from all subjects. hMLH1 gene Val384Asp was analysed using a PCR-based DHPLC while the existence of Val384Asp were verified by DNA sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>6.34% of the healthy individuals were identified as Val384Asp carriers and significant differences existing between colorectal cancer patients or gastric cancer patients and controls, especially between young aged patients and controls.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Determination of Val384Asp in hMLH1 gene single nucleotide polymorphism seemed to be suitable for identifying individuals with increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer in the Chinese population.</p>

Mutation and amplification of RIT1 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the mutation and amplification of RIT1 gene and their correlation with carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The polymerase chain reactioindirect sequencing method was used for detecting the mutations in the sequence of all 6 exons in the RIT1 gene of 50 HCC tissues and paratumor tissues. And the amplification of RIT1 gene was examined by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A nucleotide 241 G --> C substitution in exon 5 of RIT1 gene was detected in one patient's HCC tissue, but not in paratumor tissue; this 241 G --> C substitution leads to Glu81Gln amino acid alteration in the conservative domain binding GTP. A nucleotide G --> C substitution in 5'-UTR (-21 bp from initial codon) was detected in all of the 50 HCC tissues and paratumor tissues, and 2- to 297-fold amplification of RIT1 gene was detected in 11 of 43 qualified cases, the amplification frequency being 25.6%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Gene amplification is one of the main activating ways of RIT1 gene in HCC, and its amplification might be correlated with HCC carcinogenesis, while point mutation might be not.</p>

The detection of microsatellite instability by ion-pair reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To set up a sensitive and stable technique which has high throughout to detect the instability of microsatellite DNA.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Genomic DNA extracted from the cancer tissues and their normal tissues were subjected to microsatellite instability(MSI) analysis on five of DNA markers in 115 sporadic colorectal cancers by means of PCR and ion-pair reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Genomic DNA extracted from lymphocytes in blood of 20 normal persons were analysed and used as the standard control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventeen (14.8%) MSI-H and 23(20.0%) MSI-L were found in 115 sporadic colorectal cancers. The rates of MSI in the young patients and old patients were much higher than that in the middle-age patients (P<0.05). And the rate of MSI in low differentiation group was also much higher than that in high or middle differentiation groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method the authors developed is a sensitive and accurate technique to detect MSI and has a high throughput.</p>

Large deletion in mismatch repair genes uncovered by quantitative multiplex PCR-high performance liquid chromatography system / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Establishing a new method on the basis of multiplex PCR-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for screening a large deletion in mismatch repair genes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-five pairs of primers were used to amplify all 16 exons of MSH2 and all 19 exons of MLH1 gene in 8 multiplex PCR. The products of multiplex PCR were analysed for the large deletion with Double Strand DNA Analysis System of HPLC. Firstly, validation of the method was tested on positive and negative controls in blind analysis. Secondly, 14 blood cell DNA samples from hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) patients and 13 colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues DNA samples from sporadic CRC patients were checked with the new developed method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) the genomic deletions in all 4 of positive controls were identically uncovered with the new method; (2) a novel germline and a novel somatic large deletions were unveiled in 1/14 HNPCC patients and in 1/13 CRC tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method developed on multiplex PCR-HPLC is reliable for uncovering large genomic deletion in mismatch repair genes, and can be taken as a valuable addition to mutation screening system.</p>