Effect of Acupuncture plus Rehabilitation Training on Upper Limb Functional Recovery in Stroke Patients / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture plus rehabilitation training on upper limb functional recovery in convalescent stroke patients.Methods One hundred and three convalescent stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction were randomized to a treatment group (54 cases) and a control groups (49 cases). Both group received conventional rehabilitation training. In addition, the treatment group received along-meridian syndrome differentiation-based acupuncture and the control group, sham acupuncture. Upper limb Fugl-Meyer Assessment (U-FMA) score, the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) score, the modified Barthel Index (MBI) score and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) score were recorded in the two groups of patients before and at the end of treatment and at the 3-month follow-up.Results In the two groups there were statistically significant differences in the U-FMA score, the WMFT score and the MBI score at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up compared with before (P>0.05 orP<0.01). At the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up there were statistically significant differences in the U-FMA score, the WMFT score and the MBI score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05 orP<0.01). The scores of SF-36 items except social functioning and bodily pain had statistically significant differences within the two groups at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up compared with before and between the two groups at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up (P<0.01 orP<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture plus rehabilitation training can markedly improve upper limb function in stroke patients.

Shugan Liangxue Decoction () Down-Regulates Estrogen Receptor α Expression in Breast Cancer Cells / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Shugan Liangxue Decoction (, SGLXD) on estrogen receptor α (ERα) in human breast cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The effect of SGLXD (0.85-5.10 mg/mL) on the proliferation of breast cancer cells were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The nuclear ERα protein levels in MCF-7, T47D and ZR-75-1 cells which treated by SGLXD for 24 h were examined by western blot and immunofluorescence assay. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were treated by 17β-estradiol (E2) with or without SGLXD, for 24 h, and the E2 targeted genes c-myc and bcl-2 protein product was evaluated by western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SGLXD showed dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of MCF-7, T47D and ZR-75-1 cells, but did not inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, the promotive effect on cell growth induced by E2 was also significantly inhibited by SGLXD treatment. With the treatment of 1.70, 3.40, 5.10 mg/mL SGLXD, the nuclear ERα protein level was reduced to 88.1%, 70.4% and 60.9% in MCF-7 cells, and was decreased to 43.0%, 38.4% and 5.9% in ZR-75-1 cells as compared with the control group. In T47D cells, the nuclear ERα protein was down-regulated to 51.3% and 4.3% by 3.40 and 5.10 mg/mL SGLXD treatment. The down-regulative effect of SGLXD on nuclear ERα was confirmed by immunofluorescence assay. SGLXD decreased the protein product of c-myc and bcl-2.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SGLXD may exhibit selective inhibition effect on the proliferation of ER positive breast cancer cells. SGLXD reduced the nuclear ERα expression and the protein product of E2 target gene c-myc and bcl-2.</p>

Clinical study on long-term overall survival of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with Chinese medicine and Western medicine / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the prognostic influence on long-term overall survival (OS) from treatment with Chinese medicine (CM) and chemotherapy or targeted therapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 206 advanced NSCLC patients who were treated with CM and Western medicine in Beijing Cancer Hospital from April 1999 to July 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Long-term survivors were defined as OS ≥ 3 years after treatment with CM and chemotherapy. Twenty-eight patients had OS ≥ 3 years, 178 had OS < 3 years, and all clinical data were statistically analyzed with the Cox model. Variables were gender, age, smoking status, performance status (PS) score, pathological type, clinical stage, first-line chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and use of CM. Univariate survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank sequential inspection. Multivariate survival analysis was used to analyze the meaningful factors of univariate survival analysis with the Cox model.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The survival rate of patients with OS ≥ 3 years was 13.6% (28/206). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that PS score, clinical stage, disease control rate to first-line chemotherapy, and use of CM were independent factors of longterm OS (all <0.05). However, gender, age, smoking, and use of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibitor were not significant (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PS score, clinical stage, disease control rate to first-line chemotherapy, and use of CM are probably independent prognostic factors for long-term OS in patients with advanced NSCLC.</p>

Anti-fatigue effect of Renshen Yangrong decoction in mice / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the anti-fatigue effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction (RYD): in mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups with 20 mice in each: group. The negative control group was treated with distilled water, the positive control group was treated with Shiyiwei Shenqi Tablet (, 1.0 g/kg), the high-, medium- and low-dose RYD groups were treated with 42.0, 21.0 and 10.5 g/kg of RYD daily, respectively, by gastric infusion. At the end of the 7-day treatment, loaded swimming time, organ wet weight and coefficient, serum glucose, urea nitrogen, and hepatic glycogen levels were determined. The outcomes were compared among groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared with the negative: control group, the loaded swimming time was significantly increased in the positive control group, specifically the medium- and high-dose RYD groups (P<0.01). In addition, the wet weights and coefficients of the spleen and thymus, and the serum glucose and hepatic glycogen contents were increased, whereas serum urea nitrogen level was significantly decreased in the positive control group and the high dose RYD group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>RYD showed an anti-fatigue effect in mice.</p>

Protective effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction (人参养荣汤) on bone marrow against radiation injury in mouse / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction (人参养荣汤, RYD) in protecting bone marrow from radiation injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and eighty Kuming mice were subjected to the three tests for anti-radiation injury effect evaluation, i.e. the test of peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count, the test of bone marrow nucleated cell count, and the bone marrow micronucleus test, using 60 mice for each test. The mice in each test were divided into 6 groups: the blank control group, the model control group, the positive control group treated by Shiyiwei Shenqi Tablet (十一味参芪片, 1.0 g/kg), and three RYD groups treated with high (42.0 g/kg), moderate (21.0 g/kg), and low (10.5 g/kg) doses of crude drugs of RYD, with 10 mice in each group. The treatment was given by gastrogavage perfusion continuously for 7-14 days before mice received (60)Co-γ ray radiation and continued until the end of the experiment. The body weights of the mice were monitored, the changes in peripheral WBC and bone marrow nucleated cells were counted, and the variation in bone marrow micronucleated cells was observed on the respective appointed days.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A significant decrease in body weight, peripheral WBC count, and bone marrow nucleated cell count, as well as marked changes in bone marrow micronucleated cells were observed in the mice after radiation, indicating that the radiation injury model was successfully established. As compared with the model control group, the decrease in body weight, peripheral WBC count, and bone marrow nucleated cell count, as well as the increase in bone marrow micronucleus cell count in the high dosage RYD treated group were obviously inhibited or lessened (P<0.05 or P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>RYD showed obvious protective effect in mice with bone marrow injury induced by radiation.</p>

Effects of combined Chinese drugs and chemotherapy in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of combined Chinese drugs and chemotherapy in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-three patients with stage III B and IV NSCLC hospitalized from October 2001 to October 2008 were enrolled and assigned to two groups using a randomizing digital table, with 33 patients in the treatment group and 30 in the control group. They were all treated with the Navelbine and Cisplatin (NP) chemotherapy, but to the treatment group the Chinese drugs Shengmai Injection () by intravenous dripping and Gujin Granule () by oral intake were given additionally. The main observation indexes were response rate (RR), median survival time, 1-year survival rate and median time to progression (TTP); secondary observation indexes were side effects and cycles of chemotherapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Altogether, 61 patients (33 from the treatment group and 28 from the control group) completed the observation and were assessable. RR was 48.5% (16/33) in the treatment group and 32.2% (9/28) in the control group, and the median survival time were 13 months and 9 months, respectively; the difference between the two groups was significant (P=0.0373 and P=0.014 respectively). However, the differences between groups were insignificant in terms of 1-year survival rate [51.5% (17/33) vs 46.4% (13/28), P=0.4042], median TTP (5.95 months vs 4.64 months, P=0.3242), grade III or IV bone marrow inhibition occurrence rate [33.3% (11/33) vs 39.3% (11/28), P=0.3500], and mean cycles of chemotherapy applied (2.94+/-0.94 cycles vs 2.75+/-0.75 cycles, P=0.4100).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Combined Chinese drugs and chemotherapy can enhance the short-term therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of NSCLC and prolong patients' median survival time, but show no evident impact on TTP.</p>

Exogenous PTEN enhances apoptosis in pancreas cancer cell line ASPC-1 induced by hypoxia / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of exogenous phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) on cell cycle, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) proteins, and cellular proliferation ability in human pancreas cancer cell line (ASPC-1) exposed to normal oxygen or hypoxia 1% for 24 h were determined.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ASPC-1 cells were transfected in vitro with an eukaryotic expression plasmid (pEAK8) containing PTEN or not by lipofectin. Positive cell clones were selected, amplified and named ASPC-1-pEAK8-PTEN or ASPC-1-pEAK8 cells. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to determine the target gene expression. PTEN, VEGF and EGFR proteins were assessed by Western blot assay. Cell cycle and the induction of apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The tumor growth ability in vivo was assessed in nude mice, and cologenic survival ability was assayed under normal oxygen or hypoxia condition.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of PTEN mRNA and protein in ASPC-1-pEAK8-PTEN cells were significantly higher than that in ASPC-1-pEAK8 or ASPC-1 cells. The expression of VEGF protein in ASPC-1-pEAK8-PTEN cells decreased by 23.4%, but EGFR showed no change. The plating efficiency was decreased by 28.0% (F = 4.283, P < 0.05) under normal oxygen condition, compared with those in ASPC-1 cells. The tumor volume in nude mice with ASPC-1-pEAK8-PTEN were significantly different compared to those with ASPC-1 5 weeks after implantation (t = 4.834, P < 0.01). The tumor inhibitory rate was 42.4% in ASPC-1-pEAK8-PTEN group. The expressions of VEGF and EGFR were decreased by 31.4% and 25.0%, respectively. In comparison with ASPC-1 cells, the plating efficiency of ASPC-1-pEAK8-PTEN cells was decreased by 33.2% (F = 9.152, P < 0.01) under hypoxic condition. The cellular apoptosis 8 h after hypoxia and G(2)/M blockage in ASPC-1-pEAK8-PTEN cells were remarkably higher than those in ASPC-1 cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Exogenous PTEN can block ASPC-1 cell cycle at the G(2)/M phase, enhance the cell apoptosis induced by hypoxia, inhibit the expression of VEGF and EGFR proteins under hypoxic condition, and inhibit the proliferation and growth of ASPC-1 cells.</p>

The Toxic Effects of the Extracellular Active Components from One Algae-lysing Bacteria on Chlorella Pyrenoidosa / 微生物学通报

Toxic effects of L7 lyophilized powder of extracellular active components (L7-LPEAC), extracted from the Algae-lysing bacteria L7, on Chlorella pyrenoidosa were studied according to the changes of effective photosynthesis rate (EPR), the protein content, the chlorophyll a content and the MDA content of algae. The results showed that the growth of alga was promoted at low concentrations of L7-LPEAC (0.80 g/L, 1.25 g/L). The 96 h-EC50 and 120 h-EC50 upon Chlorella pyrenoidosa are 5.75 g/L and 2.55 g/L, respec tively. The chlorophyll a content increased firstly and then decreased at high concentrations of L7-LPEAC (≥2 g/L), so did the protein content. Compared with the control group, there is a significant statistics diff erence (P