Efficacy and safety of Regan Syrup in treatment of common cold (wind-heat syndrome):a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo and positive drug-controlled, parallel, phase Ⅱb clinical trial / 中国中药杂志

Regan Syrup has the effect of clearing heat, releasing exterior, benefiting pharynx and relieving cough, and previous phase Ⅱ clinical trial showed that the efficacy of Regan Syrup high-dose and low-dose groups was better than that of the placebo group, and there was no statistically significant difference in the safety between the three groups. The present study was conducted to further investigate the efficacy and safety of the recommended dose(20 mL) of Regan Syrup in the treatment of common cold(wind-heat syndrome). Patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected and divided into the test group(Regan Syrup+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules placebo), positive drug group(Regan Syrup placebo+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules) and placebo group(Regan Syrup placebo+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules placebo) at a 1∶1∶1 using a block randomization method. The course of treatment was 3 days. A total of 119 subjects were included from six study centers, 39 in the test group, 40 in the positive drug group and 40 in the placebo group. The onset time of antipyretic effect was shorter in the test group than in the placebo group(P≤0.01) and the positive drug group, but the difference between the test group and the positive drug group was not significant. The test group was superior to the positive drug group in terms of fever resolution(P<0.05), and had a shorter onset time of fever resolution than the placebo group, but without obvious difference between the two groups. Compared to the positive drug group, the test group had shortened disappearance time of all symptoms(P≤0.000 1). In addition, the test group was better than the positive drug group and the placebo group in relieving symptoms of sore throat and fever(P<0.05), and in terms of clinical efficacy, the recovery rate of common cold(wind-heat syndrome) was improved in the test group compared to that in the placebo group(P<0.05). On the fourth day after treatment, the total TCM syndrome score in both test group and positive drug group was lower than that in the placebo group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between three groups and none of them experienced any serious adverse events related to the study drug. The results indicated that Regan Syrup could shorten the onset time of antipyretic effect, reduce the time of fever resolution, alleviate the symptoms such as sore throat and fever caused by wind-heat cold, reduce the total score of Chinese medicine symptoms, and improve the clinical recovery rate with good safety.

Preliminary Clinical Efficiency of Autologous Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells for Treating Critical Limb Ischemia of Thromboangiitis Obliterans / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the long-term clinical effect of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PB-MNC) on critical limb ischemia (CLI) in patients with thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 22 patients with CLI caused by TAO from July 2004 to May 2013 were analyzed retrospectively, 22 patients were divided into 2 groups; out of them 12 cases in one group were treated with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (auto-PBMNC group), 10 cases in another group received conservative treatment (CT group). The log-rank test was used to compare the long-term outcomes in auto-PBMNC group and CT group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The wound healing rate (P=0.016) and CLI-free rate (P=0.013) were significantly higher in PB-MNC group compared with that in CT group. No difference was found in amputation rates between the 2 groups (major amputation: P=0.361, minor and major amputation: P=0.867). No patients died or no serious adverse events occurred during the follow-up period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The auto-PBMNC therapy can significantly promote the wound healing, and protect against CLI in TAO patients, but the risk of amputation is not low in comparison with conservative treatment.</p>

Analysis the advantage of autologous mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells transplantation on lower limbs ischemia disease / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the efficacy and its correlation with species of transplant cells of autologous mobilized peripheral blood (PB) mononucleated cells (MNCs) transplantation on 59 patients with lower limbs ischemia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-nine patients were evaluated with symptoms scores and after that their PBMNCs were mobilized and collected and then injected into the ischemic area at equal distance. They effectiveness and scores were evaluated at 7th day and 4th month after therapy. The correlation of CD34(+) cells and of MNCs with effectiveness was analysed respectively, and formula for correlations between them and effectiveness was calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After MNCs injection, the effectiveness was observed both at 7th day and 4th month. The correlation of MNCs with effectiveness was stronger than that of CD34(+) cells (the effectiveness was represented by nimodipine value), According to the formula of nimodipine value, the value of the latter = 0.484 + 1.055 × CD34(+) cells number and the former = 0.288 + 0.401 × MNCs number with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.461 (P = 0.047) and R = 0.473 (P = 0.000) respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Autologous mobilized PBMNCs number is a better indicator for effectiveness than CD34(+) cells number.</p>

Stereotactic body radiation therapy favors long-term overall survival in patients with lung metastases: five-year experience of a single-institution / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Metastatic lung cancer is one of the most common oncologic problems. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term clinical outcome of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for metastatic lung tumors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively reviewed the 71 patients with lung metastases, who had 172 lesions treated with SBRT from January 2000 to December 2006. All patients were unfit or failed after surgery and/or chemotherapy. The median total dose was 48 Gy (range, 30 - 60) in 4 (range, 2 - 12) fractions. The median size of the irradiated lesions was 2.1 cm (range, 0.9 - 7.9 cm).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All but two patients received follow up. The median follow-up time was 24.7 months (range, 2.9 - 114.4 months). The median follow-up time for living patients was 86.8 months (range, 58.1 - 114.4 months). The 1-, 3-, 5-year local control and overall survival rates were 88.8%, 75.4%, 75.4% and 78.9%, 40.8%, 25.2%. Multivariate analysis showed that the absence of extrapulmonary metastases (P = 0.024; hazard ratio (HR), 1.894; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.086 - 3.303) and disease-free interval ≤ 12 months (P = 0.014; HR, 0.511; 95%CI, 0.299 - 0.873) were independent prognostic factors. No grade 3 or more acute and late toxicities occurred. Only one patient developed a non-symptomatic rib fracture.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SBRT could be an alternative treatment to surgery for subsets of patients with lung metastases with favorable long-term survival and tolerable complications.</p>

Establishment of spinal muscular atrophy cell model by RNAi / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To establish spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) cell model by blocking the expression of SMN1 gene with shRNA.@*METHODS@#The recombinant SMN1 shRNA expression vector was constructed. SMA cell model was established by human mesenchymal stem cells(hMSCs) that the vector was transfected into were differentiated to neuron like cells (NLCs).At the same time the control groups were established that the shRNA-0 vector was transfected into and no vector was transfected into. The expression of fl-SMN and delta7-SMN mRNA was observed by RT-PCR analysis. The expression of fl-SMN protein was detected by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#The cells of all the groups were neuron like cells after being differentiated and the protein expression of NSE and NF was positive. The expression of fl-SMN and delta7-SMN mRNA and protein of NLCs in each group was upregulated (P0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The NLCs, which recombinant SMN1 shRNA expression vector was transfected into, can be regarded as SMA cell model.

Comparison of SIB-IMRT treatment plans for upper esophageal carcinoma / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To implement simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy(SIB-IMRT) plans for upper esophageal carcinoma and investigate the dose profiles of tumor and electively treated region and the dose to organs at risk (OARs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SIB-IMRT plans were designed for two patients with upper esophageal carcinoma. Two target volumes were predefined: PTV1, the target volume of the primary lesion, which was given to 67.2 Gy, and PTV2, the target volume of electively treated region, which was given to 50.4 Gy. With the same dose-volume constraints, but different beams arrangements (3, 5, 7, or 9 equispaced coplanar beams), four plans were generated. Indices, including dose distribution, dose volume histogram (DVH) and conformity index, were used for comparison of these plans.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The plan with three intensity-modulated beams could produce good dose distribution for the two target volumes. The dose conformity to targets and the dose to OARs were improved as the beam number increased. The dose distributions in targets changed little when the beam number increased from 7 to 9.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Five to seven intensity-modulated beams can produce desirable dose distributions for simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) treatment for upper esophageal carcinoma. The primary tumor can get higher equivalent dose by SIB treatments. It is easier and more efficient to design plans with equispaced coplanar beams. The efficacy of SIB-IMRT remains to be determined by the clinical outcome.</p>