Highly Sensitive and Selective Toluene Gas Sensors Based on ZnO Nanoflowers Decorated with Bimetallic AuPt.

Efficient sensors for toluene detecting are urgently needed to meet people's growing demands for both environment and personal health. Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)-based sensors have become brilliant candidates for the detection of toluene because of their superior performance over gas sensing. However, gas sensors based on pure MOS have certain limitations in selectivity, operating temperature, and long-term stability, which hinders their further practical applications. Noble metals (including Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, etc.) have the ability to enhance the performance of MOS-based sensors via surface functionalization. Herein, ZnO nanoflowers (ZNFs) modified with bimetallic AuPt are prepared for toluene detection through hydrothermal method. The response of a AuPt@ZNF-based gas sensor can reach 69.7 at 175 °C, which is 30 times, 9 times, and 10 times higher than that of the original ZNFs, Au@ZNFs, and Pt@ZNFs, respectively. Furthermore, the sensor also has a lower optimal operating temperature (175 °C), good stability (94% of previous response after one month), and high selectivity towards toluene, which is the result of the combined influence of the electronic and chemical sensitization of noble metals, as well as the unique synergistic effect of the AuPt alloy. In summary, AuPt@ZNF-based sensors can be further applied in toluene detection in practical applications.

Dimethoxytolyl propylresorcinol induces apoptosis and mitophagy in human leukemia cells through the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Dimethoxytolyl propylresorcinol (UP302), a natural compound extracted from Dianella ensifolia, owing to its tyrosinase inhibitory and strong antioxidant properties, is used in whitening cosmetics. However, the role of UP302 has not been reported in cancer treatment. This study aimed to assess the in vitro antitumor activity of UP302 in different tumor cells. It inhibited the growth of certain cancer cell lines and especially in leukemia cells. Therefore, we investigated the antitumor effect of UP302 in leukemia by examining the cell cycle, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species levels (ROS) production, and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential. Our results demonstrated that UP302 inhibited the growth of leukemia cells both in vivo and in vitro and exerted a proapoptotic effect on MV411 and K562 cells, confirmed by flow cytometry and western blot analysis. Furthermore, UP302 promoted autophagy in MV411 and K562 cells. Transmission electron microscopy and western blot analysis showed that UP302 induced mitophagy in MV411 and K562 cells. In addition, the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine could enhance UP302-induced apoptosis, suggesting that UP302-mediated autophagy may be protective in MV411 and K562 cells. In conclusion, our study is the first to provide evidence for the anti-leukemia properties of UP302 and the potential clinical use of UP302 combined with autophagy inhibitors as a chemotherapeutic strategy for human leukemia.

Investigating the efficacy and mechanisms of Jinfu'an decoction in treating non-small cell lung cancer using network pharmacology and in vitro and in vivo experiments.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Jinfu'an Decoction (JFAD) is a traditional Chinese decoction used in lung cancer treatment to improve patient quality of life and survival. Previous research has established that JFAD has a significant therapeutic effect on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), although the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been largely underexplored. AIM OF THE STUDY: We used network pharmacology to identify the putative active ingredients of JFAD and conducted experimental studies to determine the potential molecular mechanism of JFAD in NSCLC treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The herbal components in JFAD-containing serum were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS), and targets associated with the anti-lung cancer metastasis effects of JFAD were retrieved from various databases. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was used to perform Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Next, the protein-protein interactions network and the "JFAD-Chemical Component-Target-KEGG Pathway" network were constructed. The network pharmacology findings were confirmed by in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro experiments were conducted to assess cell viability by CCK8 assay, cell cycle analysis by propidium iodide (PI) assay, and migration and invasion ability of cells by the transwell assay. In vivo experiments were performed to assess the efficacy of JFAD on the tumor by observing the growth of transplanted tumor models in nude mice and evaluated by in vivo bioluminescence imaging. Moreover, we assessed the effect of JFAD on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and proteins of Lumican, p120ctn, and specific RhoGTP enzyme family members (RhoA, Rac1, and RhoC) by Western Blot and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: 32 herbal components were identified in the JFAD-containing serum, which potentially acted on 229 targets related to lung cancer metastasis. Network pharmacology results suggested that JFAD may treat lung cancer metastasis by targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway via regulating multiple core targets. Our experiments showed that JFAD suppressed the proliferation of A549 cells in vitro, induced cell cycle arrest, and reduced the migration and invasion ability of A549 cells. Our in vivo study revealed that JFAD inhibited tumor growth in a nude mouse model. Additionally, we found that JFAD could downregulate the expression of the PI3K/Akt pathway and affect the expression of Lumican, p120ctn, and specific RhoGTPase family members. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, through network pharmacology, we have unveiled the underlying mechanisms that link the various components, targets, and pathways influenced by JFAD in the context of lung cancer metastasis. Our experimental results suggest that the oncostatic effects of JFAD may be achieved by upregulating the expression of Lumican/p120ctn and downregulating the levels of specific RhoGTPase family members, which in turn block the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Influence Mechanism of Osteopontin on Renal Injury in Patients with hereditary hypercalcemia by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

This study was to investigate the role and mechanism of osteopontin(OPN) in renal injury in patients with inherited hypercalciuria-bearing urinary calculi. The genetic hypercalcemia urolithiasis (GHS) rat model was established, and GHS rats were set as the experimental group (12 cases) and normal SD rats as the control group (12 cases). OPN and calcification levels in the kidney tissues of the two groups were compared by ELISA. According to calcium intervention or not, GHS rats were rolled into an intervention group (the intervention group was divided into 0.2g/L group, 0.4g/L group, and 0.7g/L group regarding the calcium injection dose, each group with 2 cases) and a normal group, each group with 6 cases. The levels of OPN and kidney injury in the two groups after 5h, 20h, and 40h were compared. Seventy patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH) were rolled into a control group (injected with normal saline) and an observation group (injected with saline and OPN). The levels of OPN and calcification in kidney tissue of GHS rats in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The OPN level of GHS rats in the 0.2g/L group, 0.4g/L group, and 0.7g/L group was higher than that in the intervention group, and the OPN level at 5h, 10h, and 20h showed an upward trend (P<0.05). The incidence of renal injury in the intervention group (100%) was higher than that in the non-intervention group (16.67%) (P<0.05). Clinical verification results showed that urinary calcium excretion of IH patients in the observation group significantly decreased at 6 and 12 days, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The high probability of overactivation of OPN was one of the pathogeneses of hypercalciuria and calcium-bearing urolithiasis. The results suggested that OPN was closely related to the formation of urinary calculi and may cause certain damage to the kidney, which may be a key step in the prevention and treatment of urinary calculi.

Effect and pathway of abortion stigma on depressive symptoms before terminating the pregnancy in pregnant women with fetal anomaly. / èƒŽå„¿ç•¸å½¢å­•å¦‡å¼•äº§ç— è€»æ„Ÿå¯¹å¼•äº§å‰æŠ‘éƒç—‡çŠ¶çš„å½±å“æ•ˆåº”åŠè·¯å¾„.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect and pathway of abortion stigma on depressive symptoms before terminating the pregnancy in pregnant women with fetal anomaly. METHODS: Based on literature review, a self-made general demographic information questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Individual Level Abortion Stigma Scale, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-Fusion, the Responses to Stress Questionnaire and the Perceived Social Support Scale were used to investigate pregnant women with fetal anomaly before abortion in tertiary general hospitals and specialist maternity hospitals in Changsha, to develop a hypothesis model of the factors influencing depressive symptoms before terminating the pregnancy. The hypothesis model was verified by applying structural equation modelling analysis. RESULTS: The structural equation model showed that the stigma directly or indirectly influenced depressive symptoms before terminating the pregnancy via psychological flexibility, social support and avoidance coping. The total effect value was 0.55 (P<0.05), the direct effect value was 0.22 (P<0.05), and the indirect effect value was 0.33 (P<0.05). Psychological flexibility and social support had protective mediating effects, while avoidance coping had harmful mediating effects. CONCLUSIONS: Abortion stigma has large positive effect on the depressive symptoms before terminating the pregnancy in pregnant women with fetal anomaly. Among direct and indirect effect, the indirect effect is major. Effective measures to reduce the stigma, increase psychological flexibility, improve social support and coping style will have an important influence on the prevention and reduction of depressive symptoms before terminating the pregnancy.

The effectiveness of blood-activating and stasis-transforming traditional Chinese medicines (BAST) in lung cancer progression-a comprehensive review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Blood-activating and stasis-transforming traditional Chinese medicines (BAST) are a class of herbs that have the effect of dilating blood vessels and dispersing stagnation. Modern pharmaceutical research has demonstrated that they are capable of improving hemodynamics and micro-flow, resist thrombosis and promote blood flow. BAST contain numerous active ingredients, which can theoretically regulate multiple targets at the same time and have a wide range of pharmacological effects in the treatment of diseases including human cancers. Clinically, BAST have minimal side effects and can be used in combination with Western medicine to improve patients' quality of life, lessen adverse effects and minimize the risk of recurrence and metastasis of cancers. AIM OF THE REVIEW: We aimed to summarize the research progression of BAST on lung cancer in the past five years and present a prospect for the future. Particularly, this review further analyzes the effects and molecular mechanisms that BAST inhibit the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant studies about BSAT were collected from PubMed and Web of science. RESULTS: Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest mortality rate. Most patients with lung cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage and are highly susceptible to metastasis. Recent studies have shown that BAST, a class of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with the function of opening veins and dispersing blood stasis, significantly improve hemodynamics and microcirculation, prevent thrombosis and promote blood flow, and thereby inhibiting the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer. In the current review, we analyzed 51 active ingredients extracted from BAST. It was found that BAST and their active ingredients contribute to the prevention of invasion and metastasis of lung cancer through multiple mechanisms, such as regulation of EMT process, specific signaling pathway and metastasis-related genes, tumor blood vessel formation, immune microenvironment and inflammatory response of tumors. CONCLUSIONS: BSAT and its active ingredients have showed promising anticancer activity and significantly inhibit the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer. A growing number of studies have realized their potential clinical significance in the therapy of lung cancer, which will provide substantial evidences for the development of new TCM for lung cancer therapy.

Coping strategies following the diagnosis of a fetal anomaly: A scoping review.

Introduction: Many women experience severe emotional distress (such as grief, depression, and anxiety) following a diagnosis of fetal anomaly. The ability to cope with stressful events and regulate emotions across diverse situations may play a primary role in psychological wellbeing. This study aims to present coping strategies after disclosing a fetal anomaly to pregnant women. Methods: This is a scoping review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Electronic databases, including Web of Science (WOS, BCI, KJD, MEDLINE, RSCI, SCIELO), CINAHL, and EBSCO PsycARTICLES, were used to search for primary studies from the inception of each database to 2021. The keywords were determined by existing literature and included: "fetal anomaly," "fetal abnormality," "fetal anomaly," "fetal abnormality" AND "cope," "coping," "deal," "manage," "adapt*," "emotion* regulate*," with the use of Boolean operators AND/OR. A total of 16 articles were reviewed, followed by advancing scoping review methodology of Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Results: In this review, we identified 52 coping strategies using five questionnaires in seven quantitative studies and one mixed-method study. The relationship between coping strategies and mental distress was explored. However, the results were inconsistent and incomparable. We synthesized four coping categories from qualitative studies and presented them in an intersection. Conclusion: This scoping review identified the coping strategies of women with a diagnosis of a fetal anomaly during pregnancy. The relationship between coping strategies and mental distress was uncertain and needs more exploration. We considered an appropriate measurement should be necessary for the research of coping in women diagnosed with fetal anomaly pregnancy.

Adaptive Bitline Voltage Countermeasure for Neighbor Wordline Interference in 3D NAND Flash Memory-Based Sensors.

Three-dimensional NAND flash memory is widely used in sensor systems as an advanced storage medium that ensures system stability through fast data access. However, in flash memory, as the number of cell bits increases and the process pitch keeps scaling, the data disturbance becomes more serious, especially for neighbor wordline interference (NWI), which leads to a deterioration of data storage reliability. Thus, a physical device model was constructed to investigate the NWI mechanism and evaluate critical device factors for this long-standing and intractable problem. As simulated by TCAD, the change in channel potential under read bias conditions presents good consistency with the actual NWI performance. Using this model, NWI generation can be accurately described through the combination of potential superposition and a local drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) effect. This suggests that a higher bitline voltage (Vbl) transmitted by the channel potential can restore the local DIBL effect, which is ever weakened by NWI. Furthermore, an adaptive Vbl countermeasure is proposed for 3D NAND memory arrays, which can significantly minimize the NWI of triple-level cells (TLC) in all state combinations. The device model and the adaptive Vbl scheme were successfully verified by TCAD and 3D NAND chip tests. This study introduces a new physical model for NWI-related problems in 3D NAND flash, while providing a feasible and promising voltage scheme as a countermeasure to optimize data reliability.

How does stigma influence depressive symptoms among women who underwent termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly: A path analysis.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect and paths of stigma on depressive symptoms in women who underwent termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly (TOPFA). BACKGROUND: Stigma may cause distress and depressive symptoms for women with TOPFA. However, few studies have examined the relationship between stigma and depression in women with TOPFA. DESIGN: This study followed the STROBE checklist. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 469 women with TOPFA. The path analysis used hierarchical multiple regression and structural equation model to examine the mediating role of social support and psychological flexibility on the relationship between stigma and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed the mediation effect of psychological flexibility between stigma and depressive symptoms. By contrast, social support did not present such effect. The structural equation model confirmed that stigma, directly and indirectly, affected depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: Many women with TOPFA have severe depressive symptoms and that stigma is an important influencing factor. Psychological flexibility plays an essential role in mitigating the effects of stigma on depressive symptoms. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Healthcare professionals should focus on measuring and intervening on stigma and psychological flexibility for alleviating the depressive symptoms of women with TOPFA. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Stigma and its influencing factors among women with termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the level of stigma and identify its influencing factors among women with termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly(TOPFA) in China. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study design. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 469 women with TOPFA were recruited from a tertiary care hospital in China using a convenience sampling method. MEASUREMENT AND FINDINGS: Women with TOPFA participating in the study completed the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Individual Level Abortion Stigma Scale(ILASS), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire- II scale(AQQ- II), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire scale (CFQ), Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale(MPSS), Responses to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ). Women with TOPFA reported moderate levels of stigma(1.49±0.60). Multiple linear regression showed that correlates influencing their stigma included gestational age (ß =0.103, P < 0.05), psychological flexibility (ß =-0.319, P < 0.01), social support(ß =-0.190, P < 0.01), and disengagement coping(ß =0.148, P < 0.05). KEY CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Gestational age and disengagement coping are positive predictors of stigma, but psychological flexibility and social support are negative predictors of stigma. Further attention should focus on developing targeted intervention strategies to improve protective and reduce harmful factors to confront the stigma-related challenges faced by women with TOPFA.

Efficacy of psychosocial interventions for psychological distress among women undergoing termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence shows that women experience serious psychological distress after terminating their pregnancy for fetal anomaly (TOPFA). Although the number of studies on psychosocial interventions (PSIs) for TOPFA women has increased, access to evidence-based support for medical staff who provide care to TOPFA women remains limited. A systematic review was conducted to provide an overview of available PSIs. METHODS: Nine major electronic databases in available in English and Chinese languages were searched to identify articles published from the databases' inception to November 2021. Our participants were TOPFA women; interventions were PSIs; the comparison was no limits; outcomes were psychological distress including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress (PTSD); and study designs were experimental studies including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for RCTs and quasi-experimental studies was used to assess the quality of evidence. Subsequently, synthesis without meta-analysis of the findings was completed. RESULTS: A total of 1,730 studies were identified from the initial database, 37 of which were included in this research. The interventions tested included cognitive therapy, mindfulness, sandplay therapy, psychological counseling, family support, peer support, empathy nursing, bereavement care, solution-focused psychological nursing, and staged psychological nursing. Four of these studies were RCTs. Most interventions were implemented in hospitals in China by nurses. However, few studies reported details on implementation procedures, and the studies presented substantial heterogeneity. Most of the included studies were judged to be of high risk of bias. DISCUSSION: Although this review was limited by search strategies and most of the included studies were of low quality, it still provided some tentative support for PSIs for the treatment of TOPFA women. Further research is warranted to investigate the effects of specific components on TOPFA women by using randomized controlled designs and reporting intervention manuals based on psychotherapeutic theory.

Prevalence and Factors Associated With Depressive Symptomatology Among Women Before Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Anomaly.

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptomatology before termination of pregnancy due to fetal anomaly and to analyze associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was performed in the obstetric departments of six hospitals in Hunan, China. Depressive symptomatology was measured before termination of pregnancy using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. t test, analysis of variance, and binary logistic regression tests were used in the data analysis of depressive symptomatology and factors. A total of 65.6% (n = 177) of participants were identified with depressive symptomatology before termination. Risk factors were receipt of spousal support, self-efficacy, religious belief, history of adverse pregnancy outcomes, and sleep disturbance. Protective factors were engagement with health care providers, social support, and higher monthly family income. Nurses should be aware of these factors early on to prevent the occurrence of depressive symptomatology, thereby improving maternal mental health. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(12), 43-50.].

[Salivary cortisol level and peri-abortion depression].

OBJECTIVE: To study the salivary cortisol level, and to analyze the correlation between salivary cortisol and peri-abortion depression in the women suffering termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly.
 Methods: Comparing the difference in salivary cortisol level between the women with and without depression when they underwent termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly in a prospective cohort study. Analyzing the correlation between salivary cortisol and peri-abortion depression through logistics regression analysis.
 Results: The salivary cortisol awakening response was lower in women with depression than women without depression. Based on the logistics regression analysis, the salivary cortisol awakening response showed a negative correlation with pre-abortion (OR=0.063, 95% CI 0.005 to 0.754) and post-abortion (OR=0.002, 95% CI 0.000 to 0.061) depression.
 Conclusion: Cortisol awakening response possesses a negative correlation with peri-abortion depression, and it is a predictive factor for post-abortion depression.

Status and Factors of Menstrual Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors and Their Correlation with Psychological Stress in Adolescent Girls.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Adolescent girls perceive menstruation as a negative experience, which can affect adolescents' physical and mental health. The aims of this study were to describe the menstrual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescent girls in China and to examine their association with psychological stress. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1349 adolescent girls aged 11-14 years in Changsha, China. Participants anonymously completed questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, menstrual knowledge and attitudes, dysmenorrhea self-care behaviors, and perceived stress. One-way analysis of variance and Pearson r correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the differences and associations among variables. RESULTS: The mean age of menarche was 11.70 (±0.82) years. A total of 1053/1349 (78.1%) of girls had a knowledge of menstruation before menarche and their mothers were the main source 931/1349 (69.0%) of their knowledge. More than half (53.4%) of adolescent girls experienced different degrees of dysmenorrhea. The mother's education, family monthly income, family type, and the girls' age, grade, menstrual status, age at menarche, sanitary napkin change frequency, menstrual restrictions, and dysmenorrhea influenced menstrual knowledge, attitudes, and practice. Psychological stress was affected by age, grade, age at menarche, sanitary napkin change frequency, menstrual restrictions, dysmenorrhea, and menstrual knowledge, attitudes, and practices. CONCLUSION: Psychological stress management during menstruation should be a focus of health education programs for adolescent girls. During adolescence, health care providers should not only pay attention to the physical changes of adolescence girls, but also provide stress management skills to help them cope with menstrual-related concerns.

Alumina at 50 and 13 nm nanoparticle sizes have potential genotoxicity.

Although nanomaterials have the potential to improve human life, their sideline effects on human health seem to be inevitable and still are unknown. Some studies have investigated the genotoxicity of alumina nanoparticles (AlNPs); however, this effect is still unclear due to insufficient evaluation and conflicting results. Using a battery of standard genotoxic assays, the present study offers evidence of the genotoxicity associated with aluminum oxide (alumina) at NP sizes of 50 and 13 nm, when compared with bulk alumina (10 µm). The genotoxicity induced by alumina at bulk and NP sizes was evaluated with Ames test, comet test, micronucleus assay and sperm deformity test. The mechanism related to the induction of reactive oxygen species was explored as well. Our results showed that AlNPs (13 and 50 nm) were able to enter cells and induced DNA damage, micronucleus in bone marrow, sperm deformation and reactive oxygen species induction in a time-, dose- and size-dependent manner. Therefore, we conclude that AlNPs (13 and 50 nm), rather than bulk alumina, induce markers of genotoxicity in mice, with oxidative stress as a potential mechanism driving these genotoxic effects. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of K1 acupoint acustimulation to prevent cisplatin-induced or oxaliplatin-induced nausea.

BACKGROUND: Greater than 70% of patients with cancer experience chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. In the current study, the authors examined the effects of electrostimulation of the K1 acupoint located on the sole of the foot because it is believed to have the potential to control chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. METHODS: In this trial, 103 patients diagnosed with primary or metastatic liver cancer were recruited before transcatheter arterial infusion (TAI) of cisplatin or oxaliplatin and randomized to either group A (51 patients who were treated with the antiemetic tropisetron and acustimulation at the K1 acupoint for 20 minutes approximately 1 to 2 hours before TAI on the first day and then daily for the subsequent 5 days) or group B (52 patients who were treated with tropisetron and electrostimulation at a placebo point on the heel). The rate, intensity, and duration of nausea and vomiting were collected at baseline and then daily for 5 days after TAI. Quality of life was assessed daily using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory and the EuroQoL scale. RESULTS: No differences were found between groups A and B with regard to the incidence and degree of nausea or vomiting on day 1 or the following 5 days. Patients in group A had better EuroQoL scores compared with patients in group B (72.83 in group A vs 65.94 in group B; P =.04) on day 4 but not on the other days. No group differences were noted at any time point for MD Anderson Symptom Inventory scores. CONCLUSIONS: Electrostimulation of K1 combined with antiemetics did not result in initial prevention of cisplatin-induced or oxaliplatin-induced nausea or vomiting.

Sham-controlled, randomised, feasibility trial of acupuncture for prevention of radiation-induced xerostomia among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Xerostomia (dry mouth) after head/neck radiation is a common problem among cancer patients. Quality of life (QOL) is impaired, and available treatments are of little benefit. This trial determined the feasibility of conducting a sham-controlled trial of acupuncture and whether acupuncture could prevent xerostomia among head/neck patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: A sham controlled, feasibility trial was conducted at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing radiotherapy. To determine feasibility of a sham procedure, 23 patients were randomised to real acupuncture (N=11) or to sham acupuncture (N=12). Patients were treated three times/week during the course of radiotherapy. Subjective measures were the Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ) and MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for Head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN). Objective measures were unstimulated whole salivary flow rates (UWSFR) and stimulated salivary flow rates (SSFR). Patients were followed for 1 month after radiotherapy. RESULTS: XQ scores for acupuncture were significantly lower than sham controls starting in week 3 and lasted through the 1-month follow-up (all P's <0.001 except for week 3, which was 0.006), with clinically significant differences as follows: week 6 - RR 0.28 [95% confidence interval, 0.10, 0.79]; week 11 - RR 0.17 [95%CI, 0.03, 1.07]. Similar findings were seen for MDASI-HN scores and MDASI-Intrusion scores. Group differences for UWSFR and SSFR were not found. CONCLUSIONS: In this small pilot study, true acupuncture given concurrently with radiotherapy significantly reduced xerostomia symptoms and improved QOL when compared with sham acupuncture. Large-scale, multi-centre, randomised and placebo-controlled trials are now needed.

Randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for prevention of radiation-induced xerostomia among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Xerostomia (dry mouth) after head/neck radiation is a common problem among cancer patients, and available treatments are of little benefit. The objective of this trial was to determine whether acupuncture can prevent xerostomia among head/neck patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: A randomized, controlled trial among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma was conducted comparing acupuncture to standard care. Participants were treated at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. Forty patients were randomized to acupuncture treatment and 46 to standard care. Patients were treated 3×/wk on the same days they received radiotherapy. Subjective measures included the Xerostomia Questionnaire and MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Head and Neck (MDASI-HN). Objective measures were unstimulated and stimulated whole salivary flow rates. Patients were followed for 6 months after the end of radiotherapy. RESULTS: Xerostomia Questionnaire scores for acupuncture were statistically significantly lower than for controls starting in week 3 through the 6 months (P = .003 at week 3, all other P < .0001), with clinically significant differences as follows: week 11, relative risk (RR) 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.87); 6 months, RR 0.38 (95% CI, 0.19-0.76). Similar findings were seen for MDASI-HN scores. Group differences emerged as early as 3 weeks into treatment for saliva (unstimulated whole salivary flow rate, P = .0004), with greater saliva flow in the acupuncture group at week 7 (unstimulated whole salivary flow rate, P < .0001; stimulated whole salivary flow rate, P = .002) and 11 (unstimulated whole salivary flow rate, P < .02; stimulated whole salivary flow rate, P < .03) and at 6 months (stimulated whole salivary flow rate, P < .003). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture given concurrently with radiotherapy significantly reduced xerostomia and improved quality of life.

Electro-acupuncture to prevent prolonged postoperative ileus: a randomized clinical trial.

AIM: To examine whether acupuncture can prevent prolonged postoperative ileus (PPOI) after intraperitoneal surgery for colon cancer. METHODS: Ninety patients were recruited from the Fudan University Cancer Hospital, Shanghai, China. After surgery, patients were randomized to receive acupuncture (once daily, starting on postoperative day 1, for up to six consecutive days) or usual care. PPOI was defined as an inability to pass flatus or have a bowel movement by 96 h after surgery. The main outcomes were time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, and electrogastroenterography. Secondary outcomes were quality of life (QOL) measures, including pain, nausea, insomnia, abdominal distension/fullness, and sense of well-being. RESULTS: No significant differences in PPOI on day 4 (P = 0.71) or QOL measures were found between the groups. There were also no group differences when the data were analyzed by examining those whose PPOI had resolved by day 5 (P = 0.69) or day 6 (P = 0.88). No adverse events related to acupuncture were reported. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture did not prevent PPOI and was not useful for treating PPOI once it had developed in this population.

[Clinical observation on electric stimulation of Yongquan (KI 1) for prevention of nausea and vomiting induced by Cisplatin].

OBJECTIVE: To search for an effective method for controlling nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy. METHODS: Eighty-eight cases of hepatic cancer with interventional therapy of Cisplatin were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 44 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with an antiemetic and electroacupuncture at Yongquan (KI 1), and the control group only with the antiementic. The controlling rates for nausea and vomiting were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The controlling rates for acute nausea, vomiting and delayed vomiting in the treatment group were better than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture at Yongquan (KI 1) can better prevent and improve the symptoms of nausea and vomiting in the patient with chemotherapy of Cisplatin.