[Analysis of theoretical basis and clinical application of dog-days moxibustion].

The present situation of the clinical application of dog-days moxibustion (moxibustion applied in the three periods of the hot season) is summarized so as to provide the guide for the theoretic study and clinical application of dog-days moxibustion. The intervention time of dog-days moxibustion is on the 1st day of each of the three periods of the hot season. Simultaneously, the geographic factors are considered. The disorders of lung system are mostly dominant among the indications of dog-days moxibustion, complicated with spleen and stomach disorders as well as cold and deficiency syndromes/patterns. The acupoints are mainly selected from the front-mu points on the chest and the back-shu points on the back, in combination with the differentiation of diseases, symptoms/patterns and the disorder stages. The duration of treatment is ranged from 1 to 3 years. The clinical therapeutic effect is improved constantly along with the increase of treatment periods by years.

Numb confers to inhibit epithelial mesenchymal transition via ß-catenin/Lin28 signaling pathway in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate role of Numb in the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer. METHODS: Numb and ß-catenin were inhibited in MCF-7 cells using sh-RNA and overexpressed in T47D cells by pcDNA3.0-Numb, pcDNA3.0-ß-catenin. Cell proliferation, invasion and migration were evaluated using MTT and Transwell assay, respectively. ß-catenin, Lin28, and EMT related markers were determined using qRT-PCR and Western Blotting. RESULTS: Knockdown of Numb significantly promoted the proliferation, invasion and migration of MCF-7 cells, further increased the expression of ß-catenin, Lin28, Snail-1, and N-cadherin, as well as decreased E-cadherin. In T47D cells transfected with pcDNA3.0-Numb, the results were quite the reverse. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of Numb could promote the EMT of breast cancer cells via ß-cateni/Lin28 signaling pathway.

Advantages with prophylactic PEG-rhG-CSF versus rhG-CSF in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of myelosuppressive chemotherapy: an open-label, randomized, multicenter phase III study.

BACKGROUND: PEG-rhG-CSF reduces neutropenia and improves chemotherapy safety. In China's registration trial (CFDA: 2006L01305), we assessed its efficacy and safety against rhG-CSF, and prospectively explored its value over multiple cycles of chemotherapy. METHODS: In this open-label, randomized, multicenter phase 3 study, breast cancer patients (n = 569) were randomized to receive PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg, PEG-rhG-CSF 6 mg, or rhG-CSF 5 µg/kg/d after chemotherapy. The primary endpoints were the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycle 1. Secondary endpoints included the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycles 2-4, the incidence of febrile neutropenia, and the safety. RESULTS: A once-per-cycle PEG-rhG-CSF at either 100 µg/kg or 6 mg was not different from daily injections of rhG-CSF for either incidence or duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia. Interestingly, a substantial difference was noted during cycle 2, and the difference became bigger over cycles 3-4, reaching a statistical significance at cycle 4 in either incidence (P = 0.0309) or duration (P = 0.0289) favoring PEG-rhG-CSF. A significant trend toward a lower incidence of all-grade adverse events was noted at 129 (68.98%), 142 (75.53%), and 160 (82.47%) in the PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg and 6 mg and rhG-CSF groups, respectively (P = 0.0085). The corresponding incidence of grade 3/4 drug-related adverse events was 2/187 (1.07%), 1/188 (0.53%), and 8/194 (4.12%), respectively (P = 0.0477). Additionally, PFS in metastatic patients preferred PEG-rhG-CSF to rhG-CSF despite no significance observed by Kaplan-Meier analysis (n = 49, P = 0.153). CONCLUSIONS: PEG-rhG-CSF is a more convenient and safe formulation and a more effective prophylactic measure in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

An epidemiological analysis of paediatric burns in urban and rural areas in south central China.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyse the epidemiology of paediatric burns in south central China, illustrate the differences between rural and urban areas, and discern prevention measures to reduce paediatric burns. METHODS: Data were obtained from all paediatric patients admitted to Department of Burns unit of Xiangya Hospital during 2009-2012. A retrospective review was performed, including cause of burn, pre-hospital treatment, place of burn occurrence, anatomical areas involved, extent of burn, date of injury, number of operations, complications, length of hospital stay, hospitalisation cost and cure rate. RESULTS: A total of 278 hospitalised paediatric patients were admitted in this study. The majority (56.47%) were 1-3 years old. Rural patients accounted for 67.99% in total; the ratio of boys to girls was 2.05. Scalding with hot fluids was the most common cause of burns in children (62.59%), followed by flame (17.63), fireworks (9.71%), electricity (5.76%) and other factors such as contact and chemical (4.32%). The living room was the location with the highest frequency of burns in children (53.24%). Burns were more likely to happen in winter and the upper extremities were the most involved anatomic site (53.24%). Total burn surface area (TBSA) ranging from 0% to 9% accounted for 55.4% in total. Rural patients underwent more operations and had longer and costlier hospital stays than urban patients. CONCLUSION: Compared with treatment in urban areas, rural burn patients received less first-aid treatment, underwent more surgery, had more complications and longer and more costly hospital stays. This finding strongly suggests that it is necessary to make more efforts to prevent burns, especially in rural areas.

Interleukin-2 gene polymorphisms and prognosis of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) plays a key role in the proliferation of T cells and natural killer cells. It has been reported that polymorphisms in the IL-2 gene are associated with various cancers. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of polymorphisms in the IL-2 gene on the development of breast cancer in the Chinese population. IL-2-330T/G and +114T/G polymorphisms were assessed in 638 breast cancer cases and 682 age-matched healthy controls. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results showed that individuals with -330TG genotype and -330GG genotype had significantly increased susceptibility to breast cancer (Odds ratio [OR]=1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.79, p=0.0021 and OR=2.26, 95%CI: 1.53-3.30, p<0.0001). The +114T/G polymorphism did not show any correlation with breast cancer. In addition, when analyzing the survival time of breast cancer patients with IL-2-330T/G polymorphism, cases with a -330G allele had significantly shorter survival time compared with wild-type patients (p=0.002). These results suggested that polymorphism in the IL-2 gene was associated with increased susceptibility to breast cancer and could be used as a prognostic marker for this malignancy.