Survey and analysis of the nutritional status in hospitalized patients with malignant gastric tumors and its influence on the quality of life.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The assessment of nutritional status and the quality of life in patients with gastric cancer has become one of the important goals of current clinical treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status in hospitalized gastric cancer patients by using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and to analyze the influence of nutritional status on the patients' quality of life (QOL). METHODS: We reviewed the pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer for 2322 hospitalized patients using PG-SGA to assess their nutritional status and collected data on clinical symptoms, the anthropometric parameters (height, weight, body mass index (BMI), mid-arm circumference (MAC), triceps skin-fold thickness (TSF), and hand-grip strength (HGS). We also collected laboratory data (prealbumin, albumin, hemoglobin) within 48 h after the patient was admitted to the hospital. The 30-item European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used for QOL assessment in all patients. RESULTS: By using PG-SGA, we found 80.4% of the patients were malnourished (score ≥ 4) and 45.1% of the patients required urgent nutritional support (score ≥ 9). In univariate analysis, old age (> 65 years, p < 0.001), female (p = 0.007), residence in a village (p = 0.004), a lower level of education (p < 0.001), and self-paying (p < 0.001) were indicated as risk factors of patients with gastric cancer to be suffering from severe malnutrition. There was a negative correlation between PG-SGA and various nutritional parameters (p < 0.05). The quality of life was significantly different in gastric cancer patients with different nutritional status (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition of hospitalized patients with gastric cancer in China is common and seriously affects the patients' quality of life. The nutritional status should be evaluated in a timely manner and reasonable nutritional intervention should be provided as soon as possible. The PG-SGA was fit for using as a clinical nutrition assessment method, being worthy of clinical application.

Inhibitory effect of baicalin on allergic response in ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis guinea pigs and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human mast cells.

OBJECTIVE: Baicalin, a flavonoid compound purified from the dry roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has generally been used for the treatment of various allergic diseases. However, there is little information about the anti-inflammatory effects of baicalin for allergic rhinitis. This study aims to investigate the anti-allergic effect of baicalin on allergic response in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis guinea pigs and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human mast cells. METHODS: Using in vivo models, we evaluated the effect of baicalin on allergic rhinitis symptoms via recording the number of nasal rubs and sneezes. The levels of histamine, OVA-specific immunoglobulin E(IgE), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and inflammatory cytokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The histological changes of nasal mucosa were observed by light microscope after HE staining. In vitro, the release of histamine and ß-hexosaminidase of compound 48/80-induced human mast cells were measured by ELISA and PNP-NAG colorimetry, respectively. The productions of inflammatory cytokines of LPS-stimulated human mast cells were determined using ELISA. Western blot was used to test the protein expression of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT5, p-STAT5, IKKß, p-IKKß, IκBα, p-IκBα and NF-κB (p65) of LPS-stimulated human mast cells. RESULTS: The oral administration of baicalin at doses of 50 and 200 mg/kg improved allergic rhinitis symptoms and the histological changes of nasal mucosa and decreased the serum levels of histamine, ECP, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and OVA-specific IgE in OVA-induced allergic rhinitis guinea pigs. In vitro, baicalin suppressed the release of histamine and ß-hexosaminidase in compound 48/80-induced human mast cells. In addition, baicalin also inhibited the productions of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α and suppressed the phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT5, IKKß, IκBα and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65) subunit in LPS-stimulated human mast cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that baicalin can effectively prevent allergic response in OVA-induced allergic rhinitis guinea pigs and inhibit inflammatory response via blocking JAK2-STAT5 and NF-κB signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated human mast cells. Considered together,the results show that baicalin may be a useful drug in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

[Canopy interception and water harvesting function of shrubs in urban green spaces of semi-humid region and their influencing factors]. / åŠæ¹¿æ¶¦åœ°åŒºåŸŽå¸‚ç»¿åœ°çŒæœ¨çš„æˆªç•™é›†æ°´åŠŸèƒ½åŠå ¶å½±å“å› ç´ .

In the semi-humid region, developing innovative water conservation urban green space design and facilitating urban greening projects from high water consumption to water conservation are hot topics in research and practice. Using the simulated rainfall method, we explored the water interception and collection functions and their influencing factors of six shrub species (Ligustrum ×vicaryi, Euonymus japonicas, Buxus sinica var. parvifolia, Photinia ×fraseri, Juniperus chinensis and Platycladus orientalis) in urban green space in the semi-humid region. The results showed that canopy interception and water harvesting were two stages in hydrological processes. The canopy interception of coniferous shrubs was high, while their stemflow was low. When the rainfall intensity increased, throughfall rates and stem-flow rates of all shrub species increased significantly, while the interception rate relatively decreased. The throughfall and stem-flow rates of broad-leaved shrubs were significantly higher than those of coniferous shrubs. The canopy interception was significantly lower in broad-leaved shrub species than in coniferous ones. At the center of canopy projection, the throughfall rate was the lowest. The leaf area index (LAI) and throughfall rate decreased gradually from the center of the canopy projection area. When the rainfall intensity was small, the throughfall rate at the center of canopy projection area was low, and thus the interception rate and the stem-flow rate were higher. When the rainfall intensity was more elevated, throughfall at the center of canopy projection area was large, and thus the interception rate and the stem-flow rate were low. With increasing rainfall intensity, the funnel-shaped water collection system tended to shrink due to the increases of throughfall rate at the edge of canopy. Rainfall intensity and LAI were the most critical factors affecting water harvesting function. Planting broad-leaved shrubs under the forest may be more effective in water harvesting than planting coniferous shrubs.

[Preliminary study on molecular mechanism of curcumine anti-mouse melanoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of curcumine on mouse B16 melanoma growth and possible mechanism of Bcl-2, P53 and glutathione in tumor cells. METHODS: The inhibitory effect on growth of melanoma in vivo were examined by mice melanoma models transplanted B16 cells to C57BL/6J mice. MTT method was used to assay the contribution of curcumine to B16 cells in vitro. The apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2, P53 gene of B16 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, and HPLC assay was used to detect the change of GSH in B16 melanom tissues of C57BL/6J mouse caused by curcumine. RESULTS: Curcumine had obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of mouse B16 melanoma in time and dose dependent manner and the gene expression of bcl-2 in B16 cells decreased after 24 hours supplied with curcumine, whereas P53 protein expression increased; Curcumine depressed the GSH quantity in melanoma tissues. CONCLUSION: The growth inhibitory effect of curcumine on mouse melanom is proved in vivo and in vitro respectively. Curcumine can induce some cells to apoptosis which may be relevant to downregulation of bcl-2 expression and upregulation of P53 expression as well as exhaustion of GSH in tumor organization.