Curcumin inhibits cell proliferation and migration in NSCLC through a synergistic effect on the TLR4/MyD88 and EGFR pathways.

Despite the increasing number of available therapeutic methods, the prognosis of non­small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poor. Furthermore, side effects are an important limiting factor in the treatment of NSCLC. Therefore, developing an efficacious, safe, affordable and easily accessible chemotherapeutic agent is necessary for NSCLC treatment. As a natural chemical produced by Zingiberaceae plants, curcumin exerts distinct antitumor effects on several tumor types. In the present study, curcumin was observed to inhibit not only cell proliferation and cell cycle transition, but also cell migration in NSCLC, as determined by a series of experiments (such as MTS assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometric analysis, Transwell migration assay and western blotting). Mechanistically, curcumin induced G2/M phase arrest by controlling cell cycle­ and epithelial­mesenchymal transition (EMT)­related checkpoints. Furthermore, curcumin significantly inhibited the expression of Toll­like receptor 4 (TLR4)/MyD88 and EGFR in a dose­ and time­dependent manner. Conversely, EGF reversed the inhibitory action of curcumin on TLR4/MyD88. In clinical specimens, TLR4 and MyD88 were highly expressed in NSCLC tissues, and a significant positive association was observed between TLR4 and MyD88 expression. These data suggested that curcumin may control the EGFR and TLR4/MyD88 pathways to synergistically downregulate downstream cell cycle­ and EMT­related regulators, in order to block cell proliferation and metastasis in NSCLC. These findings provide evidence for the clinical application of curcumin.

The relationship between coping styles and benefit finding of Chinese cancer patients: The mediating role of distress.

PURPOSE: To identify the relationship of medical coping styles and benefit finding in Chinese early-stage cancer patients by preliminary pilot study. METHOD: Three hundred and fifty one cancer patients were recruited from the Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University medical college and the Nantong Tumor Hospital in this study. Measurements were Chinese Benefit Finding Scale, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire- Chinese version and Distress Thermometer. Regression analysis and pathway analysis were employed to identify the correlation of medical coping styles and benefit finding, and the mediating role of distress. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analyses showed that confrontation coping style explained 24% of the variance in benefit finding, controlling for demographics and medical variables. While confrontation and resignation coping styles explained 10% and 6% of variance in distress separately. Pathway analyses implied that distress was found to mediate the effect of confrontation coping style on benefit finding in our study. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested an indirect association between medical coping styles and benefit finding, and a negative correlation of distress to medical coping styles and benefit finding. These results indicated that medical coping styles could influence benefit finding through distress.

Objectively Assessed Exercise Behavior in Chinese Patients with Early-Stage Cancer: A Predictor of Perceived Benefits, Communication with Doctors, Medical Coping Modes, Depression and Quality of Life.

This study sought to identify factors associated with objectively assessed exercise behavior in Chinese patients with early-stage cancer. Three hundred and fifty one cancer patients were recruited from the Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University Medical College and the Nantong Tumor Hospital. One-way ANOVA, Pearson Chi-square tests and regression analysis were employed to identify the correlations between physical exercise and the measured factors. The results showed that occupation type (χ2 = 14.065; p = 0.029), monthly individual monthly income level (χ2 = 24.795; p = 0.003), BMI (χ2 = 15.709; p = 0.015) and diagnosis (χ2 = 42.442; p < 0.000) were significantly correlated with the subjects self-reported exercise with different frequency per week. Differences in the frequency of exercise were associated with different degrees of reported Benefit Finding (BF) (F = 24.651; p < 0.000), communication with doctors (F = 15.285; p < 0.000), medical coping modes (F = 45.912; p < 0.000), social support (F = 2.938; p = 0.030), depression (F = 6.017; p < 0.000), and quality of life (F = 12.288; p < 0.000). Multiple regression analysis showed that 1.6%-6.4% of the variance in five variables, excluding social support and optimism could be explained by exercise. Our results indicated that benefit finding, medical coping modes, communication with doctors, social support, depression and quality of life were significantly correlated with exercise. The variance in several psychosocial factors (benefit finding, medical coping modes, the communication with doctors, depression and quality of life) could be explained by exercise. Psychosocial factors should be addressed and examined over time when evaluating the effect of physical exercise that is prescribed as a clinically relevant treatment.

Application and evaluation of Benefit Finding Scale (BFS) in early-stage cancer patients from China.

PURPOSE: To adapt the Benefit Finding Scale (BFS) from English to a Chinese version after considering cross-cultural influences, to validate the tool for assessing benefit in Chinese-speaking patients with early-stage cancer, and to analyze the relationships between BF and sociodemographic and disease-related variables. METHODS: In part I of the study, the Chinese BFS was adapted from the English version by developing guidelines after due consideration for cross-cultural influences. The translation validity index was used for assessing the quality of translation, and further refining was carried out by administering the scale on early-stage cancer patients (N1 = 200, N2 = 351) in part II and III. The Chinese version of the BFS was analyzed for reliability, dimensionality and construct validity. Relationships between BF and sociodemographic and disease-related variables were analyzed by ANOVA and regression models. RESULTS: The Chinese BFS was received favorably by patients during the preliminary testing. Cronbach's alpha and interclass correlation coefficients exceeded 0.7, and factor analysis yielded six factors. Convergent validity, discriminant validity and concurrent validity results indicated a satisfactory psychometric value. Sociodemographic and disease-related predictors of BF were observed. CONCLUSION: The Chinese BFS demonstrated good patient acceptability and exhibited strong psychometric properties among Chinese patients with early-stage cancer. There were differences between Chinese cancer patients' benefit finding and patients with cancer in foreign countries, domestic cancer patients revealed high score in social relationship and family relationship dimension. Educational level, monthly individual income, treatment and physical exercise were the predictors of Chinese cancer patients' benefit finding.

Contact damage failure analyses of fretting wear behavior of the metal stem titanium alloy-bone cement interface.

Although cemented titanium alloy is not favored currently in the Western world for its poor clinical and radiography outcomes, its lower modulus of elasticity and good biocompatibility are instrumental for its ability supporting and transforming physical load, and it is more suitable for usage in Chinese and Japanese populations due to their lower body weights and unique femoral characteristics. Through various friction tests of different cycles, loads and conditions and by examining fretting hysteresis loops, fatigue process curves and wear surfaces, the current study investigated fretting wear characteristics and wear mechanism of titanium alloy stem-bone cement interface. It was found that the combination of loads and displacement affected the wear quantity. Friction coefficient, which was in an inverse relationship to load under the same amplitude, was proportional to amplitudes under the same load. Additionally, calf serum was found to both lubricate and erode the wear interface. Moreover, cement fatigue contact areas appeared black/oxidative in dry and gruel in 25% calf serum. Fatigue scratches were detected within contact areas, and wear scars were found on cement and titanium surfaces, which were concave-shaped and ring concave/ convex-shaped, respectively. The coupling of thermoplastic effect and minimal torque damage has been proposed to be the major reason of contact damage. These data will be important for further studies analyzing metal-cement interface failure performance and solving interface friction and wear debris production issues.

Bond strength analysis of the bone cement- stem interface of hip arthroplasties.

OBJECTIVE: To study and establish the preliminary linear and modified models for the interface shear mechanics performance between implant and bone cement and to explore its damage significance. METHOD: The loosening research between artificial hip joint prosthesis stem and bone cement interface performance can be evaluated by the push-in test. Based on the debonding performance test, the analytical expressions of the average load and displacement from the debonding failure and splitting failure process were deduced and determined. The correlations of the expressions of the average load-displacement and statistical experimental data were analyzed. RESULTS: It demonstrated that the interface debonding failure mechanical model could be characterized as interface bond strength mechanical performance. Based on analysis of models and experimental data by the three statistical analysis methods, the results indicated the modified model could be better represented by the interfacial debonding strength properties. The bond stress τ and relative sliding s distribution along the embedment regional were coupling affected by both pressure arch effect and shear lag effect in bone cement. Two stress peaks of implant have been found at the distance from 0.175La loading tip to 0.325La free tip, which also verified the early loosening clinical reports for the proximal and latter region. As the bone cement arch effect, the bond stress peak tend to move to the free tip when the debonding failure would be changed into the splitting failure, which presents a preliminary study on the mechanism of early debonding failure for the stem-cement interface. CONCLUSIONS: Functional models of the stem-bone cement interfacial debonding failure are developed to analyze the relevant mechanism. The different locational titanium alloy stress, and the interfacial bond stress and the relative slides are evaluated to acquire a guide of the different positions of interfacial damage. The coupling effect which is original from the pressure arch and the interfacial shear hysteresis cumulative effect has influence on the interfacial debonding and damage process.

[Study on clinical intervention of jiawei shengdan louxie sini fang on coronary heart disease with depression].

OBJECTIVE: To study the differentiation of symptoms and signs of major syndrome factors of traditional Chinese medicine and the efficacy of Jiawei Shengdan Louxie Sini Fang combined with methods for nourishing qi and yin, promoting blood circulation, nourishing heart and kidney, soothing and nourishing liver and reducing phlegm. METHOD: In the randomized controlled clinical trial, patients of coronary heart disease with stable angina and depression are selected and divided into the traditional Chinese medicine intervention group and the western medicine control group. Maintaining the basic treatment with western medicines for coronary heart disease, the Chinese traditional medicine group was administered with Jiawei Shengdan Louxie Sini Fang, while the western medicine control group fluoxetine. RESULT: Compared with the control group, the traditional Chinese medicine group was better in angina curative effect, syndrome curative effect and HAMA rating scale. In the comparison for sign and symptom score, the test group was better than the control group in short of breath, lack of power, self-sweat, night sweats, insomnia, frequent micturition in night, constipation, abdominal distension, frequent deep sigh, pharynx obstruction and dark color of lips. CONCLUSION: Intervention with traditional Chinese medicine can ameliorate angina and other symptoms of whole body. It can also improve anxiety scores of patients in order to reduce the impact of depression and anxiety on coronary heart disease.

[Current situation of research and problems in diagnosis and treatment of senile depression with integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine].

This paper summarized the researches on diagnosis and treatment of senile depression with integrative Chinese and Western medicine in the recent 5 years, and some problems existed at present were also submitted. It is pointed out that it's necessary to expand the study with senior electrocerebral neurotransmitter analysis technique (SET) for the diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of senile depression by either traditional Chinese or Western medicine. By which it would also be able to offer convincing evidence for diagnosis of depression, TCM syndrome differentiation dependant therapy and the efficacy evaluation.