Alanine supplementation exploits glutamine dependency induced by SMARCA4/2-loss.

SMARCA4 (BRG1) and SMARCA2 (BRM) are the two paralogous ATPases of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes frequently inactivated in cancers. Cells deficient in either ATPase have been shown to depend on the remaining counterpart for survival. Contrary to this paralog synthetic lethality, concomitant loss of SMARCA4/2 occurs in a subset of cancers associated with very poor outcomes. Here, we uncover that SMARCA4/2-loss represses expression of the glucose transporter GLUT1, causing reduced glucose uptake and glycolysis accompanied with increased dependency on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS); adapting to this, these SMARCA4/2-deficient cells rely on elevated SLC38A2, an amino acid transporter, to increase glutamine import for fueling OXPHOS. Consequently, SMARCA4/2-deficient cells and tumors are highly sensitive to inhibitors targeting OXPHOS or glutamine metabolism. Furthermore, supplementation of alanine, also imported by SLC38A2, restricts glutamine uptake through competition and selectively induces death in SMARCA4/2-deficient cancer cells. At a clinically relevant dose, alanine supplementation synergizes with OXPHOS inhibition or conventional chemotherapy eliciting marked antitumor activity in patient-derived xenografts. Our findings reveal multiple druggable vulnerabilities of SMARCA4/2-loss exploiting a GLUT1/SLC38A2-mediated metabolic shift. Particularly, unlike dietary deprivation approaches, alanine supplementation can be readily applied to current regimens for better treatment of these aggressive cancers.

Identification of multi-target anti-cancer agents from TCM formula by in silico prediction and in vitro validation / 中国天然药物

Cancer is a complex disease associated with multiple gene mutations and malignant phenotypes, and multi-target drugs provide a promising therapy idea for the treatment of cancer. Natural products with abundant chemical structure types and rich pharmacological characteristics could be ideal sources for screening multi-target antineoplastic drugs. In this paper, 50 tumor-related targets were collected by searching the Therapeutic Target Database and Thomson Reuters Integrity database, and a multi-target anti-cancer prediction system based on mt-QSAR models was constructed by using naïve Bayesian and recursive partitioning algorithm for the first time. Through the multi-target anti-cancer prediction system, some dominant fragments that act on multiple tumor-related targets were analyzed, which could be helpful in designing multi-target anti-cancer drugs. Anti-cancer traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its natural products were collected to form a TCM formula-based natural products library, and the potential targets of the natural products in the library were predicted by multi-target anti-cancer prediction system. As a result, alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids were predicted to act on multiple tumor-related targets. The predicted targets of some representative compounds were verified according to literature review and most of the selected natural compounds were found to exert certain anti-cancer activity in vitro biological experiments. In conclusion, the multi-target anti-cancer prediction system is very effective and reliable, and it could be further used for elucidating the functional mechanism of anti-cancer TCM formula and screening for multi-target anti-cancer drugs. The anti-cancer natural compounds found in this paper will lay important information for further study.

Phage Cocktail Therapy: Multiple Ways to Suppress Pathogenicity.

Phage cocktails have emerged as precision tools for controlling plant bacterial diseases. Wang et al. now report that phage cocktails decreased the occurrence of tomato bacterial wilt disease efficiently by infecting and destroying bacterial pathogens, selecting phage-resistant but slow-growing pathogen strains, and fostering bacterial species that are antagonistic to the pathogens.

Effect of New Dayuan powder on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of New Dayuan powder (NDYP) on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilms and the embedded bacteria in vitro. METHODS: 2,3-Bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) assays were used to study the effects of NDYP on developing MRSA biofilms: 100 µL of bacterial culture and 100 µL drug solution were added to wells of 96-well plates. After 24 h of incubation, the plates were washed and XTT-phenazine methyl sulfate (PMS) was added to enable counting of the number of live bacteria in biofilms using a microplate reader. XTT assays were also used to explore the effects of NDYP on mature MRSA biofilms: 100 µL of bacterial culture were added to wells of 96-well plates. Bacteria were cultured in the plates for 24 h, and then drug solution was added. The plates were cultured for another 24 h, and then XTT-PMS was added to detect the number of live bacteria in the biofilms. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the effects of NDYP on mature MRSA biofilms: washed and sterilized glass coverslips were added to 24-well plates. Bacterial culture was added. After 24 h of incubation, drug solution was added. After another 24 h of incubation, the samples were observed by SEM. RESULTS: XTT assays showed that the number of live bacteria in both developing and mature MRSA biofilms decreased significantly (P < 0.01) after the administration of NDYP. SEM images showed that NDYP could destroy the structure of the bacteria and resulted in uneven thickness of MRSA biofilms. CONCLUSION: In vitro, NDYP has obvious inhibitory effects on the formation of MRSA biofilms and on mature biofilms.

Improving seed germination and oil contents by regulating the GDSL transcriptional level in Brassica napus.

KEY MESSAGE: Seed germination rate and oil content can be regulated at theGDSL transcriptional level by eitherAtGDSL1 orBnGDSL1 inB. napus. Gly-Asp-Ser-Leu (GDSL)-motif lipases represent an important subfamily of lipolytic enzymes, which play important roles in lipid metabolism, seed development, abiotic stress, and pathogen defense. In the present study, two closely related GDSL-motif lipases, Brassica napus GDSL1 and Arabidopsis thaliana GDSL1, were characterized as functioning in regulating germination rate and seed oil content in B. napus. AtGDSL1 and BnGDSL1 overexpression lines showed an increased seed germination rate and improved seedling establishment compared with wild type. Meanwhile, the constitutive overexpression of AtGDSL1 and BnGDSL1 promoted lipid catabolism and decreased the seed oil content. While RNAi-mediated suppression of BnGDSL1 (Bngdsl1) in B. napus improved the seed oil content and decreased seed germination rate. Moreover, the Bngdsl1 transgenic seeds showed changes in the fatty acid (FA) composition, featuring an increase in C18:1 and a decrease in C18:2 and C18:3. The transcriptional levels of six related core enzymes involved in FA mobilization were all elevated in the AtGDSL1 and BnGDSL1 overexpression lines, but strongly suppressed in the Bngdsl1 transgenic line. These results suggest that improving the seed germination and seed oil content in B. napus could be achieved by regulating the GDSL transcriptional level.

Structural characterization of a pectin-type polysaccharide from Curcuma kwangsiensis and its effects on reversing MDSC-mediated T cell suppression.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) accumulate in tumor-bearing hosts and play a major role in tumor-induced immunosuppression. The potent modulatory effects of polysaccharides on the innate and adaptive immune system stimulate antitumor responses. In this study, a polysaccharide with an apparent molecular weight of 14.0 kD was isolated from Curcuma kwangsiensis and designated as CKAP-2. The polysaccharide was characterized through high-performance gel permeation chromatography, chemical derivative analyses, GC-MS, FT-IR, and NMR. Results revealed that CKAP-2 is a highly methyl-esterified pectin-type polysaccharide. It is predominantly composed of a homogalacturonan region and small amounts of type-I rhamonogalacturonan regions. Its degree of methyl-esterification is approximately 62.4%. The effect of CKAP-2 on MDSC-medicated immunosuppression was primarily tested. CKAP-2 recovered the MSC2-supressed proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. This finding suggested that CKAP-2 can reverse MDSC-mediated T-cell suppression and that CKAP-2 can be potentially applied in antitumor therapy.

Boschniakia Rossica Polysaccharide Triggers Laryngeal Carcinoma Cell Apoptosis by Regulating Expression of Bcl-2, Caspase-3, and P53.

BACKGROUND Laryngeal cancer is a malignant head and neck tumor with high morbidity and high mortality in humans. Recently, treatments with Chinese medicines and their extracts have gradually received great attention, and studies suggest that Boschniakia rossica polysaccharide (BRP) has potential anti-tumor activity. Therefore, this study investigating the role of BRP in inducing apoptosis in human laryngeal carcinoma cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS The BRP was extracted with organic solvent and HR column. We treated Hep2 laryngeal carcinoma cells with different concentrations of BRP, then assessed cell growth inhibition rate by flow cytometry and apoptosis index by TUNEL staining. The protein expression of p53, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS Flow cytometry results showed that BRP inhibited Hep2 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05), and TUNEL staining indicated that BRP significantly increased Hep2 apoptosis index (p<0.05). Western blot results showed that the expression levels of p53 and activation of caspase-3 in Hep2 cells were significantly up-regulated (p<0.05), while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly down-regulated (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS BRP might induce cell apoptosis by regulating the expression level of cell apoptosis-associated proteins, suggesting strong anti-laryngeal cancer activity.

RNA-Seq Links the Transcription Factors AINTEGUMENTA and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 to Cell Wall Remodeling and Plant Defense Pathways.

AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 (AIL6) are two related transcription factors in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) that have partially overlapping roles in several aspects of flower development, including floral organ initiation, identity specification, growth, and patterning. To better understand the biological processes regulated by these two transcription factors, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) on ant ail6 double mutants. We identified thousands of genes that are differentially expressed in the double mutant compared with the wild type. Analyses of these genes suggest that ANT and AIL6 regulate floral organ initiation and growth through modifications to the cell wall polysaccharide pectin. We found reduced levels of demethylesterified homogalacturonan and altered patterns of auxin accumulation in early stages of ant ail6 flower development. The RNA-Seq experiment also revealed cross-regulation of AIL gene expression at the transcriptional level. The presence of a number of overrepresented Gene Ontology terms related to plant defense in the set of genes differentially expressed in ant ail6 suggest that ANT and AIL6 also regulate plant defense pathways. Furthermore, we found that ant ail6 plants have elevated levels of two defense hormones: salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, and show increased resistance to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae These results suggest that ANT and AIL6 regulate biological pathways that are critical for both development and defense.

[Influence of electroacupuncture stimulation of delivery-facilitating acupoints with different stimulating parameters on serum endocrine hormones of late-stage pregnant rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6; a classical delivery-facilitating acupoint recipe) at different parameters on endocrine hormone levels of late-stage pregnant rats, so as to find the better stimulation parameters for delivery facilitation. METHODS: Ninety-six female Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight groups: normal control (normal), pregnancy (model), EA-15 Hz, EA-30 Hz, EA-50 Hz, EA-2 Hz/ 15 Hz, EA-2 Hz/30 Hz and EA-2 Hz/50 Hz, with 12 rats in each group except EA-30 Hz group (n = 10). EA stimulation (0.2 to 0. 3 mA) was delivered to bilateral LI 4 for 20 min and then bilateral SP 6 for 5 min (25 min). The contents of serum estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, serum E2, P and PGE2 contents were significantly increased in the pregnancy model group (P<0.01), and E2/ P level was downregulated mildly (P>0.05). Compared with the model group, the contents of serum E2 in the EA-15 Hz, EA-30 Hz, EA-50 Hz, EA-2 Hz/15 Hz and EA-2 Hz/50 Hz groups, serum PGE2 contents in the EA-15 Hz, EA-30 Hz and EA-2 Hz/50 Hz groups, and E2/P levels in the EA-15 Hz, EA-30 Hz, EA-50 Hz and EA-2 Hz/50 Hz groups were significantly increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), whereas serum P contents in the EA-15 Hz, EA-30 Hz, EA-50 Hz and EA-2 Hz/50 Hz groups were significantly down-regulated (P<0. 01, P<0. 05). The effects of EA-2 Hz/50 Hz group were significantly superior to those of EA-2 Hz/15 Hz and EA-2 Hz/ 30 Hz groups in raising serum E2 and E2/P levels (P<0.05, P<0.01). No significant differences were found among the EA-15 Hz, EA-30 Hz, EA-50 Hz and EA-2 Hz/50 Hz groups in raising serum E2, PGE2 and E2/P levels, and among the EA-30 Hz, EA-50 Hz and EA-2 Hz/50 Hz groups in lowering serum P levels (P>0. 05). It displayed that the effects of EA at 15 Hz, 30 Hz and 2 Hz/50 Hz on the abovementioned 4 indexes were relatively better. CONCLUSION: EA of LI 4 and SP 6 at 15 Hz, 30 Hz and 2 Hz/ 50 Hz can effectively up-regulate serum E2, PGE2 and E2/P levels and down-regulate serum P content in pregnancy rats, which may contribute to its effect in promoting labor.

Soy isoflavone supplementation could reduce body weight and improve glucose metabolism in non-Asian postmenopausal women--a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and a meta-analysis to confirm the effects of soy isoflavone supplementation on body weight, fasting glucose, and insulin level in non-Asian postmenopausal women. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases up to October 2010 for randomized controlled trials regarding the effects of isoflavone supplementation on body weight, fasting glucose, and insulin level. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the fixed-and-random-effects model. RESULTS: Nine studies with 528 participants for body weight, 11 studies with 1182 participants for fasting glucose, and 11 studies with 1142 participants for fasting insulin were included, respectively. Significant reductions were found in body weight [weighted mean difference (WMD), -0.515; 95%CI: -0.895 to -0.134; P = 0.008), glucose level (WMD, -0.189; 95%CI: -0.344 to -0.033), and fasting insulin level (WMD, -0.940; 95%CI: -1.721 to -0.159) with soy isoflavone supplementation compared with placebo control group in non-Asian postmenopausal women after adjusted by unpublished studies. Furthermore, isoflavone supplementation in shorter duration (<6 mo) could significantly reduce body weight (WMD, -0.506; 95%CI: -0.888 to -0.124; P = 0.009) and longer duration (≥ 6 mo) could significantly reduce blood glucose in postmenopausal women (WMD, -0.270; 95%CI: -0.430 to -0.110; P = 0.001). Meanwhile, more reduction in body weight was observed in the lower dose subgroup (dose < 100 mg). Moreover, it is more effective to reduce body weight and fasting insulin level with soy isoflavone supplementation in normal weight (body mass index < 30) than obese (body mass index ≥ 30) women. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed soy isoflavone supplementation could be beneficial for body weight reduction, glucose, and insulin control in plasma. Large and well-designed studies are recommended to confirm this conclusion.

[Progress on the research of acupuncture's role in anti-early pregnancy in recent 9 years].

Through CNKI retrieval, 40 articles were selected from Medical Journals published between January 2003 and December 2011, and the study designs, intervention methods and conclusions of the articles were analyzed. It turned out that in the area of clinical research, the main usage of acupuncture was assist treatment of artificial abortion and drug-induced abortion: in artificial abortion, acupuncture can play a role in analgesia, artificial abortion syndrome relieving, and cervix dilating, while in the drug induced abortion, acupuncture can play a role in improving completed abortion rate, accelerating foetal sac release, decreasing side effects and regulating postoperative bleeding. In mechanism research, the effect of acupuncture on uterine tissue was revealed in terms of neuroendocrine. Although the certain role of acupuncture in assisting artificial abortion and drug-induced abortion has been confirmed in numerous clinical trials, its mechanism revealing was limited. The further study should focus on improving research method, acupuncture manipulation standardization and stimulation parameters optimization. What's more, the revealing of acupuncture's role in anti-early pregnancy should be emphasized to improve its effectiveness and scientificalness.

[Protective effects of astragaloside IV on high-glucose-induced damage of retinal ganglion cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effects of astragaloside IV on retinal ganglion cells (RGC) incubated under high glucose. METHODS: Cultured RGC-5 were divided into 3 groups: control, high glucose and high glucose+astragaloside IV. The survival rate of cell was measured by CCK-8 kit and flow cytometry. The changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were monitored by confocal laser scanning microscopy while those of RGC-5 mitochondria observed by electron microscopy. RESULTS: When the cell survival rate was 100% in the control group, the survival rate improved after 1 h 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 µg/ml astragaloside IV pretreatment and high-glucose culture. The cell survival rates for 100 mg/L, 200 mg/L of astragaloside IV were 81.6%, 80.0%, the difference from the high glucose group (66%) was significant (P < 0.05) and 100 mg/L of astragaloside IV was the best protection concentration. The apoptotic rate for 100 mg/L astragaloside IV pretreated group of RGC-5 cell was 6.1%. And it could partially inhibit the RGC-5 cell apoptosis caused by high glucose (8.2%) (P < 0.05). In the high-glucose group, the cells showed marked increases in mitochondrial swelling, especially for cristae. Numerous normal mitochondria were observed in 100 mg/L astragaloside IV pretreated group. Astragaloside IV could elevate mitochondrial membrane potential and alleviate mitochondrial swelling. CONCLUSION: Astragaloside IV can protect RGC from high-glucose induced damage and may benefit the patients with diabetic retinopathy.

[Effect of the optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement on cervical ripening in late-stage pregnant rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the mechanism of the optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement on cervical ripening based on the molecular biology by observing related indices of cervical ripening in late-stage pregnant rats. METHODS: Twenty initial pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture (EA) group (n = 10) and a model group (n = 10), and other 10 non-pregnancy female rats with same lot were selected as a blank control group. EA group was treated with the optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement on the 20th day of pregnant, which performed EA at bilateral "Hegu" (LI 4) for 20 min and then at bilateral "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 5 min with 2 Hz/50 Hz sparse-dense wave, while the other groups without acupuncture intervention. The contents of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) in cervix tissue were detected by ELISA method. RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group, the contents of MMP-9 and IL-8 in the model group were increased significantly (both P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the contents of MMP-9 and IL-8 in the EA group were increased significantly (P < or = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement can increase the contents of MMP-9 and IL-8 in cervix tissue of late-stage pregnant rats so as to promote cervical ripening, and the mechanism of EA in promoting cervical ripening is explained from the perspective of molecular biology.

[Discussion of 2011 Tokyo Declaration on Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion].

The contents of 2011 Tokyo Declaration on Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Declaration for short) and its effect on development situation, current status, features, opportunities and challenges of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion are introduced, some proposals brought up in the Declaration are analyzed as well. The Declaration summarizes six characteristics of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion, including paying great attention to palpation techniques such as pulse and abdominal diagnosis, always selecting response point in the meridian during acupuncture treatment, etc. Also six proposals have been brought up to promote the development of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion, such as being devoted to spread the latest knowledge of acupuncture and moxibustion to medical professionals and the public in order to get correct understanding and proper evaluation, etc. What's more, the Declaration makes a prospection of improving international academic exchange and promoting the globalization of acupuncture and moxibustion and so on. The Declaration is served as a link between past and future in the history and developing process of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion, which has a great meaning to the development of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion. We should have a clear understanding of weakness and strength in the development of acupuncture and moxibustion, seize the opportunity and develop science of acupuncture and moxibustion with our own characteristics, which makes more contribution to development of international acupuncture and moxibustion.

Discussion of 2011 Tokyo Declaration on Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion / 中国针灸

The contents of 2011 Tokyo Declaration on Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Declaration for short) and its effect on development situation, current status, features, opportunities and challenges of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion are introduced, some proposals brought up in the Declaration are analyzed as well. The Declaration summarizes six characteristics of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion, including paying great attention to palpation techniques such as pulse and abdominal diagnosis, always selecting response point in the meridian during acupuncture treatment, etc. Also six proposals have been brought up to promote the development of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion, such as being devoted to spread the latest knowledge of acupuncture and moxibustion to medical professionals and the public in order to get correct understanding and proper evaluation, etc. What's more, the Declaration makes a prospection of improving international academic exchange and promoting the globalization of acupuncture and moxibustion and so on. The Declaration is served as a link between past and future in the history and developing process of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion, which has a great meaning to the development of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion. We should have a clear understanding of weakness and strength in the development of acupuncture and moxibustion, seize the opportunity and develop science of acupuncture and moxibustion with our own characteristics, which makes more contribution to development of international acupuncture and moxibustion.

Effect of the optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement on cervical ripening in late-stage pregnant rats / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the mechanism of the optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement on cervical ripening based on the molecular biology by observing related indices of cervical ripening in late-stage pregnant rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty initial pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture (EA) group (n = 10) and a model group (n = 10), and other 10 non-pregnancy female rats with same lot were selected as a blank control group. EA group was treated with the optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement on the 20th day of pregnant, which performed EA at bilateral "Hegu" (LI 4) for 20 min and then at bilateral "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 5 min with 2 Hz/50 Hz sparse-dense wave, while the other groups without acupuncture intervention. The contents of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) in cervix tissue were detected by ELISA method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the blank control group, the contents of MMP-9 and IL-8 in the model group were increased significantly (both P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the contents of MMP-9 and IL-8 in the EA group were increased significantly (P < or = 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Optimized traditional acupuncture prescription for accouchement can increase the contents of MMP-9 and IL-8 in cervix tissue of late-stage pregnant rats so as to promote cervical ripening, and the mechanism of EA in promoting cervical ripening is explained from the perspective of molecular biology.</p>

Progress on the research of acupuncture's role in anti-early pregnancy in recent 9 years / 中国针灸

Through CNKI retrieval, 40 articles were selected from Medical Journals published between January 2003 and December 2011, and the study designs, intervention methods and conclusions of the articles were analyzed. It turned out that in the area of clinical research, the main usage of acupuncture was assist treatment of artificial abortion and drug-induced abortion: in artificial abortion, acupuncture can play a role in analgesia, artificial abortion syndrome relieving, and cervix dilating, while in the drug induced abortion, acupuncture can play a role in improving completed abortion rate, accelerating foetal sac release, decreasing side effects and regulating postoperative bleeding. In mechanism research, the effect of acupuncture on uterine tissue was revealed in terms of neuroendocrine. Although the certain role of acupuncture in assisting artificial abortion and drug-induced abortion has been confirmed in numerous clinical trials, its mechanism revealing was limited. The further study should focus on improving research method, acupuncture manipulation standardization and stimulation parameters optimization. What's more, the revealing of acupuncture's role in anti-early pregnancy should be emphasized to improve its effectiveness and scientificalness.

[Effects of electroacupuncture at points of a traditional acupuncture formula that induces labor with different parameters on uterine contractility in late-stage pregnant rats].

OBJECTIVE: To select the most effective parameters of electroacupuncture (EA) at Hegu (LI4) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), a traditional acupuncture formula that induces labor, by comparing its effects on uterine contraction in late-stage pregnant rats, so as to improve the effects of acupuncture on induction of labor and its clinical maneuverability and provide the basis for further mechanism research. METHODS: One hundred and eight female healthy adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight groups including one non-pregnancy control group (normal control group) and seven pregnant groups. Pregnant rats were prepared by free mating and vaginal plugs observation method and were randomly divided into six EA groups and one no EA group (model group) according to the requirements of a 2×3 factorial design. EA parameters included 2 types of waves (continuous wave and sparse-dense wave) and 3 types of frequency (15, 30 and 50 Hz). Rats in treatment groups received EA on bilateral LI4 for 20 min and then bilateral SP6 for 5 min with certain parameters accordingly. Each acupoint and a nearby non-acupoint at the proximal end (2 to 3 mm from the acupoint) were connected with two leads of one EA line. The current intensity of EA was 0.2 to 0.3 mA. A muscle tension transducer and the BL-420 Biological Experimental System were placed on the lower uterine segment of rats for detecting contractility, frequency and lasting-time of contraction wave. RESULTS: Compared with non-pregnancy control group, the amplitude, frequency and lasting time of contraction waves of uterine contraction in all EA groups and model group were significantly increased. Compared with control group, amplitudes of contraction waves of uterine contraction of both EA1 group (15 Hz continuous wave) and EA6 group (2/50 Hz sparse-dense wave) were significantly increased (P<0.01 or P<0.05); frequency of contraction waves of uterine contraction of EA6 group was significantly increased (P<0.01 or P<0.05); lasting time of contraction waves of uterine contraction of EA1 group, EA5 group (2/30 Hz sparse-dense wave) and EA6 group were significantly increased (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Comparisons between EA6 group and the other EA groups showed that, EA6 group had significantly higher levels of amplitude and frequency of contraction waves of uterine contraction than the other EA groups (P<0.01 or P<0.05) except EA1 group, there was no significant difference between EA1 group and EA6 group (P>0.05), but the mean value of EA6 group was higher than that of EA1 group; EA6 group had significantly higher levels of lasting time of contraction waves of uterine contraction than the other EA groups (P<0.01 or P<0.05) except EA1 group and EA5 group, there was no significant difference between EA6 group and EA1 group or EA5 group (P>0.05), but the mean value of EA6 group was higher than EA1 group and EA5 group. CONCLUSION: EA with sparse-dense wave (2 Hz sparse wave and 50 Hz dense wave, alternately) at LI4 and SP6 was more effective than other EA parameters for increasing uterine contraction amplitude, frequency, and lasting-time of contraction waves in late-stage pregnant rats. This combination of electric wave and frequency for EA at LI4 and SP6, a traditional acupuncture formula for inducing labor, is recommended to be applied in clinical practice for parturition as well as for treatment of uterine atony.

Prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET-CT metabolic index for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and metabolic index (MI) from fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: From October 2002 to July 2004, 41 patients with NPC who underwent (18)F-FDG PET-CT scan before and after radiotherapy were reviewed retrospectively. All patients received intensity-modulated radiotherapy using 6MV X-rays. We examined the association of MTV and the results of long-term follow-up of the patients. RESULTS: Patients having tumors with an MTV below 30 cm(3) had significantly better 5-year overall survival (OS) (84.6:46.7%, P = 0.006) and disease-free survival (DFS) (73.1:40.0%, P = 0.014) than patients with an MTV of 30 cm(3) or greater. And the patients with MI below 130 had significantly higher 5-year OS (88.0:43.8%, P = 0.002) and DFS (76.0:37.5%, P = 0.005) than other patients. In the Cox multivariate analysis, MI and metabolic response (MR) were predictive of DFS, and we did not find a significant relationship between standard uptake value (SUV) and OS or DFS. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that tumor volume parameters, especially the combination of MTV and SUV in the "metabolic index", are valuable for predicting long-term survival. High MI may be useful for identifying patients requiring more aggressive treatment.