Qigong Exercise for Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy and at High Risk for Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Aims and objectives: This study evaluated the effects of a Chinese traditional qigong exercise-monkey frolic in Wuqinxi on depression and quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing chemotherapy and at high risk for depression. Methods: In this prospective, randomized-controlled clinical trial, 80 patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing chemotherapy and at high risk for depression were randomized to an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group participated in qigong exercise five sessions each week and also received conventional treatment for 4 weeks; whereas participants in the control group received conventional treatment only. The primary outcome was the change in depressive symptoms as obtained through the Self-Rating Depression Scale. Automatic negative thoughts and quality of life were measured by the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire-core30, respectively. Analyses were based on analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with the "intention-to-treat" population, defined as all randomized patients by imputing mean of the column in place of missing data. Results: Seventy-nine participants (98.8%) completed the study, 40 in the intervention group and 39 in the control group. Results of ANCOVA revealed that, compared with the control group, the intervention group reported significantly lower depression scores, fewer negative thoughts, and showed significant improvement in global health status and physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functions (p < 0.05) following the intervention. Post-treatment scores for all symptoms in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05), except for financial difficulties. No significant differences between the two groups were present in the adverse events (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Qigong exercise may be useful for relieving depression, reducing negative thoughts, and improving the quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Clinical Trial Registry (#ChiCTR2100043417).

[Effects of toxic fractions of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix on toxicity of mice intestinal tract and colon aquaporins expression level before and after vinegar processing].

To investigate the toxicity changes of Euphorbiae Ebracteolatae Radix (EER) before and after vinegar processing, toxic diterpenoids were concentrated with chloroform as extraction solvent from EER. Then the residue was extracted for non-chloroform extract with 95% ethanol and water after extraction with chloroform. The chloroform extraction of vinegar processed EER was prepared with the same method. The mice received the drug by oral administration. Moisture content in mice feces, duodenum and colon tissue, aquaporin AQP1, AQP3, AQP4 protein expression levels were assayed as the indexes to investigate the toxicity variation of chloroform fraction, non-chloroform fraction, as well as intestinal tract toxicity before and after vinegar processing of EER. The results showed that the chloroform fraction extracted from EER could significantly increase the moisture content in mice feces, duodenum and colon, and decrease AQP1 protein expression level, increase AQP3 and AQP4 protein expression levels in the colon. The intestinal toxicity of the chloroform extract was significantly higher than that of non-chloroform extract. The moisture content in mice feces, duodenum and colon was significantly decreased, and the AQPs protein expression tended to be normal in the colon after vinegar processing. The results showed that the chloroform fraction extracted from EER could lead to diarrhea, intestinal edema, and the intestinal toxicity action was associated with interfering AQPs protein expression and promoting intestinal fluid transport disorder in mice. Vinegar-processing could reduce intestinal toxicity of EER, so vinegar processing was considered to be the scientific processing method of EER.

Efficacy of Auricular Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the efficacy of auricular acupressure on pain and disability for chronic LBP by systematic review. METHODS: A search of randomized controlled trials was conducted in four English medical electronic databases and three Chinese databases. Two reviewers independently retrieved related studies, assessed the methodological quality, and extracted data with a standardized data form. Meta-analyses were performed using all time-points meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 7 trials met the inclusion criteria, of which 4 had the low risk of bias. The findings of this study showed that, for the immediate effect, auricular acupressure had large, significant effects in improving pain within 12 weeks. As for the follow-up effect, the pooled estimates also showed promising effect at 4-week follow-up after 4-week intervention (standardized mean difference = -1.13, 95% CI (-1.70, -0.56), P < 0.001). But, for the disability level, the therapeutic effect was not significant (mean difference = -1.99, 95% CI (-4.93, 0.95), P = 0.18). No serious adverse effects were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: The encouraging evidence of this study indicates that it is recommended to provide auricular acupressure to patients with chronic low back pain. However, a more accurate estimate of the effect will require further rigorously designed large-scale RCTs on chronic LBP for improving pain and disability.

A semi-analytical model for calculating the penetration depth of a high energy electron beam in a water phantom with a magnetic field.

PURPOSE: As an electron beam is incident on a uniform water phantom in the presence of a lateral magnetic field, the depth-dose distribution of the electron beam changes significantly and forms the well-known 'Bragg peak', with a depth-dose distribution similar to that of heavy ions. This phenomenon has pioneered a new field in the clinical application of electron beams. For such clinical applications, evaluating the penetration depth of electron beams quickly and accurately is the critical problem. METHODS: This paper describes a model for calculating the penetration depth of an electron beam rapidly and correctly in a water phantom under the influence of a magnetic field. The model was used to calculate the penetration depths under different conditions: the energies of electron beams of 6, 8, 12 and 15 MeV and the magnetic induction intensities of 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 T. In addition, the calculation results were compared with the results of a Monte Carlo simulation. RESULTS: The comparison results indicate that the difference between the two calculation methods was less than 0.5 cm. Moreover, the computing time of the calculation model was less than a second. CONCLUSIONS: The semi-analytical model proposed in the present study enables the penetration depth of the electron beam in the presence of a magnetic field to be obtained with a computational efficiency higher than that of the Monte Carlo approach; thus, the proposed model has high potential for application.

[Optimization the formulation of Eisemia foetida protein burn spray by response surface methodology].

OBJECTIVE: To optimize the formulation of Eisemia foetida protein (EFP) burn spray. METHODS: A five-factor, three-level response surface method was employed; The response variable was the proliferation effect of EFP on NIH3T3 cells. RESULTS: The optimization formulation was as follows: the proportion of EFP, glycerol and mannitol was 0.91%, 1.42% and 5%, respectively; 0.02 mol/L Na2 HPO4 and 0.01 mol/L citric acid buffer system corresponding pH value was 7.0. CONCLUSION: The response surface method is reliable, efficient and suitable for optimizing the formulation of EFP burn spray.

Antihyperlipidaemic and antioxidant effect of the total flavonoids in Selaginella tamariscina (Beauv.) Spring in diabetic mice.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the antidiabetic, antihyperlipidaemic and antioxidant activity of total flavonoids in Selaginella tamariscina (Beauv.) Spring (TFST) in a mouse model of diabetes. METHODS: Normal mice, mice fed with a high-fat emulsion diet and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice were treated with TFST for 6 weeks. Serum glucose, insulin and lipid, hepatic steatosis, production of the protein visfatin and antioxidant indices were evaluated. KEY FINDINGS: TFST significantly decreased the concentration of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, while it increased the levels of insulin and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol in diabetic mice. TFST also improved the results of the oral glucose tolerance test to a certain degree. Furthermore, both the free fatty acid levels in the liver and hepatic steatosis were ameliorated by TFST treatment. These changes may be be associated with decreased production of visfatin. Administration of TFST also significantly decreased the levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase and increased the content of glutathione and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase in the liver. No change in blood glucose levels were observed in the normal mice treated with TFST. CONCLUSIONS: TFST showed an excellent effect in reducing the high blood glucose level but had no effect on normal blood glucose level. The antidiabetic activity of TFST could be explained by its antioxidant and antihyperlipidaemic activity, which finally elevated the insulin sensitivity of liver.

Analysis of phosphorus-deficient responsive miRNAs and cis-elements from soybean (Glycine max L.).

Phosphorus is one of the major factors controlling plant growth and productivity. Although physiological and molecular processes of P deficiency have been intensively investigated, our current understanding of the coordinated regulation of phosphate-responsive genes and signal networks is limited. In the present study, we performed a microarray-based genome-wide transcriptional analysis of miRNAs from soybean (Glycine max L.) under phosphate deficiency. miRNAs extracted from P-deficient and P-sufficient soybean were hybridized to an array containing 853 known plant miRNA sequences. An induction ratio significant at p<0.01 was observed for 57 miRNAs belonging to 27 families. Among these miRNA families, which differentially expressed, 7 and 8 were found to be up-regulated, whereas 17 and 6 were down-regulated in leaves and roots, respectively. Seven representative individual miRNAs were selected for qRT-PCR validation, and most showed an expression pattern similar to that on microarray. We further predicted P-responsive cis-elements from the promoters of miRNAs in response to and non-responding to P deficiency. In total, 125 putative cis-elements were identified for 24 soybean P-deficient responsive miRNAs. Interestingly, those miRNAs (54) not responding to P deficiency were also found to contain the same P-responsive motifs. A comparative analysis revealed that the frequency of the motif occurrence in the promoters of miRNA genes in response to P deficiency was higher than that of miRNA genes not responding to P deficiency. Our study provides initial evidence in soybean that a set of miRNAs with a high frequency of P-responsive cis-elements may coordinately regulate the plant response to P deficiency.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of the stems of Alyxia sinensis (I)].

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the chemical constituents of Alyxia sinensis. METHOD: Phytochmical experiment was carried out, using column chromatograph technologies. RESULT: Five compounds have been isolated from the petroleum ether soluble part of the stems of A. sinensis. Their structures have been elucidated respectively as heptatriacontane(1), octatriacontane(2), 20-noatriacontannone(3), 20-nonatriacontanone(4), 20-tetraacontanoe(5), physcion(6), emodin(7), chrysophanol(8), coumarin(9), stigmasterol acetate(10), beta-sitosterol acetate(11), lupeol(12), betulin(13), stigmasterol(14), beta-sitosterol(15), ursolic acid(16), oleanolic acid(17). CONCLUSION: All these compounds are firstly been isolated from A. sinensis. And compound 5-9, 10, 11 are also been separated from Alyxiae genus for the first time.

[Chemical constituents from Alyxia sinensis (II)].

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the chemical constituents of Alyxia sinensis. METHOD: The constituents were isolated by column chromatography and identified by advanced physical and spectral analysis. RESULT: Eight compounds have been isolated and elucidated as bauereny acetate(18), scopletin(19), liriodendrin(20), pinoresinol-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(21), daucosterol(22), flaxetin(23), esculin(24), aseculin(25). CONCLUSION: These compounds were found from the plant for the first time, and compound 20,21,23-25 were found from Alyxiae genis for the first time, and compound 18 is firstly been isolated from natural source.