Systematic review and meta-analysis of reflexology for people with multiple sclerosis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Research on reflexology therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) is limited, and the evaluation is mixed. Our aim is to confirm the efficacy of reflexology therapy for MS. METHODS: The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines were followed. The search strategy was conducted in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Science Citation Index. The quality of the included trials was assessed by the Cochrane Handbook. The main results were summarized and analyzed in RevMan 5.4. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies were included in the final analysis. There were significant differences [mean difference (MD) -0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.37 to -0.43, heterogeneity I2  = 0%] between the Precision Reflexology and Sham Reflexology groups in visual analogue scale pain. There was a significant difference (MD -1.00, 95% CI -1.42 to -0.58, heterogeneity I2  = 93%) between the Precision Reflexology and Sham Reflexology groups on the fatigue severity scale. There was no difference between the Precision Reflexology and Sham Reflexology groups in physical function (MD 6.88, 95% CI -3.36 to 17.13, heterogeneity I2  = 31%), role disorder due to physical problems (MD 10.20, 95% CI -4.91 to 25.30, heterogeneity I2  = 0%), physical pain (MD 7.68, 95% CI -0.09 to 15.45, heterogeneity I2  = 0%), role disorder due to emotional problems (MD 3.41, 95% CI -11.55 to 18.37, heterogeneity I2  = 0%), energy (MD 3.27, 95% CI -4.32 to 10.87, heterogeneity I2  = 0%), emotional well-being (MD 1.79, 95% CI -4.76 to 8.34, heterogeneity I2  = 0%), social function (MD 5.72, 95% CI -3.48 to 14.91, heterogeneity I2  = 0%), or general health (MD 2.63, 95% CI -4.36 to 9.62, heterogeneity I2  = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Reflexology therapy can be used as an effective intervention for the pain and fatigue of MS patients while improving the quality of life.

Auditory event-related potentials, neurocognition, and global functioning in drug naïve first-episode schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Deficits in event-related potential (ERP) including duration mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a have been demonstrated widely in chronic schizophrenia (SZ) but inconsistent findings were reported in first-episode patients. Psychotropic medications and diagnosis might contribute to different findings on MMN/P3a ERP in first-episode patients. The present study examined MMN and P3a in first episode drug naïve SZ and bipolar disorder (BPD) patients and explored the relationships among ERPs, neurocognition and global functioning. METHODS: Twenty SZ, 24 BPD and 49 age and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Data of clinical symptoms [Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Young Manic Rating Scale (YMRS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD)], neurocognition [Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), Cattell's Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CCFT), Delay Matching to Sample (DMS), Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP)], and functioning [Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST)] were collected. P3a and MMN were elicited using a passive auditory oddball paradigm. RESULTS: Significant MMN and P3a deficits and impaired neurocognition were found in both SZ and BPD patients. In SZ, MMN was significantly correlated with FAST (r = 0.48) and CCFT (r = -0.31). In BPD, MMN was significantly correlated with DMS (r = -0.54). For P3a, RVP and FAST scores were significant predictors in SZ, whereas RVP, WAIS and FAST were significant predictors in BPD. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found deficits in MMN, P3a, neurocognition in drug naïve SZ and BPD patients. These deficits appeared to link with levels of higher-order cognition and functioning.

Alterations in CRY2 and PER3 gene expression associated with thalamic-limbic community structural abnormalities in patients with bipolar depression or unipolar depression.

Objectives The current study aimed to identify shared and distinct brain structure abnormalities and their relationships with the expression of circadian genes in patients with bipolar or unipolar depression. Method A total of 93 subjects participated in this study, including 32 patients with bipolar depression (BDP), 26 patients with unipolar depression (UDP) and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Brain structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained, and optimized voxel-based morphometry was used to explore group differences in regional gray matter volume (GMV). The mRNA expression levels of circadian genes in peripheral blood were measured using reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Our results showed that the GMV in brain regions in the thalamus-limbic pathways had significantly increased in the BDP patients compared to controls, while the increased GMV in UDP patients compared to controls was limited to the thalamus. The mRNA expression levels of circadian-related genes decreased significantly in patients with BDP, but increased in patients with UDP, compared to controls. In addition, the GMV in the right thalamus in the patients with UDP was positively associated with mRNA levels of CRY2, while the GMV in the right hippocampus in the patients with BDP was negatively associated with mRNA levels of PER3. Conclusion Our study suggested that patients with BDP or MDD shared GMV abnormalities in the right thalamus. The PER3 and CRY2 genes might be critical to right hippocampal dysfunction in BDP and right thalamic dysfunction in UDP, respectively. The result provided potentially important molecular targets for the treatment of mood disorders.

Fraxin Alleviates LPS-Induced ARDS by Downregulating Inflammatory Responses and Oxidative Damages and Reducing Pulmonary Vascular Permeability.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe acute disease that threatens human health, and few drugs that can effectively treat this disease are available. Fraxin, one of the main active ingredients of Cortex Fraxini, a Chinese herbal medicine, has presented various pharmacological and biological activities. However, the effects of fraxin on ARDS have yet to be reported. In the present study, the protective effect of fraxin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ARDS in a mouse model was analyzed. Results from the hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that fraxin might alleviate pathological changes in the lung tissues of mice with ARDS. ELISA and Western blot results revealed that fraxin might inhibit the production of inflammatory factors, namely, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß, and the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in the lungs. Thus, the inflammatory responses were reduced. Fraxin might inhibit the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation in lung tissues. Fraxin might increase the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity to avoid oxidative damage. Vascular permeability was also assessed through Evans blue dye tissue extravasation and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled albumin (FITC-albumin) leakage. Fraxin might inhibit the increase in pulmonary vascular permeability and relieve pulmonary edema. Fraxin was also related to the inhibition of the increase in matrix metalloproteinase-9, which is a glycocalyx-degrading enzyme, and the relief of damages to the endothelial glycocalyx. Thus, fraxin elicited protective effects on mice with LPS-induced ARDS and might be used as a drug to cure ARDS induced by Gram-negative bacterial infection.

"Brain Connectivity Deviates by Sex and Hemisphere in the First Episode of Schizophrenia"-A Route to the Genetic Basis of Language and Psychosis?

Schizophrenia is genetic in origin and associated with a fecundity disadvantage. The deficits in schizophrenia have been attributed to variation related to the human capacity for language or brain laterality. How sex influences the relative connectivity of the 2 hemispheres is a route to understanding these 2 functions. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we searched for sex- and hemisphere-specific changes in whole-brain functional-connectivity in multi-site datasets (altogether 672 subjects including 286 patients, all right-handed) in the first-episode schizophrenia (illness duration ≤ 1 year, mostly drug naive) and in chronic stages of schizophrenia (illness duration > 1 year), respectively. We used meta-analyses to integrate data from different sources concerning individuals at the same illness stage. We found first-episode male patients are predominantly left-lateralized in aberrant connectivity with a focus on Broca's area. Female patients show a lesser degree of lateralization than males, but to the right particularly in orbital frontal cortex. In the chronic stage, the focus of aberrant connectivity shifted from anterior to posterior structures with prominent involvement of the thalamus and pre- and post-central gyri bilaterally and in both sexes. While the "deviant connectivity" is right-sided in both the first-episode and the chronic stages in females, in males there is a shift between stages from the left to the right hemisphere. We hypothesized that the pathophysiology of schizophrenia may lie in the interaction between sex and lateralization, ie, in genetic mechanisms located on the X and Y chromosomes, intrinsic to the evolution of language.

Berberine alleviates endothelial glycocalyx degradation and promotes glycocalyx restoration in LPS-induced ARDS.

In the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an increase in vascular endothelial permeability may trigger pulmonary edema and ultimately lead to respiratory failure. Endothelial glycocalyx damage is an important factor that causes an increase in vascular endothelial permeability. Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptis chinensis, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine that exerts multiple pharmacological effects. In this study, pretreatment with BBR inhibited the increase in vascular endothelial permeability in mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ARDS. BBR pretreatment inhibited the shedding of syndecan-1 (SDC-1) and heparan sulfate (HS), which are important components of the endothelial glycocalyx that lessen endothelial glycocalyx damage. BBR further significantly inhibited increases in important endothelial glycocalyx damage factors, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), heparanase (HPA), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in LPS-induced ARDS mice and in LPS-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells. BBR pretreatment also decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway activation in LPS-induced ARDS. In addition, BBR promoted the recovery of SDC-1 and HS content in injured endothelial glycocalyx after LPS treatment and accelerated its restoration. This is the first report of BBR maintaining the integrity of endothelial glycocalyx. These results provide a new theoretical basis for the use of BBR in the treatment of ARDS and other diseases related to endothelial glycocalyx damage.

The intervention effect of zuogui pill on chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder regulatory factor.

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Zuogui pill as a traditional Chinese herbal drug has been used for nourish kidney essence improve bone malnutrition of renal bone disease by regulating the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus and participating in osteoblast metabolism. In the present study, 5/6 nephrectomy rat model was used to reveal the mechanism of zuogui pill in treatment of CKD-MBD. Compared with sham rats, the levels of serum phosphorus, PTH, iPTH and creatinine were significantly decreased, while the serum calcium level was significantly increased, and the Cbfa1 protein level was significantly decreased and FGF23 protein level was significantly increased by Zuogui pill treatment. Compared with model rats, the BMD of rat was significantly increased by Zuogui pill treatment. Histological analysis revealed that the kidney injury of rats with CKD was significantly reduced by zuogui pill treatment. Compared with model rats, the CYP27B1 mRNA level was significantly increased, and the PTH mRNA level and NaPiIIa protein level were significantly decreased in the kidney by zuogui pill treatment. We inferred that zuogui pill exhibited potential therapeutic effects on CKD-MBD in the rats by regulating bone metabolism and nourish kidney.

Distinguishable brain networks relate disease susceptibility to symptom expression in schizophrenia.

Disease association studies have characterized altered resting-state functional connectivities describing schizophrenia, but failed to model symptom expression well. We developed a model that could account for symptom severity and meanwhile relate this to disease-related functional pathology. We correlated BOLD signal across brain regions and tested separately for associations with disease (disease edges) and with symptom severity (symptom edges) in a prediction-based scheme. We then integrated them in an "edge bi-color" graph, and adopted mediation analysis to test for causality between the disease and symptom networks and symptom scores. For first-episode schizophrenics (FES, 161 drug-naïve patients and 150 controls), the disease network (with inferior frontal gyrus being the hub) and the symptom-network (posterior occipital-parietal cortex being the hub) were found to overlap in the temporal lobe. For chronic schizophrenis (CS, 69 medicated patients and 62 controls), disease network was dominated by thalamocortical connectivities, and overlapped with symptom network in the middle frontal gyrus. We found that symptom network mediates the relationship between disease network and symptom scores in FEP, but was unable to define a relationship between them for the smaller CS population. Our results suggest that the disease network distinguishing core functional pathology in resting-state brain may be responsible for symptom expression in FES through a wider brain network associated with core symptoms. We hypothesize that top-down control from heteromodal prefrontal cortex to posterior transmodal cortex contributes to positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Our work also suggests differences in mechanisms of symptom expression between FES and CS, highlighting a need to distinguish between these groups.

Abnormal Resting-State Connectivity in a Substantia Nigra-Related Striato-Thalamo-Cortical Network in a Large Sample of First-Episode Drug-Naïve Patients With Schizophrenia.

Objective: The dopamine hypothesis is one of the most influential theories of the neurobiological background of schizophrenia (SCZ). However, direct evidence for abnormal dopamine-related subcortical-cortical circuitry disconnectivity is still lacking. The aim of this study was therefore to test dopamine-related substantia nigra (SN)-based striato-thalamo-cortical resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in SCZ. Method: Based on our a priori hypothesis, we analyzed a large sample resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset from first-episode drug-naïve SCZ patients (n = 112) and healthy controls (n = 82) using the SN as the seed region for an investigation of striato-thalamo-cortical FC. This was done in the standard band of slow frequency oscillations and then in its subfrequency bands (Slow4 and Slow5). Results: The analysis showed in SCZ: (1) reciprocal functional hypo-connectivity between SN and striatum, with differential patterns for Slow5 and Slow4; (2) functional hypo-connectivity between striatum and thalamus, as well as functional hyper-connectivity between thalamus and sensorimotor cortical areas, specifically in Slow4; (3) correlation of thalamo-sensorimotor functional hyper-connectivity with psychopathological symptoms. Conclusions: We demonstrate abnormal dopamine-related SN-based striato-thalamo-cortical FC in slow frequency oscillations in first-episode drug-naive SCZ. This suggests that altered dopaminergic function in the SN leads to abnormal neuronal synchronization (as indexed by FC) within subcortical-cortical circuitry, complementing the dopamine hypothesis in SCZ on the regional level of resting-state activity.

[In vitro anticoagulant activity of different processed products of Whitmania pigra by water extraction and bionic extraction].

In order to determine the scientificalness of traditionally processed Whitmania pigra, water extraction method and bionic extraction method were used respectively to extract the anticoagulating active components in W. pigra hanging dry products, talcum powder fried products and wine immersing-baked products. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), and antithrombin activity were selected as the activity indexes to evaluate the anticoagulant activities of different processed W. pigra. Then the contents of protein in different processed W. pigra were measured by Coomassie brilliant blue method to preliminarily explain the reason of anticoagulant activity changes. When water extraction method was used, the results of APTT, PT, TT and antithrombin activity showed that the anticoagulant activities of W. pigra were decreased both in talcum powder fried products and wine immersing-baked products, and the activity order was as follows: hanging dried products> wine immersing-baked products>talcum powder fried products. This order was same as the protein content order. While when bionic extraction was used, APTT was shortened in talcum powder fried products, but all the other results indicated the anticoagulant activities of W. pigra processed products were increased, and the activity order was as follows: wine immersing-baked products>talcum powder fried products>hanging dry products. As compared with water extraction, the bionic extraction was more similar to the absorption process of W. pigra in human digestive system after oral administration and was more scientific. Therefore, the traditional processing method can not only modify the taste and smell, but also enhance the anticoagulant activity of W. pigra.

[Effect and mechanism of jianpi qinghua recipe on renal functions of adriamycin-induced nephropathic rats from the angle of inhibiting renal fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Jianpi Qinghua Recipe (JQR) on renal functions of adriamycin-induced focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) rats from the angle of activating fibroblasts to myofibroblast (MyoF). METHODS: Totally 56 rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n=8), the sham-operation group (n =8), and the model group (n=40). The FSGS rat model was induced by nephrectomy of left kidney plus intravenous injection of adriamycin. Successfully modeled rats were further divided into 5 groups, i.e., the model group, the JQR group, the JPR (Jianpi Recipe) group, the QHR (Qinghua Recipe) group, and the NDQ (Niaoduqing) group, 8 in each group. Corresponding drugs were administered to rats in all groups, 2 mL each time, for 56 days. The effect of JQR on serum creatinine (SCr), urea nitrogen, 24-h urinary protein excretion, a-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) mRNA, collagen type III (Col III) mRNA, fibronectin (FN) mRNA, and collagen type IV (Col IV) mRNA were observed. RESULTS: JQR could significantly lower SCr, urea nitrogen, and 24-h urinary protein excretion levels (P < 0.01), and significantly decrease mRNA levels of alpha-SMA, Col III, FN, and Col IV (P < 0.01). It was advantageous over the NDQ group. Compared with JPR, the relative expression levels of Col III mRNA and FN mRNA of JQR and QHR were significantly lower (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: JQR could improve the renal function and renal fibrosis in the adriamycin-induced nephropathic model rats. Its efficacy was superior to that of NDQ. Its mechanisms might be linked with inhibiting activation of fibroblasts.

[Effects of Jianpi Qinghua Decoctions on immune inflammatory injury in adriamycin-induced nephropathic rats MA].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Jianpi Qinghua Decoctions on the inflammation injury mediated by the cellular immunity in the focal segmental glomurular Sclerosis (FSGS) nephropathy rats. METHODS: The FSGS nephropathy rat model was established by the method of intravenous injection of Adriamycin after the removal of one kidney. After the treatment of Jianpi Qinghua Decoctions, the blood, spleen and kidney samples of each rat were collected for the detection of splenocytes CD4+/CD8+ ratio, renal tubulointerstitial fibronectin (FN) mRNA, Col III mRNA, and the expression levels of TNF-alpha and IL6. RESULTS: The treatment of Jianpi Qinghua Decoctions decreased the levels of CD4+/CD8+, tubulointerstitial FN mRNA, Col III mRNA, TNF-alpha and IL6 significantly in FSGS nephropathy rats. CONCLUSION: Jianpi Qinghua Decoctions could improve renal FSGS damage in adriamycin-induced nephropathy rats.

[Effect of Jianpi Qinghua decoctions on interleukin-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in rats with focal segmental glomurular sclerosis nephropathy: role of the inflammatory signaling pathways].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Jianpi Qinghua decoctions in ameliorating kidney fibrosis in rats with focal segmental glomurular sclerosis (FSGS) nephropathy in light of blocking the functions of the inflammatory cells. METHODS: Rat models of FSGS nephropathy were established by left nephrectomy and intravenous injection of adriamycin and treated with Jianpi Qinghua decoction. The renal expressions of interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), and intercellular adhesion molecular-1 (ICAM-1) were detected. RESULTS: Treatment with Jianpi Qinghua decoction, Jianpi decoction, Qinghua decoction, and Niaoduqing particles all significantly lowered renal tubulointerstitial expressions of IL-6 in the model rats (P<0.01). Renal tubulointerstitial MCP-1 expressions were all lowered significantly in the rats by treatments with Jianpi Qinghua decoction, Jianpi decoction, QingHua decoctions, and Niaoduqing particles (P<0.01), and Jianpi Qinghua decoction produced a stronger effect than Niaoduqing particles (P<0.05). Jianpi Qinghua decoction, Jianpi decoction, Qinghua decoctions and and Niaoduqing particles all significantly decreased renal tubulointerstitial MCP-1 and ICAM-1 expressions (P<0.01), and Jianpi Qinghua and Qinghua decoctions both showed stronger effects than Niaoduqing particles (P<0.01). Jianpi Qinghua decoctions significantly suppressed the expressions of IL-6, MCP-1, and ICAM-1 and produced stronger effects than Niaoduqing particles on MCP-1 and ICAM-1 expressions. CONCLUSION: Jianpi Qinghua decoctions can ameliorate inflammatory injury and lower the levels of inflammatory factors in rats with FSGS nephropathy, the mechanism of which is associated with inhibiting IL-6 signaling pathway.

[MAPK p38 pathway may be involved in renal function improvement in chronic renal failure rats treated with Jianpi Qinghua decoction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the involvement of MAPK p38 pathway in treatment of chronic renal failure with Jianpi Qinghua Decoction in rats. METHODS: Forty SPF SD rats were divided into sham group (n=10),model group (n=10), Jianpi Qinghua group (n=10) and losartan group (n=10). Rat chronic renal failure was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy (Platt method) in model, Jianpi Qinghua and losartan groups, and rats in sham group received sham operation. Jianpi Qinghua decoction (3.9 g 200 g(-1)) or losartan (3.3 g 200 g(-1)) daily were administrated by gavage in Jianpi Qinghua and losartan groups for 60 days, respectively, Rats in sham and model groups were orally administered with saline of the same volume. The serum levels of creatinine and urea nitrogen were measured by biochemical method, the expression of MAPK p38 was detected by Western Blot,and renal pathological changes were observed with hematoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS: Compared to model group,serum creatinine levels after 60d in Jianpi Qinghua and losartan groups were decreased significantly (42.67 ± 5.98 or 40.90 ± 5.07 compared with 60.90 ± 9.54, both P<0.01), the expression of MAPK p38 was significantly down-regulated (0.555 ± 0.004 or 0.587 ± 0.045 compared with 0.930 ± 0.265,both P<0.01) and serum urea nitrogen was also decreased (8.56 ± 0.75 or 7.97 ± 0.86 compared with 8.62 ± 0.62,both P<0.05). The renal pathology in the model group presented glomerular mesangial proliferation,hyperplasia of glomenrulus mesangial cells and interstitial inflammation. Those pathological changes were attenuated significantly in Jianpi Qinghua and losartan groups. CONCLUSION: Jianpi Qinghua Decoctions can improve the renal function and renal pathological changes in a rat with chronic renal failure, which may be associated with down-regulation of MAPK p38 immune inflammatory pathways.

Detection of metabolites in the white matter of frontal lobes and hippocampus with proton in first-episode treatment-naïve schizophrenia patients.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the changes of the metabolites in the white matter of frontal lobes and hippocampus in schizophrenia by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H-MRS). METHODS: Sixty-three first-episode treatment-naïve schizophrenia (FES) patients and 63 age-, gender- and education level-matched healthy controls were recruited. The relative levels of metabolites including N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds (Cho), (Cr) and myo-inositol (MI) were detected with (1) H-MRS, and the laterality index (Li) was calculated. The severity of symptoms was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. RESULTS: Compared with controls, FES patients did not show significant differences in all metabolites. The severity of positive symptoms was negatively correlated with the NAA/Cho in the white matter of the left frontal lobe and positively correlated with the Cho/Cr in the right white matter of frontal lobes. A negative correlation was observed between the severity of negative symptoms and the NAA/Cr in the white matter of bilateral frontal lobes. No difference was shown in the Li of metabolites between FES patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolites such as NAA, Cho and MI in white matter of frontal lobes and hippocampus were not significantly altered in FES patients. The lower axonal integrity/number (NAA concentration) may be associated with more severe negative symptoms, and dysmetabolism in process of myelination in the white matter of frontal lobes associated with more severe positive symptoms.

Neuroanatomical differences between familial and sporadic schizophrenia and their parents: an optimized voxel-based morphometry study.

Symptomatic differences have been reported between patients with familial and sporadic schizophrenia. The present study examined neuroanatomical differences between the two subgroups and their parents using voxel-based morphometry. High-resolution T1-weighted images were obtained using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging from 20 patients with schizophrenia (familial subgroup, n=10; sporadic subgroup, n=10), 20 of their parents (familial subgroup, n=10; sporadic subgroup, n=10) and 20 healthy volunteers. Gray matter density (GMD) was compared between groups on a voxel-by-voxel basis. Compared with the sporadic patients, the familial patients had significantly reduced GMD in the thalamus bilaterally. Reduction of GMD in bilateral thalami was also found in familial parents in comparison with sporadic parents. Compared with controls, both familial and sporadic patients had lower GMD involving bilateral insula, right temporal lobe, right occipital lobe, left lenticular nucleus and right cerebellum. However, only familial patients showed lower GMD than controls in the right thalamus. Compared with controls, only familial parents showed lower GMD in the right insula extending to the right temporal lobe and the right parietal lobule. The present data suggest that familial schizophrenia is associated with more severe structural abnormalities than sporadic schizophrenia, especially in the thalamus.

Effect of Wuye Decoction on lymphocyte phenotype in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Chinese recipe, Wuye Decoction (WYD), on immune function in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Eighty-two patients of NSCLC with pathologically confirmed diagnosis, who had received operative treatment and completed the post-operational chemotherapy, were randomly assigned into 2 groups. Group A (42 cases) received WYD and Group B (40 cases) received no specific medicine. Positive rate of various peripheral lymphocyte subsets, including CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19 and CD25, in both groups was observed immediately after chemotherapy (T(0)) and 3 months later (T(1)), the same indexes of 20 healthy volunteers allocated in Group C were also determined at T(0) for control. RESULTS: The positive rates of CD4, CD4/CD8, CD16, CD19 and CD25 were significantly lower (P < 0.05) while that of CD8 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Group A and B at T(0) than those in Group C; at T(1), these indexes, except CD25, got significantly restored in Group A with the level approaching normal range (P > 0.05), and showed significant difference from those in Group B (P < 0.05), since these indexes in that group remained unchanged at the corresponding period. As for CD25, it was insignificantly changed in Group A after WYD treatment, and thus, at T(1), it was still lower than that in Group C (P < 0.05) and showed insignificant difference as compared with that in Group B (P > 0.05). Comparison of CD3 among the 3 groups showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: WYD could activate the immune function of NSCLC patients, and so it is recommended to be used in the treatment of NSCLC in clinical practice.