[Ten directions for improving clinical therapeutic effect of pancreatic cancer in the future].

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant digestive system tumors. In the recent decade, the effect of diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer has improved due to the renewal of treatment concept and the popularization of effective treatment. However, the overall efficacy of pancreatic cancer is still dismal and the 5-year survival rate is only about 10%. Further improving the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer is the top priority of oncology research and clinical practice. Based on past clinical and scientific research experience, the authors have proposed ten hot spots and future directions for a reference, which focusing on early prevention, early diagnosis, and early treatment of pancreatic cancer, molecular typing and precise treatment, new drug development and regimen combination, surgical technology and strategy change, model establishment and database development, as well as innovation of traditional Chinese medicine and breakthrough of treatment concept. A breakthrough in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer in the next ten years is raising hope, when doctors can truly prevent and control pancreatic cancer.

Association of fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids intakes with total and cause-specific mortality: prospective analysis of 421 309 individuals.

BACKGROUND: Prevailing dietary guidelines recommend regular fish consumption. However, the associations of fish and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3 PUFAs) intakes with mortality remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations of fish and LCn-3 PUFAs intakes with total and cause-specific mortality. METHODS: A total of 240 729 men and 180 580 women from NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study were prospectively followed-up for 16 years. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated NIH Diet History Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 54 230 men and 30 882 women died during 6.07 million person-years of follow-up. Higher fish and LCn-3 PUFAs intakes were significantly associated with lower total mortality (P < 0.0001). Comparing the highest with lowest quintiles of fish intake, men had 9% (95% confidence interval, 6-11%) lower total mortality, 10% (6-15%) lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, 6% (1-10%) lower cancer mortality, 20% (11-28%) lower respiratory disease mortality and 37% (17-53%) lower chronic liver disease mortality, while women had 8% (5-12%) lower total mortality, 10% (3-17%) lower CVD mortality and 38% (20-52%) lower Alzheimer's disease mortality. Fried fish consumption was not related to mortality in men whereas positively associated with mortality from all causes (P = 0.011), CVD and respiratory disease in women. LCn-3 PUFAs intake was associated with 15% and 18% lower CVD mortality in men and women across extreme quintiles, respectively. CONCLUSION: Consumption of fish and LCn-3 PUFAs was robustly associated with lower mortality from major causes. Our findings support current guidelines for fish consumption while advice on non-frying preparation methods is needed.

Suppression of Inflammatory Responses by Dihydromyricetin, a Flavonoid from Ampelopsis grossedentata, via Inhibiting the Activation of NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways.

Ampelopsis grossedentata, an indigenous plant in southern China, has been used for treating pharyngitis in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. In this study, we explored the anti-inflammatory activity of dihydromyricetin (1), its major bioactive component, and the underlying mechanism of this action. We demonstrated that 1 suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as well as increased the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice. Moreover, 1 was found to markedly inhibit the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6, whereas it increased the level of IL-10 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Compound 1 also reduced the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TNF-α, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in macrophage cells. Furthermore, 1 suppressed the phosphorylation of NF-kappa B (NF-κB) and IκBα as well as the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK but not ERK1/2 in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Taken together, the present results suggest that 1 exerts its topical anti-inflammatory action through suppressing the activation of NF-κB and the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK. Thus, 1 may be a potentially useful therapeutic agent for inflammatory-related diseases.

Identification of spliced mRNA isoforms of retinoid X receptor (RXR) in the Oriental freshwater prawn Macrobrachium nipponense.

Retinoid X receptors (RXR) are members of the nuclear receptor family that are conserved from invertebrates to vertebrates, and they play an essential role in regulating reproductive maturation, molting, and embryo development. In this study, five RXR isoforms, named RXRL2 (L, long form), RXRL3, RXRS1 (S, short form), RXRS2, and RXRS3, containing six domains from A to F, were cloned from the prawn Macrobrachium nipponense using 5'- and 3'- rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Differences among their structures were observed not only in the D and E domains but also in the A/B domain, which were previously found in insects but not in crustaceans. This is the first report to show that differences occur in the A/B domain of RXR in crustaceans. RXR expressions were also examined in various tissues including the ovary, testis, muscle, hepatopancreas, heart, gill, stomach, intestine, and cuticle. Expression pattern investigations indicated that the five isoforms were differentially expressed. RXRS3 was only detected in the ovary, and the other RXRs were abundant in the ovary and testis. These data suggested that RXR mediates a series of processes related to reproduction.

Genetic diversity of the Chinese traditional herb Blumea balsamifera (Asteraceae) based on AFLP markers.

Blumea balsamifera is a commercially important medicinal herb in China and other parts of Asia. It is used to produce borneol. This plant grows in the wild, but resources have diminished greatly in recent years. We examined the genetic diversity of this species to help develop conservation strategies; 35 plants from five provinces were analyzed using AFLPs. Eight AFLP primer combinations generated 1367 fragments, giving a mean of 172 fragments per primer combination. Polymorphism in the germplasm analysis was found for 1360 (99.48%) of the fragments, of which 264 (19.27%) fragments were unique (accession specific) and 423 (25.33%) of the fragments were rare (present in less than 10% of the accessions). The polymorphic fragments were used to group the accessions in a UPGMA phenogram. Most grouping was geographical. In general, accessions coming from Guizhou and Guangxi showed higher diversities as these accessions were scattered in different groups. The genetic distance estimated by Jaccard similarity coefficient index showed low variability among genotypes (coefficient value ranged from 0.60 to 0.95). More attention should be given to the study and conservation of the biodiversity of this economically important genus.

[Studies on the active constituents of sichuan liang shan rhododendron L. I. Determination of two flavonoids in leaves, extracts and jinjuan liquors].

A reversed-phase HPLC method for the separation and determination of the two flavonoids: quercetin and kaempferol is described. The column was 25 cm x 4.6 mm i.d., packed with Zorbax SB-C18(5 microns). The mobile phase was a mixture of MeOH-H2O (60:40, V/V). The flow rate was 0.7 mL/min. UV detection was performed at 360 nm. External standard was used and the calibration curves showed good linearity over the range of 6.0-100 mg/L, r = 0.9995-0.9998, and detection limits were 3.3-6.2 mg/L. The recoveries were 96.0% and 97.3% for quercetin and kaempferol respectively. The relative standard deviations of the method were 2.1%-4.5%. The method is simple, fast, sensitive and accurate and can be applied to the analysis of quercetin and kaempferol. It provides a scientific basis for industrial production and quality control of Jinjuan liquor preparations for clinical uses.

Antiresorptive therapy in asthmatic patients receiving high-dose inhaled steroids: a prospective study for 18 months.

BACKGROUND: Inhaled steroid therapy is an effective and well tolerated mode of therapy for asthma. Although systemic side-effects of inhaled steroids are much less common than those found with systemic steroids, the drugs may be absorbed through mucosal surfaces. Inhaled steroids have been reported to disturb normal bone metabolism, and they are associated with a decrease in bone mineral density. OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to investigate bone density in asthmatic subjects receiving long-term high-dose inhaled steroids and the effects of supplementation with oral calcium with or without etidronate. METHODS: We evaluated thirty-eight Chinese subjects (24 men and 14 premenopausal women; 28 patients and 10 healthy control subjects) in this prospective study. Patients were randomized into three arms: those receiving no supplement, those receiving 1000 mg/day calcium supplement, and those receiving 400 mg/day cyclical sodium etidronate with 1000 mg/day calcium, respectively. The patients and control subjects were matched for age, sex, and dose of inhaled steroids. Bone density at lumbar spine and hip region was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry with a densitometer at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 months for the asthmatic groups and at baseline and at 12 and 18 months for the control group. Serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and urinary hydroxyproline/creatine were measured simultaneous to bone density assessments. RESULTS: There were 10 control subjects, 10 asthmatic subjects receiving no supplement, eight asthmatic subjects receiving calcium supplement, and 10 asthmatic subjects receiving calcium and etidronate therapy, respectively. The mean (+/- SEM) dosages of beclomethasone or budesonide for the three groups of asthmatic subjects were 2.2 +/- 0.3, 2.0 +/- 0.2, and 2.0 +/- 0.2 mg/day, respectively. Mean dietary calcium intake of the study subjects was 766 +/- 39 mg/day. At baseline, bone mineral density of the spine in the group receiving no supplement was significantly lower than that found in the control group (p < 0.05). At 18 months, patients receiving no supplement had significantly greater bone loss at the lumbar spine than patients receiving etidronate plus calcium lactate-gluconate (CaLG) or CaLG alone (p < 0.05). The increase in bone mineral density versus baseline observed in patients receiving CaLG with or without etidronate (p < 0.05) probably did not result from increased bone formation because serum osteocalcin levels showed a significant reduction in all three groups of patients (p < 0.05). An increase in mean serum calcium (p < 0.05) was seen in patients receiving CaLG with or without etidronate. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that long-term administration of high-dose inhaled steroid (>1.5 mg/day) induces bone loss that is preventable with calcium supplementation with or without cyclical etidronate. Long-term studies involving more patients should follow to confirm these preliminary findings.