Effects of CICARE model combined with traditional Chinese medicine encapsulation on muscle strength and depression levels in hemiplegic patients with sequelae of cerebrovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of the combination of CICARE (C - Connect, I - Introduce, C - Communicate, A - Ask, R - Respond, E - Exit) communication model and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) poultice on muscle strength and depression levels in patients. METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups: basic treatment group, basic treatment + TCM poultice group, and combined treatment group. Conventional rehabilitation therapy, TCM poultice external application, and the combination of both with the CICARE communication model were applied in the respective groups. Muscle strength (AMA muscle strength grading scale), self-care abilities (Barthel Index), depression symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), neurological deficit status (NIHSS score) and serum inflammatory factor levels were assessed at admission, 3 weeks, and 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: After 3 and 8 weeks of treatment, the combined treatment group had higher AMA muscle strength scores and improved Barthel Index scores compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Depressive symptoms also improved significantly in the combined treatment group, with lower HDRS scores at 3 and 8 weeks (p < 0.05). After 8 weeks, IL-1, IL-6, and hs-CRP levels decreased in all groups, with the combined treatment group showing the lowest levels (p < 0.05). NIHSS scores decreased significantly in all groups post-intervention, with the combined treatment group showing the greatest improvement (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The integration of CICARE communication model with TCM poultice shows notable benefits in enhancing muscle strength, daily living self-care abilities, reducing depression, neurological impairment, and inflammatory factors in post-stroke hemiplegia patients.

Initial in vivo testing of TPO-receptor agonist eltrombopag in osteosarcoma patient-derived xenograft models by the pediatric preclinical testing consortium.

Eltrombopag is a small molecule, thrombopoietin receptor agonist approved for the treatment of patients with aplastic anemia and chronic immune thrombocytopenia. It is also a polyvalent cation chelator and inhibits leukemia cell proliferation via reduction of intracellular iron. The in vivo efficacy of eltrombopag was tested against a panel of six Pediatric Preclinical Testing Consortium osteosarcoma xenografts at doses of 5 mg/kg/day (moderate dose) and 50 mg/kg/day (high dose). Eltrombopag, at moderate doses, failed to significantly improve event-free survival (EFS) in 6/6 models. At high doses, eltrombopag significantly prolonged EFS in 2/2 models, though the effect size was small. All models tested demonstrated progressive disease. While eltrombopag did not meaningfully inhibit osteosarcoma growth, it also did not stimulate tumor growth, suggesting it may be safely investigated as a supportive care agent to enhance platelet recovery post chemotherapy.

Dose-response effect of eribulin in preclinical models of osteosarcoma by the pediatric preclinical testing consortium.

The pediatric preclinical testing program previously demonstrated activity of eribulin in osteosarcoma patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. The phase 2 trial in patients with relapsed osteosarcoma failed to meet response endpoints. Eribulin was evaluated in the original and an expanded set of PDX models and tested at multiple dose levels and schedules to evaluate dose-response. Maximal response was observed at the highest dose, consistent with prior results. The alternative schedule generated similar responses. We demonstrate steep dose-response for eribulin in osteosarcoma PDX models, implying that any deviation from achievement of effective concentrations may have a significant impact on activity.

A high gauge-factor wearable strain sensor array via 3D printed mold fabrication and size optimization of silver-coated carbon nanotubes.

The development of 3D print technology provided an opportunity to achieve fast and accurate fabrication of wearable sensor arrays. In this paper, high-sensitivity flexible and stretchable silver-coated carbon nanotube (Ag@CNT) wearable strain sensor arrays are fabricated using 3D printing technology and composite nanomaterial synthesis. Ag@CNTs with uniform and compact particles were synthesized with different sizes of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a reduction method. Strain sensor arrays were fabricated accurately and efficiently with the aid of 3D printed molds. Sensors with different Ag@CNTs were then compared comprehensively, and it was found that the Ag@CNT (short) sensor, which had a gauge factor (GF) of 62.8 in the 0% to 14.44% stretch range and a GF of 831.3 in the 14.44% to 21.11% stretch range, can significantly enhance the detection of small movements. These wearable strain sensor arrays were utilized in the application of traditional Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis and gesture recognition.

[Treatment of Vascular Cognitive Impairment by "Huayu Tongluo" Moxibustion].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of "Huayu Tongluo"(blood stasis-removing and meridian-collateral-dredging) moxibustion for vascular cognitive impairment(VCI) patients and changes of insulin like growth factor -1(IGF-1) levels in serum after the treatment. METHODS: Sixty patients with VCI were randomly divided into medication (control) and moxibustion groups (n＝30 in each group). Cotton cloth-separated moxibustion was applied to Baihui (GV 20) and Shenting (GV 24), and conventional moxibustion applied to Dazhui (GV 14) and Yongquan (KI 1) for 30 min, once daily, 6 times a week and for 30 days. Patients of the control group were treated by oral administration of Donepezil hydrochloride at the dose of 5 mg/night for 30 days. The core symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mini-mental state examination(MMSE), activity of daily living(ADL) and Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA) scales were used to assess the therapeutic effect after the treatment. The content of serum IGF-1 was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Of the two 30 cases in the control and moxibustion groups, 9 and 17 experienced marked improvement, 13 and were effective, 8 and 3 ineffective, with the effective rates being 73.33% and 90.00%, respectively. The effective rate in the moxibustion group was obviously higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). After the treatment, the TCM symptom scores were significantly decreased, and the MMSE, ADL and MoCA scores considerably increased in both groups compared with those of their own individual pre-treatment (P<0.01). The TCM symptom score of the moxibustion group was significantly lower, and the MMSE and ADL scores were obviously higher than those of the control group (P<0.01). The serum IGF-1 content in both groups was significantly increased after the treatment relevant to that of their own individual pre-treatment (P<0.01), and was obviously higher in the moxibustion group than in the control group (P<0.01). No significant difference was found between the two groups in the MoCA score after the treatment (P>0.05)．. CONCLUSION: "Huayu Tongluo" moxibustion has a positive effect for patients with VCI, which may be associated with its effect in up-regulating serum IGF-1 level.

Tea intake and risk of oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between tea intake and risk of oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal carcinoma is still unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantify the effect of tea consumption on the incidence of oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal cancer to provide a better understanding on this issue. MATERIAL/METHODS: A literature search was conducted before January 2014 in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. The relative risk (RR) estimates that extracted or calculated from all included studies were combined together. Given the existing heterogeneity in the study design and data source, a random-effects model was obtained. RESULTS: A total of 20 articles were included in the quantitative synthesis. Fourteen RR estimates (11 from case-control studies and 3 from cohort studies) were pooled together and the result demonstrated that tea consumption reduced the incidence of oral cancer (RR=0.85; 95% CI 0.76-0.96). The summary RR of 4 observational studies (3 case-control studies and 1 cohort study) for pharyngeal cancer was 0.87 (95% CI 0.74-1.04). The association between tea consumption and oral and pharyngeal carcinoma was reported. The summary RR for laryngeal carcinoma was 1.05 (95% CI 0.70-1.57). The Begg's funnel plot and the Egger's test showed no evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: Tea consumption was associated with decreased risk of oral cancer, while no association was detected with oral/pharyngeal, pharyngeal, or laryngeal cancer.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy in intermediate and locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) showed a significant improvement in disease control and clinical outcome in patients with intermediate and locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) (stage II, III and IVA+B). However, there has been debate about the contribution and application of additional adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) to a CCRT regime. This study aims to evaluate the additional value of AC in the treatment of intermediate and locally advanced NPC with regard to toxicity and clinical outcomes. A total of 189 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage II to stage IVB NPC were retrospectively identified. Patient characteristics, toxicity, compliance with treatment and clinical outcomes, including response to treatment, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), relapse-free survival (RFS), freedom from local recurrence (FLR) and freedom from distant metastasis (FDM), were analyzed. The overall response rate of CCRT and CCRT/AC groups was 97.92 % and 97.83 %, respectively (P=0.643). The 5-year OS rate was 68.2 % in the CCRT group and 75.9 % in the CCRT/AC group (P=0.53). The 5-year PFS rate was 66.7 % and 71.4 % in CCRT and CCRT/AC groups, respectively (P=0.96). This study showed no evidence of an additional value of AC in CCRT treatment in disease control and clinical outcomes in patients with locally advanced NPC in endemic regions. Moreover, three additional cycles of AC after CCRT appeared to be poorly tolerated in patients. Therefore, AC should not be routinely used for treatment, although clinical trials may be justified.

Preclinical analysis of tasidotin HCl in Ewing's sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and osteosarcoma.

PURPOSE: Dolastatins are a group of structurally unique peptides originally isolated from a sea hare, Dolabella auricularia, which seem to inhibit tubulin polymerization and mitosis. Tasidotin hydrochloride (tasidotin), a novel synthetic analogue of dolastatin 15, is evaluated in preclinical models of pediatric tumors. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The cytotoxicity of tasidotin was evaluated in a panel of pediatric sarcoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: The IC(50) in Ewing's sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and synovial sarcoma lines ranged from 0.002 micro to 0.32 micromol/L. In the SK-ES1 and RH30 cell lines, tasidotin induced a G(2)-M arrest that persisted for 48 h after the drug was washed from the cells. In vitro, more than half the cells were in the early or late phase of apoptosis 48 h after treatment with tasidotin. In vivo, a significant increase in apoptotic nuclei was apparent in xenograft tumors harvested within 24 h after a 5-day course of tasidotin. In vivo response was determined in severe combined immunodeficient xenograft models of pediatric sarcomas implanted heterotopically. Significant antitumor activity was observed in all tumor lines tested. A complete response was observed in 2 synovial sarcoma lines, 1 osteosarcoma line, 1 rhabdomyosarcoma line, and 1 Ewing's sarcoma line. A partial response was observed in 1 rhabdomyosarcoma and 1 Ewing's sarcoma. CONCLUSIONS: Tasidotin induces a G(2)-M block in treated cells ultimately resulting in apoptosis. Antitumor activity is confirmed in vivo in preclinical xenograft models of pediatric sarcomas.