Titanium nanosheet as robust and biosafe drug carrier for combined photochemo cancer therapy.

Two-dimensional (2D) Titanium nanosheets (Ti NSs) have shown many excellent properties, such as nontoxicity, satisfactory photothermal conversion efficacy, etc. However, the biomedical applications of Ti NSs have not been intensively investigated. Herein, we synthesized a multifunctional Ti NS drug delivery system modified with polydopamine/polyethylene glycol (Ti@PDA-PEG) and applied simultaneously for photothermal therapy and chemotherapy. Doxorubicin (DOX) was utilized as a model drug. Ti@PDA-PEG NS shows an ultrahigh antitumor drug DOX loading (Ti@PDA-PEG-DOX). The prepared Ti@PDA-PEG-DOX NS as robust drug delivery system demonstrates great stability and excellent multi-response drug-release capabilities, including pH-responsive and near-infrared -responsive behavior and obviously high photothermal efficiency. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental results have shown high biosafety and outstanding antitumor effects. Therefore, this work exhibits the enormous potential of a multifunctional platform in the treatment of tumors and may stimulate interest in the exploration of other new 2D nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

[Analysis of curative effect of ultrasonic hyperthermia combined with TPF chemotherapy on 19 elderly with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound hyperthermia combined with TPF chemotherapy for advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma in the elderly. METHODS: Nineteen elderly patients who had definite pathological diagnosis were enrolled in this clinical trail from June 2017 to January 2020. Docetaxel (75 mg/m2) + cisplatin (75 mg/m2) were given on the 1st day , and 5,Fu (750 mg/m2) on the 1st to 5th day of the cycle. Five times of hyperthermia were performed in the course of chemotherapy, respectively on the l, 3, 5, 7 and 9 days after the beginning of chemotherapy. All patients received 2 cycles of thermo -chemotherapy. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 software package. Kaplan-Meire method was used to calculate survival rate. RESULTS: According to the efficacy evaluation standard for solid tumor (version 1.0), complete response (CR) was seen in 3 cases, partial response (PR) was seen in 10 cases, stable disease(SD) was seen in 5 cases，progressive disease(PD) was seen in 1 case. The overall responding rate was 68.4%. The median follow-up time was 36 months(8-48 months), and the 2-year overall survival rates were 63.2%. No serious adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound hyperthermic therapy combined with chemotherapy has a synergistic anti-tumor effect on patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma, which is safe and effective, and is worthy of becoming another choice of tumor treatment.

Platycodon grandiflorum extract attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury via TLR4/NF-κBp65 pathway in rats.

The traditional Chinese medicine Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) is often used for the treatment of a number of chronic inflammatory diseases. In Chinese veterinary clinic, PG is always extracted by decoction and taken orally, however, the molecular mechanism of PG extract (PE) to reduce LPS-induced inflammation, especially acute lung injury (ALI) in vivo, are not known. Thus, we have studied the anti-inflammatory effects of PE on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury via TLR4/NF-κBp65 pathway in rat. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, LPS group, LPS±PE low dose group and LPS±PE high dose group. All rats were given corresponding PE solution or the same amount of normal saline by intragastric administration for 7 days. On the 7th day, 1 h after the last administration, 500 µg of LPS were introduced intratracheally to establish ALI rat model, and the same volume of normal saline was given to control group. The results showed that PE reduced the levels of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory mediators including IL-6, PGE2, and TNF-α, alleviated the lung injury histologically, and down-regulated LPS-induced mRNA and protein levels of TLR4/NF-κBp65 in lung tissue. This study demonstrated that PE has the anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced ALI in rats through TLR4/NF-κBp65 signaling pathway, indicating that PE is an effective suppressor for anti-inflammatory activities.

Qingyi decoction protects against myocardial injuries induced by severe acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: We studied the protective effects of Qingyi decoction (QYD) (a Traditional Chinese Medicine) against severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)-induced myocardial infarction (MI). AIM: To study the function and mechanism of QYD in the treatment of myocardial injuries induced by SAP. METHODS: Ultrasonic cardiography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and apoptosis staining techniques were used to determine the effects of QYD following SAP-induced MI in Sprague-Dawley rats. RESULTS: Our SAP model showed severe myocardial histological abnormalities and marked differences in the symptoms, mortality rate, and ultrasonic cardiography outputs among the different groups compared to the control. The expression of serum cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, amyloid ß, and tumor necrosis factor-α] were significantly higher in the SAP versus QYD treated group (P < 0.05 for all). STIM1 and Orai1 expression in myocardial tissue extracts were significantly decreased post QYD gavage (P < 0.001). There was no significant histological difference between the 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate inhibitor and QYD groups. The SAP group had a significantly higher apoptosis index score compared to the QYD group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: QYD conferred cardio-protection against SAP-induced MI by regulating myocardial-associated protein expression (STIM1 and Orai1).

China's growing contribution to military Chinese medicine (2005-2014): a ten-year literature survey.

OBJECTIVE: In China, people have relied on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years to keep healthy and treat diseases. TCM also plays an important role in military health services and now forms a new discipline called military Chinese medicine (MCM). However, the type, quality and focus of research articles about MCM have not been reported. The present study was performed to analyze the growing trends of MCM and investigate China's contribution to military health services. METHODS: China's MCM publications were retrieved from the PubMed database, as well as China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and Chongqing VIP database from 2005 to 2014. RESULTS: The study found that the number of published articles increased markedly from 2005 to 2014. Basic research studies comprised a small percentage of the literature. Among these studies, military training injury and special military environmental medicine were the most common research subjects in MCM. Military hospitals were the main institutions generating MCM literature. CONCLUSION: The quality of MCM research is generally low, as indicated by the proportion of publications in core journals. Studies on MCM still lack high-quality publications and international cooperation.

How do systematic reviews of acupuncture for pain relief incorporate risk of bias assessments into the synthesis? A methodological study.

OBJECTIVE: By reviewing the assessment of internal validity in relevant systematic reviews (SRs), the aim of this study was to identify how critical appraisals of risk of bias (RoB) inform the synthesis of evidence in SRs of acupuncture for pain relief. METHODS: SRs were searched in Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of SRs from their inception to 30 December 2014. Only SRs of acupuncture for pain relief were included. Basic information, types of RoB appraisal tool, whether or not there was domain-level assessment of RoB, whether or not the reviews ranked studies by RoB, plus whether or not (and, if so, how) RoB appraisal was incorporated into the synthesis were determined. RESULTS: A total of 91 SRs met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Over half of the SRs (85, 64.8%) used standard tools, such as the Jadad quality score and the Cochrane RoB tool, followed by adapted tools (n=23, 25.3%). Of the 85 SRs that assessed RoB, 29 (34.1%) presented domain-level assessment and 71 SRs (83.5%) included ranking of the studies based on RoB assessment. Of these 71, 35 (49.4%) used a cut-off threshold score and 26 (36.6%) required all criteria sum-up. Of the 85 SRs that assessed RoB, 48 (56.5%) incorporated RoB appraisal into the data synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Although most SRs of acupuncture for pain relief conducted some form of RoB assessment, nearly half of them failed to incorporate the RoB assessment into the synthesis.

The application status of Chinese herbal medicine in military health service in China.

Military medicine has had a long history in China since the emergence of the war. Chinese medicine, especially Chinese herbs, was widely used in China as well as other Asian countries for the prevention and treatment of diseases in the military for hundreds of years. However, the use of Chinese medicine in military health service has never been well studied. In this article, we briefly summarize the application status of Chinese herbal medicine in military health service in China, putting particular emphasis on special military environment, in an attempt to build a bridge between Chinese medicine and military health service and promote the quality of health service for the military and maintain world peace.

The application status of Chinese herbal medicine in military health service in China / 中国结合医学杂志

Military medicine has had a long history in China since the emergence of the war. Chinese medicine, especially Chinese herbs, was widely used in China as well as other Asian countries for the prevention and treatment of diseases in the military for hundreds of years. However, the use of Chinese medicine in military health service has never been well studied. In this article, we briefly summarize the application status of Chinese herbal medicine in military health service in China, putting particular emphasis on special military environment, in an attempt to build a bridge between Chinese medicine and military health service and promote the quality of health service for the military and maintain world peace.

China's growing contribution to military Chinese medicine (2005-2014): a ten-year literature survey / 中西医结合学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>In China, people have relied on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years to keep healthy and treat diseases. TCM also plays an important role in military health services and now forms a new discipline called military Chinese medicine (MCM). However, the type, quality and focus of research articles about MCM have not been reported. The present study was performed to analyze the growing trends of MCM and investigate China's contribution to military health services.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>China's MCM publications were retrieved from the PubMed database, as well as China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and Chongqing VIP database from 2005 to 2014.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The study found that the number of published articles increased markedly from 2005 to 2014. Basic research studies comprised a small percentage of the literature. Among these studies, military training injury and special military environmental medicine were the most common research subjects in MCM. Military hospitals were the main institutions generating MCM literature.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The quality of MCM research is generally low, as indicated by the proportion of publications in core journals. Studies on MCM still lack high-quality publications and international cooperation.</p>

Therapeutic effect of Qingyi decoction in severe acute pancreatitis-induced intestinal barrier injury.

AIM: To investigate the effect of Qingyi decoction on the expression of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) in intestinal barrier injury. METHODS: Fifty healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), Qingyi decoction-treated (QYT), dexamethasone-treated (DEX), and verapamil-treated (VER) groups. The SAP model was induced by retrograde infusion of 1.5% sodium deoxycholate into the biliopancreatic duct of the rats. All rats were sacrificed 24 h post-SAP induction. Arterial blood, intestine, and pancreas from each rat were harvested for investigations. The levels of serum amylase (AMY) and diamine oxidase (DAO) were determined using biochemical methods, and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level was measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Pathologic changes in the harvested tissues were investigated by microscopic examination of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections. The expressions of sPLA2 at mRNA and protein levels were detected by reverse transcriptase PCR and Western blot, respectively. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay was used to investigate apoptosis of epithelial cells in the intestinal tissues. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the expression of sPLA2 at both the mRNA and protein levels increased significantly in the SAP group (0.36 ± 0.13 vs 0.90 ± 0.38, and 0.16 ± 0.05 vs 0.64 ± 0.05, respectively; Ps < 0.01). The levels of AMY, TNF-α and DAO in serum were also significantly increased (917 ± 62 U/L vs 6870 ± 810 U/L, 59.7 ± 14.3 ng/L vs 180.5 ± 20.1 ng/L, and 10.37 ± 2.44 U/L vs 37.89 ± 5.86 U/L, respectively; Ps < 0.01). The apoptosis index of intestinal epithelial cells also differed significantly between the SAP and control rats (0.05 ± 0.02 vs 0.26 ± 0.06; P < 0.01). The serum levels of DAO and TNF-α, and the intestinal apoptosis index significantly correlated with sPLA2 expression in the intestine (r = 0.895, 0.893 and 0.926, respectively; Ps < 0.05). The levels of sPLA2, AMY, TNF-α, and DAO in the QYT, VER, and DEX groups were all decreased compared with the SAP group, but not the control group. Qingyi decoction intervention, however, gave the most therapeutic effect against intestinal barrier damage, although the onset of its therapeutic effect was slower. CONCLUSION: Qingyi decoction ameliorates acute pancreatitis-induced intestinal barrier injury by inhibiting the overexpression of intestinal sPLA2. This mechanism may be similar to that of verapamil.

[Determination of 22 Elements in Herb Tea by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry].

N, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Ba and Pb in herb tea were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with pressed powder pellets. The measuring conditions of target elements were investigated, including how to select its analytical line. In addition to Ba and Pb using L line, Kalpha line was selected for the rest. When the Compton scattered radiation of Rh Kalpha was measured, The X-ray tube voltage should be appropriately reduced, and the appropriate tube current should be selected. The matrix effect was corrected by empirical coefficient method and using scattered radiation (the Rayleigh scattered radiation of Rh Lalpha, the scattered background of 0.1876 nm wavelength position and the Compton scattered radiation of Rh Kalpha) as internal standard, and the spectral overlapping interference of some elements (N, Na, Ca, Ti, Mn, Sr and Ba) was corrected. For the target elements, the detection limit of this method was low, and its accuracy and precision were high. The results showed that there were abandon of elements in herb tea, of which different kinds had different components, even the same kind of herb tea with different source had some difference in element and content more or less, however, there was a lot of similarity between the features of its components. In a word, this method could achieve multi-element determination of herb tea, and it was simple in operation, low cost, rapid, and accurate.

[Determination of eight metal elements in Cichorium glandulosum Boiss et Huet by microwave digestion-FAAS].

The Cichorium glandulosum Boiss et Huet is a traditional Uighur natural herbal medicine, but has not been analyzed and studied in terms of its metal elements. In the experiment, the Cichorium glandulosum Boiss et Huet powder was digested with HNO3 by microwave digestion before determination. The eight metal elements, potassium, nickel, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper and zinc, in Cichorium glandulosum Boiss et Huet were determined by FAAS. The working conditions, accuracy and precision of the method were studied. The linear correlations of standard curves are good (r = 0.999 1-0.999 9). The recovery (n = 6) is 92.25%-110.5%, and the RSD (n = 6) is 0.7%-3.88%. The results showed that there were comparatively rich metal elements, among which are comparatively high calcium (65.84 mg x g(-1)), iron (24.38 mg x g(-1)), magnesium (278.17 mg x g(-1)) and potassium (18.50 mg x g(-1)), in Cichorium glandulosum Boiss et Huet, and the contents of other elements are nickel of 0.004 38 mg x g(-1), manganese of 0.52 mg x g(-1), copper of 0.016 5 mg x g(-1) and zinc of 0.18 mg x g(-1). This provided useful data for discussing the relationship between the content of the metal elements in Cichorium glandulosum Boiss et Huet and its clinical application in cardiovascular and osteoporosis disease.