Combined addition of L-carnitine and L-proline improves cryopreservation of dairy goat semen.

Cryopreservation of semen renders artificial insemination easier and cheaper compared to use of fresh semen. However, the cellular oxidative stress, toxicity of cryoprotectants, and osmotic imbalance may lead to a decline in semen quality and fertilization ability during the process of cryopreservation. L-carnitine and L-proline have been demonstrated to possess effective antioxidant properties in cryopreservation, with the latter also exhibiting excellent permeability and thus being utilized as a permeable cryoprotectant in the field. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of LC and LP on cryopreservation of semen of dairy goats. After thawing, sperm motility, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity rate of cryopreserved semen treated with LC (50 mM) were significantly higher compared to the untreated control samples. Based on this premise, we conducted experiments to assess the cryoprotective efficacy of different concentrations of LP. The findings demonstrated that the inclusion of 50 mM LP resulted in improved sperm motility compared to other concentrations. Furthermore, the levels of damaging reactive oxygen species and the malonyldialdehyde marker for oxidative stress were significantly lower in goat semen treated with these concentrations of LC and LP compared to semen exposed to other treatments. Semen treated with LC and LP also exhibited good fertilization ability during both in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination. Thus, LC (50 mM) and LP (50 mM) improve cryoprotection of dairy goat sperm which suggests that addition of these compounds will be highly beneficial to the development of dairy goat breeding.

A long non-coding RNA essential for early embryonic development improves somatic cell nuclear transfer somatic cell nuclear transfer efficiency in goats.

In brief: Early embryonic development in goats is a complex and an important process. This study identified a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), lncRNA3720, that appears to affect early embryonic development in goats through histone variants. Abstract: Although abundant lncRNAs have been found to be highly expressed in early embryos, the functions and mechanisms of most lncRNAs in regulating embryonic development remain unclear. This study was conducted to identify the key lncRNAs during embryonic genome activation (EGA) for promoting embryonic development after somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in goats. We screened and characterized lncRNAs from transcriptome data of in vitro-fertilized, two-cell (IVF-2c) and eight-cell embryos (IVF-8c) and eight-cell SCNT embryos (SCNT-8c). We obtained 12 differentially expressed lncRNAs that were highly expressed in IVF-8c embryos compared to IVF-2c and less expressed in SCNT-8c embryos. After target gene prediction, expression verification, and functional deletion experiments, we found that the expression level of lncRNA3720 affected the early embryonic development in goats. We cloned full-length lncRNA3720 and over-expressed it in goat fetal fibroblasts (GFFs). We identified histone variants by analyzing the transcriptome data from both GFFs and embryos. Gene annotation of the gene library and the literature search revealed that histone variants may have important roles in early embryo development, so we selected them as the potential target genes for lncRNA3720. Lastly, we compensated for the low expression of lncRNA3720 in SCNT embryos by microinjection and showed that the development rate and quality of SCNT embryos were significantly improved. We speculate that lncRNA3720 is a key promoter of embryonic development in goats by interacting with histone variants.

Immunogenicity Analysis of PCV3 Recombinant Capsid Protein Virus-like Particles and Their Application in Antibodies Detection.

Porcine circovirus type 3 is a newly emerging pathogen of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD). Currently, there is no commercially available vaccine, resulting in huge economic losses to the pig industry. Porcine circovirus type 3 capsid protein (Cap) can self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs). Therefore, the expression of the recombinant Cap protein is of great significance for the prevention, diagnosis and control of porcine circovirus type 3 associated diseases. In this study, the recombinant Cap protein was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli by deleting the nuclear localization sequence (NLS). The VLPs were observed by transmission electron microscopy. To evaluate the immunogenicity of the recombinant Cap protein, mice were immunized. As a result, the recombinant Cap protein can induce higher levels of humoral and cellular immune responses. A VLP-based ELISA method was developed for the detection of antibodies. The established ELISA method has good sensitivity, specificity, repeatability and clinical applicability. These results demonstrate the successful expression of the PCV3 recombinant Cap protein and the preparation of recombinant Cap protein VLPs, which can be used for the preparation of subunit vaccines. Meanwhile, the established I-ELISA method lays a foundation for the development of the commercial PCV3 serological antibody detection kit.

Temporal Response of Mesocarnivores to Human Activity and Infrastructure in Taihang Mountains, Central North China: Shifts in Activity Patterns and Their Overlap.

Mesocarnivores play essential roles in terrestrial ecosystems, but anthropocentric disturbances have profoundly transformed their intraguild interactions worldwide. In this study, we explored how a guild of four mesocarnivores (red fox Vulpes vulpes, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, Asian badger Meles leucurus, and hog badger Arctonyx collaris) partition their temporal niche in the temperate montane forests in North China under different human influences. We conducted a systemic camera-trapping survey on the study species in the central Taihang Mountains from 2016 to 2020. With an extensive survey effort of 111,063 camera-days from 187 camera stations, we obtained 10,035 independent detections of the four mesocarnivores and examined the activity patterns of each species under different levels of human disturbance and their overlaps. The results showed that, while the leopard cat and the badgers shifted their activity towards nocturnality, the red fox showed no significant change. The leopard cat's degree of nocturnality varied between growing and non-growing seasons, likely a response to avoid humans and other competitors. However, the activity overlaps between species pairs demonstrated no statistically significant difference, indicating a long-developed coexistence mechanism that is homogenous across the landscape. Demonstrating how mesocarnivores shift activity patterns in response to human risks while partitioning resources, this study enhances our understanding of mesocarnivore behavioral changes and interspecific interactions at human-nature interfaces.

Migration and transformation of phosphorus in sediment-water system in storm and sewage sewers.

During rainfall, phosphorus in drainage pipe sediments is easily washed and released. This study investigates the migration of phosphorus between sediments and water in storm and sewage sewers, the microbial community structure in sediments, and phosphorus transformation under biological action. Results showed that when the initial concentration of phosphorus in stormwater (water column) in storm sewer was high (1-2 mg/L), the total phosphorus (TP) level decreased in the water column but increased in the sediments, showing a trend of phosphorus migration from the water column to the sediments. Moreover, under high concentration (2 mg/L), the TP level decreased by 83.19% in the water column within 210 min, which was greater than 64.9% of the medium-concentration stormwater (1 mg/L). In sewage sewer, when the initial concentration of phosphorus in sewage was about 2 mg/L, phosphorus would migrate from the sediments and interstitial water to the water column because of the high concentration of phosphorus in the sediments. In addition, the variation in phosphorus was caused not only by concentration gradient but also by microbial communities. Phosphate accumulating organisms, such as Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, existed in the storm and sewage sewers, which could ingest dissolved reactive phosphorus in the water column and interstitial water and convert it into phosphorus in organisms. In storm sewers, Acidimicrobiia transferred phosphorus from the water column and interstitial water to the sediments through biochemical reactions and physical adsorption. In sewage sewers, organic acids secreted by Clostridia, Bacteroidia, and Bacilli could dissolve some insoluble phosphorus in sediments and then transfer them to interstitial water.

Reduced Cerebral Glucose Uptake in an Alzheimer's Rat Model With Glucose-Weighted Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Imaging.

A correlation between the abnormal cerebral glucose metabolism and the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been found in previous studies, suggesting that glucose alterations may be used to predict the histopathological diagnosis in AD. In this study, we investigated the dynamic changes of cerebral glucose uptake in vivo using MR glucose chemical exchange saturation transfer (glucoCEST) imaging in a rat model of AD with an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v) injection of amyloid Aß-protein (25-35), confirmed by Morris water maze and Nissl staining. In total, 6 rats in the AD group and 6 rats in the control group that were given an injection of sterile normal saline were included. At 28 days after injection, all rats performed a 7.0 T MR exanimation, including glucoCEST, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and hippocampus magnetic resonance spectra (MRS), to detect the possible metabolic and structural changes in the rat brain. A significantly elevated brain glucoCEST signal in the brain of AD rats was observed, and a decreased brain glucose uptake was also explored during the progression of glucose infusion compared with those in rats of the control group. In addition, there is a significant positive correlation between glucoCEST enhancement (GCE) and myo-Inosito (Ins) in the AD group and the control group (P < 0.05). A significantly reduced number of neurons in the cortex and hippocampus in AD rats combined with the significantly longer escape and a decreased number of crossings were verified at 28 days after Aß25-35 injection by Nissl staining and Morris water maze, respectively. Our results indicated that an abnormal brain glucose mechanism in AD rats could be detected by glucoCEST imaging, suggesting a new method to explore the occurrence and progress of diabetes-related AD or dementia.

Migration and transformation of nitrogen in sediment-water system within storm sewers.

In the sediment-water system of storm sewers (e.g., sediments, interstitial water, and the water column), the migration of nitrogen and its biological transformation with different dissolved oxygen conditions were investigated. Results showed that in an aerobic segment, γ-proteobacteria, α-proteobacteria, and nitrospira, which are aerobic, grew actively in water column and interstitial water through ammonification and nitrification. In anoxic segment, ammonification depended mainly on clostridia, whereas nitrification was inhibited. Thus, after 20 days, the concentration of NH4+-N in the aerobic segment became noticeably lower (5.97 mg/L) than that in the anoxic segment (18.09 mg/L). In sediments, the biological transformation of organic nitrogen in the anoxic environment was more complete, resulting in elevating amino acid nitrogen and NH4+-N in the anoxic segment compared to the aerobic segment. Furthermore, the concentration gradient of NH4+-N between interstitial water and water column in aerobic and anoxic segments, thereby causing NH4+-N to migrate from interstitial water to the water column. In the sediment-water system, the different forms of nitrogen changes were the common result of biological transformation and material migration.

A Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial of Renshen Yangrong Tang Herbal Extract Granules for Fatigue Reduction in Cancer Survivors.

CONTEXT: Based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory, Renshen Yangrong Tang (RSYRT), which is a mixture of 12 herbs, was commonly used as a pharmacological option in China for fatigue management by correcting Qi deficiency. OBJECTIVES: This randomized controlled Phase II trial investigated the efficacy of RSYRT for reducing cancer-related fatigue. METHODS: Cancer survivors with moderate or severe fatigue (rated ≥4 on a 0-10 scale) for more than two months were randomized to take herbal extract granules of RSYRT or a low dose of a single herb (huangqi) twice a day for six weeks. Patient-reported fatigue was measured using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory. Efficacy of RSYRT was evaluated using mixed model to test the differences over time among groups. We also conducted responder analyses and examined time to effect of symptom reduction. RESULTS: None of the 83 evaluable patients (control group 42; intervention group 41) had discomfort or Grade 3 or 4 toxicity. We observed a significantly greater MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-fatigue score reduction in the intervention group than that in the control group (time-by-group interaction: estimate = -0.61 [0.10]; P < 0.0001). More patients in the intervention group had a two-point reduction on fatigue than that of the control group (90.2% vs. 52.4%). By Week 4, between-group differences of fatigue reduction on mean severity reached large effect size (intervention group vs. control group: -2.66 vs. -1.36; Cohen's d = 1.0; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Compared with control therapy, RSYRT therapy elicits a statistical and clinical improvement of fatigue severity and functioning. The effectiveness of RSYRT in managing cancer-related fatigue warrants further study in the real world.

Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor of the Prostate with Notalgia and Paraplegia as the Initial Symptoms: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is a rare and highly malignant neoplasm composed of small round cells, which frequently occurs in children and adolescents. PNET originating from the prostate is even rarer. We report a case of PNET of the prostate with notalgia and paraplegia as the initial symptoms. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography scanning showed hypodense and hypermetabolism on the prostate; subsequently, we ascertained the diagnosis by transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. The patient underwent local vertebral radiotherapy combined with five courses of systematic chemotherapy. Disease progressed after 11 months, and the overall survival was 17 months.

lncRNA HNF1A-AS1 modulates non-small cell lung cancer progression by targeting miR-149-5p/Cdk6.

Growing evidence have shown the important regulation of lncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). lncRNA hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 homeobox A (HNF1A)-antisense RNA 1 (AS1), an "oncogene", was reported to regulate human tumors progression. However, the molecular mechanism of HNF1A-AS1 involved in the development of NSCLC is still under investigation. In the current study, we found that HNF1A-AS1 was relatively upregulated in both NSCLC patient tissues and cell lines. Functional studies established that overexpression of HNF1A-AS1 promoted cell proliferation, cell cycle, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells in vitro. The promotion abilities of HNF1A-AS1 on NSCLC cell progression were suppressed via knockdown of HNF1A-AS1. miR-149-5p was then proved to be a novel target of HNF1A-AS1, whose expression was negatively correlated with HNF1A-AS1 in NSCLC patient tissues and cell lines. HNF1A-AS1 increased the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (Cdk6) via sponging with miR-149-5p. Gain- and loss-of-functional studies indicated that HNF1A-AS1 promoted NSCLC progression partially through inhibition of miR-363-3p and induction of Cdk6. Subcutaneous xenotransplanted tumor model confirmed that interference of HNF1A-AS1 suppressed the tumorigenic ability of NSCLC via upregulation of miR-149-5p and downregulation of Cdk6 in vivo. In conclusion, our findings clarified the biologic significance of the HNF1A-AS1/miR-149-5p/Cdk6 axis in NSCLC progression and provided novel evidence that HNF1A-AS1 may be a new potential therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Enhancing microbial community performance on acid resistance by modified adaptive laboratory evolution.

A new strategy of three-step adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) was developed to enhance the bioleaching performance of moderately thermophilic consortia. Through consortium construction, directed evolution and chemostat selection, an improved consortium (ALEend) that composed of Leptospirillum ferriphilum (80.32%), Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans (15.82%) and Ferroplasma thermophilum (3.86%) was obtained, showing ferrous iron oxidation rate of 500 mgL-1h-1 and biomass production of 2.0 × 108 cells/mL at pH 0.75. During batch culturing, the ALEend consortium exhibited stable ferrous iron oxidation in wider conditions. PCA indicated that the communities were similar under fluctuating culture conditions, which demonstrated the stable community structure and the reinforced synergistic interactions resulting in the enhanced community performance. Pyrite bioleaching conducted at pH 1.5 and 0.75 revealed that the ALEend consortium extracted 26% and 55% more total iron relative to the original consortium. These findings indicated that the modified ALE may be a promising strategy for microbial community modification to enhance bioleaching.

Cationic IrIII Emitters with Near-Infrared Emission Beyond 800†nm and Their Use in Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells.

Solid-state near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting devices have recently received considerable attention as NIR light sources that can penetrate deep into human tissue and are suitable for bioimaging and labeling. In addition, solid-state NIR light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) have shown several promising advantages over NIR organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). However, among the reported NIR LECs based on ionic transition-metal complexes (iTMCs), there is currently no iridium-based LEC that displays NIR electroluminescence (EL) peaks near to or above 800 nm. In this report we demonstrate a simple method for adjusting the energy gap between the highest-occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest-unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of iridium-based iTMCs to generate NIR emission. We describe a series of novel ionic iridium complexes with very small energy gaps, namely NIR1-NIR6, in which 2,3-diphenylbenzo[g]quinoxaline moieties mainly take charge of the HOMO energy levels and 2,2'-biquinoline, 2-(quinolin-2-yl)quinazoline, and 2,2'-bibenzo[d]thiazole moieties mainly control the LUMO energy levels. All the complexes exhibited NIR phosphorescence, with emission maxima up to 850 nm, and have been applied as components in LECs, showing a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 0.05 % in the EL devices. By using a host-guest emissive system, with the iridium complex RED as the host and the complex NIR3 or NIR6 as guest, the highest EQE of the LECs can be further enhanced to above 0.1 %.

GSK-3ß inhibits autophagy and enhances radiosensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is one of the most common and effective treatment methods for cancer, and improving the radiosensitivity of tumor tissues during the treatment process is vital. We report the mechanisms of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) ß-regulated autophagy and the effects of autophagy on radiosensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHOD: Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine GSK-3ß tissue expression in 89 NSCLC patients with follow-up data and the expression status of GSK-3ß and autophagy in NSCLC tissues after X-ray radiotherapy. Western blots were used to quantitate changes in autophagy-related protein expression after A549 cells were treated with GSK-3ß inhibitors and after H460 cells were transfected with GSK-3ß mutants with different activities and X-ray irradiated. Clonogenic assays were used to measure the effect of autophagy on cellular proliferation. RESULTS: GSK-3ß expression positively correlated with NSCLC differentiation (P < 0.05), and GSK-3ß negativity was associated with a better prognosis in 89 NSCLC patients. After X-ray irradiation, the expression levels of GSK-3ß and p62 were decreased in NSCLC tissues, and the expression levels of the autophagy-related protein LC3 were increased. A549 and H460 cells were selected as representative GSK-3ß-high and GSK-3ß-low expression cell lines. After transfecting H460 cells with different GSK-3ß mutants [wild type GSK-3ß (GSK-3ß-WT), constitutively active GSK-3ß (GSK-3ß-S9A), and catalytically inactive GSK-3ß (GSK-3ß-K85R)] and subjecting these cells to X-ray irradiation, AMPK and LC3 expression levels decreased, and p62 expression levels increased. These effects were particularly significant for the GSK-3ß-S9A mutant. In A549 cells, after GSK-3ß inhibition and X-ray irradiation, AMPK and LC3 protein expression levels increased. Moreover, when autophagy was inhibited, cell proliferation decreased. CONCLUSION: Our studies revealed that GSK-3ß expression is associated with NSCLC differentiation, and patients with GSK-3ß-negative tumors had a better prognosis. X-ray irradiation inhibited GSK-3ß expression and promoted autophagy. Therefore, GSK-3ß inhibits autophagy and enhances the radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells.

Shugan Liangxue Decoction () Down-Regulates Estrogen Receptor α Expression in Breast Cancer Cells.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Shugan Liangxue Decoction (, SGLXD) on estrogen receptor α (ERα) in human breast cancer cells. METHODS: The effect of SGLXD (0.85-5.10 mg/mL) on the proliferation of breast cancer cells were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The nuclear ERα protein levels in MCF-7, T47D and ZR-75-1 cells which treated by SGLXD for 24 h were examined by western blot and immunofluorescence assay. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were treated by 17ß-estradiol (E2) with or without SGLXD, for 24 h, and the E2 targeted genes c-myc and bcl-2 protein product was evaluated by western blot. RESULTS: SGLXD showed dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of MCF-7, T47D and ZR-75-1 cells, but did not inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, the promotive effect on cell growth induced by E2 was also significantly inhibited by SGLXD treatment. With the treatment of 1.70, 3.40, 5.10 mg/mL SGLXD, the nuclear ERα protein level was reduced to 88.1%, 70.4% and 60.9% in MCF-7 cells, and was decreased to 43.0%, 38.4% and 5.9% in ZR-75-1 cells as compared with the control group. In T47D cells, the nuclear ERα protein was down-regulated to 51.3% and 4.3% by 3.40 and 5.10 mg/mL SGLXD treatment. The down-regulative effect of SGLXD on nuclear ERα was confirmed by immunofluorescence assay. SGLXD decreased the protein product of c-myc and bcl-2. CONCLUSIONS: SGLXD may exhibit selective inhibition effect on the proliferation of ER positive breast cancer cells. SGLXD reduced the nuclear ERα expression and the protein product of E2 target gene c-myc and bcl-2.

Brominated flame retardants and dechlorane plus on a remote high mountain of the eastern Tibetan Plateau: implications for regional sources and environmental behaviors.

We investigated the occurrence of halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), six novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and dechlorane plus in air and soils on the eastern slope of Mt. Gongga on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. We detected all of the NBFR except bis(2-ethylhexyl)-tetrabromophthalate and pentabromoethyl benzene. NBFRs constituted the most prevalent group. BDE-28 and BDE-47 dominated among the PBDE congeners. Decabromodiphenyl ethane was detected at relatively high levels up to 171 pg/m3 and 1450 pg/g dry weight in air and soils, respectively; however, it appeared to be easily degraded in the environment. A general decreasing trend was observed among the HFR concentrations with increasing altitude, and this was due to the prominent contribution of source emissions over possible influence of environmental conditions. This study also suggests that HFRs are supplied to forest soils mainly in the form of precipitation and retained in the O horizon layers.

Survival and Prognostic Analysis of Primary Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in North China.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the prognostic factors of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical data collected from three hospitals in North China between September, 1999 to March, 2012. RESULTS: Higher survival rates (1, 3, 5, and 10 year) were found in NPC patients who were female, non-smokers, early clinical phase, and T1-2 (p < 0.05). No association was found between survival rates and drinking habits, lesion location, pathological types, N stages, and radiotherapy pattern. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were equal following both conventional radiotherapy and Intensity-Modulating Radiotherapy (IMRT). CONCLUSIONS: Patient gender, age, smoking status, clinical stages, and T stages all served as prognostic factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Association of IL-17 polymorphisms with gastric cancer risk in Asian populations.

AIM: To investigate associations between the IL-17 rs2275913 G>A and rs763780 T>C polymorphisms and susceptibility to gastric cancer in Asian populations. METHODS: We reviewed studies published up to 2014 on IL-17 polymorphisms with gastric cancer susceptibility systematically. Relevant articles were identified in the MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and Current Contents Index databases. We used version 12.0 STATA statistical software to evaluate the statistical data. Two reviewers abstracted the data independently. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Seven independent, case-control studies were chosen for the meta-analysis, which included 3210 gastric cancer patients and 3889 healthy controls. The overall estimation showed a positive association between the IL-17 rs2275913 G>A polymorphism and the occurrence of gastric cancer for five genetic models (all P < 0.05) and similar results were observed for the IL-17 rs763780 T>C variation with four genetic models (all P < 0.05), but not for the dominant model (P > 0.05). Subgroup analysis by country revealed that the rs2275913 G>A and rs763780 T>C polymorphisms may be the main risk factor for gastric cancer in Chinese and Japanese populations. CONCLUSION: The IL-17 gene may be significantly correlated with gastric cancer risk in Asian populations, especially those carrying the rs2275913 G>A and rs763780 T>C polymorphisms.

Ren Shen Yangrong Tang for Fatigue in Cancer Survivors: A Phase I/II Open-Label Study.

OBJECTIVES: This open-label, prospective, phase I/II trial was performed to establish the safety and efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal products for treating non-anemia-related fatigue in patients with cancer. Although this practice is widespread in China, it has not been confirmed in a prospective clinical study. DESIGN: Thirty-three patients who had completed cancer treatment, had stable disease and no anemia, and reported moderate to severe fatigue (rated ≥4 on a 0-10 scale) were enrolled in a TCM outpatient clinic. Patients took Ren Shen Yangrong Tang (RSYRT) decoction, a soup containing 12 TCM herbs, twice a day for 6 weeks. RSYRT aims to correct qi deficiency. Fatigue was assessed before and after RSYRT therapy, which all patients completed. RESULTS: No discomfort or toxicity was observed. Before the study, all patients had had fatigue for at least 4 months. Fatigue severity decreased significantly from before therapy to 6 weeks after therapy: from 7.06 to 3.30 on a 0-10 scale (p<0.001). Fatigue category (mild, moderate, severe) shifted significantly (p=0.024): Of 22 patients with severe fatigue (rated ≥7) before therapy, 11 had mild fatigue and 11 had moderate fatigue after TCM treatment. The time-to-fatigue-alleviation was 2-3 weeks. CONCLUSION: RSYRT therapy was safe and was associated with fatigue improvement in nonanemic cancer survivors, consistent with historical TCM clinical practice experience. Because of a possible placebo effect in this open-label study, decoction RSYRT warrants further study in randomized clinical trials to confirm its effectiveness for managing moderate to severe fatigue.

Associations of LIG4 and HSPB1 genetic polymorphisms with risk of radiation-induced lung injury in lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the correlations of genetic polymorphisms in LIG4 and HSPB1 genes with the radiation-induced lung injury (RILI), especially radiation pneumonitis (RP), in lung cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 160 lung cancer patients, who were diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and received radiotherapy, were included in the present study from September 2009 to December 2011. TaqMan Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) was used to verify the SNPs of LIG4 and HSPB1 genes. Chi-square criterion was used to compare the differences in demographic characteristics, exposure to risk factors, and SNPs genotypes. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by logistic regression analysis. All statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: A total of 32 (20.0%) lung cancer patients had RP after receiving radiotherapy. Of the 32 cases, 4 cases were of grade 2, 24 cases were of grade 3, and 4 cases were of grade 4. However, our results indicated that the general condition and treatment of all patients had no significant difference with RP risk (P > 0.05). Meanwhile, our results revealed that there was no significant association between the frequencies of LIG4 rs1805388 and HSPB1 rs2868371 genotype distribution and the risk of RP (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we demonstrated that the genetic polymorphisms in LIG4 rs1805388 and HSPB1 rs2868371 were not obviously correlated with the risk of RP and RILI of lung cancer.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment and traditional Chinese medicine intervention benefit symptom control in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

The aim of this study was to observe the symptom improvement and clinical benefit in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stratified on the basis of CGA findings after treatment with a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Twenty-four elderly advanced NSCLC patients with a mean age of 73.0 ± 5.3 (65-83) years were categorized into three stratifications according to CGA results, namely function independent, mildly function impaired, and function dependent. They received standardized therapy, individualized therapy, and best supportive care, respectively. The patients receiving standardized therapy and individualized therapy were randomized into two groups, with or without traditional Chinese medicine for symptom control, while for all the patients receiving best supportive care, traditional Chinese medicine was administered. Nine non-elderly NSCLC patients (<65 years old) were enrolled as control and treated in accordance with NCCN NSCLC treatment guidelines. EORTC QLQ-C30 core scale, LC13 scale, and MDASI-TCM scale were used to assess relevant symptoms before and after treatment. After treatment for 3 weeks, it was shown by QLQ-C30+LC13 scales, for function-dependent patients, that the physical and role performances and the global health status were improved and the symptoms of fatigue and cough were alleviated; by MDASI-TCM scale, the symptoms of fatigue, cough, and expectoration were improved. In function-independent and mildly function-impaired elderly patients, there were no significant changes in functional status and symptoms. But in non-elderly patients, the physical and social performances were lowered, and the symptoms of fatigue, constipation, and poor appetite were aggravated. The elderly patients with advanced NSCLC were categorized on the basis of CGA findings, and traditional Chinese medicine may be beneficial to symptom control of function-dependent patients.