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Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used increasingly as complementary medicine in cancer care. Kuan-Sin-Yin (KSY) is a TCM decoction containing seven herbs known to cause immunomodulation or anticancer activity, and which are associated with the TCM concept of Qi and energy supply. Kuan-Sin-Yin has cytostatic effects on cancer cells in animal models.Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of improvement in meridian energy and heart-rate variability (HRV) and to assess whether these observations are compatible with TCM theory.Method: A non-randomized controlled trial was designed with monitoring of the meridian electro-conductivity and heart-rate variability (HRV) to compare the efficacy of Kuan-Sin-Yin in the control and experimental groups. 52 patients were enrolled in this study. We also measured cancer-related symptoms and quality of life as secondary outcomes.Results: We found that colon cancer patients who received KSY as complementary therapy benefitted with enhancement of meridian energy (Yin meridian: 27.90:35.45μA; p=0.014; Yang meridian: 27.09:33.55μA; p=0.024) and increases in HRV activity (78.40:129.04ms; SDNN: p=0.001) and parasympathetic tone(HF:1644.80:3217.92 ms2; p=0.003; RMMSD:99.76:164.52ms; p=0.002). Cancer-related symptoms decreased (ECOG>1:46.2:7.7%; p=0.0001), and quality of life (KSY group: PCS 35.46:42.12, p=0.0001; MCS: 44.50:47.55, p=0.209) was improved with statistical significance.Conclusions: The correlation of positive results reflected in meridian energy and HRV activity confirms the positive role of complementary medicine of Kuan-Sin-Yin in cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background& Aims: This study examined the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine decoction, Kuan-Sin-Yin (KSY), on patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in a randomised and placebo-controlled clinical trial.Methods: This trial enrolled 70 subjects with CHC who were randomised into 2 groups each with 35 participants. In total, 29 participants in the therapeutic group took 100mL of the herbal decoction daily, whereas 28 in the control group took an herbal placebo with the same dose and frequency for the 6-week study. The primary outcomes were liver function and viral load. Secondary measurements included haematopoietic and biochemical profiles, safety parameters, and a quality of life survey. All measurements were collected at the beginning of the study and after 6 weeks.Results: In within-group analysis, significant decreases of glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) 31.7±75.2IU/L and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) 20.3±45.7IU/L were found in the KSY group (p=0.031 and 0.024, respectively). In the between-group analysis, KSY reduced serum GOT and GPT levels by more than 20IU/L (p=0.027 and 0.047, respectively). KSY also significantly decreased viral load by 0.3 log units (p=0.047). In addition, KSY significantly decreased serum triglyceride 16.9±27.5mg/dL (p=0.024).Conclusions: This study demonstrates that taking the KSY herbal decoction for 6 weeks improves liver function and serum triglyceride levels and is safe for patients with CHC. The potential long-term effects of KSY on lipid metabolism related hepatoprotection and viral clearance warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background and aims To examine the effect and safety of high-dose green tea extract ( Epigallocatechin gallate , EGCG) at a daily dosage of 856.8 mg on weight reduction and changes of lipid profile and obesity-related hormone peptides in women with central obesity. Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT02147041. A total of 115 women with central obesity were screened at our clinic. 102 of them with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m 2 and a waist circumference (WC) ≥ 80 cm were eligible for the study. These women were randomly assigned to either a high-dose green tea group or placebo group. The total treatment time was 12 weeks. The main outcome measures were anthropometric measurements, lipid profiles, and obesity related hormone peptides including leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, and insulin. Results Significant weight loss, from 76.8 ± 11.3 kg to 75.7 ± 11.5 kg (p = 0.025), as well as decreases in BMI (p = 0.018) and waist circumference (p = 0.023) were observed in the treatment group after 12 weeks of high-dose EGCG treatment. This study also demonstrated a consistent trend of decreased total cholesterol, reaching 5.33%, and decreased LDL plasma levels. There was good tolerance of the treatment among subjects without any side effects or adverse events. Significantly lower ghrelin levels and elevated adiponectin levels were detected in the study group than in the placebo group. Conclusion 12 weeks of treatment with high-dose green tea extract resulted in significant weight loss, reduced waist circumference, and a consistent decrease in total cholesterol and LDL plasma levels without any side effects or adverse effects in women with central obesity. The antiobestic mechanism of high-dose green tea extract might be associated in part with ghrelin secretion inhibition, leading to increased adiponectin levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aims: To examine the effect of green tea extract (GTE) on obese women and to explore the relationship between GTE and obesity-related hormone peptides. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted from July 2006 to June 2007 in Taipei Hospital, Taiwan. Seventy-eight of 100 obese women aged between 16 and 60years with BMI>27kg/m2 and who had not received any other weight control maneuvers within the last 3months completed this study. The subjects were randomly divided into Groups A and B. Group A (n =41) received GTE while Group B (n =37) took cellulose as a placebo, one capsule (400mg) three times each day for 12weeks. The body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI) and waist circumflex (WC) were measured at the beginning of the study and after 12weeks of treatment with GTE. The data were compared and expressed as % reduction. Results: There was only a 0.3% reduction in BW (0.15kg) after 12weeks of treatment with GTE. There was no statistical difference in % reduction in BW, BMI and WC between the GTE and placebo groups. Within group comparison revealed that the GTE group had significant reduction in LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride, and marked increase in the level of HDL-cholesterol, adiponectin and ghrelin. On the other hand, the placebo group showed significant reduction in triglyceride only, and a marked increase in the level of ghrelin alone. Conclusions: This study showed no statistical difference in % reduction in BW, BMI and WC between the GTE and placebo groups after 12weeks of treatment. The intake of GTE (491mg catechins containing 302mg EGCG) for 12weeks is considered safe as shown by the results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Medical adherence is often higher in clinical trials than in real world practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on medical adherence to hormonal therapy (HT) and survival outcome in ER (+) breast cancer patients in Taiwan.Subjects and Methods: Using a nationwide longitudinal population-based database, we enrolled patients with newly diagnosed ER-positive breast cancer who had received HT, and followed for up to 5 years (N = 872). Medication adherence in terms of medication possession ratios (MPR) and patient outcome were evaluated with or without TCM exposure. We applied logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards (PH) analysis to identify factors, including TCM exposure, associated with adherence to HT and mortality.Results: MPR to HT in general decreased over the 5-year period post breast cancer diagnosis. Both TCM and MPR to HT ≥ 80% were significantly associated with reduced risk of breast cancer-associated mortality. Subgroup analysis revealed that TCM annual visits ≥ 3 times with CHP prescription 1~90 days per year affected mortality reduction most significantly (HR: 0.26; 95% CI = 0.08-0.83; p < 0.05) compared to other TCM use. In contrast, using TCM (either short-term or long-term) was not associated with MPR in HT.Conclusions: Our results supported the potential advantage of TCM on breast cancer-associated mortality, whereas TCM use does not compromise medical adherence to HT. This study offers important insights in integrative therapy for HT in patients with estrogen receptor (+) breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Radial pulse and finger photoplethysmographic waveforms were measured noninvasively. • To discriminate the different microcirculatory states of frozen-shoulder patients. • Pulse indices help to evaluate changes in the arterial pulse transmission in FS. • Facilitate an objective technique for evaluating the FS-induced blood-flow response. This study tested the hypothesis that measuring and analyzing the arterial pulse waveform and the skin-surface blood flow makes it possible to noninvasively discriminate the different microcirculatory states of patients with frozen shoulder (FS). Radial blood pressure waveform (BPW), finger photoplethysmography (PPG), and skin-surface laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) signals were measured noninvasively on the back of the hand in 25 FS and 18 control subjects. Beat-to-beat, spectral, and variability analyses were applied to the 3-minute-long recorded signals. Significant intergroup differences were found in the BPW, PPG, and LDF indices. For example, the amplitude indices of the predominant (lower-frequency) BPW components were significantly larger in FS subjects than controls. Some of the PPG phase-angle variability indices were significantly larger on the diseased side than on the contralateral side. The present results illustrate that LDF indices can be used to evaluate the blood-flow-perfusion responses and their regulation, and that pulse-waveform indices can help to evaluate changes in the arterial pulse-wave transmission condition and its regulation in FS. Moreover, the trends in the changes in certain spectral pulse-waveform indices were similar for the wrist BPW and finger PPG signals. These findings could facilitate the development of a rapid, inexpensive, and objective technique for evaluating the blood-flow responses induced by FS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summay: Background: Insulin resistance is an important pathogenic factor in type 2 diabetes patents. An easy and efficiency measurement predicting insulin resistance; which can be done easily by type 2 patients is desired. Objective: To examine whether waist circumference is a better predictor of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes than body mass index (BMI). Methods: From a population of 1356 registered diabetic patients, 144 who met (1) aged between 30 and 75years, (2) being Chinese, (3) having had type 2 diabetes for more than one year, and (4) having been taking gliclazide and metformin for more than 6months were enrolled in this study. The main outcome evaluated is the associations of HOMA insulin resistance index (HOMA index); which were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The coefficients of multiple regression analysis with stepwise model showed that waist circumference (β =0.35, p <0.001) but not BMI (β =0.01, p =0.94), adiponectin (β =−0.25, p =0.04) and hemoglobulin A1c% (HbA1c) (β =0.25, p =0.01) were the main predictors of HOMA index. Conclusions: These initial findings indicate that waist circumference is a better predictor of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes than BMI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim of the study: To investigate the therapeutic effect of different auricular acupoint stimulations on obese women. Methodology: The subjects who met our inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to receive auricular stimulations by needles or metal beads or sham auricular acupuncture on each ear alternatively at each treatment. The inclusion criteria included body mass index (BMI)>27kg/m2 and taking no weight-control treatments in the two months before and throughout the study. The outcomes evaluated included: physical parameters, biochemical characteristics using blood samples, obesity-related hormone peptides and life quality scores at both baseline and after 4-weeksof treatment for comparison. Results: Though our results showed no significant differences in any of the outcome measures between the three groups after treatment, but there were significant reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumferences within the groups receiving needles and metal beads auricular stimulations (p <0.05 and p <0.001, respectively. N =30 in each group). Furthermore, there was a 1.9-unit reduction in insulin-resistance level in the auricular acupuncture group, and a 41.3pg/ml decrease in ghrelin level in the metal beads auricular stimulation group. Conclusions: The group receiving metal beads auricular stimulation showed a decreasing trend similar to that of the auricular acupuncture group, indicating that metal beads could replace needles when using auricular acupoint stimulation as obesity adjuvant treatment with less adverse effects. Our pilot study obtained findings worthy of further and more in-depth research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The technique of separation of variables is used to derive explicit particular solutions for constant coefficient, singularly perturbed partial differential equations (PDEs) on a rectangular domain with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Particular solutions and exact solutions in closed form are obtained. An analysis of convergence for the series solutions is performed, which is useful in numerical solution of singularly perturbed differential equations for moderately small values of &epsiv; (e.g., &epsiv;=0.1–10−4). Two computational models are designed deliberately: Model I with waterfalls solutions and Model II with wedding-gauze solutions. Model II is valid for very small &epsiv; (e.g., &epsiv;=10−7), but Model I for a moderately small &epsiv; (=0.1–10−4). The investigation contains two parts. The first part, reported in the present paper, focuses on the convergence analysis and some preliminary numerical experiments for both of the models, while the second part, to be reported in a forthcoming paper, will illustrate the solutions near the boundary layers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Kuan-Sin-Yin (KSY) is a traditional Chinese medical decoction, designed based on the classic Si-Jun-Zi-Tang decoction and used clinically to improve the synergic effects of energy promotion, liver function and cancer related symptom and quality of life. However, the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) function of KSY is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the anti-mobility activity of KSY on HCC cells and elucidate its molecular mechanism. Two malignancy hepatocellular carcinoma cells, Mahlavu and SK-Hep-1, were used for the test of cell proliferation via alarm blue assay. The wound healing and Transwell assays were used to determine the anti-mobility activity of KSY in HCC cells. Cell morphology was analyzed via confocal microscopy. The genomic profile of KSY-treated HCC cells was analyzed by microarray. The potential signaling pathways and bio-functions of KSY-mediated genes were analyzed by ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the messenger RNA (mRNA) level of indicated gene. KSY did not affect cell viability of HCC cells but significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion in those HCC Mahlavu and SK-Hep-1 cells. In parallel, KSY induced changes in morphology of HCC cells via re-modulating actin cytoskeleton. KSY upregulated 1270 genes but reduced 1534 genes in Mahlavu cells. KSY regulated various gene networks which controlled cell migration, invasion and movement. Specifically, KSY reduced expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), which is correlated to cell mobility, and concomitantly downregulated mRNA levels of phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 3 (PIK3R3) and CEA cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1). These findings indicated that regulation of CCL2-mediated PIK3R3 and CEACAM1 may be involved in KSY inhibited cell mobility. Moreover, KSY may be a potential a Chinese decoction for reducing cell mobility. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]