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BackgroundPhotodynamic therapy (PDT) is increasingly used for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, it is unknown whether photodynamic therapy is more effective than other commonly used treatment modalities for these cancers.PurposeThe aim of this study was to determine the relative efficacy and safety of PDT compared with placebo or other interventions for the treatment of skin carcinomas.MethodsSearches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. We included randomized controlled trials comparing the PDT with other interventions in adults skin BCC or SCC that reported on lesion response, recurrence, cosmetic appearance, or safety outcomes.ResultsSeventeen unique randomized controlled trials, representing 22 study arms from 21 publications were included. The included trials included 2,166 participants, comparing methyl aminolevulinic (MAL) PDT (six studies) or aminolevulinic acid (ALA) PDT (two studies). Comparators included placebo, surgery, hexaminolevulinic (HAL) PDT, erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet ablative factional laser (YAG-AFL) PDT, fluorouracil, and imiquimod. There were few studies available for each comparison. Mantel-Haenszel fixed effects risk ratios were calculated for response, recurrence, cosmetic outcomes, and adverse events. MAL-PDT had similar response rates to surgery, ALA-PDT, fluorouracil and imiquimod at 3- and 12 months post-intervention. The rate of recurrence was similar, showing few differences at 12 months, but at later time points (24–60 months), fewer lesions recurred with surgery and imiquimod than with PDT. PDT also caused more adverse events and pain than other interventions. However, PDT treatment was more likely to receive a “good” or “excellent” rating for cosmetic appearance than surgery or cryotherapy.ConclusionThis systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates that the choice of treatment modality for BCC or SCC is best chosen in the context of the location and size of the lesion, the socioeconomic circumstances of the patient, as well as the patient’s preferences. We call for more high quality studies to be done, in order to enable more reliable interpretations of the data.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=368626, identifier CRD42022368626.

ABSTRACT: Objective To observe the effect of different concentration Flos Buddlejae (Mi Meng Hua, 密 蒙 花) granules on apoptosis factors of lacrimal gland cells of castrated male rabbits, and study the treatment effects of Flos Buddlejae (Mi Meng Hua, 密蒙花) granules in the dry eye model of castrated male rabbits.Methods Flos Buddlejae (Mi Meng Hua, 密 蒙 花) raw material was made into granules. Thirty healthy adult New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into five groups, six rabbits in each group. Group A: blank group, Group B: model group, Group C: Flos Buddlejae (Mi Meng Hua, 密蒙花) granule group, Group D: placebo group, Group E: testosterone group. Except for group A, all rabbits underwent removal of bilateral testis and epididymis. Rabbits in group C were administered Flos Buddlejae (Mi Meng Hua, 密 蒙 花) granules (100 mg/kg), three times per day; rabbits in group D were administered normal saline, three times per day. Rabbits in group E were injected with testosterone propionate (0.5 mL/kg) in the thigh muscle, every 3 days. All rabbits were tested by Schirmer I test (SIT) and tear film break-up time (BUT) before operation and 4 weeks after operation. After 4 weeks, all rabbits were sacrificed by air embolism and clipping of the lacrimal gland. Apoptosis factors, including Bax, Bcl-2, Fas and FasL of lacrimal gland cells were characterized by immunohistochemistry, and resulting data were statistically analyzed.Results (1) Comparison of SIT and BUT before and after operation: There were statistically significant differences between groups B and D (P0.05). (2) Comparison of apoptosis factors Bax, Bcl-2 Fas and FasL: In a comparison of groups B and D, there was no statistically significant difference after operation (P>0.05). In a comparison of the other groups, there were statistically significant differences (P0.05).Conclusion Compared with androgen, Flos Buddlejae (Mi Meng Hua, 密蒙花) granules caused similar but slightly weaker depression of Bax, Fas and FasL, and increased expression of Bcl-2. Keywords: Flos Buddlejae Granules, Dry eye, Castrated male rabbits, Lacrimal gland cell, Apoptosis factors

Background: Multimorbidity, individuals suffering from two or more chronic diseases, has become a major health challenge worldwide, especially in populous and prosperous cities, where studies of this phenomenon in China are limited. We examined the prevalence, trends, patterns, and associated factors of multimorbidity from 2009 to 2018 among community-dwelling adults in Guangzhou, China. Methods: We conducted serial cross-sectional surveys for chronic diseases in Guangzhou, China, in 2009, 2013, and 2018. General and stratified prevalence were standardized using demographic data. Multivariable logistic regression and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to identify associated factors and to assess the correlations and patterns of multimorbidity, respectively. Results: This study included 23,284 adults aged 18 and over in 2009, 18,551 in 2013, and 15,727 in 2018. The standardized prevalence of multimorbidity increased substantially, with 12.69% (95% CI: 10.45–15.33) in 2009, 25.44% (95% CI: 23.47–27.52) in 2013, and 35.13% (95% CI:32.64−37.70) in 2018 (P for trend

Objectives Examination of the prevalence, influence factors and patterns of multimorbidity among the elderly people in Guangzhou, China.Design Cross-sectional study.Participants 31 708 community-dwelling elderly people aged 65 and over.Primary and secondary outcome measures Prevalence, influence factors and patterns of multimorbidity in seven chronic conditions among the participants. A multistage, stratified random sampling was adopted for selection of health records in the residents’ health records system of Guangzhou. Data mining by association rule mining analysis was used to explore the correlations and multimorbidity patterns between seven chronic diseases.Results The prevalence of morbidity was 55.0% (95% CI 40.1% to 60.1%) and the multimorbidity was 15.2% (95% CI 12.4% to 18.4%) among the participants. Elderly, women, higher education level, being single, living in urban areas and having medical insurance were more likely to have chronic diseases and multimorbidity. Data mining by association rule mining analysis reveals patterns of multimorbidity among the participants, including coexistence of hypertension and diabetes (support: 12.5%, confidence: 17.6%), hypertension and coronary heart disease (support: 4.4%, confidence: 5.7%), diabetes and coronary heart disease (support: 1.6%, confidence: 5.7%), diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension (support: 1.4%, confidence: 4.4%).Conclusions A high prevalence of morbidity (especially on hypertension and diabetes) and a relatively low multimorbidity of chronic diseases exist in elderly people. Data mining of residents’ health records will help for strengthening the management of residents’ health records in community health service centres of Guangzhou, China.

The article discusses a study that examined the cumulative effect of smoking on the survival of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The researchers used a Cox proportional hazards model to estimate associations between cigarette exposure and survival. Results indicate higher risks of death, progression, locoregional relapse and distant metastasis in former and current smokers.

AbstractAim:To investigate the immunosuppressive effect of gossypol in mice both in vitro and in vivo.Methods:The in vitro effect of gossypol on the proliferation of lymphocytes isolated from lymph nodes of BALB/c mice was determined by CFSE staining and by an MTS assay. Lymphocyte activation and lymphoblastic transformation were evaluated with immunostaining. Cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin-V and Hoechst 33342 staining. The in vivo immunosuppressive effect of gossypol on the DTH reaction was evaluated using a mouse DTH model induced by 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene (DNFB). The thickness of the ears was measured, and the histological changes of the mouse auricles were observed after hematoxylin-eosin staining. The proliferation capacity of lymphocytes from DTH mice was also assayed.Results:In vitro, gossypol could significantly inhibit the proliferation of mouse lymphocytes stimulated with phorbol ester plus ionomycin in a dose-dependent manner. Although the expression of the early activation antigen CD69 was not affected, the lymphoblastic transformation of both T and B lymphocyte subsets was significantly suppressed by gossypol. Moreover, gossypol could induce apoptosis of lymphocytes, and the effect was time- and dose-dependent. In vivo, the DTH reaction in mice was markedly alleviated by gossypol injected intraperitoneally. Lymphocytes from drug-treated DTH mice had a reduced proliferation capacity as compared with lymphocytes from untreated DTH mice. Gossypol treatment also markedly reduced the number of infiltrated lymphocytes in the auricles of DTH mice.ConclusionGossypol exhibited immunosuppressive effects in mice, probably by inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation and by induction of cell apoptosis.Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2009) 30: 597–604; doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.35; published online 13th April 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]