Non-Pharmacological treatment of hypertension

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Randomized controlled trial of supportive-expressive group therapy and body-mind-spirit intervention for Chinese non-metastatic breast cancer patients

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of supportive-expressive group (SEG) therapy and body-mind-spirit (BMS) intervention on emotional suppression and psychological distress in Chinese breast cancer patients.published_or_final_versio

Change in volumes and radiation doses of parotid and submandibular glands during intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

This journal suppl. entitled: Proceedings of the American Society for Radiation Oncology 53rd Annual MeetingPoster Viewing Session - PV-Head and Neck: abstract no. 2626OBJECTIVES: To investigate the changes in volumes and radiation doses to parotid and submandibular glands during IMRT for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in an attempt to justify re-planning in the mid-course of IMRT to minimize radiation-induced xerostomia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 33 consecutive patients with stage III to stage IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma (AJCC Staging Manual 6th Edition) who received concurrent chemoradiation were included in this study. Computed tomography (CT) scans were performed for IMRT planning purposes (PLCT) and at mid-course of IMRT (MCCT) with head and neck …published_or_final_versio

Randomised controlled trial of low salt diet in the treatment of hypertension

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Reducing sodium intake reduces ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive patients

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Dignity amidst liminality: Healing within suffering among Chinese terminal cancer patients

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Predictors of treatment outcome in patients treated with radical chemoradiotherapy for stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Proffered SessionBACKGROUND: Chemoradiation has been well established as standard treatment for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous studies have shown that the tumour size as well as its metabolic activity predict treatment outcome after definitive treatment for early-stage disease. We would like to investigate if there are any clinical and metabolic predictors of treatment outcome for stage III NSCLC after chemoradiation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 56 consecutive patients (46 males and 10 females) treated with radical concurrent chemoradiation for their stage IIIA (n=21) and IIIB (n=35) (AJCC 7th edition) unresectable non-small cell lung cancer between July 2006 to February 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. 42 patients had positron emission tomography with integrated computed tomography (PET-CT) scan performed at diagnosis. Of which 14 patients also had PET-CT scan after induction chemotherapy and before concurrent chemoradiation. All received concurrent chemoradiation +/- induction ...postprin

Comparison of post-treatment plasma EBV DNA with nasopharyngeal biopsy in patients after radical (chemo) radiotherapy for non-metatatic nasopharyngeal cancer

This journal suppl. entitled: Proceedings of the American Society for Radiation Oncology 56th Annual Meeting, ASTRO's 56th Annual Meeting ... 2014Oral Scientific SessionPURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): Random nasopharyngeal biopsy after completion of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for non-metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is routinely practiced in Hong Kong to confirm local remission. Plasma EBV DNA is proven an accurate marker for NPC. We carried out a prospective study comparing the correlation between post-IMRT nasopharyngeal biopsy and EBV DNA, to investigate if EBV DNA can substitute biopsy to confirm local remission. MATERIALS/METHODS: Patients with non-metastatic NPC treated with definitive (chemo) IMRT diagnosed between January 2011 and March 2013 were recruited. After baseline workup ...postprin

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field