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You-Ping Li

Publications and source records attributed to You-Ping Li.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Improving the quality of randomized controlled trials in Chinese herbal medicine, part I: clinical trial design and methodology.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) with respect to design and methodology, and provide suggestions for further improvement in future clinical trials. METHODS: A search of the Cochrane Library was conducted to identify RCTs of CHM on line in July 2005. Quality of the RCTs was assessed using a 11-item checklist modified from the revised CONSORT statement, with 2 items specific to CHM (i.e. herb preparation form and quality control of herbs). RESULTS: The search yielded 167 RCTs that were selected for assessment. All trials included statements about the interventions, objectives, primary outcome design, statistical methods, and herb preparation form. Although 163 (97.6%) trials reported inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria were only reported in 26 (15.6%) trials. Fewer than 10% of trials clearly stated the random allocation sequence generation methods, and only 2.4% mentioned allocation concealment. The vast majority (86.8%) of trials were open-label, while only 13.2% used blinding. Almost half (45.5%) administered the CHM intervention as a tea or decoction. Only one trial (0.6%) reported a sample size calculation, and a single trial (0.6%) discussed quality control of the CHM intervention. CONCLUSION: The overall methodologic quality of RCTs in CHM was poor. It is essential to improve the design of future RCTs in this clinical area. RECOMMENDATIONS: (1) Investigator conducting RCTs should have formal training about clinical trial design; (2) A flow chart is recommended to ensure that all essential steps of clinical trial design are included. (3) Conducting pilot studies prior to RCTs may help improve their design; (4) Registration of clinical trials and publishing their protocols prior to enrollment may reduce publication bias and solicit peer reviews of the proposed design; (5) Collaboration between CHM investigators and traditional medicine academic research centers interested in integrative medicine may lead to quality improvement of RCTs of CHM.

Humans↗

Improving the quality of randomized controlled trials in Chinese herbal medicine, part II: control group design.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the types of control groups in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), and to provide suggestions for improving the design of control group in future clinical studies in this therapeutic area. METHODS: A search of the Cochrane Library was conducted in July 2005 to identify RCTs of CHM, and 66 RCTs with CHM for type 2 diabetes mellitus were obtained as the basis for further analysis. RESULTS: Of 66 RCTs with CHM for type 2 diabetes mellitus, 61 (92.4%) trials had both a treatment group and a control group. Twenty-seven (40.9%) RCTs compared CHM plus conventional drug vs conventional drug, 24 (36.4%) compared CHM vs conventional drug, 5 (7.6%) compared CHM vs placebo, 3 (4.5%) compared CHM plus conventional drug vs conventional drug plus placebo, 3 (4.5%) compared CHM plus conventional drug vs other CHM, 1 (1.5%) compared CHM vs no treatment, 1 (1.5%) compared CHM plus placebo vs conventional drug plus placebo, 1 (1.5%) compared CHM vs CHM plus conventional drug vs conventional drug vs placebo, and 1 (1.5%) compared CHM vs conventional drug vs CHM plus conventional drug. CONCLUSION: A variety of control groups were used in RCTs of CHM for type 2 diabetes mellitus, including placebo, active, and no treatment control groups. Justification for selecting particular types of control groups were not provided in the trials reviewed in this study. Different control groups may be appropriate according to the study objectives, and several factors should be considered prior to selecting control groups in future RCTs of CHM. RECOMMENDATIONS: (1) Investigators of CHM who design clinical trials should understand the rationale for selecting different types of control groups; (2) Control groups for RCTs should be selected according to study objectives; (3) Active control groups should select interventions for comparisons that have the strongest evidence of efficacy and prescribe them as recommended; (4) Placebo control groups should select a placebo that mimics the physical characteristics of test intervention as closely as possible and is completely inert; (5) No treatment control groups should only be used when withholding treatment is ethical and objectives outcomes will not be subject to bias due to absent blinding; (6) Crossover control groups may be appropriate in chronic and stable conditions.

Control Groups↗

Improving the quality of randomized controlled trials in Chinese herbal medicine, part III: quality control of Chinese herbal medicine used in randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss quality control of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and to provide suggestions for improving this aspect in future clinical study in this therapeutic area. METHODS: A search of the Cochrane Library was conducted to identify RCTs of CHM. Quality control information reported in those RCTs was then assessed independently. RESULTS: The search yielded a total of 167 RCTs of CHM for a variety of conditions. A total of 11 CHM preparations were used in those RCTs. Only one trial discussed quality control of the CHM interventions used. Issues affecting the safety and efficacy of CHM products used in RCTs were discussed including standardization of raw herbal materials, processing methods, screening for product contamination, and effects of combination products. CONCLUSION: The overall quality of reporting of RCTs of CHM was poor, reflecting the need for improvements in reporting future clinical trials in this area. RECOMMENDATIONS: To improve quality control of CHM used in RCTs in future, we recommend developing and implementing guidelines such as Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) for Chinese crude drugs, and current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) specific to CHM products. Chemical analyses of individual herbs of CHM and combination products are also recommended to provide reference standards for quality control.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal↗

Improving the quality of randomized controlled trials in Chinese herbal medicine, part IV: applying a revised CONSORT checklist to measure reporting quality.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the quality of reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), and to provide suggestions for improving the reporting of future clinical studies in this therapeutic area. METHODS: A search of the Cochrane Library was conducted to identify RCTs of CHM. A revised CONSORT checklist designed for CHM clinical studies was implemented. The revised CONSORT checklist contained 63 items, including the following new items added specifically for CHM: (1) "syndrome of disease" based on Chinese medicine theories; (2) rationale of CHM formula; (3) formula composition; (4) preparation form of CHM; (5) quality control of CHM. RESULTS: The overall reporting quality of the RCTs as assessed with the revised CONSORT checklist varied between 19% and 44%, with a median score of 32% (standard deviation 8%). CONCLUSION: The overall quality of reporting of RCTs of CHM evaluated with a revised CONSORT checklist was poor, reflecting the need for improvements in reporting future clinical trials in this area. RECOMMENDATIONS: To improve the quality of reporting of RCTs of CHM, we recommend adopting a revised CONSORT checklist that includes items specific to CHM. We also recommend that editors of CHM journals require authors to use a structured approach to presenting their trials as a condition of publication.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal↗

Expression, purification, and in vitro refolding of a humanized single-chain Fv antibody against human CTLA4 (CD152).

A human-derived single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragment specific against human CTLA4 (CD152) was produced at high level in Escherichia coli. The scFv gene was cloned from a phagemid to the expression vector pQE30 with a N-terminal 6His tag fused in-frame, and expressed as a 29 kDa protein in E. coli as inclusion bodies. The inclusion body of scFv was isolated from E. coli lysate, solubilized in 8M urea with 10mM dithiothreitol, and purified by ion-exchange chromatography. Method for in vitro refolding of the scFv was established. The effects of refolding buffer composition, protein concentration and temperature on the refolding yield were investigated. The protein was renatured finally by dialyzing against 3mM GSH, 1mM GSSG, 150 mM NaCl, 1M urea, and 50 mM Tris-Cl (pH 8.0) for 48 h at 4 degrees C, and then dialyzed against phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) to remove remaining denaturant. This refolding protocol generated up to a 70% yield of soluble protein. Soluble scFv was characterized for its specific antigen-binding activity by indirect cellular ELISA. The refolded scFv was functionally active and was able to bind specifically to CTLA4 (CD152). The epitopes recognized by refolded anti-CTLA4 scFv do not coincide with those epitopes recognized by CD80/CD86.

Animals↗

[Intergration and epression of porcine endogenous retrovinus in the immortal cell line of Banna Minipig Inberd Line-Mesenhymal Stem Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the integration and expression of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) in the immortal cell line of Banna Minipig Inbred Line-Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMI-MSCs). METHODS: DNA and total RNA of the immortal cell line of BMI-MSCs were extracted and PCR, RT-PCR were performed to detect PERV-gag, pol and env gene, and the type of PERV was also detected. RESULTS: PERV-gag, pol and env gene were all detected in the primary culture and immortal cell line (passage 150 and passage 180) of BMI-MSCs, and the type of PERV was PERV-A, B. Functional expression of PERV-gag and pol mRNA was also detected. CONCLUSION: In this laboratory, PERV was not lost during the proceeding of pig inbred and since has been in long-term culture of pig cells in vitro. PERV has integrated into the genome of its natural host, and virus mRNA can effectively express. So it is very essential to evaluate the possibility of xenozoonoses in pig-to-human xenotransplantation.

Animals↗

The protective mechanism of Yisheng Injection against hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury in mice.

AIM: Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury may cause acute inflammatory, significant organ damage or dysfunction, and remains an important problem for liver transplantation. Our previous in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that Yisheng injection (YS), a traditional Chinese medicine, had protective effect on ischemia/reperfusion injury. In this study, we examined whether YS had protective effect for hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury and explored its protective mechanism. METHODS: Hepatic warm ischemia/reperfusion was induced in mice. YS at different doses (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 24 h and 1 h before ischemia and a third dose was injected intravenously just before reperfusion. The hepatocellular injury, oxidative stress, neutrophil recruitment, proinflammatory mediators and adhesion molecules associated with hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemical assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Undergoing 90 min of ischemia and 6 h of reperfusion caused dramatical injuries in mouse livers. Administration of YS at doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg effectively reduced serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), from 3 670+/-463 U/L, 2 362+/-323 U/L and 12 752+/-1 455 U/L in I/R group to 1 172+/-257 U/L, 845+/-193 U/L and 2 866+/-427 U/L in YS (20 mg/kg) treated group, respectively (P<0.01). The liver myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were decreased from 1.1+/-0.2 (U/mg protein) and 9.1+/-0.7 (nmol/mg protein) in I/R group to 0.4+/-0.1 (U/mg protein) and 5.5+/-0.9 (nmol/mg protein) in YS (20 mg/kg) treated group, respectively (P<0.01). Moreover, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were reduced from 55+/-9.9 (pg/mL) in I/R group to 16+/-4.2 (pg/mL) (P<0.01). Furthermore, the over-expressions of TNF-alpha and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were suppressed by YS treatment in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: YS attenuates hepatic warm ischemia/reperfusion injury by reducing oxidative stress and suppressing the over-expression of proinflammatory mediators and adhesion molecules.

Animals↗

An engineered multidomain bactericidal peptide as a model for targeted antibiotics against specific bacteria.

We constructed a peptide consisting of a staphylococcal AgrD1 pheromone fused to the channel-forming domain of colicin Ia and named it pheromonicin. This fusion peptide had bactericidal effects against methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA, respectively), but not against Staphylococcus epidermidis or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Growth rates, vital staining and colony forming unit (CFU) counts showed that pheromonicin did not merely suppress growth but killed S. aureus cells. The specificity of pheromonicin was shown by the absence of bactericidal effects against an accessory gene regulator (agr) locus knockout of S. aureus, and a dose-dependent inhibition of the bactericidal effects of pheromonicin by competition with corresponding free AgrD pheromone. In vivo, all pheromonicin-treated mice survived administration of MRSA that was lethal to controls. No toxicity was detectable in human liver or renal cells in culture, or in livers, kidneys or spleens of pheromonicin-treated mice. The results suggest that these types of chimeric peptides may be of value as antibiotics against specific bacterial infections.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Intravenous chemotherapy for resected gastric cancer: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIM: To assess the safety and efficacy of different intravenous chemotherapeutic regimens in patients with gastric carcinomas who had undergone gastrectomy. METHODS: A meta-analysis of all the relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed. Language was restricted to Chinese and English. RCTs were identified from Medline and Embase (1980-2001/4), and Chinese Bio-medicine Database (1990-2001/1). Literature references were checked at the same time. We included randomized and quasi-randomized trials comparing the efficacy of intravenous chemotherapy after gastrectomy with that of surgery alone in patients with confirmed gastric carcinomas who had undergone gastrectomy. Selection criteria were: randomized or quasi-randomized trials with following-up results; Trials could be double-blind, single-blind or not blind; Chemotherapy groups were given intravenous chemotherapy after gastrectomy without neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion, radiotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy; Controlled group included those receiving gastrectomy alone. The following data were extracted: the number of survival and death by the end of the follow-up; the different agents and doses of the intravenous chemotherapy; the baseline of the chemotherapy group and the controlled arm; the serious adverse events; the statistical consideration; cost-effectiveness analysis. The statistical analysis was performed by RevMan4.1 software which was provided by the Cochrane Collaboration. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Meta-analysis was done with random effects model. Heterogeneity was checked by chi-square test. Sensitivity analysis was performed by excluding the trials in which Jadad-scale was only 1 score. The result was expressed with odds ratio (OR) for the categorical variable. RESULTS: Fourteen trials involving 4543 patients were included. Meta-analysis was done with random effects model. Heterogeneity and sensitivity analysis were performed also. The effect of intravenous chemotherapy after gastrectomy was better than surgery alone (odds ratio 0.56, 95 %CI 0.40-0.79). There was a significant difference between the two groups by u-test (P=0.0008). Sensitivity analysis revealed the same difference (odds ratio 0.81, 95 % CI 0.70-0.94). Of fourteen trials, only three studies were of high quality according to the Jadad-scale (with three score). There was one meta-analysis trial and the others, about ten trials, were of low quality. There was no trial which mentioned sample-size calculation, allocation concealment, intention-to-treat analysis. Most of the trials didn't describe the blind-procedure. There were five trials which detailed the side-effects according to the toxicity grade by WHO standard. The side-effects halting treatment were haematologic and biochemical toxicity, debilitating nausea and vomiting. There were two patients died of chemotherapy toxicity. CONCLUSION: Based on the review, intravenous chemotherapy after gastrectomy may have positive treatment effect on gastric cancer. However, the evidence is not strong because of the general low methodologic quality of the RCTs. Therefore, we can't make the conclusion that intravenous chemotherapy after gastrectomy may have better treatment effect on gastric cancer than that of surgery alone. Rigorously designed, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are required.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

[Influence of dosage on cell biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of different dose levels of hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP) on the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of rabbit osteoblasts. METHODS: Three different dose levels of HA/TCP (10%, 40%, 70%) were co-cultivated with rabbit osteoblasts respectively. The proliferation and ALP expression capacity of osteoblasts were examined with MTT method and enzyme histochemistry once every 24 hours until 5 days. Three control groups of other materials were treated and examined in the same way: rabbit osteoblasts as normal control; polyvinylchloride as positive control; titanium alloy as negative control. RESULTS: There was remarkable time-effect relationship in the proliferation of osteoblasts. Ten percent HA/TCP did not affect osteoblasts growth while 40% HA/TCP could slow the cell growth rate down though time-effect relationship still existed. The proliferation of osteoblasts stagnated when co-cultivated with 70% HA/TCP. On the other hand, 10% HA/TCP could cause reversible damage on ALP activity of osteoblasts, whereas when the dose was 40%, and the cultivation lasted 6 days the damage was irreversible. Three different dose levels of titanium alloy (10%, 40%, 70%) had no effect on the proliferation or ALP activity of osteoblasts. CONCLUSION: Dosage is an important factor affecting the biocompatibility evaluation of biomaterial. It suggests that dose choosing should be more specified upon each individual biomaterial. It also indicates that ALP may be a good supplementary index of the cell compatibility of material.

Animals↗