Innovative Thinking on Endpoint Selection in Clinical Trials

ABSTRACT

In clinical trials, selection of appropriate study endpoints is critical for an accurate and reliable evaluation of safety and effectiveness of a test treatment under investigation. In practice, however, there are usually multiple endpoints available for measurement of disease status and/or therapeutic effect of the test treatment under study. For example, in cancer clinical trials, overall survival, response rate, and/or time to disease progression are usually considered as primary clinical endpoints for evaluation of safety and effectiveness of the test treatment under investigation. Once the study endpoints have been selected, sample size required for achieving a desired power is then determined. It, however, should be noted that different study endpoints may result in different sample sizes. In practice, it is usually not clear which study endpoint can best inform the disease status and measure the treatment effect. Moreover, different study endpoints may not translate one another although they may be highly correlated one another. In this article, we intend to develop an innovative endpoint namely therapeutic index based on a utility function to combine and utilize information collected from all study endpoints. Statistical properties and performances of the proposed therapeutic index are evaluated theoretically. A numerical example concerning a cancer clinical trial is given to illustrate the use of the proposed therapeutic index.     

基于TCGA 数据库卵巢癌患者的miR-301b 表达量与生存状况生物信息学分析

目的 研究肿瘤基因图谱（the cancer genome atlas，TCGA）数据库中microRNA-301b（miR-301b）在478 例卵巢癌患者中的表达量与卵巢癌患者生存状况的关系。方法 对TCGA 数据库中478 例卵巢癌患者的miR-301b 表达量与生存状况进行分析，预测其靶基因及生物学活性。结果 miR-301b 高表达患者具有更长的生存时间, 是卵巢癌患者预后的保护因素（OS:P<0.001, DFS:P<0.05），综合3 个靶基因数据库的预测结果得到12 个靶基因，编码的蛋白多数与肿瘤的发生发展有关，其中靶基因TEA 结构域家族成员1（TEA domain family member 1，TEAD1） 与胞质多糖基化元件结合蛋白4(cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein 4, CPEB4)的表达量与卵巢癌患者的预后相关（TEAD1:P<0.05，CPEB4:P<0.05）。结论 miR-301b 表达对卵巢癌患者的预后具有重要的意义，表现出抑癌因子的作用，对卵巢癌的预后评估和治疗具有重要的指导意义。     

Investigation of the mechanisms of Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity by a cell metabolomics strategy combined with serum pharmacology in HL-7702 liver cells

1. To investigate Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity, a cell metabolomics strategy combined with serum pharmacology was performed on human HL-7702 liver cells in this study.

2. Firstly, cell viability and biochemical indicators were determined and the cell morphology was observed to confirm the cell injury and develop a cell hepatotoxicity model. Then, with the help of cell metabolomics based on UPLC-MS, the Genkwa Flos group samples were completely separated from the blank group samples in the score plots and seven upregulated as well as two down-regulated putative biomarkers in the loading plot were identified and confirmed. Besides, two signal molecules and four enzymes involved in biosynthesis pathway of lysophosphatidylcholine and the sphingosine kinase/sphingosine-1-phosphate pathway were determined to investigate the relationship between Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity and these two classic pathways. Finally, the metabolic pathways related to specific biomarkers and two classic metabolic pathways were analyzed to explain the possible mechanism of Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity.

3. Based on the results, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, phospholipase A₂/lysophosphatidylcholine pathway, the disturbance of sphingosine-1-phosphate metabolic profile centered on sphingosine kinase/sphingosine-1-phosphate pathway and fatty acid metabolism might be critical participators in the progression of liver injury induced by Genkwa Flos.     

黄芪活血功效及现代药理学研究进展

黄芪始载于《神农本草经》,有补气升阳、益卫固表,利水消肿,托毒生肌之效。被誉为补气健脾之要药,临床上常用于气虚乏力、脾虚泄泻等疾病,已为医者所熟知。近年来,研究学者围绕其补气、健脾、利水功效机制已有较全面的认识。然陶弘景在《本草经集注》首载黄芪"逐五脏间恶血",表明本品兼有活血作用。目前,对于本品活血作用机制阐释,中医常基于"补气活血""气行血行"理论进行论证,但并不等同于本品无活血作用。通过梳理历代本草文献中对黄芪的记载,发现其活血作用应用广泛。综合传统方剂与现代方剂中有关其活血作用的应用,本品在方中行活血通络、活血利水、活血扶正作用,尤能体现其活血作用。且现代药理学研究在有关瘀血病理指标的分子机制中,黄芪有很好的调控作用,表明黄芪有活血作用,但未深入探究,存在研究价值。该文从历代文献对黄芪活血功效的论述、黄芪活血作用的临床应用及现代药理学研究深入探讨其活血作用机制,以期扩展黄芪的临床应用范围,为临床治疗提供理论指导。     

受控型蜕皮激素诱导表达截短型hIGF-Ⅰ转基因载体的构建及其在细胞水平上的有效性检测

目的：构建一种可以在哺乳动物细胞中蜕皮激素诱导表达截短型hIGF-Ⅰ的受控型转基因载体，为制备受控型蜕皮激素诱导表达截短型MGF-Ⅰ的转基因小鼠奠定基础。方法：利用分子克隆技术构建受控型蜕皮激素诱导表达截短型hIGF-Ⅰ的转基因载体；将其电转至AM1菌中，利用其中的Cre重组酶将载体上两个同向LoxP序更锚定的新霉素（neomycin）基因删除，解除其对蜕皮激素诱导表达系统的阻断作用，利用PCR、酶切和测序鉴定删除情况；将重组后的载体转染至COS7细胞中进行瞬间表达，蜕皮激素诱导后回收培养上清和细胞裂解物进行Western印迹分析，检测hIGF-Ⅰ的表达情况。结果和结论：成功构建大小为13．6kb的转基因载体pOE-IGF-Ⅰ；转化至AM1中后，PCR、酶切和测序的结果都证明其中的Cre酶能够将载体上neomycin基因删除；重组后的载体转染至COS7细胞中进行诱导表达，Western印迹实验证明截短型MGF-Ⅰ能够在COS7细胞中顺利表达。上述结果证明该蜕皮激素诱导表达截短型hIGF-Ⅰ的受控型转基因载体能够用于转基因小鼠的制备。     

(加味)柴芍承气汤对重症急性胰腺炎及其并发症的作用

目的探讨(加味)柴芍承气汤对重症急性胰腺炎(SAP)及其并发症的防治作用。方法65例SAP患者分为中药组35例,对照组30例。2组的内科治疗相同,中药组一经确诊即予柴芍承气汤加味银杏叶治疗,每剂煎成100~150m l,自鼻胃管内注入或口服,每日2~3次,直至患者腹痛缓解、腹胀基本消失、肠鸣恢复。分别观察2组患者治疗72 h后的PaO2、SaO2肾功能、脑病、局部并发症情况、腹痛缓解时间、肠鸣恢复时间、病死率,以及血清中血小板活化因子(PAF)、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)、白介素-1(IL-1)水平变化。结果治疗72 h后中药组与对照组低氧血症的发生率分别为45.71%、73.73%,P<0.05;肾损害、脑病、局部并发症发生率以及病死率均低于对照组,但无统计学差异;腹痛缓解时间、肠鸣恢复时间均优于对照组(P<0.05);中药组血清中PAF、TNF-α、IL-1水平显著降低(P<0.01),而对照组则无明显变化。结论该汤剂对SAP及其并发症有较好的防治作用。抑制细胞因子或炎症介质可能是该汤剂治疗SAP的重要机制。     

腹股沟区淋巴静脉分流加硝酸银肾盂灌注治疗乳糜尿的临床疗效

目的 探讨腹股沟区淋巴静脉分流加硝酸银肾盂灌注治疗乳糜尿的疗效。方法 采用2％硝酸银肾盂灌注加同侧腹股沟区淋巴结与大隐静脉主干吻合方法治疗乳糜尿患者28例。其中男16例，女12例，年龄41～68岁，平均46岁。病史6个月～30年，平均3．6年。乳糜尿来自左肾14例，右肾12例，双肾2例。结果 术后3d内尿乳糜试验转阴者8例，7d转阴者17例，11d转阴者3例。27例随访3～12年，复发3例，复发率11％。结论 腹股沟区淋巴静脉分流加硝酸银肾盂灌注是治疗乳糜尿简单、安全、有效的方法，适宜于基层医院开展。     

黄葵和银杏叶提取物对实验性肾病综合征的疗效比较及机理探讨

目的观察黄葵和银杏叶提取物(ECB761)对实验性肾病综合征的疗效,并探讨可能机理。方法按体重将大鼠随机分为正常组、模型组、模型 EGB761组、模型 黄葵组；正常组一次性注射生理盐水,其余各组一次性尾静脉注射阿霉素(ADR)制成微小病变型肾病综合征(MCNS)模型；两治疗组于造模2周后开始用药,各组每2周测定24 h尿蛋白,实验8周末测定血清TP、Alb、总SOD、MDA含量；肾组织作光镜、电镜检查。结果(1)两治疗组尿蛋白量下降幅度均显著大于模型组(P＜0．01)；(2)实验8周末,两治疗组血清TP、Alb升高幅度均显著大于模型组(P＜0．01和P＜0．05)。(3)两治疗组总SOD水平均显著高于模型组(P＜0．01),MDA显著低于模型组。结论黄葵和EGB761能显著降低MCNS模型大鼠的蛋白尿；其减轻尿蛋白的作用与清除氧自由基有关。