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Homeopathy and Pluralism of Theories in Medicine Arguments Put Forward to Remove Homeopathic Products from Pharmacies Contradict Actual Scientific Evidence and Suggest Deliberate Misinformation
Peter Friedemann Matthiessen
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 2, March 2019
Pages:
42-46
Received:
5 January 2019
Accepted:
13 April 2019
Published:
26 June 2019
Abstract: Founded in 2000 by renowned physicians and researchers on the initiative of Professor Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Jörg-Dietrich Hoppe, then president of the German Medical Association, the Dialogue Forum Pluralism in Medicine (DPM) aims to overcome the traditional partisan bias between conventional medicine and complementary medicine by way of continued critical and objective dialogue between acknowledged representatives of different theoretical and practical approaches, in favour of an Integrative Medicine. The article describes the initiative in Germany as linking up with the concept of Integrative Medicine which originated from the United States and today is spreading across the world. The DPM strives to assess divergent paradigms in medicine for their potential to complement each other. Current DPM members are established proponents of mainstream medicine, anthroposophical medicine, homeopathy, classical naturopathy and Chinese Medicine (TCM). It has become fashionable to belittle homeopathy as being ineffective, using inaccurate statements on the state of research. On behalf of the DPM members as well as numerous medical organisations and renowned physicians and researchers, this article comments on such unjustified claims by means of specific examples. The idea is to establish Integrative Medicine in a spirit of critical but unbiased collaboration between mainstream medicine and selected complementary approaches as a precondition for a fully orchestrated healthcare system that meets the individually varying needs and preferences of the population. In this context, reference is made to a position paper on medical professionalism signed by all DPM members which underlined that conventional and complementary medicine alike are obliged to adhere to scientific standards. Ludwig Fleck and Thomas Kuhn already described tendencies among proponents of specific paradigms to claim privileges for their own paradigm via legislation. However, under Basic Law (German constitution) Article 5 Paragraph 3, the state is generally forbidden to pass judgment on scientific matters in the sense of advocacy of one specific paradigm. It should also be noted that attempts to monopolize a single paradigm favour the emergence of totalitarian thought patterns. In a final vote, the signatories – established medical organisations and numerous physicians and scientists of renown – reject all efforts to pursue totalitarian thought patterns in our healthcare system which are irreconcilable with constitutional law.
Abstract: Founded in 2000 by renowned physicians and researchers on the initiative of Professor Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Jörg-Dietrich Hoppe, then president of the German Medical Association, the Dialogue Forum Pluralism in Medicine (DPM) aims to overcome the traditional partisan bias between conventional medicine and complementary medicine by way of continued crit...
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Oral Supplementation of L-Arginine Improves Ventricular Remodeling by Regulating Angiogenesis and Collagen Synthesis in Myocardial Infarction Rats
Yonghua Liu,
Zhijuan Zhou,
Zhiling Zhu,
Wenyi Tang,
Liyun Luo,
Chen Jian
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 2, March 2019
Pages:
47-53
Received:
8 April 2019
Accepted:
9 May 2019
Published:
9 July 2019
Abstract: [Objective] To investigate the effect of angiogenesis and collagen synthesis in peri-infarct area of the L-Arginine therapy for acute myocardial infarction rats. [Methods] The acute myocardial infarction rats model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending of coronary artery. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: L-Arginine group, sham group, normal saline group (NS group). Four weeks after ligation, cardiac function, scar area, plasma concentration of BNP, angiogenesis and arteriogenesis, myocardial collagen I and eNOS protein, the mRNA expression of collagen I were studied. Echocardiography, Masson staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunehistochemistry, western blot and quantitative polymerase chain (qPCR) reaction were performed. [Results] Four weeks after ligation, compared with the control group, LVEF, LVFS were higher in L-Arginine group, While LVEDD and LVESD decreased (P < 0.01). Average scar percentage and plasma concentration of BNP were lower in L-Arginine group (P < 0.01). The CD31-positive microvessels and α-SMA positive microvessels in peri-infarct area were higher in L-Arginine group (P < 0.01), while collagen I protein and mRNA expression was decreased in this group (P < 0.01). [Conclusions] L-Arginine improves cardiac function and reduces infarction size in AMI rats, the possible mechanism is related to dual function of promoting angiogenesis and arteriogenesis, regulating collagen I expression is also one of the important mechanisms.
Abstract: [Objective] To investigate the effect of angiogenesis and collagen synthesis in peri-infarct area of the L-Arginine therapy for acute myocardial infarction rats. [Methods] The acute myocardial infarction rats model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending of coronary artery. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided i...
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Methylation of Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Gastric Cancer Suppressor Genes
Tingting Chen,
Donghui Tian,
Yurong Zhang
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 2, March 2019
Pages:
54-60
Received:
29 May 2019
Published:
29 July 2019
Abstract: Objective: To identify the methylation silenced tumor suppressor genes in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC). Methods: EBV-positive (GT38, PT and SNU719) and negative (SGC7901) gastric cancer cell lines were selected and treated with 5-Aza-CdR. Then real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to validate the results of microarray, and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfite genomic sequencing (BGS) were adopted to detect the CpG island methylation levels of gene promoters. Results: The expression levels of 6 differentially expressed genes (H19, LOXL1, ARMCX2, LXN, CDH3 and MMP7) before and after 5-Aza-CdR treatment were confirmed by real-time qPCR, which are consistent with the results of microarray analysis. There were different degrees of methylation in LOXL1 gene promoter in EBVaGC. GT38 and PT were fully methylated, and SGC7901 and HGC-27 was unmethylated, suggesting that this gene is a candidate methylation silenced tumor suppressor gene. The methylation rate of LOXL1 in EBVaGC was significantly higher than that in EBV-negative gastric cancer (EBVnGC). Conclusion: The promoter region of candidate tumor suppressor gene LOXL1 shows high methylation status, indicating that EBV critically accounts for the methylation of LOXL1 gene regulatory region. EBV is involved in the pathogensis of EBVaGC that aberrant methylation occurred in promoter CpG island, which inactivates tumor suppressor genes.
Abstract: Objective: To identify the methylation silenced tumor suppressor genes in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC). Methods: EBV-positive (GT38, PT and SNU719) and negative (SGC7901) gastric cancer cell lines were selected and treated with 5-Aza-CdR. Then real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to validate the results of...
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Inhibitory Effect of Ethyl Pyruvate on Orthotopic Transplantation of Gastric Cancer in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Mice
Tingting Chen,
Xiaoxiao Dong,
Xiaoyan Zhang
Issue:
Volume 7, Issue 2, March 2019
Pages:
61-65
Received:
29 May 2019
Published:
29 July 2019
Abstract: Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of ethyl pyruvate (EP) on the growth and liver metastasis of orthotopically transplanted gastric cancer in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. Methods: SCID mice were orthotopically transplanted with SGC-7901 human gastric cancer tissue to establish a liver metastasis model of gastric cancer. Animals were injected intraperitoneally with different concentrations of EP. After 30 days, gastric cancer and metastatic liver tissues were taken out to detect the volume and weight of gastric cancer tissues and the number of metastatic liver nodules. Real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect high mobility group protein B in different groups. Expression levels of 1 (HMGB1), receptor glycation end product receptor (RAGE), NF-κB, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP). Results: Compared with the control group, the weight and size of gastric cancer tissue and the number of metastatic liver nodules in the EP treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.01). EP inhibited the expression of HMGB1, RAGE, VEGF and MT1-MMP in gastric cancer and metastatic liver tissue, but had no significant effect on NF-κB expression. Conclusion: EP may inhibit the growth of gastric cancer and liver metastasis in SCID mice by down-regulating HMGB1-RAGE pathway, which may have therapeutic effects on cancer.
Abstract: Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of ethyl pyruvate (EP) on the growth and liver metastasis of orthotopically transplanted gastric cancer in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. Methods: SCID mice were orthotopically transplanted with SGC-7901 human gastric cancer tissue to establish a liver metastasis model of ...
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