Objective To establish a rapid modified Local lymph node assay ( LLNA) for the sensitization and irritancy potential of chemicals, and evaluate cosmetics products. Methods 3 kinds of chemicals ( 2 , 4-Dinitrochlorobenzene ( DNCB) , Eugenol and Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde) and 3 kinds of cosmetics were selected.The dorsal sides of both ears of female BALB/c mice were treated with 25μL/ear of the test solutions on 3 consecutive days, and the thickness of each ear was measured.BrdU solution was injected inter-peritoneally on day 5.On day 6, each auricle was weighed, the bilateral draining auricular lymph nodes were excised and weighed, then made into single cell suspension.BrdU was measured by ELISA using a commercial kit.Results Ear swelling and auricle weight of DNCB ( 1.0%) , Eugenol ( 25% and 50%) and number 3 cream foundation increased significantly ( P <0.05 or P <0.01), which may be considered as irritants.The others were negative.For LLNA, three chemicals and number 3 cream foundation pretended positive.Conclusion The combined LLNA/ear swelling/ear weight assay appears to be a reliable predictor of sensitization and irritancy potential, and is expected to play an important role in safety evaluation of cosmetics.

Objective To evaluate the effect of total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides L on the nervous behavior and the expression of neurotransmitters in rats. Methods 48 male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:blank group,total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides L treatment with 4 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 ( low dose group) ,8 mg·kg-1 ·d-1( medium dose group) and 16 mg·kg-1 ·d-1( high dose group) groups. After successive intragastric administration for 30 days,the locomotor activity was applied to test the nervous behavior and emotional state of rats in each group. After behavioral tests were finished,the contents of trypto-phan (Trp),5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP),5-serotonin (5-HT),5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), norepinephrine (NE),epinephrine (E) and dopamine (DA) were detected by ELISA in serum and brain. Results In the experiment of locomotor activity,compared with blank group ((95.33±12.75) times),the numbers of horizontal movement of Sophora alopecuroides L in medium and high dose group ( ( 61. 64 ± 5.91),(64.62±5.79)times both P<0.05) were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01).Compared with the blank group ((4.33±0.66) times),the numbers of vertical motion of Sophora alopecuroides L in medium and high dose group ((3.05±0.09)times,(3.77±0.69)times) were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with blank group ((2.25±0.39) number),the granule number in high dose group ((3.38±0.40) number) were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01),and emotional stress degree increased. Meanwhile,compared with blank group,the content detection of 5-HT,5-HIAA in different dose groups of the total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides L was improved obviously(P<0.01),but there was no significant effect on the content of Trp,5-HTP,NE,E,DA(P>0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that the degree of au-tonomic activity in rats with the content of 5-HT,5-HIAA and DA in serum was negatively correlated (P<0.05, P<0.01) ,the degree of emotional stress and the content of 5-HT,5-HIAA in brain was negatively cor-related (P<0.05, P<0.01) . Conclusion The total alkaloids of Sophora alopecuroides L can reduce the ac-tivity of rats and increase the degree of emotional stress. And the mechanism may be correlated with the in-creasing level of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in serum and brain.

Objective In order to verify an alternative method for the skin corrosion test by using transcutaneous electrical resistance ( TER) test, and to optimize the implementation criteria in OECD TG 430 procedure. Methods According to the OECD TG 430 procedure, Wistar rat skin was used to test the TER values of 16 reference chemicals, and selected the most optimal standard via different implementation criteria. The program B was chosen to make inter-laboratory comparison between 5 laboratories by testing 11 chemicals, which were identified as the optimal standard. Results After the TER test, the result of corrosion test of 16 chemicals were accordant with the reference data ( Kappa value＝0. 64). The program B was the most optimal implementation criteria, and the specificity was 66. 7% and sensitivity was 100%. There were no significant differences between the corrosion estimations of 5 laboratories, and the concordance rate of the 5 laboratories was 72. 7%. Conclusions Transcutaneous electrical resistance (TER) test is an feasible and efficient tool for skin corrosion testing, and may become a good interim test to replace the in vivo test with this ex vivo test in cosmetics chemical safety assessment, thus, to reduce the animal usage in our country.

The clinical data of 330 patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) from January 2006 to March 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The prevalence of 1, 2, and 3 stage hypertension in these subjects was 3.64％,20. 91％, and 75.45 ％, respectively. Of all PA patients, 89.09％ were young adults and 81.82％ were overweight or obese. There was a marked preponderance of male patients in the overweight or obese group ( P＜0. 01 ). The incidence of hypokalemia was 32. 12％. The concentration of serum potassium was not associated with the disease course. Logistic regression showed that the concentration of plasma aldosterone was an independent risk factor of hypokalemia in PA patients( P＜0. 01 ). 79. 09％ PA patients presented the plasma aldosterone level over 12 ng/dl and the renin activity level of less than 1 ng · ml-1 · h-1. The aldosterone-to-rennin activity ratio was ＞20 in 94.24％ of the patients with PA.