Objective To explore the mechanism of the cumulative biological effect of acupoint laser radiation and investigate its analgesic effect by comparing the therapeutic effects of semiconductor laser radiation versus acupuncture at point Zusanli(ST36) in acute adjuvant arthritis rats and to provide the experiment-based theoretical foundation and basis for the course of treatment of acute arthritis pain by clinical use of semiconductor laser. Method A rat model of AA was made by subcutaneous injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into rat toe. Eighty rats were randomly allocated to eight groups:model, blank, three-day laser radiation, five-day laser radiation, seven-day laser radiation, three-day acupuncture, five-day acupuncture and seven-day acupuncture treatment groups, 10 rats each. The three laser groups separately received 650 nm semiconductor laser radiation. The three acupuncture groups separately received acupuncture with a filiform needle at point Zusanli(ST36) on the inflammation-affected side. Rat general condition, body weight, pain threshold value and ankle swelling degree were observed. Serum inflammatory factors IL-1、TNF-αand IFN-γcontents were measured by ELISA. Result There were statistically significant posttreatment differences in body weight, joint swelling degree and pain threshold between the laser treatment and acupuncture treatment groups of rats (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in joint swelling degree between three-day laser, five-day laser and seven-day laser treatment groups (P<0.05). Pain threshold was lowest at five days after treatment and increased somewhat at seven days after treatment in both the three-day laser and three-day acupuncture treatment groups. The IL-1 content tended to decrease on the whole and had a decreasing tendency at three and five days after treatment in both laser and acupuncture treatment groups. At seven days after treatment, it reached the lowest value in the laser treatment group but had a marked increasing tendency in the acupuncture treatment group. The IFN-γcontent had an increasing tendency at three and five days after treatment in both laser and acupuncture treatment groups. The IFN-γcontent tended to change gently in the laser treatment group from day five to seven after treatment. It tended to decrease from day five to seven after acupuncture treatment but was still higher than in the three-day acupuncture treatment group. The TNF-αcontent tended to decrease from day three to five after treatment in both laser and acupuncture treatment groups. From day five to seven after treatment, it tended to decrease gently in the laser treatment group but tended to increase slightly in the acupuncture treatment group. Conclusion Both semiconductor laser radiation and acupuncture at point Zusanli have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect and can relieve the general symptoms in AA rats, but semiconductor laser radiation is significantly superior to acupuncture treatment in eliminating inflammation and easing pain and produces a more timely and better therapeutic effect. After semiconductor laser radiation at acupoints, the related serum cytokines tended to increase or decrease slowly in AA rats after the turning point appeared during the treatment, which embodies the parabola feature of laser radiation treatment. It is showed that with an increase in laser radiation length, the biological effect of laser accumulates, suggesting that attention should be paid to the cumulative effect during laser treatment.

Objective To investigate changes of thyroid function indices and their correlation with blood routine examination results, high-sensitivity c-reactive protein(hsCRP)levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)in 30 inpatients with acute urticaria. Methods Thyroid function indices were retrospectively analyzed in 30 inpatients with acute urticaria (patient group)and 30 healthy controls (control group), including total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroglobulin antibody(TG-Ab)and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPO-Ab). A correlation analysis was done between thyroid function indices and blood routine examination results (white blood cell [WBC]count, neutrophil count, hemoglobin), hsCRP levels and ESR. Results Abnormal thyroid function indices were observed in 23 (23/30, 76.7%) patients with acute urticaria. Compared with the control group, the patient group showed significantly decreased levels of FT3, TT3, TT4 and hemoglobin(t = 6.39, 5.55, 3.57, 3.70, all P < 0.01), but significantly increased positive rates of thyroid autoantibodies (χ2 = 7.68, P < 0.01)as well as WBC counts, neutrophil counts, hsCRP levels and ESR (t = 3.96, 8.73, 2.51, 2.35, all P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between hemoglobin level and FT3, TT3, TT4 levels(r = 0.63, 0.59, 0.37, all P < 0.05), but a negative correlation between neutrophil count and FT3, TT3, TSH levels(r = -0.45,-0.50, -0.37, all P < 0.05), as well as between TT3 and hsCRP levels (r = -0.39, P < 0.05)in the patient group. Conclusion Patients with severe acute urticaria usually show abnormal thyroid function during attacks, which mainly manifests as low T3 syndrome and high positive rates of thyroid autoantibodies, and may be associated with decreased hemoglobin levels and infection.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the infusion solutions which are compatible with Compound kushen injection. METHODS:The insoluble particles of kushen injection in four kinds of infusion solutions were detected respectively by light blockage method.RESULTS:Insoluble particles of different size and number were noted for Compound kushen injection when mixed respectively with four kinds of infusion solutions,but the insoluble particles in all kinds of infusion solutions except 10% glucose injection were all within the range specified in China Pharmacopeia(2005 edition).CONCLUSION: 0.9% sodium ch-loride injection is the optimal compatible infusion solution for Compound kushen injection.

Objective To compare the short-term efficacy of high-intensity ultraviolet B (UVB) versus 308-nm excimer laser for the treatment of vitiligo.Methods Eighty patients with vitiligo were equally divided into two groups to be treated with high-intensity UVB twice a week or 308-nm excimer laser once a week for eight weeks.Repigmentation was evaluated at the end of the treatment.Results After eight weeks of treatment,repigmentation of different degrees was observed in 83.6％ and 86.1％,and marked repigmentation in 42.1％ and 50％,of the UVB-and excimer laser-treated lesions,respectively.The response rate was significantly lower in facial lesions receiving high-intensity UVB radiation than in those receiving excimer laser radiation (49.1％ vs.68.4％,x2 =4.32,P ＜ 0.05),but similar at the other body sites between the two treatment (all P ＞ 0.05).The cumulative dosage required for initial repigmentation was similar between high-intensity UVB and 308-nm excimer laser (t =0.89,P ＞ 0.05),while the treatment sessions and cumulative dosage required for marked or better repigmentation were significantly increased in UVB-compared with excimer laser-treated lesions (both P ＜ 0.01).In addition,both high-intensity UVB and 308-nm excimer laser were suitable for childhood and active vitiligo.Conclusions Both high-intensity UVB and 308-nm excimer laser are safe and effective in the treatment of vitiligo with rapid onset of action,and the latter appears to be superior to the former in efficacy.

ObjectiveTo observe clinical features and identify causative genes of reticulate pigmented anomaly of the flexures in a pedigree.Methods A survey was conducted in a pedigree with reticulate pigmented anomaly of the flexures.Clinical manifestations were recorded in details for each patient in this pedigree.Tissue specimen was obtained from the proband for histopathological examination and ultrastructural observation.Mutation scanning was carried out by PCR and direct sequencing in 3 patients in the family.ResultsAll the patients in this pedigree presented with reticular pigmentation of the flexures and idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis on the abdomen and back.Histopathological and ultrastructural study revealed epidermal hyperpigmentation with an increase in melanin content in epidermal keratinocytes but no changes in the number of melanocytes.No mutation was found in the KRT5 gene in this family.ConclusionsThis is the first case report of reticulate pigmented anomaly of the flexures associated with idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis.No mutation is identified in the KRT5 gene of patients with reticulate pigmented anomaly of the flexures in this family,indicating the existence of other causative genes.

Objective To study the expression ot secreted proteins in aggregated dermal papilla cells (DPCs).Methods DPCs were isolated from human scalp tissue and subjected to primary culture and subculture.Aggregated and non-aggregated DPCs served as the subject of this study.Secreted proteins were prepared from these cells and subjected to two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.Differentially expressed proteins were screened by the PDQuest image analysis software.Protein spots were digested and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry,and finally analyzed using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) non-redundant (Nr) protein database.Results Two-dimensional electrophoresis maps with good repeatability and high resolution were established.Image analysis of 2-D gels revealed that the average number of detected protein spots was 1 134 ± 52 and 1 078 ± 36 in aggregated and nonaggregated DPCs respectively,and the majority of these protein spots were matched between aggregated and nonaggregated DPCs.Twenty-eight protein spots showed more than 5-fold difference between the two groups of cells,and 10 proteins were preliminarily identified as differentially expressed proteins by peptide-mass fingerprinting.Of these differentially expressed proteins,8 proteins including Rhogdi 1,filamin A,cystatin C,fibronectin,cyclophilin A,procollagen C proteinase enhancer 1,tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 were up-regulated,and 2 proteins including neuropolypeptide h3 and matrix metalloproteinase-3/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 complex were down-regulated in aggregated DPCs compared with non-aggregated DPCs.Conclusions Differentially expressed proteins between aggregated and non-aggregated DPCs are mainly implicated in cell signaling pathway,cellular proliferation and differentiation,extracellular matrix synthesis and degradation,and so on.

Objective To analyze the expression characteristics of annexin A2 in dermal papilla cells (DPCs) with aggregative behavior.Methods Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were performed to measure the mRNA and protein expressions of annexin A2 respectively in DPCs with or without aggregative behavior.Results The mRNA expression level of annexin A2 was significantly higher in DPCs with aggregative behavior than in those without aggregative behavior (0.50 ± 0.15 vs.0.35 ± 0.19, t =8.26, P ＜ 0.05).Western blot showed that annexin A2 had two isoforms, including one isoform with a relative molecular mass of 40 000 and the other one with a relative molecular mass of 36 000.The annexin A2 isoform with a relative molecular mass of 40 000 was highly expressed in both DPCs with aggregative behavior and those without aggregative behavior, while the other isoform was only expressed in DPCs with aggregative behavior.Conclusion Annexin A2 may be closely related to the aggregative growth of DPCs.

AIM: To observe the effects and location of autologous bone marrow stem cells(BMSCs) transplanted through renal artery into ischemic-reperfusion(I/R) injured kidney.METHODS: BMSCs were collected from rabbits after isolated and then labeled with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine(BrdU).Twenty-eight rabbits were subjected to clamping renal pedicles for 105 min and divided into the transplantation group and control group randomly.BrdU labeled BMSCs or saline were injected into the kidney by renal artery,respectively.Before and after I/R at the 1st,3rd, 5th,7th,14th,21th and 28th d,the venous blood was collected to measure serum Cr and BUN.In the same time,renal tissue was collected for pathological and immunohistochemical study.RESULTS: After I/R,serum Cr and BUN levels in the rabbits in two groups became higher,and on the 1st and 3rd d after I/R,reached the highest level.On the 7th d the serum Cr and BUN levels in transplantation group were lower than those in control group.On the 28th d the levels of serum Cr(90.1?11.1) ?mol/L and BUN(8.0?1.5) mmol/L in transplantation group were significantly lower than those in control group(135.6?32.5) ?mol/L and(10.9?2.5) mmol/L,respectively(P

Objective To analyse the mutation of K17 gene in a pedigree with steatocystoma multi-plex. Methods Blood samples were obtained from 3 affected and 3 normal individuals in a family with steatocystoma multiplex, as well as from 50 unrelated healthy individuals. Mutation scanning was carried out by PCR and direct sequencing. Results A heterozygous nucleotide transition (C→T) at position 428 in exon 1 of KI7 gene, which leads to the substitution of CGC (arginine) by TGC (histidine) at codon 94, was detected in the affected individuals, but not in normal family members or the 50 unrelated individuals. Conclusion A missense mutation (428C→T) in KI7 gene has been detected in affected individuals of this family, which seems to be a molecular basis of pathogenesis of steatocystoma multiplex.