Because of the disunity use of the outcome measures in traditional Chinese medicinal clinical trials, we explain the application of outcome measures in clinical trials on insomnia, provide the international criteria and guideline on outcome reporting. According to analysis of the concrete cases, we in order to improve the misuse of outcome measures of insomnia, to make the selection and reporting of outcome measures follow with the international practices and, to accelerate the development of traditional Chinese medicine.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered as an intermediate clinical state between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The cognitive function and life ability of patients are normal, which have not met the criteria of AD. MCI is considered to be an earlier stage of AD. The clinical effects of AD in the middle or late stage are unsatisfactory. Therefore, studies on MCI have become the hot research areas both at home and abroad. The therapy of MCI is similar to AD. The treatment effect is uncertain. Hence, the understanding and treatment of MCI by TCM reflected TCM features. This article reviewed on TCM understanding of MCI, TCM syndrome differentiation criteria and TCM treatment methods of MCJ. Thus, it was aimed to further understand the dynamic of MCI in order to provide references for improving TCM clinical effects and reducing the incidence of AD.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common malignant solid tumor that occurs during childhood;it has a significant heterogene-ity in clinical symptoms and outcome. NB diagnosis is complicated, and various clinical techniques are often involved in examining im-agery, cellular morphology, immunohistochemical staining, gene and molecule biology, and operation excision scope. Diagnoses are graded based on danger extent, which is indicated by clinical stages and unfavorable prognosis factors. These characteristics are the ba-sis for formulating the corresponding synthetic treatment plan. Limited studies are available on treatment norms for adult cases of NB;such cases are currently diagnosed and treated in accordance with child NB diagnosis and treatment norms. An adult patient diagnosed with NB stage 4 is presented. This patient experienced obvious relief from the symptoms after whole body chemotherapy, with further surgery operation indications. This successful case of multi-disciplinary joint diagnosis and cooperative treatment may provide potential treatment techniques for similar patients.

Visual analogue scales(VAS) is extensively applied on evaluating symptomatic outcome data,such as the pain intensity,but currently most of the management of relevant data can't conform to the statistical standard.This article categories the data measured with VAS and the eligible statistical methods,give a specific explanation about analysis of repeated measures data which may commonly misused in practice.It provides a reference criterion for statistical analysis with VAS in clinical research.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of Tai chi on quality of life of breast cancer patients. Methods Articles from 10 English and Chinese Databases from inception to March 2012 were recalled. 2 researchers independently screened titles and abstracts for eligible trials, methodological quality was assessed according to risk of bias items. Meta-analysis would be used if data available. Results 4 randomized trials with 169 participants were included. All trials had high risk of bias. 2 studies demonstrated significant improvement in Tai chi group for improving shoulder functional capacity which caused by breast cancer. The meta-analysis failed to demonstrate significant effects of Tai chi compared with control interventions (psychological support therapy, standard health care, routine rehabilitation training) in improving quality of life (SMD 0.03, 95%CI: -0.85, 0.91, P=0.94). Conclusion Tai chi is effective on shoulder functional capacity of breast cancer, but not significantly on quality of life.

The animal models of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury have been established inmany animals, such as monkeys, dogs, rats, mice, rabbits, and pigs. These models have provideda great deal of important information for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Howerver, thedifferent species vary in their susceptibility to the various types of ischemic insults. This articlereviews the animal models of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in different species.

Objective To investigate the effect of probiotics preconditioning on intestinal mucosal barrier function in a rat model of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) . Methods Twenty-four adult male SD rats weighing 350-450 g were randomly divided into 3 groups ( n = 8 each) : group Ⅰ sham operation ( group S); group Ⅱ CPB and group Ⅲ probiotics + CPB. CPB was established between left carotid artery and right jugular vein and maintained for 60 min. Croup Ⅲ received intragastric instillation of probiotics 2 ml once a day for 7 consecutive days before CPB. Blood samples were collected at 2 h after CPB was terminated for determination of plasma D-lactate, TNF-and IL-6 concentrations and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity. Venous blood was obtained from portal vein for determination of LPS concentration and cultured. Liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney and mesenteric lymphnode (MLN) specimens were obtained under sterile condition and cultured for bacterial growth. The mucous membrane of small intestine was examined with electron microscope. Results CPB significantly increased plasma DAO activity, and D-lactate, IPS, TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations and the rate of bacteria-positive culture of portal venous blood, liver, MLN, lung and kidney in group Ⅱ as compared with group S. Probiotics preconditioning significantly attenuated the above-mentioned CPB-induced changes. Microscopic examination showed that probiotics preconditioning significantly ameliorated CPB-induced damage to the epithelium of the small intestine. Conclusion Probiotics preconditioning can significantly attenuate CPB-induced inflammatory response and protect the intestinal mucosal barrier function.

Objective To evaluate the effect of sevoflurane on brain injury in a pig model of hem?orrhagic shock in hypothermia environment. Methods Twenty?four Bama miniature pigs, weighing 21-25 kg, aged 3-5 months, were equally randomized into 3 groups using a random number table: sham opera?tion group (group Sham);hemorrhagic shock (group HS); sevoflurane group (group Sev). The animals were anesthetized, tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated. Bilateral femoral arteries were cannulated for continuous mean arterial pressure, and heart rate monitoring, blood?letting and blood sampling. A cath?eter was inserted into the right internal jugular vein for body temperature monitoring. After the animals were awake, they were placed in an environment at-15℃. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by withdrawing 40%of blood volume from the right femoral artery within 15 min ( 30 ml∕kg) in HS and Sev groups. The animals inhaled 2% sevoflurane for 30 min after establishment of the model in group Sev. Before hemorrhagic shock, and at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 h after hemorrhagic shock ( T0?6 ) , blood samples were collected from the femoral artery for determination of plasma tumor necrosis factor?alpha ( TNF?α) , interleukin?6(IL?6), nuclear factor kappa B (NF?κB), S100β protein and neuron?specific enolase (NSE) concentra?tions. After blood sampling at T6 , the animals were sacrificed, and brains were removed for microscopic examination of pathological changes, and for determination of Toll?like receptor 4 ( TLR4) expression by Western blot. Results Compared with group Sham, the plasma NSE, S100β protein, TNF?α, IL?6 and NF?κB concentrations were significantly increased at T2?6 , and TLR4 expression was up?regulated at T6 in HS and Sev groups ( P<0?05) . Compared with group HS, the plasma NSE, and S100βprotein concentra?tions were significantly decreased at T4?6 , the plasma TNF?α, IL?6 and NF?κB concentrations were de?creased at T2?6, and TLR4 expression was down?regulated at T6 (P<0?05), and the pathological changes were significantly attenuated in group Sev. Conclusion Sevoflurane can mitigate brain injury in a pig mod?el of hemorrhagic shock in hypothermia environment, and the mechanism may be related to inhibited TLR4∕NF?κB signaling pathway and attenuated inflammatory responses.

Objective To evaluate the effect of penehyclidine hydrochloride (PHC) on the level of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and tyrosine kinase receptor-2 (Tie-2) during endotoxin-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats.Methods Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 180-220 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups using a random number table (n =10 each):control group (group C),ALI group,low-dose PHC group (group L-PHC) and high-dose PHC group (group H-PHC).ALI was induced with iv injection of lipopolysaccharide 5.0 mg/kg via the tail vein.In L-PHC and H-PHC groups,PHC 0.6 and 2 mg/kg were injected,respectively,via the tail vein at 1 and 24 h after lipopolysaccharide injection.The rats were sacrificed at 48 h after the initial injection of PHC to measure the lung water content,protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF),and the expression of Ang-1,Tie-2 and phosphorylated Tie-2 in lung tissues.The morphological changes of lung tissues were observed under light microscope and the ultrastructural changes of alveolar epithelial barrier under transmission electron microscope.Results Compared with group C,the lung water content and protein concentrations in BALF were significantly increased,and the expression of Ang-1 and phosphorylated Tie-2 was down-regulated in the other three groups (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group ALI,the lung water content and protein concentrations in BALF were significantly decreased,and the expression of Ang-1 and phosphorylated Tie-2 was up-regulated in H-PHC group (P ＜ 0.05),and no significant changes were found in the parameters mentioned above in group L-PHC (P ＞0.05).The damage to lung tissues was significantly reduced in group H-PHC as compared with group ALI.Conclusion PHC can improve the permeability of pulmonary microvascular and reduce injury to alveolar epithelial barrier,thus ameliorating endotoxin-induced ALI in rats,and the effect is dose-related and up-regulation of Ang-1 expression and inhancement of Tie-2 activity are involved in the mechanism.

Objective To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on acute liver injury in rats with endotoxemia.Methods Eighteen adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 3-4 months, weighing 250-300 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6 each) using a random number table: control group (group C), endotoxin group (group E), and dexmedetomidine group (group D).In E and D groups, lipopo-lysaccharide 5 mg/kg was injected via the femoral vein of rats anesthetized with chloral hydrate.In group D, dexmedetomidine was infused with a 7 μg/kg loading bolus over 15 min after injection of lipopolysaccharide, followed by a 6 h continuous infusion of 5 μg · kg-1 · h-1.The equal volume of normal saline was given instead in E and C groups.After the end of administration, blood samples from the femoral vein were drawn for determination of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentrations in serum (by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities in serum (using the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine reference procedures).Liver specimens were obtained for examination of pathologic changes with electron microscope.Results Compared with group C, the serum ALT and AST activities and TNF-α and IL-lβ concentrations were significantly increased in E and D groups.Compared with group E, the serum ALT and AST activities and TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations were significantly decreased in group D.The pathologic changes of livers were obvious in group E, and were significantly reduced in group D compared with group E.Conclusion Dexmedetomidine can alleviate acute liver injury in rats with endotoxemia, and the underlying mechanism is associated with inhibition of systemic inflammatory responses.