AIM: To investigate the changes of cardiac function, oxidative stress and apoptosis in myocardium of rat model of heart failure induced by adriamycin (ADR). METHODS: At the end of the study, we observed content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and apoptosis. Expression of P53 protein and p53 mRNA were measured with immunohistochemical method and RT-PCR, respectively. RESULTS: Our data showed that content of MDA increased, activity of SOD decreased and apoptosis in myocardium happened while cardiac function decreased after ADR treatment. p53 gene expression and P53 protein obviously increased in heart failure group. CONCLUSION: There were oxidative stress and apoptosis occurred significantly in a model of heart failure induced by ADR. p53 gene might play an important role in the apoptosis. Correlation analyses suggested that apoptosis in myocardium is related to oxidative stress in ADR-induced heart failure.

Objective:To study the effects of the secondary metabolites of Rhizotonia leguminicola on cyclophosphamide-induced immunoregulation in immunosuppressed mice.Methods:The immunosuppressed mouse model was established by cyclophosphamide(80 mg/kg) injected into abdominal cavity.The diluent of secondary metabolites of Rhizotonia leguminicola(SW) at the dosage of 8,16 and 32 mg/(kg?d) was intragastrically administered for 11 days respectively.Meanwhile,the normal control group and CTX model control group were established.Blood,thymus and spleen of the mice were collected respectively at 24 h after the last intragastric administration,and the immunological detection was also carried out.Results:CTX was injected constantly into the abdominal cavity at 80 mg/kg for 3 d,which leaded to immunosuppression of the mice.The groups which took SW at 8 and 16 mg/(kg?d) could increase the number of WBC of the mice.Cyclophosphamide induced a decrease of phagocytic activity of the peritoneal macrophages in the mice and a boost of hemolysin level of the peripheral blood,lymphocyte transformation of the spleens and the activity of NK cells,which were especially obvious in the group of SW at 16 mg/(kg?d).Conclusion:The secondary metabolites of Rhizotonia leguminicola have effects of recovery and reinforcement in cyclophosphamide-induced immunoregulation of immunosuppressed mice.

AIM: To investigate the effect of Sini decoction (SND)on the ultrastructure of small intestinal epithelial cells in rats with intestinal ischemia-reperfusion. METHODS: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes were randomly divided into 4 groups: (1) Control group in which sham operation was performed; (2) Model group in which intestinal I/R was produced by clamping super mesenteric artery(SMA) for 1 hour and declamping SMA for 3 hours; (3) SND1 group in which SD (0.6 g/200 g rat) was given via stomach tube 3 d before intestinal I/R; (4) SND2 group in which SD (1.2 g/200 g rat)was given via stomach tube 3 d before intestinal I/R. A strip of small intestine was taken from distal end of ileum for electron microscopic examination. The two-dimensional structural parameters and three-dimensional structural parameters of mitochondria were calculated. RESULTS: (1)Morphological changes of small intestine: In control group, epithelial cells were orderly arranged, with normal mitochondria and intestinal villi. In model group, the gaps between epithelial cells widened. There were a lot of apoptotic cells. Microvilli were short and swelled. Mitochondria were swelled obviously with broken ridges. Endoplasmatic reticulum was severely dilated. In SND1 and SND2 groups, microvilli and epithelial cells were orderly arranged relatively, mitochondria was slightly swelled. (2) Structural parameters of mitochondria: In model group, there were the least mitochondria and the swelling of mitochondria was severe. In SND1 and SND2 groups, the mitochondria was more than that of model group and the swelling were slight. CONCLUSION: Sini decoction can protect small intestine from ischemia-reperfusion injury without dose-dependent effect.

We present that the modern basic theory of traditional Chinese medicine is a new science in this article. To demonstrate the problem new discipline faced and needed to be understood, firstly we want to clear the related concepts of discipline and traditional Chinese medicine from an international perspective achieving the original inten-tion of deepening the research field, forming a discipline branch and towards modern teaching. Secondly, we explore the discipline classification system and in which the location of traditional Chinese medicine and theory of traditional Chinese medicine discipline, and then explore the discipline overall regularity of occurrence, development and demise focusing on regularity and evaluation criteria reveal of medicine and traditional Chinese medicine disciplines. On this basis, we demonstrate the discipline property and location of new scientific disciplines of modern basic theo-ry of traditional Chinese medicine, subjects and fields, direction and meaning and then draw a credible conclusion in accordance with deductive reasoning.

AIM: To detect the effect of Sini decoction on glutathione S-transferase (GST) mRNA expression in the ischemic myocardium. METHODS: Kunming mice were randomly divided into control group, ischemic group and Sini decoction group. Total RNA was extracted from the myocardium of mice in each group. The effect of Sini decoction on the expression of GST gene was detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The expression of GST mRNA in Sini decoction group was significantly up-regulated compared with the ischemic group and control group. CONCLUSION: Sini decoction can promote the expression of GST gene, which may be related to its protective effect on ischemic myocardium.

AIM: To screen the differentially expressed genes among normal, ischemic and Sini decoction-treated myocardium using DNA microarray.METHODS: Kunming mice were randomly divided into control group, ischemic group and Sini decoction group. Total RNA was extracted from myocardium of each group. cDNA microarray chips containing 2 304 cDNAs were used to investigate the gene expression pattern of each group. RESULTS: Up-and down-regulated genes were 33 and 70 in ischemic group vs control group, respectively. Up-and down-regulated genes were 23 and 52 respectively in Sini decoction group vs ischemic group. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of gene expression pattern of ischemic myocardium based on cDNA microarray can realize high-throughput screening of the genes. Further analysis of those obtained genes information will be helpful to understand the molecular mechanism of myocardial ischemia and the therapeutic mechanism of Sini decoction.

AIM: The work was designed to explore protective effects of a traditional Chinese medicine-sini decoction (SD) on liver in hemorrhagic shock and its mechanism relating to oxygen free radical and nitric oxide. METHODS: Anesthetized Wistar rats were subjected to a hemorrhagic shock protocol for 60 min followed by intravenous injection with normal sodium chloride solution or SD solution. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) in liver were examined. The inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was determined immunohistochemically. RT-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)was used to assay the mRNA, which were corresponding to eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) and iNOS. RESULTS: The activity of SOD decreased, while the concentration of MDA increased in liver during hemorrhagic shock. SD enhanced SOD activity and inhibited a increase in MDA level in liver ( P

Objective To observe the influence of Qingwen Baidu decoction (QBD) on serum procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in septic rats and study the mechanism of heat-clearing and detoxifying method for treatment of sepsis. Methods Fifty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group (n=5), model group (n=25), and heat-clearing and detoxifying experimental group (experimental group, n=20). The septic model was reproduced by intra-peritoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg). In control group, an equal volume of normal saline was given. After modeling for 2 hours, the heat-clearing and detoxifying experimental group received QBD the first time (composition of the decoction: Gypsum Fibrosum Recens 30 g, Rehmanniae Radix 10 g, Bubali Cornu 15 g, Coptidis Rhizoma 4 g, Gardeniae Fructus 5 g, Platycodonis Radix 5 g, Scutellariae Radix 5 g, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma 5 g, Paeoniae Radix Rubra 5 g, Scrophulariae Radix 5 g, Forsythiae Fructus 5 g, Glycyrrhizae Radix 5 g, Moutan Cortex 5 g, Lophatheri Herba 5 g) by gavage (0.01 mL/g); the rest administration time was 08:00 to 09:00, once a day. The rats in model group were given an equal volume of warm water by gavage. At different time points after modeling, the blood of 5 rats in control group, model group, and experimental group was collected from the abdominal aorta. The serum PCT and CRP levels were tested by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the pathological changes in lung and intestinal tissue were observed under a light microscope. Results Compared with the control group, the PCT level of the model group after modeling for 2 hours was significantly increased (ng/L:332.32±22.85 vs. 70.46±3.18, P<0.01), this situation continued until 72 hours after modeling. CRP level in the comparison between the control and model groups did not have statistical significant difference at 2, 8, and 48 hours after modeling (all P > 0.05). The level of CRP in model group was lower than that of control group at 24 hours and 72 hours after modeling (μg/L:281.34±32.81, 237.84±41.42 vs. 350.09±56.67, P<0.05 and P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in PCT levels between model group and experimental group after modeling for 8 hours and 24 hours (both P > 0.05). The PCT level of experimental group was significantly lower than that of model group beginning from 48 hours after modeling (ng/L: 321.57±28.00 vs. 358.12±10.14, P < 0.05), and this situation continued until 72 hours after modeling (ng/L: 269.50±49.10 vs. 347.69±26.90, P <0.05). The CRP level of experimental group was significantly lower than that of model group beginning from 8 hours after modeling (μg/L:232.73±13.29 vs. 335.35±53.78, P<0.05), this statistical significant difference between the two groups persisted until 72 hours after modeling (μg/L:177.31±6.70 vs. 237.84±41.42, P<0.05). Compared to those in the model group, the lung tissue inflammatory cell infiltration, the intestinal mucosal inflammation and interstitial edema were milder in the experimental group. Conclusion Heat-clearing and detoxifying therapy can effectively reduce the serum PCT and CRP levels of septic rats induced by LPS, and it can alleviate the infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissues so as to play a role in protection of tissue organ.

Objective To investigate the association with death for serum parameters at the time of diagnosis and its value in predicting the death in infants with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS).Methods A retrospective case-control study was conducted on 108 children with HPS who were admitted to our center between July 2005 and July 2012.For each patient,demographic,laboratory data and outcome information were collected.The patients were divided into death and surviving groups based on the follow-up results.The relation between serum markers and death was examined using the COX proportional hazards model and decision tree.Results Of 108 infants with HPS,33 died corresponding to a fatality rate of 30.6％ and 90.3％ of deaths occurred within 8 weeks after diagnosis.Following features were significantly associated with death:white blood cells (WBC) ＜5 x 109/L (HR =9.08,95％ CI 3.07 ～ 26.87),hemoglobin ＜80 g/L (HR =6.15,95％ CI 1.68 ～ 22.49),albumin ＜ 28 g/L (HR =4.63,95％ CI 1.12 ～ 7.39),serum ferritin ＞ 1 100 μg/L (HR =3.05,95％ CI 1.28 ～ 16.75),trigeminal ganglion ≥4 mmol/L (HR =2.88,95％ CI 1.51 ～ 8.60),and prothromin time ≥ 16 s (HR =3.60,95 ％ CI 1.28 ～ 7.24),and fever for more than 2 weeks (HR =5.39,95％ CI 1.97 ～ 14.66).Decision tree demonstrated that the probability of death was as high as 100％ for infants with WBC ＜5 x 109/L and hemoglobin ＜ 80 g/L.The odds of dying was still 66.7％ for infants who had WBC≥5 × 109/L but reported trigeminal ganglion ≥4 mmol/L after having fever for more than 2 weeks.Conclusion The first 8 weeks after the onset of HPS is the critical period of treatment.There are several easily available serum predictors of early mortality in HPS infants,particularly the WBC and hemoglobin level,which may help guide treatment decisions.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2022, so as provide insights into improvements of the HFRS control strategy. Methods: Data pertaining to HFRS cases in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2022 were captured from the Surveillance System of China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. The temporal, population and regional distributions of HFRS were analyzed using the descriptive epidemiological method, and the trends in incidence of HFRS were evaluated using annual percent change (APC). Results: Totally 1 022 HFRS cases were reported in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2022, with annual average incidence of 1.22/105 and three deaths. The incidence of HFRS appeared a tendency towards a decline in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2022 (APC=-11.101%, t=-9.930, P<0.001), and the incidence of HFRS peaked from May to June and from November to January of the next year. A higher incidence of HFRS was seen in men than in women (1.76/105 vs. 0.68/105; χ2=201.361, P<0.001). There were 714 HFRS cases at ages of 30 to 59 years (69.86%), and farmers were the predominant occupation (78.18%). The three counties with the largest number of HFRS cases included Zhuji (366 cases), Xinchang (263 cases) and Shengzhou (134 cases). The incidence of HFRS was lower in urban districts (Yuecheng, Keqiao and Shangyu) than in counties (Zhuji, Shengzhou and Xinchang) (0.58/105 vs. 1.96/105; χ2=326.880, P<0.001). Conclusion The incidence of HFRS appeared a tendency towards a decline in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2022, and the incidence was high in late spring, early summer and winter. The HFRS cases were mainly males, young and middle-aged people, and farmers, and predominantly distributed in counties. Targeted control measures are needed.