The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) is an important neuroimmunomodulatory mechanism that innervates the spleen through vagus nerve efferent and splenic nerve relay, and acts on macrophages by transforming adrenergic stimulation into cholinergic signal by spleen T cells, which plays an anti-inflammatory effect, and maintains the balance of inflammatory response. Due to the critical role of the imbalance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses in the physiological process of sepsis, regulating the activity of the CAP has become an important focus in the treatments of sepsis. Based on the understanding of the CAP, vagus nerve stimulation, drug agonists mimicking cholinergic signals, and acupuncture are currently applied in the research and exploration of sepsis treatment. This article summarizes the recent progress and prospects of the CAP mechanism, biological effects, and application in sepsis treatment.

Objective To optimize technology of three can group dynamic countercurrent extraction process of ferulic acid from Angelicae Sinensis Radix.Methods The content of ferulic acid was determined by HPLC. With content of ferulic acid as index, comprehensive test was used to investigate effect of extraction solvent and extraction time on extraction efficiency.Results The optimum process parameters were as follows:extraction solvent with 10 times of water;20 minutes for each extraction time.Conclusion The process which uses method of three can group of dynamic countercurrent extraction of ferulic acid from Angelicae Sinensis Radix is reliable, highly efficient and energy saving.

Objective To establish a suitable extraction and purification process line for industrial production of liquiritin. Methods With the extraction rate of liquiritin as index, orthogonal test was used to determine the optimum conditions; with the retention rate of liquiritin and impurity removal rate as the indexes, orthogonal test was used to optimize the best ultrafiltration process parameters. Results The optimum extraction conditions were: 24 times 0.75%ammonia water, extracted three times, each time under 60 min. The liquiritin average extraction rate was 72.3%. The best ultrafiltration process parameters were: 10 nm inorganic ceramic membrane, pressure of 0.12 MPa, temperature of 25 ℃. The liquiritin average retention rate was 98.9%, and the average removal rate of impurity was 23.3%. Conclusion This process has low production cost and good safety, and is suitable for industrial application.

Objective To investigate the effects of volatile oil of Fructus Evodia, mustar d oil and total anthraquinone in Rheum on the transcutaneous permeability of paeoniflorin. Methods Using intelligent transdermal diffusion cell and excised mice skin in vitro as transdermal barrier, the kinetics parameters such as cumulative permeation quantity, permeation rate and permeation lagged time of the three kinds of penetration enhancers on paeoniflorin were determined by HPLC in 12 hours. Results The penetration rate of volatile oil of Fructus Evodia, mustard oil and total anthraquinone in Rheum were 8.188 6, 3.411 7, 1.230 3 μg/(cm2?h), respectively, the enhancement ratios were 22.6, 9.40, 3.40, respectively, and the permeation lagged times were 0.93, 0.51, 0.83 h, respectively. Conclusion Three penetration enhancers all can enhance previously percutaneous absorption of paeoniflorin, which provides reference for the selection of the penetration enhancers of transdermal delivery.

Objective To study the effects of ultrafiltration process on activating blood and removing blood stasis efficacy ofShentong Zhuyu Decoction; To investigate the feasibility of applying ultrafiltration technology in purifying Shentong Zhuyu Decoction.Methods The mice micro artery and vein diameter, clotting time and opening capillary of auricle microcirculation of mice were used as indexes to observe the effects of different ultrafiltration process on activating blood and removing blood stasis efficacy ofShentong Zhuyu Decoction.ResultsShentong Zhuyu Decoction showed satisfying efficacy of activating blood and removing blood stasis. There was no significant difference between the non-ultrafiltration process and ultrafiltration processed by 20 and 50 nm ultrafiltration membranes.Conclusion Ultrafiltration technology can be applied to purifying Shentong Zhuyu Decoction, and the membrane pore size must be more than 20 nm.

Objective To discuss the teaching outcomes of problem-based learning method in classroom teaching of TCM pharmaceutics.Methods Fifty students majoring in 2009 science of Chinese materia medica were taught by using traditional teaching method in teaching of TCM pharmaceutics, and 56 students majoring in 2009 TCM pharmaceutics by using of problem-based learning method. This study evaluated students’ adaption to the two teaching methods through score analysis and questionnaire of the two classes.Results Students taught by problem-based learning method generally believed that this teaching method can stimulate their learning interest, improve self-study ability, thinking ability, creativity, and language competence, and enhance team spirit.Conclusion Problem-based learning method shows better teaching outcomes than traditional teaching method. It can guide students to look for ways to tackle problems in the course of solving problems, and cultivate all-round ability and comprehensive quality of students.

Objective To observe the effects of Qizhi Zhoufei Granules on IL-8, TNF-αand ET-1 in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) model rats, and to study its mechanism of preventing and treating COPD. Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, positive control group, Qizhi low-dose group, Qizhi medium-dose group and Qizhi high-dose group. The COPD model was established by smoking and infusing lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After 15 days, the rats were given the drugs by orally taking once a day. On the 43rd day, the change of IL-8, TNF-α and ET-1 content in serum and BALF were measured by radio-immunity assay. Results Compared with the blank group, the level of IL-8, TNF-α and ET-1 in serum and BALF were considerably raised in model group (P<0.05). Whereas compared with the model group, the level of TNF-αin serum of Qizhi high-dose group was remarkably lowered (P<0.05), the level of IL-8 in serum of Qizhi low-dose group and Qizhi high-dose group was remarkably lowered (P<0.05), the level of TNF-αin BALF of Qizhi medium-dose group was remarkably lowered (P<0.05), the level of IL-8 in BALF of Qizhi low-, medium- and high-dose group was remarkably lowered (P<0.05), and the level of ET-1 in BALF of Qizhi high-dose group and Qizhi medium-dose group was remarkably lowered (P<0.05). Conclusion Qizhi Zhoufei Granules have protective effect on lung tissue of COPD rats, and can adjust the content of IL-8, TNF-α and ET-1, which may be one of its mechanisms of intervening occurrence and development of COPD.

Objective To elucidate cerebral cortical response to esophageal acid exposure in normal individuals by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the characteristics of activity. Methods Fifteen volunteers were received intraesophageal perfusion with either 0.9% of sodium chloride or acid (0.1 mmol/L HC1) solutions. The modified block-design model of fMRI scanning was performed simultaneously. All of 32 minutes were needed for resting (A, 8 minutes), 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion (B,8 minutes), acid perfusion (C,8 minutes) and 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion again (D,8 minutes). Each chunk was consisted of 160 scans and every scan contained 3 seconds. Six hundred and forty scans were collected in all. The clinical response to esophageal acid exposure was observed and the changes in the cerebral regions was statistically analyzed. Results After perfusion of 0.9% of sodium chloride or acid, 10 out of 15 volunteers had chemosensitive complaints, such as pain in pars laryngen pharyngis, heartburn and chest complaint. The initial active domains involved deutocerebrum, anterior part of callosal gyrus, left side of insula, two sides of amygdale and subiculum hippocampi, two outers of forehead cortex. The provoked regions of acid perfusion (C-A) and 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion again (D-A) were as same as that of the activated domains by initial perfusion of 0.9% sodium chloride (B-A). The intensity and amplitude of most provoked regions increased gradually(D-A> B-A, P< 0.01). Conclusions The two different stimulations of saline and acid provoke similar cerebral regions that may act in the regulation of esophageal sensitivity. There are the evidences of the central mechanism of esophageal visceral hypersensitivity by acid perfusion.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value and limitation of multichannel intraluminal esophageal impedance and pH (MII-pH) monitoring on the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux-related chronic cough (GERC).Methods The patients with suspicious GERC consecutively referred to our respiratory clinic between May 2010 and July 2011 underwent a MII-pH monitoring,and received anti-reflux drug therapy,irrespective of the laboratory findings.Chronic cough due to gastroesophageal reflux was determined when there was a favorable response to anti-reflux therapy.Then,the sensitivity,specificity,false positive and negative rate,total consistence,positively and negatively predictive value,the area under the curve of ROC and the Kappa value of the laboratory investigation were calculated for the diagnosis of GERC.Results During the research period,56 patients completed MII-pH monitoring.Among them,the abnormal reflux was found in 35 patients,and GERC was finally confirmed in 30 patients (85.7％) including 25 patients (83.3％) due to acid reflux and 5 patients (16.7％) due to non-acid reflux.In the remaining 21 patients with normal reflux episodes,6 patients (28.6％) could be explained by non-acid reflux for their cough because of a relatively predominant weakly acid reflux and favorable response to empirical anti-reflux therapy.For the diagnosis of GERC,MII-pH monitoring had the sensitivity of 83.3％,the specificity of 75.0％,false positive rate of 25.0％,false negative rate of 16.7％,total consistence of 80.4％,positive predictive value of 85.7％,negative predictive value of 71.4％,the area under the curve of ROC of 0.792 and Kappa value of 0.577 respectively.Conclusion MII-pH is a sensitive and reliable tool for the diagnosis of GERC due to its ability to detect both acid and non-acid reflux.

Objective To study food-borne disease related behavior of the floating population in Hangzhou city. Methods A questionnaire on food-borne disease related behaviors was formulated based on Delphi method. A family-based retrospective investigation was conducted by unified trained investigators to analyze the frequency of food-borne disease related behaviors of family food providers during the past month in several floating-population centers of Hangzhou city. The investigation was conducted among 150 adults of every survey spot quarterly during a one-year period. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test. Results According to all 1 781 valid recovery questionnaires, 82.42%subjects had a family income less than 50 000 yuan per year and 87.42%of them had junior-middle-school or lower levels of education. The proportions of subjects who always cleaned kitchen tools, covered the garbage can and kept house out of flies, roaches and mice were 42.50%, 55.87% and 61.09%, respectively. The proportions of subjects who always purchased intact packaged food and food under warranty were 39.70%and 52.33%, respectively. The proportions of subjects who always used tapped water, cleaned hands before food processing, cooked eggsand other foods till well-done were 66.03%, 51.94%, 53.62%, 35.99% and 32.62%, respectively. The proportions of subjects who always stored food in containers with cover and for no more than 3 days in freezer were 20.89%and 30.88%, respectively. The frequencies of food-borne disease related behaviors mentioned above were significantly higher among migrants who originated from urban areas, received education above junior-middle-school and had a family income no less than 50 000 yuan/y than the others (P<0.05). Conclusion In order to correct the risky behaviors during food consuming, processing and storage, targeted intervention is necessary among family food providers of floating population families.