Objective: To investigate the application of entropy partition method (EPM) for studying the diagnostic criteria of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome. Methods: A clinical epidemiological survey was conducted in 400 patients with vascular endothelial dysfunction and the EPM was adopted to extract the TCM syndrome elements of "stagnancy of collateral-Qi in a deficiency condition", the correlation degree between each symptom of "stagnancy of collateral-Qi in a deficiency condition" was calculated and the diagnostic threshold of vascular endothelial dysfunction was established. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the EPM-associated diagnostic criteria were assessed by comparing with those of clinical epidemiology. Results: The diagnostic criteria of "stagnancy of collateral-Qi in a deficiency condition" in vascular endothelial dysfunction established with EPM had a satisfactory diagnostic efficiency. Conclusion: EPM for complex system is suitable for studying the diagnostic criteria of TCM syndrome. EPM is a scientific and strict method and has great value in clinical practice.

AIM: To investigate the ability of Chinese cobra snake venom-metalloproteinase(MT) to induce the histamine release from human mast cells and its potential mechanisms.METHODS: MT was purified from the snake venom by using heparin agarose and Superdex75 chromatography.Mast cells were dispersed from human lung, colon and tonsil tissues after digestion with collagenase and hyaluronidase.The dispersed mast cells were then challenged with MT,stimulus and control in LP4 tubes for 15 min at 37 ℃.A glass fibre-based fluorometric assay was used to measure histamine in the supernatants of dispersed mast cells.RESULTS: MT induced a dose-dependent release of histamine from human colon,lung and tonsil mast cells.As low as 0.03(mg/L) of MT was able to stimulate significant histamine release from human colon mast cells,but a minimum of 0.3 or 30 mg/L of MT was required to stimulate a similar level of histamine release from lung or tonsil mast cells,respectively.The release of histamine from colon and lung mast cells in response to MT was maximized at 12 min following the addition of the stimulus.This was quite different from the picture of the peak histamine release from tonsil mast cells,in which histamine release was maximized at 8 min following the addition of MT.Pretreatment of cells with metabolic inhibitors and pertussis toxin reduced dramatically histamine release from human colon,lung and tonsil mast cells by MT.In exogenous Ca~(2+) and Mg~(2+) free experiments,the release of histamine induced by MT was significantly decreased.CONCLUSION: Cobra snake venom MT induces human mast cells to release histamine through a G-protein-related mechanism,which may contribute to the pathogenesis of venomous snake bite.

Objective To investigate the relationship of fetal total bile acid (TBA) concentration with the change of fetal pancreas endocrine secretion and its impact on fetal growth and development in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP). Methods The concentrations of TBA, insulin, glucagon and glucose in the cord blood were measured in 30 fetuses with maternal ICP (case group) and 30 fetuses of normogravidas(control group) after elective cesarean section during the same period in the Department of Obstetrics of Xiangya Second Hospital of Central South University from March 2007 to February 2008. The cord blood TBA concentration was investigated by enzyme method and the concentrations of insulin and glucagon were investigated by radioimmunoassay. The glucose was measured by oxidase-superoxide method. The neonatal weight, length and the ponderal index (PI) were measured after parturition. Results (1) The cord blood insulin concentration (9.0±3.3) mU/L and the ratio of insulin over glucagon 0. 048±0. 028 in the case group was significantly lower than that of controls(10.1±3.7) mU/L,0.050±0. 020 (P<0.05). The concentrations of TBA(10.3±3. 8)μmol/L and glucagon(235±57) ng/L in case group were obviously higher than that in controls (4.1±1.3)μol/L, (205±34) ng/L(P<0.05). But no difference was shown in the glucose concentration in cord blood between the ease and control groups [(3.4±1.1) mmol/L vs (3.6± 1.2 )mmol/L, P > 0.05]. (2)The neonatal weight and length in case group were significantly lower than that of control [(3163±478) g vs (3498±393)g, (46.5±2.3) cm vs (49.3±1.9)cm, P<0.01]; while the Ponderal index in ease group was significantly higher than that of control group (3.13±0. 23 vs 2. 92±0. 29,P <0.01). (3) The cord blood TBA concentration respectively showed a linear relationship with the cord blood insulin concentration, the cord blood glucagon concentration and the ratio of insulin over glucagon in the case group. With the increase in cord blood TBA concentration, the cord insulin concentration and the ratio of insulin over glucagon decreased; meanwhile the cord blood glucagon concentration rose(P<0.01). The cord blood insulin concentration and the ratio of insulin over glucagon in case group were respectively positively correlated with the neonatal weight and length, and were negatively correlated with the PI (P<0.01); while the cord glucagon concentration was respectively negatively correlated with the neonatal weight and length, and positively correlated with the P1 (P < 0.01 ).Conclusions In 1CP fetus pancreas, there are hypoinsulinism, glucagon oversecretion, and decrease of the ratio of insulin over glucagon, which is closely correlated with fetal TBA concentration. The endocrine function of fetal pancreas affects the fetal growth and development.

BACKGROUND:After cerebral tissue ischemia and anoxia in young rats,the cerebral edema gets serious, and the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) decrease. Radix Astagali seu Hedysari has the pharmacological effects of enhancing immunity, anti-anoxia and improving myocardial ischemic reinfusion injury.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influences of Radix Astagali seu Hedysari (huangqi) on contents of NO and MDA in brain tissue of young rats with cerebral injury after cerebral ischemia and anoxia.DESIGN:A randomized and controlled trial.SETTING: Department of Pediatrics, Second Hospital, Hebei Medical University; Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hebei Medical University; Department of Pathophysiology, Hebei Medical UniversityMATERIALS:The experiment was conducted from January to April 2004at Department of Pathophysiology, Hebei Medical University. Total 40 SD rats, 7-day old, were at random divided as normal control group, model group, humgqi low-dose group and huangqi high-dose group, with 10 rats in each group. Huangqi injection (The content in 10 mL injection is consistent with 20 g raw drug) was provided by Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Hebei Medical University (produced in Chengdu Di'ou Jiuhong Pharmaceutical Factory, Batch No. 0005028).METHODS:Except rats in normal group, those in the rest groups, under conscious and local anesthesia, were all given common carotid artery ligation, establishing cerebral injury model due to ischemia and anoxia. Rats in normal group were intraperitoneally injected 0.1 mL normal saline; rats in model group were intraperitoneally injected 9 g/L normal saline, 0.1 mL each day; rats in huangqi low-dose group and huangqi high-dose group were respectively given 0.1mL, 0.5 mL huangqi injection, once a day, intraperitoneally. Cerebral blood flow was detected immediately, 2 and 4days after injection. Then the rats were decapitated for collecting the brains to measure the water content in brain, the contents of NO and MDA.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: [1] Water contents in brains of rats in every group. [2] Cerebral blood flow, and the contents of NO and MDA.RESULTS:Totally 40 rats were involved in the trial and all entered in the final result analysis. [1] The water content in brain of each group: Compared with normal group, the content in model group was increased immediately after model establishment [(87.316±0.275)%, (88.259±0.297)% ,P ＜ 0.05 ],and did not return to the normal level at the second day [(86.973±0.265)%,(88.173±0.445)%,P ＜ 0.05]; compared with model group, the content in huangqi high-dose group was obviously decreased at second day[(88.173±0.445)%, (86.542±0.141)% ,P ＜ 0.05]. [2] Measurement of cerebral blood flow: compared with control group, the blood flow in model group was obviously decreased immediately after model establishment[(231.88±13.33), (139.54±10.58)mV,P＜ 0.05], and did not return to normal level till the 4th day [(234.57±14.38), (145.38±13.33)mV,P ＜ 0.05];compared with model group, the blood flow in huangqi low-dose group and huangqi high-dose group, at day 4, was obviously increased [(145.38±13.33),(288.45±12.89), (313.82±21.74)mV,P ＜ 0.01]. [3] The contents of NO and MDA: The contents in model group, immediately after model establishment, were obviously higher than those in normal control group [(26.55±5.23 ), ( 19.67±7.17 )μmol/L,P ＜ 0.05; (7.88±2.55), (4.22±0.12) μmol/L, P＜ 0.01], and at day 4, were significantly higher than those in normal control group [(48.65±17.06), (18.65±2.12)μmol/L,P ＜ 0.01; (5.29±0.68),(4.06±0.39)μmol/L,P ＜ 0.05]; compared with model group, the contents in huangqi low-dose group and huangqi high-dose group were obviously decreased at day 4 [(48.65±17.06), (23.77±12.79), (24.67±11.54)μ mol/L,P＜ 0.01; (5.29±0.68), (4.51±2.30), (3.68±0.39)μmol/L,P ＜ 0.01].CONCLUSION:Huangqi could obviously reduce cerebral edema from ischemia and anoxia, increase cerebral blood flow. It could decrease the contents of NO and MDA that is metabolite of free radical injury, thus playing its role to inhibit lipid peroxidation injury.

Purpose To investigate the expression of DLC1 and its relationship with Ki-67 in cancerous and non-cancerous tissues of the breast.Methods In situ hybridization and immunohistochemiscal EnVision method were used to detect the expression of DLC1 mRNA and protein and Ki-67 in 52 invasive breast ductal carcinomas and 42 non-cancerous mammary tissues, including 22 mammary fibroadenomas and 20 paracancerous tissues.Results The positive rates of DLC1 mRNA and protein expression in the breast carcinomas (50% and 57.7%) was significantly lower than that in the non-cancerous mammary tissues (90.5% and 92.9%) (χ~2=17.518 and 10.729,P＜0.01).The expression of DLC1-mRNA was positively related to DLC1protein (r_s=0.379,P＜0.01). The positive rate of Ki-67 expression was 61.5% in the breast carcinomas, but no expression was observed in the all non-cancerous tissues (χ~2=39.186,P＜0.01).Correlation analysis showed that DLC1 expression was negatively correlated with Ki-67 expression (r_s=-0.507,P＜0.01).Conclusions Lower or no expression of DLC1 mRNA and protein may play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression in breast carcinoma. DLC1 may inhibit the proliferation of the breast carcinoma cells,which indicates that it may act as a new molecular marker of breast carcinoma.Combining detection of DLC1 and Ki-67 may be useful parameters for evaluating the biological behaviors of breast carcinoma.

Forty-three children with congenital hypothyroidism(CH)underwent 99mTc thyroid scintigraphy, after being followed up by receiving levothyroxine till 2 to 3 years of age. The results showed that thyroid agenesia happened in 37 cases( 86.05% ) while entopic gland in 6 cases (13.95% ). Thyroid scintigraphy with 99mTc is an informative procedure in determining etiology and treatment schedules for children with CH.

Objective:To observe any effect of exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on pain, cartilage repair and the expression of transcriptional activator 3 (ATF-3) and growth related protein 43 (GAP-43) in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), as well as to explore the mechanism of their relieving pain.Methods:Fifty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a monoiodoacetate group and an exosome group, each of 18. The knee cavities of the left hind limbs of all of the rats except those in the sham-operation group were injected with 50μl of monoiodoacetate to establish an arthritis pain model. The sham-operation group received only 50μl of saline solution as controls. Two weeks after the modelling, the knee joint cavities of the exosome group were injected with 50μl of exosomes, while the other two groups were injected with 50μl of normal saline. The rats′ mechanical and thermal pain thresholds were measured 1 day before the modeling, 7 and 14 days after the monoiodoacetate injection, as well as 7, 14 and 28 days after the exosome injection. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of ATF-3 and GAP-43 in the rats′ DRG, while hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to detect any cartilage repair.Results:Compared with the monoiodoacetate group, the latency of the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds had increased significantly in the exosome group 7 days after the exosome injection. The difference remained significant until the 28th day after the injection. The expression of ATF-3 protein decreased significantly and that of the GAP-43 protein increased significantly. Significant differences were observed in the average Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) knee cartilage score.Conclusions:Exosomes can alleviate the pain induced by monoiodoacetate adjuvant. The analgesic mechanism may be related to reducing nerve injury and promoting nerve and cartilage repair, with the nerve repair earlier than cartilage repair.