Animals ; Gene Expression ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Prefrontal Cortex ; metabolism ; Rats ; Somatomedins ; metabolism

Altitude ; Animals ; Arvicolinae ; Gene Expression ; Hypoxia ; Rats ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cells, Cultured ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Microglia ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Animals ; Arrestins ; metabolism ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Male ; Prefrontal Cortex ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism ; beta-Arrestin 1 ; beta-Arrestins

Iridoid glycosides were the main active ingredient of Rehmannia glutinosa, of which catalpol has the highest content. This work will provide theoretical basis for metabolic study and cultivation of iridoids on the basis of the dynamic accumulation of catalpol and total iridoids in the growth of R. glutinosa. The samples of rehmannia 85-5 were gathered in the same filed from July to October. The contents of catalpol and total iridoid glycosides were measured by HPLC and specteophotometric, respectively. The results showed that youngest leaves had the higher content of catalpol and total iridoid glyosides than that of the other two leaf ages in the same growth stage from July to September, while their content of catalpol and total iridoid glycosides were all decreased as the growth of leaves of R. glutinosa. The content of catalpol didn't differ significantly from July to September, whereas it has significantly increased in October in the three leaf stage. In the same stage, the wider the root diameter is, the higher content of the effective components are. In August and September, the total iridoid glycosides have the fastest accumulation. The content of catalpol was increased as the accumulation of total iridoid glycosides.
Iridoid Glucosides ; metabolism ; Iridoids ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; metabolism ; Rehmannia ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Seasons ; Water ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of acupuncture on asthma at acute stage.

METHODSNinety cases of asthma at acute stage were randomly divided into an observation group of 60 cases and a control group of 30 cases. Clinical therapeutic effect and the mechanisms were studied from symptoms and signs, pulmonary function and serum interleukin -4 (IL-4), gamma-interferon (INF-gamma).

RESULTSThe pulmonary function was improved, the vital capacity was increased and attack of asthma was reduced in both the observation group and the control group, but the observation group was better than the control group in the pulmonary function improving degree (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can strengthen the relieving action of medicine on asthma and it is one of effective methods for bronchial asthma.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Asthma ; therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Lung ; Vital Capacity

Animals ; Carps ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Fish Proteins ; genetics ; Hydroxylation ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; Lakes

OBJECTIVETo probe the effect and mechanism of the nuchal acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture for treatment of stroke patients with spastic hemiplegia.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. Nuchal acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture treatment was used and Fengfu (GV 16), Fengchi (GB 20), Tianzhu (BL 10), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Guanyuan (CV 4) etc. were selected in observation group, routine acupuncture was applied on Binao (LI 14), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30) and Futu (ST 32) etc. in control group. The scale of Ashworth and score of Fugel-Meyer of the spastic lateral upper and lower limbs and the changes of the EMG F-wave in spastic upper limb of patients in two groups were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe Ashworth scale and Fugel-Meyer score of the upper and lower limbs were obviously improved, the amplitude was decreased, the duration was shorten and the threshold of the EMG F-wave of the spastic upper limb was increased (all P < 0.01) in the observation group. The observation group was superior to the control group in Fugel-Meyer score of the upper and lower limbs of the patients the Ashworth scale of the lower limb, and the amplitude, duration and threshold of the EMG F-wave of the spastic upper limb (all P < 0.01). The total effective rate of 90.0% in observation group was superior to that of 50.0% in control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe nuchal acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture treatment can decrease the muscle tension of the stroke patients with spastic hemiplegia.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

AIMTo investigate intermittent hypoxia effects on splenocyte mitogen-induced proliferation.

METHODSRats were exposured to intermittent hypoxia in a hypobaric chamber 4 h/d for 1 d, 2 d, 5 d and 15 d.

RESULTS5 km (10.8% O2) hypoxia for 1 d significantly inhibited ConA-induced splenocytes proliferation by--74.57% +/- 7.33% (P < 0.05). Hypoxia (5 km) for 2 d, 5 d and 15 d did not markedly affect splenocyte proliferation (97.03 +/- 7.18%, 104.5% +/- 8.38%, 99.55% +/- 3.8% respectively). Hypoxia 2 km (16.0% O2) for 1 d, 2 d, 5 d and 15 d had no influence on splenocytes proliferation (93.19% +/- 11.88%, 96.43% +/- 7.9%, 99.03% +/- 10.97%, 100.54% +/- 9.54% respectively). We also demonstrated that acute hypoxia exposure (5 km) 4 h significantly suppressed DNA contents of rat splenocytes by 76.22% +/- 7.06% (P < 0.05). The suppressed DNA synthesis were returned to control level after the hypoxia for 5 d and 15 d.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that the acute hypoxia (5 km, 4 h) induces a transient suppression on splenic lymphocyte proliferation, and the intermittent hypoxia may induce an adaptation response of the splenocytes proliferation.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Hypoxia ; immunology ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen ; immunology

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of B7-H4, a negative costimulatory molecule, in mediating the immunomodulatory effects of mesenchymal stem cells C3H10T1/2 (C3H10) on T cell polarization. Methods The lentiviral vectors that carried the shRNA targeting mouse B7-H4 were transfected into mouse mesenchymal stem cells (C3H10-B7-H4). The cells were co-cultured with PHA-acti-vated mice spleen lymphocytes before and after the transfection. ELISA was performed to detect the concen-trations of cytokines in supernatants of cell culture in order to elucidate the effects of B7-H4 expressed by C3H10 on T cell polarization. A mouse model of experimental allergic encephalitis (EAE) was established. Fifty C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups including control group, EAE group, C3H10 group (injec-ting EAE mice with C3H10 cells), C3H10-NC group ( injecting EAE mice with C3H10-NC cells) and C3H10-B7-H4 group (injecting EAE mice with C3H10-B7-H4 cells). ELISA was performed to detect the soluble form of IL-2, IL-17, IFN-γ and IL-4 in plasma samples. Results Knocking down the B7-H4 gene with shRNA significantly decreased the expression of B7-H4 on C3H10 cells, which weakened the inhibitory effects of C3H10 cells on the secretion of IL-2, IL-17 and IFN-γ by spleen lymphocytes. The therapeutic effects of C3H10-B7-H4 cells on mice with EAE were weakened after silencing the B7-H4 gene expression, which was manifested as higher nerve function score and earlier onset and bring forwarded peak time of EAE than those of the C3H10 group. Treating EAE mice with C3H10-B7-H4 cells was less efficient in inhibiting the expression of IL-2, IL-17 and IFN-γin plasma. However, knocking down the B7-H4 gene had no signif-icant effect on the expression of IL-4 in terms of treating EAE with C3H10 cells. Conclusion The co-inhib-itor molecule B7-H4 expressed on C3H10 cells mediated the treatment of EAE with C3H10 cells by regula-ting Th1 and Th17 effector T cells.