The relationship between acupuncture and stress is discussed from three aspects, including is it possible for acupuncture stimulation to be a stressor, whether acupuncture will start stress reaction, and whether acupuncture effects contain some stress factors. It is believed that correct acupuncture manipulation will not cause stress response, however, under some circumstances, such as inaccurate manipulation, improper treatment or patients who are very nervous but do not receive effective intervention, acupuncture is likely to cause stress response. Acupuncture-induced stress response is totally different from acupuncture anti-stress. The possible stress factors in acupuncture effect are explored, which can provide a new angle for the research on action mechanism of acupuncture. From the view of stress to review acupuncture treatment, there are three enlightenments: emphasizing on communication between doctors and patients, avoiding over-pursuit of deqi and focusing on analysis of the body constitution.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; psychology ; Humans ; Qi ; Sensation ; Stress, Physiological

0.05).Conclusion The patients with CFS show a disorder of circadian rhythm.However,each index of CFS has no significant difference on the overall level.The imbalance of circadian rhythm is the pathologic characteristic of CFS.

Objective To establish a detection method integrating DPRA ( direct peptide reactivity assay) with h?CLAT ( human cell line activation test) to screen the skin sensitization potency of chemicals and plant extracts. Methods 12 chemicals and 7 plant extracts were chosen as the test substances. Firstly, the test substances were incubated together with two different peptides ( cysteine and lysine) respectively for reaction for 24 h. The peptide consumptions were analyzed by HPLC. Simultaneously, THP?1 cells were cultured in vitro and then exposed to different concentrations of test sub?stances for 24 h to examine the cell viability, cell surface markers CD54 and CD86 were assessed by flow cytometry. The predicting results were compared further between DPRA and h?CLAT. Results 12 chemicals were distinguished correctly by DPRA classified as 2 non?sensitizers and 10 sensitizers. The results of DPRA were in accordance with h?CLAT. Predic?ting the sensitization potency of plant extracts by DPRA showed that 6 plant extracts were determined as suspected sensiti?zers except for green tea extract. But using the method of h?CLAT, 4 plant extracts were examined as suspected sensitizers except for green tea extract, herba portulacae extract and ginseng fruit extract. The coherence of DPRA and h?CLAT was 0?57. Conclusion This detection method integrating DPRA with h?CLAT can predict single compound accurately. As for complex compound, it can achieve preliminary prediction and need other integrating methods to make a further identifica?tion.

OBJECTIVETo explore the action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on insomnia.

METHODSThirty SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and an EA group, 10 cases in each group. The insomnia model was made by immobilization method in the model group and EA group. After model establishment, rats in the blank group and model group were treated with fixation and no treatment was given. Rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "San-yinjiao" (SP 6) for 15 min, once a day for 4 days. After treatment, the level of daytime and nighttime activity, open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were measured; the content of noradrenaline (NE), dopamine (DA) and epinephrine (EPI) in plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were detected by using euzymelinked immunosorbent assay method.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, the daytime activity was increased and nighttime activity was reduced in the model group (both P<0. 05); the open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were both reduced in the model group (both P<0. 05); the contents of NE, DA, EPI in the plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were increased in the model group (all P<0. 05). Compared with the model group, the daytime activity was reduced and nighttime activity was increased in the EA group (both P<0. 05); the open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were both increased in the EA group (both P<0. 05); the contents of NE, DA, EPI in the plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were reduced in the EA group (all P< 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can restrain the over-activity of the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system to treat the insomnia.

Acupuncture Points ; Adrenal Medulla ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anxiety ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; psychology ; therapy ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; physiopathology

Objective To explore the value of distinguishment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhosis nodules and normal liver based on neural networks in the ~(31)P-MR spectroscopy. MethodsA total of 66 data of ~(31)P-MRS were analysed using back-propagation neural network, including 37 samples of liver cirrhosis, 13 samples of HCC and 16 samples of normal liver. ResultsThe cross-valiation experiments showed that diagnostic accuracy rate of HCC increased from 85.47% to 92.31% with neural network model based on the ~(31)P-MR spectroscopy data analysis. Conclusion ~(31) P-MRS data analysis based on neural network model provides a valuable diagnostic tool of HCC in vivo.

Aim To investigate the effects of Naotai formula extract(NTE)on the expression of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) and hephaestin(Heph) in hippocampus of rats after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion by Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.Methods Eighty rats were randomly divided into five groups as follows: sham operation group(Sham), cerebral ischemia/reperfusion group(I/R), low dose group of NTE(4.5 g·kg-1), middle dose group of NTE (9 g·kg-1) and high dose group of NTE(18 g·kg-1).Rats were pretreated by intragastric administration for three consecutive days, and then subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) 2 hours before reperfusion.The rats were administered with intragastric administration for two days.After cerebral ischemia reperfusion 72 hours, the behavioral activity of rats was recorded by Zea Longa neurological score, and the infarct volume was measured by TTC staining.The expressions of Nrf2, HO-1 and Heph in hippocampus of cerebral ischemia reperfusion rats were observed by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively.Results Compared with model group, the neurobehavioral scores significantly decreased in NTE high-dose and middle-dose groups (P<0.01);the infarct volume of NTE groups markedly decreased (P<0.01);the expression of HO-1 mRNA apparently increased (P<0.05) in NTE groups;the expression of Heph mRNA significantly increased in NTE middle-dose and high-dose groups (P<0.05);the expression of Nrf2 and Heph protein evidently increased in the NTE middle and high dose groups (P<0.05, P<0.01);and the expression of HO-1 protein also increased in NTE groups(P<0.01).Conclusions Naotai formula can relieve cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.The mechanism might be associated with activating Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways, promoting HO-1 generation, advancing the expression of Heph, and then reducing brain iron deposition, to achieve the protection of neurons after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

With a microsystem or micropump, the release rate of drug delivery is able to be controlled easily to maintain the therapeutic efficacy. A piezoelectric membrane-valve micropump for implantable and carryhome drug delivery system is developed and tested. The influence elements of dynamic performance of the PZT actuator and valve were analyzed, and the calculation method of resonant frequency of the membrane valve was provided. Study results showed that the output performance of the micropump depended on the coupling effect of the actuator and valve. For a given actuator, the output value and the optimal frequency of a micropump could be enhanced only by valve design. Two micropumps with different valve dimensions were fabricated for comparing examination. The smaller -valve micropump obtained higher output values (the maximum flow rate and backpressure being 3.5 ml/min and 27 KPa, respectively) and two optimal frequencies (800 Hz and 3 000 Hz). The larger -valve micropump achieved lower output values (the maximum flow rate and backpressure being 3.0 ml/min and 9 KPa, respectively) and one optimal frequency (about 200 Hz). The test results suggest that the output values and optimal frequency of micropump can be improved by changing the valve dimension, and the viewpoint that checkvalve micropump works only with low acting frequency is wrong.
Drug Delivery Systems ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Infusion Pumps, Implantable ; Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems ; instrumentation

Objective:Autoimmune mechanisms, including cellular and humoral immune, are likely to participate in the pathogenesis of at least a subgroup of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy(IDC), in which cellular immune-mediated one plays a more important role. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4(CTLA-4) is the major negative regulatory factor of cellular immunity. This study was conducted to investigate the association of CTLA-4 gene promoter -318C/T polymorphism, exon 1 A/G polymorphism and 3′ untranslated region microsatellite polymorphism with susceptibility to IDC in Han Chinese.Methods:Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms(PCR-RFLP) techniques were used to analyze the polymorphisms of CTLA-4 promoter -318, exon 1 A/G and 3′ untranslated region in the unrelated Han ethnic population in Heilongjiang Province(including 72 IDC patients and 100 normal controls). Serum sCTLA-4 was tested by ELISA. The relationship of CTLA-4 genotype and alleles frequencies with sCTLA-4 was evaluated by linear regression analysis.Results:Compared with controls, the frequencies of GG genotype(0.604 2 and 0.739 6, P=0.012) and the G allele(0.360 0 and 0.560 0, P=0.008) were significantly increased in patients with IDC. Increased serum sCTLA-4 was found in the IDC group compared with the controls[(1.87?1.06)?g/L vs (0.54?0.19)?g/L, P

Allergy contact dermatitis is a type IV delayed type hypersensitivity that is induced by exogenous compounds and involves many cell types. Traditional animal testing uses guinea pigs or mice as a model. With progress of the adverse outcome pathway(AOP)on skin sensitization, a concept for development of alternative methods based on a molecular initiating event and key events is provided. Dendritic cell(DC)activation plays a key role in the AOP. Many alternative methods have been developed,with several methods validated and accepted as guidance for assays. This paper examines DC screening, characteristics of test parameters, and limitations and applicability of DC-derived methods. Progress on interactions between DCs and other cells, co-culture systems, and the human body-on-a-chip will also be introduced. Altogether,this paper will provide information for optimization of in vitro alternative methods for sensitization detection.

MicroRNA(miRNA)is a kind of small non-coding single stranded RNA that can participate in multiple biological processes.It also plays an important role in regulating the immune function of the body.Immune thrombocytopenia(ITP)is an autoim-mune disease,whose cause and deterioration are closely related to miRNA regulates immune function of CD4+T cells subsets.In ITP patients,different expression of miRNA can affect the immune function of CD4+T cells subsets,which causes not only unbalanced ex-pression of Th1/Th2,Th17/Treg and excessive differentiation of TFH,but also abnormal cytokine secretion furthermore.This paper summarizes the unbalanced mechanism of miRNA regulating immune function of CD4+T cells subsets in ITP,so as to provide inspira-tion for exploring the immunology and immunotherapy of ITP.