Asthma is a common disease with recurrent onset which severely affects patients' quality of life.Acupuncture can improve pulmonary functions in asthma patients and thus treat this disorder.To summarize the status of acupuncture treatment for asthma,we have collected clinical literatures published in the recent 10 years and analyzed the influence of acupuncture on pulmonary functions in asthma patients from the aspects of frequently used points,needling techniques,manipulation and mechanisms to provide references for treating asthma with acupuncture.

Aneurysm, Dissecting ; therapy ; Aortic Aneurysm ; therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVE To probe the pathogen′s distribution of ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP),in order to offer the evidence of clinical therapy,prevent the onset of VAP and apply the antibiotics reasonably.METHODS We applied the methods of etiology,microscopic identification,bacteria culturing etc on 74 mechanical ventilation patients,and analyzed the etiology of early-onset and late-onset VAP in contrast.RESULTS Totally 121 pathogens were cultivated altogether in all 74 VAP patients.In the 36 pathogens which were cultivated from 29 early-onset VAP patients,there were 66.67% of simple culture(24 patients,24 strains) and 33.33% of co-culture(5 patients,12 strains),and in the 85 pathogens which were cultivated from 45 late-onset VAP patients there were 17.64% of simple culture(15 patients,15 strains) and 82.35% of co-culture(30 patients,70 strains).The proportion of co-culture in the late-onset VAP patients was prominantly higher than that in the early-onset ones(?2=27.821,P

Objective:To identify the healing effect of electrospun silk fibroin-BMP-2 as a biologic pulp capping agent to inflammatory pulp in rat caused by lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) .Methods:A total of 30 healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups:(1) normal control group without operation;(2) blank control group without capping agents;(3) calcium hydroxide capping group;(4) electrospun silk fibroin capping group;(5) electrospun silk fibroin-BMP-2 capping group .Bilateral up-per first molars of each rat in group 2-5 were drilled to expose the pulp to LPS which was used to estab-lish a model of inflammatory pulp .The exposed pulp was capped with different capping agents or without capping agents.Then the hole was sealed.The animals were sacrificed on days 3, 7, and 14 post-opera-tion and histological analysis was carried out , including HE stain and CD 14 immunohistochemical stain . Results:On day 7 and 14 , the lowest inflammatory reaction score in HE stain among pulp capping groups was that of silk fibroin-BMP-2 group .The next were calcium hydroxide group and silk fibroin group .That of blank control group was the highest .The ranking of reparative dentine scores of those groups was just reversed.The D values of immunohistochemical stain of CD 14 were not significantly different in groups applied pulp capping agents but significantly lower than blank control group on days 3 and 7.However, the D value of silk fibroin-BMP-2 group ( 0 .145 ±0 .011 ) was significantly lower than blank control group (0.287 ±0.019), calcium hydroxide group (0.170 ±0.017) and silk fibroin group (0.175 ± 0 .018 ) on day 14 .Conclusion:Electrospun silk fibroin compounded with BMP-2 promoted wound hea-ling of exposed pulp and had better potential to stimulate formation of reparative dentine to establish a suitable environment for pulp recovery .

ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of poly l lysne to preparation microencapsules for cell transplantation therapies.MethodsUsing drop generative technique preparation Alginate poly l lysne Alginate (APA) microencapsules containing nerve cell/tissue. The concentration of nerve growth factor in supernatant was detected by two antibody sandwich method of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe nerve cell/tissue in microencapsules retain reliable cell viability and function. Conclusions The APA is proved with reliable biocompatibility and strength,would work as an immunoisolation tools to exert important function in nerve renovate.

Objective To study the role of protective antigen(PA)and N-terminal segment of lethal factor (LFn)in the entrance of EGFP(enhanced green fluorescent protein)into HeLa cells. Methods The DNA fragments encoding LFn and EGFP were amplified,respectively,and cloned into the plasmid pET-21 a(+)one after another to construct a recombinant plasmid pET-LFn-EGFP. The plasmid was txansformed into BL21 cells to express LFn-EGFP protein under the induction of IPTG. The protein was purified by Ni chelating chromatography. After incubation with LFn-EGFP in the presence of PA or not, the HeLa cells were analyzed by flow cytometry or laser confocal microscopy. Results The fusion protein LFn-EGFP was purified by over 90% homogeneity and retained the ability of LF to bind with PA when incubated with J774A.1 macrophage cells,and could get into HeLa cells. Conclusion The LFn-EGFP could enter the HeLa cells in a PA independent pathway. But PA could help more LFn-EGFP molecules enter into HeLa cells.

A total of 121 subjects comprising 40 normal subjects,58 patients with overweight or obesity and 23 patients with Cushing's syndrome were recruited in the study.The modified radioimmunoassay (RIA) for salivary cortisol test was established'and its normal range was determined.Then the diagnostic value of the salivary cortisol for the initial diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome was evaluated and single midnight salivary cortisol test demonstrated a sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 91.4 %.Salivary cortisol test can be recommended as a first-line diagnostic parameter for Cushing's syndrome.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating cognitive deficits in insomnia rats by observing the effect of acupuncture on microglia in thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). Methods: Thirty rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an acupuncture group, with 10 rats in each group. The insomnia model was established by intraperitoneal injection of para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) once a day for 2 d. Rats in the control group were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of normal saline. Rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) for 5 consecutive days. The CLOCKLAB 2 data acquisition system was used to dynamically observe the sleep of the rats throughout the experiment. The cognition of rats was evaluated by event-related potentials (ERPs). After intervention, brain tissue was extracted. Immunofluorescence was used to test the fluorescence expression in TRN region. The concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: After intraperitoneal injection of PCPA suspension, the spontaneous activity in light period of rats in the model group and acupuncture group increased significantly compared with the control group (both P<0.01). After acupuncture treatment, the rats in the acupuncture group had much less spontaneous activity during the light period than those in the model group (P<0.01), and the results indicated that acupuncture could effectively improve the sleep quality of insomnia rats. Compared with the control group, rats in the model group showed that the P3 latency, the average optical density of microglia, and the concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α increased significantly (all P<0.05), and the P3 amplitude decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, rats in the acupuncture group presented that the P3 latency, the average optical density of microglia, and the concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly decreased (all P<0.05), and the amplitude of P3 was significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture possesses an ability to improve the cognitive state in insomnia rats. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the microglial activation, diminishing the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators like IL-1β and TNF-α, and promoting the recovery of central nervous system function.

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on the protein expression of c-fos in fastigial nucleus (FN) and lateral hypothalamus area (LHA) in rats with acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI), and to explore the role and mechanism of FN and LHA in EA at the Heart Meridian fighting against acute MIRI reaction. Methods: Seventy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, an EA-Heart Meridian group and an EA-Lung Meridian group, with 14 rats in each group; an LHA lesion plus EA-Heart Meridian group (LHA+EA-Heart Meridian group) and a FN lesion plus EA-Heart Meridian group (FN+EA-Heart Meridian group), with 7 rats in each group. Except the sham operation group, the left anterior descending branch of coronary artery was ligated to establish acute MIRI rat models in the other 5 groups. In the three groups with EA-Heart Meridian treatment, Shenmen (HT 7) and Tongli (HT 5) were selected; Taiyuan (LU 9) and Lieque (LU 7) were selected in the EA-Lung Meridian group. All the EA groups received EA stimulation prior to modeling, with 1 mA in current intensity and 2 Hz in frequency, 20 min each time, once a day for a total of 7 d. The sham operation group and the model group did not receive EA stimulation. The electrocardiogram was observed in the rats to analyze the ST-segment deviation and cardiac arrhythmia score. The expression of c-fos protein in FN and LHA was detected by immunohistochemistry method. Results: Compared with the sham operation group, the ST-segment deviation, cardiac arrhythmia score and the expression of c-fos protein in the FN and LHA increased significantly in the model group (all P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the ST-segment deviation, cardiac arrhythmia score and the expression of c-fos protein in FN and LHA decreased significantly in the EA-Heart Meridian group (all P<0.05). Compared with the EA-Heart Meridian group, the ST-segment deviation and cardiac arrhythmia score increased significantly in the EA-Lung Meridian group, LHA+EA-Heart Meridian group and FN+EA-Heart Meridian group (all P<0.05); the expression of c-fos in FN increased significantly in the EA-Lung Meridian group and LHA+EA-Heart Meridian group (both P<0.05); the expression of c-fos in LHA increased significantly in the EA-Lung Meridian group and FN+EA-Heart Meridian group (both P<0.05). Conclusion: FN and LHA are involved in the mechanism of EA at Heart Meridian to improve the acute MIRI reactions, and the cerebellum may participate in the improvement of cardiac function by EA through the cerebellum-hypothalamus projection.

Objective:To observe the effect of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method on the resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) in rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),and to provide evidence for the effect mechanism study and clinical application of acupuncture intervention for PTSD.Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank control group,a model group,a grasping group,a paroxetine group and an acupuncture group,with 12 rats in each group.Except for rats in the blank control group,rats in the other groups were subjected to preparing the PTSD models using 'incarceration plus electric shock' method.After interventions,changes in rat behavior of each group were observed;changes in resting-state EEG were collected and analyzed with multichannel EEG acquisition and analysis system,and image analysis and statistical processing were performed.Results:Compared with the blank control group,the average escape latency in the model group was significantly longer (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly reduced (P＜0.01).Compared with the grasping group,the average escape latencies in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly shortened (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly increased (P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the average escape latency,the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas between the acupuncture group and paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Compared with the blank control group,the α-wave power spectrum value in the model group was significantly decreased,and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were significantly increased (all P＜0.01);compared with the grasping group,α-wave power spectrum values in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly increased (both P＜0.01),and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were decreased significantly (all P＜0.01).The power spectrum values of α-wave,β-wave,δ-wave and (e)-wave of rats in the acupuncture group were not significantly different from those in the paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method can significantly improve the abnormal EEG activity in PTSD rats,which may be one mechanism of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method in effectively affecting the brain function in PTSD rats.