Objective:To observe the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)on gut microbiota and serum inflammatory factors interleukin(IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α in Crohn disease(CD)model rats. Methods:Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal control(NC)group with 10 rats and a modeling group with 26 rats.In the modeling group,the CD rat model was prepared with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid(TNBS)enema.After successful modeling,the rats were randomly divided into a CD model(CD)group,an EA group,and a Western medicine(WM)group.The NC and CD groups received no treatment;the EA group was treated with EA for 20 min each time,with 7 consecutive days'intervention;the WM group received mesalazine enteric-coated tablet solution by gavage once a day for 7 d.The changes in body mass and disease activity index(DAI)were observed.Serum IL-1β and TNF-α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of colon tissues,and 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the structural changes of gut microbiota. Results:Compared with the NC group,the body mass of rats in the CD group decreased(P<0.01),and the DAI score increased(P<0.01);the colon tissue structure was disordered,and many inflammatory cells were present;also,IL-1β and TNF-α increased significantly(P<0.01).As a result,the diversity of gut microbiota decreased,and the abundance of some conditional pathogenic bacteria(such as Prevotella)increased,while the abundance of beneficial bacteria(such as Lactobacillus,Rochella,and Spirillum)decreased.After the intervention,compared with the CD group,the body mass of rats in the EA group and WM group increased(P<0.01);the DAI score decreased(P<0.01),the colon tissue structure improved,and the IL-1β and TNF-α levels decreased(P<0.01);the diversity of gut microbiota increased(P<0.05),and the abundance of some conditional pathogenic bacteria decreased while the abundance of beneficial bacteria increased in the EA group;whereas the diversity of gut microbiota in the WM group was not statistically different(P>0.05). Conclusion:EA can reduce the damage of colon mucosa,regulate the imbalance of gut microbiota,and inhibit the serum inflammatory factor IL-1β and TNF-α expression in CD rats.

OBJECTIVETo dynamically observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on repair of gastric mucosal lesion in rats with gastric ulcer, and to explore the time-effect relationship and molecular mechanism of EA for gastric ulcer.

METHODSA total of 72 SD rats were randomly assigned to a normal group, a model group, a acupoint group and a sham acupoint group, and each group were further divided into a 1-day subgroup, a 4-day subgroup and a 7-day subgroup, 6 rats in each subgroup. The rat model of gastric ulcer was established by using intragastric administration of ethyl alcohol. The rats in the acupoint group were treated with EA at"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the rats in the sham acupoint group were treated with EA at points 5 mm next to"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the EA was given 30 min per treatment, once a day. The rats in the normal group and model group were treated with immobilization for 30 min per day, and no EA was given. PR-PCR method was applied to test the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and substance P (SP); Western blot method was applied to test the expression of neurotensin (NT).

RESULTSAfter 1-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was higher than that in the normal group (<0.01), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was decreased (<0.01, <0.05); compared with the model group and sham acupoint group, the ulcer index was decreased in the acupoint group (both <0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was up-regulated (all <0.05) while that of NT was up-regulated (both <0.01). After 4-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was reduced but still higher than that in the normal group (<0.05), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was up-regulated and higher than that in the normal group (all <0.01); the ulcer index in the acupoint group was similar to that in the normal group (>0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was lower than that in the model group (<0.01, <0.05), and the expression of NT was not significantly different from that in the model group (>0.05). After 7-day treatment, the differences of indexes above were not significant among the four groups (all >0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA at acupoints of stomach meridian has two-way regulation on PCNA and SP and improve the expression of NT in different pathological state of gastric ulcer, which could further improve the repair of gastric ulcer.

With esoterica of Infantile Tuina by LI Dexiu and Infantile Tuina Therapy of LIU Kaiyun, the differences and similarities of manipulations, acupoints and the principles of treatment were studied so as to provide theoretical evidence to popularize tuina of LI Dexiu and LIU Kaiyun.
Acupuncture Points ; China ; Female ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; therapy ; Male ; Massage ; history ; manpower ; methods

The origin time, representative physicians and medical works of Xujiang acupuncture school were traced, so as to explore the academic origin and development and summarize the academic characteristic of Xujiang acupuncture school, which could make a better inheritance of academic essence and prompt the innovation and development of Xujiang acupuncture school.
Acupuncture ; education ; manpower ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Physicians ; Qi

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at stomach meridian acupoints on expression of oxidation damage factors in serum and gastric mucosal cells in rats with gastric ulcer, and to explore the mechanism of EA at stomach meridian acupoints for oxidative damage in rats with gastric ulcer.

METHODSForty clean-grade SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a stomach meridian group and a gallbladder meridian group, ten rats in each one. Except the normal group, rats in the remaining groups were applied the restraint-cold stress method to establish the model of gastric ulcer. Rats in the normal group and model group received no treatment; rats in the stomach meridian group were treated with EA at "Liangmen" (ST 21) and "Zusanli" (ST 36); rats in the gallbladder meridian group were treated with EA at "Riyue" (GB 24) and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34). The EA was given for 30 min, once a day for 7 days totally. The change of gastric mucosal morphology was observed by routine light microscope; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the expressions of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-2(IL-2), interleukin-6(IL-6) in serum and gastric mucosal cells of rats.

RESULTSAfter treatment, compared with the model group, the gastric mucosal damage index was decreased in the stomach meridian group and gallbladder meridian group (both<0.05), the expressions of MDA, TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-6 in serum and gastric mucosal cells were significantly decreased in the stomach meridian group (all<0.01), but the contents of GSH-Px in serum and gastric mucosal cells were increased significantly (both<0.01). Compared with the gallbladder meridian group, the gastric mucosal damage index as well as the expressions of MDA,TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-6 in serum and gastric mucosal cells were significantly decreased in the stomach meridian group rats (<0.05,<0.01), and the contents of GSH-px in serum and gastric mucosal cells were increased significantly (both<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSEA at stomach meridian acupoints is likely to inhibit the expressions of oxidative damage factors to promote the repair of gastric mucosal injury, which indicates the correlation between meridians and.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of diallyl sulfide (DAS) in protection against acute lung injury (ALI) in rats with paraquat poisoning.Methods Eighty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, namely: control group, model group, dexamethasone (DXM) treatment group, and DAS treatment group, with 20 rats in each group. The model of paraquat poisoning was reproduced by single does of 70 mg/kg given by gavage, while the same volume of normal saline (NS) was given in same manner in control group. 100 mg/kg of DAS, the same volume of NS, or 1 mg/kg DXM injection were given respectively in DAS treatment group, model group, or DXM treatment group intraperitoneally after exposure to paraquat, once a day for 14 days. Five rats in each group were sacrificed at 1, 3, 7, 14 days, respectively. The inferior lobe of right lung was harvested, and the degree of lung injury was observed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining under optical microscope; the upper lobe of right lung was used to determine the lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio and for evaluation of the degree of pulmonary edema. The expression of nuclear factor -κB (NF-κB) in the middle lobe of right lung was assessed with immunohistochemistry. The expression of tumor necrosis factor -α (TNF-α) mRNA in the left lung was determined with the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results① The pulmonary structure in control group was found to be intact. However, in the model group there were progressive pathological changes in lung, including marked edema and thickening of alveolar walls, collapse of alveoli, infiltration of inflammatory cells, alveolar wall, and obvious bleeding in the local lung tissue, and formation of transparent membrane in alveolar space. Less infiltration of inflammatory cells and no obvious destruction were found in alveolar structure in the DAS and DXM treatment groups.② Lung W/D ratio: lung W/D ratio of model group was apparently higher than that in control group at every time point, and peaking on the 3rd day (6.15±0.54 vs. 4.15±2.10,P< 0.05), and the ratio of lung W/D of DAS and DXM treatment groups was obviously lower than that in model group at every time point, especially on the 3rd day (3.99±1.26, 4.30±0.70 vs. 6.15±0.54, bothP< 0.05), but there was no significant difference between DAS and DXM treatment groups in this regard.③ The immunocytochemistry analysis revealed minimal NF-κBp65 expression in the cell nuclei of the control group, while extensive NF-κBp65 expression was found in model group. Minimal NF-κBp65 positive expression in the cytoplasm and even less positive expression in the nucleus was found in the DAS and DXM treatment groups, and integralA value was significantly lower in the DAS and DXM treatment groups than that of the model group, especially on the 3rd day [(17.98±0.06)×107, (18.53±0.04)×107 vs. (28.85±0.61)×107, bothP< 0.01], but there was no significant difference between DAS and DXM treatment groups.④ It was shown by RT-PCR that the expression of TNF-α mRNA in lung tissue of the model group was significantly higher than that in the control group on the 3rd day (gray value: 3.63±0.62 vs. 0.51±0.13, P< 0.05). The expression of TNF-α mRNA in lung tissue was significantly decreased in DAS and DXM treatment groups compared with model group (gray value: 2.49±0.57, 2.02±0.26 vs. 3.63±0.62, bothP< 0.05), but there was no significant difference between DAS and DXM treated groups.ConclusionTreatment with an intraperitoneally injection of DAS is capable of attenuate the extent of PQ-induced ALI in rats by alleviating pulmonary edema, inhibiting the expression of NF-κB and TNF-α in lung tissue, and ameliorating pathological changes in lung tissue.

Pathological neural activity in subthalamic nucleus (STN) is closely related to the symptoms of Parkinson' s disease. Local field potentials (LFPs) recordings from subthalamic nucleus show that power spectral peaks exist at tremor, double tremor and tripble tremor frequencies, respectively. The interaction between these components in the multi-frequency tremor may be related to the generation of tremor. To study the linear and nonlinear relationship between those components, we analyzed STN LFPs from 9 Parkinson's disease patients using time frequency, cross correlation, Granger casuality and bi-spectral analysis. Results of the time-frequency analysis and cross-frequency correlation analysis demonstrated that the power density of those components significantly decreased as the alleviation of tremor and cross-correlation (0.18-0.50) exists during tremor period. Granger causality of the time-variant amplitude showed stronger contribution from tremor to double tremor components, and contributions from both tremor and double tremor components to triple tremor component. Quadratic phase couplings among these three components were detected by the bispectral approaches. The linear and nonlinear relationships existed among the multi-components and certainly confirmed that the dependence cross those frequencies and neurological mechanism of tremor involved complicate neural processes.
Action Potentials ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease ; physiopathology ; Subthalamic Nucleus ; physiopathology ; Tremor ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular mechanism of moxibustion at stomach meridian acupoints for precancerous lesions of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG).

METHODSFifty male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a stomach meridian group, a control point group and a vitacoenzyme group, 10 rats in each group. The CAG precancerous lesion model was made in all the groups except the normal group. The rats in the normal group and model group were bundled for 30 min per day; the rats in the stomach meridian group and control point group were bundled and treated with moxibustion at stomach meridian acupoints or control points for 30 min per day; the rats in the vitacoenzyme group were treated with intragastric administration of vitacoenzyme, once per day. All the treatment was given for 20 weeks. The pathological morphological change of gastric mucosa was observed under optical microscope; the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), gastric mucosal proliferatig cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), argyrophilic protein of nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs) in gastric mucosal cells were detected by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, in the model group the gastric mucosal cells showed dysplasia and the expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, PCNA, VEGF, Ag-NORs in gastric mucosa cells in the model group was increased significantly (all P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the gastric mucosa lesion gradually recovered and the expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, PCNA, VEGF, Ag-NORs in gastric mucosal cells was gradually decreased in the stomach meridian group, control point group and vitacoenzyme group, in which the stomach meridian group had the most significant effects (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion at stomach meridian acupoints can obviously decrease the expression of cell proliferative factors in gastric mucosa in rats with CAG precancerous lesions, inhibit the gastric mucosal cell dysplasia, and promote the recovery of gastric mucosa.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gastric Mucosa ; cytology ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUND:Osteoarthritis animal models induced by papain are commonly used for studying osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the morphology of articular cartilage surface during early osteoarthritis process in rats induced by papain and L-cysteine under scanning electron microscope.
METHODS:The right knees of Sprague-Dawley rats were given 0.15 mL mixed solution of 2%papain and 0.03 mol/L L-cysteine in the ratio of 2:1. The left knees were given injections of 0.15 mL 0.9%NaCl, as the control group. Another two rats (four knees) maintained untreated, as the normal control group. Al the rats were observed with scanning electron microscope at 2, 4, 6 weeks after injection, to explore the surface morphology of medial condyle of femur.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The condyles of normal and control groups revealed numerous shal ow pits on the surface of articular cartilage. At 2 weeks after injection, the surfaces of condyles were unsmooth, presenting the shrinkage and distortion. The thinner articular cartilage and local tiny cracks were seen at 4 weeks. The deep and great cracks and cartilage defect were observed on the surface of cartilage at 6 weeks. The time of 4-6 weeks is a reference point for establishing early osteoarthritis model in rats through injections of 2%papain and 0.03 mol/L L-cysteine.

Objective To explore the biomechanical property on Suture-Button and conventional screw fixating the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury.Methods The distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury models were made by cutting the anteroinferior tibiofibular ligaments,posteroinferior tibiofibular ligaments,interosseous tibiofibular ligaments or deltoid ligaments of 8 fresh frozen calves.These models were randomly and equally divided into the two groups.The two groups were respectively fixed by Suture-Button and conventional screw.The contact area and peak intra-articular pressure of tibiatalar joint were measured by biomechanical testing methods and the stress and strain sensing technology.Results The maximal contact area and peak intra-articular pressure of Suture-Button fixation group had no significant differences with the conventional screw group by the four kinds of ankle flexion-extension angles in the sagittal plane (t =3.52,4.49,5.93,4.75,all P ＞ 0.05),peak intra-articular pressure was also similarly improved (t =3.61,3.97,4.68,2.41,all P ＞ 0.05).But biomechanical markers of two fixation groups had an improvement trend.Conclusion Suture-Button fixing the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury had similar biomechanical effect to compare with traditional conventional screw,and two fixation groups both improved trend to compare with ligament-cut group.