Acupoint is the initial response site of acupuncture stimulus and also the source link of the effect onset of acupuncture. Acupuncture is a mechanical physical stimulus. How is the mechanical force of acupuncture transduced into neuroelectrical and biochemical signals at acupoint? How does the physiochemical information of acupoint launch acupuncture effect? All of these remain the common and crucial questions in the study of acupuncture effect mechanism. Physical changes are induced in the local tissue of acupoint by needling techniques, such as the deformation and displacement of muscle fibers, which may act on the nerve ending receptors and produce electroneurographic signals. Besides, these changes may activate the mechanosensitive ion channels of the cytomembrane in acupoint site. Through cellular signal transduction, the physical signals may be transformed into chemical ones to trigger the physiochemical coupling response of acupoint microenvironment. Eventually, acupuncture effect is generated via nerves and body fluids. "The mechanical force of acupuncture", through "the physiochemical transduction", promotes the body's perception and transmits acupuncture signals. It suggests that acupoint is the "transducer" in the physiochemical information coupling response of acupuncture.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in autophagy of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from patients with ankylosing spondylitis and explore the mechanism for decreased autophagy in ASMSCs. METHODS: MSCs collected from 14 patients with AS (ASMSCs) and from 15 healthy donors (HDMSCs) were cultured in the absence or presence of 25 ng/mL TNF-α for 6 h. Autophagy of the cells was determined by immunofluorescence staining of GFP-LC3B, and the results were confirmed by detecting the protein expressions of autophagy markers LC3 II/LC3 I and P62. The mRNA expressions of the related genes were detected using qRT-PCR, and the protein expressions of the autophagy markers and signaling pathway-related molecules were determined with Western blotting. TG100713 was used to block the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway, and its effect on autophagy of ASMSCs was evaluated. RESULTS: ASMSCs showed significantly weaker GFP-LC3B puncta staining and lower protein expression levels of LC3 II/LC3 I but higher levels of P62 protein (P < 0.05), indicating a decreased autophagy capacity as compared with HDMSCs. TNF-α-induced ASMSCs showed significantly higher protein expressions of p-PI3K/ PI3K, p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR than HDMSCs (P < 0.05), suggesting hyperactivation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in ASMSCs. Blocking PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling with TG100713 eliminated the difference in TNF-α-induced autophagy between HDMSCs and ASMSCs. CONCLUSION In patients with AS, hyperactivation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway results in decreased autophagy of the MSCs and potentially contributes to chronic inflammation.
Autophagy ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

[Objective] To explore the relationship between laterality of auditory brainstem response and speech comprehension in children with autism spectrum disorders preliminarily.[Method] Review hearing diagnosis data in clinical audiology center from September 2013 to August 2015.We compare auditory brainstem responses in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD group) and with other disorders (control group),and we further divide children with autism spectrum disorders into two groups (high ability group and low ability group) in terms of their speech comprehension and compare their auditory brainstem responses.[Result] The latencies of waves Ⅲ and Ⅴ,and interpeak latencies Ⅰ to Ⅲ and Ⅰ to Ⅴ of the ASD were significantly prolonged than the control group.And the laterality of waves Ⅲ and Ⅴ,and interpeak latencies Ⅰ to Ⅲ and Ⅰ to Ⅴ present in the ASD group,but not in the control group.Meanwhile,the laterality of waves Ⅲ and Ⅴ,and interpeak latencies Ⅰ to Ⅲ and Ⅰ to Ⅴ present in the high ability group,but not in the low ability group.[Conclusion] Laterality was not a common phenomenon in auditory brainstem response,and it may be associated with the development of speech comprehension in children with autism spectrum disorders.

·AIM:To discuss the clinical efficacy of 27-gauge (27G) vitrectomy with proliferative membrane cutting in situ for late proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). ·METHODS: Collecting 10 cases (15 eyes) with late PDR from January 2017 to August 2017 which underwent 27G microincision vitrectomy with cutting proliferative membrane in situ, we observed the rate of intraoperative iatrogenic retinal hole ( IRH ), the rate of silicone oil tamponade, the best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA) and intraocular pressure (IOP) before and after operation. ·RESULTS: IRH occurred in 4 eyes (27%, 4/15); Silicone oil was tamponaded in 6 eyes (40%, 6/15); BCVA was improved in 13 eyes and only 2 eyes unchanged 3mo after operation. The best visual acuity (VA) was 0. 6. There was significant difference on BCVA between preoperative and postoperative 7d(P<0. 05). The same was found between preoperative and postoperative 1mo, even 3mo(P<0. 05). The average preoperative IOP was 16. 95 ± 6. 87mmHg and postoperative 3mo was 15. 27 ± 4. 57mmHg. There was no significant difference between them (P>0. 05). · CONCLUSION: The 27G vitrectomy with cutting proliferative membrane in situ method is markedly superior in the treatment of late PDR, and the curative effect is specific. It can be given preference to late PDR.

Objective · To investigate the prevalence of smoking and awareness of smoking hazards in a community-based elderly population in Changning District, Shanghai. Methods · A total of 1809 subjects were randomly selected from 18 communities based on the chronic non-communicable diseases cohort in an elderly population aged 65 and over in Changning District, Shanghai. Information on smoking status, health condition and awareness of smoking hazards were obtained through face to face interviews. Chi-square tests and non-conditional Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the risk factors of the awareness of smoking hazards and current smoking status. Results · The overall prevalence of current smoking was 15.6% among the investigated elderly population. Smoking prevalence was significantly higher in men than that in women (30.0% vs 2.1%, P=0.000). Also, it was higher in the men aged 65-69 than that in those aged 70 and over (34.3% vs 20.4%, P=0.000). The participants with middle school education had the highest prevalence (19.1%) in the population. Overall, the proportion of participants who knew "smoking causes heart disease" "smoking causes stroke"and "smoking causes cancer" was 45.1%, 43.3% and 64.4%, respectively. Among the participants, 36.4% knew all the three smoking hazards. With the confounders such as age and gender being adjusted, current smoking behavior was associated with the participants' awareness of smoking hazards (OR=0.74,P=0.000). Conclusion · Currently, the awareness of smoking hazards is generally low in Shanghai elderly population, especially in those with lower education level and current smoking behavior. More targeted educational interventions are necessary in specific population.

Zuotai (gTso thal) is a typical representative of Tibetan medicines containing heavy metals, but there is still lack of modem safety evaluation data so far. In this study, acute toxicity test, sub-acute toxicity test, one-time administration mercury distribution experiment, long-term mercury accumulative toxicity experiment and preliminary study on clinical safety of Compound Dangzuo were conducted in the hope of obtain the medicinal safety data of Zuotai. In the acute toxicity test, half of KM mice given the lethal dose of Zuotai were not died or poisoned, and LD50 was not found. The maximum tolerated dose of Zuotai was 80 g x kg(-1). In the subacute toxicity test, Zuotai could reduce ALT, AST, Crea levels in serums under low dose (13.34 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and medium dose (53.36 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), with significant difference under low dose, and increase the levels of ALT, AST, MDA, Crea in serums under high dose (2 000 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)); besides, the levels of BUN and GSH in serums reduced with the increase in dose of Zuotai, indicating a significant dose-effect relationship. In the one-time administration distribution experiment, the content of mercury in rat kidney, liver and lung increased after the one-time administration with Zuotai, with a significant dose-dependent relationship in kidney. In the long-term mercury accumulative toxicity experiment, KM mice were administered with equivalent doses of Zuotai for 4.5 months and then stopped drug administration for 1.5 months. Since the 2.5th month, they showed significant mercury accumulation in kidney, which gradually reduced after drug withdrawal, without significant change in mercury content in liver, spleen and brain and ALT, AST, TBIL, BUN and Crea in serum. At the 4.5th month after drug administration, KM mice showed slight structural changes in kidney, liver and spleen tissues, and gradually recovered to normal after drug withdrawal. Besides, no significant difference in weight gain was found between the Zuotai group and the control group. According to the findings of the clinical safety study of Dangzuo, after subjects administered Dangzuo under clinical dose for one month, their serum biochemical indicators, blood routine indicators and urine routine indicators showed no significant adverse change. This study proved that traditional Tibetan medicine Zuotai was slightly toxic, with a better safety in clinical combined administration and no adverse effects on bodies under the clinical dose and clinical medication cycle. However, long-term high-dose administration of Zuotai may have a certain effect on kidney.
Adult ; Animals ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; Male ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; Mice ; Middle Aged ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo construct and identify blood type B antigen mimetic polypeptide-macrophage inflammatory protein 3beta (Mip3beta) double expression recombinant plasmid.

METHODSThe positive phage clone P1 was obtained using phage random 12-mer peptide library. Specific primers were designed to amplify the phage DNA of P1 and transmembrane domain and inner segment of PBluscript-Fas gene. The products of the amplification were linked into Mip3betav21 to construct blood type B antigen mimetic polypeptide-Mip3beta double expression recombinant plasmid. The recombinant plasmid was transfected into human melanoma cell line B16 to identify its expression.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONBlood type B antigen mimetic polypeptide-Mip3beta double expression recombinant plasmid is successfully obtained and expressed in human melanoma cell line B16.

Blood Group Antigens ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Macrophages ; Peptides ; genetics ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the plasma levels of chemokine CCL-2/MCP-1 and acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and/or idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (IPS) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). ELISA assays were used to detect the plasma level of CCL-2/MCP-1 of 22 patients who received allo-HSCT, including 14 patients without or with grade I, 8 patients with grade II - IV aGVHD, respectively. 8 out of 22 patients were also diagnosed with IPS clinically. The dynamic changes of the plasma levels of CCL-2/MCP-1 chemokine and its correlation with aGVHD and/or IPS were analysized retrospectively. The results showed that the plasma levels of CCL-2/MCP-1 in the patients with moderate and serious aGVHD (grade II - IV) significantly increased, as compared with that prior to allo-HSCT (p < 0.05). The plasma levels of CCL-2/MCP-1 in the patients with aGVHD and/or IPS were higher significantly than those without any of these complications (p = 0.001). The retrospective analysis indicated that the plasma levels of CCL-2/MCP-1 in the patients with IPS significantly increased (p = 0.006). It is concluded that plasma level of CCL-2/MCP-1 correlates with aGVHD and/or IPS, and plays a role in the pathogenesis of these complications.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Chemokine CCL2 ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; blood ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; blood ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Syndrome ; Young Adult

Pulverized coal reburning, ammonia injection and advanced reburning in a pilot scale drop tube furnace were investigated. Premix of petroleum gas, air and NH3 were burned in a porous gas burner to generate the needed flue gas. Four kinds of pulverized coal were fed as reburning fuel at constant rate of 1g/min. The coal reburning process parameters including 15% approximately 25% reburn heat input, temperature range from 1100 degrees C to 1400 degrees C and also the carbon in fly ash, coal fineness, reburn zone stoichiometric ratio, etc. were investigated. On the condition of 25% reburn heat input, maximum of 47% NO reduction with Yanzhou coal was obtained by pure coal reburning. Optimal temperature for reburning is about 1300 degrees C and fuel-rich stoichiometric ratio is essential; coal fineness can slightly enhance the reburning ability. The temperature window for ammonia injection is about 700 degrees C approximately 1100 degrees C. CO can improve the NH3 ability at lower temperature. During advanced reburning, 72.9% NO reduction was measured. To achieve more than 70% NO reduction, Selective Non-catalytic NO(x) Reduction (SNCR) should need NH3/NO stoichiometric ratio larger than 5, while advanced reburning only uses common dose of ammonia as in conventional SNCR technology. Mechanism study shows the oxidization of CO can improve the decomposition of H2O, which will rich the radical pools igniting the whole reactions at lower temperatures.
Air Pollutants ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Carbon Monoxide ; chemistry ; Coal ; Computer Simulation ; Hot Temperature ; Models, Chemical ; Nitrogen Oxides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Temperature

Pulverized coal reburning, ammonia injection and advanced reburning in a pilot scale drop tube furnace were investigated. Premix of petroleum gas, air and NH3 were burned in a porous gas burner to generate the needed flue gas. Four kinds of pulverized coal were fed as reburning fuel at constant rate of 1g/min. The coal reburning process parameters including 15%～25% reburn heat input, temperature range from 1100 ℃ to 1400 ℃ and also the carbon in fly ash, coal fineness, reburn zone stoichiometric ratio, etc. were investigated. On the condition of 25% reburn heat input, maximum of 47% NO reduction with Yanzhou coal was obtained by pure coal reburning. Optimal temperature for reburning is about 1300 ℃ and fuel-rich stoichiometric ratio is essential; coal fineness can slightly enhance the reburning ability. The temperature window for ammonia injection is about 700 ℃～1100 ℃. CO can improve the NH3 ability at lower temperature. During advanced reburning, 72.9% NO reduction was measured. To achieve more than 70% NO reduction, Selective Non-catalytic NOx Reduction (SNCR) should need NH3/NO stoichiometric ratio larger than 5, while advanced reburning only uses common dose of ammonia as in conventional SNCR technology. Mechanism study shows the oxidization of CO can improve the decomposition of H2O, which will rich the radical pools igniting the whole reactions at lower temperatures.