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Objective To study the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on micro-vessel density (MVD) in the cerebral cortex after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.Methods Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group ( n =4), a sham-operated group (n =4) , a model group (n = 16) and an EA group (n = 16). The middle cerebral artery was sutured to establish a model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The Baihui (DU20), Shuigou (DU26) and Zusanli (ST36) acupoints were stimulated with slow-fast wave current for 30 min daily. Streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex was used to detect the expression of CD34 and MVD changes in the rats' right cerebral cortex on the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th day.Results Compared with the normal group and the sham-operated group, MVD in the ischemic cortex of all subgroups of the model group had increased. It peaked on the 4th day and then gradually declined through the 8th day. MVD in all the subgroups of the EA group increased significantly, and more than in the model group at every time point, but the difference between the 2 groups was significant only on the 4th day.Conclusions Regulating angiogenesis in ischemic brain tissue is one of the ways EA can protect the brain.
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Objective To study the effect and mechanism of electroaeupuncture at acupoint Guanyuan on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) in spinal cord and excitability of detrusor of rat with urinary retention after spinal cord injury. Methods The model of urinary retention after spinal cord injury was established by using weight drop method. Eighty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, namely, a normal, a sham, a model and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, with 20 rats in each group. The EA group was given electroacupuncture at aeupoint Guanyuau once a day for 10 days in total, while the other groups was given no treatment. After 10 days, the expression level of BDNF and TrkB in spinal cord of injury site was measured by immunohistochemistry staining, and excitability of detrusor was measured by using the muscle strips in vitro. Results It was revealed that, with regard to the expression level of BDNF and TrkB in spinal cord,the model group exceeded the normal and sham group, the EA group significantly exceeded the other groups ( P < 0. 05 ). With regard to the excitability of detrusor, the model group was significant-ly lower than the normal and sham group. The EA group significantly exceeded the model group ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusion Electroacupuncture at acupoint Guanyuan can raise the expression level of BDNF and TrkB in spinal cord and increase the excitability of detrusor in rats with urinary retention after spinal cord injury.
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Objective To study the effect of electro-acupuncture(EA)on bladder detrusor apoptosis in rats with urinary retention after spinal cord injury(SCI),compare the effectiveness of different acupoints and explore possible mechanisms.Methods One hundred female adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:a normal group,a sham operation group,a model control group,a Guanyuan acupoint(RN4)EA group and a Shuidao acupoint(ST28)EA group,with 20 rats in each group.A model of urinary retention after SCI was established using the weight drop method.The EA groups were given EA once daily for 10 d.The other groups had no treatment.After 10 d of EA,an electron microscope was used to observe the bladder detrusor ultrastructure,and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) method and immunohistochemistry were used to observe any apoptosis in the detrusor smooth muscle cells and the expression of apoptosis-related genes bcl-2 and bax.Results After EA treatment,expansion of the rough endoplasmic reticulum was reduced significantly,and the number of edemic mitochondria was reduced compared with the model control group.In the normal and sham operation groups,little apoptosis was observed,and there was no significant difference between the two groups.Apoptosis indices(AIs)were higher in the model control group than in the normal group.The average AI in the Guanyuan EA group was lower than that in the Shuidao group.In the Guanyuan group,bax protein expression was less than that in the Shuidao group and the model group.In the Guanyuan group,bcl-2 protein expression was not significantly different from that in the Shuidao group and the model control group.Conclusion EA at the Guanyuan or Shuidao aeupoint can restrain bladder detrusor apoptosis in rats with urinary retention after SCI.EA may improve the ultrastructure of the detrosor urinae, reduce the expression of bax, change the ratio of bcl-2 to bax, and thus decrease apoptosis.The effect of EA at the Guanyuan acupoint is superior to that at the Shuidao acupoint.
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Object To develop a new method for the culturing of Gastrodia B1 in vitro, which may provide the theoretical basis of clonal propagation for its rapid reproduction Methods The small stem tubers and the stem buds were used as explants to culture in vitro under sterile conditions In the 1/2 MS medium containing 6 BA 1 mg/L, NAA 0 5 mg/L and banana 50 mg/L, the small stem tuber was induced to form protocorm In the 1/2 MS medium containing 6 BA 2 mg/L and NAA 0 2 mg/L, the stem bud was induced to form protocorm Results Each stem tuber formed a new protocorm within 50 d, which can be separated again to form rosette protocorm within 70 d The stem bud was cultured in vitro to form the protocorm within 140 d The protocorm bloomed within 160 d Conclusion The protocorm of G elata may be induced from the stem tuber and stem bud By subdividing these rosette protocorms a virtually indefinite clonal propagation can be achieved