Ethacrynic acid inhibits airway smooth muscle contraction in mice / 生理学报

The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect and the underlying mechanism of ethacrynic acid (EA) on the contraction in mice. BL-420S force measuring system was used to measure the tension of mouse tracheal rings. The whole cell patch clamp technique was utilized to record the channel currents of airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells. The calcium imaging system was used to determine the intracellular Ca concentration ([Ca]) in ASM cells. The results showed that EA significantly inhibited the high K (80 mmol/L) and acetylcholine (ACh, 100 µmol/L)-induced contraction of mouse tracheal rings in a dose-dependent manner. The maximal relaxation percentages were (97.02 ± 1.56)% and (85.21 ± 0.03)%, and the median effective concentrations were (40.28 ± 2.20) μmol/L and (56.22 ± 7.62) μmol/L, respectively. EA decreased the K and ACh-induced elevation of [Ca] from 0.40 ± 0.04 to 0.16 ± 0.01 and from 0.50 ± 0.01 to 0.39 ± 0.01, respectively. In addition, EA inhibited L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel (LVDCC) and store-operated calcium channel (SOCC) currents in ASM cells, and Ca influx. Moreover, EA decreased the resistance of the respiratory system (Rrs) in vivo in mice. These results indicated that EA inhibits LVDCC and SOCC, which results in termination of Ca influx and decreases of [Ca], leading to relaxation of ASM. Taken together, EA might be a potential bronchodilator.

Effect of suspension exercise training on motor and balance functions in children with spastic cerebral palsy / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of suspension exercise training on motor and balance functions in children with spastic cerebral palsy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 97 children with spastic cerebral palsy were randomly divided into an observation group with 49 children and a control group with 48 children. Both groups were given routine rehabilitation training, and the children in the observation group were given suspension exercise training in addition. The scores of the D and E domains of the 88-item version of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were recorded before treatment and at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. Surface electromyography was performed to observe the changes in the root mean square (RMS) of surface electromyogram signals of the adductor muscle and the gastrocnemius muscle.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Over the time of treatment, both groups had varying degrees of improvement in the scores of the D and E domains of GMFM-88 and BBS. Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly greater improvements in D and E functional areas and balance function (P<0.05). Both groups had reductions in the RMS of the surface electromyogram signals of the adductor muscle and the gastrocnemius muscle over the time of treatment, and the observation group had significantly greater reductions than the control group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Suspension exercise training can effectively improve the motor and balance functions of children with spastic cerebral palsy.</p>