RESUMO
BACKGROUND: It has been proved in clinical practice and basic research that acupuncture and moxibustion at Mingmen acupoint is an effective treatment for primary osteoporosis. As a new therapeutic method, heat-sensitive moxibustion has achieved good results in clinical practice, but the research on its mechanism is still in the blank stage. OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutic mechanism of heat-sensitive moxibustion from the perspective of connective tissue and nervous system, and to explore the optimal therapeutic time of heat-sensitive moxibustion in a certain time range. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into five groups: normal group, model group, 4-, 7-, and 14-day heat-sensitive moxibustion groups. Osteoporosis models were prepared by ovariectomy and treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion at different times. After treatment, the superficial subcutaneous fascia 0.5-1.5 cm around the Mingmen acupoint and the spinal cord were stained with fluorescence and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The concentrations of phosphorus ion, calcium ions and alkaline phosphatase in rat serum were detected before and after 14 days of heat-sensitive sensitive moxibustion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Morphological changes of intrafascial fibers by fluorescence staining: In the normal and model groups, collagen fibers were interlaced and arranged in a network. In the 4-day heat-sensitive moxibustion group, the arrangement of collagen fibers showed no changes. After 14 days of intervention the collagen fibers were stretched and pulled significantly under the effect of heat-sensitive moxibustion, and showed a centripetal arrangement toward the Mingmen acupoint. (2) Hematoxylin-eosin staining results of the spinal cord: After 4 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, the rat spinal cord had no obvious change compared with the model group. After 7 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, anterior cornual neurons increased in number and size, and the number of glial cells in the spinal dorsal horn increased. After 14 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, anterior horn neurons increased significantly in number and in size, with large and round nuclei, obvious nucleoli, and enlarged and regularly arranged nerve fibers; glial cells in the posterior horn increased significantly in number and arranged densely. (3) Serum concentration determination: After 14 days of heat-sensitive moxibustion, the concentrations of phosphorus ions and alkaline phosphatase in rat serum increased significantly (P < 0.01), and the concentration of calcium ions decreased significantly (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that heat-sensitive moxibustion can ameliorate the symptoms of osteoporosis through the morphological changes of connective tissue and nerve-body fluid regulation. Heat-sensitive moxibustion for 14 days can achieve ideal results.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Intestinal and lymphoid tissues constitute an important part of intestinal immunity, which plays an important regulatory role in spleen deficiency and hydronephrosis. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture on T lymphocyte subsets in lymph nodes of rats with spleen deficiency, and to investigate the correlation of spleen deficiency with intestinal immunity and the mechanism of acupuncture for spleen deficiency syndrome. METHODS: Thirty-six female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: model, acupuncture and blank control groups. The rat model of spleen deficiency was established by fatigue-induced spleen injury plus abnormal diet for 31 days. Afterwards, the rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at Zusanli(ST 36).Urine D-xylose excretion rate was detected during modeling and treatment.Then, the mesenteric lymph nodes were removed, and the changes in T lymphocyte subsets in the mesentericlymph nodes were observed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Urine D-xylose excretion rate under spleen deficiency in the modeling and acupuncture groups was significantly lower than that in the blank control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); after acupuncture, the urine D-xylose excretion rate was significantly increased compared with the modeling group (P < 0.01), but still lower than that in the blank control group (P < 0.05). The count of CD4+T lymphocytes, count of CD8+T lymphocytes and ratio of CD4+/CD8+T lymphocytes were ranked as follows: blank control group >acupuncture group>modeling group(P<0.01 or P<0.05).These results suggest that acupuncture at Zusanli can improve the urine D-xylose excretion rate, regulate the balance of T lymphocyte subsets in mesenteric lymph node of rats with spleen deficiency, thus improving the intestinal immune function, spleen deficiency systems, disorder of intestinal digestive function, intestinal digestion and absorption, as well as anorexia, loose stool, diarrhea and other symptoms of the digestive system.
RESUMO
This study aimed to investigate bacterial community in an urban drinking water distribution system (DWDS) during an occurrence of colored water. Variation in the bacterial community diversity and structure was observed among the different waters, with the predominance of Proteobacteria. While Verrucomicrobia was also a major phylum group in colored water. Limnobacter was the major genus group in colored water, but Undibacterium predominated in normal tap water. The coexistence of Limnobacter as well as Sediminibacterium and Aquabacterium might contribute to the formation of colored water.