[Influence of intrathecal injection of fluorocitrate on the protective effect of electroacupuncture on gastric mucosa in high humid heat stress rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study if the spinal glial cells involve in the protective effect of acupuncture on gastric mucosa in high humid heat stress rats. METHODS: Thirty-six male SD rats were randomized into 6 groups: control, stress model, electroacupuncture (EA), Fluorocitrate(FCA, intrathecal injection of FCA. 1 microL, 60 min before humid heat stress), EA+ normal saline (NS, intrathecal injection of NS) and EA+ FCA groups. Stress model was established by putting the rats in a container with higher temperature and higher humidity [(40.0 +/- 0.5) degrees C, relative humidity (60 +/- 5)%] for 60 min. EA (50 Hz, intermittent waves, 2-5 V) was applied to bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 60 min. Using immunofluorescent methods, we observed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and microglia OX42 immunoreactivity (OD value) in the tissue of the lumbar enlargement segment of the spinal cord. We evaluated and recorded the damage index (DI) of gastric mucosa of rats according to Guth's method. RESULTS: There were clear dot-line-like hemorrhage foci with formation of ulcer in the gastric mucosa 60 minutes after high humid heat stimulation. Compared with model group, DI of gastric mucosa in EA and EA+ NS groups decreased significantly (P < 0.05, suggesting a protective effect of EA on the gastric mucosa under stress), OD values of EA and EA + NS groups increased considerably (P < 0.05). Comparison between EA and EA+ FCA groups showed that DI of EA + FCA group was higher than that of EA group, while the OD values of GFAP and OX42 in EA+ FCA group was markedly lower than those in EA group (P < 0.05), suggesting an inhibitory effect of FCA on the effects of EA in improving stress-induced damage of gastric mucosa and upregulation of GFAP and OX42 expression. CONCLUSION: EA at "Zusanli" (ST 36) can prevent the gastric mucosa from injury caused by high humid heat stimulation. The lumbar spinal glial cells may play a role in EA's protective function.

An effective strategy to tune supramolecular interaction via a spiro-bridged spacer in oligothiophene-S,S-dioxides and their anomalous photoluminescent behavior.

[structure: see text] We demonstrate that incorporating nonplanar spiro-bridged structures is an effective strategy for tuning supramolecular interactions of optoelectronic functional moieties. In the model compounds spiro-bridged oligothiophene-S,S-dioxides (BSiSDTFO), unusual dimers constructed by spiro-bridged spacers do not form excimers, which is confirmed by crystallographic data and fluorescent emission spectra.

Effect of explosive noise on gastrointestinal transit and plasma levels of polypeptide hormones.

AIM: To investigate the effect of firing noise on gastrointestinal transit and probe its mechanism by measuring the levels of plasma polypeptide hormones. METHODS: A total of 64 SD rats were randomly divided into a control group and three stimulating groups. Firing noise of different intensity by sub-machine guns was used as inflicting factor. The effect of firing noise on liquid substance gastrointestinal transit and solid substance gastrointestinal transit was observed by measuring the ratio of carbon powder suspension transmitting and barium sticks transmitting respectively. Plasma levels of polypeptide hormones were measured by radio-immunoassay. RESULTS: The noise accelerated gastrointestinal transit of solid food by more than 80 db;and accelerated gastrointestinal transit of liquid food significantly by more than 120 db. Meantime, plasma levels of plasma motilin (MTL)(157.47+/-16.08; 151.90+/-17.08), somatostatin (SS)(513.97+/-88.77; 458.25+/-104.30), substance P (SP)(115.52+/-20.70; 110.28+/-19.96) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) (214.21+/-63.17; 251.76+/-97.24) remarkably changed also. CONCLUSION: Within a certain intensity range, the firing noise changes the levels of rat plasma gastrointestinal hormones, but the gastrointestinal transit is still normal. Beyond the range, the noise induces plasma hormone levels disturbance and gastrointestinal transit disorder.