Electroacupuncture relieves labour pain and influences the spinal dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor system in rats.

BACKGROUND: The dynorphin (DYN)/κ-opioid receptor (KOR) system plays a key role in the control of labour pain. Our previous clinical study reported that electroacupuncture (EA) provided intrapartum analgesia, but the underlying mechanisms of action have not been fully elucidated. AIMS: To observe the effect of EA on labour pain and to explore the underlying mechanisms of action in a rat model. METHODS: Copulation-confirmed pregnant rats (n=120) were given castor oil to induce labour. Rats remained untreated (control group, n=20) or received either meperidine (an opioid that is commonly used to treat labour pain, n=20) or EA at SP6, LI4, SP6+LI4 or SP10 (four groups, n=20 each). Labour pain was evaluated by the warm water tail-flick test. Serum DYN values were measured by ELISA. Protein and mRNA expression of prodynorphin (PDYN, the precursor protein of DYN) and KOR were analysed by Western blotting and real-time PCR, respectively. RESULTS: EA treatment at all acupuncture point combinations studied significantly relieved labour pain and increased serum DYN concentrations, to a degree similar to that achieved with meperidine. EA notably enhanced protein expression of KOR and PDYN and mRNA expression in the lumbar spinal cord but not in the cerebral cortex. The size of effect varied by EA group in the order: SP6>LI4>SP6+LI4>SP10 for all parameters measured, indicating differential effects relating to acupuncture point selection/combination. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that EA relieves labour pain, at least in part, by regulation of the spinal DYN/KOR system in a rat model.

Quercetin reversed lipopolysaccharide-induced inhibition of osteoblast differentiation through the mitogen­activated protein kinase pathway in MC3T3-E1 cells.

Quercetin, a flavonoid found in onions and other vegetables, has potential inhibitory effects on bone resorption in vivo and in vitro. In our previous study it was identified that quercetin triggered the apoptosis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)­induced osteoclasts and inhibited bone resorption. Currently, little information is available detailing the effect of quercetin on osteoblast differentiation and bone formation in bacteria­induced inflammatory diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of quercetin on osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3­E1 osteoblasts stimulated with LPS. LPS significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of osteoblast­related genes in the MC3T3­E1 cells. By contrast, quercetin significantly restored the LPS­suppressed mRNA expression of osteoblast­related genes in a dose­dependent manner. Quercetin also restored the protein expression of Osterix in MC3T3­E1 cells suppressed by LPS. Furthermore, quercetin selectively triggered the activation of the mitogen­activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway by enhancing the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and reducing the expression of c­Jun N­terminal kinase. These data suggest that quercetin reversed the inhibition of osteoblast differentiation induced by LPS through MAPK signaling. These findings suggest that quercetin may be of potential use as a therapeutic agent to restore osteoblast function in bacteria­induced bone diseases.

[Reversal of resistance to adriamycin in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7/ADM by silencing AEG-1 gene and its mechanism].

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of AEG-1 gene silencing on the chemoresistance of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7/ADM and its possible mechanism. MCF-7/ADM cells were incubated in the medium containing adriamycin (ADM). The recombinant pLKO.1-shAEG-1 plasmid was constructed to silence AEG-1 expression in human breast cancer MCF-7/ADM cells. MTT assay was employed to detect the anti-tumor effect of ADM on MCF-7/ADM cells, and IC50 value of ADM was calculated according to MTT. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis. Western blot was used to analyze the expression levels of AEG-1, p-Akt, p-MDM2, p-Bad, p53 and MDR1. The result showed MCF-7/ADM had a significantly higher expression level of AEG-1 compared with that of MCF-7 (P < 0.05), however, the expression of AEG-1 was decreased after AEG-1 gene silencing. The IC50 value of ADM in shAEG-1 group was significantly lower than that in shcontrol group. AEG-1 gene silencing induced cell apoptosis and enhanced the pro-apoptotic effect of ADM on MCF-7/ADM cells. After AEG-1 gene silencing, the phosphorylation of Akt, MDM2 and Bad was inhibited (P < 0.05), the protein levels of p53 and MDR1 were up-regulated (P < 0.05) and down-regulated (P < 0.05) respectively, compared with control. In conclusion, the results suggest that AEG-1 gene silencing can reverse the ADM resistance in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7/ADM by means of inducing apoptosis and down-regulating the protein level of MDR1.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces the apoptosis and inhibits osteoblast differentiation through JNK pathway in MC3T3-E1 cells.

Bone degradation is a serious complication of chronic inflammatory diseases such as septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and infected orthopedic implant failure. Up to date, effective therapeutic treatments for bacteria-caused bone destruction are limited. In our previous study, we found that LPS promoted osteoclast differentiation and activity through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway such as c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK1/2). The current study was to evaluate the mechanism of LPS on the apoptosis and osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells. MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were non-treated, treated with LPS. After treatment, the cell viability, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and caspase-3 were measured. The expressions of osteoblast-specific genes and Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Protein levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, and phosphorylation of MAPKs were measured using Western blotting assays. The MAPK signaling pathway was blocked by pretreatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125. LPS treatment induced a significant decrease in cell metabolism, viability, and ALP activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. LPS also significantly decreased mRNA expressions of osteoblast-related genes in MC3T3-E1 cells. On the other hand, LPS significantly upregulated mRNA expressions and protein levels of Bax and caspase-3 as well as activation of caspase-3, whereas decreased Bcl-2 expression in MC3T3-E1 cells. Furthermore, LPS significantly promoted MAPK pathway including the phosphorylation of JNK and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2; moreover, pretreatment with JNK inhibitor not only attenuated both of phosphorylation-JNK and ERK1/2 enhanced by LPS in MC3T3-E1 cells, but also reversed the downregulated expressions of osteoblast-specific genes including ALP and BSP induced by LPS. In conclusion, LPS could induce osteoblast apoptosis and inhibit osteoblast differentiation via activation of JNK pathway.

[Inhibitory effect of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 on proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its mechanism].

The present study was to investigate the effects of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) on the proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its possible mechanism. By means of MTT method in vitro, the results showed exogenous IGFBP7 inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-453 cells (IC50 of IGFBP7 = 8.49 µg/mL) in time- and concentration-dependent manner. SB203580, p38(MAPK) inhibitor, blocked the anti-proliferative effect of exogenous IGFBP7. The flow cytometry assay showed that exogenous IGFBP7 remarkably induced G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells. The Western blot showed that exogenous IGFBP7 promoted phosphorylation of p38(MAPK), up-regulated expression of p21(CIP1/WAF1), and inhibited phosphorylation of Rb. SB203580 restrained exogenous IGFBP7-induced regulation of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p-Rb in MDA-MB-453 cells. In conclusion, the present study suggests that exogenous IGFBP7 could activate the p38(MAPK) signaling pathway, upregulate p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression, inhibit phosphorylation of Rb, and finally induce G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells.

Effects of Guilin Watermelon Frost on the mRNA expressions of basic fibroblast growth factor in patients with uterine cervical columnar ectopy / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the molecular biological effects of Guilin Watermelon Frost (GWF) on the mRNA expressions of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in patients with uterine uterine cervical columnar ectopy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixty patients with uterine cervical columnar ectopy were assigned to two groups by the random digit table. Patients in the treatment group were treated with local spray of GWF, while those in the control group were local applied with bFGF-collagen sponge. The mRNA expressions of bFGF of the uterine tissue were detected in the two groups before and after treatment using RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Before treatment the mRNA expression of bFGF in the uterine cervical columnar ectopy was 0.55 +/- 0.10 in the treatment group and 0.58 +/- 0.13 in the control group, without insignificant difference (P > 0.05). After treatment it significantly increased in the two groups, being 0.82 +/- 0.17 and 0.78 +/- 0.15 respectively, showing statistical difference from before treatment (P < 0.01). But no statistical difference existed between the two groups after treatment (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GWF showed enhancement on the mRNA expressions of bFGF in patients with uterine cervical columnar ectopy.</p>

[The research on bidirectional reflectance computer simulation of forest canopy at pixel scale].

Computer simulation is based on computer graphics to generate the realistic 3D structure scene of vegetation, and to simulate the canopy regime using radiosity method. In the present paper, the authors expand the computer simulation model to simulate forest canopy bidirectional reflectance at pixel scale. But usually, the trees are complex structures, which are tall and have many branches. So there is almost a need for hundreds of thousands or even millions of facets to built up the realistic structure scene for the forest It is difficult for the radiosity method to compute so many facets. In order to make the radiosity method to simulate the forest scene at pixel scale, in the authors' research, the authors proposed one idea to simplify the structure of forest crowns, and abstract the crowns to ellipsoids. And based on the optical characteristics of the tree component and the characteristics of the internal energy transmission of photon in real crown, the authors valued the optical characteristics of ellipsoid surface facets. In the computer simulation of the forest, with the idea of geometrical optics model, the gap model is considered to get the forest canopy bidirectional reflectance at pixel scale. Comparing the computer simulation results with the GOMS model, and Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) multi-angle remote sensing data, the simulation results are in agreement with the GOMS simulation result and MISR BRF. But there are also some problems to be solved. So the authors can conclude that the study has important value for the application of multi-angle remote sensing and the inversion of vegetation canopy structure parameters.

Ortho effects on the change in electronic absorption spectrum of pyridinium salts of saturated bromohydrocarbon.

The quaterisation process of 1,2-dibromoethane and pyridine is in situ traced by electronic absorption spectrum. Two absorption peaks, induced by mono- and bis-pyridinium salt of 1,2-dibromoethane, appear at 429 nm and 313 nm, respectively. To explain the phenomena, several kinds of alkyl bromides with special structures were selected and compared by experimental measurement and theoretical calculation. The results indicate that for mono-pyridinium salt of 1,2-dibromoethane, the electron donor property of ortho-bromine group increases the electron cloud density of the carbon atom associated with pyridinium cation, which induces red-shift of absorption wavelength.

[Proteome analysis on the mechanism of electroacupuncture in relieving acute spinal cord injury at different time courses in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the differentially expressed proteins in the spinal cord at different time courses after acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) in the rat, so as to study its underlying mechanism in im-proving spinal traumatic injury. METHODS: A total of 105 male SD rats were randomized into normal control, model-6 h, EA-6 h, model-24 h, EA-24 h, model-48 h, EA-48 h groups, with 15 cases in each. ASCI model was established by using modified Allen's method. EA (2 Hz, 2-5 mA) was applied to "Mingmen" (GV 4) and "Dazhui" (GV 14) for 30 min. The injured spinal cord tissue (T10 -T11) was collected 6 h, 24 hand 48 h after ASCI and EA treatment, weighted and stored under -80 degrees D till detection. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was used to separate total proteins of the spinal tissue, followed by protein extraction and quantitation, 2-D gel image analysis, matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), and databases-searching for identification of the differentially-expressed proteins. RESULTS: A total of 10 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the present study. At 6 h, compared with control group, of the 5 types of spinal differential proteins, 4 were upregulated in the expression after ASCI, and the rest one was downregulated; while after EA, ASCI-induced expression changes in 4 of the 5 differential proteins were reversed. At 24 h after ASCI, 7 types of differential proteins were identified. Compared with control group, 6 differential proteins were upregulated, and the rest one was downregulated in model group. Compared with model group, ASCI-induced expression changes in 6 of the 7 differential proteins were reversed by EA. At 48 h after ASCI, a total of 8 types of differential proteins were identified. Compared with control group, 6 differential proteins were upregulated in the expression, and the rest two downregulated in model group. Compared with model group, ASCI-induced expression changes in 5 of the 8 differential proteins were reversed by EA. Along with the increased time and treatment, 24 h vs 6 h, two more differential proteins were identified, i.e., nucleoside diphosphate kinase and triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI 1). 48 h vs 24 h, 3 more differential proteins were identified, i.e., dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase 1, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH); but two proteins disappeared, i.e., nucleoside diphosphate kinase, and ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2N. The identified differential proteins involving the effects of EA in regulating cellular energy metabolism, DNA repair, cellular generation, differentiation, apoptosis, etc. CONCLUSION: Proteome analysis indicates that in ASCI rats, some differentially expressed proteins involving energy metabolism, neuronal apoptosis reduction, protein-degradation inhibition may contribute to the effect of EA in repairing the traumatic spinal tissue.

[Quantitative retrieval of soil salinity using hyperspectral data in the region of inner Mongolia hetao irrigation district].

In the present paper, to investigate the spectral property of salinized soil and the relationship between the soil salinity and the hyperspectral data, the field soil samples were collected in the region of Hetao irrigation, Neimeng in the northwest China from the end of July to the beginning of August. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was established based on the statistical analysis of the soil ions and the reflectance of hyperspectra. The independent validation using data which are not included in the calibration model reveals that the proposed model can predicate the main soil components such as the content of total ions (S%), SO4(2+), PH and K+ + Na+ with higher determination coefficients (R2) Of 0.728, 0.801, 0.715 and 0.734 respectively. And the ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD) of the above predicted value is larger than 1.6, which indicates that the calibrated PLSR model can be used as a tool to retrieve soil salinity with accurate results. When the PLSR model's regression coefficients were aggregated according to the wavelength of visual (blue, green and red) and near infrared bands of LandSat Thematic Mapper(TM) sensor, some significant response values were observed, which indicates that the proposed method in this paper can be used to analyse the remotely sensed data from the space-boarded platform.

[Pathologic changes of palatopharyngeal muscle in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathologic changes of the palatopharyngeal muscles in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), the role of the above muscles in OSAHS pathogenesis was discussed. METHODS: Thirty OSAHS patients receiving uvulopalatopharyngoplasty selected, and ten normal subjects without snoring as the control group. The successive longitudinal sections of palatopharyngeal muscle were stained for observing Troponin-I's content. All specimens were examined with transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM) and light microscopy. RESULTS: Twenty nine of 30 specimens obtained from OSAHS patients evaluated with TEM showed pathologic changes of different degrees. While 2 among 10 specimens in control group showed mild myofibril edema or hypertrophy, no pathologic changes shown in other specimens. Immunohistochemistrial results of all specimens sections stained for observing Troponin-I antibody have shown that negative grey degree value is 146.30 +/- 10.72 in study group and 107.50 +/- 4.81 in control group respectively. There is significant difference between these two groups (P < 0.05). The negative grey degree value of study groupl and study group2 are 143.12 and 148.80 respectively , no statistical difference (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Palatopharyngeal myelofibrosis may affect pharyngeal dilator muscles function, this could be one mechanism of upper airway collapsibility.