Influence of acupuncture intensity on analgesic effects in AA rat models.

Objective: To investigate the influence of acupuncture lifting-thrusting frequency and amplitude on the analgesic effects, and its correlation with mast cell degranulation.

Methods: Acute adjuvant arthritis (AA) rat models were employed. Robot-arm aided lifting-thrusting acupuncture therapy was conducted with various frequencies (ranging from 0.

CD39 activities in the treated acupoints contributed to the analgesic mechanism of acupuncture on arthritis rats.

Our previous work had identified that at the acupuncture point (acupoint), acupuncture-induced ATP release was a pivotal event in the initiation of analgesia. We aimed to further elucidate the degradation of ATP by CD39. Acupuncture was administered at Zusanli acupoint on arthritis rats, and pain thresholds of the hindpaws were determined.

NTPDase1-ATP-P2Y2Rs axis in the sciatic nerve contributes to acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST36)-induced analgesia in ankle arthritis rats.

Background: The efficacy of acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) in alleviating lower-limb pain is widely acknowledged in clinical practice, while its underlying mechanism remains incompletely elucidated. Our previous research had revealed that the prompt analgesia induced by needling-ST36 was accompanied by expression alterations in certain exco-nucleotidases within the sciatic nerve. Building upon this finding, the current work focused on NTPDase1, the primary ecto-nucleotidase in the human body, which converts ATP into AMP.

Mast Cell-Associated Serotonin in Acupoint Contributes to Acupuncture Analgesia in Arthritis Rats by Mediating ATP Release.

Background: The activation of subcutaneous mast cells (MCs) helps to trigger the analgesic effect induced by acupuncture (AP), a traditional oriental therapy, that has been gradually accepted worldwide. This work aimed to reveal whether the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) released from MCs plays an important role in this process, which has a controversial effect in the mechanism of pain.

Methods: tests, a 20-min session of AP was applied at Zusanli acupuncture point (acupoint) of acute ankle arthritis rats.

Activation of Subcutaneous Mast Cells in Acupuncture Points Triggers Analgesia.

This review summarizes experimental evidence indicating that subcutaneous mast cells are involved in the trigger mechanism of analgesia induced by acupuncture, a traditional oriental therapy, which has gradually become accepted worldwide. The results are essentially based on work from our laboratories. Skin mast cells are present at a high density in acupuncture points where fine needles are inserted and manipulated during acupuncture intervention.

The real-time detection of acupuncture-induced extracellular ATP mobilization in acupoints and exploration of its role in acupuncture analgesia.

Our and in vitro studies had confirmed that mechanosensitive ATP release and accumulation in acupoints was elicited by acupuncture (AP), which might be a pivotal step for triggering AP analgesia. But to date, the dynamics of extracellular ATP (eATP) in the interstitial space during AP process was poorly known, mainly due to the low temporal resolution of the current detection approach. This study attempted to capture rapid eATP signals in vivo in the process of needling, and further explored the role of this eATP mobilization in initiating AP analgesic effect.

[Subcutaneous Metabolites Involving Acupoint Sensitization Induced by Myocardial Ischemia and Acupuncture Stimulation in Rabbits].

Objective: The present study aimed at observing the profile of metabolites in sensitized acupoints induced by myocardial ischemia (MI) and the effect of acupuncture intervention on the changes of the metabolites so as to explore the material basis of acupoint sensitization.

Methods: A total of 20 New Zealand rabbits were randomly and equally divided into a control group and a model group. The MI model was established by occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery with a controllable air balloon inflation method for 5 min/time, twice a day (4-hours' interval) for continuous 5 days (the first stage of MI).

An investigation of the distribution and location of mast cells affected by the stiffness of substrates as a mechanical niche.

The distribution and location of mast cells are closely related to their physiological and pathological functions, such as allergic responses, immunity, and fibrosis, and are used in acupuncture. In this study, the distribution of mast cells was observed, and mechanical clues for understanding their distribution based on mechanical niches were explored. By toluidine blue staining and immunohistochemical staining, we examined the distribution and location of mast cells in rat skin and found that mast cells are distributed in a spatially nonuniform manner, preferring to locate at regions in the tissue and extracellular matrix with stiffness changes.

[Observation on Acupoint Sensitization Phenomenon in Experimental Myocardial Ischemia Rabbits].

Objective: To develop an animal model suitable for the study of acupoint sensitization in myocardial ischemia(MI) animals by observing changes of the mechanical withdrawal threshold (pain threshold, PT).

Methods: Twenty New Zea-land rabbits were randomly divided into control and model groups (=10 in each group). The controllable MI model was set up by installing a balloon occluder at the left anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery.

Distribution of lung blood on modified bilateral Glenn shunt evaluated by Tc-99m-MAA lung perfusion scintigraphy: A retrospective study.

The aim of the present study was to determine the distribution of lung blood in a modified bilateral Glenn procedure designed in our institute with lung perfusion scintigraphy. Sixteen consecutive patients who underwent modified bilateral Glenn operation from 2011 to 2014 were enrolled in the study. The control group consisted of 7 patients who underwent bidirectional Glenn shunt.

[Relationship between regional mast cell activity and peripheral nerve discharges during manual acupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36)].

Objective: To observe changes of discharges of the sciatic nerve branch and mast cell activities and collagen fibers in the acupoint area during manual acupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli"(ST 36), so as to reveal the relationship between peripheral nerve and mast cell activities.

Methods: A total of 30 male SD rats were divided into normal, acupuncture control (an acupuncture neidle was inserted into ST 36 without manipulation), manual acupuncture (MA), disodium cromoglycate (DSCG, suppressing mast cell activity) plus acupuncture (MA + DSCG) and col lagenase (dissolving the collagen fibers) plus acupuncture (MA+ collagenase) groups (6 rats/group). After dissection of a branch of the sciatic nerve innervating ST 36 region in the left hind-limb under anesthesia, the ipsilateral ST 36 was stimulated by manipulating the acupuncture needle for 20 min.

[Development of studies on bioeffects of ultrasound-acupuncture therapy and its underlying mechanism].

The so-called ultrasound acupuncture is a therapeutic approach for clinical problems and health care by applying the ultrasound energy to the acupoints of the human body directly or indirectly. It has been applied in clinic for about 30 years since 1980s. In the present paper, the authors review the development of both experimental and clinical researches in the past 30 years.

In adjuvant-induced arthritic rats, acupuncture analgesic effects are histamine dependent: potential reasons for acupoint preference in clinical practice.

This study investigated whether immediate acupuncture effects in the acupoint are histamine dependent. Both histamine injection and manual acupuncture stimulation increased the pain threshold (PT) after treatment compared with the model group (P < 0.01), producing an analgesic effect.

Research on modern nonlinear dynamic model of five-elements theory.

This article studied on five elements system and set general and strict model expectations combining with Traditional Chinese Medicine Zang-fu organs theory, in which absolute stable state, conditional stable state or transient stability and instability in mathematical models were corresponding to human healthy state, sub-healthy state (pathological plateau phase) and health deterioration state respectively. Model parameters were set up according to the mutual generation and restriction relations among five elements. The dynamic model of Five-Elements System was built, of which impulse responses were corresponding to human response under TCM treatment.

Suspended moxibustion relieves chronic visceral hyperalgesia and decreases hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone levels.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of suspended moxibustion (SM) on rectal sensory thresholds and to analyze the possible mechanisms involved in SM treatment of chronic visceral hypersensitivity (CVH) in rats.

Methods: SM was administered once daily to 37-d-old CVH rats for 7 d. The two pairs of acupoints (ST25 and ST37, bilateral) were simultaneously treated with SM.

Band-phase-randomized surrogate data reveal high-frequency chaos in heart rate variability.

We propose a new band-phase-randomized surrogate data method to evaluate the chaotic dynamics in the high (HF) and low frequency (LF) bands of heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy subjects. The chaotic strength of normal HRV as assessed by a noise titration assay completely vanished when its power spectrum was phase-randomized over the entire frequency band or the HF band alone, but not the LF band alone. This finding confirms recent evidence that chaotic dynamics in normal HRV is ascribable mainly to the HF component, or respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

[Prospective study of Han's acupoint nerve stimulator for preventing relapse of detoxified heroin addicts].

Objective: To assess the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) in preventing the relapse of detoxified heroin users in a period of 12 months.

Methods: A total of 164 rehabilitating heroin users in Shanghai area were recruited after compulsory detoxification treatment for a period ranging from 3 months to 3 years. The TEAS was executed by the device named Han's acupoint nerve stimulator (HANS).

[Acupoint-injection of histamine induced analgesic effect in acute adjuvant-induced-arthritis rats].

Objective: To observe the activation effect of histamine on mast cells in the acupoint area and its analgesic effects similar to acupuncture stimulation, so as to reveal the underlying mechanism of acupoint injection therapy.

Methods: A total of 60 SD rats were divided into control, model, normal saline (NS), histamine-injection and acupuncture groups (12 rats/group). Acute adjuvant-induced-arthritis (AIA) model was duplicated by injection of complete Freunds' Adjuvant (0.

[Effect of multiple paralleled acupuncture needles stimulation of scalp points on hemodynamics and blood flow energy of the common carotid artery in stroke patients].

Objective: To observe the changes of carotid hemodynamic and hydraulic power indices after paralleled scalp-point acupuncture therapy in post-stroke patients.

Methods: Twenty post-stroke volunteer patients were enlisted in the present study. Aseptic filiform needles were inserted into Baihui (GV 20), bilateral Motor Area (MS 8), etc.

[Skin slice used as a model for investigating acupuncture effects].

Objective: To establish an acupoint-connective tissue model for studying the mechanism of acupuncture by using in vitro patch clamp technique in the rat skin slices.

Methods: The local connective tissue under the corium of "Housanli" (ST 36) area from SD rat was acutely and bluntly separated and fixed in a chamber filled with artificial incubation solution. Mast cells in the prepared connective tissue slice were labeled by toluidine blue (TB) or neutral red (NR).

Fractal, entropic and chaotic approaches to complex physiological time series analysis: a critical appraisal.

A wide variety of methods based on fractal, entropic or chaotic approaches have been applied to the analysis of complex physiological time series. In this paper, we show that fractal and entropy measures are poor indicators of nonlinearity for gait data and heart rate variability data. In contrast, the noise titration method based on Volterra autoregressive modeling represents the most reliable currently available method for testing nonlinear determinism and chaotic dynamics in the presence of measurement noise and dynamic noise.

[Three-dimensional numerical simulation and hemodynamic analysis of intracranial longitypical aneurysms].

Objective: To establish a model of three-dimensional numerical simulation of intracranial longitypical aneurism and analyze the hemodynamic features thereof.

Methods: Ten patients with intracranial longitypical aneurism underwent surgical treatment. Intracranial vascular ultrasonography was conducted before operation.

[Relationship between laser acupuncture analgesia and the function of mast cells].

Objective: To observe the analgesic effects of single-and combined-laser irradiation with low-intensity applied at "Zusanli" (ST 36) in rats, and their relation to degranulation of mast cells.

Methods: Sixty-six SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal control group (Group NC), model control group (Group MC), sham irradiation group (Group SI), 10.6 microm laser irradiation group (Group 10.

[Effects of acupoint-nerve block on mast cell activity, manual acupuncture- and electroacupuncture-induced analgesia in adjuvant arthritis rats].

Objective: To observe the effects of acupoint-nerve block on manual-acupuncture (MA) and electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia and mast cells degranulation in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats in order to analyze the underlying peripheral mechanism of MA and EA analgesia.

Methods: A total of 80 SD rats were randomized into control, AA model (M), normal + lidocaine (NL), EA, EA-ST36 + Lidoc (L + EA), Dubi (ST 35) + Lidoc + EA-ST36 (DL + ZEA), Xiajuxu (ST 39) + Lidoc + EA-ST36 (XL+ ZEA), MA, Lidoc+ MA-ST36 (L + MA), and ST35 + Lidoc + MA-ST36 (DL + ZMA) groups, with 8 cases in each. AA model was established by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (0.