The efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture versus electroacupuncture in ameliorating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting among patients receiving cisplatin-based regimens.

Background: Nausea and vomiting are among the most common and distressing side effects of chemotherapy. Difference in views about the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture (AA) versus electroacupuncture (EA) of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) lies at the heart of the debate. The aim of this study is to compare the antiemetic efficacy and safety of AA and EA for CINV.

PRKAA/AMPKα phosphorylation switches the role of RASAL2 from a suppressor to an activator of autophagy.

RASAL2 (RAS protein activator like 2), a RASGTPase activating protein, can catalyze the hydrolysis of RAS-GTP into RAS-GDP to inactivate the RAS pathway in various types of cancer cells. However, the cellular function of RASAL2 remains elusive. Here we showed that RASAL2 can attenuate PRKAA/AMPKα phosphorylation by recruiting phosphatase PPM1B/pp2cβ, thus inhibiting the initiation of basal autophagy under normal conditions.

Apolipoprotein E deficiency induces a progressive increase in tissue iron contents with age in mice.

Association of both iron/hepcidin and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) with development of Alzheimer disease (AD) and atherosclerosis led us to hypothesize that ApoE might be required for body iron homeostasis. Here, we demonstrated that ApoE knock-out (KO) induced a progressive accumulation of iron with age in the liver and spleen of mice. Subsequent investigations showed that the increased iron in the liver and spleen was due to phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinases (pERK) mediated up-regulation of transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2)-dependent down-regulation of ferroportin 1.

Hepcidin attenuates the iron-mediated secondary neuronal injury after intracerebral hemorrhage in rats.

Iron plays a key role in secondary neuronal injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and hepcidin is able to reduce brain iron in iron-overloaded rats by down-regulating iron transport proteins including ferroportin 1 and transferrin receptor 1. These led us to hypothesize that hepcidin might reduce iron-mediated neurotoxicity by inhibiting iron accumulation in ICH brain. Here, we examined effects of Ad-hepcidin (hepcidin expression adenovirus) on the nonheme iron contents, expression of hepcidin, ferritin and iron transport proteins, neuronal cell survival, water contents in the brain and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and ICH-induced apoptosis, neurological deficit by RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, NeuN Immunofluorescence, TUNEL, Fluoro-Jade B staining, behavioral performance and Morris water-maze tests in 510 rats.

Phosphorylated Rasal2 facilitates breast cancer progression.

Background: Rasal2 has diametric effects on progression of oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and -negative (ER-) breast cancers. The relevant causes are unknown. It is also unknown whether the effects of Rasal2 are mediated by an exosome-transport process.

[Comparison of Clinical Effects of Electroacupuncture of Abdominal and Limb Acupoints in the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis].

Objective: To compare the difference of therapeutic efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of abdominal acupoints and limb acupoints in the treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP), so as to provide a reference for EA treatment of AP.

Methods: A total of 60 patients with AP were equally and randomly divided into abdominal acupoint group and limb acupoint group. On the basis of retention enema of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction (containing , etc.

Study of biological activity and targeted distribution of catesbeianalectin in mouse tissue.

Lectin has attracted attention because of its ability to serve as a carrier for targeted drug delivery. Large lectins isolated from marine invertebrates and crustaceans have strong immunogenicity and adverse effects, which limit their usefulness. This study reports the identification of catesbeianalectin via screening a bullfrog skin cDNA library.

[Observation on the Efficacy of Electroacupuncture for Functional Constipation].

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic rule of electroacupuncture (EA) in treating functional constipation.

Methods: Eighty-eight patients with severe chronic functional constipation were randomized divided into EA (=45) and sham-EA (=43) groups. Patients in the EA group were treated with EA at bilateral Tianshu (ST 25), Fujie (SP 14), Shangjuxu (ST 37), and those in the sham-EA group were received superficial acupuncture at 1 lateral to the identical acupoints without electrical current delivery.

Electroacupuncture for the prevention of postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction in participants undergoing vascular laparotomy under general anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (PGD) is a common complication following laparotomy under general anesthesia (GA). Abdominal distension occurs in 8-28% of surgeries within 24 h postoperatively. The present study aimed to analyze the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) for the prevention of PGD by applying preoperative EA stimulation of PC6 (), ST36 (), and ST37 () bilaterally twice within 24 h prior to surgery, compared with no acupuncture treatment.

Electroacupuncture for the prevention of postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients undergoing vascular surgery under general anesthesia: study protocol for a prospective practical randomized controlled trial.

Background: Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (PGD) is one of the most common complications following major surgeries under general anesthesia (GA). Despite ongoing research and new drug treatments, abdominal distension within 24 h postoperatively occurs in 8%-28% of all surgeries. We aim to analyze the effectiveness of preventing PGD by preoperatively stimulating Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST36) and Shangjuxu (ST37) bilaterally twice a day compared with sham-acupuncture treatment and standard treatment.