Molecular mechanism of angiogenesis for cerebral infarction rats by acupuncture intervention based on sonic hedgehog signaling pathway.

Background: To study the factors of the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway after permanent cerebral ischemic and the effects by acupuncture.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into Electro-acupuncture (EA) group, Model Control (MC) group, and blank control (Control) group. EA and MC were divided into 9 phases, namely 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 9 h, 12 h, 24 h, 3 d, 7 d, and 12 d after the operation.

Acylhydrazone-derived whole pectin-based hydrogel as an injectable drug delivery system.

Injectable hydrogel-based drug delivery systems have attracted more and more attention due to their sustained-release performance, biocompatibility, and 3D network. The present study showed whole pectin-based hydrogel as an injectable drug delivery system, which was developed from oxidized pectin (OP) and diacylhydrazine adipate-functionalized pectin (Pec-ADH) via acylhydrazone linkage. The as-prepared hydrogels were characterized by H NMR, FT-IR, and SEM techniques.

Cellulose Dissolution, Modification, and the Derived Hydrogel: A Review.

The cellulose-based hydrogel has occupied a pivotal position in almost all walks of life. However, the native cellulose can not be directly used for preparing hydrogel due to the complex non-covalent interactions. Some literature has discussed the dissolution and modification of cellulose but has yet to address the influence of the pretreatment on the as-prepared hydrogels.

[Involvement of sympathetic nerve activation in acupoint application induced improvement of gastric ulcer and motility in rats with gastric ulcer].

Objective: To observe the effect of mustard oil application at "Liangmen" (ST21) on gastric ulcer (GU) and gastric motility and its association with the sympathetic nerve activity in rats with GU, so as to provide experimental basis for improvement of GU by acupoint application.

Methods: Thirty-nine male SD rats were randomly divided into control (=7), model, acupoint application (AA), medication (guanethidine, an adrenergic sympathetic antagonist) and AA+medication groups (=8 in each of the latter 4 groups). The GU model was made by applying acetic acid-immersed filter paper onto the gastric antrum.

[Effects of melatonin on photosynthetic properties and osmoregulatory substance contents of cucumber seedlings under salt-alkali stress].

To determine the mitigating effects of exogenous melatonin on salt-alkali stress in cucumber, we mea-sured photosynthetic characteristics and osmoregulatory substance content of cucumber leaves under salt-alkali stress, using 'Xinchun 4' cucumber as the test material and a salt-alkali complex (NaCl:NaSO:NaCO:NaHCO = 1:9:1:9) to simulate stress. The results showed that compared with the normal seedlings, the exogenous application of 10 μmol·L melatonin significantly increased the contents of chlorophyll, soluble sugar, and soluble protein, as well as net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, photosystem Ⅱ maximum photochemical efficiency, actual photochemical efficiency, apparent photosynthetic electron transfer rate, and photochemical burst coefficient of cucumber seedlings under 40 mmol·L salt-alkali stress, but decreased intercellular CO concentration, non-photochemical burst coefficient, and sucrose, fructose, starch, and proline contents by 11.1%, 13.

[Evaluation of Low Concentration Dithiothreitol for Negating the Monoclonal Anti-CD38 Interference with Transfusion Compatibility Testing].

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of low concentration dithiothreitol (DTT) in removing the interference of monoclonal anti-CD38 on transfusion compatibility testing, and develop a reasonable clinical transfusion strategy.

Methods: The blood type, direct antiglobulin testing (DAT) and antibody screening were tested according to standard methods. Antibody screening cells and donor's red blood cells were treated by DTT 0.

[Comparison of effects of routine electroacupuncture and pre-electroacupuncture in improving lung function in acute lung injury rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and pre-EA at"Taiyuan"(LU9) on histopathological changes, pulmonary ventilation function, pneodynamics, and contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in rats with acute lung injury (ALI), in order to explore their differences of therapeutic effects.

Methods: A total of 92 male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, routine EA and pre-EA groups, with 23 rats in each group. The ALI rat model was established by instillation of 0.

Effects of pullulanase enzymatic hydrolysis on the textural of acorn vermicelli and its influencing mechanism on the quality.

The effect of pullulanase enzymatic hydrolysis time on the textural properties of acorn vermicelli was investigated by texture analyzer. And the influencing mechanism was revealed by exploring the physicochemical properties of acorn starch under the optimum enzymatic hydrolysis time by texture analyzer, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and brabender viscograph. After acorn starch was hydrolyzed by pullulanase for 14 h, acorn vermicelli had excellent textural properties.

[Effect of Temperature on ANAMMOX Process in Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactors: Nitrogen Removal Performance and Bacterial Community].

For the ambient and low-temperature operation of the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) process, sequence batch biofilm reactors (SBBR) with non-woven fabric and modified polyurethane foam as carriers, respectively, were used to treat nitrogenous wastewater. Nitrogen removal performances of both reactors were investigated while the temperature decreased from 35℃ to 15℃. When the nitrogen loading rate (NLR) was 110 mg·(L·d), the average total nitrogen (TN) removal rate of the non-woven fabric reactor increased from 71.

[Association between skin microecology and acupoint sensitization].

The skin microecology interacts with the immune system for a lifetime, and the skin microecology is in dynamic balance in the physiological state. The flora with the same physical and chemical properties on the surface of the skin can maintain a relatively stable state in a certain period of time, and there are dynamic changes of microflora in both physiology and disease state. Combined with the study of the relationship among skin microorganisms, skin diseases and visceral diseases, the relationship between skin microecological changes and visceral pathological state is explored.

Fabrication of self-healing pectin/chitosan hybrid hydrogel via Diels-Alder reactions for drug delivery with high swelling property, pH-responsiveness, and cytocompatibility.

Self-healing hydrogels with pH-responsiveness could protect loaded drugs from being destroyed till it arrives to the target. The pectin-based hydrogel is a candidate due to the health benefit, anti-inflammation, antineoplastic activity, nontoxicity, and biospecific degradation, et al. However, the abundant existence of water-soluble branched heteropolysaccharide chains influenced its performance resulting in limitation of the potential.

The role of emodin on cisplatin resistance reversal of lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cell.

Exploring drugs that reverse drug resistance and increase the sensitivity of chemotherapy drugs could significantly improve treatment effect of cancer. Our study explored the reversal effect and possible molecular mechanisms of emodin on cisplatin resistance in A549/DDP cells. The IC50 and resistance index of cells were determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay.

Asenapine maleate inhibits angiotensin II-induced proliferation and activation of cardiac fibroblasts via the ROS/TGFβ1/MAPK signaling pathway.

Background: Cardiac fibrosis will increase wall stiffness and diastolic dysfunction, which will eventually lead to heart failure. Asenapine maleate (AM) is widely used in the treatment of schizophrenia. In the current study, we explored the potential mechanism underlying the role of AM in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cardiac fibrosis.

Combination and efficiency: preparation of dissolving microneedles array loaded with two active ingredients and its anti-pigmentation effects on guinea pigs.

Hyperpigmentation is a common skin disorder caused by excessive melanogenesis and uneven dispersion of melanin in the skin. To combine multiple active agents with an efficient transdermal drug delivery system is an effective strategy to combat UV induced skin pigmentation. In this work, Arbutin (Arb) and Vitamin C (Vc) mixed in 1:1 were found to have the greatest inhibition effects on melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity in B16 murine melanoma cells.

[Acupoint sensitization enhances inhibitory effect of electroacupuncture on jejunum mobility in rats].

Objective: To observe the effect difference of electroacupuncture (EA) at the sensitized and non-sensitized acupoint "Tianshu" (ST25) on the motility of jejunum in rats.

Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control, sensitized ST25 (sensitization), and non-sensitized ST25 (non-sensitization) groups (=16 in each group). The sensitization and non-sensitization were induced by injection of 15% mustard oil (20 μL) and Paraffin oil (20 μL) into the left ST25 area respectively.

[The shortcut pathway between scalp acupuncture and brain].

Scalp acupuncture is widely used in clinical practice, and there is still a lack of systematic studies on its nerve pathways and mechanism of action. Scalp acupoints are innervated by the trigeminal nerve which is also involved in the regulation of the leptomeninges and related arterioles nourishing the cerebral cortex. Animal experiments and human trials have shown that scalp acupuncture can exert an effect through the shortcut between the axon reflexes from the primary neurons in the trigeminal ganglion (its axon branches may separately innervate scalp acupoints and the leptomeninges directly regulating nutrient and active substances in brain tissue) and the secondary neurons of the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (head and face acupoints interact with afferents of brain tissue through presynaptic dorsal root reflex and postsynaptic neurogenic responses and convergence), which may have regulatory and therapeutic effects on intracranial tissue.

[Manual acupuncture stimulation of acupoints at the same and adjacent spinal segments promotes uterine contractility].

Objective: To investigate the effect of manual acupuncture stimulation of acupoints at different spinal nerve segments on uterine motility and the complicated adrenergic and cholinergic receptors.

Methods: Eighteen adult non-pregnant SD rats were used in the present study. The contractive activities of the uterus were measured by using a pressure transducer which was connected to an inserted water-filled balloon in the uterus via a PE tube at one end and an amplifier at the other end.

An injectable, self-healing hydrogel system from oxidized pectin/chitosan/γ-FeO.

Injectable hydrogels with self-healing ability present great potential for drug delivery. They could be facilely implanted in vivo and maintained structural and functional integrity till the hydrogel arriving at target sites. Herein, a series of injectable and self-healing composite hydrogel were developed as delivery vehicles for anti-cancer drug.

Cilostazol alleviate nicotine induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy through modulation of autophagy by CTSB/ROS/p38MAPK/JNK feedback loop.

Nicotine is proved to be an important factor for cardiac hypertrophy. Autophagy is important cell recycling system involved in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy. Cilostazol, which is often used in the management of peripheral vascular disease.

Design and preparation of quaternized pectin-Montmorillonite hybrid film for sustained drug release.

Montmorillonite (MMT) presents nonocclusive lamellar structure which restricts the potential use for sustained drug release. To solve the limitation, the quaternized pectin (QP) was synthesized and firstly introduced to form QP-MMT hybrid film containing 5-FU. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to determine the variation of the functional group and crystallinity between pectin and QP.

[Myofascial trigger point: an indicator of acupoint sensitization].

Objective: The present study is to investigate the characteristic distribution of primary pain points and referred pain areas in patients with knee-joint pain diseases, therefore revealing the correlation between the myofascial trigger point and acupoint sensitization.

Methods: A total of 483 patients (320 men and 163 women, 36 to 72 years in age) with knee-joint pain recruited from 4 clinical centers were observed from July, 2017 to April, 2019 in the present study. The areas of primary and referred pain in these patients were detected by thumb-pressing and marked on human anatomic atlas.

Chemical cross-linking approach for prolonging diclofenac sodium release from pectin-based delivery system.

To overcome the instability of pectin-Ca gels based oral colon-specific drug delivery system (OCDDS) in the upper gastrointestinal tract, the chemical cross-linked pectin carriers were prepared by adding succinic anhydride and glutaric dialdehyde as the cross-linking reagents. The diclofenac sodium was employed as the water-soluble drug model to calculate the controlled release properties. The encapsulation efficiency and loading efficiency were measured and the sample PG1 shows the best efficiency of 78.