Search

Copper-based zeolite catalysts are widely used in methanol synthesis from methane oxidation, but their photothermal catalytic properties have seldom been explored. This study examines the effect of the preparation method on Cu-based zeolite composite graphite-phase carbon nitride catalysts (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4) for direct methanol synthesis from methane oxidation by photothermal catalysis. Four different preparation methods are employed: liquid phase ion exchange (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-IE), isovolumetric impregnation (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-IM), solid-state ion exchange (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-GR), and hydrothermal synthesis (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-HT). Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-IE shows the highest methanol yield (3.09 μmol h−1 gcat−1) due to strong interactions between the CuxOy species and g-C3N4, as well as smaller interfacial charge transfer forces. This study provides a new method for the design and synthesis of catalysts for the conversion of methane.

Wuhai is a typical coking industrial base including three industrial parks within its jurisdiction. The emission amount of air pollutants is considerable here, and O

Zygophyllum xanthoxylum, a succulent xerophyte, possesses excellent salt tolerance which is closely associated with vacuolar Na+ compartmentation via ZxNHX1. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated ZxNHX1 silencing impaired the characteristics of Na+ accumulation and thus inhibited normal growth of Z. xanthoxylum. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the changed phenotype, here we compared the different expression of salt-responsive genes between ZxNHX1-RNAi line and wild type at transcriptome level. The result showed that vast genes were differently expressed in leaves or roots between ZxNHX1-RNAi line and wild type under control condition or salt treatment. Among them, 142 unigenes were differently expressed in both roots and leaves under 50 mM NaCl for 6 h and 24 h between ZxNHX1-RNAi line and WT. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were related to transmembrane transportation based on Gene Ontology (GO) annotations. In terms of ion transport, 49 DEGs were identified, in which some genes associated with Na+ and K+ homeostasis were down-regulated; meanwhile, silencing of ZxNHX1 triggered the differential expression of several genes involved in the transport of important nutrient elements including N, P, Ca, and Mg. Besides, silencing of ZxNHX1 affected the expression level of 18 and 26 genes related to photosynthesis and ROS scavenging, respectively. This study provided strong evidences to indicate the dominant role of ZxNHX1 in maintaining the characteristics of salt accumulation and regulating the salt tolerance of Z. xanthoxylum.

Coal and coal gangue spontaneous combustion (CGSC) occurs globally, causing significant environmental pollution. However, its emissions are poorly quantified and are overlooked in global or regional air pollutant emission inventories in previous studies, resulting in the underestimation of its impacts on climate, environment, and public health. This study quantified the emissions of various air pollutants originating from CGSC in Wuhai, a city in China, investigated emission characteristics, and estimated the contribution of CGSC emissions to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution and related health impacts on a regional scale. The results revealed that the CGSC-related PM2.5 emissions were approximately 4643 t a-1 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 721; 10447), accounting for 26.3% of the total PM2.5 emissions. Alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics accounted for 69.4, 17.9, and 2.9%, respectively, of the total emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Due to CGSC emissions, the ambient PM2.5 concentration in Wuhai increased by 5.7 μg m-3 on average, while the nitrate concentration decreased. The number of premature deaths caused by exposure to ambient PM2.5 associated with CGSC reached 381 (95% CI: 290; 452) in Wuhai and surrounding cities in 2017. Urgent control strategies and engineering techniques are needed to mitigate CGSC to protect public health.

VOCs are the key precursors of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. The results of source apportionment for VOCs are very important for the coordinated control of ozone and second organic particulate matter. However, VOCs do not fully meet the assumption of the receptor model because the VOCs released from each source are relatively unstable in the transmission process for their reactivity. As a result, we do not accurately obtain the actual source contribution when the receptor model is used for the source apportionment of VOCs. In order to solve the problem that the relative changes in the components caused by VOCs reactivity are not consistent with the PMF model hypothesis, the aging degree of VOCs was introduced to distinguish the state characteristics after their photochemical reactions in the ambient air. According to the ratio of ethylbenzene to m/p-xylene, VOCs monitored at Wuhai were divided into three aging states:high, medium, and low. The results showed that the model parameters, such as regression equation parameters (slope and intercept), standard error, determination coefficient, and pass rate of residual error, were improved obviously compared to the sample set after classification. Because the degree of aging is closely related to the transport time of air mass and the atmospheric oxidation in the atmosphere, it also reflects the different sources of air mass to some extent. In the high-aging VOCs samples, the coking source occupied a high proportion (up to 47.20%). In the low-aging VOCs samples, the combustion source and coking source accounted for a higher proportion, 28.67% and 24.39%, respectively. After the classification according to the aging degree, the results of VOCs source apportionment by PMF are more consistent with the actual contribution of emission sources.

Skeletal muscle regeneration is essential for maintaining muscle function in injury and muscular disease. Myogenesis plays key roles in forming new myofibers during the process. Here, through bioinformatic screen for the potential regulators of myogenesis from 5 independent microarray datasets, we identify an overlapping differentially expressed gene (DEG) optineurin (OPTN). Optn knockdown (KD) delays muscle regeneration in mice and impairs C2C12 myoblast differentiation without affecting their proliferation. Conversely, Optn overexpression (OE) promotes myoblast differentiation. Mechanistically, OPTN increases nuclear levels of β-catenin and enhances the T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) transcription activity, suggesting activation of Wnt signaling pathway. The activation is accompanied by decreased protein levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), a negative regulator of the pathway. We further show that OPTN physically interacts with and targets GSK3β for autophagic degradation. Pharmacological inhibition of GSK3β rescues the impaired myogenesis induced by Optn KD during muscle regeneration and myoblast differentiation, corroborating that GSK3β is the downstream effector of OPTN-mediated myogenesis. Together, our study delineates the novel role of OPTN as a potential regulator of myogenesis and may open innovative therapeutic perspectives for muscle regeneration.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the clinical value of induction chemotherapy (IC) with docetaxel, 5-fluorouracil plus nedaplatin followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with nedaplatin for locoregional advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Materials and Methods: In total, 269 patients diagnosed with locoregional advanced NPC between June 2012 and June 2017 were retrospectively included and divided into two groups: IC (docetaxel plus nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil) followed by nedaplatin-based CCRT (TNF + N group, n = 146) and IC (docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) followed by cisplatin-based CCRT (TPF + P group, n = 123). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to analyse survival and prognosis. After propensity score-matched (PSM), 113 patients remained in each group. Toxicities were compared between the two groups using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Results: The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) rates of the TNF + N and TPF + P groups were 90.7% vs. 92.3% (P = 0.315), 78.9% vs. 79.4% (P = 0.715), 82.4% vs. 85.1% (P = 0.441) and 96.1% vs. 93.3% (P = 0.414), respectively, with no significant difference in 3-year survival outcome between the two groups, and this outcome was confirmed after using PSM analyses. In the PSM cohort, a significant higher frequency of grade 3/4 vomiting was observed in the TPF + P group compared to the TNF + N group (22.1% vs. 0%, P = 0.000). However, 15.9% of patients in the TNF + N group had grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia in comparison with 6.2% in the TPF + P group (P = 0.020). Conclusions: The TNF regimen followed by CCRT with nedaplatin is an alternative treatment strategy to the standard TPF regimen followed by CCRT with cisplatin for patients with locoregional advanced NPC.

In recent years, summer O

To establish a risk prediction model for in-hospital death in acute stroke patients based on nutritional risk scores.A retrospective analysis was performed including 268 acute stroke patients. The Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002) and modified Nutritional Risk in the Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score were used to evaluate the nutritional status of patients with acute stroke after admission to the neurological intensive care unit (NICU), and laboratory parameters and clinical characteristics were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to screen the risk factors for in-hospital death in acute stroke patients, and a nomogram for predicting death based on the nutritional risk score was established.The mortality of acute stroke in the NICU was 25.8%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the mNUTRIC score, female sex, lymphocyte count, pulmonary infection and mechanical ventilation were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in acute stroke patients (P lt; 0.001 or 0.05). The above indexes were used to establish a prediction model of the in-hospital death risk for acute stroke patients. The area under the ROC curve, sensitivity, and specificity of the prediction model were 0.891 (95% CI = 0.853-0.928), 82.5%, and 81.7%, respectively. The nomogram was established and then internally validated using bootstrap repeat sampling 2000 times, the C-index was 0.880, and the predicted values of the calibration curve were in agreement with the measured values.The mNUTRIC-based nomogram model can be used as a reliable tool to predict the in-hospital mortality risk of acute stroke patients.

There is a highly nonlinear relationship between ozone concentrations and its precursor emissions in different regions and at different times, which makes developing effective prevention and control measures difficult. An orthogonal experimental method was introduced to assess the influence of ozone precursors and their interactions on ozone formation, clarify the sensitivity of ozone generation, and propose an optimal control scheme. Based on the WRF-Chem air quality model and an emission inventory of air pollutants in Wuhai City in 2018, this study used an ozone pollution event in the Haibowan urban area (August 17 to 20 2018) to investigate the nonlinear response of ozone formation to its precursors. The orthogonal experiment shows that NO

City-scale high-resolution anthropogenic emission inventories are an important tool for ambient air quality forecasting and early warning, the analysis of underlying causes, and policy making. At present, city-scale anthropogenic emissions inventories for use in air quality models are scarce for West China. By studying the literature on emission inventories, this paper establishes a city-scale anthropogenic emission inventory for Lanzhou (HEI-LZ16) as the basis for an air quality model. The weather research and forecasting with chemistry (WRF-Chem) model was used to evaluate the applicability of the emission inventory at different resolutions in Lanzhou. The results showed that the emission amounts of SO

The synergistic effects of various air pollutants on meteorological fields have not yet been widely studied and fully understood, especially at the junction of the Loess Plateau, Mongolian Plateau and Tibetan Plateau. Two experiments were carried out with and without the incorporation of air pollutants to explore the synergistic effects using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and WRF model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem) at the junction of the above three plateaus. The incorporation of air pollutants led to negative and positive variation patterns of meteorological fields and improved the simulation accuracy of meteorological factors to some extent. The negative variation pattern was caused by the direct absorption and scattering of solar radiation by air pollutants, and the positive variation pattern was driven by the evaporation of clouds due to the synergistic semidirect effects of air pollutants, which was more significant in this region. In the positive variation pattern, the solar radiation flux reaching the ground and the outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere were increased by approximately 2–8% and 1–4%, respectively, the surface was warmed by 0.2–0.6 K, PBLH increased by 3–12%, and RH decreased by 1–4%. Moreover, the change in wind speed was approximately −0.3–0.3 m/s in the region. Furthermore, the correlation of conventional air pollutants with changes in meteorological factors indicated that there were not simple linear effects of atmospheric pollutants on meteorological fields and that considering a single pollutant cannot reflect the synergistic effects of various air pollutants on meteorological fields. This study quantifies the synergistic effects of various air pollutants on meteorological fields, which is a key issue that cannot be ignored in the modelling of meteorological fields and in the exploration of the interactions between air pollutants and synoptic weather.

Obesity is a worldwide health problem. Activating fat mobilization and reducing fat synthesis is a promising strategy to mitigate obesity and its complicated metabolic diseases. However, few clinically effective and safe agents conform to the strategy. In the present study, by screening the next-generation L1000-based CMAP small molecule library, we identify histone deacetylase inhibitor Dacinostat, which has been previously tested in clinical trials for patients with advanced solid tumors, as an anti-obesity candidate. Administration of Dacinostat prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver in mice without causing adverse effects. Dacinostat treatment enhances adipose thermogenesis as shown by elevated body temperature, accompanied with high mRNA expression of Ucp1 and Ppargc1α. Mechanistically, we show that the thermogenic effect of Dacinostat is achieved by acetylation of histone 3 lysine 27 mediated transcriptional activation of Ucp1 and Ppargc1α in adipose tissue. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Dacinostat is a potential anti-obesity compound through transcriptional activation of adipose thermogenesis.

Background Current medical treatments for chemotherapy-induced pain (CIP) are either ineffective or have adverse side effects. Acupuncture may alleviate CIP, but its effectiveness against this condition has not been studied. Paclitaxel causes neuropathic pain in cancer patients. Methods We evaluated the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on paclitaxel-induced CIP in a rat model. Paclitaxel (2 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected (i.p.) on alternate days of 0–6. The resulting pain was treated with 10 Hz/2 mA/0.4 ms pulse EA for 30 min at the equivalent of human acupoint GB30 (Huantiao) once every other day between days 14 and 26. For sham control, EA needles were inserted into GB30 without stimulation. Von Frey filaments with bending forces of 2–8 g and 15 g were used to assess mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia, respectively, on day 13 and once every other day between 14–26 days and then for 2–3 weeks after EA treatment. Results Compared to sham control, EA significantly alleviated paclitaxel-induced mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia, as shown by less frequent withdrawal responses to the filaments. The alleviation of allodynia/hyperalgesia lasted up to 3 weeks after the EA treatment. EA significantly inhibited phosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in the spinal cord. KN-93, a selective inhibitor of p-CaMKII, inhibited mechanical allodynia/hyperalgesia and p-CaMKII. 5-HT1A receptor antagonist blocked EA inhibition of allodynia/hyperalgesia and p-CaMKII. Conclusions Electroacupuncture activates 5-HT 1A receptors in the spinal cord and inhibits p-CaMKII to alleviate both allodynia and hyperalgesia. The data support acupuncture/EA as a complementary therapy for CIP. Significance Electroacupuncture (EA) activates spinal 5-HT1A receptors to inhibit p-CaMKII to alleviate paclitaxel-induced pain. Acupuncture/EA may be used as a complementary therapy for CIP.

Mitochondrial aconitase (Aco2) catalyzes the conversion of citrate to isocitrate in the TCA cycle, which produces NADH and FADH2, driving synthesis of ATP through OXPHOS. In this study, to explore the relationship between adipogenesis and mitochondrial energy metabolism, we hypothesize that Aco2 may play a key role in the lipid synthesis. Here, we show that overexpression of Aco2 in 3T3-L1 cells significantly increased lipogenesis and adipogenesis, accompanied by elevated mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP production. However, when ATP is depleted by rotenone, an inhibitor of the respiratory chain, the promotive role of Aco2 in adipogenesis is abolished. In contrast to Aco2 overexpression, deficiency of Aco2 markedly reduced lipogenesis and adipogenesis, along with the decreased mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP production. Supplementation of isocitrate efficiently rescued the inhibitory effect of Aco2 deficiency. Similarly, the restorative effect of isocitrate was abolished in the presence of rotenone. Together, these results show that Aco2 sustains normal adipogenesis through mediating ATP production, revealing a potential mechanistic link between TCA cycle enzyme and lipid synthesis. Our work suggest that regulation of adipose tissue mitochondria function may be a potential way for combating abnormal adipogenesis related diseases such as obesity and lipodystrophy.

Cancer pain management is a challenge for which Chinese herbal medicine might be useful. To study the spinal mechanisms of the Chinese medicated gel Long-Teng-Tong-Luo (LTTL), a 7-herb compound, on bone cancer pain, a bone cancer pain model was made by inoculating the tibias of female rats with Walker 256 cells. LTTL gel or inert gel, 0.5 g/cm2/d, was applied to the skin of tumor-bearing tibias for 21 days beginning a day after the inoculation. Mechanical threshold and paw withdrawal latency to thermal stimulation was measured. Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels in lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were immunostained and counted, and lumbar spinal cord interleukin-17A (IL-17A) was measured with real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. TRP antagonists and interleukin (IL)-17A antibodies were intrathecally administered to determine their effects on bone cancer pain. The gel significantly ( P < .05) alleviated cancer-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia and inhibited cancer-enhanced expression of IL-17A in spinal astrocytes and the TRP subfamily members V1, A1, and V4 in lumbar DRG. Intrathecal TRP antagonists at 10 µg significantly ( P < .05) attenuated mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, and IL-17A expression, indicating that TRP channels facilitate spinal IL-17 expression and cancer pain. IL-17A antibodies inhibited cancer pain, suggesting that IL-17A promotes such pain. The data show that LTTL gel inhibits cancer pain, and this might be accounted for by the decrease in expression of DRG TRP channels and spinal astrocyte IL-17A.

Soil erosion in a catchment has becoming a serious environmental issue for an increasing damage to the surface ecological environment. To quantitatively simulate the sediment yield, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was introduced in Tao River Basin. The investigation was conducted using a 8-year historical observed sediment data from 2001 to 2008. The performance evaluation shows that the simulated monthly sediment yield matched the observed data satisfactorily, with Re was less than 15%, R2 > 0.9 and Nash-suttclife (Ens)>0.8 for both calibration (2001-2004) and validation period (2005-2008) at two observed stations, indicating the validity of SWAT model for sediment yield simulation in the study area. The results of this study can be helpful for solving the soil erosion issue for water environmental protection.

We investigate the antidepressant-like effect and mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) on a chronic unpredictable mild stress rats depression-like behavior. In our study, depression in rats was induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) and isolation for four weeks. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: Normal, Model, EA, and Sham EA. EA treatment was administered for two weeks, once a day for five days a week. Two acupoints, Yintang (EX-HN3) and Baihui (GV20), were selected. For sham EA, acupuncture needles were inserted shallowly into the acupoints: EX-HN3 and GV20. No electrostimulator was connected. The antidepressant-like effect of the electroacupuncture treatment was measured by sucrose intake test, open field test, and forced swimming test in rats. The protein levels of phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK1/2)/ERK1/2 and p-P38/P38 in the hippocampus (HP) were examined by Western blot analysis. Our data demonstrate that EA treatment decreased the immobility time of forced swimming test and improved the sucrose solution intake in comparison to unpredictable chronic mild stress and placebo sham control. Electroacupuncture may act on depression by enhancing p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 in the hippocampus.

Three new Uranium-organic compounds have been synthesized under the strong acid condition. Both of the compound 1 [(UO2)(TMA)](H2BPY)0.5·4H2O (TMA = trimesic acid, BPY = 4,4′-bipyridine, CCDC 1841538) and 2 [(UO2)(PMA)0.5](H2BPY)0.5 (PMA = pyromellitic acid, CCDC 1870479) show a “sandwich” 2D-structure. The double-protonated 4,4′-dipyridines stabilize the supramolecular structure without obvious interlayer interactions in 1, while there is weak N H⋯O hydrogen bonding in 2. Compound 3 [(UO2)2(PTA)(BPDO)] (PTA = terephthalic acid, CCDC 1841602) was obtained by employing 4,4′-bipyridine-N-dioxide (BPDO) as auxiliary ligand. Owing to the much weaker protonation ability, the BPDO molecules can pillar the screwy uranyl layers via U-O covalent bonds to form a 3D framework. All the title compounds are well-characterized. The results indicate the intensity of the interaction between uranyl layer and the auxiliary ligand not only affect the assembly of the architecture, but also the fluorescent and adsorption behavior.

In the last decade, preclinical investigations of electroacupuncture mechanisms on persistent tissue injury (inflammatory), nerve injury (neuropathic), cancer, and visceral pain have increased. These studies show that electroacupuncture activates the nervous system differently in health than in pain conditions, alleviates both sensory and affective inflammatory pain, and inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain more effectively at 2 to 10 Hz than at 100 Hz. Electroacupuncture blocks pain by activating a variety of bioactive chemicals through peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal mechanisms. These include opioids, which desensitize peripheral nociceptors and reduce proinflammatory cytokines peripherally and in the spinal cord, and serotonin and norepinephrine, which decrease spinal N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit GluN1 phosphorylation. Additional studies suggest that electroacupuncture, when combined with low dosages of conventional analgesics, provides effective pain management which can forestall the side effects of often-debilitating pharmaceuticals.

According to the existing equipment data of mining and transportation of Antaibao open-pit mine, this paper which uses different kinds of equipment as the research objects, carried out a detailed analysis of the required equipment models during crossing the anticline in the open-pit mine combining with practical and theoretical calculations on-site. This research not only confirms the type and quantity of dump trucks and other major equipment, but also provides guidance to the production for the mine.

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) cover many kinds of technologies, such as technology of sensor, embedded system, wireless communication, etc. WSN is different from the traditional networks in size, communication distance and energy-constrained so as to develop new topology, protocol, quality of service (QoS), and so on. In order to solve the problem of self-organizing in the topology, this paper proposes a novel strategy which is based on communication delay between sensors. Firstly, the gateway choices some boundary nodes. Secondly, the boundary nodes choose inner nodes. The rest may be deduced by analogy. Finally, a net-tree topology with multi-path routing is developed. The analyses of the topology show that net-tree has strong ability in self-organizing and extensible.

Although acupuncture analgesia has been reported in clinical trials, its mechanisms have been unclear. It was recently reported that spinal astrocytes-produced interleukin-17A (IL-17A) facilitates inflammatory pain. Hypothesizing that electroacupuncture (EA) would suppress inflammation-enhanced IL-17A synthesis to inhibit pain, we induced hyperalgesia, as measured by decreased paw withdrawal latency (PWL) to a noxious thermal stimulus, by subcutaneously injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA, 0.08 ml, 40 μg Mycobacterium tuberculosis) into the hind paws of rats, or intrathecal (i.t.) IL-17A (400 ng in 10 μl) into the lumbar spinal cord. We then gave EA at acupoint GB30 for two 20-min periods, once immediately after CFA or IL-17A administration and again 2 h post-injection. For sham control, EA needles were inserted into GB30 without stimulation. PWL was measured before and 2.5 and 24 h after injection. Spinal IL-17A, IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA), and phosphorylated NR1, an essential subunit of the N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), were determined 24 h post-CFA or –IL-17A using immunohistochemistry and western blot. Compared to sham control, EA inhibited CFA-caused thermal hyperalgesia 2.5 and 24 h post-CFA and concurrently suppressed inflammation-enhanced IL-17A and IL-17RA synthesis and NR1 phosphorylation in the ipsilateral spinal cord. EA inhibited IL-17A-produced thermal hyperalgesia, IL-17RA synthesis and NR1 phosphorylation. Our data suggest that EA inhibits inflammatory pain by blocking spinal IL-17A synthesis. Since previous study shows that IL-17A is located in astrocytes and IL-17RA and NR1 are in neurons, the data suggest that EA alleviates pain by modulating glia-neuronal interactions that involve IL-17A, IL-17RA, and NR1 phosphorylation.

The operational safety has become a bottleneck problem in the construction of e-government system. The perfection of the safety management system is particularly significant to guarantee the e-government operational safety under the circumstances of a comparatively backward information technology foundation in China. The safety running and management systems can be classified into two main aspects: safety administration management and technical safety management. The former includes establishing the safety management organization system, improving the responsibility system of safety management, strengthening the management of network information, stressing the management and development of human resources and so on. And the safety management of the host computer sites, data management for computer system, the establishment of a standardized data and information management system, emergency recovery measures, the establishment of the security auditing system, safety assessment and so on make up of the latter.

Pain has both sensory-discriminative and emotional-affective dimensions. Previous studies demonstrate that electroacupuncture (EA) alleviates the sensory dimension but do not address the affective. An inflammatory pain rat model, produced by a complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) injection into the hind paw, was combined with a conditioned place avoidance (CPA) test to determine whether EA inhibits spontaneous pain-induced affective response and, if so, to study the possibility that rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) opioids underlie this effect. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250–275g, Harlan) were used. The rats showed place aversion (i.e. affective pain) by spending less time in a pain-paired compartment after conditioning than during a preconditioning test. Systemic non-analgesic morphine (0.5 and 1.0 mg/ kg, i.p.) inhibited the affective reaction, suggesting that the affective dimension is underpinned by mechanisms different from those of the sensory dimension of pain. Morphine at 0.5 and at 1 mg/kg did not induce reward. Rats given EA treatment before pain-paired conditioning at GB 30 showed no aversion to the pain-paired compartment, indicating that EA inhibited the affective dimension. EA treatment did not produce reward or aversive effect. Intra-rACC administration of D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr amide (CTOP), a selective mu opioid receptor antagonist, but not norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI), a selective kappa opioid receptor antagonist, blocked EA inhibition of the affective dimension. These data demonstrate that EA activates opioid receptors in the rACC to inhibit pain-induced affective responses and that EA may be an effective therapy for both the sensory-discriminative and the affective dimensions of pain.

Kaolin masterbatch was prepared first, and then three kinds of kaolin modified polyester fibers (100 dtex) which respectively contained kaolin masterbatch 2%(PK2), 4%(PK4), 6%(PK6) were successfully spun. Properties of kaolin modified fibers were discussed. The results showed that kaolin particles were evenly dispersed in polyesters. Breaking strength and Young’s modulus of the kaolin modified fibers were decreased with the increase of the kaolin content; moisture absorption was increased with the increase of the kaolin content; boiling water shrinkage was decreased with the increase of the kaolin content; and kaolin modified polyester fibers have good performance of ultraviolet resistance.

Although studies demonstrate that electroacupuncture (EA) alleviates the sensory dimension of pain, they have not addressed EA’s effect on the affective dimension. An inflammatory pain rat model, produced by a complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) injection into the hind paw, was combined with a conditioned place avoidance (CPA) test to determine EA’s effects and its underpinning mechanism on the affective dimension of pain. CFA-injected rats showed place aversion, i.e. the affective dimension of pain, by spending less time in a pain-paired compartment after conditioning than before, while saline-injected rats did not. CFA rats given EA treatment at GB30 before a postconditioning test showed no aversion to the pain-paired compartment, indicating that EA inhibited the affective response. Intra-rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) administration of a κ-, but not μ-opioid receptor antagonist, blocked EA action. These data demonstrate that EA activates opioid receptors in the rACC to inhibit the affective dimension of pain.

It has been reported that intracerebroventricular injection of a μ receptor antagonist blocked 2 but not 100Hz electroacupuncture (EA)-produced analgesia in an uninjured animal model. Because persistent pain changes neural response to external stimulation, we hypothesized that the mechanisms of EA anti-hyperalgesia may be different in persistent pain than in health. Hyperalgesia, decreased paw withdrawal latency (PWL) to a noxious thermal stimulus, was induced by subcutaneously injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the hind paws of rats. Selective antagonists against μ (CTOP: D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-ThrNH2, 6.25 nmol) and κ (Nor-BIN: nor-binaltorphimine, 10 nmol) opioid receptors were infused into the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) 10 min before a 30-min EA treatment at acupoint Huantiao (GB30) 1h 30 min post-CFA. PWL was measured before and 2.5 post-CFA. Both 10 Hz and 100 Hz EA-produced anti-hyperalgesia were blocked by intra-RVM μ, but not κ, receptor antagonists. Double immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that μ receptor-containing neurons were GABAnergic and that GABAa receptor-containing neurons were serotonergic in the RVM. The results demonstrated an involvement of RVM μ, but not κ, receptors in EA-produced anti-hyperalgesia. In summary, EA may induce release of endogenous endomorphins that activate μ opioid receptors in GABAnergic neurons to suppress the release of GABA. This removes the tonic inhibition of GABA on serotonergic neurons in the RVM, and activation of these serotonergic neurons inhibits pain. EA may be used as complementary treatment for inflammatory pain.

We previously showed that electroacupuncture (EA) activates medulla-spinal serotonin-containing neurons. The present study investigated the effects of intrathecal 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine creatinine sulfate (5,7-DHT), a selective neurotoxin for serotonergic terminals, the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor (5-HT1AR) antagonist NAN-190 hydrobromide and the 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2CR) antagonist SB-242,084 on EA anti-hyperalgesia. EA was given twice at acupoint GB30 after complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) injection into hind paw. CFA-induced hyperalgesia was measured by assessing hind paw withdrawal latency (PWL) to a noxious thermal stimulus 30 min post-EA. Serotonin depletion and the 5-HT1AR antagonist blocked EA anti-hyperalgesia; the 5-HT2CR antagonist did not. Immunohistochemical staining showed that spinal 5-HT1AR was expressed and that 5-HT2CR was absent in naive and CFA-injected animals 2.5 hr post-CFA. These results show a correlation between EA anti-hyperalgesia and receptor expression. Collectively, the data show that EA activates supraspinal serotonin neurons to release 5-HT, which acts on spinal 5-HT1AR to inhibit hyperalgesia.

The herbal formula Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan (HLXL) and its modifications have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for about one hundred years to alleviate pain and inflammation.To investigate the effects of HLXL on complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced multiple-joint arthritis in rats.Male Lewis rats, 190-210 g, were immunized subcutaneously at the base of the tail with 200 microl of heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mineral oil (5 mg/ml). HLXL (2.30 and 4.60 g/kg) or vehicle control (n=8 per group) was administered orally (i.g.) once a day between days 16 and 25 post-CFA injection. The rats were observed for signs of arthritis with arthritic changes (erythema, edema, induration) being scored on a scale of 0-4 of increasing severity using a standard scoring system. The maximum arthritis score per rat was 16. A plethysmometer was used to measure edema volume in each paw. Adverse effects of HLXL were monitored by closely observing the animals for unusual behavioral changes. Levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) in local tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on day 25 post-CFA.HLXL significantly decreased arthritis scores between days 23-25 in the 2.30 g/kg group and 21-25 in the 4.60 g/kg group (p0.05). It reduced paw edema on days 22 and 24 in the 2.30 g/kg group and on days 20, 22 and 24 in the 4.60 g/kg group compared to control (p0.05). Local tissue TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels on day 25 post-CFA injection were significantly (p0.05) lower in rats treated with HLXL than in control rats. No observable adverse effects were found.The data suggest that HLXL produces significant anti-arthritic effects that may be mediated by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and it appears to be safe.

Cancer pain impairs the quality of life of cancer patients, but opioid intervention can cause significant side effects that further decrease quality of life. Although electroacupuncture (EA) has been used to treat cancer pain, its mechanisms are largely unknown. To examine its effects and underlying mechanisms on cancer pain, we injected AT-3.1 prostate cancer cells into the tibia to induce bone cancer in the male Copenhagen rat. The resulting pain was treated with 10Hz/2mA/0.4ms pulse EA for 30min daily at the point equivalent to the human acupoint GB30 (Huantiao) between days 14 and 18 after the injection. For sham control, EA needles were inserted into GB30 without stimulation. Thermal hyperalgesia, a decrease in paw withdrawal latency (PWL) to a noxious thermal stimulus, and mechanical hyperalgesia, a decrease in paw withdrawal pressure threshold (PWPT), was measured at baseline and 20min after the EA treatment. Preprodynorphin mRNA and dynorphin were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia developed ipsilaterally between days 12 and 18 after cancer cell inoculation. EA significantly (P

Although it has been shown that pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) facilitate perception of noxious inputs at the spinal level, the mechanisms have not been understood. This study determined the cell type that produces IL-1beta, the co-localization of IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI) and Fos and NR1 in the spinal cord, and the effects of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) on NR1 phosphorylation and hyperalgesia in a rat model of inflammatory pain. Phosphorylation of NR1, an essential subunit of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR), is known to modulate NMDAR activity and facilitate pain. Hyperalgesia was induced by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA, 0.08ml, 40microg Mycobacterium tuberculosis) into one hind paw of each rat. Paw withdrawal latency (PWL) was tested before CFA (-48h) for baseline and 2 and 24h after CFA to assess hyperalgesia. IL-1ra was given (i.t.) 24h before CFA to block the action of basal IL-1beta and 2h prior to each of two PWL tests to block CFA-induced IL-1beta. Spinal cords were removed for double immunostaining of IL-1beta/neuronal marker and IL-1beta/glial cell markers, IL-1RI/Fos and IL-1RI/NR1, and for Western blot to measure NR1 phosphorylation. The data showed that: (1) astrocytes produce IL-1beta, (2) IL-1RI is localized in Fos- and NR1-immunoreactive neurons within the spinal dorsal horn, and (3) IL-1ra at 0.01mg/rat significantly increased PWL (P

BACKGROUND Although pain affects the quality of life of cancer patients, current medical treatments are either ineffective or have side effects. In the present study we investigated the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on cancer-induced hyperalgesia and expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), upregulation of which is related to the maintenance of persistent pain, in a rat model of bone cancer pain. METHODS Cancer was induced by injecting AT-3.1 prostate cancer cells into the tibia of male Copenhagen rats. The resulting pain was treated with 10 Hz/2 mA/0.4 ms pulse EA for 30 min daily at the equivalent of the human acupoint GB30 (Huantiao) between Days 14 and 18 after cancer cell inoculation. For sham control, EA needles were inserted into GB30 without stimulation. Thermal hyperalgesia, a decrease in paw withdrawal latency to a noxious thermal stimulus, was measured at baseline and 20 min after EA treatment. IL-1beta and its mRNA were respectively determined by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. RESULTS Thermal hyperalgesia developed between Days 12 and 18 after cancer cell inoculation. EA significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated this hyperalgesia, increasing paw withdrawal latency from 7.0 +/- 0.3 s to 9.2 +/- 0.4 s, and inhibited the upregulation of IL-1beta and its mRNA compared to the sham control. Intrathecal injection of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra, 0.1 mg/rat) also significantly inhibited cancer-induced thermal hyperalgesia. CONCLUSION The data suggest that EA alleviates bone cancer pain, at least in part by suppressing IL-1beta expression. The results support the clinical use of EA in the treatment of cancer pain.

Increasing evidences show that hippocampal synaptic plasticity plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of depression. The objective of this study was to determine whether electroacupuncture (EA) in the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat model of depression would exert antidepressant effects and whether this effect would be associated with changes in hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Male WKY rats were randomly divided into three groups (EA, sham EA, and blank control); Wister rats were used as normal control group. Treatment with EA was performed at Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (EX-HN3) once daily for 3 weeks. Forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT), and Morris water maze (MWM) were evaluated after 21-day intervention. Long-term potentiation (LTP) was evoked at Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses in hippocampal slices in vitro. EA treatment significantly reduced immobility time in FST. MWM test showed a significant downward trend in escape latency time from the second to fifth days of experiment, and a higher frequency of crossing the missing quadrant platform in normal control and EA vs other groups. Impaired LTP was detected in Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses in blank control and sham EA groups. In the western blot, the expression of GluN2B showed significant increase in EA vs sham EA and blank control groups. EA was able to improve depression-like behaviors and reverse the impairment of LTP, which were likely mediated by GluN2B in the hippocampus.

Our previous study showed that electroacupuncture (EA) significantly attenuated hyperalgesia in an animal model of persistent inflammatory pain. The present study was designed to show if Gi/o protein is involved in EA-produced anti-hyperalgesia. Spinal Gi/o-protein function was destroyed by intrathecal pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX). Seven days after the placement of an intrathecal PE-10 tube, PTX was injected into the intrathecal space of the lumbar spinal cord of rats. Seven days after PTX, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was injected into the plantar surface of one hind paw of the rat to induce hyperalgesia in the injected paw. EA treatment was given at acupoint GB30 immediately post-CFA and then hyperalgesia was assessed by measuring the degree of decreased paw withdrawal latency (PWL) to a noxious thermal stimulus. The results showed that PTX pretreatment prevented EA-produced anti-hyperalgesia in the CFA inflammatory pain model but did not affect either baseline pain threshold or CFA-induced hyperalgesia. The data suggest that EA-produced anti-hyperalgesia is mediated by PTX-sensitive Gi/o proteins and the relevant signaling pathways.

Ruxiang, or Gummi olibanum, an herbal medicine derived from the gum resin of Boswellia carterii Birdw. (BC) of the family Burseraceae, has been used traditionally in China to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. The present study is an investigation of the effects of a BC extract on persistent hyperalgesia and edema in rats with peripheral inflammation.In this randomized, blinded study, the antihyperalgesic and antiedema effects of 3 dosages of BC were compared to a vehicle control. Inflammation was induced in rats by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into one hind paw. A single oral dose of the BC extract was administered daily for 7 days, beginning one day before CFA. Hyperalgesia was assessed using a paw withdrawal latency (PWL) test pre-CFA and 2 hours, 5 hours, 1 day, and 5 days post-CFA. Edema was determined by measuring paw thickness at the same time points. Spinal Fos protein expression was analyzed 2 hours post-CFA. Adverse effects of the extract were monitored by observing the animals closely for unusual behavioral changes.Compared to control, a dosage of 0.45 g/kg BC significantly lengthened PWL and reduced paw edema on day 5 post-CFA. At 0.90 g/kg, BC significantly lengthened PWL at 5 hours, 1 day, and 5 days, and reduced paw edema at 2 hours, 5 hours, 1 day, and 5 days. This dosage also significantly suppressed spinal Fos expression in the medial half of laminae I-II. At 1.80 g/kg, BC significantly lengthened PWL and reduced paw edema at all time points. No noticeable adverse effects were observed in animals given the lower dosages of BC, but adverse effects in some animals were observed at 1.80 g/kg per day. In the acute toxicity study, the maximal single dose of 2.50 g/kg produced no adverse effects in the treated rats during the 14 days of observation.The data suggest that BC produces significant antihyperalgesia and anti-inflammation effects and that the antihyperalgesia may be mediated by suppressed inflammation-induced Fos expression in the spinal dorsal horn neurons.

Spinal nociceptive neural circuits undergo considerable changes during the postnatal period. This study showed that neonatal rats exhibited earlier upregulation and faster recovery of spinal preprodynorphin (PPD) mRNA than did the adults during complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced peripheral inflammation. These data suggest that the central nervous systems of neonates and adults respond differently to peripheral noxious inputs, a fact that should be considered when selecting pain treatment strategies for neonate populations.

Acupuncture has traditionally been used in China and is being increasingly applied in Western countries to treat a variety of conditions, including inflammatory disease. However, clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of the anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture have yielded inconsistent results, and the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture-produced anti-inflammation are unclear.To evaluate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) on inflammation in a rat model.Four experiments were conducted on male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8-9 per group). Inflammation was induced by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) subcutaneously into the plantar surface of one hind paw of the rat. Experiment 1: To determine the effect of EA (10 and 100 Hz) versus sham treatment on inflammation. Experiment 2: To investigate the involvement of the adrenal glands on the effect of EA treatment using adrenalectomized (ADX) rats. Experiment 3: To determine the effects of EA on plasma levels of corticosterone. Experiment 4: To determine the effects of EA treatment versus immobilization on such stress indicators as heart rate and blood pressure.At 10 Hz EA significantly reduced CFA-induced hind paw edema. The effect was partially blocked in the ADX rats. EA significantly increased plasma levels of corticosterone but produced no noticeable signs of stress.At 10 Hz but not 100 Hz, EA suppresses inflammation by activating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and the nervous system.