Universal Sublimation Strategy to Stabilize Single-Metal Sites on Flexible Single-Wall Carbon-Nanotube Films with Strain-Enhanced Activities for Zinc-Air Batteries and Water Splitting

Single-metal-site catalysts have recently aroused extensive research in electrochemical energy fields such as zinc-air batteries and water splitting, but their preparation is still a huge challenge, especially in flexible catalyst films. Herein, we propose a sublimation strategy in which metal phthalocyanine molecules with defined isolated metal-N4 sites are gasified by sublimation and then deposited on flexible single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films by means of π-π coupling interactions. Specifically, iron phthalocyanine anchored on the SWCNT film prepared was directly used to boost the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction of the zinc-air battery, showing a high peak power density of 247 mW cm-2. Nickel phthalocyanine and cobalt phthalocyanine were, respectively, stabilized on SWCNT films as the anodic and cathodic electrocatalysts for water splitting, showing a low potential of 1.655 V at 10 mA cm-2. In situ Raman spectra and theoretical studies demonstrate that highly efficient activities originate from strain-induced metal phthalocyanine on SWCNTs. This work provides a universal preparation method for single-metal-site catalysts and innovative insights for electrocatalytic mechanisms.

A comparative study on the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging features between seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES

Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (SNRA) is less common and less known compared with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (SPRA). The aim of this study was to characterise the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of SNRA and investigate the associated factors of structural damage.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected newly diagnosed RA patients who had MRI data of the hands at baseline. The clinical and MRI features and treatment responses during the 12-month follow-up were compared between SNRA and SPRA. The associated factors of the erosion rate were analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 310 RA patients were included in this study. Compared with SPRA, SNRA had a higher level of inflammation (p-values were all <0.001), a higher incidence of low bone mineral density (p=0.009), but a lower erosion score (p<0.001) and a lower probability of interstitial lung disease (ILD) (p=0.019). The main eroded bones were different between SNRA (the scaphoid and the lunate) and SPRA (the capitate and the hamate). In the multivariate analysis, synovitis score, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, and hyperglobulinaemia were positively associated with the erosion rate of SNRA (p-values were all <0.05). During the 12-month follow-up, the treatment response between the two groups was comparable (p-values were all >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

SNRA had more severe inflammation but milder erosion compared with SPRA. SNRA with severe inflammation or hyperglobulinaemia needs the same powerful therapy of SPRA to prevent erosion progression.

Framework Nucleic Acid-Based Multifunctional Tumor Theranostic Nanosystem for miRNA Fluorescence Imaging and Chemo/Gene Therapy

Intelligent stimulus-responsive theranostic systems capable of specifically sensing low-abundance tumor-related biomarkers and efficiently killing tumors remain a pressing endeavor. Here, we report a multifunctional framework nucleic acid (FNA) nanosystem for simultaneous imaging of microRNA-21 (miR-21) and combined chemo/gene therapy. To achieve this, two FNA nanoarchitectures labeled with Cy5/BHQ2 signal tags were designed, each of which contained an AS1411 aptamer, two pairs of DNA/RNA hybrids, a pH-sensitive DNA catcher, and doxorubicin (DOX) intercalating between cytosine and guanine in the tetrahedral DNA nanostructure (TDN). In the acidic tumor microenvironment, the DNA catchers spontaneously triggered to form an i-motif and create an FNA dimer (dFNA) while releasing DOX molecules to exert a cytotoxic effect. In addition, the overexpressed miR-21 in tumor cells dismantled the DNA/RNA hybrids to produce vascular endothelial growth factor-associated siRNA via a toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction, thus enabling a potent RNA interfering. Also importantly, the liberated miR-21 could initiate cascade-reaction amplification to efficiently activate the Cy5 signal reporters, thereby realizing on-site fluorescence imaging of miR-21 in living cells. The exquisitely designed FNA-based nanosystem showed favorable biocompatibility and stability as well as acid-driven DOX release characteristics. Owing to the aptamer-guided targeting delivery, specific uptake of the FNA-based theranostic nanosystem by HepG2 cells was verified with confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry analyses, which therefore resulted in apoptosis of HepG2 cells while doing minimal damage to normal H9c2 and HL-7702 cells. Strikingly, both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated the achievements of the FNA-enabled miR-21 imaging and synergistically enhanced chemo/gene therapy. This work thus represents a noteworthy advance on the FNA-based theranostic strategy that can effectively avoid the undesirable premature leakage of anticarcinogen and off-target of siRNA, and achieve on-demand reagents release for tumor diagnostics and treatment.

An inorganic-organic-polymeric nanovehicle for targeting delivery of doxorubicin: Rational assembly, pH-stimulus release, and dual hyperthermia/chemotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Efficiently synergistic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by chemotherapeutic drug and photothermal agent remains a considerable challenge. Here, we report a nanodrug that integrates specific hepatoma-targeted delivery, pH-triggered drug release, and cooperative photothermal-chemotherapy function. By grafting the easily self-assembled CuS@polydopamine (CuS@PDA) nanocapsulation with polyacrylic acid (PAA), an inorganic-organic-polymeric hybrid nanovehicle was developed as a dual photothermal agent and carrier for loading antitumor drug-doxorubicin (DOX) through electrostatic adsorption and chemical linking antibody against GPC3 commonly overexpressed in HCC, resulting in the nanodrug, CuS@PDA/PAA/DOX/GPC3. The multifunctional nanovehicle had excellent biocompatibility, stability, and high photothermal conversion efficiency, due to the rationally designed binary CuS@PDA photothermal agent. The 72-h accumulative drug release in pH 5.5 tumor microenvironment can reach up to 84%, far higher than 15% measured in pH 7.4 condition. Notably, in contrast to the merely 20% survival rate of H9c2 and HL-7702 cells exposed to free DOX, their viabilities in the nanodrug circumstance can maintain 54% and 66%, respectively, suggesting the abated toxicity to the normal cell lines. When exposed to the hepatoma-targeting nanodrug, the viability of HepG2 cells was found to be 36%, which further drastically declined to 10% plus 808-nm NIR irradiation. Moreover, the nanodrug is potent to cause tumor ablation in HCC-modeled mice, and the therapeutic efficacy can be greatly enhanced under NIR stimulus. Histology analyses reveal that the nanodrug can effectively alleviate the chemical damage to heart and liver, as compared to free DOX. This work thus offers a facile strategy for design of targeting anti-HCC nanodrug toward combined photothermal-chemotherapy.

Rational assembly of RGD/MoS2/Doxorubicin nanodrug for targeted drug delivery, GSH-stimulus release and chemo-photothermal synergistic antitumor activity

Herein, we present the facile design and construction of a nanodrug system integrating targeted drug delivery and synergistic chemo-photothermal antitumor activity. MoS₂ nanosheets were synthesized and modified by α_νβ₃ integrin binding peptide (Arg-Gly-Asp, RGD) using lipoic acid functionalized polyethylene glycol (LA-PEG-COOH), forming a well dispersed and targeted delivery nanocarrier. Further, covalent coupling of antitumor drug, thiolated doxorubicin (DOX) via disulfide linkage resulted in a novel nanodrug, RGD/MoS₂/DOX. The prepared nanocarrier showed favorable stability, biocompatibility and photothermal conversion efficiency. Fluorescence imaging revealed that Hela cells could endocytose far more nanodrug than H9c2 normal myocardial cells due to the targeted delivery characteristic. Particularly, GSH-induced disulfide bond cleavage facilitated the effective release of DOX from the nanodrug in the tumor microenvironment. The survival rate of Hela cells incubated with the nanodrug for 48 h was 22.2 ± 1.2%, which dramatically reduced to 8.9 ± 1.4% in combination with 808 nm NIR irradiation, demonstrating powerful photothermal induced tumor-killing efficacy. In contrast, the survival rates of H9c2 cells treated by the nanodrug and free DOX were 68.5 ± 2.6% and 6.7 ± 2.6%, respectively, an indication of the notably alleviated cardiotoxicity of the designed nanodrug. The cell apoptosis experiment further verified the synergistic chemo-photothermal effect, thus paving a way toward design of high-efficiency and low-toxicity antitumor nanodrug.

The IL-33/ST2 Axis Promotes Primary Sjögren's Syndrome by Enhancing Salivary Epithelial Cell Activation and Type 1 Immune Response

The molecular mechanisms of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) are poorly understood. In this study, we explored the role of the IL-33/ST2 axis in the development of pSS. In the mouse model of experimental Sjögren's syndrome, we found that the saliva flow rate at weeks 4 and 30 was preserved in IL-33^-/- and ST2^-/- mice, compared with that of wild-type mice. At week 30 of experimental Sjögren's syndrome induction, the histological score, anti-nuclear Ab levels, and numbers of Th1 and B cells in draining lymph nodes of the salivary gland were lower in the IL-33^-/- and ST2^-/- mice, whereas Th17 cells and regulatory T cells were not changed. Primary salivary gland epithelial cells expressed the IL-33 receptor ST2. After stimulation with rIL-33, salivary gland epithelial cells increased the transcriptional levels of CD86 and CCL2, accompanied by the activation of the NF-κB inflammatory pathway. There was a synergistic effect between rIL-33 and rIL-12 in augmenting the production of IFN-γ in CD4⁺ T cells. In the pSS patients, the expression of IL-33 was elevated in the labial salivary gland, with the number of IL-33⁺ cells positively correlated with the score of the EULAR (European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology) Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI). ST2 was highly expressed in the cytoplasm of ductal epithelial cells, with low levels of expression in lymphatic infiltration sites. Our data suggest that the IL-33/ST2 axis may promote the development of pSS by enhancing salivary epithelial cell activation and the type 1 immune response.

Comparative efficacy of different types of acupuncture as adjuvant therapy on carotid atherosclerosis: a protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) is a disease of the aorta caused by lipid metabolism disorders and local inflammation. Acupuncture combined with traditional western medicine (such as aspirin or atorvastatin) for the treatment of CAS has been widely applied in clinical practice, but there is still a lack of supporting evidence for its efficacy and safety on CAS. Therefore, this systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) will summarise the effects of different types of acupuncture treatments on CAS, and a ranking of the therapeutic classes will also be presented, aiming to provide evidence-based medicine for its extensive clinical application.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Systematic and NMA searches will be conducted in seven electronic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database and Chongqing VIP databases. The search time is from their inception to December 2020, regardless of language and publication type. Randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials that include patients with CAS receiving acupuncture therapy compared with a control group will be considered eligible. The primary outcomes include the carotid intima-media thickness and vessel plaque quantification; the secondary outcomes include the carotid plaque Crouse score, greyscale median, lipid levels, the incidence of cardiovascular events, safety and adverse events. The selection of studies, data extraction, quality assessment and risk of bias assessment will be conducted by two independent reviewers. The NMA will be analysed with Stata V.15.0, RevMan V.5.3 software and WinBUGS V.1.4.3.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval will not be required for this study as it will be based on de-identified, aggregated published data. We will publish the findings in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020207260.

Structural Lesion Progression of the Sacroiliac Joint and Clinical Features in axSpA During TNFi Reduction: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: In the clinic, some patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) have to reduce tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) for various reasons. However, there are few studies about how to balance the relapse and TNFi reduction. Here we retrospectively analyzed the structural progression of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and clinical features in axSpA during TNFi reduction.

Methods: A total of 108 patients with axSpA who followed up for 2 years and completed at least baseline, 12-month, and 24-month MRI scans of SIJ were divided into the tapering group (n = 63) and withdrawal group (n = 45) according to whether TNFi was stopped. We divided 2 years into five intervals, calculating the average dose quotient (DQ) for each of 540 intervals from 108 patients. By using generalized estimation equations with inverse probability of treatment weighting, we investigated the unbiased effects of average DQ on structural progression and treatment response.

Results: The disease activity (such as Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS)-CRP, and ASDAS-ESR) and relapse rate were lower in the tapering group at 12 and 24 months (p < 0.05). Δerosion (β = −0.0100, p = 0.00026) and Δthe Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC; β = −0.0959, p < 0.0001) were negatively correlated with average DQ. The average DQ 30 (74.8%, 80.0%) or 41.6 (76.5%, 83%) was best to discriminate the status of treatment response or the status of bone marrow edema, but considering operability, the average DQ 25 (78.0%, 63.3%) was also acceptable especially for patients with HLA-B27 negative and non-severe fat metaplasia.

Conclusion: Complete TNFi withdrawal was not recommended. Our study provided a referable strategy (tapering then maintained the average DQ over 30 or even 25) for patients who need TNFi reduction. Higher dose usage of TNFi was associated with a slower erosion progression of SIJ.

Efficacy of Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome : A Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

Acupuncture has promising effects on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), but high-quality evidence is scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the long-term efficacy of acupuncture for CP/CPPS.

DESIGN

Multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03213938).

SETTING

Ten tertiary hospitals in China.

PARTICIPANTS

Men with moderate to severe CP/CPPS, regardless of prior exposure to acupuncture.

INTERVENTION

Twenty sessions of acupuncture or sham acupuncture over 8 weeks, with 24-week follow-up after treatment.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was the proportion of responders, defined as participants who achieved a clinically important reduction of at least 6 points from baseline on the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index at weeks 8 and 32. Ascertainment of sustained efficacy required the between-group difference to be statistically significant at both time points.

RESULTS

A total of 440 men (220 in each group) were recruited. At week 8, the proportions of responders were 60.6% (95% CI, 53.7% to 67.1%) in the acupuncture group and 36.8% (CI, 30.4% to 43.7%) in the sham acupuncture group (adjusted difference, 21.6 percentage points [CI, 12.8 to 30.4 percentage points]; adjusted odds ratio, 2.6 [CI, 1.8 to 4.0]; P < 0.001). At week 32, the proportions were 61.5% (CI, 54.5% to 68.1%) in the acupuncture group and 38.3% (CI, 31.7% to 45.4%) in the sham acupuncture group (adjusted difference, 21.1 percentage points [CI, 12.2 to 30.1 percentage points]; adjusted odds ratio, 2.6 [CI, 1.7 to 3.9]; P < 0.001). Twenty (9.1%) and 14 (6.4%) adverse events were reported in the acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups, respectively. No serious adverse events were reported.

LIMITATION

Sham acupuncture might have had certain physiologic effects.

CONCLUSION

Compared with sham therapy, 20 sessions of acupuncture over 8 weeks resulted in greater improvement in symptoms of moderate to severe CP/CPPS, with durable effects 24 weeks after treatment.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Treatment of pulmonary fibrosis in one convalescent patient with corona virus disease 2019 by oral traditional Chinese medicine decoction: A case report

After one-month of oral treatment with traditional Chinese medicine decoction, without using other drugs, the lung inflammatory exudate, pulmonary fibrosis and quality of life of a 61-year-old female patient with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were significantly improved. No recurrence or deterioration of the patient’s condition was found within seven weeks of treatment and follow-up, and no adverse events occurred, indicating that oral Chinese medicine decoction was able to improve the pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in a patient recovering from COVID-19, but further research is still needed.

Association between SLCO1B1 polymorphism distribution frequency and blood lipid level in Chinese adults

BACKGROUND

The variation of serum lipid levels can be part-related to certain genes. One such gene, SLCO1B1, encodes a transporter that may have a role in lipid metabolism. We hypothesised that differences in certain SLCO1B1 genotypes are related to levels of serum lipids.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We recruited 636 subjects who were genotyped for SLCO1B1 variants *1a, *1b, *5 and *15. Routine liver function tests, renal function tests and routine lipid indices were measured by standard techniques.

RESULTS

The most frequent genotypes were *1b/*1b (29.3%), *1b/*15 (27.5%), *1a/*1b (21.1%), *1a/*15 and *1b/*5 (10.2%) and *1a/*1a (8.5%). There were significant differences in levels of triglycerides and HDL in the four SLCO1B1 genotypes *1a/*1a, *1b/*1b, *1a/*1b and *1b/*15 (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The genotypes *1a/*1a and *1a/*1b indicate a high risk of cardiovascular disease, while the *1b/*1b group may have a relatively low risk. SLCO1B1 may be involved in the metabolism of triglycerides and HDL. We have provided a tool for identifying potentially high-risk groups that could be helpful for early diagnosis and prevention, individualized drug therapy and even gene therapy.

Randomized controlled trial for the efficacy of electroacupuncture in the treatment of urge urinary incontinence: A clinical study protocol

BACKGROUND

Despite that the urge urinary incontinence (UUI) is a nonfatal disease, it can lead to anxiety, embarrassment and depression to the patient. UUI is a common public health problem that can significantly affect the quality of life of the patient. Several conservative treatments have been recommended for the treatment of UUI; however, their efficiency remains unclear, leaving the disease without a real effective treatment. The clinical application of acupuncture to treat UUI is currently considered an effective approach despite the limited evidence that support its efficiency. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture therapy in the treatment of UUI.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A randomized, parallel, controlled study will be performed. Patients with UUI treated with electroacupuncture group (EA) will compare with the sham-treated sham EA (SA) patients. A total of 100 participants with UUI will be randomly allocated to either the EA or the SA group with a 1:1 ratio. The treatment of UUI patients will performed 3 times per week, for 8 weeks in 30-minute sessions. At the end of the treatment the patients will be followed-up until week 32. The primary outcomes include scores of incontinence questionnaire-short form, the average 24-hour urgency incontinence episodes, and the average 24-hour urge episodes responses from baseline until the 4th, 8th , 24th, and 32nd week. The secondary outcomes included the average 24-hour urine volume and the average 24-hour micturition frequency responses from baseline until the 8th and 32nd week, as well as the change in incontinence quality of life scores from baseline at the 8th and 32nd week. In addition, the degree of satisfaction of the participants undergoing acupuncture treatment will be measured at the 4th and 8th week. The participants' clinical acupuncture expectations were evaluated at baseline, and the questionnaire for urinary incontinence diagnosis was used to identify stress incontinence, mixed urinary incontinence, and urge incontinence at baseline.

DISCUSSION

This is a randomized, controlled, observer-blinded trial of electroacupuncture treatment for UUI. The results of this trial will provide more evidence on whether electroacupuncture is efficacious for treating UUI.

The duration of acupuncture effects and its associated factors in chronic severe functional constipation: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to improve complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs), but the duration of its effects remains unknown. The objective of this study was to explore the duration of acupuncture effects after treatment and its associated factors for chronic severe functional constipation (CSFC).

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of a multicenter, randomized, sham-acupuncture (SA) controlled trial that included 1075 participants with CSFC. The primary outcome, the duration of acupuncture effects after treatment, was the number of weeks during the 12-week follow-up period that participants were to meet the weekly CSBM responder criteria. A weekly CSBM responder was defined as a participant who had at least three CSBMs for a given week and an increase from baseline of at least one CSBM for that same week. We performed a retrospective multivariate analysis to explore potential factors associated with sustained acupuncture effects.

RESULTS

The duration of acupuncture effects in the EA group (5.5 weeks) was significantly higher than the duration of SA effects in the SA group (2.2 weeks) with a between-group difference of 3.2 weeks (95% CI, 2.77-3.78; p < 0.001). A younger age and higher baseline CSBMs per week [regression coefficient (RC) -0.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-0.06 to -0.04); RC 2.43, 95% CI 1.78-3.60; respectively] were associated with longer durations of acupuncture effects.

CONCLUSIONS

EA had sustained post-treatment effects for CFSC. A significant association among a younger age, higher baseline CSBMs and sustained acupuncture effects was observed. Further research is needed to confirm the association.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01726504). Registered on 26 August 2012.

Acupoint catgut embedding for the treatment of obesity in adults: A systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND

Obesity is the biggest chronic health problems among adults worldwide and the main predisposing factor in many types of systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and so on. In clinical reports on Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupoint catgut embedding has been shown to improve various clinical indicators for diseases including obesity and body mass index (BMI), but the safety of this and method has not been assessed.

METHODS

This systematic review searched the following 8 databases between from January 2015 to December 2018: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, the Wan-fang Database, the China Doctoral Dissertations Full-text Database and the China Master's Theses Full-text Database, and will manually searched the list of medical journals as a supplement. RCTs containing acupoint catgut embedding method for the treatment of obesity will be included. By reading the titles, abstracts and full texts, the 2 reviewers will independently complete the studies selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. The bias risk assessment, data synthesis, and subgroup analysis were performed using Revman 5.1 software.

RESULTS

The primary outcome measures include weight, improvement rate, secondary outcome measures include BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, fat percentage, and so on. The safety assessment includes the incidence of adverse events. The results will be displayed as the risk ratio of the dichotomous data, the standardized mean difference or weighted mean difference for the continuous data.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review will retrieve clinical randomized controlled trials (RCT) on acupoint catgut embedding for obesity in 8 databases, aiming to describe and update existing evidence on the efficacy and safety of acupoint catgut embedding for obesity in adults.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42018098793.

Acupuncture for adults with overactive bladder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Overactive bladder is stated as the occurrence of urinary urgency which will cause negative impacts and decrease patients' health-related quality of life. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the efficiency and safety of acupuncture for adults with overactive bladder (OAB) comparing with sham-acupuncture, drugs, and acupuncture plus drugs.

METHODS

We independently searched 9 databases from beginning to August 15, 2017. Two writers extracted data at the same time independently. Study outcomes were calculated by standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and mean difference (MD) with 95% CIs.

RESULTS

Ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 794 patients were included in this systematic review. The combined results showed that electroacupuncture (EA) may be more effective than sham electroacupuncture (sham EA) in improving the 24-hour nocturia episodes and EA may enhance tolterodine for relieving voiding symptoms and enhancing patients' quality of life. However, more trials with high quality and larger sample sizes will be needed in the future to provide sufficient evidence. Only 15 of 794 OAB patients from the included studies reported mild adverse reactions related to EA, therefore, acupuncture is safe for treating OAB.

CONCLUSION

Acupuncture might have effect in decreasing the number of micturition episodes, incontinence episodes, and nocturia episodes. However, the evidence is insufficient to show the effect using acupuncture alone or the additional effect to drugs in treating OAB.

Effects of electroacupuncture at BL33 on detrusor smooth muscle activity in a rat model of urinary retention

Background

Detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) underactivity may lead to urinary retention (UR). Electroacupuncture (EA) at BL33 may be effective in improving DSM contractions.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate: (1) the effect of EA at BL33; and (2) the effect of different manipulation methods at BL33 on the modulation of DSM contractions in UR rats.

Methods

30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were anaesthetised with urethane and modelled by urethral outlet obstruction. First, 2 Hz EA at BL33, SP6 and LI4 wasrandomly applied to the UR rats for 5 min to observe the immediate effects (n=10); second, manual acupuncture (MA) (n=10) and 100 Hz EA (n=10) were applied with the same programme. DSM electromyography (EMG) and cystometrogram data were evaluated.

Results

(1) 2 Hz EA at BL33 and SP6 significantly increased DSM discharging frequency (0.80±0.10 Hz, P<0.001, and 0.22±0.14 Hz, P=0.038), shortened micturation intervals (65.67±20.65 s, P=0.008, and 35.62±15.84 s, P=0.042), prolonged the duration of voiding (2.13±0.61 s, P=0.005, and 0.47±0.16 s, P=0.015), and reduced residual pressure (−0.91±0.31 mmHg, P=0.019, and −0.66±0.27 mmHg, P=0.046). EA at LI4 was not associated with any functional effects (P>0.05). Compared with SP6, EA at BL33 had greater positive effects on DSM discharging frequency, duration of discharging, and duration of voiding (all P<0.05). (2) No statistically significant differences were shown between MA, 2 Hz EA and 100 Hz EA interventions when stimulating at BL33, SP6 or LI4.

Conclusions

EA at BL33 improved DSM contractions to a greater degree than EA at SP6 or LI4. There were no differences in effect when stimulating using 2 Hz EA, 100 Hz EA and MA.

Twist1 promotes breast cancer invasion and metastasis by silencing Foxa1 expression

The heterogeneous breast cancers can be classified into different subtypes according to their histopathological characteristics and molecular signatures. Foxa1 expression is linked with luminal breast cancer (LBC) with good prognosis, whereas Twist1 expression is associated with basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) with poor prognosis owing to its role in promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasiveness and metastasis. However, the regulatory and functional relationships between Twist1 and Foxa1 in breast cancer progression are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that in the estrogen receptor (ERα)-positive LBC cells Twist1 silences Foxa1 expression, which has an essential role in relieving Foxa1-arrested migration, invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, Twist1 binds to Foxa1 proximal promoter and recruits the NuRD transcriptional repressor complex to de-acetylate H3K9 and repress RNA polymerase II recruitment. Twist1 also silences Foxa1 promoter by inhibiting AP-1 recruitment. Twist1 expression in MCF7 cells silenced Foxa1 expression, which was concurrent with the induction of EMT, migration, invasion and metastasis of these cells. Importantly, restored Foxa1 expression in these cells largely inhibited Twist1-promoted migration, invasion and metastasis. Restored Foxa1 expression did not change the Twist1-induced mesenchymal cellular morphology and the expression of Twist1-regulated E-cadherin, β-catenin, vimentin and Slug, but it partially rescued Twist1-silenced ERα and cytokeratin 8 expression and reduced Twist1-induced integrin α5, integrin β1 and MMP9 expression. In a xenografted mouse model, restored Foxa1 also increased Twist1-repressed LBC markers and decreased Twist1-induced BLBC markers. Furthermore, Twist1 expression is negatively correlated with Foxa1 in the human breast tumors. The tumors with high Twist1 and low Foxa1 expressions are associated with poor distant metastasis-free survival. These results demonstrate that Twist1's silencing effect on Foxa1 expression is largely responsible for Twist1-induced migration, invasion and metastasis, but less responsible for Twist1-induced mesenchymal morphogenesis and expression of certain EMT markers.

Abstract P2-05-23: TWIST1 silences FOXA1 transcription to promote breast cancer progression

TWIST1 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism is still not well understood. We generated mammary gland tumor specific Twist1 knock out mouse model and found that TWIST1 does not affect PyMT-induced mammary tumor initiation and growth but promotes tumor lung metastasis. We identified FOXA1 as a novel direct target of TWIST1 in both mouse and human breast cancer. We further found that TWIST1 inhibits FOXA1 expression through direct binding to its proximal promoter region and recruiting Mi2/nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (Mi2/NuRD) transcriptional repressor complex. Moreover, TWIST1 also diminished transcriptional activator AP1 binding to FOXA1 promoter. TWIST1 mediated FOXA1 down-regulation is essential for promoting breast cancer migration, invasion and metastasis. FOXA1 significantly inhibits TWIST1 dependent cell migration and invasion capability of MCF7 cells through inhibiting integrin α5, β1 and MMP9 expression. Importantly, TWIST1high FOXA1low correlates with the poorest prognosis in breast cancer patients.

Citation Format: Xu Y, Feng Z, Xu Y, Mo Q, Qin L, Sun T, Wu H, Li Y, Liao L, Xu J. TWIST1 silences FOXA1 transcription to promote breast cancer progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-05-23.

Acupuncture at homotopic acupoints exerts dual effects on bladder motility in anesthetized rats

BACKGROUND

In Chinese medicine, dual effects on target organs are considered a primary characteristic of acupoint. Acupoints may be classified as heterotopic or homotopic in terms of spinal segmental innervation: homotopic acupoints contain afferent innervation in the same segment from which efferent fibers innervate target visceral organs, and heterotopic acupoints utilize different spinal segments to innervate target visceral organs than the segment receiving the afferent signal. It is well-known that dual effects of acupuncture on the bladder can be generated based on different states of the bladder, however, the dual effects of single acupoint stimulation and acupoint site-specificity (homotopic acupoints and heterotopic acupoints) on the bladder have yet to be investigated.

METHODS

Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and the intravesical pressure was measured via a manometric balloon inserted into the bladder. The acupuncture needle was separately inserted to a depth of 4 mm at the acupoints RN1 (Huiyin), RN3 (Zhongji), BL28 (Pangguangshu), BL32 (Ciliao), RN2 (Qugu) or BL23 (Shenshu), and manually rotated right then left with a frequency of 2 Hz for 1 min. Following acupuncture stimulation, bladder pressure was recorded and compared against the pre-stimulation measurements.

RESULTS

During the bladder's active state, manual acupuncture (MA) at RN1, RN3, BL28, BL32 or RN2 inhibited bladder motility (P < 0.01). In the static bladder, MA at RN1, RN3, BL28, BL32, RN2 or BL23 increased bladder motility (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

MA at homotopic acupoints may produce dual effects on bladder motility: inhibiting bladder motility when in an active state and enhancing bladder motility when in a static state.

Acupuncture for adults with overactive bladder: a systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a symptom syndrome defined by the International Continence Society (ICS) as 'the presence of urinary urgency (both daytime and nighttime), usually accompanied by increased frequency and nocturia with or without urge urinary incontinence in the absence of a urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology'. Clinical studies indicate that acupuncture could reduce micturition over 24 h, urgency episodes over 24 h, and improve quality of life among people with OAB. This systematic review protocol details the proposed methods for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for OAB.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The following databases will be searched for relevant studies: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Incontinence Group Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese Medical Current Content (CMCC), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database), Wan-Fang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and will hand search a list of medical journals as a supplement. Any randomised controlled trials in English or Chinese without restriction of publication status will be included with treatment of OAB. Outcomes will mainly include number of micturition episodes over 24 h, number of urgency episodes over 24 h and number of incontinence episodes over 24 h. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles, abstracts or even full texts, and extract data. Two other reviewers will assess study quality. Revman 5.1 software will be used to conduct meta-analysis and calculate the risk ratio for dichotomous data. Weighted mean difference or standard mean difference will be calculated for continuous data. The Cochrane collaboration's tool will be used to assess the risk of bias.

DISSEMINATION

This systematic review protocol will provide information on acupuncture therapy for OAB. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication or conference presentations.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42014010181.

Effect of blinding with a new pragmatic placebo needle: a randomized controlled crossover study

Placebo control is a useful method for determining the efficacy of a therapy. In acupuncture researches, the preferred method for placebo control is acupuncture using a placebo needle that has a blunt tip and achieves no skin penetration. We performed a crossover study to validate the blinding effect of a new type of placebo needle. Sixty volunteers were randomized to receive acupuncture using 2 types of needles with different sequences: sequence AB, involving first the pragmatic placebo needle and then the real needle, and sequence BA, in a reverse order. Placebo acupuncture was performed by administering the placebo needle through an adhesive pad without skin penetration on the acupoints LI4, RN12, BL25, and BL36. Real acupuncture was performed by needling through the pad and penetrating the skin to 15 mm using a real needle on the same acupoints. The acupuncture was administered every other day with 3 sessions for 1 type of needle. The primary outcome was the perception of needle penetration. Besides degree of acupuncture pain, type, and degree of needle sensation, needle acceptability and factors influencing the subject blinding effect were assessed. Needle penetration was felt by 100%, 90% (54/60), 88.3% (53/60), and 95% (57/60) of volunteers receiving placebo acupuncture and 98.3% (59/60), 96.7% (58/60), 95% (57/60), and 95% (57/60) of volunteers receiving real acupuncture on LI4, RN12, BL25, and BL36, respectively. Differences of the volunteers' perception of needle penetration between the placebo needle and real needle were not significant for the 4 acupoints (all P > 0.05). Volunteers experienced fewer distension sensations (P = 0.01), a lower degree of needle sensation (P = 0.007), and less pain (P = 0.006) during placebo acupuncture than during real acupuncture. The placebo needle was more easily accepted than the real needle (OR = 1.63, 95% CI, 1.01-2.64). The influences of age, sex, educational level, acupuncture experience, needle sensation, acupuncture pain, and needle acceptability on volunteers' perception of needle penetration were not significant. The pragmatic placebo needle is a valid control for acupuncture research. It produces a good subject blinding effect with a similar appearance to conventional acupuncture needles and no skin penetration when applied.

Effect of electroacupuncture versus pelvic floor muscle training plus solifenacin for moderate and severe mixed urinary incontinence in women: a study protocol

Background

In women with mixed urinary incontinence, pelvic floor muscle training and solifenacin is the recommended conservative treatment, while electroacupuncture is a safe, economical and effective option.

Methods/Design

In this prospective, multi-center, randomized controlled trial, five hundred women with mixed urinary incontinence, from 10 centers will be randomized to receive either electroacupuncture or pelvic floor muscle training plus solifenacin. Women in the acupuncture group will receive electroacupuncture for 3 sessions per week, over 12 weeks, while women in the control group will receive pelvic floor muscle training plus solifenacin (5 mg once daily) for 36 weeks. The primary outcome measure is the proportion of change in 72-hour incontinence episode frequency from baseline to week 12. The secondary outcome measures include eleven items, including proportion of participants with ≥50% decrease in average 72-h incontinence episode frequency, change from baseline in the amount of urine leakage and proportion of change from baseline in 72-h incontinence episode frequency in week 25–36, and so forth. Statistical analysis will include covariance analysis, nonparametric tests and t tests.

Discussion

The objective of this trial is to compare the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture versus pelvic floor muscle training plus solifenacin in women with moderate and severe mixed urinary incontinence.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02047032

Effect of electroacupuncture versus prucalopride for severe chronic constipation: protocol of a multi-centre, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial

Background

Acupuncture is safe and may be effective for severe chronic constipation. The World Gastroenterology Organisation recommends prucalopride for patients for whom previous laxative use failed to provide satisfactory relief.

Methods/design

In this prospective, multi-centre, randomised controlled trial, five hundred sixty patients with severe chronic constipation (two or less spontaneous complete bowel movements per week) from 14 centres will be randomised to receive either electroacupuncture or prucalopride. Participants in the electroacupuncture group will receive electroacupuncture for eight weeks, while participants in the control group will take prucalopride (2 mg once daily) for 32 weeks. The primary outcome measure is the proportion of patients having ≥3 spontaneous, complete bowel movements per week, averaged over week three to eight. The secondary outcome measures include eight items, including the proportion of patients having ≥3 spontaneous, complete bowel movements per week averaged over week 9–32, the proportion of patients with one or more increases in spontaneous, complete bowel movements per week from baseline, mean Bristol Stool Scale, etc. Statistical analysis will include the CMH test, nonparametric tests and t tests.

Discussion

We aimed to compare the effect of electroacupuncture versus prucalopride for severe chronic constipation. The limitation of this study is that participants and acupuncturists will not be blinded.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02047045.

[Abnormal expression of the platelet membrane receptor glycoprotein Ib-IX-V complex in transiently transfected HEK 293T cells]

The structure and function of the glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX-V complex has been extensively investigated over the decades due to its vital role in platelet activation. For the lack of nucleus in platelets, researchers usually need to study the GPIb-IX-V complex by transfecting wild type or mutant GPIb-IX-V plasmids into other mammalian cell lines, such as CHO or HEK 293T. Therefore, whether the characteristics of the GPIb-IX-V complex in these cell lines can truly represent that in platelets is pivotal to determine whether these cell lines are appropriate for GPIb-IX-V complex studies. In order to determine the most appropriate cell line to study the GPIb-IX-V complex, the surface expression level of the complex in different cell lines was detected and whether difference among cell lines will affect expression of the complex was explored in the present study. The different combinations of the GPIb-IX-V subunits were transfected into cell lines from different species or different tissues, such as CHO, HEK293T and HeLa, and the surface expression levels of the complex were detected by flow cytometry. The results indicated that in both transiently and stably transfected CHO cells, surface expression of GPV depended on the presence of the GPIb-IX complex, which is consistent with that in human platelets. In contrast, GPV could be efficiently expressed on surface in HEK 293T cells even in the absence of GPIb-IX, although the inter-subunit dependence within the GPIb-IX complex is still similar to that in CHO cells or human platelets. Further studies in HeLa, MES13 and HUVEC cell lines revealed that GPV could be efficiently expressed on the surface by itself in HeLa and MES13 cells, but not in HUVEC, suggesting different behaviors of the GPIb-IX-V complex in difference cell lines. It is concluded that this study provides some guidance and advice to future GPIb-IX-V complex studies, especially to the choice of suitable cell line. HEK 293T cell line, for example, is likely to provide misleading results since it could not represent the fact in human platelets, thus is not the optimal choice for the GPIb-IX-V complex, particularly the GPV subunit.

Isolated diffusion restriction precedes the development of enhancing tumor in a subset of patients with glioblastoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Most response criteria for patients with glioblastoma rely on increases in the contrast enhancing abnormality to determine tumor progression. Our aim was to determine retrospectively in patients with glioblastoma whether diffusion restriction can predict the development of new enhancing mass lesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed the brain MR imaging scans (including DWI and ADC maps) of 208 patients with glioblastoma. Patients with restricted diffusion in or adjacent to the tumor were identified, with further analysis only performed on those patients with low-ADC lesions without enhancement. These patients were followed to determine if new concordant enhancement developed at the site of the low-ADC lesion. A Wilcoxon signed rank test, competing risk analysis, and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare the mean drop in ADC values, assess enhancement-free survival, and determine overall survival, respectively.

RESULTS

In 67 of the 208 patients (32.2%), visibly detectable restricted diffusion was seen during treatment. The study cohort was formed by the 27 patients with low-ADC lesions and no corresponding enhancement. Twenty-three (85.2%) patients developed gadolinium-enhancing tumor at the site of restricted diffusion a median of 3.0 months later (95% CI, 2.6-4.1 months). The mean decrease in ADC was 22.9% from baseline (P < .001). The 3-month enhancement-free survival probability was 0.481 (95% CI, 0.288-0.675). The 12-month overall survival probability was 0.521 (95% CI, 0.345-0.788). Restricted diffusion predicted enhancement regardless of antiangiogenic therapy with bevacizumab.

CONCLUSIONS

In a subset of patients with glioblastoma, development of a new focus of restricted diffusion during treatment may precede the development of new enhancing tumor.

Comparison of cisplatin (CDDP) and radiation (RT) to cetuximab (C) and RT for locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC): A preliminary analysis

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Background: Both concurrent CDDP/RT and C/RT have been shown in randomized trials to yield superior disease control compared to RT alone in LAHNC, but no randomized trial has compared them. We evaluated our center's experience with these regimens. Methods: From 3/1/06 - 4/1/08, 175 patients were retrospectively identified who received definitive treatment for LAHNC with CDDP (planned total dose 100 mg/m2 Q3 weeks X 3) and RT (n = 125) or C (400 mg/m2 load; 250 mg/m2 weekly) and RT (n = 50). Patients who received prior RT, additional systemic therapy, and/or surgery to the primary site were excluded. C was given for the following reasons: auditory 30%, renal 4%, cardiac 2%, performance status 18%, patient choice 16%, neuropathy 4%, unknown 2%, and a combination of factors 24%. The median age: CDDP group 56, 6% >71; C group 66.5, 40% >71. Additional CDDP and C features: male sex, 86 v 78%; stage IV, 70 v 68%; and oropharynx, 78 v 70%. Median RT dose (70 Gy), RT length (46 days), and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) (90%) were the same; alcohol/tobacco use was similar. Results: At a median follow up of 18.7 months, with death without local failure (LF) as a competing risk, the 18 month LF incidence rate was 2.5% in the CDDP group and 43.3% in the C group (p < 0.0001), with the latest event occurring at 16.5 months. The 18 month disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 85.7 v 40.9%, and 96.8 v 73.1%, in favor of CDDP (p < 0.0001 for both). Initially, 21 variables were assessed for significance, and when Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis to address prognostic imbalances, treatment with CDDP still predicted for improved LF, DFS, and OS (p < 0.0001 for LF and DFS; p = 0.0017 for OS). For OS analysis, the concordance probability estimates were .67 for using drug choice alone and .80 for using drug choice, T stage, RT dose, and KPS. Conclusions: CDDP/RT and C/RT were used to treat somewhat different populations with LAHNC. The observed superiority of CDDP/RT compared to C/RT in LF, DFS, and OS may reflect patient selection issues. However, preliminary multivariate modeling suggests that CDDP/RT remains the preferred option for fit patients pending further analyses and prospective studies comparing these regimens.

[Table: see text]

Selective Growth of Vertical-aligned ZnO Nanorod Arrays on Si Substrate by Catalyst-free Thermal Evaporation

By thermal evaporation of pure ZnO powders, high-density vertical-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays with diameter ranged in 80–250 nm were successfully synthesized on Si substrates covered with ZnO seed layers. It was revealed that the morphology, orientation, crystal, and optical quality of the ZnO nanorod arrays highly depend on the crystal quality of ZnO seed layers, which was confirmed by the characterizations of field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence measurements. For ZnO seed layer with wurtzite structure, the ZnO nanorods grew exactly normal to the substrate with perfect wurtzite structure, strong near-band-edge emission, and neglectable deep-level emission. The nanorods synthesized on the polycrystalline ZnO seed layer presented random orientation, wide diameter, and weak deep-level emission. This article provides a C-free and Au-free method for large-scale synthesis of vertical-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays by controlling the crystal quality of the seed layer.

[Phenotyping and genotyping studies in a family with the compound heterozygosity for a deletional delta beta-thalassemia and a beta-thalassemia]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between genotype and phenotype of a deletional delta beta-thalassemia and explore an approach to rapid prenatal diagnosis for compound heterozygotes of this defect and a beta-thalassemia.

METHODS

A total of ten members in a Chinese family who had a 5-year-old propositus with thalassemia major and requested prenatal diagnosis for the second pregnancy were investigated. For genotyping analysis, the deletional delta beta-thalassemia was characterized by gap-PCR method and beta-thalassemia mutations were defined by reverse dot blot(RDB). For phenotyping analysis, hematological data including the RBC indices, quantification of HbF and HbA2 by Hb electrophoresis and the ratio of globin chain Ggamma/(Ggamma+Agamma) analyzed by capillary electrophoresis (CE) were obtained.

RESULTS

The propositus inherited her mother's delta beta-thalassemia gene mutation and her father's CD41-42(-CTTT) frameshift mutation. Of nine members in this family screened for this type of deletion, four were positive and the phenotype could be explained satisfactorily by genotype. The results of prenatal diagnosis showed that the fetus was normal and had no beta-globin gene defects in both chromosomes.

CONCLUSION

This is the first time to have performed prenatal diagnosis in Chinese family at-risk of compound heterozygotes for beta-thalassemia and delta beta-thalassemia in mailand China. The strategy to analyze the disease presented here may be a valuable reference to the similar problem.

Perinatal opioids reduce striatal nerve growth factor content in rat striatum

Both human and animal models indicate that perinatal methadone exposure produces a variety of short- and long-term neurobehavioral consequences, including disruption of normal development of striatal cholinergic neurons. Despite this, methadone maintenance is a standard method of managing pregnant heroin addicts, and the opioid receptor partial agonist buprenorphine is under evaluation for the same use. We now report that perinatal administration of either methadone or buprenorphine reduces the content of the neurotrophic factor nerve growth factor (NGF) in rat striatum, which may explain the behavioral deficits observed. Furthermore, although NGF content is reduced, there are no corresponding reductions in striatal NGF mRNA.

Extracellular aspartate concentration increases in nucleus accumbens after cocaine sensitization

Rats were sensitized to cocaine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) by 6 daily injections followed by a 48 h withdrawal prior to cocaine challenge. Involvement of excitatory amino acids in behavioral sensitization was assessed by comparing extracellular levels of aspartate and glutamate in the core of the nucleus accumbens in response to the first cocaine injection and the final cocaine challenge. Intracerebral microdialysis of the nucleus accumbens in freely moving awake rats allowed the comparison of behavioral state with extracellular aspartate and glutamate concentrations. Increased nucleus accumbens extracellular concentration of aspartate, but not glutamate, was observed in rats exhibiting behavioral sensitization to cocaine.

[Effects of the fruit of Rubus chingii Hu on hypothalamus-pituitary-sex gland axis in rats]

The aqueous extract of the fruit of Rubus chingii (RCH) can decrease the contents of LH, FSH and E2, and increase the content of LHRH secreted by thymus gland as well as the level of testosterone in blood.

Perinatal exposure to methadone affects central cholinergic activity in the weanling rat

Pregnant rats were implanted with osmotic minipumps containing either methadone hydrochloride (initial dose, 9 mg/kg/day) or sterile water. Their offspring were cross-fostered so that they were exposed to methadone prenatally and/or postnatally. Perinatal methadone exposure disrupted cholinergic activity on postnatal day 21 as measured by the turnover rate of acetylcholine (TRACh) in both female and male rats, although there were some sexually-dimorphic responses. The most profoundly affected brain region was the striatum, where prenatal exposure to methadone increased ACh turnover, whether or not the rats continued to be exposed to methadone postnatally. It appears unlikely that neonatal withdrawal contributes to brain regional changes in ACh turnover, as continued postnatal exposure to methadone did not prevent the prenatal methadone induced changes.

[Effect of Chinese herbal medicine of tonifying kidney on M-cholinergic receptor and acetylcholinesterase activity in dementia mimetic mice]

Dementia mimetic mouse model was formed with aluminum chloride solution in order to study the effect of Chinese herbal medicine of tonifying Kidney (TK) on the M-cholinergic receptor (Rt) and the acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity in the model's cerebral cortex. Results showed that the M-cholinergic receptor Rt lowered and the AchE increased in the model evidently as compared with the healthy young mice. The TK could markedly reduce the increased AchE and elevate the lowered M-cholinergic receptor Rt in cerebral cortex of the dementia mimetic mice, it also could improve the memory. These results suggest that TK is effective in preventing the degeneration of cerebral function and presenile dementia.

Cocaine increases extraneuronal levels of aspartate and glutamate in the nucleus accumbens

Intracerebral microdialysis was used to assess the effects of cocaine-HCl on extracellular concentrations of the excitatory amino acids aspartate and glutamate in the nucleus accumbens of awake, freely moving rats. After an initial equilibration period, cocaine (7.5, 15 or 30 mg/kg) or saline was injected i.p., and samples were collected for an additional 2 h. The highest dose of cocaine (30 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a 4-fold increase in glutamate levels and an 18-fold increase in aspartate levels over baseline. To verify that the source of the extracellular aspartate and glutamate was neuronal, additional experiments were conducted using Ca(2+)-free microdialysis buffer, and buffer containing 10 microM tetrodotoxin. Local perfusion with Ca(2+)-free buffer reduced the increase of extracellular aspartate and glutamate in rats injected with 30 mg/kg cocaine. Tetrodotoxin significantly decreased the cocaine-induced increase in excitatory amino acids, but not the behavioral response.