艾灸对结肠炎相关性结肠癌大鼠P2X7受体、Wnt/β-catenin信号通路影响的研究

目的观察艾灸对结肠炎相关性结肠癌(CAC)大鼠的干预作用,从嘌呤受体P2X7R与Wnt/b-catenin信号通路探讨可能的效应机制。方法将SD大鼠随机分为正常组、CAC组、隔药灸组、隔姜灸组。CAC组、隔药灸组、隔姜灸组均采用腹腔注射AOM联合DSS法制备CAC大鼠模型,隔药灸与隔姜灸组均取天枢(双)、气海穴进行治疗。记录各组大鼠体质量、疾病活动指数(DAI)和成瘤率;通过HE染色观察艾灸对CAC大鼠结肠损伤的干预效应;通过RT-q PCR和Western Blot技术,检测艾灸对CAC大鼠结肠组织C-myc、Wnt1、b-catenin、GSK-3bm RNA和P2X7R蛋白表达的调节作用。结果与正常组相比,CAC组大鼠体质量显著降低、DAI增高、成瘤率明显增加(P<0.05),结肠组织可见腺管共壁背靠背和筛样结构,高级别腺癌形成。CAC组大鼠结肠组织P2X7R蛋白表达显著下调(P<0.05),C-myc、b-catenin、GSK-3b、Wnt1 m RNA的表达均显著上调(P<0.05)。与CAC组相比,隔药灸组和隔姜灸组大鼠体质量增加,DAI降低(P<0.05),结肠组织P2X7R蛋白表达显著上调,C-myc m RNA下调(P<0.05);隔姜灸组成瘤率明显降低(P<0.05),且Wnt1、b-catenin、GSK-3bm RNA表达显著下调(P<0.05)。结论隔药灸、隔姜灸均能调节CAC大鼠结肠组织P2X7R及C-myc的异常表达,且隔姜灸还能下调CAC大鼠结肠组织Wnt1、b-catenin、GSK-3bm RNA的表达。

穴区机械敏感性Piezo通道在针刺缓解大鼠关节炎性痛启动机制中的作用

目的:研究Piezo通道是否在针刺穴位启动机制中发挥作用。方法:雄性SD大鼠随机分为空白组、模型组、针刺治疗组、钆预处理+针刺组、钌红预处理+针刺组、GsMTx4预处理+针刺组和HC-067047预处理+针刺组,每组6~8只。左侧踝关节腔内行完全弗氏佐剂注射建立佐剂关节炎(AA)模型。造模后48h针刺患侧后三里穴,仅单次治疗20 min。各预处理组于针刺前30 min穴区注射相应抑制剂。以患侧足底痛阈和旷场自主行为测试作为评价疼痛的指标。穴区组织间隙内ATP(inters.ATP)用微透析法采集并用萤光素酶法检测。RTPCR和免疫荧光染色用以检测Piezo的表达。结果:与空白组比较,模型组AA大鼠表现出痛觉过敏现象,痛阈和自主行为均显著降低(P<0.01),在针刺后得到显著改善(P<0.01);与针刺治疗组比较,钌红、GsMTx4、HC-067047预处理+针刺组均可显著抑制针刺镇痛效应(P<0.01)。RT-PCR和免疫荧光染色均证实后三里穴区皮肤组织表达Piezo1和Piezo2两种亚型。针刺可上调穴区inters.ATP的峰值浓度和总量,HC-067047可显著抑制该上调作用(P<0.05)。结论:初步揭示穴区局部表达低机械阈值的Piezo通道;与高机械阈值的TRPV4通道类似,Piezo通道可被针刺激活,并参与针刺镇痛的启动机制。

NUMERICAL SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS ON THE HEMODYNAMICS OF AN ELASTIC ANEURYSM

Intracranial aneurysms are pathological dilatations which endanger people＇s health. Hemodynamics is thought to be an important factor in the pathogenesis and treatment of aneurysms. To date, the bulk of investigations into hemodynamics have been conducted by making use of mathematically idealized models for rigid aneurysms and associated arteries. However the walls of aneurysms and associated arteries are elastic in vivo. This study shows the differences of the simulation between elastic and rigid wall models. The numerical simulation of elastic aneurysm model is made fi＇om a representative Digital Subtraction Angiography （DSA） image and calculated with CFD software to get the wall deformation and the velocity field. Then the results are analyzed. By comparing the simulation results of the two models from their velocity vectors and shear stress distribution, many differences can be noted. The main difference exists in the distribution of velocity magnitude at some sections, with one outlet having obviously off-center distribution for the elastic wall model. The currents of the distribution of wall shear stress along the wall of aneurysm simulated in rigid and elastic wall models were similar. But there were apparent differences between the two models on the values of wall shear stress especially at the neck of aneurysm. The off-center distribution of velocity magnitude affects the distribution of wall shear stress and the exchange of substance through the wall. The analysis demonstrated clearly that the results of 2-D elastic numerical simulation were in good agreement with the clinical and pathological practice. The results of this study play an important role in the formation, growth, rupture and prognosis of an aneurysm on clinic application.

PATIENT-SPECIFIC BLOOD DYNAMIC SIMULATIONS IN ASSESSING ENDOVASCULAR OCCLUSION OF INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS

According to recent studies, there are various potential predictors for surgical outcome for cerebral aneurysms. An accurate surgical outcome assessment would help make better-informed decisions and avoid the risk of rebleeding. It is well known that hemodynamic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms. In this article, a computational fluid dynamic analysis is applied to one patient-specific model of the cerebral aneurysm located at the tip of basilar artery, by which the differences of hemodynamic parameters before and after endovascular treatment may be evaluated. Based on the model, we show that the flow behavior near the neck of the aneurysm sees great differences after endovascular treatment as compared with that before treatment, which also affects the wall shear stress and the displacement distribution. In addition, our whole simulation process is based on a series of CFD commercial software packages, which are easily available for doctors to implement such a method in their daily practice. These results would be used to assess the outcome of endovascular treatment for the aneurysm occlusion.

EFFECTS OF PARENT ARTERY SEGMENTATION AND ANEURISMALWALL ELASTICITY ON PATIENT-SPECIFIC HEMODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS

It is well known that hemodynamics and wall tension play an important role in the formation, growth and rupture of aneurysms. In the present study, the authors investigated the influence of parent artery segmentation and aneurismal-wall elasticity on patient-specific hemodynamic simulations with two patient-specific cases of cerebral aneurysms. Realistic models of the aneurysms were constructed from 3-D angiography images and blood flow dynamics was studied under physiologically representative waveform of inflow. For each aneurysm three computational models were constructed： Model 1 with more extensive upstream parent artery with the rigid arterial and aneurismal wall, Model 2 with the partial upstream parent artery with the elastic arterial and aneurismal wall, Model 3 with more extensive upstream parent artery with the rigid wall for arterial wall far from the aneurysm and the elastic wall for arterial wall near the aneurysm. The results show that Model 1 could predict complex intra-aneurismal flow patterns and wall shear stress distribution in the aneurysm, but is unable to give aneurismal wall deformation and tension, Model 2 demonstrates aneurismal wall deformation and tension, but fails to properly model inflow pattern contributed by the upstream parent artery, resulting in local misunderstanding Wall Shear Stress （WSS） distribution, Model 3 can overcome limitations of the former two models, and give an overall and accurate analysis on intra-aneufismal flow patterns, wall shear stress distribution, aneurismal-wall deformation and tension. Therefore we suggest that the proper length of extensive upstream parent artery and aneurismal-wall elasticity should be considered carefully in establishing computational model to predict the intra-aneurismal hemodynamic and wall tension.

NON-NEWTONIAN COMPUTATIONAL HEMODYNAMICS IN TWO PATIENT-SPECIFIC CEREBRAL ANEURYSMS WITH DAUGHTER SACCULES

Hemodynamic factors play important roles in the formation, progression and rupture of cerebral aneurysms, and the Wall Shear Stress （WSS） and Oscillatory Shear Index （OSI） on the aneurysms are considered to be correlated with their growth and rupture. In this article, two computational models based on patient-specific cerebral aneurysms with daughter saccule are constructed from 3D-RA image data, one is lateral aneurysm located in middle cerebral artery （CA1） and the other is terminal aneurysm located in anterior communicating artery （CA2）, The corresponding models of the two aneurysms by removing daughter saccule are established in order to investigate the initiation and growth of the daughter saccule. The flow patterns and the distributions of hemodynamic factors in the two aneurysms before and after daughter saccule is removed are obtained by solving the governing equations with the commercial CFD software Ansys CFX11.0 under the non-Newtonian fluid assumption. By analyzing the flow patterns, it is concluded that the aneurysms with daughter saccules have more complex and unstable flow patterns and hence are prone to rupture. By comparing the distribution of OSI, a hypothesis that a high OSI causes the growth of the daughter saccule is presented.

Analysis of the Frequency of Clinical Acupoint Use Based on ‘Traditional Chinese Medical Acupuncture-moxibustion Information Databank'

The frequencies of use of 361 human acupoints in 74 academic journals of traditional Chinese medicine published between 1949 and 2010 are arranged in order using ‘Traditional Chinese Medical Acupuncturemoxibustion Information Databank'. The frequencies of use are divided into five grades: most frequent use, more frequent use, frequent use, less frequent use and infrequent use. The most frequently used acupoints and infrequently used acupoints are summarized and analyzed to help point selection for clinical acupuncture and selection of acupuncture research projects in the future.

A FLUID MECHANICS MODEL OF TISSUE FLUID FLOW IN LIMB CONNECTIVE TISSUE——A MECHANISM OF ACUPUNCTURE SIGNAL TRANSMISSION

This article explores the mechanisms of acupuncture meridians by determining characteristics of the tissue fluid flow in the connective tissue along meridians. Based on deep dissection of acupoints on the upper and lower limbs of the human body and micro and macro observation and measurement, a mathematical model of the flow of tissue fluid in interosseous membranes is constructed. It is shown that the signal transmission along acupuncture meridians may be determined by unique anatomical and physiological factors that govern the flow of tissue fluid in the connective tissue and involve mast cell degranulation. Our results provide a preliminary explanation of the phenomenon of the ＂de qi＂ sensation and the mechanism of acupuncture signal transmission along acupuncture meridians.

A LINEAR DYNAMIC MODEL DESCRIBING LYMPH CIRCULATION

The lymph circulation plays an important role in interstitial fluid balance, protein transport, and immune system. However, its mechanism is poorly understood, and associated pathologies are mostly untreatable. By following Sungawa＇s method of discussing the heart output, a hemodynamic model of lymph circulation was set up. The model was used to demonstrate how the lymphatic fluid formation, investigate the relationship between the lymph flow rate QL and physiological parameters, and explore how local massage influences QL Computer simulation results show that QL is linearly proportional to the interstitial fluid pressure P~, which is similar to experimental observations. Comparing the simulated value of QL during the massage of different frequency with the experimental data from Ikomi shows that they are identical, which indicates that the presented model is rational to explain the mechanism of massage treatment in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）.

Physical Approaches of Acupuncture,Characterization of the Human Response to Neiguan (PC 6) Puncture by Pulse Signal Analysis

Acupuncture has been recently shown to produce a modification of pulse signals,and more preciselya modification of the power spectrum of these signals.It was shown that not only the main period of thepulse could be changed,but also the harmonicity of the pulse signals was subjected to modification.This result urged the question of a temporal characterization of these signals to complete this frequencyanalysis,and to search for a transition mechanism at the origin of this modification.The authors