Effects of electroacupuncture at Zusanli(ST36) on inflammatory cytokines in a rat model of smokeinduced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE： Improvement in lung function was reported after acupuncture treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Because an immune response imbalance could be seen in COPD, we hypothesize that electroacupuncture （EA） may play a role in regulating inflammatory cytokines and contribute to lung protection in a rat model of smoke-induced COPD. METHODS： A COPD model using male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to cigarette smoke was established. The rats were randomly divided into four groups （control, sham, COPD, and COPD plus EA）, and COPD model was evaluated by measuring pulmonary pathological changes and lung function. EA was applied to the acupuncture point Zusanli （ST36） for 30 min/d for 14 d in sham and COPD rats. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） was used to measure levels of tumor necrosis factor-a （TNF-a）, interleukin-113 （IL-113）, and malonaldehyde （MDA）. RESULTS： Compared with the control rats, COPD rats had significant changes in lung resistance （R,） and lung compliance （C,） （both P〈0.01）, bronchi and bronchiole airway obstruction （P〈0.01）, and levels of MDA, TNF-α, and IL-1β（P〈0.01）. There were no significant differences between the control and the sham groups. Compared with the COPD rats, the COPD plus EA rats had decreased R, and increased CL （both P〈0.05）, and reduced bronchi and bronchiole airway obstruction （P〈0.05, P〈0.01, respectively）, while levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MDA in BALF were lowered （P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively）. However, TNF-α and IL-1β levels of the EA group rats remained higher than those of the control group （P〈0.05）. CONCLUSION： EA at ST36 can reduce lung injury in a COPD rat model, and beneficial effects may be related to down-regulation of inflammatory cytokines. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects may prolong the clinical benefit of EA.

Microstructure,texture and precipitates of grain-oriented silicon steel produced by thin slab casting and rolling process

A grain-oriented silicon steel strip with AlN as main inhibitor was produced by thin slab casting and rolling（TSCR）process.The microstructure,texture and precipitates of the hot-rolled strip were investigated by use of optical microscope（OM）,X-ray diffractometer,transmission electron microscope（TEM）and energy dispersive spectroscope（EDS）.The result shows that the microstructure and texture exhibit a through-thickness gradient similar to that of the hot-rolled strip produced by conventional high-temperature slab-reheating process;the preferred orientation varies from {110}〈001〉in the surface layer to{001}〈110〉in the center layer,and the Goss texture with a maximum intensity mainly concentrates on the surface layer.In addition,some other texture components,for example rotated Goss texture,form in the 1/4thickness layer,which are not observed in the hotrolled strip produced by conventional high-temperature slab-reheating process.The precipitates in the hot-rolled strip are mainly（Mn,Cu）S and AlN compound particles with dimension of 100-200 nm,and the fine precipitates are significantly less than that in the hot-rolled strip produced by conventional high-temperature slab-reheating process.Moreover,the areal density of the fine precipitates in the center layer is more than that in the surface layer.

Biofilm Alterations on the Stepwise Acquisition of Fluconazole-resistant Candida Albicans Isolates

Objectives:By assessing and comparing the phenotypic changes on the stepwise acquisition of fluconazole resistant Candida albicans isolates,we could find and describe the relationship between drug resistance and biofilm formation ability in a series of clonal strains.Methods:We performed antifungal susceptibility of five drugs(fluconazole,itraconazole,voriconazole,caspofungin and amphotericin B)to further verify the antifungal activity of the six isolates in vitro.Then we combined hyphal formation assay,cell surface hydrophobicity test positively related to adherence ability,and biofilm assays in vitro to observe and compare the phenotypic characteristics of our six clonal strains.Results:Biofilm capability is enhanced for four drug-intermediate strains,whereas the initial susceptible strain and the final resistant strain are both poor in adherence,hyphal growth and biofilm formation.Conclusions:It was suggested that the biofilm formation ability were not absolutely related to the degree of fluconazole resistance.