AIM: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at neiguan (PC6) on gastric distention-induced transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs) and discuss the mechanisms of this treatment. METHODS...AIM: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at neiguan (PC6) on gastric distention-induced transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs) and discuss the mechanisms of this treatment. METHODS: ProtocolⅠ: Twelve healthy cats underwent gastric distention for 60 min on the first day. Electrical acupoint stimulation was applied at the neiguan or a sham point on the hip in randomized order before gastric distention, on the third day and fifth day. Those cats that underwent EA at neiguan on the fifth day were named "Neiguan Group" and the cats that underwent EA at a sham acupoint on the fifth day were named "Sham Group" (control group). During the experiment the frequency of TLESRs and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure were observed by a perfused sleeve assembly. Plasma levels of gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Nitrite/nitrate concentration in plasma and tissues were measured by Griess reagent. The nuclei in the brain stem were observed by immunohistochemistry method of c-Fos and NADPH-d dyeing. Protocol Ⅱ: Thirty six healthy cats were divided into 6 groups randomly. We gave saline (2 mL iv. control group), phaclofen (5 mg/kg iv. GABA-B antagonist), cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) (1 μg/kg per hour iv.), L-Arginine (200 mg/kg iv.), naloxone (2.5 μmol/kg iv.) and tacrine (5.6 mg/kg ip. cholinesterase inhibitor) respectively before EA at Neiguan and gastric distention. And the frequencies of TLESRs in experimental groups were compared with the control group.RESULTS: ProtocolⅠ: Not only the frequency of gastric distention-induced TLESR in 60 min but also the rate of common cavity during TLESRs were significantlydecreased by EA at neiguan compared to that of sham acupoint stimulation. C-Fos immunoreactivity and NOS reactivity in the solitarius (NTS) and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) were significantly decreased by EA at neiguan compared to that of the sham group. However, the positive nuclei of C-Fos and NOS in reticular formation of the medulla (RFM) were increased by EA at neiguan. Protocol Ⅱ: The inhibited effect of EA at neiguan on TLESR’s frequency was completely restored by pretreatment with CCK (23.5/h vs 4.5/h, P < 0.05), L-arginine (17.5/h vs 4.5/h, P < 0.05) and naloxone(12/h vs 4.5/h, P < 0.05). On the contrary, phaclofen (6/h vs 4.5/h, P > 0.05) and tacrine (9.5/h vs 4.5/h, P > 0.05) did not influence it. CONCLUSION: Electric acupoint stimulation at Neiguan significantly inhibits the frequency of TLESR and the rate of common cavity during TLESR in cats. This effect appears to act on the brain stem, and may be mediated through nitric oxide (NO), CCK-A receptor and mu-opioid receptors. But the GABAB receptor and acetylcholine may not be involved in it.展开更多
An optimal motion planning of a free-falling cat based on the spline approximation is investigated.Nonholonomicity arises in a free-falling cat subjected to nonintegrable velocity constraints or nonintegrable conserva...An optimal motion planning of a free-falling cat based on the spline approximation is investigated.Nonholonomicity arises in a free-falling cat subjected to nonintegrable velocity constraints or nonintegrable conservation laws.The equation of dynamics of a free-falling cat is obtained by using the model of two symmetric rigid bodies.The control of the system can be converted to the motion planning problem for a driftless system.A cost function is used to incorporate the final errors and control energy.The motion planning is to determine control inputs to minimize the cost function and is formulated as an infinite dimensional optimal control problem.By using the control parameterization,the infinite dimensional optimal control problem can be transformed to a finite dimensional one.The particle swarm optimization(PSO) algorithm with the cubic spline approximation is proposed to solve the finite dimension optimal control problem.The cubic spline approximation is introduced to realize the control parameterization.The resulting controls are smooth and the initial and terminal values of the control inputs are zeros,so they can be easily generated by experiment.Simulations are also performed for the nonholonomic motion planning of a free-falling cat.Simulated experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is more effective than the Newtoian algorithm.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. C030503039
文摘AIM: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at neiguan (PC6) on gastric distention-induced transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs) and discuss the mechanisms of this treatment. METHODS: ProtocolⅠ: Twelve healthy cats underwent gastric distention for 60 min on the first day. Electrical acupoint stimulation was applied at the neiguan or a sham point on the hip in randomized order before gastric distention, on the third day and fifth day. Those cats that underwent EA at neiguan on the fifth day were named "Neiguan Group" and the cats that underwent EA at a sham acupoint on the fifth day were named "Sham Group" (control group). During the experiment the frequency of TLESRs and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure were observed by a perfused sleeve assembly. Plasma levels of gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Nitrite/nitrate concentration in plasma and tissues were measured by Griess reagent. The nuclei in the brain stem were observed by immunohistochemistry method of c-Fos and NADPH-d dyeing. Protocol Ⅱ: Thirty six healthy cats were divided into 6 groups randomly. We gave saline (2 mL iv. control group), phaclofen (5 mg/kg iv. GABA-B antagonist), cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) (1 μg/kg per hour iv.), L-Arginine (200 mg/kg iv.), naloxone (2.5 μmol/kg iv.) and tacrine (5.6 mg/kg ip. cholinesterase inhibitor) respectively before EA at Neiguan and gastric distention. And the frequencies of TLESRs in experimental groups were compared with the control group.RESULTS: ProtocolⅠ: Not only the frequency of gastric distention-induced TLESR in 60 min but also the rate of common cavity during TLESRs were significantlydecreased by EA at neiguan compared to that of sham acupoint stimulation. C-Fos immunoreactivity and NOS reactivity in the solitarius (NTS) and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) were significantly decreased by EA at neiguan compared to that of the sham group. However, the positive nuclei of C-Fos and NOS in reticular formation of the medulla (RFM) were increased by EA at neiguan. Protocol Ⅱ: The inhibited effect of EA at neiguan on TLESR’s frequency was completely restored by pretreatment with CCK (23.5/h vs 4.5/h, P < 0.05), L-arginine (17.5/h vs 4.5/h, P < 0.05) and naloxone(12/h vs 4.5/h, P < 0.05). On the contrary, phaclofen (6/h vs 4.5/h, P > 0.05) and tacrine (9.5/h vs 4.5/h, P > 0.05) did not influence it. CONCLUSION: Electric acupoint stimulation at Neiguan significantly inhibits the frequency of TLESR and the rate of common cavity during TLESR in cats. This effect appears to act on the brain stem, and may be mediated through nitric oxide (NO), CCK-A receptor and mu-opioid receptors. But the GABAB receptor and acetylcholine may not be involved in it.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11072038)the Municipal Key Programs of Natural Science Foundation of Beijing,China (Grant No. KZ201110772039)
文摘An optimal motion planning of a free-falling cat based on the spline approximation is investigated.Nonholonomicity arises in a free-falling cat subjected to nonintegrable velocity constraints or nonintegrable conservation laws.The equation of dynamics of a free-falling cat is obtained by using the model of two symmetric rigid bodies.The control of the system can be converted to the motion planning problem for a driftless system.A cost function is used to incorporate the final errors and control energy.The motion planning is to determine control inputs to minimize the cost function and is formulated as an infinite dimensional optimal control problem.By using the control parameterization,the infinite dimensional optimal control problem can be transformed to a finite dimensional one.The particle swarm optimization(PSO) algorithm with the cubic spline approximation is proposed to solve the finite dimension optimal control problem.The cubic spline approximation is introduced to realize the control parameterization.The resulting controls are smooth and the initial and terminal values of the control inputs are zeros,so they can be easily generated by experiment.Simulations are also performed for the nonholonomic motion planning of a free-falling cat.Simulated experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is more effective than the Newtoian algorithm.