Electroacupuncture alleviates the relapse of pain-related aversive memory by activating KOR and inhibiting GABAergic neurons in the insular cortex.

Pain-related aversive memory is common in chronic pain patients. Electroacupuncture has been demonstrated to block pain-related aversive memory. The insular cortex is a key region closely related to aversive behaviors. In our study, a potential mechanism underlying the effect of electroacupuncture treatment on pain-related aversive memory behaviors relative to the insular cortex was investigated. Our study used the chemogenetic method, pharmacological method, electroacupuncture intervention, and behavioral detection. Our study showed that both inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acidergic neurons and activation of the kappa opioid receptor in the insular cortex blocked the pain-related aversive memory behaviors induced by 2 crossover injections of carrageenan in mice; conversely, both the activation of gamma-aminobutyric acidergic neurons and inhibition of kappa opioid receptor in the insular cortex play similar roles in inducing pain-related aversive memory behaviors following 2 crossover injections of carrageenan. In addition, activation of gamma-aminobutyric acidergic neurons in the insular cortex reversed the effect of kappa opioid receptor activation in the insular cortex. Moreover, electroacupuncture effectively blocked pain-related aversive memory behaviors in model mice, which was reversed by both activation of gamma-aminobutyric acidergic neurons and inhibition of kappa opioid receptor in the insular cortex. The effect of electroacupuncture on blocking pain-related aversive memory behaviors may be related to the activation of the kappa opioid receptor and inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acidergic neurons in the insular cortex.

Electroacupuncture Inhibits Pain Memory and Related Anxiety-Like Behaviors by Blockading the GABAB Receptor Function in the Midcingulate Cortex.

Pain memory is commonly considered an underlying cause of chronic pain and is also responsible for a range of anxiety. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to ameliorate pain memories and exert anti-anxiety effects. Previous research has indicated that GABAergic neurons and/or GABA receptors (GABARs) in the midcingulate cortex (MCC) have potential associations with chronic pain and anxiety. However, there is no known empirical research that has specifically studied the effects of EA on the GABAergic system in the MCC. Here, we used cross-injection of carrageenan to establish the pain memory rats model. Immunofluorescence were used to detect the excitability of GABAergic neurons within MCC. Von Frey filament, elevated zero maze, and open field tests were used to measure mechanical allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors, combined with chemogenetic and pharmacologic technologies. Finally, this study provides evidence that pain memories contribute to generalized negative emotions and that downregulating the activity of GABAergic neurons within MCC could block pain memories and reverse anxiety emotion. Specifically, GABABR is involved in pain memory and related anxiety-like behaviors. Activation of GABAergic neurons in the MCC did not reverse the effects of EA on pain memories and related anxiety-like behaviors, whereas these effects could be reversed by a GABABR agonist. These findings highlight the functional significance of GABABR in the EA-mediated attenuation of pain memories and related anxiety-like behaviors in rats.

[Clinical research of acupuncture therapy combined with domperidone in treatment of diabetic gastroparesis of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of shuanggu yitong acupuncture therapy (the therapy for both replenishment and unblocking) combined with domperidone on diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern and explore its effect mechanism. METHODS: DGP patients differentiated as liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern were divided into a control group (n=42) and an observation group (n=42) according to the random number table. The patients in the control group took domperidone tablets orally, 10 mg each time, 3 times a day for 28 days. In the observation group, on the base of the treatment as the control group, shuanggu yitong acupuncture therapy was applied to Baihui (GV20), Shenting (GV24), Zhongwan (CV12), bilateral Zusanli (ST36), Hegu (LI4)and Taichong (LR3), stimulated for 30 min in each treatment. Acupuncture was given once daily, 3 times a weeks for 28 days consecutively. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2 h PBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were detected before and after treatment in the patients of two groups separately. The score of symptom severity index of gastroparesis (GCSI), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score and gastric emptying rate were assessed in the patients of two groups. Using ELISA, radioimmunoassay and colorimentry methods, the contents of motilin in plasma, gastrin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) in serum, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum were determined in the two groups. The clinical curative effect was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the levels of FBG, 2 h PBG and HbA1c, the scores of GCSI and TCM syndrome, the contents of motilin in plasma, gastrin, TNF-α and MDA, as well as the activity of ROS in serum were all reduced when compared with those before treatment in each group (P<0.05, P<0.01), while gastric emptying rate and SOD activity in the serum were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, the serological content of INF-γ was lower than that before treatment in the control group (P<0.05), and the contents of IL-6 and IL-1ß were reduced than those before treatment in the observation group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of FBG, 2 h PBG and HbA1c, the scores of GCSI and TCM symptoms, the contents of motilin in plasma, gastrin, TNF-α, MDA, IL-6 and IL-1ß, and the activity of ROS in serum in the observation group were all lower significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the SOD activity and gastric emptying rate in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The total effective rate was 90.5% (38/42) in the observation group, better than the control group (73.8%, 31/42, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Shuanggu yitong acupuncture therapy combined with domperidone remarkably relieves the clinical symptoms and improves the gastric emptying rate, effectively reduces motilin and gastrin and regulates oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the patients with DGP of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency.

Electroacupuncture Ameliorates Depression-Like Behaviors Comorbid to Chronic Neuropathic Pain via Tet1-Mediated Restoration of Adult Neurogenesis.

Although electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation is a widely used therapy for chronic pain and comorbid psychiatric disorders, its long-term effects on chronic neuropathic pain-induced depression and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In the present study, we found that EA stimulation was able to restore adult neurogenesis in the ventral dentate gyrus (DG), by both increasing neuronal differentiation and restoring the normal morphology of newborn dendrites, in mice with spared nerve injury surgery. By ablating the Nestin+ neural stem cells (NSCs) via diphtheria toxin fragment A expression, we further proved that neurogenesis in the ventral DG was crucial to the long-term, but not the immediate antidepressant effect of EA, nor was it associated with nociception. Furthermore, we found that the restoration of neurogenesis was dependent on Tet1-mediated epigenetic modification upon EA treatment. Tet1 could bind to the promoter of the Prox1 gene, thus catalyzing its demethylation and facilitating its expression, which finally contributed to the restoration of neurogenesis and amelioration of depression-like behaviors induced by chronic neuropathic pain. Thus, we conclude that EA stimulation restores inhibited Tet1 expression in hippocampal NSCs of mice with chronic neuropathic pain, and increased Tet1 expression ameliorates hypermethylation of Prox1 and restores normal adult neurogenesis in the ventral DG, which contributes to the long-term antidepressant effect of EA.

Moderate-to-Severe Malnutrition Identified by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score Is Significantly Associated with Treatment Failure of Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

The prevalence and role of malnutrition in periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remain unclear. This study aimed to use measurable nutritional screening tools to assess the prevalence of malnutrition in PJI patients during two-stage exchange arthroplasty and to explore the association between malnutrition and treatment failure. Our study retrospectively included 183 PJI cases who underwent 1st stage exchange arthroplasty and had available nutritional parameters, of which 167 proceeded with 2nd stage reimplantation. The recently proposed Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) Outcome Reporting Tool was used to determine clinical outcomes. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), and Naples Prognostic Score (NPS) were used to identify malnutrition at 1st and 2nd stage exchange, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between malnutrition and treatment failure. Restricted cubic spline models were further used to explore the dose−response association. Additionally, risk factors for moderate-to-severe malnutrition were evaluated. Malnourished patients identified by CONUT, NPS, and NRI accounted for 48.1% (88/183), 98.9% (181/183), and 55.7% (102/183) of patients at 1st stage, and 9.0% (15/167), 41.9% (70/167), and 43.1% (72/167) at 2nd stage, indicating a significant improvement in nutritional status. We found that poorer nutritional status was a predictor of treatment failure, with CONUT performing best as a predictive tool. Moderate-to-severe malnutrition at 1st stage identified by CONUT was significantly related to treatment failure directly caused by PJI (odds ratio [OR] = 5.86), while the OR was raised to 12.15 at 2nd stage (OR = 12.15). The linear dose−response associations between them were also confirmed (P for nonlinearity at both 1st and 2nd stage > 0.05). As for total treatment failure, moderate-to-severe malnutrition as determined by CONUT was associated with a 1.96-fold and 8.99-fold elevated risk at the 1st and 2nd stages, respectively. Age ≥ 68 years (OR = 5.35) and an increased number of previous surgeries (OR = 2.04) may be risk factors for moderate-to-severe malnutrition. Overall, the prevalence of malnutrition in PJI patients is very high. Given the strong association between moderate-to-severe malnutrition identified by CONUT and PJI treatment failure, COUNT could be a promising tool to evaluate the nutritional status of PJI patients to optimize treatment outcomes.

[Clinical observation on filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" for 33 cases of sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 during recovery period].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" on the sequelae of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the recovery period. METHODS: A total of 33 patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period were treated with filiform-fire needling at the acupoints of Mingmen (GV 4), Shenzhu (GV 12), Gaohuang (BL 43), Zusanli (ST 36) and Shangjuxu (ST 37), etc., once every other day, 3 times a week, and 3 times was one course of treatment and totally 2 courses of treatment were required. The TCM symptom, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) scores, pulmonary function indexes (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1], peak expiratory flow [PEF]) and chest CT imaging change were observed before and after treatment, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of TCM symptom, HAMA and HAMD were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the levels of FVC, FEV1 and PEF were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the recovery rate of 22 patients with pulmonary ventilation dysfunction was 86.4% (19/22). After treatment, the lung shadow area was smaller than that before treatment (P<0.05). The effective rate of 25 patients with lung CT abnormalities was 84.0% (21/25). After treatment, 23 cases were cured, 5 cases were markedly effective, 4 cases were effective, 1 case was ineffective, the cured and markedly effective rate was 84.8%. CONCLUSION: The filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" could significantly reduce the sequelae of cough, fatigue, chest tightness, etc. and mental symptoms such as anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period, and promote inflammatory exudation absorption of pulmonary lesion and improve lung ventilation function.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Anxiety-Like Behaviors Induced by Chronic Neuropathic Pain via Regulating Different Dopamine Receptors of the Basolateral Amygdala.

Chronic pain, such as neuropathic pain, causes anxiety and other negative emotions, which aggravates the pain sensation and increases the risk of chronic pain over time. Dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) and dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) have been implicated in mediating anxiety-related behaviors, but their potential roles in the BLA in neuropathic pain-induced anxiety have not been examined. Electroacupuncture (EA) is commonly used to treat chronic pain and emotional disorders, but it is still unclear whether EA plays a role in analgesia and anxiety relief through DRD1 and DRD2 in the BLA. Here, we used western blotting to examine the expression of DRD1 and DRD2 and pharmacological regulation combined with behavioral testing to detect anxiety-like behaviors. We observed that injection of the DRD1 antagonist SCH23390 or the DRD2 agonist quinpirole into the BLA contributed to anxiety-like behaviors in naive mice. EA also activated DRD1 or inhibited DRD2 in the BLA to alleviate anxiety-like behaviors. To further demonstrate the role of DRD1 and DRD2 in the BLA in spared nerve injury (SNI) model-induced anxiety-like behaviors, we injected the DRD1 agonist SKF38393 or the DRD2 antagonist sulpiride into the BLA. We found that both activation of DRD1 and inhibition of DRD2 could alleviate SNI-induced anxiety-like behaviors, and EA had a similar effect of alleviating anxiety. Additionally, neither DRD1 nor DRD2 in the BLA affected SNI-induced mechanical allodynia, but EA did. Overall, our work provides new insights into the mechanisms of neuropathic pain-induced anxiety and a possible explanation for the effect of EA treatment on anxiety caused by chronic pain.

[Thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" for sequela of COVID-19 during recovery period].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" on sequela symptoms, mental state and pulmonary ventilation function in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during recovery period. METHODS: Fifty cases of COVID-19 during recovery period were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 25 cases in each group. The patients in the observation group were treated with thumb-tack needles at Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Taiyuan (LU 9). The patients in the control group were treated with sham thumb-tack needles at identical acupoints as the observation group. The treatment in the two groups was given once a day, 7-day treatment was taken as a course of treatment, and totally two courses of treatment were given. The TCM symptom score, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) score, Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score, pulmonary function (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in the first second [FEV1], peak expiratory flow [PEF]), the severity of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction and pulmonary imaging changes in the two groups were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the total scores and each item scores of TCM symptom scale, HAMA scores and HAMD scores in the two groups were reduced after treatment (P<0.05). Except for the symptom scores of dry throat and dry stool, the total score and each item score of TCM symptom scale, HAMA score and HAMD score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared before treatment, FVC, FEV1 and PEF in the two groups were increased after treatment (P<0.05), and those in the observation group were higher than the control group (P<0.05). The severity of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in the two groups was reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and the severity in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the lung shadow area in the two groups was decreased (P<0.05), and that in the observation group was smaller than the control group (P<0.05). The improvement of imaging change in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" could significantly reduce the sequela symptoms, anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 during recovery stage, and improve the pulmonary ventilation function.

A New Generation of ResNet Model Based on Artificial Intelligence and Few Data Driven and Its Construction in Image Recognition Model.

The paper proposes an A-ResNet model to improve ResNet. The residual attention module with shortcut connection is introduced to enhance the focus on the target object; the dropout layer is introduced to prevent the overfitting phenomenon and improve the recognition accuracy; the network architecture is adjusted to accelerate the training convergence speed and improve the recognition accuracy. The experimental results show that the A-ResNet model achieves a top-1 accuracy improvement of about 2% compared with the traditional ResNet network. Image recognition is one of the core technologies of computer vision, but its application in the field of tea is relatively small, and tea recognition still relies on sensory review methods. A total of 1,713 images of eight common green teas were collected, and the modeling effects of different network depths and different optimization algorithms were explored from the perspectives of predictive ability, convergence speed, model size, and recognition equilibrium of recognition models.

Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging for the Objective Assessment of Blood Perfusion in Keloids Treated With Dual-Wavelength Laser Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Most of the widely used methods for the assessment of keloid treatment are subjective grading scales based on the opinion of an individual clinician or patient. There is a growing need for objective methods to evaluate keloid treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the value of laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) as an objective method for the assessment of dual-wavelength laser therapy for keloids. METHODS: This prospective study included 21 patients with 54 keloids. All patients were treated with a combined 585-nm pulsed dye laser and 1,064 nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet dual-wavelength laser at 4 weeks to 6 weeks intervals. Keloids were assessed using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and LSCI. RESULTS: The total VSS score significantly decreased after 4 sessions of treatment (p < .05). Blood perfusion in keloids as measured by LSCI was significantly reduced after treatment (p < .05). The improvement of chest keloids in terms of the total VSS score and blood perfusion was significantly greater than that of scapular keloids (p < .05). There was a positive correlation between decreased perfusion and reduced total VSS score (R2 = 0.84). CONCLUSION: Blood perfusion in keloids significantly decreased after dual-wavelength laser therapy. Laser speckle contrast imaging is a promising objective method for assessing the improvement of keloids treated with laser therapy.

Systems pharmacology reveals the multi-level synergetic mechanism of action of Ginkgo biloba L. leaves for cardiomyopathy treatment.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cardiomyopathy is a common cause of heart failure and may lead to increased risk of sudden cardiac death, lacking simple, safe and effective treatment strategies due to unclear pathogenesis. Ginkgo biloba L. leaves (GBLs), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been widely used in clinical medicine for improving blood circulation, and was demonstrated to be effective on cardiomyopathy in preclinical studies. However, because of the widely known holistic therapeutic philosophy via multi-target and multi-pathway effect for most TCMs, to explore its underlying molecular mechanisms of action (MoA) remains a great challenge. AIM OF STUDY: Decipher the underlying MoA of GBLs for cardiomyopathy treatment: Study design and methods: An integrated systems pharmacology framework was employed to screen potential active compounds, identify therapeutic targets, explore the action pathways and verify mechanisms of GBLs with in vitro experiments. RESULTS: We firstly confirmed the therapeutic effect of GBLs on cardiomyopathy and subsequently screened 27 active compounds from GBLs according to their pharmacokinetic properties. Then Probability Ensemble Approach was applied to identify the compound combinations that exert synergetic effect from GBLs. Network analysis and functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that these compounds exhibit synergistic therapeutic effect by acting on multiple targets and thereby regulating multiple pathways mainly involved in pro-survival, anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory processes. Finally, using a doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury model, therapeutic effect of ginkgolide A, ginkgolide B, isorhamnetin, as well as their synergistic effect on PI3K-AKT and NF-κB signaling pathways were validated in vitro. Importantly, we demonstrated that Ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine injection (GDJ), an approved injection derived from GBLs, could be a promising agent for cardiomyopathy treatment. CONCLUSION: Collectively, the multi-level synergetic mechanism of GBLs on cardiomyopathy treatment was demonstrated with systems pharmacology approach, providing a paradigm for deciphering the complicated MoA of TCMs.

Systemic In Silico Screening in Drug Discovery for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) with an Online Interactive Web Server.

The emergence of the new coronavirus (nCoV-19) has impacted human health on a global scale, while the interaction between the virus and the host is the foundation of the disease. The viral genome codes a cluster of proteins, each with a unique function in the event of host invasion or viral development. Under the current adverse situation, we employ virtual screening tools in searching for drugs and natural products which have been already deposited in DrugBank in an attempt to accelerate the drug discovery process. This study provides an initial evaluation of current drug candidates from various reports using our systemic in silico drug screening based on structures of viral proteins and human ACE2 receptor. Additionally, we have built an interactive online platform (https://shennongproject.ai/) for browsing these results with the visual display of a small molecule docked on its potential target protein, without installing any specialized structural software. With continuous maintenance and incorporation of data from laboratory work, it may serve not only as the assessment tool for the new drug discovery but also an educational web site for the public.

Enhancement of glucaric acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by expressing Vitreoscilla hemoglobin.

OBJECTIVE: To enhance the glucaric acid (GA) production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin was employed to reinforce cellular oxygen supplement. Additionally, the pH-free fermentation strategy was engaged to lower the cost brought by base feeding during the acid-accumulated and long-period glucaric acid production. RESULTS: Recombinant yeast Bga-4 was constructed harboring Vitreoscilla hemoglobin on the basis of previous Bga-3. Higher glucose uptake rate, growth rate, and ethanol reuse rate were achieved in Bga-4 in shake-flask fermentation than those in Bga-3. Furthermore, the fed-batch fermentation in a 5-L bioreactor was performed without pH control, resulting in a final glucaric acid titer of 6.38 g/L. CONCLUSIONS: Both the GA titer and biomass were enhanced along with the efficiency of ethanol re-utilization in the presence of VHb. Moreover, the absence of base feeding for long-period fermentation reduced production cost, which is meaningful for industrial applications.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Chronic Pain-Induced Anxiety Disorders by Regulating the rACC-Thalamus Circuitry.

Anxiety is a common comorbidity associated with chronic pain, which results in chronic pain complexification and difficulty in treatment. Electroacupuncture (EA) is commonly used to treat chronic pain and anxiety. However, the underlying mechanisms of the EA effect are largely unknown. Here, we showed that a circuitry underlying chronic pain induces anxiety disorders, and EA can treat them by regulating such circuitry. Using chemogenetic methods, we found that chemogenetic activation of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) glutamatergic output to the thalamus induced anxiety disorders in control rats. Then, chemogenetic inhibition of the rACC-thalamus circuitry reduced anxiety-like behavior produced by intraplantar injection of the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). In this study, we examined the effects of EA on a rat model of CFA-mediated anxiety-like behaviors and the related mechanisms. We found that chemogenetic activation of the rACC-thalamus circuitry effectively blocked the effects of EA on chronic pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors in CFA rats. These results demonstrate an underlying rACC-thalamus glutamatergic circuitry that regulates CFA-mediated anxiety-like behaviors. This study also provides a potential mechanistic explanation for EA treatment of anxiety caused by chronic pain.

Fabrication of Ge:Ga Hyperdoped Materials and Devices Using CMOS-Compatible Ga and Ge Hydride Chemistries.

We report a versatile chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method to dope Ge films with Ga atoms in situ over a wide concentration range spanning from 3 × 1018 to 2.7 × 1020 cm-3. The method introduces a stable and volatile Ga hydride [D2GaN(CH3)2]2 that reacts readily with Ge4H10 to deliver Ga dopants controllably and systematically at complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible ultralow temperatures of ∼360 °C. Thick and monocrystalline layers (1.3 µm) are produced on Si substrates at growth rates approaching 50 nm/min. The doped crystals are fully epitaxial and devoid of misfit defects and Ga precipitates as evidenced by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The Ga contents measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry and the active carrier concentrations determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry (as well as Hall effect measurements in several cases) are in close agreement, indicating near full activation. Photoluminescence spectra show a strong emission peak at 0.79 eV corresponding to the direct gap E0 transition, evidence of the indirect transition, and additional structures characteristic of p-type Ge. Electroluminescence and I- V curves measured from p(Ga)-i-n photodiodes are found to be at par with those from boron-based reference devices. These results are promising and demonstrate that a single-source CVD approach allows independent control of Ga doping level and junction depth, producing flat dopant profiles, high activation ratios, uniform distributions, and sharp interfaces. This method potentially represents a viable alternative to state-of-the-art boron-based p-type doping and activation of Ge-like materials.

Identification of a canonical SCF(SLF) complex involved in S-RNase-based self-incompatibility of Pyrus (Rosaceae).

S-RNase-based self-incompatibility (SI) is an intraspecific reproductive barrier to prevent self-fertilization found in many species of the Solanaceae, Plantaginaceae and Rosaceae. In this system, S-RNase and SLF/SFB (S-locus F-box) genes have been shown to control the pistil and pollen SI specificity, respectively. Recent studies have shown that the SLF functions as a substrate receptor of a SCF (Skp1/Cullin1/F-box)-type E3 ubiquitin ligase complex to target S-RNases in Solanaceae and Plantaginaceae, but its role in Rosaceae remains largely undefined. Here we report the identification of two pollen-specific SLF-interacting Skp1-like (SSK) proteins, PbSSK1 and PbSSK2, in Pyrus bretschneideri from the tribe Pyreae of Rosaceae. Both yeast two-hybrid and pull-down assays demonstrated that they could connect PbSLFs to PbCUL1 to form a putative canonical SCF(SLF) (SSK/CUL1/SLF) complex in Pyrus. Furthermore, pull-down assays showed that the SSK proteins could bind SLF and CUL1 in a cross-species manner between Pyrus and Petunia. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis revealed that the SSK-like proteins from Solanaceae, Plantaginaceae and Rosaceae form a monoclade group, hinting their shared evolutionary origin. Taken together, with the recent identification of a canonical SCF(SFB) complex in Prunus of the tribe Amygdaleae of Rosaceae, our results show that a conserved canonical SCF(SLF/SFB) complex is present in Solanaceae, Plantaginaceae and Rosaceae, implying that S-RNase-based self-incompatibility shares a similar molecular and biochemical mechanism.

Effects of stimulating in the cavum concha on glucometabolism in patients with diabetes / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the intervention effect of the auricular stimulator in the cavum concha for diabetes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five cases were treated with auricular simulator in the cavum concha for 30 min, once daily for consecutive 3 months. The changes of the fasting plasma glucose (FBG), blood glucose load after 2-hour 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (P2 BG)and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were compared before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The level of the HbA1c was obviously decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and there were also statistically significant differences in FBG and P2 BG after the treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>With the auricular stimulator, the stimulation in the cavum concha is benefit for the improvement of HbA1c of the diabetes.</p>

Study of Acupuncture Zhongzhu(SJ3) and Waiguan(SJ5) by Functional MRI(fMRI) / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To observe the distribution of the activated cerebral regions after acupuncture stimulation of Zhongzhu(SJ3) and Waiguan(SJ5) by functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) technique.Methods A total of 8 cases of volunteer healthy subjects were recruited for this study.Before and during manipulation of the needle,cerebral images were sampled separately by fMRI scanner and analyzed by AFNI software.Results During manipulation of the needle inserted in the unilateral Zhongzhu(SJ3) and Wauguan(SJ5),the highly-activated cerebral structures were cingulated gyrus,temporal gyrus,cerebellum,occipital gyrus,etc.Conclusion The effect of acupuncture analgesia was probably produces by the interaction of multiple brain structures of functional connectivity rather than through the activation of a single brain region.

Clinical Study on Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome with Acupuncture-Chinese Herbs Combination / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To observe the clinical effect on treatment of Tourette's syndrome with combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Method: Sixty cases were randomly divided into acupuncture-Chinese group and western drug group, which have been treated with acupuncture plus modified Tranquilizing Liver-wind Decoction and orally taken holoperidol respectively.Result: Therapeutic effect comparison between the two groups showed a significant difference (P＜0.05).Conclusion: Combination of scalp acupuncture and Chinese herbs has good effect in treating Tourette's syndrome, with better result than western drug.