[Effect of navel acupuncture on bladder emptying function in patients with urinary retention after stroke].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of navel acupuncture on bladder emptying function in patients with urinary retention after stroke based on the conventional treatment. METHODS: A total of 106 patients with urinary retention after stroke were randomly divided into an observation group (53 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a control group (53 cases, 3 cases dropped off). Patients in the control group were treated with drugs, catheterization and bladder function rehabilitation training. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, the observation group was treated with navel acupuncture, 30 min each time, once every other day, for 4 weeks. The bladder residual urine volume, spontaneous urination volume and catheterization times before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, in the two groups, the bladder residual urine volume and catheterization times were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01), and the spontaneous urination volume was higher than that before treatment (P<0.01); the bladder residual urine volume and catheterization times in the observation group were less than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the spontaneous urination volume was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). The effective rate of the observation group was 90.0 % (45/50), which was higher than 72.0 % (36/50) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: On the basis of conventional treatment, navel acupuncture can effectively improve the bladder emptying function of patients with urinary retention after stroke.

The role of OsNLA1 in regulating arsenate uptake and tolerance in rice.

Arsenic (As) contamination in agricultural soil can cause phytotoxicity and lead to As accumulation in crops. Rice (Oryza sativa) feeds half of the world's population, but the molecular mechanism of As detoxification is not well understood in rice. In this study, the role of OsNLA1 in arsenate uptake and tolerance in rice was analyzed. OsNLA1 expression was induced in response to As(V) stress. The osnla1 mutant was more sensitive to As(V) stress than those of the wild type (WT). When exposed to As(V), mutation of OsNLA1 resulted in 30% greater As accumulation in roots and shoots of the WT. Although OsPT8 expression was induced after As(V) exposure, the amount of its protein was reduced. Unexpectedly, the osnla1 mutant showed a significant increase in punctate structures of OsPT8-GFP in response to As(V) stress, while the amount of the OsPT8-GFP protein in the osnla1 mutant was greater than in the WT. Combining OsNLA1 mutation with OsPT8 overexpression resulted in As(V) hypersensitivity, As hyperaccumulation, and higher shoot to root ratio of As in rice. These results indicated that OsNLA1 plays an important role in arsenate uptake and tolerance, mainly via regulating the amount of Pi transporters.

[Allelopathic interactions between invasive plant Solidago canadensis and native plant Phragmites australis].

Taking the seeds of invasive plant Solidago canadensis and native plant Phragmites australis from their mono- and co-dominant communities as allelopathic acceptors, this paper analyzed the differences in the seed germination rate and sprout length after treated with five level (12.5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensis and P. australis extracts, aimed to understand the allelopathic interactions between the two species. The 1000-grain weight and seed germination rate under distilled water treatment of the two species in co-dominated community were greater than those in mono-dominant community. Low level (12.5 and 25 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensi extracts slightly promoted the seed germination rates of S. canadensis in both mono- and co-dominant communities, but high level (50, 100, and 200 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensi extracts had strong inhibition effect, especially for the S. canadensis in co-dominated community. No significant patterns were observed about the effects of P. australis extract on S. canadensis seed germination. The sprout length of S. canadensis seeds in both mono- and co-dominant communities decreased with increasing level of S. canadensis extract, but decreased in a fluctuation way with increasing level of P. australis extract. After treated with the extracts of P. australis or S. canadensis, the seed germination rate of P. australis in mono-dominant community was significantly greater than that in co-dominant community (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between these two extracts.