Electroacupuncture ameliorates cardiac dysfunction in myocardial ischemia model rats: a potential role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the hypothesis that electroacupuncture inhibits the hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulating the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the hippocampus of acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) rats. METHODS: Sixty-six healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: Sham, AMI (Model), electroacupuncture at Shenmen (HT7)-Tongli (HT5) segment (EA), non-acupoint electroacupuncture (Control), and Model + corticosterone (Model + CORT). AMI was induced occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, followed by 3 d of electroacupuncture at Shenmen (HT7)-Tongli (HT5) segment. In the Control group, electroacupuncture was applied at points lying 5 and 10 mm from the base of the tail. The AMI + CORT group was injected with CORT (20 mg/kg) in saline. Hemorheology, electrocardiography (ECG), hematoxylin and eosin staining, and expression of glycogen phosphorylase BB (GPBB) and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) were used to assess cardiac function. The effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and CORT were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Protein expression in the Sham and Model groups were screened by tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomics analysis. Protein expression was evaluated by Western blotting (vimentin and GFAP) and immunofluorescence staining (GFAP). RESULTS: Compared with the Sham group, the hemorheology indicators, heart rate, ECG-ST segment elevation, and GPBB and H-FABP levels were higher in Model rats. The EA group showed reductions in these indicators compared with the Model group. Similarly, in Model rats, the expression of ACTH and CORT were significantly increased compared with the Sham group. The EA group also showed reduced expression of ACTH and CORT. Importantly, proteomics analysis showed that vimentin was differentially expressed in Model rats. Compared with the Sham group, vimentin and GFAP expression in the hippocampus was increased in the Model group but decreased in the AMI + EA group. Additionally, intraperitoneal injection of CORT aggravated the expression of GPBB, H-FABP and GFAP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that electroacupuncture may protect against cardiac injury induced by AMI through regulation of HPA axis hyperactivity, and that hippocampal GFAP may play an important role in the regulation.

Cultural factors in the theories of meridians and organs / 中国针灸

It takes quite a long process in the formation of the relevant theories of meridians and organs and many cultural factors are involved in the development of these theories at different eras, e.g. "the five evolution and six climatic factors", "twelve as the representing number of universe", "twenty-eight stars", "three and three " and "ancient bureaucratic system". Some of the theories are not coincident with the clinical practice at present. By the influence of the doctrine as "the five evolution and six climatic factors", only eleven meridians were recorded in the early ancient literature. Due to the saying "twelve as the representing number of universe", twelve meridians were developed and the other related meridians classified into the categories as the collaterals and the extraordinary meridians. Because of the theory of three and three , it is understandable why the indications of the clinical practices are not correlated with the relevant theories of meridians and organs. For example, the indications of three meridians of hand are not related to the large intestine, the small intestine and , and the corresponding acupoints in the treatment for the related disorders are located in the lower extremities. The ancient bureaucratic system had affected the understanding of the organs functions. For example, the heart is regarded as the monarch, protected by the pericardium. The hand- meridian-related cardiac disorders match with the pericardium. Hence, the cardiac disorders are treated by the acupoints of the hand- meridian rather than the hand- meridian. In this paper, the cultural factors in the theories of meridians and organs are deeply analyzed and those factors that are not coincident with the present clinical practice are separated. The analytic results are significant to the future research on meridians and organs.

Correlation between eight extra meridians and viscera / 中国针灸

Correlation between meridians and viscera is the core of meridian theory, and eight extra meridians are a vital part of meridian system. Based on the running courses, diseases and modern researches of eight extra meridians, we found that governor and heel vessels were closely related to brain and kidney; conception and thoroughfare vessels were related to kidney and uterus; there was no defined relationship between link, belt vessels and viscera. The theory of eight extra meridians belonging to liver and kidney, and the clinical application of the eight confluence points provide evidence for the correlation between the eight extra meridians and viscera. The correlation research can fill up current meridian-viscus correlation theory and provide its new research thought.

Application of nutritional risk screening and the outcome of nutrition support in hospitalized patients / 肠外与肠内营养

Objective:The present study was aimed to evaluate the nutritional risk using nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS2002) score and to investigate the impact of nutrition support on clinical outcome in hospitalized patients.Methods:Six hundred and ninety four hospitalized patients were recruited.NRS 2002 was applied to evaluate the nutritional risk of patients.Meanwhile,the effect of nutrition support on complication rate was evaluated between different types of patients.Results:14.0％ of patients had malnutrition and the incidence of nutritional risk was 27.5％.Patients with nutritional risk had a higher complication rate (P ＜0.01).Totally,22.0％ (153/694) patients received nutrition support,including 81.7％ patients with nutritional risk and 18.3％ patients without nutritional risk.Patients with nutritional risk benefited from nutrition support,as shown by lower complication rate and shorter length of hospital stay.In patients with nutritional risk,complication rate was lower in enteral fed patients compared to parenteral fed patients.Conclusion:With nutritional risk screening,patients' nutritional status can be evaluated and appropriate nutrition support can be performed.Compared to those without nutritional risk,patients with nutritional risk will benefit more from nutrition support,as indicated by lower complication rate and reduced length of hospital stay.