No abstract

Flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is a major cash crop in Yunnan, China, and the yield, chemical components, and their proportions decide the quality of tobacco leaves. To understand the effects of environmental factors (soil and climatic factors) on the yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco and determine the main regulating factors, we selected three flue-cured tobacco cultivars [K326, Yunyan87 (Yun87), and Honghuadajinyuan (Hongda)] grown in the Honghe Tobacco Zone. Indices related to yield and economic traits, chemical component properties, soil physical and chemical properties, and climatic factors at different planting sites, were evaluated. We used variance analysis, correlation analysis, and redundancy analysis (RDA) in this study. The results showed that the yield and chemical component properties of flue-cured tobacco, except for the number of left leaves and plant total sugar (PTS) content, were significantly correlated with climatic factors. Particularly, the yield increased in drier and sunnier weather. In terms of the carbon supply capacity, PTS, petroleum ether (PPE), and starch contents (PS) were higher under high-altitude and high-latitude climatic conditions, whereas for the nitrogen supply capacity, plant nitrogen (PTN) and nicotine (PN) contents improved under low-altitude and low-latitude climatic conditions. PTS, reducing sugar (PRS), potassium (PTK), chlorine (PCL), and PPE contents were negatively related to soil clay content, soil pH, and soil organic matter, whereas PRS and PTK contents were positively correlated with alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN). According to RDA, the soil clay, AN, available phosphorus (AP), and soil chlorine content (SCL) strongly affected the quality of flue-cured tobacco. The quality of the K326 and Yun87 cultivars was mostly influenced by moisture, whereas the quality of the Hongda cultivar was mostly affected by temperature. In conclusion, compared with soil properties, climatic factors more significantly affect the yield and quality of Honghe flue-cured tobacco leaves.

No abstract

No abstract

PC6 is a classic acupuncture point in traditional Chinese medicine. It is considered to be effective when treating cardiovascular disorders. In the present review the authors have focused on the neurophysiological bases of the effects of PC6 stimulation on cardiovascular mechanisms. Experimental studies have shown that the hypothalamic rostral ventrolateral medulla, arcuate nucleus and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray are involved in acupuncture attenuation of sympathoexcitatory cardiovascular reflex responses. This long-loop pathway also appears to contribute to the long-lasting, acupuncture-mediated attenuation of sympathetic premotor outflow and excitatory cardiovascular reflex responses. Acupuncture of PC6 modulates the activity in the cardiovascular system, an effect that may be attributed to attenuation of sympathoexcitatory cardiovascular reflex responses.

No abstract

No abstract

Acupuncture has shown beneficial effect in the treatment of multiple dermatologic conditions including dermatitis, pruritus, urticaria, and hyperhidrosis; however, the detailed mechanisms are still kept unclear. This study aimed to investigate if electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment prevents 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in rats and explore its underlying mechanisms. ACD was induced by sensitizing and challenging with DNFB topically. Rats were treated daily following bilateral subcutaneous stimulation of EA at Zusanli acupoint (ST36) for 1 week. Ear swelling and serum IgE levels were measured. The ear biopsies were obtained for histology. Inflammatory cytokines on the dermatological ear and local acupoint tissue were assayed. Spleen lymphocytes and the homogenized supernatant of local acupuncture area were used to co-culture for flow cytology and immune analysis, respectively. EA treatment at ST36 notably inhibited ear swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration on DNFB-induced ACD. EA also decreased serum IgE concentrations and alleviated the production of inflammatory cytokines in dermatological ear. Additionally, EA treatment attenuated the percentage of CD4IFN-γ and CD4IL-4 T cells associated with ACD. Interestingly, secretion of interleukin (IL)-10 in the local acupoint tissue following EA stimulation was increased and showed suppressive function when co-cultured with the spleen lymphocytes from DNFB group. Lastly, EA treatment demonstrably suppressed p38 MAPK activation in DNFB-treated rats. Our findings suggest that EA treatment at ST36 may ameliorate inflammation associated with DNFB-induced ACD via triggering local IL-10 production and inhibiting p38 MAPK activation, which provide an alternative and promising therapy for ACD.