Oxygen Metabolism-induced Stress Response Underlies Heart-brain Interaction Governing Human Consciousness-breaking and Attention / 神经科学通报·英文版

Neuroscientists have emphasized visceral influences on consciousness and attention, but the potential neurophysiological pathways remain under exploration. Here, we found two neurophysiological pathways of heart-brain interaction based on the relationship between oxygen-transport by red blood cells (RBCs) and consciousness/attention. To this end, we collected a dataset based on the routine physical examination, the breaking continuous flash suppression (b-CFS) paradigm, and an attention network test (ANT) in 140 immigrants under the hypoxic Tibetan environment. We combined electroencephalography and multilevel mediation analysis to investigate the relationship between RBC properties and consciousness/attention. The results showed that RBC function, via two independent neurophysiological pathways, not only triggered interoceptive re-representations in the insula and awareness connected to orienting attention but also induced an immune response corresponding to consciousness and executive control. Importantly, consciousness played a fundamental role in executive function which might be associated with the level of perceived stress. These results indicated the important role of oxygen-transport in heart-brain interactions, in which the related stress response affected consciousness and executive control. The findings provide new insights into the neurophysiological schema of heart-brain interactions.

Emotional experience and processing characteristics of long-term plateau immigrant undergraduates / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To investigate the subjective experience and processing characteristics of positive and negative emotions in undergraduates who have immigrated to the plateau for a long time.Methods:SPSS 22.0 was used for data analysis.Using independent sample t-test to compare various data from the plateau group(58 undergraduates who had moved to an altitude of 3 658 m for over 2 years after reaching adulthood) with the plain group (58 undergraduates who had never been to the plateau), including the state anxiety inventory(SAI), self-rating depression scale(SDS), positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS), and the affective valency and arousal on the positive, neutral, and negative emotional pictures.And χ 2 test was conducted for the positive detection rates of state anxiety and depression of the two groups.Then, Pearson correlation analysis was performed on SAI, SDS and PANAS scores. Results:The positive detection rates(state-anxiety: 67.24%, depression: 56.90%) and scores of state anxiety(44.45±8.57) and depression(50.12±10.11) in the plateau group were all higher than those in the plain group(46.55%, 32.76%, (40.19±9.58), (44.64±9.17) respectively, χ 2=5.06, 8.12, t=2.52, 3.06, all P<0.05). In addition, positive affect scores of the plateau group (28.16±5.39) tended to be lower than those of the plain group (30.28±6.51), but the difference was not statistically significant( t=-1.91, P=0.059). SAI, SDS and PANAS scores were moderately correlated each other( r= 0.69, -0.52, 0.67, -0.62, 0.53, all P<0.01). Positive affect was mildly negatively correlated with negative affect( r=-0.27, P<0.01). The correlation between positive emotion and depression( r=-0.62) was greater than that between positive emotion and state anxiety( r=-0.52, t=2.57, P<0.05). The correlation between negative emotion and state anxiety( r=0.67) was greater than that between negative emotion and depression( r=0.53, t=1.71, P<0.05). The valency score of neutral images in the plateau group (3.06±0.20) was higher than that in the plain group ((2.99±0.20), t=2.01, P=0.047). Conclusion:The long-term plateau immigrant undergraduates are prone to state anxiety and depression, with depression being the primary and anxiety secondary, and exhibit a positivity bias to neutral stimulus processing.

Impact and related mechanisms of glucose fluctuations on aortic fibrosis in type 1 diabetic rats / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To investigate the impact and related mechanisms of glucose fluctuations on aortic fibrosis in rats with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Methods: After injection of streptozotocin (STZ), male Sprague Dawley (SD) (8-12 weeks) rats (n=24) were randomly divided into three groups in accordance with the random number table: controlled STZ-induced diabetes (C-STZ) group (n=8); uncontrolled STZ-induced diabetes (U-STZ) group (n=8); STZ-induced diabetes with glucose fluctuations (STZ-GF) group (n=8). After three weeks, rats were sacrificed and aorta was obtained, aortic fibrosis was detected by Masson trichrome staining. The expression of collagen type 1 (collagen Ⅰ) was tested by immunofluorescence. The expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) was tested by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA levels of collagen Ⅰ and Runx2 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The protein expressions of collagen Ⅰ, Runx2 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB were determined by Western blot. Primary rat aortic smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were cultured in three conditions: normal glucose (NG), high glucose (HG) and glucose fluctuations (GF). Cells in GF group were incubated for 72 hours with glucose alternating between 5.5 and 25 mmol/L every 12 hours. TPCA-1, the inhibitor of NF-κB, the expression of collagenⅠin different groups of cells was tested by immunofluorescence. The protein expressions of collagen Ⅰ, Runx2 and NF-κB were also determined by Western blot. Results: (1) The quantitative ratios of the area of fibrosis in the C-STZ group, U-STZ group, STZ-GF group were (8.42±0.10)%, (21.30±0.74)% and (44.39±1.09)% (P<0.05), respectively. The means of integral optical density (IOD) of collagenⅠ in the three groups were 11.92±0.88, 50.04±3.56 and 77.52±2.69, respectively (P<0.05). The mRNA levels of collagenⅠ in the three groups were 1.00±0.10, 2.02±0.28 and 2.83±0.33, respectively (P<0.05). The protein expressions of collagenⅠ in the three groups were 1.05±0.03, 2.06±0.32 and 4.93±0.25, respectively (P<0.05). (2) The average IOD of Runx2 in the three groups were 150.00±7.35, 204.84±2.32 and 391.48±7.13, respectively (P<0.05). The mRNA levels of Runx2 in the three groups were 1.02±0.02, 1.27±0.04 and 2.18±0.12, respectively (P<0.05). The protein expressions of Runx2 in the three groups were 1.03±0.01, 2.34±0.36 and 4.52±0.75, respectively (P<0.05). (3) The protein expressions of NF-κB in the three groups were 1.02±0.01, 1.96±0.13 and 2.64±0.21, respectively (P<0.05). (4) In vitro, application of inhibitor of NF-κB reversed glucose fluctuations-induced upregulation of protein levels of Col Ⅰ and Runx2 (P<0.05). Conclusion: Glucose fluctuations could aggravate aortic fibrosis through activating Runx2 via NF-κB signaling pathways.

Predictive value of rs2200733 polymorphism for atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation / 医学研究生学报

Objective The recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) remains relatively high. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of rs2200733 polymorphism for AF recurrence after RFCA. Methods Fifty-three AF patients underwent RFCA guided by the magnetic navigation system between July 2015 and September 2016 in Wuxi People’s Hospital. We obtained the baseline data on the patients, conducted genotyping for rs2200733 variants, and followed up the patients for symptoms and complications by electrocardiography (ECG) and dynamic ECG. Using Cox survival analysis, we determined the independent predictors of AF recurrence after RFCA and the sensibility and specificity of predicting AF recurrence at 12 and 24 months post-operatively. Results All the patients were Han Chinese, followed-up for 21.6 ± 9.5 months, and 25 (47.2%) of them experienced AF recurrence at 6.6 ± 5.3 months after RFCA. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significant association between rs2200733 polymorphism and AF recurrence in the additive and recessive models (P < 0.001), and multivariate Cox analysis showed the rs2200733 polymorphism (recessive model) to be an independent predictor of post-RFCA AF recurrence (OR = 3.184, 95% CI: 1.378-7.357, P = 0.007). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of rs2200733 TT in predicting AF recurrence at 12 months were 64%, 81%, 70%, 76% and 74%, and those at 24 months were 60%, 82%, 75%, 70%, and 72%, respectively. Conclusion The rs2200733 polymorphism is an independent predictor of AF recurrence after RFCA, and its high specificity indicates that it could be used as a tool for screening Han Chinese patients with AF for RFCA.

13,14-EpDPE dilates coronary arterioles in rats by activating BK channels / 医学研究生学报

Objective The mechanisms of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) protecting the cardiovascular system have not yet been clarified. This study was to investigate the vasorelaxative effect of 13,14-epoxy docosapentaenoic acid (13,14-EpDPE) on coronary arterioles in normal rats and its action mechanisms.Methods We isolated coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs) from normal rats by enzyme digestion, examined the open probabilities of the large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels in inside-out single channel configuration in the presence of different concentrations (0, 1, 10 and 100 pmol/L) of 13,14-EpDPE, and recorded the BK currents with the patch clamp in whole cell configuration. Then we assessed the coronary arterial relaxation by measuring dilatory responses to 13,14-EpDPE in pre-contracted tissues with or without pre-treatment with iberiotoxin.Results In the presence of 0, 1, 10 and 100 pmol/L of 13,14-EpDPE, the open probabilities of the BK channels were 0.25±0.03, 0.34±0.03, 0.44±0.06 and 0.85±0.16 (n=6), respectively, significantly increased at 100 pmol/L as compared with 0, 1 and 10 pmol/L (P<0.05). The BK channels were activated by 13,14-EpDP in a concentration-dependent manner and its half-effect concentration was (15.94±1.21) pmol/L. The current density was increased from (58.27±16.35) to (95.94±23.00) pA/pF (P=0.002) after 10 pmol/L 13,14-EpDP perfusion when the stimulation voltage was 100 mV. 13,14-EpDPE dilated the isolated coronary arterioles in a dose-dependent manner, and its effects were abolished after pre-treatment with iberiotoxin (100 nM).Conclusion 13,14-EpDPE can dilate coronary arterioles by activating BK channels in CASMCs, which might be one of the mechanisms underlying its protective effect on the cardiovascular system.

Bankart repair under arthroscope in treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder joint instability / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To assess the effectiveness of Bankart repair under arthroscope in treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder joint instability. Methods From February 2010 to February 2015, 63 patients with recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation under arthroscipic Bankart repair, and 53 patients (28 male, 25 female) were available for follow-up. The mean age at the time of surgery was 27.9 years (range, 16 ~ 51). All of the 63 patients underwent surgical treatments, and the effectiveness was evaluated with University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon scores (ASES), Constant-Murley scores, forward elevation, abduction and external rotation and X-ray. Results The ASES scores, UCLA scores were (97.0 ± 6.8), (29.6 ± 2.5) respectively, improved significantly higher after the surgery (P < 0.05). No significant change was found regarding Constant-Murley scores (99.1 ± 2.4), forward elevation (168.7 ± 2.7)°, abduction and external rotation (72.6 ± 8.7)° compared with the pre-operation. Conclusions Significant difference between pre-operation and post-operation suggests that Arthroscopic Bankart repair is a good option for the treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation without large glenoid bone loss and poor quality Ligament and joint capsule. Risk factors of recurrence should be evaluated before the surgery to reduce the recurrence rate of dislocation.