Corrigendum: Comparison of out-of-plane short axis with in-plane long axis for ultrasound-guided radial arterial cannulation: A systematic review with trial sequential analysis of randomised controlled trials.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.983532.].

Comparison of out-of-plane short axis with in-plane long axis for ultrasound-guided radial arterial cannulation: A systematic review with trial sequential analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background: It is controversial whether the short-axis out-of-plane or long-axis in-plane approach is a better needling technique for ultrasound-guidance radial artery cannulation. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of the two approaches for ultrasound-guided radial artery cannulation. Methods: A systematic search of Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for relevant articles published until 1 May 2021 was conducted. Randomised controlled trials comparing the long-axis in-plane with short-axis out-of-plane approaches were included. Review Manager software version 5.4, STATA version 14.2, and trial sequential analysis (TSA) version 0.9.5.10 Beta were used for statistical analysis. Risk of bias and methodological quality of all studies included in this review were assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration tool for the risk of bias. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to explore sources of heterogeneity. Results: The rate of cannula insertion success on the first attempt was similar between the short-axis out-of-plane and long-axis in-plane approaches (RR = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.28; P = 0.79; I 2 = 83.0%). No significant differences were observed in total time to successful cannulation between the two approaches (MD = -3.9; 95% CI:-18.30 to 10.49; P = 0.6; I 2 = 97%). However, the required information size for the success rate of the first attempt and total time to successful cannulation was not reached. Conclusion: It remains inconclusive whether short-axis out-of-plane is a better choice for radial arterial cannulation than the long-axis in-plane approach. Inexperienced operators may need more attempts and longer ultrasound location time with the short-axis out-of-plane technique. Systematic review registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/], identifier [CRD42021236098].

Impact of propofol versus sevoflurane on the incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly patients after spine surgery: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium in elderly patients is a common and costly complication after surgery. Propofol and sevoflurane are commonly used anesthetics during general anesthesia, and the sedative and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of the two medications are different. The aim of this trial is to compare the impact of propofol with sevoflurane on the incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly patients after spine surgery. METHODS: A single-center randomized controlled trial will be performed at First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, China. A total of 298 participants will be enrolled in the study and randomized to propofol infusion or sevoflurane inhalation groups. The primary outcome is the incidence of delirium within 7 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes include the day of postoperative delirium onset, duration (time from first to last delirium-positive day), and total delirium-positive days among patients who developed delirium; tracheal intubation time in PACU; the length of stay in PACU; the rate of postoperative shivering; the rate of postoperative nausea and vomiting; the rate of emergence agitation; pain severity; QoR40 at the first day after surgery; the length of stay in hospital after surgery; and the incidence of non-delirium complications within 30 days after surgery. DISCUSSION: The primary objective of this study is to compare the impact of propofol and sevoflurane on the incidence of postoperative delirium for elderly patients undergoing spine surgery. The results may help inform strategies to the optimal selection of maintenance drugs for general anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing spine surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05158998 . Registered on 14 December 2021.

Addition of topical airway anaesthesia to conventional induction techniques to reduce haemodynamic instability during the induction period in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: protocol for a randomised controlled study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the effects of combining topical airway anaesthesia with intravenous induction on haemodynamic variables during the induction period in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This randomised, double-blind, controlled, parallel-group, superiority study from 1 March 2021 to 31 December 2021 will include 96 participants scheduled for cardiac surgery. Participants will be screened into three blocks (ASA II, ASA III, ASA IV) according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade and then randomly allocated into two groups within the block in a 1:1 ratio. Concealment of allocation will be maintained using opaque, sealed envelopes generated by a nurse according to a computer-generated randomisation schedule. In addition to general intravenous anaesthetics, participants will receive supraglottic and subglottic topical anaesthesia. Changes in arterial blood pressure and heart rate in both groups will be recorded by an independent investigator at the start of anaesthesia induction until the skin incision. If vasopressors are used during this period, the frequency, dosage and types of vasopressors will be recorded. The incidence and severity of participants' postoperative hoarseness and sore throat will also be assessed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qianfoshan Hospital of Shandong Province (registration number: YXLL-KY-2021(003)). The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and in conferences or congresses. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04744480.

Regulation of Mitochondrial Dynamics by Aerobic Exercise in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Mitochondrial dynamics, including continuous biogenesis, fusion, fission, and autophagy, are crucial to maintain mitochondrial integrity, distribution, size, and function, and play an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis. Cardiovascular health improves with aerobic exercise, a well-recognized non-pharmaceutical intervention for both healthy and ill individuals that reduces overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Increasing evidence shows that aerobic exercise can effectively regulate the coordinated circulation of mitochondrial dynamics, thus inhibiting CVD development. This review aims to illustrate the benefits of aerobic exercise in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease by modulating mitochondrial function.

Role of glutamine in the mediation of E-cadherin, p120-catenin and inflammation in ventilator-induced lung injury.

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is commonly associated with barrier dysfunction and inflammation reaction. Glutamine could ameliorate VILI, but its role has not been fully elucidated. This study examined the relationship between inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, and IL-10) and adherens junctions (E-cadherin, p120-catenin), which were ameliorated by glutamine in VILI, both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: For the in vivo study, 30 healthy C57BL/6 mice weighing 25-30 g were randomly divided into five groups with random number table (n = 6 in each group): control (Group C); low tidal volume (Group L); low tidal volume + glutamine (Group L + G); high tidal volume (Group H); and high tidal volume + glutamine (Group H + G). Mice in all groups, except Group C, underwent mechanical ventilation for 4 h. For the in vitro study, mouse lung epithelial 12 (MLE-12) cells pretreated with glutamine underwent cyclic stretching at 20% for 4 h. Cell lysate and lung tissue were obtained to detect the junction proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and lung pathological changes by the Western blotting, cytokine assay, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: In vivo, compared with Group C, total cell counts (t = -28.182, P < 0.01), the percentage of neutrophils (t = -28.095, P < 0.01), IL-6 (t = -28.296, P < 0.01), and TNF-α (t = -19.812, P < 0.01) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, lung injury scores (t = -6.708, P < 0.01), and the wet-to-dry ratio (t = -15.595, P < 0.01) were increased in Group H; IL-10 in BAL fluid (t = 9.093, P < 0.01) and the expression of E-cadherin (t = 10.044, P < 0.01) and p120-catenin (t = 13.218, P < 0.01) were decreased in Group H. Compared with Group H, total cell counts (t = 14.844, P < 0.01), the percentage of neutrophils (t = 18.077, P < 0.01), IL-6 (t = 18.007, P < 0.01), and TNF-α (t = 10.171, P < 0.01) in BAL fluid were decreased in Group H + G; IL-10 in BAL fluid (t = -7.531, P < 0.01) and the expression of E-cadherin (t = -14.814, P < 0.01) and p120-catenin (t = -9.114, P < 0.01) were increased in Group H + G. In vitro, compared with the nonstretching group, the levels of IL-6 (t = -21.111, P < 0.01) and TNF-α (t = -15.270, P < 0.01) were increased in the 20% cyclic stretching group; the levels of IL-10 (t = 5.450, P < 0.01) and the expression of E-cadherin (t = 17.736, P < 0.01) and p120-catenin (t = 16.136, P < 0.01) were decreased in the 20% cyclic stretching group. Compared with the stretching group, the levels of IL-6 (t = 11.818, P < 0.01) and TNF-α (t = 8.631, P < 0.01) decreased in the glutamine group; the levels of IL-10 (t = -3.203, P < 0.05) and the expression of E-cadherin (t = -13.567, P < 0.01) and p120-catenin (t = -10.013, P < 0.01) were increased in the glutamine group. CONCLUSIONS: High tidal volume mechanical ventilation and 20% cyclic stretching could cause VILI. Glutamine regulates VILI by improving cytokines and increasing the adherens junctions, protein E-cadherin and p120-catenin, to enhance the epithelial barrier function.

Effects of different anesthesia methods on cognitive dysfunction after hip replacement operation in elder patients.

There are many risk factors for the cause of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), however, the anesthesia selection always trigger controversy for the POCD occurrence. This study aims to explore the relationship between the anesthesia and the occurrence of POCD in elder patients, and also investigate the mechanism of the POCD. One hundred elder patients with hip replacement were included in this study, which were divided into general anesthesia (GA) and epidural analgesia (EA) group. Minimum mental state examination (MMSE) method was employed to assess the nervous and mental function (POCD) in both analgesia group patients. Aß and tau protein levels in blood were detected by using the ELISA assay. The correlation between MMSE in POCD patients and Aß or tau was analyzed by employing the Spearman rank correlation method. The results indicated that epidural analgesia decreases the MMSE scoring compared to general analgesia (P < 0.05). General analgesia enhanced the Aß and tau level compared to epidural analgesia (P < 0.05). Aß and tau level were increased in the patients with POCD. The POCD occurrence rate in GA group was significantly higher compared to EA group (P < 0.05). MMSE scores of POCD patients positively correlated with Aß or tau level (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the epidural analgesia method was better than general analgesia method for the hip replacement in elder patients. The mechanism of the POCD may be caused by the enhancement of Aß and Tau protein.

Relationship between post-operative cognitive dysfunction and regional cerebral oxygen saturation and ß-amyloid protein.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) and ß-amyloid protein (Aß) in patients undergoing laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: Fifty patients undergoing elective laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy received five groups of neuropsychological tests 1 d pre-operatively and 7 d post-operatively, with continuous monitoring of rSO2 intra-operatively. Before anesthesia induction (t0), at the beginning of laparoscopy (t1), and at the time of pneumoperitoneum 120 min (t2), pneumoperitoneum 240 min (t3), pneumoperitoneum 480 min (t4), the end of pneumoperitoneum (t5), and 24 h after surgery, jugular venous blood was drawn respectively for the measurement of Aß by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Twenty-one cases of the fifty patients suffered from POCD after operation. We found that the maximum percentage drop in rSO2 (rSO(2, %max)) was significantly higher in the POCD group than in the non-POCD group. The rSO(2, %max) value of over 10.2% might be a potential predictor of neurocognitive injury for those patients. In the POCD group, the plasma Aß levels after 24 h were significantly higher than those of pre-operative values (P<0.01). After 24 h, levels of plasma Aß in the POCD group were significantly higher than those in the non-POCD group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The development of POCD in patients undergoing laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy is associated with alterations of rSO2 and Aß. Monitoring of rSO2 might be useful in the prediction of POCD, and Aß might be used as a sensitive biochemical marker to predict the occurrence of POCD.

Supression of chronic central pain by superoxide dismutase in rats with spinal cord injury: Inhibition of the NMDA receptor implicated.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is used to manage chronic pain, including neuropathic and inflammatory pain. However, data regarding the clinical effectiveness are conflicting and the neurophysiological mechanism of SOD has yet to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether SOD relieved chronic central pain (CCP) following spinal cord injury (SCI) and the possible underlying mechanisms. A CCP model was established using the Allen method and the CCP of the rats was measured using the paw withdrawal threshold. SOD was administered intraperitoneally following the establishment of CCP as a result of SCI. The results demonstrated that SOD relieved CCP in rats following SCI. In addition, the expression of spinal phosphorylated N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptor subunit 1 (pNR-1) was inhibited in the CCP rats that had been treated with SOD. These observations indicated that SOD reduced mechanical allodynia and attenuated the enhancement of spinal pNR1 expression in rats with CCP. In addition, the results indicated that superoxide, produced via xanthine oxidase, and the participation of superoxide and nitric oxide (NO) as a precursor of peroxynitrite in NMDA, were involved in the mediation of central sensitization. Therefore, the observations support the hypothesis that SOD may have a potential therapeutic role for the treatment of CCP following SCI via the manipulation of superoxide and NO.

Effect of electro-acupuncture stimulation of Ximen (PC4) and Neiguan (PC6) on remifentanil-induced breakthrough pain following thoracal esophagectomy.

The clinical analgesic effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) stimulation (EAS) on breakthrough pain induced by remifentanil in patients undergoing radical thoracic esophagectomy, and the mechanisms were assessed. Sixty patients (ASAIII) scheduled for elective radical esophagectomy were randomized into three groups: group A (control) receiving a general anesthesia only; group B (sham) given EA needles at PC4 (Ximen) and PC6 (Neiguan) but no stimulation; and group C (EAS) electrically given EAS of the ipsilateral PC4 and PC6 throughout the surgery. The EAS consisting of a disperse-dense wave with a low frequency of 2 Hz and a high frequency of 20 Hz, was performed 30 min prior to induction of general anesthesia and continued through the surgery. At the emergence, sufentanil infusion was given for postoperative analgesia with loading dose of 7.5 µg, followed by a continuous infusion of 2.25 µg/h. The patient self-administration of sufentanil was 0.75 µg with a lockout of 15 min as needed. Additional breakthrough pain was treated with dezocine (5 mg) intravenously at the patient's request. Blood samples were collected before (T1), 2 h (T2), 24 h (T3), and 48 h (T4) after operation to measure the plasma ß-EP, PGE2, and 5-HT. The operative time, the total dose of sufentanil and the dose of self-administration, and the rescue doses of dezocine were recorded. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at 2, 12, 24 and 48 h postoperatively and the incidence of apnea and severe hypotension were recorded. The results showed that the gender, age, weight, operative time and remifentanil consumption were comparable among 3 groups. Patients in EAS group had the lowest VAS scores postoperatively among the three groups (P<0.05). The total dose of sufentanil was 115±6.0 µg in EAS group, significantly lower than that in control (134.3±5.9 µg) and sham (133.5±7.0 µg) groups. Similarly, the rescue dose of dezocine was the least in EAS group (P<0.05) among the three groups. Plasma ß-EP levels in EAS group at T3 (176.90±45.73) and T4 (162.96±35.00 pg/mL) were significantly higher than those in control (132.33±36.75 and 128.79±41.24 pg/mL) and sham (136.56±45.80 and 129.85±36.14 pg/mL) groups, P<0.05 for all. EAS could decrease the release of PGE2. Plasma PGE2 levels in EAS group at T2 and T3 (41±5 and 40±5 pg/mL respectively) were significantly lower than those in control (64±5 and 62±7 pg/mL) and sham (66±6 and 62±6 pg/mL) groups. Plasma 5-HT levels in EAS group at T2 (133.66±40.85) and T3 (154.66±52.49 ng/mL) were significantly lower than those in control (168.33±56.94 and 225.28±82.03) and sham (164.54±47.53 and 217.74±76.45 ng/mL) groups. For intra-group comparison, plasma 5-HT and PGE2 levels in control and sham groups at T2 and T3, and ß-EP in EAS group at T3 and T4 were significantly higher than those at T1 (P<0.05); PGE2 and 5-HT levels in EAS group showed no significant difference among the different time points (P>0.05). No apnea or severe hypotension was observed in any group. It was concluded that intraoperative ipsilateral EAS at PC4 and PC6 provides effective postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing radical esophagectomy with remifentanil anesthesia and significantly decrease requirement for parental narcotics. The underlying mechanism may be related to stimulation of the release of endogenous ß-EP and inhibition of inflammatory mediators (5-HT and PGE2).

Loss of p120 catenin aggravates alveolar edema of ventilation induced lung injury.

BACKGROUND: p120 catenin (p120ctn) is an adheren junction protein that regulates barrier function, but its role has not been explored in alveolar edema induced by ventilation. We measured stretch-induced cell gap formation in MLE 12 cells due to the loss of p120. We hypothesized that alveolar permeability was increased by high lung inflation associated with alveolar epithelia cell tight junctions being destroyed, which resulted from the loss of p120. METHODS: Cultured MLE12 cells were subjected to being stretched or un-stretched (control) and some cells were pretreated with pp2 (c-src inhibitor). After the end of stretching for 0, 1, 2, and 4 hours, the cells were lysed, and p120 expression and c-src activation was determined by Western blotting analysis. In vivo, SD rats were taken to different tidal volumes (Vt 7 ml/kg or 40 ml/kg, PEEP = 0, respiratory rate 30-40 betas/min) for 0, 1, 2, and 4 hour and some were pretreated with pp2, and alveolar edema was calculated. RESULTS: It was found that p120 expression was reduced and c-src activation increased in a time-dependent and strain-dependent manner due to cyclic-stretch of the alveolar epithelial cells. These changes could be reversed by inhibition of c-src. We obtained similar changes in rats when they were subjected to large tidal volumes and the alveolar edema increased more than in rats in the low Vt group. Pretreated the rats with inhibition of c-src had less pulmonary edema induced by the high tidal volume ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclic stretch MLE 12 cells induced the loss of p120 and may be the same reason by high tidal volume ventilation in rats can aggravate alveolar edema. Maintenance of p120 expression may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of ventilation induced lung injury (VILI).

[Effects of acupuncture on expression of norepinephrine transporter mRNA in the cervical sympathetic ganglion and beta1-AR mRNA in the heart in cerebral-cardiac syndrome rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention on the expression of norepinephrine transporter (NET) mRNA in the middle cervical-stellate ganglion complex (MC-SGC) and beta1-adrenergic receptor (beta1-AR) mRNA in the left ventricular myocardium in cerebral-cardiac syndrome (CCS) rats, so as to study its underlying mechanism in the prevention and treatment of CCS. METHODS: Eighteen Wistar rats were randomized into sham operation, model and EA groups (n=6). CCS model was duplicated by intravenous injection of 1 microL of saline containing collagenase (1 U/microL) + heparin (7 U/microL) into the caudate nucleus. EA (2 Hz, 5 V) was applied to "Shuigou" (GV 26)-"Fengfu" (GV 16), and "Neiguan" (PC 6)-"Xinshu" (BL 15) for 20 min, once daily for 3 days. Seventy-two hours after modeling, pathological changes of the brain and cardiac tissues were observed after sectioning and stained with HE method. The expression of MC-SGC NET mRNA and the myocardial p1-AR mRNA of the left ventricle were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. RESULTS: (1) In comparison with the model group, the number of the exuded red blood cells in the brain tissue around the caudate Nucleus region was fewer, the severity of the tissue edema, cell necrosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration lighter in the EA group. Compared with the model group, the severity of degeneration and necrosis of myocytes was lighter and the number of the broken cardiac smooth muscle fewer in the EA group. (2) The expression levels of both MC-SGC NET mRNA and myocardial beta1-AR mRNA were significantly lower in the model group than in the sham operation group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of both MC-SGC NET mRNA and myocardial beta1-AR mRNA were upregulated considerably in the EA group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: EA of GV 26-GV 16 and PC 6-BL 15 can upregulate the expression of both MC-SGC NET mRNA and myocardial beta1-AR mRNA in CCS rats which may contribute to its effect in the prevention and treatment of CCS syndrome.

[Relatively specific effect of electroacupuncture of different acupoints on hypothalamic monoamine neurotransmitters in myocardial ischemia rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Shenmen" (HT 7), "Neiguan" (PC 6), etc. on monoamine neurotransmitter contents of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) region in myocardial ischemia (MI) rats, so as to analyze the substantial basis of efficacy specificity of acupoints in improving MI. METHODS: SD rats were randomized into normal control, model, EA-Shenmen (HT7), EA-Neiguan (PC 6) and EA-Taiyuan (LU 9) groups (n = 10/group). MI model was duplicated by occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery. EA (2 Hz, 1. 1 mA) was applied to left "Shenmen" (HT 7), "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Taiyuan" (LU 9) for 10 min, once daily for 3 days. The hypothalamic PVN region tissue was collected for assaying the contents of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In comparison with the normal control group, the contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in hypothalamic PVN in the model group were decreased significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in hypothalamic PVN in the EA-Neiguan (PC 6) and EA-Shenmen (HT 7) groups, and that of NE in the EA-Taiyuan (LU 9) group were increased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The effects of EA-Neiguan (PC 6) and EA-Shenmen (HT 7) were significantly superior to that of EA-Taiyuan (LU 9) in increasing the contents of hypothalamic NE, DA and 5-HT (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture of PC 6 and HT 7 can suppress MI-induced decrease of NE, DA and 5-HT contents in the hypothalamic PVN region in rats, which may contribute to its effect in resisting myocardial ischemia. The effects of EA-PC 6 and EA-HT 7 are superior to those of EA-LU 9.

Codon usage biases in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Establishing codon usage biases are crucial for understanding the etiology of central nervous system neurodegenerative diseases (CNSNDD) especially Alzheimer's disease (AD) as well as genetic factors. G and C ending codons are strongly biased in the coding sequences of these proteins as a result of genomic GC composition constraints. On the other hand, codons that identified as translationally optimal in the major trend all end in C or G, suggesting translational selection should also be taken into consideration additional to compositional constraints. Furthermore, this investigation reveals that three common codons, CGC (Arg), AGC (Ser), and GGC (Gly), are also critical in affecting codon usage bias. They not only can offer an insight into the codon usage bias of AD and its mechanism, but also may help in the possible cures for these diseases.

[Study on the mechanism of electroacupuncture of different acupoint groups in the treatment of cerebrocardiac syndrome in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of different acupoint groups on heart rate variability (HRV) and cerebral glutamate (Glu) and aspartic acid (Asp) contents in cerebrocardiac syndrome (CCS) rats. METHODS: A total of 52 Wistar rats were randomized into normal (n = 8), sham-operation (sham, n = 8), model (n = 12), Shuigou-Fengfu (GV 26-GV 16, n = 12), and Neiguan-Xinshu (PC 6-BL 15, n = 12) groups. CCS model was established by intracerebral (Caudate nucleus) injection of clostridiopeptidase (1 U/microl) plus heparin (7 U/microl). EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 1-3 mA) was applied to GV 26-GV 16 and PC 6-BL 15 for 20 min, once daily for 3 days. Cerebral Glu and Asp contents were detected by high performance liquid chromatography, and HRV was analyzed by SMUP Software. RESULTS: In comparison with normal and sham groups, the R-R interval (RRI) of electrocardiogram and total variability (TV) of HRV, cerebral Glu and Asp contents in model group increased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and the ratio of low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) decreased evidently (P < 0.01). Compared with model group, RRI and TV values, and cerebral Glu and Asp contents of EA of GV 26-GV 16 and PC 6-BL 15 groups reduced markedly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), LF/HF of the later two groups increased evidently (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between GV 26-GV 16 and PC 6-BL 15 groups in RRI, TV and LF/HF of HRV, and cerebral Glu and Asp contents (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA of both GV 26-GV 16 and PC 6-BL 15 can effectively improve CCS in rats, which is closely associated with their effects in lowering cerebral Glu and Asp levels and in suppressing the excitability of sympathetic nerve.

[Research on the differentially expressed genes related to the relatively specific connection between the heart meridian and the heart].

OBJECTIVE: To study the scientific basis of specific correlation between the meridian and the Zang- or Fu organ by using gene differential expression (gene-chip technique) in the rat. METHODS: Twenty-one SD rats were randomly and evenly divided into control group, sham-myocardial ischemia (MI) group, MI group, electroacupuncture (EA)-Heart-Meridian (HT) group, EA-Lung-Meridian (LU) group and EA-Small-Intestine-Meridian (SI) group. EA (frequency 2 Hz, stimulating strength 5 V, pulse duration 300 mus) was applied to "Shenmen" (HT 7)- "Tongli" (HT 5) (Heart Meridian), "Y anglao" (SI 6)- "Zhizheng" (SI 7) (Small Intestine Meridian), "Taiyuan" (LU 9)-"Lieque" (LU 7) (Lung Meridian) for 20 min, once daily and continuously for 3 days. Myocardial ischemia model was duplicated by occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery, and myocardial tissue of the left ventricle was taken 3 days after EA treatment for analyzing the differentially expressed genes in different groups with rat whole gene U 230 sequence chips (offered by Affymetrix Company). RESULTS: Compared with model group, among the differentially expressed genes being twofolds and above, the up-regulated and the down-regulated were 20 and 70 in EA-HT group, 18 and 26 in EA-SI group, and 14 and 20 in EA-LU group separately. Few same genes with the same differential expression were found among the 3 EA groups. CONCLUSION: There is exactly a molecular basis in the correlation between Heart Meridian and the heart, and EA of Heart Meridian, Small Intestine Meridian and Lung Meridian have their own special signaling pathways.

Molecular modeling of purinergic receptor P2Y12 and interaction with its antagonists.

Purinergic receptors are a class of cell surface receptors for purines that prefer ATP or ADP over adenosine. The surface receptors for extracellular nucleotides are called P2 receptors. They are activated by both pyrimidine and purine nucleotides. ADP initiates platelet aggregation by 'simultaneous activation of two G protein-coupled receptors, P2Y1 and P2Y12. P2Y12 has been shown to be the target of the thienopyridine drugs, ticlopidine and clopidogrel. Here, the active sites of P2Y12 for ATP as well as ADP are predicted by bioinformatics and molecular modeling. First, the three-dimensional (3D) structure of P2Y12 was constructed by InsightII/Homology module using the corresponding bovine rhodopsin (PDB code: 1HZX) as the template. Then the primary structures were optimized by energy minimization that has been successfully accepted by the Protein Data Bank (PDB code: 1VZ1). Second, a simple scoring matrix was built up based on the analysis of 13 known ATP-binding proteins. And the most probable active sites of P2Y12 were predicted using the scoring matrix, which include three distant areas: "head area" (LGTGPLRTFV, 87-96), "middle area" (VGLITNGLAM, 38-47, and LGAKILSVVI, 139-148), and "bottom area" (RTRGVGKVPR, 222-231). Subsequently the structural model of P2Y12 was docked with ATP/ADP in comparison with P2Y1 (PDB code 1ddd). As a comparison, we docked its antagonists, such as ticlopidine and clopidogrel, to the most probable sites and calculated their intermolecular energy. Our results imply that P2Y12 has the potential to be inhibited by ADP/ATP analogs, and it suggests that P2Y12 acts as a target of new drugs that inhibit platelet aggregation.

[Study on effects of acupuncture at the heart meridian on gene expression pattern of heart in rats with acute myocardial ischemia].

OBJECTIVE: To reveal the mechanism of acupuncture at the Heart meridian in treatment of myocardial ischemia from gene level. METHODS: A model of acute myocardial ischemia was made by ligation of left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery. Changes of gene expression pattern of the Lung meridian group, the Heart meridian group and the model group in the heart were compared. RESULTS: Differential expression genes and expression sequence tags (ESTs) were 14 with signal log ratio > or = 1 and 20 with signal log ratio < or = -1, mainly included immunological and inflammatory reaction relative genes, cell signal transduction and transferrin relative genes, and others, in the Lung meridian group vs the model group. Differential expression genes and ESTs were 20 with signal log ratio > or = 1 and 70 with signal log ratio < or = -1, mainly included ion channel and transport protein relative genes, cell apoptosis and stress reaction protein relative genes, metabolism relative genes, cell signal transduction and transferrin relative genes, DNA's binding, transcription and transcriptional factor relative genes, immunological and inflammatory reaction relative genes, and others, in the Heart meridian group vs the model group. CONCLUSION: In number and types of differential expression genes and ESTs with signal log ratio > or = 1 or < or = -1, the changes in the Heart meridian group vs the model group were obviously different from those in the Lung meridian group vs the model group, indicating that the Heart meridian has relative specificity in protecting against acute myocardial ischemia.

Energy and structural analysis of double nucleic acid triplets.

In order to investigate the energy and structural character of RNA-RNA triplets and RNA-DNA duplex base triplets, 64 sets of three-dimensional models of RNA-DNA duplex base triplets and mRNA-tRNA triplex base triplets were constructed and optimized by homologous modeling method using the software InsightII. The comparative statistical method and cluster analysis were adopted to study these features. The result showed: (i) all energy parameters of monomer RNA-DNA hybrid triplets and ternary complexes appeared significantly different; and some parameters related with overall molecules such as overall energy, bond energy and coulomb energy have statistically significant correlations between the structures in vacuum and aquatic solutions while other parameters, including theta energy, phi energy, hydrogen bond energy and non-bond energy, changed significantly, but not continuously. (ii) However, the case of mRNA-tRNA triplets was much more complicated in that only the bond energy's correlation coefficient is -0.8. Typically, the main contribution of GC pairs and G/A/U bases were interesting. The models of RNA-DNA hybrid triplets and mRNA-tRNA triplet should be helpful for the study of base pairing in codons and the biological effectiveness of antisense nucleic acids.

Rosiglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist, reduces acute lung injury in endotoxemic rats.

OBJECTIVE: Rosiglitazone, a potent agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma, exerts anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo. This study was designated to determine the effects of rosiglitazone on endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in rats. DESIGN: Prospective, experimental study. SETTING: University research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Thirty-six male Wistar rats. INTERVENTIONS: All the animals were randomly assigned to one of six groups (n = 6 per group) and were given either lipopolysaccharide (6 mg/kg intravenously) or saline, pretreated with rosiglitazone (0.3 mg/kg intravenously) or vehicle (10% dimethyl sulphoxide) 30 mins before lipopolysaccharide. The selective PPAR-gamma antagonist GW9662 (0.3 mg/kg intravenously) or its vehicle (10% dimethyl sulphoxide) was given 20 mins before rosiglitazone. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Endotoxemia for 4 hrs induced evident lung histologic injury and edema, both of which were significantly attenuated by rosiglitazone pretreatment. The protective effects of rosiglitazone were correlated with the reduction by 71% of the increase of myeloperoxidase activity and the reduction by 84% of the increase of malondialdehyde in the lung tissue. The pulmonary hyperproduction of nitric oxide was reduced by 82% of the increase related to lipopolysaccharide challenge. Pretreatment with rosiglitazone also markedly suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA and protein in the lung, as demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that rosiglitazone inhibited the formation of nitrotyrosine, a marker for peroxynitrite reactivity, in the lung tissue. In addition, the specific PPAR-gamma antagonist GW9662 antagonized the effects of rosiglitazone. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence, for the first time, that the PPAR-gamma agonist rosiglitazone significantly reduces endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in rats.