Atrial fibrillation hospitalization is associated with exposure to fine particulate air pollutants.

Background: Although air pollutants have been associated with cardiopulmonary mortality, their effects on the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (Afib) remain unclear. This study examined the association between ambient air pollutants and Afib occurrence.

Methods: Using a representative sample from the National Health Insurance Database of Taiwan, we applied a case-crossover study design to explore the associations between air pollutants and patients hospitalized with Afib from 2006 to 2011.

Effects of night duty events on blood pressure and autonomic modulation in physicians.

Background: The dynamic effects of duty events on the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV) of physicians on duty are unknown.

Methods: A study was conducted among 12 physicians on night duty. BP and HRV with and without the effect of a duty event were compared.

Ursolic acid activates the TGR5 receptor to enhance GLP-1 secretion in type 1-like diabetic rats.

Endogenous Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5), G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (GPBAR1), regulates glucose metabolism. In animals, TGR5 activation by a chemical agonist may increase incretin secretion and reduce the blood sugar level. Recently, betulinic acid has been suggested to activate TGR5.

Ginsenoside Rh2 Improves Cardiac Fibrosis via PPARδ-STAT3 Signaling in Type 1-Like Diabetic Rats.

Ginsenoside Rh2 (Rh2) is an active principal ingredient contained in ginseng ( Meyer), a medicinal herb used to enhance health worldwide. The present study is designed to investigate the effect of Rh2 on myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats. In a streptozotocin-induced model of type-1 diabetic rats (STZ-diabetic rats), the increased fasting blood glucose levels and heart weight/body weight (HW/BW) ratio were substantially alleviated by Rh2.

Loperamide-induced Cardiac Depression Is Enhanced by Hyperglycemia: Evidence Relevant to Loperamide Abuse.

Background And Aims: Cardiac dysryhthmias and death are reported after loperamide abuse. The mechanism of death is not clear and cardiac depression may play a role in this mechanism. Loperamide is widely used as an agonist of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) in clinical practice.

Investigation of triamterene as an inhibitor of the TGR5 receptor: identification in cells and animals.

Background: G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (GPBAR1, also known as TGR5) has been shown to participate in glucose homeostasis. In animal models, a TGR5 agonist increases incretin secretion to reduce hyperglycemia. Many agonists have been developed for clinical use.

Insomnia and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Although advancements in the treatment of atrial fibrillation have improved patient prognosis for this persistent condition, interest in atrial fibrillation development is growing. Of note is the fact that additional attention is being focused on the accompanying effect of insomnia. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of insomnia on the risk of atrial fibrillation development.

Cryptotanshinone Inhibits STAT3 Signaling to Alleviate Cardiac Fibrosis in Type 1-like Diabetic Rats.

Cryptotanshinone is an active principal ingredient isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), a medicinal plant used in China to treat cardiac disorders. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cryptotanshinone on myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats. In streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic model hyperglycemic rats (STZ-treated rats), fasting blood glucose levels and heart weight/body weight ratio were markedly increased but both were not modified by cryptotanshinone.

Increased night duty loading of physicians caused elevated blood pressure and sympathetic tones in a dose-dependent manner.

Purpose: Night duty has been recognized as a significantly harmful stressor for physicians. However, the relationship between various levels of duty loading and stress response is unknown. This study examined whether duty load increases cardiovascular stress indicators in a dose-dependent manner.

Increase of PPARδ by dopamine mediated via DA-1 receptor-linked phospholipase C pathway in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

Background: Role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) in cardiac contraction has recently been established. Dopamine is one of the agents used to treat heart failure in clinics. But the mediation of PPARδ in cardiac action of dopamine is still unclear.

Activation of β-adrenoceptors by dobutamine may induce a higher expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors δ (PPARδ) in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

Recent evidence showed the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in cardiac function. Cardiac contraction induced by various agents is critical in restoring the activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors δ (PPARδ) in cardiac myopathy. Because dobutamine is an agent widely used to treat heart failure in emergency setting, this study is aimed to investigate the change of PPARδ in response to dobutamine.

Improvement of insulin resistance by Chlorella in fructose-rich chow-fed rats.

Chlorella is a type of unicellular fresh water algae. In an attempt to develop new agents for handling insulin resistance, Chlorella was employed to screen the effect on insulin resistance in rats induced by fructose-rich chow. A single oral administration of Chlorella for 90 min decreased the plasma glucose in a dose-dependent manner in rats receiving 4-week fructose-rich chow.

Effects of metformin on rosiglitazone-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice.

Thiazolidinediones (TZD) can cause adipose tissue accumulation and myocardial hypertrophy. This study aimed to determine if combined Metformin (Glucophage) and Rosiglitazone (Avandia) could reduce the risk of heart failure caused by Rosiglitazone in BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice were treated with oral Rosiglitazone/Metformin twice daily for four weeks.

Working the night shift causes increased vascular stress and delayed recovery in young women.

Shiftwork has been associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) and decreased heart-rate variability (HRV), factors that may increase the long-term risk of cardiovascular-related mortality and morbidity. This study explored the effect of shiftwork on dynamic changes in autonomic control of HRV (cardiac stress), systolic BP and diastolic BP, i.e.

Dynamic blood pressure changes and recovery under different work shifts in young women.

Background: Some studies have reported that shift work can affect blood pressure (BP), but few have studied recovery from BP changes occurring during different shifts.

Methods: We recruited 16 young female nurses working rotating shifts and six working the regular day shift. All received repeated ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) during their workdays and following day off.

Grand rounds: outbreak of hematologic abnormalities in a community of people exposed to leakage of fire extinguisher gas.

Context: Although there are ample data on the respiratory effects of exposure to fire extinguisher gas, the potential hematologic effects have not been fully documented. We conducted this study to determine the possible etiologic agent(s) for a decrease in red blood cells among community residents in Taipei, Taiwan, after they were exposed to leakage of mixed fire extinguishants containing bromotrifluoromethane (CF3Br, Halon 1301), bromochlorodifluoromethane (CF2BrCl, Halon 1211), and dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl2F2, CFC-12).

Case Presentation: We studied 117 exposed residents who came into one hospital for physical examinations.