Risk Factors of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery in the Recent 10 Years: Clinical Analysis of 6229 Patients.

Background: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common complication after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) that prolongs hospitalization and increases expenses.

Hypothesis: Perioperative risk factors may predict POAF.

Methods: From March 2015 to January 2023, 6229 patients who underwent isolated CABG and were in sinus rhythm before CABG were included in this retrospective study.

Electroacupuncture relieves hyperalgesia by regulating neuronal-glial interaction and glutamate transporters of spinal dorsal horns in rats with acute incisional neck pain.

Objective: Glial cells are involved in the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) in rats with chronic neurological pain. The objective of this study was to observe the role of neuronal-glial interaction and glutamate (Glu) transporters in EA-induced acute neck pain relief in rats.

Materials And Methods: Male rats were placed into the following five groups: control, model, EA Futu (LI18), EA Hegu (LI4)-Neiguan (PC6), and EA Zusanli (ST36)-Yanglingquan (GB34).

The complete chloroplast genome of W.P. Fang (Ericaceae), a endemic plant from the Southern Dabie Mountains of China.

W.P. Fang 1983 (Ericaceae) is woody plant naturally distributed in the southwest of Anhui, China.

Histochemistry of microinfarcts in the mouse brain after injection of fluorescent microspheres into the common carotid artery.

The mouse model of multiple cerebral infarctions, established by injecting fluorescent microspheres into the common carotid artery, is a recent development in animal models of cerebral ischemia. To investigate its effectiveness, mouse models of cerebral infarction were created by injecting fluorescent microspheres, 45-53 µm in diameter, into the common carotid artery. Six hours after modeling, fluorescent microspheres were observed directly through a fluorescence stereomicroscope, both on the brain surface and in brain sections.

Harmless treatment of municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash through shaft furnace.

Municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash (MSWI FA) is a type of waste that is harmful to the environment, and the melting treatment methods can treat MSWI FA, removing its potential negative impacts. However, special equipment is required for the FA melting process, which necessitates high costs. Metallurgical shaft furnaces (MSF) can melt MSWI FA efficiently.

[Microstructural characteristics of lymphatic vessels in skin tissues of acupoints "Taichong" and "Yongquan" in the rat].

Objective: To provide a new method for investigating the histological characteristics of acupoints by obser-ving the microstructure of the lymphatic vessels in the skin tissue of "Taichong" (LR3) and "Yongquan" (KI1) regions.

Methods: Six male SD rats were used in the present study. The skin tissue of LR3 and KI1 from the hind foot were taken following transcardial perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde.

GABAergic Inhibition of Spinal Cord Dorsal Horns Contributes to Analgesic Effect of Electroacupuncture in Incisional Neck Pain Rats.

Background: Acupuncture has shown to be effective in relieving post-surgical pain. Nonetheless, its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of GABA, GABA-A receptor (R) and GABA-BR in the spinal cord dorsal horns (DHs), and the involved neural cells in rats with incisional neck pain.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase enhancer AVE3085 reverses endothelial dysfunction induced by homocysteine in human internal mammary arteries.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesized that the eNOS transcription enhancer AVE3085 may protect the endothelial function damaged by Hcy in the human internal mammary artery (IMA). Cumulative concentration-relaxation curves to acetylcholine (-10 to -4.

[High Mobility Group Box 1/ CD 24 Receptor/β-EP Signaling in "Zusanli" (ST 36) Region Contributes to Electroacupuncture Analgesia in Rats with Neuropathic Pain].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB 1) and its receptor CD 24 proteins and β-endorphin (β-EP) content in "Zusanli" (ST 36) region in rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying pain relief.

Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were rando-mized into control, CCI model and EA groups (＝ 10 rats in each). The neuropathic pain model was established by ligature of the left sciatic nerve to induce CCI in the model and EA groups, and sham operation was performed in rats of the control group.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α rs11549465 C>T and rs11549467 G>A gene polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of digestive cancers in Asians.

Objective: We used a meta-analysis framework to examine the correlation between HIF-1α gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility to digestive cancers.

Methods: Cochrane Library Database, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Pubmed, CINAHL, Chinese Biomedical Database and Web of Science were searched without language restrictions to identify relevant case-control studies reporting data on HIF-1α gene polymorphisms in digestive cancers. Data was extracted from the selected studies and meta-analysis was carried out using STATA 12.

Impact of long-term potassium supplementation on thiazide diuretic-induced abnormalities of glucose and uric acid metabolisms.

Treatment of hypertension with thiazide diuretics may trigger hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, and hyperuricemia. Some studies suggest simultaneous potassium supplementation in hypertensive patients using thiazide diuretics. However, few clinical studies have reported the impact of long-term potassium supplementation on thiazide diuretic-induced abnormalities in blood glucose and uric acid (UA) metabolisms.

Repeated electroacupuncture treatment attenuated hyperalgesia through suppression of spinal glial activation in chronic neuropathic pain rats.

Background: Cumulated evidence reveals that glial cells in the spinal cord play an important role in the development of chronic neuropathic pain and are also complicated in the analgesic effect of EA intervention. But the roles of microgliacytes and astrocytes of spinal cord in the process of EA analgesia remain unknown.

Methods: A total of 120 male Wistar rats were used in the present study.

Transcription activated p73-modulated cyclin D1 expression leads to doxorubicin resistance in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading types of cancer in terms of mortality cases worldwide. Doxorubicin (Dox), a common chemotherapy drug, is frequently used to treat GC; however, acquired resistance to Dox hinders the chemotherapeutic outcome and causes shorter survival in GC patients. Several Dox-resistant GC cell lines, including SGC7901, SNU-1 and SNU-5 were generated to investigate the mechanism of Dox resistance in GC.

Time-course behavioral features are correlated with Parkinson's disease‑associated pathology in a 6-hydroxydopamine hemiparkinsonian rat model.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. For decades, the unilateral 6‑hydroxydopamine (6‑OHDA) rat model has been employed to investigate the pathogenesis and therapy of PD. However, the behavior and associated pathological features of the model long term have not previously been described dynamically.

Alpinetin improved high fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through improving oxidative stress, inflammatory response and lipid metabolism.

The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a serious medical problem and an increasing threat to public health. It is characterized by the abnormal fat accumulation in liver without excessive alcohol intake. The concurrent NAFLD might up-regulate the risk of chronic kidney disease as well as the mortality rate.

[Effect of Electroacupuncture Intervention on Expression of Synaptic Plasticity-related Molecules in Amygdala in Chronic Pain-negative Affection Rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on expression of synaptic plasticity-related glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit NR 1, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor subunits (Aβ 2, B 1), etc. in the amygdala in chronic neuropathic pain negative affection (CNPPNA) rats, so as to reveal its mechanism underlying pain relief.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomized into normal control, CNPPNA model, EA, and anesthesia+EA (AEA)groups (=14 in each group, 8 for quantitative RT-PCR and 6 for immunofluorescence staining).

Electroacupuncture Reduces the Effects of Acute Noxious Stimulation on the Electrical Activity of Pain-Related Neurons in the Hippocampus of Control and Neuropathic Pain Rats.

To study the effects of acupuncture analgesia on the hippocampus, we observed the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor on pain-excited neurons (PENs) and pain-inhibited neurons (PINs) in the hippocampal area CA1 of sham or chronic constrictive injury (CCI) rats. The animals were randomly divided into a control, a CCI, and a U0126 (MEK1/2 inhibitor) group. In all experiments, we briefly (10-second duration) stimulated the sciatic nerve electrically and recorded the firing rates of PENs and PINs.

[Effect of Electroacupuncture Intervention on Expression of Pain Sensory and Affective Proce- ssing-related µ-opioid Receptor, etc. in the Amygdala in Chronic Neuropathy Pain Rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on expression of pain sensory and affective processing-related µ-opioid receptor (MOR), glutamatergic AMPA receptor subunit GIuA 1, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2), cAMP response element binding protein(CREB) in the amygdala in chronic constrictive injury (CC) + negative affection(NA) rats, so as to reveal its mechanism underlying pain relief.

Methods: A total of 32 male Wistar rats were randomized into normal control, model, EA, and anesthesia+ EA (AEA) groups (n = 8 in each group). The neuropathic pain NA model was established by ligation of the left sciatic nerve and repeated electrical stimulation of the paw-bottom in the pain-paired compartment.

Involvement of hippocampal acetylcholinergic receptors in electroacupuncture analgesia in neuropathic pain rats.

Background: Cumulating evidence has shown a close correlation between electroacupuncture stimulation (EAS) frequency-specific analgesic effect and central opioid peptides. However, the actions of hippocampal acetylcholinergic receptors have not been determined. This study aims to observe the effect of different frequencies of EAS on the expression of hippocampal muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors (mAChRs, nAChRs) in neuropathic pain rats for revealing their relationship.

Correlations of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 gene polymorphisms with the risk and prognosis of gastric cancer.

Aim: To investigate the correlations of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 polymorphisms with the risk and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC).

Methods: With an incorporation of 254 GC patients in the case group and 250 healthy subjects enrolled as the control group, this experiment was conducted. Denaturing high performance liquid chromatography method was adopted to detect all genotypes under partial denaturation, haloptype analysis was completed with the Shesis software.

GBA deficiency promotes SNCA/α-synuclein accumulation through autophagic inhibition by inactivated PPP2A.

Loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding GBA (glucocerebrosidase, β, acid), the enzyme deficient in the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease, elevate the risk of Parkinson disease (PD), which is characterized by the misprocessing of SNCA/α-synuclein. However, the mechanistic link between GBA deficiency and SNCA accumulation remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that loss of GBA function resulted in increased levels of SNCA via inhibition of the autophagic pathway in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells, primary rat cortical neurons, or the rat striatum.

Effect of Repeated Electroacupuncture Intervention on Hippocampal ERK and p38MAPK Signaling in Neuropathic Pain Rats.

Results of our past studies showed that hippocampal muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR)-1 mRNA and differentially expressed proteins participating in MAPK signaling were involved in electroacupuncture (EA) induced cumulative analgesia in neuropathic pain rats, but the underlying intracellular mechanism remains unknown. The present study was designed to observe the effect of EA stimulation (EAS) on hippocampal extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and p38 MAPK signaling in rats with chronic constrictive injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, so as to reveal its related intracellular targets in pain relief. After CCI, the thermal pain thresholds of the affected hind were significantly decreased compared with the control group (P < 0.

Immunomodulatory agents and risk of postpartum multiple sclerosis relapses.

Objective: To determine whether treatment with an interferon beta or glatiramer acetate shortly after delivery reduces the otherwise increased risk of postpartum relapses of multiple sclerosis.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort of 112 women with multiple sclerosis and live births from Kaiser Permanente Southern California, complete medical and pharmacy records of the mothers and infants were reviewed. Propensity score-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of time to first postpartum relapse were calculated.