Comparative analysis of anxiety/depression scores in COVID-19 patients with disease severity, sleep patterns, and certain laboratory test results.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with severe emotional changes. This research aims to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in COVID-19 patients and its relationship with disease severity, sleep patterns, lifestyle, and specific laboratory test results.

Material And Methods: An observational study of 52 Chinese patients with COVID-19 was conducted to assess the relation between anxiety and depression (evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and laboratory findings (lymphocytes, C-reactive proteins, leukocytes, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase).

Investigating the inotropic effect of pyruvic acid on the isolated rat heart and its underlying mechanism.

Pyruvic acid is important organic chemical intermediates that plays a role in cardiomyocyte pathophysiology and therapy. This study sought to explore the inotropic effects of pyruvic acid on the function of the isolated rat hearts and investigate its underlying mechanism. Pyruvic acid produced a greater negative inotropic effect compared to HCl and sodium pyruvate in a concentration-dependent pattern in the hearts.

Formaldehyde regulates vascular tensions through nitric oxide-cGMP signaling pathway and ion channels.

Formaldehyde (FA) has been linked to the detrimental cardiovascular effects. Here, we explored the effects and mechanisms of FA on rat aortas both in vivo and in vitro. The results presented that FA evidently lowered the blood pressures of rats.

The molecular mechanisms of sodium metabisulfite on the expression of K ATP and L-Ca2+ channels in rat hearts.

Sodium metabisulfite (SMB) is used as an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent in a variety of drugs and foods. However, there are few reported studies about its side effects. This study is to investigate the SMB effects on the expression of ATP-sensitive K(+) (KATP) and L-type calcium (L-Ca(2+)) channels in rat hearts.

Effect of sulfur dioxide inhalation on the expression of KATP and L-Ca(2+) channels in rat hearts.

Epidemiological studies have revealed an association between sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure and cardiovascular diseases. This study is designed to investigate the SO2 effect on the expression of ATP-sensitive K(+) (KATP) channel and L-type calcium (L-Ca(2+)) channel in rat hearts. The results show that the mRNA and protein levels of the KATP channel subunits Kir6.

Effects of sodium metabisulfite on the expression of BK(Ca), K(ATP), and L-Ca(2+) channels in rat aortas in vivo and in vitro.

Sodium metabisulfite (SMB) is most commonly used as the preservative in many food preparations and drugs. So far, few studies about its negative effects were reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of SMB on the expression of big-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BKCa), ATP-sensitive K(+) (KATP), and L-type calcium (L-Ca(2+)) channels in rat aorta in vivo and in vitro.

Effects of gaseous sulfur dioxide and its derivatives on the expression of KATP, BKCa and L-Ca(2+) channels in rat aortas in vitro.

Epidemiological investigations have revealed that sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure is linked to cardiovascular diseases. Our previous study indicated that the vasorelaxant effect of SO2 might be partly related to ATP-sensitive K(+) (KATP), big-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BKCa) and L-type calcium (L-Ca(2+)) channels. The present study was designed to further investigate the effects of gaseous SO2 and its derivatives on the gene and protein expression of these channels in the rat aortas in vitro.

Effect of sulfur dioxide on inflammatory and immune regulation in asthmatic rats.

Background: Exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO2) increases asthma risk. Inflammatory and immune responses are typical in asthma disease. The exact effect of SO2 on modulation of the inflammatory and immune responses in asthmatic rats remains unclear.

The vasorelaxant effect and its mechanisms of sodium bisulfite as a sulfur dioxide donor.

To study the biological role of bisulfite on vascular contractility and its underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, to explore whether bisulfite can be used as a sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) donor in the biological experiments, the vasorelaxant effects of sodium bisulfite and sodium sulfite on isolated rat thoracic aortic rings were compared; and the signal transduction pathways and the ion channels involved in the vascular effects of bisulfite were investigated. The results show that: (1) Sodium bisulfite relaxed rat thoracic aortic rings in a concentration-dependent manner (from 100 to 4000 μM); however, sodium sulfite at 500 and 1000 μM caused vasoconstriction, and only at higher concentrations (from 2000 to 4000 μM) it caused vasorelaxation in a concentration-dependent manner. (2) The vasorelaxation caused by the bisulfite at low concentrations (≤500 μM) was endothelium-dependent, but at high concentrations (≥1000 μM) it was endothelium-independent.

The vasodilator mechanisms of sodium metabisulfite on precontracted isolated aortic rings in rats: signal transduction pathways and ion channels.

Sodium metabisulfite (SMB) is most commonly used as a food additives, however few study was performed on the vasodilator effect of SMB. In the present paper, the vasodilator effects of SMB and roles of Ca(2+) and K(+) channels as well as the cGMP pathway on isolated rat aortic rings were studied. The results show that: (1) SMB could relax isolated aortic rings precontracted by norepinephrine in a concentration-dependent manner.

[Progress in sulfur dioxide biology: from toxicology to physiology].

Based on our studies for more than 20 years, we review the recent advances in sulfur dioxide (SO2) biology. Three sections are involved: (1) The studies on SO2 toxicological effects and its underlying mechanisms; (2) The new investigations on SO2 donor and physiological role of SO2 as a new type-gas transmitter; (3) The observations on pathophysiologic roles of SO2.

The inotropic effects of ammonia on isolated perfused rat hearts and the mechanisms involved.

Ammonia (NH(3)) is a common exogenous gas in the atmosphere, as well as an endogenous chemical produced by amino acid catabolism and other pathways in vivo. Physiological and pathophysiological roles of NH(3) in the nervous system have been studied. Recently, endogenous NH(3) has been suggested to be a gas transmitter.

Protective effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate against lead-induced oxidative damage.

A positive association of lead exposure with clinical cardiovascular outcomes has been identified. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is one of the active polyphenols in green tea, it has not been reported as an antioxidant against lead toxicity. This study was carried out to investigate whether EGCG could protect the ventricular myocytes of rats against lead-induced oxidative damage.

Sulfur dioxide upregulates the aortic nitric oxide pathway in rats.

Sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) is a common gaseous pollutant. It is also, however, endogenously generated from sulfur-containing amino acids. Recent studies have demonstrated that rat blood pressure can be lowered by SO(2)-exposure in vivo and that vasodilation caused by SO(2) at low concentrations (<450 microM) is endothelium-dependent in rat aorta.

The negative inotropic effects of gaseous sulfur dioxide and its derivatives in the isolated perfused rat heart.

Epidemiological investigations have revealed that sulfur dioxide (SO(2) ) exposure is linked to cardiovascular diseases. The present study was designed to investigate the negative inotropic effects of gaseous SO(2) and its derivatives in the isolated perfused rat heart and the possible mechanisms involved in their effects. The results showed that both SO(2) and SO(2) derivatives elicited a negative inotropic effect in a dose-dependent manner, and SO(2) produced a higher negative effect than SO(2) derivatives.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate protects Na+ channels in rat ventricular myocytes against sulfite.

Sulfite (bisulfite/sulfite) can affect voltage-gated sodium (Na(+)) channels (VGSC) in a concentration-dependent manner in isolated rat ventricular myocytes. In this study, the effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on VGSC in isolated ventricular myocytes was studied. Ventricular myocytes were exposed to 10 microM bisulfite/sulfite for 10 min, and EGCG was then administered in different concentrations (10, 30, 50 microg ml(-1)).

Expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in lungs of rats exposed to sulfur dioxide and benzo(a)pyrene.

Concurrent exposure to SO(2) and benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) resulted in an increased incidence of lung tumors in rodents compared to exposure to B(a)P alone. A synergistic effect on the expression of c-fos and c-jun between SO(2) and B(a)P was observed in lungs after SO(2) and B(a)P exposure. However, tumorigenesis occurs by multiple events that may involve the activation of more than one oncogene, as well as the functional loss of the tumor suppressor gene.

Vasodilator effect of gaseous sulfur dioxide and regulation of its level by Ach in rat vascular tissues.

To explore the toxicological and physiological role of gaseous SO(2) on vascular contractility and its level in vascular tissues, a vasodilation study of isolated rat thoracic aortic rings by gaseous SO(2) was carried out. The level of SO(2) in vascular tissue was assayed using a modified high-performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD). The results show that gaseous SO(2) (from 1 microM to 2000 microM) relaxed rat thoracic aortic rings in a dose-dependent manner.

Effects of sulfur dioxide on expressions of p53, bax and bcl-2 in lungs of asthmatic rats.

Inhibition of cell apoptosis is an increasingly important factor in modulating airway inflammation in asthma, which is related to environmental pollutants. To investigate the effects of sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) on the mRNA and protein expressions of apoptosis-related genes in lungs from asthmatic rats, male Wistar rats were challenged by ovalbumin (OVA) or SO(2) (2 ppm) inhalation alone or together. Examinations were performed 24 h after the last treatment.

Expression of caspase and apoptotic signal pathway induced by sulfur dioxide.

Sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) is a common air pollutant that is released in low concentrations into the atmosphere and in higher concentrations in some work places. In the present study, male Wistar rats were housed in exposure chambers and treated with 14.00 +/- 1.

Sodium metabisulfite modulation of potassium channels in pain-sensing dorsal root ganglion neurons.

The effects of sodium metabisulfite (SMB), a general food preservative, on potassium currents in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. SMB increased the amplitudes of both transient outward potassium currents and delayed rectifier potassium current in concentration- and voltage-dependent manner. The transient outward potassium currents (TOCs) include a fast inactivating (A-current or IA) current and a slow inactivating (D-current or ID) current.

Effect of sulfur dioxide on expression of proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes from rats.

Sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) is a ubiquitous air pollutant that is present in low concentrations in the urban air, and in higher concentrations in the working environment. In the present study, male Wistar rats were housed in exposure chambers and treated with 14.00 +/- 1.

Sulfur dioxide and benzo(a)pyrene modulates CYP1A and tumor-related gene expression in rat liver.

Sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) and benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) are common industrial and environmental contaminants. However, few data are available on the effects of SO(2) on proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as the interactions between SO(2) and other xenobiotics regulating proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes expression. To investigate the interactions between SO(2) and B(a)P, male Wistar rats were exposed to intratracheally instilled with B(a)P or SO(2) inhalation alone or together.