Cardiac Denervation for Arrhythmia Treatment with Transesophageal Ultrasonic Strategy in Canine Models

Stellate ganglion (SG) modification has been investigated for arrhythmia treatment. In this study, transesophageal SG imaging and intervention were explored using a homemade 30F integrated focused ultrasonic catheter in healthy mongrel canines in vivo. Anatomic details of SGs were ultrasonically imaged and evaluated. SG had a heterogeneous echoic structure and characteristic profiles sketched by hyper-echoic outlines in an ultrasonogram. Left SGs in the experimental group were successfully ablated through the esophagus under ultrasonic guidance provided by the catheter itself. Two weeks after the ablation, the QT and QTc of the experimental group decreased compared with those of the sham group and at baseline (both p values < 0.001). Histologic examination revealed that left SGs were destroyed. No major complications were observed. This approach may be further explored as a method for ganglia remodeling evaluation and as a strategy of ganglia modification for arrhythmia and for other diseases.     

Mechanisms of repigmentation induced by photobiomodulation therapy in vitiligo

Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy is based on the exposure of biological tissues to low‐level laser light (coherent light) or light‐emitting diodes (LEDs; noncoherent light), leading to the modulation of cellular functions, such as proliferation and migration, which result in tissue regeneration. PBM therapy has important clinical applications in regenerative medicine. Vitiligo is an acquired depigmentary disorder resulting from disappearance of functional melanocytes in the involved skin. Vitiligo repigmentation depends on available melanocytes derived from (a) melanocyte stem cells located in the bulge area of hair follicles and (b) the epidermis at the lesional borders, which contains a pool of functional melanocytes. Since follicular melanoblasts (MBs) are derived from the melanocyte stem cells residing at the bulge area of hair follicle, the process of vitiligo repigmentation presents a research model for studying the regenerative effect of PBM therapy. Previous reports have shown favourable response for treatment of vitiligo with a low‐energy helium‐neon (He‐Ne) laser. This review focuses on the molecular events that took place during the repigmentation process of vitiligo triggered by He‐Ne laser (632.8 nm, red light). Monochromatic radiation in the visible and infrared A (IRA) range sustains matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), improves mitochondrial function, and increases adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and O₂ consumption, which lead to cellular regenerative pathways. Cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondria was reported to be the photoacceptor upon which He‐Ne laser exerts its effects. Mitochondrial retrograde signalling is responsible for the cellular events by red light. This review shows that He‐Ne laser initiated mitochondrial retrograde signalling via a Ca²⁺‐dependent cascade. The impact on cytochrome c oxidase within the mitochondria, an event that results in activation of CREB (cyclic‐AMP response element binding protein)‐related cascade, is responsible for the He‐Ne laser promoting functional development at different stages of MBs and boosting functional melanocytes. He‐Ne laser irradiation induced (a) melanocyte stem cell differentiation; (b) immature outer root sheath MB migration; (c) differentiated outer root sheath MB melanogenesis and migration; and (d) perilesional melanocyte migration and proliferation. These photobiomodulation effects result in perifollocular and marginal repigmentation in vitiligo.     

《针灸大成》关于气海穴临床应用的文献研究

目的:通过检索《针灸大成》中与气海穴治疗作用相关的文献条文,总结气海穴在治疗各系统疾病中运用频次较高的疾病及其配穴规律,为临床针灸对气海穴的使用提供理论支持。方法:以《中华医典》(第五版)中《针灸大成》作为文献检索来源,将气海穴及气海穴的别称“脖胦”“下肓”“丹田”“肓之原”“肓原”“下言”和“气泽”为检索词,用计算机检索工具及人工检索相结合的方法检索符合要求的文献条文,通过建立本研究的数据库,频次分析、条形统计图比较分析等方法,总结出气海穴在治疗各系统疾病中的运用频次及其配穴规律。结果:在《针灸大成》所涉及的条文中,气海穴尤善治疗内科疾病,在治疗内科疾病中排名前3位的是脾胃系病症、气血津液疾病、肾系病症和妇科疾病,气海穴配穴习惯为上下配穴法,同名经配穴法,以及前后配穴法,其中主要为前后配穴法和同名经配穴法。结论:气海穴《针灸大成》中单穴应用占比最高,而在气海穴众多配穴中,运用了本经配穴法、上下配穴法、前后配穴法,配穴归经主要来自任脉和足太阳膀胱经。同名经配穴法,同气相求,可增加疗效;与气海穴配伍较多的足太阳膀胱经以背腧穴为主,此为前后配穴法,亦称腹背阴阳配穴法,腹部为阴,腰背为阳,前后配穴法可起到“从阳引阴”亦可“从阴引阳”的作用,以达到调节阴阳,调和脏法,调畅经络的目的。     

健康支持性环境对四川农村人群的不同血压水平的影响分析

目的 探讨健康支持性环境中的不同特征变量对四川省农村人群的不同血压水平的影响。方法 采用多阶段整群抽样的方法，随机抽取四川省7个县（区）8400名的18岁以上常住居民为调查对象。问卷调查一般人口学特征、身体活动行为特征和环境等信息。采用标准方法测量身高、体重、腰围和血压。采用无序多分类logistic回归分析。结果 本调查人群中共检出正常高值血压者4270例，检出率为50.83%，标化率为37.02%，平均年龄（56.22±14.89）岁；高血压患者1498例，检出率为17.83%，标化率为7.92%，平均年龄（65.26±11.28）岁。无序多分类logistic回归结果显示，住宿环境好、获得运动方面的健康信息和参与中等强度活动150Symbol~A@300min/周是正常高值血压和高血压人群的共同保护因素；住宿便利（OR=0.789, 95%CI:0.649~0.958, P=0.017）、医疗服务可及性便利（OR=0.686, 95%CI:0.509~0.924, P=0.013）、对健身步道和健身广场满意为高血压人群的保护因素。结论 多途径合理构建健康支持性环境，对农村正常高值血压者和高血压患者具有保护作用，对遏制农村高血压的流行现状起到一定作用。     

Chalcone hybrids and their antimalarial activity

Malaria, one of the most striking, re-emerging infectious diseases caused by the genus Plasmodium, places a huge burden on global healthcare systems. A major challenge in the control and eradication of malaria is the continuous emergence of increasingly widespread drug-resistant malaria, creating an urgent need to develop novel antimalarial agents. Chalcone derivatives are ubiquitous in nature and have become indispensable units in medicinal chemistry applications due to their diverse biological profiles. Many chalcone derivatives demonstrate potential in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity, so chalcone could be a useful template for the development of novel antimalarial agents. This review covers the recent development of chalcone hybrids as antimalarial agents. The critical aspects of the design and structure–activity relationship of these compounds are also discussed.     

Comparison of auditory steady-state response and click-evoked auditory brain response in infants with different types and degrees of hearing loss

Abstract

Background: Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) and click-evoked auditory brain response (c-ABR) have been used for hearing assessment for decades years, the correlation of the two methods and the effects of type and degree of hearing loss (HL) to the correlation in infants younger than 6?months of age are unclear.

Objectives: To compare the correlation of ASSR and c-ABR and then to analyse the effects of type and degree of HL on the correlation in infants younger than 6?months of age.

Material and methods: Retrospective study comparing ASSR thresholds at various frequencies with c-ABR thresholds. 182 ears from 96 infants were assessed and classified according to types and degrees of HL.

Results: The correlation coefficients were: 0.823, 0.864, 0.891, 0.871, 0.908, 0.915 and 0.913 between ASSR thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 2–4, 1–2–4, 0.5–1–2–4?kHz and c-ABR thresholds respectively. The correlation coefficients in the group of sensorineural HL (SHL) (r?=?0.763–0.900) were higher than conductive HL (r?=?0.309–0.619) across all frequencies. The coefficients of severe-profound SHL (r?=?0.595–0.790) were higher than mild-moderate SHL (r?=?0.434–0.687) across all frequencies.

Conclusions and significance: ASSR was one valuable cross-check measure by providing frequency specific information in auditory assessment.     

Elevated serum levels of Interleukin‐37 are associated with inflammatory cytokines and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Interleukin‐37 (IL‐37) is closely associated with several inflammatory diseases. However, the role of IL‐37 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between serum levels of IL‐37 and disease activity, inflammatory cytokines, and bone loss in patients with RA. Serum cytokines levels were examined by Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Radiographic bone erosion was assessed using the van der Heijde‐modified Sharp score and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using DXA. Serum IL‐37 levels in RA patients were significantly higher than those in HCs (p < 0.001), and were significantly positively correlated with clinical parameters of disease activity and serum levels of IL‐17 and IL‐23. In addition, serum IL‐37 levels were significantly higher in patients with stage IV of radiographic bone erosion than those with stage III and stage I–II, and they were significantly higher in those with osteopenia and osteoporosis than in those with normal BMD. Our results suggest that serum IL‐37 levels were increased in patients with RA and were positively associated with disease activity, IL‐17/IL‐23 and bone loss in RA, suggesting that IL‐37 may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of RA.