Resiniferatoxin reduces cardiac sympathetic nerve activation to exert a cardioprotective effect during myocardial infarction

Background and objective: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common critical disease of the cardiovascular system. The process of MI is often accompanied by the excessive activation of cardiac sympathetic nerves, which leads to arrhythmia. Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is a transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), involved in the cardiac sympathetic afferent reflex. However, whether RTX can reduce the occurrence of arrhythmia and exert a cardioprotective effect by inhibiting the sympathetic reflex during MI is still unknown. Methods: The left anterior descending artery of cardiac was clamped to construct a model of MI. RTX (50 μg/ml) was used by epicardial application in MI rats. Ventricular electrophysiologic properties were continuously monitored by a body surface ECG. Yrosine hydroxylase (TH) and growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) were detected by Immunofluorescence staining. Connexin43 and transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGF-β1) were detected by western blot. Norepinephrine (NE) and BNP levels in blood and tissue were determined by ELISA. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. Results: The ERP, APD90, QRS, QT and the Tend-Tpeak intervals in MI rats were all prolonged, but decreased after RTX treatment (n = 3, P<0.05). In contrast, the RR interval was shortened in the MI group, but prolonged in the MI+RTX group (n = 3, P<0.05). RTX treatment significantly reduced ventricular arrhythmias after MI. TH- and GAP43-positive nerve densities and TGF-β1, and cx-43 protein expression were up-regulated in the MI group compared to the sham group, and they were decreased in the MI+RTX group compared to the MI group (n = 3, P<0.05). RTX can decrease serum and tissue NE and BNP levels (n = 3, P<0.05). RTX pretreatment significantly decreased heart rate, HW/BW ratio and LVIDS, and increased LVEF andLVFS values (n = 3, P<0.05). Conclusion: RTX improved cardiac dysfunction, ventricular electrophysiologic properties, and sympathetic nerve remodeling in rats with MI by inhibiting the excessive cardiac sympathetic drive.     

人工智能在中医药领域的应用进展及现状思考

人工智能（Artificial Intelligence，AI）的蓬勃兴起为现代社会带来了前所未有的机遇，中医药是中华民族传承千年的文化瑰宝。随着人工智能技术不断在中医药领域的科技创新中崭露头角，二者的融合不断加深，人工智能在中医药领域的发展前景、争议挑战也引发了诸多思考。本文将从人工智能在中医药领域的应用入手，对人工智能辅助中医诊断、智能决策与数据挖掘、健康管理及中草药现代化研究等方面，就近年来国内外研究进展进行总结与分析，以期为AI视域下实现中医药现代化、智能化赋能。     

人工弓状线切开技术在弓状线变异腹腔镜全腹膜外腹股沟疝修补术中的应用：附视频

目的探讨人工弓状线切开技术在变异弓状线病例腹腔镜全腹膜外腹股沟疝修补术（TEP）应用的可靠性、安全性和有效性。 方法回顾性分析2016年7月至2019年8月广东医科大学茶山医院施行TEP的60例弓状线变异患者资料，在脐与耻骨联合连线中点人为切开腹直肌后鞘及其后面的腹横筋膜创建一条人工弓状线，并对其后面的腹膜前间隙进分离。影像记录弓状线的形态和手术步骤。 结果低位弓状线50例（83.3%），位于脐下8~12 cm，表现为不完整的腹直肌后鞘，向下呈逐渐变薄、变少的散在纤维。无弓状线10例（16.7%），有完整的腹直肌后鞘并一直延伸至耻骨。以人工弓状线为界分为两个层面，前面的是腹直肌后间隙，后面是腹膜前间隙，位于腹横筋膜（含有后鞘）与腹膜前筋膜浅层之间，是TEP理想的分离层面，沿此间隙向下分离与Retzius间隙相连，然后向外分离Bogros间隙。本组平均手术时间（130±15）min，术中腹膜损伤率8.3%（5/60）。术后发生血肿3例，血清肿2例，皮下气肿3例，无慢性疼痛病例。术后平均随访25个月，无复发病例。 结论人工弓状线切开技术在低位和无弓状线患者的TEP手术中安全有效、简单可靠，值得推广。     

人工智能在耳鼻咽喉头颈外科的运用及展望

通过对大数据深度学习,近年人工智能技术已逐渐渗透到医学各个领域,实现一定程度应用。虽然耳鼻咽喉头颈外科专业近几年发表相关文献数量急剧增长,但大部分临床医生对于人工智能的研究还比较陌生。介绍人工智能的基本原理,列举、分析其在耳鼻喉科的主要研究情况,探讨目前人工智能技术实际应用的局限,展望未来人工智能技术在耳鼻喉科可能的应用。     

后外侧结构重建在新鲜股骨颈骨折人工股骨头置换术中的应用

目的探讨后外侧结构重建对后外侧入路人工股骨头置换术术后早期关节脱位的影响。方法选取2016年9月至2017年8月于我院行后外侧入路初次人工股骨头置换术的股骨颈骨折患者60例,根据术中是否修补关节囊及外旋肌群分为重建组(33例:舌形切开关节囊,术中将关节囊及外旋肌群原位缝合在大转子后方及臀中肌肌腱附着处)和对照组(27例:切除关节囊后,术中未进行外旋肌群修复重建)。比较两组的手术情况及术后近期关节功能情况。结果重建组的手术时间为(45.0±15.3) min,长于对照组的(35.0±12.4) min (P <0.05)。重建组术腔引流量为(200.0±80.0) m L,少于对照组的(420.0±120.6) m L (P <0.05)。重建组的早期脱位率为0.000%(0例),与对照组的7.407%(2例)比较无统计学差异(P>0.05)。重建组术后Harris评分为(92.0±3.4)分,高于对照组的(88.2±5.0)分(P <0.05)。结论在后外侧入路人工股骨头置换过程中行后外侧结构重建能够有效减少术腔引流量,提高髋关节Harris评分,对维持髋关节软组织平衡具有重要意义。     

Vestibular Function Measurement Devices

Vestibular function laboratories utilize a multitude of diagnostic instruments to evaluate a dizzy patient. Caloric irrigators, oculomotor stimuli, and rotational chairs produce a stimulus whose accuracy is required for the patient response to be accurate. Careful attention to everything from cleanliness of equipment to threshold adjustments determine on a daily basis if patient data are going to be correct and useful. Instrumentation specifications that change with time such as speed and temperature must periodically be checked using calibrated instruments.     

A modality-specific somatosensory evoked potential test protocol for clinical evaluation: A feasibility study

ObjectiveWe aimed to establish an objective neurophysiological test protocol that can be used to assess the somatosensory nervous system.MethodsIn order to assess most fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system, repetitive stimuli of seven different modalities (touch, vibration, pinprick, cold, contact heat, laser, and warmth) were synchronized with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and applied on the cheek and dorsum of the hand and dorsum of the foot in 21 healthy subjects and three polyneuropathy (PNP) patients. Latencies and amplitudes of the modalities were assessed and compared. Patients received quantitative sensory testing (QST) as reference.ResultsWe found reproducible evoked potentials recordings for touch, vibration, pinprick, contact-heat, and laser stimuli. The recording of warm-evoked potentials was challenging in young healthy subjects and not applicable in patients. Latencies were shortest within Aβ-fiber-mediated signals and longest within C-fibers. The test protocol detected function loss within the Aβ-fiber and Aδ-fiber-range in PNP patients. This function loss corresponded with QST findings.ConclusionIn this pilot study, we developed a neurophysiological test protocol that can specifically assess most of the somatosensory modalities. Despite technical challenges, initial patient data appear promising regarding a possible future clinical application.SignificanceEstablished and custom-made stimulators were combined to assess different fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system using modality-specific evoked potentials.     

Structured Sequence Learning: Animal Abilities,Cognitive Operations,and Language Evolution

Human language is a salient example of a neurocognitive system that is specialized to process complex dependencies between sensory events distributed in time, yet how this system evolved and specialized remains unclear. Artificial Grammar Learning (AGL) studies have generated a wealth of insights into how human adults and infants process different types of sequencing dependencies of varying complexity. The AGL paradigm has also been adopted to examine the sequence processing abilities of nonhuman animals. We critically evaluate this growing literature in species ranging from mammals (primates and rats) to birds (pigeons, songbirds, and parrots) considering also cross‐species comparisons. The findings are contrasted with seminal studies in human infants that motivated the work in nonhuman animals. This synopsis identifies advances in knowledge and where uncertainty remains regarding the various strategies that nonhuman animals can adopt for processing sequencing dependencies. The paucity of evidence in the few species studied to date and the need for follow‐up experiments indicate that we do not yet understand the limits of animal sequence processing capacities and thereby the evolutionary pattern. This vibrant, yet still budding, field of research carries substantial promise for advancing knowledge on animal abilities, cognitive substrates, and language evolution.