The ameliorating effect of Rosa roxburghii against ethanol-induced psychomotor alterations in rats

Background: Ethanol (EtOH) is one of the oldest recreational substances known to man, primarily taken because it induces a sense of well-being (euphoric effects) and relaxation (anxiolytic effects). EtOH use entails various negative consequences. Of particular interest are EtOH-induced psychomotor alterations, because of its immediate manifestation and adverse consequences. Rosa roxburghii (RR), a wild plant of Southwest China, has gained attention on account of its numerous beneficial effects on the immune, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Objective: In the present study we assessed the effects of Rosa roxburghii (RR) on EtOH-induced psychomotor alterations in rats. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were orally administered distilled water (control group) or ethanol (4?g/kg BW) (EtOH-group) to induce psychomotor alterations. RR extract (25, 50, and 100?mg/kg, p.o.) was administered 30?min before EtOH treatment (RR-group). EtOH-induced psychomotor alterations were evaluated in the open-field, accelerating rotarod, hanging wire, and cold swimming tests. Behavioral evaluation and hematological analysis (EtOH and acetaldehyde concentration) were done at 1, 2, 4 and 8 hours after EtOH administration. Results: The EtOH group showed psychomotor alterations as compared with the control group. These EtOH-induced psychomotor alterations were directly related to the rise in blood ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations. Pre-treatment of RR significantly improved EtOH-induced psychomotor alterations on open-field, accelerating rotarod, hanging wire, and cold swimming tests. These improvements in psychomotor performance coincided with the decreased blood ethanol and acetaldehyde levels observed in the RR-treated group. Conclusion: These results suggest that RR has ameliorating effects against EtOH-induced psychomotor alterations.     

Incremental predictive value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein for incident hypertension: the Hypertension-Diabetes Daegu Initiative study

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and incident hypertension. Study subjects were 452 Koreans who were enrolled in a cohort study. Log-transformed hs-CRP (odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–3.39; p?=?0.035) was an independent predictor of incident hypertension. Inclusion of hs-CRP showed significant increase in the area under the curve from 0.697 to 0.720 (p?=?0.042), the net reclassification improvement (0.394, p?p?=?0.045). The hs-CRP added incremental value to the combination of systolic blood pressure and conventional risk factors in predicting incident hypertension.     

Weekend catch-up sleep is independently associated with suicide attempts and self-injury in Korean adolescents

The current study aims to determine the associations of insufficient sleep with suicide attempts and self-injury in a large, school-based Korean adolescent sample.