Pinealectomy interferes with the circadian clock genes expression in white adipose tissue

Melatonin, the main hormone produced by the pineal gland, is secreted in a circadian manner (24‐hr period), and its oscillation influences several circadian biological rhythms, such as the regulation of clock genes expression (chronobiotic effect) and the modulation of several endocrine functions in peripheral tissues. Assuming that the circadian synchronization of clock genes can play a role in the regulation of energy metabolism and it is influenced by melatonin, our study was designed to assess possible alterations as a consequence of melatonin absence on the circadian expression of clock genes in the epididymal adipose tissue of male Wistar rats and the possible metabolic repercussions to this tissue. Our data show that pinealectomy indeed has impacts on molecular events: it abolishes the daily pattern of the expression of Clock, Per2, and Cry1 clock genes and Pparγ expression, significantly increases the amplitude of daily expression of Rev‐erbα, and affects the pattern of and impairs adipokine production, leading to a decrease in leptin levels. However, regarding some metabolic aspects of adipocyte functions, such as its ability to synthesize triacylglycerols from glucose along 24 hr, was not compromised by pinealectomy, although the daily profile of the lipogenic enzymes expression (ATP‐citrate lyase, malic enzyme, fatty acid synthase, and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase) was abolished in pinealectomized animals.     

腹腔镜胆囊切除术患者围术期多项血清应激状态相关指标变化观察

目的:分析腹腔镜胆囊切除术的临床疗效,分析其对血清应激指标的影响。方法:将160例来我院行胆囊切除术的患者随机分为两组,对照组和观察组各80例。对照组采用开腹胆囊切除术,观察组则采用腹腔镜胆囊切除术。比较两组间手术时间、术中出血量、肠功能恢复时间以及住院天数差异,比较治疗前后两组患者间血清应激相关指标皮质醇(COR)、去甲肾上腺素(NE)、促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、多巴胺(DA)以及胰岛素(INS)、三碘甲状腺原氨酸(T3)、甲状腺素(T4)、促甲状腺激素释放激素(TSH)水平差异。结果:观察组患者手术时间、术中出血量、肠功能恢复时间以及住院天数均显著少于对照组(P<0.05)。血清COR、NE、ACTH、DA和INS、T3水平在围手术期均发生了显著变化,各项指标均在胆囊分离时就明显升高,术后24 h开始下降(P<0.05);术后观察组上述指标均显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:腹腔镜胆囊切除术对机体应激反应影响小于开腹手术,更利于患者术后康复。     

Risk of Stroke-Associated Pneumonia With Acid-Suppressive Drugs: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Acid-suppressive drugs, including histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), are common medications used for treating upper gastrointestinal tract disorders. However, acid-suppressive drugs have been reported to increase the risk of pneumonia in numerous disease populations. However, the relationship between acid-suppressive drugs and stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) remains controversial.The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between acid-suppressive drug usage and pneumonia among patients with stroke by using a nationwide data set.A population-based cohort study was conducted using a data set from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database. Data on patients with new-onset stroke from 2010 to 2011 were collected. Patients with and without acid-suppressive drug usage were followed up to identify the occurrence of any type of pneumonia. We estimated the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) by using the Cox proportional hazards model.The study cohort comprised 7965 patients with new-onset stroke. The incidence of pneumonia was 6.9% (552/7965) and more than 40% (225/552) of patients developed pneumonia within 3 months after an acute stroke. Acid-suppressive drug usage was an independent risk factor of pneumonia. The adjusted HR for the risk of pneumonia in patients with new-onset stroke using acid-suppressive drugs was 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18–1.75, P < 0.01). Only PPI usage increased risk of chronic SAP (adjusted HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.04–2.05).Acid-suppressive drug usage was associated with a slightly increased risk of SAP. Physicians should exercise caution when prescribing acid-suppressive drugs to patients with stroke, particularly at the chronic stage.