Pinealectomy increases ouabain high-affinity binding sites and dissociation constant in rat cerebral cortex.

The effect of the pineal gland on the ouabain high-affinity binding sites (Kd = 3.1 +/- 0.4 nM, Bmax = 246.4 +/- 18.4 fmol/mg protein) in rat cerebral cortex was studied. Pinealectomy increased Bmax (940.7 +/- 42.8 fmol/mg protein) and Kd (7.6 +/- 1.5 nM) while melatonin injection (100 micrograms/kg b.wt.) counteracted these effects, restoring kinetic parameters (Kd = 1.9 +/- 0.05 nM; Bmax = 262.2 +/- 29.6 fmol/mg prot) to control values. Melatonin activity on ouabain binding in vitro did not depend upon a direct effect on the binding sites themselves. However, in competition experiments, melatonin increased binding affinity of ouabain as shown by the decreased IC50 values.     

GJB2 mutations: passage through Iran

Hereditary hearing loss (HHL) is a very common disorder. When inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, it typically presents as an isolated finding. Interestingly and unexpectedly, in spite of extreme heterogeneity, mutations in one gene, GJB2, are the most common cause of congenital severe-to-profound deafness in many different populations. In this study, we assessed the contributions made by GJB2 mutations and chromosome 13 g.1777179_2085947del (the deletion more commonly known as del (GJB6-D13S1830) that includes a portion of GJB6 and is hereafter called Delta(GJB6-D13S1830)) to the autosomal recessive non-syndromic deafness (ARNSD) genetic load in Iran. Probands from 664 different nuclear families were investigated. GJB2-related deafness was found in 111 families (16.7%). The carrier frequency of the 35delG mutation showed a geographic variation that is supported by studies in neighboring countries. Delta(GJB6-D13S1830) was not found. Our prevalence data for GJB2-related deafness reveal a geographic pattern that mirrors the south-to-north European gradient and supports a founder effect in southeastern Europe.     

Changes in oxygen saturation in the jugular bulb during cardiac surgery

OBJECTIVE: Heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) leads to changes in supply and consumption of cerebral oxygen (DO2 and VO2C). Monitoring jugular bulb oxygen saturation (SjO2) detects changes in the DO2C/VO2C ratio that occur in patients undergoing heart surgery. The objective of this study was to determine the evolution of SjO2, of the arteriovenous difference of cerebral oxygen and of cerebral oxygen extraction, as well as the possible relation between those variables and changes in mean arterial pressure, hemoglobin counts and temperature in patients undergoing heart surgery with CPB. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A prospective study carried out in 31 patients who underwent coronary valve surgery. To monitor SjO2, each patient's internal jugular vein was cannulated with an oximetric catheter in a retrograde direction to monitor SjO2. RESULTS: Baseline SjO2 (68 +/- 7.4%), obtained after anesthetic induction, was similar to SjO2 before (65 +/- 6%) and after (67 +/- 8.2%) CPB. However, SjO2 upon starting CPB (60 +/- 8.6%) and during rewarming (63 +/- 3%) were significantly lower than at baseline. SjO2 was significantly higher during hypothermic bypass (78 +/- 5%) than at baseline. SjO2 ranged from a low of 60 +/- 8% as CPB was initiated to a high of 78 +/- 5% during hypothermic CPB. Mean arterial pressure was significantly lower at the start of bypass (44 +/- 6 mmHg) than anesthetic induction (83.5 +/- 13.1 mmHg) and the decrease correlated with a significant decrease in SjO2. Changes in mean arterial pressure were unrelated to significant changes in SjO2 at other moments, however. Nor was there a significant relation between changes in temperature or hemoglobin and the evolution of SjO2. At least one episode of SjO2 desaturation (= 50%) occurred in 29% of the patients, with the lowest values being recorded at the start of CPB and during rewarming. CONCLUSIONS: The greatest risk of cerebral oxygen imbalance between supply and demand occurs at the start of CPB and during rewarming, as shown by decreases in SjO2 levels below baseline at those times.     

Cardiovascular Response and Anesthetic Recovery in Electroconvulsive Therapy with Propofol or Thiopental

Propofol provokes a slight hypotensive effect that could mitigate the cardiovascular response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In this study we compared the effects of propofol and thiopental for ECT anesthesia in seven women (22-67 years of age). Anesthesia was induced with either thiopental or propofol, and with atropine and suxamethonium for each treatment. The first anesthesia was assigned to thiopental or propofol at random; the next anesthesia was induced with the other drug, and alternated thereafter. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded before anesthesia, after anesthetic induction, and 1 and 5 min after ECT. ECT-induced increases in DBP and HR were less marked with propofol than with thiopental. Seizure durations were decreased with propofol compared with thiopental.     

The effects of ginger supplementation on markers of inflammatory and oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical trials

The present systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of ginger supplementation on markers of inflammatory and oxidative stress. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched to identify relevant clinical trials evaluating the effects of ginger on serum CRP (C‐reactive protein), TNF‐α (tumor necrosis factor‐alpha), IL‐6 (interleukin‐6), PGE2 (prostaglandin E2), TAC (total antioxidant capacity), and MDA (malondialdehyde) from inception up to September 2019. Mean difference and 95% confidence intervals were pooled using a random‐effects model. Potential publication bias was assessed using visual inspection of funnel plot and Egger's weighted regression tests. After excluding irrelevant records, 20 full‐text articles that included 25 separate studies were included to the meta‐analysis. Pooled results of this study indicated a statistically significant effect of ginger on serum CRP, TNF‐α, IL‐6, TAC, and MDA levels following ginger supplementation in compared to the controls. Also, the effects of ginger on serum PGE2 was marginally significant. Moreover, the high heterogeneity was disappeared in subgroup analysis performed by age, duration, dosage, and quality. This current analysis indicates that ginger supplementation has a significant effects on serum inflammatory and oxidative stress markers.