Autonomic balance and impedance cardiography analysis in patients undergoing leg revascularization

Introduction: Changes in autonomic nervous system (ANS) balance associated with endovascular interventions may potentially cause haemodynamic abnormalities that lead to periprocedural cardiovascular complications. This study aimed to determine the relationships between changes in ANS balance and impedance cardiography (ICG) parameters after endovascular leg revascularization. Material and methods: Before the procedure, and 1, 3 and 5h after the intervention, 5-min examinations of both ANS balance and ICG parameters were performed using a Task Force Monitor in 42 patients undergoing endovascular leg revascularization. Results: When compared to patients with intermittent claudication, individuals with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia had a significantly shorter R-R interval and lower stroke volume (SV) and left ventricle ejection time (LVET) at the beginning of the study. During the 5h after endovascular leg revascularization, significant fluctuations were noted in the following: heart rate, frequency-domain parameters of heart rate variability, baroreflex effectiveness indices, and ICG parameters, such as total peripheral resistance, SV, LVET, and ejection rate. The deltas of ANS parameters correlated with the deltas of ICG parameters in the respective periods of measurement. Conclusions: Dynamic fluctuations in ICG and ANS parameters that occurred in patients who had undergone endovascular leg revascularization might potentially affect the risk of the occurrence of a cardiovascular event in the periprocedural period. The correlations between the ANS and ICG parameters suggest that haemodynamic oscillations after endovascular leg revascularization are mediated by changes in ANS activity, most probably through a sympathoexcitatory effect of the procedure related to changes in skeletal muscle perfusion

The impact of a structured exercise programme upon cognitive function in chronic fatigue syndrome patients

Background: Cognitive function disturbance is a frequently described symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). In this study, the effects of a structured exercise programme (SEP) upon cognitive function in ME/CFS patients was examined. Methods: Out of the 53 ME/CFS patients initiating SEP 34 (64%) completed the 16 week programme. Cognitive function was assessed using a computerized battery test consisting of a Simple Reaction Time (SRT) (repeated three times)

Relationship between Cardiopulmonary, Mitochondrial and Autonomic Nervous System Function Improvement after an Individualised Activity Programme upon Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

Background: The therapeutic effects of exercise from structured activity programmes have recently been questioned; as a result, this study examines the impact of an Individualised Activity Program (IAP) on the relationship with cardiovascular, mitochondrial and fatigue parameters. Methods: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients were assessed using Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ), Fatigue Severity Score (FSS) and the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS). VO(2)peak, VO(2)submax and heart rate (HR) were assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Mfn1 and Mfn2 levels in plasma were assessed. A Task Force Monitor was used to assess ANS functioning in supine rest and in response to the Head-Up Tilt Test (HUTT). Results: Thirty-four patients completed 16 weeks of the IAP. The CFQ, FSS and FIS scores decreased significantly along with a significant increase in Mfn1 and Mfn2 levels (p = 0.002 and p = 0.00005, respectively). The relationships between VO2 peak and Mfn1 increase in response to IAP (p = 0.03) and between VO2 at anaerobic threshold and ANS response to the HUTT (p = 0.03) were noted. Conclusions: It is concluded that IAP reduces fatigue and improves functional performance along with changes in autonomic and mitochondrial function. However, caution must be applied as exercise was not well tolerated by 51% of patients

DFT investigations on arylsulphonyl pyrazole derivatives as potential ligands of selected kinases

Using the density functional theory (DFT) formalism, we have investigated the properties of some arylsulphonyl indazole derivatives that we studied previously for their biological activity and susceptibility to interactions of azoles. This study includes the following physicochemical properties of these derivatives: electronegativity and polarisability (Mulliken charges, adjusted charge partitioning, and iterative-adjusted charge partitioning approaches); free energy of solvation (solvation model based on density model and M062X functional); highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)–lowest occupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap together with the corresponding condensed Fukui functions, time-dependent DFT along with the UV spectra simulations using B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, MPW1PW91, and WB97XD functionals, as well as linear response polarisable continuum model; and estimation of global chemical reactivity descriptors, particularly the chemical hardness factor. The charges on pyrrolic and pyridinic nitrogen (the latter one in the quinolone ring of compound 8, as well as condensed Fukui functions) reveal a significant role of these atoms in potential interactions of azole ligand–protein binding pocket. The lowest negative value of free energy of solvation can be attributed to carbazole 6, whereas pyrazole 7 has the least negative value of this energy. Moreover, the HOMO–LUMO gap and chemical hardness show that carbazole 6 and indole 5 exist as soft molecules, while fused pyrazole 7 has hard character

Investigations on Synperiplanar and Antiperiplanar Isomers of Losartan: Theoretical and Experimental NMR Studies

Losartan inhibits the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system by blocking the angiotensin II receptor. It is commonly used in cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension. Several publications applied the ab initio and density functional theory methods to investigate the molecule of losartan. Only in one of them were the nuclear magnetic resonance spectra calculations carried out, and their results were correlated with the experimental values. The authors focused their attention on calculations of the anion form of losartan, taking into consideration both its synperiplanar and antiperiplanar configurations. Coefficients of determination and mean absolute deviation parameters were calculated for the experimental and calculated chemical shifts for every used basis set. They showed a noticeably stronger correlation for the anti-isomers than for the syn-isomers. Moreover, the solvation model increased the value of this parameter. The results of calculations confirmed that an anti-conformation of the analyte seems to be the preferred one, and such an orientation might be most potent within the receptor cavity, which is in agreement with the results of previous studies

Resveratrol Analogues as Selective Estrogen Signaling Pathway Modulators: Structure–Activity Relationship

Resveratrol is a plant-derived phytoalexin found in grapes, red wine and many other plants used in Asian folk medicine. It is extensively studied for pleiotropic biological activity. The most crucial are anticancer and chemopreventive properties. Resveratrol has also been reported to be an antioxidant and phytoestrogen. The phytoestrogenic activity of resveratrol was assayed in different in vitro and in vivo models. Although these works brought some, on the first look, conflicting results, it is commonly accepted that resveratrol interacts with estrogen receptors and functions as a mixed agonist/antagonist. It is widely accepted that the hydroxyl groups are crucial for resveratrol’s cytotoxic and antioxidative activity and are responsible for binding estrogen receptors. In this work, we assayed 11 resveratrol analogues, seven barring methoxy groups and six hydroxylated analogues in different combinations at positions 3, 4, 5 and 3′,4′,5′. For this purpose, recombined estrogen receptors and estrogen-dependent MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells were used. Our study was supported by in silico docking studies. We have shown that, resveratrol and 3,4,4′5′-tetrahydroxystilbene, 3,3′,4,5,5′-pentahydroxystilbene and 3,3′,4,4′,5,5′-hexahydroxystilbene may act as selective estrogen receptor modulators