Haemodynamic Changes in the Superior Mesenteric Artery Induced by Acupuncture Stimulation on the Lower Limbs

Acupuncture is commonly performed on acupoints. A comparison of quantitative physiological alterations induced by stimulation on different acupoints has never been performed in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) in humans. Therefore, we investigated changes in blood flow volume (BFV) in the SMA as an indicator of physiological effects induced by stimulation on 3 points. Thirty healthy participants aged 29 ± 10 years (mean ± SD) were enrolled. All participants underwent stimulations on 3 points located in the lower legs: ST36, LR3, and a non-acupoint. Control pertains to a condition with no-stimulation. Stimulation was performed bilaterally with manual rotation of the needles. BFV was measured by ultrasonography before insertion and 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes after stimulation. Following acupuncture on ST36, BFV increased significantly 20 and 30 minutes after stimulation, compared to BFV before insertion (P < 0.05). Following stimulation on LR3 and the non-acupoint, no significant differences in BFV could be found. Relative to the no-stimulation group, stimulation on LR3, and the non-acupoint, stimulation on ST36 elicited a significant increase in BFV (P < 0.05). The results suggest that stimulation on the different points causes distinct physiological effects in BFV in the SMA

Cerebral capillary blood flow upsurge during REM sleep is mediated by A2a receptors

睡眠中の脳のリフレッシュ機構を解明. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-08-27.Sleep is generally viewed as a period of recovery, but how the supply of cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes across sleep/wake states has remained unclear. Here, we directly observe red blood cells (RBCs) within capillaries, where the actual substance exchange between the blood and neurons/glia occurs, by two-photon microscopy. Across multiple cortical areas, average capillary CBF is largely increased during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, whereas it does not differ between periods of active wakefulness and non-REM sleep. Capillary RBC flow during REM sleep is further elevated following REM sleep deprivation, suggesting that capillary CBF reflects REM sleep pressure. At the molecular level, signaling via adenosine A2a receptors is crucial; in A2a-KO mice, capillary CBF upsurge during REM sleep is dampened, and effects of REM sleep pressure are abolished. These results provide evidence regarding the dynamics of capillary CBF across sleep/wake states and insights to the underlying mechanisms

トクシマ コウケツアツ トウニョウビョウ study 2011 : コウケツアツ トウニョウビョウ ガッペイ レイ ニ カンスル タシセツ ケンキュウ

Cardiologists and diabetologists in Tokushima Prefecture investigated patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus on treatment in２０１１. The findings were compared with our year‐２００４ data. The study population comprised ２３６ patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus being treated by cardiologists（C２０１１group）, and ３９５ patients with the same condition being treated by diabetologists（D２０１１group）. The mean number of antihypertensives used per patient was１．９for the C２０１１group and１．６for the D２０１１group. In these two groups, calcium antagonists were the most frequently used drugs. Renin-angiotensin system（RAS）inhibitors were used in７１．５％ of the patients in the C２０１１group and７０．０％ in the D２０１１group. The ratio of patients meeting the blood pressure criteria of the Japan Hypertension Society Guidelines was ２１．６％ for the C２００４group,２２．９％ for the D２００４group,２９．１％ for the C２０１１group, and１８．２％ for the D２０１１group. The mean number of antidiabetics used per patient was１．３for the two groups, glimepiride being most frequently used（３８．５％ for the C２０１１group,５８．１％ for the D２０１１group）, followed by α-glucosidase inhibitors and pioglitazone. Frequency of use of biguanide increased compared with２００４. The ratio of patients with HbA１c＜６．５％ was４０．７％ for the C２００４group, ２１．９％ for the D２００４ group, ４６．５％ for the C２０１１ group, and ４９．０％ for the D２０１１ group ; a significant improvement was observed in the D２０１１group compared with the D２００４group. The serum cholesterol control rate was４９．７％ for the C２００４group,４５．０％ for the D２００４group,６０．９％ for the C２０１１group, and５６．５％ for the D２０１１group. The ratio of patients achieving good control for all three parameters（blood pressure, blood glucose level, serum lipid level）was low at７．６％ for the C２００４group,６．７％ for the D２００４group,９．４％ for the C２０１１group, and９．０％ for the D２０１１ group. This managerial situation for the condition is unsatisfactory, necessitating efforts for even better control

Subtype-specific gout susceptibility loci and enrichment of selection pressure on ABCG2 and ALDH2 identified by subtype genome-wide meta-analyses of clinically defined gout patients

Objectives Genome-wide meta-analyses of clinically defined gout were performed to identify subtype-specific susceptibility loci. Evaluation using selection pressure analysis with these loci was also conducted to investigate genetic risks characteristic of the Japanese population over the last 2000–3000 years. Methods Two genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of 3053 clinically defined gout cases and 4554 controls from Japanese males were performed using the Japonica Array and Illumina Array platforms. About 7.2 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms were meta-analysed after imputation. Patients were then divided into four clinical subtypes (the renal underexcretion type, renal overload type, combined type and normal type), and meta-analyses were conducted in the same manner. Selection pressure analyses using singleton density score were also performed on each subtype. Results In addition to the eight loci we reported previously, two novel loci, PIBF1 and ACSM2B, were identified at a genome-wide significance level (p<5.0×10–8) from a GWAS meta-analysis of all gout patients, and other two novel intergenic loci, CD2-PTGFRN and SLC28A3-NTRK2, from normal type gout patients. Subtype-dependent patterns of Manhattan plots were observed with subtype GWASs of gout patients, indicating that these subtype-specific loci suggest differences in pathophysiology along patients’ gout subtypes. Selection pressure analysis revealed significant enrichment of selection pressure on ABCG2 in addition to ALDH2 loci for all subtypes except for normal type gout. Conclusions Our findings on subtype GWAS meta-analyses and selection pressure analysis of gout will assist elucidation of the subtype-dependent molecular targets and evolutionary involvement among genotype, phenotype and subtype-specific tailor-made medicine/prevention of gout and hyperuricaemia

Role of capsaicin-sensitive C-fiber afferents in neuropathic pain-induced synaptic potentiation in the nociceptive amygdala

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neurons in the capsular part of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeC), a region also called "nociceptive amygdala," receive nociceptive information from the dorsal horn via afferent pathways relayed from the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB). As the central amygdala is known to be involved in the acquisition and expression of emotion, this pathway is thought to play central roles in the generation of affective responses to nociceptive inputs. Excitatory synaptic transmission between afferents arising from the LPB and these CeC neurons is potentiated in arthritic, visceral, neuropathic, inflammatory and muscle pain models. In neuropathic pain models following spinal nerve ligation (SNL), in which we previously showed a robust LPB-CeC potentiation, the principal behavioral symptom is tactile allodynia triggered by non-C-fiber low-threshold mechanoreceptor afferents. Conversely, recent anatomical studies have revealed that most of the spinal neurons projecting to the LPB receive C-fiber afferent inputs. Here, we examined the hypothesis that these C-fiber-mediated inputs are necessary for the full establishment of robust synaptic potentiation of LPB-CeC transmission in the rats with neuropathic pain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Postnatal capsaicin treatment, which has been shown to denervate the C-fibers expressing transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channels, completely abolished eye-wiping responses to capsaicin eye instillation in rats, but this treatment did not affect mechanical allodynia in the nerve-ligated animals. However, the postnatal capsaicin treatment prevented LPB-CeC synaptic potentiation after SNL, unlike in the vehicle-treated rats, primarily due to the decreased incidence of potentiated transmission by elimination of TRPV1-expressing C-fiber afferents.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>C-fiber-mediated afferents in the nerve-ligated animals may be a required facilitator of the establishment of nerve injury-evoked synaptic potentiation in the CeC. These inputs might play essential roles in the chronic pain-induced plastic changes in the central network linking nociception and negative emotion.</p