Normal heart function depends on complex regulation by the brain, and abnormalities in the brain‒heart axis affect various diseases, such as myocardial infarction and anxiety disorders. However, systematic tracking of the brain regions associated with the input and output of the heart is lacking. In this study, we injected retrograde transsynaptic pseudorabies virus (PRV) and anterograde transsynaptic herpes simplex virus (HSV) into the left ventricular wall of mice to identify the whole-brain regions associated with the input to and output from the heart. We successfully detected PRV and HSV expression in at least 170 brain subregions in both male and female mice. Sex differences were discovered mainly in the hypothalamus and medulla, with male mice exhibiting greater correlation and hierarchical clustering than female mice, indicating reduced similarity and increased modularity of virus expression patterns in male mice. Further graph theory and multiple linear regression analysis of different injection timelines revealed that hub regions of PRV had highly similar clusters, with different brain levels, suggesting a top-down, hierarchically transmitted neural control pattern of the heart. Hub regions of HSV had scattered clusters, with brain regions gathered in the cortex and brainstem, suggesting a bottom-up, leapfrog, multipoint neural sensing pattern of the heart. Both patterns contain many hub brain regions that have been previously overlooked in brain‒heart axis studies. These results provide brain targets for future research and will lead to deeper insight into the brain mechanisms involved in specific heart conditions.
Animals ; Male ; Female ; Heart/physiology* ; Mice ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid ; Brain/physiology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain Mapping ; Efferent Pathways/physiology* ; Afferent Pathways/physiology* ; Simplexvirus ; Sex Characteristics

Objective To develop the volume adjustable vegetable facilities and meet the demands of research on the growing technique of vegetables.Methods Three series of adjustable volume vegetable facilities were developed with light and ventilation module,growth module,cultivation tray module and measurement module.Telescopic structure was adopted in the facilities and the performance testing and characteristics analyses were carried out.Results The facilities could be adjusted at the height range of 250-700 mm.Three kinds of LED lights and replaceable cultivation tray and matrix were installed in the facilities.The parameters including water content,electric conductivity and temperature in the matrix,CO2 concentration in the atmosphere of facilities were monitored.The test results showed that the performances and the indexes of facilities met the subsequent experimental demands.Conclusion Light weight,small volume,and adjustable volume vegetable facilities were developed.The production efficiency of lettuce(12 plants/0.12 m2)grown in the facilities was 49.7 g(FW)plant-1.The development of facilities laid the foundation of construction of on-orbit vegetable facility.

Objective To evaluate the alterations of thromboxane (TXB_2)、 prostacyclin (PGI_2)in murine acute pancreatitis (AP) and the therapeutic effect of calcium channel bocker-verapamil. MethodsA rat AP model was established to observe the alterations of plasma levels of TXB_2, 6-keto-PGF_ 1? and TXB_2/6-keto-PGF_ 1? ratio and the effect of verapamil. Pancreatic histology was examined by light and electron microscopy. ResultsAt 16 and 24 hours after induction of AP, the plasma levels of TXB_2[(1112?235)pg/ml、(1265?162)pg/ml] and TXB_2/6-keto-PGF_ 1? ratio(9.9?0.9,10.2?1.3)increased significantly. With varapamil therapy, the plasma levels of TXB_2[(671?102)pg/ml、(697?93)pg/ml] and TXB_2/6-keto-PGF_ 1? ratio (6.9?2.2)、(6.4?0.7) were dramatically lower than those in control group (P

Objective To investigate the effect of lymphatic flow impedement on intestinal bacterial translocation in rats with obstructive jaundice. Methods Murine obstructive jaundice model was established by ligating lower choledochus. Sixty rats were divided into three groups: sham-operative group (group A), obstructive jaundice group (group B), and obstructive jaundice with thoracic duct ligation group (group C). At post-op day 15 vena cava inferior blood? portal vein blood were drawn, and endotoxin, TNF-?, IL-6 were determined. Baterial culture of mesenteric lymph nodes and lung were measured with aseptic manipulation. The extreme intestinal lumen mucosa and lung were studied pathologically. Results Blood concentration of endotoxin increased in group B and C ( P