BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that the transient administration of oxygen improves cognitive performance. However, the effect of long-term oxygen administration remains unknown. This study investigated the impact of long-term oxygen administration on cognitive enhancement. METHODS: Six week old Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 46) were randomly allocated to one of three groups: the control (Control; n = 15), 30 min/day oxygen administration (Oxy30min; n = 16) and 60 min/day oxygen administration groups (Oxy60min; n = 15). The rats in all three groups were administered air or oxygen for 10 weeks. The Morris water maze test was employed to assess the latency (L & Lt), dwelling time (DT) and the total fraction above the mean dwelling time (FmDT) for cognitive performance. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the Oxy30min and Oxy60min groups showed no differences in their L and Lt. There was a dose-response trend due to oxygen administration. Compared to the control group, the Oxy60min group had a significantly improved DT (P< 0.05). The FmDT also significantly increased in both of the oxygen administration groups, which also showed a dose-response trend (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that long-term (10 weeks) oxygen administration can dose-dependently enhance cognitive performance.
Animals ; Oxygen* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND: Controlling postoperative pain after knee replacement while reducing opioid-induced adverse effects and improving outcomes remains an important challenge. To assess the effect of combined capsicum plaster at the Korean hand acupuncture point on opioid consumption and outcomes after total knee replacement. METHODS: One hundred and two patients, received total knee replacement, were included in a randomized, double-blinded study: 51 patients were in the placebo group, and 51 patients were in K-M26 group. Capsicum plaster was applied at the K-M26 point in K-M26 group, whereas in the placebo group, an inactive tape was fixed at K-M26 point of both hands. The capsicum plaster was applied before induction of anesthesia for 8 h, and attached during 3 days postoperatively. They received postoperative pain treatment with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) during the first postoperative 48 h. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores at rest were used to assess pain. Total PCA volume delivered, number of PCA requests, supplemental analgesics, overall satisfaction score and adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: K-M26 group reported significant lower VAS and supplemental analgesic doses at 3 days postoperatively compared with placebo group. No significant differences were found in delivered doses and requested number of PCA, and satisfaction score between two groups. There was a tendency of decrease in postoperative nausea and vomiting in K-M26 group, but no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: PCA with capsicum plaster at in K-M26 point is thought to be potent and safe for postoperative pain relief after total knee replacement with the lesser adverse events.
Acupuncture Points* ; Acupuncture* ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Analgesics ; Anesthesia ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Capsicum* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Knee* ; Pain Management* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Visual Analog Scale