OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture technique (for regaining consciousness and opening orifice) on methylation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), and key methyltransferases and demethylases, so as to clarify the mechanism of acupuncture on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). METHODS: Of 68 male Sprague-Dawley rats of SPF grade, 15 rats were randomly selected as a sham-operation group, and the remaining rats were subjected to the model of middle cerebral artery occlusion using the suture ligation. CIRI was induced by ischemia for 2 h followed by reperfusion. Rats that failed to modeling or died were excluded. The rest 45 rats were randomly divided into three groups, i.e. model group, acupuncture group, and non-point acupuncture group, with 15 rats in each group. The rats in the acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at bilateral "Neiguan" (PC6) and "Shuigou" (GV26). In the non-point acupuncture group, acupuncture was delivered at three non-points, located 3 mm below the bilateral midaxillary line and 3 mm lateral to the tip of the coccyx. One intervention was operated in these two acupuncture groups and the needles were retained for 30 min. Before modeling start and 2 h after ischemia, a laser speckle flowmeter was used to monitor the cerebral blood perfusion. In 2 h of ischemia and 24 h of reperfusion, the neurological behavioral score was evaluated. The volume of rat cerebral infarction was determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, and the level of m6A methylation in ischemic cortical area was detected by Dot blot, and the protein and mRNA expression of the demethylase i.e. fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) and key methyltransferases, i.e. methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14), and Wilms' tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP) in ischemic cortical area were detected by Western blot and real-time PCR. RESULTS: Cerebral blood perfusion decreased by>70% after 2 h ischemia. Compared with the sham-operation group, the neurobehavioral score and the percentage of cerebral infarction volume increased in the model group (P<0.01); the level of m6A methylation in the ischemic cortical area increased (P<0.01), the protein and mRNA expression of FTO decreased (P<0.01), and that of ALKBH5, METTL3, and METTL14 increased (P<0.01, P<0.05) in the model group. When compared with the model group and the non-point acupuncture group, the acupuncture group showed a decrease in the neurobehavioral score and the percentage of cerebral infarction volume (P<0.01), the level of m6A methylation in the ischemic cortical area was reduced (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the protein and mRNA expression of FTO was elevated (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture technique presents its protective effect on the brain in the rats with CIRI, which is related to up-regulating the expression of FTO and modulating m6A methylation.
Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Reperfusion Injury/genetics* ; Rats ; Brain Ischemia/genetics* ; Humans ; Adenosine/metabolism* ; Methylation ; Acupuncture Points ; Cerebral Cortex/metabolism*

Objective:To evaluate correlation between left ventricular mechanical contraction synchrony and left ventricular systolic function by gated myocardial perfusion imaging(GMPI) using Cadmium-Zine-Telluride (CZT) SPECT.Methods:Three hundred and forty three consecutive patients( 232 males, 111 females, age (60.08±12.88) years) who underwent CZT SPECT GMPI in Shanxi Cardiovascular Hospital between January and August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The Emory cardiac toolbox was used to process the imaging data, and the left ventricular systolic synchrony parameters and systolic function parameters were acquired, including peak phase(PP), phase standard deviation (PSD), phase histogram bandwidth(PHB), histogram skewness(HS), histogram kurtosis(HK), and end-diastolic volume( EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), left ventrieular ejection fraction (LVEF). All patients were divided into 4 groups: the normal group (147 cases), ischemic cardiomyopathy group (114 cases), nonischemic cardiomyopathy without left bundle branch block (LBBB) group(50 cases)and nonischemic cardiomyopathy with LBBB group(32 cases). The relationship between systolic synchrony parameters and systolic function parameters were analyzed with Pearson correlation analysis.Results:Statistic results for all patients showed that PSD and PHB were well correlated with LVEF( r values: -0.790, -0.799, both P<0.01), but PP was poorly correlated with LVEF( r=-0.194, P<0.01); HS, HK were positively correlated with LVEF( r values: 0.767, 0.676, both P<0.01); PSD, PHB were positively correlated with ESV( r values: 0.778, 0.795, both P<0.01) and EDV ( r values: 0.722, 0.732, both P<0.01); but PP was poorly correlated with ESV( r=0.145, P<0.01) and not correlated with EDV ( r=0.095, P>0.01). HS, HK were negatively correlated with EDV and ESV ( r values: -0.700 to -0.580, all P<0.01). PSD and PHB showed negatively correlation with LVEF ( r values: -0.834 to -0.492, all P<0.01), while HS, HK showed positive correlation with LVEF ( r values: 0.243-0.792, all P<0.01) in normal group, the ischemic cardiomyopathy group, the nonischemic cardiomyopathy without LBBB group and the nonischemic cardiomyopathy with LBBB group. Conclusions:The left ventricular systolic synchrony parameters provided by CZT SPECT GMPI correlate well with the left ventricular systolic function parameters, and the worse systolic function, the worse systolic synchrony. Both ischemic cardiomyopathy and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy can affect left ventricular mechanical contraction synchrony, and the effect on contraction synchrony in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients with LBBB is greater.

Objective To explore the guiding role of double volume reconstruction (DVRT) in interventional embolization of intracranial aneurysms. Methods Ninety?six cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage with 115 aneurysms underwent total cerebrovascular angiography and interventional endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. They were randomly divided into observation group (n=48) and control group (n=48) according to random number method. In the control group, guided by the results of 2D?DSA and 3D?DSA 3D reconstruction, the aneurysm neck and tumor were fully exposed with the optimal position. the responsible aneurysms were performed with the interventional endovascular embolization. The operators finished the embolization According to the size and shape of aneurysms and the operative experience. In the observation group, the operators could speculate the embolization density of aneurysms by using the data of 3D reconstruction and digital subtraction reconstruction and adjusted the surgical plan to make the aneurysms had been completely embolized. The baseline data, treatment status, adverse cerebrovascular reaction and recurrence rate of aneurysms were compared between the two groups. All patients in the two groups were operated by Deputy chief surgeons or above of the neurosurgery department. The comparison of the counting data were tested by χ2. The measured data conformed to normal distribution were tested by independent sample t. Results Statistically, There was no significant differences in baseline data including sex, age, blood glucose, blood pressure and cerebral atherosclerosis between the two groups (P>0.05). Comparing the responsible aneurysms in different positions and sizes, the differences was not statistically significant (P>0.05).There was no statistically significant differences in the dosage of contrast media and the cost of operation between the two groups (P>0.05). The radiation dose and operation time in the observation group were smaller and shorter than those in the control group, but there was no statistical differences between the two groups (P<0.05). Statistically, The incidence of rerupture of aneurysm and thrombosis in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). and The incidence of cerebral infarction and the recurrence rate of aneurysm in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in sex, age, blood glucose, blood pressure and cerebral atherosclerosis between the two groups (P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the location and size of responsible arterial tumors (χ2=0.148, P=0.929).There was no significant difference in the dosage of contrast agent and the cost of operation between the two groups (t=-0.769, 0.225; P>0.05). The radiation dose and operation time were (479.81 ± 51.21)mGy, (103.52 ± 10.18) minin the observation group and (511.95 ± 53.26)mGy, (114.60 ± 9.51)min in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (t=-1.376,-2.516; P<0.05).There were 1 case of rerupture of aneurysm in the observation group, 4 cases in the control group;There were 0 cases of thrombus, respectively, 3 cases in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (χ2=11.748, 4.256; P<0.05).There were 0 cases postoperative cerebral infarction occurred in the observation group, and aneurysm recurrence in 1 case. Four cases postoperative cerebral infarction occurred in the control group, and aneurysm recurrence in 3 cases, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (χ2=5.719, 10.811; P<0.05). Conclusions The clinical effect of interventional embolization of intracranial aneurysms under the guidance of double volume reconstruction is remarkable, and the effect of interventional embolization and the relationship with the peripheral vessels can be clearly demonstrated. It can reduce the incidence of adverse cerebral vascular reactions and the recurrence rate of aneurysms and reduce the intraoperative risk. It is worthy to be popularized in interventional embolization of intracranial aneurysms and follow?up after operation.