Beta-Arrestins in the Treatment of Heart Failure Related to Hypertension: A Comprehensive Review

Cacao Ameliorates Amyloid Beta-Induced Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Disturbances

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by a wide range of cognitive and non-cognitive impairments. The present study was designed to investigate the potential effects of cacao on cognitive and non-cognitive performance and to identify the role of oxidative stress in an AD animal model induced by unilateral intracerebroventricular (U-ICV) injection of amyloid beta1-42 (Aβ1-42).

Methods

Oral administration of cacao (0.5 g/kg/day) was performed for 60 consecutive days. Following 60 days, the open-field (OF) test, elevated plus-maze (EPM) test, novel object recognition (NOR) test, Barnes maze (BM) test, and Morris water maze (MWM) test were used to evaluate locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, recognition memory, and spatial memory, respectively. Total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma were also examined. Furthermore, the number of healthy cells in the hippocampus's dentate gyrus (DG), CA1, and CA3 regions were identified using hematoxylin and eosin staining.

Results

The results indicated that the injection of Aβ1-42 in rats led to recognition memory and spatial memory impairments, as well as increased anxiety. This was accompanied by decreased total antioxidant capacity (TAC), increased total oxidative stress (TOS), and increased neuronal death. Conversely, cacao treatment in AD rats improved memory function, reduced anxiety, modulated oxidative stress balance, and decreased neuronal death.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that cacao's ability to improve the balance between oxidants and antioxidants and prevent neuronal loss may be the mechanism underlying its beneficial effect against AD-related cognitive and non-cognitive impairments.

Correlation between Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes and Type 2 Myocardial Infarction in Critically Ill Patients with Pulmonary Disease

Background

Treatment based on syndrome differentiation under the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) framework has been shown to be helpful in patients with coronary artery disease. We hypothesized that syndrome types could predict the risk of type 2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) caused by imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand in critically ill patients with pulmonary disease.

Methods

This retrospective study included consecutive critically ill patients with pulmonary disease admitted to the ICU at Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences from January 1, 2017, to July 1, 2019. Diagnosis of T2MI was based on the fourth universal definition of myocardial infarction. Risk factors associated with T2MI were identified using multivariate regression analysis.

Results

A total of 244 patients were included in the study: 78 who developed T2MI and the remaining 166 who did not develop T2MI during hospitalization. The incidence of phlegm syndrome and deficiency syndrome was 61.9% and 38.1%, respectively. In comparison with the patients with phlegm syndrome, the incidence of T2MI in patients with deficiency syndrome is significantly higher (40.9% vs. 26.5%, P=0.019). In multivariate logistic regression, T2MI was independently associated with the baseline troponin level (OR 12.682, 95% CI 1.397∼115.121; P=0.024), hemoglobin < 55 g/L (OR 12.76, 95% CI 2.359∼69.021; P=0.003), mechanical ventilation (OR 2.244, 95% CI 1.029∼4.892; P=0.042), and TCM deficiency syndrome (OR 2.214, 95% CI 1.032∼4.749; P=0.041). After adjusting for confounding factors in Cox regression models, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of qi deficiency syndrome groups was 1.183 (95% CI 1.053∼3.123, P=0.032).

Conclusions

Patients with deficiency syndrome are at high risk of T2MI, especially those combined with qi deficiency syndrome.