The Influence of Perioperative Dexmedetomidine on Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analysis

BackgroundThe use of dexmedetomidine may have benefits on the clinical outcomes of cardiac surgery. We conducted a meta-analysis comparing the postoperative complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with dexmedetomidine versus other perioperative medications to determine the influence of perioperative dexmedetomidine on cardiac surgery patients.MethodsRandomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials comparing outcomes in patients who underwent cardiac surgery with dexmedetomidine, another medication, or a placebo were retrieved from EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Science Citation Index.ResultsA total of 1702 patients in 14 studies met the selection criteria among 1,535 studies that fit the research strategy. Compared to other medications, dexmedetomidine has combined risk ratios of 0.28 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15, 0.55, P = 0.0002) for ventricular tachycardia, 0.35 (95% CI 0.20, 0.62, P = 0.0004) for postoperative delirium, 0.76 (95% CI 0.55, 1.06, P = 0.11) for atrial fibrillation, 1.08 (95% CI 0.74, 1.57, P = 0.69) for hypotension, and 2.23 (95% CI 1.36, 3.67, P = 0.001) for bradycardia. In addition, dexmedetomidine may reduce the length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis revealed that the perioperative use of dexmedetomidine in patients undergoing cardiac surgery can reduce the risk of postoperative ventricular tachycardia and delirium, but may increase the risk of bradycardia. The estimates showed a decreased risk of atrial fibrillation, shorter length of ICU stay and hospitalization, and increased risk of hypotension with dexmedetomidine.     

Identifying and annotating human bifunctional RNAs reveals their versatile functions

Bifunctional RNAs that possess both protein-coding and noncoding functional properties were less explored and poorly understood. Here we systematically explored the characteristics and functions of such human bifunctional RNAs by integrating tandem mass spectrometry and RNA-seq data. We first constructed a pipeline to identify and annotate bifunctional RNAs, leading to the characterization of 132 high-confidence bifunctional RNAs. Our analyses indicate that bifunctional RNAs may be involved in human embryonic development and can be functional in diverse tissues. Moreover, bifunctional RNAs could interact with multiple miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins to exert their corresponding roles. Bifunctional RNAs may also function as competing endogenous RNAs to regulate the expression of many genes by competing for common targeting miRNAs. Finally, somatic mutations of diverse carcinomas may generate harmful effect on corresponding bifunctional RNAs. Collectively, our study not only provides the pipeline for identifying and annotating bifunctional RNAs but also reveals their important gene-regulatory functions.     

光纤成像技术记录小鼠眶额皮层奖赏相关神经元活性的应用

目的:探讨光纤成像技术用于记录小鼠眶额皮层奖赏相关神经元活性变化的可行性。方法:应用光纤成像的方法记录自由活动小鼠在饮用糖水时,携带有钙离子荧光探针(GCaMP6m)的眶额皮层奖赏相关神经元的活性。首先,在小鼠的眶额皮层注射携带GCaMP6m的腺相关病毒,同时在相应位点植入提前做好的光纤陶瓷插芯;等待小鼠术后恢复,病毒表达2周。然后在记录前,给予小鼠36小时禁水处理并运用光纤成像记录接受糖水刺激的小鼠眶额皮层锥体神经元的反应活性。最后,记录数据读入matlab软件进行数据分析并对小鼠进行心脏灌流、取脑、脑组织冰冻切片并显微荧光成像观察记录位点是否正确,病毒是否正常表达。结果:成功记录到对小鼠施加糖水刺激时,其眶额皮层内与奖赏相关的神经元活性变化。数据分析结果用热度图和事件相关的平均线图来表示。组织学切片及成像结果证实记录位点正确,病毒正常表达。结论:光纤成像的记录方法可以监测自由活动的小鼠在饮用糖水时眶额皮层内奖赏相关神经元活性的变化。     

An TRIM59‐CDK6 axis regulates growth and metastasis of lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is a devastating malignancy with no effective treatments, due to its complex genomic profile. Using bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemical of lung carcinoma tissues, we show that TRIM59 as a critical oncoprotein relating to LC proliferation and metastasis. In this study, high TRIM59 expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and tumour stage. Furthermore, up‐regulation of TRIM59 expression correlated with poorer outcomes in LC patients. Mechanistically, TRIM59 play a key role in promoting LC growth and metastasis through regulation of extracellular‐signal regulated protein kinase (ERK) signalling pathway and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐markers, as validated by loss‐of‐function studies. In‐depth bioinformatics analysis showed that there is preliminary evidence of co‐expression of TRIM59 and cyclin dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) in LC. Notably, CDK6 expression significantly decreased when TRIM59 was knocked down in the LC cells. In contrast, exogenous up‐regulation of TRIM59 expression also induced significant increases in the expression of CDK6. Moreover, the expression of CDK6 was also inhibited by the ERK signalling inhibitor, U0126. The results of both loss‐ and gain‐of‐function studies showed that TRIM59 could regulate the expression of CDK6. Collectively, these data provide evidence that TRIM59 is involved in lung carcinoma growth and progression possibly through the induction of CDK6 expression and EMT process by activation of ERK pathway.