Acute effects of device-guided slow breathing on sympathetic nerve activity and baroreflex sensitivity in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have elevated sympathetic nervous system reactivity and impaired sympathetic and cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Device-guided slow breathing (DGB) has been shown to lower blood pressure (BP) and sympathetic activity in other patient populations. We hypothesized that DGB acutely lowers BP, heart rate (HR), and improves BRS in PTSD. In 23 prehypertensive veterans with PTSD, we measured continuous BP, ECG, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) at rest and during 15 min of DGB at 5 breaths/min ( n = 13) or identical sham device breathing at normal rates of 14 breaths/min (sham; n = 10). Sympathetic and cardiovagal BRS was quantified using pharmacological manipulation of BP via the modified Oxford technique at baseline and during the last 5 min of DGB or sham. There was a significant reduction in systolic BP (by -9 ± 2 mmHg, P < 0.001), diastolic BP (by -3 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.019), mean arterial pressure (by -4 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.002), and MSNA burst frequency (by -7.8 ± 2.1 bursts/min, P = 0.004) with DGB but no significant change in HR ( P > 0.05). Within the sham group, there was no significant change in diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, HR, or MSNA burst frequency, but there was a small but significant decrease in systolic BP ( P = 0.034) and MSNA burst incidence ( P = 0.033). Sympathetic BRS increased significantly in the DGB group (-1.08 ± 0.25 to -2.29 ± 0.24 bursts·100 heart beats-1·mmHg-1, P = 0.014) but decreased in the sham group (-1.58 ± 0.34 to -0.82 ± 0.28 bursts·100 heart beats-1·mmHg-1, P = 0.025) (time × device, P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the change in cardiovagal BRS between the groups (time × device, P = 0.496). DGB acutely lowers BP and MSNA and improves sympathetic but not cardiovagal BRS in prehypertensive veterans with PTSD. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Posttraumatic stress disorder is characterized by augmented sympathetic reactivity, impaired baroreflex sensitivity, and an increased risk for developing hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This is the first study to examine the potential beneficial effects of device-guided slow breathing on hemodynamics, sympathetic activity, and arterial baroreflex sensitivity in prehypertensive veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Chinese herbal formula QHF inhibits liver cancer cell invasion and migration.

The aim of the present study was to observe the effects of the Chinese herbal formula QHF (Q, Qingrejiedu; H, Huoxuehuayu; and F, Fuzhengguben) on the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 cells and to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms involved. HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of QHF, and scratch and Transwell® migration assays were used to qualitatively analyze differences in the migration and invasion activity of these cells. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitors were subsequently introduced in order to study the association between QHF and the invasion of HepG2 cells. The protein expression levels of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in HepG2 cells in the presence and absence of QHF were additionally determined using western blot analysis. The results showed that QHF significantly inhibited the proliferation of the HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, in addition to inhibiting cell movement, which reduced the ability of the cells to invade and migrate. Western blot analysis indicated that the effects of QHF on HCC HepG2 cells after 24 h were to significantly decrease the expression of phosphorylated- (p-)ERK and to increase the expression of p-p38 and p-JNK; however, the total quantity of ERK, p38 and JNK protein remained unchanged. The administration of an inhibitor of ERK altered p38 and JNK expression and promoted the anti-invasion effects of QHF, whereas p38 and JNK inhibitors only partially reversed this effect. The results of the present study indicate, therefore, that QHF is able to inhibit the migratory and invasive activity of HepG2 cells. A possible underlying mechanism involves the activation of the p38 and JNK MAPK signaling pathway and the attenuation of the ERK signaling pathway.

[Optimization of dry granulating technique of Qibai Pingfei granule through response surface methodology].

To determine the optimum process conditions for dry granulating technique of Qibai Pingfei granule, granule excipient type, rolling wheel speed and pressure and feeding speed were studied. Taking shaping rate at a time, moisture absorption and dissolubility as index, the type and amount of granule excipient were determined. In addition, taking shaping rate at a time as index, parameters of rolling wheel speed and pressure and feeding speed were researched through single factor test and response surface methodology. The optimum parameters were as follows: lactose as excipient, dry extract powder to excipient at 1:2, rolling wheel speed and pressure at 10.9 Hz and 6.4 MPa and feeding speed at 7.2 Hz. After validation of three batches pilot-scale production, the optimum processing parameters for dry granulating technique of Qibai Pingfei granule is reasonable and feasible, which can provide reliable basis for production.