Study protocol for neuromuscular stimulation for rehabilitation after general and vascular surgery: a pilot randomised clinical study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the acceptability and safety of neuromuscular stimulation (NMES) as an adjunct for rehabilitation after vascular and general surgery.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Prospective, single-centre, single-blind, parallel group, randomised controlled study. This study will be conducted in a single-centre, secondary care setting (National Healthcare Service Hospital) in the UK. All patients aged over 18 years undergoing vascular or general surgery with Rockwood Frailty Score of 3 or above on admission. Exclusion is inability or unwillingness to participate in trial, implanted electrical device, pregnancy and acute deep vein thrombosis. Target number of recruitment is 100. Participants will be randomly assigned to active NMES group (group A) or placebo NMES group (group B) prior to surgery. Participants will be blinded and asked to use the NMES device, 1-6 sessions daily (30 min per session) after surgery in addition to standard National Health Service rehabilitation care until discharge. The primary study outcomes are acceptability and safety of NMES assessed by the device satisfaction questionnaire on discharge and adverse events recorded during hospital stay. The secondary outcomes are the postoperative recovery and cost-effectiveness compared between two groups, assessed by various activity tests, mobility and independence measures and questionnaires.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approvals were provided by London-Harrow Research Ethics Committee (REC) and the Health Research Authority (HRA), Ref: 21/PR/0250. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at national and international conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04784962.

Unilateral compatibility and genotypic difference in crossability in interspecific hybridization between Dianthus caryophyllus L. and Dianthus japonicus Thunb

Reciprocal interspecific crosses were carried out between six lines of Dianthus caryophyllus L. and one line of Dianthus japonicus Thunb. Although no seed was set when D. japonicus was used as the seed parent, six seedlings were successfully obtained from 2,380 immature ovules by applying the embryo-rescue technique. However, they showed seed parent-like morphology and no evidence for the hybridity by flow cytometry and RAPD analyses. When six lines of D. caryophyllus were used as seed parents, a total of 192 seedlings were successfully obtained without using the embryo-rescue technique. Among these seedlings, 12 out of 25 progenies obtained from the carnation line '98sp1651' were confirmed to be the hybrids. The remaining 13 progenies of this line, and the total 167 progenies obtained from the other carnation lines, had carnation-like morphology without any evidence of hybridity by flow cytometry and RAPD analyses. The progenies confirmed as hybrids had intermediate characters of the parents with respect to leaf width and flower size, but they had a uniform flower color, reddish purple, which was different from that of either parent. Since the hybrids obtained in the present study have some profitable characters such as vigorous growth in summer time, upright robust stem, broad leaves and early flowering, they are expected to be used for the breeding of carnation which is suitable for growing under the Japanese climate.

Vasoinhibitory action of KT2-734, an antihypertensive agent, in isolated rat aorta

In rat aorta, KT2-734 inhibited contractile responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and KCl. KT2-734 inhibited the relaxing effect of verapamil, but not nifedipine. Similarly, verapamil, but not nifedipine, inhibited the vasorelaxing effect of KT2-734. KT2-734 relaxation was inhibited by endothelium removal but not by atropine and propranolol. Methylene blue, a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, and NG-monomethyl arginine also inhibited the relaxation both in the presence and absence of endothelium. In the absence of endothelium, KT2-734 potentiated the relaxation induced by L-arginine, nitroglycerin and isoproterenol. In addition, M & B 22,948, a cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and theophylline inhibited and potentiated, respectively, KT2-734-induced relaxation. However, methylene blue inhibited the potentiation of isoproterenol relaxation by KT2-734 and that of KT2-734-relaxation by theophylline. KT2-734 caused increases in the level of cGMP without significantly affecting the cAMP level. These results suggest that KT2-734 may cause endothelium-independent relaxation mainly due to inhibition of cGMP-phosphodiesterase.

Biological active macrocyclic diterpenoids from chinese drug "Fáng Féng Cáo"; II. Derivatives of ovatodiolids and their cytotoxity

Isolated macrocyclic diterpenoids, ovatodiolide ( 1), 4, 5-epoxyovatodiolide ( 2), anisomelic acid ( 3), 4, 7-oxycycloanisomelic acid ( 4), and 4-methylene-5-oxoanisomelic acid ( 6), from the Chinese crude drug "Fáng Féng Cáordquo;, and the derivatives of the isolated compounds were tested for their growth inhibiting activities in culture of KB cell line. Besides, the effects of 1 on Ehrlich carcinoma in mice are reported.