Effects of Intrathecally Administerd NaV1.8 Antisense Oligonucleotide on the Expression of Sodium Channel mRNA in Dorsal Root Ganglion

Neuropathic pain has been hypothesized to be the result of aberrant expression and function of sodium channels at the site of injury. To investigate the effects of NaV1.8 antisense oligonucleotide on the expression of sodium channel mRNA in dorsal root ganglion （DRG） neurons in chronic neuropathic pain. 24 Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200--260 g were anesthetized with the intraperitoneal injection of 300 mg· kg^-1 choral hydrate. The CCI model was made by loose ligation of sciatic nerve trunk by 4--0 chromic gut. The mechanical and thermal pain threshold were measured before operation and 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 days after operation. A PE-10 catheter was implanted in subarachnoid space at lumbar region. On the 7th postoperative day the animals were randomly divided into 4 groups. The drugs were injected intrathecally twice a day for 5 consecutive days in group 2--4. The animals were decapitated 14 days after the surgery. The L4--L6 DRG of the operated side was removed and crushed, and total RNA was extracted with Trizol reagent. The contralateral side was used as control. The change of NaV1.8 sodium channel transcripts was determined by RT-PCR. Pain threshold was significantly lowered after CCI as compared with that in control group and was elevated 3 days after antisense oligonucleotide injection. Sensory neuron specific TTX-R sodium channel NaV1.8 transcript was down-regulated after antisense oligonucleotide injection at the dosage of 45 μg as compared with that in CCI group （P〈0.01）, and it was even greater at the dosage of 90 μg. The intrathecally injected NaV1.8 antisense oligonucleotide can reduce the mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia partially by downregulating the SNS transcript expression.

Acid-sensing ion channels: potential therapeutic targets for neurologic diseases

Maintaining the physiological pH of interstitial fluid is crucial for normal cellular functions.In disease states,tissue acidosis is a common pathologic change causing abnormal activation of acid-sensing ion channels(ASICs),which according to cumulative evidence,significantly contributes to inflammation,mitochondrial dysfunction,and other pathologic mechanisms(i.e.,pain,stroke,and psychiatric conditions).Thus,it has become increasingly clear that ASICs are critical in the progression of neurologic diseases.This review is focused on the importance of ASICs as potential therapeutic targets in combating neurologic diseases.

Nerve growth factor in muscle afferent neurons of peripheral artery disease and autonomic function

In peripheral artery disease patients,the blood supply directed to the lower limbs is reduced.This results in severe limb ischemia and thereby enhances pain sensitivity in lower limbs.The painful perception is induced and exaggerate during walking,and is relieved by rest.This symptom is termed by intermittent claudication.The limb ischemia also amplifies autonomic responses during exercise.In the process of pain and autonomic responses originating exercising muscle,a number of receptors in afferent nerves sense ischemic changes and send signals to the central nervous system leading to autonomic responses.This review integrates recent study results in terms of perspectives including how nerve growth factor affects muscle sensory nerve receptors in peripheral artery disease and thereby alters responses of sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure to active muscle.For the sensory nerve receptors,we emphasize the role played by transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1,purinergic P2X purinoceptor 3 and acid sensing ion channel subtype 3 in amplified sympathetic nerve activity responses in peripheral artery disease.

Protein and RNA expression of acid-sensing ion channels 2 and 3 in myocardial ischemia rats induced by isoproterenol

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the impact of electro-acupuncture at the Neiguan(PC 6) acupoint on protein and RNA expression of acid-sensing ion channel 2(ASIC2) and ASIC3 in myocardial ischemia rats.METHODS:Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were used,weighing(230 ± 50) g.The rats were randomized into a normal group A,model group B,Neiguan(PC 6) group C,Lieque(LU 7) group D,and A-shi points group E.There were 10 rats in each group.Rats were continuously administered 85 mg/kg intravenous isoproterenol daily to establish the model.Successfully modeled rats in groups C,D,and E were given electro-acupuncture treatment.Each group of rats was sacrificed with chloral hydrate(1 mL/100 g) intraperitoneal injection.The left ventricular myocardium was extracted and placed at- 70 ℃ until use.Western blot analysis and real-time PCR were performed to assay protein and RNA expressions of ASIC2 and ASIC3,respectively.Fold changes in RNA expression were quantified with the 2~^(-△△Ct) method.Blood samples were drawn from the aorta abdominalis and tested for creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS:Myocardial ischemia rats given electro-acupuncture at the Neiguan(PC 6) acupoint had significantly lower protein and RNA expression of ASIC2 and ASIC3,and CK-MB and LDH levels,compared with model rats(P < 0.01).CONCLUSION:Electro-acupuncture at the Neiguan(PC 6) acupoint can not only decrease the protein and RNA expression of ASIC2 and ASIC3,but also inhibit the opening of ASICs and reduce the cardiomyocyte damage in myocardial ischemia rats.

Sensorless Sensing with WiFi

Can WiFi signals be used for sensing purpose？ The growing PHY layer capabilities of WiFi has made it possible to reuse WiFi signals for both communication and sensing. Sensing via WiFi would enable remote sensing without wearable sensors, simultaneous perception and data transmission without extra communication infrastructure, and contactless sensing in privacy-preserving mode. Due to the popularity of WiFi devices and the ubiquitous deployment of WiFi networks, WiFi-based sensing networks, if fully connected, would potentially rank as one of the world＇s largest wireless sensor networks. Yet the concept of wireless and sensorless sensing is not the simple combination of WiFi and radar. It seeks breakthroughs from dedicated radar systems, and aims to balance between low cost and high accuracy, to meet the rising demand for pervasive environment perception in everyday life. Despite increasing research interest, wireless sensing is still in its infancy. Through introductions on basic principles and working prototypes, we review the feasibilities and limitations of wireless, sensorless, and contactless sensing via WiFi. We envision this article as a brief primer on wireless sensing for interested readers to explore this open and largely unexplored field and create next-generation wireless and mobile computing applications.

On the Performance of the Energy Detector Subject to Impulsive Noise in κ-μ, α-μ, and η-μ Fading Channels

This paper presents a unified theoretical analysis of the energy detection of Gaussian and M-PSK signals in κ-μ,α-μ,and η-μ fading channels at the output of an energy detector subject to impulsive noise（Bernoulli-Gaussian model）. As a result, novel, simple, and accurately approximated expressions for the probability of detection are derived. More precisely, the generalized Gauss-Laguerre quadrature is applied to approximate the probability of detection as a simple finite sum. Monte Carlo simulations corroborate the accuracy and precision of the derived approximations. The results are further extended to cooperative energy detection with hard decision combining information.