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Canine vector-borne diseases are widely distributed around the world. They are transmitted by arthropods, and many seriously threaten the health of animals and humans. In China, our knowledge of Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, and Mycoplasma species circulating in dogs is still poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand the prevalence and genetic characteristics of canine Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon spp., and Mycoplasma spp. in Chongqing (southwest), Fujian (southeast), Shandong (southeast), and Hubei (central) Provinces of China. Blood samples from healthy pet dogs were processed to detect Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, and Mycoplasma DNA with PCR. Haplotype and phylogenetic analyses were performed on 18S rRNA sequences. Among 306 dogs, no Ehrlichia spp. or Mycoplasma spp. were detected, whereas one Hepatozoon sp. was detected in 10 (3.27%) of the animals. Only Hepatozooncanis was identified and was endemic to Chongqing (2.46%) and Hubei (8.77%). A haplotype analysis identified eight haplotypes among the H. canis isolates. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the H. canis isolates in this study clustered into four clades, together with isolates from different countries and hosts, forming a large group that was clearly separate from other Hepatozoon species. These findings provided new information on the epidemiological characteristics of canine vector-borne diseases in China and will be helpful in the development of efficient measures to safeguard the health and well-being of companion animals and their owners.

We investigated the occurrence of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in 28 road dust samples collected across China from June to August, 2020. The mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were 3.16, 24.2, 27.4, 10.4, 49.8 and 608 mg·kg

This paper investigates the effect of targeted economic sanctions by the United States and the European Union on the performance of intra-industry non-sanctioned firms. Using data of non-sanctioned firms listed on the Zimbabwe stock exchange during the period 2009-2018, our regression results show that non-sanctioned firms in the same industry as sanctioned firms perform better than ordinary non-sanctioned firms, signalling the positive competitive effect. A mediating test suggests that sanctions increase the market share of non-sanctioned firms in the same industry as sanctioned firms and subsequently increase their performance.

Background Anxiety is a negative emotion that contributes to craving and relapse during drug withdrawal. Sirtuins 1 (SIRT1) has been reported to be critical in both negative emotions and drug addiction. However, it remains incompletely elucidated whether SIRT1 is involved in morphine withdrawal-associated anxiety. Methods We established a mouse model of anxiety-like behaviors induced by morphine withdrawal and then detected neuronal activity with immunofluorescence and mitochondrial morphology with electron microscopy, mitochondrial DNA contents with quantitative real-time PCR, and mitochondrial function with the ATP content detection kit and the Mitochondrial Complex IV Activity Kit in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). The mitochondrial molecules were detected by western blot. Then we used virus-mediated downregulation and overexpression of SIRT1 in BLA to investigate the effect of SIRT1 on anxiety and mitochondrial function. Finally, we examined the effects of pharmacological inhibition of SIRT1 on anxiety and mitochondrial function. Results We found that BLA neuronal activity, mitochondrial function, and mtDNA content were significantly higher in morphine withdrawal mice. Furthermore, the expression levels of mitochondrial molecules increased in BLA cells. Virus-mediated downregulation of SIRT1 in BLA prevented anxiety-like behaviors in morphine withdrawal mice, whereas overexpression of SIRT1 in BLA facilitated anxiety-like behaviors in untreated mice through the SIRT1/ peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha pathway. Intra-BLA infusion of selective SIRT1 antagonist EX527 effectively ameliorated anxiety-like behaviors and mitochondrial dysfunction in mice with morphine withdrawal. Conclusion Our results implicate a causal role for SIRT1 in the regulation of anxiety through actions on mitochondrial biogenesis. Inhibitors targeting SIRT1 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of opioid withdrawal-associated anxiety.

Long-term opioid abuse causes a variety of long-lasting cognitive impairments such as attention, impulsivity and working memory. These cognitive impairments undermine behavioural treatment for drug abuse and lead to poor treatment retention and outcomes. Modafinil is a wake-promoting drug that shows potential in improving attention and memory in humans and animals. However, modafinil's effect on opioid-induced cognitive impairments remains unclear, and the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. This study showed that repeated morphine administration significantly impairs attention, increases impulsivity and reduces motivation to natural rewards in mice. Systemic modafinil treatment at low dose efficiently ameliorates morphine-induced attention dysfunction and improves motivation and working memory in mice. High dose of modafinil has adverse effects on impulsive action and attention. Local infusion of D1R antagonist SCH-23390 reverses the morphine-induced synaptic abnormalities and activation of the D1R-ERK-CREB pathway in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). This study demonstrated a protective effect of modafinil in mPFC neurons and offered a therapeutic potential for cognitive deficits in opioid abuse.

Background Adolescent methamphetamine exposure causes a broad range of neurobiological deficits in adulthood. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β is involved in various cognitive and behavioral processes associated with methamphetamine exposure. This study aims to investigate the protective effects of the glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitor lithium chloride on adolescent methamphetamine exposure-induced long-term alterations in emotion, cognition, behavior, and molecule and hippocampal ultrastructure in adulthood. Methods A behavioral test battery was used to investigate the protective effects of lithium chloride on adolescent methamphetamine exposure-induced long-term emotional, cognitive, and behavioral impairments in mice. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect glycogen synthase kinase-3β activity levels in the medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus. Electron microscopy was used to analyze changes in synaptic ultrastructure in the dorsal hippocampus. Locomotor sensitization with a methamphetamine (1 mg/kg) challenge was examined 80 days after adolescent methamphetamine exposure. Results Adolescent methamphetamine exposure induced long-term alterations in locomotor activity, novel spatial exploration, and social recognition memory; increases in glycogen synthase kinase-3β activity in dorsal hippocampus; and decreases in excitatory synapse density and postsynaptic density thickness in CA1. These changes were ameliorated by lithium chloride pretreatment. Adolescent methamphetamine exposure-induced working memory deficits in Y-maze spontaneous alternation test and anxiety-like behavior in elevated-plus maze test spontaneously recovered after long-term methamphetamine abstinence. No significant locomotor sensitization was observed after long-term methamphetamine abstinence. Conclusions Hyperactive glycogen synthase kinase-3β contributes to adolescent chronic methamphetamine exposure-induced behavioral and hippocampal impairments in adulthood. Our results suggest glycogen synthase kinase-3β may be a potential target for the treatment of deficits in adulthood associated with adolescent methamphetamine abuse.

A large number of trees have been planted in built-up areas to improve the urban environment, but the effects of tree cover on spontaneous understory herbs are not yet well understood. This study surveyed spontaneous herbs in two kinds of habitats (habitats with and without tree cover) in the built-up area of the small city Junlian in Sichuan Province, China. A total of 222 species of spontaneous herbaceous plants in 180 genera of 71 families were recorded, including a vulnerable species and six species endemic to China. Although the overall species richness values were similar in the two kinds of habitat, the average species richness per quadrat of all plants, perennials, plants with the dwarf growth form, and animal-dispersed plants was significantly higher in the habitats with tree cover than in those without tree cover. The overall species association was significantly positive in the habitats with tree cover (VR = 1.51, p < 0.05) and neural (VR = 0.86) in the habitats without tree cover. Among the top 25 frequently recorded species in each kind of habitat, the species association of plants with the same trait combination type differed greatly in the two kinds of habitats. For the species association between annuals, only 13.33% of species pairs were significantly associated in the habitats with tree cover, while 22.22% of the species pairs were significantly negatively associated in the habitats without tree cover. For the species association between plants with tall growth forms, the proportion of significant positive associations in the habitats with tree cover was approximately twice than in the habitats without tree cover. For the species association between plants with the dwarf growth form, the proportion of negative associations in the habitats without tree cover was approximately twice that in the habitats with tree cover. Species with the same dispersal mode generally had a very low proportion of negative interspecific associations or a high proportion of positive interspecific associations in habitats unfavorable to their establishment. Our findings suggest that tree cover can improve the species richness of the spontaneous herbaceous species beneath them and profoundly influence interspecific coexistence relationships in a built-up area.

Theileria annulata is the pathogen of bovine tropical theileriosis. It is extremely harmful to the cattle industry, with huge economic losses. The toll-like receptor (TLR) and NOD-like receptor (NLR) signaling pathways are crucial for resistance to infection of the protozoa, such as Plasmodium falciparum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Trypanosoma cruzi. However, the role of these immune-related pathways is unclear during T. annulata infection. In the present study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum were separated from blood samples of calves infected with homogenized tick supernatants carrying T. annulata sporozoites at 12 h, 24 h, 36 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h, 144 h and 168 h postinoculation. The Custom RT2 Profiler PCR Array was used to explore the mRNA levels of 42 TLR and NLR signaling pathway relevant genes. The TLR1, TLR6, TLR10, NLRP1, and MyD88 genes and their downstream signaling molecules significantly differed after the T. annulata infection in comparison with that of preinfection from 72 h to 168 h postinoculation. The serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNFα were significantly increased at 96 h and 168 h postinfection. These findings provided novel information to help determine the mechanisms of TLR and NLR signaling pathway involvement in protection against T. annulata infection.

Contextual memory driven by abused drugs such as opiates has a central role in maintenance and relapse of drug-taking behaviors. Although dopamine (DA) signaling favors memory storage and retrieval via regulation of hippocampal-prefrontal connectivity, its role in modulating opiate-associated contextual memory is largely unknown. Here, we report roles of DA signaling within the hippocampal-prefrontal circuit for opiate-related memories. Combining-conditioned place preference (CPP) with molecular analyses, we investigated the DA D1 receptor (D1R) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) signaling, as well as DA D2 receptor (D2R) and protein kinase B (PKB or Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) signaling in the ventral hippocampus (vHip) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during the formation of opiate-related associative memories. Morphine-CPP acquisition increased the activity of the D1R-ERK-CREB pathway in both the vHip and mPFC. Morphine-CPP reinstatement was associated with the D2R-mediated hyperactive GSK3 via Akt inhibition in the vHip and PFC. Furthermore, integrated D1R-ERK-CREB and D2R-Akt-GSK3 pathways in the vHip-mPFC circuit are required for the acquisition and retrieval of the morphine contextual memory, respectively. Moreover, blockage of D1R or D2R signaling could alleviate normal Hip-dependent spatial memory. These results suggest that D1R and D2R signaling are differentially involved in the acquisition and retrieval of morphine contextual memory, and DA signaling in the vHip-mPFC connection contributes to morphine-associated and normal memory, largely depending on opiate exposure states.

Background/Aims: Inflammation-induced injury of the endothelial barrier occurs in several pathological conditions, including atherosclerosis, ischemia, and sepsis. Endothelial cytoskeleton rearrangement is an important pathological mechanism by which inflammatory stimulation triggers an increase of vascular endothelial permeability. However, the mechanism maintaining endothelial cell barrier function against inflammatory stress is not fully understood. Glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTpi) exists in various types of cells and protects them against different stresses. In our previous study, GSTpi was found to act as a negative regulator of inflammatory responses. Methods: We used a Transwell permeability assay to test the influence of GSTpi and its transferase activity on the increase of endothelial permeability induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). TNF-α-induced actin remodeling and the influence of GSTpi were observed by using laser confocal microscopy. Western blotting was used to test the influence of GSTpi on TNF-α-activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/MK2/heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). Results: GSTpi reduced TNF-α-induced stress fiber formation and endothelial permeability increase by restraining actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, and this reduction was unrelated to its transferase activity. We found that GSTpi inhibited p38MAPK phosphorylation by directly binding p38 and influenced downstream substrate HSP27-induced actin remodeling. Conclusion: GSTpi inhibited TNF-α-induced actin remodeling, stress fiber formation and endothelial permeability increase by inhibiting the p38MAPK/HSP27 signaling pathway.

Fructose 1, 6-diphosphate (FDP), a glycolytic intermediate，has been identified to possess antioxidant activities. Here we show the protective effect of FDP against alcohol-induced liver injury in mice and the underlying mechanisms. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that FDP, orally administered to mice, dose-dependently suppressed alcohol (50%, v/v, 12ml/kg)-induced increase of serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum triglyceride (TG) level and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level. FDP also inhibited liver histological lesions induced by seven-day administration of alcohol to mice. In vitro study indicated that FDP inhibited ethanol-induced L02 cell apoptosis via reducing pro-caspase3 protein level and increasing poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage. The mechanism analysis showed that FDP prevented ethanol-induced decrease of mouse antioxidant capability through inhibiting the reducion of the level of glutathione (GSH) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in mouse livers, and suppressing the reducion of GSH level and SOD activity in L02 cells. FDP also enhanced alcohol metabolic rate through increasing alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) protein level, and down-regulating cytochrome p450 2E1 (CYP2E1). These results displayed that FDP protected mice from alcohol-induced liver injury, suggesting the potential activity of FDP in preventing alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

Background: Chronic abuse of heroin leads to long-lasting and complicated cognitive impairment. Dopamine receptors are critically involved in the impulsive drug-driven behavior and the altered attention, processing speed, and mental flexibility that are associated with higher relapse rates. However, the effects of the different dopamine receptors and their possible involvement in heroin-induced cognitive impairment remain unclear. Methods: The 5-choice serial reaction time task was used to investigate the profiles of heroin-induced cognitive impairment in mice. The expression levels of dopamine D1- and D2-like receptors in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and caudate-putamen were determined. The effects of dopamine receptors on heroin-induced impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task were examined by agonist/antagonist treatment on D1 or D3 receptor mutant mice. Results: Systemic heroin administration influences several variables in the 5-choice serial reaction time task, most notably premature responses, a measure of motor impulsivity. These behavioral impairments are associated with increased D1 receptor and decreased D3 receptor mRNA and protein levels in 3 observed brain areas. The heroin-evoked increase in premature responses is mimicked by a D1 agonist and prevented by a D1 antagonist or genetic ablation of the D1 receptor gene. In contrast, a D3 agonist decreases both basal and heroin-evoked premature responses, while genetic ablation of the D3 receptor gene results in increased basal and heroin-evoked premature responses. Conclusions: Heroin-induced impulsive behavior in the 5-choice serial reaction time task is oppositely modulated by D1 and D3 receptor activation. The D1 receptors in the cortical-mesolimbic region play an indispensable role in modulating such behaviors.

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays important roles in the cognitive control in human and non-human animals. However, inconsistent findings between species have been observed and there have been relatively few detailed investigations of the cognitive properties of BLA, especially in mice. Our aim was to determine the role of BLA in cognition by using optogenetic manipulations. Male C57BL/six mice were trained and tested on the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), open-field test (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), Y-maze, and novel object recognition (NOR) test during optogenetic stimulation and inhibition of the BLA. Optogenetic activation of the BLA decreased the impulsivity and increased the compulsivity of mice, whereas optogenetic inhibition of BLA had the opposite effect. Similarly, anxiety-like behaviours and spatial working memory were increased in BLA activation mice, whereas BLA inhibition decreased these behaviours. However, both BLA activation and inhibition decreased the motivation of the mice. These data demonstrate that the BLA regulates impulsive action and spatial working memory, and plays a critical role in anxiety-like behaviours.

Recent studies have indicated that DNA methylation plays an important role in the development of alcohol abuse. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dc), an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferases, was FDA approved for myelodysplastic syndrome treatment. However, it is unclear whether 5-Aza-dc is involved in alcohol abuse. In this study, using a chronic alcohol exposure model in rats, 5-Aza-dc was injected into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Alcohol-drinking behavior and the anxiety related behavior were evaluated by two-bottle choice and open field test. We found that 5-Aza-dc injection into the mPFC significantly decreased alcohol consumption and alcohol preference in alcohol-exposure rats, corresponding to the reduced blood alcohol levels. Although 5-Aza-dc potentiated the anxiety-like behavior of alcohol-exposure rats, it had no effect on the locomotor activity. Moreover, both of the mRNA and protein levels of DNA Methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and DNMT3B in the mPFC were upregulated after 35 days of alcohol exposure and this upregulation could be reversed by 5-Aza-dc treatment. Additionally, 5-Aza-dc reversed the alcohol-induced downregulation of neurotrophin-3 (Ntf3), correspondingly the expression of its receptor-TrkC was reduced. These findings identified a functional role of 5-Aza-dc in alcohol-related behavioral phenotypes and one of the potential target genes, Ntf3. We also provide novel evidence for DNA methyltransferases as potential therapeutic targets in alcohol abuse.

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of Theileria annulata infection contributes to the formulation of strategies to eradicate this parasite. A simple and efficient diagnostic tool, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) combined with a lateral flow (LF) strip, was used in detection of Theileria and compared to other methods that require expensive instruments and skilled personnel. Herein, we established and optimized an LF-RPA method to detect the cytochrome b gene of T. annulata mitochondrial DNA from experimentally infected and field-collected blood samples. This method has many unparalleled characteristics, including that it is rapid (clear detection in 5min at constant temperature), sensitive (the limitation of detection is at least 2pg genomic DNA), and specific (no cross-reaction with other piroplasms that infect cattle). The LF-RPA assay was evaluated via testing 17 field blood samples and comparing the results of that of a PCR, showing 100% agreement, which demonstrates the ability of the LF-RPA assay to detect T. annulata infections in small number of samples (n=17). Taken together, the results indicate that this method could be used as an ideal diagnostic tool for detecting T. annulata in endemic regions with limited to fewer and local resources and could also be a potential technique for the surveillance and control of blood protozoa.

Recent studies have shown that variants in FAT atypical cadherin 3 (FAT3), kinectin 1 (KTN1), discs large homolog2 (DLG2) and deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) genes influence the structure of the human mesolimbic reward system. We conducted a systematic analysis of the potential functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes associated with heroin addiction. We scanned the functional regions of these genes and identified 20 SNPs for genotyping by using the SNaPshot method. A total of 1080 samples, comprising 523 cases and 557 controls, were analyzed. We observed that DCC rs16956878, rs12607853, and rs2292043 were associated with heroin addiction. The T alleles of rs16956878 (p = 0.0004) and rs12607853 (p = 0.002) were significantly enriched in the case group compared with the controls. A lower incidence of the C allele of rs2292043 (p = 0.002) was observed in the case group. In block 2 of DCC (rs2292043-rs12607853-rs16956878), the frequency of the T-T-T haplotype was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (p = 0.024), and fewer C-C-C haplotypes (p = 0.006) were detected in the case group. DCC may be an important candidate gene in heroin addiction, and rs16956878, rs12607853, and rs2292043 may be risk factors, thereby providing a basis for further genetic and biological research.

Previous studies suggested that the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 3B (HTR3B) is involved in heroin dependence by modulating dopamine (DA) release in the reward pathway and that the genetic polymorphisms in HTR3B play plausible role in modulating the risk of developing heroin addiction. To identify markers that contribute to the genetic susceptibility to heroin dependence, we examined the potential associations between heroin dependence and 7 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the HTR3B gene using multiplex SNaPshot technology in a Chinese Han population. Participants included 418 heroin-dependent subjects and 422 healthy controls. The results suggested that the genotype distribution of HTR3B rs1176746 and rs1185027 were significantly different between heroin dependent subjects and healthy controls (both p = 0.004). The frequency of the GG of rs1176746 and AA of rs1185027 genotype in heroin-dependent subjects were significantly higher than that of healthy controls, while the GA of rs1176746 and AT of rs1185027 genotype distributions were much lower. Another SNP, rs10789970, showed a nominally significant p -value in the genotype distribution between heroin dependent subjects and controls ( p = 0.022). These findings indicate the important role of HTR3B polymorphisms in heroin dependence among the Chinese Han population and provide valuable information for further genetic and neurobiological investigations of heroin dependence.

Background: Opiate addiction is associated with complex cognitive impairment, which contributes to the development of compulsive drug use and relapses. Dopamine and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors play critical roles in opiate-induced cognitive deficits. However, the roles of D1 and D3 receptors in the N-methyl-D-aspartate/glycineB receptor-regulated cognitive behaviors induced by morphine remain unknown. Methods: The 5-choice serial reaction time task was used to investigate the cognitive profiles associated with repeated morphine administration in D1 (D1-/-)- and D3 (D3-/-)-receptor knockout mice. The expression of phosphorylated NR1, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the brain was examined by western blotting. D1-/- and D3-/- mice were treated with the N-methyl-D-aspartate/glycineB site agonist l-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid and the antagonist L-701,324 to chronically disrupt N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor function and investigate their effects on morphine-induced cognitive changes. Results: Repeated morphine administration impaired attentional function and caused impulsive and compulsive behaviors. D1-/- mice exhibited hardly any premature nosepokes. D3-/- mice showed robustly increased morphine-induced impulsive behavior. The numbers of premature responses were decreased by L-701,324 administration and increased by ACPC administration; these effects were completely abolished in D1-/- mice due to their inability to perform reward-based tasks. In contrast, the inhibitory effects of L-701,324 on impulsive behavior were significantly augmented in D3-/- mice. Conclusions: N-methyl-D-aspartate/glycineB site functions may contribute to morphine-induced cognitive deficits, especially those related to impulsive behavior. D1 and D3 receptors may have contrasting effects with respect to modulating impulsive behavior. D3 receptors have inhibitory effects on impulsive behaviors, and these effects are clearly mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate/glycineB receptor and μ-opioid receptor interactions.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that is likely to be strongly determined by genetic factors. To identify markers of disks, large homolog 2 (DLG2), FAT atypical cadherin 3 (FAT3), kinectin1 (KTN1), deleted in colorectal carcinoma (DCC), and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) that contribute to the genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia, we systematically screened for polymorphisms in the functional regions of these genes. A total of 22 functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 940 Chinese subjects were genotyped using SNaPshot. The results first suggested that the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the DCC polymorphism rs2229080 were nominally associated with schizophrenia. The patients were significantly less likely to be CC homozygous (P = 0.005, odds ratio [OR] = 0.635, 95 % confidence interval [95 % CI] = 0.462-0.873), and the schizophrenia subjects exhibited lower frequency of the C allele (P = 0.024, OR = 0.811, 95 % CI = 0.676-0.972). Regarding GSK3β, there was a significant difference in genotype distribution of rs3755557 between schizophrenia and healthy control subjects (P = 0.009). The patients exhibited a significantly lower frequency of the T allele of rs3755557 (P = 0.002, OR = 0.654, 95 % CI = 0.498-0.860). Our results point to the polymorphisms of DCC and GSK3β as contributors to the genetic basis of individual differences in the susceptibility to schizophrenia.