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This study aimed to examine the efficacy of video games in improving cognitive function in chronic patients with schizophrenia and to evaluate the biomarker of video games for cognitive function. The patients in the game group were requested to play single-player video games on their smartphones for 1 h per day, five times a week for 6 weeks. Those in the control group watched television for 1 h per day, five times a week for 6 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT). Clinical symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), Problematic Mobile Gaming Questionnaire (PMGQ), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The game group demonstrated improved RBANS total score during the trial. There were no significant group effects among all SCWT scores. The game group demonstrated greater improvement on the PANSS Negative Scale, and global function (GAF score). The PMGQ scores were lower than the cutoff score at all time points in both groups. There were no significant group differences in the PHQ-9 and GSE scores. The serum BDNF levels were significantly higher in the game group following 6 weeks of video game intervention. The BDNF serum levels of all participants were positively associated with the RBANS total scores. This preliminary study suggested that video games can improve cognitive function in schizophrenia patients. Serum BDNF levels may be a suitable biomarker for predicting an improvement in cognitive function in schizophrenia patients. Trial registration: This study was registered on March 11, 2021 (ChiCTR2100044113). Clinical trials: Smartphone video games improve cognitive function in patients with chronic schizophrenia; https://www.chictr.org.cn/hvshowproject.aspx?id=95623; ChiCTR2100044113. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Universal Stress Protein (USP) primarily participates in cellular responses to biotic and abiotic stressors, playing a pivotal role in plant growth, development, and Stress responses to adverse environmental conditions. Totals of 23, 26 and 26 USP genes were recognized in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa, respectively. According to USP genes physicochemical properties, proteins from USP I class were identified as hydrophilic proteins with high stability. Based on phylogenetic analysis, USP genes family were classified into nine groups, USP II were rich in motifs. Additionally, members of the same subgroup exhibited similar numbers of introns/exons, and shared conserved domains, indicating close evolutionary relationships. Motif analysis results demonstrated a high degree of conservation among USP genes. Chromosomal distribution suggested that USP genes might have undergone gene expansion through segmental duplication in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa. Most Ka/Ks ratios were found to be less than 1, suggesting that USP genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa have experienced purifying selection. Expression profile analysis revealed that USP genes primarily respond to drought stress in Oryza sativa, temperature, and drought stress in Zea mays, and cold stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene collinearity analysis can reveal correlations between genes, aiding subsequent in-depth investigations. This study sheds new light on the evolution of USP genes in monocots and dicots and lays the foundation for a better understanding of the biological functions of the USP genes family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Red Meat Honey Crisp (RMHC)' has been widely cultivated by growers in recent years due to its early maturity, and red meat type characteristics. As a bud variant of 'Super Red (SR)' peach, red flesh is the most distinctive characteristic of 'Red Meat Honey Crisp (RMHC)'. However, the mechanism of red flesh formation in 'RMHC' remains unclear. In this study, 79 differentially produced metabolites were identified by metabolomics analysis. The anthocyanin content in 'RMHC' was significantly higher than that in 'SR' during the same period, such as cyanidin O-syringic acid and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside. Other flavonoids also increased during the formation of red flesh, including flavonols (6-hydroxykaempferol-7-O-glucoside, hyperin), flavanols (protocatechuic acid, (+)-gallocatechin), and flavonoids (chrysoeriol 5-O-hexoside, tricetin). In addition, transcriptomic analysis and RT-qPCR showed that the expression levels of the flavonoid synthesis pathway transcription factor MYB75 and some structural genes, such as PpDFR, PpCHS, PpC4H, and PpLDOX increased significantly in 'RMHC'. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that MYB75 was localized to the nucleus. Yeast single hybridization assays showed that MYB75 bound to the cis-acting element CCGTTG of the PpDFR promoter region. The MYB75-PpDFR regulatory network was identified to be a key pathway in the reddening of 'RMHC' flesh. Moreover, this is the first study to describe the cause for red meat reddening in 'RMHC' compared to 'SR' peaches using transcriptomics, metabolomics and molecular methods. Our study identified a key transcription factor involved in the regulation of the flavonoid synthetic pathway and contributes to peach breeding-related efforts as well as the identification of genes involved in color formation in other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryomicroneedles (cryoMNs) offer a convenient and minimally invasive way to precisely deliver therapeutic cells intradermally for treating local and systemic diseases. cryoMNs are manufactured by shaping and freezing the cell-containing cryogenic media in a microneedle template, which allows cells to be packaged in advance for direct usage in the clinic. However, the current cryoMNs require cold-chain transportation and storage and do not permit the loading of autologous cells in situ. This article introduces the second generation of cryoMNs (S-cryoMNs) that address these limitations. Specifically, S-cryoMNs are made by dipping a porous MN scaffold in the cell suspension before cryopreservation. The porous scaffold can be transported at room temperature, and researchers can load any cells with the optimized cryogenic medium. As a proof-of-concept, we examined the loading and intradermal delivery of three cell types in clinically relevant in vitro and in vivo models, including mesenchymal stem cells for wound healing, melanocytes for vitiligo treatment, and antigen-pulsed dendritic cells for cancer vaccination. Breakthrough in CryoMNs: no cold-chain needed for therapeutic cell transport This research presents a novel way to transport healing cells to the skin using a tool known as a cryomicroneedle. The scientists created a sponge-like microneedle (tiny needle) that can carry cells by immersing it in a cell suspension (liquid containing cells). This technique enables easy storage and movement of the microneedles, and the cells can be added on-site for immediate application or kept for future use. They tested this technique with three cell types related to wound healing, vitiligo (a skin condition that causes loss of skin color) treatment, and cancer vaccination. The findings revealed that the cryomicroneedles could effectively transport the cells to the skin and trigger the intended healing effects. This innovative method could potentially enhance the efficiency and convenience of cell treatments. This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author. Cryomicroneedles (cryoMNs) permit the precise delivery of therapeutic cells into the skin, but are limited by the cold-chain transportation and storage. This article introduces an innovative solution to use a prefabricated porous microneedle scaffold that can be shipped at room temperature and allow on-site cell loading and usage in the clinic (i.e., the second generation cryoMNs or S-cryoMNs). The study investigates the loading and intradermal delivery of three cell types in clinically relevant in vitro and in vivo models, including mesenchymal stem cells for wound healing, melanocytes for vitiligo treatment, and antigen-pulsed dendritic cells for cancer vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Percolating composites present giant dielectric constant (ε′) at the critical filler loading (fc), whereas the accompanied undesirable high loss and leakage current significantly limit their wide applications owing to the deteriorated breakdown strength (Eb). To prohibit the unwished large loss and leakage current of the graphite nanosheets (GNS)/poly(vinylidene fluoride, PVDF) while still keeping a high ε′, the titanium dioxide (TiO2) encapsulated GNS, i.e., GNS@TiO2, were first obtained in this study via a sol-gel technology, and then composited with PVDF to explore the TiO2 shell's impact and modulation effect on the dielectric properties of the nanocomposites. The findings on the relationship between structure and dielectric parameters reveal that the presence of a TiO2 interlayer not only strengthens the interface interactions, but also remarkably relieves the pronounced interfacial mismatch in both ε′ and electric conductivity between the filler and host matrix, thus leading to boosted Eb of the nanocomposites. Moreover, the dielectric loss and conductivity of the nanocomposites can be significantly suppressed and reduced to rather low levels because of the introduced deep traps resulting from the interlayer frustrating the long-distance electron migration. And the integrated dielectric properties of the GNS@TiO2/PVDF can be effectively regulated by adjusting the GNS@TiO2's electric resistivity and optimizing the TiO2 shell thickness. This work offers a beneficial strategy for the design of percolating nanodielectrics with high εr and Eb but suppressed loss for prospective applications in microelectronic devices and power equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing polymer dielectrics with a low dielectric loss but high dielectric permittivity (ε′) and breakdown strength (Eb) is steadily expected for applications in microelectronic and electrical industries. In this study, to elevate the overall dielectric properties of molybdenum (Mo)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), an insulating polystyrene (PS) shell was first constructed on the Mo's surface through a suspension polymerization, and then the core-shell Mo@PS particles were compounded with the host PVDF. The PS shell's influence on the dielectric performances of the composites was explored in terms of the filler concentration, diverse shell thicknesses and frequency. Compared with neat Mo/PVDF, the Mo@PS/PVDF composites present immensely restrained loss and conductivity owing to the insulating PS interlayer stopping the physical contact among Mo powder and wonderfully constraining the long-range charges migration. More importantly, the integrated dielectric performances can be efficaciously tuned and optimized via engineering the PS shell's thickness because the PS shell not only bolsters the interfacial interactions, but also alleviates the local electric field distortion and concentration subsequently leading to boosted Eb. Analyzing the dielectric results via the Havriliak-Negami expression theoretically illustrates the underlying polarization mechanism in the composites. The resulting Mo@PS/PVDF composites owing high ε′ and Eb coupled with fairly low loss, present prospective applications in electrical power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological insulators, either the first-order or the higher-order, experience generally a transition to a trivial phase or a topological one of the same order through the gap closing and reopening procedure. Here, we report a topological insulator, which switches directly between the first and higher orders, with only varying the hoppings and without breaking the symmetry. The phase transition of the first and higher orders is originated from a competition mechanism between the nearest and second-nearest neighbor interactions. This variable-order topological insulator is implemented in a two-dimensional phononic crystal, and the one-dimensional helical edge states, which signal the first-order phase, and the zero-dimensional corner states, which signal the second-order one, are demonstrated in the simulations and experiments. Our study gives insight to the topological states of different orders. Non-trivial topological phases come in various guises from first-order to higher-order and can be found in a range of systems from electronic and photonic through to phononic. Here, the authors report a variable-order topological insulator in a phononic crystal that can be tuned between first and higher orders by varying the nearest-neighbor hopping whilst at the same time preserving the symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to concurrently suppress the dielectric loss and enhance the breakdown strength (Eb) of raw zinc oxide (ZnO)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composites, in this study, the polystyrene (PS) encapsulated ZnO particles were fabricated via a suspension polymerization method, and further composited with PVDF to deliberately generate morphology-controllable high dielectric permittivity (ε′) and Eb but low-loss nanocomposites. The effects of the PS shell and its thickness on the dielectric properties of the ZnO/PVDF were investigated as a function of the filler concentration and frequency. Besides, the Havriliak-Negami (H-N) expression was used to fit the dielectric properties so as to theoretically comprehend the PS interlayer’s effect on the polarization and carrier migration mechanism in the nanocomposites. Research results verify that the ZnO@PS/PVDF nanocomposites present very low loss and conductivity when compared to the raw ZnO/PVDF thanks to the insulating PS shell’s ability to effectively prevent the ZnO particles from contacting with one another, thereby prohibiting the appearance of leakage current. And the filler’s homogeneous dispersion in PVDF is also enhanced owing to improved interfacial compatibility and interactions subsequently elevating the Eb of nanocomposites. Moreover, by adjusting the PS shell’ thickness, the dielectric properties of the nanocomposites can be efficiently tuned. Therefore, the developed ZnO@PS/PVDF nanocomposites with high-ε′ and Eb but low loss, present promising application prospects in microelectronic and electrical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining the balance of mitochondrial fission and mitochondrial autophagy on seizures is helpful to find a solution to control seizures and reduce brain injuries. The present study is to investigate the protective effect of inhibiting mitochondrial fission on brain injury in juvenile rat epilepsy induced by pentatetrazol (PTZ) by inhibiting the BCL2L13/LC3-mediated mitophagy pathway. PTZ was injected (40 mg/kg) to induce kindling once every other day, for a total of 15 times. In the PTZ + DMSO (DMSO), PTZ + Mdivi-1 (Mdivi-1), and PTZ + WY14643 (WY14643) groups, rats were pretreated with DMSO, Mdivi-1 and WY14643 for half an hour prior to PTZ injection. The seizure attacks of young rats were observed for 30 min after model establishment. The Morris water maze (MWM) was used to test the cognition of experimental rats. After the test, the numbers of NeuN(+) neurons and GFAP(+) astrocytes were observed and counted by immunofluorescence (IF). The protein expression levels of Drp1, BCL2L13, LC3 and caspase 3 in the hippocampus of young rats were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting (WB). Compared with the PTZ and DMSO groups, the seizure latency in the Mdivi-1 group was longer (P < 0.01), and the severity degree and frequency of seizures were lower (P < 0.01). The MWM test showed that the incubation periods of crossing the platform in the Mdivi-1 group was significantly shorter. The number of platform crossings, the platform stay time, and the ratio of residence time/total stay time were significantly increased in the Mdivi-1 group (P < 0.01). The IF results showed that the number of NeuN(+) neurons in the Mdivi-1 group was greater, while the number of GFAP(+) astrocytes was lower. IHC and WB showed that the average optical density (AOD) and relative protein expression levels of Drp1, BCL2L13, LC3 and caspase 3 in the hippocampi of rats in the Mdivi-1 group were higher (P < 0.05). The above results in the WY14643 group were opposite to those in the Mdivi-1 group. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission could reduce seizure attacks, protect injured neurons, and improve cognition following PTZ-induced epilepsy by inhibiting mitochondrial autophagy mediated by the BCL2L13/LC3 mitophagy pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: In recent years, monocyte chemotactic protein-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1) has been reported to control inflammation via IL-10. Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine (1) whether MCPIP1 can repair damage to the immune system after alcohol use and (2) whether MCPIP1 can repair the immune function impaired by alcohol use through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Our results will inform the treatment of immune dysfunction caused by alcohol consumption. Methods: Scrambled shRNA or MCPIP-1-shRNA carried by the lentiviral vector (50μl each at 1×108TU/ml) was injected retrogradely through the pancreatic duct to pretreat male C57BL/6 mice. Five days after the injection, mice were exposed to intragastric ethanol infusion (5g/kg, 25% ethanol w/v) daily or vehicle for 10 days. Results: MCPIP-1 protein was increased in the pancreas after alcohol exposure. MCPIP-1 shRNA specifically decreased MCPIP-1 protein expression and mRNA level in the pancreas. Specific knockdown of MCPIP-1 exacerbates pancreatic necrosis, interstitial edema, and inflammatory infiltrates after alcohol exposure. Meanwhile, specific knockdown of MCPIP-1 also increased pancreatic pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and IL-1β), chemokine MCP-1, and chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) after alcohol exposure. What's more, p-JNK and p-ERK in the pancreas were all similarly increased in response to pancreas-specific knockdown of MCPIP-1 during alcohol exposure. Conclusions: Taken together, the results above suggested that MCPIP1 repairs the immune function impaired by alcohol use via stimulating JNK and ERK pathways. Our results will inform the treatment of immune dysfunction caused by alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in the environment is a major public health concern since it has been linked to osteoporosis and other bone deformities. Linarin is a flavonoid glycoside, and it can promote osteoblastogenesis. This research aimed to investigate the potential role of linarin against Cd-exposed bone deformations in mice model. In our research, male mice were randomly allocated into four groups: control, Cd-exposed, and Cd + linarin (20 and 40mg/kg/bw, respectively). Linarin prevented body weight loss, increased serum calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) levels in Cd-exposed groups. Furthermore, linarin treatment at 20 and 40mg/kg/bw significantly decreased RANK and OPG, resulting in an increase in RANKL mRNA levels and protein distribution in the bone of Cd-exposed mice. In addition, the bone of Cd-exposed mice administered with linarin showed higher TRAP, NFATc1, MMP9, and RUNX2 mRNA levels and protein distribution. Linarin significantly decreased oxidative stress in Cd-exposed mice bone by decreasing MDA, a lipid peroxidation product. Moreover, linarin protects Cd-exposed mice antioxidant enzymes by increasing bone SOD, CAT, and GPx levels. Besides, linarin suppresses alterations in the inflammatory system, i.e., NF-κB p65/IKKβ, by reducing NF-κB p65, IKKβ, IL-6, and TNF-α in the bone of Cd-exposed animals. This study concluded that linarin has potential to cure osteoporosis in Cd-exposed mice by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation and modulating the RANK/RANKL/OPG pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and objective: In this study, we hypothesized that the chronic use of clozapine affects cytokine expression and has a greater effect on female patients than on male patients. The aims of this study were to detect (1) whether serum cytokine levels were altered in patients with chronic schizophrenia after clozapine treatment compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls, (2) whether there was a gender difference in serum cytokine levels after clozapine treatment, and (3) whether there was a correlation between serum cytokine levels and clozapine daily dosage in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Forty-nine inpatients with schizophrenia treated with clozapine and fifty-three sex- and age-matched healthy controls were recruited. The patients' psychiatric symptoms were measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Blood samples from both patients and healthy controls were collected. Serum IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-γ, and TNF-α levels were measured in duplicate by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: We found that chronic clozapine treatment in patients with schizophrenia resulted in the abnormal expression of serum cytokines, such as IL-2, IL-6, IL-17, and TNF-α, compared with the healthy controls. In addition, there was a gender difference in the abnormal expression of cytokines between male and female patients with schizophrenia. In the female group, IL-2 serum levels were lower than those in the male group. Interestingly, there was a positive correlation between serum IL-2 levels and the daily clozapine dosage in female patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: Findings from our study have shown clear evidence that clozapine had a greater effect on immune function in female patients with schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and objective: Clozapine (CLZ) is the most effective drug for treatment-resistant schizophrenia but is associated with many side effects, including glycometabolism disorders. Immunological mechanisms may be involved in the development of clozapine side effects. Research relating the immunomodulatory effects of clozapine and its early markers to clinically relevant adverse events is needed to reduce the harmful side effects of clozapine. This study aimed to investigate the role of proinflammatory cytokines in clozapine-associated glycometabolism disorders. Methods: We measured the effect of a range of doses of clozapine on glycometabolism-related parameters and proinflammatory cytokines levels in mice peripheral blood. We also examined the differences between these indicators in the peripheral blood of clozapine-treated schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, we detected proinflammatory cytokines expression in mice pancreatic tissue. Results: Following clozapine administration, glucagon significantly decreased in mouse serum, and proinflammatory cytokine IL-β levels markedly increased. Clozapine reliably increased proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) expression in murine pancreatic tissue. Compared with healthy controls, clozapine-treated patients' BMI, blood glucose, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) increased significantly. In clozapine-treated patients, a higher clozapine daily dosage was associated with higher levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6, and a significant positive correlation was observed between blood glucose levels and the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. Conclusion: Findings from animal experiments and clinical trials have shown clear evidence that clozapine has a regulatory effect on immune-related proinflammatory cytokines and influences glycometabolism indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that high homocysteine worsens the occurrence, symptoms, and prognosis of patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, clinical correlation, and demographic characteristics of hyperhomocysteinemia in Han Chinese schizophrenia patients. In this study, we enrolled 330 schizophrenia patients and 190 healthy controls. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the psychiatric symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. The plasma homocysteine level was measured by the enzyme cycle method and the concentration of homocysteine > 15 μmol/L was defined as hyperhomocysteinemia. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in Han Chinese schizophrenia patients and healthy controls was 55.05% and 26.98%, respectively. Schizophrenia patients with hyperhomocysteinemia had more male proportion, older age, higher smoking rate, lower HDL level, higher PANSS total score, and higher negative factor than those patients without hyperhomocysteinemia. Binary logical regression result showed that gender and age were the independent risk factors of hyperhomocysteinemia. Han Chinese patients with schizophrenia had high prevalence hyperhomocysteinemia than healthy controls, and elderly male patients have a higher risk of hyperhomocysteinemia. This study was registered in the China Clinical Trial Registration Center (chiCTR 1800017044). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a direct neurotoxin, ethanol exposure is associated with nerve damage and dysfunction of central nervous system (CNS) and induced obvious neurotoxicity by increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, activation of endogenous apoptotic as well as necrotic signals, and other molecular mechanisms. The previous studies had demonstrated that natural herbal medicine offers protective effectiveness on ethanol-induced nerve cell damage. Danshen and its extracts have been known to have an antioxidant property and neuroprotective effects. However, the protective effects of Danshen formula granule and salvianic acid A on ethanol-induced neurotoxicity remain unknown. In this study, we found that the Danshen formula granule and salvianic acid A significantly inhibited the ethanol-induced cell death, blocked LDH release, and reduced dendritic spine loss. Furthermore, the intracellular ROS, MDA production, and ethanol-induced apoptosis were significantly ameliorated with Danshen formula granule and salvianic acid A pretreatment by increasing the antioxidant enzymatic activity of CAT, SOD and GSH-Px, and inhibiting apoptotic pathways. In addition, Danshen formula granule and salvianic acid A pretreatment obviously inhibit the apoptotic pathways by regulating the protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that the Danshen formula granule and salvianic acid A provide a significantly protective effectiveness against ethanol-induced neurotoxicity, which might be a potential therapeutic drug for ethanol-induced neurological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purposes of this paper are: (1) to review finance literature using simultaneous equations method, (2) to discuss the difference among two-stage least squares (2SLS), three-stage least squares (3SLS) and generalized method of moments (GMM) methods under different assumptions, and (3) to investigate the interrelationship among investment, financing, and dividend decisions as an example to demonstrate the discussion. We review studies that apply the simultaneous equations estimation on capital structure, corporate investment, payout decisions, ownership structure, corporate governance, stock return, firm performance and/or other corporate issues. In addition to these three methods, we also present Pagan and Hall's (Econom Rev 2:159-218, 1983) test of heteroskedasticity and weak instruments test for selecting the applicable method and testing the validity of instruments. Finally, we investigate the interrelationship among investment, financing and dividend decisions using 2SLS, 3SLS, and GMM methods based on the US listed firm annual data between 1965 and 2012. Our results show that these three corporate decisions are co-determined and the interaction among them should be taken into account in a simultaneous equations framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been demonstrated that preconditioning with 1.5 % isoflurane reduces hypoxia/ischemia (HI)-induced brain loss/injury in neonatal rats. Ca influx mediated by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptors (AMPARs) is involved in HI-induced neuronal death. Here, we investigated the effective concentrations and time windows for neuroprotection by isoflurane postconditioning in neonatal rats after brain HI and determined whether GluR2-containing AMPARs mediate this neuroprotection. Methods: Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into eight groups ( n = 40 in each). The rats underwent left common carotid arterial ligation (brain HI) or sham surgery, followed by exposure to 8 % oxygen for 2 h at 37 °C in a thermoregulated environment. Post-conditioning with 1, 1.5, or 2 % isoflurane for 30 min was performed immediately after brain HI. Others were post-treated with 1.5 % isoflurane for 30 min at 3, 6, and 12 h after brain HI. The weight ratio, neuronal density ratio in the ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus, and retrosplenial granular cortex of left to right cerebral hemispheres at 7 days after brain HI were evaluated in all groups. Cerebral hemispheres were harvested for Western-blot analysis of GluR2 on the cellular membranes 24 h after HI or sham surgery in neonatal rats from the sham group, the HI group, and the HI + immediate exposure to the 1.5 % isoflurane group. In another experiment, the function of learning and memory were assessed in adolescence (4 weeks) using Morris water maze. Results: Compared with the control (sham) group, brain HI decreased the weight ratio and the neuronal density ratio in the ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus and the retrosplenial granular cortex of the left to right cerebral hemispheres ( p < 0.05). These effects of brain HI were reduced by postconditioning with 1.5 or 2 % isoflurane for 30 min within 6 h of HI, which coincided with the results of Morris water maze. GluR2 protein expression on cellular membranes was reduced after HI compared with sham surgery group ( p < 0.05); this down-regulation was attenuated by isoflurane postconditioning. Conclusions: Postconditioning with 1.5 and 2 % isoflurane affords neuroprotection in neonatal rats. The time window for isoflurane postconditioning to be effective against neonatal HI-induced brain injury was 0-6 h after HI. This protection may be mediated by GluR2-containing AMPARs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02967-w. B Correction to: Biological Trace Element Research b https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02967-w The original version of this article unfortunately a mistake. [Extracted from the article]

Six new 1-ferrocenesulfonyl-2-benzimidazole derivatives were prepared by the reaction of ferrocenesulfonyl chloride with benzimidazole derivatives in the presence of dichloromethane and n-tetrabutylammonia bromide. The yields of these six new ferrocenesulfonyl benzimidazole derivatives were about 80%. The structures characteristic were confirmed by IR, 1H-NMR, Elemental analysis and MS. The crystal structure of compound a2 was determined via X-ray single crystal diffraction and it belongs to monoclinic system with space group C2/c, and the unit cell parameters are α = 2.8252(2) nm, b = 0.97696(7) nm, c = 1.64828(12) nm, α = 90°, β = 92.053(2)°, γ = 90°, V = 4.5466(6) nm3, Z = 8, F (000) = 2024, Mr = 481.40, Dc = 1.407 g/cm3, µ = 0.784 mm−1, R 1= 0.0495, wR 2= 0.1517. The results show that the reactions of 2-alkylbenzimidazoles containing active hydrogen with ferrocenesulfonyl chloride gave 1- ferrocenesulfonyl-2-alkylbenzimidazoles in good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]