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The thermodynamic properties of nano-ZnO particles with different morphologies were studied. First, based on the measurements of XRD and SEM, the morphologies of the five nano-ZnO products were determined as sheet, block, sieve, column, and rod, and their particle size was about 40 nm. Then, based on a designed thermodynamic cycle, the standard molar enthalpies of formation ΔfHmӨ of the nano-ZnO particles were determined by the RD496-2000 microcalorimeter, and they are ΔfHmӨ(sheet) = (-337.43 ± 0.47) kJ·mol−1, ΔfHmӨ(block) = (-336.57 ± 0.43) kJ·mol−1, ΔfHmӨ(sieve) = (-337.04 ± 0.57) kJ·mol−1, ΔfHmӨ(column) = (-343.56 ± 0.39) kJ·mol−1, and ΔfHmӨ(rod) = (-341.43 ± 0.41) kJ·mol−1. The results show that the bigger difference of the morphologies of nano-ZnO, the bigger difference of the standard molar enthalpies of formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a previously published approach to computing (Q, r) policies for an inventory system with uncertain parameters described by fuzzy sets, we compare thee methods for specifying lead-time demand for four different empirically-specified, non-normal distributions of replenishment lead time. This general distribution of lead time results in a situation in which the distribution of demand over the lead time, or lead-time demand (LTD), is not easily specified. We compare (Q, r) policies generated by using a traditional normal approximation to LTD, a fuzzy-set approximation, and the optimal policy computed via a simulation-optimization approach that utilizes the explicit LTD distribution. We show that, on average, the results from the fuzzy-set model are significantly more accurate than the traditional normal approximation, especially when the LTD distribution is highly skewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Achyranthes bidentata Blume (A. bidentata) is a commonly prescribed Chinese medicinal herb. A. bidentata polypeptides (ABPP) is an active composite constituent, separated from the aqueous extract of A. bidentata. Our previous studies have found that ABPP have the neuroprotective function in vitro and in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model in attenuating the brain infract area induced by focal ischemia-reperfusion. However, the ultimate goal of the stroke treatment is the restoration of behavioral function. Identifying behavioral deficits and therapeutic treatments in animal models of ischemic stroke is essential for potential translational applications. Methodology and Principal Findings: The effect of ABPP on motor, sensory, and cognitive function in an ischemic stroke model with MCAO was investigated up to day 30. The function recovery monitored by the neurological deficit score, grip test, body asymmetry, beam-balancing task, and the Morris Water Maze. In this study, systemic administration of ABPP by i.v after MCAO decreased the neurological deficit score, ameliorated the forepaw muscle strength, and diminished the motor and sensory asymmetry on 7th and 30th day after MCAO. MCAO has been observed to cause prolonged disturbance of spatial learning and memory in rats using the MWM, and ABPP treatment could improve the spatial learning and memory function, which is impaired by MCAO in rats, on 30th day after MCAO. Then, the viable cells in CA1 region of hippocampus were counted by Nissl staining, and the neuronal cell death were significantly suppressed in the ABPP treated group. Conclusion: ABPP could improve the recovery of sensory, motor and coordination, and cognitive function in MCAO-induced ischemic rats. And this recovery had a good correlation to the less of neuronal injury in brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CLEC16A, C-type lectin domain family 16, member A was recently found to be associated with inflation process in the autoimmune diseases. In this study, we elucidated the dynamic expression changes and localization of CLEC16A in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammatory processes in adult rats. CLEC16A expression was strongly induced in active astrocytes in inflamed cerebral cortex. In vitro studies indicated that the up-regulation of CLEC16A may be involved in the subsequent astrocyte activation following LPS challenge. And Knock-down of CLEC16A in cultured primary astrocytes by siRNA showed that CLEC16A was required for the activation of astrocytes induced by LPS. Collectively, these results suggested CLEC16A may be important in host defense in astrocyte-mediated immune response. Understanding the cell signal pathway may provide a novel strategy against inflammatory and immune reaction in neuroinflammtion in CNS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two crystalline compounds of rare-earth chlorides coordinated with l-proline, [RE(l-Pro)2(H2O)5]Cl3(RE = Ho, Er), were synthesized. Their structures were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and chemical analytical methods, the purities of the [RE(l-Pro)2(H2O)5]Cl3(RE = Ho, Er) complexes were determined to be 98.85 % and 98.62 %, respectively. After the measurement of the dissolving heat of the two systems, [RE(NO3)3·6H2O 2l-Pro 3NaCl] and {[RE(l-Pro)2(H2O)5]Cl3 3NaNO3}, at 298.15 K in 2 mol·dm−3HCl solvent by using a conduction microcalorimeter, the standard enthalpies of formation of the two crystalline compounds at 298.15 K were determined to be ΔfHm⊖{[Ho(l-Pro)2(H2O)5]Cl3, s, 298.15 K} = (−3675.0 ± 1.3) kJ·mol−1and ΔfHm⊖{[Er(l-Pro)2(H2O)5]Cl3, s, 298.15 K} = (−3655.9 ± 1.6) kJ·mol−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The DFT method B3LYP together with basis set 6-311++G(d,p) was used to study the interaction energy between cation and anion in a series of new generation ionic liquids whose cations are derived from amino acids. The geometry optimization of gas-phase ion pairs of over 30 chosen ionic liquid and related analogues (some salts with high melting points) was performed first, then the interaction energies of the series of molecules between cation and anion were calculated and the basis set superposition error (BSSE) was corrected by counterpoise method (CP). Combining the experimental melting point data, it was found that for the amino acid cation based ionic liquids, there exists good correlation between the melting points and the interaction energies, and the corresponding linear equation of melting point on interaction energy was obtained. The results show the probability of designing ILs with the help of quantum chemistry study in the future exploitation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: By using Mawhin’s continuation theorem of coincidence degree theory, we derive a sufficient condition for the existence of at least one positive periodic solution of a generalized prey–predator model with harvesting term. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A crystalline complex of erbium perchlorate coordinated with glycine, Er2(Gly)6(H2O)4(ClO4)6·5H2O, has been synthesized. No melting point is observed above room temperature. The heat capacity of the complex was measured by adiabatic calorimetry from 79 K to 369 K, and two peaks centered at 233 K and 325 K were found. The first peak centered at 233 K was a phase transformation peak, and the second was decomposition. The temperature, enthalpy change, and entropy change of the phase transformation were 219.47 K, 17.51 kJ·mol-1, and 79.77 J·K-1·mol-1, and those of the decomposition process were 312.576 K, 94.86 kJ·mol-1, and 303.49 J·K-1·mol-1. The polynomial equations of heat capacity in different temperature ranges, 79.091 K to 217.424 K and 255.606 K to 306.143 K, have been obtained by least-squares fitting. The standard enthalpy of formation was determined to be fHm(Er2(Gly)6(H2O)4(ClO4)6·5H2O, s, 298.15 K) −7911.13 ± 2.77 kJ·mol-1by isoperibol reaction calorimetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is often harmful to human health. It is common in people who smoke or smoke passively, and the affected people are older and find it difficult to recover. The main treatment methods are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This paper aims to study the effects of different configurations of ginsenoside Rh2 on NSCLC 95D and NCI-H460 cells. To provide clinical value for the treatment of NSCLC. Materials and Methods: CCK-8 was used to determine the proliferation of 95D and NCI-H460 cells with different concentrations of ginsenoside Rh2 (0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/mL), and IC50 was calculated. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry. Results: 20(R)-ginsenoside-Rh2 and 20(S)-ginsenoside-Rh2 inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of NSCLC 95D and NCI-H460 cells induced cell cycle arrest in a time and dose-dependent manner in G1/S and promote apoptosis. Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rh2 induces antitumour activity by inhibiting proliferation and colony formation of 95D and NCI-H460 cells and inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Comparing the two configurations of ginsenoside Rh2, the effect of 20(R)-ginsenoside-Rh2 is stronger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognostic role of baseline platelet count (PLT) in acute ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusion undergoing endovascular thrombectomy is unclear. Whether PLT modifies alteplase treatment effect on clinical outcome in those patients is also uncertain. We derived data from a multicenter randomized clinical trial (DIRECT-MT) comparing intravenous alteplase before endovascular treatment vs. endovascular treatment only. The 654 patients with available PLT data were included. Primary outcome was the ordinal modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score evaluated at 90 days. We also assessed various secondary and safety outcomes. After adjusting for confounding factors, patients in the top tertile of PLT had a significantly lower risk of a worse shift in the distribution of mRS score (Odds Ratio: 0.671, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.473–0.953, p for trend=0.025), major disability and death (Odds Ratio: 0.617, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.393–0.97, p for trend=0.037) as well as death (Odds Ratio: 0.544, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.313–0.947, p for trend=0.031), respectively, compared with the bottom one. Among patients in the bottom tertile of PLT, combination therapy was associated with a better imaging outcome of eTICI score of 2b, 2c or 3 on final angiogram (Odds Ratio: 3.23, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.49–7.002) with a marginally significant interaction effect. Participants with higher baseline PLT had a decreased risk of poor functional outcomes. Low baseline PLT modified alteplase treatment effect on the eTICI score on final angiogram. Combination therapy was beneficial for patients with low baseline PLT to have a better reperfusion status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gliomas are harmful to human health; they are the most common primary intracranial tumor. Ginsenoside CK (GS-CK) is converted from the diol ginsenoside. This study aimed to explore the effects of GS-CK on glioma cells SHG-44 and U251MG in order to provide clinical value for the treatment of gliomas. Materials and Methods: Cell proliferation was detected using the CCK-8 and CFU detection experiments. Cell apoptosis was detected by DAPI and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) fluorescence staining. Cell scratch and transwell assay were used to detect the effect of GS-CK on cell migration and invasion ability. Apoptosis-related protein expression was detected in the two cell lines after treatment with GS-CK. Results: Cell proliferation is obviously inhibited, and cell migration and invasion were also significantly inhibited by GS-CK. It also induced cell apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. GS-CK induced significant changes in mitochondrial apoptosis pathway-related protein expression of cytochrome C, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3/8/9, Cleaved Caspase-3, and MMP-9 in glioma cells. Conclusion: GS-CK can inhibit glioma cells by regulating mitochondria-related apoptosis p53-bax-caspases pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Neurocytoma is a rare brain neoplasm of neuroepithelial origin that occurs predominantly in the ventricular system adjacent to the interventricular foramen and septum pellucidum. However, extraventricular neurocytoma is an extremely rare entity, with poor clinical, radiologic, and histopathological characterization. Here we report a case of an extraventricular parafalcine neurocytoma in the left frontal lobe. We also examine previously reported cases of extraventricular neurocytoma in an attempt to provide an up-to-date summary of the condition. Methods A literature search was performed using PubMed with specific key terms, inclusion criteria, and exclusion criteria. Selected case studies and case series were then compared, and statistical analyses were performed where appropriate. We report a 59-year-old woman presenting with weakness in her right leg and urinary incontinence. Physical examination revealed muscle strength of grade 3/5 in the right lower extremity. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a parafalcine mass in the left frontal lobe, with perilesional edema; the cerebral falx and lateral ventricle were shifted due to the compression. Gross total resection was performed. Results Histopathological examination revealed a neurocytoma. Immunohistochemical staining showed diffuse positivity for synaptophysin. MIB-1 staining for Ki-67 antibody showed a labeling index of 20%. No adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy was administered. Brain computed tomography performed at a 3-month follow-up showed no signs of recurrence. Conclusion Extraventricular neurocytoma occurring in the brain parenchyma is a very rare central nervous system tumor. Its clinical and radiologic manifestations are nonspecific. The diagnosis depends on histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. Surgical resection should be the first-choice treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medicinal fungus Sanghuangporus vaninii can be cultivated in large scale and has outstanding antitumour activity. In this study, water-soluble S. vaninii polysaccharides (SVPs) were extracted from fruiting bodies. Four polysaccharide sub-fractions (SVP-W, SVP-1, SVP-2 and SVP-3) were isolated, with molecular weights from 90.50 kDa to 261.70 kDa, and all inhibited the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines A549, 95-D and NCI-H460, especially the acidic SVP-1. SVP-1 affected cell morphology and colony formation in NCI-H460 cells. It also promoted cell apoptosis following nuclear fluorescence staining and flow cytometry. Methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses revealed that SVP-1 is a heteroglycan with the main chain →4)-β-D-Glc p -(1 → 6)-β-D-Glc p -(1 → 6)-α-D-Gal p -(1 → 6)-β-D-Glc p -(1→, and the branched chain α-D-Man p -(1 → 2)-α-D-Man p -(1 → 3)-β-D-Glc p -(1 → 3,6)-β-D-Glc p -(1→. The findings indicate that this natural acidic polysaccharide has potential for non-small cell lung cancer therapy. [Display omitted] • Four polysaccharides from Sanghuangporus vaninii fruiting bodies were isolated and structurally characterised. • All graded SVP polysaccharides exhibited antitumour activity in NSCLC cells. • SVP-1 inhibited NSCLC NCI-H460 cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis in vitro. • SVP-1 (Mw 261.70 kDa) is a heteroglycan with a main chain of →4)-β-D-Glc p -(1→6)-β-D-Glc p -(1→6)-α-D-Gal p -(1→6)-β-D-Glc p -(1→. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For nonradioactive geotechnical media, the relationship between effective porosity and known radon concentration varying in sealed chambers was found out theoretically, experimentally as well, based on radon diffusion in the homogeneously porous medium. The radon concentration variation in upper sealed chamber would be linearly affected by the temperature. Furthermore, the effective porosities of certain porous medium models could be calculated by experimental radon concentration with the radon diffusion method. It can be seen that it is feasible to calculate the effective porosity of porous media with no gas pressure difference by the radon diffusion method, by which the primary porosity of geotechnical media will not be destroyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Che-1, a recently identified apoptosis related protein, affects the fate of various cell types when under stress. One attractive biological function of Che-1 is promoting the transcription of p53 after DNA damage; besides, it can also regulate cell cycle via interacting with retinoblastoma protein. Although previous evidence has showed its anti-apoptotic role in cancer cells, some studies point out that Che-1 might play an opposite role in central nervous system (CNS). However, the function of Che-1 in CNS is still with limited acquaintance. To investigate whether Che-1 is involved in CNS lesion, we performed a traumatic brain injury model in adult rats. Up-regulation of Che-1 was observed in the peritrauma brain cortex by performing western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxy-UTP nick-end labeling and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining suggested that Che-1 was involved in neuronal apoptosis after brain injury. We also investigated co-localization of Che-1 and active-caspase-3 in the ipsilateral brain cortex. In addition, the expression patterns of p53, Bax and PCNA were parallel with that of Che-1. Besides this, neurotrophin receptor-interacting MAGE homolog was found to be associated with Che-1 after brain trauma. Based on our data, we suggested that Che-1 might play an important role in neuronal apoptosis following TBI; and might provide a basis for the further study on its role in regulating the expression of p53 and cell cycle re-entry in traumatic brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To investigate the interactions between water molecules and amino acid cation based ionic liquids (ILs), systematic quantum chemistry calculations were performed on the system composed of one HGlyBF4 (Gly, glycine) IL molecule and one water molecule. Geometry optimizations on the system in gas phase were performed with B3LYP/6-31+G(d,2p), B3LYP/6-311++G∗∗ and MP2/6-311++G∗∗ methods, and the vibration frequencies of each optimized molecule were analyzed with the first two methods. The interaction energies between HGlyBF4 and H2O molecule were calculated and the basis set superposition error (BSSE) was corrected with counterpoise method (CP). It was found that comparing with traditional ILs based on imidazolium cations, this new generation ILs derived from amino acids is more hydrophilic for that the HGly+ cation part is also hydrophilic. The optimizations of HGlyBF4-nH2O (n =2, 6) systems were also performed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The molecular structures and the neutral–anion energy separations of the BrO n F/BrO n F− (n =2,3) species have been investigated using four density functional theory (DFT) methods. The FBrOO and FBrOOO chain structures are found to be the global minima for BrO n F/BrO n F− (n =2,3) species. The adiabatic electron affinities (EAad) are predicted to be 4.75eV for FBrOO and 4.02eV for FBrOOO (with the BP86 method). The thermodynamically favored dissociation channel for BrO n F/BrO n F− (n =2,3) species is +(BrF/BrF− or OBrF/OBrF−). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During fracturing treatment for low-temperature, shallow and high freezing point oil reservoirs, the first-line problems are to overcome uncompleted breakdown, uncompleted cleanup of fracturing fluids and cold damages to the formations by injecting cold fluid. To avoid those problems, it is suggested to adopt a new encapsulated heat-generating hydraulic fracturing fluid system as described in this paper. Firstly, two kinds of chemical heat-generating systems were studied and the NH4C1-NaNO2 system was selected. According to the reaction characteristics of the system, oxalic acid was chosen as a catalyst of reaction and encapsulated using ethyl cellulose and paraffin as coating materials by the phase separation method. Compatibility of NH4CI-NaNO2-encapsulated oxalic acid with hydroxypropyl-guar fracturing fluid was also discussed in the paper. The results showed that the hydraulic fracturing fluid containing encapsulated heat-generating agents hare a good stability and compatibility. When the fracturing fluid contains 2.0 mol • L -1 NH4 Cl-NaNO2, 0.93% encapsulated oxalic acid and 0.08% ammonium persulfate, the peak temperature can reach 78.0°C and the viscosity of residual liquid is 3.12 mPa • s after 4 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Due to rapid economic development, high levels of potentially harmful elements are continuously being released into the suburban soils of the Nanjing area, China. Conventional methods for investigating soil potentially harmful element contamination based on raster sampling and chemical analysis are time consuming and relatively expensive. Reflectance spectroscopy within the visible-near-infrared region has been widely used to predict soil constituents due to its rapidity, convenience and accuracy. The objective of this study was to examine the possibility of using soil reflectance spectra as a rapid method to simultaneously assess contaminant metals (Ni, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) and As in the suburban soils of the Nanjing area. One hundred and twenty soil samples were collected for chemical analyses and spectral measurements. Prediction of contaminant elements was achieved by a partial least-square regression (PLSR) approach. According to their relationships with Fe, the seven contaminant elements could be categorized into two groups. The results showed that the prediction accuracy for Group II (Ni, Cr, Cu and Hg) was higher than that for Group I (Pb, Zn and As). This finding was consistent with the fact that the correlation coefficients between Group II and Fe were higher than that between Group I and Fe. It was concluded that element-sorption by spectrally active Fe oxides was the major mechanism by which to predict spectrally featureless contaminant elements. This conclusion was strengthened by the fact that the PLSR regression coefficients, which revealed the most important wavelengths for prediction, were attributed to absorption features of Fe oxides. Future study with real remote sensing data and field measurements are strongly recommended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simulated ammonium chloride wastewater was treated by a lab-scale bipolar membrane electrodialysis for the generation of HCl and NH 3 ·H 2 O and desalination. The influence of initial concentration of NH 4 Cl, current density, salt solution volume, initial concentration of acid and base and membrane stack structure on the yields of HCl and NH 3 ·H 2 O was investigated. The current efficiency and energy consumption were also examined under different conditions. The results showed that, at the current density of 48 mA/cm 2 , the highest concentration of HCl and NH 3 ·H 2 O with initial concentration of 110 g/L NH 4 Cl was 57.67 g/L and 45.85 g/L, respectively. Higher initial concentration of NH 4 Cl was favor to reduce unit energy consumption and increase current efficiency of the BMED system. The membrane stack voltage of BMED increased quickly under constant current when the concentration of NH 4 Cl contained in the solution of salt compartment was depleted below the “inflection point concentration” about 8000 mg/L. It means that the concentration of NH 4 Cl below 8000 mg/L was no longer suitable for BMED because of higher energy consumption. The HCl and NH 3 ·H 2 O concentration increased more quickly following the increase of current density. When increasing the volume of NH 4 Cl, the concentration of HCl and NH 3 ·H 2 O also increased. The high initial concentration of acid and base could improve the final concentration of them, while the growth rate was decreased. Compared with the BMED system with three compartments, the growth rate of HCl concentration with the two compartments was higher and its unit energy consumption was lower. It meant that the performance of the BMED system could be improved by optimizing operation conditions. The application feasibility of the generation of HCl and NH 3 ·H 2 O and desalination of ammonium chloride wastewater by BMED was proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Evidences demonstrate that postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade (rNMB) is a primary and frequent anesthetic risk factor for postoperative complications. This study was designed to mitigate the paucity of data regarding the occurrence and degree of rNMB in a real-life setting. Methods: This prospective, multicenter, anesthetist-blind, observational study enrolled 1571 Chinese adults undergoing elective open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery lasting ≤4 hours from 32 hospitals across China. The patients received anesthesia in accordance with routine practice at the study site. Neuromuscular blockade (NMB) was monitored using acceleromyography, with rNMB defined as a train-of-four (TOF) ratio <0.9. Results: The patients’ mean age was 46 years and 71% were female. The procedures included laparoscopic (67%), open abdominal (31%), and laparoscopic to open abdominal (2%). NMB was reversed with neostigmine in 78% of patients. The overall incidence of rNMB at extubation was 57.8%, and the proportions of participant with TOF ratios <0.6, 0.6–0.7, 0.7–0.8, 0.8–0.9 were 22.9%, 6.9%, 11.1% and 16.9%, respectively, immediately prior to endotracheal extubation. Age <45 years (OR = 0.630, 95% CI = 0.496–0.801,p = 0.002), use of one neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) (OR = 0.387, 95% CI = 0.243–0.618,p < 0.0001), time from neostigmine administration to endotracheal extubation ≥10 min (OR = 0.513, 95% CI = 0.400–0.658,p < 0.0001) and time from last NMBA administration to endotracheal extubation ≥60 min (OR = 0.902, 95% CI = 0.801–0.989,p = 0411) were correlated with non-rNMB at the time of extubation. Conclusions: This observational study demonstrated that the overall incidence of rNMB at the time of endotracheal extubation was high in Chinese patients undergoing abdominal procedures, which necessitates appropriate management in current real-life practice. Clinical trial registry number: NCT01871064. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Naked2 (NKD2), one member of Naked family, has been shown to negatively regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. It has been recognized that NKD2 plays a vital role in cell homeostasis and prevention of tumorigenesis. However, NKD2 expression and its functional role in the brain in neuroinflammatory processes remain unclear. In our study, we investigated NKD2 distribution and role in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation rat model. The data indicated that NKD2 was up-regulated in LPS-injected brain, and the cellular localization of NKD2 was predominantly in cerebral cortical neurons. Furthermore, we treated primary neurons with conditioned media (CM) collected from LPS-stimulated mixed glial cultures (MGC). We detected that the up-regulation of NKD2 might be associated with the subsequent apoptosis in neurons. We also found knockdown NKD2 partially depressed the increase of cleaved caspase-3 and increased the reduction of β-catenin stimulated by MGC-CM. Taken together, these results suggested that NKD2 might be involved in neuronal apoptosis via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway during neuroinflammation in CNS. Our findings might provide a new therapeutic target for the prevention of neuroinflammation-involved neurological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) initiates a series of neurochemical and signaling changes that could eventually lead to neuronal apoptosis. Recent studies indicated that mature neurons cell cycle re-enter played a crucial role in neuronal apoptosis. In this study, we identified that the chaperonin containing TCP-1, subunit 8 (CCT8), as a member of class II chaperonins, was significantly upregulated following TBI. Moreover, double immunofluorescence staining revealed that CCT8 was co-expressed with neuronal nuclei (NeuN). Besides, co-localization of CCT8/active caspase 3 was detected in NeuN. We also examined the expression profiles of active caspase 3 whose changes were correlated with the expression of CCT8. All our findings suggested that CCT8 might be involved in the pathophysiology of brain after TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homer, also designated Vesl, is one member of the newly found postsynaptic density scaffold proteins, playing a vital role in maintaining synaptic integrity, regulating intracellular calcium mobilization, and being critical for the regulation of cellular apoptosis. However, its function in the inflamed central nervous system (CNS) is not fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the role of Homer1b/c, a long form of Homer1, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced neuroinflammation in CNS. Western blot analysis indicated that LPS administration significantly increased the expression of Homer1b/c in rat brain. Moreover, double immunofluorescent staining suggested Homer1b/c was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of neurons and had a close association with cleaved caspase-3 level in neurons in rat brain after LPS injection. In vitro studies indicated that up-regulation of Homer1b/c might be related to the subsequent apoptosis in neurons treated by conditioned media (CM), collected from LPS-stimulated mixed glial cultures (MGC). We also found down-regulation of Homer1b/c partly blocked the increase of cleaved caspase-3 and the proportion of Bax/Bcl-2 in neurons induced by MGC-CM. Taken together, these findings suggested that Homer1b/c might promote neuronal apoptosis via the Bax/Bcl-2 dependent pathway during neuroinflammation in CNS, and inhibiting Homer1b/c expression might provide a novel neuroprotective strategy against the inflammation-related neuronal apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Somatostatins are peptide hormones that regulate diverse cellular processes, such as neurotransmission, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and endocrine signaling as well as inhibiting the release of many hormones and other secretory proteins. SSTR1 is a member of the superfamily of somatostatin receptors possessing seven-transmembrane segments. Aberrant expression of SSTR1 has been implicated in several human diseases, including pseudotumor cerebri, and oncogenic osteomalacia. In this study, we investigated a potential role of SSTR1 in the regulation of neuronal apoptosis in the course of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). A rat ICH model in the caudate putamen was established and subjected to behavioral tests. Western blot and immunohistochemistry indicated a remarkable up-regulation of SSTR1 expression surrounding the hematoma after ICH. Double-labeled immunofluorescence showed that SSTR1 was mostly co-localized with neurons, and was rarely distributed in activated astrocytes and microglia. Additionally, SSTR1 co-localized with active-caspase-3 and bcl-2 around the hematoma. The expression of active-caspase-3 was parallel with that of SSTR1 in a time-dependent manner. In addition, SSTR1 knockdown specifically resulted in reduced neuronal apoptosis in PC12 cells. All our findings suggested that up-regulated SSTR1 contributed to neuronal apoptosis after ICH, which was accompanied with reduced expression of bcl-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether Nischarin participated in neuronal apoptosis induced by neuroinflammation and via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and PKB-dependent pathway. Material: Use of male Sprague-Dawley rats, rat pheochromocytoma (PC12), and murine microglial cells (BV-2). Treatment lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were injected into the brain lateral ventricle of the rat. The BV-2 cells were treated by LPS. The PC12 cells were pretreated by or not pretreated by conditioned media and siRNA. Methods: Western blotting was used for analyzing the expression level of Nischarin, pAKT, BAD and Bcl-2. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to perform the morphology and localization of Nischarin. The siRNA could down-regulate the protein level of endogenous Nischarin. Results: The expression level of Nischarin was elevated after LPS injection; meanwhile, Nischarin was located in the neuron. Nischarin was involved in regulating the PI3K/PKB patway. Conclusion: Nischarin might be involved in mediating the process of PI3K/PKB pathway-dependent neuronal apoptosis. After the silencing of Nischarin in cultured PC12 (pheochromocytoma) by siRNA, these results showed that it would induce a reduction of pAKT and Bcl-2 proteins expression; meanwhile, it induces an increase of BAD and active caspase-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat shock protein A12B (HSPA12B) is the newest member of a recently defined subfamily of proteins distantly related to the 70-kDa family of heat shock proteins (HSP70) family. HSP70s play a crucial role in protecting cells, tissues, organs and animals from various noxious conditions. Here we studied the dynamic expression changes and localization of HSPA12B after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with reperfusion induced ischemic insult processes in adult rats. Apoptosis, as indicated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, was also increased in the peri-ischemic cortex compared to non-ischemic hemisphere. The expression of HSPA12B was strongly induced in the ischemic hemisphere of MCAO reperfusion rats in vivo. In vitro studies indicated that the up-regulation of HSPA12B may be involved in oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced PC12 cell death. And knockdown of HSPA12B in cultured differentiated PC12 cells by siRNA showed that HSPA12B inhibited the expression of active caspase-3. Collectively, these results suggested that HSPA12B may be required for protecting neurons from ischemic insults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty imidazolium (IM) halide compounds were studied using quantum chemical calculations. Geometry optimization and interaction energy calculations were performed using the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) method for ions composed of one alkylimidazolium cation and two or three halogen anions. The obtained structures were consistent with experimental results. In addition, a linear correlation between melting points and interaction energies was obtained for the compounds studied, and this relationship was consistent with that obtained for amino acid cation based ionic liquids. Our Letter demonstrates the potential for quantum mechanical calculations to predict the melting points of ionic liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have designed a clinically relevant model of perinatal asphyxia providing intrapartum hypoxia in rats. On gestation day 22 SD rats were anesthetized and the uterine horns were exteriorized and placed in a water bath at 37°C for up to 20min. After this, pups were delivered from the uterus and manually stimulated to initiate breathing in an incubator at 37°C for 1 h in air. Brains were harvested and stained with cresyl violet, caspase-3, and TUNEL to detect morphological and apoptotic changes on postnatal days (PND) 1, 3, and 7. Separate cohorts were maintained until PND 50 and tested for learning and memory using Morris water maze (WM). Survival rate was decreased with longer hypoxic time, and 100% mortality was noted when hypoxia time was beyond 18min. Apoptosis was increased with the duration of hypoxia with neuronal loss and cell shrinkage in the CA1 of hippocampus. The time taken for the juveniles to locate the hidden platform during WM was increased in animals subjected to hypoxia. These data demonstrate that perinatal ischemic injury leads to neuronal death in the hippocampus and long-lasting cognitive dysfunction. This model mimics hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in humans and may be appropriate for investigating therapeutic interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Estimates of regional and national topsoil soil organic carbon (SOC) stock change may help evaluating the soil role in mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through carbon (C) sequestration in soils. However, understanding of the exact mitigation role is often constrained by the uncertainty of the stock estimation associated with different methodologies. In this paper, a soil database of topsoil (0–20 cm) SOC measurements of Jiangsu Province, China, obtained from a soil survey in 1982, and from a geological survey in 2004, was used to analyze the variability of topsoil SOC among soil groups and among soil regions, and to estimate the change in SOC stocks that have occurred in the province over the last two decades. The soil survey data was obtained from measurements of 662 690 randomly collected samples, while the geological survey data was from 24 167 samples taken using a 2 km × 2 km grid. Statistical analysis was conducted on SOC values for 1982 and 2004 for different categories of soil groups, soil regions, and administrative municipalities, respectively. Topsoil SOC storage was then calculated and the provincial topsoil SOC stock was estimated for each sampling time. There were remarkable differences in SOC levels between soil groups and soil regions and different municipalities. The grid sampling with the geological survey in 2004 yielded smaller variability of topsoil SOC averages, both with soil groups and with soil spatial distribution than the random sampling method used in 1982. Variation of SOC was greater with soil groups than with soil regions in both sampling times, although it was less variable across soil taxonomic categories than within a spatial category. Little variance of the SOC level with soil groups could be explained by clay content. However, the prevalence of paddy fields in the total cropland area governed the regional and municipal average SOC levels. The average provincial topsoil SOC content increased from 9.45 g kg−1 in 1982 to 10.9 g kg−1 in 2004, and the total provincial topsoil SOC stock was enhanced from 149.0±58.1 Tg C in 1982 to 173.2±51.4 Tg C in 2004, corresponding to a provincial average SOC sequestration rate of 0.16±0.09 t C ha−1 yr−1. The SOC sequestration trend for the last two decades could be, in part, attributed to the enhanced agricultural production, symbolized by the grain yield per hectare. The results of SOC stock changes suggest a significant C sequestration in soils of Jiangsu, China, during 1980–2000, with paddy management playing an important role in regional SOC storage and sequestration capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article determines the occurrence rate, outcomes, and the characteristics of severe sepsis in surgical intensive care units in multiple medical centers in China. Sepsis is an infection-initiated, inflammation-induced syndrome, and it is considered severe when associated with acute organ dysfunction. It concludes that severe sepsis is a common fatal syndrome in critically ill surgical patients in China.

Abstract: The structures and stability of hydrogen bond (HB) complexes of hydrogen fluorides (HF) n (n =1–6) clusters with imidazole have been investigated by ab initio molecular orbital and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The natural bond orbital (NBO), frontier molecular orbital (FMO), and nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) analyses have revealed the aromaticity of the imidazole or protonation imidazole ring in these complexes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]