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Objective To investigate the role of NMDAR-cADPR-RyRs signaling pathway in remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia(RIH). Methods The rat model of postoperative hyperalgesia induced by remifentanil was established. SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups as: control group, model group, RIH group, RIH+saline group, RIH+ketamine group and RIH+8-Br-cADPR group with 6 animals in each. N-methy-D-aspartic acid receptor(NMDA) antagonist ketamine or cyclic ADP-ribose(cADPR) antagonist 8-Br-cADPR was injected intrathecally 30 minutes before surgical operation in group RIH+ketamine and group RIH+8-Br-cADPR respectively. PWMT and PWTL were measured before operation and on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days after operation. Western blotwas used to detect the protein level of p-NR2B, p-CaMKII, RyR1 and RyR3 in spinal dorsal horn neurons. The concentration of cADPR was measured by enzyme cycling assay. Results Compared with model group, PWMT and PWTL in RIH group decreased significantly on the first and the second day after remifentanil infusion, while p-NR2B, p-CaMKII, RyR1, RyR3 and cADPR in the spinal dorsal horn increased significantly (P＜0.05). After intrathecal injection of ketamine or 8-Br-cADPR, hypersensitivity to mechanical pain and thermal pain was alleviated in RIH+ketamine group and RIH+8-Br-cADPR group, and the expression level of p-NR2B, p-CaMKII, RyR1, RyR3 and cADPR decreased as compared with RIH group (P＜0.05). Conclusions Remifentanil-induced postoperative hyperalgesia of rat is attenuated by blocking NMDAR-cADPR-RyRs signaling pathway.

The de Winter electrocardiographic (ECG) pattern was characterized by upsloping ST-segment depressions, tall and positive symmetrical T waves in precordial leads. This rare ECG pattern was recognized as an indication of proximal left anterior descending artery occlusion. Less commonly, this ECG pattern was reported in association with occlusion of other coronary artery segments. We present three cases of the de Winter pattern associated with acute total left main occlusion. This pattern may evolve to ST elevation within hours of presentation. Widespread upsloping ST-segment depressions from V2 -V6 , centered on V5 were observed in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenethyl glycosides having phenolic or methoxy functions at benzene rings are substances widely occurring in nature. This kind of compounds has been shown to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. However, some of them are not naturally abundant, thus the synthesis of such molecules is desirable. In this paper, natural phenethyl glycosides 3 and 4 were first totally synthesized from easily available materials with overall yields of 50.5% and 40.1%, respectively. And a new synthetic route to obtain natural phenethyl glycoside 2 in 46.2% yield was also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenylpropanoid glycoside compound 1, the natural anti-tumor compound isolated from the erial parts of Cirsium japonicum, was first totally synthesized using easily available materials in short, convenient route with overall yield of 13.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Neuroactive steroids represent promising candidates for the treatment of neurological disorders. Our previous studies identified an endogenous steroid cholestane-3 β, 5 α, 6 β-triol (Triol) as a novel neuroprotectant. Aim We aimed to identify a potent candidate for stroke treatment through a screening of Triol analogs. Methods Hypoxia- and glutamate-induced neuronal injury models in vitro, middle cerebral artery occlusion ( MCAO)-induced cerebral ischemia model in vivo, fluorescein diacetate ( FDA) for alive and propidium iodide ( PI) for dead staining, LDH assay, and calcium imaging techniques were used. Results 24-keto-cholest-5-en-3 β, 19-diol (Diol) showed the most potent neuroprotective effect among the screened structurally related compounds. FDA and PI staining showed that Diol concentration dependently increased the survival rate of cerebellar granule neurons ( CGNs) challenged with glutamate or hypoxia, with an effective threshold concentration of 2.5 μM. Consistently, the quantitative LDH release assay showed the same concentration-dependent protection in both models. Diol, at 10 μM, potently decreased glutamate- and hypoxia-induced LDH release from 51.6 to 18.2% and 62.1 to 21.7%, respectively, which values are close to the normal LDH release (~16-18%). Moreover, we found Diol effectively decreased MCAO-induced infarction volume in mice from ~23% to 7%, at a dose of 6 mg/kg. We further explored the underlying mechanism and found that Diol attenuated NMDA-induced intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) increase in cortical neurons, suggesting a negative modulatory effect on NMDA receptor. Conclusion Taken together, we identified Diol as a potent neuroprotectant. It may represent a novel and promising neuroprotectant for stroke intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigates the status of hepatitis E virus infection of livestock in Kashi, China. It notes the collection of bile samples from swine, cattle and sheep in a local slaughter house to examine it using reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) and homology analysis. The study found out that the high endothelial venules (HEV) strains were similar to genotype IV of hepatitis E virus, and swine has been the main reservoir of the infection.

Sandy soils are considered as a significant transition phase to desertification. The effective recovery of sandy soils is of great significance to mitigate the desertification process. Some studies have shown that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and biochar improved the sandy soil, but there have been very few studies regarding the combined effects of AM fungi and biochar amendments on sandy soil improvement. Additionally, the roles of the bacterial and fungal community during the process of sandy soil improvement remain unclear. A greenhouse pot experiment with four treatments, including a control (CK, no amendment), single AM fungi-assisted amendment (RI), single biochar amendment (BC), and combined amendment (BC_RI, biochar plus AM fungi), was set up. This study investigated the effects of different amendment methods on the Nitrariasi birica mycorrhizal colonization, biomass, nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) content, soil organic carbon, soil nutrient (TN, TP, and TK) content, and soil water-stable aggregate composition. High throughput sequencing technology was used to investigate the roles of the bacterial and fungal communities during the process of sandy soil improvement. Combined with multiple analysis methods, the improvement mechanisms of different amendment methods were explored. The aim was to provide basic data and scientific basics for reasonably and effectively improving sandy soils. The results indicated that a significant mycorrhiza colonization was observed in the inoculation (RI and BC_RI) treatments, but there was no substantial difference in the mycorrhiza colonization with the RI and BC_RI. Compared with the CK, the shoot biomass and shoot element (N, K, Ca, and Mg) contents were significantly increased in the RI, and the shoot element (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) contents were significantly increased in the BC and BC_RI; compared with the RI and BC, the root biomass and the root element (P, K, Ca, and Mg) contents were significantly increased in the BC_RI. Compared with the CK, the soil organic carbon contents were significantly increased in the BC and BC_RI, the soil TN contents were significantly increased by 152.54%, and the soil TP and TK contents were significantly decreased by 12.5% and 18.8%, respectively. The proportion of soil aggregates with particle sizes of 0.25-0.05 mm was the highest in each treatment, and the large particle size (>0.25 mm) soil aggregate was significantly increased in the BC_RI. Compared with the CK, the Sobs and Shannon indices of the bacterial/fungal community were significantly decreased in the RI and BC_RI. There was a difference in the microbial community compositions and abundance in the various treatments. The results of the RDA and network analysis were as follows:the effects of AM fungi, biochar, and combined amendment on the soil environment and microbial community structure were significant; in the different amendment treatments, the relationship of the microbial molecular ecological network was significantly changed, and the composition of the core species varied; compared with the RI, there was a higher network connection degree and a richer core species composition in the BC and BC_RI; moreover, the essential role of Rhizophagus intraradices was weaken and the core roles of the other microorganisms (especially bacterial species) were enhanced under the combined effects of biochar and AM fungi. The SEM results demonstrated that the application of AM fungi and biochar could directly affect the bacteria/fungi community structure, and further affect the plant growth and soil properties. The differences in the microbial community structure (especially the change in the microbial interaction) were the key driving factors that led to the difference in the soil improvement effectiveness. In summary, the effects of the different amendment methods on the improvement effectiveness of sandy soils varied. The microbial community played key roles in the process of sandy soil improvement, and there were potential advantages and applications in accelerating the ecological restoration of sandy soils under the combined AM fungi and biochar amendment.

Following the publication of our paper (Zhang et al., 2020), it has come to our attention that we erroneously listed two funding sources unrelated to this study in the "ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS" section. Hereby, we wish to update the "ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS" section as a correction.

Hypobaric hypoxia (HH) exposure can cause serious brain injury as well as life-threatening cerebral edema in severe cases. Previous studies on the mechanisms of HH-induced brain injury have been conducted primarily using non-primate animal models that are genetically distant to humans, thus hindering the development of disease treatment. Here, we report that cynomolgus monkeys ( Macaca fascicularis ) exposed to acute HH developed human-like HH syndrome involving severe brain injury and abnormal behavior. Transcriptome profiling of white blood cells and brain tissue from monkeys exposed to increasing altitude revealed the central role of the HIF-1 and other novel signaling pathways, such as the vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling pathway, in co-regulating HH-induced inflammation processes. We also observed profound transcriptomic alterations in brains after exposure to acute HH, including the activation of angiogenesis and impairment of aerobic respiration and protein folding processes, which likely underlie the pathological effects of HH-induced brain injury. Administration of progesterone (PROG) and steroid neuroprotectant 5α-androst-3β,5,6β-triol (TRIOL) significantly attenuated brain injuries and rescued the transcriptomic changes induced by acute HH. Functional investigation of the affected genes suggested that these two neuroprotectants protect the brain by targeting different pathways, with PROG enhancing erythropoiesis and TRIOL suppressing glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Thus, this study advances our understanding of the pathology induced by acute HH and provides potential compounds for the development of neuroprotectant drugs for therapeutic treatment.

Objective: To compare 2-flap and Sommerlad in surgical repair of cleft palate., Methods: 30 patients with cleft palate were equally divided into two groups. One group accepted sommerlad operation (9 unilateral complete and 6 incomplete cases); the other group accepted 2-flap operation (10 unilateral complete and 5 incomplete cases)., Results: Sommerlad operation lasted longer than 2-flap operation, but without statistical significance (P>0. 05). The two types operations produced similar functional recovery (P>0. 05). The Sommerlad operation had less intraoperation blood loss and left softer palate scars than the 2-flap operation (P<0. 05)., Conclusion: Sommerlad operation and 2-flap operation are both effective. Different methods should be considered based on the abnormal situation of patients and the operation proficiency of the surgeons.