Search

Objective To explore the effect of esketamine on working memory impairment in neuropathic mice and its underlying mechanism. Methods Fifty clean grade male C57BL/6J mice (2 months) were divided into 5 groups by random number table method: sham+saline (SN group), CCI+saline (CN group), CCI+esketamine(CE group), CCI+ANA-12 (CA group), CCI+ANA-12+esketamine (CAE group), with 10 mice in each group. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) was employed to establish a neuropathic pain model. On the 16th day after modeling, CE group and CAE group were administered ketamine (10 mg/kg), CAE group received ANA-12 (0.5 mg/kg) half an hour before ketamine injection, CA group was only given ANA-12, and SN group and CN group received an equivalent volume of saline. The administration was done through intraperitoneal injection for 5 consecutive days. The open-field test (OFT), paw withdrawal threshold (PWT), paw withdrawal latency (PWL) and Y-maze test were performed from day 21 after surgery. Bromo-2-deoxyUridine (BrdU) was dissolved in saline and intraperitoneally injected into the mice on days 21 to 23 after the surgery. Western blot was performed to determine the expression of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) in hippocampus, the immunofluorescence was performed to determine the number of BrdU and doublecortxin (DCX) positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) area of hippocampal. Results Compared with SN group, the other four groups showed significant reductions in both PWT and PWL on day 21 after surgery (all P

BackgroundThe brain-gut-microbiota axis plays a crucial role in the bidirectional interactions between the brain and the gut. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (coded by the Ephx2 gene) plays an important role in inflammation, which has been implicated in stress-related depression. Ephx2 knock-out (KO) mice exposed to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) did not show depression-like behaviors, indicating stress resilience. Here we examined whether the brain-gut-microbiota axis influences the resilience in Ephx2 KO mice.MethodsEffects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from CSDS-susceptible (or control) mice in wild-type (WT) mice and Ephx2 KO mice treated with an antibiotic cocktail (ABX) were investigated. Behavioral, biochemical tests and 16S ribosome RNA analysis were performed.ResultsFMT from CSDS-susceptible mice produced anhedonia-like behavior in ABX-treated WT and Ephx2 KO mice. The 16S ribosome RNA analysis showed that Faecalibaculum rodentium (F. rodentium) may be responsible for the observed anhedonia-like behavior following FMT from CSDS-susceptible mice. Ingestion of F. rodentium for 14 days produced depression- and anhedonia-like behaviors, higher blood levels of interleukin-6, and reduced expression of synaptic proteins in the prefrontal cortex of ABX-treated Ephx2 KO mice. Furthermore, subdiaphragmatic vagotomy blocked the development of these behavioral abnormalities after ingestion of F. rodentium.LimitationsDetailed mechanisms are unclear.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that F. rodentium might contribute to the conversion of resilient Ephx2 KO mice into KO mice with depression-like phenotypes. The brain-gut-microbiota axis via the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve plays a crucial role in susceptibility and resilience to stress.

Epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to herbicides during pregnancy might increase risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the risk of ASD by herbicides such as glyphosate remain unclear. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) in the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids is shown to play a key role in the development of ASD in offspring after maternal immune activation. Here, we found ASD-like behavioral abnormalities in juvenile offspring after maternal exposure to high levels of formulated glyphosate. Furthermore, we found higher levels of sEH in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, and striatum of juvenile offspring, and oxylipin analysis showed decreased levels of epoxy-fatty acids such as 8 (9)-EpETrE in the blood, PFC, hippocampus, and striatum of juvenile offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure, supporting increased activity of sEH in the offspring. Moreover, we found abnormal composition of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in fecal samples of juvenile offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure. Interestingly, oral administration of TPPU (an sEH inhibitor) to pregnant mothers from E5 to P21 prevented ASD-like behaviors such as social interaction deficits and increased grooming time in the juvenile offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure. These findings suggest that maternal exposure to high levels of glyphosate causes ASD-like behavioral abnormalities and abnormal composition of gut microbiota in juvenile offspring, and that increased activity of sEH might play a role in ASD-like behaviors in offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure. Therefore, sEH may represent a target for ASD in offspring after maternal stress from occupational exposure to contaminants.

Abstract This study is designed to provide a scientific reference for the establishment of rainstorm and flood disaster prevention system in Guilin region and improve the risk assessment of rainstorm and flood disasters. To realize the goal, a flood risk evaluation model is established by weight analysis methods including the entropy weight method and the analytic hierarchy process from 3 aspects, i.e., risk of disaster causing factors, sensitivity of disaster-pregnant environment and vulnerability of disaster bearing body. For the model, the daily precipitation 1980–2020 of 6 representative national meteorological stations in the Lijiang River Basin was used as reference data of disaster causing factors; six indicators, i.e., NDVI, river network density, geological hazard, slope, slope aspect and terrain undulation were selected as the sensitivity of disaster-pregnant environment; NPP, potential of farmland production, and population density were taken as the criteria for determining the vulnerability of disaster bearing capacity. Meanwhile, ArcGIS was used for analysis and calculation to complete the risk assessment of flood disaster in Lijiang River Basin, Guangxi. The results indicate that: (1) the hazard level of flood disaster causing factors in Lijiang River Basin shows a decreasing distribution pattern from north to south, and high-risk areas cover 3108.47 km2, accounting for 21.29%; (2) the stability grade of disaster-pregnant environment shows a decreasing trend from the surrounding mountains to the plains, and the low-stability and lower-stability areas are mostly found in the low-lying areas around Lijiang River, with an area of 4218.63 km2, accounting for 28.69%; (3) the vulnerability of the disaster bearing body is generally at a low level, and the areas with high level cover 246.96 km2, accounting for only 1.69%; (4) under the combined effect of the above factors, the northern part of Guilin City in the Lijiang River Basin has a high risk of flood disaster.

The article "Operatic Elements in Eileen Chang’s The Rouge of the North" by Xingming Wang from Rutgers University explores how Eileen Chang integrates Peking opera elements to depict the tragic life of the female protagonist Yindi. The operatic elements frame key moments in Yindi's life, revealing her inner turmoil and struggles as a traditional Chinese woman. Chang's use of Peking opera in the novel showcases Yindi's suppressed romantic impulses, sexual desires, and paths to empowerment within a patriarchal structure, highlighting nuanced female dilemmas. The article argues that Chang's incorporation of operatic elements in The Rouge of the North sets Yindi apart from the extreme character Qiqiao in her previous work, offering a deeper exploration of female struggles and societal constraints. [Extracted from the article]

[Objective] The variation characteristics and sources of five trace elements Mn, Ni, V, As and Cr in subsidence ponds of different ages in typical mining areas in Huainan were studied in order to provide scientific reference and basis for the risk management, trace elements control in subsidence ponds from coal mining subsidence areas. [Methods] The contents of trace elements Mn, Ni, V, As and Cr in the water samples were determined by ICP-MS. The sources of trace elements were evaluated by pearson correlation and principal component analysis. Meanwhile, the health risk assessment model recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was used to assess the health risks of the elements in subsidence ponds. [Results] ① The contents of trace elements Mn, Ni and V in subsidence pond water with different collapse ages were in line with the limits of Chinese surface water environmental quality standards, and the contents of As and Cr met the water quality standards classⅡof China surface water. ② The general trend of trace elements in subsidence water showed as: young mine> old mine> middle-aged mine. The contents of trace elements in the subsidence decreased with the increasing age of subsidence ponds. ③ The non-carcinogenic health risk of subsidence water of different ages through drinking water intake would not affect human health. While the carcinogenic elements (As, Cr, Ni) in water bodies of different ages, their average annual carcinogenic health risk values for adult and children was within the acceptable range. Among them, the carcinogenic risk value of As in young mine was much higher, which was close to the USEPA limit. [Conclusion] Due to the coal mining activities, the concentrations of trace elements in the subsidence water reaches the maximum values in the initial stage of coal mining. Therefore, it is necessary to control the risk from sensitive trace elements during initial period of coal mining. The health risk caused by trace elements in the water of subsidence ponds decreased with the increasing subsidence age.