Identification and Field Evaluation of the Sex Pheromone of Orthaga achatina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Orthaga achatina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is the most serious pest in south China of camphor trees, Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl, an important urban tree species. Gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) of the sex pheromone of O. achatina showed three EAD-active components. Coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses identified these as (Z)-11-hexadecenol (Z11-16:OH), (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:OAc), and (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-tricosapentaene (Z3,Z6,Z9,Z12,Z15-23:H). In field tests using different combinations of the three compounds, male moths were attracted to a mixture of Z11-16:OAc and Z3,Z6,Z9,Z12,Z15-23:H, but less attracted to other blends. Further field tests with different ratios of the two compounds determined the optimal ratio of the binary blend as 500:250. The addition of Z11-16:OH to Z11-16:OAc, or to the binary mixture of Z11-16: OAc and the pentaene did not yield higher catches. This shows that O. achatina uses a mixture of Type I and Type II sex pheromone components. Orthaga achatina is the third Pyraloidea species found to utilize Z3,Z6,Z9,Z12,Z15-23:H as a sex pheromone component.

[Dictamni Cortex powder-induced liver injury based on integrated evidence chain].

A typical clinical case of taking Dictamni Cortex(Baixianpi) powder was analyzed to study liver damage caused by Dictamni Cortex. Liver damage was diagnosed according to the integrated evidence chain method recommended by the Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Herb-Induced Liver Injury. By analyzing clinical history and biochemistry and imaging examinations, underlying diseases, such as viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease and alcoholic liver disease, were excluded. Through the investigation of medication history, we made it clear that the patient only took Dictamni Cortex powder during the period, and thus suspected that the liver injury was induced by Dictamni Cortex. Furthermore, the quality of the drug was tested, and the results showed it was consistent with the quality standard of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. DNA barcoding showed that the drug was 100% similar with Dictamnus dasycarpus. Moreover, exogenous harmful substances and chemical drug additions were tested, and the results showed that the content of heavy metal, pesticide residues and microbial toxin were consistent with the required standards, and no chemical drug additions were found in Agilent Fake TCM-Drugs database. In summary, we confirmed that the clinical case of drug-induced liver injury was induced by D. dasycarpus with the dose of 15 g•d⁻¹, which exceeded the prescribed amount of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. According to the Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Herb-Induced Liver Injury, the case of drug-induced liver injury induced by D. dasycarpus was confirmed, which provided a direct and reliable evidence for the study of risk of liver injury induced by D. dasycarpus and its relevant preparations.

Association between abnormal default mode network activity and suicidality in depressed adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds in China, and 60 % of suicidal patients have a history of depression. Previous brain imaging studies have shown that depression and suicide may be associated with abnormal activity in default mode network (DMN) regions. However, no study has specifically investigated the relationship between DMN functional activity and suicidal behavior in depressed individuals. Therefore, in the present study, we directly investigated features of DMN brain activity in adolescent patients with histories of depression and attempted suicide. METHODS: A total of 35 sex- and age-matched suicidal depressed patients were compared with 18 non-suicidal depressed patients and 47 healthy controls. We explored functional activity changes in DMN regions that could be associated with suicidal behavior by comparing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) signals using independent component analysis (ICA). Scores on six clinical scales that measure depression severity (Hamilton Depression Scale (HDRS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)) and suicidal traits (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), Suicide Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI)) were compared in the three groups. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy controls, all of the evaluated depressed patients showed increased functional connectivity in select DMN regions. The suicidal patients showed increased connectivity in the left cerebellum and decreased connectivity in the right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), whereas the non-suicidal depressed patients showed increased connectivity in the left superior frontal gyrus, left lingual gyrus and right precuneus and decreased connectivity in the left cerebellum. Compared to the non-suicidal patients, the suicidal patients showed increased connectivity in the left cerebellum and the left lingual gyrus and decreased connectivity in the right precuneus. No differences in the scores of any clinical scales were found between the suicidal and non-suicidal depressed patients. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our results highlight the importance of the DMN in the pathophysiology of depression and suggest that suicidal behavior in depressed adolescents may be related to abnormal functional connectivity in the DMN. In particular, abnormal connectivity in the PCC/precuneus and left cerebellum might be a predictor of suicidal behavior in depressed adolescent patients.

The influence of dopamine ß-hydroxylase gene polymorphism rs1611115 on levodopa/carbidopa treatment for cocaine dependence: a preliminary study.

Recent studies have suggested that heterogeneity in the level of dopamine activity and function might be useful for identifying a subgroup of cocaine-dependent patients responding better to dopamine-enhancement pharmacotherapy. Here we hypothesized that response to levodopa/carbidopa treatment would be greater in patients with genetically determined low levels of the dopamine metabolizing enzyme dopamine ß-hydroxylase (DßH). Seventy-one cocaine-dependent patients who participated in a 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of levodopa/carbidopa were genotyped for the DßH gene (DBH) polymorphism rs1611115. Our results showed that for patients with the low DßH activity genotypes (CT/TT) who received levodopa, the odds of having cocaine-positive urine decreased significantly over treatment compared with placebo-treated patients with the CT/TT genotypes (P=0.004). Individuals with the normal DßH activity genotype (CC) showed no differential response to levodopa. These preliminary results need to be confirmed in a larger sample focusing on the DBH polymorphism.

Two esterases from the genus Spodoptera degrade sex pheromones and plant volatiles.

In moths, high temporal sensitivity in perception of sex pheromones and host plant volatiles suggests the existence of mechanisms acting to maintain antennal sensitivity. The antennal enzymes have been long hypothesized to play a central role in the mechanisms, by rapid metabolism of the odorants soon after the fulfillment of the sensillum receptor activation. In the present study, two putative homologous esterases, SexiCXE13 and SlituCXE13, were cloned by RT-PCR and RACE procedures from Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera litura, respectively. The phylogenetic tree assigned the two genes into the same group with two previously identified male antennal-specific pheromone-degrading enzymes. SexiCXE13 and SlituCXE13 were expressed in High Five cells, and the enzymatic characteristics and substrate specificity were investigated using the purified recombinant enzymes. Both esterases showed high activity to a variety of acetate substrates, including the sex pheromones, their analogs, and some common plant odorants. Our study, for the first time, provides direct biochemical and molecular evidence that the ubiquitously expressed enzyme has the ability to degrade sex pheromones and plant volatiles, and thus this adds new knowledge to the mechanism underlying the sensitivity of moth olfaction.

Pharmacokinetic and Bioequivalence Study of Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiazide Tablet Under Fasting and Postprandial Conditions in Healthy Chinese Subjects.

The objective of this research was to evaluate and compare the pharmacokinetic profiles and safety of lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide (10 mg/12.5 mg) tablets in the test and reference formulations administered to participants in both fasting and postprandial states and to evaluate the bioequivalence of the 2 products in healthy Chinese volunteers. This study employed a single-center, randomized, open-label, single-dose dosing trial involving a cumulative 96 healthy adult participants (60 in the fasting group and 36 in the postprandial group). Each group comprised 2 sequence sets, and a 2-week washout period was implemented. There were no statistically significant differences in time to maximum concentration and terminal elimination half-life between the test and control groups under fasting and postprandial conditions (P > .05), and the 90% CIs for area under the plasma concentration-time curve and maximum plasma concentration were within the bioequivalence range of 80%-125%. Pharmacokinetic results indicate a large food effect for lisinopril, meaning that there is a loss of approximately 20%-25% of systemic exposure from fasting to postprandial administration for both preparations. The study demonstrated that a single oral dose of generic lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide is bioequivalent to the reference product and well tolerated, with no significant adverse events observed, and that both products are similarly safe in a cohort of healthy Chinese male and female participants, following administration under fasting and postprandial conditions.

Pharmacokinetic and Bioequivalent Study of Potassium Chloride Sustained-Release Tablet Under Different Dietary Conditions in Healthy Chinese Subjects.

Potassium (K+ ) is an endogenous substance that is an essential dietary component. However, the interaction between dietary arrangements and specific effects of dietary K+ intake in bioequivalence studies remains unclear. To investigate the influence of dietary arrangement on the bioequivalence of potassium chloride (KCl) sustained-release tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers, the pharmacokinetics of KCl were compared in two open-label, single-center, randomized, two-period crossover studies with different dietary conditions. All volunteers received an oral dose of 6 g of KCl sustained-release tablets under fasting conditions, with different dietary arrangements. Urine samples were collected on baseline days and 48 hours after tablet consumption. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry was used to measure the concentration of K+ in the urine samples. Pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed using Phoenix WinNonlin software in a noncompartmental model. In either clinical trial, no significant differences were observed in the maximal rate of urinary excretion and cumulative urinary excretion from 0 to 24 hours of K+ between the reference and test drugs. The bioequivalence studies of both KCl sustained-release tablet formulations were successfully conducted under different dietary conditions.

Molecular characterization, expression patterns, and ligand-binding properties of two odorant-binding protein genes from Orthaga achatina (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

It is postulated that insect pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are involved in sex pheromone reception, while the general odorant-binding proteins (GOBPs) are involved in reception of the general odorants including plant volatiles. However, this functional specificity is not completely conclusive. In the present study, full-length sequences of two new OBP genes were molecularly identified as OachPBP1 and OachGOBP2 from Orthaga achatina, an important pest of the camphor tree Cinnamomum camphora. Quantification of transcript levels by qRT-PCR showed that the two genes highly expressed in antennae, with OachPBP1 male-biased and OachGOBP2 similar between sexes. These expression patterns are consistent with the generally proposed functions of PBPs and GOBPs. With the recombinant proteins obtained by a bacterial expression system, the binding specificity of these proteins was further investigated and compared using the competitive binding assay. OachPBP1 exhibited high binding affinities with all three putative sex pheromones and 10 pheromone analogs, supporting its role in pheromone reception. On the other hand, in addition to binding with some plant volatiles, OachGOBP2 surprisingly displayed similar or even higher binding affinities with the sex pheromones than OachPBP1. Therefore, we propose that OachGOBP2 might play roles in reception of sex pheromone. Additionally, plant volatiles farnesol and farnesene showed high binding with both OachGOBP2 and OachPBP1, suggesting that these volatile chemicals have regulatory functions in the behavior of O. achatina.

Influence of nonpolar substances on the extraction efficiency of six alkaloids in Zoagumhwan investigated by ultra performance liquid chromatography and photodiode array detection.

A reverse phase ultra performance liquid chromatography and photodiode array (UPLC-PDA) detection method was established for the determination of six alkaloids in Zoagumhwan (ZGW), and further for investigating the influence of nonpolar substances on the extraction efficiency of these alkaloids. The method was based on a BEH C(18) (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) column and mobile phase of aqueous phosphoric acid and acetonitrile including 0.05% buffer solution under gradient elution. ZGW samples of ZGW I, II, III and IV were obtained and prepared by pre-processing the crude materials of Coptidis rhizoma and Evodiae fructus using four technologies, namely direct water decoction, removal of nonpolar substances in Evodiae fructus by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), removal of nonpolar substances in ZGW by SFE and removal of nonpolar substances in ZGW by steam distillation. The developed and validated UPLC-PDA method was precise, accurate and sensitive enough based on the facts that the six alkaloids showed good regression (r > 0.9998), the limit of detections and quantifications for six alkaloids were less than 28.8 and 94.5 ng/mL, respectively, and the recovery was in the range of 98.56%-103.24%. The sequence of the total contents of six alkaloids in these samples was ZGW II > ZGW IV > ZGW III > ZGW I. ZGW II, in which nonpolar substances, including essential oils, were firstly removed from Evodiae fructus by SFE, had the highest content of the total alkaloids, indicating that extraction efficiency of the total alkaloids could be remarkably increased after Evodiae fructus being extracted by SFE.

Relationship between attentional bias to cocaine-related stimuli and impulsivity in cocaine-dependent subjects.

BACKGROUND: Cocaine-dependent subjects show attentional bias to cocaine-related stimuli, increased impulsivity on questionnaires, and impaired inhibitory control (one component of impulsivity on behavioral tasks). However, the relationship between attentional bias, impulsivity, and inhibitory control in cocaine-dependent subjects is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between attentional bias to cocaine-related stimuli, impulsivity, and inhibitory control in cocaine dependence. METHODS: This study employed the cocaine Stroop task to measure attentional bias to cocaine-related stimuli, immediate memory task (IMT) to measure inhibitory control, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 to measure impulsivity. Thirty-two controls and 37 cocaine-dependent subjects were recruited through newspaper advertisement. RESULTS: Cocaine-dependent subjects had higher attentional bias to cocaine-related words, higher scores for Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and higher commission error rate on the IMT than controls. The attentional bias was positively correlated with the commission error rate on the IMT in the cocaine-dependent subjects but not in control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Cocaine-dependent subjects showed attentional bias to cocaine-related words, increased impulsivity, and poor inhibitory control compared with controls. The attentional bias was associated with inhibitory control in cocaine-dependent subjects but not in control subjects. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that cocaine-dependent subjects with poor inhibitory control may show higher attentional bias to cocaine-related words compared with controls and those with better inhibitory control.

Simultaneous blockage of contextual TGF-ß by cyto-pharmaceuticals to suppress breast cancer metastasis.

It remains challenging to treat tumor metastasis currently in the light of multiple cascade processes of tumor metastasis. Additionally, multiple clinical drugs for metastasis have quite limited therapeutic potential and even facilitate metastasis in preclinical models. Thus, potential metastasis targets and novel metastasis-directed drugs are urgently needed to be further developed. Herein, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) is verified to contribute to lung metastasis in a context-dependent manner in the 4T1 orthotopic tumor-bearing mice model, which induces epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) to promote tumor dissemination from the primary site and dampens the anti-tumor response of neutrophils to support tumor colonization at the metastatic niche. In view of neutrophils' superior tropism towards both inflammatory primary tumor and metastatic niche, SB525334, a TGF-ß receptor inhibitor, is loaded into cationic liposome (SBLP) which is subsequently incorporated into neutrophils to yield the cyto-pharmaceuticals (SBLP/NE). The systemically infused SBLP/NE can simultaneously migrate into both primary and metastatic sites, then release SB525334 in response to tumor stimuli, and contextually inhibit TGF-ß-mediated-EMT and phenotype reversal of infiltrated neutrophils, showing substantial metastasis suppression efficacy without causing any detectable toxicities. This project shifts the paradigm for metastasis suppression therapy by simultaneous blockage of contextual TGF-ß using metastatic-cascades-targeting neutrophil cyto-pharmaceuticals.

Working memory fMRI activation in cocaine-dependent subjects: association with treatment response.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of early abstinence cocaine users offer information about the state of the brain when most cocaine users seek treatment. This study examined the relationship between pretreatment brain function and subsequent treatment response in 19 treatment-seeking early abstinence cocaine-dependent (CD) subjects. These subjects and 14 non-drug-using control subjects underwent fMRI while performing a working memory task with three levels of difficulty. CD subjects were then randomized to treatment studies. Results showed CD subjects had significantly lower (random effects, corrected for multiple comparisons) brain activation in caudate, putamen, cingulate gyrus, middle and superior frontal gyri, inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis and pars opercularis, precentral gyrus, and thalamus compared with non-drug-using controls. Within CD subjects, thalamic activation significantly correlated with treatment response. This study shows CD subjects in early abstinence have alterations of brain function in frontal, striatal, and thalamic brain regions known to be part of a circuit associated with motor control, reward, and cognition. Subjects with pretreatment thalamic deactivation showed the poorest treatment response, possibly related to thalamic involvement in mesocortical and mesolimbic dopamine projections.

A touch screen based Stop Signal Response Task in rhesus monkeys for studying impulsivity associated with chronic cocaine self-administration.

Among a range of cognitive deficits, human cocaine addicts display increased impulsivity and decreased performance monitoring. In order to establish an animal model that can be used to study the underlying neurobiology of these deficits associated with addiction, we have developed a touch screen based Stop Signal Response Task for rhesus monkeys. This task is essentially identical to the clinically used Stop Signal Task employed for diagnostic and research purposes. In this task, impulsivity is reflected in the amount of time needed to inhibit a response after it has been initiated, the Stop Signal Response Time (SSRT). Performance monitoring is reflected by the slowing of response times following Stop trials (Post-Stop Slowing, PSS). Herein we report on the task structure, the staged methods for training animals to perform the task, and a comparison of performance values for control and cocaine experienced animals. Relative to controls, monkeys that had self-administered cocaine, followed by 18 months abstinence, displayed increased impulsivity (increased SSRT values), and decreased performance monitoring (decreased PSS values). Our results are consistent with human data, and thereby establish an ideal animal model for studying the etiology and underlying neurobiology of cocaine-induced impulse control and performance monitoring deficits.

[Effects of salvianolic acid B on cerebral energy charge and activity of ATPase in mice with cerebral ischemia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of salvianolic acid B (SalB) on high energy phosphate and activity of ATPase of cerebral ischemia in mice, and to study the role of SalB on hydrocephalus further. METHOD: NIH mice were divided into four groups randomly: Sham-operated group, cerebral ischemia group, SalB-treated group and Nimodipine (Nim)-collated group. In Sal B-treated group, mice were injected with SalB (22.5 mg x kg(-1)) in vena caudalis at 30 min before the experiment. In Nim-collated group, Nim (0.03 mg x kg(-1)) was injected into tail vein at the same time, while the mice in Sham-operated group and cerebral ischemia group were injected the same volume normal saline. The acute cerebral ischemia model was established by ligating bilateral common carotid arteries for 30 min in mice, then the mice were killed and the content of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), phosphocreatine (PCr) were observed, and the cerebral energy charge (EC) was computed. At the same time, activity of Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase and Ca2(+) -ATPase, content of water in brain tissue were measured. RESULT: Compared with cerebral ischemia group, EC and content of ATP, ADP, PCr in SalB-treated group heightened evidently (P < 0.01). Moreover, activity of Na(+)-K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase in SalB-treated group had a remarkable increase (P < 0.01). But the content of water in brain tissue decreased markedly (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The mechanism that SalB can relieve content of water in brain tissue of cerebral ischemia in mice, may be associated with improving the content of high-energy phosphoric acid compounds and enhancing the activity of ATPase.

Muscle loading in exoskeletal orthotic use in an activity of daily living.

Strokes are the leading cause of major adult disability with up to 85% of U.S. survivors experiencing hemiparesis. Physical characteristics of upper-extremity exoskeletal orthotics, used in stroke rehabilitation, were evaluated in terms of performance of activities of daily living (ADL), perceived exertion, and muscle load. Simulated orthotic weight distributions, with total extremity loads of 0.81 kg, 1.25 kg and 2.27 kg, were evaluated along with a 0 kg control condition. Response measures included average shoulder/elbow muscle surface electromyography (sEMG) signal amplitude, quality of task completion and total rest time during performance, and Borg CR-10 scale ratings. Device weight distribution, or imposed shoulder moment, was found to have a significant effect on biceps brachii and anterior deltoid activation levels, percent task completion, total rest time, and perceived exertion ratings. Results suggest that heavier upper-extremity orthotics could cause undesirable effects in terms of muscle loading, performance and exertion; such adverse effects could potentially lead to lack of use during patient's rehabilitation.

Effects of portable solar water quality control machines on aquaculture ponds.

The effects of a portable solar water quality control machine (PSWM) on water quality and sediment of aquaculture ponds were studied in bream aquaculture ponds in Shanghai, China. PSWM operation reduced the temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) differences between upper and lower water levels. Concentrations of NH4+-N, NO2--N, TN, TP, COD and TSS increased rapidly and reached maximums at 12 h. The density and biomass of phytoplankton and levels of chlorophyll a reached maximums after 40 h of PSWM operation. In a 165-day study, the mean concentrations of NH4+-N, NO2--N and the available phosphorous (AP) in the PSWM ponds were significantly lower than in the control ponds, but the TP was significantly greater than the control ponds. Compared with the test began, the thickness of the sediment in PSWM ponds declined by 12.4 ± 4.3 cm, the control ponds increased by 5.0 ± 2.3 cm and the TN and AP levels in sediment significantly declined. PSWM treatment increased the production of bream and silver carp by 30 and 25%, respectively, and the feed coefficient was reduced by 24.2%. Use of PSWM in bream aquaculture ponds improved water quality, reduced sediment, reduced aquaculture pollution emissions and increased production.

T cell--associated immunoregulation and antiviral effect of oxymatrine in hydrodynamic injection HBV mouse model.

Although oxymatrine (OMT) has been shown to directly inhibit the replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vitro, limited research has been done with this drug in vivo. In the present study, the antiviral effect of OMT was investigated in an immunocompetent mouse model of chronic HBV infection. The infection was achieved by tail vein injection of a large volume of DNA solution. OMT (2.2, 6.7 and 20 mg/kg) was administered by daily intraperitoneal injection for 6 weeks. The efficacy of OMT was evaluated by the levels of HBV DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg). The immunoregulatory activity of OMT was evaluated by serum ELISA and flow cytometry. Results shows that OMT at 20 mg/kg inhibited HBV replication, and it was more efficient than entecavir (ETV) in the elimination of serum HBsAg and intrahepatic HBcAg. In addition, OMT accelerated the production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in a dose-dependent manner in CD4+ T cells. Our findings demonstrate the beneficial effects of OMT on the enhancement of immunological function and in the control of HBV antigens. The findings suggest this drug to be a good antiviral therapeutic candidate for the treatment of HBV infection.

Sophocarpine Protects Mice from ConA-Induced Hepatitis via Inhibition of the IFN-Gamma/STAT1 Pathway.

Sophocarpine is the major pharmacologically active compound of the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Radix Sophorae Subprostratae which has been used in treating hepatitis for years in China. It has been demonstrated that Sophocarpine exerts an activity in immune modulation and significantly decreases the production of inflammatory cytokines. However, the protective effects of Sophocarpine in T cell-dependent immune hepatitis remained unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the protective effects and pharmacological mechanisms of Sophocarpine on Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis, an experimental model of T cell-mediated liver injury. BALB/C mice were pretreated with Sophocarpine or Bicyclol for five consecutive days. Thirty minutes after the final administration, the mice were injected with 15 mg⋅kg-1 of ConA intravenously. The results indicated that pretreatment with Sophocarpine significantly ameliorated liver inflammation and injury as evidenced by both biochemical and histopathological observations. Moreover, in Sophocarpine-pretreated mice, liver messenger RNA expression levels of chemokines and adhesion molecules, such as macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, CXC chemokine ligand 10, and Intercellular adhesion molecule-1, were markedly reduced. Further studies revealed that Sophocarpine significantly downregulated the expression of T-bet via inhibition of signal transducers and activators of transcription1 (STAT1) activation and overexpression of suppressor of cytokine signaling1, inhibiting the activation of Th1 cells and the expression of Interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Altogether, these results suggest new opportunities to use Sophocarpine in the treatment of T cell-mediated liver disease. In summary, Sophocarpine could attenuate ConA-induced liver injury, and the protective effect of Sophocarpine was associated with its inhibition effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and the IFN-γ/STAT1 signaling pathway.

Serotonin2C receptors (5-HT2C R) control expression of cocaine-induced conditioned hyperactivity.

Environmental cues can become classically conditioned to cocaine exposure and are known to contribute to drug craving and relapse in addicts. The 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2C R) has been shown to control the behavioral effects of acute cocaine administration and, in the present study, we investigated the role of this receptor in the expression of cocaine-induced conditioned hyperactivity. Rats received repeated pairings of a distinct test environment with either saline or cocaine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) for 7 days. In a drug-free test 2 days after the last pairing, expression of conditioned hyperactivity was seen in the rats previously exposed to cocaine in the test environment. The 5-HT2C R agonist MK 212 (0.0625-0.5 mg/kg, i.p., 5 min before test) significantly decreased, while the 5-HT2C R antagonist SB 242084 (0.5-1 mg/kg, i.p. 30 min prior to test) enhanced, expression of cocaine-induced conditioned hyperactivity. The effective doses of MK 212 and SB 242084 did not alter basal activity on the test session. These results suggest that the 5-HT2C R controls expression of cocaine-induced conditioned hyperactivity and suggest that such ligands may be useful in preventing relapse and promoting abstinence in cocaine-dependent individuals.

Attentional bias in adults with cannabis use disorders.

There has been modest examination of attentional bias in individuals with cannabis use disorders. Clinical implications of this work are directly relevant to better informing extant evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders (e.g., relapse prevention) and/or developing novel interventions. The overarching aim of this investigation was to examine a novel attentional bias task in adults with cannabis use disorders. Participants were comprised of 25 adults (8 women: M age = 31, SD = 6.8; range = 22-45) with cannabis use disorders (n = 12) and controls (n = 13) without any current (past month) psychopathology. Relative to controls, adults with cannabis use disorders had greater attentional bias scores. These differences were present only at the 125-ms probe time, where the cannabis use disorders group showed greater attentional bias to cannabis cues than the control group (adjusted p = .001, cannabis use disorders mean = 59.9, control mean = -24.8, Cohen's d-effect size for 125 ms = 1.03). The cannabis use disorders group also reported significantly greater perceived stress and post-task stress scores than the control group, but stress was not related to attentional bias. This study informs understanding of the influence of cannabis cues on visual detection and reaction time under different cue-target onset times, as attentional bias was most prevalent under time pressure to detect the probe.