Anxiolytic effects of sesamin in mice with chronic inflammatory pain.

OBJECTIVE: Sesamin is known for its role in antioxidant, antiproliferative, antihypertensive, and neuroprotective activities. However, little is known about the role of sesamin in the development of emotional disorders. Here we investigated persistent inflammatory pain hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behaviors in the mouse suffering chronic pain. METHODS: Chronic inflammatory pain was induced by hind paw injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Levels of protein were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Administration of sesamin could induce anxiolytic activities but had no effect on analgesia. In the basolateral amygdala, a structure involving the anxiety development, sesamin attenuated the up-regulation of NR2B-containing N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, GluR1 subunit of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor as well as phosphorylation of GluR1 at Ser831 (p-GluR1-Ser831), and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII-alpha) in the hind paw CFA-injected mice. In the same model, we found that the sesamin blocked the down-regulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA-alpha-2) receptors. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that sesamin reduces anxiety-like behaviors induced by chronic pain at least partially through regulating the GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission in the amygdala of mice.

De Novo Sequencing and Transcriptome Analysis of Pleurotus eryngii subsp. tuoliensis (Bailinggu) Mycelia in Response to Cold Stimulation.

Cold stimulation of Bailinggu's mycelia is the main factor that triggers primordia initiation for successful production of fruiting bodies under commercial cultivation. Yet, the molecular-level mechanisms involved in mycelia response to cold stimulation are still unclear. Here, we performed comparative transcriptomic analysis using RNA-Seq technology to better understand the gene expression regulation during different temporal stages of cold stimulation in Bailinggu. A total of 21,558 Bailinggu mycelia unigenes were de novo assembled and annotated from four libraries (control at 25 °C, plus cold stimulation treatments at -3 °C for a duration of 1-2 days, 5-6 days, and 9-10 days). GO and KEGG pathway analysis indicated that functional groups of differentially expressed unigenes associated with cell wall and membrane stabilization, calcium signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathways, and soluble sugars and protein biosynthesis and metabolism pathways play a vital role in Bailinggu's response to cold stimulation. Six hundred and seven potential EST-based SSRs loci were identified in these unigenes, and 100 EST-SSR primers were randomly selected for validation. The overall polymorphism rate was 92% by using 10 wild strains of Bailinggu. Therefore, these results can serve as a valuable resource for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with Bailinggu's response to cold stimulation.

Clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted and manual total hip arthroplasty in the same patient: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an effective treatment for advanced osteonecrosis of the femoral head, which can significantly relieve pain and improve patients' quality of life. Robotic-assisted THA enhances the accuracy and stability of THA surgery and achieves better clinical outcomes than manual THA. CASE SUMMARY: We report the clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted THA and manual THA in the same patient with osteonecrosis of the femoral head. A 49-year-old male patient attended our hospital due to more than 3 years of pain in both hip joints. The left hip was treated with robotic-assisted THA. The patient underwent manual THA of the right hip 3 mo after robotic-assisted THA. We obtained postoperative radiograph parameters, Harris hip score and forgotten joint score of the patient 1 year after surgery. CONCLUSION: Compared with manual THA, the patient's left hip felt better 1 year after robotic-assisted THA. Robotic-assisted THA resulted in a better Harris hip score and forgotten joint score than manual THA in the same patient with osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

[Genome-wide association study of total number born and number born alive in pigs using both compressed mixed linear model and Bayes model].

GWAS (Genome-wide association study) strategy has been extensively used for identification of economical trait loci in livestock animals. Using Illumina's PorcineSNP60 BeadChip, a GWA study of 820 commercial pigs with reproductive traits recorded was performed. The PCA analysis showed that there was no significant population stratification. Two different statistical models Compressed Mixed Linear Model(GAPIT program package)and Bayes CPi (GenSel software) were used to implement GWAS on total number born and number born alive of the first and second parity. To compare the most significant 50 SNPs from each method, a total of 31 and 20 coincided SNPs for total number born in the first parity were identified, and there were 20 coincided SNPs for number born alive in the first parityinthe results of bothmethods. The most significant SNPs were also significant in the results of the other method. The most significantly associated regions for total number born in the first parity were located on SSC1, 2, 3, 7, 13, 16, and 18. The most significantly associated regions for number born alive in the first parity were locatedon SSC1, 3, 4, 13, and 16. There were 5 common regions significantly associated with bothtraits on SSC1, 3, 13, and 16. The most significantly associated regions forbothtotal number born and number born alive for the second parity were mainly located on six common regions on SSC7, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 16.

Two new furan derivatives from bee-collected rape pollen.

Two new furan derivatives named pollenfurans A (1) and B (2) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of bee-collected rape pollen. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of the 6,7-diol moiety in both compounds 1 and 2 were confirmed by Snatzke's method, observing the induced circular dichroism after the addition of dimolybdenum tetraacetate in DMSO.

Pollenopyrroside A and B, novel pyrrole ketohexoside derivatives from bee-collected Brassica campestris pollen.

Pollenopyrroside A and pollenopyrroside B, novel pyrrole ketohexoside derivatives, were isolated from the extract of Bee-collected Brassica campestris pollen. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, MS, NMR and X-ray) and chemical evidence. Pollenopyrrosides A and B represent a novel carbon skeleton with a six-six and five-six member dioxaspirocycle bearing nitrogen atom, respectively.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Identified Candidate Genes Related to Bailinggu Mushroom Formation and Genetic Markers for Genetic Analyses and Breeding.

Bailinggu (Pleurotus tuoliensis) is a major, commercially cultivated mushroom and widely used for nutritional, medicinal, and industrial applications. Yet, the mushroom's genetic architecture and the molecular mechanisms underlying its formation are largely unknown. Here we performed comparative transcriptomic analysis during Bailinggu's mycelia, primordia, and fruiting body stages to identify genes regulating fruiting body development and develop EST-SSR markers assessing the genetic value of breeding materials. The stage-specific and differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) involved in morphogenesis, primary carbohydrate metabolism, cold stimulation and blue-light response were identified using GO and KEGG databases. These unigenes might help Bailinggu adapt to genetic and environmental factors that influence fructification. The most pronounced change in gene expression occurred during the vegetative-to-reproductive transition, suggesting that is most active and key for Bailinggu development. We then developed 26 polymorphic and informative EST-SSR markers to assess the genetic diversity in 82 strains of Bailinggu breeding materials. These EST-SSRs exhibited high transferability in closely related species P. eryngii var. ferulae and var. eryngii. Genetic population structure analysis indicated that China's Bailinggu has low introgression with these two varieties and likely evolved independently. These findings provide new genes, SSR markers, and germplasm to enhance the breeding of commercially cultivated Bailinggu.

Visual detection of trace copper ions based on copper-catalyzed reaction of ascorbic acid with oxygen.

A visual detection method for trace Cu(2+) in aqueous solutions using triangular silver nanoplates (abbreviated as TAgNPs) as the probe was developed. The method is based on that TAgNPs could be corroded in sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) solutions. The absorption spectrum of TAgNPs solution changed when it is corroded by Na2S2O3. The reaction of oxygen with ascorbic acid (Vc) in the presence of a low concentration of Cu(2+) generates hydrogen peroxide that reacts with Na2S2O3, which leads the concentration of Na2S2O3 in the solution to be decreased. Therefore, the reaction between TAgNPs and the reacted mixture of Na2S2O3/Vc/Cu(2+) was prevented efficiently. When the Na2S2O3 concentration and reaction time are constant, the decrease in the concentration of Na2S2O3 is directly proportional to the Cu(2+) concentration. Thus, morphology, color, and maximum absorption wavelength of TAgNPs changed with the change of Cu(2+) concentration. The changed maximum absorption wavelength of TAgNPs (Δλ) is proportional to Cu(2+) concentration in the range from 7.5×10(-9) to 5.0×10(-7) M with a correlation coefficient of r=0.9956. Moreover, color change of TAgNP solution was observed clearly over a Cu(2+) concentration range from 7.5×10(-8) to 5.0×10(-7) M. This method has been used to detect the Cu(2+) content of a human hair sample, and the result is in agreement with that obtained by the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method.