Prognostic value of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor in coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A potential inflammatory biomarker, soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) has been utilized to assist the prognostic assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients; however, outcomes have been inconsistent. The prognostic relevance of suPAR as a predictor of CAD patient adverse outcomes was therefore examined. METHODS: Research articles published as of 1 January 2022 were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. All-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and other major cardiovascular events (nonfatal myocardial infarction, heart failure or stroke) were analysed as a subset of relevant studies' results. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each study. The broad EQUATOR guidelines were conformed. Risk of bias was assessed with ROBINS-I tool. RESULTS: In total, this analysis included nine studies including 14,738 CAD patients. All included studies made a correction for certain potential confounders. However, risk of bias ranged from moderate to critical. When the ROBINS-I tool was used. Patients with CAD that exhibited increased suPAR levels had a substantially higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.24; 95% CI 1.97-2.55) or cardiovascular mortality (HR = 2.02; 95% CI 1.58-2.58), but not of developing other major cardiovascular events (HR = 1.63; 95% CI 0.86-3.11). Considerable heterogeneity across studies was observed in our meta-analyses, but no significant publication bias was detected. CONCLUSION: In patients with coronary disease, suPAR may have prognostic value for both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality but not for other major cardiovascular events.

Mesophilic Pyrophosphatase Function at High Temperature: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

The mesophilic inorganic pyrophosphatase from Escherichia coli (EcPPase) retains function at 353 K, the physiological temperature of hyperthermophilic Thermococcus thioreducens, whereas the homolog protein (TtPPase) from this hyperthermophilic organism cannot function at room temperature. To explain this asymmetric behavior, we examined structural and dynamical properties of the two proteins using molecular dynamics simulations. The global flexibility of TtPPase is significantly higher than its mesophilic homolog at all tested temperature/pressure conditions. However, at 353 K, EcPPase reduces its solvent-exposed surface area and increases subunit compaction while maintaining flexibility in its catalytic pocket. In contrast, TtPPase lacks this adaptability and has increased rigidity and reduced protein/water interactions in its catalytic pocket at room temperature, providing a plausible explanation for its inactivity near room temperature.

Frequency tuning ratio testing of a laser via a hollow photonic crystal fiber resonator.

In order to satisfy the requirements of laser frequency tuning ratio (FTR) measurement, experimental equipment based on a hollow photonic crystal fiber resonator (HPCFR) is proposed in this paper. First, the principle scheme of the equipment consisting of HPCFR is designed, and the resonance curves of the HPCFR are theoretically analyzed, calculated, and simulated; second, the transmissive HPCFR sample is fabricated and the resonance curve is obtained; eventually, the experimental results from the established laser FTR experimental setup demonstrate that the FTRs of a narrow-linewidth fiber laser and semiconductor laser are 17.6 MHz/V and 30.9 MHz/mA, respectively, which are basically in accordance with the factory parameters of the lasers. This work shows that the FTR experimental equipment via HPCFR has the advantages of high precision and good long-term stability.

MicroRNA-29b regulates hypertrophy of murine mesenchymal stem cells induced toward chondrogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: Chondrocyte hypertrophy, a terminal stage of chondrocyte differentiation, is essential to the endochondral bone formation and is one of the major pathological factors in osteoarthritis. This study investigated the role of microRNA-29b (miR-29b), which is involved in chondrogenesis, in the regulation of hypertrophy in chondrocytes. METHODS: miR-29b expression was assessed during murine mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) chondrogenesis. To detect whether miR-29b affects chondrocyte hypertrophy, the mMSCs induced toward chondrogenesis were transfected with miR-29b or its antisense inhibitor (antagomiR-29b). Finally, the differential effects of antagomiR-29b on chondrocytes at different differentiation stages were evaluated by loss-of-function experiments. RESULTS: miR-29b expression was low-level during the early chondrogenic differentiation, however, it was changed to high level during hypertrophy. Subsequently, the gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments had confirmed that miR-29b promoted hypertrophy in mMSC-derived chondrocytes. In addition, we confirmed that on day 7, when cells were treated with antagomiR-29b, was the optimal intervention time for preventing hypertrophic phenotype of mMSCs in vitro. CONCLUSION: miR-29b regulated chondrogenesis homeostasis and enhance hypertrophic phenotype. These data suggest that miR-29b is a key regulator of the chondrocyte phenotype derived from mMSCs and it might be a potential target for articular cartilage repair.

Cyanidin suppresses autophagic activity regulating chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation.

Cartilage is a kind of special connective tissue which does not contain neither blood vessels nor lymphatics and nerves. Therefore, the damage in cartilage is difficult to be repaired spontaneously. Constructing tissue engineered cartilage provides a new technique for cartilage repairing. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess a unique capability of self-renew and can differentiate into pre-chondrocytes which are frequently applied as seed cells in tissue engineering. However, in regenerated cartilage the chondrocytes derived from MSCs can hardly maintain homeostasis and preferentially present hypertrophic like phenotype. We investigated the effects of cyanidin, a natural organic compound, on chondrogenic and subsequent hypertrophic differentiation of MSCs in order to seek approaches to inhibit chondrocyte hypertrophy. We evaluated the effects of cyanidin on expression of chondrogenic and hypertrophic marker genes through RT-PCR, Western blot, alcian blue staining, and immunocytochemistry. The results showed that both chondrogenic related genes Sox9, Col2a1, and hypertrophic marker genes Runx2, Col10a1 were inhibited by cyanidin. In addition, we found that cyanidin promoted Nrf2 and p62 expression and suppressed LC3B expression during chondrogenic stage of MSCs. Meanwhile phosphorylation of IκBα and autophagosome related protein LC3B were inactivated by cyanidin during chondrocyte hypertrophic stage. Furthermore, rapamycin, an autophagy activator, abrogated the inhibitory effect of cyanidin on chondrogenic, and hypertrophic differentiation of MSCs. In conclusion, one potential mechanism of cyanidin, by which the chondrogenic and hypertrophic differentiation of MSCs were inhibited, was due to decreased autophagy activity. Our results indicated that cyanidin was a potential therapeutic agent for keeping mature chondrocyte functions.

Effects of pressure on the dynamics of an oligomeric protein from deep-sea hyperthermophile.

Inorganic pyrophosphatase (IPPase) from Thermococcus thioreducens is a large oligomeric protein derived from a hyperthermophilic microorganism that is found near hydrothermal vents deep under the sea, where the pressure is up to 100 MPa (1 kbar). It has attracted great interest in biophysical research because of its high activity under extreme conditions in the seabed. In this study, we use the quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) technique to investigate the effects of pressure on the conformational flexibility and relaxation dynamics of IPPase over a wide temperature range. The ß-relaxation dynamics of proteins was studied in the time ranges from 2 to 25 ps, and from 100 ps to 2 ns, using two spectrometers. Our results indicate that, under a pressure of 100 MPa, close to that of the native environment deep under the sea, IPPase displays much faster relaxation dynamics than a mesophilic model protein, hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL), at all measured temperatures, opposite to what we observed previously under ambient pressure. This contradictory observation provides evidence that the protein energy landscape is distorted by high pressure, which is significantly different for hyperthermophilic (IPPase) and mesophilic (HEWL) proteins. We further derive from our observations a schematic denaturation phase diagram together with energy landscapes for the two very different proteins, which can be used as a general picture to understand the dynamical properties of thermophilic proteins under pressure.

Air Oxidative Radical Oxysulfurization of Alkynes Leading to α-Thioaldehydes.

Air oxidative radical oxysulfurization of alkynes initiated by 0.5 mol % tert-butyl hydroperoxide with arylthiols is described. The reaction proceeded at room temperature in the presence of 5% mol water to afford selective α-thioaldehydes.

Core-shell PLGA/collagen nanofibers loaded with recombinant FN/CDHs as bone tissue engineering scaffolds.

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)/collagen nanofibrous scaffolds have been utilized in the tissue engineering field. It has been shown that both fibronectin (FN) and cadherin 11 (CDH) play important roles in the progress of osteogenesis and cell adhesion. The aim of this study was to fabricate recombinant FN/CDHs (rFN/CDHs)-loaded PLGA/collagen nanofibrous scaffolds and evaluate their effects on the adhesion and differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). PLGA/collagen nanofibers were made by coaxial electrospinning. The morphology and mechanical properties of PLGA/collagen nanofibrous mats were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and mechanical testing, respectively. The performance of scaffolds was evaluated in terms of the viability, morphology, and osteogenic gene expression levels of hMSCs. rFN/CDHs was successfully incorporated into the PLGA/collagen nanofibers. The release of rFN/CDHs from PLGA nanofibers was investigated by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. rFN/CDHs improved the mechanical properties of the PLGA/collagen nanofibers. The controlled release of rFN/CDHs can enhance the proliferation of hMSCs and induce osteogenic gene expression (alkaline phosphatase, RUNX2, and osteocalcin). Our data imply that rFN/CDHs may induce hMSCs differentiation into osteoblasts and PLGA/collagen nanofibers loaded with rFN/CDHs have potential in bone tissue engineering.

Manganese(III)-mediated selective diphenylphosphinoyl radical reaction of 1,4-diaryl-1-butynes for the synthesis of 2-phosphinoylated 3,4-dihydronaphathalenes.

A diphenylphosphinoyl radical-initiated sequential reaction of 1,4-diaryl-1-butynes and analogues is developed for the synthesis of 2-phosphinoylated 3,4-dihydronaphathalenes and related compounds.

Experimental Evidence for the Role of Dynamics in pH-Dependent Enzymatic Activity.

Enzymatic activity is heavily influenced by pH, but the rationale for the dynamical mechanism of pH-dependent enzymatic activity has not been fully understood. In this work, combined neutron scattering techniques, including quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS), are used to study the structural and dynamic changes of a model enzyme, xylanase, under different pH and temperature environments. The QENS results reveal that xylanase at optimal pH exhibits faster relaxational dynamics and a lower energy barrier between conformational substates. The SANS results demonstrate that pH affects both xylanase's stability and monodispersity. Our findings indicate that enzymes have optimized stability and function under their optimal pH conditions, with both structure and dynamics being affected. The current study offers valuable insights into enzymatic functionality mechanisms, allowing for broad industrial applications.

The lectin of Dolichos biflorus agglutinin recognises glycan epitopes on the surface of a subset of cardiac progenitor cells.

The discovery of adult cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) provides a promising way for treating heart disease; however, their surface characteristics that play a critical role in regulating their maintenance, self-renewal, migration, and differentiation have not been fully investigated. One subpopulation of Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA)-positive cells was identified in the heart of adult mice. Flow cytometry showed that 3.7% of heart cells could be labeled by FITC conjugated DBA. BrdU pulse-chase showed that 55-75% of DBA(+) cells were CPCs. Evidences from 5-FU-induced myelosuppression along with BrdU pulse-chasing suggests that DBA-positive cells are proliferative. Furthermore, DBA positive cells display a cologenic appearance in vivo. Our findings suggest that DBA-positive cells in the heart of adult mouse contained a subset of CPCs, and DBA reactivity is one novel surface characteristic on CPCs.

Cervical sympathetic block regulates early systemic inflammatory response in severe trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: This aim of this study was to investigate the effects of one-side cervical sympathetic block on early inflammatory response in severe trauma patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty severe trauma patients with injury severity score (ISS) of 16 to 25 were randomly divided into treatment and control groups (n=15 each). Patients in the treatment group underwent a right-side stellate ganglion block (SGB) using 8 mL 0.75% ropivacaine for 4 times, with the first injection within 12 hr of admission and the other 3 injections were 12 hr, 24 hr and 48 hr later. The same procedures were performed for the control group except that normal saline was injected instead of ropivacaine. Blood was collected before injection and at 6 hr, 24 hr, and 72 hr after the first SGB for serum interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha measurement. RESULTS: The concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha between 24 hr to 72 hr after SGB were all significantly lower than those in the control group (all P values <0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the concentrations of anti-inflammatory IL-4 and IL-10 between treatment and control groups. There was no obvious impact of SGB on breathing and circulation except for a slower heart rate 10 to 50 min after injection (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: SGB regulates early inflammatory response through inhibition of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha during severe trauma. SGB has no impact on the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10.

Epidemiology of traumatic cervical spinal fractures and risk factors for traumatic cervical spinal cord injury in China.

STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed hospital records of all patients aged 18 years or older with traumatic cervical spinal fracture (TCSF) at 2 university-affiliated hospitals between January 2001 and December 2010 (n = 643); 417 patients (64.9%) presented with traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (TCSCI). The variables assessed included age, sex, mechanism of spinal fracture, anatomic distribution, America Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale and associated injuries (ASOIs). OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of TCSF and risk factors for TCSCI in adults in Chongqing, China. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There were so many studies about the characteristics of spinal fractures and spinal cord injury, but the study about the traumatic spinal fracture and spinal cord injury among the cervical region and the relationship between the TCSF and cervical spinal cord injury is rare. RESULTS: A total of 643 patients with TCSF were included in the study. The mean age was 42.5±13.8 years, with a range of 18-86 years, and the male/female ratio was 4.3:1. The mean annual incidence of TCSF was 65 cases per 100,000 hospital admissions. The leading cause of TCSF was motor vehicle accidents (MVA) (n = 213, 33.1%), followed by falls from a high height (n = 211, 32.8%). The most common injury site was C5, which accounted for 22.7% of cases. In all, 37 (5.8%) patients had complications, 204 patients (31.7%) had ASOIs, and 417 patients (64.9%) had TCSCI. There were significant differences in the etiology and distribution of fracture location between the patients with and without TCSCI. Young age (31-45 age group), male sex, high falls (≥2 m), and traumatic C5, C6 vertebra fractures were risk factors for TCSCI. CONCLUSIONS: MVA and falls from a high height were the leading causes of TCSCI, especially young male patients with lower cervical spinal fractures. Therefore, establishing public policies aimed at preventing injuries should focus on MVA and falls from a high height, and more attention should be paid to the young male population.

Multiple-level noncontiguous spinal fractures: difference between the young and the elderly.

STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of all patients with multiple-level noncontiguous spinal fractures (MLNSF) at university-affiliated hospitals between January 2001 and May 2011 (n=213). The variables assessed included age, sex, spinal fracture mechanism, anatomic distribution, neurological deficit, and associated injury. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to better understand the patterns of MLNSF, with an emphasis on comparing young and elderly patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There are many studies on the characteristics of noncontiguous spinal fractures, but these existing studies do not differentiate between young and elderly patients with noncontiguous spinal fractures. RESULTS: A total of 213 patients with MLNSF were enrolled, of whom 57.3% (122/213) were male and 67.1% (143/213) were young patients (age less than 60 y). Accidental falls from a high height and road traffic crashes were the most common injuries leading to spinal fractures (44.1% and 22.4%, respectively) among young patients, whereas osteoporotic spinal fractures and accidental falls from a low height (38.6% and 28.6%, respectively) were the most common causes of spinal injuries among elderly patients. The most common region suffering MLNSF among young patients was the thoracic+lumbar region (36.4%), followed by the cervical+thoracic region (23.8%). Among elderly patients, the thoracic+lumbar region (52.9%) followed by the thoracic+thoracic region (35.7%) were the most common regions suffering MLNSF. The frequency of neurological deficit was significantly different between the young and the elderly patients (57.3% and 21.4%, respectively). A total of 73 (51.0%, 73/143) young patients had associated nonspinal injuries, and 9 (12.9%, 9/70) elderly patients had such injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Of all the patients with MLNSF, the risk of noncontiguous spinal fractures with neurological deficit and associated injuries in the elderly patients was lower than that among young patients. The thoracic+lumbar region was the most common region of injury among all patients, and the cervical+thoracic region was more commonly injured among young patients. Clinicians should make their diagnoses and direct their injury prevention strategies according to the characteristics of MLNSF in a specific age group.

Effects of caudal sufentanil supplemented with levobupivacaine on blocking spermatic cord traction response in pediatric orchidopexy.

PURPOSES: Caudal block is one of the most commonly used anesthetic techniques in subumbilical and genitourinary procedures. However, traditional administration of caudal levobupivacaine was inadequate on blocking peritoneal response during spermatic cord traction. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the addition of caudal sufentanil to levobupivacaine provided better analgesia for children undergoing orchidopexy. METHODS: Sixty-two patients, scheduled for right orchidopexy, received caudal block after induction. Group LS (n = 31) received levobupivacaine 0.25% 1 ml/kg plus sufentanil 0.5 µg/kg, and group L (n = 31) received levobupivacaine 0.25% 1 ml/kg only. HR or MAP fluctuation >20% or entropy increase >15% during spermatic cord traction was defined as inadequate anesthesia and was treated with increasing sevoflurane concentration. The number of children who needed sevoflurane rescue was counted, and postoperative side effects and quality of sleep were also recorded. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in age, weight, and duration of surgery. Two (6.45%) children in group LS required inspired sevoflurane rescue to block hemodynamic fluctuation during spermatic cord traction, as compared with 12 (38.71%) patients in group L (P < 0.001). At the time of exerting spermatic cord traction, the median HR was, respectively, 134 and 145 (P < 0.001); the corresponding response entropy (RE) and state entropy (SE) was 65 and 54, respectively, in group LS versus 76 and 65 in group L (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In pediatric orchidopexy, the addition of sufentanil to levobupivacaine for caudal blockade offers clinical benefit over levobupivacaine alone in blocking the spermatic cord traction response.

Role of GSK-3ß in isoflurane-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in aged rats.

This study investigated the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) in isoflurane-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in aged rats. The hippocampi were dissected from aged rats which had been intraperitoneally administered lithium chloride (LiCl, 100 mg/kg) and then exposed to 1.4% isoflurane for 6 h. The expression of GSK-3ß was detected by Western blotting. The mRNA and protein expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 were measured by real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Morris water maze was employed to detect spatial memory ability of rats. The results revealed that the level of GSK-3ß was upregulated after isofurane exposure. Real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that isoflurane anesthesia increased mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6, which was consistent with the ELISA results. However, these changes were reversed by prophylactic LiCl, a non-selective inhibitor of GSK-3ß. Additionally, we discovered that LiCl alleviated isoflurane-induced cognitive impairment in aged rats. Furthermore, the role of GSK-3ß in isoflurae-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction was associated with acetylation of NF-κB p65 (Lys310). In conclusion, these results suggested that GSK-3ß is associated with isoflurane-induced upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and cognitive disorder in aged rats.

The Use of Hydrogel-Based Materials for Radioprotection.

Major causes of the radiation-induced disease include nuclear accidents, war-related nuclear explosions, and clinical radiotherapy. While certain radioprotective drug or bioactive compounds have been utilized to protect against radiation-induced damage in preclinical and clinical settings, these strategies are hampered by poor efficacy and limited utilization. Hydrogel-based materials are effective carriers capable of enhancing the bioavailability of compounds loaded therein. As they exhibit tunable performance and excellent biocompatibility, hydrogels represent promising tools for the design of novel radioprotective therapeutic strategies. This review provides an overview of common approaches to radioprotective hydrogel preparation, followed by a discussion of the pathogenesis of radiation-induced disease and the current states of research focused on using hydrogels to protect against these diseases. These findings ultimately provide a foundation for discussions of the challenges and future prospects associated with the use of radioprotective hydrogels.

Prediction of available energy and amino acid digestibility of Chinese sorghum fed to growing-finishing pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to determine digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), as well as the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in 10 sorghum samples fed to pigs. In experiment 1, 22 crossbred barrows (Duroc × Yorkshire × Landrace, Initial body weight [BW]: 70.0 ±â€…1.8 kg) were selected and allotted to a replicated 11 × 3 incomplete Latin square design, including a basal diet and 10 sorghum energy diets and three consecutive periods. Each period had 7 d adaptation and 5 d total feces and urine collection. The DE and ME were determined by the total collection and the difference method. In experiment 2, 22 crossbred barrows (Duroc × Yorkshire × Landrace, Initial BW: 41.3 ±â€…1.2 kg) that had a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum were assigned to a replicated 11 × 3 incomplete Latin square design, including an N-free diet and 10 sorghum diets. Each period had 5 d adaptation and 2 d ileal digesta collection. The basal endogenous N losses were measured by the N-free diet method. All diets in experiment 2 were added 0.30% titanium dioxide as an indigestible marker for calculating the ileal CP and AA digestibility. On an as-fed basis, the DE and ME contents in sorghum were 3,410 kcal/kg (2,826 to 3,794 kcal/kg) and 3,379 kcal/kg (2,785 to 3,709 kcal/kg), respectively. The best-fit prediction equation for DE and ME were DE = 6,267.945 - (1,271.154 × % tannin) - (1,109.720 × % ash) (R2 = 0.803) and ME = 51.263 + (0.976 × DE) (R2 = 0.994), respectively. The SID of CP, Lys, Met, Thr, and Trp (SIDCP, SIDLys, SIDMet, SIDThr, and SIDTrp) in 10 sorghum samples were 78.48% (69.56% to 84.23%), 74.27% (61.11% to 90.60%), 92.07% (85.16% to 95.40%), 75.46% (66.39% to 80.80%) and 87.99% (84.21% to 92.37%), respectively. The best prediction equations for SID of CP and the first four limiting AAs were as following: SIDCP = 93.404 - (21.026 × % tannin) (R2 = 0.593), SIDCP = 42.922 - (4.011 × % EE) + (151.774 × % Met) (R2 = 0.696), SIDLys = 129.947 - (670.760 × % Trp) (R2 = 0.821), SIDMet = 111.347 - (232.298 × % Trp) (R2 = 0.647), SIDThr = 55.187 + (3.851 × % ADF) (R2 = 0.609) and SIDTrp = 95.676 - (10.824 × % tannin) (R2 = 0.523), respectively. Overall, tannin and ash are the first and second predictors of DE and ME values of sorghum, respectively, and the tannin, EE, Trp, ash, CF, and ADF can be used as the key predictors for SID of CP and first four limiting AAs.

In this manuscript, we selected and analyzed the chemical composition of 10 different varieties of Chinese sorghum. Two digestion and metabolism experiments were conducted to measure the concentrations of available energy (digestible energy and metabolizable energy) and ileal amino acid digestibility (apparent or standardized ileal amino acid digestibility) in sorghums fed to pigs. The results showed as following: 1) The available energy values of 10 sorghum samples varied greatly, and the ileal digestibility of some amino acids also differed. 2) The available energy value and the ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids can be predicted by the contents of chemical components in sorghum, such as tannin (a substance in sorghum that can bind to biological macromolecules like proteins), ash, tryptophan, and fiber composition, etc. The above findings enrich the ingredient database and assist for feed enterprises to make precise formulations when using the Chinese sorghum.

Water-protein dynamic coupling and new opportunities for probing it at low to physiological temperatures in aqueous solutions.

Both the structure and dynamics of biomolecules are known to be essential for their biological function. In the dehydrated state, the function of biomolecules, such as proteins, is severely impeded, so hydration is required for bioactivity. The dynamics of the hydrated biomolecules and their hydration water are related - but how closely? The problem involves several layers of complexity. Even for water in the bulk state, the contribution from various dynamic components to the overall dynamics is not fully understood. In biological systems, the effects of confinement on the hydration water further complicate the picture. Even if the various components of the hydration water dynamics are properly understood, which of them are coupled to the protein dynamics, and how? The studies of protein dynamics over the wide temperature range, from physiological to low temperatures, provide some answers to these question. At low temperatures, both the protein and its hydration water behave as solids, with only vibrational degrees of freedom. As the temperature is increased, non-vibrational dynamic components start contributing to the measurable dynamics and eventually become dominant at physiological temperatures. Thus, the temperature dependence of the dynamics of protein and its hydration water may allow probing various dynamic components separately. In order to suppress the water freezing, the low-temperature studies of protein rely on either low-hydrated samples (essentially, hydrated protein powders), or cryo-protective solutions. Both approaches introduce the hydration environments not characteristic of the protein environments in living systems, which are typically aqueous protein solutions of various concentrations. In this paper, we discuss the coupling between the dynamic components of the protein and its hydration water by critical examining of the existing literature, and then propose that proteins can be studied in an aqueous solution that is remarkably similar in its dynamic properties to pure water, yet does not freeze down to about 200 K, even in the bulk form. The first experiment of this kind using quasielastic neutron scattering is discussed, and more experiments are proposed.

[Effects of electrical stimulation of sciatic nerve on synaptic plasticity of spinal dorsal horn, hippocampal CA1 region and spinal c-fos, hippocampal CA1 region expression in neonatal rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the response to nociceptive stimuli in spinal cord of neonatal rat and observe the electrical stimulation of sciatic nerve on synaptic plasticity of spinal dorsal horn, hippocampal CA1 region and spinal c-fos, hippocampal CA1 region expression in neonatal rats. METHODS: The rats were divided into neonatal and adult groups. The evoked potentials of left spinal dorsal horn from T13-L1 and right hippocampal CA1 region were recorded. After conditional electric stimulations, the potential amplitudes were recorded. When the incubation period reached 120 min, D-AP5 was added to spinal cord of rats and resulting changes in field potential and c-fos expression were recorded. RESULTS: Long-term potentiation (LTP) in neonatal rats was mainly evoked by A-type nerve fibers whereas LTP in adult rats was mainly evoked by C-type nerve fibers. C-fos expression was significantly increased in superficial, deep layers of spinal dorsal horn, ventral horn and hippocampal CA1 region in neonatal rats. CONCLUSION: Pain signals change with age.