Predictive value of combining urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase and serum homocysteine for contrast-induced nephropathy in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) can lead to serious complications following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Urine N-Acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (uNAG) and serum homocysteine (sHCY) are both potential predictors for CIN detection, but their combination has not been explored. We aimed to combine uNAG and sHCY as predictors for the early detection of CIN and for prognosis prediction in patients after PCI. Methods: A total of 232 consecutive patients who underwent PCI at a university hospital were recruited for this study. According to the European Society of Urology and Reproduction (ESUR) criterion, CIN is defined as an elevation of serum creatinine (sCr) by ≥25% or ≥0.5 mg/dl from baseline within 48 h. We assessed the use of individual biomarkers (uNAG and sHCY) measured around PCI and their combinations for CIN detection and prognosis prediction. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the predictive efficiency of potential predictors. Results: In total, 54 (23.28%) patients developed CIN. Concentrations of uNAG and sHCY increased significantly in CIN subjects (p < 0.05) than non-CIN. CIN could be predicted by uNAG and sHCY but not by creatinine at an early stage. At pre-PCI, 0, 12, 24, and 48 h after PCI, the AUC-ROC value of uNAG in calculating total CIN was 0.594, 0.603, 0.685, 0.657, and 0.648, respectively. The AUC-ROC value of sHCY in calculating total CIN was 0.685, 0.726, 0.771, 0.755, and 0.821, respectively. The panel of uNAG plus sHCY detected CIN with significantly higher accuracy than either individual biomarker alone and earlier than sCr. For detecting total CIN, this panel yielded AUC-ROCs of 0.693, 0.754, 0.826, 0.796, and 0.844 at pre-PCI, 0, 12, 24, and 48 h after PCI, respectively, which were superior to those of the individual biomarkers. For predicting the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 30 days to 12 months, the AUC-ROC values for uNAG and sHCY measured before discharge were 0.637 and 0.826, respectively. The combined panel yielded an AUC-ROC of 0.832. The combined detection did not significantly enhance the predictive capability for MACE in patients with CIN. The CIN group and the non-CIN group showed no significant difference in the Coronary Heart Disease Intensive Care Unit (CCU) stay time, hospital stay time, demand for renal replacement therapy, CCU mortality rate, and in-hospital mortality rate. Conclusions: The uNAG and sHCY panel demonstrated better sensitivity and specificity for predicting the diagnosis and prognosis of CIN in patients after PCI, earlier than sCr. The combination of these biomarkers revealed a significantly superior discriminative performance for CIN detection and prognosis compared to using uNAG or sHCY alone.

Corrigendum: Patchouli alcohol improved diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome by regulating excitatory neurotransmission in the myenteric plexus of rats.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.943119.].

Excitatory purinergic and cholinergic expression changed in a partial bladder outlet obstruction-induced overactive bladder rat model.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common, long-term symptom complex with a high prevalence in women worldwide. OAB has caused a social burden, and effective treatments are urgently needed. However, the pathogenesis of OAB has yet to be elucidated. Model rats underwent bladder outlet obstruction surgery. In the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th weeks after surgery, metabolic cages were used to detect the 12 h urine volume of rats in the sham and model groups. The urodynamic parameters bladder leak point pressure (BPLL), maximum voiding pressure (MVP), residual volume (RV), maximum bladder capacity (MBC), bladder compliance (BC), voided efficiency (VE), and non-voiding contractions (NVCs) were also detected. Moreover, the contractile responses of isolated detrusor muscles to electrical and carbachol stimulation were examined at the abovementioned time points. At the 4th week after surgery, the bladders of both groups were obtained for hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome staining. Real-time qPCR and Western blot were performed to quantify the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and solute carrier family 17 member 9 (SLC17A9). At week 4, compared with the sham group, the 12 h urine volume of PBOO group increased significantly. The BLPP, MVP, VE, MBC, and NVCs increased significantly, and the VE was significantly reduced in 4-week PBOO group. The contractile responses of isolated detrusor muscles to electrical and carbachol stimulation significantly increased in 4-week PBOO group. In the 4-week PBOO group, the bladder wall and the ratio of bladder muscle to collagen within the bladder smooth muscle layer wall were significantly higher than those in the sham group. ChAT and SLC17A9 mRNA and protein expression in the OAB model rats significantly increased. At 4 weeks after PBOO, the OAB model was successfully established. The gene and protein expression levels of ChAT and SLC17A9 increased in the bladder of the OAB model, suggesting that OAB may be related to increased excitatory purinergic and cholinergic expression.

Impaired colonic motility in high-glycemic diet-induced diabetic mice is associated with disrupted gut microbiota and neuromuscular function.

Background: Similar to the high-fat diet (HFD), the high-glycemic diet (HGD) contributes to the development and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the effect of HGD on gastrointestinal motility in T2DM and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: Thirty C57BL/6J mice were randomly designated into the normal-feeding diet (NFD) group, HFD group, and HGD group. The plasma glucose, plasma insulin, and gastrointestinal motility were examined. Meanwhile, the tension of isolated colonic smooth muscle rings was calculated, and the gut microbiota was analyzed by 16s rDNA high-throughput sequencing. Result: After 16 weeks of HGD feeding, obesity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and constipation were observed in HGD mice. Autonomic contraction frequency of the colonic neuromuscular system and electrical field stimulation-induced contractions were reduced in HGD mice. On the contrary, neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity and neuromuscular relaxation were found to be enhanced. Finally, gut microbiota analysis revealed that Rhodospirillaceae abundance significantly increased at the family level in HGD mice. At the genus level, the abundance of Insolitispirillum increased remarkably, whereas Turicibacter abundance decreased significantly in HGD mice. Conclusion: HGD induced constipation in obese diabetic mice, which we speculated that it may be related to neuromuscular dysmotility and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis.

Microbial cell wall sorption and Fe-Mn binding in rhizosphere contribute to the obstruction of cadmium from soil to rice.

Screening high-tolerant microorganisms to cadmium (Cd) and revealing their bio-obstruction mechanism could be significant for Cd regulation from farmland to the food chain. We examined the tolerance and bio-removal efficiency of Cd ions of two bacterial strains, Pseudomonas putida 23483 and Bacillus sp. GY16, and measured the accumulation of Cd ions in rice tissues and its different chemical forms in soil. The results showed that the two strains had high tolerance to Cd, but the removal efficiency was decreased successively with increasing Cd concentrations (0.05 to 5 mg kg-1). Cell-sorption accounted for the major proportion of Cd removal compared with excreta binding in both strains, which was conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetics. At the subcellular level, Cd was mostly taken up by the cell mantle and cell wall, and only a small amount entered into the cytomembrane and cytoplasmic with time progressed (0 to 24 h) in each concentration. The cell mantle and cell wall sorption decreased with increasing Cd concentration, especially in the cytomembrane and cytoplasmic. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) analysis verified that Cd ions were attached to the cell surface, and the functional groups of C-H, C-N, C=O, N-H, and O-H in the cell surface may participate in cell-sorption process tested by the FTIR analysis. Furthermore, inoculation of the two strains significantly decreased Cd accumulation in rice straw and grain but increased in the root, increased Cd enrichment ratio in root from soil, decreased Cd translocation ratio from root to straw and grain, and increased the Cd concentrations of Fe-Mn binding form and residual form in rhizosphere soil. This study highlights that the two strains mainly removed Cd ions in solution through biosorption and passivated soil Cd as Fe-Mn combined form ascribe to its characteristics of manganese-oxidizing, eventually achieving bio-obstruction of Cd from soil to rice grain.

Spatial-vertical variations of energetic compounds and microbial community response in soils from an ammunition demolition site in China.

Ammunition-related activities have caused severe energetic compound (EC) contamination and pose serious risks to ecosystems. However, little is known regarding the spatial-vertical variations of ECs or their migration in soils at ammunition demolition sites. Although the toxic effect of some ECs to microorganisms have been reported through laboratory simulations, the responses of indigenous microbial communities to ammunition demolition activities are unclear. In this study, the spatial-vertical variations of ECs in 117 topsoil samples and three soil profiles from a typical ammunition demolition site in China were studied. Heavy contamination of ECs was concentrated in the top soils of the work platforms, and ECs were also detected in the surrounding area and nearby farmland. ECs showed different migration characteristics in the 0-100 cm soil layer of the different soil profiles. Demolition activities and surface runoff play critical roles in the spatial-vertical variations and migration of ECs. These findings suggest that ECs are able to migrate from the topsoil to the subsoil and from the core demolition area to further ecosystems. The work platforms exhibited lower microbial diversity and different microbiota compositions compared to the surrounding areas and farmlands. Using the random forest analysis, pH and 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) were characterized as the most important factors affecting microbial diversity. Network analysis revealed that Desulfosporosinus was highly sensitive to ECs and may be a unique indicator of EC contamination. These findings provide key information in understanding EC migration characteristics in soils and the potential threats to indigenous soil microorganisms in ammunition demolition sites.

Three-dimensional distribution characteristics of multiple pollutants in the soil at a steelworks mega-site based on multi-source information.

Soil pollution at steelworks mega-sites has become a severe environmental issue worldwide. However, due to the complex production processes and hydrogeology, the soil pollution distribution at steelworks is still unclear. This study scientifically cognized the distribution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals (HMs) at a steelworks mega-site based on multi-source information. Specifically, firstly, 3D distribution and spatial autocorrelation of pollutants were obtained by interpolation model and local indicators of spatial associations (LISA), respectively. Secondly, the characteristics of horizontal distribution, vertical distribution, and spatial autocorrelations of pollutants were identified by combining multi-source information such as production processes, soil layers, and properties of pollutants. Horizontal distribution showed that soil pollution in steelworks mainly occurred in the front end of the steel process chain. Over 47% of PAHs and VOCs pollution area were distributed in coking plants and over 69% of HMs in stockyards. Vertical distribution indicated that HMs, PAHs, and VOCs were enriched in the fill, silt, and clay layers, respectively. Spatial autocorrelation of pollutants was positively correlated with their mobility. This study clarified the soil pollution characteristics at steelworks mega-sites, which can support the investigation and remediation of steelworks mega-sites.

TRPV1 Dysfunction Impairs Gastric Nitrergic Neuromuscular Relaxation in High-Fat Diet-Induced Diabetic Gastroparesis Mice.

Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is characterized by delayed gastric emptying of solid food. Nitrergic neuron-mediated fundus relaxation and intragastric peristalsis are pivotal for gastric emptying and are impaired in DGP. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channels are expressed in gastrointestinal vagal afferent nerves and have a potential role in relevant gastrointestinal disorders. In this study, mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), associated with gastroparesis, were used to determine the role of TRPV1 in DGP. After feeding with HFD, mice exhibited obesity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and delayed gastric emptying. Cholinergic- and nitrergic neuron-mediated neuromuscular contractions and relaxation were impaired. The antral tone of the DGP mice was attenuated. Interestingly, activating or suppressing TRPV1 facilitated or inhibited gastric fundus relaxation in normal mice. These effects were neutralized by using a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor. Activation or suppression of TRPV1 also increased or reduced NO release. TRPV1 was specifically localized with neuronal NOS in the gastric fundus. These data suggest that TRPV1 activation facilitates gastric fundus relaxation by regulating neuronal NOS and promoting NO release. However, these effects and mechanisms disappeared in mice with DGP induced by HFD diet. TRPV1 expression was only marginally decreased in the fundus of DGP mice. TRPV1 dysfunction may be a potential mechanism underlying the dysfunction of DGP gastric nitrergic neuromuscular relaxation.

Effects of NBP on postoperative cognitive dysfunction in rats via Nrf 2/ARE pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common postoperative disease that threatens patients' quality of life, especially elderly patients. With the popularity of anesthesia/surgery, POCD has received more attention worldwide. The objective of this research is to evaluate 3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP)'s protective effect on postoperative cognitive function in rats and its related mechanisms. METHODS: Tibial fracture models of senile rats of POCD were established and divided into blank control group, solvent group, NBP group, Nrf 2 agonist group, and Nrf 2 inhibitor group. The changes in the cognitive abilities of rats were systematically evaluated by the Morris water maze test. After hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of the hippocampus, the morphological and structural changes of hippocampal neurons were observed by light microscopy. The expressions of apoptosis-related proteins were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Nrf 2,HO-1,Mfn1,Mfn2,Drp1 proteins. Moreover, the changes in the morphology of mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: Through the water maze test, we observed that the incidence of postoperative cognitive impairment in the NBP, agonist, and inhibitor groups was substantially lower as compared to the blank control group and solvent group (P < 0.05). The expressions of Nrf 2, HO-1, Mfn1, Mfn2, and Drp1 proteins in the NBP group were upregulated in comparison to the blank control group and the solvent group. The expressions of related proteins in the inhibitor group were substantially lower in comparison to the NBP group. CONCLUSIONS: NBP can affect the postoperative cognitive function of rats by activating the Nrf 2/ARE signaling pathway.

Variations of microbiota in three types of typical military contaminated sites: Diversities, structures, influence factors, and co-occurrence patterns.

Contamination with energetic compounds (ECs) is common in military sites and poses a great risk to the environment and human health. However, its effects on the soil bacterial communities remain unclear. This study assessed the variations of bacterial communities, co-occurrence patterns, and their influence factors in three types of typical military-contaminated sites (artillery range, military-industrial site, and ammunition destruction site). The results showed that the most polluted sites were ammunition destruction sites, followed by military-industrial sites, whereas pollution in the artillery ranges was minimal. The average concentrations of ECs including 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) in the study sites ranged 120-1.67 × 105, 20-7.20 × 104, and 180-2.38 × 105 µg/kg, respectively. Bacterial diversity and community structure in military-industrial and ammunition destruction sites were significantly changed, but not in artillery ranges. TNT, pH, and soil moisture are the critical factors affecting bacterial communities in contaminated military sites. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that the pressure of ECs affected bacterial interactions and microbiota function. Our findings provide new insights into the variations in bacterial communities in EC-contaminated military sites and references for the bioremediation of ECs.

Patchouli alcohol improved diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome by regulating excitatory neurotransmission in the myenteric plexus of rats.

Background and Purpose: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is usually associated with chronic gastrointestinal disorders. Its most common subtype is accompanied with diarrhea (IBS-D). The enteric nervous system (ENS) modulates major gastrointestinal motility and functions whose aberration may induce IBS-D. The enteric neurons are susceptible to long-term neurotransmitter level alterations. The patchouli alcohol (PA), extracted from Pogostemonis Herba, has been reported to regulate neurotransmitter release in the ENS, while its effectiveness against IBS-D and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. Experimental Approach: In this study, we established an IBS-D model in rats through chronic restraint stress. We administered the rats with 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg of PA for intestinal and visceral examinations. The longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus (LMMP) neurons were further immunohistochemically stained for quantitative, morphological, and neurotransmitters analyses. Key Results: We found that PA decreased visceral sensitivity, diarrhea symptoms and intestinal transit in the IBS-D rats. Meanwhile, 10 and 20 mg/kg of PA significantly reduced the proportion of excitatory LMMP neurons in the distal colon, decreased the number of acetylcholine (Ach)- and substance P (SP)-positive neurons in the distal colon and restored the levels of Ach and SP in the IBS-D rats. Conclusion and Implications: These findings indicated that PA modulated LMMP excitatory neuron activities, improved intestinal motility and alleviated IBS-induced diarrheal symptoms, suggesting the potential therapeutic efficacy of PA against IBS-D.

Modified Cangfu Daotan decoction ameliorates polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance via NF-κB/LCN-2 signaling pathway in inflammatory microenvironment.

This study explored the possible connection between the insulin resistance-targeting protein adipokine lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) and NF-κB signaling pathway in the inflammatory microenvironment in PCOS-IR model rats to determine the pharmacological mechanism of modified Cangfu Daotan decoction (MCDD) intervention for PCOS-IR. We used a high-fat diet (42 days) combined with letrozole (1 mg/kg/day, 42 days) to establish a PCOS-IR rat model. From the third week after modeling, the rats were given continuous administration of MCDD (high dose with 31.68 g/kg, medium dose with 15.84 g/kg, and low dose with 7.92 g/kg) for 28 days. Serum, ovarian tissue, liver, and adipose tissue were collected after the last gavage. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Masson staining, qRT-PCR, and Western blot experiments were performed to detect various indicators. Our results showed that MCDD could reduce body weight and abdominal fat weight; restore normal estrous cycle and ovarian function; alleviate fatty liver; regulate HOMA-IR and OGTT index; reduce serum inflammatory factor levels, LCN-2 level, and gene expression; and regulate the insulin signal transduction and NF-κB pathways in PCOS-IR rats. Thus, MCDD may play a role in improving ovarian function in PCOS-IR rats by downregulating NF-κB/LCN-2 proteins and upregulating the gene expression of Insr/Irs-1/Glut4 in the insulin signaling pathway in the inflammatory environment.

PROTACs in gastrointestinal cancers.

Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) presents a powerful strategy for targeted protein degradation (TPD). The heterobifunctional PROTAC molecule consists of an E3 ligase ligand covalently linked to a protein of interest (POI) via a linker. PROTAC can induce ubiquitinated proteasomal degradation of proteins by hijacking the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system (UPS). This technique has the advantages of broad targeting profile, good cell permeability, tissue specificity, high selectivity, oral bioavailability, and controllability. To date, a growing number of PROTACs targeting gastrointestinal cancers have been successfully developed, and, in many cases, their POIs have been validated as clinical drug targets. To the best of our knowledge, 15 PROTACs against various targets are currently tested in clinical trials, and many more are likely to be added in the near future. Therefore, this paper details the mechanism, research progress, and application in clinical trials of PROTACs, and summarizes the research achievements related to PROTACs in gastrointestinal cancers. Finally, we discuss the advantages and potential challenges of PROTAC for cancer treatment.

The Effects of Patchouli Alcohol on Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome are Correlated with Phenotypic Plasticity in Myenteric Neurons and the Targeted Regulation of Myosin Va.

Patchouli alcohol (PA) has been widely used for the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) in traditional Chinese medicine, and the related mechanism remains to be fully understood. Our previous study has indicated that PA significantly reduced visceral sensitivity and defecation area in IBS-D rats. In this study, we prepared an IBS-D rat model and observed the dynamic intestinal motility and colonic longitudinal muscle and myenteric plexus (LMMP) neurons, as well as their subtypes at D14, D21, and D28. After PA administration, we observed the effects on the changes in intestinal motility, colonic LMMP neurons, and LMMP Myosin Va in IBS-D rats and their co-localization with inhibitory neurotransmitter-related proteins. The results indicated that PA treatment could alleviate IBS-D symptoms, regulate the abnormal expression of LMMP neurons, increase Myosin Va expression, up-regulate co-localization levels of Myosin Va with neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and promote co-localization levels of Myosin Va with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). In conclusion, this study demonstrated the neuropathic alterations in the colon of chronic restraint stress-induced IBS-D rat model. PA reversed the neuropathological alteration by affecting the transport process of nNOS and VIP vesicles via Myosin Va and the function of LMMP inhibitory neurons, and these effects were related to the mechanism of enteric nervous system (ENS) remodeling.

Suo Quan Wan ameliorates bladder overactivity and regulates neurotransmission via regulating Myosin Va protein expression.

BACKGROUND: Ancient prescriptions of Suo Quan Wan (SQW) have therapeutic effects on diabetic bladder dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we hypothesized that SQW ameliorates bladder overactivity and regulates neurotransmission via regulating Myosin Va protein expression. METHODS: After diabetic rats were induced by streptozotocin (65 mg/kg), the model of diabetic bladder dysfunction was established by detecting fasting blood glucose, urodynamic test, in vitro muscle strip experiments, and histological examination. One week after induction, SQW was given to observe the therapeutic effect. The expression levels of Myosin Va in control, Model, SQW L and SQW H groups were detected by RT-qPCR, RNAscope and immunofluorescence assay. The expression levels of ChAT, SP, nNOS and VIP proteins were observed by immunofluorescence assay. After knockdown and overexpression of Myosin Va, the expression changes of ChAT, SP, nNOS and VIP and the regulatory role of SQW were observed. RESULTS: STZ-induced DM rats had significantly higher serum glucose levels and lower body weight. Compared with the diabetic rats, SQW treatment significantly improved urination function with decreased residual volume (RV), bladder compliance (BC), non-voiding contractions (NVCs), and increased voided efficiency (VE). In addition, contractile responses of muscle strips to electrical-field stimulation (EFS), carbachol (CCh), KCl were significantly lower in the SQW H and SQW L groups than those in the model group. RT-qPCR found that the expression of Myosin Va in the bladder tissue or bladder neurons in model group was significantly increased compared with the control group, and SQW treatment significantly decreased the levels of Myosin Va. In DM rats, ChAT and SP expression were significantly increased, while nNOS and VIP expression were significantly decreased, and SQW improved this phenomenon. Interestingly, SQW ameliorated the abnormal expression of ChAT, SP, nNOS and VIP caused by myosin Va knockdown, and Myosin Va overexpression results are consistent with these. CONCLUSIONS: SQW ameliorates overactive bladder and regulate neurotransmission via regulating Myosin Va mRNA and protein expression.

An improved non-stationary geostatistical method for three-dimensional interpolation of Benzo(a)pyrene at a contaminated site.

Intense industrial activities and complex hydrogeological conditions at contaminated sites make accurate three-dimensional (3D) mapping challenging. The cause is the non-stationarity in the variance of soil pollutants in geographical space (G-space), making the stationary hypothesis required by the Kriging method unsatisfactory. To handle the variance non-stationarity, a Variance-Octree-Kriging (VOK) method was proposed. VOK is a spatial deformation method that constructs a stationary deformation space (D-space) by stretching and shrinking the G-spaces with low and high spatial correlation, respectively. VOK method consists of 3D stratification in G-space, space scaling and transformation, and ordinary Kriging (OK) in D-space. 3D stratification uses variance octree (VOT) to generate a set of anchor points in the G-space. The spatial scaling and transformation use the virtual force algorithm (VFA) and thin-plate spline to evenly distribute the anchor points and obtain the D-space, where the OK is implemented. The method was applied to predict the distribution of soil Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) at a contaminated site in North China Plain. The results show that the interpolation accuracy of VOK was 9% higher than that of OK. The VOK method also changed the spatial structure from anisotropic to isotropic. The root mean squared error (RMSE) of fill, silt and clay layers decreased by 4.67%, 11.39%, and 20.46%, respectively. This method is applicable to the 3D interpolation of pollutants at contaminated sites, with the advantages of high interpolation accuracy and the ability to handle the non-stationarity in variance.

Contamination characteristics of energetic compounds in soils of two different types of military demolition range in China.

The pollution of energetic compounds (ECs) in military ranges has become the focus of worldwide attention. However, few studies on the contamination of ECs at Chinese military ranges have been reported to date. In this study, two different types of military demolition range in China, Dunhua (DH) and Taiyuan (TY), were investigated and the ECs in their soils were determined. 10 ECs were detected at both ranges. While all the contamination characteristics were distinct, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) was the most abundant contamination source in soils at DH range, with an average concentration of 1106 mg kg-1 and a maximum concentration of 34,083 mg kg-1. Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and two mono-amino degradation products of TNT were also found to have high concentrations, with potential ecological and human health risks. In contrast, the concentrations of ECs in soils of TY range were much lower. The content of RDX was most significant, with average and maximum concentrations of 7.8 and 158 mg kg-1, respectively. However, the potential threat to human health of 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 2,6-dinitrotoluene in soils at both ranges should not be ignored. The differences in pollution characteristics of the ECs at DH and TY are closely related to the types and amounts of the munitions destroyed. Moreover, the spatial distribution of ECs at the demolition ranges was extremely heterogeneous, which may be attributed to the use of open burning / open detonation and the non-homogeneous composition of the munitions.

Therapeutic Effects of Berberine Hydrochloride on Stress-Induced Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome Rats by Inhibiting Neurotransmission in Colonic Smooth Muscle.

The etiology of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is complicated and closely related to neurotransmission in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Developing new strategies for treating this disease is a major challenge for IBS-D research. Berberine hydrochloride (BBH), the derivative of berberine, is a herbal constituent used to treat IBS. Previous studies have shown that BBH has potential anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, analgesic, and antidiarrheal effects and a wide range of biological activities, especially in regulating the release of some neurotransmitters. A modified IBS-D rat model induced by chronic restraint stress was used in all experiments to study the effects of BBH on the GI tract. This study measured the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) response to graded colorectal distention (CRD; 20, 40, 60, and 80 mmHg) and observed the fecal areas of stress-induced IBS-D model. Experiments were conducted using organ bath techniques, which were performed in vitro using strips of colonic longitudinal smooth muscle. Inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter agents were added to each organ bath to observe contractile responses on the strips and the treatment effect exerted by BBH. The IBS-D rat model was successfully induced by chronic restraint stress, which resulted in an increased defecation frequency and visceral hypersensitivity similar to that of humans. BBH could reduce 4-h fecal areas and AWR response to CRD in IBS-D. The stress-induced IBS-D model showed upregulated colonic mRNA expression levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine-3A receptor and downregulated expression levels of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Meanwhile, BBH could reverse this outcome. The responses of substances that regulate the contraction induced by related neurotransmission in the longitudinal smooth muscle of IBS-D colon (including the agonist of acetylcholine, carbachol; NOS inhibitor, L-NAME; and P2Y1 receptor antagonist, MRS2500) can be inhibited by BBH. In summary, BBH promotes defecation frequency and visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D and exerts inhibitory effects on contractile responses in colonic longitudinal smooth muscle. Thus, BBH may represent a new therapeutic approach for treating IBS-D.