Fe(IV)/Fe(V)-mediated polyferric sulfate/periodate system: A novel coagulant/oxidant strategy in promoting micropollutant abatement.

Strategic modulation of the advanced oxidation processes for the selective oxidation of micropollutants has attracted accumulating attention in water decontamination. This study first reported the combination of the coagulant polyferric sulfate (PFS) and oxidant periodate (PI) to accomplish synergistic abatement of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The oxidizing performance of SMX by this system was almost unaffected by coexisting water constituents, indicating the great promise of selective oxidation. Different from the current hydroxyl radicals (•OH)-mediated coagulant/oxidant systems (e.g., PFS/H2O2 and PFS/ozone), the dominance of high-valent Fe(IV)/Fe(V) intermediates was unambiguously verified in the PFS/PI treatment. The PFS colloids before and after the oxidation were characterized and the iron speciation was analyzed. The transformation of monomeric iron configurations (Fe(a)) to oligomeric iron configurations (Fe(b)) could maintain the homeostasis of surface-bound Fe(III) and Fe(II). The interaction mechanisms included the production of reactive species and dynamic reaction equilibrium for micropollutant degradation. Finally, the transformation pathways of SMX and carbamazepine (CMZ) in the PFS/PI system were postulated. Overall, this study provided a novel coagulant/oxidant strategy to achieve selective and sustainable water purification.

Ferrate(VI)/Periodate System: Synergistic and Rapid Oxidation of Micropollutants via Periodate/Iodate-Modulated Fe(IV)/Fe(V) Intermediates.

The presence of organic micropollutants in water sources worldwide has created a need for the development of effective and selective oxidation methods in complex water matrices. This study is the first report of the combination of ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) and periodate (PI) for synergistic, rapid, and selective elimination of multiple micropollutants. This combined system was found to outperform other Fe(VI)/oxidant systems (e.g., H2O2, peroxydisulfate, and peroxymonosulfate) in rapid water decontamination. Scavenging, probing, and electron spin resonance experiments showed that high-valent Fe(IV)/Fe(V) intermediates, rather than hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, singlet oxygen, and iodyl radicals, played a dominant role in the process. Further, the generation of Fe(IV)/Fe(V) was evidenced directly by the 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic test. Surprisingly, the reactivity of PI toward Fe(VI) is rather low (0.8223 M-1 s-1) at pH 8.0, implying that PI was not acting as an activator. Besides, as the only iodine sink of PI, iodate also played an enhanced role in micropollutant abatement by Fe(VI) oxidation. Further experiments proved that PI and/or iodate might function as the Fe(IV)/Fe(V) ligands, causing the utilization efficiency of Fe(IV)/Fe(V) intermediates for pollutant oxidation to outcompete their auto-decomposition. Finally, the oxidized products and plausible transformation pathways of three different micropollutants by single Fe(VI) and Fe(VI)/PI oxidation were characterized and elucidated. Overall, this study proposed a novel selective oxidation strategy (i.e., Fe(VI)/PI system) that could efficiently eliminate water micropollutants and clarified the unexpected interactions between PI/iodate and Fe(VI) for accelerated oxidation.

Emerging periodate-based oxidation technologies for water decontamination: A state-of-the-art mechanistic review and future perspectives.

With the ever-increasing severity of the ongoing water crisis, it is of great significance to develop efficient, eco-friendly water treatment technologies. As an emerging oxidant in the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), periodate (PI) has received worldwide attention owing to the advantages of superior stability, susceptible activation capability, and high efficiency for decontamination. This is the first review that conducts a comprehensive analysis of the mechanism, pollutant transformation pathway, toxicity evolution, barriers, and future directions of PI-based AOPs based on the scientific information and experimental data reported in recent years. The pollutant elimination in PI-based AOPs was mainly attributed to the in situ generate reactive oxygen species (e.g., •OH, O(3P), 1O2, and O2•-), reactive iodine species (e.g., IO3• and IO4•), and high-valent metal-oxo species with exceptionally high reactivity. These reactive species were derived from the PI activated by the external energy, metal activators, alkaline, freezing, hydroxylamine, H2O2, etc. It is noteworthy that direct electron transport could also dominate the decontamination in carbon-based catalyst/PI systems. Furthermore, PI was transformed to iodate (IO3-) stoichiometrically via an oxygen-atom transfer process in most PI-based AOPs systems. However, the production of I2, I-, and HOI was sometimes inevitable. Furthermore, the transformation pathway of typical micropollutants was clarified, and the in silico QSAR-based prediction results indicated that most transformation products retained biodegradation recalcitrance and multi-endpoint toxicity. The barriers faced by the PI-based AOPs were also clarified with potential solutions. Finally, future perspectives and research directions are highlighted based on the current state of PI-based AOPs. This review enhances our in-depth understanding of PI-based AOPs for pollutant elimination and identifies future research needs to focus on the reduction of toxic byproducts.

Overlooked environmental risks deriving from aqueous transformation of bisphenol alternatives: Integration of chemical and toxicological insights.

Owing to the widespread prevalence and ecotoxicity of bisphenol alternatives such as bisphenol S, bisphenol F, and bisphenol AF, the past decade has witnessed the publication of a remarkable number of studies related to their transformation and remediation in natural waters. However, the reactivity, removal efficiency, transformation products (TPs), and mechanisms of such emerging pollutants by different treatment processes have not been well elucidated. Particularly, the transformation-driven environmental risks have been mostly overlooked. Therefore, we present a review to address these issues from chemical and toxicological viewpoints. Four degradation systems can be largely classified as catalytic persulfate (PS) oxidation, non-catalytic oxidation, photolysis and photocatalysis, and biodegradation. It was found that bisphenol alternatives possess distinct reactivities with different oxidizing species, with the highest performance for hydroxyl radicals. All systems exhibit superior elimination efficiency for these compounds. The inadequate mineralization suggests the formation of recalcitrant TPs, from which the overall reaction pathways are proposed. The combined experimental and in silico analysis indicates that many TPs have developmental toxicity, endocrine-disrupting effects, and genotoxicity. Notably, catalytic PS systems and non-catalytic oxidation result in the formation of coupling products as well as halogenated TPs with higher acute and chronic toxicity and lower biodegradability than the parent compounds. In contrast, photolysis and photocatalysis generate hydroxylated and bond-cleavage TPs with less toxicity. Overall, this review highlights the secondary environmental risks from the transformation of bisphenol alternatives by conventional and emerging treatment processes. Finally, future perspectives are recommended to address the knowledge gaps of these contaminants in aquatic ecosystems.

Oxycodone versus morphine for analgesia after laparoscopic endometriosis resection.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic potency of oxycodone versus morphine after laparoscopic deep infiltrating endometriosis resection. METHODS: Fifty patients undergoing laparoscopic deep infiltrating endometriosis resection were randomized to receive oxycodone or morphine intravenous-PCA after surgery. The primary outcome was opioid consumption during the 24 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included time to first request for analgesia, the number of bolus, pain, sedation, nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, and bradycardia. The prominent pain that caused patients to press the analgesic device was also recorded. RESULTS: Oxycodone consumption (14.42 ± 2.83) was less than morphine consumption (20.14 ± 3.83). Compared with the morphine group, the total number of bolus (78 vs 123) was less and the average time to first request for analgesia (97.27 ± 59.79 vs 142.17 ± 51) was longer in the oxycodone group. The incidence of nausea was higher in the morphine group than in the oxycodone group at 0-2 h (45.45% vs 17.19%), 2-4 h (50% vs 17.19%),12-24 h (40.91% vs 13.04%) and 0-24 h (39.17% vs 19.13%). The overall incidence of vomiting was higher in the morphine group (27.27% vs 13.92%). There was no difference in visual analogue scale score, the incidence of respiratory depression, and bradycardia between groups. Of the three types of pain that prompted patients to request analgesia, the incidence of visceral pain was highest (59.9%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Oxycodone was more potent than morphine for analgesia after laparoscopic endometriosis resection, and oxycodone has fewer side effects than morphine. Name of the registry: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Trial registration number: ChiCTR1900021870 URL of trial registry record: http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=35799&htm=4 Date of registration: 2019/3/13 0:00:00.

Recovery of early postoperative muscle strength after deep neuromuscular block by means of ultrasonography with comparison of neostigmine versus sugammadex as reversal drugs: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the use of quantitative neuromuscular monitoring together with the administration of reversal drugs (neostigmine or sugammadex), the incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade defined as a train-of-four ratio (TOFr) <0.9 remains high. Even TOFr >0.9 cannot ensure adequate recovery of neuromuscular function when T1 height is not recovered completely. Thus, a mathematical correction of TOFr needs to be applied because the return of a normal TOFr can precede the return of a normal T1 twitch height. On the other hand, different muscles have different sensitivities to neuromuscular blockade agents; thus, complete recovery of one specific muscle group does not represent complete recovery of all other muscles. Therefore, our study aims to assess the muscle strength recovery of respiratory-related muscle groups by ultrasound and evaluate global strength using handgrip dynamometry in the early postoperative period when TOFr=0.9 and corrected TOFr (cTOFr)=0.9 with comparison of neostigmine versus sugammadex as reversal drugs. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will be a prospective, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial involving 60 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II and aged between 18 and 65 years, who will undergo microlaryngeal surgery. We will assess geniohyoid muscle, parasternal intercostal muscle, diaphragm, abdominal wall muscle and handgrip strength at four time points: before anaesthesia, TOFr=0.9, cTOFr=0.9 and 30 min after admission to the post anaesthesia care unit. Our primary objective will be to compare the effects of neostigmine and sugammadex on the recovery of muscle strength of different muscle groups in the early postoperative period when TOFr=0.9 and cTOFr=0.9. The secondary objective will be to observe the difference of muscle strength between the time points of TOFr=0.9 and cTOFr=0.9 to find out the clinical significance of cTOFr >0.9. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University. The findings will be disseminated to the public through peer-reviewed scientific journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2000033832.

Ce-based catalysts used in advanced oxidation processes for organic wastewater treatment: A review.

Refractory organic pollutants in water threaten human health and environmental safety, and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are effective for the degradation of these pollutants. Catalysts play vital role in AOPs, and Ce-based catalysts have exhibited excellent performance. Recently, the development and application of Ce-based catalysts in various AOPs have been reported. Our study conducts the first review in this rapid growing field. This paper clarifies the variety and properties of Ce-based catalysts. Their applications in different AOP systems (catalytic ozonation, photodegradation, Fenton-like reactions, sulfate radical-based AOPs, and catalytic sonochemistry) are discussed. Different Ce-based catalysts suit different reaction systems and produce different active radicals. Finally, future research directions of Ce-based catalysts in AOP systems are suggested.

miRNA-182/Deptor/mTOR axis regulates autophagy to reduce intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion injury.

It had been reported miR-182 was down-regulated after intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) damage. However, its role and potential mechanisms are still unknown. This study was aimed to elucidate the function of miR-182 in intestinal I/R injury and the underlying mechanisms. The model of intestinal injury was constructed in wild-type and Deptor knockout (KO) mice. Haematoxylin-eosin staining, Chiu's score and diamine oxidase were utilized to detect intestinal damage. RT-qPCR assay was used to detected miR-182 expression. Electronic microscopy was used to detect autophagosome. Western blot was applied to detect the expression of Deptor, S6/pS6, LC3-II/LC3-I and p62. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the relationship between miR-182 and Deptor. The results showed miR-182 was down-regulated following intestinal I/R. Up-regulation of miR-182 reduced intestinal damage, autophagy, Deptor expression and enhanced mTOR activity following intestinal I/R. Moreover, suppression of autophagy reduced intestinal damage and inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin aggravated intestinal damage following intestinal I/R. Besides, damage of intestine was reduced and mTOR activity was enhanced in Deptor KO mice. In addition, Deptor was the target gene of miR-182 and was indispensable for the protection of miR-182 on intestine under I/R condition. Together, our research implicated up-regulation of miR-182 inhibited autophagy to alleviate intestinal I/R injury via mTOR by targeting Deptor.

Synthesis of Spinel Ferrite MFe2O4 (M = Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn) for Persulfate Activation to Remove Aqueous Organics: Effects of M-Site Metal and Synthetic Method.

Metal species and synthetic method determine the characteristics of spinel ferrite MFe2O4. Herein, a series of MFe2O4 (M = Co, Cu, Mn, Zn) were synthesized to investigate the effect of M-site metal on persulfate activation for the removal of organics from aqueous solution. Results showed that M-site metal of MFe2O4 significantly influenced the catalytic persulfate oxidation of organics. The efficiency of the removal of organics using different MFe2O4 + persulfate systems followed the order of CuFe2O4 > CoFe2O4 > MnFe2O4 > ZnFe2O4. Temperature-programmed oxidation and cyclic voltammetry analyses indicated that M-site metal affected the catalyst reducibility, reversibility of M2+/M3+ redox couple, and electron transfer, and the strengths of these capacities were consistent with the catalytic performance. Besides, it was found that surface hydroxyl group was not the main factor affecting the reactivity of MFe2O4 in persulfate solution. Moreover, synthetic methods (sol-gel, solvothermal, and coprecipitation) for MFe2O4 were further compared. Characterization showed that sol-gel induced good purity, porous structure, large surface area, and favorable element chemical states for ferrite. Consequently, the as-synthesized CuFe2O4 showed better catalytic performance in the removal of organics (96.8% for acid orange 7 and 62.7% for diclofenac) along with good reusability compared with those obtained by solvothermal and coprecipitation routes. This work provides a deeper understanding of spinel ferrite MFe2O4 synthesis and persulfate activation.

MnCeOX with high efficiency and stability for activating persulfate to degrade AO7 and ofloxacin.

An efficient MnCeOx composite was successfully synthesized for activation of persulfate to degrade acid orange 7 (AO7) and ofloxacin. Pollutants degradation efficiencies with different catalytic systems were investigated. Results showed the performance of MnCeOx was better than MnOx, CeO2 and MnOx + CeO2. Thus, there was a clear synergistic effect (Se) between Mn and Ce in the composite, and the Se was 73.8% for AO7 and 39.6% for ofloxacin. In addition, AO7 removal fitted 1st order reaction while ofloxacin removal fitted 2nd order reaction in MnCeOx/persulfate system. Moreover, MnCeOx/persulfate system showed high efficiency in pH range of 5-9. Mechanism analysis showed that SO4- and OH on the surface of the catalyst were the main active species, and O2- also played an important role in pollutants degradation. Furthermore, MnCeOx showed high activity in actual water. Finally, the possible degradation pathway of ofloxacin was proposed according to the high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry result. Overall, this study provides an efficient and stable catalyst to activate persulfate to degrade refractory pollutants.

MnCeOx/diatomite catalyst for persulfate activation to degrade organic pollutants.

Persulfate (PS)-based oxidation technologies are attracting increasing attentions in water treatment due to their high efficiency and stability. In this study, a novel diatomite supported MnCeOx composite (MnCeOx/diatomite) was prepared and characterized for activation of PS to degrade organic pollutants. Results indicated that diatomite not only dispersed MnCeOx and increased the specific surface area of catalyst, but also improved the low-valence metal site (Mn2+ and Ce3+) and reactive oxygen species site (-OH) of MnCeOx, thus enhancing the activities of MnCeOx. MnCeOx/diatomite/PS showed high efficiency for multiple dyes and pharmaceutical pollutants. Constant rate (k) of MnCeOx/diatomite (kMnCeOx/diatomite) was three times higher than the sum of constant rate of MnCeOx (kMnCeOx) and constant rate of diatomite (kdiatomite). In addition, MnCeOx/diatomite showed wide pH application (5-9). Cl- and NO32- had no effect while SO42- and humid acid had slightly negative effects on MnCeOx/diatomite/PS system. Moreover, MnCeOx/diatomite showed good reusability and stability. Mechanism analyses indicated that electron transfer of Mn and Ce attributed to the activation of PS and oxygen to produce free radicals. SO4-, OH and O2- on the surface of catalyst were the main active free radicals to attack pollutants.

An efficient CuO-γFe2O3 composite activates persulfate for organic pollutants removal: Performance, advantages and mechanism.

CuO-γFe2O3 was fabricated as a novel and effective persulfate (PS) catalyst to remove bio-refractory organic pollutants. Characterization results showed that CuO-γFe2O3 possessed a relatively large surface area among transition metal oxides which provided favorable adsorption and activation sites for PS to degrade pollutants. There was an obvious synergy between CuO and γFe2O3 in the composite, which played 84.7% role in Acid orange 7 (AO7) removal. Under the optimal conditions (CuO-γFe2O3 dosage = 0.6 g L-1, PS dosage = 0.8 g L-1, unadjusted solution pH), almost complete AO7 was rapidly eliminated in 5 min. Moreover, the wide workable pH range (2-13), good stability (0.82 mg L-1 Cu leached, almost no Fe leached) and reusability (4 times) were the significant virtues of CuO-γFe2O3 for wastewater treatment. Besides, the reaction mechanism mainly based on the interaction among Cu(II/III) and Fe(II/III) species for sulfate radical (SO4-) generation was emphatically elucidated by the analyses of radicals, PS utilization, TOC removal and metal chemical states. Finally, CuO-γFe2O3+PS system displayed desirable removal of multiple organic pollutants with different molecular structures. In light of the prominent advantages of CuO-γFe2O3+PS, this work extended activated PS process in treating refractory organic wastewater.

Inhibition of Autophagy Attenuated Intestinal Injury After Intestinal I/R via mTOR Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a grave condition related to high morbidity and mortality. Autophagy, which can induce a new cell death named type II programmed cell death, has been reported in some intestinal diseases, but little is known in I/R-induced intestinal injury. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of autophagy in intestinal injury induced by I/R and its potential mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats pretreated with rapamycin or 3-methyladenine had intestinal I/R injury. After reperfusion, intestinal injury was measured by Chiu's score, intestinal mucosal wet-to-dry ratio, and lactic acid level. Intestinal mucosal oxidative stress level was measured by malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase. Autophagosome, LC3, and p62 were detected to evaluate autophagy level. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was detected to explore potential mechanism. RESULTS: Chiu's score, intestinal mucosal wet-to-dry ratio, lactic acid level, malondialdehyde level, autophagosomes, and LC3-II/LC3-I were significantly increased, and superoxide dismutase level and expression of p62 were significantly decreased in intestinal mucosa after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion. Pretreatment with rapamycin significantly aggravated intestinal injury evidenced by increased Chiu's score, intestinal mucosal wet-to-dry ratio and lactic acid level, increased autophagy level evidenced by increased autophagosomes and LC3-II/LC3-I and decreased expression of p62, and downregulated expression of p-mTOR/mTOR. On the contrary, pretreatment with 3-methyladenine significantly attenuated intestinal injury and autophagy level and upregulated expression of p-mTOR/mTOR. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, autophagy was significantly enhanced in intestinal mucosa after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion, and inhibition of autophagy attenuated intestinal injury induced by I/R through activating mTOR signaling.

Natural deep eutectic solvents couple with integrative extraction technique as an effective approach for mulberry anthocyanin extraction.

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have been growing interest as an alternative to the traditional organic solvents. They not only have the merit of high efficiency but also have the possibility to readily applicable to pharmaceutical and food applications. In the present study, NADES with high-speed homogenization and cavitation-burst extraction (HSH-CBE) was performed on fresh mulberry for anthocyanins extraction. The extraction conditions were statistically investigated by Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and Box-Behnken design (BBD). The optimal conditions were obtained as follows: chloride-citric acid-glucose formed a NADES with the mole ratio of 1:1:1, 30% water content, liquid-solid ratio 22 mL/g, homogenization time 60 s, homogenization speed 12,000 rpm, extraction time 30 min, negative pressure -0.08 MPa and extraction two times. The total maximum extraction of anthocyanins reached 6.05 mg/g fresh weight, which was 1.24 folds to those by the traditional organic solvents extraction. Moreover, NADES exhibited higher stability of anthocyanins extraction than traditional organic solvents, which was benefit for the analysis and preservation of anthocyanins. Consequently, this result revealed that the developed method could be taken as a sustainable, green and effective approach for anthocyanins extraction.

Diallyl trisulfide inhibits proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis of glioma cells by inactivating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling.

Aberrant activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling leads to increased cell proliferation and survival and promotes the development of various human tumors, including glioma, one of the most common primary brain tumors. The treatment efficacy of many anticancer drugs remains limited or unsatisfactory and it is urgently necessary to develop effective and low-toxicity anticancer drugs or strategies, especially for glioma. Here, we report that diallyl trisulfide suppresses survival, migration, invasion and angiogenesis in glioma cells. These effects were associated with inhibition of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling cascade, which was accompanied by decreased expression of LRP6, TRIM29 and Pygo2. A dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that DATS treatment decreased TCF/LEF-mediated transcription. Finally, a nude mouse tumorigenicity model was used to examine the biological effect of diallyl trisulfide in vivo. Consistent with the previous results, diallyl trisulfide inhibited proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis in glioma cells by suppressing Wnt/ß-catenin signaling.

Lithium Treatment Prevents Apoptosis in Neonatal Rat Hippocampus Resulting from Sevoflurane Exposure.

We aimed to observe the therapeutic effects of lithium on inhalational anesthetic sevoflurane-induced apoptosis in immature brain hippocampus. From postnatal day 5 (P5) to P28, male Sprague-Dawley pups were intraperitoneally injected with lithium chloride or 0.9 % sodium chloride. On P7 after the injection, pups were exposed to 2.3 % sevoflurane or air for 6 h. Brain tissues were harvested 12 h and 3 weeks after exposure. Cleaved caspase-3, nNOS protein, GSK-3ß,p-GSK-3ß were assessed by Western blot, and histopathological changes were assessed using Nissl stain and TUNEL stain. From P28, we used the eight-arm radial maze test and step-through test to evaluate the influence of sevoflurane exposure on the learning and memory of juvenile rats. The results showed that neonatal sevoflurane exposure induced caspase-3 activation and histopathological changes in hippocampus can be attenuated by lithium chloride. Sevoflurane increased GSK-3ß activity while pretreatment of lithium decreased GSK-3ß activity. Moreover, sevoflurane showed possibly slight but temporal influence on the spatial learning and the memory of juvenile rats, and chronic use of lithium chloride might have the therapeutic effect. Our current study suggests that lithium attenuates sevoflurane induced neonatal hippocampual damage by GSK-3ß pathway and might improve learning and memory deficits in rats after neonatal exposure.

Propofol-induced rhabdomyolysis: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of propofol-induced rhabdomyolysis. In this case, widespread myolysis was detected after induction of anesthesia. CASE SUMMARY: A 54-year-old female patient was scheduled for a hysterectomy. Beginning shortly after the induction of anesthesia with propofol, several episodes of ventricular fibrillation occurred. Despite intensive care, the patient failed to recover. During most episodes of ventricular fibrillation, marked hyperthermia or hyperkalemia were not observed. Unexplained, widespread myolysis affecting both skeletal and cardiac muscle was observed at autopsy. DISCUSSION: In this patient, the evidence for rhabdomyolysis is robust. Clinical characteristics are similar to those observed in propofol infusion syndrome. The absence of a body temperature over 40 °C precludes the possibility of malignant hyperthermia. Widespread rhabdomyolysis locations cannot be explained by precordial electric shocks. Propofol is the only drug used in this case that has been reported to induce rhabodomyolysis. CONCLUSIONS: Signs of propofol-induced rhabdomyolysis may be different from those of malignant hyperthermia. Even a regular induction dose of propofol for adults could possibly trigger rhabdomyolysis similar to what is observed in children diagnosed with propofol infusion syndrome. Though rare, care should still be taken when administering propofol.

Pcdh11x Negatively Regulates Dendritic Branching.

Proper formation of neuronal dendritic branching is crucial for correct brain function. The number and distribution of receptive synaptic contacts are defined by the size and shape of dendritic arbors. Our previous research found that protocadherin 11 X-linked protein (Pcdh11x) is predominantly expressed in neurons and has an influence on dendritic branching. In this study, gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments revealed that Pcdh11x acts as a negative regulator of dendritic branching in cultured cortical neurons derived from embryonic day 16 mice. Overexpression of wild-type Pcdh11x (Pcdh11x-GFP) reduced dendritic complexity, whereas knockdown of Pcdh11x increased dendritic branching. It was further demonstrated that Pcdh11x activates PI3K/AKT signaling to negatively regulate dendritic branching.

Sevoflurane-induced down-regulation of hippocampal oxytocin and arginine vasopressin impairs juvenile social behavioral abilities.

Cumulative evidence indicates that early childhood anesthesia can alter a child's future behavioral performance. Animal researchers have found that sevoflurane, the most commonly used anesthetic for children, can produce damage in the neonatal brains of rodents. To further investigate this phenomenon, we focused on the influence of sevoflurane anesthesia on the development of juvenile social behavioral abilities and the pro-social proteins oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the neonatal hippocampus. A single 6-h sevoflurane exposure for postnatal day 5 mice resulted in decreased OT and AVP messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in the hippocampus. OT and AVP proteins became sparsely distributed in the dorsal hippocampus after the exposure to sevoflurane. Compared with the air-treated group, mice in the sevoflurane-treated group showed signs of impairment in social recognition memory formation and social discrimination ability. Sevoflurane anesthesia reduces OT and AVP activities in the neonatal hippocampus and impairs social recognition memory formation and social discrimination ability in juvenile mice.