Lipopolysaccharide-induced depression-like model in mice: meta-analysis and systematic evaluation.

Depression is a complex and biologically heterogeneous disorder. Recent studies have shown that central nervous system (CNS) inflammation plays a key role in the development of depression. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like model in mice is commonly used to studying the mechanisms of inflammation-associated depression and the therapeutic effects of drugs. Numerous LPS-induced depression-like models in mice exist and differ widely in animal characteristics and methodological parameters. Here, we systematically reviewed studies on PubMed from January 2017 to July 2022 and performed cardinal of 170 studies and meta-analyses of 61 studies to support finding suitable animal models for future experimental studies on inflammation-associated depression. Mouse strains, LPS administration, and behavioral outcomes of these models have been assessed. In the meta-analysis, forced swimming test (FST) was used to evaluate the effect size of different mouse strains and LPS doses. The results revealed large effect sizes in ICR and Swiss mice, but less heterogeneity in C57BL/6 mice. For LPS intraperitoneal dose, the difference did not affect behavioral outcomes in C57BL/6 mice. However, in ICR mice, the most significant effect on behavioral outcomes was observed after the injection of 0.5 mg/kg LPS. Our results suggests that mice strains and LPS administration play a key role in the evaluation of behavioral outcomes in such models.

Therapeutic potential of aromatic plant extracts in Alzheimer's disease: Comprehensive review of their underlying mechanisms.

AIMS: The aim of this review is to outline recent advancements in the application and mechanistic studies of aromatic plant extracts in Alzhermer`s disease (AD) to demonstrate their value in the management of this disease. BACKGROUND: AD is a neurodegenerative disease with a complex pathogenesis characterized by severe cognitive impairment. Currently, there are very few drugs available for the treatment of AD, and treatments are primarily focused on symptom relief. Aromatherapy is a traditional complementary alternative therapy that focuses on the prevention and treatment of the disease through the inhalation or transdermal administration of aromatic plant extracts. Over the past few years, studies on the use of aromatic plant extracts for the treatment of AD have been increasing and have demonstrated a definitive therapeutic effect. METHODS: We systematically summarized in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies focusing on the potential use of aromatic plant extracts in the treatment of AD in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure from 2000 to 2022. RESULTS: Our literature survey indicates that aromatic plant extracts exert anti-AD effects by modulating pathological changes through anti-amyloid, anti-tau phosphorylation, anti-cholinesterase, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidative stress mechanisms (Figure 1). CONCLUSION: This review provides a future strategy for the research of novel anti-AD drugs from aromatic plant extracts.

[Value of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase combined with direct bilirubin in the diagnosis of biliary atresia in infants].

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) combined with direct bilirubin (DB) in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. METHODS: A total of 667 infants with cholestasis who were hospitalized and treated from July 2010 to December 2018 were enrolled as subjects. According to the results of intraoperative cholangiography and follow-up, they were divided into biliary atresia group with 234 infants and cholestasis group with 433 infants. The two groups were compared in terms of age of onset, sex, and serum levels of total bilirubin (TB), DB, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bile acid (TBA), and GGT. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for indices with statistical significance, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and the optimal cut-off value for diagnosis were calculated. RESULTS: The biliary atresia group had a significantly younger age of onset than the cholestasis group (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in sex, ALT, and AST between the two groups (P>0.05), while the biliary atresia group had significantly higher serum levels of TB, DB, TBA, and GGT than the cholestasis group (P<0.05). GGT combined with DB had the highest AUC of 0.892 (95% confidence interval: 0.868-0.916) in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. At the optimal cut-off values of 324.0 U/L for GGT and 115.1 µmmol/L for DB, GGT combined with DB had a sensitivity of 79.8% and a specificity of 83.2% in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. CONCLUSIONS: GGT combined with DB has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of biliary atresia and can be used as an effective indicator for diagnosis of biliary atresia in infants.

Atmospheric mercury inputs in montane soils increase with elevation: evidence from mercury isotope signatures.

The influence of topography on the biogeochemical cycle of mercury (Hg) has received relatively little attention. Here, we report the measurement of Hg species and their corresponding isotope composition in soil sampled along an elevational gradient transect on Mt. Leigong in subtropical southwestern China. The data are used to explain orography-related effects on the fate and behaviour of Hg species in montane environments. The total- and methyl-Hg concentrations in topsoil samples show a positive correlation with elevation. However, a negative elevation dependence was observed in the mass-dependent fractionation (MDF) and mass-independent fractionation (MIF) signatures of Hg isotopes. Both a MIF (Δ(199)Hg) binary mixing approach and the traditional inert element method indicate that the content of Hg derived from the atmosphere distinctly increases with altitude.

Dibromido[(1R,2R,NS)-N-(pyridin-2-ylmeth-yl)cyclo-hexane-1,2-diamine-κN,N',N'']cadmium.

In the title compound, [CdBr(2)(C(12)H(19)N(3))], the Cd(II) atom is coordinated by the three N atoms of the (1R,2R)-N-(pyridin-2-ylmeth-yl)cyclo-hexane-1,2-diamine ligand and a bromide ion in the basal plane, and by a second bromide in the apical position. The coordination environment can be described as distorted square pyramidal. The coordination of the enanti-o-pure ligand to the metal atom renders the central N atom chiral with an S configuration, so the complex is enanti-omerically pure and corresponds to the S,R,R diastereoisomer. In the crystal, the mol-ecules are linked via weak N-H⋯Br hydrogen bonds into a chain parallel to the b axis.

A new abietane diterpene from Glyptostrobus pensilis.

A new abietane diterpene, glypensin A (1) and four known compounds, 12-acetoxy-ent-labda-8(17), 13E-dien-15-oic acid (2), quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinofuranoside (3), quercetin 3-O-ß-D-galactopyranoside (4), ß-sitosterol (5) were isolated from the branches and leaves of Glyptostrobus pensilis (Staut.) Koch. Their structures were determined by MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR means. Compound 1 showed cytotoxicity on human chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562 (IC(50) = 21.2µM).

Modeling the driving forces of the land use and land cover changes along the upper Yangtze river of China.

Induced by high population density, rapid but uneven economic growth, and historic resource exploitation, China's upper Yangtze basin has witnessed remarkable changes in land use and cover, which have resulted in severe environmental consequences, such as flooding, soil erosion, and habitat loss. This article examines the causes of land use and land cover change (LUCC) along the Jinsha River, one primary section of the upper Yangtze, aiming to better understand the human impact on the dynamic LUCC process and to support necessary policy actions for more sustainable land use and environmental protection. Using a repeated cross-sectional dataset covering 31 counties over four time periods from 1975 to 2000, we develop a fractional logit model to empirically determine the effects of socioeconomic and institutional factors on changes for cropland, forestland, and grassland. It is shown that population expansion, food self-sufficiency, and better market access drove cropland expansion, while industrial development contributed significantly to the increase of forestland and the decrease of other land uses. Similarly, stable tenure had a positive effect on forest protection. Moreover, past land use decisions were less significantly influenced by distorted market signals. We believe that these and other findings carry important policy implications.

[Induction of non-disjunction of chromosome 8 by Tripterygium hypoglaucum (Lévl.) Hutch in mouse sperm].

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was employed to detect non-disjunction of chromosome 8 during meiosis in young adult male mice after treated by Tripterygium hypoglaucum(Lévl.) Hutch(THH). The Kunming male mice were given THH(120 mg/kg, 240 mg/kg, 480 mg/kg) by abdominal cavity injection, and sacrificed 22 days sfter the treatment of THH. Epididymis sperm was used to make smear. FISH using bio-16-dUTP-labelled DNA probes specific for chromosome 8 was performed on epididymal sperm decondensed for 60 min each in 10 mmol/L DTT and 4 mmol/L LIS. The aneuploidy frequencies of chromosome 8 were significantly higher than the solvent control (P < 0.001) in both 240 mg/kg group and 480 mg/kg group. The aneuploidy frequencies were not significantly different between the sperm in 120 mg/kg group and the solvent control (P > 0.05). It is concluded that THH could induce non-disjunction of chromosome 8 in mouse sperm, and THH is a potential germinal aneugen in mammalian during the meiosis.