Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor α7 Subunit Is an Essential Regulator of Seizure Susceptibility.

A large body of data has confirmed that α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play a pivotal role in cognition, memory, and other neuropsychiatric diseases, but their effect on seizure susceptibility in C57BL/6 wild-type mice is not fully understood. Here, we showed that decreased activity of α7 nAChRs could increase the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons and shorten the onset time of epilepsy in pilocarpine-induced mouse models. However, compared with the control group, there was no apparent effect of increasing the activity of α7 nAChRs. Moreover, the expression of α7 nAChRs is downregulated in human epileptogenic tissues. Taken together, our findings indicate that α7 nAChR is an essential regulator of seizure susceptibility.

[Sorption of o-Phthalate onto Calcite in Open-System].

The batch sorption methods were deployed to study the sorpti of p-phthalate on calcite in open-system. Results show that: (1) The o-phthalate sorption reached the equilibrium within 3 hours. Both pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order models described the kinetic characteristics well; (2) The o-phthalate sorption rate decreased with pH (7. 7-9.7). This phenomenon was due to the competition effect of HCO3- and CO(3)2-, and the electrostatic effect on the surface; (3) The o-phthalate sorption rate also decreased with the increase in ionic strength. This was due to the rise in concentration of HCO3- and CO(3)2- induced by salt effect; (4) Compared with m-phthalate and p-phthalate, o-phthalate sorption rate was much higher due to the proximity of its two carboxyl groups which easily formed a chelate ring of surface complex. By studying the factors that influence o-phthalate sorption onto calcite, the sorption mechanism can be well understood. This mechanism can be applied in the removal of o-phthalate from the environment.

[Removal of Phosphate by Calcite in Open-System].

Batch methods were deployed to study the removal of phosphate by calcite in an open-system. Results showed that: (1) The pre-equilibrium process of calcite in open system could be achieved within 24 hours (2) The kinetic results showed that, at initial concentration of 0.5 mg · L⁻¹, the phosphate removal was almost completed within 10 hours of the first phase. The observation may be attributed to surface adsorption. At initial concentration of 2.5 mg · L⁻¹, the phosphate removal was mainly carried out by the precipitation of phosphate at later stage of the process; (3) At initial concentration of ≤ 2.5 mg · L⁻¹ setting 10 h as reaction time, the phosphate removal process was described well by the Langmuir model. It is hypothesized that surface adsorption was the principal removal way of phosphate; (4) With the addition of phthalate, at initial concentration of < 2.5 mg · L⁻¹, the phosphate removal rate experienced a small decrease. That was because phosphate was mainly removed by surface adsorption, and thus, phthalate was a competitor to phosphate for the same adsorption site. The phosphate removal rate increased a little at initial concentration of > 2.5 mg · L⁻¹, this was because the phosphate precipitation was reinforced by the increase of calcium concentration, which was caused by phthalate addition.