Long-bonding and bonding nature in noble gas insertion compounds MNgBY of transition metal-boron bond.

The nature of inert gas bonding has always been an important topic. The bonds of noble gases cover the entire range of chemical bonds, from the weakest van der Waals forces, to non-covalent interactions, and to covalent bonds. Two types of methods were used to investigate the properties of chemical bonds in the inert gas inserted compound MNgBY with the transition metal M = Cu/Ag/Au and substituents Y = O/S/NH, one based on orbital analysis and the other based on electron density analysis. The NBO/NRT analysis shows that in these compounds there exists long-bonding striding the noble gas between the transitional metal and boron, similar to the noble gas insertion compounds HNgX of hydrohalide, and so a three-center four-electron bond exists among the M-Ng-B part. The electron density analyses show that the M-Ng bond between the metal Cu/Ag/Au and noble gas and the Ng-B bond in the Cu/Ag compounds are partial covalent but the Ng-B bond in Au compounds is a typical covalent bond. The large relativistic effects of Au cause the bonds in Au compounds shorter and stronger than the bonds in Ag/Cu compounds. The properties of the M-Ng and Ng-B bonds are not affected by substituents Y, but the bond lengths are sensitive to substituents.

Agranulocytosis following injection of inactivated Japanese encephalitis vaccine (Vero cell): A case report.

BACKGROUND: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito borne flavivirus, is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia, in terms of frequency and severity. JEV infection is thought to confer lifelong immunity. With the near eradication of poliomyelitis, JEV is now the continent's leading cause of childhood viral neurologic infection and disability. The most common clinical manifestation of JEV infection is acute encephalitis, and currently there is no specific antiviral therapy. Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine (JE-VC) is an effective prevention measure, including JE-VC, Live (JE-MB), and Inactivated JE-VC. CASE SUMMARY: A 9-mo-old girl received injection of Inactivated JE-VC (Vero cell) (Liaoning Chengda, batch number 201611B17) on August 31, 2017. On that night, she developed a fever with the body temperature up to 38.5 °C, for which Ibuprofen Suspension Drops 1.25 mL was given as antipyretic treatment. On September 1, the patient developed apocleisis, and her parents noticed herpes in her oral cavity. The patient was sent to our hospital on September 3. Physical examination led to a diagnosis of herpetic stomatitis, for which Stomatitis Spray 1 puff, tid, Kangfuxin Liquid 2 mL, tid, and vitamin B2 0.5 tablet, tid, were prescribed. Routine blood tests for low fever on September 6, 2017 revealed an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 0.62 × 109/L, hemoglobin (Hb) of 109 g/L, and platelet count (PLT) of 308 × 1012/L, and the tests were monitored regularly thereafter. The patient was followed until July 26, 2020, when routine blood tests revealed ANC 1.72 × 109/L, Hb 138 g/L, and PLT 309 × 1012/L, indicating that the neutropenia count had normalized. CONCLUSION: This report attempts to bring to clinical attention that Inactivated JE-VC (Vero cell) might cause prolonged granulocytopenia or even agranulocytosis.

[Lamotrigine monotherapy in children with epilepsy: a systematic review].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of lamotrigine monotherapy in children with epilepsy via a systematic review. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane, CNKI, VIP, CBM, Wanfang Data were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of lamotrigine monotherapy in children with epilepsy. Literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed according to the method recommended by Cochrane Collaboration. RevMan 5.2 software was used to conduct the Meta analysis. RESULTS: A total of 9 RCTs involving 1 016 participants were included. Lamotrigine yielded a significantly lower complete control rate of seizure than ethosuximide, but the complete control rate of seizure showed no significant differences between lamotrigine and carbamazepine/sodium valproate. Patients treated with lamotrigine had a significantly lower incidence rate of adverse events than those treated with carbamazepine, but the incidence rate of adverse events showed no significant differences between patients treated with lamotrigine and sodium valproate/carbamazepine. The drop-out rate showed no significant differences between the three treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Lamotrigine is an ideal alternative drug for children who do not respond to traditional antiepileptic medication or experience significant adverse reactions; however, more high-quality RCTs with a large sample size and a long follow-up time are needed to confirm these conclusions.

[Preliminary study on pro-apoptotic gene BAD of Schistosoma japonicum].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the characteristics of pro-apoptotic gene SjBAD of Schistosoma japonicum, such as its biology, immunology, and transcriptional expression, and evaluate its potential of the recombinant protein as a vaccine candidate for schistosomiasis. METHODS: SjBAD was amplified by PCR and subeloned into a pET-28a(+) vector, and the recombinant plasmid was transformed into competent E. coli BL21 for producing recombinant protein. The expressions of SjBAD in different development stages of schistosomula and 42-day male and female worms were determined by real-time PCR. The immunogenicity of the recombinant protein was analyzed by Western blotting and ELISA. The potential of this protein as a vaccine candidate molecule was assessed by testing the worm reduction rate and liver egg reduction rate in the BALB/c mice immunized by the recombinant antigen SjBAD. RESULTS: SjBAD was successfully cloned, the recombinant plasmid pET-28a(+)-SjBAD was successfully expressed in E. coli, and the molecular weight of the recombinant protein was around 22 kDa. Western-blotting showed that the recombinant protein had good immunogenicity. The recombinant protein could induce high level of specific IgG antibodies in the BALB/c mice. SjBAD was expressed in all tested 7-, 14-, 21-, 28-, 35- and 42-day worms, and was highly expressed in 14-day schistosomula, while the expression level in 42-day male worms was higher than that in 42-day female worms. Two in- dependent animal trials showed that 30.82% and 27.87% worm reduction rates, as well as 42.52% and 45.84% liver eggs reduction rates were obtained in the rSjBAD vaccinated group compared with those of the blank control group (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The proapoptotic gene SjBAD is successfully cloned and expressed. The gene is expressed in different development stages of S. japonicum. The rSjBAD vaccinated BALB/c mice can obtain a partial protective immunity against S. japonicum infection.

Topiramate for Tourette's syndrome in children: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of topiramate for children with Tourette syndrome. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials evaluating topiramate for children with Tourette syndrome were identified from the Cochrane library, PubMed, Cochrane Central, Embase, CBM, CNKI, VIP, WANG FANG database, and relevant reference lists. Two reviewers independently selected trials, assessed trial quality, and extracted the data. Disagreement was resolved by discussion. Quality assessment referred to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (version 5.0.1.). RESULTS: Fourteen trials involving 1003 patients were included, of which 720 cases were male (71.8%). Ages were 2 to 17 years old. The general quality of included randomized controlled trials was poor. All trials were positive drug-controlled (12 randomized controlled trials used haloperidol as control, 2 used tiapride). The follow-up period was from 20 days to 12 months. Meta-analysis of 3 trials (n = 207), in which tics symptoms control was assessed by Yale Global Tic Severity Scale, suggested that there was significant difference in the mean change of Yale Global Tic Severity Scale score during the treatment period (mean difference = -7.74, 95% CI [-10.49, -4.99], I(2) = 0) between topiramate and control groups. Meta-analysis of 9 trials (n = 668) evaluating tics symptoms control ≥ 50% suggested that there was no significant difference in reduction of tics between topiramate and control group during the treatment period (relative ratio = 1.36, 95% CI [0.90, 2.06], I(2) = 0). Adverse events were reported in 13 trials. Drowsiness (3.3-16%), loss of appetite (4-16.7%), cognitive dysfunction (7.89-12.5%), and weight loss (6-10.5%) were common adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence is promising but not yet sufficient to support the routine use of topiramate for Tourette syndrome in children due to low quality of the study designs. It deserves to confirm in further high-quality, placebo-controlled trials.

Remifentanil preconditioning reduces hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats via inducible nitric oxide synthase expression.

BACKGROUND: Opioid preconditioning against ischemia reperfusion injury has been well studied in myocardial and neuronal tissues. The objective of this study was to determine whether remifentanil could attenuate hepatic injury and to investigate the mechanisms. METHODS: A rat model of hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury and a hepatocyte hypoxia reoxygenation (HR) injury model were used, respectively, in two series of experiments. Remifentanil was administered before ischemia or hypoxia and the experiments were repeated with previous administration of naloxone, L-arginine and N-ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist, a nitric oxide donor, and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, respectively. Serum aminotransferase, cytokines, and hepatic lipid peroxidation were measured. Histopathology examination and apoptotic cell detection were assessed. For the in vitro study, cell viability, intracellular nitric oxide, apoptosis, and NOS expression were evaluated. RESULTS: Remifentanil and L-arginine pretreatment reduced concentrations of serum aminotransferases and cytokines, decreased the concentrations of hepatic malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase activity, and increased superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, and inducible NOS expression in vivo. Decreased histologic damage and apoptosis were also seen in these two groups. These changes were prevented by previous administration of N-ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester but not naloxone. There was an increase in inducible NOS protein expression but not endogenous NOS in remifentanil and L-arginine pretreated groups compared with control, naloxone, and N-ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester groups. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with remifentanil can attenuate liver injury both in vivo and in vitro. Inducible NOS but not opioid receptors partly mediate this effect by exhausting reactive oxygen species and attenuating the inflammatory response.

Downregulation of GABAB receptors in the spinal cord dorsal horn in diabetic neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathic pain is a common clinical problem and remains difficult to treat with classic analgesics. Spinal dorsal horn neurons are important in mediating nociceptive signaling, and the hyperactivity of these neurons is critical in diabetic neuropathy. In this study, we determined the GABA(B) receptor expression level in dorsal horn neurons in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats by using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses. Mean blood glucose concentrations were significantly higher and the paw withdrawal threshold was significantly lower in STZ-treated rats than in saline-treated rats. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the GABA(B) receptor was extensively expressed in the spinal dorsal horn neurons. The GABA(B1) mRNA level decreased in a time-dependent manner in STZ-treated rats compared with saline-treated controls. Furthermore, the protein expression level revealed by western blot analysis was lower in STZ-treated rats than in saline-treated rats. These data suggest that GABA(B) receptors are downregulated in the spinal dorsal horn in this model of STZ-induced diabetic neuropathic pain. The reduction of GABA(B) expression may contribute to the hyperactivity of spinal dorsal horn neurons and diabetic neuropathic pain.

Interfacial properties of methane/aqueous VC-713 solution under hydrate formation conditions.

The interfacial tensions between methane and aqueous solutions of different contents of VC-713 (a terpolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone, N-vinylcaprolactam, and dimethylamino-ethyl-methacrylate) were measured at different temperatures and pressures in the hydrate formation region. The surface adsorption free energies of methane were calculated accordingly in order to investigate the effect of this kinetic inhibitor on the nucleation of hydrate. The results show that the presence of VC-713 lowers the interfacial tension, increasing the concentration of methane on the surface of the aqueous phase, and thus promotes nucleation of hydrate at the gas/liquid interface. Additionally, the measured interfacial tension data suggest that VC-713 tends not to form micelles in water. Subsequently, the lateral growth rate of hydrate film on the surface of a methane bubble suspended in the aqueous phase was measured at different pressures to investigate the effect of VC-713 on the growth of hydrate. The results show that the lateral growth rate of hydrate film from aqueous VC-713 solution is much lower than that from pure water, demonstrating that VC-713 significantly inhibits the hydrate growth. The mechanism of the inhibition is also discussed.