Electroacupuncture of 2 Hz Has a Rewarding Effect: Evidence from a Conditioned Place Preference Study in Rats

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been used to suppress heroin craving in addicts and the conditioned place preference (CPP) for morphine in the rat. The question remained whether EA by itself will produce some rewarding effect. This was investigated using the CPP procedure in the present study. The results indicated that rats showed a significant preference to the 2 Hz EA-paired compartment. This rewarding effect of EA was prevented by pre-treatment with the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone [2 mg kg−1, intraperitoneally (i.p.)], CB1 cannabinoid antagonist AM251 (3 μg per rat, intracerebroventricularly) or D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 (0.1 mg kg−1, i.p.), respectively. TempspacetempspaceIt is concluded that 2 Hz EA is capable of inducing CPP in the rat via the activation of the endogenous opioid-, cannabinoid- and dopamine-systems

3-Carboxy­pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthrolin-9-ium-2-carboxyl­ate

In the title zwitterionic compound, C16H8N4O4, the dihedral angle between the carboxyl and carboxyl­ate groups is 72.14 (2)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by strong inter­molecular O—H⋯O− and N+—H⋯O− hydrogen bonds into double chains extended along [001]. These chains are additionally stabilized by π–π stacking inter­actions between the pyridine and benzene rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.5542 (8) Å]

Large-scale Kinetic Simulations of Colliding Plasmas within a Hohlraum of Indirect Drive Inertial Confinement Fusions

The National Ignition Facility has recently achieved successful burning plasma and ignition using the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) approach. However, there are still many fundamental physics phenomena that are not well understood, including the kinetic processes in the hohlraum. Shan et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett, 120, 195001, 2018] utilized the energy spectra of neutrons to investigate the kinetic colliding plasma in a hohlraum of indirect drive ICF. However, due to the typical large spatial-temporal scales, this experiment could not be well simulated by using available codes at that time. Utilizing our advanced high-order implicit PIC code, LAPINS, we were able to successfully reproduce the experiment on a large scale of both spatial and temporal dimensions, in which the original computational scale was increased by approximately 7 to 8 orders of magnitude. When gold plasmas expand into deuterium plasmas, a kinetic shock is generated and propagates within deuterium plasmas. Simulations allow us to observe the entire progression of a strong shock wave, including its initial formation and steady propagation. Although both electrons and gold ions are collisional (on a small scale compared to the shock wave), deuterium ions seem to be collisionless. This is because a quasi-monoenergetic spectrum of deuterium ions can be generated by reflecting ions from the shock front, which then leads to the production of neutrons with unusual broadening due to beam-target nuclear reactions. This work displays an unprecedented kinetic analysis of an existing experiment, shedding light on the mechanisms behind shock wave formation. It also serves as a reference for benchmark simulations of upcoming new simulation codes and may be relevant for future research on mixtures and entropy increments at plasma interfaces

Orexin-Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor Heteromers in the Ventral Tegmental Area as Targets for Cocaine

Release of the neuropeptides corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and orexin-A in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) play an important role in stress-induced cocaine-seeking behavior. We provide evidence for pharmacologically significant interactions between CRF and orexin-A that depend on oligomerization of CRF1 receptor (CRF1R) and orexin OX1 receptors (OX1R). CRF1R–OX1R heteromers are the conduits of a negative crosstalk between orexin-A and CRF as demonstrated in transfected cells and rat VTA, in which they significantly modulate dendritic dopamine release. The cocaine target σ1 receptor (σ1R) also associates with the CRF1R–OX1R heteromer. Cocaine binding to the σ1R–CRF1R–OX1R complex promotes a long-term disruption of the orexin-A–CRF negative crosstalk. Through this mechanism, cocaine sensitizes VTA cells to the excitatory effects of both CRF and orexin-A, thus providing a mechanism by which stress induces cocaine seeking

Improved colonic inflammation by nervonic acid via inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway of DSS-induced colitis mice

Background: Nervonic acid (C24:1Δ15, 24:1 ω-9, cis-tetracos-15-enoic acid; NA), a long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid, plays an essential role in prevention of metabolic diseases, and immune regulation, and has anti-inflammatory properties. As a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease, ulcerative colitis (UC) can affect the large intestine. The influences of NA on UC are largely unknown. Purpose: The present study aimed to decipher the anti-UC effect of NA in the mouse colitis model. Specifically, we wanted to explore whether NA can regulate the levels of inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 cells and mouse colitis model. Methods: To address the above issues, the RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), then the inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) were detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The therapeutic effects of NA for UC were evaluated using C57BL/6 mice gavaged dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Myeloperoxidase (MPO) kit assay, ELISA, immunofluorescence assay, and LC-MS/MS were used to assess histological changes, MPO levels, inflammatory factors release, expression and distribution of intestinal tight junction (TJ) protein ZO-1, and metabolic pathways, respectively. The levels of proteins involved in the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway in the UC were investigated by western blotting and RT-qPCR. Results: In vitro experiments verified that NA could reduce inflammatory response and inhibit the activation of key signal pathways associated with inflammation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Further, results from the mouse colitis model suggested that NA could restore intestinal barrier function and suppress NF-κB signal pathways to ameliorate DSS-induced colitis. In addition, untargeted metabolomics analysis of NA protection against UC found that NA protected mice from colitis by regulating citrate cycle, amino acid metabolism, pyrimidine and purine metabolism. Conclusion: These results suggested that NA could ameliorate the secretion of inflammatory factors, suppress the NF-κB signaling pathway, and protect the integrity of colon tissue, thereby having a novel role in prevention or treatment therapy for UC. This work for the first time indicated that NA might be a potential functional food ingredient for preventing and treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).National Key Research and Development, China | Ref. 2021YFE0109200Universidade de Vigo/CISUGThe Provincial Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of Shandong | Ref. 2022TZXD0029The Provincial Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of Shandong | Ref. 2022TZXD0032The Provincial Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of Shandong | Ref. 2021SFGC0904The Provincial Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of Shandong | Ref. 2021TZX D004The Natural Science Foundation of Shandong | Ref. ZR2020MH401The Natural Science Foundation of Shandong | Ref. ZR2021QH351National Wheat Industry Technology System of China | Ref. CARS-03–2