Hypaconitine confers protection on ketamine-induced neuronal injury in neonatal rat brain via a mechanism involving PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway

Purpose: To investigate the neuroprotective effect of hypaconitine against ketamine-induced neuronal injury in the brains of neonatal rats, and the underlying mechanism of action. Methods: Seven day-old Sprague-Dawley pups weighing 15.0 to 20.0 g (mean weight = 17.5 ± 2.5 g), and aged 7 days were used for this study. The pups were sacrificed, and their forebrains isolated and used to prepare cell suspensions. The isolated cells were treated with ketamine (100 µM) or varied concentrations of hypaconitine (0.1 – 2 µM) or LY294002 (10 µM). The cells were trypsinized and cultured at 37 °C in 10 % fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplemented Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) in a humidified incubator containing 5 % CO2. Cell viability was determined using MTT assay, while TUNEL assay was used to determine the extent of apoptosis in the cells. The expressions of pAkt, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were determined using Western blotting. Results: There were only few viable cells in the ketamine-treated group, and cell viability was significantly and dose-dependently increased in hypaconitine-treated groups (p < 0.05). The extent of apoptosis was significantly higher in ketamine-treated cells than in control cells, but treatment with hypaconitine significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells (p < 0.05). However, in the presence of LY294002 (a PI3K-specific inhibitor), the effect of hypaconitine on neuronal cell apoptosis was significantly reversed (p < 0.05). The expressions of p-Akt and Bcl-2 were significantly down-regulated while the expression of caspase-3 was significantly upregulated in ketamine-treated neuronal cells, when compared with control group (p < 0.05). However, in cells treated with hypaconitine, the expressions of p-Akt and Bcl-2 were significantly upregulated, while the expression of caspase-3 was significantly down-regulated (p < 0.05). Treatment of neuronal cells with hypaconitine in the presence of LY294002 significantly reversed the effect of hypaconitine on the expressions of p-Akt, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that hypaconitine ameliorates ketamine-induced neuronal injury in neonatal rats via a mechanism involving the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway

The Ecological Restoration of Heavily Degraded Saline Wetland in the Yellow River Delta

As a result of discontinuous water flow, agriculture, and increasing urban use of fresh water affecting the natural wetlands of the Yellow River Delta, these areas have experienced significant degradation in the past two decades, ultimately diminishing the overall natural wetland land area in the region. This study aimed to address the issue of decreasing fresh water in the Yellow River Delta by studying the effects of three different approaches to restoration on long-term wetland recovery. The results of the study demonstrated that soil salt and available Na contents significantly decreased in response to all three restoration treatments. Impacts of the restoration treatments were more significant in 2009 than in 2010, as shown by the high rate of activity in the reed debris group. The highest phosphatase activity of the experimental period was also observed in the reed debris group. Meanwhile, a marked variation in soil nutrient elements (total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, and available potassium) was observed in the restoration treatment plots throughout the experimental period. TC and TN contents were generally higher in the restoration treatment groups than in the control group. Moreover, urease and phosphatase activity levels were highly correlated with one another, as well as with soil nutrient elements. In 2009, the yield of the Suaeda salsa plant was highest in the reed debris treatment group and lowest in the ploughing treatment group. The S. salsa plant did show a positive response to all of the different restoration treatments. Taken together, these results suggest that restoration approaches that implement ploughing techniques aided in the restoration of degraded saline wetlands.As a result of discontinuous water flow, agriculture, and increasing urban use of fresh water affecting the natural wetlands of the Yellow River Delta, these areas have experienced significant degradation in the past two decades, ultimately diminishing the overall natural wetland land area in the region. This study aimed to address the issue of decreasing fresh water in the Yellow River Delta by studying the effects of three different approaches to restoration on long-term wetland recovery. The results of the study demonstrated that soil salt and available Na contents significantly decreased in response to all three restoration treatments. Impacts of the restoration treatments were more significant in 2009 than in 2010, as shown by the high rate of activity in the reed debris group. The highest phosphatase activity of the experimental period was also observed in the reed debris group. Meanwhile, a marked variation in soil nutrient elements (total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, and available potassium) was observed in the restoration treatment plots throughout the experimental period. TC and TN contents were generally higher in the restoration treatment groups than in the control group. Moreover, urease and phosphatase activity levels were highly correlated with one another, as well as with soil nutrient elements. In 2009, the yield of the Suaeda salsa plant was highest in the reed debris treatment group and lowest in the ploughing treatment group. The S. salsa plant did show a positive response to all of the different restoration treatments. Taken together, these results suggest that restoration approaches that implement ploughing techniques aided in the restoration of degraded saline wetlands

Application of unmanned underwater vehicles in polar research

The importance of polar ice as vital components of the global ocean–climate system is widely recognized. In this paper, we demonstrate the importance and urgency of polar research, describe the primary characteristics of sea ice and ice shelves, and outline the current status and difficulties associated with sub-ice research. We highlight the importance of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) as important tools for oceanographic research. We present recent progress in UUV deployment in sub-ice research in the Arctic and the Antarctic, and review the latest international developments in UUV structure, navigation, payload, and field operation. Moreover, Chinese polar UUVs and their deployments in the polar regions are presented in detail. Key technologies and solutions regarding polar application of UUVs (e.g., sub-ice navigation and positioning, energy supply and data transmission, and sub-ice guidance and recovery) are discussed. Given the current worldwide attention on polar science, the potential future directions of UUV-related polar research (e.g., observations under Antarctic ice shelves, long-range surveys beneath Arctic sea ice and application of intelligent technology) are discussed

Interplay between multiple charge-density waves and the relationship with superconductivity in Pdx_xHoTe3_{3}

HoTe$_{3}$, a member of the rare-earth tritelluride ($R$Te$_{3}$) family, and its Pd-intercalated compounds, Pd$_x$HoTe$_{3}$, where superconductivity (SC) sets in as the charge-density wave (CDW) transition is suppressed by the intercalation of a small amount of Pd, are investigated using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and electrical resistivity. Two incommensurate CDWs with perpendicular nesting vectors are observed in HoTe$_{3}$ at low temperatures. With a slight Pd intercalation ($x$ = 0.01), the large CDW gap decreases and the small one increases. The momentum dependence of the gaps along the inner Fermi surface (FS) evolves from orthorhombicity to near tetragonality, manifesting the competition between two CDW orders. At $x$ = 0.02, both CDW gaps decreases with the emergence of SC. Further increasing the content of Pd for $x$ = 0.04 will completely suppress the CDW instabilities and give rise to the maximal SC order. The evolution of the electronic structures and electron-phonon couplings (EPCs) of the multiple CDWs upon Pd intercalation are carefully scrutinized. We discuss the interplay between multiple CDW orders, and the competition between CDW and SC in detail.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Plasma Homocysteine Level in Children With Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

The study was designed to evaluate the changes of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level in children with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and explore its significance. A total of 65 subjects were recruited in our study, of whom 35 children were in the POTS group and 30 healthy children were in the control group. Plasma Hcy levels were determined in all subjects. The relationship between the plasma Hcy level and the symptom score was analyzed in the 35 POTS patients. The relationship between the plasma Hcy level and the change in heart rate from the supine to upright position (ΔHR) and between the plasma Hcy level and the rate of increase in heart rate from the supine to upright position (ΔHR/sHR × 100%) were analyzed in all subjects. The plasma Hcy levels were significantly higher in the children with POTS than those in the control group (9.78 [7.68, 15.31] μmol/L vs. 7.79 [7.46, 9.63] μmol/L, P < 0.05). The plasma Hcy levels were positively correlated with symptom scores in the POTS patients (n = 35, r = 0.522, P < 0.01). The plasma Hcy levels were also positively correlated with ΔHR (n = 65, r = 0.332, P < 0.01) and ΔHR/sHR × 100% (n = 65, r = 0.341, P < 0.01) in all the subjects. In conclusion, the plasma Hcy levels were elevated in the children with POTS positively correlated with the severity of POTS, suggesting that Hcy might be involved in the pathogenesis of POTS

Variations in Soil Bacterial Composition and Diversity in Newly Formed Coastal Wetlands

Coastal ecosystems experience some of the most active land–ocean interactions in the world, and they are characterized by high primary productivity and biological diversity in the sediment. Given the roles of microorganisms in soil biogeochemical cycling and their multifaceted influence on soil ecosystems, it is critical to understand the variations and drivers of soil microbial communities across coastal ecosystems. Here, we studied soil bacterial community dynamics at different sites (from seawater to freshwater) in the Yellow River Delta, China. Bacterial community composition and diversity over four seasons were analyzed through 16S rRNA genes. Notably, the bacterial community near the ocean had the lowest alpha-diversity when compared with the other sites. No significant differences in bacterial communities among seasons were found, indicating that seasonal variation in temperature had little influence on bacterial community in the newly formed wetlands in the Yellow River Delta. Bacterial community structure changed substantially along the salinity gradient, revealing a clear ecological replacement along the gradual transformation gradient from freshwater to seawater environment. Redundancy analysis revealed that salinity was the main driver of variations in bacterial community structure and explained 17.5% of the variability. Our study provides a better understanding of spatiotemporally determined bacterial community dynamics in coastal ecosystems

Wet and Dry Atmospheric Depositions of Inorganic Nitrogen during Plant Growing Season in the Coastal Zone of Yellow River Delta

The ecological problems caused by dry and wet deposition of atmospheric nitrogen have been widespread concern in the world. In this study, wet and dry atmospheric depositions were monitored in plant growing season in the coastal zone of the Yellow River Delta (YRD) using automatic sampling equipment. The results showed that SO42- and Na+ were the predominant anion and cation, respectively, in both wet and dry atmospheric depositions. The total atmospheric nitrogen deposition was ~2264.24 mg m−2, in which dry atmospheric nitrogen deposition was about 32.02%. The highest values of dry and wet atmospheric nitrogen deposition appeared in May and August, respectively. In the studied area, NO3-–N was the main nitrogen form in dry deposition, while the predominant nitrogen in wet atmospheric deposition was NH4+–N with ~56.51% of total wet atmospheric nitrogen deposition. The average monthly attribution rate of atmospheric deposition of NO3-–N and NH4+–N was ~31.38% and ~20.50% for the contents of NO3-–N and NH4+–N in 0–10 cm soil layer, respectively, suggested that the atmospheric nitrogen was one of main sources for soil nitrogen in coastal zone of the YRD