Projections from anteromedial thalamus nucleus to the midcingulate cortex mediate pain and anxiety-like behaviors in mice.

Prior research has demonstrated the involvement of the midcingulate cortex (MCC) and its downstream pathway in pain regulation. However, the mechanism via which pain information is conveyed to the MCC remains unclear. The present study utilized immunohistochemistry, chemogenetics, optogenetics, and behavior detection methods to explore the involvement of MCC, anteromedial thalamus nucleus (AM), and AM-MCC pathway in pain and emotional regulation. Chemogenetics or optogenetics methods were employed to activate/inhibit MCCCaMKIIα, AMCaMKIIα, AMCaMKIIα-MCC pathway. This manipulation evokes/relieves mechanical and partial heat hyperalgesia, as well as anxiety-like behaviors. In the complete Freund,s adjuvant (CFA) inflammatory pain model, chemogenetic inhibition of the AMCaMKIIα-MCCCaMKIIα pathway contributed to pain relief. Notably, this study presented the first evidence implicating the AM in the regulation of nociception and negative emotions. Additionally, it was observed that the MCC primarily receives projections from the AM, highlighting the crucial role of this pathway in the transmission of pain and emotional information.

Central medial thalamic nucleus dynamically participates in acute itch sensation and chronic itch-induced anxiety-like behavior in male mice.

Itch is an annoying sensation consisting of both sensory and emotional components. It is known to involve the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), but the following transmission nodes remain elusive. The present study identified that the PBN-central medial thalamic nucleus (CM)-medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) pathway is essential for itch signal transmission at the supraspinal level in male mice. Chemogenetic inhibition of the CM-mPFC pathway attenuates scratching behavior or chronic itch-related affective responses. CM input to mPFC pyramidal neurons is enhanced in acute and chronic itch models. Specifically chronic itch stimuli also alter mPFC interneuron involvement, resulting in enhanced feedforward inhibition and a distorted excitatory/inhibitory balance in mPFC pyramidal neurons. The present work underscores CM as a transmit node of the itch signal in the thalamus, which is dynamically engaged in both the sensory and affective dimensions of itch with different stimulus salience.

Projections from the Rostral Zona Incerta to the Thalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Mediate Nociceptive Neurotransmission in Mice.

Zona incerta (ZI) is an integrative subthalamic region in nociceptive neurotransmission. Previous studies demonstrated that the rostral ZI (ZIR) is an important gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) source to the thalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVT), but whether the ZIR-PVT pathway participates in nociceptive modulation is still unclear. Therefore, our investigation utilized anatomical tracing, fiber photometry, chemogenetic, optogenetic and local pharmacological approaches to investigate the roles of the ZIRGABA+-PVT pathway in nociceptive neurotransmission in mice. We found that projections from the GABAergic neurons in ZIR to PVT were involved in nociceptive neurotransmission. Furthermore, chemogenetic and optogenetic activation of the ZIRGABA+-PVT pathway alleviates pain, whereas inhibiting the activities of the ZIRGABA+-PVT circuit induces mechanical hypersensitivity and partial heat hyperalgesia. Importantly, in vivo pharmacology combined with optogenetics revealed that the GABA-A receptor (GABAAR) is crucial for GABAergic inhibition from ZIR to PVT. Our data suggest that the ZIRGABA+-PVT pathway acts through GABAAR-expressing glutamatergic neurons in PVT mediates nociceptive neurotransmission.

Novel N-rich porous organic polymers with extremely high uptake for capture and reversible storage of volatile iodine.

The imino group-contained porous organic polytriphenylamine, which originated from diphenylamine and 1,3,5-tris(4-bromophenyl)benzene, was designedly synthesized though Buchwald-Hartwig coupling reaction. The basic properties including morphologies, structure and thermal stability of the resulting POPs were investigated by scanning electron microscope(SEM), thermo gravimeter analysis (TGA), 13C CP/MAS solid state NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR). The pore size distribution of POPs present uniform mesoporous of sizes less than 50nm. Scanning electron microscope images show that the resulting POPs formed as an aggregation composed of nanospheres. The POPs were employed as a physicochemical stable porous medium for removal of radioactive iodine and an iodine uptake of up to 382wt% was obtained. To our knowledge, this is one of the highest adsorption value reported to date. Based on these findings, the resulting POPs shows great potential in the removal of radioactive iodine at different states, through a green, environmentally friendly, and sustainable way.

Capture and Reversible Storage of Volatile Iodine by Novel Conjugated Microporous Polymers Containing Thiophene Units.

Conjugated microporous polymers having thiophene building blocks (SCMPs), which originated from ethynylbenzene monomers with 2,3,5-tribromothiophene, were designedly synthesized through Pd(0)/CuI catalyzed Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling polymerization. The morphologies, structure and physicochemical properties of the as-synthesized products were characterized through scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimeter analysis (TGA), (13)C CP/MAS solid state NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR) spectra. Nitrogen sorption-desorption analysis shows that the as-synthesized SCMPs possesses a high specific surface area of 855 m(2) g(-1). Because of their abundant porosity, π-conjugated network structure, as well as electron-rich thiophene building units, the SCMPs show better adsorption ability for iodine and a high uptake value of 222 wt % was obtained, which can compete with those nanoporous materials such as silver-containing zeolite, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), etc. Our study might provide a new possibility for the design and synthesis of functional CMPs containing electron-rich building units for effective capture and reversible storage of volatile iodine to address environmental issues.

[Performance of computer-assisted imaging system in detection of squamous intraepithelial lesion of uterine cervix].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of computer-assisted imaging system in the detection of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and quality-assurance. METHODS: Manual PAP screening (n = 140 580) and image-assisted screening (n = 32 885) were compared for the detection rates of squamous cell abnormalities, the atypical squamous cells (ASC) to squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) ratio, the positive rates of high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) test in the case of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), and the correlation between cytopathology and histopathology. RESULTS: Compared with manual screening, computer-assisted imaging system showed increased overall positive detection by 0.32%, decreased detection of ASC by 0.21%, increased detection of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) by 0.22%, increased detection of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or worse (HSIL) by 0.31%, and decreased ASC to SIL ratio from 2.59 to 1.60. Computer-assisted imaging system did not change the HR-HPV positive rate of the patients who were ASC-US, or the coincidence rate between cytopathology and histopathology. Moreover, the productivity of the laboratory operation increased 58.33%. CONCLUSION: Computer-assisted imaging system significantly increases the overall positive detection rate of cervical SIL, improves accuracy and work efficiency of screening, decreases the ASC/SIL rate, and strengths the quality-assurance of laboratory testing.

Superhydrophobic Mesoporous Graphene for Separation and Absorption.

Mesoporous graphene with a surface area of 306 m2 g-1 was synthesized by employing CaCO3 microspheres as hard templates. By surface modification with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through chemical vapor deposition, the wettability of as-treated mesoporous graphene can be tailored to be superhydrophobic to water while superoleophilic to oils. The deposition of the low-surface-energy silicon-coating originated from PDMS pyrolysis on porous graphene was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As a result of its porous structures and excellent surface superhydrophobicity, the PDMS-treated mesoporous graphene exhibits good selectivity, excellent recyclability, and good absorption performance (up to 66 g g-1 ) for a wide range of oils and organic solvents. Thus, leading to potential use in a variety of applications such as water treatment and purification as well as cleanup of oil spills.

[Expression and significance of p-AKT, p-GSK3ß and ß-catenin in epithelial carcinoma of ovary].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expressions of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT), phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (p-GSK3ß) and ß-catenin proteins and to evaluate their relationship with the clinical pathological characteristics in epithelial tumors of the ovary. METHODS: The expression of p-AKT, p-GSK3ß, and ß-catenin was detected with immunohistochemical staining (EnVision method) in 10 cases of benign epithelial neoplasia, 10 cases of borderline epithelial neoplasia and 70 cases of ovarian carcinoma. The relationship of the expression of p-AKT, p-GSK3ß and ß-catenin with the clinical pathological features was analyzed. RESULTS: The positive expression rates of p-AKT, p-GSK3ß and ß-catenin in epithelial ovarian carcinoma were 67.1% (47/70), 60.0% (42/70) and 71.4% (50/70), respectively. Compared to the results of benign and borderline epithelial neoplasia, the expression of the three proteins in carcinoma of the ovary was significantly different (all P < 0.05).Positive correlation was found between p-AKT and p-GSK3ß, p-GSK3ß and ß-catenin, and p-AKT and ß-catenin in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (r = 0.546, 0.581, 0.500, respectively; all P < 0.05). Compared to the results of benign and borderline epithelial neoplasia, the expression of p-AKT protein in epithelial ovarian carcinoma was significantly different (all P < 0.05). The expression of p-AKT was correlated with the differentiation of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (P < 0.05), but no relationship was found between its expression and histological classification and FIGO staging (P > 0.05). The expression of p-GSK3ß and ß-catenin in epithelial ovarian carcinoma were both higher than that in benign and borderline epithelial neoplasia (P < 0.05), and correlated with tumor differentiation and FIGO staging (P < 0.05), but no relationship were found between their expression with histological classification (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Positive correlations are found between p-AKT, p-GSK3ß and ß-catenin in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. The activation of ß-catenin is possibly correlated with inactivation of p-GSK3ß that binds to p-AKT.