Effect of midazolam on the proliferation of neural stem cells isolated from rat hippocampus

In many recent studies, the inhibitory transmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid has been shown to modulate the proliferation, differentiation and survival of neural stem cells. Most general anesthetics are partial or allosteric gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor agonists, suggesting that general anesthetics could alter the behavior of neural stem cells. The neuroprotective efficacy of general anesthetics has been recognized for decades, but their effects on the proliferation of neural stem cells have received little attention. This study investigated the potential effect of midazolam, an extensively used general anesthetic and allosteric gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor agonist, on the proliferation of neural stem cells in vitro and preliminarily explored the underlying mechanism. The proliferation of neural stem cells was tested using both Cell Counting Kit 8 and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation experiments. Cell distribution analysis was performed to describe changes in the cell cycle distribution in response to midazolam. Calcium imaging was employed to explore the molecular signaling pathways activated by midazolam. Midazolam （30-90 IJM） decreased the proliferation of neural stem cells in vitro. Pretreatment with the gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor antagonist bicuculline or Na-K-2CI cotransport inhibitor furosemide partially rescued this inhibition. In addition, midazolam triggered a calcium influx into neural stem cells. The suppressive effect of midazolam on the proliferation of neural stem cells can be partly attributed to the activation of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor. The calcium influx triggered by midazolam may be a trigger factor leading to further downstream events.

A Preliminary Study on the Regularity of Outbreak of Thrips in Asparagus-bean Interplanting Fields

[Objectives]This study was conducted to clarify the composition and occurrence regularity of thrips in asparagus-soybean intercropping fields.[Methods]The species and occurrence dynamics of thrips in asparagus-bean intercropping fields in Luquan District of Shijiazhuang were investigated.[Results]There were 7 species of thrips in this area,namely,tobacco thrips[Thrips alliorum(Priesner)],western flower thrips[Frankliniella occidentalis(Pergande)],Scolothrips takahashii Priesner,Megalurothrips usitatus(Bagrall),Sussericothrips melilotus Han and Aeolothrips fasciatus.As the dominant species,tobacco thrips had two peak outbreaks in late June and late September,and maintained a high quantity level for a long time.Other thrips had fewer population and different occurrence time,but were greatly affected by temperature,humidity and host crop species.[Conclusions]This study provides a theoretical basis for the forecast and comprehensive control of thrips in North China.

Sender-controlled measurement-device-independent multiparty quantum communication

Multiparty quantum communication is an important branch of quantum networks.It enables private information transmission with information-theoretic security among legitimate parties.We propose a sender-controlled measurement-device-independent multiparty quantum communication protocol.The sender Alice divides a private message into several parts and delivers them to different receivers for secret sharing with imperfect measurement devices and untrusted ancillary nodes.Furthermore,Alice acts as an active controller and checks the security of quantum channels and the reliability of each receiver before she encodes her private message for secret sharing,which makes the protocol convenient for multiparity quantum communication.