Silymarin, a polyphenoic flavonoid derived from the seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum), exhibits neuroprotective effects. In this study, we used a model of rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes to investigate whether silymarin affects the release of glutamate, an essential neurotransmitter involved in excitotoxicity. Its possible neuroprotective effect on a rat model of kainic acid (KA)-induced excitotoxicity was also investigated. In rat cortical synaptosomes, silymarin reduced glutamate release and calcium elevation evoked by the K+ channel blocker 4-aminopyridine but did not affect glutamate release caused by the Na+ channel activator veratridine or the synaptosomal membrane potential. Decreased glutamate release by silymarin was prevented by removal of extracellular calcium and blocking of N- and P/Q-type Ca2+ channel or extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) but not by blocking of intracellular Ca2+ release. Immunoblotting assay results revealed that silymarin reduced 4-aminopyridine-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Moreover, systemic treatment of rats with silymarin (50 or 100 mg/kg) 30 min before systemic KA (15 mg/kg) administration attenuated KA-induced seizures, glutamate concentration elevation, neuronal damage, glial activation, and heat shock protein 70 expression as well as upregulated KA-induced decrease in Akt phosphorylation in the rat hippocampus. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that silymarin depressed synaptosomal glutamate release by suppressing voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry and ERK1/2 activity and effectively prevented KA-induced in vivo excitotoxicity.New antimony phosphate glasses doped with samarium (III) oxide and co-doped with copper metallic nanoparticles (CuNPs) were obtained by the melt quenching technique. The samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. XRD data suggested that all the obtained samples showed an amorphous nature. BGB-8035 EPR data suggested the existence of Cu2+ ions octahedrally surrounded by six oxygen atoms. The dipole-dipole interactions between Cu2+ ions were predominant. UV-Vis spectra revealed the presence of Sm3+ and Cu2+ ions in the samples. The values for nephelauxetic and bonding parameters were also calculated. The negative values obtained for bonding parameter indicate an ionic character of the bonds from the glass network. Photoluminescence spectra exhibited emissions from samarium ions and revealed the influence of dopant nature on of rare-earth ions emissions. The obtained results indicate that the studied materials are suitable for solid state lasers.This study examined the effects of a heating system using a ground source geothermal heat pump (GHP). A GHP was installed in a pig house, and a comparative analysis was performed between the GHP and the control (conventional heating system) in terms of the production performance, housing environment, noxious gas emissions, electricity consumption, and economics. The geothermal system performance index, such as the coefficient of performance (COP), inlet, and outlet temperature, were also evaluated. The outflow temperature during each period (weaning, growing, and finishing) was significantly higher than the inflow temperature in all three components of the GHP system. Similarly, the average internal temperature of the GHP-connected pig house was increased (p less then 0.05) during each period. The carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, electricity usage, and cost of electricity during the 16-week experimental period were reduced significantly in the GHP system relative to the control. The concentrations of ammonia (NH3) during the growing and finishing period and the concentrations of formaldehyde during the weaning phase were also lower in the GHP-installed pig house (p less then 0.05). These results indicate that the GHP system can be used as an environmentally friendly renewable energy source in pig houses for sustainable pig production without harming the growth performance.Glioblastoma (GB) is the most frequent and aggressive type of glioma. The lack of reliable GB models, together with its considerable clinical heterogeneity, has impaired a comprehensive investigation of the mechanisms that lead to tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and response to treatments. Recently, 3D cultures have opened the possibility to overcome these challenges and cerebral organoids are emerging as a leading-edge tool in GB research. The opportunity to easily engineer brain organoids via gene editing and to perform co-cultures with patient-derived tumor spheroids has enabled the analysis of cancer development in a context that better mimics brain tissue architecture. Moreover, the establishment of biobanks from GB patient-derived organoids represents a crucial starting point to improve precision medicine therapies. This review exemplifies relevant aspects of 3D models of glioblastoma, with a specific focus on organoids and their involvement in basic and translational research.Alcohol drinking has been prevalent among various hill tribes of northern Thailand due to their distinctively different lifestyles, traditions, cultures and beliefs than the general Thai population; the majority of these traditions involve annual rounds of customary rituals that make alcohol abundantly accessible to all age groups. To study the prevalence and predictors of alcohol use, a community-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2017-September 2018 among 480 sampled adolescents aged 12 through 18 years drawn by stratified random sampling. A proprietary questionnaire developed by the researchers was used to collect the data which were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The prevalence of alcohol use in the previous 30 days was 46.7%. Drinking predictors were having at least a drinking parent, drinking peers, ever been sent to buy alcohol, smoking, cordial relationship with peers, gambling, family violence experience, stress and leisure time company. Therefore, our results suggest that prevention interventions should be designed with a focus on discouraging parents from sending children to buy alcohol and drinking or smoking in their presence; to reduce both social and commercial access to alcohol, age limits should be imposed on alcohol intake at all ceremonious events, while strictly reinforcing the law that prohibits selling alcohol to minors.