The fused nitrogen‐rich heterocycles, particularly planar structures, possess many advantages over conventional single‐ring energetic compounds. The planar π‐π stacked structures result in enhanced safety. Meanwhile, their conjugated systems give rise to good energetic properties. This review focused on the syntheses, properties, and potential applications of energetic materials based on the coplanar fused nitrogen‐rich heterocycles. Most of these compounds exhibit excellent detonation characteristics along with low mechanical sensitivity which makes them very promising candidates for highly energetic materials for civilian or military applications.

Transplacental bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)4 RNA interference (RNAi) is a technique used to knockdown genes in embryos. BMP4 are essential for the development of nervous system in the differentiation of neural crest stem cells (NCSCs). The failure of differentiation and migration of NCSCs may lead to aganglionosis. In the present study, pregnant mice were divided into three groups: Ringer's group, pSES group and RNAi‑BMP4 group. In order to silence the BMP4 gene in the first generation (F1), 11.5 day pregnant mice were injected with the small interfering RNA BMP4 plasmid, pSES or Ringer's solution via the tail vein. Semi‑quantitative reverse transcriptase‑polymerase chain reaction (RT‑PCR)and western blotting were employed to ensure the downregulation of BMP4. Finally, X‑rays were performed following a barium enema. Aganglionosis was diagnosed by general anatomy and immunohistochemistry. Compared with the control group, transplacental RNAi was able to downregulate the BMP4‑Smad4 of 11.5 day embryos, as determined by semi‑quantitative RT‑PCR and western blotting. The megacolons of the mice were demonstrated by X‑ray and confirmed by general anatomy. Aganglionosis of colonic mucosa and submucosa were diagnosed by pathology, and immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of BMP4 in pregnant mice at the middle embryonic stage led to aganglionosis. It was therefore demonstrated that BMP‑Smad was essential to the NCSCs of middle stage embryos. BMP‑Smad served important roles in the generation of aganglionosis. This technique of knockdown BMP4 gene may be used to establish an aganglionosis mouse model.

Treatment of cancer-induced bone pain (ciBP) is challenging in clinical settings. oxycodone (oXY) is used to treat ciBP; however, a lack of understanding of the mechanisms underlying ciBP limits the application of oXY. in the present study, all rats were randomly divided into three groups: The sham group, the ciBP group, and the oXY group. Then, a rat model of ciBP was established by inoculation of Walker 256 tumor cells from rat tibia. Phosphoproteomic profiling of the OXY-treated spinal dorsal cords of rats with ciBP was performed, and 1,679 phosphorylated proteins were identified, of which 160 proteins were significantly different between the ciBP and sham groups, and 113 proteins were significantly different between the CIBP and OXY groups. Gene ontology analysis revealed that these proteins mainly clustered as synaptic-associated cellular components; among these, disks large homolog 3 expression was markedly increased in rats with ciBP and was reversed by oXY treatment. Subsequent domain analysis of the differential proteins revealed several significant synaptic-associated domains. In conclusion, synaptic-associated cellular components may be critical in oXY-induced analgesia in rats with ciBP.