Superalkali-alkaline earthide ion pairs of δ+(AM-HMHC)-AM'δ- (AM = Li, Na and K; AM' = Be, Mg and Ca) possessing large NLO responses and excellent electronic stabilities and alkalide characteristics: a DFT study.

To identify superalkali-alkaline earthide ion pairs, it's theoretically shown that, as a novel class of excess electron superalkali compounds, both chair and boat forms of (AM-HMHC)-AM' (AM = Li, Na, and K; AM' = Be, Mg, and Ca; HMHC = 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexamethyl-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaazacyclooctadecane) are good candidates. An attractive superalkali-alkaline earthide ion pair in δ+(AM-HMHC)-AM'δ- is firstly exhibited, which possesses alkaline-earthide characteristics and nonlinear optical response superior to similar M+(calix[4]pyrrole)M'- (M = Li, Na, and K; M' = Be, Mg, and Ca) with high stability. The electronic and vibrational second order hyperpolarizabilities and the frequency-dependent first hyperpolarizabilities of δ+(AM-HMHC)-AM'δ- are presented. For each pair of (AM-HMHC)-AM', the boat conformation is preferred to its chair one in the case of Hyper-Rayleigh scattering response (ßHRS). These alkaline earthides suggest prominently high ßHRS up to 2.59 × 104 a.u. (boat forms of δ+(Na-HMHC)-Caδ-). We expect that this work will inspire the preparation and characterization of these new alkaline earthides as high-performance NLO materials.

Microfluidic rotating-target device capable of three-degrees-of-freedom motion for efficient in situ serial synchrotron crystallography.

There is an increasing demand for simple and efficient sample delivery technology to match the rapid development of serial crystallography and its wide application in analyzing the structural dynamics of biological macromolecules. Here, a microfluidic rotating-target device is presented, capable of three-degrees-of-freedom motion, including two rotational degrees of freedom and one translational degree of freedom, for sample delivery. Lysozyme crystals were used as a test model with this device to collect serial synchrotron crystallography data and the device was found to be convenient and useful. This device enables in situ diffraction from crystals in a microfluidic channel without the need for crystal harvesting. The circular motion ensures that the delivery speed can be adjusted over a wide range, showing its good compatibility with different light sources. Moreover, the three-degrees-of-freedom motion guarantees the full utilization of crystals. Hence, sample consumption is greatly reduced, and only 0.1 mg of protein is consumed in collecting a complete dataset.

Melatonin mediates reactive oxygen species homeostasis via SlCV to regulate leaf senescence in tomato plants.

Melatonin (MT) functions in removing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and delaying plant senescence, thereby acting as an antioxidant; however, the molecular mechanism underlying the specific action of MT is unclear. Herein, we used the mutant plants carrying the MT decomposition gene melatonin 3-hydroxylase (M3H) in tomato to elucidate the specific mechanism of action of MT. SlM3H-OE accelerated senescence by decreasing the content of endogenous MT in plants. SlM3H is a senescence-related gene that positively regulates aging. MT inhibited the expression of the senescence-related gene SlCV to scavenge ROS, induced stable chloroplast structure, and delayed leaf senescence. Simultaneously, MT weakened the interaction between SlCV and SlPsbO/SlCAT3, reduced ROS production in photosystem II, and promoted ROS elimination. In conclusion, MT regulates ROS homeostasis and delays leaf aging in tomato plants through SlCV expression modulation.

Can a molecular switch exist in both superalkali electride and superalkalide forms?

To combine both electride and alkalide characteristics in one molecular switch, it is shown herein that the phenalenyl radical and the M3 ring (M3-PHY, M = Li, Na, and K) stacked with parallel and vertical geometries are good candidates. The former geometry is the superalkali electride e-⋯M3+-PHY while the latter geometry is the superalkalide Mδ--M2(1-δ)+-PHY-. The superalkalide Mδ--M2(1-δ)+-PHY- may isomerize to the superalkali electride e-⋯M3+-PHY (M = Li, Na, and K) using suitable long-wavelength irradiation, while the latter may isomerize to the former with suitable short-wavelength irradiation. Also, applying suitable oriented external electric fields can drive the superalkalide Mδ-M2(1-δ)+-PHY- to change into the superalkali electride e-⋯M3+-PHY (M = Li, Na, and K). The differences in the static and dynamic first hyperpolarizability (ß0) values between them were also studied.

Switching from an electride-like molecule to the molecular electride K-F6C6H6 driven by an oriented external electric field.

The exploration of innovative molecular switches has resulted in large developments in the field of molecular electronics. Focusing on a single molecular switch with different forms exhibiting different electride features, potassium-atom-doped all-cis 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexafluorocyclohexane K-F6C6H6 was studied theoretically. It was found that an oriented external electric field can drive excess electron transfer from the region outside of the K atom to that outside of F6C6H6. Subsequently, the electride-like molecule K-F6C6H6 (1) switches into the molecular electride K-F6C6H6e- (3) through another electride-like molecule K-F6C6H6 (2). The static first hyperpolarizabilities (ß0) are increased over 12- and 5-fold when moving from 1 to 2 and 3, respectively. The rise of each ß0 value constitutes an order of magnitude improvement. Between them, the different ß0 values suggest that K-F6C6H6 is a good candidate for use as a multiple-response nonlinear optics switch. The order of the ß0 values of 1-4 for M-F6C6H6 (M = Li and Na) coincide with that of K-F6C6H6, also exhibiting a switch effect.

LncRNA LINC00210 regulated radiosensitivity of osteosarcoma cells via miR-342-3p/GFRA1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is an effective strategy for preventing cancer metastasis, including osteosarcoma. However, cancer radioresistance limits the efficiency of radiotherapy. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the mechanism of osteosarcoma radioresistance. METHODS: The osteosarcoma tissues and adjacent healthy tissues were collected from 53 osteosarcoma patients. The expression of LINC00210, miR-342-3p, and GFRA1 mRNA were determined using qRT-PCR. Cell viability, cell apoptosis, and cell surviving fraction were determined by MTT assay, flow cytometry, and colony formation assay, respectively. Western blot was performed to detect the protein levels. Luciferase assay was conducted to verify the relationship between LINC00210, miR-342-3p, and GFRA1. RESULTS: LINC00210 and GFRA1 were up-regulated, and miR-342-3p was down-regulated in osteosarcoma tissues and cells. The expression of LINC00210 in osteosarcoma was negatively related to miR-342-3p expression and positively associated with GFRA1. Besides, there was a negative correlation between LINC00210 and GFRA1 expression in osteosarcoma. Also, LINC00210 and GFRA1 were up-regulated, and miR-342-3p was down-regulated in osteosarcoma cells exposed to 4 Gy irradiation treatment. Furthermore, either LINC00210 knockdown or miR-342-3p overexpression enhanced the radiosensitivity of osteosarcoma cells. Moreover, LINC00210 increased GFRA1 expression via sponging miR-342-3p. Additionally, LINC00210 knockdown improved the radiosensitivity of osteosarcoma cells by regulating GFRA1 expression via sponging miR-342-3p. CONCLUSION: LINC00210 modulated the radiosensitivity of osteosarcoma cells via the miR-342-3p/GFRA1 axis, making LINC00210 a novel target for improving radiotherapy efficiency in osteosarcoma.

(Z)-7,4'-Dimethoxy-6-hydroxy-aurone-4-O-ß-glucopyranoside mitigates retinal degeneration in Rd10 mouse model through inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.

Purpose: As an inherited retinal dystrophy characterised by progressive degeneration of photoreceptor cells, retinitis pigmentosa (RP) leads to partial or total blindness eventually. Possible causes of the photoreceptor cell death are oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. (Z)-7,4'-Dimethoxy-6-hydroxy-aurone-4-O-ß-glucopyranoside (DHAG) is a novel compound with potent antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to investigate whether DHAG could mitigate photoreceptor cell degeneration in an established mouse model of RP.Materials and method: Rd10 mice were treated with DHAG daily by gavage from postnatal day 12 (P12) to P33. Retinal morphology was evaluated by haematoxylin and eosin staining. Apoptosis-positive cells were detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay. Oxidative stress markers and inflammatory factors were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunostaining and western blot were applied to measure the gene and protein change to explore the underlying mechanisms.Results: Results showed that DHAG significantly preserved the retinal morphology, reducing photoreceptor cell apoptosis, decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammatory responses in Rd10 mice. The mechanism might be related to inhibit the activation of P38 pathway.Conclusions: This study showed the beneficial effects of DHAG, a compound possessing antioxidant properties, and provided scientific rationale to develop DHAG as a potential agent to treat RP.

Exploring the inhibition mechanism on HIF-2 by inhibitor PT2399 and 0X3 using molecular dynamics simulations.

Targeting transcription factors HIF-2 is currently considered to be the most direct way for the therapy of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The preclinical inhibitor PT2399 and artificial inhibitor 0X3 have been identified as promising on-target inhibitors to inhibit the heterodimerization of HIF-2. However, the inhibition mechanism of PT2399 and 0X3 on HIF-2 remains unclear. To this end, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular docking were applied to investigate the effects of 2 inhibitors on structural motifs and heterodimerization of HIF-2. Our simulation results reveal that the binding of inhibitors disrupts the crucial hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions of interdomain of HIF-2 heterodimer due to the local conformational changes of binding interface, confirming the hypothesis that the perturbation of few residues is sufficient to disrupt the heterodimerization of HIF-2. In addition, it can be found that PT2399 with dominant substituents (cyano, fluorine, sulfuryl, and hydroxyl) is more preferred than 0X3 as HIF-2 inhibitor and these substituents play a crucial role in involving more hydrogen bond interactions with residues of interface and then cause the larger structural change of protein. This study may provide a deeper atomic-level insight into the effect of on-target inhibitors on HIF-2 heterodimer, which is expected to contribute to further rational design of effective clear cell renal cell carcinoma drugs.

Elemental Phase Partitioning in the γ-γ″ Ni2CoFeCrNb0.15 High Entropy Alloy.

The partitioning of the alloying elements into the γ″ nanoparticles in a Ni2CoFeCrNb0.15 high entropy alloy was studied by the combination of atom probe tomography and first-principles calculations. The atom probe tomography results show that the Co, Fe, and Cr atoms incorporated into the Ni3Nb-type γ″ nanoparticles but their partitioning behaviors are significantly different. The Co element is much easier to partition into the γ″ nanoparticles than Fe and Cr elements. The first-principles calculations demonstrated that the different partitioning behaviors of Co, Fe and Cr elements into the γ″ nanoparticles resulted from the differences of their specific chemical potentials and bonding states in the γ″ phase.

Atherosclerosis and the Hydrogen Sulfide Signaling Pathway - Therapeutic Approaches to Disease Prevention.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is now admitted as a third gasotransmitter together with nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), albeit it was originally considered as a foul and poisonous gas. Endogenous H2S production in mammalian cells is counting on the three enzymes acting on cysteine. Involvement of H2S in various physiological and pathological processes has been extensively studied in the last fifteen years. Mounting evidence suggests that H2S is able to protect against atherosclerosis development and progression. Exogenous H2S supplement has salutary effects on atherogenesis, and reduction of the endogenous H2S level accelerates atherosclerosis. The anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms of H2S have been descried in different aspects, including endothelium preservation, antioxidative action, anti-inflammatory responses, vasorelaxation, regulation of ion channels, etc. However, further investigation is still needed to help us gain more insights into the fundamental underlying mechanisms, and that will allow us to design better therapeutic applications of H2S in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Advances on Bioactive Polysaccharides from Medicinal Plants.

In recent decades, the polysaccharides from the medicinal plants have attracted a lot of attention due to their significant bioactivities, such as anti-tumor activity, antioxidant activity, anticoagulant activity, antidiabetic activity, radioprotection effect, anti-viral activity, hypolipidemic and immunomodulatory activities, which make them suitable for medicinal applications. Previous studies have also shown that medicinal plant polysaccharides are non-toxic and show no side effects. Based on these encouraging observations, most researches have been focusing on the isolation and identification of polysaccharides, as well as their bioactivities. A large number of bioactive polysaccharides with different structural features and biological effects from medicinal plants have been purified and characterized. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the most recent developments in physiochemical, structural features and biological activities of bioactive polysaccharides from a number of important medicinal plants, such as polysaccharides from Astragalus membranaceus, Dendrobium plants, Bupleurum, Cactus fruits, Acanthopanax senticosus, Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Aloe barbadensis Miller, and Dimocarpus longan Lour. Moreover, the paper has also been focused on the applications of bioactive polysaccharides for medicinal applications. Recent studies have provided evidence that polysaccharides from medicinal plants can play a vital role in bioactivities. The contents and data will serve as a useful reference material for further investigation, production, and application of these polysaccharides in functional foods and therapeutic agents.

Occurrence and Biological Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in the Yellow River (Zhengzhou Section).

Estrogenic activities of river water from four representative cross-sections of the Yellow River (Zhengzhou section) and their effects on reproduction and development of fish were assessed. MVLN assay showed estradiol equivalents of river water from Yiluohe, Xinmanghe, Qinhe and Huayuankou cross-sections were 1.09 ± 0.11, 0.72 ± 0.01, 1.19 ± 0.19 and 0.80 ± 0.04 ng/L, respectively. Significant vitellogenin (VTG) inductions were observed in adult male Japanese madaka (Oryzias latipes) after 30 days of exposure to river water from Yiluohe and Qinhe cross-sections (p < 0.05). Hepatic-somatic index was significantly elevated in fish exposed to water from Qinhe cross-section (p < 0.05). A significant delay in time to hatching was observed in embryos treated by water from Xinmanghe cross-section (p < 0.05). Significant lower survivals were observed in fish treated by water from Yiluohe and Xinmanghe cross-sections after a full life cycle exposure (p < 0.05). Exposure of water from Yiluohe and Qinhe cross-sections induced significantly elevated VTG levels in the first sexually mature male fish (p < 0.05). Both the in vitro and in vivo bioassay demonstrate endocrine disrupting chemicals exist in the Yellow River (Zhengzhou section) and fish in Yiluohe and Qinhe cross-sections can be at a risk of reproductive and developmental impairment.

[Relationship between PMI and ATR-FTIR Spectral Changes in Swine Costal Cartilages and Ribs].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze postmortem chemical changes in Landrace costal cartilages and ribs using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and to provide a novel technique for estimation of postmortem interval (PMI). METHODS: The swines were sacrificed by hemorrhage and their costal cartilages and ribs were kept in 20 degrees C. The chemical analysis of the costal cartilages and ribs were performed using ATR-FTIR every 72 h. The correlation between the certain spectral parameters and PMI was also analyzed. The time-dependent changes of costal cartilages were more significant than ribs. RESULTS: There were no obvious changes for the main absorbance bands position, and some absorbance band ratios showed time-dependent changes and significant correlations with the PMI. CONCLUSION: ATR-FTIR has the ability to analyze postmortem chemical changes of the swine costal cartilages and ribs, and it can be a new method to estimate PMI based on spectroscopy.

Characterization and functions of vascular adventitial fibroblast subpopulations.

BACKGROUND: Adventitial fibroblasts have been shown to play an important role in vascular remodeling and contribute to neointimal formation in vascular diseases. However, little is known about adventitial fibroblast subpopulations. This study explored the process of isolating rat thoracic aorta adventitial fibroblast subpopulations and characterized their properties following stimulation with angiotensin II (ANG II), a critical factor involved in cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. METHODS: Adventitial fibroblasts were isolated and cultured from rat aorta. Fibroblast subpopulations were individually expanded using cloning ring techniques. Cells were treated with ANG II (10 nM, 100 nM and 1 µM) for 0.5, 1, 1.5, 3, 6, 12, or 24 h, and ANG II-induced proliferation and migration were measured by MTT assay and Transwell. Cells were treated with ANG II (100 nM) in the presence or absence of ANG II receptor antagonists (100 µM), losartan (for AT1) and PD-123319 (for AT2). PreproET-1 mRNA and ET-1 were determined by RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. Collagen type I was detected by western blotting. RESULTS: Two major fibroblast subpopulations were found in the adventitia, epithelioid-like cells and spindle-like cells; Although ANG II promotes the growth of both subpopulations, epithelioid-like cell proliferation shows dose-dependency on ANG II from 10 nM to 1 µM, while proliferation of spindle-like cells reaches a peak value following 100 nM ANG II stimulation; ANG II stimulation enhanced epithelioid-like but not spindle-like cell migration; ANG II dose-dependently increased the expression of preproET-1 and collagen type I, and enhanced ET-1 secretion in epithelioid-like but not spindle-like cells, effects abolished by the AT1 receptor antagonist, but not with AT2 receptor antagonist. CONCLUSION: Adventitial fibroblasts are heterogeneous and epithelioid-like subpopulations with high sensitivity to ANG II stimulation may be implicated in the pathophysiological mechanisms of vascular remodeling, reparative processes and cardiovascular diseases.

Prostatic arterial embolization for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to large (>80 mL) benign prostatic hyperplasia: results of midterm follow-up from Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Currently, large prostate size (>80 mL) of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) still pose technical challenges for surgical treatment. This prospective study was designed to explore the safety and efficacy of prostatic arterial embolization (PAE) as an alternative treatment for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to largeBPH. METHODS: A total of 117 patients with prostates >80 mL were included in the study; all were failure of medical treatment and unsuited for surgery. PAE was performed using combination of 50-µm and 100-µm particles in size, under local anaesthesia by a unilateral femoral approach. Clinical follow-up was performed using the international prostate symptoms score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), peak urinary flow (Qmax), post-void residual volume (PVR), international index of erectile function short form (IIEF-5), prostatic specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic volume (PV) measured by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, at 1, 3, 6 and every 6 months thereafter. RESULTS: The prostatic artery origins in this study population were different from previously published results. PAE was technically successful in 109 of 117 patients (93.2%). Follow-up data were available for the 105 patients with a mean follow-up of 24 months. The clinical improvements in IPSS, QoL, Qmax, PVR, and PV at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months was 94.3%, 94.3%, 93.3%, 92.6%, and 91.7%, respectively. The mean IPSS (pre-PAE vs post-PAE 26.0 vs 9.0; P < .0.01), the mean QoL (5.0 vs 3.0; P < 0.01), the mean Qmax (8.5 vs 14.5; P < 0.01), the mean PVR (125.0 vs 40.0; P < 0.01), and PV (118.0 vs 69.0, with a mean reduction of 41.5%; P < 0.01 ) at 24-month after PAE were significantly different with respect to baseline. The mean IIEF-5 was not statistically different from baseline. No major complications were noted. CONCLUSIONS: PAE is a safe and effective treatment method for patients with LUTS due to large volume BPH. PAE may play an important role in patients in whom medical therapy has failed, who are not candidates for open surgery or TURP or refuse any surgical treatment.

Protective effect of high concentration of BN52021 on retinal contusion in cat eyes.

BACKGROUND: Blunt injuries/contusion on eyes might cause retina blunt trauma. This study is to evaluate the protective function of BN52021 against retinal trauma. METHODS: A total of 70 cats, 6 months old, were divided into six groups: Group A to E (n = 12) and normal control (N) group (n = 10). The right eyes in Group A to E were contused. All experiments were performed under general anesthetization. Retrobulbar injections of medication in right eyes were performed. Cats were administrated with 0.5 mL of normal saline (NS), dimethyl sulphoxide, 0.2 g/L BN52021, 1 g/L BN52021 and 5 g/L BN52021, respectively. Cats in Group N were administrated with 0.5 mL of NS. Intraocular pressure (IOP), flash electroretinogram (ERG), and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were measured. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were detected. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in IOP levels among groups. Comparing with cats in Group N, those in Group A to E showed significant lower amplitudes of rod a- and b-waves (P < 0.05). Amplitudes of rod a- and b-waves were increased by administration of high concentration of BN52021 (≥ 1 g/L). Moreover, high concentration of BN52021 decreased the RNFL thickness increased by contusion. Axons in RNFL in Group E arranged neatly at 7 days after modeling. CONCLUSIONS: The degenerated axons caused by contusion were repaired by BN52021. The administration of high concentration of (≥ 1 g/L) BN52021 could partially repair retinal function in contused cat eyes.

SCM-198 Ameliorates Cognitive Deficits, Promotes Neuronal Survival and Enhances CREB/BDNF/TrkB Signaling without Affecting Aß Burden in AßPP/PS1 Mice.

SCM-198 is an alkaloid found only in Herba leonuri and it has been reported to possess considerable neuroprotective effects in animal models of ischemic stroke, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that 3-month oral SCM-198 treatment could significantly improve both recognition and spatial memory, inhibit microgliosis and promote neuronal survival in amyloid-ß protein precursor and presenilin-1(AßPP/PS1) double-transgenic mice without affecting amyloid-ß (Aß) burden. In addition, decreases in cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) phosphorylation were attenuated by SCM-198 both in vivo and in primary cortical neurons, which could be blocked by protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors, suggesting the involvement of upstream PKA in enhancing the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling by SCM-198. Our results indicate that SCM-198, a drug that could promote neuronal survival and enhance BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling, has beneficial effects on behavioral and biochemical alterations without affecting Aß burden in AßPP/PS1 mice and might become a potential drug candidate for AD treatment in the future.

[Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy of Rat Kidney with Regard to Fa- tal Hyperthermia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the chemical groups changing in rat kidney with regard to fatal hyperthermia by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR-MSP) and to provide a new method to diagnose fatal hyperthermia. METHODS: Rats were sacrificed by hyperthermia, brainstem injury, massive hemorrhage and asphyxiation and divided into groups. The renal samples were dissected immediately after death. The data of infrared spectroscopy in glomerulus were measured by FTIR-MSP. RESULTS: The absorbances of 3290, 3070, 2850, 1540 and 1396 cm(-1) significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the ratios of Al650/A3290 and A1650/A1540 significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in group of hyperthermia. CONCLUSION: FTIR-MSP can analyze the changes of chemical groups of kidney as an auxiliary diagnosis for discriminating hyperthermia with other causes of death.

Activation of TLR9-dependent p38MAPK pathway in the pathogenesis of primary Sjögren's syndrome in NOD/Ltj mouse.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the potential role of Toll-like receptor 9-dependent p38 MAPK signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) in NOD/Ltj mouse, aiming to identify an ideal target therapy model for human pSS. METHODS: NOD/Ltj mice were chosen as a model of pSS. The Toll-like receptor 9 and p-p38 MAPK double-positive peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 4-, 5-, 8-, 10-, and 15-week-old NOD/Ltj mouse were analyzed by flow cytometry. The expressions of Toll-like receptor 9 and p-p38 MAPK in the submandibular gland (SMG) were also examined by immunohistochemistry. The change of stimulated salivary flow rate was dynamically measured, and the histopathology of SMG was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin stain. RESULTS: The stimulated salivary flow rate in NOD/Ltj was reduced to 50-60% of the flow rate of control mice since the fifth week onwards. The Toll-like receptor 9 and p-p38 MAPK double-positive PBMCs in both groups increased gradually from 5 weeks, peaked at 8 weeks and then gradually decreased at 10 weeks, yet the percentage of Toll-like receptor 9 and p-p38MAPK double-positive PBMCs in 5-, 8-, and 10-week-old NOD/Ltj mouse was significantly increased compared with those in control subjects. After the 10th week onwards, there were no significant differences in the Toll-like receptor 9 and p-p38 MAPK double-positive PBMCs between NOD/Ltj mice and controls. Immunohistochemical staining showed that Toll-like receptor 9 was positive in the acinar epithelium cells and infiltrating lymphocytes in NOD/Ltj mice. p-p38 MAPK was detected in infiltrating lymphocytes and few ductal or acinar epithelium cells adjacent to infiltrating lymphocytes in NOD/Ltj mice. CONCLUSIONS: From the fifth week till the tenth week, Toll-like receptor 9 and p-p38 MAPK double-positive PBMCs were significantly increased in NOD/Ltj mice, accompanied with reduced stimulated salivary flow rate and Toll-like receptor 9 or p-p38 MAPK positive infiltrating lymphocytes observed in the SMG of NOD/Ltj mouse. Our results indicated that activation of Toll-like receptor 9-depended p38 MAPK signal pathway in PBMCs was an early event in pSS which made NOD/Ltj as an ideal therapy model to test the treatment effects of p38 MAPK or Toll-like receptor 9 inhibitors on pSS.

Combined embolization and surgical resection of a giant mediastinal tumor.

Large mediastinal tumors typically have a rich blood supply derived from multiple arteries, and surgical resection can be associated with a large blood loss. Embolization is used to treat a variety of malignant and benign conditions preoperatively, as well as an alternative to surgery, however, the use of preoperative embolization of large mediastinal tumors has not been extensive. Herein, we report a case of a giant mediastinal tumor measuring >15 cm and extending into both chest cavities in which preoperative embolization was used to reduce the surgical blood loss and facilitate excision of the lesion.