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The article reports on a study that used Lewis rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) model to examine the systemic effects of adjuvant administration and assess the effects of prednisolone and dexamethasone on the systemic inflammatory process. Information on glucocorticoids (GCs) is provided including the systemic effects of adjuvant administration on inflammation of the liver and spleen. The processes undertaken for the study are presented together with the results highlighting the effects of prednisolone and dexamethasone with GC treatment.

This paper presents new findings on ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of zirconium hydroxyl acetate precursor drops whose sizes were precisely measured using laser light diffraction technique. Precursor concentration plays a predominant role in determination of product particle size. At 0.01 wt% precursor concentration, conventional spray pyrolysis at 750°C using precursor drops 5-8 μm in diameter, generated by an ultrasonic nebulizer at 2.66 MHz, yielded uniform spherical yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles 73 nm in diameter measured by scanning electron microscopy. The YSZ particle diameters were much smaller than those predicted by the one-particle-per-drop mechanism. Under similar reaction conditions, the high-throughput ultrasound-modulated two-fluid (UMTF) spray pyrolysis of larger precursor drops (28-μm peak diameter) also yielded spherical dense particles; they were significantly smaller in size than those produced by the low-throughput conventional ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of smaller drops (6.8-μm peak diameter). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the etiology, prevention and treatment status, and their corresponding regional differences of the patients with liver cirrhosis in China, in order to provide scientific basis for the development of diagnosis and control strategies in China. Methods: Clinical data of patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis for the first time through January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020 from 50 hospitals in seven different regions of China were collected and analyzed retrospectively, and the difference of etiology, treatment, and their differences in various regions were analyzed. Results: A total of 11 861 cases with liver cirrhosis were included in the study. Thereinto, 5 093 cases (42.94%) were diagnosed as compensated cirrhosis, and 6 768 cases (57.06%) had decompensated cirrhosis. Notably, 8 439 cases (71.15%) were determined as chronic hepatitis B-caused cirrhosis, 1 337 cases (11.27%) were alcoholic liver disease, 963 cases (8.12%) were chronic hepatitis C, 698 cases (5.88%) were autoimmune liver disease, 367 cases (3.09%) were schistosomiasis, 177 cases (1.49%) were nonalcoholic fatty liver, and 743 cases (6.26%) of other types of liver disease. There were significant differences in the incidence of chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver, schistosomiasis liver disease, and autoimmune liver disease among the seven regions ( P <0.001). Only 1 139 cases (9.60%) underwent endoscopic therapy, thereinto, 718 cases (6.05%) underwent surgical therapy, and 456 cases (3.84%) underwent interventional therapy treatment. In patients with compensated liver cirrhosis, 60 cases (0.51%) underwent non-selective β receptor blockers(NSBB), including 59 cases (0.50%) underwent propranolol and 1 case (0.01%) underwent carvedilol treatment. In patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, 310 cases (2.61%) underwent NSBB treatment, including 303 cases (2.55%) underwent propranolol treatment and 7 cases (0.06%) underwent carvedilol treatment. Interestingly, there were significant differences in receiving endoscopic therapy, interventional therapy, NSBB therapy, splenectomy and other surgical treatments among the seven regions ( P <0.001). Conclusion: Currently, chronic hepatitis B is the main cause (71.15%) of liver cirrhosis in several regions of China, and alcoholic liver disease has become the second cause (11.27%) of liver cirrhosis in China. The three-level prevention and control of cirrhosis in China should be further strengthened.

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Methods: A total of 14 cases diagnosed with primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma were collected from May 2007 to May 2017 in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. The clinical features, pathological characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results: All 14 cases were pathologically diagnosed with primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma. The biopsy tissues were obtained through the Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) (4 cases), percutaneous puncture (2 cases), and bronchoscopy (8 cases). Cell types of these tumors were centrocyte-like cells (10 cases), lymphocytoid cells (2 cases), and monocytoid B cells (2 cases). The B cell clonality was detected by IgH cloning test in 4 cases and 3 of them were demonstrated with monoclonal strips. MALT1 breakup gene was positive in 3 out of 6 examined cases using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). As for the treatment, 8 patients underwent chemotherapy, 5 patients underwent surgical resection and 1 patient abandoned treatment. Twelve patients were followed up to 9 years. The tumor recurrence occurred in 2 patients and resulted their death. Conclusions: The clinical manifestations of primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma are lack of specificity. The pathology, immunohistochemistry, IgH cloning test and MALT1 breakup gene tested by FISH are the criteria for diagnosis.

To date, no study has investigated the association between CYP1A2-163C/A polymorphism and bladder cancer risk in a Chinese population. Here, we extracted genomic DNA from peripheral white blood cells, and differentiated CYP1A2 alleles by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. Differences in genotype frequencies between the cases and controls were evaluated using a chi-square test. The odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using an unconditional logistic regression model. This revealed that the -163A allele was present at a significantly increased frequency in bladder cancer patients compared to healthy controls (44.10 vs 22.25%, P < 0.001). The prevalence of CC genotype, CA genotype, and AA genotype was 34.91, 41.98, and 23.11% in bladder cancer patients, and 64.00, 27.50, and 8.5% in the controls, respectively. Therefore, significant differences in the frequencies of -163 genotypes were found between bladder cancer patients and controls (P < 0.001). We found that the AA genotype was significantly associated with increased bladder cancer risk (OR = 3.72; 95%CI = 1.55-7.16; P = 0.02), and the -163A carriers were at increased risk of bladder cancer in a multivariate COX regression model (OR = 4.89, 95%CI = 2.78-10.87, P = 0.01). We conclude that the CYP1A2-163C/A polymorphism is associated with increased susceptibility to bladder cancer in the Chinese population.

Although a number of studies have shown that chemical hybridizing agents (CHAs) affect anther growth and regulate cell-cycle progression, little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is an essential factor in DNA replication, and in many other processes in eukaryotic cells. In this study, the open reading frame of TaPCNA, the PCNA in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), was cloned by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Sequence analysis revealed that this gene was 792-bp long and encoded a protein with 234 amino acids. Alignment of the TaPCNA-predicted sequence revealed a high degree of identity with PCNAs from other plant species. A subcellular localization assay indicated that TaPCNA was localized in the nucleus. The TaPCNA was cloned into the prokaryotic expression plasmid pET32a, and the recombinant plasmid was transformed into BL21 (DE3). TaPCNA expression was induced by 0.5 mM isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside and verified using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot assays, which indicated that the fusion protein was successfully expressed. The gene involved in the G1-to-S transition, Histone H4, was downregulated by 1376- CIMS, which is a chemically induced male sterility line. However, a semi-quantitative RT-PCR revealed that TaPCNA expression was upregulated in 1376-CIMS. Our results suggest that CHAs (SQ-1) induce DNA damage in wheat anthers. DNA damage results in either the delay or arrest of cell-cycle progression, which affects anther development. This study will help to elucidate the mechanisms of SQ-1-induced male sterility.

TRAIL is a cytokine that induces apoptosis in a wide variety of tumor cells but rarely in normal cells. It contains an extraordinarily elongated loop because of an unique insertion of 12-16 amino acids compared with the other members of tumor necrosis factor family. Biological implication of the frame insertion has not been clarified. We have determined the crystal structure of TRAIL in a complex with the extracellular domain of death receptor DR5 at 2.2 A resolution. The structure reveals extensive contacts between the elongated loop and DR5 in an interaction mode that would not be allowed without the frame insertion. These interactions are missing in the structures of the complex determined by others recently. This observation, along with structure-inspired deletion analysis, identifies the critical role of the frame insertion as a molecular strategy conferring specificity upon the recognition of cognate receptors. The structure also suggests that a built-in flexibility of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family members is likely to play a general and important role in the binding and recognition of tumor necrosis factor family members.

Lysyl oxidase is an essential catalyst for the cross-linking of extracellular collagen and elastin. Abnormalities in lysyl oxidase activity may contribute to the pathogenesis of arterial diseases characterized by abnormal matrix remodeling. This study tested the hypothesis that interferon (IFN)-gamma, a proinflammatory cytokine present in aortic aneurysm and arteriosclerotic plaque rupture, downregulates lysyl oxidase gene expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Steady-state lysyl oxidase mRNA levels decreased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner to 30% of control levels after 24 hours of treatment with IFN-gamma. Cell layer lysyl oxidase activity decreased in parallel with the observed changes in steady-state mRNA. Nuclear runoff studies suggested that transcriptional regulation was responsible for at least 40% of the observed downregulation. mRNA decay studies suggested that IFN-gamma also decreased lysyl oxidase mRNA half-life from 9 to 6 hours. Downregulation of lysyl oxidase by IFN-gamma did not appear to require new protein synthesis. This study documents that IFN-gamma downregulates lysyl oxidase gene expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells by transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. If similar regulation occurs in vivo, it is possible that IFN-gamma-mediated changes in lysyl oxidase may contribute to arterial diseases characterized by abnormal extracellular matrix.

Beta-1,3-1,6-glucan, derived from bakers' yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was used in the present study to investigate the extent to which glucan is able to protect spawners from white spot syndrome associated virus (WSSV), and whether this protection (if any) can be passed on to hatchlings via maternal transmission of immunity. Results showed that fewer spawners in the glucan-injected groups showed the clinical symptoms of red body coloration and white spots on the shell during the 15 days between eyestalk ablation and the end of repeated spawning. This suggests that the application of glucan might lead to a slight enhancement of disease resistance in spawners, although the differences were not statistically significant within the confidence limit chosen. Challenge results showed a significant increase in relative percent survival for larvae derived from groups of glucan-injected spawners compared to those derived from groups of untreated spawners. It therefore seems that a maternally transmitted disease resistance induced by glucan, protected the larvae against a WSSV infection. Glucan immersion was not only shown to be effective for nauplii derived from spawners that were not injected with glucan, it also provided additional, cumulative protection for nauplii which already had a maternally transmitted resistance to WSSV. This is the first documented demonstration of a maternal transmission of immunity in invertebrates.