Safety and efficacy of intraoperative radiation therapy using a low-energy X-ray source for resectable pancreatic cancer: an interim evaluation of an ongoing prospective phase II study.

Objective: The role of intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) in the management of resectable pancreatic cancer (RPC) remains unclear. To date, the application of IORT using a low-energy X-ray source has not been extensively investigated. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IORT using a 50 kV X-ray source in treating RPC.

Clinical outcomes of second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a real-world study.

Objective: Little progress has been made in recent years using first-line chemotherapy, including gemcitabine combined with nab-paclitaxel, FOLFIRINOX, and NALIRIFOX, for advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (APC). In addition, the optimal second-line chemotherapy regimen has not been determined. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of different types of second-line chemotherapy for APC.

The biomineralization of silica induced stress tolerance in plants: a case study for aluminum toxicity.

Biomineralization in plant roots refers to the process of cell-induced self-assembly to form nanostructures on the root surface. Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in soils, and beneficial to plant growth. Meanwhile, silicon is shown to participate in the process of biomineralization, which is useful for improving mechanical strength and alleviating biotic and abiotic stress, for example silicic acid polymerizes to form amorphous silica (SiO-nHO) in the process of growing to resist fungi and environmental stress.

Effects of Cadmium Stress on Root and Root Border Cells of Some Vegetable Species with Different Types of Root Meristem.

Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metals and can be easily absorbed by plants, affecting root growth. Root border cells (RBCs), that are located in the periphery of the root cap and originate from the root cap meristem, represent a convenient tool to study the toxic effects of Cd on root performance. In this work, vegetables with contrasting types of root apical meristem (RAM) organizations were used.

Genome-wide identification and expression analyses of late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) gene family in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) reveal their function in abiotic stress responses.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins play an important role in plant growth and response to abiotic stresses. However the late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) gene family in Nicotiana tabacum has not been systematically studied. In this study, 123 NtLEA genes were identified in Nicotiana tabacum, and divided into 8 groups, including LEA_1, LEA_2, LEA_3, LEA_4, LEA_5, LEA_6, DHN (dehydratin) and SMP (Seed Maturation Protein).

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes for treating traumatic pancreatitis in rats.

Background: The therapeutic and protective effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-exosomes (hucMSC-Exs) on traumatic pancreatitis (TP) remain unknown. Here, we established a rat model of TP and evaluated and compared the therapeutic effects of hUC-MSCs and hucMSC-Exs.

Methods: HucMSC-Exs were obtained by ultracentrifugation and identified using transmission electron microscopy and western blot analysis.

Monosialotetrahexosylganglioside in the treatment of chronic oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neurotoxicity: TJMUCH-GI-001, a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Chronic oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (OIPN) is the most troublesome and dose-limiting side effect of oxaliplatin. There is no effective treatment for chronic OIPN. We conducted a randomised controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) in treating chronic OIPN.

Extracellular silica nanocoat formed by layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly confers aluminum resistance in root border cells of pea (Pisum sativum).

Background: Soil acidity (and associated Al toxicity) is a major factor limiting crop production worldwide and threatening global food security. Electrostatic layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly provides a convenient and versatile method to form an extracellular silica nanocoat, which possess the ability to protect cell from the damage of physical stress or toxic substances. In this work, we have tested a hypothesis that extracellular silica nanocoat formed by LBL self-assembly will protect root border cells (RBCs) and enhance their resistance to Al toxicity.

Somatostatin Reduces the Acute Lung Injury of Mice via Increasing the Affinity of Glucocorticoid Receptor.

Background/aims: Although it has been reported that somatostatin (SOM) upregulated the level of 90-kD heat shock protein (Hsp90), which participates in the inflammatory regulation by its client proteins, such as glucocorticoid receptor (GR), it remains unclear if it has a protective role against acute lung injury (ALI).

Methods: ALI model was established by the injection of oleic acid (OA) into the tail vein of mice. Lung injury was assessed by histological analysis, lung water content and arterial blood gases.

Chronic caffeine exposure attenuates blast-induced memory deficit in mice.

Objective: To investigate the effects of three different ways of chronic caffeine administration on blast- induced memory dysfunction and to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Adult male C57BL/6 mice were used and randomly divided into five groups: control: without blast exposure, con-water: administrated with water continuously before and after blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI), con-caffeine: administrated with caffeine continuously for 1 month before and after bTBI, pre-caffeine: chronically administrated with caffeine for 1 month before bTBI and withdrawal after bTBI, post-caffeine: chronically administrated with caffeine after bTBI. After being subjected to moderate intensity of blast injury, mice were recorded for learning and memory performance using Morris water maze (MWM) paradigms at 1, 4, and 8 weeks post-blast injury.

The glucocorticoid dexamethasone inhibits U937 cell adhesion and neutrophil release via RhoA/ROCK1-dependent and independent pathways.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the Ras homolog family member A (RhoA)/Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) signaling pathway in the inhibition of inflammatory responses by the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex).

Methods: The inhibitory effects of Dex and Rho-kinase inhibitor fasudil (Fas) on phorbol ester-induced release of O2(-) and MPO from neutrophils and on U937 mononuclear cell adhesion were examined along with the expression and activity levels of RhoA and ROCK1.

Results: High doses of Dex rapidly inhibited the release of O2(-) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) from neutrophils and the adhesion of U937 cells, while Fas was only found to inhibit U937 cell adhesion.

EF1α is a suitable housekeeping gene for RT-qPCR analysis during osteogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

The expression of predominant housekeeping genes used in RT-qPCR can vary during development and differentiation. The frequently used housekeeping genes (ACTB, GAPDH, 18S rRNA, EF1α and RPL 13a) were evaluated during an early stage of the osteogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) (under normal conditions or treated with CCG-4986) to identify housekeeping genes whose expression remained constant during osteogenic differentiation. When we used RGS4 mRNA, which was determined as copy number per μg of total RNA, to normalize gene expression, we observed that the relative EF1α expression profile was consistent with RGS4 expression after treatment with CCG-4986.

Adenosine A2A receptor deficiency alleviates blast-induced cognitive dysfunction.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly explosive blast-induced TBI (bTBI), has become the most prevalent injury among military personnel. The disruption of cognitive function is one of the most serious consequences of bTBI because its long-lasting effects prevent survivors fulfilling their active duty and resuming normal civilian life. However, the mechanisms are poorly understood and there is no treatment available.

Oat β-glucan inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is part of the spectrum of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, there are few suitable animal models to study the pathogenesis of NASH or very limited advances in the prevention. Our aims were to establish a mouse model of NASH by intraperitoneally injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a dose of 1.

The -144C/A polymorphism in the promoter of HSP90beta is associated with multiple organ dysfunction scores.

Introduction: Variations in genetic background are the leading cause of differential susceptibility to traumatic infection. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), a broadly distributed and conserved molecule, regulates inflammation under stressful and traumatic conditions. However, the relationships between HSP90 genetic polymorphisms, post-traumatic inflammatory responses and organ function remain unknown.

Supplementation with oat protein ameliorates exercise-induced fatigue in mice.

Oat protein was purified from oat meal and its effects on swimming performance and related biochemical parameters were investigated. Thirty male Kun-ming mice were divided into the normal control, the oat meal and the oat protein group (n = 10). They were fed with a laboratory food for 30 days, then were subjected to swim to exhaustion.

Dexamethasone inhibits U937 cell adhesion via the down-regulation of ROCK1 activity.

Objective: To explore the effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on monocyte adhesion function and its underlying mechanism.

Methods: The effects of DEX and fasudil on adhesion of cultured U937 monocytes to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) following stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) were studied; Changes in the Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) protein content and activity were evaluated.

Results: DEX and fasudil significantly inhibited U937 cell adhesion rates under PMA stimulation and inhibited ROCK1 activity.

Roles of Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase in multiple cell behaviors.

Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine kinase that belongs to AGC family of kinases. By inducing the formation of stress fibers and reorganizing the cytoskeleton, it is involved in many biological behaviors of cells including cell contraction, cell migration, cell division, and morphological changes, and thus exerts important roles in regulating the multiple functions of cells.

Ski, a modulator of wound healing and scar formation in the rat skin and rabbit ear.

We recently demonstrated that Ski is a novel wound healing-related factor that promotes fibroblast proliferation and inhibits collagen secretion. Here, we show that increasing local Ski expression by gene transfer not only significantly accelerated wound healing by relieving inflammation, accelerating re-epithelialization and increasing formation of granulation tissue, but also reduced scar formation by decreasing collagen production in rat dermal wounds. Similarly, ski gene transfer accelerated wound healing, reduced the protuberant height and volume of scars and increased collagen maturity in a hypertrophic scar model in the rabbit ear.

[Effect of (S)-4C3HPG on brain damage in the acute stage of moderate traumatic brain injury model of mice and underlying mechanism].

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of (S)-4-carboxy-3-hydroxy-phenylglycine [(S)-4C3HPG], a mixed group I glutamate metabotropic receptor antagonist and a group II agonist, on impairment in a cortical impact model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in mice and to elucidate the possible mechanisms. Mice were injected (i.p.

Application of an oligonucleotide microarray-based nano-amplification technique for the detection of fungal pathogens.

Background: The traditional techniques for diagnosis of invasive fungal infections in the clinical microbiology laboratory need improvement. These techniques are prone to delay results due to their time-consuming process, or result in misidentification of the fungus due to low sensitivity or low specificity. The aim of this study was to develop a method for the rapid detection and identification of fungal pathogens.

[Effect of small interfering RNA-mediated Smad3 gene silencing on transforming growth factor-beta1-induced bi-directional effects on skin fibroblast proliferation].

Objective: To study the role of Smad3 in transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)-induced bi-directional effects on skin fibroblast proliferation.

Methods: The Smad3 small interfering (siRNA) plasmid was constructed using a pSUPER vector. The efficiency of cell transfection was detected by fluorescence microscopy, and the inhibitory effect of the plasmid was assessed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Local glutamate level dictates adenosine A2A receptor regulation of neuroinflammation and traumatic brain injury.

During brain injury, extracellular adenosine and glutamate levels increase rapidly and dramatically. We hypothesized that local glutamate levels in the brain dictates the adenosine-adenosine A(2A) receptor (A(2A)R) effects on neuroinflammation and brain damage outcome. Here, we showed that, in the presence of low concentrations of glutamate, the A(2A)R agonist 3-[4-[2-[[6-amino-9-[(2R,3R,4S,5S)-5-(ethylcarbamoyl)-3,4-dihydroxy-oxolan-2-yl]purin-2-yl]amino]ethyl]phenyl]propanoic acid (CGS21680) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity of cultured microglial cells, an effect that was dependent on the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway.

Adenosine A2A receptors in both bone marrow cells and non-bone marrow cells contribute to traumatic brain injury.

Adenosine A2A receptors (A(2A)Rs) in bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) are involved in regulation of inflammation and outcome in several CNS injuries; however their relative contribution to traumatic brain injury (TBI) is unknown. In this study, we created a mouse cortical impact model, and BMDC A(2A)Rs were selectively inactivated in wild-type (WT) mice or reconstituted in global A(2A)R knockout (KO) mice (i.e.