Abstract Our aim was to differentiate IgG4-related sialadenitis, primary Sjögren syndrome, and chronic obstructive submandibular sialadenitis by analysing clinical, radiographic, and pathological ...features. Fifty-five patients, 50, and 50 were enrolled, respectively and their baseline characteristics and serological, sialographic, and pathological findings compared. The male:female ratio for IgG4-related sialadenitis was 1:1.2 for primary Sjögren syndrome 1:15.7, and for chronic obstructive submandibular sialadenitis1:0.92. Numbers with enlarged salivary glands were 55, 16, and 50; with xerostomia 26, 48, and 0; with a history of allergy 26, 4, and 6, and with coexisting systemic disease 12, 19, and 0 (p = 0.14). Mean (SD) serum IgG4 concentrations were 109.1 (97.9), 4.9. (1.9) g/L, and 5.3 (1.6) g/L, p < 0.001 in all cases. Sialography showed enlargement of the gland, dilatation of the duct, and slightly decreased secretory function in IgG4-related disease; obvious sialectasia and decreased secretory function in Sjögren syndrome; and dilatation of Wharton’s duct and filling defects in obstructive sialadenitis. Histopathological examination showed lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with storiform fibrosis, lymphoplasmacytic inflammation and lymphoepithelial lesions, and dilatation of the duct with epithelial metaplasia in the three groups, respectively. The number of IgG4-positive plasma cells was 123 (45)/HPF, 8 (3)/HPF, and 5 (4)/HPF, while the IgG4-/IgG-positive cell ratio was 71.7 (13.9)%, 4.6 (2.5)%, 18.9 (19.7)%, respectively (p < 0.001). The three conditions have different clinical, radiographic, and pathological features that provide important clues to the differential diagnosis. Serological and histological tests are important, and comprehensive consideration is necessary.
Clinical intervention for patients with advanced prostate cancer (PCa) remains challenging due to the inevitable recurrence of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after androgen deprivation ...therapy (ADT). Cancer stem cells (CSCs) with serial tumor-propagating capacity are considered to be the driving force for PCa progression and recurrence. In this study, we report that the miR-302/367 cluster, a previously identified potent pluripotency regulator, is upregulated in prostate tumors. Specifically, the forced expression of the miR-302/367 cluster accelerates the in vitro and in vivo growth of PCa cells and their resistance to androgen ablation, whereas the knockdown of the miR-302/367 cluster using anti-sense RNA suppresses the incidence of formation, growth rate and endpoint weight of PCa cell tumors. Mechanistically, we find that LATS2, a key component of the tumor-suppressive Hippo signaling pathway, acts as a direct target of the miR-302/367 cluster in PCa cells. The downregulation of LATS2 by the miR-302/367 cluster reduces the phosphorylation and enhances the nuclear translocation of the YAP oncoprotein. Conversely, the restoration of LATS2 expression abrogates the tumor-promoting effects of forced miR-302/367 cluster expression. Collectively, the potent pluripotency regulator-triggered miR-302/367/LATS2/YAP pathway is essential for prostate tumor-propagating cells and promotes castration resistance. Thus, targeting this signaling axis may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for CRPC.
We performed the broadband (1-100 keV) spectral analysis of the first Galactic Be ultraluminous X-ray pulsar (BeULX) Swift J0243.6+6124 observed by Insight-HXMT during the 2017−2018 outburst. The ...results show spectral transitions at two typical luminosities, roughly consistently with those reported previously via pure timing analysis. We find that the spectrum evolves and becomes softer and has higher cutoff energies until the luminosity reaches L1 (∼1.5 × 1038 erg s−1). Afterwards the spectrum becomes harder with lower cutoff energies until the luminosity increases to L2 (∼4.4 × 1038 erg s−1), around which the second spectral transition occurs. Beyond L2, the spectrum softens again and has larger cutoff energies. Similar behaviors were observed previously in other high-mass X-ray binary systems (HMXBs), especially for the second transition at higher luminosities, which is believed to have a correlation with the magnetic field of the harbored neutron star. Accordingly, we speculate that Swift J0243.6+6124 owns a neutron star with magnetic field strength >1013 G. The spectral transition at around L1 of Swift J0243.6+6124 is first observed thoroughly for any HMXB outburst characterized by strong evolution of the thermal component: the temperature of the blackbody drops sharply accompanied by a sudden increase of the blackbody radius. These spectral transitions can in principle be understood in a general scenario of balancing the emission patterns between the pencil and the fan beams at the magnetic pole, for which the extreme brightness of Swift J0243.6+6124 may provide an almost unique lab to probe the details.
Context.
No robust detection of prompt electromagnetic counterparts to fast radio bursts (FRBs) has yet been obtained, in spite of several multi-wavelength searches having been carried out so far. ...Specifically, X/
γ
-rays counterparts are predicted by some models.
Aims.
We aim to search for prompt
γ
-ray counterparts in the Insight-Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (Insight-HXMT) data, taking advantage of the unique combination of the large effective area in the keV–MeV energy range, and of sub-ms time resolution.
Methods.
We selected 39 FRBs that were promptly visible from the High-Energy (HE) instrument aboard Insight-HXMT. After calculating the expected arrival times at the location of the spacecraft, we searched for a significant excess in both individual and cumulative time profiles over a wide range of time resolutions, from several seconds down to sub-ms scales. Using the dispersion measures in excess of the Galactic terms, we estimated the upper limits on the redshifts.
Results.
No convincing signal was found, and for each FRB we constrained the
γ
-ray isotropic-equivalent luminosity and the released energy as a function of emission timescale. For the nearest FRB source, the periodic repeater FRB 180916.J0158+65, we find
L
γ
, iso
< 5.5 × 10
47
erg s
−1
over 1 s, whereas
L
γ
, iso
< 10
49
− 10
51
erg s
−1
for the bulk of FRBs. The same values scale up by a factor of ∼100 for a ms-long emission.
Conclusions.
Even on a timescale comparable with that of the radio pulse itself, no keV–MeV emission is observed. A systematic association with either long or short GRBs is ruled out with high confidence, except for sub-luminous events, as is the case for the core-collapse of massive stars (long) or binary neutron star mergers (short) viewed off axis. Only giant flares from extragalactic magnetars at least ten times more energetic than Galactic siblings are ruled out for the nearest FRB.
Aims
Apelin is a specific endogenous ligand of orphan G protein‐coupled receptor APJ. This study was designed to determine the roles and mechanisms of apelin‐13 and APJ in paraventricular nucleus ...(PVN) in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), arginine vasopressin (AVP) release and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).
Method
Acute experiment was carried out in 13‐week‐old male SHR and Wistar‐Kyoto rats (WKY) under anaesthesia. RSNA and MAP responses to the PVN microinjection were determined. Apelin and APJ expressions were examined with quantitative real‐time PCR and Western blot. AVP and noradrenaline were determined with ELISA. Osmotic minipumps were used for chronic PVN infusion in conscious WKY.
Results
Apelin and APJ in the PVN were up‐regulated in SHR. The PVN microinjection of apelin‐13 increased, but APJ antagonist F13A decreased the RSNA, MAP, plasma noradrenaline and AVP levels in SHR. N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist plus non‐NMDAR antagonist abolished the apelin‐13‐induced sympathetic activation rather than AVP release. NMDAR antagonist or non‐NMDAR antagonist alone attenuated the apelin‐13‐induced sympathetic activation. Chronic infusion of apelin‐13 into the PVN in normotensive rats induced hypertension, increased plasma noradrenaline and AVP levels and promoted myocardial atrial natriuretic peptide and beta‐myosin heavy chain mRNA expressions, two indicative markers of cardiac hypertrophy.
Conclusion
Apelin‐13 and APJ in the PVN contribute to hypertension via sympathetic activation and AVP release in SHR. The sympatho‐excitatory effect of apeline‐13 is mediated by both NMDAR and non‐NMDAR in the PVN. Persistent activation of APJ in the PVN induces hypertension.
Polymerized inorganic coagulants are increasingly being used in the water supply and wastewater treatment process, yet there is limited research on the development of polytitanium coagulants. The aim ...of this study is to synthesize polytitanium chloride (PTC) coagulants and investigate their coagulation behavior and floc characteristics for humic acid removal in comparison to polyaluminum chloride (PAC). The PTC samples with different B (molar ratios of OH/Ti) values were prepared using an instantaneous base-feeding method, employing sodium carbonate as the basification agent. The coagulation efficiency was significantly influenced by different B values. The results suggest that the humic acid removal increased with the increasing B value for PAC, while the inverse trend was observed for PTC. The optimum B value was chosen at 1.0 and 2.0 for PTC and PAC, respectively. Under the optimum coagulant dose and initial solution pH conditions, the PTC coagulant performed better than the PAC coagulant and the floc properties were significantly improved in terms of floc growth rate and floc size. However, the PAC coagulants produced flocs with better floc recoverability than the PTC coagulants.
The kinetic floc growth, breakage and regrowth profiles with different flocculants: Display omitted
•Stable PTC coagulants were synthesized employing Na2CO3 as the basification agent.•Coagulation behavior of PTC was comparatively investigated against PAC.•PTC performs better than PAC in terms of organic matter removal and floc properties.•PTC is an efficient and promising coagulant for water purification.
Carboxylesterases (CarEs) play an important role in detoxifying insecticides in insects. Over‐expression and structural modification of CarEs have been implicated in the development of ...organophosphate (OP) insecticide resistance in insects. A previous study identified four nonsynonymous mutations (resulting in four amino acid residue substitutions) in the open reading frame of the carboxylesterase gene of resistant cotton aphids compared to the omethoate susceptible strain, which has possibly influenced the development of resistance to omethoate (a systemic OP insecticide). The current study further characterized the function of these mutations, both alone and in combination, in the hydrolysis of OP insecticides. The metabolism results suggest that the combination of four mutations, mainly existing in the laboratory‐selected OP‐resistant cotton aphid population, increased the OP hydrolase activity (approximately twofold) at the cost of detectable carboxylesterase activity. The functional studies of single or multiple mutations suggest the positive effect of H104R, A128V and T333P on the acquisition of OP hydrolase activity, especially the combination of H104R with A128V or T333P. K484R substitution decreased both the OP hydrolase activity and the CarE activity, indicating that this mutation primarily drives the negative effect on the acquisition of OP hydrolase activity amongst these four mutations in the resistant strain. The modelling and docking results are basically consistent with the metabolic results, which strongly suggest that the structural gene modification is the molecular basis for the OP resistance in this laboratory‐selected cotton aphid strain.
(N, S and C) co-doped TiO2 samples show good photocatalytic activity for Cr(VI) reduction under visible light irradiation.
•(N, S and C) co-doping in TiO2 can preserve the anatase form to higher ...temperature.•(N, S and C) co-doped TiO2 samples can absorb both UV and visible light.•The band gap energy of the sample significantly reduced after (N, S and C) co-doping.•(N, S and C) co-doped TiO2 samples effective for visible light induced reduction of Cr(VI).
The (N, S and C) co-doped TiO2 samples (NSC-TiO2) were synthesized by the sol–gel method combining with the high energy ball milling method calcined at the different temperature (400–700°C), employing butyl titanate as the titanium source and thiourea as the doping agent. The structures of NSC-TiO2 samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), X-ray photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. The photocatalytic activities were checked through the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) as a model compound under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the (N, S and C) co-doping and the calcination temperature played important role on the microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the samples. According to XPS spectra, sulfur was mainly attributed to the TiOS bond; nitrogen was ascribed to the TiON and TiN bonds; carbon was assigned to the TiOC bond in the NSC-TiO2 samples. (N, S and C) co-doped TiO2 samples calcinated at 500°C exhibits higher photocatalytic activity than that of the other samples under visible light irradiation, which can be attributed to the synergic effect of its enhancing crystallization of anatase and (N, S and C) co-doping.
The precise measurement of the spectrum of protons, the most abundant component of the cosmic radiation, is necessary to understand the source and acceleration of cosmic rays in the Milky Way. This ...work reports the measurement of the cosmic ray proton fluxes with kinetic energies from 40 GeV to 100 TeV, with 2
/
years of data recorded by the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE). This is the first time that an experiment directly measures the cosmic ray protons up to ~100 TeV with high statistics. The measured spectrum confirms the spectral hardening at ~300 GeV found by previous experiments and reveals a softening at ~13.6 TeV, with the spectral index changing from ~2.60 to ~2.85. Our result suggests the existence of a new spectral feature of cosmic rays at energies lower than the so-called knee and sheds new light on the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.
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