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Biliary stricture can be induced by intrinsic narrowing and extrinsic compression, with the majority of cases being malignant. Clinically, distinguishing between benign and malignant biliary strictures remains a considerable challenge, and the ongoing disagreement over the optimal choice of biliary stents significantly influences treatment strategies and impacts patients’ survival and prognosis. The utilization and advancement of endoscopic techniques have heightened the diagnostic sensitivity for biliary strictures. Concurrently, innovative technologies such as endoscopic ultrasound and magnetic compression anastomosis emerge as viable alternatives when endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is not an option, providing fresh insights for the clinical management of these patients. Traditional plastic and metal stents, characterized by their complex application and limited scope, have been unable to fully satisfy clinical needs. The introduction of novel stent varieties has notably improved this scenario, marking a considerable progression towards precision medicine. However, the clinical validation of the diverse stent materials available is incomplete. Hence, a thorough discussion on the present state and evolving trends of biliary stents is warranted.

Abstract Polymeric materials, rich in carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen elements, present substantial fire hazards to both human life and property due to their intrinsic flammability. Overcoming this challenge in the absence of any flame-retardant elements is a daunting task. Herein, we introduce an innovative strategy employing catalytic polymer auto-pyrolysis before combustion to proactively release CO2, akin to possessing responsive CO2 fire extinguishing mechanisms. We demonstrate that potassium salts with strong nucleophilicity (such as potassium formate/malate) can transform conventional polyurethane foam into materials with fire safety through rearrangement. This transformation results in the rapid generation of a substantial volume of CO2, occurring before the onset of intense decomposition, effectively extinguishing fires. The inclusion of just 1.05 wt% potassium formate can significantly raise the limiting oxygen index of polyurethane foam to 26.5%, increase the time to ignition by 927%, and tremendously reduce smoke toxicity by 95%. The successful application of various potassium salts, combined with a comprehensive examination of the underlying mechanisms, underscores the viability of this strategy. This pioneering catalytic approach paves the way for the efficient and eco-friendly development of polymeric materials with fire safety.

Abstract The rapidly increasing use of high-throughput screening had produced a plethora of expanding knowledge on the molecular basis of natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), which in turn has revolutionized the treatment. Specifically, the use of asparaginase-containing regimens has led to substantial improvement in survival outcomes in NKTCL patients. Novel treatment strategies that are currently under development include cell-surface-targeted antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, Epstein-Barr virus targeted cytotoxic T lymphocyte, immunomodulatory agents, chimeric antigen receptor T cells, signaling pathway inhibitors and epigenetic targeted agents. In almost all cases, initial clinical studies of newly developed treatment are conducted in patients relapsed, and refractory NKTCL due to very limited treatment options. This review summarizes the results of these novel treatments for NKTCL and discusses their potential for likely use in NKTCL in a wider setting in the future.

This study constructs a model for the rapid identification of the origins of edible sunflower (Helianthus) using Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (KELM) with multi-source information fusion technology. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS) were utilized to analyze 180 sunflower samples from the Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, and Inner Mongolia regions. Initially, the identification models for the origin of sunflowers using NIR and NMR data were compared between two algorithms: the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) and KELM, combined with various spectral preprocessing methods. The experiment found that the NIR spectral model preprocessed with standard normal variate (SNV) using the KELM algorithm was the most accurate, achieving accuracies of 98.7% in the training set and 97.2% in the test set. The spin-echo NMR spectral model preprocessed with non-local means (NLMs) using the KELM algorithm was the second best, with accuracies of 98.4% in the training set and 96.4% in the test set. To further improve the accuracy of the identification models, innovative sunflower origin identification models were developed based on data layer fusion and feature layer fusion using NIRS and NMRS. In the data layer fusion model, the KELM algorithm model was optimal, achieving a test set accuracy and F1 score of 98.2% and 98.18%, respectively, an improvement of 1.0% over the best single data source model. In the feature layer fusion model, four types of feature-layer information-fusion identification models were established using two feature extraction algorithms, Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS) and Variable Importance Projection (VIP), combined with joint feature and simple merging feature strategies. The CARS-KELM algorithm combined with the joint feature method was found to be the best, achieving 100% accuracy in both the training and test sets, an improvement of 2.8% over the best single data source model. Identifying the origin of edible sunflower using NIRS and NMRS is demonstrated as feasible by the results. The best single-spectrum sunflower origin identification model was achieved using the KELM algorithm with SNV preprocessing. The feature layer fusion method combining NIRS and NMRS data is suitable for handling the task of sunflower origin identification. This method significantly improves the recognition accuracy of the model compared to a single model, achieving fast and accurate origin identification of edible sunflowers. The research results provide a new method for rapid identification of sunflower origin.

This paper presents the background, scientific objectives, experimental design, and preliminary achievements of the Xin’anjiang nested experimental watershed (XAJ-NEW), implemented in 2017 in eastern China, which has a subtropical humid monsoon climate and a total area of 2674 km2. The scientific objectives of the XAJ-NEW include building a comprehensive, multiscale, and nested hydrometeorological monitoring and experimental program, strengthening the observation of the water cycle, discovering the spatiotemporal scaling effects of hydrological processes, and revealing the mechanisms controlling runoff generation and partitioning in a typical humid, hilly area. After two years of operation, preliminary results indicated scale-dependent variability in key hydrometeorological processes and variables such as precipitation, runoff, groundwater, and soil moisture. The effects of canopy interception and runoff partitioning between the surface and subsurface were also identified. Continuous operation of this program can further reveal the mechanisms controlling runoff generation and partitioning, discover the spatiotemporal scaling effects of hydrological processes, and understand the impacts of climate change on hydrological processes. These findings provide new insights into understanding multiscale hydrological processes and their responses to meteorological forcings, improving model parameterization schemes, and enhancing weather and climate forecast skills.

Introduction: The presence of hypoxic‐ischemic brain damage (HIBD) in neonates triggers a strong neuroinflammatory reaction. Pyroptosis, a programmed cell death mechanism associated with inflammation, plays a crucial role in HIBD. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) plays a significant role in connecting metabolic processes and inflammatory responses, but whether it affects hippocampus pyroptosis in HIBD is unclear. The aim of this study is to elucidate the role of PKM2 in HIBD and to propose a novel therapeutic approach for neonatal ischemic‐hypoxic encephalopathy. Methods: In this study, we employed neonatal 7‐day‐old Sprague Dawley rats to establish a model of HIBD using the Rice–Vannucci surgical technique and a hypoxia device. To inhibit the elevation of PKM2, we utilized the PKM2 inhibitor shikonin. The rats were categorized into four groups: Sham, Shikonin, HIBD, and Shikonin + HIBD. Behavioral tests, hematoxylin eosin staining, immunofluorescence staining, ELISA (IL‐1β, IL‐18), and LDH were conducted in each group to evaluate neurological function, hippocampal damage, the occurrence of neuronal pyroptosis, and the neuroinflammation. Western blot was used to assess the expression levels of PKM2, NLRP3, Caspase‐1, Cleaved Caspase‐1, GSDMD, GSDMDN, and IL‐1β. Results: The expression of PKM2 elevated in hippocampal tissues of the HIBD model and the localization of PKM2 in the hippocampus was activated in neurons instead of microglia during the HIBD. Meanwhile, the inhibition of PKM2 improved the behavioral test scores and the body weight of rats, the neuronal damage in the CA1 region of hippocampal tissue was also attenuated. In addition, inhibiting PKM2 alleviated neuronal pyroptosis by decreasing the expression of PKM2, NLRP3, Caspase‐1, Cleaved Caspase‐1, GSDMD, GSDMDN. Furthermore, serum levels of LDH and inflammatory factors IL‐1β and IL‐18 decrease with PKM2 inhibition. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we can conclude that PKM2 plays a crucial role in regulating hippocampal neuronal pyroptosis of HIBD rats via NLRP3/Caspase‐1/GSDMD pathway. Therefore, inhibiting PKM2 could be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of neonatal ischemic‐hypoxic encephalopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroptosis is an inflammation‐associated programmed cell death, and neuroinflammation is strongly associated with severe neurological deficits in neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Ethyl pyruvate (EP), a known anti‐inflammatory agent, has shown promise in the treatment of hypoxic–ischemic brain damage (HIBD) rats; nevertheless, the therapeutic mechanism of EP and its capacity to suppress neuronal pyroptosis in HIBD rats remain unclear. In both the neonatal Rice‐Vannucci rat model and the OGD/R model, this study examined alterations in the NLRP3/Caspase‐1/GSDMD classical pyroptosis pathway in hippocampal neurons during HIE and the potential inhibitory impact of ethyl pyruvate on this pathway. We used HE staining, immunofluorescence double staining, transmission electron microscopy, and western blot to demonstrate that EP effectively inhibited hippocampal neuronal pyroptosis and attenuated the activation of the NLRP3/Caspase‐1/GSDMD signaling pathway in HIBD rats, which resulted in a reduction of neuroinflammation and facilitated neural recovery. The results suggest that EP may be a promising neuroprotective agent for treating HIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that the ATP-P2X4 receptor signaling pathway mediates the activation of the Nod-like receptor family protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. The NLRP3 inflammasome may promote renal interstitial inflammation in diabetic nephropathy. As inflammation also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, we hypothesized that the ATP-P2X4 receptor signaling pathway may activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in Parkinson’s disease. A male rat model of Parkinson’s disease was induced by stereotactic injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the pars compacta of the substantia nigra. The P2X4 receptor and the NLRP3 inflammasome (interleukin-1β and interleukin-18) were activated. Intracerebroventricular injection of the selective P2X4 receptor antagonist 5-(3-bromophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzofuro[3,2-e]-1,4-diazepin-2-one (5-BDBD) or knockdown of P2X4 receptor expression by siRNA inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and alleviated dopaminergic neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Our results suggest that the ATP-P2X4 receptor signaling pathway mediates NLRP3 inflammasome activation, dopaminergic neurodegeneration, and dopamine levels. These findings reveal a novel role of the ATP-P2X4 axis in the molecular mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease, thus providing a new target for treatment. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Qingdao University, China, on March 5, 2015 (approval No. QYFYWZLL 26119).

Adsorption using biochar is a high-efficient method for removing dyes from wastewater, and it has become a hot research topic in recent years. Biochar produced from organic wastes through pyrolysis is a promising way to combine bioenergy recovery and dye removal. In this study, durian shell (DS) was used as a feedstock for biochar and bio-oil production under different pyrolysis temperatures (400, 500, and 600 °C) for bioenergy recovery. Then, the biochar was applied as the absorbent for methylene blue (MB) removal from wastewater under batch and continuous experiments. It was found that the bio-oil production was slightly affected by temperature, while the productivity of biochar decreased from 42.05% to 30.65% with the increase in pyrolysis temperature from 400 to 600 °C. Compared with the biochar produced at 500 °C (DS-500) and 600 °C (DS-600), the biochar obtained at 400 °C (DS-400) exhibited higher MB removal efficiency and adsorption capacity under various pH conditions due to the superior microstructure. A high pH condition was beneficial for the adsorption process with DS-400. Additionally, the MB removal efficiencies increased with the increase in biochar dosage by providing more activated sites. A high MB content can promote the adsorption process, but a too high MB content negatively affects the removal efficiency due to the sorption saturation. Adsorption processes are more likely to match a pseudo-second-order model by chemical reactions. In the long-term continuous experiment, MB can be effectively removed to match the discharge standard by DS-400. This study provided a sustainable pathway for organic waste disposal and dye wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oxidative stress (OS) plays a major role in the progress of hypoxic‐ischemic brain damage (HIBD). This study aimed to investigate OS‐related genes and their underlying molecular mechanisms in neonatal HIBD. Methods: Microarray data sets were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between control samples and HIBD samples. OS‐related genes were drawn from GeneCards and OS‐DEGs in HIBD were obtained by intersecting with the DEGs. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms and functions of OS‐DEGs in HIBD. Moreover, the hub genes were screened using the protein−protein interaction network and identified in the GSE144456 data set. CIBERSORT was then performed to evaluate the expression of immunocytes in each sample and perform a correlation analysis of the optimal OS‐DEGs and immunocytes. Finally, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) and immunohistochemistry were performed to validate the expression levels of the optimal OS‐DEGs. Results: In total, 93 OS‐DEGs were identified. GO, KEGG, and GSEA enrichment analyses indicated that these genes were predominantly enriched in OS and inflammation. Four OS‐related biomarker genes (Jun, Fos, Tlr2, and Atf3) were identified and verified. CIBERSORT analysis revealed the dysregulation of six types of immune cells in the HIBD group. Moreover, 47 drugs that might target four OS‐related biomarker genes were screened. Eventually, RT‐qPCR and immunohistochemistry results for rat samples further validated the expression levels of Fos, Tlr2, and Atf3. Conclusions: Fos, Tlr2 and Atf3 are potential OS‐related biomarkers of HIBD progression. The mechanisms of OS are associated with those of neonatal HIBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of institutes and papers over time based on the heterogeneous institution-citation network. A new model, IPRank, is introduced to measure the impact of institution and paper simultaneously. This model utilises the heterogeneous structural measure method to unveil the impact of institution and paper, reflecting the effects of citation, institution, and structural measure. To evaluate the performance, the model first constructs a heterogeneous institution-citation network based on the American Physical Society (APS) dataset. Subsequently, PageRank is used to quantify the impact of institution and paper. Finally, impacts of same institution are merged, and the ranking of institutions and papers is calculated. Experimental results show that the IPRank model better identifies universities that host Nobel Prize laureates, demonstrating that the proposed technique well reflects impactful research.

Polymeric materials, rich in carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen elements, present substantial fire hazards to both human life and property due to their intrinsic flammability. Overcoming this challenge in the absence of any flame-retardant elements is a daunting task. Herein, we introduce an innovative strategy employing catalytic polymer auto-pyrolysis before combustion to proactively release CO2, akin to possessing responsive CO2 fire extinguishing mechanisms. We demonstrate that potassium salts with strong nucleophilicity (such as potassium formate/malate) can transform conventional polyurethane foam into materials with fire safety through rearrangement. This transformation results in the rapid generation of a substantial volume of CO2, occurring before the onset of intense decomposition, effectively extinguishing fires. The inclusion of just 1.05 wt% potassium formate can significantly raise the limiting oxygen index of polyurethane foam to 26.5%, increase the time to ignition by 927%, and tremendously reduce smoke toxicity by 95%. The successful application of various potassium salts, combined with a comprehensive examination of the underlying mechanisms, underscores the viability of this strategy. This pioneering catalytic approach paves the way for the efficient and eco-friendly development of polymeric materials with fire safety. Overcoming this challenge of fire hazards by carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen rich materials remains challenging. Here, the authors demonstarte that catalytic polymer auto-pyrolysis before combustion releases CO2, equipping the material with fire retardant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common complication of pregnancy and can have significant impact on obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Increasing evidence has shown that the inhibited mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in placenta is associated with FGR. However, interpretation of existing research is limited due to inconsistent methodologies and varying understanding of the mechanism by which mTOR activity contributes to FGR. Hereby, we have demonstrated that different anatomic regions of human and mouse placentas exhibited different levels of mTOR activity in normal compared to FGR pregnancies. When using the rapamycin-induced FGR mouse model, we found that placentas of FGR pregnancies exhibited abnormal morphological changes and reduced mTOR activity in the decidual-junctional layer. Using transcriptomics and lipidomics, we revealed that lipid and energy metabolism was significantly disrupted in the placentas of FGR mice. Finally, we demonstrated that maternal physical exercise during gestation in our FGR mouse model was associated with increased fetal and placental weight as well as increased placental mTOR activity and lipid metabolism. Collectively, our data indicate that the inhibited placental mTOR signaling contributes to FGR with altered lipid metabolism in mouse placentas, and maternal exercise could be an effective method to reduce the occurrence of FGR or alleviate the adverse outcomes associated with FGR. Human and mouse placentas have different mTOR signaling activities in different anatomic regions in normal and FGR pregnancies. Pregnant mice with FGR induced by rapamycin show smaller placentas, decreased mTOR activity in DJ layer of placenta and altered lipid metabolism. Maternal exercise partially alleviates the abnormal outcomes of FGR model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oxidative stress is one of the key contributors to cellular senescence and ovarian aging. Quercetin has a variety of physiological activities such as antioxidant. Given that hydrogen peroxide can cause oxidative damage to cells, the present study is designed to verify the protective effect of quercetin on human ovarian granulosa tumor cell line under oxidative stress. Methods: Cell counting kit-8 and lactate dehydrogenase assays examined cell viability and toxicity. Flow cytometry detected reactive oxygen species accumulation. Glutathione level was measured to analyze the oxidation resistance. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by Hoechst 33258 staining, acridine orange/Ethidium Bromide staining and western blot. The mitochondrial structure was observed under a transmission electron microscope. Mitochondrial membrane integrity was detected by JC-1 staining and western blot. Results: Hydrogen peroxide could induce cell injury, promote reactive oxygen species accumulation, and lead to glutathione depletion. hydrogen peroxide also resulted in mitochondrial morphological damage and depolarization, which activate caspase3/9 subsequently. However, quercetin could mitigate these damages. Conclusions: Present study found that hydrogen peroxide induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial apoptosis of human ovarian granulosa tumor cell line cells, which could be attenuated by quercetin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Jiangtang decoction (JTD) is a China patented drug which contains Euphorbia humifusa Willd, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Astragalus mongholicus Bunge, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, and Coptis chinensis Franch. For decades, it has also been used clinically to treat diabetic nephropathy (DN) effectively; however, the associated mechanisms remain unknown. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the protective efficacy of JTD in DN and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods A diabetic model using KK-Ay mice received a daily administration of JTD for 12 weeks. Body weight, blood glucose, triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), urea nitrogen (UN), creatinine (Cr), and microalbumin/urine creatinine (MA/UCREA) was measured every 4 weeks. Furthermore, on the day of the sacrifice, blood, urine, and kidneys were collected to assess renal function according to general parameters. Pathological staining was performed to evaluate the protective renal effect of JTD. In addition, the levels of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-6 and intercellular adhesion molecule [ICAM]-1), insulin receptor substrate [IRS]-1, advanced glycation end products [AGEs], and receptor of glycation end products [RAGE] were assessed. Finally, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway and involvement of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was further analyzed. Results After 12 weeks of metformin and JTD administration, the mice exhibited a significant amelioration in glucose and lipid metabolism dysfunction, reduced morphological changes in the renal tissue, decreased urinary albumin excretion, and normalized creatinine clearance. JTD treatment also reduced the accumulation of AGEs and RAGE, up-regulated IRS-1, and increased the phosphorylation of both PI3K (p85) and Akt, indicating that the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was involved. Additionally, JTD administration reduced the elevated levels of renal inflammatory mediators and decreased the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65. Conclusions These results demonstrate that JTD might reduce inflammation in DN through the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways.

The antibiotic adsorbability and economic performance of modified semi-carbonized fiber (SF) were investigated by using 100% chitosan (CS) to modify SF (prepared by cotton) for preparing CS-modified SF (CS-SF). Then, different ratios (0%, 10%, 20%, 50%, 100%, and 200%) of sodium alginate (SA) were used to modify 100CS-SF for preparing SA and CS-modified SF (SA/CS-SF). Batch method was used to investigate the adsorption characteristic of chlortetracycline (CTC), tetracycline (TC), and oxytetracycline (OTC) on different SA/CS-SFs. The effects of temperature, pH, and ionic strength on antibiotic adsorption were compared, and the economic performance of different SA/CS-SFs was analyzed. Results showed that (1) the Langmuir model is suitable for describing the adsorption process of antibiotics by different SA/CS-SFs. The maximum adsorption amount (qm) of different SA/CS-SFs for CTC, TC, and OTC were 11.17-36.36, 6.14-26.11, and 9.90-32.87 mmol/kg, respectively, ranking in the order of CTC > OTC > TC. (2) The adsorption antibiotics by different SA/CS-SFs conformed to the pseudo-first-order kinetics equation. Antibiotic adsorption on different SA/CS-SFs increased with the increase in temperature, and the adsorption was a spontaneous, endothermic, and entropy-increasing process. (3) In the pH range of 3-9 and ionic strength range of 0.01-0.2 mol/L, the adsorption amount of antibiotics on different SA/CS-SFs all increased first and then decreased with increasing pH and ionic strength, reaching the maximum value at pH = 5 and ionic strength of 0.1 mol/L, respectively. (4) The economy (qm/price) of different SA/CS-SFs for antibiotic adsorption ranged from 7.18 to 22.91 mg/¥, and 100SA/CS-SF showed the highest economy. Compared with biochar and modified biochar, 100SA/CS-SF had higher economy in antibiotic adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae cultivation using wastewater is a combined process for pollutant removal and lipid production that has been widely studied in recent years. In this study, the effects of anaerobic membrane effluent (AME) and municipal wastewater (MW) ratios on microalgae growth and pollutant removal processes were investigated, and the lipid production properties were also explored. Results show that microalgae can grow in all AME/WW ratios, and a 40% AME content is the optimal condition for microalgal biomass accumulation (52.9 mg/L·d) and lipid production (0.378 g/L). Higher AME addition would inhibit microalgae growth. In addition, high ammonia (approximately 97%) and phosphate (around 90%) removal efficiencies can be achieved in all AME/WW ratio conditions, while the total nitrogen removal efficiencies decreased with the addition of AME. Total nitrogen and phosphate are the limiting factors in treating water to meet the requirements of the integrated wastewater discharge standard. This study provided a new method for anaerobic digestion and municipal wastewater treatment and also realized green energy production based on the sustainable development principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) are synthetic DNA sequences containing unmethylated cytosine-guanine motifs with potent immunomodulatory effects. Previous reports showed a powerful protective effect of CpG-ODN against the damage induced by low-LET γ-rays. In this study, we explored whether CpG-ODN also protects against the damage induced by high-LET irradiation. Parallel experiments were performed with low-LET irradiation. Methods: RAW264.7 cells were incubated with 1 μM of CpG-ODN after γ-ray or carbon-beam irradiation. Cell death was then measured by PI/DAPI double staining, cell survival was assessed by colony-formation assays, DNA damage was evaluated by comet assays, cell cycle was monitored by flow cytometry, and the levels of apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blots. Results: When irradiated cells were treated with the CpG-ODN, cell viability decreased, cell survival increased, DNA damage and G2/M-phase arrest were ameliorated, and apoptosis was inhibited. Conclusions: The CpG-ODN showed protective effects against low-LET γ-ray and high-LET carbon-beam irradiation. These effects might be associated with the repair of DNA damage and inhibition of apoptosis.

Background: Aplasitc anemia (AA) is a bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by an immune-mediated destruction of hematopoietic stem cells. Though clinical symptoms could be ameliorated by bone marrow transplantation and/or immunosuppressive therapy, frequent recurrence and especially evolution of clonal hematologic diseases remains problematic clinically. Cytokines such as interferon-γ (INF-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secreted by autologous T cells are closely related with the development of AA. Hydrogen-rich solution was reported to inhibit the levels of cytokines including INF-γ, TNF-α and IL-6 in vivo in recent studies. This study was to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of hydrogen-rich solution on AA in vivo. Methods: AA model was determined in vivo by mice and body weights of the mice were used as the basic physiological index. Peripheral blood cells were calculated to evaluate the hematologic recovery degree. Bone marrow nucleated cells (BMNCs), tissue histology, as well as CFU-S and CFU-GM forming units were used to evaluate the recovery of bone marrow microenvironment. The ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ cells were examined along with cytokine levels in serum to determine the efficacy of H2-rich solution on the affected immunological functions. Results: Body weight and number of peripheral blood cells were significantly improved for mice in the H2-rich solution treated groups as compared with those with AA. The number of BMNCs and CFUs increased markedly and the bone marrow microenvironment was also improved significantly. The experimental group restrained the cell apoptosis, relieved hyperemia and accelerated tissue repair. The number of CD4+ and CD8+ cells as well as the ratio of CD4/CD8 increased to normal gradually, while the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-6 in serum decreased after H2-rich solution treatment. Conclusion: Our study firstly showed that hydrogen-rich solution accelerated the recovery of either hematological or immunological recovery on aplastic anemia mice. This finding suggests hydrogen-rich solution as a potential clinical therapeutic agent for AA.