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Connexion 43 (Cx43), a gap junction protein, is expressed abundantly in the airway and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. However, the effects of blocking Cx43 in asthma remain unclear. We investigated the therapeutic effects of two specific Cx43 inhibitors (Gap26 and Gap27) on the development of allergic airway disease in mice. Allergic asthma was induced in BALB/c mice by sensitization and challenge with ovalbumin (OVA). Different doses of Cx43 inhibitors were administered by aerosol inhalation 1 h after OVA challenge on days 21 and 23. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), lung pathology, mucus production, and inflammatory cells and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were examined. We found that Gap26 significantly inhibited OVA-induced AHR, inflammatory cell infiltration surrounding the bronchia, mucus production, inflammatory cells and cytokines in BALF, and OVA-specific IgE in the serum in a dose-dependent manner. Gap27 showed effects similar to those of Gap26 in inhibiting inflammatory cytokine production in BALF. We conclude Cx43 inhibitor inhalation alleviates asthma featuresin mice and may be a promising therapy for clinical asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Carbon dioxide was photo-catalytically reduced to produce formic acid in an aqueous solution using visible light irradiation. Titania and zinc-phthalocyanine (ZnPc)-loaded titania were synthesized by a sol–gel method and in situ chemical synthesis technique. The photo-catalytic reactions were conducted in a Pyrex reactor with a visible light irradiating. XRD and DRS revealed that ZnPc was on the TiO2 surface. The optimum technique was in situ chemical synthesis and the optimum amount of ZnPc loading was 1.0wt.% for the highest dispersion among catalysts. The formic acid yield of 1.0wt.% in situ ZnPc/TiO2 was 978.6μmol/g catalyst following 10h of visible light illumination and the conversion was 0.37%. The yield was higher than those of sol–gel TiO2 and ZnPc/BH-1, whose yields were 321.0 and 756.2μmol/g catalyst, respectively. Experimental results indicated that the formic acid yield was significantly increased by loading ZnPc. ZnPc has a higher selectivity than metal catalysts for the reduction of CO2. The photo-catalytic efficiency of ZnPc/TiO2 was markedly increased because of the lowering re-combination probability for hole–electron pairs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: To analyze the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided implantation of 125 I radioactive particles in treatment of early lung cancer., Methods: Six patients were analyzed, including 4 squamous cell carcinoma, 1 adenocarcinoma, and 1 small cell lung cancer. TPS software was used to calculate the therapeutic dose amount of particles implanted, and the spacing and distribution of seeds in the target area and adjacent tissues. Under the guidance of CT, 20-55 particles were implanted at each site, with the total number of radioactive particles being 226, the particle spacing being 0.5-1.0 cm, and the implantation being performed in accordance with the principle of uniform implantation. The patients were each followed up with repeated pulmonary CT scans at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after the procedure. In accordance with the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST), the following definitions for responses were used: complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), progressive disease (PD)., Results: There were 2 CRs and 4 PRs one month after procedure; six patients were followed up 3 months after procedure, including 2 CRs and 4 PRs; one patient was lost in follow-up, and 5 patients were followed up 6 months after procedure, including 3 CRs and 2 PRs; five patients were followed up 12 months after procedure, including 3 CRs, 1 PR and 1 PD. The single PD patient was again given CT-guided implantation of 125 I radioactive particles for the treatment of recurrent lesions. The pulmonary CT was repeated 6 months after procedure, and the response was evaluated as SD. Four patients were followed up 18 months after procedure, including 3 CRs and 1 PR; one patient was lost in follow-up and 3 patients were followed up 24 months after the procedure with the response being evaluated as CR for all of them; one patient was followed up 36 months after procedure, and the response was evaluated as PD. During the follow-up, no serious complications occurred in any of the patients., Conclusions: The preliminary clinical observation showed that 125 I radioactive particle implantation was a safe, reliable and effective therapeutic method for early lung cancer., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jtd-20-2666). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2020 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Metal ions (Cr, Ni, Co) doped titania (M-TiO2) coupled with the long after glow phosphor MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+) particles were synthesized by the sol-gel method, with the best mass ratio of MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+) to M-TiO2 as 4:6. MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+)/M-TiO2 had the persistent methyl orange (MO) photocatalytic degradation ability and the photocatalytic degradation went on reacting more than 90 min in dark after turning off the light. MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+) emitted the light as a light source in dark which was absorbed by M-TiO2. The differences of MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+)/Cr-TiO2, MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+)/Ni-TiO2 and MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+)/Co-TiO2 might be attributed to the difference in the metal ions doping. The composite MgAl2O4:(Pr3+, Dy3+)/Cr-TiO2 revealed the highest ability of persistent photocatalytic degradation methyl orange. Different metal ions doping made the TiO2 with different band gap.

Objective: to explore the clinical and microbiological characteristics of Rhizobium radiobacter infection, and therefore to provide information for the prevention and treatment of the disease., Methods: the clinical and microbiological data were analyzed for patients proved to have Rhizobium radiobacter infection by blood culture obtained from May 2008 to July 2009 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. Related literature were reviewed., Results: there were 4 males and 2 females aging 5 - 88 years old. All the patients suffered from fever and chillsor malaise, and had increased peripheral WBC or neutrophil count. The majority (5/6) of the infections was pneumonia, characterized by mild cough and expectoration, lung rales, patchy infiltrates on chest X-ray. All the patients had underlying diseases or were immunocompromised. Five of the 6 patients had close soil exposure. Four of the 6 patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics or immunosuppressive therapy. Antibacterial susceptibility testing showed that, all the isolates of Rhizobium radiobacter were susceptible to the third generation cephalosporins, cephamycins, Carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin and some of the aminoglycosides, but resistant to penicillins, penicillins/enzyme inhibitors, first and fourth generation cephalosporins, and helices beta-lactamase antibiotics. There were no complications, and all patients recovered uneventfully after treatment with antibiotics according to the susceptibility testing., Conclusions: rhizobium radiobacter infections often occur in patients with underlying risk factors. The clinical manifestations of Rhizobium radiobacter infection are nonspecific. The organism is sensitive to most antibiotics, and the clinical outcome is favorable.