Neuroblastoma is one of the most common tumors in children. Cases where an isolated soft-tissue metastasis mass is the initial symptom are rare, with only four such cases reported to date. We describe the imaging findings of ten cases of neuroblastoma patients in our hospital with superficial soft tissue mass (SSTM) as the primary symptom. The main ultrasound finding of SSTM was hypoechoic masses or scattered speck-like hyperechoic masses. However, when this type of SSTM is caused by soft tissue metastasis, the location is often atypical, and ultrasound findings are difficult to distinguish from other benign diseases. Therefore, this research should remind clinicians to recognize atypical presentations of this common childhood malignant tumor. Radiologists should also consider the possibility of neuroblastoma when finding this type of SSTM with atypical ultrasound features. children softtissue rare date (SSTM specklike speck like However diseases Therefore tumor features

Abstract In typical dynamic soil-structure interaction (SSI) problems, the dynamic response a structure can be affected by the existence of some nearby structures, which is sometimes referred to as the dynamic structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI). This effect is especially important in the earthquake engineering design of adjacent nuclear power plants, as the safety risk is relatively high. However, the current understanding on the SSSI of nuclear power plants is still insufficient. In this work, we use the finite element method to investigate the SSSI of two nuclear power plants located at a specific distance under earthquake excitation. Four nuclear-power-plant-soil systems are designed to account for the SSI and SSSI respectively, where the soil properties are obtained from drilling data. The effect of the SSSI on the nuclear power plants is studied by comparing the dynamic responses of four nuclear power plants-soil systems in vertical and horizontal directions, in which both layered soils and local weak interlayer soils are considered. The results of numerical study show that the presence of one nuclear power plant has a favorable effect on the seismic response of an adjacent nuclear power plant, such as reducing the displacement response, but this effect is limited. In addition, the SSSI effect is related to not only the soil properties, but also the direction of ground motion. Furthermore, the existence of soft soil layers complicates the SSSI effect. The results provide important insights for the construction and expansion of nuclear power plants. soilstructure (SSI problems structures structuresoilstructure SSSI. . (SSSI) high However insufficient work excitation nuclearpowerplantsoil respectively data plantssoil directions considered limited addition motion Furthermore (SSSI

ABSTRACT This study integrated four microarray datasets by Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) method to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEG) in bovine mammary epithelial (BME) cells in response to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus infection. Furthermore, the GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the integrated DEG were performed. Finally, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. A total of 72 integrated DEG were identified from the four datasets. The most significantly enriched terms within the integrated DEG were mainly involved in the immune response. The PPI network of DEG was constructed with 53 nodes. Seventeen genes, which constitute a significant module, were identified as hub genes. Among them, CD40, CXCL6, and NFKBIZ were further screened as the key genes and have the potential to become biomarkers of E. coli and S. aureus mastitis, considering the specificity of biomarkers for diseases. The identified key genes and pathways in this study can assist in the search for biomarkers for mastitis diagnosis and disease resistance breeding. RRA (RRA (DEG BME (BME infection Furthermore performed Finally proteinprotein protein (PPI 7 5 nodes module them CD40 CD CXCL6 CXCL E S diseases breeding CD4

Abstract This study investigated the influence of different processing methods on the oral toxicity of Sophora alopecuroides L., Fabaceae, seeds in mice and on the contents of five known toxic-effective quinolizidine alkaloids from the ethanol extracts quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. It provides an evidence to elucidate the possible reasons why vinegar-processing and parching methods significantly decrease the acute oral toxicity induced by S. alopecuroides and why wine-processing method increases it instead (demonstrated by measurement of LD50 and histopathological analysis). The analytical performance for the determination of the five analytes was evaluated by linearity, stability, repeatability, precision and accuracy, and recovery test. The lowest limit of quantification was determined to be 5 ng/ml for each substance and the precision and accuracy at lowest limit of quantification were below 20%. Cytisine, the most toxic alkaloid among the five alkaloids, declined 11.26, 3.98, and 2.73 folds after being vinegar-processed and fried in a ceramic or iron pan, respectively and had a very close correlation with the toxicity of S. alopecuroides seeds (r = 0.8589). Other matrine-type alkaloids with lower toxicity including matrine, sophcarpine, and sophoridine decreased after being wine-processed and fried in a ceramic pan, but increased 4.44, 7.20, and 7.23 folds when being processed by vinegar. Oxymatrine declined in all groups. It, therefore, reveals that vinegar-processing method reduces the oral toxicity of S. alopecuroides mainly due to a sharp decrease of cytisine, thus improves its clinical safety.

Abstract Kudouzi (Sophora alopecuroides L., Fabaceae) is an effective folk medicine, but it always causes a hepatic and renal toxicity in clinical therapy. The toxic mechanism remains unclear. This paper detected the urinary and plasma metabolites alteration by 1H NMR-based metabonomics study in Kudouzi-induced rats to evaluate the toxic mechanism for clinical security. The male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally dosed with 0.5 and 1 g Kudouzi/kg weight once per day for consecutive 14 days. Urine samples were collected at day −1 (before treatment), and days 7, 14, and 21 for NMR analysis, respectively. Plasma samples were harvested at day 14 for NMR and biochemical analysis. The metabonomic profiling of Kudouzi-treated rats differed from that of the vehicle. This was confirmed by the biochemistry analysis. The accumulated subacute toxicity of Kudouzi was visible with dosing time, and persisted at day 21 even after the disposal was ended. The observable biochemical pathways alterations included inhibited TCA cycle, activated anaerobic glycolysis, perturbed amino acids metabolism, and disordered gut microbiota. The results evidenced the toxicity mechanism of Kudouzi from a systematic and holistic view.

ABSTRACT The present study describes the impact of chrysosplenetin, in the absence and presence of artemisinin, on in vitro breast cancer resistance protein-mediated transport activity in Caco-2 cell monolayers using aristolochic acid I as a specific probe substrate. We observed that novobiocin, a known breast cancer resistance protein active inhibitor, increased Papp (AP-BL) of aristolochic acid I 3.13 fold (p < 0.05) but had no effect on Papp (BL-AP). Efflux ratio (PBA/PAB) declined 4.44 fold (p < 0.05). Novobiocin, consequently, showed a direct facilitation on the uptake of AAI instead of its excretion. Oppositely, both artemisinin and chrysosplenetin alone at dose of 10 µM significantly decreased Papp (BL-AP) instead of Papp (AP-BL). Chrysosplenetin alone attenuated the efflux ratio, which was suggestive of being as a potential breast cancer resistance protein suppressant. Oddly, Papp (BL-AP) as well as efflux ratio were respectively enhanced 2.52 and 2.58 fold (p < 0.05), when co-used with artemisinin and chrysosplenetin in ratio of 1:2. The potential reason remains unclear; it might be relative to binding sites competition between artemisinin and chrysosplenetin or the homodimer/oligomer formation of breast cancer resistance protein bridged by disulfide bonds, leading to an altered in vitro breast cancer resistance protein-mediated efflux transport function.

ABSTRACT Our previous work revealed that chrysosplenetin in combination with artemisinin inhibited in vivo P-glycoprotein (P-gp, one of classic multi-drug resistance proteins) mediated digoxin transportation activity by reversing the upregulated P-gp/Mdr1 mRNA expression levels by artemisinin. Therefore, chrysosplenetin might be a potential artemisinin-resistance reversal agent as a P-gp inhibitor. But it still remains unknown if chrysosplenetin has an impact on another pivotal multi-drug resistance protein, breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp), which is co-expressed with P-gp in apical membrane of intestinal epithelial cell and overlaps some of the substrates and inhibitors. This study, therefore, further addressed the impact of chrysosplenetin, per se or in combination with artemisin, on Bcrp/ABCG2 mRNA expression levels in mice small intestine determined by western blot and real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. The drugs were intragastrically administrated once per day for 7 days. Novobiocin, a known Bcrp inhibitor, was observed to have no impact on Bcrp/ABCG2 levels with or without artemisinin versus vehicle. Interestingly, artemisinin alone attenuated Bcrp level while chrysosplenetin alone increased it (p < 0.05). Relative mRNA level was significantly decreased when co-used with artemisinin and chrysosplenetin in ratio of 1:2 (p < 0.05). The discrepant results for chrysosplenetin on Bcrp/ABCG2 mRNA expressions might be closely related to the transcriptional or posttranscriptional regulation.