Thymus

This study, based on a population, explored the prognostic value of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for Masaoka-Koga IIB stage thymomas. Patients diagnosed with thymoma from 2004 to 2017 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were included in the retrospective study. Through propensity score matching, the baseline characteristics of the patients were successfully matched to mitigate the selection bias of PORT. Survival rates and survival curves were compared between the PORT and non-PORT groups, with potential confounding factors addressed using a multivariate Cox regression model...

Gene-knockout animal models with organ-deficient phenotypes used for blastocyst complementation are generally not viable. Animals need to be maintained as heterozygous mutants, and homozygous mutant embryos yield only one-fourth of all embryos. In this study, we generated organ-deficient embryos using the CRISPR-Cas9-sgRNAms system that induces cell death with a single-guide RNA (sgRNAms ) targeting multiple sites in the genome. The Cas9-sgRNAms system interrupted cell proliferation and induced cell ablation in vitro...

This study investigated the structure of acid Alhagi camelorum Fischa polysaccharide (aAP) and its impact on intestinal activity in mice. The results showed that aAP comprised of the fucose, arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid with the molar ratio of 0.81:14.97:10.84:11.14:3.26:0.80:0.80:54.92:2.47 with the molecular weight (Mw) of 22.734 kDa. Additionally, the composition of aAP was assessed via FT-IR, methylation, and NMR analyses, indicating that the backbone of the aAP was consisted of →4)-α-D-GalpA-6-OMe-(1 → 4)-α-GalpA-(1 → and →4)-α-D-GalpA-6-OMe-(1 → 2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→, as well as →4)-β-D-Galp- and →5)-α-L-Araf- for the branched chain...

Thymoma is closely associated with myasthenia gravis (MG). However, due to the heterogeneity of thymoma and the intricate pathogenesis of MG, it remains unclear why some patients with thymoma develop MG and others do not. In this study, we conducted a comparative phenotype analysis of thymocytes in type B thymomas in patients with MG (MG (+) thymomas) and without MG (MG (-) thymomas) via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Our results show that the developmental stages defined by the expression of CD3, CD4, and CD8 were largely maintained in both MG (+) and MG (-) thymomas, with CD4+ CD8+ cells constituting the majority of thymocytes in type B thymoma, and no significant difference between this cell population was observed in MG (+) and MG (-) thymomas...

A 73-year-old woman presented with left anterior chest pain and back pain. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed an anterior mediastinal tumor. It also showed partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (left superior pulmonary vein draining into the left brachiocephalic vein), and the tumor was located near the left brachiocephalic vein. The operation was performed through a median sternotomy to resect the thymus and tumor with partial resection of the left upper lobe due to the tumor's adhesion to the left upper lobe...

The Thymus genus includes various medicinal and aromatic species, cultivated worldwide for their unique medicinal and economic value. Besides, their conventional use as a culinary flavoring agent, Thymus species are well-known for their diverse biological effects, such as antioxidant, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-hypertensive properties. Hence, they are used in the treatment of fever, colds, and digestive and cardiovascular diseases. The pharmaceutical significance of Thymus plants is due to their high levels of bioactive components such as natural terpenoid phenol derivatives (p-cymene, carvacrol,  thymol, geraniol), flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic acids...

Neck masses are frequently seen in children. The differential diagnosis includes infectious, congenital and neoplastic lesions. We report a case of rare thymic neck mass in a boy in his middle childhood presented with a history of a left anterolateral neck mass not associated with fever, dysphagia or shortness of breath. The radiographic evaluation showed a picture of a thymopharyngeal duct cyst. Thymic remnant and thymopharyngeal duct cyst are caused by the failure of obliteration and might appear as a lateral neck mass in children...

Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous and aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have shown inhibitory effects on PTCL. A better understanding of the therapeutic mechanism underlying the effects of HDAC inhibitors could help improve treatment strategies. Here, we found that high expression of HDAC3 is associated with poor prognosis in PTCL. HDAC3 inhibition suppressed lymphoma growth in immunocompetent mice but not in immunodeficient mice. HDAC3 deletion delayed the progression of lymphoma, reduced the lymphoma burden in the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes, and prolonged the survival of mice bearing MNU-induced lymphoma...

Norovirus (NoV) causes serious gastrointestinal disease worldwide and is regarded as an important foodborne pathogen. Due the difficulties of in vitro cultivation for human NoV, alternative caliciviruses (i.e., feline calicivirus, FCV, or murine NoV) have long been used as surrogates for in vitro assessment of the efficacy of antivirals. Essential oils (EOs) are natural compounds that have displayed antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. We report in vitro the virucidal efficacy of four EOs, Melissa officinalis L...

Insulin is a central autoantigen in the pathogenesis of T1D, and thymic epithelial cell expression of insulin under the control of the Autoimmune Regulator ( Aire ) is thought to be a key component of maintaining tolerance to insulin. In spite of this general working model, direct detection of this thymic selection on insulin-specific T cells has been somewhat elusive. Here, we used a combination of highly sensitive T cell receptor transgenic models for detecting thymic selection and sorting and sequencing of Insulin-specific CD4+ T cells from Aire-deficient mice as a strategy to further define their selection...

Association of circulating glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), a systemic inflammation biomarker, with lung function and respiratory diseases remain to be investigated. We examined the genetic correlation, shared genetics, and potential causality of GlycA (N = 115,078) with lung function and respiratory diseases (N = 497,000). GlycA showed significant genetic correlation with FEV1 (rg  = -0.14), FVC (rg  = -0.18), asthma (rg  = 0.21) and COPD (rg  = 0...

Late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) is an age-related disease in men characterized by decreased testosterone levels with symptoms such as decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and depression. Thymus quinquecostatus Celakovski (TQC) is a plant used as a volatile oil in traditional medicine, and its bioactive compounds have anti-inflammatory potential. Based on this knowledge, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of TQC extract (TE) on LOH in TM3 Leydig cells and in an in vivo aging mouse model. The aqueous extract of T...

BACKGROUND: Thymic cysts are a rare benign disease that needs to be distinguished from low-risk thymoma. [18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) is a non-invasive imaging technique used in the differential diagnosis of thymic epithelial tumours, but its usefulness for thymic cysts remains unclear. Our study evaluated the utility of visual findings and quantitative parameters of [18 F]FDG PET/CT for differentiating between thymic cysts and low-risk thymomas...

Pincer type coumarin based N-substituted semicarbazone ligands HL1-4 and their corresponding ruthenium(II) complexes (1-4) were synthesized, analyzed and confirmed by various spectro analytical techniques. The molecular structure of the ligand HL3 and complex 3 was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The stoichiometry of complexes 1, 2 and 4 was confirmed by high resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS). The binding affinity of the compounds with CT-DNA (Calf Thymus DNA) and BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) was established by absorption and emission titration methods...

BACKGROUND: Dysregulated interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 signaling contributes to psoriasis pathogenesis. Cedirogant is an inverse agonist of retinoic acid-related orphan receptor gamma thymus (RORγt), a key transcription factor responsible for IL-17 synthesis and a regulator of the T helper 17 cell lineage program. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cedirogant to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis. METHODS: In this phase 2b, multicenter, double-blind, 16-week study (NCT05044234), adults aged 18-65 years were randomized 1:1:1:1 to once-daily oral cedirogant 75 mg, 150 mg, 375 mg, or placebo...

Chronic stress has been implicated in mental illnesses and depressive behaviors. Somatostatin 4 receptor (SSTR4) has been shown to mediate anxiolytic and depression-like effects. Here, we aimed to explore the potential of SSTR4 as a diagnostic marker for chronic stress in mice. The mice were divided into single stress, chronic restraint stress, and control groups, and Sstr4 mRNA expression in the pituitary, lungs, and thymus, its protein expression in the thymus, were analyzed. Compared to controls, Sstr4 mRNA expression decreased significantly in the pituitary gland of the chronic and single-stress groups (P = 0...

Thoracic surgery is increasingly influenced by the development of minimally invasive approaches which have also influenced surgery in the area of the anterior mediastinum. The previously standard approach to the thymus via partial sternotomy was gradually replaced by the videothoracoscopic approach in most cases. In recent years, robotically assisted surgery has been gaining ground worldwide in this area, as well. The aim of our paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of procedures in the field of the thymus, including their indications, and to share our first experience with robot-assisted thymus surgery...

Hematopoietic precursors (HPCs) entering into the thymus undergo a sequential process leading to the generation of a variety of T cell subsets. This developmental odyssey unfolds in distinct stages within the thymic cortex and medulla, shaping the landscape of T cell receptor (TCR) expression and guiding thymocytes through positive and negative selection. Initially, early thymic progenitors (ETPs) take residence in the thymic cortex, where thymocytes begin to express their TCR and undergo positive selection...

In the current investigation, a comprehensive analysis was carried out on essential oils (Eos) extracted from six aromatic plant species, namely Rosmarinus officinalis, Pelargonium graveolens, Thymus vulgaris, Origanum vulgare, Laurus nobilis, and Aloysia citrodora. An exploration was conducted into the chemical composition using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS), antioxidant properties assessed through DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, MCA, and PBD assays, ecotoxicological impacts evaluated via allelopathy and the Daphnia magna heartbeat test, as well as bio-pharmacological effects including anticancer activity and gene expression analysis...

INTRODUCTION: Trisomy 21 (T21), which causes Down syndrome (DS), is the most common chromosomal aneuploidy in humankind and includes different clinical comorbidities, among which the alteration of the immune system has a heavy impact on patient's lives. A molecule with an important role in immune response is zinc and it is known that its concentration is significantly lower in children with T21. Different hypotheses were made about this metabolic alteration and one of the reasons might be the overexpression of superoxide dismutase 1 ( SOD1 ) gene, as zinc is part of the SOD1 active enzymatic center...