We have performed a high-pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction study of a metallic amorphous state in SnI 4 induced by pressure. The Faber-Ziman structure factor S(Q) was obtained from diffraction intensities measured at pressures between 25 and 65 GPa. The first peak in S(Q) is relatively intense and sharp and the second peak is overlapped with the third one. Such features are also found in S(Q) for pure metallic glasses of Ni and Fe at 1 atm but not in molecular liquids. The obtained reduced radial distribution function g(r ) shows no evidence for the presence of the SnI 4 molecules in the metallic amorphous state.

Cyclic phosphatidic acid (cPA) is a naturally occurring phospholipid mediator that contains a unique cyclic phosphate ring at the sn -2 and sn -3 positions of its glycerol backbone. Using mouse models for multiple sclerosis (cuprizone-induced demyelination and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis) and traumatic brain injury, we revealed that cPA and its metabolically stabilized cPA derivative, 2-carba-cPA (2ccPA), have potential to protect against neuroinflammation. In this study, we investigated whether 2ccPA has anti-inflammatory effect on peripheral immune function or not using inflammation-induced macrophages-like cell line, THP-1 monocytes differentiated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated THP-1 cells were found to have higher expression of the mRNAs of several inflammation-related cytokines and of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2); however, when THP-1 cells were stimulated by LPS in the presence of 2ccPA, the increase in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine and Cox-2 mRNA was attenuated. 2ccPA treatment also decreased the amount of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) produced by LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells and decreased expression of the mRNA of prostaglandin E receptor 2 (EP2, PTGER2 ), a PGE2 receptor that mediates inflammation. These results indicate that 2ccPA has anti-inflammatory properties.