Serum vitamin C levels and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: results from a cross-sectional study and Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background And Aims: Vitamin C, as an antioxidant, may play a role in the treatment of NAFLD. This research aimed to investigate the association of serum vitamin C levels with the risk of NAFLD and to further examine the causal relationship by Mendelian randomization (MR) method.

Methods: The cross-sectional study selected 5,578 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2006 and 2017-2018.

[Resveratrol inhibits hypoxia-induced oxidative stress and proliferation in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells through the HIF-1α/NOX4/ROS signaling pathway].

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of resveratrol on hypoxia-induced oxidative stress and proliferation in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and the underlying mechanism. Primary rat PASMCs were isolated and cultured in vitro and pretreated with different concentrations of resveratrol (10, 20, and 40 µmol/L) or the NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitor VAS2870 (10 µmol/L) for 0.5 h.

-Coumaric Acid Protects Human Lens Epithelial Cells against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis by MAPK Signaling.

To protect against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in lens epithelial cells is a potential strategy in preventing cataract formation. The present study aimed at studying the protective effect and underlying mechanisms of -coumaric acid (-CA) on hydrogen peroxide- (HO-) induced apoptosis in human lens epithelial (HLE) cells (SRA 01-04). Cells were pretreated with -CA at a concentration of 3, 10, and 30 M before the treatment of HO (275 M).

Role of chymase in cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary artery remodeling and pulmonary hypertension in hamsters.

Background: Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chymase has been shown to function in the enzymatic production of angiotensin II (AngII) and the activation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 in the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to determine the potential role of chymase in cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary artery remodeling and PAH.

Losartan attenuates chronic cigarette smoke exposure-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats: possible involvement of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2.

Chronic cigarette smoking induces pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) by largely unknown mechanisms. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is known to function in the development of PAH. Losartan, a specific angiotensin II receptor antagonist, is a well-known antihypertensive drug with a potential role in regulating angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), a recently found regulator of RAS.

A genome-wide transcription analysis reveals a close correlation of promoter INDEL polymorphism and heterotic gene expression in rice hybrids.

Heterosis, or hybrid vigor, refers to the phenomenon in which hybrid progeny of two inbred varieties exhibits enhanced growth or agronomic performance. Although a century-long history of research has generated several hypotheses regarding the genetic basis of heterosis, the molecular mechanisms underlying heterosis and heterotic gene expression remain elusive. Here, we report a genome-wide gene expression analysis of two heterotic crosses in rice, taking advantage of its fully sequenced genomes.

p38 MAPK and MMP-9 cooperatively regulate mucus overproduction in mice exposed to acrolein fog.

Objective: To evaluate the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) on mice airway inflammation, mucus production and the possible cross-talk between p38 MAPK and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in mucin protein synthesis.

Methods: Mice were exposed to 4.0 ppm of acrolein for 21 days with daily intraperitoneal injection of SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK.

Cloning and characterization of OsORC2, a new member of rice origin recognition complex.

In eukaryotic cells, the origin recognition complex (ORC) governs the initiation site of DNA replication and formation of the prereplication complex. The isolation, characterization and tissue-specific expression of a putative ORC subunit 2 (OsORC2) in Oryza sativa is described here. A novel cDNA fragment encoding rice ORC2 was isolated by screening the subtractive library, which had a higher expression level in inflorescence meristem than in shoot apical meristem.

[Pyramiding of senescence-inhibition IPT gene and Xa23 for resistance to bacterial blight in rice (Oryza sativa L.)].

Transgenic lines (GC-1) carrying a senescence-inhibition cheimeric gene, IPT (isopentenyl transferase) gene, CBB23, a isogenic lines carrying Xa23 gene for resistance to bacterial blight, and Hexi15, a commercial cultivar showing high resistance to blast disease, were used as donors to pyramid IPT gene and Xa23 by marker-assisted selection (MAS). Seventeen BC1F1 plants pyramiding Xa23 gene and IPT genes were obtained from three multi-cross combinations. Then, the plants carrying Xa23 and IPT genes were crossed with parental lines of two-line hybrid rice, such as 9311, E32, Pei' ai 64S and W9834S.