Baseline total lung capacity and all-cause mortality in restrictive pulmonary disorders: a meta-analysis.

Rationale: Forced vital capacity (FVC) has been utilized as a surrogate for vital capacity (VC) in monitoring the progression of restrictive pulmonary disorders, particularly in clinical trials of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). A dose-response relationship between decreased FVC and mortality in IPF has also been established. Since 2005, total lung capacity (TLC) has been routinely required to differentiate and diagnose restrictive pulmonary disorders.

TrxR/Trx inhibitor butaselen ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis by suppressing NF-κB/TGF-β1/Smads signaling.

Pulmonary fibrosis is highly lethal with limited treatments. Butaselen (BS) is an inhibitor of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR)/thioredoxin (Trx) with anti-tumor activity. However, its impact on pulmonary fibrosis and the involved mechanisms remain unclear.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the bamboo snout beetle, (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The bamboo snout beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a destructive forest pest and distributed widely in Southeast Asia. The 15,035 bp complete mitochondrial genome of the species consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 21 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) and a control region (GenBank accession no. MG674390).

Initiate Tumors with Single Cell Spheres Formed in Serum-Containing Medium.

Background : It is difficult to prospectively identify and maintain putative tumor-initiating cells (TICs). Spheres that formed in serum-free media contained more TICs while spheres formed in serum-containing media were not used in tumor-initiating. Methods : Soft-agar was used to isolate colonies.

Inhibition of thioredoxin reductase by a novel series of bis-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-ones: Organoselenium compounds for cancer therapy.

Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) is critical for cellular redox regulation and is involved in tumor proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis. Its C-terminal redox-active center contains a cysteine (Cys497) and a unique selenocysteine (Sec498), which are exposed to solvent and easily accessible. Thus, it is becoming an important target for anticancer drugs.

[Study on acute toxicity of R, S and (R,S)-3-monchloropropane-1,2-diol].

Objective: To investigate the acute toxicity of R,S and (R,S) -3-monchloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD).

Methods: 10,7 and 7 groups of sexually mature ICR mice were employed for testing the acute toxicity of R, S and (R, S)-3-MCPD, at the doses of 176.78, 198.

[Estrogenic and androgenic effects of low dose raw water organics].

Objective: To study the estrogenic and (anti)androgenic effects caused by low-dose raw water organic compounds.

Methods: The organic compounds from raw water was concentrated with solid-phase extraction. Rodent 3-day Uterotrophic Assay and Hershberger assay, the assays recommended in EPA Tier 1 Screening Program for EDCs, were employed to investigate estrogenic and (anti) androgenic effects of these chemical mixture exposure.

[HPLC analysis of microcystin-RR, YR and LR from Dianshan Lake].

Objective: To optimize the solid-phase extraction method of isolation, purification and determination of intracellular microcystin-RR, -YR and -LR (MC-RR,-YR,-LR), algal samples were collected from Dianshan Lake, which is a major water source of Shanghai.

Methods: During extraction, Algal samples were treated with different solvent (5% acetic acid and 75% methanol), at different temperature (room temperature and 56 degrees C), centrifuge at 10000 x g, 30 min and 3500 rpm/min, 10 min, eluted with 80% methanol with or without trifluoroacetate acid(TFA). Further, gradient elution were employed to separate microcystins in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the mobile phase consisted of aqueous acetonitrile and 0.