Pristimerin alleviates cigarette smoke-induced inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease via inhibiting NF-κB pathway.

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can exacerbate inflammation and oxidative stress. Pristimerin (Pris) is a natural compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We managed to evaluate the protective effects of Pris on CS-induced COPD.

Effect of lncRNA WT1-AS regulating WT1 on oxidative stress injury and apoptosis of neurons in Alzheimer's disease via inhibition of the miR-375/SIX4 axis.

Objective: To study the effect of lncRNA WT1-AS on oxidative stress injury (OSI) and apoptosis of neurons in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its specific mechanisms related to the microRNA-375 (miR-375)/SIX4 axis and WT1 expression.

Results: After bioinformatic prediction, WT1-AS was found to be downregulated in Aβtreated SH-SY5Y cells, and WT1-AS overexpression inhibited WT1 expression. WT1 could target miR-375 to promote its expression.

Involvement of upregulation of miR-210 in a rat epilepsy model.

Epilepsy is a common type of neurological disorder with complex etiology. The mechanisms are still not clear. MicroRNAs are endogenous noncoding RNAs with many physiological activities.

Genomic organization of the crested ibis MHC provides new insight into ancestral avian MHC structure.

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays an important role in immune response. Avian MHCs are not well characterized, only reporting highly compact Galliformes MHCs and extensively fragmented zebra finch MHC. We report the first genomic structure of an endangered Pelecaniformes (crested ibis) MHC containing 54 genes in three regions spanning ~500 kb.

Paediatric gastric and intestinal Crohn's disease detected by (18)F-FDG PET/CT.

We present a case of gastric and intestinal Crohn's disease associated with extra-intestinal manifestations of fever, rash in the lower limbs in a 12 years old boy. Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) was performed for the diagnosis of the disease causing fever of unknown origin. Gastroscopy showed polypoid hyperplasia and ulcers in the stomach and their pathology suggested gastric Crohn's disease.

The first report of a Pelecaniformes defensin cluster: characterization of β-defensin genes in the crested ibis based on BAC libraries.

Defensins play a key role in the innate immunity of various organisms. Detailed genomic studies of the defensin cluster have only been reported in a limited number of birds. Herein, we present the first characterization of defensins in a Pelecaniformes species, the crested ibis (Nipponia nippon), which is one of the most endangered birds in the world.

Antimutagenicity of selenium-enriched rice on mice exposure to cyclophosphamide and mitomycin C.

The in vivo antimutagenicity of Se-enriched rice was evaluated by bone marrow micronucleus and testicle chromosomal aberrations assay in mice exposed to cyclophosphamide (CP) and mitomycin C (MMC). Regular rice did not alter the occurrence of chemical-induced mutation. However, the addition of Se-enriched rice or selenite significantly inhibited the incidence of CP-induced micronuclei and MMC-induced chromosomal aberration in mice and the effect was dose-dependent.

Effect of the application of selenium on selenium content of soybean and its products.

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of the application of selenium on the selenium content of soybean and its products in two counties with selenium-deficient soil. Selenium-enriched soybean was produced by the application of sodium selenite and Se-enriched fertilizer. The selenium contents of soybeans, soybean protein and okra were determined by hydride-generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry.

Effect of selenium on increasing the antioxidant activity of tea leaves harvested during the early spring tea producing season.

This research was to determine the effect of foliar application of selenium on increasing the antioxidant activity of tea harvested during the early spring tea producing season using a alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method and the linoleic acid system. The results showed that the radical scavenging ability of the tea extracts followed this order during the first 60 min: selenium-enriched tea obtained by fertilization with selenate > BHT > selenium-enriched tea obtained by fertilization with selenite > alpha-tocopherol > regular tea. Se-enriched tea obtained by fertilization with selenate exhibited the highest inhibition percentage of 84.

Determination of selenium concentration of rice in china and effect of fertilization of selenite and selenate on selenium content of rice.

A method of hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry was applied to the determination of the selenium concentration of regular polished rice in China and selenium-enriched polished rice obtained by foliar application of selenium-enriched fertilizer in the forms of selenite and selenate. The average selenium content of regular rice was 0.025 +/- 0.