Toxoplasma gondii infection triggers ongoing inflammation mediated by increased intracellular Cl concentration in airway epithelium.

Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread parasitic protozoan causing toxoplasmosis including pulmonary toxoplasmosis. As the first line of host defense, airway epithelial cells play critical roles in orchestrating pulmonary innate immunity. However, the mechanism underlying the airway inflammation induced by the T.

Allicin Facilitates Airway Surface Liquid Hydration by Activation of CFTR.

Airway epithelium plays critical roles in regulating airway surface liquid (ASL), the alteration of which causes mucus stasis symptoms. Allicin is a compound released from garlic and harbors the capacity of lung-protection. However, the potential regulatory effects of allicin on airway epithelium remain elusive.

gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from forest soil and reclassification of as comb. nov.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, DHC34, was isolated from forest soil of Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, Guangdong Province, China (112° 31' E 23° 10' N). It grew optimally on R2A medium at 28 °C, at pH 6.0-7.

sp. nov. and sp. nov., isolated from forest soil.

Two Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, white-pigmented and rod-shaped bacterial strains, 7MH5 and 4 M-K11, were isolated from forest soil of Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, Guangdong Province, PR China. Strain 7MH5 grew at 4-37 °C (optimum, 28-33 °C), pH 3.5-9.

Isoprenylated Flavonoids from Roots of Artocarpus styracfolius.

Seven isoprenylated flavonoids were isolated from Artocarpus styracifolius, including one new triisoprenylated flavone, styracifolin D (1,) and six known ones, artocarpone B (2), kuwanon C (3), 6-C-prenyl luteolin (4), albanin A (5), 2,4,2',4'-tetrahydroxy-3'-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-chalcone (6), and 3'-[γ-hydroxymethyl-(E)- γ-methylallyl]-2,4,2',4'-tetrahydroxychalcone 11'-0-coumarate (7). The structures of these compounds were determined by analysis of their spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. Of them, 3 and 5 exhibited inhibitory effects on cathepsin K with IC(50) values of 114.

[Inhibitory effects of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells].

Objective: To study the inhibitory effects of celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Methods: The in vitro inhibitory effects of celecoxib at different concentrations and for different treatment time lengths on human liver cancer cell line SMMC-7,721 were observed with MTT assay, and flow cytometry was performed to detect the cell cycle changes. The in vivo tumor inhibition effect of celecoxib was evaluated in Kunming mice bearing transplanted tumor derived from liver cancer cell line H22 transplantation.