Diosmetin prevents TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition via ROS/MAPK signaling pathways.

Aims: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in airway repair and remodeling in many respiratory diseases such as asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. The flavone aglycone, diosmetin, possesses anti-remodeling activity in a murine model of chronic asthma, but little is known about its effects on EMT. Herein, we investigated whether diosmetin inhibits transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced EMT with underlying mechanisms in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells.

Second heart field and the development of the outflow tract in human embryonic heart.

The second heart field (SHF) is indicated to contribute to the embryonic heart development. However, less knowledge is available about SHF development of human embryo due to the difficulty of collecting embryos. In this study, serial sections of human embryos from Carnegie stage 10 (CS10) to CS16 were stained with antibodies against Islet-1 (Isl-1), Nkx2.

[Responses of CO2 fluxes to light intensity and temperature in rice paddy field].

CO2 fluxes in rice paddy ecosystem in subtropical hilly region were measured continuously using eddy covariance technique. The objectives were to investigate the responses of CO2 fluxes to light intensity and temperature in the paddy ecosystem. Results showed a rectangular hyperbolic light-response function could be used to describe the relationship of CO2 flux and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD).

[Seasonal characteristics of CO2 fluxes from the paddy ecosystem in subtropical region].

CO2 fluxes from paddy ecosystem in subtropical hilly region were measured continuously using eddy covariance technique. Based on data rejecting, correcting and filling, the daily and annual CO2 fluxes were calculated from the instantaneous values, respectively. The objectives were to investigate the variation of CO2 fluxes on seasonal temporal scale, analyze the relationship between CO2 fluxes and environmental factors, and to quantify the annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE) from the paddy ecosystem.