Spores of two probiotic Bacillus species enhance cellular immunity in BALB/C mice.

Previous studies found that Bacillus subtilis BS02 and B. subtilis subsp. natto BS04 isolated in our laboratory could activate the immune response of murine macrophages in vitro.

Isoflavones Induce BEX2-Dependent Autophagy to Prevent ATR-Induced Neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y Cells.

Background/aims: Atrazine (ATR) is a broad-spectrum herbicide in wide use around the world. However, ATR is neurotoxic and can cause cell death in dopaminergic neurons, leading to neurodegenerative disorders. Autophagy is the basic cellular catabolic process involving the degradation of proteins and damaged organelles.

Catch me if you can-How to make the best use of pleural effusion.

Etiology diagnosis of pleural effusion is a commonly encountered yet challenging problem. How to make the best use of pleural effusion evokes thinking. Myelomatous pleural effusion (MPE) is a rare condition and has been reported sporadically.

Carnosine attenuates cyclophosphamide-induced bone marrow suppression by reducing oxidative DNA damage.

Oxidative DNA damage in bone marrow cells is the main side effect of chemotherapy drugs including cyclophosphamide (CTX). However, not all antioxidants are effective in inhibiting oxidative DNA damage. In this study, we report the beneficial effect of carnosine (β-alanyl-l-histidine), a special antioxidant with acrolein-sequestering ability, on CTX-induced bone marrow cell suppression.

Pidotimod exacerbates allergic pulmonary infection in an OVA mouse model of asthma.

Pidotimod is a synthetic dipeptide with biological and immuno‑modulatory properties. It has been widely used for treatment and prevention of recurrent respiratory infections. However, its impact on the regulation of allergic pulmonary inflammation is still not clear.

N-Bridged Annulated BODIPYs: Synthesis of Highly Fluorescent Blueshifted Dyes.

A series of novel BODIPY dyes has been prepared through the introduction of an N-bridged annulated meso-phenyl ring at one of the β-positions of the BODIPY core. An unusual blueshift of the main spectral bands is observed, since the fusion of a meso-substituent results in a marked relative destabilization of the LUMO. The greater rigidity of the ring-fused structure leads to very high fluorescence quantum yields.

Early growth response factor 1 is essential for cigarette smoke-induced MUC5AC expression in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Early growth response factor 1 (Egr-1) is a zinc finger transcription factor which responses rapidly to a variety of extracellular stimuli. Previous studies have suggested that Egr-1 exerts pathological functions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by regulation of cigarette smoking-induced autophagy, cell death, and inflammation. However, little is known about the role of Egr-1 in regulation of mucus production in airway epithelium.

Antioxidant Properties of Probiotic Bacteria.

Oxidative stress defines a condition in which the prooxidant-antioxidant balance in the cell is disturbed, resulting in DNA hydroxylation, protein denaturation, lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis, ultimately compromising cells' viability. Probiotics have been known for many beneficial health effects, and the consumption of probiotics alone or in food shows that strain-specific probiotics can present antioxidant activity and reduce damages caused by oxidation. However, the oxidation-resistant ability of probiotics, especially the underling mechanisms, is not properly understood.

Effect of frequency on fretting wear behavior of Ti/TiN multilayer film on depleted uranium.

The Ti/TiN multi-layer film was prepared on the depleted uranium (DU) substrate by cathodic arc ion plating equipment. The character of multi-layer film was studied by SEM, XRD and AES, revealed that the surface was composed of small compact particle and the cross-section had a multi-layer structure. The fretting wear performance under different frequencies was performed by a MFT-6000 machine with a ball-on-plate configuration.

Probiotic SC06 Induces Autophagy to Protect against Pathogens in Macrophages.

Probiotics are increasingly applied in popularity in both humans and animals. Decades of research has revealed their beneficial effects, including the immune modulation in intestinal pathogens inhibition. Autophagy-a cellular process that involves the delivery of cytoplasmic proteins and organelles to the lysosome for degradation and recirculation-is essential to protect cells against bacterial pathogens.

Passive smoking and stroke in men and women: a national population-based case-control study in China.

An association between passive smoking and stroke is unclear in China, particularly the association with hemorrhagic stroke. This study included 16205 deaths due to stroke aged ≥30 years and 16205 non-stroke controls randomly selected and frequency-matched to cases on gender and age. Smoking of spouses, defined as ≥1 cigarette per day for up to 1 year, was taken as a measure of exposure to passive smoking of subjects that was retrospectively ascertained by interviewing surviving spouses.

Echinacea pupurea extracts promote murine dendritic cell maturation by activation of JNK, p38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways.

Dendritic cells (DCs) comprise a system of highly professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) which connect innate and adaptive immunity by undergoing dramatic shift in their maturation state. Phytomedicine Echinacea purpurea extracts (EE) could modulate murine dendritic cell fate and function. However, the underlying mechanism of EE on DCs development and maturation remains limited.

Effects of probiotic Bacillus as a substitute for antibiotics on antioxidant capacity and intestinal autophagy of piglets.

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (Ba) as a substitute for antibiotics on growth performance, antioxidant ability and intestinal autophagy of piglets. Ninety piglets were divided into three groups: G1 (containing 150 mg/Kg aureomycin in the diet); G2 (containing 75 mg/Kg aureomycin and 1 × 10 cfu/Kg Ba in the diet); G3 (containing 2 × 10 cfu/Kg Ba in the diet without any antibiotics). Each treatment had three replications of ten pigs per pen.

Activating transcription factor 3 represses cigarette smoke-induced IL6 and IL8 expression via suppressing NF-κB activation.

Airway and lung inflammation is a fundamental hallmark of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) has been reported to negatively regulate many pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. However, little is known about the impact of ATF3 on the inflammatory response of COPD.

Echinacea purpurea Extract Polarizes M1 Macrophages in Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages Through the Activation of JNK.

Echinacea purpurea is an indigenous North American purple cone flower used by North Americans for treatment of various infectious diseases and wounds. This study investigated the effect of polysaccharide enriched extract of Echinacea purpurea (EE) on the polarization of macrophages. The results showed that 100 µg/mL of EE could markedly activate the macrophage by increasing the expression of CD80, CD86, and MHCII molecules.

Silyl- and Disilanyl-BODIPYs: Synthesis via Catalytic Dehalosilylation and Spectroscopic Properties.

We describe herein the first synthesis of silyl- and disilanyl-BODIPYs through transition-metal-catalyzed dehalosilylation of iodo-BODIPYs using a Pd(P(tBu) ) /Et N/toluene system. Various mono- and bis-silyl-BODIPYs, mono- and bis-disilanyl-BODIPYs and bis-BODIPYs linked by silylene and SiOSi groups were synthesized by using this straightforward method. Silyl- and disilanyl-substitution significantly modifies the spectroscopic properties of the BODIPY, in which the fluorescence quantum yields of the silyl-BODIPYs are remarkably increased, whereas the emission spectra of disilanyl-BODIPYs are red-shifted due to effective σ(SiSi)-π(BODIPY) conjugation.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SC06 alleviates the oxidative stress of IPEC-1 via modulating Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway and decreasing ROS production.

Oxidative stress (OS) plays a major role in the gastrointestinal disorders. Although probiotics were reported to repress OS, few researches compared the antioxidant ability of different Bacillus strains and deciphered the mechanisms. To select a Bacillus strain with higher antioxidant capacity, we used HO to induce intestinal porcine epithelial cell 1 (IPEC-1) OS model.

Activating Transcription Factor 3 Is Essential for Cigarette Smoke-Induced Mucin Expression via Interaction with Activator Protein-1.

Mucus hypersecretion is an important pathologic feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is an adaptive-response gene that participates in various cellular processes. However, little is known about its role in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced mucus hyperproduction.

PICT-1 is a key nucleolar sensor in DNA damage response signaling that regulates apoptosis through the RPL11-MDM2-p53 pathway.

PICT-1 is an essential ribosome biogenesis factor whose loss induces p53 accumulation and apoptosis. Here, we show that DNA damage changes PICT-1 localization and decreases PICT-1 protein levels via the proteasome pathway. Two important phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-like kinases (PIKKs), ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and the Ku70 subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), co-localize and interact with PICT-1 in the nucleolus.

A dual antibacterial mechanism involved in membrane disruption and DNA binding of 2R,3R-dihydromyricetin from pine needles of Cedrus deodara against Staphylococcus aureus.

The antibacterial activity and mechanism of 2R,3R-dihydromyricetin (DMY) against Staphylococcus aureus were investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentration of DMY against S. aureus was 0.

Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy of Doxorubicin for Breast Cancer Using Chitosan Oligosaccharide-Modified Halloysite Nanotubes.

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are natural aluminosilicates with unique hollow lumen structure, also having high specific area, good biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and low price. Here, we designed a chitosan oligosaccharide-grafted HNTs (HNTs-g-COS) as a doxorubicin (DOX) carrier for treating breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. The structure of HNTs-g-COS was first characterized by various methods.

Antibacterial Activity and Membrane-Disruptive Mechanism of 3-p-trans-Coumaroyl-2-hydroxyquinic Acid, a Novel Phenolic Compound from Pine Needles of Cedrus deodara, against Staphylococcus aureus.

Recently, we reported that a novel phenolic compound isolated from Cedrus deodara, 3-p-trans-coumaroyl-2-hydroxyquinic acid (CHQA), exhibits a potent antioxidant activity. The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of CHQA against eleven food-borne pathogens and to elucidate its mechanism of action against Staphylococcus aureus. The results from minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations showed that CHQA exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on all of the tested pathogens with MIC values ranging from 2.

Effects of Simazine Exposure on Neuronal Development-Related Factors in MN9D Cells.

BACKGROUND Simazine is a triazine herbicide used worldwide in both agricultural and non-agricultural fields that is frequently detected in surface water and groundwater. Due to its widespread use, an increasing amount of research has focused on the potentially serious environmental and health risks. MATERIAL AND METHODS We used Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR to analyze the effects of simazine on dopamine neuronal development-related factors in MN9D dopaminergic cells.

A Chiral Hemiporphyrazine Derivative: Synthesis and Chiroptical Properties.

The synthesis of an optically active hemiporphyrazine with chiral binaphthyl substituents (1) is reported, providing the first example of the incorporation of an intrinsically chiral moiety into the macrocyclic core of a hemiporphyrazine analogue. A negative circular dichroism (CD) signal is observed in the 325-450 nm region of the CD spectrum of (S,S)-1, while mainly positive bands are observed in the 220-325 nm region. Mirror symmetry is observed across the entire wavelength range of the CD spectra of (R,R)-1 and (S,S)-1.