Thermal and X-ray diffraction analysis studies during the decomposition of ammonium uranyl nitrate

Kim, B. H.,Lee, Y. B.,Prelas, M. A.,Ghosh, T. K. Springer Netherlands 2012 Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol.292 No.3

<P>Two types of ammonium uranyl nitrate (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O and NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB>, were thermally decomposed and reduced in a TG-DTA unit in nitrogen, air, and hydrogen atmospheres. Various intermediate phases produced by the thermal decomposition and reduction process were investigated by an X-ray diffraction analysis and a TG/DTA analysis. Both (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O and NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> decomposed to amorphous UO<SUB>3</SUB> regardless of the atmosphere used. The amorphous UO<SUB>3</SUB> from (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O was crystallized to γ-UO<SUB>3</SUB> regardless of the atmosphere used without a change in weight. The amorphous UO<SUB>3</SUB> obtained from decomposition of NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> was crystallized to α-UO<SUB>3</SUB> under a nitrogen and air atmosphere, and to β-UO<SUB>3</SUB> under a hydrogen atmosphere without a change in weight. Under each atmosphere, the reaction paths of (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O and NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> were as follows: under a nitrogen atmosphere: (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O → (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·H<SUB>2</SUB>O → (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB> → NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> → A-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → γ-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → U<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>8</SUB>, NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> → A-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → α-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → U<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>8</SUB>; under an air atmosphere: (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O → (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·H<SUB>2</SUB>O → (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB> → NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> → A-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → γ-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → U<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>8</SUB>, NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> → A-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → α-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → U<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>8</SUB>; and under a hydrogen atmosphere: (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O → (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB>·H<SUB>2</SUB>O → (NH<SUB>4</SUB>)<SUB>2</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>4</SUB> → NH<SUB>4</SUB>UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> → A-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → γ-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → α-U<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>8</SUB> → UO<SUB>2</SUB>, NH<SUB>4</SUB> UO<SUB>2</SUB>(NO<SUB>3</SUB>)<SUB>3</SUB> → A-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → β-UO<SUB>3</SUB> → α-U<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>8</SUB> → UO<SUB>2</SUB>.</P>

Gut-Specific Delivery of T-Helper 17 Cells Reduces Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Mice

Hong, C.P.,Park, A.,Yang, B.G.,Yun, C.H.,Kwak, M.J.,Lee, G.W.,Kim, J.H.,Jang, M.S.,Lee, E.J.,Jeun, E.J.,You, G.,Kim, K.S.,Choi, Y.,Park, J.H.,Hwang, D.,Im, S.H.,Kim, J.F.,Kim, Y.K.,Seoh, J.Y.,Surh, C. Elsevier North Holland [etc.] 2017 Gastroenterology Vol.152 No.8

<P>BACKGROUND & AIMS: Obesity and metabolic syndrome have been associated with alterations to the intestinal microbiota. However, few studies examined the effects of obesity on the intestinal immune system. We investigated changes in subsets of intestinal CD4(+) T-helper (T-H) cells with obesity and the effects of gut-tropic T(H)17 cells in mice on a high-fat diet (HFD). METHODS: We isolated immune cells from small intestine and adipose tissue of C57BL/6 mice fed a normal chow diet or a HFD for 10 weeks and analyzed the cells by flow cytometry. Mice fed a vitamin A-deficient HFD were compared with mice fed a vitamin A-sufficient HFD. Obese RAG1-deficient mice were given injections of only regulatory T cells or a combination of regulatory T cells and T(H)17 cells (wild type or deficient in integrin beta 7 subunit or interleukin 17 [IL17]). Mice were examined for weight gain, fat mass, fatty liver, glucose tolerance, and insulin resistance. Fecal samples were collected before and after T cell transfer and analyzed for microbiota composition by metagenomic DNA sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Mice placed on a HFD became obese, which affected the distribution of small intestinal CD4(+) T-H cells. Intestinal tissues from obese mice had significant reductions in the proportion of T(H)17 cells but increased proportion of T(H)1 cells, compared with intestinal tissues from nonobese mice. Depletion of vitamin A in obese mice further reduced the proportion of T(H)17 cells in small intestine; this reduction correlated with more weight gain and worsening of glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Adoptive transfer of in vitro-differentiated gut-tropic T(H)17 cells to obese mice reduced these metabolic defects, which required the integrin beta 7 subunit and IL17. Delivery of T(H)17 cells to intestines of mice led to expansion of commensal microbes associated with leanness. CONCLUSIONS: In mice, intestinal T(H)17 cells contribute to development of a microbiota that maintains metabolic homeostasis, via IL17. Gut-homing T(H)17 cells might be used to reduce metabolic disorders in obese individuals.</P>

On the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) membrane for hydrogen separation from simulated biomass-derived syngas

Yin, H.,Lee, T.,Choi, J.,Yip, A.C.K. Elsevier 2016 Microporous and mesoporous materials Vol.233 No.-

<P>Hydrogen separation from biomass-derived syngas is a critical step in the utilization of gasification technology. Compared with the traditional methods, membrane technology provides an effective and low-cost solution for adjusting the gas composition and collecting H-2 in syngas environments. In this study, a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8)-based membrane, which is a potential candidate for H-2 separation from biomass-derived syngas, was successfully fabricated through the seeded (secondary) growth method and the subsequent post-treatments. The prepared ZIF-8 membrane exhibited a modest H-2 separation performance for H-2/CO2 and H-2/CO, with separation factors of 4.95 and 6.08, respectively, and a H-2 permeance of 7.81 x 10(-8) mol m(-2) s(-1) Pa-1 at 200 degrees C in the simulated biomass-derived syngas environments (H-2/CO2/CO) with the presence of steam. In particular, the H-2/CO2 and H-2/CO separation factors were increased by 36% and 97%, respectively, with respect to those obtained through bare supports. Despite the promising H2 perm-selectivity, the H-2/CO2 and H-2/CO separation factors of ZIF-8 membranes at 200 degrees C under water-containing syngas environments were maintained up to 10 h but the longer exposure led to the gradual degradation and eventual reduction toward those of bare supports after 15 h seemingly due to the water-involved membrane degradation. This study provides the availability and limitation of ZIF-8 membranes for H-2 separations in stimulated biomass-derived syngas environments. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</P>

A comparative study on the performance of different advanced oxidation processes (UV/O3/H2O2) treating linear alkyl benzene (LAB) production plant's wastewater

H. Zangeneh,A.A.L. Zinatizadeh,M. Feizy 한국공업화학회 2014 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.20 No.4

A detailed investigation on photooxidation of linear alkyl benzene (LAB) industrial wastewater is presented in this study. The process analysis was performed by varying four significant independent variables including two numerical factors (initial pH (3–11) and initial H2O2 concentration (0–20 mM)) and two categorical factors (UV irradiation and ozonation). The experiments were conducted based on a central composite design (CCD) and analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM). To assess the process performance, two parameters viz. TCOD removal efficiency and BOD5/COD were measured throughout the experiments. A maximum reduction in TCOD was 58, 53, 51, and 49%, respectively for UV/H2O2/O3, H2O2/O3, UV/O3 and UV/H2O2 processes at the optimum conditions (initial pH of 7, initial H2O2 concentration of 100 mM, and reaction time of 180 min). A considerable increase in BOD5/COD ratio was obtained in the combined processes (0.46, 0.51, 0.53, and 0.55 for UV/H2O2, UV/O3, H2O2/O3 and UV/H2O2/O3, respectively) compared to the single oxidant process (0.35). The results showed that mineralization of the LAB industrial wastewater in neutral pH is more favored than in acidic and basic pH. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was applied to show the fate of organic compounds. In conclusion, the photooxidation process (UV/H2O2/O3, H2O2/O3, UV/O3 and UV/H2O2) could be an appropriate pretreatment method prior to a biological treatment process.

A new compound, 1H,8H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1,8-dione, suppresses airway epithelial cell inflammatory responses in a murine model of asthma.

Lee, H,Han, A R,Kim, Y,Choi, S H,Ko, E,Lee, N Y,Jeong, J H,Kim, S H,Bae, H Biomedical Research Press 2009 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOPATHOLOGY AND PHARM Vol.22 No.3

<P>Clinical and experimental studies have established eosinophilia as a sign of allergic disorders. Activation of eosinophils in the airways is believed to cause epithelial tissue injury, contraction of airway smooth muscle and increased bronchial responsiveness. As part of the search for new antiasthmatic agents produced by medicinal plants, the effects of 270 standardized medicinal plant extracts on cytokine-activated A549 human lung epithelial cells were evaluated. After several rounds of activity-guided screening, the new natural compound, 1H,8H-Pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1,8-dione (PPY), was isolated from Vitex rotundifolia L. To elucidate the mechanism by which the anti-asthmatic responses of PPY occurred in vitro, lung epithelial cells (A549 cell) were stimulated with TNF-alpha, IL-4 and IL-1beta to induce the expression of chemokines and adhesion molecules involved in eosinophil chemotaxis. PPY treatments reduced the expression of eotaxin, IL-8, IL-16 and VCAM-1 mRNA significantly. Additionally, PPY reduced eotaxin secretion in a dose-dependent manner and significantly inhibited eosinophil migration toward A549 medium. In addition, PPY treatment suppressed the phosphorylation of p65 and ERK1/2, suggesting that it can inhibit the MAPK/NF-KB pathway. To clarify the anti-inflammatory and antiasthmatic effects of PPY in vivo, we examined the influence of PPY on the development of pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation in a murine model of asthma. To accomplish this, mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) and then examined for the following typical asthmatic reactions: an increase in the number of eosinophils in BALF; the presence of Th2 cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-5 in the BALF; the presence of allergen-specific IgE in the serum; and a marked influx of inflammatory cells into the lung. Taken together, our results revealed that PPY exerts profound inhibitory effects on the accumulation of eosinophils into the airways while reducing the levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in the BALF. Therefore, these results suggest that PPY may be useful as a new therapeutic drug for the treatment of allergic asthma.</P>

Benzo(a)pyrene induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human choriocarcinoma cancer cells through reactive oxygen species-induced endoplasmic reticulum-stress pathway

Kim, S.M.,Lee, H.M.,Hwang, K.A.,Choi, K.C. Pergamon ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2017 Food and chemical toxicology Vol.107 No.1

Cigarette smoke (CS) contains over 60 well established carcinogens. In this study, we examined the effects of benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), a main CS component, on the viability and apoptosis of JEG-3 and BeWo human choriocarcinoma cancer cell lines. An MTT assay confirmed that B(a)P decreased the cell viability of JEG-3 and BeWo cells in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, Western blot (WB) assay revealed that protein expression of cyclin D and cyclin E decreased, while protein expression of p21 and p27 was increased in response to B(a)P treatment for 48 h. The changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in JEG-3 and BeWo cells exposed to B(a)P were also measured by a dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay, which revealed that ROS levels increased in response to B(a)P treatment for 48 h. WB assay also confirmed that each B(a)P treatment of JEG-3 and BeWo cells for 4 h promoted the expression of phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha protein (p-eIF2α) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), which are known to be involved in ROS-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER-stress) related apoptosis. Overall, the protein expression of Bax (a pro-apoptosis marker) increased, while the expression of Bcl-xl (an anti-apoptotic marker) decreased and the number of apoptotic cells increased in response to B(a)P treatment for 48 h. Taken together, these results suggest that B(a)P has the potential to induce apoptosis of JEG-3 and BeWo human choriocarcinoma cancer cells by increasing the ROS level and simultaneously activating ER-stress.

Two-dimensional hexagonal CrN with promising magnetic and optical properties: A theoretical prediction

Kuklin, A.,Kuzubov, A.,Kovaleva, E.,Mikhaleva, N.,Tomilin, F.,Lee, H.,Avramov, P. Royal Society of Chemistry 2017 Nanoscale Vol.9 No.2

<P>Half-metallic ferromagnetic materials with planar forms are promising for spintronics applications. A wide range of 2D lattices like graphene, h-BN, transition metal dichalcogenides, etc. are non-magnetic or weakly magnetic. Using first principles calculations, the existence of graphene-like hexagonal chromium nitride (h-CrN) with an almost flat atomically thin structure is predicted. We find that freestanding h-CrN has a 100% spin-polarized half-metallic nature with possible ferromagnetic ordering and a high rate of optical transparency. As a possible method for stabilization and synthesis, deposition of h-CrN on 2D MoSe2 or on MoS2 is proposed. The formation of composites retains the half-metallic properties and leads to the reduction of spin-down band gaps to 1.43 and 1.71 eV for energetically favorable h-CrN/MoSe2 and h-CrN/MoS2 configurations, respectively. Calculation of the dielectric functions of h-CrN, h-CrN/MoSe2 and h-CrN/MoS2 exhibit the high transparency of all three low-dimensional nanomaterials. The honeycomb CrN may be considered as a promising fundamental Half-2D material for a variety of potential applications of critical importance.</P>

Characterization of the pharmacokinetic disposition of levofloxacin in stallions after intravenous and intramuscular administration

GOUDAH, A.,ABO EL-SOOUD, K.,SHIM, J.-H.,SHIN, H.-C.,ABD EL-ATY, A. M. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2008 JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTIC Vol.31 No.5

<P>The target of the present study was to investigate the plasma disposition kinetics of levofloxacin in stallions (<I>n</I> = 6) following a single intravenous (i.v.) bolus or intramuscular (i.m.) injection at a dose rate of 4 mg/kg bwt, using a two-phase crossover design with 15 days as an interval period. Plasma samples were collected at appropriate times during a 48-h administration interval, and were analyzed using a microbiological assay method. The plasma levofloxacin disposition was best fitted to a two-compartment open model after i.v. dosing. The half-lives of distribution and elimination were 0.21 ± 0.13 and 2.58 ± 0.51 h, respectively. The volume of distribution at steady-state was 0.81 ± 0.26 L/kg, the total body clearance (<I>Cl</I><SUB>tot</SUB>) was 0.21 ± 0.18 L/h/kg, and the areas under the concentration–time curves (<I>AUC</I>s) were 18.79 ± 4.57 &mgr;g.h/mL. Following i.m. administration, the mean <I>t</I><SUB>1/2el</SUB> and <I>AUC</I> values were 2.94 ± 0.78 h and 17.21 ± 4.36 &mgr;g.h/mL. The bioavailability was high (91.76% ± 12.68%), with a peak plasma mean concentration (<I>C</I><SUB>max</SUB>) of 2.85 ± 0.89 &mgr;g/mL attained at 1.56 ± 0.71 h (<I>T</I><SUB>max</SUB>). The <I>in vitro</I> protein binding percentage was 27.84%. Calculation of efficacy predictors showed that levofloxacin might have a good therapeutic profile against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, with an <I>MIC</I> ≤ 0.1 &mgr;g/mL.</P>

Evaluation of the zoonotic potential of a novel reassortant H1N2 swine influenza virus with gene constellation derived from multiple viral sources

Lee, J.H.,Pascua, P.N.Q.,Decano, A.G.,Kim, S.M.,Park, S.J.,Kwon, H.I.,Kim, E.H.,Kim, Y.I.,Kim, H.,Kim, S.Y.,Song, M.S.,Jang, H.K.,Park, B.K.,Choi, Y.K. Elsevier Science 2015 INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION Vol.34 No.-

In 2011-2012, contemporary North American-like H3N2 swine influenza viruses (SIVs) possessing the 2009 pandemic H1N1 matrix gene (H3N2pM-like virus) were detected in domestic pigs of South Korea where H1N2 SIV strains are endemic. More recently, we isolated novel reassortant H1N2 SIVs bearing the Eurasian avian-like swine H1-like hemagglutinin and Korean swine H1N2-like neuraminidase in the internal gene backbone of the H3N2pM-like virus. In the present study, we clearly provide evidence on the genetic origins of the novel H1N2 SIVs virus through genetic and phylogenetic analyses. In vitro studies demonstrated that, in comparison with a pre-existing 2012 Korean H1N2 SIV [A/swine/Korea/CY03-1½012 (CY03-1½012)], the 2013 novel reassortant H1N2 isolate [A/swine/Korea/CY0423/2013 (CY0423-12/2013)] replicated more efficiently in differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells. The CY0423-12/2013 virus induced higher viral titers than the CY03-1½012 virus in the lungs and nasal turbinates of infected mice and nasal wash samples of ferrets. Moreover, the 2013 H1N2 reassortant, but not the intact 2012 H1N2 virus, was transmissible to naive contact ferrets via respiratory-droplets. Noting that the viral precursors have the ability to infect humans, our findings highlight the potential threat of a novel reassortant H1N2 SIV to public health and underscore the need to further strengthen influenza surveillance strategies worldwide, including swine populations.

Association of Genetic Variants in Complement Factor H and Factor H-Related Genes with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Susceptibility

Zhao, Jian,Wu, Hui,Khosravi, Melanie,Cui, Huijuan,Qian, Xiaoxia,Kelly, Jennifer A.,Kaufman, Kenneth M.,Langefeld, Carl D.,Williams, Adrienne H.,Comeau, Mary E.,Ziegler, Julie T.,Marion, Miranda C.,Adl Public Library of Science 2011 PLoS genetics Vol.7 No.5

<▼1><P>Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a complex polygenic autoimmune disease, is associated with increased complement activation. Variants of genes encoding complement regulator factor H (CFH) and five CFH-related proteins (CFHR1-CFHR5) within the chromosome 1q32 locus linked to SLE, have been associated with multiple human diseases and may contribute to dysregulated complement activation predisposing to SLE. We assessed 60 SNPs covering the <I>CFH</I>-<I>CFHRs</I> region for association with SLE in 15,864 case-control subjects derived from four ethnic groups. Significant allelic associations with SLE were detected in European Americans (EA) and African Americans (AA), which could be attributed to an intronic <I>CFH</I> SNP (rs6677604, in intron 11, <I>P</I><SUB>meta</SUB> = 6.6×10<SUP>−8</SUP>, OR = 1.18) and an intergenic SNP between <I>CFHR1</I> and <I>CFHR4</I> (rs16840639, <I>P</I><SUB>meta</SUB> = 2.9×10<SUP>−7</SUP>, OR = 1.17) rather than to previously identified disease-associated <I>CFH</I> exonic SNPs, including I62V, Y402H, A474A, and D936E. In addition, allelic association of rs6677604 with SLE was subsequently confirmed in Asians (AS). Haplotype analysis revealed that the underlying causal variant, tagged by rs6677604 and rs16840639, was localized to a ∼146 kb block extending from intron 9 of <I>CFH</I> to downstream of <I>CFHR1</I>. Within this block, the deletion of <I>CFHR3</I> and <I>CFHR1</I> (<I>CFHR3-1</I>Δ), a likely causal variant measured using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, was tagged by rs6677604 in EA and AS and rs16840639 in AA, respectively. Deduced from genotypic associations of tag SNPs in EA, AA, and AS, homozygous deletion of <I>CFHR3-1</I>Δ (<I>P</I><SUB>meta</SUB> = 3.2×10<SUP>−7</SUP>, OR = 1.47) conferred a higher risk of SLE than heterozygous deletion (<I>P</I><SUB>meta</SUB> = 3.5×10<SUP>−4</SUP>, OR = 1.14). These results suggested that the <I>CFHR3-1</I>Δ deletion within the SLE-associated block, but not the previously described exonic SNPs of <I>CFH</I>, might contribute to the development of SLE in EA, AA, and AS, providing new insights into the role of complement regulators in the pathogenesis of SLE.</P></▼1><▼2><P><B>Author Summary</B></P><P>Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease, associated with increased complement activation. Previous studies have provided evidence for the presence of SLE susceptibility gene(s) in the chromosome 1q31-32 locus. Within 1q32, genes encoding complement regulator factor H (CFH) and five CFH-related proteins (CFHR1-CFHR5) may contribute to the development of SLE, because genetic variants of these genes impair complement regulation and predispose to various human diseases. In this study, we tested association of genetic variants in the region containing <I>CFH</I> and <I>CFHRs</I> with SLE. We identified genetic variants predisposing to SLE in European American, African American, and Asian populations, which might be attributed to the deletion of <I>CFHR3</I> and <I>CFHR1</I> genes but not previously identified disease-associated exonic variants of <I>CFH</I>. This study provides the first evidence for consistent association between <I>CFH/CFHRs</I> and SLE across multi-ancestral SLE datasets, providing new insights into the role of complement regulators in the pathogenesis of SLE.</P></▼2>