サトウキビ廃糖蜜の焙煎によるDPPHラジカル消去能の増加と抗変異原性(自然科学編)

The potential chemopreventive properties of the molasses from sugarcane were examined to promote the demand of this residue from the sugarcane industry. Roast of the molasses at temperature between 140 and 180℃ for 20 min enhanced remarkably the DPPH-radical scavenging activity in comparison with non-roast one. The molasses roasted at 160℃ showed the maximum DPPH-radical scavenging activity at temperature between 100℃ and 200℃ for 20 min. Extract from roasted molasses at 160℃ for 20 min showed stronger antimutagenicity than one from non-roast one at 10 mg additional content. The increase and decrease in DPPH-radical scavenging activity and polyphenolic contents were similar to the browning pattern by the roast, suggesting that the antioxidative components may be the polyphenolic-related one. These results indicate that the roasted molasses from sugarcane is available for the material with physiological functions

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

便潜血陰性の鉄欠乏性貧血の1例 : 民間療法による経皮的脱血療法による失血例

患者は鉄欠乏性貧血が次第に生じてきた78歳男性である.便潜血反応は常に陰性であり,上部および下部消化管検査でも全く異常は認められず,入院精査となった.全身的な検索を終えたところ,患者は1年半前より,鍼灸師に通院しており,1ヵ月におよそ100 mlほど,経皮的に真空吸引器による混血療法を行っていたことを明らかにした.脱血治療時に上腕部,肩や背部に生じた皮下出血斑は,1ヵ月後に当院に来院するときまでには完全に消失していたため,貧血の成因が不詳であった.直ちに真空吸引療法を中止し,経口鉄剤を補給することにより,貧血は急速に改善された.患者は,最近5年間,元気に過ごしており,血清鉄もフェリチン濃度も正常範囲である.この症例は,便潜血が常に陰性の鉄欠乏性貧血患者を診た場合には現病歴を詳細に聴取することが最も重要であることを示している.A 78-year-old man insidiously developed iron-deficiency anemia. Occult blood tests of the stools remained consistently negative. Results of gastroscopic and colonoscopic examinations were normal. After systemic examinations had been performed, the patient admitted that he had been treated by an acupuncturist for the previous 18 months who had aspirated nearly 100 ml blood per month transcutaneously using a vacuum aspirator. Subcutaneous hemorrhages, which developed at the sites of vacuum-aspiration on the brachium, shoulders and back, had disappeared almost completely by the time the patient visited one month later. After the vacuum aspiration therapy had been stopped and oral administration of iron supplement started, the anemia improved rapidly. The patient has been doing well for the last 5 years, with normal serum levels of iron and ferritin. The present data indicate that history taking is very important for the differential diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia, particularly when there is no evidence of blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract

Temperature dependence of carrier relaxation time in gallium phosphide evaluated by photoemission measurements

For understanding of carrier behavior in semiconductors, it is important to measure the carrier relaxation time. In the present study, the relaxation times of inter-valley transition from the Γ valley to the X valley in GaP were evaluated by near-band-gap photoemission spectroscopy of electrons emitted from a surface with a negative electron affinity state. In the energy distribution curves, two peaks, which originate from the electron population accumulated in the Γ valley and the X valley, were observed. From the temperature dependence of the energy of these two peaks, we could successfully evaluate the temperature dependence of the energies of the Γ valley and the X valley. Furthermore, the relaxation times of the inter-valley transition from the Γ valley to the X valley were estimated from the ratio of the electron concentration of the Γ valley and the X valley. The values of the relaxation time are good agreement with the previous studies. These results indicate that the near-band-gap photoemission spectroscopy can directly investigate conduction electrons and also evaluate the carrier dynamics in semiconductor

Enhancement of DPPH-radical Scavenging Activity in Heat-processed Sugarcane Molasses

The effects of heating temperature and time on browning, DPPH-radical scavenging activity and polyphenollike activity of molasses from sugarcane were investigated. The browning, DPPH-radical scavenging activity and polyphenol-like activity of molasses heated to between 120℃ and 160℃ were increased in comparison with unheated molasses. The browning of molasses heated to 120℃ and 140℃ increased with heating time, and was nearly 9.5 times greater than unheated molasses after heating for 60 minutes. The browning of molasses heated to 160℃ exponentially increased after heating for 10 minutes, and was nearly 16.7 times greater than unheated molasses after heating for 20 minutes. The DPPH-radical scavenging activity of molasses heated to 120℃ for 50 minutes, 140℃ for 10 minutes, and 160℃ for 10 minutes was four times greater than that of unheated molasses. The alterations in DPPH-radical scavenging activity were similar to the polyphenol-like activity pattern with heat-processing. The heated molasses with the highest polyphenol-like activity, processed at 160℃ for 20 minutes, showed stronger antimutagenicity than unheated molasses. These results indicate that the heat-processing of sugarcane molasses is a viable method for the enhancement of food functions in sugarcane molasses