Kre6 (yeast 1,6-β-transglycosylase) homolog, PhTGS, is essential for β-glucan synthesis in the haptophyte Pleurochrysis haptonemofera

Haptophytes synthesize unique β-glucans containing more β-1,6-linkages than β-1,3 linkages, as a storage polysaccharide. To understand the mechanism of the synthesis, we investigated the roles of Kre6 (yeast 1,6-β-transglycosylase) homologs, PhTGS, in the haptophyte Pleurochrysis haptonemofera. RNAi of PhTGS repressed β-glucan accumulation and simultaneously induced lipid production, suggesting that PhTGS is involved in β-glucan synthesis and that the knockdown leads to the alteration of the carbon metabolic flow. PhTGS was expressed more in light, where β-glucan was actively produced by photosynthesis, than in the dark. The crude extract of E. coli expressing PhKre6 demonstrated its activity to incorporate 14C-UDP-glucose into β-glucan of P. haptonemofera. These findings suggest that PhTGS functions in storage β-glucan synthesis specifically in light, probably by producing the β-1,6-branch

Effect of Annealing on Crystal and Local Structures of Doped Zirconia Using Experimental and Computational Methods

The effects of the annealing process on the crystal and local structures of doped zirconia were investigated by Rietveld refinements of synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction, the maximum entropy method (MEM), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and first-principles calculations (FPCs). This study reveals that the crystal structures of sintered and annealed (Zr_0.85Y_0.15)­O_2−δ (8YSZ) and (Zr_0.81Sc_0.18Ce_0.01)­O_2−δ (10SSZ) are cubic with the space group <i>Fm</i>3̅<i>m</i> and have large atomic displacement parameters (<i>U</i>_iso). The amounts of tetragonal and other phases are less than 0.2 mol % as estimated by comparison of the observed and simulated X-ray diffraction patterns in the annealed zirconia. For annealed 8YSZ, the <i>U</i>_iso values are reduced, and the electrons around the Zr and oxide ion sites gather at the center of each site. On the other hand, annealed 10SSZ shows the opposite tendency as annealed 8YSZ. From the combined XAS and FPC results, the distortion of the ZrO₈ polyhedra in zirconia is related to the weakening of the two main peaks of the Zr K-edge, while this distortion increases the strength of the Zr pre-edge. The annealing process is found to enhance the periodic and local distortions of the ZrO₈ polyhedra in 10SSZ. In contrast, the annealing process for 8YSZ affects the local distortion of the ZrO₈ polyhedra but does not have an effect on the periodic disorder of the crystal structure, as indicated by <i>U</i>_iso values and MEM analyses. We discuss the correlation among the degradation of oxide ion conductivities by the annealing process and the crystal and local structures of the doped zirconia using experimental and computational methods

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to &lt; 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of &amp; GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P &lt; 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo