Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine and aminophylline in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy

SummaryBackgroundContrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is one of the important complications of coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Prophylactic administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and aminophylline has been reported to be effective in some trials, but the results still remain controversial. We investigated the efficacy of NAC or aminophylline in preventing CIN.Methods and resultsForty-five consecutive patients undergoing CAG and/or PCI were randomly assigned to receive hydration and NAC (704mg orally twice daily; NAC group, n=15), hydration and aminophylline (250mg intraveneously 30min before CAG and/or PCI; aminophylline group, n=15), or hydration alone (control group, n=15). We compared serum creatinine (SCr), creatinine clearance (Ccr), blood beta-2 microglobulin, and urinary beta-2 microglobulin levels at baseline and 48h after CAG and/or PCI. In the NAC group, SCr decreased from 1.00±0.36 to 0.67±0.16mg/dl (p<0.01), and Ccr significantly increased from 62.4±15.6 to 80.4±8.39ml/min (p<0.01). In the aminophylline group, SCr and Ccr were unchanged. In the control group, SCr significantly increased from 0.94±0.21 to 1.28±0.21mg/dl (p<0.01), and Ccr significantly decreased from 63.7±16.1 to 46.1±10.6ml/min (p<0.01) after CAG and/or PCI. In the NAC group, mean blood beta-2 microglobulin significantly decreased from 2.38±0.58 to 1.71±0.38mg/dl (p<0.01), and in the aminophylline group, mean urinary beta-2 microglobulin concentration significantly decreased from 337±31.0 to 239±34μg/ml (p<0.01).ConclusionsThese results suggest that both prophylactic NAC and aminophylline administration are effective in preventing CIN, but not with hydration alone. It appears that the two compounds work in different ways against CIN

Enhancement of Secondary Cell Wall Formation in Poplar Xylem Using a Self-Reinforced System of Secondary Cell Wall-Related Transcription Factors

The secondary cell wall (SCW) in the xylem is one of the largest sink organs of carbon in woody plants, and is considered a promising sustainable bioresource for biofuels and biomaterials. To enhance SCW formation in poplar (Populus sp.) xylem, we developed a self-reinforced system of SCW-related transcription factors from Arabidopsis thaliana, involving VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN7 (VND7), SECONDARY WALL-ASSOCIATED NAC-DOMAIN PROTEIN 1/NAC SECONDARY WALL THICKENING-PROMOTING FACTOR3 (SND1/NST3), and MYB46. In this system, these transcription factors were fused with the transactivation domain VP16 and expressed under the control of the Populus trichocarpa CesA18 (PtCesA18) gene promoter, creating the chimeric genes PtCesA18pro::AtVND7:VP16, PtCesA18pro::AtSND1:VP16, and PtCesA18pro::AtMYB46:VP16. The PtCesA18 promoter is active in tissues generating SCWs, and can be regulated by AtVND7, AtSND1, and AtMYB46; thus, the expression levels of PtCesA18pro::AtVND7:VP16, PtCesA18pro::AtSND1:VP16, and PtCesA18pro::AtMYB46:VP16 are expected to be boosted in SCW-generating tissues. In the transgenic hybrid aspens (Populus tremula x tremuloides T89) expressing PtCesA18pro::AtSND1:VP16 or PtCesA18pro::AtMYB46:VP16 grown in sterile half-strength Murashige and Skoog growth medium, SCW thickening was significantly enhanced in the secondary xylem cells, while the PtCesA18pro::AtVND7:VP16 plants showed stunted xylem formation, possibly because of the enhanced programmed cell death (PCD) in the xylem regions. After acclimation, the transgenic plants were transferred from the sterile growth medium to pots of soil in the greenhouse, where only the PtCesA18pro::AtMYB46:VP16 aspens survived. A nuclear magnetic resonance footprinting cell wall analysis and enzymatic saccharification analysis demonstrated that PtCesA18pro::AtMYB46:VP16 influences cell wall properties such as the ratio of syringyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) units of lignin, the abundance of the lignin beta-aryl ether and resinol bonds, and hemicellulose acetylation levels. Together, these data indicate that we have created a self-reinforced system using SCW-related transcription factors to enhance SCW accumulation

Long-term activation of anti-tumor immunity in pancreatic cancer by a p53-expressing telomerase-specific oncolytic adenovirus

Background: Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive, immunologically “cold” tumor. Oncolytic virotherapy is a promising treatment to overcome this problem. We developed a telomerase-specific oncolytic adenovirus armed with p53 gene (OBP-702). Methods: We investigated the efficacy of OBP-702 for pancreatic cancer, focusing on its long-term effects via long-lived memory CD8 + T cells including tissue-resident memory T cells (TRMs) and effector memory T cells (TEMs) differentiated from effector memory precursor cells (TEMps). Results: First, in vitro, OBP-702 significantly induced adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is important for memory T cell establishment. Next, in vivo, OBP-702 local treatment to murine pancreatic PAN02 tumors increased TEMps via ATP induction from tumors and IL-15Rα induction from macrophages, leading to TRM and TEM induction. Activation of these memory T cells by OBP-702 was also maintained in combination with gemcitabine+nab-paclitaxel (GN) in a PAN02 bilateral tumor model, and GN + OBP-702 showed significant anti-tumor effects and increased TRMs in OBP-702-uninjected tumors. Finally, in a neoadjuvant model, in which PAN02 cells were re-inoculated after resection of treated-PAN02 tumors, GN + OBP-702 provided long-term anti-tumor effects even after tumor resection. Conclusion: OBP-702 can be a long-term immunostimulant with sustained anti-tumor effects on immunologically cold pancreatic cancer

竹炭添加乾燥生ごみがトウガラシ類の品質に及ぼす影響

竹炭添加乾燥生ごみは,竹炭の添加量を増加することで,水分以外の油分,塩分の含有量と臭気発生量が減少することがわかった。トウガラシ類の栽培実験では,生ごみに竹炭を5%加えて乾燥させたものでは,収穫量と根重量が増加したが,シシトウガラシの総アスコルビン酸と無機成分含有量,辛味発現と低温障害発生には,明らかな影響は見られなかった。以上より,竹炭を使うことで,地域環境の保全と,生ごみの肥料化への有効利用が図れることから,循環型社会における1つのモデルとして提案できると考える。本研究の一部は,文部科学省科学研究費(基盤研究B.1, 14380036)により行なわれた。The role of bamboo charcoal was studied that effect on the produce and the quality of peppers. It was also compared these results with three years. Production of total volatile compound (T) from dry garbage was 324 UN/ min/ g, nitrogenous compound (N) was 170 UN/ min/ g and sulfuric compound (S) was 627 UN/ min/ g. In no addition to 50% bamboo charcoal for fresh garbage addition, dry garbage content of water was increased 6% to 14%, the oil, salt and volatile compounds were decreased. The oil content was especially 27% to 5%, salt content was 8% to 2%. The volatile compounds of T was 1328 to 115, N was 172 to 58, S was 6913 to 633, respectively. Dry garbage added bamboo charcoal was well keeping off-flavor. The optimum culture condition of pepper yield was dry garbage including 5% bamboo charcoal for Shishitougarashi. It was found that no addition for Bell pepper, and 5% bamboo charcoal only for Manganji were a good crop condition. In var. Shishitougarashi, culture condition of the most hot taste occurrence was no addition and that of the least one was dry garbage with 5% bamboo charcoal. The compost of dry garbage including 5% bamboo charcoal had a good effect to produce of peppers. It is recommendation that utilization of bamboo charcoal to garbage compost is contributed the sustainable life style. (Accepted September 9, 2003

Tetraploidization promotes radial stem growth in poplars

Somatic polyploidization often increases cell and organ size, thereby contributing to plant biomass production. However, as most woody plants do not undergo polyploidization, explaining the polyploidization effect on organ growth in trees remains difficult. Here we developed a new method to generate tetraploid lines in poplars through colchicine treatment of lateral buds. We found that tetraploidization induced cell enlargement in the stem, suggesting that polyploidization can increase cell size in woody plants that cannot induce polyploidization in normal development. Greenhouse growth analysis revealed that radial growth was enhanced in the basal stem of tetraploids, whereas longitudinal growth was retarded, producing the same amount of stem biomass as diploids. Woody biomass characteristics were also comparable in terms of wood substance density, saccharification efficiency, and cell wall profiling. Our results reveal tetraploidization as an effective strategy for improving woody biomass production when combined with technologies that promote longitudinal stem growth by enhancing metabolite production and/or transport

Impact of abiotic stress on the regulation of cell wall biosynthesis in Populus trichocarpa.

Growth of biomass for lignocellulosic biofuels and biomaterials may take place on land unsuitable for foods, meaning the biomass plants are exposed to increased abiotic stresses. Thus, the understanding how this affects biomass composition and quality is important for downstream bioprocessing. Here, we analyzed the effect of drought and salt stress on cell wall biosynthesis in young shoots and xylem tissues of Populus trichocarpa using transcriptomic and biochemical methods. Following exposure to abiotic stress, stem tissues reduced vessel sizes, and young shoots increased xylem formation. Compositional analyses revealed a reduction in the total amount of cell wall polysaccharides. In contrast, the total lignin amount was unchanged, while the ratio of S/G lignin was significantly decreased in young shoots. Consistent with these observations, transcriptome analyses show that the expression of a subset of cell wall-related genes is tightly regulated by drought and salt stresses. In particular, the expression of a part of genes encoding key enzymes for S-lignin biosynthesis, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase and ferulate 5-hydroxylase, was decreased, suggesting the lower S/G ratio could be partly attributed to the down-regulation of these genes. Together, our data identifies a transcriptional abiotic stress response strategy in poplar, which results in adaptive changes to the plant cell wall

Impact of abiotic stress on the regulation of cell wall biosynthesis in Populus trichocarpa.

Growth of biomass for lignocellulosic biofuels and biomaterials may take place on land unsuitable for foods, meaning the biomass plants are exposed to increased abiotic stresses. Thus, the understanding how this affects biomass composition and quality is important for downstream bioprocessing. Here, we analyzed the effect of drought and salt stress on cell wall biosynthesis in young shoots and xylem tissues of Populus trichocarpa using transcriptomic and biochemical methods. Following exposure to abiotic stress, stem tissues reduced vessel sizes, and young shoots increased xylem formation. Compositional analyses revealed a reduction in the total amount of cell wall polysaccharides. In contrast, the total lignin amount was unchanged, while the ratio of S/G lignin was significantly decreased in young shoots. Consistent with these observations, transcriptome analyses show that the expression of a subset of cell wall-related genes is tightly regulated by drought and salt stresses. In particular, the expression of a part of genes encoding key enzymes for S-lignin biosynthesis, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase and ferulate 5-hydroxylase, was decreased, suggesting the lower S/G ratio could be partly attributed to the down-regulation of these genes. Together, our data identifies a transcriptional abiotic stress response strategy in poplar, which results in adaptive changes to the plant cell wall