Association of Serum Phosphate and Related Factors in ESRD-Related Vascular Calcification

Vascular calcification is common in ESRD patients and is important in increasing mortality from cardiovascular complications in these patients. Hyperphosphatemia related to chronic kidney disease is increasingly known as major stimulus for vascular calcification. Hyperphosphatemia and vascular calcification become popular discussion among nephrologist environment more than five decades, and many researches have been evolved. Risk factors for calcification are nowadays focused for the therapeutic prevention of vascular calcification with the hope of reducing cardiovascular complications

Optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from Polygonum cuspidatum

In this study the phenolic compounds piceid, resveratrol and emodin were extracted from P. cuspidatum roots using ultrasound-assisted extraction. Multiple response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction conditions of these phenolic compounds. A three-factor and three-level Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to evaluate the effects of the operation parameters, including extraction temperature (30-70 °C), ethanol concentration (40%-80%), and ultrasonic power (90-150 W), on the extraction yields of piceid, resveratrol, and emodin. The statistical models built from multiple response surface methodology were developed for the estimation of the extraction yields of multi-phenolic components. Based on the model, the extraction yields of piceid, resveratrol, and emodin can be improved by controlling the extraction parameters. Under the optimum conditions, the extraction yields of piceid, resveratrol and emodin were 10.77 mg/g, 3.82 mg/g and 11.72 mg/g, respectively

High Yield of Wax Ester Synthesized from Cetyl Alcohol and Octanoic Acid by Lipozyme RMIM and Novozym 435

Wax esters are long-chain esters that have been widely applied in premium lubricants, parting agents, antifoaming agents and cosmetics. In this study, the biocatalytic preparation of a specific wax ester, cetyl octanoate, is performed in n-hexane using two commercial immobilized lipases, i.e., Lipozyme® RMIM (Rhizomucor miehei) and Novozym® 435 (Candida antarctica). Response surface methodology (RSM) and 5-level-4-factor central composite rotatable design (CCRD) are employed to evaluate the effects of reaction time (1–5 h), reaction temperature (45–65 °C), substrate molar ratio (1–3:1), and enzyme amount (10%–50%) on the yield of cetyl octanoate. Using RSM to optimize the reaction, the maximum yields reached 94% and 98% using Lipozyme® RMIM and Novozym® 435, respectively. The optimum conditions for synthesis of cetyl octanoate by both lipases are established and compared. Novozym® 435 proves to be a more efficient biocatalyst than Lipozyme® RMIM

Deep ocean mineral supplementation enhances the cerebral hemodynamic response during exercise and decreases inflammation postexercise in men at two age levels.

Background: Previous studies have consistently shown that oral supplementation of deep ocean minerals (DOM) improves vascular function in animals and enhances muscle power output in exercising humans. Purpose: To examine the effects of DOM supplementation on the cerebral hemodynamic response during physical exertion in young and middle-aged men. Design: Double-blind placebo-controlled crossover studies were conducted in young (N = 12, aged 21.2 ± 0.4 years) and middle-aged men (N = 9, aged 46.8 ± 1.4 years). The counter-balanced trials of DOM and Placebo were separated by a 2-week washout period. DOM and Placebo were orally supplemented in drinks before, during, and after cycling exercise. DOM comprises desalinated minerals and trace elements from seawater collected ~618 m below the earth's surface. Methods: Cerebral hemodynamic response (tissue hemoglobin) was measured during cycling at 75% VO2max using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Results: Cycling time to exhaustion at 75% VO2max and the associated plasma lactate response were similar between the Placebo and DOM trials for both age groups. In contrast, DOM significantly elevated cerebral hemoglobin levels in young men and, to a greater extent, in middle-aged men compared with Placebo. An increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was observed in middle-aged men, 2 h after exhaustive cycling, but was attenuated by DOM. Conclusion: Our data suggest that minerals and trace elements from deep oceans possess great promise in developing supplements to increase the cerebral hemodynamic response against a physical challenge and during post-exercise recovery for middle-aged men.This work was supported by Pacific Deep Ocean Biotech (Taipei,Taiwan) and University of Taipei (Taipei, Taiwan). The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results. We declare that the results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation

Ginsenoside-Rg1 Protects the Liver against Exhaustive Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rats

Despite regular exercise benefits, acute exhaustive exercise elicits oxidative damage in liver. The present study determined the hepatoprotective properties of ginsenoside-Rg1 against exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress in rats. Forty rats were assigned into vehicle and ginsenoside-Rg1 groups (0.1 mg/kg bodyweight). After 10-week treatment, ten rats from each group performed exhaustive swimming. Estimated oxidative damage markers, including thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) (67%) and protein carbonyls (56%), were significantly (P < 0.01) elevated after exhaustive exercise but alleviated in ginsenoside-Rg1 pretreated rats. Furthermore, exhaustive exercise drastically decreased glutathione (GSH) content (∼79%) with concurrent decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities. However, these changes were attenuated in Rg1 group. Additionally, increased xanthine oxidase (XO) activity and nitric oxide (NO) levels after exercise were also inhibited by Rg1 pretreatment. For the first time, our findings provide strong evidence that ginsenoside-Rg1 can protect the liver against exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative damage

Benthic Fluxes of Dissolved Organic Carbon from Gas Hydrate Sediments in the Northern South China Sea

Hydrocarbon vents have recently been reported to contribute considerable amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the oceans. Many such hydrocarbon vents widely exist in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). To investigate if these hydrocarbon vent sites release DOC, we used a real-time video multiple-corer to collect bottom seawater and surface sediments at vent sites. We analyzed concentrations of DOC in these samples and estimated DOC fluxes. Elevated DOC concentrations in the porewaters were found at some sites suggesting that DOC may come from these hydrocarbon vents. Benthic fluxes of DOC from these sediments were 28 to 1264 µmol m−2 d−1 (on average ~321 µmol m−2 d−1 which are several times higher than most DOC fluxes in coastal and continental margin sediments. The results demonstrate that the real-time video multiple-corer can precisely collect samples at vent sites. The estimated benthic DOC flux from the methane venting sites (8.6 x 106 mol y-1, is 24% of the DOC discharge from the Pearl River to the South China Sea, indicating that these sediments make an important contribution to the DOC in deep waters

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (Ptpro) regulates cerebellar formation during zebrafish development through modulating Fgf signaling

Protein activities controlled by receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) play comparably important roles in transducing cell surface signals into the cytoplasm by protein tyrosine kinases. Previous studies showed that several RPTPs are involved in neuronal generation, migration, and axon guidance in Drosophila, and the vertebrate hippocampus, retina, and developing limbs. However, whether the protein tyrosine phosphatase type O (ptpro), one kind of RPTP, participates in regulating vertebrate brain development is largely unknown. We isolated the zebrafish ptpro gene and found that its transcripts are primarily expressed in the embryonic and adult central nervous system. Depletion of zebrafish embryonic Ptpro by antisense morpholino oligonucleotide knockdown resulted in prominent defects in the forebrain and cerebellum, and the injected larvae died on the 4th day post-fertilization (dpf). We further investigated the function of ptpro in cerebellar development and found that the expression of ephrin-A5b (efnA5b), a Fgf signaling induced cerebellum patterning factor, was decreased while the expression of dusp6, a negative-feedback gene of Fgf signaling in the midbrain-hindbrain boundary region, was notably induced in ptpro morphants. Further analyses demonstrated that cerebellar defects of ptpro morphants were partially rescued by inhibiting Fgf signaling. Moreover, Ptpro physically interacted with the Fgf receptor 1a (Fgfr1a) and dephosphorylated Fgfr1a in a dose-dependant manner. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that Ptpro activity is required for patterning the zebrafish embryonic brain. Specifically, Ptpro regulates cerebellar formation during zebrafish development through modulating Fgf signaling. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00018-013-1259-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Azido­(1,1-diphenyl­methanimine-κN)[hydridotris(pyrazolyl-κN 2)borato](triphenyl­phosphine-κP)ruthenium(II) diethyl ether solvate

The reaction of [RuCl(C9H10BN6)(C18H15P)2] with benzo­phenone imine in methanol, in the presence of sodium azide, leads to the formation of the title compound, [Ru(C9H10BN6)(N3)(HN=CPh2)(C18H15P)]·C4H10O, which crystallizes as the diethyl ether solvate. In the crystal structure, the Ru atom is coordinated by three N atoms of one hydridotris(pyrazoly)borate anion, one P atom of one triphenyl­phosphine ligand, one N atom of the azide anion and one N atom of the benzophenone­imine ligand in a slightly distorted octa­hedral geometry. The azide anion is almost linear [177.0 (5)°], with an Ru—N—N angle of 125.9 (3)°. There is a small difference between the N—N distances [1.200 (5) and 1.164 (5) Å], the longer bond being adjacent to the Ru atom

Mortality risk factors in patients with Acinetobacter baumannii ventilator-associated pneumonia

Background/PurposeVentilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by Acinetobacter baumannii has contributed to high mortality rate, prolonged stays in the intensive care unit, and the rapid development of antimicrobial resistance to commonly used antimicrobials. This study sought to determine predictors of mortality and carbapenem resistance for patients with A baumannii VAP.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 541 adult patients with A baumannii pneumonia, who were admitted to a medical center between 2005 and 2007; of which 180 (33.3%) had been treated with mechanical ventilation. Of the 180 patients, 98 (54.4%) who survived were categorized as the survivor group, and 82 (45.6%) who died as the mortality group. Eighty-seven (48.3%) with imipenem-sensitive A baumannii VAP were categorized as the IS-AB group, and the remaining 93 (51.7%) with imipenem-resistant VAP as the IR-AB group.ResultsCompared with the survivor group, the mortality group had significantly higher Charlson comorbidity index scores, and more neoplastic disease, other sites of infection, bloodstream infections, altered mental status, confusion, urea >7 mmol/L, respiratory rate >30/min, low blood pressure (systolic <90 mmHg or diastolic <60 mmHg), age >65 years (CURB-65) ≥ 3, creatinine > 1.6 mg/dL, C-reactive protein ≥ 100 mg/L, and imipenem resistance. The survivor group had more cases of tracheostomy and diabetes mellitus than the mortality group had. Compared with the IS-AB group, the IR-AB group had higher Charlson comorbidity index scores, longer stays before VAP onset, an increase in other sites of infection, white blood cell count <4/μL or >1.1 × 104/μL, and higher hospital mortality rates.ConclusionInadequate initial empiric antimicrobial therapy and higher disease severity scores, including CURB ≥ 3 and C-reactive protein ≥ 120 mg/L, were independent risk factors associated with higher mortality rates for A baumannii pneumonia. Length of stay before VAP and white blood cell count <4/μL or >1.1 × 104/μL were independent risk factors for carbapenem resistance