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Hovenia dulcis Thunb. is well known as a treatment for liver disease. Several studies have demonstrated that extracts of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. or its purified compounds can serve as detoxifying agents for alcohol poisoning. However, its anti-obesity effect has not been reported thus far. In this study, the anti-obesity effect of water extracts from the fruits or stems of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. was examined in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The cellular lipid contents in 3T3-L1 adipocytes were assessed by Oil Red O staining. Fruits of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (FHD) significantly inhibit lipid accumulation during adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner, but not stems of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. FHD (100 μg ml(-1)) significantly down-regulates the expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein 2, adiponectin, and resistin, and the inhibition rates were 29.33%, 54.36%, 34.5%, 55.69%, and 60.39%, respectively. In addition, FHD (100 μg ml(-1)) also up-regulates the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-α, liver kinase B1 as a major AMPK kinase, and the downstream substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and the inhibition rates were 43.52%, 38.25%, and 20.39%, respectively. These results indicate that FHD has a significant anti-obesity effect through the modulation of the AMPK pathway, suggesting that FHD has a potential benefit in preventing obesity.

As an effort to develop improved ligand exchange chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for the resolution of chiral drugs, the residual silanol groups on the silica surface of a CSP based on sodium N-[(S)-1-hydroxymethyl-3-methylbutyl]-N-undecylaminoacetate, a (S)-leucinol derivative, were protected with n-octyl groups. The residual silanol group-protected CSP was applied to the resolution of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole and rabeprazole. The resolution of PPIs on the residual silanol group-protected CSP was excellent with the separation factors (α) in the range of 4.32-6.42 and the resolution factors (RS) in the range of 6.70-7.15. The improved chiral recognition ability of the residual silanol group-protected CSP was rationalized to be originated from the protection of the non-enantioselective interaction sites on the silica surface and the improved lipophilicity of the stationary phase., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated CAT-2(T), was isolated from human faeces as a bacterium capable of dehydroxylating (+)-catechin derivatives. Strain CAT-2(T) was found to be strictly anaerobic, Gram-positive, non-motile and non-spore-forming coccobacilli. The major fatty acids were identified as C16:0 DMA (dimethy acetal), C16:0, C14:0, anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C14:0. The three predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-6 (menaquinene-6), MMK-6 (monomethylmenaquinone-6) and DMMK-6 (dimethylmenaquinone-6). The polar lipids were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and four unidentified glycolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain CAT-2(T) was 68.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities showed that strain CAT-2(T) belongs to the genus Gordonibacter, sharing the highest level of sequence homology with Gordonibacter pamelaeae DSM 19378(T) (97.3 %). Combined phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics support the conclusion that the strain CAT-2(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Gordonibacter faecihominis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAT-2(T) (= KCTC 15204(T) = JCM 16058(T)).

The effects of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, have not been studied in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Cell viability assay; flow cytometry for cell cycle and annexin V apoptosis assays; assays for cell migration, invasion, and adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM); and immunoblotting and immunofluorescence staining were performed in three ESCC cell lines. Tumor xenograft with semiquantitative immunohistochemistry was used to study the effects of SAHA in vivo. SAHA effectively inhibited growth of ESCC cells with half-inhibitory concentrations (IC50 ) ranging from 2.6 to 6.5 μmol/L. SAHA restored acetylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9Ac) and histone 4 lysine 12 (H4K12Ac) with an induction of G1 or G2 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Expression of cell cycle checkpoint regulatory proteins including cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins was decreased, whereas expression of cell cycle suppressors, p21, p27, and Rb was increased in ESCC cells after SAHA treatment. SAHA inhibited migration, invasion, and ECM adhesion in ESCC cells with an induction of E-cadherin expression. SAHA significantly inhibited growth of ESCC tumors with increased expression of p21, p27, Rb, and E-cadherin while decreasing expression of CDK4 and cyclin D1 within the murine tumors. In conclusion, SAHA had antigrowth activity against ESCC cells in vitro and in vivo while inhibiting cell migration, cell invasion, and ECM adhesion, suggesting its potential as an epigenetic therapeutic agent for ESCC., (© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.)

High synthesis cost of mesoporous aluminosilicates (MA) limits their practical application. Recycling of copolymer template employed in preparation of MA is an effective way to reduce the synthesis cost. An ultrasonic extraction strategy for recycling of organic template P123 in MAs is reported. Effects of different extraction parameters on P123 recovery are investigated and the optimum conditions are obtained. 75.0% P123 is recovered from MAs within 10 min by one-step ultrasonication. Characterizations indicated that the resulting P123-free MA (MA-U) exhibits excellent properties compared with that of calcined products. Moreover, recovered P123 can be employed to synthesize high hydrothermally stable MA. This investigation provides a facile strategy to recycle P123 from MA., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Chordomas are low- to intermediate-grade malignant tumors that recapitulate the notochord. Chordomas belong to the dysontogenetic bone tumors and appear primarily in the region of the axial skeleton. Chordomas are divided into conventional, chondroid, sarcomatoid and dedifferentiated subtypes. The different subtypes of chordoma have varied survival periods. According to the literature to date, secondary pulmonary and lymph-node metastases occur most frequently, followed by liver, bone and skin metastases. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no previous report of one subtype of chordoma metastasizing or transforming into another subtype with a different histopathology. This study presents a 24-year-old man with secondary pulmonary conventional chordoma arising from a primary sarcomatoid chordoma of the sacrum. The patient was alive at the end of November, 2009 and the survival time exceeded eight years. This is the first case of a patient with primary sarcomatoid chordoma of the sacrum with complete remission in whom a secondary pulmonary conventional chordoma arose from the primary cancer.

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the most serious postharvest diseases of citrus fruit. Fruit peels infected with C. gloeosporioides and the peels of healthy fruit were analysed for flavonoids, using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy, to evaluate variations in flavonoid levels in Citrus benikoji Hort. ex. Tan. Seventeen flavonoids were characterised from the fruit peels. The flavonoids were validated using structurally related standards and quantified. Among the 17 flavonoids, the concentration of component 3 was the highest and that of component 10 was the lowest. During 8 days after inoculation, the concentration of the seven flavonoids 1-3, 5, 6, 13, and 14 increased gradually up to day 8. Flavonoid 4 was detected from day 7. The seven minor flavonoid components, 8-12, 15, and 16 increased to day 5 and then decreased. However, flavonoids level variations were not significantly different from that of the non-infected fruits during the experimental period. The monitoring suggested that the constitutively formed seven polymethoxyflavones (8-12, 15, and 16) may act as phytoanticipins in the defence mechanism against the fungus, and that hespertin 7-O-glucoside (4), produced de novo on day 6 after infection, may function as a phytoalexin., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Gastric adenocarcinoma is a lethal disease with high incidence in Chinese people. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of urocortin (UCN) in normal gastric mucosa and gastric adenocarcinomas. Immunohistochemical analysis of UCN was performed in 112 surgical specimens (21 normal gastric mucosa specimens and 91 gastric adenocarcinoma specimens varying in histologic grade and pathologic stage). Immunostain intensity was scored on a scale ranging from 0 (absence of staining) to 3 (strong staining). The percentage of UCN stained cells was scored on a scale ranging from 0 (<5%) to 4 (75% to 100%). The UCN immunoscore (ranging from 0 to 12) was the product of the above 2 scores. The UCN immunoscore was high in all 9 normal gastric mucosa specimens, significantly lower in poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma than in well and moderately differentiated tumors (P=0.018), and significantly lower in more advanced pathologic stages of gastric adenocarcinomas than in the early stages of these tumors. Moreover, UCN expression was higher in gastric adenocarcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation than in mucinous adenocarcinomas and signet-ring cell carcinomas. In conclusion, UCN is expressed in most non-neoplastic gastric glandular epithelia. However, UCN expression inversely correlates with higher tumor grade and advanced TNM stage in gastric adenocarcinomas.

The type and content of plant polyphenols can be influenced by maturity. Korean chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) leaves of three different maturities (young, mature, and aged) were extracted with 70% aqueous methanol. The polyphenols in the leaves were analysed for the first time using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and comparison with reported data. Among the 12 characterised components, five flavonoids, 3, 4, and 10-12, and a dicaffeoylquinic acid derivative, 6, were characterised for the first time in chokeberry leaves. Each polyphenol component was validated and quantified using a representative polyphenol standard of the same group. The antioxidant activity of the three different mature leaf extracts was determined. The antioxidant activity was highest for young leaves, followed by mature and aged leaves. The results suggest that younger chokeberry leaves may be more favourable for processing a higher quality functional tea due to their higher polyphenol content., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Urocortin (UCN) is a 40-amino acid neuropeptide that regulates angiogenesis and inhibits cell proliferation. Our aim was to examine the relationship of UCN expression to the clinicopathological parameters of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and histological grade of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN). Tissue microarray was used to analyze UCN protein expression in 89 surgical specimens including 21 PanIN, 3 PDAC arising from PanIN, and 65 PDAC without PanIN. UCN immunoscores ranging from 0 to 12 were obtained by multiplying intensity (scored on a 3-point scale) by the percentage of stained cells (scored on a 4-point scale). Strong expression of UCN was detected in 5 specimens of non-neoplastic pancreatic ductal epithelia. UCN immunoscore was significantly higher in PanIN-1 than in PanIN-2 and PanIN-3 (p = 0.038) and significantly higher in well-differentiated PDAC or early American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage PDAC than in poorly differentiated or advanced stage PDAC (p = 0.025, p = 0.018). Higher expression of UCN correlates with PDAC tumor grade and AJCC pathologic stage as well as PanIN grade. Immunohistochemical assessment of UCN may help clinicians predict tumor recurrence rate and help pathologists make a proper diagnosis., (© 2013 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The human intestinal microbiota (HIM) settles from birth and continues to change phenotype by some factors (e.g. host's diet) throughout life. However, the effect of extreme life environment on human HIM composition is not well known. To understand HIM fluctuation under extreme life environment in humans, fecal samples were collected from six Japanese men on a long Antarctic expedition. They explored Antarctica for 3 months and collected their fecal samples at once-monthly intervals. Using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, the composition of HIM in six subjects was investigated. Three subjects presented restoration of HIM after the expedition compared versus before and during the expedition. Two thirds samples collected during the expedition belonged to the same cluster in dendrogram. However, all through the expedition, T-RFLP patterns showed interindividual variability. Especially, Bifidobacterium spp. showed a tendency to decrease during and restore after the expedition. A reduction of Bifidobacterium spp. was observed in five subjects the first 1 month of the expedition. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, which is thought to proliferate during emotional stress, significantly decreased in one subject, indicating that other factors in addition to emotional stress may affect the composition of HIM in this study. These findings could be helpful to understand the effect of extreme life environment on HIM.

The Korean prostrate spurge Euphorbia supina is a weed that has been used in folk medicine in Korea against a variety of diseases. Nine polyphenols were characterized for this plant by using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and the results were compared with the literature data. The individual components were validated using the calibration curves of structurally related external standards and quantified for the first time by using the validated method. Correlation coefficients (r (2)) were >0.9907. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of the method were >0.028 mg/L and 0.094 mg/L, respectively. Recoveries measured at 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L were 76.1-102.8% and 85.2-98.6%, respectively. The total amount of the identified polyphenols was 3352.9 ± 2.8 mg/kg fresh plant. Quercetin and kaempferol derivatives formed 84.8% of the total polyphenols. The antioxidant activities of the flavonoids were evaluated in terms of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation-scavenging activity, and the reducing power showed a dose-dependent increase. Cell viability was effectively suppressed at polyphenol mixture concentrations >250 mg/L.

The transdifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) into osteoblast-like cells has been implicated in the context of vascular calcification. We investigated the roles of vitamin D receptor (Vdr) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) in the osteoblastic differentiation of VSMCs in response to vitamin D3 using in vitro VSMCs cultures and in vivo in Vdr knockout (Vdr(-/-)) and Runx2 carboxy-terminus truncated heterozygous (Runx2(+/ΔC)) mice. Treatment of VSMCs with active vitamin D3 promoted matrix mineral deposition, and increased the expressions of Vdr, Runx2, and of osteoblastic genes but decreased the expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain in primary VSMCs cultures. Immunoprecipitation experiments suggested an interaction between Vdr and Runx2. Furthermore, silencing Vdr or Runx2 attenuated the procalcific effects of vitamin D3. Functional cooperation between Vdr and Runx2 in vascular calcification was also confirmed in in vivo mouse models. Vascular calcification induced by high-dose vitamin D3 was completely inhibited in Vdr(-/-) or Runx2(+/ΔC) mice, despite elevated levels of serum calcium or alkaline phosphatase. Collectively, these findings suggest that functional cooperation between Vdr and Runx2 is necessary for vascular calcification in response to vitamin D3.

Aim: To test the association of LMX1A and osteopontin (OPN) expression with histologic differentiation or pathologic stage in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma., Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to determine LMX1A and OPN expression in 100 surgical specimens obtained from Chinese patients with well-differentiated (n=15), moderately differentiated (n=65), and poorly differentiated (n=20) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas., Results: LMX1A and OPN immunoreactivities were undetectable in normal pancreatic glandular epithelia. Stronger immunostaining for LMX1A and OPN was associated with advanced nuclear grades of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (70.7 and 87.1 for grade I, 109.8 and 118.3 for grade II, and 171.3 and 183.8 for grade III), and advanced TNM and American Joint Committee on Cancer stages of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas., Conclusions: A higher expression of LMX1A and OPN is well correlated with histologic grade and pathologic stage of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas.

Background: Soybean sprouts (Kongnamool) are one of the most popular and nutritive traditional vegetables in East Asia. Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the most serious diseases of soybean sprouts. In order to obtain basic information for breeding and/or selecting soybean genotypes with increased natural defense against anthracnose, phenolic compounds were profiled for healthy and infected soybean (Glycine max Merr.) sprouts by using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry., Results: Tryptophan and eight phenolic compounds (daidzin, genistin, malonyldaidzin, malonylgenistin, daidzein, glycitein, genistein and coumestrol) were determined from healthy and inoculated sprouts. Total identified phenolic content was 40.02 ± 0.03 mg kg⁻¹, 99.4% of which was isoflavones., Conclusion: The monitoring suggested that de novo induced glycitein appeared to act as a phytoalexin in the defence mechanism of the soybean sprouts against C. gloeosporioides, and constitutively formed seven phenolic components that functioned as phytoanticipins in the diseased soybean sprouts., (© 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Inflammatory fibroid polyps (IFPs) are rare benign tumors of the rectum. Mutation and activating platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) contribute to tumor development. We present a case of IFPs in the middle rectum that mimic rectal cancer. A 65-year-old woman presented with the symptom of fresh blood in the stool and body weight loss of 6 kg in the preceding 3 weeks. A rectal polypoid tumor was noted upon digital examination. Sigmoidoscopy showed a middle rectal tumor measuring 3 × 2.7 cm with obstruction. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the abdomen showed a rectal tumor that had invaded the sacral bone and was associated with four enlarged lymph nodes greater than 1 cm. The radiological report suggested a diagnosis of rectal cancer with lymph node metastases. To remove the obstruction, the patient was initially treated with excision of the tumor and loop sigmoidal colostomy to the abdomen wall. Total mesorectal resection of rectal and sacral tumor followed 10 days later. Histopathological examination of the rectal and sacral tumor showed proliferation of vessels, fibroblast-like spindle cells, and mixed inflammatory cells, including the plasma cells and eosinophils. The spindle cells were diffusely positive to PDGFRA and were focal positive to CD34 and smooth muscle actin. Based on histopathological and immunohistochemical findings, the diagnosis of IFP is indicated. This was the first reported case of IFPs of the rectum presenting with lymph node enlargement and attachment to the sacrum mimicking rectal cancer., (Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The larvicidal effect of series of 3-[(2-chloroquinolin-3-yl)methyl] uinazolin-4(3H)-ones, 5a-e, against Chironomus tentans Fabricius has been investigated. The results showed that tested compounds demonstrated strong larvicidal activity, and caused high percentage of mortality after 24 h at the doses of 40-100 g/ml, especially in the case of 3-[(2-chloro-8-methyquinolin-3-yl)methyl]quinazolin-4(3H)-one, 5b, that act as a promising larvicidal agent.

The intestinal microbiota composition of 92 volunteers living in Japan was identified following the consumption of 'identical meals' (1,879 kcal/day) for 3 days. When faecal samples were analysed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism with several primer-restriction enzyme systems and then clustered, the patterns could be divided into 2 clusters. Contribution tests and partition modelling showed that OTU211 of the 35f-MspI system and OTU237 of the 35f-AluI system were key factors in the distribution of these groups. However, significant differences among these groups in terms of body mass index and age were not observed.

A new ligand exchange chiral stationary phase (new CSP) containing residual silanol group-protecting n-octyl groups on the silica surface was prepared by treating a ligand exchange CSP (original CSP) based on sodium N-[(R)-2-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl]-N-undecylaminoacetate bonded to silica gel with excess n-octyltriethoxysilane. The new and original CSPs containing an identical amount of chiral selector were applied to the resolution of α-amino acids and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) including omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole, and rabeprazole. The separation factors (α) and resolutions (RS) were greater on the new CSP than on the original CSP except for the resolution of asparagine. The trends of the retention factors (k1) for the resolution of α-amino acids on the new and original CSPs with the variation of the organic modifier content in aqueous mobile phase were opposite to those for the resolution of PPIs. Removal of the nonenantioselective interactions between the residual silanol groups and the analytes and the improved lipophilicity of the new CSP were proposed to be responsible for the improved chiral recognition ability of the new CSP and the different retention behaviors of the enantiomers between the new and original CSPs., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The effect of surface characteristics of dielectric layers on the molecular orientation and device performance of sprayed organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) obtained by a novel solvent-assisted post-treatment, called the solvent-sprayed overlayer (SSO) method, were investigated. The OFETs were fabricated by the spray method using regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT) as an active material. The SSO treatment was applied on the as-sprayed active layers to arrange the molecular ordering. Bare thin SiO(2) layers and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS)-treated SiO(2) (OTS-SiO(2)) were employed as the dielectric materials. The resulting chain orientation, crystallinity, and device performance were correlated as a function of SSO treatment and dielectric layers. The intrinsic limitation of spray methods for polymer film formation was overcome regardless of the type of dielectric layer using the SSO treatment. The orientation direction of RR-P3HT was controlled by SSO treatment to an edge-on dominant orientation that is preferential for charge transport, regardless of the type of dielectric layer. The crystal growth was further enhanced on the OTS-SiO(2) layers because of the reduced nucleation sites. These effects were successfully reflected in the device performance, including an orders-of-magnitude increase in charge mobility. The SSO method is a powerful external treatment method for reorienting the molecular ordering of solidified active films of OFETs to the preferential edge-on packing. The growth of crystals was further optimized by controlling the surface characteristics of the dielectric layers. The purpose of this study was to find the full capabilities of the SSO treatment method that will facilitate the development of high-throughput, large-area organic electronic device manufacturing.

Cortactin and fascin-1 are important factors affecting progression and metastasis of carcinomas. We tested the hypothesis that cortactin and fascin expression has significant correlation with clinicopathological parameters in pancreatic and ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas. Immunohistochemical analysis of cortactin and fascin-1 was performed in 50 pancreatic and 40 ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas. The specimens were from 29 R0, 8 R1, and 13 palliative resections of pancreatic adenocarcinomas and 18 R0, 14 R1, and 8 palliative resections of ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas. 'R0' resection is defined by complete removal of the tumor and histologically negative surgical margins and 'R1' resection indicates the presence of microscopically residual disease at the surgical margins. The level of expression was assessed by scoring the intensity of cytoplasmic or membranous immunostaining on a 4-point scale. Higher immunostaining scores of cortactin and fascin-1 were both significantly correlated with histological grade, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, and survival rate in all patients. In conclusion, overexpression of cortactin and fascin-1 implies poorer tumor differentiation, advanced AJCC stage, and shorter survival rate in pancreatic and ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas., (© 2012 The Authors APMIS © 2012 APMIS.)

Phytoestrogens are defined as plant-derived compounds with estrogen-like activities according to their chemical structures and activities. Plant lignans are generally categorized as phytoestrogens. It was reported that (-)-arctigenin, the aglycone of arctiin, was demethylated to (-)-dihydroxyenterolactone (DHENL) by Eubacterium (E.) sp. ARC-2. Through stepwise demethylation, E. sp. ARC-2 produced six intermediates, three mono-desmethylarctigenins and three di-desmethylarctigenins. In the present study, ligand binding affinities of (-)-arctigenin and its seven metabolites, including DHENL, were investigated for an estrogen receptor alpha, and found that demethylated metabolites had stronger binding affinities than (-)-arctigenin using a ligand binding screen assay method. The IC(50) value of (2R,3R)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-3-(3,4-dihydroxybenzyl)-butyrolactone was 7.9 × 10⁻⁴ M.

The intestinal microbiota compositions of 92 men living in Japan were identified following consumption of identical meals for 3 days. Fecal samples were analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism with 4 primer-restriction enzyme systems, and the 120 obtained operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were analyzed by Data mining software focusing on the following 5 characteristics, namely, age, body mass index, present smoking habit, cessation period of previous smokers and drinking habit, according to the answers of the subjects. After performing Data mining analyses with each characteristic, the details of the constructed Decision trees precisely identified the subjects or discriminated them into various suitable groups. Through the pathways to reach the groups, practical roles of the related OTUs and their quantities were clearly recognized. Compared with the other identification methods for OTUs such as bicluster analyses, correlation coefficients and principal component analyses, the clear difference of this Data mining technique was that it set aside most OTUs and emphasized only some closely related ones. For example for a selected characteristic, such as smoking habit, only 7 OTUs out of 120 were able to identify all smokers, and the remaining 113 OTUs were thought of as data noise for smoking. Data mining analyses were affirmed as an effective method of subject discrimination for various physiological constitutions. The species of bacteria that were closely related to heavy smokers, i.e., HaeIII-291, were also discussed.

Osteopontin (OPN) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are important factors associated with tumor progression, invasion and metastasis in humans. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of OPN and EGFR expression with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Expression of OPN and EGFR was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 100 HCC specimens. Immunostaining scores (0 to 400) were calculated from the percentage of cells (0 to 100) at each immunostaining intensity and the immunostaining intensity (0 to 4). The average immunostaining score for OPN was correlated with tumor grade (56.1 for grade I, 104.6 for grade II, and 141.2 for grade III; P = 0.023) and T stage (58.6 for stage T1, 85.9 for stage T2, 126.8 for stage T3, and 189.1 for stage T4; P = 0.029). Similarly, the average immunostaining score for EGFR was correlated with tumor grade (80.5 for grade I, 142.1 for grade II, 230.6 for grade III; P = 0.011) and T stage (96.4 for stage T1, 135.5 for stage T2, 221.3 for stage T3, and 261.4 for stage T4; P = 0.026). In addition, OPN and EGFR immunostaining scores were also correlated with M, N, and AJCC stages. In conclusion, higher expression of OPN and EGFR is significantly associated with advanced histological grades, advanced pathological stages and poorer survival rates in HCC. OPN and EGFR may be used as novel biomarkers for diagnosis or monitoring of progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Although various pharmacopoeias provide titration methods to assay (L)-amino acid content, none of these methods distinguish between (L)- and (D)-amino acids and do not consider the presence of enantiomeric impurities. Consequently, these methods are limited in scope to describe the relationship between content and specific rotation, [α]. In this study, the US Pharmacopoeia method was compared with the crown ether-based high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) chiral stationary phase (CSP) method to determine (L)-amino acid content and specific rotation. The (L)-amino acid content specified by the US Pharmacopoeia method was not consistent with the specific rotation in the presence of enantiomeric impurities, whereas the HPLC-CSP method was very effective for determining the (L)-amino acid content and the optical purity. The other advantage is that the HPLC-CSP method requires amino acid samples of quite low concentration (as low as 1 μg/mL), whereas the pharmacopoeia method requires higher concentrations (20-110 mg/mL)., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Green tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Its beneficial health effects and components have been extensively reviewed. However, little is known about the influence of green tea consumption on the human intestinal microbiota (HIM), which plays a crucial role in human health. Ten volunteers who did not usually consume green tea, drank it for 10 days and then stopped drinking it for 7 days. Their fecal samples were collected at three time points: before beginning the 10-day green-tea regime, at the conclusion of that 10 days, and 7 days after stopping the regime. Their fecal samples were analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism with specific primer-restriction enzyme systems for HIM and by using a real-time PCR method for the Bifidobacterium species. Although the HIM of each subject was relatively stable, the proportion of Bifidobacterium species played an important role in the classification of their fecal microbiota. Although there were inter-individual differences in the Bifidobacterium species, an overall tendency for the proportion of bifidobacteria to increase because of green tea consumption was noted. However, little change was observed in the composition of Bifidobacterium species in each sample. This suggests that the change in proportion was induced, not by an inter-species transition, but by an intra-species increase and/or decrease. In conclusion, green tea consumption might act as a prebiotic and improve the colon environment by increasing the proportion of the Bifidobacterium species., (© 2012 The Societies and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

Dysregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been associated with colorectal cancer, but no evidence shows a relationship of EGFR expression to clinicopathological parameters in colorectal cancer in Taiwan. Immunohistochemical analysis of EGFR, Ki67, and p53 was performed in tissue microarray slides of 9 normal glandular tissues and 150 specimens including 49 well, 58 moderately, and 43 poorly differentiated colorectal adenocarcinomas. Differences in intensity of EGFR immunostaining and the percentages of Ki67 and p53 positive cells between normal and tumor specimens were evaluated using the Student t-test, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression analysis. Intensity of EGFR staining was weak and nuclear expression of Ki67 and p53 was scattered in all 9 control specimens. Expression of Ki67 and p53 but not EGFR was significantly higher in more advanced grades and TNM stages of colorectal adenocarcinoma than in normal controls. The percentages of Ki67 and p53 stained tumor cells were significantly higher in moderately (Ki67: 60.3 ± 6.5, p53: 47.6 ± 3.8) and poorly (Ki67: 61.8 ± 5.3, p53: 55.1 ± 4.1) differentiated tumor cells than in well differentiated (Ki67: 40.8 ± 4.4, p53: 39.8 ± 4.2) tumor cells. Additionally, the Ki67 and p53 staining intensity was also significantly correlated with the more advanced T, N and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) clinical stage of colorectal adenocarcinoma, suggesting their usefulness as biomarkers of colorectal adenocarcinoma progression. In conclusion, EGFR immunochemistry may not be a good method for pre-treatment evaluation of colorectal adenocarcinoma in Taiwan.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an efficient alternative to traditional lamps for plant growth. To investigate the influence of LEDs on flowering and polyphenol biosynthesis in the leaves of chrysanthemum, the plants were grown under supplemental blue, green, red, and white LEDs. Flower budding was formed even after a longer photoperiod than a critical day length of 13.5 h per day under blue light illumination. The weights of leaves and stems were highest under the white light illumination growth condition, whereas the weight of roots appeared to be independent of light quality. Among nine polyphenols characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy, three polyphenols were identified for the first time in chrysanthemum. A quantitation and principal component analysis biplot demonstrated that luteolin-7-O-glucoside (2), luteolin-7-O-glucuronide (3), and quercetagetin-trimethyl ether (8) were the highest polyphenols yielded under green light, and dicaffeoylquinic acid isomer (4), dicaffeoylquinic acid isomer (5), naringenin (7), and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide (6) were greatest under red light. Chlorogenic acid (1) and 1,2,6-trihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxy-3-methylanthraquinone (9) were produced in similar concentrations under both light types. The white and blue light appeared inefficient for polyphenol production. Taken together, our results suggest that the chrysanthemum flowering and polyphenol production are influenced by light quality composition.

Background: Despite development in therapeutic strategies, such as neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), the prognosis of colorectal cancer remains relatively poor. Cancer stem cells (CSC) with several characteristics can lead to therapeutic resistance. CD133 has been identified as a putative CSC marker in colorectal cancer; however, its functional role still needs elucidation. We verified the role of CD133 with emphasis on expression location and correlated the results of CD133 with clinical outcome in colorectal cancer., Methods: We used immunohistochemistry to investigate the expression of CD133 in samples from 157 patients with colonic adenocarcinoma and from 76 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma who received neoadjuvant CCRT. We also correlated the expression location of CD133 with the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis., Results: CD133 protein was variably overexpressed in colorectal cancer tissues and was present in three locations: apical and/or endoluminal surfaces, cytoplasm, and lumen. Cytoplasmic CD133 expression level correlated significantly with tumor local recurrence (P = 0.025) and survival of patients with colorectal cancer (P = 0.002), and correlated inversely with tumor regression grading (P = 0.021) after CCRT in patients with rectal cancer., Conclusions: The expression of CD133 in the cytoplasm is closely associated with local recurrence and patient survival, and may provide a reliable prognostic indicator of tumor regression grading in patients with rectal cancer after CCRT. Cytoplasmic CD133 expression may also help identify the surviving cancer cells in areas with nearly total regression after CCRT.

We studied the effects of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, on colon cancer. The expression of HDACs in colorectal cancer specimens and the effects of SAHA on colon cancer cells and tumors of nude mice were assessed. Treatment with SAHA (3 μm) for 72 h induced downregulation of different subtypes of HDAC proteins and also induced acetylation of histone 3 and histone 4. SAHA significantly inhibited the expression of the oncogenic protein c-myc and also increased the expression of the p53 and Rb proteins. The immunohistochemical staining of HDACs, including HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and HDAC4, was significantly increased in colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens compared to healthy control tissues. In addition, murine studies showed that 100 mg/kg SAHA administered by intraperitoneal injection significantly induced tumor necrosis and inhibited the growth of colon tumors. Immunohistochemistry of the tumor tissues from nude mice revealed that SAHA inhibited the expression of different subtypes of histone deacetylase, the anti-apoptotic proteins cyclin D1, survivin, and also inhibited cell proliferative as determined by Ki67 expression. SAHA inhibited the growth of colon tumors by decreasing histone deacetylases and the expression of cyclin D1 and survivin in nude mice.

Atmospheric plasma (AP) treatment was carried out on TiO2 nanorods (NRs) that were hydrothermally grown on F-doped SnO2 (FTO)/glass. The effects of AP treatment on the surface of the TiO2 NRs were investigated, where the treatment involved the use of the reactive gases H2, N2, and O2. The surface energy of AP-treated TiO2 NRs was about 1.5 times higher than that of untreated TiO2 NRs (364.3 mJ/m2). After AP treatment, the increase of the peak area ratios of the Ti2O3 and TiO2 peaks in the XPS spectra resulted in a decrease in the number of oxygen vacancies in the TiO2 NRs. The efficiency of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on the N2-plasma-treated TiO2 NRs, which was approximately 1.11%, was about 79% higher than that of a DSSC based on the untreated TiO2 NRs.

Most cases of Peutz-Jeghers type polyps of the stomach are associated with mucocutaneous pigmentation and multiple intestinal polyposis. A solitary Peutz-Jeghers type polyp of the stomach is rare. We here report a case of a 71-year-old woman with a solitary Peutz-Jeghers type polyp of the stomach who presented with intolerable epigastric pain and weight loss of 5 kg over the prior two months. During the hospital treatment course for this patient, endoscopic examination revealed a bulging lesion with a central hole, mucosal ulceration, an asymmetrical wall thickness and a narrowing of the gastric lumen. A gastric biopsy further revealed ulceration with moderate dysplasia. The patient received endoscopic ultrasonography which showed a second subepithelial lesion that measured 4 cm × 3 cm. Computed tomography of the abdomen subsequently showed a thickened gastric wall with three visibly enlarged lymph nodes, all greater than 1 cm. The suspected diagnosis was malignant gastric cancer with lymph node metastases. The other lesion, which measured 2 cm × 2 cm × 1 cm was noted in the submucosa of the jejunum during surgery. The patient was treated using a subtotal gastrectomy and partial resection of the jejunal tumor. The final pathological report indicated a gastric Peutz-Jeghers type polyp with proliferation of smooth muscle bundles in the submucosal layer, and hyperplastic glands in the mucosal layer and ectopic pancreas of the jejunum. This is the first reported clinical case of a solitary Peutz-Jeghers type polyp of the stomach accompanying a lymph node enlargement and ectopic pancreas in the jejunum that simulates stomach cancer with lymph node metastases.

While the conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease has received much recent attention, the transition from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment is largely unexplored. The present pattern recognition study addressed this by using neuropsychological test scores and neuroimaging morphological measures to predict the later development of mild cognitive impairment in cognitively normal community-dwelling individuals aged 70-90years. A feature selection algorithm chose a subset of neuropsychological and FreeSurfer-derived morphometric features that optimally differentiated between individuals who developed mild cognitive impairment and individuals who remained cognitively normal. Support vector machines were used to train classifiers and test prediction performance, which was evaluated via 10-fold cross-validation to reduce variability. Prediction performance was greater when using a combination of neuropsychological scores and morphological measures than when using either of these alone. Results for the combined method were: accuracy 78.51%, sensitivity 73.33%, specificity 79.75%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.841. Of all the features investigated, memory performance and measures of the prefrontal cortex and parietal lobe were the most discriminative. Our prediction method offers the potential to detect elderly individuals with apparently normal cognition at risk of imminent cognitive decline. Identification at this stage will facilitate the early start of interventions designed to prevent or slow the development of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A mixture of flavonoid components was isolated from the fruit peel of three varieties of citrus native to Republic of Korea, Citrus leiocarpa Hort. ex Tanaka (CLHT), Citrus aurantium L. (CAL) and Citrus erythrosa Hort. (CEH), via 70% methanol extraction followed by ethyl acetate elution over a silica gel cartridge. The flavonoid components of the mixture were analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in positive-ion mode and a comparison of the reported data. Among 17 characterized components, two flavanones, four flavones and two coumarin derivatives in the fruit peel of the three varieties were identified for the first time. The individual characterized components were quantified via HPLC-UV. The flavanones dominated in CAL, whereas the flavones prevailed in CLHT and CEH. The antioxidant activity of the flavonoid mixture of the fruit peel was determined via DPPH•, ABTS•⁺ and reducing power assays. The antioxidant activity of CEH and CAL was greater than that of CLHT., (Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is a syndrome widely considered to be prodromal Alzheimer's disease. Accurate diagnosis of aMCI would enable earlier treatment, and could thus help minimize the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a magnetic resonance imaging-based automated classification schema for identifying aMCI. This was carried out in a sample of community-dwelling adults aged 70-90 years old: 79 with a clinical diagnosis of aMCI and 204 who were cognitively normal. Our schema was novel in using measures of both spatial atrophy, derived from T1-weighted images, and white matter alterations, assessed with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Subcortical volumetric features were extracted using a FreeSurfer-initialized Large Deformation Diffeomorphic Metric Mapping (FS+LDDMM) segmentation approach, and fractional anisotropy (FA) values obtained for white matter regions of interest. Features were ranked by their ability to discriminate between aMCI and normal cognition, and a support vector machine (SVM) selected an optimal feature subset that was used to train SVM classifiers. As evaluated via 10-fold cross-validation, the classification performance characteristics achieved by our schema were: accuracy, 71.09%; sensitivity, 51.96%; specificity, 78.40%; and area under the curve, 0.7003. Additionally, we identified numerous socio-demographic, lifestyle, health and other factors potentially implicated in the misclassification of individuals by our schema and those previously used by others. Given its high level of performance, our classification schema could facilitate the early detection of aMCI in community-dwelling elderly adults., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by an insidious onset of progressive cerebral atrophy and cognitive decline. Previous research suggests that cortical folding and sulcal width are associated with cognitive function in elderly individuals, and the aim of the present study was to investigate these morphological measures in patients with AD. The sample contained 161 participants, comprising 80 normal controls, 57 patients with very mild AD, and 24 patients with mild AD. From 3D T1-weighted brain scans, automated methods were used to calculate an index of global cortex gyrification and the width of five individual sulci: superior frontal, intra-parietal, superior temporal, central, and Sylvian fissure. We found that global cortex gyrification decreased with increasing severity of AD, and that the width of all individual sulci investigated other than the intra-parietal sulcus was greater in patients with mild AD than in controls. We also found that cognitive functioning, as assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, decreased as global cortex gyrification decreased. MMSE scores also decreased in association with a widening of all individual sulci investigated other than the intra-parietal sulcus. The results suggest that abnormalities of global cortex gyrification and regional sulcal span are characteristic of patients with even very mild AD, and could thus facilitate the early diagnosis of this condition.

We isolated a human intestinal bacterium, capable of cleaving the C-ring and dehydroxylating the B-ring of both (+)-catechin (2R,3S) and (-)-epicatechin (2R,3R). Although the strain was classified as Eggerthella (Eg.) lenta [named Eg. sp. CAT-1 (JF798636)] by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene similarity, it was quite different in substrate specificity from a previously isolated strain, Eg. sp. SDG-2, which takes part in cleavage of the C-ring and dehydroxylation of the 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl moiety (B-ring) of (3R)-flavan-3-ol derivatives. On the other hand, both Eg. sp. CAT-1 and Eg. sp. SDG-2 showed the same substrate specificity against dehydroxylation of enantiomeric lignans, (+)- and (-)-dihydroxyenterodiol, and (+)- and (-)-dihydroxyenterolactone.

A mixture of polyphenol components was isolated from the fruits of C. annuum L. cv. Cupra, C. annuum L. cv. Orange glory, and C. annuum L. cv. ST4712 (CLST), via 70% methanol extraction followed by column chromatography over silica gel. The polyphenol components of the mixture were analyzed via HPLC-MS/MS and compared with the reported data. Three cinnamic acid derivatives and five flavonoid components in the fruits of the three varieties were identified for the first time in this study. The antioxidant activity and anticancer effect of the polyphenol mixtures of the three fruits were determined. The antioxidant and anticancer activities of CLST were substantially higher than those of C. annuum L. cv. Cupra and C. annuum L. cv. Orange glory. The high activities of CLST were attributed to the much higher concentration of quercetin derivatives in CLST., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Background: Gallbladder adenomyomatosis is a benign condition characterized by hyperplastic change in the gallbladder wall and overgrowth of the mucosa because of an unknown cause. Patients with gallbladder adenomyomatosis usually present with abdominal pain. However, we herein describe a case of a patient with gallbladder adenomyomatosis who did not present with abdominal pain, but with only fever., Case Presentation: A 34-year-old man presented to our hospital with a fever. No abdominal discomfort was declared. His physical examination showed no abnormalities. Ultrasound of the abdomen revealed thickness of the gallbladder. Acute cholecystitis was diagnosed. The fever persisted even after 1 week of antibiotic therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen showed gallbladder adenomyomatosis with intramural Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses. Exploratory laparotomy with cholecystectomy was performed. The fever recovered and no residual symptoms were reported at the 3-year follow-up., Conclusions: Gallbladder adenomyomatosis can present with fever as the only symptom. Although the association between gallbladder adenomyomatosis and malignancy has yet to be elucidated, previous reports have shown a strong association between gallbladder carcinoma and a subtype of gallbladder adenomyomatosis. Surgical intervention remains the first-choice treatment for patients with gallbladder adenomyomatosis.

A healthy fruit peel of Citrus unshiu Marc. and one infected by Penicillium digitatum were analysed for flavonoids via high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in the positive mode with selected ion monitoring (SIM). Among 16 flavonoid components characterised in C. unshiu Marc., four flavanones and nine flavones were identified for the first time. The identified compounds were quantified by HPLC-UV. To investigate the function of the flavonoids as defence materials, the flavonoid content change of the fruit peel inoculated with P. digitatum was monitored by HPLC. The flavonoid concentration in the infected fruit peel decreased initially after the infection and then gradually increased before finally progressively decreasing., (Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ectopic cervical thymoma is rare and is often misdiagnosed as a thyroid tumor or other malignancy. Ectopic thymic tissue can be found along the entire thymic descent path during embryogenesis. However, a thymoma arising from such ectopic thymic tissue is extremely rare. Herein we report a patient with ectopic cervical thymoma and myasthenia gravis (MG) and discuss the management.

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between expression of LGR8, VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9, fascin-1 and cortactin with clinicopathological parameters in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The six biomarkers were investigated immunohistochemically using tissue microarrays of 93 HCC specimens. The tumor cells showed significant expression of LGR8, VEGF, MMP-9, fascin-1 and cortactin, but not of MMP-2. In addition, higher immunostaining scores for LGR8 in HCC showed negative correlation with T and AJCC clinical stages and upregulation of MMP-9, but no correlation with poorer survival rate; cortactin expression is correlated with poorer tumor differentiation in HCC. Thus, our data suggest that higher expression of LGR8 may facilitate tumor invasiveness in the early clinical stage of hepatocellular carcinoma, and synergic effects of cortactin also play a crucial role in the intrahepatic metastasis. Although tumor biological evidence implicates the relaxin-like hormone family as endocrine mediators of critical cellular action in cancer, characterization of target molecules and signaling pathways specific for LGR8 in defined tumor entities and crosstalk of the relaxin receptors with other receptor systems relevant to carcinogenesis will be of significant clinical relevance and may contribute to novel therapeutic strategies against hepatocellular carcinoma.

The relationship between cognitive functions and brain structure has been of long-standing research interest. Most previous research has attempted to relate cognition to volumes of specific brain structures or thickness of cortical regions, with relatively few studies examining other features such as cortical surface anatomy. In this study, we examine the relationship between cortical sulcal features and cognitive function in a sample (N=316) of community-dwelling subjects aged between 70 and 90 years (mean=78.06±4.75; male/female=130/186) who had detailed neuropsychological assessments and brain MRI scans. Using automated methods on 3D T1-weighted brain scans, we computed global sulcal indices (g-SIs) of the whole brain and average sulcal spans of five prominent sulci. The g-SI, which reflects the complexity of sulcal folds across the cerebral hemispheres, showed a significant positive correlation with performance in most cognitive domains including attention/processing speed, memory, language and executive function. Regionally, a negative correlation was found between some cognitive functions and sulcal spans, i.e. poorer cognitive performance was associated with a wider sulcal span. Of the five cognitive domains examined, the performance of processing speed was found to be correlated with the spans of most sulci, with the strongest correlation being with the superior temporal sulcus. Memory did not show a significant correlation with any individual sulcal index, after correcting for age and sex. Of the five sulci measured, the left superior temporal sulcus showed the highest sensitivity, with significant correlations with performances in all cognitive domains except memory, after controlling for age, sex, years of education and brain size. The results suggest that regionally specific sulcal morphology is associated with cognitive function in elderly individuals., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Determining operative risk in patients undergoing aortic surgery is a difficult process, as multiple variables converge to affect overall mortality. Patient frailty is certainly a contributing factor, but is difficult to measure, with surgeons often relying on subjective or intuitive influences. We sought to use core muscle size as an objective measure of frailty, and determine its utility as a predictor of survival after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair., Methods: Four hundred seventy-nine patients underwent elective open AAA repair between 2000 and 2008. Two hundred sixty-two patients (54.7%) had preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans available for analysis. Cross-sectional areas of the psoas muscles at the level of the L4 vertebra were measured. The covariate-adjusted effect of psoas area on postoperative mortality was assessed using Cox regression., Results: Of the 262 patients, there were 55 deaths and the mean length of follow-up was 2.3 years. Cox regression revealed a significant association between psoas area and postoperative mortality (P = .003). The effect of psoas area was found to decrease significantly as follow-up time increased (P = .008). Among all covariates included in the Cox models (including predictors of mortality such as American Society of Anesthesiologists [ASA] score), the psoas area was the most significant., Conclusion: Core muscle size, an objective measure of frailty, correlates strongly with mortality after elective AAA repair. A better understanding of the role of frailty and core muscle size may aid in risk stratification and impact timing of surgical repair, especially in more complex aortic operations., (Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the role of pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) due to infection., Methods: Porcine pulmonary blood vessels were flushed by modified Morton method, and PIMs were isolated and cultured. The adhered PIMs were collected with adhesion method and incubated in RPMI 1640 medium. They were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/L). The activity of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and contents of IL 6 and IL 8 in the culture supernatant were measured by method of thymocyte proliferation and enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA)., Results: The released contents of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 from PIMs were increased significantly compared with those before LPS challenge , and they peaked at 2 hours [IL-1β activity: (10 400 ± 2 389) scintillant count/min], 4 hours [IL-6 content: (0.80 ± 0.36) μg/L], and 6 hours [IL-8 content: (4.94 ± 1.19) μg/L ] after LPS challenge , and the differences were significant compared with hose before LPS challenge [IL-1β activity: (213 ± 85) scintillant count/min, IL-6 content: (0.27 ± 0.12) μg/L, IL-8 content: (1.84 ± 0.53) μg/L, all P <0.01]., Conclusion: Among the cytokines released from PIMs after LPS challenge , the increase in IL-1β occurred earlier in comparison with that of IL-6 and IL-8, suggesting that the former might play an important role at the early stage of ALI; on the other hand, though the increase in IL-6 and IL-8 contents occurred later than that of IL- 1β but it lasted for a longer duration, suggesting that they might be associated with the advancement of ALI. The Results also suggested that interaction of these cytokines played a more important role in the pathogenesis of ALI.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen that causes a high morbidity and mortality rate in infected patients, but pathogenic mechanisms of this microorganism regarding the secretion and delivery of virulence factors to host cells have not been characterized. Gram-negative bacteria naturally secrete outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that play a role in the delivery of virulence factors to host cells. A. baumannii has been shown to secrete OMVs when cultured in vitro, but the role of OMVs in A. baumannii pathogenesis is not well elucidated. In the present study, we evaluated the secretion and delivery of virulence factors of A. baumannii to host cells via the OMVs and assessed the cytotoxic activity of outer membrane protein A (AbOmpA) packaged in the OMVs. A. baumannii ATCC 19606(T) secreted OMVs during in vivo infection as well as in vitro cultures. Potential virulence factors, including AbOmpA and tissue-degrading enzymes, were associated with A. baumannii OMVs. A. baumannii OMVs interacted with lipid rafts in the plasma membranes and then delivered virulence factors to host cells. The OMVs from A. baumannii ATCC 19606(T) induced apoptosis of host cells, whereas this effect was not detected in the OMVs from the ΔompA mutant, thereby reflecting AbOmpA-dependent host cell death. The N-terminal region of AbOmpA(22-170) was responsible for host cell death. In conclusion, the OMV-mediated delivery of virulence factors to host cells may well contribute to pathogenesis during A. baumannii infection.

C-Glycosides are usually resistant against acidic hydrolysis and enzymatic treatments because C-1 of the sugar moiety is directly attached to the aglycone by C-C bonding. Nevertheless, a human intestinal bacterium, strain PUE, can cleave the C-glucosyl bond of puerarin to yield its aglycone daidzein. To clarify the mechanism of the cleaving reaction, we tried to identify the structure of the metabolite derived from the sugar moiety of puerarin. To detect it easily, deuterium labeled puerarin, [6″,6″-D(2)]puerarin, was prepared in 7 steps. Sugars contained in a metabolite mixture from [6″,6″-D(2)]puerarin was analyzed by an HPLC-electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS method after treatment of sugars with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP). Since deuterium labeled glucose was detected in the metabolite mixture of [6″,6″-D(2)]puerarin, we concluded that puerarin was metabolized to daidzein and an intact glucose by strain PUE. As C-1 of the sugar was hydroxylated instead of hydrogenating, C-glucosyl bond-cleaving reaction is not reduction but hydrolysis. This is the first report of revealing the reaction manner and the exact products of C-glucosyl bond-cleaving reaction.