Effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease: a prespecified secondary analysis from the empa-kidney trial

BACKGROUND

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce progression of chronic kidney disease and the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a wide range of patients. However, their effects on kidney disease progression in some patients with chronic kidney disease are unclear because few clinical kidney outcomes occurred among such patients in the completed trials. In particular, some guidelines stratify their level of recommendation about who should be treated with SGLT2 inhibitors based on diabetes status and albuminuria. We aimed to assess the effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease both overall and among specific types of participants in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial.

METHODS

EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA), and included individuals aged 18 years or older with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or with an eGFR of 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher. We explored the effects of 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily versus placebo on the annualised rate of change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR slope), a tertiary outcome. We studied the acute slope (from randomisation to 2 months) and chronic slope (from 2 months onwards) separately, using shared parameter models to estimate the latter. Analyses were done in all randomly assigned participants by intention to treat. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110.

FINDINGS

Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and then followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroups of eGFR included 2282 (34·5%) participants with an eGFR of less than 30 mL/min per 1·73 m2, 2928 (44·3%) with an eGFR of 30 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, and 1399 (21·2%) with an eGFR 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2 or higher. Prespecified subgroups of uACR included 1328 (20·1%) with a uACR of less than 30 mg/g, 1864 (28·2%) with a uACR of 30 to 300 mg/g, and 3417 (51·7%) with a uACR of more than 300 mg/g. Overall, allocation to empagliflozin caused an acute 2·12 mL/min per 1·73 m2 (95% CI 1·83-2·41) reduction in eGFR, equivalent to a 6% (5-6) dip in the first 2 months. After this, it halved the chronic slope from -2·75 to -1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (relative difference 50%, 95% CI 42-58). The absolute and relative benefits of empagliflozin on the magnitude of the chronic slope varied significantly depending on diabetes status and baseline levels of eGFR and uACR. In particular, the absolute difference in chronic slopes was lower in patients with lower baseline uACR, but because this group progressed more slowly than those with higher uACR, this translated to a larger relative difference in chronic slopes in this group (86% [36-136] reduction in the chronic slope among those with baseline uACR <30 mg/g compared with a 29% [19-38] reduction for those with baseline uACR ≥2000 mg/g; ptrend<0·0001).

INTERPRETATION

Empagliflozin slowed the rate of progression of chronic kidney disease among all types of participant in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial, including those with little albuminuria. Albuminuria alone should not be used to determine whether to treat with an SGLT2 inhibitor.

FUNDING

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly.

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

BACKGROUND

The EMPA-KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population.

METHODS

EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110.

FINDINGS

Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62-0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16-1·59), representing a 50% (42-58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1).

INTERPRETATION

In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease.

FUNDING

Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council.

Ru Supported on p-phthalic acid-Mn Derived from a Mn Metal-Organic Framework for Thermo- and Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Ethylene-D4 Glycol

Deuterium-labeled polyols are one of the most extensive applied chemicals in biochemistry and biophysics. However, the deuteriation still is insufficient, exhibiting a low deuterated ratio and indistinct reaction mechanism. Herein, Ru supported on MnBCD (MnBDC, derived from Mn p-phthalic acid metal-organic framework) as nanocatalyst with an agglomerated sheet-type structure; this allows the possibility of achieving both thermo- and electrocatalytic hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE) reaction. Furthermore, XPS characterization confirmed that the specific structural changes in the electron density of Ru outer layers were modulated through the impregnation and reduction processes. According to the change of outer electronic structure, hydrogen spillover and electron-rich flow promote the reaction of the catalyst in thermo- and electrocatalytic systems, respectively. In addition, the results indicate that a high deuterated ratio of 97 % can be obtained, hence the catalytic technology has enormous potential for the synthesis of a broad variety of deuterium-labeled compounds.

Effects of manganese on the catalytic performance of CuCo catalysts for direct conversion of CO/CO2 to higher alcohols

The catalytic conversion of CO or CO/CO₂ mixtures to higher alcohols (HAs) using hydrogenation reactions remains challenging in C1 chemistry and also one of the most promising reactions for the utilization of non-petroleum resources. Here, the experiment and characterization tests of CuCoMn/Al₂O₃ show that copper is much more dispersed on γ-Al₂O₃ than cobalt, and the interaction between cobalt and Mn metals is stronger. And, mixed cobalt-manganese oxides are formed in the calcined catalyst, promoting the formation of higher alcohols. Under the optimum conditions, the catalyst demonstrated a total alcohol selectivity of 44.6%, and the fraction of higher alcohols reached up to 85.3% among the total alcohol products, which is superior to the classical modified CuCo-based catalysts. And in the gas mixture reaction with a CO : CO₂ ratio of 8 : 2, the conversion rate of the catalyst to CO and CO₂ reached 34.8% and 27.3%, respectively, and the selectivity (C1+ slate 1-alcohol) was 53.2%.

Engineering the geometric and electronic structure of Ru via Ru–TiO2 interaction for enhanced selective hydrogenation

Ru/TiO2-Vo-250H with the structure of TiO2-Vo-partially encapsulated Ru nanoparticles, balances the active sites for H2 dissociation and the adsorption sites for 6-chloroquinoline, achieving the selective hydrogenation even at room temperature.

LINC00707 promotes cell proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer via miR-206/FMNL2 axis

OBJECTIVE

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been verified to participate in the regulation of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of LINC00707 in CRC still remains unknown. Here, we aim to study the role of LINC00707 in CRC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

LINC00707 expression in 97 pairs of CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues was determined by the quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). LINC00707 overexpression or knockdown in SW620 or HCT116 cells was achieved by lentivirus transfection. The proliferation and cell circle progression of established cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Cell invasion and migration abilities were studied by transwell assay. Dual-luciferase assay and Western blot was used to verify the underlying mechanism of LINC00707 in CRC. Nude mice were obtained to identify the in vivo function of LINC00707 in CRC.

RESULTS

LINC00707 was significantly over-expressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. Up-regulation of LINC00707 promoted cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion, and migration of SW620 cells. Conversely, down-regulation of LINC00707 reduced cell growth and metastasis of HCT116 cells. MiR-206 was verified as a direct target of LINC00707, and its function was inhibited by LINC00707. FMNL2 was a target for miR-206 in CRC cells. Meanwhile, LINC00707 promoted tumor growth of CRC in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

LINC00707 was up-regulated in CRC tissues and cells, which promoted cell proliferation and metastasis via sponging miR-206 to increase FMNL2 expression. This might provide a novel target for the biological treatment of CRC.

Molecular cloning, tissue expression and polymorphism analysis of the Caveolin-3 gene in ducks

1. Duck meat is considered a delicacy, but choosing the best meat is problematic. Caveolin-3 (CAV-3) is a muscle-specific protein marker in animals. The goal of the current study was to detect the characteristics of CAV-3 gene in ducks. 2. Full-length CAV-3 was acquired from ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) using reverse transcriptase PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. DNAMAN software was used for homology comparisons. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism, and sequencing were used to determine CAV-3 expression and polymorphism of a single nucleotide, respectively. The study examined four types of ducks, including Jinding, Chaohu, Cherry Valley, and Gaoyou ducks. 3. The study acquired 1066 bp of CAV-3 cDNA sequences, including a 456 bp complete open reading frame encoding 151 amino acids. Both coding sequences (CDSs) and translated amino acids exhibited highest homology with Gallus gallus (CDS homology 91.67%, amino acids 94.04%), followed by mammalian species (CDS homology 79.0%, amino acids 78.0%). Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis revealed five mutations in exons (A489G, G501A, A557G, T563A, and A602G), and a C805T mutation in an intron. Among amplified polymorphic loci detected using primer 2, allele frequency was higher for A (489A501G507A563T602A) than B (489G501G507G563T602C) or C (489G501A507G563A602C). The highest occurred in Cherry Valley ducks (0.7587). Using primer 4, the M allele frequency was higher than that of the N allele. CAV-3 was most highly expressed in the heart, followed by skeletal muscles. Additionally, CAV-3 had higher expression in heart and breast muscle of overfed Muscovy ducks than control ducks, but no difference was seen in thigh muscle. 4. CAV-3 in ducks had the highest homology with Gallus gallus CAV-3, and it could be used as a marker for muscle quality in ducks.

Adverse events and management of apatinib in patients with advanced or metastatic cancers: A review

Apatinib (YN968D1) is a novel and highly selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and is approved as a third-line and subsequent-line treatment for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma in China. Apatinib is also widely studied in other solid tumors. With the increase in clinical research of apatinib, its adverse effects have also received widespread attention. Hence, this article summarizes the pharmacological properties of apatinib and reviews its clinical use in advanced or metastatic cancers. We highlight the common adverse reactions of apatinib in clinical applications and we also clarify the corresponding prevention and intervention measures. Overall, this review will help us better understand the safety and efficacy of apatinib treatment.

Expression of miR-33 from an SREBP2 intron inhibits the expression of the fatty acid oxidation-regulatory genes CROT and HADHB in chicken liver

1. Limiting the growth of adipose tissue in chickens is a major issue in the poultry industry. In chickens, de novo synthesis of lipids occurs primarily in the liver. Thus, it is necessary to understand how fatty acid accumulation in the liver is controlled. The miR-33 is an intronic microRNA (miRNA) of the chicken sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2 (SREBF2), which is a master switch in activating many genes involved in the uptake and synthesis of cholesterol, triglycerides, fatty acids and phospholipids. 2. In the current study, the genes CROT and HADHB known to encode enzymes critical for fatty acid oxidation were predicted to be potential targets of miR-33 in chickens via the miRNA target prediction programs 'miRanda' and 'TargetScan'. Co-transfection and dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that the expression of luciferase reporter gene linked to the 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of the chicken CROT and HADHB mRNA was down-regulated by overexpression of the chicken miR-33 (P < 0.05). This down-regulation was completely abolished when the predicted miR-33 target sites in the CROT and HADHB 3'UTR were mutated. 3. Transfecting miR-33 mimics into the LMH cells led to a decrease in the mRNA expression of CROT and HADHB (P < 0.01), and this transfection had a similar effect on the proteins (P < 0.05). In contrast, the expression of CROT in primary chicken hepatocytes was up-regulated after transfection with the miR-33 inhibitor LNA-anti-miR-33 (P < 0.05). 4. Using quantitative RT-PCR, it was shown that the expression of miR-33 was increased in the chicken liver from day 0 to day 49 of age, whereas the CROT and HADHB mRNA levels decreased during the same period. 5. These findings support the conclusion that miR-33 might play an important role in lipid metabolism in the chicken liver by negatively regulating the expression of the CROT and HADHB genes, which encode enzymes critical for lipid oxidation.

Correlation between childhood eczema and specific IgG antibody level

Eczema, a common pediatric dermatosis with unclear pathogenesis, can seriously affect the life quality of children due to its recurrence and long course. Recent study has found that food specific IgG (sIgG) might be involved in the course of eczema. To analyze the correlation between childhood eczema and sIgG and evaluate the role of avoiding taking intolerance food in the treatment of childhood eczema, this study enrolled 216 children with eczema who were admitted to the Taian Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Shandong, China, between August 2014 and October 2015. They were divided into an eczema group (N = 140) and an allergy group (N = 76). Eighty healthy children who were admitted to the Department of Children Healthcare in the same period were selected as a control group. Enzymelinked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the serum sIgG level. The result showed that the sIgG positive rates of children in the eczema group and allergy group were 91.4% and 93.4%, respectively, and the difference had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). However, the sIgG positive rates of children in the eczema group and allergy group were significantly higher than that in the control group (P less than 0.05). Milk and eggs were the major allergy-causing food for children with sIgG positive rates higher than 70%. The sIgG test results revealed that eggs had the highest allergenicity, followed by milk, tomatoes and soybeans, and pork was not highly sensitive. Therefore, it can be concluded that sIgG positive rate of children with eczema is high, and examination of food sIgG antibody in serum is valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood eczema.

Leptin levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus inversely correlate with regulatory T cell frequency

Leptin levels are increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but little is known on how this correlates with several disease characteristics including the frequency of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Here we compared serum leptin levels with frequency of circulating Tregs in 47 lupus patients vs. 25 healthy matched controls. Correlations with lupus disease activity were also analyzed, as well as Treg proliferation potential. It was found that leptin was remarkably increased in SLE patients as compared to controls, particularly in SLE patients with moderate and severe active SLE, and the increase correlated with disease activity. Importantly, increased leptin in lupus patients inversely correlated with the frequency of Tregs but not in controls, and leptin neutralization resulted in the expansion of Tregs ex vivo. Thus, hyperleptinemia in lupus patients correlates directly with disease activity and inversely with Treg frequency. The finding that leptin inhibition expands Tregs in SLE suggests possible inhibition of this molecule for an enhanced Treg function in the disease.

Model Construction for Biological Age Based on a Cross-Sectional Study of a Healthy Chinese Han population

OBJECTIVES

Biological age (BA) has been proposed to evaluate the aging status in an objective way instead of chronological age (CA). The purpose of our study is to construct a more precise formula of BA in the cross-sectional study based on a largest-ever sample of our studies. This formula aims at better evaluation of body function and exploring the disciplines of aging in different genders and age stages.

METHODS

A total of 1,373 healthy Chinese Han (age range, 19-93 years) were recruited from five cities in China, including 581 males and 792 females. Physical examination, blood routine, blood chemistry, and other lab tests were performed to obtain a total of 74 clinical variables. Then, the principal component analysis (PCA) was used to select variables and estimate BA. The BA formula was further validated in a population with some diseases (n=266), including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, kidney diseases, pulmonary diseases, cancer and disorders in nervous system.

RESULTS

The BA formula was constructed as follows: BA = 0.358 (pulse pressure) + 0.258 (trail making test) - 11.552 (mitral valve E/A peak) + 26.383 (minimum intima-media thickness) + 31.965 (Cystatin C) + 0.163 (CA) - 3.902. In validation of the formula, BAs of patients were older than those of healthy persons. The BA accelerates faster in the middle-aged population than in the elderly population (>75 years old).

CONCLUSION

This BA formula can reflect health condition changes of aging better than CA in a Chinese Han population.

Numb induces e-cadherin adhesion dissolution, cytoskeleton reorganization, and migration in tubular epithelial cells contributing to renal fibrosis

Numb, an endocytic protein, is involved in both neural differentiation and protein post-endocytic trafficking. Although negative Numb expression has been linked to human mammary carcinomas, little is known about its expression and functions in other diseases. In the present study, we observed that Numb is expressed in renal tubule epithelia and its expression is increased in the fibrotic kidney in vivo. We determined that in proximal tubular epithelial cells (NRK52E cells), TGF-β1 induces the expression of Numb and ectopic expression of Numb leads to dissolution of E-cadherin adhesion, reorganization of cytoskeleton, activation of Rac1 and Cdc42, and enhancement of migration. Either knockdown of α-adaptin or overexpression of Numb asparagine-proline-phenylalanine (NPF) mutant interferes with AP-2 dependent endocytosis and rescues Ecadherin level in NRK52E cells. Moreover, knockdown of integrin β1 or α-adaptin, and overexpression of a Numb dominant-negative form (Numb phosphotyrosine binding [PTB] domain) impair integrin endocytosis, and markedly inhibit Numb-induced cell migration and activation of Rac1 and Cdc42. Taken together, our work identifies Numb as an important player in renal fibrosis, by regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process including E-cadherin adhesion dissolution, actin reorganization, and migration enhancement in NRK52E cells.

Effect of microbiological and immunological enteral nutrition on intestinal function and immune status in the patients with long-term use of antibiotics

BACKGROUND

To investigate the effect of microbiological and immunological enteral nutrition (MEIN composed by probiotics, L-Glutamide, deep-sea fish oil and Nutrison Fibre) on intestinal function and immune status in the patients with long-term use of antibiotics.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

56 severe apoplexy patients with pulmonary infectious complication were randomly divided into two groups: a microbiological and immunological enteral nutrition group (MEIN group, n=28) and an enteral nutrition group (EN group, n=28). MEIN suspension (Live Combined Bifidobacterium, L-Glutamide, deep-sea fish oil and Nutrison Fibre) and ordinary enteral nutrition liquid (Nutrison Fibre) were given to patients of the MEIN group and EN group respectively for at least for 20 days. Then the trophonemata, incidence rates of abdominal pain, abdominal distention and diarrhea, tolerance and immunologic parameters including CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocyte percentage, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and NK cells in peripheral blood were estimated and compared between the two groups during the period of nutritional support.

RESULTS

No statistical difference was observed in trophonemata between the two groups (p > 0.05). The abdominal pain and abdominal distension incidence rates of the patients in MEIN group were significantly lower than those of patients in EN group. (7.2% vs 32.1%, 14.2% vs 39.3%, 0% vs 10.7%) (p < 0.05). There was a significantly better tolerance in MEIN group compared to EN group after treatment (p < 0.05). In addition, the levels of immune parameters of the patients in MEIN group were much higher compared to that of those in EN group on the 20th day after grouping (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the general formula EN, MEIN is more helpful for the patients with Long-term use of antibiotics in improving intestinal function and cellular immune function.

Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Patients with Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure

Objective:

Patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (AoCLF) are prone to various infections, including invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). This retrospective study investigated the relationship between AoCLF and IPA in a large patient cohort.

Methods:

Twenty-nine out of 470 patients with AoCLF, who were diagnosed with definite or probable IPA by clinical and laboratory parameters and were treated with voriconazole, were analysed for predisposing factors for IPA and clinical outcome.

Results:

Imaging findings, such as the halo sign and increased white blood cell count, contributed to the early diagnosis of IPA. Patients with AoCLF and IPA experienced fever, cough and chest pain and, despite treatment with antifungal therapy, most (25/29 patients) died within 7 days. Possible risk factors for IPA included prolonged antibiotic therapy and dexamethasone exposure.

Conclusions:

AoCLF with prolonged antibiotic therapy and dexamethasone exposure carries a high risk for IPA. AoCLF patients with IPA involved in this study exhibited fever, cough, chest pain and increased white blood cell count, and their imaging findings were useful for the early diagnosis of IPA.

Antipsychotics and venous thromboembolism risk: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Antipsychotics have been inconclusively implicated in susceptibility to venous thromboembolism (VTE).

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between antipsychotic drugs and VTE risk by a meta-analysis. PubMed and EmBASE databases were searched for publications through to 10 October 2010. Statistical analysis was performed using Revman 4.2 and Stata 10.0 software.

RESULTS

7 case-control studies involving 31 095 cases and 143 472 controls were analyzed. The results indicate that antipsychotic exposure confers a 139 % increased risk of VTE (odds ratio [OR] = 2.39, 95 % confidence interval [CI]:1.71–3.35). Pooled estimates by drug type showed that use of low-potency antipsychotics (OR = 2.91, 95 % CI 1.80–4.71) is the most important risk factor for VTE, followed by atypical (OR = 2.20, 95 % CI 1.22–3.96), conventional (OR = 1.72, 95 % CI 1.31–2.24) and high-potency drugs (OR = 1.58, 95 % CI 1.50–1.67).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that antipsychotics are a risk factor for VTE. Additional studies in large cohorts are required to validate our findings. Future analyses should study potential eff ect modifications by different doses and durations of antipsychotic exposure in different populations.

Observation of dynamic samples using simple coverslip fluidics

The ability to observe samples undergoing controlled fluid flow under the microscope is important for studying biochemical processes and motion dynamics. We describe here a simple method to achieve this using coverslips shaped using a fiber scribe. Testing showed good directional flow control within the test range of 0-1 ml/min flow rate and an ability to sustain a flow rate up to approximately 1 ml/min. Testing with a sealed T-channel coverslip demonstrated the ability to construct fluid network branches with this scheme. We also demonstrated the usefulness of this procedure in motion dynamic studies of Dunaliella algae swimming under fluid flow.

A novel tactile sensation measurement system for qualifying touch perception

The feel of films, wrapping paper, cardboards, and other packaging materials are important to the commercial success of foods. It is known from people's self-report studies that different surfaces provoke different subjective responses. There are several mechanical parameters, including friction, roughness, compliance, and thermal properties, which are important to the sensory feel. This paper describes the design, construction, and use of a multi-sensory measurement system for tactile sensation that can be used to evaluate the feel of different packaging materials. The experiments were conducted by sliding or pressing an artificial fingertip with embedded sensors against the surfaces of different samples which were fixed on a force table. The roughness, friction coefficients, compliance, and rate of change in the temperature were obtained. Forty volunteers were asked to touch and rate the samples by filling in questionnaires about how they felt. Strong correlations were found between people's feelings and the physical measurements.

Extraordinary low transmission effects for ultra-thin patterned metal films

Thin metal films show a residual transmission for light in the visible and UV spectral range. This transmission can be strongly reduced by an appropriate sub-wavelength patterning of the metal film. Our investigation is focused on metal films with a thickness much below 100nm, where the transmission response is dominated by the individual posts acting like antennas and cannot be attributed to the excitation of surface plasmons. The almost complete suppression of transmission for ultra-thin metal films depends mainly on the absorber width, but not on the pitch of the pattern. The effect is robust with respect to imperfections of the geometry or larger features imprinted into the sub-wavelength pattern.

Natural Frequency Analysis of Osseointegration for Trans-femoral Implant

Osseointegration trans-femoral implants are a new orthopaedic anchoring method to attach prosthetic limbs. The clinical success of this promising technique depends on the effectiveness of osseointegration achieved after implantation. The aim of this study is to use the resonant characteristics of the implant system to determine the changes in stability as a reflection of boundary condition of the implant. With a small mechanical excitation, Vibration responses of the trans-femoral implant to a small mechanical excitation were measured using an accelerometer and the vibration signal was analyzed using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) software to obtain the fundamental natural frequency (NF) of the implant system. In-vitro study was conducted using different silicone rubbers to simulate the interface condition. The result showed that a high NF corresponded to a high elastic modulus of the interface material between the implant and bone. A preliminary in-vivo study with one osseointegration trans-femoral implant patient showed that there was a decrease of NF after initial weight bearing rehabilitation. After continued weight bearing, the NF gradually returned to the pre-loading level at around day 24 and the general trend of the NF reached a stable state 38 days after the first weight bearing exercise.

NF-kappa B activation mediates doxorubicin-induced cell death in N-type neuroblastoma cells

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood. N-type neuroblastoma cells (represented by SH-SY5Y and IMR32 cell lines) are characterized by a neuronal phenotype. N-type cell lines are generally N-myc amplified, express the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and do not express caspase-8. The present study was designed to determine the mechanism by which N-type cells die in response to specific cytotoxic agents (such as cisplatin and doxorubicin) commonly used to treat this disease. We found that N-type cells were equally sensitive to cisplatin and doxorubicin. Yet death induced by cisplatin was inhibited by the nonselective caspase inhibitor z-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone or the specific caspase-9 inhibitor N-acetyl-Leu-Glu-His-Asp-aldehyde, whereas in contrast, caspase inhibition did not prevent doxorubicin-induced death. Neither the reactive oxygen species nor the mitochondrial permeability transition appears to play an important role in this process. Doxorubicin induced NF-kappa B transcriptional activation in association with I-kappa B alpha degradation prior to loss of cell viability. Surprisingly, the antioxidant and NF-kappa B inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate blocked doxorubicin-induced NF-kappa B transcriptional activation and provided profound protection against doxorubicin killing. Moreover, SH-SY5Y cells expressing a super-repressor form of I-kappa B were completely resistant to doxorubicin killing. Together these findings show that NF-kappa B activation mediates doxorubicin-induced cell death without evidence of caspase function and suggest that cisplatin and doxorubicin engage different death pathways to kill neuroblastoma cells.

Molecular characterization of an anti-epilepsy peptide from the scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch

For a long time Asian scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch (BmK) has been used in Chinese traditional medicine to cure many diseases of nervous system. Here we report the purification and characterization of a pharmacologically active neurotoxin from the scorpion BmK. This toxin had little toxicity in mice and insects but was found to have an anti-epilepsy effect in rats, and is thus named as BmK anti-epilepsy peptide (BmK AEP). Its amino-acid sequence was determined by lysylendopeptidase digestion, Edman degradation and mass spectrographic analysis. Based on the determined sequence, the gene coding for this peptide was also cloned and sequenced by the 3' and 5' RACE methods. It encodes a precursor of 85 amino-acid residues including a signal peptide of 21 residues, a mature peptide of 61 residues and three additional residues Gly-Lys-Lys at the C-terminus. The additional Gly sometimes followed by one or two basic residues is prerequisite for the amidation of its C-terminus. C-terminal amidation was also verified by the molecular-mass determination of BmK AEP. This anti-epilepsy peptide toxin shares homology with other depressant insect toxins. The remarkable difference between them was mainly focused at residues 6, 7 and 39; these residues might relate to the unique action of BmK AEP.

DsbG, a protein disulfide isomerase with chaperone activity

DsbG, a protein disulfide isomerase present in the periplasm of Escherichia coli, is shown to function as a molecular chaperone. Stoichiometric amounts of DsbG are sufficient to prevent the thermal aggregation of two classical chaperone substrate proteins, citrate synthase and luciferase. DsbG was also shown to interact with refolding intermediates of chemically denatured citrate synthase and prevents their aggregation in vitro. Citrate synthase reactivation experiments in the presence of DsbG suggest that DsbG binds with high affinity to early unstructured protein folding intermediates. DsbG is one of the first periplasmic proteins shown to have general chaperone activity. This ability to chaperone protein folding is likely to increase the effectiveness of DsbG as a protein disulfide isomerase.

Expression and purification of the BmK M1 neurotoxin from the scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch

The gene encoding a neurotoxin (BmK M1) from the scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae at a high level with the alcohol dehydrogenase promoter. SDS-PAGE of the culture confirmed expression and showed secretion into medium from yeast. Recombinant BmK M1 was purified rapidly and efficiently by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography to homogeneity, produced a single band on tricine-SDS-PAGE, and processed the homologous N-terminus. Amino acid analysis and N-terminal sequencing demonstrated that the recombinant toxin was processed correctly from the alpha-mating factor leader sequence and was chemically identical to the native form. The expressed recombinant BmK M1 was toxic for mice, which indicated that it was biologically active. Quantitative estimation showed that recombinant BmK M1 had an LD(50) similar to that of the native toxin.

A new antifungal peptide from the seeds of Phytolacca americana: characterization, amino acid sequence and cDNA cloning

An antifungal peptide from seeds of Phytolacca americana, designated PAFP-s, has been isolated. The peptide is highly basic and consists of 38 residues with three disulfide bridges. Its molecular mass of 3929.0 was determined by mass spectrometry. The complete amino acid sequence was obtained from automated Edman degradation, and cDNA cloning was successfully performed by 3'-RACE. The deduced amino acid sequence of a partial cDNA corresponded to the amino acid sequence from chemical sequencing. PAFP-s exhibited a broad spectrum of antifungal activity, and its activities differed among various fungi. PAFP-s displayed no inhibitory activity towards Escherichia coli. PAFP-s shows significant sequence similarities and the same cysteine motif with Mj-AMPs, antimicrobial peptides from seeds of Mirabilis jalapa belonging to the knottin-type antimicrobial peptide.

[Analysis on chemical composition of genus Pueraria stems from China]

OBJECTIVE

To provide scientific basis for developing and utilizing Pueraria stems.

METHOD

The contents of total flavonoid were determined by means of UV spectrophotometry. The isoflavones in stems and roots of nine species of genus Pueraria were analyzed by TLC.

RESULTS

The stems and roots are similar in chemical composition.

CONCLUSION

Pueraria stems as a potential resource could be used as a substitute for Pueraria roots.

Vincula tendinum of human hands with special reference to vascular patency

As persisting parts of the mesotendon, Vinculum breve and Vinculum longum are known to serve as transport and conduction pathways to the intravaginal segments of flexor tendons. For morphological evaluation of their constancy, they were dissected out of, measured, and histologically examined on the 2nd-5th fingers in 53 hands of donated cadavers. The Vincula brevia existed in all cases more or less in association with the insertion of the superficialis as well as profundus flexor tendon, meanwhile the Vincula longa varied in number from 0 to 3 per tendon from one finger to the others, even 4 in the case of the index superficialis tendon. Light microscopic investigation of vascular patency was carried out on semithin resin sections of 137 Vincula longa obtained from the flexor superficialis and profundus tendons of 53 index fingers. Up to 5 or more arterial and venous vessels were counted per Vinculum longum. The complete absence of a patent artery was recognized in 6 out of 62 Vincula longa of the flexor superficialis and in 22 out of 75 of the profundus flexor. Most frequently, the Vincula longa had a single artery and a single vein. Considering the constant presence of vessels on the cross section, the Vinculum breve is regarded as essential for maintaining the tendons at work. In contrast, the significance of Vinculum longum will be variable for the microcirculation of intravaginal segments of the flexor tendons individually and also in the course of aging.