Autohydrolysis and organosolv process for recovery of hemicelluloses, phenolic compounds and lignin from grape stalks.

A combination of two environment-friend processes for hemicelluloses and lignin recovery from red grape stalks were investigated: an autohydrolysis pretreatment at 180°C for 30 min followed by a non-catalysed ethanol organosolv step at 180°C for 90 min. Hemicelluloses were precipitated by ethanol addition to autohydrolysis liquor, while lignin was tentatively precipitated by acidification of liquors from both the processes. Results suggest that stalks hemicelluloses can be easily hydrolysed requiring a milder treatment to reduce sugar degradation, while the organosolv process did not give a consistent delignification. Autohydrolysis allowed a recovery of 2% (on stalks d.m.) of total phenols in the liquor. Organosolv liquor had a higher concentration of phenols (corresponding to 0.72% of stalks d.m.) which almost completely precipitated with lignin.

Myc down-regulation affects cyclin D1/cdk4 activity and induces apoptosis via Smac/Diablo pathway in an astrocytoma cell line.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the antiproliferative effect of Myc down-regulation via cell proliferation inhibition, cell cycle perturbation and apoptosis in two human astrocytoma models (T98G and ADF) steadily expressing an inducible c-myc Anti-sense RNA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell growth experiments were performed using the trypan blue dye exclusion test and cell cycle analysis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Cell cycle molecules were detected by Western blot analysis, co-immunoprecipitation and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays. RESULTS: We showed that Myc down-regulation in astrocytoma cells led to G1 accumulation and an inhibition of cell proliferation characterized by S phase delay. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments detected formation of inactive cyclin D1/cdk4 complexes as evaluated by presence of an active unphosphorylated form of retinoblastoma protein, the best characterized target substrate for cyclin D1/cdk4 complex, in ADF pINDc-myc anti-sense 7 cells. We also found that either p57Kip2 "apice" or p27Kip1 "apice" inhibitors bound to cyclin D1/cdk4 complex, thus, suggesting that they cooperated to inhibit the activity of cyclin D1/cdk4. Moreover, c-Myc down-regulation led to activation of the apoptotic mitochondrial pathway, characterized by release of cytochrome c and Smac/Diablo proteins and by reduction of c-IAP levels through activation of proteasome-mediated protein degradation system. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that c-Myc could be considered as a good target for the study of new approaches in anticancer astrocytoma treatment.

Mitotane increases the radiotherapy inhibitory effect and induces G2-arrest in combined treatment on both H295R and SW13 adrenocortical cell lines.

Mitotane, 1,1-dichloro-2-(o-chlorophenyl)-2-(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (o,p'-DDD) is an agent with adrenotoxic effect, which is able to block cortisol synthesis. This drug and radiotherapy are used also in adrenal cancer treatment even if their biological action in this neoplasia remains unknown. We investigated the effects of o,p'-DDD and ionizing radiations (IR) on cell growth inhibition and cell cycle perturbation in H295R and SW13 adrenocortical cancer cells. Both cell lines were irradiated at a 6 Gy dose and were treated with o,p'-DDD 10(-5) M separately and with IR/o,p'-DDD in combination. This combination treatment induced an irreversible inhibition of cell growth in both adrenocortical cancer cells. Cell cycle analysis showed that IR alone and IR/o,p'-DDD in combination induced the cell accumulation in the G2 phase. At 120 h after IR, the cells were able to recover the IR-induced G2 block while cells treated with IR/o,p'-DDD were still arrested in G2 phase. In order to study the molecular mechanism involved in the G2 irreversible arrest, we have considered the H295R cell line showing the highest inhibition of cell proliferation associated with a noteworthy G2 arrest. In these cells, cyclin B1 and Cdk2 proteins were examined by western blot and Cdk2 kinase activity measured by assay kit. The H295R cells treated with IR/o,p'-DDD shared an increase in cyclin B1 amount as the coimmunoprecipitation of Cdc2-cyclin B1 complex. The kinase activity also shows an increase in the treated cells with combination therapy. Moreover, in these cells, sequence analysis of p53 revealed a large deletion of exons 8 and 9. The same irreversible block on G2 phase, induced by IR/o,p'-DDD treatment, happened in H295R cells with restored wild-type p53 suggesting that this mechanism is not mediated by p53 pathway.

Multicentric granular cell tumor of the colon: report of a patient with 52 tumors.

Granular cell myoblastoma is an uncommon benign tumor that can be located anywhere in the body. Multiple tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are quite rare, having been reported infrequently in the English literature. The histologic, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic findings in our case, as well as in others reported, suggest that its histogenesis may be related to Schwann cells. One case of multifocal granular cell tumor presenting 52 tumors from the cecum to the sigmoid is described, and the previously reported cases with similar presentation are reviewed. We suggest that in such cases, a long period of observation with repeated colonoscopy may be more appropriate than an aggressive approach.

[Admission to private psychiatric institutions: reliability of official data for epidemiological purposes]. / Ricoveri in strutture psichiatriche private: affidabilità dei dati ufficiali ai fini epidemiologici.

The authors have collected clinical data regarding patients admitted to a private psychiatric institutions in the Naples hinterland. The aim was that of determining the reliability of official data collected from the central regional statistical office of patients admitted in 1988. The duration of stay and the "revolving door" phenomenon of the cases as well as the nosographic classification at dismissal of the patients is influenced by variables not strictly of clinical nature. The information that becomes official and public for administration purposes is not reliable from the point of view of epidemiological studies.

No effect of thioridazine on plasma concentrations of carbamazepine and its active metabolite carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide.

The effect of an oral treatment with thioridazine (100 or 200 mg daily) on plasma concentrations of carbamazepine (CBZ) and its active metabolite carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E) was studied in eight epileptic patients stabilized on CBZ therapy. No significant changes in steady-state plasma levels of CBZ and CBZ-E occurred, suggesting that CBZ metabolism is not apparently affected by thioridazine.