Exogenous riboflavin (vitamin B2) application enhances salinity tolerance through the activation of its biosynthesis in rice seedlings under salinity stress.

Salinity stress triggers the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to impaired plant growth. Riboflavin (RIB; vitamin B2) is synthesized by plants, fungi, and microorganisms and is a precursor of the coenzymes, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN), which are important for cellular metabolism. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanistic basis of the RIB-mediated alleviation of salinity stress in rice. We observed higher biomass accumulation and lower concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in RIB-pretreated seedlings under salinity stress. In vitro assays showed that H2O2 was scavenged as the RIB concentration increased, implying that RIB may function as a non-enzymatic antioxidant in ROS detoxification. RIB-pretreated seedlings accumulated more Na+ in the roots than in the leaf blades because of the contributions of OsHKT2;1, OsNHX1, and OsHKT1;4 in the roots and leaf sheaths, respectively. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis revealed increased RIB concentration in roots and shoots and upregulation of key genes (OsRIBA1, OsGCHI, OsLS, and OsRS) involved in RIB biosynthesis in the roots of RIB-pretreated seedlings. Taken together, our findings suggest that RIB pretreatment ameliorates salinity stress in rice by improving (1) oxidative stress tolerance, as increased RIB concentration may function as a non-enzymatic antioxidant, and (2) ionic stress tolerance, as RIB pretreatment limits Na+ accumulation in the leaf blades and maintains a favorable Na+/K+ balance.

Preoperative prognostic predictors and treatment strategies for surgical procedure focused on the sequential organ failure assessment score in nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Several large-scale studies have assessed endovascular and surgical treatment methods for nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI); however, the prognostic factors for NOMI remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate risk factors for in-hospital mortality among patients with NOMI who underwent laparotomy and to examine therapeutic strategies that may improve the prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective study, the authors reviewed the electronic medical records retrieved from the inpatient database of patients with NOMI at eight district general hospitals between January 2011 and January 2021. A total of 88 patients who underwent laparotomies were divided into survivor and nonsurvivor groups, and statistical analysis was performed to determine clinical and physiological factors. RESULTS: Exploratory laparotomy based on second-look surgery was the first treatment choice. The overall mortality rate was 48.8%, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1. The median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was 8 [interquartile range: 3.75-14.2], and the median SOFA scores were 5 [3-7] in the survivor group and 13 [9-17.5] in the nonsurvivor group. Univariate analysis revealed a significant difference in BMI ( P <0.001), hypoglycemia ( P =0.0012), previous cardiovascular surgery ( P =0.0019), catecholamine use ( P <0.001), SOFA score ( P <0.001), platelet count ( P =0.0023), and lactate level ( P <0.001). Logistic regression analysis using the factors with significant differences revealed that SOFA score ≥10 (odds ratio 23.3; 95% CI: 1.94-280.00; P =0.013) was an independent prognostic factor. In addition, catecholamine use was suggested as a factor with a SOFA score greater than or equal to 10. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that a SOFA score of greater than or equal to 10 may be associated with increased mortality. While closely monitoring low blood pressure and renal dysfunction, survival rates may be improved if surgical intervention is performed before the SOFA score reaches greater than or equal to 10.

A case of severe bilateral empyema due to Streptococcus pyogenes.

Bilateral empyema is a rare and severe condition and deciding on a treatment is quite difficult. Additionally, infections caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS [Streptococcus pyogenes]) are known to be invasive. We successfully treated without surgery a previously healthy 59-year-old woman with bilateral empyema due to GAS, with repeated drainages, antibiotics, and fibrinolytic therapy. To our knowledge, there have not been any published reports on cases of bilateral empyema due to GAS infection. In rare, severe cases of bilateral empyema caused by organisms such as GAS, physicians managing the condition should consider the overall condition of the patient.

Production of Agrocinopine A by Ipomoea batatas Agrocinopine Synthase in Transgenic Tobacco and Its Effect on the Rhizosphere Microbial Community.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a bacterial pathogen that causes crown gall disease on a wide range of eudicot plants by genetic transformation. Besides T-DNA integrated by natural transformation of plant vegetative tissues by pathogenic Agrobacterium spp., previous reports have indicated that T-DNA sequences originating from an ancestral Agrobacterium sp. are present in the genomes of all cultivated sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) varieties analyzed. Expression of an Agrobacterium-derived agrocinopine synthase (ACS) gene was detected in leaf and root tissues of sweet potato, suggesting that the plant can produce agrocinopine, a sugar-phosphodiester opine considered to be utilized by some strains of Agrobacterium spp. in crown gall. To validate the product synthesized by Ipomoea batatas ACS (IbACS), we introduced IbACS into tobacco under a constitutive promoter. High-voltage paper electrophoresis followed by alkaline silver nitrate staining detected the production of an agrocinopine-like substance in IbACS1-expressing tobacco, and further mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses of the product confirmed that IbACS can produce agrocinopine A from natural plant substrates. The partially purified compound was biologically active in an agrocinopine A bioassay. A 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing and meta-transcriptome analysis revealed that the rhizosphere microbial community of tobacco was affected by the expression of IbACS. A new species of Leifsonia (actinobacteria) was isolated as an enriched bacterium in the rhizosphere of IbACS1-expressing tobacco. This Leifsonia sp. can catabolize agrocinopine A produced in tobacco, indicating that the production of agrocinopine A attracts rhizosphere bacteria that can utilize this sugar-phosphodiester. These results suggest a potential role of IbACS conserved among sweet potato cultivars in manipulating their microbial community.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Structural and Mass Spectrometric Imaging Analyses of Adhered Tunic and Adhesive Projections of Solitary Ascidians.

Most ascidian species settle on underwater substrates during a short free-swimming tadpole larval period. During this process, "rapid adhesion" occurs on adhesive papillae located at the anterior region of the cephalenteron. Settled and transformed ascidians subsequently expand the attachment area by "slow adhesion" with ampullae. In the present study, we attempted to identify the ultrastructures related to the adhesion process and adhesive materials in the ascidian tunic and to elucidate the biological function of vanadium in adhesion. We focused on an adhesive organ named the adhesive projection, which is newly generated by the adhered tunic to enlarge the bonding area between ascidian and substrate. Based on its structure and the presence of vanadiumcontaining blood cells, the adhesive projection was considered to be a large tunic vessel. At the adhered tunic, eosinophilic regions and migrated tunic cells were observed, but metal deposition was not detected. We speculate that the eosinophilic materials were components of the adhesive glue, and these are likey produced in epithelial cells, tunic cells, or both. Furthermore, using imaging mass spectrometry, we identified eight tunic-specific molecules as glue candidates.

Antitumour and Apoptotic Effects of a Plant Extract Mixture Containing Rhus verniciflua and Other Herbs in Human Leukaemia Cells.

The apoptotic effects of a novel antitumour agent (Rv-PEM01) prepared from 6 kinds of herbs, including Rhus verniciflua were investigated using flow cytometry and western blot analysis. Rv-PEM01 induced apoptosis but not necrosis in MOLT-3, KG-1, and K562 human leukaemia cell lines. Further, Rv-PEM01-treated cells showed significantly upregulated expression of caspase-3 and 9 and cleaved caspase-3 and 9 compared to the control cells. Taken together, the results suggest that Rv-PEM01 induced apoptosis via the mitochondrial-mediated pathway, and is a potential natural anticancer agent and/or a functional food material.

Vanadium-Binding Ability of Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinase from the Vanadium-Rich Fan Worm, Pseudopotamilla occelata.

Polychaete fan worms and ascidians accumulate high levels of vanadium ions. Several vanadiumbinding proteins, known as vanabins, have been found in ascidians. However, no vanadium-binding factors have been isolated from the fan worm. In the present study, we sought to identify vanadiumbinding proteins in the branchial crown of the fan worm using immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. A nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDK) homolog was isolated and determined to be a vanadium-binding protein. Kinase activity of the NDK homologue, PoNDK, was suppressed by the addition of V(IV), but was unaffected by V(V). The effect of V(IV) on PoNDK precedes its activation by Mg(II). This is the first report to describe the relationship between NDK and V(IV). PoNDK is located in the epidermis of the branchial crown, and its distribution is very similar to that of vanadium. These results suggest that PoNDK is associated with vanadium accumulation and metabolism in P. occelata.

Construction of a high-density reference linkage map of tea (Camellia sinensis).

A few linkage maps of tea have been constructed using pseudo-testcross theory based on dominant marker systems. However, dominant markers are not suitable as landmark markers across a wide range of materials. Therefore, we developed co-dominant SSR markers from genomic DNA and ESTs and constructed a reference map using these co-dominant markers as landmarks. A population of 54 F(1) clones derived from reciprocal crosses between 'Sayamakaori' and 'Kana-Ck17' was used for the linkage analysis. Maps of both parents were constructed from the F(1) population that was taken for BC(1) population. The order of most of the dominant markers in the parental maps was consistent. We constructed a core map by merging the linkage data for markers that detected polymorphisms in both parents. The core map contains 15 linkage groups, which corresponds to the basic chromosome number of tea. The total length of the core map is 1218 cM. Here, we present the reference map as a central core map sandwiched between the parental maps for each linkage group; the combined maps contain 441 SSRs, 7 CAPS, 2 STS and 674 RAPDs. This newly constructed linkage map can be used as a basic reference linkage map of tea.

Effects of soybean peptide on immune function, brain function, and neurochemistry in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: Soybeans, an excellent source of dietary peptides, have beneficial effects on health. We investigated the effect of the soybean peptide on immune function, brain function, and neurochemistry in healthy volunteers. METHODS: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to analyze brain cerebral blood flow. The A and DA levels in the serum were analyzed by ELISA kit. The total number of leukocytes was recorded with a standard counter. Flow cytometry was used to assess lymphocyte subset levels. RESULTS: Cell numbers were upregulated in the group that had fewer leukocytes but downregulated in the group with more leukocytes. For the lymphocyte-rich type, lymphocyte counts tended to decrease, accompanied by an increase in granulocyte numbers. For the granulocyte-rich type, granulocyte counts tended to increase, but lymphocyte counts also increased. The numbers of CD11b(+) cells and CD56(+) cells increased significantly. Soybean peptide decreased the adrenalin level in plasma but increased the level of dopamine. Near-infrared spectroscopy showed significant increases in the amplitudes of θ, α-2, and ß-L frequency bands after the ingestion of peptides. CONCLUSION: Soybean peptides can modulate cellular immune systems, regulate neurotransmitters, and boost brain function.

Mao-to Prolongs the Survival of and Reduces TNF-alpha Expression in Mice with Viral Myocarditis.

Goal of this study was to evaluate effects of Mao-to on development of myocarditis induced by encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus in mice. Mice were randomly divided into five groups. Group N included uninfected controls (n = 18), while group A, B and C underwent intraperitoneal injection of EMC virus. Group A was administered oral saline from day 0 to day 4. Group B was administered oral Mao-to (500 mg(-1) kg(-1) day(-1)) from day 0 to day 4. Group C was administered Mao-to from day 2 to day 6. Group D was administered Mao-to from day 5 to day 10. Treated mice were followed for survival rates during 2 weeks after infection. Body weight (BW) and organ weights including heart (HW), lungs, thymus and spleen were examined on days 4, 6 and 14. Survival rate of group C (36.4%) was significantly improved compared with group A, B or D (0% of each, P < 0.05). HW and HW/BW ratio in group C was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in group A, B or D. Viral titers of hearts were significantly different among groups A, B and C. Cardiac expression in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was significantly reduced in group C in comparison with group A, B or D on day 6 by immunohistochemical study. Administration of Mao-to starting on day 2 improves mortality resulting from viral myocarditis in mice with reduced expression of cardiac TNF-alpha. These findings suggest that timing of Mao-to is crucial for preventing cardiac damage in mice with viral myocarditis.

Aspects of sino-Japan complementary and alternative medicine and development on the traditional uighur medicine.

Two consecutive conferences on 'Sino-Japan Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Development on the Traditional Uighur Medicine' were held in Xinjiang Medical University on July 3 and Kanazawa Medical University on October 6, 2007. The Vice president Halmurat Upur presided over the meeting and gave congratulatory address on holding of the conference. In order to understand mutually and discuss the possibility of the Uighur Medicine as CAM and the situation of medicine in the global sense, specialist scholars of Traditional Uighur Medicine and postgraduates attended this conference. In the meeting of the CAM, the achievements on the research of Traditional Uighur Medicine were exchanged and warmly discussed. Presentations were made in the consecutive conference.

Do Japanese style acupuncture and moxibustion reduce symptoms of the common cold?

We summarize the results from a series of investigations of Japanese style acupuncture and moxibustion therapies on symptoms of the common cold that have been conducted (FTLE 1999-03, supported by the Foundation for Training and Licensure Examination in Anma- Massage- Acupressure, Acupuncture and Moxibustion). We also discuss the various interventions and concerns that we faced during these investigations. The subjects were students and teachers. The pilot study (FTLE1999) of a two arm (real and non-treatment control) RCT at a Japanese acupuncture school showed that manual acupuncture to a specific needling point at the throat clearly reduced symptoms of the common cold. The first multi-center (five centers) RCT (FTLE 2000) revealed a significant reduction in cold symptoms, by general linear model analysis (between groups, P = 0.024). To reduce the technical variation, we employed indirect moxibustion to the neck points as a uniform intervention in the next project (FTLE 2001) without statistically significant results. Then we elongated the periods of treatment from 2 to a maximum of 12 weeks (FTLE 2002) with different interventions accompanied by 4 weeks follow-up. The results were still not statistically significant. As the final project, we tried to develop a new experimental design for individualized intervention by conducting n-of-1 trials using elderly subjects in a health care center but without detecting a clear effect. In conclusion, the safety of Japanese acupuncture or moxibustion was sufficiently demonstrated; however, a series of clinical trials could not offer convincing evidence to recommend the use of Japanese style acupuncture or moxibustion for preventing the common cold. Further studies are required as the present trials had several limitations.

Immobilization stress inhibits intimal fibromuscular proliferation in the process of arterial remodeling in rats.

We investigated role of beta-endorphin (END), which is released by immobilization stress, on intimal fibromuscular proliferation in a rat model of arterial remodeling after intimal injury. The endothelium of the abdominal aorta of Wistar-Kyoto rats was denuded, and the rats were subjected to immobilization stress (6 h/d), which raised the serum concentration of END, and intraperitoneal administration of either END (20 ng/kg/d) or naltrexone (NAL: 4 mg/kg/d). The proliferative activity (PA) of medial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and the intima/media area ratio (R) were determined at 3 and 14 d after denudation, respectively. PA and R were significantly reduced by immobilization (PA: 64.8%, R: 34.6%), and NAL treatment completely reversed the decreases in PA and R. On the other hand, END reduced both PA and R (PA: 21.7% and R: 24.9%), and NAL also reversed the decreases in PA and R. END (20 pg/mL) inhibited both the proliferation (79% at 96 h) and migration (26%) of SMCs cultured with 5% fetal bovine serum in vitro, and NAL (100 microg/mL) reversed the inhibition of both activities. Our results suggest that immobilization stress stimulates the release of endogenous END, which then prevents both proliferation and migration of medial SMCs after intimal injury.

Brain atrophy in a murine model of chronic fatigue syndrome and beneficial effect of Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41).

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with the main symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and neuron apoptosis. Nevertheless, no study has been performed directly to explore the relationship between CFS, BDNF and neuron apoptosis. We induced a CFS model by six injections of killed Brucella abortus antigen in BALB/c mice and treated them with Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41). Daily running activity, body weight (BW), ratio of cerebral weight to BW (CW/BW) and expression levels of BDNF and Bcl-2 mRNA in the hippocampus were determined. The daily activity and CW/BW decreased significantly in the CFS model. BDNF and Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels in the hippocampus were suppressed in the CFS model and TJ-41 treated mice, while no significant difference was found between them. We improved a murine model to investigate the relationship between CFS and brain dysfunction. In this model, reduced daily activity might have been associated with decreased hippocampal BDNF mRNA expression, hippocampal apoptosis and brain atrophy. TJ-41 increased the daily running activity of the model, which was independent of brain recovery.

Characterization of a novel vanadium-binding protein (VBP-129) from blood plasma of the vanadium-rich ascidian Ascidia sydneiensis samea.

The ascidians, the so-called sea squirts, accumulate high levels of vanadium, a transition metal. Since Henze first observed this physiologically unusual phenomenon about one hundred years ago, it has attracted interdisciplinary attention from chemists, physiologists, and biochemists. The maximum concentration of vanadium in ascidians can reach 350 mM, and most of the vanadium ions are stored in the +3 oxidation state in the vacuoles of vanadium-accumulating blood cells known as vanadocytes. Many proteins involved in the accumulation and reduction of vanadium in the vanadocytes, blood plasma, and digestive tract have been identified. However, the process by which vanadium is taken in prior to its accumulation in vanadocytes has not been elucidated. In the present study, a novel vanadium-binding protein, designated VBP-129, was identified from blood plasma of the vanadium-rich ascidian Ascidia sydneiensis samea. Although VBP-129 mRNA was transcribed in all A. sydneiensis samea tissues examined, the VBP-129 protein was exclusively localized in blood plasma and muscle cells of this ascidian. It bound not only to VO(2+) but also to Fe(3+), Co(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+); on the other hand, a truncated form of VBP-129, designated VBP-88, bound only to Co(2+), Cu(2+) and Zn(2+). In a pull-down assay, an interaction between VanabinP and VBP-129 occurred both in the presence and the absence of VO(2+). These results suggest that VBP-129 and VanabinP function cooperatively as metallochaperones in blood plasma.

Laboratory culture of the Oriental lancelet Branchiostoma belcheri.

To overcome difficulties in getting research materials of cephalochordate lancelets, which has severely hampered experimental studies of this animal, we have attempted to establish a culture system in the laboratory. Adult animals collected from the wild were maintained in 2.5-L plastic containers filled with natural seawater without sand substratum. They were fed daily with unicellular algae. About 25% of the animals collected in 2003, 2004, and 2005 developed gonads in our culture system. Some of the sexually mature animals collected in the breeding seasons in 2005 and 2006 spawned spontaneously in the plastic containers of this system. Broods obtained in 2005 were maintained longer than a year in a glass tank without sand substratum. The progeny born in the laboratory showed great individual variation in growth but metamorphosed normally, and some of them started to develop gonads around 10 months after fertilization. Our mass culture methods for both adults and their progeny made daily observation possible and allowed the constant spawning of animals collected from the wild, at least in the summer season. Our culture method saves labor in maintenance and is easily set up without any specific demands except for running seawater, though still required to better survival rate and spawning control. Lancelet populations maintained in the laboratory can promote studies on these animals across disciplines and especially contribute to elucidation of the evolutionary history of chordates.

Acupuncture regulates leukocyte subpopulations in human peripheral blood.

Acupuncture has recently been attracting more and more people throughout the world as an alternative treatment, however little is known about its physiological activities (i.e. immune system). We examined acupuncture both quantitatively and qualitatively by measuring CD-positive cell counts and cytokine expression levels in the blood, to determine the activity of T cells, B cells, macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. Fifteen milliliters of peripheral blood obtained from 17 healthy volunteers aged 21-51 years, were analyzed using flow cytometry before and after acupuncture treatment. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of CD2(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD11b(+), CD16(+), CD19(+), CD56(+) cells as well as IL-4, IL-1beta and IFN-gamma levels in the cells after acupuncture stimulation of meridian points. These observations indicate that acupuncture may regulate the immune system and promote the activities of humoral and cellular immunity as well as NK cell activity. In this article, we discussed how acupuncture regulated leukocyte numbers and functions since they are considered to be potential indicators for evaluating complementary and alternative medicine.

Larval development of the oriental lancelet, Branchiostoma belcheri, in laboratory mass culture.

We are successfully maintaining a laboratory colony of the lancelet Branchiostoma belcheri bred in the laboratory. Based on living individuals in this mass culture, morphological characteristics from the seven-day larval to benthic juvenile stages have been studied. Most striking was that later larval development of B. belcheri showed great individual variation even in a rather stable culture environment. Metamorphosis first occurred on 60 days post fertilization (dpf) and was continuously observed throughout the present study up to 100 dpf. Morphological traits such as the number of primary gill slits and body size at the start of metamorphosis are apparently affected by culture condition. Body size measured in the largest individuals showed nearly linear growth at 0.087 mm/day. The variability found in larval development calls for caution when developmental stages and chronological ages are compared between populations. However, the developmental flexibility of this animal also raises the possibility that growth and sexual maturation could be controlled artificially in captivity.

Localization of vanabins, vanadium-binding proteins, in the blood cells of the vanadium-rich ascidian, Ascidia sydneiensis samea.

Some species of the family Ascidiidae accumulate vanadium in concentrations in excess of 350 mM, which is about 10 (7)-fold higher than the concentration of vanadium in seawater. In these species, signet ring cells with a single large vacuole in which vanadium ions are contained function as vanadium-accumulating cells. These have been termed vanadocytes. We recently isolated five vanadium-binding proteins, which we named Vanabin1, Vanabin2, Vanabin3, Vanabin4, and VanabinP, from vanadocytes of the vanadium-rich ascidian Ascidia sydneiensis samea. In this study, we analyzed localization of the Vanabins in the blood cells of A. sydneiensis samea using monoclonal antibodies and confocal microscopy. The Vanabin1 and Vanabin2 proteins were found in the cytoplasm and/or in some organelles of vanadocytes. Vanabin3 was also detected in the cytoplasm, while Vanabin4 was found exclusively in the cytoplasmic membrane.