School mental healthcare services using internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for young male athletes in Japan.

AIM: Preventive intervention and treatment using internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) can be easily administered to school students, as they are quite familiar with internet tools. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and contribution of iCBT to mental healthcare in a school setting. METHODS: Eighty Japanese high school boys who were participating in a sports specialist course were enrolled in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to either the iCBT intervention group or the control group. Both programmes were administered for 4 weeks. To evaluate the effects, physical and mental health problems and self-efficacy were assessed. RESULTS: The mean number of times that the iCBT website was accessed during the intervention period was 16.9, and the mean access frequency (percentage of the number of times the website was accessed during the intervention period) was 40.1% in the iCBT group. A statistically significant interaction between group and time in favour of the iCBT group was observed based on the Kessler-6 (K6) scale for depression and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a school mental healthcare programme using iCBT is suitable for students and useful for coping with stress and reducing depressed mood and anxiety in young people, especially athletes, who are regarded as needing special mental health support.

PLENTY, a hydroxyproline O-arabinosyltransferase, negatively regulates root nodule symbiosis in Lotus japonicus.

Legumes can survive in nitrogen-deficient environments by forming root-nodule symbioses with rhizobial bacteria; however, forming nodules consumes energy, and nodule numbers must thus be strictly controlled. Previous studies identified major negative regulators of nodulation in Lotus japonicus, including the small peptides CLAVATA3/ESR (CLE)-RELATED-ROOT SIGNAL1 (CLE-RS1), CLE-RS2, and CLE-RS3, and their putative major receptor HYPERNODULATION AND ABERRANT ROOT FORMATION1 (HAR1). CLE-RS2 is known to be expressed in rhizobia-inoculated roots, and is predicted to be post-translationally arabinosylated, a modification essential for its activity. Moreover, all three CLE-RSs suppress nodulation in a HAR1-dependent manner. Here, we identified PLENTY as a gene responsible for the previously isolated hypernodulation mutant plenty. PLENTY encoded a hydroxyproline O-arabinosyltransferase orthologous to ROOT DETERMINED NODULATION1 in Medicago truncatula. PLENTY was localized to the Golgi, and an in vitro analysis of the recombinant protein demonstrated its arabinosylation activity, indicating that CLE-RS1/2/3 may be substrates for PLENTY. The constitutive expression experiments showed that CLE-RS3 was the major candidate substrate for PLENTY, suggesting the substrate preference of PLENTY for individual CLE-RS peptides. Furthermore, a genetic analysis of the plenty har1 double mutant indicated the existence of another PLENTY-dependent and HAR1-independent pathway negatively regulating nodulation.

Too much love, a novel Kelch repeat-containing F-box protein, functions in the long-distance regulation of the legume-Rhizobium symbiosis.

The interaction of legumes with N2-fixing bacteria collectively called rhizobia results in root nodule development. The number of nodules formed is tightly restricted through the systemic negative feedback control by the host called autoregulation of nodulation (AON). Here, we report the characterization and gene identification of TOO MUCH LOVE (TML), a root factor that acts during AON in a model legume Lotus japonicus. In our genetic analyses using another root-regulated hypernodulation mutant, plenty, the tml-1 plenty double mutant showed additive effects on the nodule number, whereas the tml-1 har1-7 double mutant did not, suggesting that TML and PLENTY act in different genetic pathways and that TML and HAR1 act in the same genetic pathway. The systemic suppression of nodule formation by CLE-RS1/RS2 overexpression was not observed in the tml mutant background, indicating that TML acts downstream of CLE-RS1/RS2. The tml-1 Snf2 double mutant developed an excessive number of spontaneous nodules, indicating that TML inhibits nodule organogenesis. Together with the determination of the deleted regions in tml-1/-2/-3, the fine mapping of tml-4 and the next-generation sequencing analysis, we identified a nonsense mutation in the Kelch repeat-containing F-box protein. As the gene knockdown of the candidate drastically increased the number of nodules, we concluded that it should be the causative gene. An expression analysis revealed that TML is a root-specific gene. In addition, the activity of ProTML-GUS was constitutively detected in the root tip and in the nodules/nodule primordia upon rhizobial infection. In conclusion, TML is a root factor acting at the final stage of AON.

[Successful treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia complicated with autoimmune hepatitis-induced portal hypertension with all-trans retinoic acid].

A 35-year-old man admitted to the hospital for oral hemorrhage was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Remission from APL was achieved by induction therapy with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA); the PML/RARA fusion gene was not detected on PCR analysis. Despite complete molecular remission, severe persistent pancytopenia, massive ascites, and renal failure were observed. The liver surface appeared rough and irregular on computed tomographic images. On the basis of the liver biopsy results, we diagnosed his condition as portal hypertension due to autoimmune hepatitis. Indocyanine green test showed good residual function of the liver, and therefore, 2 courses of consolidation therapy were administered; chemotherapy was stopped because of severe pancytopenia due to portal hypertension. Instead of continuing the consolidation therapy, maintenance therapy involving 8 rounds of ATRA monotherapy (45 mg/m(2), days1∼14) was initiated. Portal hypertension did not progress further with this maintenance therapy and therefore it was continued. The patient has been in remission from APL ever since, and no relapses have occurred since the past 5 years. These results suggest that ATRA can be used for long-term therapy in such cases.

Two CLE genes are induced by phosphate in roots of Lotus japonicus.

Genes of CLE (CLAVATA3/ESR-related) family encode peptide ligands that regulate plant development in response to external stimuli such as rhizobial infection and the nitrate application as well as various internal stimuli. To investigate whether LjCLE gene(s) may involve in plant response to inorganic phosphate (Pi), we analyzed Pi responses of 39 LjCLE genes in hydroponically grown Lotus japonicus plants (ecotype Miyakojima 'MG-20'). Two LjCLE genes, LjCLE19 and 20, were up-regulated specifically and greatly in roots of L. japonicus by Pi addition to the hydroponic solution. When the external Pi level increased, expressions of LjCLE19 and 20 increased before the increase in the Pi content in plants. On the other hand, when the external Pi level decreased, the Pi content in plants decreased first, then expression levels of LjCLE19 and 20 decreased. Based on our results, we discuss the relationship between LjCLE19 and 20 and the tissue Pi levels in plants. This is the first report showing induction of specific CLE genes by phosphate.

plenty, a novel hypernodulation mutant in Lotus japonicus.

Nitrogen fixation in nodules that contain symbiotic rhizobial bacteria enables legumes to thrive in nitrogen-poor soils. However, this symbiosis is energy consuming. Therefore, legumes strictly control nodulation at both local and systemic levels. Mutants deficient in such controls exhibit a range of phenotypes from non-nodulation to hypernodulation. Here, we isolated a novel hypernodulation mutant from the M(2) progeny derived from Lotus japonicus MG-20 seeds mutagenized by irradiation with a carbon ion beam. We named the mutant 'plenty' because it formed more nodules than the wild-type MG-20. The nodulation zone in the plenty mutant was wider than that in the wild type, but not as enhanced as those in other previously reported hypernodulation mutants such as har1, klv or tml of L. japonicus. Unlike these hypernodulation mutants, the plenty mutant developed nodules of the same size as MG-20. Overall, the plenty mutant exhibited a unique phenotype of moderate hypernodulation. However, a biomass assay indicated that this unique pattern of hypernodulation was a hindrance to host plant growth. The plenty mutant displayed some tolerance to external nitrates and a normal triple response to ethylene. Grafting experiments demonstrated that the root of plenty was responsible for its hypernodulation phenotype. Genetic mapping indicated that the PLENTY gene was located on chromosome 2.

Antihypertensive effects of Brazilian propolis: identification of caffeoylquinic acids as constituents involved in the hypotension in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Brazilian propolis was extracted with water or various concentrations of ethanol and were administered orally to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and the effects on blood pressure and heart rate were determined. Single oral administration of 100 mg/kg of propolis extracts decreased the blood pressure in SHR. Significant decrease in blood pressure was observed with propolis extracted with 25 and 70% ethanol. SHR were given orally 5 mg/kg of propolis extracted with 25 or 70% ethanol, twice a day for 28 d and the effects on blood pressure and heart rate were compared with control rats. While the blood pressure in the control group increased day by day, the increase was slower in rats treated with 25 and 70% ethanol extracts of propolis. The hypotensive activity of propolis extracted with 25% ethanol was more significant compared with control group than with 70% ethanol. Di- and tri-caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) were found to be characteristic components of propolis extracted with 25% ethanol. A single oral administration of 3,4-diCQA, 3,5-diCQA, and 3,4,5-triCQA each at a dose of 10 mg/kg were conducted in SHR. These three components were found to have antihypertensive effects and therefore contribute to the antihypertensive effects of propolis extract. These results suggest that 25% ethanol extract of propolis is useful for prevention and treatment of hypertension.

Effects of propolis on cell growth and gene expression in HL-60 cells.

Brazilian propolis obtained from honeybee hives was extracted with water or ethanol. Cell growth-inhibitory activities of these propolis extracts were found in HL-60 human myeloid leukemia cells. The extracts-induced apoptosis in the cells, which was characterized by morphological and nucleosomal DNA fragmentation analysis. The apoptosis was mainly attributed to the induction of granulocytic differentiation, which was evaluated by nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) reducing assays and cytofluorometric analysis for the expression of cell surface marker CD11b. DNA microarray analysis was performed to examine the gene expression profiles in the propolis-treated HL-60 cells accompanied with granulocytic differentiation, which were compared with those in all-trans retinoic acid-treated cells. Several genes were up- or down-regulated. Two genes encoding S100 calcium binding protein A9 and ferritin, heavy polypeptide 1 were up-regulated, which were also confirmed by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). Propolis-induced growth inhibition in HL-60 cells was, at least in part, due to differentiation with gene expression profiles, which are similar to those induced by all-trans retinoic acid.

Peroxotungstate immobilized on ionic liquid-modified silica as a heterogeneous epoxidation catalyst with hydrogen peroxide.

Peroxotungstate immobilized on ionic liquid-modified SiO2 is capable of heterogeneously epoxidizing a wide range of olefins with the maintenance of the catalytic activity of homogeneous analogue. The epoxidation was immediately stopped by the removal of the catalyst, and no tungsten species could be found in the filtrate after the removal of the catalyst. These results can rule out any contribution to the observed catalysis from the tungsten species that leached into the reaction solution, and the observed catalysis is truly heterogeneous in nature. Furthermore, the catalyst was reusable without the loss of the catalytic performance.

Antihypertensive effect of peptides from royal jelly in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We have shown that Protease N treated Royal Jelly (ProRJ) and peptides from ProRJ (Ile-Tyr (IY), Val-Tyr (VY), Ile-Val-Tyr (IVY)) inhibited angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and they have an antihypertensive effect in repeated oral administration for 28 d on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We investigated the contributive ratio of these peptides in ProRJ for antihypertensive effect in single oral administration on SHR. In single oral administration of each peptide and peptides mixture (MIX; IY, VY and IVY) at doses of 0.5, 1 and 10 mg/kg, systolic blood pressure (SBP) of SHR was reduced dose-dependently. This antihypertensive effect was held for 8 h. These results suggest that peptides contributed to the antihypertensive effect of ProRJ. And the contributive ratio of MIX in ProRJ for antihypertensive effect was computed to be about 38%. Therefore it is considered that intake of peptides, as a functional food would be beneficial for improving blood pressure in people with hypertension.