Platypnea-Orthodeoxia: An Effective Diagnostic Tool for Hepatopulmonary Syndrome With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) shows progressive dyspnea resulting from intrapulmonary atrioventricular shunts in liver cirrhosis. The comorbidity of chronic lung disease often hampers the diagnosis of progressive dyspnea in patients with HPS. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to the determination of dyspnea is required. Here, this case report shows that a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and alcoholic liver cirrhosis was diagnosed with HPS after admission due to worsening dyspnea. Although COPD exacerbation was initially suspected because of the long history of smoking, physical examinations, laboratory findings, and imaging data, dyspnea remained after recovery from worsening respiratory failure. HPS was suspected due to the absence of increased CO2 levels and the presence of platypnea-orthodeoxia. We diagnosed the intrapulmonary arteriovenous shunt with microbubble-contrast echocardiography and technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin scintigraphy. Therefore, this case highlighted that HPS rather than COPD was suspected of hypoxemia associated with repositioning for the differential diagnosis of dyspnea.

Proposal for a new method for sustainable and advanced utilization of oil palm trunk waste.

A method to more easily separate vascular bundles and parenchyma was investigated for the purpose of proposing a sustainable and advanced utilization of oil palm trunk (OPT). In addition, particleboard made from vascular bundles was produced as one of the effective ways to utilize the obtained vascular bundles. The following results were obtained. A Zephyr rolling equipment was used for separation, and it was found that the vascular bundles could be easily separated with the veneer in a dry state. SEM observations showed that the vascular bundles could be separated while maintaining the tissue structure. However, some parenchyma remained on the surface of the vascular bundles. The presence of starch was also confirmed within the parenchyma. Particleboard was produced using the separated vascular bundles. The MOR and MOE of the three-layered particleboards with long vascular bundles obtained by Zephyr treatment were about 74.2 MPa and 7.3 GPa, respectively, which are much higher than those of previous wood materials made from OPTs. These results may be the result of extracting the potential of vascular bundles.

Alcohol Consumption in Combination with an Atherogenic Diet Increased Indices of Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E/Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Double-Knockout Mice.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol abuse and adherence to atherogenic diet (AD; a low-carbohydrate-high-protein diet) have been positively associated with cardiovascular disease. In addition, it has been demonstrated clinically that dietary intake is increased on days when alcohol is consumed. Here, the additive effects of ethanol (EtOH) and AD on atherosclerosis, a major underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, were investigated in apolipoprotein E/low-density lipoprotein receptor double-knockout (KO) mice. The mechanisms, especially aortic oxidative stress damage, were highlighted. METHODS: Twelve-week-old male KO mice on AD with or without EtOH treatment were bred for 4 months. Age-matched male C57BL/6J mice on a standard chow diet without EtOH treatment served as controls. Analyses were conducted using ultrasound biomicroscopy, histopathological and fluorescence immunohistochemical examinations, Western blots, and polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: KO mice on AD with EtOH treatment showed increases in aortic maximum intima media thickness, hypoechoic plaque formation, and mean Oil-Red-O content. These results were associated with enhanced ratio of aortic 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)-immunopositive area to the metallothionein (MT) immunopositive area and suppression of AD-induced up-regulated aortic Mt1, Mt2, and upstream stimulatory factor 1 mRNA expressions. Moreover, 8-OHdG was expressed in the nuclei of CD31- and alpha smooth muscle actin-immunopositive cells, and the up-regulated mRNA expressions of aortic nitric oxide synthase 3 and platelet-derived growth factors were only observed in the KO mice on AD with EtOH treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol abuse and adherence to AD may promote the shift of aortic oxidative stress and antioxidative stress balance toward oxidative stress predominance and reduced antioxidative stress, which may be partly due to the decrease in MT at the cell biological level and down-regulation of Mt at the gene level, which in turn could play a role in the up-regulation of endothelial dysfunction-related and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation-related gene expression and the progression of atherosclerosis in mice with hyperlipidemia.

Adsorption characteristics of sulfur solution by acticarbon against drinking-water toxicosis.

Sulfur and ammonia nitrogen are rich nutrient pollutants, after entering water can cause algal blooms, cause eutrophication of water body, the spread of them will not only pollute the environment, destroy the ecological balance, but also harm human health through food chain channels, especially drinking-water toxicosis. Acticarbon can adsorb harmful substances, it was beneficial for people's health. In order to figure out the optimal adsorption condition and the intrinsic change of acticarbon, five chemicals were adsorbed by acticarbon and analyzed by FT-IR. The optimal adsorption condition of Fe2(SO4)3, Na2SO4, Na2S2O8, S and Na2SO3 was 9 g/1000 g at 80 min, 21 g/1000 g at 20 min, 15g/1000 g at 20 min, 21 g/1000 g at 60 min and 21 g/1000 g at 100 min, respectively. FT-IR spectra showed that acticarbon had eight characteristic peaks, such as S-S stretch, H2O stretch, O-H stretch, -C-H stretch, C[bond, double bond]O or C[bond, double bond]C stretch, CH2 bend, C-H were at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 3435 cm-1, 2925 cm-1, 1630 cm-1, 1390 cm-1, 1115 cm-1, 600 cm-1, respectively. For FT-IR spectra of Fe2(SO4)3, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 2925 cm-1 achieved the maximum with 9 g/1000 g at 20 min. For Na2SO4, the peaks at 2925 cm-1, 1630 cm-1, 1390 cm-1, 1115 cm-1, 600 cm-1 achieved the maximum with 21 g/1000 g at 120 min. For ones of Na2S2O8, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 1390 cm-1, 1115 cm-1, 600 cm-1, achieved the maximum with 2 g/1000 g at 80 min. For ones of S, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 2925 cm-1 achieved the maximum with 19 g/1000 g at 100 min, the peaks at 1390 cm-1, 1115 cm-1, 600 cm-1 achieved the maximum with 19 g/1000 g at 20 min. For FT-IR spectra of Na2SO3, the peaks at 1630 cm-1, 1390 cm-1, 1115 cm-1, 600 cm-1 achieved the maximum with 2 g/1000 g at 100 min. It provided that acticarbon could adsorb and desulphurize from sulfur solution against drinking-water toxicosis.

Characteristics of activated carbon remove sulfur particles against smog.

Sulfur particles, which could cause diseases, were the main powder of smog. And activated carbon had the very adsorption characteristics. Therefore, five sulfur particles were adsorbed by activated carbon and were analyzed by FT-IR. The optimal adsorption time were 120 min of Na2SO3, 120 min of Na2S2O8, 120 min of Na2SO4, 120 min of Fe2(SO4)3 and 120 min of S. FT-IR spectra showed that activated carbon had the eight characteristic absorption of S-S stretch, H2O stretch, O-H stretch, -C-H stretch, conjugated C[bond, double bond]O stretch or C[bond, double bond]C stretch, CH2 bend, C-O stretch and acetylenic C-H bend vibrations at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 3430 cm-1, 2920 cm-1, 1630 cm-1, 1390 cm-1, 1110 cm-1 and 600 cm-1, respectively. For Na2SO3, the peaks at 2920 cm-1, 1630 cm-1, 1390 cm-1 and 1110 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 20 min. For Na2S2O8, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1 and 2920 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 60 min. The peaks at 1390 cm-1, 1110 cm-1 and 600 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 40 min. For Na2SO4, the peaks at 3430 cm-1, 2920 cm-1, 1630 cm-1, 1390 cm-1, 1110 cm-1 and 600 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 60 min. For Fe2(SO4)3, the peaks at 1390 cm-1, 1110 cm-1 and 600 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 20 min. For S, the peaks at 1630 cm-1, 1390 cm-1 and 600 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 120 min. It provided that activated carbon could remove sulfur particles from smog air to restrain many anaphylactic diseases.

Adsorption characteristics of sulfur powder by bamboo charcoal to restrain sulfur allergies.

Exposures to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM2.5) may influence the risk of birth defects and make you allergic, which causes serious harm to human health. Bamboo charcoal can adsorb harmful substances,that was of benefitto people's health. In order to figure out the optimal adsorbtion condition and the intrinsic change of bamboo charcoal, five chemicals were adsorbed by bamboo charcoal and were analyzed by FT-IR. The optimal blast time was 80 min of Na2SO3, 100 min of Na2S2O8, 20 min of Na2SO4, 120 min of Fe2(SO4)3 and 60 min or 100 min of S. FT-IR spectra showed that bamboo charcoal had five characteristic peaks of S-S stretch, H2O stretch, O-H stretch, C[bond, double bond]O stretch or C[bond, double bond]C stretch, and NO2 stretch at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 3430 cm-1, 1630 cm-1 and 1530 cm-1, respectively. For Na2SO3, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 3430 cm-1, 1630 cm-1 and 1530 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 20 min. For Na2S2O8, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 3430 cm-1 and 1530 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 40 min. For Na2SO4, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1 and 1530 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 40 min. For Fe2(SO4)3, the peaks at 3850 cm-1, 3740 cm-1, 1630 cm-1 and 1530 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 120 min. For S, the peaks at 3850 cm-1 and 3740 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 40 min, the peaks at 1630 cm-1 and 1530 cm-1 achieved the maximum at 40 min. It proved that bamboo charcoal could remove sulfur powder from air to restrain sulfur allergies.

Desulphurization characteristics of bamboo charcoal from sulfur solution.

Sulfur powder and sulfur dioxide (SO2) often floated in air, produced acid rain and algal blooms, and could cause diseases. Bamboo charcoal could have adsorption and filtration properties. In order to figure out the optimal adsorption condition and the intrinsic change of the bamboo charcoal, five chemicals were adsorbed by bamboo charcoal and were analyzed by FT-IR. Fe2(SO4)3's, Na2SO4's, Na2S2O8's, S's, and Na2SO3's optimal adsorption condition was the concentration of 19 g/1000 g and stir time of 20 min, 21 g/1000 g and stir time of 60 min, 7 g/1000 g and stir time of 120 min, 11 g/1000 g and stir time of 120 min, 21 g/1000 g and stir time of 60 min, respectively. FT-IR spectra showed that for FT-IR spectra of Fe2(SO4)3, the transmissivity of the peaks at 3435 cm-1 and 2925 cm-1 achieved the maximum for 60 min and the concentration was 19 g/1000 g, the transmissivity of the peaks at 1630 cm-1, 1060 cm-1 and 660 cm-1 achieved the maximum for 60 min and the concentration was 7 g/1000 g. For FT-IR spectra of Na2SO4, the transmissivity of the peaks at 1630 cm-1, 1060 cm-1 and 660 cm-1 achieved the maximum for 20 min and the concentration was 13 g/1000 g. For FT-IR spectra of Na2S2O8, the transmissivity of the peaks at 3435 cm-1, 2925 cm-1, 1630 cm-1 and 1060 cm-1 achieved the maximum for 120 min and the concentration was 19 g/1000 g. For FT-IR spectra of S, the transmissivity of the peaks at 3435 cm-1, 2925 cm-1, 1630 cm-1 and 1060 cm-1 achieved the maximum for 20 min and the concentration was 11 g/1000 g, 17 g/1000 g and 21 g/1000 g. For FT-IR spectra of Na2SO3, the transmissivity of the peaks at 3435 cm-1 achieved the maximum for 120 min and the concentration was 5 g/1000 g, the transmissivity of the peaks at 2925 cm-1, 1630 cm-1 and 1060 cm-1 achieved the maximum for 120 min and the concentration was 11 g/1000 g. In these states, the number of the transmissivity of the maximum peaks is the largest.

Molecular characteristics of extractives of Hylocereus undulates stems.

As one of traditional and dominant species of famous fruits in South China, Hylocereus undulates is considered as the important fruit resources, however, the constituent properties of Hylocereus undulates stems have not been known. Therefore, the molecular characteristics of extracts from Hylocereus undulates stems are studied to further utilize the resources. The result showed that there were many toxic substances in the extracts of Hylocereus undulates stems, suggesting that Hylocereus undulates stems should not be used as food. FTIR spectra showed that there were many active groups in the extracts of Hylocereus undulates stems, suggesting that Hylocereus undulates stems contain many bioactive substances. The result indicated that the extracts of H. undulates stems have huge potential resources.

Degradation and synthesis of ß-glucans by a Magnaporthe oryzae endotransglucosylase, a member of the glycoside hydrolase 7 family.

BACKGROUND: Plant pathogens secrete enzymes that degrade plant cell walls to enhance infection and nutrient acquisition. RESULTS: A novel endotransglucosylase catalyzes cleavage and transfer of ß-glucans and decreases the physical strength of plant cell walls. CONCLUSION: Endotransglucosylation causes depolymerization and polymerization of ß-glucans, depending on substrate molecular size. SIGNIFICANCE: Enzymatic degradation of plant cell walls is required for wall loosening, which enhances pathogen invasion. A Magnaporthe oryzae enzyme, which was encoded by the Mocel7B gene, was predicted to act on 1,3-1,4-ß-glucan degradation and transglycosylation reaction of cellotriose after partial purification from a culture filtrate of M. oryzae cells, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A recombinant MoCel7B prepared by overexpression in M. oryzae exhibited endo-typical depolymerization of polysaccharides containing ß-1,4-linkages, in which 1,3-1,4-ß-glucan was the best substrate. When cellooligosaccharides were used as the substrate, the recombinant enzyme generated reaction products with both shorter and longer chain lengths than the substrate. In addition, incorporation of glucose and various oligosaccharides including sulforhodamine-conjugated cellobiose, laminarioligosaccharides, gentiobiose, xylobiose, mannobiose, and xyloglucan nonasaccharide into ß-1,4-linked glucans were observed after incubation with the enzyme. These results indicate that the recombinant enzyme acts as an endotransglucosylase (ETG) that cleaves the glycosidic bond of ß-1,4-glucan as a donor substrate and transfers the cleaved glucan chain to another molecule functioning as an acceptor substrate. Furthermore, ETG treatment caused greater extension of heat-treated wheat coleoptiles. The result suggests that ETG functions to induce wall loosening by cleaving the 1,3-1,4-ß-glucan tethers of plant cell walls. On the other hand, use of cellohexaose as a substrate for ETG resulted in the production of cellulose II with a maximum length (degree of polymerization) of 26 glucose units. Thus, ETG functions to depolymerize and polymerize ß-glucans, depending on the size of the acceptor substrate.

Enhancement of growth and cellulose accumulation by overexpression of xyloglucanase in poplar.

Because the loosening of xyloglucan in the cell wall promotes plant growth (Takeda et al. (2002) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99, 9055-9060; Park et al. (2003) Plant J. 33, 1099-1106), we expressed Aspergillus xyloglucanase constitutively in Populus alba. The expression increased the length of stem even in the presence of sucrose. Increased stem growth was accompanied by a decrease in Young's elastic modulus in the growth zone but an increased elasticity in mature tissue. The increased internode length corresponded to an increase in cellulose content as well as specific gravity, showing that the removal of xyloglucan might cause an increase in cellulose density in the secondary xylem.

Enhancement of growth by expression of poplar cellulase in Arabidopsis thaliana.

To study the role of cellulose and cellulase in plant growth, we expressed poplar cellulase (PaPopCel1) constitutively in Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression increased the size of the rosettes due to increased cell size. The change in growth was accompanied by changes in biomechanical properties due to cell wall structure indicative of decrease in xyloglucan cross-linked with cellulose microfibrils by chemical analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. The result supports the concept that the paracrystalline sites of cellulose microfibrils are attacked by poplar cellulase to loosen xyloglucan intercalation and this irreversible wall modification promotes the enlargement of plant cells.

Suppression and acceleration of cell elongation by integration of xyloglucans in pea stem segments.

Xyloglucan is a key polymer in the walls of growing plant cells. Using split pea stem segments and stem segments from which the epidermis had been peeled off, we demonstrate that the integration of xyloglucan mediated by the action of wall-bound xyloglucan endotransglycosylase suppressed cell elongation, whereas that of its fragment oligosaccharide accelerated it. Whole xyloglucan was incorporated into the cell wall and induced the rearrangement of cortical microtubules from transverse to longitudinal; in contrast, the oligosaccharide solubilized xyloglucan from the cell wall and maintained the microtubules in a transverse orientation. This paper proposes that xyloglucan metabolism controls the elongation of plant cells.