Characterization of oil-producing yeast Lipomyces starkeyi on glycerol carbon source based on metabolomics and 13C-labeling.

Lipomyces starkeyi is an oil-producing yeast that can produce triacylglycerol (TAG) from glycerol as a carbon source. The TAG was mainly produced after nitrogen depletion alongside reduced cell proliferation. To obtain clues for enhancing the TAG production, cell metabolism during the TAG-producing phase was characterized by metabolomics with 13C labeling. The turnover analysis showed that the time constants of intermediates from glycerol to pyruvate (Pyr) were large, whereas those of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates were much smaller than that of Pyr. Surprisingly, the time constants of intermediates in gluconeogenesis and the pentose phosphate (PP) pathway were large, suggesting that a large amount of the uptaken glycerol was metabolized via the PP pathway. To synthesize fatty acids that make up TAG from acetyl-CoA (AcCoA), 14 molecules of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) per C16 fatty acid molecule are required. Because the oxidative PP pathway generates NADPH, this pathway would contribute to supply NADPH for fatty acid synthesis. To confirm that the oxidative PP pathway can supply the NADPH required for TAG production, flux analysis was conducted based on the measured specific rates and mass balances. Flux analysis revealed that the NADPH necessary for TAG production was supplied by metabolizing 48.2% of the uptaken glycerol through gluconeogenesis and the PP pathway. This result was consistent with the result of the 13C-labeling experiment. Furthermore, comparison of the actual flux distribution with the ideal flux distribution for TAG production suggested that it is necessary to flow more dihydroxyacetonephosphate (DHAP) through gluconeogenesis to improve TAG yield.

Dammarane-type triterpene extracts of Panax notoginseng root ameliorates hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity by enhancing glucose uptake in skeletal muscle.

Skeletal muscle is an important organ for controlling the development of type 2 diabetes. We discovered Panax notoginseng roots as a candidate to improve hyperglycemia through in vitro muscle cells screening test. Saponins are considered as the active ingredients of ginseng. However, in the body, saponins are converted to dammarane-type triterpenes, which may account for the anti-hyperglycemic activity. We developed a method for producing a dammarane-type triterpene extract (DTE) from Panax notoginseng roots and investigated the extract's potential anti-hyperglycemic activity. We found that DTE had stronger suppressive activity on blood glucose levels than the saponin extract (SE) did in KK-Ay mice. Additionally, DTE improved oral glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, glucose uptake, and Akt phosphorylation in skeletal muscle. These results suggest that DTE is a promising agent for controlling hyperglycemia by enhancing glucose uptake in skeletal muscle.

Adenocarcinoma with peritoneal dissemination secondary to multiple mature teratomas of the omentum.

BACKGROUND: Teratomas of the greater omentum are rare. In most cases, they are composed of mature tissue elements and behave clinically in a benign fashion. CASE: A 62-year-old woman with a history of bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy due to ectopic pregnancy was found to have multiple cystic teratomas of the omentum. There was a histologic evidence of a sequential transition from benign through borderline to obviously invasive adenocarcinoma within the lining of the cysts as well as peritoneal dissemination. CONCLUSION: We defined the present case as malignant transformation of a mature teratoma, but have no evidence whatsoever for the origin of multiple mature teratomas. Further detailed analyses with more elaborated procedures on many relevant reports would be required to establish the origin and biologic behavior of teratomas of the omentum.

[Neurotoxicity of weekly TP (weekly paclitaxel + consecutive low-dose CDDP) therapy].

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate drug-induced neurotoxicity with combination consecutive low-dose CDDP (CLD-CDDP) and weekly paclitaxel in comparison with TJ therapy. Neurotoxicity was judged according to accumulative scores on questionnaires. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Weekly TP therapy (CDDP: 10 mg/m2, days 1-7, paclitaxel: 60-80 mg/m2, days 1, 8, 15) and TJ therapy (paclitaxel: 170-180 mg/m2, 3 hours, carboplatin AUC 4-5) were given to 24 subjects in 57 courses and 19 subjects in 30 courses as previously reported, respectively. RESULTS: 1. Significant differences were found in numbness accumulative scores (p = 0.011) between weekly TP and TJ therapy, but not in pain accumulative scores (p = 0.926) between weekly TP and TJ therapy. 2. Peak pain at days 3-4 of paclitaxel that appeared during TJ therapy disappeared during weekly TP therapy, while numbness persisted to a lesser extent with weekly TP therapy than with TJ therapy. 3. Numbness was observed to accumulate in some subjects but not in others during weekly TP therapy. CONCLUSION: The patients' subjective symptoms were able to be objectively evaluated with the questionnaires. Weekly paclitaxel was observed to reduce neurotoxicity, which might be reinforced in combination with CDDP.

Experimental study on drag acting on piles in ground flowing by soil liquefaction

This paper presents results of large-scale shaking table tests on ground flow and piles in flowing ground which were conducted to investigate the influence of the slope length on ground flow and simplified model tests to investigate the relation between liquefaction potential and the drag acting on piles in flowing soils.(AU)