Moore, G. F., Taira, A., Klaus, A., Becker, L., Boeckel, B., Cragg, B. A., Dean, A., Fergusson, C. L., Henry, P., Hirano, S., Hisamitsu, T. et al. (2001). New insights into deformation and fluid flow processes in the Nankai Trough accretionary prism: Results of Ocean Drilling Program Leg 190. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2, Article No: 2001GC000166.The Nankai Trough accretionary prism is considered an ?end-member? prism accreting a coarse terrigenous sediment section in a setting with structural simplicity, unparalleled resolution by seismic and other geophysical techniques, and large historic earthquakes. It therefore has been the focus of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drilling to address several unresolved questions concerning accretionary processes and prism evolution. At six sites cored along two transects across the Nankai Trough accretionary prism during ODP Leg 190, lithostratigraphy and sediment diagenesis vary markedly. For the first time, reference sites at the seaward ends of the two transects defined the stratigraphic framework of the accreting/subducting Shikoku Basin sedimentary section. A thick section of Miocene turbidites and smectite-rich mudstone is present within the subducting section at the Ashizuri site. The turbidites and mudstones are absent in the correlative section at the Muroto site; variations in lithology, mineralogy, and hydrologic properties of the incoming sediments probably contribute to the difference in prism wedge taper between the two transects, while possibly controlling the seismic character of the active plate boundary. The d?collement in both transects is localized within a common stratigraphic unit (?5.9?7 Ma) within the lower Shikoku Basin facies. The d?collement is also a major boundary for both physical and mechanical properties. A broad low-chloride pore water anomaly in the lower Shikoku Basin unit, first identified at Site 808, progressively decreases in magnitude from prism to basin along the Muroto Transect. Physical properties relationships, evidence for mineralogic changes in the sediments, and pore fluid chemistry suggest that the chloride anomaly results primarily from in situ diagenetic reactions in the sediments, possibly augmented by flow of freshened fluid from depth. New constraints on stratigraphy and age of units along more landward parts of the Muroto Transect have dramatically changed our ideas about the tectonic evolution of the prism in this area. Growth of the seaward-most part of the prism took place very rapidly, with 40 km of accretion within the past 2 Myr. This rate is at least 3 times greater than growth rates in a comparable prism.Peer reviewe

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Woody species hydraulically vulnerable to xylem cavitation may experience daily xylem embolism. How such species cope with the possibility of accumulated embolism is unclear. In this study, we examined seven temperate woody species to assess the hypothesis that low cavitation resistance (high vulnerability to cavitation) is compensated by high recovery performance via vessel refilling. We also evaluated leaf functional and xylem structural traits. The xylem recovery index (XRI), defined as the ratio of xylem hydraulic conductivity in plants rewatered after soil drought to that in plants under moist conditions, varied among species. The xylem water potential causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity (Ψ50) varied among the species studied, whereas only a slight difference was detected with respect to midday xylem water potential (Ψmin), indicating smaller hydraulic safety margins (Ψmin - Ψ50) for species more vulnerable to cavitation. Cavitation resistance (|Ψ50|) was negatively correlated with XRI across species, with cavitation-vulnerable species showing a higher performance in xylem recovery. Wood density was positively correlated with cavitation resistance and was negatively correlated with XRI. These novel results reveal that coordination exists between cavitation resistance and xylem recovery performance, in association with wood functional traits such as denser wood for cavitation-resistant xylem and less-dense but water-storable wood for refillable xylem. These findings provide insights into long-term maintenance of water transport in tree species growing under variable environmental conditions.

Peripheral administration of bacterial endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] to rodents produces an innate immune response and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stimulation. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition by angiotensin II AT1 receptor blockade has antiinflammatory effects in the vasculature. We studied whether angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) prevent the LPS response. We focused on the adrenal gland, one organ responsive to LPS and expressing a local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. LPS (50 microg/kg, ip) produced a generalized inflammatory response with increased release of TNF-alpha and IL-6 to the circulation, enhanced adrenal aldosterone synthesis and release, and enhanced adrenal cyclooxygenase-2, IL-6, and TNF-alpha gene expression. ACTH and corticosterone release were also increased by LPS. Pretreatment with the ARB candesartan (1 mg/kg.d, sc for 3 d before the LPS administration) decreased LPS-induced cytokine release to the circulation, adrenal aldosterone synthesis and release, and cyclooxygenase-2 and IL-6 gene expression. Candesartan did not prevent the LPS-induced ACTH and corticosterone release. Our results suggest that AT1 receptors are essential for the development of the full innate immune and stress responses to bacterial endotoxin. The ARB decreased the general peripheral inflammatory response to LPS, partially decreased the inflammatory response in the adrenal gland, prevented the release of the pro-inflammatory hormone aldosterone, and protected the antiinflammatory effects of glucocorticoid release. An unrestricted innate immune response to the bacterial endotoxin may have deleterious effects for the organism and may lead to development of chronic inflammatory disease. We postulate that the ARBs may have therapeutic effects on inflammatory conditions.

The combination of CRP/Alb ratio and NLR may be useful in predicting prognosis in gastric cancer patients.

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by low-grade chronic systemic inflammation, which is associated with intestinal hyperpermeability. This study examined the effects of 3 high-fat diets (HFDs) composed of different fat sources (soybean oil and lard) on the intestinal permeability, tight junction (TJ) protein expression, and cecal bile acid (BA) concentrations in mice, and then analyzed their interrelations. C57/BL6 mice were fed the control diet, HFD (soybean oil), HFD (lard), and HFD (mix; containing equal concentrations of soybean oil and lard) for 8 wk. Glucose tolerance, intestinal permeability, TJ protein expression, and cecal BA concentration were evaluated. Feeding with the 3 HDFs similarly increased body weight, liver weight, and fat pad weight, and induced glucose intolerance and intestinal hyperpermeability. The expression of TJ proteins, zonula occludens-2 and junctional adhesion molecule-A, were lower in the colons of the 3 HFD groups than in the control group (P < 0.05), and these changes appeared to be related to intestinal hyperpermeability. Feeding with HFDs increased total secondary BA (SBA) and total BA concentrations along with increases in some individual BAs in the cecum. Significant positive correlations between intestinal permeability and the concentrations of most SBAs, such as deoxycholic acid and ω-muricholic acids, were detected (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the HFD-induced intestinal hyperpermeability is associated with increased BA secretion. The abundance of SBAs in the large intestine may be responsible for the hyperpermeability.

Diacylglycerol (DG) kinase (DGK), which phosphorylates DG to generate phosphatidic acid (PA), consists of ten isozymes (α-к). Recently, we identified a novel small molecule inhibitor, CU-3, that selectively inhibits the activity of the α isozyme. In addition, we newly obtained Compound A, which selectively and strongly inhibits type I DGKs (α, β, and γ). In the present study, we demonstrated that both CU-3 and Compound A induced apoptosis (caspase 3/7 activity and DNA fragmentation) and viability reduction of AKI melanoma cells. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that the production of 32:0-and 34:0-PA species was commonly attenuated by CU-3 and Compound A, suggesting that lower levels of these PA molecular species are involved in the apoptosis induction and viability reduction of AKI cells. We determined the effects of the DGKα inhibitors on several other cancer cell lines derived from refractory cancers. In addition to melanoma, the DGKα inhibitors enhanced caspase 3/7 activity and reduced the viability of hepatocellular carcinoma, glioblastoma, and pancreatic cancer cells, but not breast adenocarcinoma cells.Interestingly, Western blot analysis indicated that the DGKα expression levels were positively correlated with the sensitivity to the DGK inhibitors. Because both CU-3 and Compound A induced interleukin-2 production by T cells, it is believed that these two compounds can enhance cancer immunity. Taken together, our results suggest that DGKα inhibitors are promising anticancer drugs. K E Y W O R D S apoptosis, cancer, diacylglycerol kinase (DGK), inhibitor, melanoma, phosphatidic acid (PA)

Accumulating evidence has indicated that immune regulatory cells are involved in the establishment of tumoral immune evasion. However, the role of regulatory B cells (Bregs) in this remains unclear. Here, we identified a role for Bregs in immune evasion in gastric cancer (GC) patients. The frequency of peripheral Bregs was significantly higher in GC patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.0023). Moreover, the frequency of CD19+CD24hiCD27+ B cells in GC tissue was significantly higher than in peripheral blood and healthy gastric tissue. Carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester labeling revealed that CD19+CD24hiCD27+ B cells could suppress the proliferation of autologous CD4+ T cells. Moreover, CD19+CD24hiCD27+ B cells inhibited the production of interferon-gamma by CD4+ T cells. Double staining immunohistochemistry of interleukin-10 and CD19 revealed 5-year overall survival rates of 65.4% and 13.3% in BregLow and BregHigh groups, respectively (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis indicated that the frequency of Bregs was an independent prognostic indicator in GC patients. Taken together, our results show the existence of Bregs in GC tissue, and indicate that they are significantly correlated with the prognosis of GC patients.