Down-regulation of ARC contributes to vulnerability of hippocampal neurons to ischemia/hypoxia

AbstractARC is a caspase recruitment domain-containing molecule that plays an important role in the regulation of apoptosis. We examined ARC expression during neuronal cell death following ischemic injury in vivo and in vitro. After exposure to transient global ischemic conditions, the expression of ARC was substantially reduced in the CA1 region of hippocampus in a time-dependent manner with concomitant increase of TUNEL-positive cells. Quantitative analysis using Western blotting exhibited that most of ARC protein disappeared in the cultured hippocampal neurons exposed to hypoxia for 12 h and showing 60% cell viability. Forced expression of ARC in the primary cultures of hippocampal neurons or B103 neuronal cells significantly reduced hypoxia-induced cell death. Further, the C-terminal P/E rich region of ARC was effective to attenuate hypoxic insults. These results suggest that down-regulation of ARC expression in hippocampal neurons may contribute to neuronal death induced by ischemia/hypoxia

Transmural Migration of Surgical Sponge Evacuated by Defecation: Mimicking an Intraperitoneal Gossypiboma

The spontaneous defecation of the surpical retained sponge is very rare. Here, we report a case of migrating surgical sponge that was retained in the colon and it was evacuated by defecation

Evaluation of a Sodium–Water Reaction Event Caused by Steam Generator Tubes Break in the Prototype Generation IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor

AbstractThe prototype generation IV sodium-cooled fast reactor (PGSFR) has been developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. This reactor uses sodium as a reactor coolant to transfer the core heat energy to the turbine. Sodium has chemical characteristics that allow it to violently react with materials such as a water or steam. When a sodium–water reaction (SWR) occurs due to leakage or breakage of steam generator tubes, high-pressure waves and corrosive reaction products are produced, which threaten the structural integrity of the components of the intermediate heat-transfer system (IHTS) and the safety of the primary heat-transfer system (PHTS). In the PGSFR, SWR events are included in the design-basis event. This event should be analyzed from the viewpoint of the integrities of the IHTS and fuel rods. To evaluate the integrity of the IHTS based on the consequences of the SWR, the behaviors of the generated high-pressure waves are analyzed at the major positions of a failed IHTS loop using a sodium–water advanced analysis method-II code. The integrity of the fuel rods must be consistently maintained below the safety acceptance criteria to avoid the consequences of the SWR. The integrity of the PHTS is evaluated using the multidimensional analysis of reactor safety-liquid metal reactor code to model the whole plant

Surgical Management of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction after Biventricular Repair of Double Outlet Right Ventricle

Regardless of the preoperative morphology and the type of operation, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) after biventricular repair of double outlet right ventricle (DORV) may develop. This report presents our 10-yr experience with surgical management of LVOTO after biventricular repair of DORV. Between 1996 and 2006, 15 patients underwent reoperation for subaortic stenosis after biventricular repair of DORV. The mean age at biventricular repair was 23.3±18.3 months (1.1-64.2). Biventricular repairs included tunnel constructions from the left ventricle to the aorta in 14 cases and an arterial switch operation in one. The mean left ventricle-to-aorta peak pressure gradient was 54.0±37.7 mmHg (15-140) after a mean follow-up of 9.5±6.3 yr. We performed extended septoplasty in nine patients and fibromuscular resection in six. There were no early or late mortality. There was one heart block and one aortic valve injury after an extended septoplasty, and two and one after a fibromuscular resection. No patient required reoperation for recurrent subaortic stenosis. The mean pressure gradient was 11.2±11.4 mmHg (0-34) after a mean follow-up of 5.6±2.7 yr. Extended septoplasty is a safe and effective method for the treatment of subaortic stenosis, especially in cases with a long-tunnel shaped LVOTO

Robot-assisted posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy: single port access

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become a gold standard in adrenal gland surgery. More recently, some minimally invasive trials have been conducted on single access surgery on the adrenal gland. In this study, we introduce our first experiences of robot-assisted posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy using single-port access and the da Vinci system