Simultaneous deletion of floxed genes mediated by CaMKIIa-Cre in the brain and in male germ cells: application to conditional and conventional disruption of Go-alfa

The Cre/LoxP system is a well-established approach to spatially and temporally control genetic inactivation. The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha subunit (CaMKIIα) promoter limits expression to specific regions of the forebrain and thus has been utilized for the brain-specific inactivation of the genes. Here, we show that CaMKIIα-Cre can be utilized for simultaneous inactivation of genes in the adult brain and in male germ cells. Double transgenic Rosa26+/stop-lacZ::CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice generated by crossing CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice with floxed ROSA26 lacZ reporter (Rosa26+/stop-lacZ) mice exhibited lacZ expression in the brain and testis. When these mice were mated to wild-type females, about 27% of the offspring were whole body blue by X-gal staining without inheriting the Cre transgene. These results indicate that recombination can occur in the germ cells of male Rosa26+/stop-lacZ::CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice. Similarly, when double transgenic Gnao+/f::CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice carrying a floxed Go-alpha gene (Gnaof/f) were backcrossed to wild-type females, approximately 22% of the offspring carried the disrupted allele (GnaoΔ) without inheriting the Cre transgene. The GnaoΔ/Δ mice closely resembled conventional Go-alpha knockout mice (Gnao−/−) with respect to impairment of their behavior. Thus, we conclude that CaMKIIα-Cre mice afford recombination for both tissue- and time-controlled inactivation of floxed target genes in the brain and for their permanent disruption. This work also emphasizes that extra caution should be exercised in utilizing CaMKIIα-Cre mice as breeding pairs.Fil: Choi, Chan-Il. Ajou University. School of Medicine; Corea del SurFil: Yoon, Sang-Phil. Ajou University. School of Medicine; Corea del SurFil: Choi, Jung-Mi. Ajou University. School of Medicine; Corea del SurFil: Kim, Sung-Soo. Ajou University. School of Medicine; Corea del SurFil: Lee, Young-Don. Ajou University. School of Medicine; Corea del SurFil: Birnbaumer, Lutz. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Estados Unidos. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Suh-Kim. Haeyoung. Ajou University. School of Medicine; Corea del Su

An Analysis of Location of Needle Entry Point and Palpated PSIS in S1 Nerve Root Block

BACKGROUND: The first sacral nerve root block (S1NRB) is a common procedure in pain clinic for patients complaining of low back pain with radiating pain. It can be performed in the office based setting without C-arm. The previously suggested method of locating the needle entry point begins with identifying the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS). Then a line is drawn between two points, one of which is 1.5 cm medial to the PSIS, and the other of which is 1.5 cm lateral and cephalad to the ipsilateral cornu. After that, one point on the line, which is 1.5 cm cephalad to the level of the PSIS, is considered as the needle entry point. The purpose of this study was to analyze the location of needle entry point and palpated PSIS in S1NRB. METHODS: Fifty patients undergoing C-arm guided S1NRB in the prone position were examined. The surface anatomical relationships between the palpated PSIS and the needle entry point were assessed. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that the transverse and vertical distance between the needle entry point and PSIS were 28.7 ± 8.8 mm medially and 3.5 ± 14.0 mm caudally, respectively. The transverse distance was 27.8 ± 8.3 mm medially for male and 29.5 ± 9.3 mm medially for female. The vertical distance was 1.0 ± 14.1 mm cranially for male and 8.1 ± 12.7 mm caudally for female. CONCLUSIONS: The needle entry point in S1NRB is located on the same line or in the caudal direction from the PSIS in a considerable number of cases. Therefore previous recommended methods cannot be applied to many cases.ope

A Study on Apparel Design for Chiropractic Training

In severe cases of spinal misalignment due to wrong back posture during adolescence or focusing on work, modern people can have back pain. Such a symptom is commonly referred to as scoliosis and it already became one of the lifestyle diseases. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to develop a functional musculoskeletal correction wear that can help with maintaining a correct posture by relaxing tonic muscles and maximizing the tension of the relaxed muscle using the principle of sports taping. Market research for design development was conducted at department stores and specialty road shops separately. Department stores were visited on weekdays when the store is not crowded, and specialty road shops were visited at around three o’clock on weekdays after checking their opening, lunch, and closing times. Since the apparel should not interfere with exercise movements while maintaining the body shape, the survey was carried out mostly on yoga and lifestyle training apparel focusing on elasticity and percentage of blending fiber. A camera and audio recorder were prepared and took pictures of clothing tags that show the ratio of polyester and spandex while trying on and checking products at the stores. Data were collected by asking the staff at road specialty shops who has more professional knowledge about the advantages and functions of the existing products and recording their answers. Point color schemes in black color family in which body shapes can look beautiful were mostly checked. Due to the design characteristics that have to maintain the spine, the designs of all-in-one products that can maintain the upper and lower torsos were checked at underwear stores. The existing products were evaluated for their designs to be adopted including the material, integrated into the new design, and then modified and supplemented, and the following chiropractic apparel design was drawn (Table 1). An all-in-one design that wraps around the hips and upper thighs for easy counterbalancing between the upper and lower body was chosen. A design with an accent line that makes body shape looks beautiful and Used compression wear material that is comfortable for activities and presses tight against the skin. Activates the muscle activities of latissimus dorsi muscle using taping method, and provides tension to maintain correct posture of round back and shoulders. In conclusion, prevention, exercise, and stretching are important for scoliosis and sound posture for the loin should be constantly maintained. To that end, not only the proper use of chairs but also apparel that is worn all the time can be helpful

Molecular characterization of the Tobacco rattle virus RNA2 genome isolated from Gladiolus

Tobacco rattle virus (TRV-K) was first identified in a symptomatic Gladiolus plant cultivated in Korea. We analyzed the TRV-K genome and compared its phylogeny with other TRV isolates. After constructing of a full-length genomic RNA2 strand clone, a complete sequence was generated from several overlapping clones. The cloned genome was 3261 bases in length, identical to TRV-K, and had three open reading frames. TRV-K had the highest sequence identity with the American isolate TRV-ORY. Sequence analysis of the RNA2 genome showed that TRV-K contains an intact 2a, 2b, and 2c coding sequence and an RNA1-related 3′ terminus, which is typical of TRV RNA2. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that TRV-K is in the same cluster as the American isolates and another Korean isolate, TRV-SK; however, it was in a different cluster than the European isolates

Dual quadratic differentials and entire minimal graphs in Heisenberg space

We define holomorphic quadratic differentials for spacelike surfaces with constant mean curvature in the Lorentzian homogeneous spaces $\mathbb{L}(\kappa,\tau)$ with isometry group of dimension 4, which are dual to the Abresch-Rosenberg differentials in the Riemannian counterparts $\mathbb{E}(\kappa,\tau)$, and obtain some consequences. On the one hand, we give a very short proof of the Bernstein problem in Heisenberg space, and provide a geometric description of the family of entire graphs sharing the same differential in terms of a 2-parameter conformal deformation. On the other hand, we prove that entire minimal graphs in Heisenberg space have negative Gauss curvature.Comment: 19 page

Resting-state EEG activity related to impulsivity in gambling disorder

Background and aims Impulsivity is a core feature of gambling disorder (GD) and is related to the treatment response. Thus, it is of interest to determine objective neurobiological markers associated with impulsivity in GD. We explored resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in patients with GD according to the degree of impulsivity. Methods In total, 109 GD subjects were divided into three groups according to Barratt impulsiveness scale-11 (BIS-11) scores: high (HI; 25th percentile of BIS-11 scores, n = 29), middle (MI; 26th–74th percentile, n = 57), and low-impulsivity (LI) groups (75th percentile, n = 23). We used generalized estimating equations to analyze differences in EEG absolute power considering group (HI, MI, and LI), brain region (frontal, central, and posterior), and hemisphere (left, midline, and right) for each frequency band (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma). Results The results indicated that GD patients in the HI group showed decreased theta absolute power, and decreased alpha and beta absolute power in the left, right, particularly midline frontocentral regions. Discussion and conclusions This study is a novel attempt to reveal impulsive features in GD by neurophysiological methods. The results suggest different EEG patterns among GD patients according to the degree of impulsivity, raising the possibility of neurophysiological objective features in GD and helping clinicians in treating GD patients with impulsive features

Transcriptional Regulator TonEBP Mediates Oxidative Damages in Ischemic Kidney Injury

TonEBP (tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein) is a transcriptional regulator whose expression is elevated in response to various forms of stress including hyperglycemia, inflammation, and hypoxia. Here we investigated the role of TonEBP in acute kidney injury (AKI) using a line of TonEBP haplo-deficient mice subjected to bilateral renal ischemia followed by reperfusion (I/R). In the TonEBP haplo-deficient animals, induction of TonEBP, oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, and functional injury in the kidney in response to I/R were all reduced. Analyses of renal transcriptome revealed that genes in several cellular pathways including peroxisome and mitochondrial inner membrane were suppressed in response to I/R, and the suppression was relieved in the TonEBP deficiency. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the cellular injury was reproduced in a renal epithelial cell line in response to hypoxia, ATP depletion, or hydrogen peroxide. The knockdown of TonEBP reduced ROS production and cellular injury in correlation with increased expression of the suppressed genes. The cellular injury was also blocked by inhibitors of necrosis. These results demonstrate that ischemic insult suppresses many genes involved in cellular metabolism leading to local oxidative stress by way of TonEBP induction. Thus, TonEBP is a promising target to prevent AKI

Low-Energy Electron Scattering from c-C4F8

Electron collision cross-sections of c-C4F8 were investigated at low energies by using the R-matrix method. The static exchange (SE), static exchange with polarization (SEP), and close-coupling (CC) models of the R-matrix method were used for the calculation of the scattering cross-section. The shape resonance was detected with all the models at around 3~4 eV, and a Feshbach resonance was detected with the SEP model at 7.73 eV, in good agreement with the previous theoretical calculation. The resonance detected was also associated with the experimental dissociative electron attachment of c-C4F8, which displayed the resonances at the same energy range. The cross-sections calculated are important for plasma modeling and applications

Two cases of female hydrocele of the canal of nuck

The processus vaginalis within the inguinal canal forms the canal of Nuck, which is a homolog of the processus vaginalis in women. Incomplete obliteration of the processus vaginalis causes indirect inguinal hernia or hydrocele of the canal of Nuck, a very rare condition in women. Here, we report 2 cases of hydrocele of the canal of Nuck that were diagnosed with ultrasonography in both cases and magnetic resonance imaging in 1 case to confirm the sonographic diagnosis. High ligation and hydrocelectomy were conducted in both patients. In 1 patient, 14 months later, the occurrence of contralateral inguinal hernia was suspected, but did not require surgery. The other patient had a history of surgery for left inguinal hernia 11 months before the occurrence of right hydrocele of the canal of Nuck. In both cases, the occurrence of an inguinal hernia on the contralateral side was noted