FSE T2-weighted two-point Dixon technique for fat suppression in the lumbar spine: comparison with SPAIR technique

PURPOSE:Fat suppression magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique has been used to improve the diagnostic confidence in lumbar spine diseases. We aimed to compare T2-weighted water-fat separation technique (T2 Dixon) with spectral attenuated inversion recovery (SPAIR) image for fat suppression.METHODS:Lumbar spine MRI examinations were performed in 79 patients by using a 3.0 T machine. We compared T2 Dixon water-only image and SPAIR image for the evaluation of fat suppression quality and lesion conspicuity. For qualitative evaluation, two radiologists scored the images from Dixon and SPAIR for fat suppression uniformity and lesion conspicuity. Quantitative assessment was also performed for 39 lesions in 26 patients who had lesions in their spine bodies. Contrast ratio (CR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated by signal intensity measurement of the lesions, adjacent bodies, and background noise. The Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test and paired sample t-test were used to assess the statistical significance of qualitative and quantitative data, respectively.RESULTS:For qualitative assessment, T2 Dixon water-only image showed higher mean scores for fat suppression quality and lesion conspicuity than SPAIR (2.99±0.11 vs. 2.18±0.38 and 2.84±0.37 vs. 2.28±0.51, respectively). For quantitative measurement, the CR and CNR values of the lesions were higher on T2 Dixon than on SPAIR. Both qualitative and quantitative results showed statistically significant differences between T2 Dixon and SPAIR (P < 0.01 in all).CONCLUSION:T2 Dixon sequence was superior to SPAIR for the quality of fat suppression and for the delineation of lumbar spine lesions

Vascular Protective Role of Samul-Tang in HUVECs: Involvement of Nrf2/HO-1 and NO

Samul-Tang (Si-Wu-Tang, SMT), composed of four medicinal herbs, is a well-known herbal formula treating hematological disorder or gynecologic disease. However, vascular protective effects of SMT and its molecular mechanisms on the vascular endothelium, known as the central spot of vascular inflammatory process, are not reported. The aim of this study was to investigate vascular protective effects of SMT water extract in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Water extract of SMT was prepared and identified by HPLC-PDA analysis. Expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were determined by western blot. Nuclear localization of NF-κB and Nrf2 was visualized by immunofluorescence and DNA binding activity of NF-κB was measured. ROS production, HL-60 monocyte adhesion, and intracellular nitric oxide (NO) were also measured using a fluorescent indicator. SMT suppressed NF-κB translocation and activation as well as expression of CAMs, monocyte adhesion, and ROS production induced by TNF-α in HUVECs. SMT treated HUVECs showed upregulation of HO-1 and NO which are responsible for vascular protective action. Our study suggests that SMT, a traditionally used herbal formula, protects the vascular endothelium from inflammation and might be used as a promising vascular protective drug

Grand Rounds: An Outbreak of Toxic Hepatitis among Industrial Waste Disposal Workers

CONTEXT: Industrial waste (which is composed of various toxic chemicals), changes to the disposal process, and addition of chemicals should all be monitored and controlled carefully in the industrial waste industry to reduce the health hazard to workers. CASE PRESENTATION: Five workers in an industrial waste plant developed acute toxic hepatitis, one of whom died after 3 months due to fulminant hepatitis. In the plant, we detected several chemicals with hepatotoxic potential, including pyridine, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, and methylenedianiline. The workers had been working in the high-vapor-generating area of the plant, and the findings of pathologic examination showed typical features of acute toxic hepatitis. DISCUSSION: Infectious hepatitis and drug-induced hepatitis were excluded by laboratory findings, as well as the clinical course of hepatitis. All cases of toxic hepatitis in this plant developed after the change of the disposal process to thermochemical reaction–type treatment using unslaked lime reacted with industrial wastes. During this chemical reaction, vapor containing several toxic materials was generated. Although we could not confirm the definitive causative chemical, we suspect that these cases of hepatitis were caused by one of the hepatotoxic agents or by a synergistic interaction among several of them. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL OR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: In the industrial waste treatment process, the danger of developing toxic hepatitis should be kept in mind, because any subtle change of the treatment process can generate various toxic materials and threaten the workers’ health. A mixture of hepatotoxic chemicals can induce clinical manifestations that are quite different from those predicted by the toxic property of a single agent

Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging of Unusual White Matter Lesion in a Patient with Menkes Disease

We report here on the diffusion-weighted imaging of unusual white matter lesions in a case of Menkes disease. On the initial MR imaging, the white matter lesions were localized in the deep periventricular white matter in the absence of diffuse cortical atrophy. The lesion showed diffuse high signal on the diffusion-weighted images and diffuse progression and persistent hyperintensity on the follow up imaging. Our case suggests that the white matter lesion may precede diffuse cortical atrophy in a patient with Menkes disease

Whole-exome sequencing in 168 Korean patients with inherited retinal degeneration

Background To date, no genetic analysis of inherited retinal disease (IRD) using whole-exome sequencing (WES) has been conducted in a large-scale Korean cohort. The aim of this study was to characterise the genetic profile of IRD patients in Korea using WES. Methods We performed comprehensive molecular testing in 168 unrelated Korean IRD patients using WES. The potential pathogenicity of candidate variants was assessed using the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology variant interpretation guidelines, in silico prediction tools, published literature, and compatibility with known phenotypes or inheritance patterns. Results Causative variants were detected in 86/168 (51.2%) IRD patients, including 58/107 (54.2%) with retinitis pigmentosa, 7/15 (46.7%) with cone and cone-rod dystrophy, 2/3 (66.6%) with Usher syndrome, 1/2 (50.0%) with congenital stationary night blindness, 2/2 (100.0%) with Leber congenital amaurosis, 1/1 (100.0%) with Bietti crystalline dystrophy, 1/1 (100.0%) with Joubert syndrome, 9/10 (90.0%) with Stargardt macular dystrophy, 1/10 (10.0%) with vitelliform macular dystrophy, 1/11 (9.1%) with other forms of macular dystrophy, and 3/4 (75.0%) with choroideraemia. USH2A, ABCA4, and EYS were the most common causative genes associated with IRD. For retinitis pigmentosa, variants of USH2A and EYS were the most common causative gene mutations. Conclusions This study demonstrated the distribution of causative genetic mutations in Korean IRD patients. The data will serve as a reference for future genetic screening and development of treatment modalities for Korean IRD patients.This study was supported by the Korean Association of Retinal Degenera‑tion, by a Grant Number 2620170060 from the SNUH Research Fund, and by a grant of the Korea Research-Driven Hospital (Grant Number: HI14C1277) through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW), Republic of Korea. The funding bodies played no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript

Intralymphatic immunotherapy with tyrosine-adsorbed allergens: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Most previous studies used aluminum hydroxide-absorbed allergen extracts in evaluating the potential therapeutic roles of intralymphatic allergen-specific immunotherapy (ILAIT). In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy and safety of ILAIT with L-tyrosine-adsorbed allergen extracts of Dermatophagoides farinae, D. pteronyssinus, cat, dog, or mixtures thereof, in patients with allergic rhinitis induced by these allergens. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, study subjects received three intralymphatic injections of L-tyrosine-adsorbed allergen extracts (active group) or saline (placebo group) at 4-week intervals. Results Although ILAIT reduced daily medication use and skin reactivity to HDM and cat allergens at 4 months after treatment, overall symptom score on a visual analog scale (VAS), sinonasal outcome test-20 (SNOT-20), rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ), daily symptom score (dSS), daily medication score (dMS), daily symptom medication score (dSMS), nasal reactivity to HDM allergen, and basophil activity to HDM, cat, and dog allergens at 4 months and 1 year after treatment were similar between the treatment and control groups. Intralymphatic injection was more painful than a venous puncture, and pain at the injection site was the most frequent local adverse event (12.8%); dyspnea and wheezing were the most common systemic adverse events (5.3%). Conclusions ILAIT with L-tyrosine-adsorbed allergen extracts does not exhibit profound therapeutic efficacy in allergic rhinitis and can provoke moderate-to-severe systemic reactions and cause pain at the injection site. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02665754; date of registration: 28 January 2016This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (NRF-2015R1D1A1A02061943). The funders had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpreta‑tion of data and in writing the manuscript. The authors have no other fnancial relationships relevant to this article to disclose

Expression analysis and functional characterization of the monosaccharide transporters, OsTMTs, involving vacuolar sugar transport in rice (Oryza sativa)

In Arabidopsis, the compartmentation of sugars into vacuoles is known to be facilitated by sugar transporters. However, vacuolar sugar transporters have not been studied in detail in other plant species. To characterize the rice (Oryza sativa) tonoplast monosaccharide transporters, OsTMT1 and OsTMT2, we analysed their subcellular localization using green fluorescent protein (GFP) and expression patterns using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), performed histochemical beta-glucuronidase (GUS) assay and in situ hybridization analysis, and assessed sugar transport ability using isolated vacuoles. Expression of OsTMT-GFP fusion protein in rice and Arabidopsis revealed that the OsTMTs localize at the tonoplast. Analyses of OsTMT promoter-GUS transgenic rice indicated that OsTMT1 and OsTMT2 are highly expressed in bundle sheath cells, and in vascular parenchyma and companion cells in leaves, respectively. Both genes were found to be preferentially expressed in the vascular tissues of roots, the palea/lemma of spikelets, and in the main vascular tissues and nucellar projections on the dorsal side of the seed coats. Glucose uptake studies using vacuoles isolated from transgenic mutant Arabidopsis (tmt1-2-3) expressing OsTMT1 demonstrated that OsTMTs are capable of transporting glucose into vacuoles. Based on expression analysis and functional characterization, our present findings suggest that the OsTMTs play a role in vacuolar glucose storage in rice

Satellite Operation Design for Assessing MTF Performance of Earth Observation Satellite Using Stellar Sources

Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) of satellite image is an important performance index in satellite image applications. Therefore MTF performance is assessed using satellite image for the ground target during LEOP phase after launch. But the MTF performance assessment using the ground target can be affected by imaging conditions such as cloud and weather. In this paper system requirements and satellite operation for assessing MTF performance of satellite image using stellar sources are proposed. Satellite capability in collecting stellar sources using the satellite which is designed for earth observation and satellite image usefulness for assessing MTF performances were analyzed. The proposed approach will be useful to assess MTF performance of earth observation satellite in lower earth orbit