The characteristic comparison of the accelerometer and the gyroscope in the measurement of human body sway

This study investigated the human body sway measuring instruments. An accelerometer and a gyroscope were used to examine patients with postural control related diseases in many studies. Some studies used either an accelerometer or a gyroscope attached to the head, chest, or waist to obtain the balance assessment parameters of body sway such as area, direction, etc. The purpose of this study is to identify the reliability between both sensors in human body sway analysis by assuming the human body sway as a simple pendulum model, and suggest an optimal measurement method using the acceleration and the gyroscope. The characteristic differences between the accelerometer and the gyroscope were illustrated, focusing mainly on the differences with respect to the position of the sensors. We confirmed that the magnitude, instead of three axis vector information, may be more useful in the body sway analysis

The Differential Effects of Acute Right- vs. Left-Sided Vestibular Deafferentation on Spatial Cognition in Unilateral Labyrinthectomized Mice

This study aimed to investigate the disparity in locomotor and spatial memory deficits caused by left- or right-sided unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD) using a mouse model of unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) and to examine the effects of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) on the deficits over 14 days. Five experimental groups were established: the left-sided and right-sided UL (Lt.-UL and Rt.-UL) groups, left-sided and right-sided UL with bipolar GVS with the cathode on the lesion side (Lt.-GVS and Rt.-GVS) groups, and a control group with sham surgery. We assessed the locomotor and cognitive-behavioral functions using the open field (OF), Y maze, and Morris water maze (MWM) tests before (baseline) and 3, 7, and 14 days after surgical UL in each group. On postoperative day (POD) 3, locomotion and spatial working memory were more impaired in the Lt.-UL group compared with the Rt.-UL group (p < 0.01, Tamhane test). On POD 7, there was a substantial difference between the groups; the locomotion and spatial navigation of the Lt.-UL group recovered significantly more slowly compared with those of the Rt.-UL group. Although the differences in the short-term spatial cognition and motor coordination were resolved by POD 14, the long-term spatial navigation deficits assessed by the MWM were significantly worse in the Lt.-UL group compared with the Rt.-UL group. GVS intervention accelerated the vestibular compensation in both the Lt.-GVS and Rt.-GVS groups in terms of improvement of locomotion and spatial cognition. The current data imply that right- and left-sided UVD impair spatial cognition and locomotion differently and result in different compensatory patterns. Sequential bipolar GVS when the cathode (stimulating) was assigned to the lesion side accelerated recovery for UVD-induced spatial cognition, which may have implications for managing the patients with spatial cognitive impairment, especially that induced by unilateral peripheral vestibular damage on the dominant side

Trichosanthes kirilowii

Trichosanthes kirilowii tuber is a traditional medicine which exhibits various medicinal effects including antidiabetic and anticancer activities in several cancer cells. Recently, it was reported that Cucurbitacin D (CuD) isolated from Trichosanthes kirilowii also induces apoptosis in several cancer cells. Constitutive signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), which is an oncogenic transcription factor, is often observed in many human malignant tumor, including breast cancer. In the present study, we tested whether Trichosanthes kirilowii ethanol extract (TKE) or CuD suppresses cell growth and induces apoptosis through inhibition of STAT3 activity in breast cancer cells. We found that both TKE and CuD suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation. In addition, both TKE and CuD inhibited nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of STAT3. Taken together, our results indicate that TKE and its derived compound, CuD, could be potent therapeutic agents for breast cancer, blocking tumor cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis through suppression of STAT3 activity

Association between volume status assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis, lung ultrasound, or weight change and mortality in patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury receiving continuous kidney replacement therapy

Background Fluid overload is an independent risk factor of mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) receiving continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT). However, the association between fluid status, as assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) or lung ultrasound, and survival in patients with AKI requiring CKRT has not been established. Methods We analyzed 36 participants with sepsis-associated AKI who received CKRT at a tertiary hospital. The main exposures were volume surrogates: 1) overhydration normalized by extracellular water (OH/ECW, L/L) assessed by BIA, 2) the number of B-lines measured by lung ultrasound, and 3) weight change ([body weight at CKRT initiation – body weight at admission] × 100/body weight at admission). The primary outcome was the 28-day mortality. Results Seventeen participants (47.2%) died within 28 days. There were no significant correlations between OH/ECW and weight change (R2 = 0.040, p = 0.24), number of B-lines and OH/ECW (R2 = 0.056, p = 0.16), or weight change and number of B-lines (R2 = 0.014, p = 0.49). Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that patients in the highest tertile of OH/ECW showed a significantly lower cumulative 28-day survival probability than the others (the lowest + middle tertiles). The survival probability of participants in the highest tertile of the number of B-lines or weight change did not differ from that of their counterparts. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, the hazard ratio for the highest tertile of OH/ECW was 3.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.04–14.03). Conclusion Volume overload assessed using BIA (OH/ECW) was associated with the 28-day survival rate in patients with sepsis-associated AKI who received CKRT

Little Response of Cerebral Metastasis from Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Any Treatments

Objective : We retrospectively evaluated the survival outcome of patients with brain metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods : Between 1991 and 2007, a total of 20 patients were diagnosed as having brain metastasis from HCC. The mean age of the patients was 55 +/- 13 years, and 17(85.0%) were men. Seventeen (85.0%) patients had already extracranial metastases. The median time from diagnosis of HCC to brain metastasis was 18.5 months. Fourteen (70.0%) patients had stroke-like presentation due to intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Ten (50.0%) patients had single or solitary brain metastasis. Among a total of 34 brain lesions, 31 (91.2%) lesions had the hemorrhagic components. Results : The median survival time was 8 weeks (95% Cl, 5.08-10.92), and the actuarial survival rates were 85.0%, 45.0%, 22.5%, and 8.4% at 4, 12, 24, and 54 weeks. Age < 60 years, treatment of the primary and/or extracranial lesions, and recurrent ICH were the possible prognostic factors (p = 0.044, p < 0.001, and p = 0.111, respectively). The median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 3 months (95% Cl, 0.95-5.05). Conclusion : The overall survival of the patients with brain metastasis from HCC was very poor with median survival time being only 8 weeks. However, the younger patients less than 60 years and/or no extracranial metastases seem to be a positive prognostic factor.Choi HJ, 2009, J NEURO-ONCOL, V91, P307, DOI 10.1007/s11060-008-9713-3Kim SR, 2006, WORLD J GASTROENTERO, V12, P6727Seinfeld J, 2006, J NEURO-ONCOL, V76, P93, DOI 10.1007/s11060-005-4175-3Cho DC, 2005, J CLIN NEUROSCI, V12, P699, DOI 10.1016/j.jocn.2004.08.026Chang L, 2004, SURG NEUROL, V62, P172, DOI 10.1016/j.surneu.2003.10.002Del Ben M, 2003, J EXP CLIN CANC RES, V22, P641El-Serag HB, 2002, J CLIN GASTROENTEROL, V35, pS72SALVATI M, 2002, J NEUROSURG SCI, V46, P77McIver JI, 2001, NEUROSURGERY, V49, P447Hayashi K, 2000, SURG NEUROL, V53, P379El-Serag HB, 1999, NEW ENGL J MED, V340, P745Peres MFP, 1998, ARQ NEURO-PSIQUIAT, V56, P658Deuffic S, 1998, LANCET, V351, P214Kim M, 1998, J NEURO-ONCOL, V36, P85TaylorRobinson SD, 1997, LANCET, V350, P1142Gaspar L, 1997, INT J RADIAT ONCOL, V37, P745LUCEY MR, 1997, LIVER TRANSPLANT SUR, V3, P628Murakami K, 1996, NEURORADIOLOGY, V38, pS31PATCHELL RA, 1990, NEW ENGL J MED, V322, P494OTSUKA S, 1987, NEUROL MED CHIR TOKY, V27, P654OKEN MM, 1982, AM J CLIN ONCOL-CANC, V5, P649PUGH RNH, 1973, BRIT J SURG, V60, P646

Comparison of infarct-related artery vs multivessel revascularization in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with multivessel disease: Analysis from Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry

Background: Many ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients have multivessel disease. There is still controversy in treatment strategy in STEMI patients with multivessel disease. We compared clinical outcomes of multivessel revascularization with infarct- related artery (IRA) revascularization in STEMI patients. Methods: The 1,644 STEMI patients with multivessel disease (1,106 in IRA group, 538 in multivessel group) who were received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were analyzed from a nationwide Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry. Primary endpoint was 12-month major adverse cardiac events (MACE, defined as death, myocardial infarction, and repeated revascularization). Secondary endpoints were 1-month MACE and each component, stent thrombosis during 12 month follow-up, and each components of the 12-month MACE. Results: There were more patients with unfavorable baseline conditions in IRA group. 12-month MACE occurred in 165 (14.9%) patients in IRA group, 81 (15.1%) patients in multivessel group (p = 0.953). There were no statistical significance in the rate of 1-month MACE, each components of 1-month MACE, and stent thrombosis during 12 month follow-up. Each components of 12-month MACE were occurred similarly in both groups except for target lesion revascularization (2.4% in IRA group vs 5.9% in multivessel group, p < 0.0001). After adjusting for confounding factors, multivessel revascularization was not associated with reduced 12-month MACE (OR 1.096, 95% CI 0.676&#8211;1.775, p = 0.711). Conclusions: There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between both groups except for high risk of target lesion revascularization in multivessel revascularization group

Allopurinol-induced DRESS syndrome mimicking biliary obstruction

An 84-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with fever, jaundice, and itching. He had been diagnosed previously with chronic renal failure and diabetes, and had been taking allopurinol medication for 2 months. A physical examination revealed that he had a fever (38.8℃), jaundice, and a generalized maculopapular rash. Azotemia, eosinophilia, atypical lymphocytosis, elevation of liver enzymes, and hyperbilirubinemia were detected by blood analysis. Magnetic resonance cholangiography revealed multiple cysts similar to choledochal cysts in the liver along the biliary tree. Obstructive jaundice was suspected clinically, and so an endoscopic ultrasound examination was performed, which ruled out a diagnosis of obstructive jaundice. The patient was diagnosed with DRESS (Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms) syndrome due to allopurinol. Allopurinol treatment was stopped and steroid treatment was started. The patient died from cardiac arrest on day 15 following admission

Complete Genome Sequence of the Metabolically Versatile Plant Growth-Promoting Endophyte Variovorax paradoxus S110

Variovorax paradoxus is a microorganism of special interest due to its diverse metabolic capabilities, including the biodegradation of both biogenic compounds and anthropogenic contaminants. V. paradoxus also engages in mutually beneficial interactions with both bacteria and plants. The complete genome sequence of V. paradoxus S110 is composed of 6,754,997 bp with 6,279 predicted protein-coding sequences within two circular chromosomes. Genomic analysis has revealed multiple metabolic features for autotrophic and heterotrophic lifestyles. These metabolic diversities enable independent survival, as well as a symbiotic lifestyle. Consequently, S110 appears to have evolved into a superbly adaptable microorganism that is able to survive in ever-changing environmental conditions. Based on our findings, we suggest V. paradoxus S110 as a potential candidate for agrobiotechnological applications, such as biofertilizer and biopesticide. Because it has many associations with other biota, it is also suited to serve as an additional model system for studies of microbe-plant and microbe-microbe interactions