Primary Pulmonary Plasmacytoma Presenting as Multiple Lung Nodules

Extramedullary plasmacytoma is a plasma cell tumor arising outside the bone marrow and usually occurs as a solitary tumor in the upper respiratory tract, such as the pharynx, paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, or oral cavity [1]. Other cases develop in the lymph nodes, skin, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary tract, and other regions. Primary pulmonary plasmacytomas are very rare and usually present as solitary lung nodules or masses [2]. Unusual cases manifest as diffuse pulmonary infiltration [3,4]. We describe here a unique case of primary pulmonary plasmacytoma, which presented as multiple lung nodules during regular screening in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

CHANGES IN MUSCLE ACTIVITY PATTERN IN LOWER LIMB EXTREMITY DURING PEDALLING BY SADDLE HEIGHT

As a preliminary study for a preferential saddle height for cyclist, muscle activity pattern in lower limb extremity between preferred and higher saddle height during pedalling was compared. Seven cyclists performed 3 min sub-maximal pedalling under two different saddle heights. Range of motion (ROM) of muscle length, onset-timing of muscle activity, and amount of muscle activity in biceps femoris (BF), vastus lateralis (VL), gastrocnemius (GM), and tibialis anterior muscles (TA) were used to compare changes in muscle activity pattern due to saddle height. Results showed that there was a significant difference in ROM of VL and that of TA (

Portulaca oleracea Ameliorates Diabetic Vascular Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction in db/db Mice

Type 2 diabetes is associated with significantly accelerated rates of micro- and macrovascular complications such as diabetic vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of the aqueous extract of Portulaca oleracea L. (AP), an edible plant used as a folk medicine, on diabetic vascular complications. The db/db mice were treated with AP (300 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 10 weeks, and AP treatment markedly lowered blood glucose, plasma triglyceride, plasma level of LDL-cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure in diabetic db/db mice. Furthermore, AP significantly increased plasma level of HDL-cholesterol and insulin level. The impairment of ACh- and SNP-induced vascular relaxation of aortic rings were ameliorated by AP treatment in diabetic db/db mice. This study also showed that overexpression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin, MMP-2, and ET-1 were observed in aortic tissues of untreated db/db mice, which were significantly suppressed by treatment with AP. We also found that the insulin immunoreactivity of the pancreatic islets remarkably increased in AP treated db/db mice compared with untreated db/db mice. Taken together, AP suppresses hyperglycemia and diabetic vascular inflammation, and prevents the development of diabetic endothelial dysfunction for the development of diabetes and its vascular complications

SUCCESSFUL FACTORS OF 540° DWIHURYEOCHAGI IN TAEKWONDO

The purpose of our study was to provide fundamental information about success factors of 540° Dwihuryeochagi in Taekwondo. Twenty Taekwondo athletes who participated in the 2012 Taekwondo Kyukpa Wang (breaking king) championship: ten successful athletes (S, age: 23.1±1.6 yrs, height: 171.0±3.5 cm, body mass: 66.4±7.1 kg) and ten failed athletes (F, age: 22.3±1.8 yrs, height: 172.1±5.4 cm, body mass: 64.4±4.2 kg) were selected. Three-dimensional motion analysis using a system of 3 video cameras with a sampling of 60 fields/s was performed during the competition of 540 ° Dwihuryeochagi. Based on the findings, it is concluded that success factors of 540° Dwihuryeochagi were horizontal velocity of COM during P1, vertical velocity of COM during P2, and the time, kick distance, velocity and angle of lower extremities of P3-P4

Highly Oriented Liquid Crystal Semiconductor for Organic Field-Effect Transistors

We report a mesogenic compound which introduces nematic liquid crystal (LC) ordering into the benzothienobenzothiophene (BTBT) family of LCs, creating a new class of LC semiconducting materials which respond in a facile way to anisotropic surfaces, and can, thereby, be effectively processed into highly oriented monodomains. Measurement on these domains of the electrical conductivity, with in situ monitoring of domain quality and orientation using LC birefringence textures in electroded cells, brings a new era of precision and reliability to the determination of anisotropic carrier mobility in LC semiconductors