Xenopus: An alternative model system for identifying muco-active agents

The airway epithelium in human plays a central role as the first line of defense against environmental contaminants. Most respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and respiratory infections, disturb normal muco-ciliary functions by stimulating the hypersecretion of mucus. Several muco-active agents have been used to treat hypersecretion symptoms in patients. Current muco-active reagents control mucus secretion by modulating either airway inflammation, cholinergic parasympathetic nerve activities or by reducing the viscosity by cleaving crosslinking in mucin and digesting DNAs in mucus. However, none of the current medication regulates mucus secretion by directly targeting airway goblet cells. The major hurdle for screening potential muco-active agents that directly affect the goblet cells, is the unavailability of in vivo model systems suitable for high-throughput screening. In this study, we developed a high-throughput in vivo model system for identifying muco-active reagents using Xenopus laevis embryos. We tested mucus secretion under various conditions and developed a screening strategy to identify potential muco-regulators. Using this novel screening technique, we identified narasin as a potential muco-regulator. Narasin treatment of developing Xenopus embryos significantly reduced mucus secretion. Furthermore, the human lung epithelial cell line, Calu-3, responded similarly to narasin treatment, validating our technique for discovering muco-active reagent

Results of immediate loading for implant restoration in partially edentulous patients: a 6-month preliminary prospective study using SinusQuick™ EB implant system

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM. Many dental clinicians are concerned about immediate loading of inserted implants. However, there have been few clinical studies surveying the success rates of immediate loading, based on Korean implant systems. PURPOSE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of immediate functional loading of the implant (SinusQuickTM EB, Neobiotech Co., Seoul, Korea) in partially edentulous maxilla or mandible. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Total 15 implants were placed. Within 2 weeks after implant insertion, provisional implant-supported fixed partial dentures were delivered to the patients. Quantitatively, marginal bone loss was measured at the time of immediate loading, after 3-months of continued loading and at the last follow-up. The mean follow-up period was 4.8 months. RESULTS. Mean marginal bone loss from implant surgery to early loading, 3-months follow-up and last follow-up was 0.03 ± 0.07 mm, 0.16 ± 0.17 mm and 0.29 ± 0.19 mm. No implant failed up to 6 months after insertion, resulting in a 100% survival rate. CONCLUSION. Immediate loading exhibited high success rate in partial edentulism for up to 6 months. Well-controlled long term clinical studies with large sample size are necessary to confirm this finding

A multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of intracoronary cell infusion mobilized with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and darbepoetin after acute myocardial infarction: study design and rationale of the 'MAGIC cell-5-combination cytokine trial'

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bone marrow derived stem/progenitor cell transplantation after acute myocardial infarction is safe and effective for improving left ventricular systolic function. However, the improvement of left ventricular systolic function is limited. This study will evaluate novel stem/progenitor cell therapy with combination cytokine treatment of the long-acting erythropoietin analogue, darbepoetin, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients with acute myocardial infarction.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The 'MAGIC Cell-5-Combination Cytokine Trial' is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, 3-arm, controlled trial with blind evaluation of the endpoints. A total of 116 patients will randomly receive one of the following three treatments: an intravenous darbepoetin infusion and intracoronary infusion of peripheral blood stem cells mobilized with G-CSF (n = 58), an intracoronary infusion of peripheral blood stem cells mobilized with G-CSF alone (n = 29), or conventional therapy (n = 29) at phase I. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction < 45% at 6 months, in the patients who received stem cell therapy at phase I, will receive repeated cell therapy at phase II. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination cytokine therapy with erythropoietin and G-CSF (phase I) and repeated progenitor/stem cell treatment (phase II).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This is the first study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination cytokine based progenitor/stem cell treatment.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p><url>http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov</url> identifier: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00501917">NCT00501917</a>.</p

Mori Folium and Mori Fructus Mixture Attenuates High-Fat Diet-Induced Cognitive Deficits in Mice

Obesity has become a global health problem, contributing to various diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and dementia. Increasing evidence suggests that obesity can also cause neuronal damage, long-term memory loss, and cognitive impairment. The leaves and the fruits of Morus alba L., containing active phytochemicals, have been shown to possess antiobesity and hypolipidemic properties. Thus, in the present study, we assessed their effects on cognitive functioning in mice fed a high-fat diet by performing immunohistochemistry, using antibodies against c-Fos, synaptophysin, and postsynaptic density protein 95 and a behavioral test. C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet for 21 weeks exhibited increased body weight, but mice coadministered an optimized Mori Folium and Mori Fructus extract mixture (2 : 1; MFE) for the final 12 weeks exhibited significant body weight loss. Additionally, obese mice exhibited not only reduced neural activity, but also decreased presynaptic and postsynaptic activities, while MFE-treated mice exhibited recovery of these activities. Finally, cognitive deficits induced by the high-fat diet were recovered by cotreatment with MFE in the novel object recognition test. Our findings suggest that the antiobesity effects of MFE resulted in recovery of the cognitive deficits induced by the high-fat diet by regulation of neural and synaptic activities

Angiolipoma of the Posterior Mediastinum with Extension into the Spinal Canal: A Case Report

Angiolipoma is a rare benign soft tissue tumor, an unusual variant of lipoma, consisting of fatty and vascular components and located in the subcutis, usually in the trunk and extremities. We report a case of posterior mediastinal angiolipoma extending into the spinal canal and showing both fat and angiomatous features on CT scan

Diffuse Interstitial Infiltrative Lung Metastasis of Malignant Melanoma: a Case Report

A diffuse interstitial infiltrative pattern of lung metastasis in a patient with malignant melanoma is rare and can be confused with benign conditions such as pulmonary edema or drug-induced pneumonitis. We experienced a case of diffuse interstitial infiltrative lung metastasis in malignant melanoma in a 37-year-old man. This case was confirmed by a transbronchial lung biopsy. We herein describe the findings on CT and positron emission tomography scan

Selective Leaching of Zinc from Spent Zinc-Carbon Battery with Ammoniacal Ammonium Carbonate

This paper describes the ammoniacal ammonium carbonate leaching behavior of zinc and manganese from spent zinc-carbon batteries. For selective extraction of Zn from the spent zinc-carbon battery, leaching tests were carried out as a function of process parameters such as concentration of (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3 , ammonia, temperature, time and pulp density. Physical methods of separation such as crushing was applied to reduce the material to 10-20 mm size followed by magnetic separation to separate iron with a recovery about 10 mass% leaving most of Zn and Mn in the non-magnetic fraction. Non-magnetic fraction was further subjected to sieving to separate 2.46 mm over and under size fractions. The oversize material was processed by eddy current separation to recover zinc sheet and carbon rods and plastics. The under size material with chemical composition of Zn 15.5 mass%, Mn 17.5 mass%, and Fe 1.4 mass% was used for leaching studies. Under the optimum leaching conditions (2.0 kmol/m 3 (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3 and 4.0 kmol/m 3 ammonia, 40 C, 100 g/L pulp density, 30 min and 250 rpm), the leaching efficiency of zinc and manganese was 80.2% and less than 0.1%, respectively, indicating the selective recovery of zinc from the spent zinc-carbon battery. An overall zinc recovery is about 88%

Dilation of the olfactory bulb cavity concurrent with hydrocephalus in four small breed dogs

Four small breed dogs were admitted with seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed dilation of the olfactory bulb cavity as well as enlargement of the lateral ventricles. These findings demonstrate that dilation of the olfactory bulb cavity can occur concurrent with hydrocephalus. This is the first description of the clinical and MRI features of dilation of the olfactory bulb cavity concurrent with hydrocephalus in dogs