Prevention of mitochondrial impairment by inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 activity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs) and subsequent muscle weakness. These pathological features are associated with numerous cellular changes, including alteration in mitochondrial morphology and function. However, the molecular mechanisms associating mitochondrial structure with ALS pathology are poorly understood. In this study, we found that Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) was dephosphorylated in several ALS models, including those with SOD1 and TDP-43 mutations, and the dephosphorylation was mediated by the pathological induction of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) activity in these models. Suppression of the PP1-Drp1 cascade effectively prevented ALS-related symptoms, including mitochondrial fragmentation, mitochondrial complex I impairment, axonal degeneration, and cell death, in primary neuronal culture models, iPSC-derived human MNs, and zebrafish models in vivo. These results suggest that modulation of PP1-Drp1 activity may be a therapeutic target for multiple pathological features of ALS

Gender differences in characteristics of adolescents with suicide attempt at the emergency department

Purpose This study was performed to investigate the gender differences in suicide attempts in adolescents. Methods We reviewed the medical records of adolescents (≤ 18 years) who had visited a university hospital emergency department (ED) for suicide attempts from January 2018 through December 2019. General characteristics of the adolescents, details of the attempt, and outcomes were analyzed. The characteristics were age, gender, the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale, previous attempts, and psychiatric history. The details were initial Glasgow Coma Scale, attempt-arrival time, living alone, method, place, and motivation of the attempt, and concurrent use of alcohol. The outcomes included psychiatric consultation, ED length of stay, and ED outcomes. Results A total of 86 adolescents were included. Their age ranged from 13 to 18 years, and girls accounted for 65.1%. The girls had more frequent psychiatric history than boys (66.1% vs. 30.0%; P = 0.001) without a significant difference in previous attempts (55.4% vs. 46.7%; P = 0.442). The most common methods of the attempt in the girls and boys were poisoning and sharp objects (53.3% [16 of the 30 boys] vs. 60.7% [34 of the 56 girls]; P = 0.002), respectively. No differences were found in the other details of the attempt and in the rate of psychiatric consultation. The girls had a longer ED length of stay (247.0 minutes vs. 186.5; P = 0.033), a lower rate of discharge against medical advice, and higher rates of hospitalization (discharge against medical advice, 53.6% vs. 76.7%; non-psychiatric, 23.2% vs. 3.3%; psychiatric, 12.5% vs. 0%; P = 0.003). Conclusion Girls may make suicide attempts, usually by poisoning, and undergo relevant hospitalization, more often than boys. In contrast, boys usually use sharp objects, with a higher rate of discharge against medical advice and lower rates of the attempt and hospitalization

Peritoneal carcinomatosis with desmoplasia and osseous metaplasia mimicking encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in a cat: case report

A 13-year-old neutered male Korean short-hair cat presented with anorexia, lethargy, and a severely distended abdomen, suggestive of ascites. Abdominocentesis yielded serosanguineous fluid. A subsequent diagnostic workup, including blood tests, ascitic fluid analysis, imaging studies [radiography, ultrasound, and computed tomography (CT)], and histopathological examination, was performed to identify the underlying cause. Imaging studies revealed characteristics of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) such as peritoneal thickening, fat stranding, and calcification. During laparotomy, fibrous membranes encapsulating the abdominal organs and ascites were observed, and multiple calcified regions were detected on the abdominal wall. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of poorly differentiated invasive malignant neoplasms, which were further classified as carcinomatosis based on positive cytokeratin and negative vimentin immunohistochemistry results. To our knowledge, this is the first report of sclerosing peritoneal carcinomatosis with osseous metaplasia in a cat

Central Venous Stenosis Caused by Traction of the Innominate Vein due to a Tuberculosis-Destroyed Lung

We report a case of central venous stenosis due to a structural deformity caused by a tuberculosis-destroyed lung in a 65-year-old woman. The patient presented with left facial edema. She had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, and the chest X-ray revealed a collapsed left lung. Angiography showed leftward deviation of the innominate vein leading to kinking and stenosis of the internal jugular vein. Stent insertion improved her facial edema

A Comparative Study of Anxiety, Pain and Maternal-fetal Attachment between Women who became Pregnant after Infertility Treatment and became Pregnant Naturally

PURPOSE: This study was a comparative study to understand the levels of anxiety, pain and maternal-fetal attachment between women who became pregnant after infertility treatment and became pregnant naturally. METHODS: This study used a comparative survey design. Data were collected by 50 couples of natural pregnancy and of who became pregnant after infertility treatment who visited delivery room in C Medical hospital, Seoul. These couples were to have first baby, and cervix dilatation of women was less than 3 cm regardless of diagnosis. RESULTS: The score of anxiety of infertile women was significantly higher than that of naturally pregnant women; however, that of spouses showed no difference. The pain score for infertile women was significantly higher in both the active and transition phases. Pain scores that reported by their spouses did not show differences in either phase. The score of maternal-fetal attachment showed no difference between two groups of women. CONCLUSION: The result showed the importance of nursing intervention to reduce women's anxiety and pain, through both antenatal-childbirth education programs and assertive nursing interventions. It is necessary to develop and evaluate new intervention which would be more effective for reducing pain and anxiety for couples who became pregnant after infertility treatment

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate monotherapy for nucleos(t)ide analogue-naïve and nucleos(t)ide analogue-experienced chronic hepatitis B patients

Background/AimsThis study investigated the antiviral effects of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) monotherapy in nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)-naive and NA-experienced chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.MethodsCHB patients treated with TDF monotherapy (300 mg/day) for ≥12 weeks between December 2012 and July 2014 at a single center were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical, biochemical, and virological parameters were assessed every 12 weeks.ResultsIn total, 136 patients (median age 49 years, 96 males, 94 HBeAg positive, and 51 with liver cirrhosis) were included. Sixty-two patients were nucleos(t)ide (NA)-naïve, and 74 patients had prior NA therapy (NA-exp group), and 31 patients in the NA-exp group had lamivudine (LAM)-resistance (LAM-R group). The baseline serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level was 4.9±2.3 log IU/mL (mean±SD), and was higher in the NA-naïve group than in the NA-exp and LAM-R groups (5.9±2.0 log IU/mL vs 3.9±2.0 log IU/mL vs 4.2±1.7 log IU/mL, P<0.01). The complete virological response (CVR) rate at week 48 in the NA-naïve group (71.4%) did not differ significantly from those in the NA-exp (71.3%) and LAM-R (66.1%) groups. In multivariate analysis, baseline serum HBV DNA was the only predictive factor for a CVR at week 48 (hazard ratio, 0.809; 95% confidence interval, 0.729-0.898), while the CVR rate did not differ with the NA experience.ConclusionsTDF monotherapy was effective for CHB treatment irrespective of prior NA treatment or LAM resistance. Baseline serum HBV DNA was the independent predictive factor for a CVR

Hepatic glycogenosis in type 1 diabetes mellitus mimicking Mauriac syndrome

Hepatic glycogenosis in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) can be caused by poor glycemic control due to insulin deficiency, excessive insulin treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis, or excessive glucose administration to control hypoglycemia. Mauriac syndrome, which is characterized by hepatomegaly due to hepatic glycogenosis, growth retardation, delayed puberty, and Cushingoid features, is a rare diabetic complication. We report a case of hepatic glycogenosis mimicking Mauriac syndrome. A 14-year-old girl with poorly controlled type 1 DM was admitted to The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital for abdominal pain and distension. Physical examination revealed hepatomegaly and a Cushingoid face. The growth rate of the patient had decreased, and she had not yet experienced menarche. Laboratory findings revealed elevated liver enzyme levels. A liver biopsy confirmed hepatic glycogenosis. Continuous glucose monitoring showed hyperglycemia after meals and frequent hypoglycemia before meals. To control hyperglycemia, we increased insulin dosage by using an insulin pump. In addition, we prescribed uncooked cornstarch to prevent hypoglycemia. After strict blood glucose control, the patient's liver functions and size normalized. The patient subsequently underwent menarche. Hepatic glycogenosis is a complication of type 1 DM that is reversible with appropriate glycemic control