Association of factor XIII Val34Leu polymorphism and coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis

Background: Factor XIII plays an important role in the stabilization of the linkage between fibrins and in the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease (CAD). The association between factor XIII Val34Leu polymorphism and CAD risk remains controversial. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of 36 studies involving 26,940 cases and 34,694 controls. Subgroup analyses were performed with division of data into disease (myocardial infarction [MI], CAD without MI), age, and sex. Results: Factor XIII Val34Leu polymorphism was significantly associated with ove all CAD risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–1.06, p = 0.004) and MI risk (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.07–1.25, p = 0.0003), but not with CAD without MI risk (OR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.87–1.15, p = 0.96). In the subgroup analysis by age and sex, there was no association between Val34Leu polymorphism and CAD. Conclusions: This meta-analysis found that factor XIII Val34Leu polymorphism was associated with CAD risk, especially MI, but not with CAD without MI. In addition, age and sex did not affect the relationship between factor XIII Val34Leu polymorphism and CAD risk.

Transantral Orbital Floor Fracture Repair Using a Folded Silastic Tube

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the advantages and limitations of using a silicon tube to support the fractured orbital floor by a transantral approach.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted from January 2000 to December. 2011 in 51 patients with pure orbital floor fractures. The patients underwent reduction surgery via a transantral approach for inserting a folded silastic tube to support the fractured orbital floor in the maxillary sinus. A chart review of preoperative and postoperative ocular symptoms, operation records, and complications was maintained.ResultsIn 18 out of 25 patients with diplopia, postoperative improvement was seen. In 13 out of 15 patients with extraocular muscle limitation, postoperative improvement was seen. Enophthalmos resolved postoperatively in four of five patients. Postsurgical complications occurred in three patients: an overcorrection, an infection in the maxillary sinus, and an implant extrusion, all of which were resolved by revision surgeries.ConclusionDuring the course of the study, we sensed reduction using a folded silastic tube via a transantral approach as an easy and effective technique with good postoperative results, and minimal implant related complications. This novel procedure is recommended as a surgical option for the reduction of orbital floor fractures

Evolution of optical phonons in CdS nanowires, nanobelts, and nanosheets

We report Raman scattering from single and ensemble CdS nanowires, nanobelts, and nanosheets. The Raman spectra of nanobelts and nanosheets are notably different from those of nanowires, exhibiting a strong enhancement of the multiphonon response. Moreover, the first-order longitudinal optical (LO) phonon energy systematically increases with increasing lateral size from nanowires to nanobelts, and to nanosheets. These results suggest that the optical phonons in the CdS nanostructures are influenced by strain, crystallinity, and exciton-LO phonon coupling.open342

A New Onset of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Developed After Bee Venom Therapy

Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease of an unknown origin, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be triggered by numerous stimuli. Bee venom therapy is an alternative therapy that is believed to be effective for various kinds of arthritis. We present here a case of a 49-year-old female who experienced a new onset lupus after undergoing bee venom therapy, and this looked like a case of angioedema. The patient was successfully treated with high dose steroids and antimalarial drugs. We discuss the possibility of bee venom contributing to the development of SLE, and we suggest that such treatment should be avoided in patients with lupus

Genetic Parameter Estimation in Seedstock Swine Population for Growth Performances

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters that are to be used for across-herd genetic evaluations of seed stock pigs at GGP level. Performance data with pedigree information collected from swine breeder farms in Korea were provided by Korea Animal Improvement Association (AIAK). Performance data were composed of final body weights at test days and ultrasound measures of back fat thickness (BF), rib eye area (EMA) and retail cut percentage (RCP). Breeds of swine tested were Landrace, Yorkshire and Duroc. Days to 90 kg body weight (DAYS90) were estimated with linear function of age and ADG calculated from body weights at test days. Ultrasound measures were taken with A-mode ultrasound scanners by trained technicians. Number of performance records after censoring outliers and keeping records pigs only born from year 2000 were of 78,068 Duroc pigs, 101,821 Landrace pigs and 281,421 Yorkshire pigs. Models included contemporary groups defined by the same herd and the same seasons of births of the same year, which was regarded as fixed along with the effect of sex for all traits and body weight at test day as a linear covariate for ultrasound measures. REML estimation was processed with REMLF90 program. Heritability estimates were 0.40, 0.32, 0.21 0.39 for DAYS90, ADG, BF, EMA, RCP, respectively for Duroc population. Respective heritability estimates for Landrace population were 0.43, 0.41, 0.22, and 0.43 and for Yorkshire population were 0.36, 0.38, 0.22, and 0.42. Genetic correlation coefficients of DAYS90 with BF, EMA, or RCP were estimated to be 0.00 to 0.09, −0.15 to −0.25, 0.22 to 0.28, respectively for three breeds populations. Genetic correlation coefficients estimated between BF and EMA was −0.33 to −0.39. Genetic correlation coefficient estimated between BF and RCP was high and negative (−0.78 to −0.85) but the environmental correlation coefficients between these two traits was medium and negative (near −0.35), which describes a highly correlated genetic response to selection on one or the other of these traits. Genetic Trends of all three breeds tend to be towards bigger EMA or greater RCP and shorter DAYS90 especially from generations born after year 2000

Myocardial Infarction in a Young Man due to a Hypoplastic Coronary Artery

Hypoplastic coronary artery disease (HCAD) is a rare condition that may lead to myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden death. We discovered HCAD in a young man who developed chest pain after heavy drinking and who was found to have suffered an MI. His ECG showed ST-segment elevation with Q waves in the anterior leads, and echocardiography revealed apical dyskinesia with moderate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Coronary angiography showed hypoplasia of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. 99mTc-tetrofosmin-gated myocardial perfusion scintigraphy showed a large, fixed perfusion defect in the anteroseptal and apical segments. Sixty-four-slice cardiac CT and cardiac MR imaging demonstrated thinning of the apical wall with calcification and delayed enhancement, supporting the diagnosis of long-standing MI. The patient was discharged symptom-free on medication for ischemic heart failure two weeks after admission. Although HCAD is very uncommon, it should be considered in children and young adults who suffer MI or sudden cardiac death

Dual-View Three-Dimensional Display Based on Direct-Projection Integral Imaging with Convex Mirror Arrays

Dual three-dimensional (3-D) view displays have been attracting much attention in many practical application fields since they can provide two kinds of realistic 3-D images with different perspectives to the viewer. Thus, in this paper, a new type of the dual-view 3-D display system based on direct-projection integral imaging using a convex-mirror-array (CMA) is proposed. Two elemental image arrays (EIAs) captured from each of the two 3-D objects are synthesized into a single dual-view EIA (DV-EIA) with a selective sub-image mapping scheme. The divergent beam of the projector containing the information of the DV-EIA is projected onto the CMA. On each convex mirror of the CMA, left and right-view components of the DV-EIA are separated and reflected back into their viewing directions. Two different 3-D scene images are then integrated and displayed on their respective viewing zones. Ray-optical analysis with the parallel-ray-approximation method and experiments with the test 3-D objects on the implemented 22″ DV 3-D display prototype confirm the feasibility of the proposed system in the practical applicatio

Morphological Evolution of CdS Nanowires to Nanosheets

We report on the formation mechanism of CdS nanosheets based upon extensive scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy experiments. Two different CdS nanowires were synthesized, whose axial directions are in parallel with [00011 or [0 (1) over bar 10]. The [0001]-nanowires sustained one-dimensional growth characteristics irrespective of reaction temperature and duration. On the other hand, we observed two-dimensional lateral growth in the [0 (1) over bar 10]-nanowires. We proposed a three-step process for the morphological evolution of CdS nanowires to nanosheets; (1) nucleation and growth of nanowires by vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, (2) side-branching of secondary nanowires perpendicular to the original nanowires and filling between them by vapor-solid mechanism, and finally (3) formation of nanosheets through the repetition of side-branching and filling processes.open5

The association between genetic polymorphisms of the interleukin-23 receptor gene and susceptibility to uveitis: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background Uveitis is an eye inflammatory disease, which is sometimes associated with underlying systemic disease. Interleukin-23 plays an important role in autoimmune disease. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between the interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) and susceptibility to uveitis. Methods Published literature from PUBMED and EMBASE were retrieved. Seven studies were included in this meta-analysis, covering a total of 1309 cases of uveitis and 2400 controls. Meta-analyses were conducted on the associations between uveitisand rs7517847, rs17375018, and rs11209032 polymorphisms in the IL-23R gene. Results There were no significant associations between IL-23R polymorphisms and uveitis with regard to the following alleles: for G allele vs. T allele of rs7517847, OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.92–1.12, P = 0.83; for A allele vs. G allele of rs17375018, OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.47–0.99, P = 0.05; rs11209032 OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.84–1.51, P = 0.43. In contrast, there were significant associations between the AA + AG gene versus GG gene of rs17375018 and the AA gene versus AG + GG gene of rs11209032 polymorphism with uveitis (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.35–0.99, P = 0.04; OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10–1.59, P = 0.003). Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests that each allele of IL-23R, including rs7519847, rs17375018 and rs11209032 was negatively associated with uveitis. However, homozygote models, including the rs17375018 GG genotype and rs11209032 AA genotype, were significantly associated with uveitis