Effect of Hypertension on Childhood-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematous in a Tertiary Medical Center in Korea

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and long-term clinical effects of hypertension in Korean childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients. Methods The medical records of SLE patients, diagnosed by 2019 SLE European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) classification criteria, who visited Samsung Medical Center from January 2009 to May 2019 were reviewed. Disease activity and long-term damage were evaluated using the Modified Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) and the Pediatric Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR Damage Index (Ped-SDI), respectively. The sex-, age- and height-blood pressure standards recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 2017 guideline was used to define hypertension. Results A total of 32 patients were enrolled in this study. The median follow-up duration was 7.3 years and females were predominant. The median ages at SLE and hypertension diagnoses were 14.2 and 14.3 years, respectively. The biopsy-proven lupus nephritis was detected in 90.6% and 37.5% were class IV. During the follow-up, 12 patients (37.5%) had hypertension. Among them, 2 patients had 3 episodes of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and 5 patients had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Univariate analysis showed baseline hypertension was significantly correlated with a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, higher body mass index and SLEDAI at baseline. The development of hypertension during the follow-up was significantly correlated with obesity, LVH, and higher Ped-SDI. Conclusion Our study revealed that hypertension in pediatric SLE is associated with obesity and renal function at SLE diagnosis and could affect long-term damage

A study on Biosorptive Removal of Cd from Wastewater using Chironomid Larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Cadmium (Cd) has caused serious public health problem due to its toxic nature. It is necessary to find a cost-effective method to dispose of wastewater containing Cd. Chironomid larvae as an alternative to conventional adsorbents were applied to remove Cd from wastewater. The sorption studies of Cd were carried out using laboratory-reared Glyptotendipes tokunagai (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae. Kinetic and sorption capacity of chironomid larvae for Cd were determined by means of controlled experiments in a batch system. It was observed that removal efficiency of Cd was largely concentration dependent and more effective in lower concentration. At equilibrium, Cd was removed up to roughly 53 %. The sorption kinetics were found to conform to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model with a good correlation. Equilibrium sorption data were best fitted to the both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models owing to their correlation coefficient R2 values greater than 0.99. Considering the values obtained from isotherm constants 1/n and r, it is confirmed that Cd is sorbed favorably by chironomid larvae. With its relatively high removal capability for Cd, Chironomid larvae have enormous potential for application in wastewater treatment technologies.Â

Effect of income level on stroke incidence and the mediated effect of simultaneous diagnosis of metabolic syndrome diseases; a nationwide cohort study in South Korea

Background : This study aimed to determine whether a simultaneous diagnosis of main components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia) plays a mediator between income level and stroke. Methods : We used the National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort database from 2006 to 2015. The mediator variables were the number of main MetS components diagnosed simultaneously (two or more/three or more). We used a weighting approach method of causal mediation analysis to apply counterfactual frameworks to the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results : A total of 213,526 people were included with 1,690,665.3 person-years of followed up. Compared with the high-income group, the risk of being diagnosed with two or more components of MetS significantly increased in all other income groups [middle-income OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.02–1.08); low-income OR 1.09 (95% CI 1.05–1.12); Medical Aid beneficiaries OR 1.39 (95% CI 1.32–1.47)]. A lower level of income was significantly associated with a higher risk of stroke compared with the high-income group [middle-income HR 1.15 (95% CI 1.07–1.25); low-income HR 1.19 (95% CI 1.10–1.29); Medical Aid beneficiaries HR 1.63 (95% CI 1.48–1.80)]. In the Medical Aid beneficiaries, simultaneous diagnosis of the main metabolic components acted as a significant mediator between income levels and stroke incidence, with 26.6% mediated when diagnosed with two or more diseases and 21.1% when diagnosed with all three. Conclusions : Co-diagnosis of MetS components played a significant mediator role between income level and stroke incidence

Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Coated with Galactose-Carrying Polymer for Hepatocyte Targeting

Our goal is to develop the functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) demonstrating the capacities to be delivered in liver specifically and to be dispersed in physiological environment stably. For this purpose, SPIONs were coated with polyvinylbenzyl-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-gluconamide (PVLA) having galactose moieties to be recognized by asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGP-R) on hepatocytes. For use as a control, we also prepared SPIONs coordinated with 2-pyrrolidone. The sizes, size distribution, structure, and coating of the nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrophoretic light scattering spectrophotometer (ELS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), respectively. Intracellular uptake of the PVLA-coated SPIONs was visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy, and their hepatocyte-specific delivery was also investigated through magnetic resonance (MR) images of rat liver. MRI experimental results indicated that the PVLA-coated SPIONs possess the more specific accumulation property in liver compared with control, which suggests their potential utility as liver-targeting MRI contrast agent

Ultrasound of the Urinary Bladder, Revisited

Urine-filled bladder can be evaluated easily with ultrasound, and bladder tumors are usually well shown at ultrasound. Although ultrasound is not a primary imaging modality for staging of bladder tumors, it can provide general information regarding depth of tumor invasion into the proper muscle or perivesical adipose tissue. Ultrasound is also useful in showing nonneoplastic lesions of the bladder, such as stone, cystitis, diverticulum and ureterocele. Color Doppler ultrasound can show vascularity of the tumor. It also shows urine flow from the ureteral orifice or through the diverticular neck. As compared with transabdominal ultrasound, transrectal ultrasound shows bladder lesions more markedly in the dorsal wall or neck of the bladder

Kinetic study for the optimization of ginsenoside Rg3 production by heat treatment of ginsenoside Rb1

AbstractBackgroundGinsenoside Rg3 is a promising anticancer agent. It is usually produced by heat treatment of ginseng, in which ginsenoside Rb1 is the major ginsenoside. A kinetic study was conducted to optimize ginsenoside Rg3 production by the heat treatment of ginsenoside Rb1.MethodsGinsenoside Rb1 was heated using an isothermal machine at 80°C and 100°C and analyzed using HPLC. The kinetic parameters were calculated from the experimental results. The activation energy was estimated and used to simulate the process. The optimized parameters of ginsenoside Rg3 production are suggested based on the simulation.ResultsThe rate constants were 0.013 h−1 and 0.073 h−1 for the degradation of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg3 at 80°C, respectively. The corresponding rate constants at 100°C were 0.045 h−1 and 0.155 h−1. The estimated activation energies of degradation of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg3 were 69.2 kJ/mol and 40.9 kJ/mol, respectively. The rate constants at different temperatures were evaluated using the estimated activation energies, and the kinetic profiles of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg3 at each temperature were simulated based on the proposed kinetic model of consecutive reaction. The optimum strategies for producing ginsenoside Rg3 from ginsenoside Rb1 are suggested based on the simulation. With increased temperature, a high concentration of ginsenoside Rg3 is formed rapidly. However, the concentration decreases quickly after the reaching the maximal concentration value.ConclusionThe optimum temperature for producing ginsenoside Rg3 should be the highest temperature technically feasible below 180°C, in consideration of the cooling time. The optimum reaction time for heat treatment is 30 min

Prenatal Diagnosis of Bilateral Pulmonary Agenesis: a Case Report

We report a case of bilateral pulmonary agenesis (BPA), which was suspected during a prenatal US examination and diagnosed by fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). BPA is an extremely rare congenital anomaly and, although many fetal structural defects can be detected with a high degree of confidence after introducing high-resolution US, the prenatal diagnosis of BPA remains problematic. Other thoracic abnormalities, such as a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation, and pulmonary sequestration, should be excluded from the list of possible diagnoses before coming to the conclusion of BPA, because BPA is absolutely incompatible with extrauterine life, and an accurate internal diagnosis can prevent a futile intervention from being performed.Lee EY, 2008, RADIOLOGY, V247, P632, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2473062124Moreno-Alvarez O, 2008, ULTRASOUND OBST GYN, V31, P164, DOI 10.1002/uog.5201Obenauer S, 2008, CLIN IMAG, V32, P48, DOI 10.1016/j.clinimag.2007.08.019Joshi S, 2007, EARLY HUM DEV, V83, P789, DOI 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2007.09.007Jeanty C, 2007, ULTRASOUND OBST GYN, V29, P378, DOI 10.1002/uog.3958Nazir Z, 2006, J PEDIATR SURG, V41, P1165, DOI 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2006.02.012Gabarre JA, 2005, J ULTRAS MED, V24, P865Levine D, 2003, RADIOLOGY, V228, P379, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2282020604Vettraino IM, 2003, J ULTRAS MED, V22, P723Yang JI, 2003, J CLIN ULTRASOUND, V31, P214, DOI 10.1002/jcu.10157Laudy JAM, 2000, ULTRASOUND OBST GYN, V16, P284Kalache KD, 1997, FETAL DIAGN THER, V12, P360ENGELLENNER W, 1989, PEDIATR PATHOL, V9, P725