Malakoplakia of the Kidney Extending to the Descending Colon in a Patient with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency: A Case Report

Malakoplakia is an uncommon but distinctive type of chronic granulomatous inflammation that occurs most commonly in the genitourinary tract, especially the urinary bladder. Most patients have associated conditions characterized by some degree of immunosuppression, as seen in solid-organ transplants, autoimmune diseases requiring steroid use, chemotherapy, chronic systemic diseases, alcohol abuse and poorly controlled diabetes. We report an unusual case of the renal malakoplakia that involved the perirenal space, extending to the descending colon in a 65-year-old Korean woman with secondary adrenal insufficiency and diabetes mellitus

Cytoprotective effects of fermented oyster extracts against oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and apoptosis through activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts

Osteoblast damage by oxidative stress has been recognized as a cause of bone-related disease, including osteoporosis. Recently, we reported that fermented Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) extracts (FO) inhibited osteoclastogenesis and osteoporosis, while promoting osteogenesis. However, since the beneficial potential of FO on osteoblasts is not well known, in the present study, we investigated the cytoprotective effect of FO against oxidative stress in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Our results demonstrated that FO inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced DNA damage and cytotoxicity through the rescue of mitochondrial function by blocking abnormal ROS accumulation. FO also prevented apoptosis by suppressing loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytosolic release of cytochrome c, decreasing the rate of Bax/Bcl-2 expression and reducing the activity of caspase-9 and caspase-3 in H2O2-stimulated MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, suggesting that FO protected MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts from the induction of caspase dependent- and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by oxidative stress. In addition, FO markedly promoted the activation of nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which was associated with the enhanced expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). However, inhibiting the expression of HO-1 by artificially blocking the expression of Nrf2 using siRNA significantly eliminated the protective effect of FO, indicating that FO activates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts to protect against oxidative stress. Based on the present data, FO is thought to be useful as a potential therapeutic agent for the inhibition of oxidative stress in osteoblasts

Arrhythmia surgery for atrial fibrillation associated with atrial septal defect: Right-sided maze versus biatrial maze

BackgroundAlthough it has been inferred that a biatrial maze procedure for atrial fibrillation in left-sided heart lesions may lead to better outcomes compared with a limited left atrial lesion set, it remains controversial whether the biatrial maze procedure is superior to the right atrial maze procedure in right-sided heart lesions.MethodsA retrospective review was performed for 56 adults who underwent surgical closure of atrial septal defect and various maze procedures for atrial fibrillation between June 1998 and February 2011. The median age at operation was 59 years (range, 34-79 years). Clinical manifestations of atrial fibrillation were paroxysmal in 8 patients, persistent in 15 patients, and long-standing persistent in 33 patients. A right atrial maze procedure was performed in 23 patients (group 1), and a biatrial maze procedure was performed in 33 patients (group 2). Treatment failure was defined as atrial fibrillation recurrence, development of atrial flutter or other types of atrial tachyarrhythmia, or implantation of a permanent pacemaker. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify risk factors for decreased time to treatment failure.ResultsDuring the median follow-up period of 49 months (range, 5-149 months), there was no early death and 1 late noncardiac death. On Cox survival model, group 1 showed a significantly decreased time to treatment failure in comparison with group 2 (hazard ratio, 5.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.59-16.44; P = .006). Maintenance of normal sinus rhythm without any episode of atrial fibrillation recurrence at 2 and 5 years postoperatively was 57% and 45% in group 1, respectively, and 82% and 69% in group 2, respectively.ConclusionsLeft-sided ablation in addition to a right atrial maze procedure leads to better electrophysiologic outcome in atrial fibrillation associated with atrial septal defect

A STUDY ON THE LONG-TERM MONITORING OF SPORTS ACTIVITIES

INTRODUCTION: Lots of studies to analyze and classify human movement patterns using various sensors have been carried out (Mathie, 2004; Allen, 2006) because accurate information of body activity is required to provide promotion of health and health plan. Thus this study was conducted to study the classification and monitoring of various sports activities in real-time environment using single waist mounted tri-axial accelerometer

A plausible mode of action of pseudin-2, an antimicrobial peptide from Pseudis paradoxa

AbstractThe search for new antibiotic agents is continuous, reflecting the continuous emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Among the new agents are the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which have the potential to become a leading alternative to conventional antibiotics. Studies for the mechanisms of action of the naturally occurring parent peptides can provide the structural and functional information needed for the development of effective new antibiotic agents. We therefore characterized pseudin-2, an AMP isolated from the skin of the South American paradoxical frog Pseudis paradoxa. We found that pseudin-2 organized to an aggregated state in aqueous solution, but that it dissociated into monomers upon binding to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), even though it did not neutralize LPS in Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, pseudin-2 assumed an α-helical structure in the presence of biological membranes and formed pores in both bacterial and fungal membranes, through which it entered the cytoplasm and tightly bound to RNA. Thus, the potent antimicrobial activity of pseudin-2 likely results from both the formation of pores capable of collapsing the membrane potential and releasing intracellular materials and its inhibition of macromolecule synthesis through its binding to RNA

Biocontrol of Fusarium head blight in rice using Bacillus velezensis JCK-7158

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive disease caused by several species of Fusarium, such as Fusarium graminearum and F. asiaticum. FHB affects cereal crops, including wheat, barley, and rice, worldwide. Fusarium-infected kernels not only cause reduced yields but also cause quality loss by producing mycotoxins, such as trichothecenes and zearalenone, which are toxic to animals and humans. For decades, chemical fungicides have been used to control FHB because of their convenience and high control efficacy. However, the prolonged use of chemical fungicides has caused adverse effects, including the emergence of drug resistance to pathogens and environmental pollution. Biological control is considered one of the most promising alternatives to chemicals and can be used for integrated management of FHB due to the rare possibility of environment pollution and reduced health risks. In this study, Bacillus velezensis JCK-7158 isolated from rice was selected as an ecofriendly alternative to chemical fungicides for the management of FHB. JCK-7158 produced the extracellular enzymes protease, chitinase, gelatinase, and cellulase; the plant growth hormone indole-3-acetic acid; and the 2,3-butanediol precursor acetoin. Moreover, JCK-7158 exhibited broad antagonistic activity against various phytopathogenic fungi and produced iturin A, surfactin, and volatile substances as active antifungal compounds. It also enhanced the expression of PR1, a known induced resistance marker gene, in transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing β-glucuronidase (GUS) fused with the PR1 promoter. Under greenhouse conditions, treatments with the culture broth and suspension concentrate formulation of JCK-7158 at a 1,000-fold dilution inhibited the development of FHB by 50 and 66%, respectively. In a field experiment, treatment with the suspension concentrate formulation of JCK-7158 at a 1,000-fold dilution effectively controlled the development of FHB with a control value of 55% and reduced the production of the mycotoxin nivalenol by 40%. Interestingly, treatment with JCK-7158 enhanced the expression of plant defense-related genes in salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling pathways before and after FHB pathogen inoculation. Taken together, our findings support that JCK-7158 has the potential to serve as a new biocontrol agent for the management of FHB