Normal Gallbladder Visualization during Post-Ablative Iodine-131 Scan of Thyroid Cancer

Whole body iodine-131 scan is a well-established imaging method for the detection of metastatic or residual tumor sites in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Many false-positive iodine-131 scan findings mimicking metastatic thyroid cancer have long been reported. The authors describe a false positive uptake in normal gallbladder on post-ablative iodine-131 scan in a patient with papillary thyroid cancer. This finding should be considered to be another possible false-positive finding on iodine-131 whole body scan

Enhancement of phase separation in the InGaN layer for self-assembled In-rich quantum dots

The enhancement of phase separation in the InGaN layer grown on a GaN layer with a rough surface was investigated for the formation of self-assembled In-rich quantum dots(QDs) in the InGaN layer. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that In-rich QDs with a size of 2–5 nm were formed even in an InGaN layer with a low indium content, and a layer thickness less than the critical thickness. The room-temperature photoluminescence(PL) spectrum of this layer showed emission peaks corresponding to In-rich QDs. The temperature-dependent PL spectra showed dominant peak shifts to the lower energy side, indicating that the self-assembled In-rich QDs are formed in the InGaN layer grown on a rough GaNsurface and that the carriers are localized in In-rich QDs

Resistance exercise training-induced skeletal muscle strength provides protective effects on high-fat-diet-induced metabolic stress in mice

Background Resistance exercise training is known to improve metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type2 diabetes. In this study, we investigated whether the beneficial effects of resistance exercise training persisted even after the discontinuation of training with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic stress. We further evaluated whether the improvement in skeletal muscle strength and endurance by training were correlated with improved metabolism. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were divided into groups that remained sedentary or had access to daily resistance exercise via ladder climbing for 8 weeks. Trained and untrained mice were fed an HFD for 1 week after the exercise training intervention (n = 5–8 per group). Results Resistance exercise-trained mice had a lean phenotype and counteracted diet-induced obesity and glucose tolerance, even after exercise cessation. Grip strength was significantly inversely correlated with the body weight, fat mass, and glucose tolerance. However, hanging time was significantly inversely correlated with body weight only. Conclusions These results have strong implications for the preventive effect of resistance exercise-induced metabolic improvement by enhancing skeletal muscle strength rather than endurance.This work was supported by the Korea Mouse Phenotyping Project (NRF-2013M3A9D5072550) of the Ministry of Science, and ICT, through the National Research Foundation

Successful management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy with laparoscopic cornual resection

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the feasibility of laparoscopic cornual resection for the treatment of heterotopic cornual pregnancy.Study designWomen who underwent laparoscopic cornual resection for heterotopic cornual pregnancy at our hospital between January 2003 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. We evaluated significant parameters such as operative complications and postoperative pregnancy outcomes of concomitant pregnancy.ResultsThirteen patients with heterotopic cornual pregnancy were included in the study. All were pregnant through assisted reproductive technology, and the diagnosis was made at a median of 6+6 weeks (range 5+4–10+0). They were successfully treated with laparoscopic cornual resection and admitted for a median of 4 days (range, 2–7) postoperatively. The median operative time was 65min (range, 35–145min) and estimated blood loss was 200mL (range, 10–3000mL). There was a spontaneous abortion at 7+6 gestational weeks in a patient who received bilateral cornual resection. Seven patients delivered babies at term and 3 at preterm. All 10 women delivered without any maternal or neonatal complications. Two were lost to follow-up.ConclusionsLaparoscopic cornual resection is a feasible primary approach for the management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy

Sequences of the Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit I (COI) Gene are Suitable for Species Identification of Korean Calliphorinae Flies of Forensic Importance (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75068/1/j.1556-4029.2009.01126.x.pd

Mobile resistome of human gut and pathogen drives anthropogenic bloom of antibiotic resistance

BACKGROUND:The impact of human activities on the environmental resistome has been documented in many studies, but there remains the controversial question of whether the increased antibiotic resistance observed in anthropogenically impacted environments is just a result of contamination by resistant fecal microbes or is mediated by indigenous environmental organisms. Here, to determine exactly how anthropogenic influences shape the environmental resistome, we resolved the microbiome, resistome, and mobilome of the planktonic microbial communities along a single river, the Han, which spans a gradient of human activities. RESULTS:The bloom of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was evident in the downstream regions and distinct successional dynamics of the river resistome occurred across the spatial continuum. We identified a number of widespread ARG sequences shared between the river, human gut, and pathogenic bacteria. These human-related ARGs were largely associated with mobile genetic elements rather than particular gut taxa and mainly responsible for anthropogenically driven bloom of the downstream river resistome. Furthermore, both sequence- and phenotype-based analyses revealed environmental relatives of clinically important proteobacteria as major carriers of these ARGs. CONCLUSIONS:Our results demonstrate a more nuanced view of the impact of anthropogenic activities on the river resistome: fecal contamination is present and allows the transmission of ARGs to the environmental resistome, but these mobile genes rather than resistant fecal bacteria proliferate in environmental relatives of their original hosts. Video abstract

CT-Guided Percutaneous Vertebroplasty in the Treatment of an Upper Thoracic Compression Fracture

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) has been used to relieve pain and to prevent further collapse of the vertebral body in patients with an osteoporotic compression fracture. The most commonly affected site for the use of PVP is the thoracolumbar junction. There are few reports that have described on the usefulness of PVP in the treatment of a high thoracic compression fracture. We report a case of an upper thoracic compression fracture that was treated with computed tomography (CT)-guided PVP. It was possible to obtain easy access to the narrow thoracic pedicle and it was also possible to monitor continuously the proper volume of polymethylmethacrylate employed, under CT guidance