Properties of CC-normal operators (Research on preserver problems on Banach algebras and related topics)

We study various properties of $C$-normal operators, i.e., $T*T$ = $CTT*C$ holds for a conjugation $C$ on $H$. Especially, we show that $T$ − λ$I$ is $C$-normal for all λ ∈ ℂ if and only if $T$ is a complex symmetric operator with the conjugation $C$. In addition, we prove that if $T$ is $C$-normal, then $T$ is normal ⇔ $T$ is quasinormal ⇔ $T$ is hyponormal ⇔ $T$ is $p$-hyponormal for 0 < $p$ ≤ 1. Finally, we investigate equivalent conditions so that Aluthge and Duggal transforms of $C$-normal operators to be $C$-normal operators

Comparison of Physicochemical and Sensory Properties between Cholesterol-removed Gouda Cheese and Gouda Cheese during Ripening

This study was performed to compare physicochemical and sensory properties of cholesterol-removed Gouda cheese (CRGC) and Gouda cheese made in the laboratory during ripening. Composition, short-chain free fatty acids (SCFFA), texture, color, and sensory properties were measured. In chemical composition analyses, moistures were significantly different between control cheeses (42.86%) and sample cheese (48.32%) (p0.05). The amount of cholesterol in control was 82.52 mg/100 g and the percentage of cholesterol removal was 90.7%. SCFFA increased gradually during ripening and its level of CRGC increased and significantly different from that of control (p0.05). In comparison of the control and sample cheeses, hardness, and springiness were not significantly different, but cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness were different (p0.05). However, L* value decreased, while a* and b* values tended to increase significantly (p0.05). Therefore, this study suggests that the quality of cholesterol-removed Gouda cheese is not different from the control cheese

Severe recurrent nocturnal hypoglycemia during chemotherapy with 6-mercaptopurine in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Various endocrine dysfunctions occur during chemotherapy, including hypoglycemia. However, reports of hypoglycemia associated with 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) are rare. Herein, we report an 8-year-old boy with severe symptomatic hypoglycemia likely due to 6-MP during chemotherapy. He had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia 3 years previously and was in the maintenance chemotherapy period. Treatment included oral dexamethasone, methotrexate, and 6-MP, of which only 6-MP was administered daily. Hypoglycemic symptoms appeared mainly at dawn, and his serum glucose dropped to a minimum of 37 mg/dL. Laboratory findings showed nothing specific other than increased serum cortisol, free fatty acids, ketone, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. Under the hypothesis of hypoglycemia due to chemotherapy drugs, we changed the time of 6-MP from evening to morning and recommended him to ingest carbohydrate-rich foods before bedtime. Hypoglycemia improved dramatically, and there was no further episode during the remaining maintenance chemotherapy period. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this type of hypoglycemia occurring in an Asian child including Korean

Ionothermal Synthesis of Metal-Organic Framework

Ionothermal synthesis employs ionic liquids for synthesis of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) as solvent and template. The cations and anions of ionic liquids may be finely adjusted to produce a great variety of reaction environments and thus frameworks. Organisation of the structures synthesised from related ionic liquid combinations give rise to provocative chemical trends that may be used to predict future outcomes. Further analysis of their structures is possible by reducing the complex framework to its underlying topology, which by itself brings more precision to prediction. Through reduction, many seemingly different, but related classes of structures may be merged into larger groups and provide better understanding of the nanoscopic structures and synthesis conditions that gave rise to them. Ionothermal synthesis has promised to enable us to effectively plan the synthesis ahead for a given purpose. However, for its promise to be kept, several difficult limitations must be overcome, including the inseparable cations from the solvent that reside in the framework pore

Delta neutrophil index as a predictor of vesicoureteral reflux in children with febrile urinary tract infection

Purpose Delta neutrophil index (DNI) indicates immature granulocytes in peripheral blood and has been confirmed to be effective as a prognostic factor for neonatal sepsis. Also, it has been reported to have diagnostic value in acute pyelonephritis and in predicting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in the infant. We conducted the study to verify whether DNI is also helpful in the entire pediatric age group with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods Medical records of children hospitalized for febrile UTIs were analyzed retrospectively. All subjects underwent kidney ultrasound and voiding cystourethrography. In the group with and without VUR, we compared sex and age, and the following laboratory values: the white blood cell count, neutrophil, polymorphonuclear leucocyte, eosinophil, hemoglobin, platelet count, C-reactive protein, DNI value, and the finding of ultrasound. Results A total of 315 patients (163 males and 152 females; range, 0–127 months) were eligible, and 41 patients (13%) had VUR. As a result of univariate analysis, the white blood cell count, neutrophil, DNI, and ultrasonic abnormalities were high in the reflux group, and the hemoglobin and lymphocyte fraction values were low. The value of DNI and the abnormal ultrasound were significantly higher in the reflux group on the multivariate analysis. The area under the curve value of the receiver operating curve was higher in DNI (0.640; 95% confidence interval, 0.536–0.744; P=0.004), and the DNI cutoff value for VUR prediction was 1.85%. Conclusions We identified that ultrasound findings and DNI values were helpful predictors of VUR in pediatric febrile UTIs

factor 1α in precancerous nodules with telomere

Increased expression of stathmin and elongatio

Pediatric Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation: Results of Initial 100 Consecutive Cases Including Congenital Heart Anomalies

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) has recently become a management option for pediatric tachycardia. We reviewed the records of a total of 100 patients (aged 10 months to 19 yr) who had undergone RFCA, from March 2000 to June 2004. Types of arrhythmia (age, acute success rate) were as follows: atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT, 9.0±3.7 yr, 66/67), atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT, 13±2.5 yr, 16/16), ectopic atrial tachycardia (6.4±3.3 yr, 5/5), junctional ectopic tachycardia (10 month, 1/1), ventricular tachycardia (12±4.9 yr, 6/6), postsurgical intraatrial reentrant tachycardia (15.6±4.1 yr, 2/3), twin node tachycardia (4 yr, 0/1), and His bundle ablation (9 yr, 1/1). The age of AVNRT was older than that of AVRT (p=0.002). Associated cardiac disease was detected in 17 patients, including 6 univentricular patients, and 3 Ebstein's anomaly patients. RFCA for multiple accessory pathways required longer fluoroscopic times than did the single accessory pathway (53.9±4.8 vs. 36.2±24.1 min; p=0.03), and was associated with a higher recurrence rate (3/9 vs. 3/53; p=0.03). Regardless of the presence or absence of cardiac diseases, the overall acute success rate was 97% without major complications, the recurrence rate was 8.2%, and the final success rate was 97%. This experience confirmed the efficacy and safety of RFCA in the management of tachycardia in children

Cellular stress-induced up-regulation of FMRP promotes cell survival by modulating PI3K-Akt phosphorylation cascades

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most commonly inherited mental retardation and single gene cause of autistic spectrum disorder, occurs when the Fmr1 gene is mutated. The product of Fmr1, fragile X linked mental retardation protein (FMRP) is widely expressed in HeLa cells, however the roles of FMRP within HeLa cells were not elucidated, yet. Interacting with a diverse range of mRNAs related to cellular survival regulatory signals, understanding the functions of FMRP in cellular context would provide better insights into the role of this interesting protein in FXS. Using HeLa cells treated with etoposide as a model, we tried to determine whether FMRP could play a role in cell survival.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Apoptotic cell death was induced by etoposide treatment on Hela cells. After we transiently modulated FMRP expression (silencing or enhancing) by using molecular biotechnological methods such as small hairpin RNA virus-induced knock down and overexpression using transfection with FMRP expression vectors, cellular viability was measured using propidium iodide staining, TUNEL staining, and FACS analysis along with the level of activation of PI3K-Akt pathway by Western blot. Expression level of FMRP and apoptotic regulator BcL-xL was analyzed by Western blot, RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>An increased FMRP expression was measured in etoposide-treated HeLa cells, which was induced by PI3K-Akt activation. Without FMRP expression, cellular defence mechanism via PI3K-Akt-Bcl-xL was weakened and resulted in an augmented cell death by etoposide. In addition, FMRP over-expression lead to the activation of PI3K-Akt signalling pathway as well as increased FMRP and BcL-xL expression, which culminates with the increased cell survival in etoposide-treated HeLa cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, these results suggest that FMRP expression is an essential part of cellular survival mechanisms through the modulation of PI3K, Akt, and Bcl-xL signal pathways.</p