Efficacy of tension-free vaginal tape compared with transobturator tape in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women: analysis of learning curve, perioperative changes of voiding function

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In this study, by comparing TVT surgery and TOT surgery for stress urinary incontinence in women, the characteristics and learning curves of both operative methods were studied.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 83 women with stress urinary incontinence treated with tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) (n = 38) or transobturator tape (TOT) (n = 45) at Saiseikai Central Hospital between April 2004 and September 2009 were included. We compare the outcomes and learning curves between TVT surgery and TOT surgery. In statistical analysis, Student's t test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney's U test were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The surgical durations were 37.4 ± 15.7 minutes with TVT surgery and 31.0 ± 8.3 minutes with TOT surgery. A longer period of time was required for TVT surgery (p = 0.025). The residual urine at post-operative day 1 was higher in TVT surgery (25.9 ± 44.2 ml) than in TOT surgery (10.6 ± 19.2 ml) (p = 0.0452). The surgical duration of TVT surgery was shortened after the operator had performed 15 operations (p = 0.019).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In comparison of TVT surgery and TOT surgery, the surgical duration of TVT surgery was longer and the residual urine of TVT surgery was higher at post-operative day 1. Surgical experience could shorten the duration of TVT surgery.</p

The Impact of HIF1α on the <i>Per2</i> Circadian Rhythm in Renal Cancer Cell Lines

<div><p>In mammals, the circadian rhythm central generator consists of interactions among clock genes, including <i>Per1/2/3</i>, <i>Cry1/2</i>, <i>Bmal1</i>, and <i>Clock</i>. Circadian rhythm disruption may lead to increased risk of cancer in humans, and deregulation of clock genes has been implicated in many types of cancers. Among these genes, <i>Per2</i> is reported to have tumor suppressor properties, but little is known about the correlation between <i>Per2</i> and HIF, which is the main target of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) therapy. In this study, the rhythmic expression of the <i>Per2</i> gene was not detectable in renal cancer cell lines, with the exception of Caki-2 cells. In Caki-2 cells, HIF1α increased the amplitude of <i>Per2</i> oscillation by directly binding to the HIF-binding site located on the <i>Per2</i> promoter. These results indicate that HIF1α may enhance the amplitude of the <i>Per2</i> circadian rhythm.</p></div

Physical properties and geochemical pore-water analysis of sediment core GeoB16423-1

Several studies indicate that the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) off the Pacific coast of Japan has induced slip to the trench and triggered landslides in the Japan Trench. In order to better understand these processes, detailed mapping and shallow-coring landslides at the trench as well as Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) deep drilling to recover the plate boundary décollement (Japan Trench Fast Earthquake Drilling Project, JFAST) have been conducted. In this study we report sediment core data from the rapid response R/V SONNE cruise (SO219A) to the Japan Trench, evidencing a Mass Transport Deposit (MTD) in the uppermost section later drilled at this JFAST-site during IODP Expedition 343. A 8.7 m long gravity core (GeoB16423-1) recovered from ~7,000 m water depth reveals a 8 m sequence of semi-consolidated mud clast breccias embedded in a distorted chaotic sediment matrix. The MTD is covered by a thin veneer of 50 cm hemipelagic, bioturbated diatomaceous mud. This stratigraphic boundary can be clearly distinguished by using physical properties data from Multi Sensor Core Logging and from fall-cone penetrometer shear strength measurements. The geochemical analysis of the pore-water shows undisturbed linear profiles measured from the seafloor downcore across the stratigraphic contact between overlying younger background-sediment and MTD below. This indicates that the investigated section has not been affected by a recent sediment destabilization in the course of the giant Tohoku-Oki earthquake event. Instead, we report an older landslide which occurred between 700 and 10,000 years ago, implying that submarine mass movements are dominant processes along the Japan Trench. However, they occur on local sites and not during each megathrust earthquake

Rhythmic expression of <i>Per2</i> in Caki-2 cells.

<p>(<b>A</b>) All renal cancer cell lines were transfected with the Per2 promoter reporter (2 µg) and the bioluminescence was then measured using a real-time monitoring assay. Real-time monitoring of luciferase activity of the <i>Per2</i> promoter showed that activity oscillated over an approximately 24-h cycle. The luciferase activities of four replicate samples are shown. These cultures showed significant circadian rhythms (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109693#pone-0109693-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>). (<b>B</b>) mRNA levels of <i>Per2</i> were determined by real-time PCR for six plates at each time point. Total RNA was extracted every 4 h, beginning 24 h after treatment with dexamethasone for one 24-h cycle, and <i>Per2</i> transcripts were quantified. Error bars indicate the standard errors of the mean values (<i>n</i> = 6). The data from a single 24 hours after dexamethasone treatment were analyzed using the Cosinor software for rhythmicity (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109693#pone-0109693-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>). (<b>C</b>) The structure of the <i>Per2</i> promoter and an analysis of the potential transcription factor-binding motifs in this region. The 2,994-bp region contains one E-box-like sequence (CACGTT) and one HRE-like sequence (ATGTG), similar to the consensus HRE sequence (ACGTG) located upstream of the transcription start site (TSS). (<b>D</b>) Sequence comparisons: upper line, mouse sequence; lower line, human sequence. The nucleotide sequence of potential transcription factor-binding motifs for E-box-like sequence and HRE-like sequence are 100% conserved between mouse and human.</p

Western blot analysis of the indicated proteins.

<p>All cell lines were lysed and harvested 24 h after synchronization by 2-h dexamethasone treatment. We performed four replicate Western blots; a representative blot is shown. (<b>A</b>) Western blots of renal cancer whole-cell extracts (20 µg) with BMAL1, CLOCK, PER2, CRY1 and GAPDH antibodies are shown. Full-length blots of PER2 and BMAL1, in addition to a positive control, are presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109693#pone.0109693.s002" target="_blank">Figure S2</a>, 3. (<b>B</b>) Western blots of renal cancer whole-cell extracts (20 µg) with HIF1α and GAPDH antibodies are shown.</p

The effects of HIF1α/ARNT on the <i>Per2</i> promoter.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Schematic representation of the mouse <i>Per2</i> promoter. The upper area represents the wild-type mouse <i>Per2</i> promoter and the lower area represents the HRE-mutant <i>Per2</i> promoter. (<b>B</b>) HIF1α/ARNT potently induced <i>Per2</i> promoter activity. The <i>Per2</i> promoter and the HRE-mutant <i>Per2</i> promoter reporter (60 ng) were co-transfected with the indicated expression plasmids (+; 50 ng). <i>Per2</i> promoter activities were significantly increased (mean ± SEM, <i>n</i> = 4, <i>p</i><0.01, Student's <i>t</i> test) compared to the control (without the expression plasmid), but the HRE-mutant <i>Per2</i> promoter was not affected. (<b>C</b>) Twenty-four hours after treatment with CoCl₂ (10, 30, 100 µM for 6 h), luciferase activity was measured. <i>Per2</i> promoter activities were significantly increased (mean ± SEM, <i>n</i> = 4, <i>p</i><0.05, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc tests) concentration-dependently compared to the control, but the HRE-mutant <i>Per2</i> promoter was not affected. (<b>D</b>) HIF1α specifically interacts with the HRE-like sequence within the <i>Per2</i> promoter. Caki-2 cells were cross-linked, lysed, and immunoprecipitated with anti-HIF1α antibody or normal rabbit IgG (negative control). The precipitated DNA was subjected to PCR with primers specific for the target region (−476/−284). One aliquot of input DNA was used as a positive control. PCR product was observed in the anti-HIF1α ChIP (lane 3) and 10% Input DNA (lane 4). Substantially less was detected in the no antibody ChIP (lane 1) and normal rabbit IgG ChIP (lane 2) lanes.</p

The impact of HIF1α/ARNT on <i>Per2</i> transcriptional activity.

<p>(<b>A</b>) NIH3T3 cells were co-transfected with the <i>Per2</i> promoter reporter (400 ng) and the indicated expression plasmids (300 ng) for HIF1α/ARNT or empty vector pcDNA3 (600 ng) as a control. Bioluminescence was then measured using a real-time monitoring assay. Control, transfected with empty vector pcDNA3 (uncloned-vector control); + HIF1α/ARNT, transfected with the expression plasmids. Luciferase activities of four replicate samples are shown. (<b>B</b>) Detrended bioluminescence is shown. Period, amplitude, and acrophase of the oscillations were measured on days 2 to 5 using the Cosinor software (Circadian Rhythm Laboratory). Amplitude significantly increased (mean ± SEM, <i>n</i> = 4) compared to the control (<i>p</i><0.01, Student's <i>t-</i>test). See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109693#pone-0109693-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>. (<b>C</b>) U2OS cells were co-transfected with the <i>Per2</i> promoter reporter (400 ng) and the indicated expression plasmids (300 ng) for HIF1α/ARNT or empty vector pcDNA3 (600 ng) as a control. Bioluminescence was then measured using a real-time monitoring assay. Control, transfected with empty vector pcDNA3 (uncloned-vector control); + HIF1α/ARNT, transfected with the expression plasmids. Luciferase activities of four replicate samples are shown. (<b>D</b>) Detrended bioluminescence is shown. Period, amplitude, and acrophase of the oscillations were measured on days 2 to 5 using the Cosinor software (Circadian Rhythm Laboratory). Amplitude significantly increased (mean ± SEM, <i>n</i> = 4) compared to the control (<i>p</i><0.01, Student's <i>t-</i>test). See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109693#pone-0109693-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>. (<b>E</b>) Caki-2 cells were co-transfected with the <i>Per2</i> promoter reporter (2 µg) and the indicated expression plasmids (1.5 µg) for HIF1α/ARNT or empty vector pcDNA3 (3 µg) as a control. The bioluminescence was then measured using a real-time monitoring assay. Control, transfected with empty vector pcDNA3 (uncloned-vector control); + HIF1α/ARNT, transfected with the expression plasmids. The luciferase activities of four replicate samples are shown. (<b>F</b>) Detrended bioluminescence is shown. Period, amplitude, and acrophase of the oscillations were measured from days 2 to 5 using the Cosinor software (Circadian Rhythm Laboratory). Amplitude significantly increased (mean ± SEM, <i>n</i> = 4) compared to the control (<i>p</i><0.01, Student's <i>t</i>-test). See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0109693#pone-0109693-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>.</p