Delayed presentation of cerebellar and spinal cord infarction as a complication of computed tomography-guided transthoracic lung biopsy: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle biopsy is a common diagnostic procedure that is associated with various complications including pneumothorax, parenchymal hemorrhage, and hemoptysis. A systemic air embolism is a very rare (0.06 to 0.21%) but potentially fatal complication. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old Korean male was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of a solitary pulmonary nodule located adjacent to the right inferior pulmonary vein in the medial basal segment of the right lower lobe. A computed tomography-guided needle biopsy was performed by a radiologist using a coaxial needle. A computed tomography image obtained immediately after the biopsy showed intraluminal free air in the proximal ascending aorta. He complained of a mild electrical current sensation in both lower extremities. After three hours he complained of neurological deficit in both lower extremities as well as voiding difficulty. The brain and spine magnetic resonance images showed a right cerebellar and spinal cord infarction at the T8-10 levels. CONCLUSIONS: We report a case of air embolism to the cerebellum and spinal cord causing infarction presenting with an initial symptom of mild electrical current sensation in both lower extremities during the transthoracic needle biopsy. For this potentially fatal complication, early recognition, followed by prompt therapy is critical to reducing morbidity and mortality

Customer process management A framework for using customer-related data to create customer value

Purpose The proliferation of customer-related data provides companies with numerous service opportunities to create customer value. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework to use this data to provide services. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted four action research projects on the use of customer-related data for service design with industry and government. Based on these projects, a practical framework was designed, applied, and validated, and was further refined by analyzing relevant service cases and incorporating the service and operations management literature. Findings The proposed customer process management (CPM) framework suggests steps a service provider can take when providing information to its customers to improve their processes and create more value-in-use by using data related to their processes. The applicability of this framework is illustrated using real examples from the action research projects and relevant literature. Originality/value "Using data to advance service" is a critical and timely research topic in the service literature. This study develops an original, specific framework for a company's use of customer-related data to advance its services and create customer value. Moreover, the four projects with industry and government are early CPM case studies with real data

Molecular characterization of diosgenin biosynthesis in different organs of Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

Fenugreek, an annual herb, is a significant source of diosgenin, a triterpene with bioactive properties. This study aimed to molecularly characterize diosgenin biosynthesis in various organs of fenugreek, including flowers, immature leaves, developing leaves, mature leaves, stems, roots, and pods. The biosynthetic pathway involves vital enzymes such as squalene synthase, squalene monooxygenase, cycloartenol synthase, and Sterol-3-ß-glucosyl transferase. The study found that flowers and roots exhibited the highest gene expression levels, indicating their potential significance in diosgenin biosynthesis. Diosgenin content was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography, with seeds being the primary source. The findings suggest that fenugreek offers a cost-effective and rapid alternative to yam for diosgenin production, and the differential accumulation of diosgenin in different plant organs underscores the importance of understanding organ-specific biosynthesis. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into fenugreek’s potential as a bioresource for diosgenin and its diverse applications in medicine and agriculture

An Empirical Study on the Effects of Walking Time on Knee Joint Pain Based on Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data

Objectives: It is generally reported that walking has a positive effect on knee joint pain. However, since previous studies have focused on small patient data and simple average comparisons, we proceed with more sophisticated empirical research using public data. Since the knee joint pain itself can be considered very important in terms of preventative medicine, we analyze that use of big data to identify its effect on knee joint pain. Methods: The present study used a logistic regression analysis and analyzed the effect of walking time on knee joint pain in the activities of daily living based on data from the 6th 2013–2014 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: Smoking, Drinking and Sedentary time has no statistically significance on knee joint pain. And walking (moderate, high) has been shown to reduce the risk of knee joint pain. Conclusion: The results confirmed that walking time had a positive effect on the prevalence of knee joint pain. However, individuals with moderate-intensity walking time and those with high-intensity walking time had different effects on preventing knee joint pain

Cell-free synthesis of functional phospholipase A1 from Serratia sp.

Additional file 1: Figure S1 Gas chromatography analysis of sesame oil incubated with cell-free synthesized PLA1

Optimizing suitable solvent for phenylpropanoid extraction and antioxidant activities in Agastache rugosa hairy roots

Agrobacterium-mediated hairy roots (HRs) can induce genetic stability, rapid growth, and the synthesis of bioactive compounds in plant roots. Agastache rugosa is otherwise called Korea Mint and several studies have reported that this plant has been used for the treatment of various diseases due to the presence of a variety of bioactive compounds. A. rugosa HRs are rich in secondary metabolites than the seedling roots, and the HRs extract might be more useful in pharmacology, especially in cosmetology. This study aimed to select the suitable solvent for the extraction of phenylpropanoid compounds, total phenolic (TP), flavonoid (TF), and antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS scavenging activity, and reducing power assay). In this study, we extracted the A. rugosa HRs with three different extracts of solvent (water, MeOH, and EtOH) of A. rugosa HRs and analyzed the phenylpropanoid compounds, TP, TF, and antioxidant activities. The result showed that 70% MeOH extracts showed the highest activities in all assays, followed by the 70% EtOH, and water extracts. In addition, 70% of MeOH extracts showed the highest TP and TF (46.14±0.25 GAE mg/g DW and 65.46±1.41 QE mg/g DW, respectively) contents, which was 1.96- and 1.76- times higher than that of the water extracts. The phenylpropanoids in A. rugosa HR extracts were identified by using HPLC, and the results showed that 70% MeOH and EtOH showed the highest contents. Regarding these results, we can conclude that 70% MeOH is the optimal solvent to extract the A. rugosa HRs for the highest phenylpropanoid, TP, TF content, and antioxidant activities. This study might be useful for producing useful compounds at an industrial scale