Seasonal Radiocarbon Variation of Surface Seawater Recorded in A Coral from Kikai Island, Subtropical Northwestern Pacific

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Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis: Abscess Formation in the Tumor Leading to Bacteremia and Seizure

A 66-year-old woman with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) was brought to the emergency room with seizures and high-grade fever. Seizure in adult NF1 patients raises concern for intracranial lesions. However, neurological examination and central nervous system imaging failed to detect any causative intracranial lesions for her seizure. Gram-positive cocci, Streptococcus anginosus, were detected by blood cultures. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a well-defined round mass 7 cm in diameter, which was found to be a small intestinal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) containing an abscess. There was fistula formation between the intestinal lumen and the abscess, in which there were numerous Gram-positive cocci. The seizure may have been caused by hypoosmolality (hyponatremia and hypoproteinemia), which may result from decreased food intake associated with high-grade fever and general malaise. In this case GIST originating from the small intestine was invaded by S. anginosus through a fistula, leading to abscess formation, bacteremia, high-grade fever, and seizure, which was the first clinical manifestation

Secondary Torsion of Vermiform Appendix with Mucinous Cystadenoma

Torsion of the vermiform appendix is a rare disorder, which causes abdominal symptoms indistinguishable from acute appendicitis. We report a case (a 34-year-old male) of secondary torsion of the vermiform appendix with mucinous cystadenoma. This case was characterized by mild inflammatory responses, pentazocine-resistant abdominal pain, and appendiceal tumor, which was not enhanced by the contrast medium on computed tomography presumably because of reduced blood flow by the torsion. These findings may be helpful for the preoperative diagnosis of secondary appendiceal torsion

Photoreceptor rescue and toxicity induced by different calpain inhibitors.

Photoreceptor degeneration is the hallmark of a group of inherited blinding diseases collectively termed retinitis pigmentosa (RP); a major cause of blindness in humans. RP is at present untreatable and the underlying neurodegenerative mechanisms are largely unknown, even though the genetic causes are often established. The activation of calpain-type proteases may play an important role in cell death in various neuronal tissues, including the retina. We therefore tested the efficacy of two different calpain inhibitors in preventing cell death in the retinal degeneration (rd1) human homologous mouse model for RP. Pharmacological inhibition of calpain activity in rd1 organotypic retinal explants had ambiguous effects on photoreceptor viability. Calpain inhibitor XI had protective effects when applied for short periods of time (16 h) but demonstrated substantial levels of toxicity in both wild-type and rd1 retina when used over several days. In contrast, the highly specific calpain inhibitor calpastatin peptide reduced photoreceptor cell death in vitro after both short and prolonged exposure, an effect that was also evident after in vivo application via intravitreal injection. These findings highlight the importance of calpain activation for photoreceptor cell death but also for photoreceptor survival and propose the use of highly specific calpain inhibitors to prevent or delay RP

The current status and future perspectives of laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is most common cancer in Korea. Surgery is still the main axis of treatment. Due to early detection of gastric cancer, the innovation of surgical instruments and technological advances, gastric cancer treatment is now shifting to a new era. One of the most astonishing changes is that minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is becoming more dominant treatment for early gastric cancer. These MIS are represented by endoscopic resection, laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, single-port surgery and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery. Among them, laparoscopic gastrectomy is most actively performed in the field of surgery. Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for early gastric cancer (EGC) has already gained popularity in terms of the short-term outcomes including patient's quality of life. We only have to wait for the long-term oncologic results of Korean Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study Group. Upcoming top issues following oncologic safety of LADG are function-preserving surgery for EGC, application of laparoscopy to advanced gastric cancer and sentinel lymph node navigation surgery. In the aspect of technique, laparoscopic surgery at present could reproduce almost the whole open procedures. However, the other fields mentioned above need more evidences and experiences. All these new ideas and attempts provide technical advances, which will minimize surgical insults and maximize the surgical outcomes and the quality of life of patients

Odontogenic stem cells

Epithelial cell rests of Malassez (ERM) are quiescent epithelial remnants of the Hertwig’s epithelial root sheath (HERS) that are involved in the formation of tooth roots. ERM cells are unique epithelial cells that remain in periodontal tissues throughout adult life. They have a functional role in the repair/regeneration of cement or enamel. Here, we isolated odontogenic epithelial cells from ERM in the periodontal ligament, and the cells were spontaneously immortalized. Immortalized odontogenic epithelial (iOdE) cells had the ability to form spheroids and expressed stem cell-related genes. Interestingly, iOdE cells underwent osteogenic differentiation, as demonstrated by the mineralization activity in vitro in mineralization-inducing media and formation of calcification foci in iOdE cells transplanted into immunocompromised mice. These findings suggest that a cell population with features similar to stem cells exists in ERM and that this cell population has a differentiation capacity for producing calcifications in a particular microenvironment. In summary, iOdE cells will provide a convenient cell source for tissue engineering and experimental models to investigate tooth growth, differentiation, and tumorigenesis

MAML1 Enhances the Transcriptional Activity of Runx2 and Plays a Role in Bone Development

Mastermind-like 1 (MAML1) is a transcriptional co-activator in the Notch signaling pathway. Recently, however, several reports revealed novel and unique roles for MAML1 that are independent of the Notch signaling pathway. We found that MAML1 enhances the transcriptional activity of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), a transcription factor essential for osteoblastic differentiation and chondrocyte proliferation and maturation. MAML1 significantly enhanced the Runx2-mediated transcription of the p6OSE2-Luc reporter, in which luciferase expression was controlled by six copies of the osteoblast specific element 2 (OSE2) from the Runx2-regulated osteocalcin gene promoter. Interestingly, a deletion mutant of MAML1 lacking the N-terminal Notch-binding domain also enhanced Runx2-mediated transcription. Moreover, inhibition of Notch signaling did not affect the action of MAML1 on Runx2, suggesting that the activation of Runx2 by MAML1 may be caused in a Notch-independent manner. Overexpression of MAML1 transiently enhanced the Runx2-mediated expression of alkaline phosphatase, an early marker of osteoblast differentiation, in the murine pluripotent mesenchymal cell line C3H10T1/2. MAML1-/- embryos at embryonic day 16.5 (E16.5) had shorter bone lengths than wild-type embryos. The area of primary spongiosa of the femoral diaphysis was narrowed. At E14.5, extended zone of collagen type II alpha 1 (Col2a1) and Sox9 expression, markers of chondrocyte differentiation, and decreased zone of collagen type X alpha 1 (Col10a1) expression, a marker of hypertrophic chondrocyte, were observed. These observations suggest that chondrocyte maturation was impaired in MAML1-/- mice. MAML1 enhances the transcriptional activity of Runx2 and plays a role in bone development

The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 sensitizes PC-3 prostate cancer cells to ionizing radiation by a DNA-PK-independent mechanism

BACKGROUND: By modulating the expression levels of specific signal transduction molecules, the 26S proteasome plays a central role in determining cell cycle progression or arrest and cell survival or death in response to stress stimuli, including ionizing radiation. Inhibition of proteasome function by specific drugs results in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and radiosensitization of many cancer cell lines. This study investigates whether there is also a concomitant increase in cellular radiosensitivity if proteasome inhibition occurs only transiently before radiation. Further, since proteasome inhibition has been shown to activate caspase-3, which is involved in apoptosis, and caspase-3 can cleave DNA-PKcs, which is involved in DNA-double strand repair, the hypothesis was tested that caspase-3 activation was essential for both apoptosis and radiosensitization following proteasome inhibition. METHODS: Prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells were treated with the reversible proteasome inhibitor MG-132. Cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, caspase-3 activity, DNA-PKcs protein levels and DNA-PK activity were monitored. Radiosensitivity was assessed using a clonogenic assay. RESULTS: Inhibition of proteasome function caused cell cycle arrest and apoptosis but this did not involve early activation of caspase-3. Short-time inhibition of proteasome function also caused radiosensitization but this did not involve a decrease in DNA-PKcs protein levels or DNA-PK activity. CONCLUSION: We conclude that caspase-dependent cleavage of DNA-PKcs during apoptosis does not contribute to the radiosensitizing effects of MG-132

There or not there? A multidisciplinary review and research agenda on the impact of transparent barriers on human perception, action, and social behavior

Contains fulltext : 145066.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Through advances in production and treatment technologies, transparent glass has become an increasingly versatile material and a global hallmark of modern architecture. In the shape of invisible barriers, it defines spaces while simultaneously shaping their lighting, noise, and climate conditions. Despite these unique architectural qualities, little is known regarding the human experience with glass barriers. Is a material that has been described as being simultaneously there and not there from an architectural perspective, actually there and/or not there from perceptual, behavioral, and social points of view? In this article, we review systematic observations and experimental studies that explore the impact of transparent barriers on human cognition and action. In doing so, the importance of empirical and multidisciplinary approaches to inform the use of glass in contemporary architecture is highlighted and key questions for future inquiry are identified.17 p