In Situ Malignant Transformation and Progenitor-Mediated Cell Budding: Two Different Pathways for Breast Ductal and Lobular Tumor Invasion

The human breast lobular and ductal structures and the derived tumors from these structures differ substantial in their morphology, microenvironment, biological presentation, functions, and clinical prognosis. Based on these differences, we have proposed that pre-invasive lobular tumors may progress to invasive lesions through “in situ malignant transformation”, in which the entire myoepithelial cell layer within a given lobule or lobular clusters undergoes extensive degeneration and disruptions, which allows the entire epithelial cell population associated with these myoepithelial cell layers directly invade the stroma or vascular structures. In contrast, pre-invasive ductal tumors may invade the stroma or vascular structures through “progenitor-mediated cell budding”, in which focal myoepithelial cell degeneration-induced aberrant leukocyte infiltration causes focal disruptions in the tumor capsules, which selectively favor monoclonal proliferation of the overlying tumor stem cells or a biologically more aggressive cell clone. Our current study attempted to provide more direct morphological and immunohistochemical data that are consistent with our hypotheses

Detection and estimation of magnetization induced resonances in unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensors

In this work a systematic identification of factors contributing to signal ringing in unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensors is conducted. Resonant peaks that originate due to multiple factors such as NMR, electrical, magneto-acoustic, core material response, eddy currents and other factors were observed. The peaks caused by the measurement system or electrical resonances and induced magnet vibrations are further analyzed. They appear in every measurement and are considered as interference to signals received from the magnetic core. Forming a distinction between different peaks is essential in identifying the primary contribution to the captured resonant signal. The measurements for the magnetic core indicate that the magnetization induced resonant peaks of the core have relatively higher amplitudes and shorter decay times at low frequencies

A systemic review and meta-analysis on the antihypertensive effect of aromatherapy essential oils

Purpose: This study is a systemic review of experimental results on the effects of aromatherapy on blood pressure. Materials and Methods: Journal articles published to December, 2017, were retrieved from twelve databases. Randomized controlled trials in which were evaluated for changes in blood pressure following aromatherapy were selected. Risks of bias were assessed using the risk-of-bias (ROB) tool of the Cochrane Collaboration. Meta-analysis were dine using RevMan. Results: Of the 2545 articles retrieved from the electronic databases, 580 duplicate articles and 1891 articles that were unrelated to the PICO (patient/problem, intervention, comparison, outcome) elements or did not satisfy the inclusion criteria excluded. Of the remaining 74 articles, 15 found to satisfy the inclusion criteria after full-text review and therefore selected for analysis. The findings of meta-analysis of 11 of these 15 articles revealed that essential oil inhalation and massage effectively decreased both systolic (n = 379; mean difference [MD], -4.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], -8.38 to -1.07) and diastolic (n = 379; MD, -2.42; 95% CI, -4.46 to -0.38) pressure. Conclusions: Essential oil inhalation and massage therapy can effectively decrease systolic and diastolic pressure in health adults as well as in patients with hypertension

Evaluation of the Exposure to Environmental Pollutants Emanating from National Industrial Complexes

The industrial complexes built during the course of economic development in South Korea played a pivotal role in the country’s rapid economic growth. However, this growth was accompanied by health problems due to the pollutants released from the industrial complexes inevitably located near residential areas, given the limited land area available in South Korea. This study was conducted to evaluate the exposure to each pollutant emanating from industrial complexes for residents living in nearby areas, and to determine the substances requiring priority attention in future surveys. Pollutants were comprehensively categorized according to their emission and exposure levels based on data previously collected from the study areas. The emission, ambient concentration, and biomarker concentration levels of major pollutants emitted from eight national industrial complexes (Ulsan, Pohang, Gwangyang, Yeosu, Chungju, Daesan, Sihwa, and Banwol) were determined and tabulated. Each of the values was compared with the national/local average values, reference values, or control area concentrations depending on availability. Substances with completed exposure pathways and with high values for emissions, ambient concentrations, and biomarker concentrations were considered the substances posing exposure risks to the residents living near the corresponding industrial complex. The substances requiring continuous monitoring or supplementary exposure investigation were also categorized and presented. Lead and benzene had higher values for emissions, ambient concentrations, and biomarker concentrations in the Ulsan Industrial Complex area; thus, they were most likely to pose exposure risks to residents living in the area’s neighborhoods. In other areas, styrene, xylene, cadmium, nitrogen oxide, trichloroethylene, nickel, manganese, and chromium required continuous monitoring, and arsenic, nickel, manganese, and chromium required biomarker measurements. In conclusion, the substances identified and categorized in this study need to be given appropriate attention in future surveys on exposure risks and health effects related to industrial complexes

Analysis of ringing effects due to magnetic core materials in pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance circuits

This work presents investigations and detailed analysis of ringing in a non-resonant pulsednuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) circuit. Ringing is a commonly observed phenomenon in high power switching circuits. The oscillations described as ringing impede measurements in pulsed NMR systems. It is therefore desirable that those oscillations decay fast. It is often assumed that one of the causes behind ringing is the role of the magnetic core used in theantenna (acting as an inductive load). We will demonstrate that an LRC subcircuit is also set-up due to the inductive load and needs to be considered due to its parasitic effects. It is observed that the parasitics associated with the inductive load become important at certain frequencies. The output response can be related to the response of an under-damped circuit and to the magnetic core material. This research work demonstrates and discusses ways of controlling ringing by considering interrelationships between different contributing factors

High Extracellular Calcium Increased Expression of Ank, PC-1 andOsteopontin in Mouse Calvarial Cells

In the process of bone remodeling, mineral phase of bone is dissolved by osteoclasts, resulting in elevation of calcium concentration in micro-environment. This study was performed to explore the effect of high extracellular calcium (Ca 2+ e) on mineralized nodule formation and on the expression of progressive ankylosis (Ank), plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1 (PC-1) and osteopontin by primary cultured mouse calvarial cells. Osteoblastic differentiation and mineralized nodule formation was induced by culture of mouse calvarial cells in osteoblast differentiation medium containing ascorbic acid and β-glycerophosphate. Although Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin are well known inhibitors of mineralization, expression of these genes were induced at the later stage of osteoblast differentiation during when expression of osteocalcin, a late marker gene of osteoblast differentiation, was induced and mineralization was actively progressing. High Ca 2+ e (10 mM) treatment highly enhanced mRNA expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin in the late stage of osteoblast differentiation but not in the early stage. Inhibition of p44/42 MAPK activation but not that of protein kinase C suppressed high Ca 2+ e-induced expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin. When high Ca 2+ e (5 mM or 10 mM) was present in culture medium during when mineral deposition was actively progressing, matrix calcifiation was significantly increased by high Ca 2+ e. This stimulatory effect was abolished by pyrophosphate (5 mM) or levamisole (0.1-0.5 mM), an alkaline phosphatase inhibitor. In addition, probenecid (2mM), an inhibitor of Ank, suppressed matrix calcification in both control and high Ca 2+ e-treated group, suggesting the possible role of Ank in matrix calcification by osteoblasts. Taken together, these results showed that high Ca 2+ e stimulates expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin as well as matrix calcification in late differentiation stage of osteoblasts and that p44/42 MAPK activation is involved in high Ca 2+ e- induced expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin

Identification of genes modulated by high extracellular calcium in coculuture of mouse osteoblasts and bone marrow cells by oligo chip assay

Calcium concentration in the bone resorption lacunae is high and is in the mM concentration range. Both osteoblast and osteoclast have calcium sensing receptor in the cell surface, suggesting the regulatory role of high extracellular calcium in bone metabolism. In vitro, high extracellular calcium stimulated osteoclastogenesis in coculture of mouse osteoblasts and bone marrow cells. Therefore we examined the genes that were commonly regulated by both high extracellular calcium and 1,25(OH)2vitaminD3 (VD3) by using mouse oligo 11 K gene chip. In the presence of 10 mM [Ca2+]e or 10 nM VD3, mouse calvarial osteoblasts and bone marrow cells were co-cultured for 4 days when tartrate resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells start to appear. Of 11,000 genes examined, the genes commonly regulated both by high extracellular calcium and by VD3 were as follows; 1) the expression of genes which were osteoclast differentiation markers or were associated with osteoclastogenesis were up-regulated both by high extracellular calcium and by VD3; trap, mmp9, car2, ctsk, ckb, atp6b2, tm7sf4, rab7, 2) several chemokine and chemokine receptor genes such as sdf1, scya2, scyb5, scya6, scya8, scya9, and ccr1 were up-regulated both by high extracellular calcium and by VD3, 3) the genes such as mmp1b, mmp3 and c3 which possibly stimulate bone resorption by osteoclast, were commonly up-regulated, 4) the gene such as c1q and msr2 which were related with macrophage function, were commonly down-regulated, 5) the genes which possibly stimulate osteoblast differentiation and/or mineralization of extracellular matrix, were commonly down-regulated; slc8a1, admr, plod2, lox, fosb, 6) the genes which possibly suppress osteoblast differentiation and/or mineralization of extracellular matrix, were commonly up-regulated; s100a4, npr3, mme, 7) the genes such as calponin 1 and tgfbi which possibly suppress osteoblast differentiation and/or mineralization of extracellular matrix, were up-regulated by high extracellular calcium but were down-regulated by VD3. These results suggest that in coculture condition, both high extracellular calcium and VD3 commonly induce osteoclastogenesis but suppress osteoblast differentiation/mineralization by regulating the expression of related genes.본 연구는 보건복지부 보건의료기술진흥사업의 지원에 의하여 이루어진 것임(03-PJ1-PG3-20500-0013)

A More Appropriate Cardiac Troponin T Level That Can Predict Outcomes in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Purpose: Cardiac troponin T (cTnT), a useful marker for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the general population, is significantly higher than the usual cut-off value in many end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients without clinically apparent evidence of AMI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of cTnT in ESRD patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Materials and methods: Two hundred eighty-four ESRD patients with ACS were enrolled between March 2002 and February 2008. These patients were followed until death or June 2009. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively. The cut-off value of cTnT for AMI was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We calculated Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and potential outcome predictors were determined by Cox proportional hazard analysis. Results: AMIs were diagnosed in 40 patients (14.1%). The area under the curve was 0.98 in the ROC curve (p<0.001; 95% CI, 0.95-1.00). The summation of sensitivity and specificity was highest at the initial cTnT value of 0.35 ng/mL (sensitivity, 0.95; specificity, 0.97). Survival analysis showed a statistically significant difference in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities for the group with an initial cTnT ≥0.35 ng/mL compared to the other groups. Initial serum cTnT concentration was an independent predictor for mortality. Conclusion: Because ESRD patients with an initial cTnT concentration ≥0.35 ng/mL have a poor prognosis, it is suggested that urgent diagnosis and treatment be indicated in dialysis patients with ACS when the initial cTnT levels are ≥0.35 ng/mL.ope