The Protective Effects of Melittin on Propionibacterium acnes–Induced Inflammatory Responses In Vitro and In Vivo

Melittin is the main component in the venom of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). It has multiple effects including antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities in various cell types. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of melittin have not been elucidated in Propionibactierium acnes (P. acnes)–induced keratinocyte or inflammatory skin disease animal models. In this study, we examined the effects of melittin on the production of inflammatory cytokines in heat-killed P. acnes–induced HaCaT cells. Heat-killed P. acnes–treated keratinocytes increased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and Toll-like receptor 2. However, melittin treatment significantly suppressed the expression of these cytokines through regulation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Subsequently, the living P. acnes (1 × 107 CFU) were intradermally injected into the ear of mice. Living P. acnes–injected ears showed cutaneous erythema, swelling, and granulomatous response at 24 hours after injection. However, melittin-treated ears showed markedly reduced swelling and granulomatous responses compared with ears injected with only living P. acnes. These results demonstrate the feasibility of applying melittin for the prevention of inflammatory skin diseases induced by P. acnes

Cerebral Infarction in IgG Multiple Myeloma with Hyperviscosity

Cerebral infarction is an uncommon complication in multiple myeloma with hyperviscosity. Serum hyperviscosity may cause a variety of clinical manifestations including bleeding from mucosal membranes, congestive heart failure, retinopathy, and various neurologic deficits. These manifestations have been attributed to the presence of large quantities of asymmetrical molecules of high molecular weight in the serum. We recently experienced a case of multiple myeloma with acute cerebral infarction, which caused by hyperviscosity, as an initial manifestation in IgG multiple myeloma, and reviewed the relevant literature of myeloma presenting with the stroke. A 68-yr-old woman abruptly developed hypesthesia and monoplegia in the left leg. The stroke confirmed by the brain MRI and MR angiography, which revealed acute infarction at the right anterior cerebral artery territory. On admission, routine blood tests showed a slight decrease in hemoglobin and a marked increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Peripheral blood smear, serum protein electrophoresis, serum visocity, and bone marrow aspiration showed that she had IgG multiple myeloma with hyperviscosity. She was treated by chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and discharged with the improved clinical condition

Myopericarditis in a Korean Young Male With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Myocardial involvement with clinical symptoms is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), despite the relatively high prevalence of myocarditis at autopsies of SLE patients. In this review, we report the case of a 19-year-old male SLE patient who initially presented with myopericarditis and was successfully treated with high dose of glucocorticoids

Enhanced ferroelectric switching speed of Si-doped HfO2 thin film tailored by oxygen deficiency

Investigations concerning oxygen deficiency will increase our understanding of those factors that govern the overall material properties. Various studies have examined the relationship between oxygen deficiency and the phase transformation from a nonpolar phase to a polar phase in HfO2 thin films. However, there are few reports on the effects of oxygen deficiencies on the switching dynamics of the ferroelectric phase itself. Herein, we report the oxygen- deficiency induced enhancement of ferroelectric switching properties of Si-doped HfO2 thin films. By controlling the annealing conditions, we controlled the oxygen deficiency concentration in the ferroelectric orthorhombic HfO2 phase. Rapid high-temperature (800 degrees C) annealing of the HfO2 film accelerated the characteristic switching speed compared to low-temperature (600 degrees C) annealing. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) revealed that thermal annealing increased oxygen deficiencies, and first-principles calculations demonstrated a reduction of the energy barrier of the polarization flip with increased oxygen deficiency. A Monte Carlo simulation for the variation in the energy barrier of the polarization flipping confirmed the increase of characteristic switching speed

Appearance of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis following Thymectomy: Two Case Reports

We report two cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients who had undergone thymectomy. SLE developed in the patients 3 months or 13 yr after thymectomy, and polyarthritis was the main clinical manifestation of SLE. Both patients fulfilled at least four of the revised criteria for the classification of SLE. In this report, we describe two postthymectomy lupus patients and perform a comparative review of previous cases