Treatment for the Lumbosacral Soft Tissue Defect after Spine Surgery

The lumbosacral area is one of the most frequently operated spine regions because of the prevalence of disease in that area. Although a lumbosacral soft tissue defect after surgery due to inflammation and other causes is rare, such soft tissue defects are difficult to treat. Therefore, suitable methods for treating lumbosacral soft tissue defects are necessary. Therefore, this study introduces a case-treated with a transverse lumbosacral rotational flap

Impacts of Heavy Rain and Typhoon on Allergic Disease

AbstractObjectivesAllergic disease may be increased by climate change. Recent reports have shown that typhoon and heavy rain increase allergic disease locally by concentration of airborne allergens of pollen, ozone, and fungus, which are causes of allergic disease. The objective of this study was to determine whether typhoon and heavy rain increase allergic disease in Korea.MethodsThis study included allergic disease patients of the area declared as a special disaster zone due to storms and heavy rains from 2003 to 2009. The study used information from the Korea Meteorological Administration, and from the National Health Insurance Service for allergic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis).ResultsDuring a storm period, the numbers of allergy rhinitis and atopic dermatitis outpatients increased [rate ratio (RR) = 1.191; range, 1.150–1.232] on the sixth lag day. However, the number of asthma outpatients decreased (RR = 0.900; range, 0.862–0.937) on the sixth lag day after a disaster period. During a storm period, the numbers of allergic rhinitis outpatients (RR = 1.075; range, 1.018–1.132) and atopy outpatients increased (RR = 1.134; range, 1.113–1.155) on the seventh lag day. However, the number of asthma outpatients decreased to RR value of 0.968 (range, 0.902–1.035) on the fifth lag day.ConclusionThis study suggests that typhoon and heavy rain increase allergic disease apart from asthma. More study is needed to explain the decrease in asthma

Change in Prostaglandin Expression Levels and Synthesizing Activities in Dry Eye Disease

Objective To investigate the expression level of prostaglandins (PGs) and their de novo synthesis in dry eye (DE) disease. Design Cross-sectional case-control study and in vivo mouse experimental study. Participants Forty-six eyes from 23 DE patients and 33 eyes from 17 age- and sex-matched controls were studied. Also, DE-induced murine eyes were compared with control eyes. Methods Patients completed a symptom questionnaire using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). Nanoliquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used for the quantification of PGE2 and PGD2. A DE disease environmental chamber was used to induce DE in mice. One week after induction, enzyme expressions of cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), PG E synthase (PGES), and PG D synthase (PGDS) in the lacrimal glands, meibomian glands, and corneas were examined using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Main Outcome Measures The mean PGE2 and PGD2 levels in the tears of DE patients were measured and compared with symptom severity scores. Immunohistochemistry staining patterns and qRT-PCR data of DE mice were quantified. Results The mean PGE2 level in the tears of DE patients (2.72±3.42 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that in the control group (0.88±0.83 ng/ml; P = 0.003). However, the mean PGD2 level in the tears of DE patients (0.11 ±0.22 ng/ml) was significantly lower (0.91 ±3.28 ng/ml; P = 0.028). The mean PGE2-to-PGD2 ratio correlated strongly with VAS scoring (P = 0.008). In DE mice, COX-2 mRNA was significantly higher in ocular surface tissue and lacrimal glands. Furthermore, PGES mRNA was significantly higher in ocular surface tissue, whereas PGDS mRNA was decreased. Immunohistochemistry staining showed elevated COX-2 expression in the lacrimal glands, meibomian glands, corneas, and conjunctivas. Furthermore, PGES expression was found in periductal infiltrated cells of the lacrimal glands and conjunctival epithelium. Also, PGDS expression was decreased in meibomian glands and increased focally in the conjunctival epithelium. Conclusions A reciprocal change in PGE2 and PGD2 levels was found in the tears of DE patients, which correlated with patients’ symptom scores. These clinical results were supported by increased COX-2 and PGES expression levels found in tear-producing tissues of DE mice. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article

Removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution by a zeolite–nanoscale zero-valent iron composite

The effectiveness of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) to remove heavy metals from water is reduced by its low durability, poor mechanical strength, and tendency to form aggregates. A composite of zeolite and nanoscale zero-valent iron (Z–nZVI) overcomes these problems and shows good potential to remove Pb from water. FTIR spectra support nZVI loading onto the zeolite and reduced Fe0 oxidation in the Z–nZVI composite. Scanning electron micrographs show aggregation was eliminated and transmission electron micrographs show well-dispersed nZVI in chain-like structures within the zeolite matrix. The mean surface area of the composite was 80.37 m2/g, much greater than zeolite (1.03 m2/g) or nZVI (12.25 m2/g) alone, as determined by BET-N2 measurement. More than 96% of the Pb(II) was removed from 100 mL of solution containing 100 mg Pb(II)/L within 140 min of mixing with 0.1 g Z–nZVI. Tests with solution containing 1000 mg Pb(II)/L suggested that the capacity of the Z–nZVI is about 806 mg Pb(II)/g. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed the presence of Fe in the composite; X-ray diffraction confirmed formation and immobilization of Fe0 and subsequent sorption and reduction of some of the Pb(II) to Pb0. The low quantity of Pb(II) recovered in water-soluble and Ca(NO3)2-extractable fractions indicate low bioavailability of the Pb(II) removed by the composite. Results support the potential use of the Z–nZVI composite in permeable reactive barriers

Removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution by a zeolite–nanoscale zero-valent iron composite

The effectiveness of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) to remove heavy metals from water is reduced by its low durability, poor mechanical strength, and tendency to form aggregates. A composite of zeolite and nanoscale zero-valent iron (Z–nZVI) overcomes these problems and shows good potential to remove Pb from water. FTIR spectra support nZVI loading onto the zeolite and reduced Fe0 oxidation in the Z–nZVI composite. Scanning electron micrographs show aggregation was eliminated and transmission electron micrographs show well-dispersed nZVI in chain-like structures within the zeolite matrix. The mean surface area of the composite was 80.37 m2/g, much greater than zeolite (1.03 m2/g) or nZVI (12.25 m2/g) alone, as determined by BET-N2 measurement. More than 96% of the Pb(II) was removed from 100 mL of solution containing 100 mg Pb(II)/L within 140 min of mixing with 0.1 g Z–nZVI. Tests with solution containing 1000 mg Pb(II)/L suggested that the capacity of the Z–nZVI is about 806 mg Pb(II)/g. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed the presence of Fe in the composite; X-ray diffraction confirmed formation and immobilization of Fe0 and subsequent sorption and reduction of some of the Pb(II) to Pb0. The low quantity of Pb(II) recovered in water-soluble and Ca(NO3)2-extractable fractions indicate low bioavailability of the Pb(II) removed by the composite. Results support the potential use of the Z–nZVI composite in permeable reactive barriers

Connexin32 inhibits gastric carcinogenesis through cell cycle arrest and altered expression of p21Cip1 and p27Kip1

Gap junctions and their structural proteins, connexins (Cxs), havebeen implicated in carcinogenesis. To explore the involvement ofCx32 in gastric carcinogenesis, immunochemical analysis of Cx32and proliferation marker Ki67 using tissue-microarrayed humangastric cancer and normal tissues was performed. In addition, afterCx32 overexpression in the human gastric cancer cell line AGS,cell proliferation, cell cycle analyses, and p21Cip1 and p27Kip1expression levels were examined by bromodeoxyuridine assay,flow cytometry, real-time RT-PCR, and western blotting.Immunohistochemical study noted a strong inverse correlationbetween Cx32 and Ki67 expression pattern as well as theirlocation. In vitro, overexpression of Cx32 in AGS cells inhibitedcell proliferation significantly. G1 arrest, up-regulation of cellcycle-regulatory proteins p21Cip1 and p27Kip1 was also found atboth mRNA and protein levels. Taken together, Cx32 plays someroles in gastric cancer development by inhibiting gastric cancercell proliferation through cell cycle arrest and cell cycle regulatoryproteins. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(1): 25-30

Expression of aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C1 (AKR1C1) gene in porcine ovary and uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C1 (AKR1C1) belongs to a superfamily of NADPH-dependent reductases that convert a wide range of substrates, including carbohydrates, steroid hormones, and endogenous prostaglandins. The 20alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20alpha-HSD) is a member of AKR family. The aims of this study were to determine its expression in the ovary and uterus endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) experiments were performed to obtain the 5' and 3' ends of the porcine <it>20alpha-HSD </it>cDNA. Reverse-transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR), real-time PCR, northern blot analysis, and western blot analysis were performed to examine the expression of porcine 20alpha-HSD. Immunohistochemical analysis was also performed to determine the localization in the ovary.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The porcine 20alpha-HSD cDNA is 957 bp in length and encodes a protein of 319 amino acids. The cloned cDNA was virtually the same as the porcine <it>AKR1C1 </it>gene (337 amino acids) reported recently, and only differed in the C-terminal region (the <it>AKR1C1 </it>gene has a longer C-terminal region than our sequence). The <it>20alpha-HSD </it>gene (from now on referred to as <it>AKR1C1</it>) cloned in this paper encodes a deletion of 4 amino acids, compared with the C-terminal region of <it>AKR1C1 </it>genes from other animals. Porcine AKR1C1 mRNA was expressed on day 5, 10, 12, 15 of the cycle and 0-60 of pregnancy in the ovary. The mRNA was also specifically detected in the uterine endometrium on day 30 of pregnancy. Western blot analysis indicated that the pattern of AKR1C1 protein in the ovary during the estrous cycle and uterus during early pregnancy was similar to that of <it>AKR1C1 </it>mRNA expression. The recombinant protein produced in CHO cells was detected at approximately 37 kDa. Immunohistochemical analysis also revealed that pig AKR1C1 protein was localized in the large luteal cells in the early stages of the estrous cycle and before parturition.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study demonstrated that AKR1C1 mRNA and protein are coordinately expressed in the luteal cell of ovary throughout the estrous cycle and in the uterus on day 30 of pregnancy. Thus, the porcine AKR1C1 gene might control important mechanisms during the estrous cycle.</p

A Successful Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Twelve Days After a Cabrol Composite Graft Operation in Marfan Syndrome

The Cabrol procedure is one of several techniques used for re-implantation of a coronary artery. After replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic valve using a composite graft, second Dacron tube grafts are used for anastomosis between the ascending aortic graft and the coronary arteries. Ostial stenosis is one of the complications associated with the Cabrol operation. However, there have been no reported cases of acute thrombosis of a Cabrol graft. Here we report a case with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction due to thrombotic total occlusion of a right Cabrol graft-to-right coronary artery (RCA) twelve days after surgery in a patient with Marfan syndrome. He was successfully treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)