Venous Thromboembolism After Removal of Retrievable Inferior Vena Cava Filters

The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of new or recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) after retrieval of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters and risk factors associated with such recurrence. Between March 2001 and September 2008, at our institution, implanted retrievable vena cava filters were retrieved in 76 patients. The incidence of new or recurrent VTE after retrieval was reviewed and numerous variables were analyzed to assess risk factors for redevelopment of VTE after filter retrieval. In 5 (6.6%) of the 76 patients, redevelopment or worsening of VTE was seen after retrieval of the filter. Three patients (4.0%) had recurrent deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the lower extremities and 2 (2.6%) had development of pulmonary embolism, resulting in death. Although there was no significant difference in the incidence of new or recurrent VTE related to any risk factor investigated, a tendency for development of VTE after filter retrieval was higher in patients in whom DVT in the lower extremities had been so severe during filter implantation that interventional radiological therapies in addition to traditional anticoagulation therapies were required (40% in patients with recurrent VTE vs. 23% in those without VTE; p = 0.5866 according to Fisher’s exact probability test) and in patients in whom DVT remained at the time of filter retrieval (60% in patients with recurrent VTE vs. 37% in those without VTE; p = 0.3637). In conclusion, new or recurrent VTE was rare after retrieval of IVC filters but was most likely to occur in patients who had severe DVT during filter implantation and/or in patients with a DVT that remained at the time of filter retrieval. We must point out that the fatality rate from PE after filter removal was high (2.6%)

RNA Interference – A Powerful Functional Analysis Tool for Studying Tick Biology and its Control

Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are blood-sucking arthropods globally recognized as vectors of numerous diseases. They are primarily responsible for the transmission of various pathogens, including viruses, rickettsiae, and blood parasites of animals. Ticks are second to mosquitoes in terms of disease transmission to humans. The continuous emergence of tick-borne diseases and acaricide resistance of ticks necessitates the development of new and more effective control agents and strategies; therefore, understanding of different aspects of tick biology and their interaction with pathogens is very crucial in developing effective control strategies. RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely used in the area of tick research as a versatile reverse genetic tool to elucidate the functions of various tick proteins. During the past decade, numerous studies on ticks utilized RNAi to evaluate potentially key tick proteins involved in blood feeding, reproduction, evasion of host immune response, interaction with pathogens, and pathogen transmission that may be targeted for tick and pathogen control. This chapter reviewed the application of RNAi in tick research over the past decade, focusing on the impact of this technique in the advancement of knowledge on tick and pathogen biology

Disorder-Enhanced Dimensionless Thermoelectric Figure of Merit zT of Non-stoichiometric Organic Conductor (TTT)2I3+δ (δ ≤ 0.1)

Sample dependence of dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) and power factor (PF) were determined for the non-stoichiometric organic conductor (TTT)2I3+δ (TTT = tetrathiatetracene, δ ≤ 0.1) with the simultaneous measurement of the electrical resistivity (ρ), thermopower (S) and thermal conductivity on small single crystals. Both the zT and PF show large sample dependence between 10 and 310 K, even though all the samples have nearly stoichiometric composition of TTT : I3- ~ 2 : 1 (δ ∼ 0). It was found that both the electrical conductivity (σ = 1/ρ) and S increase at room temperature as disorder — that is phase mismatch among the iodine chains — becomes more pronounced. This behavior contrasts the usual tendency that the S decreases as the σ increases in conventional conductors; and suggests a new strategy to improve the zT and PF by introducing an appropriate type of disorder

PLAG1 enhances the stemness profiles of acinar cells in normal human salivary glands in a cell type-specific manner

Objectives: Details of the histogenesis of salivary gland tumors are largely unknown. The oncogenic role of PLAG1 in the salivary gland has been demonstrated in vivo. Herein, we demonstrate the roles of PLAG1 in the acinar and ductal cells of normal human salivary glands in an attempt to clarify the early events that occur during the histogenesis of salivary gland tumors. Methods: Normal salivary gland cells with acinar- (NS-SV-AC) and ductal- (NS-SV-DC) phenotypes were transfected with PLAG1 plasmid DNA. Subsequently, the PLAG1 overexpressed and mock cells were examined by cell proliferation, transwell migration, and salisphere formation assays. The expression levels of salivary and pluripotent stem cell markers and differentiation markers were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. Alterations in transcriptional expressions were investigated via cap analysis of gene expression with gene-enrichment and functional annotation analysis. Results: PLAG1 promoted cell proliferation and transwell migration in the acinar and ductal cells, and markedly enhanced the stemness profiles and luminal cell-like profiles in acinar cells; the stemness profiles were partially increased in the ductal cells. Conclusion: PLAG1 enhanced the stemness profiles in the acinar cells of normal human salivary glands in a cell type-specific manner. Thus, it may be involved in salivary gland tumorigenesis by increasing the stemness character of the normal salivary gland cells