Moxifloxacin: Clinically compatible contrast agent for multiphoton imaging

Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) is a nonlinear fluorescence microscopic technique widely used for cellular imaging of thick tissues and live animals in biological studies. However, MPM application to human tissues is limited by weak endogenous fluorescence in tissue and cytotoxicity of exogenous probes. Herein, we describe the applications of moxifloxacin, an FDA-approved antibiotic, as a cell-labeling agent for MPM. Moxifloxacin has bright intrinsic multiphoton fluorescence, good tissue penetration and high intracellular concentration. MPM with moxifloxacin was demonstrated in various cell lines, and animal tissues of cornea, skin, small intestine and bladder. Clinical application is promising since imaging based on moxifloxacin labeling could be 10 times faster than imaging based on endogenous fluorescence.1152sciescopu

SpiroESTdb: a transcriptome database and online tool for sparganum expressed sequences tags

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sparganum (plerocercoid of <it>Spirometra erinacei</it>) is a parasite that possesses the remarkable ability to survive by successfully modifying its physiology and morphology to suit various hosts and can be found in various tissues, even the nervous system. However, surprisingly little is known about the molecular function of genes that are expressed during the course of the parasite life cycle. To begin to decipher the molecular processes underlying gene function, we constructed a database of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) generated from sparganum.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>SpiroESTdb is a web-based information resource that is built upon the annotation and curation of 5,655 ESTs data. SpiroESTdb provides an integrated platform for expressed sequence data, expression dynamics, functional genes, genetic markers including single nucleotide polymorphisms and tandem repeats, gene ontology and KEGG pathway information. Moreover, SpiroESTdb supports easy access to gene pages, such as (i) curation and query forms, (ii) <it>in </it><it>silico </it>expression profiling and (iii) BLAST search tools. Comprehensive descriptions of the sparganum content of all sequenced data are available, including summary reports. The contents of SpiroESTdb can be viewed and downloaded from the web (<url>http://pathod.cdc.go.kr/spiroestdb</url>).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This integrative web-based database of sequence data, functional annotations and expression profiling data will serve as a useful tool to help understand and expand the characterization of parasitic infections. It can also be used to identify potential industrial drug targets and vaccine candidate genes.</p

Three-dimensional digital microfluidic manipulation of droplets in oil medium

We here develop a three-dimensional DMF (3D DMF) platform with patterned electrodes submerged in an oil medium to provide fundamental solutions to the technical limitations of 2D DMF platforms and water-air systems. 3D droplet manipulation on patterned electrodes is demonstrated by programmably controlling electrical signals. We also demonstrate the formation of precipitates on the 3D DMF platform through the reaction of different chemical samples. A droplet containing precipitates, hanging on the top electrode, can be manipulated without adhesion of precipitates to the solid surface. This method could be a good alternative strategy to alleviate the existing problems of 2D DMF systems such as cross-contamination and solute adsorption. In addition, we ascertain the feasibility of temperature-controlled chemical reaction on the 3D DMF platform by introducing a simple heating process. To demonstrate applicability of the 3D DMF system to 3D biological process, we examine the 3D manipulation of droplets containing mouse fibroblasts in the 3D DMF platform. Finally, we show detachment of droplets wrapped by a flexible thin film by adopting the electro-elasto-capillarity ( EEC). The employment of the EEC may offer a strong potential in the development of 3D DMF platforms for drug encapsulation and actuation of microelectromechanical devices.open111416sciescopu

Relationship between cyclooxygenase 8473T>C polymorphism and the risk of lung cancer: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays an important role in the development of lung cancer. DNA sequence variations in the COX-2 gene may lead to altered COX-2 production and/or activity, and so they cause inter-individual differences in the susceptibility to lung cancer. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the association between the 8473T>C polymorphism in the 3'-untranslated region of the COX-2 gene and the risk of lung cancer in a Korean population. METHODS: The COX-2 genotypes were determined using PCR-based primer-introduced restriction analysis in 582 lung cancer patients and in 582 healthy controls that were frequency-matched for age and gender. RESULTS: The distribution of the COX-2 8473T>C genotypes was not significantly different between the overall lung cancer cases and the controls. However, when the cases were categorized by the tumor histology, the combined 8473 TC + CC genotype was associated with a significantly decreased risk of adenocarcinoma as compared with the 8473 TT genotype (adjusted OR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.46–0.90, P = 0.01). On the stratification analysis, the protective effect of the combined 8473 TC + CC genotype against adenocarcinoma was statistically significant in the males, older individuals and ever-smokers (adjusted OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.39–0.91, P = 0.02; adjusted OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.33–0.93, P = 0.03; and adjusted OR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.37–0.87, P = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the COX-2 8473T>C polymorphism could be used as a marker for the genetic susceptibility to adenocarcinoma of the lung

Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha G308α Gene Polymorphism and Essential Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis Involving 2244 Participants

BACKGROUND: The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) G308A gene polymorphism has been implicated in susceptibility to essential hypertension (EH), but study results are still controversial. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: The present meta-analysis is performed to investigate the relationship between the TNFα G308A gene polymorphism and EH. Electronic databases were searched and seven separate studies on the association of the TNF α G308A gene polymorphism with EH were analyzed. The meta-analysis involved 1092 EH patients and 1152 controls. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by a fixed or random effect model. RESULTS: A significant relationship between the TNFα G308A gene polymorphism and EH was found in an allelic genetic model (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.80, P = 0.0008), a recessive genetic model (OR: 3.181, 95% CI: 1.204 to 8.408, P = 0.02), and a homozygote model (OR: 3.454, 95% CI: 1.286 to 9.278, P = 0.014). No significant association between them was detected in both a dominant genetic model (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 0.99 to 2.42, P = 0.06) or a heterozygote genetic model (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 0.90 to 2.33, P = 0.13). CONCLUSION: The TNFα G308A gene polymorphism is associated with EH susceptibility

Clinical and laboratory findings associated with severe scrub typhus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Scrub typhus is a mite-borne bacterial infection of humans caused by <it>Orientia tsutsugamushi </it>that causes a generalized vasculitis that may involve the tissues of any organ system. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated to severe complications from scrub typhus.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted this prospective, case-control study on scrub typhus patients who presented to the Department of Internal Medicine at Chosun University Hospital between September, 2004 and December, 2006. Cases were 89 scrub typhus patients with severe complications and controls were 119 scrub typhus patients without severe complications.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were significant differences in the absence of eschar, white blood cell (WBC) counts, hemoglobin, albumin, serum creatinine, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), and active partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) between the two groups. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only the following four factors were significantly associated with the severe complications of scrub typhus: (1) age ≥ 60 years (odd ratio [OR] = 3.13, <it>P </it>= 0.002, confidence interval [CI] = 1.53-6.41), (2) the absence of eschar (OR = 6.62, <it>P </it>= 0.03, CI = 1.22-35.8, (3) WBC counts > 10, 000/mm3 (OR = 3.6, <it>P </it>= 0.001, CI = 1.65-7.89), and (4) albumin ≤ 3.0 g/dL (OR = 5.01, <it>P </it>= 0.004, CI = 1.69-14.86).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that clinicians should be aware of the potential for complications, when scrub typhus patients are older (≥ 60 years), presents without eschar, or laboratory findings such as WBC counts > 10, 000/mm3, and serum albumin level ≤ 3.0 g/dL. Close observation and intensive care for scrub typhus patients with the potential for complications may prevent serious complications with subsequent reduction in its mortality rate.</p

Multicenter retrospective analysis of 581 patients with primary intestinal non-hodgkin lymphoma from the Consortium for Improving Survival of Lymphoma (CISL)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Primary intestinal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a heterogeneous disease with regard to anatomic and histologic distribution. Thus, analyses focusing on primary intestinal NHL with large number of patients are warranted.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively analyzed 581 patients from 16 hospitals in Korea for primary intestinal NHL in this retrospective analysis. We compared clinical features and treatment outcomes according to the anatomic site of involvement and histologic subtypes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>B-cell lymphoma (n = 504, 86.7%) was more frequent than T-cell lymphoma (n = 77, 13.3%). Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was the most common subtype (n = 386, 66.4%), and extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) was the second most common subtype (n = 61, 10.5%). B-cell lymphoma mainly presented as localized disease (Lugano stage I/II) while T-cell lymphomas involved multiple intestinal sites. Thus, T-cell lymphoma had more unfavourable characteristics such as advanced stage at diagnosis, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was significantly lower than B-cell lymphoma (28% versus 71%, P < 0.001). B symptoms were relatively uncommon (20.7%), and bone marrow invasion was a rare event (7.4%). The ileocecal region was the most commonly involved site (39.8%), followed by the small (27.9%) and large intestines (21.5%). Patients underwent surgery showed better OS than patients did not (5-year OS rate 77% versus 57%, P < 0.001). However, this beneficial effect of surgery was only statistically significant in patients with B-cell lymphomas (P < 0.001) not in T-cell lymphomas (P = 0.460). The comparison of survival based on the anatomic site of involvement showed that ileocecal regions had a better 5-year overall survival rate (72%) than other sites in consistent with that ileocecal region had higher proportion of patients with DLBCL who underwent surgery. Age > 60 years, performance status ≥ 2, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase, Lugano stage IV, presence of B symptoms, and T-cell phenotype were independent prognostic factors for survival.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The survival of patients with ileocecal region involvement was better than that of patients with involvement at other sites, which might be related to histologic distribution, the proportion of tumor stage, and need for surgical resection.</p

Efficacy of an Educational Material on Second Primary Cancer Screening Practice for Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Cancer surivors have limited knowledge about second primary cancer (SPC) screening and suboptimal rates of completion of screening practices for SPC. Our objective was to test the efficacy of an educational material on the knowledge, attitudes, and screening practices for SPC among cancer survivors.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>Randomized, controlled trial among 326 cancer survivors from 6 oncology care outpatient clinics in Korea. Patients were randomized to an intervention or an attention control group. The intervention was a photo-novel, culturally tailored to increase knowledge about SPC screening. Knowledge and attitudes regarding SPC screening were assessed two weeks after the intervention, and screening practices were assessed after one year.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>At two weeks post-intervention, the average knowledge score was significantly higher in the intervention compared to the control group (0.81 vs. 0.75, P<0.01), with no significant difference in their attitude scores (2.64 vs. 2.57, P = 0.18). After 1 year of follow-up, the completion rate of all appropriate cancer screening was 47.2% in both intervention and control groups.</p> <h3>Conclusion</h3><p>While the educatinal material was effective for increasing knowledge of SPC screening, it did not promote cancer screening practice among cancer survivors. More effective interventions are needed to increase SPC screening rates in this population.</p> <h3>Trial Registration</h3><p>ClinicalTrial.gov <a href="http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00948337">NCT00948337</a></p> </div

Biphasic Electrical Currents Stimulation Promotes both Proliferation and Differentiation of Fetal Neural Stem Cells

The use of non-chemical methods to differentiate stem cells has attracted researchers from multiple disciplines, including the engineering and the biomedical fields. No doubt, growth factor based methods are still the most dominant of achieving some level of proliferation and differentiation control - however, chemical based methods are still limited by the quality, source, and amount of the utilized reagents. Well-defined non-chemical methods to differentiate stem cells allow stem cell scientists to control stem cell biology by precisely administering the pre-defined parameters, whether they are structural cues, substrate stiffness, or in the form of current flow. We have developed a culture system that allows normal stem cell growth and the option of applying continuous and defined levels of electric current to alter the cell biology of growing cells. This biphasic current stimulator chip employing ITO electrodes generates both positive and negative currents in the same culture chamber without affecting surface chemistry. We found that biphasic electrical currents (BECs) significantly increased the proliferation of fetal neural stem cells (NSCs). Furthermore, BECs also promoted the differentiation of fetal NSCs into neuronal cells, as assessed using immunocytochemistry. Our results clearly show that BECs promote both the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of fetal NSCs. It may apply to the development of strategies that employ NSCs in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases