Deficiency of peroxiredoxin 2 exacerbates angiotensin II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysm: Potential enzyme biomarker identified An enzyme with antioxidant properties may provide a biomarker and therapeutic agent to help treat abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). AAA involves the structural deterioration of the aorta through chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, and can trigger life-threatening artery rupture. An antioxidant enzyme called peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) is increased in patients with ruptures, but whether its role in AAA is beneficial or detrimental is unclear. Goo Taeg Oh at the Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Jong-Gil Park at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, South Korea, and co-workers examined the effect of PRDX2 on AAA progression. PRDX2 suppressed structural damage in mice, limiting artery dilation and protein degradation. Loss of PRDX2 accelerated AAA development. Measuring levels of PRDX2 may indicate AAA severity in patients, while boosting the enzyme could repair aortic damage

Evaluation of the pathogenicity of GJB3 and GJB6 variants associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss

AbstractA number of genes responsible for hearing loss are related to ion recycling and homeostasis in the inner ear. Connexins (Cx26 encoded by GJB2, Cx31 encoded by GJB3 and Cx30 encoded by GJB6) are core components of gap junctions in the inner ear. Gap junctions are intercellular communication channels and important factors that are associated with hearing loss. To date, a molecular genetics study of GJB3 and GJB6 as a causative gene for hearing loss has not been performed in Korea. This study was therefore performed to elucidate the genetic characteristics of Korean patients with nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss and to determine the pathological mechanism of hearing loss by analyzing the intercellular communication function of Cx30 and Cx31 variants. Sequencing analysis of the GJB3 and GJB6 genes in our population revealed a total of nine variants, including four novel variants in the two genes. Three of the novel variants (Cx31-p.V27M, Cx31-p.V43M and Cx-30-p.I248V) and two previously reported variants (Cx31-p.V84I and Cx30-p.A40V) were selected for functional studies using a pathogenicity prediction program and assessed for whether the mutations were located in a conserved region of the protein. The results of biochemical and ionic coupling tests showed that both the Cx31-p.V27M and Cx31-p.V84I variants did not function normally when each was expressed as a heterozygote with the wild-type Cx31. This study demonstrated that two variants of Cx31 were pathogenic mutations with deleterious effect. This information will be valuable in understanding the pathogenic role of GJB3 and GJB6 mutations associated with hearing loss

WALLABY Pilot Survey: H I gas kinematics of galaxy pairs in cluster environment

We examine the H I gas kinematics of galaxy pairs in two clusters and a group using Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) WALLABY pilot survey observations. We compare the H I properties of galaxy pair candidates in the Hydra I and Norma clusters, and the NGC 4636 group, with those of non-paired control galaxies selected in the same fields. We perform H I profile decomposition of the sample galaxies using a tool, BAYGAUD, which allows us to deblend a line-of-sight velocity profile with an optimal number of Gaussian components. We construct H I superprofiles of the sample galaxies via stacking of their line profiles after aligning the central velocities. We fit a double Gaussian model to the superprofiles and classify them as kinematically narrow and broad components with respect to their velocity dispersions. Additionally, we investigate the gravitational instability of H I gas discs of the sample galaxies using Toomre Q parameters and H I morphological disturbances. We investigate the effect of the cluster environment on the H I properties of galaxy pairs by dividing the cluster environment into three subcluster regions (i.e. outskirts, infalling, and central regions). We find that the denser cluster environment (i.e. infalling and central regions) is likely to impact the H I gas properties of galaxies in a way of decreasing the amplitude of the kinematically narrow H I gas (⁠MHInarrow /MHItotal ⁠), and increasing the Toomre Q values of the infalling and central galaxies. This tendency is likely to be more enhanced for galaxy pairs in the cluster environment

Bezoar-induced Small Bowel Obstruction

Purpose: The aim of this study was to observe the clinical features of a bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction and to in-vestigate the role of abdominal computed tomography (CT) in establishing the diagnosis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 20 cases of bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction in our hospital from 1996 to 2010. Results: Thirteen patients (65%) had a history of abdominal surgery. Nine patients (45%) were diagnosed with a bezoar before surgery, seven patients were diagnosed by using abdominal CT, and two patients were diagnosed with a small bowel series. Abdominal CT was performed in 15 patients, and the diagnostic accuracy was 47 % (7/15). Surgery revealed ten bezoars in the jejunum and 11 in the ileum. Two patients had bezoars found concurrently in the stomach. Spontaneous removal took place in two patients. An enterotomy and bezoar extraction was performed in 15 patients. Fragmentation and milking, a small bowel resection, and a Meckel’s diverticulectomy were performed in one patient each. Early operative treatment was possible (P = 0.036) once the bezoar had been diagnosed by using abdominal CT. There tended to be fewer postoperative complications in patients who were diagnosed with a bezoar by using abdominal CT, but the result was not statistically significant (P = 0.712). Conclusion: A preoperative diagnosis of bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction by using clinical features was difficult. Increased use of abdominal CT led to a more accurate diagnosis and to earlier surgery for bezoar-induced small bowel obstructions, thereby reducing the rate of complications

Pilot KaVA monitoring on the M87 jet: confirming the inner jet structure and superluminal motions at sub-pc scales

We report the initial results of our high-cadence monitoring program on the radio jet in the active galaxy M87, obtained by the KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) at 22 GHz. This is a pilot study that preceded a larger KaVA-M87 monitoring program, which is currently ongoing. The pilot monitoring was mostly performed every two to three weeks from December 2013 to June 2014, at a recording rate of 1 Gbps, obtaining the data for a total of 10 epochs. We successfully obtained a sequence of good quality radio maps that revealed the rich structure of this jet from <~1 mas to 20 mas, corresponding to physical scales (projected) of ~0.1-2 pc (or ~140-2800 Schwarzschild radii). We detected superluminal motions at these scales, together with a trend of gradual acceleration. The first evidence for such fast motions and acceleration near the jet base were obtained from recent VLBA studies at 43 GHz, and the fact that very similar kinematics are seen at a different frequency and time with a different instrument suggests these properties are fundamental characteristics of this jet. This pilot program demonstrates that KaVA is a powerful VLBI array for studying the detailed structural evolution of the M87 jet and also other relativistic jets.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in PAS