Electrogenic transport and K(+) ion channel expression by the human endolymphatic sac epithelium.

The endolymphatic sac (ES) is a cystic organ that is a part of the inner ear and is connected to the cochlea and vestibule. The ES is thought to be involved in inner ear ion homeostasis and fluid volume regulation for the maintenance of hearing and balance function. Many ion channels, transporters, and exchangers have been identified in the ES luminal epithelium, mainly in animal studies, but there has been no functional study investigating ion transport using human ES tissue. We designed the first functional experiments on electrogenic transport in human ES and investigated the contribution of K(+) channels in the electrogenic transport, which has been rarely identified, even in animal studies, using electrophysiological/pharmacological and molecular biological methods. As a result, we identified functional and molecular evidence for the essential participation of K(+) channels in the electrogenic transport of human ES epithelium. The identified K(+) channels involved in the electrogenic transport were KCNN2, KCNJ14, KCNK2, and KCNK6, and the K(+) transports via those channels are thought to play an important role in the maintenance of the unique ionic milieu of the inner ear fluid

Missing the target: including perspectives of women with overweight and obesity to inform stigma-reduction strategies

OBJECTIVE: Pervasive weight stigma and discrimination have led to ongoing calls for efforts to reduce this bias. Despite increasing research on stigma-reduction strategies, perspectives of individuals who have experienced weight stigma have rarely been included to inform this research. The present study conducted a systematic examination of women with high body weight to assess their perspectives about a broad range of strategies to reduce weight-based stigma. METHODS: Women with overweight or obesity (N = 461) completed an online survey in which they evaluated the importance, feasibility and potential impact of 35 stigma-reduction strategies in diverse settings. Participants (91.5% who reported experiencing weight stigma) also completed self-report measures assessing experienced and internalized weight stigma. RESULTS: Most participants assigned high importance to all stigma-reduction strategies, with school-based and healthcare approaches accruing the highest ratings. Adding weight stigma to existing anti-harassment workplace training was rated as the most impactful and feasible strategy. The family environment was viewed as an important intervention target, regardless of participants\u27 experienced or internalized stigma. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the importance of including people with stigmatized identities in stigma-reduction research; their insights provide a necessary and valuable contribution that can inform ways to reduce weight-based inequities and prioritize such efforts

Cyclin Y inhibits plasticity-induced AMPA receptor exocytosis and LTP

Cyclin Y (CCNY) is a member of the cyclin protein family, known to regulate cell division in proliferating cells. Interestingly, CCNY is expressed in neurons that do not undergo cell division. Here, we report that CCNY negatively regulates long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength through inhibition of AMPA receptor trafficking. CCNY is enriched in postsynaptic fractions from rat forebrain and is localized adjacent to postsynaptic sites in dendritic spines in rat hippocampal neurons. Using live-cell imaging of a pH-sensitive AMPA receptor, we found that during LTP-inducing stimulation, CCNY inhibits AMPA receptor exocytosis in dendritic spines. Furthermore, CCNY abolishes LTP in hippocampal slices. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that CCNY inhibits plasticity-induced AMPA receptor delivery to synapses and thereby blocks LTP, identifying a novel function for CCNY in post-mitotic cells

Clinical Manifestations of Recurrent Parotid Pleomorphic Adenoma

Objectives. This study was undertaken to confirm the clinical characteristics of recurrent pleomorphic adenoma (RPA), and to identify those factors that affect the development of malignant transformation (MT) from RPA. Methods. The medical records of 270 patients, who were operated upon for parotid PA, were retrospectively reviewed. The pathologic specimens of a selected series of 23 patients were reviewed for histologic subtype and microscopic multi-nodularity. Results. Mean age of initial operation in RPA without MT (RPA(-MT)) group was significantly lower than that of primary PA group. Mean age of the revision operation in RPA with MT (RPA(+MT)) group was significantly greater than that of RPA(-MT) group. Mean interval from operation to recurrence shortened after each revision operation. The risk of MT and additional recurrence increased significantly with recurrence. In RPA(-MT) group tumor recurrence occurred in 21.4% of patients despite a clear resection margin. Conclusion. The risk factors for MT may be an age of over 45 yr and multiple recurrences. However, younger patients are more at risk of recurrence. A clear resection margin cannot guarantee a cure in RPA, and it seems that parotid pleomorphic adenomas slowly gain malignant characteristics after repeated recurrences.SUH MW, 2005, KOREAN J HEAD NECK O, V21, P146HANNA EY, 2005, CUMMINGS OTOLARYNGOL, P1348Ghosh S, 2003, CLIN OTOLARYNGOL, V28, P262Glas AS, 2002, CANCER, V94, P2211, DOI 10.1002/cncr.10445Glas AS, 2001, HEAD NECK-J SCI SPEC, V23, P311BRADLEY PJ, 2001, CURR OPIN OTOLARYNGO, V9, P100Carew JF, 1999, OTOLARYNG HEAD NECK, V121, P539Junquera L, 1999, HEAD NECK-J SCI SPEC, V21, P652Hancock BD, 1999, ANN ROY COLL SURG, V81, P299Bankamp DG, 1999, LARYNGO RHINO OTOL, V78, P77Hoorweg JJ, 1998, EUR J SURG ONCOL, V24, P452Henriksson G, 1998, CANCER, V82, P617Laskawi R, 1998, BRIT J ORAL MAX SURG, V36, P48Klijanienko J, 1997, HEAD NECK-J SCI SPEC, V19, P629Leverstein H, 1997, EUR ARCH OTO-RHINO-L, V254, P313SunardhiWidyaputra S, 1995, PATHOL RES PRACT, V191, P1186PHILLIPS PP, 1995, ANN OTO RHINOL LARYN, V104, P100BUCHMAN C, 1994, LARYNGOSCOPE, V104, P1231NATVIG K, 1994, HEAD NECK-J SCI SPEC, V16, P213JACKSON SR, 1993, J LARYNGOL OTOL, V107, P546MCGREGOR AD, 1988, BRIT J PLAST SURG, V41, P177FEE WE, 1978, LARYNGOSCOPE, V88, P265SEIFERT G, 1976, HNO, V24, P415NAEIM F, 1976, ARCH PATHOL LAB MED, V100, P271FRAZELL EL, 1954, CANCER, V7, P637

Charge order and low frequency spin dynamics in lanthanum cuprates revealed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

We report detailed 17O, 139La, and 63Cu Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance (NQR) measurements in a stripe ordered La1.875Ba0.125CuO4 single crystal and in oriented powder samples of La1.8-xEu0.2SrxCuO4. We observe a partial wipeout of the 17O NMR intensity and a simultaneous drop of the 17O electric field gradient (EFG) at low temperatures where the spin stripe order sets in. In contrast, the 63Cu intensity is completely wiped out at the same temperature. The drop of the 17O quadrupole frequency is compatible with a charge stripe order. The 17O spin lattice relaxation rate shows a peak similar to that of the 139La, which is of magnetic origin. This peak is doping dependent and is maximal at x ~ 1/8.Comment: submitted to European Physical Journal Special Topic

Weak reaction freeze-out constraints on primordial magnetic fields

We explore constraints on the strength of the primordial magnetic field based upon the weak reaction freeze-out in the early universe. We find that limits on the strength of the magnetic field found in other works are recovered simply by examining the temperature at which the rate of weak reactions drops below the rate of universal expansion ($\Gamma_{w} \le$ H). The temperature for which the $n/p$ ratio at freeze-out leads to acceptable helium production implies limits on the magnetic field. This simplifies the application of magnetic fields to other cosmological variants of the standard big-bang. As an illustration we also consider effects of neutrino degeneracy on the allowed limits to the primordial magnetic field.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. D., 6 pages, 2 figure

Accelerated Bone Regeneration by Two-Photon Photoactivated Carbon Nitride Nanosheets

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) present promising opportunities for therapeutic medicine. Carbon derivatives showed only marginal enhancement in stem cell differentiation toward bone formation. Here we report that red-light absorbing carbon nitride (C3N4) sheets lead to remarkable proliferation and osteogenic differentiation by runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) activation, a key transcription factor associated with osteoblast differentiation. Accordingly, highly effective hBMSCs-driven mice bone regeneration under red light is achieved (91% recovery after 4 weeks compared to 36% recovery in the standard control group in phosphate-buffered saline without red light). This fast bone regeneration is attributed to the deep penetration strength of red light into cellular membranes via tissue and the resulting efficient cell stimulation by enhanced photocurrent upon two-photon excitation of C3N4 sheets near cells. Given that the photoinduced charge transfer can increase cytosolic Ca2+ accumulation, this increase would promote nucleotide synthesis and cellular proliferation/differentiation. The cell stimulation enhances hBMSC differentiation toward bone formation, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of near-infrared two-photon absorption of C3N4 sheets in bone regeneration and fracture healing.ope

The Effect of Direct Communication between Emergency Physicians and Interventional Cardiologists on Door to Balloon Times in STEMI

We developed an institutional protocol mandating emergency physicians to contact the interventional cardiologist directly in all cases of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and hypothesized that this would reduce door-to-balloon-times (DTBT). From January 2004 to July 2006, 208 patients with STEMI were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 144 patients were treated before implementing the new protocol ("before") and 64 patients were treated after the implementation ("after"). The DTBT was significantly reduced from 148±101 min to 108±56 min (p<0.05). While only 25% of the "before" patients received PCI within 90 min after arrival, 50% of the "after" patients received PCI within 90 min (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between two groups in other outcomes (postprocedural TIMI flow, mortality, subsequent stroke, heart failure, shock, reinfarction, length of stay in intensive care unit, and the total hospital length of stay). In conclusion, mandating emergency physicians to directly notify interventional cardiologists of all STEMI patients reduces DTBT

Natural Products in the Prevention of Metabolic Diseases: Lessons Learned from the 20th KAST Frontier Scientists Workshop

The incidence of metabolic and chronic diseases including cancer, obesity, inflammation-related diseases sharply increased in the 21st century. Major underlying causes for these diseases are inflammation and oxidative stress. Accordingly, natural products and their bioactive components are obvious therapeutic agents for these diseases, given their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Research in this area has been significantly expanded to include chemical identification of these compounds using advanced analytical techniques, determining their mechanism of action, food fortification and supplement development, and enhancing their bioavailability and bioactivity using nanotechnology. These timely topics were discussed at the 20th Frontier Scientists Workshop sponsored by the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, held at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on 23 November 2019. Scientists from South Korea and the U.S. shared their recent research under the overarching theme of Bioactive Compounds, Nanoparticles, and Disease Prevention. This review summarizes presentations at the workshop to provide current knowledge of the role of natural products in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases