Lymphangiography to treat postoperative lymphatic leakage: a technical review.

In addition to imaging the lymphatics and detecting various types of lymphatic leakage, lymphangiography is a therapeutic option for patients with chylothorax, chylous ascites, and lymphatic fistula. Percutaneous thoracic duct embolization, transabdominal catheterization of the cisterna chyli or thoracic duct, and subsequent embolization of the thoracic duct is an alternative to surgical ligation of the thoracic duct. In this pictorial review, we present the detailed technique, clinical applications, and complications of lymphangiography and thoracic duct embolization

Spirituality of Kenyan pastors : a practical theological study of Kikuyu PCEA pastors in Nairobi

The subject of spirituality is descriptive, comprehensive, transformative, and interdisciplinary. This study is about the spirituality of Kikuyu PCEA (Presbyterian Church of East Africa) pastors in Nairobi. This research seeks to find expressions and meanings of Christian spirituality of the research context. Thus, the concrete aims of this research are: (1) to understand the complex spiritual/religious/cultural world of Kikuyu pastors of the Presbyterian Church in Nairobi; (2) to study biblical and historical spirituality in order to find biblical and Western-historical spiritual perspectives; (3) to have critical hermeneutical dialogue between narratives, different cultural/religious traditions, biblical/Western-historical spiritual perspectives, and African theological perspectives with a view to finding strategies for transformation of the research participants, churches in Africa, and African society at large. To achieve the aforementioned aims of this research, a research paradigm was employed which is comprised of postfoundationalism, practical theology, narrative, and social constructionism. Postfoundationalism provided theological positioning; practical theological process laid a framework of the research as the main research methodology; narratives generated essential experiences for the research; social constructionism provided a method with which to form the realities socially which would have a relevance to the context. Thick questions were formulated from the following studies: the narratives of the research participants, African (Kikuyu) cultural/religious traditions, Christianity’s influences on the research context, and the socio-economic-political phenomena of the Kenyan society. The questions were: (1) Would mission Christianity including the Presbyterian Church of East Africa continue to be an effective form of Christianity in Kenya and among the Kikuyu?; (2) What is the relationship between charismatic spirituality and the contextual spirituality of East Africa?; (3) How can spirituality shape and influence the socio-economic-political context more than it being influenced by the context?; (4) What would the biblical and historical spirituality suggest to the spiritualities of the research participants? In regards to biblical/historical spiritualities, the spiritualities of both Old and New Testament and each historical period were unique, and the spirituality of each period was developed distinctively by the needs of the time. Then the fusion of horizons between the research context and biblical/historical spiritualities turned out to be a valuable process for the making of the final strategies for transformation. The strategies for transformation reflect the essential elements of African Christian spirituality, which can be applied to the African socio-religious context beyond the scope of the current research arena. Christian spirituality in the 21st century Africa demands African expression and identity whether it means contextualisation, liberation, or reconstruction. Structures, governance, forms, and expressions of the Christianity of the past century need to be re-evaluated for the formation of authentic African Christian spirituality. African society faces tremendous challenges and pressures providing Christianity with both an unprecedented privilege and obligation to impact African society with the message of love and hope.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008.Practical Theologyunrestricte

Particulate counter electrode system for enhanced light harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells

A particulate counter electrode with photo scattering and redox catalytic properties is applied to dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) in order to improve photo conversion efficiency and simplify the assembly process. Our particulate counter electrode acts as both a photo reflecting layer and a catalyst for reduction of electrolyte. The reflective and catalytic properties of the electrode are investigated through optical and electrochemical analysis, respectively. A short circuit current density enhancement is observed in the DSSCs without the need to add an additional reflecting layer to the electrode. This leads to a simplified assembly process. (C) 2013 Optical Society of Americ

Selenocysteine modulates resistance to environmental stress and confers anti-aging effects in C. elegans

OBJECTIVE: The free radical theory of aging suggests that cellular oxidative damage caused by free radicals is a leading cause of aging. In the present study, we examined the effects of a well-known anti-oxidant amino acid derivative, selenocysteine, in response to environmental stress and aging using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system. METHOD: The response to oxidative stress induced by H2O2 or ultraviolet irradiation was compared between the untreated control and selenocysteine-treated groups. The effect of selenocysteine on lifespan and fertility was then determined. To examine the effect of selenocysteine on muscle aging, we monitored the change in motility with aging in both the untreated control and selenocysteine-treated groups. RESULTS: Dietary supplementation with selenocysteine significantly increased resistance to oxidative stress. Survival after ultraviolet irradiation was also increased by supplementation with selenocysteine. Treatment with selenocysteine confers a longevity phenotype without an accompanying reduction in fertility, which is frequently observed in lifespan-extending interventions as a trade-off in C. elegans. In addition, the age-related decline in motility was significantly delayed by supplementation of selenocysteine. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that dietary supplementation of selenocysteine can modulate response to stressors and lead to lifespan extension, thus supporting the free radical theory of aging

Efficacy of Ronidazole for Treatment of Cats Experimentally Infected with a Korean Isolate of Tritrichomonas foetus

To evaluate the efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of Tritrichomonas foetus infection, 6 Tritrichomonas-free kittens were experimentally infected with a Korean isolate of T. foetus. The experimental infection was confirmed by direct microscopy, culture, and single-tube nested PCR, and all cats demonstrated trophozoites of T. foetus by day 20 post-infection in the feces. From day 30 after the experimentally induced infection, 3 cats were treated with ronidazole (50 mg/kg twice a day for 14 days) and 3 other cats received placebo. Feces from each cat were tested for the presence of T. foetus by direct smear and culture of rectal swab samples using modified Diamond's medium once a week for 4 weeks. To confirm the culture results, the presence of T. foetus rRNA gene was determined by single-tube nested PCR assay. All 3 cats in the treatment group receiving ronidazole showed negative results for T. foetus infection during 2 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks follow-up by all detection methods used in this study. In contrast, rectal swab samples from cats in the control group were positive for T. foetus continuously throughout the study. The present study indicates that ronidazole is also effective to treat cats infected experimentally with a Korean isolate of T. foetus at a dose of 50 mg/kg twice a day for 14 days

Prediction model of intention to use digital fitness services for health promotion during the COVID-19 pandemic: a gender-based multi-group analysis

As the number of people infected with COVID-19 in Korea is increasing, several measures have been implemented to gradually restrict outdoor activities and indoor gatherings while promoting a non-face-to-face social culture. In this study, we performed a gender-based multi-group analysis using a technology acceptance model (TAM) as an external variable for COVID-19 risk perception to verify the model’s predictive ability to increase participation behavior toward digital fitness services. We analyzed the data of 433 Koreans using an online survey consisting of 23 items. A structural equation model was used to verify the perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), intention to use and exercise participation behavior of the TAM with COVID-19 risk perception as an external variable. First, our results showed that COVID-19 risk perception had a statistically higher significant and positive effect on PEOU (β = 0.170, t = 3.296, p < 0.001) than on PU (β = 0.130, t = 2.848, p = 0.004) of digital fitness services. Second, the PEOU of the digital fitness service was found to have a statistically higher significant positive effect on PU (β = 0.512, t = 9.728, p < 0.001) than on intention to use (β = 0.130, t = −2.774, p = 0.006). Third, the PU of digital fitness services was found to have a statistically significant positive effect on the intention to use (β = 0.684, t = 12.909, p < 0.001). Fourth, the intention to use the digital fitness service was found to have a statistically significant positive effect on exercise participation behavior (β = 0.796, t = 16.248, p < 0.001). Lastly, we observed a significant difference between men and women in COVID-19 risk perception and PEOU among the six paths established. Digital environments that encourage participation in exercises could promote health during a pandemic. This study highlighted the need to consider digital environments that encourage exercise participation in creating physical exercise contents as there was no significant difference in the intention to use digital fitness services between men and women

Ectopic Pancreas with Hemorrhagic Cystic Change in the Anterior Mediastinum

A 31-year-old female was referred from other hospital due to migrating chest pain, mild cough, and blood-tinged sputum for three days before admission. Laboratory tests were unremarkable. Chest computed tomography revealed an elliptical necrotic mass at the left anterior mediastinum, measuring 7×3×4 cm. With the impression of mediastinal abscess or loculated empyema, thoracoscopic resection was performed. There was severe pleural adhesion around the mass. The mass could be resected by the wedge resection of the adhesed upper lobe tissue of left lung around the mass. Final pathologic diagnosis was ectopic pancreas

Effects of Lowering Dialysate Calcium Concentrations on Arterial Stiffness in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We assessed changes in hemodynamic and arterial stiffness parameters following reductions of dialysate calcium concentrations in patients undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS: In this prospective study, 20 patients on maintenance hemodialysis (10 females, 10 males) with dialysate calcium concentrations of 1.75 mmol/L were enrolled. At the start of the study, the dialysate calcium level was lowered to 1.50 mmol/L. Serial changes in biochemical, hemodynamic, and arterial stiffness parameters, including pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx), were assessed every 2 months for 6 months. We also examined changes in the calcification-inhibitory protein, serum fetuin-A. RESULTS: During the 6-month study period, serum total calcium and ionized calcium decreased consistently (9.5 ± 1.0 to 9.0 ± 0.7, p = 0.002 vs. 1.3 ± 0.1 to 1.1 ± 0.1, p = 0.035). Although no apparent changes in blood pressure were observed, heart-femoral PWW (hf-PWV) and AIx showed significant improvement (p = 0.012, 0.043, respectively). Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated a significant effect of lowering dialysate calcium on hf-PWV (F = 4.58, p = 0.004) and AIx (F = 2.55, p = 0.049). Accompanying the change in serum calcium, serum fetuin-A levels significantly increased (95.8 ± 45.8 pmol/mL at baseline to 124.9 ± 82.2 pmol/mL at 6 months, p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Lowering dialysate calcium concentration significantly improved arterial stiffness parameters, which may have been associated with upregulation of serum fetuin-A.ope

Large-Scale Differential Proteome Analysis in Plasmodium falciparum under Drug Treatment

Proteome studies contribute markedly to our understanding of parasite biology, host-parasite interactions, and mechanisms of drug action. For most antimalarial drugs neither mode of action nor mechanisms of resistance development are fully elucidated although this would be important prerequisites for successfully developing urgently required novel antimalarials. Here, we establish a large-scale quantitative proteomic approach to examine protein expression changes in trophozoite stages of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum following chloroquine and artemisinin treatment. For this purpose SIL (stable isotope labeling) using 14N-isoleucine and 13C6,15N1-isoleucine was optimized to obtain 99% atomic percent enrichment. Proteome fractionation with anion exchange chromatography was used to reduce sample complexity and increase quantitative coverage of protein expression. Tryptic peptides of subfractions were subjected to SCX/RP separation, measured by LC-MS/MS and quantified using the novel software tool Census. In drug treated parasites, we identified a total number of 1,253 proteins, thus increasing the overall number of proteins identified in the trophozoite stage by 30%. A relative quantification was obtained for more than 800 proteins. Under artemisinin and chloroquine treatment 41 and 38 proteins respectively were upregulated (>1.5) whereas 14 and 8 proteins were down-regulated (<0.5). Apart from specifically regulated proteins we also identified sets of proteins which were regulated as a general response to drug treatment. The proteomic data was confirmed by Western blotting. The methodology described here allows for the efficient large-scale differential proteome analysis of P. falciparum to study the response to drug treatment or environmental changes. Only 100 µg of protein is required for the analysis suggesting that the method can also be transferred to other apicomplexan parasites