Transcortical Alterations in Na+-K+ ATPase and Microtubule-Associated Proteins Immunoreactivity in the Rat Cortical Atrophy Model Induced by Hypoxic Ischemia

To identify the chronological transcortical change in the contralateral hemisphere following ischemic insults, we investigated the changes in microtubule associated protein (MAP) and Na+-K+ ATPase expressions in the peri-infarct zone and contralateral hemisphere, including the hippocampus. Two days after hypoxic ischemia, Na+-K+ ATPase immunoreactivity was significantly enhanced in the contralateral cortex and was maintained up to 7 days after ischemia, whereas Na+-K+ ATPase immunoreactivity in the peri- and infarct zones was unaffected by hypoxic ischemia. In contrast, 2 to 7 days after ischemia, MAP1A and MAP2 immunoreactivity in the ipsi- and contralateral cortex significantly decreased, whereas in layer V, MAP1 immunoreactivity obviously accumulated in the neurons and their processes. In the hippocampus, 2 days after insults both MAP1A and MAP2 immunoreactivity was significantly reduced within the ipsi- and contralateral hippocampus. In the contralateral hippocampus, however, the distribution of MAP2 immunoreactivity recovered to the sham level 7 days after ischemia, whereas MAP1A immunoreactive axons remained 2 months after ischemia. The results suggest that the unilateral elevation of Na+-K+ ATPase immunoreactivity reflects elevated neuronal activity. In addition, this asymmetric hyperexcitability might play an important role in the recovery or the reorganization of the brain, accompanied by transcortical changes in MAPs expression

Long-term Follow-up of Laparoscopic Splenectomy in Patients with Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) has been reserved for intractable and relapsing immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) despite medical treatment. With further experiences of LS in ITP, we investigated long term outcomes of LS, especially newly developed morbidities, and tried to find predictive factors for favorable outcomes. From August 1994 to December 2004, fifty-nine patients whose follow-up period was more than 12 months after LS were investigated. After a long-term follow-up (median 54 months, range 12.5-129 months), a complete response (CR) was found in 28 patients (47.5%), partial response in 24 (40.7%), and no response in 7 (11.9%). The relapse rate during follow-up periods was 15.2%. The rapid response group (p=0.017), in which the platelet count increased more than twice of the preoperative platelet count within 7 days after LS, relapsing after medical treatment (p=0.02), and the satisfactory group as the initial result of LS (p=0.001) were significant for predicting CR in univariate analysis, but only the initial satisfactory group was an independent predictive factor for CR in multivariate analysis (p=0.036, relative risk=6419; 95% CI, 1.171-35.190). Infections were the most frequent morbidities during the follow-up period, which were treated well without mortality. LS is a safe and effective treatment modality for ITP. Active referral to surgery might be required, considering complications and treatment results related to long-term use of steroid-based medications

Predicting the Interactome of Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae for target selection and DB service

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play key roles in various cellular functions. In addition, some critical inter-species interactions such as host-pathogen interactions and pathogenicity occur through PPIs. Phytopathogenic bacteria infect hosts through attachment to host tissue, enzyme secretion, exopolysaccharides production, toxins release, iron acquisition, and effector proteins secretion. Many such mechanisms involve some kind of protein-protein interaction in hosts. Our first aim was to predict the whole protein interaction pairs (interactome) of <it>Xanthomonas oryzae </it>pathovar oryzae (Xoo) that is an important pathogenic bacterium that causes bacterial blight (BB) in rice. We developed a detection protocol to find possibly interacting proteins in its host using whole genome PPI prediction algorithms. The second aim was to build a DB server and a bioinformatic procedure for finding target proteins in Xoo for developing pesticides that block host-pathogen protein interactions within critical biochemical pathways.</p> <p>Description</p> <p>A PPI network in Xoo proteome was predicted by bioinformatics algorithms: PSIMAP, PEIMAP, and iPfam. We present the resultant species specific interaction network and host-pathogen interaction, XooNET. It is a comprehensive predicted initial PPI data for Xoo. XooNET can be used by experimentalists to pick up protein targets for blocking pathological interactions. XooNET uses most of the major types of PPI algorithms. They are: 1) Protein Structural Interactome MAP (PSIMAP), a method using structural domain of SCOP, 2) Protein Experimental Interactome MAP (PEIMAP), a common method using public resources of experimental protein interaction information such as HPRD, BIND, DIP, MINT, IntAct, and BioGrid, and 3) Domain-domain interactions, a method using Pfam domains such as iPfam. Additionally, XooNET provides information on network properties of the Xoo interactome.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>XooNET is an open and free public database server for protein interaction information for Xoo. It contains 4,538 proteins and 26,932 possible interactions consisting of 18,503 (PSIMAP), 3,118 (PEIMAP), and 8,938 (iPfam) pairs. In addition, XooNET provides 3,407 possible interaction pairs between two sets of proteins; 141 Xoo proteins that are predicted as membrane proteins and rice proteomes. The resultant interacting partners of a query protein can be easily retrieved by users as well as the interaction networks in graphical web interfaces. XooNET is freely available from <url>http://bioportal.kobic.kr/XooNET/</url>.</p

Safety of reduced dose of mycophenolate mofetil combined with tacrolimus in living-donor liver transplantation

Background/AimsThe dose of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has been reduced in Asia due to side effects associated with the conventional fixed dose of 2-3 g/day. We aimed to determine the pharmacokinetics of a reduced dose of MMF and to validate its feasibility in combination with tacrolimus in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT).MethodsTwo sequential studies were performed in adult LDLT between October 2009 and 2011. First, we performed a prospective pharmacokinetic study in 15 recipients. We measured the area under the curve from 0 to 12 hours (AUC0-12) for mycophenolic acid at postoperative days 7 and 14, and we performed a protocol biopsy before discharge. Second, among 215 recipients, we reviewed 74 patients who were initially administered a reduced dose of MMF (1.0 g/day) with tacrolimus (trough, 8-12 ng/mL during the first month, and 5-8 ng/mL thereafter), with a 1-year follow-up. We performed protocol biopsies at 2 weeks and 1 year post-LDLT.ResultsIn the first part of study, AUC0-12 was less than 30 mgh/L in 93.3% of cases. In the second, validating study, 41.9% of the recipients needed dose reduction or cessation due to side effects within the first year after LDLT. At 12 months post-LDLT, 17.6% of the recipients were administered a lower dose of MMF (0.5 g/day), and 16.2% needed permanent cessation due to side effects. The 1- and 12-month rejection-free survival rates were 98.6% and 97.3%, respectively.ConclusionsA reduced dose of MMF was associated with low blood levels compared to the existing recommended therapeutic range. However, reducing the dose of MMF combined with a low level of tacrolimus was feasible clinically, with an excellent short-term outcome in LDLT

Comparison of Monthly Ibandronate Versus Weekly Risedronate in Preference, Convenience, and Bone Turnover Markers in Korean Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Women

Patient preferences, convenience, and bone turnover markers were evaluated for the monthly ibandronate over the weekly risedronate regimen in Korean postmenopausal osteoporotic women. This was a 6-month, prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter study with a two-period and two-sequence crossover treatment design. After a 30-day screening period, eligible participants with postmenopausal osteoporosis were randomized to receive either monthly oral ibandronate 150 mg for 3 months followed by weekly oral risedronate 35 mg for 12 weeks (sequence A) or the same regimen in reverse order (sequence B). Patient preference and convenience were evaluated by questionnaire. The changes in serum C-telopeptide after 3 months of treatment were analyzed. A total of 365 patients were enrolled in this study (sequence A 182, sequence B 183). Of patients expressing a preference (83.4%), 74.8% preferred the monthly ibandronate regimen over the weekly regimen (25.2%). More women stated that the monthly ibandronate regimen was more convenient (84.2%) than the weekly regimen (15.8%). There was no significant difference in the change in bone turnover marker between the two treatments. The two regimens were similarly tolerable. There were fewer adverse events in the monthly ibandronate group compared to the weekly risedronate group in terms of gastrointestinal side effects (nausea and abdominal distension). This study revealed a strong preference and convenience for monthly ibandronate over weekly risedronate in Korean postmenopausal osteoporotic women. There was no significant difference in change of bone turnover marker and safety profile between the two regimens

Automatic identification of variables in epidemiological datasets using logic regression

textabstractBackground: For an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis, multiple datasets must be transformed in a consistent format, e.g. using uniform variable names. When large numbers of datasets have to be processed, this can be a time-consuming and error-prone task. Automated or semi-automated identification of variables can help to reduce the workload and improve the data quality. For semi-automation high sensitivity in the recognition of matching variables is particularly important, because it allows creating software which for a target variable presents a choice of source variables, from which a user can choose the matching one, with only low risk of having missed a correct source variable. Methods: For each variable in a set of target variables, a number of simple rules were manually created. With logic regression, an optimal Boolean combination of these rules was searched for every target variable, using a random subset of a large database of epidemiological and clinical cohort data (construction subset). In a second subset of this database (validation subset), this optimal combination rules were validated. Results: In the construction sample, 41 target variables were allocated on average with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 34%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 95%. In the validation sample, PPV was 33%, whereas NPV remained at 94%. In the construction sample, PPV was 50% or less in 63% of all variables, in the validation sample in 71% of all variables. Conclusions: We demonstrated that the application of logic regression in a complex data management task in large epidemiological IPD meta-analyses is feasible. However, the performance of the algorithm is poor, which may require backup strategies

Experience with AMS 700 LGX penile prostheses for preserving penile length in Korea

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to report the outcomes of patients who underwent penile implantation with AMS 700 LGX inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) in a single center by a single surgeon. Methods A total of 342 patients with erectile dysfunction who underwent AMS 700 LGX IPP implantation between October 2014 and April 2016 were included in this study. All patients were evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. We also investigated the mean stretched flaccid penile length before and after surgery as well as the complications related to and the mechanical reliability of the IPP. Results The questionnaire scores at 12 months were statistically significantly higher than the baseline scores. The mean stretched flaccid penile length was 11.1 ± 0.8 cm at baseline and was longer at 3 (11.9 ± 0.9 cm, P < 0.001), 6 (12.0 ± 0.9 cm, P < 0.001), and 12 (12.2 ± 0.7 cm, P < 0.001) postoperatively. There were no intraoperative or perioperative complications. However, one patient had infection and 10 patients developed mechanical failure during the follow-up duration. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that the AMS 700 LGX IPP could be used to prevent penile shortening in patients undergoing IPP implantation. Furthermore, erectile function and patient satisfaction were improved excellently