844 research outputs found
Differential gene expression analysis reveals functional roles of cryptic orange-pigmented organ in the colorless head kidney of Antarctic icefishes
We discovered an orange-pigmented, discrete body several millimeters in size embedded within the anterior end of the colorless head kidney of the hemoglobinless Antarctic icefishes. No macroscopically visible discrete organ has previously been reported in Antarctic fishes or teleost fishes in general. To assess the tissue type and functions of this cryptic orange body, we performed RNA sequencing and analyzed the orange body transcriptome relative to the surrounding head kidney tissue. We found 5,263 differentially expressed genes in the orange body, of which 4,624 genes were up-regulated and 639 down-regulated relative to the head kidney tissue. Differential gene expression analyses detected the enrichment of two main biological pathways: steroid hormone production and proline biosynthesis. The steroidogenic activities of the orange body indicate it performs functional roles of the interrenal tissue cells β the teleost homolog of the tetrapod adrenal cortex but are normally dispersed among the teleost head kidney tissue. Transcription of many cytochrome P450 enzymes participating in steroidogenesis were upregulated, potentially leading to greater levels of ROS and peroxidation of the lipid-rich steroid producing orange body cells. Proline is known to act as an antioxidant, thus, the detected enrichment in proline synthesis may be related to antioxidation defense mechanism, conferring protection against lipid peroxidation in steroid rich orange body cells
Investigating Employee and Customer Perceptions on ICT Utilization: CRM and Policy Implications
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze factors affected by the ICT utilization with perspectives of employees (Study 1) and customers (Study 2) that are rarely approached in previous studies. In particular, this study examined how proposed factors on ICT utilization affect employee satisfaction, organization performance, customer satisfaction, and purchasing decision making.
Research design, data and methodology: This study conducted an online survey to measure the effects. Cronbachβs alpha was applied to test reliability and factor analysis was applied to check validity. Multiple regression analysis and ANOVA were applied to test hypotheses. Results: The results of this study found that the effects of self-development and organizational innovation on employee satisfaction were significant for study 1, while the effects of product satisfaction, promotional offers, and customer communication on purchase decision making were significant for study 2. Conclusions:This study provides managerial and policy implications. At the management level, it is necessary to make specific strategies to improve employee and customer satisfaction and organization performance associated with the utilization of ICT. The results of this study suggest that better policy should be prepared by government to foster utilization of ICT infrastructure and to enhance better relationships with employees and customers.2
Safety and tissue yield for percutaneous native kidney biopsy according to practitioner and ultrasound technique
BACKGROUND: Although percutaneous renal biopsy remains an essential tool in the diagnosis and treatment of renal diseases, in recent times the traditional procedure of nephrologists has been performed by non-nephrologists rather than nephrologists at many institutions. The present study assessed the safety and adequacy of tissue yield during percutaneous renal biopsy according to practitioners and techniques based on ultrasound. METHODS: This study included 658 native renal biopsies performed from 2005 to 2010 at a single centre. The biopsies were performed by nephrologists or expert ultrasound radiologists using the ultrasound-marked blind or real-time ultrasound-guided techniques. RESULTS: A total of 271 ultrasound-marked blind biopsies were performed by nephrologists, 170 real-time ultrasound-guided biopsies were performed by nephrologists, and 217 real-time ultrasound-guided biopsies were performed by radiologists during the study period. No differences in post-biopsy complications such as haematoma, need for transfusion and intervention, gross haematuria, pain, or infection were observed among groups. Glomerular numbers of renal specimens from biopsies performed by nephrologists without reference to any technique were higher than those obtained from real-time ultrasound-guided biopsies performed by expert ultrasound radiologists. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous renal biopsy performed by nephrologists was not inferior to that performed by expert ultrasound radiologists as related to specimen yield and post-biopsy complications
Survival and reproductive outcome of childbearing age ovarian cancer patients taking fertility-sparing surgery
Background: Surgical management of ovarian cancer includes total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy which results in the loss of fertility. Fertility-sparing surgery in the reproductive aged women with early-stage ovarian cancer with favourable histology has been proposed by American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and European Society for Medical Oncology. We sought to access the survival and fertility outcome of Korean women in their reproductive age who undertook fertility-sparing surgery.Methods: Based on the Korean National Insurance Claims Data and the National Health Information Database, 328 women with newly developed ovarian cancer in 2010 were followed up for the survival and pregnancy outcome until 2020. Patients who were diagnosed with cancer or underwent hysterectomy before 2010 were excluded. The control group consisted of 552 women matched by age, economic status and place of living.Results: Out of 120, 10 deaths occurred in the fertility-sparing surgery group showing a survival rate of 91.7%. Women undertaking fertility-sparing surgery had a lower chance of delivering a new-born compared to the control group (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.26-0.81). Diagnosis of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and abortion appeared higher in the fertility-sparing surgery group, but it did not reach a statistical significance.Conclusions: The pregnancy rate of the ovarian cancer patients with fertility-sparing surgery was lower than that of women without ovarian cancer. Undergoing fertility-sparing surgery per se should not deter women of trying to get pregnant as the pregnancy outcome indicators do not show statistically significant differences compared to the control group
The value of chest CT for prediction of breast tumor size: comparison with pathology measurement
BACKGROUND: Little information is available on the use of chest computed tomography (CT) to predict breast tumor size in breast cancer, despite the fact that chest CT examinations are being increasingly used. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of chest CT for predicting breast tumor size using pathology measurements as reference standards. METHODS: Tumor sizes (defined as greatest diameter) were retrospectively measured on the preoperative chest CT images of 285 patients with surgically proven unifocal, invasive breast carcinoma. Greatest tumor diameters as determined by chest CT and pathologic examinations were compared by linear regression and Spearmanβs rho correlation analysis. Concordance between CT and pathology results was defined as a diameter difference of <5 mm. Subgroup analyses were also performed with respect to tumor size (<20 mm or β₯20 mm) and histological subtype (invasive ductal carcinoma(IDC) or non-IDC). RESULTS: CT and pathology measured diameters were found to be linearly related (size at pathology = 1.086 Γ CT determined tumor size - 1.141; Spearmanβs rho correlation coefficient = 0.84, P<0.001). Most tumors (n = 228, 80.0%) were concordant by chest CT and pathology, but 36 tumors (12.7%) were underestimated by CT (average underestimation, 11 mm; range, 6β36 mm) and 21 tumors (7.4%) were overestimated (average overestimation by CT, 10 mm; range, 6β19 mm). The concordance rate between the two sets of measurements was greater for tumor of <20 mm and for IDC (P<0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size by chest CT is well correlated with pathology determined tumor size in breast cancer patients, and the diameters of the majority of tumors by chest CT and pathology differed by <5 mm. In addition, the concordance rate was higher for breast tumors of <20 mm and for tumors of the IDC histologic subtype
Unleashing the full potential of Hsp90 inhibitors as cancer therapeutics through simultaneous inactivation of Hsp90, Grp94, and TRAP1
Cancer therapeutics: Extending a drug's reach A new drug that blocks heat shock proteins (HSPs), helper proteins that are co-opted by cancer cells to promote tumor growth, shows promise for cancer treatment. Several drugs have targeted HSPs, since cancer cells are known to hijack these helper proteins to shield themselves from destruction by the body. However, the drugs have had limited success. Hye-Kyung Park and Byoung Heon Kang at Ulsan National Institutes of Science and Technology in South Korea and coworkers noticed that the drugs were not absorbed into mitochondria, a key cellular compartment, and HSPs in this compartment were therefore not being blocked. They identified a new HSP inhibitor that can reach every cellular compartment and inhibit all HSPs. Testing in mice showed that this inhibitor effectively triggered death of tumor cells, and therefore shows promise for anti-cancer therapy. The Hsp90 family proteins Hsp90, Grp94, and TRAP1 are present in the cell cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria, respectively; all play important roles in tumorigenesis by regulating protein homeostasis in response to stress. Thus, simultaneous inhibition of all Hsp90 paralogs is a reasonable strategy for cancer therapy. However, since the existing pan-Hsp90 inhibitor does not accumulate in mitochondria, the potential anticancer activity of pan-Hsp90 inhibition has not yet been fully examined in vivo. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database revealed that all Hsp90 paralogs were upregulated in prostate cancer. Inactivation of all Hsp90 paralogs induced mitochondrial dysfunction, increased cytosolic calcium, and activated calcineurin. Active calcineurin blocked prosurvival heat shock responses upon Hsp90 inhibition by preventing nuclear translocation of HSF1. The purine scaffold derivative DN401 inhibited all Hsp90 paralogs simultaneously and showed stronger anticancer activity than other Hsp90 inhibitors. Pan-Hsp90 inhibition increased cytotoxicity and suppressed mechanisms that protect cancer cells, suggesting that it is a feasible strategy for the development of potent anticancer drugs. The mitochondria-permeable drug DN401 is a newly identified in vivo pan-Hsp90 inhibitor with potent anticancer activity
Allelic and Haplotypic Diversity of HLA-A, -B, -C, and-DRB1 Genes in Koreans Defined by High-resolution DNA Typing
λ°°κ²½ : HLA νλ³μ νμ²νμ μμ€(generic level)μμλ λ€νμ±μ΄ μ¬νμ§λ§ λ립μ μ μ μμ€μμλ λμ± μ¬ν λ€νμ±μ 보μ΄κ³ μΈμ’
κ°μ ν° μ°¨μ΄λ₯Ό λνλ΄λ κ²μΌλ‘ μλ €μ‘λ€. λ³Έ μ°κ΅¬μμλ κ³ ν΄μλ DNA κ²μ¬λ²μ μ΄μ©νμ¬ νκ΅μΈμμ HLAλ립μ μ μ νλ³κ³Ό μΌλ°°μ²΄νμ μ’
λ₯ λ° λΉλλ₯Ό μμλ³΄κ³ μ νμλ€. λ°©λ² : 건κ°ν νκ΅μΈ 474λͺ
μ λμμΌλ‘ HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 μ μ μμ λν΄ λ λ¨κ³μ κ²μ¬λ‘ λ립μ μ μ(4μ리μ)
νλ³ λΆμμ μ€μνμλ€. 1λ¨κ³λ‘ νμ²νμ μμ€μ νλ³κ²μ¬λ₯Ό νμ²νμ κ²μ¬λ²μ΄λ sequence-specific oligonucleotide(PCR-SSO) λ°©λ²μΌλ‘ μννμκ³ , κ·Έ λ€μ λ¨κ³λ‘ λ립μ μ μ νλ³κ²μ¬λ₯Ό class Iμ exon 2μ exon3, DRB1μ exon 2μ λν΄ single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP)
λλ μ§μ μΌκΈ°μμ΄λΆμλ²μ μ΄μ©νμ¬ μ€μνμλ€. HLA λ립 μ μ μμ μ μ μ λΉλ, μΌλ°°μ²΄ν λΉλ, μ°μλΆνν κ°μ maximum likelihood μ리μ κ·Όκ±°ν μ 11μ°¨ κ΅μ μ‘°μ§μ ν©μ±μν¬μ μ»΄ν¨ν° νλ‘κ·Έλ¨μ μ΄μ©νμ¬ μ°μΆνμλ€. κ²°κ³Ό : νκ΅μΈμμ κ²μΆλ HLA-A, -B, -C, DRB1 λ립μ μ μ νλ³μ κ°κ° 21, 40, 22, 29μ’
μ΄μλ€. μ΄ μ€μ μ μ μ λΉλ 10% μ΄μμ λ³΄μΈ λ립μ μ μ νλ³(λΉλμ λμ΄)μ A*02:01, A*24:02, A*33:03; B*51:01; C*01:02, C*03:03; RB1*09:01λ±μ΄μλ€. HLA μΌλ°°μ²΄νμ λΆμ κ²°κ³Ό 0.5% μ΄μμ λΉλλ₯Ό λνλ΄λ 2-μ μ μμ’ μΌλ°°μ²΄νμ A-C 44μ’
, B-C 42μ’
, A-B 51μ’
, B-DRB1 52μ’
μ΄μκ³ , 3-μ μ μμ’ μΌλ°°μ²΄νμ A-C-B 42μ’
, A-B-DRB1 34μ’
μ΄μλ€. νκ΅μΈμμ λΉλ 1% μ΄μμ A-B-DR μΌλ°°μ²΄νμ 13μ’
μΌλ‘, μ 체 μΌλ°°μ²΄νμ 26.0%λ₯Ό μ°¨μ§νμκ³ , 2% μ΄μμΌλ‘ κ°μ₯ νν A-B-DR μΌλ°°μ²΄νμ A*33:03-B*44:03-DRB1*13:02 (3.7%), A*33:03-B*44:03-DRB1*07:01 (3.0%), A*33:03-B*58:01-DRB1*13:02 (3.0%), A*24:02-B*07:02-DRB1*01:01 (2.8%), A*30:01-B*13:02-DRB1*
07:01 (2.3%), A*11:01-B*15:01-DRB1*04:06 (2.2%) λ± 6μ’
μ΄μλ€. κ²°λ‘ : λ³Έ μ°κ΅¬λ₯Ό ν΅ν΄ νκ΅μΈμ λ립μ μ μ μμ€μ HLA νλ³κ³Ό HLA μΌλ°°μ²΄ν λΉλμ λν μλ£λ₯Ό μ μνμμΌλ©°, λ³Έ μ°κ΅¬μ κ²°κ³Όλ νκ΅μΈμμ μ₯κΈ°μ΄μ, μ§νμ°κ΄μ± μ°κ΅¬, μΈλ₯μ μ νμ μ°κ΅¬ λ±μμ μ€μν κΈ°μ΄μλ£λ‘ μ΄μ©λ μ μμ κ²μΌλ‘ κΈ°λλλ€. Background : In this study, we used high-resolution DNA typing to investigate the distribution of HLA alleles and haplotypes in Koreans. Methods : HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 alleles were genotyped at the allelic (4-digit) level in 474 healthy Koreans. HLA genotyping was performed in two steps. Initially, serologic typing or generic-level DNA typing was performed using the FOR-sequence-specific oligonucleotide method, and then allelic DNA typing (exons 2 and 3 for class I, and exon 2 for DRB1) was carried out using the FOR-single-strand conformation polymorphism method or sequence-based typing. HLA allele and haplotype frequencies and linkage disequilibrium values were calculated by the maximum likelihood method using a computer program developed for the 11th International Histocompatibility Workshop. Results : A total of 21 HLA-A, 40 HLA-B, 22 HLA-C, and 29 HLA-DRB1 alleles were found in Koreans. The most frequent alleles in each locus with frequencies of >= 10% were, in decreasing order of frequency, as follows: A star 24:02, A star 02:01, A(star)33:03; B(star)51:01; C(star)01:02, C(star)03:03; and DRB1(star)09:01. The numbers of two- and three-locus haplotypes with frequencies of >0.5% were as follows: 44 A-C, 42 B-C, 51 A-B, 52 B-DRB1, 42 A-C-B, and 34 A-B-DRB1. Thirteen A-B-DRB1 haplotypes with frequencies of >= 1.0% comprised 26.0% of the total haplotypes. The six most common haplotypes were as follows: A(star)33:03-B(star)44:03-DRB1(star)3:02 (3.7%), A(star)33:03-B(star)44:03-DRB1(star)07:01 (3.0%), A(star)33:03-B(star)58: 01-DRB1(star)13:02 (3.0%), A(star)24:02-B(star)07:02-DRB1(star)01:01 (2.8%), A(star)30:01-B(star)13:02-DRB1(star)07:01 (2.3%), and A(star)11:01-B(star)15:01-DR81(star)04:06 (2.2%). Conclusions : The information obtained in this study can be used as basic data for Koreans in the fields of organ transplantation, disease association, and anthropologic studies. (Korean J Lab Med 2010;30:685-96)Yoon JH, 2010, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V75, P170, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2009.01418.xLee KW, 2009, HUM IMMUNOL, V70, P464, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2009.03.010Yang KL, 2009, HUM IMMUNOL, V70, P269, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2009.01.015YI DY, 2009, KOREAN J LAB MED, V29, pS425Whang DH, 2008, KOREAN J LAB MED, V28, P465, DOI 10.3343/kjlm.2008.28.6.465Trachtenberg E, 2007, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V70, P455, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2007.00932.xCano P, 2007, HUM IMMUNOL, V68, P392, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2007.01.014Yang G, 2006, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V67, P146, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00529.xMACK SJ, 2006, IMMUNOBIOLOGY HUMAN, V1, P291Itoh Y, 2005, IMMUNOGENETICS, V57, P717, DOI 10.1007/s00251-005-0048-3Lee KW, 2005, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V65, P437, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00386.xOttinger HD, 2004, TRANSPLANTATION, V78, P1077, DOI 10.1097/01.TP.0000137791.28140.93Flomenberg N, 2004, BLOOD, V104, P1923, DOI 10.1182/blood-2004-03-0803Song EY, 2004, HUM IMMUNOL, V65, P270, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2003.12.005HWANG SH, 2004, KOREAN J LAB MED, V24, P396ROH EY, 2003, KOREAN J LAB MED, V23, P420WHANG DH, 2003, KOREAN J LAB MED, V23, P52Lee KW, 2010, KOREAN J LAB MED, V30, P203, DOI 10.3343/kjlm.2010.30.3.203Morishima Y, 2002, BLOOD, V99, P4200Song EY, 2002, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V59, P475Song EY, 2001, HUM IMMUNOL, V62, P1142NAKAJIMA F, 2001, MHC, V8, P1Saito S, 2000, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V56, P522Park MH, 2000, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V55, P250DUNN P, 2000, IHWG TECHNICAL MANUA, P1Park MH, 1999, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V53, P386Marsh SGE, 2010, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V75, P291Petersdorf EW, 1998, BLOOD, V92, P3515Park MH, 1998, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V51, P347Wang H, 1997, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V50, P620Cereb N, 1997, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V50, P74Bannai M, 1997, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V49, P376Bannai M, 1996, HUM IMMUNOL, V46, P107CEREB N, 1995, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V45, P1BANNAI M, 1994, EUR J IMMUNOGENET, V21, P1IMANISHI T, 1992, HLA 1991, V1, P76TOKUNAGA K, 1992, EVOLUTION DISPERSAL, P599
Insulin and glucagon secretions, and morphological change of pancreatic islets in OLETF rats, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This study was performed to observe the changes of glucose-related hormones and the morphological change including ultrastructure of the pancreatic islets in the male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rat. Area under the curve (AUC) of glucose at the 30th (709 plus minus 73 mg.h/dL) and at the 40th week (746 plus minus 87 mg.h/ dL) of age were significantly higher than that at the 10th week (360 plus minus 25 mg.h/ dL). AUC of insulin of the 10th week was 2.4 plus minus 0.9 ng.h/mL, increased gradually to 10.8 plus minus 8.3 ng.h/mL at the 30th week, and decreased to 1.8 plus minus 1.2 ng.h/mL at the 40th week. The size of islet was increased at 20th week of age and the distribution of peripheral alpha cells and central beta cells at the 10th and 20th weeks was changed to a mixed pattern at the 40th week. On electron microscopic examination, beta cells at the 20th week showed many immature secretory granules, increased mitochondria, and hypertrophied Golgi complex and endoplasmic reticulum. At the 40th week, beta cell contained scanty intracellular organelles and secretory granules and apoptosis of acinar cell was observed. In conclusion, as diabetes progressed, increased secretion of insulin was accompanied by increases in size of islets and number of beta-cells in male OLETF rats showing obese type 2 diabetes. However, these compensatory changes could not overcome the requirement of insulin according to the continuous hyperglycemia after development of diabetes
Structural abnormalities in benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS)
AbstractPurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate cortical thickness and gray matter volume abnormalities in benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS). We additionally assessed the effects of comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) on these abnormalities.MethodsSurface and volumetric MR imaging data of children with newly diagnosed BCECTS (n=20, 14 males) and age-matched healthy controls (n=20) were analyzed using FreeSurfer (version 5.3.0, https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu). An additional comparison was performed between BCECTS children with and without ADHD (each, n=8). A group comparison was carried out using an analysis of covariance with a value of significance set as p<0.01 or p<0.05.ResultsChildren with BCECTS had significantly thicker right superior frontal, superior temporal, middle temporal, and left pars triangularis cortices. Voxel-based morphometric analysis revealed significantly larger cortical gray matter volumes of the right precuneus, left orbitofrontal, pars orbitalis, precentral gyri, and bilateral putamen and the amygdala of children with BCECTS compared to healthy controls. BCECTS patients with ADHD had significantly thicker left caudal anterior and posterior cingulate gyri and a significantly larger left pars opercularis gyral volume compared to BCECTS patients without ADHD.ConclusionChildren with BCECTS have thicker or larger gray matters in the corticostriatal circuitry at the onset of epilepsy. Comorbid ADHD is also associated with structural aberrations. These findings suggest structural disruptions of the brain network are associated with specific developmental electro-clinical syndromes
Traditional herbal medicine for anorexia in patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Background: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional herbal medicine (THM) for improving anorexia in patients with cancer.Methods: We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated orally administered THM for cancer-related anorexia using 10 databases from the inception to 1 August 2021. The primary outcome was an improvement in anorexia, measured with the total effective rate (TER) or visual analog scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes were the changes in body weight, the Karnofsky performance scale, acylated ghrelin, and adverse events. We used the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method to assess the quality of the studies and the quality of the evidence.Results: A total of 26 RCTs were included, of which 23 were subjected to quantitative analysis. THM showed a significant improvement in anorexia measured with the TER [risk ratio (RR) 1.12, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.04β1.20] than appetite stimulants with moderate quality evidence and in the Karnofsky performance scale (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12β1.70) with low quality evidence but not in body weight gain (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.80β1.20). THM showed a significant improvement in anorexia measured with the TER (RR 1.74, 95% CI 1.23β2.48) compared with usual care with low-quality evidence but did not significantly improve the VAS score (mean difference 0.72, 95% CI 0.00β1.43) or the level of acylated ghrelin (mean difference 0.94, 95% CI 1.08β2.97). There were no serious adverse events.Conclusion: This review suggests that THM may be considered a safe alternative therapeutic option for improving anorexia in patients with cancer. Nonetheless, more rigorous RCTs are needed due to methodological limitations.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42021276508
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