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Background: Although adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors have an increased risk of psychiatric disorders, limited evidence has been suggested. We aimed to determine the risk of psychiatric disorders among AYA cancer survivors., Materials and Methods: A retrospective population-based cohort study based on the Korea National Health Insurance Service database was carried out. All men and women aged 15-39 years diagnosed with cancer between 2006 and 2019 (N = 88 965) were included and matched with controls (1 : 4). The prevalence ratios (PRs) of psychiatric disorders were calculated in cancer patients and compared with those in the control group every 6 months before and after cancer diagnosis., Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.2 years and the majority were 30-39 years of age (72.9%). There was no difference in the PRs of psychiatric disorders between AYA cancer patients and the control group before cancer diagnosis, but it increased sharply after cancer diagnosis [PR 2.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.42-2.58 in the first 6 months]. During a median follow-up of 6.5 years, 54 733 participants developed psychiatric disorders. The overall risk of psychiatric disorders among AYA cancer survivors compared with the control group had a sub-distribution hazard ratio of 1.42 (95% CI 1.39-1.45) after considering competing risks., Conclusions: Our study confirmed a 42% increased risk of psychiatric disorders among AYA cancer survivors compared with controls across various cancer types. Our findings suggest that AYA cancer survivors require long-term psychological support following their cancer diagnosis., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether there are any differences in all-cause and cause-specific mortality with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk between health screening attenders and non-attenders among young adults., Study Design: We performed a retrospective cohort study using claim data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database., Methods: Individuals aged 20-39 years who had received health screening at least once between 2002 and 2005 were classified as attenders, and the others were classified as non-attenders. After propensity score matching according to attendance of health screening, 2,060,409 attenders and 2,060,409 non-attenders were included. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, and hospitalization of CVD from 2006 to 2015., Results: Survival from all-cause mortality was greater among attenders than among non-attenders (log rank P < 0.001). Similarly, death from CVD (log rank P = 0.007) and CVD events (log rank P < 0.001) were less likely among attenders. The risk for all-cause mortality in attenders was significantly lower than that in non-attenders (HR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.81 to 0.84). The risk for CVD mortality (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.87) and hospitalization of CVD (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.91 to 0.94) were lower in attenders. In stratified analyses, the risk for all-cause and cause-specific mortalities was lower among attenders regardless of insurance type., Conclusions: Among young adults, the risk for all-cause mortality, CVD mortality, and hospitalization of CVD were lower for those who underwent health screenings. Future studies that evaluate the cost-effectiveness of health screening with additional consideration of psychosocial aspects are needed., (Copyright © 2020 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: In 2013, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) introduced a novel pooled cohort risk (PCR) model for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the PCR score and cerebral large- and small-vessel diseases (cLVD and cSVD) in a healthy population, METHODS: We assessed consecutive health check-up volunteers from 2006 to 2013. We calculated the estimated 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk as the PCR score based on the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines. We evaluated both cSVD/cLVD, including the prevalence of cLVD, lacunes and cerebral microbleed (CMB), and the volume of white matter hyperintensity (WMH). In addition to PCR score, the risk factors that were associated with outcome variables at P < 0.10 in univariate analysis were included for further multivariable linear or regression analyses., Results: A total of 2720 participants were evaluated (mean age, 57 years, male sex, 54%). In multivariable analysis, PCR score was associated with WMH volume [β = 0.361; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.320-0.402, P < 0.001], cLVD [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.66; 95% CI, 1.29-2.16, P < 0.001], lacunes (aOR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.52-2.14, P < 0.001) and CMBs (aOR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.40-2.19, P < 0.001). Furthermore, PCR score also showed dose-response tendencies according to the burden of cLVD, WMH, lacunes and CMB., Conclusions: A higher PCR score based on the ACC/AHA guidelines is closely associated with a higher prevalence and burden of cLVD and cSVD., (© 2020 European Academy of Neurology.)

Background and Purpose: Although non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) shares common cardiovascular risk factors with cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH), few studies have reported the association between NAFLD and WMH. The association between the presence of NAFLD with its severity and the volume of WMH was investigated., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted for 2460 subjects who voluntarily participated in health screening check-ups including brain magnetic resonance imaging and liver ultrasonography at the Health Promotion Center at Seoul National University Hospital from 2009 to 2013. Ultrasonography was used to detect the presence and severity of NAFLD combined with the NAFLD fibrosis score and the FIB-4 index. The volume of WMH was measured using a semi-automated quantification method by a trained neurologist., Results: The prevalence of NAFLD was 36.5%, and the median volume of WMH in all the subjects was 1.1 ml (interquartile range 0.2-2.7 ml). The presence of NAFLD was associated with a smaller volume of WMH [β (standard error, SE) -0.051 (0.046); P = 0.012]. Moderate to severe NAFLD was associated with a smaller volume of WMH than was non-NAFLD [β (SE) -0.067 (0.061); P = 0.002]. The negative correlation observed between NAFLD severity and WMH volume was persistent only in those with low FIB-4 index and low NAFLD fibrosis scores, whereas there was a positive association in those with high FIB-4 index and NAFLD fibrosis scores., Conclusions: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and its severity, showed a favorable association with WMH volume. However, its causality and mechanism should be evaluated in further relevantly designed studies., (© European Academy of Neurology 2019.)

Background and Aims: Early diagnosis of arteriosclerosis is fundamental for the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The current study was performed to identify major predictors of arteriosclerosis and to assess the association between arterial stiffness as measured by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and muscle mass deficit (MMD) estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in middle-aged men., Methods and Results: Data were gathered from 3356 middle-aged men who visited a health promotion center. CAVI was measured as an index of arterial stiffness. Body composition analysis was performed using BIA. MMD was positively associated with CAVI in the regression model. The odds ratios for high-CAVI (≥9.0) rose with MMD grade in a dose-dependent manner after adjusting for age, lifestyle factors and current medication use. The estimated mean CAVI rose as MMD grade increased (P for trend >0.001)., Conclusions: MMD estimated from BIA was positively associated with arterial stiffness in middle-aged men. These findings show a close interaction between low muscle mass and cardiovascular risk., (Copyright © 2017 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: Elevated serum uric acid (UA) is known to be associated with stroke. However, there is little information on the association between serum UA levels and cerebral microbleed (CMB), a precursor of stroke. Therefore, we investigated the association between UA and CMB in a general population taking into consideration sex-related differences., Methods: The subjects in this cross-sectional study consisted of 2686 individuals of 40-79 years of age (1403 men and 1283 women) who underwent regular health screenings, including brain magnetic resonance imaging, at Seoul National University Hospital Health Promotion Center. Subjects were categorized into three groups according to tertiles of UA levels by sex. The presence and location of CMB were assessed by gradient-recalled echo magnetic resonance imaging., Results: The prevalence of CMB was 3.8%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis by sex, the highest tertile of UA in male subjects was independently associated with the presence of CMB compared with the lowest tertile of UA (adjusted odds ratio, 2.46; P = 0.013). Meanwhile, the highest tertile of UA in female subjects was inversely associated with CMB compared with the lowest tertile of UA (adjusted odds ratio, 0.39; P = 0.040)., Conclusions: High serum UA value was associated with higher prevalence of CMB in male, but lower prevalence of CMB in female subjects., (© 2017 EAN.)

Aims: Morton's neuroma is common condition of the forefoot, but its aetiology remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between the width of the forefoot and the development of a Morton's neuroma., Patients and Methods: Between January 2013 and May 2016, a total of 84 consecutive patients (17 men, 67 women) with a unilateral Morton's neuroma were enrolled into the study. The involved and uninvolved feet of each patient were compared. A control group of patients with symptoms from the foot, but without a neuroma who were matched for age, gender, affected side, and web space location, were enrolled. The first to fifth intermetatarsal distance, intermetatarsal angle and intermetatarsal distance of involved web space on standing radiographs were assessed., Results: The inter- and intra-observer reliability was excellent. The three parameters did not differ significantly between the involved and uninvolved feet. Neither did they differ significantly between the patients and the controls., Conclusion: We conclude that there is no significant relationship between the width of the forefoot and the development of a Morton's neuroma. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:365-8., (©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.)

Calcium (Ca^(2+))-activated chloride channel accessories (CLCAs) are putative anion channel-related proteins with diverse physiological functions. Exploring CLCA diversity is important for prediction of gene structure and function. In an effort to identify novel CLCA genes in Xenopus laevis, we successfully cloned and characterized a Xenopus laevis cDNA predicted to encode the xCLCA3 gene. Cloning of xCLCA3 was achieved by computational analysis, rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), and a tissue distribution analysis by semi-quantitative reverse transcription (RT) PCR or real-time PCR. We obtained a 2958 bp xCLCA3 cDNA sequence with an open reading frame encoding 943 amino acids. According to the primary structure analysis, xCLCA3 contains a predicted signal sequence, multiple sites of N-linked (N-) glycosylation, N-myristoylation, PKA, PKC, and casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, five putative hydrophobic segments, and the HExxH metalloprotease motif. Additionally, the transmembrane prediction server yielded a preserved N-terminal CLCA domain and a von Willebrand factor type A domain with one transmembrane domain in the C-terminal region. Expression analysis showed that xCLCA3 is expressed in a number of tissues, with strong expression in the brain, colon, small intestine, lung, kidney, and spleen, and poor expression in the heart and liver. These results suggest that xCLCA3 may be a candidate CLCA family member as well as a metalloprotease, rather than just an ion channel accessory protein.

Background: Rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM®) is increasingly used in liver transplantation (LT). Of the ROTEM® parameters, maximum clot firmness (MCF) of EXTEM (MCFEXT) and INTEM (MCFINT) are influenced by both platelet count (PLT) and fibrinogen concentration (FIB), whereas MCF of FIBTEM (MCFFIB) is solely influenced by FIB. We aimed to determine whether using MCFs of thromboelastometry could reliably predict both PLT and FIB and to evaluate their relations in patients with thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenemia during LT., Methods: A total of 4100 retrospective ROTEM® assays with simultaneous standard laboratory tests performed during LT were analyzed in 295 patients. The optimal cut-off values of PLT and FIB according to the ROTEM® transfusion guideline were determined by area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis., Results: MCFEXT and MCFINT showed good correlation with platelet count (r = 0.79 and 0.80, respectively, P < .001) and with fibrinogen concentration (r = 0.67 and 0.66, respectively, P < .001). MCFFIB and fibrinogen concentration were highly correlated (r = 0.84, P < .001). Additionally, PLT and FIB were calculated mathematically: PLT (/μL) = 14827 + 3.93 (MCFEXT)(2.5); FIB (mg/dL) = 63 + 0.00082 (MCFEXT)(3.0); FIB (mg/dL) = 29 + 13.3 MCFFIB. MCFEXT <35 mm predicted PLT of 43 × 10(3)/μL (AUC = 0.89) and FIB of 91 mg/dL (AUC = 0.78), whereas MCFEXT <45 mm predicted PLT of 52 × 10(3)/μL (AUC = 0.89) and FIB of 121 mg/dL (AUC = 0.86), MCFFIB <8 mm predicted FIB of 128 mg/dL (AUC = 0.94). MCFINT showed almost the same cut-off values as MCFEXT., Conclusions: Both PLT and FIB can be reliably quantified by MCFs of thromboelastometry, reducing the needs for additional laboratory tests to know values of thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenemia in patients undergoing LT., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Iron metabolism is essential for many cellular processes, including oxygen transport, respiration and DNA synthesis, and many cancer cells exhibit dysregulation in iron metabolism. Maintenance of cellular iron homeostasis is regulated by iron regulatory proteins (IRPs), which control the expression of iron-related genes by binding iron-responsive elements (IREs) of target mRNAs. Here, we report that mitochondrial SIRT3 regulates cellular iron metabolism by modulating IRP1 activity. SIRT3 loss increases reactive oxygen species production, leading to elevated IRP1 binding to IREs. As a consequence, IRP1 target genes, such as the transferrin receptor (TfR1), a membrane-associated glycoprotein critical for iron uptake and cell proliferation, are controlled by SIRT3. Importantly, SIRT3 deficiency results in a defect in cellular iron homeostasis. SIRT3 null cells contain high levels of iron and lose iron-dependent TfR1 regulation. Moreover, SIRT3 null mice exhibit higher levels of iron and TfR1 expression in the pancreas. We found that the regulation of iron uptake and TfR1 expression contribute to the tumor-suppressive activity of SIRT3. Indeed, SIRT3 expression is negatively correlated with TfR1 expression in human pancreatic cancers. SIRT3 overexpression decreases TfR1 expression by inhibiting IRP1 and represses proliferation in pancreatic cancer cells. Our data uncover a novel role of SIRT3 in cellular iron metabolism through IRP1 regulation and suggest that SIRT3 functions as a tumor suppressor, in part, by modulating cellular iron metabolism.

Background: Early detection of coagulopathy is important to prevent bleeding during liver transplantation (LT). Rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM(®)) provides the earliest parameter of clot amplitudes at 5 min (A5). We evaluated whether A5 correlates with platelet count (PLT) and fibrinogen concentration (Fib) and can predict thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenaemia in hypocoagulable patients undergoing living-donor LT (LDLT)., Methods: A total of 3446 retrospective ROTEM(®) measurements, including 1139 EXTEM, 1182 INTEM, and 1125 FIBTEM, with simultaneously measured PLT and Fib, were analysed during LDLT in 239 patients. The correlations between A5 and maximum clot firmness (MCF) index, PLT, and Fib were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic analysis with area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess A5 thresholds predictive of PLT and Fib., Results: The median PLT was 47 000 mm(-3) and the median Fib was 100 mg dl(-1) during LDLT. The A5 parameters of EXTEM (A5EXTEM) and INTEM (A5INTEM) were highly correlated with MCF (r=0.96 and r=0.95, respectively), PLT (r=0.76 and r=0.77, respectively), and Fib (r=0.63 and r=0.64, respectively). A5 of FIBTEM (A5FIBTEM) was also correlated with MCF (r=0.91) and Fib (r=0.75). A5EXTEM thresholds of 15 and 19 mm predicted PLT<30 000 mm(-3) (AUC=0.90) and <50 000 mm(-3) (AUC=0.87), respectively, whereas A5FIBTEM 4 mm predicted Fib<100 mg dl(-1) (AUC=0.86). Biases from A5EXTEM and A5FIBTEM to their MCFs were 16.4 and 1.3 mm, respectively., Conclusions: A5 as an early variable of clot firmness is effective in detecting critically low PLT and Fib. A5 can therefore be a reliable fast index guiding transfusion therapy in hypocoagulable patients undergoing LDLT.

Renal subcapsular abscess is a very rare entity that is defined by a suppurative process localized to a space between the renal capsule and the renal parenchyma. The pathogenesis and aetiology of this entity remain speculative. To our knowledge, only five cases have been reported in the English literature. We describe a 74-year old woman with renal subcapsular abscess treated with laparoscopic removal and do a review of the literature.

The surface-flow constructed wetland (CW) located in Nonsan City, South Korea, and constructed as the final stage of a piggery wastewater treatment plant that aims to treat high nutrient content effluent during dry days and stormwater runoff during wet days was monitored from October 2008 to November 2011. This research investigated the seasonal nutrient uptake of plant biomass in the CW and nutrient concentration changes in each treatment region under monsoon and temperate climate conditions. Results showed that the mean total nitrogen removal during summer (June to August) was higher by 13% than in spring (March to May), while total phosphorus removal was higher by 22% in fall (September to November) than in winter (December to February). All plants in the CW reached their maximum biomass coverage and weight in summer and minimum growth in winter. The highest N and P content in plants occurred in September with 583.2 g/m(2) and August with 62.0 g/m(2), respectively. Based on the results, it is recommended that the harvesting of plants should be conducted during the time of the peak nutrient uptake and before the plants release the nutrient content back to the CW. The dependence of nutrient removal efficiency on plants is not so significant. In order to increase the nutrient removal rate by plant uptake, it is suggested that the treatment regions in the CW be covered by plants.

The efficiency of a free water surface flow constructed wetland (CW) in treating agricultural discharges from stream was investigated during storm and non-storm events between April and December, 2009. Physico-chemical and water quality constituents were monitored at five sampling locations along the flow path of the CW. The greatest reduction in pollutant concentration was observed after passing the sedimentation zone at approximately 4% fractional distance from the inflow. The inflow hydraulic loading, flow rates and pollutant concentrations were significantly higher and variable during storm events than non-storm (baseflow) condition (p <0.001) that resulted to an increase in the average pollutant removal efficiencies by 10 to 35%. The highest removal percentages were attained for phosphate (51 ± 22%), ammonium (44 ± 21%) and phosphorus (38 ± 19%) while nitrate was least effectively retained by the system with only 25 ± 17% removal during non-storm events. The efficiency of the system was most favorable when the temperature was above 15 °C (i.e., almost year-round except the winter months) and during storm events. Overall, the outflow water quality was better than the inflow water quality signifying the potential of the constructed wetland as a treatment system and capability of improving the stream water quality.

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimum bolus dose of propofol required to provide excellent conditions for tracheal intubation following inhalational induction of anaesthesia using 5% sevoflurane without neuromuscular blockade. Twenty-eight children, aged three to seven years, requiring anaesthesia for short duration surgery were recruited. Two minutes after beginning the inhalational induction with 5% sevoflurane and 60% nitrous oxide, a predetermined dose of propofol was injected over 10 seconds. Propofol dose was determined using the Dixon's up-and-down method, starting from 3 mg/kg (0.5 mg/kg as a step size). Laryngoscopy was performed 50 seconds after propofol injection. The optimum dose of propofol required for excellent intubating conditions was 1.39 +/- 0.37 mg/kg in 50% of children during inhalation induction using 5% sevoflurane and 60% nitrous oxide in the absence of neuromuscular blocking agents. From probit analysis, the 95% effective dose of propofol was 2.33 mg/kg (95% confidence interval 1.78 to 6.21 mg/kg).

Two different combinations of anaesthetics were evaluated and compared in a prospective randomised crossover experimental study in pigs. One of the two combinations was administered intramuscularly to each of six Landrace x Yorkshire mixed-breed pigs. The combinations were: 2.2 mg/kg xylazine and 4.4 mg/kg tiletamine/zolazepam (2.2 mg/kg tiletamine plus 2.2 mg/kg zolazepam) (XTZ); and 0.04 mg/kg medetomidine and 4.4 mg/kg tiletamine/zolazepam (MTZ). The anaesthesia and recovery times, score for anaesthetic effect and cardiopulmonary parameters were recorded for each pig. Anaesthesia was successfully induced in all of the pigs. Both drug combinations provided smooth induction and good immobilisation, and their anaesthetic effects were similar. In both treatment groups, the mean heart rate decreased significantly five minutes after the drugs were administered and remained consistent for 70 minutes, with no significant difference between the XTZ and MTZ groups. However, there were differences in cardiopulmonary effects between the groups. The arterial pressure was significantly higher in the MTZ group than in the XTZ group. The initial hypertension associated with medetomidine was more marked than the initial hypertension associated with xylazine. Arterial oxygen partial pressure and arterial oxygen saturation decreased significantly from baseline in both groups. The respiratory rates and levels of blood gases were similar in both groups. Hypoventilation and hypoxaemia were observed in both groups. The scores for anaesthetic effect, induction time, anaesthesia time and recovery times were similar in the two groups.

Background: Although low central venous pressure (CVP) anesthesia has been used to minimize blood loss during hepatectomy, the efficacy of this technique remains controversial. We therefore assessed the association between blood loss and CVP during hepatic resection, and examined significant determinants associated with intraoperative hemorrhage during hepatectomy in living donors., Methods: Between April 2004 and April 2008, 984 living donors who underwent a hepatic resection were assessed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the relationships between intraoperative blood loss and several variables including CVP., Results: The mean intraoperative blood loss was 691.3 +/- 365.5 ml. Only four donors required packed red blood cell transfusions (mean, 1.5 U). The mean duration of hepatic resection was 92.1 +/- 26.3 min. The mean, maximum, and minimum values of CVP measured during hepatectomy were 4.6 +/- 1.7, 5.3 +/- 1.8, and 4.0 +/- 1.8 mmHg, respectively, and were not significantly correlated with intraoperative blood loss. On multivariate analysis, predictors of hemorrhage were liver fatty change, gender, and body weight, but none of the mean CVP, surgeons, anesthesiologists, anesthesia duration, resected liver volume, hepatectomy type, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, or body temperature were significant., Conclusions: CVP during hepatic resection was not associated with intraoperative blood loss in living liver donors, suggesting that CVP may not be an important factor in predicting blood loss during hepatectomy in healthy subjects.

A new human leukocyte antigen-DRB1*140503 differs from DRB1*140501 with T to C transition at codon 78 (TAT-->TAC) of exon 2 without coding change.

A new HLA-A*2634 allele differs from A*260101 by a change from C to T at the nucleotide 559 of exon 3, with a coding change R163W.

HLA-A*2632 shows three nucleotides difference with HLA-A*260101 and HLA-A*2624 in exon 3 at codon 95 (ATC--> ATG) and codon 97 (AGG --> GTG), resulting in two amino acids change from Ile to Met (I95M) and Arg to Val (R97V).

Recently the Ministry of Environment in Korea has developed the total maximum daily load program in accordance with the target pollutant and its concentration goal on four major large rivers. Since the program is largely related to regional development, nonpoint source control is both important and topical. Of the various nonpoint sources, highways are stormwater intensive land uses since they are impervious and have high pollutant mass emissions from vehicular activity. The event mean concentration (EMC) is useful in estimating the loadings to receiving water bodies. However, the EMC does not provide information on the time varying changes in pollutant concentration or mass emissions, which are often important for best management practice development, or understanding shock loads. Therefore, in this study a new concept, the dynamic EMC determination method, will be introduced to clearly verify the relationship between EMC and the first flush effect. Three monitoring sites in Daejeon metropolitan city areas were equipped with an automatic rainfall gauge and a flow meter for accumulating the data such as rainfall and runoff flow. The dynamic EMC method was applied to more than 17 events, and the improved first flush criteria were determined on the ranges of storm duration and accumulated rainfall.

We previously reported that a methanolic extract of Coptis japonica, which is a well-known traditional oriental medicine, inhibits morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice. Berberine is a major component of Coptis japonica extract, and it has been established that the adverse effects of morphine on the brain involve dopamine (DA) receptors. However, to our knowledge, no study has investigated the inhibitory effects of berberine on morphine-induced locomotor sensitization and analgesic tolerance in mice. Here, we investigated the effects of berberine on morphine-induced locomotor sensitization and on the development of analgesic tolerance. Furthermore, we examined the effects of berberine treatment on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channel activity expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Berberine was found to completely block both morphine-induced locomotor sensitization and analgesic tolerance, and reduce D(1) and NMDA receptor bindings in the cortex. Moreover, berberine markedly inhibited NMDA current in Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing NMDA receptor subunits. Our results suggest that the inhibitory effects of berberine on morphine-induced locomotor sensitization and analgesic tolerance are closely related to the modulation of D1 and NMDA receptors, and that berberine should be viewed as a potential novel means of attenuating morphine-induced sensitization and analgesic tolerance.

This study compared brain glucose metabolism during sevoflurane anaesthesia and propofol anaesthesia using positron emission tomography (PET) in the same eight human volunteers. All the volunteers were anaesthetized twice, with a 1-week interval. Half of the volunteers received sevoflurane on the first occasion and propofol on the second; the other half received the two anaesthetics in the reverse order. PET scans using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose were performed after sevoflurane or propofol anaesthesia. The relative glucose metabolic rate (rGMR) in the brain was assessed with statistical parametric mapping. Propofol suppressed the rGMR of the neocortex area more than sevoflurane, and sevoflurane suppressed the rGMR of the paleocortex and telencephalon more than propofol. These findings suggest that these two anaesthetics act via different mechanisms and may provide an important clue to the relationship between anaesthesia and the brain.

Background: Central sensitization of neuropathic pain is associated with an influx of extracellular calcium via the opening of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-gated ion channels, which are usually blocked by magnesium plugs. As magnesium-deficient rats develop a mechanical hyperalgesia and intrathecal or intraperitoneal magnesium suppresses neuropathic pain, the magnesium concentrations in serum and cerebrospinal fluid may be altered in neuropathic pain. We therefore compared the magnesium concentrations in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of neuropathic rats with those in injured rats without symptoms of neuropathic pain and normal rats., Methods: Mechanical allodynia was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by tight ligature of the left lumbar fifth and sixth spinal nerves. The threshold of paw withdrawal was evaluated by the up-down method using withdrawal response to stimulus with a von Frey filament on the third, seventh and 14th days. Rats with a threshold of less than 4 g were selected as the symptomatic group and compared with an asymptomatic group, an unoperated control group and a sham-operated group. On the 16th day, the Mg2+ concentrations in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were measured., Results: The magnesium concentrations in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of symptomatic neuropathic rats did not differ from those in the injured rats without symptoms of neuropathic pain, sham-operated rats and normal rats., Conclusion: Our results suggest that physiologic homeostasis is maintained by active transport through the blood-brain barrier despite the activation of NMDA receptor-gated ion channels. However, rats with neuropathic pain may be in a magnesium-deficient condition at the effector site, such that magnesium treatment can decrease neuropathic pain.

We compared the haemodynamic effects of nicardipine and sodium nitroprusside after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. When post-surgery systolic blood pressure reached > 150 mmHg, patients were randomly given nicardipine (N group, n = 26) or sodium nitroprusside (S group, n = 21). The drugs were infused at a rate of 2 microg/kg per min for 10 min. If the target blood pressure (120-140 mmHg) was not achieved, the infusion rate was increased by 1 microg/kg per min every 10 min. Cardiac and stroke volume indices had increased significantly in the N group after 10 min and in both groups after 60 min. The infusion duration and total dose of drug were significantly lower in the N group compared with the S group. Nicardipine infusion controlled post-operative hypertension more rapidly and was superior to sodium nitroprusside in maintaining left ventricular performance immediately after drug infusion.

Neutrophil adhesion is fundamentally important during the onset of inflammatory responses. The adhesion signaling pathways control neutrophil arrest and extravasation and influence neutrophil shape and function at sites of inflammation. In the present study the intracellular signaling pathways for the adhesion of human neutrophils by pituitary growth hormone (GH) were examined. Pituitary GH triggered the tyrosine phosphorylation of Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) and STAT3 in neutrophils. In addition, pituitary GH treatment resulted in the morphological changes and the tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK) and paxillin. Preincubation with genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, blocked the GH-stimulated adhesion and Jak2, STAT3, p125FAK, and paxillin phosphorylation. Confocal microscopy revealed that pituitary GH stimulates the focal localization of p125FAK, paxillin, phosphotyrosine, and filamentous actin filament into the membrane rufflings and uropods of human neutrophils. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed a physical association of Jak2 with p125FAK via STAT3 in vivo. Also an in vitro kinase assay showed an augmentation of p125FAK autophosphorylation as a result of pituitary GH treatment. These results suggest that pituitary GH modulates neutrophil adhesion through tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak2, p125FAK, and paxillin and actin polymerization.

The neuroendocrine system is regarded as the major link between the psychological state and the immune system in man. The present study was undertaken to examine the acute effect of ChunDoSunBup Qi-training, a traditional psychosomatic training, on the plasma level of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and insulin like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 in young men. To characterize the plasma level of hormones and the pattern of IGFBP-3 at pre- (-10 min), mid-time (40 min), and immediately after (post-time, +10 min) Qi-training, radioimmunoassay (RIA) and western ligand blot (WLB) analysis were used. The plasma level of GH at the mid-time was significantly increased (P<0.05) compared to the level at pre-time of Qi-training. The plasma level of IGF-I was also increased at mid-time (P<0.05) and immediately after Qi-training. There was a significant correlation between the levels of GH and IGF-I immediately after Qi-training (r=0.69, P<0.01). In this study, the change of IGFBP-3 among the several IGFBPs was determined. There was a relative shift in IGFBP-3 for the 43-kDa fraction during mid-time of Qi-training (P<0.05). These results suggest that Qi-training influences the growth hormone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 status via brain-target organ axis in men.

We describe the isolation of a new type of RecQ homologue in Drosophila melanogaster, RECQE. The Recqe gene consists of five exons and four introns, and encodes a protein of 1058 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 120,000 Da. The RECQE protein has seven helicase motifs. The helicase domain shows 42% identity overall to that of Escherichia coli RecQ DNA helicase, and is most closely related to Homo sapiens RecQL5 and Caenorhabditis elegans E03A3.2. The C-terminal region of RECQE protein is unique and the longest known among members of the RecQ superfamily. We demonstrate that the RECQE protein has DNA helicase activity and that the C-terminal region is dispensable for this activity. The RECQE mRNA accumulates in oocytes and is expressed at high levels in early embryos. We show for the first time that the expression of a RecQ homologue is developmentally regulated in embryos. These data suggest that the DNA helicase activity of RECQE might be involved in the DNA metabolism of early embryos.

The aim of this study is to explore the effects of ChunDoSunBup Qi-training on personality traits. Twenty-six normal healthy subjects (mean age = 26.58 +/- 6.56) and 26 CDSB Qi-trainees (mean age = 27.74 +/- 5.21) participated in this study. Analysis of MMPI profiles showed that CDSB Qi-trainees scored significantly lower on Depression (D), Hysteria (Hy), Paranoia (Pa), Schizophrenia (Sc) and Frequency (F) and significantly higher on the Correction (K) Scales. In addition, CDSB Qi-trainees reported a significantly lower Cook-Medley Hostility (Ho) scale than that of controls. This preliminary study suggests that CDSB Qi-training may be effective in protection as well as restoration of emotional, psychological symptomatology and personality trait disorder.

This cross-sectional investigation evaluated the trend of psychological changes by ChunDoSunBup (CDSB) Qi-training using a self-report inventory of emotional distress, Symptom Check List-90-Revision (SCL-90-R). 41 normal healthy subjects (mean age = 20.98 +/- 5.39) and 123 CDSB Qi-trainees (divided into three groups, Q1, Q2 and Q3) participated in this study. Group Q1 has received 1-4 months CDSB Qi-training (age 21.95 +/- 7.82, n = 41); Q2 has 5-12 months Qi-training (age 20.0 +/- 7.75, n = 41); and Q3 has more than 13 months Qi-training (age 22.68 +/- 6.72, n = 41). Our results show that Qi-trainees over 13 months had significantly lower scores compared to controls. A significant negative correlation was found between the Qi-training period and all SCL-90-R subscales except phobic anxiety. These results suggest that CDSB Qi-training is effective in protection as well as reduction of psychological symptomatology.

Growth hormone (GH) primes and augments O2- production in neutrophils. The exact signaling of the priming pathway by GH has not been demonstrated. In this study, we investigated intracellular signaling of priming by recombinant human growth hormone (rGH) in human neutrophils. A low concentration of rGH (10-100 ng/ml) significantly enhanced the O2- production from neutrophils triggered with N-formyl-1-methionyl-1-leucyl-1-phenylalanine in a dose-dependent manner. Recombinant GH directly increased the fluorescence intensity of intracellular Ca2+ labeled with fluo 3-AM in neutrophils. The change of fluorescence intensity of cytosolic Ca2+ was dependent on the rGH concentration. The peak level of fluorescence intensity was observed at 3 to 5 min after treatment with rGH. The priming effect of rGH on O2- production via Ca2+ was abrogated by Ca2+ channel blockers such as dentrolene and verapamil. Furthermore, preincubation with genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, blocked the rGH-induced increases in Ca2+ and O2- production. This finding suggests that GH can act through the increase of intracellular Ca2+ as a priming agent to activate neutrophils for an enhanced respiratory burst.

The 49630 bp spo0H-rrnH region of the Bacillus subtilis genome has been fully sequenced. The sequence contains one partial and 62 complete ORFs, one partial and three complete rRNA genes and a cluster of six tRNA genes. The direction of the transcription and translation of 61 ORFs is the same as that of the movement of the replication fork. A homology search of 40 ORFs in newly determined sequence revealed that 27 of them had significant similarity to known proteins such as elongation factor G, elongation factor Tu, pseudouridine synthase I and ribsosomal proteins. Two adjacent genes, ybaD and ybaE, appeared to encode proteins belonging to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family.

CFC-101 is a novel Pseudomonas vaccine with high effectiveness against Pseudomonas infection and is currently under clinical evaluation. The general pharmacological properties of this vaccine were evaluated in mice, rats, guinea pig ileum, and dogs. In vivo doses of 0.2, 2.0 and 20 mg/kg given by intramuscular route, or in vitro concentrations up to 50 micrograms/ml were used. Intramuscular administration of CFC-101 vaccine had no effect on the central nervous system except that the body temperature of rats was slightly decreased at the highest dose, 20 mg/kg. CFC-101 vaccine did not affect the function of smooth muscles, gastrointestinal system, and cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In water and electrolytes excretion test, a decrease in urine output and an elevation of the excretion of Na+, Cl- and total protein at the highest dose (20 mg/kg) were observed. In summary, CFC-101 vaccine had no pharmacological effect in these studies even up to the 100-fold clinical dose, 2 mg/kg.

A 4.0 kb EcoRI fragment of Bacillus subtilis conferring thiostrepton resistance was cloned and characterized. By nucleotide sequencing of the relevant region, six open reading frames were established, which corresponded to a part of spo0H, a ribosomal protein gene (rpmG), an unidentified open reading frame (orfE), a transcription antiterminator gene nusG, and ribosomal protein genes rplK and rplA. The orfE-encoded 59-amino-acid polypeptide had a low, but significant, sequence similarity with the carboxy-terminal region of the Escherichia coli SecE protein. A cold-sensitive secE mutation of E. coli was complemented by the plasmid-borne orfE sequence. Furthermore, the normal processing of a proOmpA protein was observed when the secE cold-sensitive strain carried an orfE plasmid, indicating that orfE is the secE homologue of B. subtilis. The B. subtilis secE has only one transmembrane sequence compared to the three in E. coli.

A thermosensitive sporulation mutant of Bacillus subtilis containing a mutation in the secY gene was isolated and characterized. No asymmetric septum specific to the sporulation was detected by electron microscopy at the nonpermissive temperature, indicating that the block occurred at a very early stage of sporulation. Furthermore, competence development in the mutant cell was affected even at the sporulation-proficient temperature. It is assumed that the SecY protein of B. subtilis has multiple roles both in the regulation of spore formation and in stationary-phase-associated phenomena.