Vitamin D Supplementation and Recurrence of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

Positional vertigo manifests as a spinning sensation triggered by changes in head position relative to gravity. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is an inner ear disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of positional vertigo. The connection between vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency and the onset and recurrence of BPPV is established.

Blood Pressure Response to the Head-Up Tilt Test in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

The vestibular organ is involved in controlling blood pressure through vestibulosympathetic reflexes of the autonomic nervous system. This study aimed to investigate the effect of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) on blood pressure control by the autonomic nervous system by observing changes in blood pressure before and after BPPV treatment using the head-up tilt test (HUTT). A total of 278 patients who underwent the HUTT before and after treatment were included.

Comparison of optical low coherence interferometry and Scheimpflug imaging combined with partial coherence interferometry biometers in cataract eyes.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the agreement between measurements by optical low-coherence interferometry (OLCI, Aladdin) and those by Scheimpflug imaging combined with partial coherence interferometry (Scheimpflug-PCI, Pentacam AXL) in cataract patients.

Methods: This was a retrospective comparative study conducted in the United Arab Emirates. Axial length (AL), corneal power (keratometry, K), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and corneal astigmatism in patients with cataracts were measured with both devices.

Impact of Income, Density, and Population Size on PM Pollutions: A Scaling Analysis of 254 Large Cities in Six Developed Countries.

Despite numerous studies on multiple socio-economic factors influencing urban PM pollution in China, only a few comparable studies have focused on developed countries. We analyzed the impact of three major socio-economic factors (i.e.

Development of a quality measures tool for the utilization of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: An integrated specialty pharmacy initiative.

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, commonly prescribed for non-small cell lung cancer, are efficacious but pose safety risks that can diminish quality of life. Quality measures to ensure appropriate utilization and monitoring of tyrosine kinase inhibitors are needed to reduce unnecessary healthcare costs and maximize therapeutic benefit. With integrated clinical and pharmaceutical care services, a health-system specialty pharmacy is the ideal setting for quality measures development.

Post-approval Safety Monitoring of Quadrivalent and Bivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccines Based on Real-world Data from the Korea Adverse Events Reporting System (KAERS).

Background And Objectives: The vaccine adjuvant, AS04, present in bivalent human papilloma virus (bHPV) vaccines, induces greater local immune responses than the aluminum adjuvant in quadrivalent HPV (qHPV) vaccines. These distinctions might also result in disparities in immunogenicity and responsiveness, possibly contributing to differences in adverse events (AEs) between these vaccines. Here we comparatively analyzed AEs between qHPV and bHPV vaccines based on 10-year real-world AE data.

Rapid detection of deformed wing virus in honeybee using ultra-rapid qPCR and a DNA-chip.

Fast and accurate detection of viral RNA pathogens is important in apiculture. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection method has been developed, which is simple, specific, and sensitive. In this study, we rapidly (in 1 min) synthesized cDNA from the RNA of deformed wing virus (DWV)-infected bees (), and then, within 10 min, amplified the target cDNA by ultra-rapid qPCR.

Molecular and biochemical characterization of a novel isoprene synthase from Metrosideros polymorpha.

Background: Isoprene is a five-carbon chemical that is an important starting material for the synthesis of rubber, elastomers, and medicines. Although many plants produce huge amounts of isoprene, it is very difficult to obtain isoprene directly from plants because of its high volatility and increasing environmental regulations. Over the last decade, microorganisms have emerged as a promising alternative host for efficient and sustainable bioisoprene production.

Controlled Aggregation and Increased Stability of β-Glucuronidase by Cellulose Binding Domain Fusion.

Cellulose-binding domains (CBDs) are protein domains with cellulose-binding activity, and some act as leaders in the localization of cellulosomal scaffoldin proteins to the hydrophobic surface of crystalline cellulose. In this study, we found that a CBD fusion enhanced and improved soluble β-glucuronidase (GusA) enzyme properties through the formation of an artificially oligomeric state. First, a soluble CBD fused to the C-terminus of GusA (GusA-CBD) was obtained and characterized.

Red cell distribution width and early mortality in elderly patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Objective: To investigate the association of red cell distribution width (RDW) with 30-day mortality in elderly patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Methods: Patients were recruited from a single tertiary emergency department. Patients with age over 65 years were selected.

Essential Role of the Linker Region in the Higher Catalytic Efficiency of a Bifunctional MsrA-MsrB Fusion Protein.

Many bacteria, particularly pathogens, possess methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) and B (MsrB) as a fusion form (MsrAB). However, it is not clear why they possess a fusion MsrAB form rather than the separate enzymes that exist in most organisms. In this study, we performed biochemical and kinetic analyses of MsrAB from Treponema denticola (TdMsrAB), single-domain forms (TdMsrA and TdMsrB), and catalytic Cys mutants (TdMsrAB(C11S) and TdMsrAB(C285S)).

Selenium utilization in thioredoxin and catalytic advantage provided by selenocysteine.

Thioredoxin (Trx) is a major thiol-disulfide reductase that plays a role in many biological processes, including DNA replication and redox signaling. Although selenocysteine (Sec)-containing Trxs have been identified in certain bacteria, their enzymatic properties have not been characterized. In this study, we expressed a selenoprotein Trx from Treponema denticola, an oral spirochete, in Escherichia coli and characterized this selenoenzyme and its natural cysteine (Cys) homologue using E.

Mechanism of 1-Cys type methionine sulfoxide reductase A regeneration by glutaredoxin.

Glutaredoxin (Grx), a major redox regulator, can act as a reductant of methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA). However, the biochemical mechanisms involved in MsrA activity regeneration by Grx remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the regeneration mechanism of 1-Cys type Clostridium oremlandii MsrA (cMsrA) lacking a resolving Cys residue in a Grx-dependent assay.

Structural analysis of 1-Cys type selenoprotein methionine sulfoxide reductase A.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) reduces free and protein-based methionine-S-sulfoxide to methionine. Structures of 1-Cys MsrAs lacking a resolving Cys, which interacts with catalytic Cys, are unknown. In addition, no structural information on selenocysteine (Sec)-containing MsrA enzymes has been reported.

An integrated healthcare system for personalized chronic disease care in home-hospital environments.

Facing the increasing demands and challenges in the area of chronic disease care, various studies on the healthcare system which can, whenever and wherever, extract and process patient data have been conducted. Chronic diseases are the long-term diseases and require the processes of the real-time monitoring, multidimensional quantitative analysis, and the classification of patients' diagnostic information. A healthcare system for chronic diseases is characterized as an at-hospital and at-home service according to a targeted environment.

Tandem use of selenocysteine: adaptation of a selenoprotein glutaredoxin for reduction of selenoprotein methionine sulfoxide reductase.

Several engineered selenocysteine (Sec)-containing glutaredoxins (Grxs) and their enzymatic properties have been reported, but natural selenoprotein Grxs have not been previously characterized. We expressed a bacterial selenoprotein Grx from Clostridium sp. (also known as Alkaliphilus oremlandii) OhILAs in Escherichia coli and characterized this selenoenzyme and its natural Cys homologues in Clostridium and E.

Cysteine-125 is the catalytic residue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae free methionine-R-sulfoxide reductase.

Free methionine-R-sulfoxide reductase (fRMsr) is a new type of methionine sulfoxide reductase that catalyzes the reduction of free methionine-R-sulfoxide to methionine. This enzyme cannot reduce oxidized methionine residues in proteins. While three Cys residues, Cys-91, Cys-101 and Cys-125, have been demonstrated to be involved in the catalysis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae fRMsr, their specific functions have not been fully established.

Stability of meoru (Vitis coignetiea) anthocyanins under photochemically produced singlet oxygen by riboflavin.

This study investigated the stability of meoru (wild vine grape) anthocyanins in the aqueous solution under singlet oxygen. Freeze-dried meoru (1 kg) contained 179.98 mg anthocyanins including delphinidin-3-glucoside, malvidin-3,5-diglucoside, cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside, malvidin-3-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-glucoside.

Isolation of endothelial progenitor cells from cord blood and induction of differentiation by ex vivo expansion.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been reported to possess the capacity to colonize vascular grafts and hold promise for therapeutic neovascularization. However, limited quantities of EPCs have been the major factor impeding effective research on vasculoangiogenesis. In this study, cytokine and culture conditions necessary for the provision of large quantities of endothelial cells (ECs) were investigated.