p38 MAP kinase and ERK play an important role in nitric oxide-induced apoptosis of the mouse embryonic stem cells.

Previous study showed that nitric oxide (NO) induces apoptosis in mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells, but the precise mechanism governing NO-induced apoptosis in mES remains unclear. This study investigated the mechanism of NO-induced apoptosis of mES cells via MAP kinase signaling pathway. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, induced apoptosis in mES cells with enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Attenuated vaccines can recombine to form virulent field viruses.

Recombination between herpesviruses has been seen in vitro and in vivo under experimental conditions. This has raised safety concerns about using attenuated herpesvirus vaccines in human and veterinary medicine and adds to other known concerns associated with their use, including reversion to virulence and disease arising from recurrent reactivation of lifelong chronic infection. We used high-throughput sequencing to investigate relationships between emergent field strains and vaccine strains of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV, gallid herpesvirus 1).

Metabolic profiling of glucosinolates, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and other secondary metabolites in kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes).

We profiled and quantified glucosinolates, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and other secondary metabolites in the skin and flesh of pale green and purple kohlrabis. Analysis of these distinct kohlrabis revealed the presence of 8 glucosinolates, 12 anthocyanins, 2 carotenoids, and 7 phenylpropanoids. Glucosinolate contents varied among the different parts and types of kohlrabi.

Adjusted neutropenia is associated with early serious infection in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: The susceptibility to infection increases in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with neutropenia, but the link between infection risk and the cutoff neutrophil count still remains controversial. In this study, we investigated a valuable parameter associated with early serious infection in SLE patients during the first follow-up year.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 160 patients with SLE.

Risk factors for medial meniscus posterior root tear.

Background: Medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRT) have a different clinical effect from other types of meniscal tears. These tears are very common among Asian people and may be related to the frequent use of postures such as the lotus position or squatting.

Purpose: The present study was designed to identify the risk factors for MMPRT among an Asian sample.

E-cadherin as a predictive marker of brain metastasis in non-small-cell lung cancer, and its regulation by pioglitazone in a preclinical model.

It remains unclear whether patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop brain metastasis during or after standard therapy. We attempted to identify biological markers that predict brain metastasis, and investigated how to modulate expression of such markers. A case-control study of patients who were newly diagnosed with NSCLC and who had developed brain metastasis during follow-up was conducted between 2004 and 2009.

Comparison of elective single cleavage-embryo transfer to elective single blastocyst-embryo transfer in human IVF-ET.

Objective: This study was carried out to compare the clinical outcome of elective single cleavage-embryo transfer (eSCET) to that of elective single blastocyst-embryo transfer (eSBET) in human IVF-ET.

Methods: This study was a retrospective study which analyzed for 614 women who visited the Daegu Maria Clinic from August 2008 to December 2009. All were under 37 years old and had more than 8 mm of endometrial thickness on the day of hCG administration and at least one good quality embryo on day 3.

Clinical outcomes of elective single morula embryo transfer versus elective single blastocyst embryo transfer in IVF-ET.

Purpose: To compare the clinical outcomes of elective single morula embryo transfer (eSMET) versus elective single blastocyst embryo transfer (eSBET) in selected patients.

Methods: This study was a retrospective study which analyzed for 271 cycles in women under 37 years of age who are undergoing their first or second trial of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) from January 2008 to December 2009. The eSMET was performed on day 4 (n = 130) and the eSBET was conducted on day 5 (n = 141).

Occipital nerve stimulation for medically refractory hypnic headache.

Objective: Hypnic headache is a rare, primary headache disorder that exclusively occurs regularly during sleep. We present a case of hypnic headache successfully managed with occipital nerve stimulation.

Materials And Methods: A 64-year-old female presented with a four-year history of a right occipital headache that regularly awakened her from sleep.

Transaxillary subpectoral implantation of implantable pulse generator for deep brain stimulation.

Objectives: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective modality of treating cardinal motor symptoms of several movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. Although hardware-related complications of DBS have been reported, the cosmetic satisfaction and discomfort associated with infraclavicular subcutaneous implantation of the pulse generator has not been described. The authors adopted a technique of transaxillary subpectoral implantable pulse generator (IPG) placement and investigated the difference in the discomfort, cosmetic satisfaction, mean operation time for IPG implantation, and severity of postoperative pain between infraclavicular subcutaneous placement and transaxillary subpectoral implantation of IPG.

Percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation under fluoroscopic image-guidance for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.

Objective: We retrospectively investigated the long-term results of percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) using fluoroscopic image-guidance for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

Methods: A total of 38 patients diagnosed and treated with RFT as an idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia were investigated. To minimize the risks related to conventional technique based on cutaneous landmarks, and to eliminate the need to frequent reposition of cannula, we adopted a technique of image-guided fluoroscopic cannulation of the foramen ovale.

Position Change of the Neurovascular Structures around the Carpal Tunnel with Dynamic Wrist Motion.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the anatomic relationships between neurovascular structures and the transverse carpal ligament so as to avoid complications during endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients (age range, 35-69 years) with carpal tunnel syndrome were entered into the study. We examined through wrist magnetic resonance imaging in three different positions (neutral, radial flexion, and ulnar flexion) and determined several anatomic landmark (distance from the hamate hook to the median nerve, ulnar nerve, and ulnar vessel) based on the lateral margin of the hook of the hamate.

Upregulation of RNase E activity by mutation of a site that uncompetitively interferes with RNA binding.

Escherichia coli RNase E contains a site that selectively binds to RNAs containing 5'-monophosphate termini, increasing the efficiency of endonucleolytic cleavage of these RNAs. Random mutagenesis of N-Rne, the N-terminal catalytic region of RNase E, identified a hyperactive variant that remains preferentially responsive to phosphorylation at 5' termini. Biochemical analyses showed that the mutation (Q36R), which replaces glutamine with arginine at a position distant from the catalytic site, increases formation of stable RNA-protein complexes without detectably affecting the enzyme's secondary or tertiary structure.

Small protein-mediated quorum sensing in a Gram-negative bacterium.

The rice XA21 pattern recognition receptor binds a type I secreted sulfated peptide, called axY(S)22, derived from the Ax21 (activator of XA21-mediated immunity) protein. The conservation of Ax21 in all sequenced Xanthomonas spp. and closely related genera suggests that Ax21 serves a key biological function.

Hericium erinaceus suppresses LPS-induced pro-inflammation gene activation in RAW264.7 macrophages.

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of each fraction of Hericium erinaceus (HE). The ethanol extract from HE was partitioned with different solvents in the order of increasing polarity. The treatment with 10-100 μg/mL of each fraction did not reduce RAW 264.

Wide tuning range wavelength-swept laser with a single SOA at 1020 nm for ultrahigh resolution Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography.

In this study, we demonstrated a wide tuning range wavelength-swept laser with a single semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) at 1020 nm for ultrahigh resolution, Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (UHR, FD-OCT). The wavelength-swept laser was constructed with an external line-cavity based on a Littman configuration. An optical wavelength selection filter consisted of a grating, a telescope, and a polygon scanner.

A computed tomography-based anatomic comparison of three different types of c7 posterior fixation techniques : pedicle, intralaminar, and lateral mass screws.

Objective: The intralaminar screw (ILS) fixation technique offers an alternative to pedicle screw (PS) and lateral mass screw (LMS) fixation in the C7 spine. Although cadaveric studies have described the anatomy of the pedicles, laminae, and lateral masses at C7, 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) imaging is the modality of choice for pre-surgical planning. In this study, the goal was to determine the anatomical parameter and optimal screw trajectory for ILS placement at C7, and to compare this information to PS and LMS placement in the C7 spine as determined by CT evaluation.

Alleviation of rheumatoid arthritis by cell-transducible methotrexate upon transcutaneous delivery.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that is initiated and maintained by various inflammatory/immune cells and their cytokines, leading to cartilage degradation and bone erosion. Despite its potent therapeutic efficacy on RA, the oral administration of methotrexate (MTX) provokes serious adverse systemic complications, thus necessitating the local application of MTX. Here, we show that transcutaneous MTX (TC-MTX) can efficiently penetrate joint skin ex vivo and in vivo, and that TC-MTX can significantly improve the various inflammatory symptoms associated with RA.

Comparative analysis of the complete genome sequences of two Australian origin live attenuated vaccines of infectious laryngotracheitis virus.

Infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) is an alphaherpesvirus that causes acute respiratory disease in poultry. Live attenuated ILTV vaccines have been used extensively to help control outbreaks of disease. Two Australian-origin attenuated vaccine strains, SA2 and A20 ILTV, are commercially available and are in frequent use in Australia.

Investigating in vivo airway wall mechanics during tidal breathing with optical coherence tomography.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a nondestructive imaging technique offering high temporal and spatial resolution, which makes it a natural choice for assessing tissue mechanical properties. We have developed methods to mechanically analyze the compliance of the rabbit trachea in vivo using tissue deformations induced by tidal breathing, offering a unique tool to assess the behavior of the airways during their normal function. Four-hundred images were acquired during tidal breathing with a custom-built endoscopic OCT system.

The role of (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in the assessment of disease activity in patients with takayasu arteritis.

Objective: The assessment of disease activity in Takayasu arteritis (TA) is difficult in clinical situations because clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters do not always reflect the actual inflammation of the arterial wall. We undertook this study to comprehensively investigate the role of (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the assessment of disease activity in patients with TA.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 53 FDG-PET scans in 38 patients with TA.

Comparing the toxic mechanism of synthesized zinc oxide nanomaterials by physicochemical characterization and reactive oxygen species properties.

We studied the toxicity of ZnO nanomaterials in terms of physicochemical characteristics and reactive oxygen species (ROS) properties. ZnO nanorods [synthesized at room temperature (ZnO-RT, length; 18.0±4.