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OBJECTIVE--We sought to determine whether dysregulation of arginine metabolism is related to insulin resistance and underlies impaired nitric oxide (NO) generation in type 2 diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--We [...]

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A new species of Lecithocera Herrich-Shäffer, L. atripteraPark, sp. nov., is described from Korea, and two species, Homaloxestis myeloxestaMeyrick, 1932 and Lecitholaxa indigens(Meyrick, 1914), are reported for the first time from Korea. Halolaguna sublaxataGozmány is newly known from Isl. Jeju-do. In addition, new localities for the six previously known species are given. A tentative checklist of Lecithoceridae in Korea is provided, with their type depositories.

Background: No previous studies have reported the direct comparison between Ultrasonography (US) and Computed Tomography (CT) features of Calcified Thyroid Nodules (CTNs). Objective: This study aimed to compare the patterns and types of CTNs examined by preoperative neck US and CT. Methods: From January to June 2011, 224 patients who underwent neck US and CT before thyroid surgery were included. Out of the 224 patients, 165 had a CTN showing a clear match on US and CT. The CTN patterns were classified as follows: peripheral, central, and combined. The CTN types were classified as follows: micro-, nodular, eggshell, curvilinear, pure, and mixed. Results: Out of the 165 CTNs in 165 patients, 143 were papillary thyroid carcinomas, 2 follicular thyroid carcinomas, 7 follicular adenomas, and 13 nodular hyperplasias. The most common CTN pattern on US and CT was combined and central, respectively, and a statistical difference was observed in the CTN patterns between US and CT (p < 0.0001). In the type of CTNs, the most common type on US was microcalcification (64.2%, 106/165), whereas the prevalence rate of punctate calcification on CT was only 9.1% (15/165). A statistical difference was observed in the type of CTNs between US and CT (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: US is superior to CT in the evaluation of microcalcifications, whereas macrocalcifications showed the different features between US and CT. Recognizing the different features of CTNs on US and CT may be helpful in the evaluation of thyroid nodules.

ABSTRACTOxidative stress activates macroautophagy/autophagy and contributes to atherogenesis via lipophagic flux, a form of lipid removal by autophagy. However, it is not known exactly how endogenous antioxidant enzymes are involved in lipophagic flux. Here, we demonstrate that the antioxidant PRDX1 (peroxiredoxin 1) has a crucial role in the maintenance of lipophagic flux in macrophages. PRDX1 is more highly expressed than other antioxidant enzymes in monocytes and macrophages. We determined that Prdx1deficiency induced excessive oxidative stress and impaired maintenance of autophagic flux in macrophages. Prdx1-deficient macrophages had higher intracellular cholesterol mass and lower cholesterol efflux compared with wild type. This perturbation in cholesterol homeostasis was due to impaired lipophagic cholesterol hydrolysis caused by excessive oxidative stress, resulting in the inhibition of free cholesterol formation and the reduction of NR1H3 (nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group H, member 3) activity. Notably, impairment of both lipophagic flux and cholesterol efflux was restored by the 2-Cys PRDX-mimics ebselen and gliotoxin. Consistent with this observation, apoe −/−mice transplanted with bone marrow from prdx1−/−apoe−/−mice had increased plaque formation compared with apoe−/−BM-transplanted recipients. This study reveals that PRDX1 is crucial to regulating lipophagic flux and maintaining macrophage cholesterol homeostasis against oxidative stress. We suggest that PRDX1-dependent control of oxidative stress may provide a strategy for treating atherosclerosis and autophagy-related human diseases.

Two species belonging to MeleonomaMeyrick—M. tamraensisPark, sp. nov. and M. breviculaPark, sp. nov.—are described from Jeju Island, Korea, and Meleonoma facialisLi & Wang, 2002 is reported for the first time from Korea. The genus Meleonomais still a source of some debate in terms of the taxonomic position of its family level, and it is tentatively placed in the family Lypusidae.

This study aimed to assess multiple factors influencing the outcomes of ultrasound (US)‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) of salivary gland lesions. From 2008 to 2013, a single radiologist performed US‐guided FNA of salivary gland lesions in 243 patients. With the exclusion of pure cysts, poor image quality, and insufficient static image cases, 218 salivary gland lesions in 218 patients were included. The composition, size, location, and vascularity of the lesions were retrospectively investigated on the basis of sonographic findings by the same radiologist. The relationship between sampling adequacy and multiple factors was compared, and the diagnostic accuracy of US‐guided FNA of salivary gland lesions was calculated by using the final diagnosis as a reference standard. The sampling adequacy rate for US‐guided FNA of the 218 salivary gland lesions was 96.8% (211 of 218). A significant difference was observed in the composition and vascularity of the lesions (P< .0001), whereas there was no significant difference in the patient age and sex, lesion size, lesion location, and needle size. The rate of inadequate sampling increased in predominantly cystic lesions compared with solid lesions as well as in low‐vascularity lesions compared with high‐vascularity lesions. Of the 218 lesions, 178 (81.7%) were ultimately diagnosed, and most were benign (162 of 178 [91.0%]). When 3 cases with indeterminate cytologic results were excluded, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of US‐guided FNA of salivary gland lesions were 64.3%, 98.8%, 81.8%, 97.0%, and 96.0%, respectively. When using US‐guided FNA to diagnose salivary gland lesions, sampling adequacy depends on the composition or vascularity of the lesions.

Gastrodia elata(GE) is traditionally used for treatment of various disorders including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. To investigate the neuroprotective effect of GE, amyloid-β peptide (Aβ)-treated PC12 cells were cultured with GE aqueous extract. In vitroassay demonstrated that 50 µM of pre-aggregated Aβ was lethal to about a half portion of PC12 cells and that Aβ aggregate-induced cell death was significantly decreased with GE treatment at ≤10 mg/mL in a dose-dependent manner. To further examine in vivocognitive-improving effects, an artificial amnesic animal model, scopolamineinjected Sprague-Dawley rats, were orally administered the extract for 6 weeks followed by behavioral tests (the passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test). The results showed that an acute treatment with scopolamine (1 mg/kg of body weight) effectively induced memory impairment in normal rats and that the learning and memory capability of scopolamine-treated rats improved after prolonged administration of GE extract (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg of body weight for 6 weeks). These findings suggest that a GE regimen may potentially ameliorate learning and memory deficits and/or cognitive impairments caused by neuronal cell death.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) via CD36 regulates signals for cell polarization and inhibits macrophage migration. The suggested mechanism is nonmuscle myosin II inhibited by Vav/Rac. This indicates that activated Rac induces retraction of cell front and suggests a mechanism of macrophage trapping in atherosclerotic plaque.

Abstract: Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) allows en bloc resection of the entire lesion, permitting a higher curative resection rate and increased quality of life by minimizing the resection size compared with that of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Although ESD has been implemented at most university hospitals in Korea, potential complications of ESD such as bleeding and perforation raise doubts in the therapeutic decision on use of the ESD procedure for early gastric cancer patients and in reimbursement decision making. This systematic review aimed to address both the effectiveness and safety outcomes of ESD versus EMR for early gastric cancer. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Koreamed were searched using the primary keywords “stomach neoplasm” AND “endoscopic submucosal dissection” AND “endoscopic mucosal resection.” To assess the quality of selected studies, the methodologic approach of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network was used. Five effectiveness-relevant and three safety-relevant outcome measures were extracted. Bibliography management and metaanalysis for each outcome were conducted using Review Manager 5.0. Results: Three nonconcurrent cohort studies and nine retrospective cohort studies were identified. Metaanalyses showed ESD to be significantly more effective than EMR for en bloc resection (odds ratio [OR], 8.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.20–13.67), complete resection (OR, 14.11; 95% CI, 10.85–18.35), curative resection (OR, 3.28; 95% CI, 1.95–5.54), and local recurrence (risk ratio [RR], 0.13; 95% CI, 0.04–0.41). Whereas intraoperative bleeding (RR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.14–4.09), perforation risk (RR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.95–6.55), and operation time (standard mean difference [SMD], 1.55; 95% CI, 0.74–2.37) were significantly greater for ESD, overall bleeding risk (RR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.76–1.98) and all-cause mortality (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.08–5.38) did not differ significantly between ESD and EMR. Conclusions: Considering that bleeding risk did not differ significantly between ESD and EMR and that perforation risk usually does not lead to life-threatening disease, the effectiveness benefit of ESD can outweigh the overall harm compared with EMR on the condition that ESD is performed by experienced practitioners.

This study compared the catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates resulting from the use of four perineal care agents (soap-and-water, skin cleansing foam, 10% povidone-iodine, and normal saline) among patients in intensive care units (ICUs).

The family Prodoxidae is recorded for the first time from Korea, reporting Lampronia flavimitrella(Hübner) which was collected at Jeju-do Island. Redescription of the adult is given, with images of adult and male genitalia.

Spread through air spaces (STAS) is a recently determined pathologic phenomenon of lung cancer with significant prognostic impact. This study aimed to analyze the unexplored correlation between preoperative biopsy procedure and a higher risk of STAS and its impact on STAS-related outcomes in resected stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The purpose of this study is to propose a stiffness reduction factor for flat plate systems under lateral loads. According to current design provisions, slab stiffness under lateral loads should account for stiffness reduction due to the effects of cracks. Several researchers have conducted for evaluating the stiffness reduction in flat plate slab systems under lateral loads. However, no research is found for establishing strength reduction factor with respect to the level of applied moment. This study attempted to propose equations for calculating stiffness reduction factor with respect to the level of applied moment (Ma) represented by the ratio of Ma to the cracking moment of the slab (Mcr). For this purpose, test results of 20 interior slab-column connections were collected. For each specimen, stiffness reduction was measured with respect to Ma/Mcr. To verify the proposed factor, this study conducted the experimental test of interior connection under quasistatic cyclic loading, from which load-deformation curve was obtained. The curve was compared with that obtained from the effective beam width method with the proposed stiffness reduction factor. It shows that the proposed factor accurately predicts stiffness reduction in flat plate systems.

The purpose of this study is to compare the seismic behaviors of interior post-tensioned (PT) and reinforced concrete (RC) flat plate slab-column connections designed to resist only gravity loads. In general, flat plate systems have been used to support gravity loads, which should be constructed with lateral system such as shear walls or moment frames. Flat plate systems should retain the ability to undergo the lateral drift associated with the lateral system without loss of gravity load carrying capacity. Although these systems are common, relatively little experimental study has been conducted to assess actual behavior under lateral loads. Therefore, this study was undertaken to assess the seismic performance of two PT and one RC slab-column interior connection under high gravity loads. This study observed that PT connections had a better seismic performance than corresponding RC connections in terms strength, deformability, energy absorption.

The anti-inflammatory effects of the methanol extract of the roots of Morinda officinalis(MEMO) (Rubiaceae) were evaluated in-vitro and in-vivo. The effects of MEMO on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced responses in the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 were examined. MEMO potently inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Consistent with these results, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) at the protein level, and of iNOS, COX-2 and TNF-α at the mRNA level, was also inhibited by MEMO in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, MEMO inhibited the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation induced by LPS, and this was associated with the prevention of degradation of the inhibitor κB (IκB), and subsequently with attenuated p65 protein in the nucleus. The anti-inflammatory effect of MEMO was examined in rats using the carrageenan-induced oedema model. The antinociceptive effects of MEMO were assessed in mice using the acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction test and the hot-plate test. MEMO (100, 200 mg kg−1per day, p.o.) exhibited anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects in these animal models. Taken together, the data demonstrate that MEMO has anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity, inhibiting iNOS, COX-2 and TNF-α expression by down-regulating NF-κB binding activity.

Black rice bran extract (BRBE), containing various biologically active compounds, such as anthocyanin, has antioxidant activity and numerous pharmacological effects. Here, we aimed to confirm the immunostimulatory effects of BRBE in cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced immunosuppressed cells. Our results confirmed that BRBE exerted an immunostimulatory effect. In vitro, BRBE treatment enhanced cell proliferation, activity of natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and production of CP-repressed cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, and IL-12, and immunoglobulins G and A in isolated splenocytes. Additionally, in vivo, BRBE treatment increased the number of immune cells, such as white blood cells, lymphocyte counts, mid-range absolute counts, and neutrophils in CP-induced immunosuppressed rats. Furthermore, BRBE increased the serum levels of abovementioned inflammatory cytokines and immunoglobulins in CP-induced immunosuppressed rats. In addition, BRBE protected against CP-mediated spleen and thymic tissue damage. Our findings suggest that BRBE could be potentially used as a component of functional food for immunity enhancement.

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CD36 is a membrane glycoprotein that is present on various types of cells, including monocytes, macrophages, microvascular endothelial cells, adipocytes and platelets. Macrophage CD36 participates in atherosclerotic arterial lesion formation through its interaction with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), which triggers signaling cascades for inflammatory responses. CD36 functions in oxLDL uptake and foam cell formation, which is the initial critical stage of atherosclerosis. In addition, oxLDL via CD36 inhibits macrophage migration, which may be a macrophage-trapping mechanism in atherosclerotic lesions. The role of CD36 was examined in in vitro studies and in vivo experiments, which investigated various functions of CD36 in atherosclerosis and revealed that CD36 deficiency reduces atherosclerotic lesion formation. Platelet CD36 also promotes atherosclerotic inflammatory processes and is involved in thrombus formation after atherosclerotic plaque rupture. Because CD36 is an essential component of atherosclerosis, defining the function of CD36 and its corresponding signaling pathway may lead to a new treatment strategy for atherosclerosis.

Recurrent somatic mutation in RNA splicing machinery genes have been identified in a substantial proportion of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The majority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC) or with therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (tAML) are associated with multilineage dysplasia. However, the clinical and biologic characteristics of AML-MRC and tAML with spliceosome mutations have not been elucidated. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency, clinical associations, and prognostic significance of spliceosome mutations in patients with AML-MRC and tAML.A total of 224 patients were included in this study, consisting 190 cases of AML-MRC and 34 of tAML. U2AF1, SRSF2, and SF3B1 mutations are the three most frequent genes involved with spliceosome mutations in myeloid malignancies, and these mutations were detected using standard PCR techniques and direct sequencing.Spliceosome mutations in U2AF1 (S34 and Q157), SRSF2 (P95), and SF3B1 (primarily K700E) were found in 19 (8.5%), 13 (5.8%), and 7 (3.1%) of the 224 patients, respectively. These mutations were mutually exclusive and 17.4% of the patients had one of these mutations. As shown in Table 1, patients with spliceosome mutations had a higher rate of AML-MRC, a prior history of MDS or MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), and intermediate cytogenetic risk compared to patients without mutations. Only one patient with tAML had a spliceosome mutation. Of the patients with AML-MRC diagnosed based solely on MDS-related cytogenetics, only one patient had the U2AF1 mutation. Within the mutation-positive patients, the U2AF1 mutation was associated with younger age (median 47 vs. 66.5 years for other types; P < 0.001), lower WBC count (median 2.4 vs. 10.75 • 109/L for other types; P < 0.001), and higher rate of trisomy 8 (36.8% vs. 0.0% for other types; P = 0.003). The SRSF2 mutation was associated with normal karyotype (61.5% vs. 23.1% for other types, P = 0.03), and the SF3B1 mutation was associated with the presence of ring sideroblasts (71.4% vs. 18.8% for other types, P = 0.012) and a higher rate of complex karyotype (42.9% vs. 3.1% for other types, P = 0.01). There was a trend of male dominance (76.9%) for SRSF2 mutation and a higher frequency of adverse cytogenetic risk (57.1%) for SF3B1 mutation. At the median follow-up of 7.3 months, 122 (54.5%) deaths and 161 (71.9%) events were documented. Overall survival (P = 0.752) and event-free survival (P = 0.864) were similar among patients with or without one of the three mutations, U2AF1, SRSF2, or SF3B1 mutations.U2AF1 was the most frequently mutated spliceosome gene among patients with AML-MRC and tAML. The association of spliceosome mutation with a preceding MDS or MDS/MPN suggests that spliceosome mutation has a unique role in the pathogenesis of progression. Although spliceosome mutations were associated with distinct clinical and biologic features in the cohort presented in this study, none of the features were prognostically relevant.Cho: Asan Institute for Life Sciences: Research Funding. Chi:Asan Institute for Life Sciences: Research Funding. Park:Asan Institute for Life Sciences: Research Funding.