Search

An assessment of paraspinal muscle degeneration based on magnetic resonance imaging has been used to investigate both sarcopenia and myosteatosis. The morphologic changes in cross-sectional area and fat infiltration of the paraspinal muscles can affect pain outcomes after epidural steroid injection.Patients ≥65 years of age who underwent fluoroscopy-guided lumbar epidural steroid injections were enrolled. Good analgesia was defined as ≥50% reduction in pain score at 4 weeks after injection. Cross-sectional area and grade of fat infiltration of the paraspinal muscles on magnetic resonance images at the level of L3-L4 disc were measured. Patient demographics, pain-related factors, clinical factors, and paraspinal muscle measurements were compared between good and poor analgesia groups. The factors associated with pain outcomes after injection were identified using multivariate analysis.A total of 245 patients consisting of 149 and 96 patients in the good and poor analgesia groups, respectively, fully satisfied the study criteria for analysis. Patients of older age, opioid use, and high-grade foraminal stenosis were frequently observed in the poor analgesia group. The grade of fat infiltration of the paraspinal muscles was significantly higher in the poor analgesia group (Grade 2, 20.8% vs. 42.7%, p 0.001), and this result was predominantly observed in female patients. However, there was no difference in the muscle cross-sectional area between the two groups (18.29 ± 3.16 vs. 18.59 ± 3.03 cmHigh fat infiltration of the paraspinal muscles at the mid-lumbar region appeared to be an independent factor associated with poor analgesia after epidural steroid injection in elderly patients with symptomatic degenerative lumbar spinal disease receiving conservative care. However, the cross-sectional area of the paraspinal muscles was not associated with pain relief after injection.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with joint inflammation and destruction driven by T helper 17 (Th17) cells. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is secreted by many cell types, including macrophages and synovial fibroblasts. It induces the differentiation and function of Th17 cells that can increase lymphocytic infiltration in the joint. LMT-28 can suppress IL-6 signalling through direct binding to glycoprotein-130 and alleviate inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. The purpose of this study was to assess whether LMT-28 could potently inhibit Th17 differentiation and to determine the mechanism involved in the attenuating effect of LMT-28 on rheumatoid arthritis through the IL-6 signalling pathway. LMT-28 reduced the arthritis score and showed protective effects against bone and cartilage destruction in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice. In mice with CIA, LMT-28 markedly decreased serum levels of IL-6, TNF and IL-1β compared to vehicle control. Moreover, LMT-28 attenuated Th17 cell activation in lymph nodes of CIA mice. We demonstrated that LMT-28 suppressed differentiation of Th17 in mouse splenocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Additionally, LMT-28 inhibited phosphorylation of GP130, STAT3 and ERK induced by Hyper-IL-6 in human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Collectively, these results suggest that LMT-28 can inhibit differentiated/activated-Th17 cells in rheumatoid arthritis by blocking activation of the STAT3 pathway. LMT-28 can attenuate rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting differentiation/activation of Th17 cells and suppressing the proliferation and signalling activation of the IL-6/solubleIL-6 receptor complex stimulated FLS.

AIMS This study aimed to compare the psychometric properties of two measures of eHealth literacy, namely, the Korean versions of the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (K-DHLI) and eHealth Literacy Scale (K-eHEALS), among older adults in South Korea. BACKGROUND Given the usefulness of eHealth information, measures of eHealth literacy have been developed. It is necessary to examine the validity of such tools among older adults who are likely to experience difficulties in using eHealth resources. METHODS A validation study was conducted using the secondary data of 180 older adults in South Korea. Two weeks after they had responded to the K-DHLI and K-eHEALS, 89 of them completed the assessments a second time so that the assessments' test-retest reliability could be examined. Using the collected data, their reliability (i.e. internal consistency, test-retest reliability) and validity (i.e. construct validity and criterion validity) were examined. RESULTS Both tools demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (α ≥ 0.90, item-total correlation coefficients = .39-.76) as well as good test-retest reliability with intraclass correlation coefficients .77 and .84, respectively. The 21 items of the K-DHLI loaded onto five factors, which accounted for 71% of the variance. The 10 items of the K-eHEALS loaded onto a single factor, which explained 58% of the total variance. The scores of both tools were strongly correlated (r = .63) and positively related to attitudes towards internet health information and subjective health status (r = .23-.50). CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that the K-DHLI and K-eHEALS are reliable and valid tools that can be used to assess the utilisation of eHealth resources by older adults. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The findings can help healthcare providers choose a suitable measure of eHealth literacy when working with older adults.

With the growth of photoenergy harvesting and thermal engineering, photothermal materials (PTMs) have attracted substantial interest due to their unique functions such as localized heat generation, spatiotemporal thermal controllability, invisibility, and light harvesting capabilities. In particular, π-conjugated organic PTMs show advantages over inorganic or metallic PTMs in thin film applications due to their large light absorptivity, ease of synthesis and tunability of molecular structures for realizing high NIR absorption, flexibility, and solution processability. This review is intended to provide an overview of organic PTMs, including both molecular and polymeric PTMs. A description of the photothermal (PT) effect and conversion efficiency (ηPT ) for organic films is provided. After that, the chemical structure and optical properties of organic PTMs are discussed. Finally, emerging applications of organic PT films from the perspective of spatiotemporal thermal engineering principles are illustrated.

To arrest the normal cell abscission in mammalian cells, testis-expressed gene 14 (TEX14) competitively binds to the midbody protein centrosomal protein 55 kDa (CEP55). To gain further insights into the interactions between CEP55 and TEX14 (or ALIX), we performed molecular modeling studies. Molecular dynamics simulation indicated that CEP55-EABR (ESCRT and ALIX-binding region) formed a stable coiled coil in the absence of TEX14 (or ALIX) peptides. We also identified interaction sites between CEP55-EABR and TEX14 (or ALIX) responsible for the stability of the complex by calculating H-bonding and van der Waals interaction maps. Biochemical studies also suggested that CEP55 (residues 230–464) forms an elongated coiled coil. The overall architecture of CEP55 and detailed analyses of the interactions between CEP55-EABR and TEX14 (or ALIX) gives more specific atomistic details about interactions between CEP55 and TEX14 (or ALIX), which is not easy to identify in experiments.

Purpose Obtaining predictable and aesthetically pleasing interdental papilla is challenging in dental reconstruction. Hyaluronic acid gel has been successfully used to reduce facial creases and similar abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to clinically assess the efficiency of interdental papilla reconstruction with injectable hyaluronic acid gel. Materials and Methods Ten patients with 43 treated sites in the maxillary anterior region were studied. Photographic standardization devices were designed for image analysis before treatment. This treatment was repeated up to five times during 3-week intervals. Patients were followed 6 months after initial gel application. Results Twenty-nine sites had complete papilla reconstruction and 14 sites improved from 39 to 96% of interdental papilla reconstruction rate. Complete interdental papilla reconstruction was performed when black triangle at initial examination had area of ≤0.25 mm2, height of ≤1mm, or width of ≤0.5mm. Conclusion Injectable hyaluronic acid gel may be a promising treatment for enhancing papillary esthetics. Clinical Significance Interdental papilla reconstruction with injectable hyaluronic acid gel can be suggested as a minimally invasive treatment option for interdental papilla deficiencies in small areas. However, long-term results of this treatment beyond 6 months are not yet known. (J Esthet Restor Dent 28:221–230, 2016)

Pyridopyrazine derivatives have been known as Wnt-2/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibitors. Wnt-2 overexpression may be involved in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A novel 2-(4-[ 18F]fluorobutoxy)-3-(phenylethynyl)pyrido[3,2-b]pyrazine was prepared to demonstrate the feasibility of NSCLC imaging agent by uptake of Wnt-2 protein. It was synthesized with tosylated precursor using [ 18F]fluoride in radiochemical yield of 44–48%. In cellular uptake evaluation, H460 and H1299, Wnt-2 expressed cancer cell lines, showed 2.5-folds higher cellular uptake than that of MCF10A as a control.

To evaluate the performance and safety of a newly developed blood warmer (ThermoSens), we tested its heating capability under various conditions using isotonic saline and hemolysis analysis with swine blood. The following two in vitro tests were performed: (i) To investigate the performance of the device, the inflow and outflow temperatures were measured at various flow rates (30, 50, and 100 mL/min) using cold (5°C) and room temperature (20°C) isotonic saline (0.9%). Several parameters were measured including the highest temperature of the outlet, the time required to reach the highest temperature, and the temperature of the intravenous line. (ii) To investigate the safety of the device, a hemolysis test was performed using swine blood. We obtained 320 mL of whole blood from swine and refrigerated the blood for 35 days at 3°C. In order to replicate the clinical situation, blood flow by gravity and pressure (300 mm Hg) was used. Before and after the heating test, blood samples were obtained and a comparison was made between these samples. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, lactate dehydrogenase, and plasma hemoglobin were used for red blood cell (RBC) damage analysis. The highest outlet temperatures obtained using flow rates of 30, 50, and 100 mL/min were 39.10 ± 0.59, 39.25 ± 0.69, and 37.63 ± 1.03°C, respectively, with cold saline, and 39.40 ± 0.40, 39.66 ± 0.36, and 39.49 ± 0.49°C, respectively, with room temperature saline. Hemolysis tests showed no significant changes in hemoglobin, hematocrit, lactate dehydrogenase, or plasma hemoglobin (P > 0.05) between before and after heating for both gravity and pressure blood flow. The ThermoSens blood warmer warms isotonic saline effectively, reaching temperatures up to 36°C under various conditions. Hemolysis tests showed no RBC damage. Therefore, the newly developed ThermoSens has good heating performance and is safe for RBC products.

Background and Objectives Occult breast cancer (OBC) accounts for 0.3–1.0% of all breast cancers and is a rare presentation of the disease. The present retrospective study examined the overall survival and prognostic factors associated with OBC in Korea. Method The study included 142 OBC patients identified from the Korean Breast Cancer Society cancer registry from January 1990 to December2009. All patients had pathologically positive axillary lymph nodes (N1–N3) and pathologically and radiologically negative in-breast lesions (T0/Tx) based on a retrospective review of the database. Results No statistically significant differences in overall survival were observed between patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) only (80.8%), breast conserving surgery (BCS) with ALND (98.0%), and mastectomy with ALND (92.5%) with P-value of 0.061. Nodal status was a significant prognostic factor (P = 0.004) on univariate analysis. When compared with T1 patients group, T0/TxN1 patients showed better survival than T1N1 patients (hazard ratio [HR] 0.253; 95% confidence interval, 0.104–0.618; P = 0.003), but T0/TxN2, T0/TxN3 patients showed similar survival to T1N2, T1N3 patients. Conclusions OBC patients treated with ALND only showed comparable outcomes to those undergoing ALND combined with BCS or mastectomy. Nodal status may be an independent predictor of poor outcome in OBC patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 110:270–274. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is a bone marrow failure disease with an autosomal dominant inheritance from mutations in ELANE. Here, we report a 7-week-old Korean male with SCN. His elder sister died from pneumonia at 2 years. Direct sequencing of ELANE in the proband identified a heterozygous novel frameshift mutation: c.658delC (p.Arg220Glyfs20*). Family study involving his asymptomatic parents with normal cell counts revealed that his father had the same mutation, but at a lower burden than expected in a typical heterozygous state. Further molecular investigation demonstrated somatic mosaicism with ~18% mutant alleles. We concluded the proband inherited the mutation from his somatic mosaic father.

ABO-incompatible (ABO-i) kidney transplantation (KT) has emerged for overcoming the shortage of organ donors. Although this technique initially achieved only low graft survival due to isoagglutinin, recently developed desensitization protocols have improved survival to levels that are comparable to ABO-compatible KT. However, isoagglutinin is still regarded as a major obstacle to ABO-i KT. In this study, we evaluate the impact of isoagglutinin titer on clinical outcomes as well as factors that may influence isoagglutinin titers. In total, data from 95 patients who underwent ABO-i KT were analyzed. Preoperatively, rituximab administration and plasmapheresis were performed until the titer was reduced to ≤1:4. Retrospective analysis included blood group; timing and dosage of rituximab; isoagglutinin titer; number of plasmapheresis; and clinical outcomes including graft survival and serum creatinine. Graft survival was 95.8% (n = 91) and average serum creatinine at 1- and 1.5-year post-ABOi-KT was 1.3. Three patients died of sepsis. The identified predictors of titer-rebound after transplant were short interval (

Skin is constantly exposed to physical and chemical stressors. The exposure of keratinocytes to ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation causes epidermal damage via induction of apoptosis. Erythroid differentiation regulator 1 (Erdr1) modulates growth and survival of cells under various stressful conditions, but the function of Erdr1 in human keratinocyte apoptosis has not been investigated so far. Here, we investigated the effect of Erdr1 on UVB-induced apoptosis in human keratinocytes and also examined the underlying regulatory mechanism. First, Erdr1 expression was detected in human primary keratinocytes and normal human skin tissues. Expression of Erdr1 was enhanced in human keratinocytes following UVB irradiation. Knock-down of Erdr1 led to resistance to UVB-induced apoptosis. Also, Erdr1 overexpression increased UVB-induced apoptosis and induced caspase-3 activation. Furthermore, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor PD98059 and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor SB203580 significantly reduced Erdr1 expression following UVB irradiation. These results indicate that UVB induces Erdr1 via a MAPK-dependent mechanism. Taken together, these findings suggest that Erdr1 has a role as a proapoptotic factor in human keratinocytes and acts via ERK and p38 MAPK pathways. Therefore, Erdr1 may be a potential therapeutic target to reduce apoptosis in keratinocytes in conditions such as psoriasis and skin cancer.

Vitamin C is used as an anti-ageing agent because of its collagen enhancing effects. The precise cellular signalling mechanism of vitamin C is not well known. Here, we investigate the profibrotic mechanism of vitamin C against LL-37. Antimicrobial peptide LL-37 decreases collagen expression at mRNA and protein levels in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The ability of LL-37 to inhibit collagen expression is dependent on phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). HDFs and human keloid fibroblasts were treated with vitamin C followed by 2 h of LL-37 treatment. Collagen mRNA expression and total soluble collagen production inhibited by LL-37 was enhanced by treatment with 0.5 mm vitamin C. Vitamin C also decreased intracellular reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) levels that were increased by LL-37. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of ERK was analysed by Western blot following treatment with vitamin C and LL-37. Vitamin C turned off phosphorylation of ERK that was induced by LL-37. Ets-1 transcriptional factor, which is involved in the regulation of collagen expression by LL-37, was also inhibited by vitamin C. This study shows that vitamin C enhances collagen production by inhibiting the ERK pathway induced by LL-37.

Background and Objective Acne scarring is a common complication of acne but no effective single treatment modality has been developed. To compare the efficacy of 1,550 nm Er:Glass fractional laser and chemical reconstruction of skin scar (CROSS) method in the treatment of acne scars. Study Design/Materials and Methods A split-face trial was conducted in 20 patients (10 rolling, 10 icepick types) with acne scars. One side was treated with the 1,550 nm Er:Glass fractional laser three times with a 6-week interval. And the other side was treated with CROSS method two times every 12 weeks. Results Significant improvement was observed in both sides of the face. In rolling type, the objective and subjective improvement rates were significantly higher in the sides treated with laser than CROSS method. However, in icepick type, there were no statistically significant differences between the two treatment sides. In the laser sides, grades of pain were significantly higher than that of treated with CROSS method. However, downtimes and lasting days of erythema were significantly longer in the sides treated with CROSS method. Conclusion A 1,550 nm Er:Glass fractional laser and CROSS method are both well-tolerated and effective treatment options in the acne scars. However, there was a relatively small difference between the two treatment modalities. Therefore, dermatologists should consider the acne scar type to select the treatment options. Lasers Surg. Med. 41:545–549, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Psychological stress is known to aggravate inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and contact sensitivity by altering the cellular constituents of the immune system. The skin appendages function dually as prominent targets and sources of the peripheral corticotropin-releasing hormone-proopiomelanocortin (CRH-POMC) axis. In this study, we examined the expression level of CRH-POMC axis constituents in psoriasis, a well-known stress-related inflammatory skin disease. The 15 psoriasis patients and six normal controls were retrospectively selected after extensive review of their clinical records and skin biopsy specimens. We immunohistochemically analysed the expressivity of CRH, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in various types of psoriatic lesions and control skin. A significant increase of CRH expression was observed in psoriatic lesions, which involved the entire epidermis (upper layer in particular), hair follicles and sweat glands compared with controls. Expression of ACTH and alpha-MSH was clearly stimulated in a subset of psoriasis patients compared with controls, but on the whole, lacked statistical significance. The immunoreactivity of CRH, ACTH and alpha-MSH in psoriasis was not dependent on its clinical subtype, duration or number of previous treatments. Compared with the definite increase of CRH expression in psoriasis, the expression of the POMC peptides was heterogenous with no overall significance. From the findings, we suggest that CRH, a key stress hormone, may play an important role in the pathomechanism of psoriasis.

Tannic acids (TAs) are believed to be the key active components in plants, and are believed to be responsible for their anti-inflammatory, anti-viral effects and chemoprevention of cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms for the action of TA are unclear. This study examined the effects of TA on cutaneous inflammation with a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). Interleukin-18 (IL-18) has multiple effects upon various cells involved in inflammatory response. In this study, the IL-18 mRNA expression and protein levels were reduced by a TA pretreatment. UV radiation can trigger the induction of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent signalling cascade. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis was performed to determine if TA regulate the MAPK signalling pathway. TA significantly inhibited the activation of p38 MAPK and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases. Moreover, TA-inhibited UVB enhanced the expression of the inflammatory mediators, IL-1, IL-6, tumor necrotic factor-alpha, cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E(2) in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. The topical application of TA on mouse skin treated with UVB irradiation has shown that TA inhibited the formation of erythema. These findings suggest that TA has significant anti-inflammatory effects on the UVB-induced response on the skin and may be a candidate natural compound for the regulation of cutaneous inflammation.

Psychological factors are believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA), a frequently encountered hair disorder. In our study, statistically significant elevation of psychological stress was felt by AA patients prior hair loss compared with control, which was strongly believed contributory to hair loss (t-test, P < 0.01). The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA have been identified in the basal layer of the epidermis and pilosebaceous units of the normal scalp. And with the recent discovery of melanocytes and dermal fibroblasts capable of corticosterone production, the presence of a local stress response system resembling the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been suggested. The local stress response system is involved in regulation of the normal hair cycle, but its precise role in AA is unknown. The influence of a local HPA axis or rather, CRH-POMC axis in AA was investigated by analysing immunohistochemically the expression levels of CRH and POMC peptides, including the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), in a number of AA lesions and normal scalp (as control). The epidermis and pilosebaceous units of normal scalp stained weakly with CRH, ACTH and alpha-MSH, whereas those from the affected sites of the AA group showed intense expression of the peptides (chi-square test, P < 0.01). The meaning of this enhanced expression and their role in the pathogenesis of AA should be further evaluated in future.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) inhibits the mitogenic and antiapoptotic activity of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) by blocking the binding of IGF to its receptor. However, under certain circumstances, IGFBP-3 can enhance the activity of IGF by protecting IGF from degradation. More than half of the interindividual variations in IGFBP-3 levels are known to be genetically determined by the polymorphism at -202 locus of IGFBP-3 gene. Therefore, we attempted to ascertain whether the A-202C polymorphic variation of IGFBP-3 gene constitutes a risk factor for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our study included 209 NSCLC patients and 209 age-, gender- and smoking status-matched control subjects. The frequencies of each polymorphic variation in the control population were as follows: AA = 95 (45.5%), AC = 91 (43.5%) and CC = 23 (11.0%). In the NSCLC subjects, the genotypic frequencies were as follows: AA = 131 (62.7%), AC = 73 (34.9%) and CC = 5 (2.4%). We detected statistically significant differences in the genotypic distribution between the NSCLC and the control subjects (p < 0.05, Pearson's chi-square test). The NSCLC risk correlated significantly with AA genotype. Using CC genotype as a reference, the odds ratio for the subjects with AC genotype was 2.45 (95% CI = 1.17-5.40) and that for the ones with AA genotype was 4.58 (95% CI = 2.17-10.30). These results indicate that the dysregulation of IGF axis should now be considered as another important risk factor for NSCLC and a potential target for novel antineoplastic therapies and/or preventative strategies in high-risk groups.

The human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide LL-37 regulates apoptosis of several cell types. Defective apoptosis of skin fibroblasts may contribute to systemic sclerosis (SSc). Here, we show that LL-37 inhibited apoptosis of SSc fibroblasts and identified the signalling pathways by which LL-37 mediates apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry showed that cathelicidin expression was enhanced in SSc patients compared with healthy controls. In addition, LL-37 decreased sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced apoptosis of SSc fibroblasts. LL-37 significantly increased expression of Bcl-2 and decreased levels of BAX protein. Pretreatment with LL-37 decreased activation of caspase-3 following SNP-treatment. Moreover, exposure of SSc fibroblasts to LL-37 resulted in increased expression of COX-2 and stimulation of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). Furthermore, LL-37 induced phosphorylation of ERK and the ERK inhibitor PD98059 blocked the inhibitory effect of LL-37 on apoptosis. Our data indicate that LL-37 may be associated with skin sclerosis by inhibiting apoptosis of dermal fibroblasts.

Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by thrombocytopenia from failure of megakaryopoiesis. CAMT is one of the bone marrow failure syndromes, and the disease progression may involve other lineages leading to pancytopenia. The genetic background of CAMT is mutations in the MPL gene encoding the thrombopoietin receptor. Here, we describe a Korean male with CAMT. Molecular genetic analyses by direct sequencing revealed that he was compound heterozygous for two nonsense mutations in MPL, Tyr63X (c.189C>A), and Arg357X (c.1069C>T), the latter being a novel mutation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:??–??. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Purpose The authors report three cases with solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the orbit with variable clinical presentation. Methods The authors identified three patients with a diagnosis of SFT, and clinical histories, radiographs and pathologic specimens were reviewed. Results Two SFTs are reported arising in the lacrimal gland fossa of a 24-year-old male and a 26-year-old female and a retrobulbar SFT is reported occurring in a 40-year-old female. While two patients had slow growth histories, one patient had a history of rapid progression. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were strongly positive for CD34 in all three cases. Conclusion The clinical presentation of the orbital SFT may be varied. Immunohistochemical analysis may help in the diagnosis of solitary fibrous tumor and the treatment is en bloc excision. A careful follow-up is necessary because it may recur years after excision of the primary tumor.

Bowen's disease (BD) is a squamous cell carcinoma in situ characterized by a well-demarcated scaly erythematous thin plaque with an irregular outline. Clinically, BD is frequently misdiagnosed as superficial basal cell carcinoma, patches of dermatitis, psoriasis, lichen planus, actinic keratosis, benign lichenoid keratosis, irritated seborrheic keratosis, viral warts, amelanotic melanoma or melanoma. However, angiosarcoma has not usually been mentioned in the differential diagnosis of BD before. Herein, we describe two cases of BD presenting as purpura on the scalp of the elderly with an initial clinical suspicion of angiosarcoma.

— The action spectrum for the generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) from mitochondrial membranes under aerobic conditions was measured at wavelengths between 360 and 600 nm, using sub-mitochondrial particles (SMP) prepared from soybean hypocotyls. The spectrum, showing a peak at about 420 nm, remarkably resembles the absorption spectra of the Fe-S centers of nonheme iron proteins. Disruption of the Fe-S centers by treating SMP with mersalyl acid resulted in a substantial decrease in the efficiency of 1O2 generation, leaving an action spectrum whose pattern is significantly similar to the absorption spectrum of flavins, at least in the region of near UV and blue light wavelengths. Estimating the contribution of the Fe-S centers to the generation of 1O2 from SMP, we suggest that the Fe-S centers act as very important endogenous photosensitizers in plant cells, in so far as the type II mechanism is concerned. Possible involvement of mitochondrial flavoproteins in the generation of 1O2 is also discussed.

Dendritic degeneration and loss of synaptic proteins are early events correlated with functional decline in neurodegenerative disease. The temporal and mechanistic relationship between synapse loss and cell death, however, remains unclear. We used confocal microscopy and image processing to count post-synaptic sites on rat hippocampal neurons by expressing post-synaptic density protein 95 fused to green fluorescent protein. Fluorescent puncta co-localized with neurotransmitter release sites, NMDA-induced Ca2+ increases and NMDA receptor immunoreactivity. During excitotoxic neurodegeneration, synaptic sites were lost and synaptic transmission impaired. These changes were mediated by NMDA receptors and required Ca2+-dependent activation of the proteasome pathway. Tracking synapses from the same cell following brief neurotoxic insult revealed transient loss followed by recovery. The time-course, concentration-dependence and mechanism for loss of post-synaptic sites were distinct from those leading to cell death. Cells expressing p14ARF, which inhibits ubiquitination of post-synaptic density protein 95 and prevents loss of synaptic sites, displayed an increased sensitivity to glutamate-induced cell death. Thus, excitotoxic synapse loss may be a disease-modifying process rather than an obligatory step leading to cell death. These results demonstrate the importance of assessing synaptic function independent of neuronal survival during neurodegeneration and indicate that this approach will be useful for identifying toxins that degrade synaptic connections and for screening for agents that protect synaptic function.

We recently developed room-temperature deposited pyrochlore-structure Bi1.5Zn1.0Nb1.5O7 (BZN) insulator having the high dielectric constant (∍=50) and low leakage current. Using the high-K BZN film as a gate insulator, we fabricated pentacene OTFTs operating at low voltage. We fabricated 12 × 12 OTFT-driven OLED. We are integrating the OLED array with the low-voltage high-K pentacene OTFT.