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This study was investigated to test whether the zygote recognized the topoisomerase II beta (TOP2B) mediated DNA fragmentation in epididymal spermatozoa or the nuclease degradation in vas deferens spermatozoa by testing for the presence of gammaH2AX (γH2AX). The γH2AX is phosphorylation of histone protein H2AX on serine 139 occurs at sites flanking DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs). The presence of γH2AX in the pronuclei of mouse zygotes which were injected with DNA broke epididymal spermatozoa was tested by immunohistochemistry at 5 and 9 h post fertilization, respectively. Paternal pronuclei that arose from epididymal spermatozoa treated with divalent cations did not stain for γH2AX at 5 h. On the other hand, in embryos injected with vas deferences spermatozoa that had been treated with divalent cations, γH2AX was only present in paternal pronuclei, and not the maternal pronuclei at 5 h. Interestingly, both pronuclei stained positively for γH2AX for all treatments and controls at 9 h after sperm injection. In conclusion, the embryos recognize DNA that is damaged by nuclease, but not by TOP2B because H2AX in phosphorylated in paternal pronuclei resulting from spermatozoa treated with fragmented DNA from vas deferens spermatozoa treated with divalent cations, but not from epididymal spermatozoa treated the same way.

Objectives: Controversies regarding effectiveness of intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IONM) in resection of brainstem cavernous malformations (CMs) have been argued. Immediate postoperative surgical outcomes, long term functional outcomes including cranial nerve deficits prognosis and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were investigated. Methods: Total 47 patients of brainstem CMs who underwent surgery from January 2000 to November 2016 were identified and analyzed. All patients' clinical, radiological and surgical records were obtained and reviewed. Results: The incidence of aggravation of immediate postoperative pre-existing neurological deficits in surgery without IONM and with IONM group were 41.7% and 20%, respectively (p = 0.04). The incidence of newly developing postoperative neurological deficits in surgery without IONM and with IONM were 50% and 20%, respectively (p = 0.06). The postoperative surgical complications such as intracerebral hemorrhage/intraventricular hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, hydrocephalus were occurred 16.6% vs 8.7% in surgery without IONM and with IONM group, respectively (p = 0.06). The functional outcomes of each cranial nerve were not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant factor affecting immediate postoperative neurological deterioration in univariate analysis. The mRS after 1-year in surgery with IONM group showed statistically significant improvement compared to preoperative and 1-month postoperative period (from 3.4 to 1.87, p

The strain designated as AN120528T was isolated from farmland soil in South Korea. This strain grows well on R2A medium at 28 °C. The cells are an off-white colour and have no hyphae. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strain is a member of the genus Shimazuella with a 98.11% similarity to Shimazuella alba KC615T and a 97.05% similarity to S. kribbensis KCTC 9933T, respectively. The strain AN120528T shares common chemotaxonomic features with the other two type strains in the genus. It has MK-9 (H4) and MK-10 (H4) as its predominant menaquinones. The major fatty acids are iso-C14:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C16:0. Diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), lipids (L), and aminolipids (AL) were identified as the major cellular polar lipids. Analysis of the peptidoglycan showed the presence of meso-diaminopimelic acid. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that the genome of the strain is approximately 3.3 Mbp in size. The strain showed a 77.5% average nucleotide identity (ANI) with S. alba KC615T. The genomic DNA (gDNA) G + C content is 39.0%. Based on polyphasic taxonomy analysis, it is proposed that this strain, AN120528T, represents a novel species in the genus Shimazuella, designated as Shimazuella soli sp. nov. The type stain is AN120528T (=KCTC 39810T = DSM 103571T). Furthermore, shimazuellin I, a new 15-amino-acid peptide, was discovered in the AN120528T through genome mining; it has the features of a lasso peptide, containing eight amino acids (-G-Q-G-G-S-N-N-D-) that form a macrolactam ring and seven amino acids (-D-G-W-Y-H-S-K-) that form a tail.

Uncovering tumor markers of colorectal cancer is important for the early detection and prognosis of the patients. Spermine oxidase (SMOX) is upregulated in various cancers. The present study aims to explore the biologic function and expression patterns of SMOX in colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most common type of cancer worldwide. We used quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot, and in vitro functional studies in four CRC cell lines knocked down by SMOX siRNA and immunohistochemistry in 350 cases of CRC tissues. The results showed that SMOX was overexpressed in CRC cell lines and clinical samples. SMOX overexpression in tumor tissues was an independent prognostic factor, worsening overall survival (p = 0.001). The knock-down of SMOX inhibited CRC cell proliferation, invasion, and soft agar colony formation, uncovering its carcinogenic functions. This study indicated that SMOX overexpression could be an important oncogene in CRC and might serve as a valuable prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for CRC.

Control of nematode has become difficult owing to the restricted use of effective soil fumigant, methyl bromide, and other non-fumigant nematicides. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to develop microbial nematicide to replace chemical nematicides. In this study, the 50% aqueous methanol extraction solution of fermentation broths of 2,700 actinomycete strains were tested for their nematicidal activity against second stage of juveniles (J2s) of Meloidogyne incognita. As the results, only the 50% aqueous methanol extraction solution of AN110065, at 20% equivalent to 10% fermentation broth, showed strong nematicidal activity with 78.9% of mortality 24 h after treatment and 94.1% of mortality at 72 h. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the strain sequence was 99.78% identical to Streptomyces netropsis. The extract of S. netropsis AN110065 fermentation broth was successively partitioned with ethyl acetate and butanol and then the ethyl acetate, butanol and water layers were investigated for their nematicidal activity against the M. incognita. At 1,000 mg/ml, ethyl acetate layer showed the strongest activity of 83.5% of juvenile mortality 72 h after treatment. The pot experiment using the fermentation broth of AN110065 on tomato plant against M. incognita displayed that it evidently suppressed gall formation at a 10-fold diluent treatment. The tomato plants treated with the fermentation broth of S. netropsis AN110065 did not show any phytotoxicity. The results suggest that S. netropsis AN110065 has a potential to serve as microbial nematicide in organic agriculture.

Objective: Intracranial atypical meningiomas have a poor prognosis and high rates of recurrence. Moreover, up to one-third of the recurrences undergo high-grade transformation into malignant meningiomas. We aimed to investigate the clinical factors that can predict the propensity of malignant transformation from atypical to anaplastic meningiomas. Methods: Between 2001 and 2018, all patients with atypical meningioma, in whom the tumors had undergone malignant transformation to anaplastic meningioma, were included. The patients' medical records documenting the diagnosis of atypical meningioma prior to malignant transformation were reviewed to identify the predictors of transformation. The control group comprised 56 patients with atypical meningiomas who were first diagnosed between January 2017 and December 2018 and had no malignant transformation. Results: Nine patients in whom the atypical meningiomas underwent malignant transformation were included. The median time interval from diagnosis of atypical meningioma to malignant transformation was 19 months (range, 7-78). The study group showed a significant difference in heterogeneous enhancement (77.8% vs. 33.9%), bone invasion (55.6% vs. 12.5%), mitotic index (MI; 14.8±4.9 vs. 3.5±3.9), and Ki-67 index (20.7±13.9 vs. 9.5±7.1) compared with the control group. In multivariate analysis, increased MI (odds ratio, 1.436; 95% confidence interval, 1.127-1.900; p=0.004) was the only significant factor for predicting malignant transformation. Conclusion: An increased MI within atypical meningiomas might be used as a predictor of malignant transformation. Tumors at high risk for malignant transformation might require more attentive surveillance and management than other atypical meningiomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and fabrication of a silicon-processed microgripper used in biomedical and microtelerobotic applications is discussed. The gripper, which features an SiO2 masking layer, is produced through the low-pressure-chemical-vapor deposition of a two micrometer thick phosphosilicate glass layer. Laboratory experiments have validated the capability of this microgripper for the high-precision seizing of microscopic objects.

BACKGROUND: Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a plant disease that causes serious damage to pine trees. PWD occurs when the host plant is infected with pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. In this study, a compound with nematicidal activity was isolated from actinomycetes and its efficacy was investigated in vitro. RESULT: We screened and selected Streptomyces sp. 680560, which had nematicidal activity against B. xylophilus. Based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis, it showed 99.93% similarity with Streptomyces blastmyceticus NRRB-5480T . Furthermore, the active compound was isolated and identified as teleocidin B4. Teleocidin B4 at concentrations ranging from 6.25 to 100 ∼M had low nematicidal activity after 24 and 36 h against adult and stage juveniles (J2) of B. xylophilus, but after 48 h nematicidal activity exceeded 95%. The rate of inhibition of egg hatching for Teleocidin B4 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 ∼M was confirmed to be dose-dependently inhibited after 48 h of treatment. Teleocidin B4 is not only toxic to hatched B. xylophilus, but also affects egg hatching. CONCLUSION: This study was carried out to isolate actinomycete metabolites from pine tree endophytes from various natural environments for control of PWD. A compound with nematicidal activity was isolated from a selected strain and its structure was identified as teleocidin B4. The nematicidal effect of the isolated active substance, teleocidin B4, was confirmed. This is the first report of the effect of teleocidin B4 on B. xylophilus, suggesting its possibility as a PWD control agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenoma (PA) is an extremely rare functioning form of PA that accounts for 0.7-2% of all such cases. The previously reported outcomes of the surgical removal of TSH-PA are poor. Owing to its extremely low incidence, most available reports on TSH-PA are case reports or small case series. Thus, we investigated the clinical and endocrinological outcomes of surgically treated TSH-PA through our institutional series. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 14 consecutive cases of surgically treated TSH-PA, focusing on the clinical, radiological, surgical, and endocrinological data. Results: There were seven male (50%) and seven female (50%) patients. The mean age was 42.5 years (range, 19-63). The mean tumor size was 16.6 mm (range, 4-30). Optic chiasm compression was noted in six patients (42.9%), and no patient showed cavernous sinus invasion. Thirteen of 14 patients (92.8%) underwent transnasal transsphenoidal approach (TSA), and one patient underwent TSA followed by transcranial approach for residual tumor removal. Thirteen of 14 patients (92.8%) showed endocrinological remission; all patients who experienced remission showed subnormal levels of TSH (<0.4 µU/mL) on postoperative day 2. Recurrence occurred in two patients (14.2%). One patient underwent subsequent revision transnasal TSA for recurrent tumor removal, and the other patient underwent gamma knife radiosurgery for recurrence. Conclusion: Surgical treatment showed excellent surgical outcomes. The TSH level in the immediate postoperative period may be a predictor for endocrinological remission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether evidence for a positive relationship between stock market volatility and the equity premium is more decisive when the volatility feedback effects of large and persistent changes in market volatility are taken into account. The analysis has two components. First, a log-linear present value framework is employed to derive a formal model of volatility feedback under the assumption of Markov-switching market volatility. Second, the model is estimated for a variety of assumptions about information available to economic agents. The empirical results suggest the existence of a negative and significant volatility feedback effect, supporting a positive relationship between stock market volatility and the equity premium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper estimates a model for the real U.S./U.K. exchange rate. The Kalman filter is used to identify a permanent and a transitory component. We find the variance of the transitory component shifts among three states according to a Markov-switching process. The model is estimated by Gibbs sampling. The transitory component appears to be driven by temporary monetary phenomena. The shifts of variance occur at times of historically significant monetary events. We find the permanent component is cointegrated with relative per capital income levels, as in the Balassa-Samuelson hypothesis. The data support a model that contains a transitory component driven by monetary phenomena and a permanent component driven by relative income levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Milton Friedman's model, output cannot exceed a ceiling level but occasionally is "plucked" downward by recession, implying fluctuations are asymmetric, recessions transitory, and recessions duration dependent though expansions are not. The empirical literature lends support, but formal modeling has been absent. The econometric model presented here encompasses both plucking and symmetric fluctuations around a stochastic trend. We find GDP is well characterized by the plucking model, implied recessions correspond to NBER reference cycles, and no role for symmetric cycles. Decomposition of the unemployment rate reveals a corresponding asymmetry and timing. Paths of ceiling output and trend unemployment are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of central questions to macroeconomics and finance has been whether macroeconomic factors are useful predictors for expected stock returns. The general consensus is somewhat surprising in that financial factors, rather than macroeconomic factors, have predictive power on stock returns. Such predictability of financial factors is justified on the ground that those factors can act as a proxy for future business conditions and undiversifiable risk. Hence, they should be priced in terms of expected returns. However, as suggested by Campbell, S., and F. Diebold. 2009. "Stock Returns and Expected Business Conditions: Half a Century of Direct Evidence." Journal of Business & Economic Statistics 27 (2): 266-278, such a justification can be puzzling because macroeconomic factors are likely to have a closer and more direct link to future business conditions than financial factors. In this paper, we will attempt to solve this puzzling problem by accounting for market volatility when measuring the relationship between stock returns and macroeconomic factors. As a result, we propose a unified framework in which the three components of macroeconomic factors, market volatility, and stock returns are jointly embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective : We investigated the effect of optimization in dose-limiting shell method on the dosimetric quality of CyberKnife (CK) plans in treating brain metastases (BMs). Methods : We selected 19 BMs previously treated using CK between 2014 and 2015. The original CK plans (CKoriginal) had been produced using 1 to 3 dose-limiting shells : one at the prescription isodose level (PIDL) for dose conformity and the others at lowisodose levels (10-30% of prescription dose) for dose spillage. In each case, a modified CK plan (CKmodified) was generated using 5 dose-limiting shells : one at the PIDL, another at intermediate isodose level (50% of prescription dose) for steeper dose fall-off, and the others at low-isodose levels, with an optimized shell-dilation size based on our experience. A Gamma Knife (GK) plan was also produced using the original contour set. Thus, three data sets of dosimetric parameters were generated and compared. Results : There were no differences in the conformity indices among the CKoriginal, CKmodified, and GK plans (mean 1.22, 1.18, and 1.24, respectively; p=0.079) and tumor coverage (mean 99.5%, 99.5%, and 99.4%, respectively; p=0.177), whereas the CKmodified plans produced significantly smaller normal tissue volumes receiving 50% of prescription dose than those produced by the CKoriginal plans (p<0.001), with no statistical differences in those volumes compared with GK plans (p=0.345). Conclusion : These results indicate that significantly steeper dose fall-off is able to be achieved in the CK system by optimizing the shell function while maintaining high conformity of dose to tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reversible switching of high-speed air-liquid two-phase flow systems by electrically modifying surface energy of microchannels is demonstrated. The actuation method introduces a novel mechanism that takes advantage of two-phase flow dynamics in combination with the engineering of surface chemistry.

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) has been investigated in cancer primarily in terms of its angiogenic function, and its role as an oncogene has yet to be elucidated. The current study hypothesized that Ang‑2 may be an oncogene and have a function in tumor progression. An investigation of the function of Ang‑2 in the LoVo colorectal cancer (CRC) cell line in vitro, which expresses a high level of Ang‑2, was performed by knocking down endogenous expression with a targeted short hairpin RNA. The aggressive phenotypic effects of Ang‑2 on experimental and control group cells were assessed using cell proliferation, migration and invasion assays. The association between Ang‑2 expression levels and clinicopathological factors was evaluated in 415 CRC tissues using immunohistochemistry. Suppressing Ang‑2 expression decreased cellular proliferation, invasion and migration in an in vitro study. Ang‑2 overexpression was observed in 46% of patients with CRC and was significantly associated with pT (P=0.048), pN (P<0.001), venous invasion (P=0.023), lymphatic invasion (P<0.001) and tumor‑node‑metastasis stage (P=0.022). Furthermore, Ang‑2 overexpression was an independent prognostic factor in pN stages 1 and 2. These results reveal that Ang‑2 may be an oncogene in colorectal carcinogenesis and its expression may exert aggressive phenotypic effects during tumor progression. In addition, Ang‑2 expression may serve as a prognostic marker and a potential drug target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we relax the assumption of constant regime-specific mean growth rates in Hamilton's (1989) two-state Markov-switching model of the business cycle. We introduce a random walk hierarchy prior for each regime-specific mean growth rate and impose a cointegrating relationship between the mean growth rates in recessionary and expansionary periods. By applying the proposed model to postwar U.S. real GDP growth (1947:Q4-2011:Q3), we uncover the evolving nature of the regime-specific mean growth rates of real output in the U.S. business cycle. Additional features of the postwar U.S. business cycle that we uncover include a steady decline in the long-run mean growth rate of real output over the postwar sample and an asymmetric error-correction mechanism when the economy deviates from its long-run equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mature cystic teratoma (MCT) of the ovary is benign germ cell tumor and shows the highest incidence in women of reproductive age. Histologically, it includes components derived from endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Although there have been many reports of MCT having small part of the intestinal component, ovarian MCT containing complete colon structure was very rare. Case presentation: A 54-year-old woman underwent laparoscopic left salpingo-oophorectomy due to an incidentally found ovarian mass. The pathologic diagnosis of the ovary was MCT containing complete colonic structure. The colonic wall exhibited complete structure of the large intestine composed of mucosa, submucosa, proper muscle, subserosa and serosa. It also contained sebaceous gland, sweat glands, fat tissue, and bone. The patient recovered without any complications. Conclusion: Immunohistochemical staining can be used for differential diagnosis between MCT with colonic wall and mucinous tumor. We report a very rare case of MCT that had complete colon structure with a brief literature review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective : To assess the impact of the complete resection of craniopharyngioma (CP) in adults on oncologic and functional outcomes. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed 82 patients with CP who were surgically treated by the same neurosurgeon at our institution between January 1994 and December 2012. Results : Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 71 patients (86.6%), near total resection (NTR) in 7 patients (8.5%), and subtotal resection (STR) in 3 patients (3.7%). The disease-specific overall survival rate was 100% with the exclusion of 2 surgery-related mortalities. The overall recurrence rate was 12.2% (10 of 82 patients), however the recurrence rate according to extent of resection (EOR) was 9.9% (7 of 71 patients) after GTR, 14.3% (1 of 7 patients) after NTR, and 66.7% (2 of 3 patients) after STR. The overall recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates at 5 and 10 years were 87.0% and 76.8%, respectively. Postoperatively, most patients (86.3%) needed hormone replacement for at least 1 hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Vision improved in 56.4% of the patients with preoperative abnormal vision, but deteriorated in 27.4% of patients. Hypothalamic dysfunction developed in 32.9% of patients. There were no significant differences in the risks of pituitary dysfunction, visual deterioration, or hypothalamic dysfunction between the groups with complete vs. incomplete removal. The overall rate of postoperative complications was 22.0%, which did not differ between groups (p=0.053). Conclusion : The complete removal of a CP at first surgery can provide a chance for a cure with acceptable morbidity and mortality risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pineal parenchymal tumors (PPTs) in adults are rare, and knowledge regarding their optimal management and treatment outcome is limited. Herein, we present the clinical results of our series of PPTs other than pineoblastomas managed by stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) at upfront setting. Methods: Between 1997 and 2014, nine consecutive adult patients with the diagnosis of PPTs, either pineocytoma or pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation, were treated with SRS. There were 6 men and 3 women. The median age was 39 years (range, 31-53 years). All of the patients presented with symptoms of hydrocephalus. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy and biopsy was done for initial management. After histologic diagnosis, patients were treated with Gamma Knife with the mean dose of 13.3 Gy (n=3) or fractionated Cyberknife with 32 Gy (n=6). Results: After a mean follow-up of 78.6 months (range, 14-223 months), all patients were alive and all of their tumors were locally controlled except for one instance of cerebrospinal fluid seeding metastasis. On magnetic resonance images, tumor size decreased in all patients, resulting in complete response in 3 patients and partial response in 6. One patient had experienced temporary memory impairment after SRS, which improved spontaneously. Conclusion: SRS is effective and safe for PPTs in adults and can be considered as a useful alternative to surgical resection at upfront setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the risks and pattern of evolution of peritumoral brain edema (PTE) after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for asymptomatic intracranial meningiomas. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 320 patients (median age 56 years, range 24-87 years) who underwent primary Gamma Knife radiosurgery for asymptomatic meningiomas between 1998 and 2012. The median tumor volume was 2.7 cc (range 0.2-10.5 cc) and the median follow-up was 48 months (range 24-168 months). Volumetric data sets for tumors and PTE on serial MRIs were analyzed. The edema index (EI) was defined as the ratio of the volume of PTE including tumor to the tumor volume, and the relative edema indices (rEIs) were calculated from serial EIs normalized against the baseline EI. Risk factors for PTE were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Newly developed or increased PTE was noted in 49 patients (15.3%), among whom it was symptomatic in 28 patients (8.8%). Tumor volume larger than 4.2 cc (p<0.001), hemispheric tumor location (p=0.005), and pre-treatment PTE (p<0.001) were associated with an increased risk of PTE. rEI reached its maximum value at 11 months after SRS and decreased thereafter, and symptoms resolved within 24 months in most patients (85.7%). Conclusion: Caution should be exercised in decision-making on SRS for asymptomatic meningiomas of large volume (>4.2 cc), of hemispheric location, or with pre-treatment PTE. PTE usually develops within months, reaches its maximum degree until a year, and resolves within 2 years after SRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery for large brain metastases (BMs). Methods: Between June 2011 and December 2013, a total of 38 large BMs >3.0 cm in 37 patients were treated with fractionated Cyberknife radiosurgery. These patients comprised 16 men (43.2%) and 21 women, with a median age of 60 years (range, 38-75 years). BMs originated from the lung (n=19, 51.4%), the gastrointestinal tract (n=10, 27.0%), the breast (n=5, 13.5%), and other tissues (n=3, 8.1%). The median tumor volume was 17.6 cc (range, 9.4-49.6cc). For Cyberknife treatment, a median peripheral dose of 35 Gy (range, 30-41 Gy) was delivered in 3 to 5 fractions. Results: With a median follow-up of 10 months (range, 1-37 months), the crude local tumor control (LTC) rate was 86.8% and the estimated LTC rates at 12 and 24 months were 87.0% and 65.2%, respectively. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 16 and 11 months, respectively. The estimated OS and PFS rates at 6, 12, and 18 months were 81.1% and 65.5%, 56.8% and 44.9%, and 40.7% and 25.7%, respectively. Patient performance status and preoperative focal neurologic deficits improved in 20 of 35 (57.1%) and 12 of 17 patients (70.6%), respectively. Radiation necrosis with a toxicity grade of 2 or 3 occurred in 6 lesions (15.8%). Conclusion: These results suggest a promising role of fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery in treating large BMs in terms of both efficacy and safety [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]