Effects of Transglutaminase 2 Inhibition on Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury

This study was performed to examine the role of transglutaminase 2 (TG2) in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). C57BL/6 mice were divided into six experimental groups: 1) control group; 2) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group; 3) lung protective ventilation (LPV) group; 4) VILI group; 5) VILI with cystamine, a TG2 inhibitor, pretreatment (Cyst+VILI) group; and 6) LPV with cystamine pretreatment (Cyst+LPV) group. Acute lung injury (ALI) score, TG2 activity and gene expression, inflammatory cytokines, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity were measured. TG2 activity and gene expression were significantly increased in the VILI group (P < 0.05). Cystamine pretreatment significantly decreased TG2 activity and gene expression in the Cyst+VILI group (P < 0.05). Inflammatory cytokines were higher in the VILI group than in the LPS and LPV groups (P < 0.05), and significantly lower in the Cyst+VILI group than the VILI group (P < 0.05). NF-κB activity was increased in the VILI group compared with the LPS and LPV groups (P < 0.05), and significantly decreased in the Cyst+VILI group compared to the VILI group (P = 0.029). The ALI score of the Cyst+VILI group was lower than the VILI group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.105). These results suggest potential roles of TG2 in the pathogenesis of VILI.

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Pertussis Seroprevalence in Korean Adolescents and Adults Using Anti-Pertussis Toxin Immunoglobulin G

This study was conducted to evaluate age-specific seroprevalence of pertussis in Korea and to formulate a strategy to prevent and reduce the incidence of pertussis. Residual serum samples of healthy adolescents and adults 11 yr of age or older were collected between July 2012 and December 2012, and anti-pertussis toxin (PT) IgG titers were measured using a commercial ELISA kit. We compared the mean anti-PT IgG titers and seroprevalence of pertussis of the six age groups: 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, and ≥ 61 yr. A total of 1,192 subjects were enrolled. The mean anti-PT IgG titer and pertussis seroprevalence were 35.53 ± 62.91 EU/mL and 41.4%, respectively. The mean anti-PT IgG titers and seroprevalence were not significantly different between the age groups. However, the seroprevalence in individuals 51 yr of age or older was significantly higher than in individuals younger than 51 yr (46.5% vs 39.1%, P = 0.017). Based on these results, a new pertussis prevention strategy is necessary for older adults.

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Clinicopathologic Analysis of Pituitary Adenoma: A Single Institute Experience

Pituitary adenoma (PA) is a common benign neuroendocrine tumor; however, the incidence and proportion of hormone-producing PAs in Korean patients remain unknown. Authors analyzed 506 surgically resected and pathologically proven pituitary lesions of the Seoul National University Hospital from 2006 to 2011. The lesions were categorized as: PAs (n = 422, 83.4%), Rathke''s cleft cysts (RCCs) (n = 54, 10.6%), inflammatory lesions (n = 8, 1.6%), meningiomas (n = 4), craniopharyngiomas (n = 4), granular cell tumors (n = 1), metastatic renal cell carcinomas (n = 2), germinomas (n = 1), ependymomas (n = 1), and unsatisfactory specimens (n = 9, 1.8%). PAs were slightly more prevalent in women (M: F = 1:1.17) with a mean age of 48.8 yr (9-80 yr). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that prolactin-producing PAs (16.6%) and growth hormone-producing adenomas (9.2%) were the most common functional PAs. Plurihormonal PAs and nonfunctioning (null cell) adenomas were found in 14.9% and 42.4% of patients with PAs, respectively. The recurrence rate of PAs was 11.1%, but nearly 0% for the remaining benign lesions such as RCCs. 25.4% of patients with PAs were treated by gamma-knife after surgery due to residual tumors or regrowth of residual tumor. In conclusion, the pituitary lesions and the proportions of hormone-producing PAs in Korean patients are similar to those of previous reports except nonfunctioning (null cell) PAs, which are unusually frequent.

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The Influence of Depression,Anxiety and Somatization on the Clinical Symptoms and Treatment Response in Patients with Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Suggestive of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

This is the first study to investigate the influence of depression, anxiety and somatization on the treatment response for lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). The LUTS/BPH patients were evaluated with the Korean versions of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the PHQ-15. The primary endpoint was a responder rate defined by the total score of IPSS (≤ 7) at the end of treatment. The LUTS/BPH severity was significantly higher in patients with depression (whole symptoms P = 0.024; storage sub-symptom P = 0.021) or somatization (P = 0.024) than in those without, while the quality of life (QOL) was significantly higher in patients with anxiety (P = 0.038) than in those without. Anxious patients showed significantly higher proportion of non-response (odds ratio [OR], 3.294, P = 0.022) than those without, while somatic patients had a trend toward having more non-responders (OR, 2.552, P = 0.067). Our exploratory results suggest that depression, anxiety and somatization may have some influences on the clinical manifestation of LUTS/BPH. Further, anxious patients had a lower response to treatment in patients with LUTS/BPH. Despite of limitations, the present study demonstrates that clinicians may need careful evaluation of psychiatric symptoms for proper management of patients with LUTS/BPH.

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Impact of ENPP1 K121Q on Change of Insulin Resistance after Web-Based Intervention in Korean Men with Diabetes and Impaired Fasting Glucose

Ectoenzyme nucleotide pyrophosphate phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) gene has been studied in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance (IR). We hypothesized that the difference in genotype may be one of the factors that affect the outcome of intervention. We genotyped 448 men with fasting glucose≥5.6 mM/L, including 371 in subjects with K allele (KK) (69 control group [CG]; and 302 intervention group [IG]) and 77 in subjects with Q allele (KQ+QQ) (13 CG and 64 IG). The web-based intervention based on a lifestyle modification was delivered by e-mail once a month for 10 months. In the KK, IG demonstrated significantly decreased levels of fasting serum insulin (FSI) as compared to CG and homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). In the KQ+QQ IG group, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), FSI and HOMA-IR were significantly decreased, and showed further reduction in the HOMA-IR than KQ+QQ CG. After analysis of covariance, K121Q did significantly influence the change of HbA1c in CG after appropriate adjustment. In a multivariate model, BMI change predicted HOMA-IR change (adjusted β=0.801; P=0.022) in KK IG subjects with T2DM. ENPP1 K121Q did not influence the change in IR. However, individuals with T2DM carrying the K121 variant are very responsive to the effect of BMI reduction on HOMA-IR.

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Application of Lidocaine Jelly on Chest Tubes to Reduce Pain Caused by Drainage Catheter after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of lidocaine jelly application to chest tubes on the intensity and duration of overall pain, chest tube site pain and the required analgesics for postoperative pain relief in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients. For patients in group L, we applied sterile 2% lidocaine jelly on the chest tubes just before insertion, and for patients in group C, we applied normal saline. Overall visual analogue scale (VAS), maximal pain area with their VAS were documented postoperatively, and the frequency that button of patient-controlled analgesia was pressed (FPB) and total fentanyl consumption were assessed. The number of patients who complained that tube site was the most painful site was significantly higher in group C than in group L (85% vs. 30% at extubation, P<0.001). The overall VAS score was significantly higher in group C than in group L (39.14±12.49 vs. 27.74±13.76 at extubation, P=0.006). After all of the tubes were removed, the VAS score decreased more in group C (5.74±4.77, P<0.001) than in group L (3.05±2.48, P<0.001). FPB and total fentanyl consumption were significantly higher in group C than in group L (73.00, 59.00-78.00 vs. 34.00, 31.00-39.25, P<0.001; 2,214.65±37.01 vs. 1,720.19±361.63, P<0.001, respectively). Lidocaine jelly application is a very simple way to reduce postoperative pain by reducing chest tube site pain after CABG. (Clinical Trials Registry No. ACTRN 12611001215910)     

A Case Report of Testicular Sparganosis Misdiagnosed as Testicular Tumor

Sparganosis is a parasitic infestation of human by plerocercoid larvae. Sparganum is usually reported to be found in the subcutaneous tissues as well as other organs, including scrotum. However, testicular sparganosis is extremely rare, because of strong capsule of tunica albuginea. An urban-living 54-yr-old Korean man presented with left scrotal pain for 6 yr. Both testes look normal physically. Ultrasonography revealed poorly defined, heterogeneous mass with increased echogenicity in the left testis. This case was misdiagnosed as testicular tumor and underwent orchiectomy, but was diagnosed as testicular sparganosis by histopathology. Sparganosis should be included for differential diagnosis of testis tumor in countries where sparganosis is prevalent.

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Prevalence of Osteoporosis in Female Patients with Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty

This study sought to demonstrate bone mineral density (BMD) conditions in elderly female patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In addition, we sought to determine whether their BMD conditions differ from those of community-based females without knee OA. Finally we sought to determine whether clinical statuses are related to BMD in the knee OA patients. BMD conditions in 347 female patients undergoing TKA and 273 community-based females were evaluated. Additionally, comparative analyses of BMD between age and body mass index-matched knee OA groups (n=212) and the control groups (n=212) were performed. In the pre-matched knee OA group, regression analyses were performed to determine whether preoperative clinical statuses were related to BMD. Considerable prevalence of coexistent osteoporosis (31%) was found in the pre-matched knee OA patients undergoing TKA. We found no significant differences of the BMD T-scores and the prevalence of osteoporosis between the age and body mass index-matched knee OA and control groups. In the pre-matched knee OA patients, poorer preoperative clinical scores were related to poorer BMD T-scores in the proximal femur and/or lumbar spine. Our study suggests that more attention should be paid to identify and treat osteoporosis in elderly female patients with advanced knee OA undergoing TKA.

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Simple preparation of graphene quantum dots with controllable surface states from graphite

Graphite is economic and earth-abundant carbon precursor for preparing graphene quantum dots (GQDs). Here, we report a facile and green approach to produce GQDs from graphite flakes via a pulsed laser ablation (PLA) method assisted by high-power sonication. A homogeneous dispersion of graphite flakes, caused by high-power sonication during PLA, leads to the formation of GQDs following a laser fragmentation in liquid (LFL) rather than laser ablation in liquid (LAL) mechanism. The final product of GQDs exhibits the distinct structural, chemical, and optical properties of pristine graphene itself. However, graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) with abundant surface oxygen-rich functional groups are readily formed from graphite flakes when high-power sonication is not employed during the PLA process. GQDs and GOQDs show a significantly different luminescence nature. Hence, selective production of either functional GQDs or GOQDs can be achieved by simply turning the high-power sonication during the PLA process on and off. We believe that our modified PLA process proposed in this work will further open up facile and simple routes for designing functional carbon materials.

The proposed technique enables selectively producing graphene quantum dots (on-GQDs) and graphene oxide quantum dots (off-GOQDs) by depending on the applying sonication during the pulsed laser ablation process.     

肱动脉内皮功能与颅内动脉粥样硬化性狭窄的相关性

目的 探讨缺血性脑血管病患者肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张和非内皮依赖性血管舒张与颅内动脉狭窄的相关性。方法 将67例缺血性脑血管病患者根据有无颅内血管狭窄分为两组,颅内血管狭窄组和对照组。对两组患者一般资料及肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张功能、非内皮依赖性血管舒张功能进行对比分析,并进一步分析肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张功能、非内皮依赖性血管舒张功能与颅内血管狭窄数量的相关性。结果 颅内动脉狭窄组有50例,对照组有17例,年龄、肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张功能、非内皮依赖性血管舒张功能、高血压病、糖尿病、既往卒中或短暂性脑缺血发作史与颅内动脉硬化性狭窄相关,且肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张功能（rs-0.869,P0.000）与非内皮依赖性血管舒张功能 （rs－0.490,P0.000）分别与颅内血管狭窄的数量存在负相关关系。非条件Logistic回归分析得出肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张可作为评估颅内动脉硬化性狭窄的独立因素,以肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张功能值为2.95%时诊断颅内动脉硬化性狭窄的可能性最大。结论 颅内动脉硬化性狭窄患者存在肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张功能的降低,且肱动脉血流介导的血管扩张功能可能对颅内血管狭窄有一定的预测价值。