In-House Validation of an Efficient and Rapid Procedure for the Simultaneous Determination and Monitoring of 23 Mycotoxins in Grains in Korea

A high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method is described for the simultaneous determination of mycotoxins, including Ergot alkaloids (EAs), in 3 types of grains. The extraction of 23 mycotoxins was evaluated and performed by using a modified QuEChERS-based sample preparation procedure. The proposed method was fully validated on spiked grain samples (barley, wheat and oat) to assess the linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ), matrix effects, precision and recovery. After validation, this method was applied to 143 samples of various types of 3 grains from the Republic of Korea to survey the level of mycotoxin contamination in Republic of Korean grains. A total of 42 grain samples (29%) were contaminated with at least one of these mycotoxins at levels higher than the LOQ. The results demonstrated that the procedure was suitable for simultaneously determining these mycotoxins in cereals and could be performed for their routine analysis in mycotoxin laboratories.     

A pilot investigation of e‐cigarette use and smoking behaviour among patients with chronic airway disease or respiratory symptoms

BackgroundThis pilot study aimed to investigate the current status of e‐cigarettes (ECs) use patterns among patients with chronic airway disease or chronic respiratory symptoms and the effects of ECs use on respiratory and mental health.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey was conducted at the outpatient clinic of eight teaching hospitals in South Korea between November 2019 and December 2019. All adult ECs users (19 years and above) who visited the outpatient clinic as a patient with chronic airway disease or chronic respiratory symptoms were eligible to participate in this study.ResultsA total of 51 subjects responded to the survey. Most of the participants were male (92.2%) and the mean age was 41.8 years. Dominant airway diseases were asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Most of the subjects had a history of cigarette smoking, and 19 subjects were dual users of current cigarettes and ECs. Most of the subjects started ECs use due to health‐related reasons. When comparing exclusive ECs users and dual users, St. George''s respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) scores, the proportion of cases with moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and average Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence scores for ECs were higher in dual users than exclusive ECs users (mean 4.64 vs. 2.38, p = 0.006), respectively.ConclusionMost of the subjects started ECs use due to health concerns, but dual users have more respiratory symptoms and higher nicotine dependence in this pilot study. One hypothesis that comes from these results is that greater nicotine dependence may influence behaviours, habits, and views about ECs. These preliminary observations need confirmation in a large cohort.     

Revisiting vascular patency after spleen-preserving laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with conservation of splenic vessels

Background

We evaluated vascular patency and potential changes in preserved spleens after laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) with conservation of both splenic vessels.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the patency of conserved splenic vessels in patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic splenic vessel-conserving SPDP from January 2006 to August 2010. The patency of the conserved splenic vessels was evaluated by abdominal computed tomography and classified into three grades according to the degree of severity.

Results

Among 30 patients with splenic vessel-conserving laparoscopic SPDP, 29 patients with complete follow-up data were included in this study. During the follow-up period (median: 13.2?months), grades 1 and 2 splenic arterial obliteration were observed in one patient each. A total of five patients (17.2%) showed grade 1 or 2 obliteration in conserved splenic veins. Most patients (82.8%) had patent conserved splenic vein. Four patients (13.8%) eventually developed collateral venous vessels around gastric fundus and reserved spleen, but no spleen infarction was found, and none presented clinical relevant symptoms, such as variceal bleeding. There was no statistical difference in vascular patency between the laparoscopic and robotic groups (P?>?0.05).

Conclusions

Most patients showed intact vascular patency in conserved splenic vessels and no secondary changes in the preserved spleen after laparoscopic splenic vessel-conserving SPDP.     

Continued Postoperative Use of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitors for the Prevention of Crohn’s Disease Recurrence

Background/AimsMany patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) undergo intestinal resection during the disease course. Despite surgery, postoperative recurrence (POR) commonly occurs. Although postoperative use of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) inhibitors is known to be effective in preventing POR, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of continuing the same TNF-α inhibitors postoperatively in patients who received TNF-ɑ inhibitors before surgery.MethodsThis retrospective observational study was performed in a single tertiary medical center. We retrospectively reviewed patients who had undergone the first intestinal resection due to CD and divided them into two groups TNF-α inhibitor users in both the preoperative and postoperative periods, and TNF-α inhibitor users in only the preoperative period. We compared the clinical outcomes between these two groups.ResultsIn total, 45 patients who used TNF-α inhibitors preoperatively were recruited. Among them, TNF-α inhibitors were used postoperatively in 20 patients (44.4%). The baseline characteristics except age at diagnosis were similar in both groups. The rates of surgical and endoscopic recurrence were not different between the two groups, but the cumulative clinical recurrence rate was significantly lower in the postoperative TNF-α inhibitors group (log-rank p=0.003). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, postoperative TNF-α inhibitors use was significantly associated with a decreased risk of clinical recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.204; 95% confidence interval, 0.060 to 0.691; p=0.011).ConclusionsContinuing TNF-α inhibitors postoperatively in patients who were receiving TNF-α inhibitors before surgery significantly reduced the rate of clinical recurrence. For patients with CD who received TNF-α inhibitors preoperatively, continuing their use after surgery could be recommended.     

Exploration of Zero-Valent Iron Stabilized Calcium–Silicate–Alginate Beads’ Catalytic Activity and Stability for Perchlorate Degradation

Perchlorate contamination in groundwater poses a serious threat to human health, owing to its interference with thyroid function. The high solubility and poor adsorption of perchlorate ions make perchlorate degradation a necessary technology in groundwater contaminant removal. Here, we demonstrate the perchlorate degradation by employing nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) embedded in biocompatible silica alginate hybrid beads fabricated using calcium chloride (1 wt%) as a crosslinker. The concentration of precursors (sodium alginate, sodium silicate) for bead formation was standardized by evaluating the thermal stability of beads prepared at different sodium silicate and alginate concentrations. Thermal degradation of silica alginate hybrid samples showed a stepwise weight loss during the thermal sweep, indicating different types of reactions that occur during the degradation process. The formation of the silica alginate hybrid structure was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) data revealed the surface morphology of silica alginate hybrid changes by varying sodium silicate and alginate concentrations. nZVI-loaded alginate–silicate polymer bead (nZVI-ASB) exhibited excellent perchlorate degradation efficiency by degrading 20 ppm of perchlorate within 4 h. Our study also showed the perchlorate degradation efficiency of nZVI-ASB is maximum at neutral pH conditions.     

Effect of PRX-1 Downregulation in the Type 1 Diabetes Microenvironment

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by dysregulation of the immune system in the pancreatic islets, which eventually leads to insulin-producing pancreatic β-cell death and destabilization of glucose homeostasis. One of the major characteristics of T1D pathogenesis is the production of inflammatory mediators by macrophages that result in destruction or damage of pancreatic β-cells. In this study the inflammatory microenvironment of T1D was simulated with RAW264.7 cells and MIN6 cells, acting as macrophages and pancreatic β-cells respectably. In this setting, peroxiredoxin-1, an anti-oxidant enzyme was knocked down to observe its functions in the pathogenesis of T1D. RAW264.7 cells were primed with lipopolysaccharide and co-cultured with MIN6 cells while PRX-1 was knocked down in one or both cell types. Our results suggest that hindrance of PRX-1 activity or the deficiency of this enzyme in inflammatory conditions negatively affects pancreatic β-cell survival. The observed decrease in viability of MIN6 cells seems to be caused by nitric oxide production. Additionally, it seems that PRX-1 affects previously reported protective activity of IL-6 in pancreatic β cells as well. These results signify new, undiscovered roles for PRX-1 in inflammatory conditions and may contribute toward our understanding of autoimmunity.     

CTLA-4-Tg/CD-28-KO Mice Exhibit Reduced T Cell Proliferation in vivo Compared to CD-28-KO Mice in a Graft-versus-host Disease Model

Activated T cells express inhibitory receptors such as CTLA-4 that can downregulate immune responses. Blockade of or genetic deficiency in CTLA-4 can result in autoimmunity. Therefore, strategies to increase the inhibitory function of CTLA-4 may be attractive in settings of undesirable T cell responses such as autoimmunity or transplant rejection. We have tested the hypothesis that transgenic constitutive expression of CTLA-4 can further attenuate immune responses when compared with normal inducible expression. Our results indicate that transgenic expression of CTLA-4 in mouse T cells (CTLA-4-Tg T cells) results in reduced cell cycle progression and increased apoptosis of TCR-stimulated T cells. CTLA-4-Tg T cells display reduced T cell proliferation in an in vivo model of graft versus host disease (GVHD). These results further our understanding of how CTLA-4 can be manipulated to inhibit immune responses and may help development of new therapeutic strategies for clinical settings of autoimmunity and transplantation.     

Atypical Developmental Venous Anomaly Associated with Single Arteriovenous Fistula and Intracerebral Hemorrhage: a Case Demonstrated by Superselective Angiography

We present a case of developmental venous anomaly associated with arteriovenous fistula supplied by a single arterial feeder adjacent to a large acute intracerebral hemorrhage. The arteriovenous fistula was successfully obliterated by superselective embolization while completely preserving the developmental venous anomaly. Two similar cases, including superselective angiographic findings, have been reported in the literature; however, we describe herein superselective angiographic findings in more detail and demonstrate the arteriovenous shunt more clearly than the previous reports. In addition, a literature review was performed to discuss the association of a developmental venous anomaly with vascular lesions.