Wogonin inhibits osteoclast formation induced by lipopolysaccharide

To evaluate the inhibitory activity of wogonin against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bone resorption, we investigated the effect of wogonin on osteoclastogenesis induced by LPS. Wogonin inhibited LPS-induced osteoclastogenesis in co-cultures of mouse calvaria-derived osteoblasts and bone marrow-derived pre-osteoclasts. Wogonin also suppressed osteoclastogenesis in LPS-injected mouse calvaria. In osteoblasts, the upregulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANKL) expression and the downregulation of osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression by LPS were inhibited by wogonin. Wogonin and NS-398, a COX-2 inhibitor, suppressed LPS-stimulated PGE₂ production in osteoblasts. NS-398 inhibited the effect of LPS on RANKL and OPG expression in osteoblasts. These results suggest that wogonin acts as an inhibitor of LPS-induced osteoclastogenesis through downregulation of RANKL and upregulation of OPG expression via blockage of PGE₂ production. Based on these results, wogonin has potential for use as a therapeutic agent in bacteria-induced bone resorption. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A prospective randomized study on the use of nadroparin calcium in the prophylaxis of thromboembolism in Korean patients undergoing elective total hip replacement

Summary. Because of the belief that post-operative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is rare in Asian patients, thromboprophylaxis is not usually prescribed for surgical patients. This study reports an open multi-centre controlled study of the use of a low molecular weight heparin, nadroparin calcium (Fraxoparine Sanofi France), as opposed to no prophylaxis in 100 patients undergoing uncemented total hip replacement. The patients had bilateral venography performed preoperatively and 10 days after operation. Eight patients (16%) developed DVT in the control group of 50 patients and 1 (2%) in the treatment group, also of 50 patients. Pulmonary embolus occurred in 1 patient in the treatment group and in 3 in the control group. Intraoperative and postoperative blood loss did not differ significantly between the two groups. Our study suggests that the incidence of DVT in Asian patients, though somewhat less than in their Western counterparts, is still considerable. It confirms the safety and efficacy of nadroparin calcium in preventing post-operative DVT in patients undergoing elective total hip replacement.

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Résumé. A cause de l’idée selon laquelle la thrombose veineuse profonde post-opéraloire est rare parmi les patients asiatiques, la tromboprophylaxie pour les patients opérés est inhabituelle. Nous avons accompli une étude, comparant la prophylaxie au moyen d’héparine de bas poids moléculaire en utilisant du calcium nadroparine (Fraxiparine Sanofi France) et la non-prophylaxie sur 100 patients subissant un remplacement total de la hanche. Les patients ont subi une vénographie bilatérale avant l’opération et 10 jours après. Huit patients (16%) ont développé une thrombose veineuse dans le groupe de contr?le, contre 1 (2%) dans le groupe traité (p = 0.015, 95% CI 0.02 – 0.67). Trois embolies pulmonaires sont survenues dans le groupe de contr?le et 1 dans le groupe traité (p = 0.27 95% CI 0.04 – 2.44) aucune n’étant fatale. La perte de sang intra-opératoire et post-opératoire n’a pas varié de manière significative entre les deux groupes. Notre étude démontre que l’incidence de la thrombose veineuse profonde post-opératoire chez les patients asiatiques est notable bien qu’elle soit moindre que dans les pays occidentaux et confirme la s?reté et l’efficacité du calcium nadroparine pour la prévenir aprés un remplacement total de la hanche.

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Accepted: 19 March 1997     

Impact of clinical history on fracture detection with radiography

The effect of knowledge of localizing symptoms and signs in the detection of fractures was studied. Forty radiographs of the extremities were examined twice by seven radiologists; the sessions were separated by 4 months. In 26 cases, a subtle fracture was present; 14 cases were normal. In half of the cases at each session, the precise location of pain, tenderness, or swelling was provided. The observer was asked to determine if the case was normal or abnormal (provide the exact location of the fracture) and to indicate the degree of confidence in the diagnosis. Responses were converted to a numeric scale for analysis. Analysis of receiver operator characteristic parameters indicates that clues regarding location of trauma facilitate detection of fractures. The improvement is based largely on an increased true-positive rate without an increased false-positive rate, regardless of the decision criteria of the radiologist (overall willingness to "overread" or "underread"). This has direct clinical applicability and reinforces the plea of radiologists for precise clinical information.     

Multiplex PCR for the detection of genes encoding aminoglycoside modifying enzymes and methicillin resistance among Staphylococcus species

We developed multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect aac(6 ')/aph(2 "), aph(3 ')-IIIa, and ant(4 ')-Ia, the genes encoding the most clinically relevant amino-glycoside modifying enzymes (AME), and simultaneously, the methicillin resistant gene, mecA, in Staphylococcus species. Clinical isolates of 45 S. aureus and 47 coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) from tertiary university hospitals were tested by conventional susceptibility testing, using the agar dilution method and by multiplex PCR. Of a total of 92 isolates, 61 isolates were found to be methicillin-resistant. Of these, 54 isolates (89%) were found to be harboring mecA. Seventy-five percent of the 92 isolates demonstrated resistance to at least one of the aminoglycosides tested. Moreover, resistance to aminoglycosides was closely associated with methicillin-resistance (p<0.05). The most prevalent AME gene was aac(6 ')/aph(2 ") which was found in 65% of the isolates, and ant(4 ')-Ia and aph(3 ')-IIIa were present in 41% and 9% of the isolates, respectively. The concordance between methicillin-resistance and the presence of mecA gene was 98% in S. aureus and 81% in CNS. The concordance between gentamicin resistance and the presence of aac(6 ')/aph(2 ") gene was 100% in S. aureus and 85% in CNS. The multiplex PCR method that we developed appears to be both a more rapid and reliable than conventional method.     

Overexpression of S100A4 is closely related to the aggressiveness of gastric cancer

Elevated levels of the calcium-binding protein S100A4 cause metastasis of benign rat mammary tumor cells. To investigate whether S100A4 plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancers, we examined the gene mutations in the coding regions and expression patterns of the S100A4 in gastric adenocarcinoma in Korea. Moderate to strong expression of S100A4 was found in 53 (68.8%) of the 77 gastric adenocarcinomas, whilst normal gastric epithelium either failed to stain or showed weak staining. Interestingly, S100A4 expression was more frequently observed in gastric cancer patients with advanced gastric cancer (p=0.039), positive lymph node metastasis (p=0.001), and peritoneal dissemination (p=0.022). No gene mutations were found in the analyzed genomic area in 77 gastric adenocarcinomas and 15 gastric cancer cell lines. We found one single nucleotide polymorphism without an amino acid change, A99G, in two cases. These data suggest that the overexpression of S100A4 may be closely related to the aggressiveness of gastric cancer in Korea.     

Lymph node infarction – a rare complication associated with disseminated intra vascular coagulation in a case of dengue fever

Background  

Lymph node infarction is known to occur in association with many non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions however its occurrence in association with DIC is not reported hitherto in the literature.     

Loss of claudin-1 expression induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition through nuclear factor-κB activation in colorectal cancer

Objective

The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinicopathological significance and prognostic role of loss of claudin-1 in colorectal cancer (CRC).