Rapid radiometric methods to detect and differentiate Mycobacterium tuberculosis/M. bovis from other mycobacterial species

Rapid methods for the differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis/M. bovis (TB complex) from other mycobacteria (MOTT bacilli) were developed and evaluated in a three-phase study. In the first phase, techniques for identification of Mycobacterium species were developed by using radiometric technology and BACTEC Middlebrook 7H12 liquid medium. Based on 14CO2 evolution, characteristic growth patterns were established for 13 commonly encountered mycobacterial species. Mycobacteria belonging to the TB complex were differentiated from other mycobacteria by cellular morphology and rate of 14CO2 evolution. For further differentiation, radiometric tests for niacin production and inhibition by Q-nitro-alpha-acetyl amino-beta-hydroxy-propiophenone (NAP) were developed. In the second phase, 100 coded specimens on Lowenstein-Jensen medium were identified as members of the TB complex, MOTT bacilli, bacteria other than mycobacteria, or "no viable organisms" within 3 to 12 (average 6.4) days of receipt from the Centers for Disease Control. Isolation and identification of mycobacteria from 20 simulated sputum specimens were carried out in phase III. Out of 20 sputum specimens, 16 contained culturable mycobacteria, and all of the positives were detected by the BACTEC method in an average of 7.3 days. The positive mycobacterial cultures were isolated and identified as TB complex or MOTT bacilli in an average of 12.8 days. The radiometric NAP test was found to be highly sensitive and specific for a rapid identification of TB complex, whereas the radiometric niacin test was found to have some inherent problems. Radiometric BACTEC and conventional methodologies were in complete agreement in Phase II as well as in Phase III.     

The effects of trunk stability exercise and a combined exercise program on pain,flexibility, and static balance in chronic low back pain patients

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to examine the effect of trunk stability exercise and combined exercise program on pain, flexibility, and static balance in chronic low back pain patients. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty persons diagnosed with chronic low back pain were divided into a trunk stability exercise group and a combined exercise group and then conducted exercise for six weeks. [Results] VAS and sway lengths decreased significantly in both groups. A comparison of sway lengths after the intervention between the two groups revealed that the trunk stability exercise group had a bigger decrease than the combined exercise group. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicated that trunk stability exercise would have bigger effect than combined exercise on the daily activities of chronic low back pain patients as it strengthens deep abdominal muscles and improves flexibility and balancing ability.Key words: Low back pain, Balance, Trunk stability exercise     

The effect of weight-bearing exercise and non-weight-bearing exercise on gait in rats with sciatic nerve crush injury

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to access the effect of weight bearing exercise (treadmill exercise) and non-weight-bearing exercise (swimming exercise) on gait in the recovery process after a sciatic nerve crush injury. [Subjects and Methods] Rats were randomly divided into a swimming group (n=3) with non-weight-bearing exercise after a sciatic nerve crush and a treadmill group (n=3) with weight bearing exercise after a sciatic nerve crush. Dartfish is a program that can analyze and interpret motion through video images. The knee lateral epicondyle, lateral malleolus, and metatarsophalangeal joint of the fifth toe were marked by black dots before recording. [Results] There were significant differences in TOK (knee angle toe off) and ICK (knee angle at initial contact) in the swimming group and in TOK, ICA (ankle angle at initial contact), and ICK in the treadmill group. In comparison between groups, there were significant differences in TOA (ankle angle in toe off) and ICA at the 7th day. [Conclusion] There was no difference between weight bearing and non-weight-bearing exercise in sciatic nerve damage, and both exercises accelerated the recovery process in this study.Key words: Sciatic nerve crush injury, Weight-bearing exercise, Gait     

The effects of action observation gait training on the static balance and walking ability of stroke patients

[Purpose] The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of action observation training on the static balance and walking ability of patients who had suffered a stroke. [Subjects] Forty patients with hemiplegia resulting from a stroke were divided into an action observation gait training group (AOGT group, n=20) and a general gait training group (GGT group, n=20). [Methods] The AOGT group watched a training video on flatland gait, slope gait, and stair gait. The GGT group watched a video on nature. Both groups watched their respective video for 10 minutes and then had gait training for 20 minutes per day, five times per week, for eight weeks. [Results] The static balance and gait ability of both groups significantly improved. Although there were significant differences between the groups, the AOTG group showed greater improvements in sway speed, limit of stability, and gait ability. [Conclusion] We recommend action observation training over general gait training for patients with hemiplegia. Action observational training had a positive effect on static balance and gait ability in stroke patients’ static balance and gait ability. Further research is needed to generalize the results of this study.Key words: Hemiplegia, Action observation training, Gait     

The effects of squatting with visual feedback on the muscle activation of the vastus medialis oblique and the vastus lateralis in young adults with an increased quadriceps angle

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of performing squat exercises with visual feedback on the activation of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles in young adults with an increased quadriceps angle (Q-angle). [Subjects] This study used a motion analysis program (Dartfish, Switzerland) to select 20 young adults with an increased Q-angle, who were then divided into a squat group that received visual feedback (VSG, n=10) and a squat group that received no visual feedback (SG, n=10). [Methods] The intensity of exercises was increased every two weeks over a six-week exercise period in both groups. A visual marker was attached to the patella of the subjects in the VSG, and they then performed squat exercises with a maximum of 90° of knee flexion within a route marked on a mirror. The SG performed squat exercises with a maximum 90° of knee flexion without attaching a visual feedback device. [Results] Analysis of the muscle activation due to 90° squat exercises indicated that both groups had statistically significant increases in activation of the VL. The VSG exhibited statistically significant increases in activation of the VMO. [Conclusion] This study confirmed that squat exercises with visual feedback are effective in activation of the VMO and VL muscles. The findings are meaningful in terms of preventing the occurrence of patellofemoral pain.Key words: Q-angle, Visual feedback squat exercise, VMO     

BRAF V600E Mutation Analysis in Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas by Peptide Nucleic Acid Clamp Real-time PCR

Background

Activating somatic mutation of the BRAF ^V600E has been identified as the most common genetic event in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with a variable frequency (32–87 %) in different series by different methods. The BRAF ^V600E mutation is associated with various clinicopathological parameters. The mutation is an important factor for the management of the PTC patients. The objective of this study was to detect the BRAF ^V600E mutation in PTCs by peptide nucleic acid (PNA) clamp real-time PCR and to analyze the results with clinicopathological parameters.

Methods

We performed genetic analysis of BRAF ^V600E by PNA clamp real-time PCR in 211 PTCs in Korea, stratified by clinicopathological parameters.

Results

The BRAF ^V600E mutation was detected in 90 % of PTC cases, and it occurred significantly more often in female patients than in male patients (p = 0.001). The clinicopathological parameters of age, tumor size, and disease stage were not associated with the BRAF ^V600E mutation, while extrathyroid invasion (p = 0.031), lymph nodal metastasis (p = 0.002), and tumor multiplicity (p = 0.020) were.

Conclusions

The prevalence (90 %) of the BRAF ^V600E mutation in this study is the highest ever reported, confirming the key role of this mutation in PTC tumorigenesis. The BRAF ^V600E mutation was associated with aggressive clinical behaviors including extrathyroid invasion, lymph nodal metastasis and tumor multifocality. The PNA clamp real-time PCR method for the BRAF ^V600E mutation detection is sensitive and is applicable in a clinical setting.     

Quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide isolated from Polygonum aviculare inhibits cellular senescence in human primary cells

Cellular senescence is known to contribute to tissue aging, a variety of age-related diseases, tissue regeneration, and cancer. Therefore, aging intervention might be useful for prevention of aging as well as age-related disease. In this study, we investigated compounds from Polygonum aviculare to determine if they inhibited cellular senescence in human primary cells, human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Ten compounds from P. aviculare were purified and their inhibitory effects on adriamycin-induced cellular senescence were measured by observing senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity and reactive oxygen species. Among them, compound 9 (quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide) showed inhibitory effects against cellular senescence in HDFs and HUVECs treated with adriamycin. Additionally, compound 9 rescued replicative senescence in HDFs and HUVECs. These data imply that compound 9 represses cellular senescence in human primary cells and might be useful for the development of dietary supplements or cosmetics that ameliorate tissue aging or aging-associated diseases.     

Clinicopathologic and protein markers distinguishing the “polymerase epsilon exonuclease” from the “copy number low” subtype of endometrial cancer

ObjectiveThe need to perform genetic sequencing to diagnose the polymerase epsilon exonuclease (POLE) subtype of endometrial cancer (EC) hinders the adoption of molecular classification. We investigated clinicopathologic and protein markers that distinguish the POLE from the copy number (CN)-low subtype in EC.MethodsNinety-one samples (15 POLE, 76 CN-low) were selected from The Cancer Genome Atlas EC dataset. Clinicopathologic and normalized reverse phase protein array expression data were analyzed for associations with the subtypes. A logistic model including selected markers was constructed by stepwise selection using area under the curve (AUC) from 5-fold cross-validation (CV). The selected markers were validated using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a separate cohort.ResultsBody mass index (BMI) and tumor grade were significantly associated with the POLE subtype. With BMI and tumor grade as covariates, 5 proteins were associated with the EC subtypes. The stepwise selection method identified BMI, cyclin B1, caspase 8, and X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) as markers distinguishing the POLE from the CN-low subtype. The mean of CV AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and balanced accuracy of the selected model were 0.97, 0.91, 0.87, and 0.89, respectively. IHC validation showed that cyclin B1 expression was significantly higher in the POLE than in the CN-low subtype and receiver operating characteristic curve of cyclin B1 expression in IHC revealed AUC of 0.683.ConclusionBMI and expression of cyclin B1, caspase 8, and XBP1 are candidate markers distinguishing the POLE from the CN-low subtype. Cyclin B1 IHC may replace POLE sequencing in molecular classification of EC.     

Different age-specific demographic profiles are generated in the same normal-lived Drosophila strain by different longevity stimuli

We review the empirical data obtained with our normal-lived Ra control strain of Drosophila and show that this one genome is capable of invoking at least three different responses to external stimuli that induce the animal to express one of three different extended longevity phenotypes, each of which arises from one of three different antagonistic molecular mechanisms of stress resistance. The phenotypes are distinguished by different age-specific mortality patterns. Depending on the selected mechanism, the genome may respond by expressing a delayed onset of senescence (type 1), an increased early survival (type 2), or an increased late survival (type 3) phenotype, suggesting their different demographic effects. We suggest that the different demographic effects stem in part from the differential ability of each selection regime to reallocate the organism's energy from reproduction to somatic maintenance. These data document the complexity of the aging process and argue for a relationship between molecular mechanisms and longevity phenotypes.     

Dose-volumetric parameters for predicting severe radiation pneumonitis after three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for lung cancer

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate dose-volumetric parameters for association with risk of severe (grade >/=3) radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients after three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiation therapy for lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was approved by the institutional review board, which did not require informed consent. Data from 76 patients (66 men, 10 women; median age, 60 years; range, 35-79 years) with histologically proved lung cancer treated curatively with 3D conformal radiation therapy between August 2001 and October 2002 were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty patients underwent surgery before radiation therapy; 57 patients received chemotherapy. Median total radiation dose of 60 Gy (range, 54-66 Gy) was delivered in 30 (range, 27-33) fractions over 6 weeks. RP was scored by using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. Clinical parameters were analyzed. Dose-volumetric parameters analyzed were percentage of lung volume that received a dose of 20 Gy or more (V20), 30 Gy or more (V30), 40 Gy or more (V40), or 50 Gy or more (V50); mean lung dose (MLD); normal tissue complication probability (NTCP); and total dose. Fisher exact test was performed to compare clinical parameters between patients who developed severe RP and those who did not. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate data for association between dose-volumetric parameters and severe RP. Pearson chi(2) test was used to assess data for correlations among dose-volumetric parameters. P < or = .05 was considered to indicate statistically significant difference. RESULTS: Of 76 patients, 30 (39%) did not develop RP; 23 (30%) developed RP of grade 1; 11 (14%), grade 2; 11 (14%), grade 3; and 1 (1%), grade 4. None had grade 5 RP. Age (< 60 vs > or =60), sex, Karnofsky performance status (< 70 vs > or =70), forced expiratory volume in 1 second, presence of weight loss, preexisting lung disease, history of thoracic surgery, and history of chemotherapy did not significantly differ between patients who developed severe RP and those who did not. In univariate analyses, MLD, V20, V30, V40, V50, and NTCP were associated with severe RP (P < .05). In multivariate analysis, MLD was the only variable associated with severe RP. CONCLUSION: MLD is a useful indicator of risk for development of severe RP after 3D conformal radiation therapy in patients with lung cancer.