Correlation of Sagittal Imbalance and Recollapse after Percutaneous Vertebroplasty for Thoracolumbar Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture: A Multivariate Study of Risk Factors

Methods@#Ambulatory patients who underwent single-level PVP for thoracolumbar OVF with a follow-up of at least 24 months were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the presence of symptomatic recollapse at the cemented vertebra: (1) recollapsed (RC) group and (2) noncollapsed (NC) group. The patient characteristics and radiographic measurements associated with sagittal imbalance were analyzed at each follow-up visit. @*Results@#Overall, 134 patients (RC group, n=28; NC group, n=106) were enrolled. The mean fracture-free interval was 3.2 months (range, 1.2–25.1 months). The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis identified low bone mineral density (p =0.047), degree of dynamic mobility within the vertebra (p =0.025), and sagittal imbalance as significant risk factors for recollapse (p =0.013; odds ratio, 5.405). The progression of sagittal imbalance and thoracolumbar kyphosis (T10–L2) was more significant in the RC and sagittal imbalance groups than in the NC group (both p =0.000). @*Conclusions@#Sagittal imbalance, lower bone mineral density, and dynamic mobility within the vertebra are associated with the recollapse of cemented vertebrae following PVP. Sagittal imbalance, rather than local kyphosis or thoracolumbar kyphosis, is particularly significant in that it results in more progressive collapse and sagittal deformity and is accompanied by substantial back pain and neurological deficits. Therefore, a stricter and more active management, including anti-osteoporosis medication, is required for the treatment of OVF with sagittal imbalance of the spine.

Genotypic characterization of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli isolates from edible offal

Abstract: Edible offal is easily contaminated by Escherichia coli (E. coli) and fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant E. coli is considered a serious public health problem, thus, this study investigated the genetic characteristics of FQ-resistant E. coli from edible offal. A total of 22 FQ-resistant E. coli isolates were tested. A double mutation in each gyrA and parC led the highest MIC. Four (18.2%) isolates carried plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes. The fimH, eaeA, escV, astA, and iucC genes were confirmed. Seventeen isolates (77.3%) were positive for plasmid replicons. The isolates showed high genetic heterogeneity based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns.

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of fermented red ginseng against high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia in rats / 한국실험동물학회지

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of fermented red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer; FRG) on high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of seven: normal control, NC; high-fat diet control, HFC; high-fat diet–0.5% FRG, HF-FRGL; and high-fat diet–1% FRG, HF-FRGH. All rats were fed a high-fat diet for eight weeks, except those in the NC group, while rats in the FRG treatment groups received drinking water containing 0.5% or 1% FRG. After eight weeks of treatment, levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in the serum were measured. The concentration of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in rat liver were evaluated. Histological analysis of the liver was performed using hematoxylin and eosin. The high-fat diet markedly increased serum levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, and LDL-C and hepatic MDA levels, while administration of FRG to the hyperlipidemic rats resulted in a significant decline in the levels of these parameters. Furthermore, the decline in the levels of serum HDL-C and hepatic SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px induced by the high-fat diet was attenuated by FRG treatment. In addition, histopathological analysis of liver sections suggested that FRG treatment also provided protection against liver damage. These results suggested that FRG improved lipid profiles, inhibited lipid peroxidation, and played a protective role against liver injury in hyperlipidemic rats.

Inhibitory Effects of Korean Red Ginseng Extract on Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice / 한국실험동물학회지

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic eczematous skin disease attended by pruritus, erythema, edema, excoriation, and dryness. This study was to evaluate the effects of Korean red ginseng (RG) on AD in NC/Nga mice treated with 1-chloro-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (picryl chloride; PC). Experimental groups were divided into 4 groups; normal control (NC), PC control, and PC-RG (50 and 100 mg/kg). RG was orally administered every day repeatedly during 6 weeks. The skin lesions in severity score, scratching behavior, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels, and histological appearance were examined. AD-like lesions were developed on the NC/Nga mice by topical PC applications. Oral administration of RG (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the development of AD, as analyzed by a modified SCORAD score. The scratching behavior decreased after RG administration. The levels of serum IgE, IL-4 and IFN-gamma were increased by PC stimulation, but treatment with RG (100 mg/kg) suppressed the increment of the serum IgE, IL-4 and IFN-gamma levels. Histologically, RG inhibited dermatitis lesions such as hypertrophy, hyperkeratosis, and infiltration of inflammatory cells into epidermis and dermis. These results suggest that the administration of RG may be effective in alleviating the AD induced by PC.

Inhibitory Effects of Korean Red Ginseng Extract on Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice / 한국실험동물학회지

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic eczematous skin disease attended by pruritus, erythema, edema, excoriation, and dryness. This study was to evaluate the effects of Korean red ginseng (RG) on AD in NC/Nga mice treated with 1-chloro-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (picryl chloride; PC). Experimental groups were divided into 4 groups; normal control (NC), PC control, and PC-RG (50 and 100 mg/kg). RG was orally administered every day repeatedly during 6 weeks. The skin lesions in severity score, scratching behavior, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels, and histological appearance were examined. AD-like lesions were developed on the NC/Nga mice by topical PC applications. Oral administration of RG (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the development of AD, as analyzed by a modified SCORAD score. The scratching behavior decreased after RG administration. The levels of serum IgE, IL-4 and IFN-gamma were increased by PC stimulation, but treatment with RG (100 mg/kg) suppressed the increment of the serum IgE, IL-4 and IFN-gamma levels. Histologically, RG inhibited dermatitis lesions such as hypertrophy, hyperkeratosis, and infiltration of inflammatory cells into epidermis and dermis. These results suggest that the administration of RG may be effective in alleviating the AD induced by PC.

Circadian variations of serum thyroxine, free thyroxine and 3,5,3'triiodothyronine concentrations in healthy dogs

This study was to determine the daily fluctuation of serum thyroxine (tT4), free thyroxine (fT4), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations in healthy dogs. Thyroid function of these dogs was evaluated on the basis of results of TSH response test. Samples for the measurement of serum tT4, fT4, and T3 concentrations were obtained at 3- hour intervals from 8 : 00 to 20 : 00. Serum tT4, fT4, and T3 concentrations were measured by the enzyme chemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA). Mean T3 concentrations had no significant differences according to the sample collection time during the day. Mean tT4 and fT4 concentrations at 11 : 00 were 3.28 +/- 0.86 microgram/dl and 1.30 +/- 0.37 ng/dl, respectively and mean tT4 and fT4 at 14:00 were 3.54 +/- 1.15 microgram/dl and 1.35 +/- 0.12 ng/dl, respectively. These concentrations were significantly high compared with tT4 and fT4 concentrations at 8:00, which were 1.75 +/- 0.75 microgram/dl and 0.97 +/- 0.25 ng/dl, respectively (p < 0.05). According to the sample collection time, mean tT4 and fT4 concentrations changed with similar fluctuation during the day. Based on these results, it was considered that measurement of serum tT4 and fT4 concentrations from 11 : 00 to 14 : 00 might more easily diagnose the canine hypothyroidism in practice.

The Gamma Herpesvirus Alcelaphine Herpesvirus 1 Causes Apoptotic Infection in Permissive Cell Lines

Apoptosis is a host defense mechanism that the cell uses to limit production of infectious virus. Although many viruses can induce apoptosis in infected cells, large DNA viruses, such as poxviruses, herpesviruses and adenoviruses, usually exhibit the ability to suppress the induction of apoptosis in the infected cells. Several publications have attested to the ability of herpesviruses to protect cells against apoptosis. We investigated the ability of the virus to protect cells in continuous cultivation from apoptosis induced by the virus itself. The gamma herpesvirus alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1) has been shown to harbor genes with antiapoptotic potentialities. However, here we have demonstrated that productive infection of adherent, permissive cell lines by AlHV-1 resulted in a cytopathic effect characterized by induction of apoptosis. This phenomenon was confirmed using different techniques to detect apoptosis and using different virus strains and cell lines. Therefore, despite the presence of antiapoptotic genes in its genome, AlHV-1 could complete its cycle of productive infection while inducing apoptosis of infected cells. This finding might have implications for the pathobiology of AlHV-1 and other gamma herpesviruses in vivo.

Application of Laser Microdissection to Identify the Cells Susceptible to Ovine Herpesvirus 2

Laser microdissection (LMD) is an important method for obtaining pure cell samples for genetic and proteomic analysis. In general, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) are useful techniques for targeting virus-specific cell populations. However, until now, there have been no IHC and ISH methods available for detecting ovine herpesvirus (OvHV-2). Previous reports have strongly suggested that lytic replication might occur in the respiratory epithelial cells of OvHV-2 infected animals. The aim of the present study was to confirm respiratory epithelial cells as the susceptible cells for the OvHV-2 by using LMD as an alternative method for localizing viral distribution. The microdissection of target cells by LMD was performed using paraffin-embedded tissues from 5 sheep with high viral copies, which were suspected as the status of reactive lytic replication, and 3 sheep with low viral copies, which were suspected as the status of latent infection. Then, OvHV-2-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR were conducted with the extracted DNAs from the microdissected cells. Our results first demonstrate that OvHV-2 DNAs can be detected in the respiratory epithelial cells of high shedder reactive animals, from which inflammatory cells infected latently by OvHV-2 was excluded. These findings indicate that respiratory epithelial cells are susceptible to OvHV-2 and may be associated with its replication in a natural host. Also, in this study, LMD showed the possibility of wide application for the sensitive localization of low copy viral sequences within specific phenotype cells in the investigation of the role of viruses in a variety of clinical conditions.

Anesthetic Experience for Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Freeman-Sheldon syndrome is a rare congenital myopathy principally characterized by facial and skeletal abnormalities. We report a case of a Freeman-Sheldon syndrome in 12-year-old girl correction of undergoing kyphoscoliosis under somatosensory evoked potential monitoring. She had a characteristic appearance of Freeman-Sheldon syndrome such as hypoplastic alae nasi, high narrow palate, marked microstomia with pursed lips and clenched fingers. On arriving at the operating room, she was intubated by awake nasotracheal intubation with fiberoptic bronchoscopy and anesthetized with propofol and fentanyl.

Two Cases of Postoperative Bleeding Monitored by Thromboelastography in Reoperation of Open Heart Surgery / 대한마취과학회지

The excessive postoperative hemorrhage increases the mortality and morbidity after surgery. The longer expracorporeal circulation time, the worse the patient's blood coagulation disorder. And it makes the possibility of bleeding tendency predictable. We have two clinical experiences of reoperation due to postoperative hemorrhage after open-heart surgery. As with the heparin independent thromboelastography(TEG) following Cardiopulmonary Bypass(CPB) and postbypass TEG, we could distinguish expectantly surgical bleeding from medical bleeding relating with open heart surgery.