Fermented milk with Lactobacillus curvatus SMFM2016-NK alleviates periodontal and gut inflammation, and alters oral and gut microbiota.

This study aimed to analyze the effect of milk fermented with Lactobacillus curvatus SMFM2016-NK on periodontal diseases and gut health in a rat model. To improve the effect of Lb. curvatus SMFM2016-NK-fermented milk administration for relieving periodontitis, the periodontitis rat models were treated with the following for 4 wk: 10% skim milk (normal), periodontitis + 10% skim milk (negative control), periodontitis + Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG-fermented milk (positive control), and periodontitis + Lb. curvatus SMFM2016-NK-fermented milk (PD+LCFM). Transcriptional analysis of inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-10] was performed via quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. The changes in the oral and gut microbiomes after administering Lb. curvatus SMFM2016-NK-fermented milk were analyzed with metagenomics sequencing using DNA extracted from the oral gingival tissues and feces from the cecum of the rat models. After treatment with Lb. curvatus SMFM2016-NK-fermented milk, the relative gene expression levels of TNFA and IL1B in the gingiva decreased in the PD+LCFM group compared with those in the negative control group. In the oral microbiome, the proportion of the phylum Proteobacteria in the PD+LCFM group was lower than that in the negative control after treatment with Lb. curvatus SMFM2016-NK-fermented milk. For the effect in the gut, the relative gene expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in the colon between the normal and negative control groups were not different; however, the expression levels of TNFA and IL1B in the PD+LCFM and positive control groups, respectively, were lower than those in the negative control group. The composition and diversity of the gut microbiome differed among normal, periodontitis, and Lb. curvatus SMFM2016-NK-fermented milk treatment groups. These results indicate that Lb. curvatus SMFM2016-NK-fermented milk could alleviate periodontal and gut inflammation and change oral and gut microbiota.

Risk factors and renal outcomes of low bone mineral density in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease.

Bone disorder is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The clinical usefulness of bone mineral density (BMD) in CKD is not well known. Our study shows that low BMD is associated with physical activity and dietary Na/K intake ratio and can predict poor renal outcome in non-dialysis CKD. PURPOSE: Despite evidence of a link between bone mineral disorders and chronic kidney disease (CKD), the clinical implications of bone mineral density (BMD) in CKD are not well established. We investigated risk factors and renal outcomes of low BMD in CKD. METHODS: We analyzed data from the KNOW-CKD. BMD measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was classified by T score: normal (T score ≥ - 1.0), osteopenia (- 1.0 > T score > - 2.5), and osteoporosis (T score ≤ - 2.5) of the lumbar spine, hip, or femoral neck. Logistic regression analysis to assess risk factors of low BMD (T score < - 1.0) and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate risk of incident end-stage renal disease (ESRD). RESULTS: Low BMD was prevalent (osteopenia 33%; osteoporosis 8%) in 2128 adults with CKD (age 54 ± 12 years; male 61%). Over a median follow-up of 4.3 years, there were 521 cases of incident ESRD. Lower BMD was associated with female sex, older age, low eGFR, low BMI, and lifestyle factors of physical activity (odds ratio (OR) = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (0.49-0.77)) and spot urine Na/K ratio (1.07 (1.00-1.15)). In adjusted Cox models, low BMD was associated with increased incident ESRD (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.14 (0.92-1.41) for osteopenia; 1.43 (1.01-2.04) for osteoporosis, P for trend < 0.05) compared with the reference of normal BMD. The association between low BMD and ESRD was similar according to T score discordance classification. CONCLUSIONS: Low BMD was associated with modifiable lifestyle factors including low physical activity and high dietary Na/K intake ratio. The presence of low BMD is associated with poor renal outcomes in non-dialysis CKD.

Incidence of oral anticoagulant interruption among stroke patients with atrial fibrillation and subsequent stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We analyzed the incidence and causes of oral anticoagulant (OAC) cessation and subsequent stroke after OAC withdrawal in a cohort of Korean stroke patients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS: The Korean Atrial Fibrillation Evaluation Registry in Ischemic Stroke patients (K-ATTENTION) is a multicenter cohort study, merging stroke registries from 11 tertiary centers in Korea. The number of OAC interruption episodes and the reasons were reviewed from hospital records. Stroke after OAC withdrawal was defined when a patient experienced ischaemic stroke within 31 days after OAC withdrawal. Clinical variables were compared between patients who experienced stroke recurrence during OAC interruption and those who did not experience recurrence. RESULTS: Among 3213 stroke patients with atrial fibrillation, a total of 329 episodes of OAC interruption were detected in 229 patients after index stroke (mean age 72.9 ± 8.3 years, 113 female patients). The most frequent reason for OAC withdrawal was poor compliance [103 episodes (31.3%)] followed by extracranial bleeding [96 episodes (29.2%)]. Stroke after OAC withdrawal was noted in 13 patients. Mean age, vascular risk factor profile and mean CHA2 DS2 -VASc score were not significantly different between patients with and without recurrent stroke. CONCLUSIONS: A considerable number of stroke patients with atrial fibrillation experienced temporary interruption of OAC after index stroke, which was associated with stroke recurrence of 4.0 cases per 100 interruption episodes.

Association between time to treatment and functional outcomes according to the Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score in endovascular stroke therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The rate at which the chance of a good outcome of endovascular stroke therapy (EVT) decays with time when eligible patients are selected by baseline diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI-MRI) and whether ischaemic core size affects this rate remain to be investigated. METHODS: This study analyses a prospective multicentre registry of stroke patients treated with EVT based on pretreatment DWI-MRI that was categorized into three groups: small [Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (DWI-ASPECTS)] (8-10), moderate (5-7) and large (<5) cores. The main outcome was a good outcome at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale 0-2). The interaction between onset-to-groin puncture time (OTP) and DWI-ASPECTS categories regarding functional outcomes was investigated. RESULTS: Ultimately, 985 patients (age 69 ± 11 years; male 55%) were analysed. Potential interaction effects between the DWI-ASPECTS categories and OTP on a good outcome at 90 days were observed (Pinteraction  = 0.06). Every 60-min delay in OTP was associated with a 16% reduced likelihood of a good outcome at 90 days amongst patients with large cores, although no associations were observed amongst patients with small to moderate cores. Interestingly, the adjusted rates of a good outcome at 90 days steeply declined between 65 and 213 min of OTP and then remained smooth throughout 24 h of OTP (Pnonlinearity  = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that the probability of a good outcome after EVT nonlinearly decreased, with a steeper decline at earlier OTP than at later OTP. Discrepant effects of OTP on functional outcomes by baseline DWI-ASPECTS categories were observed. Thus, different strategies for EVT based on time and ischaemic core size are warranted.

Associations of various blood pressure parameters with functional outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischaemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: High blood pressure (BP) at presentation is associated with poor outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke, but serial BP measurements may better delineate the clinical implications of BP. The aim was to investigate the association between various BP parameters and functional outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). METHODS: This study reports a retrospective analysis of a prospective registry of a comprehensive stroke centre. Patients treated with EVT due to large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation were enrolled. BP was measured hourly during the first 24 h after admission. Associations of various BP parameters, including BP variability, with functional outcomes at 3 months, including good outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2), were analysed. RESULTS: Of the 378 enrolled patients (mean age 70 ± 11 years, male 54.2%), 313 (82.8%) achieved successful reperfusion after EVT, and 149 (39.4%) had good outcomes at 3 months. Higher mean systolic BP [each 10 mmHg increase, odds ratio 0.82 (0.69-0.97)] and higher systolic successive variation (SV) [each 10% increase, odds ratio 0.37 (0.18-0.76)] were associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving good outcomes. In addition, reperfusion status after EVT moderated the influence of higher systolic SV on good outcomes (Pint  = 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results showed that a higher mean systolic BP and systolic SV during the first 24 h of EVT reduced the likelihood of good outcomes at 3 months. The effects of these parameters on outcomes are more substantial amongst patients with successful reperfusion after EVT, suggesting that different BP control strategies should be employed according to reperfusion status.

Population genetic characterization of the Japanese oak silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), using novel microsatellite markers and mitochondrial DNA gene sequences.

The Japanese oak silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai Guérin-Méneville, 1861 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), is an important natural resource of industrial value for silk fiber production. Owing to a lack of geographic and population genetic information, systematic domestication of An. yamamai has not been possible yet. In this study, 10 microsatellite markers developed using next-generation sequencing and two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene sequences (COI and ND4) were used to investigate the genetic variation and geographic structure of An. yamamai populations in South Korea. The two mtDNA gene sequences revealed very low total genetic variation and, consequently, low geographic variation, validating the use of more variable molecular markers. Genotyping of 76 An. yamamai individuals from nine localities in South Korea showed that the observed number of alleles at each locus ranged from 3 to 26, the polymorphism information content was 0.2990-0.9014, the observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.3252-0.9076 and 0.2500-0.9054, respectively, and FIS was -0.654-0.520. The population-based FIS, FST, RST, and global Mantel tests all suggested that the An. yamamai populations were overall well-interconnected, suggesting that any population can be used as a genetic source for domestication. Nevertheless, STRUCTURE analyses using microsatellite data and mtDNA sequences indicated the presence of two genetic pools in many populations, although a plausible explanation for this observation requires further studies.

Late-onset bulky naevocytoma of the perineum masquerading as a malignant melanoma.

Bulky naevocytoma of the perineum is a very rare variant of giant congenital melanocytic naevus (GCMN). It presents as a bulky naevocytic tumour in the perineal region with characteristic histological findings, such as extensive areas with a neural appearance called 'lames foliacees', formation of a pseudofollicular structure and extension of naevus cells between collagen bundles in a row called 'Indian-file' pattern. We report a case of late-onset bulky naevocytoma of the perineum in a 13-year-old girl. The patient presented with two bulky, pedunculated, heavily pigmented masses in the vulvar area that developed in a pre-existing GCMN lesion, which began around puberty and caused severe gait disturbance. Given the possibility of malignant transformation, we conducted staged reduction surgery of the tumour masses, which were found to be intradermal naevi without evidence of malignancy. The patient's gait disturbance improved markedly after surgery.

Cognitive remediation for individuals with psychosis: efficacy and mechanisms of treatment effects.

BACKGROUND: The popularity of cognitive remediation (CR) interventions for individuals with psychosis is in part based on the well-established link between cognition and functioning and the assumption that by targeting cognition, function can improve. While numerous trials have reported CR's efficacy, it is still not considered an evidence-based treatment. Importantly, little is known about the mechanisms through which it may affect functioning. METHOD: In this study, we evaluated CR's proximal and distal effects, and examined potential mechanisms. A total of 75 individuals with psychotic disorders were randomized to a combination of strategy-based and drill-and-practice CR or wait-list control, with assessments of training task performance, neurocognition, functional capacity, symptoms and functioning conducted at baseline, end of the 2-month intervention, and 2-month follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with treatment as usual, CR was associated with large post-training improvements on training tasks targeting attention, visuospatial memory, and verbal learning and memory, with persisting group differences at the 2-month follow-up. These generalized to mostly large improvements on neuropsychological measures targeting visuospatial memory, verbal learning and memory, delayed verbal memory and verbal working memory. While there were no CR-associated improvements on measures of functional capacity, symptoms, or a self-report measure of independent living skills, there was an effect on an interviewer-rated measure of functioning (Quality of Life Scale), which appeared primarily driven by the Intrapsychic Foundations subscale. Finally, for those randomized to CR, there were significant, medium-sized correlations between training task improvement, neuropsychological improvement and functioning measures. CONCLUSIONS: This suggests a complex, multifactorial relationship between CR, and cognitive and functional change.

KAT5-mediated SOX4 acetylation orchestrates chromatin remodeling during myoblast differentiation.

Transcription factor SOX4 has been implicated in skeletal myoblast differentiation through the regulation of Cald1 gene expression; however, the detailed molecular mechanism underlying this process is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that SOX4 acetylation at lysine 95 by KAT5 (also known as Tip60) is essential for Cald1 promoter activity at the onset of C2C12 myoblast differentiation. KAT5 chromodomain was found to facilitate SOX4 recruitment to the Cald1 promoter, which is involved in chromatin remodeling at the promoter. Chromatin occupancy analysis of SOX4, KAT5, and HDAC1 indicated that the expression of putative SOX4 target genes during C2C12 myoblast differentiation is specifically regulated by the molecular switching of the co-activator KAT5 and the co-repressor HDAC1 on SOX4 transcriptional activation.

Clinical assessment of lipid profiles in live kidney donors.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal serum lipid profiles are an issue in chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the clinical ramifications of dyslipidemia in live kidney donors are unclear. Thus, we explored the relationship between serum lipids and residual renal function in living donors post-nephrectomy. METHODS: Charts of living donors who underwent nephrectomy between January 2010 and March 2013 were reviewed, targeting those with 6-month follow-up examinations at minimum. Altogether, 282 donors were studied, examining total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels assayed before donation by standard techniques. Median follow-up time was 14 months. The relationship between postoperative renal function and allograft biopsy results was assessed. Recursive partitioning was applied to identify optimal cut-off points for each parameter. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range) serum TC, TG, LDL, and HDL levels were 183 (161-205) mg/dL, 86 (63-131) mg/dL, 108 (92-128) mg/dL, and 53 (44-62) mg/dL, respectively. The glomerular filtration rate at last follow-up was associated with TC (r = -0.187; P = .002) and LDL (r = -0.172; P = .005) levels, but showed no correlation with TG and HDL. Root nodes of TC and LDL determinations in recursive partitioning were 170.5 mg/dL and 80.5 mg/dL, respectively, serving as thresholds for further evaluation. On logistic regression analysis, the likelihood of CKD (glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) at last follow-up was greater in donors with elevated TC and LDL levels (odds ratio = 1.96 and 3.33; P = .021 and .029, respectively). CONCLUSION: Kidney donors with serum TC and LDL elevations require close observation, given their demonstrable predisposition to CKD after donation.

Impact of metabolic syndrome on postdonation renal function in living kidney donors.

INTRODUCTION: Optimization of kidney donor selection is critical to ensure recovery of the donor. The goal of this study was to determine the influence of metabolic syndrome on renal histology and perioperative renal function in living kidney donors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2010 and March 2013, a total of 363 living kidney donors who underwent donor nephrectomy at our institution were enrolled. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in patients according to the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III, and renal histology of implantation biopsy specimens and perioperative renal function were compared in participants with or without metabolic syndrome. Using multivariate regression analysis, the goal was to identify which component of metabolic syndrome induces chronic histologic changes and delayed renal function recovery. RESULTS: We identified 30 donors (8.45%) with metabolic syndrome. Donors with metabolic syndrome were older (48.4 ± 9.2 years vs 39.7 ± 11.4 years; P < .001) and more likely to have chronic histologic changes (36.8% vs 9.7%; P = .001) than subjects without metabolic syndrome. Results of the multivariate regression analysis indicated that obesity, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were independently associated with chronic histologic changes. Perioperative renal function was correlated with the presence of metabolic syndrome rather than with chronic histologic changes, and patients with metabolic syndrome were more likely to experience delayed renal function recovery. Linear regression models found that the sum of the metabolic components correlated with renal function 6 months postoperatively, but among all risk factors, only obesity was significantly associated with the occurrence of delayed renal function recovery (odds ratio, 2.67; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Although metabolic syndrome in living kidney donors is characterized by chronic histologic changes, perioperative renal function is affected by the syndrome itself rather than by the histologic changes. Obesity is the most important metabolic factor for predicting delayed renal function recovery in living kidney donors, providing an important clinical indicator of postoperative renal function in these patients.

Mosaic double aneuploidy (45,X/47,XX,+8) with aortic dissection.

Chromosomal aneuploidy is considerably frequent and may involve either autosomes or sex chromosomes. While double aneuploidy involving both autosomal and sex chromosomes is rare, several reports described the cases of sex chromosomal aneuploidies in combination with trisomy 21, such as Down-Klinefelter and Down-Turner syndrome. However, trisomy 8-Turner syndrome has been rarely described to date. Here we report a case of a 28-year-old female with mosaic trisomy 8-Turner syndrome. The patient was referred to our hospital for aortic dissection. On physical evaluation, features of her phenotype, which included short stature, webbed neck and cubitus valgus, suggested congenital anomalies such as Turner syndrome. Chest CT revealed aortic dissection with bicuspid aortic valve and coarctation. G-banding cytogenetic analysis of peripheral blood showed mosaicism with two cell lines (45,X[17]/47,XX,+8[33]). FISH analysis indicated that 15% of the cells were of monosomy X karyotype and 85% of the cells were with XX karyotype and trisomy 8 was detected only in XX cells. Though the patient exhibited clinical features of Turner syndrome, somatic stigmas present were not clearly distinguishable from those of trisomy 8, such as short stature, skeletal and cardiac abnormalities. Observations from most of the double aneuploidy cases indicated that the patient's phenotype was not necessarily in correlation to the ratio of autosomal and sex chromosomal aberrations. Mosaicism in trisomy 8-Turner syndrome was rarely documented and we believe this is the first reported case of mosaicism in trisomy 8-Turner syndrome presenting with aortic dissection and surviving into adulthood.

Methemoglobinemia associated with metaflumizone poisoning.

CONTEXT: Metaflumizone is a voltage-dependent sodium channel blocker insecticide, which is chemically similar to indoxacarb. Although indoxacarb poisoning is known as a cause of methemoglobinemia, the effect of metaflumizone poisoning in humans is still unknown. CASE DETAILS: A 57-year-old man presented with a decreased mentality following ingestion of 100 ml of metaflumizone, 150 ml of glyphosate and alcohol. Although initial methemoglobin (MetHb) level was slightly higher than the normal limit, it gradually rose to reach a maximum level of 27.8%, on the 19 h after ingestion. After hemodialysis, MetHb level was reduced to 15.8%, which decreased further to the level of 6%, following methylene blue administration. DISCUSSION: Metaflumizone shares a similar chemical structure to indoxacarb, which is known to be a cause of methemoglobinemia. Physicians should be alert for the development of methemoglobinemia in symptomatic patients when facing potential pesticide poisoning such as metaflumizone poisoning.

Do the abnormal results of an implantation renal biopsy affect the donor renal function?

BACKGROUND: Living kidney donation has become an important source for renal transplantation. Thus, renal function after donation is an important issue. In this study, we examined histological abnormalities in implantation biopsy specimens from living kidney donors and analyzed the renal function of the remaining kidney. METHODS: Using the 2007 Banff classification system, we analyzed 121 kidneys from living donors who underwent implantation biopsies (IBs) between 2010 and 2011. Donor characteristics, intraoperative factors, and perioperative renal functions, such as serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the factors related to each histological abnormality and postoperative 1-year donor renal function. RESULTS: Most histological abnormalities in healthy living donors were scored as 1 on the Banff scale. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that donor age was the only preoperative factor related to tubular atrophy (odds ratio [OR] = 1.104; P = .012) and glomerular sclerosis (OR = 1.050; P = .019). Intraoperative factors were not related to histological parameters. And histological abnormalities did not affect postoperative 1-year renal function. In contrast, donor age, preoperative GFR, and estimated blood loss were significantly related to 1-year postoperative GFR. CONCLUSION: Most histological abnormalities in healthy living donors were minor. The incidence of abnormalities correlated with donor age. However, postoperative renal functions in living donors were not affected by histological abnormalities. Larger-scale investigations with long-term follow-up analysis will be needed.

RNA-sequencing of the brain transcriptome implicates dysregulation of neuroplasticity, circadian rhythms and GTPase binding in bipolar disorder.

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) is a powerful technique to investigate the complexity of gene expression in the human brain. We used RNA-seq to survey the brain transcriptome in high-quality postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from 11 individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) and from 11 age- and gender-matched controls. Deep sequencing was performed, with over 350 million reads per specimen. At a false discovery rate of <5%, we detected five differentially expressed (DE) genes and 12 DE transcripts, most of which have not been previously implicated in BD. Among these, Prominin 1/CD133 and ATP-binding cassette-sub-family G-member2 (ABCG2) have important roles in neuroplasticity. We also show for the first time differential expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in BD. DE transcripts include those of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 5 (SRSF5) and regulatory factor X4 (RFX4), which along with lncRNAs have a role in mammalian circadian rhythms. The DE genes were significantly enriched for several Gene Ontology categories. Of these, genes involved with GTPase binding were also enriched for BD-associated SNPs from previous genome-wide association studies, suggesting that differential expression of these genes is not simply a consequence of BD or its treatment. Many of these findings were replicated by microarray in an independent sample of 60 cases and controls. These results highlight common pathways for inherited and non-inherited influences on disease risk that may constitute good targets for novel therapies.

Woman with hemorrhagic spots on her abdomen.

Abstract Lipodissolve is a product that is composed of phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate mixture, and other adjuvant. Lipodissolve injection seems to be performed in many countries for local fat reduction without any legal and scientific evidences of its safety and efficacy despite the US FDA warning.1 Herein, we report a case with agitation and metabolic acidosis following lipodissolve injection.

Cortical-striatal gene expression in neonatal hippocampal lesion (NVHL)-amplified cocaine sensitization.

Cortical-striatal circuit dysfunction in mental illness may enhance addiction vulnerability. Neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions (NVHL) model this dual diagnosis causality by producing a schizophrenia syndrome with enhanced responsiveness to addictive drugs. Rat genome-wide microarrays containing >24 000 probesets were used to examine separate and co-occurring effects of NVHLs and cocaine sensitization (15 mg/kg/day × 5 days) on gene expression within medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), nucleus accumbens (NAC), and caudate-putamen (CAPU). Two weeks after NVHLs robustly amplified cocaine behavioral sensitization, brains were harvested for genes of interest defined as those altered at P < 0.001 by NVHL or cocaine effects or interactions. Among 135 genes so impacted, NVHLs altered twofold more than cocaine, with half of all changes in the NAC. Although no genes were changed in the same direction by both NVHL and cocaine history, the anatomy and directionality of significant changes suggested synergy on the neural circuit level generative of compounded behavioral phenotypes: NVHL predominantly downregulated expression in MPFC and NAC while NVHL and cocaine history mostly upregulated CAPU expression. From 75 named genes altered by NVHL or cocaine, 27 had expression levels that correlated significantly with degree of behavioral sensitization, including 11 downregulated by NVHL in MPFC/NAC, and 10 upregulated by NVHL or cocaine in CAPU. These findings suggest that structural and functional impoverishment of prefrontal-cortical-accumbens circuits in mental illness is associated with abnormal striatal plasticity compounding with that in addictive disease. Polygenetic interactions impacting neuronal signaling and morphology within these networks likely contribute to addiction vulnerability in mental illness.

Prediction of hemorrhagic transformation in acute ischaemic stroke by micro- and macroalbuminuria after intravenous thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is one of the most problematic complications to arise from intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). This study was conducted to assess whether micro- and macroalbuminuria could be associated with HT after IVT in patients with acute ischaemic stroke, and to investigate whether the value of urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios would correlate with the degree of HT. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of stroke patients who had undergone IVT within 3 h of symptom onset. Albuminuria assessment was based on random morning spot urine collection with patients in a fasting state, the first morning after IVT. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate whether the presence of micro- and macroalbuminuria might be independent predictors of HT. RESULTS: One-hundred and fifty-four patients were included in the study. Fifty-one patients had HT. The presence of micro- or macroalbuminuria was associated with HT after adjustment for variables with clinical significance (adjusting for age, atrial fibrillation, platelet counts, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, hypertension and diabetes mellitus; odds ratio, 2.542; 95% confidence interval, 1.106-5.841; P = 0.028). There were significant relationships between the presence of micro- and macroalbuminuria and types of HT. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the presence of micro- and macroalbuminuria after IVT could be a predictor of severe HT in patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

Isolation and characterization of a proteinaceous antifungal compound from Lactobacillus plantarum YML007 and its application as a food preservative.

UNLABELLED: Korean kimchi is known for its myriad of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with diverse bioactive compounds. This study was undertaken to isolate an efficient antifungal LAB strain among the isolated kimchi LABs. One thousand and four hundred LABs isolated from different kimchi samples were initially screened against Aspergillus niger. The strain exhibiting the highest antifungal activity was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum YML007 by 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical assays using API 50 CHL kit. Lact. plantarum YML007 was further screened against Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium oxysporum and other pathogenic bacteria. The morphological changes during the inhibition were assessed by scanning electron microscopy. Preliminary studies on the antifungal compound demonstrated its proteinaceous nature with a molecular weight of 1256·617 Da, analysed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). The biopreservative activity of Lact. plantarum YML007 was evaluated using dried soybeans. Spores of A. niger were observed in the negative control after 15 days of incubation. However, fungal growth was not observed in the soybeans treated with fivefold concentrated cell-free supernatant of Lact. plantarum YML007. The broad activity of Lact. plantarum YML007 against various food spoilage moulds and bacteria suggests its scope as a food preservative. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: After screening 1400 kimchi bacterial isolates, strain Lactobacillus plantarum YML007 was selected with strong antifungal activity against various foodborne pathogens. From the preliminary studies, it was found that the bioactive compound is a low molecular weight novel protein of 1256·617 Da. Biopreservative potential of Lact. plantarum YML007 was demonstrated on soybean grains, and the results point out YML007 as a potent biopreservative having broad antimicrobial activity against various foodborne pathogens.