Cloning and Organelle Expression of Bamboo Mitochondrial Complex I Subunits Nad1, Nad2, Nad4, and Nad5 in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Mitochondrial respiratory complex I catalyzes electron transfer from NADH to ubiquinone and pumps protons from the matrix into the intermembrane space. In particular, the complex I subunits Nad1, Nad2, Nad4, and Nad5, which are encoded by the nad1, nad2, nad4, and nad5 genes, reside at the mitochondrial inner membrane and possibly function as proton (H+) and ion translocators. To understand the individual functional roles of the Nad1, Nad2, Nad4, and Nad5 subunits in bamboo, each cDNA of these four genes was cloned into the pYES2 vector and expressed in the mitochondria of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The mitochondrial targeting peptide mt gene (encoding MT) and the egfp marker gene (encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein, EGFP) were fused at the 5'-terminal and 3'-terminal ends, respectively. The constructed plasmids were then transformed into yeast. RNA transcripts and fusion protein expression were observed in the yeast transformants. Mitochondrial localizations of the MT-Nad1-EGFP, MT-Nad2-EGFP, MT-Nad4-EGFP, and MT-Nad5-EGFP fusion proteins were confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The ectopically expressed bamboo subunits Nad1, Nad2, Nad4, and Nad5 may function in ion translocation, which was confirmed by growth phenotype assays with the addition of different concentrations of K+, Na+, or H+.

Epigallocatechin Gallate Modulates Essential Elements, Zn/Cu Ratio, Hazardous Metal, Lipid Peroxidation, and Antioxidant Activity in the Brain Cortex during Cerebral Ischemia.

Cerebral ischemia induces oxidative brain injury via increased oxidative stress. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) exerts anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metal chelation effects through its active polyphenol constituent. This study investigates whether EGCG protection against cerebral ischemia-induced brain cortex injury occurs through modulating lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity, the essential elements of selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu), Zn/Cu ratio, and the hazardous metal lead (Pb). Experimentally, assessment of the ligation group was performed by occlusion of the right common carotid artery and the right middle cerebral artery for 1 h. The prevention group was intraperitoneally injected with EGCG (50 mg/kg) once daily for 10 days before cerebral ischemia. The brain cortex tissues were homogenized and the supernatants were harvested for biochemical analysis. Results indicated that cerebral ischemia markedly decreased SOD, CAT, Mg, Zn, Se, and Zn/Cu ratio and increased malondialdehyde (MDA), Fe, Cu, and Pb in the ischemic brain cortex. Notably, pretreating rats with EGCG before ischemic injury significantly reversed these biochemical results. Our findings suggest that the neuroprotection of EGCG in the ischemic brain cortex during cerebral ischemia involves attenuating oxidative injury. Notably, this neuroprotective mechanism is associated with regulating lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity, essential elements, Zn/Cu ratio, and hazardous metal Pb.

Correction to: effect of acupressure on constipation in patients with advanced cancer.

The institutional review board number is incorrect, it should be No. 104-3133B.

Effect of acupressure on constipation in patients with advanced cancer.

PURPOSE: Constipation is a common and distressing symptom for patients with advanced cancer. Few reports have focused on the symptoms of constipation in patients with advanced cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a short-term acupressure intervention on patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: This study used a non-randomized, pre-post study design to assess the effect of acupressure intervention. A total of 30 patients with advanced cancer were recruited from the hospice unit of a medical center in southern Taiwan. In addition to routine care, patients in the intervention group received an 8-min acupressure treatment daily for 3 consecutive days. Three acupoints were used in this study: Zhongwan (CV12), Guanyuan (CV4), and Tianshu (ST25). Analysis of covariance was used to compare the differences in symptoms of constipation between the two groups, adjusted for baseline values. Effect sizes were calculated using partial eta squared (η2). RESULTS: Significant improvements in symptoms of constipation (partial η2 = 0.40, p < 0.001 for straining during defecation; partial η2 = 0.30, p = 0.002 for hard stools; partial η2 = 0.42, p < 0.001 for sensation of incomplete evacuation; and partial η2 = 0.29, p = 0.002 for sensation of anorectal obstruction), Bristol stool form scale scores (partial η2 = 0.40, p < 0.001), comfort levels during defecation (partial η2 = 0.82, p < 0.001), and colonic motility (partial η2 = 0.85, p < 0.001) were observed in patients receiving acupressure intervention compared with the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study indicated that short-term acupressure was effective in alleviating symptoms of constipation among patients with advanced cancer. Further, randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the results.

Noninvasive Shock Wave Treatment for Capsular Contractures After Breast Augmentation: A Rabbit Study.

BACKGROUND: Capsular contracture is the most common complication of breast augmentation. Although numerous procedures are intended to prevent capsular contracture, their efficacy does not satisfy surgeons or patients. In the present study, we used shock waves to develop innovative protocols to treat capsular contracture in rabbits. METHODS: We used shock waves to treat capsular contracture in a rabbit model. Six clinical parameters were evaluated to determine the treatment efficacy of shock waves on the pathological histology of capsular contracture. Dual-flip-angle T1-mapping magnetic resonance imaging was used to confirm the pathological findings. RESULTS: Among the parameters, myxoid change, vascular proliferation, and lymphoplasma cell infiltration around the capsule increased more after treatment than they did in a control group. Capsular thickness, inner thinner collagen layer, and capsule wall collagen deposition decreased after shock wave treatment; only the inner thinner collagen layer and capsule wall collagen deposition changed significantly. The MRI findings for both scar thickness and water content were consistent with pathological biology findings. CONCLUSION: This was the first pilot study and trial to treat capsular contractures using shock waves. We found that shock waves can cause changes in the structure or the composition of capsular contracture. We conclude that the treatment could decrease water content, loosen structure, decrease collagen deposition, and might alleviate scar formation from capsular contracture. We believe that the treatment could be a viable remedy for capsular contractures. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Urethral Metastasis from Rectal Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

CASE: A 73-year-old man with Dukes' C adenocarcinoma of the rectum, pT3N2bM0, stage IIIB, presented with voiding difficulties including poor stream and terminal dribbling for one month. The patient was under careful surveillance and had no postoperative recurrence. Physical examination revealed a palpable irregular nodular lesion (0.5 × 0.5 cm(2)) at the penile-scrotal junction. He underwent urethroscopy, which showed a cauliflower lesion in the pendulous urethra. Transurethral resection was performed and histopathologic and immunochemical staining demonstrated a metastatic moderately differentiated urethral adenocarcinoma from the colorectal primary. OUTCOME: His voiding disorder improved significantly post-operation and he commenced second-line chemotherapy combined with regional radiotherapy. Follow-up urethrocystoscopy and abdominal computed tomography demonstrated no recurrence or metastatic disease. His tumor marker remained within the normal range for 12 months. CONCLUSION: Urethral metastasis from primary colon cancer is extremely rare. This disease, with its various atypical presentations, presents a diagnostic challenge to the clinician. In patients with recurrent or persistent lower urinary tract symptoms, further urologic workup including thorough history taking, physical examination, and imaging surveys is warranted.

Locally enhanced concentration and detection of oligonucleotides in a plug-based microfluidic device.

We propose a novel technique that allows oligonucleotides with specific end-modification within a plug in a plug-based microfluidic device to undergo a locally enhanced concentration at the rear of the plug as the plug moves downstream. DNA was enriched and detected in situ upon exploiting a combined effect underlain by an entropic force induced through fluid shear (i.e. a hydrodynamic-repellent effect) and the interfacial adsorption (aqueous/oil interface) attributed to affinity. Flow fields within a plug were visualized quantitatively using micro-particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV); the distribution of the fluid shear strain rate explains how the hydrodynamic-repellent effect engenders a dumbbell-like region with an increased concentration of DNA. The concentration of FAM (6-carboxy-fluorescein)-labeled DNA (FC-DNA) and of TAMRA (tetramethyl-6-carboxyrhodamine)-labeled DNA (TC-DNA), respectively, and the hybridization of probe DNA (modified with FAM) with target DNA (modified with TAMRA) were investigated in devices; a confocal fluorescence microscope (CFM) was utilized to monitor the processes and to resolve the corresponding 2D patterns and 3D reconstruction of the DNA distribution in a plug. TC-DNA, but not FC-DNA, concentrating within a plug was affected by the combined effect so as to achieve a concentration factor (C(r)) twice that of FC-DNA because of the lipophilicity of TAMRA. Using fluorescence resonance-energy transfer (FRET), we characterized the hybridization of the DNA in a plug; the detection limit of a system, improved by virtue of the proposed technique (the locally enhanced concentration), for DNA detection was estimated to be 20-50 nM. This technique enables DNA to concentrate locally in a nL-pL free-solution plug, the locally enhanced concentration to profit the hybridization efficiency and the detection of DNA, prospectively serving as a versatile means to accomplish a rapid DNA detection in a small volume for a Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) system.

Altered dopamine receptor and dopamine transporter binding and tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression following perinatal NMDA receptor blockade.

This study examined how perinatal phencyclidine (PCP) treatment would affect dopamine D2 receptor and dopamine transporter (DAT) binding at different stages after treatment cessation. Female rat pups received injections of PCP (10 mg/kg, s.c.) or saline on postnatal day (PN)7, 9 and 11. D2 receptor and transporter binding was examined at four time-points (PN12, 18, 32 and 96) following injections. PCP treatment altered D2 receptor binding throughout development, with a final end-point of 22-33% decreased binding at adulthood in the nucleus accumbens and caudate putamen (P < 0.01), accompanied by a small but significant increase in DAT binding in the caudate putamen. Tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression was also significantly increased by 25% (P < 0.05) in the ventral tegmental area of adult rats, suggesting that this model may produce a long-term increase in dopamine output. This study demonstrates that early insult to the brain from NMDA receptor hypofunction alters the dopaminergic system at different stages of development.

Meteorologically adjusted ground level ozone trends in southern Taiwan.

Two methods were used to calculate the meteorologically adjusted ground level ozone trends in southern Taiwan. The first method utilized is a robust linear regression method. The second approach uses a multilayer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network (ANN) method. The observations obtained from 16 monitoring stations were analyzed and divided into six groups by hierarchical divisive clustering procedure. The daily maximum 1 and 8 h ozone concentrations for each group are then calculated. The meteorologically adjusted trends obtained by linear regression and MLP methods are smaller than the unadjusted trends for all groups and average time. It indicts that the meteorological conditions in Taiwan tend to increase ambient ozone concentrations in recent years.

Microfibrillar collagen for hemostasis in laryngomicrosurgery of hypopharyngeal hemangioma.

Hypopharyngeal hemangiomas are uncommon neoplasms that can cause dysphagia, recurrent bleeding, and airway obstruction. These lesions are a therapeutic challenge, and surgical resection is the mainstay of therapy. The goal of therapy is directed at control of the tumor and relief of symptoms rather than total eradication of the lesion. Laser therapy is a very useful adjunct in the management of these vascular neoplasms. The neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser (Nd:YAG laser) functions at a wavelength that provides deep thermal coagulation. This allows its use for these vascular lesions. With laser surgery, hemorrhage is the most frequent and dangerous complication, and its control is extremely important. Ligation and suture remain the traditional methods of hemostasis in most surgical situations. However, on certain occasions problems arise, particularly with large oozing surfaces or when surgical access is poor. Topical hemostatic agents are widely used in a variety of surgical procedures to successfully solve such problems. Microfibrillar collagen (Avitene) is one of the absorbable, topical, hemostatic agents, and is used effectively to control bleeding in many surgical situations. Since we began to use microfibrillar collagen (AviteneTM, MedchemProduct, Inc., Woburn, MA01801) to stop the massive oozing of the laser-induced surgical wound, no episodes of bleeding had ever occurred. It is concluded that Avitene is an effective agent for maintaining hemostasis in many surgical procedures, and we consider it a good remedy for management of laser-induced bleeding complications.