Poor nutritional intake is a dominant factor for weight loss in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Increase in energy expenditure and/or decrease in nutritional intake leads to low body mass index (BMI). The balance between energy expenditure and nutritional intake has rarely been evaluated in a large population of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To evaluate BMI, nutritional intake and physical activity and the association of these factors with the severity of airflow obstruction in COPD patients. We analysed the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data set from 2012 to 2015. Among the 9682 individuals (1601 with COPD and 8081 without COPD) recruited, BMI was lower in COPD patients than in non-COPD participants (males, 23.86 ± 2.76 vs. 24.28 ± 2.80, P < 0.001; females, 23.63 ± 2.94 vs. 23.98 ± 3.10, P < 0.05). As the stage of COPD advanced, BMI, intake of nutrients (food, water and carbohydrates) and total energy levels declined in COPD patients. Total time spent walking in the preceding week decreased with advancing COPD stage in male patients with COPD. COPD severity was an important risk factor for the limitation of physical activity due to respiratory problems (OR 3.92, 95%CI 2.77∼5.34, P < 0.001). Patients with COPD had a low nutritional intake with little physical activity, which worsened with advancing COPD stage. In late-stage COPD, impaired nutritional intake outweighed the decrease in physical activity, resulting in weight loss. .

Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Porcine Deltacoronavirus in Korean Swine Farms, 2015.

This study applied molecular-based method to investigate the presence of porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) in 59 commercial pig farms in South Korea. The results of RT-PCR screening on a relatively large collection of faeces samples (n = 681) from January 2013 to March 2015 did not reveal the presence of PDCoV until the end of 2014. However, on March 2015, PDCoV-positive samples (SL2, SL5) were detected from SL swine farm in Gyeongbuk province. The phylogenetic trees based on the complete spike- and nucleocapsid protein-coding genes showed that SL2 and SL5 closely related to the US PDCoV strains rather than those in China. Thought Korean strains of PDCoV isolated in 2014 (KNU14.04) and in 2015 (SL2 and SL5) grouped within US PDCoV cluster, the reconstruction of ancestral amino acid changes suggested that they are different.

Effect of preoperative autologous blood donation on patients undergoing bimaxillary orthognathic surgery: a retrospective analysis.

The efficacy of preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) was evaluated according to preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) values. The records of 295 patients who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery between July 2007 and August 2008 were reviewed. The records for autologous blood donation, intraoperative transfusion, and related laboratory studies were also evaluated. The transfusion trigger used during this period was Hb < 10 g/dl. A total of 189 patients (64.1%) made a PABD and 106 patients (35.9%) did not. The incidence of allogeneic blood transfusion was significantly lower in the PABD group than in the no PABD group (15.9% vs. 29.2%, P = 0.007). This difference was greater in patients with a preoperative Hb < 14 g/dl (20.3% vs. 62.5%, P < 0.0001), and no difference was found in patients with Hb ≥ 14 g/dl (13.3% vs. 14.9%, P = 0.83). PABD reduced the incidence of allogeneic blood transfusion in patients undergoing bimaxillary orthognathic surgery, particularly in patients with a preoperative Hb < 14 g/dl. PABD could be used to reduce the frequency of intraoperative allogeneic blood transfusion in these patients.

Infertility, in vitro fertilization and congenital tuberculosis.

Congenital tuberculosis (CTB) due to maternal genitourinary (GU) TB infection is a rare occurrence, as infection of the genital tract in women generally leads to infertility. Increasing availability of assisted reproductive technology creates the potential for CTB to emerge as a significant problem. We describe five infants (two sets of twins and a singleton birth) conceived by in vitro fertilization who developed CTB. All five infants were born to mothers who had immigrated to the United States from India and none had GU TB diagnosed before the birth of their infected infants.

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction complicating chemotherapy in paediatric oncohaematological patients: clinical and imaging features.

OBJECTIVE: Although acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO) complicating chemotherapy is still a controversial entity, it is one with which radiologists should be familiar. We describe the imaging features of ACPO in children following chemotherapy for treatment of a haematological malignancy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the imaging features of eight children (age 3-14 years) with chemotherapy-related ACPO, all of whom had undergone plain radiography and CT examinations. The diagnosis of ACPO was based on both clinical features and imaging findings. RESULTS: Abnormalities noted on plain radiography included faecal gaseous distension of the transverse colon (4/8), faecal gaseous distension of the ascending colon (3/8), gaseous distended transverse colon (3/8) and gaseous small bowel loops (6/8). As seen on CT scans, findings of faecal fluid distended the ascending and transverse colon (5/8), faecal gas distended the transverse and ascending colon (3/8), and small bowel dilatation (5/8) and pneumatosis intestinalis (2/8) were noted. Seven of the eight patients had colonic dilatation from the caecum to the transverse colon with the transition zone near the splenic flexure. CONCLUSION: In children presenting with abdominal pain and constipation following chemotherapy, imaging features of progressive colonic dilatation seen on radiography and dilatation from the caecum to the transverse colon with the transition zone near the splenic flexure, as noted on CT, are suggestive of ACPO. CT is more successful than plain radiography for evaluating this finding, particularly in colonic segments filled primarily with fluid, but CT should not be necessary for making the diagnosis as plain radiographs and clinical evaluation should be adequate.

HLA-DRB1*0908, a new allele was identified by sequence-based typing in a Korean individual.

A new human leukocyte antigen DRB1*0908 differs from GTC to AGC in DRB1*090102 at codon 57 with a coding change, valine to serine.

Role of active floodplains for nutrient retention in the river Rhine.

We evaluated the importance of floodplains for nutrient retention in two distributaries of the river Rhine (Waal and IJssel) by monitoring N and P retention in a body of water during downstream transport. We hypothesized that (i) retention of P is much larger than retention of N and (ii) nutrient retention increases with an increasing amount of the discharge flowing through floodplains (QF). The second hypothesis was tested by comparing retention between the rivers Waal (low QF) and IJssel (high QF), as well as at different discharges. Total nitrogen (TN) did not decrease significantly during downstream transport in both rivers, whereas 20 to 45% of total phosphorus (TP) disappeared during transport in the river IJssel. This difference between N and P retention-supporting the first hypothesis-was probably caused by differences in sedimentation through a much lower proportion of N adsorbed to particles than of P (2-3% of N vs. 50-70% of P). Phosphorus retention was only observed in the IJssel and not in the Waal, and absolute P retention (g P s(-1) km(-1)) in the IJssel increased with increasing QF. The second hypothesis was, nevertheless, not fully supported, because the percentage P retention (% of P load) decreased (instead of increased) with increasing QF. The percentage P retention increased with decreasing river depth and flow velocity; it seemed related to the efficiency of sediment trapping.

Temporospatial sequence of cellular events associated with etoposide-induced neuronal cell death: role of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-X(L).

Etoposide-induced death comprises such nuclear events as the formation of topoisomerase II-DNA cleavable complex and cytosolic events including caspase activation. By first establishing the temporospatial death sequence triggered by etoposide in a neuronal cell line, MN9D overexpressing Bcl-X(L) (MN9D/Bcl-X(L)) or control vector (MN9D/Neo), we examined whether formation of this complex is primarily responsible for cell death and at which strategic points and how Bcl-X(L) blocks etoposide-induced neuronal death. Etoposide induced death that was dependent on caspase, cycloheximide, and calpain in MN9D/Neo cells. Etoposide also induced death in enucleated MN9D/Neo cells, although this was less severe. The level of topoisomerase II-DNA cleavable complex reached at a maximum of 2 hr after etoposide treatment was identical in MN9D/Neo and MN9D/Bcl-X(L) cells. In MN9D/Neo cells, cytochrome c release into the cytosol and caspase activation occurred as early as 2 hr and 3-6 hr after etoposide treatment, respectively. Etoposide-induced DNA laddering potentially via caspase appeared as early as 12 hr after drug treatment, followed by nuclear swelling in MN9D/Neo cells (>18-20 hr). Subsequently, nuclear condensation started by 24-28 hr and became apparent thereafter. All of these events except for nuclear swelling were substantially blocked in MN9D/Bcl-X(L). At the later stage of cell death (<32-36 hr), a specific cleavage of Bax and fodrin appeared that was completely blocked by calpain inhibitor or by Bcl-X(L). Taken together, our data suggest that Bcl-X(L) prevents etoposide-induced neuronal death by exerting its anticaspase and anticalpain effect on cellular events after the formation of topoisomerase II-DNA cleavable complex that may not be a major contributor to cell death.

Parallel solid-phase synthesis and structural characterization of a library of highly substituted chiral 1,3-oxazolidines.

The rapid parallel synthesis and characterization of diverse chirally defined 1,3-oxazolidines is reported. Three diversity elements were incorporated in a 6 x 4 x 4 block approach to generate a 96-member 1,3-oxazolidine library. The synthetic route involved initial attachment of six nonracemic phenylglycidols, (2S,3S)1A-C and (2R,3R)-2A-C, to 2% cross-linked polystyrene resin via a chlorodiethylsilane linker (PS-DES), followed by regio- and stereoselective oxirane ring opening with four primary amines (3a-d). The key condensation reaction between the resulting polymer-bound beta-amino alcohols and four aldehydes (4a-d) was found to occur optimally in warm benzene (60 degrees C) in the presence of anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Cleavage of the oxazolidines from the resin support was achieved with TBAF to give the individual members (2R,4R,5R)-5Aaa-Cdd and (2S,4S,5S)-6Aaa-Cdd in good to excellent yields (51-99%) based on mass recovery. Purities of all these crude products was generally >85% (as measured by LCMS). 1H, 13C NMR, and 1D difference nOe of the library members confirmed the structural and stereochemical integrity of the substituents around the 1,3-oxazolidine core. The asymmetric induction at C-2 (cis or trans to the C-4 substituent) ratio ranged from 4 to I to 49 to 1 across the library. This report highlights the versatility of the 1,3-oxazolidine heterocycle as a scaffold for concise parallel library construction and opens the way for high-throughput screening of such compounds in the biological sphere.

Topoisomerase II-mediated DNA cleavage on the cruciform structure formed within the 5'upstream region of the human beta-globin gene.

A 52 base pair alternating purine-pyrimidine (RY) repeat sequence lies in the 5' upstream region of the human beta-globin gene. The structural transition of a plasmid containing this repeat was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. These conformational studies indicate that the 52 bp RY repeat undergoes local transition from the right-handed B-DNA into a cruciform DNA under torsional stress and the transition initiates at a threshold level of negative supercoiling (-sigma = 0.042). The superhelicity-dependent S1 nuclease cleavage sites were mapped only within the RY repeat and no nicking was observed outside of the repeat. In view of the fact that DNA topoisomerase II is highly reactive towards RY repeat which can adopt unusual DNA conformation, we have investigated the effects of the superhelicity-dependent conformational transition of the 52 bp RY repeat on topoisomerase II cleavages. Cleavage reactions were performed on the pRYG plasmid with varying levels of negative superhelical densities ranging from 0 to -0.074. Under the low torsional stress, topoisomerase II cleavage activity at the RY repeat gradually increased with the increasing levels of negative superhelical densities. However, over a threshold level of negative supercoiling for cruciform conformation, the intensities of enzyme cleavage sites at the RY repeat were essentially identical. These results suggest that topoisomerase II can bind and cleave the cruciform structure in a dynamic process identical to duplex B-DNA.

NMR structure and comparison of the archaeal histone HFoB from the mesophile Methanobacterium formicicum with HMfB from the hyperthermophile Methanothermus fervidus.

The solution-state structure of the recombinant archaeal histone rHFoB, from the mesophile Methanobacterium formicicum, has been determined by two- and three-dimensional (3D) proton homonuclear correlated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods. On the basis of 951 nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE)-derived distance restraints, rHFoB monomers form the histone fold and assemble into symmetric (rHFoB)2 dimers that have a structure consistent with assembly into archaeal nucleosomes. rHFoB exhibits approximately 78% sequence homology with rHMfB from the hyperthermophile Methanothermus fervidus, and the results obtained demonstrate that these two proteins have very similar 3D structures, with a root-mean-square deviation for backbone atoms of 0.65 +/- 0.13 A2. (rHFoB)2 dimers however unfold at lower temperatures and require a higher salt environment for stability than (rHMfB)2 dimers, and comparing the structures, we predict that these differences result from unfavorable surface-located ionic interactions and a larger, more solvent-accessible cavity adjacent to residue G36 in the hydrophobic core of (rHFoB)2.

Degradation of antiflammin 2 under acidic conditions.

Antiflammin 2 (HDMNKVLDL, AF2) is a synthetic peptide derived from the region of highest sequence similarity of lipocortin I and uteroglobin, and is a potent antiinflammatory agent without any known side effects of corticosteroids. The antiinflammatory activity of AF2 has been demonstrated, but is not reproducible between laboratories. It has been suggested that the chemical instability of this peptide is responsible for the loss of activity. The degradation of AF2 in aqueous solutions at a pH range of 3 to 10 has been reported. In this study, the degradation of AF2 at acidic pHs was monitored by reversed-phase HPLC. The reactions were studied as functions of buffer concentration and temperature. The rates of loss of AF2 followed apparent pseudo-first-order kinetics. Several products were isolated and identified by fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy and tandem mass spectroscopy, and were the result of C- and N-terminus hydrolyses of aspartyl peptide bonds in AF2. The peptide bonds at C-termini of the aspartyl residues were most susceptible to hydrolysis, resulting in the formation of major degradation products, HDMNKVLD, MNKVLDL, and MNKVLD. The minor products from the N-terminus hydrolysis were HDMNKVL and MNKVL and formed at much slower rates.

Synthesis, resolution, and SAR of (+/-)-2-amino-N-methyl-alpha-(3-methyl-2-thienyl)benzeneethanamine++ + and related analogs as noncompetitive NMDA antagonists with neuroprotective properties.

The preparation and structure-activity relationships of a series of 2-amino-alpha-thienylbenzeneethanamines are described. From this work, (+/-)-2-amino-N-methyl-alpha-(3-methyl-2-thienyl)-benzeneethanamine++ + (3a) and the homologous N-ethyl analog 3b emerged as novel noncompetitive NMDA antagonists with neuroprotective properties. Optical resolution of 3a and X-ray crystallography of (+)3a were performed. The racemate and enantiomers were evaluated for neuroprotective properties in models of ischemia-induced hippocampal damage (gerbil) and cerebral focal ischemia (rat). Pretreatment with 3a, (+)3a, or (-)3a significantly reduced ischemia-induced CA1 hippocampal damage. Posttreatment with 3a afforded a lower degree of neuroprotection. A highly significant reduction in infarct volume was observed with 3a in the cerebral focal ischemia model, with only weak positive effects being displayed by (+)3a. Dose-limiting side effects were associated with all three compounds in this model. In summary, the results demonstrate the utility of noncompetitive NMDA antagonists as neuroprotective agents for ischemia-induced neurodegeneration.

Synthesis of 8-methoxy-15,16-dinor-6,8,10-trichothecatriene 12,13 alpha-epoxide and 12,13 beta-epoxide as potential antineoplastic agents.

8-Methoxy-15,16-dinor-6,8,10-trichothecatriene 12,13 alpha-epoxide (5) and 12,13 beta-epoxide (3) were prepared; the stereochemistry of the epoxides was assigned on the basis of 13C NMR. The epoxide 5 was active against 9KB in vitro and P388 in vivo, while the isomeric epoxide 3 was inactive in both test systems.