All-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and incidence of cardiovascular disease according to a screening program of cardiovascular risk in South Korea among young adults: a nationwide cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine whether there are any differences in all-cause and cause-specific mortality with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk between health screening attenders and non-attenders among young adults. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective cohort study using claim data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. METHODS: Individuals aged 20-39 years who had received health screening at least once between 2002 and 2005 were classified as attenders, and the others were classified as non-attenders. After propensity score matching according to attendance of health screening, 2,060,409 attenders and 2,060,409 non-attenders were included. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, and hospitalization of CVD from 2006 to 2015. RESULTS: Survival from all-cause mortality was greater among attenders than among non-attenders (log rank P < 0.001). Similarly, death from CVD (log rank P = 0.007) and CVD events (log rank P < 0.001) were less likely among attenders. The risk for all-cause mortality in attenders was significantly lower than that in non-attenders (HR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.81 to 0.84). The risk for CVD mortality (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.87) and hospitalization of CVD (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.91 to 0.94) were lower in attenders. In stratified analyses, the risk for all-cause and cause-specific mortalities was lower among attenders regardless of insurance type. CONCLUSIONS: Among young adults, the risk for all-cause mortality, CVD mortality, and hospitalization of CVD were lower for those who underwent health screenings. Future studies that evaluate the cost-effectiveness of health screening with additional consideration of psychosocial aspects are needed.

Post-exposure prophylaxis for Middle East respiratory syndrome in healthcare workers.

An effective post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) strategy may limit the spread of infection. However, there is no consensus regarding PEP for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. This study assessed the efficacy of ribavirin and lopinavir/ritonavir as PEP for healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to patients with severe MERS-CoV pre-isolation pneumonia. The safety of the PEP regimen was assessed. HCWs with high-risk exposure to MERS-CoV pre-isolation pneumonia were retrospectively enrolled. HCWs who received PEP therapy were classified into the PEP group. PEP therapy was associated with a 40% decrease in the risk of infection. There were no severe adverse events during PEP therapy.

The association between muscle mass deficits and arterial stiffness in middle-aged men.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Early diagnosis of arteriosclerosis is fundamental for the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The current study was performed to identify major predictors of arteriosclerosis and to assess the association between arterial stiffness as measured by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and muscle mass deficit (MMD) estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in middle-aged men. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were gathered from 3356 middle-aged men who visited a health promotion center. CAVI was measured as an index of arterial stiffness. Body composition analysis was performed using BIA. MMD was positively associated with CAVI in the regression model. The odds ratios for high-CAVI (≥9.0) rose with MMD grade in a dose-dependent manner after adjusting for age, lifestyle factors and current medication use. The estimated mean CAVI rose as MMD grade increased (P for trend >0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MMD estimated from BIA was positively associated with arterial stiffness in middle-aged men. These findings show a close interaction between low muscle mass and cardiovascular risk.

Acute toxicity of organic antifouling biocides to phytoplankton Nitzschia pungens and zooplankton Artemia larvae.

The toxicity of the antifouling biocides Irgarol 1051, Diuron, Chlorothalonil, Dichlofluanid, Sea-nine 211, Copper pyrithione, Zinc pyrithione, Ziram and Zineb were evaluated on Nitzschia pungens and Artemia larvae. Results showed that EC50 for Irgarol 1051 was 0.586µgl-1 was the strongest effect on N. pungens following by Copper pyrithione (4.908µgl-1), Ziram (5.421µgl-1), Zinc pyrithione (5.513µgl-1), Diuron (6.640µgl-1), Zineb (232.249µgl-1), Sea-nine 211(267.368µgl-1), Chlorothalonil (360.963µgl-1) and Dichlofluanid (377.010µgl-1) in 96h. In Artemia larvae, the biocides were evaluated the LC50 for larval survivals at 48h. Sea-nine 211 and Copper pyrithione were 0.318 and 0.319mgl-1. Chlorothalonil, Zinc pyrithione and Ziram were 2.683, 3.147 and 4.778mgl-1. Irgarol 1051, Diuron, Zineb and Dichlofluanid were 9.734, 30.573, 41.170 and 154.944mgl-1. These results provide baseline data concerning the toxicity of antifouling biocides against marine environment.

Impact of Prolonged Temporal Discrimination Threshold on Finger Movements of Parkinson's Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Sensory information is essential for the precise control of movement. Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have higher-order sensory dysfunctions including prolonged temporal discrimination threshold (TDT). However, the impact of prolonged TDT on parkinsonian motor deficits is uncertain. METHODS: This study includes 33 PD patients and 24 healthy controls. TDT values were measured in the index finger. Using coin rotation task (CRT), dexterous finger movement was assessed. Using an inertial sensor, the speed, amplitude, and frequency of finger tapping were measured. The impact of prolonged index finger TDT on two different finger movements was analyzed using the general estimating equation. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, TDT was prolonged in the PD patients. There was no impact of TDT on mean values or decrement for amplitude and speed, as well as mean values, decrement and variability of tapping frequency. However, prolonged TDT had a significant impact on the variability in amplitude (B = 436.905 × 10-4, Wald χ2 = 9.140, p = 0.014) and speed (B = 425.655 × 10-4, Wald χ2 = 9.876, p = 0.014) of finger tapping. There was a marginal correlation between TDT and CRT. In addition, CRT correlated with variability in amplitude and speed of finger tapping. CONCLUSION: In PD, cutaneous temporal discriminative sensory dysfunction appears to be related to increased variabilities in the speed and amplitude of fast repetitive finger movements and disturbed finger dexterity.

Surveillance of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (CoV) infection in healthcare workers after contact with confirmed MERS patients: incidence and risk factors of MERS-CoV seropositivity.

Given the mode of transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), healthcare workers (HCWs) in contact with MERS patients are expected to be at risk of MERS infections. We evaluated the prevalence of MERS coronavirus (CoV) immunoglobulin (Ig) G in HCWs exposed to MERS patients and calculated the incidence of MERS-affected cases in HCWs. We enrolled HCWs from hospitals where confirmed MERS patients had visited. Serum was collected 4 to 6 weeks after the last contact with a confirmed MERS patient. We performed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to screen for the presence of MERS-CoV IgG and an indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) to confirm MERS-CoV IgG. We used a questionnaire to collect information regarding the exposure. We calculated the incidence of MERS-affected cases by dividing the sum of PCR-confirmed and serology-confirmed cases by the number of exposed HCWs in participating hospitals. In total, 1169 HCWs in 31 hospitals had contact with 114 MERS patients, and among the HCWs, 15 were PCR-confirmed MERS cases in study hospitals. Serologic analysis was performed for 737 participants. ELISA was positive in five participants and borderline for seven. IIFT was positive for two (0.3%) of these 12 participants. Among the participants who did not use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), seropositivity was 0.7% (2/294) compared to 0% (0/443) in cases with appropriate PPE use. The incidence of MERS infection in HCWs was 1.5% (17/1169). The seroprevalence of MERS-CoV IgG among HCWs was higher among participants who did not use appropriate PPE.

Effect of aerobic training and resistance training on circulating irisin level and their association with change of body composition in overweight/obese adults: a pilot study.

The novel myokine irisin has been reported as a therapeutic target for metabolic disease. The objective of this study is to reveal the effects of aerobic training (AT) and resistance training (RT) on circulating irisin levels and their associations with change of body composition in overweight/obese adults. Twenty eight overweight/obese adults (BMI>23 kg/m(2)) were included in this study and compared before and after 8 weeks of exercise program (60 min/day, 5 times in a week). The subjects, in both aerobic and resistance training, showed significant improvement in anthropometric parameters and exercise capacities including maximal oxygen uptake and muscle strength. Interestingly, the circulating irisin was significantly increased in resistance training group (p=0.002) but not in aerobic training (p=0.426) compared to control group. In addition, we found the positive correlation between change of the circulating irisin and muscle mass (r=0.432, p=0.022) and the negative correlation between change of the circulating irisin and fat mass (r=-0.407, p=0.031). In the present pilot study, we found that circulating irisin level was increased by 8 weeks of resistance training in overweight/obese adults, suggesting that resistance training could be the efficient exercise type in overweight/obese considering positive change of body composition concomitant with increase of irisin levels.

Apolipoprotein B: novel indicator of elevated intraocular pressure.

PURPOSE: Many studies have reported associations between elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and systemic health parameters, which suggest a common mechanism links IOP elevation and various related cardiometabolic risk factors. Furthermore, according to a recent study, serum apolipoprotein B (APO B) level is a predictor of coronary artery disease. This study was undertaken to analyse the relationship between serum apolipoprotein levels and IOP. METHODS: Healthy people (28,852) who attended a community hospital for a health checkup between January 2011 and December 2013 were enroled in the study. We measured age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoprotein A1 (APO A1) and APO B, APO B/APO A1 ratios, and IOP. RESULTS: Univariate regression analysis showed IOP was positively correlated with BMI, SBP, DBP, TC, LDL-C, TG, APO B, and APO B/APO A1 (P<0.001), and negatively correlated with HDL-C (P<0.001). On the other hand, multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age, BMI, SBP, and DBP, revealed IOP was positive correlated with TC, TG, LDL-C, APO B, and APO B/APO A1, and negatively correlated with HDL-C (all <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among the various lipid profiles investigated, APO B was found to be most strongly correlated with IOP, regardless of sex. Additional studies are required to confirm the validity of apolipoprotein level as an index for predicting IOP.

Predictors of uropathogens other than Escherichia coli in patients with community-onset acute pyelonephritis.

AIM: A constant reduction in the incidence of community-onset acute pyelonephritis (CO-APN) caused by Escherichia coli has been shown with a parallel increase incidence caused by other organisms. Therefore, we evaluated the risk factors and outcome of non-E. coli as uropathogens in patients with community-onset APN. METHODS: As a part of a nationwide multicentre surveillance study conducted in Korea, a total of 416 patients with CO-APN were collected with their epidemiological, antibiotic treatment and outcome data. RESULTS: The risk factors and outcomes of non-E. coli as uropathogens were evaluated in a total of 416 patients with culture-confirmed CO-APN. Non-E. coli caused 127 cases (30.5%) of CO-APN. CO-APN caused by non-E. coli resulted in higher inappropriate empirical therapy (38.6% vs. 20.1%, p < 0.001), longer hospital stay (12.6 days vs. 6.7 days, p = 0.005) and higher 30-day mortality (9.4% vs. 3.8% p = 0.020) compared with CO-APN caused by E. coli. Multivariate analyses showed that male gender (OR, 3.48; CI, 2.13-5.67; p < 0.001), underlying haematological disease (OR, 5.32; CI, 1.17-24.254; p = 0.031), underlying benign prostate hyperplasia (OR, 2.61; CI, 1.02-6.74; p = 0.046), chronic indwelling urethral catheter (OR, 6.34; CI, 1.26-31.84; p = 0.025) and admission history in the previous 6 months (OR, 2.12; CI, 1.23-3.58; p = 0.005) were predictors for CO-APN caused by a non-E. coli isolate. CONCLUSIONS: Community-onset APN caused by non-E. coli represents a distinct subset of urinary tract infections with worse outcomes. The defined risk factors related with non-E. coli should be taken into consideration when empirical antibiotic therapy is prescribed in patients with community-onset APN.

Preventive effects of conservative treatment with short-term teriparatide on the progression of vertebral body collapse after osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture.

UNLABELLED: The progression of fractured vertebral collapse is not rare after a conservative treatment of vertebral compression fracture (VCF). Teriparatide has been shown to directly stimulate bone formation and improve bone density, but there is a lack of evidence regarding its use in fracture management. Conservative treatment with short-term teriparatide is effective for decreasing the progression of fractured vertebral body collapse. INTRODUCTION: Few studies have reported on the prevention of collapsed vertebral body progression after osteoporotic VCF. Teriparatide rapidly enhances bone formation and increases bone strength. This study evaluated preventive effects of short-term teriparatide on the progression of vertebral body collapse after osteoporotic VCF. METHODS: Radiographs of 68 women with single-level osteoporotic VCF at thoracolumbar junction (T11-L2) were reviewed. Among them, 32 patients were treated conservatively with teriparatide (minimum 3 months) (group I), and 36 were treated with antiresorptive (group II). We measured kyphosis and wedge angle of the fractured vertebral body, and ratios of anterior, middle, and posterior heights of the collapsed body to posterior height of a normal upper vertebra were determined. The degree of collapse progression was compared between two groups. RESULTS: The progression of fractured vertebral body collapse was shown in both groups, but the degree of progression was significantly lower in group I than in group II. At the last follow-up, mean increments of kyphosis and wedge angle were significantly lower in group I (4.0° ± 4.2° and 3.6° ± 3.6°) than in group II (6.8° ± 4.1° and 5.8° ± 3.5°) (p = 0.032 and p = 0.037). Decrement percentages of anterior and middle border height were significantly lower in group I (9.6 ± 10.3 and 7.4 ± 7.5 %) than in group II (18.1 ± 9.7 and 13.8 ± 12.2 %) (p = 0.001 and p = 0.025), but not in posterior height (p = 0.086). CONCLUSIONS: In female patients with single-level osteoporotic VCF at the thoracolumbar junction, short-term teriparatide treatment did not prevent but did decrease the progression of fractured vertebral body collapse.

Isolation and characterization of a lytic Myoviridae bacteriophage PAS-1 with broad infectivity in Aeromonas salmonicida.

To search for candidate control agents against Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida infections in aquaculture, one bacteriophage (phage), designated as PAS-1, was isolated from the sediment samples of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) culture farm in Korea. The PAS-1 was morphologically classified as Myoviridae and possessed approximately 48 kb of double-strand genomic DNA. The phage showed broad host ranges to other subspecies of A. salmonicida as well as A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida including antibiotic-resistant strains. Its latent period and burst size were estimated to be approximately 40 min and 116.7 PFU/cell, respectively. Furthermore, genomic and structural proteomic analysis of PAS-1 revealed that the phage was closely related to other Myoviridae phages infecting enterobacteria or Aeromonas species. The bacteriolytic activity of phage PAS-1 was evaluated using three subspecies of A. salmonicida strain at different doses of multiplicity of infection, and the results proved to be efficient for the reduction of bacterial growth. Based on these results, PAS-1 could be considered as a novel Aeromonas phage and might have potentiality to reduce the impacts of A. salmonicida infections in aquaculture.

Complete genomic sequence of a T4-like bacteriophage, phiAS4, infecting Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida.

A newly identified virulent phage (named phiAS4) infecting Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida was isolated from river water in Korea. Morphological analysis of phiAS4 by transmission electron microscopy revealed that it belonged to the family Myoviridae. The genome of phiAS4 comprised a linear double-stranded DNA of 163,875 bp with a G + C content of 41.3%, and genomic analysis revealed 271 putative ORFs, 67 putative promoters, 25 putative terminator regions, and 16 tRNA-encoding genes. Most of the ORFs of phiAS4 showed a high degree of similarity to those of Aeromonas phage 25, which belongs to the T4-like group. Moreover, the comparison of the genome of phiAS4 with those of its relatives demonstrated that phage phiAS4 is closely related to members of the T4-like group and can be classified as a new member of the T4-like phages infecting bacteria of the family Aeromonadaceae.

Fecal carriage of serotype K1 Klebsiella pneumoniae ST23 strains closely related to liver abscess isolates in Koreans living in Korea.

We determined the fecal carriage rate of serotype K1 Klebsiella pneumoniae in healthy Koreans and studied their genetic relationship with liver abscess isolates. We compared the carriage according to the country of residence. The stool specimens were collected through health promotion programs in Korea. K. pneumoniae strains were selected and tested for K1 by PCR. Serotype K1 isolates were characterized by multilocus sequence typing and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. A total of 248 K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained from 1,174 Koreans. Serotype K1 was identified in 57 (4.9%), of which 54 (94.7%) were ST 23 and were closely related to the liver abscess isolates. Participants aged >25 years showed a higher fecal carriage rate than those ≤ 25 (P = 0.007). The proportion of serotype K1 out of K. pneumoniae isolates in foreigners of Korean ethnicity who had lived in other countries was lower compared with those who had lived in Korea (5.6% vs 24.1%, P = 0.024). A substantial proportion of Koreans >25 years carries serotype K1 K. pneumoniae ST23 strains, which are closely related to liver abscess isolates. Differences in carriage rates by country of residence suggests that environmental factors might play an important role in the carriage of this strain.

Clinical impact of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia based on propensity scores.

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen not only in nosocomial infections, but also in community-associated infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of methicillin resistance on mortality, length of hospitalization, and hospital costs via propensity score matching in S. aureus bacteremia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A propensity-matched case-control study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Korea from 2003 to 2008. RESULTS: A total of 266 patients who had clinically significant S. aureus bloodstream infections were investigated. Fifty-three propensity-matched case-control pairs with MRSA bacteremia were likely to have stayed in the hospital longer before developing bacteremia (mean 25.0 vs. 6.1 days; P = 0.01). However, after developing bacteremia, the differences in the mean duration of hospital stay was not significant (mean 35.0 vs. 28.7 days; P = 0.33). Similar numbers of MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) patients died (P = 0.48). The mean total hospital costs after S. aureus bacteremia increased more for MRSA patients compared to MSSA patients. However, this difference was not statistically significant ($9,369.6 vs. $8,355.8; P = 0.62). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that MRSA bacteremia is not associated with higher risks of mortality or hospital costs. It is, however, associated with a substantial increase in the length of hospital stay as compared to MSSA bacteremia. This information may help clinicians and policymakers derive methods to control the impacts of MRSA infection.

Changing etiology of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults: a nationwide multicenter study in Korea.

Epidemiologic data on the etiologic organisms is important for appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment of bacterial meningitis. We identified the etiologies of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in Korean adults and the associated epidemiological factors. A retrospective, multicenter nationwide study was carried out. Patients 18 years of age or older with community-acquired bacterial meningitis with a confirmed pathogen were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, and microbiological data were collected. One hundred and ninety-five cases were collected. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common pathogen (50.8%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (10.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (7.7%), Listeria monocytogenes (6.7%), and group B Streptococcus (3.1%). The penicillin resistance rate of the S. pneumoniae was 60.3%; 40.0% of the organisms were not susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins. The combination of third-generation cephalosporin with vancomycin was used in 76.3% of cases. Steroids were given before or with the first dose of antibiotics in 37.4% of patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 20.5% and neurological sequelae developed in 15.6% of cases. S. pneumoniae was the most common organism identified in community-acquired bacterial meningitis among Korean adults. S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, L. monocytogenes, and group B Streptococcus were also common. S. pneumoniae had high rates of resistance to penicillin and third-generation cephalosporins.

MAPK signaling is required for LPS-induced VEGF in pulp stem cells.

Caries-induced pulpitis is typically accompanied by an increase in dental pulp microvascular density. However, the mechanisms by which dental pulp cells recognize lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) remain unclear. We hypothesized that Porphyromonas endodontalis and Escherichia coli LPSs induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) and human dental pulp fibroblasts (HDPF) through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. ELISA, semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and Western blots were used. Here, we observed that LPSs induced VEGF expression in DPSC and HDPF cells, and both cell types express Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR- 4). Notably, LPS-induced VEGF is associated with phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC zeta) and extracellular signal-regulator kinase (ERK1/2) and is dependent upon MAPK activation. Analysis of these data, collectively, unveils a signaling pathway responsible for synthesis of VEGF by pulp cells and suggests a novel therapeutic target for the management of vascular responses in teeth with pulpitis.

Complete genome sequence of a newly isolated lytic bacteriophage, EFAP-1 of Enterococcus faecalis, and antibacterial activity of its endolysin EFAL-1.

AIMS: In this work, we aimed to identify an effective treatment of infections caused by Enterococcus spp. strains resistant to conventional antibiotics. METHODS AND RESULTS: We report the isolation and characterization of a new lytic bacteriophage, designated bacteriophage EFAP-1, that is capable of lysing Enterococcus faecalis bacteria that exhibit resistance to multiple antibiotics. EFAP-1 has low sequence similarity to all known bacteriophages. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that EFAP-1 belongs to the Siphoviridae family. A putative lytic protein of EFAP-1, endolysin EFAL-1, is encoded in ORF 2 and was expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant EFAL-1 had broad-spectrum lytic activity against several Gram-positive pathogens, including Ent. faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. CONCLUSIONS: The complete genome sequence of the newly isolated enterococcal lytic phage was analysed, and it was demonstrated that its recombinant endolysin had broad lytic activity against various Gram-positive pathogens. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Bacteriophage EFAP-1 and its lytic protein, EFAL-1, can be utilized as potent antimicrobial agents against Enterococcus spp. strains resistant to conventional antibiotics in hospital infections and also as environmental disinfectants to control disease-causing Enterococcus spp. in dairy farms.

Post-growth annealing effects of Mg doped GaAs epitaxial layers on microstructural and optical properties.

The post-growth thermal annealing effects of Mg doped GaAs epitaxial layers on the microstructural and optical properties grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) have been investigated. The properties of Mg doped GaAs are estimated after the process of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) in the temperature range of 600 approximately 750 degrees C. The photoluminescence (PL) peak position of as-grown sample blueshifted from 1.473 to 1.485 eV as well as the pronounced enhancement in PL intensity by annealing at 600 degrees C. In the sample grown at the temperature of T(s) = 475 degrees C, the full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of double crystal X-ray diffraction (DCXRD) decreased form 27 to 8 arcsec with increasing of annealing temperature (600 approximately 700 degrees C). The crystalline quality variation of Mg doped GaAs layers by RTA is greatly dependent upon the doping level.

Cost-effective screening for breast cancer worldwide: current state and future directions.

Affordability of healthcare is highly limited by its skyrocketing cost. Access to screening and diagnostic medical equipment and medicine in developing countries is inadequate for the majority of the population. There is a tremendous worldwide need to detect breast cancer at its earliest stage. These needs must be balanced by the ability of countries to provide breast cancer screening technology to their populations. We reviewed the diagnostic accuracy, procedure cost and cost-effectiveness of currently available technique for breast screening and diagnosis including clinical breast examination, mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, biopsy and a new modality for cancer diagnostics termed elasticity imaging that has emerged in the last decade. Clinical results demonstrate that elasticity imaging even in its simplest and least sophisticated versions, like tactile imaging, has significant diagnostic potential comparable and exceeding that of conventional imaging techniques. In view of many countries with limited resources, effective yet less expensive modes of screening must be considered worldwide. The tactile imaging is one method that has the potential to provide cost-effective breast cancer screening and diagnostics.

Cryopreservation of Taxus chinensis suspension cell cultures.

A simple cryopreservation method for suspension cells of Taxus chinensis was established. In this procedure 7 days old suspension cells were used without any pre-culture treatment. At first, cells were incubated in cryoprotectant solution (0.5M DMSO and 0.5M glycerol) on ice for 30 min and then frozen at a cooling rate of 1 degree C/min to -40 degrees C prior to immersion in liquid nitrogen. The average viability of frozen-thawed cells was between 30 to 40%. The recovery of cryopreserved cells in liquid nitrogen for 1 month was accomplished. After rapid thawing, cells were transferred to solid medium and cultivated for 4-6 weeks. The treatment of trehalose as a cryoprotectant enhanced re-growth of frozen-thawed cells. The stable maintenance of paclitaxel biosynthetic ability in cryopreserved cells was confirmed by comparing with that of regularly sub-cultured suspension cells.