Clinical Experience of 1-Minute Brain MRI Using a Multicontrast EPI Sequence in a Different Scan Environment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The long scan time of MR imaging is a major drawback limiting its clinical use in neuroimaging; therefore, we aimed to investigate the clinical feasibility of a 1-minute full-brain MR imaging using a multicontrast EPI sequence on a different MR imaging scanner than the ones previously reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 146 patients who underwent a multicontrast EPI sequence, including T1-FLAIR, T2-FLAIR, T2WI, DWI, and T2*WI sequences. Two attending neuroradiologists assessed the image quality of each sequence to compare the multicontrast EPI sequence with routine MR imaging protocols. We used the Wilcoxon signed rank test and McNemar test to compare the 2 MR imaging protocols. RESULTS: The multicontrast EPI sequence generally showed sufficient image quality of >2 points using a 4-point assessment scale. Regarding image quality and susceptibility artifacts, there was no significant difference between the multicontrast EPI sequence DWI and routine DWI (P > .05), attesting to noninferiority of the multicontrast EPI, whereas there were significant differences in the other 4 sequences between the 2 MR imaging protocols. CONCLUSIONS: The multicontrast EPI sequence showed sufficient image quality for clinical use with a shorter scan time; however, it was limited by inferior image quality and frequent susceptibility artifacts compared with routine brain MR imaging. Therefore, the multicontrast EPI sequence cannot completely replace the routine MR imaging protocol at present; however, it may be a feasible option in specific clinical situations such as screening, time-critical diseases or for use with patients prone to motion.

Betulinic acid inhibits high-fat diet-induced obesity and improves energy balance by activating AMPK.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Metabolic syndromes are prevalent worldwide and result in various complications including obesity, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. Betulinic acid (BA) is a naturally occurring triterpenoid that has anti-inflammatory properties. We hypothesized that treatment with BA may result in decreased body weight gain, adiposity and hepatic steatosis in a diet-induced mouse model of obesity. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mice fed a high-fat diet and treated with BA showed less weight gain and tissue adiposity without any change in calorie intake. Gene expression profiling of mouse tissues and cell lines revealed that BA treatment increased expression of lipid oxidative genes and decreased that of lipogenesis-related genes. This modulation was mediated by increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, which facilitates energy expenditure, lipid oxidation and thermogenic capacity and exerts protective effects against obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Overall, BA markedly inhibited the development of obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice fed a high-fat diet, and AMPK activation in various tissues and enhanced thermogenesis are two possible mechanisms underlying the antiobesity and antisteatogenic effects of BA. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings suggest that treatment with BA is a potential dietary strategy for preventing obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Clinical Feasibility of Zero TE Skull MRI in Patients with Head Trauma in Comparison with CT: A Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Conventional MR imaging techniques cannot produce optimal images of bone structures because bone has little water and a very short T2 life span. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical feasibility of skull MR imaging using the zero TE sequence in patients with head trauma by assessing its diagnostic image quality and quantitative measurement compared with CT images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen enrolled patients with head trauma were assessed using brain CT and skull MR imaging. Image quality was graded on a 5-point Likert scale to compare the 2 modalities. To evaluate quantitative analyses between the 2 imaging modalities, we measured skull thickness and normalized bone tissue signal. Interobserver reliability was assessed using weighted κ statistics and the intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Both imaging techniques clearly depicted skull fractures in all 13 patients. The mean scores for skull MR imaging and CT were 4.65 ± 0.56 and 4.73 ± 0.45 (P = .157), respectively, with substantial interobserver agreement (P < .05). The 2 imaging modalities showed no difference in skull thickness (P = .092) and had good correlation (r 2 = 0.997). The mean value of normalized bone tissue signal among the 3 layers of the skull was relatively consistent (P = .401) with high interobserver agreement (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Zero TE skull MR imaging has diagnostic image quality comparable with that of CT images. It also provides consistent results on the quantitative measurement of cortical bone with CT images.

Predictive performance of the modified Marsh and Schnider models for propofol in underweight patients undergoing general anaesthesia using target-controlled infusion.

BACKGROUND: : In our preliminary study, the modified Marsh (M-Marsh) model caused an inadvertent underdosing of propofol in underweight patients. However, the predictive performance of the M-Marsh and Schnider models incorporated in commercially available target-controlled infusion (TCI) pumps was not evaluated in underweight patients. METHODS: : Thirty underweight patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly allocated to receive propofol via TCI using the M-Marsh or Schnider models. The target effect-site concentrations (Ces) of propofol were, in order, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 2 µg ml -1 . Arterial blood samples were obtained at least 7 min after achieving each pseudo-steady-state. RESULTS: A total of 172 plasma samples were used to determine the predictive performance of both models. The pooled median (95% confidence interval) biases and inaccuracies at a target Ce ≤ 3 µg ml -1 were -22.6 (-28.8 to -12.6) and 31.9 (24.8-36.8) for the M-Marsh model and 9.0 (1.7-16.4) and 28.5 (21.7-32.8) for the Schnider model, respectively. These values at Ce ≥ 4 µg ml -1 were -9.6 (-16.0 to -6.0) and 24.7 (21.1-27.9) for the M-Marsh model and 19.8 (12.9-25.7) and 36.2 (31.4-39.7) for the Schnider model, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The pooled biases and inaccuracies of both models were clinically acceptable. However, the M-Marsh and Schnider models consistently produced negatively and positively biased predictions, respectively, in underweight patients. In particular, the M-Marsh model showed greater inaccuracy at target Ce ≤ 3 µg ml -1 and the Schnider model showed greater inaccuracy at target Ce ≥ 4 µg ml -1 . Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new pharmacokinetic model for propofol in underweight patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: KCT0001502.

Granulocyte macrophage - colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) significantly enhances articular cartilage repair potential by microfracture.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) can be used to increase the number of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in blood clots formed by microfracture arthroplasty (MFX) and whether it can improve the therapeutic outcome for cartilage repair. METHODS: Thirty-six New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four groups: (1) control, (2) GM-CSF, (3) MFX, and (4) GM-CSF + MFX. GM-CSF was administrated intravenously (IV) at 10 µg/kg body weight 20 min before the MFX surgery. The repaired tissues were retrieved and examined by histological observation, quantitative assessment, and biochemical assays at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment. The number of MSCs was measured in the blood clots by the colony forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) assay. The kinetic profile and distribution of GM-CSF in vivo was also evaluated by near-Infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay. RESULTS: In the histological observations and chemical assays examined at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, the MFX after GM-CSF administration showed better cartilage repair than the one without GM-CSF. The CFU-F assay showed a significantly larger amount of MSCs present in the blood clots of the GM-CSF + MFX group than in the blood clots of the other groups. The blood concentration of GM-CSF peaked at 10 min and decreased back to almost the initial level after a couple of hours. GM-CSF was distributed in many organs including the bone marrow but was not observed clearly in the joint cavity. CONCLUSION: Intravenous administration of GM-CSF together with MFX could be a promising therapeutic protocol to enhance the repair of cartilage defects.

Pancreas Transplantation After Liver Transplantation: A Case Report.

Our aim was to describe the clinical indications, surgical technique, and clinical outcomes of a pancreas transplantation, performed 4 years after liver transplantation, as treatment for new-onset, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus in a 53-year-old man. Liver transplantation was performed for end-stage liver disease secondary to hepatitis B virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient had no history of diabetes prior to the liver transplantation. The decision to proceed with a pancreas transplantation was made when the patient's blood sugar levels could not be normalized despite insulin doses >100 IU/d. A modified cadaveric transplantation technique was used, with the recipient's inferior vena cava dissected for anastomosis with the portal vein of the graft, using a diamond-shaped patch procedure. Moreover, the right common iliac artery was anastomosed with a Y-graft in the pancreas graft, and the duodenum remnant of the graft was anastomosed to the recipient's duodenum using a side-to-side procedure. The 6-month postoperative follow-up included repeated endoscopic biopsy of the graft duodenum, with no evidence of thrombosis or rejection of the graft, with glucose level within normal limits without requirement for diabetic drugs. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pancreas transplantation after liver transplantation.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in longissimus muscle of pigs with high and low intramuscular fat content using RNA sequencing.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content in pork is an important element of consumer preference and is positively correlated with meat quality, including tenderness and juiciness. With advances in RNA sequencing technologies, transcriptome-related differences can be associated with specific traits in animals. The objective of this study was to investigate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) closely related to IMF content in porcine longissimus muscle using RNA sequencing. A total of 107 Berkshire pigs were used for IMF content measurements, and significant differences between extremely high (H, n = 3) and low (L, n = 3) IMF content groups were found (P < 0.0001). From multi-dimensional scaling analyses, it was observed that the relationships between H and L groups were similar to each other. Here, we identified a total of 134 genes that were differentially expressed between the groups (false discovery rate <0.05; fold change ≥2). Functional analyses with DEGs revealed that lipid metabolism (SCD and FASN) was one of the significant biological processes related to IMF content determination. In addition, we found that DEGs related to muscle regeneration (MYOG and VEGFA) and extracellular matrix (COL1A1, COL1A2, COL5A1, COL14A1 and COL15A1) were changed among individuals with extreme IMF contents. These results will aid in understanding the regulation of IMF content in pigs.

Development and Applicability of the A-P 200 Criteria for Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The Milan criteria are widely accepted for indicating liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, a 7% to 20% possibility of HCC recurrence remains, even among patients who fulfill the Milan criteria. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 88 patients with HCC who underwent liver transplantation at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital between May 2010 and December 2014. The risk factors for HCC recurrence were analyzed, and the overall survival and disease-free survival rates were calculated based on each risk factor. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (19.3%) experienced HCC recurrence. Multivariate analyses revealed that the independent risk factors for HCC recurrence were protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II) levels of >200 mAU/mL, levels of >200 for alpha-fetoprotein (ng/mL) or PIVKA-II (mAU/mL), and microvascular invasion. Therefore, we defined the A-P 200 criteria as simultaneously exhibiting alpha-fetoprotein levels of ≤200 ng/mL and PIVKA-II levels of ≤200 mAU/mL. The 3-year overall survival rates among patients who fulfilled or exceeded the A-P 200 criteria were 89.2% and 80.0%, respectively (P = .79). The 3-year disease-free survival rates among patients who fulfilled or exceeded the A-P 200 criteria were 89.9% and 43.1%, respectively (P < .001). We also applied the A-P 200 criteria to patient data from another major center and observed similar results. CONCLUSION: These findings confirm that the A-P 200 criteria can be used to predict recurrence after liver transplantation among patients with HCC.

Inferior Vena Cava-Duodenal Drainage in Pancreas Alone Transplantation for Chronic Pancreatitis: A Case Report.

Enteric drainage has been the main trend in solitary pancreas transplantation. Compared with bladder drainage, it does not cause metabolic or urologic complications, but there is no way to perform immunologic monitoring, except by graft pancreas biopsy. Additionally, although portal drainage of the graft vein is considered physiological drainage, it has more of a risk for surgical complications. To overcome these disadvantages, we successfully performed inferior vena cava (IVC)-duodenal drainage in pancreas alone transplantation. A 44-year-old man underwent pancreas alone transplantation. He had insulin-dependent diabetes because of chronic pancreatitis, thus he had taken a pancreatic enzyme. After right-sided medial visceral rotation, the IVC was dissected for anastomosis with a graft portal vein. The right common iliac artery was anastomosed with a Y-graft in the pancreas graft. The graft duodenum was anastomosed with recipient duodenum using the side-to-side manner. Postoperatively, he underwent protocol biopsies of the graft duodenum through endoscopy two times. There was no evidence of graft thrombosis or rejection. He had a normal glucose level without any diabetic drugs, and he required no pancreatic enzyme for digestion. The IVC-duodenum drainage procedure was a feasible method for preventing thrombosis and providing an opportunity for direct graft monitoring through endoscopy.

Beneficial Effect of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation on Organ Perfusion During Management of the Unstable Brain-dead Donor: A Case Series.

It is well known that the quality of organs retrieved from brain-dead donors (DBDs) is better than those retrieved from circulatory death donors. However, in situations of organ retrieval from marginal DBDs, who are unstable despite intensive care, transplantation outcomes are not good. Organ ischemia is the most important determining factor in decreased organ quality in circulatory death donors and in some DBDs. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for management of DBDs can be an emergency countermeasure. The purpose of this report is to relay our experience with four cases of ECMO for DBD management. In all four cases, the donors were unstable and showed clear signs of ischemia despite intensive care, including ventilator use and administration of inotropic agents. Two donors had acute respiratory distress syndrome, and two exhibited dysfunctional oxygen delivery. ECMO was used to improve organ perfusion. ECMO resulted in an increased partial pressure of arterial oxygen increased and decreased lactic acid levels. Vital signs were stabilized, especially in the donors who were bleeding. The organ was successfully retrieved from each donor. Two livers (one of them was split), eight kidneys, and one pancreas were retrieved from four DBDs. All other organs were transplanted successfully, and there were no cases of primary nonfunction or delayed graft function. The ECMO machine is the most powerful supportive device for management of unstable DBDs. The use of ECMO in unstable DBDs can be beneficial in expanding the donor pool as well as improving the quality of retrieved organs.

The Anti-Müllerian Hormone Profile is Linked with the In Vitro Embryo Production Capacity and Embryo Viability after Transfer but Cannot Predict Pregnancy Outcome.

The current study investigated the possibility of using the AMH concentration as a predictor of the ability of Korean Hanwoo cows to produce cumulus-oocyte complexes, embryos that survive after transfer as well as the pregnancy outcome of surrogates. Eight sessions of ovum pick-up (OPU) were performed with 19 donor cows at an interval of 3-4 days. Antral follicle count (AFC), oocyte quality and in vitro embryo development were recorded for each cow. Embryos produced from cows with different AMH profiles were transferred into recipients (n = 96). Cows in the high (≥0.25 ng/ml) and intermediate (0.1≥ to <0.25 ng/ml) AMH groups had a significantly higher AFC per OPU session (20.40 ± 1.36 and 16.91 ± 1.52, respectively; mean ± standard deviation) than cows in the low AMH group (<0.1 ng/ml; 12.19 ± 2.14). In addition, more cumulus-oocyte complexes per donor were recovered in the high (11.46 ± 1.22) and intermediate (7.38 ± 0.83) AMH groups than in the low AMH group (4.77 ± 0.44). The percentage of oocytes reached blastocyst stage was significantly higher in the intermediate (47.0%) and high (38.5%) AMH groups than in the low AMH group (32.3%). The number of embryos produced per cow was higher in the high (3.9 ± 0.2) and intermediate (6.9 ± 0.6) AMH groups than in the low AMH group (2.2 ± 0.3). The percentage of embryos that gave birth to viable calves when transferred into recipients was higher for those derived from cows in the intermediate AMH group (50.7%) than for those derived from cows in the low (35.7%) and high (36.4%) AMH groups. In conclusion, a single measurement of AMH concentration predicted the in vitro embryo production potential of donor Korean native cows before OPU and is linked with embryo viability after transfer into recipients.

Irreversible Graft Failure Requiring 3 Repeated Liver Transplantations Combined With a 2-Stage Liver Transplantation: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Although repeated liver transplantation (RLT) for irreversible graft failure is relatively rare, RLT is the only life-saving option available for a patient with failure of a previous liver transplant (LT). In cases in which failure of a previous LT is combined with TLS and exsanguination, waiting for organ allocation is not feasible and 2-stage liver transplantation (TSLT) is required. The aim of our case report was to describe the clinical management, including the criteria informing clinical decisions, for a patient who required 3 RLTs combined with TSLT. CASE: A 55-year-old man was admitted with liver cirrhosis associated with hepatitis B and multiple hepatocellular carcinomas. LT was performed using an emergent deceased donor graft of marginal quality. The graft was unsuccessful, with the patient showing hemodynamic deterioration and primary nonfunction of the graft. A total hepatectomy, with temporary portocaval shunt, was performed, with a second transplantation performed 3 days later. The second graft was from a 71-year-old, non-heart-beating donor, which resulted in a second episode of primary nonfunction. A third transplantation was performed 4 days later. The patient progressively recovered with extensive rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: We report the successful outcome for a patient requiring 3 RLTs, with TSLT used as a bridge between transplants to reduce the duration of the anhepatic state. In selected cases, the combination of RLT and TSLT can provide a chance of survival from life-threatening liver failure.

Complete Regression of Recurrent Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplantation in Response to Sorafenib Treatment: A Case Report.

Liver transplantation is a potentially curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. However, patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation have few treatment options and local treatment may not be feasible. Sorafenib, an orally active multikinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, significantly improves progression-free and overall survival. However, only a few studies have evaluated the efficacy of sorafenib in patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma following liver transplantation. Here, we report a case of a patient with recurrent advanced hepatocellular carcinoma after living donor liver transplantation who achieved complete remission in response to sorafenib treatment. The patient has survived for more than 4 years post-transplantation.

Formation of Collateral Veins in a Graft Pancreas After a Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation: A Case Report.

A graft vein thrombosis is the main cause of early graft failure after pancreas transplantation. We report a case of formation of collateral veins in a graft pancreas after transplant. A 30-year-old woman underwent simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation. She was discharged 16 days after the operation with good pancreas and kidney function. A total occlusion of the portal vein was discovered on computed tomography (CT) performed at an outpatient clinic. She had no symptoms or signs of hyperglycemia. Venography was attempted for vein thrombectomy but failed. After 2 weeks of heparinization therapy, the edema disappeared and perfusion of the graft pancreas improved. However, the thrombotic occlusion was not resolved on CT. Arteriography of the Y-graft revealed collateral veins. She was discharged with warfarin. She is currently doing well without any symptoms or signs. This is the first reported case of collateral vein formation in a grafted pancreas after pancreas transplantation.

Quality improvement of transgenic cloned bovine embryos using an aggregation method: Effects on cell number, cell ratio, embryo perimeter, mitochondrial distribution, and gene expression profile.

The production of cloned embryos using conventional methods has extremely low success rates owing to low embryo quality. To improve the quality of cloned bovine embryos expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), we applied an aggregation culture method. The EGFP gene was transfected into bovine fetal fibroblasts using a retroviral vector system. Somatic cell nuclear transfer was performed using these cells, and the resulting embryos were cultured in aggregates or individually. Gene expression was analyzed by a microarray, and differentially expressed genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The total number of cells per blastocyst and the ratio of inner cell mass cells to trophectoderm cells were higher in aggregated transgenic cloned blastocysts (agBL; 368.7 ± 109.6 and 1:4.8, respectively) than in in vitro-fertilized blastocysts (ivfBL; 189.8 ± 65.8 and 1:2.6, respectively) and nonaggregated transgenic cloned blastocysts (sBL; 113.1 ± 36.3 and 1:1.5, respectively; P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Moreover, the blastocyst perimeter was larger in the agBL group than in the ivfBL and sBL groups (1168.8 ± 200.23 vs. 887.33 ± 187.62 and 678 ± 226.1 µm; P < 0.05). In addition, mitochondrial fluorescence intensity was higher in the agBL group than in the ivfBL and sBL groups (P < 0.05). The number of apoptotic cells per blastocyst was lower in the ivfBL and agBL groups than in the sBL group (3.7 ± 2.2 and 3.4 ± 2.1 vs. 6.7 ± 6.8; P < 0.05). The genes identified in the microarray belonged to 18 categories. Expression of the Krüppel-like factor 4 gene, which is associated with cell proliferation, development, and transcription, was 7.2-fold higher in the agBL group than in the ivfBL group (P < 0.05) but did not differ between the sBL and ivfBL groups (P > 0.05). Expression of the heat shock 70-kDa protein 1A gene, which is associated with apoptosis, was 12-fold higher in the sBL group than in the ivfBL and agBL groups (P < 0.05). Expression of a stemness-related gene (octamer-binding transcription factor 4) and trophectoderm-specific genes (homeobox protein CDX2 and keratin 18) was higher in the agBL group than in the sBL group (P < 0.05). However, expression of the stemness gene homeobox protein NANOG did not differ among the groups (P > 0.05). Taken together, these data suggest that the aggregation method improves the quality of cloned embryos expressing EGFP and might be helpful in animal cloning.

How to reduce lethal infectious complications in ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: ABO-incompatible organ transplants are good options for expanding the living donor pool; however, the necessary pre-conditioning to remove ABO antibodies before surgery can evoke critical infectious complications after surgery. METHODS: Between February 2009 and July 2013, we performed ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation on 182 patients. We analyzed the first 85 patients for post-operative infectious complications in a cross-sectional cohort of patients (group 1, n = 85) who had received an ABO-incompatible kidney transplant and, in light of the results, amended the pre-conditioning (lower dose of rituximab, selective use of calcineurin inhibitors, anti-metabolite reduction, and prophylactic strategy) given to a prospective cohort (group 2, n = 97). RESULTS: The characteristics of the two groups did not differ significantly. Infectious complications decreased significantly in group 2, including cytomegalovirus (anti-genemia 64.7% vs 27.8%, P < .001) and BK viremia (35.2% vs 18.6%, P = .008). The acute rejection rate and death-censored graft survival were similar in both groups. Notably, with the modified protocol, there were no deaths (8.2% vs 0.0%, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-conditioning for ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation is a prerequisite for successful outcome; its drawbacks can be limited with the use of a modified immunosuppressive strategy. If immunosuppression is modified according to host conditions, ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation can be performed safely with a successful graft outcome.

Preliminary physical and electromagnetic design for the injector of the heavy ion superconducting linac.

The Rare Isotope Science Project in Korea has developed a high current heavy ion accelerator using superconducting linacs. A normal conducting injector system was proposed to supply heavy ions to the superconducting driver linac. A beam physics and engineering design study was performed, and the beam dynamics of the injector was simulated. Optimized beam transmission and emittance were obtained from the beam dynamics simulation. Various normal conducting bunchers, such as multi-harmonic buncher, velocity equalizer, radiofrequency quadrupole, and re-bunchers, will be used and have been electromagnetically calculated.

Establishment of a reliable and reproducible murine osteoarthritis model.

OBJECTIVE: Many osteoarthritis (OA) models have been developed in mice to understand OA progression and evaluate new OA therapies. However, the individual variation of the joint lesions remains a critical problem in most of the current OA models. We established an OA model in C57BL/6 mice that is more reproducible and amenable to therapeutic intervention by controlling their movement. DESIGN: OA was induced in 9-week-old C57BL/6 mice by destabilizing the medial meniscus. The mice were then raised in the standard cage for free movement or in a confined cage customized to restrict movement. Mice in the confined cage were subjected to no exercise or exercise of 400, 800, and 1200 m/day. RESULTS: OA lesions of mice in the confined cage were more severe in the exercise group and showed much less variation. However, the patterns of OA lesions over time were quite different depending on the amount of daily exercise; the patterns increased linearly until 8 weeks in 400 m/day exercise group, but showed plateauing after 4 weeks in 800 m/day and 1200 m/day groups. The validity of our novel OA model with movement control was proven by successfully discriminating the therapeutic effect of hyaluronic acid (HA) in histological scores, while the OA model using standard caging showed a statistically insignificant difference. CONCLUSION: The mouse OA model using the confine cage and enforced periodic exercise of mice is more reproducible and reliable than standard caging methods.

Genetic variation of FASN is associated with fatty acid composition of Hanwoo.

The objective of this study was to identify genetic variants in the bovine fatty acid synthase (FASN) gene and to evaluate associations with fatty acid composition from longissimus lumborum muscle using 90 purebred Hanwoo steers. Sequence alignments observed 6 genetic variants located in exons 20, 24, 32, 34, and 39, and PCR-RFLP analysis confirmed these variations. Genotypes of the g.15532A>C locus were significantly associated with Linolenic acid (C18:3), and genotypes of the g.17924G>A locus were significantly associated with Palmitic (C16:0), Palmitoleic (C16:1), Oleic (C18:1), saturated fatty acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. The analysis revealed that SFA and UFA showed significant correlations with fatty acid composition (Myristic (C14:0), Palmitic (C16:0), Stearic (C18:0), Oleic (C18:1), and Eicosenoic (C20:1) acids). Oleic acid (C18:1) was negatively correlated with Myristic (C14:0), Palmitic (C16:0), and Palmitoleic (C16:1) acids (P<0.001).

Genetic Polymorphisms of the Bovine NOV Gene Are Significantly Associated with Carcass Traits in Korean Cattle.

The objective of this study was to investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the bovine nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV) gene and to evaluate whether these polymorphisms affect carcass traits in the Korean cattle population. We resequenced to detect SNPs from 24 unrelated individuals and identified 19 SNPs within the full 8.4-kb gene, including the 1.5-kb promoter region. Of these 19 SNPs, four were selected for genotyping based on linkage disequilibrium (LD). We genotyped 429 steers to assess the associations of these four SNPs with carcass traits. Statistical analysis revealed that g.7801T>C and g.8379A>C polymorphisms in the NOV gene were associated with carcass weight (p = 0.012 and 0.008, respectively), and the g.2005A>G polymorphism was associated with the back fat thickness (BF) trait (p = 0.0001). One haplotype of the four SNPs (GGTA) was significantly associated with BF (p = 0.0005). Our findings suggest that polymorphisms in the NOV gene may be among the important genetic factors affecting carcass yield in beef cattle.