Risk factors affecting the treatment outcome of pediatric foreign body aspiration: significance of time factors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting the prognosis of children with foreign body aspiration (FBA) after undergoing rigid bronchoscopy. METHODS: This was a case series with a chart review of 49 children under 3 years of age who underwent rigid bronchoscopy for suspected FBA at a single tertiary institution. RESULTS: The time from symptom onset to hospitalization positively correlated with the total hospitalization time (p < 0.001), postoperative hospitalization time (p = 0.006), and operation time (p = 0.013). The time from symptom onset to operation positively correlated with the total hospitalization time (p < 0.001) and operation time (p = 0.046). The time from hospitalization to operation and the operation time positively correlated with the total hospitalization time (p = 0.026, 0.044) and postoperative hospitalization time (p = 0.049, 0.003). The time from symptom onset to hospitalization positively correlated with the incidence of pneumonia (p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Rapid hospitalization after symptom onset, rapid surgery after symptom onset, and rapid surgery after hospitalization improve the prognosis of patients with FBA. Further, a short operation time also plays a role in improving patient prognosis.

Endoscopic Removal of Huge Cholesterol Granuloma in the Maxillary Sinus Confused With Odontogenic Keratocyst.

Cholesterol granuloma is a foreign body reaction to the deposition of cholesterol crystals, usually found in association to chronic middle ear diseases, being highly uncommon in the paranasal sinuses. Furthermore, a huge and aggressive cholesterol granuloma involving the maxillary sinus, hard palate, buccal space, and maxillary alveolus is extremely rare and has not been reported previously. This article reports a case of huge cholesterol granuloma in the maxillary sinus confused with an expansile odontogenic keratocyst, which was treated successfully via transnasal endoscopic approach.

Subglottic stenosis in children: Our experience at a pediatric tertiary center for 8 years in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of SGS has been reported to be less than 8% after endotracheal intubation. Therefore there is an increasing trend in the number of patients with acute acquired SGS due to mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit. However, there have been no reports describing the treatment of SGS in children in South Korea. The objective of this study was to evaluate the management and outcomes of children with SGS at a pediatric tertiary center in South Korea over an 8-year period. METHODS: All patients underwent microlaryngobronchoscopy (MLB) with bougination, incision using cold knife or laser and balloon dilatation. Data on age, sex, grade of SGS, number of management interventions, tracheostomy, comorbidities, mean follow-up period, complications, and outcome were reviewed from patient medical charts. RESULTS: Twenty patients (13 [65%] males, 7 [35%] females; mean [±SD] age at the diagnostic procedure 15.26 ±â€¯22.54 months) underwent MLB between March 2009 and December 2017. According to the Myer-Cotton scale, twelve of the 20 (60%) patients had grade III SGS, 7 (35%) had grade II and 1 (5%) had grade 1; there were no patients with grade IV SGS. Nine (45%) patients were diagnosed with acute SGS, and 11 (55%) with chronic SGS. Patients with SGS underwent MLB with interventions (mean 2.41 ±â€¯2.23 per patient). Tracheostomy was performed in 13 of 20 (65%) patients, 2 of 9 (22.2%) with acute SGS, and 11 of 11 (100%) with chronic SGS. Two of 13 (15.3%) patients underwent successful decannulation. One of 2 (50%) patients with acute SGS underwent successful decannulation. Seven of 9 (77.7%) patients with acute SGS underwent MLB only without tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute acquired SGS, the outcome was good due to the lower rate of tracheostomy and higher decannulation rate. Therefore, it is recommended that MLB with balloon laryngoplasty be performed at the earliest in patients with acute acquired SGS.

Development of a Novel Intraoperative Neuromonitoring System Using a Surface Pressure Sensor to Detect Muscle Movement: A Rabbit Model Study.

OBJECTIVES: False-negative or false-positive responses in intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) using electromyography (EMG) in thyroid surgery pose a challenge. Therefore, we developed a novel IONM system that uses a surface pressure sensor instead of EMG to detect muscle twitching. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of a new IONM system using a piezo-electric surface pressure sensor in an experimental animal model. METHODS: We developed the surface pressure sensor by modifying a commercial piezo-electric sensor. We evaluated the stimulus thresholds to detect muscle movement, as well as the amplitude and latency of the EMG and surface pressure sensor in six sciatic nerves of three rabbits, according to the stimulus intensity. RESULTS: The surface pressure sensor detected the muscle movements in response to a 0.1 mA stimulation of all six sciatic nerves. There were no differences in the thresholds of stimulus intensity between the surface pressure sensor and EMG recordings to detect muscle movements. CONCLUSION: It is possible to measure the change in surface pressure by using a piezo-electric surface pressure sensor instead of EMG to detect muscle movement induced by nerve stimulation. The application of IONM using a piezo-electric surface pressure sensor during surgery is noninvasive, safe, and feasible. Measuring muscle twitching to identify the state of the nerves using the novel IONM system can be an alternative to recording of EMG responses.

Solidification Rate Dependence of Microstructures and Transformation Behavior of Ti-Ni-Hf Alloys.

The microstructures and transformation behavior of Ti-49Ni-20Hf, Ti-49.5Ni-20Hf and Ti-50.3Ni- 20Hf alloys, when prepared by conventional casting, were investigated and compared with the properties of the alloys prepared by melt spinning. The area fraction of (Ti,Hf)2Ni in Ti-Ni-Hf alloys decreased to 3.9% from 9.4% as Ni content rose to 50.3 at% from 49 at%. Several cracks were observed in the hot-rolled Ti-49Ni-20Hf alloy sheet but none were found in the Ti-50.3Ni-20Hf alloy sheet. The B2-B19' transformation start temperature (Ms) decreased to 476 K from 580 K as Ni content increased to 50.3 at% from 49 at%. All the as-spun ribbons were amorphous, and the activation energy for crystallization ranged from 167.8 kJ/mol to 182.7 kJ/mol based on Ni content. When annealing temperature ranged from 810 K to 873 K, crystalline Ti-Ni-Hf alloys without (Ti,Hf)2Ni particles were obtained. At annealing temperatures higher than 873 K, very fine (Ti,Hf)2Ni particles, less than 20 nm in size, were found embedded in a crystalline matrix.

Anti-complement component 5 antibody targeting MG4 domain inhibits choroidal neovascularization.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the main causes of visual impairment in adults. Visual deterioration is more prominent in neovascular AMD with choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Clinical and postmortem studies suggested that complement system activation might induce CNV. In this study, we demonstrated that an anti-mouse complement component 5 (C5) antibody targeting MG4 domain of ß chain effectively inhibited CNV which was induced by laser photocoagulation in mice. The targeted epitope of this anti-C5 antibody was different from that of currently utilized anti-C5 antibody (eculizumab) in the MG7 domain in which a single nucleotide polymorphism (R885H/C) results in poor response to eculizumab. Even with targeting MG4 domain, this anti-C5 antibody reduced production of C5a, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor to prevent infiltration of F4/80-positive cells into CNV lesions and formation of CNV. Furthermore, anti-C5 antibody targeting MG4 domain induced no definite toxicity in normal retina. These results demonstrated that anti-C5 antibody targeting MG4 domain inhibited CNV in neovascular AMD.

Antibodies to the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit RPB1 occur with highest frequency in centenarians.

BACKGROUND: Recently, phage display technology has made it possible to define the circulating repertoire of humoral immunity. This study was designed to define the circulating antibodies specific to centenarians. RESULTS: We used a phage-displayed combinatorial peptide library to screen for peptides (YSATLRY and YSPTLFY) that preferentially react with the IgG fraction of centenarians aged 100-105 years. Centenarian sera binds to YSATLRY and YSPTLFY with higher frequency than that of healthy volunteers aged 60-79 years or healthy volunteers younger than or equal to 43 years of age. We prepared polyclonal antibodies to YSATLRY from human sera to immunoprecipitate the native antigen, which was identified as the carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit RPB1. The RBP1 CTD contains multiple YSPTSPS repeats, which are significantly homologous to YSATLRY and YSPTLFY. The immunoprecipitated RPB1 had significantly slower mobility than did RPB1 in cell lysates, and the polyclonal antibodies reacted with CTD peptide, depending on the phosphorylation pattern. Therefore, it appears that the polyclonal antibodies preferentially bind to highly phosphorylated RPB1. We also confirmed that human monoclonal antibodies reactive to both YSATLRY and YSPTLFY bound to the phosphorylated YSPTSPS motif. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that centenarians possess IgG antibodies that are reactive to YSATLRY and YSPTLFY, mimicking the phosphorylated form of the YSPTSPS motif (CTD of RPB1), at a much higher frequency than that of the average population.

Inkjet-printed zinc tin oxide thin-film transistor.

Recently, there has been considerable interest in adapting printing approaches that are typically used in the graphic arts to the printing of electronic circuits and circuit components. We report the fabrication of solution-processed oxide transistors using inkjet printing. A zinc tin oxide sol-gel precursor is utilized as the ink for directly printing a thin uniform semiconducting layer. The printed device performance is significantly influenced by printing conditions such as the surface wettability and substrate temperature. The inkjet-printed transistors exhibit reproducible electrical performance, demonstrating their potential application in low-cost manufacturing of large-area flat panel displays.

Influence of fluid physical properties on ink-jet printability.

Ink-jet printing is a method for directly patterning and fabricating patterns without the need for masks. To achieve this, the fluids used as inks must have the capability of being stably and accurately printed by ink-jetting. We have investigated the inter-relationship between ink-jet printability and physical fluid properties by monitoring droplet formation dynamics. The printability of the fluids was determined using the inverse (Z) of the Ohnesorge number (Oh) which relates to the viscosity, surface tension, and density of the fluid. We have experimentally defined the printable range as 4 < or = Z < or = 14 by considering characteristics such as single droplet formability, positional accuracy, and maximum allowable jetting frequency.

Ink-jet printing of cu-ag-based highly conductive tracks on a transparent substrate.

We have developed a Cu-Ag-based mixed metal conductive ink from which highly conductive tracks form on a flexible substrate after annealing at low temperature. Addition of small Ag particles significantly improves the particle packing density by filling the interstices formed between the larger Cu particles, which in turn facilitates better conductivity compared to pure Cu metal film. The particle size and volume ratio of the Ag particles added should be carefully controlled to achieve maximum packing density in the bimodal particle system, which is consistent with the theoretical considerations of the Furnas model. In addition, we demonstrate direct writing of complex patterns that exhibit high conductivity upon annealing at sufficiently low temperature (175-210 degrees C) to not damage the transparent plastic substrate such as polyethersulphone (PES).

Cancer cell-derived IL-1alpha induces IL-8 release in endothelial cells.

PURPOSE: Cancer cells release a multitude of cytokines and growth factors that influence neighboring cells and help establish a favorable environment for tumor development. As part of our studies designed to elucidate the complex cellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment that facilitate tumor development, we investigated cancer cell-induced changes in gene expression in endothelial cells. METHODS: After treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with conditioned medium (CM) of SNUC5 colon cancer cells, gene expression profile in HUVEC was analyzed using cDNA microarray. Neutralizing antibodies against pro-inflammatory cytokines were used to identify the major effecter in SNUC5 CM. RESULTS: IL-8 was one of the four genes up-regulated over fourfold, and IL-1alpha in SNUC5 CM was revealed as a major effecter of IL-8 over-expression and release, which was nearly completely neutralized by anti-IL-1alpha antibody. Constitutive secretion of IL-1alpha was confirmed in many other human cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: IL-1alpha is constitutively expressed in many human cancer cells and directly induces IL-8 secretion in neighboring endothelial cells.

Synthesis and size control of monodisperse copper nanoparticles by polyol method.

We describe herein the synthesis of metallic copper nanoparticles in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone), employed as a protecting agent, via a polyol method in ambient atmosphere. The obtained copper particles were confirmed by XRD to be crystalline copper with a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. We observed monodisperse spherical copper nanoparticles with a diameter range 45+/-8 nm. The particle size and its distribution are controlled by varying the synthesis parameters such as the reducing agent concentration, reaction temperature, and precursor injection rate. The precursor injection rate plays an important role in controlling the size of the copper nanoparticles. On the basis of XPS and HRTEM results, we demonstrate that the surface of the copper is surrounded by amorphous CuO and that poly(vinylpyrrolidone) is chemisorbed on the copper surface.

Metabolic loading of guanosine induces chondrocyte apoptosis via the Fas pathway.

Although the apoptosis of chondrocytes plays an important role in endochondral ossification, its mechanism has not been elucidated. In this study, we show that guanosine induces chondrocyte apoptosis based on the results of acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, caspase-3 activation, and sub-G1 fraction analysis. The potent inhibitory effect of dipyridamole, a nucleoside transporter blocker, indicates that extracellular guanosine must enter the chondrocytes to induce apoptosis. We found that guanosine promotes Fas-Fas ligand interaction which, in turn, leads to chondrocyte apoptosis. These findings indicate a novel mechanism for endochondral ossification via metabolic regulation.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the polyol process and the influence of precursor injection.

Spherical silver nanoparticles with various sizes and standard deviations were synthesized by the polyol process. Two different synthesis methods were compared in order to investigate the influence of reaction parameters on the resulting particle size and its distribution. In the precursor heating method, wherein a solution containing silver nitrate was heated to the reaction temperature, the ramping rate was determined to be a critical parameter affecting the particle size. In contrast, in the precursor injection method, in which a silver nitrate aqueous solution was injected into hot ethylene glycol, because of rapid nucleation, the injection rate and the reaction temperature were important factors in terms of reducing the particle size and attaining monodispersity. Silver nanoparticles with a size of 17 ± 2 nm were obtained at an injection rate of 2.5 ml s(-1) and a reaction temperature of 100 °C.

A teratoproteomics analysis: heat shock protein 70 is upregulated in mouse forelimb bud by methoxyacetic acid treatment.

BACKGROUND: Methoxyacetic acid (MAA) causes fetal limb abnormalities when the substance is administrated on gestation day (GD) 11 in mice. Limb abnormalities are caused mainly by extensive cell death in the mesoderm of the limb plate. This investigation focused on identifying a protein that is linked with mouse limb teratogenicity. METHODS: A single dose of MAA at 10 mmol/kg body weight was administered by gavage on GD 11; controls were administered vehicle only. Dams were killed by cervical dislocation 4 hr after treatment and forelimb buds were isolated from both the control and treated embryos. Proteins in forelimb buds GD 11 + 4 hr were precipitated out using 40-60% ammonium sulfate and were then analyzed by 2D SDS-PAGE. Excised protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry and amino acid internal sequence analysis. Identified protein was further confirmed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Two-dimensional gel analysis indicated that 1 protein spot of 81.7 kDa/pI 7.3 was overexpressed, and the protein matched heat shock protein 70 (HSP70; accession no. P08109, SwissProt). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that MAA, when administered to pregnant mice, upregulates HSP70 in the forelimb buds.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to mesenchymal stem cells derived from human bone marrow.

The bone marrow (BM) serves as a reservoir for different classes of stem cells. In addition to haematopoietic stem cells, bone marrow contains a population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These cells have a multilineage differentiation capacity and are able to generate progenitors with restricted developmental potential, which include fibroblasts, osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Characteristic markers have been reported for expanded MSCs, but none of these markers are specific for MSCs. Thus, the objective of this study was to produce monoclonal antibodies against MSCs. MSCs derived from human bone marrow were cultured, expanded, and immunized into mice, and spleen cells subsequently harvested were used to generate hybridoma cell lines secreting antibodies against MSCs. Hybridoma culture supernatants were screened for antibodies against MSCs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and 33 positive clones were then screened against cell suspensions of MSCs by immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry. Ten clones were positive in immunofluorescence staining. Among these, three hybridoma cell lines, namely, YS08, YS14, and YS18 were found to be reactive with MSC by flow cytometry, but non-reactive with human tumor cell lines and hematopoietic stem cells. YS08 and YS14 showed specific bands in Western blotting. In conclusion, we developed three monoclonal antibodies, YS08, YS14, and YS18, that recognize human MSC cell surface antigen.

Generation and characterization of IgG monoclonal antibodies specific for malondialdehyde.

Numerous studies have indicated that the oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Malondialdehyde-modified LDL (MDA-LDL) is one of the candidate oxidative products. Therefore, to allow the assessment of oxidized LDL in human serum, we developed monoclonal antibodies for MDA-LDL. Two of these-MDA1 and MDA2-bound to oxidized LDL but not to native LDL by Western blot analysis. The murine monoclonal antibodies to oxidized LDL have potential clinical implications, as imaging agents, for defining the compositions of atherosclerotic vessels in vivo.

Identification of antigenic peptide recognized by the anti-JL1 leukemia-specific monoclonal antibody from combinatorial peptide phage display libraries.

PURPOSE: In the present study an antigen-mimetic peptide of the anti-JL1 leukemia-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) was identified and characterized. METHODS: From combinatorial peptide phage display libraries displaying the random linear heptapeptides and dodecapeptides, we selected clones with affinity to anti-JL1 mAb through repeated rounds of panning on a mAb-coated ELISA plate. The antigenicity and immunogenicity of the peptide epitopes were then studied using chemically synthesized peptides. RESULTS: The selected clones had the LXPSIP consensus sequence. Two synthetic peptides LPPSIPFGLTVGGGGS and LLPSIPNQAYLGGGGS specifically reacted with anti-JL1 mAb in ELISA. These two peptides were found to inhibit the interaction between anti-JL1 mAb and JL1 antigen-positive Molt-4 cells. Although the immune sera raised against the keyhole limpet hemocyanin-conjugated peptides failed to react with Molt-4 cells, it showed strong reactivity to the peptide epitope. However, one mAb raised by peptide immunization successfully bound to Molt-4 cells. CONCLUSION: An epitope-mimetic peptide of anti-JL1 mAb was found using combinatorial peptide phage display libraries. It induced strong humoral response against itself, but only a limited fraction of this humoral response was cross-reactive with the original JL1 antigen.