Peripheral NMDA receptors mediate antidromic nerve stimulation-induced tactile hypersensitivity in the rat

We investigated the role of peripheral NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in antidromic nerve stimulation-induced tactile hypersensitivity outside the skin area innervated by stimulated nerve. Tetanic electrical stimulation (ES) of the decentralized L5 spinal nerve, which induced enlargement of plasma extravasation, resulted in tactile hypersensitivity in the L4 plantar dermatome of the hind-paw. When intraplantar (i.pl.) injection was administered into the L4 dermatome before ES, NMDAR and group-I metabotropic Glu receptor (mGluR) antagonists and group-II mGluR agonist but not AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist prevented ES-induced hypersensitivity. I.pl. injection of PKA or PKC inhibitors also prevented ES-induced hypersensitivity. When the same injections were administered after establishment of ES-induced hypersensitivity, hypersensitivity was partially reduced by NMDAR antagonist only. In naïve animals, i.pl. Glu injection into the L4 dermatome induced tactile hypersensitivity, which was blocked by NMDAR antagonist and PKA and PKC inhibitors. These results suggest that the peripheral release of Glu, induced by antidromic nerve stimulation, leads to the expansion of tactile hypersensitive skin probably via nociceptor sensitization spread due to the diffusion of Glu into the skin near the release site. In addition, intracellular PKA- and PKC-dependent mechanisms mediated mainly by NMDAR activation are involved in Glu-induced nociceptor sensitization and subsequent hypersensitivity.ope

Identification of a rare homozygous c.790C˃T variation in the TFB2M gene in Korean patients with autism spectrum disorder

Mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent enhanced oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Mitochondrial transcription factor B2 (TFB2M) is an essential protein in mitochondrial gene expression. No reports have described TFB2M mutations and variations involved in any human diseases. We identified a rare homozygous c.790C>T (His264Tyr) variation in TFB2M gene in two Korean siblings with ASD by whole-exome sequencing. The roles of the TFB2M variation in the pathogenesis of ASD were investigated. Patient fibroblasts revealed increased transcription of mitochondrial genes and mitochondrial function in terms of ATP, membrane potential, oxygen consumption, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Overexpression of the TFB2M variant in primary-cultured fibroblasts demonstrated significantly increased transcription of mitochondrial genes and mitochondrial function compared with overexpression of wild-type TFB2M. Molecular dynamics simulation of the TFB2M variant protein suggested an increase in the rigidity of the hinge region, which may cause alterations in loading and/or unloading of TFB2M on target DNA. Our results suggest that augmentation of mitochondrial gene expression and subsequent enhancement of mitochondrial function may be associated with the pathogenesis of ASD in Korean patients. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This study was supported by grants from the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry Science and ICT, Republic of Korea (2016R1A2B1010654 to SY Yim, 2015-008728 to SY Jeong, 2011-0030043 to Y Lee) and the 2015 Faculty Research Fund of Ajou University School of Medicine (SY Yim and SY Jeong)

Korean Red Ginseng exhibits no significant adverse effect on disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study

Background: Panax ginseng is a well-known immune modulator, and there is concern that its immune-enhancing effects may negatively affect patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by worsening symptoms or increasing the risk of adverse effects from other drugs. In this randomized, crossover clinical trial, we evaluated the impact of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on disease activity and safety in RA patients.Methods: A total of 80 female RA patients were randomly assigned to either the KRG (2 g/d, n = 40) treatment or placebo (n = 40) groups for 8 wk, followed by crossover to the other treatment group for an additional 8 wk. The primary outcome was the disease flare rate, defined as worsening disease activity according to the disease activity score 28 joints-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR). The secondary outcomes were development of adverse events (AEs) and patient reported outcomes. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline and 8 wk and 16 wk. The outcomes were compared using the Chi-square test.Results: Of the 80 patients, 70 completed the full study. Their mean age was 51.9 yr, and most exhibited low disease activity (mean DAS28-ESR 3.5 +/- 1.0) at enrollment. After intervention, the flare rate was 3.7% in each group. During KRG treatment, 10 AEs were reported, while five AEs were developed with placebo; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.16). Gastrointestinal-and nervous system-related symptoms were frequent in the KRG group.Conclusion: KRG is not significantly associated with either disease flare rate or the rate of AE development in RA patients.This study was supported by the 2014 grant from the Korean Society of Ginseng

가교 반응이 가능한 수계 고분자 바인더를 이용한 리튬-황 전지 전기화학 특성 향상에 관한 연구

학위논문(석사) - 한국과학기술원 : 신소재공학과, 2015.8 ,[vi, 66 p. :]최근 화석연료의 고갈과 환경오염에 의한 이산화탄소 배출량 규제 등이 에너지 분야에서의 이슈로 거론되면서 이를 해결하기 위한 친환경 신재생 에너지원에 관한 연구가 활발하게 진행되고 있다. 태양 에너지, 풍력 에너지와 같은 대부분의 신재생 에너지원으로부터 나오는 에너지를 효율적으로 저장하고 사용하기 위해 높은 에너지 밀도를 갖는 에너지 저장장치의 필요성이 이전보다 더욱 대두되었다. 리튬이온전지는 다른 전지에 비해 높은 에너지 밀도와 경량성 등 좋은 특성을 가지나 전지의 이용 시장이 소형 휴대기기로부터 전기 자동차와 같은 중대형 전지시장으로 옮겨가면서 고용량 전극재의 개발이 필요하며 이에 따라 고용량 양극재를 이용한 리튬-황 전지에 대한 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 리튬-황 전지는 황의 낮은 전도도와 중간 단계 활물질의 높은 용해성으로 인한 폴리서파이드 셔틀 등의 문제가 있어 이를 해결하기 위한 연구가 진행되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 활물질의 개질 없이 Li2S, Li-S· 와 강한 바인딩 에너지를 갖는 작용기를 도입한 고분자 바인더를 이용하여 리튬-황 전지의 전기화학 특성 향상을 도모하고자 하였다. 특히 물에 녹는 고분자 바인더는 용매 회수 공정이 불필요하여 셀 조립 공정에서의 비용을 낮춤과 동시에 환경 문제도 해결할 수 있다. 이를 위한 바인더로 종이 및 펄프 공정에서 쓰이는 습윤 지력증강제를 사용하여 전해질에 젖은 상태에서의 전극의 기계적 특성을 유지할 수 있는 글리옥살레이트 폴리아크릴아마이드 고분자를 이용하였다. 폴리아크릴아마이드 고분자는 글리옥살에 의한 화학적 작용기 변화를 통해 산 환경에서 가교반응이 가능하여 수계 바인더로 적용이 가능하였다. 이 고분자는 접착력과 기계적 특성이 뛰어나 다른 고분자 바인더에 비해 우수한 사이클 특성을 나타내었고, 특히 이 효과는 빠른 충,방전 실험 하에서 도드라짐을 알 수 있었다. 많은 연구에서 이용되는 황-탄소 복합체나 전해질 첨가제 등을 이용하지 않고 본 실험을 진행하여 바인더만의 특성을 규명하였고, 추후에 리튬-황 전지에서 사용되는 다른 방법들을 함께 사용하면 더 향상된 용량과 사이클 특성을 갖는 전지를 구동할 수 있을 것이라 생각된다.한국과학기술원 :신소재공학과

Surgical Outcomes of Clitoroplasty in Children with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Clitoral Hypertrophy: A 19-Year Experience of a Single Surgeon

This study aimed to describe the experience with clitoroplasty for clitoral hypertrophy in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia of a single surgeon. The medical records of female pediatric patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia who underwent clitoroplasty at a tertiary referral hospital between 2002 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Three different surgical techniques were applied for clitoroplasty: recession without reduction, reduction and recession, and girth reduction and recession. A total of 104 patients underwent clitoroplasty for clitoral hypertrophy. The median patient age at the time of surgery was 10 months (range, 4 months to 10 years). The operation time was longer in reduction clitoroplasty than in recession clitoroplasty without reduction (median, 153 vs. 111 min, p = 0.003). The mean postoperative pain score of the patients did not differ among the different clitoroplasty techniques. During the mean follow-up of 37.7 months, nine (8.6%) patients underwent reperformed clitoroplasty. The rate of reperformed operation was significantly higher in patients who underwent reduction clitoroplasty (17.3%) than in those who underwent recession without reduction (2%) or girth reduction and recession (0%) (p = 0.031). Early clitoroplasty in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia yielded good mid-term surgical outcomes in terms of cosmesis and recurrence rate, with minimal perioperative complications

Histiocytic pleural effusion: the strong clue to malignancy

Background There have been many studies on the clinical characteristics of neutrophilic, lymphocytic, and/or eosinophilic pleural effusion. While caring for patients with pleural effusion, we found that histiocytic pleural effusion (HisPE) was not uncommon. However, few studies have explored HisPE. The purpose of the present study was to determine the clinical characteristics and etiologies of HisPE. Methods In this retrospective study, HisPE was defined as pleural fluid white blood cells comprised of >= 50% histiocytes. Using a clinical data warehouse, patients with HisPE among all patients aged >18 years who underwent thoracentesis and pleural fluid analysis between January 2010 and December 2019 at Ulsan University Hospital were enrolled. A total of 295 (9.0%) of 3279 patients who underwent thoracentesis were identified as HisPE patients. Among them, 201 with exudative HisPE were included. Clinical characteristics and etiologies were extracted from medical records and analyzed. Results Among the 201 patients with exudative HisPE, the major causes were malignant pleural effusion (n = 102 [50.7%]), parapneumonic effusion (n = 9 [4.5%]), and tuberculous pleurisy (n = 9 [4.5%]). In the 102 patients with malignant pleural effusion, the main types of cancer were lung (n = 42 [41.2%]), breast (n = 16 [15.7%]), and stomach cancer (n = 11 [10.8%]). Among lung cancers, adenocarcinoma (n = 34 [81.0%]) was the most common histology. Conclusions The leading cause of exudative HisPE was malignancy, particularly lung cancer. Physicians should consider the possibility of malignant disease if histiocytes are predominantly present in pleural effusion