DNA Fingerprinting of Pearls to Determine Their Origins

We report the first successful extraction of oyster DNA from a pearl and use it to identify the source oyster species for the three major pearl-producing oyster species Pinctada margaritifera, P. maxima and P. radiata. Both mitochondrial and nuclear gene fragments could be PCR-amplified and sequenced. A polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was developed and used to identify 18 pearls of unknown origin. A micro-drilling technique was developed to obtain small amounts of DNA while maintaining the commercial value of the pearls. This DNA fingerprinting method could be used to document the source of historic pearls and will provide more transparency for traders and consumers within the pearl industry

Yolk utilization and growth during the early larval life of the Silver Perch, Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell, 1838)

The aim of this research was to investigate the yolk sac and oil globule utilization by silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) larvae produced from domesticated broodfish. The larvae were kept unfed in the holding tank, sampled, and investigated by image analysis software to determine various characteristics, such as the diameters of ova, water-hardened eggs, yolk-sac, oil globules, and the total length of larvae. The research illustrated that, with the exception of oil globule diameter, all other morphometric parameters were significantly lower (P < 0.05) when compared to the larvae from the wild broodfish. The yolk sac was completely absorbed at 96 h post-hatching (hph) and the oil globule was visible until 240 hph. The larvae exhibited predatory movements and tried to catch rotifer at 4 days post hatching (dph). However, the onset of feeding took place at 5 dph, while 100% of feeding occurred at 6 dph. During the first 96 h (h), larvae grew significantly faster than the next 144 h. Larvae encountered low mortalities (<10%) during the first 96 hph, before increasing significantly in the next 24 h and no unfed larvae survived post 240 h. The results also suggested that the exogenous feed should be available at 96 hph, which is well after the yolk sac is completely depleted. In addition, although most of eggs and larval performance from domesticated broodfish were inferior compared to the wild one, it has larger oil globule that could make longer of its mixed feeding period and therefore could have better in viability

Association between antidepressants, benzodiazepine and all-cause mortality in elderly hip fracture: A Korean nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between the preoperative and postoperative use of antidepressant and benzodiazepine and all-cause mortality in elderly hip fracture patients. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgical treatment for hip fracture over 65 years old were classified into Past-user, Current-user, and Non-users for each period according to use history for antidepressants or benzodiazepines. And, for the subgroup analysis, patients were classified by presence of past history for psychiatric medication. A multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate the effects of antidepressants and benzodiazepines on all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A total of 15,576 patients were included in this study. Past users of antidepressants and benzodiazepines were 5699 (36.59%) patients and 11,319 (72.67%) patients, respectively. Current users of antidepressants and benzodiazepines were 2888 (18.54%) patients and 6287 (40.36%) patients, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the adjusted hazard for death compared to the non-users for both the past and the current users (p > 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, there were 12,502 once-users and 3074 never-users according to psychiatric medication. Current uses of antidepressants and benzodiazepine in the once-user did not increase adjusted hazard for death compared to the non-users (p>0.05). However, current uses of antidepressants by never-users increased the adjusted hazard for death compared to the non-user (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.08-1.59; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: No association was observed between the uses of antidepressants and benzodiazepines after hip fracture and mortality risk in elderly patients who received psychiatric medication before hip fracture. However, the use of these medications was associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in patients who had no history of psychiatric medication before hip fracture. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, retrospective cohort study

Nutritional Assessment of Patients After Pylorus-Preserving Gastrectomy for Early Gastric Cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional advantages of pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) in comparison with distal gastrectomy with Billroth I anastomosis (DG) in early gastric cancer (EGC). Between 2005 and 2007, 24 patients underwent PPG and 30 underwent DG. Subjective global assessment, objective data assessment, and endoscopic findings of the remnant stomach were compared between the two groups. Two years after surgery, the patients’ body weights recovered to 97% in PPG, but they continued to decrease in DG. Postoperative blood lymphocyte counts remained low in DG, but recovered to preoperative levels 6 months after surgery in PPG. Food residue in the gastric remnant was frequently observed in PPG (71.4%) than in DG (15.8%, P = 0.001). In nutritional aspect, PPG may be a more ideal operation than DG. However, food residue in the gastric remnant should be considered in PPG

S100A4-induced cell motility and metastasis is restricted by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor calcimycin in colon cancer cells

Calcimycin restricts Wnt/β-catenin–regulated S100A4 expression, leading to reduced S100A4-mediated cell migration and invasion in colon cancer cells, as well as to inhibition of metastasis formation in xenografted mice