Objective To analyze the controlled risk factors of osteoporotic vertebral fractures, and determine the clinical value for the management of risk factors. Methods 626 cases of postmenopausal women were selected, age, height, weight and bone mineral density(BMD) of patients were collected.The Tetrax balance test system was used to assess the fall risks.Vertebral changes of patients were evaluated through X ray of thoracolumbar lateral. The clinical data were analyzed and compared between vertebral fracture group and non-vertebral fracture group. Spearman test was used to analyze the correlation between vertebral fracture and age, height, weight, body mass index(BMI), the risk of fall, body fat and BMD. Results 328 patients presented with osteoporotic vertebral fractures, while the other 298 cases did not suffer from osteoporotic vertebral fractures. There were 426 vertebral bodies involved. Comparing to non-vertebral fracture group, the vertebral fracture group showed higher age [(68.67±9.29)years vs.(63.04± 9.30)years], lower height[(151.10 ± 4.39)cm vs.(154.90 ± 5.86)cm], lower bone mineral density[lumbar spine BMD (0.85 ± 0.16)g/cm2 vs.(0.93 ± 0.17)g/cm2, hip spine BMD (0.72 ± 0.18)g/cm2 vs.(0.81 ± 0.13)g/cm2],higher body fat [(41.30 ± 5.20)％vs.(36.30 ± 5.90)％] and higher fall risk (41.38 ± 25.79 vs. 36.20 ± 26.22) ( P<0.001). While there were no statistical differences in weight and BMI between the two groups, age, height, BMI, body fat, fall risk, lumbar spine and hip BMD were significantly correlated with vertebral fracture (r=0.358,-0.323, 0.169, 0.186, 0.135,-0.398,-0.364, respectively, all P<0.001). Conclusions Decreased bone mineral density, increased age, abdomen fat content and increased fall risk, are the risk factors of osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

AIMThe aim of this study was to confirm the multilineage differentiation ability of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) from green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice. The expression of GFP in DPSCs was also observed during differentiation.

METHODOLOGYDPSCs were harvested from the dental pulp tissue of transgenic nude mice, and then transferred to osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic media. The morphological characterization of induced cells was observed by microscopy and histological staining. The expression of marker genes was measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe endogenous GFP and multilineage potential of transgenic DPSCs had no influence on each other. Moreover, the results of fluorescence microscopic imaging suggest that there was no significant decline of GFP expression during DPSCs differentiation.

CONCLUSIONAs the population of GFP labeled DPSCs can be easily identified, this will be a promising method for tracking DPSCs in vivo.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; Adipogenesis ; physiology ; Animals ; Anthraquinones ; Azo Compounds ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Lineage ; physiology ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; Chondrogenesis ; physiology ; Coloring Agents ; Culture Media ; Dental Pulp ; cytology ; Genetic Markers ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Mice, Transgenic ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; Osteogenesis ; physiology ; RNA ; analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; Tolonium Chloride

Food deprivation can rescue obesity and overweight-induced mood disorders, and promote mood performance in normal subjects. Animal studies and clinical research have revealed the antidepressant-like effect of calorie restriction, but little is known about the mechanism of calorie restriction-induced mood modification. Previous studies have found that astrocytes modulate depressive-like behaviors. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 2 (IP3R2) is the predominant isoform in mediating astrocyte Ca

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are characterized by abnormal central processing with altered brain activation in response to visceral nociceptive signals. The effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on IBS patients is unclear. The study is set to study the effect of EA on brain activation during noxious rectal distension in IBS patients using a randomized sham-controlled model. METHODS: Thirty IBS-diarrhea patients were randomized to true electroacupuncture or sham acupuncture. Functional MRI was performed to evaluate cerebral activation at the following time points: (1) baseline when there was rectal distension only, (2) rectal distension during application of EA, (3) rectal distension after cessation of EA and (4) EA alone with no rectal distension. Group comparison was made under each condition using SPM5 program. RESULTS: Rectal distension induced significant activation of the anterior cingulated cortex, prefrontal cortex, thalamus, temporal regions and cerebellum at baseline. During and immediately after EA, increased cerebral activation from baseline was observed in the anterior cingulated cortex, bilateral prefrontal cortex, thalamus, temporal regions and right insula in both groups. However, true electroacupuncture led to significantly higher activation at right insula, as well as pulvinar and medial nucleus of the thalamus when compared to sham acupuncture. CONCLUSIONS: We postulate that acupuncture might have the potential effect of pain modulation in IBS by 2 actions: (1) modulation of serotonin pathway at insula and (2) modulation of mood and affection in higher cortical center via ascending pathway at the pulvinar and medial nucleus of the thalamus.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Neural Pathways ; Pain Perception ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Pulvinar ; Salicylamides ; Serotonin ; Thalamus

This review deals with the characteristics of various inflammatory mediators identified in the middle ear during otitis media and in cholesteatoma. The role of each inflammatory mediator in the pathogenesis of otitis media and cholesteatoma has been discussed. Further, the relation of each inflammatory mediator to the pathophysiology of the middle and inner ear along with its mechanisms of pathological change has been described. The mechanisms of hearing loss including sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) as a sequela of otitis media are also discussed. The passage of inflammatory mediators through the round window membrane into the scala tympani is indicated. In an experimental animal model, an application of cytokines and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial toxin, on the round window membrane induced sensorineural hearing loss as identified through auditory brainstem response threshold shifts. An increase in permeability of the blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) was observed following application of these inflammatory mediators and LPS. The leakage of the blood components into the lateral wall of the cochlea through an increase in BLB permeability appears to be related to the sensorineural hearing loss by hindering K+ recycling through the lateral wall disrupting the ion homeostasis of the endolymph. Further studies on the roles of various inflammatory mediators and bacterial toxins in inducing the sensorineumral hearing loss in otitis media should be pursued.
Bacterial Toxins ; Chemokines ; Cholesteatoma ; Cochlea ; Cytokines ; Ear, Inner ; Ear, Middle ; Endolymph ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Homeostasis ; Membranes ; Models, Animal ; Otitis ; Otitis Media ; Permeability ; Recycling ; Scala Tympani

AIMTo investigate the effect of DAPT (gamma-secretase inhibitor) on the growth of human tongue carcinoma cells and to determine the molecular mechanism to enable the potential application of DAPT to the treatment of tongue carcinoma.

METHODOLOGYHuman tongue carcinoma Tca8113 cells were cultured with DAPT. Cell growth was determined using Indigotic Reduction method. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Real-time PCR and Immuno-Fluorescence (IF) were employed to determine the intracellular expression levels.

RESULTSDAPT inhibited the growth of human tongue carcinoma Tca8113 cells by inducing G0-G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The mRNA levels of Hairy/Enhancer of Split-1 (Hes-1), a target of Notch activation, were reduced by DAPT in a dose-dependent manner. Coincident with this observation, DAPT induced a dose-dependent promotion of constitutive Caspase-3 in Tca8113 cells.

CONCLUSIONDAPT may have a therapeutic value for human tongue carcinoma. Moreover, the effects of DAPT in tumor inhibition may arise partly via the modulation of Notch-1 and Caspase-3.

Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; drug effects ; Carcinoma ; pathology ; Caspase 3 ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; Cell Nucleus ; drug effects ; Cyclin D1 ; drug effects ; Dipeptides ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; G1 Phase ; drug effects ; Homeodomain Proteins ; drug effects ; Humans ; Receptor, Notch1 ; drug effects ; Repressor Proteins ; drug effects ; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Tongue Neoplasms ; pathology ; Transcription Factor HES-1

Food deprivation can rescue obesity and overweight-induced mood disorders, and promote mood performance in normal subjects. Animal studies and clinical research have revealed the antidepressant-like effect of calorie restriction, but little is known about the mechanism of calorie restriction-induced mood modification. Previous studies have found that astrocytes modulate depressive-like behaviors. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 2 (IP3R2) is the predominant isoform in mediating astrocyte Ca
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use* ; Caloric Restriction ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Prefrontal Cortex

Objective: To evaluate predictors of difficult intubation in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Methodology: Prospective series of 405 OSA patients (350 males/55 females) who had upper airway surgery. Procedures included functional endoscopic sinus surgery, septoplasty, turbinate reduction, palate/tonsil surgery, and/or tongue base surgery. Intubation difficulty (ID) was assessed using Mallampati grade, Laryngoscopic grade (Cormack and Lehane), and clinical parameters including BMI, neck circumference, thyromental distance, jaw adequacy, neck movements and glidescope grading. Results: Mean age was 41.6 years old; mean BMI 26.6; mean neck circumference 44.5cm; mean Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) was 25.0; and mean LSAT 82%. The various laryngeal grades (based on Cormack and Lehane), grade 1 - 53 patients (12.9%), grade 2A - 127 patients (31.0%), grade 2B - 125 patients (30.5%), grade 3 - 93 patients (22.7%) and grade 4 - seven patients (1.7%); hence, 24.4% had difficulties in intubation. Parameters that adversely affected intubation were, age of the patient, opening of mouth, retrognathia, overbite, overjet, limited neck extension, thyromental distance, Mallampati grade, and macroglossia (p<0.001). Body mass index (BMI) (p=0.087), neck circumference (p=0.645), neck aches (p=0.728), jaw aches (p=0.417), tonsil size (p=0.048), and AHI (p=0.047) had poor correlation with intubation. BMI-adjusted for Asians and Caucasians, showed that Asians were more likely to have difficulties in intubation (adjusted OR = 4.6 (95%Confidence Interval: 1.05 to 20.06) (p=0.043), compared to the Caucasian group.

INTRODUCTION: Creatinine has limitations in identifying and predicting acute kidney injury (AKI). Our study examined the utility of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in predicting AKI in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED), and in predicting the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and all-cause mortality at three months post visit. METHODS: This is a single-centre prospective cohort study conducted at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). Patients presenting to SGH ED from July 2011 to August 2012 were recruited. They were aged ≥21 years, with an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m², and had congestive cardiac failure, systemic inflammatory response syndrome or required hospital admission. AKI was diagnosed by researchers blinded to experimental measurements. Serum NGAL was measured as a point-of-care test. RESULTS: A total of 784 patients were enrolled, of whom 107 (13.6%) had AKI. Mean serum NGAL levels were raised (P < 0.001) in patients with AKI (670.0 ± 431.9 ng/dL) compared with patients without AKI (490.3 ± 391.6 ng/dL). The sensitivity and specificity of NGAL levels >490 ng/dL for AKI were 59% (95% confidence interval [CI] 49%-68%) and 65% (95% CI 61%-68%), respectively. Need for RRT increased 21% per 100 ng/dL increase in NGAL (P < 0.001), whereas odds of death in three months increased 10% per 100 ng/dL increase in NGAL (P = 0.028). No clear relationship was observed between NGAL levels and MACE. CONCLUSION Serum NGAL identifies AKI and predicts three-month mortality.
Humans ; Lipocalin-2 ; Prospective Studies ; Lipocalins ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; Acute-Phase Proteins ; Biomarkers ; Acute Kidney Injury/diagnosis* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Predictive Value of Tests

Background: and Purpose Outcomes following mechanical thrombectomy (MT) are strongly correlated with successful recanalization, traditionally defined as modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) ≥2b. This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients with low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS; 2–5) who achieved mTICI 2b versus those who achieved mTICI 2c/3 after MT. Methods: This study utilized data from the Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry (STAR), which combined databases from 32 thrombectomy-capable stroke centers between 2013 and 2023. The study included only patients with low ASPECTS who achieved mTICI 2b, 2c, or 3 after MT for internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery (M1) stroke. Results: Of the 10,229 patients who underwent MT, 234 met the inclusion criteria. Of those, 98 (41.9%) achieved mTICI 2b, and 136 (58.1%) achieved mTICI 2c/3. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The 90-day favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score: 0–3) was significantly better in the mTICI 2c/3 group than in the mTICI 2b group (adjusted odds ratio 2.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18–4.81; P=0.02). Binomial logistic regression revealed that achieving mTICI 2c/3 was significantly associated with higher odds of a favorable 90-day outcome (odds ratio 2.14; 95% CI 1.07–4.41; P=0.04). Conclusion In patients with low ASPECTS, achieving an mTICI 2c/3 score after MT is associated with a more favorable 90-day outcome. These findings suggest that mTICI 2c/3 is a better target for MT than mTICI 2b in patients with low ASPECTS.