Obesity resulting from the delivery of an excess amount of energy to adipose tissue from glucose or free fatty acids is associated with insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated as contributors to both the onset and the progression of insulin resistance. ROS can be generated by overloading the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system, and also by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NOX) produced by either adipocytes, which only produce NOX4, or by macrophages, which produce mainly NOX2. The source of the ROS might differ in the early, intermediate and late stages of obesity, switching from NOX4-dependence in the early phases to NOX2-dependence, in the intermediate phase, and transiting to mitochondria-dependence later in the time course of obesity. Thus, depending on the stage of obesity, ROS can be generated by three distinct mechanisms: i.e., NOX4, NOX2, and mitochondria. In this review, we will discuss whether NOX4-, NOX2-, and/or mitochondria-derived ROS is/are causal in the onset of adipocyte insulin resistance as obesity progresses. Moreover, we will review the pathophysiological roles of NOX4, NOX2, and mitochondria-derived ROS on adipose tissue inflammation.
Adipocytes ; Adipose Tissue* ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; Glucose ; Inflammation ; Insulin Resistance* ; Insulin* ; Macrophages ; Mitochondria ; NADP ; NADPH Oxidase ; Obesity ; Oxidative Phosphorylation ; Oxidoreductases ; Reactive Oxygen Species*

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) induces a wide range of cellular responses to produce atherosclerotic lesion, but key factors determining the response are not understood. In this study, purified LDL was oxidized with copper sulfate, and its physical properties and the related biological responses were investigated. The average hydrodynamic diameter of the lightly oxidized LDL was approximately 25 nm and its Rf value relative to nLDL on agarose gel was between 1.0 and 1.25. The diameter of the extensively oxidized LDL was over 30 nm, the Rf value was over 2.0. A 24 h-exposure of resting RAW264.7 macrophage cells to 100 microg/ml of the lightly oxidized LDL induced proliferation and macrophage activation whereas the extensively oxidized LDL induced cell death at the same concentration. In contrast, 200 microg/ml of oxLDL caused cell death regardless of oxidation degree. Short incubation (4-6 h) of the highly oxidized LDL (100 microg/ml) also resulted in cell proliferation. OxLDL-induced cell death showed mixed characteristics of apoptosis and/or necrosis depending on the strength and duration of the insult. These results suggest that cellular responses induced by oxLDL be dependent on the oxidation degree, the duration of exposure, and the concentration of oxLDL. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
Animal ; Apolipoproteins B/metabolism ; Apoptosis/physiology ; Apoptosis/drug effects ; Cell Death/physiology* ; Cell Division/physiology ; Copper Sulfate/metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Human ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Lipids/metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL/pharmacology ; Lipoproteins, LDL/metabolism* ; Macrophages/pathology ; Macrophages/drug effects ; Macrophages/cytology* ; Mice ; Necrosis ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances/metabolism

BACKGROUND: Lidocaine is a useful intravenous and topical adjunct to facilitate tracheal intubation. We evaluated the effect of tracheal lidocaine on tracheal intubating conditions without neuromuscular blocking agent and hemodynamics during anesthesia induction with propofol and remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI). METHODS: Fifty patients, aged 18-60 years, scheduled for closed reduction of fractured nasal bone were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 25) or lidocaine group (n = 25). Anesthesia was induced with propofol-remifentanil TCI with the effect-site concentration of 5 microg/ml and 5 ng/ml. Four minutes after the start of propofol-remifentanil TCI, 4% lidocaine or saline 3 ml was instilled to larynx and trachea, and intubation was performed 1 min later. Acceptable intubation was defined as excellent or good intubating conditions. Hemodynamic data, induction and recovery profiles were recorded. RESULTS: Intubating condition was clinically acceptable in 13 out of 25 (52%) patients in the control group and in 22 out of 25 (88%) in the lidocaine group, and there was a significant difference between the two groups in regard to acceptable intubating conditions (P = 0.005). Mean arterial pressure change over time was significantly different between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the heart rate between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that laryngotracheal administration of 4% lidocaine could increase the percentage of acceptable conditions for tracheal intubation during propofol and remifentanil anesthesia without neuromuscular blockade.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Arterial Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intubation ; Larynx ; Lidocaine* ; Nasal Bone ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Piperidines ; Propofol ; Trachea

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the utilization and its determinants of rehabilitation services of people with disabilities in a rural area. METHODS: From March 2 to April 1, 2011, we interviewed 101 disabled people with either physical disabilities or brain lesions. The subjects completed questionnaires about the utilization of rehabilitation services, general characteristics (age, sex, marital status, education level, economic status, health insurance, housing, and employment) and disability characteristics (type, level, comorbidity, reason for the occurrence of the disability, self-rated degree of disability, and daily life care giver). Frequency, Pearson's chi-square test, and a multiple logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: This study showed that 70.3% of the people in this rural area with disabilities were using rehabilitation services. The two most common reasons for not using the services were "doubt about the effectiveness of the service" and "no facilities nearby." The facilities that the disabled people were currently using, in the order of most used to least, were general hospitals or clinics, rehabilitation centers, oriental medicine clinics, and public health centers. Only 19.7% of those who received rehabilitation responded that they were satisfied with the service. Significant factors in the utilization of rehabilitation services were sex, employment, self-rated economic status, and the reason for the occurrence of the disability. Women, people who were currently working, people who were of middle or higher economic status, or people who had acquired a disability were significantly more likely to use the services. CONCLUSIONS: A large number of people with disabilities in a rural area use rehabilitation services at present, but accessibility and satisfaction were low. Quantitatively and qualitatively, rehabilitation services for disabled people in a rural area should be centered around Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR). Effective strategies, for example reaching those who have not used the rehabilitation services, will be needed to improve services in rural areas.
Brain ; Comorbidity ; Disabled Persons ; Employment ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Housing ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Logistic Models ; Marital Status ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Public Health ; Rehabilitation Centers ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background: The forehead is a region connected to the scalp and is accompanied by various structures. In some tumors, the pattern of development may differ from that of other anatomical sites. When a noninflammatory skin-colored tumor develops on the forehead, it is difficult to diagnose accurately. Objective: This study aimed to identify the epidemiologic data and clinical features of noninflammatory skin-colored tumors of the forehead. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 200 patients with noninflammatory, skin-colored tumors diagnosed after skin biopsy over a period of 11 years. We evaluated tumor prevalence, clinical features, and differences according to sex and age. If the tumor was large and deeply located, a radiologic study was performed. Results: Of the 12 different histopathologic results, lipoma (52.0%) was the most frequent, followed by epidermal cyst (17.0%), osteoma (13.5%), steatocystoma (6.0%), and pilomatricoma (3.5%). Statistical analysis showed that females were dominant in the osteoma group. For an accurate diagnosis, 25 of the 52 patients who underwent computed tomography were diagnosed with lipoma, and 19 (76.0%) of them were identified as deep-seated lipoma. Conclusion The most common tumor among noninflammatory, skin-colored tumors of the forehead was lipoma.When they occur on the forehead, the proportion of deep-seated lipomas is higher than that at other sites. In the case of a solid and fixed tumor, a deep-seated lipoma should be considered. Computed tomography should be performed in addition to ultrasonography because the sensitivity of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of deep-seated lipoma is unsatisfactory.

We report two patients who suffered from hemolytic transfusion reactions due to anti-Jkb antibody: one showed acute- and the other showed delayed-type hemolysis. The first patient was a 40-year-old man who suffered from epilepsy after the operation for arteriovenous malformation 16 years ago. He received five units of red blood cells (RBC) after right temporal lobectomy. On the fifteenth postoperative day, fever and chill developed during transfusion of one unit of packed RBC, followed by dark urine and oliguria. The polyethylene glycol-Coombs test and enzyme test revealed anti-Jkb antibody which had not been detected on the pretransfusion specimen. The second patient was a 41-year-old man who was admitted for the reoperation of the prosthetic mitral valve. Because hemoglobin was 5.9g/dL at admission, he received five units of packed RBCs. Oliguria and laboratory findings consistent with hemolytic anemia were observed from the third day of transfusion. Anti-Jkb antibody was detected on antiglobulin phase. Both patients developed acute renal failure (ARF) and hemodialysis with conservative management were done. They finally recovered from ARF without any residual complications. Implementation of more sensitive pretransfusion tests should be considered to prevent rare, but serious hemolytic transfusion reactions.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Epilepsy ; Erythrocytes ; Fever ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Oliguria ; Polyethylene ; Renal Dialysis ; Reoperation