Purpose: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of high physical activity (PA) on shoulder pain, functional recovery, and structural outcome in the early healing phase after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). Methods: Forty-two patients were included in this study according to inclusion criteria. Subjects were classified into high PA (HPA) group (n=22) and low PA (LPA) group (n=20) according to the classification criteria. Differences between groups according to the PA level were analyzed by comparing visual analogue scale (VAS), range of motion (ROM), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Score (ASES), and isokinetic strength before and 6 weeks, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Structural outcome was analyzed by evaluating magnetic resonance imaging performed 6 months after ARCR. Results: VAS, ROM, and ASES were significantly higher in the HPA group at 6 weeks and 3 months after ARCR with a significant interaction effect between time and group (p＜ 0.05). The isokinetic muscle strength was significantly higher in the HPA group at 3 months after surgery with a significant interaction effect on forward flexion and external rotation strength (p＜ 0.05). There was no significant difference in extension and internal rotation strength. In the structural outcome of 6 months after surgery, the retear rate was lower in the HPA group with a significant trend (p＜ 0.05). Conclusion In this study, higher PA levels in the early healing phase after ARCR were found to result in faster pain relief and restoration of shoulder function. In addition, higher PA level was associated with lower retear rates in structural outcomes related to tendon healing.

This purpose of this study was to investigate the nutrient intake, the health status as determined self-assessment checklist, biochemical indicators of elderly Korean women. We interviewed and 55 female subjects living alone in the Urban aged over 65 years. Information on their dietary intake was collected by 24-hour Recall method. Their health status was determined by a NSI checklist. Biochemical indicators were performed in whole blood and plasma of subjects. Except for protein, Fe, all of the elderly subjects belonged to over moderate nutritional risk. The average daily nutrient intake of the elderly was below the level of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for Koreans. A relationship between their health risk score and nutrient intake was observed negatively (not significantly). They had a risk of anemia as hemoglobin and hematocrit of subjects were under the normal value. Therefore, the reason that health risk score and health status badly was thought for lower nutrient intake.
Aged* ; Anemia ; Checklist ; Female ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Plasma ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Reference Values ; Risk Factors* ; Self-Assessment

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR), and the anesthetic and hemostatic effects, after injection of 2% lidocaine containing various concentrations of epinephrine in rats and mice to determine the appropriate concentration of epinephrine in various anesthetic mixtures. METHODS: Rats and mice were randomly allocated to experimental groups: 2% lidocaine without epinephrine (L0), 2% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:200,000 (L200), 1:100,000 (L100), and 1:80,000 (L80). Changes in MAP and HR after administration of the anesthetic mixture were evaluated using a physiological recording system in rats. Onset and duration of local anesthesia was evaluated by pricking the hind paw of mice. A spectrophotometric hemoglobin assay was used to quantify the hemostatic effect. RESULTS: MAP increased in response to epinephrine in a dose-dependent manner; it was significantly higher in the L80 group than in the L0 group at 5 min post-administration. The HR was relatively lower in the L0 group than in the L80 group. The time required for onset of action was < 1 min in all evaluation groups. The duration of action and hemostatic effect of the local anesthetic were significantly better in the L200, L100, and L80 groups than in the L0 group. CONCLUSION: L200 demonstrated relatively stable MAP and HR values with satisfactory efficacy and hemostatic effect. L200 might be a better local anesthetic for dental patients in terms of anesthetic efficacy and safety.
Anesthesia, Local ; Anesthetics, Local ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Mice ; Rats

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a rabbit iliac stenosis model and evaluate the effects of different mechanical injury techniques on the degree of arterial stenosis. Materials and Methods: Eighteen rabbits were divided into three groups: cholesterol-fed with pullover balloon injury (group A; n = 6), cholesterol-fed with localized balloon dilatation (group B; n = 6), and chow-diet with pullover balloon injury (group C; n = 6). After baseline angiography, the left iliac arteries of all rabbits were injured with a 3 × 10 mm noncompliant balloon using either a wide pullover technique (groups A and C) or a localized balloon dilatation technique (group B). A nine-week follow-up angiography was performed, and the angiographic late lumen loss and percentage of stenosis were compared. Results: Group A exhibited the most severe late lumen loss (A vs. B, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.04 ± 0.13 mm, p < 0.0001; A vs. C, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.26 ± 0.29 mm, p < 0.05; stenosis percentage 32.02% ± 6.54%). In contrast, group B showed a minimal percentage of stenosis (1.75% ± 6.55%). Conclusion Pullover-balloon injury can lead to significant iliac artery stenosis in rabbits with controlled hypercholesterolemia. This model may be useful for elucidating the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and for evaluating the efficacy of novel therapeutic interventions.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a rabbit iliac stenosis model and evaluate the effects of different mechanical injury techniques on the degree of arterial stenosis. Materials and Methods: Eighteen rabbits were divided into three groups: cholesterol-fed with pullover balloon injury (group A; n = 6), cholesterol-fed with localized balloon dilatation (group B; n = 6), and chow-diet with pullover balloon injury (group C; n = 6). After baseline angiography, the left iliac arteries of all rabbits were injured with a 3 × 10 mm noncompliant balloon using either a wide pullover technique (groups A and C) or a localized balloon dilatation technique (group B). A nine-week follow-up angiography was performed, and the angiographic late lumen loss and percentage of stenosis were compared. Results: Group A exhibited the most severe late lumen loss (A vs. B, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.04 ± 0.13 mm, p < 0.0001; A vs. C, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.26 ± 0.29 mm, p < 0.05; stenosis percentage 32.02% ± 6.54%). In contrast, group B showed a minimal percentage of stenosis (1.75% ± 6.55%). Conclusion Pullover-balloon injury can lead to significant iliac artery stenosis in rabbits with controlled hypercholesterolemia. This model may be useful for elucidating the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and for evaluating the efficacy of novel therapeutic interventions.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a rabbit iliac stenosis model and evaluate the effects of different mechanical injury techniques on the degree of arterial stenosis. Materials and Methods: Eighteen rabbits were divided into three groups: cholesterol-fed with pullover balloon injury (group A; n = 6), cholesterol-fed with localized balloon dilatation (group B; n = 6), and chow-diet with pullover balloon injury (group C; n = 6). After baseline angiography, the left iliac arteries of all rabbits were injured with a 3 × 10 mm noncompliant balloon using either a wide pullover technique (groups A and C) or a localized balloon dilatation technique (group B). A nine-week follow-up angiography was performed, and the angiographic late lumen loss and percentage of stenosis were compared. Results: Group A exhibited the most severe late lumen loss (A vs. B, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.04 ± 0.13 mm, p < 0.0001; A vs. C, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.26 ± 0.29 mm, p < 0.05; stenosis percentage 32.02% ± 6.54%). In contrast, group B showed a minimal percentage of stenosis (1.75% ± 6.55%). Conclusion Pullover-balloon injury can lead to significant iliac artery stenosis in rabbits with controlled hypercholesterolemia. This model may be useful for elucidating the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and for evaluating the efficacy of novel therapeutic interventions.

Sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (mesna) is a protective agent that is widely used in medicine because of its antioxidant effects. Recently, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were shown to increase pigmentation. Thus, ROS scavengers and inhibitors of ROS production may suppress melanogenesis. Forkhead box-O3a (FoxO3a) is an antimelanogenic factor that mediates ROS-induced skin pigmentation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the whitening effect of mesna and the signaling mechanism mediating this effect. Human melanoma (MNT-1) cells were used in this study. mRNA and protein expression were measured by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting analysis to track changes in FoxO3a-related signals induced by mesna. An immunofluorescence assay was performed to determine the nuclear translocation of FoxO3a. When MNT-1 melanoma cells were treated with mesna, melanin production and secretion decreased. These effects were accompanied by increases in FoxO3a activation and nuclear translocation, resulting in downregulation of four master genes of melanogenesis: MITF, TYR, TRP1, and TRP2. We found that mesna, an antioxidant and radical scavenger, suppresses melanin production and may therefore be a useful agent for the clinical treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.

Sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (mesna) is a protective agent that is widely used in medicine because of its antioxidant effects. Recently, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were shown to increase pigmentation. Thus, ROS scavengers and inhibitors of ROS production may suppress melanogenesis. Forkhead box-O3a (FoxO3a) is an antimelanogenic factor that mediates ROS-induced skin pigmentation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the whitening effect of mesna and the signaling mechanism mediating this effect. Human melanoma (MNT-1) cells were used in this study. mRNA and protein expression were measured by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting analysis to track changes in FoxO3a-related signals induced by mesna. An immunofluorescence assay was performed to determine the nuclear translocation of FoxO3a. When MNT-1 melanoma cells were treated with mesna, melanin production and secretion decreased. These effects were accompanied by increases in FoxO3a activation and nuclear translocation, resulting in downregulation of four master genes of melanogenesis: MITF, TYR, TRP1, and TRP2. We found that mesna, an antioxidant and radical scavenger, suppresses melanin production and may therefore be a useful agent for the clinical treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The object of this study was to assess the accuracy of dipyridamole stress intravenous (IV) myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) using pulse inversion harmonic imaging and PESDA in the detection of perfusion defect in the patients with coronary artery disease in comparison with dipyridamole stress Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT. METHODS: Total 46 patients (29 males, mean age 64 years old) were consecutively enrolled. Patients with prior myocardial infarction were excluded. MCE and Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT were performed at the same day during rest and after 0.56 or 0.84mg/Kg dipyridamole infusion. Continuous IV infusion of PESDA (2-5 mL/min) was administered while obtaining triggered (1:1) end-systolic apical 2, 4 chamber and long axis views. Tc-99m sestamibi was injected 3 minutes after dipyridamole. Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT images were obtained one hour later. Coronary angiography was followed within two days in all patients. Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT images were matched to the sixteen segments of left ventricle according to American Society of Echocardiography for segmental comparison. Both images were analyzed visually. Results Using coronary angiography as the standard, MCE showed overall sensitivity of 70.7%, specificity of 95.8%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 87.8% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 88.5% in the detection of coronary atherosclerosis (70% stenosis). Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT showed sensitivity of 75.6%, specificity of 98.9%, PPV of 96.8% and NPV of 90.6%. The overall concordance rate between MCE and Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT for the detection of perfusion defects was 86.9% (Cohen's kappa value 0.63) according to the coronary territory and 86.8% (Cohen's kappa value 0.55) according to segmental analysis. CONCLUSION: Dipyridamole stress IV MCE using pulse inversion harmonic imaging and PESDA is feasible and comparable to Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT in identifying significant coronary stenosis and inducible myocardial perfusion defects in the patients with coronary artery disease. MCE using pulse inversion harmonic imaging seems to be a promising modality for assessing myocardial perfusion in the patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Stenosis ; Dipyridamole ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans* ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Perfusion* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into specific cell lineages when exposed to the right conditions. The ability of MSCs to differentiate into particular cells is considered very important in biological research and clinical applications. MSC spheroids are clusters of MSCs cultured in three dimensions, which play an important role in enhancing the proliferation and differentiation of MSCs. MSCs can also participate in vascular formation by differentiating into endothelial cells and secreting paracrine factors. Vascularization ability is essential in impaired tissue repair and function recovery. Therefore, the vascularization ability of MSCs, which enhances angiogenesis and accelerates tissue healing has made MSCs a promising tool for tissue regeneration. However, MSC spheroids are a relatively new research field, and more research is needed to understand their full potential. METHODS: In this review, we highlight the importance of MSC spheroids’ vascularization ability in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine while providing the current status of studies on the MSC spheroids’ vascularization and suggesting potential future research directions for MSC spheroids. RESULTS: Studies both in vivo and in vitro have demonstrated MSC spheroids’ capacity to develop into endothelial cells and stimulate vasculogenesis. CONCLUSION MSC spheroids show potential to enhance vascularization ability in tissue regeneration. Yet, further research is required to comprehensively understand the relationship between MSC spheroids and vascularization mechanisms.