GTP-Binding Proteins ; Receptors, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone*

Extramedullary plasmacytoma involves organs outside the bone marrow, but involvement of the pancreas is very rare. We present the imaging findings of extramedullary plasmacytoma of the pancreas in a patient with multiple myeloma. Mixed echogenecity was noted at US, and marked enhancement at CT and MR.
Bone Marrow ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Pancreas* ; Plasmacytoma*

No abstract available.
Nitrous Oxide* ; Subacute Combined Degeneration*

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have the ability to self-renew and differentiate into neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. Highly dynamic nature of NSC differentiation requires the intimate involvement of catabolic processes such as autophagy. Autophagy is a major intracellular degradation pathway necessary for cellular homeostasis and remodeling. Autophagy is important for mammalian development and its role in neurogenesis has recently drawn much attention. However, little is known about how autophagy is associated with differentiation of NSCs into other neural lineages. Here, we report that autophagy plays a critical role in differentiation of adult rat hippocampal neural stem (HCN) cells into astrocytes. During differentiation, autophagy flux peaked at early time points, and remained high. Pharmacological or genetic suppression of autophagy by stable knockdown of Atg7, LC3 or CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) of p62 impaired astrogenesis, while reintroduction of p62 recovered astrogenesis in p62 KO HCN cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that autophagy plays a key role in astrogenesis in adult NSCs.
Adult Stem Cells ; Adult ; Animals ; Astrocytes ; Autophagy ; Cell Differentiation ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Neural Stem Cells ; Neurogenesis ; Neurons ; Oligodendroglia ; Rats ; Suppression, Genetic

No abstract available.
Dental Cementum* ; Dental Enamel* ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression*

The aim of this study is to monitor reporter gene expression under osteocalcin gene promoter, using a real-time molecular imaging system, as tool to investigate osteoblast differentiation. The promoter region of mouse osteocalcin gene 2 (mOG2), the best-characterized osteoblast- specific gene, was inserted in promoterless luciferase reporter vector. Expression of reporter gene was confirmed and relationship between the reporter gene expression and osteoblastic differentiation was evaluated. Gene expression according to osteoblstic differentiation on biomaterials, utilizing a real-time molecular imaging system, was monitored. Luciferase was expressed at the only cells transduced with pGL4/mOGP and the level of expression was statistically higher at cells cultured in mineralization medium than cells in growth medium. CCCD camera detected the luciferase expression and was visible differentiation-dependent intensity of luminescence. The cells produced osteocalcin with time-dependent increment in BMP-2 treated cells and there was difference between BMP-2 treated cells and untreated cells at 14days. There was difference at the level of luciferase expression under pGL4/mOGP between BMP-2 treated cells and untreated cells at 3days. CCCD camera detected the luciferase expression at cells transduced with pGL4/mOGP on Ti disc and was visible differentiation-dependent intensity of luminescence This study shows that 1) expression of luciferase is regulated by the mouse OC promoter, 2) the CCCD d etection s ys tem is a r eliable quantitative gene d etection t ool f or t he o s teoblas t differentiation, 3) the dynamics of mouse OC promoter regulation during osteoblast differentiation is achieved in real time and quantitatively on biomaterial. The present system is a very reliable system for monitoring of osteoblast differentiation in real time and may be used for monitoring the effects of growth factors, drug, cytokines and biomaterials on osteoblast differentiation in animal.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cytokines ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Reporter ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Luciferases* ; Luminescence ; Mice ; Molecular Imaging ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteocalcin* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

Knowledge of the location of the maxillo-facial foramina is essential for regional nerve blocks and endoscopic surgical procedures to avoid nerve injury passing through these foramina. The purposes of this study were to determine the locations of the supraorbital foramen (SOF) and the infraorbital foramen (IOF) related to medial canthus (MC), and to analyze the morphology of these foramina. Thirty-two embalmed cadavers (64 sides, mean age: 64.1 years) and 33 dry skulls (66 sides) were used. The distances from the SOF, IOF, and MC to facial midline were directly measured on the cadavers using digital Vernier caliper. The vertical and horizontal distances of the SOF and IOF relative to the medial canthus were indirectly measured on the digital photographs using image analyzer software. The vertical and horizontal diameters of the IOF, and its location in relation to maxillary tooth were evaluated on the dry skull. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA with declaration of significant difference when P<0.05. The mean distances of SOF, MC, and IOF to the facial midline were 24.13 mm, 15.00 mm, and 29.11 mm, respectively. The SOF was located 18.99 mm superior and 9.05 mm lateral to the medial canthus. The distance between the medial canthus and the SOF was 22.67 mm, and the vertical angle (Angle 1) between these structures was 24.36degrees superolaterally. The IOF was located 26.69 mm inferior and 13.53 mm lateral to the medial canthus. The distance between the medial canthus and IOF was 30.82 mm and the vertical angle (Angle 2) between these structures was 26.59degrees inferolaterally. In the this study, spraorbital notch (SON) was found more frequently than the SOF. The mean vertical and horizontal diameters of IOF were 3.36 mm, 3.45 mm, respectively. IOF was most commonly found in the same vertical plane with the second upper premolar. In conclusion, these results are important for performing local anesthetic, facial plastic surgery, and other invasive procedures in the forehead and periorbital region to prevent injury of neurovascular bundles passing through these foramina.
Cadaver ; Endoscopy ; Forehead ; Nerve Block ; Skull ; Surgery, Plastic ; Tooth

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma, a type of sarcoma, is a malignant neoplasm with uncertain origin that arises in both the soft tissues and the bone. The occurrence of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the pleura is extremely rare. We report a case of a 65-year-old Korean man who is being diagnosed with primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the pleura.
Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Pleura ; Sarcoma

OBJECTIVES: Paraoxonase is a high-density-lipoprotein- associated enzyme capable of hydrolysing lipid peroxides. Thus it might protect lipoproteins from oxidation. It has two isoforms, which arise from a glutamine (A isoform) to arginine (B isoform) interchange at position 192. More recently, Ruiz et al. investigated the relationship between the paraoxonase genetic polymorphism and coronary heart disease in a case-control study of NIDDM in France. We investigated the correlation between the polymorphism of paraoxonase gene and cardiovascular disease in Korean diabetic patients. METHODS: Of 106 patients with NIDDM, 50 had confirmed cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease or ischemic stroke). The other 56 patients had no history of such disease and ECG abnormality. An additional control group of non-diabetic, healthy subjects (N=55) was selected. The polymorphism of paraoxonase gene was assessed by PCR-RFLP in their blood leukocytes DNA. RESULTS: The healthy control revealed paraoxonase genotype frequencies of 18.1% AA, 36.4% AB and 45.5% BB. The NIDDM group revealed paraoxonase genotype frequencies of 11.3% AA, 39.6% AB, 49.1% BB. The genotype frequencies did not differ between healthy control with diabetic group. The genotype frequencies did not differ between diabetic group with coronary heart disease and diabetic control group (AA ; 8.4% vs 12.5%, AB ; 45.8% vs 37.5%, BB ; 45.8% vs 50.0%). There was also no difference in genotype frequencies between diabetic group with ischemic stroke and diabetic control (AA ; 11.5% vs 12.5%, AB ; 38.5% vs 37.5%, BB ; 50.0% vs 50.0%). In multiple logistic regression analysis with other risk factors, hypertension emerged as the most related factors for cardiovascular disease, but paraoxonase genotype was not associated with the presence of cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSION: In Korean diabetic patients, the polymorphism of paraoxonase gene might not be associated with the presence of coronary heart disease or ischemic stroke.
Arginine ; Aryldialkylphosphatase* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Case-Control Studies ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; DNA ; Electrocardiography ; France ; Genotype* ; Glutamine ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukocytes ; Lipid Peroxides ; Lipoproteins ; Logistic Models ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Protein Isoforms ; Risk Factors ; Stroke*

The regeneration of lost periodontal tissue is a major goal of therapy. Periodontal ligament cell(PDL) is a specialized connective tissue that connects cementum and alveolar bone to maintain and support teeth in situ and preserve tissue homoeostasis. Bone morphogenetic proteins(BMPs) have shown much potential in the reconstruction of the periodontum by stimulate new bone and new cementum formation. Limitiations of BMP administration to periodontal lesions is high dose delivery, BMP transient biological activity, and low bioavailability of factors at the wound site. Gene delivery method can be alternative treatment strategy to deliver BMPs to periodontal tissue. The purpose of this study is to investigate efficiency of BMP-2 gene delivery with cell-based therapy using PDL cells. PDL cell were transduced with adenoviruses encoding either BMP-2 or Lac-Z gene. To evaluate osteogenic activity of expressed BMP-2 on PDL cells, we investigated secreted BMP-2, cellular activity, ALPase, produced mineralized nodules. To evaluate collagen scaffold as carrier for transduced cell delivery, we examined morphology and secreted BMP-2 of transducd PDL cells on it. BMP-2 transducd PDL cells produced higher levels of BMP-2, ALPase, mineralized nodules than non transduced cells. Cellular activity of transduced cells was showed similar activity to non transduced cells. Transduce cells attached on collagen scaffold secreted BMP-2 at 7day and was showed similar morphology to non transduced cells. These results demonstrated that transduced PDL cells produced biologically active BMP-2 and collagen scaffold could be carrier of transducd cells.
Adenoviridae* ; Biological Availability ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Dental Cementum ; Humans* ; Periodontal Ligament* ; Regeneration ; Tooth ; Wounds and Injuries