A uterus-like mass is a rare, benign extra-uterine tumour composed of smooth muscle and endometrium. The majority of uterus-like masses occur in the ovary. Rarely, uterus-like masses occur in the ...broad ligament, small bowel, small bowel mesentery or uterine cervix. Here, we report a case of a uterus-like mass in the sigmoid mesocolon. A well-defined, markedly enhanced soft-tissue mass with central cystic change and haemorrhage was observed on CT. The current report describes the CT characteristics of this sigmoid mesocolon uterus-like mass together with the differential diagnoses.
Human cathepsin K, a cysteine proteinase of the papain family, has been recognized as a potential drug target for the treatment of osteoporosis. The predominant expression of cathepsin K in ...osteoclasts has rendered the enzyme into a major target for the development of novel antiresorptive drugs. Now, we report the pharmacological properties of OST-4077 furan-2-carboxylic acid (1-{1-4-fluoro-2-(2-oxo-pyrrolidin-1-yl)-phenyl-3-oxo-piperidin-4-ylcarbamoyl}-cyclohexyl)-amide as a novel selective cathepsin K inhibitor. Human and rat cathepsin K were inhibited in vitro by OST-4077 with the IC50 values of 11 and 427 nM, respectively. OST-4077 suppressed bone resorption induced by rabbit osteoclasts (IC50, 37 nM) but did not affect bone mineralization or cellular alkaline phosphatase activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. Parathyroid hormone-induced bone resorption was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner in thyroparathyroidectomized rats gavaged with a single dose of OST-4077 (ED50, 69 mg/kg). When given orally twice daily for 4 weeks to 3-month-old ovariectomized (OVX) rats, OST-4077 dose-dependently prevented bone loss, as monitored by bone densitometry, ash content, and urinary excretion of deoxypyridinoline. No change in serum osteocalcin in the OVX rats by OST-4077 suggested that bone formation might not be affected by the agent. In summary, OST-4077 selectively inhibited bone resorbing activities of osteoclasts and prevented bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency but did not affect bone formation. OST-4077, an orally active selective human cathepsin K inhibitor, may have the therapeutic potential for the treatment of diseases characterized by excessive bone loss including osteoporosis.
Using a non-local nuclear potential in a separable form, as suggested by Perey and Buck, we solve the Schr\"{o}dinger equation for all bound states for $^{16}$O, $^{40}$Ca, and $^{208}$Pb nuclei. We ...obtain binding energies and radial wave functions for a single particle. Moreover, these calculations derived from a non-local nuclear potential are compared with those of a local potential suggested by Shlomo and Bertsch. With the binding energies and the radial wave functions, we extract the point proton, the point neutron, the charge density distributions and their RMS radii and compare them with the experimental data. The point proton, the point neutron, and the charge density distributions obtained by using the non-local potential are pushed outward compared with those obtained by using the local potential due to the non-local effect. In addition, this effect can be seen in the RMS radii extracted from the point proton, the point neutron, and the charge density distributions, which are repulsive and larger than those obtained using the local potential. Finally, our calculations for the RMS radii, which were done using the non-local potential, agree well with the experimental data. KCI Citation Count: 0
Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are recommended for patients with frequent exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, accumulating evidence has indicated the risk of ...pneumonia from the use of ICS. This study aimed to investigate the association between ICS and pneumonia in the real-world clinical setting.
A retrospective cohort study was performed using nationwide population data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service. Subjects who had a new diagnosis of COPD and who received inhaled bronchodilators without a diagnosis of pneumonia before the initiation of bronchodilators were identified. Subjects were followed up until their first diagnosis of pneumonia. The risk of pneumonia in ICS users was compared to that in non-ICS users.
A total of 87,594 subjects were identified and 1:1 matched to 22,161 ICS users and non-ICS users. More ICS users were diagnosed with pneumonia compared to non-ICS users (33.73% versus 24.51%,
<0.0001). The incidence rate per 100,000 person-years was 8904.98 for ICS users and 6206.79 for non-ICS users. The hazard ratio (HR) of pneumonia for ICS users was 1.62 (95% CI 1.54-1.70). The HR of subjects prescribed with the lowest ICS cumulative dose was 1.35 (1.27-1.43). The HR increased to 1.51 (1.42-1.60), 1.96 (1.85-2.09), and 2.03 (1.89-2.18) as the cumulative dose increased. Pneumonia was strongly associated with fluticasone propionate (1.79 (1.70-1.89)) and fluticasone furoate (1.80 (1.61-2.01)) use, compared to the use of other types of ICS.
ICS increases the risk of pneumonia in patients with COPD. Hence, ICS should be carefully prescribed in patients with risk factors for pneumonia while considering the cumulative doses and subtypes of ICS.
Compression tests were performed in order to observe and investigate the rheological behavior of wrought aluminum alloys while varying the processing parameters such as liquid fraction, strain rate ...and materials. The results of an experimental investigation using Al2024, Al6061, Al7075 with a closed die are presented here. Specimens of each wrought aluminum alloy were characterized with their rheological behavior during partial melting and holding in the semi-solid state. The characteristics of flow between solid and liquid phases by considering liquid segregation are examined by restricting material (100% of packing rate in a closed die) during compression. The grain size was compared before and after the compression. Also, the strain-stress curves and microstructures of the rheological materials were investigated. Moreover, the tests allow the apparent viscosity of the alloys to be determined as a function of the liquid fraction and shear rate together with the densification behavior of the solid phase. Finally, the experimental results should be used in flow and solidification analyses and useful for manufacturing good SSM products through observing the microstructures according to changes solid fraction and compression rate.
•The wave profile, wave speed and velocity field of steep solitary waves are studied.•The IGN-5 equations could be used to study the solitary waves of H/h ≤ 0.79.•Higher IGN equations could calculate ...highest solitary wave.
The steady solutions of solitary waves are studied through the use of the Irrotational Green–Naghdi (IGN) equations for an incompressible and inviscid fluid. The steady solutions are obtained by Newton–Raphson method. We consider the solitary gravity waves of H/h = 0.30, 0.50, 0.70, 0.79, 0.8296, 0.833199 (where H is the wave amplitude and h is the water depth). Some experiments are conducted to test the results of the IGN equations. In particular, we focus on the wave profile and velocity field. We find that for the cases of the solitary waves of H/h ≤ 0.79, the IGN-5 results agree very well with the Euler solutions. For the solitary waves that close to the maximum amplitude, the converged IGN results are presented. It is also shown that high level IGN results on wave speed agree well with the results obtained by others.
Ni60Nb40 metallic glass powders were prepared by mechanical alloying and subsequently combined with Al to form an Al-30wt.% Ni60Nb40 metal matrix composite (MMC). The crystallization of the Ni60Nb40 ...metallic glass reinforcements and their reaction with the Al matrix during preparation of the MMC were investigated in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) upon isothermal annealing. The comparison of the DSC curves of the Ni60Nb40 metallic glass and of the Al-30wt.% Ni60Nb40 composite shows that the amorphous Ni60Nb40 particles have a very strong resistance against reaction with Al but reaction occurs after crystallization of the metallic glass. The analysis of the isothermal annealing DSC curves gives an activation energy of crystallization of the Ni60Nb40 metallic glass of 724kJ/mol. The interfacial reaction between Al and the Ni60Nb40 reinforcements is mainly controlled by diffusion. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicate that during the interfacial reaction, Ni diffuses from the Ni60Nb40 particles to react with Al and form Al3Ni. At the same time, Al diffuses into the reinforcement particles to react with remaining Nb and form Al3Nb.
Recently, resistance to additional first-line and injectable drugs was reported to be an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes in multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) patients. The aim ...of the present study was to confirm these observations in MDR-TB patients without HIV infection. MDR-TB patients treated at a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea between January 1996 and December 2005 were included. The unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios of adverse treatment outcome were calculated for resistance to each drug and combination of drugs using simple or multiple logistic regressions. None of the resistance to additional first-line or injectable drugs was associated with higher odds for adverse treatment outcome in 155 MDR but nonextensively drug-resistant (non-XDR) TB patients. However, streptomycin resistance was associated with 12 times the odds for adverse treatment outcome in 42 extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB patients. Neither combinations of first-line drugs nor those of injectable drugs were associated with increased odds for adverse treatment outcomes in non-XDR MDR-TB patients or XDR-TB patients. Only streptomycin resistance among the first-line or injectable drugs was associated with adverse treatment outcomes in extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis patients without HIV infection.
In September 2010, stem rot symptoms were observed on soybean plants (cv. Daepungkong) growing in a field located at Daegu (35.52° N, 128.35° E), South Korea. The first noticeable symptoms, observed ...on the top leaves, were difficult to distinguish from those of sudden death syndrome (SDS). However, after splitting the stems of symptomatic plants, typical stem rot symptoms appeared as reddish-brown to dark-brown discoloration of the pith. Stem lesions extended 15 to 20 cm upward from the soil surface. To isolate the causal agent, sections of diseased stems were surface disinfected with 1% sodium hypochlorite, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) containing streptomycin sulfate, and incubated at 25°C with a 12-h light regime. Two isolates were obtained (SSLNV17 and SSLNV18). Mycelia were white and floccose. Conidia (4.5 to 11.2 × 2.2 to 3.4 μm) were cylindrical to oblong-ellipsoidal, hyaline, and one-celled. Both isolates produced abundant perithecia after 3 to 4 weeks. Perithecia (205 to 331 mm in diameter) were orange to red, globose and ostiolate, with a short neck (80 to 126 mm in diameter). Unitunicate asci (88.6 to 115.3 × 14.5 to 17.3 mm) were cylindrical to clavate, with a short stalk (6.0 to 9.5 × 5.0 to 6.8 mm), and eight spores. Ascospores (13.3 to 17.5 × 10.7 to 12.7 mm) were uniseriately arranged, globose to oval, one-celled, and hyaline to pale brown, with walls with a rugose ornamentation. These morphological features are consistent with those of Neocosmospora vasinfecta var. vasinfecta (1). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α), and β-tubulin genes of rDNA of the two isolates were sequenced using primers ITS4/ITS5 (GenBank Accession Nos. KF662732 and KF662733), EF1-728F/EF1-986R (KF758839 and KF758840), and Bt2a/Bt2b (KF771004 and KF771005), respectively. Sequences of the ITS region, EF1-α, and β-tubulin genes of both isolates showed 99% similarity with several reported N. vasinfecta strains by BLAST analysis. Both morphological and sequence analyses confirmed that the two isolates were N. vasinfecta var. vasinfecta. Pathogenicity tests of both isolates were performed on 15 three-week-old seedlings of soybean cv. Williams inoculated with a spore suspension containing 1.0 × 10
spores/ml, using stem puncture inoculation procedure under controlled conditions (4). Control plants were inoculated in the same way with sterile water. The results were observed by splitting the stem longitudinally and checking for discoloration of the pith 4 to 5 weeks after inoculation. Reddish-brown to dark-brown discoloration was observed in the stem pith of inoculated plants, with occasional chlorosis of the leaves. Moreover, numerous orange-red perithecia were produced on the inoculated stems. However, no symptoms were visible on control plants. The pathogen was re-isolated from the diseased plants, confirming Koch's postulates. Neocosmospora stem rot of soybean was first discovered in Japan and since then it has been reported in the United States and China (2,3,4). To our knowledge, this is the first record of soybean stem rot caused by N. vasinfecta var. vasinfecta in Korea. Our report indicates that Neocosmospora stem rot is a new threat to soybean production in Korea. References: (1) P. F. Cannon and D. L. Hawksworth. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 82:673, 1984. (2) Y. Gai et al. Plant Dis. 95:1031, 2011. (3) F. A. Gray et al. Plant Dis. 64:321, 1980. (4) D. V. Phillips. Phytopathology 62:612, 1972.
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