Previous studies support the important role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and syndecan-4 in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Both VEGF and syndecan-4 are expressed by ...chondrocytes and both are involved in the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-3, resulting in the activation of aggrecanase II (ADAMTS-5), which is essential in the pathogenesis of OA. However, the relationship between VEGF and syndecan-4 has not been established. As a pilot study, we assayed the expression of VEGF and syndecan-4 in cartilage samples and cultured chondrocytes from osteoarthritic knee joints and analysed the relationship between these two factors. Specimens were collected from 21 female patients (29 knees) who underwent total knee replacement due to severe medial OA of the knee (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 4). Articular cartilage samples, obtained from bone and cartilage excised during surgery, were analysed and used for chondrocyte culture. We found that the levels of expression of VEGF and syndecan-4 mRNA did not differ significantly between medial femoral cartilage with severe degenerative changes and lateral femoral cartilage that appeared grossly normal (p = 0.443 and 0.622, respectively). Likewise, the levels of expression of VEGF and syndecan-4 mRNA were similar in cultured chondrocytes from medial and lateral femoral cartilage. The levels of expression of VEGF and syndecan-4 mRNAs were significantly and positively correlated in cartilage explant (r = 0.601, p = 0.003) but not in cultured chondrocytes. These results suggest that there is a close relationship between VEGF and syndecan-4 in the cartilage of patients with OA. Further studies are needed to determine the exact pathway by which these two factors interact in the pathogenesis of OA.
: In the present study, the effects of marination on the quality of poultry breast meat deboned at various times postmortem (PM) were investigated. One of the specific goals was to optimize the ...processing conditions between deboning time, tumbling duration, and poultry breast meat tenderness, with the objective of developing specific recommendations on processing practices adopted by the poultry industry. Broiler breast (Pectoralis major) muscles deboned at 0.25, 1.5, 3, 6, and 24 h PM were vacuum tumbled with 20% solution added containing 1% salt and 0.45% sodium tripolyphosphate for either 15 or 30 min. Meat quality measurements including marination uptake, retention, cooking loss, instrumental texture, sensory descriptive analysis, and consumer acceptance were performed. Results indicated that acceptable tenderness was achieved for marinated treatments deboned at 3 h or later PM. Fillets deboned at shorter PM were rated tough by consumers. Marination duration had very little effect on the quality of the meat processed.
Practical Application: For the poultry industry to maximize consumer acceptance for marinated broiler breast meat, this research will be of benefit. Various qualities of broiler breast meat such as tenderness and water‐holding capacities were examined under different marination conditions.
Stretch-activated channels (SACs) were studied in isolated rat atrial myocytes using the whole-cell and single-channel patch
clamp techniques. Longitudinal stretch was applied by using two patch ...electrodes.
In current clamp configuration, mechanical stretch of 20 % of resting cell length depolarised the resting membrane potential
(RMP) from -63·6 ± 0·58 mV ( n = 19) to -54·6 ± 2·4 mV ( n = 13) and prolonged the action potential duration (APD) by 32·2 ± 8·8 ms ( n = 7). Depolarisation, if strong enough, triggered spontaneous APs. In the voltage clamp configuration, stretch increased
membrane conductance in a progressive manner. The current-voltage ( IâV ) relationship of the stretch-activated current (I SAC ) was linear and reversed at -6·1 ± 3·7 mV ( n = 7).
The inward component of I SAC was abolished by the replacement of Na + with NMDG + , but I SAC was hardly altered by the Cl â channel blocker DIDS or removal of external Cl â . The permeability ratio for various cations ( P Cs : P Na : P Li = 1·05:1:0·98) indicated that the SAC current was a non-selective cation current (I SAC,NC ). The background current was also found to be non-selective to cations ( I NSC,b ); the permeability ratio ( P Cs : P Na : P Li = 1·49:1:0·70) was different from that of I SAC,NC .
Gadolinium (Gd 3+ ) acted on I NSC,b and I SAC,NC differently. Gd 3+ inhibited I NSC,b in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC 50 value of 46·2 ± 0·8 μM ( n = 5). Consistent with this effect, Gd 3+ hyperpolarised the resting membrane potential (-71·1 ± 0·26 mV, n = 9). In the presence of Gd 3+ (0·1 mM), stretch still induced I SAC,NC and diastolic depolarisation.
Single-channel activities were recorded in isotonic Na + and Cs + solutions using the inside-out configuration. In NMDG + solution, outward currents were abolished. Gd 3+ (100 μM) strongly inhibited channel opening both from the inside and outside. In the presence of Gd 3+ (100 μM) in the pipette solution, an increase in pipette pressure induced an increase in channel opening (21·27 ± 0·24 pS;
n = 7), which was distinct from background activity.
We concluded from the above results that longitudinal stretch in rat atrial myocytes induces the activation of non-selective
cation channels that can be distinguished from background channels by their different electrophysiology and pharmacology.
The Nuss procedure is a minimally invasive technique using a retrosternal bar to repair pectus excavatum. Although its technical simplicity and cosmetic advantages are remarkable, early applications ...have been limited to children with symmetrical pectus excavatum. We report a large single-institution experience including technical modifications to correct asymmetric configurations and extend the procedure to adult patients.
We retrospectively reviewed 322 consecutive patients who underwent repair of pectus excavatum by the Nuss technique and its modifications between August 1999 and June 2002. Of the patients 251 (78%) were children and 71 (22%) were adults. Precise morphologic characterization of the pectus allowed appropriate shaping of the bar to achieve a symmetric repair.
Of the 322, 185 (57%) had symmetric and 137 (43%) had asymmetric pectus excavatum. Within the asymmetric group 71 were eccentric, 47 were unbalanced, and 19 were combined. Modifications to the shape of the bar including asymmetric and seagull bars were developed to deal with these types of asymmetry. A double bar or compound bar technique was used in most of the adults. Multipoint wire fixations to ribs were utilized to prevent bar rotation. Postoperative complications included pneumothorax (n = 24, 7.5%) and bar displacement (n = 11, 3.4%). The bar was removed in 42 patients 2 years after the initial procedure.
Precise morphologic classification has led to modifications of the Nuss technique that facilitate correction of virtually all varieties of pectus excavatum including patients with asymmetric varieties and adults.
We propose and experimentally demonstrate a method of reducing insertion loss of a thin-film-filter-embedded planar-lightwave-circuit platform for a triplexer transceiver module. Significant loss ...reduction was achieved by adding horn waveguide elements at the interfaces between the thin film filter and the output-port (transmission and reflection) waveguides.
Monolayers of 2-(3,4,5-(trisdodecyloxyl)phenyl)1,3,4oxadiazole based “tripod” dye, P2G, has been studied at the air/water interface with in situ X-ray reflectivity. Compression of the disordered ...Langmuir−Blodgett monolayer film induces a transition to a unique ordered phase, representing a supramolecular assembly with a unique spatial distribution and orientation of the molecules. At low pressure, the molecules having face-on orientation are interdigitated by the three arms. After first transition in the π−A isotherm, the molecular conformation is turned into an edge-on orientation, where the molecules are self-assembled into supramolecular structures.
We designed and experimentally demonstrated a thin film filter (TFF)-embedded directional coupler-type triplexing-filter on the planar-lightwave-circuit platform. The triple-play multiplexing was ...significantly simplified by using one TFF. The 1.31- and 1.55-μm lights were designed to be divided after passing the directional coupler by half-cycle and full-cycle coupling actions, respectively. The 1.49-μm light was reflected by a TFF inserted in a trench on the directional coupler. The insertion losses of fabricated triplexing-filters were less than 2.0 dB with bandwidths of 20 nm. The newly proposed triplexing-filter provides a cost-effective high-performance solution for fiber-to-the-home networks.
The purpose of this study was to compare electrophysiologically guided and traditional nerve stimulator analgesia femoral nerve block after total knee arthroplasty.
Patients scheduled for unilateral ...total knee arthroplasty were randomized to electrophysiologically guided or traditional nerve stimulator analgesia by pre-emptive single injection femoral nerve block with corresponding assistance. We assessed pain scores using a visual analog scale (VAS, 0 = no pain, 100 = the worst pain) and the volumes of morphine consumed at 4, 24, 48, and 72 hours after total knee arthroplasty.
Of the 60 patients enrolled, eight withdrew from the study. The remaining 52 patients were randomized to the electrophysiologically guided group (n = 27) or traditional nerve stimulator analgesia (n = 25) group. Four hours after total knee arthroplasty, VAS scores were significantly lower in the electrophysiologically guided group than in the traditional nerve stimulator group at rest (4.8 ± 1.4 versus 5.9 ± 0.8, P < 0.01) and while moving (6.2 ± 1.1 versus 6.9 ± 0.9, P < 0.01). The total volumes of morphine injected at 24, 48, and 72 hours were significantly decreased in the electrophysiologically guided group (P < 0.05 each). Variable × time interaction of VAS was significant in the electrophysiologically guided group (P < 0.05), with each VAS score at 24, 48, and 72 hours being significantly lower than the baseline score (P < 0.05). VAS scores at every time point were significantly lower in the electrophysiologically group guided than in the traditional nerve stimulator group (P < 0.05).
Electrophysiologically guided single injection femoral nerve block may provide better postoperative analgesia and a greater reduction in the demand for pain killers than femoral nerve block using traditional nerve stimulator analgesia.
In this study, we investigated the effects of melatonin on adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity both in vivo in rats and in vitro, and on the antitumor activities of adriamycin on MDA-231 and NCI breast ...cancer cells. Rats that received a single intraperitoneal injection of 25 mg/kg adriamycin showed a mortality rate of 86%, which was reduced to 20% by melatonin treatment (10 mg/kg, SC for 6 days). Melatonin attenuated adriamycin-induced body-weight loss, hemodynamic dysfunction, and the morphologic and biochemical alterations caused by adriamycin. Melatonin also reduced adriamycin-induced nuclear DNA fragmentation, as assessed by the comet assay. In addition, the antitumor activity of adriamycin could be maintained using lower doses of this drug in combination with melatonin. Melatonin treatment in the concentration range of 0.1-2.5 mM inhibited the growth of human breast cancer cells. In terms of oncolytic activity, the combination of adriamycin and melatonin improved the antitumor activity of adriamycin, as indicated by an increase in the number of long-term survivors as well as decreases in body-weight losses resulting from adriamycin treatment. These results indicate that melatonin not only protects against adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity but also enhances its antitumor activity. This combination of melatonin and adriamycin represents a potentially useful regimen for the treatment of human neoplasms because it allows the use of lower doses of adriamycin, thereby avoiding the toxic side effects associated with this drug.
This paper reports on the development of planar-lightwave-circuit wavelength-division-multiplexing (PLC-WDM) filters based on double polynomial curve directional couplers, which will be integrated ...into compact and low-cost bidirectional optical transceivers for FTTx systems. Silica-based PLC-WDM filters smaller than 5 mm/spl times/100 /spl mu/m for Ethernet passive optical network (E-PON) applications were designed and fabricated to have low bidirectional crosstalk (lower than -40 dB) as well as low insertion losses (lower than 1 dB) within the operating temperatures of -40 to 80/spl deg/C. Several features and design guides that can reduce the size of directional couplers and improve the level of bidirectional crosstalk are discussed.
PDF
