This study was conducted to examine the effect of plant growth regulators on the rooting and growth of Rhododendron micranthum Turcz., a rare plant in South Korea. Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) 150, ...250, 350 mg·L−1 and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 50, 150, 250 mg·L−1 treatment groups were established and cutting was performed in a commercial growth medium in March 2021 with 3 replications of 10 plants per group. After 70 days, the longest initial root growth was observed under the NAA 150 and 250 mg·L−1 treatments. Moreover, the number of roots and percentage of rooting were slightly higher in NAA 150 and 250 mg·L−1, indicating that these treatments were more effective in promoting plant growth. The above-ground part of plants treated with NAA 150 and 250 mg·L−1 had a taller plant height, longer and wider leaves, and a greater number of leaves compared to other groups. Accordingly, the survival rate of plants treated with NAA 150 and 250 mg·L−1 was higher than 80%, suggesting well-established roots and excellent above-ground growth. Therefore, treatment with growth regulator NAA at 150 and 250 mg·L−1 is considered beneficial for the cutting of R. micranthum Turcz.
Background The RISPO (Remote Ischemic Preconditioning with Postconditioning Outcome) trial evaluated whether remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) combined with remote ischaemic postconditioning ...(RIPostC) improves the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. This substudy of the RISPO trial aimed to evaluate the effect of RIPC with RIPostC on pulmonary function in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods Sixty-five patients were enrolled (32: control and 33: RIPC-RIPostC). In the RIPC-RIPostC group, four cycles of 5 min ischaemia and 5 min reperfusion were administered before and after CPB to the upper limb. Peri-operative PaO2 /FI O2 ratio, intra-operative pulmonary shunt, and dynamic and static lung compliance were determined. Results The mean PaO2 / FI O2 was significantly higher in the RIPC-RIPostC group at 24h after surgery 290 (96) vs. 387 (137), p = 0.001. The incidence of mechanical ventilation for longer than 48h was significantly higher in the control group (23% vs. 3%, p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in other pulmonary profiles, post-operative mechanical ventilation time, and duration of intensive care unit stay. Conclusions In our study, RIPC-RIPostC improved the post-operative 24h PaO2 /FI O2 ratio. Remote ischaemic preconditioning-Remote ischaemic postconditioning has limited and delayed pulmonary protective effects in cardiac surgery patients with CPB.
Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the effectiveness of local compression in patients presenting to the emergency room with intraoral bleeding and to identify when complex ...haemostatic measures may be required. Materials and Methods: Five hundred forty patients who had experienced intraoral haemorrhage were retrospectively reviewed. The outcome variable was the haemostasis method used, i.e., simple (local compression with gauze) or complex (an alternative method after local compression has failed). Predictor variables were sex, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, hepatic cirrhosis, bleeding disorder, use of antithrombotic agents, and site/cause of haemorrhage. Results: The mean patient age was 48.9±23.9 years, 53.5% were male, 42.8% were ASA class II or higher, and 23.7% were taking antithrombotic agents. Local compression was used most often (68.1%), followed by local haemostatic agents, sutures, systemic tranexamic acid or blood products, and electrocautery. The most common site of bleeding was the gingiva (91.7%), and the most common cause was tooth extraction (45.7%). Risk factors for needing a complex haemostasis method were use of antithrombotic agents (odds ratio 2.047, P=0.009) and minor oral surgery (excluding extraction and implant procedures; odds ratio 6.081, P=0.001). Conclusion: A haemostasis method other than local compression may be needed in patients taking antithrombotic agents or having undergone minor oral surgery.
The aims of this study were to determine the effectiveness of local compression in patients presenting to the emergency room with intraoral bleeding and to identify when complex haemostatic measures ...may be required.
Five hundred forty patients who had experienced intraoral haemorrhage were retrospectively reviewed. The outcome variable was the haemostasis method used, i.e., simple (local compression with gauze) or complex (an alternative method after local compression has failed). Predictor variables were sex, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, hepatic cirrhosis, bleeding disorder, use of antithrombotic agents, and site/cause of haemorrhage.
The mean patient age was 48.9±23.9 years, 53.5% were male, 42.8% were ASA class II or higher, and 23.7% were taking antithrombotic agents. Local compression was used most often (68.1%), followed by local haemostatic agents, sutures, systemic tranexamic acid or blood products, and electrocautery. The most common site of bleeding was the gingiva (91.7%), and the most common cause was tooth extraction (45.7%). Risk factors for needing a complex haemostasis method were use of antithrombotic agents (odds ratio 2.047,
=0.009) and minor oral surgery (excluding extraction and implant procedures; odds ratio 6.081,
=0.001).
A haemostasis method other than local compression may be needed in patients taking antithrombotic agents or having undergone minor oral surgery.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offer improved survival for patients with advanced malignant melanomas. However, only a subset of these patients exhibit an objective response rate of 10–40 % with ...ICIs. We aimed to ascertain the effects of RNA signatures and the spatial distribution of immune cells on the treatment outcomes of patients with malignant melanomas undergoing ICI therapy. Clinical data were retrospectively collected from ICI-treated patients with malignant melanoma; RNA expression profiles were examined via next-generation sequencing, whereas the composition, density, and spatial distribution of immune cells were determined via multiplex immunohistochemistry. Patients with poor and good responses to ICIs showed significant differences in mRNA expression profiles. Different spatial distributions of T-cells, macrophages, and NK cells as well as RNA signatures of immune-related genes were found to be closely related to therapeutic outcomes in ICI-treated patients with malignant melanomas. The spatial distributions of PD-1+ T-cells and activated M1 macrophages showed a significant correlation with favorable responses to ICIs. Our findings highlight the clinical relevance of the spatial proximity of immune cell subsets in the treatment outcomes of metastatic malignant melanoma.
•Patients with poor and good ICI response had significantly different mRNA profiles.•T-cell/macrophage/NK cell spatial distributions were closely related to ICI outcome.•RNA signatures of immune-related genes were closely related to ICI outcome.•These findings can aid in treatment of advanced or metastatic malignant melanomas.
Although adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery aims to restore and maintain alignment, proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) may occur. While existing scoring systems predict PJK, they predominantly ...offer a generalized 3-tier risk classification, limiting their utility for nuanced treatment decisions. This study seeks to establish a personalized risk calculator for PJK, aiming to enhance treatment planning precision.
Patient data for ASD were sourced from the Korean spinal deformity database. PJK was defined a proximal junctional angle (PJA) of ≥ 20° at the final follow-up, or an increase in PJA of ≥ 10° compared to the preoperative values. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent variables. Subsequently, 5 machine learning models were created to predict individualized PJK risk post-ASD surgery. The most efficacious model was deployed as an online and interactive calculator.
From a pool of 201 patients, 49 (24.4%) exhibited PJK during the follow-up period. Through multivariable analysis, postoperative PJA, body mass index, and deformity type emerged as independent predictors for PJK. When testing machine learning models using study results and previously reported variables as hyperparameters, the random forest model exhibited the highest accuracy, reaching 83%, with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.76. This model has been launched as a freely accessible tool at: (https://snuspine.shinyapps.io/PJKafterASD/).
An online calculator, founded on the random forest model, has been developed to gauge the risk of PJK following ASD surgery. This may be a useful clinical tool for surgeons, allowing them to better predict PJK probabilities and refine subsequent therapeutic strategies.
Instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR) causes rapid islet loss in islet transplantation. Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) display unique abilities to promote angiogenesis and ...repair vascular injury compared to those of endothelial cells (ECs), which inhibits the allogeneic and xenogeneic IBMIR. We investigated the coating of pig islets with ex vivo-expanded ECFCs as a strategy to overcome xenogeneic IBMIR. Porcine islets were cocultured with human ECFCs in a specially modified culture medium for 2 days to obtain 70–90% coverage. The coating of pig islets with human ECFCs did not affect the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion capacity or diabetes reversal rate after the transplantation of a marginal islet mass under the kidney capsules of diabetic nude mice compared to that of untreated islets. Uncoated islets, PBS control without islets, and the ECFC-coated islets were examined with an in vitro tubing loop assay using human blood. After 60 min of incubation in human blood, the ECFC-coated islets showed platelet consumption inhibition and low C3a and TAT assay results compared to those of the uncoated islets. Furthermore, there was very little macroscopic or microscopic clotting in the human ECFC-coated pig islets. The protective effect was more prominent compared to that of human EC coating of pig islets in our previous study. We investigated the changes in human-specific MCP-1, IL-8, and tissue factor (TF) levels after the coating of pig islets with human ECFCs or human ECs. The IL-8 levels after coating pig islets with ECFCs were significantly lower than those after coating pig islets with ECs, but there were no significant differences in the MCP-1 or TF levels between the ECFCs and ECs. In conclusion, the coating of pig islets with ECFCs completely prevented all components of xenogeneic IBMIR. ECFCs may be a better source of protection against xenogeneic IBMIR than are mature ECs.
Recent studies showed that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as well as high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels are predictive factors of cardiovascular risk. ...However, the effect of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) intervention in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients on these factors is not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of CR and exercise on hsCRP and inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with CAD after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). CAD patients who underwent PCI were divided into a CR and exercise group (CRE,
n
= 29) or a control group (CON,
n
= 10). CR and exercise consisted of 6 weeks supervised exercise training and 8 weeks home-based, self-managed exercise. Compared to pre-experimental levels, TNF-α (by 20.4%;
p
= 0.006) and IL-6 (by 49.0%;
p
< 0.0001), as well as hsCRP (by 59.4%;
p
< 0.0001), were markedly decreased after CR and exercise in CAD patients but not in control group, except for IL-6 (by 41.6%;
p
= 0.001). However, there was no significant alteration of adiposity-related variables such as BMI, percent body fat, and waist circumferences, in both groups. We suggest that CR and exercise in CAD patients after PCI induce significant reduction in hsCRP and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), and marked increase in exercise tolerance and capacity.
To develop a new potent anti‐melanogenic agent, we have conjugated lipoic acid (LA) to poly (ethylene) glycol (PEG) of molecular weight 2000 and examined the effects on inhibition of tyrosinase ...activity and melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. The water‐soluble LA‐PEG 2000 was synthesized from LA and methylated PEG by an esterification reaction in the presence of 1‐ethyl‐3‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl)‐carbodiimide. Synthetic LA‐PEG 2000 was confirmed by IR and 1H‐NMR spectroscopy. The new conjugate is a highly water‐soluble molecule, which has lower cell cytotoxicity than LA. Treatment with LA‐PEG 2000 significantly suppressed the biosynthesis of melanin by up to 63% at 0.25 mm and reduced tyrosinase activity by up to 80% at 0.50 mm in B16F10 melanoma cells. Furthermore, Western blot and RT‐PCR studies indicated that treatment with LA‐PEG 2000 decreased the level of tyrosinase, which is a melanogenic enzyme. Taken together, these results suggest that LA‐PEG 2000 may inhibit melanin biosynthesis by down‐regulating levels and expression of tyrosinase activity. Therefore, LA‐PEG 2000 can be used effectively as a new agent to inhibit mel‐anogenesis, with lower cytotoxicity than LA (parent molecule) in B16F10 melanoma cells.
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