Arabidopsis 3-ketoacyl-coenzyme a synthase9 is involved in the synthesis of tetracosanoic acids as precursors of cuticular waxes, suberins, sphingolipids, and phospholipids.

Very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) with chain lengths from 20 to 34 carbons are involved in diverse biological functions such as membrane constituents, a surface barrier, and seed storage compounds. The first step in VLCFA biosynthesis is the condensation of two carbons to an acyl-coenzyme A, which is catalyzed by 3-ketoacyl-coenzyme A synthase (KCS). In this study, amino acid sequence homology and the messenger RNA expression patterns of 21 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) KCSs were compared.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty at C7 for the treatment of painful metastases -A case report-.

The cervical spine is a less common site for metastatic disease than is the thoracolumbar spine. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the cervical spine can be performed using an anteromedial or lateral approach. A 51-year-old woman with breast cancer had been experiencing severe weight-bearing neck pain for 2 months, even after undergoing radiation therapy.

Effects of oral mucolytics on tear film and ocular surface.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of oral ambroxol on tear film and ocular surface.

Methods: Twenty healthy male subjects with no ocular disease were recruited. Subjects were divided into 2 groups: a control group and an ambroxol group.

Contralateral lateral rectus recession versus recess-resect for recurrent exotropia after unilateral recess-resect.

Background: To compare outcomes following contralateral lateral rectus (LR) recession and recess-resect (RR) procedures for recurrent exotropia of 20-25 prism dioptres (PD) after unilateral RR.

Methods: 39 subjects were included in this retrospective study. All underwent, as a primary surgery for intermittent exotropia, unilateral RR on the non-dominant eye.

Intraductal growing acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas.

Acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare pancreatic exocrine neoplasm characterized by a huge, exophytic well-circumscribed hypovascular mass. There has been several reports describing intraductal and papillary variant of ACC and they showed different radiologic features from usual ACC. We present histologically confirmed cases of intraductal and papillary variant of ACC that had been found in two patients, who underwent CT and MRI.

Anabolic effects of Peniel 2000, a peptide that regulates TGF-β1 signaling on intervertebral disc degeneration.

Study Design: An in vitro study with bovine intervertebral disc (IVD) cells and an in vivo study with a rabbit disc degeneration model on the extracellular matrix metabolism by a biglycan-derived peptide (Peniel 2000; P2K).

Objective: To investigate the mechanism for P2K-induced increases in extracellular matrix and in vitro and in vivo effects of the peptide on IVD.

Summary Of Background Data: Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has a functional versatility on the metabolism of IVD cells, suggesting that the regulation of TGF-β signaling is important in IVD degeneration.

Hypoxia-augmented constriction of deep femoral artery mediated by inhibition of eNOS in smooth muscle.

In contrast to the conventional belief that systemic arteries dilate under hypoxia, we found that α-adrenergic contraction of rat deep femoral artery (DFA) is largely augmented by hypoxia (HVC(DFA)) while hypoxia (3% Po(2)) alone had no effect. HVC(DFA) was consistently observed in both endothelium-intact and -denuded vessels with partial pretone by phenylephrine (PhE) or by other conditions (e.g.

A compound (DW1182v) protecting high glucose/palmitate-induced glucolipotoxicity to INS-1 beta cells preserves islet integrity and improves hyperglycemia in obese db/db mouse.

Loss of beta cells is a pathogenic cause for the development of type 2 diabetes. High glucose/free fatty acid (HG/FFA)-induced glucolipotoxicity was thought to play a role in the beta cell loss. Thus, application of small molecules capable of preventing HG/FFA-induced glucolipotoxicty to beta cells could be an avenue for a therapeutic intervention for the development of type 2 diabetes.

Percutaneous osteoplasty for the treatment of a painful osteochondral lesion of the talus: a case report and literature review.

An osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) is a lesion involving the talar articular cartilage and its subchondral bone. OLT is a known cause of chronic ankle pain after ankle sprains in the active population. The lesion causes deep ankle pain associated with weight-bearing, impaired function, limited range of motion, stiffness, catching, locking, and swelling.

Analysis of rare earth elements in seawater by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after pre-concentration using TSK™-HD-MW-CNTs (highly dispersive multi-walled carbon nanotubes).

This study aimed to identify easy-to-use multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MW-CNTs) having a high capacity to adsorb metals and thereby expand the usability of these materials as a solid-phase adsorbent for the analysis of trace metals in seawater. High-dispersion-type MW-CNTs had the highest metal binding capacity (70.8±5.

3D heterostructured architectures of Co3O4 nanoparticles deposited on porous graphene surfaces for high performance of lithium ion batteries.

Control of structure and morphology in electrode design is crucial for creating efficient transport pathways of ions and electrons in high-performance energy storage devices. Here we report the fabrication of high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries based on a 3D heterostructured architecture consisting of Co(3)O(4) nanoparticles deposited onto porous graphene surfaces. A combination of replication and filtration processes - a simple and general method - allows a direct assembly of 2D graphene sheets into 3D porous films with large surface area, porosity, and mechanical stability.

Renal transplantation in sensitized recipients with positive luminex and negative CDC (complement-dependent cytotoxicity) crossmatches.

Recently, Luminex-crossmatch (LumXm) was introduced. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes in sensitized recipients with a positive Luminex-crossmatch (LumXm (+)) and a negative complement-dependent cytotoxicity crossmatch (CDCXm (-)) after renal transplantation. Fifty-five renal transplant recipients with a CDCXm (-) and PRA class I or II ≥20% were enrolled in this study between February 2008 and December 2010 at Severance Hospital.

Characterization of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored lipid transfer protein 2 (LTPG2) and overlapping function between LTPG/LTPG1 and LTPG2 in cuticular wax export or accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Cuticular waxes are synthesized by the extensive export of intracellular lipids from epidermal cells. However, it is still not known how hydrophobic cuticular lipids are exported to the plant surface through the hydrophilic cell wall. The LTPG2 gene was isolated based on Arabidopsis microarray analysis; this gene is predominantly expressed in stem epidermal peels as compared with in stems.

Direct medical costs for patients with type 2 diabetes and related complications: a prospective cohort study based on the Korean National Diabetes Program.

We analyzed the direct medical costs for Korean patients with type 2 diabetes according to the type of complications and the number of microvascular complications. We analyzed costs for type 2 diabetes and associated complications in 3,125 patients. These data were obtained from the Korean National Diabetes Program (KNDP), a large, ongoing, prospective cohort study that began in 2005.

Removal of a vertebral metastatic tumor compressing the spinal nerve roots via a single-port, transforaminal, endoscopic approach under monitored anesthesia care.

Spinal cord or nerve root compression from an epidural metastasis occurs in 5-10% of patients with cancer and in up to 40% of patients with preexisting nonspinal bone metastases. Most metastatic spine diseases arise from the vertebral column, with the posterior half of the vertebral body being the most common initial focus, and/or the paravertebral region, tracking along the spinal nerves to enter the spinal column via the intervertebral foramina. An 82-year-old man diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer and liver metastases experienced intractable pain described as being like an electric shock on the right T11 dermatome.

Electrochemical assembly of MnO₂ on ionic liquid-graphene films into a hierarchical structure for high rate capability and long cycle stability of pseudocapacitors.

Hierarchical nanostructures are of prime importance due to their large surface area, easy accessibility to reaction sites, fast ion and electron transport, and mechanical integrity. Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of hierarchically structured MnO₂/ionic liquid-reduced graphene oxide (IL-RGO) nanocomposites through the electrochemical self-assembly. The structures of MnO₂/IL-RGO nanocomposites and their formation mechanism are investigated by spectroscopic methods and as a consequence, correlated with the electrochemical behaviours.

High performance of a solid-state flexible asymmetric supercapacitor based on graphene films.

Solid-state flexible energy storage devices hold the key to realizing portable and flexible electronic devices. Achieving fully flexible energy storage devices requires that all of the essential components (i.e.

An organometallic approach for ultrathin SnO(x)Fe(y)S(z) plates and their graphene composites as stable anode materials for high performance lithium ion batteries.

Through an organometallic approach, ultrathin SnO(x)Fe(y)S(z) plates with ~2 nm single layer-thicknesses were obtained and their graphene composites showed very promising discharge capacities of up to 736 mA h g(-1) and excellent stabilities as anode materials in lithium ion batteries.

Fibroblast growth factor-21 protects human skeletal muscle myotubes from palmitate-induced insulin resistance by inhibiting stress kinase and NF-κB.

We investigated the effects of fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) on palmitate-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle myotubes. First, to determine the effect of FGF-21 on palmitate-induced insulin resistance, we measured 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxy-d-glucose uptake and levels of proteins involved in insulin signaling pathways (IRS-1 and Akt) in human skeletal muscle myotubes (HSMMs) exposed to palmitate for 24h, and compared HSMMs exposed to palmitate and different doses of recombinant FGF-21. Second, to determine the mechanisms underlying the contribution of FGF-21 to palmitate-induced insulin resistance, we compared levels of proteins linked to palmitate-induced insulin resistance (PKC-θ, IKKα/β, JNK, p38, IκBα, and NF-κB) in HSMMs exposed to palmitate and different doses of recombinant FGF-21 for 24h.

Serum fibroblast growth factor 21 was elevated in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus and was associated with the presence of carotid artery plaques.

Aims: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an important regulator of glucose/lipid metabolism. Although there are studies examining the relationship between serum FGF21 levels and glucose homeostasis, the role of FGF21 remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine whether serum FGF21 levels are associated with metabolic parameters in subjects with varying degrees of obesity and glucose tolerance and with complications in subjects with type2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

The Relationship between Diabetes Mellitus and Health-Related Quality of Life in Korean Adults: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2009).

Background: Diabetes is a major health problem in Korea. However, interest in the quality of life in patients with diabetes is low. We examined the effects of diabetes on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and compared it with HRQoL in the general Korean population using the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV) (2007-2009).

Thermally modulated multilayered graphene oxide for hydrogen storage.

We have obtained high pressure H(2) isotherms with respect to the interlayer distance of multilayered graphene oxide (GO) modulated by thermal annealing. The maximum storage capacity is 4.8 (0.

β-Cell-protective effect of 2-aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid as a glutamate dehydrogenase activator in db/db mice.

2-Aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH) is an activator of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), which is a mitochondrial enzyme with an important role in insulin secretion. We investigated the effect of BCH on the high-glucose (HG)-induced reduction in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), the HG/palmitate (PA)-induced reduction in insulin gene expression, and HG/PA-induced β-cell death. We also studied whether long-term treatment with BCH lowers blood glucose and improves β-cell integrity in db/db mice.