Multi-regional circuits underlying visually guided decision-making in Drosophila.

Visually guided decision-making requires integration of information from distributed brain areas, necessitating a brain-wide approach to examine its neural mechanisms. New tools in Drosophila melanogaster enable circuits spanning the brain to be charted with single cell-type resolution. Here, we highlight recent advances uncovering the computations and circuits that transform and integrate visual information across the brain to make behavioral choices. Visual information flows from the optic lobes to three primary central brain regions: a sensorimotor mapping area and two 'higher' centers for memory or spatial orientation. Rapid decision-making during predator evasion emerges from the spike timing dynamics in parallel sensorimotor cascades. Goal-directed decisions may occur through memory, navigation and valence processing in the central complex and mushroom bodies.

CircRNA_100395 protects breast carcinoma deterioration by targeting MAPK6.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to uncover the differential expression of circRNA_100395 in breast carcinoma specimens, and its regulatory effect on cancer cell phenotypes. The role of circRNA_100395 in affecting breast carcinoma progression and the molecular mechanism are explored as well. PATIENTS AND METHODS: CircRNA_100395 expressions in breast carcinoma and paracancerous tissues were detected. The influence of circRNA_100395 level on clinical indicators of breast carcinoma patients was analyzed. In vitro regulations of circRNA_100395 on phenotypes of breast carcinoma cells were examined by CCK-8, colony formation, and transwell assay. The interaction between circRNA_100395 and MAPK6 was confirmed by Dual-Luciferase reporter assay and rescue assays. RESULTS: CircRNA_100395 was downregulated in breast carcinoma tissues and cell lines. Its level was negatively correlated to tumor staging and tumor size of breast carcinoma. Overexpression of circRNA_100395 in SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231 cells weakened proliferative and migratory abilities. MAPK6 was the target gene of circRNA_100395. Overexpression of MAPK6 reversed the anti-cancer effect of circRNA_100395 on breast carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: CircRNA_100395 serves as an anti-cancer gene in breast carcinoma progression by targeting MAPK6, and its level is negatively correlated to tumor staging and tumor size of breast carcinoma. CircRNA_100395 can be utilized as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target of breast carcinoma.

Risk of incident Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a nationwide population-based study in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: The low incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and lack of adequate controls have prevented researchers from estimating tuberculosis (TB) risk in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. AIM: To evaluate the risk of incident TB among IBD patients. METHODS: Using the 2011-2013 data of the South Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) system, we calculated the incidence rates (IRs), standardised incidence ratio (SIR) and number needed to screen (NNS) for incident TB in IBD patients compared to the general population in terms of subtype, age, gender and IBD medications. RESULTS: The IR, SIR and NNS for TB in IBD patients were 223.9/100 000 person-years, 2.64 (2.30-3.01) and 446.6 (392.8-517.6), respectively. The TB IR in Crohn's disease (CD) patients was significantly higher than that in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (340.1/100 000 person-years vs. 165.5/100 000 person-years, respectively; P < 0.001). The SIR and NNS for TB among CD patients were 4.00 (3.59-4.45) and 604.2 (506.1-749.6), respectively; those among UC patients were 1.95 (1.66-2.27) and 294.0 (246.9-363.4). The TB IRs in IBD patients did not differ significantly by age or gender (Ptrend  = 0.505 and P = 0.861, respectively). The TB IRs among IBD patients prescribed 5-ASA, corticosteroids, immunomodulators and anti-TNF-α were 143.5, 208.5, 284.6 and 554.1 per 100 000 person-years, respectively. Among IBD patients treated using anti-TNF-α, the TB IR was significantly higher than that among all IBD patients (P < 0.001); the SIR and NNS for TB were 6.53 (5.99-7.09) and 180.5 (144.6-240.1) respectively. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of active tuberculosis in patients with IBD who are receiving anti-TNF-α therapy.

Posterior circulation ischemic stroke in Korean population.

To understand the characteristics of posterior circulation ischemic stroke (PCS) in the Korean population better, we retrospectively reviewed the data from the Hallym Stroke Registry (HSR). We analyzed the demographic features, risk factors, stroke subtypes, lesion distributions and clinical outcomes of 591 consecutive patients with PCS, enrolled in HSR between January 1996 and July 2002. PCS was 39.8% of all ischemic strokes. Mean age of PCS patients was 63.4 years and 55.7% were men. Hypertension was the most common risk factor (69.9%). However, potential cardioembolic sources were found only in 11.0%. The most frequent stroke subtype was large artery disease (50.0%), followed by small vessel disease (33.8%). Only 5.2% of patients were classified as affected with cardioembolism. The most common location of infarcts was in the middle territory (36.5%), followed by distal (28.1%), proximal (19.0%), and multiple territories (16.4%). The hospital mortality rate (4.1%) and discharge outcome of PCS were comparable with those of the anterior circulation stroke (ACS). In conclusion, the etiology and lesion topography of PCS in the Korean population appeared to be different from those of the Caucasians.

A comparison of three treatment methods for fractures of the mandibular angle.

The purpose of this study was to determine a practical and cost-effective treatment method for fixing mandibular angle fractures using miniplates. Patients were divided into three groups for comparison, based on the intraoperative plates and maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) used: group A, single miniplate fixation with MMF (n=37); group B, double miniplate fixation with MMF (n=59); group C, double miniplate fixation without MMF (n=38). Details of the characteristics of the fractures and the treatments and outcomes were collected retrospectively and analyzed statistically. This study was based on 134 cases of isolated mandibular angle fracture. Of the surgically treated patients, 78.4% (n=105) were completely free of complications. A detailed complication correlation matrix is given in the text. Besides screw loosening and malocclusion, no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. The results of this study suggest that treatment with single miniplate fixation and MMF has a low incidence rate of complications, and this method of treatment is considered to be simple.

Metabolism of cyanidin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside isolated from black colored rice and its antiscratching behavioral effect in mice.

Black-colored rice (BCR), the main constituent of which is cyanidin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (C3G), exhibits an anti-allergic effect, and orally administered C3G is mainly metabolized to protocatechuic acid in rats. Therefore, to understand the relationship between the metabolism of C3G and its pharmacological effect, we isolated C3G from BCR, anaerobically incubated it with fecal microflora, investigated its metabolite(s) by LC-MS/MS, and measured the antiscratching behavioral effects of C3G and its metabolites. C3G was metabolized to protocatechuic acid via cyanidin. Protocatechuic acid and cyanidin were identified as the metabolites. The activities transforming C3G to protocatechuic acid and cyanidin were 28.2 +/- 11.7 and 21.8 +/- 5.2 nmol/h/mg fecal microflora, respectively. C3G and its metabolites showed inhibitory effects against histamine- or compound 48/80-induced scratching behaviors in mice. C3G more potently inhibited scratching behaviors following oral administration than following intraperitoneal administration. However, protocatechuic acid and cyanidin showed more potent inhibition when administered intraperitoneally than when administered orally. These metabolites also inhibited the expression of allergic cytokines, IL-4 and TNF-alpha, and the activation of their transcription factor, NF-kappaB, in RBL-2H3 cells stimulated with IgE-antigen. These findings suggest that C3G-rich BCR may be a beneficial food for diseases involving scratching behaviors, such as chronic dermatitis, rhinitis, and psoriasis.

Classification of temporal bone pneumatization based on sigmoid sinus using computed tomography.

AIM: To analyse several reference structures using axial computed tomography (CT) imaging of the temporal bone, which may reflect pneumatization of the entire temporal bone by statistical correlation to the actual volume of the temporal bone measured using three-dimensional reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixteen temporal bones were studied, comprising 48 with normal findings and 68 sides showing chronic otitis media or temporal bone fracture. After measuring the volume of temporal bone air cells by the volume rendering technique using three-dimensional reconstruction images, classification of temporal bone pneumatization was performed using various reference structures on axial images to determine whether significant differences in the volume of temporal bone air cells could be found between the groups. RESULTS: When the sigmoid sinus at the level of the malleoincudal complex was used in the classification, there were statistically significant differences between the groups that correlated with the entire volume of the temporal bone. Grouping based on the labyrinth and the ascending carotid artery showed insignificant differences in volume. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between the cross-sectional area of the antrum and the entire volume of the temporal bone. CONCLUSION: The degree of pneumatization of temporal bone can be estimated easily by the evaluation of the air cells around the sigmoid sinus on axial CT images.

Role of the M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor in beta-cell function and glucose homeostasis.

The release of insufficient amounts of insulin in the presence of elevated blood glucose levels is one of the key features of type 2 diabetes. Various lines of evidence indicate that acetylcholine (ACh), the major neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system, can enhance glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells. Studies with isolated islets prepared from whole body M(3) muscarinic ACh receptor knockout mice showed that cholinergic amplification of glucose-dependent insulin secretion is exclusively mediated by the M(3) muscarinic receptor subtype. To investigate the physiological relevance of this muscarinic pathway, we used Cre/loxP technology to generate mutant mice that lack M(3) receptors only in pancreatic beta-cells. These mutant mice displayed impaired glucose tolerance and significantly reduced insulin secretion. In contrast, transgenic mice overexpressing M(3) receptors in pancreatic beta-cells showed a pronounced increase in glucose tolerance and insulin secretion and were resistant to diet-induced glucose intolerance and hyperglycaemia. These findings indicate that beta-cell M(3) muscarinic receptors are essential for maintaining proper insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. Moreover, our data suggest that enhancing signalling through beta-cell M(3) muscarinic receptors may represent a new avenue in the treatment of glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes.

Analysis of adrenal masses by 18F-FDG positron emission tomography scanning.

This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of adrenal masses visible in the computerised tomography (CT) scans which have been also evaluated by 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET), and to characterise the features of 18F-FDG PET scans associated with various adrenal endocrine tumours, especially benign functional tumours. 18F-FDG PET scans of 105 patients with adrenal masses on the CT scan were analysed. Positive uptakes in the 18F-FDG PET scans were seen in 60 malignant tumours (54 metastasic lesions, six primary adrenal cancers) and seven benign tumours. The positive predictive value of 18F-FDG PET imaging to characterise an adrenal mass as a malignant tumour was 90%; the corresponding negative predictive value to rule out malignancy was also 90%. Benign adrenal tumours were smaller than that of malignant lesions (p<0.05). The mean standardised uptake value max (SUVmax) of the metastatic lesions [8.4+/-6.5 (microCi/g)/microCi/kg] was significantly higher than that of the benign adrenal tumours [2.4+/-1.2 (microCi/g)/microCi/kg, p<0.001]. Examination of only the primary adrenal lesions revealed that all adrenocortical carcinomas, two of three cases of pheochromocytomas, three of five neuroblastomas and two of four cases of primary aldosteronism showed positive 18F-FDG uptake. In conclusion, for patients presenting adrenal masses with a high probability of malignancy, 18F-FDG PET can be used to differentiate malignant from benign adrenal lesions. However, the 18F-FDG PET uptake did not show an always consistent pattern for endocrine tumours, which was probably due to the variability inherent in 18F-FDG uptake. This study suggests that 18F-FDG PET scanning can offer supporting data to localise and characterise adrenal tumours.

Viscosity of Nonionic Polymer/Anionic Surfactant Complexes in Water.

The polymer-micelle model, formerly established by Cabane, is revised to develop a new viscosity equation to describe the dependence of dilute solution viscosity on polymer concentration in PEG/SDS aqueous solutions. Two parameters inthe new equation were proposed to characterize the influence of the polymer solution viscosity on the added surfactant. The viscosity data of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were measured by the Ubbelohde dilution viscometer and the new equation proved to be in good agreement with the experimental data. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Necrosis-like death with plasma membrane damage against cervical cancer cells by photodynamic therapy.

In order to elucidate the antitumor effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using the photosensitizing agent hematoporphyrin derivative (Photogem) and a diode laser, we evaluated the cell death of uterine cancer cell lines (CaSki, HT3, HeLa, and SKOV-3) and mice transplanted with TC-1 lung cancer cells. Morphological changes, MTT assay, flow cytometry, cytotoxicity, and tumor growth-inhibition study were evaluated at various time intervals after PDT. The results showed that the survival rates of each cell line decreased with time and dose-response after performing PDT. Also, PDT-induced damage of cancer cells was almost entirely confined to necrosis of the tumor cells in the early time courses. The irradiation of CaSki cells in the presence of Photogem induced plasma membrane disruption and cell shrinkage, indicating the plasma membrane as the main target for Photogem. In the experiment in vivo, the time courses of Photogem with irradiation showed significantly longer survival and a significantly smaller tumor size compared to those in the untreated control groups, and resorption of the tumor after PDT treatment was observed. Collectively, our results indicated that Photogem possesses tumor-specific affinity, and necrosis-like death with plasma membrane damage was postulated to be the principal mechanism of the antitumor effect of PDT using Photogem.