Optimal application of compressive palatal stents following mesiodens removal in pediatric patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: There is no scientific evidence supporting the choice of a palatal stent in patients who underwent removal of an impacted supernumerary tooth. We aimed to investigate the effects of palatal stents in patients who underwent supernumerary tooth removal through a palatal approach and to suggest the optimal stent thickness and material. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We recruited 144 patients who underwent extraction of a supernumerary tooth between the maxillary anterior teeth. Subjects were assigned to a control group (CG) or one of four compressive palatal stent groups (CPSGs) classified by the thickness and material of the thermoplastic acrylic stent used. Palatal gingival swelling and objective indices (healing, oral hygiene, gingival, and plaque) were evaluated before surgery and on postoperative days (PODs) 3, 7, and 14; pain/discomfort and the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) were assessed as subjective indices of the effects of the stent. RESULTS: The CPSGs showed faster healing than did the CG on PODs 7 (P<0.001) and 14 (P=0.043); swelling was measured by 1.64±0.88 mm and 4.52±0.39 mm, respectively. Although swelling was least in the 4-mm hard group (0.92±0.33 mm), the difference compared with that in the 2-mm hard group (1.01±0.18 mm) was not significant (P=0.077). The CPSGs showed better COHIP (P<0.001-0.036) and pain scores (P<0.001) than did the CG on PODs 1-3. CONCLUSIONS: Compressive palatal stents reduce discomfort by decreasing pain and alleviating swelling. Although a stent is effective regardless of its thickness and material, 2-mm hard stents maximized such positive effects with minimal discomfort.

Search for Sub-eV Sterile Neutrinos at RENO.

We report a search result for a light sterile neutrino oscillation with roughly 2200 live days of data in the RENO experiment. The search is performed by electron antineutrino (ν[over ¯]_{e}) disappearance taking place between six 2.8 GW_{th} reactors and two identical detectors located at 294 m (near) and 1383 m (far) from the center of the reactor array. A spectral comparison between near and far detectors can explore reactor ν[over ¯]_{e} oscillations to a light sterile neutrino. An observed spectral difference is found to be consistent with that of the three-flavor oscillation model. This yields limits on sin^{2}2θ_{14} in the 10^{-4}≲|Δm_{41}^{2}|≲0.5 eV^{2} region, free from reactor ν[over ¯]_{e} flux and spectrum uncertainties. The RENO result provides the most stringent limits on sterile neutrino mixing at |Δm_{41}^{2}|≲0.002 eV^{2} using the ν[over ¯]_{e} disappearance channel.

Thermal acclimation of rainbow trout myotomal muscle, can trout acclimate to a warming environment?

Climate change is a looming threat to the planet. Cold-water aquatic species will face significant physiological challenges due to elevated summer temperatures. Salmonids, such as rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) maintain fidelity to native streams, limiting their ability to mitigate the impact of climate change through migration. We examined how rainbow trout swimming performance and muscle function were shaped by the thermal environment. We hypothesized that trout would show slower muscle contractile properties and slower swimming performance with long-term exposure to warmer water. For fish held at either 10 °C or 20 °C, maximum steady swimming speed (Ucrit) was determined, and contractile properties of both fast-twitch (white) and slow-twitch (red) myotomal muscle were examined. In addition, immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR were used to assess changes in myosin content of the myotomal muscle in response to holding temperature. Rainbow trout exposed to warm water for six weeks displayed relatively limited thermal acclimation response. When tested at a common temperature (10 °C), 20 °C acclimated fish had modestly slower muscle performance compared to 10 °C acclimated fish. Significant differences in swimming performance and muscle contractile properties were primarily at colder test temperatures (e.g. 2 °C for muscle mechanics). Shifts in myosin heavy chain protein composition and myosin heavy chain gene expression in the swimming muscle were observed in white but not red muscle. Our results suggest that rainbow trout will have a limited ability to mitigate elevated environmental temperature through thermal acclimation of their myotomal or swimming muscle.

Fuel-Composition Dependent Reactor Antineutrino Yield at RENO.

We report a fuel-dependent reactor electron antineutrino (ν[over ¯]_{e}) yield using six 2.8 GW_{th} reactors in the Hanbit nuclear power plant complex, Yonggwang, Korea. The analysis uses 850 666 ν[over ¯]_{e} candidate events with a background fraction of 2.0% acquired through inverse beta decay (IBD) interactions in the near detector for 1807.9 live days from August 2011 to February 2018. Based on multiple fuel cycles, we observe a fuel ^{235}U dependent variation of measured IBD yields with a slope of (1.51±0.23)×10^{-43} cm^{2}/fission and measure a total average IBD yield of (5.84±0.13)×10^{-43} cm^{2}/fission. The hypothesis of no fuel-dependent IBD yield is ruled out at 6.6σ. The observed IBD yield variation over ^{235}U isotope fraction does not show significant deviation from the Huber-Mueller (HM) prediction at 1.3 σ. The measured fuel-dependent variation determines IBD yields of (6.15±0.19)×10^{-43} and (4.18±0.26)×10^{-43} cm^{2}/fission for two dominant fuel isotopes ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu, respectively. The measured IBD yield per ^{235}U fission shows the largest deficit relative to the HM prediction. Reevaluation of the ^{235}U IBD yield per fission may mostly solve the reactor antineutrino anomaly (RAA) while ^{239}Pu is not completely ruled out as a possible contributor to the anomaly. We also report a 2.9 σ correlation between the fractional change of the 5 MeV excess and the reactor fuel isotope fraction of ^{235}U.

Ultrasound-guided lung sliding sign to confirm optimal depth of tracheal tube insertion in young children.

BACKGROUND: The tip of the tracheal tube should lie at the mid-tracheal level after tracheal intubation in paediatric patients. Auscultation does not guarantee optimal positioning of the tracheal tube. We compared auscultation and the ultrasound-guided lung sliding sign to confirm optimal positioning of the tracheal tube in paediatric patients. METHODS: We studied 74 paediatric patients aged 0-24 months of ASA physical status 1-3 who were scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. All were randomly assigned to one of two groups: depth of tracheal tube confirmed by auscultation (Group A) or using the ultrasound-guided lung sliding sign (Group S). RESULTS: Optimal positioning of the tracheal tube was observed in 32 of 37 (87%) subjects in Group S and 24 of 37 (65%) subjects in Group A (difference in proportion, 22%; 95% confidence interval, 2-39%; P=0.030). Optimal depth correlated with patient height (adjusted coefficient=0.888, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In paediatric patients younger than 24 months, use of the ultrasound-guided lung sliding sign was more accurate than auscultation for optimal positioning of the tracheal tube. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: KCT 0003015.

Measurement of Reactor Antineutrino Oscillation Amplitude and Frequency at RENO.

The RENO experiment reports more precisely measured values of θ_{13} and |Δm_{ee}^{2}| using ∼2200 live days of data. The amplitude and frequency of reactor electron antineutrino (ν[over ¯]_{e}) oscillation are measured by comparing the prompt signal spectra obtained from two identical near and far detectors. In the period between August 2011 and February 2018, the far (near) detector observed 103 212 (850 666) ν[over ¯]_{e} candidate events with a background fraction of 4.8% (2.0%). A clear energy and baseline dependent disappearance of reactor ν[over ¯]_{e} is observed in the deficit of the measured number of ν[over ¯]_{e}. Based on the measured far-to-near ratio of prompt spectra, we obtain sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.0896±0.0048(stat)±0.0047(syst) and |Δm_{ee}^{2}|=[2.68±0.12(stat)±0.07(syst)]×10^{-3} eV^{2}.

Integrative systems analysis of diet-induced obesity identified a critical transition in the transcriptomes of the murine liver and epididymal white adipose tissue.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that high-fat diet (HFD) can cause immune system-related pathological alterations after a significant body weight gain. The mechanisms of the delayed pathological alterations during the development of diet-induced obesity (DIO) are not fully understood. METHODS: To elucidate the mechanisms underlying DIO development, we analyzed time-course microarray data obtained from a previous study. First, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at each time point by comparing the hepatic transcriptome of mice fed HFD with that of mice fed normal diet. Next, we clustered the union of DEGs and identified annotations related to each cluster. Finally, we constructed an 'integrated obesity-associated gene regulatory network (GRN) in murine liver'. We analyzed the epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) transcriptome usig the same procedure. RESULTS: Based on time-course microarray data, we found that the genes associated with immune responses were upregulated with an oscillating expression pattern between weeks 2 and 8, relatively downregulated between weeks 12 and 16, and eventually upregulated after week 20 in the liver of the mice fed HFD. The genes associated with immune responses were also upregulated at late stage, in the eWAT of the mice fed HFD. These results suggested that a critical transition occurred in the immune system-related transcriptomes of the liver and eWAT around week 16 of the DIO development, and this may be associated with the delayed pathological alterations. The GRN analysis suggested that Maff may be a key transcription factor for the immune system-related critical transition thatoccurred at week 16. We found that transcription factors associated with immune responses were centrally located in the integrated obesity-associated GRN in the liver. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, systems analysis identified regulatory network modules underlying the delayed immune system-related pathological changes during the development of DIO and could suggest possible therapeutic targets.

The metabolic response to a high-fat diet reveals obesity-prone and -resistant phenotypes in mice with distinct mRNA-seq transcriptome profiles.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the phenotypic differences underpinning obesity susceptibility or resistance based on the metabolic and transcriptional profiling of C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). METHODS: The mice were fed either a normal diet or HFD for 12 weeks. After 6 weeks, the mice on HFD were classified as either obesity-prone (OP) or obesity-resistant (OR) depending on the body weight gain. RESULTS: Lipid profiles from plasma and liver significantly improved in OR mice relative to the OP group. Energy expenditure was greater in OR mice than in OP mice, with a simultaneous decrease in body fat mass. Epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) and liver were enlarged in OP mice (with visible immune-cell infiltration), but these effects were attenuated in OR mice compared with OP mice. Overall glucose metabolism was enhanced in OR mice compared with OP mice, including homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, plasma glucose and insulin concentrations, glucokinase activity and hepatic glycogen. Plasma adipokines and proinflammatory cytokines were upregulated in OP mice, and these changes were attenuated in OR mice. Transcriptomic profiles of eWAT and liver revealed common and divergent patterns of transcriptional changes in OP and OR mice, and pointed to differential metabolic phenotypes of OP and OR mice. There were substantial differences between OP and OR mice in molecular pathways, including atherosclerosis signaling, sperm motility, cAMP-mediated signaling in eWAT; and fibrosis, agranulocyte adhesion and diapedesis, and atherosclerosis signaling in liver. CONCLUSIONS: Taken altogether, the results provide robust evidence of major divergence in the transcriptomes, phenotypes and metabolic processes between obesity susceptibility and obesity resistance in the HFD-fed C57BL/6J mice.

Low Frequency of MKRN3 Mutations in Central Precocious Puberty Among Korean Girls.

Mutations of MKRN3, the gene encoding makorin RING-finger protein 3, lead to central precocious puberty (CPP). The aim of this study was to investigate mutations of the MKRN3 gene in Korean girls with CPP. Two hundred-sixty Korean girls with idiopathic CPP were included. Auxological and endocrine parameters were measured, and the entire MKRN3 gene was directly sequenced. MKRN3 gene analysis revealed one novel nonsense mutation (p.Gln281 *) and 6 missense variants (p.Ile100Phe, p.Gly196Val, p.Ile204Thr, p.Gln226Pro, p.Lys233Asn, and p.Ser396Arg). The novel nonsense mutation (p.Gln281 *) was a heterozygous C>T nucleotide change (c.841C>T) predicted to result in a truncated protein due to a premature stop codon in the MKRN3 gene. The nonsense mutation (p.Gln281 *) was only identified in one of the girls and her younger brother. Compared to previous reports on MKRN3 mutations in familial and sporadic cases of CPP, the present study reveals a relatively low number of MKRN 3 mutations in Korean girls with CPP. Larger samples of children with CPP and MKRN3 mutations are necessary in order to clarify whether the clinical course of puberty may differ as compared to idiopathic CPP.

Pep19 drives epitope spreading in periodontitis and periodontitis-associated autoimmune diseases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Epitope spreading is one of valid mechanisms operating in immunopathological processes of infection-induced autoimmune diseases. We hypothesized that the peptide 19 from Porphyromonas gingivalis heat shock protein (HSP) 60 (Pep19) may be the dominant epitope from which epitope-specific immune response to subdominant epitopes may diversify sequentially into autoimmune responses directed at human neoepitopes in P. gingivalis-induced periodontitis and autoimmune diseases. However, the exact feature and mechanism on how Pep19 may drive epitope spreading into human autoantigens in chronic periodontitis or P. gingivalis-induced experimental periodontitis has not been clarified. The present study was performed with the following specific aims: (i) to delineate retrospectively the features of epitope spreading by human cross-sectional analysis; (ii) to demonstrate prospectively the epitope spreading into new antigenic determinants in an ordered, predictable and sequential manner in experimental periodontitis; and (iii) to clarify the mechanism on how immunization with Pep19 may mobilize helper T cells or elicit B-cell responses to human autoantigens and neoantigen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was devised for two independent investigations - a cross-sectional analysis on clinical subjects and a prospective analysis on experimental periodontitis - each being subdivided further into two additional independent observations. Cross-sectional dot immunoblot pattern against a panel of peptides of P. gingivalis HSP60 and human HSP60 was performed among age-dependent healthy subjects and between healthy subjects, patients with chronic periodontitis and patients with autoimmune disease, to identify epitope spreading. A peptide-specific T-cell line was established for phenotype analysis and for proliferation assay to an array of identical peptides. An identical prospective analysis was performed in P. gingivalis-induced experimental periodontitis or in Pep19-immunized mice. Cross-reactivity of anti-Pep19 monoclonal antibody was also investigated. RESULTS: A dominant immune response exclusively to Pep19 prevailed in healthy human subjects (before the age of 40) and mice that persisted in chronic periodontitis and autoimmune diseases without being replaced further by subsequent subdominant epitopes. A sequential epitope spreading provoked by Pep19 to subdominant autoantigen peptide 19 from human HSP60 (Hu19) in most healthy human subjects and mice, and to autoantigen peptide 9 from human HSP60 (Hu9) and neoantigen oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in P. gingivalis-induced chronic periodontitis and autoimmune diseases could be demonstrated in a reproducible and predictable manner. T-cell proliferative activity to multiple autoantigens Hu19, Hu9 and ox-LDL, and cross-reactivity of anti-Pep19 monoclonal antibody to these epitopes may be proposed as cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the phenomenon. Moreover, the predictive value of Pep19 for Hu9 increased remarkably in the disease group when compared with that of the healthy group. CONCLUSION: Taken together, epitope spreading to Hu19, Hu9 and ox-LDL provoked by Pep19 could be proposed as a solid phenomenon observed in P. gingivalis-induced chronic periodontitis and infection-induced autoimmune diseases in a reproducible and predictable manner. T-cell proliferative activity to these peptides and cross-reactivity of anti-Pep19 antibodies to multiple human autoantigens could be proposed as cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon.

Concordance of measures of left-ventricular hypertrophy in pediatric hypertension.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that any child diagnosed with hypertension have an echocardiogram to evaluate for the presence of left-ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) and advocates that LVH is an indication to initiate or intensify antihypertensive therapy. However, there is no consensus on the ideal method of defining LVH in the pediatric population. Many pediatric cardiologists rely on wall-thickness z-score of the LV posterior wall and/or interventricular septum to determine LVH. Yet, the AAP advocates using LV mass indexed to 2.7 (LVMI(2.7)) ≥ 51 g/m(2.7) to diagnose LVH. Recently, age-specific reference values for LVMI ≥ 95% were developed. The objective of the study was to determine the concordance between diagnosis of LVH by wall-thickness z-score and diagnosis by LVMI(2.7) criteria. A retrospective chart review was performed for subjects diagnosed with hypertension at a single tertiary care center (2009-2012). Echocardiogram reports were reviewed, and assessment of LVH was recorded. Diagnosis of LVH was assigned to each report reviewed according to three criteria: (1) LV wall-thickness z-score > 2.00; (2) age-specific reference values for LVMI(2.7) > 95th percentile; and (3) LVMI(2.7) > 51 g/m(2.7). Cohen's kappa statistic was used as a measurement of agreement between diagnosis by wall-thickness z-score and diagnosis using LVMI(2.7). A total of 159 echocardiograms in 109 subjects were reviewed. Subjects included 31 females and 77 males, age 13.2 ± 4.4 years, and 39 (42%) with a diagnosis of secondary hypertension. LVH was diagnosed in 31 cases (20%) based on increased wall-thickness z-score. Using LVMI(2.7) > 95%, LVH was found in 75 (47%) cases (mean LVMI(2.7)42.3 ± 17.2 g/m(2.7) [range 11.0-111 g/m(2.7)]). The wall-thickness z-score method agreed with LVMI(2.7) > 95% diagnosis 71% of the time (kappa 0.4). Using LVH criteria of LVMI(2.7) ≥ 51 g/m(2.7), 33 (21%) subjects were diagnosed with LVH. There was 79% agreement in the diagnosis of LVH between the wall-thickness z-score method and LVMI(2.7) > 51 g/m(2.7) (kappa 0.37). There is poor concordance between the diagnosis of LVH on echocardiogram reports using wall-thickness z-score and diagnosis of LVH using LVMI(2.7) criteria. It is important to establish a consensus method for diagnosing LVH because of the high frequency of cardiovascular complications in children with hypertension.

Effects of Coconut Materials on In vitro Ruminal Methanogenesis and Fermentation Characteristics.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of coconut materials on ruminal methanogenesis and fermentation characteristics, in particular their effectiveness for mitigating ruminal methanogenesis. Fistulated Holstein cows were used as the donor of rumen fluid. Coconut materials were added to an in vitro fermentation incubated with rumen fluid-buffer mixture and timothy substrate for 24 h incubation. Total gas production, gas profiles, total volatile fatty acids (tVFAs) and the ruminal methanogens diversity were measured. Although gas profiles in added coconut oil and coconut powder were not significantly different, in vitro ruminal methane production was decreased with the level of reduction between 15% and 19% as compared to control, respectively. Coconut oil and coconut powder also inhibited gas production. The tVFAs concentration was increased by coconut materials, but was not affected significantly as compared to control. Acetate concentration was significantly lower (p<0.05), while propionate was significantly higher (p<0.05) by addition of the coconut materials than that of the control. The acetate:propionate ratio was significantly lowered with addition of coconut oil and coconut powder (p<0.05). The methanogens and ciliate-associated methanogens in all added coconut materials were shown to decrease as compared with control. This study showed that ciliate-associated methanogens diversity was reduced by more than 50% in both coconut oil and coconut powder treatments. In conclusion, these results indicate that coconut powder is a potential agent for decreasing in vitro ruminal methane production and as effective as coconut oil.

Time-course microarrays reveal modulation of developmental, lipid metabolism and immune gene networks in intrascapular brown adipose tissue during the development of diet-induced obesity.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish the time-course of molecular events in intrascapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) during the development of diet-induced obesity using microarrays and molecular network analysis. DESIGN: C57BL/6J male inbred mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or normal diet (ND) and killed at multiple time-points over 24 weeks. METHODS: Global transcriptional changes in iBAT were determined by time-course microarrays of pooled RNA (n=6, pools per time-point) at 2, 4, 8, 20 and 24 weeks using Illumina MouseWG-6 v2.0 Beadchips. Molecular networks were constructed using the Ingenuity knowledgebase based on differentially expressed genes at each time-point. RESULTS: Body weight and subcutaneous adipose were progressively increased over 24 weeks, whereas iBAT was significantly increased between 6 and 12 weeks in HFD-fed C57BL/6J mice compared with controls. Blood glucose and insulin levels were increased between 16 and 24 weeks. Time-course microarrays, revealed 155 differentially expressed genes at one or more time-points over 24 weeks in the iBAT of HFD-fed mice compared with controls. Time-course network analysis revealed a network of skeletal muscle development genes that was activated between 2 and 4 weeks, subsequently a network of immune trafficking genes was activated at 8 weeks. After 20 and 24 weeks, multiple lipid metabolism and immune response networks were activated. Several target genes identified by time-course microarrays were independently validated using RT-qPCR. Tnnc1 was upregulated early between 2 and 4 weeks, later Cd68 and Col1a1 were upregulated between 20 and 24 weeks, whereas 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Hsd11b1) was consistently downregulated during the development of diet-induced obesity. CONCLUSION: Molecular networks in iBAT are modulated in a time-dependent manner in response to a HFD. A broad range of gene targets exists to alter molecular changes within iBAT during the development of diet-induced obesity.

Limiting Concentrate during Growing Period Affect Performance and Gene Expression of Hepatic Gluconeogenic Enzymes and Visfatin in Korean Native Beef Calves.

This study elucidated the effects of limited concentrate feeding on growth, plasma profile, and gene expression of gluconeogenic enzymes and visfatin in the liver of Hanwoo beef calves. The purpose of this study was to test that reducing the amount of concentrate would partially be compensated by increasing the intake of forage and by altering the metabolic status. The study utilized 20 Korean native beef calves (Hanwoo; 60 to 70 d of age) divided into two groups of 10 calves each for 158 d. Control group calves received the amount of concentrate as per the established Korean feeding standards for Hanwoo, whereas calves in the restricted group only received half the amount of concentrate as per standard requirements. Good quality forage (Timothy hay) was available for ad libitum consumption to both groups. Since calves were with their dam until 4 months of age in breeding pens before weaning, the intake of milk before weaning was not recorded, however, the concentrate and forage intakes were recorded daily. Body weights (BW) were recorded at start and on 10 d interval. Blood samples were collected at start and at 50 d interval. On the final day of the experiment, liver biopsies were collected from all animals in each group. The BW was not different between the groups at all times, but tended to be higher (p = 0.061) only at final BW in control than restricted group. Total BW gain in the control group was 116.2 kg as opposed to 84.1 kg in restricted group that led to average BW gain of 736 g/d and 532 g/d in respective groups, and the differences were significant (p<0.01). As planned, the calves in the control group had higher concentrate and lower forage intake than the restricted group. The plasma variables like total protein and urea were higher (p<0.05) in control than restricted group. The mRNA expressions for the gluconeogenic enzymes such as cytosolic phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase (EC 4.1.1.32) and pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1), and visfatin measured by quantitative real-time PCR in liver biopsies showed higher expression (p<0.05) in restricted group than control. Overall, restricting concentrate severely reduced the growth intensity and affected few plasma indices, and gene expression in liver was increased indicating that restricting concentrate in the feeding schemes during early growth for beef calves is not advocated.

Effect of indigenous herbs on growth, blood metabolites and carcass characteristics in the late fattening period of hanwoo steers.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of indigenous herbal supplements on growth, blood metabolites and carcass characteristics in the late fattening period of Hanwoo steers. In a 6 month feeding trial, thirty Hanwoo steers (647±32 kg) were allotted to one of 5 treatment groups, control (basal diet contained lasalocid), licorice, clove, turmeric and silymarin, with six steers per pen. All groups received ad libitum concentrate and 1 kg rice straw/animal/d throughout the feeding trial. Blood samples were collected at the beginning, middle, and the end of the experiment and the steers were slaughtered at the end. Blood glucose, triglyceride, total protein, and albumin concentrations were higher in the turmeric treatment compared with other treatments. Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations were highest (p<0.003 and p = 0.071, respectively) in steers treated with silymarin. Alanine aminotransferase activity was lower (p<0.06) for licorice and silymarin compared with the control group. There were no alterations in serum aspartate aminotransferase and gamma glutamyltransferase activities as a consequence of herb treatments (p = 0.203 and 0.135, respectively). Final body weight, body weight gain, average dairy gain and dry matter intake were not significantly different among treatments. Yield grade, marbling score and quality grade were higher for silymarin group than those of the control group (p<0.05). Therefore, the results suggest that silymarin can be used an effective dietary supplement as an alternative to antibiotic feed additive and a productivity enhancer, providing safe and more consumer acceptable alternative to synthetic compounds during the late fattening period of steers.

Comparison of Body Composition Methods for Estimating Body Fat Percentage in Lower Limb Prosthesis Users.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of literature evaluating the accuracy of Air Displacement Plethysmography (ADP) compared to Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) for assessing body composition in individuals with lower limb amputations. Validity of ADP in persons with lower limb amputations must be established. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare body composition in persons with lower limb amputations using the BOD POD® and DXA. METHODOLOGY: Body composition was performed on eleven lower limb prosthesis users (age 53.2±14.3 years, weight 81.9±22.3kg) using ADP and DXA with and without prosthesis. FINDINGS: Repeated measures ANOVA indicated no significant difference in body composition among and between trials, F(3,8)= 3.36, p= 0.075. There were no significant differences in Body Fat (BF) percentage with and without prostheses on the BOD POD (28.5±15.7% and 33.7±12.1%, respectively) nor the DXA (32.9±10.6% and 32.0±9.9%, respectively). Association between the BOD POD and DXA were greatest when prostheses were not worn compared to when they were worn. Bland-Altman plots indicate agreement between BOD POD® and DXA was greatest while wearing the prosthesis. CONCLUSION: This study is a first to compare total body fat percent between the BOD POD® and DXA in lower limb prosthesis users. BOD POD® report valid indices of BF%. Future work will utilize the BOD POD® in intervention studies for monitoring body composition changes across the continuum of rehabilitation.

Identification of 11 novel mutations in 49 Korean patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type II.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) or Hunter syndrome is a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS). As MPS II is X-linked, patients are usually males with heterogeneous mutations ranging from point mutations to gross deletions and recombination. In 2003, we reported a mutation analysis of 25 patients with MPS II. In this study, 31 mutations in another 49 Korean patients (45 families) with MPS II are reported: 12 missense, nine deletions, four splicing, two nonsense, two insertions, one deletion/insertion, and IDS-IDS2 recombination mutations. Among these mutations, 11 were novel ones (4 missense mutations: Ser61Pro, Pro97Arg, Pro228Ala, and Pro261Ala; 5 deletions: c.344delA, c.420delG, c.768delT, c.1112delC and c.1402delC; 1 deletion/insertion: c.1222delinsTA; and 1 insertion mutation: c.359_360insATCC). The IDS-IDS2 recombination mutations were most frequently observed; all patients with this mutation had the severe MPS II phenotype. However, most of the patients (5/7) with the G374G splicing mutation had an attenuated phenotype, except for two sibling cases with the severe phenotype. Except for a few recurrent mutations such as the G374G, R443X, L522P, and recombination mutations, each patient had a unique individual mutation. Therefore, careful interpretation of genotype-phenotype correlations is warranted.

Anti-desmoglein IgG autoantibodies in patients with pemphigus in remission.

BACKGROUND: Desmoglein (Dsg) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a highly sensitive and specific method to detect anti-Dsg3 and anti-Dsg1 IgG autoantibodies in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus foliaceus (PF), respectively. Whereas ELISA index values fluctuate in parallel with disease activity, ELISA positivity during clinical remission has been observed. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of positive Dsg ELISA index values during clinical remission. To ascertain how positive Dsg ELISA scores during remission compare with those during active disease. METHODS: Dsg ELISA was performed on serum samples of PV and PF patients taken during remission (lesion-free >or= 3 months on or= 3 months with

Evaluation of abundance of artificial radionuclides in food products in South Korea and sources.

Food samples are collected nationwide from January 2016 to February 2017 and their contents of artificial radionuclides are measured to address the growing concerns regarding the radioactive contamination of food products in Korea. Specifically, 900 food samples are collected for this study and their contents of representative artificial radionuclides 134Cs, 137Cs, 239,240Pu, and 90Sr are analyzed. The analysis shows that the activity concentrations of 137Cs in fish range from minimum detectable activity (MDA) to 340 mBq/kg of fresh weight. The concentration factor (CF) determined for 137Cs as a measure of its bioavailability is calculated to be ca. 74 and found to be very similar to that (100) recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency. With an MDA of <0.221 mBq/kg, the results reveal that 239,240Pu values in fish are below the MDA. The activity concentrations of 137Cs and 90Sr are lower than the MDA in both shellfish and seaweed, while the activity concentrations of 239,240Pu in shellfish range from 0.26 to 2.18 mBq/kg, and for seaweed samples range from 2.07 to 3.38 mBq/kg. The atom ratios of 240Pu/239Pu in shellfish caught at the Korean coast vary from 0.209 to 0.237, with a mean of 0.227. The higher 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio determined in shellfish is thought to be caused by the plutonium transported from the Pacific Proving Grounds rather than other sources such as the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. The activity concentrations of 137Cs in mushrooms are found to vary from 1.0 to 21.4 Bq/kg, with the highest concentrations observed in the Oak (shiitake) and Sarcodon asparatus. 134Cs is detected in three mushroom specimens collected from Jeju Island and about 3-3.6% of 137Cs present in the wild mushrooms native to the Jeju Island are introduced as a result of the Fukushima nuclear plant accident. The annual effective doses of 137Cs received through consumption of mushrooms and fish are 2.0 × 10-4 mSv yr-1 and 3.9 × 10-5 mSv yr-1, and those values are negligible compared to the annual effective doses limit of 1 mSv yr-1.