Effectiveness of a drinking-reduction program on drinking behavior, stages of change, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and resilience in Koreans with moderate alcohol use disorder.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a drinking-reduction program on drinking behavior, stages of change, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and resilience in Koreans with moderate alcohol use disorder. This study used a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control design. This study was performed from March 2015 to July 2015. The drinking-reduction program was conducted once per week for 11 weeks. This program improved drinking behavior, stages of change, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and resilience in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < .05, n = 34). The drinking-reduction program can be used as a nursing intervention for people with moderate alcohol use disorder.

Isolation of a novel protein phosphatase2C in rice and its response to gibberellin.

Protein phosphatase 2Cs (PP2Cs) have been referred to act as negative modulators of the protein kinase pathways involved in different environmental stress responses and developmental processes. In Arabidopsis, PP2Cs have been extensively studied and some are known to negatively regulate abscisic acid signaling. In rice, PP2Cs are scarcely characterized functionally. Here, we identified a novel PP2C from rice (OsPP2C34), which is highly inducible by gibberellin (GA) and expressed in various tissues. Subcellular localization analysis in maize protoplasts using a green fluorescence protein fusion vector localized OsPP2C34 to the cytosol. Genetic analysis of T-DNA insertional mutants revealed that plant height and internode length were significantly shorter in mutants than in corresponding wild types under GA treatment. The induction of the GA-inducibleα-amylase genes RAmy3E and OsAmy was delayed in mutant plants. The substrate of OsPP2C34 was identified by immunoblotting using anti serine/threonine antibodies. A 65 kDa protein was phosphorylated in Ospp2c34-1 but dephosphorylated in the wild type during early germination stage. Overall, the present results indicated that OsPP2C34 is involved inα-amylase expression of GA signal transduction pathway.

Intrinsic changes of left ventricular function in patients with Behçet disease and comparison according to systemic disease activity.

PURPOSE: Although cardiac manifestation of Behçet disease (BD) has been described in sporadic reports, its timely diagnosis remains difficult. The objective of this study was to describe early cardiac manifestations of BD. We also performed a comprehensive classification of systemic BD activity and compared their cardiac manifestations. METHODS: A prospective screening using speckle tracking echocardiography was performed in 85 patients with BD who had no history of heart disease. After excluding subjects with left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% (n = 1), atrial fibrillation (n = 2), or inadequate echocardiographic images (n = 1), we analyzed their clinical and echocardiographic parameters including LV global longitudinal strains (GLS) and compared them with those of an age- and gender-matched control group (n = 145). Systemic BD activity was classified as minimal (Group A), controlled (Group B), and active (Group C). RESULTS: In 81 study patients (59 females, age of 51 ± 11 years), echocardiography revealed a mean LVEF of 64 ± 5% without any significant valvular dysfunction or aortic aneurysm. Although there was no difference in LVEF between the control group and the patient group, the patient group showed significant reduction in GLS (-17.1 ± 2.9% vs -20.8 ± 2.2%, P < .001). Groups A (n = 21, 26%), B (n = 47, 58%), and C (n = 13, 58%) consistently showed reduction in GLS compared with the control group. However, there was no significant difference in cardiac manifestations among these groups according to systemic disease activity. CONCLUSION: Patients with BD present intrinsic LV dysfunction despite no apparent abnormality on routine echocardiography. However, their cardiac manifestations are not proportional to systemic BD activity.

Parasternal mass revealing as a postvaccinal Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-elicited sternal osteomyelitis.

Although osteomyelitis is a very rare complication of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, sternal osteomyelitis as a late complication of BCG vaccination diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a child is described.We might consider BCG osteomyelitis in the case of osteomyelitis without bacterial isolation within a year after BCG vaccination, the absence of pulmonary foci, and a contact to the patient with tuberculosis.

Muscular sarcoidosis detected by F-18 FDG PET/CT in a hypercalcemic patient.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that involves many organs, occasionally mimicking malignancy. We herein report a 50-yr-old woman of muscular sarcoidosis of chronic myopathic type, manifested by hypercalcemia and muscle wasting. Besides insignificant hilar lymphadenopathy, her sarcoidosis was confined to generalized atrophic muscles and therefore, F-18 FDG PET/CT alone among conventional imaging studies provided diagnostic clues for the non-parathyroid-related hypercalcemia. On follow-up PET/CT during low-dose steroid treatment, FDG uptake in the muscles disappeared whereas that in the hilar lymph nodes remained. PET/CT may be useful in the evaluation of unexpected disease extent and monitoring treatment response in suspected or known sarcoidosis patients.

MRI of the proximal femur predicts marrow cellularity and the number of mesenchymal stem cells.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the marrow conversion index (MCI) in MRI is related to the total number of mononuclear and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in proximal femoral metaphysis of patients with hip osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two hips of 32 consecutive patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) for hip osteoarthritis were included in this study. MRI of the hip was performed preoperatively and MCI was subsequently calculated. Three-milliliter bone marrow samples were obtained from the proximal femur during THA and the number of total mononuclear cells was determined using a hemocytometer. Colony forming unit-fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) assays of MSCs were performed by transferring a total of 2 × 10(4) mononuclear cells to each of five 60-mm plates. One week later, the numbers of colonies were counted. RESULTS: The total number of mononuclear cells decreased with increasing MCI. Likewise, the prevalence and total number of CFU-Fs increased with increasing number of total mononuclear cells, and decreased with increasing MCI. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that measurement of MCI in MRI can be an objective and noninvasive method to predict marrow cellularity and the number of MSCs in patients with hip osteoarthritis.

Differentiation between acute and chronic cor pulmonales with midventricular systolic strain of the right ventricle in the emergency department.

Cor pulmonale (CP) is defined as the structural and functional alternation of the right ventricle (RV) caused by primary disorders of the respiratory system. We aimed to differentiate acute CP complicated with massive pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) from the chronic form due to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with strain analysis of RV in the emergency department. We included patients showing echocardiographic features of pulmonary hypertension in the emergency department. From March 2005 to July 2006, a total of 52 patients, 24 consecutive patients with acute CP (ten males, mean 69 ± 10 years) and 28 consecutive patients with chronic CP associated with severe COPD (22 males, mean 63 ± 14 years), were included. Echocardiographic data and strain analyses were obtained with GE Vivid 7. There was no statistical difference in age, fractional area change of RV, TR Vmax, and Tei index in both groups. However, more males were included in the chronic group. Midventricular systolic strain of RV was significantly increased in patients with acute CP. Regarding the midventricular systolic strain in the detection of acute CP by the receiver operating curve analysis, the best sensitivity and specificity were obtained when -12.2% was applied as the criterion (more than -12.2% for predicting an acute CP, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 83.3, 78.6, and 80.8%, respectively). Midventricular systolic strain of RV can be used in the differentiation between acute and chronic CPs in the emergency department.

Comparison of Postoperative Pain and Nausea and Vomiting between Desflurane and Desflurane-remifentanil Anesthesia for Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare desflurane anesthesia with desflurane-remifentanil anesthesia by measuring postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: Data were collected using a random double blind method. The experimental group treated with desflurane-remifentanil anesthesia had a total of 25 patients. The control group had 20 patients who were treated with desflurane anesthesia. Pain (VAS), pushing PCA button, nausea and vomiting (VAS) were assessed at PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) arrival, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min in PACU and 2 hrs, 6 hrs, 24 hrs, 48 hrs in ward. INVR was assessed at 24 hrs. Extra analgesics and extra antiemetics were measured in PACU and the ward. Data were analyzed using t-test and repeated measure using ANOVA. RESULTS: The experimental group presented with more postoperative pain (F=7.55, p<.001) than the control group. The experimental group took more extra analgesics in PACU and pressed the PCA button more often for 6 hours. The experimental group complained more postoperative nausea (F=2.11, p=.043) than the control group and took extra antiemetics during postoperative period of 24 hours. CONCLUSION: We conclude that desflurane-remifentanil anesthesia needs better management than desflurane anesthesia due to increased pain, nausea & vomiting after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.