ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the bioimpedance analysis (BIA) ratios of upper to lower extremities could predict treatment outcomes after complex decongestive therapy (CDT) for gynecological cancer related lymphedema (GCRL). METHODS: A retrospective study, from March 2015 to December 2018, was conducted. The study sample comprised patients receiving CDT, 30 minutes per day, for 10 days. Bioimpedance was measured pre- and post-CDT. Circumference measurements were obtained at 20 and 10 cm above the knee (AK) and 10 cm below the knee (BK). We calculated the expected impedance at 0 Hz (R0) of extremities and upper/lower extremity R0 ratios (R0U/L). We evaluated the relationship between R0U/L and changes in R0U/L and circumferences, pre- and post-CDT. RESULTS: Overall, 59 patients were included in this study. Thirty-one lower extremities in 26 patients comprised the acute group, and 38 lower extremities in 33 patients comprised the chronic group. Pre-treatment R0U/L was significantly correlated with R0U/L change after adjusting for age and BMI (acute: R=0.513, p<0.01; chronic: R=0.423, p<0.01). In the acute group, pre-treatment R0U/L showed a tendency to be correlated with circumference change (AK 20 cm: R=0.427, p=0.02; AK 10 cm: R=0.399, p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggested that pre-treatment BIA could predict volume reductions after CDT in the early stages of GCRL. These findings implied that BIA value could be one possible parameter to apply in treatment outcomes prediction, during the early stage of GCRL. Therefore, further large-scale prospective studies will be beneficial.
ABSTRACT
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a chemokine that plays an essential role in immune system function. Previous studies suggested that MIF protects neurons in ischemic conditions. However, few studies are reported on the role of MIF in neurological recovery after ischemic stroke. The purpose of this study is to identify the molecular mechanism of neuroprotection mediated by MIF. Human neuroblastoma cells were incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium under oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 4 hours and then returned to normal aerobic environment for reperfusion (OGD/R). 30 ng/mL MIF recombinant (30 ng/mL) or ISO-1 (MIF antagonist; 50 µM) was administered to human neuroblastoma cells. Then cell cultures were assigned to one of four groups: control, OGD/R, OGD/R with MIF, OGD/R with ISO-1. Cell viability was analyzed using WST-1 assay. Expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), Caspase-3, Bcl2, and Bax were detected by western blot assay and immunocytochemistry in each group to measure apoptotic activity. WST-1 assay results revealed that compared to the OGD/R group, cell survival rate was significantly higher in the OGD/R with MIF group and lower in the OGD/R with ISO-1 group. Western blot assay and immunocytochemistry results revealed that expression levels of BDNF, Bcl2, and MAP2 were significantly higher, and expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax were significantly lower in the MIF group than in the OGD/R group. Expression levels of BDNF, Bcl2, and MAP2 were significantly lower, and expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax were significantly higher in the ISO-1 group than in the OGD/R group. MIF administration promoted neuronal cell survival and induced high expression levels of BDNF, MAP2, and Bcl2 (anti-apoptosis) and low expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax (pro-apoptosis) in an OGD/R model. These results suggest that MIF administration is effective for inducing expression of BDNF and leads to neuroprotection of neuronal cells against hypoxic injury.
ABSTRACT
Crosslinkable NLO dendrimers based on azobenzene-type chromophores were synthesized by a Diels-Alder reaction. Their thermal and optical properties were investigated before and after poling at a high temperature. We found that the dendrimers retained good thermal stability up to 260 degrees C after curing at 130 degrees C for 10 min based on thermal analysis. Through in-situ poling and curing processes, the highest NLO activity of the dendrimers was d33 = 1.7 x 10(-6) esu at 1064 nm, which was determined by a Maker fringe experiment.
