Association between Depressive Symptoms and Bone Stiffness Index in Young Adults: The Kangwha Study

Objective

Young adulthood is an important period for both bone and mental health. This study investigated the association between depressive symptoms and bone density in apparently healthy Korean men and women aged 29−32 years.

Methods

This study is a cross-sectional analysis of data from 123 men and 133 women who completed follow-up examinations of the Kangwha study in 2010−2011. Bone stiffness index (SI) was measured at the os calcis using a quantitative ultrasound device. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI) and classified as normal (K-BDI <10), mild (K-BDI 10–15), and moderate to severe (K-BDI ≥16).

Results

Moderate to severe depressive symptoms were prevalent among 11.4% of men and 19.6% of women. Higher K-BDI scores were significantly correlated to SI in men, before (ρ = –0.286, p = 0.001) and after (ρ = –0.228, p = 0.013) adjustment for covariates. Men with depressive symptoms tended to have a lower SI; multivariate-adjusted mean SI in men with normal, mild, and moderate to severe depressive symptoms was 104.1±3.1, 100.9±5.9, and 94.1±7.8, respectively (p for trend = 0.021). In contrast, no significant correlations were identified in women.

Conclusions

Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with lower SI in men, but not in women. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the impact of depression on developing osteoporosis or osteoporotic fractures later in life.     

Trends in the Incidence of In Situ and Invasive Cervical Cancer by Age Group and Histological Type in Korea from 1993 to 2009

Objective

Our study aims to describe changes in carcinoma in situ (CIS) and invasive cervical carcinoma (ICC) in Korean women diagnosed between 1993 and 2009.

Methods

All cases of CIS and invasive cervical carcinoma diagnosed from 1993 to 2009 in the Korean National Cancer Incidence database were analyzed. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) and annual percent changes (APCs) in incidence rates were compared according to age and histological type. Additionally, we used Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to know the association between screening rate for cervical cancer and incidence rate of cervical cancer.

Results

Between 1993 and 2009, 72,240 cases of ICC were reported in Korea. Total incidence rate of ICC was 14.7 per 100,000 females. ASRs of ICC declined 3.8% per year, from 19.3 per 100,000 in 1993 to 10.5 per 100,000 in 2009. Although the overall incidence rate of adenocarcinoma remained stable, invasive squamous cell carcinoma showed a decreasing trend (APC −4.2%). For women aged 60–79 years, ASRs for squamous cell carcinoma increased from 1993 to 2001, and decreased from 2001 to 2009 (APC: −4.6%). Total 62,300 cases of CIS were diagnosed from 1993 to 2009. Total incidence rate of CIS was 12.2 per 100,000 females. ASRs of CIS increased 5.7% per year, from 7.5 per 100,000 in 1993 to 19.0 per 100,000 in 2009. Adenocarcinoma in situ increased 13.2% per year. There was a strong positive correlation between screening rate for cervical cancer and incidence rate for CIS (p-value = 0.03) whereas screening rate showed a strong negative correlation with incidence rate for squamous ICC (p-value = 0.04).

Conclusions

The increasing trend in CIS, coupled with a decreasing trend in ICC, suggests the important role of cervix cancer screening. The incidence of adenocarcinoma showed a plateau, but the incidence of adenocarcinoma in situ showed an increasing trend.     

Use of Hangeul Twitter to Track and Predict Human Influenza Infection

Influenza epidemics arise through the accumulation of viral genetic changes. The emergence of new virus strains coincides with a higher level of influenza-like illness (ILI), which is seen as a peak of a normal season. Monitoring the spread of an epidemic influenza in populations is a difficult and important task. Twitter is a free social networking service whose messages can improve the accuracy of forecasting models by providing early warnings of influenza outbreaks. In this study, we have examined the use of information embedded in the Hangeul Twitter stream to detect rapidly evolving public awareness or concern with respect to influenza transmission and developed regression models that can track levels of actual disease activity and predict influenza epidemics in the real world. Our prediction model using a delay mode provides not only a real-time assessment of the current influenza epidemic activity but also a significant improvement in prediction performance at the initial phase of ILI peak when prediction is of most importance.     

Algivirga pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov., a Novel Agar-Degrading Marine Bacterium of the Family Flammeovirgaceae Isolated from Micronesia

An aerobic, Gram-negative, coccoid to short rod-shaped and non-flagellated marine bacterial strain S354^T was isolated from seawater of Micronesia. The strain was capable to degrade agar-forming slight depression into agar plate. Growth occurred at a temperature range of 12–44 °C, a pH range of 5–9, and a salinity range of 1–7 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that S354^T belongs to the family Flammeovirgaceae. The novel strain was most closely related to Limibacter armeniacum YM 11-185^T with similarity of 92.5 %. The DNA G+C content was 43.8 mol%. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C_15:0 and C_16:1 ω5c. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was determined to be MK-7. Polar lipid profile of S354^T consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, unknown polar lipid, and unknown glycolipids. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic, biochemical, and physiological tests conducted in this study, S354^T is proposed to represent a type strain of a novel genus and species. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of S354^T is registered in GenBank under the accession number JQ639084. The type of strain Algivirga pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov. is S354^T (=KCCM 90107^T=JCM 18326^T).     

Regulation of Focal Adhesion Kinase Activation,Breast Cancer Cell Motility,and Amoeboid Invasion by the RhoA Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Net1

Net1 is a RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that is overexpressed in a subset of human cancers and contributes to cancer cell motility and invasion in vitro. However, the molecular mechanism accounting for its role in cell motility and invasion has not been described. In the present work, we show that expression of both Net1 isoforms in breast cancer cells is required for efficient cell motility. Although loss of Net1 isoform expression only partially blocks RhoA activation, it inhibits lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-stimulated migration as efficiently as knockdown of RhoA itself. However, we demonstrate that the Net1A isoform predominantly controls myosin light-chain phosphorylation and is required for trailing edge retraction during migration. Net1A interacts with focal adhesion kinase (FAK), localizes to focal adhesions, and is necessary for FAK activation and focal adhesion maturation during cell spreading. Net1A expression is also required for efficient invasion through a Matrigel matrix. Analysis of invading cells demonstrates that Net1A is required for amoeboid invasion, and loss of Net1A expression causes cells to shift to a mesenchymal phenotype characterized by high β₁-integrin activity and membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) expression. These results demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for the Net1A isoform in controlling FAK activation during planar cell movement and amoeboid motility during extracellular matrix (ECM) invasion.     

Phospholipase D1 Has a Pivotal Role in Interleukin-1β-Driven Chronic Autoimmune Arthritis through Regulation of NF-κB,Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α, and FoxO3a

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a potent proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokine playing an important role in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the signaling network of IL-1β in synoviocytes from RA patients is still poorly understood. Here, we show for the first time that phospholipase D1 (PLD1), but not PLD2, is selectively upregulated in IL-1β-stimulated synoviocytes, as well as synovium, from RA patients. IL-1β enhanced the binding of NF-κB and ATF-2 to the PLD1 promoter, thereby enhancing PLD1 expression. PLD1 inhibition abolished the IL-1β-induced expression of proinflammatory mediators and angiogenic factors by suppressing the binding of NF-κB or hypoxia-inducible factor 1α to the promoter of its target genes, as well as IL-1β-induced proliferation or migration. However, suppression of PLD1 activity promoted cell cycle arrest via transactivation of FoxO3a. Furthermore, PLD1 inhibitor significantly suppressed joint inflammation and destruction in IL-1 receptor antagonist-deficient (IL-1Ra^−/−) mice, a model of spontaneous arthritis. Taken together, these results suggest that the abnormal upregulation of PLD1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of IL-1β-induced chronic arthritis and that a selective PLD1 inhibitor might provide a potential therapeutic molecule for the treatment of chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorders.     

Identification of a novel ligand binding site in phosphoserine phosphatase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus

Phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP) catalyzes the final and irreversible step of L‐serine synthesis by hydrolyzing phosphoserine to produce L ‐serine and inorganic phosphate. Developing a therapeutic drug that interferes with serine production is of great interest to regulate the pathogenicity of some bacteria and control D ‐serine levels in neurological diseases. We determined the crystal structure of PSP from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus at 1.8 Å resolution, revealing an NDSB ligand bound to a novel site that is located in a fissure between the catalytic domain and the CAP module. The structure shows a half‐open conformation of the CAP 1 module with a unique protruding loop of residues 150–155 that possesses a helical conformation in other structures of homologous PSPs. Activity assays indicate that the enzyme exhibits marginal PSP activity at low temperature but a sharp increase in the k_cat/K_M value, approximately 22 fold, when the temperature is increased. Structural and biochemical analyses suggest that the protruding loop in the active site might be an essential component for the regulation of the activity of PSP from hyperthermophilic T. onnurineus. Identification of this novel binding site distantly located from the catalytic site may be exploited for the development of effective therapeutic allosteric inhibitors against PSP activity. © Proteins 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Demonstration of biofilm removal from type 304 stainless steel using pulsed-waveform electropolishing

Abstract

This article describes an electrochemical method to remove bacterial biofilm from a stainless steel (SS) surface using a potential pulse/reverse pulse technique. This technique employs a periodic waveform that consists of anodic and cathodic pulses. The pulses can effectively strip a thin layer of metal off the SS surface, along with the adherent biofilm, in a saline solution. Not only can the pulses effectively remove biofilm from the SS surface, but they also regenerate the original mirror-like shiny surface. The importance of this electrochemical biofilm removal method is its wide applicability for any types of biofilms. That is, instead of directly removing the biofilm, it removes a very thin layer of the metal under the biofilm. Thus, the removal process is independent to the nature of the biofilms. Furthermore, this electrochemical biofilm removal method is rapid (less than 30?s of potential pulse time) and does not require hazardous chemicals.