Objective: To observe the effect of heat shock on tropoelastin mRNA and protein expression in cultured human dermal fibroblasts and to elucidate the possible role of heat shock in the development of solar elastosis in human skin. Methods: Primary cultured human dermal fibroblasts were incubated in 43 ℃ water bath for 30 minutes, then returned to 37 ℃, 5%(volume fraction) CO 2 atmosphere normal culture condition. The cells were harvested at hour 24 and 48 after heat treatment respectively. Total RNA was extracted from cell lysis and tropoelastin mRNA level was measured by Northern blot assay. Tropoelastin protein level in cultured supernatant was measured by Western blot assay. Results: At hour 24 after heat treatment, the level of tropoelastin mRNA was enhanced to (163?12)% of control group (P

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease caused by the deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor. HAE has a risk of life-threatening complications such as capillary leak syndrome (CLS) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).Case: A 42-year-old man with HAE presented for deceased-donor kidney transplantation. Prophylactic fresh frozen plasma (FFP) was given before surgery because of the risk of edema development. With careful management during anesthesia, there were no problems during surgery. However, generalized edema, hypotension, hypoalbuminemia, massive drainage of serosanguineous fluids from the intraabdominal space, and DIC occurred on the day after surgery. CLS was suspected and sustained hypotension with generalized edema became worse despite treatment with albumin, danazol, FFP, and vasoactive drugs. The patient’s condition worsened despite intensive care and he died due to shock. Conclusions The anesthesiologist should prepare for the critical complications of HAE and prepare the appropriate treatment options.

Purpose: The present study examined the associations of Korean Food-based Index of Dietary Inflammatory Potential (FBDI) scores with the prevalence of diabetes and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level of diabetes patients in Korean adults. Methods: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) Health Examinee baseline data, collected between 2004 and 2013 and followed up between 2012 and 2016, were used in our study. A total 56,391 participants including diabetes (n = 5,733) and non-diabetes (n = 50,658) were analyzed. The subjects were classified into quartiles of FBDI scores using the semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire developed for KoGES. The prevalence rate of diabetes under FBDI scores was assessed by Cox proportional risk models and the severity of the diabetes was analyzed by multiple regression analysis. Results: There were 775 incident cases of diabetes after a mean follow-up of 3.97 years. There was no statistically significant association between FBDI scores and incidence of diabetes.Among diabetes patients at baseline, FBDI scores were related to the risk of progression of diabetes which was represented by greater than 9% HbA1c (Q1 vs. Q4; odds ratio, 1.562 [95% confidence intervals, 1.13–2.15]; p for trend = 0.007). The stratified analysis showed a stronger association in females, irregular exercise group, and higher body mass index group. Conclusion These results suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet is not associated with the incidence of diabetes but is related to the HbA1c level of diabetes patients. Thus, further longitudinal studies with longer periods are required to determine a relationship between dietary inflammatory index and diabetes in Korea.

Neurological deficits commonly associated with anterior choroidal artery infarction (AChAI) include hemiplegia, hemisensory loss, and homonymous hemianopsia, while neuropsychological and perceptual deficits are uncommon. Prominent cognitive function impairment has rarely been reported. Here, we report a case of AChAI with prominent cognitive function impairment without motor deterioration. In contrast to the typical clinical features of AChAI, near complete and rapid motor recovery was observed, while cognitive impairment persisted despite rehabilitation therapy.
Cerebral Infarction* ; Hemianopsia ; Hemiplegia ; Internal Capsule ; Rehabilitation

Olfactory receptors are chemosensory receptors that detect odorants and function in the initial perception of a smell. Intriguingly, olfactory receptors are also expressed in cells other than olfaction sensory cells, an expression pattern termed ectopic expression. Ectopically expressed olfactory receptors have a distinct role depending on the type of tissues or cells in which they are expressed. This review introduces current research on the ectopic expression and function of olfactory receptors in skin and provides insight into directions for future research.

BACKGROUND: Platinum-based chemotherapy has shown to be an effective first-line treatment for patients with advanced stage, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We evaluated the response rate to combination chemotherapy with cisplatin and taxane, and the significance of the HER-2/neu, ERCC1, and GST-pi status as predictive markers for the tumor response. METHODS: The HER-2/neu, ERCC1, and GST-pi status were analyzed in the biopsy specimens obtained from 35 patients with advanced stage NSCLC prior to cisplatin plus either paclitaxel or docetaxel chemotherapy. RESULTS: The response rate of the tumors to combination chemotherapy was 62.9% (22/35). HER-2/neu was amplified in 51.4% (18/35) of the tumors, and this was observed exclusively in patients with progressive disease (p=0.014). ERCC1 was overexpressed in 77.2% of the specimens (27/35), and this showed a tendency to correlate with the tumor response (p=0.057). GST-pi was detected in 85.7% of the specimens (30/35). Seventy-seven percent of the patients with a negative HER-2/neu and positive ERCC1 status showed a partial response, which was in contrast to only a 25% response rate for the patients with a positive HER-2/neu and negative ERCC1 status (p=0.006). The overall survival was prolonged in the patients without HER-2/neu amplification (15 vs 8.5 months, respectively, p=0.008). On multivariate analysis, the HER-2/neu status remained the significant predictor of survival (p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: A combination of the ERCC1, HER-2/neu status may define a subset of patients with the most favorable response to combination chemotherapy regimens for treating advanced NSCLC.
Humans ; Biopsy ; Lung Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a matrix-degrading enzyme that's believed to play a crucial role not only for tumor invasion and metastasis, but also for a variety of stromal reactions, including neovascularization. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of MMP-9 and to compare its expression with the angiogenesis activity in human osteosarcoma. METHODS: Archival tumor tissue samples from 20 patients with osteosarcoma were analyzed by performing immunohistochemistry for the expression of MMP-9 and CD34. The vascularity was measured as the average microvascular density (MVD) of the CD34-positive vessels. The clinical information was obtained through searching the computerized retrospective database from the tumor registry. RESULTS: MMP-9 was expressed in 90% (18/20) of the tumors we examined. The MVD ranged from 10.5 to 179.7 with a mean of 64.9. There was no significant correlation between the MMP-9 expression and the MVD (p=.613). The MMP-9 expression was not associated with any of the clinicopathologic variables, whereas the MVD showed an increasing tendency according to the metastasis status (p=.073). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that MMP-9 activation is likely to occur in human osteosarcoma. However, there was no direct involvement of MMP-9 with tumor angiogenesis. It is noteworthy that MVD may aid physicians to predict the presence of distant metastasis in osteosarcoma patients.
Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma* ; Retrospective Studies

Trichoblastic carcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of follicular germ cell origin; to the best of our knowledge, only six trichoblastic carcinomas arising in trichoblastomas have appeared on the literature. We recently experienced a trichoblastic carcinoma arising in a long standing trichoblastoma. A 68-year old woman came to the hospital with a chief complaint of an ulcerated nodule on her face. The nodule, 1.1x0.9 cm with an asymmetrical configuration, had been present and unchanged for more than 20 years, however, it grew suddenly with painful burning sensation. An excisional biopsy was performed and disclosed a deeply invasive, highgrade carcinoma, which consisted of cohesive epithelial cells arranged in irregular plump or germinative cell nests of various sizes. However, at the periphery of the tumor was a benign trichoblastoma surrounded by perifollicular sheath. We believe that the present case is a trichoblastic carcinoma developed via malignant transformation of pre-existing trichoblastoma.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Germ Cells ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Sensation ; Skin ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the factors influencing the rescue medication decisions for breakthrough cancer patients and evaluate treatments using the factors. METHODS: Based on the results of an online survey conducted by the Korean Society of Hospice and Palliative Care from September 2014 through December 2014, we assessed the level of agreement on nine factors influencing rescue medication preference. The same factors were used to evaluate oral transmucosal fentanyl lozenge, oral oxycodone and intravenous morphine. RESULTS: Agreed by 77 physicians, a rapid onset of action was the most important factor for their decision of rescue medication. Other important factors were easy administration, strong efficacy, predictable efficacy and less adverse effects. Participants agreed that intravenous morphine produced a rapid onset of action and strong and predictable efficacy and cited difficulty of administration and adverse effects as negative factors. Oral oxycodone was desirable in terms of easy administration and less adverse effects. However, its onset of action was slower than intravenous morphine. While many agreed to easy administration of oral transmucosal fentanyl lozenge, the level of agreement was low for strength and predictability of its efficacy, long-term durability and sleep improvement. CONCLUSION: Rapid onset of action is one of the important factors that influence physicians' selection of rescue medication. Physicians' assessment of rescue medication differed by medication.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Breakthrough Pain ; Fentanyl ; Hospices ; Humans ; Morphine ; Oxycodone ; Palliative Care

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which include hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the superoxide anion (O2-.), and the hydroxyl radical (OH.), are generated as by-products of oxidative metabolism in cells. The cerebral cortex has been found to be particularly vulnerable to production of ROS associated with conditions such as ischemia-reperfusion, Parkinson's disease, and aging. To investigate the effect of ROS on inhibitory GABAergic synaptic transmission, we examined the electrophysiological mechanisms of the modulatory effect of H2O2 on GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current (mIPSCs) in mechanically isolated rat cerebral cortical neurons retaining intact synaptic boutons. The membrane potential was voltage-clamped at -60 mV and mIPSCs were recorded and analyzed. Superfusion of 1-mM H2O2 gradually potentiated mIPSCs. This potentiating effect of H2O2 was blocked by the pretreatment with either 10,000-unit/mL catalase or 300-micrometer N-acetyl-cysteine. The potentiating effect of H2O2 was occluded by an adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin, and was blocked by a protein kinase A inhibitor, N-(2-[p-bromocinnamylamino] ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide hydrochloride. This study indicates that oxidative stress may potentiate presynaptic GABA release through the mechanism of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent pathways, which may result in the inhibition of the cerebral cortex neuronal activity.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Aging ; Animals ; Catalase ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases ; Forskolin ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Hydroxyl Radical ; Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials ; Membrane Potentials ; Neurons ; Oxidative Stress ; Parkinson Disease ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxides ; Synaptic Transmission