Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs that results in airway inflammation and narrowing. BS012 is an herbal remedy containing Asarum sieboldii, Platycodon grandiflorum, and Cinnamomum cassia extracts. To elucidate the anti-asthma effect of BS012, this study analyzed the immune response, respiratory protection, and changes in metabolic mechanisms in an ovalbumininduced allergic asthma mouse model. Female BALB/c mice were exposed to ovalbumin to induce allergic asthma. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma were analyzed for interleukin and immunoglobulin E levels. Histological analyses of the lungs were performed to measure morphological changes. Apoptosis-related mediators were assayed by western blotting. Plasma and lung tissue metabolomic analyses were performed to investigate the metabolic changes. A T-helper-2-like differentiated cell model was used to identify the active components of BS012. BS012 treatment improved inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus production, and goblet cell hyperplasia in lung tissues. BS012 also significantly downregulated ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E in plasma and T-helper-2-specific cytokines, interleukin-4 and -5, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The lungs of ovalbumin-inhaled mice exhibited nerve growth factor-mediated apoptotic protein expression, which was significantly attenuated by BS012 treatment. Ovalbumin-induced abnormalities in amino acid and lipid metabolism were improved by BS012 in correlation with its anti-inflammatory properties and normalization of energy metabolism. Additionally, the differentiated cell model revealed that N-isobutyl-dodecatetraenamide is an active component that contributes to the anti-allergic properties of BS012. The current findings demonstrate the anti-allergic and respiratory protective functions of BS012 against allergic asthma, which can be considered a therapeutic candidate.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs that results in airway inflammation and narrowing. BS012 is an herbal remedy containing Asarum sieboldii, Platycodon grandiflorum, and Cinnamomum cassia extracts. To elucidate the anti-asthma effect of BS012, this study analyzed the immune response, respiratory protection, and changes in metabolic mechanisms in an ovalbumininduced allergic asthma mouse model. Female BALB/c mice were exposed to ovalbumin to induce allergic asthma. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma were analyzed for interleukin and immunoglobulin E levels. Histological analyses of the lungs were performed to measure morphological changes. Apoptosis-related mediators were assayed by western blotting. Plasma and lung tissue metabolomic analyses were performed to investigate the metabolic changes. A T-helper-2-like differentiated cell model was used to identify the active components of BS012. BS012 treatment improved inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus production, and goblet cell hyperplasia in lung tissues. BS012 also significantly downregulated ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E in plasma and T-helper-2-specific cytokines, interleukin-4 and -5, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The lungs of ovalbumin-inhaled mice exhibited nerve growth factor-mediated apoptotic protein expression, which was significantly attenuated by BS012 treatment. Ovalbumin-induced abnormalities in amino acid and lipid metabolism were improved by BS012 in correlation with its anti-inflammatory properties and normalization of energy metabolism. Additionally, the differentiated cell model revealed that N-isobutyl-dodecatetraenamide is an active component that contributes to the anti-allergic properties of BS012. The current findings demonstrate the anti-allergic and respiratory protective functions of BS012 against allergic asthma, which can be considered a therapeutic candidate.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs that results in airway inflammation and narrowing. BS012 is an herbal remedy containing Asarum sieboldii, Platycodon grandiflorum, and Cinnamomum cassia extracts. To elucidate the anti-asthma effect of BS012, this study analyzed the immune response, respiratory protection, and changes in metabolic mechanisms in an ovalbumininduced allergic asthma mouse model. Female BALB/c mice were exposed to ovalbumin to induce allergic asthma. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma were analyzed for interleukin and immunoglobulin E levels. Histological analyses of the lungs were performed to measure morphological changes. Apoptosis-related mediators were assayed by western blotting. Plasma and lung tissue metabolomic analyses were performed to investigate the metabolic changes. A T-helper-2-like differentiated cell model was used to identify the active components of BS012. BS012 treatment improved inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus production, and goblet cell hyperplasia in lung tissues. BS012 also significantly downregulated ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E in plasma and T-helper-2-specific cytokines, interleukin-4 and -5, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The lungs of ovalbumin-inhaled mice exhibited nerve growth factor-mediated apoptotic protein expression, which was significantly attenuated by BS012 treatment. Ovalbumin-induced abnormalities in amino acid and lipid metabolism were improved by BS012 in correlation with its anti-inflammatory properties and normalization of energy metabolism. Additionally, the differentiated cell model revealed that N-isobutyl-dodecatetraenamide is an active component that contributes to the anti-allergic properties of BS012. The current findings demonstrate the anti-allergic and respiratory protective functions of BS012 against allergic asthma, which can be considered a therapeutic candidate.

Purpose: This multi-center, retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the long-term survival in patients who underwent surgical resection for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and to identify the benefit of adjuvant therapy following surgery. Materials and Methods: The data of 213 patients who underwent surgical resection for SCLC at four institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy or an incomplete resection were excluded. Results: The mean patient age was 65.29±8.93 years, and 184 patients (86.4%) were male. Lobectomies and pneumonectomies were performed in 173 patients (81.2%), and 198 (93%) underwent systematic mediastinal lymph node dissections. Overall, 170 patients (79.8%) underwent adjuvant chemotherapy, 42 (19.7%) underwent radiotherapy to the mediastinum, and 23 (10.8%) underwent prophylactic cranial irradiation. The median follow-up period was 31.08 months (interquartile range, 13.79 to 64.52 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival were 53.4% and 46.9%, respectively. The 5-year OS significantly improved after adjuvant chemotherapy in all patients (57.4% vs. 40.3%, p=0.007), and the survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy was significant in patients with negative node pathology (70.8% vs. 39.7%, p=0.004). Adjuvant radiotherapy did not affect the 5-year OS (54.6% vs. 48.5%, p=0.458). Age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.032; p=0.017), node metastasis (HR, 2.190; p < 0.001), and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 0.558; p=0.019) were associated with OS. Conclusion Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection in patients with SCLC improved the OS, though adjuvant radiotherapy to the mediastinum did not improve the survival or decrease the locoregional recurrence rate.

Background: The risk of device thrombosis and device-oriented clinical outcomes with bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) was reported to be significantly higher than with contemporary drug-eluting stents (DESs). However, optimal device implantation may improve clinical outcomes in patients receiving BVS. The current study evaluated mid-term safety and efficacy of Absorb BVS with meticulous device optimization under intravascular imaging guidance. Methods: The SMART-REWARD and PERSPECTIVE-PCI registries in Korea prospectively enrolled 390 patients with BVS and 675 patients with DES, respectively. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF) at 2 years and the secondary major endpoint was patientoriented composite outcome (POCO) at 2 years. Results: Patient-level pooled analysis evaluated 1,003 patients (377 patients with BVS and 626 patients with DES). Mean scaffold diameter per lesion was 3.24 ± 0.30 mm in BVS group.Most BVSs were implanted with pre-dilatation (90.9%), intravascular imaging guidance (74.9%), and post-dilatation (73.1%) at proximal to mid segment (81.9%) in target vessel.Patients treated with BVS showed comparable risks of 2-year TVF (2.9% vs. 3.7%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.283, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.487–3.378, P = 0.615) and 2-year POCO (4.5% vs. 5.9%, adjusted HR, 1.413, 95% CI, 0.663–3.012,P = 0.370) than those with DES. The rate of 2-year definite or probable device thrombosis (0.3% vs. 0.5%, P = 0.424) was also similar. The sensitivity analyses consistently showed comparable risk of TVF and POCO between the 2 groups. Conclusion With meticulous device optimization under imaging guidance and avoidance of implantation in small vessels, BVS showed comparable risks of 2-year TVF and device thrombosis with DES.

Cardiogenic dysphagia is a rare type of esophageal dysphagia caused by external compression of the esophagus by an enlarged left atrium. Long-term comparisons between the degree of cardiogenic dysphagia and heart failure have not been reported due to its low incidence. We hereby report the case of a 74-year-old woman with valvular heart disease, suspected of having oropharyngeal dysphagia following a recent intracerebral hemorrhage, who performed a swallowing function test. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) revealed a supraglottic penetration, confirming the oropharyngeal dysphagia. Furthermore, post-VFSS chest radiograph revealed esophageal residual barium, suggestive of reduced esophageal food transition secondary to external compression, at the level of the T6 vertebral body. Chest computed tomography showed mid-esophageal compression caused by left atrial enlargement. She had pulmonary edema which was managed with diuretics. Post-VFSS chest radiographs also revealed a direct association between the diameter of the esophageal barium residue and body weight. A reduction in body weight led to the resolution of the barium residue and vice versa. Development of cardiac dysphagia may be one of the signs of acute exacerbation of heart failure.