BACKGROUND: Allergic inflammation was induced by activated Th2 lymphocytes, leading to IgE production and eosinophil activation. A Th2 disproportion was shown in atopic children soon after birth. During specific allergen stimulation, an increase of Th2 cells was observed in most cases. In this study, we prepared new screening "whole blood" system for searching the anti-atopic materials. Cytokine production and IgE secretion from whole blood system were assessed and we confirmed the results by using animal system. METHODS: Pathological features in NC/Nga mice are similar to those observed in human atopic dermatitis. Whole blood from NC/Nga mouse was stimulated by using TNCB (Th2 activator) or candidate materials of anti-atopic dermatitis, and the production of cytokines (IL-4, IL-12, and IFN-gamma) were measured by ELISA. In order to confirm the results of whole blood system, in vivo test was done by using NC/Nga mice. RESULTS: In whole blood system, LPS and extracts of green tea, hardy orange and onion induced the production of IL-12 and IFN-gamma while they reduced the production of IL-4. Also, LPS and extracts of onion reduced IgE production. Though atopic dermatitis was observed from a mouse stimulated with TNCB, it was not when a mouse was co-stimulated in LPS or extracts of onion. The results are same as those observed in whole blood system. CONCLUSION: Whole blood system was simple and speedy methods for searching a materials compared with the conventional high-cost animal system. And the results using whole blood system was proved to be reliable in our experiments for screening anti-atopic material. We expect that the system can be applied to other experiments for searching similar materials.
Animals ; Asthma ; Child ; Citrus sinensis ; Cytokines ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymphocytes ; Mass Screening ; Mice ; Onions ; Parturition ; Tea ; Th2 Cells

Background: The prevalence of psoriasis differs by population, and it appears to be more common among Europeans than in East Asians. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified alleles that increase the risk of psoriasis, and these alleles may present different frequencies in different geographic regions. Objective: We aimed to gain insights into the causes of differences in disease frequencies according to populations and the factors affecting prevalence and pattern differences. Methods: We collected a total of 147 psoriasis-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the GWAS catalog and compared the allele frequency differences in 27 populations using public population frequency in the 1000 Genomes Project phase 3 (n=2,504) and the Korean Reference Genome Database (n=1,722). Additionally, we calculated the composited genetic risk scores across the population groups. Results: There were distinct patterns of allele frequencies in different population groups.In many cases, East Asians exhibited allele frequencies opposite to that of Europeans. The genetic risk score was higher in Europeans (average: 0.487) and Americans (average: 0.492) than in East Asians (average: 0.471). The prevalence of psoriasis correlated with the average genetic risk score of the population. Conclusion We observed a difference in the allele frequencies of psoriasis-associated SNPs between the studied populations. This result suggests that the difference in the prevalence of psoriasis between population groups can be interpreted to some extent by the genotype.

Collagenous gastroduodenitis is a rare gastrointestinal disease diagnosed histologically by subepithelial collagen deposition in the lamina propria. Its clinical presentation is diverse. The authors encountered a 17-year-old female patient who complained of epigastric pain. Endoscopy revealed several deep ulcers in the gastric body. The gastric mucosa around the ulcer showed diffuse fine nodularity in the shape of cobblestones with open-type atrophy. The duodenal mucosa showed nodular lesions similar to those of the gastric mucosa. The gastric ulcer healed completely with proton pump inhibitor treatment. The patient was followed up, showing no remarkable mucosal change of stomach or duodenum for several years. Collagenous gastroduodenitis was diagnosed by repeated histologic examinations. This paper reports a rare case of chronic collagen gastritis with deep gastric ulcer and its long-term clinical progress.

The importance of opiate dependence or abuse is increasing in the context of the increasing number of cancer survivors and patients with chronic cancer pain. Cancer patients are likely to have psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. It is important to distinguish these psychological disorders from opiate dependence or abuse. We report a case of a cancer patient with major depressive disorder who was initially suspected of opiate dependence or abuse.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Humans ; Opioid-Related Disorders ; Survivors

Muscular dystrophies are groups of inherited progressive diseases of the muscle caused by mutations of diverse genes related to normal muscle function. Although there is no current effective treatment for these devastating diseases, various molecular strategies have been developed to restore the expressions of the associated defective proteins. In preclinical animal models, both viral and nonviral vectors have been shown to deliver recombinant versions of defective genes. Antisense oligonucleotides have been shown to modify the splicing mechanism of mesenger ribonucleic acid to produce an internally deleted but partially functional dystrophin in an experimental model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In addition, chemicals can induce readthrough of the premature stop codon in nonsense mutations of the dystrophin gene. On the basis of these preclinical data, several experimental clinical trials are underway that aim to demonstrate efficacy in treating these de-vastating diseases.
Codon, Nonsense ; Dystrophin ; Genetic Therapy ; Models, Animal ; Models, Theoretical ; Muscles ; Muscular Dystrophies ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; Proteins ; RNA

BACKGROUND: May-Thurner syndrome is an uncommon disease entity in which the left common iliac vein is compressed by the right common iliac artery, with the subsequent development of deep vein thrombosis and chronic venous insufficiency. Herein, our experience on the treatment of extensive iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis due to May-Thurner syndrome, using endovascular techniques, is reported. METHODS: Twenty-one symptomatic patients, 8 men and 13 women, with a mean age of 51 years, were referred for treatment. Eighteen of these patients were treated with catheter-guided thrombolysis, but three, with short segment involvement, did not require thrombolysis. After completion of the thrombolytic therapy, the residual venous narrowing was treated by balloon angioplasty and/or self-expandable stent placement. Patients were then followed-up by clinic visits and venography. RESULTS: The mean total dose of urokinase and duration of infusion were 4.28+/-1.89 million units and 72+/-35 hours, respectively. Eighteen of the 21 patient received stent deployments. The mean diameter of the stents was 12.9+/-2.0 mm. Initial technical success, with immediate symptom resolution, was achieved in 20 of the 21 patients (95%). Among the patients who received stent implantation, two had recurrent thrombotic occlusion during the follow-up period. (mean 10.8 months); all three patients who did not receive stent implantation had recurrent thromboses There were no major bleeding complications, with the exception of one patient who developed a retroperitoneal hematoma. CONCLUSIONS: Catheter-guided thrombolysis and angioplasty with stent implantation are safe and effective for the treatment of May-Thurner syndrome.
Ambulatory Care ; Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Endovascular Procedures ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Iliac Vein ; Male ; May-Thurner Syndrome* ; Phlebography ; Stents* ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; Venous Insufficiency ; Venous Thrombosis

The emergence of new technologies, especially digital transformation, influences the entire society, including the medical aspects. Therefore, the concept of digital hospital has been emerging. Here we present the Yongin Severance Hospital, which has developed various novel solutions to serve as foundations for the establishment of a digitally innovative hospital. Further strategies have also been provided to implement consistent and long-term planning.

Morbidity and mortality rates associated with acute myocardial infarction accompanying chronic total occlusion are comparatively high. European guidelines recommend primary intervention for the causative lesion in patient with acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is important to identify the culprit lesion. We report two cases of myocardial infarction with concurrent chronic total occlusion in an emergency setting.
Emergencies* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention*

Objectives: Adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) and CD133 are recognized stem cell markers of gastric cancer. Extensive research has examined the significance of these markers in different types of cancers and their impact on prognoses, linking them to unfavorable clinical outcomes in various tumors. However, the prognostic value of these markers for gastric cancer remains unclear. We investigated the expression of ABCG2 and CD133 and their relationship with clinical outcomes in gastric cancer. Methods: ABCG2 and CD133 expression levels were analyzed, using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarrays, in tumor samples from 459 patients who underwent surgical resections due to gastric cancer. ABCG2 and CD133 expression levels were defined by intensity and dichotomized as medians. The associations among the expression levels of these markers, disease severity, and patient survival were also determined. Results: In the 411 patients for whom we analyzed the expression levels of these markers, 74.9% and 80.5% were found to have high levels of ABCG2 and CD133, respectively. High expression levels of ABCG2 and CD133 were more commonly observed in well-differentiated (p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively) and intestinal lesions (p<0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). High ABCG2 expression correlated with improved survival outcomes, whereas high CD133 expression was associated with poorer outcomes. Cox regression analysis confirmed that stage, high ABCG2 (overall survival [OS]: hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41–0.91; p=0.015; recurrencefree survival [RFS]: HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34–0.88; p=0.012), and CD133 expression (OS: HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.00–2.51; p=0.049; RFS: HR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.21–4.34; p=0.011) were predictors of survival. A subgroup analysis indicated that ABCG2 expression was also associated with an improved RFS rate in patients who received systemic chemotherapy. Conclusions High ABCG2 expression and low CD133 expression in tumors correlated with improved survival outcomes in post-resection patients with gastric cancer, suggesting their potential utility as prognostic biomarkers.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine whether the progressive increase of metabolic syndrome (MetS) score, the number of components of MetS, is correlated significantly with increasing pulse pressure (PP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 4,034 subjects were enrolled from the Cardiovascular Genome Center of Yonsei University (M:F=2344:1690, 55.2 +/- 10.5). Most of the study population were recruited from hypertension clinics, controlled with medications according to JNC7 guidelines. The Asian modified criteria of MetS were applied and MetS score was estimated. The HOMA index for insulin resistance, cholesterol profiles, and anthropometric measurements were assessed. RESULTS: Among 4034 participants, 1690 (41.9%) were classified as MetS. Progressive increase in PP was demonstrated for increasing components of the MetS score. Multiple linear regression analysis with PP as the dependent variable showed that age (beta=0.311, p < 0.001), MetS score (beta=0.226, p < 0.001), male gender (beta=-0.093, p < 0.001) and HOMA index IR (beta=0.033, p=0.03) are significantly associated with PP (R(2)=0.207, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present results from this study demonstrate that increasing MetS score is an independent determinant of increasing PP. The results also demonstrate the independent role of MetS in increasing arterial stiffness and PP.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*epidemiology/physiopathology ; Middle Aged