Cornea ; Corneal Transplantation ; Diagnosis ; Graft Rejection ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Methods ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Sarcopenia is a disease characterized by age-related decline of skeletal muscle mass and function. The molecular mechanisms of the pathophysiology of sarcopenia form a complex network due to the involvement of multiple interconnected signaling pathways. Therefore, signaling receptors are major targets in pharmacological strategies in general. To provide a rationale for pharmacological interventions for sarcopenia, we herein describe several druggable signaling receptors based on their role in skeletal muscle homeostasis and changes in their activity with aging. A brief overview is presented of the efficacy of corresponding drug candidates under clinical trials. Strategies targeting the androgen receptor, vitamin D receptor, Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, and ghrelin receptor primarily focus on promoting anabolic action using natural ligands or mimetics. Strategies involving activin receptors and angiotensin receptors focus on inhibiting catabolic action. This review may help to select specific targets or combinations of targets in the future.

Sarcopenia is a disease characterized by age-related decline of skeletal muscle mass and function. The molecular mechanisms of the pathophysiology of sarcopenia form a complex network due to the involvement of multiple interconnected signaling pathways. Therefore, signaling receptors are major targets in pharmacological strategies in general. To provide a rationale for pharmacological interventions for sarcopenia, we herein describe several druggable signaling receptors based on their role in skeletal muscle homeostasis and changes in their activity with aging. A brief overview is presented of the efficacy of corresponding drug candidates under clinical trials. Strategies targeting the androgen receptor, vitamin D receptor, Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, and ghrelin receptor primarily focus on promoting anabolic action using natural ligands or mimetics. Strategies involving activin receptors and angiotensin receptors focus on inhibiting catabolic action. This review may help to select specific targets or combinations of targets in the future.

Thrombosis is one of the important complications of nephrotic syndrome. The mechanism of vascular thrombosis in nephrotic syndrome is under debate, but the hypercoagulable state is regarded as a predisposing factor to that. Most of vascular thrombosis in nephrotic syndrome have occurred in veins. Arterial thrombosis is relatively uncommon and often related with steroid or diuretic use. We experienced a case of bilateral popliteal arterial occlusion due to femoral arterial thrombosis as the first presentation of nephrotic syndrome. A 59-year old male patient was admitted with complaints of pain on left lower extremity for five days. The diagnosis of thrombosis in left popliteal artery was made by arterial angiography. The emergent thrombolytic therapy and anticoagulation was performed. During anticoagulation, another episode of bilateral popliteal arterial occlusion was occurred once again. He had heavy proteinuria, and renal pathology revealed minimal change disease. There was no recurrence of thrombosis for 1 year after treatment with steroid and warfarin.
Angiography ; Causality ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Pathology ; Popliteal Artery ; Proteinuria ; Recurrence ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis* ; Veins ; Warfarin

Among many underlying conditions associated with status epilepticus, thyroid storm is quite rare. If unrecognized, thyroid storm is highly fatal. We report 56 year-old woman with history of uncontrolled Graves' disease, who initially presented with recurrent generalized seizures and followed by altered consciousness, sweating, generalized rigidity, fever and hemiplegia due to cerebral infarct. She slowly recovered after anti-convulsant medication, and anti-thyroid treatment and supportive care. There was no in need of continuous anticonvulsant medication except scute phase.
Consciousness ; Female ; Fever ; Graves Disease ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus* ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Thyroid Crisis*

Orientia tsutsugamushi, a causative pathogen of Scrub typhus, is a gram-negative intracellular bacterium. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are produced from the membrane of bacteria and play many roles related to the survival of the pathogen. However, there have been no reports confirming whether O. tsutsugamushi indeed produce OMVs. O. tsutsugamushi boryong was cultured in ECV-304 cells for the purification of OMVs. Western blot analysis and immunoenrichment using anti-O. tsutsugamushi monoclonal antibody and electron microscopy were employed for identification and characterization of OMVs. We confirm the presence of OMVs derived from O. tsutsugamushi, and also found that those OMVs contain a major surface antigen of 56-kDa protein and variant immunogenic antigens.
Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology ; Antigens, Bacterial/*immunology ; Antigens, Surface/*immunology ; Cell Line ; Cell Membrane/immunology ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; Orientia tsutsugamushi/*immunology/metabolism ; Scrub Typhus/diagnosis/microbiology ; Secretory Vesicles/*immunology

Carotid arterial disease is the most common extracranial origin of brain infarction and accounts for about 10-20% of stroke and 50% of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Significant changes in the treatment of this disease have occurred over past few years and relative importance of carotid surgery is on the increase in the prevention of ischemic stroke. In this article, we aim to review the basics and the recent controversies of carotid endarterectomy.
Brain Infarction ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Endarterectomy, Carotid* ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Stroke

We herein describe a 70-year-old woman who presented with respiratory failure due to extensive lung adenocarcinoma. Despite advanced disease, care in the intensive care unit with ventilator support was performed because she was a newly diagnosed patient and was considered to have the potential to recover after cancer treatment. Because prompt control of the cancer was needed to treat the respiratory failure, empirical treatment with an oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor was initiated before confirmation of EGFR-mutant adenocarcinoma, and the patient was successfully treated. Later, EGFR-mutant adenocarcinoma was confirmed.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lung* ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency* ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride

BACKGROUND: In this study we estimated the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors according to waist-to- height ratio (W/Ht ratio) in adult obese women to ensure the importance of abdominal obesity and determined the usefulness of W/Ht ratio as a index of abdominal obesity in adult obese women. METHODS: The study subjects were 190 adult obese women who visited an obesity clinic from August, 2001 to January, 2003. They were divided into 4 groups: Group 1; BMI<30, W/Ht<0.6, Group 2; BMI<30, W/Ht> or =0.6, Group 3; BMI> or =30, W/Ht<0.6, and Group 4; BMI> or =30, W/Ht> or =0.6. In each group, we compared the prevalence and odds ratio for CV risk factors. RESULTS: In obese group, the prevalence of high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.01) were significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. In high obese group, the prevalence of systolic hypertension (P<0.01), high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypercholesterolemia (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.05), and high LDL-cholesterol were significantly higher in group 4 than group 3. When odds ratio for each group with reference to group 1 were compared after adjusting for age, high blood glucose (4.48), and hypertriglyceridemia (6.10) in group 2, and systolic hypertension (2.69), high blood glucose (3.02), and hypertriglyceridemia (4.00) in group 4 were significantly higher. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CV risk factors were likely to be increased in higher W/Ht group independently to BMI. W/Ht ratio can be a simple, useful index for abdominal obesity and its related risk factors not only in adult males but also in adult obese women.
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors*

No abstract available.
Hyperplasia* ; Melanoma*