No anstract available.
Animal ; Binding Sites ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/chemistry/immunology/*metabolism ; Human ; Superantigens/chemistry/immunology/*metabolism

PURPOSE: Hypotension after emergency endotracheal intubation (ETI) is one of the major complications from emergency airway management. The aim of this study was to determine the possible risk factors that may predict postintubation hypotension (PIH) and its impact on in-hospital mortality. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, standardized chart review of consecutive emergency department patients that required intubation between January 2011 and December 2014. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of PIH. PIH was defined as any recorded systolic blood pressure with less than 90 mmHg or mean arterial pressure with less than 65 mmHg within the 60-minute period after intubation. The outcome measures were inhospital mortality, as well as intensive care unit and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: The incidence of PIH was 23% (80 of 352 patients). Patients in the PIH group were slightly older and had more comorbid diseases than those in the non-PIH group. PIH patients had a significantly higher mortality rate (54% vs. 30%, p<0.01). PIH was a strong predictor for in-hospital mortality of intubated patients (hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 3.4). CONCLUSION: Older age, lack of skill, history of hypertension, low albumin and pH, and elevated were risk factors for the occurrence of hypotension after ETI. Patients with PIH show increased risk of in-hospital mortality.
Airway Management ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

We present a new next-generation sequencing-based method to identify somatic mutations of lung cancer. It is a comprehensive mutation profiling protocol to detect somatic mutations in 30 genes found frequently in lung adenocarcinoma. The total length of the target regions is 107 kb, and a capture assay was designed to cover 99% of it. This method exhibited about 97% mean coverage at 30x sequencing depth and 42% average specificity when sequencing of more than 3.25 Gb was carried out for the normal sample. We discovered 513 variations from targeted exome sequencing of lung cancer cells, which is 3.9-fold higher than in the normal sample. The variations in cancer cells included previously reported somatic mutations in the COSMIC database, such as variations in TP53, KRAS, and STK11 of sample H-23 and in EGFR of sample H-1650, especially with more than 1,000x coverage. Among the somatic mutations, up to 91% of single nucleotide polymorphisms from the two cancer samples were validated by DNA microarray-based genotyping. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of high-throughput mutation profiling with lung adenocarcinoma samples, and the profiling method can be used as a robust and effective protocol for somatic variant screening.
Adenocarcinoma ; DNA ; Exome ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Mass Screening ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The synuclein family consists of three distinct genes, alpha-synuclein, beta-synuclein, and gamma-synuclein. The alpha-synuclein and beta-synuclein are predominately expressed in brain and especially alpha-synuclein is related with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia with Lewy bodies. The gamma-synuclein was first identified as breast cancer specific gene 1. It is expressed in the peripheral nervous system and also detected in breast and ovarian cancers. The gamma-synuclein is also known to mediate metastasis of breast and ovarian cancer cells. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) is one of the growth factors that plays an important role in cell proliferation and migration in cancer cells, as well as in normal cells. In this study, we investigated the migrations of SKOV-3, MDAMB-231, and HeLa cells by the recombinant synuclein proteins (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-synucleins) and IGF-I and the molecular mechanism. Furthermore, we investigated the membrane ruffle formation of SKOV-3 cells by recombinant synuclein proteins and IGF-I. As a result, synucleins and IGF-I were found to induce cancer cell migrations. Simultaneous synucleins and IGF-I treatment on the cancer cells induced more migrations than the individual synuclein or IGF-I treatments. The synucleins or IGF-I treatments increased the expressions of membrane-type1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44). Moreover, simultaneous synucleins and IGF-I treatments further increased the expressions of MT1-MMP and CD44. The synucleins and IGF-I promoted the conformational change of actin filaments, and then this led to the membrane ruffle formation.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; alpha-Synuclein ; Alzheimer Disease ; beta-Synuclein ; Brain ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Dementia ; gamma-Synuclein ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Lewy Bodies ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 ; Membranes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Parkinson Disease ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Proteins ; Synucleins

BACKGROUND: Cytotoxic function of killer cells is inhibited by specific recognition of class I MHC molecules on target cells by inhibitory killer Ig-like receptors (KIR) expressed on NK cells and some cytotoxic T cells. The inhibitory effect of KIR is accomplished by recruitment of SH2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (SHP) to the phosphotyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic tail. METHODS: By in vitro coprecipitation experiments and transfection analysis, we investigated the association of KIR with an adaptor protein Shc in Jurkat T cells. RESULTS: The cytoplasmic tail of KIR appeared to associate with an adaptor protein Shc in Jurkat T cell lysates. Similar in vitro experiments showed that phosphorylated KIR cytoplasmic tail bound SHP-1 and Shc in Jurkat T cell lysates. The association of KIR with Shc was further confirmed by transfection analysis in 293T cells. Interestingly, however, Shc appeared to be replaced by SHP-2 upon engagement of KIR in 293T cells. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that KIR associate with an adaptor protein Shc in Jurkat T cells, and suggest that KIR might have an additional role which is mediated by this adaptor protein.
Cell Proliferation ; Cytoplasm ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Phosphotyrosine ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transfection

Enterococcus hirae is a member of the Enterococcus genus and is known to cause infections in animals, but it is uncommonly encountered in clinical isolates from humans. We isolated E. hirae from blood of a patient with acute pyelonephritis and sepsis. This is the first case report of bacteremia caused by E. hirae in Korea.
Animals ; Bacteremia ; Enterococcus* ; Humans ; Korea ; Pyelonephritis* ; Sepsis*

Enterococcus hirae is a member of the Enterococcus genus and is known to cause infections in animals, but it is uncommonly encountered in clinical isolates from humans. We isolated E. hirae from blood of a patient with acute pyelonephritis and sepsis. This is the first case report of bacteremia caused by E. hirae in Korea.
Animals ; Bacteremia ; Enterococcus* ; Humans ; Korea ; Pyelonephritis* ; Sepsis*

GATA transcription factors are widespread eukaryotic regulators whose DNA-binding domain is a class IV zinc finger motif in the form CX(2)CX(17-20)CX(2)C followed by a basic region. In fungi, they act as transcriptional activators or repressors in several different processes, ranging from nitrogen source utilization to mating-type switching. Using an in-house bioinformatics portal system, we surveyed 50 fungal and 9 out-group genomes and identified 396 putative fungal GATA transcription factors. The proportion of GATA transcription factors within a genome varied among taxonomic lineages. Subsequent analyses of phylogenetic relationships among the fungal GATA transcription factors, as well as a study of their domain architecture and gene structure, demonstrated high degrees of conservation in type IVa and type IVb zinc finger motifs and the existence of distinctive clusters at least at the level of subphylum. The SFH1 subgroup with a 20-residue loop was newly identified, in addition to six well-defined subgroups in the subphylum Pezizomycotina. Furthermore, a novel GATA motif with a 21-residue loop (CX(2)CX(21)CX(2)C, designated 'zinc finger type IVc') was discovered within the phylum Basidiomycota. Our results suggest that fungal GATA factors might have undergone multiple distinct modes of evolution resulting in diversified cellular modulation in fungi.
Basidiomycota ; Computational Biology ; Fingers ; Fungi* ; GATA Transcription Factors* ; Genome ; Nitrogen ; Portal System ; Zinc Fingers

Akt (also known as protein kinase B, PKB) has been seen to play a role in astrocyte activation of neuroprotection; however, the underlying mechanism on deregulation of Akt signaling in brain injuries is not fully understood. We investigated the role of carboxy-terminal modulator protein (CTMP), an endogenous Akt inhibitor, in brain injury following kainic acid (KA)-induced neurodegeneration of mouse hippocampus. In control mice, there was a weak signal for CTMP in the hippocampus, but CTMP was markedly increased in the astrocytes 3 days after KA treatment. To further investigate the effectiveness of Akt signaling, the phosphorylation of CTMP was examined. KA treatment induced an increased p-CTMP expression in the astrocytes of hippocampus at 1 day. LPS/IFN-γ-treatment on primary astrocytes promoted the p-CTMP was followed by phosphorylation of Akt and finally upregulation of CTMP and p-CREB. Time-dependent expression of p-CTMP, p-Akt, p-CREB, and CTMP indicate that LPS/IFN-γ-induced phosphorylation of CTMP can activate Akt/CREB signaling, whereas lately emerging enhancement of CTMP can inhibit it. These results suggest that elevation of CTMP in the astrocytes may suppress Akt activity and ultimately negatively affect the outcome of astrocyte activation (astroglisiois). Early time point enhancers of phosphorylation of CTMP and/or late time inhibitors specifically targeting CTMP may be beneficial in astrocyte activation for neuroprotection within treatment in neuroinflammatory conditions.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; Brain Injuries ; Hippocampus* ; Kainic Acid ; Mice* ; Neuroprotection ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Up-Regulation

BACKGROUND: We developed skin prick test (SPT) reagents for common inhalant allergens that reflected the real exposure in Korea. The study aim was to evaluate diagnostic usefulness and allergen potency of our inhalant SPT reagents in comparison with commercial products. METHODS: We produced eight common inhalant allergen SPT reagents using total extract (Prolagen): Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, oak, ragweed, mugwort, Humulus japonicus pollens, as well as cat and dog allergens. We compared the newly developed reagents with three commercially available SPT reagents (Allergopharma, Hollister-Stier, Lofarma). We measured total protein concentrations, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), major allergen concentration, and biological allergen potencies measured by immunoglobulin E (IgE) immunoblotting and ImmunoCAP inhibition test. RESULTS: Diagnostic values of these SPT reagents were expressed as positivity rate and concordance rate of the results from ImmunoCAP allergen-specific IgE test in 94 allergic patients. In vitro analysis showed marked differences in protein concentrations, SDS-PAGE features, major allergen concentrations, and biological allergen potencies of four different SPT reagents. In vivo analysis showed that positive rates and concordance rates of Prolagen® SPT reagents were similar compared to the three commercial SPT reagents. CONCLUSION: The newly developed Prolagen® inhalant SPT reagents are not inferior to the commercially available SPT reagents in allergy diagnosis.
Allergens ; Allergy and Immunology ; Ambrosia ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Cats ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Diagnosis ; Dogs ; Electrophoresis ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Humulus ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Indicators and Reagents* ; Korea ; Methods* ; Pollen ; Skin* ; Sodium