Transmembrane protein 115 (TMEM115) is a membrane protein; considering the potential of membrane proteins as biomarkers for various pathological conditions, we aimed to examine the value of TMEM115 as a potential biomarker for improving the prognosis and treatment of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) in this study. Online databases including the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, UALCAN, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis version 2, OSlihc, and human Protein Atlas were used. The analysis suggested that TMEM115 expression in LIHC was higher compared to normal tissues; further, TMEM115 expression was confirmed to be related with poor prognosis in LIHC. Higher protein expression levels of TMEM115 were observed in LIHC tissues than in normal tissues. Tumor infiltration by immune cells was confirmed to be correlated with the expression of TMEM115. High TMEM115 expression and immune cell infiltration were further related to poor prognosis in LIHC. We also confirmed a correlation between TMEM115 and TP53 mutations. In conclusion, we confirmed that TMEM115 expression is correlated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells and poor prognosis in LIHC and that TMEM115 shows potential as a prognostic biomarker in LIHC.

BACKGROUND: Microscopic examination of urine sediment is one of the most commonly performed tests in the clinical laboratory. However, manual microscopic sediment examination is labor-intensive, time-consuming and imprecise. In this study, we evaluated the analytical performance and clinical usefulness of a recently introduced image-based automated urinalysis system, Iris iQ200 (Iris Diagnostics, USA). METHODS: We assessed the iQ200 for linearity, precision and carryover rate using patient's samples and quality control materials. On 337 urine samples, urine sediment analyses performed by the iQ200 were compared with manual microscopy results. RESULTS: The iQ200 showed a good linearity (r2>0.99) for all cellular components analyzed. Within-run and total CVs on urine specimens and quality control samples were less than 10% except for within-run CV for the samples with low concentration of the squamous epithelial cells. The carryover rates were 0.21% for RBCs and 1.92% for WBCs. The agreement rates within one grade between the iQ200 and manual microscopy for RBCs, WBCs, and squamous epithelial cells were 93.8%, 94.2% and 96.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Since the iQ200 showed a reliable analytical performance and good concordance with manual microscopy, it could be useful in the clinical practice as a screening procedure.
Autoanalysis/methods ; Humans ; Quality Control ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urinalysis/*instrumentation ; Urine/*cytology/microbiology

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) sorbitol has been implicated in the pathogenesis of organic complications of diabetes mellitus. W8 investigated RBC sorbitol level as an indicator of glucose control or diabetic complications, and also evaluated whether RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose ratio is an indicator of diabetic complications. METHODS: RBC sorbitol levels were measured in 43 healthy persons and 133 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients by enzymatic method. We also tested linearity, inter- and intra- assay precisions. Plasma glucose and Hb Alc were measured by hexokinase method and HPLC, respectively. Hospital records were reviewed. RESULTS: The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation of RBC sorbitol test are 8.7% and 28.5%, respectively. Linearity is good. The RBC sorbitol level(3.60+/-1.00 ug/mL) and RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose ratio (2.37+/-0.98%) in diabetic patients are significantly higher than those in normal control (1.69+/-0.43 ug/mL, 1.85+/-0.49 per mill), respectively(p<0.0001). We can't observe correlation between RBC sorbitol and Hb Alc in BM patients, but observe that in non-treatment DM patients. We also observed correlation between Hb Alc and glucose and reverse correlation between RBC sorbitol ratio and Hb Alc. We can't find significant relation between diabetic complications and RBC sorbitol or RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the reference range of normal RBC sorbitol level and RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose ratio by enzymatic method are 1.69+/-0.86 ug/mL and 1.85+/- 0.98%,. These Ire significantly different from DM patients and may be useful in diagnosis of DM.
Blood Glucose ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diagnosis ; Erythrocytes ; Glucose ; Hexokinase ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Reference Values ; Sorbitol*

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) sorbitol has been implicated in the pathogenesis of organic complications of diabetes mellitus. W8 investigated RBC sorbitol level as an indicator of glucose control or diabetic complications, and also evaluated whether RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose ratio is an indicator of diabetic complications. METHODS: RBC sorbitol levels were measured in 43 healthy persons and 133 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients by enzymatic method. We also tested linearity, inter- and intra- assay precisions. Plasma glucose and Hb Alc were measured by hexokinase method and HPLC, respectively. Hospital records were reviewed. RESULTS: The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation of RBC sorbitol test are 8.7% and 28.5%, respectively. Linearity is good. The RBC sorbitol level(3.60+/-1.00 ug/mL) and RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose ratio (2.37+/-0.98%) in diabetic patients are significantly higher than those in normal control (1.69+/-0.43 ug/mL, 1.85+/-0.49 per mill), respectively(p<0.0001). We can't observe correlation between RBC sorbitol and Hb Alc in BM patients, but observe that in non-treatment DM patients. We also observed correlation between Hb Alc and glucose and reverse correlation between RBC sorbitol ratio and Hb Alc. We can't find significant relation between diabetic complications and RBC sorbitol or RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the reference range of normal RBC sorbitol level and RBC sorbitol/plasma glucose ratio by enzymatic method are 1.69+/-0.86 ug/mL and 1.85+/- 0.98%,. These Ire significantly different from DM patients and may be useful in diagnosis of DM.
Blood Glucose ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diagnosis ; Erythrocytes ; Glucose ; Hexokinase ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Reference Values ; Sorbitol*

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Necrosis*

BACKGROUND: An in-training examination is given annually to the all laboratory medicine residents of in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of the in-training examinations according to the examinees' postgraduate years, a number of teaching faculty members and hospital beds, and the score of the board examination. METHODS: A total number of examinees during the 5-year period from 2001 to 2005 were 311. All residents took the same in-training examinations given each year irrespective of the postgraduate year (PGY). RESULTS: The scores of in-training examinations increased with advance in the examinees' PGY (P<0.01). The scores were not different according to the size of teaching faculty or hospital beds (P>0.05). The correlation coefficients of each PGY scores were from 0.474 to 0.755 (P<0.01). The scores of the 4th PGY were correlated with those of the board examinations (r=0.627, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the scores of the in-training examinations may be a valid measure of knowledge acquired by residents during their training years and provide a useful information for improving the laboratory medicine residency training program.
Education ; Internship and Residency* ; Korea

BACKGROUND: Rapid identification of the causative agent among potential bacterial and viral pathogens is important for the management of acute respiratory disease. In this study, we evaluated the analytical performance and clinical usefulness of a recently-introduced multiplex PCR assay, Seeplex(TM)Pneumobacter detection kit (Seegene Inc., Korea) for the identification of respiratory bacterial pathogens. METHODS: One hundred and eighty one nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms and analysed by multiplex PCR for the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S.P), Haemophilus influenzae (H.I), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M.P), Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C.P), Bordetella pertussis (B.P) and Legionella pneumophila (L.P). A comparison of multiplex PCR with conventional culture for the isolation of S.P and H.I was performed on 112 specimens. The cross reactivity of multiplex PCR was also evaluated. RESULTS: Of 181 cases, 81 cases were positive by multiplex PCR (44.8%): 52 cases for S.P (28.7%), 47 cases for H.I (26.0%), 9 cases for M.P (5.0%), 3 cases for B.P (1.7%) and 1 case for C.P (0.6%) including multiple infection cases. The agreement rates between multiplex PCR and culture for S.P and H.I were 92.9% (kappa index=0.84, P<0.001) and 91.1% (kappa index=0.75, P<0.001), respectively. There was no cross reactivity with common bacterial and viral pathogens. CONCLUSIONS: Seeplex(TM) Pneumobacter detection kit could be a useful screening tool for the rapid detection of respiratory bacterial pathogens. Further studies with lower respiratory tract specimens would be needed for the clinical evaluation of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae detected by multiplex PCR.
Adolescent ; Bacterial Infections/*diagnosis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA, Bacterial/analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae/*isolation & purification ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/diagnosis ; *Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Respiratory Tract Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Diminazene aceturate (DIZE), an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activator, exerts anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in a variety of human chronic diseases. However, the role of DIZE in kidney fibrosis and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of DIZE on the progression of renal fibrosis after unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), a well-established model of chronic kidney disease. Methods: C57BL/6 female or male mice were subjected to right UUO. Mice received 15 mg/kg DIZE or vehicle (saline) daily. On the 7th day after UUO, kidneys were collected for analysis of renal fibrosis (α-smooth muscle actin, phosphorylated SMAD3, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, Masson’s trichrome, and Sirius red staining), inflammation (macrophage infiltration, proinflammatory cytokines/ chemokines), apoptosisecrotic cell death (TUNEL and periodic acid-Schiff staining), and ACE2 activity and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. Results: Treatment with DIZE exacerbated renal fibrosis by upregulating the profibrotic TGF-β/SMAD3 pathway, proinflammatory cytokine/chemokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, IL-6, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2) levels, M2 macrophage accumulation (CD206, IL-4, IL-10, and CX3CL1), and apoptoticecrotic cell death in the obstructed kidneys of female mice but not male mice. However, DIZE treatment had no effect on ACE2 activity or mRNA expression. Conclusion: DIZE exacerbates UUO-induced renal fibrosis by aggravating tubular damage, apoptosis, and inflammation through independent of angiotensin (1–7), angiotensin II levels, and ACE2 expression/activity, rather than protecting against renal fibrosis after UUO. DIZE also has powerful effects on recruiting macrophages, including the M2-polarized subtype, in female UUO mice.

Objectives: The prognostic significance of CDC42 effector protein 2 (CDC42EP2) and its association with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) have not been explored in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). This study aims to assess the potential prognostic value of CDC42EP2 by conducting a comprehensive analysis of online databases pertaining to LIHC. Methods: We evaluated the potential of CDC42EP2 as a prognostic biomarker by utilizing online databases such as TIMER, GEPIA2, KM, OSlihc, HPA, and LinkedOmics. Results: In LIHC, we observed that the mRNA and protein expression of CDC42EP2 were upregulated compared to normal tissues. Upregulated CDC42EP2 expression was associated with a worse prognosis based on the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with LIHC. Furthermore, CDC42EP2 was positively associated with TIICs. In the co-expression and functional enrichment analyses of CDC42EP2, 11,416 genes showed positive associations with CDC42EP2 while 8,008 genes showed negative associations. CDC42EP2-related co-expression genes were involved in protein localization to the endoplasmic reticulum, translational initiation, and RNA catabolic processes in gene set enrichment analysis-Gene Ontology (GSEA-GO), and regulated the ribosome, spliceosome, and primary immune deficiency in the GSEA-Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway. In a survival map, 23 and 17 genes that exhibited positive associations with CDC42EP2 showed a significant hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival and disease-free survival, respectively. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that CDC42EP2 is a novel prognostic biomarker and a potential tumor immune therapeutic target in patients with LIHC.

OBJECTIVES: An era of deindustrialization has begun in Korea after the industrial development that occurred up until the 1990's. Post industrialization dictates the development of the service industry and information technology with the associated musculoskeletal disorders in such industries. The association between musculoskeletal symptoms and psychosocial factors has been investigated by several researchers. The aims of this study was to characterize the relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and psychosocial factors including occupational stress and depressive symptoms, and to provide basic data to group health practices for the prevention of musculoskeletal symptoms in the service industry. METHODS: Musculoskeletal symptoms, depressive symptoms and occupational stress were surveyed in 311 female call center employees. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms, depressive symptoms and occupational stress scores were assessed. The odds ratio of the high risk occupational stress group into musculoskeletal symptom group was assessed in an effort to determine the associations between occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of musculoskeletal and depressive symptoms was 53.7% and 20.6% respectively. The high risk occupational stress group of the total scores (p=0.049), physical environment (p=0.022), job demand (p=0.014) and interpersonal conflict (p=0.032) to musculoskeletal symptom were significant. The depression group was also significant (p=0.015). The adjusted odds ratio of the high risk stress group into the musculoskeletal symptom group inclusion was 1.687 (95% CI; 1.014~2.808) for the physical environment, and 1.948 (95% CI; 1.031-3.683) for depression. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the relationship between musculoskeletal symptom and the psychosocial factors was not significant. Only the physical environmental stress factor and depression showed marginal significance, which suggests the possibility of an increased risk of musculoskeletal symptoms. However, since the group in this study was a homogeneous occupational population, further study with a reference group will be needed.
Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Psychology