Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most frequent cancer with limited therapeutic achievements. Recently, adoptive cellular immunotherapy has been developed as an antitumor therapy. However, its efficacy has not been tested in CRC. This study investigated the ability of an immune cell cocktail of dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells to overcome immunological hurdles and improve the therapeutic efficacy of cell therapy for CRC. Methods: CRC lysate-pulsed monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs), CRC antigen-specifically expanded T cells (CTL), and in vitro-expanded NK cells were cultured from patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The ability of the combined immune cells to kill autologous tumor cells was investigated by co-culturing the combined immune cells with patient-derived tumor cells. Results: The Mo-DCs produced expressed T cell co-stimulating molecules like CD80, CD86, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR and HLA-ABC, at high levels and were capable of activating naive T cells. The expanded T cells were predominantly CD8 T cells with high levels of CD8 effector memory cells and low levels of regulatory T cells. The NK cells expressed high levels of activating receptors and were capable of killing other cancer cell lines (K562 and HT29). The immune cell cocktail demonstrated a higher ability to kill autologous tumor cells than single types. An in vivo preclinical study confirmed the safety of the combined immune cell adaptive therapy showing no therapy-related death or general toxicity symptoms. Conclusion The results suggested that combined immune cell adaptive therapy could overcome the limited efficacy of cell immunotherapy.

Objectives: Hyaluronoglucosaminidase (hyaluronidase) increases the local intercellular permeability of the peripheral lymphatic channel and capillaries, which may help reduce edema. In the present study, the effects of hyaluronidase on postoperative edema and pain reduction were evaluated. Materials and Methods: The study included 38 patients who underwent guided bone regeneration (GBR) surgery before implantation. Patients were randomly assigned to either the control group (n=20) or the test group (n=18). Hyaluronidase was injected into the GBR site of subjects in the test group. Postoperative edema was evaluated by measuring the distance between specific facial landmarks immediately after surgery (T1) and 2-4 days after surgery (T2). The degree of pain at T2 and at 10-14 days after surgery (T3) was assessed. Results: In the test group, the degree of swelling was lower than in the control group, however, only two measurements, from the tragus to the mouth corner and from the outer canthus to the mouth corner, showed statistically significant differences (P=0.012 and P=0.001, respectively). The antiedema effect of hyaluronidase was more effective in the maxilla than in the mandible. In the maxilla, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for three measurements. However, in the mandible, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for only one measurement. Low levels of pain that were similar at T2 and T3 were reported in both groups. Conclusion The results indicate the degree of swelling was lower in the test group and hyaluronidase appeared to be more effective in the maxilla. The degree of pain reduction was similar between groups. Further in vivo and randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are warranted.

Objectives: Hyaluronoglucosaminidase (hyaluronidase) increases the local intercellular permeability of the peripheral lymphatic channel and capillaries, which may help reduce edema. In the present study, the effects of hyaluronidase on postoperative edema and pain reduction were evaluated. Materials and Methods: The study included 38 patients who underwent guided bone regeneration (GBR) surgery before implantation. Patients were randomly assigned to either the control group (n=20) or the test group (n=18). Hyaluronidase was injected into the GBR site of subjects in the test group. Postoperative edema was evaluated by measuring the distance between specific facial landmarks immediately after surgery (T1) and 2-4 days after surgery (T2). The degree of pain at T2 and at 10-14 days after surgery (T3) was assessed. Results: In the test group, the degree of swelling was lower than in the control group, however, only two measurements, from the tragus to the mouth corner and from the outer canthus to the mouth corner, showed statistically significant differences (P=0.012 and P=0.001, respectively). The antiedema effect of hyaluronidase was more effective in the maxilla than in the mandible. In the maxilla, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for three measurements. However, in the mandible, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for only one measurement. Low levels of pain that were similar at T2 and T3 were reported in both groups. Conclusion The results indicate the degree of swelling was lower in the test group and hyaluronidase appeared to be more effective in the maxilla. The degree of pain reduction was similar between groups. Further in vivo and randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are warranted.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disabling gastrointestinal disorder that diminishes the quality of life of the affected individuals. Limited data are available regarding the impact of IBD on the daily life of Koreans. METHODS: Self-administered, computer-aided, internet-based questionnaires were distributed to members of a Korean patient organization for IBD from March to April 2013, by the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases. RESULTS: A total of 599 patients with IBD (387 with Crohn's disease [CD] and 212 with ulcerative colitis [UC]) were enrolled. The majority of patients (81%) expressed feelings of fatigue, weakness, and being worn out in their daily lives during times of flare; this percentage was reduced to 61% during remission. Respondents were absent from work or school for an average period of 18 days because of illness, within the first 6 months; the majority of respondents (64%) felt stressed about their absence. Forty-six percent of the respondents reported having received unfair comments at work, or having suffered discrimination. Forty-seven percent of the respondents felt that IBD had negatively affected their income and earnings. Compared with patients with UC, those with CD reported a more frequent negative impact of IBD on work, or more economic burden. More than half of the respondents (61%) reported that IBD had prevented them from making or keeping friends. CONCLUSIONS: IBD significantly impacts daily life, including work, education, and social relationships. Treatment that addresses the full spectrum of life of a patient would be more effective.
Colitis, Ulcerative ; Crohn Disease ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Education ; Fatigue ; Friends ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Intestinal Diseases* ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at analyzing the serotypes of group B streptococcus (GBS) isolated from Korean infants with invasive disease and evaluating their association with disease manifestation. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from invasive GBS infections at Gachon University Gil Medical Center from January 2006 to June 2012 and at Samsung Medical Center from April 2010 to November 2012. Serotypes were determined by slide agglutination test. RESULTS: A total of 37 cases were identified, which included 22 full-term infants and 15 preterm infants. Fifteen cases (40.5%) were early-onset, 19 (51.4%) was late-onset, and three (8.1%) was very late-onset. Early-onset diseases among preterm infants were higher than those among full-term infants (60.0% [9/15] vs. 27.3% [6/22], P =0.17). The most common manifestation was bacteremia (70.3%), followed by meningitis and septic arthritis. Among 24 isolates retrievable for serotyping, serotype III (41.7%) was most common, followed by V (16.7%), Ia, Ib, and II (12.5%, respectively), and non-typeable (4.2%). Serotype III was more common in isolates from full-term infants (10/22) than from preterm infants (0/15), whereas serotype V was more common in isolates from preterm infants (4/15) than from full-term infants (0/22) (P =0.002). No penicillin-resistant strain was detected, and resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin were both 64.9%. CONCLUSIONS: GBS is an important pathogen in both preterm and full-term infants, and serotype distribution of GBS causing invasive diseases can differ between preterm and full-term infants. It is necessary to monitor the nationwide epidemiology of GBS diseases, including in preterm infants, in order to prepare preventive measures without underestimating early-onset diseases.
Agglutination Tests ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Bacteremia ; Clindamycin ; Epidemiology ; Erythromycin ; Hospitals, University* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Korea* ; Meningitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Serogroup* ; Serotyping ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus agalactiae

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the influence of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment on the weight and body mass index (BMI) of girls who were diagnosed with idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP) or early puberty (EP). METHODS: Patients who were younger than 8 years of age at diagnosis were classified as CPP and patients aged between 8 and 9 years at diagnosis were classified as EP. Of 129 patients, 34 were diagnosed with CPP and 95 were diagnosed with EP. The patients were divided according to pretreatment weight status into normal weight group, an overweight group, or an obese group. RESULTS: No significant changes were observed with respect to the weight standard deviation score (SDS) before and after 1 year, 2 years of treatment, respectively (P>0.05, P>0.05) in all patient groups. No significant changes were observed in relation to the BMI SDS before and after 1 year, 2 years of treatment, respectively (P>0.05, P>0.05) in all patient group. Depending on the degree of obesity, differences with respect to the weight SDS and BMI SDS were observed. CONCLUSION: BMI SDS increased in the GnRHa-treated patients as a whole group, but was not statistically significant. But BMI SDS increased significantly in the normal weight group after 2 years of GnRHa treatment. So, GnRHa treatment may affect the change of BMI SDS depending on degree of obesity.
Adolescent ; Body Mass Index* ; Body Weight* ; Diagnosis ; Female* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Gonadotropins* ; Humans ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Puberty* ; Puberty, Precocious*