BACKGROUND: TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand) is a newly identified member of the TNF gene family which appears to have tumor-selective cytotoxicity due to the distinct decoy receptor system. TRAIL has direct access to caspase machinery and induces apoptosis regardless of p53 phenotype. Therefore, TRAIL has a therapeutic potential in lung cancer which frequently harbors p53 mutation in more than 50% of cases. However, it was shown that TRAIL also could activates NF-kappaB in some cell lines which might inhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis. This study was designed to investigate whether TRAIL can activate NF-kappaB in lung cancer cell lines relatively resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and inhibition of NF-kappaB activation using proteasome inhibitor MG132 which blocks I kappa B alpha degradation can sensitize lung cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. METHODS: A549 (wt p53) and NCI-H1299 (null p53) lung cancer cells were used and cell viability test was done by MTT assay. Apoptosis was confirmed with Annexin V assay followed by FACS analysis. To study NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional activation, a luciferase reporter gene assay was used after making A549 and NCI-H1299 cells stably transfected with IgGkappa-NF-kappaB luciferase construct. To investigate DNA binding of NF-kappaB activated by TRAIL, electromobility shift assay was used and supershift assay was done using anti-p65 antibody. Western blot was done for the study of I kappa B alpha degradation. RESULTS: A549 and NCI-H1299 cells were relatively resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis showing only 20~30% cell death even at the concentration 100 ng/ml, but MG132 (3microM) pre-treatment 1 hour prior to TRAIL addition greatly increased cell death more than 80%. Luciferase assay showed TRAIL-induced NF-kappaB transcriptional activity in both cell lines. Electromobility shift assay demonstrated DNA binding complex of NF-kappaB activated by TRAIL and supershift with p65 antibody. I kappa B alpha degradation was proven by western blot. MG132 completely blocked both TRAIL-induced NF-kappaB dependent luciferase activity and DNA binding of NF-kappaB. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that inhibition of NF-kappaB can be a potentially useful strategy to enhance TRAIL-induced tumor cell killing in lung cancer.
Annexin A5 ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; DNA ; Genes, Reporter ; Homicide ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; Leupeptins ; Luciferases ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; NF-kappa B ; Phenotype ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; Proteasome Inhibitors ; Transcriptional Activation

We investigate the serial change of the bone density of the lengthening sites in distraction osteogenesis in long bone lengthening of the lower extremity by measuring the pixel value of the PACS(Picture Archiving Communication System). The purpose of this study was to find the clinical implication of the pixel value in PACS in the distraction osteogenesis. The number of the distraction sites were 22 in tibia and 16 in femur. The average distraction length was 4.5cm ranged between 2.1cm and 7.0cm in femur, 4.1cm ranged hetween 1.9cm and 6.8cm in tibia. When the image were sent to the PACS workstations, they were directly interfaced to the workstation without any processing. The absolute and the relati ve pixel values of cortical bones of the original and the lengthening sites repr sented in workstation of PACS were obtained by average value measuring 3 times by 3 different persons. The average absoiute pixel value of the original cortical bone near distraction site was not significantly changed, maintaining 575+/-6 in femur, and 570+/-7 in tibia. The absolute pixel vaIues in AP and lateral view were not significantly changed until 6 week/cm, but rapidly increased after 7 week/cm hoth in the tibia and the femur. The relative pixel value of the lengthening sites were more than 95% in three of the four cortices at the time of the removal of the external fixators. in conclusion, the pixel value of the PACS can be a rapid, simple and easy method for detection of the change of the bone density in distraction osteogenesis.
Bone Density* ; Bone Lengthening* ; External Fixators ; Femur ; Humans ; Lower Extremity* ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Heel* ; Molluscum Contagiosum* ; Weight-Bearing* ; Zea mays

From October 1991 to April 1996, 27 patients underwent aortocoronary bypass graft. There were 17 men, 10 women. The mean age was 65 years(range 45 to 76). The preoperative clinical status were chronic stable angina in 11 cases, unstable angina in 13 cases and postinfarction angina in 3 cases. The involved risk factors were as follows: Hypertension in 7 cases, Diabetes Mellitus in 5 cases and any other diseases in 3 cases. We divided these patients into two groups in this survey: The A group was 15 patients who were managed with cardioplegia from 1991 to 1994. The B group of 12 patients was done with intermittent aortic clamping without cardioplegia from 1995 to 1996. The mean numbers of graft per patient was 2.0 in A group and 2.83 in B group. The ischemic time per graft was 27.3 minute in A group and 18.5 minute in B group respectively. The morbidity was occlusion of grafted vessel in one patient and one of postoperative angina in A group. The total mortality was 14.8%(4/27), but mortality of B group was 8.3%(1/12).
Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Constriction ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Heart Arrest, Induced ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Mortality ; Risk Factors ; Transplants

Adipose tissue is a central metabolic organ that controls energy homeostasis of the whole body. White adipose tissue (WAT) stores excess energy in the form of triglycerides, whereas brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy in the form of heat through mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1). A newly identified adipose tissue called ‘beige fat’ (BAT-like) is produced through a process called WAT browning. This tissue mainly resides in WAT depots and displays intermediate characteristics of both WAT and BAT. Since the recent discovery of BAT in the human body, along with the identification of molecular targets for BAT activation, stimulating energy expenditure has been considered as a great strategy to treat human obesity and metabolic diseases. Here we summarize recent findings regarding molecular targets and thermogenic small molecules that can stimulate BAT and increase energy expenditure, with an emphasis on possible therapeutic applications in humans.
Adipocytes* ; Adipose Tissue ; Adipose Tissue, Brown ; Adipose Tissue, White ; Energy Metabolism ; Homeostasis ; Hot Temperature ; Human Body ; Humans ; Metabolic Diseases ; Obesity ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

McLeod syndrome is a rare X-linked multisystem disorder which forms the core of neuroacanthocytosis syndrome. Neurological symptoms characterized by chorea, seizure, cognitive impairment, and psychosis mostly develop around the 5-6th decades, accompanied by multisystem involvement comprising neuropathy, myopathy, acanthocytosis and hepatosplenomegaly. We hereby present a 60-year-old male who is the first genetically confirmed Korean McLeod syndrome patient. Genetic analysis of his XK gene revealed a previously reported 5 base pair deletion of exon 3 (c.856_860delCTCTA).
Abetalipoproteinemia ; Base Pairing ; Chorea ; Cognition Disorders ; Exons ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscular Diseases ; Neuroacanthocytosis ; Psychotic Disorders ; Seizures

No abstract available.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Infliximab* ; Ulcer* ; Vitiligo*

Background: As most Candida species cause opportunistic infections, it is helpful for patient care to determine species name of Candida spp. and their distribution in both sterile and non-sterile specimens. We aimed to investigate trends in the distribution of Candida species isolated from a hospital in Korea, along with their antifungal susceptibilities and seasonal variations. Methods: This study was conducted at the Chung-Ang University Hospital and included 8,760 different clinical specimens from March 2011 to December 2022. Identification of the fungal species and its antifungal susceptibility testing were performed using VITEK 2 ID-YST system for six drugs: amphotericin B, caspofungin, fluconazole, voriconazole, micafungin, and flucytosine. Results: The most common fungal species was Candida albicans. The C. albicans positivity rate gradually increased from 2012 to 2022. Since 2020, however, this trend reversed and the non-albicans Candida (NAC) superseded the count of C. albicans. Among the NAC, C. glabrata showed significant increase. When a weekly analysis was performed, C. glabrata was evenly distributed without any noticeable peak; however, the positive rate decreased from late December to early January across all years. Conclusion Monitoring of future trends should necessarily be continued. Our findings revealed that the positive rate for Candida was the lowest in the months of December and January of the studied years, which can be attributed to environmental factors. However, further research needs to be conducted.

Background: As most Candida species cause opportunistic infections, it is helpful for patient care to determine species name of Candida spp. and their distribution in both sterile and non-sterile specimens. We aimed to investigate trends in the distribution of Candida species isolated from a hospital in Korea, along with their antifungal susceptibilities and seasonal variations. Methods: This study was conducted at the Chung-Ang University Hospital and included 8,760 different clinical specimens from March 2011 to December 2022. Identification of the fungal species and its antifungal susceptibility testing were performed using VITEK 2 ID-YST system for six drugs: amphotericin B, caspofungin, fluconazole, voriconazole, micafungin, and flucytosine. Results: The most common fungal species was Candida albicans. The C. albicans positivity rate gradually increased from 2012 to 2022. Since 2020, however, this trend reversed and the non-albicans Candida (NAC) superseded the count of C. albicans. Among the NAC, C. glabrata showed significant increase. When a weekly analysis was performed, C. glabrata was evenly distributed without any noticeable peak; however, the positive rate decreased from late December to early January across all years. Conclusion Monitoring of future trends should necessarily be continued. Our findings revealed that the positive rate for Candida was the lowest in the months of December and January of the studied years, which can be attributed to environmental factors. However, further research needs to be conducted.