High mobility group-1 (HMGB-1) enhances the DNA interactions and possesses a transcriptional activation potential for several families of sequence-specific transcriptional activators. In order to examine the effect of HMGB-1 on the cell cycle progression in MCF-7 cells, the HMGB-1 expression vector was transfected into synchronized MCF-7 cells, and the effect of HMGB-1 overexpression on the cell cycle was examined. The HMGB-1 protein level in the transfected cells increased 4.87-fold compared to the non-transfected cells. There were few changes in the cell cycle phase distribution after HMGB-1 overexpression in the MCF-7 cells. Following the estrogen treatment, the cell cycle progressed in both the HMGB-1 overexpressed MCF-7 and the mock-treated cells. However, a larger proportion of HMGB-1 overexpressing MCF-7 cells progressed to the either S or G2 phase than the mock-treated cells. The mRNA levels of the cell cycle regulators changed after being treated with estrogen in both the HMGB-1 overexpressing MCF-7 and the mock-treated cells, but the changes in the expression level of the cell cycle regulator genes were more prominent in the HMGB-1 overexpressing MCF-7 cells than in the mock-treated cells. In conclusion, HMGB-1 overexpression itself does not alter the MCF-7 cell cycle progression, but the addition of estrogen to the HMGB-1 overexpressing MCF-7 cells appears to accelerate the cell cycle progression.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Densitometry ; Estrogens/metabolism ; G2 Phase ; Genetic Vectors ; HMGB1 Protein/*biosynthesis ; Human ; Kinetics ; Oligonucleotides/chemistry ; Plasmids/metabolism ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; S Phase ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Time Factors ; Trans-Activation (Genetics) ; Transfection

The Schedule of Fatigue and Anergy/General Physician (SOFA/GP) was developed to screen for prolonged fatigue in the primary care setting. We aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the SOFA/GP (SOFA/GP-K), which is adapted from the original English version. We performed translation and back translation, and after conducting a pilot study, we tested the final version of the questionnaire for its reliability and validity in a Korean primary care setting. Two hundred participants that visited a health examination center in a university hospital completed the survey between September and November 2012. A second survey was performed within 2 weeks of the primary survey to test for reliability. We evaluated concurrent validity between the SOFA/GP-K score, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Brief Fatigue Index (BFI) scores. The Spearman correlation coefficient between SOFA/GP-K and FSS was 0.71 and 0.61 between SOFA/GP-K and BFI. Internal consistency of SOFA/GP-K was observed (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82) and construct validity was confirmed by factor analysis. The Kappa scores for test-retest reliability for each survey item were between 0.28 and 0.64. The SOFA/GP-K is a valid and reliable questionnaire for screening fatigue in a primary care setting.
Adult ; Aged ; Fatigue/metabolism/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pilot Projects ; Practice Guidelines as Topic/*standards ; Republic of Korea ; Severity of Illness Index ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Translating ; Young Adult

The Schedule of Fatigue and Anergy/General Physician (SOFA/GP) was developed to screen for prolonged fatigue in the primary care setting. We aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the SOFA/GP (SOFA/GP-K), which is adapted from the original English version. We performed translation and back translation, and after conducting a pilot study, we tested the final version of the questionnaire for its reliability and validity in a Korean primary care setting. Two hundred participants that visited a health examination center in a university hospital completed the survey between September and November 2012. A second survey was performed within 2 weeks of the primary survey to test for reliability. We evaluated concurrent validity between the SOFA/GP-K score, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Brief Fatigue Index (BFI) scores. The Spearman correlation coefficient between SOFA/GP-K and FSS was 0.71 and 0.61 between SOFA/GP-K and BFI. Internal consistency of SOFA/GP-K was observed (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82) and construct validity was confirmed by factor analysis. The Kappa scores for test-retest reliability for each survey item were between 0.28 and 0.64. The SOFA/GP-K is a valid and reliable questionnaire for screening fatigue in a primary care setting.
Adult ; Aged ; Fatigue/metabolism/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pilot Projects ; Practice Guidelines as Topic/*standards ; Republic of Korea ; Severity of Illness Index ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Translating ; Young Adult

Metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Many risk factors contribute to the pathogenesis of MAFLD with metabolic dysregulation being the final arbiter of its development and progression. MAFLD poses a substantial economic burden to societies, which based on current trends is expected to increase over time. Numerous studies have addressed various aspects of MAFLD from its risk associations to its economic and social burden and clinical diagnosis and management, as well as the molecular mechanisms linking MAFLD to end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. This review summarizes current understanding of the pathogenesis of MAFLD and related diseases, particularly liver cancer. Potential therapeutic agents for MAFLD and diagnostic biomarkers are discussed.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications* ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/complications* ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/complications* ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Personal health records (PHRs) are web based tools that help people to access and manage their personalized medical information. Although needs for PHR are increasing, current serviced PHRs are unsatisfactory and researches on them remain limited. The purpose of this study is to show the process of developing Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH)'s own PHR system and to analyze consumer's use pattern after providing PHR service. METHODS: Task force team was organized to decide service range and set the program. They made the system available on both mobile application and internet web page. The study enrolled PHR consumers who assessed PHR system between June 2013 and June 2014. We analyzed the total number of users on a monthly basis and the using pattern according to each component. RESULTS: The PHR service named Health4U has been provided from June 2013. Every patient who visited SNUBH could register Health4U service and view their medical data. The PHR user has been increasing, especially they tend to approach via one way of either web page or mobile application. The most frequently used service is to check laboratory test result. CONCLUSION: For paradigm shift toward patient-centered care, there is a growing interest in PHR. This study about experience of establishing and servicing the Health4U would contribute to development of interconnected PHR.
Advisory Committees ; Electronic Health Records ; Health Records, Personal* ; Humans ; Internet ; Mobile Applications ; Patient-Centered Care ; Seoul

Septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) is different from non-infectious thromboembolism in that it causes pulmonary arterial obstruction and inflammation by infectious emboli from various sources. There are increased risks of SPE in patients with chronic kidney disease because of decreased immunity and frequent venous puncture with the use of indwelling venous catheters or arterio-venous graft (AVG). However, SPE related with AVG infection in end-stage renal failure patient is very rare. Recently, we experienced a typical case of septic pulmonary embolism occurring in a 57-year-old man with infected AVG during hemodialysis. The patient had started hemodialysis 10 years ago due to diabetic end stage renal failure. Due to functional failure of the arterio-venous fistula, hemodialysis had been performed through an AVG on the upper left arm 3 years before admission.
Arm ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Catheters ; Fistula ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Punctures ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Sepsis ; Thromboembolism ; Transplants

During a biodiversity survey of undiscovered taxa in Korea, two zygomycetous fungal strains were isolated. The first strain, EML-FSDY6-1 was isolated from a soil sample collected at Dokdo Island in the East Sea of Korea in 2013, and the second strain, EML-DG-NH3-1 was isolated from a rat dung sample collected at Chonnam National University garden, Gwangju, Korea in 2014. Based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer, 18S and 28S rDNA, actin and translation elongation factor-1α genes. EML-FSDY6-1 and EML-DG-NH3-1 isolates were confirmed as zygomycete species, Absidia pseudocylindrospora and Absidia glauca, respectively. Neither species has previously been described in Korea.
Absidia ; Actins ; Animals ; Biodiversity ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Gwangju ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea* ; Rats ; Soil

Background: Problem drinking increases the incidence of all-cause mortality and specific cancers, and persistent drinking is associated with cardiovascular disease in certain cancer survivors. This study analyzed the cardiovascular risk factors before and after diagnosis in Korean cancer survivors. Methods: Data for the period between 2002 and 2013 were collected from the National Health Insurance Service Health-Examinee Cohort Database. Among the 27,835 patients included, those with moderate alcohol consumption before and after cancer diagnosis were excluded. Problem drinking was defined as males under 65 years consuming over 14 glasses a week, and males over 65 years or females consuming over seven glasses a week. A t-test, chi-square test, and linear regression analysis were performed for differences in cardiovascular risk factors and differences according to cancer types. Results: There was a difference in the body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol among patients who became moderate drinkers after diagnosis, but fasting blood glucose did not show any significant changes. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease were analyzed in patients with liver, stomach, rectal, and breast cancer with improved drinking behavior, and there were significant differences in body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and total cholesterol in stomach cancer patients. Conclusion Moderate drinking can lower cardiovascular risk in cancer survivors, and among the many drinking-related cancers, stomach cancer patients demonstrated significantly reduced cardiovascular risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. The awareness and treatment rate of the disease are low despite its relatively high prevalence. With the added data, this study aimed to identify changes in prevalence and risk factors of COPD using the data from the 5th KNHNES. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 8,969 individuals aged 40 and older who satisfied suitability and reproducibility for pulmonary function tests. The prevalence, awareness and risk factors of COPD were predicted based on the questionnaires on gender, age, educational level, income level, smoking history, body mass index (BMI) and other COPD related questions. RESULTS: Diagnosis of COPD was based on the airflow limitation (forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity <0.7) of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria. The prevalence of COPD from 2010 to 2012 was 13.7%, of which 23.3% was men and 6.5% women. The prevalence was on the rise, with 12.2% in 2010, 13.2% in 2011, and 15.5% in 2012. In GOLD stage 1, the percentages of those who had cough or sputum and smoking history were 12.1% and 75.5%, respectively, but only 0.1% was diagnosed with COPD. Even after adjusting for asthma and tuberculosis, men, old age, larger amount of smoking were linked with a higher prevalence of COPD, and obese and higher educational level were associated with a lower prevalence of COPD. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of COPD in Korea has been increasing every year, and a higher prevalence was associated with male, older age, more amount of smoking, lower educational level and lower BMI.
Asthma ; Body Mass Index ; Cause of Death ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Prevalence* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Vital Capacity

BACKGROUND: We performed this study to compare response rate and survival according to treatment modalities, such as allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), immunosuppressive therapy (IS) and androgen therapy in patients with aplastic anemia (AA). METHODS: Medical records of one hundred and thirty-seven patients who diagnosed with aplastic anemia at the Asan Medical Center from September 1989 to December 2000 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-one patients received supportive care only. Ninety-five out of 96 treated patients were evaluable for response. In severe AA group (N=79), the response rate according to treatment modalities was 25.0% in the androgen group (N=4), 30.3% in the ALG or ATG group (N=33), 25.0% in the cyclosporine (CSA) group (N=8), 44.4% in the ATG plus CSA group (N=9), and 73.8% in the BMT group (N=23) (P<0.001). Five- and 10-year survival of overall patients was 67.5% and 50.9%, respectively. Ten-year survival according to disease severity was 42.3% in severe AA group and 75.8% in non-severe AA group (P=0.0043). Five- year survival according to treatment modalities in patients with severe AA was 75.0% in the androgen group, 49.0% in the ALG or ATG group, 75.0% in the CSA group, and 88.9% in the ATG plus CSA group. Five-year survival was 82.6% in the BMT group and 57.7% in the IS group (P=0.0259). CONCLUSION: This study showes that BMT resulted in significantly better response rate and overall survival compared to IS in patients with severe AA.
Bone Marrow Transplantation