Caffeic acid (CA) is a phenolic compound found naturally in plants and foods. CA and its natural derivatives are reported to have anti-cancer effects on many cancers, including melanoma. (E)-N-(4-Butylphenyl)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylamide (4-BPCA) is an amide derivative of CA. Thus far, the anti-cancer effect and mechanism of 4-BPCA in melanoma cells remain unknown. Here we investigated whether 4-BPCA inhibits the growth of B16F10 cells, a mouse melanoma cell line. Of note, treatment of 4-BPCA at 5 M for 24 or 48 h significantly reduced the growth (survival) of B16F10 cells. On mechanistic levels, treatment with 4-BPCA for 24 h led to the activation of caspase-9/3, but not caspase-8, in B16F10 cells. 4-BPCA treatment for 2 or 4 h also decreased the expression levels of myeloid B-cell lymphoma 1 (Mcl-1) in B16F10 cells. However, 4-BPCA treatment for the times tested did not influence the expression levels of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) in B16F10 cells. Of interest, treatment of 4-BPCA for 2 or 4 h greatly reduced the phosphorylation levels of JAK-2 and STAT-5 without altering their total protein expression levels. 4-BPCA also had abilities to increase the expression and phosphorylation levels of glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP-78) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor-2α (eIF-2α) in B16F10 cells. In summary, these results demonstrate firstly that 4-BPCA has a strong growth-inhibitory effect on B16F10 melanoma cells, mediated via activation of the intrinsic caspase pathway, inhibition of JAK-2 and STAT-5, and triggering endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*

PURPOSE: The incidence of colonic diverticular disease is increasing, and several grading systems based on CT findings have been developed. The objective of this study was to define the impact of various CT findings of colonic diverticulitis and to demonstrate which factors affect the need for operative treatment. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-seven patients diagnosed with colonic diverticulitis from January 2010 to July 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were excluded if pure diverticulosis, diverticular bleeding, colon cancer, or relevant data deficiencies, and the remaining patients (n = 178) were reviewed. Patients were categorized into a successful nonoperation group and an operation group. The operation group was then matched 1:2 with the nonoperative group based on age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, and body mass index. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences regarding patients' demographic characteristics between the 2 groups. Left location was more associated with need for operation than the right side (79.2% vs. 31.3%, P < 0.001). CT findings such as distant intraperitoneal air, pericolic air, and free fluid were significantly more apparent in the operation group. When these factors were evaluated in a multivariate analysis, distant intraperitoneal air showed statistical significance (P = 0.046) and pericolic air and left location a significant trend (P = 0.071 and P = 0.067, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that distant intraperitoneal air is the most important factor in the need for surgery in patients with colonic diverticulitis. Further study will be able to identify more detailed CT findings and verify their significance, and will be helpful in designing practical scoring and classification systems.
Body Mass Index ; Classification ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Diverticulitis* ; Diverticulitis, Colonic ; Diverticulum ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intraabdominal Infections ; Multivariate Analysis ; Propensity Score ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: Mechanisms of clinical synergistic effects, induced by co-treatments of lithium and valproate, are unclear. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) has been suggested to play important roles in mechanisms of the action of mood stabilizers. In this study, effects of co-treatments of lithium and valproate on the ERK1/2 signal pathway and its down-stream transcription factors, ELK1 and C-FOS, were investigated in vitro. METHODS: PC12 cells, human pheochromocytoma cells, were treated with lithium chloride (30 mM), valproate (1 mM) or lithium chloride + valproate. The phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was analyzed with immunoblot analysis. Transcriptional activities of ELK1 and C-FOS were analyzed with reporter gene assay. RESULTS: Single treatment of lithium and valproate increased the phosphorylation of ERK and transcriptional activities of ELK1 and C-FOS, respectively. Combined treatments of lithium and valproate induced more robust increase in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and transcriptional activities of ELK1 and C-FOS, compared to those in response to single treatment of lithium or valproate. CONCLUSIONS: Co-treatments of lithium and valproate induced synergistic increase in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and transcriptional activities of its down-stream transcription factors, ELK1 and C-FOS, compared to effects of single treatment. The findings might suggest potentiating effects of lithium and valproate augmentation treatment strategy.
Animals ; Genes, Reporter ; Humans ; Lithium Chloride ; Lithium* ; PC12 Cells* ; Pheochromocytoma ; Phosphorylation* ; Phosphotransferases ; Signal Transduction ; Transcription Factors ; Valproic Acid*

Objective: This study investigated the neurocognitive characteristics of patients who visited an outpatient clinic requesting diagnosis and treatment for adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: The patients’ electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Neurocognitive test results were compared using Student’s t-test according to their chief complaint, depressive symptoms, childhood history, and intelligence quotient (IQ). Neurocognitive characteristics affecting subjective symptoms of ADHD were analyzed by linear regression. Results: The study included 106 patients. They did not have significant deficits in neurocognitive tests. Patients with depressive symptoms showed more impulsive responses (hit reaction time [p=0.037] and commission error [p=0.024]) and self-reported ADHD symptoms (p=0.001). Verbal (p=0.036) and visual memory (p=0.020) were significantly deficient in patients with a childhood ADHD diagnosis. Patients with a low IQ had significant deficits in various domains. Depressive symptoms and vigilance were significantly related to subjective symptoms of ADHD (adjusted R2=0.430, β=0.457, p=0.002). Conclusion Our results imply that the neurocognitive function of patients with subjective ADHD symptoms was not abnormal but was affected by depressive symptoms.

Objective: This study investigated the neurocognitive characteristics of patients who visited an outpatient clinic requesting diagnosis and treatment for adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: The patients’ electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Neurocognitive test results were compared using Student’s t-test according to their chief complaint, depressive symptoms, childhood history, and intelligence quotient (IQ). Neurocognitive characteristics affecting subjective symptoms of ADHD were analyzed by linear regression. Results: The study included 106 patients. They did not have significant deficits in neurocognitive tests. Patients with depressive symptoms showed more impulsive responses (hit reaction time [p=0.037] and commission error [p=0.024]) and self-reported ADHD symptoms (p=0.001). Verbal (p=0.036) and visual memory (p=0.020) were significantly deficient in patients with a childhood ADHD diagnosis. Patients with a low IQ had significant deficits in various domains. Depressive symptoms and vigilance were significantly related to subjective symptoms of ADHD (adjusted R2=0.430, β=0.457, p=0.002). Conclusion Our results imply that the neurocognitive function of patients with subjective ADHD symptoms was not abnormal but was affected by depressive symptoms.

Objective: This study investigated the neurocognitive characteristics of patients who visited an outpatient clinic requesting diagnosis and treatment for adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: The patients’ electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Neurocognitive test results were compared using Student’s t-test according to their chief complaint, depressive symptoms, childhood history, and intelligence quotient (IQ). Neurocognitive characteristics affecting subjective symptoms of ADHD were analyzed by linear regression. Results: The study included 106 patients. They did not have significant deficits in neurocognitive tests. Patients with depressive symptoms showed more impulsive responses (hit reaction time [p=0.037] and commission error [p=0.024]) and self-reported ADHD symptoms (p=0.001). Verbal (p=0.036) and visual memory (p=0.020) were significantly deficient in patients with a childhood ADHD diagnosis. Patients with a low IQ had significant deficits in various domains. Depressive symptoms and vigilance were significantly related to subjective symptoms of ADHD (adjusted R2=0.430, β=0.457, p=0.002). Conclusion Our results imply that the neurocognitive function of patients with subjective ADHD symptoms was not abnormal but was affected by depressive symptoms.

Objective: This study investigated the neurocognitive characteristics of patients who visited an outpatient clinic requesting diagnosis and treatment for adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: The patients’ electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Neurocognitive test results were compared using Student’s t-test according to their chief complaint, depressive symptoms, childhood history, and intelligence quotient (IQ). Neurocognitive characteristics affecting subjective symptoms of ADHD were analyzed by linear regression. Results: The study included 106 patients. They did not have significant deficits in neurocognitive tests. Patients with depressive symptoms showed more impulsive responses (hit reaction time [p=0.037] and commission error [p=0.024]) and self-reported ADHD symptoms (p=0.001). Verbal (p=0.036) and visual memory (p=0.020) were significantly deficient in patients with a childhood ADHD diagnosis. Patients with a low IQ had significant deficits in various domains. Depressive symptoms and vigilance were significantly related to subjective symptoms of ADHD (adjusted R2=0.430, β=0.457, p=0.002). Conclusion Our results imply that the neurocognitive function of patients with subjective ADHD symptoms was not abnormal but was affected by depressive symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the distinctive topographic EEG profiles of subject with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comparing with age & sex matched control. METHOD: The quantitative electroencephalographies(QEEGs) of 20 drug-naive ADHD patients without any other psychiatric diagnosis were analyzed and compared to age and sex-matched controls using spectral analysis. RESULTS: 1) Slow waves(delta and theta) bipolar relative powers of the diverse areas in both hemispheres increased in drug-free ADHD patients, compared to controls. 2) Delta and theta bipolar relative powers of localized centro-temporal areas in left hemispheres increased in drug-free ADHD patients compared to controls. 3) Interhemispheric coherence and asymmetry are increased in diverse areas in ADHD patient compared to controls. CONCLUSION: We confirmed QEEG abnormalities in pure ADHD patients, especially in frontal and parietal areas. These results are compatible with other structural and functional imaging studies of ADHD.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Rabeprazole

Objective: The risk of suicide is assessed by identifying the relationship between alcohol-use patterns and suicidal ideation in Korean employees. Methods: The study involved 13,858 employees who underwent workplace mental health screening at the Workplace Mental Health Institute of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital over a 6-year period between 2014 and 2019. Analysis was performed separately for Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Korea (AUDIT-K) items related to the frequency/volume of alcohol consumption (items 1 to 3, AUDIT-C) and those regarding alcohol dependence/related problems (items 4 to 10, AUDIT-D/P). Subjects were then classified into three groups on the basis of the presence or absence of clinical depression and suicidal ideation. The groups’ sociodemographic factors and clinical features of depression, anxiety, and alcohol-use patterns were analyzed with a chi-square test as well as one-way analysis of variance, followed by a post hoc test using the Bonferroni correction. Results: AUDIT-K and AUDIT-D/P scores were significantly associated with the presence or absence of clinical depression as well as the presence or absence of suicidal ideation (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found among the three groups with regard to the AUDIT-C score (p=0.054). Conclusion Identifying or treating alcohol dependence/related problems can help lower the occurrence of mental health problems, and suicidal ideation in particular, in employees and reduce social costs.