Purpose: Recently, there has been a rise in the interest to understand the composition of indoor dust due to its association with lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Furthermore, it has been found that bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) within indoor dust particles can induce pulmonary inflammation, suggesting that these might play a role in lung disease. Methods: We performed microbiome analysis of indoor dust EVs isolated from mattresses in apartments and hospitals. We developed diagnostic models based on the bacterial EVs antibodies detected in serum samples via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in this analysis. Results: Proteobacteria was the most abundant bacterial EV taxa observed at the phylum level while Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae (f) and Acinetobacter were the most prominent organisms at the genus level, followed by Staphylococcus. Based on the microbiome analysis, serum anti-bacterial EV immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1 and IgG4 were analyzed using ELISA with EV antibodies that targeted Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The levels of anti-bacterial EV antibodies were found to be significantly higher in patients with asthma, COPD and lung cancer compared to the healthy control group. We then developed a diagnostic model through logistic regression of antibodies that showed significant differences between groups with smoking history as a covariate. Four different variable selection methods were compared to construct an optimal diagnostic model with area under the curves ranging from 0.72 to 0.81. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that ELISA-based analysis of anti-bacterial EV antibodies titers can be used as a diagnostic tool for lung disease. The present findings provide insights into the pathogenesis of lung disease as well as a foundation for developing a novel diagnostic methodology that synergizes microbial EV metagenomics and immune assays.

Purpose: Recently, there has been a rise in the interest to understand the composition of indoor dust due to its association with lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Furthermore, it has been found that bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) within indoor dust particles can induce pulmonary inflammation, suggesting that these might play a role in lung disease. Methods: We performed microbiome analysis of indoor dust EVs isolated from mattresses in apartments and hospitals. We developed diagnostic models based on the bacterial EVs antibodies detected in serum samples via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in this analysis. Results: Proteobacteria was the most abundant bacterial EV taxa observed at the phylum level while Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae (f) and Acinetobacter were the most prominent organisms at the genus level, followed by Staphylococcus. Based on the microbiome analysis, serum anti-bacterial EV immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1 and IgG4 were analyzed using ELISA with EV antibodies that targeted Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The levels of anti-bacterial EV antibodies were found to be significantly higher in patients with asthma, COPD and lung cancer compared to the healthy control group. We then developed a diagnostic model through logistic regression of antibodies that showed significant differences between groups with smoking history as a covariate. Four different variable selection methods were compared to construct an optimal diagnostic model with area under the curves ranging from 0.72 to 0.81. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that ELISA-based analysis of anti-bacterial EV antibodies titers can be used as a diagnostic tool for lung disease. The present findings provide insights into the pathogenesis of lung disease as well as a foundation for developing a novel diagnostic methodology that synergizes microbial EV metagenomics and immune assays.

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is commonly used to detect the depth of cancer invasion in the preoperative stage. Intrapapillary capillary loop (IPCL) patterns observed in magnification endoscopy with narrow band image are also known to well demonstrate cancer invasion depth. Here, we report a case of superficial esophageal cancer with massive submucosal invasion, which presented as a superficial esophageal cancer confined to the mucosal layer and with a coincidental hypoechoic submucosal tumor under EUS and IPCL evaluation.
Capillaries ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Endoscopy ; Endosonography ; Esophageal Neoplasms

A fracture of the anterior process of the calcaneus has been considered unusual injury. A clinically missed diagnosis is often, that had gone on to non united fragment. Particularly if the patient has calcaneocuboid pain and disability, and that early excision of the fragment is usually advisable. There were 12 cases with performing the simple excision. The fracture characteristics were analyzed by Degan's classification; type 1 was 1case (8.3%), type 2 was 6 cases (50.0%) and type 3 was 5 cases (41.7%); and their morphology; elongation was 3 cases (50.0%) and fragmentation 3 cases (50.0%). And, the pre and post operative American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society midfoot score and visual analog scale was evaluated; 66.0 and 5.8 was significantly improved to 90.1 (p=0.007) and 2.2 (p=0.003), respectively. Postoperative Excellent and good satisfaction with possible return to previous sports activity was 10 cases (83.3%). Conclusively, simple excision of non united fragment of anterior process of the calcaneus is a successful clinical option.
Animals ; Ankle ; Calcaneus ; Foot ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; Sports

Bordetella (B) bronchiseptica is a common veterinary pathogen, but has rarely been implicated in human infections. Most patients with B. bronchiseptica infections are compromised clinically such as in patients with a malignancy, AIDS, malnutrition, or chronic renal failure. We experienced a case of relapsing peritonitis caused by B. bronchiseptica associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). A 56-yr-old male, treated with CAPD due to end stage renal disease (ESRD), was admitted with complaints of abdominal pain and a turbid peritoneal dialysate. The culture of peritoneal dialysate identified B. bronchiseptica. The patient was treated with a combination of intraperitoneal antibiotics. There were two further episodes of relapsing peritonitis, although the organism was sensitive to the used antibiotics. Finally, the indwelling CAPD catheter was removed and the patient was started on hemodialysis. This is the first report of a B. bronchiseptica human infection in the Korean literature.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Bordetella Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Bordetella bronchiseptica/*metabolism ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Kidney Failure/microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory/*methods ; Peritoneum/pathology ; Peritonitis/*microbiology ; Recurrence

It has been demonstrated that inhibitors of advanced glycation end products (AGE), such as aminoguanidine, can suppress peritoneal AGE in rats on peritoneal dialysis (PD). However, it is unknown whether late administration of a putative crosslink breaker, alagebrium, could reverse peritoneal AGE. We therefore compared alagebrium with aminoguanidine in their ability to reverse peritoneal AGE in rats on PD. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: group I dialyzed with 4.25% glucose solution for all exchanges; group II dialyzed with 4.25% glucose solution containing aminoguanidine, and group III dialyzed with 4.25% glucose solution containing alagebrium for last 8 weeks of 12-week dialysis period. Dialysis exchanges were performed 2 times a day for 12 weeks. Immunohistochemistry was performed using a monoclonal anti-AGE antibody. One-hour PET was performed for comparison of transport characteristics. The immunolabelling of AGE in peritoneal membrane was markedly decreased in the alagebrium group. Consistent with this, the alagebrium group exhibited significantly higher D/Do glucose and lower D/P urea, suggesting low peritoneal membrane transport. But there were no significant differences between the control and the aminoguanidine group. These results suggest that the alagebrium may be the optimal therapeutic approach, compared with treatment with inhibitors of AGE formation, in rats on PD.
Animals ; Biological Transport ; Body Weight ; Cell Membrane/metabolism ; Glycosylation End Products, Advanced/*metabolism ; Guanidines/metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry/methods ; Male ; Peritoneal Dialysis/*methods ; Peritoneum/metabolism/*pathology ; *Permeability ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND: The number of patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction is on the increase in Korea due to the westernization of life style. Recent improvement of therapeutic stratigies have shown early mortality benefits in acute myocardial infarction. But we don't have data how many patients died and what's the cause of death in these patients. This study aimed to find out the mortality rate, cause of death and it's relevant prognostic factors of myocardial infarction (MI) patients who admitted alive, and to construct a database which will be used to develop a risk stratification strategy for the implementation of new preventive therapeutic modalities, such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). METHODS: Seven hundred and forty two MI patients admitted to our hospital from March, 1999 to August, 2002 were included in this study. The risk factors and survivals were evaluated by medical record searching and telephone survey in these patients. RESULTS: The average age was 64 years-old and 67% was male. During the mean follow up 20.7+/-15.4 months, total 105 cardiac death (14.2%) was occurred and cumulative mortality rate at 1 year and 2 year was 5.69% and 10.80%, respectively. Of the total 129 death, in-hospital death was 68 (cardiac death 48, non-cardiac death 20) and out of hospital death was 60 (cardiac death 57, non-cardiac death 4). When it comes to cause of death, most common cause of cardiac death was malignant arrhythmia. The proportion of malignant arrhythmia in cardiac death was 81.3% and 72% of in-hospital and out of hospital death, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that old age, low LV ejection fraction and no percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment were independent risk factors for cardiac mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial infarction shows still high mortality rate despite the recent development of therapeutic strategy. As post-MI patients with low LVEF or no PCI shows high mortality, the early reperfusion therapy should be encouraged. Additionally, because malignant arrhythmia was one of the most in cause of cardiac death, ICD therapy to prevent sudden cardiac death should be considered in an active manner.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cause of Death* ; Death ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Defibrillators, Implantable ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Male ; Medical Records ; Middle Aged ; Mortality* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Reperfusion ; Risk Factors ; Telephone

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) serves as an extracellular signal triggering apoptosis in tumor cells. To characterize the molecular events involved in TRAIL-induced apoptotic signaling, we investigated the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2) in the apoptosis using HeLa cells. Here we show that TRAIL pronounced ERK1/2 activation through a tyrosine kinase-dependent mechanism, subsequently elevated anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein levels. Pretreatment with Genistein, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase, significantly attenuated ERK1/2 activation and enhanced cell death. Moreover, inhibition of ERK1/2 with PD98059 promoted apoptotic cell death through the down-regulation of ERK1/2 activity and Bcl-2 protein levels. Taken together, our results suggest that the activation of ERK1/2 via tyrosine kinase pathway plays a protective role as the mechanism of cellular defense through the up-regulation of Bcl-2 protein levels in TRAIL-induced apoptosis.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Death ; Down-Regulation ; Genistein ; HeLa Cells* ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases* ; Tyrosine* ; Up-Regulation

Solitary myofibroma is a recently described, benign neoplasm of superficial soft tissue, which represents the adult counterpart of infantile myofibromatosis. In Korean literature, only one case has been reported, and we report an additional case of solitary myofibroma in a 57-year-old man. He presented with 2-month history of asymptomatic slightly elevated pale-skin-colored nodule occurring on the right side of philtrum. A histopathologic examination revealed diffuse proliferation of fibroblasts and spindle cells with a whorled arrangement and grouped fascicles. The tumor cells were positively stained for vimentin and smooth muscle actin.
Actins ; Adult* ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lip ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myofibroma* ; Myofibromatosis ; Vimentin

We provided a curve-fit equation to predict the normal heart weight (g) in Koreans by examining 422 autopsies (215 males and 207 females, from newborn to age 77 yr) who were relatively in good general condition. Heart weight was well correlated with body surface area (m2), body weight (kg), and body height (cm) but poorly with age in both sex. Heart weight progressively increased from birth to the earlier 3rd and 4th decades in male and female, respectively, and then gradually decreased; mean heart weight of all age group was greater in male than in female and significantly different from birth to 4th decade. In both sex, heart weight exponentially increased in accordance with the increase of body height, body weight, and body surface (in male, heart weight=0.00312 x body height(2.239), r2=0.750, p<0.0001; in female, heart weight=0.00443 x body height(2170), r2=0.781, p<0.0001; in male, heart weight=9.22 x body weight(0.853), r2=0.770, p<0.0001; in female, heart weight=9.00 x body weight0.855, r2=0.820, p<0.0001; in male, heart weight=155.18 x body surface area1.290, r=0.808, p<0.0001; in female, heart weight=124.13 x body surface area1.242, r=0.834, p<0.0001). These results indicate that heart weight is better correlated with body surface area than with body weight; however, body weight should be a better determinant of a predicted heart weight, since body surface area is entirely dependent on body height and body weight.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart/anatomy & histology* ; Human ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Age ; Organ Weight