A 34-year-old man presented with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest shortly after dermal exposure to tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). The patient was accidentally exposed to 2.38% TMAH despite the use of personal protective equipment and was referred to our emergency department one hour after the exposure. He was resuscitated using advanced cardiac life support and intensive care. However, he remained unconscious despite target temperature management. Second-degree chemical burns were found on 10% of his total body surface area. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed severe anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy involving bilateral supratentorial grey matter. TMAH was detected in the patient’ s blood and urine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the identification of TMAH in the serum and urine after exposure to the agent. Previous cases of cardiac arrest reported were due to exposure to high concentrations of 25% TMAH. We postulate that even low concentrations of TMAH could be absorbed rapidly after dermal exposure and can have fatal consequences.

With the increase in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the incidence of syphilis also increased worldwide presenting with diverse clinical manifestations. We experienced a case of symptomatic early neurosyphilis manifesting as optic neuritis and trochlear nerve palsy with typical skin lesions of secondary syphilis in an HIV-Infected patient. Intravenous penicillin and oral steroid were administered for 2 weeks. Skin lesions improved after a week, and ocular lesions resolved completely after eight weeks of treatment.
HIV ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Neurosyphilis ; Optic Neuritis ; Penicillins ; Skin ; Syphilis ; Trochlear Nerve ; Trochlear Nerve Diseases

PURPOSE: This study compared the temporal artery temperature (TAT) measured by infrared temporal artery thermometers to the axillary temperature (AT) measured by standard mercury-in-glass thermometers, and evaluated accuracy of the TAT measurement for clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 247 adult inpatients in general wards in a tertiary medical center located in Seoul participated in the study. The TAT was measured within one minute after the AT measurement. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, linear regression, and the Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in mean temperature between AT and TAT, 36.89℃ (SD=0.70) versus 37.35℃ (SD=0.72). The Bland-Altman plots demonstrated the difference between the AT and TAT as −1.29 to +0.33. The specificity and sensitivity of the TAT in detecting fever were high. The positive predictive values were 57.5% and 71.0% when the AT were higher than 38.0℃ and the TAT fever cutoff levels were 38.0℃ and 38.3℃ respectively. CONCLUSION: TAT and AT were highly correlated and agreeable, indicating that TAT is as accurate as AT. The findings suggested that TAT measurement can be used in clinical practice. For accurate communication between medical personnel, medical institutions need to provide guidelines for temperature measurement, especially for the use of thermometer and measurement sites.
Adult ; Body Temperature ; Fever ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Linear Models ; Patients' Rooms ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seoul ; Temporal Arteries ; Thermometers

For transformation of Pleurotus ostreatus, two novel vectors, pPhKM1 and pPhKM2, were constructed, using the regulatory sequences of the P. sajor-caju beta-tubulin gene (TUB1) and the ble gene encoding phleomycin binding protein. pPhKM1 contains ble fused to the TUB1 promoter and the Schizophyllum commune GPD terminator. pPhKM2 contains ble fused to the promoter and terminator regions of P. sajor-caju TUB1. To confirm phleomycin-resistance activity, each vector was cotransformed with pTRura3-2 into the P. ostreatus homokaryotic ura - strain. The transforming DNA was stably integrated into the genomic DNA. Subsequently, phleomycin resistance was conferred on wild-type dikaryotic P. ostreatus by transformation with pPhKM1 or pPhKM2. This transformation system generated stable phleomycin-resistant transformants.
Basidiomycota* ; Carrier Proteins ; DNA ; Phleomycins* ; Pleurotus* ; Schizophyllum ; Terminator Regions, Genetic ; Tubulin

Although renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a benign tumor, treatment may be necessary occasionally because it can cause potentially life-threatening retroperitoneal hemorrhage. Transarterial embolization (TAE) is a safe and effective treatment option to prevent the hemorrhagic rupture of AMLs and relieve the symptoms caused by enlarged lesions or active bleeding. However, there is no clear consensus regarding the indications for prophylactic TAE in patients with sporadic renal AMLs. In urgent TAE for bleeding AMLs, there is a likelihood of incomplete embolization when the focus is on stabilizing the clinical symptoms. This pictorial essay discusses the patient selection and technical considerations to achieve optimal therapeutic effects as well as the follow-up findings after TAE.

We analyzed the publication and submission statuses of Korean medical journals from 2010 to 2024, amidst challenges impacting researchers. Data from 58 domestic journals identified through the 2023 JCR database were used to assess publication status, while data from the Journal of Korean Medical Science (JKMS) were utilized to examine submission status.The proportion of published original articles by domestic authors decreased by 3% in 2024 compared to 2023. Submissions to JKMS also decreased overall, except for slight increases in May and October 2024. In contrast, international submissions to JKMS showed consistent growth, surpassing the 15-year average, reflecting growing global interest. Addressing issues, including medical school admission policies and the lingering effects of coronavirus disease 2019, is vital to ensure a sustainable and thriving medical research environment in Korea.

We analyzed the publication and submission statuses of Korean medical journals from 2010 to 2024, amidst challenges impacting researchers. Data from 58 domestic journals identified through the 2023 JCR database were used to assess publication status, while data from the Journal of Korean Medical Science (JKMS) were utilized to examine submission status.The proportion of published original articles by domestic authors decreased by 3% in 2024 compared to 2023. Submissions to JKMS also decreased overall, except for slight increases in May and October 2024. In contrast, international submissions to JKMS showed consistent growth, surpassing the 15-year average, reflecting growing global interest. Addressing issues, including medical school admission policies and the lingering effects of coronavirus disease 2019, is vital to ensure a sustainable and thriving medical research environment in Korea.

We analyzed the publication and submission statuses of Korean medical journals from 2010 to 2024, amidst challenges impacting researchers. Data from 58 domestic journals identified through the 2023 JCR database were used to assess publication status, while data from the Journal of Korean Medical Science (JKMS) were utilized to examine submission status.The proportion of published original articles by domestic authors decreased by 3% in 2024 compared to 2023. Submissions to JKMS also decreased overall, except for slight increases in May and October 2024. In contrast, international submissions to JKMS showed consistent growth, surpassing the 15-year average, reflecting growing global interest. Addressing issues, including medical school admission policies and the lingering effects of coronavirus disease 2019, is vital to ensure a sustainable and thriving medical research environment in Korea.

We analyzed the publication and submission statuses of Korean medical journals from 2010 to 2024, amidst challenges impacting researchers. Data from 58 domestic journals identified through the 2023 JCR database were used to assess publication status, while data from the Journal of Korean Medical Science (JKMS) were utilized to examine submission status.The proportion of published original articles by domestic authors decreased by 3% in 2024 compared to 2023. Submissions to JKMS also decreased overall, except for slight increases in May and October 2024. In contrast, international submissions to JKMS showed consistent growth, surpassing the 15-year average, reflecting growing global interest. Addressing issues, including medical school admission policies and the lingering effects of coronavirus disease 2019, is vital to ensure a sustainable and thriving medical research environment in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The pain-relief properties of tricyclic antidepressants can be attributed to several actions. Recent observations suggest that adenosine is involved in the antinociceptive effect of amitriptyline. The A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) is the only adenosine subtype overexpressed in inflammatory and cancer cells. This study was performed to investigate the role of A3AR in the anti-nociceptive effect of amitriptyline. METHODS: Spinal nerve-ligated neuropathic pain was induced by ligating the L5 and L6 spinal nerves of male Sprague-Dawley rats. The neuropathic rats were randomly assigned to one of the following three groups (8 per group): a neuropathic pain with normal saline group, a neuropathic pain with amitriptyline group, and a neuropathic pain with amitriptyline and 3-ethyl-5-benzyl- 2-methyl-4-phenylethynyl-6-phenyl-1,4-(±)-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (MRS) group. Amitriptyline or saline was administered intraperitoneally and 3-ethyl-5-benzyl-2-methyl-4-phenylethynyl-6-phenyl-1,4-(±)-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (MRS-1191), an A3AR antagonist, was injected subcutaneously immediately before amitriptyline administration. The level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase P44/42 (ERK1/2), cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and proinflammatory cytokines were assessed using immunoblotting or reverse-transciption polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Amitriptyline increased the mechanical withdrawal threshold of the neuropathic rats. The level of phospho-ERK1/2 and phospho-CREB proteins, and proinflammatory cytokines produced by spinal nerve ligation were significantly reduced by amitriptyline administration. However, the use of MRS-1191 before amitriptyline administration not only reduced the threshold of mechanical allodynia, but also increased the signaling protein and proinflammatory cytokine levels, which were reduced by amitriptyline. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the anti-nociceptive effect of amitriptyline involves the suppression of ERK1/2 and CREB signaling proteins, and A3AR activation also affects the alleviation of the inflammatory response.
Adenosine ; Amitriptyline ; Animals ; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; Cytokines ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Immunoblotting ; Ligation ; Male ; Neuralgia ; Phosphotransferases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Purinergic P1 ; Spinal Nerves