The p53-inducible gene 3 (PIG3), initially identified as a gene downstream of p53, plays an important role in the apoptotic process triggered by p53-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Recently, several studies have suggested that PIG3 may play a role in various types of cancer. However, the functional significance of PIG3 in cancer remains unclear. Here, we found that PIG3 was highly expressed in human colon cancer cell lines compared to normal colonderived fibroblasts. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate the functional role of PIG3 in colon cancer. PIG3 overexpression increases the colony formation, migration and invasion ability of HCT116 colon cancer cells. Conversely, these tumorigenic abilities were significantly decreased in in vitro studies with PIG3 knockdown HCT116 cells. PIG3 knockdown also attenuated the growth of mouse xenograft tumors. These results demonstrate that PIG3 is associated with the tumorigenic potential of cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo, and could play a key oncogenic role in colon cancer.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Line ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Fibroblasts ; Genes, vif ; HCT116 Cells ; Heterografts ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mice ; Reactive Oxygen Species

The number of posterolateral corner (PLC) injury patients has risen owing to the increased motor vehicle accidents and sports activities. Careful examination is required because this injury is easy to overlook and may lead to chronic instability. The purpose of this article is to review the anatomy, biomechanics, diagnosis, classification and, treatment of PLC injuries and summarize the recent literatures regarding the treatment outcomes.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee ; Motor Vehicles ; Sports

Although formaldehyde (FA) is known to be a major allergen responsible for allergic contact dermatitis, there are conflicting reports regarding correlation between FA exposure and interleukin (IL-4) expression. To investigate whether allergic responses including IL-4 expression were induced by repeated dermal exposure to low dose FA, alterations in the luciferase signal and allergic phenotypes were measured in IL-4/Luc/CNS-1 transgenic (Tg) mice containing luciferase cDNA under control of the IL-4 promoter after exposure to 4% FA for 2 weeks. High levels of luciferase were detected in the abdominal region of the whole body and submandibular lymph node (SLN) of FA treated mice. Additionally, the ear thickness and IgE concentration were significantly upregulated in the FA treated group when compared with the acetone olive oil (AOO) treated group. FA treated mice showed enhanced auricular lymph node (ALN) weight, epidermis and dermis thickness, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, the expression of IL-6 among T helper 2 cytokines was higher in the FA treated group than the AOO treated group, while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels remained constant. Overall, the results presented herein provide additional evidence that various allergic responses may be successfully induced in IL-4/Luc/CNS-1 Tg mice after exposure to low dose FA for 2 weeks. The luciferase signal under the IL-4 promoter may reflect general indicators of the allergic response induced by exposure to low dose FA.
Acetone ; Animals ; Cytokines ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermis ; DNA, Complementary ; Ear ; Epidermis ; Formaldehyde* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Luciferases ; Lymph Nodes ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic* ; Olea ; Phenotype ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Olive Oil

Entrapment of the extensor pollicis longus tendon is reported rarely on Smith's fractures in children. In our case, a 15 year old boy with Smith's fracture received treatment of closed reduction at another hospital. When he visited our hospital, a wide gap at the fracture site was detected on radiograph and the thumb movement was limited. We have doubt the entrapment of the soft tissue, especially the tendon. We decided on open reduction. In the operation field, entrapment of the extensor pollicis longus tendon at the gap of the fracture site was found through dorsal approach. In addition, fracture treatment with K-wire fixation after reduction of extensonr pollicis longus tendon reduction was done. Therefore, we report this case with a review of the literatures.
Child ; Humans ; Tendons ; Thumb

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The coexistence of carotid atherosclerosis in ischemic stroke patients with small-vessel disease (SVD) or intracranial large-vessel disease (ICLVD) was investigated using carotid duplex ultrasonography, and whether its coexistence affected the clinical prognosis was determined. METHODS: Ischemic stroke patients with SVD or ICLVD were enrolled (n=103). Risk factors, demographic data, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores were obtained for all of the subjects. Early neurological progression was defined by an increase in NIHSS score during the first 7 days. Carotid ultrasonography was performed to measure the intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaques. RESULTS: Among the 103 patients who were retrospectively enrolled in this study (56 with SVD and 47 with ICLVD), 66 (64.1%) had an atherosclerotic plaque and 23 (22.3%) had increased IMT. Increased IMT was observed more frequently in ICLVD than in SVD [15/47 (31.9%) vs. 8/56 (14.3%), p=0.032]. An atherosclerotic plaque was observed on subsequent carotid ultrasonographic examination in 28 (50%) of the 56 patients whose computed tomography angiography scans of the neck vessels were interpreted as normal. There was no association between presence of atherosclerotic change and early neurologic progression (p=0.94). CONCLUSIONS: A coexisting atherosclerotic plaque or increased IMT was observed in 71.8% of patients with SVD or ICLVD. Whether the coexistence of carotid atherosclerotic change with either of these conditions affects the clinical prognosis remains to be elucidated.
Angiography ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Humans ; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) ; Neck ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) relies on the demonstration of KIT expression, but KIT expression is absent or reduced in approximately 15% of GIST. METHODS: Eighty-one GISTs were diagnosed between January 1998 and December 2007 at the Department of Pathology at both Chungnam National University Hospital and Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon. Medical history, patient follow-up, and radiographic data were collected if available in the medical records. To determine diagnostic and prognostic markers for GISTs focused on PDGFRA mutation and clinicopathologic features, we analyzed 81 GIST cases for KIT, PDGFRA, DOG1, and p16 expression and for mutation of PDGFRA genes. RESULTS: Among 81 GIST cases, 20 high risk cases (24.7%) were recurred or metastasized. Immunohistochemically, KIT was positive in 76 (93.8%), PDGFRA in 75 (92.7%), and DOG1 in 77 (95.1%). With a cutoff value of 50%, p16 expression was positive in 26 cases were positive (32.1%). A correlation between p16 expression or negative DOG1 expression and recurrence or metastasis was demonstrated (p<0.05). Four cases showed a missense mutation in exon 12 of PDGFRA gene, three of these were of epithelioid GISTs. Two cases showed a silent mutation in exon 18 of PDGFRA. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the expression of DOG1 and PDGFRA is observed in a majority of GIST cases. Expression of p16 and negative DOG1 expression is predictive for development of recurrence and/or metastasis. Even though mutation of the PDGFRA gene is frequently seen in epithelioid GISTs, a clinicopathologic correlation was not demonstrated.
Exons ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mutation, Missense ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available for the clinical utility of serial interferon-gamma producing T-cell response after initiation of treatment in patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB). We studied the serial TB-specific antigen T-cell responses measured using the T-SPOT.TB assay during the course of therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively enrolled adult patients who were newly diagnosed with active extrapulmonary TB over a 24-month period. All patients were given standard anti-TB treatment. Blood samples were obtained for T-SPOT.TB at diagnosis, as well as 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months after initiating anti-TB therapy. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients with extrapulmonary TB (38 confirmed and 14 probable TB) were included in the final analysis. All patients had clinical and radiologic improvement after treatment and cured. T-SPOT.TB was positive for 90% at diagnosis, 100% at 1-, 3-, and 6-months, and 93% at 12-months after initiation of anti-TB therapy. There was no significant difference in median T-cell response between early secreting antigenic target-6 (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein-10 (CFP-10) at all time points. Median T-cell response steadily increased up to 6 months and then decreased. CONCLUSIONS: T-SPOT.TB assay remained positive after successful anti-TB treatment in most patients with extrapulmonary TB. Our data suggests that serial T-SPOT.TB has limited clinical utility as a surrogate marker of treatment response in patients with extrapulmonary TB.
Adult ; Biomarkers ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; Prospective Studies ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tuberculosis

Intussusception is a common surgical disorder in infancy. Intussusception in preterm infant is very rare and about 40 cases have been reported. Furthermore, double intussusception is extremely rare in children and there seems to be no such a case reported in preterm infant. We report a case of idiopathic double intussusception in the preterm infant, who was born at 25 weeks' gestation, underwent an explolaparotomy for bowel perforation on 39 days of life, and during the operation, an ileo-ileo-colic intussusception was found without a leading point.
Child ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intussusception ; Pregnancy

The purpose of this study was to obtain the basic information for the improvement of dental environment by investigating the presence of methicillin- or vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA or VRSA) isolated from dental health care workers (DHCWs) and environment of the Chosun University Dental Hospital (CUDH) and a private dental clinic (control group). Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was isolated from anterior nares of 42 DHCWs and 38 sites, unit chairs, x-ray devices, computers, etc., at 10 departments of the CUDH and 20 DHCWs and 11 sites at the private dental clinic. S. aureus was isolated on mannitol salt agar plate and confirmed by PCR with S. aureus species-specific primer. Antimicrobial susceptibility test of clinical isolates of S. aureus against several antibiotics including methicillin (oxacillin) was performed by investigating minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using broth microdilution assay. In addition, PCR was performed to detect the methicillin- or vancomycin-resistant gene. The data showed that one strain of S. aureus was isolated from DHCWs of the CUDH and three strains of S. aureus was isolated from 3 samples of the private dental clinic, respectively. All of the isolates from the CUDH and the private dental clinic had resistance to penicillin G, amoxicillin and vancomycin and susceptibility to oxacillin and ciprofloxacin. The S. aureus strains were already obtained the resistance to penicillin G and amoxicillin. These results suggest that two dental clinics were under relatively safe environment.
Agar ; Amoxicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ciprofloxacin ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dental Clinics ; Mannitol ; Methicillin* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Oxacillin ; Penicillin G ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Vancomycin

Hypokalemia is a frequent problem in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and is affected by multiple factors. To evaluate factors associated with hypokalemia, we studied 68 patients on maintenance CAPD treatment for at least six months. In univariate analysis, patients with hypokalemia were associated with older age and the presence of diabetes mellitus. Serum albumin, calcium-phosphate product, triglyceride, body mass index, protein nitrogen appearance, and lean body mass assessed by creatinine kinetics were significantly lower as compared to those without hypokalemia. Serum C-reactive protein was significantly higher in the patients with hypokalemia. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that the serum albumin level and the ultrafiltration volume at the peritoneal equilibration test were independent factors associated with hypokalemia. This suggests that the serum potassium level may be an important nutritional marker in CAPD patients. Further longitudinal investigation is needed to clarify this relationship.
Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypokalemia* ; Kinetics ; Linear Models ; Nitrogen ; Nutritional Status ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Potassium ; Serum Albumin ; Triglycerides ; Ultrafiltration