The impact of Streptococcus pneumoniae coinfection on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prognosis remains uncertain. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who underwent a pneumococcal urinary antigen (PUA) test to assess its clinical utility. Results showed that PUA-positive patients required more oxygen support, high-flow nasal cannula, and dexamethasone compared to PUA-negative patients.Furthermore, the significantly higher incidence of a National Early Warning Score ≥5 in the PUA-positive group (P<0.001) suggests that a positive PUA test is associated with a severe disease course. However, no significant difference in mortality was observed between the two groups, and antibiotics were used in almost all patients (96.2%). While the PUA test may help guide antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients, its interpretation should be approached with caution.

The impact of Streptococcus pneumoniae coinfection on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prognosis remains uncertain. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who underwent a pneumococcal urinary antigen (PUA) test to assess its clinical utility. Results showed that PUA-positive patients required more oxygen support, high-flow nasal cannula, and dexamethasone compared to PUA-negative patients.Furthermore, the significantly higher incidence of a National Early Warning Score ≥5 in the PUA-positive group (P<0.001) suggests that a positive PUA test is associated with a severe disease course. However, no significant difference in mortality was observed between the two groups, and antibiotics were used in almost all patients (96.2%). While the PUA test may help guide antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients, its interpretation should be approached with caution.

The impact of Streptococcus pneumoniae coinfection on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prognosis remains uncertain. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who underwent a pneumococcal urinary antigen (PUA) test to assess its clinical utility. Results showed that PUA-positive patients required more oxygen support, high-flow nasal cannula, and dexamethasone compared to PUA-negative patients.Furthermore, the significantly higher incidence of a National Early Warning Score ≥5 in the PUA-positive group (P<0.001) suggests that a positive PUA test is associated with a severe disease course. However, no significant difference in mortality was observed between the two groups, and antibiotics were used in almost all patients (96.2%). While the PUA test may help guide antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients, its interpretation should be approached with caution.

BACKGROUND: Current polymer-based drug-eluting stents (DESs) have fundamental issues about inflammation and delayed re-endothelializaton of the vessel wall. Substance-P (SP), which plays an important role in inflammation and endothelial cells, has not yet been applied to coronary stents. Therefore, this study compares poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-based everolimus-eluting stents (PLGA-EESs) versus 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)-based SP-eluting stents (MPC-SPs) in in-vitro and in-vivo models. METHODS: The morphology of the stent surface and peptide/drug release kinetics from stents were evaluated. The invitro proliferative effect of SP released from MPC-SP is evaluated using human umbilical vein endothelial cell. Finally, the safety and efficacy of the stent are evaluated after inserting it into a pig’s coronary artery. RESULTS: Similar to PLGA-EES, MPC-SP had a uniform surface morphology with very thin coating layer thickness (2.074 lm). MPC-SP showed sustained drug release of SP for over 2 weeks. Endothelial cell proliferation was significantly increased in groups treated with SP (n = 3) compared with the control (n = 3) and those with everolimus (n = 3) (SP:118.9 ± 7.61% vs. everolimus: 64.3 ± 12.37% vs. the control: 100 ± 6.64%, p < 0.05). In the animal study, the percent stenosis was higher in MPC-SP group (n = 7) compared to PLGA-EES group (n = 7) (MPC-SP: 28.6 ± 10.7% vs. PLGAEES: 16.7 ± 6.3%, p < 0.05). MPC-SP group showed, however, lower inflammation (MPC-SP: 0.3 ± 0.26 vs. PLGAEES: 1.2 ± 0.48, p < 0.05) and fibrin deposition (MPC-SP: 1.0 ± 0.73 vs. PLGA-EES: 1.5 ± 0.59, p < 0.05) around the stent strut. MPC-SP showed more increased expression of cluster of differentiation 31, suggesting enhanced reendothelialization. CONCLUSION Compared to PLGA-EES, MPC-SP demonstrated more decreased inflammation of the vascular wall and enhanced re-endothelialization and stent coverage. Hence, MPC-SP has the potential therapeutic benefits for the treatment of coronary artery disease by solving limitations of currently available DESs.

Melanogenesis is the production of melanin from tyrosine by a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, in which tyrosinase and DOPA oxidase play key roles. The melanin content in the skin determines skin pigmentation. Abnormalities in skin pigmentation lead to various skin pigmentation disorders. Recent research has shown that the expression of EMP2 is much lower in melanoma than in normal melanocytes, but its role in melanogenesis has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of EMP2 in the melanogenesis of MNT1 human melanoma cells. We examined TRP-1, TRP-2, and TYR expression levels during melanogenesis in MNT1 melanoma cells by gene silencing of EMP2. Western blot and RT-PCR results confirmed that the expression levels of TYR and TRP-2 were decreased when EMP2 expression was knocked down by EMP2 siRNA in MNT1 cells, and these changes were reversed when EMP2 was overexpressed. We verified the EMP2 gene was knocked out of the cell line (EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9) by using a CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that the expression levels of TRP-2 and TYR were significantly lower in the EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9 cell lines. Loss of EMP2 also reduced migration and invasion of MNT1 melanoma cells. In addition, the melanosome transfer from the melanocytes to keratinocytes in the EMP2 KO cells cocultured with keratinocytes was reduced compared to the cells in the control coculture group. In conclusion, these results suggest that EMP2 is involved in melanogenesis via the regulation of TRP-2 expression.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that had affected more than eight million people worldwide by June 2020. Given the importance of the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) for host immunity, we retrospectively evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 in patients with diabetes.

A thickened soft tissue impingement after total knee replacement arthroplastyis a complication that causes pain and is usually developed between patella and femoral component such as patellar clunk syndrome. But we experienced a case that medial and lateral synovial tissues were impinged between femoral component and polyethylene liner after total knee replacement arthroplasty with medial pivot prosthesis for degenerative arthritis and were treated with arthroscopic excision. We report this case with literature review.
Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Patella ; Polyethylene ; Prostheses and Implants

PURPOSE: To investigate the rate of lateral retinacular release and the contributing factors between the patellar resur- faced total knee arthroplasty(TKA) and patellar retained TKA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From Jan. 2003 to Jan. 2006, 179 cases(90 patella retained, PR; 89 patellar resurfaced, PS) were enrolled in this study. To investigate the contributing factors on the lateral retinacular release along the patellar replacement, the preoperative and postoperative radiographic evaluation was done. Patellar height, congruence angle and medial displacement was measured with the Merchant view. Anterior-posterior knee distance was measured at a lateral film. The statistical significance between two groups was analyzed using the student's t-test. RESULTS: Lateral retinacular release was done in 59 of 179 cases. Thirty-six cases of PR group and 23 cases of PS group were undertaken. The rate of lateral retinacular release was higher in PR group(p<0.05). The difference between preoperative and postoperative patellar height at a Merchant was 2.5, 0.5mm reduction in PS and PR group respectively. PS group showed more medial displacement(mean 2.5mm) than PR group(mean 1.2mm)(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In PR group, higher rate of a lateral retinacular release was shown than PS group. Less reduction of patellar height and less medial displacement of patella might be related with the high rate of a lateral retinacular release in PR group.
Arthroplasty* ; Knee* ; Patella*

PURPOSE: The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is overexpressed in breast cancer. The subset of patients with breast cancer demonstrating a HER2-positive status has aggressive tumors and a poor prognosis. Knowledge of the HER2 status is prerequisite when considering a patient's eligibility for anti-HER2 targeted therapy (Herceptin(R)). There are several assays available for determining the HER2 status. The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the HER2 status in breast cancer by means of immunohistochemistry (IHC), FISH and real-time PCR. METHODS: DNA samples from fresh tumor tissues of 20 patients with breast cancer were analyzed with real-time PCR, using the LightCycler-HER2/neu PCR assay. A tissue microarray, containing 20 samples obtained from formalin- fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, was used for IHC and FISH (PathyVysionTM). RESULTS: The frequencies of HER2 gene amplification for real-time PCR and FISH were 35 and 65% respectively, and the IHC frequency of overexpression was 70%. This study showed 75% concordance between IHC vs. FISH, 65% between IHC vs real-time PCR and 70% between FISH vs. real-time PCR. Considering real-time PCR as the gold standard, this study showed sensitivities and specificities of 100 and 46.2% for IHC, and of 100% and 53.8% for FISH. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated marked discordance for the HER2 stati according to the various methods used. IHC, a familiar cost-effective test, will undoubtedly remain in routine clinical practice for HER2 screening but confirmatory HER2 testing using either FISH or real-time PCR is recommended for indeterminate cases. Real-time quantitative PCR for HER2 appears to be clinically useful due to its simplicity and ability to produce rapid results.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; DNA ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Genes, erbB-2* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mass Screening ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the differences in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 in degenerative scoliosis compared with other degenerative disc disease of the spine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The intervertebral disc materials were obtained during discectomies. Six, 13 and 12 cases of herniated nucleus pulposus, spinal stenosis and degenerative lumbar scoliosis, respectively, were included in the experimental group. The expression of MMP-3 was evaluated three times that of the means, in the immunohistochemical staining, western blotting using anti human MMP-3 antibody and RT-PCR with MMP-3 primer, respectively. RESULTS: On the immunohistochemical stains, extensive and strong staining was noted in the discs of degenerative lumbar scoliosis compared to those with spinal stenosis and HNP. In the western blotting, greater expression of MMP-3 was noted in the discs of degenerative lumbar scoliosis (mean optical density: 20.68) than in other degenerative disc diseases (SS: 6.24, HNP: 2.0). In the RT-PCR, a similar result was shown (DLS: 62.1, SS: 27.4 and HNP: 10.4). There were statistically significant differences between degenerative lumbar scoliosis and degenerative disc disease (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Rapid degeneration of the intervertebral disc might be an important factor in the pathogenesis of degenerative lumbar scoliosis. MMP-3 could be a key enzyme for the rapid degeneration of the intervertebral discs, especially in degenerative lumbar scoliosis.
Blotting, Western ; Coloring Agents ; Diskectomy ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Scoliosis* ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine