Immunoreactive dynamics of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) within the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal cellular dynamics of TILs in breast cancer models. Breast cancer cells were implanted into the dorsal skinfold chamber of BALB/c nude mice, and T lymphocytes were adoptively transferred. Longitudinal intravital imaging was performed, and the spatiotemporal dynamics of TILs were assessed. In the 4T1 model, TILs progressively exhibited increased motility, and their motility inside the tumor was significantly higher than that outside the tumor. In the MDA-MB-231 model, the motility of TILs progressively decreased after an initial increase. TIL motility in the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 models differed significantly, suggesting an association between programmed death-ligand 1 expression levels and TIL motility, which warrants further investigation. Furthermore, intravital imaging of TILs can be a useful method for addressing dynamic interactions between TILs and breast cancer cells.

Currently, no vaccine or established therapeutic agents are available for coronavirus disease 2019. The sharp increase in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) necessitates an improvement in the protective efficacy of PPE. We evaluated the potential antimicrobial and antiviral effects of a surface-coating disinfectant (3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyl octadecyl ammonium chloride, Si-QAC) when applied onto PPE. Si-QAC-pre-coated PPE was artificially contaminated with either influenza virus or Salmonella. The results showed significantly reduced influenza and Salmonella titers in Si-QAC-coated PPE; these antimicrobial effects lasted 7 days. This suggests that this surface-coating disinfectant effectively reduces pathogen contamination of PPE, enabling their safe and long-term use.

Currently, no vaccine or established therapeutic agents are available for coronavirus disease 2019. The sharp increase in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) necessitates an improvement in the protective efficacy of PPE. We evaluated the potential antimicrobial and antiviral effects of a surface-coating disinfectant (3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyl octadecyl ammonium chloride, Si-QAC) when applied onto PPE. Si-QAC-pre-coated PPE was artificially contaminated with either influenza virus or Salmonella. The results showed significantly reduced influenza and Salmonella titers in Si-QAC-coated PPE; these antimicrobial effects lasted 7 days. This suggests that this surface-coating disinfectant effectively reduces pathogen contamination of PPE, enabling their safe and long-term use.

The combination of Müllerian agenesis with inguinal ovaries accompanied by primary ovarian insufficiency is extremely rare. A 21-year-old Korean woman was referred to our center with primary amenorrhea. The patient was diagnosed with Müllerian agenesis with inguinal ovaries. Her hormonal profile showed hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism suggesting primary ovarian insufficiency. We performed laparoscopic neovaginoplasty using modified Davydov's procedure and reposition inguinal ovaries in the pelvic cavity. Oral estrogen replacement was applied for the treatment of primary ovarian insufficiency. This is a rare case report on Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome accompanied not only by inguinal ovaries but also with primary ovarian insufficiency. We present our first experience on the laparoscopic neovaginoplasty performed on the patient with müllerian agenesis accompanied by inguinal ovaries and primary ovarian insufficiency.
Amenorrhea ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Laparoscopy ; Ovary* ; Peritoneum* ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Subjective cognitive decline has been proposed as a potential indicator of the preclinical state of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The results of the studies of cortical atrophy on brain MRIs in subjects with subjective cognitive decline are inconsistent across the literatures. We investigated whether subjects with subjective cognitive decline had less gray matter volume compared to controls without subjective cognitive decline as per brain MRI. METHODS: Thirty-six subjects with subjective cognitive decline and thirty-three controls without subjective cognitive decline were recruited retrospectively from among the patients who had visited the department of neurology at Inha University Hospital between January 2008 and December 2010. All subjects had undergone a brain MRI scan including 3D T1-weighted spoiled gradient recalled echo imaging. We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine gray matter volumes between the two groups, after controlling for age, sex, education, and total intracranial volumes (TIV). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, gender, education, and TIV between the two groups. In comparison to controls without subjective cognitive decline, subjects with subjective cognitive decline showed gray matter atrophy in the left superior and medial frontal gyri, left superior and inferior parietal lobules, and right precuneus and insular in the VBM analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with subjective cognitive decline encountered in clinical settings have greater similarity to an AD gray matter atrophy pattern compared with cognitively normal individuals without subjective cognitive decline.
Alzheimer Disease ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Education ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurology ; Rabeprazole ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: There are few studies about driving and dementia in Korea. The purpose of this study is to investigate the real condition of automobile driving in patients with dementia and the characteristics of those who continue to drive after diagnosis of dementia. METHODS: A total of 4,377 patients including 3,792 with Alzheimer's disease and 585 with vascular dementia were recruited from multiple nationwide hospitals. Clinical evaluations and neuropsychological tests were done in them according to the protocol of the Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea study. Caregivers replied which patients drove an automobile, gave up driving, or has never driven. The same evaluations of them were followed after one year. RESULTS: There were 272 (6.2%) drivers, 321 (7.3%) ex-drivers, and 3,784 (86.5%) non-drivers with dementia. Drivers with dementia were younger and had higher Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) (21.5+/-4.3 vs 19.8+/-5.1 vs 17.4+/-5.2, p<0.001) and lower Clinical Dementia Rating scale-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) scores (4.08+/-2.15 vs 5.80+/-3.41 vs 5.83+/-3.39, p<0.001) compared with ex-drivers and non-drivers with dementia. The drivers and ex-drivers with dementia had higher educational level and a higher proportion of male compared with non-drivers with dementia (77.6% vs 80.1% vs 23.3%, p<0.001). About 54.6% of the drivers with dementia continued to drive at one year after diagnosis of dementia. They had higher K-MMSE (23.2+/-3.6 vs 20.8+/-4.5, p=0.003) and lower CDR-SB scores (3.30+/-1.47 vs 4.40+/-1.85, p=0.001) at baseline compared with those who quitted driving after baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Male patients who were relatively young and had high educational level and mild dementia had a tendency to drive an automobile at that time of diagnosis of dementia. About half of them continued to drive after diagnosis of dementia.
Alzheimer Disease ; Automobile Driving ; Automobiles ; Caregivers ; Dementia* ; Dementia, Vascular ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests

Flexor spasm caused by stroke has been rarely reported. We describe a 79-year-old man who suddenly presented with flexor spasm of left limb and neck muscles. His symptoms consisted of recurrent episodes of brief paroxysmal flexor contractions of left limb and neck muscles without alteration of consciousness. Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging revealed acute infarction in right basal ganglia. The abnormal movement was not associated with any epileptiform discharges in the video-electroencephalography monitoring. It was controlled with carbamazepine and phenytoin.
Aged ; Basal Ganglia* ; Brain ; Carbamazepine ; Consciousness ; Dyskinesias ; Extremities ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck Muscles ; Phenytoin ; Spasm* ; Stroke

PURPOSE: Most gastric cancer patients undergo operations at large tertiary hospitals in Korea. However, some patients are treated at low volume hospitals. We investigated patient outcomes after gastric surgery at a secondary hospital and compared with outcomes of large volume centers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 184 patients who underwent gastric surgery for gastric cancer at our hospital from January 2003 to December 2008. We conducted a retrospective study and evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics, clinical outcomes and survival rate of patients. RESULTS: Mean age was 61.7 years old. Male to female ratio was 2.2 : 1. Proportion of early gastric cancer was 38.6% and that of advanced gastric cancer was 61.4%. The 5 year overall survival rate of 184 patients was 66.3%. The overall survival rate was significantly lower for people over 62 years old. The morbidity rate and mortality at our hospital were 10.3% and 0.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall survival rate, morbidity and mortality were similar to those of the previous reports from Korea. Treatment of gastric cancer at a secondary hospital is feasible and safe. Standardization of operations and management of gastric cancer patients of the Korean Gastric Cancer Association is the most important factor to achieve these outcomes.
Female ; Hospitals, Low-Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Survival Rate ; Tertiary Care Centers

PURPOSE: Most gastric cancer patients undergo operations at large tertiary hospitals in Korea. However, some patients are treated at low volume hospitals. We investigated patient outcomes after gastric surgery at a secondary hospital and compared with outcomes of large volume centers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 184 patients who underwent gastric surgery for gastric cancer at our hospital from January 2003 to December 2008. We conducted a retrospective study and evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics, clinical outcomes and survival rate of patients. RESULTS: Mean age was 61.7 years old. Male to female ratio was 2.2 : 1. Proportion of early gastric cancer was 38.6% and that of advanced gastric cancer was 61.4%. The 5 year overall survival rate of 184 patients was 66.3%. The overall survival rate was significantly lower for people over 62 years old. The morbidity rate and mortality at our hospital were 10.3% and 0.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall survival rate, morbidity and mortality were similar to those of the previous reports from Korea. Treatment of gastric cancer at a secondary hospital is feasible and safe. Standardization of operations and management of gastric cancer patients of the Korean Gastric Cancer Association is the most important factor to achieve these outcomes.
Female ; Hospitals, Low-Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Survival Rate ; Tertiary Care Centers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels are reported to be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanism by which homocysteine contributes to the pathogenesis of AD is as yet unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between white matter changes (WMC) and medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and plasma levels of tHcy in AD patients. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable AD were recruited to the study. Plasma tHcy levels, vascular risk factors, and WMC and MTA on brain MRI were evaluated in all patients. The AD patients were classified into two groups: those with no or minimal WMC (69.2+/-8.8 years, mean+/-SD, n=36) and those with moderate-to-severe WMC (74.6+/-4.6 years, n=36) on brain MRI. RESULTS: In a univariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of moderate-to-severe WMC in AD was significantly associated with increasing age, female gender, lower education level, hypertension, high plasma tHcy levels, and lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed only high plasma tHcy as the independent and significant risk factor for moderate-to-severe WMC [odds ratio (OR; adjusted for age, gender, education level, MMSE score, and hypertension comparing the top tertile - tHcy levels > or =12.9 micromol/L - with the bottom tertile - tHcy levels < or =9.4 micromol/L)=7.35; 95% confidence interval, confidence interval=1.36-39.84; p=0.02], and age as a borderline significant risk factor (OR=1.08, 95% CI=0.99-1.19, p=0.09) in AD patients. Plasma tHcy levels were not correlated significantly with either right or left MTA. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the vascular pathway mediates the association between elevated plasma tHcy levels and AD.
Alzheimer Disease ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Female ; Glutamates ; Guanine ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukoaraiosis ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Plasma ; Risk Factors ; Temporal Lobe ; Pemetrexed