Purpose: Claudins are a type of tight junction proteins in human endothelia and epithelia. Ozone brings about oxidative stress and lung inflammation in humans and experimental models. However, the impact of ozone on claudins in subjects with asthma remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to find variations in the tight junction proteins claudin-4 and claudin-5 in subjects with asthma in relation to ambient ozone concentration. Methods: We previously recruited 50 patients with stable/exacerbated asthmatics and 25 controls. Furthermore, to examine the influence of ozone concentration, we reanalyzed 18 patients with stable or exacerbated asthma and 3 controls. The plasma claudin-4 and claudin-5 levels in response to high concentrations of ozone were compared to stable/exacerbated asthma, and controls. Results: The lung functions were significantly lower in subjects with asthma than those in controls. Blood eosinophil proportions were significantly higher in exacerbated asthmatics than in subjects with stable asthma. In high concentration period of ozone, plasma claudin-4 levels were significantly higher in subjects with exacerbated asthma (0.44 ± 0.30 ng/mL, P = 0.005) or stable asthma (0.38± 0.31 ng/mL, P= 0.009) compared to those in control subjects (0.16± 0.1 ng/mL). Plasma claudin-5 levels were lower in subjects with stable asthma (2.97 ± 1.38 ng/mL, P = 0.011) than in control subjects (6.92 ± 3.9 ng/mL), and higher in subjects with exacerbated asthma (7.49 ± 4.23 ng/mL, P < 0.001) than those with stable asthma. Conclusion These results reveal that claudins be changed in patients with asthma following ozone exposure in subjects with asthma.

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a rare condition characterized by nodular lesions predominantly in the head and neck region, often causing discomfort or pain. Treatment remains challenging because of its rarity and the lack of established guidelines. This report presents a case of ALHE affecting the earlobes that was successfully managed using ear lobule reduction surgery and subsequent intralesional steroid injections. A 31-year-old woman with a history of recurrent earlobe masses underwent a partial excision to avoid the loss of the earlobe. Histopathological examination confirmed Kimura disease, a variant of ALHE. Subsequent local methylprednisolone injections effectively controlled the remaining lesions, resulting in significant size reduction without notching. Various treatment modalities have been attempted for this condition; however, recurrence rates remain high. Surgical resection combined with intralesional corticosteroid injections is the preferred approach. In this case, a sub-antitragal groove technique for earlobe reduction was employed to preserve the lateral edge of the ear lobule, minimize the risk of deformity, and achieve a predictable outcome. The sub-antitragal groove technique offers an approach to reduce earlobe size without compromising aesthetics. Further research is required to elucidate the pathogenesis of ALHE and establish standardized treatment protocols for this rare condition.

Background: To precisely build a healthcare delivery system at regional levels, local patients’ healthcare service utilization patterns must be examined. Hence, this study utilized trend analysis of the relevance index of each disease of each essential medical service field at the municipal and provincial levels. Methods: This study analyzed customized databases released by the National Health Insurance Service from 2016–2020. Diseases defined in the Korean National Burden of Disease (KNBD) study were categorized into the following essential medical service fields:trauma care, cardiocerebrovascular, maternal and neonatal, mental health, infection, cancer, older adults’ care and rehabilitation, and others. Relevance index, the percentage of medical service utilization in a region by the residents of that region relative to their total medical service utilization, was examined by region (17 municipal and provincial regions) and disease area. The relevance index was determined based on the number of patients and the total outof-pocket expenses.Result: Eight of the 17 regions showed over a 90.0% relevance index in the infection area. In the cancer area, 14 regions (not including Seoul, Daegu, and Busan) had a relevance index lower than 75.0%. Throughout the analysis period (2016–2020), there were no significant variations in the relevance index. Diseases such as bone and connective tissue cancer (39.0%), neural tube defects (16.7%), and autism (57.1%) had low relevance index in the essential medical service fields. In all 17 regions, the relevance index of inpatients was lower than that of outpatients, and that for out-of-pocket expenses was lower than that based on the number of patients. Conclusion The relevance index of major diseases of each essential medical service field calculated in this study can provide good indicators for monitoring the level of an independent regional healthcare delivery system.

Purpose: Junctional adhesion molecule (JAM)-A is an immunoglobulin-like molecule that colocalizes with tight junctions (TJs) in the endothelium and epithelium. It is also found in blood leukocytes and platelets. The biological significance of JAM-A in asthma, as well as its clinical potential as a therapeutic target, are not well understood. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of JAM-A in a mouse model of asthma, and to determine blood levels of JAM-A in asthmatic patients. Materials and Methods: Mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) or saline were used to investigate the role of JAM-A in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. In addition, JAM-A levels were measured in the plasma of asthmatic patients and healthy controls. The relationships between JAM-A and clinical variables in patients with asthma were also examined. Results: Plasma JAM-A levels were higher in asthma patients (n=19) than in healthy controls (n=12). In asthma patients, the JAM-A levels correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%), FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC), and the blood lymphocyte proportion. JAM-A, phospho-JNK, and phospho-ERK protein expressions in lung tissue were significantly higher in OVA/OVA mice than in control mice. In human bronchial epithelial cells treated with house dust mite extracts for 4 h, 8 h, and 24 h, the JAMA, phospho-JNK, and phospho-ERK expressions were increased, as shown by Western blotting, while the transepithelial electrical resistance was reduced. Conclusion These results suggest that JAM-A is involved in the pathogenesis of asthma, and may be a marker for asthma.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Matrix metalloproteinases-8 (MMP-8), neutrophil collagenase, is a functional player in the progressive pathology of various inflammatory disorders. In this study, we administered an MMP-8 inhibitor (MMP-8i) in Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) G2019S transgenic mice, to determine the effects of MMP-8i on PD pathology. We observed a significant increase of ionized calcium- binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1)-positive activated microglia in the striatum of LRRK2 G2019S mice compared to normal control mice, indicating enhanced neuro-inflammatory responses. The increased number of Iba1-positive activated microglia in LRRK2 G2019S PD mice was down-regulated by systemic administration of MMP-8i. Interestingly, this LRRK2 G2019S PD mice showed significantly reduced size of cell body area of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons in SN region and MMP-8i significantly recovered cellular atrophy shown in PD model indicating distinct neuro-protective effects of MMP-8i. Furthermore, MMP-8i administration markedly improved behavioral abnormalities of motor balancing coordination in rota-rod test in LRRK2 G2019S mice. These data suggest that MMP-8i attenuates the pathological symptoms of PD through anti-inflammatory processes.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the skin, with a nearly 2-fold increase in incidence rates over the last two decades. A punch biopsy is considered the primary diagnostic tool for BCC; however, recent studies have reported favorable sensitivity and specificity of dermoscopy as a diagnostic tool for this malignancy. Diagnosis of BCC using the “Menzies criteria” was associated with high sensitivity, and surgery performed immediately after clinico-dermoscopic diagnosis was associated with a high positive predictive value.Therefore, in view of the high diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value, and cost-effectiveness, direct surgical treatment without preoperative biopsy may serve as a primary therapeutic strategy for BCCs that present with typical clinico-dermoscopic features. We report two cases of BCC in patients who underwent successful Mohs microsurgery without preoperative biopsy, using dermoscopy as a primary diagnostic tool.

Background: Dermatofibroma is a common benign skin neoplasm that is usually easy to recognize; however, in some cases, it is difficult to differentiate it from atypical dermatofibroma. Atypical dermatofibroma is a rare variant of a more aggressive nature and requires complete excision due to its tendency to recur. Objective: To describe the clinical and dermoscopic features of dermatofibromas with special emphasis on the characteristics of atypical subtypes and to differentiate them from typical subtypes on the basis of results. Methods: We retrospectively searched the databases of patients of Korea University Ansan Hospital from January 2010 to December 2019 who underwent skin biopsies or excision surgeries and had pathological reports of dermatofibroma. Analyses of the clinical characteristics (age, sex, number of lesions, anatomical site) and dermoscopic patterns were performed. Results: Dermoscopic patterns were analyzed in 148 cases of dermatofibroma; peripheral delicate pigment networks and central white scar-like patches were the most common patterns found in 45 cases (30.4%). In eight cases of atypical dermatofibroma, three cases (37.5%) showed peripheral homogenous areas and central white networks, followed by multiple white scar-like patches in 2 cases (25.0%), peripheral delicate pigment networks, and central white scar-like patches in 2 cases (25.0%). Dermoscopy revealed a statistically significant difference in the peripheral homogenous area and the central white network pattern between the two groups. Conclusion In this study, we analyzed the dermoscopic findings of 148 patients with dermatofibroma and found that the peripheral homogenous area and central white network patterns were significantly more in atypical dermatofibroma.