Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is critical for host defense as well as the progression of inflammatory diseases through the production of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, which is cleaved by active caspase-1. It has been reported that overactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to the development and pathology of acne vulgaris. Therefore, inhibiting activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome may provide a new therapeutic strategy for acne vulgaris. In this study, we investigated whether auranofin, an anti-rheumatoid arthritis agent, inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, thereby effectively treating acne vulgaris.Auranofin suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by Propionibacterium acnes, reducing the production of IL-1β in primary mouse macrophages and human sebocytes. In a P. acnes-induced acne mouse model, injection of P. acnes into the ears of mice induced acne symptoms such as redness, swelling, and neutrophil infiltration. Topical application of auranofin (0.5 or 1%) to mouse ears significantly reduced the inflammatory symptoms of acne vulgaris induced by P. acnes injection. Topical application of auranofin led to the downregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome activated by P. acnes in mouse ear skin. These results show that auranofin inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome, the activation of which is associated with acne symptoms. The results further suggest that topical application of auranofin could be a new therapeutic strategy for treating acne vulgaris by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome.

BACKGROUND: Despite improved managements for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), its mortality remains high. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has emerged as the final option for the treatment of ARDS unresponsive to conventional measures. This study describes our experiences of venovenous ECMO support for the treatment of ARDS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2007 and 2010, 56 patients (aged 56.6+/-13.4 years, 43 males) received venovenous ECMO for the treatment of ARDS. The detailed clinical records were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Before the institution of ECMO support, 35 patients (55.4%) required nitric oxide inhalation, 35 patients (55.4%) received continuous renal replacement therapy, and 20 patients (35.7%) were in shock status. The median duration of ECMO support was 164 hours (range, 5 to 1,413 hours). 27 (48%) patients could be successfully weaned from ECMO. Of them, 7 (13%) survived to discharge. On logistic regression analysis, a requirement for higher inspiratory pressure before ECMO support was the only significant factor that could predict ECMO weaning failure. CONCLUSION: The outcome of venovenous ECMO support for the treatment of ARDS was suboptimal. Further improvements in outcomes should be made through the accumulation of experience and establishment of a standardized protocol for the management of ECMO.
Adult ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Logistic Models ; Nitric Oxide ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Weaning

BACKGROUND: Abnormal expansion of trinucleotide repeats in genes causing spinocerebellar ataxias such as SCA2, SCA3, SCA8, or SCA17 was reported in sporadic or familial Parkinson's disease. Genetic factors play an important role especially in early-onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD). To investigate mutations of ATXN2, ATXN3, and TBP as a possible cause in Korean EOPD, we analyzed mutations in these genes. We also investgated the possibility that trinucleotide repeats numbers in these genes contribute to the development of EOPD. METHODS: Mutation analysis of ATXN2, ATXN3, and TBP was done in 153 EOPD defined as age-at-onset before 51. Distribution of CAG repeats numbers were compared between EOPD and age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: No patients with EOPD had CAG repeats numbers in ATXN2, ATXN3, and TBP in mutation range. There was no difference in the distribution of CAG repeats between EOPD and controls, although we found a trend that CAG repeats numbers in ATXN3 appear larger in EOPD than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Mutations of genes causing SCA2, SCA3, or SCA17 may not be a common genetic cause in Korean EOPD.
Humans ; Organophosphates ; Parkinson Disease ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Trinucleotide Repeats

PURPOSE: To review the sonographic findings of various diseases showing architectural distortion depicted under mammography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected and reviewed architectural distortions observed under mammography at our health institution between 1 March 2004, and 28 February 2007. We collected 23 cases of sonographically-detected mammographic architectural distortions that confirmed lesions after surgical resection. The sonographic findings of mammographic architectural distortion were analyzed by use of the BI-RADS lexicon for shape, margin, lesion boundary, echo pattern, posterior acoustic feature and orientation. RESULTS: There were variable diseases that showed architectural distortion depicted under mammography. Fibrocystic disease was the most common presentation (n = 6), followed by adenosis (n = 2), stromal fibrosis (n = 2), radial scar (n = 3), usual ductal hyperplasia (n = 1), atypical ductal hyperplasia (n = 1) and mild fibrosis with microcalcification (n = 1). Malignant lesions such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (n = 2), lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) (n = 2), invasive ductal carcinoma (n = 2) and invasive lobular carcinoma (n = 1) were observed. As ovserved by sonography, shape was divided as irregular (n = 22) and round (n = 1). Margin was divided as circumscribed (n = 1), indistinct (n = 7), angular (n = 1), microlobulated (n = 1) and sipculated (n = 13). Lesion boundary was divided as abrupt interface (n = 11) and echogenic halo (n = 12). Echo pattern was divided as hypoechoic (n = 20), anechoic (n = 1), hyperechoic (n = 1) and isoechoic (n = 1). Posterior acoustic feature was divided as posterior acoustic feature (n = 7), posterior acoustic shadow (n = 15) and complex posterior acoustic feature (n = 1). Orientation was divided as parallel (n = 12) and not parallel (n = 11). There were no differential sonographic findings between benign and malignant lesions. CONCLUSION: This study presented various sonographic findings of mammographic architectural distortion and that it is difficult to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions depicted under sonography. Pathological confirmation is needed for mammographic architectural distortion.
Acoustics ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; Cicatrix ; Fibrosis ; Hyperplasia ; Mammography ; Orientation

We performed a retrospective epidemiologic survey on Kawasaki disease (KD) from 1997 to 1999 in Korea. We sent a questionnaire to 111 training hospitals, and summarized the data from 50 hospitals that responded. Data from a total of 3,862 cases were collected, which showed no difference in annual incidence and a seasonal predilection for summer. The male-to-female ratio was 1.51:1, and the mean age was 29.7 months. The prevalence of sibling cases was 0.26%, and the rate of recurrent cases was 2.3%. The proportion of patients with KD among total hospitalized pediatric patients was 1.19% in average, showing a significant difference according to the regions. Coronary arterial (CA) abnormalities were detected by echocardiography in 19.8% of cases (737/3,723) including dilatations in 601 cases (16.1%) and aneurysms in 191 cases (5.1%). Data from total 8,251 cases in the 1990s including the cases in the present study, in Korea showed a mean age of patients 28.9 months, male-to-female ratio 1.6:1, seasonal predilection for summer, prevalence of sibling cases 0.24%, rate of recurrent cases 2.3%, incidence of CA abnormalities 21.0%, and incidence of CA aneurysms 5.2%, with statistically significant decreasing trends in the male-to-female ratio and the rate of CA abnormalities.
Adolescent ; Age Distribution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Coronary Vessels/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome/*epidemiology ; Questionnaires ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Sex Distribution

As for the pathomechanism for cerebral damage in stroke, following steps have been proposed the reduction of oxygen and glucose levels in the affected brain results in a decreased ATP levels, and then excessive release and reduced uptake of the excitatory amino acid (EAA) glutamate; activation of both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA glutamate receptors by EAA forced massive calcium influx into neurons; the excess intracellular calcium causes structural damage to cytoskeleton and membranes as a result of activation of kinases, proteases, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Both ROS and excitotoxicity are pathogenetic events related to stroke as well as a wide range of other neurological disorders. It has become clear that neurotrophic factors in the central nervous system (CNS) play major roles in the development and maintenance of neural circuits, and that ischemic and other insults to the brain induce marked changes of gene expression for neurotrophic factors and their receptors, and the functional affects of the changes are related to protection against neuronal damage and stimulation of sprouting and synaptic reorganization. These neurotrophic factors include nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3, 45 (NT-3, 4/5, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and midkine (MK). In the present study, a hypothesis is made that the neuronal damage found in the stroke patients may be due to the metabolic derangement partly caused by oxygen radicals. To test this hypothesis, the experimental model was developed using tissue culture system and the protective effect of several neurotrophic factors against ROS-mediated cell injury was evaluated.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Brain ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Calcium ; Central Nervous System ; Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor ; Cytoskeleton ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Excitatory Amino Acids ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Glutamic Acid ; Humans* ; Membranes ; Models, Theoretical ; N-Methylaspartate ; Nerve Growth Factor ; Nerve Growth Factors* ; Nervous System Diseases ; Neurons* ; Oxygen* ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Phosphotransferases ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Stroke

PURPOSE: To determine the epidemiology and rate of cardiac sequelae of Kawasaki disease in Korea. METHODS: On behalf of the Korean Pediatric Cardiology Society, we sent a questionnaire to 107 training hospitals two times; first period(Jan. 94-Sep. 95) and second period(Oct. 95-Dec. 96), and summarized the data of the survey from 58 hospitals which responded. RESULTS: The total number of patients was 2,680 cases, with male to female ratio and mean age 1.6 and 28.9+/-20.0 months, respectively. The total number of cases of 19 hospitals which participated in the first and second periods was 1,045, including 354 in 1994, 315 in 1995, and 376 in 1996, which showed no difference in annual incidence and higher incidence in Jan., May, June and July. The proportions of sibling cases was 0.26%(7/2,680) and rate of recurrent cases was 1.7% (46/2,680), and the proportion of patients with Kawasaki disease among total hospitalized pediatric patients was 1.13% in average, showing no significant difference according to regions. Echocardiogram was done in 93.5% of patients(2,507/2,680), and coronary abnormalities occurred in 20.1% of cases (505/2,507) including 16.8% of dilatations and 5.4% of aneurysms. CONCLUSION: Compared with a previous study in 1991-1993, this data showed somewhat increased mean age, increased recurrence rate and decreased incidence of coronary arterial abnormalities statistically. Studies like this needs to be continued in the future to determine the epidemiologic trends of Kawasaki disease in Korea.
Aneurysm ; Cardiology ; Coronary Aneurysm ; Dilatation ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recurrence ; Siblings

PURPOSE: Measles is one of the most highly communicable infectious disease, but has become a rare disease with the widespread use of vaccine. Recently, however, resurgence of the disease in school aged or adolescents who had received the vaccine before or at the 15 month warrants reappraisal of the efficacy of the vaccination. The purpose of this study was to investigate positive prevalence of antibody and its quantitative titers in different age groups in order to determine necessity and appropriate time of booster vaccine. METHODS: We measured measles antibody in the sera of 192 children from different age groups(61 cases from 4-6 years of age, 40 cases from 8-9 years of age, 47 cases from 12-13 years of age, 44 cases from 15-16 years of age). Eight to ten children from each group were selected and quantitative antibody titers were measured by EIA(measles Ig G EIA SEIKEN) method. RESULTS: 1) The positive prevalence of measles antibody in four to six year age group(72%) was significantly lower than the expected positive prevalence of measles antibody(95%) (p<0.001). 2) Median antibody titer in twelve to thirteen year age group tended to be relatively lower than the other age groups. 3) There was no significant differences in the positive prevalence of measles antibody and median titers between sex. CONCLUSIONS: This data supported that the booster vaccination be needed at four to six years of age.
Adolescent ; Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Measles* ; Prevalence ; Rare Diseases ; Vaccination*

No abstract available.
Acinetobacter Infections* ; Acinetobacter* ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Myocarditis* ; Rheumatic Fever*