Purpose: This study investigated the changes in gene expression in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) following ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) treatment to elucidate the underlying mechanisms contributing to its neuroprotective effects. Methods: RGCs isolated from Sprague-Dawley rat pups were treated with recombinant CNTF. Gene expression was analyzed via microarray. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were defined as those with a fold change greater than 2 or less than –2. The DEGs were further explored using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Results: Our analysis identified 71 upregulated and 58 downregulated genes. A2m exhibited the highest increase, with a fold change of 4.97, whereas Rho displayed the most significant decrease in expression, with a fold change of –6.38. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed substantial involvement in sensory organ development and the phototransduction pathway. Conclusions This study provides new insights into the impact of CNTF on gene expression in RGCs, suggesting broader neuroprotective mechanisms that could inform future therapeutic strategies for retinal degenerative diseases. Our findings emphasize the importance of further investigation into the complex gene network responses to CNTF treatment.

Background/Aims: Studies on the clinical outcomes after detecting low-grade dysplasia (LGD) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are insufficient. This study evaluated the clinical features, frequency, and risk factors for advanced neoplasia in patients with IBD after an LGD diagnosis. Methods: The medical records of 166 patients with IBD from six university hospitals in Korea from 2010 to 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. LGD was diagnosed in all patients during surveillance. The frequency and risk factors for advanced neoplasia were evaluated, and the clinical features of patients with and without advanced neoplasia were compared. Results: Advanced neoplasia developed in 12 patients (six with large LGD, three with tubulovillous adenoma, and three with high-grade dysplasia), and all cases developed from UC. Patients with advanced neoplasia had significantly higher Mayo scores, and colitis-associated dysplasia was more common than sporadic lesions (83.3% vs. 29.9%; p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that colitis-associated LGD significantly increased the risk of developing advanced neoplasia (odds ratio [OR], 10.516; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.064–53.577). Among patients with colitis-associated lesions, a significant risk factor for advanced neoplasia was a prior history of LGD (OR, 9.429; 95% CI, 1.330–66.863). Conclusions Advanced neoplasia developed in 7.2% of patients with IBD and LGD. Most advanced neoplasms developed from colitis-associated lesions, and the risk was higher in patients with a history of LGD before index colonoscopy.

Background/Aims: Elevated troponin levels predict in-hospital mortality and influence decisions regarding thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). However, the usefulness of high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) regarding PE remains uncertain. We aimed to establish the optimal cut-off level and compare its performance for precise risk stratification. Methods: 374 patients diagnosed with acute PE were reviewed. PE-related adverse outcomes, a composite of PE-related deaths, cardiopulmonary resuscitation incidents, systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg, and all-cause mortality within 30 days were evaluated. The optimal hsTnT cut-off for all-cause mortality, and the net reclassification index (NRI) was used to assess the incremental value in risk stratification. Results: Among 343 normotensive patients, 17 (5.0%) experienced all-cause mortality, while 40 (10.7%) had PE-related adverse outcomes. An optimal hsTnT cut-off value of 60 ng/L for all-cause mortality (AUC 0.74, 95% CI 0.61–0.85, p < 0.001) was identified, which was significantly associated with PE-related adverse outcomes (OR 4.07, 95% CI 2.06–8.06, p < 0.001). Patients with hsTnT ≥ 60 ng/L were older, hypotensive, had higher creatinine levels, and right ventricular dysfunction signs. Combining hsTnT ≥ 60 ng/L with simplified pulmonary embolism severity index ≥1 provided additional prognostic information. Reclassification analysis showed a significant shift in risk categories, with an NRI of 1.016 ± 0.201 (p < 0.001). Conclusions We refined troponin’s predictive value in patients with acute PE, proposing a new cut-off value of hsTnT ≥ 60 ng/L. Validation through large-scale studies is essential to offer clinically useful guidance for managing patient population.

The role of acetylated apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox factor 1 (APE1/Ref-1) in ovarian cancer remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the combined effect of recombinant human APE1/Ref-1 (rhAPE1/Ref-1) and aspirin (ASA) on two ovarian cancer cells, PEO-14, and CAOV3.The viability and apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells treated with rhAPE1/Ref-1 or ASA were assessed. Our results demonstrated that ASA induced rhAPE1/Ref-1 acetylation and widespread hyperacetylation in PEO-14 cells. Additionally, co-treatment with rhAPE1/Ref-1 and ASA substantially reduced cell viability and induced PEO-14 cell apoptosis, not CAOV3, in a dose-dependent manner. ASA increased the expression and membrane localization of the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGEs). Acetylated APE1/Ref-1 showed enhanced binding to RAGEs. In contrast, RAGE knockdown reduced cell death and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage caused by rhAPE1/Ref-1 and ASA combination treatment, highlighting the importance of the APE1/Ref-1-RAGE interaction in triggering apoptosis. Moreover, combination treatment with rhAPE1/Ref-1 and ASA effectively induced apoptosis in 3D spheroid cultures of PEO-14 cells, a model that better mimics the tumor microenvironment. These results demonstrate that acetylated APE1/Ref-1 and its interaction with RAGE is a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. Thus, the combination of ASA and APE1/Ref-1 may offer a promising new strategy for inducing cancer cell death.

To ensure high-quality bioresources and standardize biobanks, there is an urgent need to develop and disseminate educational training programs in accordance with ISO 20387, which was developed in 2018. The standardization of biobank education programs is also required to train biobank experts. The subdivision of categories and levels of education is necessary for jobs such as operations manager (bank president), quality manager, practitioner, and administrator. Essential training includes programs tailored for beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners, along with customized training for operations managers. We reviewed and studied ways to develop an appropriate range of education and training opportunities for standard biobanking education and the training of experts based on KS J ISO 20387. We propose more systematic and professional biobanking training programs in accordance with ISO 20387, in addition to the certification programs of the National Biobank and the Korean Laboratory Accreditation System. We suggest various training programs appropriate to a student’s affiliation or work, such as university biobanking specialized education, short-term job training at unit biobanks, biobank research institute symposiums by the Korean Society of Pathologists, and education programs for biobankers and researchers. Through these various education programs, we expect that Korean biobanks will satisfy global standards, meet the needs of users and researchers, and contribute to the advancement of science.

Background and Objectives: Outcomes of deferring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) without invasive physiologic assessment for intermediate coronary lesions is uncertain.We sought to compare long-term outcomes between medical treatment and PCI of intermediate lesions without invasive physiologic assessment. Methods: A total of 899 patients with intermediate coronary lesions between 50% and 70% diameter-stenosis were randomized to the conservative group (n=449) or the aggressive group (n=450). For intermediate lesions, PCI was performed in the aggressive group, but was deferred in the conservative group. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE, a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction [MI], or ischemia-driven any revascularization) at 3 years. Results: The number of treated lesions per patient was 0.8±0.9 in the conservative group and 1.7±0.9 in the aggressive group (p=0.001). At 3 years, the conservative group had a significantly higher incidence of MACE than the aggressive group (13.8% vs. 9.3%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–2.21; p=0.049), mainly driven by revascularization of target intermediate lesion (6.5% vs. 1.1%; HR, 5.69; 95% CI, 2.20–14.73;p<0.001). Between 1 and 3 years after the index procedure, compared to the aggressive group, the conservative group had significantly higher incidence of cardiac death or MI (3.2% vs.0.7%; HR, 4.34; 95% CI, 1.24–15.22; p=0.022) and ischemia-driven any revascularization. Conclusions For intermediate lesions, medical therapy alone, guided only by angiography, was associated with a higher risk of MACE at 3 years compared with performing PCI, mainly due to increased revascularization.

Background: Syphilis, an infectious and chronic disease primarily transmitted through sexual contact, is caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum. Although the introduction of penicillin has significantly reduced its incidence, syphilis continues to have a substantial impact on public health. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in syphilis and to analyze its epidemiologic, clinical, and serologic characteristics. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 330 patients who tested positive for the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test, including 192 patients who received a diagnosis of syphilis and who visited the Dermatology Department of Gachon University Gil Medical Center between 2000 and 2023. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate trends in syphilis incidence and related variable factors, such as sex, age, and serological results. Results: The average age of the 192 syphilis patients was 34.18±15.81 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.2. The most prevalent age group was 20∼29 years, comprising 71 patients (37.0%). Over time, the incidence of syphilis demonstrated a decreasing trend (p＜0.001). A total of 105 patients (54.7%) were diagnosed with symptomatic syphilis, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. The proportion of symptomatic syphilis patients tended to decrease with increasing age (p＜0.05). Maculopapular syphilis was the most frequently observed presentation in secondary syphilis (36.2%). The proportion of symptomatic syphilis patients significantly increased with higher VDRL titers (p＜0.001). Conclusion The incidence of syphilis has shown a consistent decline over the past two decades. However, the relatively higher prevalence among younger age groups indicates the need for continued public health efforts.

Regorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor used to treat advanced solid tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and colorectal cancer. Adverse dermatological reactions are common after regorafenib treatment. The most frequent cutaneous adverse reaction is hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR). Compared to HFSR, reports on adverse reactions on the scrotum associated with regorafenib are limited. Only a few cases of adverse reactions on the scrotum associated with HFSR have been reported. We present the case of a 55-year-old male patient with a 1-year history of scrotal dermatitis and HFSR, who had been undergoing treatment for HCC.One year after administration of oral regorafenib (160 mg/d), multiple vesicles, pustules, desquamation, and hyperkeratosis developed on both hands and feet, accompanied by scaly erythematous plaques around the scrotum.The lesions improved after two weeks of treatment with topical and systemic steroids. Herein, we report a rare case of scrotal dermatitis associated with regorafenib-induced HFSR.