Background: Pokemon is an oncogenic transcription regulator that plays a critical role in cellular differentiation. Although it has been found to be overexpressed in several types of cancer involving different organs, its role in thyroid gland has yet to be reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of Pokemon in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) based on clinicopathological parameters. Methods: Tissue microarray samples derived from patients with PTC or benign thyroid disease were used to evaluate Pokemon expression based on immunohistochemical analysis. Correlations of its expression with various clinicopathological parameters were then analyzed. Results: Pokemon expression was observed in 22.0% of thyroid follicular cells from the normal group, 44.0% from the group with benign thyroid diseases, and 92.1% from the group with PTC (p < .001). The intensity of Pokemon expression was markedly higher in the PTC group. Pokemon expression level and PTC tumor size showed an inverse correlation. T1a tumors showed strong expression levels of Pokemon. However, larger tumors showed weak expression (p = .006). Conclusions Pokemon expression is associated with tumorigenesis of PTC, with expression showing an inverse correlation with PTC tumor size. This might be related to the negative regulation of aerobic glycolysis by Pokemon.

Background: Pokemon is an oncogenic transcription regulator that plays a critical role in cellular differentiation. Although it has been found to be overexpressed in several types of cancer involving different organs, its role in thyroid gland has yet to be reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of Pokemon in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) based on clinicopathological parameters. Methods: Tissue microarray samples derived from patients with PTC or benign thyroid disease were used to evaluate Pokemon expression based on immunohistochemical analysis. Correlations of its expression with various clinicopathological parameters were then analyzed. Results: Pokemon expression was observed in 22.0% of thyroid follicular cells from the normal group, 44.0% from the group with benign thyroid diseases, and 92.1% from the group with PTC (p < .001). The intensity of Pokemon expression was markedly higher in the PTC group. Pokemon expression level and PTC tumor size showed an inverse correlation. T1a tumors showed strong expression levels of Pokemon. However, larger tumors showed weak expression (p = .006). Conclusions Pokemon expression is associated with tumorigenesis of PTC, with expression showing an inverse correlation with PTC tumor size. This might be related to the negative regulation of aerobic glycolysis by Pokemon.

Excessive intake of sodium caused by high salt diet promotes the expression of inflammatory cytokines and differentiation of helper T cells resulting in inflammatory responses. High-glucose diet also contributes to the pathogenesis of periodontitis by inducing changes in the oral microbiome and reducing salivation. However, the effect of a high-salt and glucose diet (HSGD) on the prognosis of periodontitis remains unclear. In this study, a rat modelof experimental periodontitis was established by periodic insertion of absorbable sutures containing Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum strains into the right gingival sulcus to analyze the effect of HSGD on the incidence and progression of periodontitis. The alveolar bone heights (ABH) was measured with microcomputed tomography imaging of the HSGD- and general diet (GD)-treated groups. The right ABH was significantly decreased compared to the left in both groups at 4 weeks after induction of inflammation; however, no significant difference was noted between the groups. Notably, the ABH in the HSGD-treated group was significantly decreased at 8 weeks after induction of inflammation, whereas in the GD-treated group, an increase in the ABH was observed; a significant difference of the ABH was noted between the two groups (p < 0.05). At 12 weeks, recovery of the alveolar bone was observed in both groups, with no significant differences in ABH between the two groups. These findings indicate that the intake of excessive sodium attenuates the recovery rate of the alveolar bone even after the local infectant isremoved. In addition, this study demonstrates the use of HSGD in establishing a new animal model of periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Cancer risk and epidemiology in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) warrant further investigation in a large-scale cohort. METHODS: We performed a nationwide population-based study using the national health insurance database of Korea. We screened records from 18,936,885 individuals who received a national health examination ≥ 2 times from 2009 to 2016. Pre-dialysis CKD was identified based on serum creatinine and dipstick albuminuria results. Individuals with preexisting cancer history, renal replacement therapy, or transient CKD were excluded. A control group without evidence of kidney function impairment and matched for age, sex, low-income status, and smoking history was included. Risk of cancers, as identified in the claims database, was investigated using a multivariable Cox regression model including matched variables and other unmatched clinical characteristics as covariates. RESULTS: A total of 471,758 people with pre-dialysis CKD and the same number of matched controls were included. Urinary (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.97; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.82–2.13) and hematopoietic (adjusted HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.38–1.68) malignancy risk was increased in pre-dialysis CKD and all CKD stages. However, the risk of digestive cancer was lower in the pre-dialysis CKD group (adjusted HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.87–0.92). The risk of digestive, respiratory, thyroid, and prostate malignancy demonstrated a non-linear association with CKD stage, with stage 1 or stage 4/5 CKD without dialysis demonstrating relatively lower risk. CONCLUSION: Cancer risk varied in pre-dialysis CKD compared to controls, and the association between cancer risk and CKD stage varied depending on the cancer type.
Albuminuria ; Cohort Studies ; Comorbidity ; Creatinine ; Dialysis ; Epidemiology ; Kidney ; Korea ; National Health Programs ; Prostate ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thyroid Gland

Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Lung ; Male ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Spirometry ; Vital Capacity

PURPOSE: Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) to antiepileptic drug (AED), are rare, but result in significant morbidity and mortality. We investigated the major culprit drugs, clinical characteristics, and clinical course and outcomes of AED-induced SCARs using a nationwide registry in Korea. METHODS: A total of 161 patients with AED-induced SCARs from 28 referral hospitals were analyzed. The causative AEDs, clinical characteristics, organ involvements, details of treatment, and outcomes were evaluated. We compared the clinical and laboratory parameters between SJS/TEN and DRESS according to the leading causative drugs. We further determined risk factors for prolonged hospitalization in AED-induced SCARs. RESULTS: Carbamazepine and lamotrigine were the most common culprit drugs causing SCARs. Valproic acid and levetiracetam also emerged as the major causative agents. The disease duration and hospital stay in carbamazepine-induced SJS/TEN were shorter than those in other AEDs (P< 0.05, respectively). In younger patients, lamotrigine caused higher incidences of DRESS than other drugs (P= 0.045). Carbamazepine, the most common culprit drug for SCARs, was associated with a favorable outcome related with prolonged hospitalization in SJS (odds ratio, 0.12; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.63, P= 0.12), and thrombocytopenia was found to be a risk factor for prolonged hospitalization in DRESS. CONCLUSION: This was the first large-scale epidemiological study of AED-induced SCARs in Korea. Valproic acid and levetiracetam were the significant emerging AEDs causing SCARs in addition to the well-known offending AEDs such as carbamazepine and lamotrigine. Carbamazepine was associated with reduced hospitalization, but thrombocytopenia was a risk factor for prolonged hospitalization. Our results suggest that the clinical characteristics and clinical courses of AED-induced SCARs might vary according to the individual AEDs.
Anticonvulsants ; Carbamazepine ; Cicatrix ; Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Referral and Consultation ; Risk Factors ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; Thrombocytopenia ; Valproic Acid

PURPOSE: Liver resection is considered the only curative treatment modality for colorectal liver metastasis. The recurrence rate after hepatectomy is >50%. Two or more hepatectomies are applied to treat recurred metastases. We assessed the efficiency and feasibility of repeat hepatectomy and analyzed the prognostic factors after a repeat hepatectomy. METHODS: In total, 248 patients were diagnosed with recurred liver metastasis between January 2003 and May 2016. Second and third hepatectomies were performed in 70 and 7 patients, respectively. The other 171 patients did not undergo a repeat hepatectomy. Clinical features were collected from the medical records. We analyzed survival rates of the repeat hepatectomy group and the nonrepeat hepatectomy group. We also investigated factors affecting overall and disease-free survival of patients who received a repeat hepatectomy using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Median overall survival was significantly higher in the repeat hepatectomy group than in the nonrepeat group (83.0 months vs. 25.0 months, P < 0.001). The morbidity and mortality rates of repeat hepatectomy were 9.1% and 0%, respectively. Median overall and disease-free survival of the repeat hepatectomy group were 62.0 and 51.0 months, respectively. The number of recurred tumors was the only significant factor for disease-free survival (P = 0.029). None of the factors affected overall survival. CONCLUSION: Repeat hepatectomy is necessary, effective, and safe for treating recurred colorectal liver metastasis. Repeat hepatectomy can be considered in patients with fewer than three recurred metastatic tumors.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Disease-Free Survival ; Feasibility Studies ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

Legionella species are abundant in the built environment and are increasingly recognized as a cause of Legionnaires' disease (LD). As the number of cases of Legionnaires' disease acquired by local communities in the Seoul metropolitan area in Korea has been increased, there was concern that changes in environmental factors could affect disease outbreaks. We described the association between climatic variables and occurrence of legionellosis in Korea and Legionella detection rate in Seoul area. A total of 418 cases of legionellosis were reported between 2014 and 2017. There was a seasonal peak in summer. LD continuously occurred from early spring to winter every year and rapidly increased in summer. In the regression analysis, the primary variables of interest- PM2.5 (µg/m³), NO₂ (ppb), and a number of the date of issue O₃ warning were not significant except for average temperature (R²=0.8075). The Legionella detection rate in Seoul, Korea showed a trend similar to precipitation (P=0.708, ANOVA). A relatively high proportion of Legionella detection rate was shown, especially cooling tower (17.7%) and public bath (19.3%). This finding is in line with current understanding of the ecological profile of this pathogen and supports the assertion that legionellosis occurs through contamination of water sources.
Baths ; Disease Outbreaks ; Epidemiology ; Korea ; Legionella ; Legionellosis ; Legionnaires' Disease ; Regression Analysis ; Seasons ; Seoul ; Water

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences in hyolaryngeal kinematics at rest and during swallowing in the upright sitting (UP) and the lateral decubitus (LD) postures in healthy adults, and delineating any potential advantages of swallowing while in the LD posture. METHODS: Swallowing was videofluoroscopically evaluated in 20 healthy volunteers in UP and LD postures, based on the movements of hyoid bone, vocal folds, and the bolus head. Parameters included the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), horizontal and vertical displacement, horizontal and vertical initial position, horizontal and vertical peak position, time to peak position of the hyoid bone and vocal folds, and pharyngeal transit time (PTT). RESULTS: Nine participants were rated PAS 2 in the UP and 1 was rated PAS 2 in the LD (p=0.003) at least 1 out of 3 swallows each posture. The hyoid and vocal folds showed more anterior and superior peak and initial positions in the LD. In addition, swallowing resulted in greater vertical and smaller horizontal displacement of the hyoid in LD posture compared with UP. Time to peak position of the hyoid was shorter in LD. The maximal vertical and horizontal displacement of the vocal folds, and PTT were comparable between postures. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the peak and initial positions of the hyoid and larynx and the pattern of hyoid movement varied significantly depending on the body postures. This study suggests that the LD posture was one of the safe feeding postures without any increased risk compared with UP posture.
Adult ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Deglutition Disorders ; Deglutition* ; Head ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone ; Larynx ; Posture* ; Swallows ; Vocal Cords

PURPOSE: Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are progressive neurodegenerative disorders with diverse modes of inheritance. There are several subtypes of SCAs. SCA 8, SCA 12, and SCA 17 are the less common forms of SCAs with limited information available on their epidemiological profiles in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17 in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-six unrelated Korean patients were enrolled and showed normal trinucleotide repeats through polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) for the genes ATXN1, ATXN2, ATXN3, CACNA1A , and ATXN7, which correspond to SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, and SCA7, respectively. PCR products from patients were further analyzed by capillary electrophoresis using fluorescence labeled primers for the genes ATXN8OS, PPP2R2B, and TBP, which correspond to SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17. RESULTS: Three patients had 104, 97, and 75 abnormal expanded repeats in the ATXN8OS gene, the causative gene for SCA8. None of the patients exhibited abnormal repeats in SCA12 and SCA17. Normal trinucleotide repeat ranges of the cohort in this study were estimated to be 17-34 copies (average, 24+/-4 copies) for SCA8, 7-18 copies (average, 13+/-3 copies) for SCA12, and 26-43 copies (average, 35+/-2 copies) for SCA17. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17 are rare in Korean patients with SCA, and further genetic studies are warranted to enhance the mutation detection rate in the Korean SCA population.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cohort Studies ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Korea ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid* ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias* ; Trinucleotide Repeats ; Wills