PURPOSE: Emerging evidence indicates that runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is an important tumor suppressor gene in several cancer types, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the clinical significance of RUNX3 inactivation in CRC remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between clinicopathologic factors and RUNX3 hypermethylation/expression in CRC. METHODS: Sixty-two CRC patients who were treated at the Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine were recruited in this study. The hypermethylation of CpG islands in the RUNX3 promoter and the expression of RUNX3 mRNA were identified by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-PCR, respectively. The expression of RUNX3 was determined by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Of the 62 CRC tissue samples, 20 (32.3%) presented hypermethylated RUNX3 promoters. Aberrant RUNX3 hypermethylation was found to be associated with vascular (P = 0.006) and lymphatic (P = 0.002) invasion. Hypermethylation of RUNX3 was associated with poor survival outcomes (P = 0.038). However, expression of RUNX3 was not a prognostic factor (P = 0.363). CONCLUSION: Hypermethylation of RUNX3 may be a predictor of a poor prognosis in CRC.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 3 Subunit ; CpG Islands ; Epigenomics ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Methylation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; Transcription Factor 3

Correction of funding statement in ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a well-differentiated and rare vascular tumor. Systemic metastases are uncommon. Herein, we present a patient with skin metastasis of pulmonary EHE (PEH) that was treated by wide excision. A 76-year-old male was evaluated due to pulmonary thromboembolism and a solitary pulmonary nodule. A biopsy was performed and pathological examination of the mass confirmed EHE. No metastasis was observed. The patient returned to care approximately two years later due to a painful nodule in the right lower leg. A skin biopsy showed metastatic EHE from the lung. We used a safety margin of 1 cm based on clinical experience, because no prior case had been reported regarding the resection margin appropriate for primary cutaneous EHE and skin metastases of PEH. At four months after surgery, the patient recovered without complications or recurrence. Skin metastasis of PEH is extremely rare, and only two cases have been reported in the literature. In this case, we report a rare case of PEH with histologically diagnosed skin metastasis that was successfully treated by curative resection. It is expected that this case report will provide a helpful contribution to the extant data regarding PEH metastases.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures ; Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid* ; Humans ; Leg ; Lung ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Recurrence ; Skin* ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We compared changes in heart-femoral pulse wave velocity (hfPWV) in response to low sodium and high sodium diet between individuals with sodium sensitivity (SS) and resistance (SR) to evaluate the influence of sodium intake on arterial stiffness. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Thirty-one hypertensive and 70 normotensive individuals were given 7 days of low sodium dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) diet (LSD, 100 mmol NaCl/day) followed by 7 days of high sodium DASH diet (HSD, 300 mmol NaCl/day) during 2 weeks of hospitalization. The hfPWV was measured and compared after the LSD and HSD. RESULTS: The hfPWV was significantly elevated from LSD to HSD in individuals with SS (P = 0.001) independently of changes in mean arterial pressure (P = 0.037). Conversely, there was no significant elevation of hfPWV from LSD to HSD in individuals with SR. The percent change in hfPWV from the LSD to the HSD in individuals with SS was higher than that in individuals with SR. Subgroup analysis revealed that individuals with both SS and hypertension showed significant elevation of hfPWV from LSD to HSD upon adjusted analysis using changes of the means arterial pressure (P = 0.040). However, there was no significant elevation of hfPWV in individuals with SS and normotension. CONCLUSION: High sodium intake elevated hfPWV in hypertensive individuals with SS, suggesting that high sodium intake increases aortic stiffness, and may contribute to enhanced cardiovascular risk in hypertensive individuals with SS.
Arterial Pressure ; Diet* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ; Pulse Wave Analysis* ; Sodium* ; Sodium, Dietary ; Vascular Stiffness

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We compared changes in heart-femoral pulse wave velocity (hfPWV) in response to low sodium and high sodium diet between individuals with sodium sensitivity (SS) and resistance (SR) to evaluate the influence of sodium intake on arterial stiffness. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Thirty-one hypertensive and 70 normotensive individuals were given 7 days of low sodium dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) diet (LSD, 100 mmol NaCl/day) followed by 7 days of high sodium DASH diet (HSD, 300 mmol NaCl/day) during 2 weeks of hospitalization. The hfPWV was measured and compared after the LSD and HSD. RESULTS: The hfPWV was significantly elevated from LSD to HSD in individuals with SS (P = 0.001) independently of changes in mean arterial pressure (P = 0.037). Conversely, there was no significant elevation of hfPWV from LSD to HSD in individuals with SR. The percent change in hfPWV from the LSD to the HSD in individuals with SS was higher than that in individuals with SR. Subgroup analysis revealed that individuals with both SS and hypertension showed significant elevation of hfPWV from LSD to HSD upon adjusted analysis using changes of the means arterial pressure (P = 0.040). However, there was no significant elevation of hfPWV in individuals with SS and normotension. CONCLUSION: High sodium intake elevated hfPWV in hypertensive individuals with SS, suggesting that high sodium intake increases aortic stiffness, and may contribute to enhanced cardiovascular risk in hypertensive individuals with SS.
Arterial Pressure ; Diet* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ; Pulse Wave Analysis* ; Sodium* ; Sodium, Dietary ; Vascular Stiffness

Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma (CPF) is a rare and benign primary cardiac neoplasm of unknown prevalence. The incidence of CPF in the left ventricle is lower than that in other parts of the heart. A 65-year-old female was referred to our cardiology department for evaluation of a cardiac mass of the left ventricle. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a 1.8 x 1.7 cm highly mobile round mass attached by a stalk to the apical inferior wall of the left ventricle with an echolucent area. The mass was successfully removed without any postoperative complications and was identified as a CPF.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Echocardiography ; Female ; *Fibroma/diagnosis/surgery ; *Heart Neoplasms/diagnosis/surgery ; Heart Ventricles/pathology ; Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

The aim of this project was to use 3D scanning data collected at incident scenes and various evidence to 1) develop surveying methods based on 3D data consisting of overall and detailed scene evidence, captured by long-range and micros-canner, which can be shared by personnel working in different fields such as forensic medicine, video analysis, physical analysis, traffic engineering, and fire investigation; 2) create digital storage for human skeletons and set the foundation for virtual anthropology; and 3) improve the credibility of 3D evidence by virtual remodeling and simulation of incident scenes and evidence to provide a basis for advanced and high-tech scientific investigation. Two complete skeletons of male and female were scanned using 3D micro-scanner. Each bone was successfully reproduced and assembled in virtual space. In addition, recreating evidence scheduled for invasive examination by creating RP (rapid prototype) was possible. These outcomes could play an important role in setting up the new field of virtual anthropology. Case-specific surveying methods were developed through analysis of 3D scanning data collected by long-range surface scanners at the scenes of vehicular accidents, falls, shootings, and violent crimes. A technique and recording method was also developed for detecting forged seals by micro-scanning the pressure exerted on the seal. Appraisal methods developed in this project could be utilized to secure 3D data of human skeletal remains and incident scenes, create a standard for application, and increase objectivity, reproducibility, and accuracy of scanning methods. We plan to develop case-specific 3D data analysis techniques to improve the credibility of analysis at the NFS and to establish a 3D data collection and analysis team.
Crime ; Data Collection ; Female ; Fires ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Sciences ; Humans ; Male ; Skeleton ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke requires consistent care, but there is concern over the "weekend effect", whereby a weekend admission results in a poor outcome. Our aim was to determine the impact of weekend admission on clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke in Korea. METHODS: The outcomes of patients admitted on weekdays and weekends were compared by analyzing data from a prospective outcome registry enrolling 1247 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to four neurology training hospitals in South Korea between September 2004 and August 2005. The primary outcome was a poor functional outcome at 3 months, defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 3-6. Secondary outcomes were 3-month mortality, use of thrombolysis, complication rate, and length of hospitalization. Shift analysis was also performed to compare overall mRS distributions. RESULTS: On weekends, 334 (26.8%) patients were admitted. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the weekday and weekend groups except for more history of heart disease and shorter admission time in weekend group. Univariate analysis revealed poor functional outcome at 3 months, 3-month mortality, complication rate, and length of hospitalization did not differ between the two groups. In addition, overall mRS distributions were comparable (p=0.865). After adjusting for baseline factors and stroke severity, weekend admission was not associated with poor functional outcome at 3 months (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.74-1.50). Furthermore, none of secondary endpoints differed between the two groups in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Weekend admission was not associated with poor functional outcome than weekday admission in patients with acute ischemic stroke in this study. The putative weekend effect should be explored further by considering a wider range of hospital settings and hemorrhagic stroke.
Heart Diseases ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Neurology ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea ; Stroke

BACKGROUND: Granulocyte stimulating factor (G-CSF) and bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) were reported to improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI). This study was to examine their combined beneficial effects and mechanisms of actions in reperfused MI, which have not been verified yet. METHODS:Fifteen pigs were divided into 3 groups after a 1-hour balloon occlusion and reperfusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. G1 (n=5) was a control, G2 (n=5) was a G-CSF injected group (10 ug/kg/day, from day1 to day7 after MI), and G3 (n=5) was an autologous intracoronary BM-MNC infused group after G-CSF treatment RESULTS:Modified wall motion indices by echocardiography were similar among 3 groups at 24 hours after MI. However, they improved significantly in G2 and G3 at 35days after MI (p<0.05). The percentage of infarct area/left ventricular myocardial area measured from a triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) stain was lower in G3 than in G1 or G2 (p=0.026). The number of vWF-positive vessels and the expressions of vWF and VE cardherin by RT-PCR were higher in G3 and G2 than in G1 (p<0.05). The number of TUNEL-positive cells and bcl2/bax ratio were not significantly different among 3 groups. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that intracoronary BM-MNC infusion with G-CSF treatment in reperfused MI reduced infarct size, improved left ventricular function and prevented ventricular remodeling.
Balloon Occlusion ; Bone Marrow ; Coronary Vessels ; Echocardiography ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocytes ; Myocardial Infarction ; Reperfusion ; Swine ; Tetrazolium Salts ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Ventricular Remodeling

PURPOSE: In this multi institutional study, the data of 604 men with clinically localized prostate cancer, who underwent radical prostatectomy, with updated nomograms predicting the pathological stage, were analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prostate biopsies and prostatectomy specimens from men treated with radical prostatectomy, obtained between 1990 and 2003, were included. The patient distribution with respect to clinical stage, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and biopsy Gleason score, as well as final pathological findings, including organ-confined disease (OCD), extracapsular extension (ECE), seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), and lymph node metastasis (LNM), were analyzed for the construction of nomograms representing the percent probabilities of each respective pathological outcome. RESULTS: The median serum PSA at the time of surgery and biopsy Gleason score were 9.9ng/ml and 7, respectively. The preoperative serum PSA was 4ng/ml or less in 38 (6.3%) patients and the tumor was impalpable in 292 (48.2%) of patients. The biopsy Gleason scores were 7 and 8 or higher in 186 (30.7%) and 169 (27.9%), respectively. Throughout the clinical stages and PSA ranges, the Gleason score was 7 or higher in more than 50% of patients, but 8-10 in 20-30%. The overall OCD, ECE, SVI and LNM rates were 57.1, 27.8, 10.9 and 4.2%, respectively. CONCLISIONS: A significantly high proportion of prostate cancers arising in Korean men exhibited poor differentiation, with Gleason scores of 7 or higher, regardless of the clinical stage or initial serum PSA. Updated nomograms acknowledging such characteristics have been developed, which may aid in the treatment planning of these individuals.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nomograms* ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Seminal Vesicles