Discovery and Genetic Characterization of Novel Paramyxoviruses Related to the Genus in Species in the Republic of Korea.

Paramyxoviruses, negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, pose a critical threat to human public health. Currently, 78 species, 17 genera, and 4 subfamilies of paramyxoviruses are harbored by multiple natural reservoirs, including rodents, bats, birds, reptiles, and fish. Henipaviruses are critical zoonotic pathogens that cause severe acute respiratory distress and neurological diseases in humans.

Oral Commissure Lift: A Retrospective Analysis of Complication Rates and Overall Outcomes.

Background: Downward-turning oral commissures and sagging mouth corners can present an unfavorable impression. We introduced a new oral commissure lift procedure and investigated its effectiveness and complication rates.

Methods: Patients who underwent oral commissure lift in the plastic surgery clinic between January 2010 and December 2017 were enrolled retrospectively.

Novel Paju Apodemus paramyxovirus 1 and 2, harbored by Apodemus agrarius in the Republic of Korea.

Paramyxoviruses harbored by multiple natural reservoirs pose a potential threat to public health. Jeilongvirus has been proposed as a novel paramyxovirus genus found in rodents, bats, and cats. Paramyxovirus RNA was detected in 108/824 (13.

Emotional experiences of medical students during cadaver dissection and the role of memorial ceremonies: a qualitative study.

Background: It has been well reported that the emotional experiences of medical students in the gross anatomy laboratory could have significant impacts on their professional identity formation. This qualitative study aimed to investigate students' emotions towards cadaver dissection and the educational role of memorial ceremonies.

Methods: A total of 37 students from eight teams were recruited in the team-based dissection course during two consecutive academic years (2016 and 2017) at one medical school.

Effect of Combined Fibular Osteotomy on the Pressure of the Tibiotalar and Talofibular Joints in Supramalleolar Osteotomy of the Ankle: A Cadaveric Study.

We investigated the effect of combined fibular osteotomy on the pressure of the tibiotalar and talofibular joints in medial opening-wedge supramalleolar osteotomy. Three different tibial osteotomy gaps (6, 8, and 10 mm) were created in 10 cadaveric models, and the pressure in the tibiotalar and talofibular joints was measured under axial load before and after fibular osteotomy. The heel alignment angle and talar translation ratio were evaluated radiographically.

The effect of adipose stem cell therapy on pulmonary fibrosis induced by repetitive intratracheal bleomycin in mice.

Adipose stem cells (ASCs) are detectable in the parenchyma and large airways of lungs after systemic administration, and ameliorate inflammatory infiltration and cell death in animal models of emphysema. We evaluated whether ASC treatment could attenuate lung fibrosis induced by repetitive intratracheal bleomycin administration. Male 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice (control group, bleomycin-only group, and bleomycin-plus-ASC group) were used.

Is intercellular space different among layers in normal esophageal mucosa? An electron microscopic study.

Background/introduction: Dilatation of intercellular space (IS) of esophageal epithelial cells is described as a sensitive early marker for epithelial damage by refluxate. Esophageal epithelia are morphologically subdivided into three layers according to the shape of the cells and nuclei. Meanwhile, ten transmission electron microscopy (TEM) photographs and ten randomly selected measurements per photo from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients have been widely accepted without any theoretical criticism.

Electron microscopic study of intercellular space: correlation analysis of bronchial asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background And Aims: Bronchial asthma (BA) is considered an extra-esophageal syndrome of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with poor pathophysiological background. We analyzed the correlation between GERD and BA, examining esophageal epithelium with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), along with clinical findings.

Methods: BA patients of controlled and partly-controlled levels were enrolled in the study.

Posttranslational arginine methylation of lamin A/C during myoblast fusion.

Protein arginine methylation is a major posttranslational modification that regulates various cellular functions, such as RNA processing and DNA repair. A recent report showed the involvement of protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) 4 in chromatin remodeling and gene expression during muscle differentiation in C2C12 cells. Because the fusion of myoblasts is a unique phenomenon observed in skeletal muscle differentiation, the present study focused on the expression and activities of PRMTs during myoblast fusion in primary rat skeletal muscle.

Ultrastructural changes in myotendinous nerve endings induced by injection of botulinum toxin into the extraocular muscle.

Background: The myotendinous nerve endings located in the extraocular muscles are considered as proprioceptors. The proprioception of extraocular muscles can be altered if botuminium toxin, which is widely used for the treatment of strabismus, damages the endings. The purpose of this study is to investigate the ultrastructural changes in myotendinous nerve endings after injection of botulinum toxin into the extraocular muscles.

An electron microscopic study--correlation of gastroesophageal reflux disease and laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Objectives/hypothesis: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) originates from regurgitation of gastric contents, a mechanism seemingly identical to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Some researchers postulate a connection between LPR and GERD, whereas some assert LPR is a disease apart from GERD. We examined symptoms of GERD from LPR patients, and performed gastrointestinal endoscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to evaluate GERD findings from these patients.

Proteomic analysis in lung tissue of smokers and COPD patients.

Rationale: Although cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for COPD, COPD develops in only a minority of smokers, suggesting a significant genetic role. To solve the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism, it is critical to understand genes and their final product, ie, proteins. We investigated the exclusive proteins from the lung tissues obtained from COPD patients using proteomics.

Intercellular interaction observed by atomic force microscopy.

The cultured myoblasts, focusing on the microprocesses related to the intercellular interaction, were observed by taking topological images. For atomic force microscopy (AFM), cells were fixed and either dried as in usual scanning electron microscopy or kept in the buffer. The dried cells were used for observing intercellular interactions related to the fusion.

Proteomic analysis of peripheral T-lymphocytes in patients with asthma.

Background: Asthma is chronic airway inflammation that occurs together with reversible airway obstruction. T-lymphocytes play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Proteomic technology has rapidly developed in the postgenomic era, and it is now widely accepted as a complementary technology to genetic profiling.

Preserved skin structure of a recently found fifteenth-century mummy in Daejeon, Korea.

Recently published reports on Korea's medieval mummies have been regarded as an invaluable source for studies into the physical characteristics of medieval Koreans. However, even though the mummified tissues have been investigated histologically on various previous occasions, there are many unanswered questions relating to their tissue preservation. The aim of this study was to obtain new data on the ultramicroscopic characteristics of the mummified skin of a fifteenth-century mummy found recently in Daejeon--one of the oldest ever found in Korea.

Ultramicroscopic study on the hair of newly found 15th century mummy in Daejeon, Korea.

Recent reports on the medieval mummies in Korea have been an invaluable source for the studies on the physical characteristics of medieval Koreans. Though the histological observations on the medieval mummy found in Korea were actively reported by researchers, it could not be said that all the queries on the mummies had been completely answered at the present time. In this study, we tried to add the novel data on the ultramicroscopic characteristics of the hair taken from the recently discovered 15th century mummy, the oldest one ever found in Korea.

[Adipocyte signals in energy balance and digestive diseases].

For the regulation of energy balance in various internal organs including gut, pancreas and liver, visceral adipose tissue and brain perform important sensing and signaling roles via neural and endocrine pathway. Among these, adipose tissue has been known as a simple energy-storing organ, which stores excess energy in triglyceride. However, it became apparent that adipocytes have various receptors related to energy homeostasis, and secrete adipocytokines by endocrine, paracrine and autocrine mechanisms.

Proteomic analysis of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma.

Sclerosing hemangioma (SH) is a rare benign pulmonary tumor derived from the primitive respiratory epithelium. However, the pathogenesis of SH has not yet been clear. Surfactant protein, thyroid transcription factor-1, epithelial membrane antigen, cytokeratin, and vimentin have been identified in SH by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.

Ultrastructural study of extraocular muscle tendon axonal profiles in infantile and intermittent exotropia.

Purpose: To investigate the ultrastructures of tendon axonal profiles in infantile and intermittent exotropia. Tendon axonal profiles are composed of myotendinous nerve endings that are presumed to serve as sensorial receptors in ocular proprioception.

Methods: The study subjects included 10 patients with exotropia who had undergone surgery in one eye (recession and resection).

Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori adhesion to human gastric adenocarcinoma epithelial cells by acidic polysaccharides from Artemisia capillaris and Panax ginseng.

Helicobacter pylori specifically adheres to host cells, mainly based on carbohydrate-mediated cell-cell interactions. Previously, we investigated the anti-adhesive effect of polysaccharide fractions from Artemisia capillaris and Panax ginseng, using hemagglutination and enzyme-linked glycosorbent assays. In the present study, each active polysaccharide fraction was further purified, resulting in a single peak (fraction F2) using gel filtration FPLC, in which no protein content was detectable.

Differential regulation of metallothionein-I, II, and III mRNA expression in the rat brain following kainic acid treatment.

Although metallothioneins (MTs) are believed to be involved in the protection against neural stresses, spatio-temporal regulation of MT isoforms following neural insults has not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we found that systemic application of kainic acid (KA) rapidly induced MT-I and II expression in neurons localized in hippocampal formation, piriform cortex, and amygdala of the adult rat, whereas the level of MT-III mRNA was decreased in KA-vulnerable areas. At 96 h after KA treatment, while the neuronal expression of MT-I and II returned to basal level, the glial expression of MT-I, II and III was increased in the reactive astrocytes.

Electron microscopic evaluation of adhesion of Helicobacter pylori to the gastric epithelial cells in chronic gastritis.

Background: The adhesion of H. pylori to the gastric epithelial cells may be an essential step for the pathophysiology of various H. pylori-induced gastrointestinal diseases.