Volumetric Variability of the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Reflects the Propensity for Engaging in High-Stakes Gambling Behavior.

The human ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been traditionally associated with decision-making under risk. Neuroimaging studies of such decision-making processes have largely focused on patients with vmPFC lesions or pathological gambling behavior, leading to a relative paucity of work focusing on the structural variability of the vmPFC in healthy individuals. To address this, we developed a decision-making task that allowed healthy players to choose to participate in either low stakes or high-stakes gambling on a trial-by-trial basis, and computed a metric that indexes the propensity for engaging in gambles with greater potential payoffs.

Immunogenicity and safety of a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine and a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine after concomitant vaccination in ≥ 50-year-old adults.

Background: When two or more vaccines are administered concurrently, there is concern about safety and immunogenicity from vaccine interaction.

Methods: Subjects aged ≥50 years were randomized 1:1:1 to receive tetanus-diphtheria (Td) + 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13; Group 1), PCV13 alone (Group 2), or Td alone (Group 3). After single or concomitant vaccination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and opsonophagocytic assay (OPA) were performed to compare immunogenicity for Td and PCV13, respectively.

Analysis of Risk Factors for Severe Acute Respiratory Infection and Pneumonia and among Adult Patients with Acute Respiratory Illness during 2011-2014 Influenza Seasons in Korea.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends the surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) to respond effectively to both seasonal influenza epidemics and pandemics. In Korea, the "Hospital-based Influenza Morbidity and Mortality (HIMM)" surveillance system has been operated to monitor ILI and SARI occurrences.

Materials And Methods: A multi-center prospective observational study was conducted.

Clinical and microbiological characterization of serotype 6D pneumococcal infections in South Korea.

Background: The prevalence of Serotype 6D Streptococcus pneumoniae was reported relatively high in South Korea. Since the introduction of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), serotype replacement was observed. This study was designed to better clarify genetic diversity of pneumococcal serotype 6D and its clinical characteristics after introduction of PCV7 in 2000.

[Culture and polymerase chain reaction of Helicobacter pylori from rectal and terminal ileal fluid after polyethylene glycol (colyte) ingestion in healthy adults with positive urea breath test].

Background/aims: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) transmission route is not yet clearly understood. Isolating H.

Anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor apoptotic activities of a topoisomerase II inhibiting agent SJ-8026.

A new piperazine derivative, SJ-8026, is a synthetic anti-cancer agent which exhibits topoisomerase II-inhibiting activities. In this study, we investigated the possibility that this compound inhibits angiogenesis and induces tumor-cell apoptosis using bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) and human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) as a model system. in vivo, SJ-8026 decreased the neovascularization of chick embryos and the basic fibroblast growth factor-induced angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane and the mouse Matrigel implants.

Anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor apoptotic activities of SJ-8002, a new piperazine derivative.

A new piperazine derivative, SJ-8002, is a synthetic anti-cancer agent which exhibits microtubule-inhibiting activities. In this study, we investigated the possibility that this compound inhibits angiogenesis and induces tumor-cell apoptosis using bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) and human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) as a model system, respectively. In vivo, SJ-8002 decreased the neovascularization of chick embryos and the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and the mouse Matrigel implants, respectively.

IFN-gamma induces transglutaminase 2 expression in rat small intestinal cells.

Transglutaminase 2 (tissue transglutaminase, TGase 2) was recently identified as an endomysial autoantigen in celiac disease (CD). Identification of how TGase 2 expression is increased may allow a better understanding of this autoimmune disease. Certain inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and the Th type I cytokine interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) are abundant in CD.