Hemoglobin Subunit Theta 1 Promotes Proliferation by Reducing Reactive Oxygen Species in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Lung adenocarcinoma is a crucial contributor to cancer-related mortality; however, effective treatments remain challenging. The present study aimed to investigate the role of hemoglobin subunit theta 1 (HBQ1), an α subunit of hemoglobin whose expression has recently been reported in non-erythroid cells, in lung adenocarcinoma. Comparative analysis showed that HBQ1 expression was significantly higher in lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared to normal lung tissues.

Engineered Human Antibody with Improved Endothelin Receptor Type A Binding Affinity, Developability, and Serum Persistence Exhibits Excellent Antitumor Potency.

Endothelin receptor A (ET), a class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is a promising tumor-associated antigen due to its close association with the progression and metastasis of many types of cancer, such as colorectal, breast, lung, ovarian, and prostate cancer. However, only small-molecule drugs have been developed as ET antagonists with anticancer effects. In a previous study, we identified an antibody (AG8) with highly selective binding to human ET through screening of a human naïve immune antibody library.

GPR87 Promotes Metastasis through the AKT-eNOS-NO Axis in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Despite the availability of advanced anticancer drugs for lung cancer treatment, the prognosis of patients still remains poor. There is a need to explore novel oncogenic mechanisms to overcome these therapeutic limitations.

A human antibody against human endothelin receptor type A that exhibits antitumor potency.

Endothelin receptor A (ET), a class A G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is involved in the progression and metastasis of colorectal, breast, lung, ovarian, and prostate cancer. We overexpressed and purified human endothelin receptor type A in Escherichia coli and reconstituted it with lipid and membrane scaffold proteins to prepare an ET nanodisc as a functional antigen with a structure similar to that of native GPCR. By screening a human naive immune single-chain variable fragment phage library constructed in-house, we successfully isolated a human anti-ET antibody (AG8) exhibiting high specificity for ET in the β-arrestin Tango assay and effective inhibitory activity against the ET-1-induced signaling cascade via ET using either a CHO-K1 cell line stably expressing human ET or HT-29 colorectal cancer cells, in which AG8 exhibited IC values of 56 and 51 nM, respectively.

Blockade of endothelin receptor A enhances the therapeutic efficacy of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is currently one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The high rate of mortality in pancreatic cancer patients is due to the inability to detect early-stage disease and the disease being highly refractory to therapy. Gemcitabine has been the standard chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer patients for the last two decades.

Non-Heme Iron Catalysts for Olefin Epoxidation: Conformationally Rigid Aryl-Aryl Junction To Support Amine/Imine Multidentate Ligands.

Atom-transfer chemistry represents an important class of reactions catalyzed by metalloenzymes. As a functional mimic of non-heme iron enzymes that deliver oxygen atoms to olefins, we have designed monoiron complexes supported by new N-donor chelates. These ligands take advantage of heme-like conformational rigidity of the π-conjugated molecular backbone, and synthetic flexibility of tethering non-heme donor groups for additional steric and electronic control.

Medical visits, antihypertensive prescriptions and medication adherence among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients in Korea.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the antihypertensive medication adherence in patients who were newly diagnosed with hypertension in Korea.

Methods: Study subjects were diagnosed with hypertension for the first time by the General Health Screening in 2012 and were 65,919. As indices, visiting rate to medical institution, the antihypertensive prescription rate, medication possession ratio and the rate of appropriate medication adherence were used.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Efficient Catalytic Activities of a Nickel(II) Porphyrin: Remarkable Solvent and Substrate Effects on Participation of Multiple Active Oxidants.

A new nickel(II) porphyrin complex, [Ni (porp)] (1), has been synthesized and characterized by H NMR, C NMR and mass spectrometry analysis. This Ni porphyrin complex 1 quantitatively catalyzed the epoxidation reaction of a wide range of olefins with meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) under mild conditions. Reactivity and Hammett studies, H O-exchange experiments, and the use of PPAA (peroxyphenylacetic acid) as a mechanistic probe suggested that participation of multiple active oxidants Ni -OOC(O)R 2, Ni -Oxo 3, and Ni -Oxo 4 within olefin epoxidation reactions by the nickel porphyrin complex is markedly affected by solvent polarity, concentration, and type of substrate.

Peroxiredoxin 5 overexpression enhances tumorigenicity and correlates with poor prognosis in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite the advanced surgical resection techniques and anticancer drugs currently available to treat early stage gastric cancer, the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer remains poor. The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important process for the initiation of tumorigenesis.

Peroxiredoxin 5 promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer.

Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is common cause of cancer-related deaths. The high mortality rate of patients with colon cancer is due to cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Initiation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is essential for the tumorigenesis.

Defining the activities of publicness for Korea's public community hospitals using the Delphi method.

This study aims to identify which activities of a public community hospital (PHC) should be included in their definition of publicness and tries to achieve a consensus among experts using the Delphi method. We conduct 2 rounds of the Delphi process with 17 panel members using a developed draft of tentative activities for publicness including 5 main categories covering 27 items. The questions remain the same in both rounds and the applicability of each of the 27 items to publicness is measured on a 9-point scale.

[Hospital Arrival Rate within Golden Time and Factors Influencing Prehospital Delays among Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction].

Purpose: This research was done to identify the hospital arrival rate and factors related to prehospital delay in arriving at an emergency medical center within the golden time after symptom onset in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Data used in the research was from the National Emergency Department Information System of the National Emergency Medical Center which reported that in 2014, 9,611 patients went to emergency medical centers for acute myocardial infarction. Prehospital time is the time from onset to arrival at an emergency medical center and is analyzed by subdividing arrival and delay based on golden time of 2 hour.

Trends in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Korea.

Background: Coronary angioplasty has been replacing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) because of the relative advantage in terms of recovery time and noninvasiveness of the procedure. Compared to other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, Korea has experienced a rapid increase in coronary angioplasty volumes.

Methods: We analyzed changes in procedure volumes of CABG and of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from three sources: the OECD Health Data, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) surgery statistics, and the National Health Insurance claims data.

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons' Perception of the Concentration of Cardiovascular Operations in Seoul Metropolitan Area's Hospitals.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the concentration of cardiovascular surgical procedures in a metropolitan area and investigate the perception of specialists regarding governmental policies to resolve this imbalance.

Methods: From March to May 2015, surveys were distributed to members of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Association. The final pool of research subjects consisted of 75 respondents.

Public Perception of the Concentration of Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Surgery to Metropolitan Hospitals.

Background: This study investigates the perception of the general public regarding the concentration to metropolitan, hospitals of cardiac and cerebrovascular surgeries, and the perceived public need for government policies to resolve this issue.

Methods: A total of 800 participants were recruited for our telephone interview survey. Quota sampling was performed, adjusting for age and sex, to select by various geographic regions.

Development of Models for Regional Cardiac Surgery Centers.

Background: This study aimed to develop the models for regional cardiac surgery centers, which take regional characteristics into consideration, as a policy measure that could alleviate the concentration of cardiac surgery in the metropolitan area and enhance the accessibility for patients who reside in the regions.

Methods: To develop the models and set standards for the necessary personnel and facilities for the initial management plan, we held workshops, debates, and conference meetings with various experts.

Results: After partitioning the plan into two parts (the operational autonomy and the functional comprehensiveness), three models were developed: the 'independent regional cardiac surgery center' model, the 'satellite cardiac surgery center within hospitals' model, and the 'extended cardiac surgery department within hospitals' model.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Activities of A Nickel(II) Monoamido-Tetradentate Complex: Evidence For Ni -Oxo and Ni -Oxo Species.

A new mononuclear nickel(II) complex, [Ni (dpaq)Cl] (1), containing a tetradentate monoamido ligand, dpaq (dpaq=2-[bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino]-N-(quinolin-8-yl)acetamide), has been synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The structure of the nickel complex has been determined by X-ray crystallography. This nonheme Ni complex 1 catalyzed the epoxidation reaction of a wide range of olefins with meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) under mild conditions.

A Colorimetric and Fluorescent Chemosensor for the Selective Detection of Cu and Zn Ions.

A new bi-functional chemosensor 1 based on 3,5-dichlorosalicylaldehyde and 2-(methylthio)aniline has been synthesized. It can detect Cu with a color change from pale yellow to dark yellow in aqueous solution. The selective mechanism of 1 for Cu was proposed to be the enhancement of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) band, which was explained by theoretical calculations.

TMPRSS4 induces invasion and proliferation of prostate cancer cells through induction of Slug and cyclin D1.

TMPRSS4 is a novel type II transmembrane serine protease found at the cell surface that is highly expressed in pancreatic, colon, and other cancer tissues. Previously, we demonstrated that TMPRSS4 mediates tumor cell invasion, migration, and metastasis. We also found that TMPRSS4 activates the transcription factor activating protein-1 (AP-1) to induce cancer cell invasion.

Early aggressive nutrition enhances language development in very low-birthweight infants.

Background: Inadequate nutrition in very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants is known to be associated with growth failure and poor neurological outcomes. We aimed to investigate the association of early aggressive protein and energy intakes with weight gain and 18-month neurodevelopmental outcomes in VLBW infants.

Methods: A total of 90 infants among 129 infants who survived to discharge were included and divided into two groups (early aggressive nutrition [n = 52] vs conventional nutrition [n = 38]).

The association of histological chorioamnionitis and antenatal steroids on neonatal outcome in preterm infants born at less than thirty-four weeks' gestation.

Background: Despite continuous research on the prevention of preterm labor, preterm delivery still occurs often. Different neonatal outcomes in association with chorioamnionitis might occur with the introduction of antenatal steroids.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of chorioamnionitis on the outcome of preterm infants and the association of antenatal steroids in the presence of histological chorioamnionitis (HC).

JNK/FOXO mediated PeroxiredoxinV expression regulates redox homeostasis during Drosophila melanogaster gut infection.

Innate immunity plays an important role in combating microbial infection in animals. During bacterial infection in Drosophila melanogaster gut, Dual oxidase (Duox) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) to fight against the infected microbes. Concurrently, antioxidant systems eliminate residual ROS and protect the hosts.

Interleukin-6 (-636 c/g) gene polymorphism in korean children with kawasaki disease.

Background And Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a multi-systemic vasculitis with coronary artery involvement. Serum interleukin (IL)-6 levels during acute phase showed a significant correlation with the duration of fever in patients with KD who were not treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), suggesting that the regulation of IL-6 expression in KD patients may differ from that in normal children. However, there are controversies surrounding the association between IL-6 (-636 C/G) gene polymorphism and development of KD.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in patients with Kawasaki disease.

Purpose: Kawasaki disease (KD) is the main cause of acquired heart disease in children. In addition to cardiovascular involvement, many complications have been recognized in KD. However, respiratory complications have been rarely reported.