Induction of a hardening phenomenon and quantitative changes of ceramides in stratum corneum.

Background: Hardening phenomenon of human skin after repeated exposure to the irritants is well-known, but the precise mechanism remains elusive.

Objective: To modify the previous experimental model of hardening phenomenon by repeated applications of two different concentrations of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) solutions to Korean healthy volunteers and to investigate the quantitative changes of ceramides in stratum corneum before and after chronic repeated irritation.

Methods: Eight hundred microliters of distilled water containing 0.

Patterning nanoparticles into rings by "2-D Pickering emulsions".

We present a simple method for the two-dimensional self-assembly of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) into well-defined rings at the air/water interface, through the formation of "2-D Pickering emulsions". Surfactant molecules assemble at the air/water interface into islands that are subsequently surrounded by adsorption of QDs from the aqueous subphase. The QD rings emanating from this process range from ∼100 nm to several micrometers in diameter, as characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy.

The coat protein of Alternanthera mosaic virus is the elicitor of a temperature-sensitive systemic necrosis in Nicotiana benthamiana, and interacts with a host boron transporter protein.

Different isolates of Alternanthera mosaic virus (AltMV; Potexvirus), including four infectious clones derived from AltMV-SP, induce distinct systemic symptoms in Nicotiana benthamiana. Virus accumulation was enhanced at 15 °C compared to 25 °C; severe clone AltMV 3-7 induced systemic necrosis (SN) and plant death at 15 °C. No interaction with potexvirus resistance gene Rx was detected, although SN was ablated by silencing of SGT1, as for other cases of potexvirus-induced necrosis.

Carbon beam extraction with 14.5 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion source at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute.

A 14.5 GHz Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion source (ECRIS) has been made to produce C(4+) beam for using a carbon therapy facility and recently tested at KAERI. Highly charged carbon ions have been successfully extracted.

Interaction between postoperative shivering and hyperalgesia caused by high-dose remifentanil.

Background: High-dose remifentanil-based anesthesia is associated with opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) and postanesthetic shivering (PAS). These effects can be prevented by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. This study aimed to investigate correlations between OIH and PAS caused by high-dose remifentanil and the effects of low-dose ketamine on OIH and PAS.

Edge dissection of calcified plaque as a possible mechanism for acute coronary syndrome.

We evaluated the incidence and predictors of edge dissection of the calcified culprit plaque in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or stable angina (SA). Calcified plaque is not rare in patients with ACS, and compliance mismatch may create edge dissection of the calcified plaque to trigger ACS. However, little data are available on calcium edge dissection in relation to ACS.

Expression of CD9 and CD82 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma and its clinical significance.

CD9 and CD82, members of the tetraspanin family, act as metastasis suppressors in many human malignant tumors, but the role of these molecules is not well known in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). This study was designed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of CD9 and CD82 in 644 cases of CCRCC and to determine the clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of their expression. The percentage of positive tumor cells was evaluated, and the expression was classified into 2 categories: low expression (less than 10% positive cells) or high expression (more than 10% positive cells) for CD9 expression and negative (no positive cells) or positive for CD82 expression.

Coronary computed tomographic angiographic findings in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

There are limited data regarding the role of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We analyzed 557 asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients who underwent CCTA. Cardiac event was defined as a composite of cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome requiring hospitalization, or late revascularization.

Impact of the angiographic mechanisms underlying periprocedural myocardial infarction after drug-eluting stent implantation.

Periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI) can be induced by several angiographic mechanisms. However, there are limited data on whether these mechanisms differentially affect clinical outcomes. The purpose of our study was to investigate the impact of periprocedural MI on mortality according to the underlying angiographic mechanisms after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation.

A normative study of lexical verbal fluency in an educationally-diverse elderly population.

Objective: Lexical fluency tests are frequently used to assess language and executive function in clinical practice. We investigated the influences of age, gender, and education on lexical verbal fluency in an educationally-diverse, elderly Korean population and provided its' normative information.

Methods: We administered the lexical verbal fluency test (LVFT) to 1676 community-dwelling, cognitively normal subjects aged 60 years or over.

Postoperative pain relief using wound infiltration with 0.5% bupivacaine in single-incision laparoscopic surgery for an appendectomy.

Purpose: Recently, single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has been popular for minimally invasive surgery and cosmetic improvement. However, some papers have reported that SILS for an appendectomy (SILS-A) has had the more postoperative complaints of pain. We investigated postoperative pain relief using wound infiltration with 0.

AETIQ: a novel synthetic compound with anti-inflammatory properties in activated microglia.

Neuroinflammation is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Our novel synthetic compound 2-acetyl-1-ethyl-7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (AETIQ) was tested for its anti-inflammatory properties in activated microglial BV-2 cells. AETIQ attenuated nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species generation.

Prevalence and clinical implications of newly revealed, asymptomatic abnormal ankle-brachial index in patients with significant coronary artery disease.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the association between newly revealed abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) and clinical outcomes in patients with significant coronary artery stenosis.

Background: Little is known about the prevalence and clinical implications of ABI in patients with no claudication or previous history of peripheral artery disease who undergo diagnostic coronary angiography.

Methods: Between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2009, ABI was evaluated in 2,543 consecutive patients with no clinical history of claudication or peripheral artery disease who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography.

Use of S-LANSS, a tool for screening neuropathic pain, for predicting postherpetic neuralgia in patients after acute herpes zoster events: a single-center, 12-month, prospective cohort study.

Unlabelled: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the most severe sequelae of herpes zoster events. Several risk factors have been reported for PHN, including old age, severe skin rash, and intense pain. This study therefore aims to evaluate the usefulness of the Self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs pain scale (S-LANSS) in conjunction with previously reported risk factors for predicting PHN.

Detection of the mycotoxin citrinin using silver substrates and Raman spectroscopy.

We detected a trace amount of the mycotoxin citrinin using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on silver nanoparticle (Ag NP) surfaces. The SERS substrate on hydrophobic Teflon films was also introduced to observe the citrinin peaks. A broad band at ∼1382cm(-1), which was ascribed to the symmetric carboxylate stretching mode, was observed in addition to an antisymmetric carboxylate stretching mode at ∼1568cm(-1) in the Raman spectra.

Impact of in-hospital bleeding according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium classification on the long-term adverse outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents on long-term clinical events according to the newly proposed Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) classification.

Background: Current evidence about the impact of the BARC classification is limited.

Methods: Out of a total of 6,166 patients who underwent PCI in a prospective IRIS-DES registry, the impact of in-hospital bleeding defined as the BARC classification on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) comprising death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke was analyzed.

ALK-Positive Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Large Series of Consecutively Resected Korean Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients.

Background: Recently, there have been a few reports of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cases with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene fusion. In this study, we screened consecutively resected RCCs from a single institution for ALK protein expression by immunohistochemistry, and then we performed fluorescence in situ hybridization to confirm the ALK gene alteration in ALK immunohistochemistry-positive cases.

Methods: We screened 829 RCCs by ALK immunohistochemistry, and performed fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using ALK dual-color break-apart rearrangement probe.

Histologic variations and immunohistochemical features of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Due to advancements in treatment of metastatic and advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), it has become increasingly important to diagnose metastatic RCC and the specific subtype. In this study, we investigated the diverse histologic features of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) cases in comparison with corresponding primary lesions.

Methods: We identified 119 metastatic CCRCC cases from 81 corresponding primary lesions diagnosed between 1995 and 2010 and evaluated the diverse histologic and immunohistochemical features of these lesions.

Predictors for functionally significant in-stent restenosis: an integrated analysis using coronary angiography, IVUS, and myocardial perfusion imaging.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and morphological predictors for functionally significant in-stent restenosis (ISR).

Background: Although they have been studied de novo in native coronary artery lesions, the relationships between clinical and morphological characteristics and the hemodynamic significance of ISR are not well understood.

Methods: In 175 patients with ISR of a single coronary artery (angiographic stenosis >50%), we compared quantitative coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) with stress myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

Pharmacokinetics of a cytochrome P450 2E1 probe, chlorzoxazone, and its 6-hydroxy metabolite in poloxamer 407-induced hyperlipidemic rats.

Purpose: To evaluate the possible changes in CYP2E1 expression and activity in hyperlipidemia (HL), we evaluated the pharmacokinetics of chlorzoxazone (CZX) as a CYP2E1 probe in rats with HL induced by poloxamer 407 (HL rats).

Methods: The pharmacokinetics of CZX and its 6-hydroxy metabolite (OH-CZX) were evaluated after intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg CZX to both control and HL rats. We also examined changes in the expression of CYP2E1 and its in vitro metabolic activity in hepatic microsomal fractions from HL rats.

Fibrinogen recovery and changes in fibrin-based clot firmness after cryoprecipitate administration in patients undergoing aortic surgery involving deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Background: Cryoprecipitate may be used to treat bleeding in cardiac surgery. Its effects on plasma fibrinogen and fibrin clotting in this setting are poorly defined.

Study Design And Methods: Patients undergoing on-pump aortic surgery with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) were recruited prospectively.

Long-term (8 year) outcomes and predictors of major adverse cardiac events after full metal jacket drug-eluting stent implantation.

Objectives: We examined long-term outcomes and predictors of major adverse cardiac events after the full metal jacket (FMJ) stent implantation.

Background: The FMJ procedure has been used to treat diffuse coronary artery disease (CAD), but long-term outcomes remain unknown.

Methods: The study population consisted of 347 consecutive patients (352 lesions) who had been treated for de novo diffuse CAD with FMJ stents (stent length ≥ 60 mm).

Optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: The risks and benefits of long-term dual antiplatelet therapy remain unclear.

Methods And Results: This prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized comparison trial was conducted in 24 clinical centers in Korea. In total, 5045 patients who received drug-eluting stents and were free of major adverse cardiovascular events and major bleeding for at least 12 months after stent placement were enrolled between July 2007 and July 2011.