Development of Korea Neuroethics Guidelines.

Background: Advances in neuroscience and neurotechnology provide great benefits to humans though unknown challenges may arise. We should address these challenges using new standards as well as existing ones. Novel standards should include ethical, legal, and social aspects which would be appropriate for advancing neuroscience and technology.

Erratum: Validation of a Web-Based Tool to Predict the Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Recurrence (IBTR! 2.0) after Breast-Conserving Therapy for Korean Patients.

[This corrects the article on p. 97 in vol. 16, PMID: 23593089.

Engineered extracellular microenvironment with a tunable mechanical property for controlling cell behavior and cardiomyogenic fate of cardiac stem cells.

Unlabelled: Endogenous cardiac stem cells (CSCs) are known to play a certain role in the myocardial homeostasis of the adult heart. The extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding CSCs provides mechanical signals to regulate a variety of cell behaviors, yet the impact in the adult heart of these mechanical properties of ECM on CSC renewal and fate decisions is mostly unknown. To elucidate CSC mechanoresponses at the individual cell and myocardial level, we used the sol-to-gel transitional gelatin-poly(ethylene glycol)-tyramine (GPT) hydrogel with a tunable mechanical property to construct a three-dimensional (3D) matrix for culturing native myocardium and CSCs.

Effects of diet type, developmental stage, and gut compartment in the gut bacterial communities of two Cerambycidae species (Coleoptera).

The gut bacterial community of wood-feeding beetles has been examined for its role on plant digestion and biocontrol method development. Monochamus alternatus and Psacothea hilaris, both belonging to the subfamily Lamiinae, are woodfeeding beetles found in eastern Asia and Europe and generally considered as destructive pests for pine and mulberry trees, respectively. However, limited reports exist on the gut bacterial communities in these species.

Characterization of Korean Male Breast Cancer Using an Online Nationwide Breast-Cancer Database: Matched-Pair Analysis of Patients With Female Breast Cancer.

The aim of this study is to review the characteristics and the survival rate in male breast cancer (MBC) patients in Korea over a 31-year period. Additionally, we analyzed the overall survival (OS) rate of a group of MBC matched to females with breast cancer. We retrospectively analyzed the data from 400 Korean patients who were treated for MBC from 1978 to 2009.

Positive Effects of Diphlorethohydroxycarmalol (DPHC) on the Stability of the Integument Structure in Diet-Induced Obese Female Mice.

Diphlorethohydroxycarmalol (DPHC) is a known to modulate the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in 3T3-L1. However, the possible role of DPHC in integument stability during obesity induction is not clear yet. We evaluated the effects of DPHC on collagen or elastic fiber quantity in integument during obesity induction with high-fat diet.

Is the Prevalence of Gallbladder Polyp Different between Vegetarians and General Population?

Background/aims: Gallbladder polyps (GBP) are a common clinical finding that can express malignant potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether vegetarianism protects against GBP, together with other putative risk factors.

Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted with subjects who received a health check-up from July 2005 to December 2011.

Immediate postoperative inflammation is an important prognostic factor in breast cancer.

Objective: Inflammation is associated with worse outcomes in cancer. Operations induce an acute inflammatory response and could impact the clinical outcomes in breast cancer. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a well-known indicator of inflammation.

A fibrin-supported myocardial organ culture for isolation of cardiac stem cells via the recapitulation of cardiac homeostasis.

There is great interest in the development of cardiac stem cells (CSCs) cell-based therapeutics; thus, clinical translation requires an efficient method for attaining therapeutic quantities of these cells. Furthermore, an in vitro model to investigate the mechanisms regulating the cardiac homeostasis is crucial. We sought to develop a simple myocardial culture method for enabling both the recapitulation of myocardial homeostasis and the simultaneous isolation of CSCs.

Breast Cancer Screening Knowledge and Perceived Health Beliefs among Immigrant Women in Korea.

Purpose: Recently, through international marriage, immigrant women have rapidly increased throughout Korea. This study was performed to identify health beliefs and practices related to breast cancer screening in immigrant women in Korea.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out between March and July 2012, and study population included immigrant females from six other Asian countries (Cambodia, China, Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam, and the Philippines).

Phylogenetic diversity of dominant bacterial and archaeal communities in plant-microbial fuel cells using rice plants.

In this study, the phylogenetic diversities of bacterial and archaeal communities in a plantmicrobial fuel cell (P-MFC) were investigated together with the environmental parameters, affecting its performance by using rice as a model plant. The beneficial effect of the plant appeared only during a certain period of the rice-growing season, at which point the maximum power density was approximately 3-fold higher with rice plants. The temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), and pH in the cathodic and anodic compartments changed considerably during the rice-growing season, and a higher temperature, reduced difference in pH between the cathodic and anodic compartments, and higher EC were advantageous to the performance of the P-MFC.

Effects of water-saving irrigation on emissions of greenhouse gases and prokaryotic communities in rice paddy soil.

The effects of water-saving irrigation on emissions of greenhouse gases and soil prokaryotic communities were investigated in an experimental rice field. The water layer was kept at 1-2 cm in the water-saving (WS) irrigation treatment and at 6 cm in the continuous flooding (CF) irrigation treatment. WS irrigation decreased CH(4) emissions by 78 % and increased N(2)O emissions by 533 %, resulting in 78 % reduction of global warming potential compared to the CF irrigation.

Endogenous gastric-resident mesenchymal stem cells contribute to formation of cancer stroma and progression of gastric cancer.

Background: Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contribute to carcinogenesis and cancer progression, although their origin and role remain unclear. We recently identified and investigated the in situ identity and implications of gastric submucosa-resident mesenchymal stem cells (GS-MSCs) in the progression of gastric carcinogenesis.

Methods: We isolated GS-MSCs from gastric submucosa using hydrogel-supported organ culture and defined their identity.

Round block technique without cerclage in breast-conserving surgery.

Background: Round block technique is a unique breast resection through periareolar doughnut incision. However, it is more technically challenging and time consuming. We simplified the procedure by exclusion of round block cerclage.

A new subfascial approach in open thyroidectomy: efficacy for postoperative voice, sensory, and swallowing symptoms. A randomized controlled study.

Background: After open thyroidectomy, patients usually complain of voice, sensory, and swallowing symptoms. We approached the thyroid via the subfascial method to reduce these symptoms and compared postthyroidectomy symptoms with the conventional subplatysmal method.

Methods: Eighty-six patients undergoing thyroidectomy were recruited and randomized into either a conventional subplatysmal approach group (subplatysmal, 42 patients) group or a subanterior fascia of strap muscle approach group (subfascial, 44 patients).

Experience of treatment of patients with granulomatous lobular mastitis.

Purpose: To present the author's experience with various treatment methods of granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) and to determine effective treatment methods of GLM.

Methods: Fifty patients who were diagnosed with GLM were classified into five groups based on the initial treatment methods they underwent, which included observation (n = 8), antibiotics (n = 3), steroid (n = 13), drainage (n = 14), and surgical excision (n = 12). The treatment processes in each group were examined and their clinical characteristics, treatment processes, and results were analyzed respectively.

HER3 status by immunohistochemistry is correlated with poor prognosis in hormone receptor-negative breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous malignancy. The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) breast cancer subtypes are highly aggressive and are associated with a poor prognosis. The therapeutic targets for TNBC remain undefined, and many patients with the HER2 subtype acquire resistance to therapy after prolonged treatment.

Neoadjuvant human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 targeted therapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.

Purpose: We analyzed the responses of patients with locally advanced breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and NAC combined with neoadjuvant human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) targeted therapy (NCHTT).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 59 patients with HER2 amplified locally advanced breast cancer among patients who were treated surgically after neoadjuvant therapy at Samsung Medical Center between 2005 and 2009. Thirty-one patients received conventional NAC and 28 patients received NCHTT.

Validation of a Web-Based Tool to Predict the Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Recurrence (IBTR! 2.0) after Breast-Conserving Therapy for Korean Patients.

Purpose: IBTR! 2.0 is a web-based nomogram that predicts the 10-year ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) rate after breast-conserving therapy. We validated this nomogram in Korean patients.

Occult breast cancers manifesting as axillary lymph node metastasis in men: a two-case report.

Occult breast cancer is a type of breast cancer without any symptoms on the breasts or any abnormalities upon radiologic examination such as mammography. In males, there are few cases of breast cancer, the rate of diagnosis of occult breast cancer is very low, and little is known about this disease. We experienced two cases of occult breast cancers manifesting as axillary lymph node metastasis in men.

Invasive pleomorphic lobular carcinoma of the breast: clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis compared with invasive ductal carcinoma.

Purpose: Invasive pleomorphic lobular carcinoma (IPLC) is a very rare and distinct morphological variant of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), characterized by nuclear atypia and pleomorphism contrasted with the cytologic uniformity of ILC. This study evaluated clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of IPLC compared with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 35 patients with IPLC and 6,184 patients with IDC, not otherwise specified.

Adjuvant chemotherapy and survival of elderly korean patients with breast carcinoma.

Purpose: The available research work on types of treatment and the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in older Korean patients is insufficient. Henceforth, this report assessed treatment patterns and the relationship between chemotherapy and survival in elderly Korean breast cancer patients.

Methods: We identified women over 55 years of age diagnosed with breast cancer from the period 1995 to 2006.

The clinical meaning of intramammary lymph nodes.

Objective: The clinical meaning of intramammary lymph nodes (iMLNs) is uncertain. We wanted to describe the clinical characteristics and understand the implications of iMLNs detected by sentinel LN biopsy (SLNB).

Methods: We reviewed the clinical, radiological and pathological records of women diagnosed with invasive carcinoma of the breast at the Samsung Medical Center between January 2001 and January 2011.