Differential identification of urine crystals with morphologic characteristics and solubility test.

Background: Urinary crystals are the most diverse forms of urine sediments. Reference images for typical urinary crystals are common, however, but images for interpreting atypical urinary crystals are very rare. The authors reviewed various forms and solubility tests of urine crystals to interpret atypical crystals found in clinical specimens.

Prognostic significance of glucose-related protein 94 in colorectal cancer.

Aims: The expression of glucose-related protein 94 (GRP94), a member of the heat shock protein 90 family, was correlated with a variety of clinicopathological factors and patient survival in a large colorectal cancer (CRC) cohort. We aimed to elucidate the role of GRP94 in the prognosis of CRC patients.

Methods: Tissue microarray blocks were generated from 709 CRC samples and immunohistochemically stained for GRP94.

Expression of miR-200c and its clinicopathological significance in patients with colorectal cancer.

MicroRNA-200c (miR-200c) is known to play a pivotal role in the regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition processes. However, the biological function of miR-200c in human carcinogenesis remains controversial. We examined the association of miR-200c expression with various clinicopathological factors, including KRAS mutation status and survival, in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Excessive Iodine Status among School-Age Children in Korea: A First Report.

Background: Korea is considered an iodine sufficient country, and several studies have been conducted regarding iodine status in healthy Korean adults, pregnant women, and preschool children. However, data on iodine status in Korean school-age children are lacking. Therefore, the iodine nutrition status of Korean school-age children was investigated by measuring urine iodine concentration (UIC).

Isolation and Characterization of a Bacteriophage Preying an Antifungal Bacterium.

Several species were isolated from rice field soils, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that was the most abundant. A strain named BC1 showed antifungal activity against . Bacteriophages infecting strain BC1 were isolated from the same soil sample.

Phosphorylated 4E-binding protein 1 expression is associated with poor prognosis in small-cell lung cancer.

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) binding protein (4E-BP1) results in release of eIF4E, which sequentially relieves translational repression and enhances oncogenic protein synthesis. We assessed the expression of phosphorylated 4E-BP1 (p-4E-BP1) in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and its correlation with clinicopathological factors and patient survival. This study included 117 SCLCs, which comprised 108 primary and 9 metastatic tumor tissues.

Clinical significance of melanoma-associated antigen A1-6 expression in sputum of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx.

Background: Several studies have reported the expression of the melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) gene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In this study, we evaluated the correlations between MAGE expression in sputum and the clinical features and oncologic outcomes of SCC of the larynx and hypopharynx.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 119 patients treated for SCC of the larynx and hypopharynx and analysis of their induced sputum by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect the MAGE-A1-6 gene.

Overexpression of phosphorylated 4E-binding protein 1 and its clinicopathological significances in gastric cancer.

Multiple intracellular transforming signals regulate eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein (4E-BP1). The signals result in hierarchical phosphorylation of 4E-BP1, resulting in release of eIF4E, relieving translational repression and enhancing oncogenic protein synthesis. This study assessed the expression of phosphorylated 4E-BP1 (p-4E-BP1) in gastric cancer and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters and patient survival.

Expression of the brother of the regulator of imprinted sites gene in the sputum of patients with lung cancer.

Background: Brother of the regulator of imprinted sites (BORIS) is a putative new oncogene that is classified as a cancer germline gene; however, its role in the development of cancer is unclear. This study investigated the expression of BORIS in lung cancer and its clinical implications.

Methods: The expression of BORIS messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in the sputum of 100 patients with lung cancer (50 with squamous cell carcinoma, 36 with adenocarcinoma, and 14 with small-cell carcinoma) was evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Expression of microRNA miR-126 and miR-200c is associated with prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that exert a critical influence on tumorigenesis through post-transcriptional modification and are considered to be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis or prognosis of various cancers. Although several miRNAs have been proposed as relevant biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), detailed working mechanisms and validated prognostic significance of these miRNAs remain controversial. In this study, we evaluated expression levels of miRNA-126 (miR-126) and miR-200c in 72 NSCLCs and 30 benign lung tissues by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and analyzed the correlation of miRNA expression with a variety of clinicopathological factors and patient survival.

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression is associated with poor prognosis in intestinal type gastric cancer.

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a molecular chaperone which plays an important role in cellular protection against various stressful stimuli and in the regulation of cellular growth and apoptosis. This study was conducted in gastric carcinoma (GC) to assess correlations of HSP70 expression with clinicopathological parameters and overall survival (OS). Tissue microarray blocks were constructed from 172 GCs and immunohistochemically stained for HSP70.

Expression of MAGE A1-6 and the clinical characteristics of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: The expression of melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) gene has been studied in many types of cancer. In the present study we evaluated the correlation between MAGE expression and the clinical features and oncologic outcomes of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 85 patients who underwent surgery for PTC and analysis of their tumor tissue by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with the MAGE common primer to detect the MAGE A1-6 gene.

A Case of medullary thyroid carcinoma with de novo V804M RET germline mutation.

Many cases of RET proto-oncogene mutations of hereditary medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) have been reported in Korea. However, MTC with V804M RET proto-oncogene germline mutations have not been reported in Korea. A 33-yr-old man was diagnosed with a 0.

Clinico-pathologic Parameters for Prediction of Microsatellite Instability in Colorectal Cancer.

Purpose: Although the incidence of microsatellite instability (MSI) accounts for 10-15% of cases of colorectal cancer, its clinical application for all colorectal cancers has widened. We attempted to identify clinical and pathological parameters that may be helpful in selection of patients with MSI-high (MSI-H).

Materials And Methods: A total of 120 resected colorectal cancers were enrolled retrospectively for this MSI study.