Evaluation of nutritional status using bioelectrical impedance analysis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background/aims: Nutritional status influences quality of life among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), although there is no clear method to evaluate nutritional status in this setting. Therefore, this study examined whether bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) could be used to evaluate the nutritional status of patients with IBD.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 139 Korean patients with IBD who were treated between November 2018 and November 2019.

Retreatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Failed to Daclatasvir Plus Asunaprevir by Other Direct-acting Antivirals.

The pegylated interferon plus ribavirin combination therapy has been used as the primary treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) but fails to produce a sustained viral response (SVR) in many patients. In recent years, the treatment of CHC has been rapidly changing because of the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which have a high cure rate. However, retreatment of patients after failure of the first DAA therapy is difficult.

Rare Clinical and Radiologic Case of Cholangiocarcinoma Mimicking Pyogenic Abscess, Hepatic Echinococcal Cysts, and Metastases.

Cholangiocarcinoma is a biliary carcinoma with a wide spectrum of imaging, histological, and clinical features. In immunocompromised patients, pyogenic abscesses are relatively common and an echinococcal hepatic cysts are very rare. The authors experienced a very rare case of cholangiocarcinoma showing multiple hypodense masses with wall enhancement mimicking pyogenic liver abscess, echinococcal hepatic cyst, and cystic metastases.

Preferential production of IgM-secreting hybridomas by immunization with DNA vaccines coding for Ebola virus glycoprotein: use of protein boosting for IgG-secreting hybridoma production.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate the utility of DNA vaccines encoding Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) as a vaccine type for the production of GP-specific hybridomas and antibodies.

Materials And Methods: DNA vaccines were constructed to express Ebola virus GP. Mice were injected with GP DNA vaccines and their splenocytes were used for hybridoma production.

Tumor regression is mediated via the induction of HER263-71- specific CD8+ CTL activity in a 4T1.2/HER2 tumor model: no involvement of CD80 in tumor control.

In the CT26/HER2 and 4T1.2/HER2 tumor models, CT26/HER2 cells form tumors that continue to grow, whereas 4T1.2/HER2 cells form tumors that eventually regress.

Diagnostic usefulness of the GenoType MTBDRplus assay for detecting drug-resistant tuberculosis using AFB smear-negative specimens with positive TB-PCR result.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the GenoType MTBDRplus assay in detecting drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) by using acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear-negative specimens with positive TB-PCR results.

Methods: The MTBDRplus assay was performed with 2 different categories of 117 samples, including AFB smear-positive specimens (n = 53) and AFB smear-negative specimens (n =64), which exhibited positive TB-PCR results, at a single institution. The results were retrospectively compared with the results of the phenotypic drug susceptibility test (DST), for reference.

DNA vaccines, electroporation and their applications in cancer treatment.

Numerous animal studies and recent clinical studies have shown that electroporation-delivered DNA vaccines can elicit robust Ag-specific CTL responses and reduce disease severity. However, cancer antigens are generally poorly immunogenic, requiring special conditions for immune response induction. To date, many different approaches have been used to elicit Ag-specific CTL and anti-neoplastic responses to DNA vaccines against cancer.

Clarithromycin inhibits rhinovirus-induced bacterial adhesions to nasal epithelial cells.

Objectives/hypothesis: We investigated the inhibitory effects of clarithromycin (CM) on the rhinovirus (RV)-induced expression of fibronectin (Fn) and carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs), which act as major receptors for Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae, respectively. We further investigated the effects of CM on secondary S. aureus and H.

Gamibojungikki-tang decreases immobility time on the forced swimming test and increases interferon-gamma production from MOLT-4 cells.

Gamibojungikki-tang (GBIT) has been used for the purpose of development of physical strength in Korea. We investigated the anti-immobility effect of GBIT on the forced swimming test (FST) and then measured the blood biochemical parameters related to fatigue, glucose (Glc); blood urea nitrogen (BUN); lactic dehydrogenase (LDH); creatine kinase (CK) and total protein (TP). GBIT (0.

Inhibitory effect of Gamibojungikgitang extract on mast cell-mediated allergic reaction in murine model.

Purpose: Gamibojungikgitang (GBIT) is an Oriental herbal prescription medication, which has been commonly used to treat allergic rhinitis in far Eastern countries including Korea, China, and Japan. Additionally, GBIT effectively treats ovarian cysts and improves ovarian functions by regulating both endocrine and metabolic activities. However, it has not been cleared how it prevents allergic diseases in experimental model.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Korean folk medicine 'Sabaeksan'.

Sabaeksan has been used for prevention and treatment of bronchial asthma and allergic asthma in Korea. To investigate the biological effect of Sabaeksan, we examined the effect of Sabaeksan on the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and calcium ionophore A23187-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion in human mast cell line HMC-1 cells. Sabaeksan by itself had no effect on viability of HMC-1 cells.

Development of rhinovirus study model using organ culture of turbinate mucosa.

To better understand the pathophysiology of rhinovirus (RV) infection, a development of a study model using organ culture of turbinate mucosa was sought. Inferior turbinate mucosal tissues were cultured using air-liquid interface methods, on a support of gelfoam soaked in culture media. RV-16 was applied to the mucosal surface and washed off, and histological changes were evaluated.

Polymorphism of the tumor necrosis factor alpha gene and waist-hip ratio in obese Korean women.

A number of candidate genes have been in implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity in humans. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) is expressed primarily in adipocytes, and elevated levels of this cytokine have been linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Recently, the A allele of a polymorphism at position -308 in the promoter region of TNFalpha (G-308A) has been shown to increase transcription of the gene in adipocytes.

The Oriental medicine "Cool-Cool (Cool-X-A)" inhibits inflammatory cytokine production and migration in mast cells.

Plant medications have been applied to treat pains from various types of arthritis in Korea. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well known to be a chronic autoimmune/inflammatory disease that leads to progressive joint damage and cartilage destruction. Accumulation and activation of mast cells have been demonstrated in rheumatoid synovial tissue.