The survival of donor-derived cells in a successfully grafted corneal button 10 years after penetrating keratoplasty for lattice dystrophy.

Aims: To investigate the survival of donor-derived cells in a successfully grafted corneal button 10 years after penetrating keratoplasty for lattice dystrophy.

Methods: In 1996, a 48-year-old male with lattice corneal dystrophy underwent penetrating keratoplasty 3 times in the right eye within a 3-month interval. Nine years and 7 months later, the patient underwent a fourth penetrating keratoplasty.

Increments of alpha-dystroglycan expression in liver metastasis correlate with poor survival in gastric cancer.

Background: Dystroglycan (DG) is a recently focused adhesion molecule with possible roles in cancer development and progression. We investigated correlations between alpha-DG expression and prognosis in gastric carcinoma with liver metastasis.

Methods: For 40 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma and liver-only metastasis, alpha-DG expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded surgical specimens of resected stomach tumor, resected liver metastasis, and their normal counterpart tissues.

Effects of sevoflurane on wound healing process.

Background: Wound healing process is a tissue response to trauma which leads to tissue repair through complex biological stages. Sevoflurane is a widely used inhalation anesthetic for surgery, but there has been no study about its effect on wound healing process. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of sevoflurane on wound healing process.

Genetic polymorphism and haplotype analysis of 4 tightly linked X-STR duos in Koreans.

Aim: To investigate genetic polymorphism and haplotypes of tightly linked X-chromosomal short tandem repeat (X-STR) clusters in Koreans.

Methods: Four X-STR duos in the linkage group 1-4 (DXS10135-DXS8378, DXS7132-DXS10074, HPRTB-DXS10101, and DXS10134-DXS7423) were investigated in 450 unrelated Koreans (300 men and 150 women) using the Mentype Argus X-8 Polymerase Chain Reaction Amplification Kit.

Results: No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed in any of the 8 loci.

Concomitant isochromosome 17q and trisomy 14 in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome in leukemic transformation.

We describe a novel case of simultaneous karyotypic abnormalities of isochromosome 17q and trisomy 14 in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in leukemic transformation. A 66-yr-old Korean man was admitted to Severance Hospital for evaluation of pancytopenia. On the basis of bone marrow studies at 3 different stages, he was diagnosed with MDS in leukemic transformation.

A choroidal schwannoma confirmed by surgical excision.

Schwannomas rarely present as intraocular tumors and are often misdiagnosed as malignant melanoma. We describe a choroidal schwannoma confirmed by sclerouvectomy. A 30-year-old woman presented with a large nonpigmented intraocular mass of the choroid in the right eye and underwent surgical excision by sclerouvectomy.

Prediction of high-risk patients by genome-wide copy number alterations from remaining cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery.

In breast cancer, changes of gene copy number were analyzed by cDNA microarray-based comparative genome hybridization using post-treatment archived tissues. Genomic DNA was extracted from 45 surgical specimens after chemotherapy. Informative genes were selected by t-test and were statistically validated by prediction analysis using support vector machine in R package.

Transsternal maximal thymectomy is effective for extirpation of cervical ectopic thymic tissue in the treatment of myasthenia gravis.

Purpose: Extensive extirpation of cervico-mediastinal adipose tissue increases the chance of removing ectopic thymic tissues, thus potentially improving the prognosis of myasthenia gravis after thymectomy. We sought to increase efficacy and safety of transsternal maximal thymectomy (TSMT).

Materials And Methods: Twenty four patients who underwent TSMT from July 2006 to June 2007 were retrospectively reviewed and compared with 73 patients who underwent transsternal extended thymectomy (TSET) from January 2004 to May 2006.

mtDNAmanager: a Web-based tool for the management and quality analysis of mitochondrial DNA control-region sequences.

Background: For the past few years, scientific controversy has surrounded the large number of errors in forensic and literature mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data. However, recent research has shown that using mtDNA phylogeny and referring to known mtDNA haplotypes can be useful for checking the quality of sequence data.

Results: We developed a Web-based bioinformatics resource "mtDNAmanager" that offers a convenient interface supporting the management and quality analysis of mtDNA sequence data.

Angiogenic factor thymidine phosphorylase increases cancer cell invasion activity in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.

We investigated the biological role of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), an angiogenic factor, in gastric cancer cell migration and invasion and explored a therapeutic approach for high TP-expressing tumors using TP enzymatic inhibitor (TPI) and rapamycin. We established TP cDNA overexpressing gastric cancer cell lines (MKN-45/TP and YCC-3/TP) and did invasion and adhesion assays with Matrigel-coated transwell membranes. The related signal pathway using recombinant human TP (rhTP), deoxy-d-ribose (D-dRib), and signal pathway inhibitors (wortmannin, LY294002, and rapamycin) was investigated.

Preceding orbital granulocytic sarcoma in an adult patient with acute myelogenous leukemia with t(8;21): a case study and review of the literature.

A 25-year old man with a 30 month history of proptosis and pain of the right eye was referred to Severance Hospital of Yonsei University. Orbital computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a huge mass in the right retrobulbar orbit; an incisional biopsy and orbitotomy were performed for diagnosis and orbital soft tissue decompression. Subsequent histopathology disclosed sheets of mononuclear cells in the orbital mass, and immunohistochemical stains demonstrated positive results for myeloperoxidase and CD43, which supported the diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma (GS).

A modified mini-primer set for analyzing mitochondrial DNA control region sequences from highly degraded forensic samples.

To facilitate the analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences from highly degraded skeletal remains, a modified mini-primer set was designed to overcome the limitations of the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) mini-primer set. This modified mini-primer set is less affected by nucleotide variability and PCR amplification conditions than the AFDIL mini-primer set, and was able to amplify the mtDNA sequences of 55-year-old skeletal remains with high efficiency, indicating that it is a useful tool for analyzing mtDNA control region sequences from highly degraded forensic samples.

A case of spleen-preserving laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and concomitant cholecystectomy in male patient with solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas and gallstone.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm is a rare pathologic condition in the pancreas. The origin of this tumor and characteristic biologic behavior are still under investigation. With the advances of laparoscopic surgery, laparoscopic pancreatic surgery has been accepted as a feasible, safe procedure.

Characterization of deletions in the DYS385 flanking region and null alleles associated with AZFc microdeletions in Koreans.

Eight DYS385 allele size discrepancies and six DYS448 null types were detected among 708 Korean men when results of three in-house multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) systems were compared. The systems included both ordinary and reduced size amplicons. Sequence analysis revealed deletion mutations at two sites upstream of the DYS385 core repeats and deletion of the entire DYS448 locus.

S-1 monotherapy as a neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced gastric cancer.

S-1, a novel oral fluoropyrimidine, is an effective therapeutic agent for gastric cancer. Herein, we report a case with locally advanced gastric cancer that achieved a curative resection after S-1 monotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment. A 68-year-old man was diagnosed with gastric cancer and massive lymphadenopathy involving the perigastric, celiac axis and splenic hilum.

Overexpression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in the valvular fibrosis of chronic rheumatic heart disease.

For the purpose of determining the pathogenic role of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta 1) in the mechanism of chronic rheumatic heart disease, we evaluated the expression of TGF-beta 1, proliferation of myofibroblasts, and changes in extracellular matrix components including collagen and proteoglycan in 30 rheumatic mitral valves and in 15 control valves. High TGF-beta 1 expression was identified in 21 cases (70%) of rheumatic mitral valves, whereas only 3 cases (20%) of the control group showed high TGF-beta 1 expression (p<0.001).

8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome preceded by t(8;9)(p11;q33), CEP110/FGFR1 fusion transcript: morphologic, molecular, and cytogenetic characterization of myeloid neoplasms associated with eosinophilia and FGFR1 abnormality.

We report a rare case of t(8;9)(p11;q33) in a patient with 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) that was preceded by centrosomal protein 110kDa (CEP110; previously CEP1)/fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) fusion transcript. A 36-year-old man was brought to Severance Hospital with a nasopharyngeal mass and eosinophilia. Biopsy of the left tonsil and nasopharynx revealed diffuse infiltration of atypical lymphoid cells, and he was diagnosed with precursor T-cell lymphoma with hypereosinophilic syndrome.

Effect of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on the engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells and leukemic cells in mice model.

We investigated the effect of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on engraftment of human umbilical cord blood CD34+ cells and acute myelogenous leukemia cells and also assessed the homing capability of MSCs. Forty-two NOD/SCID mice were administered sublethal irradiation followed by various cell doses of intravenous UCB CD34+ cells with or without MSCs. Another 12 NOD/SCID mice were also sublethally irradiated followed by intravenous injection of AML cells with or without MSCs.

Reactive oxygen species stabilize hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha protein and stimulate transcriptional activity via AMP-activated protein kinase in DU145 human prostate cancer cells.

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1) plays a central role in the cellular adaptive response to hypoxic conditions, which are closely related to pathophysiological conditions, such as cancer. Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the regulation of hypoxic and non-hypoxic induction of HIF-1 under various conditions, the role of ROS is quite controversial, and the mechanism underlying the HIF-1 regulation by ROS is not completely understood yet. Here, we investigated the biochemical mechanism for the ROS-induced HIF-1 by revealing a novel role of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the upstream signal components.

Histological and biomechanical properties of regenerated articular cartilage using chondrogenic bone marrow stromal cells with a PLGA scaffold in vivo.

The properties of regenerated cartilage using bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffold composites pretreated with TGF-beta3 were investigated and compared to the non-TGF-beta3 treated MSCs/PLGA composites in a rabbit model. We prepared MSCs/PLGA scaffold composites and pretreated it with TGF-beta3 for 3 weeks prior to transplantation. Then, composites were transplanted to the osteochondral defect in the rabbit knee.

Primary thyroid lymphoma: role of ultrasound-guided needle biopsy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the sonographic findings of primary thyroid lymphoma and evaluate the role of ultrasound-guided biopsy in diagnosing thyroid lymphoma.

Methods: This study included 6 patients (age range, 56-72 years; mean, 62.5 years).

Expression and role of estrogen receptor alpha and beta in medullary thyroid carcinoma: different roles in cancer growth and apoptosis.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) originates from parafollicular C cells. Estrogen receptor beta(ERbeta) expressionwas detected in normal parafollicular C cells and MTC tumor tissue, but ERalpha expression in MTC tumors still remains undetermined. The appearance and loss of ERalpha or ERbeta expression has been known to play a role in the development and progression of many human cancers.

Genome-wide genetic aberrations of thymoma using cDNA microarray based comparative genomic hybridization.

Background: Thymoma is a heterogeneous group of tumors in biology and clinical behavior. Even though thymoma is divided into five subgroups following the World Health Organization classification, the nature of the disease is mixed within the subgroups.

Results: We investigated the molecular characteristics of genetic changes variation of thymoma using cDNA microarray based-comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) with a 17 K cDNA microarray in an indirect, sex-matched design.

Bilateral breast cancer: differential diagnosis using histological and biological parameters.

Background: Contralateral breast cancer is either a metastatic lesion or the second primary cancer. From biological and therapeutic viewpoints, it is important to differentiate metastatic lesions from second primary cancer in bilateral breast cancer.

Methods: Based on Chaudary's histological criteria, we analysed the tumors in 14 and 27 patients with synchronous and metachronous bilateral breast cancers with full histological and biological evaluations.