Estrogen-secreting adrenocortical carcinoma.

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare type of endocrine malignancy with an annual incidence of approximately 1-2 cases per million. The majority of these tumors secrete cortisol, and a few secrete aldosterone or androgen. Estrogen-secreting adrenocortical carcinomas are extremely rare, irrespective of the secretion status of other adrenocortical hormones.

Rosiglitazone increases endothelial cell migration and vascular permeability through Akt phosphorylation.

Background: Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonists, exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and inhibit endothelial inflammation and dysfunction, which is anti-atherogenic. However, fluid retention, which may lead to congestive heart failure and peripheral edema, is also a concern, which may result from endothelial cell leakage. In the current study, we examined the effects of PPAR-γ agonists on vascular endothelial cell migration and permeability in order to determine its underlying mechanisms.

Complete Tumor Resection for a Hepatocellular Carcinoma Secreting Parathyroid Hormone-related Peptide.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in Korea. Diverse paraneoplastic syndromes can occur in patients with HCC, but parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rP)-induced hypercalcemia is uncommon. Hypercalcemia due to PTH or particularly PTH-rP-secreting HCC is associated with poor outcomes.

Vitamin D level is not a predictor of hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy.

Purpose: As the incidence of thyroid cancer has increased, hypocalcemia, a common complication of thyroid surgery, has become a serious problem. However, no definite predictor of postoperative hypocalcemia is known. In this study, our purpose was to investigate the potential role of vitamin D as a predictor of postoperative hypocalcemia.

Central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma can be stratified according to the number, the size of metastatic foci, and the presence of desmoplasia.

Background: Lymph node (LN) metastasis is common in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of LN metastasis and its risk stratification on PTMC recurrence.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 336 patients with PTMC who underwent surgery from 2005 to 2006 at a single institution.

Preoperative localization and intraoperative parathyroid hormone assay in korean patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Background: The intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) assay is widely used in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). We investigated the usefulness of the IOPTH assay in Korean patients with PHPT.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 33 patients with PHPT who underwent parathyroidectomy.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome.

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome is caused most frequently by a bronchial carcinoid tumor or by small cell lung cancer. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare etiology of ectopic ACTH syndrome. We describe a case of Cushing syndrome due to ectopic ACTH production from MTC in a 48-year-old male.

A novel mutation in the von hippel-lindau tumor suppressor gene identified in a patient presenting with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Background: Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is an autosomal dominantly inherited, multisystemic tumor syndrome caused by mutations in the VHL gene. To date, more than 1,000 germline and somatic mutations of the VHL gene have been reported. We present a novel mutation in the VHL tumor suppressor gene that presented with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Predictive factors of malignancy in thyroid nodules with a cytological diagnosis of follicular neoplasm.

In cases of follicular neoplasm identified by thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA), surgery is required to achieve a precise diagnosis. We investigated potential clinical factors for the preoperative prediction of malignancy in thyroid nodules with a cytological diagnosis of follicular neoplasm. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 97 patients who were diagnosed with follicular neoplasm by FNA and had undergone surgery at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital between April 2010 and April 2012.

Differential proteome profiling using iTRAQ in microalbuminuric and normoalbuminuric type 2 diabetic patients.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a long-term complication of diabetes mellitus that leads to end-stage renal disease. Microalbuminuria is used for the early detection of diabetic renal damage, but such levels do not reflect the state of incipient DN precisely in type 2 diabetic patients because microalbuminuria develops in other diseases, necessitating more accurate biomarkers that detect incipient DN. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) were used to identify urinary proteins that were differentially excreted in normoalbuminuric and microalbuminuric patients with type 2 diabetes where 710 and 196 proteins were identified and quantified, respectively.

Carotid intimal-medial thickness is not increased in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Measuring the carotid artery intimal-medial thickness (CIMT) is a non-invasive technique used to evaluate early atherosclerosis and to predict future cardiovascular diseases. We examined the association between CIMT and cardiovascular risk factors in young Korean women with previous GDM.

Effects of Sulfonylureas on Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Activity and on Glucose Uptake by Thiazolidinediones.

Background: Sulfonylurea primarily stimulates insulin secretion by binding to its receptor on the pancreatic β-cells. Recent studies have suggested that sulfonylureas induce insulin sensitivity through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), one of the nuclear receptors. In this study, we investigated the effects of sulfonylurea on PPARγ transcriptional activity and on the glucose uptake via PPARγ.

The effects of resistance training on muscle and body fat mass and muscle strength in type 2 diabetic women.

Background: Our goal was to investigate the effects of low intensity resistance training on body fat, muscle mass and strength, cardiovascular fitness, and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Twenty-eight overweight women with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to a resistance training group (RG, n = 13) or a control group (CG, n = 15). RG performed resistance training using elastic bands, of which strength was equal to 40 to 50% of one repetition maximum (1RM), for three days per week.

A relationship between Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus through the measurement of serum amyloid-beta autoantibodies.

Increasing evidence suggests that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is strongly correlated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). To examine the relationship between T2DM and AD, autoantibodies against amyloid-Abeta were measured in the serum of T2DM patients and age-matched controls. Levels of Abeta autoantibody were measured by ELISA in serum samples of T2DM patients (n=92) and age-matched control group (n=106).

Regulatory effect of common promoter polymorphisms on the expression of the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 gene.

Background/aims: Glucocorticoids play an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance. 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1), which converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol, has become an emerging therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. In this study, we examined the association between HSD11B1 polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes and metabolic phenotypes in Koreans.

Comprehensive evaluation of coronary arteries by multidetector-row cardiac computed tomography according to the glucose level of asymptomatic individuals.

Background: Early detection of atherosclerosis in individuals with diabetes is important because of high cardiovascular mortality in this population. We performed multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) in asymptomatic individuals to investigate the status of coronary artery stenosis and plaque characteristics depending on the glucose level.

Methods And Results: The plaque burden (number of diseased coronary segments), severity of stenosis, plaques characteristics, and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) were assessed by MDCT in 1043 asymptomatic individuals.

Derivation of a new equation for estimating creatinine clearance by using fat-free mass and serum creatinine concentration in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: Equations to predict creatinine clearance (Ccr) or glomerular filtration rate have limitations in applying to a wide range of ethnicities with different fat-free mass (FFM). We aimed to determine the serum creatinine (Scr) concentrations that indicate renal insufficiency and formulate a new equation to estimate Ccr by a function of FFM in Korean type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: Ccr was measured in 283 type 2 diabetic patients by 24-h urine collection.