Structural implications of Ca-dependent actin-bundling function of human EFhd2/Swiprosin-1.

EFhd2/Swiprosin-1 is a cytoskeletal Ca-binding protein implicated in Ca-dependent cell spreading and migration in epithelial cells. EFhd2 domain architecture includes an N-terminal disordered region, a PxxP motif, two EF-hands, a ligand mimic helix and a C-terminal coiled-coil domain. We reported previously that EFhd2 displays F-actin bundling activity in the presence of Ca and this activity depends on the coiled-coil domain and direct interaction of the EFhd2 core region.

A Study of Intravenous Administration of Vitamin C in the Treatment of Acute Herpetic Pain and Postherpetic Neuralgia.

Background: Although there are several available management strategies for treatment of both acute pain of herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), it is difficult to treat them adequately.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intravenously administrated vitamin C on acute pain and its preventive effects on PHN in patients with HZ.

Methods: Between September 2011 and May 2013 eighty-seven patients who were admitted for HZ were assessed according to age, sex, underlying diseases, duration of pain and skin lesion, dermatomal distribution, and PHN.

Study of dienogest for dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain associated with endometriosis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of orally administered dienogest (DNG) for dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain associated with endometriosis.

Methods: For this study we recruited 89 patients with dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain associated with endometriosis diagnosed by laparoscopy. All patients complained of persistent dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain despite surgical treatment 6 months previously.

Protective Effect of Tempol against Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity.

One of the major adverse effects of cisplatin chemotherapy is hearing loss. Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity hampers treatment because it often necessitates dose reduction, which decreases cisplatin efficacy. This study was performed to investigate the effect of Tempol on cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in an auditory cell line, House Ear Institute-Organ of Corti 1 (HEI-OC1).

p53R2 regulates thioredoxin reductase activity through interaction with TrxR2.

Ribonucleotide reductase small subunit p53R2 is a member of the ribonucleotide reductase family that supplies dNTPs for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA replication and repair. Here, we have identified a mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase 2 (TrxR2) as a novel p53R2-binding protein. We demonstrated a direct interaction between the two, and observed that p53R2 stimulated the enzymatic activity of TrxR in vitro.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of prostatic artery embolisation for lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of prostatic artery embolisation (PAE) in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) at short- and mid-term follow-up.

Materials And Methods: The current study included 484 BPH patients from seven eligible studies. A meta-analysis was performed to determine the mean differences in parameters associated with LUTS, including the international prostate symptom score (IPSS), peak urinary flow (Qmax), post-void residual volume (PVR), quality of life score (QoL), prostate-specific antigen level (PSA), and prostatic volume (PV), between baseline and follow-up periods.

Clinical outcomes of subtotal cholecystectomy performed for difficult cholecystectomy.

Purpose: Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) can be an alternative surgical technique for difficult cholecystectomies. Surgeons performing LSC sometimes leave the posterior wall of the gallbladder (GB) to shorten the operation time and avoid liver injury. However, leaving the inflamed posterior GB wall is a major concern.

Synchronous Primary Anorectal Melanoma and Sigmoid Adenocarcinoma.

A primary anorectal malignant melanoma is a rare tumor. Moreover, cases involving a synchronous anorectal melanoma and colon adenocarcinoma are extremely rare. The authors report a case of a synchronous anorectal melanoma and sigmoid adenocarcinoma in an 84-year-old man.

Clinicopathological significance of loss of p27kip1 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Introduction: A meta-analysis was done to investigate the clinicopathological significance of the loss of p27kip1 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods: The meta-analysis involving 17 studies included 1,652 PTC and 328 benign cases. The rate of p27kip1 expression loss in PTC and benign lesions, and the correlations between p27kip1 expression loss and clinicopathological characteristics of PTC were determined.

Urinary Albumin Excretion Reflects Cardiovascular Risk in Postmenopausal Women without Diabetes: The 2011 to 2013 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: The objective of the current study was to determine whether there was an association between urinary albumin excretion and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by estimating the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) in postmenopausal women without diabetes.

Methods: This study was based on data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was conducted by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2011 to 2013. Data on 2,316 postmenopausal women from a total of 24,594 participants was included in the analysis.

High adaptability of the omega loop underlies the substrate-spectrum-extension evolution of a class A β-lactamase, PenL.

The omega loop in β-lactamases plays a pivotal role in substrate recognition and catalysis, and some mutations in this loop affect the adaptability of the enzymes to new antibiotics. Various mutations, including substitutions, deletions, and intragenic duplications resulting in tandem repeats (TRs), have been associated with β-lactamase substrate spectrum extension. TRs are unique among the mutations as they cause severe structural perturbations in the enzymes.

Mean platelet volume: a potential biomarker of the risk and prognosis of heart disease.

Platelets are essential for progression of atherosclerotic lesions, plaque destabilization, and thrombosis. They secrete and express many substances that are crucial mediators of coagulation, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a precise measure of platelet size, and is routinely reported during complete blood count analysis.

Prediction of Infarct Transmurality From C-Reactive Protein Level and Mean Platelet Volume in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Comparison of the Predictive Values of Cardiac Enzymes.

Background: High C-reactive protein (CRP) and mean platelet volume (MPV) levels are associated with poor prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between CRP level or MPV and infarct transmurality in patients with STEMI.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed CRP level, MPV, and infarct transmurality in 112 STEMI patients who were assessed with contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Body image and depression in girls with idiopathic precocious puberty treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue.

Purpose: Precocious puberty (PP) is associated with psychological and behavioral problems. This study aimed to evaluate the perception of body image and depression in girls with PP receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue therapy.

Methods: From March to August 2013, 82 girls with PP receiving GnRH analogue therapy were enrolled.

Poor Preoperative Glycemic Control Is Associated with Dismal Prognosis after Radical Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Korean Multicenter Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) and preoperative glycemic control on prognosis in Korean patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Materials And Methods: A total of 566 patients who underwent RNU at six institutions between 2004 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between DM, preoperative glycemic control, and recurrence-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival.

Mixed lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC), an undifferentiated carcinoma with intense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, is commonly reported in the nasopharynx and occasionally in other organs. Pure type of LELC has previously been reported in the gallbladder. Mixed type could be reportable in comparison with other organs.

Anatomical and Functional Outcomes of Prolift Transvaginal Mesh for Treatment of Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

Objectives: To evaluate anatomical and functional outcomes of the Prolift Transvaginal Mesh for treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with regard to safety and satisfaction.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 163 patients who underwent POP repair with Prolift Transvaginal Mesh between December 2005 and March 2012. An "optimal" anatomic outcome was defined as Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System (POP-Q) stage 0, and a "satisfactory" anatomic outcome was defined as POP-Q stage 1.

Effect of hydroxyethyl starch on blood glucose levels.

Background: Hydroxyethyl starch (HES), a commonly used resuscitation fluid, has the property to induce hyperglycemia as it contains large ethyl starch, which can be metabolized to produce glucose. We evaluated the effect of 6% HES-130 on the blood glucose levels in non-diabetic patients undergoing surgery under spinal anesthesia.

Methods: Patients scheduled to undergo elective lower limb surgery were enrolled.

Clinicopathological significance and concordance analysis of c-MET immunohistochemistry in non-small cell lung cancers: A meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological significance and concordance rate of c-MET immunohistochemistry (IHC) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through meta-analysis and diagnostic test accuracy review.

Methods: The current study included 4454 NSCLC cases of 22 eligible studies. The meta-analysis examined the correlation between c-MET IHC expression and clinicopathological parameters.

Resection of Diminutive and Small Colorectal Polyps: What Is the Optimal Technique?

Colorectal polyps are classified as neoplastic or non-neoplastic on the basis of malignant potential. All neoplastic polyps should be completely removed because both the incidence of colorectal cancer and the mortality of colorectal cancer patients have been found to be strongly correlated with incomplete polypectomy. The majority of colorectal polyps discovered on diagnostic colonoscopy are diminutive and small polyps; therefore, complete resection of these polyps is very important.

miR146a-mediated targeting of FANCM during inflammation compromises genome integrity.

Inflammation is a potent inducer of tumorigenesis. Increased DNA damage or loss of genome integrity is thought to be one of the mechanisms linking inflammation and cancer development. It has been suggested that NF-κB-induced microRNA-146 (miR146a) may be a mediator of the inflammatory response.

Significance of Parafibromin Expression in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

Background: Parafibromin is a product of the tumor suppressor gene that has been studied as a potential indicator of tumor aggressiveness in the parathyroid, breast, colorectum, and stomach. However, the clinical significance and potential function of parafibromin expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of parafibromin in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and to verify its potential as a biomarker of tumor behavior.