泛素结合酶E2C通过特异性结合β-微管蛋白参与调控肝细胞癌进展

目的 筛选泛素结合酶E2C(UBE2C)的底物蛋白,并探讨其在肝细胞癌进展中的作用.方法 构建带有Halotag标签的UBE2C过表达质粒,将UBE2C与Halotag在人高转移肝癌细胞系HCCLM3中融合表达,通过Halolink树脂沉淀UBE2C结合的底物蛋白,并联合SDS-PAGE和质谱对底物蛋白进行鉴定.在人肝...     

Minimal and Maximal Extent of Band Ligation for Acute Variceal Bleeding during the First Endoscopic Session

Background/AimsThe appropriate number of band ligations during the first endoscopic session for acute variceal bleeding is debatable. We aimed to compare the technical aspects of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) in patients with variceal bleeding according to the number of bands placed per session.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed multicenter data from patients who underwent EVL for acute variceal bleeding. Patients were classified into minimal EVL (targeting only the foci with active bleeding or stigmata of recent bleeding) and maximal EVL (targeting potential bleeding sources in addition to the aforementioned targets) groups. The primary endpoint was 5-day treatment failure. The secondary endpoints were 30-day rebleeding, 30-day mortality, and intraprocedural adverse events.ResultsMinimal EVL was associated with lower rates of hypoxia and shock during EVL than maximal EVL (hypoxia, 0.9% vs 2.9%; shock, 1.3% vs 3.4%). However, treatment failure was higher in the minimal EVL group than in the maximal EVL group (odds ratio, 1.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 2.41). Age ≥60 years, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score ≥15, Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification C, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg at initial presentation were also associated with treatment failure. In contrast, 30-day rebleeding and 30-day mortality did not differ between the minimal and maximal EVL groups.ConclusionsGiven that minimal EVL was associated with a high risk of treatment failure, maximal EVL may be a better option for variceal bleeding. However, the minimal EVL strategy should be considered in select patients because it does not affect 30-day rebleeding and mortality.     

Postural instability according to virtual reality program

Background: The popularity of virtual reality (VR) grew rapidly. Short guidelines with a lack of emphasis on safe use appears prior to usage. It is necessary for the user to realize how much potentially dangerous VR is.

Aims/objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of VR on balance in normal people.

Materials and methods: Mean equilibrium score (MES) of 15 adults who have normal sense of balance were obtained by using the sensory organization test (SOT). Conditions 1 and 2 were performed. Multiple VR programs were classified as three levels (Easy, Average, and Challenging) by the visual analog scale. Further SOT tests were performed during watching VR programs. MES of each test was used for statistical analysis.

Results: MES of condition 1 was significantly higher than condition 2. Although there was no statistical difference between Eye open and Easy program (p?=?.097), MES of average and Challenging programs showed significantly decreased scores compared to Eye open. In addition, MES of Average and Challenging programs were significantly decreased than that of Easy program.

Conclusions and significance: VR can cause postural imbalance to users. It is necessary to establish quantifiable and objective methods to measure imbalance caused by VR use.     

Characterization of degradation behavior for PLGA in various pH condition by simple liquid chromatography method

The aim of this study was to detect the amount of lactic acid (LA) and glycolic acid (GA) in poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) by development a simple HPLC method and to determine the pH of media, which can influence on degradation of PLGA and drug release. Analysis of in vitro degradation behavior of PLGA with two different molecular weights as 8000 and 33,000 g/mol were performed in various media conditions (pH 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 9.0 of PBS and distilled water (approx. pH 5.8)). Also, effect of some additives on PLGA degradation was also investigated in pH 7.0 of PBS. GA and LA were easily detected by a simple HPLC method (retention time: 6.5 min and 10.2 min, respectively). The result showed that GA was released larger amount than that of LA considering the initial sample weight of polymers, due to the higher hydrophilic property. In the lower pH of media conditions, the PLGA was faster degraded generally. The presence of various additives, moreover, affected decrease of pH and slight acceleration of LA and GA detection.     

Effect of Training with Whole Body Vibration on the Sitting Balance of Stroke Patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of task-oriented training with whole body vibration (WBV) on the sitting balance of stroke patients. [Subjects] The subjects were 30 stroke patients who were randomly divided into experimental (n₁=15) and control (n₂=15) groups. [Methods] Subjects in both groups received general training five times per week. Subjects in the experimental group practiced an additional task-oriented training program with WBV, which was performed for 15 minutes, five times per week, for four weeks. The center of pressure (COP) path length and average velocity were used to assess subjects static sitting balance, and the Modified Functional Reach Test (MFRT) was used to assess their dynamic sitting balance. The paired t-test was performed to test the significance of differences between before and after the intervention. The independent t-test was conducted to test the significance of differences between the groups. [Results] Following the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant change in MFRT. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that task-oriented training with WBV is feasible and efficacious for stroke patients.Key words: Balance, Stroke, Whole body vibration     

The risk factors for lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer patients who underwent endoscopic resection: is the minimal lymph node dissection applicable?

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with lymph node (LN) metastasis in early gastric cancer patients who underwent endoscopic resection (ER) and to evaluate the feasibility of minimal LN dissection in these patients.

Methods

From January 2001 to March 2011, patients who underwent gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy due to the potential risk of LN metastasis after ER were enrolled at National Cancer Center, Korea. The incidence, risk factors, and distribution of LN metastasis were evaluated.

Results

Of the 147 enrolled patients, the LN metastasis was identified in 12 patients (8.2 %). The incidence of LN metastasis was not significantly increased in patients with submucosal invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and mixed undifferentiated histology [odds ratio (OR), 5.55, 1.349, and 0.387; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 0.688–43.943, 0.405–4.494, and 0.081–1.84, respectively]. Tumor size more than 2 cm was significantly associated with LN metastasis (OR, 14.056; 95 % CI, 1.76–112.267). The incidence of LN metastasis gradually increased from 3.2 to 20 %, as number of risk factors increased (P = 0.019). LN metastasis was present primarily along the perigastric area in all except two patients (1.4 %) with skip metastasis to extragastric area.

Conclusions

Standard surgery with at least D1 + LN dissection must be recommended for patients who proved to have risk factors for LN metastasis after ER, because the potential of skip metastasis is not negligible. Nevertheless, the minimal LN dissection, such as sentinel basin dissection, might be applied cautiously in patients with small-sized tumors after ER.     

Age <40Years is an independent prognostic factor predicting inferior overall survival in patients treated with breast conservative therapy

To evaluate the effect of age at diagnosis on the treatment outcome after breast conservative therapy (BCT), retrospective analysis was done for 378 patients undergoing BCT for early breast cancer. Patients were divided into two groups according to their age: 'younger' (<40years, n=108) and 'older' (≥40years, n=270). Multivariate analysis was performed on the variables including tumor characteristics, the use of systemic therapy, and age to assess risk factors for local-regional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival rates (OS). The median follow-up duration was 94months. The 8-year LRRFS, DMFS, and OS for younger and older groups were 88.1% and 96.5% (p=0.0022); 85.7% and 93.7% (p=0.0310); 89.2% and 95.9% (p=0.0205), respectively. On multivariate analysis, younger age was the only significant predictor of poor LRRFS (p=0.0022). Younger age and ER negativity showed borderline significance for DMFS (p=0.0828 and 0.0618, respectively). Younger age had trend toward inferior OS (p=0.0702). In conclusion, age younger than 40years was associated with inferior LRRFS in early breast cancer patients treated with BCT. There was also a trend for inferior DMFS and OS in younger patients. Age at diagnosis should be considered for individualized patient management.     

Booster BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccination Increases Neutralizing Antibody Titers Against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in Both Young and Elderly Adults

Concerns about the effectiveness of current vaccines against the rapidly spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant are increasing. This study aimed to assess neutralizing antibody activity against the wild-type (BetaCoV/Korea/KCDC03/2020), delta, and omicron variants after full primary and booster vaccinations with BNT162b2. A plaque reduction neutralization test was employed to determine 50% neutralizing dilution (ND₅₀) titers in serum samples. ND₅₀ titers against the omicron variant (median [interquartile range], 5.3 [< 5.0–12.7]) after full primary vaccination were lower than those against the wild-type (144.8 [44.7–294.0]) and delta (24.3 [14.3–81.1]) variants. Furthermore, 19/30 participants (63.3%) displayed lower ND₅₀ titers than the detection threshold (< 10.0) against omicron after full primary vaccination. However, the booster vaccine significantly increased ND₅₀ titers against BetaCoV/Korea/KCDC03/2020, delta, and omicron, although titers against omicron remained lower than those against the other variants (P < 0.001). Our study suggests that booster vaccination with BNT162b2 significantly increases humoral immunity against the omicron variant.