Prevalence and Treatment of Vulvar Cancer From 2014−2018: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Korea

BackgroundVulvar cancer is one of the rare gynecologic malignancies. Despite the recent increasing trend of vulvar cancer in western countries due to the increased infection of human papillomavirus, there has been no study for population-based incidence of vulvar cancer in Korea. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and treatment of vulvar cancer in South Korea between 2014 and 2018.MethodsData from patients diagnosed and treated with vulvar cancer between 2014 and 2018 were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service/National Inpatient Sample (National In-Patient Sample) in South Korea.ResultsA total of 4,636,542 women were identified through the HIRA-NIS database from 2014 to 2018, of which 259 patients were diagnosed and treated for vulvar cancer. The mean age diagnosed with vulvar cancer was 62.82 (± 14.30) years in 2014, 64.19 (± 16.79) years in 2015, and 67.40 (± 14.41) years in 2016. In terms of treatment modalities, the most frequent treatment was surgery only without chemotherapy or radiation therapy. In the age-specific prevalence analysis, vulvar cancer was the most prevalent among those over 70 years old. According to multiple regression analysis, patients’ age was significantly associated with the prevalence of vulvar cancer. Vulvar cancer was more prevalent in women with low socioeconomic status (SES) compared to those with high SES in 2018 (OR, 4.242; P < 0.001).ConclusionConsidering the high prevalence of vulvar cancer in the elderly, it is necessary to establish a new strategy for early screening and treatment.     

多功能转录因子CTCF重组质粒构建及其表达鉴定

目的 构建人CTCF cDNA全长及N端、Zn指、C端3个片段的原核融合表达载体,纯化融合蛋白并进行鉴定.方法 以编码CTCF全长序列的质粒为PCR模板,分别构建GST融合表达重组质粒pGEX-4T-2-CTCF,pGEX-4T-2-CTCF-N,pGEX-4T-2-CTCF-Zn,pGEX-4T-2-CTCF-C,转化大肠杆菌BL21,酶切、测序鉴定;优化IPTG诱导表达条件,并对亲和层析纯化的GST融合蛋白CTCF,CTCF-N,CTCF-Zn,CTCF进行Far-West-ern blot鉴定.结果 重组质粒经双酶切和测序鉴定证实构建成功.GST融合蛋白CTCF,CTCF-N,CTCF-Zn,CTCF-C均在大肠杆菌中成功诱导表达,融合蛋白经亲和层析纯化获得纯化蛋白.各纯化蛋白经SDS-PAGE和Far-Western blot鉴定,均为诱导表达蛋白质.结论 成功构建了GST融合表达CTCF,CTCF-N,CTCF-Zn,CTCF-C的重组质粒,对融合蛋白表达条件进行了优化.获得了高效表达的GST融合蛋白.     

Diving bradycardia of elderly Korean women divers,haenyeo, in cold seawater: a field report

The purpose of the present field study was to explore diving patterns and heart rate of elderly Korean women divers (haenyeo) while breath-hold diving in cold seawater. We hypothesized that the decreasing rate in heart rate of elderly haenyeos during breath-hold diving was greater and total diving time was shorter than those of young haenyeos from previous studies. Nine haenyeos participated in a field study [68 ± 10 yr in age, ranged from 56 to 83 yr] at a seawater temperature of 10 to 13 °C. Average total diving time including surface swimming time between dives was 253 ± 73 min (155–341 min). Total frequency of dives was 97 ± 28 times and they dived 23 ± 8 times per hour. All haenyeos showed diving bradycardia with a decreased rate of 20 ± 8% at the bottom time (101 ± 20 bpm) when compared to surface swimming time (125 ± 16 bpm) in the sea. Older haenyeos among the nine elderly haenyeos had shorter diving time, less diving frequencies, and lower heart rate at work (p<0.05). These reductions imply that haenyeos voluntarily adjust their workload along with advancing age and diminished cardiovascular functions.     

Amines as occupational hazards for visual disturbance

Various amines, such as triethylamine and N,N-dimethylethylamine, have been reported to cause glaucopsia in workers employed in epoxy, foundry, and polyurethane foam industries. This symptom has been related to corneal edema and vesicular collection of fluid within the corneal subepithelial cells. Exposure to amine vapors for 30 min to several hours leads to blurring of vision, a blue-grey appearance of objects, and halos around lights, that are probably reversible. Concentration-effect relationships have been established. The visual disturbance is considered a nuisance, as it could cause onsite accidents, impair work efficiency, and create difficulties in driving back home. Occupational exposure limits have been established for some amines, but there is shortage of criteria. Volatility factors, such as vapor pressure, should be considered in industrial settings to prevent human ocular risks, while trying to reduce levels of hazardous amines in the atmosphere.     

大连市农民工职业卫生服务和健康监护工作现状调查

经调查,某县医疗仪器厂车间空气汞浓度最高达0．675mg/m^3,98．9％的工人尿汞超过正常值,9名工人被诊断为轻度汞中毒。故应重视乡镇企业接汞工人的防护工作。     

Fumarate-Mediated Persistence of Escherichia coli against Antibiotics

Bacterial persisters are a small fraction of quiescent cells that survive in the presence of lethal concentrations of antibiotics. They can regrow to give rise to a new population that has the same vulnerability to the antibiotics as did the parental population. Although formation of bacterial persisters in the presence of various antibiotics has been documented, the molecular mechanisms by which these persisters tolerate the antibiotics are still controversial. We found that amplification of the fumarate reductase operon (FRD) in Escherichia coli led to a higher frequency of persister formation. The persister frequency of E. coli was increased when the cells contained elevated levels of intracellular fumarate. Genetic perturbations of the electron transport chain (ETC), a metabolite supplementation assay, and even the toxin-antitoxin-related hipA7 mutation indicated that surplus fumarate markedly elevated the E. coli persister frequency. An E. coli strain lacking succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), thereby showing a lower intracellular fumarate concentration, was killed ∼1,000-fold more effectively than the wild-type strain in the stationary phase. It appears that SDH and FRD represent a paired system that gives rise to and maintains E. coli persisters by producing and utilizing fumarate, respectively.     

The Iron-Sensing Fur Regulator Controls Expression Timing and Levels of Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 2 Genes in the Course of Environmental Acidification

In order to survive inside macrophages, Salmonella produces a series of proteins encoded by genes within Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI-2). In the present study, we report that Fur, a central regulator of iron utilization, negatively controls the expression of SPI-2 genes. Time course analysis of SPI-2 expression after the entry of Salmonella into macrophages revealed that SPI-2 genes are induced earlier and at higher levels in the absence of the Fur regulator. It was hypothesized that Fur repressed the SPI-2 expression that was activated during acidification of the phagosome. Indeed, as pH was lowered from pH 7.0 to pH 5.5, the lack of Fur enabled SPI-2 gene expression to be induced at higher pH and to be expressed at higher levels. Fur controlled SPI-2 genes via repression of the SsrB response regulator, a primary activator of SPI-2 expression. Fur repressed ssrB expression both inside macrophages and under acidic conditions, which we ascribe to the direct binding of Fur to the ssrB promoter. Our study suggests that Salmonella could employ iron inside the phagosome to precisely control the timing and levels of SPI-2 expression inside macrophages.