• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제64권2호
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• pp.68-75
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• 2021

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been spreading worldwide since December 2019. Hundreds of cases of children and adolescents with Kawasaki disease (KD)-like hyperinflammatory illness have been reported in Europe and the United States during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic with or without shock and cardiac dysfunction. These patients tested positive for the polymerase chain reaction or antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 or had a history of recent exposure to COVID-19. Clinicians managing such patients coined new terms for this new illness, such as COVID-19-associated hyperinflammatory response syndrome, pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19, or COVID-19-associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The pathogenesis of MIS-C is unclear; however, it appears similar to that of cytokine storm syndrome. MIS-C shows clinical features similar to KD, but differences between them exist with respect to age, sex, and racial distributions and proportions of patients with shock or cardiac dysfunction. Recommended treatments for MIS-C include intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, and inotropic or vasopressor support. For refractory patients, monoclonal antibody to interleukin-6 receptor (tocilizumab), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (anakinra), or monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor (infliximab) may be recommended. Patients with coronary aneurysms require aspirin or anticoagulant therapy. The prognosis of MIS-C seemed favorable without sequelae in most patients despite a reported mortality rate of approximately 1.5%.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.103-111
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• 2019

The study is to investigate effects of andrographolide on experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). Lewis rats were immunized on day 0 with porcine cardiac myosin to establish EAM. The EAM rats were treated with either andrographolide (25, 50, 100 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 21 days. An antigen-specific splenocytes proliferation assay was performed by using the cells from control rats immunized with cardiac myosin. Survival rates, myocardial pathology and myocardial functional parameters (left ventricle end-diastolic pressure, ${\pm}dP/dt$ and left ventricular internal dimension) of EAM rats received andrographolide were significantly improved. Andrographolide treatment caused an decrease in the infiltration of $CD3^+$ and $CD14^+$ positive cells in myocardial tissue. Moreover, andrographolide treatment caused a reduction in the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-17 (IL-17) and myosin-antibody, and an increase in the level of IL-10 in EAM rats. Oral administration of andrographolide resulted in the decreased expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt without any change of PI3K and Akt. Further results indicate andrographolide significantly inhibited myosin-induced proliferation in splenocytes, and this effect was inhibited by co-treatment of SC79 (Akt activator). Our data indicate andrographolide inhibits development of EAM, and this beneficial effect may be due to powerful anti-inflammatory activity and inhibitory effect on PI3K/Akt pathway.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제57권3호
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• pp.263-271
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• 2024

Background: Delirium is a recognized neurological complication following cardiac surgery and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, including elevated mortality and prolonged hospitalization. While several clinical risk factors for post-cardiac surgery delirium have been identified, the pathophysiology related to the immune response remains unexamined. This study was conducted to investigate the immunological factors contributing to delirium in patients after thoracic aortic surgery. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 43 consecutive patients who underwent thoracic aortic surgery between July 2017 and June 2018. These patients were categorized into 2 groups: those with delirium and those without it. All clinical characteristics were compared between groups. Blood samples were collected and tested on the day of admission, as well as on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, and 30. Levels of helper T cells (CD4), cytotoxic T cells (CD8), B cells (CD19), natural killer cells (CD56+CD16++), and monocytes (CD14+CD16-) were measured using flow cytometry. Results: The median patient age was 71 years (interquartile range, 56.7 to 79.0 years), and 21 of the patients (48.8%) were male. Preoperatively, most immune cell counts did not differ significantly between groups. However, the patients with delirium exhibited significantly higher levels of interleukin-6 and lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) than those without delirium (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that lower TNF-α levels were associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium (p<0.05). Conclusion: Postoperative delirium may be linked to perioperative changes in immune cells and preoperative cytokine levels. Additional research is required to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying delirium.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권11호
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• pp.1551-1560
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• 2008

본 연구자들은 체외순환을 적용한 심장판막 수술 시 혈청사이토카인들의 변화와 여러 장기 표지자들과의 상관관계규명을 위해 전향적 연구를 실시하였다. 체외순환은 수술 동안 또는 수술 후 시기에 걸쳐 염증성 사이토카인(TNF-$\alpha$ 및 IL-6) 및 항염증성 사이토카인(IL-10)의 혈청 농도의 증가를 가져왔고 염증성 사이토카인의 증가에 따라 항염증성 사이토카인의 길항적 상승이 뒤 따랐다. 또한 심장수술 후 간, 신장, 심장 등 장기의 기능표지자들 역시 기준치보다 증가되었고 사이토카인들은 이러한 장기기능 표지자와 다양한 시기에 걸쳐 유의한 상관성을 보였다. 본 연구의 결과들은 심장판막수술 시 필연적으로 적용하는 체외순환이 염증성 사이토카인을 활성화시키기도 하지만 이의 상쇄를 위한 항염증성 사이토카인의 방출 역시 자극하며 이러한 사이토카인들은 수술 후 여러 장기의 기능에 직간접적으로 관여하여 장기 손상 혹은 장기보호의 역할을 함이 시사되었다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제40권8호
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• pp.574-577
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• 2007

심낭에서 발생한 원발성 섬유육종은 매우 드문 질환으로 주로 급격한 혈성 심낭 삼출을 유발한다. 평소에 간헐적인 흉부압박감을 느껴왔던 30세 남자 환자가 내원 하루 전 갑작스런 흉통과 심한 호흡곤란으로 근처 병원에서 협심증 진단 하에 전원되어 심초음파 검사, 흉부 전산화 단층촬영 및 자기공명검사 등 정밀검사를 시행받았고, 그 결과 심낭 기형종 파열에 의한 심낭압전의 진단하에 수술을 받았다. 수술소견 상 혈성 심낭 삼출액이 다량 있었고, 심낭 종괴는 완전 절제하였으나 동결절편검사 상악성종양이 의심되었다. 수술 후 병리조직 검사상 심낭 종괴는 원발성 심낭 섬유육종으로 진단되었고 심낭 삼출액에서 암세포는 발견되지 않았다. 환자는 특별한 합병증 없이 퇴원 후 전원되어 추가적인 방사선치료를 받고 있다. 임상적으로 긴급을 요하는 심낭압전을 동반한 원발성 심낭 섬유육종 1예를 치험하였기에 보고하는 바이다.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.187-191
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• 2008

A 7-year-old, intact female Yorkshire terrier dog was presented for coughing, anorexia, chest pain and dyspnea. Right lateral thoracic radiograph demonstrated a large mass shape on the heart base with decreased cardiac silhouette and severe right deviation of the trachea with the heart shifted to the left thoracic wall was observed on the ventrodorsal thoracic projection. Echocardiographic examination revealed a large rounded mass compressing left atrium around the heart base without signs of pericardial effusion. On computed tomographic (CT) findings, sagittal CT images depicted the possibility of cranial vena caval invasion and heart base involvement of the mass associated with biatrial compression. Dorsal CT image revealed the right deviation of trachea due to the heart base mass and markedly shrunk lung space was detected on the transverse CT image. Because the dog suddenly had died during the recovery from anesthesia after finishing CT scan, necropsy was performed. On gross findings, a large and lobulated mass was located at the base of the heart. A poorly-demarcated, infiltrative, multilobulated tumor composed of polyhedral cells in solid cellular sheets was confirmed based on histopathologic examination. This dog was diagnosed as a chemodectoma. This case report describes the clinical findings, diagnostic consistency of thoracic radiography, echocardiography and CT, and histopathologic confirmation in a spontaneously occurring chemodectoma with a Yorkshire terrier dog.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.701-705
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• 2013

Polymorphisms in XPG are considered to contribute to the clinical outcome of patients receiving platinum drug chemotherapy. We aimed to investigate the role of five potential SNPs of XPG gene on the response to platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced Chinese NSCLC patients. A total of 451 patients with newly diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed primary NSCLC were consecutively collected. XPG rs2296147, rs4150261, rs17655, rs1047768 and rs2094258 were genotyped by the Taqman real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In our study, we found patients carrying rs1057768 TT genotype had a significantly lower treatment response when compared with the CC genotype (OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.18-0.78). Patients carrying rs1047768 TT genotype showed a significantly short median PFS (11.2 months) and OS (13.6 months) than CC genotype, and the hazard ratios (HR) for PFS and OS were 2.06 (1.01-4.50) and 2.29 (1.21-2.49), respectively. Moreover, we found a significant decreased risk of death from NSCLC among patients carrying the rs2296147 TT genotype when compared with the CC genotype, the HR (95% CI) for OS being 0.50 (0.27-0.95). In conclusion, our study found that polymorphisms in rs1047768 C/T and rs2296147 C/T are associated with response to platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC, and XPG polymorphisms could be predictive of prognosis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.104-112
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• 2005

Because of location, a mediastinal mass may cause complications such as a major airway obstruction, a superior vena caval obstruction, and cardiac compression during general anesthesia. The patient's condition need to be assessed by several methods to predict the risks associated with general anesthesia. The authors took computed tomographs for a preoperative evaluation of two patients with an anterior mediastinal mass, and the risk of perioperative complications was predicted by measuring the tracheal area. The patients were managed according to the preoperative evaluation but severe ventilation impairments were encountered during anesthesia. In one patient, stable ventilation could not be maintained until spontaneous breathing appeared. The operation was cancelled and the patient was brought into the ICU. In the other patient, a tracheal tube was inserted deeper in an attempt to pass the narrowed tracheal portion due to mediastinal tumor compression resulting in improved ventilation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.5691-5694
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• 2012

Ectopic expression of CDX2 in the stomach is closely associated with chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and intestinal metaplasia. Whether CDX2 has tumor suppression or tumorigenesis potential remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the association between the CDX2 G543C polymorphism (silent mutation) and the risk for H. pylori-induced gastric atrophy and cancer as well as H. pylori infection, using 454 Japanese subjects undergoing a health checkup and 202 gastric cancer patients. The frequency of the minor allele was the same as previously reported in China, but different from that reported in England. CDX2 G543C was not associated with risk of H. pylori infection, gastric atrophy, or gastric cancer, although the point estimate for non-cardiac differentiated gastric cancer as compared to controls with gastric atrophy was 2.22 (95%CI=0.17-29.4). In conclusion, our results indicate that the CDX2 G543C polymorphism is unlikely to affect the H. pylori infection-gastric atrophy-gastric cancer sequence.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.689-692
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate correlations between adenosine triphosphate chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA) and clinical outcomes after ATP-CRA-based chemotherapy for drug selection in patients receiving intravesical chemotherapy to prevent recurrence of superficial bladder cancer after surgery. Methods: The chemosensitivities of 12 anticancer drugs were evaluated, including 5-Fu ADM, and EPI, using ATP-CRA and primary tumor cell culture in 54 patients. In addition, a further 58 patients were treated according to clinical experience. Differences in post-chemotherapeutical effects between drug sensitivity assay and experience groups were compared. Results: The evaluable rate of the test was 96.3%, the clinical effective rate was 80.8%, the sensitivity rate was 97.6% (41/42), the specificity was 20%, the total predicting accuracy was 74.3%, the positive predictive value was 83.7% (41/49), the negative predictive value was 66.7% (2/3); in the drug sensitivity test group, the clinical effective rate was 80.8%, the experience group response rate was 63.8%, with a significant difference in clinical effects between the ATP-based sensitivity and experience groups (${\chi}^2$=7.0153, P<0.01). Conclusion: ATP-CRA is a stable, accurate and potentially practical chemosensitivity test providing a predictor of chemotherapeutic response in patients with superficial bladder cancer.