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The purpose of this study was to evaluate upper-limb cooling following (treadmill) exercise performed in the heat (33oC, 70% relative humidity) at each of three speeds: light (6 km.h-1), intermediate (8 km.h-1) and moderate intensity (10 km.h-1). In all trials, exercise ceased when rectal temperature reached 39.0oC. Participants adopted a sitting position for a 20-min recovery, and liquid-cooling sleeves with cold water (6.3oC) were immediately positioned. The chosen work rates resulted in a two-fold difference in exercise duration across those trials, which terminated without significant between-trial differences within either auditory canal or rectal temperatures. Auditory canal temperature elevation rates became progressively faster as the work rate increased: 0.03oC.min-1 (light), 0.05oC.min-1 (intermediate) and 0.07oC.min-1 (moderate) (p0.05). That outcome was reflected in auditory canal cooling rates (0.03oC.min-1 [light], 0.04oC.min-1 [intermediate] and 0.05oC.min-1 [moderate]). Nevertheless, rectal temperatures continued to rise throughout recovery. It is concluded that heat extraction from moderately hyperthermic individuals, using upper-limb cooling sleeves, appears to be equally rapid, regardless of heating speed, providing the same level of hyperthermia was attained prior to initiating treatment.

This study investigated the separate and combined effects of skin cooling and cold fluid ingestion on the alleviation of heat strain when wearing protective firefighting clothing at an air temperature of 30°C with 50%RH. A vest with the dual functions of cooling and providing sports drink supply (1.2% body mass) was developed. Eight males participated in the following four conditions: control [CON], drinking only [DO], cooling only [CO], and both cooling and drinking [CD]. The results showed that rectal (Tre), mean skin temperature (Tsk) and heart rate (HR) during recovery were lower for CD than for CON (p

Purpose Abnormalities in hepatic oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption may serve as a significant indicator of hepatic cellular dysfunction and may predict treatment response. However, conventional and oxygen-enhanced hepatic BOLD MRI can only provide semiquantitative assessment of hepatic oxygenation. Methods A hepatic quantitative BOLD (qBOLD) model was proposed for noninvasive mapping of hepatic venous blood oxygen saturation (Yv ) and deoxygenated blood volume (DBV) in human subjects. The validity and the estimation bias of the proposed model were evaluated by Monte Carlo simulations. Eight healthy subjects were scanned after written consent with institutional review board approval. Results Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated that the proposed single-compartment hepatic qBOLD model leads to significant deviation of the predicted T2 * decay profile from the simulated signal due to high hepatic blood volume fraction. Small relative estimation bias for hepatic Yv and significant overestimation for hepatic DBV were observed, which can be corrected by applying the calibration curves established from simulations. After correction, the mean hepatic Yv in human subjects was 56.8 ± 6.8%, and the mean hepatic DBV was 0.190 ± 0.035, consistent with measurements from other invasive approaches. Except in regions with significant vascular contamination, the maps for hepatic Yv and DBV were relatively homogenous. Conclusions With estimation bias correction, the hepatic qBOLD approach enables noninvasive mapping of hepatic blood volume and oxygenation in human subjects. The established protocol may be used to quantitatively assess hepatic tissue hypoxia in multiple liver diseases.

Background Interleukin-32 (IL-32) has been associated with various diseases. Previous studies have shown that IL-32 inhibited the development of several tumors. However, the role of IL-32γ, an isotype of IL-32, in skin carcinogenesis remains unknown. Methods We compared 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (DMBA/TPA)-induced skin carcinogenesis in wild type (WT) and IL-32γ-overexpressing mice to evaluate the role of IL-32γ. We also analyzed cancer stemness and NF-κB signaling in skin cancer cell lines with or without IL-32γ expression by western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis. Results Carcinogen-induced tumor incidence in IL-32γ mice was significantly reduced in comparison to that in WT mice. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and the expression levels of pro-inflammatory mediators were decreased in the skin tumor tissues of IL-32γ mice compared with WT mice. Using a genome-wide association study analysis, we found that IL-32 was associated with integrin αV (ITGAV) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), which are critical factor for skin carcinogenesis. Reduced expression of ITGAV and TIMP-1 were identified in DMBA/TPA-induced skin tissues of IL-32γ mice compared to that in WT mice. NF-κB activity was also reduced in DMBA/TPA-induced skin tissues of IL-32γ mice. IL-32γ decreased cancer cell sphere formation and expression of stem cell markers, and increased chemotherapy-induced cancer cell death. IL-32γ also downregulated expression of ITGAV and TIMP-1, accompanied with the inhibition of NF-κB activity. In addition, IL-32γ expression with NF-κB inhibitor treatment further reduced skin inflammation, epidermal hyperplasia, and cancer cell sphere formation and downregulated expression levels of ITGAV and TIMP-1. Conclusions These findings indicated that IL-32γ suppressed skin carcinogenesis through the inhibition of both stemness and the inflammatory tumor microenvironment by the downregulation of TIMP-1 and ITGAV via inactivation of NF-κB signaling. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0943-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Metformin inhibits cyclic AMP generation and activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which inhibits the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin pathways. Together these effects may reduce cyst growth in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Methods: A phase II, double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial of 26 months duration. Participants will include nondiabetic adults (n = 96) aged 18–60 years, with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥50 mL/min/1.73 m2 and ADPKD, recruited from university-based practices in Baltimore and Boston. Participants will be randomized in 1: 1 ratio to metformin or placebo at 500 mg once daily, increased every 2 weeks to a maximum of 1,000 mg twice daily as tolerated. Dose is decreased if eGFR falls to 30–45 mL/min/1.73 m2 and discontinued at eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results: The primary outcomes are safety, assessed by the rates of hypoglycemia, elevated lactic acid levels, adverse events, and tolerability assessed by the Gastrointestinal Severity Rating Scale and maximum tolerated dose of study medication. Secondary outcomes include changes in total kidney and liver volumes, pain, and health-related quality of life, and changes in urinary metabolomic biomarkers. Conclusions: Results of this trial will provide important information on the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of long-term use of metformin in patients with ­ADPKD and provide preliminary information regarding its efficacy in slowing disease progression. Furthermore, results may support or refute the hypothesis that metformin effects on disease progression are mediated through the activation of the AMPK pathway. These results will be essential for the justification and design of a full-scale efficacy trial.

We aimed to investigate the prognostic influence of primary tumor site on the survival of patients with breast cancer.Data of 63,388 patients with primary breast cancer from the Korean Breast Cancer Registry were analyzed. Primary tumor sites were classified into 5 groups: upper outer quadrant, lower outer quadrant, upper inner quadrant, lower inner quadrant (LIQ), and central portion. We analyzed overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) according to primary tumor site.Central portion and LIQ showed lower survival rates regarding both OS and BCSS compared with the other 3 quadrants (all P .05) and hazard ratios were 1.267 (95% CI, 1.180-1.360, P .001) and 1.215 (95% CI, 1.097-1.345, P .001), respectively. Although central portion showed more unfavorable clinicopathologic features, LIQ showed more favorable features than the other 3 quadrants. Primary tumor site was a significant factor in univariate and multivariate analyses for OS and BCSS (all P .001). For lymph node-negative patients, LIQ showed a worse OS than the other primary tumor sites in the subgroup with no chemotherapy (P .001), but that effect disappeared in the subgroup with chemotherapy (P = .058).LIQ showed a worse prognosis despite having more favorable clinicopathologic features than other tumor locations and it was more prominent for lymph node-negative patients who received no chemotherapy. The hypothesis of possible hidden internal mammary node metastasis could be suggested to play a key role in LIQ lesions.

Tolvaptan, a vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, has been shown to reduce the rates of growth in total kidney volume (TKV) and renal function loss in ADPKD patients, but also leads to polyuria because of its aquaretic effect. Prolonged polyuria can result in ureter dilatation with consequently renal function loss. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of tolvaptan-induced polyuria on ureter diameter in ADPKD patients.70 ADPKD patients were included (51 were randomized to tolvaptan and 19 to placebo). At baseline and after 3 years of treatment renal function was measured (mGFR) and MRI was performed to measure TKV and ureter diameter at the levels of renal pelvis and fifth lumbar vertebral body (L5).In these patients [65.7 % male, age 41 +/- 9 years, mGFR 74 +/- 27 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and TKV 1.92 (1.27-2.67) L], no differences were found between tolvaptan and placebo-treated patients in 24-h urine volume at baseline (2.5 vs. 2.5 L, p = 0.8), nor in ureter diameter at renal pelvis and L5 (4.0 vs. 4.2 mm, p = 0.4 and 3.0 vs. 3.1 mm, p = 0.3). After 3 years of treatment 24-h urine volume was higher in tolvaptan-treated patients when compared to placebo (4.7 vs. 2.3 L, p Tolvaptan-induced polyuria did not lead to an increase in ureter diameter, suggesting that tolvaptan is a safe therapy from a urological point of view.

Purpose In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels. Methods In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.5 mg/daily) for 5 years unless they experienced disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or withdrew their consent. The patients were stratified into the following 3 groups according to ER expression levels using a modified Allred score (AS): low, intermediate, and high (AS 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8, respectively). ER expression was centrally reviewed. The primary objective was the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Results Between April 25, 2010, and February 5, 2014, 440 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months, the 5-year DFS rate in all patients was 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.8-96.6). The 5-year DFS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates did not differ according to ER expression; the 5-year DFS rates were 94.3% and 94.1%in the low-to-intermediate and high expression groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and the corresponding 5-year RFS rates were 95.7% and 95.4%, respectively (p = 0.7). Furthermore, 25 patients discontinued letrozole because of drug toxicity. Conclusion Treatment with adjuvant letrozole showed very favorable treatment outcomes and good tolerability among Korean postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer, independent of ER expression. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01069211.

The purpose of this study was to investigate prospectively whether the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of both breast cancer and normal fibroglandular tissue vary with the menstrual cycle and menopausal status. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and informed consent was obtained from each participant. Fifty-seven women (29 premenopausal, 28 postmenopausal) with newly diagnosed breast cancer underwent diffusion-weighted imaging twice (interval 12-20 days) before surgery. Two radiologists independently measured ADC of breast cancer and normal contralateral breast tissue, and we quantified the differences according to the phases of menstrual cycle and menopausal status. With normal fibroglandular tissue, ADC was significantly lower in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women (P = 0.035). In premenopausal women, ADC did not differ significantly between proliferative and secretory phases in either breast cancer or normal fibroglandular tissue (P = 0.969 and P = 0.519, respectively). In postmenopausal women, no significant differences were found between ADCs measured at different time intervals in either breast cancer or normal fibroglandular tissue (P = 0.948 and P = 0.961, respectively). The within-subject variability of the ADC measurements was quantified using the coefficient of variation (CV) and was small: the mean CVs of tumor ADC were 2.90 % (premenopausal) and 3.43 % (postmenopausal), and those of fibroglandular tissue ADC were 4.37 % (premenopausal) and 2.55 % (postmenopausal). Both intra- and interobserver agreements were excellent for ADC measurements, with intraclass correlation coefficients in the range of 0.834-0.974. In conclusion, the measured ADCs of breast cancer and normal fibroglandular tissue were not affected significantly by menstrual cycle, and the measurements were highly reproducible both within and between observers.

Activated carbon (AC) has attracted considerable interest because of its low cost, availability, facile tunability, and thermal stability. In this work, chemically activated carbon materials were prepared with different amounts of KOH (i.e., AC/KOH ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4). The specific surface area and micropore volume were analyzed via N2 adsorption- desorption isotherms at 77 K. The CO2 adsorption capacity was investigated by CO2 adsorption-desorption isotherms at 298 K and 1 bar. The indoor CO2 capture capacities of the samples were examined in a manufactured chamber at the laboratory scale. The K2-AC sample exhibited a large specific surface area (1507 m2/g) and high total pore volume (0.670 cm3/g) and micropore volume (0.580 cm3/g). The prepared KOH-AC samples exhibited a high CO2 capture capacity of 144.5 mg/g (at an AC/KOH ratio of 1:2). Therefore, we proved that the CO2 capture capacity is significantly affected by chemical activation.

Purpose There are few reports from Asian countries about the long-term results of aromatase inhibitor adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. This observational study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of letrozole in postmenopausal Korean women with operable breast cancer. Methods Self-reported quality of life (QoL) scores were serially assessed for 3 years during adjuvant letrozole treatment using the Korean version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast questionnaires (version 3). Changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and serum cholesterol levels were also examined. Results All 897 patients received the documented informed consent form and completed a baseline questionnaire before treatment. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 684 (76.3%) subjects, and 410 (45.7%) and 396 (44.1%) patients had stage I and II breast cancer, respectively. Each patient completed questionnaires at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months after enrollment. Of 897 patients, 749 (83.5%) completed the study. The dropout rate was 16.5%. The serial trial outcome index, the sum of the physical and functional well-being subscales, increased gradually and significantly from baseline during letrozole treatment (p

Comprehensive crystal structural study is performed for BiFeO3 (BFO) film grown on KTaO3 (KTO) substrate using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Nano-beam electron diffraction (NBED) combined with structure factor calculation and high resolution TEM images clearly reveal that the crystal structure within BFO thin film is rhombohedral BFO, i.e., bulk BFO phase. Epitaxial relationship found by NBED indicates the BFO film grows in a manner that minimizes lattice mismatch with KTO. It further suggests BFO film is under slight biaxial tensile stress (~0.35%) along in-plane direction. XRD reveals BFO lattice is under compressive stress (~1.6%), along out-of-plane direction as a result of the biaxial tensile strain applied along in-plane direction. This leads to Poisson’s ratio of ~0.68. In addition, we demonstrate (1) why hexagonal notation rather than pseudocubic one is required for accurate BFO phase evaluation and (2) a new XRD method that shows how rhombohedral BFO can readily be identified among other phases by measuring a rhombohedral specific Bragg’s reflection.

Flavonoids have recently attracted significant interest as potential reducing agents, hydrogendonating antioxidants, and singlet oxygen-quenchers. Quercetin, in particular, induces the expression of a gene, known to be associated with cell protection, in dose- and time-dependent manners. Therefore, quercetin may be used as an effective cosmeceutical material useful in the protection of dermal skin. In this study, hollow porous silica spheres used to load quercetin were prepared by using a combined emulsion sol–gel process and triblock copolymer as a template. Fabrication of hollow porous silica spheres was performed under various conditions such as the molar ratios of H2O/TEOS (w) and weight ratios of poloxamer 184/poloxamer 407. Loading of quercetin in hollow porous silica spheres was devised to improve the stability of quercetin and to consider the possibility as a raw cosmetic material. The surface of inclusion complexes of quercetin in hollow porous silicas was modified to enhance the stability of quercetin. The physicochemical properties of the samples were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)-differential thermal analysis (DTA) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and porosity analysis. Determination of quercetin concentration was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis.

Purpose To retrospectively investigate the relationship between the kinetic features of breast cancer assessed with computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) at preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and disease-free survival in patients with primary operable invasive breast cancer. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board. The requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. The authors identified 329 consecutive women (mean age, 52.9 years; age range, 32-88 years) with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer who had undergone preoperative MR imaging and surgery between January 2012 and February 2013. All MR images were retrospectively reviewed by using a commercially available CAD system, and the following kinetic parameters were noted for each lesion: peak enhancement (highest pixel signal intensity in the first series obtained after administration of contrast material), angio-volume (total volume of the enhancing lesion), and delayed enhancement profiles (the proportions of washout, plateau, and persistently enhancing component within a tumor). Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to identify the relationship between CAD-generated kinetics and disease-free survival after adjusting for clinical-pathologic variables. Results A total of 36 recurrences developed at a median follow-up of 50 months (range, 15-55 months). CAD-measured peak enhancement at preoperative MR imaging enabled differentiation between patients with and patients without recurrence (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.728; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.676, 0.775; P < .001). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that a higher peak enhancement (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.001; 95% CI: 1.000, 1.002; P = .004), a higher washout component (HR = 1.029; 95% CI: 1.005, 1.054; P = .017), and lymphovascular invasion at histopathologic examination (HR = 3.011; 95% CI: 1.302, 6.962; P = .010) were associated with poorer disease-free survival. Conclusion Higher values of CAD-measured peak enhancement and washout component at preoperative MR imaging were significantly associated with poorer disease-free survival of patients with primary operable breast cancer. © RSNA, 2017.

2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) is used as a redox indicator in culture media. It is colorless in the oxidized form and is reduced to formazan, an insoluble pigment, by dehydrogenases in actively growing microbial cells. The aim of this study was to assess by microbial test of the pathogenic microorganisms using TTC reduction. The pathogenic microorganisms were reduced in medium by dehydrogenase to produce insoluble red formazan. We observed that the optimization method of TTC allowed more than 12 h incubation in 0.04% concentration. Also, the growth of microorganisms with media was increased formazan production. We confirmed that microorganisms were quickly observed to grow colonies cultured red color without affecting the growth of microorganisms. It is suggested that the microbial test using TTC can provide better and quicker test method in cosmetics development.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to verify the feasibility of the 5th, 6th, and 7th editions of AJCC staging system by analyzing the 10-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of breast cancer patients according to the each editions of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system that staged by 5th and 6th editions of AJCC staging system. Methods: A total of 419 breast cancer patients were analyzed who had received initial treatment between 1998 and 2003 at Pusan National University Hospital. Patients were restaged using 5th, 6th, and 7th editions of AJCC staging system with retrospective data and 10year OS and DFS analysis were performed. Results: The mean age of patients was 51 years old and the mean follow-up period was 138 months. Ten-year OS was 89.9% and DFS was 88.3%. Ten-year DFS was affected significantly by the tumor size, lymph node metastasis, differentiation of tumor, lymphovascular invasion, HER2 gene and triple negative breast cancer. The stage of breast cancer according to the 5th, 6th, and 7th edition of AJCC staging system and the each T and N stage of breast cancer was statistically significant in 10-year OS and DFS. Although the significance was confirmed between 10-year DFS in each edition, higher significance were found in more recent edition. Conclusion: Restaging and predict prognosis based on 7th edition of AJCC staging system would be helpful to patients who had been previously staged based on 5th or 6th system.

In this study, the capability of an existing analysis method for the fluid-structure-soil interaction of an offshore wind turbine is expanded to account for the geometric nonlinearity and sea water drag force. The geometric stiffness is derived to take care of the large displacement due to the deformation of the tower structure and the rotation of the footing foundation utilizing linearized stability analysis theory. Linearizing the term in Morison`s equation concerning the drag force, its effects are considered. The developed analysis method is applied to the earthquake response analysis of a 5 MW offshore wind turbine. Parameters which can influence dynamic behaviors of the system are identified and their significance are examined.

Purpose: Waste parts of zirconia blocks and powders were remained after CAD/CAM process. In order to make these residual zirconia fit for practical use, zirconia single cores were produced by drain casting process. Methods: Remained zirconia blocks were reduced to powders with zirconia mortar, and screened with 180 mesh sieve. Zirconia slip was prepared from waste parts of zirconia by ball milling. Plaster molds for forming cores by slip casting were also prepared. Formed cores were removed from mold after partial drying. Dried cores were biscuit fired at 1,100 for 1hour. Biscuit fired cores were treated with tools to control the fitness and thickness. Finished cores were 2 fired at 1,500 for 1hour. Microstructure of cross section of core was observed by SEM. Results: When mill pot was filled with 100g of zirconia and alumina mixed powder, 300g of zirconia ball, and 180g of distilled water, the optimum slip for drain casting was obtained. Gypsum plaster for ceramic forming was more suitable then yellow stone plaster for casting process. SEM photograph showed the microstructure of fully dense with uniform grain size of zirconia and well dispersed alumina grains into the zirconia matrix. Conclusion: Zirconia single cores were produced by drain casting process. Drain casting is useful process to make these residual zirconia fit for practical use. Further study will be focused on the preparation of the bridge type cores by casting. [Abstract]

The separation and capture process of carbon dioxide from power plants is garnering interest as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, aqueous alkanolamine solutions were studied as absorbents for CO2 capture. The solubility of CO2 in aqueous alkanolamine solutions was investigated with a continuous stirred reactor at 313, 333 and 353 K. Also, the heat of absorption (−ΔHabs) between the absorbent and CO2 molecules was measured with a differential reaction calorimeter (DRC) at 298 K. The solubility and heat of absorption were determined at slightly higher than atmospheric pressure. The enthalpies of CO2 absorption in monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) were 88.91, 70.44, 44.72, and 63.95, respectively. This investigation showed that the heat of absorption is directly related to the quantity of heat for absorbent regeneration, and is dependent on amine type and CO2 loading.

리퀴리티게닌과 이소리퀴리티게닌은 감초의 주요 플라보노이드 성분이다. 이들 플라보노이드는 수용성 감초 추출물과 ${\beta}$ -glucosidase를 생성하는 잎새버섯 HB0071 균사체 발효배양을 통하여 생산하였다. 감초추출물 내 리퀴리티게닌과 이소리퀴리티게닌은 잎새버섯 발효배양 동안 현저히 증가하였다. 이 균주의 ${\beta}$ -glucosidase의 활성은 배양 96시간을 기준으로 최고 91.5 mU/mL로 확인되었으며, 감초추출발효물로부터 생성된 리퀴리티게닌과 이소리퀴리티게닌의 함량은 HPLC 분석을 통하여 최대 $568.5{\mu}g/mL$ 과 $89.6{\mu}g/mL$ 로 확인되었다. 본 연구에서는 감초추출물의 잎새버섯 발효 전 후의 시료가 처리된 각질형성세포를 이용하여 자외선 UVB에 조사로 발현된 염증유발인자(COX-2)와 사이토카인(IL- $1{\beta}$ , IL-6) 모두 감초추출발효물(FLEx)에서 농도의존적으로 발현이 억제되는 것을 확인하였다. 결론적으로 리퀴리티게닌과 이소리퀴리티게닌의 함량이 증가된 감초추출발효물은 자외선으로부터 손상된 피부 염증반응을 완화시켜줄 것으로 사료된다. 【Liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin are the major flavonoids present in licorice. These flavonoid compounds were prepared by submerged culture of Grifola frondosa (G. frondosa) HB0071 mycelia producing ${\beta}$ -glucosidase in the aqueous extract of licorice. The contents of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin were increased during the fermentation. This fungus produced a high ${\beta}$ -glucosidase (activity of 91.5 mU/mL), thereby achieving high amounts of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin ( $568.5{\mu}g/mL$ and $89.6{\mu}g/mL$ ), respectively at 96 h. A reversed- phase high-performance liquid chromatography method was established for simultaneous determination of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin in fermented licorice extract (FLEx). The anti-inflammatory activities were investigated by licorice extract (LEx) before and after fermentation with G. frondosa HB0071. The treatment of UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes with FLEx resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the expression level of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA. Furthermore, FLEx dose-dependently decreased mRNA of the pro-inflammatory cytokines of IL- $1{\beta}$ and IL-6 in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. These results suggest that FLEx may mitigate the effects of skin inflammation by reducing UVB-induced adverse skin reactions.】

The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations among familial breast cancer (BC) patients in Korea. We analyzed 775 familial BC patients who were enrolled in the Korean Hereditary Breast Cancer (KOHBRA) study and treated at 36 institutions between May 2007 and May 2010. Patients with familial BC were defined as BC patients with family histories of BC or ovarian cancer (OC) in any relatives. All probands received genetic counseling and BRCA genetic testing was performed after obtaining informed consent. The mean age of BC diagnosis was 43.6 years. The numbers of probands with family histories of BC only and OC only were 682 and 93, respectively. The overall prevalence of the BRCA mutation among familial BC patients was 21.7 % (BRCA1 9.3 % and BRCA2 12.4 %). Subgroup analyses observed prevalences of the BRCA mutation as follows: 19.6 % among patients with BC family history only (BRCA1 7.6 % and BRCA2 12.0 %) and 36.6 % among patients with OC family history only (BRCA1 21.5 % and BRCA2 15.1 %). Most of the subgroups satisfied the 10 % probability criteria to undergo BRCA testing. However, the prevalence of the BRCA mutations among subgroups that had 2 BC patients in a family with both age at diagnosis of more than 50 years old did not reach the 10 % criteria (4.1 %). Korean familial BC patients are good candidates for BRCA testing even when they have family histories of single breast cancers. However, proband age at diagnosis should be carefully considered when selecting patients for testing.

Purpose : Not only oncologic safety but also satisfactory cosmetic results can be achieved by oncoplastic breast surgery. Authors applied thorcoepigastirc fasciocutaneous flap as oncoplastic surgery for patient with lower or cental portion of breast cancer, to assess the usefulness of this procedure. Patients and methods : A total of thirty-eight patients with lower or central portion of breast cancer underwent a partial mastectomy with immediate thorcoepigastirc fasciocutaneous flap reconstruction. The clinicopathologic factors were analyzed retrospectively and the cosmetic outcomes were evaluated based on 4-point scoring system. Results : The mean follow-up period was 12.2 months and mean tumor size was 1.8 cm. The mean excised breast volume was 67.9 mm and the cosmetic result showed excellent in 21 (55.3%) and good in 13 (34.2%). Conclusion : The partial mastectomy with immediate thoracoepigastric fasciocutaneous flap would be a useful oncoplastic surgery for breast cancers which are located in lower or central portion of the breast.

Little was known about work situation and work-related difficulties, including housework after stomach cancer diagnosis. We aimed to compare employment status and work-related difficulties between stomach cancer survivors and the general population. We enrolled 408 stomach cancer survivors from two hospitals 28 months after diagnosis and 994 representative volunteers from the general population from 15 geographic districts. Working was defined as being employed (including self-employed) and nonworking as being retired or a homemaker. Nonworking was significantly higher among stomach cancer survivors (46.6%) than in the general population (36.5%). Compared with the general population, the survivors had more fatigue in performing both housework (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.08; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=1.01-4.29) and gainful work (aOR=4.02; 2.55-6.33). More cancer survivors had reduced working hours (aOR=1.42; 95% CI=4.60-28.35) and reduced work-related ability (aOR=6.11; 95% CI=3.64-10.27) than did the general population. The association of nonworking with older age and being female was significantly more positive for survivors than for the general population. Among survivors, poorer Eastern Cooperation Oncology Group Performance Status and receiving total gastrectomy were positively associated with nonworking. Stomach cancer survivors experienced more difficulties in both housework and gainful employment than did the general population. Our findings on stomach cancer survivors' work-related difficulties and the predictors of nonworking will help physicians guide patients towards more realistic postsurgical employment plans.

Superoxide radical scavenging activity and DPPH radical scavenging activity were assessed in order to evaluate the antioxidant effect of the Sorbus commixta Hedl. extract (SCoE). SCoE was also treated with several carbohydrate-hydrolytic enzymes that significantly increased the total phenol and flavonoid composition of SCoE. The enzymatically treated SCoE was then assessed for antioxidative activity. The most efficient radical scavenging activity was observed when SCoE was treated with -glucanase. The radical scavenging activity of beta-glucanase-treated SCoE (beta-GSCoE) enhanced the viability of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity of beta-GSCoE was assessed using UVB (20 mJ/cm2)-irradiated HDFs. UVB irradiation increased dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence, which was measured by a 5-(6-)chloromethyl-2',7'- dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCFDA). DCF-fluorescence was significantly decreased in the beta-GSCoE-containing culture medium, suggesting that beta-GSCoE scavenges free radicals. The protective effect was further verified by assessing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in UVA-irradiated HDFs. The treatment of UVA-irradiated HDFs with beta-GSCoE resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the expression level of MMP-1 protein and mRNA. These results suggest that beta-GSCoE may mitigate the effects of photoaging in skin by reducing UV-induced adverse skin reactions.

To evaluate any association between tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM) in early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma.Records of 270 invasive ductal carcinoma patients with stages T1 and T2 disease who underwent breast magnetic resonance imaging, including diffusion-weighted imaging with b values of 0 and 1000s/mm(2) were reviewed retrospectively. The tumor ADC values were analyzed for their utility in predicting ALNM using multivariate regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Of the 270 patients, 58 (21.5%) experienced ALNM. The mean tumor ADC values were significantly lower in patients with ALNM than in those without metastasis (0.880 × 10(-3) vs. 0.999 × 10(-3)mm(2)/s, P0.001). A ROC curve demonstrated a tumor ADC value of 0.991 × 10(-3)mm(2)/s to be the optimal cut-off for predicting ALNM. In a multivariate analysis, lower tumor ADC (≤ 0.991 × 10(-3)mm(2)/s; adjusted odds ratio (OR)=5.861, P0.001), large tumor size (2 cm; adjusted OR=3.156, P=0.002) and the presence of lymphovascular invasion (adjusted OR=4.125, P0.001) were independent variables associated with ALNM. When tumor ADC value was added to known risk factors (i.e., tumor size and lymphovascular invasion), a significant improvement in the accuracy of risk prediction for axillary node metastasis was shown (c-statistic=0.758 vs. 0.816, P=0.026).In early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma, lower tumor ADC values are associated with the presence of ALNM.

Five groups of polysaccharides were prepared from mycelium extract and top and bottom fraction of filtrate precipitates by submerged culture of Grifola frondosa at two different media (glucose and PMP medium) and their individual biological activities were studied. These polysaccharides had diverse molecular mass (470–1650 kDa) and different biological activities at the concentrations of 0.01–0.2% (w/v). Most of polysaccharides had antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities after UV irradiation, where G-2 (bottom fraction of filtrate precipitates from glucose medium, MW 770 kDa) and G-3 polysaccharide (mycelium extract from glucose medium, MW 500 kDa) showed strong activity. The P-1 (from top fraction of filtrate precipitates from PMP medium, MW 1650 kDa) and P-3 polysaccharide (from mycelium extract from PMP medium, MW 470 kDa) increased the proliferation of fibroblasts by approximately 23–25%. Other two groups of polysaccharides produced from glucose medium (G-2 and G-3 polysaccharides) showed also notable proliferation activity for fibroblasts. Treatment of fibroblasts with P-3 polysaccharide significantly increased the biosynthesis of collagen by approximately 80%. G-2 and G-3 polysaccharides showed also marked activity. However, G-1 and P-1 polysaccharides had only negligible activity in collagen biosynthesis. © 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

To evaluate the association between tumour FDG uptake on preoperative PET/CT and axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM) according to breast cancer subtype.The records of 671 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent (18) F-FDG PET/CT and surgery were reviewed. Using immunohistochemistry, tumours were divided into three subtypes: oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, HER2-positive, and triple-negative. Tumour FDG uptake, expressed as maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), and clinicopathological variables were analysed.ALNM was present in 187 of 461 ER-positive/HER2-negative, 54 of 97 HER2-positive, and 38 of 113 triple-negative tumours. On multivariate analysis, high tumour SUVmax (≥4.25) (P 0.001), large tumour size (2 cm) (P = 0.003) and presence of lymphovascular invasion (P 0.001) were independent variables associated with ALNM. On subset analyses, tumour SUVmax maintained independent significance for predicting ALNM in ER-positive/HER2-negative (adjusted odds ratio: 3.277, P 0.001) and HER2-positive tumours (adjusted odds ratio: 14.637, P = 0.004). No association was found for triple-negative tumours (P = 0.161).Tumour SUVmax may be an independent prognostic factor for ALNM in patients with invasive breast cancer, especially in ER-positive/HER2-negative and HER2-positive subtypes, but not in those with triple-negative subtype.• Tumour SUVmax could be an imaging biomarker for predicting ALNM • Tumour SUVmax predicting ALNM is effective in ER-positive/HER2-negative and HER2-positive subtypes • Tumour SUVmax predicting ALNM is inaccurate in triple-negative subtypes • Accurate prognostic prediction based on molecular subtype may facilitate individualized management.

Purpose Increased technologic capabilities have allowed for the expanded use of ultrasound beyond simple differentiation of a lesion as solid versus cystic nature, allowing us to classify lesions into various categories based on a number of descriptive features. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether to predict the preoperative prognosis of breast cancer through the correlation between ultrasonographic images and the grade of malignancy. Materials and methods The patient population for this study consisted of 107 patients with infiltrative ductal carcinoma who were evaluated using ultrasound technology. Ultrasonographic findings were divided as follows: Type I, round or oval shape and regular border; Type II, partially round or oval shape and partially irregular border; and Type III, irregular shape and irregular border. Results 1. The frequency of grade 1 (G1) was significantly higher in the Type I group than the othergroups. 2. In the 2.0 cm sized mass, the lymph node metastasis rate was significantly lower in the Type I group than the other groups. 3. In all the groups, Estrogen receptor (ER) positivity was insignificant regardless of tumor size and type. 4. In the 2.0 cm sized mass, c-erbB-2 positivity was significantly lower in the Type I than the other groups. There was no clear difference among the three groups in tumors greater than 2.0 cm in size. Conclusion These results show that our classification of ultrasonographic images reflect the grade of malignancy in terms of clinicopathological features in breast cancers less than 2.0 cm in size. Therefore, ultrasonographic findings may help predict the preoperative prognosis in T1 size breast cancer, although further study is required.

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic role of 99mTc-tetrofosmin in the detection of primary breast cancer and axillary lymph node metastasis and to compare the findings with those of 99mTc-MIBI. Methods: Forty-eight patients with clinically palpable masses or abnormal radiologic findings had 99mTc-MIBI and 99mTc-tetrofosmin scintimammographies (SMMs) after intravenous injections of 925 MBq of radiopharmaceuticals. The SMMs were correlated with histopathologic findings. Results: Thirty-three patients were diagnosed with breast cancer and 15 patients with benign breast diseases. The number of true positive, true negative, false positive, and false negative cases of 99mTc-tetrofosmin SMM were 31, 10, 5, and 2, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 99mTc-tetrofosmin SMM were 93.9, 66.7, 86.1 and 73.3%, respectively. The number of true positive, true negative, false positive, and false negative cases of 99mTc-MIBI SMM was 29, 10, 5, and 4, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 99mTc-MIBI SMM were 87.8, 66.7, 85.3 and 73.3%, respectively. In assessment of axillary lymph node involvement, 99mTc tetrofosmin SMM demonstrated 31.8, 100, 100, and 42.3% sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of 99mTc-MIBI SMM was 22.7 and 100%. Positive and negative predictive values were 100 and 39.3%, respectively. One patient was false negative in both 99mTc-MIBI and 99mTc-tetrofosmin SMMs with a tumor size of 0.5 cm. Conclusion:99mTc-tetrofosmin and 99mTc-MIBI SMMs were noninvasive and useful in the detection of primary breast cancer and 99mTc tetrofosmin was comparable to 99mTc-MIBI in the detection of primary breast cancer. However, both radiopharmaceuticals had limited values in the assessment of axillary lymph node involvement.

We investigated the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its derivative, HS-1030, on the proliferation of human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. UDCA had no significant effect on cell proliferation at the concentration range tested. The derivative HS-1030 inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner in the MTT assay. To test if HS-1030 could induce apoptosis, we treated MCF-7 cells with HS-1030 for 48 h and then examined the levels of apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax). At higher concentrations of HS-1030, the levels of apoptosisrelated proteins were not significantly changed. However, HS-1030 induced specific cleavage of certain proteins, such as lamin B, protein kinase C δ, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). The effect of HS-1030 on the cell cycle was analysed by flow cytometry. HS-1030 increased the G2/M fraction and showed changes in G2/M-related cyclins A and B1. These results suggest that HS-1030 may be an attractive lead compound for further development as a chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer.

The complete nucleotide sequence of porcine adenovirus type 3 was determined and a transcriptional map for the genome was constructed. The size of the genome is 34094 bp in length with an unusually high G + C content (63.7%), the highest thus far reported for any adenovirus. Overall organization of the genome is similar to that for previously sequenced adenoviral DNAs, but there also were distinct differences. The late regions genes are organized into six families, instead of five as they are in human adenovirus type 2. In contrast to bovine adenovirus type 3 and ovine adenovirus, which lack virion-associated RNA genes, the nucleotide sequence analysis of the viral genome indicates that it encodes one short VA RNA species. With the exception of the fiber and a 33-kDa nonstructural protein, the predicted amino acid sequences of the open reading frames in the late regions and the E2 region and IVa2 exhibited a high level of homology, whereas the deduced amino acid sequences of ORFs in E1, E3, and E4 regions, and the pIX showed a lesser homology with the corresponding proteins of other adenoviruses. The proteins V, VII, and IX are unusually long, and the protein VII lacks the consensus protease cleavage site. Genomic and cDNA sequence analysis has identified promoters, cap sites, intron–exon boundaries, polyadenylation signals, and polyadenylation sites in the viral genome.

Electronic aspects of an iron porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)-21H,23H-porphine iron(III) chloride (FeTMPPCl) molecularly dispersed on a high area carbon black (Black Pearls 2000, BP) and then heat-treated (or thermally activated) at 800 °C in a flowing inert atmosphere, were investigated in situ in 1.0 M H3PO4 by Fe K-edge X-ray near-edge structure (XANES). Profound differences were observed between the ex situ (dry) XANES of electrodes incorporating FeTMPPCl/BP before and after heat treatment and, likewise, in the case of the thermally treated FeTMPPCl/BP before and after immersion of the electrodes in the electrolyte. Monotonic shifts in the absorption edge toward higher energies were observed for heat-treated FeTMPPCl/BP as the potential was increased over a range of over 1 V. The overall magnitude of the shift, ca. 2.5 eV, was virtually the same as that obtained with non-heat-treated (or intact) FeTMPPCl/BP, which occurred in a much narrower potential range, ca. 0.2 V. In contrast to t...

The electronic and electrochemical properties of a carbon monoxide−FeTMPP adduct (FeTMPP = (5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-methoxyphenyl]-21H,23H-porphine)iron(II)) adsorbed on Black Pearls (BP) high-area carbon have been examined in situ in 0.05 M H2SO4 by Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES). This adduct was prepared by first polarizing a Teflon bonded electrode, incorporating the high-area FeTMPP/BP material, at a potential at which the adsorbed macrocycle is present in the reduced state, followed by bubbling CO into the electrolyte. The resulting in situ XANES displayed two new preedge features centered at 7112 and 7115 eV, as found for other well-characterized iron macrocycle−CO adducts, as well as a shift of the main absorption edge toward higher values (ca. 1.3 V) indicative of charge transfer from the iron to CO. Dissociation of the adduct could be achieved by polarizing the electrode at more positive potentials to yield the CO-free form of the macrocycle in the ferric state, as has been ...

A wearable robot is the robotic system capable of augmenting or amplifying the wearer's muscle strength. To imitate human arms, the recognition of muscle stiffness and the reflection of the motion are very important. In this paper, the upper limb of the wearer is bandaged with the pneumatic muscle stiffness sensor (MSS), and the wearer's intention is estimated by recognizing the movement of the muscle. In addition, a variable stiffness actuator (VSA) is used to imitate the predicted motion of the wearer and simultaneously to unburden the weight by increasing its stiffness. It is shown that the proposed system is capable of distinguishing between the wearer's intention and the external load.

Patients with breast cancer have a relatively high prevalence of diffuse thyroid uptake of (18)F-FDG related to thyroid autoimmunity. It is postulated that the presence of thyroid autoimmunity has prognostic implications for breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of incidental diffuse thyroid uptake in breast cancer patients.This was a retrospective observational cohort study in a tertiary referral hospital. We evaluated a total of 564 patients who had undergone surgery for primary breast cancer between January 2006 and December 2009. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their diffuse thyroid uptake. The main outcome measure was disease-free survival.Of the 564 patients, 108 (19.1%) showed diffuse thyroid uptake. The median follow-up period was 36.0 mo (range, 1.0-77.0 mo). Both thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin antibody titers were higher in patients with thyroid uptake than in those without (P0.001 for both). Of the 108 patients with thyroid uptake, 5 had a recurrence of breast cancer during the follow-up, whereas 85 without uptake had a recurrence (log-rank statics, 12.28; P0.001). The association between diffuse thyroid uptake and tumor recurrence was not significant in multivariate analysis of patients with early-stage breast cancer (hazard ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-1.10; P = 0.067). However, the association between diffuse thyroid uptake and breast cancer recurrence was statistically significant in multivariate analysis with adjustment for several prognostic variables (hazard ratio, 0.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.62; P = 0.006).Incidental diffuse thyroid uptake related to autoimmune thyroiditis was an independently favorable prognostic factor in advanced breast cancer. These findings support evidence that thyroid autoimmunity has a beneficial effect on the outcomes of breast cancer patients.

Purpose Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) with radiotherapy has become a standard treatment for early stage breast cancer, since the installation of NSABP B-06. One of the serious problems in BCS is that of local recurrence. There are many risk factors for local recurrence, such as large tumor size, multiple tumors, axillary lymph node involvement, young age, high nuclear grade, and so on. The aim of this study is to identify patients with a higher risk of local recurrence of breast cancer. Methods Between January 2002 and December 2006, 447 patients with breast cancer, and who had undergone BCS with immediate breast reconstruction, were enrolled in the study. The follow-up period was 5 years from the time of operation and we analyzed local recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). The analysis included various clinicopathological factors such as age, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, pathologic characteristics, and margin status. Statistical analysis was performed with log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier method. The p-value

Many studies have shown an association between thyroid disorders and breast cancer. Among them, diffusely increased thyroid uptake of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) has been associated with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. There is little or no information regarding the relationship between treatment of breast cancer and the development of new diffuse thyroid F-18 FDG uptake. Here, we report the frequency of this occurrence and some of the factors associated with it.We performed a retrospective review of the positron emission tomography (PET) computed tomography (CT) database and identified 290 women who had underwent PET-CTs both before and after breast surgery. Of these, 246 were enrolled in this study and 44 were excluded, because before breast surgery they had either a history of prior thyroid disorders including thyroid cancer or abnormal serum free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone, or other malignancies. Tests for serum antithyroid antibodies were not available before thyroid surgery in all patients. There were 62 patients who did have antithyroid antibody tests before surgery and 27 were positive. They were not excluded from the study.Diffuse thyroidal uptake on PET-CT developed in 23 (9.3%) patients during the follow-up period (median=21.1 months; range=3.1-47.3 months). Age (≥55 years; hazard ratio [HR]=0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03-0.65; p=0.012), bilaterality of breast cancer (HR=3.87; 95% CI: 1.02-14.62; p=0.046), and postsurgical radiotherapy (HR=3.06; 95% CI: 1.03-9.16; p=0.045) showed independent association with new thyroid FDG uptake in multivariate analysis. All patients with thyroid FDG uptake met at least one of some criteria related to chronic thyroditis (positive for antithyroid antibodies or cytology findings or ultrasonography findings of Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and were associated with development of hypothyroidism (52.2% vs. 4.5% in patients without uptake; p0.001).Radiotherapy in breast cancer may be an independent predictive factor for the development of new diffuse thyroidal uptake in PET-CT associated with thyroid dysfunction during follow-up. The development of diffuse F-18 FDG uptake is a marker for thyroid abnormalities. Younger women who have radiotherapy after surgery for breast cancer, in particular, are candidates for close follow-up of their thyroid function.

Fructus arctii extract containing phenolic glycosides was cultured with Grifola frondosa mycelia to produce β-glucosidase and its biological activities were studied. This β-glucosidase converted the glycosides (arctiin and caffeic acid derivatives) into aglycones (arctigenin and caffeic acid). Fermented Fructus arctii extract (G-FAE) with G. frondosa had antioxidant and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activities. The photoprotective potential of G-FAE was tested in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) exposed to ultra-violet A (UVA). It was revealed that G-FAE had an inhibitory effect on human interstitial collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase, MMP-1) expression in UVA-irradiated HDF. The treatment of UVA-irradiated HDF with G-FAE resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the expression level of MMP-1 mRNA. G-FAE also showed notable stimulation of collagen biosynthetic activity for fibroblasts. These diverse functionalities suggest that G-FAE could be a promising cosmetic ingredient.

Although most authors regard contralateral pedicular fracture with unilateral spondylolysis as an unstable condition and recommend surgical management when immobilization fails in promoting bony healing of the fracture, few researchers have investigated the natural history of pedicle fracture or the causal relationship between symptoms and the fracture. In addition, there are no detailed guidelines that address the management of this disease. We report a rare case of contralateral pedicular fracture associated with unilateral spondylolysis at the L5 level which was successfully treated by rehabilitation with activity modification.

To develop a new potent anti-melanogenic agent, we have conjugated lipoic acid (LA) to poly (ethylene) glycol (PEG) of molecular weight 2000 and examined the effects on inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. The water-soluble LA-PEG 2000 was synthesized from LA and methylated PEG by an esterification reaction in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide. Synthetic LA-PEG 2000 was confirmed by IR and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The new conjugate is a highly water-soluble molecule, which has lower cell cytotoxicity than LA. Treatment with LA-PEG 2000 significantly suppressed the biosynthesis of melanin by up to 63% at 0.25 mm and reduced tyrosinase activity by up to 80% at 0.50 mm in B16F10 melanoma cells. Furthermore, Western blot and RT-PCR studies indicated that treatment with LA-PEG 2000 decreased the level of tyrosinase, which is a melanogenic enzyme. Taken together, these results suggest that LA-PEG 2000 may inhibit melanin biosynthesis by down-regulating levels and expression of tyrosinase activity. Therefore, LA-PEG 2000 can be used effectively as a new agent to inhibit mel-anogenesis, with lower cytotoxicity than LA (parent molecule) in B16F10 melanoma cells.

The purpose of this study is to introduce and evaluate the usefulness of the combination of wire localization and ultrasound (US)-guided, vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VAB) to histologically diagnose mammographically detected clustered microcalcifications in the absence of sonographic and clinically palpable masses. Fifty-eight consecutive patients (mean age 53 years) with 58 mammographically detected microcalcification clusters underwent mammographically guided wire localization followed by VAB with US guidance for targeting the wire. Mammography of the specimens obtained was performed in all cases for identification of microcalcifications. The procedure took approximately 24 min (range, 18-52 min). No significant immediate and delayed complications were observed. Microcalcifications were evident on both specimen radiographs and microscopic slides in 56 cases (97%). The combination of wire localization and US-guided VAB could provide an accurate and useful method for diagnosing mammographically detected, clustered microcalcifications.

This note will present results of UV-vis reflectance spectroscopy measurements obtained during continuous potential cycling with a combination of light intensity modulation and signal averaging techniques

Gangweon-do is known to be highly endemic area of sparganosis more than other provinces in Korea. A seroepidmiologic examination for the detection of anti-Spirometra erinacei plerocercoid IgG in serum was carried out in normal inhabitants in Hongcheon-gun, Gangweon-do. Sere were tested by enzyme-linked immunosrobent assay (ELISA) for the anti-sparganum antibodies. Positive rate for anti-sparganum antibody in 719 adults was 3.3%. Data of the questionnaire for 24 ELISA positive inhabitants revealed that 20 had a history of eating raw meat of snakes, 24 had a history of eating frogs, and 24 had a history of drinking stream water. Two positive cases had a past history of sparganosis. Two positive cases showed current symptoms of sparganosis. The data revealed that ELISA would be useful to find infected cases among normal inhabitants at sparganosis-endemic areas.

The effects of retinoic acid (RA) and its analogs, all-trans RA, 9-cis RA and 13-cis RA, were investigated in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and immortalized breast epithelial cell line MCF-10A. RA inhibited the telomerase activity of MCF-7 cells in a wide range of concentrations. RA at 10 microM also inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells in a time-dependent manner. However, no significant growth inhibition was found between untreated control and RA-treated MCF-10A cells. Moreover, a marked inhibition of telomerase activity by RA was detected early in MCF-7 cells (after 24 h of RA treatment), which was preceded by a reduction of hTERT mRNA expression (after 12 h of RA treatment). However, MCF-10A cells showed a reduction of telomerase activity and down-regulation of hTERT after 4 days of RA treatment. Simultaneous changes in hTERT mRNA expression and telomerase activity were found for MCF-10A cells. The expressions of hTR and hTEP1 telomerase component genes were not changed after RA treatment. These results indicate that the anti-breast cancer activity of RA could be mediated by its ability to down-regulate the expression of hTERT telomerase gene.