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Objective: In this study, we investigated the effects of Rubus coreanus-derived lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermented feed (RC-LAB fermented feed) and three types of LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis) on the expression of transcription factors and cytokines in Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells in the intestinal lymph nodes and spleens of rats. In addition, the effect on intestinal microbiota composition and body weight was investigated.Methods: Five-week-old male rats were assigned to five treatments and eight replicates. The expression of transcription factors and cytokines of Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells in the intestinal lymph nodes and spleens was analyzed using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays. Intestinal tract microbiota compositions were analyzed by next-generation sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays.Results: RC-LAB fermented feed and three types of LAB increased the expression of transcription factors and cytokines in Th1, Treg cells and Galectin-9, but decreased in Th2 and Th17 cells. In addition, the intestinal microbiota composition changed, the body weight and Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio decreased, and the relative abundance of LAB increased.Conclusion: LAB fermented feed and three types of LAB showed an immune modulation effect by inducing T cell polarization and increased LAB in the intestinal microbiota.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of mainly infants and children. Currently, the development of safe and effective treatments for AD is urgently required. The present study was conducted to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of yeast-extracted β-1,3/1,6-glucan and/or Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) LM1004 against AD-like symptoms. To purpose, β-1,3/1,6-glucan and/or L. plantarum LM1004 were orally administered to AD-induced animal models of rat (histamine-induced vasodilation) and mouse (pruritus and contact dermatitis) exhibiting different symptoms of AD. We then investigated the treatment effects on AD-like symptoms, gene expression of immune-related factors, and gut microbiomes. Oral administration of β-1,3/1,6-glucan (0.01 g/kg initial body weight) and/or 2 × 1012 cells/g L. plantarum LM1004 (0.01 g/kg initial body weight) to ADinduced animal models showed significantly reduced vasodilation in the rat model, and pruritus, edema, and serum histamine in the mouse models (p < 0.05). Interestingly, β-1,3/1,6- glucan and/or L. plantarum LM1004 significantly decreased the mRNA levels of Th2 and Th17 cell transcription factors, while the transcription factors of Th1 and Treg cells, galactin-9, filaggrin increased, which are indicative of enhanced immunomodulation (p < 0.05). Moreover, in rats with no AD induction, the same treatments significantly increased the relative abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes and the genus Bacteroides. Furthermore, bacterial taxa associated with butyrate production such as, Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae at family, and Roseburia at genus level were increased in the treated groups. These findings suggest that the dietary supplementation of β-1,3/1,6-glucan and/or L. plantarum LM1004 has a great potential for treatment of AD as well as obesity in humans through mechanisms that might involve modulation of host immune systems and gut microbiota.

The expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα, encoded by ESR1) has been shown to be associated with the prognostic outcomes of patients in various cancers; however, its prognostic and mechanistic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Here, we evaluated the expression of ERα and its association with clinicopathological features in 339 HCC patients. ERα was expressed in 9.4% (32/339) of HCCs and was related to better overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.11, p = 0.009, 95% C.I. = 0.016–0.82) and disease-free survival (DFS, HR = 0.4, p = 0.013, 95% C.I. = 0.18–0.85). ERα expression was also associated with features related to more favorable prognosis, such as older age, lower serum alpha-fetoprotein level, and less microvascular invasion (p, Liver cancer: How estrogen receptors hinder tumor growth Estrogen receptor signaling can act as a brake preventing the progression of an often deadly form of liver cancer. Studies have shown that women are at a lower risk of developing and succumbing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than men, suggesting a potential role for sex hormones. Researchers in South Korea led by Hyun Goo Woo of the Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, and Young Nyun Park of Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, have now shown that expression of the estrogen receptor α is a strong prognostic predictor for HCC. In a survey of patient tumor samples, they found that expression of this hormone receptor is associated with nearly a tenfold increased likelihood of survival. The researchers identified a mechanism by which estrogen receptor α signaling impedes cancerous growth, revealing potential new drug targets.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin disorder that causes chronic itch. We investigated the inhibitory effects of a mixture of prebiotic short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides and long-chain fructooligosaccharides (scGOS/lcFOS), inulin, or β-glucan on AD development in 1-chloro-2,4- dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-treated NC/Nga mice. Mice were randomly assigned to six groups: untreated mice, AD control, positive control (DNCB-treated NC/Nga mice fed a dietary supplement of Zyrtec), and DNCB-treated NC/Nga mice fed a dietary supplement of prebiotics such as scGOS/lcFOS (T1), inulin (T2), or β-glucan (T3). The prebiotic treatment groups (T1, T2, and T3) showed suppression of AD symptoms, Th2 cell differentiation, and AD-like skin lesions induced by DNCB. In addition, prebiotic treatment also reduced the number of microorganisms such as Firmicutes, which is associated with AD symptoms, and increased the levels of Bacteroidetes and Ruminococcaceae, which are associated with alleviation of AD symptoms. Our findings demonstrate the inhibitory effects of prebiotics on AD development by improving the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance and beneficial symbiotic microorganisms in in vitro and in vivo models.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of mainly infants and children. Currently, the development of safe and effective treatments for AD is urgently required. The present study was conducted to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of yeast-extracted β-1,3/1,6-glucan and/or

// Sun-Young Jun 1 , Eui-Jin Lee 2 , Mi-Ju Kim 3 , Sung Min Chun 4 , Young Kyung Bae 5 , Soon Uk Hong 6 , Jene Choi 4 , Joon Mee Kim 7 , Kee-Taek Jang 8 , Jung Yeon Kim 9 , Gwang Il Kim 10 , Soo Jin Jung 11 , Ghilsuk Yoon 12 , Seung-Mo Hong 4 1 Department of Pathology, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Korea 2 Institute of Catholic Integrative Medicine, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Korea 3 Asan Institute for Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea 4 Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 5 Department of Pathology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea 6 Department of Pathology, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea 7 Department of Pathology, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea 8 Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 9 Department of Pathology, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea 10 Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea 11 Department of Pathology, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea 12 Department of Pathology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea Correspondence to: Seung-Mo Hong, email: smhong28@gmail.com Ghilsuk Yoon, email: gsyoon@knu.ac.kr Keywords: small intestinal adenocarcinoma, Lynch syndrome, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome, microsatellite instability, DNA mismatch repair Received: September 09, 2016 Accepted: January 24, 2017 Published: February 11, 2017 ABSTRACT Lynch syndrome is an autosomal-dominant disorder caused by defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes and is associated with increased risk of malignancies in multiple organs. Small-intestinal adenocarcinomas are common initial manifestations of Lynch syndrome. To define the incidence and characteristics of Lynch syndrome-related small-intestinal adenocarcinomas, meticulous familial and clinical histories were obtained from 195 patients with small-intestinal adenocarcinoma, and MMR protein immunohistochemistry, microsatellite instability, MLH1 methylation, and germline mutational analyses were performed. Lynch syndrome was confirmed in eight patients (4%), all of whom had synchronous/metachronous malignancies without noticeable familial histories. Small-intestinal adenocarcinomas were the first clinical manifestation in 37% (3/8) of Lynch syndrome patients, and second malignancies developed within 5 years in 63% (5/8). The patients with accompanying Lynch syndrome were younger (≤50 years; P =0.04) and more likely to have mucinous adenocarcinomas ( P= 0.003), and tended to survive longer ( P =0.11) than those with sporadic cases. A meticulous patient history taking, MMR protein immunolabeling, and germline MMR gene mutational analysis are important for the diagnosis of Lynch syndrome-related small-intestinal adenocarcinomas. Identifying Lynch syndrome in patients with small-intestinal adenocarcinoma can be beneficial for the early detection and treatment of additional Lynch syndrome-related cancers, especially in patients who are young or have mucinous adenocarcinomas.

Background and Aim Although many progresses have been achieved for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it is still remained as idiopathic disease to be completely controlled. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as key players in many human diseases through degradation or translational inhibition of target genes. Because role of miRNAs in IBD is not completely understood yet, we need to identify miRNAs as novel targets for treatment of IBD. Methods Microarray analysis for miRNAs was performed using dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis samples and selected differentially regulated miRNAs. Candidate genes were validated using in vitro system and IBD patient samples. Molecular mechanism for regulation of inflammatory signaling was identified using gene modulation system of miRNAs. Results We selected 14 upregulated and 15 downregulated miRNAs through microarray analysis. Among candidate miRNAs, significant upregulation of miR-132 and miR-223 was confirmed in inflamed mouse tissues as well as human IBD patient tissues. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified FOXO3a as direct target of miRNAs and confirmed regulatory mechanism using luciferase assay. Expression of miRNAs clearly suppressed the level of IκBα through downregulation of FOXO3a, leading to enhanced NF-κB signaling to promote the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The downregulation of FOXO3a concurrent with upregulation of cytokines was significantly reversed by sequestration of miRNAs with miRNA sponges. Conclusions Our findings provided the evidences that miR-132 and 223 are critical mediators in positive circuit for pathogenesis of IBD by negatively regulating FOXO3a to enhance the expression of inflammatory cytokines and can be a good therapeutic target for IBD treatment.

Disinfection of microorganisms using UV light is widely used in the field of water supply and wastewater treatment plant, In spite of high germicidal effect and relatively clean by-product, UV disinfection has fundamental defeat that is accumulation of fouling materials at the interface of water and lamp sleeve. Non-contact type of UV photoreactor which can avoid this fouling generation was developed and the experimental performance evaluation of the system was carried out in this study. Log inactivation rate of E. coli was selected as a disinfection index. The concentration of E. coli of second clarifier effluent was colony per mL and was well inactivated by the non-contact type of UV photoreactor. Under the UV intensity condition of , E. coli removal rate was observed in the range of 54 - 95% when the HRT was increased from 10 to 52 seconds. Experimental results showed that log inactivation of E. coli was proportional to UV dosage and of UV dose is expected for the 2.0 log inactivation of E. coli from the second clarifier effluent. Between the two parameters of UV intensity and contact time which are consist of UV dose, UV intensity was 4 times more effective than contact time.

We investigate the entanglement properties of three-quantum dot (QD) system coupled to surface plasmonic waveguide by means of the concurrence with fully quantum-mechanical approach. High bipartite entanglement of three QDs could be achieved by adjusting the interparticle distance of the QDs, the detuning and the QD-waveguide coupling strength. We show that the bipartite entanglement of three-QD system is higher and its switching effect is better than the case of two-QD system. The discussed system with three QDs provides us rich way to realize the quantum entanglement used in the quantum information processing such as quantum computation and quantum communication.

Background There remains uncertainty regarding prognosis and treatment effect in small, node negative breast cancer. We described overall prognosis of small ( Methods We identified patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria (curative surgery, Results A total of 429 patients (pT1a=205, pT1b=222) were identified. In patients with pT1a, only 1 patient experienced systemic recurrence and death. No difference was observed in DFS and OS between patients with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or adjuvant trastuzumab. In pT1b, HR(-) patients (N = 52), longer DFS was observed in patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.013). There was no difference in DFS according to trastuzumab treatment (p = 0.441). No difference was found according to adjuvant treatment in overall or HR(+) pT1b patients. Conclusions In conclusion, our result showed overall prognosis of small( Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

In this study, we conducted to the development of a rapid antimicrobial susceptibility test method using WST-1 which is known to water-soluble tetrazolium salt, in order to rapidly response against bacterial diseases in fish. Eight of antibiotics which are permissioned for marine organism from government were used to rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the WST-1. As a result, a similar tendency was verified compare to conventional antibiotic susceptibility test results. Generally, the antibiotic susceptibility test method required about 3 days (72 hours) for determine the effective antibiotics, however, we have confirmed that the our method using WST-1 was required at least 36 hours in this study. Consequentially, our method will contribute to development of rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing for bacterial diseases in fish.

This study was designed to investigate the correlation between postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and perioperative expression and dynamic changes in cancer stem cell (CSC) markers in tumors and peripheral blood. In HCC patients who underwent curative resection (n = 64) or liver transplantation (LT) (n = 17), mRNA levels for K19, EpCAM, and CD44 in peripheral blood and HCC tissues before and after operation were examined using real-time RT-PCR. Postoperative recurrence was analyzed in patients who underwent resection. Study participants were divided into high and low ratio groups, according to the ratio of postoperative to preoperative mRNA levels for each marker. K19 and CD44 mRNA levels in HCC tissues were higher in patients with recurrence than those without recurrence (p

The capability to engraft into degenerative environment or damaged tissues is considered crucial to maximize the therapeutic effect of stem cells in tissue regeneration. Human chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CP-MSCs) isolated from the placenta have been reported to have therapeutic effects in animal models of liver injury. However, the effect of transplantation route has not been evaluated. Thus, we investigated to identify optimal transplantation conditions of CP-MSCs for functional recovery of injured liver. PKH26 labeled CP-MSCs was engrafted into carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-injured rat model through direct transplantation into the liver (DTP), intrasplenic transplantation (STP), and intravenous transplantation via the tail vein (TTP). Non transplanted (NTP) rats were maintained as sham controls. Serum and liver tissues were analyzed post 1-, 2-, 3-week after transplantation. The engraftment of cells was higher in DTP and STP group until 3-week post transplantation. In blood chemistry, the levels of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT/AST), glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT/ALT) and total bilirubin (TBIL) in DTP and STP rats were significantly decreased compare to those of NTP rats (p < 0.01). In addition, the expression and deposition of type I collagen in DTP and STP rats was significantly reduced when they compared with NTP animals (p < 0.01). Therapeutic efficacy was better in DTP and STP rats than in TTP group. These results suggest that the administration of CP-MSCs via STP is an effective way for their therapeutic potential. These results provide useful guidelines for the application of basic transplantation technology to the cell therapy of liver disease using placenta-derived stem cells.

Purpose This study was conducted to identify the effectiveness of a preoperative comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for predicting postoperative morbidity in elderly patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer. Methods Elderly patients (≥70 years old) who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer at a tertiary hospital in Korea were identified, and their cases were analyzed using data from a prospectively collected database to establish an association between major postsurgical complications and 'high-risk' patient as defined by the CGA. Results A total of 240 patients, with a mean age of 76.7 ± 5.2 years, were enrolled. Ninety-five patients (39.6%) were classified as "high-risk" and 99 patients (41.3%) as having postoperative complications. The univariate analysis indicated that risk factors for postoperative complications were age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, serum hemoglobin, carcinoembryonic antigen, cancer stage, and "high-risk" status. The multivariable analyses indicated that "high-risk" status (odds ratio, 2.107; 95% confidence interval, 1.168-3.804; P = 0.013) and elevated preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (odds ratio, 2.561; 95% confidence interval, 1.346-4.871, P = 0.004) were independently associated with postoperative complications. A multivariable analysis of the individual CGA domains indicated that high comorbidities and low activities of daily living were significantly related with postoperative complications. Conclusion A preoperative CGA indicating "high-risk" was associated with major postoperative complications in elderly patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer. Thus, using the CGA to identify elderly colorectal-cancer patients who should be given more care during postoperative management may be clinically beneficial.

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare type of lymphoma that arises in the body cavity without detectable masses. It is associated with human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Recently, PEL unrelated to viral infection has been reported and it has been termed HHV-8 unrelated primary effusion lymphoma-like lymphoma (HHV-8 unrelated PEL-like lymphoma). Here, we report a case of HHV-8 unrelated PEL-like lymphoma in an 80-year-old woman. Chest X-ray and computed tomography revealed left-sided pleural effusion. Pleural effusion analysis and mediastinoscopic biopsy showed atypical cells that had originated from the B cells. The cells were positive for CD20 and bcl-2, but negative for CD3, CD5, CD21, CD30, CD138, epithelial membrane antigen, and HHV-8. Serological tests for HIV and EBV were negative. Considering the patient's age, further treatments were not performed. She has shown good prognosis without chemotherapy for more than 18 months.

Although inactivation of the PTEN gene has been implicated in the development of resistance to the HER2 targeting antibody trastuzumab, the mechanisms mediating this resistance remain elusive. We generated trastuzumab resistant cells by knocking down PTEN expression in HER2 overexpressing breast cancer cell lines and demonstrate that development of trastuzumab resistance in these cells is mediated by activation of an IL-6 inflammatory feedback loop leading to expansion of the cancer stem cell (CSC) population. Long term trastuzumab treatment generates highly enriched CSCs which display an EMT phenotype secreting over 100-fold more IL-6 than parental cells. An IL-6 receptor antibody interrupted this inflammatory feedback loop reducing the cancer stem cell population resulting in decreased tumor growth and metastasis in mouse xenographs. These studies demonstrate that trastuzumab resistance may be mediated by an IL-6 inflammatory loop and suggest that blocking this loop may provide alternative strategy to overcome trastuzumab resistance.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC) are the major primary liver cancers in adults. The phenotypic overlap between HCC and CC has been shown to comprise a continuous liver cancer spectrum. As a proof of this concept, a recent study demonstrated a genomic subtype of HCC that expressed CC-like gene expression traits, such as CC-like HCC, which revealed the common genomic trait of stem-cell-like properties and aggressive clinical outcomes. Scirrhous HCC (S-HCC), a rare variant of HCC, is characterized by abundant fibrous stroma and has been known to express several liver stem/progenitor cell markers. This suggests that S-HCC may harbor common intermediate traits between HCC and CC, including stem-cell traits, which are similar to those of CC-like HCC. However, the molecular and pathological characteristics of S-HCC have not been fully evaluated. By performing gene-expression profiling and immunohistochemical evaluation, we compared the morphological and molecular features of S-HCC with those of CC and HCC. S-HCC expresses both CC-like and stem-cell-like genomic traits. In addition, we observed the expression of core epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes, which may contribute to the aggressive behavior of S-HCC. Overexpression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling was also found, implying its regulatory role in the pathobiology of S-HCC.We suggest that the fibrous stromal component in HCC may contribute to the acquisition of CC-like gene-expression traits in HCC. The expression of stem-cell-like traits and TGF-β/EMT molecules may play a pivotal role in the aggressive phenotyping of S-HCC. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;55:1776-1786).

Representing planar Pythagorean hodograph (PH) curves by the complex roots of their hodographs, we standardize Farouki's double cubic method to become the undetermined junction point (UJP) method, and then prove the generic existence of solutions for general C 1 Hermite interpolation problems. We also extend the UJP method to solve C 2 Hermite interpolation problems with multiple PH cubics, and also prove the generic existence of solutions which consist of triple PH cubics with C 1 junction points. Further generalizing the UJP method, we go on to solve C 2 Hermite interpolation problems using two PH quintics with a C 1 junction point, and we also show the possibility of applying the modied UJP method to G 2 ( C 1 ) Hermite interpolation.

There is a recently proposed subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that is histologically similar to usual HCC, but characterized by the expression of ‘‘stemness’’-related markers. A large-scale study on two different cohorts of HCCs was performed to investigate the clinicopathologic features and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related protein expression status of this subtype of HCCs. The expression status of stemnessrelated (e.g., keratin 19 [K19], cluster of differentiation [CD]133, epithelial cell adhesion molecule [EpCAM], and c-kit) and EMT-related markers (e.g., snail, S100A4, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor [uPAR], ezrin, vimentin, E-cadherin, and matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]2) were examined using tissue microarrays from cohort 1 HCCs (n 5 137). K19 protein expression in cohort 2 HCCs (n 5 237) was correlated with the clinicopathologic parameters and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of K19, uPAR, VIL2, Snail, Slug, and Twist. K19, EpCAM, c-kit, and CD133 positivity were observed in 18.2%, 35.0%, 34.3%, and 24.8%, respectively. K19 was most frequently expressed in combination with at least one other stemness-related marker (92.0%). K19-positive HCCs demonstrated more frequent major vessel invasion and increased tumor size, compared to K19-negative HCCs (P < 0.05). K19 was most significantly associated with EMT-related protein expression (e.g., vimentin, S100A4, uPAR, and ezrin) (P < 0.05) and a poor prognosis (overall survival: P 5 0.018; disease-free survival: P 5 0.007) in cohort 1. In cohort 2, HCCs with high K19 mRNA levels demonstrated higher mRNA levels of Snail, uPAR, and MMP2 (P < 0.05). K19-positive HCCs demonstrated more frequent microvascular invasion, fibrous stroma, and less tumor-capsule formation, compared to K19-negative HCCs (P < 0.05). K19 expression was a significant independent predictive factor of poor disease-free survival (P 5 0.032). Conclusion: K19 was well correlated with clinicopathologic features of tumor aggressiveness, compared to other stemnessrelated proteins. K19-positive HCCs showed significantly increased EMT-related protein and mRNA expression, suggesting that they may acquire more invasive characteristics, compared to K19-negative HCCs through the up-regulation of EMT-associated genes. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;54:1707-1717)

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death, with a high propensity for aggressiveness and metastasis even in an early stage. Thus, identification of biomarkers as early diagnostics and treatment is needed. In this study, we investigated differentially regulated proteins between human SCLC tissues and normal bronchial epithelium by proteomic analysis using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Seven proteins and protein isoforms, including, γ-actin, tubulin α-1B, laminin B1, coactosin-like protein-1 (COTL-1), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal esterase L1, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2-25K, and carbonic anhydrase 1, were up-regulated more than 2 fold in SCLC tissues. In particular, up-regulated COTL-1 expression was validated by Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Moreover, most SCLC tissues (93%; 28/30) were COTL-1-positive in immunohistochemistry, whereas only 16% (10/64) of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSLC) tissues were. Taken together, this SCLC proteomic data may help in establishing a human SCLC proteome database. COTL-1 may be a biomarker or a therapeutic target in SCLC patients.

Translational studies have explored the therapeutic effects of stem cells, raising hopes for the treatment of numerous diseases. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of chorionic plate-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CP-MSCs) isolated from human placenta and transplanted into rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-injured livers. CP-MSCs were analyzed for hepatocyte-specific gene expression, indocyanine green (ICG) uptake, glycogen storage, and urea production following hepatogenic differentiation. PKH26-labeled CP-MSCs were directly transplanted into the livers of rats that had been exposed to CCl(4) (1.6 g/kg, twice per week for 9 weeks). Blood and liver tissue were analyzed at 1, 2, and 3 weeks post-transplantation. The expression of type I collagen (Col I) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) was analyzed in rat T-HSC/Cl-6 hepatic stellate cells co-cultured with CP-MSCs following exposure to TGF-β. The expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Col I were lower in transplanted (TP) rats than in non-transplanted (Non-TP) animals (P < 0.05), whereas the expression levels of albumin and MMP-9 were increased. TP rats exhibited significantly higher uptake/excretion of ICG than non-TP rats (P < 0.005). In addition, collagen synthesis in T-HSC/Cl-6 cells exposed to TGF-β was decreased by co-culture with CP-MSCs, which triggered the activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9. These results contribute to our understanding of the potential pathophysiological roles of CP-MSCs, including anti-fibrotic effects in liver disease, and provide a foundation for the development of new cell therapy-based strategies for the treatment of difficult-to-treat liver diseases.

Small intestinal adenocarcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm, and its clinicopathologic characteristics have not been well elucidated. A total of 197 small intestinal adenocarcinoma cases were collected from 22 institutions in South Korea and were evaluated for clinicopathologic factors that affect the prognosis of small intestinal adenocarcinoma patients using univariate and multivariate analyses. The mean patient age was 59 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.7:1. Tumors were located in the duodenum of 108 cases (55%), the jejunum in 59 (30%), and the ileum in 30 (15%). Predisposing conditions were observed in 23 cases (12%), including 17 cases with sporadic adenomas, 3 with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, 2 with Meckel diverticulum, and 1 with Crohn disease. Synchronous or metachronous malignant tumors were identified in 31 cases (16%), including 13 colorectal and 10 stomach cancers. About 90% of tumors were classified as either pT3 (63 cases) or pT4 (112 cases). The median survival time for all small intestinal adenocarcinoma patients was 39.7 months. Compared with small intestinal adenocarcinomas without accompanying sporadic adenomas, small intestinal adenocarcinomas with accompanying adenomas were more well differentiated (P < .0001), with a more polypoid growth pattern (P < .0001), a lower pT classification (P < .0001), less perineural invasion (P = .01), and less lymphatic invasion (P = .03). Small intestinal adenocarcinoma patients with associated sporadic adenomas (77%) had a significantly better 5-year survival rate than those without sporadic adenomas (38%, P = .02). By univariate analysis, small intestinal adenocarcinoma patients had significantly different survival based on pT classification (P = .003), lymph node metastasis (P < .0001), distal location (jejunal and ileal carcinomas) (P = .003), retroperitoneal tumor seeding (P < .0001), vascular invasion (P = .007), lymphatic invasion (P = .001), peritumoral dysplasia (P = .004), and radiation therapy (P = .006). By multivariate analysis, lymph node metastasis (P = .01) and distal location (P = .003) were independent predictors of a worse prognosis. In conclusion, (1) small intestinal adenocarcinomas are diagnosed at an advanced disease stage; therefore, the development of strategies for detection at an earlier stage is needed. (2) Small intestinal adenocarcinoma patients with an adenomatous component had a better survival than those without an adenomatous component. (3) Lymph node metastasis and distal location (jejunum and ileum) of tumor are the most important independent prognostic factors.

We propose a growing network model of the distribution of wealth in a society with local redistribution. Individuals, represented by nodes in the model, provide goods and services to one of their neighbors and they simultaneously produce wealth using goods and services received from their neighbors. A proportion of the wealth produced by a node is redistributed to its neighbors as a reward for the received goods and services. Nodes have different ability to produce wealth. We analyze the interaction between the wealth accumulation process and the structure of the network, and analyze also how the interaction is affected by the redistribution of wealth. It is investigated how rich nodes attract the individuals entering the network in this model. Under a reasonable distribution of ability, simulation result shows that the distribution of degree, i.e. number of neighbors of a node, is scale-free, and that the wealth distribution for the middle class is a log-normal distribution, while for the richest it shows a power-law behavior. We also show that the local redistribution of wealth has a significant effect on the distribution of both degree and wealth.

Background Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) targeting the left ventricular posteroseptum (LVPS) and posterior papillary muscle (PPM) terminates or prevents ventricular fibrillation (VF) in rabbit and dog hearts. However, whether the mechanism of VF maintenance is reentry or focal Purkinje firing is unclear. Methods and Results In the present study the effects of RFCA (endocardial ablation of PPM+LVPS in 7 dogs and 7 swine), left ventricular anterolateral wall ablation (LVAL in 7 dogs), and the cut-and-sew operation (CSO: along the left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW) beside PPM in 7 swine) on VF inducibility were compared. (1) VF inducibility was decreased from 100±0% to 21.9±31.2% (p

A network induced by wealth is a social network model in which wealth induces individuals to participate as nodes, and every node in the network produces and accumulates wealth utilizing its links. More specifically, at every time step a new node is added to the network, and a link is created between one of the existing nodes and the new node. Innate wealth-producing ability is randomly assigned to every new node, and the node to be connected to the new node is chosen randomly, with odds proportional to the accumulated wealth of each existing node. Analyzing this network using the mean value and continuous flow approaches, we derive a relation between the conditional expectations of the degree and the accumulated wealth of each node. From this relation, we show that the degree distribution of the network induced by wealth is scale-free. We also show that the wealth distribution has a power-law tail and satisfies the 80 / 20 rule. We also show that, over the whole range, the cumulative wealth distribution exhibits the same topological characteristics as the wealth distributions of several networks based on the Bouchaud–Mezard model, even though the mechanism for producing wealth is quite different in our model. Further, we show that the cumulative wealth distribution for the poor and middle class seems likely to follow by a log-normal distribution, while for the richest, the cumulative wealth distribution has a power-law behavior.

To evaluate sonographic findings in ischemic enterocolitis (IEC) and correlate with pathologic findings in an experimental study.Ischemic enterocolitis was induced with ligation of the superior mesenteric artery in 20 rabbits. Plain radiography and ultrasonography (US) were performed. US was done hourly after the ligation using 10 MHz linear probe. US findings were categorized into 2 groups according to the bowel wall echogenicity; the echogenic dots (ED) group and the circumferential granular echogenicity (CGE) group. US findings were compared with the specimen radiography and the histopathology.On US, ED were seen in the bowel of all rabbits after SMA ligation (2.2 +/- 1.3 hours [standard deviation]) and CGE in 16 rabbits (4.1 +/- 0.9 hours). On the specimen radiographs, multiple radiolucent air bubbles were present. Comparing the ED and CGE group, histopathological findings revealed the CGE group had severer injury of the bowel wall than the ED group. On plain radiography, there was progressive bowel distention, but pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) was not evident.ED or CGE are the sonographic findings of ischemic enterocolitis, and bowel wall echogenicity might reflect the degree of ischemic injury.

Although many progresses have been achieved for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it is still remained as idiopathic disease to be completely controlled. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as key players in many human diseases through degradation or translational inhibition of target genes. Because role of miRNAs in IBD is not completely understood yet, we need to identify miRNAs as novel targets for treatment of IBD.Microarray analysis for miRNAs was performed using dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis samples and selected differentially regulated miRNAs. Candidate genes were validated using in vitro system and IBD patient samples. Molecular mechanism for regulation of inflammatory signaling was identified using gene modulation system of miRNAs.We selected 14 upregulated and 15 downregulated miRNAs through microarray analysis. Among candidate miRNAs, significant upregulation of miR-132 and miR-223 was confirmed in inflamed mouse tissues as well as human IBD patient tissues. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified FOXO3a as direct target of miRNAs and confirmed regulatory mechanism using luciferase assay. Expression of miRNAs clearly suppressed the level of IκBα through downregulation of FOXO3a, leading to enhanced NF-κB signaling to promote the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The downregulation of FOXO3a concurrent with upregulation of cytokines was significantly reversed by sequestration of miRNAs with miRNA sponges.Our findings provided the evidences that miR-132 and 223 are critical mediators in positive circuit for pathogenesis of IBD by negatively regulating FOXO3a to enhance the expression of inflammatory cytokines and can be a good therapeutic target for IBD treatment.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Aspergillus fumigatus are opportunistic pathogens that cause fatal infections in graft recipients mainly 1–6 months after transplantation, the period of maximal immunosuppression required for the prevention of acute graft rejection. A CMV infection has been known to increase the risk of fungal infection in an immunocompromised host, and concurrent CMV andAspergillus pneumonias have been reported in bone marrow transplant recipients [1]. Desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP), considered to be a non-specific pulmonary reaction to injury, is pathologically characterized by the presence of numerous macrophages within the airspace with minimal fibrosis. We report here on a patient who in his ninth post-transplant year suffered from DIP following concurrent CMV andAspergillus pneumonias, and who was treated successfully with corticosteroids combined with antiviral and antifungal agents.

A new class of system of generalized parametric nonlinear quasivariational inequalities involving various classes of mappings is introduced and studied. With the properties of maximal monotone mappings, the equivalence between the class of system of generalized parametric nonlinear quasivariational inequalities and a class of fixed point problems is proved and an iterative algorithm with errors is constructed. A few existence and uniqueness results and sensitivity analysis of solutions are also established for the system of generalized nonlinear parametric quasivariational inequalities and some convergence results of iterative sequence generated by the algorithm with errors are proved.

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief and the authors.Reason: it has been found belatedly that the main result of the paper is not original to their research (see the authors' statement below). We, the editors, apologize to the readers for any confusion and we will make every effort to prevent such a regrettable case in future. In this effort, we also sincerely remind authors of their scientific duty to carry out a complete literature search before making originality claims in submitted articles.Authors' Statement: “We, the authors of the article, ‘Characterization of Pythagorean curves and Pythagoreanization using a rational transform’, Journal of Symbolic Computation 37 (2004), 377–389, were alerted by Professor Rida Farouki that the result presented in the article may have been previously obtained by Dr. Wei Lü in the article, ‘Offset-rational parametric plane curves’, Computer Aided Geometric Design 12 (1995), 601–616.We have checked it. Even though there are some differences, we agree that Wei Lü indeed has a precedence on the main result and thus he should be given the full credit on the result. Accordingly, we also agree with the editor's decision to retract the article.We regret that we have not carried out a complete literature search before embarking on our work. We apologize to Dr. Wei Lü and colleagues for any confusion caused by our mistake. We have learned the importance of a complete literature search.Most of all, we thank Professor Rida Farouki for kindly alerting us to the problem.”Min-Ho Ahn and Gwang-Il Kim

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) is an uncommon liver condition characterized by diffuse transformation of the hepatic parenchyma into regenerative nodules without fibrosis. Portal vasculopathy caused by abnormal hepatic venous flow may induce hepatocyte hyperplasia, which forms regenerative nodules. Underlying diseases or certain drugs may also be the cause of NRH. This condition is often underdiagnosed as the patients remain asymptomatic until development of portal hypertension, and histopathologic confirmation by liver biopsy is the only way of making a definite diagnosis. The management mainly involves prevention and treatment of the complications of portal hypertension. The frequency of diagnosis of NRH has increased rapidly in recent years, however, only a few cases have been reported in Korea. Here, we report on a case of NRH of the liver combined with toxic hepatitis.

The presence of groundwater level (GWL) causes changes in stiffness and strength of soil, affecting the bearing capacity and settlement of shallow foundations. In the present study, the load-carrying capacity and settlement of footings in sands under various GWL conditions were investigated. For this purpose, a series of model footing load tests and cone penetration tests (CPTs) were conducted using the hydraulically controlled chamber system. Different GWL and soil conditions were considered in the tests. The load-carrying capacity of footings became lower with increasing GWL, which was most significant within the depth of GWL (dw) equal to footing width (1.0B). Larger reductions in the bearing capacity with GWL were observed for looser soils with lower relative density. Based on the test results, design equations and correlation parameters for the GWL effects on the bearing capacity and settlement were proposed as a function of GWL, applied load, and relative density. It was confirmed that the existing CPT-based correlations to footing bearing capacity are valid and applicable for soils with GWL.

We introduce the notion of fuzzy dot subalgebras in BCH-algebras, and study its various properties.

A one-degree-of-freedom Hamiltonian system with time periodic perturbation generally display rich dynamics near the separatrix, the understanding of which is important in studying transport and diffusion. We introduce the exact separatrix map which provides an effective way to describe dynamics near the separatrix. We show that the separatrix map and its inverse satisfy twist conditions with logarithmic singularities and, therefore, they have an infinite twist near the transversal intersections of the stable and unstable manifolds of the hyperbolic equilibrium. Using the variational formalism with the generating functions, we show the dynamics near the singularities correspond to the anti-integrable limit. As a consequence, we show the nonexistence of rotational invariant circles with sufficiently large rotation number, first obtained by Lazutkin in standard maps. Moreover, the existence of a uniformly hyperbolic chaotic invariant set is shown in connection with the theory of the anti-integrable limit. The simplest form of the separatrix map is studied in detail to illustrate some of the above results explicitly.