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Although most human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have been silenced and lost their ability to translocate because of accumulated mutations during evolution, they still play important roles in human biology. Several studies have demonstrated that HERVs play pathological roles in numerous human diseases, especially cancer. A few studies have revealed that long non-coding RNAs that are transcribed from HERV sequences affect cancer progression. However, there is no study on microRNAs derived from HERVs related to cancer. In this study, we identified 29 microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from HERV sequences in the human genome. In particular, we discovered that miR-4454, which is HERV-H-derived miRNA, was upregulated in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) cells. To figure out the effects of upregulated miR-4454 in NMIBC, genes whose expression was downregulated in NMIBC, as well as tumor suppressor genes, were selected as putative target genes of miR-4454. The dual-luciferase assay was used to determine the negative relationship between miR-4454 and its target genes, DNAJB4 and SASH1, and they were confirmed to be promising target genes of miR-4454. Taken together, this study suggests that the upregulation of miR-4454 derived from HERV-H in NMIBC reduces the expression of the tumor suppressor genes, DNAJB4 and SASH1, to promote NMIBC progression.

Z-DNA, a well-known non-canonical form of DNA involved in gene regulation, is often found in gene promoters. Transposable elements (TEs), which make up 45% of the human genome, can move from one location to another within the genome. TEs play various biological roles in host organisms, and like Z-DNA, can influence transcriptional regulation near promoter regions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that play a critical role in the regulation of gene expression. Although TEs can generate Z-DNA and miRNAs can bind to Z-DNA, how these factors affect gene transcription has yet to be elucidated. Here, we identified potential Z-DNA forming sequences (ZFSs), including TE-derived ZFS, in the promoter of prostaglandin reductase 1 (PTGR1) by data analysis. The transcriptional activity of these ZFSs in PTGR1 was confirmed using dual-luciferase reporter assays. In addition, we discovered a novel ZFS binding miRNA (miR-6867-5p) that suppressed PTGR1 expression by targeting to ZFSs. In conclusion, these findings suggest that TEs can regulate PTGR1 gene expression by forming Z-DNA and that miR-6867-5p can suppress PTGR1 by interacting with ZFSs.

In this study, we assess the possibility of using procalcitonin levels to differentiate between inflammatory diarrhea and non-inflammatory diarrhea in acute infectious diarrhea. We reviewed the records of 1176 patients who had symptoms of diarrhea, fever (≥37.8 °C), and abdominal pain between March 2011 and May 2015. After applying exclusion criteria, a sample of 514 patients was considered for study. The patient sample was divided into Group A and Group B for inflammatory diarrhea and non-inflammatory diarrhea, respectively. The assessment involved comparing the laboratory characteristics with the clinical characteristics of the groups. The characteristics of Group A, such as white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and procalcitonin levels, were relatively higher than those of Group B (P

Background/Aims The purpose of this study is to verify the risk factors associated with Dieulafoy lesion formation in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Methods A case-control study was performed by reviewing the electronic medical records of 42 patients who were admitted to a tertiary medical center in the Daejeon region for Dieulafoy lesions from September 2008 to October 2013, and the records of 132 patients who were admitted during the same period and who underwent endoscopic examination for reasons other than bleeding. We analyzed clinical and endoscopic findings retrospectively, and searched for risk factors associated with Dieulafoy lesion formation. Results All 42 patients diagnosed with Dieulafoy lesion had accompanying bleeding, and the location of the bleeding was proximal in 25 patients (59.5%), the middle portion in seven patients (16.7%), and distal in 10 patients (23.8%). Antiplatelet agents (p=0.022) and alcohol (p=0.001) use showed statistically significant differences between the two groups. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the two factors were 2.802 (1.263 to 6.217) and 3.938 (1.629 to 9.521), respectively. Conclusions This study showed that antiplatelet agents and alcohol consumption were risk factors associated with Dieulafoy lesion formation in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be treated with laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (LRFA), which is generally a more accurate and accessible procedure than percutaneous RFA (PRFA). However, few studies have compared survival outcomes between LRFA and PRFA in patients with HCC. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of LRFA and PRFA for HCC treatment. Patients who underwent PRFA or LRFA as an initial treatment modality between April 2005 and April 2016 were enrolled in this study. The overall and recurrence-free survival rates were examined for each patient. Additionally, propensity score matching was performed for both groups. The baseline characteristics of patients in the PRFA and LRFA groups showed several minor differences. Multivariate analysis showed that the RFA method was not a critical determinant of recurrence-free or overall survival (p = 0.069 and p = 0.406). Among patients who underwent RFA as the initial treatment modality, there was no significant effect between either RFA procedures on survival. After propensity score matching, univariate analysis showed a significant difference in overall survival between PRFA and LRFA (p = 0.031). Multivariate analysis showed that LRFA is a strong factor that contributed to an improved overall survival in HCC patients (hazard ratio 0.108, p = 0.040). Furthermore, our data showed that LRFA was able to limit multiple intrahepatic recurrences, as well as prevent marginal recurrence. LRFA appears to be superior to PRFA in terms of survival. LRFA may help reduce mortality in HCC patients.

Currently, many types of compound preparations are being used but the quality control guidelines for their use are lacking. In case of single compound drug, the quality control methods are specified in the pharmacopeia. However, there is no method to simultaneously analyze compound preparations. In this study, a simple validated analytical method for HPLC separation of chlorquinaldol and promestriene is introduced. Validation was divided into categories including linearity, precision, accuracy (recovery) and system suitability. The contents of the products which are on the market were monitored using the validated analytical method and the robustness of the analytical method was tested by conducting an inter-laboratory validation. 요 약: 현재 시중에 많은 복방제제가 유통되고 있음에도 불구하고 이의 품질관리를 위한 시험법은 부 족한 실정이다. 여러 주효 성분을 가지는 복방제제의 경우 대부분 약전에 수재된 항목 중 2개 이상의 조 합으로 구성되어 있으나 약전에 단일 항목에 대한 시험법이 고시되어 있을 뿐 여러 항목을 한번에 시험 하는 방법이 없어 한가지 제제를 관리 하는 데에 여러 시험법이 요구되어 효율이 낮고 비용이 높다. 따 라서 본 연구는 현재 유통중인 복방제제의 새로운 분석법을 개발한 과정과 그 때에 적용되는 기준을 제 시하고 그 결과를 검증하였다. 복방 프로메스트리엔, 클로르퀴날돌 제제에 대한 새로운 분석법을 HPLC ★ Corresponding author Phone : +82-(0)2-880-7844 Fax : +82-(0)2-887-0246 E-mail : swkwon@snu.ac.kr Determination of chlorquinaldol and promestriene in complex prescription 153 Vol. 25, No. 2, 2012 를 기반으로 가장 적용이 용이하게 개발하였으며 직선성, 정밀성, 정확성(회수율), 시스템 적합성(반복성, 분리도) 등의 항목에 대하여 밸리데이션을 수행함으로써 분석법을 검증하였다. 또한 개발된 시험법을 이 용하여 시중 제품을 모니터링하고 실험실간 밸리데이션을 수행하여 시험법의 견고성을 확인함으로써 새 로운 고시안으로서의 가능성을 제시하였다.

High performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet (HPLC–UV) detection method was performed to simultaneously determine three preservatives: cresol, chlorocresol and benzethonium. According to the current Korean Pharmacopeia Codex, the only-available analytical method for discerning the three preservatives uses thin-layer chromatography, which does not provide accurate detection or quantification. Therefore, this study focused on developing a new HPLC–UV method which gives fast, accurate and sensitive outcomes. The experiment was done using Phenomenex Gemini column [C18 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm)] and the mobile system was methanol and 0.01 M potassium phosphate (monobasic) in water (pH = 3.3). The developed method was validated through linearity, range, system suitability, precision, accuracy, recovery and inter-laboratory variation.

Carcinosarcoma of the stomach is a rare biphasic tumor that consists of both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. In the gastrointestinal tract, carcinosarcoma is most frequently seen in the esophagus and rarely in the stomach. Tubular or papillary adenocarcinomas are common carcinomatous components, whereas mesenchymal sarcomatous components may vary. Neuroendocrine carcinomatous differentiation in carcinomatous components is extremely rare. We report a 62-year-old female patient with a history of dyspepsia for one-month-history. Endoscopic findings showed a ulcerofungating lesion, which infiltrated from the posterior wall of the antrum to the posterior wall of the gastric angle. Radical subtotal gastrectomy was performed. In the resected specimen, immunohistochemical studies showed two positive reactions for epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Based on the above findings, the patient was diagnosed with a gastric carcinosarcoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. (Korean J Helicobacter Up Gastrointest Res 2014;14:121-125)