Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins and Remnant Cholesterol in Cardiovascular Disease

Despite the well-established benefits of statin treatments in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), a significant residual risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains. Triglycerides (TGs) have long been recognized as potential residual risk factors in this context, but recent studies now disclose the substantial role of TG-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) and cholesterol components of metabolized TRLs (commonly referred to as remnant cholesterol) in atherogenesis, not just TGs alone. Evidence derived through diverse sources, including preclinical studies of pathogenic mechanisms, epidemiologic investigations, and genetic research, has consistently supported the considerable contribution of TRLs and remnant cholesterol in predicting occurrences of ASCVD. As emerging biomarkers for predicting atherosclerosis, they have thus become prioritized therapeutic targets, meant to augment LDL-C lowering efforts in individuals at high risk of ASCVD. However, routine clinical testing for remnant cholesterol and TRLs is still in question, necessitating further research into appropriate treatment plans if levels are elevated. New therapies targeting proteins in TG metabolic pathways, particularly angiopoietin-like protein 3 and apolipoprotein C-III, have shown potential advantages in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertriglyceridemia by reducing blood levels of TGs and remnant cholesterol. The aim of this review is to summarize existing evidence linking elevated TRLs and remnant cholesterol with development of ASCVD and to explore additional guidance for clinical therapy.

A Case of Vulvar Melanosis Associated with Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / 대한피부과학회지

Vulvar melanosis (VM) is clinically characterized by asymmetric macules or patches of varying size with a tan to black color and irregular borders. VM is more commonly found among perimenopausal women with a median age of 42 years. The exact pathogenesis of VM is not well understood. The proposed etiological factors for VM include oral contraceptive use, infection with human papillomavirus, and chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. Histologic examination can easily differentiate mucosal lentiginosis from melanoma, but VM superimposed on a background of anogenital lichen sclerosus, both clinically and histologically, may mimic malignant melanoma. There have been two cases of VM associated with Dowling-Degos disease in the Korean dermatologic literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of VM associated with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in the Korean dermatologic literature.

The Efficacy and Safety of the Topical Application of Poly-Gamma Glutamic Acid Hydrogel Nanoparticle-Based Fermented Extract of a Medicinal Plant Solution for Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial / 대한피부과학회지

Background@#Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss in adults. Topical application of the fermented extract of medicinal plants promoted hair growth through stimulation of the telogen to anagen transition in a mouse model. However, controlled studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of the topical application of the fermented extract solution in humans. @*Objective@#We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of topical poly-gamma glutamic acid hydrogel nanoparticlebased fermented extract of a medicinal plant solution (PGA solution) in terms of the clinical improvements in patients with AGA. @*Methods@#This 24-week, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, single-center clinical trial enrolled 50 patients with AGA (36 men and 14 women); the participants were treated with either PGA solution or placebo twice daily for 24 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated by a phototrichogram (total hair count per 1 cm 2 ), patient’s subjective assessments, and investigator’s subjective assessments of clinical improvements in overall hair regrowth. Any adverse reactions were reported during the study. @*Results@#At week 24, compared with baseline, the PGA solution group showed a significantly increased hair density compared to the placebo group (7.24±2.52/cm 2 vs. 1.53±1.39/cm 2 , p＜0.0001). The average hair density after 24 weeks was 129.90±23.04/cm 2 and 115.32±20.35/cm 2 in the PGA solution group and the placebo group, respectively.There was no adverse reaction over the 24-week period. @*Conclusion@#PGA solution may provide a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for patients with AGA.

A Case of Syringoid Eccrine Carcinoma on the Shoulder / 대한피부과학회지

Syringoid eccrine carcinoma (SEC) is a rare cutaneous malignant tumor thought to be derived from eccrine sweat glands. It is usually present in the scalp and face and often occurs in the fourth to seventh decades of life. A 76-year-old female patient visited our department with a 3-year history of a lesion showing a 5×4 cm-sized erythematous firm plaque with ulceration on her right shoulder. Histological findings revealed a tumor consisting of numerous proliferating tubular structures with two layers of basaloid cells with cellular atypia. Some ductal structures showed a tadpole appearance. Based on these findings, the final diagnosis was SEC. The patient was treated with slow Mohs micrographic surgery and a full-thickness skin graft and did not show any recurrence during the follow-up period of 6 months. Herein, we report a very rare case of a 76-year-old woman diagnosed with SEC that developed on the right shoulder.

A Case of Vulvar Melanosis Associated with Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / 대한피부과학회지

Vulvar melanosis (VM) is clinically characterized by asymmetric macules or patches of varying size with a tan to black color and irregular borders. VM is more commonly found among perimenopausal women with a median age of 42 years. The exact pathogenesis of VM is not well understood. The proposed etiological factors for VM include oral contraceptive use, infection with human papillomavirus, and chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. Histologic examination can easily differentiate mucosal lentiginosis from melanoma, but VM superimposed on a background of anogenital lichen sclerosus, both clinically and histologically, may mimic malignant melanoma. There have been two cases of VM associated with Dowling-Degos disease in the Korean dermatologic literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of VM associated with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in the Korean dermatologic literature.

A Case of Localized Lymphedema of the Vulva Mimicking a Fibrous Tumor / 대한피부과학회지

Lymphedema refers to inflammation that occurs in a part of the body owing to impaired lymphatic transport. Lymphedema arises as a consequence of a malformation or malfunction of the lymphatic system. It commonly occurs on the face, vulva, and penis and can cause superficial lesions known as lymphangiectasia. Common presenting symptoms include pain, pruritus, oozing of lymphatic fluid, sexual dysfunction, and infection. Prolonged lymphedema can lead to fibrosis and epidermal hyperplasia with verrucous hyperkeratosis. In rare cases, the lymphedema may mimic a skin tumor. We report the case of a 69-year-old woman who presented with erythematous oozing papules and hard nodules on the vulva, which mimicked a fibrous tumor.

Primary Cutaneous Nodular Amyloidosis in Both Lip Angles / 대한피부과학회지

Primary cutaneous nodular amyloidosis is a rare variant of primary cutaneous amyloidosis and manifests as nodular, light-chain, amyloid deposits that are localized to the skin. The pathogenesis of the disease is still unclear. It usually originates in the lower extremities, face, scalp, and genitals and presents clinically as waxy, yellowish erythematous colored nodules. Histological characteristics include diffuse homogenous eosinophilic deposits in the dermis or subcutaneous regions along with interspersed plasma cells. We report a case of a 72-year-old man who presented with fissured, erythematous, waxy nodules on the bilateral lip angles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of primary cutaneous nodular amyloidosis of the lip angles in Korean dermatological literature.

A Case of Immunoglobulin A Pemphigus: Intraepidermal Neutrophilic Dermatosis Type / 대한피부과학회지

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) pemphigus is a rare variant of an autoimmune bullous disease with IgA antibodies. IgA pemphigus is divided into 2 major subtypes: the subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SPD) type and intraepidermal neutrophilic (IEN) dermatosis type. We documented a case of an 18-year-old woman with recurrent generalized blisters and pustules that were especially severe in the intertriginous areas. Some half-and-half blisters and coalesced pustules in an annular pattern with crusts were simultaneously observed. A biopsy specimen from one of the half-and-half blister lesions showed intraepidermal separation with multiple neutrophils. Direct immunofluorescence staining revealed lace-like intercellular deposition of IgA in the entire epidermis. IgA antibody deposits were also observed in the patient's serum. The eruptions cleared with systemic steroids and colchicine 0.6 mg for 1 week, and the patient remained in partial remission at the 8-month follow-up. Herein, we report a case of IEN-type IgA pemphigus, clinically mimicking SPD with half-and-half blisters.

Pseudoangiosarcomatous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Face / 대한피부과학회지

No abstract available.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma on the Fingers of Orthopedic Surgeon Induced by Occupational Radiation Exposure

No abstract available.

Bimodal Benefits on Objective and Subjective Outcomes for Adult Cochlear Implant Users

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Given that only a few studies have focused on the bimodal benefits on objective and subjective outcomes and emphasized the importance of individual data, the present study aimed to measure the bimodal benefits on the objective and subjective outcomes for adults with cochlear implant. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fourteen listeners with bimodal devices were tested on the localization and recognition abilities using environmental sounds, 1-talker, and 2-talker speech materials. The localization ability was measured through an 8-loudspeaker array. For the recognition measures, listeners were asked to repeat the sentences or say the environmental sounds the listeners heard. As a subjective questionnaire, three domains of Korean-version of Speech, Spatial, Qualities of Hearing scale (K-SSQ) were used to explore any relationships between objective and subjective outcomes. RESULTS: Based on the group-mean data, the bimodal hearing enhanced both localization and recognition regardless of test material. However, the inter- and intra-subject variability appeared to be large across test materials for both localization and recognition abilities. Correlation analyses revealed that the relationships were not always consistent between the objective outcomes and the subjective self-reports with bimodal devices. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study supports significant bimodal advantages on localization and recognition measures, yet the large individual variability in bimodal benefits should be considered carefully for the clinical assessment as well as counseling. The discrepant relations between objective and subjective results suggest that the bimodal benefits in traditional localization or recognition measures might not necessarily correspond to the self-reported subjective advantages in everyday listening environments.

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes by Gabapentin in Cultured Dorsal Root Ganglion in a Rat Neuropathic Pain Model

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain disorder caused by nervous system lesions as a direct consequence of a lesion or by disease of the portions of the nervous system that normally signal pain. The spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model in rats that reflect some components of clinical pain have played a crucial role in the understanding of neuropathic pain. To investigate the direct effects of gabapentin on differential gene expression in cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells of SNL model rats, we performed a differential display reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis with random priming approach using annealing control primer. Genes encoding metallothionein 1a, transforming growth factor-beta1 and palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-2 were up-regulated in gabapentin-treated DRG cells of SNL model rats. The functional roles of these differentially expressed genes were previously suggested as neuroprotective genes. Further study of these genes is expected to reveal potential targets of gabapentin.