Advanced In Vitro Three-Dimensional Skin Models of Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most prevalent inflammatory skin diseases that is characterized by eczematous rashes, intense itching, dry skin, and sensitive skin. Although AD significantly impacts the quality of life and the number of patients keeps increasing, its pathological mechanism is still unknown because of its complexity. The importance of developing new in vitro three-dimensional (3D) models has been underlined in order to understand the mechanisms for the development of therapeutics since the limitations of 2D models or animal models have been repeatedly reported. Thus, the new in vitro AD models should not only be created in 3D structure, but also reflect the pathological characteristics of AD, which are known to be associated with Th2-mediated inflammatory responses, epidermal barrier disruption, increased dermal T-cell infiltration, filaggrin down-regulation, or microbial imbalance. In this review, we introduce various types of in vitro skin models including 3D culture methods, skin-on-a-chips, and skin organoids, as well as their applications to AD modeling for drug screening and mechanistic studies.

Biomarker-guided targeted therapy in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (AMBITION; KGOG 3045): a multicentre, open-label, five-arm, uncontrolled, umbrella trial / 부인종양

Objective@#Management of heavily pre-treated platinum-resistant ovarian cancer remains a therapeutic challenge. Outcomes are poor with non-platinum, single-agent chemotherapy (CT); however, molecularly targeted anticancer therapies provide new options. @*Methods@#This open-label, investigator-initiated, phase 2 umbrella trial (NCT03699449) enrolled patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (at least 2 prior lines of CT and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0/1) to receive combination therapy based on homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status determined by archival tumour sample assessment. HRD-positive patients were randomised to either olaparib 200mg bid tablet + cediranib 30mg qd (arm 1) or olaparib 300mg bid tablet + durvalumab 1,500mg q4w (arm 2). HRD-negative patients were allocated to either durvalumab 1,500 mg q4w + pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) or topotecan or weekly paclitaxel (6 cycles; arm 3, those with PD-L1 expression) or durvalumab 1,500 mg q4w + tremelimumab 75mg q4w (4 doses) + PLD or topotecan or weekly paclitaxel (4 cycles; arm 4, those without PD-L1 expression). Arm 5 (durvalumab 1,500 mg q4w + tremelimumab 300mg [1 dose] + weekly paclitaxel [60 mg/m2 D1,8,15 q4w for 4 cycles] was initiated after arm 4 completed. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR; Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours 1.1). @*Results@#Between Dec 2018 and Oct 2020, 70 patients (median 57 years; median 3 prior treatment lines [range 2–10]) were treated (n=16, 14, 5, 18, and 17, respectively). Overall ORR was 37.1% (26/70, 95% confidence interval=25.9, 49.5); 2 achieved complete response. ORR was 50%, 42.9%, 20%, 33.3%, and 29.4%, respectively. Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 37.5%, 35.7%, 20%, 66.7%, and 35.3% of patients, respectively. No TRAEs leading to treatment discontinuation and no grade 5 TRAEs were observed. @*Conclusion@#This study, the first biomarker-driven umbrella trial in platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer, suggests clinical utility with biomarker-driven targeted therapy. All treatment combinations were manageable, and without unexpected toxicities.

Clinical Impact of a Quality Improvement Program Including Dedicated Emergency Radiology Personnel on Emergency Surgical Management: A Propensity Score-Matching Study

Objective@#To investigate the clinical impact of a quality improvement program including dedicated emergency radiology personnel (QIP-DERP) on the management of emergency surgical patients in the emergency department (ED). @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective study identified all adult patients (n = 3667) who underwent preoperative body CT, for which written radiology reports were generated, and who subsequently underwent non-elective surgery between 2007 and 2018 in the ED of a single urban academic tertiary medical institution. The study cohort was divided into periods before and after the initiation of QIP-DERP. We matched the control group patients (i.e., before QIP-DERP) to the QIP-DERP group patients using propensity score (PS), with a 1:2 matching ratio for the main analysis and a 1:1 ratio for sub-analyses separately for daytime (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays) and after-hours. The primary outcome was timing of emergency surgery (TES), which was defined as the time from ED arrival to surgical intervention. The secondary outcomes included ED length of stay (LOS) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate. @*Results@#According to the PS-matched analysis, compared with the control group, QIP-DERP significantly decreased the median TES from 16.7 hours (interquartile range, 9.4–27.5 hours) to 11.6 hours (6.6–21.9 hours) (p < 0.001) and the ICU admission rate from 33.3% (205/616) to 23.9% (295/1232) (p < 0.001). During after-hours, the QIP-DERP significantly reduced median TES from 19.9 hours (12.5–30.1 hours) to 9.6 hours (5.7–19.1 hours) (p < 0.001), median ED LOS from 9.1 hours (5.6–16.5 hours) to 6.7 hours (4.9–11.3 hours) (p < 0.001), and ICU admission rate from 35.5% (108/304) to 22.0% (67/304) (p < 0.001). @*Conclusion@#QIP-DERP implementation improved the quality of emergency surgical management in the ED by reducing TES, ED LOS, and ICU admission rate, particularly during after-hours.

Prognosis for Pneumonic-Type Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma in a Single Lobe on CT: Is It Reasonable to Designate It as Clinical T3?

Objective@#To compare pneumonic-type invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (pIMA) confined to a single lobe with clinical T2, T3, and T4 stage lung cancer without pathological node metastasis regarding survival after curative surgery and to identify prognostic factors for pIMA. @*Materials and Methods@#From January 2010 to December 2017, 41 patients (15 male; mean age ± standard deviation, 66.0 ± 9.9 years) who had pIMA confined to a single lobe on computed tomography (CT) and underwent curative surgery were identified in two tertiary hospitals. Three hundred and thirteen patients (222 male; 66.3 ± 9.4 years) who had non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without pathological node metastasis and underwent curative surgery in one participating institution formed a reference group. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method.Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the survival of patients with pIMA. @*Results@#The 5-year RFS and OS rates in patients with pIMA were 33.1% and 56.0%, respectively, compared with 74.3% and 91%, 64.3% and 71.8%, and 46.9% and 49.5% for patients with clinical stage T2, T3, and T4 NSCLC in the reference group, respectively. The RFS of patients with pIMA was comparable to that of patients with clinical stage T4 NSCLC and significantly worse than that of patients with clinical stage T3 NSCLC (p = 0.012). The differences in OS between patients with pIMA and those with clinical stage T3 or T4 NSCLC were not significant (p = 0.11 and p = 0.37, respectively). In patients with pIMA, the presence of separate nodules was a significant factor associated with poor RFS and OS {unadjusted hazard ratio (HR), 4.66 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.95–11.11), p < 0.001 for RFS; adjusted HR, 4.53 (95% CI, 1.59–12.89), p = 0.005 for OS}. @*Conclusion@#The RFS of patients with pIMA was comparable to that of patients with clinical stage T4 lung cancer. Separate nodules on CT were associated with poor RFS and OS in patients with pIMA.

Effects of Contrast Phases on Automated Measurements of Muscle Quantity and Quality Using CT

Objective@#Muscle quantity and quality can be measured with an automated system on CT. However, the effects of contrast phases on the muscle measurements have not been established, which we aimed to investigate in this study. @*Materials and Methods@#Muscle quantity was measured according to the skeletal muscle area (SMA) measured by a convolutional neural network-based automated system at the L3 level in 89 subjects undergoing multiphasic abdominal CT comprising unenhanced phase, arterial phase, portal venous phase (PVP), or delayed phase imaging. Muscle quality was analyzed using the mean muscle density and the muscle quality map, which comprises normal and low-attenuation muscle areas (NAMA and LAMA, respectively) based on the muscle attenuation threshold. The SMA, mean muscle density, NAMA, and LAMA were compared between PVP and other phases using paired t tests. Bland-Altman analysis was used to evaluate the inter-phase variability between PVP and other phases. Based on the cutoffs for low muscle quantity and quality, the counts of individuals who scored lower than the cutoff values were compared between PVP and other phases. @*Results@#All indices showed significant differences between PVP and other phases (p < 0.001 for all). The SMA, mean muscle density, and NAMA increased during the later phases, whereas LAMA decreased during the later phases. Bland-Altman analysis showed that the mean differences between PVP and other phases ranged -2.1 to 0.3 cm2 for SMA, -12.0 to 2.6 cm2 for NAMA, and -2.2 to 9.9 cm2 for LAMA.The number of patients who were categorized as low muscle quantity did not significant differ between PVP and other phases (p ≥ 0.5), whereas the number of patients with low muscle quality significantly differed (p ≤ 0.002). @*Conclusion@#SMA was less affected by the contrast phases. However, the muscle quality measurements changed with the contrast phases to greater extents and would require a standardization of the contrast phase for reliable measurement.

Human Placenta-Derived ECM Supports Tri-Lineage Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) hold great promise for future applications in drug discovery and cell therapies. hPSC culture protocols require specific substrates and medium supplements to support cell expansion and lineage specific differentiation. The animal origin of these substrates is a severe limitation when considering the translation of hPSC derivatives to the clinic and in vitro disease modeling. The present study evaluates the use of a human placenta-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel, HuGentraⓇ , to support tri-lineage differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Lineage-specific embryoid bodies (EBs) were plated onto three separate matrices, and differentiation efficiency was evaluated based on morphology, protein, and gene expression. HuGentra was found to support the differentiation of hiPSCs to all three germ layers: ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal lineages. hiPSCs differentiated into neurons, cardiomyocytes, and hepatocytes on HuGentra had similar morphology, protein, and gene expression compared to differentiation on Matrigel or other cell preferred matrices. HuGentra can be considered as a suitable human substrate for hiPSC differentiation.

What Is Appropriate Upper Endoscopic Interval Among Dyspeptic Patients With Previously Normal Endoscopy? A Multicenter Study With Bayesian Change Point Analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Appropriate interval for performing follow-up endoscopy among dyspeptic patients without abnormal findings on previous endoscopy is unclear. We analyzed the multicenter-collected data from the Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. METHODS: We collected clinical data of the patients who visited the gastroenterology department and underwent 2 or more sessions of upper endoscopy during 2012–2017 at 6 university hospitals in Korea. Patients with endoscopic interval between 90 days and 760 days were included. For those with multiple endoscopic sessions, only the first 2 were analyzed. Positive outcome was defined as adenoma or cancer in the upper gastrointestinal tract. To identify the point of change and estimate the properties of the stochastic process before and after the change, we used Bayesian regression with Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. RESULTS: There were 1595 patients. Mean age was 58.8 years (standard deviation, 12.8). Median interval of endoscopy was 437 days (standard deviation, 153). On follow-up endoscopy, there were 12 patients (0.75%) who had neoplasia (4 with gastric cancer and 8 with gastric adnoma). As with the prior hypothesis, we presumed the change point (CP) of increase in frequency of organic lesion as 360 days. After random-walk Metropolis-Hastings sampling with Markov-Chain Monte Carlo iterations of 5000, the CP was 560 days (95% credible interval, 139–724). Estimated average of frequency of dysplastic lesions increased by a factor of 4.4 after the estimated CP. CONCLUSION: To rule out dysplastic lesions among dyspeptic patients who had previously normal endoscopy, a 2-year interval could be offered as follow-up interval for repeat upper endoscopy.

Clinical Features and Causes of Endogenous Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia in Korea

BACKGROUND: Endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (EHH) is characterized by an inappropriately high plasma insulin level, despite a low plasma glucose level. Most of the EHH cases are caused by insulinoma, whereas nesidioblastosis and insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) are relatively rare. METHODS: To evaluate the relative frequencies of various causes of EHH in Korea, we retrospectively analyzed 84 patients who were diagnosed with EHH from 1998 to 2012 in a university hospital. RESULTS: Among the 84 EHH patients, 74 patients (88%), five (6%), and five (6%) were diagnosed with insulinoma, nesidioblastosis or IAS, respectively. The most common clinical manifestation of EHH was neuroglycopenic symptoms. Symptom duration before diagnosis was 14.5 months (range, 1 to 120 months) for insulinoma, 1.0 months (range, 6 days to 7 months) for nesidioblastosis, and 2.0 months (range, 1 to 12 months) for IAS. One patient, who was diagnosed with nesidioblastosis in 2006, underwent distal pancreatectomy but was later determined to be positive for insulin autoantibodies. Except for one patient who was diagnosed in 2007, the remaining three patients with nesidioblastosis demonstrated severe hyperinsulinemia (157 to 2,719 microIU/mL), which suggests that these patients might have had IAS, rather than nesidioblastosis. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the prevalence of IAS may be higher in Korea than previously thought. Therefore, measurement of insulin autoantibody levels is warranted for EHH patients, especially in patients with very high plasma insulin levels.

Effects of Electric Stimulation and Biofeedback for Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise in Women with Vaginal Rejuvenation Women

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback on maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, vaginal contraction duration and sexual function in women who have had vaginal rejuvenation. METHODS: The research design was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design study. Participants in this study were women who had vaginal rejuvenation at C obstetrics and gynecology hospital. The 15 participants in the experimental group were given pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback and the 15 participants in the control group received self pelvic floor muscle exercise. RESULTS: For maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase compared to than the control group (t=5.96, p<.001). For vaginal contraction duration, the experimental group also showed a statistically significant increase compared to the control group (t=3.23, p=.003). For women's sexual function, the experimental group showed a significant increase when compared to the control group in total sexual function scores (t=3.41, p=.002). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that pelvic floor muscle exercise with electric stimulation and biofeedback after vaginal rejuvenation is effective in strengthening vaginal contraction pressure, vaginal contraction and that it also positively functions to increase women's sexual function.

Oral Solubilized Ursodeoxycholic Acid Therapy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) with oral solubilized formula in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, patients with probable or definite ALS were randomized to receive oral solubilized UDCA (3.5 g/140 mL/day) or placebo for 3 months after a run-in period of 1 month and switched to receive the other treatment for 3 months after a wash-out period of 1 month. The primary outcome was the rate of progression, assessed by the Appel ALS rating scale (AALSRS), and the secondary outcomes were the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) and forced vital capacity (FVC). Fifty-three patients completed either the first or second period of study with only 16 of 63 enrolled patients given both treatments sequentially. The slope of AALSRS was 1.17 points/month lower while the patients were treated with UDCA than with placebo (95% CI for difference 0.08-2.26, P = 0.037), whereas the slopes of ALSFRS-R and FVC did not show significant differences between treatments. Gastrointestinal adverse events were more common with UDCA (P < 0.05). Oral solubilized UDCA seems to be tolerable in ALS patients, but we could not make firm conclusion regarding its efficacy, particularly due to the high attrition rate in this cross-over trial.

Risk assessment for clinical attachment loss of periodontal tissue in Korean adults

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and extent of clinical attachment loss of periodontal tissue and to find out variables related to clinical attachment loss (CAL) in Korean adults older than 40 years of age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from 2,519 subjects who were part of a cohort study conducted in Ansan city by Korea University Medical School for Korean Genome project. Age, sex, smoking, drinking, fast glucose, blood pressure, obesity and total cholesterol levels were examined. The oral examination included probing pocket depth, gingival recession and CAL of Ramford's teeth. The severity of periodontitis was classified based on the mean value of CAL. The relationship between each risk factor and the severity of CAL was independently estimated using the chi-square test, the test or one-way ANOVA. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the significance of each factor in the periodontal disease. RESULTS: The prevalences of clinical attachment between 1 and 3 mm, between 3 and or = 5 mm were 80.27%, 16.75% and < 1%, respectively. Although the univariate analysis showed age, gender, smoking, fasting glucose, blood pressure and total cholesterol levels were significantly related to the severity of CAL, multiple regression analysis indicated that age (P < .0001), gender (P < .0001) and smoking (P < .05) were only significantly related. CONCLUSION: Older age, male gender and smoking were significant risk factor for the increase of CAL, and these may be useful indicators of periodontitis high-risk groups.

Validation of the Korean Integrative Medicine Attitude Questionnaire (IMAQ) / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: To develop a Korean version of the Integrative Medicine Attitude Questionnaire (IMAQ) in order to evaluate physician attitudes toward integrative medicine/complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). METHODS: We developed a Korean IMAQ through careful translation of the 28-item questionnaire developed by Schmidt et al. A web-based survey was sent via email to 118 primary care physicians in Korea. The complete respose rate wasa 52.5%. The questionnaire's reliability and validity were verified using Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis, and discriminant analysis. RESULTS: Although the Korean IMAQ exhibited excellent internal consistency, its validity was insufficient. Our results suggest that Western and Korean physicians may have different understandings of CAM and the concept of holism, as factor analysis showed that incorrectly classified items were mainly part of the holism conceptual domain. Furthermore, the sum of the items within the holism conceptual domain was not significantly different for physicians who had previously received CAM education. CONCLUSION: This study developed and tested the first Korean IMAQ. We found that this version of the questionnaire lacks sufficient validity and requires further modification.

Clinical Implications of Mandible and Neck Measurements in Non-Obese Asian Snorers: Ansan City General Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVES: Anthropometric abnormalities of the mandible and neck may contribute to snoring in non-obese Asians. The study evaluated the clinical implications of mandible and neck measurements in non-obese Asian snorers. METHODS: The external mandible and neck measurements (neck circumference, two lengths of neck, mandibular body angle, and lengths of mandibular ramus and body) were compared between snorers and non-snorers in a sample of 2,778 non-obese Koreans (1,389 males, 1,389 females) aged 40 to 69 years (mean, 48.47+/-7.72 years). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of snoring was 64.7% (899/1,389) and 48.3% (671/1,389) in non-obese male and female subjects, respectively. In non-obese males, snorers had significantly a greater neck circumference (P<0.0001) and shorter mandibular body length (P=0.0126) than non-snorers. In non-obese females, snorers had significantly greater neck circumferences (P=0.0165), compared with non-snorers. However, there were no statistically significant differences in other variables between non-snorers and snorers. CONCLUSION: Anthropometric abnormalities of the mandible and neck, including thick neck circumference in both genders and small mandible size in males, may be relevant contributing factors to snoring in non-obese Asian snorers.

Clinical Implications of Mandible and Neck Measurements in Non-Obese Asian Snorers: Ansan City General Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVES: Anthropometric abnormalities of the mandible and neck may contribute to snoring in non-obese Asians. The study evaluated the clinical implications of mandible and neck measurements in non-obese Asian snorers. METHODS: The external mandible and neck measurements (neck circumference, two lengths of neck, mandibular body angle, and lengths of mandibular ramus and body) were compared between snorers and non-snorers in a sample of 2,778 non-obese Koreans (1,389 males, 1,389 females) aged 40 to 69 years (mean, 48.47+/-7.72 years). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of snoring was 64.7% (899/1,389) and 48.3% (671/1,389) in non-obese male and female subjects, respectively. In non-obese males, snorers had significantly a greater neck circumference (P<0.0001) and shorter mandibular body length (P=0.0126) than non-snorers. In non-obese females, snorers had significantly greater neck circumferences (P=0.0165), compared with non-snorers. However, there were no statistically significant differences in other variables between non-snorers and snorers. CONCLUSION: Anthropometric abnormalities of the mandible and neck, including thick neck circumference in both genders and small mandible size in males, may be relevant contributing factors to snoring in non-obese Asian snorers.

Anti-obesity effects of Chang-Chul-Eui-Ee-In-Tang see text in female rats with diet-induced obesity / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Chang-Chul-Eui-Ee-In-Tang ([see text], CCEET), modififi ed CCEET (MCCEET), and Semen Coicis (SC, a major component of CCEET) on energy and glucose homeostasis. The possible mechanism of action of CCEET was also determined.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 100 Sprague Dawley female rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups, with 20 in each group. Rats in 4 groups were fed with a high fat diet supplementation (2 g/kg body weight), and water extracts of CCEET, MCCEET, SC, and cellulose (negative control), respectively. The last group was fed with a low-fat diet as a positive control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CCEET and MCCEET decreased body weight and body fat (mesenteric and retroperitoneal fat) more than SC. This decrease was due to decreased energy intake and increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation. The improvement in energy homeostasis was associated with the enhancement of the hypothalamic leptin signalling pathway involving potentiating the phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3, as well as attenuating the phosphorylation of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Both CCEET and MCCEET improved glucose tolerance without changing serum insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test but MCCEET had a better effect than CCEET.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Both CCEET and MCCEET safely exerted anti-obesity effects by enhancing energy balance in female rats with diet-induced obesity; MCCEET showed a better effect on glucose homeostasis.</p>

Relationship between tooth loss and carotid intima-media thickness in Korean adults

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between tooth loss and sub-clinical atherosclerosis in Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were part of a cohort study conducted in Ansan city by the Korea University medical school as part of the Korean Genome project. 749 subjects over than 40 years old were evaluated. After taking panoramic radiography, the amount of tooth loss was calculated. The intima-media thickness (IMT) was assessed by using ultrasonography at the common carotid artery. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors for atherosclerosis were also evaluated. The relationship between tooth loss and the IMT was evaluated using ANOVA with Scheffe's multiple comparison method in univariate analysis. Multiple regression analysis was also performed to determine the significance between the IMT and tooth loss. RESULTS: With age, tooth loss increased, but there was no significant increase in other traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Univariate analysis revealed the IMT to be positively related with the amount of tooth loss. Regression analysis of the IMT in the anterior and posterior tooth loss revealed that only the posterior tooth loss was significantly related with the IMT at all sites of the common carotid artery (right far wall, P = .015; left far wall, P = .008; right near wall, P < .001; left near wall, P = .001). CONCLUSION: This study verified the positive relationship between the increased tooth loss at the posterior area and the accumulation of atheroma in arteries.

Surveillance of Stool Samples for the Presence of Enterobacter sakazakii among Korean People

PURPOSE: Enterobacter sakazakii (E. sakazakii) infections are an important cause of life-threatening meningitis, septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis in infants. Dried infant formula milk is an important vehicle for E. sakazakii infection. E. sakazakii was isolated in Korea from dried infant formula milk. Although E. sakazakii infection of infants may occur in Korea, its prevalence has not yet been documented. Therefore, we determined the prevalence of E. sakazakii and documented symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March and October 2006, 1,146 stool samples were collected from patients at Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital. Each fecal swab was dissolved in 10mL of buffered peptone solution, and enriched culture was streaked onto Druggan-Forsythe-Iversen (DFI) agar. Presumptive E. sakazakii colonies that exhibited a blue-green color during culture on DFI medium were selected. The identity of colonies that developed yellow pigment during culture on TSA was determined using the Vitek system and PCR. RESULTS: We isolated 4 E. sakazakii strains whose 16S rRNA sequence alignments had a similarity of 99% with those of 3 E. sakazakii ATCC strains. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on isolation of E. sakazakii from stool samples and to document the symptoms of Korean patients.

Recognition of Family Practitioners on Cold Hands/Feet Syndrome and Raynaud's Disease

BACKGROUND: Many patients with "cold hands/feet syndrome" have been taking herbal medicine or medicine to improve blood circulation without proven evidence. Raynaud's disease had been neglected in primary care. This study was conducted to investigate the recognition for Raynaud's disease and "cold hands/feet syndrome" by family doctors. METHODS: A questionnaire was posted to 905 family doctors who were in practice from January to July 2003. RESULTS: Among the 274 respondents, 58 (21%) reported that they have seen patients with "sensitive to cold" frequently and 208 (76%) doctors have seen such patients sometimes. Only 8 (3%) doctors answered that they have never seen patients with such symptoms. When such patients see a doctor and complain of "cold hands/feet syndrome", most doctors (60%) prescribed medicine that improved blood circulation (83%) or calcium channel blockers (9%). In case of questions like 'Do you suspect "cold hands/feet syndrome" or "sensitive to cold" contain Raynaud's disease?', 132 (48%) doctors answered 'yes'. And among the 132 doctors, only 15 (11.2%) doctors thought that those patients with "cold hands/feet syndrome" had Raynaud's disease. In addition when the doctors diagnosed the condition as Raynaud's disease, 54% prescribed medicine that improved blood circulation (52%) or calcium channel blockers (40%). CONCLUSION: Most doctors prescribe medicine that improves blood circulation for cold hands/feet syndrome. Many doctors also prescribe medicine to improve blood circulation for Raynaud's disease frequently. The result of our study suggests that there is a need to train doctors so that recognized and diagnosed Raynaud's disease can be correctly.

Recognition of Family Practitioners on Cold Hands/Feet Syndrome and Raynaud's Disease

BACKGROUND: Many patients with "cold hands/feet syndrome" have been taking herbal medicine or medicine to improve blood circulation without proven evidence. Raynaud's disease had been neglected in primary care. This study was conducted to investigate the recognition for Raynaud's disease and "cold hands/feet syndrome" by family doctors. METHODS: A questionnaire was posted to 905 family doctors who were in practice from January to July 2003. RESULTS: Among the 274 respondents, 58 (21%) reported that they have seen patients with "sensitive to cold" frequently and 208 (76%) doctors have seen such patients sometimes. Only 8 (3%) doctors answered that they have never seen patients with such symptoms. When such patients see a doctor and complain of "cold hands/feet syndrome", most doctors (60%) prescribed medicine that improved blood circulation (83%) or calcium channel blockers (9%). In case of questions like 'Do you suspect "cold hands/feet syndrome" or "sensitive to cold" contain Raynaud's disease?', 132 (48%) doctors answered 'yes'. And among the 132 doctors, only 15 (11.2%) doctors thought that those patients with "cold hands/feet syndrome" had Raynaud's disease. In addition when the doctors diagnosed the condition as Raynaud's disease, 54% prescribed medicine that improved blood circulation (52%) or calcium channel blockers (40%). CONCLUSION: Most doctors prescribe medicine that improves blood circulation for cold hands/feet syndrome. Many doctors also prescribe medicine to improve blood circulation for Raynaud's disease frequently. The result of our study suggests that there is a need to train doctors so that recognized and diagnosed Raynaud's disease can be correctly.

Recent Advances in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research

The 21st century is considered as the era of Biotechnology (BT). Recently, the regenerative medicine using stem cells has been recognized as the future medicine, especially for the devastating diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, diabetes, infertility and liver diseases. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are at the center of the stem cell research due to its ability to proliferate unlimitedly without differentiation (self-renewal) and to differentiate into the derivatives of all three germ layers including germ cells with appropriate treatments (pluripotency). A total of 173 hESC lines have been derived since the first derivation by Thomson et al. in 1998, and 70 hESC lines are currently available for distribution including hESC line (Miz-hES1) established at the MizMedi Hospital. The major goal of hESC research is to provide basic and clinical clues for cell replacement therapy, whose targets are aforementioned incurable diseases. One of the landmarks in hESC research is the derivation of a hESC line from a cloned human blastocyst, which has recently been done by Korean scientists. This made it possible to overcome the issue of immune-mediated rejection following cell replacement therapy using hESCs. Guided differentiation of hESCs into specific cell types by treating growth factors and drugs or by genetic manipulation by using overexpression or an RNAi knockdown system is one of the most active research areas. Combined efforts towards the guided differentiation of hESC into specific cell types and the cloning of hESC from a cloned human blastocyst will overcome a list of diseases hitherto considered to be incurable.