Isolation of p-hydroxycinnamaldehyde as an antibacterial substance from the saw fly, Acantholyda parki S.

AbstractWe purified an antibacterial substance from larvae of the saw fly, Acantholyda parki S., and identified its molecular structure as p-hydroxycinnamaldehyde. We then synthesized it by reduction of p-hydroxycinnamic acid. The antibacterial activity of the synthetic p-hydroxycinnamaldehyde was equal to that of the authentic substance. This molecule was found to have a broad antibacterial spectrum against not only Gram-negative, but also Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, it showed antifungal activity against Candida albicans. We suggest that this substance may play a role in the defense system of this insect. This is the first report of p-hydroxycinnamaldehyde of animal origin

Gene mapping study for constitutive skin color in an isolated Mongolian population

To elucidate the genes responsible for constitutive human skin color, we measured the extent of skin pigmentation in the buttock, representative of lifelong non-sun-exposed skin, and conducted a gene mapping study on skin color in an isolated Mongolian population composed of 344 individuals from 59 families who lived in Dashbalbar, Mongolia. The heritability of constitutive skin color was 0.82, indicating significant genetic association on this trait. Through the linkage analysis using 1,039 short tandem repeat (STR) microsatellite markers, we identified a novel genomic region regulating constitutive skin color on 11q24.2 with an logarithm of odds (LOD) score of 3.39. In addition, we also found other candidate regions on 17q23.2, 6q25.1, and 13q33.2 (LOD ≥ 2). Family-based association tests on these regions with suggestive linkage peaks revealed ten and two significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the linkage regions of chromosome 11 and 17, respectively. We were able to discover four possible candidate genes that would be implicated to regulate human skin color: ETS1, UBASH3B, ASAM, and CLTC

CT Analysis of the Anterior Mediastinum in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonia

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to determine whether the amount and shape of the anterior mediastinal fat in the patients suffering with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) or nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) was different from those of the normal control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected patients who suffered with UIP (n = 26) and NSIP (n = 26) who had undergone CT scans. Twenty-six controls were selected from individuals with normal CT findings and normal pulmonary function tests. All three groups (n = 78) were individually matched for age and gender. The amounts of anterior mediastinal fat, and the retrosternal anteroposterior (AP) and transverse dimensions of the anterior mediastinal fat were compared by one-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni's test. The shapes of the anterior mediastinum were compared using the Chi-square test. Exact logistic regression analysis and polychotomous logistic regression analysis were employed to assess whether the patients with NSIP or UIP had a tendency to show a convex shape of their anterior mediastinal fat. RESULTS: The amount of anterior mediastinal fat was not different among the three groups (p = 0.175). For the UIP patients, the retrosternal AP dimension of the anterior mediastinal fat was shorter (p = 0.037) and the transverse dimension of the anterior mediastinal fat was longer (p = 0.001) than those of the normal control group. For the NSIP patients, only the transverse dimension was significantly longer than those of the normal control group (p < 0.001). The convex shape of the anterior mediastinum was predictive of NSIP (OR = 19.7, CI 3.32-infinity, p < 0.001) and UIP (OR = 24.42, CI 4.06-infinity, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: For UIP patients, the retrosternal AP and transverse dimensions are different from those of normal individuals, whereas the amounts of anterior mediastinal fat are similar. UIP and NSIP patients have a tendency to have a convex shape of their anterior mediastinal fat.This study is supported by KISTEP, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Korea

Survival Benefits of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Radical Surgery versus Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced Chemoresistant Cervical Cancer

The aim of this study was to analyze long-term survivals in patients with stage IB to IIA cervical cancer treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy setting. Between February 1989 and January 1998, 94 women with previously untreated stage IB to IIA carcinoma of the uterine cervix who received cisplatin based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. All of patients with chemoresponse (complete response, n=15; partial response, n=47) and 16 patients with chemoresistance received radical surgery (RS group). The other 16 patients with chemoresistance received radiotherapy for definite treatment (RT group). In the RS group, the 10 yr survival estimation in patients with bulky tumors (diameter ≥4 cm, n=26) was similar to that with non-bulky tumors (83.3% vs. 89.3%, p=NS). In selected patients with chemoresistance, those treated by radiotherapy (n=16) showed significantly poorer survivals than those treated by radical surgery (n=16) [10 yr survival rates of RT (25%) vs. RS (76.4%), p=0.0111]. Our results support that a possible therapeutic benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery is only in patients with bulky stage IB to IIA cervical cancer. In cases of chemoresistance, radical surgery might be a better definite treatment option

Cystic Fibrosis in Korean Children: A Case Report Identified by a Quantitative Pilocarpine Iontophoresis Sweat Test and Genetic Analysis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, and the mutations in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene contributes to the CF syndrome. Although CF is common in Caucasians, it is known to be rare in Asians. Recently, we experienced two cases of CF in Korean children. The patients were girls with chronic productive cough since early infancy. Chest computed tomography showed the diffuse bronchiectasis in both lungs, and their diagnosis was confirmed by the repeated analysis of a quantitative pilocarpine iontophoresis test (QPIT). The sweat chloride concentrations of the first patient were 108.1 mM/L and 96.7 mM/L. The genetic analysis revealed that she was the compound heterozygote of Q1291X and IVS8 T5-M470V. In the second case, the sweat chloride concentrations were 95.0 mM/L and 77.5 mM/L. Although we performed a comprehensive search for the coding regions and exon-intron splicing junctions of CFTR gene, no obvious disease-related mutations were detected in the second case. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CF in Korean children identified by a QPIT and genetic analysis. The possibility of CF should be suspected in those patients with chronic respiratory symptoms even in Korea

A Trp33Arg Mutation at Exon 1 of the MYH9 Gene in a Korean Patient with May-Hegglin Anomaly

In this report, we describe a Korean patient with May-Hegglin anomaly from a mutation of the MYH9 gene. The proband was a 21-year-old man with thrombocytopenia. He did not have a bleeding tendency. His neutrophil count was normal at 7490/mm3; however, the neutrophils contained abnormal basophilic inclusions in their cytoplasm. The platelet count was decreased at 15000/mm3 with giant platelets. Coagulation test results were not remarkable. Direct sequencing of MYH9 revealed that he was heterozygous for a mutation in exon 1, which was a 97T>A substitution mutation affecting codon 33, substituting tryptophan with arginine (Trp33Arg). Family study showed that both of his parents had normal phenotype and genotypes, indicating a de novo occurrence of the mutation in the proband

Efficacy and Tolerability of Peginterferon Alpha Plus Ribavirin in the Routine Daily Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Patients in Korea: A Multi-Center, Retrospective Observational Study

Background/Aims: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients under real life setting in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 758 CHC patients treated with peginterferon plus ribavirin between 2000 and 2008 from 14 university hospitals in the Gyeonggi-Incheon area in Korea. Results: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 was detected in 61.2% of patients, while genotype 2 was detected in 35.5%. Baseline HCV RNA level was &gt;= 6x10(5) IU/mL in 51.6% of patients. The sustained virological response (SVR) rate was 59.6% regardless of genotype; 53.6% in genotype 1 and 71.4% in genotype 2/3. On multivariate analysis, male gender (p=0.011), early virological response (p&lt;0.001), genotype 2/3 (p&lt;0.001), HCV RNA &lt;6x10(5) IU/mL (p=0.005) and adherence to the drug &gt;80% of the planned dose (p&lt;0.001) were associated with SVR. The rate of premature discontinuation was 35.7%. The main reason for withdrawal was intolerance to the drug due to common adverse events or cytopenia (48.2%). Conclusions: Our data suggest that the efficacy of peginterferon and ribavirin therapy in Koreans is better in Koreans than in Caucasians for the treatment of CHC, corroborating previous studies that have shown the superior therapeutic efficacy of this regimen in Asians.This study was supported by the Korean Association for the Study of the Liver in 2009

Efficacy of Tandem High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Rescue in Patients Over 1 Year of Age with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma: The Korean Society of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Experience Over 6 Years (2000-2005)

The efficacy of tandem high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue (HDCT/ASCR) was investigated in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Patients over 1 yr of age who were newly diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma from January 2000 to December 2005 were enrolled in The Korean Society of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology registry. All patients who were assigned to receive HDCT/ASCR at diagnosis were retrospectively analyzed to investigate the efficacy of single or tandem HDCT/ASCR. Seventy and 71 patients were assigned to receive single or tandem HDCT/ASCR at diagnosis. Fifty-seven and 59 patients in the single or tandem HDCT group underwent single or tandem HDCT/ASCR as scheduled. Twenty-four and 38 patients in the single or tandem HDCT group remained event free with a median follow-up of 56 (24-88) months. When the survival rate was analyzed according to intent-to-treat at diagnosis, the probability of the 5-yr event-free survival±95% confidence intervals was higher in the tandem HDCT group than in the single HDCT group (51.2±12.4% vs. 31.3±11.5%, P=0.030). The results of the present study demonstrate that the tandem HDCT/ASCR strategy is significantly better than the single HDCT/ASCR strategy for improved survival in the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma patients