Correlations between regional characteristics of counties and the ratio of intracounty to extracounty sources of COVID-19 in Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea

Objectives This study aimed to examine the correlations between the regional characteristics of counties in Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea and the ratio of intracounty to extracounty sources of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Methods The region of the infectious contact was analysed for each COVID-19 case reported in Gangwon Province between February 22, 2020 and February 7, 2022. The population, population density, area, the proportion of urban residents, the proportion of older adults (>65 years), financial independence, and the number of adjacent counties were assessed for each of the 18 counties in Gangwon Province. Correlation coefficients between regional characteristics and the ratio of intracounty to extracounty infections were calculated. Results In total, 19,645 cases were included in this study. The population, population density, proportion of older adults, and proportion of urban residents were significantly correlated with the ratio of intracounty to extracounty infections. A stratified analysis with an age cut-point of 65 years showed that the proportion of older adults had a significant negative correlation with the ratio of intracounty to extracounty infections. In other words, the proportions of extracounty infections were higher in counties with higher proportions of older adults. Conclusion Regions with ageing populations should carefully observe trends in infectious disease outbreaks in other regions to prevent possible transmission

Malignant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (von Recklinghausen's disease, NF-1) is an autosomal-dominant neurocutaneous disorder characterized by abnormal skin pigmentation (café au lait spots and axillary freckling), cutaneous and plexiform neurofibromas, skeletal dysplasias, and Lisch nodules (pigmented iris hamartomas). Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common tumors of mesenchymal origin in the gastrointestinal tract, mesentery, omentum, and retroperitoneum. Here, we report a case of GIST in the ileum of a 76-year-old woman previously diagnosed as NF-1. She was admitted due to sudden onset of abdominal pain. Contrast enhanced CT scan revealed a moderately defined, peripherally enhanced soft tissue mass of about 8.8×7.3cm, originating from the small bowel in the left of the abdomen. Surgical excision was performed and the tumor was found to be composed of tumor cells that were positive for c-kit protein. The patient started imatinib treatment a month later, but stopped medication due to dyspepsia after a few months and eventually progressed after 18 month

Highly transparent and water-repellent hierarchical-wrinkled-architecture triboelectric nanogenerator with ultrathin plasma-polymer-fluorocarbon film for artificial triboelectric skin

For scavenging energy from various places on the human body, multifunctional and comfortable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG), that do not stimulate sensitive skin, are required. Therefore, it is essential to fabricate a TENG that is easy to deformation as well as biocompatible, ultrathin, and flexible. In this regard, we propose a hierarchical-wrinkled-architecture-TENG (HWA-TENG) with dual-wavelengths (microsize of 3.1 µm and nanosize of 311.8 nm). A plasma-polymer-fluorocarbon (PPFC) thin film was employed as a high-performance triboelectrification material, owing to its high surface charge potential, ultrathin thickness, transparency, and water repellency. The surface potential of the PPFC was extremely high at 7.28, which is comparable to that of bulk polytetrafluoroethylene. The surface area of HWA-TENG increased by as much as 3.5 % owing to the combination of the increased surface area effect of the HWA and high surface charge potential characteristics of the PPFC thin film, resulting in a high output performance of 200 V and 30 μA. The HWA-TENG can be successfully applied to triboelectric raindrops energy harvester and conformal artificial triboelectric skin. Owing to its eco-friendly, straightforward fabrication process, and high output performance, HWA-TENG can be used in several applications, including conformal TENGs for human body. © 2022 Elsevier LtdTRU

The Prognostic Significance of the Overexpression of HER-2/ neu in Korean Gastric Carcinomas and the In Vitro Effects of Anti-HER-2/neu Antibody on Cell Growth in the Gastric Carcinoma Cell Lines

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Potential prognostic significance of p185(HER2) overexpression with loss of PTEN expression in gastric carcinomas

Aims and background: The HER2 gene encodes a 185-kd transmembrane glycoprotein receptor (p185(HER2)) that has partial homology with the epidermal growth factor receptor and shares intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. The phosphatase and tensin homolog mutated on chromosome ten (PTEN) gene product is a protein tyrosine phosphatase that participates in modulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway which has antagonizing activity to protein tyrosine kinase. The authors investigated the correlation between clinicopathologic variables including survival and the overexpression of the p185(HER2) with loss of PTEN expression in gastric adenocarcinoma patients. Methods: The protein expression of p185(HER2) and PTEN was examined by immunohistochemical stain in paraffin-embedded tissues of 94 (M:F, 52:42) gastric adenocarcinoma patients by using monoclonal antibody, and the results were related to clinicopathological variables and survival. Results: p185(HER2) overexpression correlated positively with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, AJCC classification, higher relapse rate. Patients with overexpression of p185(HER) were found to have significantly lower disease-free survival (P = 0.003) and overall survival (P = 0.0004). Loss of PTEN expression correlated positively with depth of invasion (T stage) and was more frequent in the advanced stage. The patient group with p185(HER2) overexpression and loss of PTEN expression showed significantly shorter disease-free and overall survival (P = 0.03, P = 0.01) than the other groups. Conclusions: Our observations suggest potential prognostic significance of p185(HER2) overexpression with PTEN loss in gastric adenocarcinoma patients. This opens up the possibility of considering p185(HER2) and PTEN as a therapeutic target in gastric cancer

Tumor Inhibitory Effect of IRCR201, a Novel Cross-Reactive c-Met Antibody Targeting the PSI Domain

Hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGFR, c-Met) is an essential member of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family that is often dysregulated during tumor progression, driving a malignant phenotypic state and modulating important cellular functions including tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis, providing a strong rationale for targeting HGF/c-Met signaling axis in cancer therapy. Based on its protumorigenic potentials, we developed IRCR201, a potent antagonistic antibody targeting the plexin-semaphorin-integrin (PSI) domain of c-Met, using synthetic human antibody phage libraries. We characterized and evaluated the biochemical properties and tumor inhibitory effect of IRCR201 in vitro and in vivo. IRCR201 is a novel fully-human bivalent therapeutic antibody that exhibits cross-reactivity against both human and mouse c-Met proteins with high affinity and specificity. IRCR201 displayed low agonist activity and rapidly depleted total c-Met protein via the lysosomal degradation pathway, inhibiting c-Met-dependent downstream activation and attenuating cellular proliferation in various c-Met-expressing cancer cells. In vivo tumor xenograft models also demonstrated the superior tumor inhibitory responsiveness of IRCR201. Taken together, IRCR201 provides a promising therapeutic agent for c-Met-positive cancer patients through suppressing the c-Met signaling pathway and tumor growth

Unexplained Infertility Treated with Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine in Korea

We aim to determine the safety and effectiveness of a standard therapeutic package of Korean medicine for the treatment of unexplained infertility in a cross-section of women who sought treatment at an integrative hospital in Seoul, Korea

TM4SF5-dependent crosstalk between hepatocytes and macrophages to reprogram the inflammatory environment

Chronic injury to hepatocytes results in inflammation, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The tetraspanin TM4SF5 is implicated in fibrosis and cancer. We investigate the role of TM4SF5 in communication between hepatocytes and macrophages (Mcbs) and its possible influence on the inflammatory microenvironment that may lead to NAFLD. TM4SF5 induction in differentiated Mcbs promotes glucose uptake, glycolysis, and glucose sensitivity, leading to M1-type Mcb activation. Activated M1-type Mcbs secrete pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 (IL-6), which induces the secretion of CCL20 and CXCL10 from TM4SF5-positive hepatocytes. Although TM4SF5-dependent secretion of these chemokines enhances glycolysis in M0 Mcbs, further chronic exposure reprograms Mcbs for an increase in the proportion of M2-type Mcbs in the population, which may support diet-and chemical-induced NAFLD progression. We suggest that TM4SF5 expression in Mcbs and hepatocytes is critically involved in modulating the inflammatory environment during NAFLD progression.N