Incidence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in Korea based on the 2011 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT statement.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the annual incidence rate of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in Korea. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort design using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database spanned the period from January 2008 to December 2012. Patients with ILD and IPF were identified based on the International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD-10) diagnosis and procedure codes. Definition 1 is code J84 (ILD); Definition 2 is code J84 plus high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or lung biopsy; Definition 3 is code J84.1 (ILD with fibrosis); Definition 4 is code J84.1 and HRCT, BAL or lung biopsy; and Definition 5 is code J84.1A (IPF), and was specifically implemented for IPF. RESULTS: The incidence rates of ILD per 100,000 population based on Definitions 1-5 were respectively 48.5, 32.2, 16.2, 11.4 and 1.7. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ILD with fibrosis was approximately 23% of overall ILD incidence. IPF incidence was approximately 10% of the incidence of ILD with fibrosis. Based on the new ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT statement published in 2011, the incidence rate of IPF was 1.7/100,000.

Naked DNA expressing two isoforms of hepatocyte growth factor induces collateral artery augmentation in a rabbit model of limb ischemia.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to induce angiogenesis in vivo and has potential as a candidate gene for 'therapeutic angiogenesis'. In vivo, two isoforms of HGF, HGF723 and HGF728, consisting of 723 and 728 amino acids, are generated through alternative splicing between exons 4 and 5, but the biological effects of their coexpression have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we generated a series of genomic-complementary DNA (cDNA) hybrids of the HGF gene by inserting various truncated intron 4 into the junction of exons 4 and 5 of HGF cDNA and analyzed the biological activities of these hybrid constructs. We showed that: (1) the hybrid called HGF-X7, which contained 1502 base pairs of intron 4, could drive a higher level of HGF expression than other hybrid constructs and cDNAs of each isoform alone; (2) the pCK vector was most efficient for the gene expression of HGF-X7; (3) coexpression of both isoforms of HGF could more efficiently induce the migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) and of the mouse myoblast cell line C2C12 myoblasts than a single isoform of HGF and human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)165 at a given concentration; (4) intramuscular administration of pCK-HGF-X7 resulted in transient and localized HGF expression in the injected muscle without an increase in the HGF protein levels in other tissues including serum; and (5) intramuscular injection of pCK-HGF-X7 could more efficiently increase the number of angiographically recognizable collateral vessels, as well as improve an intra-arterial Doppler wire-measured blood flow in the rabbit model of hindlimb ischemia when compared with the identical vector encoding VEGF165 gene. These results showed that transfer of the genomic-cDNA hybrid of the HGF gene could be used as a potential therapeutic approach to human vascular diseases.

Intra-system optical interconnection module directly integrated on a polymeric optical waveguide.

A new intra-system optical interconnection module directly integrated on a polymeric optical waveguide is suggested. A polymeric optical waveguide plays a role in the propagation path of optical signals from the transmitter to the receiver and in a platform integrated with various optical/electrical devices such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, photodiode, very large scale integrated circuit chips, and electrical connectors. Because the polymeric optical waveguide is simultaneously used as an integrated platform, the fabrication process of the optical interconnection module is very simple, and the proposed process is compatible with the conventional printed circuit board process. The suggested optical interconnection was also successfully demonstrated with a 5-Gb/s data transmission through the module directly integrated on a polymeric optical waveguide.

Chip- and board-level optical interconnections using rigid flexible optical electrical printed circuit boards.

A new optical interconnection scheme based on a rigid flexible optical electrical printed circuit board (RFOE-PCB) is suggested. The easily installed RFOE-PCB can be universally applied for both chip- and board-level optical interconnections. This letter describes the detailed fabrication process, optical properties, and heat-resisting property of the RFOE-PCB. The fabricated RFOE-PCB was also successfully demonstrated with a 2.5-Gb/s data transmission through a 45 degrees-ended optical waveguide embedded in the RFOE-PCB.

Environmental distribution and behavior of 3H and 14C around Wolsong Nuclear Power Plants.

To estimate of the dispersion trend of 3H and 14C discharged from the Wolsung Nuclear Power Plants, the present level of 3H and 14C in environmental samples in the vicinity of the Wolsong site was studied. Tree-ring cellulose analyses were carried out for retrospective evaluation of 3H and 14C in the environment around the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plants. 3H released from the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plants has affected an area up to a 25-km radius from the site, while almost all 14C was deposited within a 2-km radius, reaching to a natural level over 2 km. Organically bound tritium concentrations in tree rings were strongly correlated with the gaseous tritium discharge rate, while delta14C (excess) in tree rings ranged from 204 per thousand to 460 per thousand, which did not significantly vary with year.

Effects of 18-methoxycoronaridine on acute signs of morphine withdrawal in rats.

Ibogaine, an alkaloid found in the root bark of the African shrub Tabernanthe iboga, has been claimed to interrupt opioid dependence in humans; in animals, it has been shown to inhibit morphine self-administration and to attenuate signs of morphine withdrawal. However, ibogaine has some neurotoxicity, and because of this, efficacious and safer congeners of ibogaine have been sought, 18-Methoxycoronaridine (18-MC), a novel iboga alkaloid congener, has been shown, in animals, to mimic the effects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration without producing any ibogaine-like neurotoxiticity. In the present study, 18-MC was shown to attenuate five of seven signs of morphine withdrawal in rats. The data suggest that 18-MC will ameliorate symptoms of opioid dependence in humans.

Cisplatin-vinorelbine combination chemotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

AIM: The North Milan Group presents the results of a phase II study on a cisplatin-vinorelbine combination schedule in the treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer to evaluate its activity and tolerability. METHODS: Seventy-six consecutive patients entered the study. Patients' characteristics were the following: males/females 69/7; median age, 61.4 years (range, 40-73); ECOG performance status, 0-1; 17 stage IIIa and 59 stage IIIb. There were 49 squamous cell carcinomas, 20 adenocarcinomas, and 7 large cell carcinomas. All patients had not been previously treated and showed measureable disease. Treatment consisted of vinorelbine, 25 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, plus cisplatin, 80 mg/m2 on day 1, administered intravenously every 21 days for three standard courses. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were evaluable for response. Objective responses were documented in 42/74 patients with an overall response rate (CR+PR) of 56.7%; 18/74 patients (24.3%) showed stable disease and the remaining 14/74 (18.9%) went into progression. Twelve patients (16.2%) were suitable for a subsequent surgery. The median duration of response was 13.3 months. Survival time ranged from 4 to 36 months; it was 14.6 months for PR patients, 8.6 months for NC and 5 months for PD. Mean survival time is presently 12.85 months (SE, 1.2 months). Toxicity evaluated on 222 cycles administered was acceptable, and it was necessary to use G-CSF or delay the treatment because of severe leukopenia in only a few cases. CONCLUSIONS: The regimen is active and safe: the slight survival increase is likely due to the small amenability to surgery achieved (16.2%). However, our results are fully comparable to others obtained with vinorelbine in two/three drug combination chemotherapy regimens.

Cisplatin plus epirubicin and etoposide followed by irradiation plus lonidamine in stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Forty-seven patients with stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were treated with the sequential administration of combination chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, epirubicin and etoposide and of irradiation plus lonidamine. The response rate was 49% after chemotherapy with an improvement of 14% after radiation therapy and lonidamine. The median survival was around 15 months for responders and 9 months for nonresponders. Toxicity was moderate and acceptable. It is concluded that this schedule is active in the treatment of NSCLC.

Six-drug sequential chemotherapy in non small cell lung cancer. A North Milan Group Study.

Forty-five patients with inoperable non small cell lung carcinoma were treated according to a sequential polychemotherapeutic regimen with cisplatin-vinblastine (A), cyclophosphamide-etoposide (B), and adriamycin-vincristine (C). Patients were evaluated every two cycles. Ten patients (22.2%) showed a partial response with a mean duration of 20 weeks, and mean survival of 50.8 weeks. It is remarkable that, among them, 6 patients (13.3%) lived over 12 months and three (6.6%) over 18 months. The mean survival for all patients was 35.7 weeks. Toxicity was acceptable and reversible.

[Efficacy and tolerance of diltiazem in primary pulmonary hypertension. Apropos of a case]. / Efficacia e tollerabilità del diltiazem nell'ipertensione polmonare primitiva. A proposito di un caso.

The Authors report a case of a serious and symptomatic primary pulmonary hypertension, where the intravenous administration of Diltiazem, at a dosage of 0.3 mg/kg, resulted in an important improvement of haemodynamic parameters. This improvement was confirmed 4 months later on chronic oral therapy with Diltiazem, at a dosage of 180 mg per day. Six months after the beginning of therapy, the patient is totally asymptomatic. Even though further controls are needed, Diltiazem may represent an active drug in the treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension.