Won Kyu Choi

Gene therapy has emerged as an alternative for the treatment of diseases refractory to conventional therapeutics. Synthetic nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems offer highly tunable platforms for the delivery of therapeutic genes. However, the inability to achieve sustained, high-level transgene expression in vivo presents a significant hurdle. The respiratory system, although readily accessible, remains a challenging target, as effective gene therapy mandates colloidal stability in physiolo

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) were initially identified as carrier proteins for IGF-I and IGF-II in a variety of biologic fluids. Their presumed function was to protect IGF peptides from degradation and clearance, increase the half-life of the IGFs, and deliver them to appropriate tissue receptors. The concept of IGFBPs as simple carrier proteins has been complicated, however, by a number of observations: 1) the six IGFBPs vary in their tissue expression and thei

Sir, The syndrome of multiple enchondromas and subcutaneous haemangioma was first described by Maffucci in 1881.1 Maffucci's syndrome is a non‐hereditary disorder and is generally regarded to result from mesodermal dysplasia. Saavedra et al.2 reported that this syndrome is not associated with any chromosomal abnormality, whereas Matsumoto et al.3 found inversion of p11 and q21 of chromosome 1. However, the true relation between this syndrome and chromosomal abnormalities is still not fully known

Low-flow vascular malformations are congenital lesions that can occur throughout the body. Treatment of these lesions is indicated to ameliorate pain, cosmetic disfigurement, and functional impairment. The first-line treatment of low-flow vascular malformations is percutaneous sclerotherapy. Traditionally, sclerotherapy is performed with a combination of ultrasound and fluoroscopy. However, malformations that are deep in the abdomen and pelvis or are obscured by overlying fascia or scar may be d

PURPOSE: An antineoplastic drug, paclitaxel, is widely used in small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. We report a case of bilateral, vision-impairing corneal epithelial lesions that developed in a patient receiving paclitaxel monotherapy for breast cancer. CASE REPORT: A 45-year-old woman presented with a 1-month history of bilateral visual disturbances. She had been receiving paclitaxel chemotherapy after modified radical mastectomy for invasive ductal carcinoma in her left

The conventional definition of an insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) is a protein whose major function is to act as a carrier for the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). Based on this simple criterion, six IGFBPs that bind IGFs with high affinity, designated IGFBP-1 to -6 (33) have been identified to date from numerous biological systems. Although distinct structural differences exist among the six IGFBPs, a key conserved feature is the high number of cysteines (16–20 cysteines)

Serotonin syndrome, an adverse drug reaction, is a consequence of excess serotonergic agonism of central nervous system receptors and peripheral serotonergic receptors. Serotonin syndrome has been associated with large numbers of drugs and drug combinations, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor-induced serotonin syndrome is rare. It is often described as a sign of excess serotonin ranging from tremor in mild cases to delirium, neuromuscular rigidity, and hyperthermia in life-threat-en

RATIONALE: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a rare life-threatening condition that accompanies general anesthesia. Negative-pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) is a rare cause of DAH. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 25-year-old male patient developed hemoptysis following remifentanil administration by bolus injection with sugammadex at the emergence from general anesthesia. DIAGNOSIS: Chest x-ray and computed tomography showed DAH. INTERVENTIONS: Conservative care was provided with 4L of oxygen via nasal pr

Rationale: Vaginal agenesis is a congenital anomaly that causes physical and psychosocial problems for women. Many surgical procedures for neovaginal reconstruction have been described in the literature. Using an appropriate vaginal mold is crucial for a successful surgical outcome. Here, we present an effective solution for neovaginal cavity maintenance involving the use of a customized three-dimensional (3D) printed vaginal mold created using thermoplastic polyurethane material. Patient concer