The neurotrophin plays an important role in the development, differentiation and survival of the nervous system in vertebrates. It exerts its cellular effects through two different receptors, the Trk receptor tyrosine kinase neurotrophin receptor and the p75 neurotrophin receptor, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily. Trk and p75 neurotrophin receptors utilize specific target proteins to transmit signals into the cell. An ankyrin-rich membrane spanning protein (ARMS) was identified as a new p75 interacting protein and serves as a novel downstream target of p75 neurotrophin receptor. We sought to delineate the interaction between p75 and ARMS by deletion constructs of p75 and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged ARMS. We examined the interaction between these two proteins after overexpressing them in HEK-293 cells. Using both Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry followed by confocal laser scanning microscopy, we found out that the intracellular domain of the p75 neurotrophin receptor was important for the interaction with ARMS. The results from this study suggest that ARMS may play an important role for mediating the signals from p75 neurotrophin receptor into the cell.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) involving two simultaneous vascular territories of acute transmural ischemia is known as a double or combined myocardial infarction. This well described but extremely rare phenomenon may be related to the fact that AMI with multiple vessel obstruction often causes extensive myocardial injury and death before hospitalization. We reported the first case of 45-year-old man with AMI occluded left anterior descending artery and right coronary artery simultaneously in Korea.

Diffuse involvement of the right pulmonary artery (PA) associated with fistula between the PA and coronary artery is report-ed in a woman with Takayasu’s arteritis. Both the subclavian arteries were totally occluded and drained by the meanderinged artery arising from both common carotid arteries. Lung perfusion scan revealed perfusion defect of right lung. Two fistulas were identified. A large fistula was between the right PA and left circumflex artery. A small fistula was between the right PA and left anterior descending artery. This is a rare case of Takayasu’s arteritis presenting with a coronary – pulmonary artery fistula that is secondary to a diffuse unilateral involvement of PA.

Treatment of spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage (SRH) is mainly conservative. However, if intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) or abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) develops, the treatment strategy should be more aggressive. Surgical decompression has been the gold standard; however, it is very invasive and highly morbid. Thus, percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) has been introduced as an alternative therapeutic option. We report on a case of successful PCD for prevention of progression of IAH to ACS in a patient with SRH after coronary stent implantation. This case showed that PCD can be an efficacious and safe method for treatment of IAH with impending ACS.