No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic*

Sai-Luo-Tong (SLT) is a compound preparation composed of ginseng, ginkgo and saffron for the treatment of vascular dementia. In order to identify its material foundation and provide evidence for therapeutic regimen, the plasma concentration, pharmacokinetics and brain distribution of ginkgolides were investigated after intragastric ad-ministration of SLT. An LC-MS/MS method was developed for the determination of 4 ginkgolides in rat plasma and brain simultaneously. Statistical analysis of obtained data demonstrated that the method had achieved the desired lin-earity, precision, accuracy and sensitivity. The results showed that after administration of SLT at the dose of 60 mg·kg-1, 4 ginkgolides were all absorbed into systemic circulation with AUC value in the order of bilobalide B (BB) >ginkgolide A (GA) > ginkgolide B (GB) > ginkgolide C (GC). All ginkgolides exhibited short half lives less than 2.8 h among which BB showed the shortest t1/2 of 1.61 h. The determination of brain distribution at different time after dos-ing revealed ginkgolides entered into brain promptly dominated by GA and BB. The concentrations of 4 ginkgolides in brain were much lower than these in plasma and declined along with time rapidly. It was concluded that ginkgolides can be absorbed in blood and penetrated into brain rapidly. GA, BB and GB might be main components which effect both periphery and brain collectively by means of their specific mechanism to achieve the therapeutic efficacy on vascular dementia of SLT.

We reviewed four patients who underwent posterior C-D occipitocervical loop and autogenous bone graft. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 16 months. The indications for surgery were progressive neurological deficit, atlantoaxial instability and intractable pain. Of the four patients, one had os odontoideum, two rheumatoid arthritis and suboccipital dislocation combined fractures of C1 and C2. Bong union was confirmed in all cases at approximately 4 months postoperatively. Final outcome result was satisfactory in three patients and unsatisfactory in one patient. The cause of unsatisfactory result was recurrent neck pain secondary to swan neck deformity. The neurologic deficit were improved or remained same as preoperative status. Three patient were out of bed on average of the 14th day postoperatively. One patient could not ambulate due to tetraplegia who needed an artificial ventilator. There was no complication related to instrumentation.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Pain, Intractable ; Quadriplegia ; Transplants ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Streptococcus sp. is gram-positive coccus that causes streptococcal infections in fish due to intensification of aquaculture and caused significant economic losses in fish farm industry. A streptococcal infection occurred from cultured diseased olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) in May, 2005 at a fish farm in Jeju Island, Korea. The diseased flounder exhibited bilateral exophthalmic eyes and rotten gills; water temperature was 16~18oC when samples were collected. Of the 22 fish samples collected, 3 samples were identified as Lactococcus garvieae and 18 samples were identified as Streptococcus parauberis by culture-based, biochemical test. Serological methods such as slide agglutination, hemolysis and antimicrobial susceptibility test were also used as well as multiplex PCRbased method to simultaneously detect and confirm the pathogens involved in the infection. S. parauberis and L. garvieae have a target region of 700 and 1100 bp., respectively. One fish sample was not identified because of the difference in the different biochemical and serological tests and was negative in PCR assay. In the present study, it showed that S. parauberis was the dominant species that caused streptococcosis in the cultured diseased flounder.
Agglutination Tests/veterinary ; Animals ; Aquaculture ; DNA, Bacterial/chemistry/genetics ; Fish Diseases/*microbiology ; *Flounder ; Hemolysis ; Korea ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests/veterinary ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Streptococcal Infections/microbiology/*veterinary ; Streptococcus/genetics/*isolation&purification

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most frequent cancer in women and is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy worldwide. The majority of ovarian cancer patients are newly diagnosed presenting with advanced-stage disease. Primary cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant taxane- and platinum-based combination chemotherapy are the standard treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. A number of studies have consistently shown that successful cytoreductive surgery and the resultant minimal residual disease are significantly associated with survival in patients with this disease. Much has been written and even more debated regarding the competing perspectives of biology of ovarian cancer versus the value of aggressive surgical resection. This review will focus on the current evidences and outcomes supporting the positive impact of aggressive surgical effort on survival in the primary management of ovarian cancer.
Cytoreduction Surgical Procedures/*methods ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm, Residual/surgery ; Observer Variation ; Ovarian Neoplasms/*surgery ; Practice Patterns, Physicians' ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Retrospective Studies

In order to evaluate the genetic variability of the causative agent of cold water disease (CWD), plasmid profiling was used to characterize Flavobacterium (F.) psychrophilum isolates (n = 169). Size analysis of plasmids in F. psychrophilum isolates (n = 128) from several fish species demonstrated that six kinds of plasmids were harbored, and ayu isolates had different profiles compared to other isolates. Moreover, multiple isolates (n = 41) from CWD outbreaks in 2002 to 2003 at a single ayu farm were examined to determine differences between isolates from successive outbreaks and showed different profiles by the sources of seedlings.
Animals ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; Disease Outbreaks/*veterinary ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel/veterinary ; Fish Diseases/genetics/*microbiology ; Flavobacteriaceae Infections/microbiology/*veterinary ; Flavobacterium/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Genetic Variation/*genetics ; Japan ; *Osmeriformes ; Plasmids/genetics

Mutations in the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha gene (CEBPA) are found in 5-14% of the patients with AML and have been associated with a favorable clinical outcome. In this study, we aimed to assess the frequencies and characteristics of mutations in CEBPA. Between 2006 and 2009, CEBPA mutations were assessed using archival DNA samples obtained from 30 consecutive adult patients diagnosed with AML with a normal karyotype at our institution. CEBPA mutations were detected using direct sequencing analyses. These mutations were detected and described with reference to GenBank Accession No. NM_004364.3. In our series, CEBPA mutations were detected in 4 patients (13.3%). These mutations occurred as double mutations in all 4 patients. Among the 8 mutant alleles, 5 were novel (c.179_180dupCG, c.50_53delGCCA, c.178_182delACGTinsTTT, c.243_244insGTCG, and c.923_924insCTC). The frequency of occurrence of CEBPA mutations in Korean patients with AML is comparable to that in previous reports. Long-term follow-up data from a larger series of patients with comprehensive molecular profiling are needed to delineate the prognostic implications.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha/*genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/*genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Mutation ; Republic of Korea ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Background/Aims: Epidemiological data on steroid use in South Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are limited. We documented the steroid use patterns in these patients, and whether physician education on appropriate steroid use affected these patterns. Methods: ACTION was an observational cohort study conducted in adults (≥19 years) with IBD. A retrospective chart review was performed at baseline (cohort 1) and 1 year after physician training (cohort 2). Eligible cases with excessive or inappropriate steroid use were identified, along with any associated risk factors. Results: Data were collected during May 2018-July 2019 from patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in cohort 1 (n=1,685) and cohort 2 (n=1,649). At baseline, 155 patients (9.2%) had received steroids within the previous 12 months, 46 (29.7%) of whom had used steroids excessively, 16 (34.8%) of these having inappropriately used excessive steroids. Although steroid exposure was similar in cohort 1 (9.2%) and cohort 2 (9.7%), the latter comprised fewer excessive steroid users (20.0% vs. 29.7%). Severe disease was associated with excessive steroid use in cases with UC, but not with CD. Conclusions Although, overall steroid use was relatively low in South Korean patients with IBD, one-third of steroid users used them excessively, and one-third among these used excessive steroids inappropriately. High disease activity was the main risk factor for excessive steroid use which may potentially be reduced by physician education, especially in cases with UC. Active screening to minimize excessive and inappropriate steroid use through physician education should be considered.

Betanodaviruses are the causative agents of viral nervous necrosis (VNN) in cultured marine fish. A total of 237 apparently healthy aquarium fish, marine (65 species) and freshwater (12 species) fishes and marine invertebrates (4 species), which were stocked in a commercial aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, were collected from November 2005 to February 2006. The brains of the fish and other tissues of the invertebrates were examined by reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR to detect betanodavirus. Positive nested PCR results were obtained from the brains of 8 marine fish species (shrimp fish Aeoliscus strigatus, milkfish Chanos chanos, three spot damsel Dascyllus trimaculatus, Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus, pinecone fish Monocentris japonica, blue ribbon eel Rhinomuraena quaesita, look down fish Selene vomer, yellow tang Zebrasoma flavesenes), 1 marine invertebrate species (spiny lobster Pamulirus versicolor), and 2 freshwater fish species (South American leaf fish Monocirrhus polyacanthus and red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri). The detection rate in nested PCR was 11/237 (4.64%). These subclinically infected aquarium fish and invertebrates may constitute an inoculum source of betanodaviruses for cultured fishes in the Korean Peninsula.
Animals ; Crustacea ; Fish Diseases/epidemiology/*virology ; Fishes ; Korea/epidemiology ; Nodaviridae/genetics/*isolation & purification ; RNA Virus Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary/virology ; RNA, Viral/chemistry/genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary