This study describes a new record of a thelotremoid lichen (Leucodecton desquamescens) from South Korea. The taxon is characterized by thick, bulging thallus with many calcium oxalate crystal inclusions; an immersed, round to irregular ascomata with free exciple, ellipsoid to +/- roundish submuriform, brown ascospores, and lack of secondary metabolites. A detailed taxonomic description and comments are presented for this taxon. The lichen genus Leucodecton is reported for the first time in South Korea.
Calcium Oxalate ; Lichens ; Republic of Korea

Calcium Oxalate ; Humans ; Kidney Calculi ; etiology ; therapy

PURPOSE: We studied the crystallographic component of the prostatic calculi according to the location on the transrectal prostatic ultrasonography to know the mechanism of the formation of the calculus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August, 1995 until May, 1997, 33 prostatic calculi from 24 patients(mean age 59 years, mean size 3.1mm) operated on for prostatism were analyzed by polarization microscopy(ZeissR), X-ray diffraction(PW-1720R, Philips) and infrared spectrophotometer(FTIR-205R, Nicolet). Location of calculi was divided two groups under guide of transrectal prostatic ultrasonography; periurethral and periadenoma type. The periurethral type showed hyperechoic density around the prostatic urethra and the periadenoma type showed hyperechoic density between adenoma and false prostatic capsule(peripheral zone). RESULTS: 22 calculi were the periurethral type and 11 were periadenoma type. Thirty stones from 20 periurethral type and 10 periadenoma type consisted two or three of the following calcium phospate, calcium oxalate and tricalcium phospate. These are mixed by the endogenous origin formed from the prostatic fluid and the exogenous origin formed at least in part from urine. Three stones (2 calcium oxalate, 1 uric acid) contained only one compound which participitate from urine. All of 11 calculi of the pericapsular type had an oxalate component. CONCLUSIONS: The calculi around the periadenoma region may be formed from not only endogenous component(calcium apatite stone) but also exogenous component(calcium oxalate) or intraductal precipitation of oxalate component which has never found in the prostatic fluid. These results may suggest the necessity of reevaluation about oxalate component within the prostatic fluid.
Adenoma ; Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Calculi* ; Prostatism ; Ultrasonography* ; Urethra

A study was made on 40 cases of urolithiasis and 40 cases of control group to show the relationship between stone formation and urinary excretion and serum level of calcium and phosphorus. This study was also made to show the relationship between urinary excretion of calcium and phosphorus and the chemical composition of stones. Followings were the results: 1. The urinary excretion of calcium per day is higher in the lithiasis group than in the control group. Control group : 126.3+/-63.5mg/day Lithiasis group : 182.5+/-73.5mg/day 2. The urinary excretion of phosphorus per day is not significantly different between the lithiasis group and the control group. Control group : 588+/-223mg/day Lithiasis group : 548+/-178mg/day 3. The variance of urinary calcium concentration is not significantly different between the lithiasis group and the control group. Control group : 72.3+/-44.9 micro gm/ml Lithiasis group : 84.5+/-45.8 micro gm/ml 4. The incidence of high urine-calcium values (>180mg/day) is greater in the lithiasis group (50%) than in the control group (22.5%). 5. The incidence of high urine-calcium values(>180mg/day) decreases in the following order : mixed calcium oxalate-calcium phosphate stone (63.6%), calcium oxalate stone (33.3%), calcium phosphate stones (33.3%), control group (22.5%), other types of stone (0%). 6. 87.5% of stone patients had normal serum-calcium values (8.6-11.0mg%) and one patient (2.5%) had higher level than the normal. The results suggest that the urinary excretion of calcium per day is an important factor in stone formation and it appears to influence the types of stone formed.
Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lithiasis ; Phosphorus ; Urolithiasis*

Urinary citric acid reduces urinary saturation of calcium oxalate and phosphate salts by forming complexes with calcium and retards crystallization of stone forming salts. Hypocitraturia, important factor in stone formation, has been 19-63% of stone patients in various reports. We measured the 24 hour excretion of citric acid. calcium and calcium/citric acid ratio in 100 renal stone patients and 30 healthy controls. The results were as follows: 1. The 24-hour urinary excretion of citric acid was lower in stone patients than in controls, but statistically insignificant (P>0.05). 2. The 24-trour urinary excretion of calcium was higher in stone patients significantly than in Controls (P<0.05). 3. In stone patients, hypocitraturia showed in 19 patients (19%), hypercalciuria in 22 patients (22%). 4. The 24-hour urinary excretion of citric acid had positive correlation with 24-hour urinary excretion of calcium in stone patients (P<0.05) 5. Urinary calcium/citric acid ratio was significantly higher in stone patients than in controls (P<0.05). As results, urinary calcium/citric acid ratio was more significant than the amount of citric acid in stone patients, furthermore it seems to be a useful measure for stone formation and recurrence.
Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Citric Acid* ; Crystallization ; Humans ; Hypercalciuria ; Recurrence ; Salts

A series of 38 pediatric stone patients was studied retrospectively according to the clinical patterns of urolithiasis, etiology of stone disease, and management. The idiopathic cause was the most common of stone formation in the children. The most common type of stone in analysis was calcium oxalate. Thus, the etiology of stone disease and composition of stone was not definitely different in comparison with adult stone disease. We treated almost of stone patients with ESWL and peration was done in case of EWSL failure. And ESWL is the most effective and safe treatment of pediatric urolithiasis at present time. But anesthesia is needed to perform ESWL, especially younger children.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Calcium Oxalate ; Child ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Urolithiasis*

Necrosis of the papilla and chronic interstitial nephritis of the renal cortex are the two renal 1esions most commonly. described in cases of analgesic nephropathy. Some authors believed that the necrosis of the papilla was secondary to the cortical changes by which fibrosis of the cortex produced ischemia of papilla and necrosis. However, other authors have suggested that the pathogenesis is, in fact, the reverse and that the cortical changes in analgesic nephropathy are caused by the medullary necrosis. An experimental study was therefore undertaken to clarify this problem and also to determine the influence of increased intrapelvic pressure on the postpapillectomy renal alterations. Followings are the results: 1. In 'the group having renal papillectomy, marked tubular dilatation and interstitial edema of the medulla are prominent changes upto two weeks after removal of the papilla. Tubules are usu. ally filled with various casts. After three weeks, there starts the tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis with mil infiltration of inflammatory cells. The tubular atrophy and renal scarring become much severe and diffuse six weeks after papillectomy. but glomeruli remain relatively intact. 2. The degree of tubular changes and parenchymal scarring are assumed influential to the size of removed papilla. The tubular atrophy is prominent in distal convoluted tubules and collecting tubules, and the interstitial changes extend from the medulla to the cortex in the late stage. 3. Focal or scattered depositions of amorphous calcium or calcium oxalate are found in about one fourth of cases. 4. In the group having partial ureteral ligation a week after renal papillectomy, the tubular and interstitial changes appear earlier and are more remarkable than those of papillectomy alone. The inflammatory reaction is also more prominent, and conglomeration of glomerulus is noted in some instances of the later stage. The form of the renal scarring found in this experimental study closely resembles that seen in analgesic nephropathy in man. This findings support the view that the cortical lesions in analgesic nephropathy develop as a direct consequence of papillary necrosis and additional ureteral ligation enhances interstitial nephritic process. It is possible that the tubular atrophy and interstitial edema that develop shortly after removal of the papilla may produce cortical changes.
Atrophy ; Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Cicatrix ; Dilatation ; Edema ; Fibrosis ; Ischemia ; Kidney* ; Ligation* ; Necrosis ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; Ureter*

Two hundred thirteen urinary calculi were analyzed by X-ray diffraction method, which were obtained from the patients who were treated at the Department of Urology, Pusan National University Hospital from May 1989 to October 1993. The composition of our stone is classified to eleven. Pure stone was comprised 59.2 percents of all cases, and mixed stone was 40.8 percents of total. Calcium stone was 78.9 percents of all cases and non-calcium stone was 21.1 percents. Comparison with other clinics result using same study, the ratio of uric acid is significantly high. Calcium oxalate was the most common type in pure calculi( 83.3%) and mixed calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate calculi was the most common type in mixed calculi(52.9%) Calcium oxalate stone was the most common among the stones containing calcium, constituting 110(51.6%). Urate stone was the most common in non-calcium stone, constituting 24(11.3%) Ammonium acid urate containing stone was the largest in their size, uric acid stone was the smallest.
Busan ; Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Calculi ; Humans ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi* ; Urology ; X-Ray Diffraction*

to elucidate growth rate of urinary calculi, a statistical analysis of 39 urinary calculi were undertaken and analysis with infrared spectroscopy was also performed in possible 31 cases. The men growth rate in length and width were obtained by measuring difference between size on the initial X-ray film and late film. The results were as followings. 1. Renal stones grew more rapidly than ureteral stones (p<0.01). On the growth rate of the ureteral stones, length showed more rapid growth rate than width (p<0.01). 2. Infected stones grew more rapidly than non-infected cases (p<0.01). 3. On the growth rate and compositions of stones, calcium phosphate stones showed most rapid growth rate and then calcium oxalate calcium phosphate stones and calcium oxalate stones were delayed in growth among 3 groups (p<0.05).
Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Humans ; Male ; Spectrum Analysis ; Ureter ; Urinary Calculi* ; X-Ray Film

PURPOSE: Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis) are a widespread disease. Thus, blocking stone formation and finding new therapeutic methods is an important area of study. Diosmin (a major component of the bile) is known to have antioxidant as well as renoprotective effects. The present investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of diosmin on renal tissue protection in rats with ethylene glycol-induced nephrolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group one (control) did not receive any treatments. In groups two and three, nephrolithiasis was induced by 2.5% (V/V) ethylene glycol + 2.5% (W/V) ammonium chloride (2 mL/d). The second and the third groups received distilled water or diosmin (80 mg/kg/d) by gavage for 21 days. RESULTS: Stereological estimation of the renal structures revealed that the average volume of calcium oxalate (CaOx) in the nephrolithiasis+diosmin rats was -63% less than in the rats with untreated nephrolithiasis (p<0.01). The volume of the glomeruli, proximal and distal convoluted tubules, Henle's loop, collecting ducts, and vessels was reduced -32% to 58% after the induction of nephrolithiasis (p<0.001). In the nephrolithiasis+diosmin rats, on average, -70% to 96% of the glomeruli, proximal convoluted tubules, Henle's loop collecting ducts, and vessels remained intact (p<0.01). Degeneration of the cortical tissue was 5-fold that of the medulla. In the nephrolithiasis+diosmin rats, degeneration in the renal cortical tissue and medulla was reduced -70% and 44%, respectively, compared with that in the untreated nephrolithiasis group (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Diosmin reduces CaOx deposition and the degeneration of glomeruli and tubules in a rat model of nephrolithiasis.
Ammonium Chloride ; Animals ; Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Diosmin ; Ethylene Glycol ; Ethylenes ; Kidney Calculi ; Nephrolithiasis ; Rats ; Water