Inonotus obliquus is a fungus that causes white heart rot on several broad-leaved species. This fungus forms typical charcoal-black, sterile conks (chaga) or cinder conks on infected stems of the birche (Betula spp). The dark brown pulp of the sterile conk is formed by a pure mycelial mass of fungus. Chaga are a folk remedy in Russia, reflecting the circumboreal distribution of I. obliquus in boreal forest ecosystems on Betula spp. and in meridional mountain forests on beech (Fagus spp.) in Russia, Scandinavia, Central Europe, and Eastern Europe. Distribution at lower latitudes in Western and Southern Europe, Northern America, Asia, Japan, and Korea is rare. Infected trees grow for many years without several symptoms of decline. The infection can penetrate through stem injuries with exterior sterile conks developing later. In the Czech Republic, cinder conk is found on birches inhabiting peat bogs and in mountain areas with a colder and more humid climate, although it is widespread in other broad leaved species over the Czech Republic. The most common hosts are B. pendula, B. pubescens, B. carpatica, and F. sylvatica. Less frequent hosts include Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Alnus glutinosa, Alnus incana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus cerris, Q. petraea, Q. robur, Q. delachampii, and Ulmus sp.
Acer ; Alnus ; Asia ; Betula ; Climate ; Czech Republic ; Ecology ; Ecosystem ; Europe ; Europe, Eastern ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; Fagus ; Fraxinus ; Fungi ; Heart ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Medicine, Traditional ; North America ; Quercus ; Russia ; Scandinavia ; Soil ; Trees ; Ulmus ; Wetlands

We present a case of successful retrieval of an intracranial stent using a snare wire. A 52-year-old woman presented with left border zone infarction. On cerebral angiography, the C6 segment of the left internal carotid artery (ICA) showed significant stenosis. We attempted stenting of the lesion, although stent dislodgement occurred in the ICA C4 segment. We successfully removed it using a snare loop, and there were no complications during the procedure.
Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Angiography ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Endovascular Procedures ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Infarction ; Middle Aged ; SNARE Proteins ; Stents

BACKGROUND: Various combinations of treatment modalities have been reported in stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, the standard treatment modality has not established yet. Recently, the efficacy of concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy has been reported in locally advanced lung cancer. We evaluate the response rate, toxicity, arid survival of concurrent chemotherapy with etoposide and cisplatin(EP) arid radiation therapy for unresectable stage III NSCLC. METHODS: Between October 1995 and December 1996, 32 patients with histologically proven unresectable stage III NSCLC without, malignant pleural effusion were entered into this study. Twenty-nine patients were eligible for the response, survival, and toxicity analysis. Induction was two cycles of chemotherapy with etoposide arid cisplatin plus concurrent chest RT to 4500cGy. Resection was attempted if the clinical response offered surgical resectability. Boost radiation therapy upto 5940cGy and one cycle of EP were performed if the disease were stable or responsive but still unresectable. RESULTS: Of 29 eligible patients, 22(75.9%) showed partial response(PR). The progression free interval was 6.3months(range 1.1 to 19.5months). Surgical resection was performed in one patient The median survival was l2.1months and one-year survival rate was 50.6%. The major toxicity was leukopenia(> or = grade 3,46%) Thrombocytopenia over grade 3 was found in 1%. Radiation pneumonitis occurred in 13 patients(46%). CONCLUSION: Concurrent chemotherapy(EP) pins radiotherapy was effective and tolerable in the treatment of unresectable stage III NSCLC.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Etoposide* ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; Radiotherapy ; Survival Rate ; Thorax ; Thrombocytopenia

Water extracts of six plants, such as Allium sativum, A. cepa, Zingiber officinale, Platycodon grandiflorum, Oenanthe javanica, and Capsella brusapastoris, were tested in vitro for inhibitory activity against mycelial growth of anthracnose fungi, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, C. dematium, and C. coccodes. Among the plant extracts, an Allium sativum extract has good inhibitory effects in all the fungi. Four phytohormones namely, IAA (indole-3-acetic acid), NAA (a-Naphthyl acetic acid), 2,4-D (2,4-Dichloro phenoxy acetic acid) and BAP (Benzyl adenine purine) were used to find out the role over mycelial growth of these fungi. All the concentrations of BAP have good inhibitory effect against mycelial growth of these fungi than that of other tested plant hormones.
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid ; Adenine ; Capsella ; Colletotrichum ; Fungi* ; Garlic ; Ginger ; Oenanthe ; Plant Extracts* ; Plant Growth Regulators* ; Plants* ; Platycodon ; Water

Development of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in patients receiving chemotherapy is a major diagnostic challenge. Diffuse pulmonary infiltrates may be due to infection, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary edema or drug-induced lung injury. Among these, pulmonary toxicity caused by antineoplastic agent is being recognized more frequently. Cyclophosphamide, an alkylating cytotoxic drug, is used widely in the treatment of malignancies including lymphoma. The incidence of pulmonary toxicity is probably less than 1 percent, and its relation with total dosages and schedule of the drug is not yet defined. The typical pictures of cyclophosphamide-induced pulmonary toxicity are non-productive cough, dyspnea, fever, hypoxemia with respiratory alkalosis and interstitial pneumonitis. However, relatively infrequent pulmonary toxicity of cyclophosphamide and frequent development of infectious pulmonary infiltrate in the patients treated with chemotherapy may hamper the early diagnosis of cyclophosphamide toxicity. Interstitial pattern and unresponsiveness to antibiotics of the pneumonitis might be the clues of suspicion. The best ways to treat the patients with cyclophosphamide toxicity are early diagnosis, discontinuation of the drug and early corticosteroid trial, although usefulness of steroid has not been firmly established. Recently, we experienced three cases of interstitial pneumonitis developing during cyclophosphamide-containing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the absence of neutropenia or thrombocytopenia. Early use of corticosteroid in later two cases could resolve the pulmonary complication completely, whereas the pneumonitis failed to improve in spite of the massive use of multiple antibiotics in the first case.
Alkalosis, Respiratory ; Anoxia ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Appointments and Schedules ; Cough ; Cyclophosphamide* ; Drug Therapy* ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial* ; Lung Injury ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Neutropenia ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Edema ; Thrombocytopenia

PURPOSE: We evaluated the usefulness of intracranial stent implantation for treating patients with atherosclerotic stenosis and with recurrent, ischemic, neurological symptoms despite having undergone medical therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2004 and April 2010, we attempted intracranial, stent-assisted angioplasty in 77 patients with 85 lesions (anterior circulation 73 cases, posterior circulation 12 cases) and who had ischemic neurological symptoms with more than 50% major cerebral artery stenosis. We analyzed the results regarding the technical success rate, complication rate, and restenosis rate during the mean 29.4 month follow-up period. RESULTS: Intracranial stent implantation was successfully performed in 74 cases (87.1%). In nine cases among the 11, failed cases, stent implantation failure was due to the tortuosity of the target vessel. One patient experienced middle cerebral artery rupture during the procedure, and we embolized the vessel using a microcoil. Five patients developed cerebral infarction in three weeks after the procedure, three of whom improved using conservative management, although the other, two patients expired. The mean number of residual stenoses decreased from 72.3% to 14.7%. Three patients demonstrated significant in-stent restenosis, i.e. more than 50%, during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: As stent-assisted angioplasty in intracranial, atherosclerotic stenosis is effective and relatively safe, it can be considered as an alternative treatment for patients with recurrent, ischemic, neurologic symptoms despite having undergone medical therapy.
Angioplasty ; Cerebral Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Rupture ; Stents