BACKGROUND: It is known that magnesium can inhibit platelet function in vitro and ADP-induced platelet activation. We wished to demonstrate if magnesium could inhibit activation of platelets preserved at cold temperature. METHODS: We incubated each mixture of platelets and various concentrations of magnesium sulfate (0~10 mM) at room temperature and at a cold temperature (4oC). On days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, we measured the platelet count, pH, LD level, glucose level, HCO3?? level, lactate level, expression of CD62P, expression of annexin V, and ADP-induced aggregation of platelets. RESULTS: The platelets stored at 4oC showed a similar LD level but a lower platelet count, lactate level, and expression of CD62P and annexin V, and a higher pH and glucose level than platelets stored at room temperature. With an increasing magnesium concentration, expression of CD62P in the platelets stored at 4oC was slightly decreased, but expression of annexin V was increased. ADP-induced aggregation of the platelets stored at 4oC was not affected by magnesium. CONCLUSION: Magnesium did not effectively inhibit activation of platelets during preservation at cold temperature (4oC).
Annexin A5 ; Blood Platelets ; Cold Temperature* ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactic Acid ; Magnesium Sulfate* ; Magnesium* ; Platelet Activation ; Platelet Count

Cholesteatoma of the upper urinary tract is a rare nonmalignant condition histologically characterized by keratinizing desquamative squamous metaplasia (KDSM). Until now about 80 cases including one case from Korea have been reported. Cholesteatoma shows microscopic features of squamous metaplasia of the transitional epithelium and keratinization. These changes with subsequent desquamation of the superficial epithelial layers explain clinical manifestations of the disease. Flank pain, passage of cornified material in the urine and a filling defect on the IVP constitute the characteristic triad. Most cases were managed by extensive ablative surgery for fear of malignant potential. We report a case of renal cholesteatoma which was misdiagnosed as renal stone in 58 year-old female patient who had been suffered from intermittent left flank pain.
Cholesteatoma* ; Epithelium ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Korea ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Urinary Tract

Sometimes physicians and clinical pathologists find very high levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in their patients. This condition is associated with transient, marked increase in serum ALP in healthy infants and children. It has also been described in adults. Clinical and biochemical features of transient hyperphosphatasemia in infancy and early childhood are reviewed in six patients that we have studied. The diagnosis is suggested by findings of increased activity of alkaline phosphatase in plasma, typically more than fivefold the upper reference value for adult, in a child under five years of age, without evidence of liver or bone disease. The condition is confirmed by the presence of a characteristic pattern of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes and by the normalization of enzyme activity in plasma within approximately six months after the original observation. The etiology of the condition and possible mechanism of the elevated ALP is discussed.
Adult ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Diseases ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Isoenzymes ; Liver ; Plasma ; Reference Values

Immune thrombocytopenia is a rare complication associated with vancomycin. A 76-year-old male patient who was treated with vancomycin experienced severe thrombocytopenia and refractoriness as a result of platelet transfusion. Vancomycin-dependent antibodies in his thrombocytopenic serum were detected by flow cytometric analysis. The mechanism of thrombocytopenia is probably related to immunological destruction, as strongly suggested by its association with a specific drug-dependent anti-platelet antibody.
Aged ; Antibodies ; Humans ; Male ; Platelet Transfusion ; Thrombocytopenia ; Vancomycin

Objectives: The effectiveness of drugs currently used in medication, which is important in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, is limited. Recently, ondansetron which acts as 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, has been studied and proved possibility as new medication for alcohol use disorder. Meanwhile, there are studies supporting that 5-HT1A receptors are related to addictive behavior. Considering those studies, we expect that vortioxetine, which acts as both 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and 5-HT1A receptor agonist, may be effective in treatment of alcohol use disorder. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of vortioxetine on alcohol intake of C57BL/6 mice. Methods: In this study C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to normal saline group, vortioxetine 10 mg/kg group and vortioxetine 1 mg/kg group. To study effect of vortioxetine on alcohol, water, food intake and body weight of mice, we administered each medication for 14 days. Results: The overall alcohol intake was different between the three groups (PGroup=0.021), and alcohol intake in vortioxetine 10 mg/kg group was significantly lower than one in placebo group. Change across time points (PTime<0.001) and the interaction between group and time (PGroup×Time =0.016) were also significant. However, there were no significant differences between the three groups in water, food intake and body weight. Conclusions These results indicated that administration of high dose vortioxetine reduced alcohol intake of mice.Therefore, it is necessary to conduct clinical studies to examine the effectiveness of vortioxetine as a new treatment for alcohol use disorder.

Adult ascarid worms from the field mice, Apodemus agrarius, were observed with a light and scanning electron microscope, and molecularly analized with 18S rRNA gene. In the scanning electron microscope, 3 prominent labia were present in the anterior end of male and female worms, but the interlabia and gubernaculum were absent. Scanning electron micrographs showed cervical alae as vestigial organs that looked like a slightly uplifted superficial sewing stitch. Total 6 pairs of post-cloacal papillae were observed on the tail of the male worms. The tail of female worms was blunt and conical shape with a spine-like structure, mucron. The eggs were sub-globular, coated with the albuminous layer and 73 by 82 μm in average size. The superficial pits of T. apodemi egg (mean 8.6×6.7 μm) are obviously bigger than those of Toxocara spp. The partial sequence of 18S rRNA showed the sequence homology of Toxocara canis (99.6%), Toxocara cati (99.4%), Toxascaris leonina (99.4%), and Toxocara vitulorum (99.2%). Conclusively, it was confirmed that ascarid nematodes, Toxocara apodemi, recovered from striped field mice in Korea are taxonomically conspecific relationship with genus Toxocara and genetic divergence from other Toxocara species.

In this study, we intended to describe an unrecorded species of heterophyid trematode recovered from the small intestine of a Korean raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis, in Korea. A total of 13 small flukes were collected from a deceased Korean raccoon dog which was found in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, Korea in May 2017. The trematode body were covered with many small spines, rectangular, broader than long, 807-1,103 µm long and 1,270-1,550 µm wide. Oral sucker in the anterior end slightly smaller than acetabulum. Pharynx muscular and well developed. Esophagus relatively long and sigmoid. Acetabulum small and located at median in anterior 2/5 portion. Ceca bifurcated at the anterior of genital pore and acetabulum and terminated at testis level. Testes larger, deeply lobed and located at the near of posterior end of body. Ovary small, triangular and located at the slight left of median and the anterior of left testis. Vitelline follicles dendritic and extend from the middle level of esophagus to the posterior portion of body. Eggs embryonated, operculated, small and 33-35×15-16 µm in size. Based on the morphological characteristics, the small heterophyid flukes recovered from the small intestines of Korean raccoon dog, N. procyonoides koreensis, were identified as Euryhelmis squamula (Digenea: Heterophyidae). Accordingly, this species of heterophyid flukes is to be a new trematode fauna in Korea by this study.

In this study, we intended to describe an unrecorded species of heterophyid trematode recovered from the small intestine of a Korean raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis, in Korea. A total of 13 small flukes were collected from a deceased Korean raccoon dog which was found in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, Korea in May 2017. The trematode body were covered with many small spines, rectangular, broader than long, 807-1,103 µm long and 1,270-1,550 µm wide. Oral sucker in the anterior end slightly smaller than acetabulum. Pharynx muscular and well developed. Esophagus relatively long and sigmoid. Acetabulum small and located at median in anterior 2/5 portion. Ceca bifurcated at the anterior of genital pore and acetabulum and terminated at testis level. Testes larger, deeply lobed and located at the near of posterior end of body. Ovary small, triangular and located at the slight left of median and the anterior of left testis. Vitelline follicles dendritic and extend from the middle level of esophagus to the posterior portion of body. Eggs embryonated, operculated, small and 33-35×15-16 µm in size. Based on the morphological characteristics, the small heterophyid flukes recovered from the small intestines of Korean raccoon dog, N. procyonoides koreensis, were identified as Euryhelmis squamula (Digenea: Heterophyidae). Accordingly, this species of heterophyid flukes is to be a new trematode fauna in Korea by this study.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to establish reference intervals (RIs) for serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), and to evaluate the association between serum GGT levels within RIs and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in men and women. METHODS: A total of 363 healthy adults (137 men and 226 women) were enrolled for establishing the RIs of serum GGT. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 919 individuals (519 men and 400 women) to evaluate the associations between gender-specific serum GGT RI quartiles and prevalence of MetS and DM. RESULTS: The RIs for serum GGT levels (central 95th percentile ranges) were 9.0-70.6 IU/L and 4.0-31.3 IU/L in men and women, respectively. In men, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the prevalence of MetS in 4 serum GGT quartiles (lowest to highest) were 1.0 (reference), 3.6 (0.7-18.0), 8.8 (2.0-39.1), and 17.4 (4.0-75.3), respectively, while the ORs (95% CIs) for the prevalence of DM were 1.0 (reference), 1.0 (0.3-3.0), 1.7 (0.6-4.6), and 2.6 (1.0-6.6), respectively. In women, the corresponding ORs (95% CIs) were 1.0 (reference), 3.3 (0.6-16.6), 5.8 (1.2-27.3), and 18.8 (4.3-82.2) for MetS, respectively, and 1.0 (reference), 1.6 (0.3-9.7), 1.6 (0.3-9.9), and 8.0 (1.7-36.7) for DM, respectively. These significant relationships persisted after adjusting for age, alcohol intake, body mass index, and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Serum GGT levels, even within RIs, were proportionally associated with prevalence of metabolic syndrome and DM in both men and women. Serum GGT level may be an independent predictor for chronic degenerative diseases.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Electrolytes ; Female ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; Humans ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal neurogenic tumors are generally benign lesions and they are ideal candidates for performing resection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). However, benign neurogenic tumors at the thoracic apex present technical problems for the surgeon because of the limited exposure of the neurovascular structures, and the optimal way to surgically access these tumors is still a matter of debate. This study aims to clarify the feasibility and safety of the VATS approach for performing surgical resection of benign apical neurogenic tumors (ANT). MATERIAL AND METHOD: From January 1996 to September 2008, 31 patients with benign ANT (15 males/16 females, mean age: 45 years, range: 8~73), were operated on by various surgical methods: 14 VATS, 10 lateral thoracotomies, 6 cervical or cervicothoracic incisions and 1 median sternotomy. 3 patients had associated von Recklinhausen's disease. The perioperative variables and complications were retrospectively reviewed according to the surgical approaches, and the surgical results of VATS were compared with those of the other invasive surgeries. RESULT: In the VATS group, the histologic diagnosis was schwannoma in 9 cases, neurofibroma in 4 cases and ganglioneuroma in 1 case, and the median tumor size was 4.3 cm (range: 1.2~7.0 cm). The operation time, amount of chest tube drainage and the postoperative stay in the VATS group were significantly less than that in the other invasive surgical group (p<0.05). No conversion thoracotomy was required. There were 2 cases of Hornor's syndrome and 2 brachial plexus neuropathies in the VATS group; there was 1 case of Honor's syndrome, 1 brachial plexus neuropathy, 1 vocal cord palsy and 2 non-neurologic complications in the invasive surgical group, and all the complications developed postoperatively. The operative method was an independent predictor for postoperative neuropathies in the VATS group (that is, non-enucleation of the tumor) (p=0.029). CONCLUSION: The VATS approach for treating benign ANT is a less invasive, safe and feasible method. Enucleation of the tumor during the VATS procedure may be an important technique to decrease the postoperative neurological complications.
Ants ; Brachial Plexus Neuropathies ; Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Female ; Ganglioneuroma ; Humans ; Mediastinum ; Neurilemmoma ; Neurofibroma ; Retrospective Studies ; Sternotomy ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy ; Thoracotomy ; Vocal Cord Paralysis