We intended to describe a case of cerebral coenurosis in a long-tailed goral, Naemorhedus caudatus, from Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do (Province), in the Korea. The goral, a 10-year-old male, was suffering from neurological symptoms, such as turning the circle to one side without lifting the head straight, and died at 30 days after admission to the wildlife medical rescue center in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do. A fluid-filled cyst was detected in the left cerebral hemisphere by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The cyst removed from the deceased goral was transparent, about 3×3 cm in size, contained a clear fluid and approximately 320 protoscolices invaginating from the internal germinal layer. The protoscolex had 4 suckers and a rostellum with 28 hooklets arranged in 2 rows. By the present study, a case of cerebral coenurosis was first confirmed in a long-tailed goral, N. caudatus, from Gangwon-do, in Korea. The residents frequently exposed in the sylvatic environment should be careful the accidental infections of zoonotic metacestode of Taenia multiceps, Coenurus cerebralis, in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic steatosis is caused by metabolic stress associated with a positive lipid balance, such as insulin resistance and obesity. Previously we have shown the anti-obesity effects of inhibiting serotonin synthesis, which eventually improved insulin sensitivity and hepatic steatosis. However, it is not clear whether serotonin has direct effect on hepatic lipid accumulation. Here, we showed the possibility of direct action of serotonin on hepatic steatosis. METHODS: Mice were treated with para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) or LP-533401 to inhibit serotonin synthesis and fed with high fat diet (HFD) or high carbohydrate diet (HCD) to induce hepatic steatosis. Hepatic triglyceride content and gene expression profiles were analyzed. RESULTS: Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of serotonin synthesis reduced HFD-induced hepatic lipid accumulation. Furthermore, short-term PCPA treatment prevented HCD-induced hepatic steatosis without affecting glucose tolerance and browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Gene expression analysis revealed that the expressions of genes involved in de novo lipogenesis and triacylglycerol synthesis were downregulated by short-term PCPA treatment as well as long-term PCPA treatment. CONCLUSION: Short-term inhibition of serotonin synthesis prevented hepatic lipid accumulation without affecting systemic insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure, suggesting the direct steatogenic effect of serotonin in liver.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Energy Metabolism ; Fatty Liver ; Fenclonine ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Insulin Resistance ; Lipogenesis ; Liver ; Mice ; Obesity ; Serotonin* ; Stress, Physiological ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Transcriptome ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is a major enzyme responsible for the formation of methylarginine in mammalian cells. Recent studies have revealed that PRMT1 plays important roles in the development of various tissues. However, its role in pancreas development has not yet been elucidated. METHODS: Pancreatic progenitor cell-specific Prmt1 knock-out (Prmt1 PKO) mice were generated and characterized for their metabolic and histological phenotypes and their levels of Neurog3 gene expression and neurogenin 3 (NGN3) protein expression. Protein degradation assays were performed in mPAC cells. RESULTS: Prmt1 PKO mice showed growth retardation and a severely diabetic phenotype. The pancreatic size and β-cell mass were significantly reduced in Prmt1 PKO mice. Proliferation of progenitor cells during the secondary transition was decreased and endocrine cell differentiation was impaired. These defects in pancreas development could be attributed to the sustained expression of NGN3 in progenitor cells. Protein degradation assays in mPAC cells revealed that PRMT1 was required for the rapid degradation of NGN3. CONCLUSION: PRMT1 critically contributes to pancreas development by destabilizing the NGN3 protein.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Endocrine Cells ; Gene Expression ; Islets of Langerhans ; Mice ; Pancreas ; Phenotype ; Protein Stability ; Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases ; Proteolysis ; Stem Cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have shown that sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of heart failure (HF)-associated hospitalization and mortality in patients with diabetes. However, it is not clear whether SGLT2 inhibitors have a cardiovascular benefit in patients without diabetes. We aimed to determine whether empagliflozin (EMPA), an SGLT2 inhibitor, has a protective role in HF without diabetes. METHODS: Cardiomyopathy was induced in C57BL/6J mice using intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (Dox). Mice with HF were fed a normal chow diet (NCD) or an NCD containing 0.03% EMPA. Then we analyzed their phenotypes and performed in vitro experiments to reveal underlying mechanisms of the EMPA's effects. RESULTS: Mice fed NCD with EMPA showed improved heart function and reduced fibrosis. In vitro studies showed similar results. Phloridzin, a non-specific SGLT inhibitor, did not show any protective effect against Dox toxicity in H9C2 cells. SGLT2 inhibitor can cause increase in blood ketone levels. Beta hydroxybutyrate (βOHB), which is well known ketone body associated with SGLT2 inhibitor, showed a protective effect against Dox in H9C2 cells and in Dox-treated mice. These results suggest elevating βOHB might be a convincing mechanism for the protective effects of SGLT2 inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: SGLT2 inhibitors have a protective effect in Dox-induced HF in mice. This implied that SGLT2 inhibitor therapy could be a good treatment strategy even in HF patients without diabetes.
3-Hydroxybutyric Acid ; Animals ; Cardiomyopathies ; Diet ; Doxorubicin ; Doxycycline ; Fibrosis ; Heart Failure ; Heart ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Mice ; Mortality ; Phenotype ; Phlorhizin

OBJECTIVES: We intended to evaluate the relationship between voice and the menopause, so we observed vocal symptoms and voice parameters in patients of postmenopausal syndrome compared with those in premenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty postmenopausal and twenty premenopausal women were included in this study. Each woman was asked to describe their subjective vocal symptoms and phonate a vowel /a/ sound for 3 seconds. The voices were recorded and analyzed by the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program and a Laryngograph. A statistical analysis of voice parameters was done by a paired-t-test. RESULTS: Vocal symptoms detected in the menopausal women were lowered pitch, voice fatigue, recurrent hoarseness, and loss of high tone. Jitter in postmenopausal group was significantly increased compared with the premenopausal group, but the fundamental frequency, shimmer, the Harmonics-to-noise ratio and the closing quotient showed no significant differences. There were no significant changes of voice parameters between menopausal patients with and without vocal symptoms. CONCLUSION: The change of voice may be objectively identified in postmenopausal women. In treating the postmenopausal symptoms, it may be required to take voice changes into consideration.
Female ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Menopause ; Voice Disorders ; Voice*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have shown that sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of heart failure (HF)-associated hospitalization and mortality in patients with diabetes. However, it is not clear whether SGLT2 inhibitors have a cardiovascular benefit in patients without diabetes. We aimed to determine whether empagliflozin (EMPA), an SGLT2 inhibitor, has a protective role in HF without diabetes. METHODS: Cardiomyopathy was induced in C57BL/6J mice using intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (Dox). Mice with HF were fed a normal chow diet (NCD) or an NCD containing 0.03% EMPA. Then we analyzed their phenotypes and performed in vitro experiments to reveal underlying mechanisms of the EMPA's effects. RESULTS: Mice fed NCD with EMPA showed improved heart function and reduced fibrosis. In vitro studies showed similar results. Phloridzin, a non-specific SGLT inhibitor, did not show any protective effect against Dox toxicity in H9C2 cells. SGLT2 inhibitor can cause increase in blood ketone levels. Beta hydroxybutyrate (βOHB), which is well known ketone body associated with SGLT2 inhibitor, showed a protective effect against Dox in H9C2 cells and in Dox-treated mice. These results suggest elevating βOHB might be a convincing mechanism for the protective effects of SGLT2 inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS SGLT2 inhibitors have a protective effect in Dox-induced HF in mice. This implied that SGLT2 inhibitor therapy could be a good treatment strategy even in HF patients without diabetes.

Background: The fatality rate of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) varies among countries owing to demographics, patient comorbidities, surge capacity of healthcare systems, and the quality of medical care. We assessed the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 during the first wave of the epidemic in Korea. Methods: Using a modified World Health Organization clinical record form, we obtained clinical data for 3,060 patients with COVID-19 treated at 55 hospitals in Korea. Disease severity scores were defined as: 1) no limitation of daily activities; 2) limitation of daily activities but no need for supplemental oxygen; 3) supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula; 4) supplemental oxygen via facial mask; 5) non-invasive mechanical ventilation; 6) invasive mechanical ventilation; 7) multi-organ failure or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy; and 8) death. Recovery was defined as a severity score of 1 or 2, or discharge and release from isolation. Results: The median age of the patients was 43 years of age; 43.6% were male. The median time from illness onset to admission was 5 days. Of the patients with a disease severity score of 3–4 on admission, 65 (71.5%) of the 91 patients recovered, and 7 (7.7%) died due to illness by day 28. Of the patients with disease severity scores of 5–7, 7 (19.5%) of the 36 patients recovered, and 8 (22.2%) died due to illness by day 28. None of the 1,324 patients who were < 50 years of age died; in contrast, the fatality rate due to illness by day 28 was 0.5% (2/375), 0.9% (2/215), 5.8% (6/104), and 14.0% (7/50) for the patients aged 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and ≥ 80 years of age, respectively. Conclusion In Korea, almost all patients of < 50 years of age with COVID-19 recovered without supplemental oxygen. In patients of ≥ 50 years of age, the fatality rate increased with age, reaching 14% in patients of ≥ 80 years of age.