OBJECTIVES: The root barks of Periploca sepium Bge. (P. sepium) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for healing wounds and treating rheumatoid arthritis. However, toxicity in high-doses was often diagnosed by the presence of many glycosides. The potential mutagenicity of P. sepium was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: This was examined by the bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test using Escherichia coli WP2uvrA and Salmonella typhimurium strains, such as TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537. Chromosomal aberrations were investigated using Chinese hamster lung cells, and the micronucleus test using mice. RESULTS: P. sepium did not induce mutagenicity in the bacterial test or chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster lung cells, although metabolic activation and micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes were seen in the mice bone marrow cells. CONCLUSIONS: Considering these results, it is suggested that P. sepium does not have mutagenic potential under the conditions examined in each study.
Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biotransformation ; Bone Marrow ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Erythrocytes ; Escherichia coli ; Glycosides ; Lung ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Micronucleus Tests ; Periploca ; Salmonella typhimurium

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is presented as not only one of the primary glomerular diseases but also as a secondary phenomenon for chronic irreversible renal diseases. The main pathological feature of FSGS is the accumulation of extracellular matrix in the glomeruli, for which overexpression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) may be responsible for the accumulation of pathological matrix. A new animal model (FGS/NgaKist mouse) of renal failure by spontaneously generating glomerulosclerosis was developed. To elucidate the role of TGF-beta for FSGS, authors observed glomeruli of FGS/NgaKist mouse periodically. FGS/NgaKist mouse strain showed progression of proteinuria and focal glomerular sclerosis with the aging. The glomeruli showed anti IgG, IgA, IgM and complement complex deposits and extracellular matrix accumulation in the mesangium. TGF-beta mRNA and beta2antibody expressions were increased with the advance of glomerular sclerosis. The results suggest the following; FSGS of FGS/NgaKist strain is immune mediated disease and this stimuli on mesangial or endothelial cells may activate TGF-beta gene in their nuclei. This activation, in turn, can cause sclerosis by increasing TGF-beta mRNA transcription followed by secretion of TGF-beta and its action as cytokine for making collagen fibrils.
Aging ; Animals ; Collagen ; Complement System Proteins ; Endothelial Cells ; Extracellular Matrix ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Mice* ; Models, Animal ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency ; RNA, Messenger ; Sclerosis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

BACKGROUND: Malignant skin cancers in Korea have been increasing as in other countries, but the previous epidemiological studies have been only attempted by a single hospital unit in a limited period of time. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate and compare the frequencies, age, sex distribution, and anatomical location of the frequent skin cancers collected from several hospitals over a 10 year period between 1984-5 and 1994-5. METHODS: 258 cases of skin cancer from 4 different places in Seoul were collected for the study. Histopathological records from pathology departments and medical records were reviewed to obtain information about the frequencies. RESULTS: Overall there were 141 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)1 basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and malignant melanoma (MM) in the mid-eighties and 117 in the mid-nineties. SCC was the most common skin cancer in both periods but the frequencies and the SCC/BCC ratio dropped at the later period. The ratio of males to females was getting smaller at 1.4:1 in the mid-eighties and 1.1:1 in the mid-nineties. BCC was concentrated on the face and SCC was rather evenly distributed over the body surface. The predilection site of malignant melanoma (MM) was quite different between the two periods. The lower extremities was the main site in the mid-nineties and the head and neck in the mid-eighties. CONCLUSION: Although there was no statistical significance, the BCC/SCC ratio was increased and the male/female ratio decreased at the later period.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epithelial Cells* ; Female ; Head ; Hospital Units ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Medical Records ; Melanoma* ; Neck ; Pathology ; Seoul ; Sex Distribution ; Skin Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Follicular Fluid*

It is well known that the incidence of anterior uveitis is about 20-40% in HLA B-27 associated joint diseases, and especially common in male between the ages of 20 and 40. However, there is no study of the epidermiology and clinical features of it in Korea. The authors studied to know the incidence and clinical feature of uveitis in HLA B-27 associated joint diseases in Korea. We reviewed the records of 543 patients with HLA B-27 associated joint diseases, visited our rheumatoid center from March 1991 to August 1996. All patients were subjected to routine laboratory examinations; i.e., blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentations rate, C reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, anti-nuclear antibody, and x-ray of the lumbosacral spine & sacro-iliac joints. 462 patientsout of 543 patients with HLA B-27 associated joint diseases had spondyloarthropathy. Anterior uveitis occurred in 32 patients (6.9%) among these 462 spondyloarthropathy patients. Clinical characteristics of the uveitis were male predominant (23/32) anterior uveitis (32/32), and unilateral (31/32).
Arthritis ; Blood Cell Count ; C-Reactive Protein ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joint Diseases ; Joints ; Korea ; Male ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Spine ; Spondylarthropathies ; Uveitis* ; Uveitis, Anterior

Thermal ablation is a good alternative treatment in patients who are unable to undergo adrenalectomy. Even though the Asian Conference on Tumor Ablation (ACTA) has been held for many years, adrenal ablation guidelines have not been established. No guidelines for adrenal ablation are established in American and European countries, either. The aim of this review was to introduce the first version of ACTA guidelines for adrenal tumor ablation.

Thermal ablation is a good alternative treatment in patients who are unable to undergo adrenalectomy. Even though the Asian Conference on Tumor Ablation (ACTA) has been held for many years, adrenal ablation guidelines have not been established. No guidelines for adrenal ablation are established in American and European countries, either. The aim of this review was to introduce the first version of ACTA guidelines for adrenal tumor ablation.

The REAP-AP study recruited 3,746 patients with schizophrenia, in March and April 2016, from 71 centers in 15 Asian countries/territories namely Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Our findings reveal a trend according to which high dose antipsychotic prescription is more prevalent in Eastern Asia (especially, Japan and Korea) than in other regions of Asia. This historical factor may be associated with our finding of an Eastern Asian preponderance of high dose antipsychotic prescription.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Bangladesh ; China ; Far East ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Japan ; Korea ; Malaysia ; Myanmar ; Pakistan ; Prescriptions* ; Schizophrenia* ; Singapore ; Sri Lanka ; Taiwan ; Thailand ; Vietnam