Leukotriene B4(LTB4), derived from arachidonic acid, is a potent chemotactic agent and activating factor for hematopoietic cells. In addition to host defense in vivo, several eicosanoids have been reported to be involved in stem cell differentiation or proliferation. In this study, we investigated the effect of LTB4 on human cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). LTB4 was shown to induce proliferation of HSC and exert anti-apoptotic effect on the stem cells. Blockade of interaction between LTB4 and its receptor enhanced self-renewal of the stem cells. Effect of LTB4 on differentiation of CD34+ HSCs were confirmed by clonogenic assays, and induction of the expression of BLT2 (the low- affinity LTB4 receptor), during the ex vivo expansion was confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR. Our results suggest that LTB4-BLT2 interaction is involved in the cytokine-induced differentiation and ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells.
Antigens, CD34/metabolism ; Apoptosis/drug effects ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Fetal Blood/cytology/drug effects ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/*drug effects/metabolism ; Humans ; Leukotriene B4/*pharmacology ; Receptors, Leukotriene B4/genetics/metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; *Signal Transduction

AIMTo investigate the antioxidant effects of Morinda officinalis (Morindae radix, MR) on H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress in cultured mouse TM3 Leydig cells.

METHODSWe carried out 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, lipid peroxidation, testosterone enzyme immunoassay, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) assays in Leydig TM3 cells.

RESULTSMR showed a 47.8% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging effect in TM3 cells with no significant cytotoxicity. Oxidative stress was induced in TM3 cells with 100 micromol H(2)O(2), and treatment of the cells with 250 microg/mL MR showed the most significant protective effect (64%, P < 0.001) in the cell viability assay with a decreased lipid peroxidation level (1.75 nmol/mg protein, P < 0.05), increased testosterone production (43.5 pg/mL), and improvements in SOD activity (7.49 units of SOD/mg protein, P < 0.001) and CAT activity (74.6 units of CAT/mg protein, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThese findings indicate that MR, as an antioxidant, protects functions of cultured mouse TM3 Leydig cells from H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress.

Animals ; Catalase ; metabolism ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; adverse effects ; Leydig Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Morinda ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; metabolism

Gastric cavernous hemangioma is a relatively rare benign gastric disease. Gastric hemangiomas are most commonly encountered in adulthood, although they can occur in any age group. While surgical resection is the curative treatment, endoscopic resection can be performed for treatment of selected cases. The patient was a 53-year-old male who was referred for evaluation of incidentally detected gastric subepithelial tumor with dense vascularity and oozing on the apex of the lesion. An EUS revealed a homogenously hypoechoic mass confined to the submucosal layer that showed no continuity with adjacent vessels, and there was no regional lymphadenopathy. Endoscopic submucosal dissection was successfully performed with en bloc resection. The final diagnosis was benign cavernous hemangioma of the stomach.
Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach ; Stomach Diseases

In the present report, we describe an unusual case of an intramural gastric abscess caused by a foreign body, detected in the form of a subepithelial tumor. A 64-year-old woman was referred to our gastroenterology clinic for further evaluation of a gastric subepithelial tumor. The patient presented with a 1-month history of sustained dull epigastric pain. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an ill-demarcated, round, smooth, protruding lesion with a small central erosion on the great curvature of the proximal antrum. Endoscopic ultrasonography indicated the presence of an ovoid, heterogeneous, hypoechoic lesion with small echogenic foci located in the submucosa and muscularis propria layers. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed focal gastric wall thickening and regional lymph node enlargement. Endoscopic submucosal dissection was performed for definite diagnosis and management. Thus, we detected a toothpick and removed it using grasping forceps. The final diagnosis was an intramural gastric abscess caused by a toothpick.
Abscess* ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Endosonography ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastroenterology ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Instruments

Tendon and ligament (T/L) have been known to be obviously different from each other in tissue level. However, due to the overlapping gene markers, distinction in cellular level has not been clearly verified yet. Recently, the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has shown the potential to detect biological markers in cellular level. Therefore, in this study we applied a non-invasive technique based on NMR spectroscopy to establish biomarkers to distinguish between T/L fibroblasts. In addition the cellular morphologies and gene expression patterns were also investigated for comparison through optical microscopy and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). No difference was observed from morphology and real-time PCR results, either as expected. However, we found clear differences in their metabolomic spectra using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The calculated integral values of fatty acids (with chemical shifts at ~0.9, 1.26, 1.59, 2.05, 2.25, and 2.81 ppm), lactate (~1.33 ppm), and leucine (~2.72 ppm) were significantly different between the two types of fibroblasts. To be specific tendon group exhibited higher level of the metabolite than ligament group. In conclusion, in-cell metabolomic evaluation by NMR technique used in this study is believed to provide a promising tool in distinguishing cell types, especially T/L cells, which cannot be classified by conventional biological assays.
Biological Assay ; Biomarkers ; Fatty Acids ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Overlapping ; Lactic Acid ; Leucine ; Ligaments* ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Metabolomics ; Microscopy ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spectrum Analysis* ; Tendons*

PURPOSE: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can noninvasively assess changes in tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂). The primary concern of the current study is to determine whether StO₂ can be used as a surrogate for global oxygenation parameters such as central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂), lactic acid, and base deficit (BD) in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study in patients requiring central venous catheter placement, admitted to the ED with complaints classified as infectious and non-infectious etiology. The NIRS sensor (15 mm probe) was applied on the thenar eminence for at least 3 minutes and ScvO₂, arterial lactic acid, and BD were measured during insertion of a central venous catheter. Data were analyzed using a simple correlation and Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were enrolled in the study and further classified as an infection (n=39) and a noninfection (n=81) group. Lactic acid BD showed significant correlation with StO₂ in total and in non-infection patients but the degree of correlation was weak and these correlations were not observed in infection patients. Approximately 94% of the difference between StO₂ and ScvO₂ was placed within limit of agreement but there was a risk that StO₂ may overestimate ScvO₂ when ScvO₂ becomes lower. When patients were assigned to two groups according to laboratory results (lactic acid 4.0 mmol/L; BD > 3.0 mmol/L; ScvO₂> 65% or 75%), no significant difference in StO₂ was observed between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In ED patients suspected of having systemic hypoperfusion, StO₂ showed a weak correlation with lactic acid and BD in non-infection patients and no correlation in infection patients. In addition, as ScvO₂ decreased, the difference between StO₂ and ScvO₂ showed a tendency to increase, and StO₂ was much higher than ScvO₂ at low ScvO₂ level. Therefore, before using StO₂ as surrogate for ScvO₂, lactic acid and BD in critically ill patients presenting to the ED, further investigation should be conducted to overcome the limitations of NIRS addressed in this study.
Central Venous Catheters ; Clinical Study* ; Critical Illness ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Microcirculation ; Observational Study ; Oxygen* ; Prospective Studies ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared

PURPOSE: In this study, we attempted to ascertain the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) peak characteristics of human gastric tissue layers and finally to use the metabolic peaks of MRS to distinguish between normal and abnormal gastric specimens. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: Ex-vivo 1H MRS examinations of thirty-five gastric specimens were performed to distinguish abnormal gastric tissues invaded by carcinoma cells from normal stomach-wall tissues. High-resolution 400-MHz (9.4-T) 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of two gastric layers, a proper muscle layer, and a composite mucosa- submucosa layer were compared with those of clinical 64- MHz (1.5-T) MR spectra. Three-dimensional spoiled gradient recalled (SPGR) images were used to determine the size and the position of a voxel for MRS data collection. RESULTS: For normal gastric tissue layers, the metabolite peaks of 400-MHz 1H MRS were primarily found to be as follows: lipids at 0.9 ppm and 1.3 ppm; alanine at 1.58 ppm; N-acetyl neuraminic acid (sialic acid) at 2.03 ppm; and glutathione at 2.25 ppm in common. The broad and feature-less spectral peaks of the 64-MHz MRS were bunched near 0.9, 1.3, and 2.0, and 2.2 ppm in human specimens without respect to layers. In a specimen (Borrmmann type III) with a tubular adenocarcinoma, the resonance peaks were measured at 1.26, 1.36 and 3.22 ppm. All the peak intensities of the spectrum of the normal gastric tissue were reduced, but for gastric tumor tissue layers, the lactate peak split into 1.26 and 1.39 ppm, and the peak intensity of choline at 3.21 ppm was increased. CONCLUSION: We found that decreasing lipids, an increasing lactate peak that split into two peaks, 1.26 ppm and 1.36 ppm, and an increasing choline peak at 3.22 ppm were markers of tumor invasion into the gastric tissue layers. This study implies that MR spectroscopy can be a useful diagnostic tool for gastric cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Alanine ; Choline ; Data Collection ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Protons ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: In this study, we attempted to ascertain the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) peak characteristics of human gastric tissue layers and finally to use the metabolic peaks of MRS to distinguish between normal and abnormal gastric specimens. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: Ex-vivo 1H MRS examinations of thirty-five gastric specimens were performed to distinguish abnormal gastric tissues invaded by carcinoma cells from normal stomach-wall tissues. High-resolution 400-MHz (9.4-T) 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of two gastric layers, a proper muscle layer, and a composite mucosa- submucosa layer were compared with those of clinical 64- MHz (1.5-T) MR spectra. Three-dimensional spoiled gradient recalled (SPGR) images were used to determine the size and the position of a voxel for MRS data collection. RESULTS: For normal gastric tissue layers, the metabolite peaks of 400-MHz 1H MRS were primarily found to be as follows: lipids at 0.9 ppm and 1.3 ppm; alanine at 1.58 ppm; N-acetyl neuraminic acid (sialic acid) at 2.03 ppm; and glutathione at 2.25 ppm in common. The broad and feature-less spectral peaks of the 64-MHz MRS were bunched near 0.9, 1.3, and 2.0, and 2.2 ppm in human specimens without respect to layers. In a specimen (Borrmmann type III) with a tubular adenocarcinoma, the resonance peaks were measured at 1.26, 1.36 and 3.22 ppm. All the peak intensities of the spectrum of the normal gastric tissue were reduced, but for gastric tumor tissue layers, the lactate peak split into 1.26 and 1.39 ppm, and the peak intensity of choline at 3.21 ppm was increased. CONCLUSION: We found that decreasing lipids, an increasing lactate peak that split into two peaks, 1.26 ppm and 1.36 ppm, and an increasing choline peak at 3.22 ppm were markers of tumor invasion into the gastric tissue layers. This study implies that MR spectroscopy can be a useful diagnostic tool for gastric cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Alanine ; Choline ; Data Collection ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Protons ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate psychosocial risk factors associated with suicidality in patients with schizophrenia in Korea. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 84 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Suicidal thoughts and a clear desire to be dead within 2 weeks were defined as a current suicidal ideation. Socio-demographic and clinical variables, including family history of completed suicides and psychiatric illnesses, were collected, and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS), Scale to assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were administered to identify factors associated with a current suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Forty-three subjects (51.2%) reported clear suicidal ideation. Multivariate analysis revealed that later age of illness onset, previous suicide attempt, family history of completed suicide, depression, or substance abuse, fewer than one family visitation to the hospital per month, and score on the CDSS were independently related to current suicidal ideation in these subjects. Age, education level, and scores on the SUMD were not significantly associated with current suicidal ideation in the multivariate analysis, but were associated with suicidal ideation in a univariate analysis on the level of p<0.1. CONCLUSION: The above clinical factors should be evaluated to predict and prevent suicidal risk in patients with schizophrenia. In particular, modifiable factors such as depression should be managed to reduce suicidality of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia.
Depression ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Disorders ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Schizophrenia ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide

Iatrogenic postintubation tracheal injury is a rare but potentially fatal complication associated with anesthesia. However, as signs of tracheal injury including subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and respiratory distress may also be related to surgical technique, diagnosis may be confused and treatment of tracheal injury can be delayed. We report a case of postintubation tracheal laceration, whose diagnosis was delayed because of symptoms were confused with subcutaneous emphysema after septorhinoplasty including osteotomy. As symptoms deteriorated in spite of conventional management, patient underwent evaluation to determine other causes and eventually postintubation tracheal injury was detected. Therefore, even if there is no problem during tracheal intubation, it is necessary to consider postintubation tracheal injury in patients with subcutaneous emphysema that worsens despite appropriate treatment after septorhinoplasty including osteotomy.
Anesthesia ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Lacerations ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Osteotomy ; Pneumothorax ; Subcutaneous Emphysema