BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral white matter (WM) lesions are frequently observed in human cerebrovascular diseases, and are believed to be responsible for cognitive impairment. Various neuroprotective agents can suppress this type of WM or neuronal damage. In this study, we investigated whether citicoline, a drug used to treat acute ischemic stroke, can attenuate WM lesions and cognitive decline caused by chronic hypoperfusion in the rat. METHODS: Animals were divided into immediate- and delayed-treatment groups. Those in the immediate-treatment group received a sham operation, citicoline (500 mg/kg/day), or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) treatment. Citicoline or PBS was administered intraperitoneally for 21 days after occluding the bilateral common carotid arteries. Rats in the delayed-treatment group were intraperitoneally administered with either 500 mg/kg/day citicoline or PBS for 21 days beginning on the 8th day after the operation. From the 17th day of administration, the rats were placed in an eight-arm radial maze to examine their cognitive abilities. After completing the administration, tissues were isolated for Kluver-Barrera and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) staining. RESULTS: In the immediate-treatment group, cognitive functions were preserved in the citicoline-treated group, and WM damage and TUNEL-positive cells differed significantly between the citicoline- and PBS-treated animals. In the delayed-treatment group, there was no decrease in WM damage and TUNEL-positive cells, but cognitive improvement was evident for citicoline treatment relative to PBS treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that citicoline can prevent WM damage and aid cognitive improvement, even after a certain extent of disease progression. Citicoline might be useful in patients with acute ischemic stroke as well as in chronic stroke accompanied with cognitive impairment.
Animals ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cytidine Diphosphate Choline ; Disease Progression ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Humans ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Rats ; Salicylamides ; Stroke

The publisher wishes to apologise for incorrectly displaying the second author's academic degree. We correct the second author's academic degree from MS to AD.

PURPOSE: Human adenovirus infection mimics Kawasaki disease (KD) but can be detected in KD patients. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical differences between KD with adenovirus infection and only adenoviral infection and to identify biomarkers for prediction of adenovirus-positive KD from isolated adenoviral infection. METHODS: A total of 147 patients with isolated adenovirus were identified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, 11 patients having KD with adenovirus, who were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy during the acute phase of KD were also evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with the adenoviral infection group, the KD with adenovirus group was significantly associated with frequent lip and tongue changes, skin rash and changes in the extremities. In the laboratory parameters, higher C-reactive protein (CRP) level and presence of hypoalbuminemia and sterile pyuria were significantly associated with the KD group. In the multivariate analysis, lip and tongue changes (odds ratio [OR], 1.416; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.151–1.741; P=0.001), high CRP level (OR, 1.039; 95% CI 1.743–1.454; P= 0.021) and sterile pyuria (OR 1.052; 95% CI 0.861–1.286; P=0.041) were the significant predictive factors of KD. In addition, the cutoff CRP level related to KD with adenoviral detection was 56 mg/L, with a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 75.9%. CONCLUSION: Lip and tongue changes, higher serum CRP level and sterile pyuria were significantly correlated with adenovirus-positive KD.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviridae Infections ; Adenovirus Infections, Human ; Biomarkers ; C-Reactive Protein ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Exanthema ; Extremities ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Immunization, Passive ; Lip ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; Multivariate Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pyuria ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tongue

BACKGROUND: Perfluorocarbon (PFC) liquids have high oxygen carrying capacity and relatively low surface tension allowing them to spread evenly through the diseased lung, especially in the case of adult respiratory distress syndrome. But few studies have demonstrated the effects of PFC on a bronchoconstriction model. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PFC on pulmonary mechanics and gas exchange in methacholine-induced bronchoconstricted cats using a flow interruption technique. METHODS: Twenty male cats were divided into four groups; control group (group C, n = 5), PFC group (group P, PFC 5 ml/kg, n = 5), methacholine group (group M, 25 microgram/kg/min, n = 5), PFC and methacholine group (group MP, n = 5). Respiratory pressure using a flow interruption technique was measured immediately after stabilizing the heart rate and blood pressure 0, and 15, 30 and 60 min after the start of the intratracheal administration of PFC and/or methacholine infusion, depending on the group. Arterial blood gas analysis was done to compare arterial partial oxygen pressure among the groups at the time of measuring the pressure values. The pressure data was transferred to a personal computer and analyzed using ANADAT software program. Respiratory, airway and tissue viscoelastic pressure were calculated. Statistical analysis was done by ANOVA and statistical significance was defined as P <0.05. RESULTS: Group M and MP showed significantly increased airway pressures compared with group C (P <0.05), but there was no difference among the groups in terms of viscoelastic pressure. Arterial blood gas analysis showed that group P and MP had lower arterial partial oxygen pressures than group C (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the intratracheal administration of PFC in a bronchoconstriction cat model increases airway pressure more than tissue viscoelastic pressure, and decreased arterial oxygen partial pressure. We conclude that the intratrachel administration of PFC is not to be recommended in bronchoconstrictive situations.
Airway Resistance ; Animals ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Blood Pressure ; Bronchoconstriction* ; Cats* ; Natural Resources ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Liquid Ventilation ; Lung ; Male ; Mechanics ; Methacholine Chloride ; Microcomputers ; Oxygen ; Partial Pressure ; Pulmonary Gas Exchange* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Respiratory Mechanics* ; Surface Tension

Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome is characterized by the presence of a benign ovarian tumor associated with ascites and a right-sided hydrothorax. The major problem associated with pseudo-Meigs' syndrome is the respiratory distress caused by a giant mass in the peritoneal space, massive ascites and pleural effusion. Even if there are no respiratory problems prior to surgery, potential respiratory dysfunction can occur during the peri-anesthetic period, leading to hypoxia, hypercapnea and respiratory acidosis. We report a case of hypoxia during recovery from anesthesia in a gynecological patient with pseudo-Meigs' syndrome.
Acidosis, Respiratory ; Anesthesia ; Anoxia ; Ascites ; Humans ; Hydrothorax ; Pleural Effusion

Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome is characterized by the presence of a benign ovarian tumor associated with ascites and a right-sided hydrothorax. The major problem associated with pseudo-Meigs' syndrome is the respiratory distress caused by a giant mass in the peritoneal space, massive ascites and pleural effusion. Even if there are no respiratory problems prior to surgery, potential respiratory dysfunction can occur during the peri-anesthetic period, leading to hypoxia, hypercapnea and respiratory acidosis. We report a case of hypoxia during recovery from anesthesia in a gynecological patient with pseudo-Meigs' syndrome.
Acidosis, Respiratory ; Anesthesia ; Anoxia ; Ascites ; Humans ; Hydrothorax ; Pleural Effusion

Daphne jejudoensis, an endemic plant found in Gotjawal area in Jeju Island, was reported as a new species in 2013 due to its distinct characteristics and distribution, which differentiate it from its related species, D. kiusiana. This study focuses on the comparative phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activities of D. jejudoensis leaves based on the collection period in order to identify the optimal harvest time. Daphnin and daphnetin were identified as the major components with the highest content observed in samples collected during spring, and the highest antioxidant activities were recorded during the same time period. This study represents the first investigation into the quantitative analysis of daphnin and daphnetin in the leaves of D. jejudoensis based on the collection period.

PURPOSE: To identify the effect of insufficient lymph node dissection (LND) on the survival of patients with pT2 gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 340 patients (120 patients with insufficient LND and others with D2 LND) who underwent gastrectomy for pT2 gastric cancer between January 2008 and December 2010 were included. RESULTS: The incidence of preoperatively diagnosed early gastric cancer was higher and there were fewer metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in the insufficient LND group than the D2 group, but there was no survival difference between two groups (p=0.365). Among the 89 patients with metastatic LNs after D2 LND, 13 patients (14.6%) had metastatic LNs at selected N2 stations (#10, 11, or 12a), but none of these patients were in the pN1 category. One patient had five metastatic LNs at station #11p with no metastatic LNs at any other stations. The number of metastatic LNs was identified as the only risk factor for LN metastasis at selected N2 stations by logistic regression. CONCLUSION: If a patient has pN0 or pN1 category after insufficient LND for pT2 gastric cancer, the surgery can be regarded as secure. However, for patients with pN2 or pN3 category, more careful examination is required.
Aged ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*surgery

In allogeneic transplantation, including the B6 anti-BALB.B settings, H60 and H4 are two representative dominant minor histocompatibility antigens that induce strong CD8 T-cell responses. With different distribution patterns, H60 expression is restricted to hematopoietic cells, whereas H4 is ubiquitously expressed. H60-specific CD8 T-cell response has been known to be dominant in most cases of B6 anti-BALB.B allo-responses, except in the case of skin transplantation. To understand the mechanism underlying the subdominance of H60 during allogeneic skin transplantation, we investigated the dynamics of the H60-specific CD8 T cells in B6 mice transplanted with allogeneic BALB.B tail skin. Unexpectedly, longitudinal bioluminescence imaging and flow cytometric analyses revealed that H60-specific CD8 T cells were not always subdominant to H4-specific cells but instead showed a brief dominance before the H4 response became predominant. H60-specific CD8 T cells could expand in the draining lymph node and migrate to the BALB.B allografts, indicating their active participation in the anti-BALB.B allo-response. Enhancing the frequencies of H60-reactive CD8 T cells prior to skin transplantation reversed the immune hierarchy between H60 and H4. Additionally, H60 became predominant when antigen presentation was limited to the direct pathway. However, when antigen presentation was restricted to the indirect pathway, the expansion of H60-specific CD8 T cells was limited, whereas H4-specific CD8 T cells expanded significantly, suggesting that the temporary immunodominance and eventual subdominance of H60 could be due to their reliance on the direct antigen presentation pathway. These results enhance our understanding of the immunodominance phenomenon following allogeneic tissue transplantation.
Animals ; Antigen Presentation ; Antigen-Presenting Cells/immunology/metabolism ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/*immunology ; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/*immunology ; Female ; Graft Rejection/*immunology ; Interferon-gamma ; Lymphocyte Activation/immunology ; Lymphocyte Count ; Mice ; Minor Histocompatibility Antigens/*immunology/metabolism ; *Skin Transplantation ; Transplantation, Homologous

Anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis is one of the paraneoplastic neurological syndromes. It has been shown to be associated with various neoplasms, mainly testicular, lung, and breast cancers. Most patients with anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis present limbic-diencephalic-brainstem dysfunctions such as seizure, mood disorder, excessive daytime sleepiness, and ophthalmoparesis. Some patients develop symptoms indicating the multifocal involvement of the limbic system, diencephalon, or brainstem. However, there are few case studies of anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis presenting as isolated hypersomnia. We report a case of anti-Ma2-associated encephalitis presenting as hypersomnia.
Brain Stem ; Breast ; Diencephalon ; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence* ; Encephalitis* ; Humans ; Limbic System ; Lung ; Mood Disorders ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; Seizures