A change in pH can alter the intracellular concentration of electrolytes such as intracellular Ca2+ and Na+ ([Na+]i) that are important for the cardiac function. For the determination of the role of pH in the cardiac magnesium homeostasis, the intracellular Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i), membrane potential and contraction in the papillary muscle of guinea pigs using ion-selective electrodes changing extracellular pH ([pH]o) or intracellular pH ([pH]i) were measured in this study. A high CO2-induced low [pH]o causes a significant increase in the [Mg2+]i and [Na+]i, which was accompanied by a decrease in the membrane potential and twitch force. The high [pH]o had the opposite effect. These effects were reversible in both the beating and quiescent muscles. The low [pH]o-induced increase in [Mg2+]i occurred in the absence of [Mg2+]o. The [Mg2+]i was increased by the low [pH]i induced by propionate. The [Mg2+]i was increased by the low [pH]i induced by NH4Cl-prepulse and decreased by the recovery of [pH]i induced by the removal of NH4Cl. These results suggest that the pH can modulate [Mg2+]i with a reverse relationship in heart, probably by affecting the intracellular Mg2+ homeostasis, but not by Mg2+ transport across the sarcolemma.
Animals ; Cations, Divalent ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Ventricles/metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Ion Transport/physiology ; Ion-Selective Electrodes/veterinary ; Magnesium/*metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Potentials/physiology ; Papillary Muscles/*metabolism ; Propionates/pharmacology ; Sodium/*metabolism

Alcohol abuse and its medical and social consequences are a major health problem in many areas of the world. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been traditionally used for the treatment of liver disease. This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of KRG against hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with ethanol (EtOH). Administration of EtOH for 20 days induced significant changes in serum biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and glucose) accompanied by histological changes in the liver tissue. Treatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH inhibited the EtOH-induced biochemical and histological changes of the liver. In perfused rat livers, administration of EtOH caused an increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the perfusate and activated the pro-apoptotic Bax protein but inhibited the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Pretreatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH decreased the EtOH-induced LDH release and inhibition of Bcl-2 protein. These results suggest that KRG exerts anti-apoptotic effects and alleviated EtOH-induced liver injury in rats.
Alanine Transaminase ; Alcoholism ; Animals ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Ethanol ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Panax ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Chemically induced hypoxia has been shown to induce a depletion of ATP. Since intracellular free Mg2+ ((Mg2+)i) appears to be tightly regulated following cellular energy depletion, we hypothesized that the increase in (Mg2+)i would result in Mg2+ extrusion following hormonal stimulation. To determine the relation between Mg2+ efflux and cellular energy state in a hypoxic rat heart and isolated myocytes, (Mg2+)i, ATP and Mg2+ content were measured by using mag-fura-2, luciferin-luciferase and atomic absorbance spectrophotometry. Mg2+ effluxes were stimulated by norepinephrine (NE) or cAMP analogues, respectively. Mg2+ effluxes induced by NE or cAMP were more stimulated in the presence of metabolic inhibitors (MI). Chemical hypoxia with NaCN (2 mM) caused a rapid decrease of cellular ATP within 1 min. Measurement of (Mg2+)i confirmed that ATP depletion was accompanied by an increase in (Mg2+)i. No change in Mg2+ efflux was observed when cells were incubated with MI. In the presence of MI, the cAMP-induced Mg2+ effluxes were inhibited by quinidine, imipramine, and removal of extracellular Na+. In addition, after several min of perfusion with Na+-free buffer, a large increase in Mg2+ efflux occurred when Na+-free buffer was switched to 120 mM Na+ containing buffer. A similar Mg2+ efflux was observed in myocytes. These effluxes were inhibited by quinidine and imipramine. These results indicate that the activation of Mg2+ effluxes by hormonal stimulation is directly dependent on intracellular Mg2+ contents and that these Mg2+ effluxes appear to occur through the Na+-dependent Na+/Mg2+ exchange system during chemical hypoxia.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Anoxia* ; Heart* ; Imipramine ; Magnesium* ; Muscle Cells* ; Norepinephrine ; Perfusion ; Quinidine ; Rats* ; Spectrophotometry

PURPOSE: To evaluate the possible risk factors of lower extremity amputations in diabetic foot patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on 37 patients who received lower extremity amputations from April, 1997 to February 2005 due to diabetic foot complications with at least 1 year follow up. As for the control group, 49 diabetes patients who had been treated at the endocrinology department for at least 1 year without any diabetic foot complication were evaluated. As for the possible risk factors, age, gender, duration of diabetes mellitus, body mass index, Hb A1c, blood glucose level, total cholesterol, s-creatinine, C-peptide, smoking, alcohol, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, CVA, retinopathy and neuropathy were investigated. RESULTS: Among the possible risk factors evaluated, age, Hb A1c, smoking, neuropathy and blood glucose level factors showed statistically significant difference between the diabetic amputation and the control group. CONCLUSION: In reducing the risk of the lower extremity amputations in the diabetic patients due to diabetic foot complications, strict control of blood glucose level and cessation of smoking were found to be utmost important.
Amputation* ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; C-Peptide ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Foot* ; Endocrinology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lower Extremity* ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking

This report describes a three-month-old Korean domestic kitten presented with dehydration and poor body condition.Physical examination revealed abdominal distension. Rectal diagnosis was unachievable due to the small rectum diameter. X-ray radiography and endoscopy confirmed presence of abdominal distension and indicated a stricture located 1.5 cm from the anus. A balloon was gently inserted into the rectum and inflated several times followed by triamcinolone injection. Four months later, same procedures were repeated. This report is the first to describe the use of balloon dilation of a rectal stricture followed by intralesional triamcinolone injection in a small cat with poor condition.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical manifestations, the patterns and the functional outcome of the amputations due to the diabetic foot complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients (50 feet) of diabetic foot amputations were followed for more than 1 year. The mean age was 62.5 years, and the mean follow-up period was 46 months. Retrospective analysis was performed using chart review and interview with the patients. The outcome was assessed with modified AOFAS scale. RESULTS: The diabetic foot lesions were infection in 45 feet, gangrene in 35 feet and ulcer in 15 feet. Toe amputation was most commonly performed procedure (23 cases) followed by below knee and ray amputation. Postoperative modified AOFAS score was average 51.5 points, and 94% were satisfied with outcome. Minor amputations showed better outcome than the major amputations. CONCLUSION: Overall postoperative functional outcome was encouraging with high patient satisfaction rate (94%). Better outcome was obtained with the minor amputations.
Amputation* ; Diabetic Foot* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Gangrene ; Humans ; Knee ; Lower Extremity* ; Patient Satisfaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Toes ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: This study is a descriptive research comparing the awareness of medical residents' power style, communication type and organizational effectiveness in nurses and technologists. METHODS: A standardized survey questionnaire was sent to 288 nurses, 85 radiological technologists, and 107 medical technologists working at 4 university hospitals in a metropolitan area. Collected data were analyzed using statistical methods including 2-test, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: There was a noticeable difference between the nurses and the technologists in their awareness of medical residents' power style and communication type. Power style and communication type correlates significantly with job satisfaction and organizational commitment. When residents exercised coercive power, downward communication took place between the residents and nurses and technologists. It also affected the overall amount of communication, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. CONCLUSION: To ensure active communication between medical residents and other allied health professionals and to promote mutually satisfying relationships, open and active communication channels should be provided. Communication skills training for every member of a hospital organization is needed to encourage effective horizontal communication.
Health Occupations ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Medical Laboratory Personnel ; Surveys and Questionnaires

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

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric cancer (GC) is the second most common cancer in Korea and the most common in men in the south of the country. We investigated the incidence of synchronous GC in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in the southern part of Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of HNSCC patients treated between 2011 and 2014. In patients with synchronous GC, evaluation included a history of smoking and alcohol consumption, endoscopic findings, Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test, and immunohistochemical analysis of preserved HNSCC tissues. RESULTS: Analysis of the records of 153 HNSCC patients revealed tumors of the larynx in 56 patients (36.6%), of the pharynx in 74 patients (48.4%), and tumors at other locations in 23 patients (15.0%). The mean age of patients was 66.0 years, and the men:women ratio was 8:1. Synchronous cancers were detected in 12 patients. We observed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in five patients (3.3%), and gastric adenocarcinoma in seven patients (4.6%). Synchronous GC was detected in patients with laryngeal SCC. All cases of GC were classified as early GC. CONCLUSIONS: Synchronous GC was as frequent as esophageal SCC in patients with HNSCC, and all cases of GC were observed to be early stage cancers in this study. Thorough endoscopic examination should be performed in patients with laryngeal cancer to detect the presence of synchronous GC.
Adenocarcinoma ; Alcohol Drinking ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Head ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Laryngeal Neoplasms* ; Larynx ; Male ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Neoplasms, Second Primary ; Pharynx ; Retrospective Studies ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stomach Neoplasms*

Metastatic cancer to the esophagus is rare and the breasts are the most common primary tumors that metastasize to the esophagus. Since metastatic breast cancer is located in the submucosal layer, diagnosis by general forceps biopsy is difficult. Hence, various techniques including endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration, endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy, unroofing technique, and submucosal tunneling method are used for diagnosis. Moreover, the patient's medical history should be inspected carefully and previous histological findings of cancer should also be evaluated. Herein, the authors report a case of metastatic breast cancer along with literature reviews. Endoscopy was performed in patient who had undergone breast cancer surgery 13 years previously. Histological examination from a midesophageal stricture was normal. Endoscopic ultrasound was performed and uneven hypoechoic masses were found in the third layer of the esophageal wall. The esophageal stricture was finally diagnosed as metastatic breast cancer by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Endoscopy ; Endosonography ; Esophageal Stenosis* ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Surgical Instruments ; Ultrasonography*