PURPOSE: There is no specific treatment guidelines for Henoch-Schonlein (HS) nephritis. Therefore we performed this study to observe the effect of long term steroid therapy combined with azathioprine METHODS: Treatment protocols; 1) Steroid pulse therapy: methylprednisolon 30 mg/kg/dose, maximum 1 gm, intravenously 6 times for alternate day. 2) Oral steroid was given 2 mg/kg/day for 1 month, 1 mg/kg/day for following I month and alternate day oral steroid combined with azathioprine 2 mg/kg/day for 2 years. RESULTS: Time period from HSP to onset of HS nephritis was between 2 weeks to 5 months with mean 7.4+/-7.4 weeks. Clinical remission were seen in 4 cases out of 5 (80%). Mean time period with disappearance of proteinuria and microscopic hematuria were 5+/-2.4 month and 13.3+/-2.9 month respectively. On pathologic findings by ISKDC, 3 cases were grade IIIb, 2 cases were grade IV in first kidney biopsies and showed pathologic improvement in follow up kidney biopsies after 2 years treatment. CONCLUSION: As there no definitive treatment for HS nephritis so far, our study of long term oral steroid therapy with azathioprine was effective in clinical and histologic aspect. Therefore further study in HS nephritis with in a large group will be needed in the future.
Azathioprine ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid* ; Child ; Clinical Protocols ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Nephritis ; Proteinuria ; Salivary Glands*

No abstract available.
Humans

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although aged black garlic has various biological activities such as anti-allergy, anti-inflammation and neuroprotection, effect of aged black garlic on chemically contact dermatitis is unclarified. MATERIALS/METHODS: To evaluate anti-dermatitic activity of aged black garlic extract, we investigated effects of a fraction of aged black garlic extract (BG10) on both in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: BG10 almost inhibited formation of nitric monoxide and interleukin-6 (IL-6; IC50, 7.07 µg/mL) at 25 µg/mL, and dose-dependently reduced production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α; IC50, 52.07 µg/mL) and prostaglandin E2 (IC50, 38.46 µg/mL) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, BG10 significantly inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 and nuclear NF-κB, and improved that of cytosolic levels of NF-κB and IκBα in the cells. Consistent with in vitro studies, BG10 (0.5 mg/mL) not only reduced ear edema but also suppressed the formation of IL-6 and TNF-α induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in ear tissues of mice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest BG10 has anti-dermatitic activity through inhibiting activation of macrophages. Therefore, such effects of BG10 may provide information for the application of aged black garlic for prevention and therapy of contact dermatitis.
Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Cytokines ; Cytosol ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dinoprostone ; Ear ; Edema ; Garlic ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Necrosis ; Neuroprotection ; NF-kappa B ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II

The effect of diet supplemented with red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) leaf on antioxidant status of plasma and tissue was investigated in C57BL/6J mice. The mice were randomly divided into two groups after one-week acclimation, and fed a high fat (20%) and high cholesterol (1%) diet without (control group) or with 8% freeze-dried red beet leaf (RBL group) for 4 weeks. In RBL mice, lipid peroxidation determined as 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS value) was significantly reduced in the plasma and selected organs (liver, heart, and kidney). Levels of antioxidants (glutathione and beta-carotene) and the activities of antioxidant enzyme (glutathione peroxidase) in plasma and liver were considerably increased, suggesting that antioxidant defenses were improved by RBL diet. Comet parameters such as tail DNA (%), tail extent moment, olive tail moment and tail length were significantly reduced by 25.1%, 49.4%, 35.4%, and 23.7%, respectively, in plasma lymphocyte DNA of RBL mice compared with control mice, and indicated the increased resistance of lymphocyte DNA to oxidative damage. In addition, the RBL diet controlled body weight together with a significant reduction of fat pad (retroperitoneal, epididymal, inguinal fat, and total fat). Therefore, the present study suggested that the supplementation of 8% red beet leaf in high fat high cholesterol diet could prevent lipid peroxidation and improve antioxidant defense system in the plasma and tissue of C57BL/6J mice.
Acclimatization ; Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; Beta vulgaris ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; DNA ; Heart ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Lymphocytes ; Mice ; Olea ; Plasma

The purposes of this study were to determine phenolic compounds and to evaluate antioxidant activities of plums (Soldam, Oishiwase and Formosa). Soldam contains the highest amount of total phenolics among cultivars (Formosa: 4.0%, Oishiwase: 3.3%, Soldam: 6.4% for total phenolic) as well as the total flavonoids of which constituents were mainly myricetin and anthocyanidin. The antioxidant activities were measured by DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging, and SOD-like activities. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of Korean plum extracts (200 microg/mL) showed more than 43%, and the Soldam turned out to be the highest : ID50 value: 160-177 microg/mL for Formosa and Oishiwase; 58-64 microg/mL for Soldam. The ABTS radical scavenging activity of Korean plum extracts (200 microg/mL) was found to be more than 50%. The SOD-like activity of Korean plum extracts (200 microg/mL) showed more than 70%. Among three kinds of cultivars, Soldam had the highest antioxidant activity. The nitrite scavenging activity of Soldam was 61.5%, which is the highest, compared with that of the other cultivars, about 50%. From these results, Korean plums turned out to be phytochemical rich fruit as well as to show high antioxidant activities.
Anthocyanins ; Benzothiazoles ; Flavonoids ; Fruit ; Phenol ; Prunus domestica ; Sulfonic Acids ; Taiwan

Sperm function and male fertility are closely related to pH dependent K⁺ current (KSper) in human sperm, which is most likely composed of Slo3 and its auxiliary subunit leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 52 (LRRC52). Onion peel extract (OPE) and its major active ingredient quercetin are widely used as fertility enhancers; however, the effect of OPE and quercetin on Slo3 has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of quercetin on human Slo3 channels. Human Slo3 and LRRC52 were co-transfected into HEK293 cells and pharmacological properties were studied with the whole cell patch clamp technique. We successfully expressed and measured pH sensitive and calcium insensitive Slo3 currents in HEK293 cells. We found that OPE and its key ingredient quercetin inhibit Slo3 currents. Inhibition by quercetin is dose dependent and this degree of inhibition decreases with elevating internal alkalization and internal free calcium concentrations. Functional moieties in the quercetin polyphenolic ring govern the degree of inhibition of Slo3 by quercetin, and the composition of such functional moieties are sensitive to the pH of the medium. These results suggest that quercetin inhibits Slo3 in a pH and calcium dependent manner. Therefore, we surmise that quercetin induced depolarization in spermatozoa may enhance the voltage gated proton channel (Hv1), and activate non-selective cation channels of sperm (CatSper) dependent calcium influx to trigger sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction.
Acrosome Reaction ; Calcium ; Fertility ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Onions ; Phosphatidylinositols ; Protons ; Quercetin ; Sperm Capacitation ; Spermatozoa

Background: We evaluated the efficacy of Dor procedure in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Material and Method: Between April 1998 and December 2002, 45 patients underwent the Dor procedure concomitant with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-diastolic/end-systolic volumes (LVEDV/LVESV) were measured by echocardiography, myocardial SPECT, and cardiac catheterization and angiography performed at the sequence of preoperative, early postoperative, and one year postoperative stage. Result: Cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic clamp times were mean 141+/-64, 69+/-24 minutes, respectively. Intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) therapy was required in 19 patients (42%; 7 preoperatively, 9 intraoperatively, 3 postoperatively). Operative mortality rate was 2.2% (1/45). Postoperative morbidities were low cardiac output syndrome (12), atrial fibrillation (5), acute renal failure (4), and postoperative bleeding (4). Functional class (NYHA) was improved from classes 2.8 to 1.1 (p<0.01). When we compared between the preoperative and early postoperative values, LVEF was improved from 32+/-9% to 52+/-11% (p<0.01). The asynergy portion decreased from 57+/-12% to 22+/-9%, and LVEDV/LVESV indexes improved from 125+/-39 mL/m2, 85+/-30mL/m2 to 66+/-23 mL/m2, 32+/-16 mL/m2 (p<0.01). Although these changes in volumes were relatively preserved at postoperative one year, the left ventricular volumes showed a tendency to increase. Conclusion: After the Dor procedure for ischemic left ventricular dysfunction, LVEF improvement and left ventricular volume reduction were maintained till postoperative one year. The tendency for left ventricular volume to increase at postoperative one year suggested the requirement of strict medical management.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Angiography ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiac Output, Low ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Echocardiography ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mortality ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Stroke Volume ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left*

We report a case of a 48-year-old man with a paradoxic upper airway obstruction and central sleep apnea that developed after an anterior cervical spinal fusion. Nine months before being admitted to this hospital, he was diagnosed with a herniated intervertebral disc between the 5th and 6th cervical spine, and the first operation was carried out. Two months later, a pseudoarthrosis has developed and a second operation, an anterior interbody fusion of the C5 and C6 using autogenous strut bone graft, was performed. After the second operation, he began to complain of snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and a bizarre sound heard near the upper airway during breathing. Nasopharyngoscope and magnetic resonance imaging disclosed a paradoxical narrowing of the nasopharynx during expiration. On the overnight polysomnography, the apnea index was 8.7/h (central apnea, 7.0/h; obstructive apnea, 1.7/h). Nasal continuous positive airway pressure was applied, but he complained of pressure-intolerance, and laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty was then performed. Two months after surgery, clinical symptoms as well as the apneas had improved markedly. We suggest that this paradoxic upper airway obstruction might be associated with the anterior cervical spinal surgery even though the mechanism is unclear. This case also emphasizes that an upper airway obstruction can contribute to the development of central sleep apnea.
Airway Obstruction* ; Apnea ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharynx ; Polysomnography ; Pseudarthrosis ; Respiration ; Sleep Apnea, Central* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Snoring ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine* ; Transplants