No abstract available.
Mucous Membrane* ; Pigmentation*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Epithelium* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Muscle, Smooth*

Ganoderma lucidum has a long history of use as a traditional medicine in Asian countries. However, the taxonomy of Ganoderma species remains controversial, since they were initially classified on the basis of their morphological characteristics. Recently, it was proposed that G. lucidum from China be renamed as G. sichuanense or G. lingzhi. In the present study, phylogenetic analysis using the internal transcribed spacer region rDNA sequences of the Ganoderma species indicated that all strains of the Korean 'G. lucidum' clustered into one group together with G. sichuanense and G. lingzhi from China. However, strains from Europe and North American, which were regarded as true G. lucidum, were positioned in a clearly different group. In addition, the average size of the basidiospores from the Korean cultivated Yeongji strains was similar to that of G. lingzhi. Based on these results, we propose that the Korean cultivated Yeongji strains of 'G. lucidum' should be renamed as G. lingzhi.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; Classification ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Europe ; Ganoderma ; Humans ; Korea* ; Medicine, Traditional ; Phylogeny ; Reishi

The aim of this study was to identify and characterize new Flammulina velutipes laccases from its whole-genome sequence. Of the 15 putative laccase genes detected in the F. velutipes genome, four new laccase genes (fvLac-1, fvLac-2, fvLac3, and fvLac-4) were found to contain four complete copper-binding regions (ten histidine residues and one cysteine residue) and four cysteine residues involved in forming disulfide bridges, fvLac-1, fvLac-2, fvLac3, and fvLac-4, encoding proteins consisting of 516, 518, 515, and 533 amino acid residues, respectively. Potential N-glycosylation sites (Asn-Xaa-Ser/Thr) were identified in the cDNA sequence of fvLac-1 (Asn-454), fvLac-2 (Asn-437 and Asn-455), fvLac-3 (Asn-111 and Asn-237), and fvLac4 (Asn-402 and Asn-457). In addition, the first 19~20 amino acid residues of these proteins were predicted to comprise signal peptides. Laccase activity assays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses clearly reveal that CuSO4 affects the induction and the transcription level of these laccase genes.
Copper Sulfate ; Cysteine ; DNA, Complementary ; Flammulina* ; Fungi* ; Genome ; Histidine ; Laccase* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein Sorting Signals ; Reverse Transcription

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) typically causes severe and permanent visual loss in the affected eye and vision does not recover in 90% of the patients. It is believed that it occurs by occlusion of the central retinal artery with small emboli from atherosclerotic plaque of internal cerebral artery. Various methods have been introduced to recanalize the occluded artery and remove emboli but considered to fail except thrombolytic therapy. Retina is a part of the brain so basically CRAO is corresponding to acute occlusion of intracerebral artery and retinal ischemia is to cerebral stroke. Accordingly rapid procedure within therapeutic time window, choosing appropriate drugs and doses, reducing hemorrhagic and ischemic complications associated with neurovascular intervention is very important. However, clinical significance of CRAO is much different from that of acute cerebral arterial occlusion, therefore, neurointerventionists should perform this procedure within appropriate range of safety.
Arteries ; Brain ; Cerebral Arteries ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Retina ; Retinal Artery Occlusion* ; Retinal Artery* ; Retinaldehyde ; Stroke ; Thrombolytic Therapy

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic liver resection has gained much popularity in recent years, but relatively few centers have performed hepatectomies in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients due to the technical difficulties faced with underlying liver cirrhosis. We now present our early experience with laparoscopic liver resection in HCC performed in a single institution. METHODS: From October 2003 until March 2009, 39 laparoscopic liver resections were performed on HCC patients among whom 26 had underlying liver cirrhosis. RESULTS: The location of the tumor was in the left lateral section in 15, segment 5 or 6 in 20, segment 4 in 3 and caudate lobe in 1. Resection involving less than a monosegment was done in 26 and more than 2 segments in 13. Tumor size ranged from 0.8 cm to 6.6 cm (median 2.35) and the resection margin from 0.1 to 6 cm (median 1.5 cm). All patients were either stage I (29) or II (10). There was no difference between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients in operation time (median 210 minutes, range 60~637), change of hematocrit value (4.8%, -1~19.6%), or hospital stay (8 days, 3~67 days). The median follow up duration was 15.1 months, and the 2-year recurrence free survival rate was 48.3%. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic liver resection in HCC with or without underlying cirrhosis seems to be feasible with minimal morbidity, especially in well selected cases with early stage HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematocrit ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Animals ; Epithelium* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Rats*

Primary pulmonary diffuse alveolar amyloidosis is a rare form among the pulmonary amyloidosis. Especially in primary form diffuse alveolar type is much more rare disease. the patient was checked simple chest X-ray for the purpose of routine screening test, he had no respiratory symptoms and signs and he had no complaint of other organ symptoms, while in chest roentgenogram it was found bilateral diffuse interstitial infiltration of the lung, but any other organs which commonly involved in amyloidosis were not involved in laboratory and other specific diagnostic procedures. We report a case of pulmonry diffuse alveolar amyloidosis only localized in lung which was confirmed by transbronchial lung biopsy.
Amyloidosis* ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Lung* ; Mass Screening ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax

NF-kappaB activation has been implicated as a key signaling mechanism for pancreatic beta-cell damage. Sulfuretin is one of the main flavonoids produced by Rhus verniciflua, which is reported to inhibit the inflammatory response by suppressing the NF-kappaB pathway. Therefore, we isolated sulfuretin from Rhus verniciflua and evaluated if sulfuretin could inhibit cytokine- or streptozotocin-induced beta-cell damage. Rat insulinoma RINm5F cells and isolated rat islets were treated with IL-1beta and IFN-gamma to induce cytotoxicity. Incubation of cells and islets with sulfuretin resulted in a significant reduction of cytokine-induced NF-kappaB activation and its downstream events, iNOS expression, and nitric oxide production. The cytotoxic effects of cytokines were completely abolished when cells or islets were pretreated with sulfuretin. The protective effect of sulfuretin was further demonstrated by normal insulin secretion of cytokine-treated islets in response to glucose. Treatment of mice with streptozotocin resulted in hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia, which was further evidenced by immunohistochemical staining of islets. However, the diabetogenic effects of streptozotocin were completely prevented when mice were pretreated with sulfuretin. The anti-diabetogenic effects of sulfuretin were also mediated by suppression of NF-kappaB activation. Collectively, these results indicate that sulfuretin may have therapeutic value in preventing beta-cell damage.
Animals ; Benzofurans/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Cell Line ; Cytokines/*adverse effects ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapy/*prevention & control ; Flavonoids/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Insulin-Secreting Cells/*drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; NF-kappa B/*metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhus/chemistry

Pseudomembranous colitis, although uncommon, is an important complication of antibiotics that is related to a variety of deleterious effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Rifampicin is one of the 1st line agents in the treatment of tuberculosis and a large number of patients are exposed to its potential adverse effects. We report upon a patient that had diarrhea due to pseudomembranous colitis after receiving antitubeculous medication, and which was probably caused by rifampicin. A 77-year-old man was admitted with diarrhea of three weeks duration. One month previously, he suffered from left pleuritic chest pain and left pleural effusion was noticed at chest X-ray. One week prior to the onset of diarrhea, he was started on empirically isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazynamide as antituberculous medication. On admission, he complained of diarrhea, left pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea and sputum. On physical examination, breathing sound was decreased in the left lower lung field and bowel sound increased. Pleural biopsy revealed chronic granulomatous infalmmation, which was compatible with tuberculosis. Sigmoidoscopy showed whitish to yellowish pseudomembrane with intervening normal mucosa, and his stool was positive for C.difficle toxin. He was diagnosed as pseudomembranous colitis and treated with oral metronidazole and vancomycin. The diarrhea did not recur after reinstitution of the anti-tuberculous medication without rifampicin. In patients with severe diarrhea receining anti-tuberculous medication, rifampicin induced pseudomembranous colitis should be excluded.
Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biopsy ; Chest Pain ; Clostridium difficile ; Diarrhea ; Dyspnea ; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous* ; Ethambutol ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Lung ; Metronidazole ; Mucous Membrane ; Physical Examination ; Pleural Effusion ; Respiratory Sounds ; Rifampin* ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Vancomycin