The morphdogical changes in mast cells, induced by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and distilled water were studied, using light and electron microscopy. The mesenteries of rats sacrificed at 30 minutes; at 1, 2, 4 and 18 hours; and at 1, 2, 3 and 6 weeks after an intraperitoneal injection of 250 microgram or 500 microgram of HRP or 10 ml of distilled water were used for observation of degranulation rates and morphological changes in cell organelles during specified time intervals. The results were as follows: 1) A distinct increase in the mast cell degranulation was observed in the mesenteries after injection of HRP. In particular, all mast cells were disrupted or degranulated significantly 18 hours after injection of distilled water. 2) The degranulating mast cells of the group injected with HRP showed a progressive decrease in electron density of the granules, formation of perigranular cavities, and extrusion of the granules after partial loss of the plasma membrane. 3) At 2 weeks after injection of HRP, some indicators of the early stage of regeneration, that is, peripherally placed nucleus, the expanded Golgi area containing numerous vesicles, and progranules in these vesicles, were observed. 4) After 6 weeks, the morphological characteristics of most mast cells in the group injected with HRP were nearly the same as those of the control group. 5) In degranulating mast cells of the group injected with distilled water, partial rupture of the plasma and cytoplasm with wide dispersion of the granules.
Animal ; Cytoplasmic Granules/ultrastructure* ; Female ; Horseradish Peroxidase ; Male ; Mast Cells/ultrastructure* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Strains

Esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis is a rare disease characterized by multiple, flask-shaped outpouchings in the esophageal wall. These pseudodiverticula represent abnormally dilated excretory ducts of esophageal submucosal gland, which cause is unknown. The most common symptom is dysphagia associated with esophageal stricture. Frequently associated diseases were gastroesophageal reflux disease, diabetes mellitus, candida esophagitis, and chronic alcoholism. We have experienced a patient with dysphagia and anemia, who was diagnosed as esophageal stricture with intramural pseudodiverticulosis and pancreatic pseudoaneurysm. He was treated with esophageal bougienage for the esophageal stricture and transcatheter embolization for pancreatic pseudoaneurysm. This may be the first case of esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis reported in Korea.
Alcoholism ; Anemia ; Aneurysm, False ; Candida ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Esophageal Stenosis ; Esophagitis ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Korea ; Rare Diseases

Hemochromatosis is almost always a consequence of treatment for anemia in long term hemodialysis patients who have undergone frequent blood transfusions and iron therapy. Clinically, iron overload may be a serious problem for some maintenance hemodialysis patients and it may be manifested as organ dysfunctions. So, it is important to diagnose iron overload early and restrict blood transfusions and the administration of iron agents in these patients. We recently experienced one case of suspected primary hemochromatosis in a long term hemodialysis patient, and we evaluated the patient by checking the serum ferritin level and performing liver biopsy. Treatment with desferrioxamine was started with recombinant erythropoietin. We report on this case with a brief review of the literature.
Anemia ; Biopsy ; Blood Transfusion ; Deferoxamine ; Erythropoietin ; Ferritins ; Hemochromatosis* ; Humans ; Iron ; Iron Overload ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Liver ; Renal Dialysis

Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of malignant tumor arising in the stomach, accounting for approximately 95% of malignant gastric neoplasms. The majority of remainder is lymphoma. Although H. pylori infection has been implicated as a common cause of both adenocarcinoma and lymphoma of the stomach, synchronous occurrence of both tumors is very rare. We present a case of a 23- year-old-female who presented with epigastric discomfort and was found to have synchronous low-grade B-cell MALT lymphoma and adenocarcinoma of the stomach in association with H. pylori infection.
Adenocarcinoma ; B-Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Raynaud Disease ; Thromboangiitis Obliterans*

This study was conducted out to select a silkworm variety suitable for synnemata production of Isaria tenuipes. Four kinds of the mulberry silkworm varieties, Bombyx mori, were hybridized using a Japanese parental line and a Chinese parental line, and used to test for synemata formation in I. tenuipes. The larval period of normal silkworms was 22 hr longer than the silkworms inoculated with this fungus. Among the silkworm varieties tested, Hachojam had the shortest larval period with 23.02 days. The non-cocooning silkworm had a shorter larval period than the cocoon producing silkworms. The pupation rate of normal silkworms was about 9% higher than that of silkworms sprayed with I. tenuipes. Hachojam had the highest infection rate at 99.8%, but no significant difference was observed for the infection rate by silkworm variety. The production of synnemata was the best in JS171 x CS188 with an incidence rate of 99.3%, followed by Hachojam, and Chugangjam. The synnemata produced from Hachojam were the heaviest and showed white or milky-white in color.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bombyx ; Breeding ; Chimera ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; Fungi ; Humans ; Incidence ; Morus ; Parents

This study was conducted to confirm the possible use of female Yangwonjam as a host for synnemata production of Isaria tenuipes in eight local areas in Korea. Silkworm pupation rate, infection rate and synnemata characteristics of I. tenuipes were examined. Normal silkworms had a higher pupation rate than silkworms inoculated with I. tenuipes. The pupae survival percentage of normal silkworm in cocoons was 92.5~97.6%, whereas it ranged from 91.1~95.6% in silkworms sprayed with I. tenuipes. Female Yangwonjam showed the highest survival percentage at 97.6% among the silkworm varieties tested. I. tenuipes infection rate of larvae of 5th instar newly-exuviated silkworms was 89.2~90.7% in the spring rearing season and 98.2~99.3% in the autumn rearing season. Synnemata production of I. tenuipes was excellent in female Yangwonjam with an incidence rate of 98.0% followed by male Yangwonjam (94.1%) and Baegokjam (93.3%) in the spring rearing season. Synnemata living weight ranged from 1.44~0.94 g in the spring rearing season. The female Yangwonjam had the heaviest synnemata weight (1.44 g) in the spring rearing season. The synnemata of I. tenuipes produced on pupae were white or milky-white in color, and were similar in shape and color to wild synnemata collected in Korea.
Bombyx ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Larva ; Male ; Pupa ; Seasons

Injection inoculation protocols for fruit body formation of Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) were investigated to improve the incidence of infection in the silkworm species Bombyx mori (B. mori). Injection, with suspensions of C. militaris hyphal bodies into living silkworm pupae, was used to test for fruit body production. Use of Daeseungjam rather than Baegokjam or Keumokjam varieties of B. mori is thought to be suitable for infection by C. militaris. From mounting, nine-day-old to 11-day-old pupae showed the best incidence of infection with a 100 microL injection volume. Silkworm pupae injected with a hyphal suspension concentration of more than 2 x 105 colony-forming unit (cfu) recorded a greater than 96% incidence of infection. Also, fruit bodies of C. militaris were induced and produced at a light intensity between 500 and 1,000 lx.
Bombyx ; Cordyceps ; Fruit ; Incidence ; Light ; Pupa ; Stem Cells ; Suspensions

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine subgoups of functional dyspesia and to evaluate the short-term effect of cisapride in patients with functional dyspepsia in Korea. METHODS: 1025 patients, with a mean age of 42.6 years, with symptoms of functional dyspepsia, were recruited consecutively and upper gastrointestinal symptoms were investigated by interview in 41 hospitals in Korea. In an open, multicenter trial, 1025 patients received Smg of cisapride three times a day (TID) for at least .2 weeks for the treatment of symptoms of functional dyspepsia. When necessary, the dose of cisapride was increased to 10mg TID and the duration of therapy was extended to 4 weeks. RESULTS: The most frequently reported symptoms of functional dyspepsia were epigastric discomfort or fullness (85%), bloating (70%), belching (53%), early satiety (52%) and epigastric pain (46%) retrospectively. Subgroups of functional dyspepsia were as follows; dysmotility-like 73.5%, ulcer-like 39.7%, reflux-like 13.0%, and unspecified dyspepsia 14.0%. However, 33.2% of subjects with functional dyspepsia could be classified into more than one subgroup. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms were decreased to average 50.3% (range; 42.2 to 59.2%) after 2 weeks of cisapride treatment and to 25% (19.2 to 29.9%) after 4 weeks. cisapride therapy resulted in good or excellent improvement in 59.0% of the patients after two weeks, in 75% of patients after 4 weeks. Adverse events were occurred in 52 patients (5.8% of all patients), most commonly, loose stools or diarrhea (3.5%), abdominal pain (1.1%), and dizziness (0.3%). The majority of adverse events was mild and transient in nature and led to premature discontinuation of treatment in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although the majorities of patients with functional dyspepsia have dysmotility like symptoms in Korea, there is such overlap among the dyspepsia subgroups. Most patients responded well to a short therapeutic trial with cisapride without significant side effects.
Abdominal Pain ; Cisapride* ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; Dyspepsia* ; Eructation ; Humans ; Korea* ; Retrospective Studies