As gastroduodenoscopy performed more frequently, case reports of human echinostomiasis are increasing in Korea. A Korean woman presented at a local clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and discomfort that had persisted for 2 weeks. Under gastroduodenoscopy, two motile flukes were found attached on the duodenal bulb, and retrieved with endoscopic forceps. She had history of eating raw frog meat. The two flukes were identified as Echinostoma hortense by egg morphology, 27 collar spines with 4 end-group spines, and surface ultrastructural characters. This report may prove frogs to be a source of human echinostome infections.
Animals ; Duodenal Diseases/*parasitology ; Duodenum/*parasitology ; Echinostoma/*isolation & purification ; Echinostomiasis/*diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with cervical cell changes, genital warts, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, laryngeal papillomatosis, head and neck cancer, and cervical cancer. Two commercial HPV vaccines have successfully been made available in the clinical field. This review covers the progress of cervical disease by understanding the nature of HPV infection, as well as the relationship between the host factors and HPV vaccine effectiveness. Among these host factors, microbiota has been revealed to influence the development and function of both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Therefore, the composition of the microbiome may ultimately affect vaccine efficacy. Understating the relationship between host factors and HPV infection/vaccine efficacy may prove to be useful in earlier diagnosis, as well as disease prophylaxis.
Condylomata Acuminata ; Diagnosis ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Microbiota ; Papilloma ; Papillomavirus Infections* ; Papillomavirus Vaccines ; Probiotics ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Recently, COMMD1 has been identified as a novel interactor and regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 and nuclear factor kappa B transcriptional activity. The goal of this study was to determine the difference of COMMD1 expression in the placentas of women with normal and preeclamptic (PE) pregnancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immnoperoxidase and immunofluorescent staining for COMMD1 was performed on nine normal and nine severe PE placental tissues, and COMMD1 mRNA expression was quantified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The expression of mRNA of COMMD1 was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. The immunoreactivity was higher especially in the syncytiotrophoblast of PE placentas than in the control group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated increased placental COMMD1 expression in women with severe preeclampsia compared to that found in women with normal pregnancies, and this finding might contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of preeclampsia.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics/isolation & purification/*metabolism ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Placenta/*metabolism ; Pre-Eclampsia/*metabolism ; Pregnancy ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism

Numerous types of cells have been shown to undergo apoptosis when exposed to oxidant agent such as hydrogen peroxide. In order to understand the functional relationship between the anti- and pro-apoptotic regulatory proteins in the cells under oxidant stress, we have studied the level of expression of apoptosis regulatory proteins, bcl-2 and bax, in human leukemia HL-60 cells. The exposure of HL-60 cells to different concentrations of H2O2 for 6 h resulted in a typical apoptosis of the cells as characterized by flow cytometry, cell cycle analysis, and DNA fragmantation. There was a block in G1 to S transition and apoptotic cells were mainly derived from S and G2 cells. Kinetic study demonstrated that the levels of both bcl-2-mRNA and -protein expression were decreased with the progression of cellular apoptosis whereas the level of bax-mRNA was unchanged but the expressed bax-protein was not detectable. Cycloheximide, a nonspecific translation inhibitor, did not prevent the hydrogen peroxide-mediated apoptosis in HL-60 cells. These results suggest that the regulation of bcl-2, but not of bax are important factor in the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.
Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Blotting, Western ; Cycloheximide/pharmacology ; DNA Fragmentation ; DNA, Neoplasm/metabolism ; DNA, Neoplasm/genetics ; DNA, Neoplasm/drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects ; HL-60 Cells ; Human ; Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology* ; Oxidants/pharmacology* ; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; RNA, Messenger/drug effects

BACKGROUND: Retinal artery occlusion can lead to sudden visual loss without pain. The acute management of retinal artery occlusion remains unresolved. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old male was hospitalized to an emergency room for visual loss on the left side within 6 hours of onset. Combined occlusion at retinal artery and ciliary artery was confirmed by an ophthalmologist and we assessed ophthalmic artery occlusion. However, MRA revealed no significant steno-occlusion of internal carotid artery. Transfemoral cerebral angiography was carried out immediately and showed a movable thrombus at the orifice of the ophthalmic artery. We decided on endovascular thrombectomy to prevent permanent visual loss. Finally, his visual acuity was improved after successful thrombectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Although MRA is intact, small thrombus right at the orifice of the ophthalmic artery can cause a sudden monocular visual loss due to occlusion of the retinal artery. In this setting, urgent endovascular thrombectomy can offer visual improvement.
Aged ; Blindness ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Angiography ; Ciliary Arteries ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Male ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Retinal Artery ; Retinal Artery Occlusion ; Thrombectomy ; Thrombosis ; Visual Acuity

Foxp3+ CD25+CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells are crucial for the maintenance of immunological self-tolerance and are abundant in tumors. Most of these cells are chemo-attracted to tumor tissues and suppress anti-tumor responses inside the tumor. Currently, several cancer immunotherapies targeting Treg cells are being clinically tested. Cisplatin is one of the most potent chemotherapy drugs widely used for cancer treatment. While cisplatin is a powerful drug for the treatment of multiple cancers, there are obstacles that limit its use, such as renal dysfunction and the development of cisplatin-resistant cancer cells after its use. To minimize these barriers, combinatorial therapies of cisplatin with other drugs have been developed and have proven to be more effective to treat cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the eff ect of the combination therapy using methyl gallate with cisplatin in EL4 murine lymphoma bearing C57BL/6 mice. The combinatorial therapy of methyl gallate and cisplatin showed stronger anti-cancer eff ects than methyl gallate or cisplatin as single treatments. In Treg cell-depleted mice, however, the eff ect of methyl gallate vanished. It was found that methyl gallate treatment inhibited Treg cell migration into the tumor regardless of cisplatin treatment. Additionally, in both the normal and cisplatin-treated tumor-bearing mice, there was no renal toxicity attributed to methyl gallate treatment. These findings suggest that methyl gallate treatment could be useful as an adjuvant method accompanied with cisplatin therapy.
Animals ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy ; Immunotherapy* ; Lymphoma ; Mice ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory*

Background: Intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rtPA) is the mainstay of treatment for acute ischemic stroke to recanalize thrombosed intracranial vessels within 4.5 hours. Emergency carotid artery stenting for the treatment of acute stroke due to stenoocclusion of the proximal internal carotid artery (ICA) can improve symptoms, prevent neurological deterioration, and reduce recurrent stroke risk. The feasibility and safety of the combination therapy of IV rtPA and urgent carotid artery stenting have not been established. Methods: From November 2005 to October 2020, we retrospectively assessed patients who had undergone emergent carotid artery stenting after IV rtPA for hyperacute ischemic stroke due to steno-occlusive proximal ICA lesion. Hemorrhagic transformation, successful recanalization, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days, and stent patency at 3 and 12 months or longer were evaluated. Favorable outcome was defined as a 90-days mRS score of ≤ 2. Results: Nineteen patients with hyperacute stroke had undergone emergent carotid artery stenting after IV rtPA therapy. Their median age was 70 (67.5–73.5) years (94.7% men).Among 15 patients with an additional intracranial occlusion after flow restoration in the proximal ICA, a modified TICI grade ≥ 2b was achieved in 11 patients (73.3%). Hemorrhagic transformation occurred in five patients (26.3%); mortality rate was 5.7%. Eleven patients (57.9%) had favorable outcomes at 90 days. Stent patients (94.1%) maintained stent patency for ≥ 12 months. Conclusion We showed that emergent carotid artery stenting after IV rtPA therapy for hyperacute stroke caused by atherosclerotic proximal ICA steno-occlusion was feasible and safe.

In case of intrauterine pregnancy with an intrauterine device (IUD), it is recommended to remove the device because of the increased risk of abortions, septic complications and premature delivery. But removal of intrauterine devices in early pregnancy remains a troublesome problem for both doctors and patients, especially when IUD threads are not visible at the external os. If the thread of the IUD is not visible, extraction with hysteroscopy and ultrasonic guidance is advised. But due to postoperative complications such as uterine rupture or bleeding and electrolyte imbalance, many doctors prefer not to perform the procedure. IUD removal is scarcely performed that there are only 2 successful cases which were reported in Korea until today. Recently we experienced a case of an early pregnant woman with IUD in whom thread was invisible at the cervical os and IUD removal was attempted and successfully performed by ultrasound guided hysteroscopy. Pregnancy was maintained without complications until 39th week and delivered healthy baby. So we report this case with the review of articles related.
Abortion, Septic ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy ; Intrauterine Devices ; Korea ; Postoperative Complications ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Ultrasonics ; Uterine Rupture