Gangliosides are ubiquitous components of the membranes of mammalian cells that are thought to play important roles in various cell functions such as cell-cell interaction, cell adhesion, cell differentiation, growth control, and signaling. However, the role that gangliosides play in the immune rejection response after xenotransplantation is not yet clearly understood. In this study, the regulatory effects of human leukocytes on ganglioside expression in primary cultured micro-pig aortic endothelial cells (PAECs) were investigated. To determine the impact of human leukocytes on the expression of gangliosides in PAECs, we performed high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) in PAECs incubated with FBS, FBS containing human leukocytes, human serum containing human leukocytes, and FBS containing TNF-alpha. Both HPTLC and immunohistochemistry analyses revealed that PAECs incubated with FBS predominantly express the gangliosides GM3, GM1, and GD3. However, the expression of GM1 significantly decreased in PAECs incubated for 5 h with TNF-alpha (10 ng/mL), 10% human serum containing human leukocytes, and 10% FBS containing human leukocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that human leukocytes induced changes in the expression profile of ganglioside GM1 similar to those seen upon treatment of PAECs with TNF-alpha. This finding may be relevant for designing future therapeutic strategies intended to prolong xenograft survival.
Cell Adhesion ; Cell Communication ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Endothelial Cells ; Gangliosides ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukocytes ; Membranes ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most frequent subtype of aggressive lymphomas. Approximately 10% of DLBCL cases express CD5 as a surface antigen. CD5-positive DLBCL can occur as the de novo or secondary type. De novo CD5-positive DLBCL arises without previous lymphoproliferative disease, and secondary CD5-positive DLBCL may or may not manifest as Richter syndrome. The transformation of follicular lymphoma (FL) into DLBCL occurs in approximately one-third of all cases. The transformation of CD5-negative low-grade B-cell lymphoma to CD5-positive DLBCL is extremely rare. We report the clinical features of a rare case that presented with a transformation from CD5-negative FL to CD5-positive DLBL over 11 years. This is the second such case published in the English literature.
Antigens, Surface ; B-Lymphocytes ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, Follicular ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse

Previous Korean total diet studies (KTDSs) have estimated dietary exposure to toxic chemicals based on 110-120 representative foods selected from over 500 foods appeared in the Korea National Health & Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES), which would result in a possible underestimation. In order to find measures for a closer-to-real estimate of dietary exposure to heavy metals, this study examined the feasibility of mapping foods to the representative foods in the KTDS by comparing estimates. In mapping, those foods not analyzed in the 2009 KTDS (443 out of 559 foods appeared in the 2007 KNHANES) were mapped to the 114 representative foods used in the 2009 KTDS based on the closeness in regards to biological systematics and morphological similarity. Dietary exposures to total mercury and lead were re-estimated using the content of total mercury and lead in 114 foods analyzed in the 2009 KTDS, food intake, and individual's own body weight for respondents in the 2007 KNHANES instead of mean body weight of Koreans used in the 2009 KTDS. The re-estimates of exposure with mapping were approximately 50% higher than the original estimates reported in the 2009 KTDS. In addition, mapping enabled the comparison of percentile distribution of the exposure among populations of different age groups. In conclusion, estimates via mapping resulted in a more comprehensive estimation of dietary exposure to heavy metals present in foods that Koreans consume.
Body Weight ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diet ; Eating ; Humans ; Korea ; Metals, Heavy

PURPOSE: The appropriate management of traumatic truncal arterial injury is often difficult to determine, particularly if the injury is associated with severe additional truncal lesions. The timing of repair is controversial when patients arrive alive at the hospital. Also, there is an argument about surgery versus stent-graft repair. This study's objective was to evaluate the appropriate method and the timing for treatment in cases of truncal abdominal injury associated with other abdominal lesions. Methods: The medical records at Ajou University Medical Center were reviewed for an 8-year period from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2008. Twelve consecutive patients, who were diagnosed as having had a traumatic truncal arterial injury, were enrolled in our study. Patients who were dead before arriving at the hospital or were not associated with abdominal organ injury, were excluded. All patients involved were managed by using the ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) guideline. Data on injury site, the timing and treatment method of repair, the overall complications, and the survival rate were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Every case showed a severe injury of more than 15 point on the ISS (injury severity score) scale. The male-to-female ratio was 9:3, and patients were 41 years old on the average. Sites of associated organ injury were the lung, spleen, bowel, liver, pelvic bone, kidney, heart, vertebra, pancreas, and diaphragm ordered from high frequency to lower frequency. There were 11 cases of surgery, and one case of conservative treatment. Two of the patients died after surgery for truncal organ injury: one from excessive bleeding after surgery and the other from multiple organ failure. Arterial injuries were diagnosed by using computed tomography in every case and 9 patients were treated by using an angiographic stent-graft repair. There were 3 patients whose vessels were normal on admission. Several weeks later, they were diagnosed as having a truncal arterial injury. CONCLUSION: In stable rupture of the truncal artery, initial conservative management is safe and allows management of the major associated lesions. Stent grafting of the truncal artery is a valuable therapeutic alternative to surgical repair, especially in patients considered to be a high risk for a conventional horacotomy.
Abdominal Injuries ; Academic Medical Centers ; Arteries ; Diaphragm ; Heart ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Medical Records ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Pancreas ; Pelvic Bones ; Rupture ; Spine ; Spleen ; Stents ; Survival Rate ; Transplants

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) is a safe and effective procedure commonly performed to remove renal stones. Although PNL is associated with low morbidity, unexpected complications may occur. We describe here a 44-year-old male patient with recurrent renal stones who experienced a renal rupture and massive bleeding following PNL. Left nephrectomy and intensive treatment did not improve the patient's condition, and he died 14 days later as a result of multi-organ failure.
Adult ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Rupture

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LNS) is a rare, X-linked recessive inherited disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine-phophoribosyltransferase, leading to excessive purine production and elevation of uric acid. Clinical manifestations include mental retardation, spasticity, choreathetosis, compulsive self-mutilation, renal calculi followed by obstructive nephropathy, and arthritis. Patient with LNS may have increased risk of aspiration pneumonia, acute renal failure and unexpected sudden death. We accomplished successful general anesthesia in a case of LNS requiring percutaneous nephrolithotomy due to renal calculi.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Anesthesia, General ; Arthritis ; Death, Sudden ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Kidney Calculi* ; Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome* ; Muscle Spasticity ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous* ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Uric Acid

Stroke is one of the most common causes of death; in particular, cardiac source of embolism may be responsible for 15-20% of ischemic strokes. Here we report a case of left atrial thrombus diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) immediately after induction of general anesthesia in a patient with infarction of the middle cerebral artery. In this case, an emergent craniectomy was cancelled and medical treatment was performed. This case report shows that TEE taken in the operating room may play an important role in the change of treatment plan in a patient displaying acute mental change.
Anesthesia, General ; Cause of Death ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Embolism ; Humans ; Infarction ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Operating Rooms ; Stroke ; Thrombosis*

Intraoperative pulmonary embolism can result in severe hemodynamic instability, including cardiac arrest. Therefore, immediate diagnosis and proper treatment are required. We report a case of the acute cardiac and pulmonary embolisms during radical nephrectomy and inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombectomy in a patient with renal cell carcinoma with thrombus in the IVC. We diagnosed the cardiac embolism intraoperatively using the transesophageal echocardiogram, and performed emergent cardiac and pulmonary embolectomies immediately. After the surgery, the patient was discharged without any complication.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Diagnosis ; Embolectomy ; Embolism ; Heart Arrest ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Nephrectomy* ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Thrombectomy* ; Thrombosis ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

BACKGROUND: A poincare plot of the heart rate variability (HRV) allows for the quantitative display of the vagal tone in conscious humans. However, relatively little is known about standard deviation 1 (SD1) from the poincare plot reflecting the vagal tone and correlating with the high frequency (HF) spectral power of the HRV during general anesthesia. Thus, the association of SD1 from the poincare plot was examined, along with the HF spectral power of the HRV during general anesthesia. METHODS: Beat-to-beat electrocardiograms were recorded for 5 min in 23 patients (isoflurane group, n = 13; sevoflurane group, n = 10) before, during and after general anesthesia. The low frequency (LF) and HF spectral powers, the LF/HF ratio of the HRV and the SD1 and standard deviation 2 (SD2) from the poincare plot were calculated. RESULTS: Both the HF spectral power of the HRV and SD1 from the poincare plot were reduced following general anesthesia, but recovered thereafter. The recovery of both the HF spectral power and SD1 from the poincare plot in the sevoflurane group was faster than those in the isoflurane group. There were strong correlations between the HF spectral power and SD1 before, during and after anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the SD1 from the poincare plot is a useful and valid parameter for analysis of the vagal tone during general anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Isoflurane

The reversibility of basilar artery stenosis in neuro-Behcet's disease (NB) has been rarely reported. We report a patient with NB who developed brainstem infarction related to severe stenosis in basilar artery. Initial MRA showed severe stenosis in the basilar artery, which was improved on follow-up MRA after immunosuppressive treatment. This case shows that arterial stenosis in NB can be reversed with proper management.
Basilar Artery* ; Brain Stem Infarctions ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency*