Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma is a distinct developmental anomaly showing, histologically, hyperplasia of eccrine sweat apparatus and of vascular elementa in the same lesion, and clinically, the angiomatous lesions with occasional tenderness and profuse local sweating. Recently, we examined an 18-year-old, otherwise healthy girl having, on the anterior aspect of the right leg, an extensive, irregularly marginated and somewhat bluish, tender, firm subcutaneous mass. The mass was studded with several overlying macular, verrucous or nodular angiomatous patches which showed conspicuous hyperhidrosie. Histological examination revealed marked hyperplasia, hypertrophy and cystic dilatations of eccrine sweat apparatus accompanied by proliferation of the capillary hemangiomatous component and ectopic, thick smooth muscle bundles in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue.
Adolescent ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Dilatation ; Female ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypertrophy ; Leg ; Muscle, Smooth ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Sweat ; Sweating

PURPOSE: The relationship between serum cholesterol levels and mortality is complex. Serum cholesterol levels correlate positively with coronary artery disease, but some studies have suggested a negative relationship in cancer patients. Because the serum cholesterol levels are one of the most frequently assayed laboratory values, trends in the levels of cholesterol were investigated, in patients with gastric cancer and assumed a possible role in cancer screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The serum cholesterol levels were retrospectively analyzed in a group of 220 patients, diagnosed with gastric cancer, and in 177 healthy subjects. Anthropometric (body mass index: BMI) and biochemical indices of their nutritional status were also determined in the study subjects. Statistical analyses were performed by analyses of variance and covariance, and a discriminant analysis. RESULTS: The levels of serum cholesterol, albumin, Hb and the BMI were significantly lower in the gastric cancer-patients group than in the healthy-subjects group. The serum cholesterol and Hb levels were shown to be independent of each other, when adjusted for the effects of the BMI. In the patients with gastric cancer the levels of cholesterol and Hb showed decreasing tendencies as did the tumor extension, as defined by the TNM system. CONCLUSION: The serum cholesterol and Hb levels were significantly lower in patients with gastric cancer than in the healthy subjects, which seemed to be linked to the progression of gastric cancer. Therefore, further study is required for the serum cholesterol and Hb levels to be used as markers in cancer screening and its progression, in patients with gastric cancer.
Cholesterol* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Humans ; Mortality ; Nutritional Status ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms*

In the rat lumbar spinal cord, the pathways and distribution of corticospinal tract (CST) axons were investigated using retrograde transport of Fast Blue(FB) and Fluoro-Gold(FG). The purpose of this study was, therefore, to fond the extent of CST projections in the lateral funiculus in the rat. Total of twelve female rats were used in this study. The laminectomy was performed at the 78 cord level to expose the spinal cord. Using a radiofrequency lesioning device, the CST, including the dorsal columns, were lesioned bilaterally. Three to seven days after lesioning, two laminectomies were performed at C6-8 and L3-5 to expose the spinal cord for dye injections. Retrograde tracing of fast blue(FB) and fluoro-gold(FG) were used to quantitate the number of cerebral cortex neurons projecting to the lumbar cord through tracts other than the CST in the dorsal column. New findings of the this study are : (1) a small number of CST axons projected to lumbosacral spinal cord bilaterally in the dorsolateral funiculi. (2) some axons projecting to the lumbar cord through the dorsolateral funiculi are collateral of neuron that project to the cervical spinal cord. Our results suggest that there are a larger number of CSTs than previously thought projecting to the lumbar spinal cord through the lateral funiculi. These residual tracts may play a role in the functional recovery of the affected limbs.
Animals ; Axons ; Cerebral Cortex ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Neurons ; Pyramidal Tracts* ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to establish optimal imaging acquisition conditions for the GE Advance(TM) PET imaging system by performing the acceptance tests designed by National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) protocol and General Electric Medical Systems (GEMS) test procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Performance tests were carried out with 18FDG radioactivity source and phantoms by using a standard acquisition mode. Transaxial resolution and scatter fraction tests were performed with a line source and axial resolution with a point source, respectively. A cylindrical phantom made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) was used to measure sensitivity, count rate losses and randoms, uniformity correction, and attenuation inserts were added to measure remaining tests. The test results were acquired in a diagnostic acquisition mode and analyzed mainly on high sensitivity mode. RESULTS: Transaxial resolution and axial resolution were measured as average of 4.65 mm and 3.98 mm at 0 cm, and 6.02 mm and 6.71 mm at 20 cm on high sensitivity mode, respectively. Average scatter fraction was 9.87%, and sensitivity was 225.8 kcps/micronCi/cc of trues. Activity at 50% deadtime was 4.6 Ci/cc, and the error of count rate correction at that activity was from 1.49% to 3.83%. Average nonuniformity for total slice was 8.37%. The accuracy of scatter correction was -0.95%. The accuracies of attenuation correction were 5.68% for air, 0.04% for water and -6.51% for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). CONCLUSION: The results satisfied most acceptance criteria, indicating that the GE AdvanceTM PET system can be optimally used for clinical applications.
Electrons* ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Positron-Emission Tomography* ; Radioactivity ; Water

Flavonoids have an ability to suppress various ion channels. We determined whether one of flavonoids, cyanidin-3-glucoside, affects adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-induced calcium signaling using digital imaging methods for intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential in PC12 cells. Treatment with ATP (100microM) for 90 sec induced [Ca2+]i increases in PC12 cells. Pretreatment with cyanidin-3-glucoside (1micro g/ml to 100microg/ml) for 30 min inhibited the ATP-induced [Ca2+]i increases in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50=15.3microg/ml). Pretreatment with cyanidin-3-glucoside (15microg/ml) for 30 min significantly inhibited the ATP-induced [Ca2+]i responses following removal of extracellular Ca2+ or depletion of intracellular [Ca2+]i stores. Cyanidin-3-glucoside also significantly inhibited the relatively specific P2X2 receptor agonist 2-MeSATP-induced [Ca2+]i responses. Cyanidin-3-glucoside significantly inhibited the thapsigargin or ATP-induced store-operated calcium entry. Cyanidin-3-glucoside significantly inhibited the ATP-induced [Ca2+]i responses in the presence of nimodipine and omega-conotoxin. Cyanidin-3-glucoside also significantly inhibited KCl (50 mM)-induced [Ca2+]i increases. Cyanidin-3-glucoside significantly inhibited ATP-induced mitochondrial depolarization. The intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM or the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter inhibitor RU360 blocked the ATP-induced mitochondrial depolarization in the presence of cyanidin-3-glucoside. Cyanidin-3-glucoside blocked ATP-induced formation of ROS. BAPTA-AM further decreased the formation of ROS in the presence of cyanidin-3-glucoside. All these results suggest that cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibits ATP-induced calcium signaling in PC12 cells by inhibiting multiple pathways which are the influx of extracellular Ca2+ through the nimodipine and omega-conotoxin-sensitive and -insensitive pathways and the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. In addition, cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibits ATP-induced formation of ROS by inhibiting Ca2+-induced mitochondrial depolarization.
Adenosine ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Calcium ; Calcium Signaling ; Flavonoids ; Ion Channels ; Ion Transport ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Nimodipine ; omega-Conotoxins ; PC12 Cells* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X2 ; Thapsigargin

BACKGROUND: Allodynia, one of the most debilitating symptoms of neuropathic pain syndromes, can be defined as `pain due to a stimulus that does not normally provoke pain'. Subsets of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons involved in nociception are characteristically expressed capsaicin sensitivity and high proportion of tetrodotoxin resistant sodium current (TTX-R INa). We performed an experiment to elucidate whether nerve injury induced mechanical allodynia could be resulted from elctrophysiological modulation of large, nonnociceptive afferent neurons to nociceptors. METHODS: Whole cell patch clamp recordings were made from acutely dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of normal and experimental neuropathic rats. We compared the proportion of capsaicin sensitive neurons which responded to capsaicin (1micrometer) with an inward current > or = 100 pA in amplitude and the proportion of sodium channel subtypes measured in the absence and presence of tetrodotoxin (1micrometer), in small and large DRG neurons. RESULTS: The proportion of capsaicin sensitive cells to total number of cells tested was not changed by nerve injury in both small and large cell populations. In large cell population of nerve injured rats, the proportion of TTX-R INa was significantly increased as compared with normal group (p <0.05), and in small cell population of nerve injured rats, TTX-S INa was increased, but there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that expression of the sensitivity to capsaicin in DRG neurons would not be altered by nerve injury and increased TTX-R INa in large cell population of nerve injured DRG may underlie increased excitability.
Animals ; Capsaicin* ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Ganglia, Spinal* ; Hyperalgesia ; Neuralgia ; Neurons ; Neurons, Afferent ; Nociception ; Nociceptors ; Rats* ; Sodium Channels ; Sodium* ; Spinal Nerve Roots* ; Tetrodotoxin

BACKGROUND: Initial evaluation of injury severity in trauma patients is an important and challenging task. We aimed to assess whether easily measurable biochemical parameters (hemoglobin, pH, and prothrombin time/international normalized ratio [PT/INR]) can predict in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma. METHODS: This retrospective study involved review of the medical records of 315 patients with severe trauma and an injury severity score >15 who were managed at Gyeongsang National University Hospital between January 2005 and December 2015. We extracted the following data: in-hospital mortality, injury severity score, and initial hemoglobin level, pH, and PT/INR. The predictive values of these variables were compared using receiver operation characteristic curves. RESULTS: Of the 315 patients, 72 (22.9%) died. The in-hospital mortality rates of patients with hemoglobin levels <8.4 g/dl and ≥8.4 g/dl were 49.8% and 9.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). At a cutoff hemoglobin level of 8.4 g/dl, the sensitivity and specificity values for mortality were 81.9% and 86.4%, respectively. At a pH cutoff of 7.25, the sensitivity and specificity values for mortality were 66.7% and 77.8%, respectively; 66.7% of patients with a pH <7.25 died versus 22.2% with a pH ≥7.25 (P < 0.001). The in-hospital mortality rates for patients with PT/INR values ≥1.4 and <1.4 were 37.5% and 16%, respectively (P < 0.001; sensitivity, 37.5%; specificity, 84%). CONCLUSIONS: Using the suggested cutoff values, hemoglobin level, pH, and PT/INR can simply and easily be used to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with severe trauma.
Acidosis ; Biomarkers* ; Cohort Studies* ; Hospital Mortality* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Injury Severity Score ; International Normalized Ratio ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Prothrombin ; Retrospective Studies* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) is widely used in patients with cardiogenic shock. Insufficient decompression of the left ventricle (LV) is considered a major factor preventing adequate LV recovery. A 40-year-old male was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction, and revascularization was performed using percutaneous stenting. However, cardiogenic shock occurred, and VA ECMO was initiated. Severe LV failure developed, and percutaneous transaortic catheter venting (TACV) was incorporated into the venous circuit of VA ECMO under transthoracic echocardiography guidance. The patient was successfully weaned from VA ECMO. Percutaneous TACV is an effective, relatively noninvasive, and rapid method of LV decompression in patients undergoing VA ECMO.
Adult* ; Catheters* ; Decompression* ; Echocardiography ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Stents

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress is closely related with inflammation and development of many diseases. Black soybean seed coat contains high amount of anthocyanins, which are well-known for free radical scavenging activities. This study investigated inflammatory response and action mechanism of black soybean anthocyanins with regard to antioxidant activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: RAW 264.7 cells were treated with anthocyanins extracted from black soybean seed coats in a concentration range of 12.5 to 100 µg/mL. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, and the signaling in the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway were examined. RESULTS: Black soybean anthocyanins significantly decreased LPS-stimulated production of ROS, inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6, in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity (P < 0.001). Black soybean anthocyanins downregulated the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells (P < 0.001). Moreover, black soybean anthocyanins inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of MAPKs, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that black soybean anthocyanins exert anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting ROS generation and subsequent MAPKs signaling, thereby inhibiting inflammatory responses.
Anthocyanins* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Cytokines ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Macrophages* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases* ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Oxidative Stress ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Reactive Oxygen Species* ; Soybeans* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

No abstract available.
Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Venous Thrombosis