Lawsonia intracellularis is not culturable with a standard bacteriologic culture. One step PCR assay as a clinical diagnostic method was developed for the rapid detection of porcine proliferative enteritis (PPE) caused by L. intracellularis. Primers were designed based on the p78 DNA clone of L. intracellularis. The one step PCR resulted in the formation of a specific 210-bp DNA product derived from L. intracellularis. The nonspecific amplification product was not detected with swine genomic DNA or other bacterial strains causing similar symptoms to L. intracellularis infection. The one step PCR was as sensitive as 100 pg of L. intracellularis genomic DNA. We applied this method to field specimens diagnosed as PPE by macroscopic observation. Of 17 mucosal scraping specimens, 16(94%) were identified as positive to PPE and 15(88%) of 17 feces specimens. These results suggest that the one step PCR can be used as a rapid diagnostic method for L. intracellularis infection.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; DNA Primers ; Desulfovibrionaceae Infections/diagnosis/*veterinary ; Ileum/microbiology/pathology ; Intestinal Mucosa/microbiology/pathology ; Lawsonia Bacteria/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*diagnosis/microbiology

PURPOSE: The rate of malignancy in the follicular neoplasm (FN) or Hürthle cell neoplasm (HCN) of the thyroid gland is estimated as approximately 20~30%. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and frozen section examination are restricted in differentiating between benign and malignant. The aims of this study are to compare the differences of clinicopathologic features and to determine the risk factors for malignancy in patients with FN or HCN. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of patients with FN or HCN who were diagnosed by FNAB, and underwent surgery at our institution between Jan. 2005 to Jun. 2010. We analyzed the risk factors for malignancy and the differences of clinicopathologic features in patients with FN or HCN. RESULTS: A total of 290 patients were enrolledin this study; 160 (55.2%) patients underwent thyroidectomy, 97 (60.6%) patients had FN, and 63 (39.4%) had HCN. Forty one (25.6%) patients were diagnosed as malignancy of these, 22 (22.7%) patients were FN and 19 (30.2%) were HCN (P=0.29). Two (2.1%) patients with FN and 10 (15.9%) with HCN (P=0.002) comcomitant papillary thyroid carcinoma were indentified by FNAB. Classification of nodules according to ultrasonographic findings in both neoplasms (P<0.05) and galectin-3 in FN (P<0.05) were predictive factors for malignancy. In addition, galectin-3 was a predictive factor for malignancy in indeterminate nodules on ultrasonography (USG) (P=0.028). CONCLUSION: Classification of nodules according to ultrasonographic findings and galectin-3 expression is helpful in predicting carcinoma of patients with FN or HCN.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Classification ; Frozen Sections ; Galectin 3 ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule* ; Thyroidectomy ; Ultrasonography

Animal poisoning has been occurred in Korea. However, the lack of the data about animal poisoning in Korea makes clinicians and diagnostician difficult to obtain information on poisoning cases. In this paper, we tried to gather information about animal poisoning from 1974 to June 2013 in Korea. Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) record database were used to examine recent trends in animal poisoning. The analysis showed that the cattle was reported to be the most common species involved in animal poisoning and botulinum toxin constituted the primary group of toxicants. Animal poisoning occurred frequently on January and in Gyenggi-do. Although the data present in this manuscript is a little, it will be helpful to understand the general trend of animal poisoning in Korea.
Animals* ; Botulinum Toxins ; Cattle ; Korea* ; Plants ; Poisoning* ; Quarantine

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a neoplasm of vascular origin with a low-to-intermediate malignant potential and is one of the rare sarcomas arising from the liver. Its etiology is unknown and its clinical outcome is unpredictable. There is no generally accepted therapeutic strategy because of its rarity and the variable natural course between hemangioma and angiosarcoma. We report a case of a 64-year old woman who underwent hepatic resection due to epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in the right lobe that progressed to extrahepatic metastases of the bone, pleura, and peritoneum 22 months later. However, after resection there was no primary hepatic recurrence.
Bone Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/secondary ; Female ; Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid/*diagnosis/pathology/*secondary ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/secondary ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Although continuous low-dose (metronomic [MET]) therapy exerts anti-cancer efficacy in various cancer models, the effect of long-term MET therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. This study assessed the long-term efficacy of MET on suppression of tumor growth and spontaneous metastasis in a rat model of HCC induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine for 16 wk. The rats were divided into 3 groups: MTD group received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 40 mg/kg cyclophosphamide on days 1, 3, and 5 of a 21-day cycle; Control and MET groups received i.p. injections of saline and 20 mg/kg cyclophosphamide twice a week, respectively. Anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects and anti-metastatic mechanisms including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) were evaluated. Twelve wk of MET therapy resulted in a significant reduction in intrahepatic tumors than control or MTD therapy. The MET group had fewer proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells and decreased hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha levels and microvessel density. Lung metastases were detected in 100%, 80%, and 42.9% in the control, MTD, and MET groups, respectively. MET therapy significantly decreased expression of TIMP-1, MMP-2 and -9. For mediators of pro-MMP-2 activation, MET therapy induced significant suppression in the TIMP-2 and MMP-14 level. The survival in the MET group was significantly prolonged compared to the control and MTD groups. Long-term MET scheduling suppresses tumor growth and metastasis via its potent anti-angiogenic properties and a decrease in MMPs and TIMPs activities. These results provide a rationale for long-term MET dosing in future clinical trials of HCC treatment.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents/*administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/chemically induced/*drug therapy/mortality/pathology ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cyclophosphamide/*administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Diethylnitrosamine ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/*drug effects ; Liver Cirrhosis/chemically induced ; Liver Neoplasms/chemically induced/*drug therapy/mortality/pathology ; Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy/pathology/secondary ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinases/metabolism ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/enzymology/physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Survival Analysis ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases/metabolism ; Tumor Burden/drug effects

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We compared the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the survival of patients who received radiofrequency ablation (RFA) after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with patients treated with TACE or RFA alone. METHODS: This study included 201 patients with HCC, who were consecutively enrolled at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital between December 2004 and February 2010. Inclusion criteria were a single HCC < or = 5.0 cm or up to three HCCs < or = 3.0 cm. We used a propensity score model to compare HCC patients (n = 87) who received RFA after TACE (TACE + RFA) with those who received TACE (n = 71) or RFA alone (n = 43). RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 33.3 months (range, 6.8 to 80.9). The TACE + RFA group showed significantly lower local recurrence than the RFA or TACE groups (hazard ratio [HR], 0.309; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.130 to 0.736; p = 0.008; and HR, 0.352; 95% CI, 0.158 to 0.787; p = 0.011, respectively). The overall survival was significantly better in the TACE + RFA group compared to the RFA group (HR, 0.422; 95% CI, 0.185 to 0.964; p = 0.041). However, the survival benefit was not different between the TACE + RFA and TACE groups (p = 0.124). Subgroup analysis showed that among patients with a tumor size < 3 cm, the TACE + RFA group had significantly better long-term survival than those in the TACE or RFA groups (p = 0.017, p = 0.004, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: TACE + RFA combination treatment showed favorable local recurrence and better overall survival rates in early-stage HCC patients. Patients with tumors < 3 cm are likely to benefit more from TACE + RFA combination treatment. Additional studies are needed for the selection of suitable HCC patients for TACE + RFA treatment.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality/pathology/*therapy ; *Catheter Ablation/adverse effects/mortality ; *Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/adverse effects/mortality ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Liver Neoplasms/mortality/pathology/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Neoadjuvant Therapy/adverse effects/mortality ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Patient Selection ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Burden ; Young Adult

Four viruses showing cytopathic effects in MDBK cells were isolated from brains of cattle showing downer cattle syndrome in 2012. The isolates were confirmed to belong to the genus Rubulavirus of the subfamily Paramyxovirinae. Isolate QIA-B1201 had the ability to hemagglutinate red blood cells from several species of animals and was capable of adsorbing guinea pig erythrocytes on the surface of infected Vero cells. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that two isolates (QIA-B1201 and QIA-B1204) had high similarity with other human and animal PIV5 isolates ranging from 98.1 to 99.8%. The highest sequence similarity of the two isolates corresponded to strain KNU-11 (99.8% at the nucleotide and amino acid level) isolated from suckling piglets in Korea in 2012. To evaluate the virulence of strain QIA-B1201, we inoculated bPIV5 into 5 week-old mice via both the intraperitoneal and intracranial route. Body weight was not significantly altered in mice inoculated with QIA-B1201. In this study, we isolated and characterized novel bPIV5s from brain samples showing downer cattle syndrome, but were not able to elucidate the pathogenicity of the bPIV5s in mice.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Body Weight ; Brain ; Cattle* ; Erythrocytes ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Mice ; Parainfluenza Virus 5 ; Paramyxoviridae Infections* ; Paramyxovirinae ; Rubulavirus ; Vero Cells ; Virulence

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is characterized by unexplained blood eosinophilia > 1500/mm3 for more than 6 months and eosinophilic infiltration of several organs. A major source of the morbidity and mortality of this syndrome is the associated cardiac involvement. The typical cardiac involvement includes endocardial fibrosis and mural thrombus. We report a case of idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome manifested as multiple regional wall motion abnormalities and moderate pericardial effusion on transthoracic echocardiography that was successfully treated by pericardiostomy and steroid therapy.
Echocardiography ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Fibrosis ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardial Window Techniques ; Thrombosis

Salmonella are causative agents of gastroenteritis and systemic disease in animals. The invA gene was selected as a target sequence of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for diagnosis of Salmonella infection. The detection limits for broth dilution, spiked feces and enrichment were 10(4), 10(5) and 10(2) CFUs/mL, respectively. The LAMP assay developed in the present study may be a reliable method for detection of Salmonella spp. in pig feces.
Animals ; Diagnosis ; Feces* ; Gastroenteritis ; Limit of Detection ; Salmonella Infections ; Salmonella*