Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a natural fungus that has been valued as a health food and used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. The fungus is parasitic and colonizes insect larva. Naturally occurring O. sinensis thrives at high altitude in cold and grassy alpine meadows on the Himalayan mountain ranges. Wild Ophiocordyceps is becoming increasingly rare in its natural habitat, and its price limits its use in clinical practice. Therefore, the development of a standardized alternative is a great focus of research to allow the use of Ophiocordyceps as a medicine. To develop an alternative for wild Ophiocordyceps, a refined standardized extract, CBG-CS-2, was produced by artificial fermentation and extraction of the mycelial strain Paecilomyces hepiali CBG-CS-1, which originated from wild O. sinensis. In this study, we analyzed the in vitro immune-modulating effect of CBG-CS-2 on natural killer cells and B and T lymphocytes. CBG-CS-2 stimulated splenocyte proliferation and enhanced Th1-type cytokine expression in the mouse splenocytes. Importantly, in vitro CBG-CS-2 treatment enhanced the killing activity of the NK-92MI natural killer cell line. These results indicate that the mycelial culture extract prepared from Ophiocordyceps exhibits immune-modulating activity, as was observed in vivo and this suggests its possible use in the treatment of diseases caused by abnormal immune function.
Altitude ; Animals ; Colon ; Ecosystem ; Fermentation ; Food, Organic ; Fungi ; Homicide ; Insects ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Larva ; Lymphocytes* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Paecilomyces ; T-Lymphocytes

Most reports on serious MTX toxicity have focused on hepatic abnormalities, while other effects, including hematologic reactions, have not been emphasized. We experienced a case of pancytopenia secondary to MTX therapy in a patient with RA and renal insufficiency. A 67-year-old woman with a 12-year history of active seropositive RA that was a response to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hydroxychloroquinine and intra-articular steroid injections, had been followed up and was diagnosed as early chronic renal failure in October, 1993. Recently, because of significant morning stiffness and polyarthralgia, the decision was made to institute MTX treatment. This was begun as a single oral dose of 5mg/week. After 2 doses, the patient was admitted to the hospital with general weakness. Laboratory tests showed a hemoglobin level of 7.9 g/dl, WBC count 1800/mm3 and platelet count of 64000/mm3. The serum creatinine level was 6.1 mEq/dl and the BUN level was 82 mEq/dl. Liver function test results were normal, but the serum albumin level was 2.7 g/dl. The patient subsequently developed fever and blood transfusions, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and intravenous prophylactic antibiotic therapy were required. Her condition was improved. In summary, Low-dose MTX-related adverse hematologic side effects, including fatal pancytopenia, are rare but are a cause of increasing concern in patients with RA and renal insufficiency. Close monitoring of associated risk factors, particularly impaired renal function, should be mandatory for all patients who are receiving MTX therapy.
Aged ; Antirheumatic Agents/adverse effects* ; Antirheumatic Agents/administration & dosage ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/complications ; Methotrexate/adverse effects* ; Methotrexate/administration & dosage ; Pancytopenia/chemically induced* ; Risk Factors

Bezoars are persistent concretions of indigestible material, usually seen in the stomach. Esophageal bezoars are very rare and generally occur in elderly patients with anatomic defects such as diverticulum or stricture, or with esophageal motility disorders. However, it is quite unusual that a gastric bezoar would be regurgitated into a normal esophagus during forceful vomiting. Endoscopic removal of a bezoar is safe and successful in most cases. A case of a gastric bezoar regurgitated into the esophagus was recently experienced and removed by an endoscopic polypectomy snare and bezoar (lithotripsy) basket.
Aged ; Bezoars* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diverticulum ; Esophageal Motility Disorders ; Esophagus* ; Humans ; SNARE Proteins ; Stomach* ; Vomiting

Tetrodotoxin is a neurotoxin produced by about 90 species of puffer fish and causes paralysis of central nervous system and peripheral nerves by blocking the movement of all monovalent cations. Ingestion of tetrodotoxin produces clinical manifestations such as paresthesias(within 10-45 min), vomiting, lightheadedness, salivation, muscle twitching, dysphagia, difficulty in speaking, convulsion and death that expressed by cardiopulmonary arrest with loss of brain stem reflex sometimes. Tetrodotoxin prevents or delays ischemia induced neuronal death by way of following 3 mechanisms. Firstly, it reduces the energy demand of the brain tissues. Secondly, it delays or even prevents anoxic depolarization. Finally, it diminishes ischemia induced cell swelling and cerebral edema. We report a case of puffer fish poisoning which presented with cardiopulmonary arrest and loss of brain stem reflex, but completely recovered by aggressive cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Brain Stem ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Cations, Monovalent ; Central Nervous System ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dizziness ; Eating ; Heart Arrest ; Ischemia ; Neurons ; Paralysis ; Peripheral Nerves ; Poisoning* ; Reflex ; Salivation ; Seizures ; Tetraodontiformes* ; Tetrodotoxin ; Vomiting

Bleeding duodenal varices are a rare complication in patients with portal hypertension. Cirrhosis followed by portal vein obstruction and splenic vein obstruction are the most common causes. Although the prognosis of bleeding duodenal varices is usually poor, an awareness of its characteristic presentation may enable diagnostic and therapeutic proce- dures to be performed rapidly with an increased likelihood of a reaching successful out- come. In this study, we report a case of bleeding duodenal varices in a 23-year-old woman with idiopathic portal hypertension who was also suffering with recurrent melena. Panendoscopy identified prominant tortuous varices with central erosion in the 3rd portion of the duodenum and no esophageal and gastric varices. The varices were successfully treated by distal splenorenal shunt.
Duodenum ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal* ; Melena ; Portal Vein ; Prognosis ; Splenic Vein ; Splenorenal Shunt, Surgical ; Varicose Veins* ; Young Adult

Radiographic increase in the size of tibial and femoral tunnels has been observed following the reconstruction of the ACL with a bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft. The purpose of this study is to determine if any differences exist in the amount of enlargement of the bone tunnel with the clinical results and to know the factors which affected to the enlargement of the bone tunnels. Total 27 patients were retrospectively reviewed for tunnel enlargement radiographically at one year after operation. Anteroposterior and lateral x-ray were obtained and the tunnel were measured by two independent observers. The measurements were made at the widest part of the tunnel. The distance between tibial interference screw and knee joint line also measured. Correction for magnification was performed by comparing the measured width of the interference screw used for fixation of the graft with its actual width. Statistical analysis was performed with Wilcoxon rank sum test. The radiographic tunnel enlargement was an average of 1.7+/-1.3mm for the femur and 1.9+/-0.8mm for the tibia. The proximal migration of the tibial interference screw was an average of 2.3++/-1.1 mm. There was no statistically significant correlation between the changes in tunnel diameter and either the modified Hughston knee score, Lysholm knee score, or the joint laxity measured by a KT-2000 arthrometer, Lachman test. There were no correlations between the mild proximal migration of the tibial interference screw and the clinical results. Conclusively, the tunnel enlargement and mild proximal migration of the interference screw did not appear to affect the functional outcome adversely. It needs longer follow up for the evaluation of etiology and natural history of this tunnel enlargement.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Autografts ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joint Instability ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Natural History ; Patellar Ligament* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia ; Transplants*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of combination therapy composed of percutaneous ethanol injection treatment and subsequent transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of single nodular hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of eight patients with single nodule hepatocellur carcinoma (+/-5cm)were treated with a combination of initial percutaneous ethonol injection therapy(PEIT) and, a week later, transcatether arterial embolization(TAE). CT was performed 3 weeks after TAE to assess whether or not lipidol uptake had occurred. If lipiodol was accumulated in the nodule, the necrotic rate of the tumor was calculated by the following equation: (initially observed tumor volume - volume of nodule in which lipidol uptake occurred)x100/Initially observed tumor volume. Follow-up CT scan was performed every third or fourth month to evaluate tumor growth or recurrence. RESULTS: A nodule in which lipidol uptake occurred was seen in four of the eight patients; in one of these, a tumor-confirmed by angiogaphic examination and laboratory data-recurred twelve months later. The mean necrotic rate of a tumor treated PEIT alone was 83%(range, 37%-100%). CONCLUSION: Although limited in numbers of cases we studied, use of combination therapy composed of PEIT and subsequent TAE, appears to be effective in achieving the high rate of tumor necrosis as well as in the evaluation of the tumor during follow-up.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Ethanol* ; Ethiodized Oil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Recurrence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tumor Burden

BACKGROUND: Two dimensional echocardiographic monitoring of left ventricular resional wall motion abnormalities(RWMA) with incremental injection of ergonovine up to 350microg(ErgEcho) is useful for a noninvasive diagnosis of coronary vasospasm(CVS). The prevalence that CVS may evoke unstable angina(UA). However, this theory has not been the subject of any systematic analysis to date. This prospective study was carried out on patients who had been tentatively diagnosed as having UA when they were carried out on patients who has been tentatively diagnosed as having UA when they were admitted to the coronary care unit due to chest pain. The aim was to determine the significance of CVS in the clinical spectrum of UA and the value of Erg Echo when applied to this situation. METHODS: With antianginal medications a diagnostic coronary angiography was done to rule out significant fixed athrosclerotic disease(FD), with more than 70% narrowing of luminal diameter. In patients with normal coronary angiograms of insignificant FD. Erg Echo was performed to diagnose CVS after the discontinuation of all antianginal medications. All patients with postinfarction or secondary angina were excluded in this study. RESULTS: Of 191 patients(135 males, 57+/-9 yrs) enrolled from Mar 1992 to June 1993,71%(135/191) showed significant FD in the angiography. CVS was documented in 18%(34/191) using Erg Echo with mean injected ergonovine dosage of 125+/-89microg. In patients with CVS only 24%(8/34) had mild fixed lesion in the angiography with mean luminal narrowing of 60%(+/-12%). RWMA in the territory of left anterior descending artery was the most common(70%, 24/34). Other causes of chest were esophageal spasm in 3 patient(1%, 3/191) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 2 patients, and 17 patients were diagnosed as having chest pain of unkwnon etiology. One of them redeveloped chest pain 2 months later. when repeated Erg Echo revealed RWMA. Others were symptom free during the follow-up(8+/-4 months) and there were no cardiac events. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that in patients presenting UA in Korea, CVA is the main cause of myocardial ischemia in considerable number of patient, and Erg Echo after the angiography is useful and safe for noninvasive diagnosis of CVS in this situation.
Angina, Unstable* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Care Units ; Coronary Vasospasm ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography* ; Ergonovine* ; Esophageal Spasm, Diffuse ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Phenobarbital ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Two dimensional echocardiographic monitoring of left ventricular resional wall motion abnormalities(RWMA) with incremental injection of ergonovine up to 350microg(ErgEcho) is useful for a noninvasive diagnosis of coronary vasospasm(CVS). The prevalence that CVS may evoke unstable angina(UA). However, this theory has not been the subject of any systematic analysis to date. This prospective study was carried out on patients who had been tentatively diagnosed as having UA when they were carried out on patients who has been tentatively diagnosed as having UA when they were admitted to the coronary care unit due to chest pain. The aim was to determine the significance of CVS in the clinical spectrum of UA and the value of Erg Echo when applied to this situation. METHODS: With antianginal medications a diagnostic coronary angiography was done to rule out significant fixed athrosclerotic disease(FD), with more than 70% narrowing of luminal diameter. In patients with normal coronary angiograms of insignificant FD. Erg Echo was performed to diagnose CVS after the discontinuation of all antianginal medications. All patients with postinfarction or secondary angina were excluded in this study. RESULTS: Of 191 patients(135 males, 57+/-9 yrs) enrolled from Mar 1992 to June 1993,71%(135/191) showed significant FD in the angiography. CVS was documented in 18%(34/191) using Erg Echo with mean injected ergonovine dosage of 125+/-89microg. In patients with CVS only 24%(8/34) had mild fixed lesion in the angiography with mean luminal narrowing of 60%(+/-12%). RWMA in the territory of left anterior descending artery was the most common(70%, 24/34). Other causes of chest were esophageal spasm in 3 patient(1%, 3/191) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 2 patients, and 17 patients were diagnosed as having chest pain of unkwnon etiology. One of them redeveloped chest pain 2 months later. when repeated Erg Echo revealed RWMA. Others were symptom free during the follow-up(8+/-4 months) and there were no cardiac events. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that in patients presenting UA in Korea, CVA is the main cause of myocardial ischemia in considerable number of patient, and Erg Echo after the angiography is useful and safe for noninvasive diagnosis of CVS in this situation.
Angina, Unstable* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Care Units ; Coronary Vasospasm ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography* ; Ergonovine* ; Esophageal Spasm, Diffuse ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Phenobarbital ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Thorax

No abstract available.