Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate differentially expressed genes and their functions in the hippocampus and striatum after heroin administration in cynomolgus macaques of different ages. Methods: Cynomolgus monkeys were divided by age as follows: 1 year (A1, n = 2); 3 to 4 years (A2, n = 2); 6 to 8 years (A3, n = 2); and older than 11 years (A4, n = 2). After heroin was injected intramuscularly into the monkeys (0.6 mg/kg), we performed large-scale transcriptome profiling in the hippocampus (H) and striatum (S) using RNA sequencing technology. Some genes were validated with real-time quantitative PCR. Results: In the hippocampus, the gene expression of A1H was similar to that of A4H, while the gene expression of A2H was similar to that of A3H. Genes associated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway (STMN1, FGF14, and MAPT) and -aminobutyric acid-ergic synapses (GABBR2 and GAD1) were differentially expressed among control and heroin-treated animals. Differential gene expression between A1S and A4S was the least significant, while differential gene expression between A3S and A2S was the most significant. Genes associated with the neurotrophin signaling pathway (NTRK1 and NGFR), autophagy (ATG5), and dopaminergic synapses (AKT1) in the striatum were differentially expressed among control and heroin-treated animals. Conclusion These results suggest that even a single heroin exposure can cause differential gene expression in the hippocampus and striatum of nonhuman primates at different ages.

To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pork on the market in Korea, an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tissue fluid (CAU-tf-ELISA) was developed using a soluble extract of T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. As the standard positive controls, the piglets were experimentally infected with T. gondii: Group A (1,000 cysts-containing bradyzoites), Group B (500 cysts-containing bradyzoites) and Group C (1.0×103 or 1.0×104 tachyzoites). The CAU-tf-ELISA demonstrated infection intensity-dependent positivity toward tissue fluids with average cut-off value 0.15: 100% for Group A, 93.8% for Group B and 40.6% for Group C. When tissue-specific cut-off values 0.066–0.199 were applied, CAU-tf-ELISA showed 96.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive and 90.0% negative predictive values. When compared with the same tissue fluids, performance of CAU-tf-ELISA was better than that of a commercial ELISA kit. Of the 583 Korea domestic pork samples tested, anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected from 9.1% of whole samples and 37.9% from skirt meat highest among pork parts. In the 386 imported frozen pork samples, 1.8% (skirt meat and shoulder blade) were positive for anti-T. gondii antibodies. In Korea, prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in the pork on retail markets appeared high, suggesting that regulations on pig farming and facilities are necessary to supply safe pork on the tables.
Agriculture ; Antibodies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Korea ; Meat ; Prevalence ; Red Meat ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Shoulder ; Social Control, Formal ; Toxoplasma

We induced percutaneous spinal cord injuries (SCI) using a balloon catheter in 45 rats and transplanted human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) at the injury site. Locomotor function was significantly improved in hUCB-MSCs transplanted groups. Quantitative ELISA of extract from entire injured spinal cord showed increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). Our results show that treatment of SCI with hUCB-MSCs can improve locomotor functions, and suggest that increased levels of BDNF, NGF and NT-3 in the injured spinal cord were the main therapeutic effect.
Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/*genetics ; *Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression Profiling ; *Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Locomotion ; Nerve Growth Factor/genetics ; Rats ; Spinal Cord Injuries/*therapy

The use of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells for cell transplantation therapy holds great promise for repairing spinal cord injury. Here we report the first clinical trial transplantation of human umbilical cord (hUCB)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the spinal cord of a dog suspected to have fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCEM) and that experienced a loss of deep pain sensation. Locomotor functions improved following transplantation in a dog. Based on our findings, we suggest that transplantation of hUCB-derived MSCs will have beneficial therapeutic effects on FCEM patients lacking deep pain sensation.
Animals ; Cartilage Diseases/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; *Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation/veterinary ; Dog Diseases/etiology/*therapy ; Dogs ; Embolism/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; Female ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/cytology/*metabolism ; Spinal Cord Diseases/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; Treatment Outcome

Here, percutaneous spinal cord injury (SCI) methods using a balloon catheter in adult rats are described. A balloon catheter was inserted into the epidural space through the lumbosacral junction and then inflated between T9-T10 for 10min under fluoroscopic guidance. Animals were divided into three groups with respect to inflation volume: 20 microL (n = 18), 50 microL (n = 18) and control (Fogarty catheter inserted but not inflated; n = 10). Neurological assessments were then made based on BBB score, magnetic resonance imaging and histopathology. Both inflation volumes produced complete paralysis. Gradual recovery of motor function occurred when 20 microL was used, but not after 50 microL was applied. In the 50 microL group, all gray and white matter was lost from the center of the lesion. In addition, supramaximal damage was noted, which likely prevented spontaneous recovery. This percutaneous spinal cord compression injury model is simple, rapid with high reproducibility and the potential to serve as a useful tool for investigation of pathophysiology and possible protective treatments of SCI in vivo.
Animals ; Balloon Embolectomy/*methods ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord Compression/*therapy

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a typical autoimmune disease that's characterized by various autoantibodies to nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens. The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in serum is generally considered a decisive diagnostic sign of SLE. However, a small subset of SLE patients who had the typical clinical features of SLE was reported to show persistently negative ANA tests. Our report describes a 16-yr-old female who presented with the clinical manifestations of SLE such as malar rash, photosensitivity, arthritis, lymphopenia, pericarditis and proteinuria. The serum autoantibodies were all negative and renal biopsy showed that the histopathological changes of immune complex mediated the focal segmental necrotizing glomerulonephritis with crescent formation. She was treated with monthly pulse cyclophosphamide along with corticosteroids. During the 2-yr follow-up period, the proteinuria was markedly decreased and all of the ANA and anti-double stranded DNA antibody tests were negative. This case suggests that ANA may not be required in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.
Adolescent ; Antibodies, Antinuclear/*immunology ; Biopsy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lupus Nephritis/diagnosis/*immunology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Recent studies have reported improved perioperative and long-term outcomes for the initial postoperative results for patients with a huge HCC. The purpose of this study was to investigate the surgical outcomes of patients with a huge HCC and we wanted to identify any subgroup that would likely benefit from hepatic resection. METHODS: From January 1996 to August 2006, 55 patients were diagnosed with a huge HCC (> or = 10cm in diameter). All the tumors were classified as either the expanding nodular type or the non- expanding nodular type. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 50.6 years and 39 patients were male. The most common cause of liver disease was hepatitis B virus. The mean size of tumor was 11.9 cm. Microscopic liver cirrhosis was present in 17 patients. Twenty-three patients had tumors of the expanding nodular type. Curative resection was performed in 50 patients. The 5-year diseasefree and overall survival rates after resection were 35.8% and 41.0%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that surgical margins of < or = 1.0, a non-curative resection, the non-expanding nodular type and microscopic vascular invasion were adverse prognostic factors for survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that the gross tumor classification (expanding nodular vs. nonexpanding nodular) was the only independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Huge HCC is not a homogenous group and the gross tumor pattern may represent the biologic behavior of huge HCC. Because the outcome of surgical treatment is far better than that of non-surgical treatment, resection should be actively considered for patients with a huge HCC. An expanding nodular type tumor is the best candidate for surgical resection.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

This study was conducted to observe effects of two methods of setting positive endexpiratory pressure (PEEP) based on the pressure-volume (PV) curve. After lung injury was induced by oleic acid in six mongrel adult dogs, the inflation PV curve was traced and the lower inflection point (LIP) was measured. The 'PEEP(INF)' was defined as LIP+2 cmH2O. After recruitment maneuver to move the lung physiology to the deflation limb of PV curve, decremental PEEP was applied. The lowest level of PEEP that did not result in a significant drop in PaO2 was defined as the 'PEEP(DEF)'. Arterial blood gases, lung mechanics, hemodynamics, and lung volumes (measured on computed tomography during end-expiratory pause) were measured at PEEP of 0 cmH2O, PEEP(INF) and PEEP(DEF) sequentially. The median PEEP(INF) was 13.4 cm H2O (interquartile range, 12.5-14.3) and median PEEP(DEF) was 12.0 cm H2O (10.0-16.5) (p=0.813). PEEP(DEF) was associated with significantly higher PaO2 and lung volumes, and significantly lower shunt fraction and cardiac index when compared to PEEP(INF) (p<0.05). Setting the PEEP based on the deflation limb of the PV curve was useful in improving oxygenation and lung volumes in a canine lung injury model.
Animals ; Dogs ; Lung/pathology ; *Lung Injury ; Lung Volume Measurements/*methods ; Male ; Oxygen/metabolism ; Positive-Pressure Respiration/*methods ; Pressure ; Pulmonary Gas Exchange ; Radiography, Thoracic/methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods

PURPOSE: We conducted this study to assess the effect of oral application of bovine colostrum on the plasma endotoxin and TNF-alpha following the abdominal surgery. METHODS: 46 patients who underwent the abdominal surgery were evenly enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double blind and placebo-controlled study. The patients were preoperatively managed by oral application of 20 g of a bovine colostrums or placebo (nonfat dried milk) per a day for 3 days. In both groups, endotoxin was sequentially determined pre-, intra- and postoperatively by a modified limulus amebocyte lysate test. TNF-alpha and CRP were also measured. The clinical course was followed and compared in both groups. RESULTS: The colostrum group showed significantly lower level of endotoxin and TNF-alpha compared to the placebo group. CRP did not differ in both groups. Clinical event did not occur in both group until the discharge. Colostrum group tends to have a lower incidence of fever and leukocytosis without statistic significance. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic preoperative oral application of bovine colostrum lower the plasma level of perioperative endotoxin and TNF-alpha. Further studies were needed for the relation of clinical effect and preoperative oral application of bovine colostrum.
Colostrum* ; Endotoxemia* ; Fever ; Horseshoe Crabs ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytosis ; Plasma ; Prospective Studies ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

The coexistence of polymyositis and primary biliary cirrhosis is rare. Both are characterized by chronic inflammation and immunological abnormalities. We report a case of 54-year-old female patient presenting with these two autoimmune diseases. She exhibited symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and elevated serum levels of muscle enzymes. Polymyositis was confirmed by electromyography and muscle biopsy. The diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis was based on increased serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, IgM immunoglobulin, presence of antimitochodrial antibody and characteristic liver biopy findings. This is the first case who manifest polymyositis and primary biliary cirrhosis simultaneously in Korea.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary* ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Weakness ; Polymyositis*