Background: Neuroinflammation plays an important role in cognitive decline and memory impairment in neurodegenerative disorders. Previously, we demonstrated that Humulus japonicus (HJ) has anti-inflammatory effects in rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The present study aimed to examine the protective potential of HJ extracts against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive impairment and scopolamine-induced amnesia in mouse models. Cognitive improvement of mice was investigated by novel object recognition test. For analyzing effects on neuroinflammation, immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR) assays were performed. Results: We found that the oral administration of HJ significantly improved cognitive dysfunction induced by LPS in a novel object recognition test. The LPS-induced activation of microglia was notably decreased by HJ treatment in the cortex and hippocampus. HJ administration with LPS also significantly increased the mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-10 and decreased the mRNA expression of IL-12 in the parietal cortex of mice. The increased expression of LPS-induced complement C1q B chain (C1bq) and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2) genes was significantly suppressed by HJ treatment. In addition, HJ administration significantly improved novel object recognition in a scopolamine-induced amnesia mouse model. Conclusions These findings revealed that HJ has a beneficial effect on cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation induced by systemic inflammation and on amnesia induced by scopolamine in mice.

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune bullous disorder characterized by the production of autoantibodies against the intercellular space of the epithelium. It has rarely been reported in association with inflammatory bowel disease. Ulcerative colitis is one of the forms of inflammatory bowel disease. A 62-year-old woman who had been treated for ulcerative colitis for 16 years developed pruritic bullae on the skin of her face and body. Histological findings and direct immunofluorescence examination of the skin showed pemphigus vulgaris. She was treated with systemic steroids, mesalazine, and azathioprine. Her cutaneous lesions have remained in remission and her ulcerative colitis has remained well-controlled. The relationship between pemphigus vulgaris and ulcerative colitis is unclear. An autoimmune response has been suspected in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Pemphigus vulgaris is also associated with an autoimmune mechanism. To our knowledge, this is the first case of ulcerative colitis associated with pemphigus vulgaris reported in Korea. The association may be causal.
Autoantibodies ; Autoimmunity ; Azathioprine ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Epithelium ; Extracellular Space ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Mesalamine ; Middle Aged ; Pemphigus ; Skin ; Steroids ; Ulcer

Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) is used to identify areas of upper airway obstruction, which occurs when patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) snore. DISE enables effective diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the obstruction site. Among surgical treatment methods for OSA, maxillomandibular advancement surgery (MMA) is performed to move a jaw forward; the surgery has a high success rate for OSA treatment. In DISE, anesthetics such as propofol and midazolam must be administered to induce snoring while the patient is deeply sedated for an accurate diagnosis to be made. When inducing deep sedation in a patient with OSA, airway obstruction may increase, causing oxygen saturation to drop; airway interventions are necessary in such cases. Effective DISE and MMA surgery can be performed by administering propofol through target-controlled infusion while monitoring the bispectral index (BIS).
Airway Obstruction ; Anesthetics ; Deep Sedation ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy* ; Humans ; Jaw ; Midazolam ; Oxygen ; Propofol ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Snoring

Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is an anti-hypertensive drug, commonly used to decrease the systemic vascular resistance and lower the blood pressure. When the amount of cyanide generated by the SNP exceeds the metabolic capacity for detoxification, cyanide toxicity occurs. Under general anesthesia and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), it may be difficult to detect the development of cyanide toxicity. In cardiac surgical patients, hemolysis, hypothermia and decreased organ perfusion, which emphasize the risk of cyanide toxicity, may develop as a consequence of CPB. In particular, hemolysis during CPB may cause an unexpected overproduction of cyanide due to free hemoglobin release. We experienced a patient who demonstrated SNP tachyphylaxis and cyanide toxicity during CPB, even though the total amount of SNP administered was much lower than the recommended dose. We therefore report this case with a review of the relevant literature.
Anesthesia, General ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Cyanides ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Nitroprusside* ; Perfusion ; Tachyphylaxis ; Vascular Resistance

Lipoleiomyoma is an uncommon neoplasm of the uterus, composed of smooth muscles intermixed with mature adipocytes. These tumors are considered a benign variant of uterine leiomyomas. Herein, we report six cases of lipoleiomyoma experienced in our institution from January 2005 to March 2015. The patients ranged in age from 45 to 70 years; the etiology may be related to estrogen deficiency occurring after menopausal transition. Except for one lipoleiomyoma in the broad ligament, all others were found in the uterine corpus. The presenting symptoms were nonspecific, and most cases were incidentally diagnosed during surgery for other reasons. We performed preoperative imaging studies, including abdominal and pelvic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Preoperatively, four patients were diagnosed as having a pelvic mass and one patient was diagnosed as having a right ovarian mature teratoma. In one case, we found a gynecologic malignancy (cervical cancer 1A1). Histologically, there was no gross or microscopic contiguity between the lipoleiomyoma and the malignancy. Lipoleiomyomas seem to have a benign clinical course. In our study, there were no recurrences of or deaths attributed to the lipoleiomyomas during a mean follow-up period of 16.17 +/- 23.80 months.
Adipocytes ; Broad Ligament ; Estrogens ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myofibroma ; Perimenopause ; Postmenopause ; Recurrence ; Teratoma ; Uterus

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to identify the diagnostic role of HPV DNA chip test that may predict high grade lesions in gladular cell abnormalities on cervical cytology. METHODS: This study was performed in 88 patients, who were reported for atypical glandular cells on liquid-based cytologic test and was done subsequent cervical biopsies in Chonnam National University Hospital, between January 2003 and June 2007. HPV DNA chip test was performed on residual material of previous liquid-based cytologic test. And it was compared with pathologic results. RESULTS: Of the 88 patients with atypical glandular cells, the distribution was as follows: 60 patients were reported as atypical glandular cells, not otherwise specified (AGC, NOS), 28 patients were reported as atypical glandular cells, favor neoplastics (AGC, favor neoplastics). Of the 88 patients with an AGC result, pathologic results were as follows: 47 patients (53.4%) had a clinically significant high grade lesions. Of this high grade lesions, 5 cases of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, CIN 2 & CIN 3 (83.4%, 5/6), 2 cases of SCC (66.7%, 2/3), 4 cases of AIS (80.0%, 4/5), and 11 cases of endocervical adenocarcinoma (69%, 11/16) were positive on HPV DNA chip test. The sensitivity of human papilloma virus positivity to predict the presence of high grade lesion in cervix was 73.3%, specificity 85.3%, positive predictive value 78.5%, and negative predictive value 81.3%. There were 16 patients with endometrial cancer. Only 3 patients were HPV DNA chip positive. CONCLUSION: HPV DNA detection was strongly associated with high grade lesions in women with atypical glandular cells on cervical pap smear. These results suggest that although there is no high grade lesion in patients with HPV positive AGC-NOS at initial work-up, meticulous search like cone biopsy should be done to find high grade lesion. If the women with a diagnosis of AGC on pap smear are over 35 years of age and has abnormal utero-vaginal bleeding, this patients needed to be evaluated with endometrial biopsy.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Cervix Uteri ; DNA ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Papilloma ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Viruses

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of vaginal myomectomy via colpotomy with analyzing clinical course and postoperative complication. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 59 patients, who underwent vaginal myomectomy between November 1997 and July 2006 in department of gynecology, Chonnam National University Hospital. Operating time, hemoglobin change, postoperative pain, perioperative complication, and days of hospital stay were recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients were evaluated, mean age of patients was 41.54+/-5.8 years. Mean diameter of the uterine myoma was 6.79+/-1.75 cm. Mean operating time was 66.69+/-34.49 minute. Mean hemoglobin loss was 2.67+/-1.26 g/dL, and mean days of hospital stay was 4.91+/-1.25 days. One patient had febrile morbidity. Only one patient had suffered from retroperitoneal bleeding enough to get on operation. CONCLUSION: Vaginal myomectomy seems to be a feasible and safe surgical procedure. Further randomised studies are needed to compare this procedure with laparotomy and laparoscopy, and vaginal myomectomy is expected to be more effective and generalized surgical procedure.
Colpotomy ; Gynecology ; Hemoglobins ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Leiomyoma ; Length of Stay ; Myoma ; Pain, Postoperative ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The state of the coronary microcirculation is an important determinant of the myocardial viability and clinical outcomes for patients suffering with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, there are scant comparative studies on the most reliable invasive, on-site measurement for assessing the microvascular integrity and myocardial viability in AMI patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of a novel index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) and the coronary physiologic parameters for predicting the myocardial viability after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in AMI patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients (21 males, mean age: 55+/-11 years) underwent primary PCI for AMI (LAD: 17, RCA: 6, LCX: 1) were enrolled. After successful PCI, using a pressure-temperature sensor-tipped coronary wire, the thermodilution-derived CFR (CFRthermo) and coronary wedge pressure (Pcw) were measured and the ratio of the Pcw and the mean aortic pressure (Pcw/Pa) was calculated, along with the IMR, which was defined as the distal coronary pressure divided by the inverse of the hyperemic mean transit time. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET was performed after primary PCI at 7 days post-AMI to evaluate the myocardial viability by the regional percentage of FDG uptake in the infarct-related segments. RESULTS: There were good correlations between all the coronary pressure measurements and the regional FDG uptake (CFRthermo, r=0.454, p=0.026; Pcw, r=-0.407, p=0.048; Pcw/Pa, r=-0.480, p=0.018; IMR, r=-0.696, p<0.001, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the IMR was an adjusted predictor for myocardial viability as defined by the 50% FDG-PET threshold value among all the coronary pressure measurements (OR=0.884, p=0.021). The cut-off value of IMR for predicting myocardial viability was 22 U (a sensitivity of 82%, a specificity of 85% and an accuracy of 85%). CONCLUSIONS: Intracoronary pressure wire-based indexes are useful for on-site assessment of myocardial viability after primary PCI. IMR is a novel index that represents the microvascular integrity, and it is a better predictor of myocardial damage than the current techniques for evaluating the microvasculature after primary PCI.
Angioplasty* ; Arterial Pressure ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Microvessels ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the endometrial response and to compare the pregnancy outcome of estradiol supplement in patients with abnormally thin endometrium who are undergoing IUI. METHODS : From November 1st, 1998 to February 28th, 2001, 914 IUI cycles were studied and which were divided into several groups. In preparatory cycle, all of the patients were prepared with conjugated estrogen. The patients were divided into several groups according to the endometrial thickness (ET). Control I (n=734) was normal control group (ET>or=7 mm). Control II (n=67) was control group with abnormally thin endometrium (ETintrauterine insemination7 mm) without estradiol supplement. Group I (n=65) and group II (n=48) had thin endometrial thickness. However, in preparatory cycle, the endometrial thickness was more than 7 mm in group I and was less than 7 mm in group II. Uterine preparation consisted of 6-8 mg of estradiol valerate. The number of natural cycle was 234 and the hyperstimulation protocol used were clomiphene (n=250), clomiphene/ hMG (n=214), hMG (n=216). RESULTS: The average pregnancy rate in group I was 15.4%. There was no significant difference between control I (21.1%) and group I. The pregnancy rate in control II and group II was significantly decreased (3.0 vs. 6.3%) compared with control I and group I. In control I and group I, average endometrial thickness and pregnancy rate were decreased when clomiphene was used compared with hMG alone. (endometrial thickness control I 8.4 +/- 0.6 vs. 10.0 +/- 0.7 mm, group I 6.9 +/- 0.8 vs. 7.9 +/- 0.7 mm, pregnancy rate control I 14.6 vs. 29.8%, group I 9.1 vs. 31.3%). CONCLUSION: The adequate endometrial thickness is an important prognostic factor for implantation and is achieved with administration of estradiol supplement in patients with abnormally thin endometrium who responded to exogenous estradiol with endometrial thickness up to 7 mm in evaluation cycle.
Clomiphene ; Endometrium* ; Estradiol* ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Insemination* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate

BACKGROUND: Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been used in normal heathy donors to mobilize hematopoietic progenitors. Recently, it was reported that an addition of granulocyte-macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF) mobilized more primitive CD34+ subsets than did G- CSF alone. We investigated the result of the allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) with stem cells mobilized with GM-CSF alone or a combination of GM-CSF and G-CSF from normal healthy donors in hematological malignancies. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with hematologic malignancies had allogeneic PBSCT from normal sibling donors. Nine healthy donors were mobilized with GM-CSF (Leucogen (R)) alone and 20 with a combination of GM-CSF and G-CSF (Leucostim (R)). After 5~8 days of cytokine treatment, PBSCs were collected by large volume leukapheresis and analyzed. RESULTS: Stem cells were collected from the HLA matched normal healthy sibling donors. The mean harvested cell content was 8.74+/-3.22X10(8) MNCs/kg, 15.65+/-16.02X10(6) CD34+ cells/kg of the patients. There were significant differences in the harvested MNC count between mobilization group with GM-CSF alone and group with a bination of GM-CSF and G-CSF. Observed side effects of cytokine mobilization were myalgia (76%), headache (41%), febrile sense (24%) and skin rash (10%). These complications disappeared within 48 hours after discontinuation of cytokines. The median interval to achieve a WBC count>500/uL was 15.00+/-4.23 days, and 14.00+/-33.01 days to a platelet count>20,000/uL. The actual incidence of acute GVHD was 36.4%, 22.7%, and 4.5% for skin, GIT, and liver, respectively. Immunosuppressant responsive chronic GVHD developed in 63.1% (12/19) of assessable patients including 6 cases who had donor lymphocyte infusions. CONCLUSION: In this study, GM-CSF based cytokine mobilization was able to collect sufficient numbers of stem cells and allow rapid engraftment in the allogeneic PBSCT. Mobilization protocol with a combination of GM-CSF and G-CSF seemed to be superior to GM-CSF alone. Acute GVHD in patients with allogeneic PBSCT didn't appear to be more severe than in patients undergoing allogeneic BMT.
Blood Platelets ; Cytokines ; Exanthema ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Headache ; Hematologic Neoplasms* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukapheresis ; Liver ; Lymphocytes ; Myalgia ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Siblings ; Skin ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors*