ABSTRACT
Objective: To classify four new Sparassis strains (CLM1, CKM1, CKM2, and KJM1) using the internal transcribed spacer sequence and to elucidate their β-glucan content and mycelial growth. Methods: Two different microbiological media were used to determine growth rate. The β-glucan contents were analyzed using the Megazyme Mushroom and Yeast Beta-Glucan kit. To determine the genetic relationships, phylogenetic trees were constructed using ClustalX. Multiple sequence alignments were printed and shaded with the BOXSHADE 3.21 program. Results: In this study, four new Sparassis strains were isolated from the southern region of the Korea Peninsula. They were all classified into the Sparassis latifolia clade as a monophyletic group based on the internal transcribed spacer sequence. Mycelial growth rate of the CLM1 strain was highest in potato dextrose agar and potato dextrose agar larch. The β-glucan content of the CLM1 strain was highest at 29.5% (w/w). A high degree of sequence divergence was detected in the RNA polymerase second largest subunit II gene (RPB2) within Sparassis spp. tested. The putative amino acid sequences of the RPB2 had a distinct sequence. The nucleotide sequences of the RPB2's intron were also divergent among Sparassis spp., even though their nucleotide length was well conserved within Sparassis latifolia. Conclusions: These results indicate that the nucleotide sequences and the amino acid sequences of RPB2 can be used to identify individual Sparassis sp. The Sparassis strain CLM1 may be best for developing a remedy to prevent or treat cancer and other chronic diseases.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain which develops following osteoporotic thoracic compression fractures (OTCFs). METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of 35 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation for the treatment of OTCFs over a five year period. The patients were divided into two groups: the costalgia group included patientswho had costal pain after a vertebral fracture and the non-costalgia group included patients without costalgia. To evaluate the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain and factors related to costal pain, several factors including: vertebral body fracture type, pedicle injury, bone mineral density, the fracture level and clinical outcome were confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging and chart reviews. RESULTS: Among 35 patients, ten patients (28.6%) complained of costal pain with back pain. Only five of the ten patients (50%) had improved costal pain after a vertebroplasty. In the remaining 5 patients, the costal pain was improved through the use of medication including pain killers or a costal block during the follow-up period. Although the incidence of wedge deformity in the costal group was low(10%), there was no significant relationship to the incidence of costal pain statistically. Pedicle injury, bone mineral density and the fracture level had no significant relation to costal pain. CONCLUSION: The patients with wedge type, OTCFs may have a low incidence of costal pain as compared to those patients with bi-concave and crush deformities. The vertebroplasty effect on costal pain may not be effective. Therefore, before doing vertebroplasty, the surgeon should advise patients of this potential outcome in those treated for OTCFs.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Back Pain , Bone Density , Congenital Abnormalities , Follow-Up Studies , Fractures, Compression , Incidence , Intercostal Nerves , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Medical Records , Osteoporosis , Spinal Fractures , VertebroplastyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain which develops following osteoporotic thoracic compression fractures (OTCFs). METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of 35 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation for the treatment of OTCFs over a five year period. The patients were divided into two groups: the costalgia group included patientswho had costal pain after a vertebral fracture and the non-costalgia group included patients without costalgia. To evaluate the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain and factors related to costal pain, several factors including: vertebral body fracture type, pedicle injury, bone mineral density, the fracture level and clinical outcome were confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging and chart reviews. RESULTS: Among 35 patients, ten patients (28.6%) complained of costal pain with back pain. Only five of the ten patients (50%) had improved costal pain after a vertebroplasty. In the remaining 5 patients, the costal pain was improved through the use of medication including pain killers or a costal block during the follow-up period. Although the incidence of wedge deformity in the costal group was low(10%), there was no significant relationship to the incidence of costal pain statistically. Pedicle injury, bone mineral density and the fracture level had no significant relation to costal pain. CONCLUSION: The patients with wedge type, OTCFs may have a low incidence of costal pain as compared to those patients with bi-concave and crush deformities. The vertebroplasty effect on costal pain may not be effective. Therefore, before doing vertebroplasty, the surgeon should advise patients of this potential outcome in those treated for OTCFs.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Back Pain , Bone Density , Congenital Abnormalities , Follow-Up Studies , Fractures, Compression , Incidence , Intercostal Nerves , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Medical Records , Osteoporosis , Spinal Fractures , VertebroplastyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Denervation supersensitivity to 0.125% pilocarpine is an important factor in making a diagnosis of Adie's tonic pupil. However, it generally takes several weeks for denervation supersensitivity to manifest after an injury to the nerve ganglion. We report a case of 'acute' Adie's tonic pupil before the manifestation of denervation supersensitivity. CASE SUMMARY: A 53-year-old man with no significant past medical history visited our clinic, reporting mydriasis of his left eye. Pupil size was 8 mm in the right eye, 3 mm in the left. Loss of both direct/indirect light reflex and light-near reflex were observed. The left pupil did not react to 0.125% Pilocarpine, but constricted in response to 1% pilocarpine. After 5 months, the pupil size did not change, but the pupil constricted in response to 0.125% pilocarpine. CONCLUSIONS: In an isolated case of dilated pupil, though the pupil did not react to 0.125% pilocarpine, with respect to the Adie's tonic pupil, to check the manifestation of denervation supersensitivity should be needed at regular intervals.
Subject(s)
Humans , Middle Aged , Denervation , Eye , Ganglion Cysts , Hypersensitivity , Light , Mydriasis , Pilocarpine , Pupil , Reflex , Tonic PupilABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Denervation supersensitivity to 0.125% pilocarpine is an important factor in making a diagnosis of Adie's tonic pupil. However, it generally takes several weeks for denervation supersensitivity to manifest after an injury to the nerve ganglion. We report a case of 'acute' Adie's tonic pupil before the manifestation of denervation supersensitivity. CASE SUMMARY: A 53-year-old man with no significant past medical history visited our clinic, reporting mydriasis of his left eye. Pupil size was 8 mm in the right eye, 3 mm in the left. Loss of both direct/indirect light reflex and light-near reflex were observed. The left pupil did not react to 0.125% Pilocarpine, but constricted in response to 1% pilocarpine. After 5 months, the pupil size did not change, but the pupil constricted in response to 0.125% pilocarpine. CONCLUSIONS: In an isolated case of dilated pupil, though the pupil did not react to 0.125% pilocarpine, with respect to the Adie's tonic pupil, to check the manifestation of denervation supersensitivity should be needed at regular intervals.
Subject(s)
Humans , Middle Aged , Denervation , Eye , Ganglion Cysts , Hypersensitivity , Light , Mydriasis , Pilocarpine , Pupil , Reflex , Tonic PupilABSTRACT
Gastric web is a rare gastric anomaly and almost all the reported cases have been located in the distal antrum. We experienced a case of neonatal gastric web that was located in the body of stomach, and we report the findings of the upper gastrointestinal series and ultrasonography.
Subject(s)
Stomach , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
Multiseptate gallbladder is a very rare congenital malformation, and has never been reported in a neonate. We present the first published ultrasonographic findings of multiseptate gallbladder in a neonate.
Subject(s)
Humans , Infant, Newborn , GallbladderABSTRACT
Pigmented liver cell adenoma is very rare benign hepatic tumor and only four cases have been reported in the literature until now. We experienced one case of pigmented liver cell adenoma with nodule-in-nodule appearance, and we report on the ultrasonographic, CT and pathologic findings.
Subject(s)
Adenoma, Liver Cell , LiverABSTRACT
Gastric volvulus is a rare condition, and it is classified as the organoaxial or mesentericaxial type according to the axis of rotation. We experienced 1 case of pediatric recurrent mesenteroaxial gastric volvulus and we report here the ultrasonographic and CT findings.
Subject(s)
Axis, Cervical Vertebra , Stomach VolvulusABSTRACT
Adriamycin (ADR) is a potent anticancer drug that causes often severe cardiomyopathy. Previous reports have demonstrated that zinc accumulation is shown in rat myocardial cells following ADR treatment. However, the mechanism and role of zinc accumulation in ADR-induced cardiomyopathy are not yet elucidated. Zinc may be one of the key executors in ADR-induced cardiomyopathy. To test this hypothesis, we examined the cytotoxic effects of zinc on various cell lines including H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells, HL-60, U937, and C(6)-glial cells. Zinc induced significant the death of H9c2 cells at 0.125 mM in a dose-dependent manner. However, zinc did not induce any cytotoxic effect on both promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells and monoblastoid U937 cells. The nuclear morphology of Zn(2+)-treated H9c2 cells displayed apparent chromatin condensation, but no formation of chromatin fragmentation. In addition, phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization was observed by annexin-V staining. Zinc markedly decreased the intracellular GSH level in a time-dependent manner. Exposure to 0.2 mM ZnCl(2) for 6 hr decreased the intracellular GSH content to 13% of control value. Zinc-induced death of H9c2 cells and the intracellular GSH depletion were completely prevented by the addition of exogenous GSH and NAC. These result suggests that intracellular GSH depletion is directly involved in zinc-induced cardiomyopathy.