The Levels of Pro-Inflammatory Factors Are Significantly Decreased in Cerebral Palsy Patients Following an Allogeneic Umbilical Cord Blood Cell Transplant

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The transplantation of human umbilical cord blood cells (hUCBCs) has been shown to attenuate the unregulated activation of microglia in a rat model of cerebral palsy (CP). To investigate whether hUCBCs transplantation is also anti-inflammatory in humans, we performed a clinical trial in patients with CP. METHODS AND RESULTS: Allogeneic or autologous hUCBCs and erythropoietin (EPO) were intravenously injected into human patients with CP (mean age of approximately 38 weeks), and patients were analyzed for their motor function and social behavior. Blood samples were tested for cytokine levels. The most surprising finding in the study was that the cytokine levels were dependent on the donor cell source (allogeneic or autologous). Interestingly, the allogeneic treatment group demonstrated significantly decreased levels of pro-inflammatory factors, such as IL-1alpha, IL-6, TNF-beta, and RANTES, and showed a statistically significant improvement in motor and social behavior compared to the autologous treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: Given that inflammation plays a pivotal role in CP, our results suggest that allogeneic hUCBCs therapy may be an appropriate strategy for CP treatment. In addition, prior to transplantation, a detailed analysis of the amount of proinflammatory cytokines in cord blood may be needed to avoid exacerbating inflammatory responses.

A Case of Intrahepatic Pseudocyst Complicating Acute Pancreatitis / 대한소화기학회지

Although most of pseudocysts as one of complications of pancreatitis occur primarily within the pancreas, the extrapancreatic locations of pseudocysts, especially in the liver, are rare events. With advanced technology of imaging studies including abdominal computed tomography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging, their frequency seems to be increasing. We report here a case of left intrahepatic pancreatic pseudocyst following acute pancreatitis. Percutaneous puncture revealed a high level of amylase and lipase in the collection, confirming the diagnosis of intrahepatic pseudocyst. Symptomatic intrahepatic pseudocysts can be managed surgically, transcutaneously or endoscopically, and asymptomatic intrahepatic pseudocysts can be treated conservatively. We report this case with a review of literature.

Gastric Wall Shortening in Early Gastric Cancer: Upper Gastrointestinal Series and Pathologic Correlation

PURPOSE: To investigate the causes of gastric wall shortening in early gastric cancer, upper gastrointestinal study was correlated with pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 41 cases(M :F=1.7:1, average age=49) of early gastric cancer, retrospectively. The gastric wall shortening were classified as Grade I; none, Grade II ;intermediate, and Grade III; prominent. Pathologic findings such as size of lesions, depth of tumor invasion, degree of the submucosal fibrosis, degree of thickness of the submucosa and muscularis propria, and morphologic patterns of lesions including conversing mucosal folds were correlated with the degree of gastric wall shortening on upper gastrointestinal series. RESULTS: Submucosal fibrosis was present in 4 cases in Grade I (n=21), 4 cases in Grade II (n=6) and 8 cases in Grade III (n=10). Positive conversing mucosal folds were seen in 5 cases in Grade I (n=17), 0 case in Grade II (n=2) and 9 cases in Grade III (n=9). Gastric wall shortening was significantly associated with submucosal fibrosis and conversing mucosal folds of early gastric cancer. (p=.0001 and p=.002, respectively) CONCLUSION: Upper gastrointestinal finding of gastric wall protrusion in patients with early gastric cancer should not misinterprete as advanced gastric cancer since the finding could be a result of submucosal fibrosis.

Gastric Wall Shortening in Early Gastric Cancer: Upper Gastrointestinal Series and Pathologic Correlation

PURPOSE: To investigate the causes of gastric wall shortening in early gastric cancer, upper gastrointestinal study was correlated with pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 41 cases(M :F=1.7:1, average age=49) of early gastric cancer, retrospectively. The gastric wall shortening were classified as Grade I; none, Grade II ;intermediate, and Grade III; prominent. Pathologic findings such as size of lesions, depth of tumor invasion, degree of the submucosal fibrosis, degree of thickness of the submucosa and muscularis propria, and morphologic patterns of lesions including conversing mucosal folds were correlated with the degree of gastric wall shortening on upper gastrointestinal series. RESULTS: Submucosal fibrosis was present in 4 cases in Grade I (n=21), 4 cases in Grade II (n=6) and 8 cases in Grade III (n=10). Positive conversing mucosal folds were seen in 5 cases in Grade I (n=17), 0 case in Grade II (n=2) and 9 cases in Grade III (n=9). Gastric wall shortening was significantly associated with submucosal fibrosis and conversing mucosal folds of early gastric cancer. (p=.0001 and p=.002, respectively) CONCLUSION: Upper gastrointestinal finding of gastric wall protrusion in patients with early gastric cancer should not misinterprete as advanced gastric cancer since the finding could be a result of submucosal fibrosis.

Usefulness of MR Angiography in Patients with Ischemic Stroke

Using the 3-D TOF technique of MR angiography, the main intracranial and extracranial vessels of 46 normal controls and 37 patients with ischemic stroke were evaluated. In controls 1 the visibility of internal carotid artery and vertebrobasilar artery was ninety-one percent, and that of the first division of the middle cerebral artery was ninety-four percent. In patient groups, compared with the contrast angiographic findings, the sensitivity of MR angiography in detecting vascular occlusive lesions was 100.0% in anterior circulations, and 80.0% in posterior circulations. But several false positive cases were detected. Which were mainly associated with tortous tuming points of the vessels, and MIP artifacts. In spite of the high sensitivity of MR angiography in detecting vascular abnormalities, the degree of occlusive vascular lesions were more accentuated in MR angiography probably due to MIP artifact. The overestimated rate of vascular stenosis was about 24.6 percent compared with the contrast angiography.