Water soluble tomato concentrate regulates platelet function via the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway

Tomato extract has been shown to exert antiplatelet activity in vitro and to change platelet function ex vivo, but with limitations. In this study, antiplatelet activity of water soluble tomato concentrate (Fruitflow I) and dry water soluble tomato concentrate (Fruitflow II) was investigated using rat platelets. Aggregation was induced by collagen and adenosine diphosphate and granule-secretion, [Ca2+]i, thromboxane B2, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels were examined. The activation of integrin αIIbβ3 and phosphorylation of signaling molecules, including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K/Akt, were investigated by flow cytometry and immunoblotting, respectively. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) were examined. Moreover, in vivo thrombus weight was tested by an arteriovenous shunt model. Fruitflow I and Fruitflow II significantly inhibited agonist induced platelet aggregation, adenosine triphosphate and serotonin release, [Ca2+]i, and thromboxane B2 concentration, while having no effect on cAMP and cGMP levels. Integrin αIIbβ3 activation was also significantly decreased. Moreover, both concentrates reduced phosphorylation of MAPK pathway factors such as ERK, JNK, P38, and PI3K/Akt. In vivo thrombus formation was also inhibited. Taken together, these concentrates have the potential for ethnomedicinal applications to prevent cardiovascular ailments and can be used as functional foods.

A Case of a Retroperitoneal Cystic Lymphangioma Treated by Percutaneous Catheter Drainage and Sclerotherapy / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

Retroperitoneal cystic lymphangiomas are benign, extremely rare tumors. Although surgical resection is the treatment of choice, sclerotherapy should be considered initially. A 9-year-old boy was admitted due do worsening abdominal pain of 4 days duration. Serial complete blood counts revealed a hemoglobin level of 12.8 g/dL on admission to 10.6 g/dL on hospital day 3. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed a large, lobulated, septated, retroperitoneal cystic mass (10x9.5x5 cm) in the left anterior pararenal space with intracystic hemorrhage surrounding the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV). Because of the high operative risk, we performed a tubogram of the cystic mass, percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD), and ethanol sclerotherapy. The follow-up abdominal CT scan showed that the cystic mass had decreased in size. He is well without relapse of the retroperitoneal cystic mass for 13 months after discharge. Sclerotherapy with PCD should be considered as initial therapy for patients with retroperitoneal cystic lymphangiomas at high surgical risk.

Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis Caused by Salmonella enteritidisin a Previously Healthy Child / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

We report a rare case of acute acalculous cholecystitis (ACC) caused by Salmonella enteritidis infection in a previously healthy 9-year-old boy. Salmonella enteritidis was isolated from stool and bile culture. The diagnosis of ACC was established upon clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings. The patient was successfully treated using percutaneous transhepaticcholecystic drainage (PTCCD) in combination with antibiotics therapy.

Two Cases of Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery and Right Vertebral Artery that Originated from the Right Common Carotid Artery

We present here two patients that had an aberrant right subclavian artery and an anomalous origin of the right vertebral artery from the right common carotid artery. We review the previous literature and discuss herein the embryologic mechanism and clinical implications of this variation.

The Effects of Korean Traditional Medicine Mixture on Cytokine Level, Food Intake and Nutrition Metabolism of the Cachexia Induced-Mice

Cancer cachexia, characterized by weight loss and progressive tissue wasting, has been postulated to be mediated by cytokines. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Korean Traditional Medicine (KTM ; mokhyang, jisil, osooyu) mixture on food intake, blood cytokines level and blood nutrients status of the cachexia induced-mice. Thirty male Balb/c mice aged 6-8 weets were blocked into 3 groups that were Normal (no colon26 cells) Control (colon 26 cells) and KTM (colon26 cells + KTM extract mixture) group. In Control and KTM groups, murine adenocarcinoma colon 26 cells were injected subcutaneously to induce cachexia. KTM mice were given 200 ul KTM extract mixture (7%) per day. Half of each groups were sacrificed at the 14 th day to see serum cytokines & nutrients and the others were fed until almost of control group died to see life span. food intake and body weight were decreased significantly in cachexia induced groups. Tumor weight of KTM group was significantly lower than control group. Serum cytokines (IL-1beta and TNF-alpha) level of cachexia induced groups were increased than those of normal group, and those of KTM group were significantly lower than the level of control group. Total serum protein and serum albumin were higher in KTM group than other groups. TG and fatty acid were lower in cachexia induced groups than normal group. HDL-cholesterol in serum was increased in KTM group. Effect of oral administration of KTM extract mixture on survival time of colon26 bearing mice showed extension of the life span. Overall, this study showed that KTM (mokhyang, jisil, osooyu) extract mixture inhibited the growth of cancer cell, changed the secretion of cytokines induced by colon26 adenocarcinoma in mice, and changed nutrition metabolism.

Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Phagocytic Activity of the Liver Using Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Dynamic MR Imaging

The purpose of this study was to determine whether phagocytic activity is measurable by dynamic superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced MR imaging. For these experiments on New Zealand White rabbits, which were randomly allocated to normal and silica treated groups, we performed a dynamic MR study and radioisotope study with Tc99m-phytate. In this dynamic MR study, the ratio (Rv) of the distribution volumes of iron oxide (Vm/Ve) could be obtained by applying three- compartment model to the data obtained from the kidney and liver simultaneously. Changes in Rv caused by silica injection and by dosing superparamagnetic iron oxide, AMI-25, were evaluated. In the dynamic MR study using a Beagle dog model the input function could be calculated from data obtained from the hepatic artery and portal vein. Rv's reached maximum values at around 80 minutes after the AMI-25 injection. The Rv of the normal group was 5.06 +/- 1.53 whereas the Rv of the silica treated group was 2.13 +/- 1.20. The results were similar to tissue count data obtained by radioisope study. The Rv value was not dependent on the injected dose of AMI-25. The rate of transport constants (k1, k2, k3) could not be estimated using the 3 compartment model regardless of obtaining the input function. We conclude that Rv may be an quantitative index of decreased phagocytic activity in the liver as determined by dynamic superparamagnetic iron oxide- enhanced MRI.

Diffusion-weighted image and MR spectroscopic analysis of a case of MELAS with repeated attacks

We report the clinical and MR manifestations of an 18 year-old girl with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome. Recurrent status epilepticus caused reversible cytotoxic edema on diffusion-weighted images (DWI). Initial and one month follow-up MR spectroscopy, after seizure control, showed some discrepancies in the ratio of metabolites. N-acetylaspartate (NAA) partially recovered (NAA/creatine (Cr) ratio: 1.27-->1.84). This was because of a normalization of decreased NAA due to cellular dysfunction as a result of status epilepticus. A low ratio of NAA/Cr due to abnormal mitochondria remained in the decreased state. Reversible NAA/Cr ratios in the acute lesion suggested that NAA reflects the neuronal function as well as the level of neuronal structural damage. The altered NAA/Cr ratio better correlated with the abnormal signal intensity area of T2-weighted images (T2WI) and DWI than the lactate (Lac)/Cr ratio. With conservative treatment with anti-epileptics not accompanied by coenzyme Q or sodium dichloroacetate, lactate persistently increased (Lac/Cr ratio: 1.01-->1.21) because of the continued production of lactate in cells with respiratory deficiency, which is the main pathology of MELAS.

A Clinical Study on Sacrospinous Ligament Suspension for Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse / 대한산부인과학회잡지

No abstract available.

Analysis and Comparison of Breast Density according to Age on Mammogram between Korean and Western Women

PURPOSE: To compare changes in breast parenchymal density among diverse age groups in asymptomatic Korean women with those of Western women, and to evaluate the effect of different patterns of breast parenchymal density on the sensitivity of screening mammography in Korean women. MATERIALS AND METHODS:We analyzed the distribution of breast parenchymal density among diverse age groups in 823 asymptomatic Korean women aged 30 -64 who underwent screening mammography between January and December 1998. On the basis of ACR BI-RADS breast composition, four density patterns were designated: patterns l and 2 related to fatty mammograms, and patterns 3 and 4 to dense mammograms. We compared the results with those for western women. RESULTS: In Korean women, the frequency of dense mammogram was 88.1 % (30 -34 years old), 91.1 % (35 - 39), 78.3 % (40 -44), 61.1 % (45 -49), 30.1 % (50 -54), 21.1 % (55 -59), and 7.0 % (60 -64). Korean women in their 40s thus showed a higher frequency of dense mammograms, but this frequency decreased abruptly be-tween the ages of 40 and 54. In Western women, however, there was little difference between 40 and 54-year-olds: the figures were 47.2 % (40 -44 years), 44.8 %(45 -49), and 44.4 %(50 -54). CONCLUSION: Because the frequency of their dense mammograms shows little change between Western women in their forties and in their fifties, it is clear that between these two age groups, mammographic sensitivity is only slightly different. Because the frequency of dense mammograms is much greater among Korean women in their forties than among Western women og the same age, and among Korean women this frequency decreases abruptly, it appears, however, that the mammographic sensitivity of Korean women is less among those in their forties than among those in their fifties. It is therefore thought that mammography combined with ultrasonography may increase screening sensitivity among Korean women under 50, who have a rela-tively higher incidence of breast cancer in the younger age groups than do Western women.

Effects of Korean Traditional Medicine on Murine Hematopoiesis (1) - Regulation of Hematopoietic Cytokine Expression - / 대한면역학회지

The Korean traditional medicinal (KTM) herbs such as Angelicae gigantis, Rehmannia glutinosa, Paeoniae lactiflora, Cnidii officinale, Salviae miltiorrhizae, and Millettia reticulata, and prescribed formula Samultang, and Bohyultang improve the function of the hematopoietic system and nourishing the body to promote health. However, there are limited scientific background on the mode of action of these medicine. To understand the diverse actions following traditional medicine stimulation, we determined the production of hematopoietic cytokine, thrombopoietin, stem cell factor, and interleukin-3 (IL-3) in KlM treated bone marrow cells. When bone marrow cells were treated with KTM, the expression of hematopoietic cytokine were increased in RT-PCR and ELISA analysis. Furthermore, when the bone marrow cells were separated into adherent celis and suspension cells and were treated with KTM, we found the increase of TPO gene expressions in suspension cells. Meanwhile, other hematopoietic cytokine gene expression in bone marrow cells was higher as whole than when adherent cells and suspension cells was separated. Therefore, we could know the interaction of two cells that increases the cytokine expression. These results suggest that KTM has hematopoietic effects through increasing the production of cytokine.

Effects of Korean Traditional Medicine on Murine Hematopoiesis (2) - Single Transduction by Korean Traditional Medicine - / 대한면역학회지

Recently, we found that the Korean traditional medicine could enhance the expression of some cytokine in murine bone marrow cell culture. To understand the mode of actions of the traditional medicine, we examined the pattern of protein phosphorylation in bone marrow cells treated with Korean traditional medicine. When bone marrow cells were treated with Korean traditional medicine, the phosphorylation of p45, p50, p84/p91 kinase was observed, and gene expression of TPO and SCF was related to p45 and p91. It had been reported that TPO, SCF, IL-3 and GM-CSF gene expression transmits signal through the JAK-STAT pathway. Molecular involvement of JAK-STAT in signal induced by Korean traditional medicine was analyzed by anti-JAK and anti-STAT-1 Ab. To analyze the transcriptional factor that promotes the cytokine gene expression by the stirnulation of Korean traditional medicine, GAS and NF-B binding activity was analyzed by EMSA. We found the increase in NF-B at SMT and BHT. Therefore, we conclude that the cytokine gene expression induced by Korean traditional medicine was mediated by the JAK-STAT pathway and by the combination of GAS and NF-kB.

Comparison of ADC Map with Trace Map in the Normal and Infarct Areas of the Brains of Stro ke Patients

PURPOSE: To compare ADC mapping with trace mapping in normal and infarct areas of the brains of strokepatients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients diagnosed on the basis of clinical and brain MRI examinationsas suffering from brain infarction were included in this study (hyperacute-1, acute-4, subacute-12, chronic-1).Diffusion weighted images of three orthogonal directions of a patient's brain were obtained by means of a singleshot EPI pulse sequence, using a diffusion gradient with four serial b-factors. Three ADC maps were thenreconstructed by post-image processing and were summed pixel by pixel to yield a trace map. ROIs were selected inthe normal areas of white matter, gray matter and CSF of one hemisphere, and other ROIs of the same size wereselected at the same site of the contralateral hemisphere. ADC and trace values were measured and right/leftratios of ADC and trace values were calculated. Using these values, we then compared the ADC map with the tracemap, and compared the degree of anisotropic diffusion between white matter, gray matter and CSF. Except for three,whose infarct lesions were small and lay over white and gray matter, patients were divided into two groups. Thosewith infarct in the white matter (n=10)were assigned to one group, and those with in-farct in the gray matter(n=5) to the other. ROIs were selected in the infarct area and other ROIs of the same size were selected at thesame site of the contralateral hemisphere. ADC and trace values were measured and infarct/contralateral ratioswere calculated. We then compared ADC ratio with trace ratio in white matter and gray matter infarct. RESULTS: Innormal white matter, the Dxx ratio was 0.980 +/-0.098, the Dyy ratio 1.019 +/-0.086, the Dzz ratio 0.999 +/-0.111,and the trace ratio 0.995 +/-0.031. In normal gray matter, the Dxx ratio was 1.001 +/-0 . 0 5 8 , the Dyy ratio0.996 +/-0.063, Dzz ratio 1.005 +/-0.070, and the trace ratio 1.001 +/-0.028. In CSF, the Dxx ratio was 1.002+/-0.064, the Dyy ratio 1.023 +/-0.055, the Dzz ratio 0.999 +/-0.060 and the trace ratio 1.007 +/-0 . 0 2 1. Becausethe standard deviation of trace ratios (0.05), the trace ratio is moreaccurate representative value. The standard deviation of white matter is greater than that of gray matter or CSF(p<0.05), the degree of anisotropic diffusion in white matter is therefore more severe than in gray matter andCSF. The difference between the ADC ratios and trace ratio is greater in an infarct involving white matter than inone involving gray matter (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Because a trace map overcomes the anisotropic diffusions of ADCmaps, the former offers better post-image processing. The deviation of ADC ratios owing to the direction ofdiffusion gradient is greater in white matter than in gray matter, and the trace map is thus superior forevaluation of an infarct involving white matter.

MR Imaging of Experimental Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Cats: Temporal Evolution of Hyperacute Stroke

PURPOSE: To evaluate the temporal evolution of the ischemic area and trace ratio, and to define ischemic penumbra within the hyperacute experimental focal cerebral ischemia model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A focal cerebral ischemia model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was constructed in twelve Korean cats weighing 2 -3 Kg. T2-weighted images (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted images(DWI) were obtained using a 1.5T MR imager. Trace images were reconstructed after post-image processing with IDL 5.0. The trace ratio (ipsilateral trace value/contralateral trace value) was calculated in the ischemic core and periphery, and MR images were obtained at 1, 3, 6, and 24 hrs after MCAO. The twelve cats were divided into three groups, and 4, 5, and 3 cats were sacrified after obtaining MR images at 3, 6, and 24 hrs after MCAO, respectively. After 2% triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) solution and formalin preparation, the infarction area of the brain slice and T2WI and DWI trace images of the same slice were compared. The trace ratio was calculated at the peripheral portion of the ischemic core, which was the presumed ischemic penumbra in images obtained 1hr after MCAO. Changes in trace ratio in the ischemic core and infarction territory were also evaluated according to time. RESULTS: The trace ratio in the peripheral portion of the ischemic core was 0.71 +/- 0.03. The region where the trace ratio was 0.83 +/- 0.06 in images obtained 1 hour after MCAO was presumed to be ischemic penumbra; the region progressed to infarction in images taken during the next time period. In all cases the abnormal area of trace images was larger than that seen on DWI. The trace ratio was lower, by 6.2 %, 3 -6hrs after MCAO than at any other time. In cat number 3, the trace radio decreased rapidly and progressively, by 21%, during the first six hours. For 3 -6hrs after MCAO, the area of infarction showed progressive enlargement. CONCLUSION: Within six hours of MCAO, ischemic penumbra is progressively incorporated into the ischemic core. In the experimental focal cerebral ischemia model, an area of trace ratio larger than 0.71 and less than 1may be defined as ischemic penumbra.

Establishment and Characterization of a Murine Erythroleukemia Cell Line Stimulation B Cell Proliferation / 대한면역학회지

No abstract available.