Hepatoprotective Effect of Herb Formula KIOM2012H against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic ailment with a rapidly increasing incidence due to dietary hypernutrition and subsequent obesity. Fatty liver disease can lead to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even cancer, which is associated with various complications. Discovering effective natural materials and herbs can provide alternative and complementary medical treatments to current chemical pharmaceuticals. To develop an effective natural agent for NAFLD, we formulated a combination of four herb mixtures (KIOM2012H) and observed lipid-lowering efficacy. The inhibitory effects of KIOM2012H on free fatty acid-induced lipid accumulation, triglyceride contents, and gene expressions were analyzed in HepG2 cells. Using high fat diet-fed mice, body weight changes, gross liver appearances, hepatic triglyceride contents, and gene expressions were evaluated. KIOM2012H dose-dependently inhibited lipid accumulation and gene expressions involved in lipogenesis and related regulators. Experimental animals also showed a decrease in body weight changes and lipid-associated physiological parameters. This study shows that KIOM2012H has an alleviating effect on fatty acid and lipid accumulation, and therefore can be applied for development of new therapeutic pharmaceuticals for treatment of NAFLD using natural products and herbs.     

Clinical features of recently diagnosed pulmonary paragonimiasis in Korea

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Paragonimiasis is a typical food-borne parasitic disease that is common in Southeast Asia, the Far East, Latin American, and Africa. Recently, however, this disease has been seen in many parts of the world, largely due to increases in the numbers of immigrants and overseas travelers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic features of recently diagnosed pulmonary paragonimiasis. PATIENTS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and radiologic characteristics of 36 patients (21 men and 15 women; median age 48 years; range, 19 to 75) with pulmonary paragonimiasis whose conditions were diagnosed between October 1994 and September 2004. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients (94%) presented with respiratory symptoms, including hemoptysis (n = 20, 56%) and cough (n = 17, 47%). However, chest pain (n = 5, 14%) and fever (n = 5, 14%) were less frequently reported. Chest radiography revealed intrapulmonary parenchymal lesions (n = 26, 72%), such as nodules (n = 14, 39%), linear opacity (n = 6, 17%), and airspace consolidations (n = 4, 11%), which occurred more commonly than did pleural lesions (n = 10, 28%). Most cases were initially suspected to be lung cancer or tuberculosis. In 13 patients with intrapulmonary parenchymal lesions who underwent bronchoscopy, bronchial luminal narrowing, coupled with congested or edematous mucosal changes, was seen in 7 patients (54%). Bronchial mucosal biopsy specimens exhibited chronic inflammation with eosinophilic infiltrations in three of these seven patients (43%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that patients with pulmonary paragonimiasis presented with a variety of clinical and radiologic findings that were different from the classic presentations reported earlier, frequently mimicking those of lung cancer or tuberculosis.     

Insulin resistance and C-reactive protein as independent risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in non-obese Asian men

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although insulin resistance is often considered the link between obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the role of insulin resistance, independent of obesity, as a NAFLD risk factor in non-obese men has been less well established. Systemic inflammation may be accompanied by insulin resistance in healthy subjects. The goal of the present study was to examine if insulin resistance and systemic inflammatory markers are independent predictors of NAFLD in non-obese men. METHODS: The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of 120 patients with NAFLD and 240 controls matched by age and body mass index. Controls had no evidence of alcohol abuse, hepatitis B or C, obesity, or previous history of diabetes, fasting hyperglycemia or hypertension. Diagnosis of NAFLD was based on an elevated alanine aminotransferase level and sonographic evidence of a fatty liver. Insulin resistance was determined using a homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). RESULTS: The age-adjusted risk of developing NAFLD was strongly associated with the elevated levels in measurements of uric acid, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, C-reactive protein (CRP) and HOMA-IR, and decreased levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I. Multivariate analysis based on univariate analysis indicated that an increase in CRP (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.77) per 1 SD (1.48 mg/L) and HOMA-IR (OR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.67-3.11) per 1 SD (0.63) were independent risk factors for NAFLD. CONCLUSION: Insulin resistance and systemic inflammatory response are of key importance for inducing NAFLD, particularly in apparently healthy non-obese men.     

A case of primary hepatic leiomyosarcoma presenting with multiple subcutaneous scalp mass]

Leiomyosarcoma is an uncommon tumor which arises from various sites including uterus, stomach, retroperitoneum, superficial soft tissues, bladder, kidney, and lung. Primary hepatic leiomyosarcoma is a very rare tumor and fewer than 70 cases of primary hepatic leiomyosarcoma have been reported since the first publication in Japan. And there was only one case report of cutaneous metastasis from hepatic leiomyosarcoma. We recently experienced a case of primary hepatic leiomyosarcoma presenting as subcutaneous palpable mass. Herein we report this case with a review of literatures.     

Effects of APOE ɛ4 on brain amyloid,lacunar infarcts,and white matter lesions: a study among patients with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment

The relationship between the apolipoprotein E ?4 allele (APOE4) and factors associated with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is unclear. We aimed to examine the effects of APOE4 on brain amyloid beta using Pittsburg compound B (PiB) and subcortical cerebrovascular disease, as assessed by lacunes and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in subcortical VCI (SVCI) patients. We recruited 230 subjects with normal cognition, 111 subjects with cognitive impairment due to clinically defined Alzheimer’s disease (ADCI), and 134 subjects with clinically defined SVCI. A PiB retention ratio greater than 1.5 was considered to be PiB positive. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate whether APOE4 increased the risk for each cognitive impairment group. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to investigate whether APOE4 was associated with brain amyloid beta, lacunes, and WMH. APOE4 did not increase the risk of PiB(−) SVCI (odds ratio [OR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79–2.84), whereas APOE4 increased the risk of PiB(+) SVCI (OR, 4.52; 95% CI, 1.70–11.97) and PiB(+) ADCI (odds ratio, 4.84; 95% CI, 2.54–7.91). In SVCI patients, APOE4 was positively associated with PiB retention ratio, whereas APOE4 was not associated with the number of lacunes or with WMH volume. Our results suggest that amyloid beta burden can occur in patients with and without subcortical cerebrovascular disease, and that it is associated with APOE4. However APOE4 might be independent of subcortical cerebrovascular disease.     

Serodiagnosis of Mycobacterium avium Complex and Mycobacterium abscessus Complex Pulmonary Disease by Use of IgA Antibodies to Glycopeptidolipid Core Antigen

An enzyme immunoassay kit that detects serum IgA antibody reacting to glycopeptidolipid core antigen derived from Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) was not useful for differentiating MAC pulmonary disease (PD) from Mycobacterium abscessus complex PD (MAB-PD). However, this assay could be useful for differentiating MAC- and MAB-PD from pulmonary tuberculosis. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00970801","term_id":"NCT00970801"}}NCT00970801.)     

Nanoparticles for drug delivery in Parkinson’s disease

Journal of Neurology - Although effective symptomatic treatments for Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been available for some time, efficient and well-controlled drug delivery to the brain has...     

Risk Factors of Transfusion in Anemia of Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Purpose

Anemia of prematurity is frequent in preterm infants, for which red blood cell (RBC) transfusion remains the treatment of choice. In this study, we attempted to evaluate the characteristics and risk factors of anemia of prematurity, and suggest ways to reduce anemia and the need for multiple transfusions.

Materials and Methods

Preterm infants weighing less than 1500 g (May 2008-May 2009) were divided into two groups depending on whether they received RBC transfusions (transfusion group and non transfusion group). Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, phlebotomy blood loss, and the amount of RBC transfusion were analyzed. Risk factors of anemia and RBC transfusions were analyzed.

Results

Fifty infants that survived were enrolled in the present study: 39 in the transfusion group and 11 in the non transfusion group. Hb concentrations gradually decreased by eight weeks. In the transfusion group, gestational age and birth weight were smaller, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and sepsis were more frequent, full feeding was delayed, parenteral nutrition and days spent in the hospital were prolonged, and phlebotomy blood loss was greater than that in the non transfusion group.

Conclusion

Anemia of prematurity was correlated with increased laboratory blood loss, decreased birth weight, prolonged parenteral nutrition, and delayed body weight gain. Accordingly, reducing laboratory phlebotomy loss and parenteral nutrition, as well as improving body weight gain, may be beneficial to infants with anemia of prematurity.     

Hemodynamic Instability during Carotid Angioplasty and Stenting-Relationship of Calcified Plaque and Its Characteristics

Purpose

During carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS), hemodynamic instability (HDI) can occur, possibly causing post-procedural ischemic complications. The goal of this study was to investigate the risk factors of HDI focusing on characteristics of plaque.

Materials and Methods

Thirty nine CAS patients were retrospectively evaluated for HDI. Prolonged HDI that lasted over 30 minutes was analyzed in relation to characteristics of calcified plaque.

Results

Nineteen (48.7%) patients had HDI. Ten of the 19 had both bradycardia and hypotension, and nine had only bradycardia. All bradycardia was treated well with a transcutaneous temporary cardiac pacemaker. But eight patients presented with prolonged hypotension in spite of recovery of bradycardia. Calcified plaque was a related factor associated with HDI (odds ratio, 8.571; 95% confidence interval, 1.321-55.62; p=0.024). Extensive and eccentric type calcified plaques were associated with prolonged hypotension (p=0.04, and p=0.028, respectively).

Conclusion

The calcification of plaque is a predictable factor of HDI during CAS, and its extensive and eccentric calcified plaques may be related to prolonged HDI.