Dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction without basal septal hypertrophy, caused by catecholamine therapy and volume depletion

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with hypertrophy of the basal septum is the most common etiology of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction

Anti-inflammatory effect of essential oil extracted from Pinus densiflora (Sieb. et Zucc.) wood on RBL-2H3 cells

The aim of this study is to identify the active compounds of the essential oil extracted from the Pinus densiflora (Sieb. et Zucc.) wood using the hydrodistillation method and evaluate their anti-inflammatory activity. The chemical composition of the oil was identified by GC–MS analysis, and its anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by investigating its effect on the expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-13 (IL-13), and β-hexosaminidase in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. Treatment of the LPS-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells with the oil and its fractions downregulated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-13 and further attenuated the secretion of β-hexosaminidase out of the cells to a significant level. Among the five obtained fractions, fraction E exhibited the best anti-inflammatory activity, and its main constituent, longifolene, was considered as the active compound. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of longifolene on the expression levels of IL-4 and IL-13 and the β-hexosaminidase secretion was similar to that of the P. densiflora wood oil, indicating longifolene as the active constituent of the P. densiflora wood oil with immunosuppressive effects on inflammation

Development of a Watershed-Scale Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment Model with the Asymptotic Curve Number Regression Equation

In this study, 52 asymptotic Curve Number (CN) regression equations were developed for combinations of representative land covers and hydrologic soil groups. In addition, to overcome the limitations of the original Long-term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA) model when it is applied to larger watersheds, a watershed-scale L-THIA Asymptotic CN (ACN) regression equation model (watershed-scale L-THIA ACN model) was developed by integrating the asymptotic CN regressions and various modules for direct runoff/baseflow/channel routing. The watershed-scale L-THIA ACN model was applied to four watersheds in South Korea to evaluate the accuracy of its streamflow prediction. The coefficient of determination (R2) and Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values for observed versus simulated streamflows over intervals of eight days were greater than 0.6 for all four of the watersheds. The watershed-scale L-THIA ACN model, including the asymptotic CN regression equation method, can simulate long-term streamflow sufficiently well with the ten parameters that have been added for the characterization of streamflow

A Case Report of Breast Cancer with Extensive Pulmonary Lymphovascular Tumor Emboli

We describe a patient with breast cancer who relapsed with an extensive pulmonary lymphovascular tumor embolism. A 38-year-old female, who previously received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and curative resection of breast cancer, underwent adjuvant chemotherapy and was referred to the emergency room because of sudden-onset pleuritic chest pain lasting for 10 days. Despite a trial of empirical antibiotics, the chest pain and the extent of consolidative lung lesion on chest radiographs rapidly aggravated. We performed an open lung biopsy to confirm the etiology. The histopathological review revealed a hemorrhagic infarction caused by lymphovascular tumor emboli from a metastatic breast carcinoma. Palliative first-line chemotherapy was administered, consisting of ixabepilone and capecitabine, and the lung lesion improved markedly

A Multi-institutional Study on Histopathological Characteristics of Surgically Treated Renal Tumors: the Importance of Tumor Size

PURPOSE: The incidence of accidentally detected small renal tumors is increasing throughout the world. In this multi-institutional study performed in Korea, histopathological characteristics of contemporarily surgically removed renal tumors were reviewed with emphasis on tumor size. MATERIALS and METHODS: Between January 1995 and May 2005, 1,702 patients with a mean age of 55 years underwent surgical treatment at 14 training hospitals in Korea for radiologically suspected malignant renal tumors. Clinicopathological factors and patient survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 1,702 tumors, 91.7% were malignant and 8.3% were benign. The percentage of benign tumors was significantly greater among those 4cm (4.5%) (p or = T3 was significantly less among tumors 4cm (26.8%) (p or = 3 was also significantly less among tumors 4cm (50.9%) (p < 0.001). The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was 82.7%, and T stage (p < 0.001), N stage (p < 0.001), M stage (p = 0.025), and Fuhrman's nuclear (p < 0.001) grade were the only independent predictors of cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSION: In renal tumors, small tumor size is prognostic for favorable postsurgical histopathologies such as benign tumors, low T stages, and low Fuhrman's nuclear grades. Our observations are expected to facilitate urologists to adopt function-preserving approach in the planning of surgery for small renal tumors with favorable predicted outcomes.ope

Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy as a Predictor of Deterioration of the Renal Function in Normoalbuminuric, Normotensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Our study was performed to determine whether cardiac autonomic neuropathy can predict deterioration of the renal function in normoalbuminuric, normotensive people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). One hundred and fifty-six normoalbuminuric, normotensive people with type 2 DM were included in our retrospective longitudinal study. We categorized normal patterns, early patterns, and definite or severe patterns according to the results of the cardiac autonomic function test. Of 156 patients included, 54 had normal patterns, 75 had early patterns, 25 had definite or severe patterns, and 2 had atypical patterns. During a median follow-up of nine years, glomerular filtration rates (GFR) remained stable in the normal and early pattern groups (mean changes, 4.50% and 0.77%, respectively) but declined in those with definite or severe patterns (mean change, -10.28%; p=0.047). An abnormal heart response to the deep breathing test of the cardiac autonomic function tests was an independent predictor of GFR decline. Our data suggest that cardiac autonomic neuropathy, especially with a definite or severe pattern, might be associated with a subsequent deterioration in renal function in normoalbuminuric, normotensive people with type 2 DM