• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.253-262
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• 2009

We conducted bacteriological and histopathological analysis for olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus after experimental infection with Streptococcus parauberis (FP2284) isolated from diseased olive flounder under different stress conditions. Experimental challenge was performed in healthy flounder (40.4 g in average body weight) by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection with $2{\times}10^{8}$ CFU/fish under normal (no stress) or netting (for 2 min, twice/day) stress condition. The cumulative mortalities of no-stress and netting stress group were 70% and 95%, respectively. The most prevalent changes observed in experimentally infected flounder were darkness of skin and inflammation of the heart. Severe pericarditis, myocarditis and fibrosis were observed in the heart of the affected flounder. The results of viable counts showed the number of bacteria of the heart tissue was maintained over the $10^{4}$ CFU $g^{-1}$ heart for 3 weeks after inoculation. Histological lesions of the heart was more extensive and gradual decrease in bacterial numbers of heart tissue was delayed under stress condition.

• The World Journal of Men's Health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.541-549
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• 2021

Purpose: To determine if chronic administration of Jun-amino terminal kinase (JNK)-inhibitors and LIM-kinase 2 (LIMK2)-inhibitors from the immediate post-injury period in a rat model of cavernous-nerve-crush-injury could normalize cavernousveno-occlusive-function, and to compare it with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5)-inhibitors. Materials and Methods: A total of 75 12-week-old male Sprague-Dawley-rats were randomized into five groups: sham-surgery (S), cavernous-nerve-crush-injury (I), cavernous-nerve-crush-injury treated with 10.0 mg/kg LIMK2-inhibitor (L) or 10.0 mg/kg JNK-inhibitor and 10.0 mg/kg LIMK2-inhibitor (J+L) or 20.0 mg/kg udenafil (P) for five-weeks. Five-weeks after surgery, dynamic-infusion-cavernosometry, histological-studies, caspase-3-activity-assay, and Western-blot were investigated. Results: Group-I had lower papaverine-response, higher maintenance-rate and higher drop-rate, compared to Group-S. Group-L, Group-J+L and Group-P showed improvement in the three dynamic-infusion-cavernosometry parameters. The papaverine-response and drop-rate in Group-J+L and Group-P recovered to sham-control level, but those in Group-L did not. Regarding apoptosis, Group-I had decreased content of α-smooth-muscle-actin, increased caspase-3 activity and increased cJun-phosphorylation. The cJun-phosphorylation improved only in Group-J+L. The α-smooth-muscle-actin content and caspase-3-activity in Group-J+L and Group-P improved, but those in Group-L were not. Regarding fibrosis, Group-I had decreased smooth muscle (SM)/collagen-ratio, increased protein-expression of fibronectin, and increased Cofilin-phosphorylation. Cofilin-phosphorylation was normalized in Group-L and Group-J+L, but not in Group-P. SM/collagen-ratio and proteinexpression of fibronectin in Group-L, Group-J+L and Group-P improved. Conclusions: Our data indicate that chronic inhibition of JNK and LIMK2 can restore cavernous-veno-occlusive-function by suppressing cavernous-apoptosis and cavernous-fibrosis, comparable to the results by PDE5-inhibitors. Chronic inhibition of JNK and LIMK2 might be a potential mechanism-specific targeted therapy for cavernous-veno-occlusive-dysfunction induced by cavernous nerve-injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.225-231
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• 1986

Pericardial adhesions following open heart surgery pose a special problems, increasing the risk of cardiac reoperation because of the danger of damaging the heart, coronary artery and veins, or grafts and also the fibrous tissue may obliterate the pericardial space and eventually constrict the heart. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of intrapericardial urokinase and dextran 40 on the formation of pericardial adhesions in an animal model. latrogenic traumas on the pericardium were surgically induced in 30 rabbits, simulating injuries possible during actual surgery. In all rabbits, blood [1 ml] was obtained from an ear vessel and injected into the pericardium. Control group of ten rabbits did not receive any further medication, urokinase group of ten received 15, 000-20, 000 IU of urokinase, and remained ten received 1 ml of 10% dextran 40. All rabbits were sacrificed at 4 weeks. At autopsy, the development of adhesions were graded as none [Grade I], minimal [Grade II], moderate [Grade III], and severe [Grade IV]. Histological studies of the parietal pericardium and epicardium were performed. The results were as follows: 1. Group 1[Control group] showed minimal adhesion in 40%, moderate in 50%, and severe in 10% of the group. Sharp dissections were necessary in 60% of adhesions. 2. Group II [Dextran group] showed no adhesions in 20%, minimal in 60%, and moderate in 20% of the group. 3. Group III [Urokinase group] showed no adhesions in 40%, minimal in 40%, and moderate in 20% of the group. Considering in this group, the adhesion activity was significantly suppressed [60% adhesions] compared to the control group [100% adhesions] [P < 0.05]. 4. Histological findings revealed mild serosal fibrosis in none adherent group, loose fibrous connections between two layers of pericardium in minimal adhesion group, tight fibrous connections in moderate adhesion group, and marked fibrous thickening and close attachment of two surfaces were noted in severe adhesion group. These data have revealed the decreased incidence of pericardial adhesions with urokinase and dextran 40.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.123-135
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• 2022

Oryeongsan (ORS), a formula composed of five herbal medicines, has long been used to treat impairments of the regulation of body fluid homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to determine the antihypertensive and renal protective effects of ORS in rats with hypertension. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were divided into two groups with similar mean baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP). Then, 1 mL/kg of vehicle (distilled water) or 1.5, 3 g/kg of ORS extract were administered orally once a day for 4 weeks. SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured at weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected, and heart were removed for histology. By the 2 weeks after initiation of treatment, the ORS treated group had significantly lower SBP than SHR rats. The ORS treatment significantly improved blood pressure and echocardiogram parameters compared to hypertensive rats. Additionally, the left ventricular (LV) remodeling and LV dysfunction were significantly improved in ORS treated group hypertensive rats. Furthermore, an increase in fibrotic area has been observed in SHR rats compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Furthermore, administration of ORS significantly attenuated cardiac fibrosis in hypertensive rats. Therefore, these findings suggest that ORS has a protective effect on heart failure by alleviating hypertensive heart disease and cardiovascular dysfunction in SHR.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.526-532
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• 1983

This is a report of one case of Loffler`s eosinophilic endocarditis associated with mitral insufficiency and LV thrombi treated surgically at the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital. This patient was a 42 year old female and she has complains of dyspnea, palpitation, orthopnea and generalized edema. Above symptoms has been going for 4 months and NYHA classification was IV. On examination, blood eosinophil was 45 to 50% [WBC-9800 ]. MI and LV thrombi were confirmed by LV ventriculography and echocardiography. Pulmonary congestion and congestive cardiac failure were diagnosis by X-Ray examination, EKG finding and clinical feature and others there were no organic functional disturbance. Mitral valve replacement was performed with Ionescu-Shiley pericardial valve [29mm] replacement. Adjust thumb sized grayish brown colored two thrombi were excluded, lodged in the apex and septal endocardium of LV. Endocardial fibrosis was reliably confirmed under the gross pathology in the heart. The patient had smooth postoperative course and there were no operative complication.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.255-264
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• 2022

Globally, thousands of patients undergo lung transplantation owing to end-stage lung disease each year. As lung transplantation evolves, recommendations and indications are constantly being updated. In 2021, the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation published a new consensus document for selecting candidates for lung transplantation. However, it is still difficult to determine appropriate candidates for lung transplantation among patients with complex medical conditions and various diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze each patient's overall situation and medical condition from various perspectives, and ongoing efforts to optimize the analysis will be necessary. The purpose of this study is to review the extant literature and discuss recent updates.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2016

Aortic valve stenosis is a heart disease prevalent in the elderly characterized by valvular calcification, fibrosis, and inflammation, but its exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Previously, aortic valve stenosis was thought to be caused by chronic passive and degenerative changes associated with aging. However, recent studies have demonstrated that atherosclerotic processes and inflammation can induce valvular calcification and bone deposition, leading to valvular stenosis. In particular, the most abundant cell type in cardiac valves, valvular interstitial cells, can differentiate into myofibroblasts and osteoblast-like cells, leading to valvular calcification and stenosis. Differentiation of valvular interstitial cells can be trigged by inflammatory stimuli from several immune cell types, including macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, B cells, and mast cells. This review indicates that crosstalk between immune cells and valvular interstitial cells plays an important role in the development of aortic valve stenosis.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2009

Purpose: To investigate the outcome of arthroscopic treatment for the complications of knee arthroplasty and to evaluate the effectiveness of arthroscopy. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 25 patients who underwent arthroscopy to treat complications of knee arthroplasty between May 1992 and June 2008. Nineteen cases out of 25 had total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and the remaining 6 cases had unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Before arthroscopy, physical examinations and radiographic evaluations were carried out to find out the causes of complications. Joint fluid aspiration and hematologic evaluation were added when infection was suspected. Results: Among the diagnosis at the time of arthroscopy, there were 11 cases of infection, 6 cases of stiffness due to adhesion and fibrosis, and 2 cases of soft tissue impingement in the cases of TKA. Among the cases of UKA, one for each case of meniscal tear, subluxation of mobile insert, hemarthrosis, cement loose body, soft tissue impingement, and stiff knee was found. Nine out of 11 patients who had infection were treated successfully with arthroscopy but the remaining 2 cases underwent revision arthroplasty. Seven patients with arthrofibrosis had improved range of motion from $65^{\circ}$ preoperatively to $105^{\circ}$ postoperatively. The others also showed successful results after arthroscopy. Conclusion: Arthroscopy to treat complications after knee arthroplasty was a safe and effective method when appropriate selection of patients was made.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.144-152
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• 2017

Background: The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is an important pathway of proteolysis in pathologic hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. We hypothesize that MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, might prevent hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (CMP) by blocking the UPS. Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells ($NF-{\kappa}B$) and androgen receptor (AR) have been reported to be mediators of CMP and heart failure. This study drew upon pathophysiologic studies and the analysis of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and AR to assess the cardioprotective effects of MG132 in a left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) rat model. Methods: We constructed a transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced LVH rat model with 3 groups: sham (TAC-sham, n=10), control (TAC-cont, n=10), and MG132 administration (TAC-MG132, n=10). MG-132 (0.1 mg/kg) was injected for 4 weeks in the TAC-MG132 group. Pathophysiologic evaluations were performed and the expression of AR and $NF-{\kappa}B$ was measured in the left ventricle. Results: Fibrosis was prevalent in the pathologic examination of the TAC-cont model, and it was reduced in the TAC-MG132 group, although not significantly. Less expression of AR, but not $NF-{\kappa}B$, was found in the TAC-MG132 group than in the TAC-cont group (p<0.05). Conclusion: MG-132 was found to suppress AR in the TAC-CMP model by blocking the UPS, which reduced fibrosis. However, $NF-{\kappa}B$ expression levels were not related to UPS function.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.430-436
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• 2016

Objective : The objective of this study is to establish an animal model of chronic paraspinal muscle injury in rat. Methods : Fifty four Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into experimental group (n=30), sham (n=15), and normal group (n=9). Incision was done from T7 to L2 and paraspinal muscles were detached from spine and tied at each level. The paraspinal muscles were exposed and untied at 2 weeks after surgery. Sham operation was done by paraspinal muscles dissection at the same levels and wound closure was done without tying. Kyphotic index and thoracolumbar Cobb's angle were measured at preoperative, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the first surgery for all groups. The rats were sacrificed at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the first surgery, and performed histological examinations. Results : At 4 weeks after surgery, the kyphotic index decreased, but, Cobb's angle increased significantly in the experimental group (p<0.05), and then that were maintained until the end of the experiment. However, there were no significant differences of the kyphotic index and Cobb's angle between sham and normal groups. In histological examinations, necrosis and fibrosis were observed definitely and persisted until 12 weeks after surgery. There were also presences of regenerated muscle cells which nucleus is at the center of cytoplasm, centronucleated myofibers. Conclusion : Our chronic injury model of paraspinal muscles in rats shows necrosis and fibrosis in the muscles for 12 weeks after surgery, which might be useful to study the pathophysiology of the degenerative thoracolumbar kyphosis or degeneration of paraspinal muscles.