• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.104-107
• /
• 2005

Choledochal cyst is considered to be congenital anomalies of the biliary tract, characterized by varying degrees of cystic dilatation at various segments of the biliary tract. A 20-month-old girl was admitted to Eul-Ji general hospital because of abdominal distension. Physical examination revealed marked splenomegaly and hepatomegaly with nodular surface and hard consistency. Laboratory examination showed elevated transaminase level, alkaline phosphatase level and gamma glutamyltranspeptidase level without evidence of cholestasis. Diagnostic imaging study revealed choledochal cyst with Todani classification type 1. Cholecystectomy and Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy was performed, and wedge liver biopsy showed diffuse periportal fibrosis with cirrhotic change and ductular proliferation in the portal area. After operation, hepatosplenomegaly and abnormal laboratory examinations improved rapidly, and in 9 months, the liver and spleen became not palpable. We experienced a case of choledochal cyst complicated by liver cirrhosis on pathology in a 20 month-old girl, and removal of choledochal cyst improved clinical manifestations rapidly.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.111-118
• /
• 2021

27-Hydroxycholesterol (27OHChol) exhibits agonistic activity for liver X receptors (LXRs). To determine roles of the LXR agonistic activity in macrophage gene expression, we investigated the effects of LXR inhibition on the 27OHChol-induced genes. Treatment of human THP-1 cells with GSK 2033, a potent cell-active LXR antagonist, results in complete inhibition in the transcription of LXR target genes (such as LXRα and ABCA1) induced by 27OHChol or a synthetic LXR ligand TO 901317. Whereas expression of CCL2 and CCL4 remains unaffected by GSK 2033, TNF-α expression is further induced and 27OHChol-induced CCL3 and CXCL8 genes are suppressed at both the transcriptional and protein translation levels in the presence of GSK 2033. This LXR antagonist downregulates transcript levels and surface expression of CD163 and CD206 and suppresses the transcription of CD14, CD80, and CD86 genes without downregulating their surface levels. GSK 2033 alone had no effect on the basal expression levels of the aforementioned genes. Collectively, these results indicate that LXR inhibition leads to differential regulation of 27-hydroxycholesterol-induced genes in macrophages. We propose that 27OHChol induces gene expression and modulates macrophage functions via LXR-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.54-59
• /
• 2024

A 12-year-old female small-clawed Asian otter (Anoyx cinereus) with a one-week history of anorexia, chills, and abdominal distension was found dead. Grossly, yellowish-brown turbid fluids accumulated in abdominal cavity of the otter, and yellowish thread-like fibrinous materials were found on the surface of abdominal organs. Several variable sized yellowish-white crystalloids were scattered on the medullary space of kidneys. Histologically, diffuse serositis (peritonitis) characterized by the fibrinous exudates, thickened serosal capsule and the swelling of mesothelial cells were observed in the serosa of liver, spleen, stomach, and intestine. Multifocal necrosis, hemorrhage, infiltration of macrophage, and brown pigments were presented in the liver. Isolated bacteria from ascites and fibrinous materials in abdominal visceral surface were white, smooth and convex with characteristic mousy odor on blood agar plate. These bacteria were confirmed as Pasteurella (P.) multocida type A by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Based on the gross examination, histopathologic findings and bacterial experiments, this otter was diagnosed as severe peritonitis associated with P. multocida and necrotic hepatitis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.23-28
• /
• 2007

Objectives : Chronic infections with hepatitis B or C and alcoholic cirrhosis are three well-known major risk factors for liver cancer. Diabetes has also been suggested as a potential risk factor. However, the findings of previous studies have been controversial in terms of the causal association. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum glucose levels and liver cancer development in a Korean cohort. Methods : Thirty-six liver cancer cases were identified in the Korean Multi-Center Cancer Cohort (KMCC). Baseline information on lifestyle characteristics was obtained via questionnaire. Serum glucose levels were measured at the study's enrollment. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated using a Cox proportional hazard regression model. The adjusting variables included age, gender, smoking history, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositivity. Results : The RRs of serum glucose for liver caner were 1.20 (95% CI = 0.48-2.99) for the category of 100 to 125 mg/dL of serum glucose and 2.77 (95% CI = 1.24-6.18) for the >126 mg/dL serum glucose category (both compared to the <100 mg/dL category). In a subgroup analysis, the RR of serum glucose among those who were both HBsAg seronegative and non-drinkers was 4.46 (95% CI = 1.09-18.28) for those with glucose levels >100 mg/dL. Conclusions : The results of this study suggest that a high level of serum glucose can increase liver cancer risk independently of hepatitis infection and drinking history in Koreans. This study implies that glucose intolerance may be an independent risk factor for liver cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.11
• /
• pp.6227-6231
• /
• 2013

In the past, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was endemic in the general Korean population. The association of HBV infection with the occurrence of liver cancer has been well demonstrated in several epidemiologic studies. While the mortality rates of liver cancer in Korea have decreased steadily over the last decade, the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in mothers remains high at 3-4%, and 25.5% of these HBsAg positive mothers are positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). HBV infection caused almost a quarter of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases and one-third of deaths from HCC. These aspects of HBV infection prompted the Korean government to create a vaccination program against HBV in the early 1980s. In 1995, the Communicable Disease Prevention Act (CDPA) was reformed, and the government increased the number of HBV vaccines in the National Immunization Program (NIP), driving the vaccination rate up to 95%. In 2000, the National Health Insurance Act (NHIA) was enacted, which provided increased resources for the prevention of perinatal HBV infection. Then in 2002, the Korean government, in conjunction with the Korean Medical Association (KMA), launched an HBV perinatal transmission prevention program. The prevalence of HBsAg in children had been high (4-5%) in the early 1980s, but had dropped to below 1% in 1995, and finally reached 0.2% in 2006 after the NIP had been implemented. After the success of the NIP, Korea finally obtained its first certification of achievement from the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WPRO-WHO) for reaching its goal for HBV control. An age-period-cohort analysis showed a significant reduction in the liver cancer mortality rate in children and adolescents after the NIP had been implemented. In addition to its vaccination efforts, Korea launched the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) for 5 leading sites of cancer, including the liver, in 1999. As a consequence of this program, the 5-year liver cancer survival rate increased from 13.2% (1996-2000) to 23.3% (2003-2008). The development of both the primary and secondary prevention for liver cancer including HBV immunization and cancer screening has been of critical importance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 1994.04a
• /
• pp.129-130
• /
• 1994

The science of toxicology is the understanding of the mechanisms by which exogenous agents produce deleterious effects in biological systems. The actions of chemicals such as drugs are ultimately exerted at the cellular and gene levels. Over the past decade. several in vitro alternative methods such as cultured cells for assessing the toxicity of various xenobiotics have been proposed to reduce the use of animals. In this workshop three advanced methods will be presented. These methods are novel important models for toxicologic studies. Dr. Tabuchis group has establishcd two immortalized gastric surface mucosa cell lines from the pminary cultore of gastric fundic mucosal cells of adult transgenic mice harboring a temperature sensitive simian virus 40 large T-anugen gene. As the immortalized cell lines of various tissues possess unique characteristics to maintain their normal functions for several months, these cell lines are extremely useful for not only toxicity testing but also pharmacological screening in new drug development. Professor Funatsu have studied the formation of spherical multicelluar aggregates of adult rat hepatocytes(spheroid) having tissue like structure. The sphcroid shown thre is a prototype module of an artificial liver support system. Thus, the urea synthesis activity of the artificial liver was maintained at least to days in 100％ rat blood plasma. Dr. Takezawa and his coworkers have developed a novel culture system of multicellular spheroids considered 〃organoids〃 by utilizing a thermo-responsive polymer as a substratum of anchorage dependent cells. His final goal is to reconstitute the organoids of various normal organs, e.g., liver, skin etc. and also abnormal deseased organs such as tumor.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.357-360
• /
• 2012

A 25-year-old Uzbek male presented with right upper abdominal pain for 20 days. On radiologic studies, a huge cystic mass was noticed in the right liver which was suspected as parasitic. The patient received right hepatic segmentectomy (segment 7), and the surgically resected mass was confirmed as cystic echinococcosis (CE), measuring 10.5 cm in its diameter. The inner surface of the cyst was bile-stained. The patient was discharged on the 8th hospital day, and was rechecked 6 months after the surgical intervention without any evidence of recurrence. The present report describes findings of an imported case of CE which represented ultrasound images of the 'ball of wool'.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.71-74
• /
• 1989

Ichthyophonus disease had broken out among rock bream in Dec. 1989. Diseased-fish showed markedly stunted growth and darkish coloration, and anatomically the liver with small white nodules, tumefied spleen with its granulous surface, and the markedly tumefied kidney. Microscopic examination of liver, kidney, spleen and gill from 10 rock bream revealed cyst of the fungus Ichthyophonus sp. Rock bream were heavily infected with the highest concentrations of spherical multinucleate bodies in the liver, the spleen, the kidney and the gills. In heavily infected sectors of tissue a common necrotic zone was formed around spore aggregates. Spherical multinucleate hyphal terminal bodies developed thin hyphae longer than 1mm which divided into many branches.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 2022

A female, 14-year-old, African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) weighing 2.5 kg with the anorexia for one day and 22 months history of bumblefoot was found dead in aquarium. Grossly, severe bumblefoot in the central surface of the right foot, severe enlarged liver and kidneys with orange color were observed. Histopathologically, pinkish amorphous materials were accumulated in liver, spleen, kidney, and stomach. The pinkish materials in the liver, kidney, spleen, and stomach were confirmed as amyloid with typical orange color reactions using Congo red stain under the light microscope and with bright red color expressions using Congo red stain under the fluorescence microscope. Based on the typical gross and histopathologic findings and special staining, this case was confirmed as systemic amyloidosis. A long period time of moderate bumblefoot might be closely associated with the occurrence of systemic amyloidosis in the captive penguin.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.272-278
• /
• 1996

Four subtypes of hepatitis B surface antigen are useful in the epidemiologic studies of the route of virus transmission and clinical significance of simultaneous occurance of hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen in the same serum as well as useful marker for population migration. The sera were obtained from 214 HBs Ag positive patients who are diagnosed as chronic liver disease and following up in the Yeungnam university hospital. The subtypes were determined by solid-phase sandwich EIA using monoclonal antibodies. Among 214 specimens, the subtype adr was 93.9%, adw was 2.8%, ayr was 0.9%, ar was 0.9%, adwr was 1.4% and ayw was not detected. There were no correlation between subtype pattern and disease. In summary, the subtype adr was prominent in our study and the difference of subtype pattern by severity of disease was not significant. However, to determine the prognostic value of HBs Ag subtype and relationship between subtype and disease progression, long-term follow up will be needed.