Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), a brain specific isoenzyme of the glycolytic enzyme, is characterized by its consistent occurrence in the cytoplasm of mature neurons. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of NSE in the developing tongue of Korean native goats. The tongues of the fetuses were removed from 2- to 4-year-old female Korean native goats by caesarean section performed under general anesthesia. The expression of NSE in the developing tongue of goat fetuses (60, 90, 120, and 150 days) was studied using immunohistochemistry. In 60-day-old fetuses, NSE-immunoreactivity (IR) exhibited weak appearance in lamina propria of the basal portion and the apical epithelia of the tongue. In 90-day-old fetuses, NSE-nerve fibers were extended in the core part of connective tissue, and primordia of the taste buds was moderately positive. In 120-day-old fetuses, NSE-IR was strongly expressed in taste buds and gustatory nerve fibers. In neonates, the taste buds of vallate papillae were strongly positive for NSE, and development of nerve fibers was synapsed with connective tissue of well innervated taste buds. These results indicate that NSE expressions were associated with the sign of nerve innervation in prenatal development of goat tongues and NSE may be a useful neuronal marker to understand the development of gustatory nerve innervations.

Previous studies have investigated the potential relationship between promoter polymorphism (-308, G/ A) of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and various autoimmune diseases. However, results from published data were inconclusive. To verify relationship between TNF-α polymorphism (-308, G/A) and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, we have performed a metaanalysis with all relevant articles before October 2016. The electronic search of PubMed, google, and Embase databases was performed to identify eligible studies investigating the relationship of TNF-α polymorphism with autoimmune diseases including vitiligo, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Genotype frequency data of TNF-α polymorphism (-308, G/A) were extracted and the meta analysis was performed by Comprehensive meta-analysis program with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Genotype models were applied with dominant and recessive models and allele model analyzed. The final analysis included 37 publication papers with a total of 6,102 autoimmune disease patients and 6,987 control subjects. In result, a statistical significant correlation between TNF-α polymorphism (-308, G/A) and susceptibility to autoimmune disease was not detected in our meta-analysis (p>0.05 in all models). Our results suggest that the TNF-α polymorphism might not be related to the development of autoimmune disease. If further results in larger studies would be accumulated in the future, this relationship would be clarified.

Carrier testing for autosomal recessive hereditary disorders in the elite sire population has great significance for the domestic animal breeding. Because the recessive allele embedded in carriers without clinical signs may be passed to the next generation and rapidly spread throughout the population. The occurrences of various autosomal recessive hereditary disorders have been reported, and several causative mutations were elucidated in cattle. However, there is no report for the hereditary disorders in Korean cattle (Hanwoo) although Hanwoo is the indigenous purebred in Korea and have been improved by the national breeding programs in the last 30 years. Here, we investigated the presence of carrier for the following hereditary disorders in the Korean proven bulls (n=78; 42 family) using DNA based analysis: Chediak–Higashi syndrome, spherocytosis, claudin-16 deficiency, factor XI deficiency. The causative genes for these diseases (lysosomal trafficking regulator, solute carrier family 4 member 1, Claudin-16 and coagulation factor XI, respectively) were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. As a results, there was no carrier individual, and all animals were normal. Although the recessive alleles for four disorders were not identified in this study, further investigation for other hereditary disorders still remains to remove deleterious factors in the genetic improvement of Korean cattle.

Exposure to house dust mites is closely connected with allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. House dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus) act as allergens even after their death. Therefore, repelling the house dust mites is more effective method than killing them. Many chemical agents have been used in killing house dust mite. However, it is usually reported that these chemical agents (acaricides) exhibit adverse effects and toxicity toward animals and human. For these reasons, we carried out the experiments for measuring the repellent activity of Mate tea and Jasmine tea against house dust mites in this experiment. In order to determine the concentration having the most effective repellent effect of Mate and Jasmine tea, house dust mites (D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus) were exposed at different concentrations (0, 0.015625, 0.03125, 0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 mg/40 μL) of Mate tea and Jasmine tea extracts, respectively, for different hours (0.5, 1, 2, 3 hours). The most effective repellent effect (%) against house dust mite in 0.25 mg/40 μL of Mate tea for 2 hours was 73.5%, Jasmine Petal tea in 0.0625 mg/40 μL for 1 hour was 84.1% and Pearl Jasmine tea in 0.125 mg/40 μL for 0.5 hour was 82.8%. These results suggest that Mate tea and Jasmine tea extracts have potential effect to repel the house dust mites (D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus)

The belief that honey bee venom (BV) can be used to treat certain immune-related diseases, such as arthritis and rheumatic conditions, goes back to antiquity. A growing number of reports have demonstrated that BV contains at least 18 pharmacologically active components, including phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Recent research has shown that bee venom PLA2 (bvPLA2) induces protective immune responses against several diseases including asthma, Parkinson’s disease, and drug-induced organ inflammation. However, the antiviral properties of bvPLA2 have not been well investigated. Hence, we examined the potential inhibitory effects of bvPLA2 and its possible mechanism of action against a broad panel of pathogenic viruses in vitro. Pre-treatment with bvPLA2 significantly inhibited the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), coxsackie virus (H3), enterovirus-71 (EV-71), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Adenovirus (AdV) dramatically. However, bvPLA2 did not show antiviral activity against Influenza A virus (PR8) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Such inhibitory effects were explained by blocking of the attachment of the virus to cells upon bvPLA2 treatment. Additionally, we observed that Heparan sulfate (HS) has an inhibitory effect on the attachment of HSV to the cell surface dose dependently, which was inconsistent with bvPLA2 treatment. These findings suggest that bvPLA2 has an inhibitory effect on the replication of diverse viruses by blocking their attachment to the cell surface and could be a promising source of natural antiviral agents.

As a result of development in medical diagnostic technology, the incidence of double primary cancer is increasing. In case that one primary cancer was identified by pathologic finding and has suggestive multiple metastatic lesions of the cancer, it is often difficult that the lesions are considered as another synchronous primary malignancy, not as metastasis of primary cancer. Here, we report a rare case of synchronous double primary renal cell carcinoma that was diagnosed initially as metastatic duodenal adenocarcinoma. A 66-year-old man presented with a palpable abdominal mass. Abdominal computed tomography showed duodenal wall thickening and hypervascular masses in the liver and left kidney. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an ulcerative lesion in the duodenal bulb, and endoscopic biopsy identified moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma. We regarded the findings as duodenal adenocarcinoma with metastasis to liver and kidney. So he was treated with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for the diagnosis of duodenal adenocarcinoma with liver and renal metastases. After 10 months, he developed a right forearm mass. Morphological and immunohistochemical analysis of an incisional biopsy of the forearm mass were consistent with a diagnosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Even when there is a pathologically confirmed malignancy, clinicians must consider the possibility of synchronous double primary malignancy in metastatic lesions.

A 4-month-old intact male, Siberian husky dog, weighing 14.6 kg, was initially presented to the Gyeongsang National University Animal Medical Center (GAMC) with a history of bilateral forelimb lameness and angular deformity. Physical examination revealed forelimb lameness and valgus deformities. Radiography showed a conical shaped, radiolucent, thickened and irregular marginated distal growth plate in both distal ulnar physis. Thickening of distal growth plate also was evident at both the distal radial physis, and the presence of osteophytes was observed. A diagnosis of angular deformity was made on the basis of a shortened ulna associated with osteochondrosis. Temporary hemiepiphysiodesis was implemented by surgical insertion of tension band plate. The plates were implanted for 6 weeks. Pre- and post-operative radiographs of both forelimbs were evaluated to determine the angle of frontal plane alignment (FPA) and sagittal plane alignment (SPA) over a 8-week period. FPA was corrected into the normal range in the right forelimb, and SPA was close to the reference range in the both forelimbs. Furthemore, a reduction in osteochondrosis was revealed by radiography. This case report establishes that temporary hemiepiphysiodesis with a tension band plate should be option in dogs with angular deformities during a growing period and is minimally invasive with a lower morbidity than traditional osteotomy. Moreover, this treatment facilitates the resolution of osteochondrosis lesions.

Rotaviruses are enteric pathogens causing acute watery dehydrating diarrhea in humans and animals. The importance of group C rotavirus (GpC-RV) infections has not been established as the studies on the GpC-RV have been hampered by the lack of an in vitro culture system. However, diarrheal diseases associated with GpC-RV have been gradually increasing worldwide. In this study, VP6 gene of bovine GpC-RV Korean isolate was expressed, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against VP6 were produced and characterized. The VP6 gene was cloned and expressed based on a baculovirus expression system. Indirect fluorescence antibody (IFA), polymer chain reaction (PCR), and Western blot assays were used to confirm expression of VP6 gene synthesized by the recombinant baculovirus. Eleven mAbs against VP6 were produced using expressed VP6. Cross-reactivity of the mAbs was assessed with recombinant VP6 proteins from porcine GpC-RV and human GpA-RV, or different serotypes of group A rotavirus strains by IFA test. Some mAbs reacted with intact porcine GpC-RV Cowden strain as well as bovine GpC-RV VP6 recombinant baculoviruses, but not with human and animal GpA-RV strains. The VP6-specific mAbs might be useful to develop immunodiagnostic tests such as rapid diagnostic kit, IFA and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of GpC-RV.

Cytokines may play an important role in the acute rejection (AR) of solid organ transplantation. Many studies have investigated the association between interleukin-10 gene (IL-10) polymorphisms and risk of AR. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between IL-10 polymorphism (-1082, G/A) and AR risk after solid organ transplantation in Caucasian population. A comprehensive electronic search of PUBMED, Google Scholar, and Korean databases was performed. Meta-analysis was performed using comprehensive meta-analysis software (Biostat, NJ,USA). We assessed the pooled p-value, odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) to measure the association between the risk of AR and IL-10 polymorphism (-1082, G/A). The OR and 95% CI were used to evaluate the strength of the association. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Fourteen case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. In overall analysis, we observed that IL-10 polymorphism (-1082, G/A) was associated with the AR in liver transplantation (G allele vs. A allele, OR = 1.436, 95% CI = 1.006-2.050, p = 0.046 in fixed model). However, IL-10 polymorphism (-1082, G/A) did not show any significant association with solid organ transplantation and renal transplantation (p>0.05 in each model, respectively). Our meta-analysis suggests that IL-10 polymorphism (-1082, G/A) may be related to susceptibility of AR in liver transplantation recipients.

Acorus gramineus is a herb used frequently in oriental medicine. Clinically, the effects of Acorus gramineus are known as awakening of one’s consciousness, removal of sputum, and relief of autism. Experimentally, Acorus gramineus root(AGR)-induced cerebral blood flow increase depending on the concentration causes diverse responses of blood pressure and regional cerebral blood flow and possesses strong inhibitory effects of apoptosis in the nervous system. We investigated the effects of AGR water extract on the adipose tissue status. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed high fat diet and a total of 35 mice were divided into 5 groups: normal group, control group, and groups treated with AGR water extract at concentrations of 20, 100, and 500 mg/kg. The mice were treated by oral administration once a day for consecutive 6 weeks, and their weight changes were monitored. As the results, the groups treated with AGR water extract showed weight loss. Also, the weights of liver, epididymal fat, retroperitoneal fat and peri-renal fat were decreased in the groups treated with AGR water extract. In histopathological examination, the sizes of adipose tissues decreased in liver, epididymal fat, retroperitoneal fat, and peri-renal fat. These results indicate that AGR water extract have an anti-obesity activity, which could be used as an useful material to decrease body adipose tissues.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are defined as malignant tumors arising from peripheral nerves or differentiating along the line of the elements of the nerve sheath. MPNSTs that originate from the brain parenchyma are exceptionally rare and are termed malignant intracerebral nerve sheath tumors. We experienced a case of the epithelioid variant of malignant intracerebral nerve sheath tumor (MINST) occurring in the right frontal lobe of a 50-year-old man. He underwent gross total resection of the tumor. Histologically, the tumor cells had round, polygonal, or ovoid nuclei and moderate amounts of eosinophilic cytoplasm, which was defined as epithelioid cells. The tumor cells were arranged in short cords or nests with vaguely nodular patterns embedded in the myxoid stroma. Regarding mitotic activity, 15 mitotic figures were noted per 10 high-power fields. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for S-100 protein and synaptophysin, but negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein, HMB-45, EMA, and AE1/ AE3. Furthermore, immunostaining for INI1 was negative. Loss of the tumor-suppressor gene product SMARCB1/ INI1 expression has been recognized in epithelioid MPNST, but not in conventional MPNST. Postoperatively, he underwent radiotherapy and was followed for almost 1 year without recurrence. The present case is the first report of the epithelioid MINST.

Kodamaea ohmeri, previously known as Pichia ohmeri or Yamadazyma ohmeri, is an ascosporogenous yeast that belong to the Saccharomycetaceae family, and it is a rare yeast-form fungus recently identified as an etiological agent of fungemia, endocarditis, urinary tract infection and peritonitis in immunocompromised patients. This paper presents a case of K. ohmeri fungemia in a 70-year-old man with carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. After receiving endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for releasing obstruction of ampulla of Vater by insertion of the biliary stent, he was pyrexial with a temperature of 38.5°C. Two set of blood samples were obtained from a peripheral vein for culture. The pathogen was identified as K. ohmeri using the Vitek YST card (bioMérieux, France) and was confirmed by the sequencing of the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA gene and the internally transcribed spacer region. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of the antifungal agents were as follows: amphotericin B 0.5 μg/mL; fluconazole 2 μg/mL; voriconazole ≤ 0.12 μg/mL; fluocytosine ≤ 1 μg/mL. According to the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute recommended breakpoint for Candida spp, the isolate was susceptible to fluconazole, amphotericin B, voriconazole, and flucytosine. This is the first report of the isolation of K. ohmeri in the patient with a gastrointestinal neoplasm following ERCP.

Hyperlipidemia has been ranked as one of the greatest risk factors contributing to the prevalence and severity of coronary heart diseases. The pharmacological actions of tangerine (Citrus unshiu) peel include the facilitation of fat digestive enzymes. Also, guarana (Paullinia cupana) has been used for stimulants and tonics over a long period. In this study, we aimed to optimize the mixed ratio of organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts to suppress fat accumulation. To determine the optimized the mixed ratio of tangerine (Citrus unshiu) peel extract (C) and guarana (Paullinia cupana) extract (P) on adipogenesis, maturing preadipocytes were incubated during the 8-day induction period with various ratio of the mixed extracts groups like as Vehicle (DMEM 200 μl/ml), Con (MDI DMEM 200 μl/ml), C10 (MDI DMEM 180μl/ml+C 20 μl/ml), C9:P1 (MDI DMEM 180 μl/ml+C 18 μl/ml+P 2 μl/ml), C5:P5 (MDI DMEM 180 μl/ml+C 10 μl/ml+P 10 μl/ ml), P10 (MDI DMEM 180 μl/ml+P 20 μl/ml). Thereafter, the adipocytes were stained with Oil-Red-O and analyzed for lipid contents. As the results, organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts were revealed to reduce fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. The fat accumulation significantly decreased in C5:P5 group, which is equally mixed with organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts, as compared to other groups. Based on these results, we found the optimized ratio with organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts to suppress fat accumulation. We suggest that this optimized organic tangerine peel and guarana complex might reduce effectively the serum lipid components and improve the lipid metabolism in hyperlipidemic patient.

Malassezia pachydermatis (M. pachydermatis) otitis is an important infectious disease of dogs throughout the world. In the present study, the presence, diagnosis, clinical signs and chemotherapy of M. pachydermatis were studied in clinical otitic dogs of Lahore and its suburbs. During two-year study period, a total of 200 ear cerumen samples from otitic dogs were examined microscopically. Of these, 46 (23%) were found positive for M. pachydermatis. The difference in the prevalence of infection between the pendulous ear and erected ear dogs as well as sex predilection was found nonsignificant (P>0.05). However, a significantly (P<0.05) higher prevalence (86.90%) was recorded in dogs of more than one years of age group. The animals determined positive for the M. pachydermatis were divided into two groups (A and B) and treated with Clotrimazole and Nystatin, respectively. Efficacy of both the antifungals was evaluated on the basis of reversal of clinical signs scoring and cytological examinations at 7, 14, 21-day post treatment. The overall efficacy of Clotrimazole and Nystatin was 73% and 68%, respectively. Clotrimazole showed better results as compared to Nystatin in accomplishing cure rate from mycological infection. It was concluded that M. pachydermatis is a significant cause of otitis in dogs wherein Clotrimazole proves to be a more effective drug in eliminating the infection in the affected Dogs.

The objective of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory effects mixed with Weissella cibaria JW15 strain and black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). In this experiment, JW15 was cultured in De Man Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth at 37% for 17 hr, and the cells were washed twice with sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (pH 7.2). And black soybean was extracted by ethanol or hot boiling water. The immuno-modulatory effects of mixed JW15 and black soybean extract were investigated by measuring the production of nitric oxide (NO), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and cytokine (Interleukin-1β and Tumor necrosis factor-α) in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells or RAW blue cells. The 0.1 % ethanol and hot water extract of black soybean increased NO, NF-κB, and cytokine production in a concentration dependent manner. The NF-κB activation by JW15 mixed with 0.1 % hot water extract of black soybean (0.26 ± 0.02) was significantly higher than JW15 alone (0.20 ± 0.02). Also, combination of JW15 and 0.1% hot water extract of black soybean triggered IL-1β production of 110.19 ± 4.38 pg/mL, which was significantly greater than the JW15 alone (12.06 ± 7.58 pg/mL). The results of this study indicate that combination of Weissella cibaria JW15 and black soybean extract may have an ability to activate innate immune response synergistically. According to these results, the mixture of JW15 and black soybean extract could hold great promise for use in probiotics.

Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix have been widely used as oriental medicinal plants in Korea, China and Japan and found to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. A previous study demonstrated a protection of an ethanol extract (SSB) of a mixture of three medicinal plants of Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix against β amyloid protein-induced memory impairment. The current study was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective effect of SSB against ischemiainduced brain injury. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 2 hr middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 24 hr reperfusion (MCAO/reperfusion) in rats. Oral administration of SSB (5, 10 and 25 mg/kg) 30 min before and 1 h after MCAO, and 1 h after reperfusion reduced MCAO/ reperfusion-induced brain infarct and edema formation. SSB also inhibited development of behavioral disabilities in MCAO/reperfusion-treated rats. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to 500 μM glutamate for 12 hr resulted in neuronal cell death. SSB (1-10 μg/mL) inhibited glutamateinduced neuronal death, elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of SSB against ischemia-induced brain damage might be associated with its anti-excitotoxic activity and that SSB may have a therapeutic role for prevention of neurodegeneration in stroke.

Headache is one of most common chief complaints of pediatric patients in emergency departments (ED). In this study, the character, duration, strength and location of headaches, as well as the results of brain imaging studies, were recorded. Seventy-four children (34 boys, 40 girls) visiting the ED of major hospitals in Cheongju were enrolled from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014. Ages of the children ranged from 3 to 18 years, with the mean age being 13 years. Four of them (5.4%) had trauma-related headaches. There were 34 migraines (45.9%), 27 tension headaches (36.5%), 3 secondary headaches (4.1%), 2 seizure-related headaches (2.7%), 1 headache with hydrocephalus (1.4%), 1 concussion (1.4%), and 1 headache with subdural hematoma (1.4%). The highest number of patients, 31 (41.9%), had symptoms for less than two hours, while 11 pediatric patients (14.9%) had symptoms for 2-4 hours, and the third-largest group, 10 patients (13.5%), had symptoms between 24 and 72 hours. Twenty-nine patients (39.2%) had one headache per month, 20 patients (27.0%) had 1 to 14 headaches per month, and 4 patients (5.4%) had more than 15 headaches per month. Children with migraine took a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID, 34 patients; 45.9%), acetaminophen (19 patients; 25.7%), and Topiramate (1 patient; 1.4%). Average strength of headache was 7.37 ± 1.79. There were 23 children (31.1%) with headaches in the parieto-temporal area, 16 children (21.6%) in the occipital area, 9 children (12.2%) in the frontal area, 4 children (5.4%) in the global area, and 6 children (8.1%) in an uncertain location. There were 31 children (41.9%) with pulsating headaches, 18 children (24.3%) with squeezing headaches, 5 children (6.8%) with stabbing headaches, and 11 children (14.9%) with headaches of an uncertain nature. Thus, we suspect children visiting the ED had severe headaches.

We investigated the pharmacokinetics of ferulic acid, a potential antioxidant agent, after intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration in rats. To analyze ferulic acid levels in the plasma, bile, urine and tissue samples, we developed an HPLC-based method which was validated for a pharmacokinetic study by suitable criteria. After i.v. bolus administration of ferulic acid, it rapidly disappeared from blood circulation within 15 min. The mean plasma half-lives at α phase (t1/2α) when administered at doses of 2 and 10 mg/ kg were 1.10 and 1.39 min, respectively. The values of t1/2β at the corresponding doses increased 40% (from 5.02 to 7.01 min) with increasing doses. The total body clearance (CLt) values significantly decreased as the ferulic acid dose increased. On the other hand, steady-state volume of distribution (Vdss) values did not show the significant difference with the increase in dose. Of the various tissues, ferulic acid mainly distributed to the liver and kidney after i.v. bolus administration. The ferulic acid concentrations in various tissues at 2 hr after i.v. bolus administration were below 1.0 μg/g tissue. Ferulic acid was excreted in the bile and urine after i.v. bolus administration at the dose of 10 mg/kg. The cumulative amount of ferulic acid in the bile 2 hr after dosage was comparable with the amount excreted in the urine after 72 hr, indicating that i.v. administered ferulic acid was mainly excreted in the both bile and urine. In conclusion, ferulic acid was rapidly cleared from the circulating blood and transferred to tissues such as the liver and kidney after i.v. bolus administration. Moreover, the majority of ferulic acid appears to be excreted in the bile and urine after i.v. bolus administration.

This study investigated the potential associations of dog characteristics with serum serotonin (5HT) concentration in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD). Client-owned dogs were prospectively recruited at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Chungnam National University between 2010 and 2011. Forty-two dogs (22 females and 20 males) were enrolled in this study. DMVD dogs included Maltese (n=12), followed by Shih-tzu (n=10), mixed breed (n=5), Chihuahua (n=4), Miniature schnauzer (n=3), Miniature poodle (n=3), Miniature pinscher (n=1), Pomeranian (n=1), Yorkshire terrier (n=2), and Spitz (n=1). As inclusion criteria for the study, dogs had to show either direct or echocardiographic evidence of DMVD. Platelet count significantly differed among the three groups, as the moderate (P<0.05) and severe groups (P<0.05) showed significantly higher platelet counts than the mild DMVD group. Additionally, significantly higher LVIDd, LVIDs, fractional shortening (FS), and LA:Ao ratios were observed in dogs with moderate (P<0.05) and severe (P<0.05) DMVD compared to the mild group, respectively. Significant positive correlations between serum 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) concentration and platelet count (r=0.273, P=0.03), LA:Ao ratio (r=0.459, P=0.001), and LVIDd (r=0.319, P=0.013) were observed in DMVD dogs. Therefore, serum 5HT concentration may be a potential cause of DMVD progression.

The aim of the present study was to investigate sex- and age-associated clinico-metabolic characteristics of urinary stone patients. A retrospective review was performed on data from 2,009 consecutive patients presenting with their first urinary stone episode between 2005 and 2013. Of the 2,009 patients, 1,426 (71.0%) satisfied the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. Patients were grouped by age (<60, ≥60 years old) and sex. The medical history and 24 hr urinary chemistry results of each patient were obtained. The mean age of the 165 (11.6%) patients aged 60 or over was 65.5 ± 4.2 years. Body mass index was greater in elderly females than in younger females (p=0.031). After stratification by sex and age, lower urinary excretion of calcium and uric acid was a protective factor for both sexes among the elderly (p<0.05, each, respectively). Low urine pH was a common risk factor for both sexes among the elderly (p=0.013 in males, p=0.047 in females, respectively), whereas lower citrate excretion was a risk factor for only the elderly female group (p=0.004). With regard to urinary metabolic abnormalities, elderly females showed higher incidence of hypocitraturia compared to younger females (p=0.049). In conclusion, this study demonstrated the sex- and age-associated clinico-metabolic characteristics of urinary stone patients. Thus, it is important to tailor metabolic evaluation and medical prevention therapies for patient according to sex and gender characteristics.