Fibronectin(FN) is a major component of the extracellular matrix and is able to bind to cells and other components of the matrix. Although the cell producing the largest amounts of fibronectin is fibroblast, the pro duct,ion on FN also has been described in cultured keratinocyt,e and epithelial tumor cells of basal cell carcinoma(BCC). Recently, functional role nf FN in relation to biologic behavior of BCC and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) is open to speculation. The authors investigated the localization of FN in the lesional skin of 5 cases of BCC, 4 of SCC, 5 of psoriasis and 5 normal skin using direct immunofluorescence technique with antifibronectin antibody to find out the production of FN in keratinocytes and tumor cells. 1. In the skin of BCC, FN was presented in a thick, linear depositions along the margin of tumor lobules in all cases, and as fillamentous deposits or scattered points in the nest of tumor cells in 3 cases. 2. In the skin of SCC, FN was presented in a thin, coarse depositions around the margin of tumor but not presented within the tumor nest in all cases. R. In psoriasis, FN was observed in horney layer and upper part of epidermis. It was presented more abundantly in dermo-epidermal junction, papillary and reticular dermis than in normal skin. 4. In normal skin, FN was absent in the epidermis but presented in dermo-epidermal junction and blood vessel wall of upper dermis, the amount of FN was decreased from papillary to lower dermis.
Blood Vessels ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins* ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Keratinocytes ; Psoriasis* ; Skin*

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) playing an important role in e cell-mediated immune response kill the target cells by the special contact-dependent mechanism. It has been known that CTL and NK cells utilize two different pathways in removing specific target cells: apoptotic cell death and osmotic lysis by the pore forming protein. Interaction of CTL with target cells results in the ligand-induced, receptor-mediated, nonsecretory lytic process and lethal hit is delivered by the transducing molecule, Fas (CD95, APO-1), one of the TNFR/NGFR superfamily. In addition, ligation of TNF receptor and CD40 also induced the apoptosis of B cell and epithelial cells. However, recognition of target cells, the triggering mechanism, cytotoxic mediators, internal metabolic pathway and signal transduction behind apoptosis remain undefined and have been elucidated only in part. ...continue...
Apoptosis* ; Cell Death ; Epithelial Cells ; Genistein ; Ice ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Ligation ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; Signal Transduction ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic*

Methods of treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes' disease, (L.C.P.D.) are at present generally defined, and the individual approach is now more precise than before. But it is still controversial, particularly in older age groups. We analized the result of intertrochanteric varus osteotomy in 44 hips and innominate osteotomy in 23 hips of L.C.P.D., and compared the former with the later. To find out the influence of the both osteotomies on the femoral head (coxa magna), the relations between the stage and degree of involvement at operation and reult, and the postoperative progression of disease, the cases were analyzed and classified by Elizabethtown's stage and Catterall group. And also the duration of fragmentation stage after osteotomy was observed. Results were as follows: l. At the time of operation 45 hips were in avascular stage, 18 hips in fragmentation stage, and 4 hips in healing stage. 20 hips(29.8%) were classified as group II, 29(43. 3%) group III, and 18(23.1%) group IV. 2. After the osteotmy in case of avasculsr necrosis stage, average duration of fragmentation stage was 6.3 months after femoral osteotomy and 1 year 6 months after innominate osteotomy. 12 among 20 hips were skipped the fragmentation stage, and got into healing stage in case of femoral osteotomy. 3. After the osteotomy at the fragmentation stage, average duration of the fragmentation stage was 9.8 months after femoral osteotomy and 1 year 3 months in case of innominate osteotomy. 4. Regardless of the type of osteotomy, coxa magna was observed more frequently in the case who had surgery at the late stage and severely involoved head at the time of osteotomy. 5. In the case of femoral osteotomy, average preoperative neck shaft angle was 138.5°, and postoperative one was 113.5°. During the follow-up study, 12.0° of revalgarisation took place. 6. The result obtained by femoral osteotomy gave better results than those by innominate osteotomy. Regardless of the type of osteotomy, good results were obtained in case who had surgery at the early stage such as avascular stage, and had mild involvement as such group II.
Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Neck ; Necrosis ; Osteotomy

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Epilepsy is generally defined as a chronic condition characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizure. It is still controversial whether the long-term antiepileptic drugs(AED) treatment will be necessary in children with first unprovoked seizure. Cognitive and behavioral side effects of AEDs are especially important in developing children. Therefore the rationale of AED treatment in the children with first unprovoked seizure depends upon the seizure recurrence rate and presence of risk factors related with seizure recurrence. We are going to evaluate the risk of seizure recurrence and risk factors after a first unprovoked seizure in children. METHODS: One hundred fifty eight patients presented with a first unprovoked seizure from July, 1994 to June, 1999 were prospectively followed by regular epilepsy clinic visit or telephone interview for a mean of 27 months. We analyzed overall recurrence risk and risk factors of seizure recurrence(EEG finding, etiology of seizure, seizure type, history of prior febrile convulsions, neurodevelopmental status prior to first seizure, presence of a Todd's paresis, family history of seizures, a seizure occuring while asleep, and duration of seizure) by Cox's proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: In 158 patients with first unprovoked seizure, 61 (39%) patients experienced subsequent seizure. The cumulative risk of seizure recurrence was 28.5, 37.6, and 42.3% at 6, 12, and 18 months. The median time to recurrence was 3 months, with 72% of recurrence occurring within 6 months, 92% within 1 year, and 100% within 2 years. On univariate analysis, risk factors for seizure recurrence included an etiology of seizure and abnormal EEG. In idiopathic cases, the risk factor was an EEG abnormality. CONCLUSION: Many of the children with a first unprovoked seizure will not have recurrences. The recurrence risk of a first unprovoked seizure in children have statistically correlated with the etiology of seizure(cryptogenic and symptomatic) and abnormal EEG. Children with an idiopathic first seizure and a normal EEG have a particularly favorable prognosis.
Ambulatory Care ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Paresis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies* ; Recurrence* ; Risk Factors ; Seizures* ; Seizures, Febrile

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Aspergillosis*

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the practicality and the validity of different surface treatments of self-drilling orthodontic mini-implants (OMIs) by comparing bone cutting capacity and osseointegration. METHODS: Self-drilling OMIs were surface-treated in three ways: Acid etched (Etched), resorbable blasting media (RBM), partially resorbabla balsting media (Hybrid). We compared the bone cutting capacity by measuring insertion depths into artificial bone (polyurethane foam). To compare osseointegration, OMIs were placed in the tibia of 25 rabbits and the removal torque value was measured at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after placement. The specimens were analyzed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). RESULTS: The bone cutting capacity of the etched and hybrid group was lower than the machined (control) group, and was most inhibited in the RBM group (p < 0.05). At 4 weeks, the removal torque in the machined group was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), but was increased in the etched group (p < 0.05). In the hybrid group, the removal torque significantly increased at 2 weeks, and was the highest among all measured values at 8 weeks (p < 0.05). The infiltration of bone-like tissue surface was evaluated by SEM, and calcium and phosphorus were detected via EDS only in the hybrid group. CONCLUSIONS: Partial RBM surface treatment (hybrid type in this study) produced the most stable self-drilling OMIs, without a corresponding reduction in bone cutting capacity.
Calcium ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osseointegration* ; Phosphorus ; Rabbits ; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission ; Tibia ; Torque

PURPOSE: Osteoporosis is generally regarded as disease of women and there are extensive data about post-menopausal osteopotosis, but there is relatively little information concerning the osteoporosis in aging male. We aimed to determine the relationships between age ,androgen and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly korean men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the sex hormones and BMD of 82 elderly men between May 1999 and April 2000. Serum free testosterone (FT), total testosterone (TT), DHT, LH, FSH and Prolactin were measured by RIA. BMD at anteroposterior L2-4, femoral neck, ward's triangle, femoral trochanter and femoral shaft were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We defined group I as free testosterone <10ng/dl and group II as 10ng/dl. RESULTS: Serum LH and FSH increased with age. There was a significant decrease in serum FT with age, but T concentrations remained unchanged. There were significant declines with age in BMD at femoral neck, Ward's triangle, femoral trochanter, femoral shaft. Serum FT were significantly correlated to BMD at anteroposterior L2-4, femoral neck, Ward's triangle, femoral trochanter, femoral shaft. After controlling for age, serum FT were significantly correlated to BMD at femoral trochanter, femoral shaft. Mean BMD was significantly lower in group I than group II at anteroposterior L2-4, femoral shaft. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that FT is a male osteoporotic marker in man older than 50 years and bone mineral density should be considered for diagnosis of male osteoporosis associated with PADAM, especially when FT is lower than 10ng/dl.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Aging* ; Bone Density* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Humans ; Male* ; Osteoporosis ; Prolactin ; Testosterone

The present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between serum lipid and lipoprotein values and cerebrovascular accidents. Serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured in 130 cases of normal Korean, 49 patients with cerebrovascular accidents and 35 patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The mean values of serum lipids in patients with cerebrovascular accidents were 148.3+/-75.3mg% for triglyceride, 189.6+/-37.4mg% for cholesterol, 132.5+/-55.2mg% for phospholipid and 548.8+/-106.3mg% for total lipid. 2. The mean values of serum lipoproteins in patients with cerebrovascular accidents were 255.3+/-81.6mg% for beta-lipoprotein, 118.3+/-73.7mg% for pre-beta-lipoprotein and 183.6+/-65.5mg% for alpha-lipoprotein. 3. There were no significant differences of sex and age in the mean values of serum lipids and lipoproteins in patients with cerebrovascular accidents. 4. In general the mean concentrations of serum lipids and lipoproteins, except phospholipid and alpha-lipoprotein, in patients with cerebrovascular accidents and hypertension were significantly elevated than in normal control subjects. 5. There were no significant differences in serum lipid and lipoprotein values between various types of cerebrocasculr accidents. 6. The change of serum lipid and lipoprotein values had a decreasing tendency till one month after onset, thereafter the values became similar to to\hose of early period of illness. 7. The incidence of hyperlipoproteinemia in patients with cerebrovascular accidents was 64%, and the most frequent type of hyperlipoproteinemia was Type IIa, as the frequency decreased in the order of Type IV, Type IIb and Type III.
Cholesterol ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemias ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Lipoproteins* ; Stroke* ; Triglycerides

The present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between serum lipid and lipoprotein values and cerebrovascular accidents. Serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured in 130 cases of normal Korean, 49 patients with cerebrovascular accidents and 35 patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The mean values of serum lipids in patients with cerebrovascular accidents were 148.3+/-75.3mg% for triglyceride, 189.6+/-37.4mg% for cholesterol, 132.5+/-55.2mg% for phospholipid and 548.8+/-106.3mg% for total lipid. 2. The mean values of serum lipoproteins in patients with cerebrovascular accidents were 255.3+/-81.6mg% for beta-lipoprotein, 118.3+/-73.7mg% for pre-beta-lipoprotein and 183.6+/-65.5mg% for alpha-lipoprotein. 3. There were no significant differences of sex and age in the mean values of serum lipids and lipoproteins in patients with cerebrovascular accidents. 4. In general the mean concentrations of serum lipids and lipoproteins, except phospholipid and alpha-lipoprotein, in patients with cerebrovascular accidents and hypertension were significantly elevated than in normal control subjects. 5. There were no significant differences in serum lipid and lipoprotein values between various types of cerebrocasculr accidents. 6. The change of serum lipid and lipoprotein values had a decreasing tendency till one month after onset, thereafter the values became similar to to\hose of early period of illness. 7. The incidence of hyperlipoproteinemia in patients with cerebrovascular accidents was 64%, and the most frequent type of hyperlipoproteinemia was Type IIa, as the frequency decreased in the order of Type IV, Type IIb and Type III.
Cholesterol ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemias ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Lipoproteins* ; Stroke* ; Triglycerides