Concurrent use of instrumentation has been shown to increase fusion rates and satisfactory results for surgical treatment of the lumbar stenosis. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate clinically and radiologically two groups of lumbar stenosis who were surgically treated with pedicular screw fixation system and posterior lumbar interbody or posterolateral autogenous bone graft following complete posterior decompression. One group was degenerative type and the other group was spondylolisthetic type spinal stenosis. We analyzed the results of 39 cases of lumbar stenosis who underwent pedicular screw and rod fixation system and posterior lumbar interbody or posterolateral autogenous iliac bone fusion following complete posterior decompressive operation during the period from May 1988 to December 1992. There were 27cases of degenerative type and 12 cases of spondylolisthetic type lumbar stenosis. The were 25 women and 14 men. Their age was ranged 20 to 76 years old with an average of 51.7 years old. The follow up period was the interval from 18 months to 6 years with an average of 3.2 years. The radiologic union rate was average 94.9% and 96.3%(26cases) in degenerative spinal stenosis and 91.7%(11 cases) in spondylolisthetic spinal stenosis. The clinical success rate was average 92.3%(36 cases), 88.9%(24 cases) in degenerative spinal stenosis and 100%(12 cases) in spondylolisthetic spinal stenosis. The patients with spondylolytic spinal stenosis showed better result in their life than the patient with degenerative spinal stenosis.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Pedicle Screws ; Spinal Stenosis ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Humans

PURPOSE: Since the discovery of estrogen receptor-beta(ER-beta, five C-terminal variants of ER-beta were identified. We designed this study to investigate the pattern and clinical implications of ER-betaand its splicing variants expression in normal and malignant mammary tissues. METHODS: Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we examined the expression levels of ER-alpha and ER-betaand its five splicing variants (beta1, beta2, beta3, beta4, beta5) in 50 paired normal and cancer tissues. We measured the densities of RT-PCR products using Tina version 2.10 (Raytest, Germany). Firstly, the incidence and intensity of ER-alpha and ER-beta and its five splicing variants were compared. Then the expression of ER-betamRNA splicing variants was also analyzed with regard to the ER-alphaprotein expression measured by immuno-histochemical staining and the menopausal status of the patients. Chi-square test and paired samples t-test were used for statistical analysis. Differences were considered to be significant with a p-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: The expression of ER-betamRNA variants in normal breast and cancer tissues were as follows: ER-beta2 (100%/100%), ER-beta4 (76%/74%), ER-beta5 (32%/58%), and ER-beta1 (14%/16%). ER-beta3 was not detected at all. In terms of intensity, we observed a significant decrease of ER-beta2 (P<0.001) and an increase of ER-beta5 (P=0.004) in the mRNA expression levels among breast cancers compared to the corresponding normal breast tissues. Compared to the corresponding normal tissues, a significant decrease of ER-beta2 in cancer tissues was observed in patients with ER-alpha-positive (P<0.001), with age over 50 (P=0.01), and under 50 (P=0.04) as well, but not in patients with ER-alpha-negative (P=0.48). ER-beta4 also significantly decreased in patients with ER-alpha-positive (P=0.004) and with age over 50 (P=0.07). ER-beta5 showed a significant increment only in patient aged over 50 (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: ER-alpha mRNA expression significantly increases but ER-beta mRNA expression decreases in the cancer tissues compared to the corresponding normal tissues. Among ER-beta variant forms, ER-beta2 is predominant in both normal and malignant mammary tissues and ER-beta4, ER-beta5, and ER-beta1 in descending order but ER-beta3 does not express in mammary tissues. The decrease of ER-beta2 and ER-beta4 expression is prominent in cancer tissue especially in ER-alpha-positive cancers, which suggests that ER-beta2 and ER-beta4 may possess a regulatory function in mammary carcinogenesis. Further investigations to verify the roles of ER-beta variants are mandatory.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinogenesis ; Estrogens* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Estrogen ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger

BACKGROUND: It has been generally accepted that Cisapride (Prepulsid?or propulsid?), a widely used gastrointestinal prokinetic agent, is associated with Torsades de Points, a life-threatening arrhythmia. Recently, cisapride-induced APD (action potential duration)-prolongation was inhibited by glibenclamide, a KATP channel blocker. But the direct effect of cisapride on K(ATP) channels has not been studied until now. Therefore, we investigated cisapride's effects on KATP channels of isolated rat ventricular myocytes. METHODS: After the isolation of rat ventricular myocytes, we analysed the single channel current with patch pipettes. The method of analysis was the student t-test. RESULTS: 1) Cisapride (10(-6) M- 10(-4) M) inhibited KATP channel opening without changing channel conductance Ki was about 20micronM, and Hill coefficient was 0.75. 2) Cisapride inhibited pinacidil-induced KATP channel opening in the cell attached mode. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that cisapride-induced APD prolongation and arrythmic effects may be partly related to KATP channel inhibition.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cisapride* ; Glyburide ; Humans ; KATP Channels ; Muscle Cells ; Rats

No abstract available.

The purpose of this study was to confirm the anti-tumor activity of an ethanol extract of Saussurea laniceps against pancreatic tumor and to isolate the active compound from S.laniceps extract. Treatment with S.laniceps extract and hispidulin inhibited proliferation of pancreatic cell lines, such as Capan-1, Capan-2, Panc-1 and S2-013 in a dose-dependent manner using the hollow fiber assay. Hispidulin showed typical hallmarks of apoptotic cell death a significant anti-tumor activity on Capan-2 cells at a dose of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg. S.laniceps has potential cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on human pancreatic carcinoma cells. Its mechanism of action might be associated with the apoptotic cell death through DNA fragmentation.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; DNA Fragmentation ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Pancreas* ; Saussurea*

No abstract available.
Heart* ; Thoracic Surgery*

A 40-year-old man attended our hospital with presenting symptoms of an acutely swollen, tender testicle and bulging mass on the inguinal area. Considered it as urgent conditions no demonstrating blood flow to the involved testicle on Color Doppler ultrasonography, we underwent scrotal exploration right away. On operative finding the right testis was so enlarged and engorged secondarily to the irreversible ischemic damage, but torsion of spermatic cord was not found. Another inguinal approach revealed herniated mass protruding from internal inguinal ring and compressing the spermatic cord. For further evaluation abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan was done and huge mass occupying right lower quadrant of abdomen and pelvic cavity was noted. The resected tumor through surgical exploration was proved to be a retroperitoneal liposarcoma pathologically. Herein we report an uncommon case of testicular infarct, mimicking torsion of spermatic cord that is a urological emergency, caused by herniated retroperitoneal mass. So the present report suggest that, when adult men attend with symptoms of acutely swollen painful testicle, we pay a more careful attention to patient,s physical findings and recommend further diagnostic evaluation.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Inguinal Canal* ; Liposarcoma* ; Male ; Spermatic Cord ; Testis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

Acute arterial occlusion of the extremity may result from obstruction of an artery by embolism or by thrombosis in situ. This results in the sudden cessation of blood flow to an extremity. So immediate managements are required to prevent propagation of the clot and to restore blood flow to the ischemic extremity promptly. We report a case of a acute arterial occlusion which was developed during prolonged fasting. A 59-year-old male was transferred due to severe ischemic pain, coldness and loss of pulse in left lower extremity during fast. The arteriogram shows a complete obstruction of external iliac artery and non-visualization of femoral artery and popliteotibial artery in the left lower extremity. Selective intra-arterial urokinase thrombolytic therapy and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty resulted in recannulation of obstructed artery and relief of symptoms.
Angioplasty ; Arteries ; Embolism ; Extremities ; Fasting* ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Lower Extremity* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of neonatal urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and non- Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI. METHODS: We compared clinical characteristics of 84 neonatal patients with UTI caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae who were hospitalized at the Department of Pediatricsat Han Dong University, Sunlin Hospital during the period between May, 1994 and August, 1998. The cases were divided into two groups depending upon causative organisms' Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI vs non-Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI, and the clinical characteristics of these groups were compared. RESULTS: Escherichia coli was the most common bacterial pathogen causing neonatal UTI, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. There was no significant difference in the sex distribution of Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI, but non-Klebsiella pneumoniae UTI showed male predominence. There were no significant differences in the incidences of hematologic, urologic, radiologic findings and perinatal complications in between these 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Klebsiella pneumoniae is the second most common pathogen causing neonatal UTI. There were no specific differences in the laboratory, symptomatologic, and radiologic findings in these two groups.
Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Incidence ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Male ; Pneumonia ; Sex Distribution ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*