Dendritic cell (DC)s are protessional antigen presenting cells and they have been used for antitumor immunotherapy or cell vaccines. However therapy using DC is restricted because the number of DC available from tissue is very low. Flt3 ligand (FL) has been known as a hematopoietic growth factor that increases proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, and recently it showed inducibility of dendritic cell (DC)s and signiticant antitumor effects in vivo. Thus FL will be frequently used for DC induction and antitumor immunotherapy in future. Here we constructed FL plasmid and studied its in vivo effect. FL plasmids were made by cloning of partial FL cDNA into pcDNA3 plasmid, and gene expression and protein producibility of FL plasmid were confirmed in Renca cells transfected with FL plasmid. Mice were injected with FL plasmid (100ug/mouse) three times and 20 days later mouse spleens were harvested for staining and RT-PCR. There were lots of blastogenic cells in the spleen of mice treated with FL plasmid. FL plasmid also induced DEC205, IL-12 and GM-CSF gene expression in mouse splenocyte. All these data suggest FL plasmid may be used for induction of DC and antitumor therapy as DNA adjuvant.
Mice ; Animals

To determine the concentration and the physiologic role of metal components in blood plasma and seminal plasma in relation to male infertility, the concentrations of twelve metal components in blood plasma and seminal plasma including Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Cd and Pb were measured by atomic absorbance spectrophotometery or ion selective electrode analysis. Semen and blood samples were obtained from a total of 110 men including 70 male infertility patients, 20 vasectomized persons and 20 fertility proven volunteers visited to the Male Infertility Clinic of Pusan National University Hospital. The concentrations of Ca, Zn, Mg, Cr and Cd in control group were higher in seminal plasma than in blood plasma, and additionally Pb were higher in infertility group. The concentrations of all metal components revealed no significant difference according to patients' age, resident, occupation, sperm density, motility and hormone level in blood plasma, but some metal components including Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn, Cd and Pb revealed a significant difference according to each these parameters except patient's age in seminal plasma. The concentrations of Mn, Cd and Pb in the vasectomy persons were higher than in the infertility group III including testicular and epididymal factors, but not in blood plasma. We conclude that the quantitative changes of metal components in the seminal plasma may have effects on not only spermatogenesis and sperm function, but also contribute to diagnostic parameter according to organ specificity of the metal in the male reproduction.
Busan ; Electrodes ; Fertility ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male* ; Occupations ; Organ Specificity ; Plasma ; Reproduction ; Semen* ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Vasectomy ; Volunteers

The tibial plafond fractures result from an axial compression snd rotational forces causing variable degrees of metaphyseal disruption, articular damage, and malleolar displscement. It is relatively uncommon but a most difficult fracture to manage. It has been treated in a number of manners, but the best results have been occurred when stable internal fixation is accomplished using plates and screws. Basic steps in reconstruction are restoration of anatomic length of the fibula with plate fixation, reconstruction of the tibial articular surface, cancellous bone grafting of the metaphyseal defect and buttress plating of the distal tibia. The suthor analysed the 20 cases of the tibial plafond frsctures in 17 patients, which were trested at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Paik Hospital, Inje Medical College from Jsnuary 1983 to March 1987. The longest durstion of followup was 2 years and 4 months and shortest one was 6 months, and the aversge was one year. The results were as follows : 1. Among the 17 patients, male were 16 and female was one. 2. The major causes of injury were a fall from a height. 3. The most frequent type of fracture was type C by Ruedi and Allgower classification. 4. Regardless of the method of trestment the type A and B were in good and fair result, but the type C were fair in 4 cases and poor in 8 cases. There were 7 cases of snkle fusion in poor group. 5. It is important to remind the basic steps in reconstruction and applied in sn individual csse especially in type C. If anatomic reconstruction of the joint surface can be restored and stable fixation achieved, esrly motion of the ankle joint is made possible. This early motion reduces stiffness of the ankle and win yeild the most sstisfying result. But the anatomic reduction of ank1 joint is difficult to be obtained in each case especially in type C and may consider an ankle fusion.
Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Bone Transplantation ; Classification ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Fibula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Tibia

Paralytic hand is the ultimate result of permsnent damage of the central nervous system, failure of the functional repair of peripheral nerve injuries and extensive muscular or tendinous defect resulting in the impairment of hand function. There are a lot of controversies in the side of treatment methods in the paralytic hand, and it is very difficult to formulate the most adequate surgical reconstruction for a given pstient. At Depsrtment of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 66 cases oi paralytic hands in 62 patients have been treated surgically with tendon transfers for 7 years from Jan, 1980 to Dec, 1986. 49 case in 46 patients were followed up for more than one year, and surgical method and its results were anslysed. They consist of CNS lesion (17), peripheral nerve lesion(23) and musulotenidinous defect(9). The methods of surgical reconstruction were opponenesplasty(12), standard set extensor reconstruction(9), Green and Bsnks FCU transfer(11), intrinsic reconstruction(7), pronator rerouting(7), adductorplasty (5) and so on. The mean follow-up was 2.2 years, and in 38 cases good or excellent results were obtained.
Central Nervous System ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Peripheral Nerves ; Seoul ; Tendon Transfer

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Neutralizing* ; Feces* ; Rotavirus*

PURPOSE: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness of fluoroscopy-guided bone biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 31 patients with various skeletal lesions underwent fluoroscopy-guided bone biopsies. The targets were long bones in 16 cases, pelvic bones in 7 cases, spines in 6 cases, and ribs in the rest 2 cases. RESULTS: The overall accuracy was 71%(22/31). The accuracy was 100% in case of primary sarcoma and multiple myeloma. But it was low in malignant lymphoma(1/4), malignant fibrous histiocytoma(0/1), and nonossifying fibroma(0/1). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous fluoroscopy-guided bone biopsy is a simple, safe, not-expensive, and rather accurate diagnostic procedure in evaluation of bone tumors. In addition to that, it is useful in the managment planning and fllow-up of the patients.
Biopsy* ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Pelvic Bones ; Ribs ; Sarcoma ; Spine

The authors measured the translation and the angulation on dynamic lumber radiography to get Korean standard data in 53 normal Korean male aged 25 to 30 without any back problem. Mean angulations on L2/3, L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 interspace were -2.6 degrees, -3.3 degrees, -3.4 degrees and 2.6 degrees on flexion and 11.6 degrees, 12.2 degrees, 14.2 degrees and 19.6 degrees on extension, respectively. Mean sums of angulations on flexion and extension on L2/3, L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 interspace were 14.1 degrees, 5.5 degrees, 17.6 degrees and 16.9 degrees, respectively. Mean translations, expressed in percentage of vertebral AP diameter, on L2/3, L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 interspace were 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.2% and 6% on flexion and 4.5%, 5.2%, 5.9% and 7.3% on extension, respectively. We hope that these data would help to make decision on lumbar segmental instability in conjunction with other studies.
Hope ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography* ; Translations

Thirty one free vascularized fibula bone grafts were performed for treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in 26 patients, 24 men and 2 women aged from 16 to 48(mean:32 years). Twenty one patients had unilateral disease. Five patients had bilateral disease underwent staged bilateral free vascularized fibula grafts three months apart. Associated etiological factors included alcohol(9 patients), steroid(7 patients), and trauma(one patient). The condition was considered idiopathic in the remaining 9 patients. Radiologic staging by Ficat included stage 1 in one hip, stage II in 15 hips, stage III in 14 hips, and stage IV in one hip. A skin island flap was used for monitoring purpose for the grafted fibula. One monitoring, flap was necrotized due to vascular occlusion but the fibula bone graft was left in place to use as a nonvascularized bone graft. Average follow-up period was 21 months in 31 hips. Pain was relieved in 28 hips(93.3 percent) and aggravated in 2 hips(6.7 per cent). On radiographic evaluation, 26 hips(86.7 per cent) demonstrated excellent preservation of the femoral head contour. Progressive collapse of the femoral head (greater than 1-2 mm) occurred in 2 hips, i mm depression in one hip with stage III and 2 mm collapse in one hip with stage IV. In conclusion, the free vascularized fibula bone graft is an excellent treatment modality for preserving the femoral head and relieving symptoms in cases of the osteonecrosis of the femoral head.
Depression ; Female ; Fibula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hip ; Humans ; Male ; Osteonecrosis* ; Skin ; Transplants

After transverse incision of bladder of 21 rabbits weighing from 1.6 kg to 2.0 kg, each left ureteral orifice was dilated from l Fr up to 4 Fr progressively, and the rabbits were sacrificed at 3rd. 7th and 28th day after dilatation of ureteral orifice. We studied the changes of upper urinary tract due to the dilatation of vesicoureteral junction with imaging diagnostic methods, such as retrograde cystography, intravenous pyelography, and histopathologic examination. 1. Vesicoureteral reflux after dilatation of ureteral orifice did not occur in 4 Fr group, but occur- red in 2 rabbits(20 %) of 5 Fr group. Hydronephrosis and dilatation of ureteral lumen were observed at the 3rd and 7th day after the dilatation of ureteral orifice, whereas on the 28th day did were not observed. 2. The histopathologic findings of ureteral damage were denudation of ureteral orifice. Major causes of ureteral damage were denudation of ureteral mucosa and tearing of ureter, involving submucosal layer. Nonspecific inflammatory reaction was ensued following these damage. It is suggested that the range of ureteral dilatation, which will have minimal influence on urinary tract with safety, in rabbits weighing from 1.6 kg to 2.0 kg, is less than 4 Fr.
Dilatation* ; Hydronephrosis ; Mucous Membrane ; Rabbits ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract* ; Urography ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

Both CT scan and MRI were taken on 200 randomly chosen patients of degenerative lumbar spine diseases for the double blind comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of these studies. While osseous changes such as canal stenosis, lateral recess stenosis and facet hypertrophy were graded more severe on CT scan than on MRI, facet joint laxity was graded more severe on MRI than on CT scan. MRI could not detect 44% of ligament ossifications and 45.3% of vertebral osteoplytes which were diagnosed on CT scan. MRI gave more valuable information about the direction of the disc herniation than CT scan.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spine* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed* ; Zygapophyseal Joint