There is evidence from other studies that some degree of cartilage healing may take place after the initiation of an inflammatory response. It is postulated that the induction of the platelet-cartilage interaction may eventuate in cartilage repair. The treatment of fresh articular cartilage with proteolytic enzymes rendered the tissue active as a platelet aggregant. During platelet aggregation a host of active substances are released which are known to play a role in the inflammatory response (Thompson 1975). This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of trypsin on the surface injury of rabbit hyaline cartilage. The results were as follows: 1) Hyaline cell regeneration was observed only in the group treated with trypsin and blood; 2) Hyaline cartilage regeneration did not occur in the group treated with a single injection of trypsin or blood; 3) There was no significant damage to the healthy articular cartilage by the single injection of trypsin or blood, or both; and 4) Platelets do not adhere to cartilage and superficial damaged cartilage does not induce platelet aggregation.
Animal ; Cartilage, Articular/*drug effects/physiology/ultrastructure ; Cell Division ; Mitosis/physiology ; Platelet Aggregation/drug effects ; Rabbits ; Regeneration ; Trypsin/*pharmacology ; Wound Healing/drug effects/physiology

It is known that CD95 (APO-1/Fas) is expressed on the cell surface, and apoptotic cell death can be induced by the CD95 ligation in the cultured, proliferating human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. However, little is known about CD95 on the non-proliferating RPE cells. In this study, human RPE cells were cultured up to 4 weeks after they reached the confluence, to simulate the non-proliferating RPE cells in situ. There was no significant difference in CD95 expression on the cell surface between the predominantly proliferating, preconfluent cells and predominantly non-proliferating, postconfluent cells in flow cytometric assays. However, unlike proliferating cells, no cellular death occurred in the predominantly non-proliferating cells after the treatment of agonistic anti-CD95 antibody with cycloheximide, pretreated with interferon-gamma. Our results suggest that the CD95/CD95L system probably plays a physiologic role in vivo to remove the abnormal, proliferating RPE cells, and factors other than the surface expression of CD95 may determine the sensitivity to the CD95 signals.
Antigens, CD95/*pharmacology ; Apoptosis/*physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Human ; Pigment Epithelium of Eye/cytology/*drug effects/*physiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: A vast array of injuries result from high voltage electrical damage. The compartment syndrome of forearm prone to have high risk of major amputations, especially in arc burn. Early decompressing fasciotomy has been recommended for the prevention of limb amputations. There are controversies about the effect of fasciotomy. We tried to Pressure Cuff Recording (PCR) wave forms of Plethysmography for the monitoring early signs of vascular compromises in decision of early selective fasciotomy. We investigated the role of PCR wave forms to reduce major amputation rate. METHODS: We reviewed 875 burned limb of 520 electric current damage victims (fasciotomy or amputation were performed, PCR wave forms evaluated) during the last 14 years (from Jan. 1, 1996 to Jun. 30, 2009). We analysed the differences of amputation rates by the currency, input/output, burn types, effects of PGE1 adminstration, fasciotomy time, converting of PCR wave forms. RESULTS: There was no major amputations among low tension victims (minor amputation rate; 0.3%). The minor and major amputation rate were 19.5% and 27.0 in high tension injury. The flash burns rarely made the amputations, but arc burns had 12.1% of minor and 41.2% of major amputations. The direct contact burns had 24.7% of minor and 21.3% of major amputations. Most of the victims had their hand as input and foot as output. The minor and major amputation rate were 26.2% and 10.9% in none-fasciotomy, 8.8% and 48.0% in within 8 hours, 10.0% and 52.9% in 8-24 hours, 9.3% and 63.0% in over 24 hours fasciotomy group. Final normal type (N type) of PCR result had only 3.1% of minor amputations and 3.1% of major amputations. Final obstructive type (O type) had 37.6% of minor amputations, 60.8% of major amputations. Initial stenotic type (S type) of converted to N type had 6.6% amputation, but to O type had 98.7% amputation. CONCLUSION: The early selective fasciotomy are essential to reduce major amputations in high tension injuries, especially in arc burns. The PCR wave form converting to obstructive type could be helpful to predict the possible amputation. The PCR wave form is a good tool to monitor early signs of vascular compromise around fasciotomy. It plays as the index of immediate fasciotomy decision.
Alprostadil ; Amputation ; Burns ; Burns, Electric ; Compartment Syndromes ; Extremities ; Foot ; Forearm ; Hand ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Plethysmography ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem* ; Humans*

A detailed study of the distribution of neuropeptide Y(NPY) in the olfactory bulb of the male adult and aging rat brains was undertaken by means of immunohistochemistry. Adult rats(Sprague-Dawley, 12-14 weeks old) were used in the control group. And aging rats(30 months old) were used in the experimental group. Brain tissues of both rat groups were obtained from each animal which were perfused transcardially with 0.9% NaCl followed by a 4% paraformaldehyde solution. Coronal serial sections(30nm) were cut on a freezing microtome, and were immunostained with the rabbit-raised antiserum to neuropeptide Y. In the control group, neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive(NPY-IR) neurons were mainly found in the white matter and deep internal granule cell layer, and rarely in the external plexiform layer of main olfactory bulb. In case of accessory olfactory bulb, a few of NPY-IR neurons were found in the internal granule cell layer. Virtually most neurons were medium-sized(10-20nm), and appeared to be bipolar or bitufted in shape. And small numbers of large-sized multipolar neurons(20-30nm) were found in the internal granule cell layer of main olfactory bulb. In the experimental aging rats, the numbers of NPY-IR neurons were decreased, that is to say, NPY-IR neurons in aging group were found average 2.5 neurons per each section compared with average 4.5 per each section in the control group. Also many perikarya of NPY-IR neurons appeared shrinkage, oval or round in shape. In brief, NPY-IR neurons of the olfactory bulb seem to be decreased in number of the neurons in aging rat. These findings may concern with reduction of olfactory function.
Adult* ; Aging* ; Animals ; Brain ; Freezing ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neurons* ; Neuropeptide Y ; Neuropeptides* ; Olfactory Bulb* ; Rats*

This study was performed to determine the incidence and seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections in young soldiers in the Republic of Korea Army. From January 2000 through December 2004, a total of 147 hepatitis A cases were reported to the Armed Forces Medical Command. The annual incidence rates were 7.4 per 100,000 persons in 2000, 1.6 in 2001, 4.4 in 2002, 9.8 in 2003, and 6.2 in 2004, based on the reported cases among approximately 500,000 soldiers. All patients were males with a median age of 21 yr (range, 19-27). The most common symptom was nausea (86.5%), and all patients had recovered without complications. In addition, in order to evaluate the seroprevalence of HAV infection in young adults, serum samples were obtained from randomly selected young subjects among those who had been admitted to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital from September 2005 to February 2006. A total of 200 subjects were enrolled in the study to analyze the anti-HAV immune status. The overall anti-HAV IgG seropositive rate was 2% (4/200, 95% CI, 0.60-5.21%). Given the changing epidemiology of the disease and the associated increase in morbidity, it was suggested that the routine HAV vaccination for Korean military personnel might be necessary.
Adult ; Hepatitis A/*blood/*epidemiology/immunology ; Hepatitis A Antibodies/immunology ; Hepatitis A virus/*metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

We described a population-based study of the epidemiology of herpes zoster in military personnel of Korea. A total of 132 cases of herpes zoster were ascertained from May 2004 to April 2005. The most common site of involvement was thoracic area (55%). The annual incidence, based on 132 cases in about 80,000 person-years, was 165 per 100,000 person (95% CI, 138-196). It is noted that herpes zoster occurred frequently in otherwise healthy military personnel.
Epidemiology ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Military Personnel*

We described a population-based study of the epidemiology of herpes zoster in military personnel of Korea. A total of 132 cases of herpes zoster were ascertained from May 2004 to April 2005. The most common site of involvement was thoracic area (55%). The annual incidence, based on 132 cases in about 80,000 person-years, was 165 per 100,000 person (95% CI, 138-196). It is noted that herpes zoster occurred frequently in otherwise healthy military personnel.
Epidemiology ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Military Personnel*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The immunoregulatory molecules programmed death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) are associated with the dysfunction of antiviral effector T-cells, which leads to T-cell exhaustion and persistent viral infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C and chronic hepatitis B. Little is known about the role of PD-1 and CTLA-4 in patients with symptomatic acute hepatitis A (AHA). METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from seven patients with AHA and from six patients with nonviral acute toxic hepatitis (ATH) during the symptomatic and convalescent phases of the respective diseases; five healthy subjects acted as controls. The expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4 on T-cells was measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: PD-1 and CTLA-4 expression during the symptomatic phase was significantly higher in the T-cells of AHA patients than in those of ATH patients or healthy controls (PD-1: 18.3% vs 3.7% vs 1.6%, respectively, p<0.05; CTLA-4: 23.5% vs 6.1% vs 5.9%, respectively, p<0.05). The levels of both molecules decreased dramatically during the convalescent phase of AHA, whereas a similar pattern was not seen in ATH. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with a viral-protective effect of PD-1 and CTLA-4 as inhibitory molecules that suppress cytotoxic T-cells and thereby prevent the destruction of virus-infected hepatocytes in AHA.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; CTLA-4 Antigen/*genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Hepatitis/genetics ; Hepatitis A/*genetics/virology ; Hepatitis A Virus, Human ; Humans ; Male ; *Phenotype ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/*genetics ; T-Lymphocytes/metabolism