BACKGROUNDS: Percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy of posterior primary ramus has been in use as a treatment for persistent, mechanical low back pain for two decades. However, there has been limited studies regarding to prognostic factors related to outcome. We report our experience with at least 2-year follow up with special aftention on prognostic factors. METHODS: Of total 228 patients who underwent percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy (PRN) of posterior primary ramus for refractory low back pain during last 3 years, 128 patients whose pain was considered to be originated from facets joints or their surrounding soft tissue and responded to temporary blocks were assigned to a group II. All patients had more than 6 months of pain. These patients were compared with 100 patients to whom PRN were provided for chronic nonspecific low back pain without all inclusion criteria (Group I). RF procedures were done under local anesthesia with C-arm intensifier guidance. Pain reliefs were estimated at 1week, 1month, 6months and 2 years using visual analog scale(VAS). For patients with more that 50% reduction of previous pain was regarded as positive responder. Various clinical variables such as age, sex, symptom duration, types of pain, bilaterality, and previous surgery were studied for prognostic factors. RESULTS: Positive responders were 56% at 1week, 46% at lmonth, 18% at 6months, and 13% at 2years after PRN in group I, and 78.9% at lweek, 75.4% at lmonth, 62.5% at 6months, and 54.7% at 2years in group II. Some variables were found to be significantly related to outcome including prominent local tenderness, percussion tenderness, combination of symptoms with pain on gefting up, extension, transitional movement, pain radiating to buttock and/or posterior thigh, and good immediate response. Age, sex, symptom duration, bilaterality, imaging study results, previous lumbar surgery, and degrees of pain relief from diagnostic block were not related to outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that PRN of posterior primary ramus has a moderate overall long-term beneficial effect, with no morbidity in our series. But, the long-term good results will be anticipated only in properly selected patients with low back pain originating from facet joints and surrounding structures.
Anesthesia, Local ; Buttocks ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Low Back Pain* ; Percussion ; Thigh ; Zygapophyseal Joint

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate effects of cadmium and zinc on IL-6 secretion using human monocyte in a culture system. METHODS: We have used frypan blue dye exclusion methods to examine the effect of cytotoxicity of CdCl2, ZnCl2 in THP-1 cells. IL-6 was measured by the ELIBA method in the cell culture supernatants and the expression of IL-6 mRNA was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: IL-6 production by THP-1 cells were decreased at 0.1 mM cadmium concentration(p < 0.05) and increased as zinc concentration increased. Zinc prevented cadmiuminduced suppression of IL-6. and the addition of a chelating agent, EDTA, restores IL-6 secretion. The expression of IL-6 mRNA decreased at 0.08 mM and 0.1 mM cadmium concentrations. CONCLUSION: This results suggests that cadmium depressed production and gene expression of IL-6 in stimulates human monocytes, and zinc prevented cadmium-induced suppression of IL-16.
Cadmium Chloride ; Cadmium* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line* ; Edetic Acid ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Interleukin-16 ; Interleukin-6* ; Monocytes ; RNA, Messenger ; Zinc*

Ultrastructural study of the effects of amiodarone on the liver tissue was performed. Rats were fed with amiodarone containing diet and were sacrificerd at 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 8th weeks of experiment. Charateristic lisosomal inclusion bodies were appeared form first week, which were more prominent and increased in size at the 5th and 8th week of experiment. These inclusion bodies were found in hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, bile duct epithelial cells and fibroblasts but most prominent in hepatocytes. The lysosomal inclusion bodies could be divided into four types; those characterized by (1) dense bodies with packed crystaloid contents, (2) multilamellated bodies, (3) irregular shaped bodies with varying electron density and 4. dense bodies containing stacks of fine membranous structures. All types were found in all experimental groups. But the type 1 and 2 were predominent at early stage, while type 3 and 4 were more prominent at later stage According to these findings, the formation of the lysosmal inclusion body was a characteristic change in derangement of phospholipid metabolism. And amiodarone could induce disturbance of phospholipid metabolism in all kinds of cells in liver tissue.
Rats ; Animals

No abstract available.
Malignant Atrophic Papulosis*

No abstract available.

Uterine sarcomas are relatively rare tumors of mesodermal origin that constitute 2-6% of uterine malignancies. Uterine sarcomas include endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), leiomyosarcoma (LMS), malignant mixed m llerian tumor (MMMT) of both homologous and heterologous type, pure heterologous sarcomas, blood vessel sarcomas, and lymphoma. Endometrial stromal tumors are divided into three types: 1) endometrial stromal nodule, 2) low-grade stromal sarcoma or endolymphatic stromal myosis, and 3) endometrial stromal sarcoma. The low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma is very rare. It shows occasional local recurrence, which might arise from endometrial stroma, from adenomyosis, and rarely from endometriosis. We have experienced a case of low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma of the uterus in a 54-year-old woman, which is presented with a review of literatures.
Adenomyosis ; Blood Vessels ; Endometrial Stromal Tumors ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Lymphoma ; Mesoderm ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal* ; Uterus*

We investigated the occurrence of color vision loss in 70 organic solvent mixtures exposed workers and in 47 controls. Color Vision was assessed with a color arrangement test designed to identify the defective color sense, the Han Double 15-Hue Test. The results of the test were no significant difference between exposed workers and controls in the proportion of subjects who committed one or two errors. Quantitative analysis, using color confusion index(CCI), showed no signifiant difference between exposed workers and controls. A significant linear correlation was present between age and CCI in both exposed workers(CCi=0.0056age + 0.94; r=0.23; p<0.05) and controls(CCI=0.0066age + 0.86; r=0.33; p<0.05). Qualitative analysis of the patterns on the hue circle showed that the prevalence of acquired dyschromatopsia was 21% in both and no significant difference. Multiple regression analyses showed that age was significantly related to color vision loss. These results did not provide evidence of a relationship between organic solvents exposure and incidence of color vision loss. In field studies for monitor the people at risk of the acquired color vision loss involving low-dose organic solvents exposed workers, both quantitative and qualitative information should be considered.
Color Vision ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Solvents

Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP) is the new measurement scale of patient functioning. PSP is simple and useful questionnaire for psychiatrist and medical personnel, especially for rehabilitation center workers. Compared with GAF (Global Assessment of functioning Scale), PSP has relatively good covariance with social and occupational and psychological symptoms. In clinical practice, PSP can be adopted for treatment planning and the evaluation of treatment effect, especially for the patients with schizophrenia.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Psychiatry ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation Centers ; Schizophrenia*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the lateral displacement on the mandibular condylar growth in the rabbit. The experimental animals were twenty White NewZealand rabbits of 4-week old. Ten of them was used as control group, and experimental animal was composed of remaining ten. Laterodeviation appliance was made of cast base metal and appliance was cemented with resin in permanent fashion. Experimental group were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks form beginning of the experiment. Both of temporomandihular joint were prepared for histologic study. The conclusions are: 1. In control group, there was slight increase of proliferative zone and hypertrophic zone at 2-week control animal and slight reduction at 4-week, 6-week and 8-week control animal were similar to 1-week control animal. 2. In right mandibular condyle of experimental group, 2-week experimental animal showed marked increase of proliferative zone and hypertrophic zone at posterior surface of condylar head. In 8-week experimental animal marked increase at anterior surface of anticular surface is observed. 3. In left mandibular condyle of experimental group, proliferative zone and hypertrophic zone were reduced at 1-week experimental animal and slight increase at 2-week. Proliferative zone and hypertrophic zone were reduced at 4-week experimental animal and were slightly increased at 6 week. 4. After 8 weeks, right and left condyle were not different in experimental group. The condylar cartilage was stabilized 8 weeks after the experiment. No marked traumatic change was seen, but minute focal bleeding was seen at articular cavity in 1-week, 2-week and 4-week experimental animal. 6-week and 8-week experimental animal did not show bleeding tendency in articular cavity.
Animals ; Cartilage ; Head ; Hemorrhage ; Joints ; Mandibular Condyle ; Rabbits

A patient (Hellman dental age IIIA) who had anterior cross bite due to functional factor was treated with activator. Following results were obtained: 1) Anterior cross bite was crorrected 3 months after the initial application of the appliance. 2) Comparing pretreatment records with posttreatment, the main effects were labioversion of upper incisors, increase of upper arch length and downward-backward rotation of the mandible. 3) There was no damage on teeth and periodontal tissues and the patient had normal occlusion 1 year after the treatment.
Humans ; Incisor ; Malocclusion ; Mandible ; Prognathism* ; Tooth