No abstract available.

A histological and electron microscopic study were conducted in order to observe a morphological changing pattern of patellar ligament autograft after endoscopic ACL reconstruction. Seventeen patients among 117 consecutive series which underwent endoscopic ACL reconstruction from January 1990 to March 1995, were involved in this study according to the various follow-up periods. In second-look arthroscopic finding at 6 months follow-up after ACL reconstruction, reconstructed ACL was covered with synovium and round-shaped, and after the biopsy active bleeding could be seen. In histological study, 6 months follow-up, spindle or ovoid shaped fibroblast with hypercellularity, high crmp patterns of collagen fiber, and parallel arrangement of fibroblast to collagen fiber were noted. The cellularity of fibroblast decreased in according to periods of follow up. At 12 months follow up, spindle or ovoid fibroblast, its cellularity and arrangement pattern and crimp pattern of collagen fiber seemed to be almost similar to those of normal ACL. This similaryity continued up to 2 years and 2 months after reconstruction. In EM study, until 6 months follow-up after reconstruction, the graft showed randomly arranged fibroblasts with hypercellularity, which had abundant cytoplasm with marked irregular cytoplasmic borders and prominent nuclear indentation, Collagen fibrils were immature and showed a unimodel distribution with small diameter. At 12 months follow-up, elongated fibroblasts appeared, but these cells contained folded nuclei and abundant cytoplasm. Collagen fibrils had parallel arrangement and sparse cross striation, and comprised of mainly small fibrils and scattered large fibrils. After 24 months follow-up, the cellularity decreased more. The regular arrangement of collagen fibrils with wavy pattern similar to normal anterior cruciate ligament was noted. Two distinctive population of the small and large diameter of fibrils was also observed (bimodal distribution). At 26 months, the large and small collagen fibrils compresed a characteric bimodal pattern with parallel arrangement, but the majority of fibroblasts had irregular cytoplasmic contour, and abundant cytoplasm with increased organelles, which indicated the active function. These findings suggest that the graft are still immature even at 26 months in postoperative follow up despite considerable maturation of collagen fibril.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Autografts ; Biopsy ; Collagen ; Cytoplasm ; Fibroblasts ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Organelles ; Patellar Ligament ; Synovial Membrane ; Transplants

An experimental study on the effect of the induced dislocation of the femoral head on the femoral anteversion was made in the hips of 55 rabbits, three to four weeks old. The results were as follows; l. In 49 of the 55 operated rabbits, a relative increase of anteversion was observed on the dislocated side, as compared with the nonoperated femur, the differences ranging from 3 to 55 degrees with an average of 20.0 degrees. 2. The anteversion angle of dislocated hip showed steady and gradual increase with the increase of age. 3. The anteversion increase was detected very early after operation; 3 of the 4 rabbits, belonging 4 to 7 days group after operation showed the anteversion increase. 4. The collapse of proximal femoral epiphysis was observed in 42 of the total 55 hips. The incidence of the collapse was higher in postoperative 4 weeks and more groups. 5. The color change, pale discoloration, of the articular cartilage was observed in 32 of the total 55 hips. The icnidence of pale discoloration was higher in the groups within 8 weeks after operation.
Cartilage, Articular ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dislocations ; Epiphyses ; Femur ; Head ; Hip ; Incidence ; Rabbits

In the figure 3, designation of severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) was misprinted. Open bars (white) represent severe BPD, not mild BPD. Closed bars (Black) represent mild BPD, not severe BPD. Gray bars in the middle represent moderate BPD without change.

Cough is a physiological defense reflex for protecting the airways from aspiration and irritation. Thus, roles of environmental triggers are postulated in the pathogenesis of chronic cough. There are several lines of epidemiological evidence demonstrating the relationships between environmental irritant and pollutant exposure and chronic cough. However, positive findings from cross-sectional studies just reflect the protective nature of cough but may not properly address the true impact of environmental triggers. If harmful inhalation is repeated, cough may be seen as chronic but indeed is protective in nature. Therefore, long-term residual outcomes would be the key for understanding the effects of environmental triggers on chronic cough. The present review aims to summarize the associations between chronic cough and environmental pollutants or irritant exposure, with a focus on the long-term residual effects of (1) chronic persistent exposure and (2) acute high-intensity exposure on chronic cough, and also to examine (3) whether childhood irritant/pollutant exposure may increase the risk of chronic cough in adulthood.
Cough ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Environmental Pollutants ; Epidemiology ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Inhalation ; Reflex

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the osteogenic effect of cultured rabbit mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: MSCs were obtained from rabbit femur and were cultured in a Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium(DMEM) with beta-glycerophosphatate, L-ascorbic acid, and dexamethasone to proliferate and differentiate into osteoprogenitor cells until 12 weeks. The expression of osteogenic markers was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and the release of osteocalcin was measured by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA). MSCs that were cultured on the porous poly-L-lactic-co-glycolic acid(PLGA) scaffold were implanted into athymic nude mouse to observe the osteogenic activity. RESULTS: As the time, we observed osteoblastic-like cells on the culture flask. Mineralized nodules were observed at 3-4 weeks. Osteogenic markers such as osteopontin, osteonectin, type I collagen, and alkaline phophatase were all identified at 2 weeks. But, expression of osteocalcin was only detected after cells differentiation. The amount of osteocalcin which is a specific protein in osteoblast, increased gradually from 2 weeks until 7 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the MSCs were well adhered and proliferated within the PLGA scaffold. Immature bone was identified after 10 weeks in the histological examination of transplanted cell-scaffold composit. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate gradual differentiation of MSCs into osteoblastic cells. The adhesion and proliferation of the cells within the biodegradable scaffold represents the possibility of bone formation using cell-scaffold composites.
Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; Bone Marrow* ; Collagen Type I ; Dexamethasone ; Femur ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Osteonectin ; Osteopontin

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) generally involves a single semicircular canal (single canal BPPV) but it has been reported that more than one semicircular canal on either the same or the opposite side can be involved in 6.8-20% of the cases (multiple canal BPPV). In this study, the clinical characteristics of multiple canal BPPV were analyzed and compared to those of single canal BPPV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on 1054 consecutive patients diagnosed with BPPV. Multiple canal BPPV was diagnosed when the combination of typical nystagmus was provoked by the Dix-Hallpike and supine head roll tests. Canalith repositioning maneuver was performed sequentially starting with the semicircular canal causing more severe nystagmus or symptoms. Clinical characteristics and the treatment course were statistically compared between single canal BPPV and multiple canal BPPV. RESULTS: Among the 1054 patients, single canal BPPV was diagnosed in 1005 patients (95.4%) while multiple canal BPPV was diagnosed in 49 patients (4.6%). BPPV involving semicircular canals on the same side was more common (79.6%) than BPPV with bilateral involvement. The most common combination of the involved canals was ipsilateral posterior and horizontal semicircular canals (63.3%). Multiple canal BPPV was significantly more associated with underlying otologic diseases, especially labyrinthitis. Multiple canal BPPV required more treatment sessions and longer duration of treatment to achieve resolution of nystagmus and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: As all cases of multiple canal BPPV were treated successfully although a longer duration of treatment and more treatment sessions were required compared to single canal BPPV, the results of our study could aid in making an accurate diagnosis and providing appropriate treatment of multiple canal BPPV.
Diagnosis ; Ear Diseases ; Ear, Inner ; Head ; Humans ; Labyrinthitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Semicircular Canals* ; Vertigo*

No abstract available.
Brain* ; Choriocarcinoma* ; Female ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pregnancy

Intracranial lipoma is a rare tumor. It is considered as congenital malformation, caused by poor differentiation and abnormal persistence of the primitive meninges. More frequently intracranial lipomas are central and located in the midline especially in corpus callosum. We report the two cases of intracranial lipoma, one case was detected in cerebellum by antenatal sonography and the other one was detected in right temporal cistern by cranial sonography during the postnatal follow-up.
Cerebellum ; Corpus Callosum ; Follow-Up Studies ; Lipoma* ; Meninges

BACKGROUND: Flecainide is an antiarrhythmic agent that is used primarily in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Some evidences also suggest that flecainide can participate in alveolar fluid clearance and inflammatory responses. This experiment was aimed to evaluate the effects of flecainide on sepsis induced acute lung injury in a rat model. METHODS: Rats were treated with subcutaneous infusion of saline or flecainide (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg/hr) by a mini-osmotic pump. Subcutaneous infusion was started 3 hours before and continued until 8 hours after intraperitoneal injection of saline or endotoxin. Animals were sacrificed for analyses of severity of acute lung injury with wet to dry (W/D) ratio and lung injury score (LIS) in lung and inflammatory responses with level of leukocyte, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and inteleukin-8 (IL-8) in bronchoalveolar lavages fluid (BALF). RESULTS: Flecainide markedly improved dose dependently sepsis induced acute lung injury as analysed by W/D ratio (from 2.24 ± 0.11 to 1.76 ± 0.09, p < 0.05) and LIS (from 3 to 1, p < 0.05), and inflammatory response as determined by leukocyte (from 443 ± 127 to 229 ± 95, p < 0.05), PMNs (from 41.43 ± 17.63 to 2.43 ± 2.61, p < 0.05) and IL-8 (from 95.00 ± 15.28 to 40.00 ± 10.21, p < 0.05) in BALF. CONCLUSIONS: Flecanide improve sepsis induced acute lung injury in rats by controlling inflammatory responses.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Flecainide* ; Infusions, Subcutaneous ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Interleukin-8 ; Leukocytes ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Models, Animal ; Neutrophils ; Rats ; Sepsis*