The experimental study for peripheral nerve reconstruction was performed using degenerated skeletal muscle and omentum. At the sciatic nerves of 26 rabbits, about 10mm gaps were made under ketamine anesthesia. Degenerated skeletal muscles were made through the procedure of freezing with liquid nitrogen and thawing in distilled water. And omenta were taken through midline abdominal incisions. On 14 rabbits of experimental group, the nerves were connected with the degenerated skeletal muscles and surrounded with the omenta. On 6 rabbits of control group, the nerve gaps were connected with the degenerated skeletal muscles without surrounding with the omenta. And the other 6 rabbits of control group, the gaps were lets without further treatment. After 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks, the results were compared using light microscope and transmission electron microscope. There were contractions and fragmentations at the skeletal muscles during the freezing and thawing. There were nerve regenerations through the degenerated skeletal muscles. The nerve tissues of the experimental group were more abundant than the control group using the degenerated skeletal muscles only.
Anesthesia ; Freezing ; Ketamine ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Nerve Regeneration ; Nerve Tissue ; Nitrogen ; Omentum ; Peripheral Nerves ; Rabbits ; Sciatic Nerve ; Water

Incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU) and expression of osteocalcin and transglutaminase C(TGase C) during fracture healing and distraction osteogenesis were investigated in the rat with immunohistochemical studies. Transverse osteotomy was made at the proximal tibia. Bilateral dynamic mini-fixator was applied to immobilize the fracture and also to lengthen the leg. Distraction was started, at the rate of 0.25 mm twice daily, from the 4th operative day and continued for 7 days. Animals were killed for immunohistochemical studies on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 14th, 28th, 42nd, 56th, and 84th day after osteotomy or distraction. Longitudinal histologic sections of the healing bone were stained with monoclonal antibodies against BrdU, osteocalcin, and TGase C. Radiologically, complete fracture healing was achieved in 6 weeks after osteotomy, while neo-osteogenesis was successfully achieved in the distracted gap in 7 weeks after the completion of distraction, During active healing stage of the fracture and distraction osteogenesis, BrdU was mainly expressed in the perisoteal and endosteal osteoprogenitor cells while osteocalcin was expressed in the proliferating osteoprogenitor cells, osteoblast, osteocyte, osteoid matrix, and chondrocyte. The expression of BrdU and osteocalcin in the mesenchymal cells from the surrounding soft tissues around the osteotomy site was negligible. At the site of enchondral bone formation, TGase C was expressed in the cytomplasm of more centrally located and matured chondrocytes, while oseocalcin was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of peripherally located chondrocyte. These findings may suggest that osteocalcin participates in early phase of enchondral bone formation, while TGase C in the late phase, suggesting the role of TGase C in matrix stabilization. At the site of intramern-branous bone formation, the expression of TGase C was weakly positive in both osteoprogenitor cell and osteoblast. The reason of the difference in the expression of TGase C between the enchondral bone formation and intrarnembranous bone formation should be further investigated. Fracture healing and distraction osteogenesis was predominantly induced by intramembranous ossification rather than enchondral ossification. Periosteal osteoprogenitor cells appeared to initiate and to lead bone formation after osteotomy and distraction. Active proliferation and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cell ocurred during entire periods of distraction. Also, active osteoid matrix formation and mineralization was started from the 5th day of distraction and continued thereafter for further 4 weeks after completion of the lengthening. These findings indicate that preservation of the periosteum is essential to achieve successful fracture healing and distraction osteogenesis.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; Chondrocytes ; Cytoplasm ; Fracture Healing ; Leg ; Miners ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Osteocytes ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Osteotomy ; Periosteum ; Rats ; Tibia

PURPOSE: Sebaceous epithelioma which developed on the conjunctiva is a very rare benign skin and adnexal tumor. No case has been reported in the Republic of Korea. We report a case of sebaceous epithelioma on the lower palpebral conjunctiva. METHODS: A 69 year old man had visited with asymptomatic mass on lower palpebral conjunctiva. The mass was resected and biopsied for histological examination. RESULTS: Sebaceous epithelioma was diagnosed by histological examination.
Aged ; Carcinoma ; Conjunctiva ; Humans ; Republic of Korea ; Skin

Post-menopausal osteoporosis is known to be related to estrogen deficiency. The purpose of this experimental study is to investigate whether or not estrogen administration can prevent or retard the process of osteoporosis induced by oophorectomy in rats. Fifty-two Sprague-Dawley rats, aged five months, were separated into three groups. Group 1 (4 rats) was control group that had sham operation without oophorectomy. Goup 2 (32 rats) was another control group that had bilateral oophorectomy alone. Group 3 (16 rats) was experimental group that had estradiol administration from the fourth week through the eighth week after bilateral oophorectomy. In group 1, all the rats were killed at the fourth week after sham operation. In group 2 and group 3, four rats in each group were killed weekly until the eighth week after oophorectomy. All the animals were subjected to radiological, histological studies on the tibia, ilium, skull, and the sixth lumbar vertebra. Also, histomorphometric measurements were 1. Osteoporotic changes were evident from the fifth week after oophorectomy and increased with time on the radiologic examination in group 2. In contrast, osteoporotic changes were evident from the second week after oophorectomy and progressed with time on the histological and histomorphometric studies in group 2. 2. After administration of estradiol, osteoporotic changes which include thinning of the cortex, decrease of the amount of trabeculae were partially restored on the radiological, histological studies in group 3. 3. Histomorphometric study revealed that the trabecular area percent (the proportion of total area of the trabeculae from the whole metaphyseal area), decreased progressively through the eight week after oophorectomy in gorup 2. Whereas the trabecular area percents of group 3 were higher than those of group 2, but still lower than initial value before oophorectomy. Based on the above observations, estradiol administration appeared to delay the progression of the osteoporotic changes induced by oophorectomy in rats.
Animals ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Ilium ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skull ; Spine ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Chickenpox* ; Child* ; Humans

PURPOSE: Asthma exacerbation from human rhinovirus (HRV) infection is associated with deficient antiviral interferon (IFN) secretion. Although chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), an inflammatory upper airway disease, is closely linked to asthma, IFN-beta responses to HRV infections in human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) from CRS patients remain to be studied. We evaluated inflammatory and antiviral responses to HRV infection in HNECs from CRS patients. METHODS: HNECs, isolated from turbinate tissue of 13 patients with CRS and 14 non-CRS controls, were infected with HRV16 for 4 hours. The HRV titer, LDH activity, production of proinflammatory cytokines and IFN-beta proteins, and expression levels of RIG-I and MDA5 mRNA were assessed at 8, 24, and 48 hours after HRV16 infection. RESULTS: The reduction in viral titer was slightly delayed in the CRS group compared to the non-CRS control group. IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly increased to a similar extent in both groups after HRV infection. In the control group, IFN-beta production and MDA5 mRNA expression were significantly increased at 8 and 24 hours after HRV16 infection, respectively. By contrast, in the CRS group, IFN-beta was not induced by HRV infection; however, HRV-induced MDA5 mRNA expression was increased, but the increase was slightly delayed compared to the non-CRS control group. The RIG-I mRNA level was not significantly increased by HRV16 infection in either group. CONCLUSIONS: HRV-induced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in CRS patients was not different from that in the non-CRS controls. However, reductions in viral titer, IFN-beta secretion, and MDA5 mRNA expression in response to HRV infection in CRS patients were slightly impaired compared to those in the controls, suggesting that HRV clearance in CRS patients might be slightly deficient.
Asthma ; Cytokines ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans ; Interferon-beta* ; Interferons ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Rhinovirus ; RNA Helicases ; RNA, Messenger ; Turbinates

Sirenomelia, characterised by a complete or incomplete fusion of the lower extremities, is a severe form of caudal defect affecting 1.5-4.2 in 100,000 births. Most cases of sirenomelia die within 5days after birth and are associated with abnormalities such as renal agenesis, urinary tract agenesis, single umbilical artery, etc. Third trimester ultrasonographic diagnosis is usually impaired by severe oligohydramnios whereas the amount of amniotic fluid may be sufficient to allow diagnosis in the early second trimester. We report a case of sirenomelius at 12 weeks of gestation using prenatal transvaginal ultrasonography.
Amniotic Fluid ; Diagnosis ; Ectromelia* ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Oligohydramnios ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Single Umbilical Artery ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Tract

Linear focal elastosis is characterized clinically by horizontal yellowish palpable striae on the lower back and histologically fragmentation or aggregation of elastic fibers. We herein report four cases of linear focal elastosis in male patients. They were 12 to 17 years old and the disease duration was 1 to 3 years. We suggest linear focal elastosis is a variant of striae distensae affecting elastic fibers.
Adolescent ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Male ; Striae Distensae

Pierre Robin syndrome presents in the neonatal period with upper airway obstruction and feeding difficulties. Infants with pronounced micrognathia may fail to thrive because of chronic airway obstruction, or experience severe respiratory distress and feeding difficulties. This is potentially fatal and surgical intervention in these cases is necessary. We experienced two newborns with pronounced micrognathia who were managed with tongue-lip adhesion and tracheostomy. Herein, we report these two cases with literature reviews.
Airway Obstruction ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Pierre Robin Syndrome* ; Tracheostomy*

We performed a study to determine whether clinical history gives a positive or negative influence on X-ray film interpretation. One hundred and nine patient's radiograms, consisting of 55 normal and 54 abnormal cases (136 abnormalities), were interpreted twice by three pairs of residents in radiology and a pair of qualified radiologists, without clinical history first and with clinical history next. The interpreters recorded diagnosis and confidence level of normal or abnormal findings on a six-point scale. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that knowledge of clinical history improved diagnostic accuracy. Residents, especially beginners, should be advised to obtain clinical history whenever they read radiograms.
Analysis of Variance ; Human ; *Medical Records ; Observer Variation ; Radiography/*standards ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't