122 cases of the genitourinary tract tumors admitted to the Department of Urology, National Medical Center, during the period, Aug. 1968 to July 1975 and the followings are the results. 1. 122-cases(12.8%) were tumor patient among 954 (male 702, female 252) Total admitted patients during 7 years. 2. Age distribution was from 5 months to 83 years showing the highest incidence in the 7th decade (30.3%) and cases over 41 years of age were 99(81.1%) 3. Sex ratio of male and female was 5.4:1(103:19) 4. In 122 cases, 42 cases{34.4%) were benign, 77 cases(63. 1%) were malignant and remainders were uncertain pathologically. 5. Among 122 cases, 57 cases(46.7%) were vesical, 35 cases(28.7%) prostatic, 19 cases(15.6%) renal, 5 cases(4.1%) penile. 3 cases(2.5%) testicular and 3 cases(2.5%) were urethral tumors. 6. Operations were performed in 114 patients (93.5%).
Age Distribution ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Sex Ratio ; Urology

Controversy persists regarding the abnormality of the bone metabolism in various bone diseases. Osteocalcin, the vitamin K-dependent protein synthesized in bone, has been shown to be a specific and sensitive marker of bone turnover in metabolic bone diseases. The author measured the serum osteocalcin level using newly developed radioimmunoassay (RIA) in the patients with osteogenesis imperfecta, metastatic bone tumor, postmenopausal osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, which can be the causes of osteoporosis, and ankylosing spondylitis. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the value of the osteocalcin measurement comparing the each data of disease group with the normal control group. The results were as followings ; 1. The mean of osteocalcin in normal Korean was 4.43±1.04 ng/ml. (4.45±1.08 ng/ml in male, 4.41±1.01 ng/ml in female). The difference between male and female was not significant statistically. 2. The osteocalcin of osteogenesis imperfects was 9.14±2.21 ng/ml, which was significant statistically, And it was thought to be the result of increasing bone turnover rate and the osteocalcin was useful as biochemical marker. 3. In metastatic bone tumor, osteocalcin was under the normal level in both untreated and treated groups, which meant low bone turnover rate or low osteoblastic activity. Osteocalcin was not a useful marker for the assessment of the effect of treatment in this study, but if the radioimmunoassay was done in the same tumor group, a valuable results could be expected. 4. Osteocalcin level in the patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis was not different with normal control group and osteocalcin was not useful marker for the evaluation of the degree of osteoporosis and bone turnover. 5. Osteocalcin didn't play a role in the pathologic ossification of ankylosing spondylitis. In conclusion, the osteocalcin by radioimmunoassay can be used as a biochemical marker in metabolic bone diseases and metastatic cancer for the disgnosis and the assessment of prognosis or the effect of treatment.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biomarkers ; Bone Diseases ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Bone Remodeling ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolism ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Prognosis ; Radioimmunoassay ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; Vitamins

BACKGROUND: Eotaxin, a CC chemokine specific for eosinophils, is implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma recruiting eosinophils into the airways. Theophylline has been used for the treatment of asthma and rece was proposed to have an anti-inflammatory action. The aim of this study is to examine whether theophylline may inhibit the eosinophilic airway inflammation by reducing the expression of eotaxin. METHODS: The expression of eotaxin mRNA was assessed by Northern analysis in A549 cells 4 h after stimulation with TNF-α or IL-1β And then, theophylline was added to A549 cells stimulated with 0.1 ng/ml IL-1β. RESULTS: Eotaxin mRNA expression rates induced by 0.1, 1, 10 ng/mL TNF-α as compared with β-action were 7%, 22%, 28%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates induced by 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 ng/ml IL-1β as compared with β-action, were 10%, 42%, 63%, 72%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after addition of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 µM dexamethasone induced by 10 ng/mL TNF-α, as compared with β-action were 27%, 18%, 8%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after the addition of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 mM dexamethasone induced by 0.1 ng/mL IL-1β, as compared with β -action, were 43%, 47%, 12%, 8%, respectively. Eotaxin mRNA expression rates after the addition of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 mM theophylline induced by 0.1 ng/mL IL-1β, as compared with β-action, were 48%, 40%, 33%, 22%, 16%, 14%, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that theophylline may reduce eosinophil infiltration of the airway at least in part by reducing the expression of eotaxin under the conditions of these experiments.
Asthma ; Dexamethasone ; Eosinophils ; Epithelial Cells* ; Inflammation ; RNA, Messenger* ; Theophylline*

It is known that CD28, a positive costimulatory receptor, plays a very important role in inducing the optimal stimulation of T lymphocytes. CTLA-4 (CD152), however, acts as a negative regulator in T lymphocyte activation. The effect of an feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection on the expression of feline CD28 and CTLA-4 was studied with FIV-infected and uninfected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using a competitive PCR assay. The nature of CD28 and CTLA-4 expression was also examined with fresh and antigen-stimulated PBMC. FIV infection induced a lower expression of CD28, but a higher expression of CTLA-4 in the infected PBMC than in the uninfected PBMC. Relatively high levels of CD28 expression were demonstrated in both the fresh and the antigen-stimulated PBMC. The expression level of CTLA-4 in the freshly isolated PBMC was rather low, however, FIV antigen stimulation induced a relatively high expression of CTLA-4 in feline PBMC.
Animals ; Antigens, CD ; Antigens, CD28/*biosynthesis ; Antigens, Differentiation/*biosynthesis ; Antigens, Viral/*immunology ; Cats ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression ; Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline/immunology/*physiology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology/*virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary

The main problem in peripheral nerve repair is adhesion, axonal escape, and the ingrowth of extraneurial tissue into the wound. Meticulous microsurgical neurorrhaphy is one of possible answer for these problem. Shielding of nerve suture is another attractive practice. But the results are still unpredictable. We compared the results of nerve repair between microsurgical epineurial neurorrhaphy plus silastic cuff shielding group and epineurial neurorrhaphy group in the sciatic nerve of white rat. The reasults we obtained are as follows; 1. Silastic cuff shielding method was effective for reducing abnormal neurial growth and neuroma formation into the surrounding soft tissue. 2. Some adhesion was formed over the silastic cuff, but there was no adhesion at the inner space of the cuff. 3. Silastic cuff could prevent fibrous tissue ingrowth into the nerve. 4. The slit of the silastic cuff provided vascular ingrowth between surrounding connective tissue and nerve tissue. 5. No evidence of foreign body reaction was observed in and out of the silastic cuff. 6. Nerve conduction test showed a little supperior results in the silastic cuff shielding group. Silastic cuff shielding method in nerve suture might be recommanded to prevent axonal escape, fibrous scar tissue ingrowth to the nerve, and fibrous adhesion in clinical practice. But, it seemed that the final evaluation of the functional recovery of the nerve needed long term follow-up and nerve conduction study.
Animals ; Axons ; Cicatrix ; Connective Tissue ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Methods ; Nerve Tissue ; Neural Conduction ; Neuroma ; Peripheral Nerves ; Rats ; Sciatic Nerve ; Sutures ; United Nations ; Wounds and Injuries

Metastasis to bone with destruction of the skeletal system is a common problem in old patients with malignancy. Destruction of the musculoskeletal system poses major problems for the patients, including uncontrollable pain, forced immmobilization, pathologic fracture and hypercalcemia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment and to suggest treatment guidelines for impending or established pathologic fractures due to metastasis of the femur. Between 1985 and 1995, thirty six patients who had pathologic or impending fractures in the femur underwent surgical treatment. The indications of surgery for pathologic fractures are 1) the possibility of survival time more than three months, 2) more benefits of sungical treatment than those of conservative treatment, 3) the possibility of rigid internal fixation, 4) patient s general condition allowing surgery, and those in impending fractures are 1) cortical destruction more than 50% or lytic lesion more than 2.5cm. The method of surgery was excision of the tumor and rigid internal fixation to allow early ambulation with or without bone cement augmentation. The results were analyzed by three criteria, the performance status, pain relief and survival time. Pain relief more than Lots was achieved in 80.6% of patients according to the Kaiko's criteria. The performance status improved more than one grade in all patients except one who died of acute respiratory failure and the mean improvement was 1.8 grade by the Functional Classification of the New York Heart Association. Postoperatively, most of the patients had only slight to moderate limitation of physical activities and felt comfortable at rest and ordinary activities. The survival time was 20.9 months in patients with single metastasis and 10.2 months in patients with multiple metastases. But there was no statistical significance due to large deviation of survival time in each case. In summary, surgical stabilization of the pathologic lesion involving the femur provided definite improvement of quality of life including pain relief and early ambulation. In selected patients with single metastasis, low grade malignancy, or good performance status, postoperative survival time may be expected to be prolonged. More aggressive treatment for the metastatic lesion of the femur is suggested.
Classification ; Early Ambulation ; Femur* ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Motor Activity ; Musculoskeletal System ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Quality of Life ; Respiratory Insufficiency

The cause of osteoporosis are multifactorial; these include aging, immobilization, genetic fsctor, initial bone mass, nulliparity, postmenopause, cigarette, etc. Among them the hormonal factors are very important. It is worthwhile to study the effects of various hormones on bne cells. Authors evaluated the effects of TGB-B, 17-B estradiol, insulin, and human growth hormone as a stimulatory factors, and r-interferon as a inhibitory factor on the MC3T3 osteoblast cells with measurement of cell numbers, osteocalcin and 3[H]-thymidine incorporation. 1. TGF-B was a potent stimulator on ostoblast with increased change in cell morphology (number, size, shape), osteoclacin level and 3[H]-thymidine incorporation in dose depen- dant fashion. 2. 17-B estradiol was also a potent stimulator on osteoblast activity as well as TGF-B except osteoclacin level which w#as not shown in dose dependant fashion. 3. There were little changes on osteoblast with insulin, growth hormone, and r-interferon. Through this study it is confirmed that TGF-B and 17-B estradiol showed marked stimulatory effect on osteoblast cell in vitro.
Aging ; Cell Count ; Estradiol ; Female ; Growth Hormone ; Human Growth Hormone ; Immobilization ; In Vitro Techniques ; Insulin ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoporosis ; Parity ; Postmenopause ; Tobacco Products

PURPOSE: We performed this study to describe the findings of MR Myelography(MRM) of herniated disc disease, spinal stenosis and spinal tumor and to evaluate the usefulness of the MRM in comparison to MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI and MRM were performed in 31 patients with herniated disc disease(12 patients), spinal stenosis(11 patients) and spinal tumor(8 patients). MRI and MRM were done with 1.5-T Signa MR, using fat suppressed heavily T2-weighted fast spin echo technique. We retrospectively analyzed MRM images about the thecal sac indentation, compression or displacement of the nerve root, extent and degree of narrowing of spinal canal, relationship between spinal tumor and spinal cord. MRM findings were compared with MRI in all cases. RESULTS: In 18 herniated disc cases of 12 patients, focal filling defect with cutoff or displacement of the nerve root in eight cases of paracentral herniated disc was seen. Cutoff and displacement of the nerve root were more clearly delineated on MRM than rvlRI. In the patients of spinal stenosis(11 cases), hourglass deformity of the thecal sac or complete spinal block of the subarachnoid space was clearly demonstrated. The extent and severity of spinal stenosis were more accurately evaluated on MRM than MRI. MRM finding of intramedullary tumor(3 cases) was enlargement of spinal cord. Five cases of intradural extramedullary tumor showed intradural filling defect, which caused contralateral displacement of the spinal cord with meniscus sign on inferior margin of the mass. CONCLUSION: MRM shows characteristic findings of herniated disc disease, spinal stenosis and spinal tumor. MRM yields excellent definition of the thecal sac, nerve roots and nerve root sleeves in relation to herniated disc and may be more accurate in evaluation of the degree and extent of spinal stenosis than MRI.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelography* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Diseases ; Spinal Stenosis ; Subarachnoid Space

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor(DNET) is a recently described rare tumor that occurs most frequently in the temporal lobe of the brain and is characterized by long-standing, intractable complex partial seizures in children. The authors experienced one case of DNET occurring in a 13-year old boy, who had refractory complex partial seizure for 7 years. CT scan revealed nonenhancing low density mass in the left temporal lobe. MR images demonstrated a well-marginated cortical mass with very low signal intensity on TIWI and multinodular appearance of high signal intensity on T2WI. A few small enhancing foci within the mass were noted on contrast enhanced MR images. DNET, a rare tumor, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neoplasm which causes seizure and is distinguished from other tumors because of its benign course. Differentiation between DN ETand other tumors by CT and MR findings is very difficult. But, our case showed the multinodular pattern on T2W image, which may be helpful feature in the differential diagnosis.
Adolescent ; Brain ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial* ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

This review-article is aimed at shedding a light upon the nature of age-associated changes in the human skeletal system. When the anatomical, physiological and biochemical consequences of bone aging are considered together with the hardening, drying and the diminished repair capabilities of the elderly, it can be seen that fractures assume greater importance as a clinical problem in the geriatric population. Older people start out with a deficit of cortical bone, making them more fracture prone and once fractures occur, the necessary treatments (immobilization, use of casts, etc.) accelerate the rate of bone loss. In addition, aged individuals stand a higher risk for complications of the hospital and enforced bed rest that may ensue. The problems resulting from bone loss in the elderly may be partially alleviated by providing adequate health service support which should include consideration of the following points : 1. Age, sex and general health status ; 2. Habits and inclinations towards physical activities ; 3. Nutritional and endocrine background ; 4. Presence of any specific bone diseases, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia and ankylosis ; 5. Psychosocial adaptability and other behavioral elements.
Aged ; Aging ; Ankylosis ; Bed Rest ; Biology* ; Bone Diseases ; Health Services ; Humans* ; Motor Activity ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomalacia ; Osteoporosis