BACKGROUND: Although the pathophysiology of pulmonary vascular injury has been reported, exact its mechanism has not yet been elucidated. Recent studies have reported that reactive oxygen species, including hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) and superoxide, formed in association with a variety of oxidative stress-related diseases, may play an important role in cell injury and apoptosis. In this study, we investigated whether H2O2 induces apoptosis, a possible mechanism of pulmonary vascular injury. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The calf pulmonary artery endothelial cell line(CPAE) was used in the experiment. For the measurement of cytotoxicity of H2O2, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) assay was performed. To find out whether H2O2 affects cell morphology, cells were examined by phase-contrast microscopy. To confirm the induction of apoptosis, H2O2-treated cells were analyzed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL) assay, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole(DAPI) staining and flow cytometric analysis. RESULT: Compared to the untreated control(100%), viabilities of cells treated with H2O2 of concentrations of 10 microM, 50 microM, 100 microM and 500 microM for 3 hours were about 70%, 33%, 26% and 28%, respectively. Morphologically, H2O2-treated cells(50 microM) showed retraction of processes, cell shrinkage, cytoplasm condensation and irregularity of shape. Both TUNEL assay and DAPI staining also showed typical apoptotic features of nuclear condensation and nuclear fragmentation in some nuclei of H2O2-treated cells. Through flow cytometric analysis, it was determined that there was an increased number of cells in the sub-G1 phase and a decreased number of cells in the G1 phase among the H2O2-treated cells, compared to those of the control. CONCLUSION: Through morphological and biochemical analyses, it was first demonstrated that cell death induced by H2O2 in CPAE showed classic apoptotic features. These results suggest the possibility that H2O2-induced apoptosis may, in part, be involved in the molecular mechanism of pulmonary vascular injury.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Death ; Cytoplasm ; Endothelial Cells* ; G1 Phase ; Hydrogen ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxides ; Vascular System Injuries

No abstract available.
Light ; Rhinophyma

No abstract available.
Pemphigus

Evidences has been accumulated the difference of cardiovascular phenotypes in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). To determine the genetic association between fibrinogen beta chain (FGB) gene and ASD in Korean population, we genotyped single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs4220, Arg478Lys, exon 8) in the FGB gene by using direct sequencing. Among nonsynonymous SNPs in the coding region of FGB, only one SNP's heterozygosity (rs4220) is more than 0.05. Therefore, we analyzed the association between rs4220 and ASD. Three hundred six control and 196 ASD subjects were evaluated. For the analysis of genetic data, SNPStats, SNPAnalyzer, and Helixtree programs were used. Multiple logistic regression analysis (codominant, dominant, and recessive models) was also used. The result showed that a SNP (rs4220) in the FGB gene was not significantly difference between ASD and controls in three alternative models. This result suggests that the FGB gene may have no relation to the development of ASD.
Clinical Coding ; Exons ; Fibrinogen ; Logistic Models ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

PURPOSE: Shortening of the patellar tendon after ACL reconstruction has been one of the causes of postoperative complieations such as anterior knee pain, patellar baja syndrome because of that reason, donor tendon defect was not closed generally. It took at least two years far the tendon to fill the gap by regenerated tendon tissue. But, sometimes protrusion of infra-patellar fat pad may prohibit the regenera-tion of patellar tendon, This study was designed to assess the amount of actual tendon shortening after tendon closure and complications because of it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two cases of arthroscopically assisted midthird patella tendon autograft ACL reconstruction were studied. Patella tendon defect was closed in all cases and the follow-up duration was more than 12 months. The patellar tendon length was measured before and after the defect site closure in operating room, Also, radiolagic tendon length changes were assessed using Insall-Salvati technique. RESULT: The mean patellar tendon length that had been measured in operating room was 51.5mm, 49.8mm (before and after the tendon defect closure). So, the mean shortening was 1.71mm(3.3%). The mean LT/LP ratio was 0.922, 0.894, 0.898(pre-operative and post-operative 6months, 12months). so, the radiologic mean shortening was 3.0%(6months), 2.6%(12months). There were only 4 cases of anterior knee pain and other complications were not found. CONCLUSION: Patellar tendon length change after donor tendon defect closure was about 3% and there were no complications associated with it.
Adipose Tissue ; Autografts ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Operating Rooms ; Patellar Ligament* ; Tendons* ; Tissue Donors*

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of biofeedback-assisted autogenic training for chronic tension-type headache, and to determine the relationship among the changes in electromyography (EMG) activity, headache activity, and mood states according to the psychophysiological treatment. METHODS: Chronic tension-type headache patients aged from 20 to 40 years (n=35) were randomized to the treatment group receiving biofeedback-assisted autogenic training (8 sessions) or the monitoring-only control group. EMG activities, headache index, and various psychological variables were examined. RESULTS: We found greater treatment response rate (> or =50% reduction in headache index) in patients with biofeedbackassisted autogenic training than in the monitoring group (61% vs. 18%; chi-square=6.882, df=1, p=0.01). There were no significant changes in the mean values of the pretreatment EMG activities across the sessions in either group (all p's>0.1). Mood states including anxiety and depression improved over time in the both groups, with the improvements being more prominent in the treatment group. Moreover, the reduction in depression level predicted treatment outcome in terms of headache index (95% confidence interval: 0.272-0.966, p=0.039). CONCLUSION: These results show that biofeedback-assisted autogenic training is effective for the treatment of chronic tension-type headache in a Korean population. Changes in mood states may be closely associated with the clinical outcome in the treatment of chronic tension-type headache using biofeedback-assisted autogenic training.
Aged ; Anxiety ; Autogenic Training ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; Depression ; Electromyography ; Headache ; Humans ; Tension-Type Headache ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Allergens* ; Hypersensitivity* ; Lymphocyte Activation* ; Lymphocytes* ; Mitogens* ; T-Lymphocytes*

OBJECTIVE: There are many causes of cervical myelopathy including trauma, degenerative conditions, tumors and demyelinating disorders. However, myelopathy caused by soft disc herniation might be seen rarely than the spondylosis caused by hard disc. Here, authors retrospectively analyzed the clinical features and results of cervical myelopathy caused by soft disc herniation. METHODS: From March 2010 to December 2010, 134 patients with degenerative cervical spinal disease were treated with anterior cervical discectomy and interbody fusion. Among them, 21 patients with cervical myelopathy secondary to cervical soft disc herniation were analyzed. Their clinical features, preoperative and, postoperative clinical results were evaluated by Nurick Grade and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale (JOA) retrospectively. Preoperative clinical features including duration of myelopathy, pain intensity and postoperative clinical results including improvement rate of myelopathy and radiculopathy were retrospectively analyzed by Nurick Grade and JOA scale. We also evaluated correlation between the duration of symptom, type of the disc herniation, pain intensity and clinical outcome. RESULTS: Mean age was 49.7 and male was predominant. Gait disturbance with mild to moderate pain was most common symptom in clinical features. Severe pain was shown in only 9 cases, and the other 12 cases experienced mild to moderate pain. Mean duration of myelopathy was 1.18 month. The mean JOA scores were 11.22 before surgery and 14.2 after surgery. The mean Nurick grades were 2.78 before treatment and 1.67 after treatment. Neurologic status of mild or moderate pain group on preoperative state is worse than that of severe pain group. The patients with duration of myelopathy symptom (<1 month) showed lower clinical improvement rate than the patients with myelopathy over 1 month. Patients with median type of disc herniation showed poorer neurological status than those with paramedian type of herniation in preoperative state. CONCLUSION: Authors reviewed the clinical features and surgical outcome of the cervical myelopathy secondary to cervical soft disc herniation. We presumed that patients of more than one month of symptom duration, mild to moderate initial symptom would be related with better postoperative improvement rate.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Diskectomy ; Gait ; Humans ; Male ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Diseases* ; Spinal Diseases ; Spondylosis

Adult-onset type II citrullinemia (CTLN2) is a disorder caused by an inborn error of metabolism affecting the liver. CTLN2 is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent encephalopathy with hyperammonemia due to highly elevated plasma levels of citrulline and ammonia, caused by a deficiency of argininosuccinate synthetase in the liver. A small number of patients have undergone liver transplantation with favorable results. In Korea, the limitations of the deceased donor pool have made living donor liver transplantation a common alternative treatment option. We report the case of a patient with type II citrullinemia who was treated successfully with auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation (APOLT) from a living donor. This is the first description of an APOLT for a patient with adult onset type II citrullinemia in Korea.
Adult ; Ammonia ; Argininosuccinate Synthase ; Citrulline ; Citrullinemia ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Plasma ; Tissue Donors

Concomitant cholelithiasis and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is not uncommon. Cholecystectomy at the time of aneurysm repair was delayed in patients with asymptomatic cholelithiasis due to the possibility of the graft infection. If a patient is subjected to a high risk of aneurysmal rupture and symptomatic cholelithiasis, the combined cholecystectomy and aneurysm repair should be performed. With the advent of the minimally invasive surgery, minimal invasive approach is widely adopted in patients with cholelithiasis and AAA. We reported one patient who had symptomatic cholelithiasis and AAA, successfully treated with the laparoscopic cholecystectomy and endovascular AAA repair.
Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholelithiasis ; Endovascular Procedures ; Humans ; Rupture ; Transplants