No Abstract Available.
Chondrocytes* ; Phenotype*

No abstract available.
Kidney Pelvis* ; Metaplasia* ; Ureter*

Cryptococcus is native to the environment and thrives in any type of environment inhabited by birds. Cryptococcal genito-urinary infection has been reported in immunnocompromised patients and can involve the adrenal gland, kidney, prostate, or penis. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of cases where cryptococcal epididymo-orchitis infects an uncompromised healthy host. Here, we report a case of primary cryptococcal epididymo-orchitis in a healthy male.
Adrenal Glands ; Birds ; Cryptococcus ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Orchitis ; Penis ; Prostate

Controversies about the posterior cruciate ligament continue with regards to total knee arthroplasty. There has been a long debate regarding PLC and its importance seems to be overrated in total knee arthroplasty. Twenty four patients had twenty six total knee replacements with insertion of the PCL substituting Press Fit Condylar modular total knee system with cement, and they were enrolled in a prospective study to assess the clinicoradiological results and measure the femoral roll-back postoperatively. Follow-up ranged from twenty four months to fifty months with an average of thirty two months. The mean HSS score was 92.1 points and the mean range of motion was 122.7 degrees. Twenty five cases(96.1%) showed excellent and good clinical results. The radiologic evaluation based on Knee Society roentgenographic system revealed proper alignment of all components and one significant radiolucent area. The mean femoral roll-back was 2.3mm posteriorly. In the present series, total knee arthroplasties with the Press Fit Condylar modular knee system resulted in excellent relief of pain, excellent range of motion and restoration of function.
Arthroplasty* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular

The roentgenograms following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction show the enlargement of bone tunnels. Many authors hypothesized the cause of the tunnel enlargement, either mechanical or biological causes. The purpose of this study was to find the factors which affected the enlargement of the tibial tunnel following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone or hamstring tendon. Sixty patients were reviewed retrospectively for radiographic measurement of tibial tunnel at post-operative one year (27 patients received bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft, 12 patients received bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft and Kennedy LAD-ligament augmentation device, 21 patients received Semitendinosus and Gracilis tendons with Endobutton). Roentgenographic anteroposterior and lateral films were checked and the tunnel was measured by two independent observers using a digital caliper. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test. The tibial tunnel enlargement was only related to the position of the fixation of the tibial tunnel. We concluded that tibial tunnel enlargement following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction is attributed to the mechanical effect rather than the properties of grafts and the clinical results.
Autografts ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tendons ; Transplants

In anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient knee, several treatment methods were recommended. Recently, arthroscopic reconstruction is widely used as the best treatment method. As the graft materials, bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPB) unit is a gold standard material. Whereas, it has many problems. The purpose of this study was to introduce the new arthroscopic ACL reconstruction technique with quadrupled semitendinosus tendon and Endobutton and to evaluate its results. Twenty one patients were prospectively reviewed after ACL reconstruction with quadrupled semitendinosus tendon and Endobutton at one year post-operation. The surgery was performed in the series of graft tendon harvest, graft preparation, tunnel drilling and Endobutton fixation. The outcomes showed improved knee functions. Endobutton technique with quadrupled semitendinosus tendon is useful method for the arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. Stability and functional outcomes were similar to those with patellar tendon but it showed less donor site morbidity, less pitfall of fixation and simple procedure.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Humans ; Knee ; Patellar Ligament ; Prospective Studies ; Tendons* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenia patients have deficits of prediction and learning related to dopaminergic dysfunction. It is hypothesized that there would be different characteristics in associative learning of reward approach and loss aversion between controls and patients. METHODS: Participants were 23 healthy participants and 20 out-patients fulfilling criteria for schizophrenia according DSM-IV-TR. Using a monetary incentive contingency reversal task, successful learning rates, numbers of trials and errors till learning, numbers of trials of maintaining learning, response times were measured. Characteristics of learning were compared between controls and patients. RESULTS: Physical anhedonia and PANSS negative symptom scores correlated with the number of trials while loss aversion was maintained. Overall correct response rates were decreased in patient group, particularly during reward approach learning. Patients required more trials and errors to learn reward approach than controls. There were no significant differences in learning performance and reaction times between groups during loss avoidance learning. CONCLUSION: These results support previous reports of deficits in reward-driven learning in schizophrenia. However, anhedonia and negative symptoms were associated with the preserved function of loss avoidance learning.
Anhedonia ; Avoidance Learning ; Humans ; Learning ; Motivation ; Outpatients ; Reaction Time ; Reinforcement (Psychology) ; Reward ; Schizophrenia

PURPOSE: Bone and cartilage were manufactured by using tissue engineering of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) which can differentiate into variety of cell types. MATERIAL AND METHOD: MSC was isolated and cultured from the rabbit weighing 500g, and it was seeded into PGA mesh and pre-cultured for 1 week with different TGF- beta 3 treated conditions. It was implanted into nude mice and tissues generated were recovered from 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 ,and 12 weeks respectively. Degree of bone and cartilage formation was analyzed with histology and immunohistochemistry assay. RESULT: Pre-culture condition with TGF- beta 3 treatment showed early start of chondrogenic differentiation, and degree of bone and cartilage formation was promoted as time passed. But both of the cases differentiated into complete bone after 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: The results show that pretreatment of TGF- beta 3 promotes the differentiation process in vivo condition under the in vivo system where MSC differentiate into bone via cartilage formation.
Animals ; Cartilage ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Tissue Engineering

Midventricular obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (MOHCM) is a rare variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Apical dilatation and myocardial infarction can be complicated without significant coronary artery disease. We report a case of apical dilatation in a patient with MOHCM without atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. A 76-year-old woman was admitted for recent cerebral infarction and consulted to cardiologist for abnormal electrocardiographic findings. She had been suffering from exertional dyspnea (NYHA II) for about four years. Two dimentional-echocardiography revealed midventricular obstructive hypertrophy with an apical dilatation and paradoxical jet flow from the apical aneurysm to the left ventricular outflow tract during early diastole. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated dyskinesia in the apical wall with midventricular obstruction and a peak-to-peak intraventricular pressure gradient of 110 mmHg during pull-back from the apical high-pressure chamber to the subaortic low-pressure chamber in the left ventricle. Coronary angiograms showed no significant stenotic lesion of the coronary arteries. She was prescribed oral beta-adrenergic antagonist to decrease the intraventricular pressure gradient.
Aged ; Aneurysm* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Diastole ; Dilatation* ; Dyskinesias ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Myocardial Infarction ; Ventricular Pressure

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES : The transradial approach has been increasingly used as an alternative to conventional transfemoral intervention. However, there is little data on the efficacy of transradial coronary intervention (TRI) in left main coronary arterial (LMCA) disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of TRI in selective patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for LMCA disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS : Between Jan 2003 and May 2005, 83 patients with LMCA stenosis were treated with PCI. Of these, 40 selected patients having undergone TRI were included in this study. RESULTS : The patients included 30 males and 10 females, with a mean age of 61+/-12 years. There were 28 cases (70%) involving coronary arteries other than the LMCA and 24 cases (60%) with bifurcation lesion involvement. In 28 cases (70%), a 6 Fr sized guiding catheter was used. No case required crossover from TRI to TFI due to procedural failure. During hospitalization, 2 patients who underwent primary PCI in the setting of STEMI died, but there were no other clinical events. CONCLUSION : In selected patients with LMCA disease, TRI can be a feasible and safe approach for PCI.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Radial Artery