An electron microscopic study was conducted in order to investigate the healing and maturation process of central one third of donor site patellar tendon which was used for endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. 17 patients among 118 consecutive series, which underwent ACL reconstruction from January 1990 to March 1995, were involved in this study according to various followup periods. At 6 months follow-up, hypercullular and randomly arranged fibrohlasts had abundant cytoplasm with marked irregular cytoplasmic borders and short cytoplasmic extensions. Thc, nuclei of fibroblasts had prominent nuclear indentation with chromatin condensation along the nuclear mernbrane and prominent nucleolus. The cytoplasm contained irregularly dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, and pinocytic vesicles. Intercellular space were occupied by newly-formed, immature col)agen fibrills without distinct parallel arrangement, and the diameter of collagen fibrils was unifoimly small. At 12 months, fibroblast and collagen fibrils showed a little matured findings except the small diameter of collagen fibrils. At 24 months, irregular-shaped fibroblasts were still present, which contained folded nuclei, ahundant cytoplasm with large amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex. Collagen fihril showed also a unimodal distribution pattern with small diameter, however had a tendency to have a regular parallel arrangement. These finding suggest that the donor site of a patellar tendon was still quite different from normal patellar tendon in electron microscopic morphology even at 24 months postoperative follow-up regardless of considerable maturation of regular parallel arrangement pattern of collagen fibril.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Chromatin ; Collagen ; Cytoplasm ; Dronabinol ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Extracellular Space ; Fibroblasts ; Follow-Up Studies ; Golgi Apparatus ; Humans ; Patellar Ligament* ; Tissue Donors*

Lead is one of the most widespread environmental toxins and its poisoning in children was considered a rarity, usually resulting from unique circumstances such as inappropriate use of leadbased body cosmetics or direct administration of lead-containing folk medicines. The increasing concern about children with lower levels of lead exposure has developed, but there are no data regarding the mean blood lead levels and the incidence of symptomatic or asymptomatic lead poisoning in Korean children. We analyzed the zinc protoporphyrine (ZPP) values and blood lead concentrations in 163 pediatric inpatients for a prospective study of lead exposure. The blood lead concentrations in all 163 children were 15~54 g/dl, of whom 111 children (68.1%) were 25~54 g/dl which needs decision to chelate based on the EDTA provocation test. Among 111 children whose blood lead concentrations are 25~54 g/dl, 59 children(53.2%) were between 7 months and 3 years of age, which revealed no significant higher incidence of lead exposure than any other age group. The ZPP values in 126 children (77.3%) were above 35 g/dl. The mean blood lead concentration and ZPP values are 27.8 g/dl and 48.8 g/dl, respectively. We conclude that there are many asymptomatic children with increased absorption of lead in the urban area of Korea, and we need further studies regarding lead poisoning. It is important that there must be a national counterplan and that pediatricians continue to pay attention to lead posioning in children.
Absorption ; Child ; Edetic Acid ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients* ; Korea ; Lead Poisoning ; Poisoning ; Prospective Studies ; Zinc

Heat-treated autogenous bone graft has been utilized in the cases with large hone defects associated with tumors, chronic osteomyelitis, and trauma. Conventional autoclaved autogenous bone grafting, however, has inherent disadvantages that included decreased biomechanical strength, and loss of osteogenesity. In contrast, despite devitalizing the tumor cells, low heat-treatment can render autogenous hone grafts to retain better biomechanical strength as well as to preserve osteogenesity by avoiding destruction of hone morphogenetic protein. To investigate biomechanical strength and osteogenesity of heat-treated autogenous bone grafts, rahbits were classified into three groups: groupl, in-situ implantation of autogenous graft in the diaphyseal defect of the tibia without any heat treatment; group 2, reimplantation of graft after low heattreatment; group 3, reimplantation of graft after autoclaving. Radiological, histological, and scintigraphic examination were performed postoperativeIy at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th, 12th weeks. And biomechanical test was performed postoperatively at 6th, 9th, 12th weeks. Biomechanical test revealed that there were no statistical differences among three groups at 6th week and 9th week. However, at 12th week postoperatively, there were significant differences between group 2 and group 3, and between group 1 and group 3. Radiological and histological examinations showed that new bone formation started earlier in groups l and 2, compared to group 3. Also bone remodeling was advanced in group I and 2, com- pored to group 3. Scintigraphically, the increase of 99mTc-MDP uptake was delayed in group3, compared to group l and 2. Based upon above findings, it was concluded that low heat-treated autogenous bone grafting was hetter than autoclaved autogenous bone grafting in promoting bone healing with retained biomechanical strength.
Bone Remodeling ; Bone Transplantation* ; Hot Temperature* ; Osteogenesis ; Osteomyelitis ; Replantation ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate ; Tibia ; Transplants

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of baclofen on the detrusor muscle isolated from rat. Rats (Sprague-Dawley) were sacrificed by decapitation and exsanguination. Horizontal muscle strips of 2 mm x 15mm were prepared for isometric myography in isolated muscle chamber bubbled with 95% / 5%-OZ / CO2 at 371C, and the pH was maintained at 7.4 Detrusor strips. contracted responding to the.. electrical field stimulation (EFS) by 2 Hz, 2U msec, monophasic square wave of 60 VDC. The initial peak of EFS-Induced contraction was tended to be suppresed by a,p-methylene-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (mATP), a partial agonist of purinergic receptor, and baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist (statistically nonsignificant). The late sustained contraction by EFS was suppressed significantly (p < 0.05) by additions of atropione, a cholinergic muscarinic receptor antagonist and baclofen. The adenosine 5'-triphosphate-induced contraction was completely abolished by mA TP but not by baclofen. In the presence of atropine, the subsequent addition of acetylcholine could not contract the muscle strips: but the addition of acetylcholine in the presence of baclofen evoked a contraction to a remarkable extent.
Acetylcholine ; Adenosine ; Animals ; Atropine ; Baclofen* ; Decapitation ; Exsanguination ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Myography ; Rats* ; Receptors, Muscarinic

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Fracture of composite resin core will be occurred by progress of crack. Bonding interface of different materials has large possibility of starting point of crack line. Therefore, the bond strength of glass fiber post to composite resin core is important for prevention of fracture. Purpose: This in vitrostudy tried to find out how to get the higher strength of glass fiber post to composite resin core through surveying the maximum load that fractures the post and core complex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 specimens made with glass fiber Posts(Style post(R), Metalor, Swiss) and composite resin core(Z-100(R), 3M, USA) were prepared and loaded to failure with push-out type shear-bond strength test in a universal test machine. The maximum fracture load and fracture mode were investigated in the specimens that were restored with four different surface treatments. With the data, ANOVA test was used to validate the significance between the test groups, and Bonferroni method was used to check if there is any significant statistical difference between each test group. Every analysis was approved with 95% reliance. RESULTS: On measuring the maximum fracture load of specimens, both the treatments of sandblasted and acid-etched one statistically showed the strength increase rather than the control group(p<0.005). The scanning electric microscope revealed that sand blasting made more micro-retention form not only on the resin matrix but on the glass fiber, and acid-etching contributed to increase in surface retention form, eliminated the inorganic particles in resin matrix. Specimen fracture modes investigation represented that sand blasted groups showed lower bonding failure than no-sand blasted groups. CONCLUSION: Referring to the values of maximum fracture load of specimens, the bonding strength was increased by sand blasting and acid-etching.
Glass* ; Silicon Dioxide

The purpose of this study was to compare the fracture strength of the IPS Empress ceramic crown according to the occlusal depth(1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm) and axial inclination(4 degrees, 8 degrees, 12 degrees) of the lower second premolar. After 10 metal dies were made for each group, the IPS Empress ceramic crowns were fabricated and cemented with resin cement. The cemented crowns were mounted on the testing jig with inclination of 30 degrees and the universal testing machine was used to measure the fracture strength. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The fracture strength of the ceramic crown with 2.5mm depth and 12 degrees inclination was the highest (1284 N).Crowns of 1.5mm depth and 8 degrees inclination had the lowest strength (951N). 2. There were no significant differences in the fracture strength by axial inclination of the same occlusal depth group. 3. Most fracture lines began at the loading area and extended through proximal surface perpendicular to the margin, irrespective of occlusal depth.
Bicuspid* ; Ceramics ; Crowns* ; Resin Cements

The authors ana lysed statistically seventy-five cases of the eye injuries in childhood under the age of 20 years old during a full year of 1972. 1. Incidence of eye injuries under 20 years old was about 1.1% of total out-patients and 39.9% of total eye injuries. 2. The most common objects to the injury were iron pieces or iron made materials (24%) such as needle, nail, flying iron piece, toy, wire and bar etc. 3. The most common nature of eye injuries was traumatic cataract (14.2%) 4. Seasonally the high peak of injuries was in summer (33.3%) and winter vacation (30.7%) 5. Blindness(under20/200 of corrected VA) was occured finally in 10.8% of total 75 cases.
Cataract ; Diptera ; Eye Injuries* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Iron ; Needles ; Outpatients ; Play and Playthings ; Seasons ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the cancer detection rate in a Korean population with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels greater than or equal to 20.0ng/mL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 174 men 50 to 79 years old (median 69) included in the study. The median prostate volume of the patients was 44.8mL (range 14.1 to 210.0) and their serum PSA ranged from 20.0 to 9725.0ng/mL (median 44.8). RESULTS: Of 174 men 141 (81.0%) were diagnosed with prostate cancer on initial biopsy. In the total number of patients, the positive predictive value (PPV) was 62.9% for PSA 20 to 29.9, 72.7% for PSA 30 to 39.9 and 100% for PSA 40 to 49.9 ng/mL. In patients with an abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE), the values for these PSA ranges increased to 89.5%, 91.7% and 100%, respectively. The PPV was 81.0% for PSA cutoff of 20, 89.2% for a cutoff of 30, 95.4% for a cutoff of 40, and 94.7% for a cutoff of 50 ng/mL. In conjunction with an abnormal DRE, the values for these PSA cutoffs increased to 95.9%, 98.1%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest the ability to predict the presence of prostate cancer reliably on initial biopsy when PSA threshold is greater than or equal to 50ng/mL. This PSA threshold may be lowered to 40ng/mL in the presence of an abnormal DRE. In Korean men with high PSA, the detection rate of prostate cancer on biopsy appears to be comparable to that for American men.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Cohort Studies ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prostate/pathology ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/*blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/metabolism/pathology

Chondroma is a benign bone tumor and rarely involves the spine ; even if this occurs however, neurological symptoms and signs rarely arise. We encountered one case of chondroma which developed in the posterior arch of the atlas. The patient complained of quadriparesis, hypesthesia, and urinary frequency. MR imaging showed that the tumor had compressed the cord dorsolaterally at the C1 level. It was completely removed, and the posterior arch of the atlas and surrounding ligamentum flavum disclosed hypertrophy. Postoperatively, the neurological status of the patient improved. On pathologic examination, hypocellularity and mature hyaline cartilage was seen, as well as chondrocytes residing in the lacunae ; all these findings were compatible with benign chondroma.
Chondrocytes ; Chondroma* ; Humans ; Hyaline Cartilage ; Hypertrophy ; Hypesthesia ; Ligamentum Flavum ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Quadriplegia ; Spinal Cord Compression* ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine

PURPOSE: To investigate whether the preoperative prostatic biopsy values predict the tumor stage in radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the prostatic needle biopsy findings in 69 patients, diagnosed with clinical organ confined prostate cancer, and who underwent a RRP between December 2003 and November 2004. The biopsy specimens were assessed for the number and maximal tumor length of positive cores and for the Gleason score. The preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and prostate volume were measured using transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). TRUS guided biopsies of 13.7 2.2 sites were performed. The preoperative values were compared with the pathological stage of the RRP specimens. RESULTS: Of the 69 patients, 53 (76.8%) had organ confined cancer and 16 (23.2%) had extraprostatic extension (pathologic T2 and T3 or greater, respectively), with mean ages of 65.6 and 65.1 years, respectively. The mean PSA levels were 8.0 and 13.0ng/ml and the prostate volumes were 38.3 and 33.8ml, respectively. The age, prostate volume, biopsy Gleason score and preoperative PSA level were not significant factors for predicting the pathological stage inform a multivariate analysis (p>0.05). The number (p=0.007) and maximal tumor length of positive cores (p=0.046) were significantly higher in those with an extraprostatic stage than in the organ confined cancer group. The optimal maximal tumor length and number of positive cores for the detection of extraprostatic cancer were 7.5mm and 6.5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The number and maximal tumor length of positive cores were strong predictors of the pathologic stage in the RRP specimens.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Grading ; Pathology ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Ultrasonography