No abstract available.
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Osmolar Concentration* ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa*

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Leptospirosis* ; Scrub Typhus*

No abstract available.
Free Radicals* ; Reperfusion*

Recently it has been stated that animals without ischemic arrhythmia would be at almost no risk for reperfusion ventricular fibrillation(VF) in contrast to animals with ischemic arrhythmias. In order to observe the differences of ararrhythmias characteristics between ischemic and reperfusion period, and correlationship between occlusion and reperfusion arrhythmias, the left anterior descending(LAD) coronary artery was occluded for 20 minutes and reperfused for 10 minutes in 24 anesthetized cats. The results were as follows; 1) After ligation of LAD coronary artery, the R wave, S-T segment and T wave of epicardial EKG were elevated to reach maximum level at 5-10 minutes. 2) During reperfusion, the changes of R wave, S-T segment, and T wave of epicardial EKG were not significant. 3) The incidence of arrhythmias at early phase and late phase of occlusion period were 41.6% and 100% respectively. The ischemic arrhythmia score was 2.38+/-1.61 and incidence of ventricular tachycardia(VT) was 66% 4) The incidence of VT and VF during reperfusion was 100% and 62.5% respectively. The reperfusion arrhythmia score was 5.88+/-1.72. 5) The two morphologies of ventricular arrhythmias were observed at occluson and reperfusion period. 6) The disparities between occlusion and reperfusion arrhythmias were observed. 7) The cats with shorter R-R internal and/or lower systolic left ventricualr pressure had the higher incidence of VF. In summary, although the morphology of occlusion ventricular arrhythmias was similar to that of reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias, the lack of correlation between reperfusion VF and ischemic arrhythmias was observed. So we suggest that further studies which provide the different mechanisms involved in occlusion and reperfusion arrhythmias were needed.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Cats* ; Coronary Vessels ; Electrocardiography ; Incidence ; Ligation ; Reperfusion*

We are report on three cases of typical clinical characterstics and treatment response in neuroleptic maligant syndrome(NMS), and reviewed the literatures of NMS. NMS was first recognized as a life-threatening complication of dopamine receptor antagonists, and defined as a catatonic-like states associated with fever, obtundation, muscle rigidity, and unstable vital sign in patients taking neuroleptic agents. Concepts of NMS have changed because medications other than classic neuroleptic drugs have been implicated as triggering agents and syndromes identical to NMS have been observed in other conditions. The important neurochemical features are probably functional dopamine deficiency and ensuing hyperactivity of excitatory amino and neurotransmission in the basal ganglia and hypothalamus. Recognition of NMS and early discontinuation of neuroleptics are the most important step in its management. Supportive care includes management of hyperthermia and fluid replacement. Contraversial therapeutic measures include the application of dopamine receptor agonists, excitatory amino acid antagosists, or dantrolene. Psychiatric patients with a history on NMS and psychotic relapse necessitating antipsycotics do not commonly redevelop NMS.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Basal Ganglia ; Dantrolene ; Dopamine ; Dopamine Agonists ; Dopamine Antagonists ; Excitatory Amino Acids ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; Muscle Rigidity ; Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome* ; Recurrence ; Synaptic Transmission ; Vital Signs

Growth factors influencing the function of chondrocytes are insulin-like growth factor I(IGF-I), basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF), transforming growth factor-beta1(TGF-beta1), and epidermal growth factor(EGF). To find out the role of four kinds of growth factors in the biosynthesis of type I and II collagen represented as the phenotype of the disc cells, we cultured the disc cells isolated from rabbit intervertebral discs primarily and then checked cell proliferation, the expression of type I and II procollagen mRNA, and the immunohistochemical stains with type I and II collagen antibodies during in vitro culture in the maintenance medium containing low serum concentration with adding four kinds of growth factors. The results are as follows. FBS(10% Fetal bovine serum) group showed the highest cell proliferation potential. EGF and TGF groups showed remarkable cell proliferation, but there was no significant difference in IGF and FGF groups comparing to control group. A partial clone that encodes the rabbit type II procollagen C-propeptide region(RbCo12A1) was successfully isolated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using total RNA extracted from articular chondrocytes of rabbits. The identity of the cDNA clone was confirmed by DNA sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction products. A comparison of human al(II) cDNA sequence showed high sequence homology(83.6%). Type I procollagen mRNA expressed highly in EGF group. FGF, IGF, and TGF groups showed no significant expression comparing to control group. FBS group showed lower expression than control group. Type II procollagen expression was increased with passage of time, so at Day 10 it was the highest in all groups. Control group showed the highest expression among 6 experimental groups. The expression of type II procollagen in FGF and TGF groups was slightly lower than that of control. EGF and IGF groups showed markedly decreased expression comparing to control group. That in FBS group was the lowest, so it was three times lower than control group. In immunohistochemical stains with type I collagen, there was no difference among control, FBS, and EGF groups. FGF, IGF, and TGF groups showed increased positivity on stain comparing to control group, but the positivity didnt exceed 10%. For type II collagen, EGF and FGF groups showed decreased positivity, but there was no significant difference in FBS, IGF, and TGF groups comparing to control group. On the basis of this study, it may be concluded that TGF-pl showed the possibility of regeneration or delay the degeneration process of the intervertebral disc through the contribution to the stimulatory effects of cell proliferation and the synthesis of type II collagen. For the clinical use of this, more studies about the combination effects with FBS or other kinds of growth factors and finding out the ideal concentration about TGF-pl will be needed.
Antibodies ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured* ; Chondrocytes ; Clone Cells ; Collagen Type I ; Collagen Type II ; Collagen* ; Coloring Agents ; DNA, Complementary ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Procollagen ; Rabbits ; Regeneration ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

No abstract available.
Spondylolisthesis* ; Zygapophyseal Joint*

No abstract available.
Spondylolisthesis*

The results of surgical treatment for isthmic spondylolisthesis in children and adolescent have been well documented. Successful clinical results with fusion can be expected in children and adolescent. But in adults, instability was not the only problem. In addition to their instability, adults were more likely to have degenerative disc changes and nerve compression not solved by fusion only. The role of decompression in the surgical treatment of adult isthmic spondylolisthesis remains controversial. Anterior interbody fusion could obtain indirect decompression of nerve root through widening of intervertebral space. Posterolateral fusion with transpedicular fixation could get direct decompression. So, the purpose of this study is to compare the clinical results of the anterior interbody fusion and the posterolateral fusion with transpedicular fixation for the treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis in adults. We reviewed the clinical data of 40 adult patients who had been taken operation due to isthmic spondylolisthesis from June, 1977 to June, 1994. The anterior interbody fusion was performed in 20 patients (Group I) and the posterolateral fusion with transpedicular fixation was performed in 20 patients (Group II). The mean age of group I was 44.1 years old (21-62), and that of group II was 41.3 years old (21-57). The gender of patients was 8 males and 12 females in group I, and 5 males and 15 females in group II. The symptoms and signs of group I and II were similar. The duration of follow-up was average 3.6 years (1.1-16 years) in group I and average 2.3 years (1.1-6 years) in group II. The anterior slippage of group I by Taillard method was 16.1% and was corrected into 10.4% after opera-up was average 3.6 years (1.1-16 years) in group I and average 2.3 years (1.1-6 years) in group II. The anterior slippage of group I by Taillard method was 16.1% and was corrected into 10.4% after operation. That of group II was 15.2% and corrected into 9.8% after operation. The fusion rate at 12 months after operation was 90% in group I and 95% in group II. The clinical results were analysed by Kim's criteria that was focused on the improvement of clinical symptoms. The satisfactory results were obtainted in 85 % of group I and 90 % of group II. So there was no significant difference of clinical results between the anterior interbody fusion and the posterolateral fusion with transpedicular fixation for the treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis in adults (p<0.05).
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Child ; Decompression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Spondylolisthesis

PURPOSE: This study was designed to compare fracture healing in normal and ovariectomized rat, and to evaluate the effect of intermittent administration of parathyroid hormone on fracture healing in osteopenic animal model, MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four-months-old mature female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly elivided into 5 groups. Group I underwent a sham operation, and others (Group II-V) were ovariectomized. At three months after ovariectomy or sham operation, standardized bilateral transverse tibial fractures were created and intramedullary nailings with Kirschner wire were performed. The rats were then treated with daily subcutaneous injection of placebo in Groups I and II, 17beta-estradiol in Group III, low doses of recombinant human PTH (1-84) in Group IV, and high doses of recombinant human PTH (1-84) in Group V for 4 weeks. At day 30 of post-fracture the animals were sacrificed and fracture healing was assessed with histologic/histomorphometric analysis and three-point bending mechanical testing. RESULTS: On histologic/histomorphometric evaluation of sham operation group, the fracture callus mainly consisted of dense trabecular bone. On the other hand, Groups II and III seemed to have much looser cancellous network, abundant in fibrous marrow. In parathyroid hormone-treated g roups, external callus consisted of more dense trabecular, woven bone than that of Groups II or III, and especially the high doses of parathyroid hormone-treated group was comparable to the sham operation group in terms of per cent trabecular bone volume (Group I>V>IV>III=II, P<0.05). Mechanical testing indicated that ultimate load was reduced in Group II and III compared to sham operated or parathyroid hormone-treated groups (Group I=V>IV>III=II, P<0.05). Other significant differences were the increase in absorbed energy at ultimate load of Groups I and V (Group I=V>IV=III=II, P<0.05), and increase in ultimate stress of Groups I and V (Group I=V>IV=II=III, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this study, it may be concluded that fracture healing is delayed in the ovariectomy-induced osteopenic rat model. Our experiment also showed dose-related stimulation of parathyroid hormone in the strength of fracture, and that antiresorptive agents such as estrogen had no effect. Further study is needed in large animal model, and attention should be focused on systemic/long-term effect of parathyroid hormone and its relationship with local growth factors in fracture healing.
Animals ; Bone Density Conservation Agents ; Bone Marrow ; Bony Callus ; Estrogens ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Fracture Healing* ; Hand ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Models, Animal ; Ovariectomy ; Parathyroid Hormone* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tibial Fractures