Recently, we found that the Korean traditional medicine could enhance the expression of some cytokine in murine bone marrow cell culture. To understand the mode of actions of the traditional medicine, we examined the pattern of protein phosphorylation in bone marrow cells treated with Korean traditional medicine. When bone marrow cells were treated with Korean traditional medicine, the phosphorylation of p45, p50, p84/p91 kinase was observed, and gene expression of TPO and SCF was related to p45 and p91. It had been reported that TPO, SCF, IL-3 and GM-CSF gene expression transmits signal through the JAK-STAT pathway. Molecular involvement of JAK-STAT in signal induced by Korean traditional medicine was analyzed by anti-JAK and anti-STAT-1 Ab. To analyze the transcriptional factor that promotes the cytokine gene expression by the stirnulation of Korean traditional medicine, GAS and NF-B binding activity was analyzed by EMSA. We found the increase in NF-B at SMT and BHT. Therefore, we conclude that the cytokine gene expression induced by Korean traditional medicine was mediated by the JAK-STAT pathway and by the combination of GAS and NF-kB.
Bone Marrow Cells ; Butylated Hydroxytoluene ; Gene Expression ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Hematopoiesis* ; Interleukin-3 ; Medicine, Korean Traditional* ; Medicine, Traditional ; NF-kappa B ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Signal Transduction

The Korean traditional medicinal (KTM) herbs such as Angelicae gigantis, Rehmannia glutinosa, Paeoniae lactiflora, Cnidii officinale, Salviae miltiorrhizae, and Millettia reticulata, and prescribed formula Samultang, and Bohyultang improve the function of the hematopoietic system and nourishing the body to promote health. However, there are limited scientific background on the mode of action of these medicine. To understand the diverse actions following traditional medicine stimulation, we determined the production of hematopoietic cytokine, thrombopoietin, stem cell factor, and interleukin-3 (IL-3) in KlM treated bone marrow cells. When bone marrow cells were treated with KTM, the expression of hematopoietic cytokine were increased in RT-PCR and ELISA analysis. Furthermore, when the bone marrow cells were separated into adherent celis and suspension cells and were treated with KTM, we found the increase of TPO gene expressions in suspension cells. Meanwhile, other hematopoietic cytokine gene expression in bone marrow cells was higher as whole than when adherent cells and suspension cells was separated. Therefore, we could know the interaction of two cells that increases the cytokine expression. These results suggest that KTM has hematopoietic effects through increasing the production of cytokine.
Angelica ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression ; Hematopoiesis* ; Hematopoietic System ; Interleukin-3 ; Medicine, Korean Traditional* ; Medicine, Traditional ; Millettia ; Paeonia ; Rehmannia ; Salvia ; Stem Cell Factor ; Thrombopoietin

No abstract available.
Cyclosporine*

We describe a patient with overlap syndrome in whom systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma were combined. The patient expired due to severe central nervous system involvernent and pneumonia. Pertinent neuropsychiatric signs of the patient included generalied seizure, impairment of recent, memory, dysarthria, mental deterioration, Balints syndrome, right sided hemiparesis and right sided central type facial weakness. Hrain MRI and cerebral angiogram slowed cerebral vasculopathy. We suggest that a long-term follow-up is necessary for the confirmation of ciagnosis of a connective tissue disease, because the evolution, transition and overlapping features among the group of connective tissue diseases may commonly occur over time.
Central Nervous System ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Dysarthria ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory ; Paresis ; Pneumonia ; Seizures

No abstract available.
Reference Values* ; Vestibular Function Tests*

A giant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) renders surgical treatment much more difficult by deforming the proximal infrarenal aortic neck (shortened length and disturbed angulation), by altering the iliac arteries (marked tortuosity and aneurysmal dilatation), and by displacing abdominal organs. Because the retroperitoneal rupture of giant AAA makes the mesentery more elongated and deformed, compromising its blood flow and thus increasing the risk of mesenteric ischemia such as colon ischemia. We describe here the surgical repair of a large infrarenal AAA with a ruptured huge left common iliac artery aneurysm of 13.5 cm in diameter, accompanied by colostomy due to colon ischemia which occurred during the operation. We discuss the pathophysiology and preventive strategy of colon ischemia during ruptured giant AAA repair.
Aneurysm* ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Colitis, Ischemic ; Colon* ; Colostomy ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemia* ; Mesentery ; Neck ; Rupture

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of antegrade balloon dilatation and uteteral stenting in benign ureteral strictures. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Percutaneous antegrade balloon dilatation was attempted in 46 patients with benign ureteral strictures. The underlying causes of the strictures were urinary tract tuberculosis in 20 patients, congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction in eight, ureteroneocystostomy or ureteroileostomy state in five, postoperative or post-extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy state for ureteral calculi in eight, ureteral injury during surgery in four, and retroperitoneal fibrosis in one. RESULTS: Antegrade balloon dilatation was performed with initial technical success in 43 patients but the procedure was aborted in the remaining three with urinary tract tuberculosis due to the failure in passing a guidewire through the stenotic lesions. Intravenous urograms obtained 4-76 months after the procedure showed improvements in 76%(13/17) with urinary tract tuberculosis, in 63%(5/8) with congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction, in 88%(7/8) with strictures associated with ureteral calculi, and in 100%(4/4) with iatrogenic ureteral injury. The results were relatively poor in strictures of the ureteral anastomosis(1/5) and in ureteralstrictures associated with retroperitoneal fibrosis(0/1). CONCLUSION: Antegrade balloon dilatation of the urinary tract combined with ureteral stenting was an effective technique for the management of the benign ureteral strictures.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Dilatation* ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis ; Shock ; Stents* ; Tuberculosis ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Calculi ; Urinary Tract

No abstract available.

STUDY DESIGN: Sixteen patients with congenital kyphoscoliosis were evaluated the clinical and radiological results according to the treatment method. OBJECTIVES: To provide a guideline for surgical treatment of congenital kyphoscoliosis SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Congenital kyphoscoliosis is an abnormal coronal and sagittal curvature of spine that is caused by the presence of vertebral anomalies, which causes a significant deformity and disability. Correction of the deformity is challenging and accompanied by high risk of complications. Many methods of operative treatment were recommended with various results. MATERIALS & METHODS: We reviewed 16 patients of congenital kyphoscoliosis who were operated from 1984 to 1997, and follow-up periods were over 12 months in all. The average age of surgery was 12 years (ranged from 4 to 20 years). Nine cases were operated by excision of quadrant hemivertebra through combined anterior & posterior approach and 6 cases were treated only by posterior instrumentation and one underwent posterior on bloc spondylectomy. RESULTS: The type of curves were thoracic in 5, thoracolumbar in 9, lumbar area in 2 patients. Average angle of kyphosis was 55 degree preoperatively, 25 degree postoperatively, and 39 degree at the follow up study. Average angle of scoliosis was 48 degree, 22 degree, and 27 degree, respectively. In 9 cases corrected by excision of quadrant hemivertebra; kyphotic angle was changed from 62degrees preoperatively, to 22degrees postoperatively and to 36 degree at the end of follow up study, while scoliotic angle was changed from 47degrees, to 12degrees and to 21degrees, respectively. In 6 cases corrected by posterior instrumentation kyphotic angle was changed from 52degrees preoperatively, to 33degrees postoperatively and to 48degrees degree at the follow up study, while scoliotic angle was changed from 53degrees, to 33degrees and to 37degrees, respectively. CONCLUSION: Excision of quadrant hemivertebra through combined anterior and posterior approach or posterior instrumentation were resulted in significant loss of correction during the remaining growth period due to the secondary change of adjacent vertebrae. So, to obtain better correction and to reduce the recurrence of deformity, more aggressive approach including the concept of three dimentional osteotomy involving the upper and lower adjacent curve may be considered.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Osteotomy ; Recurrence ; Scoliosis ; Spine

A reproducible noninvasive technique for measuring right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) was developed using first pass quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography. Tests were carried out in the right anterior oblique position with a computerized multicrystal scintillation camera with high count rate capabilities. RVEF was calculated on beat to beat basis from the high frequency components of the background-corrected right ventricular time-activity curve. The following results were obtained; 1) In 10 normal adults, RVEF averaged 50.9+/-8.2. In 20 patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases (COPD), RVEF was 37.9+/-6.1% and significantly lower than that of normal persons(P<0.005). 2) There was meaningful correlation between RVEF and forced expiratory volume (FEVI) in patients with COPD (r=0.51). And there was significant difference of RVEF between 13 patients with FEVI less than IL/min (6 patients with right ventricular failure, 7 patients with patients without that) and 7 patients with FEVI IL/min or more (35.7+/-6.0%, 42.1+/-3.2% respectively. P<0.005). 3) All 6 patients with clinical manifestation of right heart failure had abnormal RVEF and had FEVI less than IL/min, which was significantly lower than that of 14 patients without clinical manifestation of right heart failure (33.6+/-4.8%, 39.8+/-5.6%, respectively. P<0.005). 4) In 14 patients without clinical manifestation of right heart failure, 11 patients among whom 7 patients had FEVI less than IL/min, had abnormal RVEF.
Adult ; Angiocardiography ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Gamma Cameras ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Radionuclide Ventriculography* ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Right*