In order to evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in terminally failing hearts, we screened the explanted hearts of transplantation recipients for the presence of HBV DNA and HCV RNA. DNA and RNA extractions were taken from explanted failing hearts (N=7) and normal hearts (N=). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ PCR of HBV or reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ RT-PCR of HCV were performed. The positivity of HBV in failing hearts was 63% (17/27) and it was 50% (3/6) in normal hearts in PCR. There was no significant difference in the positivity of HBV DNA between failing and normal hearts. The positivity of HCV in failing hearts was 18.5% (5/27) and it was 16.7% (1/6) in normal hearts in nested RT-PCR. There was no significant difference in the positivity of HCV RNA between failing and normal hearts. HCV was very rarely observed in explanted terminally failing hearts and HBV was frequently found in both explanted failing hearts and normal hearts. We concluded that these viruses have little direct causal relationship with the development of heart failure.
DNA ; Heart Failure ; Heart* ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans* ; Mass Screening* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; RNA

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to compare the radiological and clinical outcomes after open reduction and plate fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures between patients who achieved successful anatomical reduction and those who had a remaining fracture gap even after open reduction and plate fixation, and were thus treated with additional demineralized bone matrix (DBM). METHODS: This retrospective analysis was conducted on 56 consecutive patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation using a locking compression plate for acute displaced midshaft clavicle fractures, and who underwent radiographic and clinical outcome evaluations at least 6 months postoperatively. The outcomes between those who achieved perfect anatomical reduction without remnant gap (n=32) and those who had a remaining fracture gap even after open reduction and plate fixation treated with additional DBM (n=24) were evaluated. RESULTS: There were no differences in the use of lag screws or wiring and operation time (all p>0.05) between those with and without remnant gap. No difference in the average radiological union time and clinical outcomes (satisfaction and Constant score) was observed between the two groups (all p>0.05). However, significantly faster union time was observed for AO type A fracture compared with other types (p=0.012), and traffic accident showed association with worse clinical outcomes compared with other causes of injury. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical outcome of midshaft clavicle fracture was more affected by initial fracture type and event, and re-reduction and re-fixation of the fracture to obtain a perfect anatomical reduction spending time appears to be unnecessary if rigid fixation is achieved.
Accidents, Traffic ; Bone Matrix ; Clavicle* ; Fracture Fixation ; Fracture Healing ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

Dendritic cell (DC)s are protessional antigen presenting cells and they have been used for antitumor immunotherapy or cell vaccines. However therapy using DC is restricted because the number of DC available from tissue is very low. Flt3 ligand (FL) has been known as a hematopoietic growth factor that increases proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, and recently it showed inducibility of dendritic cell (DC)s and signiticant antitumor effects in vivo. Thus FL will be frequently used for DC induction and antitumor immunotherapy in future. Here we constructed FL plasmid and studied its in vivo effect. FL plasmids were made by cloning of partial FL cDNA into pcDNA3 plasmid, and gene expression and protein producibility of FL plasmid were confirmed in Renca cells transfected with FL plasmid. Mice were injected with FL plasmid (100ug/mouse) three times and 20 days later mouse spleens were harvested for staining and RT-PCR. There were lots of blastogenic cells in the spleen of mice treated with FL plasmid. FL plasmid also induced DEC205, IL-12 and GM-CSF gene expression in mouse splenocyte. All these data suggest FL plasmid may be used for induction of DC and antitumor therapy as DNA adjuvant.
Mice ; Animals

We designed software system to detect intermittent arrhythmia from the patients automatically. To overcome the difficulties on real-time processing, we used four variavles; heart rate, QS width, morpholigy and axis. Templete generation routine was designed to produce patient's individual normal ECG pattern and store in the computer. The most important point of automatic detection is to discriminate the Q and J point. It is done by linear phase differentiation, the point that five point gradient is within a minimum value of 6Hz curve gradient is defined as Q and J points. The morphology calculation is simplified by simple addition and substraction, making real-time processing by modified cross correlation method. We find that both value of morphology and QS width will be used as a parameter of datermining the abnormalities of ECG signal automatically.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans

No abstract available.
Phosphatidylcholines* ; Phospholipases A2* ; Phospholipases*

The modality of treatment for malignant or benign aggressive tumors in the shoulder includes radical or wide removal of the lesion, accompanied by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. With the introduction of chemotherapy, advance in surgical techniques, and improvements in radiographic imaging studies, the shoulder resection with reconstruction or replantation is a limb-sparing surgical option to be considered for bony and soft-tissue tumors in and around the shoulder, but amputation is used still if inevitable. We treated 16 tumors in or around the shoulder from June 1986 to August 1991: thirteen shoulder resections, two shoulder disarticulations, and one forequarter nine patients, reconstructed with a free fibular graft in two or with a allograft and myocutaneous flap in two. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy were followed if indicated. Function of the hand after the operations should be nearly normal. Mean rating for functional results was 69% (range 43-97%) by criteria of Enneking et al. During the follow-up of the mean 4 years and 1 month, a distant metastasis occurred in one case, leading to death and a local recurrence was noted in another one, indicating the forequarter amputation. Our experience indicates that shoulder resection with reconstruction or replantation can to be used for limb salvage in selected patient with tumors in or around the shoulder.
Allografts ; Amputation ; Disarticulation ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Limb Salvage ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Replantation ; Shoulder ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Fruit* ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of HRCT in the differentiation of pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer, where the manifestation of disease is a solitary pulmonary nodule(SPN). MATERIAL AND METHODS : Forty eight SPNs including 29 cancers proven by surgery(n=10), by bronchoscopic biopsy(n=7) and by fine needle aspirationbiopsy(n=12), and 19 tuberculous nodules proven by surgery(n=4), by bronchoscopic biopsy(n=4), by fine needle aspiration biopsy(n=5), by a positive result in AFB culture without evidence of malignant cells(n=3), and by adecrease in size on serial plain chests despite negative AFB culture(n=3) were included. Scanning parameters forHRCT were 140KVp, 170mA, 1.5mm collimation, 3 sec scanning time, and a high spatial frequency algorithm was used. RESULTS: With regard to the marginal features of nodules, the findings mor commonly observed in malignant nodules were greater average length of the longest spicule(5.35 +/-3.19mm versus 2.75 +/-1.56mm), and more commonspiculated nodules greater than 3cm in diameter, 16(55%) versus 2(10.5%)(P<0.05). Regarding the internal characteristics of nodules and perinodular parenchymal changes, the findings more commonly observed in cases of cancer were air-bronchograms within nodules(14;48.3%) and interlobar fissure puckering(6;20.7%), whereas intuberculosis cases the most common findings were low density of nodule(16;84.2%), cavitation(12;63.1%), and perinodular focal lung hypodensity(5;26.3%),(p<0.05). No statstically significant difference was observed between the incidence of satellite lesions of tuberculous(73.7%) and of malignant nodules(34.5%). However, perilobular nodules or bronchovascular bundle thickenings were more commonly observed in the satellite lesions of malignant nodules(9;90%), whereas centrilobular nodules or lobular consolidation were more commonly observed in those of tuberculous nodules(12;85.7%),(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: HRCT provides detailed information concerning perinodularparenchymal changes and characteristics of satellite nodules as well as marginal features and internal characteristics of SPNs which may play a significant role in differentiating pulmonary tuberculosis from malignant nodules.
Diagnosis, Differential* ; Incidence ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Needles ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule* ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Thirteen patients with visceroatrial situs abnormalities were evaluated by magnetic resonance(MR) imaging. Eleven patients were confirmed surgically. Two patitnts were diagnosed by MRI and cardiac catheterization. Right isomerism was found in seven patients, left isomerism in two, and situs inversus in four. For the determination of situs, we evaluated the morphology of atrial appendages and main bronchi, the relationship between abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava(IVC), and the status of upper abdominal viscera. The bilateral atrial morphology was differentiated in 8 of 12 patients. The bronchial situs was determined in 11 of 12 patients. Juxtaposition of abdominal aorta and IVC was found in 6 of 7 with right isomerism. IVC interruption with azygos continuation was found in all two with left isomerism. Incidentally three cases of short pancreas were found. MR imaging showed all structures relevant for the assessment of situs, thus obvrating the need for performing additional diagnostic procedures. MR imaging, therefore, is a valuable tool in the clinical management of patients who are suspected of having a situs abnormality.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Atrial Appendage ; Bronchi ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Humans ; Isomerism ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pancreas ; Situs Inversus ; Viscera

No abstract available.
Phyllodes Tumor*