BACKGROUND: Endothelin (ET), potent vasoconstricting peptide, are produced by endothelial cells after brain insults such as ischemia or infection and may play a role in the amplification or regulation of the microglia. In pathology of central nervous system, microglia might become activated leading to altered cellular function in response to brain injury. METHODS: Whole-cell patch clamp technique was used to study the effects of endothelin on changes of potassium currents in cultured rat microglia. Outward and inward rectifying potassium currents were recorded after application of depolarization and hyperpolarization pulses from -60 mV holding potential, respectively. RESULT: ET (100 nM) decreased the amplitude of outward rectifying potassium current and ET-3 was the most potent isoform. Both amplitude and slope conductance of inward rectifying potassium current were increased by ET. After application of ET, the reversal potential of inward potassium current was shifted to left relative to control. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ET changes the potassium currents and membrane potential of microglia and this depolarizing effect of ET is related with the activation of microglia under pathological conditions of brain
Animals ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Central Nervous System ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelins* ; Ischemia ; Membrane Potentials ; Microglia* ; Pathology ; Potassium* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Ureaplasma urealyticum* ; Ureaplasma*

As the number of primary total knee arthroplasties (TKA) have increased, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of revision TKAs. The purpose of the this study is to report on the follow-up results of 50 revision TKAs, and to assess their clinical outcome. From January 1990 to December 1995, 50 revision TKAs were perfomed in 43 patients, by one surgeon. Mean follow up time was 2.5 years (range, 1 to 6 years). The mean interval from the initial arthroplasty to revision was 4.6 years (range, 3 months-12.6 years). The causes of the revision were wear of polyethylene in 29 joints (58%), infection in seven (14%) and aseptic loosening in six. The revision components were fixed with cement in all cases. Additional fixations were obtained with modular stems (femoral 11 cases, tibial 13 cases), 9 tibial metal wedges, 7 femoral augmentations, and 12 allografts. The Knee Rating Scale of Hospital for Special Surgery was used for clinical assessment. The mean flexion contracture and further flexion of knee joint were 8.8degrees (range, 0-70degrees), 98.5degrees (range, 5-135degrees) preoperatively, and 3.7degrees (range, 0-15degrees), 112degrees (range, 75-135degrees) postoperatively. The Knee Rating Scale improved from 66.5 points (range, 15-83) to 87.5 points (range, 79-98). There were two cases of complications, dislocation of patella and superficial wound problem in each case. In conclusion, wear was the most common cause of failure of primary TKA. The results of revision in infected TKA were less favorable than that of wear and loosening. The prosthetic design and thickness of polyethylene were the most important factors related to wear. The tibial component of PCA and patellar component of Miller-Galante had significant wear problems.
Allografts ; Arthroplasty* ; Contracture ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Knee* ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Patella ; Polyethylene ; Wounds and Injuries

In a series of paleo-parasitological investigations, we have been able to obtain invaluable data on parasite infection patterns prevalent among the Joseon (1392-1910) people in Korea. Thus far we have established that the Joseon people were in fact heavily infected by various species of parasites, though precise patterns and exact statuses of infection in specific town and cities have proved elusive. In the present study, relevant historical documentation was obtained and examined, shedding light on some of the operative socio-cultural factors that might have played a role in inducing a high infection prevalence of Ascaris, a soil-transmitted roundworm, in Joseon society. On this evidentiary basis, we could confirm that the recycling of human feces as fertilizer and the habit of eating raw vegetables were both closely related to infection. These factors were sufficient to maintain the life cycle of Ascaris, there by perpetuating a cycle of infection and reinfection among the Joseon inhabitants. Overall, this study demonstrated the value of close medical-scientist / historian interdisciplinary collaboration infacilitating comprehensive and meaningful paleo-parasitological findings and interpretations.
Ascaris ; Cooperative Behavior ; Eating ; Feces ; Helminths ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Cycle Stages ; Light ; Parasites ; Prevalence ; Recycling ; Vegetables

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Chylothorax* ; Lymphangiectasis*

BACKGROUND: Head-down suspension (HDS) of rats has been used as a model for the simulation of a microgravity environment. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), C-type natriuretic peptides (CNP) and their receptors are found in the kidney, suggesting that these peptides could play a significant physiological role in the kidney. Therefore, this study was investigated the changes in the adaptations of renal natriuretic peptides and their receptors syntheses after 4 weeks of HDS in rats. METHODS: Unanesthetized, unrestrained, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to either a horizontal position (control rats) or a -45degreeshead-down tilt using the tail-traction technique (HDS rats). This study observed the renal syntheses of natriuretic peptides as a expression of ANP and CNP mRNA, and also determined the expression of A-type natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR-A) mRNA and B-type NPR (NPR-B) mRNA. The expressions of natriuretic peptide and NPR mRNA were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with [(32)P]-dCTP following 4 weeks of HDS in the kidney of both control and HDS rats. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of HDS, the expression of ANP mRNA significantly (P<0.01) decreased, while CNP mRNA expression was showed the non-significant increasing trend in the kidney of HDS rats. NPR-A, which binds with ANP, was significantly (P<0.001) decreased in renal mRNA expression of HDS rats compared with controls. Expression in mRNA of NPR-B, which binds with CNP, showed a slightly decreasing trend in the kidney of rats following HDS. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the renal adaptation following 4 weeks of HDS exerts to maintain the blood volume and electrolyte balance through attenuation of syntheses in the natriuretic peptide and its binding receptor, especially in ANP rather than in CNP systems.
Animals ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; Blood Volume ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptides* ; Peptides ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Peptide ; RNA, Messenger* ; Water-Electrolyte Balance ; Weightlessness

Cavernous hemangioma is the most common primary tumor occurred in adults' orbit. This tumor has symptoms characteristically developing over several years with slowly progressive proptosis, eyeball deviation, hyperopia, diplopia and optic nerve compression. It's removal, necessary when there is progressive exophthalmos and visual deficit, is best performed en bloc to avoid intraoperative vleeding, the risk of residue, and potential further growth. In principle, surgical approach to the orbit must provide maximum safety and optimal visualization. The noncompressibility of the globe imposes greater demand on the need for some removal of the osseous orbit for surgical approach. This also must permit immediate functional and aesthetic reconstruction. The authors have experienced a case of large cavernous hemangioma in the orbit inferomedially. The surgical treatment of tumor was achieved by inferomedial approach combined with inferolateral orbitotomy. This surgical approach allows better visualization of the tumor and greater protection of essential anatomic structures. This also permits immediate functional and aesthetic reconstruction. So we present our case with a brief review of the literature related to orbital cavernous hemangioma.
Diplopia ; Exophthalmos ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Hyperopia ; Optic Nerve ; Orbit*

Many plastic surgeons have been tried to attain ultimate goal lies in restoring the original shape and function of the facial aesthetics, in reconstruction of deformities resulting from facial hypertrophic scar and skin defects. This would require consideration in terms of hanmony in color match, skin texture and thickness. Various forms of skin graft, local flap, distant flaps, free flap and tissue expander have been employed in restoring skin defects and deformities of the cheek and submental area, and the use of large local flaps utilizing the cervicofacial skin flaps or tissue expander have brought about improved aesthetic results. the authers have obtained satisfactory results in treating 2 cases of wide hypertrophic scar of the cheek and submental area with combination of wide cervical flap and intraoperative tissue expansion using foley catheter. the merits of this combined operative methods are as follows : 1. It is not necessory to keep tissue expander for a long period. 2. This technique is able to diminish the cost of multistage operation and using of tissue expander. 3. There is no psychologic problems due to undesirable facial appearance during tissue expansion period. 4. Rapid intraoperative tissue expansion by foley catheter during elevating wide cervical flap can allow to dissect one, preserving the perforators without bleeding in a short time. 5. Wide cervical flap and additional expanded tissue by means of intraoperative tissue expansion could brought into suturing avoiding tension of oral commissure and lip eversion. 6. Preservation of perforators of cervical flap above the platysma muscle raised flap's survival rate and then this result could prevent distal ischemic necrosis after flap coverage.
Catheters ; Cheek ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Esthetics ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Hemorrhage ; Lip ; Necrosis ; Skin ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Expansion Devices ; Tissue Expansion* ; Transplants