No abstract available.
Aldosterone* ; Child* ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Renin*

STUDY DESIGN: This biomechanical study was designed to perform flexibility tests in multiple loading directions to compare the stabilizing effects of supplemental hook or pedicle screw fixation on short segment pedicle instrumentation system. OBJECTIVE: To compare biomechanical flexibilities of short segment pedicle instrumentation constructs added by hook or pedicle screw fixation in an unstable calf spine model. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Short segment pedicle instrumentation is using recently for the surgical treatment of the unstable burst fractures of the thoracolumbar spine, but a high incidence of early screw tai lure in short segment pedicle instrumentation has reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten fresh frozen calf spines (T10-L3) were loaded with pure uncosstrained moments in flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending directions. A maximum moment of 6.4 Nm was achieved in 5 steps using dead weights. After removal of L1 vertebral body, testing was performed on intact specimens first and then each specimen after laminar hook or pedicle screw insertion on the short segment pedicle instrumentation of ISOLA implant. Any kinds of graft material or transfixation device were not used to make the worst possible case of instability of an injured spine. Three different fixation methods were instrumented. These included: (1) one level aboye and one level below with pedicle screw, (2) 2 levels above with pedicle screw and hook and one level below with pedicle screw, and (3) 2 levels abode and one level below with pedicle screws. RESULTS: At the level of corpectomy, all fixation methods significantly reduced motions in flexion, extension, and lateral bending as compared to the intact motion (P<0.001). The differences between all constructs were not statistically significant. The addition of a hook or screw on the short segment pedicle screw construct was not significantly reduced the flexibi lite as compared to the short segment pedicle screw construct. Axial rotational motions in groups I, II, and III were similar with each other and with intact motion as well and there were no significant statistical difference. The addition of the hook or screw on the short segment pedicle construct showed more stability as compared to the pedicle screw construct, but statistical difference was not. The addition of hook or screw on the short segment pedicle screw construct showed similar stability in all motions with each other. At the level above corpectomyl all tested fixation methods did not improve the axial rotational stability beyond the intact case, but reduced flexion, extension, and lateral bending motions significantly (p<0.001). The addition of hook or screw on the short segment pedicle screw construct showed significant stability in all motions (p<0.001) as compared to the short segment pedicle screw construct and their stabilities were similar with each other. CONCLUSIONS: All fixation methods showed more stabilities in all motions than normal specimen. The addition of pedicle screw on the short segment pedicle screw constructs are more stable than the addition of hook, but there was no statistical difference. Adding one level of fixation cranial to the fracture using pedicle screws or hooks may be necessary to decrease the rate of clinical failure and to enhance the stability of the construct with short segment pedicle instrumentation
Incidence ; Pliability ; Spine ; Transplants ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to characterize the enhancing patterns of hepatic metastasis from gastric adenocarinoma using multi-phase incremental bolus dynamic CT with obtained both in early and late phase contrast scan and to evaluate the its advantages. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Of 33 cases of multi-phase incremental bolus dynamic CT with proved hepatic~metastasis from gastric adenocarinoma, we classified dynamic enhancement patterns as three types according to early phase contrast enhancement, and then analized the late phase contrast enhancement, more metastasis detection, segmental abnormal arterial perfusions and correlation between pathologic type. RESULTS: Type I (totally hypodense lesion) was in 18 patients(55%), type II (peripheral high density area) was seen in 13 patients (39%), and type III (near totally hyperdense lesion) was seen in two patients(6%). But in late phase, masses showed totally hypodense area in 26 patients(79%), central high with peripheral low density area(PLDA) in six patients(18%) and totally isodense in one patient(3%). More metastatic masses were detected with early phase in 11 patients(33%) as compared with late phase contrast. Segmental arterial hyperperfusion around the lesions, which could represent intrahepatic portal branch invasion, was seen in 10 patients(30%). There was no correlation between pathologic type and enhancement pattern of lesions. CONCLUSION: Multi-phase incremental bolus dynamic CT could represent variable hemodynamic changes of hepatic metastatic masses and was useful to evaluate the qualitative and quantitative analysis of hepatic metastases.
Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Perfusion ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*

No abstract available.
Dyspnea*

The orchid symbiotic fungi were isolated from the roots of Korean native orchid (Cymbidium goeringii) collected and Chinese orchid (C. sinense) obtained from greenhouses. They were identified as a species of Rhizoctonia, based on the sequences of 18r rDNA, the microscopic observations of mycelia, and the symbiotic relationships with commercial orchids. The isolate collected from Chinese orchids was revealed to be a species of Ceratobasidium endophytica, and to be different from the other isolates at the thickness of the mycelia stained in the root cells of Korean native orchids. The other isolates collected from the Korean native orchids were considered to be a species of Tulsanella repens (anamorphic: Epulorhiza repens) or its related one. The physiologic or microscopic variations were oftenly observed among them, but the tendency of grouping these in the 18s rDNA sequences were observed to be consistent with those of the localities collected. The further taxonomical segregating for Korean symbiotic fungi was not made because the information concerned were limited in this moment, but was recognized as based on the sequences of 18s DNA.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Fungi* ; Humans ; Mycorrhizae ; Rhizoctonia ; Symbiosis

The vertical and sagittal diameter of the vertebral body from the 12th thoracic to the 4th lumbar spine was measured by the true lateral roentgenogram. The material consisted of 110 normal Koreans ranging from the age of newborns up to adolescents, in which the vertebral body index (Ivb = v/s) and the intervertebral disk index (id = d/v) of each spine were measured and its interrelationship with normal growth rate was evaluated. The authors obtained the following results. 1. The vertebral body index showed gradual decrease with the advance of the age. It was significantly high in the group Ⅰ compared with other groups. 2. The difference between the boy and the girl was more significant at the 12th thoracic and 1st lumbar vertebral body than the othervertebrae in the group V. 3. Among children of more than 120 cm in height and older than 12 years of age, girls had a higher index of vertebral body than boys, the latter show a less pronounced vertical growth of the body. 4. The intervertebral disk index began to decrease after the 1st month of life possibly because of the accelerated vertical growth of the body from that period. 5. Of all the age groups, the intervertebral disk index showed a higher value in boys than in girls.
Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intervertebral Disc ; Male ; Spine

12 cases of Thompson's quadricepsplasty for extra-articular ankylosis of the knee joints which we experienced, were evaluated and analyzed. We obtained the following results. 1. Most of our cases had fracture in the middle one third of the femur. 2. Average 62.5 degrees of flexion range was gained by the operation. 3. Among the 2 cases in which extension lag existed before the operation, it has disappeared in one and still remained in the other case after the operation. 4 cases of new extension lags appeared after the operation. Average extension lag after the operation was 13 degrees. 4. Immediate postoperative exercises and adequate physiotherapy are considered to be very important.
Ankylosis ; Exercise ; Femur ; Knee Joint ; Knee

PURPOSE: To identify the longterm hemodynamics of various hepatic masses and to determine any differential findings by using postangiographic CT performed with increased amount of contrast media and time than conventional contrast CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 confirmed masses consisted of 22 hepatocellular carcinoma, 10 cholangiocarcinoma, 9 metastasis, and 9 cavernous hemangioma were included. The changes of the density of internal viable tumor portion relative to surrounding normal liver parenchyma in postangiographic CT from that in conventional CT were classified as 3 patterns; no specific changes, increase, or decrease. RESULTS: in 22 cases of hepatoceilular carcinoma, six cases showed no relative density change, four cases increase, and twelve cases decrease. In ten cases of cholangiocarcinoma, one case showed no change, nine cases increase. In nine cases of metastasis, four cases showed no change, five cases increase. In nine cases of hemangioma, all cases showed increase. CONCLUSION: In postangiographic CT which emphasize the significance of postequilibrium and delayed phase, other hemodynamic changes undetected in angiography could more easily be comprehended. Considering the differing amount of consumed contrast media and time duration, and with reference of other imaging modalities, differential diagnosis of hepatic masses based on longterm hemodynamics could easily be made.
Angiography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Hemodynamics ; Liver ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Specific Gravity

The bone is the dynamic living tissue which is always maintained bone mineral content by bone resorption and formation. It has been well known that the bone mineral content is decreased very slowly with aging. It is very difficult to diagnose the osteopenia because it is almost subclinical. Another important problem in the osteopenia is the fracture occurring spontaneously. The quantitative method of bone mineral mass provide an information to diagnose the osteopenia and predict the risk of spontaneous fracture. Various methods have been used to access the degree of bone atrophy but have not been routinely available for clinical application in the hospital. The microdensitometric method is a noninvasive, easy, accurate, and objective one to monitor the degree of changes in the skeletal mass quantitatively. So, we measured the 7 indices at the middle site of the 2nd metacarpal bone with a microdensitometer and computer on an X-ray film of the hands and studied the correlations between the age and indices of those under 30 and over 30 yrs old in healthy and fracture groups. The results were obtained as follows : 1. There was a significant high correlation between age and indices in healthy and fracture groups. 2. The measurement of age by microdensitometric method was highly correlated with the chronological age. 3. Comparing both groups, There was a significant correlation of D (P<0.001), MCI(P<0.01), and d (P<0.01) over 30 yrs in male and GSmin (P<0.001) and ΣGS/D (P<0.01) over 30 yrs in female. 4. In fracture group, 1) The index of bone width(D) was slightly larger than in the healthy group. 2) The metacarpal index(MCI) was lower than in the healthy group. 3) The index of medulla width(d) was wider than in the healthy group. 4) The density index of cortex(GSmax) was smaller than in the healthy group. 5) The density index of cortex and medulla(GSmin) was smaller than in the healthy group. 6) There was no considerable difference in ΣGS/D between healthy and fracture groups. 7) The densitometric pattern was more aggrevated than in the healthy group.
Aging ; Atrophy ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Bone Resorption ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Miners ; Radiography ; X-Ray Film

The characterization of genetic variation at the level of DNA has generated significant advances in gene mapping and disease diagnosis, and forensic identification of individuals. It is now possible to identify individual DNA from various tissue specimens, like hair, using the PCR and oligonucleotide probes. To date, however, the number of hairs needed, the preservation conditions, and the kinds of hair suitable for DNA extraction have not been well known. We performed DNA extraction using hairs from different body sites, using different numbers of hairs, under various different preservation conditions to investigate the acquisition conditions of DNA data from hair using PCR and specific HLA-DQA probe. HLA-DQA genotyping of DNA extracted from peripheral blood was performed to compare the results of hair and blood HLA-DQA genotyping from individuals. The results are as follows: 1) The concentration of DNA extracted from a single strand of hair is 5.23+/-0.54 g/ml. It is possible to extract sufficient DNA for HLA-DQA genotyping from a single strand of hair. 2) DNA concentration is different according to body site. Concentrations are 7.01+/-0.33 g/ml in scalp hair, 6.28+/-0.29 g/ml in axillary hair, and 6.10+0.24 microgram/ml in pubic hair. 3) There is no difference between the electrophortic bands resulting from DNA extracted from the hair of an individual preserved under different conditions, such as room temperature, exposure to sunlight, exposure to low temperature (+4degrees C), or exposure to moisture. 4) There is no difference between the electrophoretic bands resulting from DNA extracted from hair of a single individual preserved for different lengths of time. 5) In an individual, the HLA-DQA genotype obtained from peripheral blood is identical to that obtained from hair. Even though the amout of DNA obtained from hair is limited, it is possible to identify the HLA-DQA genotype of an individual using a single strand of hair. This requires adequate extraction of DNA for PCR analysis using an allele specific probe. We believe that HLA-DQA genotyping using the PCR method on DNA extracted from hair is useful for disease diagnosis and forensic science.
Alleles ; Chromosome Mapping ; Diagnosis ; DNA* ; Forensic Sciences ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Hair* ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Scalp ; Sunlight