Since calcification or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine was first described inJapan in 1960 by Tsukimoto, Terayama used the term of OPLL(Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament) in1964 and mainly reported in Japanese. But recently, the incidence of the OPLL has been reported increasing amongthe non-Japanese. Because of the OPLL may be associated wtih severe neurologic symptoms, which need to havesurgical decompression, exact diagnosis and analysis are necessary. The OPLL can be diagnosed by simple spine,conventional tomography, myelography and CT. Authors analysed radiologic findings of the OPLL in 8 patients, whowere diagnosed by simple spine. Conventional tomography, myelography and CT, and then performed spinal operation,at Hanyang University Hospital from March 1980 to June 1983. The results were as followings; 1. The age range wasbetween 45 and 63 years and most prevalent age was 6th decades(63%). 2. All of the patients were male. 3. All ofthe OPLL occurred in the cervical spine and predominant at the level of C3,4 (48%). 4. The most common length ofthe OPLL was 2 vertebral level. 5. Except one, which was discontinuous at the level of disc space, all of the OPLLwere continuous in length. 6. 7 of 8 OPLL were located in the midline, but one was in right. 7. The OPLL seemed tocorrelate with spondylotic changes. 8. Of all diagnostic procedure, CT provided better and exact visualization ofthe lesion with axial scan and sagittal reconstruction.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Male ; Myelography ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spine

The authors reviewed the clinical findings and treatment results of 12 cases of spinal meningeal cysts which were detected in MRI of low back patients. In these lesions, large cysts without CSF communication can compressed the nerve roots within spinal canal and it is difficult to confirm the cause of symptom whether it is originated from cysts or from associated spinal disorders. The terms and classifications of spinal meningeal cysts were very confusing. Among 12 cases, we excised 3 cases of large cysts with gluteal and perianal pains that were caused by compressed sacral nerve roots. All three cases were type 2 cyst (classified by Nabors) and located in sacral canal. In one case associated with isthmic spondylolisthesis, posterolateral fusion and pedicle screw fixations were combined with cyst excision. In other two cases, there were not any spinal pathologic findings that compressed sacral nerve roots except mild degenerative changes and intervertebral disc herniation in lower lumbar and sacral levels All 3 excised cases showed good prognosis in more than one year follow up. The other cases were treated conservatively for the associated spinal disorders.
Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prognosis ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Canal ; Spondylolisthesis

No abstract available.
Nevus*

Until recently, the etiology of schizophrenia was generally attributed to abnormalities in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Specifically, an excess of dopaminergic activity in the mesolimbic system has been postulated to produce the positive symptoms, while decreased dopaminergic activity in the mesocortical system has been suggested to cause negative symptoms. Accordingly, we performed an association study of schizophrenia with TH gene. Three hundred and seventy four biologically unrelated schizophrenic patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria from Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital affiliated with Catholic university of Korea were recruited for our study. The 393 healthy controls were volunteers for DNA library of Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital without personal or family history of psychiatric and neurologic illness. DNA was extracted from peripheral mononuclear cells and polymorphic region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction. TH intron 1 VNTR polymorphism was typed by silver staining. The allele distributions of TH gene were not different between schizophrenics and controls. However, the frequency of allele A was significantly higher in positive group than that of negative group of schizophrenics. These findings suggest that poitive schizophrenia may be associated with allele A of TH gene.
Alleles ; DNA ; Gene Library ; Genetics ; Humans ; Introns* ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Schizophrenia ; Silver Staining ; Synaptic Transmission ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase* ; Tyrosine* ; Volunteers

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor on in vitro development of 1-cell ICR mouse embryo. MATERIALS AND METHOD: ICR mice were superovulated with PMSG/hCG and 1-cell stage mouse embryos were recruited. 1-cell mouse embryo were cocultured on human oviductal cells in a CO2 incubator (coculture group) and were cultured on 0.4% BSA+HTF media (control group). And anti-hLIF Ab was added the cocultured group in a different concentration (1pg, 10pg, 100pg, 1ng) and developmental rate was compaired to the control group, and rhLIF was added to the preincubated 0.4% BSA+HTF media in a different concentration (2000U, 1000U, 100U, 10U) and its developmental rate was compaired to group which was cultured on 0.4% BSA+HTF media only. RESULT: 1. The cleavage rate of 2-cell mouse embryo co-cultured with human tubal epithelial cell was significantly higher than that of cultured with media alone (HTF with 0.4% BSA) (p<0.05). 2. When LIF antibody was added to the medium with human tubal epitherlial cell, the mouse embryo could not cleave more than 2-cell in 1 ng of LIF antibody, and less than 1 ng, the cleavage rate was lower than cultured without LIF antibody group(p<0.05). 3. Two cell blocked ICR mouse embryos were developed into four cells under LIF(p<0.05), but no further development was observed. CONCLUSIONS: These results shows that LIF enhances the development of preimplantation embryo, and when rhLIF is applicated in vitro, it has positive effects on the development of early mouse embryo and can help overcoming the two-cell block.
Animals ; Blastocyst* ; Coculture Techniques* ; Embryonic Structures ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Incubators ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor* ; Leukemia* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Oviducts

OBJECTIVES: Alcoholism is known to be a heritable disease. It has been hypothesized that dopamineergic systems play an important heritable role in human behavor related to alcohol dependence, such as alcohol seeking. Therefore, genes involved in this pathway, including dopamine transporter(DAT1) which is responsible for taking released dopamine back up into presynaptic terminals and terminating dopaminergic activity, are potential candidate that may affect susceptibility to alcoholism. Analysis of a 40-base pair(bp)repeat(VNTR)in the 3'untranslated region of the DAT1 gene revealed variable number of the repeat ranging from 3 to 11 copies. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the association between alcoholism and VNTR polymorphism of DAT1. METHODS: Genomic DNA analysis with polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was used to identify the presence of a VNTR polymorphism. It was carried out within a group of 94 alcoholic patients and 113 normal controls. RESULTS: 1)There were no significant differences in allelic or genotype frequencies between the group of alcoholic patients and controls. 2)There were no significant differences in the first drinking age, onset age and latency of alcoholism according to DAT1 genotypes. 3)There was a significant difference in allelic frequencies between alcoholics with family history and those without family history. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that VNTR polymorphism of DAT1 is unlikely to be a factor in the genetic etiology of alcoholism, but might be related to familial transmission of alcoholism.
Age of Onset ; Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; DNA ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Drinking ; Genotype ; Humans ; Presynaptic Terminals

We built the hypothesis that the hypertrophic callus formation is mediated by beta-endorphin that stimulates secretion of GH and increase circulation growth factor activity in head injury patient. We classified 4 groups such as 5 normal person(control), group I;5 patients with only fracture, group II;5 patients with fracture and head injury, group III; 5 patients with only head injury, group IV. We obtained the samples of serum from each group at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks after trauma and assessed the serum level of GH, GHRH, somatostatin. The serum level of GH was statisticallyu higher in group III, IV than group I, II. There was not significant difference in serum level of GHRH. The serum level of somatostatin was higher in group II, III, IV than group I, but there was no statistical significance in each group. GH has a important role in hypertrophic callus formation in severe head injury patients, but there was no evidence that the mechanism is mediated by beta-EndorphinGHRH & somatostatin-GH-GF-1, beta-FGF axis. There may be a another mechanism in increasing GH that was stimulated by beta-endorphin in thalamus and lateral ventricle, and it should be necessary for further evaluation of it.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; beta-Endorphin ; Bony Callus ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Head* ; Humans ; Lateral Ventricles ; Somatostatin ; Thalamus

Myocarditis is defined as the myocardial inflammation caused by various infectious agents (such as virus, rickettsia , bacteria, protozoa, fungus and parasites). The clinical manifestations of myocarditis ranges from the asymptomatic state due to focal inflammation to fulminant fatal congestive heart failure secondary to diffuse myocardial involvement. Clinically, in some cases, it may simulate an acute myocardial infarction. We experienced a case of acute fulminant myocarditis that presented as acute myocardial infarction initially, and then progressed into and recovered from congestive heart failure and multiorgan failure.
Asymptomatic Diseases ; Bacteria ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Fungi ; Heart Failure* ; Inflammation ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocarditis* ; Rickettsia

A 4-year-old girl developed acute motor, sensory impairment, lower abdominal pain and urinary dysfunction after URI. In acute stage of disease, MRI showed diffuse spinal cord swelling and high signal intensity on T2WI below T2 body level. The patient did not improved and one month later, follow-up MRI showed diffuse spinal cord atrophy and syrinx formation as sequelae of ATM on T1WI below T9 level. To our knowledge, this is the first case showing the sequelae of acute transverse myelitis seen in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Atrophy* ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelitis, Transverse* ; Spinal Cord*

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the changes of total leukocytes and leukocyte types in CSF and peripheral blood (PB) in the early course of aseptic meningitis. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-nine children with aseptic meningitis, who were admitted to the Pediatric Department of Dong-A University Hospital during the period from June 1996 to October 1997 were included. Patients were divided into 4 groups by 12-hour intervals according to the time between the onset of illness and initial diagnostic lumbar puncture. We analyzed clinical pictures, total leukocytes and leukocyte types in CSF and peripheral blood (PB) in each group. RESULTS: 1) There was no significant difference in average total leukocyte counts in CSF between each group, and all groups were considered to be acute stage of illness. 2) The PMNL proportion of CSF leukocytes was 57.0+/-31.6% in group I, 44.1+/-32.3% in group II, 39.4+/-33.1% in group III and 26.9+/-27.9% in group IV. The PMNL percentage was significantly higher in group I than group III and IV and the proportion of patients with a predominance of PMNL was higher in group I than group III and IV (p<0.05) 3) The proportion of neutrophils in PB was highest in group I (76.5+/-15.7%) and significantly higher in group I and II than group III and IV (p<0.05). 4) Significant correlations were found between the proportion of PMNL in CSF and PB of patients (r=0.62, p<0.001) CONCLUSION: The change from a predominance of PMNL to a predominance of mononucler leukocytes was occurred 12-24 hours after onset, and there was a strong correlation between the proportion of neutrophils in CSF and PB.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes* ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Neutrophils ; Spinal Puncture