No abstract available.
Free Tissue Flaps* ; Hand Injuries* ; Hand*

No abstract available.
Arm* ; Foot Injuries* ; Foot* ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Hand*

The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of cyclosporine A (CsA) on the renal renin-angiotensin systems. In rats chronically treated with CsA, the intrarenal expression of various genes of the renin-angiotensin system was assessed by Northern blot analysis. Along with the increases in plasma and renal renin activities, chronic CsA-treatment differentially affected the renal expression of renin-angiotensin system. The treatment with CsA for one week did not significantly alter the expression of either type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1A) or angiotensinogen gene, but increased the renin mRNA level. The three-week-treatment caused increases in the expression not only of renin but also of AT1A and angiotensinogen genes. Supplementation with L-arginine kept the expression of renin mRNA normal in the one-week-treated, but failed to prevent the alterations of the gene expression in the three-week-treated. Feedback control among components of the renin-angiotensin system also influences angiotesinogen. In the liver, the expression of angiotensinogen mRNA was decreased by the CsA-treatment for either one- or three-weeks. In conclusion, chronic CsA-treatment is associated with a differential expression of various genes for the renin-angiotensin system. L-Arginine may be effective in maintaining the normality of renin-angiotensin system only during early period after beginning the use of CsA.
Angiotensinogen ; Animals ; Arginine ; Blotting, Northern ; Cyclosporine* ; Gene Expression ; Liver ; Plasma ; Rats ; Receptors, Angiotensin ; Renin ; Renin-Angiotensin System* ; RNA, Messenger

The present study was primarily carried out to characterize the properties of the spinomesencephalic tract (SMT) neurons that project from the upper cervical spinal segments to the midbrain. It was also investigated whether these neurons received convergent afferent inputs from other sources in addition to cervical inputs. Extracellular single unit recordings were made from neurons antidromically activated by stimulation of midbrain. Recording sites were located in lamina IapprxVIII of C1apprxC3 segments of spinal cord. Receptive field (RF) and response properties to mechanical stimulation were studied in 71 SMT neurons. Response profiles were classified into six groups: complex (Comp, n = 9), wide dynamic range (WDR, n = 16), low threshold (LT, n = 5), high threshold (HT, n = 6), deep/tap (Deep, n = 10), and nonresponsive (NR, n = 25). Distributions of stimulation and recording sites were not significantly different between SMT groups classified upon their locations and/or response profiles. Mean conduction velocity of SMT neurons was 16.7 +/- 1.28 m/sec. Conduction velocities of SMTs recorded in superficial dorsal horn (SDH, n = 15) were significantly slower than those of SMTs recorded in deep dorsal horn (DDH, n = 18), lateral reticulated area (LRA, n = 21), and intermediate zone and ventral horn (IZ/HV n = 15). Somatic RFs for SMTs in LRA and IZ/VH were significantly larger than those in SDH and DDH. Five SMT units (4 Comps and 1 HT) had inhibitory somatic RFs. About half (25/46) of SMT units have their RFs over trigeminal dermatome. Excitabilities of 5/12 cells and 9/13 cells were modulated by stimulation of ipsilateral phrenic nerve and vagus nerve, respectively. These results suggest that upper cervical SMT neurons are heterogenous in their function by showing a wide range of variety in location within the spinal gray matter, in response profile, and in convergent afferent input.
Animals ; Cats* ; Horns ; Mesencephalon* ; Neurons* ; Phrenic Nerve ; Spinal Cord ; Vagus Nerve

As times go by, the objects and subjects of researches have changed. Forensic medicine and science can not be escaped. To overview the international changes and trend of forensic medicine and science, we gathered abstracts of 3,354 articles from 5 outstanding international journals, those are (1) Forensic Science International, (2) Journal of Forensic Science, (3) American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, (4) Medicine, Science and the Law, (5) International Journal of Legal Medicine. There were 1,226 articles (36.6%) on forensic pathology, followed by forensic genetics (902 articles, 26.9%), toxicology (549 articles, 16.4%), forensic sciences (445 articles, 13.3%) and medical law & criminal psychology (232 articles, 6.9%). Corresponding authors from 4 countries (USA, Great Britain, Germany and Japan) took more than half of total corresponding authors. And there were 27 articles (0.8%) from Korea. This article will introduce us an overview of international trend of forensic researches.
Criminal Psychology ; Forensic Genetics ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Pathology ; Forensic Sciences ; Germany ; Great Britain ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Pathology ; Toxicology ; United Nations

No abstract available.
Drug Resistance, Microbial* ; Plasmids* ; Pneumonia*

No abstract available.
Cushing Syndrome*

Surface ECG findings in 29 patients with left isomerism were reviewed. Among the total 46 wave axis distributions, 25(54%) were abnormal axis, not originated from sinus node. Congenital atrioventricular block was found in 2 children. 6 patients showed the bradycardia and junctional escape rhythm intermittently or persistently. 4 of them, not related with heart surgery, were much older than 2 patients who showed these ECG findings after heart surgery. These ECG findings suggested the possibility of occurrence of sinus node or subsidiary pacemaker dysfunction in the patients with left isomerism, especially in the older patients. So we thought that electrophysiologic evaluation is necessary in some patients with left isomerism.
Atrioventricular Block ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Bradycardia ; Child ; Electrocardiography* ; Humans ; Isomerism* ; Sinoatrial Node ; Thoracic Surgery ; United Nations

Accelerated acute rejection(AAR) is a rare condition and has a poor prognosis in graft survival following renal transplantation. To elucidate its characteristics, we analysed 14 cases(5.0%) of AAR among 279 renal transplantation. AAR is defined as a condition in which immediate postoperative urine output is good followed by decreased urine output and increase of serum creatinine level within 7 days after transplantation. The incidence of AAR was more prevalent in cadaveric donors than living donors. One year graft survival was inferior in AAR, namely 8 out 14 cases(57%), than that of the patients without AAR(95.1%). Among the factors affecting graft survival in AAR, age and sex of both donor and recipient, donor condition such as living or cadaveric donor, and preoperative HLA matching had no relevance to a graft survival. Time of onset of AAR has no effect on graft survival either. Postoperative donor lymphocytotoxic test showed positive result in one out of 3 patient despite of all negative findings in the preoperative crossmatching test. Histologic finding such as vasculitis on renal biopsy was related to graft survival. Response of treatment was 55% in initial solumedrol pulse therapy and 20% in secondary OKT3 treatment, with an overall effect of 57%. Rerejection developed in 4 out of 8 cases of graft survival group while all cases showed a good function at post operative two years. Graft survival following AAR remains low and AAR is one of the main cause of graft loss following renal transplantation. To illustrate its characteristics, more clinical analysis are required.
Allografts* ; Biopsy ; Cadaver ; Creatinine ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate ; Muromonab-CD3 ; Prognosis ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants ; Vasculitis

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are attractive not only in regenerative medicine but also for the treatment of graft- versus-host disease (GVHD). During stem cell transplantation, the damaged marrow stroma induced by conditioning regimen can be regained their function with cotransplantation of culture-expanded MSCs. So, MSCs are capable of enhancing hematopoietic cell engraftment owing to providing optimal environment for hematopoietic regeneration. MSCs have been shown to exert immunoregulatory activity in various studies. In vitro data suggested that they inhibit T-cell proliferation to alloantigens and mitogens and their effect is directed mainly at the level of cell proliferation. MSCs have started to be used in clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of GVHD after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Some data suggested that cotransplantation of MSCs with hematopoietic stem cells reduced the incidence and severity of GVHD and the remission of grade III-IV acute GVHD can be achieved after infusion of donor-derived MSCs. However, several problems need to be addressed before the therapeutical potential of MSCs can be realized, including the investigation to characterize their phenotype, their mechanisms of action, and optimize their in vitro expansion for clinical use. Conclusively, MSCs may be used for hematopoiesis enhancement, as GVHD prophylaxis, and for the treatment of severe acute GVHD. And further studies are required to evaluate their therapeutic potentials.
Bone Marrow ; Cell Proliferation ; Hematopoiesis ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Immunosuppression ; Incidence ; Isoantigens ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mitogens ; Phenotype ; Regeneration ; Regenerative Medicine ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tissue Therapy