No abstract available.
Periosteum* ; Transforming Growth Factors*

No abstract available.
Brain Stem* ; Cysticercus* ; Granuloma*

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a procedure that has a risk of perioperative blood loss and allogeneic blood transfusion. The purpose of the present study was to compare the perioperative blood loss and transfusion rate between the 3-hour interval clamping and 12-hour interval clamping of closed suction drainage after simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (SBTKA). Methods: A total of 122 SBTKAs were enrolled in this retrospective study. A 3-hour clamping protocol was applied in 53 SBTKAs and a 12-hour clamping protocol was applied in 69 SBTKAs. The amount of perioperative blood loss, transfusion requirements, postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, the lowest hemoglobin and hematocrit levels during hospitalization, readmission within 90 days, and clinical outcomes were compared between the 3-hour clamping group and the 12-hour clamping group. Results: The 12-hour clamping group had fewer patients requiring transfusion (26.1%, 18/69) than did the 3-hour clamping protocol group (49.1%, 26/53) (p = 0.008). The 12-hour clamping group had a lower amount of estimated blood loss (1,426.9 ± 421.5 mL) than did the 3-hour clamping protocol group (1,882.1 ± 445.6 mL) (p < 0.001). The 12-hour clamping group showed higher hemoglobin and hematocrit levels (both p < 0.001) on postoperative day 5 than did the 3-hour clamping group. The lowest hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were higher in the 12-hour clamping group than in the 3-hour clamping group (p = 0.039 and p = 0.016, respectively). Within 1 postoperative month, there were 2 cases of wound dehiscence in each group (p = 0.585). But, at 1 year after the operation, no serious complications occurred in the two groups. Conclusions Compared to the 3-hour clamping protocol, the 12-hour clamping protocol significantly reduced transfusion requirements, estimated blood loss volume, and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels after SBTKA. We suggest that 12-hour temporary clamping should be considered for reducing transfusion rates.

Contrast-induced encephalopathy after cerebral angiography is a rare complication and until now, only few cases have been reported. This paper reports on contras-induced encephalopathy mimicking meningoencephalitis after cerebral angiography by using iodixanol, an iso-osmolar non-ionic contrast agent. A 58-year-old woman underwent cerebral angiography for the evaluation of multiple intracranial aneurysms. A few hours later, she had persistent headache, vomiting, fever, and seizures. Brain computed tomography (CT) showed sulcal obliteration of right cerebral hemisphere and cerebrospinal fluid profile was unremarkable. The next day, she developed left side hemiparesis, sensory loss, and left-sided neglect with drowsy mentality. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cerebral swelling with leptomeningeal enhancement in the right parieto-occipital lobe without sign of ischemia or hemorrhage. The patient was managed with intravenous dexamethasone, mannitol and anticonvulsant. There was a progressive neurological improvement with complete resolution of the symptoms at day 6. This observation highlights that contrast-induced encephalopathy can be caused by an iso-osmolar non-ionic contrast agent. This rare entity should be suspected if neurologic deterioration after cerebral angiography is not explained by other frequent causes such as acute infarction or hemorrhage.
Angiography ; Brain ; Brain Diseases* ; Cerebral Angiography* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cerebrum ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Ischemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mannitol ; Meningoencephalitis ; Middle Aged ; Paresis ; Seizures ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to estimate the incidence rate, and to identify the risk factors for the occupational low back pain among shipyard workers. METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 9,784 workers who were employed in a ship-building industry(excluded workers who had a history of low pack pain before 1995 or did not take periodic health examination in 1995). The cases were 220 people who experienced back pain from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998. To assess risk factors for occupational low back pain, Cox propotional hazard model was used. RESULTS: During the recent three years from 1996 to 1998, the incidence rate per 1,000 persons was 7. 8 in 1996, 8. 8 in 1997, and 3. 1 in 1998. The main causes of work-related low back pain were sprain, strain and disc herniation. Lifting was the most common cause of back pain(35. 3%), and carrying(10.2%) and pulling(8.0%) were followed. In Cox proportional harzard model, independent risk factors for back pain were body mass index(R.R.; 1.54, 959o C.I.: 1.06-2.25), shift work(R.R.; 1.65, 95% C.I.: 1.19-2.28), and lifting heavy material(R.R. ; 3.95, 95% C.I: 2.29-6.82). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the risk factors of back pain in shipyard workers were body mass index, shift work and lifting.
Back Pain ; Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Lifting ; Low Back Pain* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors* ; Sprains and Strains

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of the effectiveness of traction thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO) in idiopathic scoliosis. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of traction TLSO and conventional TLSO. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW : No report has been published about longitudinal traction and lateral force before cast molding in the nonoperative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one cases of traction TLSO (group I) and 17 cases of conventional TLSO (group II) were studied. Traction TLSO was made as follows: 1. Cervical traction was applied to the patient standing under the frame with application of lateral force with compression pad. 2. Cast molding. 3. Fabrication of plastic jacket and application of pads. The mean age of group I was 12 years and of group II, 13 years. We evaluated the effectiveness of traction TLSO with Cobb`s angle reduction, trunk pain and dyspnea. Statistical analysis was made with SPSS. RESULTS: In group I, mean pre-brace Cobb`s angle was 31.1 degrees and in group II, 29.6 degrees. Flexibility of the curves was 78% and 75%, respectively. Mean reduction rate of Cobb`s angle after 3 days of brace application was 59.5% and 15.4%, respectively. One year later, reduction of Cobb`s angle was 15.4 degrees in group I and 2.7 degrees in group II. Reduction rate of Cobb`s angle after 1 year of brace application was 54.2% and 7.9%, respectively. Post-brace pain and dyspnea were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Traction TLSO was superior to conventional TLSO in terms of angle reduction, but was similar in subjective symptoms.
Braces ; Dyspnea ; Fungi ; Humans ; Orthotic Devices* ; Plastics ; Pliability ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis* ; Traction*

OBJECTIVE: Notch receptors are heterodimeric transmembrane proteins that regulate cell fate, such as differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Dysregulated Notch pathway signaling has been observed in glioblastomas, as well as in other human malignancies. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is essential for cell growth and differentiation in the nervous system. Recent reports suggest that NGF stimulates glioblastoma proliferation. However, the relationship between NGF and Notch1 in glioblastomas remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated expression of Notch1 in a glioblastoma cell line (U87-MG), and examined the relationship between NGF and Notch1 signaling.METHODS: We evaluated expression of Notch1 in human glioblastomas and normal brain tissues by immunohistochemical staining. The effect of NGF on glioblastoma cell line (U87-MG) was evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. To evaluate the relationship between NGF and Notch1 signaling, Notch1 and Hes1 expression were evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, respectively. To confirm the effects of NGF on Notch1 signaling, Notch1 and Hes1 small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were used.RESULTS: In immunohistochemistry, Notch1 expression was higher in glioblastoma than in normal brain tissue. MTT assay showed that NGF stimulates U87-MG cells in a dose-dependent manner. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis demonstrated that Notch1 and Hes1 expression were increased by NGF in a dose-dependent manner. After transfection with Notch1 and Hes1 siRNAs, there was no significant difference between controls and 100 nM NGF-β, which means that U87-MG cell proliferation was suppressed by Notch1 and Hes1 siRNAs.CONCLUSION: These results indicate that NGF stimulates glioblastoma cell proliferation via Notch1 signaling through Hes 1.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Glioblastoma ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Nerve Growth Factor ; Nervous System ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptor, Notch1 ; Receptors, Notch ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation (KT) is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease patients. The spouse is a major donor in living KT. Clinical outcomes of spousal donor KT are not inferior to those of living related donor KT. In this study, we compared clinical outcomes between ABO-compatible (ABOc) and ABO-incompatible (ABOi) spousal donor KTs. METHODS: Thirty-two cases of spousal donor KT performed from January 2011 to August 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-one ABOc KTs and 11 ABOi KTs were performed. We investigated patient survival, graft survival, acute rejection, graft function, and complications. RESULTS: During follow-up, patient and graft survival rates were 100% in both groups. There were no significant differences in the incidence of delayed graft function, acute rejection, and the change in graft function between the 2 groups. Medical and surgical complications were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: The clinical outcomes of ABOc and ABOi spousal donor KTs were equivalent. In ABOi KT, an emotionally motivated spousal donor KT may be a good alternative to the problem of the absolute shortage of kidney donations.
Blood Group Incompatibility ; Delayed Graft Function ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft Rejection ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spouses ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: Head injury is the main cause of death and severe disability in bicycle-related injuries. The purpose of this study was to compare the demographic characteristics and injury mechanisms of bicycle-related head injuries according to the severity and outcome and determine the main risk factors and common types of accompanying injuries. METHODS: A total of 205 patients who were admitted to the neurosurgery department of our hospital for bicycle-related head injuries between 2007 and 2016 were analyzed. We categorized the patients into two groups according to severity and outcome of head injury, and then identified the differences in age, sex, and cause of injury between the two groups. RESULTS: Collisions with a motor vehicle increased the risk of severe head injury (p=0.011), resulted in poor outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale [GOS] ≤3; p=0.022), and caused more accompanying chest/abdominal (p<0.001) and pelvic/lower extremity injuries (p=0.001) than other mechanisms. Older age and high grade of head injury severity resulted in poor outcomes (p=0.028 and p<0.001, respectively), and caused more accompanying chest/abdominal injuries (p<0.032 and p<0.001, respectively) compared with younger age and low grade of head injury severity. CONCLUSION: In bicycle-related head injuries, collision with motor vehicle is one of the most important risk factor for high grade of head injury severity and outcome. In addition, bicycle-related head injuries are often accompanied by injuries of other parts of the body.
Cause of Death ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Epidemiology* ; Extremities ; Head* ; Humans ; Motor Vehicles ; Neurosurgery ; Risk Factors*

Pulmonary paragonimiasis is a food-borne zoonosis, which is acquired from eating the raw or undercooked freshwater crabs or crayfish (crustaceans). It was highly endemic in Korea the late 1960's. However, human paragonimiasis is still sporadically occuring because of pupularization of Korean traditional crab dishes and is one of the lung disease which needs differential diagnosis. Recently, we experienced a case of pulmonary paragonimiasis in a 55 years man with dyspnea, dry cough and abdominal pain. The patient had hypereosinophilia and pulmonary infiltrates with pleural effusion, which did not improve on antibiotics. Diagnosis was confirmed by sputum with Paragonimus westermani ova, which was treated with praziquantel for two days at a daily dosage of 75 mg/kg. The patient was readmitted to the hospital 1 month following first treatment with recurrence of symptoms and he was cured by a second course of praziquantel.
Abdominal Pain ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Astacoidea ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dyspnea ; Eating ; Fresh Water ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung Diseases ; Ovum ; Paragonimiasis* ; Paragonimus westermani ; Pleural Effusion ; Praziquantel ; Recurrence ; Sputum