The superior volume maintenance of membranous over endochondral bone grafts, which was shown in several studies has provided the basis for its preferred clinical use as an onlay grafting material on the craniofacial skeleton. The scientific rationale for this seeming embryological advantage, however, has never been proven, Since the cortical component of membranous bone is proportionally greater than that of endochondral bone, it follows that membranous grafts would show greater volume maintenance over time. Our hypothesis is that the pattern of onlay bone graft resorption is primarily determined by a graft's micro-architecture (relative cortical and cancellous composition) rather than its embryololgical origin(membranous versus endochondral). Fourty adult New Zealand white rabbits were used for this study. There were 8 animals in each of 4 groups. The rabbits of each group were sacrificed at 3, 8, and 16 weeks. Four types of grafts were placed subperosteally, onto each rabbit's cranium: a hydroxyapatite, a cortical bone graft of membranous origin, a cortical bone graft of endochondral origin and a cancellous bone graft of endochondral origin. Membranous bone grafts were obtained from the lateral mandible and endochondral bone grafts were obtained from the ileum. In order to determine post-sacrifice volume and density of the bone grafts, a caliper technique and bone densitometry(bone densitometer: LUNAR, DPX-L, U.S.A.) were performed on all of the bone grafts. Bone graft specimens were histologically examined at 3, 8, and 16 weeks.The measurement of volume and density show that there is a statistically greater resumption in the cancellous endochondral bone grafts for all parameter, compared to either the endochondral or membranous cortical bone grafts or hydroxyapatite at all time points(p< 0.05). In addition, there is no significant difference in the resorption rates between the endochondral and membranous cortical bone grafts for all parameters at all time points. By placing cortical bone grafts and cancellous bone grafts on the recipient sites separately, we have shown that the former grafts maintain their volumes, widths and projections significantly better than the latter grafts. Futhermore, we found no statistical difference in resorption rates between the two cortical bone grafts of different embryologic origins, a finding which has never been previously shown. Bone volume fraction, measured with bone densitometry, was shown to be higher in cortical bone than in cancellous bone at all time points, further illustrating the differences between cortical and cancellous bone.From our results, we believe cortical bone to be a superior onlay-graftiong material, independent of its embryololgic origin.
Adult ; Animals ; Biological Factors* ; Densitometry ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Ileum ; Inlays* ; Mandible ; Rabbits ; Skeleton* ; Skull ; Transplants*

Spontaneous testicular hemorrhagic necrosis is a rare disease usually associated with testicular torsion. Partially involved and suspicious testis tumor cases are also defined from orchiectomy specimens. Herein, a spontaneous hemorrhagic necrosis, without any testicular torsion, but with involvement of the whole testicle and epididymis, is reported. A 21 year old patient, who presented with a painless left testicular enlargement of several days duration was believed, based on physical examination, ultrasonography and elevation of serum LDH, to have a testicular tumor. Diagnosis was made only after radical orchiectomy and histopathological examination.
Diagnosis ; Epididymis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis* ; Orchiectomy ; Physical Examination ; Rare Diseases ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; Testis* ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Aluminum Hydroxide* ; Aluminum* ; Korea*

No abstract available.
Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Skin

Forty cases of infiltrating duct carcinoma of the breast were examined immunohistochemically for expression of TGF-beta and angiogenesis in order to analyze significant correlation with prognostic parameters including tumor size, axillary lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, histologic grade, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status. The TGF-beta expression was observed in tumors center and advancing edges of tumors. To determine microvessel density for angiogenesis, we stained endothelial cells for Factor VIII related antigen and counted microvessel within tumor. The results were as follows: 1) The strong immunohistochemical expression of TGF-beta and higher counts of microvessels were observed in advancing edges of tumors (p<0.05). 2) The TGF-beta expression in the advancing edges of tumors was closely related to clinical stage and presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). 3) The mean microvessel counts were significantly higher in tumors from patients with axillary lymph node metastasis and increased with increasing clinical stage (p<0.05). 4) The TGF-beta expression was not related to histologic grade, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status(p>0.05). Therefore, the results suggested that the TGF-beta expression and angiogenesis in infiltrating duct carcinoma of the breast may play an important part in prognostic factors, closely related to the lymph node metastasis and clinical stage.
Neoplasm Metastasis

No Abstract Available.
Latex Hypersensitivity* ; Latex* ; Operating Rooms*

An attenuated classical swine fever virus (CSFV), Suri strain, is a va.iant derived from a vaccine virus, LOM strain. This study was performed to elucidate the molecular biologcal properties of CSFV Suri strain, and to obtain the basic data for molecular epidemiological approaches for the disease. The truncated form of gp55 gene without the C-terminal transmembrane domain, in size of 1,023bp, was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced by dye terminator cyclic sequencing method, and inserted into BamHI site of pAcGP67B baculovirus vector, establishing a cloned pAcHEG plasmid. By the nucleotide sequences determined, 341 amino acid sequences were predicted. As compared the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of gp55 of Suri with the various CSFV, Suri strain showed the high homology over 99.1% with ALD and LOM strains, but comparably the lower homology with Alfort and Brescia. In comparison of amino acid sequence in variable domain of gp55 protein, the similar tendency of homology was observed. In hydrophobicity analysis, all of four CSFV strains revealed the analogous patterns of hydrophobicity. The numbers and locations of N-glycosylation site and cysteine residues in gp55 were analyzed, those of Suri strain being coincident with ALD and LOM strains. The results suggest that gp55 in Suri strain has the high similarity to those in ALD and LOM strains in terms of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences and the functional properties of gp55 protein..
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Baculoviridae ; Base Sequence ; Classical swine fever virus ; Classical Swine Fever* ; Clone Cells ; Cysteine ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Plasmids ; Sequence Analysis* ; Swine

Acute mountain sickness is an illness caused by climbing to a high altitude without prior acclimatization. Neurological consequences, like parkinsonism following acute mountain sickness without lesion of brain MRI have been reported rarely. A healthy 56-year-old man presented with dysarthria and gait disturbance. Neurological examination revealed tremor of hands, limb rigidity, and bradykinesia. The symptoms developed approximately 30 days following a 3,500 m climb of the Annapurna in the Himalayas. Brain MRI did not reveal any abnormalities including globus pallidus. The parkinsonism symptoms persisted for about 3 months before a complete recovered was made. We suggest that parkinsonism can develop after climbing to a high altitude but that the symptoms can be transient if a brain MRI detects no abnormalities.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the early clinical results of lumbar microdiscectomy using minimally invasive tubular retractor (METRx-MD system, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN), and to validate the merits of minimally invasive spinal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April, 2003 to April 2004 we retrospectively studied a consecutive series of 45 patients who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy using minimally invasive tubular retractor. In all cases, minimally invasive approach using the tubular retractor were performed with a 2 cm sized paramedian incision. The following data were collected: clinical outcomes, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, need for blood replacement, time needed before ambulation, length of hospital stay, and complications. The clinical outcomes were assessed by the modified MacNab criteria. RESULTS: Minimally invasive tubular microdiscectomy was performed in 45 patients over a 12-month period with an average follow-up of approximately 8 months. The clinical outcomes assessed by MacNab criteria were excellent in 33 patients (73%), good in 10 patients (22%). The average operative time was 63 minutes (range, 35 to 95 minutes). The average blood loss was 62 mL (range, 50 to 110 mL). None of the patients needed blood replacement. With the exception of 2 patients, all patients could walk at the day of surgery. The average hospital stay was 2.3 days. None of the patients had dural tear, wound problem, or other complications. CONCLUSION: Lumbar microdiscectomy using tubular retractor can offer a useful modality for the treatment of lumbar herniated disc with the merits of minimally invasive spinal surgery. Further long-term, randomized, prospective investigations are needed to fully evaluate the impact of this technique.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: Some of the deficiencies in anterior pituitary function identified in subjects with macroadenomas appear to represent irrevemible necrosis of normal pituitary cells, and in addition reversible damage to viable glandular tissue and/or incomplete interruption of local circulation by compression of pituitary stalk may also contribute significantly to hypopituitarism. So anterior pituitary function may actually improve in some patients undergoing successful tumor resection or reduction in tumor size. Although direct comparisons of pituitary function among the various pituitary tumors are not presently available it was reported that there is some difference in the degree of pituitary impairment between patients with nonfunctioning macroadenoma(NFMA) and those with GH-secreting macroadenoma(GHMA).In this study, to investigate the difference in the degree of hypopituitarism we compared anterior pituitary function in subjects with NFMA to that in patients with GHMA. METHODS: In this retrospective study, preoperative and postoperative anterior pituitary function was assessed by clinical findings, basal hormone levels and/or combined pituitary stimulation test in 29 subjects with NFMA and in 24 subjects with GHMA. RESULTS: 1. There was no difference in age, sex, tumor size distribution between the two groups. 2. Preoperatively, NFMA patients had a higher prevalence of secondary hypothyroidism(34% vs. 5%; p(0.02) compared to subjects with GHMA. Patients with NFMA also had a higher prevalence of more severe pituitary failure compared with acromegalic patients; 48% of the patients in this group had more than one pituitary hormone axis impaired compared to 17% in the acromegalic group(p0.03). 3. Postoperatively, NFMA patients also had a higher prevalence of secondary hypoadrenalism (52% vs. 11%; p 0.01) compared with acromegalic patients. Additionally, the prevalence who had more than one pituitary hormone axis impaired was still greater in NFMA patients than in the acromegalic group(57% vs. 22%; p=0.054). 4. No correlation was found between the severity of pituitary failure and tumor size or extension in both groups before and after surgery. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that anterior pituitary function is relatively better preserved in patients with GHMA than those with NFMA and that this difference is independent of tumor size and extension. The mechanism underlying the lower rate of hypopituitarism in acromegalics with macroadenoma remains to be elucidated.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Humans ; Hypopituitarism ; Necrosis ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies