It has been postulated that programmed cell death via apoptosis may be critical for remodelling of glomeruli after inflammatory injury. To understand the regulatory mechanism of apoptosis in experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN), we examined the MIB-1 score (proliferation index, PI) and apoptotic index during the progression of experimental CGN to end-stage renal failure. CGN was induced in New Zealand White rabbits by administration of guinea pig anti-GBM IgG after sensitization with guinea pig IgG and their kidneys were analyzed for the development of crescents through sequential renal biopsies. Serum creatinine levels progressively increased in a time course until day 45. The PI in glomeruli, tubular epithelial cells, and interstitium progressively increased during the progression of experimental CGN. The mean numbers of MIB-1 positive intraglomerular nuclei (PI) were significantly correlated with degrees of crescent formation and the numbers of apoptotic cells in the glomeruli, tubules, and interstitium. Significant apoptosis was present from day 1 (15.8 10.16 cells/glomerular cross section) and increased in number with the proliferative lesions as glomerular inflammation continued. Moreover, apoptosis increased during the resolution of the glomerular inflammation, and many apoptotic cells were present in the sclerotic lesions in day 17 (18.6 12.99 cells/glomerular cross section). As glomerular inflammation subsided, cellular crescents progressed to fibrous crescents with a reduction of cellularity by day 45. On day 45, the glomerular PI and the numbers of apoptotic cells were markedly decreased. The correlations found in CGN between the creatinine level and the percentage of crescents, between the percentage of crescent and PI, and between the PI and number of apoptotic cells support the hypothesis that there is a change in the glomerular and tubulo-interstitial apoptosis under pathologic conditions. These findings indicate that apoptosis plays an essential role in the resolution of intra- and extraglomerular inflammation and in the elimination of glomerular cells within the sclerotic regions for progressive CGN. The regulation of the apoptotic phenomenon and increased PI during CGN may be important in the progression of glomerular inflammation and the development of pathologic glomerular sclerosis.
Animals ; Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease ; Apoptosis* ; Biopsy ; Cell Death ; Creatinine ; Epithelial Cells ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Guinea Pigs ; Immunoglobulin G ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Inflammation ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Rabbits ; Sclerosis

BACKGROUND: After uninephrectomy(UNX), proliferation and apoptosis of renal cells are regarded to be closely involved in glomerular hypertrophy and compensatory renal growth. However, exact mechanism has not been well elucidated in relation with the growing status. METHODS: In small, medium and large male New Zealand white rabbits, unilateral kidneys obtained 1, 7, and 30 days after Sham operation were used for control. In experimental groups, the rabbits were sacrificed, and residual kidneys were obtained 1, 7, and 30 days after UNX. Morphometric analysis of glomerular size were performed. Immunohistochemical staining for MIB-1 antigen and Tdt-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labelling(TUNEL) method were performed. RESULTS: Glomerular hypertrophy was demonstrated in all groups after UNX and pronounced in the small rabbits. The number of renal Ki-67 positive cells were progressively increased in all study groups. The number of TUNEL positive cells was relatively small in controls. however, the numbers of glomerular, tubular and interstitial TUNEL positive cells were progressively increased in all study groups. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that different results regarding the compensatory growth in uninephrectomized rabbits of different weights and ages. Apoptosis may play an important role in the regression of hypertrophic and proliferated glomerular and tubulointerstitial cells during compensatory renal hypertrophy.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Proliferation* ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Kidney ; Male ; Rabbits* ; Weights and Measures

Purpose: Compressive hip dressings have been used to decrease the amount of postoperative bleeding after total hiparthroplasty. However, there is no data showing that a compressive dressing is effective. This study evaluated the effect of compressive dressings on the level of postoperative bleeding after total replacement arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: This prospective randomized clinical trail included 80 consecutive primary total hip arthroplasties in 72 patients. The 80 hips were randomly assigned to a compressive dressing group or a non-compressive dressing group using a table of random numbers. Forty-two hips in 37 patients were treated using the compressive dressing and the remaining 38 hips in 35 patients were treated using a non-compressive dressing. The patients were followed up for an average of 10.3 months. In all patients, a hemovac suction drain was inserted postoperatively. Results: The mean level of bleeding was 626.6 mL in the compressive group and 693.8 mL in the non-compressive group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups (P=0.416). Moreover, the incidence of postoperative complications including dislocation, nerve injury, symptomatic deep vein thrombosis and heterotopic ossification was similar in both groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that the compressive dressing has no significant effect on the amount of postoperative bleeding and clinical results after total hip arthroplasty.
Arthroplasty* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Bandages ; Dislocations ; Hemorrhage* ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Postoperative Complications ; Prospective Studies ; Suction ; Venous Thrombosis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical features and outcomes of pediatric cavernous malformation (CM) in the central nervous system. METHODS: Twenty-nine pediatric patients with supratentorial CM underwent microsurgical excision. In selected cases, transparent tubular retractor system (TTRS) was used to reduce retraction injury and intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) was held to preserve functioning cortex. Patients' demographics and symptoms were reviewed and surgical outcomes were discussed. RESULTS: The main initial clinical manifestations included the following : seizures (n=13, 45%), headache (n=7, 24%), focal neurological deficits (n=3, 10%), and an incidental finding (n=6, 21%). Overt hemorrhage was detected in 7 patients (24%). There were 19 children (66%) with a single CM and 10 (34%) children with multiple CMs. In 7 cases with deep-seated CM, we used a TTRS to minimize retraction. In 9 cases which location of CM was at eloquent area, IONM was taken during surgery. There was no major morbidity or mortality after surgery. In the 29 operated children, the overall long-term results were satisfactory : 25 (86%) patients had no signs or symptoms associated with CMs, 3 had controllable seizures, and 1 had mild weakness. CONCLUSION: With the assistance of neuronavigation systems, intraoperative neuromonitoring, and TTRS, CMs could be targeted more accurately and excised more safely. Based on the satisfactory seizure outcome achieved, complete microsurgical excision in children is recommended for CMs presenting with seizures but removal of hemosiderin-stained areas seems to be unnecessary.
Central Nervous System ; Child ; Demography ; Headache ; Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidental Findings ; Mortality ; Neuronavigation ; Seizures

PURPOSE: The increasing use of ultrasonography has allowed for an increase in the of the detection of congenital hydronephrosis, and the clinical outcomes of congenital hydronephrosis are widely varied. In this study, the necessity of voiding cystourethrography in neonate with hydronephrosis to rule out vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was evaluated. METHODS: Between January 2004 and December 2007, we reviewed the medical record of 157 childrens with congenital hydronephrosis detected within 1 month of age. The severity of hydronephrosis was graded by SFU (Society of Fetal Urology) system, and anterior posterior pelvic diameter (APPD). We evaluated the relationship between severity of hydronephrosis and incidence of VUR by using SPSS windows version 16.0. A P-value<0.05 is considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: Total renal unit number was 254, and 20(7.8%) renal units had VUR. We did not find any relationship between hydronephrosis grade the presence of VUR grade (P>0.05). In addition, there was no statistical significance between APPD, laterality of hydronephrosis and VUR incidence. However, renal units with VUR had lower spontaneous resolution rate (P<0.05), compared to renal units without VUR. CONCLUSION: In this study, there was no statistical significance between the severity of hydronephrosis and presence of VUR. Therefore, voiding cystourethrogram is recommended for all children with hydronephrosis to rule out VUR, regardless of the severity of hydronephrosis.
Child ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

The purpose of this study was to compare the sealing abilities of four endodontic temporary restorative materials using a methylene blue dye penetration test under dynamic loading. Standardized access cavities were prepared in forty-four intact human permanent molar teeth, and the cavities were restored with Caviton, MD-Temp, IRM, or ZOE. After thermocycling, an intermittent load of 98 N at 1 Hz was applied for 1,000 cycles to the long axis of the functional cusp of each of the teeth, which were immersed in a 1% methylene blue solution. The teeth were split in half, and the linear depth of dye penetration was evaluated according to the criteria. The results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA (p = 0.05) and Duncan's multiple range test. The results demonstrated that Caviton and MD-Temp showed significantly lower microleakage than IRM and ZOE. It was concluded that Caviton and MD-Temp exhibited better sealing ability than IRM and ZOE under dynamic loading.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Calcium Sulfate ; Dental Cements ; Humans ; Methylene Blue ; Molar ; Root Canal Filling Materials ; Tooth ; Vinyl Compounds ; Zinc Oxide

PURPOSE: The number of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy procedures for the treatment of early gastric cancer patient to improve the quality of life has been gradually increasing. This study evaluated the technical feasibility, safety, and surgical results of LADG with lymphadenectomy by reviewing the initial experience. METHODS: From May 2003 to December 2005, 202 LADG with lymphadenectomy were performed on patients with a preoperative diagnosis of EGC. The clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 128 males and 74 females with a mean age of 58 years (range 24~78). The mean operation time was 212 minutes (range 105~450) and the operation time has decreased gradually with increasing number of cases. There were 16 operative morbidities (7.9%) including three operative mortalities. The restoration of the bowel sound was noted at 3.1 postoperative days, soft diet was started at 4.4 postoperative days and the duration of the hospital stay was 7.7 days. There were 105 mucosal, 64 submucosal, 22 proper muscle, 4 subserosal and 7 serosal lesions. A total 163 patients were treated with D2, 37 with D1+beta and 2 with D1+alpha LN dissection. The mean number of lymph nodes retrieved was 35 (range=10~81). Lymph node metastasis was noted in 30 patients. CONCLUSION: This study shows that laparoscopic procedure can be applied safely and effectively for the patients with EGC. However, a prospective study comparing laparoscopy-assisted versus open gastrectomy for the short- and long-term surgical outcomes is needed.
Diagnosis ; Diet ; Female ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy* ; Length of Stay ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Quality of Life ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: We performed invasive thermometry to verify the elevation of local temperature in the liver during hyperthermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three 40-kg pigs were used for the experiments. Under general anesthesia with ultrasonography guidance, two glass fiber-optic sensors were placed in the liver, and one was placed in the peritoneal cavity in front of the liver. Another sensor was placed on the skin surface to assess superficial cooling. Six sessions of hyperthermia were delivered using the Celsius TCS electro-hyperthermia system. The energy delivered was increased from 240 kJ to 507 kJ during the 60-minute sessions. The inter-session cooling periods were at least 30 minutes. The temperature was recorded every 5 minutes by the four sensors during hyperthermia, and the increased temperatures recorded during the consecutive sessions were analyzed. RESULTS: As the animals were anesthetized, the baseline temperature at the start of each session decreased by 1.3degrees C to 2.8degrees C (median, 2.1degrees C). The mean increases in temperature measured by the intrahepatic sensors were 2.42degrees C (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70-3.13) and 2.67degrees C (95% CI, 2.05-3.28) during the fifth and sixth sessions, respectively. The corresponding values for the intraperitoneal sensor were 2.10degrees C (95% CI, 0.71-3.49) and 2.87degrees C (1.13-4.43), respectively. Conversely, the skin temperature was not increased but rather decreased according to application of the cooling system. CONCLUSION: We observed mean 2.67degrees C and 2.87degrees C increases in temperature at the liver and peritoneal cavity, respectively, during hyperthermia. In vivo real-time thermometry is useful for directly measuring internal temperature during hyperthermia.
Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Fever* ; Glass ; Liver* ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Skin ; Skin Temperature ; Swine ; Thermometry ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Early identification of alcohol use disorder (AUD) among patients coming to the emergency department (ED) for treatment is important in order to facilitate timely intervention and further evaluation. A number of brief screening tools have been developed for identifying patients with AUD. This study compared three brief screening tools for detecting DSM-IV-defined AUD. METHODS: A prospective study was performed from 20th of July 2004 to 20th of October 2004 at a university hospital emergency department (ED). We studied trauma patients including trauma patients who needed administration. Patients were screened by AUDIT, CAGE and RAPS test. Receiver operator characteristic analysis were used to evaluate the performance of the brief screens against the criterion of a DSM-IV AUD. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled in this study. Of the existing screening tools, AUDIT had the best overall performance in identifying AUD (sensitivity 98%. specificity 84%) CONCLUSION: Of the existing screening tools used to identify AUD, AUDIT had the best overall performance in identifying AUD in the ED.
Alcohol Drinking ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The coexistence of moyamoya disease (MMD) with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is exceedingly rare. We report two cases of AVM associated with MMD. The first case was an incidental AVM diagnosed simultaneously with MMD. This AVM was managed expectantly after encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis (EDAS) as the main feeders stemmed from the internal carotid artery, which we believed would be obliterated with the progression of MMD. However, the AVM persisted with replacement of the internal carotid artery feeders by new external carotid artery feeders from the EDAS site. The AVM was eventually treated with gamma knife radiosurgery considering an increasing steal effect. The second case was a de novo AVM case. The patient was initially diagnosed with MMD, and acquired an AVM eight years later that was slowly fed by the reconstituted anterior cerebral artery. Because the patient remained asymptomatic, the AVM is currently being closely followed for more than 2 years without further surgical intervention. Possible differences in the pathogenesis and the radiologic presentation of these AVMs are discussed with a literature review. No solid consensus exists on the optimal treatment of MMD-associated AVMs. Gamma knife radiosurgery appears to be an effective treatment option for an incidental AVM. However, a de novo AVM may be managed expectantly considering the possible risks of damaging established collaterals, low flow characteristics, and probably low risks of rupture.
Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Carotid Artery, External ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Child ; Consensus ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Radiosurgery ; Rupture