Management of patients with unstable fracture or fracture-dislocation of thoraco-lumbar spine continues to be controversial. One area of disagreement involves spinal fusion with internal fixation for prevention of later spinal instability. Intemal fixation of the spine without fusion has been advocated in the treatment of the unstable thoraco-lumbar fracture or dislocation. During the period of January 1981 to March 1984, thirty-two patients underwent fixation by Harrington distraction rod without fusion for the treatment of thoraco-lumbar fractures. Eight cases among them had second operation for the removal of the Harrington rods in 13.4months after Harrington rod fixation and were followed up clinically and radiolagically for 1 year at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical College and Center. The rationales for this procedure were to minimize the number of permanently stabilized segments and to provide more spinal mobility. We have expected that spontaneous fusion of vertebral body occur by the prolonged immobilization with Hamngton distraction rods. After the Harrington rods, the average conection rate of kyphotic angle was 41.8% and average correction rate of height of collapsed vertebral body or displacement of vertebral body was 42.3% at one year follow up. Instrumentations in eight patient were removed at 13.4 months after the initial surgery and the patients were followed up for one year. At the time of removal of instrumentation, unilateral partial facetectomy was done for histologic examination of the facet joint which is above the lower Harrington hook in four patients. The average correction rate of kyphotic angle was 37.5% and the average correction rate of height of collapsed or displaced vertebral body was 40.6% at one year after the removal of H-rods. The range of spine motions were incresed gradually. But histologic findings of the immobilized facet joint revealed fibrillation, fissures, thinning of the normal cartilagenous surface, decreased cartilagenous cellularity, and vascular tidemark invasion which are characteristics of osteoarthritis. Through this study, we obtained following conclusions: 1. Immediate Harrington distraction rodding was effective for the anatomic reduction of the collapsed vertebral body. And it provided immediate spinal stability, and spontaneous fusion of vertebral body. 2. Prolonged immobilization of the spine by Harrington rods is believed to have deleterious effect on articular cartilage of the immobilized facet joint as the degenerative changes of the cartilage of the facet joint was consistently found in this study. And it was regarded as a predisposing factors in the development of symptomatic arthritis of the spine. 3. If a fractured and collapsed vertebral body can be reduced by Harrington distraction rods, a spontaneous fusion of vertebral body occur. Harrington rodding without fusion could be one of the useful surgeries for management of the fractures and fracture-dislocation of the spine.
Arthritis ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Causality ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Osteoarthritis ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine ; Zygapophyseal Joint

Effects of several cytokines(IL -1beta, TNFalpha, and IFNgamma) have been examined on fetal rat osteoblast-like cells. To investigate whether cytokines play direct causal roles in production of lysosomal enzyme, fetal rat osteoblast-like cells were treated with IL-1beta, TNFalpha, and IFNgamma, respectively or combined. And acid phosphatase was determined by biochemical method. Alkaline phosphatase was assayed to determine the effects of IL-1beta, TNFalpha, and IFNgamma on the expression of this enzyme. And also experiment of calcified nodule formation was performed to assess the effects of cytokines on the bone-forming activity of osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Acid phosphatase activity was significantly increased by the addition of IL-1beta and TNFalpha, whereas decreased by IFNgamma, However, no significant changes in alkaline phosphatase activity was observed when the osteoblast-like cells were treated with IL-1beta and TNFalpha. Interestingly, IFNalpha showed stimulatory effect on alkaline phosphatase activity. The number of calcified nodules was decreased by treatment of cultures with 1ng/ml IL -lbeta, 20ng/ml TNFalpha, and 500 u/ml IFNgamma continuously for 21 days, while considerable number of calcified nodules were formed in control group of osteoblast-like cell in culture for 21 days. These results seem to suggest that cytokines may play crucial roles in bone remodeling through the direct action on the osteoblast-like cell.
Acid Phosphatase ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone Remodeling ; Cytokines* ; Interleukin-1beta ; Rats* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between developmental lumbar spinalstenosis and its BMD value by using the single energy quantitative CT(SEQCT). MATERIALS & METHODS: Eighty normal volunteers(20-60years) were selected as a control group and 28 patients with developmental lumbar spinal stenosis were selected as a disease group. The two groups were divided into a younger (20-39years) and an older subgroup(40-60 years), and were further divided into male and female subgroups. All the cases showed no evidence of metabolic disease, fracture, herniated nucleus pulposus, degererative spondylosis, infectious disease, tumors orhad no history of absolute immobilization of more than two weeks. All underwent lumbar spine CT and SEQCT. We measured bone mineral density(BMD) at the cancellous bone of L1, 2, 3 and obtained the mean and its one standard deviation, and compared the data between each subgroup of the control and the disease group using ANOVA. RESULTS: There was a significant low BMD value in the younger male patient subgroup compared with the control subgroup(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Developmental lumbar spinal stenosis in a young male may be a factor of decreasing BMD of the body of the spine.
Communicable Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Male ; Spinal Stenosis* ; Spine ; Spondylosis

Effects of Ultratiolet (UV) light was studied in isolated thoracic aortae of rabbits and porcine coronary arteries. The following results were obtained. 1) Radiation of UV light did not affect both arterial rings in resting tension. 2) Both arterial preparations contracted with various vasoconstrictors (KCI,NE,PE,BayK 8644 and (+S202 etc.) were relaxed by UV light radiation in a radiation time-dependent fashion. 3) The magnitudes of the relaxation were not significantly different in both the rings with or without intact endothelium. 4) MB and LY markedldy reduced the UV light-induced relaxation in both the rings. 5) PP significantly attenuated the UV light-induced relaxation of rabbit thoracic aorta, but did not affect that of porcine coronary artery. 6) The UV Light-induced relaxation of porcine coronary artery was significantly attenuated by DT or NF, while that of rabbit thoracic aorta was not. 7) (+)S202 significantly potentiated the UV light-induced relaxation of porcine coronary artery contracted with KCI or Hist. Above results suggest that the UV light-induced relaxation of vascular smooth muscles is independent on the endothelium, and the relaxation results from primarily activation of guanylyl cyclase and is in part related to adenylyl cyclase and calcium metabolism. In adddition, a dihydropyridine calcium agonist, (+)S202, may sensitize vascular smooth muscle to the relaxing effect of UV light through some unknown mechanism.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Calcium* ; Coronary Vessels ; Endothelium ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Rabbits ; Relaxation* ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vasoconstrictor Agents

A case of Osteogenic sarcoma arised from orbit 4 years after the radiation therapy for retinoblastoma in a 9 years old girl is presented. 4 Years ago, under the diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the left orbital exenteration was performed and was treated with x-ray radiation giving 4.500 gamma tumor dose in 4, weeks. On admission, the left orbital cavity was filled with hard mass and orbital bone revealed extensive destruction with osteoplastic changes on x-ray, and diffuse sarcomatous growth of anaplastic cells with abundant osteogenesis and osteoclastic activity microscopically. It is of authors' opinion that osteogenic sarcoma of orbital bone in this presented case might developed by irradition on retinoblastoma.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Orbit ; Osteoclasts ; Osteogenesis ; Osteosarcoma* ; Retinoblastoma*

A case of postirradiation extraskeletal osteosarcoma with aggressive fibromatosis of the overlying soft tissue of radiation field is reported in a 57 year old house wife who was treated with operation and radiation therapy for cervix carcinoma of the uterus 23 years ago. The overlying aggressive fibromatosis showed characteristic radiation angiitis and atrophic vascular changes such as hyaline degeneration and obliteration of the capillaries which were highly campatible with radiation changes. She also had multiple osteogenic sarcoma in pelvic cavity, occurring in the mesentery bed. As for the histogenesis in this case, we thought the possiblity that fibroblasts went through a process of differentiation into osteoblasts that were responsible for bone formation in the process of malignant change of the aggressive fibromatosis.

No abstract available.
Amputees* ; Humans ; Phantom Limb*

Left handedness is known to be related with inheritance and is different from right handedness in brain development and various aspects of perceptive and cognitive performance. Fingerprints are also related with inheritance and do not change for the whole life. In addition, individuals have different fingerprints. The aim of the present study was to identify genetic correlation between fingerprints and handedness by examining how different fingerprints are between left handers and right handers. The study group to imprint fingerprints was composed of 55 left handers and 144 right handers of 1063 college students. The reliability of handedness assessment tool was Cronbach's alpha=0.948. The imprinted fingerprints were classified by fingerprint type (arch, radial loop, ulnar loop, whorl). Finger ridges and triradii in fingerprints were also counted. We performed frequency analysis, reliability analysis, cross-tabs analysis, chi-square test, independent t-test, paired t-test by SPSS win 15.0 for the data. The left handed males and females exhibited more arch types than the right handers and less whorl types than the right handers. The left handers in both hands exhibited more arch and ulnar loop types than the right handers and less whorl and radial loop types than the right handers. In the left hand, the 3rd (p<0.05), 4th (p<0.05), and 5th (p<0.01) fingerprints of the left handers were different from those of the right handers. The finger ridge counts of left handers were significantly less than those of the right handers in the 2nd and 3rd fingers of the left hand, and in the 3rd and 4th fingers in the right hand. The triradii counts of left handers were significantly less than those of right handers (p<0.05) in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th finger of the left and right hand. Total triradii counts of left handers were also significantly less than those of right handers (p<0.05). These results demonstrate that fingerprint type, finger ridge and triradius counts of the left handers are different from those of the right handers, and fingerprints may reflect genetic tendency for handedness.
Brain ; Dermatoglyphics ; Female ; Fingers ; Functional Laterality ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Wills

The palm prints are unique in each individual and permanent for a lifetime. The atd angle of palm is formed by triradii of palm prints. The aim of this study is to identify the reasons why males have smaller atd angles, even with larger palms than females have. This study was done on 379 individuals (males : 174 individuals, females : 205 individuals). Data were collected by measuring atd angles using a protractor, distance from triradii a to d, length from triradii t to the distal palmar crease (DPC), palm breadth at metacarpals and palm length perpendicular using digital callipers. The data were analyzed through the frequency, independent sample t-test, paired t-test, Pearson correlation analysis using SPSS win 14.0. This study showed that atd angles of 39.2 degrees in males are significantly smaller than those of females (40.5 degrees). Males' were wider than females' in palm breadth, palm length and distance from triradii a to d, however, there was no sexual difference in the length from triradii t to the DPC. In addition, the ratio of palm breadth to palm length was higher in males than in females, however, the ratio of the length from triradii t to the DPC to palm length, and the ratio of the distance from triradii a to d to palm breadth of males were lower than those of females. Especially, atd angles in males and females were more correlative with the ratio of the length from triradii t to the DPC to palm length. The results of this study suggest that the differences in the atd angles between males and females arise from the ratio of length from triradii t to the DPC to palm length and the ratio of distance from triradii a to d to palm breadth. In both of the cases, males exhibited lower ratios than females. Especially, the ratio of the length from triradii t to DPC to palm length affected more to the atd angle than any other ratios.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metacarpal Bones ; Sex Characteristics

We herein report a case of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in a 36-year-old male patient, who had a solitary nodular skin lesion on the left supraclavicular area. The histopathologic findings showed typical features of KS as spindle cell proliferation and vascular spaces lined with endothelial cells. The patient's serum was positive for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and he had opportunistic infection of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis. The WBC count was 1,200/mm3 and CD4 count was 50/mm3 with decreased CD4/CD8 ratio to 0.06. He died due to an aggravated respiratory infection.
Adult ; Antibodies ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; Cell Proliferation ; Endothelial Cells ; HIV ; Humans ; Male ; Opportunistic Infections ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; Sarcoma, Kaposi* ; Skin ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary