PURPOSE: The effects of pain on brain is not well known. Also, differences between somatic and visceral pains have not been fully elucidated. This study was conducted to investigate changes in the expression of c-Fos protein after somatic and visceral pains were induced by formalin. METHODS: Male rats(n=65) were underwent one of three procedures : (i) Control group, rats were left undisturbed in their cages; (ii) Somatic pain group, rats were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 ml of 10% formalin in the plantar surface of right hindpaw; (iii) Visceral pain group, rats were administered with same amount of formalin, as described above, in the rectum. Rats were sacrificed at increasing times(30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days and 7 days) after noxious formalin stimuli to hindpaws and rectums. Rat brains were removed and sliced in rat brain matrix. Brain slices were coronal sectioned at interaural 5.70-6.70mm. Serial sections were immunohistochemically reacted with polyclonal c-Fos antibody. The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area, and hippocampus were examined and analyzed statistically with Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: 1) The numbers of c-For protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area and hippocampus peaked at 2 hours after somatic pain stimuli and reached almost normal conditions at 7 days. 2) The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area and hippocampus peaked at 1 day after visceral pain stimuli and reached almost normal conditions at 7 days. 3) The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons of somatic pain groups were higher than that of visceral groups at all times and the difference of numbers peaked at 2 hours after pain stimuli. CONCLUSION: Reactions of somatic pain stimuli influenced more changable than visceral pain stimuli to brain. Conduction velocities of somatic pain were more faster than those of visceral pain. Higher numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons were found in specific regions. These results provide some basic knowledge in understanding the mechanism and control of pain.
Animals ; Brain* ; Formaldehyde* ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons* ; Nociceptive Pain ; Rats* ; Rectum ; Visceral Pain

PURPOSE: Recently, in an experiment using animals, radiation therapy using a laser or Tending Diancibo Pu (TDP) has been shown to be effective in treating scars on the skin by increasing the production of fibroblast cell and collagen and by accelerating the process of epithelization. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of TDP radiation therapy in treating human burn injuries in terms of the frequency of treatment, the timing of eschar separation, and the duration of treatment. METHODS: In the treatment group, the burn area of the patients was first sterilized with saline solution and potadin solution and covered with one vaseline gauze. Then, the burn area was radiated every other day by using TDP for 20 minutes at distance of 20-25 cm, at radiant plate temperature of 250-280oC. In the cases of control group, the burn area of the patients was first sterilized with saline solution and potadin solution and covered with one vaseline gauze. Then, the area was covered with one burn gauze and bandaged. The treatment was conducted every other day. RESULTS: In cases of superficial second degree burn injuries, the difference between the treatment and the control groups was 1.34 in terms of the frequency of treatment. In the cases of both superficial and deep second degree burns, the differences between the treatment and the control groups were 3.47 in terms of the frequency of treatment, 0.63 weeks in terms of the timing of eschar separation, and 6.03 days in terms of the duration of treatment. All these differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: From the experiment, it can be concluded that TDP radiation therapy is more effective in treating human burn injuries than conventional treatment in terms of the of the frequency of treatment, the timing of eschar separation, and the duration of treatment.
Animals ; Burns* ; Cicatrix ; Collagen ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Petrolatum ; Skin ; Sodium Chloride

No abstract available.
Stroke*

It is constant controversy that exercise influence muscle regeneration in peripheral neuropathy. The aim of this experiment is to show that treadmill running exercise under well-controlled conditions is to improve of regeneration in rat gastrocnemius muscles after sciatic nerve crushing injury. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (1 month old, weight 150~180 g) were submitted to bouts of exercise on a treadmill up a 10 degrees decline and speed is 20 m/min for 60 min per day and gastrocnemius muscles were analysed at different exercise periods (5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 days) by immunohistochemistry in comparison with injured non-exercised muscles. Rats were sacrificed at 12th (5 days exercise), 19th (10 days exercise), 26th (15 days exercise), 33rd day (20 days exercise), 61st day (40 days exercise) after sciatic nerve crushing injury. It showed that type II myofibers (target fibers) on center area had reinnervation at sciatic nerve crush injury at 26th day in exercise rats, as at 33rd day appeared giant type II myofibers, myofibers grouping observed in regenerative muscle character, component ratio of closed normal muscle showed at 61st day. Giant type II myofibers showed at 33rd day in non-exercise rats, however did not nearly normal muscle at 61st day. Therefore we concluded that treadmill running exercise is able to improve regeneration processes in gastrocnemius muscles after sciatic nerve crushing injury of rats.
Animals ; Benzeneacetamides ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Muscles ; Myosins ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Piperidones ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration ; Running ; Sciatic Nerve

PURPOSE: The intermediate filament proteins, desmin and vimentin, are specific components of the cytoskeleton of striated muscle fibers and of mononuclear cells of mesenchymal origin including myoblasts, respectively. Desmin has also been found in presumptive myoblasts of mammals. The aim of this experiment was attempted to observe the phenotypic changes of intermediate filaments in skeletal muscle fibers during early stages of sciatic nerve crushing injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sciatic nerves of rats were surgically crushed by hemostat and serial cryosections of soleus and extensor digitorum longus(EDL) muscles were prepared at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 and 27 days after nerve injury. Serial cryosections were immunolabelled with desmin, vimentin and laminin and were histochemically reacted with NADH-TR. RESULTS: 1) Firstly, desmin positive fibers were appeared in fast-twitch type C fibers of both muscles at 6 days after nerve crushing, but were not reacted for vimentin. 2) Co-expressions of desmin and vimentin were firstly detected in fast-twitch type A fibers of EDL muscles at 8 days after nerve injury. In soleus muscles, co-expressions of desmin and vimentin were firstly seen in slow-twitch type B fibers at 10 days after nerve injury. Many atrophic fibers, that contained several central nuclei like myotubes and co-expressed desmin and vimentin, were appeared in EDL muscles at 10 days after nerve injury. Although whole regions of fibers were regenerated in EDL muscles, only peripheral regions of fibers were regenerated in soleus muscles at 15 days after nerve injury. Many atrophic fibers, co-expressed of desmin and vimentin, were appeared in EDL muscles at 20 days after nerve injury. These whole fibers represented various degrees of regenerating stages. Most of mature fibers containing several central nuclei, only expressed vimentin slightly, were seen in soleus muscles at 20 days after nerve injury. Most fibers of both muscles were matured at 27 days after nerve injury, but some fibers in EDL muscles were still in processing of degeneration and regeneration. No expressions of desmin and vimentin indicated that muscle fibers were almostly matured in soleus muscles at 27 days after nerve injury. 3) Targetoid or target fibers which informed reinnervation, were appeared firstly in soleus muscles at 20 days and were seen in both muscles at 27 days after nerve injury. All targetoid and target fibers were type B fibers. CONCLUSION: Desmin was revealed in processes of degeneration and regeneration and vimentin was appealed in regeneration process. At the same time, positive immunoreactivity of desmin and vimentin showed specific differences in degree of degeneration and regeneration according to different muscles and muscle fibers.
Animals ; Cytoskeleton ; Desmin ; Intermediate Filament Proteins* ; Intermediate Filaments* ; Laminin ; Leg* ; Mammals ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; Muscle, Striated ; Muscles* ; Myoblasts ; Nerve Crush ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated ; Rats* ; Regeneration* ; Sciatic Nerve* ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: The intermediate filament proteins, desmin and vimentin, are specific components of the cytoskeleton of striated muscle fibers and of mononuclear cells of mesenchymal origin including myoblasts, respectively. Desmin has also been found in presumptive myoblasts of mammals. The aim of this experiment was attempted to observe the phenotypic changes of intermediate filaments in skeletal muscle fibers during early stages of sciatic nerve crushing injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sciatic nerves of rats were surgically crushed by hemostat and serial cryosections of soleus and extensor digitorum longus(EDL) muscles were prepared at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 and 27 days after nerve injury. Serial cryosections were immunolabelled with desmin, vimentin and laminin and were histochemically reacted with NADH-TR. RESULTS: 1) Firstly, desmin positive fibers were appeared in fast-twitch type C fibers of both muscles at 6 days after nerve crushing, but were not reacted for vimentin. 2) Co-expressions of desmin and vimentin were firstly detected in fast-twitch type A fibers of EDL muscles at 8 days after nerve injury. In soleus muscles, co-expressions of desmin and vimentin were firstly seen in slow-twitch type B fibers at 10 days after nerve injury. Many atrophic fibers, that contained several central nuclei like myotubes and co-expressed desmin and vimentin, were appeared in EDL muscles at 10 days after nerve injury. Although whole regions of fibers were regenerated in EDL muscles, only peripheral regions of fibers were regenerated in soleus muscles at 15 days after nerve injury. Many atrophic fibers, co-expressed of desmin and vimentin, were appeared in EDL muscles at 20 days after nerve injury. These whole fibers represented various degrees of regenerating stages. Most of mature fibers containing several central nuclei, only expressed vimentin slightly, were seen in soleus muscles at 20 days after nerve injury. Most fibers of both muscles were matured at 27 days after nerve injury, but some fibers in EDL muscles were still in processing of degeneration and regeneration. No expressions of desmin and vimentin indicated that muscle fibers were almostly matured in soleus muscles at 27 days after nerve injury. 3) Targetoid or target fibers which informed reinnervation, were appeared firstly in soleus muscles at 20 days and were seen in both muscles at 27 days after nerve injury. All targetoid and target fibers were type B fibers. CONCLUSION: Desmin was revealed in processes of degeneration and regeneration and vimentin was appealed in regeneration process. At the same time, positive immunoreactivity of desmin and vimentin showed specific differences in degree of degeneration and regeneration according to different muscles and muscle fibers.
Animals ; Cytoskeleton ; Desmin ; Intermediate Filament Proteins* ; Intermediate Filaments* ; Laminin ; Leg* ; Mammals ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; Muscle, Striated ; Muscles* ; Myoblasts ; Nerve Crush ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated ; Rats* ; Regeneration* ; Sciatic Nerve* ; Vimentin

No abstract available.
Heart Defects, Congenital ; Umbilical Veins*

PURPOSE: Traumatic brain injury is a multifaceted injury that involves direct mechanical damage, intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhage, breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, excitotoxicity, and ischemia. Even though much investigations were performed, acceptable mechanical informations were rare. The aim of this study was to reveal the expression pattern of intermediate filament proteins associated with gliotic scars in cerebral cortex of rats after cryoinjury. METHODS: A total of 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300 g, 2 months old, were used throughout the experiments. To injure the brain, rats were anesthetized for surgery with 3.5% chloral hydrate(1 mL/100 g, intraperitoneally); the frontal bones were exposed by elevating the skin; and craniectomies were performed adjacent to the central suture, midway between lambda and bregma. A cryoinjury was then created by applying a cold probe(3-mm-diameter steel rod chilled in liquid nitrogen) to the left frontal cortex(ipsilateral cortex) for 1 min. Rats were sacrificed at 1, 4, 7 and 14 days postsurgery(n=3, per time point), and three rats were sacrificed as normal controls. Serial brain cryosections were made by cryostat. For immunohistochemistry, brain tissue sections were allowed to react with mouse anti-rat GFAP antibody(1:200), mouse anti-rat vimentin antibody(1: 200), and mouse anti-rat nestin antibody(1:200). RESULTS:Reactive astrocytes expressing GFAP, vimentin and nestin appeared for the first time at 6 hours after cryoinjury. Proliferation of GFAP and nestin positive cells started at 1 day after cryoinjury, reached its maximum on day 4, and returned to normal level after the 7th post-injured day. Proliferation of vimentin positive cells started at 1 day after cryoinjury, reached its maximum on day 4, and returned to normal level after the 14th post-injured day. Characteristic morphological changes in reactive astrocytes were seen at 4 days after cryoinjury. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that GFAP, vimentin and nestin positive cells attend in the formation of gliotic scars.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Cerebral Cortex ; Chloral Hydrate ; Cicatrix ; Cold Temperature ; Frontal Bone ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; Intermediate Filaments ; Ischemia ; Male ; Mice ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Steel ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Sutures ; Vimentin

The clinical analysis of cranial nerve injuries was performed on 435 cases with cranoicrerbral trauma. This prospective study included the correlation between cranial nerve injuries and risk factors such as intracranial hematoma, initial Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) score, pneumocephalus, and other combined injuries. The results were revealed as follows : 1) 133 cranial nerve injuries(on 97 patients) were noted among 435 craniocerebral trauma victims(97/435=22.2%). 2) The order of frequent cranial nerve injuries was facial nerve(7.3%), olfactory nerve(6.9%), oculomotor nerve(4.4%), abducens nerve(3.9%), optic nerve(3.2%), etc. 3) Bilateral involvment of cranial nerve injuries was noted in 16.5%(22/133). 4) The incidence of immediate onset of cranial nerve injuries was 66.9%(89/133). 5) The incidence of cranial nerve injuries was significantly high in patients with pneumocephalus and low initial GCS score. 6) The functional recovery of injured cranial nerve within 3 months was noted in 30.1%(40/133).
Coma ; Cranial Nerve Injuries* ; Cranial Nerves* ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pneumocephalus ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

A propecive analysis of 50 patients with acute interhemisphric subdural hemorrhage and tentorial hemorrhage, an unusual pattern of acute subdural hematoma, who were managed in a uniform way was analyzed to related outcome to hemorrhagic site, initial Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) and combined injuries. The incidence of acute interhemisphric subdural hemorrhage(ISH) and tentoria hemorrhage(TH) after head trauma was 3.83%, 50 cases among 1303 head injured cases. And 80% of the above hemorrhage disapperaed within two weeks after trauma. There was no significant relationship between feature of hemorrhage and intial GCS(P>0.05), but there was highly significant relationship between initial GCS and Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS) (p<0.001). There noted significant relationship between initial combined injury and GOS(p<0.01), and also brainstem injury and GOS(p<0.001).
Brain Stem ; Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Head ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Acute ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Incidence