A study of effect of local hypothermia upon the paravertebral muscles which also become sensitized during spinal cord cooling was performed using cats. With a cuff, a cooler, to which was attached tubes connected to a refrigerator, the experimental technique was deviced to cool the paravertebral muscles locally at cervical and lumbar level. Cold, liquid saline at a temperature of 2.8+/-0.6 degrees C was circulated in closed system through the tube into the cuff which was snugly rested on the surface of paravertebral muscles as a heat exchanger. The temperature was measured at intervals of ten minutes with thermocouples before and during cooling for thirty minutes. In the muscle surface underneath the cuff, the mean precooling temperature of 30.1 degrees C in the normal muscle was lowered to 15.4 degrees C at the end of the first 10 minutes of cooling. After this initial rapid drop in temperature, there was a further gradual decrease of temperature to 13.6 degrees C at the end of 20 minutes of cooling. In the muscle 1cm beneath the cuff, the mean precooling temperature of 31.4 degrees C in the normal muscle was lowered to 17.3 degrees C at the end of first 10 minutes of cooling. After this initial rapid drop in temperature, there was a further gradual decrease of temperature to 16.2 degrees C at the end of 20 minutes of cooling. For comparison, the temperature in the clipped muscle and nonclipped muscle were also measured. The temperature in the clipped muscle surface was lower than that of non-clipped. Topical ice application resulted in rapid drop of temperature from 31.2 degrees C to 13.9 degrees C in skin, 32.3 degrees C to 13.1 degrees C in subcutaneous layer and 32.5 degrees C to 13.9 degrees C in muscle, simultaneously. Another aspect of this experiment was an evaluation of the protective effect of local hypothermia with respect to muscle injury associated with clipping, of muscles. The injured(clipped) muscles with or without local hypothermia was biopsied and stained with Hematoxylin Eosin and Hematoxylin Basic Funchsin Picric acid and sectioned specimens were observed under the light microscope. The clipped muscle examined thirty minutes after release of clipping showed 20~30% of red stain in HBFP stain. The normal muscle showed less than 5% of red stain in the field. In intermittent hypothermia, 2 minute cooling group showed 20% of red stain in the field. The clipped muscle with local hypothermia showed less red stain than that of non-hypothermia. The results of this study confirmed the belief that the cold liquid and ice of physiologic saline can be used in clinical neurosurgery for extravascular local cooling of scalp and paravertebral muscles and for irrigating or perfusing operative field.
Animals ; Cats ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Hematoxylin ; Hot Temperature ; Hypothermia ; Ice ; Muscles ; Neurosurgery ; Scalp ; Skin ; Spinal Cord

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome is inherited as an autcsonal dominant trait with a high degree of penetrane and variable expressivity. The mair features are basal cell carcinoma. jaw cysts, skeletal anornalies, ectopic calcifications and palmoplantar pits. We report varous clinical ma.nifestations in brother and sister, wnich are jaw cyst,, bifid rib, shortened fourth metacarpals, ectopie calcification, palrnoplanar pits and basal cell carcinoma, Microscopically, histologic patterns of basal cell cacinomas are superficial, nodulocystic, keratotic, pigmented, adenoid and follicullar nevoid. Lange numbers of basal cell carcinomas were electrodessicated and curetted under general,nesthesia.
Adenoids ; Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome* ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Humans ; Jaw Cysts ; Metacarpal Bones ; Ribs ; Siblings

PURPOSE: The ability to perform chromosome analysis of cryopreserved cord blood mononuclear cells is important for future retrospective studies. We compared the karyotypes of cryopreserved cells with cells before cryopreservation. METHODS: One cord blood (CB) sample was obtained from normal healthy volunteer. Karyotype analysis was performed before cryopreservation. After mononuclear cell separation with Ficoll-Hypaque, the mononuclear cells were cryopreserved by programmed controlled-rate freezer and then transferred into the liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C) for 3 days. After rapid thawing, cytogenetic analysis was performed as the same method for each sample by different conditions. The samples were divided by three groups. The first group was no culture before cryopreservation, the second group was 72 hours culture before cryopreservation, but no 24 hours culture after thawing and the third group was 72 hours culture before cryopreservation and 24 hours culture after thawing. RESULTS: The chromosome analysis was successful in the second and third groups of CB sample. CONCLUSION: The successful result from CB samples may suggest the usefulness of long-term cryopreservation for retrospective study in various clinical settings including hematologic malignancies.
Cell Separation ; Cryopreservation ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Fetal Blood ; Karyotype ; Nitrogen ; Retrospective Studies

Scrub typhus is a zoonosis transmitted by a chigger of trombiculid mite and manifested with fever, skin rash, myalgia, and hepatitis etc. The renal involvement of the disease is prese-ted with transient microscopic hematuria and/or proteinuria. However acute renal failure or meningoencephalitis is very rare. We report a case of scrub typhus manifested with acute renal failure, meningoencephalitis, and hepatitis. The patient was treated with doxycycline and continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) and recovered successfully.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Doxycycline ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Hematuria ; Hemofiltration ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Meningoencephalitis* ; Myalgia ; Proteinuria ; Scrub Typhus* ; Trombiculidae

For those with allergy, vaccination with a specific allergen has often been used as a major therapeutic measure. However, the universal application of this technique in clinics have been restricted due to its low success rates and the risk of active systemic anaphylactic shock (ASAS). In this regard, we constructed a fusion protein (OVA-DT), ovalbumin (OVA) fused with diphtheria toxin protein (DT), which may exert a specific cytotoxicity to cells bearing OVA-specific IgE. Its therapeutic effect was evaluated in mice (BALB/c) sensitized with OVA (Os-mice). OVA challenges to the OVA-sensitized mice (Os-mice) caused ASAS to death within 30 min, but OVA-DT treatment afforded mice complete protection. When OVA-DT was treated to the Os-mice, none showed the signs of ASAS when re-challenged 48 h after the treatment. OVA-DT itself was not found to be toxic or allergenic in normal mice. The effect of OVA-DT on the biological functions of mast cells was also studied. Binding of OVA-DT to OVA-specific IgE bearing mast cells and the inhibition of histamine release from these cells were observed. In addition, OVA-DT treatment inhibited the proliferation of OVA-specific B cells in mice. In Os-mice treated with OVA-DT, levels of anti-OVA IgG2a in serum and the production of IFN-gamma by splenic lymphocytes were found to increase, but the production of IL-4 by these cells decreased. Re-direction of cytokine profiles from OVA-specific Th2 to OVA-specific Thl is suggested. These results indicate that OVA-DT can protect Os-mice from ASAS due to OVA challenge, because it inactivates OVA-specific IgE-expressing cells, including mast cells and B cells.
Anaphylaxis/prevention | control* ; Animal ; B-Lymphocytes/immunology ; Female ; Histamine Release/drug effects ; IgE/metabolism ; Interferon Type II/biosynthesis ; Interleukin-4/biosynthesis ; Lymphocyte Transformation/drug effects ; Mast Cells/metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Ovalbumin/immunology* ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/therapeutic use*

Higenamine was widely used as traditional remedy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Nitric oxide (NO) may be a critical mediator in this inflammatory disease. Synovial tissue from humans with inflammatory arthritis expresses NOS2 (iNOS) mRNA and protein, and generates NO in vitro. We therefore, investigated the effect of higenamine on the induction of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) promoted by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Prophylactic application of higenamine selectively prevented LPS-primed initiation of L-arginine-induced relaxation and restored phenylephrine(PE)-induced contraction in rat aorta. LPS-stimulated nitrite production in the incubation medium was reduced by higenamine. Furthermore, RT-PCR and Northern analysis indicated that higenamine reduced iNOS expression primed by LPS in rat aorta. These results suggest that higenamine prevents LPS-promoted induction of NOS in vascular smooth muscle.
Animals ; Aorta* ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; RNA, Messenger*

Pseudocyst of the auricle is an uncommon condition, which typically presents as an asymptomatic, noninflammatory swelling of the external ear. Most of the patients are usually young, healthy males without trauma. Histological examination is characterized by the intracartilaginous accumulation of serous fluid without an epithelial lining. The pathogenesis is unknown. Some theories about the release of lysosomal enzymes or inflammatory mediators and embryologic dysplasia of the auricle cartilage have been suggested. Treatment of pseudocyst of the auricle has usually involved a simple aspiration and compressive dressing, but this may often cause the fluid to reaccumulate. Treatment by surgical excision may result in a permanent deformity and scar of the auricle. Therefore, various treatments have been suggested. We report a case of pseudocyst of the auricle successfully treated by incisional biopsy only.
Bandages ; Biopsy* ; Cartilage ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Ear, External ; Humans ; Male

Safflower(Carthamus tinctorius Linne'has been traditionally used for the treatment of blood stasis, and Dipsasi Radix has been used as a drug for fracture in Chinese medicine. The purpose of present study was to examine the biologic effects of safflower extract and Disasi radix extracts on the periodontal ligament cells and osteoblastic cells and on the wound healing of rat calvarial defect. The ethanolic extract of safflower blossom, safflower seed and Dipsasi Radix(125, 250, and 500 microgram/ml) were prepared as test group, and PDGF-BB(10ng/ml) and unsafonifiable fraction of Zea Mays L.(125, 250, and 500 microgram/ml) were employed as positive control. The effects of each agents on the growth and survival, ALPase activity, expression of PDGF-BB receptor, chemotactic response of PDL cell and ATCC human osteosarcoma MG63 cells in vitro were examined. The tissue regenerative effect of each extracts was evaluated by histomorphometric measuring of newly formed bone on the 8mm defect in rat calvaria after oral administration of 3 different dosages groups : 0.02, 0.1 and 0.35g/kg, per day. It was also employed the same dosages of unsaponifiable fraction of Zea Mays L. as positive controls. Safflower blossom extract, safflower seed extract, and Dipsasi Radix extract stimulate the cellular activity of MG63 cells in concentration range of 125-500microgram/ml, and safflower bolssom extract and safflower seed extract stimulate also the cellular activity of periodontal ligament cells in concentration range of 250-500microgram/ml. In activity of ALPase, 250-500microgram/ml of safflower blossom extracts showed significant stimulating effects on MG63 cells, and the same concentration range of safflower seed extracts showed significant effect on periodontal ligament cells. In the recovery on PDGF-BB receptor expression which was depressed by IL-1beta, 125-250microgram/ml of safflower blossom extracts and 250-500microgram/ml of safflower seed extracts showed significant increasing effect on MG63 cells, and 500microgram/ml of safflower blossom extract and 250-500 microgram/ml of safflower seed extracts showed significant effect on periodontal ligament cells. In chemotactic response, among all tested group, safflower seed extracts only were chemotactic to MG63 cells and periodontal ligament cells in concentration range of 125-500 microgram/ml. Also in the view of bone regeneration in rat calvarial defect model, the only group that was orally administrated 0.35g/kg, day of safflower seed extract showed significant new bone formation. These results suggested that safflower extracts might have a potential possibilities as an useful drug for adjunct to treatment for regeneration of periodontal defect.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bone Regeneration ; Carthamus tinctorius ; Ethanol ; Flowers ; Humans ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteogenesis ; Osteosarcoma ; Periodontal Ligament* ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Skull ; Wound Healing ; Zea mays

Endothelin derived from the endothelial cells of microvessel is a potent vasoactive peptide, which has various physiologic actions in many internal organs. The fact that endothelin receptors are present on the osteoblastic cells suggests that endothelin play a role in bone metabolism. This study was done to study the effect of endothelin-1 on osteoblast and the combined effect of dexamethasone and endothelin-1 on osteoblast. Human osteoblasts isolated from ilium were cultured in DME/F12 medium, and divided into 5 groups; Group 1 (control), Group 2(10(-7)M endothelin-1), Group 3(10(-7)M endothelin-1+1:2500 monoclonal antibody), Group 4(10(-7)M dexamethasone+10(-7)M endothelin-1), and Group 5(10(-7)M dexamethasone). [3H]-thymidine uptake in groups was 23373.2+/-2722.4 cpm/well, significantly higher than that of control (P<0.05), and the increase was blocked by the addition of monoclonal antibody to endothelin(group 3). [3H]-thymidine uptake in groups adding steroid with or without endothelin was significantly lower than that of other groups (P<0.05). Group 2 showed marked increase in type I procollagen mRNA compared with other groups, but group 3 and 4 showed no significant effect on the expression of type I procollagen mRNA. In histochemical staining for alkaline phosphatase activity, the cells in groups with steroid were strongly positive in staining, large in size and looked well differentiated. Osteocalcin synthesis was also increased in groups with steroid treatment compared with other groups. This study demonstrated that endothelin-1 stimulated DNA synthesis and the expression of type I procollagen mRNA in human osteoblasts, and inhibited alkaline phosphatase activity, but had no significant effect on osteocalcin. Dexamethasone stimulated alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin synthesis, and inhibited DNA synthesis but had no significant effect on the expression of type I procollagen mRNA. Dexamethasone masked the effect of endothelin-1 on human osteoblastic cells, and the effect of dexamethasone was predominant in the group of a combination of endothelin-1 and dexamethasone.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Collagen Type I ; Dexamethasone ; DNA ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelin-1 ; Endothelins* ; Humans ; Ilium ; Masks ; Metabolism ; Microvessels ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteocalcin ; Receptors, Endothelin ; RNA, Messenger

BACKGROUND: The effective ventricular function during ejection and filling is likely to depend on the coordinated action of the longitudinally and circumferentially orientated myocardial fibers and the function of these longitudinal fibers has not been extensively studied. METHODS: The role of longitudinally and circumferentially orientated fibers in left ventricular wall motion was evaluated by M-mode echocardiograms of the mitral ring(whose motion reflect long axis change) and the standard minor axis(left ventricular posterior wall), simultaneous recordings of phonocardiograms and electrocardiograms on the paper (speed 100mm/sec), in 24 healty individuals, 17 patients with mitral stenosis, 11 patients with open mitral commissurotomy and 17 mitral valve replaced patients. RESULTS: In the controls long axis shortening significantly preceded minor axis shortening (phase difference between two axes : 20+/-3 msec, mean+/-SEM) during early systole, indicating left ventricle become more spherical. This phase difference was also observed in the patients with mitral stenosis and in those with open mitral commissurotomy. In patients with mitral valve replacement(MVR) whose papillary muscles had been sectioned, the onset of long axis shortening was more delayed during early systole than that of short axis(-33+/-6msec) and the end of shortening was also prolonged to early diastole more than that of normal controls (54+/-3 msec vs 90+/-8 msec, mean+/-SEM, p<0.01 by t-test). CONCLUSION: We observed the time relations between long and short axis motion in normal controls. It can be concluded that the reversed time relation in patients with MVR is one of the important factors which may effect negatively on ventricular function and long-term prognosis, thus the surgical procedures to preserve papillary annular continuity should be considered in patients with mitral valvular disease. And the controlled, prospective, clinical trials with homogenous groups of patients are needed to evaluate the potential benefits of papillary annular continuity in preserving atrio-ventricular interaction in patients undergoing mitral valvular surgery.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Diastole ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Valve Diseases* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Stenosis ; Papillary Muscles ; Prognosis ; Systole ; Ventricular Function