Spontaneous rupture of the extensor tendon has been reported in association with predisposing inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, trauma, tophaceous gout, and steroid injection. The authors experienced a case of spontaneous rupture of the extensor digitorum longus tendons caused by an osteophyte of the tarsometatarsal joint in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. The authors stress that aggressive treatment including surgery could be considered for prevention of spontaneous tendon rupture in a patient with predisposing conditions despite an asymptomatic spur.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Flatfoot ; Gout ; Humans ; Joints* ; Osteophyte* ; Rupture ; Rupture, Spontaneous* ; Tendons*

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Interleukin-10*

In this study, the structural components of thymic cortex were compared in aging process. Thymic tissues of 1 week, 8 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months-old ICR mice were fixed in the 2.5% glutaraldehyde- 1% paraformaldehyde solution, and refixed in the 1% osmium tetroxide solution. Dehydrated tissue blocks were embedded in the araldite mixture. Ultrathin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate solution. Results from the electron microscopic observations are as follow; 1. In the thymic cortex of 1 week old mice, epithelial reticular cells incompletely surrounded thymoblasts and thymocytes, resulting variable spaces between thymocyte and cytoplasm of epithelial reticular cells. 2. Microenvironments of the thymus of 8 weeks to 6 months old mice showed typical thymic structure, and thymocytes and thymoblasts were completely surrounded with epithelial reticular cells. 3. In the thymic cortex of a 12 months old mouse, many epithelial reticular cells contains vacuolated cytoplasm and apoptotic thymocytes. 4. Epithelial reticular cells of 18 months old mouse were shrunken, and intercellular spaces between them and thymocytes and/or thymoblasts are increased. Deep cortex shows activated macrophage and mature plasma cells with a well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum. 5. Epithelial reticular cells of a 24 months old mouse were shrunken, since decreased cytoplasmic volume and increased lipidic globules. Deep cortex showed many activated macrophages and mature plasma cells. Epithelial reticular cells showed increasing electron density in their cytoplasmic plates and lipomatous atropy on aging. In conclusion, on aging, the components of microenvironment of thymus are more or less involute for preventing immunological actions in the thymic parenchyme. The digestion of cellular material results in a accumulation of lipid within the cells. Morphological change of epithelial reticular cell were characterized by the prominent cytoplasmic vacuolization. The cortical and subcapsular epithelial cells exhibited a loss of the cytoplasmic processes in all animals except in the 6 months old animals. At the same time, the thinning of thymic cortex, alterations of epithelial reticular cells, more macrophages, and other cell elements were pronounced, which may well be correlated with the age involution of the thymus.
Aging ; Animals ; Child, Preschool ; Citric Acid ; Cytoplasm ; Digestion ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Epithelial Cells ; Extracellular Space ; Humans ; Infant ; Macrophages ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Osmium Tetroxide ; Plasma Cells ; Thymocytes ; Thymus Gland

PURPOSE: This study was performed to compare osteogenic capacity according to the scaffold, i.e., calcium metaphosphate on purified bovine collagen (Lubboc(R)). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Calcium metaphosphate and Lubboc blocks were immersed within a bone marrow cell suspension from New Zealand white male rabbit anterior superior iliac spine to produce cell-biomaterial complexes. These were cultured for 5 weeks in osteogenic media and differences with bone densitometry, light microscopic examination, electron microscopic examination, concentration of osteocalcin from osteoblasts were then evaluated. RESULTS: In light microscopic examination, more organized tissue was observed in the Lubboc(R) group. By electron microscopy osteoblasts and the matrix were densely overlapped on the surface of the Lubboc(R) group, whereas cells were scattered on the calcium metaphosphate. Immunohistologic examination for osteocalcin was definitely positive in the Lubboc(R) group, but the reaction on the calcium metaphosphate was unclear, and densitometry revealed that Lubboc(R) (0.028 gms/cm2) showed a statistically significant higher density than calcium metaphosphate (0.026 gms/cm2). CONCLUSION: Highly purified bovine collagen was more effective than calcium metaphosphate in osteogenesis in vitro.
Bone Marrow Cells ; Calcium* ; Collagen ; Densitometry ; Heterografts* ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; New Zealand ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis* ; Spine

BACKGROUND: Patients premedicated with clonidine often present with hypotension and bradycardia. The hypotensive patient premedicated with clonidine should be given a vasopressor to treat hypotension. In these patients, an augmented vasopressor response would be shown. Rilmenidine as an allied drug of clonidine is an antihypertensive agent with selectivity for the imidazoline receptor that acts centrally by reducing sympathetic overactivity. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of clonidine and rilmenidine on changes in mean blood pressure and baroreflex sensitivity following phenylephrine and nitroprusside administration. METHODS: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly into one of three groups, control group (n = 20), clonidine group (n = 20) or rilmenidine group (n = 20). Saline (control group), clonidine 30ng/kg (clonidine group) or rilmenidine 300ng/kg (rilmenidine group) were intraperitoneally injected respectively. Following the injection, a phenylephrine and nitroprusside test were performed. RESULTS: The percent change in mean blood perssure from the baseline values in the control group, clonidine group and rilmenidine group were 35 +/- 18%, 54 +/- 17% and 62 +/- 38%, respectively. There was no difference between the baroreflex sensitivity in the pressure (phenylephrine) test (0.94 +/- 0.43, vs 1.05 +/- 0.62, vs 1.13 +/- 0.59 msec/mmHg). In contrast, the slopes of the depressor (nitroprusside) test were decreased in rats receiving clonidine and rilmenidine (0.51 +/- 0.34, vs 0.12 +/- 0.08, vs 0.18 +/- 0.09 msec/mmHg, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the rilmenidine and clonidine groups showed a more augmented pressure response to vasopressors than the control group. Therefore, the decreased dosage of vasopressors is recommended to treat hypotension in rilmenidine premedicated patients.
Animals ; Baroreflex ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Clonidine* ; Control Groups ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Nitroprusside* ; Phenylephrine* ; Premedication* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The trials to detect the cerebral ischemia during the brain surgery have been continued since last three decades. The intraoperative Xenon isotope cerebral blood flow(CBF) measurement and EEG monitoring were proven to be useful techniques for this purpose. But these techniques have several drawbacks and are not easily applicable in most institutions. Authors, therefore, developed a intraoperative cerebral ischemia monitoring system which applied the digital electroencephalography(EEG) and compressed spectral array(CSA) technique. Technical details of our system and the examples of clinical applications are described.
Brain ; Brain Ischemia* ; Electroencephalography ; Xenon

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of mortality in the world. There are no population-based studies on long-term mortality in COPD patients in Korea. METHODS: Using the large, population-based, National Health Insurance Service- National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC), we identified COPD patients using the International Classification of Disease-Tenth Revision (ICD-10) and prescription details in the NHIS-NSC during 2003 to 2013. We analyzed the survival curves of COPD patients by sex, age, and cause of death. RESULTS: A total of 14,127 individuals older than 40 years were diagnosed with COPD. There were a total of 3,695 deaths (26.2%) in COPD patients during the study period. The 5-year mortality of COPD patients was 25.4% (29.9% in males and 19.1% in females). The mortality rate increased rapidly with age. The most common cause of death in COPD was chronic lower respiratory disease. CONCLUSIONS This study described long-term mortality in COPD patients in Korea. Higher mortality was observed in males, and it was closely related to age.