No abstract available.
Rabbits* ; Regeneration*

No abstract available.
Rett Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Diabetes Mellitus* ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Myotonia* ; Myotonic Dystrophy*

No abstract available.
Evoked Potentials, Motor* ; Paresis*

No abstract available.
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

We have reviewed our experiences of computerized tomography(CT) in the fracture of the spine. Between December 1983 and June 1985, we treated 33 fractures of the spine in 32 patients. We have used CT for the diagnosis of fractures of the spine in 29 cases (28 patients). Also we have used Louis scoring system to evaluate the stability of the fractured spine. The results are as follows. 1. CT has many advantages that were not given from simple radiograp hies or laminagrams. It reveals the vertebral body, vertebral column, posterior compartments and surrounding soft tissues excellently, and it is easy to interpretate. Also it can be done comfortably and rapidly without the need of manipulations. 2. We could acquire many informations from post-operative or long term following up of CT examinations. 3. If the Louis score is higher than 3, we should think it is unstable, and should take internal fixation of the vertebral column. 4. There is a correlation between Louis score and neurologic signs (p < 0.01). If there was a neurologic sign with low Louis score, less than 1, the recovery was soon, less than 24 hours. 5. According to CT findings for fragmentation or location of fragment, we can alternate an anterior decompression or a posterior decompression. 6. It is necessary to use CT as a initial diagnostic procedure with the simple radiographic examination in spine fracture.
Clinical Study ; Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spine

Osteopoikilosis is an asymptomatic osteosclerotic dysplasia, initially described by Albers-Schönberg and Ledoux-Lebard and associates. This disorder is described as extremely rare. Inherited and sporadic cases of osteopopikilosis have been reported. A Case of familial osteopoikilosis is presented with a brief review of literatures.
Osteopoikilosis

BACKGROUND: It is now thought that the earliest manifestation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is alveolitis, that is, an accumulation of inflammatory and immune effector cells within alveolar walls and spaces. Inflammatory cells including alveolar macrophages and resident normal pulmonary tissue cells participate through the release of many variable mediators such as inflammatory growth factors and cytokines, which contribute to tissue damage and finally cause chronic pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. This study was performed to investigate the source and distribution pattern of transforming growth factor-beta1(TGF-beta1), platelet derived growth factor(PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF), interleukin 1(IL-1), interleukin 6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) and the role of these mediators on bleomycin(BLM)-induced pulmonary injury and fibrosis in rats. METHOD: Wistar rats were divided into three groups(control group, BML treated group, BML and vitamine E treated group). Animals were sacrifices periodically at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28 days after saline or BLM administration. The effects were compared to the results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis, light microscopic findings, immunohistochemical stains for six defferent mediators(TGF-beta1, PDGF, bFGF, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) and mRNA in situ hybridization for TGF-beta1. RESULTS: IL-1 and IL-6 are maximally expressed at postbleomycin 1~7th day which are mainly produced by neutrophils and bronchiolar epithelium. It is thought that they induce recruitment of inflammatory cells at the injury site. The expression of IL-1 and IL-6 at the bronchiolar epithelium within 7th day is an indirect evidence of contribution of bronchiolar epithelial cells to promote and maintain the inflammatory and immune responses adjacent to the airways. TNF-alpha is mainly produced by neutrophils and bronchiolar epithelial cells during 1~5th day, alveolar macrophages during 7~28th day. At the earlier period, TNF-alpha causes recruitment of inflammatory cells at the injury site and later stimulates pulmonary fibrosis. The main secreting cells of TGF-beta1 are alveolar macrophages and bronchiolar epithelium and the target is pulmonary fibroblasts and extracellular matrix. TGF-beta1 and PDGF stimulate proliferation of pulmonary fibroblasts and TGF-beta1 and bFGF incite the fibroblasts to produce extracellular matrix. The vitamine E and BLM treated group shows few positive cells(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: After endothelial and epithelial injury, the neutrophils and bronchiolar epithelium secrete IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha which induce infiltration of many neutrophils. It is thought that variable enzymes and O2 radicals released by these neutrophils cause destruction of normal lung architecture and progression of pulmonary fibrosis. At the 7~28th day, TGF-beta1, PDGF, bFGF, TNF-alpha secreted by alveolar macrophages sting pulmonary fibroblasts into proliferating with increased production of extracellular matrix and finally, they make progression of pulmonary fibrosis. TNF-alpha compares quite important with TGF-beta1 to cause pulmonary fibrosis. Vitamine E seems to decrease the extent of BLM induced pulmonary fibrosis.
Animals ; Bites and Stings ; Bleomycin* ; Blood Platelets ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Coloring Agents ; Cytokines* ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ; In Situ Hybridization ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; RNA, Messenger ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vitamins

OBJECTIVE: To investigate bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone turnover in cerebral palsy patients according to the severity and type. METHOD: BMD and biochemical markers of bone turnover were examined in 30 normal children and 57 children with cerebral palsy. They were 10 to 15 years old and divided into 5 groups: Group I, 30 normal children; Group II, 11 with moderate spastic cerebral palsy; Group III, 10 with moderate non-spastic cerebral palsy; Group IV, 24 with bed-ridden spastic cerebral palsy; Group V, 13 with bed-ridden non-spastic cerebral palsy. The bed-ridden cerebral palsy subjects were further divided into two groups: one with treatment of anticonvulsants more than 5 years; the other with no experience of anticonvulsants treatment. BMD and its T-score on the dominant forearm were measured in all subject, and the level of serum osteocalcin and urine deoxypyridinoline were measured in cerebral palsy patients in early morning. RESULTS: The bed-ridden cerebral palsy children were shorter, weighed less, and also showed significantly lower value of BMD and T-score on the distal radio-ulnar and the distal end of radial bones compared to those of the normal and the moderate cerebral palsy. These parameters were not significantly different between spastic and non-spastic types of same severity of cerebral palsy. There's no difference in the level of serum osteocalcin and urine deoxypyridinoline between each group of cerebral palsy. In cerebral palsy groups, the level of serum osteocalcin remained in the normal range of the same age group of the normal, however, the urine deoxypyridinoline levels were significantly higher than those of the same age groups of the normal. No difference in either BMD or biochemical markers of bone turnover was observed in bed-ridden cerebral palsy groups regardless of anticonvulsants treatment. CONCLUSION: A couple of factors accounting for lower BMD in bed-ridden cerebral palsy are as follows: 1) the increase in activity of bone resorption rather than formation, 2) the diminish of muscle use and the decrease of mechanical stresses on the bone. In addition, these results also suggest no effect of anticonvulsants on lower BMD.
Adolescent ; Anticonvulsants ; Biomarkers* ; Bone Density* ; Bone Resorption ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Child ; Forearm ; Humans ; Muscle Spasticity ; Osteocalcin ; Reference Values ; Stress, Mechanical