Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is introduced as a marker of disease. At present, a variety of method may be used to quantify expression of this protein. Antigen capture-ELISA is a sensitive and accurate quantification method previously used with ovine, rat, and human IL-6 proteins. However, it has never been reported to quantify porcine IL-6 protein using capture ELISA. In this study, we generated and characterized a set of IgY and mono-specific polyclonal antibodies to recombinant porcine IL-6 (rpIL-6), and combining these with a sensitive and specific capture-ELISA for a diagnostic purpose. cDNA encoding the mature protein coding region of porcine IL-6 was cloned and expressed with pQE-30UA expression vector. rpIL-6 was then expressed and purified by using Ni-NTA resin. Protein mass of 24 kDa was found with SDS-PAGE and the identity of the protein was confirmed by Western-blot. Production of polyclonal antibodies against rpIL-6 was performed using the purified rpIL-6 in mice and hens. An antigen capture-ELISA was developed with the antibodies after their extraction. To compare the IL-6 level in the different sanitary state of farms, pig sera were randomly collected and concentration of IL-6 in the sera was measured with the antigen capture-ELISA. The capture-ELISA with the optimal concentration of antibodies, in this study, was able to detect about 10 ng/ml of rpIL-6. IL-6 levels determined with the capture-ELISA in pig sera showed positive correlation with the sanitary states of the farms. These results suggested that the developed antigen capture-ELISA could be a good tool for the screening of microbial infection in pig farms.
Animals ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blotting, Western/veterinary ; Chickens ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary/genetics/isolation&purification ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/veterinary ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods/*veterinary ; Female ; Immunoglobulins/*blood ; Interleukin-6/*immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Recombinant Proteins/immunology ; Swine/*immunology

Repairing of lacrimal canalicular laceration has some controversies on the golden time of surgery, the suture method, and the materials for stent. Recently, intubation of silicone tubes has become popular for repair of lacrimal canalicular injuries. Thirty-two cases of injured lacrimal canaliculi were repaired with use of silicone tube stents. The surgery can be done with monocanalicular(10 patients) or bicanalicular(22 patient) methods. The follow-up period was from two to eighteen months(mean ten months). Seven cases using the monocanalicular method and nineteen cases using the bicanalicular method were successful. Three cases of monocanalicular method had epiphora with canalicular obstruction due to early loss of the silicone tube. In monocanalicular method, postoperative complications were punctal granuloma(1 case), punctal slits(2 cases), and early loss of the silicone tube(3 cases). In bicanalicular method, postoperative complications were persistent epiphora during the period of intubaion(4 cases), conjunctival irritation sign(3 cases) and loop retraction(1 case). In conclusion, the success rate of bicanalicular stents were higher than that of monocanalicular stents for canalicular laceration. But the bicanalicular stent had some complications including cosmetic problem, possibility of injuries to the normal canaliculus during intubation, conjuntival irritation sign, and loop retraction.
Follow-Up Studies ; Intubation* ; Lacerations ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Postoperative Complications ; Silicones* ; Stents ; Sutures

BACKGROUND: Acromioclavicular (AC) stability is maintained through a complex combination of soft-tissue restraints that include coracoclavicular (CC), AC ligament and overlying muscles. Among these structures, the role of the CC ligament has continued to be studied because of its importance on shoulder kinematics, especially after AC injury. This study was designed to determine the geometric change of conoid and trapezoid ligaments and resulting stresses on these ligaments according to various scapular motions. METHODS: The scapuloclavicular (SC) complex was isolated from a fresh-frozen cadaver by removing all soft tissues except the AC and CC ligaments. The anatomically aligned SC complex was then scanned with a high-resolution computed tomography scanner into 0.6-mm slices. The Finite element model of the SC complex was obtained and used for calculating the stress on different parts of the CC ligaments with simulated movements of the scapula. RESULTS: Average stress on the conoid ligament during anterior tilt, internal rotation, and scapular protraction was higher, whereas the stress on the trapezoid ligament was more prominent during posterior tilt, external rotation, and retraction. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that CC ligament plays an integral role in regulating horizontal SC motion as well as complex motions indicated by increased stress over the ligament with an incremental scapular position change. The conoid ligament is the key structure restraining scapular protraction that might occur in high-grade AC dislocation. Hence in CC ligament reconstructions involving only single bundle, every attempt must be made to reconstruct conoid part of CC ligament as anatomically as possible.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cadaver* ; Dislocations ; Ligaments* ; Muscles ; Scapula ; Shoulder

BACKGROUND: Exercise testing is an importnat diagnostic and prognostic procedure in the assessment of patients with ischemic heart disease. But standard ST-segment depression criteria was not high enough to estimate coronary srtery disease. Recently, the heart rate adjustment of ST segment depression, ST segment/heart rate slope and index, have been proposed as a more accurate criteria for diagnosing significant coronary artery disease. The objective of this study was to compare the discriminating power of proposed ST segment/heart rate slope and index with that of a standard method of assessing exercise-induced ST segment depression for estimating coronary artery disease. METHODS: Sixty nine patients with ischemic heart disease were studied with exercise treadmill testing and coronary angiography. Computer-measured ST-segment amplitudes were obtained and analysis of the heart rate-adjusted ST segment depression(ST/HR slope and big up tri, Delta ST/HR index) was done. The sensitivity, specificity, and extent of coronary artery disease on each criteria were compared. RESULTS: 1) The sensitivity of big up tri, Delta ST/HR index partition of 1.6uV/beats/min was slightly higher(83%) and the specificity of ST/HR slope partition of 2.4uV/beats/min was higher(87%) than the standard exercise electrocardiographic criteria. 2) Early onset of ischemic ST-segment depression, profound ST-segment depression(> or =2mm), and downsloping ST-segment were associated with more extensive coronary artery disease. 3) On ST/HR slope, no CAD was 1.7+/-0.26uV/beats/min, one vessel disease was 2.6+/-0.34 uV/beats/min, two vessel disease was 2.7+/-1.36uV/beats/min, one vessel disease was 2.8+/-0.35uV/beats/min, and on big up tri, Delta ST/HR index, no CAD was 1.8+/-0.38uV/beats/min, one vessel disease was 2.8+/-1.36uV/beats/min, two vessel disease 3.4+/-1.44uV/beats/min, and three vessel disease was 3.7+/-2.95uV/beats/min. The increment of ST/HR slope and big up tri, Delta ST/HR index were associated with the coronary artery disease and its severity, but the correlations were not high enough. CONCLUSION: The heart rate adjustment of ST segment depression was not high enough for improved detection of coronary artery disease, compared with standard ST-segment depression criteria. But these indexes can be improved the clinical usefulness of the treadmill exercise test for coronary aretry disease.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Depression* ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND: Smoking increases the risk of respiratory, cardiac diseases and cancer. This study is to ascertain the relationship between passive smoking, the modes of residence, its location and the immunoglobulin values as well as the eosinophil counts in relation to child patients suffering from bronchial or cardiac asthma. METHODS: The research was conducted at a general hospital with cooperation of 242 patients who had been hospitalized 1991 through 1995. We compared the average values of immunoglobulin between the groups of exposed and non-exposed to smoking by T-test. A same work for residential modes was done by T-tests, while the data regarding the residing locality were processed by ANOVA. RESULTS: Each values of TEC, IgE, IgA, and IgM in both groups has been analysed but spelling no significant differences. The group residing in apartments showed lower value of IgM than those of flats. CONCLUSIONS: The reason the IgM value of apartments is lower than that of flats is due to the difference of living quarters. This signifies the modes of residence may as well affect the IgE value.
Asthma ; Child* ; Eosinophils ; Heart Diseases ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution*

We analyzed 34 cases of large bone defect caused by trauma, infection and tumor resection from July, 1979 to June, 1985. The bony defect were restored by vascularized fibular graft or vascularized fibular transposition. 22 cases were the traumatic segmental loss and 7 cases were infected ones and 5 cases were the loss following tumor resection. Vascularized fibular graft was performed in 19 cases and vascularized fibular transposition was performed in 15 cases. The 33 cases(97%) of 34 cases had obtained sound bony union and average union time had been 18.6 weeks. Even local infection in the bone, vascularized fibular graft or transposition can be performed. Grafted or transposed fibula had been hypertrophied about 1.2 times in anteroposterior and lateral film which had been measured in the center of the fibula. The most common complication was the clawing of first or second toe. If the ipsilateral fibula is intact, the vascularized fibular transposition is better and if not, vascularized fibular graft is preferred. Operation using the vascularized fibula is a excellent method for the restoration of large bone defect in long bone.
Animals ; Fibula ; Hoof and Claw ; Methods ; Toes ; Transplants

Fractures of the shaft of the radius and ulna occur commonly in children and are usually treated by closed reduction and plaster cast immobilization. Anatomic reduction is seldom necessary because of the remodelling potential in the child under 10 years of age, whereas the bones of children older than 10 years of age have less capacity to remodel and the diaphyseal fracture is unstable. In case of either unacceptable reduction or unstable fractures in adolescent patients, an operative treatment is required. In five children older than 12 years of age for whom conservative treatment had hailed, we treated a closed intramedullary nailing using a distal radial and proximal ulnar approach, and followed up for 1 year or more. All fractures healed within 6 weeks. No nonunion, cross-union or refrature occured. Another advantages of this method are negliable cosmestic defect and easy removal of the internal fixation device under local anesthesia. We think that closed intramedullary nailing with rush pin is a safe and reliable method to treat unstable forearm fracture in children older than 12 years of age.
Adolescent ; Anesthesia, Local ; Casts, Surgical ; Child ; Forearm ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Internal Fixators ; Methods ; Radius ; Ulna

Ankle fractures in children often involve the physis. They are of particular importance because partial or entire growth arrest can occur and result in significant complications. We followed thirty-four ankle fracture involving distal physis of tibia and fibula for more than 1 year and analyzed them using the modified Salter-Harris classification, the Dias-Tachdjian classification and the type of fracture (closed or open), Complications occurred in eight cases (23.5%) – two of twenty-six closed fractures (7.7%) and six of eight open fractures (75%). The complications were more significant in open fractures. Angular deformity (5 cases), limb-length discrepancy (4 cases), incongruity of the joint surface (2 cases), fibular overgrowth (2 cases) and synostosis (1 case) occurred alond or combined. In three cases of them we performed surgical management (bone bridge resection or/and supramalleolar corrective osteotomy) and had satisfactory results. This study suggests that the incidence of complications is difficult to anticipate, but is correlated with severity of initial injuries of growth plate and soft tissue, and is much higher in open fracture. After physeal injury, children should be followed until skeletal maturity and the severe deformities can be prevented by early detection and correction of growth plate disturbance.
Ankle Fractures ; Ankle ; Child ; Classification ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fibula ; Fractures, Closed ; Fractures, Open ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Synostosis ; Tibia

Recurrent deformity following hallux valgus surgery can be technically challenging to treat. In cases of revision surgery, a surgical technique with greater corrective power is often chosen compared to the primary surgery. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery is not commonly performed. On the other hand, minimally invasive surgery minimizes soft tissue damage and allows for greater correction of deformity compared to traditional open approaches. This paper reports four cases of recurrent hallux valgus treated with a minimally invasive distal transverse metatarsal osteotomy – Akin osteotomy (MITA), resulting in significant improvements in the clinical and radiographic outcomes.

Recurrent deformity following hallux valgus surgery can be technically challenging to treat. In cases of revision surgery, a surgical technique with greater corrective power is often chosen compared to the primary surgery. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery is not commonly performed. On the other hand, minimally invasive surgery minimizes soft tissue damage and allows for greater correction of deformity compared to traditional open approaches. This paper reports four cases of recurrent hallux valgus treated with a minimally invasive distal transverse metatarsal osteotomy – Akin osteotomy (MITA), resulting in significant improvements in the clinical and radiographic outcomes.