Articular cartilage is a highly differentiated tissue, lacking a vascular supply and having only limited regenerative capability. Cut or other mechanical damage restricted to the cartilage does not repair. Experimentally and clinically, cartilage defect that penetrate the subchondral bone undergoes repair through the formation of tissue usually characterized as fibrous, fibrocartilaginous or hyaline-like cartilaginous tissue. There is little definitive informations about local or systemic factors that control the differentiation of mesenchymal cells to osteoblast, chondroblast or fibroblast. Our study was designed to evaluate the effect of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-pl) and autogenous periosteal graft on the healing of osteochondral defect of distal femur of rabbit and also the possibility of these method to be clinically applicable to human. The experimental model used in the present study for including cartilage in rabbit was based mainly on the model used by Frukawa et al14). in rabbit. A full thickness osteochondral defect of 80 rabbit were made with 2mm diameter of drill-bit and electrically driven drill. Experimental animals were divided into four group: 1) group I, osteochondral defect only, 2) group II, osteochondral defect with infiltration of phosphate buffer solution, 3) group III, osteochondral defect with infiltration of TGF-Bl, 4) group IV, osteochondral defect with autogenous periosteal graft. The healing of the defect was assessed at 1 week, 3 weeks, 5 weeks, 12 weeks after operation by gross and histochemical examination. At 1 week, fibrinoid material in edge to edge arcade arrangement was present in group I,II,III,IV. At 3 weeks, spindle shaped undifferentiated mesenchymal cell present in the periphery of fibrinous network, but there is no appearance of mesenchymal cell in group I,II. At 5 weeks, essentially complete repopulation of the defect with progressive differentiation of cells to chondroblast, chondrocyte, osteoblast and synthesis of cartilage and matrix in their appropriate location in group III and IV were found. At 12weeks, hyaline like cartilage formation was observed in group III and IV. but early trace of degeneration of the cartilage were seen in many defect with the prevalence and intensity of the degeneration increasing at group I and 3 . Our study demonstrated in detail the repair of full-thickness defect in rabbit articular cartilage extending into cancellous bone of the marrow cavity under influence of local growth factor (TGF-pl) and autogenous periosteal graft. Excellent reconstruction of articular cartilage was observed in TGF- Bl infiltration group and autogenous periosteal graft group as early as 5 weeks after the creation of defect. Although the further study should be carried out for their clinical application, we conclude that TGF-Bl regulates the overall mechanism of matrix constituent in connective tissue and autogenous periosteal graft have a chondrogenic potential to repair major osteochondral defect. these suggest that TGF-Bl and autogenous periosteal graft may be a important pathophysiological regulator of chondro- genesis.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Chondrocytes ; Connective Tissue ; Femur ; Fibrin ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Models, Theoretical ; Osteoblasts ; Prevalence ; Transplants*

Castleman's disease is a rare atypical lymphoproliferative disorder. Although HHV-8 has been reported to be a cause of Castleman's disease, the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease remains mostly unknown. We experienced a 51-year-old female patient who was concurrently diagnosed with Castleman's disease and systemic lupus erythematosus. Castleman's disease has been rarely reported in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Thus, we report the case and briefly discuss relevant articles.
Female ; Giant Lymph Node Hyperplasia ; Herpesvirus 8, Human ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to analyze the brain volume according to the brain image of healthy adults in the 20s taken with different inversion time (TI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Brain images of healthy adults in the 20 s were acquired using magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE) pulse sequence with 1.5 mm thickness of pieces and four inversion times (1100 ms, 1000 ms, 900 ms, 800 ms). The acquired brain images were analyzed to measure the volume of white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), intracranial volume (ICV). The statistical difference according to brain volume and gender was analyzed for each TI. RESULTS: The brain volume calculated using Freesurfer was WM=486.52+/-48.64 cm3 and GM=646.86+/-57.12 cm3 in mean when adjusted by mean ICV=1278.94+/-154.92 cm3. Men's brain volume(WM, GM, ICV) was larger than women's brain volume. In the intrarater reliability test, all of the intraclass correlation coefficients were high (0.992 for WM, 0.988 for GM, and 0.997 for ICV). In the repeated measures analysis of variance, GM and ICV did not show a significant difference at each TI (GM p=0.143, ICV p=0.052), but WM showed a significant (p=0.001). In the linear structure relation analysis, all of the Pearson correlation coefficients were high. CONCLUSION: WM, GM, and ICV indicated high reliability and solid linear structure relations, but WM showed significant differences at each TI. The brain volume of healthy adults in the 20s could be used in comparison with that of patients for reference purposes and to predict the structural change of brain. It would be needed to conduct additional studies to examine the contract, SNR, and lesion detection ability according to variable TI.
Adult ; Brain* ; Healthy Volunteers* ; Humans

A nine-year old boy was found unconscious by his father in his apartment house. He was transferred to the emergency unit immediately but resuscitation was failed. Drain cleansing was performed just before the deceased came home. The father stated that there was foul odor in the house when he opened the door. The autopsy finding showed only nonspecific findings including severe pulmonary edema. Significant amount of sulfide ion was detected from blood and brain tissue. The cause of death was concluded as hydrogen sulfide poisoning.
Autopsy ; Brain ; Cause of Death ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fathers ; Humans ; Hydrogen Sulfide* ; Hydrogen* ; Male ; Odors ; Poisoning* ; Pulmonary Edema ; Resuscitation

A teenaged female was found dead in front of a three story building. Blunt force injuries were found mainly in the right upper-posterior part of the body. Autopsy findings revealed basal skull fracture, multiple rib fractures of the right thoracic cage, both scapular fractures and right iliac bone fracture. Additionally, typical so-called 'tramline'bruises were bilaterally noted at buttocks. The hymen was intact, but showed mucosal hemorrhage. After the personal identity was revealed, the police could find a witness who heard the detailed description of the criminal acts from one of the suspects. According to the witness, the deceased was pushed by two other teenaged girls from the concrete fence of the roof floor after the suspects molested the genitalia of the deceased and beat on the buttocks with a wooden stick. Mathematical estimation of the height of fall based on the severity of injuries correlates with that of the three story building. Authors suggest that a careful examination of injury patterns is required to differentiate homicidal falls from suicidal or accidental ones. Furthermore, application of mathematical model might be helpful to estimate the height of falls or correlate the assumed height of fall with severity of injuries.
Accidental Falls ; Autopsy ; Buttocks ; Contusions ; Criminals ; Female ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Forensic Pathology ; Fractures, Bone ; Genitalia ; Hemorrhage ; Homicide ; Humans ; Hymen ; Models, Theoretical ; Police ; Rib Fractures ; Skull Fractures ; Wit and Humor as Topic

Acute viral meningitis and myositis are rare complications of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation. A 71-years-old immunocompetent man, who presented with lower back pain radiating to the left lower extremities, developed vesicles on the L5 dermatomal area. The next day, he had complained of aberrant vesicles on the trunk, face and scalp, with generalized myalgia, headache and dizziness. He was confirmed with VZV meningitis and myositis, as demonstrated by the presence of VZV DNA in the blood and cerebral spinal fluid using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. PCR has been used in patients with a VZV infection associated neurological symptoms, and provides a useful tool for the early diagnosis of VZV-associated neurological disease. The patient was treated with bed rest, with intravenous acyclovir for the VZV infection, and intravenous Patient-controlled Analgesia for pain management and the prevention of postherpetic neuralgia. When he visited the outpatient department 3 months later, the skin lesion, leg pain, headache and myalgia had all improved, without sequelae. Here, this case is reported, with a discussion of the relevant literature on its diagnosis and management.
Acyclovir ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Bed Rest ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; DNA* ; Early Diagnosis ; Headache ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Humans ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Viral ; Myalgia ; Myositis ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Outpatients ; Pain Management ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Scalp ; Skin

PURPOSE: To describe technical methods for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with arterial spin labeling (ASL) compared to blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) technique and discuss the potential of ASL for research and clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Task-based (n = 1) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) (n = 20) were performed using ASL and BOLD techniques. Results of both techniques were compared. RESULTS: For task-based fMRI with finger-tapping, the primary motor cortex of the contralateral frontal lobe and the ipsilateral cerebellum were activated by both BOLD and ASL fMRI. For rs-fMRI of sensorimotor network, functional connectivity showed similar results between BOLD and ASL. CONCLUSION: ASL technique has potential application in clinical and research fields because all brain perfusion imaging, CBF measurement, and rs-fMRI study can be performed in a single acquisition.
Brain ; Cerebellum ; Frontal Lobe ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Motor Cortex ; Oxygen ; Perfusion Imaging

PURPOSE: To describe technical methods for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with arterial spin labeling (ASL) compared to blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) technique and discuss the potential of ASL for research and clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Task-based (n = 1) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) (n = 20) were performed using ASL and BOLD techniques. Results of both techniques were compared. RESULTS: For task-based fMRI with finger-tapping, the primary motor cortex of the contralateral frontal lobe and the ipsilateral cerebellum were activated by both BOLD and ASL fMRI. For rs-fMRI of sensorimotor network, functional connectivity showed similar results between BOLD and ASL. CONCLUSION: ASL technique has potential application in clinical and research fields because all brain perfusion imaging, CBF measurement, and rs-fMRI study can be performed in a single acquisition.
Brain ; Cerebellum ; Frontal Lobe ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Motor Cortex ; Oxygen ; Perfusion Imaging

Tjalma or pseudo-pseudo Meigs' syndrome is a clinical condition that is characterized with ascites, pleural effusion, and increased serum CA-125 levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without the presence of ovarian tumor. On the other hand, Meigs' and pseudo-Meigs' syndromes represent the same manifestations with ovarian tumor. In this case report, we present a 43-year-old SLE patient suffering from Tjalma syndrome with the coexistence of incidental ovarian teratoma, who was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin-G adjunctive therapy after inadequate response to surgical excision of the ovarian tumor, steroid, and cyclophosphamide pulse therapy.
Adult ; Ascites ; Cyclophosphamide ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Meigs Syndrome ; Pleural Effusion ; Teratoma*

OBJECTIVE: Interleukin-15 (IL-15) recruits and activates synovial T cells, and IL-15 plays an important role in amplifying and perpetuating inflammation in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a potent chemoattractant for memory T cells in the inflamed RA synovium. This study investigated the effect of IL-15 on SDF-1 production in RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). METHODS: The expressions of IL-15 and SDF-1 were determined from the synovium of patients with RA and osteoarthritis (OA) by performing immunohistochemistry. The expressions of SDF-1 was measured from the RA FLS that were cultured with IL-15 and IL-17 by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA. The SDF-1 expression was also measured, via ELISA, from the RA FLS stimulated by IL-15 together with the inhibitors of such intracellular signal molecules as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase, LY294002), STAT3 (AG490), MAP Kinase (PD98059), NF-kappaB (parthenolide) and activator protein 1 (AP-1, curcumin). RESULTS: IL-15 and SDF-1 were mainly expressed in the RA synovium compared to that of the OA synovium. IL-15 increased the SDF-1 expressions and it, and had an additive effect with IL-17 on the SDF-1 expressions in the cultured RA FLS. The IL-15 induced increase of the SDF-1 expression in the cultured RA FLS was blocked by the inhibitors of PI 3-kinase, NF-kappaB and AP-1. CONCLUSION: The SDF-1 expression was increased in the RA synovium and it was up-regulated by IL-15 in the RA FLS through the PI 3-kinase, NF-kappaB, and AP-1 pathways. These results imply that the IL-15 induced increase of the SDF-1 expressions may be involved in the immunopathogenesis of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-15 ; Interleukin-17 ; Memory ; NF-kappa B ; Osteoarthritis ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Phosphotransferases ; Synovial Membrane ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transcription Factor AP-1