Hirayama disease usually selectively involves lower cervical myotomes (C8, T1). Thus, patients usually manifest with atrophy and weakness of small hand muscle. Predominant isolated involvement of proximal arm is rarely reported in Hirayama disease. Here, we report a case of Hirayama disease who had focal weakness and wasting, mainly confined to right biceps brachii muscle, with prominent shifting of dural sac in C4-5 segment by dynamic flexion magnetic resonance imaging (dfMRI), which may explain this unusual distribution of the disease.
Amyotrophy, monomelic

No abstract available.
Neurofibroma, Plexiform* ; Urinary Bladder*

BACKGROUND: Melanocytes grown in pure monolayer culure lack many of the cellular interactions that exist in vivo. This can be partially overcome by growing melanocytes together with other epidermal cells in skin equivalent models. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to grow human melanocytes in human epidermis reconstructed on dermal substrates in vitro and to examine their response to UV radiation. METHODS: The skin equivalents were prepared by seeding cultured human keratinocytes together with cultured human melanocytes(in a ratio of 5%) onto de-epidermized dermis. After 7 days of culture, they were exposed to UVB irradiation(total 150m J/cm over 5days). On day 12 of air exposure the sections of the skin equivalents were prepared for histology. The structure of the skin equivalents was studied following staining with hematoxylin and eosin. Melanocytes were characterized by DOPA staining and by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Melanocytes were localized singly within the basal layer of the reconstructs. Melanin was also visible both in the melanocytes and in neighboring keratinocytes. There was an increase in melanocyte size and dendricity following UV irradiation. Melanocytes became positive to staining with HMB-45 antibody following UV irradiation. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that melanocytes grown in reconstructed human epidermis are functional and capable of responding to UV irradiation.
Dermis ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Epidermis* ; Hematoxylin ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Skin

We report a case of trichoblastic fibroma involving the scrotum in a 60-year-old man. Trichoblastic fibroma is very rare and benign trichogenic tumor that has both epithelial and mesenchymal components and histologically recount the embryologic development of the hair follicle. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathologic examination.
Diagnosis ; Fibroma* ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Scrotum*

Malignant salivary gland tumor is rare neoplasm. In Korean population, retrospective study of malignant salivary gland tumor has not been performed. We analyzed 67 cases of malignant salivary gland tumors from 2001 to 2005 in Seoul National University Dental Hospital in Seoul, Korea. The mean age is 51.7 and the male to female ratio is 1:1.39. The most affected site is the palate. Histologically, the tumors were classified as adenoid cystic carcinoma(34.4%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma(31.3%), adenocarcinoma, NOS(11.9%), polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma(3.0%), salivary duct carcionoma(6.0%), carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma(4.5%), myoepithelial carcinoma(4.5%), epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma(1.5%), cyatadenocarcinoma(1.5%) and adenosquamous carcinoma(1.5%).
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoids ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Palate ; Retrospective Studies ; Salivary Ducts ; Salivary Glands* ; Seoul

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of physical and chemical surface factors on in vivo bone responses by comparing chemically modified hydrophilic sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched (modSLA) and anodically oxidized hydrophobic implant surfaces. METHODS: Five modSLA implants and five anodized implants were inserted into the tibiae of five New Zealand white rabbits (one implant for each tibia). The characteristics of each surface were determined using field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy before the installation. The experimental animals were sacrificed after 1 week of healing and histologic slides were prepared from the implant-tibial bone blocks removed from the animals. Histomorphometric analyses were performed on the light microscopic images, and bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and bone area (BA) ratios were measured. Nonparametric comparison tests were applied to find any significant differences (P<0.05) between the modSLA and anodized surfaces. RESULTS: The roughness of the anodized surface was 1.22 +/- 0.17 microm in Sa, which was within the optimal range of 1.0-2.0 microm for a bone response. The modSLA surface was significantly rougher at 2.53 +/- 0.07 microm in Sa. However, the modSLA implant had significantly higher BIC than the anodized implant (P=0.02). Furthermore, BA ratios did not significantly differ between the two implants, although the anodized implant had a higher mean value of BA (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, the hydrophilicity of the modSLA surface may have a stronger effect on in vivo bone healing than optimal surface roughness and surface chemistry of the anodized surface.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Chemistry ; Dental Implants ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osseointegration ; Rabbits ; Spectrum Analysis ; Tibia ; Titanium*

Aneurysms arising from the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) are uncommon, with a reported incidence ranging between 0.5 and 2% of all the aneurysms in the brain. Most of them arise at the PICA origin from the vertebral artery, whereas distal PICA aneurysms are exceptional. We have experienced two consecutive cases of distal PICA aneurysms. Both patients were female and the first patient was 48 years old and the second patient was 60 years old. Cerebral angiography was performed immediately after admission and it showed an aneurysm located on the distal PICA. One patient was treated by a combined endovascular and surgical approach, and the other patient was treated by a surgical approach only. The former patient expired 8 days from the ictus. The latter patient had a good outcome during admission. Distal PICA aneurysms are exceptionally rare and they may be successfully treated with surgical or endovascular techniques. The therapeutic strategy, either surgical or endovascular, should be selected according to the condition of the patient and the arterial and aneurysmal morphology.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Endovascular Procedures ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Pica ; Vertebral Artery

A folk prescription consisting of Alnus hirsuta, Rosa davurica, Acanthopanax senticosus and Panax schinseng has been used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the antidiabetic effects of the herb formula extract (HFE) composed of Alnus hirsuta, Rosa davurica, Acanthopanax senticosus and Panax schinseng in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The HFE was mixed in the food supply of the healthy and STZ-induced diabetic male Sprague-Dawley rats, and its effects on the body weight, water and food intake, hyperglycemia, hypolipidemic and islet structure were studied. The treatment of the rats with STZ for 6 weeks resulted in marasmus, polydipsia, polyphagia, hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia. In addition, the diabetic rats showed an apparent decrease in the insulin immunoreactivity and the number of beta-cells in the pancreas. The addition of the HFE to the rats' food supply significantly lowered the serum glucose and the serum triglycerides level and preserved the normal histological appearance of the pancreatic islets. These results indicate that the HEF have a strong antidiabetic potential along with the significant hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, which may be applicable in the pharmaceutical industry.
Eleutherococcus ; Alnus ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drinking ; Drug Industry ; Eating ; Food Supply ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Insulin ; Islets of Langerhans ; Male ; Panax ; Pancreas ; Polydipsia ; Prescriptions ; Protein-Energy Malnutrition ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rosa ; Streptozocin ; Triglycerides

We analyzed aquaporin (AQP) expression in the rat spinal cord following an electrical shock (ES) to elucidate the roles of AQP in spinal cord injury (SCI) induced by an electrical burn. In control animals, AQP1 immunoreactivity was observed in the small diameter dorsal horn fibers of laminae I and II and in astrocytes and neurons in the spinal cord. Both AQP4 and AQP9 immunoreactivity were detected in astrocytes. One week after the ES, AQP1 immunoreactivity in dorsal horn fibers was downregulated to 83, 61, and 33% of control levels following a 1-, 4-, or 6-second ES, respectively. However, AQP1 immunoreactivity in ventral horn neurons increased to 1.3-, 1.5-, and 2.4-fold of control levels following a 1-, 4-, or 6-second ES, respectively. AQP4 immunoreactivity was upregulated after an ES in laminae I and II astrocytes in a stimulus-intensity independent manner. Unlike AQP1 and AQP4, AQP9 immunoreactivity was unaffected by the ES. These findings indicate that altered AQP immunoreactivity may be involved in SCI following an ES.
Animals ; Anterior Horn Cells ; Aquaporins ; Astrocytes ; Burns ; Horns ; Neurons ; Rats ; Shock ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries

OBJECTIVES: The authors tried to investigate the characteristics of Heart Rate Variability(HRV) among the subjects with metabolic syndrome for testing the possibility of clinical application of HRV in evaluating metabolic syndrome. METHODS: We examined the difference of the means of HRV between 122 subjects of metabolic syndrome and 1057 healthy controls using T-test, and the change of means in HRV according to increasing risk factors of metabolic syndrome. Using multiple regression analysis, we examined the association of HRV with the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: The HRV indices including SDNN(Standard Deviation of all normal NN intervals), RMSSD(the square Root of the Mean Squared Differences of successive all normal NN interval), TP(Total Power), LF(Low Freuency), and HF(High Frequency) were significantly lower in the metabolic syndrome group than in the normal control group, and the means of all HRV indices except LF/HF were decreased consistently according to increasing risk factors of metabolic syndrome. The fasting glucose, triglyceride, and waist circumference were dependent factors that contributed significantly to the change of HRV. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest metabolic syndrome adversely affects cardiac autonomic system and HRV could be a useful method for evaluating metabolic syndrome.
Adult ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference