As one of many cell-many cell-based cartilage repairing methods, transplantation of chondrocyte-embedded-collagen gels in cartilage defect was performed for more satisfactory regeneration of cartilage. The authors performed this study to investigate whether the TGF-beta1 treatment of chondrocytes can do some additional synergistic effect on the transplantation of chondrocyte-embedded-collagen gels for crtilage repair. Chondrocytes were isolated from the articular cartilage of newborn Sprague-Dawley rats. Chondrocytes cultured for 10 days in monolayer were embedded in the 0.45% type I collagen gel. Full-thickness cartilage defect was made in the patellar groove of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Chondrocytes culdefect was made in the patellar groove of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The cartilage defects were treated with the following methods in a total of 200 animals, which were assigned to 5 different groups of 40 rats. In the control group, the deffect was left without any treatment, in group I, the defect was filled with collagen gel only, in group II, with collagen gel coontaining 10 ng/ml concentration of TGF-beta1, in group III, with collagen gel containing chondrocytes, and in group IV, with collagen gel containing chondrocytes and TGF-beta1. At 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks after the operation, eight rats of each group were sacrificed, and their distal femurs were harvested for the histologic and biomechanical tests. The section s were stained with hematoxilin and eosin. Alcian-blue, and Safranin-O. Regenerated cartilage was analyzed by the semiquantitative histological grading system. Point indentation test was performed as a biomechanical evaluation, and the stiffness was calculated. The results of the histological grading system revealed that the scores gradually increased with time in all groups, and the scores of group III and IV were higher than those of control, group I and II. The biomechanical study showed that the stiffness gradually increased to reach a plateau level in each group. In control, group I and II, the stiffness increased up to the eighth week and remained around the increased level at the twelfth week, and did not show any statistically significant difference between the groups. In group III and IV, the stiffness was higher than in control group, and increased markedly at the fourth week and the increased level was maintained onwards. The results of this study showed that the transplantation of chondrocyte-embedded-collagen gels enhanced the healing process, and the treatment of TGF-beta1 demonstrated at least partially significant improvement.
Adult ; Animals ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular* ; Chondrocytes ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Femur ; Gels ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

OBJECTIVES: Bee venom contains a potent antiinflammatory peptide 401 as well as mellitin. The purpose of this study was to see the efficacy and safety of purified bee venom injection therapy for knee or spinal osteoarthritis patients. METHODS: One hundred and one osteoarthritis patients were randomly assigned to bee venom injection therapy or oral nabumetone medication group. Bee venom injection group was subdivided into 3 groups according to different dosing schedule(group A: gradual increase up to 0.7mg, group B: up to 1.5mg and group C: up to 2.0mg). Control group patients(group D) were given 1000mg nabumetone daily for 6 weeks. There were 25, 26, 25, and 26 patients assigned to A, B, C, or D group. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated by measuring instruments developed by authors, and the safety of bee venom injection was evaluated by hematology and chemistry laboratory examination. RESULTS: Among 101 patients, eighty-one patients completed the study, but twenty patients were dropped out and two of these patients were dropped out due to adverse drug reaction. The efficacy in bee venom group showed better improvement than nabumetone group(p<0.01). Within bee venom group, group B and C showed better improvement than group A(p<0.01). Itching around injection site occurred in most patients, and bodyache occurred in 49 patients (81.7%). Hemoglobin was decreased(0.3g/dl) in group C, but no significant changes were observed in other laboratory values. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of bee venom injection in the control of knee or back pain in osteoarthritis patients was better than nabumetone medication. No severe allergic or adverse reaction was observed in bee venom treatment patients, but problems related with bee venom injection, such as pruritis, bodyache, and the possibility of anaphylaxis, should be considered for the use of bee venom injection.
Anaphylaxis ; Back Pain ; Bee Venoms* ; Bees* ; Chemistry ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Hematology ; Humans ; Knee ; Melitten ; Osteoarthritis* ; Osteoarthritis, Spine ; Pruritus

No abstract available.
Ivermectin ; Larva Migrans

Liposarcoma of the spermatic cord is very rare and preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Well differentiated liposarcoma is in general less aggressive than other type of liposarcoma and seldom metastasizes. Radical orchiectomy with wide local excision appear to be adequate treatment modality and offer better prognosis. We report a case of well differentiated liposarcoma in 51-year-old male with brief review of the literatures.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Liposarcoma* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orchiectomy ; Prognosis ; Spermatic Cord*

We experienced a case of primary aldosteronism due to adrenal adenoma. The patient was 45-year old female, whose main complaints were weakness, headache, and fatigue. By use of abdominal CT scan, ultrasonogram, adrenal angiogram and by result of clinical laboratory findings, we conculuded the diagnosis of adrenal adenoma, and confirmed it by surgical and pathologucal findigs. The clinical sympyoms disappeared after left adrenalectomy, and laboratory findings of renin, aldosterone, electrolutes were normalized but hypertension persisted, so she has been managed by antihypertensives.
Adenoma ; Adrenalectomy* ; Aldosterone ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Diagnosis ; Fatigue ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism* ; Hypertension* ; Middle Aged ; Renin ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed in a patients with pheochromocytoma before and after removal of the tumor. Before surgery, it did not show any significant diurnal variation. But, after surgery the diurnal variation was restored.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory* ; Blood Pressure* ; Humans ; Pheochromocytoma*

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the treatment effectiveness and proper radiation dose of helical tomotherapy (HT) in spine oligometastases from gastrointestinal cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2006 to 2010, 20 gastrointestinal cancer patients were treated with HT for spine oligometastases (31 spine lesions). The gross tumor volume (GTV) was the tumor evident from magnetic resonance imaging images fused with simulation computed tomography images. Clinical target volume (CTV) encompassed involved vertebral bodies or dorsal elements. We assumed that the planning target volume was equal to the CTV. We assessed local control rate after HT for 31 spine metastases. Pain response was scored by using a numeric pain intensity scale (NPIS, from 0 to 10). RESULTS: Spine metastatic lesions were treated with median dose of 40 Gy (range, 24 to 51 Gy) and median 5 Gy per fraction (range, 2.5 to 8 Gy) to GTV with median 8 fractions (range, 3 to 20 fraction). Median biologically equivalent dose (BED, alpha/beta = 10 Gy) was 52 Gy10 (range, 37.5 to 76.8 Gy10) to GTV. Six month local control rate for spine metastasis was 90.3%. Overall infield failure rate was 15% and outfield failure rate was 75%. Most patients showed pain relief after HT (93.8%). Median local recurrence free survival was 3 months. BED over 57 Gy10 and oligometastases were identified as prognostic factors associated with improved local progression free survival (p = 0.012, p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: HT was capable of delivering higher BED to metastatic lesions in close proximity of the spinal cord. Spine metastases from gastrointestinal tumors were sensitive to high dose radiation, and BED (alpha/beta = 10 Gy) higher than 57 Gy10 could improve local control.
Disease-Free Survival ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Recurrence ; Spinal Cord ; Spine ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Burden

Few cases of ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens(IBS) have been reported since 1939, as a distinct entity from bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma(BCIE). IBS can be differentiated from BCIE by the absence of congenital erythroderma and a different distribution of involved skin area. It's characteristic features include blistering, superficial erosion or moulting of the outer skin. Histological features are tonofilaments aggregation confined to the granular and upper spinous layer of the epidermis. However, in BCIE these findings are present in the whole suprabasal compartment. The original reports of Siemens and cases from other authors showed an autosomal dominant inheritance. Our patient developed IBS sporadically without a familial background.
Blister ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Ichthyosis Bullosa of Siemens* ; Ichthyosis* ; Intermediate Filaments ; Molting ; Skin ; Wills

Malposition of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) venous cannula in the azygos vein is not frequently reported. We hereby present such a case, which occurred in a neonate with right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Despite ECMO application, neither adequate flow nor sufficient oxygenation was achieved. On the cross-table lateral chest radiograph, the cannula tip was identified posterior to the heart silhouette, which implied malposition of the cannula in the azygos vein. After repositioning the cannula, the target flow and oxygenation were successfully achieved. When sufficient venous flow is not achieved, as in our case, clinicians should be alerted so they can identify the cannula tip location on lateral chest radiograph and confirm whether malposition in the azygos vein is the cause of the ineffective ECMO.
Azygos Vein* ; Catheters* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Heart ; Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Oxygen ; Radiography, Thoracic

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*