Various epidermal changes overlying a dermatofibroma can be induced through the proliferation of pluripotential epidermal cells by the stimulation of mesenchymal factors. The authors report a case of dermatofibroma in a 55-year-old male who had a reddish brown, asymptomatic nodule of 5 years duration on his left forearm. The biopsy specimen revealed a dermatofibroma of cellular type associated with epidermal changes: (1) acanthosis; (2) elongation of rete ridges; (3) thin interlacing epidermal strands with increased pigmentation resembling seborrheic keratosis or fibroepithelioma; (4) immature hair follicles and sebaceous lobules; (5) hair germ like buddings; (6) superficial basal cell epithelioma-like proliferations.
Biopsy ; Forearm ; Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous* ; Humans ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pigmentation

No abstract available.
Knee Injuries* ; Knee*

STUDY DESIGN: This study assessed the final functional results after treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures and compared the relationship between the results and the parameters of reduction and state of the fractures. OBJECTIVES: To define prognostic factors affecting the final results and to present some precautions to minimize the treatment failure. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: In the treatment of the thoracolumbar burst fractures in which flexion loads are predominant, the sagittal contour is crucial to achieve permanent pain-free stability, but definitive therapeutic guidelines have remained a controversal topic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 37 thoracolumbar burst fractures with an average follow up period of 1.8 years: group 1 consisting of 20 cases treated conservatively and group 2 consisting of 17 cases treated surgically with posterior instrumentation. Finally functional results were analysed with the Denis'pain and work scores, and were compared between groups on anterior body height and local kyphosis. RESULTS: A satisfactory pain score less than or equal to P3 was in 15(75%) in group 1 and 15(88.2%) in group 2(p>0.05), but satisfactory work score less than or equal to W3 was in 12(60%) in group 1 and in 14(82.4%) in group 2(p<0.05). But, some loss of body height and local kyphosis in group 1 was not reversely related with functional outcomes. Eight cases in group 1 showing unsatisfactory result in work scores were analyzed as 4 osteoporosis(Jikei grade I, II/III), 3 associated compression fracture of the contiguous vertebra and one combined osteoporosis and compression fracture, showing significant loss of vertebral height and increase of kyphosis(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Functional results of group 1 showing loss of vertebral height less than 50% and increased kyphosis less than 200 were comparable to those of group 2. The osteoporosis and associated compression fracture of adjacent vertebra were the risk group to develop posttraumatic kyphosis and might be added to the surgical indication of the thoracolumbar burst fractures.
Body Height ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression ; Kyphosis ; Osteoporosis ; Spine ; Treatment Failure

Open tibial pilon fractures present extensive soft tissue disruption and common complications such as sepsis or skin slough, and deserve special cosideration in addition to the challenging reconstructive problems. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of limited internal fixation and external fixation for the treatment of the open tibial pilon fractures, and to introduce some idea in Ilizarov device use. We reviewed 27 open tibial pilon fractures treated with limited internal fixation and external fixation from Feb. 1992 to Mar. 1996(follow-up range, 1 to 5 years). Fracture classification(Ruedi and Allgower) was type I in 5, type II in 10 and type III in 12, open wound type(Gustilo-Anderson) was II in 8, IIIA in 17 and IIIB in two. Secondary procedures were 16 soft tissue procedures, 13 bone graftings and 2 limb lengthening. Mean time for removal of the external fixators was 3.5 months(range, 6 to 21 weeks), and clinical union averaged 4.3 months(range, 12 to 25 weeks). At the time of last follow-up, radiologic grading(Burwell and Charnley) showed 13 good(48%), 10 fair(37%) and 4 poor results(15%). Objective functional grading(Ovadia and Beals) showed 5 excellent(19%), 15 good(56%), 6 fair(22%) and 1 poor(4%), and subjective grading 2 excellent(7%), 16 good(59%), 7 fair(26%) and 2 poor(7%). Common complications included 10 wound sepsis(37%), 6 posttraumatic arthritis(22%) and 5 malunions(19%). In conclusion, we cosider limited internal fixation and external fixation is an effective treatment modality till bone union for open tibial pilon fractures, and Ilizarov method using tension wires crossed only through the fracture fragments can provide a sufficient early and late stability.
External Fixators ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Ilizarov Technique ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Tibia ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; Cytomegalovirus*

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Metoclopramide* ; Ondansetron* ; Prospective Studies* ; Vomiting*

One hundred seven isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis were investigated for colony morphology in serum-soft agar (SSA), autoagglutination in salt, and capsular serotype. Capsular polysaccharide (CP) was purified and quantified from the extracts of clinical isolates. Overall, 89 isolates (83.2%) were diffuse in the SSA, without any difference in the proportion of diffuse colony between type 5 and type 8 strains. Some strains exhibited compact colonies in the SSA and expressed CP as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indicating that compact morphology does not exclude encapsulation. The majority of the strains (11/12) showed autoagglutination in the salt aggregation test. The serotype 336 accounted for 46.7% of the isolates followed by serotype 5 (12.1%) and serotype 8 (12.1%). Particularly, twenty-six (24.3%) isolates reacted with two serotypes; 7 for type 8/336 and 19 for type 5/336. Five isolates (4.7%) were nontypeable with monoclonal antibodies specific for CP serotype 5, 8, or 336. The CP concentration in culture supernatants varied with the serotypes, and the total amount of CP produced by cells grown in a liquid medium was much less than that produced by cells grown on a solid medium. The Western blotting indicated that the CP bands of S. aureus serotype 5 and 8 were ranged in the molecular mass of 58-84 kilodalton (kDa), with additional bands in the region of approximately >or= 48 or Agglutination Tests ; Animals ; Bacterial Vaccines/administration & dosage ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/immunology/microbiology ; Female ; Mastitis, Bovine/*microbiology ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial/*classification/isolation & purification ; Serotyping/methods/veterinary ; Staphylococcal Infections/immunology/*veterinary ; Staphylococcus aureus/*classification/*immunology/isolation & purification

: In order to observe the antigenic fractions in saline extract of adult Paragonimus westermani, proteins in the crude extract were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in reducing conditions. The separated protein fractions were transferred to nitrocellulose paper on which 20 sera from human paragonimiasis were reacted and immunoblotted. Out of 15 stained protein bands in SDS-PAGE, 7 reacted with the sera. Of 14 reacted bands, 30 kilodalton(kDa) band was the most frequently reacted (95%) and was a strong antigen. Protein bands of 23 and 46 kDa were also strong antigens. Bands of over 150 kDa, 120 kDa, 92 kDa, 86 kDa, 74 kDa, 62 kDa, 51 kDa, 32 kDa, 28 kDa, 16.5 kDa and 15.5 kDa were also reactive but their frequencies of the reaction were variable.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Paragonimus westermani ; immunology ; antigen ; electrophoresis

NO abstract available.
Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Lymphocytes* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

In the course of immunoscreening of Clonorchis sinensis cDNA library, a cDNA CsRP12 containing a tandem repeat was isolated. The cDNA CsRP12 encodes two putative peptides of open reading frames (ORFs) 1 and 2 (CsRP12-1 and -2). The repetitive region is composed of 15 repeats of 10 amino acids. Of the two putative peptides, CsRP12-1 was proline-rich and found to have homologues in several organisms. Recombinant proteins of the putative peptides were bacterially produced and purified by an affinity chromatography. Recombinant CsRP12-1 protein was recognized by sera of clonorchiasis patients and experimental rabbits, but recombinant CsRP12-2 was not. One of the putative peptide, CsRP12-1, is designated CsPRA, proline-rich antigen of C. sinensis. Both the C-termini of CsRP12-1 and -2 were bacterially produced and analysed to show no antigenicity. Recombinant CsPRA protein showed high sensitivity and specificity. In experimental rabbits, IgG antibodies to CsPRA was produced between 4 and 8 weeks after the infection and decreased thereafter over one year. These results indicate that CsPRA is equivalent to a natural protein and a useful antigenic protein for serodiagnosis of human clonorchiasis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antigens, Helminth/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Base Sequence ; *Cloning, Molecular ; Clonorchis sinensis/genetics/*immunology ; DNA, Helminth ; Gene Library ; Human ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; *Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't