Normal human B cells produce autocrine growth factor in response to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain (SAC). However, the functional role and molecular nature of the B cell derived-B cell growth factor (B-BCGF) are largely unknown. We have tried to investigate the nature of B-BCGF using mAb for several years. We report here that B- BCGF is capable of binding to hemoglobin (Hb). The concentrated culture supernatant from tonsillar B cells stimulated with SAC for 24 h was loaded into the fast protein liquid chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. The peak with BCGF activity was shown to have a M.W. of 16-18 Kda in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver stain. Amino acid sequence of the fraction was found to identical to human hemoglobin (Hb) by more than 85%. However, Hb itself had no BCGF activity. The presence of Hb in culture supernatant was due to the contamination of SRBC during B cell purification. SRSC were completely removed from B cells by percoll-gradient centrifugation and B cells were stimulated with SAC and exogenous Hb was added to the cultures. The Hb fraction from FPLC again showed a BCGF activity. These data strongly suggested that BCGF binds to Hb. We confirmed this in dot blot as well as Western blot. The M.W of Hb-binding BCGF was 20 Kda. This information may provide a rapid progress in research of BCGF.
Amino Acid Sequence ; B-Lymphocytes ; Blotting, Western ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Silver ; Staphylococcus aureus

The purpose of this study is to morphologically evaluate the results of arthroscopic meniscal repair by sec- ond-look arthroscopy. We performed the arthroscopic meniscal repair in 40 menisci of 39 knees between March 1994 and August 1997. Among them, 18 menisci of 17 knees were evaluated by second-look arthroscopy at 3 rnonths postoperatively. Lateral meniscus was 9 and medial meniscus was 9. The morpho- logical results were classified with completely healed, incompletely healed, and failed. The overall results showed that 13 menisci completely healed, 3 menisci incompletely healed, 2 menisci failed. The type of tear was 14 peripheral longitudinal tears, 1 oblique tear(incompletely healed), 1 transverse tear(completely healed with augmentation of fibrin clot), 1 tear at posterior tibial attachment, and 1 complex tear(completely healed). 3 menisci had associated lesions that had not been treated, of which 1 incompletely healed, 2 failed. Chronic cases, in which time interval between injury and repair was 6 weeks later, were 8 menisci(4 completely healed, 2 incompletely healed, and 2 failed). 10 long peripheral longitudinal tears of more fhan 2.5cm were resulted in 6 completely healed, 2 incompletely healed, and 2 failed. 5 longitudinal tear with a wide peripher- al rim(>2mm) were resulted in 1 completely healed, 2 incompletely healed, and 2 failed. The good result was expected when the tear was repaired in acute phase after injury and associated lesion was treated. For chronic tears, tears of avascular zone and wide longitudinal tears, the healing enhancement techniques such as fibrin clot insertion, abrasion of meniscus and synovium, and trephination must be taken into consideration.
Arthroscopy* ; Fibrin ; Knee ; Logic ; Menisci, Tibial ; Synovial Membrane ; Trephining

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the benefits and therapeutic effects of intra-arterial papaverine infusion on the symptomatic cerebral vasospasm, we analyzed the results of treatment in 32 patients retrospectively. METHODS: A total of 510 patients underwent surgical clipping or endovascular intra-aneurysmal treatment for ruptured intracranial aneurysm between May, 1996 and June, 1999. The delayed ischemic deficit(DID) was developed in 90 of 510 patients. Of these 90 patients, 32 developed symptomatic vasospasm inspite of using modest "3H therapy". The brain CT scan was taken before the intra-arterial infusion of papaverine. The 32 patients underwent 42 intra-arterial papaverine infusion. The symptomatic vasospasm was divided into three groups: deterioration of mental status(Group 1), appearance of a focal neurologic deficit(Group 2), or both(Group 3). We measured Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS), arterial diameters, and cerebral circulation time(CCT) at the time of pre- and postangioplasty. RESULTS: The number of patients in group 1, 2 and 3 were 26, 7, 9 respectively. Eighteen cases showed improvement of GCS more than 2 scores, 16 more than 1, and 8 showed no change of GCS. Average cerebral circulation time(CCT) was decreased ranging from 0.0%-67.5%, and arterial diameters were increased in 21 cases ranging from 1 to 4 folds. CONCLUSION: Intra-arterial papaverine infusion seemed to have therapeutic effects on symptomatic vasospasm by improving the neurological signs and increasing the arterial diameter. We suggest that intra-arterial papaverine infusion would be an useful adjunctive therapeutic modality in symptomatic vasospasm.
Aneurysm* ; Brain ; Coma ; Humans ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Papaverine* ; Retrospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Surgical Instruments ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vasospasm, Intracranial*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of proton density magnetic resonance (PD MR) imaging for localization of paraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2014 to April 2015, 76 unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms in 66 patients were evaluated using PD MR and angiography (CT/MR angiography or digital subtraction angiography). The locations (extradural, transdural, intradural) in relation to the distal dural ring (DDR) and projection (superior, inferior/posterior, medial, lateral) of the aneurysms were assessed and compared. RESULTS: The most common location of paraclinoid aneurysms was extradural (n = 48, 63.2%), followed by intradural (n = 18, 23.7%), and transdural (n = 10, 13.2%). In the medial projection group (n = 49, 64.5%), 31 were extradural (63.3%), 5 were transdural (10.2%), and 13 were intradural (26.5%). In the inferior/posterior projection group (n = 19, 25.0%), there were 14 extradural (73.7%), 4 transdural (21.0%), and 1 intradural (5.3%). In the superior (n = 4, 5.3%)/lateral (n = 4, 5.3%) projection groups, there were 0/3 extradural (0/75.0%), 1/0 transdural (25.0/0%), and 3/1 intradural (75.0/25.0%). CONCLUSION: PD MR showed sufficient contrast difference to distinguish paraclinoid aneurysms from surrounding dural structures.
Aneurysm* ; Angiography ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Protons*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of proton density magnetic resonance (PD MR) imaging for localization of paraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2014 to April 2015, 76 unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms in 66 patients were evaluated using PD MR and angiography (CT/MR angiography or digital subtraction angiography). The locations (extradural, transdural, intradural) in relation to the distal dural ring (DDR) and projection (superior, inferior/posterior, medial, lateral) of the aneurysms were assessed and compared. RESULTS: The most common location of paraclinoid aneurysms was extradural (n = 48, 63.2%), followed by intradural (n = 18, 23.7%), and transdural (n = 10, 13.2%). In the medial projection group (n = 49, 64.5%), 31 were extradural (63.3%), 5 were transdural (10.2%), and 13 were intradural (26.5%). In the inferior/posterior projection group (n = 19, 25.0%), there were 14 extradural (73.7%), 4 transdural (21.0%), and 1 intradural (5.3%). In the superior (n = 4, 5.3%)/lateral (n = 4, 5.3%) projection groups, there were 0/3 extradural (0/75.0%), 1/0 transdural (25.0/0%), and 3/1 intradural (75.0/25.0%). CONCLUSION: PD MR showed sufficient contrast difference to distinguish paraclinoid aneurysms from surrounding dural structures.
Aneurysm* ; Angiography ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Protons*

No abstract available.
Intracranial Hypotension*

There were so many causes of chronic coughing including postnasal drip, pneumonia, nasal polyp, asthma, interstinal lung disease etc. Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula was not usually thought as cause of chronic coughing. A 46-year-old female patient suffered from chronic coughing without usual causes. Her chest X-ray viewed normally. She coughed especially after swallowing foods. So we recommended her esophagogram and it revealed broncho-esphageal fistula. She underwent surgical resection of broncho-esophageal fistula. She was well without cough after the surgery. We reported a case of congenital broncho-esphageal fistula that had caused chronic coughing without any evidence of pneumonia, malignancy, tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, inflammation, asthma, nasal polyp, etc. So we should suspect the bronchoesophageal fistula when patients cough chronically with eating, and recommend the esophagogram.
Asthma ; Bronchiectasis ; Cough* ; Deglutition ; Eating ; Female ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung Diseases ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Polyps ; Pneumonia ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis

No abstract available.

No abstract available.