To induce bone formation at ectopic site by tissue engineering and gene therapy, we transplanted collagen sponges containing rhBMP-7 transduced HEK 293 cells in the hypodermis of nude mice. Bone formation was investigated by histological and electron microscopic method at 3, 6, and 9 weeks after transplantation. At 9 weeks after transplantation, eosinophilic bony tissue was observed in the implanted collagen sponge and was confirmed as bone tissue by Von Kossa stain. In the transmission electron microscopic observation, the cells in newly formed bone tissue had eccentrically located nucleus and well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). Therefore, the cells were evaluated as osteoblasts. Those results suggest that it is possible to form a bone tissue in the ectopic site by transplantation of rhBMP-7 transduced HEK 293 cells. This will be contributed to push more advanced gene therapy for bone formation. However, the HEK 293 cell is unable to apply to the clinical gene therapy. Therefore it is worth to find more compatible cells for clinical application. In addition, collagen sponge is considered as an excellent scaffold and/or carrier for gene therapy and a good biomaterial for tissue engineering.
Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Collagen ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Eosinophils ; Genetic Therapy ; HEK293 Cells* ; Mice ; Mice, Nude* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis* ; Porifera ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Tissue Engineering

To induce bone formation at ectopic site by tissue engineering and gene therapy, we transplanted collagen sponges containing rhBMP-7 transduced HEK 293 cells in the hypodermis of nude mice. Bone formation was investigated by histological and electron microscopic method at 3, 6, and 9 weeks after transplantation. At 9 weeks after transplantation, eosinophilic bony tissue was observed in the implanted collagen sponge and was confirmed as bone tissue by Von Kossa stain. In the transmission electron microscopic observation, the cells in newly formed bone tissue had eccentrically located nucleus and well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). Therefore, the cells were evaluated as osteoblasts. Those results suggest that it is possible to form a bone tissue in the ectopic site by transplantation of rhBMP-7 transduced HEK 293 cells. This will be contributed to push more advanced gene therapy for bone formation. However, the HEK 293 cell is unable to apply to the clinical gene therapy. Therefore it is worth to find more compatible cells for clinical application. In addition, collagen sponge is considered as an excellent scaffold and/or carrier for gene therapy and a good biomaterial for tissue engineering.
Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Collagen ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Eosinophils ; Genetic Therapy ; HEK293 Cells* ; Mice ; Mice, Nude* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis* ; Porifera ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Tissue Engineering

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for the differential diagnosis of various intracranial cystic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 19 patients (13 males, 6 females) with a mean age of 42.5 years. The final histopathological diagnoses for 14 patients were pyogenic brain abscess (n=3), glioblastoma (n=3), ependymoma (n=1), anaplastic astrocytoma (n=1), pilocytic astrocytoma (n=1), hemangioblastoma (n=2), arachnoid cyst (n=1), epidermoid (n=1) and schwannoma (n=1). The other cases of metastasis (n=4) and arachnoid cyst (n=2) were diagnosed on the basis of clinical, laboratory and imaging data. DWI imaging studies were performed with a 1.5 T MR system. A single shot spin echo EPI pulse sequence was applied. B values were set at 0 and 1000 sec/mm2. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were calculated from the ADC map of 10 different cystic brain lesions. Conventional MR imaging included T2WI, T1WI, FLAIR and contrast enhanced T1WI. We analyzed the location, nature, signal intensity on DWI, and the enhancement pattern of the lesions. RESULTS: All of the 3 cases of brain abscess, 1 of 4 cases of metastasis and 1 case of epidermoid showed hyperintensity on DWI. The mean ADC value of brain abscess (2 cases) was less than 1.15 (0.13x10-3 mm2/s). The mean ADC values of the other cystic lesions (8 cases) were variable, ranging from 2.840.66 to 3.100.16 (10-3 mm2/sec). CONCLUSION: DWI and ADC values were useful in the differential diagnosis of various intracranial cystic lesions, but some metastatic tumors may mimic a brain abscess on DWI. Therefore, a clinical correlation is mandatory.
Arachnoid ; Astrocytoma ; Brain ; Brain Abscess ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Diffusion* ; Ependymoma ; Glioblastoma ; Hemangioblastoma ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neurilemmoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that frequently occurs in dialysis patients, which disturbs the sleep and reduces the quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for RLS in dialysis patients. METHODS: Patients who visited any of four outpatient dialysis clinics between September 2005 and May 2006 were included in this study. The diagnosis of RLS and the severity assessment were made using the criteria described by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. We collected basic demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory findings, and then analyzed their association with various aspects of RLS using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: RLS was present in 46 (28.0%) of 164 dialysis patients. We found no significant risk factor for inducing RLS. The predialysis serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level in the dialysis patients with RLS was significantly correlated with RLS symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: Predialysis BUN is related to RLS symptom severity. Further studies on the underlying mechanism are needed.
Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Dialysis ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Outpatients ; Quality of Life ; Renal Dialysis ; Restless Legs Syndrome ; Risk Factors

The most commonly associated anomalies in patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia are cardiovascular, digestive and splenic defects. Of the cardiovascular anomalies, there are very few reports of biliary atresia with cardiomyopathy. We report the first case of a child with extrahepatic biliary atresia and restrictive cardiomyopathy. The patient was a 13-month-old boy diagnosed with extrahepatic biliary atresia at the age of 2 months, when he underwent laparotomy for definite diagnosis.Hepatic portoenterostomy was performed after confirmative cholangiogram. Recently, he developed severe cough and dyspnea, and his respiratory symptoms worsened. Chest radiograph showed cardiomegaly. Two- dimensional echocardiography showed marked biatrial enlargement. On M- mode echocardiogram, a slight increase in left ventricular dimension was seen in early diastole with a relatively good left ventricular function. Mitral inflow Doppler tracing showed an increased E-velocity (1.1 m/sec) with decreased deceleration time (75 m/sec), and increased E/A ratio (0.33). He was diagnosed as having restrictive cardiomyopathy with characteristic echocardiographic features.
Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic/*abnormalities ; Biliary Atresia/*complications/physiopathology/radiography/ultrasonography ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive/*complications/physiopathology/radiography/ultrasonography ; Human ; Infant ; Lung/radiography ; Male ; Radiography, Thoracic

Gastroparesis is a disorder of gastric motility that results in delayed gastric emptying. Up to 58% of patients with diabetes mellitus may have diabetic gastroparesis, a syndrome characterized by nausea, vomiting, early satiety, and bloating. The pathophysiology of this disorder is not completely understood, but it is believed to include fundic dysaccommodation, a decrease in gastroduodenal pressure gradient and antral hypomotility. In addition to antral and fundic dysfunction, patients with diabetes may typically have pyloric dysfunction or spasm. Treatment consists of a change in diet to small volume, frequent meals and the use of the prokinetic agents. This case report describes the four patients with severe diabetic gastroparesis whose symptoms persisted despite of dietary changes and the use of prokinetic agents in high doses. All of them were treated with pyloric injection of botulinum toxin and three had significant symptomatic and scintigraphic improvement.
Botulinum Toxins* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Gastric Emptying ; Gastroparesis* ; Humans ; Meals ; Nausea ; Pylorus ; Spasm ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Amylin secretion is increased parallel to insulin in obese subjects. Despite their marked obesity, a state of relative hypoinsulinemia occurs in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Based on the hypothesis that amylin levels may be relatively low in PWS children, contributing to their excessive appetite, we studied amylin levels after oral glucose loading in children with PWS and overweight controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma levels of amylin, glucagon, insulin, and glucose were measured at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after a glucose challenge in children with PWS (n = 18) and overweight controls (n = 25); the relationships among the variables were investigated in these two groups. RESULTS: Amylin levels were significantly correlated with insulin during fasting and during the oral glucose tolerance test in both groups. Amylin levels between 0 and 60 min after glucose loading were statistically different between the two groups. They were lower in children with PWS than in the controls between 0 and 30 min after glucose loading. CONCLUSION: The relatively low levels of amylin, compared to those in overweight controls, during the early phase of glucose loading in patients with PWS, may contribute, in part, to the excessive appetite of PWS patients as compared to the overweight controls.
Adolescent ; Blood Glucose/analysis ; Child ; Female ; Glucagon/blood ; Glucose/*pharmacology ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Insulin/blood ; Islet Amyloid Polypeptide/*blood/physiology ; Male ; Obesity/blood/physiopathology ; Prader-Willi Syndrome/blood/*physiopathology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients with a congenitally or surgically altered anatomy such as a large diverticulum in which an ampullary orifice exists or a Billroth-II gastrectomy, have an increased complication rate after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) compared to normal anatomies. An experience involving a stent-guided sphincterotomy using an endoprosthesis is herein reported. METHODS: 10 patients with a Billroth-II gastrectomy and 9 patients with a large diverticulum received a stent-guided EST. In the diverticula cases, all the ampullary orifices were located either inside the diverticulum or in an unusual position. All patients had common bile duct stones and symptoms of cholangitis. After a 0.035 inch guide wire was inserted through the side-viewing duodenoscope, a 10 Fr. endoprosthesis (MTW, Germany) was inserted and a needle-knife sphincterotome was introduced. In patients with a Billroth-II anatomy, the incision was made from the papillary orifice of the 12 o'clock position toward 6 o'clock. In patients with periampullary diverticula, the incision was made with sweeps of the needle-knife in a 6 to 12 o'clock direction. The cautery current was applied to the mucosa along the stent and the stent was retrieved by a polypectomy snare through the biopsy channel without removal of an endoscope. RESULTS: Among the 19 patients, the guide wire and stent insertion were possible in all except one patient due to the inability of selective cannulation. An EST was performed in all patients after stent insertion. There were no serious complications during and after the stent-guided EST except for two minor bleedings which were treated with a coagulation current using the needle-knife. Consequently, complete endoscopic stone removal was achieved in all patients including three patients in whom a mechanical lithotriptor was needed. CONCLUSIONS: In stent-guided EST, the stent not only guides the adequate direction of the incision but also allows a controlled incision under a favorable visual field. Therefore, blind cutting and exploration during EST can be avoided and successful EST is possible even in difficult situations such as that created by an altered anatomy.
Biopsy ; Catheterization ; Cautery ; Cholangitis ; Common Bile Duct ; Diverticulum* ; Duodenoscopes ; Endoscopes ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; SNARE Proteins ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic ; Stents ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: To assess the frequency, location, associated MR findings, and clinical symptoms of the high levellumbar disc herniation(HLDH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1076 patients with lumbar disc herniation wereretrospectively reviewed. MR images of 41 of these with HLDH(T12-L1, L1-2, L2-3) were analysed in terms offrequency, location, and associated MR findings, and correlated with clinical symptoms of HLDH. RESULTS: Theprevalence of HLDH was 3.8%(41/1076). HLDH was located at T12-L1 level in four patients(10%), at L1-2 level in14(34%), at L2-3 level in 21(51%), and at both L1-2 and L2-3 levels in two. The age of patients ranged from 20 to72 years (mean, 44), and there were 26 men and 16 women. In 11(27%), whose mean age was 32 years, isolated discherniation was limited to these high lumbar segments. The remaining 30 patients had HLDH associated with variableinvolvement of the lower lumbar segments. Associated lesions were as follow : lower level disc herniation(14patients, 34%); apophyseal ring fracture(8 patients, 19%); Schmorl's node and spondylolisthesis (each 6patients, each 14%); spondylolysis(3 patients, 7%); and retrolisthesis(2 patients, 5%). In 20 patients(49%) withHLDH(n=41), there was a previous history. CONCLUSION: Patients with HLDH showed a relatively high incidence ofassociated coexisting abnormalities such as lower lumbar disc herniation, apophyseal ring fracture, Schmorl'snode, spondylolysis, and retrolisthesis. In about half of all patients with HLDH there was a previous history oftrauma. The mean age of patients with isolated HLDH was lower; clinical symptoms of the condition were relativelynonspecific and their incidence was low.
Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Spondylolisthesis ; Spondylolysis

BACKGROUND: Acute renal failure (ARF) with severe loin pain and patchy renal vasoconstriction (PRV) is a syndrome presenting with sudden loin pain after anaerobic exercise. We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and the efficacy of diagnostic imaging studies of patients with this syndrome. METHODS: We retrospectively selected 17 patients with ARF accompanied by loin or abdominal pain who showed multiple patchy wedge-shaped delayed contrast enhancements on a computerized tomography scan. Information about the clinical characteristics, including the nature of pain and combined symptoms, suspected causes, such as exercise, drug or alcohol intake, and renal hypouricemia, and the results of laboratory and imaging tests were gathered. RESULTS: The mean age of patients with episodes of ARF accompanied by loin pain was 23.0+/-6.5 (range 16-35) years old. Pain was mainly located in the loin (70.6%) or abdominal area (76.5%) and continued for approximately 3.5+/-4.0 days. Exercise was suspected as a primary cause of disease in 12 (70.6%) patients. Maximal serum creatinine was 5.42+/-3.16 (1.4-12.1) mg/dL 3.1+/-1.8 (1-7) days after the onset of pain. The peak level of serum uric acid was 9.41+/-2.91 (6.0-15.8) mg/dL. All of the patients recovered to near-normal renal function, and one patient showed hypouricemia after recovery. CONCLUSION: ARF with severe loin pain and PRV can present with loin or abdominal pain, even without a history of anaerobic exercise. Careful history taking and appropriate imaging studies are critical in the diagnosis and management of this syndrome.
Abdominal Pain ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Creatinine ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Renal Tubular Transport, Inborn Errors ; Retrospective Studies ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi ; Vasoconstriction