No abstract available.
Splints

Collagen is the major structural protein in the human body, especially in connective tissues. There are more than 13 types of collagen. Among them, type II collagen is a main component of articular cartilage structure. Altered immunological conditions against type II collagen may be closely related to the pathologic conditions of joint, especially arthritis. Since 1977, animal model for collageninduced arthritis(CIA) has been developed and used in the investigation of arthritis. In those animals, high titers of anti-type II collagen antibody were noticed. Pathologic findings were similar to rheumatoid arthritis of human, which suggested that rheumatoid arthritis might be one of the autoimmune diseases. There had been many reports about elevation of serum and synovial level of anti-type II collagen antibody in rheumatoid arthritis patients. But majority of them did not discriminate the antibody titers according to the type of immunoglobulin(i.e. IgG, IgM). And the question whether the elevated antibody titers are cause or effect of the arthritis is still in controversy. In this study, the serum levels of anti-type II collagen antibody were determined in 82 persons(35 degenerative arthritis patients, 24 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 22 normal controls without any joint problem) via ELISA method. In each person the serum IgG, IgM and IgG+M+A antibody levels against bovine type IIcollagen and chicken typeII collagen were determined individually. Statistical evaluation of these data among degenerative arthritis group, rheumatoid arthritis group and normal control group was performed. The results were as follows; 1. Degenerative arthritis group revealed significant elevation of anti-type II collagen antibody(IgG, IgG+M+A) compared to normal control(p < 0.05). 2. Rheumatoid arthritis group showed significant elvation of IgM and IgG+M+A compared to normal control. 3. Between degenerative arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis group, no sigificant difference was noticed. 4. Rheumatoid arthritis group showed significant increase of IgM antibody level compared to normal control. 5. Female rheumatoid arthritis group showed significant increase of IgM level compared to female degenerative arthritis group. These findings suggested that the elevation of anti-type II collagen antibody titer is not specific for rheumatoid arthritis and related with general pathologies destroying articular cartilage. And it is suggested that anti-type II collagen antibody associated with rheumatoid arthritis is mainly IgM proportion, especially in female patients. So further investigation of anti-type II collagen antibody associated with rheumatoid arthritis is needed to target IgM antibody.
Animals ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Cartilage, Articular ; Chickens ; Collagen ; Collagen Type II ; Connective Tissue ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Human Body ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Joints ; Methods ; Models, Animal ; Osteoarthritis ; Pathology

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of PTSD on memory funtion and hippocampal volume, and to identify major variables correlated to hippocampal volume and memory function. Thirty four Vietnam veterans were collected for this study, among whom eighteen were PTSD patients and sixteen were combat control subjects. The author used Impact of Event Scale(IES), Combat Exposure Scale(CES), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS) and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). Korea Memory Assessment Scale(K-MAS) was assessed for memory function. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) was used to measure hippocampal volume. There were significant differences between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans in IES, HDRS and BDI. Significant difference was found in verbal memory and total memory of K-MAS between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. There was significant difference in hippocampal volume between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. Short term memory, verbal memory and total memory were positively correlated to hippocampal volume. Hippocampal volume was negatively correlated to IES, HDRS, and BDI. These results suggest that PTSD severity be associated with hippocampal atrophy and memory dysfunction. Reduced or smaller hippocampal volume may be preexisting risk factor for stress exposure or the development of PTSD on combat exposure.
Atrophy ; Depression ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Korea ; Memory* ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic* ; Veterans ; Vietnam

Photoplethysmography(PPG) employs an infrared light-emitting diode to transmit light into the skin noninvasively. Light reflected from blood cells is received by a photocell or phototrotransistor which permits recording of the pulsatile cutaneous microcirculation. The use of PPG for vascular measurements in extremities is not new. Since Hertzmann, in 1938, first described the technique to measure skin blood flow, a few investigators have used PPG for clinical application. However, experimental reports on the photoplethysmographic assessment of blood flow after arterial reanastomosis are rare. We assessed the changes of blood flow after reanastomosis of the femoral artery in rabbits using photoplethysmography. We divided 20 rabbits into 3 experimental groups. In Group I, the femoral artery was surgically exposed and clamped for 60 minutes. In Group II, the femoral artery was surgically exposed and clamped, as in Group I, and then severed and anastomosed crudely in order to creat thrombus formation. In Group IU, the femoral artery was prepared as Group II and then anastomosed carefully to ensure patency. Blood flow was measured by photoplethysmography on the anteromedial aspect of the right hind leg, every 15 minutes for the fisrt 2 hours, at the 3rd day, I week, and II weeks post-operatively. The following results were obtained l. After the removal of vascular clamp, the mean time for the pulse wave to return to normal form was 63±24.0 minutes in Group I and 63±18.7 minutes in Group III. There was no statistically significant difference beween the two groups. When the wave form was normalized, it remained so continuously. 2. After the removal of vascular clamp, the mean time for the wave amplitude to return to normal was 108±11.2 minutes in Group I and 102±16.4 minutes in Group III. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. 3. The thrombosis which obstructed blood flow was formed within the first 60 minutes(mean time: 49±12.4 minutes) in all the animals in Group II. When the thrombosis was formed, it was readily detected by the change of wave form and by decrease in amplitude. 4. It is concluded from this experiments the changes of blood flow after reanastomosis of the femoral artery in rabbits were accurately assessed by PPG. It is suggested that PPG can be used clinically in monitoring blood flow after arterial reanastomosis.
Animals ; Blood Cells ; Extremities ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Leg ; Microcirculation ; Photoplethysmography ; Rabbits ; Research Personnel ; Skin ; Thrombosis

PURPOSE:The International Labor Organization (ILO) has established an international standard for chest X-ray diagnosis of pneumoconiosis since 1980. However, there is a need for improved diagnosis and staging in occupational disease. We evaluated Ga-67 citrate scintigraphy quantitatively and correlated the scintigraphic findings with pulmonary function tests and chest X-ray result. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients underwent whole body scintigraphy with additional chest and abdomen images 48 hrs after intravenous injection of 185 MBq of Ga-67 citrate. Ten normal controls were also studied. Regions of interest (ROI) were drawn on the posterior image to measure counts from the liver and lungs (Lung/Liver Ratio). RESULTS: L/L ratio according to the stages of chest X-ray classification were as follows; stage 0 (normal, n=10): 0.3948+/-0.0692, stage 1 (n=10): 0.5763+/-0.1837, stage 2 (n=11): 0.6849+/-0.1459, stage 3 (n=4): 0.9913+/-0.0712. There was a significant correlation between the scintigraphic L/L ratio and the X-ray stage (r=0.618, p<0.05). However, no significant correlation between L/L ratio and pulmonary function tests were observed (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Quantitative Ga-67 scintigraphy can be a useful method for staging of silicosis. However, it is not a method to assess pulmonary functional impairment.
Abdomen ; Citric Acid ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Liver ; Lung ; Occupational Diseases ; Pneumoconiosis ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Silicosis* ; Thorax*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus* ; Female ; Humans* ; Ovary*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Hepatitis A* ; Hepatitis* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR*

No abstract available.
Growth Hormone* ; Humans

The incidence of pediatric dermatoses shows a tendency to increase inspite of medical development and environmental improvement. Pediatric dermatoses must be regarded as separate disease entities because child skin differs from adult skin in its structures and functions. Also to be noted are the special, characteristics of the child skin during the growth period. 11,447 childhood patients who had visited the demantologic department of Soon Chun Hyang Hospital, from 1975 to 1980, were analysed. in order to compile the current statistics on the tendencies of pediatric skin dises in Korea. The results are summarized as follows; l. Among the 34, 472 outpatients, 11, 447 were pediatric patients, comprising 33. 2% of the total figure. 2. In order of frequency, the most common dermatoses were atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, impetigo contagiosum, molluscum contagiosum, dermatophytosis, scabies, folliculitis, urticaria, varicella and insect bite. 3. The majority of childhood derrnatitis(65.5%) were shown to develop in the preschool age group, with the peak incidence falling in the 0-3 year age group (41.4%) 4. In analysis of the male: female frequency ratio, the dermatoses which showed a greater male frequency ratio were atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, impetigo contagiosum, scabies, insect bite, urticaria and miliaria. The dermatoses in which the female ratio was greater were seborrheic dermatitis, acne and hemangioma.
Acne Vulgaris ; Adult ; Chickenpox ; Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Female ; Folliculitis ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Impetigo ; Incidence ; Insect Bites and Stings ; Korea ; Male ; Miliaria ; Molluscum Contagiosum ; Outpatients ; Scabies ; Skin ; Skin Diseases* ; Statistics as Topic* ; Tinea ; Urticaria

No abstract available.
Dental Enamel* ; Dental Porcelain*