Analysis of synovial fluid is a most helpful aid in diagnosis and differentiating the varlous types of arthritis. But little information is available on joint fluid proteins and immunoglobullns. The present study was designed to obtain more precise information about each component of joint fluid proteins, using Acrylamide Gel Microzone system with a Densitometer. The following results were obtained: 1. The amount of total protein in both types of arthritis was approximately twice as high as that in the normal group (Normal;2.12± 0.50g%, R.A.;4.51± 1.18g%, Tbc;4.10± 1.02g%). 2. The albumin fraction was decreased in both types of arthrltis (R.A.;42.15± 5.21g%, Tbc; 44.24± 5.61g%) in comparison with 65.25± 4.40g% in the normal group. 3. The percentages of Alpha 1 and Beta globulin in both types of arthritis were similar to that in the normal group. (Normal:Alpha 1;6.01± 1.10, beta; 12.40± 1.90) 4. The percentages of Alpha 2 globulin and gamma globulin in both types of arthritis were approximately twice as high as that in the normal group. (Normal:Alpha 2;5.31± 1.62, Gamrna; 11.03± 1.51).
Acrylamide ; Arthritis ; Beta-Globulins ; Diagnosis ; gamma-Globulins ; Joints ; Synovial Fluid

Degenerative joint disease is a non-inflammatory disorder of movable joints characterized by deterioration and abrasion of articular cartilage, and also by formation of new bone at the joint surfaces. It is by far the most common form of arthritis in persons over the age of fifty, but manifestation of this disease do not appear as a rule until the fourth or fifth decade. Despite the frequent occurrence of osteoarthrosis in the adult population, many parameters of its pathogenesis have not yet been established. It is generally accepted that many types of injury, and prolonged strenous sporting activity are capable of producing the initial cartilage lesion that leads to the development of degenerative joint disease. But little information is available on its frequency in young athletes. The present study was designed to obtain more precise information about the effect of prolonged strenuous athletic activities on the development of osteoarthrosis in young women athletes. After a detailed clinical examination of the joints of 50 Korean young women volley ball players between 19 and 24 years of age, routine roentgenography was taken of hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands. The following results were obtained: 1. 23(46%) of 50 young women volley ball players had radiological evidence of osteoarthrosis in one or other of the joint X-rays, but there was no instance of apparent narrowing of the joint space. Nine(18%) of 50 young players had osteoarthrosis in more than 2 joints. Among 50 young volley ball players, 19(38%) athletes had symptomatic osteoarthrosis. 2. The knee joints were most commonly affected(34%). Less frequent sites were ankles(16%), elbow(8%), shoulders(8%) and hips(2%). But there was no involvement of the distal interphalangeal joints of the hand which are most frequently affected in the elderly. 3. 8(16%) of 50 athletes were found to have osteoarthrosis at the site of an injury. The knee joints showed this association most frequently. 4. It was found that body weight and occupation did not affect the incidence of the osteoarthrosis significantly.
Adult ; Aged ; Ankle ; Arthritis ; Athletes ; Body Weight ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Elbow ; Female ; Hand ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joint Diseases ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Occupations ; Osteoarthritis ; Radiography ; Shoulder ; Sports ; Wrist

Elderly patient with Genu Varus deformity is commonly treated by high tibial valgus osteotomy to unload the stress concentration medially. Most of these procedures were performed by closing wedge osteotomies and that revealed some problems. Most require a fairly large scar and later reoperation for implant removal. The Ilizarov apparatus and Ilizarov's principles of deformity correction seem to offer several advantages over other methods of high tibial osteotomy. With the Ilizarov method, distractional open wedge technique offers a biomechanically sound, predictably accurate, and reproducible method of correcting an extremity's mechanical axis deviation. From December 1991 to December 1993 at the department of orthopaedic surgery, Pusan National University Hospital, 5 patients(7 tibia) underwent the operation of correction of the genu varum using Ilizarov external fixator for osteoarthritis. The results were summarized as follows: l. All case were female, and the Mean age was 58 years old. 2. Preoperative mean varus angle were 20° and postoperative mean valgus angle were 6° at final follow-up. 3. The complication was not detected includes limb length descrepancy. 4. Mean Ilizarov external fixator fixation period was 5 months. 5. The results after average 1 year 1 month of follow-up were as follows: Excellent in 2 cases(29%), Good in 4 cases(57%), Fair in 1 case(14%), Poor in 0 case()%). 6. The early clinical and radiologic results were encouraging, although a longer follow-up period is necessary.
Aged ; Busan ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; External Fixators ; Extremities ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genu Varum ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique ; Methods ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy ; Reoperation

Nine hips in eight patients had development of femoral endosteal cortical erosion after a cementless total hip arthroplasty. Serial anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of all of the affected femora were reviewed to determine the interval between the operation and the first recognition of the osteolytic lesion or lesion, as well as to evaluate the radiographic appearance and progression of the lesions. We reviewed the one hundred twenty hips in one hundred eleven patients had a cementless total hip arthroplsty at the department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital from January 1985 to December 1991. The mean average follow up period was forty five months (twenty four to one hundred nine months). Osteolysis was first noted radiographically at forty four to eighty five months(mean, sixty three months) postoperatively; it occurred most frequently around the distal portion of the prosthetic stem. Three of the femoral components were shown to be loose. The remaining six hips had been judged to be stable when the endosteal erosion had first been identified. The osteolysis was more severe in the femora in which the component was loose than in those in which it was stable. Of the six stable hips and two unstable hips except revised one hip, who were followed, four hips had an increase in the size of osteolytic lesion with time. All two unstable hips and two stable hips among six stable hips had an increase in the size of osteolytic lesion with time. Therefore, close follow up in necessary for patients in whom osteolysis develops in association with a stable cementless femoral component.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Busan ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteolysis

Alzhelmer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia that arises on a neuropathological background of amyloid plaques containing betaamylold (Abeta) derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tau-rich neurofibrillary tangles. To date, the cause and progression of familial or sporadic AD have not been fully elucidated. About 10% of all cases of AD occur as autosomal dominant inherited forms of early-onset AD, which are caused by mutations in the genes encoding APP, presenilin-1 and presenilin-2. Proteolytic processing of APP by beta-gamma-secretase and caspase generates Abetaand carboxyl-terminal fragments of APP (APP-CTFs), which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AD. The presenilins function as one of the gamma-secretases. Abetawhich is the main component of the amyloid plaques found, is known to exert neurotoxicity by accumulating free radicals, disturbing calcium homeostasis, evoking inflammatory response and activating signaling pathways. The CTFs have been found in AD patients' brain and reported to exhibit much greater neurotoxicity than Abeta. Furthermore CTFs are known to impair calcium homeostasis and learning and memory, triggering a strong inflammatory reaction through MAPKs- and NF-kappaB-dependent astrocytosis and iNOS induction. Recently, it was reported that CTF translocated into the nucleus and in turn, affected transcription of genes including glycogen synthase kinase-3beta which results in the induction of tau-rich neurofibrillary tangles and subsequently cell death. One of the hallmarks of AD, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), is formed by insoluble intracellular polymers of hyperphosphorylated tau that is believed to cause apoptosis by disrupting cytoskeletal and axonal transport. This review covers the processing of APP, toxic mechanisms of Abetaand CTFs of APP, presenilin and also tau in relation to the pathogenesis of AD.
Amyloid ; Apoptosis ; Axonal Transport ; Brain ; Calcium ; Cell Death ; Dementia* ; Free Radicals ; Gliosis ; Glycogen Synthase ; Homeostasis ; Learning ; Memory ; Neurofibrillary Tangles ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Polymers ; Presenilin-1 ; Presenilin-2 ; Presenilins

BACKGROUND: Solvents play an immense role in the industria sector. Irritant dermatitis which is more common than allergic contact dermatitis can be caused by solvents. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the skin irritancy of several solvents using human and guinea pig skin models. METHODS: The skin responses to short contact with etharol, acetone, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and xylene were measured by visual scoring of erythm, transepidermal water loss and laser doppler flowmetry. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows . 1. Guinea pig and human skin responses to normal saline, ethanol, and acetone were nearly negligible. 2. Guinea pig skin responses to 99.9% DMSO under occlusion for 0.5 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL, and LDF. They are measured 3+0.(0,1+21.70, 45+12.70 at 5 min after removal of 99.9% DMSQ, and 0.83+0.41, 10.5+3.83, 36+4.0, to 120 min after removal. 3. Guinea pig skin responses to 97% xylene under occlusion for 5 nin were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 3+0.00, 1. 5.82, 77+11.7 at 5 min after removal of 97% xylene, and 1.83+0.75, 5.5+3.21, 39.17+11.53 at l2 min after removal. 4. Human skin responses to 75% DMSO under occlusion for 1 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 2,5+0.5, 63+25.8, 51+13.7 at 5 min after removal of 75% DMSO, and 0.17+0.41, 14.67+15.87, 21.17-8. 1 at 120 min after removal. 5. Human skin responses to 97% xylene under occlusion for 12 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 2.7+0.52+4.22, 76+14.30 at 5 min after removal of 97% xylene, and 0+0, 2.5+0.55, 3.17+0.98, 120 emOVBI. CONCLUSION: Short contact vrith DMSO and xylene cause visib erythema and an increase in TEWL and cutaneous blood flow. The reaction patterns in hurr an and guinea pig skin models were similar.
Acetone ; Animals ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Irritant* ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Erythema ; Ethanol ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Lichen Planus ; Skin ; Solvents* ; Xylenes

No abstract available.
Acetylcholinesterase* ; Aluminum* ; Animals ; Brain* ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase* ; Choline* ; Rats*

Clothing dermatitis is a rare disease. The distribution of the eruption coincides with the places on the skin where the garment fits most snugly. It is developed by the chemicals and the dyes rather than textile itself. We experienced 2 cases of clothing dermatitis, one of which was caused by formaldehyde in clothing.
Clothing* ; Coloring Agents ; Dermatitis* ; Formaldehyde ; Rare Diseases ; Skin ; Textiles

The effects and safety of using oral Nicardipine(NCP, Perdipine(R)) a calcium blocking agent of the dihydropyridine derivative, were assessed in 29 patients(14 males, 15 females, mean age 56.3 years) with essensed hypertension with complications of left ventricular hypertrophy and/or hypertensive retinopathy. The patients with a sitting blood pressure(BP) of more than 160/100mHg at 4th week while off all antihypertensive agents, were entered into the study and recieved NCP, 20mg tid for 2 weeks, BP being measured once every week. NCP significantly reduced. The systolic BP from 179.5+/-18.2mmHg to 143.4 +/-18.2mmHg, the diastolic BP from 112.9+/-16.2mmHg to 93.1+/-10.4mmHg and the mean BP from 135.2+/-11.7mmHg to 110.0+/-9.9mmHg(mean+/-S.D. of weekly BP for 4 weeks)(P<0.001). Fall in systolic, distolic and mean BP was 35.1+/-15.1mmHg, 20.0+/-8.3mmHg and 25.3+/-10.2mmHg, respectively. A fall in systolic BP of more than 20mmHg, in diastolic BP of more than 10mmHg and in mean BP of more than 13mmHg was obtained in 86.2%, 89.6% and 86.2% of the cases, respectively. The heart rate did not change with oral NCP. The side effects were headache, facial flushing, dizziness and palpitation, but they were tolerable. These finding suggest that NCP is an effective and safe drug for the treatment of sustained essential hypertension.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Calcium ; Dizziness ; Female ; Flushing ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Nicardipine*

Progressive memory impairment such as that associated with depression, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) can interfere with daily life. In particular, AD, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, prominently features a memory and learning impairment that is related to changes in acetylcholine and abnormal β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition in the brain. In the present study, we investigated the effects of dehydroevodiamine·HCl (DHED) on cognitive improvement and the related mechanism in memory-impaired rat models, namely, a scopolamine-induced amnesia model and a Aβ₁₋₄₂-infused model. The cognitive effects of DHED were measured using a water maze test and a passive avoidance test in the memory-impaired rat models. The results demonstrate that DHED (10 mg/kg, p.o.) and Donepezil (1 mg/kg, p.o.) ameliorated the spatial memory impairment in the scopolamine-induced amnestic rats. Moreover, DHED significantly improved learning and memory in the Aβ₁₋₄₂-infused rat model. Furthermore, the mechanism of these behavioral effects of DHED was investigated using a cell viability assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement, and intracellular calcium measurement in primary cortical neurons. DHED reduced neurotoxicity and the production of Aβ-induced ROS in primary cortical neurons. In addition, similar to the effect of MK801, DHED decreased intracellular calcium levels in primary cortical neurons. Our results suggest that DHED has strong protective effects against cognitive impairments through its antioxidant activity and inhibition of neurotoxicity and intracellular calcium. Thus, DHED may be an important therapeutic agent for memory-impaired symptoms.
Acetylcholine ; Alzheimer Disease ; Amnesia ; Animals ; Brain ; Calcium ; Cell Survival ; Cognition Disorders ; Cognition* ; Depression ; Dizocilpine Maleate ; Learning ; Memory ; Models, Animal* ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons ; Rats* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide ; Spatial Memory ; Stroke ; Water