No abstract available.
Animals ; Cats* ; Neurons* ; Visual Cortex*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Animals ; Brain* ; Corpus Striatum* ; Neurons* ; Neuropeptides* ; Rats*

Chemically induced epiderml carcinogenesis is usually divided into two stages, the initiation and promotion. The initiation involves conversion of some epidermal cells into latent neoplastic cells and the promotion is proliferation of the transformed cells. As immunosurveillence is thought to be a host defense against tumors, Langerhans cells, being essential in initiation of local cutaneous immunologic reaction, is suggested to be important in the carcingenesis of the epidermis. This study is attempted to investigate the epidermal proliferative changes in mice induced by application of 12-0-tetradecanoy1-phorbol-13-acetate(TPA) on the skin initiated with 7, 12-dimethylbenzanthracene(DMBA) and its relationship with Langerhans cell. Ninty five male inbred BALB/c mice weighing 20~25 g were divided into five groups; the 33 week-group, the 21 week-group, the 12 week-group and the 4 week-group according to the duration of carcinogen application, and the control group. The carcingen was applied with a brush on the dorsal skin of mice after depilation. Ten days after application of 800 nmole DMBA in 0.4 cc acetone, 20 nmole TPA in 0.4 cc acetone was applied twice per week and the control group was applied with the same amount of acetone for 4 weeks. Animals were sacrificed 3 days after the last application of TPA. One hour before sacrifice, bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU) (1 mg/g) was injected via the tail artert for BrdU stain of S phase cells. A strip of dorsal skin was used for hematoxylineosin stain, immunohistochemical stain for BrdU and la antigen of Langerhans cell, and flow cytometry. The results are as follows: 1. Cellular proliferation, hyperkeratosis and dysplasia of the epidermis were increased in relation to duration of carcingen application. Papillomas were developed 12 weeks after application of the carcingen. 2. BrdU labelling and proliferative indices of the 20 weeks' application group were significantly higher than those of the 12 weeks' application group. The number of Langerhans cell was decreased markedly ater 4 week' application of the carcinogen. 3. All epiedrmal lesions including a case of squamous cell carcinoma were diploidy in flow cytometry. It is thought that disturbance of immunosurveillence, caused by depletion of Langerhans cell, may permit proliferation of epidermal cells. Although abnormal quantitative change of nuclear DNA has not occurred even when the epidermal proliferative activity and dysplastic change were increased markedly, it is thought that the occurrence of structural change of chromosome is remained to be clarified.
Male ; Humans ; Mice ; Animals ; Carcinogens

A retrospective review of 14 patients treated non-operatively or operatively for burst fractures of the low lumbar spine(L4-L5) between January 1992 and December 1997 was performed. Burst fractures of the low lumbar spine are rare and have not been well delineated in the literature. Average follow-up period for fourteen patients was 10.6 months. Ten patients were men and four were women. The average age at injury was 36.8 years(range 17-70 years). Seventy-one percent of the injuries were the result of fall from height and 29% were the result of motor vehicle accidents. Non-operatively treated six patients were presented with minimal canal compromise and minimal or no initial neurological deficit. They were treated 4-6weeks of bed rest before they were allowed to mobilize with orthosis. None of these patients had any significant complications. If patients showed neurological impairment associated with significant canal compromise or vertebral height loss, they were treated operatively to restore spinal stability and spinal height and also to decompress neural elements. Various types of combined surgical approaches were used for eight patients who met these criteria. Among these, two were treated in a staged fashion with the anterior transperitoneal approach done initially. Vertebrectomy and complete neural decompression in direct vision was possible and interbody fusion was performed using Mesh cage, which was filled with bone collected from sites of vertebrectomy. This combined approach seems to be the choice of procedure for complete decompression and interbody fusion of the low lumbar burst fracture(L4-L5) with severe canal compromise and vertebral height loss. Transperitoneal approach for the low lumbar vertebrectomy has advantage of less muscular damage compared to retroperitoneal approach. There were no major complications from surgery in the present series.
Bed Rest ; Decompression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Vehicles ; Orthotic Devices ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to verify the status and the clinical significance of BRAF and NRAS mutations in patients of one of the university hospitals in Korea. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and direct sequencing were performed for the analysis of melanoma samples (n=22) for the detection of mutations in exon 15 of the BRAF gene, and exons 2 and 3 of the NRAS gene in genomic DNA. Mutations of the BRAF gene were correlated with the clinicopathologic features of patients and the BRAF mutation status was compared in 18 paired primary and metastatic tumors. RESULTS: Incidence of somatic mutations within the BRAF and NRAS genes was 27.3% (6/22) and 0% (0/22), respectively. Age, gender, Breslow thickness, and ulceration did not show correlation with BRAF mutations. Among 18 patients with metastasis, BRAF mutation was detected in 22.2% of cases (4/18), and all four cases with BRAF mutations were identified in metastatic lymph node tissues. BRAF mutations were only found in lymph node metastases, which was statistically significant (28.6% vs 0%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The incidence of BRAF mutation is as low as in other Asian reports and the NRAS mutation was not found in patients of our institute.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA ; Exons ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Melanoma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Ulcer

To localize glycoconjugates of surface mucous cells, mucous neck cells and chief cells in the developing rat, nine of biotinylated lectin(SBA, DBA, PNA, BSL-1, RCA-1, sWGA, UEA-1, Con A and LCA) were applied with ABC method. In the surface and gastric pit epithelium of body of the stomach, DBA affinity was not demonstrated. Although Con A and LCA affinity were slightly increased after birth, these affinities with RCA-1 and sWGA maintained constantly from fetal to adult rat. And UEA-1 affinity gradually increased from the end of suckling period. BSL-1 and PNA affinity showed a tendency to decrease and was not observed in most cells from the suckling and weanling period respectively. In the gastric gland proper, mucous neck cells and chief cells were not distinguished until the early weanling period. All affinities examined except DBA and BSL-1 were observed and increased in the gland of postnatal rat. With the approach of weanling period, more intense affinity for PNA, RCA-1, sWGA and UEA-1 were found on lower portion of the gastric gland proper and more intense affinity for SBA on upper portion. The mucous neck cells showed a similar affinities as gastric gland proper from the weanling period and two affinities for PNA and Con A were detected in the chief cell.
Adult ; Animals ; Epithelium ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Glycoconjugates ; Humans ; Neck* ; Parturition ; Rats* ; Stomach

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the characteristic CT and MR findings in persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous(PHPV) and to compare the detectability of those findings in each modality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated CT and MR findings in 32 patients with PHPV. Twenty-five patients had CT, 13 patients had MR, and 6 patients had both CT and MR. RESULTS: Major findings of PHPV in 32 patients on both imaging modalities were lens deformity(78%), shallow anterior chamber(72%), heterogeneous vitreous opacity(72%), enhancing hyaloid artery or remnant of fibrotic hand(69%), and microophthalmos(67%). Minor findings were retinal detachment(22%), and vitreous hemorrhage(6%). In MRI, lens deformity(92%) and shallow anterior chamber(85%) were detected most commonly whereas in CT, opaque vitreous(80%) was the most common finding. Findings of enhancing hyaloid vessel or remnant of fibrotic band, considered characteristic of PHPV, were more commonly detectable in MR (85%) than CT(52%). CONCLUSION: Characteristic MR and CT findings of PHPV were lena deformity, shallow anterior chanber, heterogeneons vitreons opacity, enhanciny hgalind artery or remnant fibrotic band, and microphthalmos. MR seemed to be more useful than CT in detecting Globe pathology.
Arteries ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Microphthalmos ; Pathology ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper was to verify effects of the team approach rehabilitation program on balance, gait, and muscle strength of lower extremities of elderly people with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Subjects of this paper were 40 elderly people with Parkinson's disease, 20 control and experimental groups respectively, who could walk independently and were less than the 2.5 Hoehn &Yahr stage. The team approach rehabilitation program was applied to the experimental group for 12 weeks. RESULTS: There was significant decrease in second at timed up &go test (p=.008), but no significant difference in reach length at functional reach test (p=.201) with partial improvement of balance. There was no significant difference in second at 10-meter walk test (p=.070), but showed tendency of improvement of gait. And number of times at 30s-chair stand test, indicating muscle strength on lower extremities, increased significantly (p=.029). CONCLUSION: The team approach rehabilitation program has demonstrated its effectiveness on improving balance, and muscle strength of lower extremities for the elderly with Parkinson's disease.
Aged ; Gait ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Muscle Strength ; Parkinson Disease ; Rehabilitation